peerspectrum Medicine, Podcast

First Bitcoin, Next Medicine. Get Ready for Blockchain with Harvard Physician and Technologist, Dr. William Gordon.

peerspectrum- william gordon

Name: William J. Gordon, MD

Location: Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical College: Boston, MA.

Specialty: Clinical Informatics Fellow at Partners HealthCare, Hospitalist and Instructor in Medicine.

All right, welcome back. Imagine a world where patients can access their medical records anytime, anywhere with immutable security. Imagine every instance along a patient’s continuum of care recorded and easily searchable. Imagine the opportunity to meta search millions of health records and data points, and even outcomes, without compromising an individual patient’s personal identity. Imagine patients using these resources to evaluate and choose their hospitals, and even you.

Folks, this isn’t science fiction or wishful thinking. It’s a technology called block-chain and if you’ve heard of bitcoin, you’ve heard of block-chain.

Continue reading “First Bitcoin, Next Medicine. Get Ready for Blockchain with Harvard Physician and Technologist, Dr. William Gordon.” →
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The Fascinating History of Bad Medicine and Dangerous Belief Systems: Alan Levinovitz, PhD

alan levinovitz-peerspectrum

Name: Alan Levinovitz, PhD

Location: James Madison University: Harrisburg, VA

Specialty: Professor of Religion and Philosophy

“Although scientific training can inoculate against the power of nutritional myths, by no means does it guarantee immunity.”

-Alan Levinovitz, “The Gluten Lie”

All right, welcome back. Do a quick search on Amazon for books about gluten and over three thousand results show up. Everything from cooks books, diet guides and even childrens’ books show up. If you’re a listener to this podcast, and you don’t have celiac disease, these are not the books likely found in your home library.

Happily there’s one book, on the first page of results, that you should own though. Called “The Gluten Lie”, it’s well researched, backed up with peer-reviewed data and it’s about much more than just Gluten. Who wrote this book you ask? An MD out there who was fed up with latest irrational diet craze. No, this book was written by our guest today, Alan Levinovitz, a professor of Religion and Philosophy at James Madison University. As we’ll soon explore with Alan, many of these diet crazes, pseudo science myths and other crazy beliefs are nothing new. They’ve popped up again and again throughout history, and if we don’t learn from history, well, you can guess what happens.

This was a unique conversation and probably one of the funnest yet. Alan is fighting the good fight, writing for The Atlantic, Time, Fortune and NPR just to name a few. He’s also a great guy to talk with and the kind of professor you wish you had had in college. With that said, let’s get started….

Continue reading “The Fascinating History of Bad Medicine and Dangerous Belief Systems: Alan Levinovitz, PhD” →
peerspectrum Medicine, Podcast

Solo Practice at the World’s Edge. Author, Explorer & Antarctica Base Physician, Dr. Gavin Francis

Gavin Francis on PeerSpectrum Podcast

Name: Gavin Francis, MD

Location: Edinburgh, Scotland

Specialty: General Practitioner, Emergency Medicine

Dr. Gavin Francis is a general practitioner based in Edinburgh Scotland. He’s also a prolific traveler and an incredibly talented writer.

Today we’re going the explore the 15 months Gavin served as the sole physician at Halley, the British research station in Antarctica. Gavin was it. With no medical team, no back up and pretty limited equipment, Gavin had to be ready for any medical emergency, large or small. During the winter months, Halley is completely cut off from the rest of the world. Ships can’t enter, planes can’t land and you won’t see the sun until spring. It’s hard to imagine being farther off the grid than this. Even the international space station has a Soyuz spacecraft ready for an emergency escape.

Continue reading “Solo Practice at the World’s Edge. Author, Explorer & Antarctica Base Physician, Dr. Gavin Francis” →
peerspectrum Medicine, Podcast

How Would Warren Buffett Pick His Doctor? Norman Beck’s Life Saving Story.

Norman Beck at TedX SMU

Norman Beck has been profiled in the New Yorker, he’s shared his story on the stage of TED, he has breakfast with Warren Buffett and Bill Gates every year, and yet, there’s a good chance you’ve never heard of him…until today.

Norman Beck searches for data in hard to reach places. Because he looks where no one else looks, he knows what no one else knows. Norman’s experience and skills were put to the test one day in a doctors office, when he found himself on the receiving end of a life threatening diagnosis. He knew his life depended on the answer to a very serious question: “who is the best surgeon I can find?”

Continue reading “How Would Warren Buffett Pick His Doctor? Norman Beck’s Life Saving Story.” →
peerspectrum Medicine, Podcast

Don’t skip the eclipse! Surgeon, NASA Consultant & Amateur Astronomer, Dr. Gordon Telepun

corona- gordon telepun
Image courtesy of Gordon Telepun

Name: Gordon Telepun, MD

Location: Decatur, Alabama

Specialty: Plastic Surgeon, Amateur Astronomer

Today we’re going to take a brief departure from our normal routine for a smaller, mini episode. In just one week, the moon’s shadow will be passing over the continental US . If you’ve never seen a solar eclipse, and you’re still not sure if it’s worth all the hype, stay tuned. Our guest, Dr. Gordon Telepun is a plastic surgeon in Decatur Alabama. That’s his day job. Gordon is also a passionate amateur astronomer. He’s traveled to the middle of the ocean, and as far as the plains of southern Africa to see a solar eclipse. His knowledge of eclipses would probably give Neil deGrasse Tyson a run for his money. Gordon has even developed a geo-location app (for viewing the eclipse) that’s being used by NASA next week at two of their observation sites. This episode was fascinating and lot of fun. With that said, let’s get started…

Learn more:

Gordon’s photos from Africa:

https://magnetograph.msfc.nasa.gov/outreach/girlscouts/Gordon_photos.html

Gordon’s Solar Eclipse Tracking App:

https://itunes.apple.com/US/app/id1203105865?mt=8

Gordon’s Website:

http://www.foxwoodastronomy.com/

Dr. Telepun’s Practice:

http://www.youngandhealthyskin.com/

peerspectrum Medicine, Podcast

Evidence Based Medicine Strikes Back! CNN Producer, Dr. Alok Patel on Medicine in Modern Media

Alok Patel

Name: Alok Patel, MD

Location: Columbia University Medical Center, New York City

Specialty: Pediatrician, Associate Professor, Journalist and Startup Advisor.

How many of you feel like your patients consider you the 2nd opinion after first consulting Dr. Google? How much of your time is spent fighting through a jungle of pseudo science and misinformation just to reach your patients? Why is it so hard to earn their trust?

With all the talk today of fake news, the erosion of journalism and the shallow miasma of modern media things look pretty grim. But this is Peerspectrum. Lamenting over the state of affairs is not what we do here. Despite the circumstances, there are some out there (particularly physicians) engaging these problems head on. Today’s guest is one of them.

Dr. Alok Patel is a Pediatrician and associate professor at Columbia University, in New York City. He’s also rising voice among physicians using modern media to defend and advance medicine.

Continue reading “Evidence Based Medicine Strikes Back! CNN Producer, Dr. Alok Patel on Medicine in Modern Media” →
peerspectrum Medicine, Podcast

Treating Fighter Jet Pilots and Guiding the Next Generation of Physicians: Dr. Ryan Gray

Flight Surgeon
U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Grace Lee

Name: Ryan Gray, MD

Location: Boulder, CO

Specialty: Flight Surgeon and Founder of MedicalSchoolHQ

So, where do the Air Force’s elite bomber crews, fighter jet pilots and even drone navigators go when they need to see a doctor? They go see a guy like today’s guest, Dr. Ryan Gray. Ryan is an Aerospace Medicine physician, also known as a flight surgeon. As a flight surgeon, Ryan treated some Air-force’s most elite fliers. He was also responsible for evaluating their flight readiness, sometimes having to ground pilots and crew members who were not medically cleared to fly. As you can imagine, not everyone was eager to find themselves in Ryan’s clinic, fearing a medical disqualification that could literally ground their careers. We’re going to learn how Ryan navigated this challenging dynamic, and the tactics he used to build trust with his patients. We’re also going to learn how a young airman’s question sparked a new mission for Ryan, the mission he now pursues as an educator and physician entrepreneur.

Continue reading “Treating Fighter Jet Pilots and Guiding the Next Generation of Physicians: Dr. Ryan Gray” →
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45 Minutes Per Patient, 24/7 Call, and Loving Every Minute: The Direct Primary Care model with Dr. Staci Benson.

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Name: Anastasia (Staci) Benson, DO

Location: Paradigm Family Health: Dallas, TX

Specialty: Family Physician (Direct Primary Care)

Imagine yourself as a patient, free to schedule visits any time you wish. During those visits, you can expect to spend an average of 45 minutes, face to face with your doctor. You can also call your doctor anytime, even on nights and weekends.

Now imagine yourself as that doctor. Today, the average family physician sees 25-30 patients a day, averaging only seven minutes with each. It’s no surprise that many GPs today report feeling overworked, underpaid and even burned out. But not you. You enjoy an average of 45 minutes with each of your patients. You see, at most, five or six patients per day. Your patients can call you anytime, but surprising they rarely do. You love your job and your lifestyle. You know your patients and they know you. Your practice model enables huge health-care cost savings but your income still matches or exceeds that of your traditional family practice colleagues.

Continue reading “45 Minutes Per Patient, 24/7 Call, and Loving Every Minute: The Direct Primary Care model with Dr. Staci Benson.” →
peerspectrum Medicine, Podcast

Practicing for Gameday: Baseball, Orthopedics and a $350 surgical simulator from Home Depot, Dr. Gregory Lopez.

gregory lopez- peerspectrum

Image courtesy of Dr. Gregory Lopez

Name: Gregory Lopez, MD

Location: Midwest Orthopedics at Rush, Chicago, IL

Specialty: Orthopedic Spine Surgeon

“If I don’t practice one day, I know it; two days, the critics know it; three days, the public knows it.” -Violinist, Jascha Heifetz

Introduction:

Today we have a fun episode for you. Dr. Gregory Lopez is orthopedic spine surgeon in Chicago with Midwest Orthopedics at Rush. He’s a former collegiate and minor league baseball player who’s experienced his fair share of injuries. It’s those experiences that inspired his path toward medicine. He’s also an innovator and that’s where are story gets fun.

Continue reading “Practicing for Gameday: Baseball, Orthopedics and a $350 surgical simulator from Home Depot, Dr. Gregory Lopez.” →
peerspectrum Medicine, Podcast

Lean Toward Risk: Conversation with 54 Year Old Medical Student, Suzanne Watson.

suzanne watson- peerspectrum

“Lean toward risk…many more seniors regret the risks they didn’t take than regret the ones they did.” -David Brooks

Name: Suzanne Watson

Location: Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston Salem, NC.

Specialty: Medical Student

Introduction:

Medical school acceptance and AARP card in the same week.

As we find her today, in February of 2017, Suzanne Watson is medical student finishing up her final year at Wake Forest School of Medicine. She’s also a mother of four, a former minister, a widow, and she is 54 years old.

With a growing family, Suzanne voluntarily left medical school in her twenties but never gave up on her dream of becoming a physician. The dream never flickered, even through her career as an Episcopalian minister, all while raising her four children alone after the tragic death of her husband.

Continue reading “Lean Toward Risk: Conversation with 54 Year Old Medical Student, Suzanne Watson.” →