These are noisy times in medicine. In the process of trying to define and regulate “Healthcare”, society seemingly has lost the fundamental aspect of “Medical Care”. Medicine is not made up of policies or regulations nor insurance plans (or the absence thereof), but rather the interface between the individual seeking and the provider offering care.

We have misdirected our focus towards the noise swirling around healthcare and away from the essence of treatment.

Yet most providers still understand the importance of patient focused care and have dedicated their lives and their practices to it. They are actively trying to rethink and streamline both care and access, as well as patient and caregiver satisfaction. Not all these providers are physicians – sometimes they are administrators or policy writers. Sometimes they are folks working in non-medical fields – authors, architects, designers – whose interests and passions can be applied to the good of medical care.

At PeerSpectrum, through interviews, podcasts and a few blog entries and shared thoughts, we strive to seek out these individuals and share their thoughts and ideas. Our content is meant to inform and entertain, whether you are a physician or one of the many people in our society who are interested in how medicine and healthcare work.

As to our credentials, I was a practicing physician and medical educator for more than twenty years who worked in three vastly different practice models, including designing and implementing a solo practice.   I am now a writer and educational consultant. My colleague, Colin Miller worked with me and other physicians on the equipment side of medical care and brings insight into the complex maze of regulations and administration that make up the healthcare industry.  Together, we present a complementary experience of many aspects of health and medical care; the good, the bad and the not so beautiful.  We also bring in thought leaders and individuals with other interests and perspectives on the Medical World to make our conversations topical and stimulating.

In short, although these are stormy times for medical practice, we feel there are ways to filter the noise.  Ultimately, our goal is to help our audience recapture the callow joy that working in the medical field can and should provide, and to remind them that the world really can turn on a concept as simple as a desire to do good things.

Keith Mankin, MD

Dallas, TX

August 13, 2019