Lots of pressure out there for you to be on Facebook and Twitter, right? The ultimate question, though, is how are you using Facebook and Twitter to support your goals? Are you connecting with patients? Are you reaching out to peers and friends? It is great to have a big following, but does that turn into real, authentic meaning for you? If you are like most doctors, the answer is ...
Craig Koniver, MD
Identical twins with different ideas about healthcare
Jack and John are identical twins, but have varying interests in life. One day Jack, 43-years old, decides he has had enough of these headaches and calls his family doctor and asks what he should do. He is told that his doctor can see him in 4 days and to take some over the counter ibuprofren. And to definitely go to the ER if the headaches worsen.John, who has also ...
Doctors are forced to choose between really small or super big
I am a little fish in a big sea. And so are most of us. Or used to be. For better and for worse, the era of private-practice, outpatient medicine as we know it is coming to an end.And faster than we thought. The choice now: down size or super size. No longer can a doctor operate a private practice as a solo practitioner or in a small group practice. ...
What does your personal image of medicine look like?
“I don’t need no doctor, ‘cause I know what’s ailing me. He gave me a medicated lotion But it didn't soothe my emotion” -John MayerIf someone asked you to draw your image of medicine, what would you sketch? Would it be a person wearing a long white coat with a stethescope? Would your picture be set in a hospital room, the ER or the office setting? Would there be any patients ...
Time to put a little bit of Disney into medicine
Why is a trip to the doctor’s office more like going to the DMV than going to Disney World? Both the DMV and Disney World involve waiting in long lines, but Disney has made the entire experience fun and exciting, while the DMV has made it cold and frustrating."But medicine is different," you may say. Seeing the doctor was never meant to be a fun or exciting experience, after all. ...
Why medicine is not health
Being a physician certainly biases how I view the world around me. I can't help but think in terms of problem solving and healing. But have you noticed how medicalized our society has become? The other night watching television, we watched at least four drug commercials and one health insurance commercial -- during a half hour show! I believe we are in the middle of the medicalization of America, and ...
To connect with patients is key
con·nect (from dictionary.com)verb (used with object)1.to join, link, or fasten together; unite or bind: to connect the two cities by a bridge; Communication satellites connect the local stations into a network.2.to establish communication between; put in communication:Operator, will you please connect me with Mr. Jones?To connect with your patients is truly the key solution.Connect takes on two meanings:
- Establish a relationship; develop, dig, pursue
- Maintain via all the tools now available: email, texting, Facebook, blog, etc.
