Communication is truly an art form, one that requires study and practice. No matter the circumstance or setting, finding the right words to convey the message you want to impart and get the result you desire requires some finesse. The MedMan team was fortunate to have Diane Brennan and Alexandra Ross, the authors of Back Pocket Coach: 33 Effective Communication Strategies for Work & Life join us for a discussion on a few strategies shared in their book. My personality type is non-confrontational and I'm all about keeping harmony, both professionally and personally. A couple of specific circumstances and subsequent phrases that will serve me well are: Circumstance: When you find yourself

Earlier this month I attended three days of TEDMED--the TED Talks’ medical variant. Its theme of “limitless” recalibrated my thinking of what is possible. For example, I didn’t know: Radiologists will be replaced by Artificial Intelligence (AI). We could improve patient flow and save $140 billion by applying AI techniques such as the restaurants’ Open Table. One’s zip code is the best predictor of one’s health. American medicine spends $.38 to collect every $1. 80% of heroin addicts started with Opioids. 41% of transgender youth are suicidal. Virtual Reality (VR) surgical training will become as prevalent as the airlines’ use of simulators for pilot training. Male contraception is the new,

I am pretty sure that we did not get a memo that postponed the due date of submitting my MedMan Access article, due by 10am, today, Thanksgiving Day. So I will get it submitted because Molly relies on me to do that. I am grateful for Molly’s untiring efforts with this organizational goal each month. At its core, it is an opportunity for us to share some thoughts on healthcare at a time when healthcare clearly needs some rethinking. We have discipline at MedMan called Advancing Our Values (AOV). Yes, like many companies we give a recognition award each year, we call it the AOV award , to someone who has demonstrated Integrity, Respect, Loyalty, or Sharing – our four core values. I have come t

For many people seeking healthcare, Community Health Centers aren’t even on the radar. What makes these hidden gems so special? CHC’s, as they are often called, are federally subsidized clinics that offer services to everyone, regardless of their ability to pay. CHCs are the safety-net clinics for many areas in which it’s hard to recruit doctors and keep a non-subsidized clinic afloat. These clinics exist throughout the U.S., in both rural and urban communities, and they provide medical, dental, behavioral health, and other services. Here are three reasons you should consider visiting a CHC for your health needs: Patient Centered Medical Homes (PCMH): Many CHCs have obtained PCMH status, mea

Each morning that I arrive at the clinic, I take about 20 minutes and I do some rounding. I stop in to speak to each group and employee; billing department, lab, nursing station and front office. Most of the time it is simply to say hi and see if anyone needs anything from me. It’s something that I actually really enjoy doing and it seems to do some good. One thing that I’ve started to notice with this activity is that when I ask staff if there is anything they need from me or if there is something I can do to help them, 95% of the time they say no. There must be something I can help them with but they hardly ever ask. It makes me think that there’s got to be a better way to ask. An article