The Other End of the Stethoscope

Why We're Here

2011-09-01T13:52:00.001-07:00

Most everyone knows by now that Marvelyne and I are living in New York. Most everyone knows it’s because I’m going to grad school. Some may even be able to state that my area of study is an M.S. in Narrative Medicine. But, over the last year or more, I don’t believe there have been more than a handful of folks who actually know what narrative medicine is. And frankly, a year ago, I was no different. So, here’s the skinny.

Narrative Medicine is a field which has only been around a few years. In fact, the term “narrative medicine” was coined less than a decade ago. To the best of my knowledge, Columbia University in NYC is the sole institution where one can study narrative medicine. Hence, our relocation to NYC for the 2011-12 school year. That’s the logistics, but again, what is it?

Narrative Medicine is a combination of health care, literature, communications, philosophy and a tad bit o’ social work. Interesting, right? But, what does NM do? Well, the goal with narrative med is to take these very complex stories of illness, healing, hospitalization, disease, disability and dying and turn them into something from which others can learn. Let’s take, for example, a story of a patient dying from cancer.

NM can be used by said patient to journal his/her thoughts and feelings as they’re going through the dying process, hopefully on their way to acceptance and peace. It can also be used by the caregivers who are treating the patient. After all, it’s a pretty callous health care pro that spends great amounts of time with a patient and does not get attached in some way.

Now, the tales of the process can be used by other cancer patients, cancer caregivers to understand the patient’s role, learn from the mistakes of other caregivers, etc. Again, NM tries to take these very personal, emotional and complicated stories and put them in narrative form for the comfort of those who are sick, with the added benefit of being an educational tool for the caregiver. Plus, there are many, many other applications I’m not even familiar with yet. But just wait - those times are coming!

Anyone who knows the speaking I do for health care can see the relationship between my work and narrative medicine. But the question still begs to be answered: “Okay Engel, this is interesting and fits you too a T. But, how’s it going to help the work you do?”

Well, for years, my main thrust has been keynote lectures. I’m hopeful for several different things to come out of this narrative med program.

First, books. With as much reading and writing as the program requires, I’m pretty sure there’ll be a few more Marcus titles in the not-so-distant future.

Polishing of my keynote: Through some of the oral communications of narrative med, I hope I can speak with an even more powerful and impacting style.

Third: More offerings to my clients. Now, instead of going too a hospital for a single 1 or 2 hour keynote, I can also teach the skills of narrative to all interested parties. I foresee myself giving my usual lecture on patient care in the a.m., then in the afternoon, meeting with a smaller group of front line caregivers and instructing them in some workshop form exercises about journaling and getting them to see the benefits of NM in their own field.

On Tuesday evening, the Narrative Med program held our orientation. There are approximately 25 students in the program, a little more than half were able to attend (thank you, Hurricane Irene, for at least helping most of us get there.) In my class there are physicians, playwrights, social workers, hospital chaplain, graphic artists, a nurse or two and several folks who’ve recently graduated, thinking they were going to med school, but needing to indulge their love of literature before entering the sterile world of health care.

After introducing ourselves around the room, we got into small groups with a few faculty members. From there, we discussed a poem with a health care slant, then used a prompt for a short writing process. Each person shared something from the prompt, “How did you get here?” We were allowed too interpret that however we saw fit. Most of us took on the task of answering the question about how we came to the field of narrative medicine, myself included. All of us, in some way or another, shared something rather personal… and this seems par for the course in NM. I look forward to these deep, meaningful types of writing instead of the fluff from undergrad English days.

What happens next? Well, next week starts the actual classes. As I get deeper into the program, I’ll share more. In the meantime, please enjoy more of Marvelyne’s musings about our NYC life at:

www.MisadventuresInNYC.com

No More Stinky Eggs

2011-08-20T06:40:00.000-07:00

So, we all know the reputation of hospital food, right? Very seldom is the comment made: I was in the hospital and the food was outstanding!

After spending a few days at Lancaster General Health in Lanncaster, PA speaking, I got to know some of their tricks for making hospitalization and health care more pleasing to patients. Cooking mass amounts of food is a tough thing to do well. Lancaster experienced this when patients were complaining about the smell of the eggs on their breakfast plate.

After some research, they figured out that the plastic plate, humidity of the food and the dish cover were together forming a not so perfect storm; one that, strangely enough, gave the egggs a stench. I don't have to explain how bad it could be if a sick or nauseous person gets a whiff off something foul...yeah, more clean up for the front line health care pros.

So, Lancaster General did something about it. They changed the material the plates are made of. Eggs are a delicate thing to get right, but with the slight change, they've eliminated that perfect storm caused by the humidity of the food, material of the plate and dish cover.

To me, this is just one of the multitude of things Lanncaster General does right. It's also one of those things that patients will never notice, but they'll sure notice when it's wrong.

My thanks and props to Lancaster General for taking some extra steps to insure patients are well cared for...and well fed!

Nurses & Hospitals Week 2011

2011-02-27T11:30:00.000-08:00

I'm excited about all the bookings I'm getting for Nurses/Hospitals Week 2011. The fact hospitals and nursing orgs are taking such a proactive stance to help their members and employees shows health care turning in a more positive direction.

If your organization is interested in the Marcus Engel programs for Nurses/Hospitals Week 2011, please send me an E mail to Marcus@MarcusEngel.com and let me know. There are still a few dates available on the calendar to help honor the work and committment of health care professionals within your org!

The Confidence Of Conditions

2011-02-27T11:21:00.000-08:00

Unless you've been living under a rock for the last few weeks, you're probably all too aware of the tragic shooting in Arizona. Congresswoman Gabby Giffords was hit by at least one round , straight in the head, from an automatic pistol shot by a unstable constituent.

As Congresswoman Giffords recovered, we, the media hogs, got daily reports on her condition. We all rejoiced as her condition went from critical to serious to stable. Now that she's in a rehab facility in Houston, we're all breathing a sigh of relief that her life is no longer in jeopardy.

For the first time in a long time, we got to see and hear about her condition being upgraded, week by week. But, from a patient care perspective, how do those conditions effect the family?

The family of Representative Giffords had to also celebrate every time her condition was upgraded. How would they react if her condition was downgraded from serious to critical? How much confidence did they place in the conditions reported by her attending docs?

In my personal hospitalization, I don't recall there ever being any formal conditions. Would that have mattered to me as a patient? To my family? Chances are, yes.

In "Stethoscope" and especially in "I'm Here" I've written about how health care pros can compliment the patient's improvement, no matter how small that improvement is. Even just saying, "This wound is healing nicely" or "The incision site isn't getting any worse" can instill some faith that the patient is, indeed, on his/her way to recovery.

Be very careful about reporting the conditions of patients-always. But, if there's a way to report the patient's condition as an improvement, be liberal with the reports.

It's More Than A Game

2011-01-24T11:50:00.000-08:00

East-West Shrine Game is about much more than football
UCF's Bruce Miller: "There's a bigger meaning."
January 20, 2011|By Mike Bianchi, SPORTS COMMENTARY
•
Stephen M. Dowell, Orlando Sentinel
Never even thought about it as anything except a college football all-star game that has been played every year seemingly since the beginning of time.
In the mind's eye, the East-West Shrine Game was always that star-studded, post-holiday classic played in some exotic, faraway locale sponsored by a bunch of men wearing funny hats.
But with the game being played at the Citrus Bowl on Saturday, we should all recognize that those Shriners are more about good deeds than funny fezzes. And the East-West Shrine Game is much more than a chance for college football stars to improve their NFL draft status; it's a chance for them to improve the life status of a bunch of sick kids.
"Strong legs run so that weak legs can walk," says George Mitchell, the Imperial Potentate (head honcho) of Shriners International. "Everything we do is geared toward helping the Shriners Hospital for Children."
If ever there were a sporting event for our city to get behind, this is the one. Is there really a better cause than a network of 22 hospitals that offer quality care for kids who are burn victims or have suffered spinal cord injuries or are born with birth defects? These are hospitals that serve thousands of kids worldwide whether their families are able to pay or not.
Kids like 13-year-old Danny Happy, who four years ago had his life altered forever. On July 10, 2007, a private plane shockingly fell from the sky and landed in Danny's home in Sanford. His 4-year-old sister Gabriela died and Danny was burned over 95 percent of his body. Nobody expected him to survive.
He was airlifted to the burn unit at the Shriners Hospital in Cincinnati, where he was put into a medically induced coma so that he wouldn't die from the excruciating pain he was in. Nearly 50 surgeries later, he is a living, breathing testament to the medical miracles that are done by the Shriners.
There will be players in Saturday's game from UCF (defensive end Bruce Miller and offensive tackle Jah Reid), Florida (defensive end Justin Trattou) and Miami (cornerback Demarcus Van Dyke and running back Graig Cooper). If you're a Knight, a Gator or a Hurricane, why not come out to the Citrus Bowl Saturday and support your team? If you're a college football fan, why not come out and watch some of the best players in the nation? Or if you just want to watch a good game and support a good cause, kickoff is 4 p.m.
Too often in these pages, we portray college football as a corrupt sport filled with liars, cheaters and BCS commissioners who have cornered the market on greed. We get inundated with the clanging and clamoring of message board malcontents, bad-tempered bloggers and FireTheCoach.com websites. So seldom do we get to hear the true song of the sport anymore.
Like the sound of Larry Csonka, the Miami Dolphins Hall of Famer who played in the East-West Shrine Game decades ago. He was on TV the other day talking about the game and said something that might surprise you. He said he didn't remember much about the Shrine Game he played in all those years ago. He didn't remember the score or even who won. But what he did remember was the trip he and other players took to the Shriners Hospital.
It's the same story every player who plays in this game will tell you. Every year during Shrine Game week, the players are asked to visit one of the nearby Shriners Hospitals. On Sunday, the players in this year's game were bused over to Tampa to visit the kids.
"There's a bigger meaning to this game," says UCF"s Bruce Miller. "It means a lot more when you're playing for something like this. We're not just out there for ourselves to raise our NFL stock; we're out there raising money for kids who are fighting and battling and struggling with some serious medical issues.
"Visiting these kids in the hospital is one of the most worthwhile things I've ever done. It's great to put a smile on these kids' faces. And you know what? They'll put a smile on your face, too."
If you think Shriners are merely a bunch a crazy guys who wear funny hats and ride miniature motorcycles in parades, think again.
Turns out the men underneath those funny fezzes do some serious good.
Those undersized motorcycles pale in comparison to their oversized hearts.

About the Shrine Game
What: East-West Shrine Game
When: Saturday
Where: Citrus Bowl
Kickoff: 4 p.m.
Tickets: $5-$50, available on ticketmaster.com

FaceBook Fan Page

2011-01-20T15:35:00.000-08:00

I really, REALLY hate to have a fan page on Facebook. To me, it feels kinda schmaltzy; like, I’m limited to the number of friends, but fans? Hey, they’re just numbers. Well, I don’t think of any of my connections as just a number. Rather, I think of pretty much everyone I’ve ever met as a friend.
Yet, Facebook makes the rules. And the rules say no more than 5000 friends on a single page, unless it’s a fan page. So, I created one.
If you’re so inclined, please go to my fan page at:

www.FaceBook.com/MarcusEngelSpeaker

I’d love to be able to transfer all my connections over to this fan page and communicate just as actively with it. Until then, thanks to ALL my friends, fans and connections!

The Value Of Associations

2011-01-16T14:51:00.000-08:00

For the last week or two, I've been doing a good deal of health care marketing. Typically, this is to let individuals and organizations know of my services and products for the health care community.

Today, while culling through a list of nursing orgs in California, I was struck by just how much time and effort is put into associations that help promote, well, whatever the association promotes. I ran through list upon list of nurses and health care professionals who not only put in their typical 40 hour week at their job, but who also donate an extraordinary amount of time to perfecting their skills. For me, this is where the true expounding of one's skills lies. I belong to probably five or six associations of speakers and professionals. Not only do I learn as much from these orgs as I can on my own, but it comes into my brain at a fascinating rate. I'd not be half the professional as I am today were it not for the professional orgs of which I'm a member.

What about you? Do you simply put in your hours? Or do you try to improve yourself by associating with like-minded professionals? If the answer is the prior, I hope you'll consider joining an org to help you retain your current skills, build new ones and help create a more a more competent, compassionate professional.

Ozzy Obscenity

2010-12-28T07:02:00.000-08:00

I should be finished reading Ozzy Osbourn's autobio later today. Ya wouldn't think that a book about the prince of darkness rocker would have anything related to health care, but it does!

K, picture it...the mid to late 90s. And AIDS. News about AIDS is just everywhere. Reader's Digest, sitting on the tank of my parents' toilet, had an article entitled, "AIDS: Is Anyone Safe?" Every homosexual was suspect, no matter their sex. Diabetics had eyebrows raised because, hey, who knows? Maybe those really aren't insulin syringes. Maybe it's heroin. And everyone shooting heroin obviously has AIDS, right? Well, 20 years later, we know that there is a correlation between AIDS and high risk behavoir, but we no longer think anyone and everyone is living with AIDS or HIV. But, again, think back to those fearful times...

Ozzy, having just gone on a tour and after consistently having unprotected sex with all kinds of groupies, learns of this HIV and AIDS phenomenon. He smartly chooses to have himself tested. Doctor takes his blood and it's a week before the results come back. When Ozzy goes in to get the results, the doctor says, "Well, the good news is that you don't have the clap, herpes or any of the usual sexually transmitted diseases. The bad news is that you're HIV positive." Never mind he's the prince of darkness and the evil persona that is Ozzy...he does what anyone would do: breaks down crying with the knowledge his days are limited.

Then, the doctor's phone rings. After a short conversation, the doc turns back to the Oz Man and says there's been some confusion. His tests did not actually come back as HIV positive, but rather inconclusive. They'd have to do another test and wait another week for the results.

Can you even imagine the emotions that go along with being told you've got a death sentence? Then, whoops! My bad! J/K! You may not die, but I'm going to keep you in limbo for another week until we know for sure.Just hearing this made me sick to my stomach about how this could happen with any patient. It really speaks to the health care professional doing his/her homework before sharing info with a patient. Even if it's as something as a hormone test, a patient doesn't want incorrect news. Inconclusive results with a repeat test is bad enough, but incorrect info? There's just no excuse. And when it's as frightening as AIDS and HIV were in the 80s, that's just pathetic.

So, what was the reason behind this? Ozzy had been doing so many substances that his immune system was no longer functioning. Like, at all. Hence, inconclusive blood tests...but again, inconclusive is one thing, handing someone their death cert is quite another.

Before sharing bad info with patients, check, double check and triple check the information. That emotional dip issomething no patient should have to walk through because of your mistake.

Soothing Trauma

2010-10-24T06:22:00.000-07:00

This is probably breaking all kinda HIPAA rules, but here goes anyway...

A few weeks ago, my wife and I were out of town on a biz trip. While heading into Target to grab a couple road items, Marvelyne suddenly started experiencing abdominal pain. Now, my wife is tough as nails and does not complain. So, when the first words out of her mouth were, "I need to get to a doctor", I knew there was no messing around.

Off to urgent care, but urgent care suggested a CT scan. Off to the E.R. where we spent the next four hours. Seriously, E.R.s of the world, run a tighter ship. But, I digress...

After her CT scan showed up clear, her pain subsided and the docs couldn't find the cause of the earlier pain, she was released to go to our temporary Doubletree home.

If you've never been in an emergency room, consider yourself lucky. VERY lucky. No matter what your ailment, these days, it seems like three hour minimums are the norm in the E.R.Yet, with all the hustle and bustle and trauma and weirdness of the E.R., there was a single oasis: Marvelyne's doc.

He came in, sat down next to her gurney and leaned in to converse. His tone was never much more than a low breath, his words came slow and compassion just oozed from the man. Even in the craziness that is the E.R., his tone and demeanor neutralized everything except the patient, the doc and the ailment.

Is this helpful? Absolutely. Is it even MORE helpful when the patients the doc usually treats are in traumatic situations? Double absolutely.

His tone did so much to calm our fears; just by speaking quietly and slowly and sitting down. We weren't just a couple of yahoos who were in for no reason. We'd endured some terrible and unexpected and immediate pains. Well, SHE had, at least.Yet, the scary fears associated with the E.R. were negated by one person's ability to communicate effectively.

The Whitest Of White Coats

2010-09-26T08:58:00.000-07:00

Are you a little nerdy? I am! Got no probs admitting it, either!

One of my nerdy things is some lighter exploration of science, the brain, really anything. I don't want to get a Ph.D. in astrophysics or anything, but I like learning a little about a lot of different topics. One way I do this is through Radio Lab.

What's Radio Lab? A NPR program featuring two highly intelligent scientifically minded individuals. For one hour per week, they explore everything from the evolution of ancient practices in medicine, to the effects of love on the brain, to whether or not animals can reason like humans, just a wide variety of interesting topics. If you check out RadioLab.org, you'll also find a program on the placebo effect.

One of the hosts' father is a M.D. at a major university hospital. In observing his father, the host watched his father prepare to see patients in his office. One of his rituals was to open his closet, choose the whitest of a half dozen white coats hanging there and don it for the day. As the host said, there was a perceiveable change when his father put on his white medical coat. That change? Confidence and competence.

As they stepped into the hall, his first patient of the day, a woman, ran to the doc and hugged him. "I'm just so glad to see you," she murmured over and over. Her life had gotten out of control; family stuff, her health, etc. Just the sight of the doc in his lab coat was enough to cause her feelings of comfrt, that all was well now that her doc was in control.

This is exactly what the white coat SHOULD communicate. A physician who is compassionate, comforting, competent and confident. After all, a patient is giving up his/her control of their health as soon as the doc walks in.

But what about if the doc does NOT communicate compassion and competence? Could the reverse happen? Absolutely...and this is why, I feel, docs owe it to their colleagues to practice compassionate care. Is it unfair to think a physician's moment of frustration or weakness could tarnish the entire field of medical docs, at least in the mind of a single patient? Sure it is...and that doesn't change the reality.

Yet another reason docs should take a moment to put on a coat of compassionate, not just the identifier of their position.

Got Any Good Book Reccos?

2010-09-05T07:05:00.000-07:00

In a few days, yours truly will be sitting in an office at an Ivy League university, chatting with faculty of a grad school about continuing my education. I'm looking into a highly specialized form of health care that'll help me do an even better job on the platform, in my writing, anything you associate with your ol' pal, Marcus.

If I'm accepted into the program, and if all the cosmos align properly, I'll start the year long master's work in about a year. In the meantime...I need your help.

First, since I haven't been a student for, oh, 10 years, I need to get back in the swing o' things. So, do you have any health care book reccomendations you'd like to share? Anything from the patient/caregiver element to systems and institutional/organizational psychology? Anything?

Second, If you know of funding sources for grad schools, I'd love to hear of them! Scholarships, grants, work for hire by Marcus Engel-I'm all about the creative ways we can make this happen! Thanks, friends!

Spells and Some Awesome Ideas From Snyderman

2010-08-27T14:24:00.000-07:00

I've just finished reading Dr. Nancy Snyderman's "Medical Myths." If you're not familiar, Dr. Snyderman is the health correspondent for one of the major television networks. Truth be told, I did not know this before starting her book; probably b/c I usually watch cable news. Anyway, I digress...

Dr. Snyderman told a story I think we should all heed. As a young med student in Omaha, Nebraska, a woman came into the emergency room at the teaching hospital where Snyderman was working. The female patient was middle aged and appeared healthy, for the most part. The patient filled out her paperwork, waited in the ER waiting room until she finally got her turn with the ER doc.

When the female patient spoke with the doc as the students looked on, she complained of the feel of ice in her back as she inhaled. A few other symptoms were discussed, but none were the classic symptoms of heart attack, stroke, diabetes and the woman had suffered no trauma. The physician asked the students what a possible diagnosis may be. Students called out several possibilities, but the doc dismissed all of them and said quietly, "She could just be hysterical."

Simply put, this doc thought the woman was a hypochondriac, or crazy, or attention seeking. The catch all phrase of "hysterical" was primarily used for women, further reinforcing the stereotype of women as unreasonable and afraid of everything (aren't you glad we've come a little further than that in society?) The ER doc gave the woman some Rolaids and the name of a gastro specialist then released her from the ER. The woman walked out of the hospital and dropped dead of a heart attack in the hospital parking lot.

What a fantastic teacher! And no, I'm not kidding! Is this a horrible tragedy? Most certainly it was. But, what a fabulous time for students to always know to be cognisant of symptoms...and not to disregard patient complaints as nothing IF those complaints don't fit a pattern.

Have you ever known someone like this ER doc? While there's a sick part of me that takes pleasure in knowing this doc had to eat a whole flock of crows, and while it wasn't his intention, he taught a fabulous, FABULOUS lesson. I'm sure many of us can think back to someone we disliked or disagreed with. I sure can think of a few! If you're like me, you may have even made a vow to do everything NOT to be like that person. I've gotta bet that Dr. Snyderman made that vow, too. It's certainly not worth the death of a medical mistake, but the lesson changed Dr. Snyderman. And she's hopefully inspired and influenced docs along the way...I know that reading "Medical Myths" certainly gave me a lot to think about.

I mean, Voice Mail Has Only Been Around For , What? 15 Years?

2010-08-16T10:44:00.000-07:00

I just finished reading an interesting article in Men's Health about something totally NOT health related: E mail etiquette. Good article talking about how certain E mail techniques can be perceived as insulting, improper or just a time waster.

So, why don't health care offices understand this concept?

Here's the thing: Very few people E mail with their doc. I'm not referring to that, but to that other "mail" that's a tecnological improvement over the Pony Express, a.k.a. Snail Mail. That is, for you novices, voice mail.

I called a physician's office at 11:50 a.m. today. I get a recording that says the office is closed every M-F from noon until 1 for lunch.

What time did I call? Oh yeah, 10 minutes BEFORE the lunch break. Did I have the option to have my call returned? Nope. Just a message saying call back during business hours.

I don't think I'm that much different than other people here. I don't like my time wasted. By taking an earlier than stated lunch break, my time was wasted by the office staff. Now, I have to call back after 1 instead of someone calling me back. A little thing? Yes, but having that option to leave a msg would have made a big (and positive) impresion on me.

And what happened when I called back at 1:23 p.m.? I press 1 to schedule an appointment...and, without ever speaking a word to a human being, stay on hold until after 1:35. Again, had I been able to leave a voice mail, an extra 10 plus minutes of my time would not have been wasted. Now that my time has been wasted on two separate occassions in one day...well, I'm thinking there needs to be an article like the E mail etiquette article in Men's Health. And who shall write it? Me. And I'll be on that soon.

In the meantime, though, if you're office staff can't get it together, please understand that it's making a bad impression on your patients.

15 Seconds

2010-08-08T07:25:00.000-07:00

I've become a big fan of Boston Med. Granted, I'm just kinda nerdy about medical stuff, anyway, but it also gives me fodder for this blog and for my patient care keynotes.

The last episode I caught showed a surgeon in pre-op with his patient. He spoke to the patient, explained what he'd be doing and what the patient could expect. When the camera cut away to a quick interview segment, he said something really profound (I'm paraphrasing here):

"Before a patient goes into surgery, you have about 15 seconds to make them comfortable. Because we (surgeons) do this kind of thing every day, we get accustomed to it. What we forget is that it's traumatic for a patient to know they're going to be cut on. Especially if they've never had surgery before and don't know what to expect, we only have about 15 seconds to help them understand and feel comfortable before they go under."

Maybe this is the whole scenario of "walk a mile in his moccasins", but I think it's important for health care professionals to keep in mind that, while appointments, surgery or hospitalization is common for them, for patients, it brings about feelings of vulnerability and fear.

If you're a health care pro, I encourage you to take 15 seconds, just like the doc said. But not 15 seconds with the patient...take your 15 seconds on one of your breaks. Think about what a patient might be feeling, thinking or feeling. It doesn't take long to understand what the patient feels...and then to help them because, now, you have some extra empathy.

Habla Doctor?

2010-08-05T08:20:00.000-07:00

25% of physicians practicing in America went to medical school outside the United States.

Does this matter to you?

Okay, story time! Back in my single days, I dated a young lady who was an aspiring physician. By aspiring I mean she started college going into pre-med, but dropped that and went with nursing in hopes she'd return to medicine. While we were dating, she discussed a medical school in the Caribbean where a friend was a student. This friend had trouble passing the standardized test for med school, so looked outside the country. As a patient, this was kinda concerning. After all, if he's not smart enough to get into an American med school, why should he be able to come back to the states, do his residency and be recognized as a board certified physician? Well, this was nearly 10 years ago...and my tune has changed.

I have had several foreign born docs who also attended med school outside the states. Off the top of my head, there are some who I didn't care for their bedside manner, but their practice of medicine was professional and competent. Turns out, my experiences align with the data.

The Journal of Health Matters recently looked at the data on cardiac mortality rates with docs who graduated from an American med school vs. those who graduated from a foreign school. Their findings? No discernable difference. Good to know...and I, for one, believe in the economical data. Therefore, I no longer have any sort of prejudice against a doc who graduated from a med school in another country. In fact, in the last several months, I've switched our family doc to a gent who's degree was handed out by Mexico. Still, I was kinda surprised when I found out that one in four American docs didn't go to American med schools.

Here's a question (no idea if this data has ever been tabulated. If not? Someone should...) Take a survey of a wide group of patients. How many patients have even checked on where their physician went to med school? Or where he/she did his/her training? Fellowships? Unless you see the diploma hanging on their wall and recognize the name of the institution, I'd bet a shiney new nickle most patients can't discern undergrad from med school from residency from fellowship.

I find this a little sad; that patients are so uninformed. But, what does a patient think when they find out their doc's med school sheepskin comes from a university across the pond? What if it's the really big pond called the Pacific? I would love to see these opinions taken, the data analyzed, etc. Mainly, just because I'm a big nerd like that. Also, though, I'm fully in favor of patients arming themselves with knowledge. The more active a patient is in his/her own care, the better of they are.

So, faithful reader, how much do you know about your doc? And, if and when you do find out where he/she got their degree...does it matter?

AHEAD 2010

2010-07-21T15:51:00.000-07:00

Last week found the AHEAD conference in the Mile High City…and with yours truly exhibiting as always! The Assoc. on Higher Education and Disability is composed of disability support services professionals at colleges and universities across the country, plus a variety of other professionals who work in the field with disabilities. And, as always, it was such a great time seeing awesome people!

Special thanks to Jenny Dugger, Rae, Melanie Thompson, Emily, Erin, Lana, Tamara and a whole slew of others who I did NOT get to go to dinner with!

Thanks to all who stopped by our booth and got books, grabbed info and expressed interest in bringing the Marcus message to campus this fall!

Are You A Health Care Pro With A Master's?

2010-07-18T15:01:00.000-07:00

I've been exploring grad schools and grad degrees lately. I'd love to get some letters behind my name that'll behoove what I'm already doing: inspiring excellence in patient care and honoring the hard work and committment of health care pros.

Thus far, my findings lean towards a Master's in Public Health, but I've also seen a few others offered; specifically health care admin and health care informatics.

Do you have any of these degrees? Know anyone who does? I'd like to interview someone familiar with a range of grad level degrees in the world of health care. If you know someone, please pass their E mail address along to me at Marcus@MarcusEngel.com

Thanks!

The Triumph Of Touch

2010-07-06T07:05:00.001-07:00

Just got done reading "In The President's Secret Service" by Ronald Kessler. While it borders on the trashy side of the presidency (the affairs of JFK and LBJ, the ego of Carter, the oddities of Nixon), the part that struck me most was about Ronald Reagan.

Now, I'm a child of the 80s, so Reagan was the first president I can consciously remember. Or maybe there are whisps of Carter stuck in my grey matter, but really, my primacy with a president was Reagan. Specifically, when Reagan was shot.

From Reagan's own mouth and from the memories of his Secret Service agents, I learned some interesting things about the day of the shooting. If you're interested, grab yourself a copy of the book-I think you'll like it.

But, how does this relate to health care? Well, one of Reagan's only memories once he was in the hospital was a hand holding his. He knew the hand was female. He knew the hand was soft and feminine. Yet, more than anything, he took comfort from the hand. Was it a nurse? Maybe. Was it Nancy, his wife? Later, yes, but initially, it was a nurse...someone who knew that in moments of terror and pain and confusion, simply touching another person can help them feel more comfort and secure. Who'd have thought that nearly 30 years after the shooting, we could still learn something like this? Guess that's all the more reason Reagan was the great communicator.

I'm Here...Released!

2010-06-30T20:48:00.000-07:00

At long last, my newest book is out and ready for purchase! Get your copy of, "I'm Here: Compassionate Communication In Patient Care" at:

http://www.MarcusEngelproducts.com

Thanks to everyone who helped make this book a reality!

I'm Here Is Almost Here!

2010-06-29T15:42:00.000-07:00

Mark your calendar: July 1 (that's day after tomorrow, for you non-numerical people)

"I'm Here: Compassionate Communication In Patient Care" will be released to the public! We've been having free book giveaways on Facebook for the last week, but in just over 24 hours, anyone and everyone will be able to get their own copy of, "I'm Here."

If you liked "The Other End Of The Stethoscope", we think you're going to love, "I'm Here." Same style, same emotions of raw, uncensored reality, but with talking/discussion points for anyone, not just health care professionals.

We hope you'll get yourself a copy and share it with nurses, docs, therapists; anyone you know who works in health care. We're trying to change the patient experience, one book at a time!

One Week!

2010-06-24T11:19:00.000-07:00

Next Thursday, July 1, 2010, will not only be my third anniversary, but will also mark the release of, "I'm Here: Compassionate Communication In Patient Care."

We are spending the next seven days getting ready for shipments of "I'm Here" to buyers nationwide! Plus, for the first time, these books will be offered in a completely new medium (that ought to get you wonderin'!)

If you haven't already, sign up to be my friend on Facebook, or follow me on Twitter, for the contests leading up to the release! Happy reading!

Dancing & Dough-Is Cancer Really All About Making Money?

2010-06-23T06:02:00.000-07:00

We've all heard it: modern medicine won't cure cancer because there's too much money to be made in treatment!

Is this true? I dunno. Probably the only people who really DO know this are the researchers searching for a cure.

Yet, I think we all know someone who has had cancer and seen the mountains of money spent in treatment; radiation, chemo, surgery, etc. No doubt about it-cancer is expensive.

So, I take this with a grain of salt (as you should, too), but I saw something on the news this morning that kinda made me cringe.

On Fox News, one of their morning show guests was a current finalist on Dancing With The Stars. I didn't catch her name, but I believe she's a comedian. Some sort of celebrity or (gasp!) she wouldn't be considered a star.

So, in a search for topics, one of the questions posed to the star was this: New research says we could have a cure for cancer in as little as three years. What do you think?

Really, who cares what she thinks? She's not a health care professional or anyone who has an expertise in anything cancer related. Yet, she gave an interesting answer (which I'll paraphrase):

"Let's just be real...as long as there's more money in treatment than there is in a cure, I think we won't see a cure brought to the public."

Does her statement have any validity? Look at the points above, but let's not give too much creedence here.

But, what does this notion mean to a patient? What does a patient currently receiving chemo think about this idea that their cancer won't be cured because, as they get the chemo and are nauseous and worried about their survival, there are people milking the patient's bank account, purely out of greed?

I can't speak for every patient, but frankly, I'd feel a little deceived. Scratch that, I'd be pissed. I think we ALL would be hacked off if this notion turns out to be true. Still, a statement like the star made leaves a patient wondering and discouraged and potentially angry.

If a patient is undergoing a potentially life threatening disease, don't they already have enough things to worry and fret about?

If you believe this notion of cancer is true...keep it to yourself. And especially keep it to yourself if you're intimately involved with a person undergoing cancer treatment. They have enough to worry about already.

Really, I Can Stop Gushing Any Time Now!

2010-06-22T16:17:00.000-07:00

I know I've written a lot about Missouri Baptist Medical Center lately. Partially because they're my client, partially because I've been a patient there for an extended time, and partially because they continue to impress me.

K, so ya know how before surgery you've gotta strip off all your own clothes and put on the gown and all that stuff? Well, however it happened, my tray full o' stuff (tee shirt, sandals, basketball shorts and a couple personal items) ended up, well, not with me. Maybe it was the extensive surgery, maybe we just never looked under the bed again-whatever the reason, I came home barefoot (luckily, I did have another pair of shorts!)

Tonight, a large package comes through the mail. You guessed it! All my stuff!

The most valueable thing in this load was my sandals...and really, they're probably a year old and weren't exactly a designer brand to begin with. If I'd never gotten these items back, I wouldn't have been singin' the blues. But since they ARE back? All I can say is...another Mo Bap moment!

Tweet Tweet

2010-06-16T15:33:00.000-07:00

I've been terribly lax on blogging and Tweeting as of late, but thanks to a new Twitter client, I think I'll be getting back into it, head first!

Due to Twitter being a microblog, it's hard to think anything really in depth will be shared as far as patient care. Still, maybe you'll get a good laugh once in a while! Follow me at:

www.Twitter.com/MarcusEngel

Blood Everywhere...Really?

2010-06-16T09:14:00.000-07:00

The lovely and talented Ms. Marvelyne and I visited a new doctor a few days ago. The practice wanted to get a baseline of her blood work, so after seeing the doc, we waited in the waiting room for the vampire. This was a simple blood extraction; nothing fancy. The flubotomist(did I spell that right?) asked if she wanted to have the draw sitting there, or would we rather go back to the lab...She (my wife) said, "It doesn't matter to me, wherever is better for you."

Now...wait for it, wait for it.....

The vampire's response: "Let's go back to the lab, just in case we get blood everywhere."

Really? Is that something that comforts the patient? The potential of their precious blood being smeared all over the room? Yeesh!

When conversing with a patient, take a moment or two to think about your words. Do they make the patient feel like he/she is in good hands? Does your statement offer comfort? Support? Does it abide by the simple notion: First, do no harm?

As you may expect, this did not go well. It took two or three sticks and the vampire seemed more anxious than Marvelyne. I firmly believe this wasn't completely due to incompetence, but to a self fulfilling prophecy. When the statement about blood everywhere was made, both Marvelyne and I said something like, "Wow, that's comforting!" That 10 second communication set the stage; a vampire uncomfortable with his own abilities, a patient feeling their care is incompetent...not a good combination. Think for just a split second before choosing the words you say to a patient...it can set the stage for excellence...or disaster.

An Update And Some Up-To-Date Thanks

2010-06-13T12:50:00.000-07:00

If you've wondered why there haven't been any "Stethoscope" blog posts as of late, I've got your answer! It's a long story, but I'll try to give you the Cliff Notes version...

First, it was an extremely busy spring. From my last post, there was another several weeks of travelling and speaking. Hope to be able to update this blog with pics from several health care programs from that time frame.

Then came May 5. Just three days after I turned 35, I went into Missouri Baptist Medical Center for some scheduled surgery. On the docket that day was an inguinal hernia repair, abdominal/incisional hernia repair, some further reconstructive work on my face and a little bit of cosmetic surgery, just to put the icing on the cake. Surgery was performed by two awesome surgeons and lasted about 12 hours. Whew!

A few days after surgery, we realized something was very, very wrong. My bowels had not kicked in since surgery and I was in a whole, WHOLE lot of pain. A few X rays and CT scans later it was determined that, due to abdominal scar tissue and a lengthy surgery, I'd developed a bowel obstruction. Into emergency surgery and several more days of hospitalization. What should have been a trip to Mo Bap for one surgery and three nights of hospitalization turned into two operations and 11 nights of hospitalization.

First and foremost, a HUGE thank you goes to Dr. Omar Guerra and Dr. Timothy Jones for taking such good care of me. Next, thank you to my nurses and techs for helping so, SO much. Finally, to our friend, Jeff Robinson, and my mom-in-law, Faith Fredrick, for flying to STL to help Marvelyne during this lengthy hospitalization.

Another big THANK You goes to my parents and a handfull of other close friends for really helping Marvelyne by helping with Carson, bringing her coffee or taking a shift at the hospital so she could rest. Now, onto chapter 2 of this saga...

A week after being discharged from Mo Bap and coming home to Orlando, I hadn't progressed. In fact, I was hurting more and had less energy; precisely the opposite of healing. To the ER here in Orlando where (after an obligatory 5 hour wait), it was determined that the incision site from the bowel obstruction repair was infected...and bad. Next day, back into surgery (this time by Dr. Davis at Florida Hospital-East.) Infection cleaned out and, thankfully, had been contained in the abcess area. Yet, cultures returned that the infection was a particularly nasty, antibiotic resistant strain of something gross. Five more days of hospitalization and IV antibiotics and I was sent home with a handy dandy Picc line and orders to go to wound care and rcv 8 days of IV antibiotics.

Thanks goes to, first, Eric, a nurse in the Florida Hospital east ER for giving me extra drugs. A five hour uncomfortable wait deserves some extra pain killers and relaxation drugs...and Eric knew that. Next, thanks to Dr. Murphy, an antistesiologist(sorry, can't spell this word) fr his care and compassion prior to surgery. Finally, thanks to the nurses at same day services for all the info and for helping knock that nasty bug out of my system.

Now? Home and feeling much, MUCH better. This summer has been marked off for some rest, relaxation and recovery time, so you may not see a huge amount of posts. Either way, know that I'm grateful to everyone who helped me get through this nightmare called the month of May...and yes, I have stories galore of patient care that'll be fodder for the next health care book!

A MO Bap Moment

2010-03-19T09:41:00.000-07:00

Next month, I'll be working with Missouri Baptist Hospital in St. Louis, Mo. Strangely enough, Mo Bap is now not just a client, but a place where I've been a Patient. And will be again soon!

As I spoke with my client this morning, she shared how they have a new initiative called Mo Bap Moments. This is simply to raise the awareness that every Mo Bap employee has a moment to help create a positive experience for the patient. Lining two hallways at Mo Bap are posters with noteable stories of employees implementing the philosophy of the Mo Bap moment. But, here's one my client shared that I thought was especially cool...

An elderly woman showed up at a Missouri Baptist clinic for a mammogram. Yet, at the clinic, they realized she needed a specific test that's only available at Mo Bap Hospital; some 10miles away.

The patient was disheartened at the mistake, but also intimidated by the hospital, the parking garage, different buildings, etc. that make up the campus. One of the clinic employees said to the patient, "ya know? I'm due for my mammogram, too. I'll call over right now, make an appointment for each of us and I'll pick you up and help you navigate the hospital."

Talk about creating a moment! One thing I always encourage hospitals to remember: it's your place of employment, but a place of confusion, intimidation and uncertainity for everyone else. The more you can help patients feel comfortable with the logistics of the hospital, the more likely they are to have a positive patient experience.

Support-It's Not Just For Groups Any More!

2010-03-14T20:34:00.001-07:00

Tonight I was corresponding with a nurse at a children's hospital in Texas. Paraphrasing here, but she said, "I'd love to see your message of hope and inspiration and determination brought to groups of our patients. If you haven't already, I hope you'll think of starting a support group at children's hospitals."

Well, thinking of it now! Not exactly how this could be done on a large scale, but here's my philosophy: you never know what kind of impact you can make on someone in the tiniest communication.

There have been people who've inspired me to write articles, books and to keep on doing what I do...and these aren't professional speakers or experts in motivation. It may just be getting really awesome service at the dry cleaners and seeing someone take a great amount of pride in his/her job.

Last year, I was on a flight with a guy who rattled off something I've tried to adopt into my thinking:

"Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery and I'm living in the now"

Yet, does this fellow even know he's made this impact on me? Maybe, if he reads this...but realistically not. This interaction? I think it was somewhere between Cleveland and Orlando...

And yet? His statement is now being relayed to you. I can share with groups of young patients and create a giant support group...but really, I could just pop into a patient's room for a few minutes and...who knows? Maybe that patient will take something away from a brief interaction.

Whether it's in a group setting, or just a passing comment from a stranger, we all want support. We all want to know our problems don't seem insurmountable. We all want to know what the best thing we can do to face our adversity. Never, ever underestimate the power that you, the health care professional, has...and how your interaction may be just the thing that supports your patient for the future.

The Drop

2010-03-08T16:34:00.000-08:00

Well, after years of folks reading "After This..." and "The Other End Of The Stethoscope", I've heard tons of comments. Most often, though, I hear this one:

"Wow, this would make a great movie!"

That's a huge compliment because, well, it means the reader wants something more than just words on a page and images in their mind and heart. Well ya know what? Y'all get your wish!

We've just completed work on a short film called, "The Drop." This is based on experiences from "After This..." and "Stethoscope", but brings a whole new experience to those who've been touched by the Marcus Engel story.

The official web site is:

www.TheDropMovie.com

Now, here's where I'll start begging....

"The Drop" is currently entered in a short film contest being sponsored by TheDoorpost.com. If you're inclined to do so, we'd really really really really love it if you'd go to:

www.TheDoorpost.com

and search for "The Drop." That'll bring up the method for voting. Votes and views move us one step closer to making "The Drop" into a full length feature film based on "After This..."

And if nothing ever comes of this besides the seven minute film? So be it...we got to be filmmakers, we got to be screenwriters and we got to bring another dimension to the Marcus Engel story.

And, before leaving this post, I have to thanThe Drop" and my sis-in-law and executive producer, Martha Munizzi. Love you guys!

Free copy of "Stethoscope"

2010-02-23T09:32:00.000-08:00

If you're a health care professional, I'm offering a free copy of "The Other End Of The Stethoscope: 33 Insights For Excellent Patient Care."

Just send me an E mail to Marcus@MarcusEngel.com before Feb. 26 and a copy will be in your hands soon after!

Why am I giving away copies? Simple: Nurses Week is just over two months away. The more people who read "Stethoscope", the more people who'll be looking for a program for Nurses/Hospitals Week.

When you E mail me, be sure to include your name, preferred mailing address, place of employment and your title. Thanks!

Tellin' Tales

2010-02-14T10:10:00.000-08:00

President Clinton was in the hospital again this week, having new stints put in his chest. This caused cardiovascular health to be at the top of the discussions on the health portions of some of the Sunday morning news shows.

I caught a segment with a well known (and respected) M.D., but after listening to him, I don't think I respect him quite as much as I used to. Why? He was a bit too self indulgent...

Here's the story: When the interviewer asked the doc about the procedure to put in stints, Clinton's symptoms, etc., the doc went off on a storytelling rant. First off, this doc IS a cardiologist. Second, he's probably 70 years old, maybe closer to 80. Does he have great experience and education? Most certainly. What he does NOT have is a gift for communication...

I'm not one of his patients, but I can imagine with his personality that what you see on a talk show is what you get in his exam room. Before explaining how Clinton's stint procedure was done, he started spinning yarns about his father's cardiovascular health, how that inspired him to become a cardiologist and how his father suffered due to the fact there were no such things as stints back then. Only after explaining what went on 50 or 60 years ago did he come back around to how it's done now.

When communicating with patients, think. Does a patient want to know how things were done 50 years ago? Or do they want some knowledge on how they will be treated today? If you're like me, the old way makes absolutely no difference to you-it's what's going to be done to me now, here, today that is at the forefront of my concern.

Those in the health care profession who have many, many years of experience are most likely to do this. After all, they're the ones who've seen the evolution of procedures and treatment. But living in the past when it has no benefit to the patient, well, does not benefit the patient. No brainer, huh?

Catching Up!

2010-02-12T17:19:00.000-08:00

Wow. Just wow. What a blogging slacker I've been on the patient care front!

Okay, it's truly sad that I haven't posted in many months...but that's going to start to change...

See, for the months I've not been blogging, I really HAVE been hard at work on patient care matters. Specifically, I've been working on "The Other End Of The Stethoscope #2: 33 MORE Insights For Excellent Patient Care."

Our goal is for "Stetho #2" to be out by Nurses/Hospital Week (first week of May)...and, I'm pretty sure we're going to be able to accomplish said goal.

Thanks to all who visit HealthCareSpeaker.blogspot.com looking for updates...and my apologies for there being, well, none lately. But, talk is cheap...Just check back frequently and see what newness I've come up with!

Children’s Hospital Association of Texas (CHAT)

2009-10-12T17:44:00.001-07:00

Friday, October 9th. No better way to recognize the 16 year anniversary of the loss of my sight than to help the profession that helped me to recover. The Childrens Hospital Association of Texas is comprised of nurses and hospital representatives from hospitals specializing in pediatrics across the great state of Texas. Hey, you never have to twist my arm to go to Texas, but this was especially cool!

On the Corpus Christi Bay, with salty winds and muggy air, I met some fine, fine nurses who have such passion for helping young people. At the top of this list is Dee Evans, my client, contact and now friend! Couldn't ask for a finer person to work with and I'm trying hard to schedule some time to get to her hospital and observe the great work they do!

And, you'd think at a conference about children’s hospitals, there'd be some kids...but one of my favorite new acquaintances wasn't a kid at all, but Dee's mom! So much fun getting to know the relations of my clients!

Shriners Membership Seminar

2009-10-12T17:32:00.001-07:00

On Oct. 3, I got to live out a dream: a presentation for my fellow Shrine Nobles. The annual Shrine Membership Seminar gives Shriners and Masons the skills, tools and motivation to help increase membership in our fraternity. And why is that important? To help insure the financial viability and future support of the Shriners Hospitals for Children. I was honored to share the stage with Tony Dungee and, best of all, my favorite Shriners kid, Leigh Dittman. I'll write more about Leigh later, but I promise you this is one of the coolest kids you'll ever meet – and Carson loves her, too!

Special thanks to Imperial Sir Gary Bergenske and Imperial Potentate Jack Jones for the opportunity to help inspire and motivate our brethren!

Central Florida Health Educators

2009-09-13T17:07:00.000-07:00

Okay, so this was just such a fun program! Sept. 11, I was honored to present for the Central Florida Health Educators in Daytona, FL. This is a group of professors, nurse educators, etc. etc. etc. who instruct any and all students into the world of health care. Plus, it was the first time I've ever presented with a mannequin laying behind me on stage!

Special thanks to Leilani Bautista-Keene and Linda Misko for being such fantastic hostesses! We filmed this program for my upcoming health care promo video and Leilani and Linda did an awesome job of finding just the right educators to interview for their feedback on my program! Thank you!

Indiana University Culture Fest

2009-08-31T10:25:00.000-07:00

What do you get when you put 3200 Hoosiers and one Marcus in the same room? Fun, that's what!Indiana University's Culture Fest is a huge component of the freshman Welcome Week experience - and an opportunity for students to learn the value and excitement of diversity.

So, what's a small town white boy from Missouri doing talking about different cultures? A lot, actually! See, as we discussed at Culture Fest, everyone has a story. And every story has a message behind it. IU freshmen learned my story and, hopefully, that gives a little inspiration to share their stories-and to learn from those of others.

Special thanks to Melanie Payne, Patrick Hale, Tyler Coward and Kaley for being such awesome hosts! Oh, and to Melanie for running around Culture Fest loading me up on ethnic food – yummy! Thanks for all the FaceBook sign ups and awesome comments, too-totally makes my day to know I'll be remembered at IU!

Go Hoosiers!

Relationship Based Care Symposium

2009-08-09T20:28:00.001-07:00

On July 31, I had an almost surreal experience. See, for years, I've been touting the benefits of insights and strategies for excellent patient care. I want to promote the fantastic care I’ve received, and teach other health care pros how to give their patients as much dignity and independence as the hospital can bring! Creative Health Care Management: http://www.chcm.com/ Is an organization with this mission... and more! CHCM created the first national Relationship Based Care Symposium which was held outside Syracuse, NY in late July. I was one of the keynote speakers for the event, along with Stephen Covey and the author of "Kitchen Table Wisdom." (Quite an honor to be asked to speak alongside two such professionals!) Relationship Based Care Symposium highlighted changing the dynamics and culture of health care institutions to promote relationships-with everyone! Caregiver to patient, patient to housekeeping, housekeeping to pharmacy, pharmacy to maintenance, purchasing to techs – anyone and everyone under the canopy of the hospital is in relationship with others. It's a huge undertaking to create this culture, but it gets things done in a more nurturing, compassionate environment! Just wonderful! I'd like to say a personal thank you to Jayne Felgen, CHCM's president, Mary Kalaroutis, Donna Wright, Susan Edstrom, Sue Welliver, Chris Bjork and Gen Gwancie (sorry, Gen, I probably misspelled your last name!) Such a fantastic experience to work with a group of folks who are so committed to such a worthy cause! Thank you, CHCM, and all the attendees of the Relationship Based Care Symposium!

On July 31, I had an almost surreal experience. See, for years, I've been touting the benefits of insights and strategies for excellent patient care. I want to promote the fantastic care I’ve received, and teach other health care pros how to give their patients as much dignity and independence as the hospital can bring!

Creative Health Care Management: http://www.chcm.com/

Is an organization with this mission... and more! CHCM created the first national Relationship Based Care Symposium which was held outside Syracuse, NY in late July. I was one of the keynote speakers for the event, along with Stephen Covey and the author of "Kitchen Table Wisdom." (Quite an honor to be asked to speak alongside two such professionals!)

Relationship Based Care Symposium highlighted changing the dynamics and culture of health care institutions to promote relationships-with everyone! Caregiver to patient, patient to housekeeping, housekeeping to pharmacy, pharmacy to maintenance, purchasing to techs – anyone and everyone under the canopy of the hospital is in relationship with others. It's a huge undertaking to create this culture, but it gets things done in a more nurturing, compassionate environment! Just wonderful!

I'd like to say a personal thank you to Jayne Felgen, CHCM's president, Mary Kalaroutis, Donna Wright, Susan Edstrom, Sue Welliver, Chris Bjork and Gen Gwancie (sorry, Gen, I probably misspelled your last name!)

Such a fantastic experience to work with a group of folks who are so committed to such a worthy cause! Thank you, CHCM, and all the attendees of the Relationship Based Care Symposium!

Columbia University

2009-07-16T13:36:00.000-07:00

Wow, second year in a row to have an awesome event with Columbia University nursing students! Thanks to all who took part in the day's events and especially to those future nurses who've signed up to be Facebook friends!

A HUGE "Thank You!" to Dr. Norma Hannigan for believing my medical programs have enough info to warrant a second trip to Columbia! (And for being the kind of educator we are fortunate to have shaping the healthcare profession – she makes me want to go back to school)!

It’s hard to express the mindset the day put me into – somewhere between ecstatic, humbled I'm able to help and realization that this is why I do what I do. Thank you!

When It's Simply Not Your Fault

2009-05-29T09:28:00.000-07:00

A perfect storm....that's what I call the situation of Lisa Strong of Davie, FL.

Several years ago, with a history of kidney stones, Lisa went to the E.R. due to discomfort and fever she associated with her last bouts with kidney stones. Proactive? Absolutely...and quite necessary since kidney stones and kidney infections can (if left untreated) lead to death.

When she arrived at the E.R., Lisa explained this is probably a kidney stone...but this is where the water gets murky. Did she emphatically state this point? Was her 106 spiking fever causing any type of hallucinations? Did the doc on hand not hear Lisa's statement?

No one knows for sure, but it's well documented that Lisa's proclaimation of her history with kidney stones was not written down. This led to a misdiagnosis...a misdiagnosis that ended in a horrible way.

It seems the doctor, working on limited information, diagnosed a completely unrelated gall bladder issue. The result? Infection set in and, ultimately, all four of Lisa's limbs were amputated.

Folks, can you even imagine? I cannot. To lose one's limbs is one thing. To lose it due to a misdiagnosis is another. But to have been proactive in taking care of oneself and THEN to have a doc's mistake cost one their appendages? Unthinkable.

What does this teach us? Communication, communication, communication. Check, then double check and triple check. And listen to the patient!

Miscommunication will happen. After all, every interpersonal relationship will, at some point, lose the message sent somewhere between the speaker's mouth and the listener's ears. Yet, when something is as potentially deadly as the situation in which Lisa Strong found herself, there is no excuse for not checking, double checking and triple checking.

Learn more about Lisa at:

www.LisaStrong.org

Best of luck, Lisa...and if your situation teaches other health care pros to be more diligent in their diagnosis, I hope that will, in some small way, create something good and meaningful out of a senseless situation.

This I Used To Believe

2009-05-18T21:15:00.000-07:00

I'm a big NPR junkie, especially of the show, "This American Life."

On a recent episode, there was a short segment on people who have changed their strongly held belief...and why they changed. One essay was by Courtney Davis, FNP. Her essay regarded her former belief: patients need happy, upbeat caregivers. From this guy (who has seen way too much happy sappy B.S. from caregivers), I'm happy to hear Courtney changed her belief. Her reason for the switcheroo? Evaluating her own actions as her mother lay dying.

"I didn't know then that I could have climbed into bed and held her, that I should have wailed when she was gone. I no longer comfort others with false cheer."

Just a few nights ago, I was at a reception with some acquaintances. One of the gentlemen asked (in that all-too-skittish way) how I'd lost my sight. I've perfected a quick answer to this question, one that gives the entire story in as few words as possible, but one that leaves the door open if that person wants to know more. However, the biggest thing I want to convey in my answer is that I'm okay. This experience didn't break me. Instead, it reinforced me.

When I gave my usual answer, it was obvious this person had more questions. I assured him I was happy to answer anything he wanted to know. Yet, he still felt the need to ask questions that punched like kid gloves. "Um, you don't have to answer this if you don't want to, but were you angry?" and "I don't mean to pry, but how did you get through that?" and "Please don't think I'm trying to insult you, but how do you use a computer?"

The overall feeling I got from this person was that he believed his questions could possibly make a bad situation worse. Not possible. And if questions are respectful, they're always welcome. Yet, he clung so tightly to the notion that questions are disrespectful or hurtful. Kinda like the mom with the kid at the store who sees an amputee and has questions. Almost always, the parent will hush the child. Why? As if the amputee doesn't know his/her legs have been removed? As if a legit question about my computer will mean I'm more blind?

Caregivers-do not be afraid of the truth. To dance around reality highlights just how horrible the situation is for the patient. They're not stupid, they're not oblivious...and it's insulting to have no one recognize and legitimize that their situation, well, just sucks.

False cheer...there's no place for it in a hospital setting. Thank you, Courtney, for your words and attitude and respect of patients.

279 Tweens And One Better Person

2009-04-23T06:29:00.001-07:00

Did you like high school?

Note: If you’re in high school now (or will be in a few years), disregard this question for now, but come back and answer it around 2025, okay?

So, did you like high school? Usually, this question gets one of two polar opposite reactions. Most folks either loved it… or loathed it. There’s not much in between!

However, when you ask about middle school, the response is almost always unanimous: “Hated it!” I know I sure did! I mean, this is when I so, so, so wanted to talk to these strange beings known as “girls,” yet I had all the communication skills of a Rhesus monkey hopped up on No Doz. I tripped over my own two ginormous feet, forgot to wear deodorant on a daily basis, my voice had more cracks than a plumber’s convention and, to top it off, I had hair growing in weird places (my apologies to all you visual learners).

So, when I was invited to go back and speak at my old middle school, I accepted… and promptly felt my face break out with zits.

When the day rolled around, I’ve gotta say, middle school isn’t nearly as traumatic as I’d remembered! Either that or 20 years means I’ve forgotten all that embarrassment… NOT!

Okay, serious stuff here… When I was doing Q & A with my Montgomery County R-II Middle School audience, I got one of those really profound (and unexpected) questions that make me love working with middle schoolers:

“Marcus, do you think you’ve become a better person since you lost your sight?”

I’m not sure I’ve ever had this question from this age group before, so I didn’t have a ready answer. Yet, every so often, I open my mouth and something appropriate pops out (not like that time I accidentally spat in my date’s eye at my first dance… ahhh the flashbacks continue!)

Okay, back to serious stuff again…

Question again: “Do you feel like you’ve become a better person since you lost your sight?” Answer? “Yes, absolutely! And I hope I’m a better person today than I was yesterday. And I hope tomorrow I’ll be a better person than I am today.”

For years, I’ve been a big advocate of constant self improvement. Yet, I’m not sure I’ve ever thought of it in this day-to-day realm. To be a better person than yesterday means I have to do something (anything, really) today. Right here and now. And tomorrow? Third verse, same as the first.

Ya know, the horrors of middle school were nothing compared with those life-changes after high school… but they DID help me become a better person. Yet, even if I didn’t have such a dramatic story, I hope I’d still be the kind of person who wants to make daily improvements. But that means putting forth a conscious effort. Every day, I want to learn something new, do something healthy, teach something important and experience something different.

As a 13 year old middle schooler, I was just happy to get home at night with my underwear still intact. Some days still feel like staying in bed might have been a better option – but now I know the bigger picture. A person’s actions, attitudes and choices… these are things we each control. Every day, sometimes even moment by moment! Each experience brings an opportunity to have that moment shape a positive tomorrow.

Years, life experience and a desire for daily improvement. These things add up to helping create a happy life. I hope you embrace the same goals and determination. And thank goodness middle school isn’t even close to the best years of life!

"This Will Be My Biggest Challenge"

2009-04-11T17:25:00.001-07:00

A few weeks ago, one of the teeth on my bridgework broke off. This happens every so often and it's a quick run to the dentist to get it fixed. The thing is, my dentist is now 1000 miles away.

So, when this happened a few weeks ago, I was headed out the door the next morning for seven days of speaking engagements. Oh, what to do? Stand up in front of thousands of people with a giant tooth gap? Or visit a "regular" dentist nearby who isn't a super specialist like my guy back in STL? I chose the local option.

Well, that fix lasted for a couple of weeks until some chicken tenders for lunch on Wednesday gave me a recurrence of the issue. This time to another dentist.

However, this dentist I visited yesterday turned out to be an awesome experience! Not only does he have a state of the art office, complete with flat screen monitors everywhere where you can see your own X rays and medical history, but his staff was about as warm and welcoming as I've ever experienced. Where some doctor's offices balk at Carson, this office had at least half a dozen office employees who stood in line to pet him!

So, back to the dentist himself... after looking at my X-rays and visually inspecting my bridgework, I asked him how long this current bridgework may last. "At least a couple more years," he said. My dentist back in St. Louis is retiring this summer, so there's every chance someone else will be creating the new prosthetics. When I told my new Orlando dentist this, he was very honest and humble:

"Marcus, when that time comes, I can try. This will be the most difficult prosthetic I've ever created. I can't promise it will work, but I can try. If you'd prefer to go to a super specialist that does projects like this regularly, that's certainly your decision, but please know I'd be happy to try."

I LOVE his honesty! My mouth is my money maker, and I don't want to waste his time. So, imagine when the time comes, I'll turn to the super specialist. Still, I appreciate his humility of informing me this isn't his usual area of expertise. I want to know that my doctor knows his limitations and won't go in guns a-blazin' if he's not 110% certain there will be a favorable outcome.

This type of humility and honesty is what will keep me coming back to this doctor. No arrogance, no promises he can't keep, just a true desire to do what is best for his patient. And if you need a dentist in my hometown – I know a guy!

How Can I Help?

2009-02-25T13:07:00.001-08:00

February has always been Grammy month. For a music lover like moi, this is a big thing. When I was 14 and smack dab in the middle of my O.G. phase, I'd fire up the old VCR (remember those?), tape the Grammys and watch L.L. Cool J and Run DMC over and over and over again. Ah, good times!
But this year I admit I just wasn't that interested. This could mean I'm getting old, or that the glitz just isn't as impressive without Adidas sweat suits and ginormous gold chains. Yee-ahhh, boyz!
Either way, the day after the broadcast I heard a story from behind the scenes that made me wish I'd paid more attention. A couple hours before the curtain lifted, one of the acts pulled a No Show. The panicked producers began to brainstorm on who could pull off a last minute - Grammy worthy performance. Justin Timberlake had just finished his dress rehearsal when the producer cornered him. Seeing the look of panic on the producers face - before even knowing the problem, Timberlake immediately asked, "What can I do to help?"
Within half an hour, they'd pieced together an all-star duet by the Rev. Al Green and Justin Timberlake, backed up by Boyz II Men with Keith Urban on guitar. Even if you're not a fan of any of these musicians, ya gotta admit, it's a ton of talent for one stage to hold!
In a moment of crisis, when someone steps up to do something that isn't required, we usually call that person a hero. I may not go so far as to call Justin Timberlake a hero, but the producer sure might!
Truthfully, I'm not even real familiar with Justin Timberlake's music (other than "In A Box" from SNL - one of the funniest moments on that show... EVER!)
But, I am a HUGE fan of the, "What can I do to help?" attitude.
The reality is, we're living in some tough times. Some may even call it a crisis. No doubt about it, the economy and all the stress revolving around, well, pretty much everything might make you want to be the one looking to receive help. But here's something I believe is important: If you're feeling vulnerable - stop! Help someone else!
Having the "What can I do to help?" attitude immediately makes one feel prosperous and fortunate. And the help doesn't have to be financial; there are so many ways to offer assistance to another. And when you do, you'll automatically feel a little more stable and secure.
Anyone with any amount of success who is honest will tell you they didn't do it alone. We all need a little help, now and then. When you see another's crisis and step in to offer help, it creates a reciprocal attitude that will come back to help in your moments of need. That's just how the universe works.
Lend a hand. Give a dollar. Share your prosperity. Step in at the last moment to do a duet with Al Green (wouldn't mind doing this myself!) Whatever you can do to help another is assistance that benefits... everyone!
Marcus Engel is a professional speaker/author who inspires audiences to achieve success by making intelligent choices. Blinded by a drunk driver at age 18, Marcus battled through two years of recovery and 300 hours of reconstructive facial surgery to reach his goal of returning to college. After graduating from Missouri State University in 2000, Marcus began sharing his story professionally to audiences nationwide. In 2002, Marcus founded his own publishing company with the release of his autobiography, "After This...An Inspirational Journey For All the Wrong Reasons." His latest book, "The Other End of the Stethoscope" was released October 2006. His messages of empowerment and motivation have been witnessed by hundreds of thousands through his keynotes, his autobiography and his monthly newsletters. Marcus Engel is a speaker, a message, a story you will never forget! Visit http://www.MarcusEngel.com for more information!
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Marcus_Engel

Morton, Plant, Mease Health Care

2008-12-09T18:01:00.000-08:00

On Monday, December 8, I was the honored speaker for the nurse managers of Morton, Plant, Mease Health Care at Morton-Plant Hospital in Clearwater, FL. Always exciting to share my message, but double that excitement to work with nurse managers who can carry that learning back to their floor nurses!

Special thanks to Robin Lapham for helping arrange the event and for being such a thorough client! Always makes my job easier when my clients are on top of their game as you are, Robin! Thanks!

Bacchus in Columbus!

2008-11-19T17:00:00.001-08:00

Sorry for the lack of postings the last week or so. I've been on the road a lot and now, here's why!

Thursday, Fri. and Sat. of last week, I was exhibiting and presenting at the Bacchus Network General Assembly held in Columbus, OH. This is the third year I've attended G.A. and I'm always so excited to get to meet new friends and see past acquaintances!

This year, I was also excited to present with the PACE team from DeSales University on "Booze Busters." To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time a university has partnered with a professional speaker to present a breakout session at G.A. I want to thank the PACE team for welcoming me in with open arms and congratulations on a job well done! Special thanks to Dr. Gregg Amore and Wendy Krisak for helping facilitate everything... and for one of the funnest times I've ever had at a conference dinner!

Side note: Friday night at G.A., there was a fire in a neighboring building. A big, stinky electrical fire. This fire caused the power grid to be switched off and hence, our hotel to be without power for nearly 12 hours. And yet? Hanging out on the street corner with the DeSales PACE team was just super fun! No one I'd rather be homeless with! And thanks to the Columbus Hyatt for handling the disaster in such a professional manner-truly one of the finer examples of customer service I've ever experienced!

"Your Prescriber"

2008-10-16T16:53:00.001-07:00

I just watched a commercial for a prescription medication. Instead of saying, "Ask your doctor about XYZ medication..." they instead used the term "prescriber."

I like this... and I don't like this.

First, I like it because not all of the health care professionals I see are docs. Some are P.A.s, some are NPs, and some ARE physicians. My G.P. happens to be a family doctor, but the health care pro I see the most often is a P.A. All of these have the ability to prescribe drugs.

However, it's a constant criticism of the health care world that, all too often, medications are overprescribed. Patients, for whatever reason, don't feel as though they're getting quality care if they don't exit the practice without a prescription. A nearby walk in clinic actually advertises, "$50 for an office visit and prescription."

Well what if the person doesn't need a prescription? Is one given any way?

I like that prescribers are being treated equally (by advertisements, at least), but hate there's a continuation of prescribing medications as treatment – no matter what.

True patient care comes from the health care professional. Not from the drugs, not from the treatment of the ailment, but in the way patients are treated by their prescriber (and sometimes by the prescriber's support staff).
The human element should never, ever be replaced by a pill.

Hospital Workers Axed for Snapping Photos of Patients

2008-09-22T06:15:00.000-07:00

Props to the UNM hospital for such swift and decisive action. Even if the patients in the photos cannot be identified, just to know one's arm, leg, torso, etc. is in a pic unknowingly posted to someone's MySpace profile is just disturbing.

Sadly enough, this incident, even if isolated, gives a bad impression of the hospital. Given a choice, will patients want to be treated at a hospital with this history? Maybe, maybe not-but by the hospital taking immediate action, it lessens the chances of this type of occurrence happening again.
*****
Hospital Workers Axed for Snapping Photos of Patients, Uploading to MySpace

Monday, September 22, 2008
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Two University of New Mexico Hospital employees have been fired for using their cell phone cameras to take photos of patients receiving treatment and then posting the images to a social networking Web site.

Director of Public Affairs Sam Giammo said Sunday the photos — mainly close-ups of injuries being treated in the Albuquerque hospital's emergency room over the past few months — were posted on an employee's private MySpace page.

Giammo said he's never heard of a similar incident at the University of New Mexico Hospital or any other hospital.

A few other hospital employees were disciplined and the investigation is ongoing, he said.
UNMH values patient privacy "very, very highly and we will do everything we can to protect them," Giammo said. "We just won't tolerate unprofessional actions by any of our staff. We just won't stand for that."

The photos were discovered after a hospital supervisor received an anonymous tip about them Tuesday and launched an investigation.

Hospital managers personally oversaw the removal of the photos from the Web site and from the employees' cell phones, Giammo said.

"We have to rely on the people telling us that they don't have any others," he said.
The patients in the photos could not be notified that their pictures had been taken because their faces and personal identifying features had been removed from the photos, Giammo said.
Giammo said the MySpace page could only be accessed by the employee's online friends, not the general public.

Giammo said the employees who were fired violated a hospital policy that bans the use of cell phone cameras in patient areas. The other employees were disciplined for not bringing the photos to the attention of managers, he said.
The hospital is treating the matter as an employment issue and law enforcement has not been involved, Giammo said.

The use of cell phone cameras in hospitals have caused breaches of patient privacy or concern about such violations in California, Arizona and South Dakota in recent years.

"Florida Society of Medical Assistants"

2008-09-21T07:17:00.001-07:00

Thanks to the FSMA for the opportunity to present at the state conference on Sat., Sept. 20!

Thank all of you for being such a warm and receptive audience AND for your commitment to excellence in customer service AND patient care.

Special thanks to Mary Morris for being such a great client and helping arrange the event!

Teleconference Network Of Texas

2008-09-18T11:45:00.002-07:00

University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio

Yesterday was a first for yours truly. I was the guest presenter for a teleconference arranged by the Teleconference Network of Texas out of UT Health Science Center in San Antonio. We had a group of nutritionists from across the country hooked into the bridge and, based on some of the feedback via E mail, it went well! For the guy who’s real interactive with the audience, giving a program without human feedback was a challenge, but it went really well!

Special thanks to B.J. Brown in San Antonio for being such a great host and moderator! I’d include some pictures, but since this was over the phone, you don’t really want to see me sitting on my couch in a grubby old tee shirt and khaki shorts, do ya?!

Three Things To Remember Every Time You Meet A Patient

2008-09-18T11:45:00.001-07:00

Today, I had an appointment with a pulmonologist who specializes in sleep disorders. Turns out, he’s a fantastically nice physician AND he has a great staff!

After only a few minutes in the waiting room, we were led to the exam room. This is where it gets good!

The nurse comes in with a big smile on her face (that’s thing #1). “I’m Anna. Can I get your vitals?” (that’s #2 and #3)

Smile. Something so easy, totally free and has so, so much power! Plus, any time a patient sees a new physician, chances are, there’s going to be a little nervousness. Anna’s smile put me at ease. It indicates that if she’s happy, then her working conditions are good and she works for a good boss. Can’t say that across the board, but there’s something in that sub-consciously which made me know the doctor would also be a good guy.

Second, she introduced herself. Who wants to be touched by someone they don’t know? No one! But as soon as Anna told me her name, we had a connection. Simple as that, I felt like she was making a human connection, not just doing her tasks which happened to involve my body.

Third, she asked. In my state, if I touch anyone without his/her permission, it’s considered battery. When Anna introduced herself, it eased my worry and that eased my defensiveness. When she was considerate and asked for my vitals, I was all too happy to oblige!

Just three things, but remembering this trifecta is certain to help your patients see you as a true pro!

"Is Your Doctor Laughing at You?"

2008-09-15T12:26:00.000-07:00

Interesting study. And doesn't it show how docs, just like the rest of us, know what is right, but sometimes still choose wrong?
- Marcus

By Theresa Tamkins.
Provided by Health.com Y
ou’re sick, in the hospital, or maybe even undergoing surgery. The last thing you want to contemplate is the thought that your doctor might be making fun of your tattoos while you’re anesthetized.But does it happen? Yes.
According to a survey of doctors starting a residency in internal medicine, 17% had—along with their colleagues—made fun of a patient, sometimes when the patient was under.

Egad. Is nothing sacred? The good news, though, is that 94% of the 110 medical interns who took the anonymous survey realized that such behavior was inappropriate, according to a research letter published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

That means that only seven doctors in the survey thought that type of behavior was A-OK.

I guess it’s not that surprising, given the behavior of our on-air favorites. From Grey’s Anatomy to House, the overwhelming warts-and-all portrait seems to be this: Doctors are human. They fall in love, they get angry, and they like a good chuckle—sometimes at the patient’s expense.
Is it so surprising that some of those bad on-air behaviors might occur in real life too?
Is unprofessional behavior more common than in the past?Television shows from yesteryear, such as Marcus Welby, M.D., and Dr. Kildare, presented doctors as somber and ultraprofessional, but that doesn’t mean that unprofessional behavior is a new problem, says study author Vineet Arora, MD, an assistant dean at the Pritzker School of Medicine at the University of Chicago.“Those shows projected a much more professional image,” she tells me, but “to say that this is a new phenomenon would not be correct.”

Learning respect and discretion are part of the so-called hidden curriculum—all of the things doctors learn on-the-job that don’t have to do with diagnosing and treating diseases.
Hospitals want to make sure that more seasoned doctors don’t promote or perpetuate unprofessional behavior and that newly minted MDs—like those surveyed—learn what is appropriate and inappropriate by the time they finish their residency, the training period after medical school. While the teaching hospitals aren’t trying to drain all the humor out of the residency experience, they want to teach doctors where to draw the line. “I do think there are examples of really good-natured humor that is therapeutic, but not at someone’s expense,” she says.

And laughter at a patient’s expense could compromise care, says Dr. Arora. “What if you were a patient and someone made fun of you behind your back?” she says. “You trust somebody to care for you and you would wonder about their ability to be objective and truly care for you.” Dr.

Arora couldn’t say whether the behavior of TV doctors -- such as Dr. House -- influences real-life doctors in any way. “That’s an interesting question,” she says. But TV programs do influence the public’s image of doctors.“Certainly media portrayal of physicians definitely has an impact on the public perception of physicians,” she says.Burnout may contribute to unprofessional behavior Dr. Arora suspects that sleep deprivation and burnout are part of the problem. Doctors who behave unprofessionally, she explains, might have troubles of their own. “There’s a lot of good data to suggest that people who are sleep-deprived in these settings do have more staff conflicts and burnouts and could possibly even further exacerbate unprofessional behavior,” she says.And there are more serious behavioral problems—aside from laughing at patients.

The survey included questions about behavior that is frowned upon, such as attending a pharmaceutical-sponsored dinner or social event (69%), as well as behaviors that are considered egregious, including falsifying patient records (13%), and reporting patient test results as “normal” when unsure of the true results (10%). “Those are examples that would compromise patient safety,” Dr. Arora says.An unprofessional demeanor in residency could spell trouble for your entire career, she adds. Research has shown that those with poor ratings on professional behavior early in their careers are at greater risk of disciplinary action later on.

Florida Civitan Convention

2008-09-14T14:43:00.001-07:00

Thanks to the Florida Civitan Convention for inviting me to keynote on Saturday, Sept. 13!

Civitan (if you're not familiar), is a civic organization with a strong emphasis in providing assistance to individuals with developmental disabilities. And a more quality group you cannot find! Business, civic and faith-based leaders all compose this organization with a really special mission!

Thanks to Jean Smith, the Florida Civitan Governor, and also to Dr. David Persky for promoting my services to yet another group! Pics include me with Abigail Persky (Dr. Persky's daughter and one of my coolest friends from Academy at the Lakes).

B o d y G u a r d

2008-07-28T10:29:00.000-07:00

The nurse enters my room. It’s the hourly check up on my vitals, wound dressings, pin care for the external fixator and, of course, taking a peek at the dreaded Foley. This is typically uncomfortable enough, but this time my parents and a few of my high school buds are here for a visit. I am working hard to remind these people I’m still “me” despite the horrible injuries, so these normal, but still invasive procedures are working against me. Not only do I want to refuse the usual care at this moment, but lifting my robe to show the nurse the catheter is beyond humiliating. Granted, I shared the locker room with these guys just months ago when we were all playing varsity football together, but no one wants to be exposed, much less when there are tubes and tape everywhere. The audience just makes this so much more dehumanizing.

My friends are all seated to the left of my hospital bed. The right side, however, is as wide open as the plains of Texas. Yet, the nurse comes around the foot of my bed to position herself on the left. Her back is to my family and blocks their view of me from the abdomen to the thighs.

“Can I borrow one of these?” she asks, giving a quick tug on one of the unused pillows scattered around my bed. When I answer in the affirmative, she takes the pillow and lays it on its side at the edge of the bed, adjacent to her body. The pillow now acts as a makeshift privacy curtain. Between her body and the pillow, everyone is spared the embarrassment of exposing my body – especially me. And my family and friends aren’t forced to leave the room. The nurse has just gained a HUGE amount of respect from her injured patient for helping me retain some degree of dignity.

Vanity is so often lost in a hospital. People who are adamant about showering and shaving every day don’t have that luxury while they’re a patient. Designer clothes are traded for ugly hospital gowns. Hair gel? Moisturizer? Perfume? Not in the hospital!

Yet, these differences between the hospital and the outside world are usually tolerable. Being forced to expose oneself is totally, TOTALLY out of the ordinary. It’s not so bad when the exposure is to a health care professional, but in front of family and friends? Could anything be more humiliating – especially for a teenager?

My nurse knew this. She used what she had; her own body, a pillow and, now that I think of it, the bedside table, too. These all formed a protective visual guard between my nudity and my visitors. That way, the nurse could still “get ‘er done” while helping me retain privacy AND not inconveniencing my friends.

When treating the “embarrassing” areas, you may need to practice some ingenuity. What do you have that can protect your patient’s dignity and privacy? Your body? Pillows? Blankets? – anything that can be a blockade between the visitor’s eyes and the patient’s body. Or maybe distract the visitors by pointing at something out the window or asking about something they just aired on the TV. Don’t forget to get your patients input on when the best time to ask visitors to leave. It’s perfect to play the “bad guy” to protect the patient’s wishes and dignity.

Whatever you can do to help guard the privacy of your patient will, in turn, help that patient feel more like a person and less like a patient. And in that way – everyone wins.

Better to Be Safe Than Sorry

2008-07-28T04:03:00.000-07:00

How to Avoid Errors in Surgery
By Elizabeth Cohen,
CNN
filed under: Health News

ATLANTA, Georgia (CNN) -- I thought my husband was crazy.

When our 2-year-old daughter had hernia surgery, he insisted on seeing the surgeon minutes before to remind him that the hernia was on her right side, not her left.

The nurses weren't happy; it wasn't protocol to have the surgeon meet with parents immediately before a procedure.

"Maybe this is overkill," I said to my husband. "He knows what side the hernia's on. He's already seen her twice in his office. Plus, we've told the pre-op nurses 10 times it's on the right side."

But experts tell me my husband was right on. Mistakes do happen, no matter how great the surgeon, and it behooves you to help them get it right. Witness these headlines: Minnesota doctors remove the healthy kidney of a cancer patient while leaving the diseased one behind; California doctors remove the appendix of the wrong patient; one of the most experienced surgeons in a Boston, Massachusetts, hospital operates on the wrong side of a patient. All of these mistakes happened in the past year.

Solid numbers are hard to come by, because most states don't require doctors to report surgical errors. To make sure you're not the next victim, you might have to get pushy, like my husband did.

"You need to be that thorn in their side," said Dr. Samuel Seiden, an anesthesiologist who's co-author of a study on surgical errors. "You will catch things. You might also frustrate the nurses, but you have to look out for yourself."

Of course, looking out for yourself can be tough when you're anesthetized. But Seiden and other surgical errors experts say there are steps you can take to lower the chances you'll become the next headline.

1. Check out your doctor and hospital
Specifically, ask your doctor how many times he or she has done this procedure, and compare that with other physicians.

You can check out the hospital by going to HealthGrades or The Leapfrog Group, which rank hospitals by specialty. (For example, you can find good places to get hip surgery in Topeka, Kansas, or to have a baby in New York.) The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has detailed information about procedures performed at different hospitals.

2. Tell everyone who you are and why you're having surgery.
You may feel like an idiot, but tell all the nurses and doctors your name, your date of birth, and what surgery you're having (for example, "I'm John Smith, I was born 10/21/70, and I'm having arthroscopic surgery on my left knee."). This can help prevent you receiving a surgery intended for someone down the hall. (Of course, if your name really is John Smith, you might want to give your address, too).

3. Make sure your doctor initials your site
The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons urges its members to sign their initials directly on the site before surgery (shown in the group's public service ads, like the one pictured above). Make sure your surgeon -- not somebody else -- does the signing and that it's in the right place.

4. Confirm the surgery site with the surgeon right before the procedure
You may have already told the nurses, but it's the surgeon who's doing the actual cutting, so you need to tell him or her directly, says Dr. James Beaty, past president of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.

"You should say, 'I'm not going back to surgery until I see my doctor and we confirm that this is the right site,' " he said.

5. Train someone to be your advocate
Don't just bring a friend or family member to your surgery; train them to advocate for you. You're likely to be anxious and a little addled before the surgery (not to mention asleep during it), so you'll need help.

"Equip them with the information they need," advised Ilene Corina, president of PULSE of New York, a patient advocacy group. For example, your advocate can help you check the initials on the surgical site or help you contact your surgeon.

So, how did my husband know to follow Tip No. 4, before he had the chance to read his lovely wife's column? He says it was just common sense -- and his submarine training. When you give an order in a submarine, the other person repeats it back to you, and then you repeat the order again. In engineering lingo, it's called creating a "closed loop."

Our daughter had a successful surgery, and I'm sure the surgeon would have gotten the correct side even without our involvement. Still, it can't hurt to check.

After checking, as they were wheeling our precious baby into surgery, my husband looked the surgeon in the eye, put his hand on his arm and said, "I know you've done this hundreds of times. But for us, she's our only one."

I'm sure that didn't hurt, either.

To watch the video, go to cnn.com.

What the Doctor Thinks...

2008-07-24T07:59:00.000-07:00

There's an article on foxnews.com called "What your doctor is thinking (but would never tell you)"

FOXNews.com - What Your Doctor's Thinking (But Would Never Tell You) - Health News Current Health News Medical News

Ya know, we patients do plenty of complaining about the health care providers we see. Some of it's deserved, some of it is just human nature to complain.

This gives some insight to a doctor's thinking and the challenges he/she faces in their work. I work with health care providers and professionals quite often, but I've never put some of these things together. Like, I've been through unnecessary tests. My initial thought is, "The doc is doing this to earn more money from me and my insurance." Yet, due to lawsuits, one of these docs says he orders unnecessary tests because he simply cannot let anything slip through the cracks for fear of being sued.

So many in the public need the good talking to that some docs want to give. Really, who can blame the docs for their frustration? See a patient two or three times per year for Type 2 diabetes and yet they keep gaining weight? That's gotta make the average doc want to pull his hair out! And how do you bridge that conflict with the patient?

Most doctors, as the article says, take the path of least resistance-tell the patient something kind, supportive and helpful...knowing full well the next time they're in, it'll probably be worse, not better.

What are we to learn from this article? First, that docs are people, too. Second, that patients (yes, us) need to take more responsibility for ourselves. Third, a bit of compassion for the physician who is doing the best he/she can.

(http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,388822,00.html)

The Best...

2008-07-21T17:46:00.000-07:00

Best of CraigsList posting I read this "Best Of CL" post and, if you're anything like me, you'll be wiping away tears at the end. To all health care professionals-Tim here isn't the only one who is eternally grateful. We all are. Every single one of us who has been touched by trauma, everyone who's been afraid and hurting-all of us. And to all the docs, nurses and other health care pros-this is what ALL health care pros need to strive for. To be compassionate, to be a comfort, to provide excellent patient care, no matter who the patient is. Tim, I tip my hat to you for the shouts you give to your caregivers...

---------------
I Really Need To Thank These Strangers

Ok, so people often ask, where are the good kind people anymore?

Driving on Mt.Rose Hwy, and serving our communties is where! So I'm coming home to Reno on my motorcycle Saturday Evening after a short ride up to the
top and back down cuz it was too smokey up there, somewhere around 8pm I think? Anyways... Near the bottom, I hit some oil, gravel, not sure what... but
even as an experienced rider for some 30+ years, made my bike wobble so bad, I eventually lost control after doing everything I could try to do to keep
it up. From what I hear, might have even hit a guard rail at some point during the crash, no memory so not sure, all I do know is next thing I'm on the
pavement in a ton of pain. Rolling in the road I think...

Stranger #1 -
Then, there was a hand... holding mine, comforting me thru my gloves... Kept hearing a voice that I think was female telling me "everything was gonna be
ok" and "help is on the way". Couldn't really open my eyes much, that's why I'm not sure if it was male or female, but it didn't really matter at that
point, ya know? I just know 'till the day I die, I will forever remember how comforting it felt to know that "if" I was gonna die then, someone was gonna
be holding my hand while it happened and I would not die alone on some road tasting asphalt.

You have no idea what that meant to me, still does, and always will. You probably also have no idea how much gratitude I would like to express to you for
the comfort you gave me, a complete stranger, when I really, REALLY needed it. I just remember your hand, rubbing mine and your soft, kind, compassionate
words letting me know, someone cared. You didn't just drive by, you took time out of your Holiday weekend to help me - some fat ass biker guy that some
here on CL wish we would all crash and die.

Stranger #2
No clue who this was either, but someone called police/ambulance, etc. super quick and there they were, hot on the spot within minutes. (felt like minutes
to me anyways, damn quick!), can't thank you enough and damn glad ya had signal...hahaha!

Stranger #3
Again, same as the others, no idea who you were, but I heard someone else say something I think about removing my helmet. In my mind I was thinking please,
please don't do that, but I couldn't say it. But you could and did, you spoke up and advised against it. Damn I am glad there are people like you who know
better and again, my sincere appreciation and grattitude to you as well.

Strangers #4, 5, 6, 7, 8, etc..
To all the police firemen/women, ambulance drivers, person in the back of the ambulance.. to all of you emergency responder type people who showed up who
did whatever it was you had been trained to do, and loaded me on some kind of back board or something I think, and then put my big ol' self in the ambulance
and got me to Renown so quickly - my most humble thanks and appreciation as well. I know you were "just doing your jobs", but damn you do them well! You
will NEVER hear me bitch about your pay raises or what it costs for the absolute QUALITY services you provide our community! I do know of one policeman
or hwy patrolmen who I think arranged to have my bike towed and visited me in the ER letting me know it's condition and where it had been towed to, cuz
he put his badge number on my insurance paper, as I get better in the next few days I would like to find you and thank you in person since I have a clue
on maybe how to find you from the badge #. You also gathered my personal belongings I had on the bike that would have been stolen for sure. (cam corder,
etc..) Yes, I know, small things to worry about in that moment, but you made sure I didn't have to, again, thank you for going out of your way for my needs.

To all the Dr.s, Nurses, and whoever else was working in that ER room, my eternal thanks and grattitude as well. Man I was hurting, them ribs are a bitch
when smashed, but you folks all again, did what you were trained to do in the finest proffesional manner (even on the embarssing stuff) and I just knew
from all your demeanors, I was gonna be ok.

I am sure there are some typos and mis-spellings in this post, forgive me as i am on some pretty strong pills for pain, but i just got to my computer and
wanted to get these thank yous out as soon as possible. All of you people just really have no clue what your kindness and compassion meant, and means to
me even now.I would like to let you all know, that from your kindess, skills and so on... I'm going to be ok. Could have been a lot worse, but thanks to
good people like you, a damn fine helmet and a little luck, both I and the bike are fixable.

If there is any chance of any of you "unknowns" letting me know who you are, I would greatly like to thank you all in person, if that's not your style,
I respect that and just know you meant alot to one hurting, scared guy, yeah... I was scared I'll admitt to it no problem!

Last and not forgotten in any way, once I was admitted to the 3rd floor, all the Nurses, CNA's, Orderlies, people waking me up every few hours to check
my vitals and stuff, I also sincerely thank you, but since I know how to re-find you all, i will be seeing you again in person to thank you properly, especially
Melissa, a nurse or CNA not sure, but one awesome lady I did not have enough time to thank properly today as I left! I really wish I could have stayed
and healed longer as today really ended up hurting, but you know why I had to leave. You friggin ROCK!

Sincerely,

"Citizen Service"

2008-07-08T09:03:00.001-07:00

My Uncle Steve has recently had three run-ins with EMS. Nothing life threatening (thank God), but with his current health condition of liver failure, he's terribly weak. Two weeks ago, he sat on the edge of the bed, lost his balance and slipped to the floor. My aunt was unable to lift him to get him back in bed, so they called 911. Five minutes later and without the unnecessary spectacle of lights and sirens, the ambulance arrived. The paramedics lifted Steve back to a sitting position, swung his legs into bed and bid my aunt and uncle a good day. When my aunt asked what she owed them, the ambulance driver simply said, "Citizen assistance, ma'am. No charge for something like this."

A week later, Steve again had an episode of being unable to complete a short walk. With another 50 yards to go to the car, his body simply gave out. He sank a knee to the ground, laid down flat and called 911. The ambulance crew arrived, helped Steve to a gurney and lifted him into the ambulance. A mile later, they were home and brought him into the house and put him to bed. Again, "No charge, ma'am...this is a citizen assistance call."

Folks, this is the sort of thing which renews my faith in humanity. Emergency personnel basically volunteering their time to help out folks who, without their assistance, would be sunk.

I'd like to say a personal thanks to the Lake St. Louis Ambulance and Fire guys for helping out my uncle.

Columbia University School of Nursing

2008-07-03T08:49:00.000-07:00

Tuesday, July 1, I was honored to be the keynote speaker for the Columbia University School of Nursing. Thanks to all the future Nurse Practitioners who have chosen an incredibly special field!

You guys were a fabulous, FABULOUS audience and I'm humbled by the response I got!

Special thanks to Dr. Norma Hannigan and Dr. Cook for making my appearance possible (and thanks to Norma for an awesome fish & chips lunch, too!) Thanks to all for making my journey to Columbia University so awesome!

Listen, Already!

2008-06-23T10:04:00.000-07:00

Ever watched the show, Mystery Diagnosis?
If you're a health care pro – you might just learn something! Here's the 411 on this show...

Generally, a person is having some type of medical problem. The issue gets worse, they go to see a doc, the problem continues to get worse, they go see another doc, repeat repeat repeat.

Finally, the person is seen by a doctor who correctly diagnosis the problem. Why didn't the first doc get a better handle on it? Almost inevitably, the doc who gives the final diagnosis does so because he/she has done something no one else has bothered to do: Listen!

One of the docs interviewed tonight gave his philosophy on treating patients. He said, "I like the patient to tell me everything they can that's been going on, almost like telling me a story. Every pain, every bit of sickness, every kind of fatigue – I want to hear it all."

Tonight, his diagnosis was of a rare liver disease which, if monitored closely and treated correctly, shouldn't be a great inhibitor of the patient's life. Left untreated, death was imminent.

Now, docs who can put two and two together are better than health care pros who cannot. This doc took all of about eight minutes with his patient until he had the correct diagnosis. He listened, he asked the right questions and those streams of thought led to an accurate diagnosis (one that ultimately saved the life of his patient.)

Big, BIG keys to patient care:

1. Listen

2. Ask the right questions

Easier said than done? Sure, but is there any other way?

Your Staff is You, Doctor

2008-06-20T11:21:00.001-07:00

I went to fill a prescription for eye drops this morning. If I have an eye inflammation flare up, this drop usually helps relieve some of the burning. Right to the source, no waiting for drugs to be absorbed into my system, etc.

As with all doctors, the prescribing physician has horrible handwriting. The script was written for four refills, but this was the first time I've filled it. The pharmacist couldn't read the doc's handwriting, so called the doc's office. Of course, the doc is out today, so the pharmacist spoke to the nurse. The doc had failed to log his script to me, so the nurse probably thinks I'm trying to pull one over on them. Am I? Jeez – if I wanted to get some drugs, don't you think I'd try to get something psycho active like Darvocet or Zanex? But no... I'm wanting to get some relief in drop form for eye inflammation and the pharmacist, the doc's office, seemingly every person I talk to is eyeing me suspiciously like I'm trying to commit a crime!

This will all be straightened out within the next hour or two (I hope), but the doctor's nurse is really hacking me off. I'm not a criminal, I'm not trying to pull one over on anyone, I just want the eye drops prescribed to me! As if getting screwed for $60 per bottle isn't bad enough, now I'm treated like a criminal.

Docs – your staff is you. It's crossed my mind not to return to this physician due to the treatment by his "people."

Will I actually find another doc? Nah, but I wish docs would take their job as boss as seriously as they take their job as physician.

Marcus is a Wii character?

2008-06-20T07:02:00.000-07:00

My buddy, Kyle Kuhlman, just sent me this picture of a guy who, strangely enough, bears a close resemblence to moi! Here's his note that went with it:

Hey Marcus, I just got the Wii and made up a player of myself on the sports program. I put in all the attributes of myself, pulled up the picture and it looks remarkably like you.

So, faithful reader, what do you think? I'm a little disturbed that Wii has turned me into a video game character!

Pinellas Area Nurse Educators

2008-06-14T08:35:00.001-07:00

Yesterday, I had the privilege of presenting to the Pinellas Area Nurse Educators. The PANE Conference was held in St. Petersburg, FL. These nurses are all employed in either a hospital or educational setting, instructing future R.N.s on ways to be excellent health care providers.

A special thanks goes to Tammy Franqueiro for being such an awesome client!

It was truly an honor to work with such a quality group of nurses who are helping to make the healing processes of patients much, much better!

A Recent Obituary

2008-06-09T11:04:00.000-07:00

In my literary life, there have been four phases:

1. When I didn't know how to read (birth to 3 or so)

2. When I loved to read! (3 until, say, 13)

3. When I hated reading and only picked up a book when it was assigned (13-17)

4. When I re-learned some passion for the written word; so much so I began to create my own (17-present)

For the last four or five years of phase #2, I'd often check out books from the public library in Montgomery City (just a hop, skip and a jump from my hometown). On Saturday mornings, you could find me sitting on the floor in the back of the library, flipping through giant picture books of warfare; everything from spears to M-16s in the Vietnam Conflict. In those shelves was where I learned the value of just how much knowledge there is in the world-and that's probably why I want to know EVERYTHING now! The rebellious, slothful teenage years hadn't kicked into full gear, so I was still able to dig books just because, well, I dig books. It wasn't yet cool to NOT like reading (something I hope teens today don't emulate.)

Anyway, there at the Montgomery County Public Library was an elderly librarian named Laura. The things I remember about Laura were 1. she was a heavy, heavy smoker (yes, this was in the days when no one seemed to have a problem with smoking in the library) and 2. she seemed to know EVERYTHING about books! It was Laura who first introduced me to J.R.R. Tolkein and the Lord of the Rings trilogy-some 15 years before the movies made "Hobbitt" a household word!

While at my parents' home last week, my Mom was flipping through the local paper when she came across Laura's obituary. Laura hadn't really crossed my mind in years, but at the news of her passing, I thought back on those Saturday mornings. I also began to remember something Laura taught me without ever even knowing she was sending a lesson along...

Another library employee who worked with Laura was profoundly disabled. I don't think I ever knew this woman's name, and my best guess is that she had a severe case of cerebral palsey. This woman would sit behind Laura's desk in her electric wheelchair, body twisted at what looked like painful angles, jerky, robotic movements to sort books into large metal bins.

What I assume was C.P. had robbed this woman of all but the most sparce of motor functions. She could grip a book, but couldn't sit it down gently. Into the big metal bin the books would go, nearly shaking the windows with the clattering "BANG!" In the years I went to the library, this woman never spoke. Guessing here, but it seemed her disability wouldn't allow her verbal communication, either.

Sitting just a few feet away from Laura, she'd do her tasks of book organizing, books banging all the while. Laura, meanwhile, checked the cards in each of my loans, talked to me about the content of each, asked me about the last books, I'd read, never once paying attention to the ruckus being raised just a step away.

Was she oblivious to the noise? Unlikely. She was, however, comfortable working with this woman and her limitations. At the first loud slam, it would have seemed proper to drop what she was doing, run to the aid of the woman at the rear, check to see if everything was okay. But she didn't. Why? Probably because she knew nothing was wrong, just accepting this woman's disability and the tiny inconveniences that went along with it. She didn't offer help, didn't hover, just let the woman perform her task.

Laura certainly never acted like her co-worker had any sort of cognitive disability. To this day, I don't know if she did or not. My guess is no. She simply lived in a body that had more limitations than almost any other I've ever met. But Laura didn't treat her like she was profoundly disabled-she just let her do her job.

Frankly, Laura's comfort level with a person of this limited ability was disconcerting to my pre-teen self. It was, however, exactly how a person with a disability should be treated: with respect, honor and without making the disability their sole identity. Some of the best lessons are taught by inaction; when a loud crash would happen, Laura wouldn't even look up. I wanted to yell, "What happened?! Is she okay?!" all while pointing toward the figure in the electric wheelchair. But I didn't. Because Laura didn't act like anything was wrong. That made me also think nothing was wrong. Laura would finish her stamping of my books, wish me luck and would turn back to her own novel and overflowing ashtray.

You know, I'm not sure I'd ever thought of this until I heard of Laura's passing, but I have to think her actions (or more specifically, lack thereof) towards individuals with disabilities helped mold my opinions. Never assume that if one's body doesn't work well, that their mind doesn't, too. Don't hover, don't coddle, don't protect-just allow that person to live his/her life and to do their job.

When I became a person with a disability, I knew darned good and well I didn't want to be treated in a way other than the respect Laura showed her co-worker. I hope this memory may remind you, faithful reader, of how to respect and honor the existence of all people, those with disabilities and those without. If there's net access in the hereafter, I hope Laura may read this and rest assured she helped mold the life of one little bookworm many years ago.

Missouri Rehab Association

2008-06-06T08:19:00.001-07:00

As promised, here are the pics from the MRA conference from earlier this week. It was truly a joy to be with all the MRA folks – again, these are some of the most giving, delightful people I could ever hope to work with! Left to right we have Frank, an assessment guru with A.O. of Springfield (and one of the kindest people you could ever hope to meet), my client, Kim Vaughn, a Voc Rehab counselor, moi, and Joe, an administrator with A.O. of Springfield (and one of the most professional, dedicated individuals I've ever worked with.) Thanks again, MRA, for doing what you do and for welcoming me into your conference! Y'all are a blast!

International Shriners Day!

2008-06-06T08:04:00.001-07:00

In honor of the founding of the International Council of Shriners of North America on June 6, 1876, nobles (aka, Shriners) everywhere celebrate International Shrine Day!

Having just become a Shriner within the last few months, I'm proud to be celebrating my first Shrine Day. How does this work? Simple:

Nobles everywhere are to wear their red fez, a Shrine tee-shirt or a Shrine lapel pin-just to show their affiliation with the Shrine. If you've not seen a fez, take a look at that handsome devil in the pic...see that big thing on his head? No, not his nose! That red thing that looks like an inverted narrow bucket? That's the traditional Shriner's fez. Think wearing one of those to Wal-Mart may generate some awareness? If nothing else, it'll definitely show some fashion sense!

Still, what is the Shrine? What do they do? What do they believe? Why do they wear funny hats?

Simply put, the Shrine is a Masonic fraternity body created to have fun with a purpose. The fun results from fraternization, parties, socials, parades, etc., and the purpose remains the same: to support the Shriners Hospitals of North America.

Shriners Hospitals are some of the best medical care one can get for burns and orthopedic issues that confront children. No patient at a Shriners Hospital is ever charged a single penny-this makes the Shrine Hospitals the greatest philanthropy in the world. With a daily operating budget in excess of $2 million, the fun we nobles have is only surpassed by the incredible help given to children in need of intense medical care.

Happy Shrine Day to my fellow nobles!

If you'd like to learn more about the Shrine and the philanthropic work we Shriners do, please view:

www.Shrinenet.com

or my home Shrine's web page at:

www.BahiaShrine.com

Family Pharmacy Teams With Marcus!

2008-06-05T07:29:00.001-07:00

Well, it's finally happened! Ever since the release of my books in the fall of 2006, I've looked for a retailer in my hometown. You'd think this wouldn't be so challenging, but it sure was!

Then, a retailer found me! In March, I was honored to be the key note speaker at the National Honor Society induction at my alma mater, Montgomery County R-2 in Montgomery City, MO.

Attending the induction of their daughter, Ellie, were Jack and Janet Holtman, owners of Family Pharmacy in Montgomery City. Mr. and Mrs. Holtman (and Ellie) purchased my books and passed them along to several others after they read them. As always, I'm humbled and honored when anyone passes my book along with the recommendation, "Hey, you should read this!"

Well, Jack and Janet also decided to inquire about becoming a retailer of "After This..." and "The Other End of The Stethoscope." I, of course, was ecstatic to be able to offer books to readers in my hometown by way of a local retailer!

Family Pharmacy is located on North Sturgeon in Montgomery City, MO. I hope folks from my home area will stop in, say HI to Jack and Janet, and maybe pick up a book while they're at it!

Special thanks to Jack and Janet Holtman for their desire to help me spread my message!

"I'm Just A Phone Call Away!"

2008-05-23T20:20:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, I had my annual visit with my ophthalmologist , Dr. Moholtra. Why a blind guy needs to go see an eye doc every year, I dunno... but I go anyway.

Dr. Moholtra decided to try a different type of medication to help reduce conjunctivitis in both eyes (Ah, maybe THERE'S the reason to go see an eye doc). We discussed the benefits and drawbacks to this new medication, talked about if I should find an ophthalmologist in Florida, etc. As we discussed the pros and cons, Dr. Moholtra simply said, "And never forget that I'm just a phone call away."

THAT, faithful reader, is darned reassuring. I now know my physician will make time to return my call if I have any problems. Will he actually call me back? Doubtful. Might it be his nurse who returns my call? Probably.

Still, no matter what actually DOES happen, Dr. Moholtra said "call me" not "call my office" or "call the nurse."

How do I feel? Like I have a personal connection to my physician. Was that his intent? Absolutely! Dr. Moholtra knows the key to great patient care is the relationship between patient and caregiver. Simple as that. And such a professional thing to do which is, unfortunately, lacking so often in the medical world.

When You're a Professional...

2008-05-05T09:05:00.000-07:00

I just got back from an appointment with a new dermatologist. It was a fairly wretched experience. The physician himself was a pretty good guy, but his staff? Yeesh. Awful.

Unfortunately, this doctor has missed one of the keys to being a professional - be sure the people representing you are professional, too. Here's how this went down... Marvelyne and I scheduled appointments back to back. We both wanted to hear what the doc had to say to the other. Fair enough, especially since my reason for the appt. was so the dermatologist could point out skin blemishes to Marvelyne I obviously don't see.

When the secretary called Marvelyne's name from the waiting room, I got up, too. Convo went down like this:
Secretary: "Sir, we'll see you when your wife is finished."
Marcus: "We're together."
Sec: "I'm sorry, but we don't see couples together. She can come get you when it's your turn." Marcus: "So, she can be in my appointment, but I can't be in hers? That doesn't make sense." Sec: "I'm sorry, sir, but that's our policy."

Now, folks, that was NOT their policy. In fact, when the doc came into Marvelyne's appt., she asked, "Can my husband be in here?" The doc's response was what it should be, "Of course!" Still, 10 minutes later, I was finally allowed into the exam room with my wife - and with a temper about at the boiling point. I'd not yet met the doc, but what do you think my overall impression was? Yep-negative.

Any professional knows he/she must, MUST have representatives who give a favorable impression. This doc does not have that person on his staff. In fact, instead of a non-issue (a worst case scenario for a physician's secretary), he has one who does harm.

This isn't to say the doc himself was bad. He was fine, but the impression was already made by his crappy secretary. After being represented by a speaker's bureau in the past, and after having different web designers creating work to represent me, and an army of past marketing folks, I know one thing - do NOT hire anyone who cannot properly represent me to others. I've made this mistake time and time again. Is it even possible not to? Sure, but just like finding Prince Charming, sometimes you've gotta kiss a lot of frogs The key is, when you realize the person representing you is a frog, it's time to make frog legs.

As a professional, I will never continue to allow someone to represent me in person, print, communication or video who cannot make me look fabulous. Seems like doctors need this lesson, too.

Western Regional Greek Association - WRGA

2008-04-13T16:29:00.000-07:00

Sat., Ap. 12, I was honored to be a keynote presentor for the Western Regional Greek Association conference in San Francisco. This was a true pleasure to be in front of a fraternity/sorority audience once again!

Thanks to all who attended my presentation - we had so many fill the room we had to hang a sign on the door saying the room was full! Plus, this is one of those programs where we all (and I do mean everyone) seemed on exactly the same page at exactly the same time. I can only do that when the audience is ready to get on board and ride this roller coaster with me - and you guys did just that! Thanks!

I'd like to thank all the fellow Kappa Sigs I met at WRGA, too! Always great to meet brothers at these events!

Tampa Tribune Article

2008-04-13T16:00:00.000-07:00

When I spoke at Academy At The Lakes last Monday, April 7, Megan Hussey of the Tampa Tribune was present. The article appeared in Saturday's Tribune and can be found below.

I'd like to personally thank Megan for such an accurate and well-written article! I've been written about hundreds of times in newspapers, magazines, periodicals, etc.-but this is probably the most accurate article ever done on little old me! Thanks, Megan, and thanks again to Bob Sullivan and Academy At the Lakes for hosting this event!

Speaker Helps Students See 'Happiness Is A Choice'
By MEGAN HUSSEY
Tribune correspondent
Published: April 12, 2008 LAND O' LAKES - At the age of 16, Marcus Engel was involved in the type of fender bender that every high-school student fears; one in which he accidentally struck an auto driven by his principal's wife. Taking the incident in stride, his principal advised him to "Change the things you can." This advice proved valuable two years later, when Engel was in another wreck, this one far more serious. One late night on a St. Louis road, the actions of a drunken driver in another car cost Engel his eyesight; and caused massive injuries to his face and body that required a year of surgeries to repair. Engel first had to accept the fact that he was blind. "I thought, 'I'm 18. I'm never going to see again. I'm never gonna lead my life again,'" he said. "What do you do?"
Reaching Teenagers
What Engel did in the years that followed was write two inspirational books and speak publicly about his experiences; his speaking engagements take the Orlando resident to 40 to 50 events yearly. "And because of my passion for education, I love speaking to schools," he said. "It's a powerful thing to get teenagers to listen, and judging from the number of e-mails and MySpace signups I get after my speeches, they are engaged by the message."

On Monday, Engel brought his message of hope, humor and inspiration to Academy at the Lakes, where he addressed students in grades eight through 12. Engel was accompanied by his wife and book editor Marvelyne Adams, and Carson, his guide dog. He also brought a bag full of his books, "After This ... An Inspirational Journey For All the Wrong Reasons" and "The Other End of the Stethoscope: 33 Insights for Excellent Patient Care." He handed out free copies to students who asked questions after the speech. He also handed out advice about overcoming terrible odds. "You get used to things like this, because sooner or later it just becomes your life," he said. "All I knew is that I had to give it time, that my life could someday be good again."

Working To Stay Independent Following his principal's advice to change the things he could, he took extensive steps to ensure that life would be good again. After a challenging regimen of surgeries and physical therapy, he attended a residential education program for the blind. "In order to graduate, I had to prepare, serve and clean up a meal for the 50 people on the school staff," he said. "For the second challenge, a school secretary took me out in a car ... and dropped me off, telling me I had to find my own way back. On my honor, I could only ask one question of a pedestrian to get back." "When she dropped me off, I soon realized I was 25 miles away from where I needed to be," he said. After successfully completing this program, Engel was able to return to college, and then took a summer job as a camp counselor. He taught and performed all of the same activities - such as swimming, canoeing and archery - as the other counselors. He says his greatest achievement may have been mentoring an overweight child who was bullied by campers.

"His mother wrote a letter saying that the only positive experience the boy had at camp was working with Marcus, the blind counselor, because the boy said, 'He couldn't see how fat I am,'" Engel said. "I spent all summer trying to show other people the things that I could do, and he was most impressed by the things I couldn't do."

Engel has dedicated much of his life to inspiring others; through his books, his speeches and occasionally through advising lawmakers about the establishment of meaningful drunken driving laws. Most of all he wants people to know that although his accident claimed his vision, it didn't cloud his view of the world.

"I'm pretty ecstatic about my life," he said. "Happiness is a choice."

MARCUS ENGEL
SOME BACKGROUND: On Monday, national inspirational speaker and author Marcus Engel addressed eighth to 12th grade students at Academy at the Lakes in Land O' Lakes. COMMUNITY

CONTRIBUTIONS: During his freshman year of college, Engel lost his eyesight and sustained massive injuries in an auto crash caused by a drunken driver. He now speaks to students and other audiences about overcoming insurmountable odds to find a fulfilling life.

A LITTLE HISTORY: In addition to his 40 to 50 speaking engagements a year, Engel has written two books.

GETTING INVOLVED: To learn more about Marcus Engel and his work, go to http://www.marcusengel.com/ or www.myspace.com/marcusengel.

Find this article online at: http://www2.tbo.com/content/2008/apr/12/pa-speaker-helps-students-see-happiness-is-a-choic

Any Questions?

2008-03-26T13:10:00.000-07:00

"Any questions for the pharmacist?" the tech asked from behind the counter. I've been on this same medicine for two plus years, so I feel like a salty dog with it's use. I just shook my head and said, "Nope! I'm all good!"

Still, had I not been so familiar with this drug, I'd have had a lot of questions. Going to the pharmacy can be pretty intimidating for some. Insurance cards, co-pays, signatures, prescribing doctors, prescription slips, directions for the medication, tiny print, unfamiliar words - if I were elderly, there are tons of reasons why seeing the pharmacist could be a struggle.

By the tech asking, "Any questions for the pharmacist?" it opens a friendly door for conversation. This pharmacy seems to have this as their policy - not just the happenstance comment of an employee. With as much confusion as can be with drugs today, this makes lots of sense.

In fact, were I recommending a pharmacy to an elderly loved one, this is the first place I'd suggest. If nothing else, they make it easy for the patient to learn more about the medications they're on.

Who Benefits?

2008-03-25T18:24:00.000-07:00

Jamie Allman is an investigative reporter back in my hometown of St. Louis. In the last several years, Jamie's claim to fame is no longer the investigative reporting, but sharing the truth about national and international situations. Basically, if it happens on earth, Jamie is going to get to the bottom of what iss REALLY going on.

Today, I happened across his blog, Allman's Electric Stove. You can search it out through:

www.971talk.com

One of his articles asks the question, "Who benefits?" He said in his time as an investigative reporter, the single best question one can ask during an investigation is, "Who benefits?"

Someday I'll probably write a book on how I don't believe in alturism(the idea one performs selfless acts for the benefit of another). I believe we can all have selfless feelings, but even the best act of chairity(that being anonymous) still gives the giver a good feeling about his/her deed.

Anyway, if you ask, "Who benefits?", I think you can get to the bottom of the story fastest(and I've thought this for years, Jamie just shortened it for me). When learning of leaks in the press, who benefits? Chances are, there's your culprit. When there's a crime committed, who benefits? When there's a political issue, who benefits?

And ya know what? Most people will never ask this question. And because of that, most guilty parties will get off scot free. This lacsidasical attitude on the part of we Americans is precisely why we're such lemmings when it comes to news.

What's that? You say you're not? Awesome! I don't think of myself as a lemming, either. But ya know what? Unless I ask some real pointed questions, I do, in fact, end up eating whatever the media machine pushes out. Sad fact of life...which is why I'll continue to try to self educate as much as I can. I hope you will, too.