Curbside Consult with Dr. Jayne 7/18/11

I’m finally back in my normal routine with the usual rounds of meetings, committees, working groups, conference calls, and Meaningful Use activities that make up the fun-filled CMIO lifestyle. Lots of reader response this week, and that has kept me going through it all. Every time I take vacation, I forget how much one gets punished the week after, so thanks to all of you for keeping me going. Your e-mails have been a true bright spot in an otherwise harried week.

Last week’s piece on physician rating web sites generated several comments. Most of them agreed that the sites don’t have a tremendous amount of worth compared to word of mouth or physician recommendations. Tammi sent her thoughts:

Too bad there isn’t a truly reliable source I would trust. Having been down the roads I have been down, my choice would still be to do my homework and ask around and ask the right folks. And then ask again. It is about more than the physician, too. Who supports them and what is their experience?

Entirely true. There may be a lead physician performing a procedure, or a primary care physician quarterbacking the care, but there’s a whole world of nurses, consulting providers, patient care technicians, case coordinators, therapists, and a host of others involved. Having seen it from both the physician and patient sides, it pays to do your homework.

In response to my comments on physicians and social media, Chris reminds us that it goes both ways:

A lawyer friend of mine passed this along the other day about a judge allowing Facebook posts as evidence in a personal injury case. I wonder how long until we see this same thing in a medically related case?

Based on some of the antics of my employees on Facebook, it’s apparent that people don’t care who is reading or what they are writing. And no, I’m not stalking them. Most of them actually friended me, so it’s not as if they don’t know that I might be reading. I worry for their livers and their brain cells, that’s all I’m saying.

Tremendous feedback on my quest for appropriate cocktail pairings to go with mandatory online training. I can officially confirm that Personal Protective Equipment is much more enjoyable with a drink and some nibbles. Judy encouraged me to not forget Compliance as a potential topic. My recommended pairing for either Compliance or Risk Management training:

Over the next few weeks, I’ll be working on some online modules that are required for specialty board recertification. For those, I have chosen some picks from Caduceus Cellars.  (For those music lovers who like Mr. H’s notes on what he’s listening to, you may be interested to know that Caduceus is project involving Maynard James Keenan, legendary front man for Tool and A Perfect Circle.)

Rock star HIStalkapalooza correspondent Evan Frankel mentions:

I have fallen back in favor of Portugal’s very unique and refreshing green wine ‘vinho verde’ with scholarly research. With an iced glass as its chalice, [it] really does induce people to sit outside, enjoy a sunset and get into really meaningful and enjoyable conversation about the future of healthcare in America.

Evan, do you wear your fabulous jacket when you drink it?

Matthew noted:

One cannot go wrong with Orin Swift’s excellent The Prisoner. Not only is this blend of mostly Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Syrah pleasing to the palate, the label itself perfectly sums up how one feels while attending mandatory training offerings.

Oh yes, I will be using this one. Perhaps some bottles as attendance prizes for Meaningful Use upgrade training? Or for myself, when I’m forced to attend said upgrade training, which although I wrote and approved, I have to attend to verify credit in the online system?

Speaking of verification of attendance, a letter to the editor in American Medical News caught my eye this week. Massachusetts surgeon Jeffrey Kaufman writes about his experience of being required to punch a time clock. Although I’ve not had to actually clock in and out, my employment agreement and pay stubs reflect an “hourly wage” for being a physician. I don’t remember the last time I worked a straight 40-hour week. When I asked about it, I was told that the personnel resource management system (aka software) can’t handle a salaried employee. I’ve been known to mentally divide my salary by actual hours worked. As a Chief Resident, I could have done better on the night shift at Taco Bell.

Last but not least, the perfect wine pairing for a discussion of Meaningful Use. I will definitely be looking for this one the next time I shop for the fruit of the vine. I’ll have to make a point to have some in house prior to the final decisions on Stage 2. Have any other cocktail suggestions? E-mail me.

E-mail Dr. Jayne.