DRAFT01_SHP_EPS35_Ted_Spooner.mp3

In this episode of the Surviving Healthcare podcast, we will continue this month's discussion of technology and its place in healthcare with a conversation about how technology can help us better coordinate health care.

You'll hear from Asif Khan who is the founder and CEO of CareMerge. His goal through CareMerge is to "forge meaningful connections between providers, payers, families and seniors seeking to improve communication in today’s complex healthcare environment." Asif is a leader in the technological revolution that is happening in healthcare.

We talk about care coordination and how technology is helping to solve the problem, especially with seniors. In many cases, there are a great many actors responsible for a patient’s care and each has to know what the others are doing. We discuss what Caremerge does and how it's changing things to improve health care by freeing healthcare professionals up to do their job more efficiently and more completely.

The conversation then turns to the dynamics of the current medical records system and how the technology fits into it. You will hear a discussion of the issue of adoption of this type of technology and the role of the Affordable Care Act in that adoption.

You'll then hear his thoughts on the future of healthcare. One of the uses of technology is collecting a lot of useful data that could potentially lead to improved care, but it could also prevent health problems and lead to people leading healthier and more productive lives.

To read more about this episode or check out other guests and topics, visit surivivinghealthcarepodcast.com

In this episode of Surviving Healthcare, you will hear one way technology and health are partnering to achieve better outcomes.

My guest for this episode is Ted Spooner. Ted is the co-founder and CEO of Respondwell, one of the best and most-honored physical rehabilitation software companies in the country. RespondWell is a leader in the area of fitness gaming and telerehabilitation. Ted is one of the best possible experts to talk with regarding the use of technology in the healthcare field.

You will hear a fascinating discussion of the various needs people have for different types of therapy and how technology can make it easier to engage in therapeutic activity that can prevent certain problems from occurring in the first place. That leads to the discussion of the biggest difference between healthcare and other markets.

You will hear why the future of healthcare seems to be in the hands of patients more so than physicians and insurance companies, and how that may look in the future.

We then talk about the various payment strategies available to both the patient and the physical therapist, and which ones are most likely to work best.

The discussion then evolves into a more general discussion of them gaming aspects of physical therapy and how that may change in the future. It follows a typical game model, which can include:

• The need to achieve a goal, based on an engagement model;
• The need to establish a relationship between the "coach" and the player through "personification" technology;
• The need to create an ultimate expectation for the therapy and;
• A reward based on what the user finds important.

The future of healthcare is already here, in many ways, and this episode of the podcast gives us a glimpse of that future and how that may look.

To read more about this episode or check out other guests and topics, visit surivivinghealthcarepodcast.com

Open enrollment for health insurance begins November 1. Which means individuals under 65 that want to change their plan or need to get a plan, now is the time to enroll.

With that in mind, for this episode of the Surviving Healthcare podcast, you will hear what factors to look for to get the most out of open enrollment and get the plan that works best for you.

Joining me in this discussion is Sally Poblete, who is the founder and CEO of Wellthie, a company with a software platform that is designed to help people understand their options, so that they can choose the right plan.

Our discussion begins with an assessment of the value of education when it comes to choosing a health insurance plan. If you don't think you are comfortable choosing a health plan, you are not alone.

You'll hear about the effects of technology on the future of health insurance agencies and brokers, and the overall human component of the health insurance industry. We discuss the importance of insurance companies making their products friendlier and the need for better consumer education.

You will hear specific details that all health insurance consumers should look for and be aware of, as a rule. Here are some basic things all consumers should know going in:

• Open enrollment begins November 1 for individuals under 65
• There are four levels of plans available
• Consider the balance between the cost and the coverage you need, without weighing one as more important than the other.
• Check each health plan's network and continue to check every year
• Assess the insurance company's approach to customer service, especially when it comes to answering questions
• Remember, you can get a higher deductible plan and find a direct primary care physician using tax favored funds

This episode should provide you with a lot of great information as you prepare for open enrollment beginning November 1.

To read more about this episode or check out other guests and topics, visit surivivinghealthcarepodcast.com

In this episode of Surviving Healthcare, you will hear tips and tricks to surviving Medicare's annual open enrollment period. This happens every year from October 15th to December 7th. This is a very important time of year for Medicare recipients, and this particular show aims to provide you with important information during this time as well as hints that you are on the right Medicare path.

You will hear from Danielle Kunkle, who is a founding partner at Boomer Benefits, a Medicare insurance agency that is licensed in more than 40 states and which consistently ranks among the premier national Medicare agencies in the country.

Our discussion begins by talking about what Medicare open enrollment is, what it means and how it works. Specifically, we talk about the different parts of Medicare and how open enrollment works with each.   Danielle explains how Medigap insurance fits into the picture.

Next, you'll hear how changes to your Medicare plan have to be made and why and she gives some great advice for easily making side-by-side comparisons of costs and plan details.

Danielle provides questions everyone should consider when choosing between a Medicare Advantage plan and a Medigap plan, such as:

• How do you get your peace of mind?
• Where do you live during the year?
• Are you on a fixed income and will the cost of a plan be too much?
• Does your current plan raise rates every year?

There are several things you should know about Medicare's annual open enrollment and Medicare Advantage plans. Such as:

• Have you reviewed your Notice of Change packet this year?
• Are you willing to review search out the best plan for you if your plan changes?
• Are your doctors are in the network?
• Do you want co-pays and deductibles or a higher premium?

In closing, you'll hear Ms. Kunkle discuss the importance and the relative advantages of Medicare Advantage and Medigap plans overall. This show is a very informative discussion that anyone facing Medicare's annual open enrollment will find informative.

To read more about this episode or check out other guests and topics, visit surivivinghealthcarepodcast.com

This episode of Surviving Healthcare is a continuation of direct primary care with practical applications. You will hear how business, both large and small, can implement direct primary care to both improve the healthcare of their employees and decrease what they are paying for medical costs. Joining me on the show again is Dr. Stephen Schimpff. Dr. Schimpff is an internist with training and board certifications in internal medicine, medical oncology and infectious diseases. Dr. Schimpff was a clinician, educator and researcher  before taking on multiple leadership roles within the University of Maryland Medical System, which is recognized as one of the largest and most prestigious medical systems in the country and even the world.

You'll hear specific scenarios in which companies can convert their current health benefit systems into a direct primary care model, while getting a better handle on care and costs. Specifically, we discuss how this approach gives patients more control over their care and reduces the waste in the system. You will hear how self funded groups as well as fully insured groups can implement this in their business.

Dr. Schimpff explains how direct primary care helps "the sickest of the sick" by discussing a company that is doing just that around his area. If the quality of outcomes is better and the cost savings are realized while serving these Medicaid patients, which you'll hear about, then this model can be applied in your company.

The bottom line is, doctors and patients are not getting the time to develop a relationship which is critical to better healthcare. Direct primary care allows a return to relationship medicine and drops the total cost of healthcare and it is a model you can employ as an individual or a company today.

 To read more about this episode or check out other guests and topics, visit surivivinghealthcarepodcast.com

In this episode of Surviving Healthcare, you'll hear about a topic of huge importance and excitement, one that can have an enormous impact on our healthcare system. I'm talking about direct primary care.  My guest for this show is Dr. Stephen Schimpff.

Our discussion begins with the problem: physicians have too little time to spend with patients.  Patients don't feel like they're getting proper care from their physician with the limited amount of time and physicians are extremely frustrated.  Dr. Schimpff explains what direct primary care is, what it entails and why it gives both physicians and patients the time they need. 

You'll hear about the benefits of direct primary care.   We talk about the importance of allowing the physician to spend more time on patient problems and lifestyles and not just pawn off patients to specialists or send them home with a prescription.  We discuss the negatives that opponents bring up.  You'll see how paying your primary care physician directly is actually more cost-effective.

To read more about this episode or check out other guests and topics, visit surivivinghealthcarepodcast.com

In this show you will hear a useful discussion for parents regarding the issue of adolescents and mental health, which I hope will help parents get this stage of their child's life in a healthy, happy way. My guest for this discussion is Dr. Adelita Segovia, a board-certified psychiatrist at the Clayton Behavioral Center in St. Louis. Dr. Segovia focuses her practice on issues having to do with adolescent mental health and is an assistant professor of clinical psychiatry at Washington University.

Our conversation starts with the biggest risks parents often have to deal with regarding a teenager's mental health. Dr. Segovia talks about several studies that have been done in recent years that analyze the biggest risks, including depression and a number of other troubling statistics that make consideration of a child's mental health a very important factor in their lives.

You will hear the most important signs of depression and other mental problems and how they differ from standard adolescent emotional problems and adult emotional problems. She explains why parents should be attuned to a teenager's behavior, so that they can recognize the behavioral changes that serve as signs of a potential problem.The next portion of the show turns to treatment. 

Communication with teenagers is often very difficult, and Dr. Segovia will give you some great strategies for bridging that communication gap.  Understanding teenagers involves a lot of listening and less reacting.  There is a reason why teenagers act the way they do and you have to engage with them to a greater degree, and Dr. Segovia explains how to do that. 

The show concludes with a discussion of how parents can know they need to get professional help for their teen and how to go about doing that. There are specific steps to take and you should take them in order.

 To read more about this episode or check out other guests and topics, visit surivivinghealthcarepodcast.com

This episode of Surviving Healthcare features an interesting conversation about one physician's journey to open his own direct-pay practice after being in an insurance based practice. My guest for this episode is Dr. Erik Korzen, a chiropractic physician at Dynamic Physical Health.

Our discussion begins with an explanation of how Dr. Korzen decided to become a physician in the first place. You'll hear him talk about the progression of his career, from working as a doctor in a chiropractic practice to starting his own direct-pay practice.

You'll hear his experience working in an insurance based practice with the focus on quantity rather than quality.  Dr. Korzen discusses what drove him to open his own practice and use a direct-pay model.  He also talks to me about how he was able to set up a successful practice despite the fact that he had no previous business experience, which is fascinating. He was able to create a model in which the business side takes a back seat to patient care, and how he got there is a great story.

The discussion then turns to how he deals with patients and prepares them for the experience of dealing with a doctor on a cash basis, and his policies on dealing with patients on the business end.   You'll hear about the barriers that he had to overcome when setting up his own practice.

Dr. Korzen then talks about his unconventional and interesting choices regarding marketing.  He explains his choice of practice location and why it has been a strategic dream, for him and his patients. We then turn to the implications of being a "cash-only" practice, and how he communicates that to the patients who rely primarily on insurance to pay for their medical care.

To read more about this episode or check out other guests and topics, visit surivivinghealthcarepodcast.com