First-ever CDC-sponsored “disability prevention” event
Even if you missed it, you can still listen in to a milestone event: the first-ever public webinar hosted by a federal government agency on the topic of “disability prevention.” The umbrella...
View ArticleIntroducing Dave Clarke MD & the Psychophysiological Disorders Society
I had the honor of meeting a innovator in medical CARE on Sunday: David Clarke, MD, founder of the Psychophysiological Disorders Society. He is a gastroenterologist by trade who has developed...
View ArticleCommunications Clarity Dept: Useful distinctions
I keep getting reminded how fuzzy words can be — and how much clarity matters to those of us who work across traditional boundaries between specialties, disciplines, or sectors of society. We just...
View ArticleWhy Put People Who Don’t Care in Charge of Timing?
I just realized that there are two short little sentences that are causing BIG PROBLEMS. They are: 1. “We can’t start looking for transitional duty for him (or, we can’t start the reasonable...
View ArticleFree on-line CBT course helps Australians living with pain feel better
An Australian study in the journal Pain reports that a FREE on-line course that employs CBT techniques has worked well in helping patients with chronic pain reduce both distress and other symptoms —...
View ArticleMy “mini-manifesto” to reduce spine disability
You may be interested in the “mini-manifesto” I delivered this past Saturday 7/18 at the Spine 10×25 Research Summit in Chicago hosted by the North American Spine Foundation. They have declared a...
View ArticleDan Siegel says I can use my mind to reshape my brain — or YOURS!
I’m in the middle of taking an on-line course by Daniel Siegel, MD. I hope you do, too. It’s called “Practicing Mindsight” — 6 hours consisting of 32 video mini-lectures delivered live to an...
View ArticleA Health & Work Service could prevent or reduce impairment/disability
There is definitely an opportunity to make a positive difference BIG ENOUGH to make the expense and effort of developing, launching and delivering a nationwide community-focused Health & Work...
View ArticleSome specifics: Our proposal for a Health & Work Service
In our August 2015 proposal to the SSDI Solutions Initiative sponsored by the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget on Capitol Hill, we recommended that a community-focused Health & Work...
View ArticleStar rankings for doctors who deliver better outcomes in workers’ comp
I was in the audience for a presentation on “outcomes based networks” in workers’ compensation while at the SIIA conference this week (Self-Insurance Institute of America) in Washington DC. The two...
View ArticleOur proposal for “upstream” services to reduce “downstream” inflow onto SSDI
Kim Burton, Tom Wickizer, and I have a good idea for how to reduce the inflow onto Social Security Disability Insurance. Ours was among only twelve proposals selected for further development during a...
View ArticlePsychiatrist says we should use food to treat anxiety and depression
Dr. Drew Ramsey is a well-trained psychiatrist at Columbia in New York. He grew up on a farm in Indiana. When his patients weren’t getting well despite “evidence-based” psychotherapy and drugs, he...
View ArticleReduce ill-considered surgeries by using shared medical-decision making
Something called “shared medical decision-making” increases patient satisfaction while reducing utilization of elective procedures that are invasive, risky, of questionable value — and often high cost....
View ArticleCMS announces where they will start transforming physician payment plans
If like me you’ve been kinda following Federal physician payment reform (and hoping that what is learned there there will lead to payment reform in the private sector or maybe even workers’...
View ArticleSocial Security Administration seeks input from YOU
I hope you will read — and respond — to this Request for Information issued by the U.S. Social Security Administration. SSA is looking for input in order to decide whether to undertake a demonstration...
View ArticleAvoid “one-size-fits-all” thinking in evidence-based medicine
If you feel a duty to avoid “group think” and are not yet a subscriber, I recommend you take a look at this group and their blog: Minimally Disruptive Medicine. Today’s posting (What are the risks...
View ArticleIf you’re interested in RETAIN, let ODEP know today!!
Please be a bumble bee and pass along this pollen information to your contacts at the large healthcare delivery organizations in your area/state that have an outside-facing occupational medicine...
View ArticleDon’t miss out! RETAIN grants are a big opportunity
RETAIN is a five year and $100 million Federal Grant program that state agencies must nominally lead. However, the leadership team must be multi-stakeholder and include an organization that actually...
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