ReMarks Spring Newsletter
Well, we made it through another winter season of Flu, RSV and Covid with some norovirus thrown in for good measure. Fortunately, measles is not an epidemic and is unlikely to be one due to our herd immunity. Here are some recent blog posts that you might have missed and some notes on the practice.
Measles Vaccine: What You Need To Know – Mark Thornton
This is an editorial on the pitfalls on Medicare Advantage plans. We are no longer able to make referrals for MA patients whose plans list WellMed as the payor.
Arm Position and Blood Pressure Readings – Mark Thornton
Flu and Covid Vaccine Update – Mark Thornton
THE PRACTICE
AI AND I
I predicted a number of years ago that AI (Artificial Intelligence) would first have its impact on medical practice by reducing the burden of documentation. Most people don’t realize that physicians spend hours after the office closes writing up their notes of the daily patient encounters. Checking boxes in electronic medical records to meet government guidelines has been described as “Death by a thousand clicks.” Hours are spent doing this which doesn’t improve patient care. That is one of the many things that leads to physician burnout. I spend 1-2 hours daily doing this. There are a number of AI programs that we are looking at that will record the encounter and organize the notes, one of which is a local product. Think of them as medical versions of Chat GPT. AI won’t click the boxes, yet.
CME/ CONTINUING MEDICAL EDUCATION
When a medical student walks across the stage to get their diploma, the realization sets in that while they have the most current medical information, things will change. Being a physician is a lifelong commitment to learning. How does one keep up? In our practice, Dr. Wallace and I subscribe to (and read) The New England Medical Journal, The Annals of Internal Medicine, Journal Watch (a compilation of thirty medical journals), JAMA and The Medical Letter. In addition to this we attend two meetings annually of The Texas Club of Internists, a 100+ year old club dedicated to continuing medical education AND searching for the latest information on our patients’ problems and answering questions. I just tallied my total for 2 years. 319.5 hours!
We still find taking care of patients rewarding, and the fact that we can do it in the more relaxed setting of our practice will enable us to do it for years to come. We have no plans to retire in the near future (although patients have told us that they have heard rumors to the contrary), but when that day comes, we will make sure that we have suitable substitutes to care for you.
When I pioneered personalized medical care 20 years ago, I could not have foreseen its popularity. I would not have predicted the different types of physicians that would open “concierge” practices. I thought it would be Internal medicine doctors as well as family medicine doctors. Today, even emergency room physicians are getting into the act. That surprised me because although they are trained to take care of acute medical problems, they are not trained to take care of chronic medical problems like diabetes, heart disease and hypertension. Over the years at least three emergency medical physicians have asked to join the practice. “Sorry, but you’re not trained to do what I do” I told them. Look for someone who is board certified in internal medicine or family medicine if you are searching for a doctor. Also, we do take new patients. We just try to keep the practice small and manageable.
I hope you enjoy this lovely Spring weather.
I wish you the best of health!
Mark Thornton, M.D., F.A.C.P
