Philadelphia Medicine Summer 2018 - 9

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were often no longer the first to make suggestions for policy
decisions affecting patients and their families.
Health care institutions were expanding and merging, becoming conglomerates, almost becoming too big to control, making
it harder for the patient and physician to make the health care
decisions they needed to make.
One positive point in this expansion is that medical access to
health care has improved with more medical facilities in remote
or inaccessible areas, but quality is still an issue that needs more
improvement now than before.
Unfortunately I have seen doctors also fall into divisive battles
with each other over how the expansions of health care systems
will play out. They disagree over health insurance company
reimbursements. This causes many in health care to lose sight of
their primary role as patients' advocates.
Access to behavioral health services has not really improved
since I began practicing medicine, despite the growing agreement
among physicians and policy makers that this aspect of medicine
should be better acknowledged.

What does it take to be a doctor today? Is it any
different than when you started?
You have to be more diplomatic with all parties involved
with health care - medical professionals, insurance companies,
pharmaceutical companies, health care system administrations
as well as the patient and his or her family. We need to remind
ourselves that we are all working towards the same goal - to be
better patient advocates and deliver patient-centered health care.
You also have to be adaptable to the increasingly rapid changes
in technology. Who knew that good typing skills would be
required to become an efficient practicing physician?

What are the things that make it tougher to be a
good doctor today?
Doctors are turning into technocrats. There's little balance
sometimes between treating a patient in the office and dealing
with HIPPA compliance and data entry in our electronic medical
record systems.
We seem to glorify data at the expense of the individual patient.
This endless balancing act of time management - between patient
time and data entry time - has exacted a toll on physicians as well
as other health care professionals. They have felt actual contact
time with the patient diminish while time with their hands on
a keyboard continues to increase. That is, when the server is up
and running!

How are medical students today like you when you
started?
They're eager to serve. They're also very tech savvy. They practice
medicine with the latest advancements.

How are they different?
They're not encouraged to be entrepreneurs - they would rather
work under big institutions.

If you had one piece of advice for young doctors, what
would it be?
Dream big and do not be afraid to ask for guidance from your peers.

Any advice for doctors in your generation?
Organize and come together with your peers. We need more
local organizations and private practices.

How has PCMS helped you in your career?
It has helped me in networking, which has helped me find
solutions to everyday problems.
It has been an essential source for professional resources. *

Summer 2018 : Philadelphia Medicine

http://philamedsoc.org http://bboliver@thebeneficial.com http://http://

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Philadelphia Medicine Summer 2018