So, some of you know that I was diagnosed with ADD (when it was still called that) as a youngster. Over the years, I've figured out a way to channel all that energy. I don't think it's anything except a super power at this point. Once you can properly engage & channel minds on this far side of the attention-continuum-curve, it's basically like channeling the power of the sun.
I did a video blog on this via my Dad Blog called "Daddy In The Raw: The Real Life of a Work At Home Dad." It's linked below. I hope you enjoy it and that it helps!
Following a Periscope by Dr. Jeff Moore on balance and entrepreneurialism, I went to thinking about how I'm achieving balance. I realized for years, I had it wrong. I was balancing life as one balances things on a plate. Hence, the sayings like, "My plate is full." However, I think that a new way of looking at balance is vertically. Originally, I sad like the leaning tower of Pisa. A better way of seeing it, is like the game Jenga.
Here's my video blab on achieving work-life-balance by doing it vertically.
So 6-8 weeks ago, a gentleman in the East Coast of the USA emailed me after finding my old website, Kettlebell Therapy via Google. For those of you that didn't know me from way back when, I was known as the "Kettlebell Guy" primarily because of my DPT thesis on kettlebells. In any case, on the website, I described several ways I integrated kettlebells with my approach as a Physical Therapist in regards to back pain.
From there, it was just a random email from this poor guy who didn't expect me to respond... and, a response to which I didn't expect to have so much benefit in his life. After a nice exchange in emails, I got a touching update from him yesterday.
Be it a wedding, new born.. boards... interview, or, whatever... big life events have a funny way of making us drink too much coffee, sleep 3 hours a night, overdose on adrenaline, and crash.
This post is inspired by the Therapy Insiders podcast "7 Days Until" -- and, so! Here are....!
@DrBenFung Would enjoy a blog post on the conversations that shape the patients mind sets in these 2 areas. Theoretical or real scenarios!
— Ryan Michael Smith (@RyanSmith_ATC) May 26, 2015
I've found that "how" you do things in life is infinitely more important than "what" you do. When it comes to patient-provider dynamics, you could not find more truth in the matter.
Talking Patients, Talking Patience
As we know, the recent literature regarding clinical outcomes pertinent to the management of pain leads us to consider a treatment model as part of the "biopsychosocial" model. Now, while even mentioning this can get some interesting (and, by interesting, I mean vitriolic) dialog amongst colleagues, the end of the matter is this:
The best outcome occurs when a patient trusts their clinician, in effect, leading to less fear and a positive outlook upon any given pain or ailment. The following is my personal style of approach along with some past example(s) of how I like to redirect, guide, and empower my patients through my interactions in their lives.
Some highlight tips:
Make sure they feel like they are the ONLY one you are concerned about.
Take seat. A psychologist once shared with me a study that sitting down makes people feel like you care more -- and -- have spent more time with them.
Offer examples of past horror stories which are now success stories; relate it back to the patient in front of you.
Speak softly... they are already anxious as it is. You don't need to be commanding, you need to be understanding.
Science is inhumane; patients don't want to know you're right. They want to know you care.
All in all, we need to recognize that there exists a continuum of cognitive morphology; a range. and a confidence interval of potential change. If we accept this as clinicians, we can move on together -- with our patients as providers of their best health. And, when we do this, the journey is forged together in mutual trust, which quite honestly, is what patients desire most from their healthcare experience.
We've ALL been there before. Someone is talking in the background and you're beginning to register what is actually going on. Sadly, it had to be you... it had to be you that was closest to this situation that was about to unfold. You are ALREADY beginning to feel uncomfortable. The topic isn't any good. The conversation is getting worse...
Here are....!
5 Clinical Turn-Off Convos
1. The *insert degree here* debate. Be it DPT, DNP, DO, DC, MD, PharmD, PsyD, OD, DDS, whatever.... bleh. Even pharmacists at Ralph's have their name tag as Dr. So and So. We're all highly trained, educated, and ready to contribute. So... let's contribute together!
2. The *insert care extender here* debate. PTA, COTA, PA, NP, LVN, RNA, CNA... etc.
3. The *insert profession* Bashing Session, The only reason this occurs? INSECURITY!
4. Inpatient vs. Outpatient conversation... and don't forget... *whatever it is you forgot*
5. The Clinical Model's Debate. Sadly, this is highly philosophical and rarely is the actual conversation rooted in science, evidence, or even logic at its best. It's a battle of ideologies rather than of common sense.
First! I want to thank you all for your support over the years. I couldn't have made this blog successful without your personal interactions and connections with me -- AND -- your truly valuable feedback.
There are some things in the works.
First, I'm sure you've noticed that there are a few more links on my pages bar:
Also, I've been doing some video blogs (vlogs) via YouTube as an expansion to Blog @DrBenFung.
And, finally, I've added some sponsor mentions. To which, you are interested in getting some air time or ads on any one of my blogs, please let me know!
That's all for now. I'm working on some blog and vlog requests by #DPTstudent(s) and some other folks so.... STAY TUNED!
Welcome to Episode 4 - one of my FUN vlog episodes - on the topic of the worst and most annoying clinical personalities we "get" to... Sorry, sorry. "Have the privilege of" work with. This is the last of the first four episodes where I binge filmed... that is until my son woke up from his nap. Speaking of whom, Nathan will be joining us for.......!
Just in case you're new to this blog, for the last three years, I've dedicated my life to juggling family, finances, and finishing a Master's of Business Administration with a concentration in Marketing at the University of Michigan, Dearborn campus. The program was 100% online with strong focal points in international business, supply chain operations, digital business, marketing and communications, and remote collaborative models. After all, it was online, right? Made sense; so I went for it!
Well, during this time I changed many jobs, several health insurances, bit my nails at my dwindling bank account, had our baby boy... but, most importantly, I had the support of my endearing, adoring, and perfectly awesome wife. Add that, with the support of family and friends (you included!), I finally graduated with honors this past Sunday, April 26th, 2015.
But, how did I come to this? Who get's a DPT and turns around to head in the direction of business? What were my motivations? What were my take away experiences? And, what are my goals?
PS. I've got a few questions on why my face was all reddish/beat-up, especially that mark on my right eye. "That's normal! LOL...". No. Actually, that was from a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu training session earlier in the day. =P
The MBA: Now that it's done...
LOL! So... I (kinda) lied, in that I decided to take out the script. It was just easier to do it this way.
To sum it up, I learned anything from the MBA, I learned that knowledge isn't precisely equal to power. And, while the MBA taught me much knowledge; more interestingly it taught me HOW TO USE IT. That was the greatest challenge in the program was when marketing and strategy professors jumped in on threads to discuss with us, not only the finer details, but some of the out-of-the-box applications one could derive -- truly mind blowing stuff.
I learned a lot of skill sets surrounding numbers, business models, optimization frameworks, and strategic planning... but, all in all, I learned also that the practice of business requires a steady , organized, and intentional discipline in continually becoming better than you were yesterday.
So, what am I going to do now? Well, despite how fun it is serving as a consultant, it's a tough living getting paid case by case -- especially as a single practitioner versus an established firm. You know the saying, "feast or famine." And, when it comes to supporting a family, it can be tough doing it this way. My wife and son deserve more. So, I've been perusing opportunities as well as sifting through the very regular head hunting calls. It's actually crazy how much more frequently I've been head hunted since posting my MBA credential.
Well... I think that's it! Thanks for watching and for sharing in my thoughts and life. I'm looking forward to your feedback as I'm organically figure out this world of Vlogging.
I found this topic request to be a little bit ironic, because, most of the time we don't get to "choose" the school we get into. However, we do get a choice as to which schools we apply for, and hence, the programs to which we give our futures to. After giving it some thought, I realized, there's actually a lot to think about. The school market is much like the job market; firms (schools, and believe you me, it is a business, though the professors/educators themselves are likely to be more authentic than that) are looking for strong candidates to sustain themselves while applicants are hoping to get the best bang per buck.
Therefore, after some careful thought, I felt that these five tips serves to build a strong foundation to which you can make a strategic choice in dedicating the next 4-8 years of your lives.
Here are........!!!
5 Tips For Choosing A School
Just so we're all together here: In the fly of the moment, I decided to record this as a vlog as well. So, here is the vlog and I'll keep the transcriptish-written-content below for your perusal. Enjoy!
1. What's their network?
A school is a brand experience. When you go to a school and get a degree, or even apply for internships from, what you are saying is that you bring the brand promise of that school's brand image to whatever you're trying to sell yourself to. Big names like Harvard, Yale, Johns Hopkins, USC, Stanford, Michigan, NYU, etc. These names have very strong brand equities, and by extension, you as a student there, get to benefit from that image. This is the beginning aspects of a school's network.
As the network expands, you need to discern what their affiliations are, what are the available internships, rotations, and extra curricular opportunities. Who attends their job fairs? How active are the alumni?
What are their networks? (Affiliations, internships, rotations, opportunities, job fairs, etc)
2. What's their brand equity?
Since I mentioned it in Tip #1, I'll reiterate that the brand equity of any given school is most definitely important. HOWEVER, it is only important if the brand is well known. Basically, no one really cares as an employer or receiving clinical affiliation site unless your school is well known and/or top tier. Does this means that the school's brand is all you should consider? NO! It means that if this is the last step of schooling you're going to have, make sure that its a good one - AND - make sure that if the name isn't well known, that their Tip#1 NETWORKS give access to brand experiences that are.
"What's in a name?" A LOT!
3. Where is it?
Location. Location. Location. Location is a big deal, no matter what we're talking about. Such is the case because of housing costs, safety, lifestyle, geopolitical-cultural considerations, etc. It's ALWAYS important to consider the location of the school. How close or far it is to home, friends, and extended family can very well play a crucial role in your support system while away at school.
4. What is the cost?
Debt is a big deal; student debt follows you forever. Now, while I don't believe in only considering the academic experience as a pure dollar for dollar ROI calculation, one would be a fool not to think on the earning potential AFTER school given the costs of completing it. If one were to go into $200k of debt and only be able to make $50k/year, paying that off in 30 years would you'd also ANOTHER $200k in interest! So yeah... what's the real cost?
5. Who is teaching you?
The professors at any school can be a big deal when it comes to the outgoing value of your education. After all, it's part of the brand. If one of your professors, even just one is renown in their field and you get to brag that they were your professor... that's a fun and powerful thing during a job interview. Also, the general venerability of the professors at any given institution also lends to the perceived quality of education. Sadly, the most famous of professors rarely make the best instructors; however, they offer you their brand by extension. Yet, the less well known professors tend to be quite accomplished and can be amazing teachers to which you'll not only learn a lot, you'll learn how to apply that knowledge and sharpen your mind for any future task that comes your way. In any and all cases, consider who will be teaching you.
Hi everyone! Welcome to my first combined blog and vlog episode. In this, and the next four vlog episodes, we'll be sharing some time together where sadly, I'll be wearing the exact same shirt since I recorded as many thoughts as I could during the time of my son's nap. He'll be joining us in Episode 4. It'll be fun ;)
In any case, thank you all in advance for the support in starting this video blog add on. I've decided to keep things casual. I, personally, used #casversation (casual conversation) in a happenstance since I don't plan on editing anything really. To which, I'm working on a hashtag. Brooke McIntosh already started using the #drbenfung hashtag... ugh, LOL! It's just weird for your name to become a hashtag (if that's what the people want, I'm all for it). But.... yeah. If you can come up with a good hashtag for my vlog so I can answer questions, address concerns, talk about the stuff you want to hear about... just let me know!
So, without further ado!
Healthcare, the Mechanics Dilemma, and the Tragedy of the Commons
The Mechanic's Dilemma occurs when a mechanic is paid by the service and not by the long term results of how well your car runs. As such, a mechanic tends to worry about doing too good of a job, that business will suffer in the short run.
This relates to healthcare as most providers are paid by each service but NOT by the long term health results of their patients.
The Tragedy of the Commons is a popular allegory taught in business school and environmental studies to cover the disastrous effects on common resources when people don't work together; without a cooperative force, the entire land is decimated with all natural resources depleted.
The Solution: Judge and pay healthcare providers by the long term results of their patient populations. Forge a unity between provider, patient, and payers such that the interest and greatest value of generation is done so considering the greatest long term value in concert in promoting sustainability.
