Clinician's Roundtable

Host: Maurice Pickard, MD Guest: Abraham Morgentaler, MD Testosterone therapy for men is controversial, but some new research suggests physicians might want to re-evaluate increasing the levels of testosterone in men with lower levels. Sexual dysfunction is one of the more apparent symptoms of low testosterone, but what are the other non-sexual symptoms of low "T" physicians should be aware of? What are the parameters for determining appropriate testosterone levels in our male patients? Isn't there an increased risk of developing prostate cancer among men undergoing testosterone therapy? Tune in to hear Dr. Abraham Morgentaler, associate clinical professor of surgery (urology) at Harvard Medical School and author of the book Testosterone for Life, weigh in on these and other questions surrounding testosterone therapy. Hosted by Dr. Maurice Pickard.

Host: Bruce Japsen Guest: Alan Sager, PhD Hospitals are closing nationwide, but is it really a case of here-we-go-again because of reductions in reimbursement? This time, we are in the most serious recession in decades. Dr. Alan Sager, professor of health policy and management at Boston University School of Public Health, tells the Chicago Tribune's Bruce Japsen about what lies ahead for physicians and their patients with this uptick in consolidation.

Host: Maurice Pickard, MD Guest: Stuart Finder, PhD The face transplant is a relatively new, experimental procedure still in its early stages. This operation is comparable to a hand transplant, in that the patient’s quality of life may be improved with the procedure, but the condition is not immediately life-threatening. How can physicians discuss the risk-benefit ratio of this procedure with potential face transplant patients? What happens if the procedure fails? How does a multidisciplinary team prepare a patient considering this procedure, from the psychological to the financial aspects? Tune in to hear Dr. Stuart Finder, director of the center for healthcare ethics at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, discuss these and other ethical considerations of the face transplant procedure with host Dr. Maurice Pickard.

Host: Maurice Pickard, MD Guest: Daniel Remick, MD While many patients with asthma are allergic to pollen or pet dander, new evidence suggests inner city asthma patients may be most allergic to cockroach remains found in household dust. Dr. Daniel Remick, chair and professor of pathology at Boston University School of Medicine, discusses his new research demonstrating the relationship between household dust from city buildings and asthma. What implications for treatment does this research provide? Will there be an attempt to desensitize children to this cockroach allergen in the future? Dr. Maurice Pickard hosts.

Host: Jennifer Shu, MD, FAAP Guest: Rahul Parikh, MD Physicians often collaborate with other doctors when caring for patients with various medical problems. Yet disagreements with our colleagues may occur more frequently than we would like to admit, and there can be consequences to these disagreements among physicians. How can we best deal with these differences in medical opinion, while keeping in mind our common goal of providing the best care possible for our patients? Host Dr. Jennifer Shu covers this question and a range of related issues with Dr. Rahul Parikh, a pediatrician at Kaiser Permanente in Walnut Creek, California, and a regular contributor to the Vital Signs medical column on Salon.com. Dr. Parikh recently wrote an article for the Los Angeles Times on disagreements between doctors: Does a patient's input often play a role in generating or exacerbating a disagreement? Do we tend to gravitate away from others with whom we have a difference of philosophy or medical opinion?

Host: Larry Kaskel, MD Guest: Judy Capko Inventory management is a fine balance. You want to have what you need when you need it, but you can run the risk of overstocking certain items. We hear a lot about the wasteful spending of our government, but we may look no further than our own medical practices to find the pork. How can you pare down wasteful spending on supplies, and how can your suppliers help you do this? Judy Capko, founder of the practice management and marketing firm, Capko & Company, provides you with some sound advice on inventory management, saving valuable dollars for your practice. Dr. Larry Kaskel hosts.

Host: Larry Kaskel, MD Guest: Judy Capko Focus on customer service. Participate in community activities to raise local visibility. Reward patients who bring referrals to your practice. These are just a few simple ways to market your practice, even on a limited budget. What is it about these strategies that will give you the biggest bang for your buck, and what else can you to keep your patient volume up during these leaner times? Judy Capko, founder of the practice management and marketing firm, Capko & Company, joins host Dr. Larry Kaskel to give you a range of helpful tips on marketing tactics that will give your practice the biggest bang for your buck.

Host: Bruce Japsen Guest: Donato Tramuto E-sampling is a new way of marketing drugs to physicians that's gaining momentum via the Internet. It's an approach that may reach more doctors and may prove to be more convenient to those who either don't like or don't want the traditional pharmaceutical industry pitches. Donato Tramuto, CEO and vice chairman of Physicians Interactive Holdings, tells the Chicago Tribune's Bruce Japsen about the trend emerging of marketing and applying business practices to doctors in a digital world online.

Host: Lisa Dandrea Lenell, PA-C, MPAS, MBA Guest: Cynthia Lord, MHS, PA-C Is the clinical doctorate appropriate for the physician assistant as an entry-level degree, as a post-graduate degree, or not at all? Those are just a few of the questions discussed recently at the PA Clinical Doctorate Summit held in Atlanta. Cynthia Lord, president of the American Academy of Physician Assistants and the program director of the Physician Assistant Program at Quinnipiac University in Hamden, Connecticut, joins host Lisa D'Andrea Lenell to discuss the recommendations made by an independent panel of health professionals. The two also talk about a possible bridge program for PAs to go to medical school as well as future summits and advanced training for PAs in the future.

Host: Lisa Dandrea Lenell, PA-C, MPAS, MBA Guest: Cynthia Lord, MHS, PA-C Despite the current economic recession in the United States, the PA profession is growing at a rapid pace. Currently there are 73,000 PAs nationwide and 5000 new PAs are graduating every year. Cynthia Lord, president of the American Academy of Physician Assistants and the program director of the Physician Assistant Program at Quinnipiac University in Hamden, Connecticut, talks with host Lisa D'Andrea Lenell about why the PA profession remains solid and whether a PA career is immune to troubled financial times. The two also look at the growing pains of a thriving field and how the profession is dealing with current growth.