Clinician's Roundtable

Guest: Timothy Coetzee, PhD Host: Bruce Bloom, DDS, JD Through a venture philanthropy called Fast Forward, LLC the National Multiple Sclerosis Society plans to deploy 1.5 to 2 million dollars in the next 18 months as seed funding to biotech companies on the path towards cures for Multiple Sclerosis. Our guest, Timothy Coetzee executive director of Fast Forward, LLC joins host Dr. Bruce Bloom to talk about genomics, novel immune system therapies and other hopeful possibilities leading towards cures for multiple sclerosis. Interesting also is the process by which the biotech companies are evaluated and followed after an investment is made.

Host: Bruce Bloom, DDS, JD Guest: Timothy Coetzee, PhD Speeding up the translation process for MS patients is the mission of Fast Forward, LLC, a venture philanthropy of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. Our guest today, Dr. Timothy Coetzee executive director of Fast Forward, LLC tells us how they are taking a business venture approach to find cures. Funded by private donations, the Fast Forward team makes investments in promising science backed by companies with a plan and strategy in place. Says Coetzee, "Its pivotal that charities think about using their capital towards commercial development. We are not sure where the next cure will come from."

Guest: Robert Lamberts, MD Host: Jennifer Shu, MD, FAAP Are your patients always honest with you about their symptoms and related conditions? Do they treat your staff with the proper level of respect and courtesy? We all know that both patients and physicians are equal contributors to the doctor-patient relationship, yet this partnership isn't always as constructive and amiable as either side would hope. Are there simple rules we can encourage our patients to follow toward making a positive impact on this relationship? Dr. Rob Lamberts, board-certified internist and pediatrician, and author of the popular blog Musings of a Distractible Mind, prioritizes several keys from the patient's perspective toward maintaining a good working relationship with you, their healthcare provider.

Guest: Robert Lamberts, MD Host: Jennifer Shu, MD, FAAP We all know that both patients and physicians play an integral role in the doctor-patient relationship. Yet this partnership isn't always as balanced as we might hope. Why might our patients become frustrated with us or feel uncomfortable in our office? Are there simple rules that we, as physicians, can follow to make a positive impact on this relationship, and to feel good about the connections we have built with our patients? Dr. Rob Lamberts, board-certified internist and pediatrician, and author of the popular blog Musings of a Distractible Mind, shares his insights on helping doctors and patients build a stronger rapport. Dr. Jennifer Shu hosts.

Guest: Robert Portman, JD, MPP Host: Larry Kaskel, MD Converting a private practice to the concierge medical practice model raises many legal issues. Attorney Rob Portman, a partner with the law firm of Powers, Pyles, Sutter & Verville, explains the legal issues of a concierge medicine practice, including contract terms for participating patients, care obligation to non-participating patients, and rules for billing Medicare for services on concierge patients. In addition, Host Larry Kaskel explores with Mr. Portman the legal arguments that render concierge medicine unlawful, and the pending federal legislation to regulate this business model.

Guest: M. Harvey Brenner, PhD Host: Mary Leuchars, MD No one is exempt from feeling sick of his or her job from time to time. But in whom does employment confer actual serious health consequences? Are socioeconomic status differences the only distinguishing factors in selecting low vs high longevity occupations? Host Dr. Mary Leuchars explores how work impacts health with Dr. Harvey Brenner, professor of public health at the University of North Texas School of Public Health.

Guest: Rebecca Puhl, MS, PhD Host: Leslie P. Lundt, MD Obesity is associated with multiple medical and psychological co-morbidities. An often under recognized problem is that of weight related stigmatization which can lead to unfair treatment, prejudice and discrimination. Are you guilty? Dr. Rebecca Puhl, director of research and anti-stigma initiatives at the Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity at Yale University, joins host Dr. Leslie Lundt to explain how weight bias may affect your obese patients.

Guest: Robert M. Post, MD Host: Leslie P. Lundt, MD Mixed bipolar episodes as defined by the DSM-IV are relatively rare. But for those of us in clinical practice, this definition may be too conservative to be of use. What is a mixed bipolar episode and how do we best treat these patients? Host Dr. Leslie Lundt welcomes Dr. Robert Post, professor of psychiatry at George Washington University School of Medicine and Penn State College of Medicine, to discuss the management of mixed episodes.

Guest: Robert M. Post, MD Host: Leslie P. Lundt, MD The efficacy of the gold standard for bipolar treatment as been reported to be as high as 80%. But in the real world, that number is more like 25%. Why the disparity? What can we do for our treatment resistant bipolar patients? Dr. Robert Post professor of psychiatry at George Washington University School of Medicine and Penn State College of Medicine and head of the Bipolar Collaborative Network joins host Dr. Leslie Lundt to give us the latest on how to diagnose and treat these patients.

Guest: Michael Camilleri, MD Host: Leslie P. Lundt, MD In the past, bilateral truncal vagotomy had been used to treat patients with peptic ulcer disease. Astute clinicians noted these patients had loss of appetite following the procedure. How did this eventually led to the development of a new treatment for obesity? Dr. Michael Camilleri, a gastroenterologist and professor of medicine and physiology at the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, describes to host Dr. Leslie Lundt the latest research using vagal blockade to treat obesity.