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DJP Update 10-24-2011 (2nd today) PCORI (part of PPACA) Board meeting in New Orleans during AMA Meeting & opportunity for testimony

DJP Update 10-24-2011 (2nd today) PCORI (part of PPACA) Board meeting in New Orleans during AMA Meeting & opportunity for testimony

Consider sending one delegate or alternate from each delegation to AMA to give testimony!  Testimony limited to 3 minutes.  Dr. Peter Lavine of Washington, DC gave testimony when the hearing was held there.
Goal: advisory and not mandatory and rationing

PCORI: Patient-Centered Outcomes Research

Meeting in New Orleans

Public testimony opportunity

DJP comment from DJP Update 7-20-2011 “We have to be careful that PCORI  does not become the partner with IPAB and then become  the equivalent of NICE in Great Britain.  NICE is the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence that uses a formula of cost and  ”quality-adjusted life-year” to determine if a procedure or treatment is covered.  Their method of rationing.”

and here is what 3 former presidents of AMA (Drs. Johnson, Plested & Palmisano) said about PCORI in a published opinion 6-17-2011 in The Daily Caller when commenting on the way to fix Medicare.  See PCORI under point 4 at the 2nd link:

http://dailycaller.com/2011/06/17/ryan-plan-is-good-deal-for-medicare-beneficiaries/

http://dailycaller.com/2011/06/17/ryan-plan-is-good-deal-for-medicare-beneficiaries/2/

(You may enjoy reading the entire article to see our suggestion for modifying Ryan plan with another option in his plan.)

4. The Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute
(PCORI) — created by the healthcare law — must remain
as an advisory board, not morph into a coverage decision-making
body. Recommendations from their research
should be made available for use in establishing evidence-based
appropriateness criteria designed to help physicians
and patients know what works best in a given situation. It
is imperative that PCORI not be allowed to become a rationing board. Medical care decisions must be made
by an informed patient and the physician, and must be based solely upon the patient’s best interests. And,
again, this newly created board must be responsible to Congress.

——–
Now info about the PCORI hearing in New Orleans:

http://www.pcori.org/meetings-events/event/board-of-governors-meeting-2/

11/14/2011 – 11/15/2011
Board of Governors Meeting
Hyatt Regency
601 Loyola Avenue
New Orleans, LA
——
Note:  the tentative times for testimony are:

Monday, Nov. 14 from 1:30pm – 3:00 p.m. CT

Tuesday, Nov. 15 from 10:15 -10:45 a.m. CT
———

http://www.pcori.org/meetings-events/guidelines-for-providing-public-comment-at-pcori-board-meetings/
Guidelines for Public Comments

The Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) values and encourages public input. At all public meetings of the PCORI Board of Governors, a public comment period shall be included on the agenda. To ensure that public comment periods are efficient and productive, PCORI will adhere to the following guidelines:

Any member of the public wishing to provide public comment must sign up:

via email to info@pcori.org at least one day prior to the start of the meeting, or
on site at the meeting registration desk at least 30 minutes prior to the start of the public comment portion of the agenda, if remaining time is available.
Individuals offering public comment must limit remarks to not more than three minutes. The Board Chair reserves the right to cut off individuals who exceed three minutes.

If the number of individuals who sign up to provide public comment exceeds the allotted time for comments, the Board Chair may limit individual remarks to a shorter time period.

Written testimony should be submitted to PCORI via email to info@pcori.org.

Individuals are not permitted to hand out materials to Board of Governors members during the Board meeting. Any materials individuals wish to submit to PCORI may be provided to PCORI at the meeting registration desk, submitted via email to info@pcori.org, or mailed to PCORI at 1701 Pennsylvania Ave., NW, Suite 300, Washington, DC 20006.

All testimony and additional materials submitted to PCORI will be provided to appropriate Board members, Methodology Committee members, and staff for review and consideration in PCORI’s work.

Individuals represented by a common organization or association should select one individual to speak for the group.

If you require special assistance in providing comments at a PCORI Board meeting, please contact PCORI via email (info@pcori.org) or phone (202-683-6690) prior to the meeting so that we can accommodate you.

===========

Let’s participate and give our views!

Stay well.

Donald

———-

Donald J. Palmisano, MD, JD
Intrepid Resources® / The Medical Risk Manager Company
5000 West Esplanade Ave., #432
Metairie, LA 70006
USA
504-455-5895 office
504-455-9392 fax

DJP@donaldpalmisano.com
www.donaldpalmisano.com
www.onleadership.us

DJP Updates:  www.DJPupdate.com
Twitter:  www.twitter.com/DJPNEWS
YouTube:  http://www.youtube.com/user/IntrepidResources

This DJP Update goes to over 2300 leaders in Medicine representing all of the State Medical Associations and over 100 Specialty Societies plus some other friends.
You can share it with your members and it has the potential to reach 800,000 physicians.
To join the list, send me an  email stating “Join DJP Update”
To get off the list, state ” Remove DJP Update” in subject line.

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DJP Update 10-24-2011 Governor Bobby Jindal: a true leader

DJP Update 10-24-2011 Governor Bobby Jindal: a true leader

Thanks to Dr. Art Fougner for alerting me to these two articles about Governor Jindal.

In addition to Louisiana Governor Jindal’s intelligence, he can make a decision in a crisis.  That is a critical element of leadership.  His leadership during Hurricane Gustav was in sharp contrast to the former Louisiana Governor and New Orleans Mayor during Hurricane Katrina.  Watch him on news talk shows and you see and hear how smart he is.  He doesn’t need a teleprompter or notes with talking points. He excels at speaking extemporaneously.   Of course, the ultimate test of leadership is to see performance in a crisis. I give additional examples of that in ON LEADERSHIP, the expanded 2nd edition.  Yes, he wrote the Foreword to my book (for full disclosure) but I have been a fan of Bobby Jindal for many years.

Read the articles at the links below.

10/24/2011 @ 10:36AM
Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal is Piling Up an Impressive Health-Reform Résumé
http://www.forbes.com/sites/aroy/2011/10/24/louisiana-gov-bobby-jindal-is-piling-up-an-impressive-health-reform-resume/
——
October 24, 2011 4:00 A.M.
The Storm-Calmer
From the Oct. 31, 2011, issue of NR.

http://www.nationalreview.com/articles/281035/storm-calmer-jim-geraghty
———-
Yes, I retweeted these links at www.twitter.com/DJPNEWS

sonodoc99 Art Fougner
by DJPNEWS

@DJPNEWS AMA Helllloooo MT @aviksaroy Louisiana Gov. @BobbyJindal is Piling Up an Impressive Health-Reform Résumé: http://onforb.es/riFF1N #hcr
42 minutes ago

DJPNEWS Donald Palmisano

All should read. Thx again for alert & tweets: @sonodoc99: Bobby Jindal Update @reihansalam @jimgeraghty bit.ly/rq2SEE @BobbyJindal
1 hour ago

DJPNEWS Donald Palmisano

Thx! RT @sonodoc99: @DJPNEWS Jindal Update MT @reihansalam RT @jimgeraghty:profile Bobby Jindal’s first term in NRODT bit.ly/rq2SEE
1 hour ago
—————
Stay well.
Donald

P.S. Stop by http://twitter.com/DJPNEWS and sign up for DJPNEWS to get tweet alerts that may not make it into DJP Updates.  Twitter is free and takes minutes to join.  Put email in and pick password.  Great source of breaking news and you don’t flood your email with it.  You can get free app for BlackBerry or IPhone etc and you check on tweets when you want.  With newer operating systems, such as SNOW LEOPARD on Mac, you can put Twitter apps on your notebook or desktop.

Go to:  http://www.youtube.com/user/IntrepidResources
Leave a comment and encourage others to visit!

Also, recent selected DJP Updates can be found at:  www.DJPupdates.com

Donald J. Palmisano, MD, JD
Intrepid Resources® / The Medical Risk Manager Company
5000 West Esplanade Ave., #432
Metairie, LA 70006
USA
504-455-5895 office
504-455-9392 fax

DJP@donaldpalmisano.com
www.donaldpalmisano.com
www.onleadership.us

DJP Updates:  www.DJPupdate.com
Twitter:  www.twitter.com/DJPNEWS
YouTube:  http://www.youtube.com/user/IntrepidResources

This DJP Update goes to over 2300 leaders in Medicine representing all of the State Medical Associations and over 100 Specialty Societies plus some other friends.
You can share it with your members and it has the potential to reach 800,000 physicians.
To join the list, send me an  email stating “Join DJP Update”
To get off the list, state ” Remove DJP Update” in subject line.

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DJP Update 10-23-2011 More New Orleans restaurants for AMA Meeting in November! & DJP LAGNIAPPE

DJP Update 10-23-2011 More New Orleans restaurants for AMA Meeting in November! & DJP LAGNIAPPE
—–
The Times-Picayune newspaper Lagniappe section contains this story for Sunday, October 23, 2011:  New Orleans Top 10 Restaurants (and more!)

Note:  These are not the top 10 of DJP although there is some overlap, such as Bayona’s.  I already sent you my list:  http://www.donaldpalmisano.com/html/restaurants.shtml

http://www.nola.com/dining-guide/index.ssf/2011/10/new_orleans_top_10_restaurants.html
Here’s a look at the 2011 Top 10, listed, as always, in alphabetical order (from Brett Anderson in T-P Lagniappe).

Bayona
Clancy’s
Cochon
Domenica
Emeril’s
Gautreau’s
Herbsaint
La Petite Grocery
Patois
Restaurant August
•••••••

More information about the selection and other subgroups can be found at:
Welcome to the 2011 New Orleans Dining Guide

http://www.nola.com/dining-guide/index.ssf/2011/10/welcome_to_the_2011_new_orlean.html

AND IF YOU WANT 100 RESTAURANTS FROM THE SAME GUIDE, START AT:
http://www.nola.com/dining-guide/

Then move from page to page.
——

You should have adequate choices now.

Examples of two choices I made for the AMA meeting: On Thursday, November 10, I will be making a first visit to Dominique’s on Magazine, recommended to me by Dr. Brobson Lutz (I wrote about this former New Orleans Health Director in my book, ON LEADERSHIP, and the great work he did during Hurricane Katrina).  Brobson has bees and sells the honey from those bees to Dominique’s.
Here is a review on Dominique’s:  http://www.nola.com/dining-guide/index.ssf/2011/05/dominiques_on_magazine_chef_do.html

Saturday, November 12, I will be at my favorite, Tony Angello’s, in the wine room.  See my DJP favorites on Intrepid Website link above.  Only the locals know of this great place unless they read my list on the Internet.
——-

LAGNIAPPE: TWO TWEETS that confirm the Amazon Kindle version of the 2nd edition of my book is now corrected and contains the images (in color if viewed on iPhone etc)

—-

DJPNEWS Donald Palmisano
P.S. Apple iBooks & Barnes & Noble #Nook carry #OnLeadership in addition to #Kindle – search Donald Palmisano at those sites. Color images.
22 hours ago

DJPNEWS Donald Palmisano
Finally got problem Amazon e-books resolved re lack on inclusion of images in expanded 2nd Ed my book “On Leadership”; Amazon will replace
22 hours ago
—–
Stay well.
Bon appétit!

Donald

P.S. Stop by http://twitter.com/DJPNEWS and sign up for DJPNEWS to get tweet alerts that may not make it into DJP Updates.  Twitter is free and takes minutes to join.  Put email in and pick password.  Great source of breaking news and you don’t flood your email with it.  You can get free app for BlackBerry or IPhone etc and you check on tweets when you want.  With newer operating systems, such as SNOW LEOPARD on Mac, you can put Twitter apps on your notebook or desktop.

Go to:  http://www.youtube.com/user/IntrepidResources
Leave a comment and encourage others to visit!

Also, recent selected DJP Updates can be found at:  www.DJPupdates.com

Donald J. Palmisano, MD, JD
Intrepid Resources® / The Medical Risk Manager Company
5000 West Esplanade Ave., #432
Metairie, LA 70006
USA
504-455-5895 office
504-455-9392 fax

DJP@donaldpalmisano.com
www.donaldpalmisano.com
www.onleadership.us

DJP Updates:  www.DJPupdate.com
Twitter:  www.twitter.com/DJPNEWS
YouTube:  http://www.youtube.com/user/IntrepidResources

This DJP Update goes to over 2300 leaders in Medicine representing all of the State Medical Associations and over 100 Specialty Societies plus some other friends.
You can share it with your members and it has the potential to reach 800,000 physicians.
To join the list, send me an  email stating “Join DJP Update”
To get off the list, state ” Remove DJP Update” in subject line.

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DJP Update 10-20-2011 ALERT: Security & Privacy issues with 2 programs on Apple iPhone 4S “Siri” and “Voice Dial” ; LAGNIAPPE

DJP Update 10-20-2011 ALERT: Security & Privacy issues with 2 programs on Apple iPhone 4S “Siri” and “Voice Dial” ; LAGNIAPPE

I strongly recommend that you not allow any company to capture your phone book or contacts kept on your smart phone.

I realized this could happen with Dragon dictation app on iPhone and thus did not get that app.  However, the new iPhone 4S with the new operating system has two features that allow the security code or lock code to be breached PLUS the Siri command application built into the iPhone 4S sends your contact book information to Apple server.  To me that is unacceptable.  It is dangerous if one has any confidential information contained in address or contact book such as bank passwords, social security numbers of family members etc. Also there may be phone numbers of individuals in your contact book who wish their number to remain confidential.

Two ways to breach the passcode lock on iPhone 4S.

1- press home button on iPhone and Siri asks you to give command. (Siri is ON by default)  If you say you want to call someone, it looks up number, shows it on screen, and dials number even when phone locked.  You can turn off Siri and that will disable Siri and prevent Siri functioning.  Apple also says in fine print (that info is on the iPhone but you have to dig through menus to find it) that if you turn it off, the info on Apple server will be erased.  Let’s hope that is true.  Apple warns it will take time to gather your data and respond quickly to a command if you turn it back on.

2- Even with Siri turned off, the Voice command function still works and can access phone numbers and call when phone locked!  You have to turned that function off in the password section.

ALL OF THIS SHOULD BE EXPLAINED IN BIG LETTERS WHEN BUYING AN iPhone! One should not have to discover this from reading fine print that most people don’t know where to find on iPhone.  One should not have to learn about this in tweets or blogs etc.

RECOMMENDATION:  Value privacy and confidentiality over voice commands and the utility of having “Siri” find you a restaurant or some other place in area you are in.  Use a search engine.

One must guard against identity theft and loss of personal data. As I have testified when on the AMA Board re patient privacy and medical record confidentiality and stated on TV shows (see YouTube Today Show and Good Morning America at www.youtube/IntrepidResources) regarding my comments about CIA Website being broken into and vandals wrote “Central Stupidity Agency” on home page!  I found that when going to CIA site for info about a foreign country I was about to visit and lecture there.  I went back an hour later and the offending message was gone.  The point is vandals appear to break into many data sites despite the security firewall.

Here are the tweets I did about this today.  You can find the steps in the tweets to get to the off switch for these two functions: “Siri” & “Voice Dial”

——–

DJPNEWS Donald Palmisano
To prevent anyone diaing #iPhone when locked using Home Button “Voice Dial”: Settings – General – Passcode Lock – turn off “Voice Dial”.
47 minutes ago

DJPNEWS Donald Palmisano
More #APPL #security re #iPhone 4S: even with #Siri turned off: access & call contacts with home button & “VoiceControl” even if locked
55 minutes ago

DJPNEWS Donald Palmisano
The #privacy issue #Siri #iPhone 4S & OS 5 is same problem I read about #Dragon dictation App – it too takes address book/contacts. #Avoid
2 hours ago

DJPNEWS Donald Palmisano
Proof #APPL new OS iPhone 4S #Siri puts your contact data on Apple server: Go Settings, General, Siri, “About Siri and Privacy”. #gadgets
2 hours ago

DJPNEWS Donald Palmisano
More: #Apple #Siri voice: can breach security when #iPhone locked; plus Siri puts contact info Apple server. #privacy #confidentiality #APPL
2 hours ago

DJPNEWS Donald Palmisano
I turned off #Siri #iPhone 4S for security so access denied=phone locked. Shocking = #Apple collects address book data = Siri. Go settings
2 hours ago

DJPNEWS Donald Palmisano
I just tested the security problem with #Siri on new #iPhone 4S & phone locked; I can give commands per read.bi/pqqZ35 – can disable
3 hours ago

DJPNEWS Donald Palmisano
Impt for #privacy – new OS #iPhone 4S #Siri RT @SAI: Here’s How Siri Could Be A Total Security Threat $AAPL by @_dtl read.bi/pqqZ35
3 hours ago

——–

LAGNIAPPE: Read George Will regarding difference between Republic & a Democracy:   http://tinyurl.com/3ckbdf5

DJPNEWS Donald Palmisano
George Will & a true teaching moment: A Republic, Guaranteed” http://tinyurl.com/3ckbdf5 #Constitution #Republic #Democracy #TABOR #tcot #tlot #p2
3 hours ago

——-

Stay well.
Donald

P.S. Stop by http://twitter.com/DJPNEWS and sign up for DJPNEWS to get tweet alerts that may not make it into DJP Updates.  Twitter is free and takes minutes to join.  Put email in and pick password.  Great source of breaking news and you don’t flood your email with it.  You can get free app for BlackBerry or IPhone etc and you check on tweets when you want.  With newer operating systems, such as SNOW LEOPARD on Mac, you can put Twitter apps on your notebook or desktop.

Go to:  http://www.youtube.com/user/IntrepidResources
Leave a comment and encourage others to visit!

Also, recent selected DJP Updates can be found at:  www.DJPupdates.com

Donald J. Palmisano, MD, JD
Intrepid Resources® / The Medical Risk Manager Company
5000 West Esplanade Ave., #432
Metairie, LA 70006
USA
504-455-5895 office
504-455-9392 fax

DJP@donaldpalmisano.com
www.donaldpalmisano.com
www.onleadership.us

DJP Updates:  www.DJPupdates.com
Twitter:  www.twitter.com/DJPNEWS
YouTube:  http://www.youtube.com/user/IntrepidResources

This DJP Update goes to over 2300 leaders in Medicine representing all of the State Medical Associations and over 100 Specialty Societies plus some other friends.
You can share it with your members and it has the potential to reach 800,000 physicians.
To join the list, send me an  email stating “Join DJP Update”
To get off the list, state ” Remove DJP Update” in subject line.

Read More
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DJP Update 10-17-2011 “Return Control to the Patient” editorial in The Tampa Tribune: repeal IPAB

DJP Update 10-17-2011 “Return Control to the Patient” editorial in The Tampa Tribune: repeal IPAB

DJP comment:  One example of engaging in visits to editorial boards, doing radio and TV interviews, and talking to senior groups is the editorial below in The Tampa Tribune.  Good exchange of ideas and sometimes you will see editorials that result from the discussion.

This activity is something all of us can do.  It may be that a 10 minute radio interview is the only time you can spare but physicians need to engage more.  I had a wonderful time visiting and talking with the seniors at various senior centers in Florida.  Lots of wisdom and long experience in the minds of seniors.  At one site, several of the seniors spent their career as EMTs and had more wisdom than bureaucrats who design laws without ever treating or helping a patient.

America may have serious economic problems but we have had problems before and America always rises to the occasion.  Let’s untie the hands of doctors and patients and allow innovation, creativity, and compassion to trump choking regulations, coercion, and an out-of-control medical liability system.  Time to engage in the debate and honor those who died fighting for our liberty.  Let us not give up and meekly go into the bureaucratic nightmare that is doomed to failure.  And when those with titles say, “you don’t understand…trust us…”, remind them that trust is built on transparency, consistency to principles, and courage; not back room deals.

Imagine if the Federal Government said that all computers in the 1980s would have to use a certain operating system, have specific RAM and Hard Drive space, etc.  The result: no Macintosh, iPhone, iPad, Apple Nano, etc.  True competition works!

P.S. CLASS portion of PPACA is now stopped by HHS.  Math didn’t work just as non-partisan government actuaries said before passage.  Yet it was passed and thus funny math kept the projected cost of PPACA under a trillion dollars.  And yes, the 30% SGR price-fixing cut of payment of doctors was calculated in the savings as happening January 1, 2012 when the whole world knew that would never happen unless the planners wanted Medicare to collapse.  Funny math!

——-
Tweet:  www.twitter.com/DJPNEWS

DJPNEWS Donald Palmisano

Spread the word. Editorial 10-15-2011 The Tampa Tribune: Return Control to the Patient — http://tinyurl.com/3gqc8vf #IPAB #PPACA #hcr
20 hours ago

——-

Link to Editorial in The Tampa Tribune:

http://www2.tbo.com/news/opinion/2011/oct/15/meopino1-return-control-to-the-patient-ar-272052/

or

http://tinyurl.com/3gqc8vf

Editorial
The Tampa Tribune

Published: October 15, 2011
» 3 Comments | Post a Comment

RETURN CONTROL TO THE PATIENT
“Who is in charge: the government or the patient?” U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan asked during a memorable speech about health care last month at the Hoover Institution, Stanford University.

For most of us, the answer is clear. The patient, in consultation with his or her doctor, should be in charge. But the new health care law’s attempt to contain out-of-control costs would give the government that role.

The law creates a 15-member board — the Independent Payment Advisory Board — charged with reducing Medicare payments in years in which spending exceeds targeted growth rates. The IPAB would, as National Review suggested, “make Medicare worse for seniors while leaving in place all the program’s perverse incentives, which distort the rest of the health-care market.”

In short, Medicare patients would lose access to medical care when Medicare payments to doctors and hospitals are cut and physicians then refuse to take new patients.

“A (Medicare) card doesn’t help if doctors won’t take it,” Dr. Donald Palmisano, former president of the American Medical Association and a spokesman for The Coalition to Protect Patients’ Rights, a nonpartisan advocacy group, told us during a visit this week. “IPAB will just delay the inevitable. More doctors will go into concierge practices.”

Congress need not wait for the Supreme Court to determine the constitutionality of the overall health care law to get rid of IPAB.

There is bipartisan consensus on Capitol Hill that IPAB is a mistake. Physicians groups don’t like it, hospital lobbies don’t like it, and even the American Medical Association, whose support helped pass Obamacare into law, has called for its repeal. Some Democrats, including U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor of Tampa, have signed on to Tennessee Republican U.S. Rep. Phil Roe’s repeal bill.

IPAB’s proponents, including President Obama, insist this is no rationing board and point to the section of the law that says there can be no rationing. But it is what it is. The health care law may not ration Medicare directly, but it gives the board the authority to ration Medicare in the future. If Medicare costs rise too rapidly, the board has the power to make “recommendations” to contain those costs, and Congress must go along unless it has a different plan to make the cuts or a supermajority overrides the recommendations.

In effect, the panel has the power to do what Congress has been unwilling to do: make painful cuts to Medicare.
Everyone can agree that Medicare costs must be contained and that the payment system doesn’t work. But the threat of reduced payments to providers will result in rationed care, no matter how you look at it.

Amazingly, President Obama thinks IPAB should have even more power.

According to Ryan: “The president’s latest proposal simply called for letting IPAB cut deeper. This board of bureaucrats will now be tasked with holding Medicare’s growth rate to GDP plus half a percent. To put that in context, Medicare is currently growing at 6.3 percent per year.

“Medicare’s non-partisan chief actuary, Richard Foster, has been clear on this point: Going from 6 percent growth down to the president’s targets, using only the blunt tools that his law gives to IPAB, would simply drive Medicare providers out of business, resulting in harsh disruptions and denied care for seniors.”

And, he aptly noted: “You cannot control costs by using price controls, which impose painful cuts within a fundamentally broken framework.”

The board won’t have control over individual patients, as presidential candidate Michele Bachmann suggested in debate this week. But its “top-down price controls” will drive physicians away and make it harder for seniors to find care. It should be repealed.
—————-

Stay well.
Donald

P.S. Stop by http://twitter.com/DJPNEWS and sign up for DJPNEWS to get tweet alerts that may not make it into DJP Updates.  Twitter is free and takes minutes to join.  Put email in and pick password.  Great source of breaking news and you don’t flood your email with it.  You can get free app for BlackBerry or IPhone etc and you check on tweets when you want.  With newer operating systems, such as SNOW LEOPARD on Mac, you can put Twitter apps on your notebook or desktop.

Go to:  http://www.youtube.com/user/IntrepidResources
Leave a comment and encourage others to visit!

Also, recent selected DJP Updates can be found at:  www.DJPupdates.com

Donald J. Palmisano, MD, JD
Intrepid Resources® / The Medical Risk Manager Company
5000 West Esplanade Ave., #432
Metairie, LA 70006
USA
504-455-5895 office
504-455-9392 fax

DJP@donaldpalmisano.com
www.donaldpalmisano.com
www.onleadership.us

DJP Updates:  www.DJPupdates.com
Twitter:  www.twitter.com/DJPNEWS
YouTube:  http://www.youtube.com/user/IntrepidResources

This DJP Update goes to over 2300 leaders in Medicine representing all of the State Medical Associations and over 100 Specialty Societies plus some other friends.
You can share it with your members and it has the potential to reach 800,000 physicians.
To join the list, send me an  email stating “Join DJP Update”
To get off the list, state ” Remove DJP Update” in subject line.

Read More
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DJP Update 10-16-2011 Eulogy for Robert E. Ruel, Jr., MD

DJP Update 10-16-2011 Eulogy for Robert E. Ruel, Jr., MD

Bob will be missed by many.  His funeral was yesterday and Robin presented our eulogy at the funeral to those gathered to remember, mourn, and honor Bob .

With respect and in honor of Dr. Robert E. Ruel, Jr., MD.,

Donald
www.DJPupdate.com
————————————————
Eulogy for Robert E. Ruel, Jr., MD

A Friend of True Worth to Family, Friends, and Medicine

INTRODUCTION
I am Robin Palmisano.  My husband, Donald Palmisano, and I extend our deepest sympathies to Sally, the children, grandchildren, other family members, and friends for the loss of Bob.

Regretfully, Donald was unable to attend the services today because he had a prior obligation in Florida involving numerous speeches for which a substitute speaker was not feasible.  But, as Donald often does to organize his thoughts and even to mourn the loss of those dear to his heart, Donald took pen to paper and wrote a Eulogy for Bob that Sally and the children were kind enough to suggest I share with you as part of the services.
Donald titled his Eulogy “Dr. Robert Ruel, Jr., A Friend of True Worth to Family, Friends, and Medicine.”

Eulogy
Bob was husband to Sally and father to Robbie, Jan, Scott, and Kristen. He was blessed with grandchildren.  He was very proud of all of you and told me so on many occasions.
His passing leaves a painful void to all.  Robin and I offer you our sincerest condolences on your great loss.
He was a dedicated talented orthopedic surgeon, compassionate and kind to all.  So many people live better lives because of Bob’s caring and courage in fighting the medical ills of his patients.  My wife, Robin, was one of Bob’s patients and often spoke of his competence and compassionate bedside manner.  My oldest daughter, another patient of Bob’s, said that Bob always treated her like a princess.

I had the privilege to meet with him for lunch on a number of occasions during his illness.  He remained optimistic and fought his illness with courage.  No matter how ill and no matter the stress of travel for treatments, Bob always stayed in good humor and he could make you belly-laugh.  As most of you know, he would start a story and just before the punch line he would break into hardy laughter.  His laugh was infectious and you always felt better after visiting Bob.  Rather than focusing on his illness, he never failed to ask me if there were any medical liability cases I was reviewing for the defense.  Over the years, he gave great assistance to me in many cases and refused any payment for his time.  That is just one of many stories of his generosity.

Bob was what I define as a Friend of True Worth.  I explained it in a poem.

In man’s journey upon this earth,
a few are blest with friends of true worth.

Ah, but the rub is to know who is friend
and who is foe
and who is neither.

It will never be known to the casual reader,
nor will it be known in times of plenty
when apparent friends abound.

But sometimes there comes a blessing in disguise
that can lead to a priceless prizeof identity of friends. 1  — Friends of True Worth.
A story will demonstrate what I mean.

Once, many years ago, I had an urgent need to sell a piece of land I owned across the lake so that I would have funds for my obligations.  I put the lot up with an agent but no one was interested.  When the listing ran out, I made an ad on my Macintosh computer and the next morning I stuck it on the bulletin board in the doctors’ lounge next to the operating room.  Then I went in to operate.  When I returned to the lounge to dictate the operative procedure, Bob was in the lounge getting a cup of coffee.

He said, “Why are you selling that lot?”

“I need the money,” was my reply.

“Hmmm”, he said.  “You are asking $60, 000.  You know I don’t like to pay retail or asking price.   Will you take $59,000?”

“Yes, I exclaimed.”

“Good, then we have a deal.”

Two weeks later the transfer was done.  He didn’t need the land.  He wanted to help.  That was Bob Ruel.  A helping hand at all times and just one example of why he is considered by me as a Friend of True Worth.

I was so blessed to have had Bob as a friend.  It was a privilege to work with him in the operating room on trauma victims night and day over the years.  He was a Friend of True Worth to many.  The world is a better place for his having spent time here.

And so, Bob, my friend, May your days be filled with mirth,
and your nights with restful slumber in eternity.  We stand with
joyous anticipation of your dreams for us.

We miss you.  We love you.  Until we meet again, Farewell, my friend!
Donald J. Palmisano, MD, JD

1. Excerpt from poem, A Friend of True Worth © 1987 Donald J. Palmisano

———-

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DJP Update 10-11-2011 Evening report: Media Tour started today re IPAB & PPACA; LAGNIAPPE

DJP Update 10-11-2011 Evening report: Media Tour started today re IPAB & PPACA; LAGNIAPPE

The media tour started this morning with a live broadcast on radio with call-in listeners in Florida for an hour on the Doc Washburn Show 94.5 WFLA.

Now headed to Orlando (now landed and in hotel; started this on plane) and will spend the rest of the week doing media in multiple cities in Florida and meeting doctors in the County & State medical leadership.  Also will speak to seniors at senior centers.  The topic is IPAB of PPACA.  Few are in favor of the Independent Payment Advisory Board (IPAB).  It needs to be repealed immediately.

So little time, so many problems with the health care law, PPACA.  We all need to be involved in some way.  No time to grouse around the coffee pot lamenting the havoc that politicians are doing to Medicine.

By the way, if you have an interest in hearing the interview I did on WWL radio in New Orleans regarding IPAB, PPACA, and answers to the questions raised by the host, Garland Robinette, concerning Sally Pipes article in Forbes regarding AMA membership,  here is the link for the podcast to hear my comments.  This is the Oct 3 interview I mentioned in the DJP Update 9-30-2011.  The podcast is now online.

Podcast link to WWL interview:  http://audio.wwl.com/m/audio/46624843/10-3-11-12pm-dr-donald-palmisano-richard-jackson.htm

Thanks to Dr. Art Fougner  of New York who tweets with handle @sonodoc99 for help spreading the word about the various radio interviews.  Here are his tweets about the interview today:

sonodoc99
@DJPNEWS Great Job as always on the Radio this AM.
10/11/11 8:07 AM
——-
sonodoc99
Listening to @DJPNEWS Here – http://t.co/eVfm97lj
10/11/11 7:36 AM
——-

Also sending in writings for Op-Eds and letters to editors around the USA.  Here is one example in the Omaha World-Herald.  This is something everyone can do.  Make your voice heard in local newspapers and on local radio.

http://www.omaha.com/article/20111009/NEWS0802/710099975

Repeal health payment board
The Community Health Charities of Nebraska, the Nebraska Academy of Physician Assistants, the Nebraska Medical Association, the Nebraska Orthopedic Society and the Nebraska Urological Association have joined together to protect American seniors. These organizations stand against the Independent Payment Advisory Board (IPAB) — a new, unelected and unaccountable board created by the Affordable Care Act.
IPAB is a panel of government bureaucrats empowered to make spending cut “recommendations” in Medicare when spending growth surpasses certain levels. IPAB’s decisions will be permanent unless a super majority in Congress vetoes IPAB’s proposals and comes up with its own cost-cutting proposal of equal size, which would be extremely difficult.
IPAB’s recommendations are exempt from judicial review. IPAB’s appointed officials will be empowered to make life-changing decisions with little accountability and almost no oversight by elected officials.
Further cuts to Medicare reimbursements could exacerbate the shortage of doctors willing to treat Medicare patients across the United States. As the possible effects of IPAB emerge, bipartisan support is strengthened to repeal IPAB before 2015.
Donald J. Palmisano, M.D., Metairie, La.
———-

LAGNIAPPE:  I posted some new YouTube videos from old events to show the issues have not changed.  Medical liability rallies around the country for the broken medical liability system.
Go to:  www.youtube.com/IntrepidResources

The medical liability rallies should be the first one presented as a larger image on left of page.  To see all of the videos, click on “See All” on right side of page.
Yes, I am watching the debate on Bloomberg TV as I type this and wait for my evening meal via room service in Orlando hotel.

Stay well.  In retrospect, our time on this earth is short.  Make the most of it and tell your loved ones how much you love and appreciate them.

P.S. Stop by http://twitter.com/DJPNEWS and sign up for DJPNEWS to get tweet alerts that may not make it into DJP Updates.  Twitter is free and takes minutes to join.  Put email in and pick password.  Great source of breaking news and you don’t flood your email with it.  You can get free app for BlackBerry or IPhone etc and you check on tweets when you want.  With newer operating systems, such as SNOW LEOPARD on Mac, you can put Twitter apps on your notebook or desktop.

Go to:  http://www.youtube.com/IntrepidResources
Leave a comment and encourage others to visit!

Also, recent selected DJP Updates can be found at:  www.DJPupdates.com

Donald J. Palmisano, MD, JD
Intrepid Resources® / The Medical Risk Manager Company
5000 West Esplanade Ave., #432
Metairie, LA 70006
USA
504-455-5895 office
504-455-9392 fax

DJP@donaldpalmisano.com
www.donaldpalmisano.com
www.onleadership.us

DJP Updates:  www.DJPupdates.com
Twitter:  www.twitter.com/DJPNEWS
YouTube:  http://www.youtube.com/IntrepidResources

This DJP Update goes to over 2300 leaders in Medicine representing all of the State Medical Associations and over 100 Specialty Societies plus some other friends.
You can share it with your members and it has the potential to reach 800,000 physicians.
To join the list, send me an  email stating “Join DJP Update”
To get off the list, state ” Remove DJP Update” in subject line.

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