RWL Newsletter #24
Happy holidays from the now very quiet town of Durham! Finals are over and the students have all left for winter break. The streets are suddenly quite empty - especially on Thursday night next to the bars. We've had a few snow storms and the temperatures have stayed low enough that the snow has stuck around, providing the annual transformation of the landscape that I love. That's actually one of the things I really enjoy about winter - the landscape constantly changes with each snow fall and each melt. Marley, my dog, likes it too. Actually, she just likes running around in the woods any time she gets the chance. Healthcare is a bit like winter in New Hampshire - a constantly changing landscape. No point in fighting it - you just have to learn to love it. So on that note, here are a few holiday treats to chew on while your not engaged in other fun and festivities!
Read
What: from the Kaiser Family Foundation, Understanding Who Opioid Users Are Underscores Challenges, by Drew Altman
http://kff.org/other/perspective/understanding-who-opioid-users-are-underscores-challenges/
Why: One of the questions on the final exam for my management class asked the students to think about the role of the community hospital in dealing with the opioid crisis. The question was meant to get them thinking about how a small community hospital has to intentionally weave itself into the larger community and the community's social resources, and not just focus on its own capability to address large scale social issues alone. Like many of you, I am concerned about the opioid issue. New Hampshire has a very high overdose rate relative to the rest of the country, so it is especially relevant up here, but no place is free of its influence.
Watch
What: Marginal Revolution University, Economist's Christmas
https://youtu.be/UH28iJ7lVfg
Why: So not to be a total downer as we go into the holidays, here's something a little fun from two of my former professors. Here's some advice about efficient gift giving! Don't you want to be efficient in your gift giving?
Listen
What: interview with Dr. Jay Parkinson on Design of Business/Business of Design
http://designobserver.com/feature/s1e9-jay-parkinson/39452/
Why: Dr. Jay Parkinson is the founder of Sherpaa, an online medical practice. I have yet to use one of these services, but it's such a logical extension of technology. He's less sanguine about algorithms than I am. I think a Watson-like computer will be capable of doing most of this level of diagnostic service very soon - the main thing that will keep it from reality will be politics and interests.
That's it for this week! Have a great weekend! If you find these links interesting, won’t you tell a friend? They can subscribe here: https://tinyletter.com/markbonica
I' d love to hear what you think of these suggestions, and I'd love to get suggestions from you. Feel free to drop me a line by e-mail, or you can tweet to me at @bonicatalent .
Thanks for reading and see you next week!
Mark
Mark J. Bonica, Ph.D., MBA, MS
Assistant Professor
Department of Health Management and Policy
University of New Hampshire
(603) 862-0598
mark.bonica@unh.edu
Health Leader Forge Podcast: http://healthleaderforge.org
Twitter: @bonicatalent
"I know of no more encouraging fact than the unquestionable ability of man to elevate his life by a conscious endeavor." - Henry David Thoreau