One year ago, we began this blog as an opportunity to give our members and community partners a voice in our internet community. This year, we'd love to double the amount of guest-written posts we feature. Guest writing a blog gives you a larger platform to reach patients, other association members, and to enhance your own practice's online presence. We've selected a few of our favorite blog posts to feature here to highlight some of topics we've discussed in the last year - what would you like to see on the blog? Would you like to contribute a post? Email Laura DeLorme, OCMS Communications Coordinator, at ldelorme@ocms-mi.org with your ideas!

Moving Beyond “Boxed In Thinking” , written by
OCMS Board Member Manveen Saluja, MD, discusses the physicians responsibility to view problems from the patient’s perspective to get a better understanding of what the real problem is. “Patients that are not knowledgeable about anatomy, physiology or disease process, are non-native English speakers, or don’t express themselves in a typical fashion are too often dismissed simply because physicians training is to recognize disease through book described symptoms. Although it is good to know “buzz words”, a physician can help patients by listening with an expanded perception and an open mind. "
OCMS Board Member Manveen Saluja, MD, discusses the physicians responsibility to view problems from the patient’s perspective to get a better understanding of what the real problem is. “Patients that are not knowledgeable about anatomy, physiology or disease process, are non-native English speakers, or don’t express themselves in a typical fashion are too often dismissed simply because physicians training is to recognize disease through book described symptoms. Although it is good to know “buzz words”, a physician can help patients by listening with an expanded perception and an open mind. "

An advocacy update from the AMA discusses the effects of drug prices on patients, and on the healthcare system as a whole. “A Texas patient who takes medication for her heart every day wonders how drug prices are set. A Missouri man cannot understand why drugs that often cost so little to manufacture can be priced so highly. These are just two of the tales arising from a new website that aims to bring needed transparency to skyrocketing drug prices and give patients the opportunity to tell their stories. Housing or medicine? Food or medicine? With prescription drug prices rising, patients are increasingly facing these kinds of terrible dilemmas.” - Patients Give Voice to Call for Drug Pricing Transparency
OCMS Executive Director, Cindy Dady, recaps a medical student event and explains how important OCMS membership is for students, residents and young physicians. "The future of healthcare is yours. If you don't like the way something is going, get involved now to change it. The world of health care is changing every day, it can seem scary and daunting, but I urge our medical students and young physicians to get involved now. Take the time to learn about policy and how to shape it to the health care community you want to practice in.” - Young Physicians: Networking and Advocacy |

Kimberly Lovett-Rockwell, MD, JD is an OCMS member, physician and attorney. She breaks down the importance of the relationship between physicians and attorneys. “So, while physicians understand the physiology, pathology, and logistics of patient care delivery, attorneys understand how the law impacts the risk, cost, and efficiency of that care delivery. When physicians and attorneys work together effectively, they can create more efficient healthcare systems that are better aligned to meet the needs of patients, physicians, and healthcare systems.” - The Relationship Between Physicians and Attorneys.

Our most recent guest post was by OCMS member Barbara Ciesliga, MD, encouraging physicians to have important, though sometimes difficult, conversations about their patient’s nutrition and weight. “Physicians may be concerned about time constraints and inadequate training for such a delicate topic, as well as uncertainty of reimbursement for the visit and our own body weight perceptions. Patients may feel dread, embarrassment and failure. Suffice it to say, body weight is a sensitive topic for most every one of us. Successful management of obesity requires more than a single office visit, as well as a multidisciplinary approach. “ - Weight No Longer: Having a Crucial Conversation