Dr. Koren joins Kevin Geddings to reflect on his conversations with Harvard Medical School classmates at his class reunion. He recounts stories of these Harvard medical doctors struggling to navigate the healthcare system despite their medical training and how clinical trials provide a valuable resource for helping patients navigate healthcare complexities.
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Have a question for Dr. Koren? Email him at askDrKoren@MedEvidence.com
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Episode Transcript
Welcome to the MedEvidence Monday Minute Radio
Show hosted by Kevin Geddings ofWSOS St Augustine Radio.
Dr. Michael Koren (00:31):
The other thing that was super interesting
about my weekend was now myclassmates are getting to an age
where they're having medicalproblems, and many of them many
of them told stories about theirown journeys through the
healthcare system, and one thingthat all of them shared is how
difficult it is, how complicatedit is.
So imagine if Harvard MedicalSchool graduates are having
(00:53):
trouble navigating thehealthcare system, how hard it
is for the average person thatdoesn't necessarily have the
resources or training.
So this made me feel reallygood about what we're doing in
the clinical trial space.
So I'll give you one example.
They actually did somethingcalled Back to Class and they
presented a case of a78-year-old person who had
(01:13):
congestive heart failure with apreserved ejection fraction and
also had diabetes and was alsoliving alone and having trouble
keeping up with his or herday-to-day activities.
And they broke it down in termsof all the different elements of
what the system could do forthe patient.
But the fact is is that thepatient was so overwhelmed by it
(01:34):
that they ended up needing togo from the hospital back to
their doctor within a week justto kind of figure out what the
heck's going on.
And in this particular case,the patient was being overdosed
medications.
So imagine how difficult thatis for the average person, and
the neat thing about clinicaltrials is that we help you break
(01:54):
this down so that person, forexample, could have come into a
clinical trial for patients withcongestive heart failure and we
would have helped that patientnavigate the system, got them on
a protocol that made it clearwhat they needed to do
day-to-day, and also provided aresource at no charge, by the
way that allowed them to nowfigure out how to take their
medicines appropriately, how tointerface with their other
(02:17):
physicians.
We certainly don't provide allkinds of healthcare, we're
focused on one part of theprotocol, but we do help people
navigate these complexities ofthe health care system and
really do that every day withour amazing coordinators.
Kevin Geddings (02:30):
Yeah, it's some of the best health care you'll
ever experience when you chooseto participate in a clinical
trial once again with ENCOREResearch Group.
Learn more by going toEncoreDocs.
com, encoredocs.
com and Dr.
Koren, maybe you can.
I know there's so manydifferent ongoing trials, but
maybe highlight just one reallyquick for our listeners.
Dr. Michael Koren (02:49):
Well, I mentioned congestive heart
failure and I would certainlyencourage anybody who's been
hospitalized with congestiveheart failure or been given that
diagnosis to give us a call tohelp us break it down.
You know, even if you have agood relationship with your
physician we all have a goodrelationship the truth is that
when I'm in clinical practice,we're always so time-pressed
(03:12):
that it's hard to get into allthe detail.
I actually send people from mypractice to the clinical trial
center because people there havemore time to break things down.
In fact, this morning one ofthe people that works for me at
home had a conversation with meand I sent him to my office so
that they can help figure outtheir health care needs and
(03:33):
maybe get involved in a studythat involves cardiac monitoring
.
So, again, when you havecongestive heart failure, it
could be because your heartmuscle is weak and not pumping
well enough, or it could bebecause your heart muscle is
stiff and it may pump well butit doesn't relax well.
So how do you even know that?
d yoe and we can help you figure
that out at the research office.
(03:53):
So that's one example.
We have several studies rightnow for people that have been
diagnosed with congestive heartfailure or any situation in
which you've been hospitalizedbecause of a heart condition.
Give us a call, we'll help youbreak it down.
Kevin Geddings (04:05):
Yeah, any of those sorts of conditions or
chronic health conditions youknow, including diabetes and the
like.
Or you're interested in thepotential new oral vaccine for
COVID?
There are all sorts ofopportunities.
You don't necessarily have tohave a chronic health condition
to participate and be a part ofsome leading edge clinical
research.
It takes place right here in StJohn's County.
ENCORE Research Group's officeis located next door to UF
(04:27):
Flagler Hospital in theWhetstone Building.
You can call them right now,actually next door to UF Flagler
Hospital in the WhetstoneBuilding.
You can call them right nowactually 904-730-0166 to learn
how you can participate and getsome amazing health care
904-730-0166.
And always at EncoreDocs.
com.
And also, before we let you go,Dr.
Koren, medevidence.
com.
(04:47):
They should check out thatwebsite if they are.
Yeah, they should certainlycheck it out.
In fact, I mentionedMedEvidence to my classmates and
literally a dozen of them cameup to me and they said they
wanted to be interviewed talkingabout their particular
specialty, their particularinterest.
(05:07):
So that was really gratifyingfor me to have that reception
from my classmates from Harvard,and so you'll be seeing a lot
of my classmates on MedEvidenceover the course of the next
couple of months.
So check it out.
Yeah, well, once again, check out that website,
medevidence.
com the Truth Behind the Data,the resource.
You should go to that websitefirst before you rely on Dr.
(05:30):
Google and the like.
Well, we're glad you had agreat medical school reunion.
You'll be ready for the nextone.
What's the next one?
It's 75 years.
Dr. Michael Koren (05:38):
Well, it'll be every five years, but
hopefully I'll do a better jobof keeping in touch with my
classmates this time.
You always say that I thinkthat's probably just human
nature.
You're sort of touchedemotionally when you reconnect
with your classmates and it'salways hard when you get back to
your day-to-day life to keepthat connection going.
But I will try my best.
Kevin Geddings (05:57):
There you go.
So true, Dr Michael Koren.
Thank you for your time.
Be safe out there, okay Iappreciate it you too, Kevin.
Announcer (06:04):
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