A Family Physician Speaks Out on Primary Care

Dr. Doug Curran, a family physician with Lakeland Medical Associates in Athens, delivers the babies of the same women he delivered when they were babies 30 years ago. In fact, he can't walk through town without running into someone he has treated. It's also not uncommon for a peach or pecan pie from a patient to show up at the office. And recently a long-time patient asked him if he would perform her funeral service. (Dr. Curran is also a deacon.)

If this sounds like a scene from another era, it's because Dr. Curran believes passionately in the value of traditional primary care. These physicians are disappearing as the primary-care workforce retires and more and more younger physicians choose to specialize.

A Story That Needs Telling

"The family doctor used to be a foundation in the community," Dr. Curran says. "Now, the pay is lower and the hours are longer. There's less appeal for younger physicians. But nothing compares with the job satisfaction. I'm helping my friends, my neighbors."

Dr. Curran explains that access to primary care is also better for patients.

"It's proven that internists and general practitioners increase longevity and lower costs," Dr. Curran says.

"Ninety percent of the time I can fix things before it comes to needing more tests or referral to a specialist, just because I know the patient so well."

As the heath care reform debate intensifies, Dr. Curran is working to make the voice of the primary-care physician heard. With the blessings of the 10 colleagues in his practice (who had to shoulder a bit more workload), he is taking time to serve on the American Academy of Family Physicians Governmental Advocacy Commission and TMA's Legislative Council. He is also Chairman for TMA's Select Committee for Healthcare Reform.

"President Obama acknowledges that 'everyone needs a PCP,' so there's an opportunity to rejuvenate full-service primary care," Dr. Curran says. "We want new physicians to experience the wonderful life of a primary care doc, but we must make it worthwhile."

Never a Wasted Moment

Dr. Curran's activism is part of a broader sense of urgency–and optimism–he feels about healthcare.

"About 25 percent of Texas is uninsured–that drags down productivity and our country's competitiveness," he says. "We also enjoy a wonderful doctor-patient relationship and outstanding care here [in the U.S.]. But we'll lose what we have if we don't fix what's broken."

Dr. Curran acknowledges that change doesn't come easy. "Things will be different, and it may not please everyone at first," he says. "But we'll work through it. Our professional associations are still at the table."

In addition to his political action efforts, Dr. Curran helped start a free obstetric clinic that reduced the number of babies in the community requiring critical care. He's active in his church and has two children with Sandy, his wife of 40 years. He has received multiple awards, including Texas Monthly's "Super Doctors" and a Political Action Award from the Texas Academy of Family Physicians.

He's also finding time to create a website and convert to EMR. He is jokingly asking patients to "pray for him" as he goes digital. But his attitude toward new technology is much like his thoughts on PCP reform.

"I roll with the times–I'm not one to bury my head in the sand. What I don't like, I'll try to change."

Dr. Doug Curran can be reached at Lakeland Medical Associates, 903-676-3200.

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Will social media help transform Texas hospital operations and patient care?

Of the 5,000 hospitals in the country, only 300 actively use social media.

That's according to a recent article in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram's online edition. But while health care lags behind other industries in using social media, one Texas hospital has discovered its benefits.

Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital Fort Worth has 30 nurses, physicians and employees who contribute to blogs about everything from facilities construction to billing procedures. The hospitals finds that social media like blogs improve patient communication and education, help market services, and provide a creative outlet for their scientific-oriented staff.

Meanwhile, in other hospitals across the country, staff is twittering instructions to colleagues, posting videos of operating room tours and procedures on YouTube, and sharing patient stories and more on Facebook. In one case, "tweets" from Texas Health Harris Methodist helped provide a constant update for the public about swine flu.

Despite the benefits, the issue of patient privacy and questions about how hospitals can best use social-networking tools remain.

To read the full article, go to www.star-telegram.com.

Texas Medical Association Fall Conference Focuses on Reform

In his recent speech at the American Medical Association's annual meeting in Chicago, President Obama emphasized that physician participation is key to shaping health-care reform. The attention given to physicians at the highest level of our government presents a landmark opportunity for physicians to take an active role in the debate.

A range of speakers at the TMA Fall Conference, held September 4-5, 2009, will provide Texas physicians with the latest perspectives on the debate—from medical liability and quality improvement, to Medicare and insurance reform.

The schedule has been modified so that physicians and their families can enjoy the long Labor Day Weekend in the Austin area. (The conference was moved to September due to a last-minute change by the Austin City Limits Music Festival.)

For more information, visit the TMA Calendar at www.texmed.org