Critical Condition

I recently read "Critical Condition: How Health Care in America Became Big Business & Bad Medicine" by Barlett and Steele. The book covered all the problems that you hear about in the news these days - medical errors, expensive drug costs, insurance claims, etc. Mostly though it focused on how market-driven health care is not working.

The last chapter offered a solution which we hear about often from politics - universal coverage run by a government council. Supposedly we could pay for this by standardization and "efficient computer technology". I loved this sentence: "To reduce medical errors dramatically, the council could oversee creation and operation of a single information technology system that links all health care players - hospitals, doctors' offices, pharmacies and nursing homes." Right (sense my sarcasm)... Currently there are RHIOs (Regional Health Information Organizations) working on this. Usually this means a couple of states are trying to coordinate their IT efforts. This is also a huge debate. I heard speakers last semester that were eagerly working on the Rocky Mtn region's RHIO, then I heard another speaker talk of how it is a waste of time because there are too many objectives and no incentive for any one organization to pay for it. I don't necessarily think gov't run universal coverage is a bad idea, but it is much more complicated then these authors led on; they are also very naive regarding IT systems.

The big health care debate is always summed up by considering access, cost and quality. One of the most interesting speakers I heard last semester said that all other countries have picked one of these as their main objective and that the US system won't improve until we decide what is our priority. Michael Moore recently released his new documentary on the health care system. I haven't seen it but have heard he focuses on how supposedly other countries have gotten it right - Canada, France, England and Cuba. From what I can tell - they've all chosen "access". However access may mean you're guaranteed coverage but go stand in line and wait for it.

Digital Piano

I was determined to buy a digital piano this weekend. I realized recently how much I missed playing, and I think it's a better use of my time then coming home from work and sitting in front of the TV. I went to 3 different stores in Denver to try the various brands. My favorite was a Roland HP-207 at Rockley Music Center. The difference was that the keys on that model of the Roland were made of wood. And the material they use on top of the wood is moisture absorbing. It felt more like a real piano. Plus they modeled the outside to look more like a real piano. You can have an orchestra accompany you. It is so sophisticated I think someone could not know how to play a piano and still sound good on it. If you click on the link to the piano, they have video demonstrating the features. It's amazing where technology has taken music.

I am ultimately going to buy an acoustic piano, but for now I'm sure my neighbors will appreciate that I can wear headphones and play.

The Art of Clear Thinking

A speaker in a class this past semester, Jeffrey Bauer from ACS – Healthcare Solutions recommended the book "The Art of Clear Thinking" by Rudolf Flesch written in 1951. He said it was the best book written on critical thinking.

Some interesting points from the book:
1. All thinking is the manipulation of memories. Even 'inspirations' are based on your experiences and nothing else. Don't forget that everybody, including yourself, has only his own experience to think with.
2. Your memories are more or less distorted. Your brain registers experience differently from everybody else's.
3. Translation helps your thinking because you use two sets of nerve patterns instead of one. This includes translation of English into other words.

Translating is the ideal form of intellectual exercise. Whenever we translate, we are forced to abandon the mental patterns we are used to and get the hang of others completely alien to our thinking.

Wedding Celebration

I attended Kerri and Travis' wedding celebration. They got married in Mexico over a month ago. The lunch was held at the Mt. Vernon Country Club which is near lookout mountain.

Business School Dinner

I was invited to attend CU-Denver Business school's Celebration of Success dinner. It's the annual fundraising event for student scholarships and faculty fellowships. Around 1,000 people from local businesses bought seats. I was invited because I've received a scholarship in the past. I was impressed. It was held in a ballroom at the Performing Arts Complex. I had no idea the business school had support from so many Denver businesses. Each year they invite a speaker. In the past, speakers have included Colin Powell, Rudy Giuliani and Mikhail Gorbachev. This year it was the former US Secretary of Labor, Robert Reich.