Funnier than Fiction: Fixing Our Dysfunctional Healthcare System
A chat with Dr. Zubin Damania, founder of Turntable Health
At Next IT, we truly believe that when person-centric care reaches all corners of the healthcare ecosystem, we’ll overcome some of the most daunting global health challenges we face. But to get there, the entire healthcare ecosystem needs to work together to create an engaging and seamless experience for the people that need our care.
That’s why I’m proud to be part of the Next Edge: Health Experience Summit this November, where we’ll be bringing together makers, pioneers and visionaries to set a course for a future that puts people first.
Recently, I chatted with Dr. Zubin Damania, AKA ZDoggMD, internet celebrity, man of self-proclaimed “mild to moderate” mystery and founder of Turntable Health, who uses his one-of-a-kind sense of humor to educate the public about medical issues and change the way healthcare is delivered. He’s also one of our featured speakers at Next Edge, and I was lucky enough to talk with him about how we can address pressing medical issues facing the health industry today.
As a comedian, what has the practice of comedy taught you about the delivery of patient care?
I think humor in medicine can either create walls between providers and patients — when it’s used as a coping mechanism or defense mechanism — or it can break down walls, by creating common ground, communication, humanization, and fun. Also, humor is a great way of crashing through taboos and approaching subjects that are otherwise difficult.
So much of medical practice is a type of performance as it is, and so why not make that performance more memorable and engaging via humor?
What systematic problems are you most focused on addressing with Turntable Health?
The central problem is the loss of the human relationship in medicine.
If we bring that back to the center — through new payment models that encourage rather than disincentivize these deeper relationships, more time with patients, non-MD interactions like health coaches, etc. — and create a team-based mechanism to support that, almost all our other problems in healthcare can be improved, such as overtesting and overtreating, concerns about litigation, and more. This leads to better outcomes and increased satisfaction for both patients and providers.
What are some of the most surprising challenges you’ve faced in the movement to revitalize downtown Las Vegas?
I think I’ve been most surprised by just how much marketing and “getting the word out” you need to reach even a relative small city like Las Vegas.
Many people in town still don’t know anything about what’s going on Downtown in general, and with Turntable Health in particular. It takes constant evangelization, events, social media, etc. In fact, we’ve found direct mail to be surprisingly effective in Las Vegas, which didn’t seem entirely intuitive.
What’s the one problem in the health industry that you aren’t working on but would love someone to address?
Interoperability of medical records. It’s still a tower of Babel out there in which hospitals and clinics across the street from each other still can’t share records.
And if I’m speaking frankly, I think HIPAA has also really needs to be reformed. It has hobbled innovation in this and other areas in a remarkable fashion. I’m not sure this is what was intended when the legislation was conceived.
What technological advances designed to advance person-centric care are most exciting to you?
So far, nothing. I’ve been amazed at how generally useless a lot of wearable tech, etc. has been.
I think the bottom line is that if it doesn’t somehow serve to connect or foster a deeper, accountable relationship with another human being (like your doctor or health coach) it’s really not going to produce much actionable use. Grumpy old man rant over!
About Dr. Damania:
During a 10-year hospitalist career at Stanford, Dr. Damania won clinical teaching awards while simultaneously maintaining a shadow career performing stand-up comedy for medical audiences worldwide. His videos, created under the pseudonym ZDoggMD, have gone epidemically viral, educating patients and providers while mercilessly satirizing our dysfunctional healthcare system.
In Las Vegas, Dr. Damania is making the leap from satire to actionable change by implementing an innovative model of healthcare delivery that promotes wellness at both the individual and community level. Turntable Health, a membership model team-based primary care ecosystem, is a ground-up effort to get healthcare right…for everyone.
Want to help push forward the edge of person-centric care?
Join Dr. Damania and other leaders at the Next Edge: Health Experience Summit this fall in Philadelphia to discuss real world solutions and learn ways to create engaging, inclusive and seamless experiences for the people that need care most.
Reserve your seat today at www.nextedgesummit.com. Join the conversation by following @NextEdgeSummit and using the hashtag #HXsummit.
