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Chronic Lyme Disease

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Chronic Lyme Disease

Chronic Lyme Disease

This week, on Dr. Andrew Pugliese’s monthly special edition of Top Docs Radio we talked about chronic lyme disease.  Also known as post-treatment lyme disease syndrome, this chronic, debilitating condition is frequently overlooked outside of the Northeast, where it’s known to be prevalent.

As we learned from David Baird, a patient experiencing chronic lyme disease, and Karen Huppert, the mother of a college-age student who dealt with the illness, its severe symptoms, and treatment for several years as well.  They both shared their poignant stories and described how they moved from specialist to specialist trying to find a diagnosis.  And they shared how they were told that, “Lyme disease doesn’t exist in Georgia,” leading to a significant delay in the diagnosis that allowed them to seek appropriate care.

David brought his wife, a local veterinarian, also talked about how comparatively easy it is to diagnose a canine, for whom there are straight-forward tests that identifies the infection, and treatment is also effective and readily available.  She talked about how frequently she treats pets for Lyme disease here in her local Atlanta office.

We strongly encourage patients to seek second opinions and to seek to learn all they can about their symptoms and diseases to facilitate timely treatment, which can affect outcomes.

I was also pleased to host Dr. Leanna Kart, DC, a chiropractor whose practice is located on Howell Mill Road in west Atlanta.  May is National Posture Awareness Month.  We talked about how technology has affected neck/back health through creating a tendency to sit with the head in a chin-down orientation for long periods of time.  This causes an increased strain on the connective tissues and muscles in the neck, which can lead to headaches, neck and back pain, and neurologic symptoms.

Special Guests:

Andrew Pugliese, MD, Infectious Disease Consultants twitter_logo_small  linkedin_small1  facebook_logo_small3  Blogger 2  

Infectious Disease Consultants

  • Doctorate in Medicine, St. George University School of Medicine
  • Fellowship, Infectious Disease, Winthrop University Hospital
  • Triple Board Certified in Internal Medicine and Infectious Disease
  • Pioneer in non-surgical treatment of acute and chronic sinusitis
  • President of Sinus Solutions

David Baird, Chronic Lyme Disease Patient

Karen Huppert, Parent of a young Chronic Lyme Disease patient

Dr. Leanna Kart, DC, of NW Chiropractic  linkedin_small1

kart

  • Doctor of Chiropractic, Life University
  • Owner of NW Chiropractic for over 26 years
  • Board Member, Georgia Chiropractic Association

 

Senate Bill 158

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Medical Association of Georgia

 

Senate Bill 158

On this week’s show we continued our monthly series with the Medical Association of Georgia.  MAG’s CEO/Executive Director, Donald J. Palmisano, Jr. stopped by for a discussion on the state of Senate Bill 158, changes in the insurance contracting arena, and other topics on the MAG agenda.  Donald also shared how he and a colleague were able to raise over $40,000 to support the Think About It campaign to raise awareness and fight prescription drug abuse/addiction in Georgia, participating in a 100 mile race and completing it in under 24 hours.  In the days since Donald joined us on the show, Senate Bill 158 was passed.

MAG continues to take steps to enhance the relationship between health insurer Blue Cross Blue Shield of Georgia, Inc. (BCBSGa) and physicians in the state.

At the end of 2014, Georgia Insurance Commissioner Ralph Hudgens rescinded physician contract amendments that BCBSGa had put into place in Georgia following “numerous complaints from physicians (and their practices).”

First MAG/BCBSGa “Physician Advisory Group” meeting took place on February 12. It is forum for physicians to express their concerns, it will give Blue Cross the opportunity to disseminate information about new payer initiatives, it will be a venue for improving communications, and it will serve as a mechanism for physicians to weigh in on Blue Cross’ clinical policies, operations and contracting practices.

The advisory group consists of four MAG member physicians as well as MAG Health Policy and Third Party Payer Advocacy Department Director Susan Moore and BCBSGa Senior Clinical Officer Mark Kishel, M.D., and BCBSGa Director of Network Management/Georgia Provider Solutions Hayden Mathieson. They will meet a minimum of three times a year.

Rental Networks

 

MAG supports legislation that would limit rental networks in Georgia. A rental network involves a health insurer that rents or sells its network of physicians to another health insurer. These second-level insurers then include the physicians in their health insurance plans – and pay the physicians an even deeper discount – even though they don’t have a contract with the physicians.

 

It’s not uncommon for physicians to offer their services to a health insurer at a discounted rate because the higher patient volume offsets the costs. However, the aforementioned insurers rent or sell their networks without the physician’s knowledge – so the physicians often aren’t aware that they are in a given network or that they are contractually obligated to deliver patient care at a greater discount.

 

Rental networks result in mass confusion and higher administrative costs (e.g., the additional staff time that is required to verify a patient’s health insurance coverage and/or confirm the proper payment). Rental networks can also reduce the accessibility of care because physicians are forced to accept the lower (i.e., “re-priced” or “re-rented”) payment or refuse to see the patient for any follow-up or future care.

 

Rental networks are an inappropriate, profit-driven tactic that undermines the practice environment in Georgia that will exacerbate the physician shortage in the state. Sixteen states have now adopted laws that regulate or limit or prohibit rental networks.

 

Insurers are prohibited from using rental networks in federal employee health benefits plan contracts.

 

 

All-Products Clauses

 

Insurance companies use ‘all-products or all-or-nothing’ clauses as a cost-control tactic to force physicians to participate in every health insurance product that they offer or be blocked from caring for patients in the insurer’s plan altogether.

 

By forcing physicians and their practices to agree to all-products clauses, health insurers are undermining the economic viability of the medical profession in Georgia – keeping in mind that a report that was prepared by IMS Health for the American Medical Association determined that physicians in Georgia “created a total of $29.7 billion in direct and indirect economic output (i.e., sales revenues) in 2012… [and] each physician supported $1,559,494 in [economic] output.” It is also worth noting that the report found that “…physicians supported 205,869 jobs (including their own)…[and] $1,089.6 million in local and state tax revenues in 2012.”

 

Because physicians are constantly wrestling with these manipulative contract provisions, they have less time to spend with their patients.

 

All-products clauses violate several individual rights, including the right to contract and an owner’s right to operate a business in a free and autonomous way.

 

Physicians and medical practices in Georgia should be free to accept the health insurance products of their choice versus the ones that’s imposed on them by profit-driven insurance companies.

 

Eleven states have enacted prohibitions on all-products clauses, including Alaska, Arkansas, Florida, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Ohio, and Virginia – as well as Washington, D.C.

 

Special Guest

Donald Palmisano, CEO, Executive Director of Medical Association of Georgia  twitter_logo_small  linkedin_small1  facebook_logo_small3

Medical Association of Georgia

  • JD Law, Loyola School of Law
  • Board of Directors, Physician Advocacy Institute
  • Medical Payment Subcommitte Member, State Board of Workers’ Compensation
  • Treasurer, Board of Directors, Physicians’ Institute for Excellence in Medicine
  • Former Director, Government Relations/General Counsel/Director, GAMPAC

Common Foot Injuries

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Ankle & Foot Centers of Georgia

Common Foot Injuries

This week our friend, Dr. Shamir Bhikha, DPM with Ankle & Foot Centers of Georgia stopped by to talk about common foot injuries often seen as the weather begins to warm and people decide to get out and start running/walking.  He talked about the fact that after the New Year as folks set goals to lose weight and especially during spring, folks tend to go out and jump into a training regimen that doesn’t allow for adaptation to occur in the connective tissues, muscles, and bones of the lower legs and feet.

This leads to several common injuries that can derail our ability to continue training for months (or even longer).  We talked about plantar fasciitis, which causes often-debilitating heel pain that is particularly painful after having been at rest or in bed for a period of time, Morton’s neuroma, an injury to the nerve between the toes that makes affected toes feel like they’re broken, Achilles tendonitis, which is a painful aggravation of the tendon behind the heel bone, and issues that can occur with poorly-fitted shoes.

Shamir talked about the importance of having a running pro help you choose a training shoe that is appropriate for your gait as well as properly fitted for the activities you plan to use them for.  Not doing this can result in toenail injury (including loss of the nail), toenail fungus, toe deformities, stress fractures, and other painful problems.

Before you head out to the trail you need to take a few minutes and listen to this foot/ankle expert who focuses his clinical practice on sports-related injuries through a conservative approach to helping his clients recover and ideally prevent further problems.  We readily recommend Dr. Bhikha as an expert for foot/ankle-related problems.

Special Guest:

Dr. Shamir Bhikha, DPM  of Ankle & Foot Centers of Georgia  facebook_logo_small3  twitter_logo_small-e1403698475314  youtube logo  

Ankle & Foot Centers of Georgia

  • Doctorate with Honors, Podiatric Medicine, Barry University School of Podiatric Medicine
  • Residency, Inova Fairfax Hospital 2010-13 & Limb Salvage Center at Georgetown University Hospital 2013
  • Skilled in Sports Medicine/Trauma to the foot/ankle, Podopediatrics and Reconstructive foot/ankle surgery
  • Comprehensive training in diabetic limb salvage, plastic surgery and wound care

Start Exercise Fitness Training Without Injury

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PUGLIESE NICHOLSON

 

Start Exercise Fitness Training Without Injury

This week, our new monthly partner, Dr. Andrew Pugliese stopped by to introduce us to Randy Nicholson, of Fitness Firm Studio.  He’s a certified trainer who shared some very helpful information on how folks who have not previously trained or former athletes who haven’t trained in a while start exercise fitness training without injury.

As a former athlete who has experience in high intensity and high volume cardiovascular and weight/resistance training, I know too well what it’s like to resume working out after a prolonged layoff and experience overuse injuries.  These come from a burst of activity with or without heavy weight/resistance.  Too much exercise too soon can easily result in a incapacitating measure of pain or even injury that prevents continuing without another break to recover.

Randy shared what a person who’s motivated to start or resume training should ask a prospective personal trainer to determine what their philosophy is regarding the initial training phase.  He also shared the value of using a roller to help facilitate muscle recovery as well as releasing trigger points that can cause muscle spasm.

We talked about the best way to approach beginning training in a step-wise fashion to insure that muscular imbalances, postural weaknesses, and flexibility have been improved upon before moving on to more intense training moves/activities.  If you or someone you care about is thinking about resuming or wants to start exercise fitness training without injury they need to check out this week’s episode.

Special Guests:

Randy Nicholson  Fitness Firm Studio  facebook_logo_small3  twitter_logo_small-e1403698475314

Randy

  • NASM
  • EGOUSE
  • 4th Degree Black Belt in Tae Kwon Do
  • BS Engineering, University of Chattanooga

Andrew Pugliese, MD, Infectious Disease Consultants twitter_logo_small  linkedin_small1  facebook_logo_small3  Blogger 2

Andrew

  • Doctorate in Medicine, St. George University School of Medicine
  • Fellowship, Infectious Disease, Winthrop University Hospital
  • Triple Board Certified in Internal Medicine and Infectious Disease
  • Pioneer in non-surgical treatment of acute and chronic sinusitis
  • President of Sinus Solutions

Medical Reserve Corps

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Medical Associaiton of Georgia

MAG LOGO

Medical Reserve Corps

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has approved MAG’s request to form the nation’s first medical society-sponsored statewide volunteer medical reserve corps (MRC). MAG and the Georgia Department of Public Health would oversee MAG’s MRC. MAG is now eligible for limited federal capacity building funds and has in fact received a 2015 grant for $2,500 – though the MAG MRC will require funding from private sources to fully maximize its vision.

The MAG MRC will train physicians to respond to declared emergencies in Georgia, and it will establish a system to coordinate the deployment of those physicians during any such emergencies. The MAG MRC will supplement the official medical and public health and emergency services resources that are available in the state. MAG MRC units will be capable of setting up mobile hospital systems. And under extreme circumstances (e.g., a shortage of health care providers in a given area), MAG MRC units can be called upon to perform some of the functions that would otherwise be performed by the full-time emergency medical response personnel in the state. MAG formed the MRC as a result of 2013 House of Delegates meeting action.

The MRC is a national network of volunteers, organized locally to improve the health and safety of their communities. The MRC network comprises 993 community-based units and 207,783 volunteers located throughout the United States and its territories. Georgia has 19 approved MRCs.

MRC volunteers include medical and public health professionals, as well as other community members without healthcare backgrounds. MRC units engage these volunteers to strengthen public health, improve emergency response capabilities and build community resiliency. They prepare for and respond to natural disasters, such as wildfires, hurricanes, tornados, blizzards, and floods, as well as other emergencies affecting public health, such as disease outbreaks. They frequently contribute to community health activities that promote healthy habits.

The designated point of contact is the Director of Health Protection with DPH. The MAG MRC may also be activated by MAG MRC leadership team as necessary. The MAG MRC Unit will supplement the State of Georgia Public Health Emergency Preparedness’ and Response Unit. The unit will not replace or supplant the existing emergency medical response system or its resources including locally based MRC units.

Special Guests:

John S. Harvey, M.D.

  • Chief of Surgery, Gwinnett Medical Center
  • Acting Colonel and Command Surgeon, Georgia State Defense Force
  • MAG’s President-elect.
  • Missions have included the Katrina/Rita hurricane and Haiti earthquake victim airlifts. He dealt with the Centennial Park bombing that took place during the 1996 Olympics as a medical command officer.
  • Doctor of Medicine, Medical College of Georgia

Susan Moore

Susan Moore has been MAG’s Director of Health Policy and Third Party Payer Advocacy since 2013. She helps MAG members resolve third party payer claim disputes and grievances. She has spent 30 years in the health care industry – more than half of those focused on patient safety and health care quality. Moore has a degree in nursing from the Emory University School of Nursing and a Master’s Degree in Public Health from the Yale School of Public Health at Yale University.

Paul Hildreth

Paul Hildreth is the emergency management coordinator/grant coordinator for REMS for the Fulton County School District. He has 14 years of experience in emergency response and crisis management. He is a certified emergency manager and master certified emergency manager. He has been an integral part of the Georgia State Defense Force for 10 years. He has a degree in business operations from DeVry University and an MBA from the University of Phoenix.

 

Peripheral Arterial Disease

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Peripheral Arterial Disease

As many as 12 million Americans are dealing with peripheral arterial disease (PAD), a progressive blockage of the blood vessels that carry blood to the lower extremities.  For many of these patients, amputation is the outcome, leaving them without a foot, or in others, half or more of their leg.  Medical literature has shown that in these patients, their risk of death within 1 to 5 years of their amputation they have a 40% likelihood of amputation of the remaining leg and a significant risk of death.  It’s clearly a serious problem.

But we can reduce the rate of amputation among these patients and we can also reduce the severity of intervention required to address the problem if we catch it early.  Dr. Joseph Ricotta, vascular surgeon and director of the Northside Hearth & Vascular program, stopped by the studio to talk about what can be done to improve patient outcomes for those with PAD.  We talked about the troublesome statistics around peripheral arterial disease, including the fact that among diabetics with PAD who develop a non-healing wound resulting in amputation, as many as 50% of them never receive a non-invasive study that could prevent the loss of their leg.

That means we need our partners in primary care and foot/ankle surgery to take an aggressive stance when presented with patients who are at risk for PAD or who have a poorly-healing wound on their leg or foot.  There are numerous non-invasive studies that take only minutes in the vascular surgeon’s office that can readily identify patients who have blockage affecting blood flow to their feet.  In these cases, if caught early, surgeons like Dr. Ricotta have more options and greater probability they can reestablish adequate blood flow that helps a wound to heal, preventing or mitigating extent of amputation.

We talked about the fact that Northside offers access to 2 of the country’s 10 robotic devices that significantly improves the effectiveness of minimally-invasive procedures by allowing the vascular surgeons to access and treat previously-inaccessible locations.  Additionally, with the assistance of the robot, the surgeons are able to reduce damage that can occur on the inside of the vessel being treated, which reduces the likelihood that scarring after the procedure will block the vessel off again (a leading cause of reocclusion in PAD lesions).

I also spoke with foot and ankle surgeon, Dr. Michael Bednarz of Ankle & Foot Centers of Georgia, whose office is located in Woodstock, just north of Marietta.  He talked about treating PAD patients with wounds from the perspective of the specialist who is tasked with managing the wound and ultimately, treating it surgically as necessary (including amputation when efforts to heal the wound fail and serious infection is a risk).

We talked about the fact that amputation should be viewed as a last-ditch option.  And Mike shared that no patient should face amputation without having had a vascular study to determine if poor flow is contributing to the wound not healing.  He talked about the fact that when he’s presented with a poorly-healing wound, particularly in a patient with PAD risk factors such as diabetes, one of the first things he does is request a vascular study to assess blood flow.  He also utilizes Transcutaneous Oximetry, a non-invasive test that shows how well the tissue at the surface where a wound is located is getting oxygen.

With the results of those studies, he is able to address poor blow flow by referral to a vascular surgeon and/or to hyperbaric medicine (readily available in Atlanta and surrounding suburbs) to address poor oxygen levels in the skin.  He also evaluates other risk factors such as glucose levels and presence of infection, often resulting in consults with infectious disease and/or endocrine specialists to help heal the limb-threatening wound.  We talked about the fact that a multi-specialty approach insures that more patients can avoid amputation and the resultant high mortality rates that come with them.

Early involvement with an experienced wound specialist, vascular diagnostics/intervention, infection control, and endocrinology are all vital in helping patients avoid an amputation that might also cost them their life.

Special Guests:

Joseph Ricotta, MD, Medical Director, Heart & Vascular Institute, Northside Hospital  linkedin_small1  twitter_logo_small  facebook_logo_small3  youtube logo

Northside Vascular

  • Doctor of Medicine, Thomas Jefferson University School of Medicine
  • Surgical Residency, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
  • Fellowship, Vascular Surgery, Mayo Clinic
  • Fellowship, Advanced Endovascular Surgery, Cleveland Clinic Foundation
  • Associate Professor of Surgery, Georgia Regents University, University of Georgia School of Medicine

Michael Bednarz, DPM, Ankle & Foot Centers of Georgia  linkedin_small1  facebook_logo_small3  twitter_logo_small  youtube logo

Ankle & Foot Centers of Georgia

  • Doctor of Podiatric Medicine, Kent State University School of Podiatric Medicine
  • Residency, Department of Veteran Affairs Medical Center, Miami
  • Board Certified, American Board of Foot/Ankle Surgery
  • Recognized as a “Top Doc” in the WellStar Health System

Patient Engagement

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Fank Martin

 

Patient Engagement

This week I caught up with our friend, Frank Martin, of The Medical Consultants Group.  We talked about how his consulting firm can help a wide range of medical practices, from solo offices to multi-site large groups.  Frank talked about the variety of facets of a business that is a medical practice improve operations.

Frank talked about strategies for helping patients related to managing their out-of-pocket obligation, including deductible and co-payment.  We also discussed how the ACA has placed new emphasis on patient satisfaction and outcomes relating to how the practice (or isn’t) reimbursed.  Another requirement is to provide an electronic portal that allows remote access to patient data BY the patient, coupled with a means to transmit/receive relevant information to/from patients.

We discussed the difference between legacy EMR systems (where software was installed on hardware in the office) and cloud-based applications where data and the software exist on a remote cloud-computing-based architecture.  The decision-making capability of the cloud-based applications, coupled with security and rapid access to important data, make modern cloud-based EMR applications the wise choice for practices to convert to today.  These modern applications do not require on-site updates of the application on every device.  Now, the application is updated where it lives, meaning the user’s experience is not interrupted or inconvenienced.

Frank places great emphasis on helping his client practices become better-running businesses.  To that end he works with the group to be able to change processes, or software, business plan, and/or other key facets such as office location and office space leasing to operate more efficiently and profitably.

Special Guest

Frank Martin / Medical Consultants Group Twitter Facebook

frank

  • Past recipient, “Volunteer of the Year, Big Brothers Big Sisters”
  • Published author
  • Successful entrepreneur in the healthcare sector

The 4 R’s of Gut Health

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Ellie TDR

The 4 R’s of Gut Health

Did you know that as much as 80% of your body’s immune capacity comes from your gut?  Neither did we.  That’s why we’re glad Dr. Ellie Campbell of Campbell Family Medicine came by to blow our minds(again) with information (The 4 R’s of Gut Health) about ways we can dramatically improve our health.  She shared how she progressed from her traditional primary care practice to a Direct Pay model to get away from the pressure to see more patients, faster, in order to make a respectable physician’s income.  In her office she doesn’t work with insurance companies.  Instead, her patients simply pay a monthly membership fee to have access to her 24 hours a day, 7 days per week (sometimes even when on vacation!).  She also wanted to be able to provide care to her patients that is based on best practices and evidence rather than being simply limited to what an insurance company will or won’t pay for.

We talked about the fact that, with limited time per patient, prescribing a medication and moving on to the next patient is often the way physicians must conduct their practice.  She shared how allergic responses to foods and other environmental sources are behind many of our illnesses (or mirror many illnesses).  We also talked about how important what we eat and drink is in our overall health.  Dr. Campbell described how food and beverages have such dramatic impacts on our hormone levels and cellular health that we need to look at what we consume much like drugs one can take in a pill.

Dr. Campbell discussed The 4 R’s of Gut Health, going over foods we should eliminate (or at a minimum significantly reduce) from our diets because they cause inflammatory responses in the gut and vascular system (and elsewhere).  Things like wheat and plants from the nightshade family such as tomatoes, peppers, potatoes, and eggplant can, for many, create allergic reactions.  The challenge is, many of these allergic responses don’t manifest in immediately-recognizable ways.  It could be a general feeling of malaise, skin problems, GI problems that can emulate reflux, and more.

The 4 R’s of Gut Health (Explained in greater detail in the interview):

  • Remove offending substances from the diet.
  • Replace digestive enzymes, bile salts, immunoglobulins, DAO, and stomach acid where necessary
  • Re-inoculate the bowel with pre- and probiotics
  • Repair gastroentestinal mucosa through proper nutritional support

4Rs

Special Guests:

Dr. Ellie Campbell, DO, Family Practice & Integrative Medicine at Campbell Family Medicine  twitter_logo_small  linkedin_small1  facebook_logo_small3

Campbell Family Medicine

  • Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine, Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine
  • Family Medicine Residency, Medical College of Georgia
  • Board Certified Family Medicine

Correctional Medicine

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MAG TDR  MAG LOGO

 

Correctional Medicine

This week we continued our monthly series with Medical Association of Georgia.  I sat down with MAG CEO/Executive Director, Donald Palmisano, Jr., and Director of Correctional Medicine, Clyde Maxwell.  We talked about how MAG became involved with accreditation of numerous correctional medicine facilities in the state of Georgia.

MAG created its Correctional Medicine Committee in 1975 – following the prison riots in Attica, New York, and just before Georgia State Prison was placed under the jurisdiction of the federal courts for maintaining health care facilities that violated a constitutional prohibition on cruel and unusual punishment. The committee was charged with “studying and recommending ways to improve the delivery of health care in non-federal prisons in Georgia.”

MAG developed standards for evaluating health care in jails and prisons in the state as part of a national initiative; these evolved into the standards that are now used by the National Commission on Correctional Health Care.

In 1982, MAG developed legislation to establish an accreditation program for health care for correctional facilities in Georgia. The state began funding the program in 1983, and MAG subsequently started charging application fees for site accreditation visits.

The Medical College of Georgia assumed responsibility for the health services contract for state prisons in the 1990s.

MAG currently surveys eight county jails and 33 state prisons.

A number of major deficiencies have been corrected at jails and prisons in the state as a result of MAG’s site accreditation visits, including some that were related to…

  • Physician and nurse licensure
  • Physician and nurse CPR/ACLS certification
  • Expired pharmaceuticals
  • Needle and narcotics security
  • Nurse call systems
  • Inmate physicals
  • Mandatory CQI and infection control meetings

Special Guests:

Donald Palmisano, CEO, Executive Director of Medical Association of Georgia  twitter_logo_small  linkedin_small1  facebook_logo_small3

Medical Association of Georgia

  • JD Law, Loyola School of Law
  • Board of Directors, Physician Advocacy Institute
  • Medical Payment Subcommitte Member, State Board of Workers’ Compensation
  • Treasurer, Board of Directors, Physicians’ Institute for Excellence in Medicine
  • Former Director, Government Relations/General Counsel/Director, GAMPAC

Clyde Maxwell, Director of Correctional Medicine of Medical Association of Georgia

Clyde Maxwell Atl Skyline

  • Masters, Hospital Administration, Baylor University
  • Certified Correctional Health Professional
  • Active duty in the Medical Service Corps for more than 20 years
  • Designed the “Quick Reaction Hospital” that is used to respond to natural disasters through much of the world

Georgia Prostate Cancer Coalition

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Georgia Prostate Cancer Coalition

Statistics show that 1 in 6 men will develop prostate cancer in their lifetime.  The risk for developing the disease rises with age, being most prevalent among men over the age of 60.  However, the risk begins to rise after 40 and prevailing medical thought is men should get at a minimum a PSA test (a blood test that can detect prostate cancer) or if possible a digital rectal exam as well around the age of 40.  This will provide an early warning if there are worrisome findings on either study that will afford the patient more options for treatment that are much less traumatic and much more likely to be successful than if the cancer is found at a more advanced stage.

Ken shared his own story about how he was found to have a lump on his prostate on an insurance exam but was not actually recommended to have a biopsy until roughly a year later.  At that point it was found he did, in fact, have prostate cancer and that it was a more advanced stage.  He ended up having a radical prostatectomy, followed by a recurrence of the cancer.  To fight the recurrence of the cancer he underwent radiation therapy and more surgeries.  After all of that it was found his PSA levels were rising yet again, prompting his physicians to recommend hormone therapy to slow the progress of the cancer.

After his challenging experiences he began to work to increase awareness of the value of early detection of the disease to help his male counterparts avoid having to undergo similar difficulties.  He interfaced with the American Cancer Society to lobby for increased information for men about the risks of prostate cancer and the benefits of early detection.  He spent some time as a spokesman for the American Cancer Society.  He ultimately co-founded the Georgia Prostate Cancer Coalition, a non-profit organization aimed at creating community awareness as well as raising funds to help provide screening (including some free PSA testing) for men in the community.  The organization also collaborates with community businesses to help them provide prostate cancer screening for their male employees.

In speaking with Ken it’s clear that we men can do ourselves a big favor and go to our primary care physician or one of the screening events held by the Georgia Prostate Cancer Coalition to get a PSA test done and ideally, couple that with a digital rectal exam.  If our lot in life is to be a prostate cancer patient, we can have a large impact on what our journey is like in dealing with it if we endeavor to catch it early.

Special Guest:

Ken Stevens, Co-founder of Georgia Prostate Cancer Coalition  twitter_logo_small  facebook_logo_small3