Greetings and Felicitations: Recent Episodes
Tom Fox
Tom Fox is the Voice of Compliance. He is also endlessly curious. He has a wide variety of other interests such as mysteries and thrillers, history, pop culture, sports, economics and current events. In this podcast, Tom gets to visit with folks (mostly) outside the compliance arena for a more personal podcast. Join him on the Tom Fox report as he explores his ever burgeoning interests in this most unique of podcasts.
What is the future of healthcare and when will it arrive? To explore these and similar questions I visited with Dr. Ben Locwin and Scott Endicott in a five-episode podcast series. Over this series we have explored why the future of healthcare is now; gene and cell therapy, the use and misuse of statistics, Hippocrates and modern healthcare and where healthcare will be headed down the road. In this concluding Part 5, we look down the road at the future of healthcare. The rapid advancement of technology has changed the way we live and work, and it's also changing the way we receive healthcare. From smaller and smaller silicon wafer chips to quantum computers and micro dosing insulin pumps, technology is becoming more and more prevalent in healthcare. At the same time, however, this technology poses several potential risks and ethical implications. Data privacy is a major concern, as there have been cases of lost or de-anonymized patient data from electronic health records getting out into the public sphere. AI and machine learning are also being used to collect and predict data, which could lead to further data privacy issues. Ben and Scott recently discussed the potential risks and benefits of technology and the need for appropriate regulation and oversight to control the future of medical decision making. They also discussed the importance of patient advocacy and self-advocacy, as well as understanding and controlling how data is used. Taking a counterfactual approach to contemplate the future of healthcare, it's clear that technology advancements are here to stay. Software as a medical device is an open access point for hackers to get into highly critical medical devices. According to an IBM report, 550 organizations had a data breach between 2022 and 2023, and healthcare organizations had the highest average cost of data breaches at $11 million, up 8% from last year and 50% from a couple of years ago. With malware and ransomware looking to steal data due to the potential financial gain, the loss and risk to patient data from electronic medical and health records is a major concern. Moore's Law applies to both good and negative aspects of technology growth. Within 10-20 years, medications will be administered trans-dermally instead of through a bottle, and micronization of diagnostic capabilities will be available. Healthcare services, decisions, and other roles will be available through Amazon-like delivery. AI and ML are becoming more of a buzzword challenge, with many references being made to them in conversations. AI is currently being applied to chat and other spaces but is still five years away from being able to be transformational in medical applications. Genomics data is now accessible for criminal investigations, creating a downside risk. Technology is shrinking and getting faster, with microprocessors being built on five nanometer dies. Computers are beginning to take over for human decision making, with the widespread use of AI being seen in the future. To ensure that these advancements are used responsibly, appropriate regulation and oversight is key. Ben believes that the human race has a tenacity to revert back if things become too extreme. Scott believes that patient advocacy and self-advocacy will be key to the change that needs to happen. Understanding and controlling how data is used is essential, as well as having more ethicists involved in the industry. We hope that this blog post has provided you with some practical advice and data-driven insights to help you navigate the world of healthcare technology. Key Highlights · Medical Technology Risks · AI in Healthcare · Moore’s Law and Medicine · Data Privacy and Telemedicine Resources Dr. Ben Locwin on LinkedIn Scott Endicott on LinkedIn Tom Fox on LinkedIn
What is the future of healthcare and when will it arrive? To explore these and similar questions I visited with Dr. Ben Locwin and Scott Endicott in a five-episode podcast series. Over this series we will explore why the future of healthcare is now; gene and cell therapy, the use and misuse of statistics, Hippocrates and modern healthcare and where healthcare will be headed down the road. In this Part 4, we look at some current trends in health care including QALYs, CRACO, and more. This episode of the podcast explored the emerging health care trends that will impact patients and family caregivers, such as Quality Adjusted Life Years (QALYs), which is a metric used to measure the quality of life; and Clinical Research as a Care Option (CRACO), which is an emergent option for cancer treatment, combining traditional standard of care drugs with cutting-edge therapies. Tom, Ben, and Scott discussed the potential benefits and risks of virtual healthcare, including the ability to access care remotely and the potential for nefarious actors to access sensitive information. They also discussed the importance of advanced directives and the need to consider quality of life versus end of life when making decisions. They also discussed the potential benefits and risks of virtual healthcare, including the ability to access care remotely and the potential for nefarious actors to access sensitive information. They also discussed the importance of advanced directives and the need to consider quality of life versus end of life when making decisions. Having an appropriate document in place and giving the decision-making power you want to make that designation is important. Quality of life versus end of life is an important consideration when making decisions. Immunotherapies can extend life, but it is important to consider the quality of life that the individual is seeking. Prostate cancer is a condition that affects many males as they age, and advanced directives are a crucial piece to the end-of-life equation, as they help bring a thread of logic to the sequence of events. Personalized medicine and healthcare have changed drastically in the last five to seven years. Telemedicine and decentralization of healthcare have made tremendous advancements, particularly in rural areas where access to healthcare is often limited. Telemedicine eliminates the need to physically go to a clinic, reducing the risk of exposure to infectious diseases. However, there is a risk of overprescribing medications due to the ease of telemedicine visits, and there is ambiguity in the data regarding the effectiveness of telemedicine. There is also a risk of data breaches due to the use of telemedicine, which could include personal information and medical histories. Technology is advancing, which could help to overcome some of the barriers of telemedicine. Making end of life decisions is a difficult process, but it is important to consider the quality of life versus end of life when making decisions. Quality Adjusted Life Years and Clinical Research as a Care Option are emerging health care trends that can help to make these decisions easier. With the advancements in telemedicine, more people have access to healthcare, and it is possible to get a better understanding of the quality of life that an individual is seeking. Key Highlights · Digital Health Benefits and Risks · Clinical Research as Care · Telemedicine Benefits · End of Life Decisions Resources Dr. Ben Locwin on LinkedIn Scott Endicott on LinkedIn Tom Fox on LinkedIn
What is the future of healthcare and when will it arrive? To explore these and similar questions I visited with Dr. Ben Locwin and Scott Endicott in a five-episode podcast series. Over this series we will explore why the future of healthcare is now; gene and cell therapy, the use and misuse of statistics, Hippocrates and modern healthcare and where healthcare will be headed down the road. In this Part 3, we turn to the specifics of managing obesity. This episode of the podcast discussed the importance of personal behavioral health in managing obesity, which is a crisis in the US. Starting with the FDA's Rumor Control Initiative to combat misinformation, Tom Fox, Scott Endicott and Ben Locwin discussed the need for critical thinking when evaluating pharmaceutical products, the importance of involving a healthcare provider in the discussion, and the use of telemedicine to manage obesity remotely. They also suggested that digital fitbits can be used to monitor activity and that physicians can use this data to make recommendations. The FDA has recently released the Rumor Control Initiative to combat misinformation. This initiative encourages people to check the source of the information and cross-check it with reliable sources, and to look beyond the headlines to get full context. Drug companies are required to list potential adverse effects of treatments, so it's important to consider the benefits and risks of treatments together. It's also important to note that people spread misinformation for various reasons, such as wanting to protect those they care about or feeling connected. Randomized clinical trials are required for all licensed and marketed pharmaceutical treatments. Hypothesis testing, confidence intervals, and analysis of variance are used to evaluate the efficacy of a drug compared to a placebo. Tom suggested that a physician can track a patient's activity with a digital fitbit and make recommendations during the patient's 30 days of a month. It is important to apply critical thinking and use common sense when evaluating pharmaceutical products. Pharmaceutical products are subject to advertising and branding, which can be difficult to evaluate. Pharmaceutical companies used to employ detailers to provide information to healthcare providers and try to get them to prescribe their product, but now they can buy television time to directly advertise to patients. There is a concern that patients may not have the knowledge to understand the biochemistry, biological impacts, and toxicology of the drugs they are taking, so it's important to have a trusted healthcare advisor and provider to help interpret the data. Key Highlights · Statistics in Healthcare · Managing Obesity Remotely · Obesity and Behavioral Health · Pharmaceutical Advertising Resources Dr. Ben Locwin on LinkedIn Scott Endicott on LinkedIn Tom Fox on LinkedIn
What is the future of healthcare and when will it arrive? To explore these and similar questions I visited with Dr. Ben Locwin and Scott Endicott in a five-episode podcast series. Over this series we will explore why the future of healthcare is now; gene and cell therapy, the use and misuse of statistics, Hippocrates and modern healthcare and where healthcare will be headed down the road. In this Part 2, we consider personalized medicine. The use of personalized medicine, such as cell therapies, gene therapies, and digital therapeutics, is revolutionizing the healthcare industry. In this Part 2 of a special five-part series, Tom Fox, Ben Locwin, and Scott discussed the changes to regulatory pathways and expanded access programs to speed up the approval process for drugs and treatments, as well as the long-term risks associated with taking certain drugs. They also provided advice on how to engage with them on the topics discussed, such as using LinkedIn and Google Search, and concluded the episode by inviting listeners to join them for their next episode. This podcast episode provides an insightful look into the future of personalized medicine and the potential risks and benefits associated with it. Digital therapeutics, for example, have enabled the ability to measure and install a pump that replicates the functions of the pancreas in real time. Regulatory pathways for device and diagnostic approvals have been simplified and expectations and standards have been shifted. Expanded access programs have been created to allow access to treatments between the end of a clinical study and formal approval. These programs have been especially beneficial for rare disease patients and pediatric patients, as well as late stage oncology patients. Advocacy groups have successfully lobbied for access to treatments for MS and other rare diseases. Risk-benefit utility curves can be used to understand the implications of healthcare decisions. Personalized medicine is defined as medical therapies that are designed specifically for each individual patient to whom they'll be administered. An example of personalized medicine is personalized dosing of warfarin, which could prevent 17,000 strokes in the United States annually and avoid 43,000 emergency room visits. Cell therapies, such as Chimeric antigen Receptor T cell Therapy (Car T), are personalized using either a donor or the patient's own blood. Gene therapies are also used in personalized medicine. Supply chain, as it is currently understood, may well no longer exist in ten years from now and instead it will look a lot more like a disc that is going to be placed into a personalized sort of therapeutic pump that's attached to your body. Insulin delivery has become extremely personal, used to be broad based, and required separate measurements of blood sugars and titrating a dose based on that. Dexcom has been providing personalized medicine for a number of years. Personalized medicine is revolutionizing the healthcare industry, and it is important to understand the long-term risks associated with taking certain drugs. It is also important to understand the regulatory pathways and expanded access programs that have been created to speed up the approval process for these drugs and treatments. With the right resources and guidance, individuals can make informed decisions about their healthcare and take advantage of the many benefits that personalized medicine has to offer. Key Highlights · Cell and gene therapy · Personalized medicine · Risk-benefit utility Resources Dr. Ben Locwin on LinkedIn Scott Endicott on LinkedIn Tom Fox on LinkedIn
What is the future of healthcare and when will it arrive? To explore these and similar questions I visited with Dr. Ben Locwin and Dr. Scott Endicott in a five-episode podcast series. Over this series we will explore why the future of healthcare is now; gene and cell therapy, the use and misuse of statistics, Hippocrates and modern healthcare and where healthcare will be headed down the road. In this Part 1, we explore why the future of healthcare is now. The global response to the COVID-19 pandemic has largely been a remarkable success, and healthcare workers have shown incredible dedication and passion in the face of extraordinary circumstances. In Part 1, host Tom Fox and guests Ben Locwin and Scott Endicott explained the need for a stronger advocacy position for healthcare, the challenges of the healthcare industry, and the importance of passion and patience in the industry. They highlighted the need for shared decision making between clinicians and patients, and the opportunities for startups to get products to market faster. Healthcare is an ever-changing landscape, and regulatory favorability is allowing for faster approval of products to market. New therapies are already emergent and available for use, and healthcare is becoming intensely personal. The goal of the podcast series is to provide options for patients and clinicians to advocate for better healthcare. Healthcare can be a scary place, even with the opportunity for return to health. That’s why shared decision making is an important approach. This is where the clinician and patient share the best available evidence when faced with the task of making decisions. Patients are supported to consider their options and achieve their informed preferences, and it is the most ethically appropriate pathway. Startups in the healthcare industry have a long and difficult regulatory approval process, taking 5-7 years at best. Investment, passion, belief, and engagement are essential for success in the healthcare industry. It can be daunting to take on such a challenge, but it is worth it to bring innovative solutions to the healthcare market. To sum up, the global response to the COVID-19 pandemic has shown that passion and dedication are essential for success in the healthcare industry. Additionally, shared decision making is an important approach to ensure that the best available evidence is shared between clinicians and patients. Finally, startups in the healthcare industry require investment, passion, belief, and engagement to get products to market faster. Key Highlights · Passion in Healthcare · Biotech Investment · COVID Healthcare Impact · Shared Decision Making Resources Dr. Ben Locwin on LinkedIn Scott Endicott on LinkedIn Tom Fox on LinkedIn
Welcome to the Greetings and Felicitations, a podcast where I explore topics which might not seem to be directly related to compliance but clearly influence our profession. In this special series, I consider many structural engineering concepts are apt descriptors for an anti-corruption compliance program. In this concluding episode 5, I consider the Tacoma Narrows Bridge failure and preventing failure in your compliance program. Highlights include: · Why and how did the Tacoma Narrows Bridge fail? · What are the key lessons it provides to compliance professionals? · Why are 3rd parties still the greatest risk to any compliance program? · What steps can you take to manage third parties most effectively? · Why is continuous monitoring key to managing risk? Resources “Understanding the World’s Greatest Structures: Science and Innovation from Antiquity to Modernity”, taught by Professor Stephen Ressler from The Teaching Company.
Welcome to the Greetings and Felicitations, a podcast where I explore topics which might not seem to be directly related to compliance but clearly influence our profession. In this special series, I consider many structural engineering concepts are apt descriptors for an anti-corruption compliance program. In this episode 4, I consider the Gothic Cathedral and incentives in your compliance program. Highlights include: · Why and how was the Gothic Cathedral such an engineering innovation? · What are the key principals for an incentive program? · How do incentives impact your compliance program? · What does the DOJ say about incentives? · What KPIs can you use to measure for compliance incentives? Resources “Understanding the World’s Greatest Structures: Science and Innovation from Antiquity to Modernity”, taught by Professor Stephen Ressler from The Teaching Company.
Welcome to the Greetings and Felicitations, a podcast where I explore topics which might not seem to be directly related to compliance but clearly influence our profession. In this special series, I consider many structural engineering concepts are apt descriptors for an anti-corruption compliance program. In this episode 3, I consider the Roman Arch and resourcing your compliance program. Highlights include:
Why and how was the Roman Arch such an engineering innovation?
What other corporate functions can a CCO look to?
How does HR help facilitate through all its employee touchpoints.
How can IT help a CCO meet their obligations under the 2020 Update to the Evaluation of Corporate Compliance Programs?
How can compliance use Internal Audit as a key corporate adjunct?
Resources “Understanding the World’s Greatest Structures: Science and Innovation from Antiquity to Modernity”, taught by Professor Stephen Ressler from The Teaching Company.
Welcome to the Greetings and Felicitations, a podcast where I explore topics which might not seem to be directly related to compliance but clearly influence our profession. In this special series, I consider many structural engineering concepts are apt descriptors for an anti-corruption compliance program. In this episode 2, I consider the great structures of ancient Egypt and Greece and how they inform the building blocks of a compliance program: Code of Conduct, Policies and Procedures. Highlights include:
Greek Column and Egyptian pyramid.
What should go into your Code of Conduct.
How should your policies be structured.
How do implement policies through procedures.
Training and communications of Code of Conduct/policies and procedures are mandatory yet complimentary strategies.
Resources “Understanding the World’s Greatest Structures: Science and Innovation from Antiquity to Modernity”, taught by Professor Stephen Ressler from The Teaching Company.
Welcome to the Greetings and Felicitations, a podcast where I explore topics which might not seem to be directly related to compliance but clearly influence our profession. In this special series, I consider many structural engineering concepts are apt descriptors for an anti-corruption compliance program. In this episode 1, I consider the Roman architect Vitruvius and what makes a structure great. Highlights include: · The Vitruvius Triad. · Compliance Program formulations. · What is form, function and structure · Continuous risk and continuous risk management. · Risks assessments after Covid 19. Resources “Understanding the World’s Greatest Structures: Science and Innovation from Antiquity to Modernity”, taught by Professor Stephen Ressler from The Teaching Company.
Welcome to the Greetings and Felicitations, a podcast where I explore topics that might not seem directly related to compliance but influence our profession. In this episode, I visit Dan Levitt, co-author (with Mark Armour) of the book Intentional Balk: Baseball's Thin Line Between Innovation and Cheating. Highlights include:
Competitive people will always seek an advantage. Legal or occasional otherwise.
Many at the forefront of innovation are also those who break the rules.
Baseball and cheating have a long history together.
Innovations from outside baseball can also present a temptation to cheat.
The reaction to cheating: change over time? Why different over different infractions?
Implicit cost-benefit analysis to cheating.
Why and when does cheating lead to chaos and controversy
Resources Intentional Balk
This week I have explored compliance through a five-part podcast series, as seen through the lens of Winnie the Pooh and the characters living in the Hundred Acre Woods. I want to conclude my series by looking at Winnie the Pooh himself through the lens of the Chief Ethics and Compliance Officer (CECO). Pooh may be a bit naive and slow-witted, but he is also friendly, thoughtful and steadfast. Although he and his friends agree that he is “a bear of very little brain”, Pooh is occasionally acknowledged to have a clever idea, usually driven by common sense. Pooh is also a talented poet; his poems and “hums frequently punctuate the stories”. Although he is humble about his slow-wittedness, he is comfortable with his creative gifts. When Owl’s house blows down in a windstorm, trapping Pooh, Piglet and Owl inside, Pooh encourages Piglet (the only one small enough to do so) to escape and rescue them all by promising that “a respectful Pooh song” will be written about Piglet’s feat. Later, Pooh muses about the creative process as he composes the song. Pooh is very social. Christopher Robin is his closest friend, Piglet, and often chooses to spend his time with one or both of them. But he also habitually visits the other animals, often looking for a snack or an audience for his poetry as much as for companionship. His kind-heartedness means he goes out of his way to be friendly to Eeyore, visiting him, bringing him a birthday present, and building him a house, despite receiving mostly disdain from Eeyore. We need to recall that the DOJ started from the position that the role of compliance and ethics in an organization was co-equal. Winnie the Pooh reminds us of that foundational building block. Pooh also reminds us that a CECO is a social animal. Just as he is friends with all the animals and characters we have visited this week, you as a compliance professional should make friends with all the corporate functions they represented this week: sales, HR, finance and legal. If you find you run out of hunny to pass around, you can always resort to the Russ Berland strategy of pizza. Even though this is the final offering in this week’s blog post on Compliance in the Hundred Acre Woods, do not feel blue. We will have another week of Pooh later this summer for more compliance lessons. And if you do feel blue in the interim, check out this YouTube clip of the Pooh theme song. And always remember, when all else fails; “Think, Think, Think”
This week I am exploring a five-part series on compliance as seen through the lens of Winnie the Pooh and the characters who live in the Hundred Acre Woods. Today we discuss Pooh's best friend, Piglet, and use Piglet to consider the role of finance in a compliance program. Piglet has some great adventures (or sometimes misadventures), such as giving Eeyore a birthday balloon that pops or getting lost in the Hundred Acre Wood mist and helping to rescue Pooh and Owl after they are trapped in Owl's fallen house. My favorite Piglet tale is when Eeyore mistakenly offers Piglet's house as a new home for Owl after his house has blown down. Piglet nobly agrees to let Owl have the house, at which point Pooh asks Piglet to live with him, and Piglet accepts. This poignant story shows the true meaning of friendship and any Pooh story I know. I cannot think of any character more able to illustrate the role of finance in compliance than Piglet. He is obsessed with keeping things neat and tidy and sometimes has an inferiority complex, although his friends think highly of him. Sort of like finance. Finance has roles in the prevention, detection and remediates prongs of any compliance program. In the prevent prong, this is most particularly true around offshore payments, generally defined as payments made to a location other than the home domicile of the payee or the location where the services were delivered. If a Tunisian agent who performs services in Dubai asks for payment in a location other than Dubai or Tunisia, that will qualify as an offshore payment. If you train people in finance on this issue, they may well pick up the phone and notify compliance when they see a request for payment in a geographic location separate from one of the two standard payment venues. When properly documented, those types of communications demonstrate that your compliance program is operationalized into the fabric of the organization. The bottom line is that not only can finance be one of the compliance function's strongest corporate allies but that the role of finance, by its nature, works to operationalize compliance. This is because to implement the appropriate internal controls around compliance, finance must know the specific requirements of compliance know what kinds of issues are likely to come up that might create a risk of bribery and corruption, all leading to an understanding of the appropriate compliance internal controls to implement around payments. Join me tomorrow when I conclude with Winnie the Pooh and his influence on the Chief Ethics and Compliance Officer (CECO) role.
This week I am exploring a five-part series on compliance as seen through the lens of Winnie the Pooh and the characters who live in the Hundred Acre Wood. In this Part 3, we consider perhaps the most beloved character (other than Pooh himself) Eeyore and use him to explore the differences in compliance and corporate legal. Eeyore is described as an “old grey donkey”. Eeyore has a poor opinion of most of the other animals in the Forest, describing them as having “No brain at all, some of them” and “only grey fluff that’s blown into their heads by mistake” (from chapter 1 of The House at Pooh Corner). Eeyore’s favorite food is thistles. He lives in the southeast corner of the Hundred Acre Wood, in an area labeled “Eeyore’s Gloomy Place: Rather Boggy and Sad” on the map in the Winnie-the-Pooh book. He has a stick house therein called The House at Pooh Corner. Pooh and Piglet built it for him after accidentally mistaking the original house that Eeyore built for a pile of sticks. On Eeyore’s birthday, he is given an empty honey jar from Pooh for keeping things in, a popped red balloon from Piglet to keep in the pot, and a note from Owl. (Eeyore’s birthday was originally celebrated by University of Texas students in Austin and is now a worldwide phenomenon.) Eeyore expects misfortune to fall upon him, accepts it when it does, and rarely even tries to prevent it. He is known for saying “Thanks for noticin’ me” and “Ohhh-kayyy”. His grumpiness is best shown in an encounter with Piglet, who cheerfully bade him, “Good morning!” Eeyore responded, “Well, I suppose it is...for some.” Yet, Eeyore is capable of great compassion. Most interestingly, he has a great friendship with Tigger. I use Eeyore as an introduction to the differences in the compliance function and the legal department in the corporate world. When I initially went in-house, it was made clear to me that the role of the in-house department in the company I worked for was to protect the company. When I became a General Counsel (GC), I took that role to heart and felt like I was the company’s lawyer (even if the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) felt like I was his lawyer). But as Donna Boehme pointed out, there are distinct differences in approaches to compliance from practicing law. She said, “one thing is clear – the two functions have very different mindsets, mandates and priorities.” She notes that the legal department's mandate is to “advise and protect the company.” The compliance mandate is much broader. The bottom line is that while you may want an Eeyore in the corporate legal department, just saying no; that is not something you want in compliance. The job of compliance is not to protect the company at all costs. Instead, it is to prevent, detect and remediate any compliance issues that arise. You cannot do that by simply saying No. Yet, just like Eeyore, the corporate legal department can be a valuable adjunct to the compliance function if an internal investigation occurs and you want to maintain your corporate privilege. Join me tomorrow when I take a look at Piglet and the role of payroll in compliance.
Welcome to the Greetings and Felicitations, a podcast where I explore topics that might not seem directly related to compliance but influence our profession. In this episode, I conclude a two-part episode with John Aceti, author of Profiles of Leadership. John talks about his long life or what he calls “from nothing to something”. Highlights include:
Becoming a school principal.
Starting a business/high school mentorship program.
Cultural exchanges in high schools.
Genesee County Schools Science programs.
International travel to teach English as a second language.
Leadership programs on Easter Island.
Books to St. Lucia.
This week I am exploring a five-part series on compliance as seen through the lens of Winnie the Pooh and the characters who live in the Hundred Acre Woods: Pooh, Eeyore, Tigger, Kanga & Roo, and Piglet. Winnie-the-Pooh, also called Pooh Bear and Pooh was created by English author A. A. Milne. Yesterday, we introduced Tigger and the sales function's role in compliance. In this episode, we focus on Kanga and her son, Roo, and the Corporate Ombudsman's role in compliance. Kanga is a female kangaroo and the doting mother of Roo. They live near the Sandy Pit in the northwestern part of the Hundred Acre Wood. Kanga is the only female character to appear in the books. Kanga is kind-hearted, calm, patient, sensible and down to earth. She likes to keep things clean and organized and offers motherly advice and food to anyone who asks her. She is protective over Roo and treats him with kind words and gentle discipline. She also has a sense of humor, as revealed in chapter seven of Winnie-the-Pooh when Rabbit connives to kidnap Roo, leaving Piglet in his place; Kanga pretends not to notice that Piglet is not Roo and proceeds to give him Roo's usual bath, much to Piglet's dismay. Roo is Kanga's cheerful, playful, energetic son, who moved to the Hundred Acre Wood with her. His best friends are Tigger and a young Heffalump named Lumpy, who loves to play with him. Roo is the youngest of the main characters. When Kanga and Roo first come to the Hundred Acre Wood, everyone thinks Kanga is a fierce animal, but discover this untrue and become friends with her. In the book, when Tigger comes to the forest, she welcomes him into her home, attempts to find him food he likes and allows him to live with her and Roo. After this, Kanga treats him like she does her son. I want to use Kanga and Roo to consider another role in compliance. It is the creation of an ombudsman for employees to help facilitate compliance. Kanga is the most trusted soul in the Hundred Acre Woods. She would be an ideal ombudsman and an example that the "success of these programs depends partly on getting the right person for the role. A good ombudsman is a superb listener who establishes trust in people at all levels." They need to have the skills to think through solutions to problems. Kanga certainly has such skills. A great example is the arrival of Tigger in the Hundred Acre Woods. While Tigger claims to like everything to eat for breakfast, it is quickly proven he does not like honey, acorns, thistles, or most of the contents of Kanga's larder. However, he discovers what Tigger likes best is the extract of malt, which Kanga has on hand because she gives it to Roo as "strengthening medicine". This is another key trait of an ombudsman; the person must also respect senior executives and be comfortable taking issues to the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) or the Board if necessary. Understanding the corporate culture and who has influence is also important - which is why many capable people in this role are promoted from inside the company. The same can be said for Kanga in the Hundred Acre Wood. Join me tomorrow when I consider Eeyore and the role of corporate legal in compliance.
This week I begin a five-part series on compliance as seen through the lens of Winnie the Pooh and the characters who live in the Hundred Acre Woods: Pooh, Eeyore, Tigger, Kanga & Roo, and Piglet. Winnie-the-Pooh, also called Pooh Bear and Pooh. In this episode, we begin with Tigger and the sales function role in compliance. Tigger first appeared in the House at Pooh Corner, when he arrives at Pooh’s doorstep in the middle of the night. Tigger takes up residence with Kanga and Roo. He becomes great friends with Roo and Kanga treats him in much the same way she does her own son. Tigger seems to have boundless energy, often too much energy for some of the other denizens of the Hundred Acre Wood. Rabbit, who is constantly exasperated by Tigger’s constant bouncing; Eeyore, who is once bounced into the river by Tigger, and, finally, there is Pooh’s good friend Piglet, who always seems a little nervous about the new, large, bouncy animal in the Hundred Acre Wood. Tigger seems like the epitome of a top salesperson. He is very confident and has quite an ego and he has a high opinion of himself. He always seems to have great energy and optimism, and though always well-meaning, he can also be mischievous, and his actions have sometimes led to chaos and trouble for himself and his friends. Tigger often undertakes tasks with gusto, only to later realize they were not as easy as he had originally imagined. Tigger, unique as ever, refers to himself not as a tiger, but as a “Tigger” and when he introduces himself, he announces the proper way to spell his name and that is “T-I-double-Guh-Er”, which spells “Tigger”. Tigger seems like a great way to think about sales incentives from the compliance perspective. Much like Tigger, most sales folks have their hearts in the right place even if their actions cause trouble for themselves and others. At the end of the day, Tigger is good-hearted, even if his over-exuberance can sometimes lead to misadventures. If you properly incentivize your sales team, you will hopefully keep their over-exuberance into being simply good-hearted as well. Join me tomorrow when I consider Kanga, Roo and HR in compliance.
Welcome to the Greetings and Felicitations, a podcast where I explore topics which might not seem to be directly related to compliance but clearly influence our profession. In this episode, I begin a two-part episode with John Aceti author of Profiles of Leadership. John talks about his long life or what he calls “from nothing to something”. Highlights include:
Leadership and lessons learned from a life’s experience.
Re-engagement lessons.
Air Force career.
Obtaining an MBA.
A life in education.
Matt Kelly once challenged me to write a blog post for Bloomsday. Well aware of my great love for Joyce’s magnum opus, I accepted the challenge. This year is the 100th anniversary of the publication of the book. To celebrate this event, James Joyce's novel at 100 and the compliance profession, I have decided to do a 5-part podcast series on Ulysses. Over this podcast series, I will highlight some of the books and commentary and tie what Joyce, Dublin, Leopold Bloom and his wife Molly, together with his mentor Stephen Daedalus, can teach the modern compliance professional. I hope you will join me in the short celebration and trip through Dublin 1904 for the 100th anniversary of Bloomsday. In Part 5, Bloomsday and storytelling. Resources The Teaching Compliance-James Joyce Ulysses, by James Heffernan The Politicians Who Love Ulysses by Kevin Dettmar “Ulysses” and the Moral Right to Pleasure by Dan Chiasson in the New Yorker The Moral of Ulysses by Charles Cosby Ethics and the Modernist Subject in James Joyce's "Ulysses," Virginia Woolf's "The Waves," and Djuna Barnes's "Nightwood" by AnnKatrin Jonsson The Ethical Reader in Ulysses by Stephen Gilbert
Matt Kelly once challenged me to write a blog post for Bloomsday. Well aware of my great love for Joyce's magnum opus, I accepted the challenge. This year is the 100th anniversary of the publication of the book. To celebrate this event, James Joyce's novel at 100 and the compliance profession, I have decided to do a 5-part podcast series on Ulysses. Over this podcast series, I will highlight some of the books and commentary and tie what Joyce, Dublin, Leopold Bloom and his wife Molly, together with his mentor Stephen Daedalus, can teach the modern compliance professional. I hope you will join me in the short celebration and trip through Dublin 1904 for the 100th anniversary of Bloomsday. In this Part 4 of this 5-part podcast series, we consider the chapter involving Molly Bloom and use her story to explore the 21st-century compliance professional. Compliance Quote-Mary Shirley "I love working in that area because sometimes there's no clear answer or even good answer. That keeps you on your toes and requires a skill set different from what is required to be a successful lawyer." Resources The Teaching Compliance-James Joyce Ulysses, by James Heffernan The Politicians Who Love Ulysses by Kevin Dettmar "Ulysses" and the Moral Right to Pleasure by Dan Chiasson in the New Yorker
Matt Kelly once challenged me write a blog post for Bloomsday. Well aware of my great love for Joyce’s magnum opus, I accepted the challenge. This year is the 100th anniversary of the publication of the book. To celebrate this event, James Joyce novel at 100 and the compliance profession, I have decided to do a 5-part podcast series on Ulysses. Over this podcast series, I will highlight some of the book and commentary and tie what Joyce, Dublin, Leopold Bloom and his wife Molly, together with his mentor Stephen Daedalus can teach the modern compliance professional. I hope you will join me in the short celebration and trip through Dublin 1904 for the 100th anniversary of Bloomsday. In Part 3, we take up the story of Stephen Daedalus and how it intersects with the role of ethics in compliance. Compliance Quote-Lisa Fine, “ I am passionate about compliance because I think compliance provides guidance on how to make ethical decisions and do the right thing. It helps us understand and think about gray areas and help organizations to be better corporate citizens.” Resources The Teaching Compliance-James Joyce Ulysses, by James Heffernan The Moral of Ulysses by Charles Cosby Ethics and the Modernist Subject in James Joyce's "Ulysses," Virginia Woolf's "The Waves," and Djuna Barnes's "Nightwood" by AnnKatrin Jonsson The Ethical Reader in Ulysses by Stephen Gilbert
Matt Kelly once challenged me write a blog post for Bloomsday. Well aware of my great love for Joyce’s magnum opus, I accepted the challenge. This year is the 100th anniversary of the publication of the book. To celebrate this event, James Joyce novel at 100 and the compliance profession, I have decided to do a 5-part podcast series on Ulysses. Over this podcast series, I will highlight some of the book and commentary and tie what Joyce, Dublin, Leopold Bloom and his wife Molly, together with his mentor Stephen Daedalus can teach the modern compliance professional. I hope you will join me in the short celebration and trip through Dublin 1904 for the 100th anniversary of Bloomsday. In Part 2, Leopold Bloom and the passion for compliance. Compliance Quote Kristy Grant-Hart-“As an aggregate, the compliance profession is changing how business is done, and therefore changing the world. We are part of a movement that is palpably shifting the landscape for so many, especially in the developing world. It’s such an exciting experience and I am proud to be a part of it.” Resources The Teaching Compliance-James Joyce Ulysses, by James Heffernan “Ulysses” and the Moral Right to Pleasure by Dan Chiasson in the New Yorker
Matt Kelly once challenged me write a blog post for Bloomsday. Well aware of my great love for Joyce’s magnum opus, I accepted the challenge. This year is the 100th anniversary of the publication of the book. To celebrate this event, the author James Joyce and my passion for compliance, I have decided to do a 5-part podcast series on Ulysses. Over this podcast series, I will highlight some of the book and commentary and tie what Joyce, Dublin, Leopold Bloom and his wife Molly, together with his mentor Stephen Daedalus can teach the modern compliance professional. I hope you will join me in the short celebration and trip through Dublin 1904 for the 100th anniversary of Bloomsday. In Part 1, why does Joyce and Ulysses still matter. Resources The Teaching Compliance-James Joyce Ulysses, by James Heffernan
In this episode of Greetings and Felicitations, I visit John Aceti, author of 7 books about people and places in the Hill County. We discuss John’s most recent book Profiles in Leadership. Highlights include: · John’s storytelling skill. · His endless curiosity. · The leadership styles of 18 persons he interviewed for the book. · What are their leadership philosophies? · What strategies did they use to succeed in their individual career fields? · What’s next for John. Resources Profiles in Leadership on Amazon
Welcome to the Greetings and Felicitations, a podcast where I explore topics which might not seem to be directly related to compliance but clearly influence our profession. In this episode, I visit with AJ Churchill, one-third of a triumvirate of friends who conceived of the fiction podcast, Earth Eclipsed and the Apollo app. Highlights include:
Awards and honors for Earth Eclipsed.
Public response to Earth Eclipsed.
Season 2 of Earth Eclipsed coming in December 2022.
The Apollo App.
The power of a fiction podcast.
What is an immersive audio podcast experience like in fiction.
What’s next for the team.
Resources Earth Eclipsed Apollo App
Welcome to the Greetings and Felicitations, a podcast where I explore topics which might not seem to be directly related to compliance but clearly influence our profession. In this episode, I conclude a two-part series with John Champion, one of the founders of Mission Log, a Roddenberry Star Trek Podcast. John’s original mission was to do a podcast on every episode of Star Trek, beginning with TOS, TAS, the movies, TNG, DS9, Voyager and beyond. It began in 2012 as a 14-year odyssey and has only grown in length. In this Part 2, we take up the Star Trek story at TNG and bring it forward to the present day. Highlights include:
The uneven start of TNG and how the show found its footing.
The Trek Files and Dr. Trek himself, Larry Nemecek.
A new generation takes over from Gene Roddenberry and the original creative team.
DS9-a town on the frontier.
A new Star Trek in the 21st century.
Picard-Seasons 1 & 2.
Star Trek-a show for its time and for all time.
Resources MissionLogPodcast.com Roddenberry Entertainment
Welcome to the Greetings and Felicitations, a podcast where I explore topics which might not seem to be directly related to compliance but clearly influence our profession. In this episode, I begin a two-part series with John Champion, one of the founders of MissionLogPodcast.com. John’s original mission was to do a podcast on every episode of Star Trek, beginning with TOS, TAS, the movies, TNG, DS9, Voyager and beyond. It began as a 14-year odyssey and has only grown in length. In this Part 1, we take up the founding of MissionLogPodcast.com and John’s work with his original co-host Ken Ray to explore the morals, messages and meanings of Star Trek up to TNG. Highlights include: 1. The vision of Rod Roddenberry and Roddenberry Entertainment for Mission Log, a Roddenberry Star Trek Podcast. 2. Start of the podcast and working through TOS. 3. Some of the hidden gems in TAS. 4. The movies. 5. The work of Dorothy (DC) Fontana 6. The David Gerrold interview. Resources MissionLogPodcast.com Roddenberry Entertainment
Welcome to the Greetings and Felicitations, a podcast where I explore topics which might not seem to be directly related to compliance but clearly influence our profession. In this episode, Jason Meyer and Tom Fox continue the annual tradition begun by Jason of Ethics Madness, a show where we look at the intersection of sports and ethics during March Madness. We have used a variety of social media over the years to broadcast Ethics Madness and this year we use the podcast format. Highlights include: 1. Greetings, and welcome to Ethics Madness, a crossover episode of on Eight Mindsets and Greetings and Felicitations. 2. About the ethics madness concept and history. 3. Ethics and sports: A. Formula 1 B. Russian doping at the Olympics. 4. Ethics and hoops. A. Women’s March madness, and the ethics story behind why this is the first year we can say that March Madness for the Women’s Tournament. Plus USWNT Soccer and equal pay agreement. B. Men’s March madness - Michigan, Juwan Howard and the handshake ritual. 5. Sports as an apt metaphor in compliance communications and training. 6. Odds and ends. 7. Takeaways and a Theme Song. Resources Jason Meyer on LinkedIn Leadgood Eight Mindsets Podcast
Welcome to the Greetings and Felicitations, a podcast where I explore topics which might not seem to be directly related to compliance but clearly influence our profession. In this episode, we conclude a two-part series with Aly McDevitt, Data & Research Journalist at Compliance Week. We take a deep dive into her recent series case study on a ransomware attack on a fictional company. Highlights include: · Who are hackers? What is a cyber incident response playbook and how does each person handle their roles in the event of a ransomware attack? · How and when should stakeholders be notified? Who and what type of notification should be made? · What goes into the decision to pay? What are the pros and cons of each path? · What are some key lessons for companies from the story? · A hint of what Aly may have in store for future articles and series. Resources Ransomware case study in Compliance Week Aly McDevitt
Welcome to the Greetings and Felicitations, a podcast where I explore topics which might not seem to be directly related to compliance but clearly influence our profession. In this episode, begin a two-part series with Aly McDevitt, Data & Research Journalist at Compliance Week. We take a deep dive into her series case study on a ransomware attack on a fictional company. Highlights include: · Why this subject matter for a deep dive? · The research that went into the piece. How many people interviewed and how long was the research process? · Writing style. Locked yourself in a room and not come out until its done or more collaborative process with an editor? · Story Synopsis- how common is Betty’s mistake? · What is the role of the CIRT and MSSP? How critical was VE’s preparation to its ability to respond? Resources Ransomware case study in Compliance Week Aly McDevitt
Welcome to the Greetings and Felicitations, a podcast where I explore topics which might not seem to be directly related to compliance but clearly influence our profession. In this episode, I visit with business journalist and long-time energy issue reporter Loren Steffy about what the Russia invasion of Ukraine means for the world energy scene. Highlights include: · Russia is the second largest oil exporter after Saudi Arabia. · Russia provides 40% of the energy for the EU. · 60% of Russian GDP comes from energy production and sale. · What will be the response of US producers? · What will this mean for shale production? · Where does LNG fit into all this? · Can the US upgrade its energy infrastructure? · What about a US energy policy? Resources Loren Steffy in Forbes.com 30Point.com
Star Wars continues to be the most successful movie franchise in history. The movies are great fun, the story telling is excellent, thoroughly based on the Hero’s Journey and the characters are some of the most beloved in cinema history. Whether your favorite scene is the from jump into hyperspace, the climactic lightsaber duel between Obi Wan Kenobi and Darth Vadar, Vadar intoning “I am your father”, or the destruction of the Death Star they all still resonate today. But what of the science of Star Wars. Are these great scenes and effects even possible? Do they violate the laws of physics and nature as we understand them today? Join Tom Fox and Dr. Ben Locwin, a healthcare executive, who in addition to his medical expertise is a degreed astrophysicist, as the look behind some of the most exciting scenes in Star Wars to look at the portrayal of science in Star Wars. In this concluding Episode 5, they discuss the Death Star. Some of the topics covered are: 1. How is it constructed? Can you build a small planet in space? 2. How would you generate the energy to fully arm the weapon? 3. Why is there no kinetic free lunch in space ? 4. How does the James Webb Telescope apply to the Death Star? 5. What are LaGrange Points and how do they apply to the Death Star?
Star Wars continues to be the most successful movie franchise in history. The movies are great fun, the story telling is excellent, thoroughly based on the Hero’s Journey and the characters are some of the most beloved in cinema history. Whether your favorite scene is the from jump into hyperspace, the climactic lightsaber duel between Obi Wan Kenobi and Darth Vadar, Vadar intoning “I am your father”, or the destruction of the Death Star they all still resonate today. But what of the science of Star Wars. Are these great scenes and effects even possible? Do they violate the laws of physics and nature as we understand them today? Join Tom Fox and Dr. Ben Locwin, a healthcare executive, who in addition to his medical expertise is a degreed astrophysicist, as the look behind some of the most exciting scenes in Star Wars to look at the portrayal of science in Star Wars. In Episode 4, they discuss the Robots and Cyborgs. Some of the topics covered are: 1. Where did the term ‘robot’ derive from? 2. Is Darth Vadar a cyborg? 3. Are these stories simply Pinocchio brought forward? 4. What is the difference in strong v. weak AI? 5. How does the Turing Test apply?
Star Wars continues to be the most successful movie franchise in history. The movies are great fun, the story telling is excellent, thoroughly based on the Hero’s Journey and the characters are some of the most beloved in cinema history. Whether your favorite scene is the from jump into hyperspace, the climactic lightsaber duel between Obi Wan Kenobi and Darth Vadar, Vadar intoning “I am your father”, or the destruction of the Death Star they all still resonate today. But what of the science of Star Wars. Are these great scenes and effects even possible? Do they violate the laws of physics and nature as we understand them today? Join Tom Fox and Dr. Ben Locwin, a healthcare executive, who in addition to his medical expertise is a degreed astrophysicist, as the look behind some of the most exciting scenes in Star Wars to look at the portrayal of science in Star Wars. In Episode 3, they discuss the mechanical prosthetics as used on Luke after his forearm is severed by Darth Vadar. Some of the topics covered are: 1. Sequential current must be deployed to detract muscles to create motion. 2.The role of artificial intelligence and machine learning in mechanical prosthetics. 3. Regenerative cell therapy for skin covering? 4. How are chambers powered?
Star Wars continues to be the most successful movie franchise in history. The movies are great fun, the story telling is excellent, thoroughly based on the Hero’s Journey and the characters are some of the most beloved in cinema history. Whether your favorite scene is the from jump into hyperspace, the climactic lightsaber duel between Obi Wan Kenobi and Darth Vadar, Vadar intoning “I am your father”, or the destruction of the Death Star they all still resonate today. But what of the science of Star Wars. Are these great scenes and effects even possible? Do they violate the laws of physics and nature as we understand them today? Join Tom Fox and Dr. Ben Locwin, a healthcare executive, who in addition to his medical expertise is a degreed astrophysicist, as the look behind some of the most exciting scenes in Star Wars to look at the portrayal of science in Star Wars. In Episode 2, they discuss dueling with lightsabers. Some of the topics covered are: 1. As cool now as it was in 1977. 2. How to generate the photon beam of light? 3. Could the beam be similar to lightening? 4. Would the ‘blades’ pass through each other? 5. Blaster photons would pass through them.
Star Wars continues to be the most successful movie franchise in history. The movies are great fun, the story telling is excellent, thoroughly based on the Hero’s Journey and the characters are some of the most beloved in cinema history. Whether your favorite scene is the from jump into hyperspace, the climactic lightsaber duel between Obi Wan Kenobi and Darth Vadar, Vadar intoning “I am your father”, or the destruction of the Death Star they all still resonate today. But what of the science of Star Wars. Are these great scenes and effects even possible? Do they violate the laws of physics and nature as we understand them today? Join Tom Fox and Dr. Ben Locwin, a healthcare executive, who in addition to his medical expertise is a degreed astrophysicist, as the look behind some of the most exciting scenes in Star Wars to look at the portrayal of science in Star Wars. In Episode 1, they consider traveling in hyperspace. Some of the topics covered are: 1. The visual effect of light bending. 2. Does traveling in hyperspace violated Einstein’s Law of Special Relativity. 3. What would traveling in hyperspace do to the human body? 4. How does one navigate in hyperspace.
Welcome to the Greetings and Felicitations, a podcast where I explore topics which might not seem to be directly related to compliance but clearly influence our profession. In this episode, visit with two of my heroes Mike and Melissa Novelli, founders of Pawtastic Friends. Highlights include: · What is Pawtastic Friends and what led them to found Pawtastic Friends? · How did Pawtastic Friends start out? · You recently obtained your own facility. How has that changed Pawtastic Friends? · What is the enrichment training the dogs receive? · How do the dogs feel about training? · Some of the most memorable stories involving your work at Pawtastic Friends? · How can listeners get involved or donate to Pawtastic Friends. · Adopt Don’t shop! Resources Pawtastic Friends website Pawtastic Friends donation and sponsorship opportunities Pawtastic Friends clothing and swag
Welcome to the Greetings and Felicitations, a podcast where I explore topics which might not seem to be directly related to compliance but clearly influence our profession. In this episode, I discuss the recently released Tragedy of Macbethand a Harvard Business Review article. I use both of these different types of media to explore transformation in your corporate compliance program. Highlights include: 1. Macbeth and descent into madness. 2. Coen production of Macbeth. 3. Transforming your compliance program through ‘you’. 4. Why the user experience is so critical. 5. The 3-step process to transform you compliance program. Resources The “New You” Business: How to compete on personal transformations by Lance A. Bettencourt, B. Joseph Pine II, James H. Gilmore, and David W. Norton
In this episode, I visit with Lauren and interview her about her experiences from the first year of hosting The Ethics and Compliance Library. Highlights of this podcast include:
Why did you start the Ethics and Compliance Library?
Any surprises from your first year?
What were 3 of your top highlights from the series?
What did you learn in the process?
How did starting and hosting this pod help you professionally?
What’s down the road for the Ethics and Compliance Library in 2022?
Resources Lauren Seigel on LinkedIn
Welcome to the Greetings and Felicitations, a podcast where I explore topics which might not seem to be directly related to compliance but clearly influence our profession. In this episode, you will find out what happens when two podcasters get together for a podcast as I visit with Chris Conner, podcaster in the life sciences arena. Some of the highlights include:
Professional background of Chris Conner.
What is Life Science Marketing Radio and who is the target audience for LSMR?
Why does audio marketing sit in a ‘sweet spot’?
How and why does audio make content creation easier?
Why should every business or thought leader have a podcast?
Why is storytelling in the audio format so powerful?
Has it become more powerful during the pandemic?
Where is content creation for the life science headed down in the road in 2025 and beyond? What about podcasting?
Resources Life Sciences Marketing Radio Chris Connor on LinkedIn
Scott Endicott and Ben Locwin with host Tom Fox are back for this concluding capstone episode in the Understanding Lyme Disease Podcast series. In this episode, they talk about the most current developments in Lyme Disease treatment, what's new in diagnostic treatments and what is on the horizon for both treatments and Lyme Disease patients. Resources Scott Endicott | LinkedIn Ben Locwin | LinkedIn | Twitter American Lyme Disease Foundation www.aldf.com LymeDisease.org International Lyme and Associated Diseases Educational Foundation ILADEF International Lyme and Associated Diseases Society
Scott Endicott and Ben Locwin with host Tom Fox are back for part 5 of the Understanding Lyme Disease Podcast series. In this episode, they talk about living with chronic toxicity and co-infectious agents.
A Useful Approach to Knowledge The best way to help yourself, and loved ones who have been diagnosed with Lyme disease, is to seek out accurate information to make sure that you get the best treatment options available. The earlier treatment is applied, the more effective it is.
The Next Steps Scott talks about a few innovative initiatives regarding Lyme disease. Focusing on diagnostic criteria and treatment approaches will be a great opportunity to turn the disease around. Currently, there is an increased acceptance of the disease and less stigma so that will go a long way in creating more options and opportunities for treatment. “There's been a much broader acceptance of Lyme in health insurance claims that's actually gone from being a very difficult diagnosis to one that's much more accepted,” Scott tells Tom. On the chronic side of the disease, Scott recommends that persons afflicted with tick bites get doxycycline in their systems as soon as possible.
Knowing The Cause The more patients understand about Lyme disease, the more they would be able to apply smarter resources to improve prevention and care. They can be able to manipulate the neutrophils [the disruption of the immune system]. The more they understand about the science behind the causative agents, the easier it will be to fight it.
Resources Scott Endicott | LinkedIn Ben Locwin | LinkedIn | Twitter
Scott Endicott and Ben Locwin with host Tom Fox are back for part 4 of the Understanding Lyme Disease Podcast series. In this episode, they talk about the immune system as the body’s first line of defense, how to boost your immunity, and take charge of your health.
Prevention Beats Correction Prevention beats correction every time, and the best way to treat Lyme disease is to reduce your chances of contracting it at all. Ben advises listeners to take precautions when entering areas where ticks are common. Wear long-sleeved shirts, long pants, and boots if possible. Use tick repellent, salves, and sprays. If you do happen to find a tick on you, only remove it with tweezers; do not use petroleum jelly or try to burn it off.
Post Treatment Lyme Disease Syndrome Some patients who have been treated for Lyme disease still feel lingering symptoms. This used to be considered Chronic Lyme Disease. Evidence shows that no persistent infection is left within patients so the official term is now Post Treatment Lyme Disease Syndrome.
Building Your Immunity One of the best things a person can do is work on building their self immunity. Improving your diet, exercise, and stress levels are key to your recovery. A consistent exercise regimen especially helps to build back your immunity. "Many of the side effects and symptoms of persistent Lyme or Post Treatment Lyme Disease are psychiatric and mental," Scott tells Tom. Doing your best to fortify your body and mind is going to do wonders with strengthening your immune system.
Take Charge of Your Health You need to take charge of your health, both physically and mentally. "Being discerning about your own health and being your own advocate is probably one of your best defenses," Scott says. Do what you can to ease stress: yoga or meditation are good options. Make use of the information that is available; get educated about what's happening around you so you can make decisions about your own medical care.
Resources Scott Endicott | LinkedIn Ben Locwin | LinkedIn | Twitter
Tom Fox welcomes back Scott Endicott and Ben Locwin to part 3 of the Understanding Lyme Disease Podcast Series. In this episode, they look at treatment solutions for Lyme disease.
The Current Lyme Treatment The current treatment for Lyme disease is more focused on adults. It's a non innovative approach, however, as Ben points out. The current standard treatment is a 100 milligram dosage of Doxycycline twice per day for 10 to 12 days. Patients will typically get three weeks worth of prescription. For children, they are prescribed Amoxicillin as they can't tolerate Doxycycline. This dosage would be 50 milligrams, three times a day. The current treatment protocols are inadequate for the population who have Lyme disease symptoms, Ben tells Tom. Both the infectious disease community and the academic research and physician community are holding fast to their own views on how Lyme disease is to be treated and what works and what doesn't. This poses a challenge, Scott remarks.
The Need For Innovation "The Health and Human Services (HHS) just put together a working group that is actually looking at emergent innovative approaches, and some of those innovative approaches are ones that the Lyme specialists have been using for many years, like PICC lyme antibiotics, essentially intravenous antibiotics in order to arrest very accelerated symptoms and symptoms that have taken patients to a place where there needs to be massive changes to their health or things are going to continue... to just get worse," he adds. This kind of innovation needs to be more normalized, and clinical experts need to remove themselves from their old school way of thinking. When new data is coming in from patient case reports, experts should be able to build new hypotheses, Scott and Ben argue. They shouldn't have such an emotional conviction to past beliefs that they can't be moved by new data. Innovating patient care and treatment is to understand exactly what is clear within the data, and for what isn't clear, to make adjustments.
The Next Step Research and medication needs to adapt. What was believed to be effective in the past is no longer so in the present. "Frankly in clinical medicine, the endpoints to show that something is efficacious are either to demonstrate improvements and how a patient feels or functions or survives," Scott says. Measuring survivability is important but if patients are presenting that they don't feel well, or aren't functioning the same, and medical experts turn a blind eye to that, then there will be no innovation in terms of truly tackling the disease. The next step for treatment would be diagnostic testing that gets much closer, and that which puts data back into the hands of clinicians, so they can advise patients properly and with better protocols. Resources Scott Endicott | LinkedIn Ben Locwin | LinkedIn | Twitter
Tom Fox welcomes back Scott Endicott and Ben Locwin on this episode of the Understanding Lyme Disease Podcast Series. Scott - who has had Lyme disease - is a clinical researcher, and Ben deals with Healthcare Policy at Maven. In this episode, they look at the changes that occur in the body when you contract Lyme disease.
Testing For Lyme Disease There are blood tests that are carried out to determine whether a patient has Lyme disease, and it's a two step process. The first half of the test is called the Eliza test which detects antibodies the human body may or may not be producing against the organism that causes Lyme disease. The second half of the blood tests is called the Western blot which looks at antibodies to specific proteins in the Borrelia Burgdorferi organism. These tests are the original diagnostic tests and have been used since the beginning.
The Problems with Diagnosis Scott explains that PCR testing has come about after these tests and is there to identify the infecting agent. The challenge with PCR testing, however, is the way that the Borrelia Burgdorferi organism actually behaves in real time. The challenge with the Eliza and Western blot as well is that both tests can give false negatives for weeks because the organism has a way of mutating and masking itself. Diagnosis has been dependent on the primary symptom of Lyme disease which is the bullseye rash, a symptom only 30% of patients have. This makes it challenging and confusing for these patients. Clinicians are being given a primary symptom that only one third of patients experience. "There is a real disparity there with as far as how clinicians view this and very often...they'll basically look at it and say, ‘Well if it's not a rash, then I'm not going to treat you at this point,’" Scott remarks. Infectious disease experts will advise patients to treat with Doxycycline, and essentially hope for the best.
Dilemma of Diagnosis With a disease that mutates, there is an urgent need to identify and treat it quickly. Infectious experts look at it as a challenge to diagnostic criteria as opposed to treating prophylactically and leave details for later. This ends up putting patients in a bind between standard medical treatment and other unconventional methods. Many Lyme disease clinicians are Lyme disease sufferers themselves, and so are forced to act outside of accepted protocols in order to properly address symptoms.
Resources Scott Endicott | LinkedIn Ben Locwin | LinkedIn | Twitter
Scott Endicott and Ben Locwin are Tom Fox’s guests on the first episode of the Lyme disease series. Scott is the Executive Leader of Healthcare Solutions at CliniHealth Solutions. Ben is a TEDx speaker, healthcare and pharmaceutical executive with experience in senior management teams. They join Tom to talk about how Lyme disease first came about, symptoms, and the misinformation surrounding the disease.
The Discovery of Lyme Disease Lyme disease has been around for millions of years, however, it evaded detection until the 1960s. The first diagnosed cases were occurring around Old Lyme, Connecticut which is how the disease got its name. It was first detected within children who had pediatric rheumatoid arthritis symptoms. A man named Willy Burgdorfer, who was a researcher, was trying to find the cause of the symptoms. He had been looking at spotted fever as well as other tick-borne diseases at the time and turned his attention to Old Lyme, Connecticut. In 1981 he found an organism within the affected children, and so the organism itself is named Borrelia Burgdorferi after him.
The First Diagnosis There has been a lot of confusion regarding the symptoms related to Lyme disease, so it is important to know what the true symptoms of the disease are and what to look out for. “The diagnostic criteria has been a moving target since 1975," Scott begins. The original Lyme disease epidemic was juvenile arthritis, and that was the trigger that pushed the community at the time to do further investigation as arthritis is not contagious. That confusion set the tone on how the disease was first diagnosed.
The Evolution of Lyme Research Lyme has been detected in all US states of America except Hawaii. At one point it was believed that germs in the air was the cause for the disease going around. This was called germ theory. Today, the research and science has evolved, and information exchange and diagnostic criteria are becoming aligned. Nowadays, Lyme disease can be treated with simple antibiotics with very high efficacy. This is because there are more clinical professionals who are able to identify the disease early, and treat it effectively.
Resources Scott Endicott | LinkedIn Ben Locwin | LinkedIn | Twitter
Welcome to the Greetings and Felicitations, a podcast where I explore topics which might not seem to be directly related to compliance but clearly influence our profession. In this episode, I visit with Detective Ed Gillespie, from the Baltimore Police Department, who has incorporated the writing of poetry into his police work. We also talk about why a humanities approach to instructing police academy cadets can bring real change in policing. Some of the highlights include:
Background of Ed Gillespie and why 9/11 changed him forever?
What led to writing poetry?
Poetry as therapy.
Connections to the War Poets.
Teaching poetry at the Baltimore Police Academy.
6. Some of Detective Gillespie’s favorite poems. Resources Email: Doylegillespie@yahoo.com Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/pg/edoylegillespie/photos/ Gentrifying the Plague House-poetry by Ed Gillespie Policeman Poet of Baltimore
Welcome to newest edition to the Compliance Podcast Network: Greetings and Felicitations, a podcast where Tom Fox visits with a wide variety of guests on a wide variety of topics. In today’s inaugural episode I visit with Compliance Podcast Network fan favorite Dr. Ben Locwin. We take a deep dive into where we are into where we are with the Delta Variant, immunization, health care economics and delivery of health care services.
In this podcast we consider the TOS episode Journey to Babel as a starting point for the consideration of the medicine portrayed in the Original Series. The Enterprise transports ambassadors to a conference to discuss the admission of Corridon, a star system composed of many mutually combative races, to the Federation. Corridon contains a nearly unlimited supply of dilithium crystals, but its small population and lack of strong government has allowed illegal mining operations by outsiders seeking to exploit its natural resources. To Kirk's surprise, Sarek the 102.437-year-old ambassador from Vulcan and his his wife Amanda, who is human, are Spock's parents. Sarek reveals that he has had three previous Vulcan heart attacks and has been taking Bengacydrine to combat it. He requires an open-heart operation, but the ship's stores do not have a sufficient supply of blood, especially of Sarek's rare Vulcan T negative blood. Despite the fact that Spock's blood is a mixture of human and Vulcan factors, he provides a blood transfusion to Sarek after McCoy uses an experimental stimulant to increase the rate of blood production. The Enterprise is then attacked by alien ship while Sarek and Spock are on the operating table, endangering both their lives. Spock, who is recovering from the operation, surmises that the perpetrators were from Orion, since Orions are known to have been smuggling dilithium from Corridon and are anxious to prevent interference. Highlights include: 1. Why is the TriCorder such a significant piece of medical technology, even up to today? 2. What are the diagnostic aspects of the TriCorder? 3. What is augmented reality and how is it being used in medical treatment today?
In this series I am joined by Astrophysicist and Healthcare Futurist Ben Locwin. In this podcast we consider the TOS episode Tomorrow is Yesterday as a starting point for the consideration of the science around black holes, white holes, and wormholes. In this episode, USS Enterprise is thrown back in time to Earth during the 1960s by the effects of a high-gravity "black star". The Enterprise ends up in Earth's upper atmosphere and is picked up as a UFO on military radar. Spock and Chief Engineer Scott inform Kirk of a possible escape method by slingshotting around the Sun to break away and return to their time. The maneuver is risky, since even a small miscalculation could destroy the ship, or make them miss their own era. Kirk okays the maneuver, and time on board the Enterprise moves backwards. The Enterprise is then successfully returned to the 23rd century. Highlights include:
Is a black star the same thing as a black hole?
How does a white star become a black star?
What is the Quality Exclusion Principle and how does it apply?
What is the Chronology Protection and how does it work?
Welcome to Greetings and Felicitations. In this series I am joined by Astrophysicist and Healthcare Futurist Ben Locwin. In this podcast we consider the TOS episode The Naked Time as a starting point for the consideration of the science around the warp drive. A landing party from the Enterprise beams aboard Psi 2000, an ancient planet about to break up. They find all six of the crew manning the station dead. Crewman Joey unwisely removes his gloves is contaminated by a red liquid. As Psi 2000 shows a shift in magnetic field and mass, the Enterprise begins a close orbit requiring constant vigilance.
Unfortunately, an infected Lt. O’Reilly has turned off the warp engines. To restart the warp engines, matter and antimatter must be mixed in a controlled implosion. However, after mixing matter and antimatter at a colder than recommended temperature according to an untested intermix formula, the Enterprise is thrown into a time warp which causes the chronometer to run backwards. This allows the Enterprise to escape the breakup of the planet, returning it 71 hours into the past and therefore before any of the episode's events took place. Highlights include: 1. Why must you suspend your disbelief for this episode? 2. How would a warp drive work in practice? 3. Why does E=MC²control this issue? 4. What is antimatter? 5. What is the time wise effect on high speed travel?
In this episode of Greetings and Felicitations, I am joined by Astrophysicist and Healthcare Futurist Ben Locwin. In this podcast we consider the TOS episode Mirror Mirror as a starting point for the consideration of the science around the transporter. In this episode, a landing party Kirk, McCoy, Scotty, and Uhura beams back up to the Enterprise. Interference from an ion storm, however, causes them to be transported into a parallel universe and a mirror image Enterprise. Now aboard the Imperial Starship Enterprise, the landing party discovers crew members who are mirror images of themselves and belong to an evil Federation known as the Empire. Their first experience is the torture of transporter operator Mr. Kyle with an agonizer for his alleged failure to beam the landing party up quickly enough. Immediately, Kirk realizes that a mirror image landing party must have been beamed aboard the real U.S.S. Enterprise. Kirk, Uhura, McCoy, and Scotty impersonate their mirror image counterparts while finding a way to return to their universe. When Kirk and the party return, they find that their Empire counterparts were immediately recognized and put in detention. The Enterprise's crew attributes this to the fact that it is easier for logical men to appear barbarous than for barbarous men to appear civilized. Highlights include:
Quantum transportation of information.While we cannot yet teleport, we can recreate.
How does the telegraph signal explain this science used in Star Trek?
What about the radio signals from the Apollo moon flights?
In this episode, I am joined by Astrophysicist and Healthcare Futurist Ben Locwin. In this podcast, we consider the TOS episode Where No Man Has Gone Before as a starting point for the consideration of the science around the phaser. The Federation starship Enterprise is on an exploratory mission to leave the galaxy. At the edge of the galaxy, the ship it encounters a strange barrier which damages the ship's systems and warp drive, forcing a retreat. At the same time, nine crew members are killed and both helmsman Gary Mitchell and ship's psychiatrist Dr. Elizabeth Dehner are knocked unconscious by the barrier's effect. When he awakens, Mitchell's eyes glow silver, and he begins to display remarkable psychic powers. Alarmed that Mitchell may take over the Enterprise, Kirk decides to maroon him at an unmanned lithium-cracking facility on the remote planet of Delta Vega. Once there, the landing party tries to confine Mitchell, but his powers have become too great. Kirk follows with a phaser rifle, the only time in the Original Series it was seen. Kirk uses the phaser rifle to create a rockslide, killing Mitchell. Highlights Include:
Why aren't phasers being used today?
Why is air the biggest problem in creating a phaser?
How can you aim and shoot at a target using a phaser?
How do you deal with the energy loss?
Welcome to newest edition to the Compliance Podcast Network: Greetings and Felicitations, a podcast where Tom Fox visits with a wide variety of guests on a wide variety of topics. In today’s inaugural episode I visit with Compliance Podcast Network fan favorite Dr. Ben Locwin. We take a deep dive into where we are in the Covid 19 pandemic, what may be down the road and how the global vaccination response has worked to slow down this global pandemic.