Cast & Curious

Tag: Uncategorized

  • Should I get an iphone or an itouch?

    I’ve been a gadgeek (gadget freak) during Nokia and Palm OS heydays and frankly, I ‘m happy getting over such expensive gadgetry addiction years ago. But when I lost two cellphones in one instant just recently, I was tempted to dwell back at gadgetry once again while  thinking what smartphone to buy for personal use. Losing two cellular phones in one instant is like being hit in the head by a baseball bat twice in one swing. But looking at it as a hell yeah! opportunity for diving into gadgetry (again) is courting an idiopathic gadgiosyncrasy. Another bad habit to break. I think.

    Anyhow, the answer to my title-question dawned on me during one meeting with senior colleagues . They were discussing iPhone apps, in their daily life and practice.  While I love getting “cobbs angle” in x-rays of scoliosis patients using the reliable, old goniometer-pencil method,  I feel like crap when someone else comes forward and aims his/her iphone at the x-ray plates to get the cobbs angle in less than a minute.

    “There’s an iPhone app for that sir”. I felt the age (technology) gap was on me. Yes, my old method will do the same thing, but at such speed and efficiency? I have to get one of those iOS frill.

    which one would you get?

    The iPhone and the iTouch both run on the same iOS so the basic difference is just the cellphone capabilities of iPhones. If you need constant net connection then you need an iPhone. Iphones  connect to your cellular network’s paid internet service for as long you have your network signal and even without a wifi conneciton. Itouch needs a wifi signal to connect to the net. The rest of these gadgets’ features (camera,HD etc) is basically the same. Most apps for iPhones works for iTouch too except those that need  a cellular signal to work, like the GPS inherent on iPhones.

    I  don’t want my cellular phone mixed up with my iOS gadget. Iphones is such a hot stuff for kleptomaniacs in my area I might just lose it. Besides, I’m not comfortable using my cellular network’s expensive internet service. Most of the places I’m into have free wifi hotspots. So an itouch would really suffice. For now.

    How about you? Whats your preference?

    (Update July, 1, 2011: I now have both, an i touch and an Iphone. Now I’m finding use for both.)

  • A cliche to settle…

    Barely two weeks ago I got the news that a good friend’s dad died of complications from an untreatable disease. In the few times we interacted, I instantly liked the bare realism of tatay. Tatay, as I fondly call him, reminds me of my dad’s astute stubbornness and brute witticism. The down to earth jolly individual who grew out of the market’s daily grinds, never fails to surprise me with his “i am in control attitude”. He is after all a dad to his children. When the news of his death reached me, I found myself groping with sadness..

    Me, a doctor, a surgeon. Born into the hard life, molded into steel (so my story goes) still…and still, I am groping with sadness.

    When we lost our dad to liver cirrhosis three decades ago, i barely had any idea what grief means. I was only eight years old. I never knew a thing in this world but “play”. When I grew enough to miss my dad, I began to use that missing as a source of inspiration for pursuing my dad’s dreams for us. Together with my mom’s unwavering love, I drew inspiration from that ‘missing” and strength from my dad’s memories. In a way, I never really faced off with sadness before.

    Until again this time, when another semblance of my dad came along…and left.  He reminded me what once my dad’s fondest “cliche” for us.

    Live today as though it will be your last.

    Seek the best in all that you do.

    Never put a thing off for tomorrow what you can do today.

    Dream small, dream big, above all, never fail to dream…

    Yes, they are cliche today. But in my job where I rub elbows with a “dead man walking” almost daily, the only cliches are those “cliches, you need to settle”…

    RIP, tatay. Thank you for reminding me of my dad. Please pass this to him when you guys meet up there: “I love his cliches“

  • Blog rounds season 2 hosting schedule

    Geez, a not so easy job. Coming up with a blog rounds hosting schedule is well, challenging. But, since I have no choice but to assign (any admin takers pls?) one host each week for the rest of TBR season two, I came up with this (not so genius)  list. I simply got the ordered host from the commentators’ list in this post.  Again, please be reminded of our hosting schedule and guidelines! (more…)

  • Should doctors give their cellphone numbers to their patients?

    In the few years I have been into practice, giving mobile contact number to a certain set of patients improved doctor-patient interactions and reduced overheads in the clinic.  In several provinces here in the Philippines where landlines are nonexistent,  the advent of mobile phones and SMS technologies provided easier and faster communication between physicians and their patients. Those that live in places away from their physician’s clinic reported a reduction in their  unnecessary clinic visits and ER consults. The perceived overall health care cost reduction (especially with the SMS technology ) is felt not only by patients but also by physicians who find it easier to decongest their very busy clinic schedules.

    On the other hand, some doctors has had a bad experience after giving their mobile number to some patients. Abuse of this privilege is related to the patients’ proper education on its use and limitations. Some patients avoid regular clinic visits and rely only on the mobile phone calls or sms messages to communicate with their physicians. Some patients even “shortcuts” and seek immediate attention even if their cases seem to be less emergent than other patients who are physically present in the clinic. The most common complaint among physicians is the total disregard of some patients for the doctor’s private life. It’s not uncommon for physicians to receive non emergent calls or sms messages even on unholy hours.

    A reduction in clinic visits (as a result of this mobile phone communication between physicians and patients) necessarily reflect a reduced clinic income if you are based on a service for fee system . Nobody (not even insurance companies) pays the doctor for any of the phone consults that patients incur. It’s all for the sake of better patient management and reduction of health care cost.

    But education is very crucial in engaging patients into this type of doctor-patient interaction. Reciprocating respect for the doctor’s or the patient personal private life is of paramount importance in such mode of communication. Put into proper use,  giving  your mobile contact number to patients  reduce the over all health care cost. It’s misuse however,  could end up a fruitful patient-doctor relationship.

    So, should  you give your mobile numbers to your patients?Why or why not? Or if you are a patient, would you want your physician ‘s mobile number?Leave your comments here.

  • New Guides to Season Two of The Blog Rounds

    A few new guidelines before we finally start Season Two of The Blog Rounds:

    1. The Blog Rounds edition host each week shall be chosen at least 3 days prior  to posting of the call of articles. Adherence to hosting schedule is very much encouraged.
    2. Call for articles for the upcoming TBR edition should be posted on the host blog by  6:00PM PST of Sunday
    3. Blog articles for carnival are due by 11:59 PM PST Friday the same week.
    4. The Blog Rounds round up of posts will posted on the host’s blog, 12NN Saturday the same week after the call for article post.
    5. Send the host- blogger for that edition (schedules are listed here) an email containing the title and url link to your post.
    6. One entry per blogger.
    7. Short recent posts between 200 and 500 words are preferred
    8. Posts are to be written for a general audience and may be medical or non medical, depending on the category or topic chosen by the host blogger.
    9. The host blogger has the sole authority and responsibility of choosing the topic, announcing them, receiving the contributions, proof reading it, and posting them as he/she deemed fit for his/her topic of choice.

    In short, we’re reverting back to the old weekly blog rounds format, but with a shorter more concise posts. Also, the scheduling is designed with the work week, leisurely weekend in mind that approximates busy schedule. Of course there is always a leeway for the schedule especially during emergencies, but i highly encourage contributors and host to stick  our schedules which I will be posting soon.

    I may have to change our TBR logo and pictures as the latter might present us with copyright issues. Any ideas contribution or logo drawing to this effect will be great appreciated.