e-Patient Dave

Power to the Patient!

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We’re back, part 2: FHIR DevDays Cleveland, with new patient sessions!

I’m thrilled to share the next great news in the recovery and reboot of the healthcare conference world. Two weeks ago I shared “We’re back!” about my next real-life keynote in Berlin – the first in two years. Now this, also the first in two years: FHIR DevDays, the twice-annual conference for software developers working on FHIR, the health data interoperability standard I’ve often blogged about. I’m equally thrilled to again be the DevDays Patient Track lead. It will be so good to see people again and enjoy the random encounters in hallways and pubs.

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We’re back! Conference travel resumes – safely, of course!

I’m thrilled to share that the conference world is starting (slowly, carefully) to emerge from the shadows. My first conference travel engagement is in Berlin, for the German Managed Care association!

The conference is in German, but they’ve asked me to do the opening keynote – a conference position I always love!

Of course I travel carefully: I’m triple-vaxed, and regardless of regulations I mask up, I minimize my time indoors at airports, and I carry a pocket-sized meter to keep an eye on CO2 and filtration, on and off the plane.

I’m also thrilled at additional events are coming up (virtual and live), as society figures out how to emerge from the shadow of this monster pandemic. I’ll be blogging about those too in the coming weeks. So exciting!

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Watch a homemade “Corsi-Rosenthal” filter box clean tiny particles out of my air

Latest in my coronavirus series on facts and strategies for coping safely with COVID-19.

Check this out: a do-it-yourself air filter that I made myself for $100, vs the $300+ for commercial ones. People are making these “Corsi-Rosenthal boxes” and donating them to schoolrooms, churches, anyplace where people want to gather and you want the air as clean as is practical.

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Why are eye drops so bewildering??

My collection of unfinished prescription drops.

Preface: if any of this is wrong, great – please tell me!

“Bewilder” is such a great word. It means to lead astray, to disorient … and, fittingly, the origin of the word is unknown!

And bewildered is how I feel after 17 months of using prescription eye drops (following cataract surgery and then glaucoma). My condition is stable – no increase in vision problems, everything’s under control – but it’s likely that I’ll be using eye drops forever, and there’s no good science about how to use them right. I’m settling in to this new reality, doing the best I can, but I think we can do better – so I have complaints. :-)

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Found a bargain CO₂ meter worth having for virus defense

As I’ve blogged before, ventilation is one of the most important defenses against air that might be contaminated with coronavirus or anything else, and a CO₂ monitor is a good way to check it, wherever you are. I’ve bought several models and have taken them with me into stores, restaurants, gyms, doctors’ offices. (Yes, doctors; all the ophthalmologists I’ve visited have bad ventilation, except at Lahey Health. Pharmacies, and doctors’ offices in hospitals, have all been decent, I’m happy to say!)

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Stop being surprised by new COVID variants! Wise up! Vaccinate! Mask up! Gear up!

I’m getting tired of people, governments, and news stories being alarmed every time a new variant arises. This is exactly what smart people have been predicting. It’s what viruses do, especially this one. Expect more of it, adjust your thinking, and take sensible actions!

I don’t know everything but I’ve studied this enough that no recent virus news surprises me, so it appears things have become predictable enough to be manageable if you’re willing to think. If you’re not, then move along … there’s nothing for you here. :-)

Here’s a dump of everything actionable I’ve learned in recent months, for people who want to understand what actions makes sense.

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