The Health Crossroad with Dr. Doug Elwood and Dr. Tom Elwood

Dr. Lawrence Green is a Professor in the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics in the School of Medicine at the University of California at San Francisco. He was the first Director of the federal Office of Health Promotion under the Carter Administration. He has published several books and over 300 articles on program planning, evidence, and evaluation issues in health services and public health. His prestigious awards are numerous, including election to the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences where he is chairperson of the Committee on Evaluating the Nation’s Progress in Obesity Prevention. In this interview, Dr. Green discusses the gap between science and practice as well as many other relevant and timely topics in health.

Dr. Bertalan Mesko is an international leader in the use of technology in clinical care and has been recognized on the Future Top 100 list. A physician by training, Dr. Mesko founded webicina.com, the first service to curate medical and health related social media resources for patients and medical professionals. He has presented at top institutions worldwide and his work has been recognized by the World Health Organization, Nature, the New York Times, and many others. As a medical futurist, Dr. Mesko works on bringing disruptive technologies to medicine and healthcare. In this interview, Dr. Mesko discusses extremely relevant and potentially disruptive topics like mobile health, digital, wearables, prevention, engagement, and of course the power of the patients.

Dick Hoyt is the father of a child who at birth was classified as the equivalent of a vegetable. Refusing to accept this assessment, he played an instrumental role in the development of interactive technology that enables the speechless to communicate effectively. He has participated in more than 200 athletic events such as marathons and triathlons in which his adult son is pushed in a wheelchair, carried on a bicycle, and pulled in a boat. He has inspired individuals all over the world to undertake activities designed to enrich the lives of the disabled. In this interview, Dick discusses how important it is to be an advocate for patients, as well as the disabled, fitness, and perseverance.

Erica Murray serves as President and CEO for the California Association of Public Hospitals and Health Systems. Erica leads a broad array of improvement initiatives including chronic disease management, language access services, and outpatient service delivery efficiencies. Previous positions for Erica have included working as a health policy analyst in the Senate for former US Senator John Edwards and consulting with the Department of Health and Human Services on launching the AIDS drug assistance program, a $1.4B initiative. Erica holds a Masters of Public Policy and Administration from Columbia University, and received a Bachelor of Arts degree from McGill University in Montreal, Quebec. In this interview, Erica discusses the ACA and implications in California, on the safety net population, and on outcomes as well as other topics like telehealth.

Jamie Heywood is a true leader in health innovation. An MIT-trained mechanical engineer, Jamie founded PatientsLikeMe after his 29 year old brother was diagnosed with Motor Neuron Disease/Amylotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. Described by CNNMoney as one of the 15 companies that will change the world, PatientsLikeMe helps improve lives through a real time research platform that advances medicine. Jamie also founded and served as CEO of the ALS Therapy Development Institute, the world’s first non-profit biotechnology company and the world’s largest and most comprehensive ALS research program. In this interview, Jamie discusses numerous critical topics in health such as signal and phenotype, and of course the importance of patients and data driving improved health delivery.

Richard Carmona is a highly decorated Vietnam combat veteran who became the 17th Surgeon General of the United States. A high school dropout in Harlem, his incredible subsequent educational journey enabled him to go from a community college in the Bronx to graduating first in his medical school class at the University of California at San Francisco. He currently serves as a professor at the University of Arizona School of Public Health. He is involved in many contemporary issues that affect individual and community health status and discusses childhood obesity, legalization of marijuana, health policy, and other key health topics in this interview.