4 minute read
Just Fly, by Marlene J. Wüst-Smith, M.D.
Just Fly
“When she transformed into a butterfly, the caterpillars spoke not of her beauty, but of her weirdness. They wanted her to change back into what she always had been. But she had wings.”-Dean Jackson
I AM A PROUDLY “WEIRD” PHYSICIAN...a dreamer with a “think big,” “save the world,” “one person at a time,” “glass half full” sort of personality and approach to life. It is this part of my character and value system that inspired me to become an entrepreneur and founder and publisher of Physician Outlook Magazine.
I KNEW THAT MEDICINE WAS BROKEN, that patients were suffering, and that many physicians were looking for a way out of the rut that their professional (and personal) lives had become.
THROUGH A COMBINATION OF STORYTELLING and by showcasing the art and beauty of medicine, Physician Outlook successfully unites physicians and patients with one another in a culture of mutual respect and trust. We partner with and amplify the voices of those who are truly invested in doing the right thing. One of our goals at P.O. is to provide a roadmap for those who feel inspired to become “accidental advocates” so that they, too, can help repair our fragmented healthcare system, where profits have become perversely prioritized over patient care.
WE FIRMLY BELIEVE IN TRANSPARENCY, knowing that true sunshine levels the playing field. We need to support national and state legislation that pulls back the curtain on the costly and inefficient bureaucracy in healthcare.
PHYSICIAN OUTLOOK IS A PROUDLY FOR-PROFIT but mission-based company. We are on track to become hugely financially successful with plans to re-invest those profits in physician-owned organizations, as
well as businesses that are physician-founded or affiliated. Those who transparently support patients’ and our profession’s well-being will continue to be our primary base.
PHYSICIAN OUTLOOK RELIES FINANCIALLY ON OUR SUBSCRIBERS and sponsoring advertisers. We seek support from those who are free of conflicts of interest.
It is no secret that traditional “medical magazines” and journals are chock-full of print advertisements sponsored by ‘big’ Pharma, ‘big’ Hospital and ‘big’ Insurance and the complicit middlemen (Group Purchasing Organizations and Pharmaceutical Benefit Managers) that tie all of these entities together.
THE MEDICAL INDUSTRY KNOWS that 90% of physicians are reached by print ads (a figure that rises to >95% when print and digital advertisements are considered together). We at Physician Outlook know that as well, and that is why we continue to stay the course. We would rather our support continue to come from hundreds of $10/month print subscribers, or a few dozen $200/month sponsoring advertisers, rather than accept the ‘blood money’ that a single $10,000/page print ad might bring us.
ETHICS MATTER.
THE TRUTH MATTERS.
INDIVIDUALS MATTER.
We try hard to stay away from “identity politics” and any framework or ideology that fosters ‘group-think.’ Physician Outlook welcomes open dialogue amongst those with differing views. We are staunchly opposed to intolerance and racism of any kind.
PHYSICIAN OUTLOOK IS GROWING and has become a trusted resource and industry leader in a short period of time. We are a multi-media “Reader’s Digest” of sorts that exists on a variety of platforms.
I REPRESENT OUR AVERAGE READER. I have dedicated my life to Medicine. For me, being a physician is not a job, a career or an “employed opportunity.”
IT IS A CALLING.
I REFUSE TO BE HERDED LIKE A SHEEP by Administrators, insurance companies or by hospital systems that put profits before patients. I am not a “provider.” I am a Physician with a capital “P.” I am not replaceable.
AND IF THAT MAKES ME “WEIRD,” SO BE IT.
...and for all of the caterpillars out there who expect me to change back into who I was, it’s too late.
My wings are flapping, and I have embarked on my transcontinental migration.
Written by Dr. Marlene Wüst-Smith
patient care.
