Continuing medical education and then some…

First the serious stuff: Just back from taking the Continuing Medical Education courses at the Javits Center in Manhattan.

Two and a half days attending lectures on important topics in the management of conditions which concern so many of us, such as diabetes, heart disease, COPD, sleep disorders, high cholesterol, low back pain, and the metabolic syndrome.

It doesn't matter how much you know, there's always something new you bring back with you from these courses.

And the patients benefit from it.

And now to the ridiculous: You must already know some of the restrictions placed on pharmaceutical companies promotional "giveaways" to physicians. They used to give away trips, tickets to Broadway shows, and engage in other promotional activities which are now considered unethical (don't get me wrong, I'm not taking sides or expressing my opinion here).

At the Javits center meetings, some drug manufacturers were allowed to offer minor refreshments such as coffee and nuts. At several stands, the following sign (or a version of it) was posted: Due to State regulations, we can not serve complimentary beverages to health care providers licensed in the state of Minnesota…

Don't the legislators and regulators have something better to do?

Stew Leonard’s in Norwalk to offer on-site physicals for team members

Stew Leonard's made the following announcement about their innovative way of making high caliber preventive health care more accessible to their employees. I'm here to help, and I hope it's a trend setter.

As part of an on-going commitment to preventive healthcare, Stew Leonard’s will launch a pilot program tomorrow offering on-site physicals for Team Members at the Norwalk store. The Stew Leonard’s “Wellness Mobile” will be led by Dr. Igal Staw, a local Norwalk physician who has served the community for more than 30 years.

“Stew Leonard’s surveyed our Team Members and we found that a lack of time and not having a trusted doctor locally kept many from getting their yearly physicals,” said Jill Leonard Tavello, Executive VP of Culture and Communications at Stew Leonard’s. “By bringing Dr. Staw directly to our store here in Norwalk, we hope to keep our Team Members healthy and reinforce the importance of preventive care.”

On June 3, the first eight Team Members will report to the Wellness Mobile, located in a private trailer behind the store, for blood work, an EKG, and preliminary paperwork with a staff member of Dr. Staw’s office. On June 7 and 8, Dr. Staw will perform the physicals as well as take time to meet with each Team Member regarding their healthcare-related questions. If the Wellness Mobile is a success in Norwalk, Stew Leonard’s plans to expand the program to their other stores in Yonkers, N.Y. and Danbury and Newington, Conn.

“Recent research shows that well over 40% of premature deaths in the United States can be attributed to lifestyle choices,” said Dr. Staw. “My work at Stew’s Wellness Mobile will of course focus on early detection of treatable medical conditions, but the real emphasis will be on assessing each Team Member’s risk for chronic disease and how they can lower that risk through smart, healthy choices in their everyday lives.”

The Wellness Mobile is just the latest example of how Stew Leonard’s has taken an active approach to preventive health care for their more than 2,500 Team Members. On-site cholesterol and blood pressure screenings, mammograms, and flu shots are offered throughout year and discounts on weight loss programs, smoking cessation aids, and fitness center memberships are also provided to both full and part-time Team Members. Additionally, between now and August 31, Stew Leonard’s will give Team Members $500 in Benefit Bucks – or money towards their deductible – to encourage them to visit their doctor for their annual check-up.

About Stew Leonard’s:

Stew Leonard’s, a family-owned and operated fresh food store founded in 1969, has four stores in Norwalk, Danbury, and Newington, Conn. and Yonkers, N.Y. Stew’s earned its nickname, the “Disneyland of dairy stores” because of its country-fair atmosphere, with costumed characters and animated entertainment throughout the store that keep children entertained while parents shop. Stew Leonard’s legion of loyal shoppers is largely due to the stores’ passionate approach to customer service: “Rule #1 -- The Customer is Always Right”; Rule #2 – If the Customer is Ever Wrong, Re-Read Rule #1.” This principle is so essential to the foundation of the company that it is etched in a three-ton granite rock at each store’s entrance. The company’s culture is built around an acronym for S.T.E.W.: Satisfy the customer; Teamwork gets it done; Excellence makes it better; WOW makes it fun. For more information, visit Stew Leonard’s website at http://www.stewleonards.com./

About Dr. Staw:

Dr. Staw’s motto in his practice has been, "We help you live a longer, healthier life..." He was a late comer to medicine; after receiving his doctorate in Biomedical Engineering and doing basic research in the area of pulmonary physiology and certain metabolic processes, he felt that his real calling was patient care. The next five years were spent in accelerated programs through medical school and training in internal medicine and pulmonary medicine. Dr. Staw has been in private practice for over 30 years, and in the last 22 years he has placed great emphasis on prevention. He practices preventive care by first identifying his patient’s health risk factors (the factors which predispose them to disease) and then by developing the best strategy to minimize or eliminate these risks. It is his firm belief that the practice of preventive care, in its broader sense, is one of the most important factors not only in keeping his patients healthier, but also in keeping the environment cleaner, and the economy stronger. For more information, please visit http://www.drstaw.com./