by
Sean Ruck, Contributing Editor | August 01, 2013
From the August 2013 issue of HealthCare Business News magazine
In addition to putting together interesting content each issue, the DOTmed team also has the challenge of putting together interesting covers. The parts and service issue has been notoriously difficult when it comes to cover creation. Just how many ways can you convey parts? Well, we know there's at least five or six ways since we've done this issue every year since DMBN started. But this year's issue much way easier than usual. When you read the article on
choosing service providers and the advice presented by our panel of experts (p. 54), one of the messages you'll see repeated is how important it is to research the companies you're looking to do business with. I believe it really is one of the best investments of time you can make since it can lead to big savings.
So, with that in mind, I thought of the choices we make and how way leads to way. Since I couldn't think of a visual to play off of Robert Frost's poem, The Road Not Taken, I instead went to another great artist - Monty Hall. For those of you not familiar with Hall, he was the host of "Let's Make a Deal," a show where contestants were offered a prize, but they have the option to trade it in for some other prize hidden behind a door or curtain. Anyway, the fun of the game was that some people thought what they had was good enough and walked away with it, others took a gamble and picked a door, where they either did better than their original prize . . . sometimes much worse. That was the inspiration behind the cover. However, the advantage you have over those contestants is that you can do research, meaning you can essentially open each of those doors and take a look at your options.
Paired up with the service article is of course the other half of the issue's theme. The
parts section starts on page 32. I'm calling it a section because it really offers much more than just the industry sector report. There's also an extensive directory of certified parts vendors and a who's who of companies and their parts specialties in the sales and services directory. Additionally, there's a whole section of advertisers that should deliver just what you're looking for.
One other piece I really want to call your attention to this issue is our
Future of Health Care column on the last page of the magazine. Dr. Daphne Miller offers some fascinating insight both in the article and in her new book, Farmacology (Harper Collins). Miller discusses how taking a close look at responsible farming has influenced the way she practices medicine. It may sound a little strange, but that's why it's so interesting, because once you read what she has to say, I think you'll find it makes quite a lot of sense. Before I close this month's letter, I just remembered one other advantage you have over the contestants on Hall's show - you don't need to dress up in ridiculous costumes to have service providers pay attention to you. If you go that route though, that’s your choice and
I won’t judge you.
Until next issue!
