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Arguably one of the biggest motivators behind the Duet Health model has been to achieve one thing: patient education. 

"There are a couple of changes that are happening that are forcing big health organizations and everybody to have to educate patients like they’ve never done before," said Jeff Harper, CEO of Duet Health. "Nobody could’ve predicted that there would be this much emphasis on education, there never has been in the past."

The idea that patient education is important is not a new one. 

An article by Kristie Jernigan for General Medicine at suite101.com stresses the importance of patient education says "patient education benefits the patients, health care community, insurance companies and taxpayers. Making a patient knowledgeable gives them the power to succeed."

The article also outlines the tangible benefits of patient education. Not only do patients benefit with "the result of better health and an improved understanding of how they need to live to continue to have good health," Jernigan points out that "the medical staff, health care facilities and insurance companies also benefit by having a reduced number of unnecessary hospitalizations and ER visits.

That fact ultimately impacts and benefits all taxpayers (state and federal)."

Patient education benefits taxpayers. Seems like all the reason one would need to buy into the idea, right? 

Another article written by George L. Spaeth, MD, FACS, in September, 2011 dives deeper into the issue, saying "a doctor is first and foremost an educator," and that "while there are thousands of volumes written on patient education, very few of them have any impact on patient behavior."

Why is that? We've already established that patient education is wildly important. Why is there this gap between the importance of patient education and the actual process of educating a patient? 

Two of the big changes happening in health care are the creation of “accountable care organizations,” and “meaningful use.” 

"You have to educate patients in a meaningful way towards their course of care," said Harper. 

These implementations are a start towards better patient education, but the question is how. Spaeth raises the question, how do physicians, already pressed for time, go about doing that? 

Harper thinks Duet Health may be the solution to providing better patient education.

"If (for example) you were pregnant, doctors used to hand you a booklet and say hey, here’s what’s wrong with you, we’ll walk you through it. It’s jam-packed with information for you on what happens during pregnancy," said Harper. "Now with Duet Health, your doctor can hand you a sheet of paper and say just download the app."

Harper realizes the process of implementing Duet Health into a doctor's everyday practice won't be easy.

"Moving from a booklet to a sheet of paper to you and I seems simple, to them it’s a total paradigm change in how they do business," he said. 

While the process might not be easy, Harper knows the benefits of having a better educational system in place for patients outweighs the struggles.

“We know how vital what we’re going to do is to the overall health and wellness of people," he said. 

In the meantime though, we at Duet Health want to hear from our readers. 

What types of educational materials do you provide for your patients? 

How do you go about the process of educating your patients? 

What do you think could be done to improve this process? 

Do you think Duet Health would be a valuable addition to your practice? 

My article, "Go Ahead and Look: Dancers with Disabilities," has received an Editor's Choice Award from www.suite101.com in the category of Contemporary Dance.

Thank you for going there if you haven't otherwise, please visit:

http://www.suite101.com/content/go-ahead-and-look-dancers-with-disabilities-invite-your-gaze-a372104

 I'm afraid, Billo, this is totally inappropriate. It begins as a personal rant against your own parent and upbringing, using nothing but shallow criticisms instead of constructive arguments that are well thought out and backed up by valid sources. It then descends into either sophomoric humor or flights of imagination, depending on whether you expect your readers to take your new religion's tenets seriously or not.

Finally, the photo of yourself, barely clothed and looking hungover, is not only incredibly immature, but is not allowed (photos of the writer are allowed on the Profile page only). 

I will be forwarding this to the Managing Editor. 

Barbara Bell, editor

Well, that lasted.  

Just so it's archived somewhere, here it is... the article that dug my grave.

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I was born and raised in a strict Christian household. "Strict" of course is an understatement. And, worst of all, it was a Conservative Christian household. We owned a television for every room downstairs so that wherever my mother was she could hear whatever she was watching... and of course, it was always tuned to Fox News.

At first, I tried to follow suit. It made Mother happy, so I didn't care that it didn't make me happy. In all honesty, Conservative Christianity depressed me more than anything. But still, I tried.

I tried to smile and nod as I listened to the borderline bigots on Fox News encourage Mother to hate homosexuals and lie to her, and telling her that President Obama isn't even American. I tried to smile and nod as Mother tried telling me everything she's heard from Fox News (as if I couldn't hear the televisions all blaring the same message from literally every direction).

But, finally... I snapped. I was sick of playing along with something that I simply did not believe in. I was sick of pretending to be against homosexuality (even though my own cousin is gay). I was sick of basing my life on a book written and translated by so many people that it was basically like a game of Telephone.

When I first told my mother that I didn't believe, of course she didn't take it well. She went so far as to tell me she loved me less. Things got gradually worse and worse, but luckily college started so I got to move out anyway.

At college, I learned more and more about the Christian religion. The more I learned, the less I believed. The Christian Bible isn't even good as a book of ethics, because for every good point there are ten bad points. How could anyone seriously subject themselves to this? How could anyone spend their lives at the beck and call of this Arabic book of slaughter?

Life is short, why waste it on a useless religion that you don't agree with...

... When you can spend it on a useless religion that you totally agree with?

WHAT IS MODERN DAY IRISH PAGANISM?

What is Modern Day Irish Paganism? That is a good question!

Modern Day Irish Paganism is, of course, based on ancient Irish Paganism. In this religion, we (by "we", I probably mean "I") believe not in one god, but rather, fair folk. Yes, fairies. However, forget the cute little girls with wings on their backs. I don't worship Tinkerbell, guys. In this religion, we worship what I call True Fairies.

True Fairies are spirits. They're invisible, and they take care of nature itself. Now you might be thinking, "But, if Fairies are taking care of everything, why are some areas unlivable because of harsh environments?" To that I reply, harsh for whom? I'm not going to lie, Fairies have never liked humans.

In most stories about fairies, they're usually tricking humans either to death or to insanity... and only treating the humans respectful of them with respect in turn.

Modern Day Irish Paganism basically is striving to be the respectful humans. We do good deeds, never litter, and whenever something good happens (we see a rare wild animal, we find money on the ground, we find a Fairy Ring [any time something in nature forms a ring shape], etc.) We say, "All respect" to let any fairies near by know that we acknowledge that it was their doing, and that we respect the deed and the doer of said deed.

DOES IT WORK?

After converting, I met a wonderful girl who I've been with for almost a year now. In August, we (the girl and I) had a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to move to Las Vegas, Nevada (which, of course, I took).

Once we lived here, I applied for a job that pays $13 an hour. I got an email the next day saying that I got the job. Not being content with just a day job, I decided to shop around for professional writing jobs. I found Suite 101, and although I heard rumors that only 20% of applicants were accepted, I still applied.

Can you guess if I got the job or not? Spoiler alert, I totally got the job.

I believe all of these good things happened because I was good to the fairies. I believe if you're good and respectful to the Fair Folk, they'll be good and respectful to you in return. I've been very happy in this new religion, and I can honestly say I'll stick with this one 'till I die.

"JESUS IS THE ONLY WAY TO HEAVEN"

I once wrote a note on Facebook about what I believe about Jesus (whose name isn't even Jesus)

The note is as follows, "If I were a Christian, here is what I’d believe: Jesus was just a guy, he had a message of love. 'Love your enemy as you would a brother'. 'Do unto others as you would have done unto yourself'. And when he said, 'Go forth and spread my message' he really meant 'Go out and tell people to be good to eachother, go out and do good things without expecting anything in return… LOVE each other'

He died willingly as a man who would die for love. I’d like to believe that… because the world needs a man, not a God."

If you're reading this, and are saying to yourself, "This is preposterous! This is blasphemy! You need to shut your mouth and drop your silly little 'religion'" I have three words for you...

Same. To. You.

For 18 years of my life I was subjected to a "silly little religion", and when I tried to break free I was told by my own mother that I was loved less. Even though I didn't believe what my mother believed, I still was forced to practice due to my mother's fear of what people would say if they discovered that I was a dreaded "nonbeliever". I was enslaved to a "silly little religion".

If you believe that you're religion is the only "right" religion, I would like to introduce you to the real world. There are several religions that not only are more tolerant than Christianity... but they also make more sense. In fact, before Modern Day Irish Paganism, I was sincerely tempted to convert to either Bhuddism or Islam.

I'm not saying that all Christians are like my mother... and I'm certainly not saying it's impossible to be truly happy with it (note that I say "truly", because you need to be real to yourself on whether Christianity makes you happy or if you tell yourself Christianity makes you happy).

What I am saying is that as far as religion goes it's one huge gamble. Christians have just as much of a chance of being right as Muslims do.... and at least Muslims have better food.

IN CLOSING

Every religion is ridiculous. If it wasn't ridiculous, it'd be atheism. Believe what you want to believe, because you're living your life. YOUR life. No one else can tell you what you should believe, because they're not the ones in control of your life. You don't need a pastor, a rabbi, a prophet, a priest, or a monk to tell you how to live it.

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Honestly?  I kind of figured this would get me fired.  But, it's whatever... maybe the Managing Editor will turn to Barbara and be like, "You're over reacting, and I don't negotiate with Nazis" Until that day, back to the oooool' unemployment grind.