I'm spending the day on Seattle's Pier 66 at the ACP Conference. Diana, Jennifer, and I are talking to physicians, recruiting new advisors, and playing Operation. We're having a contest at our booth to see which doctor can successfully remove the most pieces in 45 seconds. This doctor got 9 pieces out! At this point it looks like he may be the winner, but if any of you are going to here tomorrow (Saturday, Nov 3rd), stop by and try.

Today, in our 3rd physician profile, you'll meet iMedExchange advisor Dr. Ramona Bates.

Name: Ramona Bates, MD

Location: Little Rock, AR

Medical School: University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences

Residency, etc.: I did a Flexible Internship at Earl K Long Hospital in Baton Rouge, then a general surgery residency at Ohio Valley Medical Center in Wheeling, WV, and a plastic surgery residency at Boston University Hospital.

Practice environment: It's truly a solo practice. I do everything from seeing patients, doing procedures and running the business, to returning phone calls and making appointments. Fridays are set aside for reading journals, doing small scar revisions in the office and personal errands.

Hi everyone - We’ve decided to change the name of our physician advisor team from iCN to iAN (iMedExchange Advisor Network). We consider these physicians an integral part of our team: trust advisors. We decided the term “consultant” didn't properly reflect this relationship…and thus the switch.
I also want to welcome our new iAN Manager. Her name is Diana Heath and we are very happy to have her on our team. She'll be introducing herself on this blog in the next day or two.

An InformationWeek article about a security test that was recently conducted with IRS employees is quite eye-opening. Researchers called 102 IRS employees and tried to‘trick’ them into changing their computer passwords to something suggested by the caller. A surprising 61 of the 102 employees complied with the request, which could have exposed highly personal and confidential tax-payer information.

Fortunately, this was a just a test... and also a huge wake-up call. What surprises me most about this study is that only 8 of the 102 employees called administrators to check on this request or report the calls! I take it as a well-timed reminder that it never hurts to be sure when it comes to security. It's also valuable to have resources to whom you can take your questions.

The reason we’re so grateful for our iCN (iMedExchange Consultant Network), is that we have the right resources to whom we pose constant questions. Who better to ask about what physicians need, than physicians themselves? And not a small handful, but a diverse group representing broad specialties, geographic locations and practice types. So this is a quick ‘thank you’ to the iCN for being there to answer our questions... and a reminder that if you ever have questions that we can answer, we’re always available.

The City of Brotherly Love was a great venue for meeting with a group of very bright physicians this past week-end. We were treated to wonderful dialog at the beautiful Fairmont Hotel in downtown Philly. Discussion ranged from healthcare IT to the famous Flexner Report and its impact on US healthcare. It's hard to believe we didn't even have time to touch on important matters such as the Eagles and Phillies.

From Philly we headed to the Coast and a chance to relax in Rehoboth Beach. For those of you who haven't been to the beach cities of Delaware, you really should make a point to go. The beaches are beautiful, the restaurants are top-notch and the people are fascinating. Only 2 hours from "the District", the area draws heavily from the political machine of the Capital. But, once folks arrive at the beach, they shift into a new gear, let their hair down and the agenda is all about relaxation, food and an occasional adult beverage.

Wednesday night we had a fun event at Truffles in the gorgeous Ladue neighborhood of St. Louis, MO General Manager John Cain runs a first rate resturant with a terrific wine selection.

One of the iMedExchange Sr. Advisors, Jeff Atkins, MD was gracious enough to act as host for the evening. Dr. Atkins fits right in with the rest of the iMedExchange team if for no other reason than his appreciation for great wine.

The event resulted in an interesting discussion amongst the physician group and members of the iMedExchange management team. Aside from the topics of wine, favorite restaurants, private aviation, updates on kids and the like, we were able to hear first hand what physicians are eager to get out of iMedExchange. It was clear that every physician is truly different and one of the important features of iMedExchange will be its ability to adapt to the individual needs and interests of the physician user.

I am looking forward to similar discussions in coming weeks across the country with physicians who have joined our iCN team and others who have become investors with the company. It's very rewarding and energizing to hear about your personal experiences in practice and learn a little bit about your interests and needs.

Send me comments....I am curious what changes you have seen in your profession since you completed your Residency?

iMedExchange just moved across the street from the historic Medical Dental Building in downtown Seattle. The structure was built over eight decades ago by a group of entrepreneurial Physicians and Dentists. To introduce ourselves to our new neighbors, the iMedExchange team hosted breakfast and lunch for the physicians.

The Winter Garden Café housed in the building was the scene for the meet and greet events. A special thanks to the Winter Garden Cafe owners who served up healthy and very tasty food and drinks. If you haven't visited their café, it's a very cool setting with a fireplace and seating that overlooks the climbing wall of the brand new Executive Allstar Fitness Gym.

I'm happy to report that the Physicians of the Medical Dental Building were excited about the resource iMedExchange is offering to Physicians nationwide. To quote one new physician adviser from the building, "I often feel on an island as a sole practitioner. Joining the iMedExchange Consultant Network (iCN) will give me the opportunity to contribute to a new community that will connect me with physicians facing the same daily challenges."

To make iMedExchange the most useful online place for Physicians, we will have plenty of focus groups and events for our iCN participants. Physicians in the Medical / Dental Building are great candidates to join our team because of their close proximity. So, today I challenge those of you who weren't able to meet us last week to visit www.whoisdrstanley.com to learn more about us. We'd love to have you join the team and help prepare for the movement we are about to launch.

We promise not to be rowdy neighbors, but we will definitely have some fun...so come join in!