Friday Night Vodka Buzz. Ask me anything.

[Aristus]

A couple of shots to get the party started. Now I’m enjoying a Nutty Irishman: Irish Cream and Frangelico. End of my first week visiting with patients. I pretty much have the new electronic records system figured out.

The pace is less stressful, and nobody at the new clinic looks like they wish they were somewhere else.

I’m loving my new job. But I really hope some of my homeless patients come in to see me soon, because I sure do miss them.

I love you all. Got a new laptop, so I can start hanging out again more often.

[BOSSHOG]

1. If Ella Fitzgerald married Darth Vader

What would her name be?

[True Dough]

5. Not sure, but this is top-floor humor! Going up!

[BOSSHOG]

6. It's part of my early evening routine

[Aristus]

7. Ella Fitzgerald.

Because I would tell my lady Ella: “Gurrl! Keep your own name, you hear?”

[CaliforniaPeggy]

2. Your routine sounds wonderful, my dear Aristus!

I hope your homeless patients will follow you too.

[True Dough]

3. What model laptop

did you go with, Aristus? Enjoy your nutting!

[Aristus]

8. An Apple.

Big improvement over the Lenovo I was borrowing from work.

Don’t remember the model number off the top of my head, but it’s a nice one.

[True Dough]

15. Good for you!

I'm definitely a PC guy. My wife adores Apple products. I just don't find them intuitive.

Anyway, enjoy!

[3catwoman3]

28. My former practice went with Lenovos when they started EHR...

...in 2013. When I needed to get a new home laptop, I most emphatically did NOT want a Lenovo because I associated it with EPIC, which I hated from day 1 until I retired 8 years later. I didn't want to think about work every time I used my own laptop at home.

Pretty much the only thing I liked about EPIC was the art that showed up when you first opened it. I never could figure out the one with the cow being beamed up into a UFO. That and the feature where you could make your own shortcuts for frequently used words needed in narratives - handy to just type "pete" for petechiae, or "serp" for serpiginous, etc, and have the whole word populate into your note. IIRC, that feature was called "user dictionary."

One of my colleagues showed me that trick. He used it a lot, but not to good effect, as he usually chose just the first letter of some words - "c" for constipation, "d" for diarrhea, and "v" for vomiting. He never proofread his charting, which made for some interesting entries like these:
- He plays vomiting ball (from a sports physical for a high school volleyball player)
- I suspect constipation diarrhea ( it was supposed to be C. diff)

Things like that made me laugh, but also made me hope none of his charts were ever called into court.

I proofed everything.

[Aristus]

30. SmartText. That was the EPIC version.

AllScripts called it AutoText.

In NextGen, they're MyPhrases. It's the least helpful of all the systems. In the other two systems, you can use your prepared text terms and phrases in any text field. That really speeded up charting. In NextGen, you can only use your own text terms in the A/P boxes marked 'MyPhrases', and in no others. And there's no speed option, like typing '.con' for Continue all medications as directed. MyPhrases are in a drop down menu, and you have to click the phrase you want before it will populate in the desired field.

In most other respects, though, I'm able to adapt NextGen to my point-click-move on to the next patient style of clinical practice.

[OAITW r.2.0]

4. A tip of the glass to you, Doc.

Nice to end the career in a place that values your contributions!

[Zeecat]

9. Ella

Ella flips Vader. Now he watches MSNBC!

[Marthe48]

10. Happy Friday

Last week, you mentioned either ice stones or whiskey stones. I looked at different kinds and see quartz and steel, round and square. Which do you think are best? I might get a set for my s-i-l.

Thank you

[Aristus]

12. Mine are square and possibly granite.

Hope you find a set she likes.

[gay texan]

11. Was "Super Fly"

really fly?

[Aristus]

13. Of course!

It’s right there in the name!

Sheesh!

[gay texan]

14. outstanding!!! n/t

[3catwoman3]

16. What EHR system does your new place use?

[Aristus]

19. NextGen.

Not the most user-friendly system I’ve ever worked with. Not as good as EPIC, which sucked compared to AllScripts.

But I’m able to adapt it to my clinical style of practice.

[3catwoman3]

29. Not as good as EPIC? That doesn't sound very encouraging.

I only ever worked with EPIC, so I have no standards of comparison. I detested it. I do recall that you liked AllScripts, and said you were able to chart quite efficiently.

In any article/critique I read about EHR, EPIC seems to be pretty universally despised, much like that vile Kars 4 Kids commercial.

[Mr.Bill]

17. The atmosphere at a medical facility

affects not only the employees, but also the patients, too. People pick up on those things whether they may realize it or not. Glad to see you've landed at a good place. It'll probably add years to your life.

[OldBaldy1701E]

18. I am so glad that things are going good at the new job.

What would you say is the number one thing you tend to when you see your patients? Is it something like an injury, or is it more illness? Is it more routine health kind of thing or do you often pine for a normal day?

[Aristus]

31. Right now, I'm working in urgent care until a permanent clinic position opens up.

I hope one does soon, because that way, I'm more likely to see my homeless patients again. My new clinic is only two blocks away from my old one, so my commute hasn't really changed. And it's not too far for my patients to come to see me in clinic.

Right now, all urgent care patient cases get put into a pooled schedule, and each provider selects the cases he or she wants. Urgent care is feast or famine. I've heard stories of providers going hours without a case because there were no urgent care patients. Well, we're not there right now. The cold weather has brought in endless cases of sore throats, upper respiratory infections, and patients worried about the flu. Routine stuff. Not a lot of challenging patients like at the homeless clinic.

I don't miss the nose-to-the-grindstone pace of my old job. But I miss the cases that challenged me and made me a better provider. And I miss my homeless patients so dreadfully. I hope they find me soon...

[byronius]

20. Ever seen 'Love Actually'?

We just watched it — our Christmas tradition.

Peace! And long life.

[niyad]

22. I love that movie!

[byronius]

24. Possibly the finest Christmas movie ever.

The Brits put their all into that fine film.

[Aristus]

32. I like the beginning and the ending.

In the airport, when the narrator says that if you feel like there's no longer any love in the world, go to an airport arrivals terminal. You'll see so much love in the travelers and those there to greet them that you will realize that love, actually, is all around.

Most of the stuff in-between those scenes hasn't aged very well.

[Dulcinea]

37. Switch to better quality beer?

[niyad]

23. And we love you back. Glad that your first week with visiting patients went well.

Do you prefer flaming punch, or flaming plum pudding? And do you use one of those cute little flamers?

[Aristus]

25. I've never had either, unfortunately.

Love to try both of them. Nothing enhances a new food experience quite like flambé.

[Redleg]

26. How's your liver doing?

I treat mine with a good single malt scotch or a nice gin drink, depending on what materials I have on hand. This time of year my liver craves hot toddies made with scotch, honey, and cinnamon sticks (and near-boiling water).

[Aristus]

33. Hanging in there.

Had my blood drawn recently for what's called a metabolic panel. A complete panel includes a liver function level. Mine is perfectly normal.

[Glamrock]

27. Dude, I pop in frequently to infrequently.

Glad to see you’ve moved on. While you are my hero for all that you gave in the last position, broke my heart to see the life sucked out of you while trying to be the blessing to our species you are.

Happy that you’re happy, man.

[Aristus]

34. I'm happy to see you again, that's for sure!

You should hang out here more often.

[Glamrock]

35. I know man.

Just busy….and stuff.

You’re still my hero bro. That was absolutely sincere. All me love baby! I’ll pm you soon.

[Aristus]

36. I don't know what to say. I'm overwhelmed.