WHO AM I? Human being. Patient advocate. Inventor. Social entrepreneur. |
I realize this picture of my mother and I is an odd picture for a professional photo. But I think it best captures what I am about. She had terminal cancer. I love(d) her dearly.
We want to pull out all the stops to make health care what it could and should be. Ultimately it is about quality of life as long as possible |
Presenting at Dell Medical School, Austin, TX
Science of Happiness Summit, May, 2018
Working to change health care
Science of Happiness Summit, May, 2018
Working to change health care
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We have never actually designed health care as a system in the United States. And, unfortunately, patients are not what drives the "healthcare" we have.
We have a lot to do to make health care that is what it could and should be. And it will take all of us working together. I hope you will join me!
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Health care for patients |
CHANGING THINGS
My Work
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American College of Lifestyle Medicine |
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A huge missing piece in healthcare was that, despite mountains of scientific evidence, treatment was still based on pills and procedures for treating symptoms and consequences. To build a system that made any sense whatsoever, we needed “treat the cause” care on the playing field, and it needed to be foundational to everything else. The best way to do that was to develop a professional organization that would define and represent the field and providers in this discipline. So, like there is the American Academy of Family Practice or the American College of Surgeons, we built the American College of Lifestyle Medicine. My friend and colleague, John Kelly, MD, MPH, was the Founder and first President. I became Secretary, then second President, then first Executive Director, spending the better part of 7 years doing the blood, sweat, and tears of building something that everyone knew was what was needed and no one wanted to support with time or resources.
We built infrastructure, established annual national conferences, built a board of Advisors of the best scientists and experts on the planet in Lifestyle Medicine, including former US Surgeon Generals, Chairs of Departments at Harvard, etc. We developed regular publications, member support, collaborations with other professional societies such as the American College of Preventive Medicine, collaborations with Sage Publications and the American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine. We began work to establish standards for the field, culminating in the publication in the Journal of the American Medical Association of the product of a national Blue Ribbon Panel with recommended competencies for all providers in prescribing Lifestyle Medicine. We established formal Fellow designations and systems for those who had substantially contributed to the field professionally, etc, etc, etc. We got Lifestyle Medicine on the map as a credible, professional field, with every reason to be the foundation of healthcare everywhere. Thanks to the continued efforts of others the American College of Lifestyle Medicine continues to grow and shine a bright light on the heart and foundation of a better kind of healthcare. |
Journey to transform healthcare
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The Lifestyle Medicine Foundation
We set up the Foundation early on so that the College could focus on the professionals, and the Foundation could focus on the public, promotion, the science, awareness, etc. The organization was later transferred to leaders associated with ACLM and the International Board of Lifestyle Medicine. Lifestyle Medicine Pro We created a consulting service to help healthcare providers and systems succeed administratively and financially while providing a better kind of healthcare. Foundations for Transformation All of these projects were worthwhile and steps of progress, but we still didn't have a clear and solid foundation to build healthcare upon for the long term. Increasingly, efforts were spent on exploring, defining, and creating the needed foundations. The first and primary product of this phase of the journey is the upcoming book on how humans work and why they don't. Everything depends upon understanding and effectively engaging effectively with how humans work. The previously unattainable is then possible. |
Other Work - Present and Future
Vitalities®
"Lifestyle vital signs" |
LifestyleMedicine.com
Future home - lifestyle as medicine for all |
NWLifestyleMedicine.com
Dr. Braman's practice |
Me
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There are many things I love doing, but I am especially passionate about bringing life, health, and joy into others lives. My family teases me that I need 10 lifetimes to do all the things I want to do. I am by nature an inventor and entrepreneur. These qualities are tasked with accomplishing as much permanent good as possible in the world and for others with the life and opportunities I am privileged to have.
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I teach, speak, write, and consult for professional and lay audiences and entities on topics from whole person clinical care, business, science, spirituality/philosophy, and innovation, to universal principles integrating multiple dimensions. In my sparse spare time I love inventing for the sheer joy of it.
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