The Importance of Insomnia Panel Discussions

Peter L. Salgo, MD: We’ve entered a new era of medical education. I sat in a classroom and I got dogma, and now I can sit at home on a computer, and I can watch all of the experts in the world talk to me. This is different, isn’t it?

Nicole Brandt, PharmD, MBA, BCPP, CGP, FASCP: Yes.

Peter L. Salgo, MD: What’s the value here?

Nicole Brandt, PharmD, MBA, BCPP, CGP, FASCP: I love the interprofessional nature of this conversation. I think in caring for complex patient populations, such as older adults, and to have this exchange and dialogue, in which we can agree that we don’t always agree on what the best approach is and be open about it, is great. But I think at the end of the day, we’re centered on what really matters to the patient, improving their quality of life and function.

Peter L. Salgo, MD: Even the provider, this is of real value. There are real people in the insurance industry.

Gary L. Johnson, MD, MS, MBA: Absolutely.

Peter L. Salgo, MD: Does that make you feel better—that people can see you? Seriously?

Gary L. Johnson, MD, MS, MBA: Yes. Well, we’re human beings and we’re also physicians. We’re not accountants with a green eyeshade.

Peter L. Salgo, MD: Now, my accountant is offended by that, but I take your point. And in the meantime, too, we get to an exchange between physicians. It isn’t just somebody lecturing. I think that’s a real advantage.

Karl Doghramji, MD: I think so. A lecture is a way to give out information from a textbook, but you can read the textbook and get the information from that. A dialogue gives you different viewpoints on the same information. And by getting different viewpoints and perspectives, we can, I think, better understand how to treat our patients.

Sanford H. Auerbach, MD: I agree with Karl. We all give talks and show the slides, and they record the slides and talks, and they can go look at them any time they want on the internet. They can do it on their phone at night when they’re trying to go to sleep. I think dialogue, and seeing how difficult it is to grapple with these problems, is critical.

Peter L. Salgo, MD: I’ve been to my share of lectures and conferences, and I always come away thinking I could have read the abstracts a lot faster. But I couldn’t do this. I couldn’t get people together and sit around and be beamed into anybody’s living room any time, on demand; that’s different; that’s the 21st century, and it’s a new, brave, pretty good world in my view.

Karl Doghramji, MD: I think it’s also very important to have an enthusiastic and involved group leader.

Peter L. Salgo, MD: I think so. And when I find him I’ll let you know. I’m delighted you joined us.