Women's Health Advisors features Ob/Gyn physicians and medical professionals that have volunteered their time in support of the women's Health Forum. The doctors and other professionals spend countless hours each week answering health questions posted to the forum. We thought you might want to learn a little more about these folks.
J. Glenn Bradley, MD
OBGYN.net: Why OB/GYN???
Dr. Bradley: In Medical school, finances were really tight. A very generous research grant was available to a selected student, but in order to obtain the grant, the aspirant had to have the support of the professor of the department. This meant you better be "Number One in OBGYN" .As is the case in everything in life, the more you know about a given subject, the more you want to know. Needless to say, I got the research grant!! Two years later in clinical medicine, my basic interest in the subject, coupled with the observation that having a baby is the only reason anybody would WANT TO GO TO THE HOSPITAL, made this specialty selection really easy. Despite all the other interesting rotations, OBGYN was fun!
OBGYN.net: How long have you been in practice and what is the community you serve like?
Dr. Bradley: Completing my residencies in surgery, and OBGYN, I joined an outstanding specialty group in Santa Barbara in 1971. I practiced OBGYN with this organization for 19 years, and then the urge to move on to something new and different became compelling. I was tired of a 9-5 routine practice, and had become intrigued with the primitive evolution of minimally invasive surgery in gynecology. In 1987, I watched in awe as Dr.Kurt Semm from Kiel, Germany, performed a laparoscopic appendectomy in 22 minutes!! I was hooked!! Here was the surgical revolution of the century in its infancy, and it was then I decided to persue this subspecialty interest. I opened a private office, emphasizing this technology, and continued living my dream for about 4 years. I was then struck by a "runaway freight train" called "managed care". In short order myself, as well as several of my colleagues were out of business, and all had to relocate, or retire. This pnenomenon has affected tens of thousands of physicians in this country. Fortunately I was able to join three other colleagues in Santa Maria, a vibrant agricultural community one hour north of Santa Barbara. Now I have the best of both worlds... limited and truly fun and gratifying obstetrical patients, and the continuing emphasis of a practice in minimally invasive surgery. Geographically, I can enjoy the beauty of the south central coast of California, and have the interest and diversity of three practice locations.
OBGYN.net: What is the most rewarding part of being a doctor for you?
Dr. Bradley: When I opened my private office, I was searching for an office "logo" or caption that could summarily define my concept of medicine. I came up with" emphasizing caring, patient education, and innovation". Patients are people with medical problems who seek solutions. To be able to portray a sincere feeling of empathy and caring is a primary pre-requisite to being a physician; patients want to know that you are truly interested in their medical problems, and are willing to listen, and they are not just another "number". Being able to educate the patient about the nature of the problem in terms that she can understand, is very important to me. And providing solutions is the most rewarding part... especially if there becomes available new technology, and I am able to utilize this to achieve resolution of the medical problem with less cost, trauma, and achieve satisfactory and rapid results.OBGYN.net: Why did you choose to get involved in the Women's Health Forum?
Dr. Bradley: Being able to participate in patient education is rewarding. Allaying unnecessary fears, or correcting misconceptions is rewarding. Providing new solutions to old problems is rewarding. The Forum allows this interchange with interested patients.
OBGYN.net: How do you foresee the Internet and OBGYN.net can better serve Women's Health Care?
Dr. Bradley: I have had an interest in the Internet for a few years, and have watched patient participation and access explode from perhaps 5% of my patients 2 years ago, to currently more than 60%. An incredible resource for information for patients, and the exchange of information between physicians as well as physicians and patients. Patients can empower themselves by reaching the newest and latest information that may pertain to their own individual problems, and thus make more informed choices in the treatment they receive.OBGYN.net will grow as a known and respected resource because it is "user friendly", more and more enthusiatic physicians will become involved and the sites continuing quest for innovations such as chat rooms, book reviews, featured articles will allow for more information exchange.
OBGYN.net: Is there anthing else you'd like to add?
Dr. Bradley: In this day of "managed care", I often see patients stymied in terms of access
to special care.Perhaps we could run a series on "Managed Care...A Patients
Guide to Maximize your Satisfaction, and Access to Specialty Services"
J. Glenn Bradley, MD
OBGYN.net Correspondent:
Laparoscopy and Hysteroscopy
http://www.obgyn.net/corresp/Bradley.htm
J.Glenn.Bradley@obgyn.net