The Preventive Medicine Podcast
Physiatry and Preventive Medicine – Dr. Azlan Tariq DO
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Episode notes
Azlan Tariq D.O.
Dr. Azlan Tariq is the CCO of the largest physiatry group in the country, IRC, and also has his own practice in Naperville, IL. Physiatry is a lesser known, but very important field, focusing on helping patients get back to doing the things they love through rehabilitation. Dr. Tariq is known as an excellent clinician and huge advocate for preventive medicine. With nearly every patient Dr. Tariq not only provides excellent care but makes sure to discuss the various lifestyle factors that may impact the patient’s ability to rehabilitate and function.
This hour long podcast is an engaging conversation talking about the field of Physiatry, his approach to patient care, and the role of entrepreneurship to promote a preventive take to medicine. Check the show notes below for a summary of the episode!
Show Notes
(1:00 – 12:30) – Introductions
Question 1: Tell us a little bit about yourself and why you do what you do
(12:30 – 15:50) – Practical Advice for Practicing Preventive Medicine
Question 2: What tips do you have for people who are trying to become healthier but maybe have some sort of physical ailment or medical issue that bars them from doing so?
(15:50 – 25:40) – Navigating the Education and Expectations of Patients
Question 3: What is Physiatry?
Question 4: How do you walk a patient who may be in pain from point A to point B when all they know is that they are in pain with no other understanding of the situation?
Question 5: How do you get a patient to buy-in to the process of education and working towards achieving their goals rather than waiting for a quick fix?
(25:40 – 36:00) – Physiatry and Preventive Medicine
Question 6: What does Preventive Medicine mean to you?
Question 7: Physiatry is mostly a post-acute field taking care of stroke, brain injury, or other acute patients after the fact. What is the role of physiatry in preventive medicine?
(36:00 – 39:00) – A Personalized Approach to Patient Health
Question 8: We have talked about your post-acute care among the older population but you also own another practice which seems to have a different population. Why did you start that practice and what is the goal behind it?
(39:00 – 48:00) – Does Entrepreneurship Have a Place in Medicine?
Question 9: There is growing discontent within the current system of medicine in this country with a national discussion for a public system among other suggestions. The ideal entrepreneur is one who aims to solve problems and you are the CCO of one practice and have started your own as well. Do you think there is a role for entrepreneurship in fixing medicine?
Question 10: How do you balance being on the cutting edge of medicine, entrepreneurship, and evidence-based medicine seeing as many novel treatments and ideas are not heavily supported by literature if at all?
(48:00 – 56:36 ) – Does Placebo Work? What is Regenerative Medicine?
Question 11: With regenerative medicine you still work on the big rocks first such as exercise, nutrition, etc. How do you balance the placebo effect of regenerative therapies which seems to be more prevalent in physical medicine? Do you use positive placebo effects?
Question 12: How does regenerative medicine fit into preventive medicine?
(56:36 – 1:00:00) – Wrapping it Up
Question 12: You are in a coffee shop and someone asks you how to be healthier, what do you say to them in two minutes?