Published in: Florida Healthcare Report and Hospital News

Physician sings the blues about managed care
By Valerie K. O'Berry
Hospital News Editor

You can find humor in anything, even in managed care. Just ask Sam Bierstock, M.D., a retired opthalmologist, who traded in his scalpel for a harmonica in order to take his managed care message on national tour with Dr. Sam and the Managed Care Blues Band.

The band pokes fun at managed care by playing tunes such as "You Picked a Fine Time to Leave Me BlueShield" and "You're a One Hip Mama Cause They Won't Pay For Two."

Dr. Sam (as he prefers to be called) got the idea for the Managed Care Blues Band by seeing first-hand what managed care was doing to health care professionals.

"They are feeling very much as though the world is upside down. It's a huge industry that almost everyone consumes and no one understands." says Dr. Sam. "I saw the Managed Care Blues Band as a fun way to educate people."

The band consists of professional musicians, most of who have medical backgrounds. For example, the group includes a vocalist and lead guitarist who is an emergency room technician and a dentist who composes and plays the keyboard. In addition to blues and jazz favorites, the band also plays Motown and country music.

Dr. Sam refers to the organization and presentation of his band's tunes as "Managed Music," and he applies all the principles of managed care to his act.

"I maintain a list of preferred musical providers. People can listen to other musicians if they want, but that's out of their own pocket. We play on a capitation basis - no matter how big the audience is we will pay for the contracted fee," says Dr. Sam.

Dr. Sam admits that his Managed Music business has ballooned into a full-time enterprise. Although he first started mailing demo tapes out only a few weeks ago, his calendar is already dotted with bookings throughout Florida, Georgia, Ohio, Michigan, North Carolina, North Dakota and several other states. He says he is in demand by pharmaceutical companies such as Glaxco Wellcome and corporations such as Eastman Kodak, Abbott Laboratories and Hewlett Packard. Dr. Sam also tours solo on occasion when corporations and medical associations book him as a keynote or featured speaker. 

Dr. Sam says he is amazed at the response he has received since starting the band, as well as the number of daily inquiries he receives on his Web site, www.managedmusic.com. He says people are already e-mailing him to place advance orders for a CD he has coming out later this fall. He also receives numerous suggestions for new song titles to add to the band's repertoire. Some of the songs on the band's new CD will include: "The New Family Doctor-Managed Health Care Blues," "Better Come Home With Me Baby Cause We Ain't Allowed To Stay Overnight," and "Baby, Don't You Wanna Go Home," a tribute to one day postpartum stays. Other songs include "Sorry Man But Your Bypass is Considered Cosmetic," and "If You Won't Refuse Treatment, We'll Find Someone Who Will."

Dr. Sam, who writes all of the lyrics, is quick to point out that it's not his intent to bash HMOs. "We are just saying that the system can be a little better, and we're trying to get people to laugh about it for a change. People have been loving the material, and they're pleased that we play music that gets them up and dancing."