For this week’s faculty spotlight we talk to Lawrence Greenblatt, MD, a 20-year veteran of the division, about the future of men’s health, the ACLT resident program, and having his name and face light up electronic billboards in downtown Singapore.
How long have you been at Duke? How long have you been at the division?
I have been a member of the division since August 1994 and thus have been at Duke for more than 20 years. I’ve got the clock to prove it.
What are your responsibilities within the division? What does a typical day for you look like?
I am currently serving as a Stead leader within the Duke Outpatient Clinic where I precept three sessions per week and see my own patients, often teaching students as well, three sessions per week. I also serve as Medical Director of Northern Piedmont Community Care which is a care management organization primarily serving Medicaid recipients in Durham and five neighboring counties. We are part of a statewide nonprofit called Community Care North Carolina. Lastly, I have a small role as a faculty mentor for a program developing educational leaders at Duke – NUS and Singapore General Hospital for which I travel to Singapore three times a year.
One of your clinical areas of interest is men’s health. How has this area of care changed since you started practicing? What changes do you see over the next 10 years?
My practice consists overwhelmingly of older individuals and predominantly men. They also have advanced degrees and are too often smarter and better informed than I am. There has been a lot of change with regard to screening for prostate cancer and also some rethinking of how we manage men with low testosterone.
I’m glad that there has been a backing off of the recommendations to routinely screen men for prostate cancer as I have had long-standing concerns that screening results in many men being labeled as cancer patients and suffering the adverse consequences of aggressive therapy. It turns out that the numbers of men whose lives we were positively impacting was relatively small to none. Thoughtful clinicians need to keep an eye on the evolving data as we might begin to screen select populations most likely to benefit.
With regard to low testosterone, I am hopeful that we will see the results of a well-done randomized controlled trial that will carefully look at the relative benefits and safety of this treatment. It can positively impact the quality of life for men who suffer from low testosterone though harms are not well defined.
You’re also working on a pilot program at the Duke Outpatient Clinic to improve adherence using mobile technology. What will this program do? What’s your role in the program?
This program which is being led by Hayden Bosworth, PhD, offers patients with cardiovascular risk individualized messages and coaching to help them improve their adherence and lifestyle. I am in a supporting role, helping his team to implement this program.
You created the Ambulatory Care Leadership Track (ACLT) program for residents. What does this program offer? What is your current role in the program?
The ambulatory care leadership track was developed for physicians who are interested in careers in academic medicine or as leaders in the ambulatory environment. The program offers broad ranging clinical training and also allows physicians to learn additional essential skills in leadership, clinical teaching, evidence-based medicine, and advocacy. Currently, I serve as an informal adviser to this program which is now being run by my colleague Dr. Daniella Zipkin.
What passions or hobbies do you have outside of the division?
I routinely force Bruce Peyser to bicycle with me on the weekends. We typically ride 25 to 50 miles depending on how long our anti-anginal therapy holds out. Also, I really enjoy photography and was a prizewinner in this year’s North Carolina Medical Society photography contest and my photograph is featured in the 2015 Calendar. Finally, I am a passionate snowboarder and survived three days of snowboarding through blizzard conditions in Utah with Dr. Zipkin.
How did you end up getting your name and face plastered over an electronic billboard in Singapore?
I do some teaching and faculty development at the Academic Medicine Education Institute which is jointly run by Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School and Sing Health (the municipal health system in Singapore).
Dr. Greenblatt receives a warm welcome while visiting Duke-NUS in Singapore.
Dr. Greenblatt’s winning entry in the North Carolina Medical Society photography contest.
