Latest project

Dear Readers,

This is my first post.

I recently finished my latest documentary video. It was a good but frustrating experience. The film's title is "Independence at home: The Roosevelt Doctor". The film was a situation study of a health care issue on Roosevelt Island in New York City. I followed around a doctor who treats many of his patients at home although many are bedbound, need constant attention, require machines for continued survival, and/or are severely disabled.

The film consisted of interviews with five patients, each of whom demonstrated a specific point in both the advantages or challenges of treating such patients at home within the current medicare/medicaid system. There was also an exclusive interview with the doctor, Jack Resnick, and he gave onsite interviews along with all the patients and their relevant family members or home health aids when relevant.

While it might seem depressing or sad to interview homebound patients with problems such as multiple sclerosis, muscular dystrophy, or serious health challenges requiring respirators, I found that these patients were mostly upbeat and with it as a result of being at home in familiar and personal environs. All of them had had negative experiences in hospitals or nursing homes and preferred to be independent and at home.

Part of the film was showing the advantages of home, but there were a couple of points about the disadvantages or challenges of keeping people at home under the present system. For instance, it is hard to get homebound people intravenous medication in a timely manner unless it is an expensive medication. Or, the present system does not support maintenance physical therapy for patients.

Many of the film's storylines lead to the conclusions that it would be better for patients and more cost efficient for the system (taxpayers) to keep patients at home instead of in institutions.

The film will be primarily distributed to doctors, patients, and lawmakers in an effort to change the system and get more doctors and patients to operate care in the manner of Dr. Resnick.