DOCTORS: Preparing Your Vehicle for Winter in 2024 is Easy!

Posted on January 21, 2024 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA

An Oft Neglected Chore

Dr. Marcinko[By Dr. David Edward Marcinko]

Hello ME-P Readers!

Doctors and Colleagues – You have probably noticed the weather is getting colder, and you’ve made some changes, right? Thanksgiving and X-mass day is nigh! Have you started wearing jackets, packed up the flip-flops, and replaced the A/C with heat?

If you have, that is great, but what have you done to prepare your car for the cold winter months?

Betchya didn’t know that, much like your patients, your car needs to be equally prepared for the colder seasons! It’s a fact—your car reacts to the colder weather in many of the same ways us humans do. Sure, we have blood and skin, where cars have oil and metal, but stay with me here.

There are a few simple things you can do to make sure your trusted car is ready to battle the elements.  So; let’s take a quick look at my classic 2000 Jaguar XJ-V8-XL touring sedan; and those pesky winter car tasks.

Editor's Jaguar XJ-V8-LWB touring sedan

The List

First of all, your car’s electrical system can take a beating in the cold. The battery has a Cold Cranking Amps (CCA) rating, which should help you determine if it’s powerful enough for those snowy days. The higher the number, the better you’re protected from being stranded. An inspection of your electrical system is always a good idea, though.

Second, you should also consider inspecting the windshield wipers on your vehicle. It’s an easy thing to forget about until you really need them, and then of course they’re worn out. Winter weather, with frost, ice, snow, and dry air can really deteriorate the rubber in wipers.

Third, though it may seem backwards, your vehicle’s cooling system should be in good working condition as well. If the coolant mixture and levels aren’t correct, you could have some very, very expensive repairs waiting for you. Overheating is less of an issue, but your engine actually freezing when not running is a very real, and expensive, danger. And, did you know that your engine’s cooling system also controls your heat inside! A cooling system malfunction could also mean some very cold commutes for you.

Next, headlights are often ignored, too, until you get caught out one night with burnt-out bulbs. With the days getting shorter, and the nights getting much longer and darker, it’s not a bad idea to replace your headlights. Why not upgrade them while you’re at it? The price difference is minimal, and the difference in visibility will make night driving a true joy.

Finally, let’s talk about tires. Some tires are much more suited to winter weather than others! Some tires, especially on performance cars, are rated for summer use only, while others might be “three season” tires. Of course, many cars come standard with all-season tires as well. For those that encounter frequent winter conditions, though, a set of full-winter tires is the best option.

Classic XJ-V8-WB Jaguar

Assessment

Now, just like the patients in your waiting room …. NEXT!

Conclusion

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Speaker: If you need a moderator or speaker for an upcoming event, Dr. David E. Marcinko; MBA – Publisher-in-Chief of the Medical Executive-Post – is available for seminar or speaking engagements. Contact: MarcinkoAdvisors@msn.com

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BUYING: Home Economics

Posted on January 21, 2024 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA

By Staff Reporters

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A report released last month by the National Association of Realtors (NAR) confirms what many Americans suspect: home affordability is down. Due to rising interest rates and low inventory, NAR found that the average income of a home buyer between July 2022 and June 2023 was $107,000, up from $88,000 the year prior—one of the highest levels since NAR started tracking in 1981.

But the housing market continues to churn. The organization found…

  • More and more home buyers are single women. The share of single women buying homes is almost double that of men. They’re also slightly older—a single woman buying her first home is 38 on average, while a single man is 33 years old.
  • Buyers are older. The average first-time home buyer is 35, up from 29 in the 1980s, but it’s older people who are buying up the three-bedrooms after selling their starter homes: NAR found that the median age of a repeat home buyer last year was 58. In 1981, it was 36 years old.

COMMENTS APPRECIATED

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Filed under: Alternative Investments, Experts Invited, Funding Basics, LifeStyle | Tagged: , , , , , , , | Leave a comment »

PHYSICIAN: Executive Leadership Thoughts

Posted on January 21, 2024 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA

By Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA

SPONSOR: http://www.MARCINKOASSOCIATES.com

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[Human Nature, Medical and Financial Ethics and Modern Principles]

In any medical blog or investing treatise of gravitas, thoughts on human nature are usually placed at the end of the work, or an afterthought if included at all. However, we elected to prominently place this material as a stand alone feature. Why?

In the end, the success of any financial advisor or physician endeavor ultimately comes down to changing human behavior – helping a doctor/nurse/technician alter whatever s/he was doing toward something that will better allow them to avoid errors and pursue quality care and investing or practice management goals.

Yet, there is still remarkably little education or training for financial planners or medical professionals focused directly on motivation or change theory, in any related area except psychiatry/psychology or perhaps professional liability. Instead, doctors and advisors/planners are increasingly turning to professional consultants to learn best practices on how to help them actually make the behavioral changes necessary to achieve their medical quality improvement and client acquisition goals; as we attempt to answer these questions:

  • Are you and your medical practice, or financial advisory practice, ready for change?
  • How to transition from [traditional] solo practitioner B-models to modern forms?
  • What are leadership, management and governance?
  • In group practices, how is leadership shared?
  • What issues need be considered when hiring a financial planner or practice administrator or clinic CEO?
  • What is medical ethics and financial munificence? Why is it needed? How does it work?
  • What are the types of risk?
  • How are risks managed in the medical practice space or financial advisory eco-system?

In addition, medical and financial planning practitioners need to strive to avoid what Zenger and Folkman describe as the 10 most common leadership shortcomings based on a survey of 11,000 leaders. They include:

  1. Lacks energy and enthusiasm
  2. Accepts mediocre self performance
  3. Lacks clear vision and direction
  4. Poor judgment
  5. Not collaboration
  6. Not following standards
  7. Resistant to new ideas
  8. Doesn’t learn from mistakes
  9. Lacks interpersonal skills
  10. Fails to develop others.
  •  Source: Zenger and Folkman: The Daily Stat: The 10 Most Common Failures of Business Leaders, Harvard Business Publishing, June 4, 2009.

Leadership V. Management: https://medicalexecutivepost.com/2023/04/14/healthcare-leadership-vs-management/

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