"DIRECT CONNECTION" IS MADE BY MPT TO SERVE ALL OF OUR DIVERSE COMMUNITIES AND IS MADE POSSIBLE BY THE GENEROUS SUPPORT OF OUR MEMBERS.

THANK YOU.

LIVE FROM MARYLAND PUBLIC TELEVISION, THIS IS "DIRECT CONNECTION" WITH JEFF SALKIN.

>> Jeff: GOOD EVENING.

WELCOME TO "DIRECT CONNECTION."

WE BEGIN TONIGHT WITH ANSWERS ON YOUR QUESTIONS ABOUT WORKING REMOTELY.

A NEW STUDY FINDS THAT MORE THAN 40% OF THE DC AREA WORKFORCE TELEWORKS ON A TYPICAL DAY.

JOINING US TONIGHT TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT THAT MEANS FOR THE FUTURE OF WORK IS LICENSED ORGANIZATIONAL PSYCHOLOGIST ELLIOT LASSON.

DR. LASSON, GOOD TO SEE YOU AGAIN.

>> Elliot: GREAT TO BE BACK, JEFF.

>> Jeff: SO MAYBE METRO DC ISN'T THE MOST REPRESENTATIVE LABOR MARKET IN THE COUNTRY.

MORE OFFICES, LESS MANUFACTURING.

BUT STILL, IT SEEMS THE REMOTE WORK THREE YEARS INTO THE PANDEMIC IS HERE TO STAY.

>> Elliot: WELL, I CAN TELL YOU, JEFF, I WENT DOWN TO DC A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO, AND BASED ON THE TRAFFIC IT TOOK ME TWO HOURS TO GET FROM BALTIMORE TO DC, SO IT DIDN'T SEEM LIKE THERE WERE A LOT OF PEOPLE WORKING REMOTELY THAT MORNING AT LEAST.

BUT GIVEN THAT MANY OF THE JOBS IN THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT ARE OF THE A PROFESSIONAL NATURE, THE TECHNOLOGY AND THE TAPE TYPE OF WORK THAT IS DONE IN THOSE AGENCIES IS SOMEWHAT CONDUCIVE TO REMOTE WORK.

IN FACT, SOME OF THE EMPLOYEES OF THE GOVERNMENT DURING THE PANDEMIC ACTUALLY MOVED AWAY, MAYBE MOVED BACK CLOSER TO FAMILY ELSEWHERE, AND THEY'RE DEALING WITH DIFFERENT VARIANCES OF GEOGRAPHY AND SALARY.

THERE ARE WHOLE POLICY ISSUES AS IT RELA LATES TO EMPLOYEES WHO HAVE ESSENTIALLY RELOCATED DURING THE PANDEMIC.

>> Jeff: THIS RAISES ALL SORTS OF INTERESTING ISSUES IN THE ORGANIZATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY FIELD.

LET'S START BY THINKING ABOUT THIS FROM THE EMPLOYEE PERSPECTIVE.

THERE IS CERTAINLY SOME BENEFITS.

THERE ARE SOME DOWN SIDES AS WELL?

>> Elliot: WELL, I THINK ONE OF THE DOWNSIDES AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT I'VE SPOKEN AND WRITTEN ABOUT, IS REALLY THE BOUNDARIES THAT TYPICALLY EXIST WHEN ONE WEN TO WORK, LEFT YOUR -- YOU TOOK YOUR BRIEFCASE WITH YOU, AND WHEN YOU CAME HOME, YOU LEFT YOUR BRIEFCASE IN THE OFFICE.

BUT DURING THE PANDEMIC PEOPLE WERE WORKING FROM HOME.

THEY WERE LIVING AT WORK.

AND THOSE TRADITIONAL BOUNDARIES DIDN'T EXIST.

AND ESPECIALLY WITH KIDS AND HOME AT HOME AND RESPONSIBILITIES AND FIGHTING FOR BANDWIDTH AND DEVICES FOR THE HOUSEHOLD MEMBERS TO DO WHAT THEY NEEDED TO DO, THAT WAS VERY CHALLENGING.

NOW, MANY OF THE STUDENTS, MANY OF THE KIDS HAVE GONE BACK TO SCHOOL, BUT STILL THERE ARE BOUNDARIES THAT WERE TYPICALLY IN EXISTENCE BUT ARE NO LONGER IN EXISTENCE IF YOU'RE WORKING FROM HOME.

>> Jeff: AND THAT'S A TOUGH ONE BECAUSE PEOPLE FEEL LIKE MAYBE THERE'S A LITTLE BIT MORE PRESSURE THAN THERE USED TO BE TO CHECK YOUR EMAIL ALL THE TIME, TO BE RESPONSIVE OVER THE WEEKEND, AND THE WORK/LIFE BALANCE GETS A LITTLE FUZZY.

>> Elliot: IT DEFINITELY DOES, AND I THINK ONE OF THE REASONS FOR THAT IS THAT, AS I MENTIONED, WHEN YOU'RE WORKING IN THE OFFICE, YOU HAVE THAT NATURAL BOUNDARY OF WHEN WORK STARTS AND WHEN WORK STOPS.

WHEN YOU'RE WORKING AT HOME, I FEEL THAT IT'S JUST A SERIES OF PAUSE BUTTONS.

THERE REALLY IS NOT -- THERE ISN'T THAT OFF BUTTON THAT TAKES YOU OFFLINE, THAT TAKES YOU OFF THE GRID, THAT YOU'RE DONE WITH YOUR WORK DAY, AND MANY PEOPLE JUST CONTINUE TO CHECK THEIR EMAIL, AS YOU MENTIONED, EVENINGS AND WEEKENDS, AND ONE OF THE PROBLEMS THAT EXISTS IS THAT IF YOU'RE A VERY COMMITTED EMPLOYEE AND YOU'RE WORKING HARD AND YOU'RE SENDING AN EMAIL, IF YOU'RE A MANAGER, YOU'RE SENDING AN EMAIL TO AN EMPLOYEE AT 11:00 AT NIGHT AND YOU'RE THE EMPLOYEE CHECKING YOUR EMAIL, DO YOU FEEL COMPELLED TO GIVE A RESPONSE AT 11:00 AT NIGHT?

IF DO YOU, THEN THAT MAY CREATE AN EXPECTATION THAT YOU'RE ALWAYS AVAILABLE.

AND THAT IS A TRADITIONAL BOUNDARY THAT EXISTED THAT MADE MAY MAY NO LONGER EXIST.

>> Jeff: LET ME REMIND OUR VIRUS VIEWERS IF YOU HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THE NEW WORLD OF REMOTE WORK, GIVE US A CALL AT THE NUMBER ON THE SCREEN OR YOU CAN SEND US AN EMAIL, LIVEQUESTIONS@MPT.ORG.

SO LET'S FLIP THIS AROUND, ELLIOT, TALK ABOUT IT FROM THE STANDPOINT OF THE EMPLOYER.

AND THERE ARE SOME CONCERN THERE THAT PEOPLE AT HOME ARE SLACKING OFF, THEIR RUNNING ERRANDS, THEY'RE NOT PUTTING IN A FULL 40 HOURS.

ON THE OTHER HAND, IF THEY'RE GETTING THE WORK DONE, WHO CARES?

HOW DO YOU LOOK AT THAT?

>> Elliot: I WOULD SAY PRIOR TO THE PANDEMIC, AND I, IN FACT, MANAGED WHAT WE CALL TELEWORKERS WAY BEFORE -- WAY BEFORE THE PANDEMIC, AND I THINK MANY MANAGERS HAD THIS SPENCE OF CONCERN, DR.

SENSE OF CONCERN OF DISTRUST, SCEPTICISM, AND AT THAT TIME TELEWORK WAS REALLY SEEN AS A PRIVILEGE AND AS AN ACCOMMODATION FOR PERHAPS ELDERLY PARENTS OR CHILDREN TO DO THE TELEWORK MAYBE ONE OR TWO DAYS A WEEK.

IT WAS VIEWED AS PRETTY MUCH AN ACCOMMODATION THAT MANAGEMENT WAS MAKING.

BUT I THINK WHAT HAPPENED, JEFF, DURING THE PANDEMIC IS THAT MANAGERS THEMSELVES WERE FORCED TO WORK REMOTELY FOR TWO YEARS.

AND ONCE THEY STARTED TO DO IT AND REALIZED THAT, HEY, I'M WORKING HARD AND I'M EFFICIENT, I THINK THAT THERE WAS A LITTLE BIT OF A CHANGE OF ATTITUDE IN TERMS OF ATTITUDE TOWARDS EMPLOYEES TELEWORKING BECAUSE THEY THEMSELVES HAD BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN DOING THAT.

SO I THINK THAT IS A BIG DIFFERENCE AND MAYBE THERE IS A GREATER AMOUNT OF TRUST.

I THINK THAT WITH TECHNOLOGY, ZOOM, YOU CAN SEE IN MOST KASS, IF THEY HAVE THEIR CAMERA ON, THERE'S MORE ACCOUNTABLE OVER THE COURSE OF THE WORK DAY AS OPPOSED TO MAYBE TEN, 20 YEARS AGO EVEN, YOU KIND OF ASSUMED THAT THEY WERE DOING THEIR WORK BUT YOU DIDN'T ABSOLUTELY KNOW BECAUSE YOU WEREN'T IN CONTACT WITH THEM HAS WE ARE TODAY.

>> Jeff: INTERESTING EMAIL QUESTION FROM A VIEWER.

MAYBE A FEDERAL EMPLOYEE.

WANTS TO KNOW, "WHAT HAPPENS IF A NEW ADMINISTRATION REVOKED REMOTE WORK, ESPECIALLY IF EMPLOYEES HAVE MOVED?"

AND CERTAINLY SOME WSES BUSINESSES HAVE PRIDE TO LAST OH EMPLOYEES INTO COMING BACK TO THE OFFICE MORE WITH MIXED RESULTS BECAUSE IT'S BEEN A REALLY STRONG JOB MARKET.

>> Elliot: ORGANIZATION NEED TO BE VERY CAREFUL IN HOW THEY ROLL OUT THE BACK-TO-WORK BECAUSE IF THEIR POLICIES ARE VERY PRESCRIPTIVE AND IT'S EITHER YOU DO IT THIS WAY OR YOU'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE YOUR JOB OR YOU'RE GOING TO BE DISCIPLINED, THEN EMPLOYEES MIGHT, IN FACT, HAVE OPTIONS, AND THERE IS THIS TOPIC THAT'S BEEN WRITTEN ABOUT, TALKED ABOUT CALLED THE GREAT RESIGNATION WHERE IF INDIVIDUALS FEEL THAT THEY HAVE OPTIONS TO DO THE SAME JOB AT THE SAME PAY IN PERHAPS MORE CONVENIENT CIRCUMSTANCES, MAYBE LIVING IN LESS EXPENSIVE AREAS OR, IN FACT, NOT EVEN HAVING TO RELOCATE.

THEY CAN JUST TAKE ON A JOB WITH ANOTHER COMPANY, YOU KNOW, A HIGHER-PAYING AREA THAN THEY, IN FACT, MIGHT -- MIGHT LEAVE.

SO COMPANIES HAVE TO BE VERY CAREFUL.

MANY COMPANIES THAT I KNOW OF HAVE TAKEN A BIT OF A FRIEL AND ERROR TO -- TRIAL AND ERROR TO KIND OF SEE HOW IT WORKS, AND MAYBE IF THEY WERE ASKING FOR EMPLOYEES TO COME BACK THREE DAYS A WEEK, THEY MIGHT SCALE THAT BACK TO TWO DAYS A WEEK AND MAYBE GIVE FLEXIBILITY AS TO WHICH OF THOSE DAYS OF THE WEEK IT'S GOING TO BE.

SO IT'S STILL A WORK IN PROGRESS.

>> PHONE CALL.

LET'S TAKE A PHONE CALL.

FREDERICK COUNTY.

THIS IS PETER.

PETER, THANKS FOR THE CALL.

GO AHEAD.

>> Sandy Cannon-Brown: FROM A LEGAL PERSPECTIVE SHOULD COMPANIES HAVE A TELEWORK POLICY TO DETER INDIVIDUAL DEPARTMENT HEADS FROM JUST TAKING IT UPON THEMSELVES TO SAY ONE EMPLOYEE CAN TELEWORK AND ANOTHER ONE CAN'T?

>> Jeff: GREAT QUESTION.

ELLIOT, SHOULD THEY HAVE ONE?

AND WHAT THUD BE IN THAT POLICY?

>> Elliot: I THINK PETER MAKES A GOOD POINT.

IF YOU ARE GOING TO GIVE CERTAIN PEOPLE FLEXIBILITY, THEN THERE SHOULD BE A POLICY THAT WOULD STIPULATE A EASTERN AMOUNT OF ACCOUNTABLE BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY YOU WANT TO BE EQUITABLE AND FAIR.

YOU DO NOT WANT TO SHOW, LIKE -- YOU DON'T WANT TO BE MIKE YOU'RE SHOWING FAVORITES TO SOME EMPLOYEES, SO I THINK THAT POLICY REALLY SHOULD HAVE SOME SPECIFICS AS WELL AS BE EQUITABLE TO ALL.

>> Jeff: THERE WAS A RECENTLY GALLUP SUR SURVEY THAT I DO NOT HAVE IN FRONT OF ME BUT IT BASICALLY BOILED DOWN TO EVERYBODY'S STRESS LEVEL IS UP, AND I DON'T KNOW -- CERTAINLY THE PM.

ENVIRONMENT HAS BEEN A TOUGH TIME ON ALL SORTS OF LEVELS, AND I'M JUST WONDERING HOW THAT FEEDS INTO THE ORGANIZATIONAL ARENA THAT YOU'RE AN EXPERT IN, INTO PEOPLE'S PERSONAL SIEFS, AND WHAT EMPLOYERS AND EMPLOYEES CAN DO TO MAYBE DE-STRESS A LITTLE BIT.

>> Elliot: STRESS HAS ALWAYS BEEN AN ISSUE IN THE WORKPLACE.

SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAD SPOKEN ABOUT EARLIER ARE HOW PEOPLE APPEAR ON CAMERA.

THAT IS SOMEWHAT SPHRES STRESSFUL IN TERMS OF THEIR APPEARANCE, THEIR HAIR, AND I THINK IN SOME CASES INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE EMPLOYEES, THEY'RE LEAVING THEIR CAMERA OFF BECAUSE THEY'RE CONCERNED WITH HOW OTHERS MAY PERCEIVE THEM AND HOW OTHERS MAY PERCEIVE THEIR ENVIRONMENT, THEIR BACKGROUND IN TERMS OF WHO IS IN THE BACKGROUND, SO I THINK THAT THERE HAS TO BE A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF FLEXIBLE REFLECT, BUT I. I DO THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FROM A ACCOUNTABILITY PERSPECTIVE AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE FOR PEOPLE TO HAVE THEIR CAMERAS ON UNLESS, OF COURSE, THEY APOLOGIZE FOR A SPECIFIC REASON.

BUT THAT'S, I THINK, ONE OF THE AREAS WHERE PEOPLE HAVE FELT STRESS IN TERMS OF HOW THEIR APPEARANCE IS AND HOW THEY'RE BACKGROUND IS.

BUT TRUTH IS, IS THAT WHEN YOU HAD EVERYBODY LIVING UNDER UNROOF FOR A PERIOD OF TWO YEARS, INCLUDING MANY SCHOOLCHILDREN, THAT CREATES A REALLY STRESSFUL ENVIRONMENT, AND I DON'T ENVY PEOPLE WITH SMALL KIDS THAT HAD TO DO THAT AND GET THEIR KIDS READY FOR SCHOOL BECAUSE HERE YOU HAVE TO KEEP THEM ENGAGED IN FRONT OF A DEVICE OR A LAPTOP FOR A PERIOD OF TIME, AND THAT'S A LOT MORE CHALLENGING THAN JUST SENDING THEM OFF TO SCHOOL AND NOT SPRG TO WORRY ABOUT ALL OF THAT.

>> Jeff: I HAVE ABOUT A MINUTE LEFT.

I WORN IF ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S LOST IN AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE PEOPLE ARE LARGELY AND CERTAIN PLACES, CERTAIN JOBS WORKING REMOTELY YOU.

LOSE THE SILICON VALLEY THINGS WHERE A COUPLE OF PEOPLE FROM DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE ORGANIZATION WOULD BUMP INTO EACH OTHER AT THE WATER COOLER AND SOME GREAT INTENTION WOULD RESULT FROM THAT.

HOW DOO WE AS EMPLOYEES AND EMPLOYERS TRY TO BETTER INTEGRATE ORGANIZATIONS WHERE MAYBE WE'RE NOT PHYSICALLY CROSSING PATHS AS MUCH?

AND I'VE EATEN UP HALF OF YOUR MIENT MINUTE.

>> Elliot: I THINK THAT TO SOME EXTENT IF AN ORGANIZATION CAN HAVE SOME SORT OF MEET UP OFF-HOURS, I THINK THAT'S SEFNL HELPFUL TO HAVE TO THAT -- CERTAINLY HELPFUL TO HAVE THAT HUMANLY.

I'VE BAHN QUITE A BIT OF CRISIS INTERVENTION IN WORKPLACES OVER THE PAST NUMBER OF YEARS, AND SPECIFICALLY MORE RECENTLY WHEN THERE IS SOME SORT OF A TRAG THAT OCCURS, -- A TRAGEDY THAT OCCURS WITH, LET'S SAY, AN EMPLOYEE IN THE WORKPLACE, AND THE INDIVIDUALS ARE NOT ABLE TO BE TIS.

CLY PLENTY TO DEMONSTRATE -- PRESENT TO DEMONSTRATE EMPATHY WITH ONE ANOTHER.

>> Jeff: THAT'S AN EXCELLENT POINT.

EM YOT LASSON, LICENSED ORGANIZATIONAL PSYCHOLOGIST.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

>> Elliot: YOU'RE WELCOME.

>> Jeff: AND JOINING US TO TALK ABOUT YOUR HEALTH IS DR. SHANA ENTERE ASSISTANT PROFESSOR AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND SCHOOL OF MEDICINE AND MEDICAL DIRECTOR OF UNIVERSITY OF GREENEBAUM CANCER CENTERS, BACTERIUM CITY CANCER PROGRAM.

DOCTOR, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US.

>> Speaker: THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING ME, JEFF, AND THANKS FOR GIVING THOSE TITLES.

I KNOW THERE ARE QUITE A FEW DISWHRANCHTS WAS ONLY HALFCH THEM, I BELIEVE.

SO THE EXPRESS CANCER AWARENESS MONTH, AND THIS IS A CONDITION WHERE WARN AND EARLY DETECTION REALLY MATTERS.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

YES.

YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.

THAT'S WHY THERE IS OCTOBER BREAST CANCER AWARENESS MONTH.

I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR FOLKS TO KNOW THAT GETTING SCREENED IN ORDER TO FACILITATE EARLY DETECTION OF BREAST CANCER REALLY IS KEY.

IF A WOMAN IS DIAGNOSED WITH A BREAST CANCER EARLY ON, HER CHANCE OF SURVIVING AND HAVING A HIGH QUALITY SURVIVORSHIP CERTAINLY INCREASES.

AND ALSO THE EARLIER CANCER IS DIAGNOSED, THE LESS COMPLICATED CANCER TREATMENT CAN BE.

>> Jeff: WHAT DO YOU SEE AS THE BARRIERS TO MORE PEOPLE GETTING SCREENED MORE OFTEN?

>> THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.

I THINK ONE IS WHAT YOU HAVE ALREADY SAID, IT'S JUST AWARENESS.

PEOPLE KNOWING THAT IT'S SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE.

ANOTHER IS THE FACT THAT PEOPLE ARE JUST BUSY.

THERE I WAS SURVEY THAT WAS DONE IN BALTIMORE CITY A FEW YEARS AGO, AND BELIEVE IT OR NOT THE NUMBER ONE REASON PEOPLE SAID THEY DIDN'T GET 'ER THIS BREAST CANCER SCREENING DONE WAS HER JUST DEPARTMENT HAVE TIME FOR IT.

THEY WERE TAKING CARE OF EITHER EERLDZ PARENTS OR CHILDREN.

I THINK THERE ARE ALSO SIGNIFICANT POPULATIONS WHERE WE SEE PATROL NUMBERS OF PEOPLE GETTING SCREENED AND THOSE TEND TO BE FROM RACIAL AND ETHNIC GROUPS.

AND ALSO PEOPLE DO NOT HAVE INSURANCE AND THERE EVER EVER THEREFORE DON'T HAVE REGULAR ACCESS TO HEALTH CARE.

KNOWLEDGE FOR THE NEED AND WHEN AND HOW SCREENINGS TAKE PLACE, AND SOME PEOPLE JUST GET A FEAR OF HAVING SCREENING DONE.

I'VE I HAVE I HAVE A LOT OF PATIENTS WHO COME IN AND SAY, I KNOW I SHOULD GET THIS BUT I THINK THE TEST IS JUST TOO PAINFUL AND I DON'T WANT TO DO IT OR I'M SCARED OF THE INFORMATION I WILL FIND.

SO THERE ARE A LOT OF BARRIERS THAT EXIST BUT THEY ARE NOT BARRIERS THAT WE CANNOT OVERCOME.

>> >> Jeff: LET'S TALK ABOUT SOME OF THOSE BARRIERS.

COST.

IS HELP AVAILABLE IF SOMEONE DOESN'T HAVE HEALTH COVERAGE?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

TRR THERE ARE QUITE A FEW RESOURCES.

WE'RE FORTUNATE HERE IN MARYLAND AND BALTIMORE CITY SPECIFICALLY.

AS YOU MENTIONED IN MY VUKS GRUKS I'M THE MEMBER DIRECTOR BOR A PROGRAM CALLED THE APARTMENT BAMPLETY IS CANCER PROGRAM WHICH IS A COMMUNITY-BASED INITIATIVE OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND, THE COMPREHENSIVE CANCER CENTER THERE, AND WE ACTUALLY JUST CELEBRATED OUR 21ST ANNIVERSARY IN OFFING THIS YEAR AND PROVIDE NO-COST SCREENINGS TO INDIVIDUALS IN BALTIMORE AND IMMEDIATELY SURROUNDING AREA WHO EITHER HAVE NO INSURANCE OR DON'T HAVE ENOUGH INSURANCE TO RECEIVE SCREENINGS, AND WE OFFER SERVICES RANGING FROM OUTREACH AND EDUCATION, SO MAKING SURE WE GO OUT INTO THE COMMUNITY TO LET KNOW, FOLK KNOW THAT SCREENING IS IMPORTANT, WHY SCREENING IS IMPORTANT, WHY SCREENING IS DONE, AND WHERE THEY CAN GET IT DONE, AND THEN WE CAN PAY FOR THOSE SERVICES TO BE COMPLETED.

IN THE 21 YEARS THAT WE'VE BEEN IN EXISTENCE, WE HAVE COMPLETED OVER 38,000 CANCER SCREENINGS.

THESE ARE BREAST, SER VICIALG AND COLORECTAL SCREENINGS BUT THE MAJORITY OUR WORK IS DONE IN BREAST CANCER SCREENING AND WE HAVE DYING NOATDZ OVER 156 INDIVIDUALS WITH BREAST CANCERS AND WE'RE PROWD TO SAY THAT MOST PEOPLE WHO COME TO OUR PROGRAM ARE CANCER SURVIVORS AND THREAR THRIVING AND DOING A-OK. >> Jeff: YOU MENTIONED THE FACT THAT PEOPLE ARE WORRIED ABOUT WHAT A MEDICAL TEST MIGHT TURN UP.

>> SURE.

>> THAT'S A DEEP-SEATED NOT UNREALISTIC FEAR.

HOW DO YOU -- HOW DO YOU ADDRESS THAT?

WHEN EVERYBODY KNOWS SOMEBODY WHO HAS HAD SOME FORM OF CANCER OR OTHER.

>> YEAH, I MEAN, I THINK THERE ARE DIFFERENT WAYS THAT YOU DO THAT.

IF I PUT MY FAMILY DOCTOR HAT ON FOR A MOMENT, I THINK JUST HAVING CONVERSATIONS WITH A PATIENT.

WHEN YOU ASK THAT QUESTION, THERE'S A SPECIFIC PATIENT THAT COMES TO MIND FOR ME WHO WAS ULTIMATELY DIAGNOSED WITH CANCER, WHO WAS TREATED AT OUR CANCER AND CENTER AND WHO WAS DOING VERY WELL, BUT SHE HAD SYMPTOMS THINK THINK SHE KNEW KADE SHE PROBABLY HAD A BREAST CANCER AND HE WAS REALLY WORRIED ABOUT WHAT TESTING WOULD SHOW, WHAT WOULD HAPPEN AFTER SHE NISHEDIATED TESTING, AND I THINK REALLY ALLOWING HER TO SET THE PACE AND THE TONE OF WHAT WAS DONE HELPED.

SHE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE SENT ESSENTIALLY HAD SOME CONTROL, THAT HE DIDN'T DO THINGS THAT SHE DIDN'T WANT TO DO, AND SO AS A FAMILY DOCTOR JUST HAVING THOSE INDIVIDUAL CONVERSATIONS.

I THINK WIECK LIKEWISE WINS THE BALTIMORE CITY CANCER PROGRAM WE FRY TO PROVIDE WRAPAROUND SERVICES.

WE WILL HAVE WE HAVE COMMUNITY WORKERS WHO WILL ATTEND THE APPOINTMENTS WERE PATIENTS SO NEV ANY QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS THEY CAN BE RIGHT THERE.

WE CAN WALK THROUGH WHAT THE TEST IS AND SO PEOPLE AREN'T SURPRISED.

ULTIMATELY I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE SAY, TOO, MAMMOGRAM IS NOT THE MOST COMFORTABLE EXAM FOR SOME PEOPLE BUT IT'S QUICK EXAM AND AN EXAM THAT COULD SAVE YOUR LIFE INSPECTOR SO JUST PUTTING FLIT THAT PERSPECTIVE I THINK IS HELPFUL FOR FOLKS TO GET THE TEST.

>> Jeff: HAS THE TECHNOLOGY CHANGED THERE AT ALL?

IN TERMS OF BASIC X-RAY MAMMOGRAPHY VERSUS SOME SORT OF MRI OR THREE DIMENSIONAL SCAN?

WHAT'S HAPPENING THERE?

>> SURE, THAT'S A GOOD YES.

YES, THE TECHNOLOGY HAS CERTAINLY CHANGED.

MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY IS ALWAYS ADVANCING, AND SO ITS STILL A FORM OF X-RAY BUT THERE IS A 2020D MA'AM RAEF AND THE 3D ARE ALMOST A HOLISTIC 360 VIEW OF BREAST THAT CAN BE DONE.

THOSE ARE STILL THE PRIMARY SCREENING MODALITIES.

THERE IS BREAST MRI THAT CAN BE USED FOR AN INDIVIDUAL WHO IS AT-HIGH RISK BECAUSE THEY THEMSELVES HAVE A PERSONAL RISK OF BREAST CANCER OR A STRONG FAMILY HISTORY OF BREAST CANCER.

BUT THE ACTUAL TECHNOLOGY IN TERMS OF HOW THE TEST IS DONE, MEANING THAT THE BREAST THE ISSUE HAS TO BE PUT ON A PLATE AND EXREASED SO THAT WE CAN SEE IT, THAT IS ESSENTIALLY THE SAME.

>> WHO IS AT A HIGHER RISK?

WHO NEEDS TO START THEIR SCREENING A LITTLE BIT EARLY?

>> YES, SO AN AVERAGE RISK FOR AN AVERAGE RISK PERSON, MOST INDIVIDUALS WILL START JEENG AT THE AGE OF 40.

A PERSON WHO IS AT HIGHER RISK, IT CAN BE FOR DIFFERENT THINGS.

OFTENTIMES PEOPLE HAVE LEADER ABOUT THE BRCA 1 AND 2 GENES, SO THESE ARE GENES THAT CAN BE CARRIED WITHIN FAMILIES THAT PUT A PERSON OR AN INDIVIDUAL AT HIGHER RISK TO DEVELOPING CANCER.

AND SO IF A PERSON KNOWS THAT THEY HAVE A GENE LIKE THAT, THEY WOULD WORK WITH THE PHYSICIAN POTENTIALLY A GENETIC COUNSELOR TO TALK ABOUT WHEN SCREENING SHOULD SMUD INITIATE P ALSO IF YOU HAVE A PEOPLE HISTORY A FIRST DEGREE RELATIVE IN PARTICULAR, AND I ALWAYS SAY THE FIRST WAY TO THINK IS A PERSON YOU CAN TOUCH ON THE FAMILY TREE.

SO YOUR PARENTS, YOUR SIBLINGS OR YOUR CHILDREN.

IF YOU HAVE A FIRST DEGREE RELATIVE THAT'S HAD A HISTORIES OF BREAST CANCER DIAGNOSED EARLY, YOU WANT TO TALK WITH YOUR DOCTOR BASED UPON THE AGE AT WHICH THAT PERSON WAS DIAGNOSED WHETHER OR NOT YOU WOULD INITIATED SCREENING AT AN EARLIER TIME.

SO THERE ARE A NUMBER OF REASONS THAT I A PERSON MIGHT BE AT A HIGHER RISK.

NOSE ARE SOME OF THE MORE COMMON REASONS.

BUT REALLY THE BEST WAY FOR A PERSON TO KNOW IF THEY'RE AT INCREASED RISK IS TO TALK TO A DOCTOR OR A PHYSICIAN.

>> Jeff: WHAT IMPACT ABOUT THE PANDEMIC HAVE ON THE OVERALL SCREENING OF THE OVERALL POPULATION IS IF I'M WORDING EARLY IN THE PANDEMIC NOBODY WAS GOING ANYWHERE, CERTAINLY NOT TO A DOCTOR AREAS OFFICE WHICH WAS FULL OF SICK PEOPLE.

MY QUESTION IS, IS THERE A BACKLOG OF PEOPLE WHO MAYBE DIDN'T GET SCREENED AND ALL OF A STUD SUDDEN YOU HAVE A WAIF 6 IT AND THEN YOU FIND A BUNCH OF INNINGS THAT NEED TO BE INVESTIGATED, AND THE SPECIALISTS THAT DO THAT, ARE THEY SUPER BUSY RIGHT NOW?

>> Elliot: YEAH, AGAIN A REALLY IMPORTANT QUESTION BECAUSE WHAT DID COVID NOT IMPACT, RIGHT?

COVID HAS IMPACTED EVERY SECTION OF OUR LIVES AND CANCER SCREENING IS NO EXCEPTION TO THAT.

IN THE FIRST COUPLE OF MONTHS AFTER THE INITIAL DIAGNOSIS OR THE INITIAL WORD OF COVID OR THE PANDEMIC BEING OUT WITH CANCER SCREENING RATES WERE DOWN AS MUCH AS 80 TO 90 PERCENT, SO THERE REALLY HAS A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT.

YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.

WE WEREN'T NECESSARILY ENCOURAGING PEOPLE TO GO OUT AND GET SCREENING, EITHER.

WHAT THE IMPACT WILL BE ULTIMATELY, TIME IS GOING TO HAVE TO TELL, BUT THERE ARE SOME ESTIMATES THAT IF YOU LOOK OVER THE NEXT TEN YEARS OR SO, THAT WE EXPECT TO SEE INCREASES AS MUCH AS 10,000 DEATHS FROM JUST BREAST AND COLORECTAL CANCER ALONE BECAUSE OF THE COVID PANDEMIC.

AS FOR BACKLOG, I THINK SMICIAL INITIALLY THERE MAY HAVE BEEN SMCH THAT.

WE'RE FORTUNATE.

THERE CERTAINLY HAVE BEEN EFFORTS ACROSS THE STATE TO MAKE SURE THAT STAKEHOLDERS FROM PRIMARY CARE PHYSICIANS TO THE MILLION DOLLAR DECHTD HEALTH TO MAJOR CAN A EPIDEMIC STOOTIONZ ARE ENSURERS IN THERE -- SORRY DIDN'T AND RADIOLOGISTS IN THOSE SITES AS WELL ARE WORKING TOGETHER, AND SO THINGS HAPPEN SUCH AS WEEK HOURS AND EVENING HOURS TO ENSURE THAT PEOPLE ARE GETTING IN.

BUT I CAN TELL ANECDOTALLY AT THE BALTIMORE CITY CANCER PROGRAM WE HAVE HAD WOMEN WHO COME INTO OUR PROGRAM, THIS YEAR IN PARTICULAR, WHO DELAYED SCREENING, DELAYED FOLLOW-UP, AND ARE BEING DIAGNOSED WITH LATER STAGE CANCER.

SO WE'LL SEE.

WE'LL SEE.

BUT THAT'S ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT WE'RE GOING TO NEED MORE TIME TO DO, BUT CERTAINLY FOR ANY PERSON WHO IS WONDERING IS NOW A GOOD TIME TO GO IN AND GET SCREENED, ABSOLUTELY.

THE FACILITIES ARE THERE.

APPOINTMENTS ARE AVAILABLE.

AND IF YOU ARE HAVING PROBLEMS, THAT'S A GOOD REASON TO REACH OUT TO A PROVIDER TO HELP THEM -- TO HAVE THEM HELP YOU FACILITATE AND GET YUFERRED SCHEDULED.

>> WHAT SHOULD WOMEN KNOW ABOUT THE ROLE FOR BREAST SELF-EXAMINATION?

AND HAS THE ROLE FOR A CLINICAL BREAST EXAMINATION CHANGED?

>> YEAH, TWO REALLY GOOD QUESTIONS.

SO WE FOLLOW GUIDELINES FROM DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS, AND THE CITY OF CANCER SCREENING WOULD THINK ABOUT THE AMERICAN CARNEY SOCIETY A ONE POTENTIAL ORGANIZATION.

THE UNITED STATES PREVENTIONTIVE SERVICES TASK FORCE IS ANOTHER ORGANIZATION THAT PROVIDES RECOMMENDATIONS.

PREVIOUSLY THERE HAD BEEN RECOMMENDATIONS BY VARIOUS PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS TO THAT WOMEN SHOULD DO SELF-BREAST EXAM, AND ACTUALLY THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS NO LONGER EXIST.

WHY DID THEY CHANGE THESE RECOMMENDATIONS?

THE REASON WAS WHEN WE WOULD FIND CHANGES IN THE BREAST, THAT CREATED A LOT OF ANXIETY THAT WERE NOT ULTIMATELY CANCER, LED TO DING AND BIOPSIES THAT WE FOUND REALLY DIDN'T NEED TO BE DONE, AND SO WITH ALL OF THESE THINGS IT'S ALWAYS ABOUT A BALANCE A BALANCE OF RISK OR FOR MANY VERSUS GEFNT BENEFIT.

IS THE EXAMINATION ARE -- FOR HEALTH EXAMINATIONS ARE NOT THERE.

I WILL ADMIT I DO TALK TO MY PATIENTS ABOUT KNOWING NUR BODY, NOTE JUST YOUR BREAST, AND SO HAVING A GOOD UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT'S NORMAL FOR YOU SO IF THERE'S EVER A CHANGE, YOU'RE ABLE TO IDENTIFY THAT CHANGE AND SAY I KNOW THIS IS A CHANGE.

DO I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT.

IN TERMS OF CLINICAL -- >> Jeff: AND, DOCTOR -- >> JUST IN TERMS OF CLINICAL BREAST EXAM IT'S SIMILAR.

THIS HAVE BEEN REQUESTS FOR CLINICAL PRESS COMPASS AND THOSE ARE NOT THERE ANYMORE.

IF A PERSON COMES IN AND AS A CONCERN THAT'S A DIFFERNT QUESTION.

IF A PERSON COMES IN AND SAYS, I HAVE FOUND AN LUMP IN MY BREAST OR IN MY AIR PIT, WE'RE DEFINITELY GOING TO DO A EXAM.

BUT TO DO A CLINICAL BREAST DPAM FOR SCREENING BE A LOT OF THE LARGER ORGANIZATIONS NO LONGER MAKE THOSE CONDITIONS.

>> >>> GI WAS GOING TO COMPLIMENT YOUR HOPE MESSAGE ON YOUR LAPEL.

IT'S A GREAT MESSAGE.

>> Elliot: THANK YOU.

ONE OF MY WORKERS GIVE HAVE GAY MOO THESE BUNN VNCHES UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND MEDICAL CENTER.

DOCTOR, THANKS FOR TIME.

WE APPRECIATE IT.

>> Elliot: THANK YOU SO MUCH.

THANK YOU.

>> Jeff: THAT IS "DIRECT CONNECTION."

WE'RE BACK FRIDAY WITH STATED CIRCUMSTANTIAL AND THE LATEST ON MARYLAND POLITICS.

JOIN US FRIDAY EVENING A 7:00.

PLEASE REMEMBER TO FOLLOW US ON TWITTER @MPTNEWS.

NOW FOR ALL OF US AT MPT, THANK YOU FOR WATCHING "DIRECT CONNECTION" AND HAVE A GOOD NIGHT.

CLOSED CAPTIONING HAS BEEN