Physicians Produce, Host Popular Medical Show
Erie’s early risers might see a few familiar faces when they turn on WJET, their local ABC station, on Sunday mornings.
Several local physicians produce and host “Focus on Erie Medicine,” a half-hour talk show featuring physicians interviewing other physicians about a variety of health care topics.
“We have a loyal following. It’s amazing how many people wake up early in the morning,” said Sidney Lipman, MD, who has been involved with the show since 1980.
The nearly 30-year-old show is one of the longest running medical shows on television. It started out as a radio show in January 1980 and switched to TV four years later.
Lipman came on board after the show’s founder, John Reilly, MD, interviewed him and then invited him to be an interviewer. Two years later, Dr. Lipman and another interviewer—David Deiteman, MD—took over the reins.
Each week, one of the show’s 10 interviewers picks a health care topic and a physician to interview. Topics range from medical liability to health insurance to public health issues like cancer.
“It’s a doctor-to-doctor discussion geared to the public,” Dr. Lipman said.
Dr. Lipman said he thinks many Erie residents tune in to see someone familiar discuss medical issues.
“Some of my patients say they watch every show. It’s nice for people to see their physician on TV doing this instead of a national interviewer, one of the talking heads that we usually see. It’s more personal if it’s someone they see on a regular basis,” Dr. Lipman said.
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Last Updated: 4/21/2009