Dr. Arlen Meyers: When Cutting-Edge Medicine Meets Entrepreneurial Drive

Imagine a world where your physician is not just a doctor but an innovator, where the healthcare system doesn't just react to illnesses but proactively cultivates wellness. Dr. Arlen Meyers, with a career that has evolved alongside the world of medicine, is working towards making that vision a reality.

For the better part of four decades, Arlen dedicated himself to the intricate world of otolaryngology at the University of Colorado School of Medicine. But he didn't just stick to the status quo.

"There are those who lead health service organizations who need to evolve from technicians to managers to leaders to entrepreneurs...to leaderpreneurs," he states emphatically. The image he paints is of someone who doesn't just manage innovation systems—but leads innovators.

From teaching at the University of Colorado Denver Anschutz medical campus to serving as a physician in residence at the Jabs Center for Entrepreneurship, Arlen has truly merged the world of academia and real-world medical business. He's not shy to point out the pitfalls in the current "sick care" model, stating that the system can't be fixed from inside.

Arlen's career wasn't without its hurdles. An attempt at transferring a potentially revolutionary device for optical detection of oral cancer to commercial markets failed, but the experience became a classroom. He reminisces about his takeaways, "Everyone thinks they have a good idea. They don’t know what to do with their ideas and won’t be taught what to do with them in formal training."

That didn't deter him. These failures seemed to have only steeled his resolve, pushing him to ensure others had the resources and training to bring their innovations to life. His brainchild, the non-profit Society of Physician Entrepreneurs (SoPE), encapsulates his vision, aiming to transform 'sick care' to genuine healthcare, reforming medical education, and bridging the global health outcome disparities. SoPE is now an organization that has swelled to a robust membership of over 30,000.

For those keeping a tally – this 73-year-old, University of Pennsylvania medical graduate, founder of medical device company Comstock and Meyers, editor-in-chief, Fulbright Fellowship awardee, and author of countless textbooks, is also attempting to reshape the very fabric of medical care. Talk about wearing many hats!

Meyers reminisces, "I'm frequently asked, 'So, what's your story? Did you ever think you'd wind up where you are now?' (Spoiler alert: Sort of)". This self-aware, somewhat tongue-in-cheek introspection offers a window into a life lived with awareness, filled with both intention and serendipity.

Arlen’s is a story that bridges the gritty streets of Philly to the high-rising ambitions of medical innovation. It's a journey that feels both familiar and extraordinary, speaking to the heart of those who dream beyond their immediate circumstances.

Growing up as an inner-city kid in Philadelphia, Meyers’ has seen the hands-on grind of unloading lumber from freight cars, the sweltering interiors of a sugar plant on the Delaware River, and even the delicate touch required to pack gelatin capsules in a corner drug store. There's a tangible texture to his experiences. As he remarks about his formative years, "Yes. I had a pet dog, but how many cat and dog videos can we all watch?"

Education, too, played a foundational role—but it wasn’t a straightforward path. Dr. Meyers admits, "In retrospect, I guess I hid my innerpreneur while I was busy memorizing a bunch of stuff along the way. After all, medicine is a culture of conformity, not a culture of creativity." It's this candor, this ability to look back and reflect on one’s trajectory with both pride and humility, that makes his narrative so compelling.

His transition from the medical field to entrepreneurship is described not as a calculated pivot but a natural evolution of interests and frustrations. "During that time I was part of a team that invented a device that optically detected superficial cancers... I had no clue what to do next," Meyers recounts. This sentiment, one of achievement met with a lack of direction, spurred him onto the roads of innovation, entrepreneurship, and technology commercialization. And through this journey, Arlen Meyers found his true calling.

Meyers’ eventual involvement in the creation of the Society of Physician Entrepreneurs (SoPE) wasn’t merely a business endeavor but a response to a recognized gap. He noted how many in the medical field believed they had the next big idea but lacked the commercial knowledge to bring it to fruition. SoPE emerged as an answer, a platform to nurture medical innovation and provide the required support and mentorship.

One of the most striking recollections from Meyers’ tale is the inception of the ENTrepreneurs Club, a precursor to SoPE. He remembers, "With short notice, we were able to find a room to test our idea at 5:30 am..." The grassroots nature of this endeavor, the hands-on approach of handing out flyers, underscores the genuine passion and drive behind the initiative.

Dr. Meyers' journey is not just his own. It’s the story of taking chances, recognizing opportunities, and carving out a niche where passion meets profession. Through all his successes, challenges, and moments of introspection, Arlen Meyers invites us to reflect on our own paths, asking, "What's your story?"

The paradox is evident. The system titled "US Healthcare System" is paradoxically more concerned with sickness than with health. As Arlen highlighted, "The US Healthcare System is a misnomer. We have instead a sick care system... that masquerades as a healthcare system."

With an aging global population and dwindling resources, the system is groaning under pressure. Our British counterparts face analogous issues; the NHS, once emblematic of efficiency, is on the brink of a breakdown, with waiting times soaring and strikes gaining momentum. While the US spends a whopping $4.3 trillion on "healthcare," much of this expenditure is funneled towards treating sick patients.

Arlen presents 'The Big Fix,' emphasizing the transition from sick care to healthcare. It's a blueprint outlining pillars for transformation, punctuated by pressing questions that taxpayers and stakeholders must confront. It doesn't tiptoe around the complexities but addresses them head-on, including the challenges of changing ingrained behaviors and attitudes of both doctors and patients.

Intriguingly, Arlen touches upon the rarity of an entrepreneurial spirit in the medical realm. He speculates that only about "1% of doctors, engineers, and scientists have an entrepreneurial mindset." From embracing personal growth to challenging status quo forces, from seeking value-laden questions to focusing on stakeholders' genuine experiences—Arlen provides a roadmap for anyone aspiring to break free from conformity.

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In modern healthcare, there's a tension that can't be ignored. On one side, the traditional ethos of medicine – compassion, care, and a commitment to the patient. On the other, the pressing demands of business – profits, efficiency, and market dynamics. Arlen has spent his career straddling these two worlds, and he's well aware of the challenges they present.

"It's a tug-of-war between purpose and profits," Arlen says, citing the transformation of the US healthcare system, which he calls "Sickcare, Inc." With a staggering value of $4 trillion and growing, the business side of medicine seems to be overshadowing its foundational principles. Physicians, often seen as the frontline soldiers in this battle, are grappling with an increasing need to be entrepreneurial while staying rooted in their medical ethos.

But what really grabs one's attention is the bigger picture Arlen paints – of a system where the drive for profits can eclipse the mission to provide care. He points to a New York Times investigation, revealing that many nonprofit hospitals, despite enjoying tax breaks for their community service, have drifted from their charitable roots. It's not just the hospitals, either. From Amazon's foray into the prescription drug market to the rise of massive retail and pharmacy chains, the line between business and medicine continues to blur.

"Corporate interests are growing in the healthcare sector," Arlen observes. While proponents argue that this evolution leads to efficiency and innovation, critics warn of a system that prioritizes profit over patient care.

For Arlen, the concern isn't just about business seeping into medicine; it's about the ethics of the business itself. He mentions a fellowship program at Stanford aimed at teaching the ethics of entrepreneurship, alluding to high-profile startup meltdowns as a testament to the pressing need for such training. The challenge isn't just to teach entrepreneurs to do good, but to do right.

Yet, for all his concern, Arlen is not a cynic. He believes in what he calls "compassionate capitalism." Drawing a parallel to President George W. Bush's "compassionate conservatism," he imagines a world where private enterprises can both profit and serve the public good. After all, many physicians have long been entrepreneurs, inventing new devices, drugs, and processes, while simultaneously serving their patients.

Arlen cites the example of Drs. Wayne Guerra and Peter Hudson, who turned a simple observation – patients coming to emergency rooms for non-emergencies – into iTriage, a mobile app directing patients to appropriate care facilities. Such innovations, he argues, can bridge the gap between business aspirations and medical integrity.

Moreover, Arlen sees a trend where businesses rooted in purpose, rather than just profit, are gaining traction. By merging their expertise with entrepreneurial spirit, they can drive innovations that not only generate profits but also advance healthcare.

Arlen concludes with a hopeful vision, speaking of an evolving medical sector where innovation thrives amidst challenges like cost-cutting and increased demand. "It's the dawn of a new era of compassionate capitalism," he muses, "and it's the physicians, equipped with both their medical knowledge and entrepreneurial spirit, who will lead the charge."

Arlen’s passion for medicine is evident, but so is his understanding of the need to venture outside its confines. Quoting his guidance, he believes, "Physician entrepreneurs need to be physicians first." However, Arlen advocates for the concurrent pursuit of entrepreneurship rather than a sequential dive.

While entrepreneurship often focuses on finding solutions, Arlen's perspective is different. "Be a problem seeker, not a problem solver in the early stages," he advises. An approach, he believes, can ward off common pitfalls faced by startups.

But what fuels the fire in physician entrepreneurs like Arlen? "One of the enduring factors in creating an agile and innovative business is purpose," he shares. He believes that the top three traits of a successful entrepreneur are tenacity, creativity, and resilience. But the driving force? An "intrinsic motivator," making the journey intensely personal yet devoid of ego.

In a global society where expertise is often narrowly defined, Dr. Arlen is an example of the power of interdisciplinary exploration. Bridging the worlds of medicine and entrepreneurship, he doesn't just traverse both domains; he challenges their very underpinnings. This leads to a compelling reflection on the nature of innovation and discovery. If one physician-entrepreneur can spark such insights at the intersection of two fields, what untapped potential lies at the crossroads of other disciplines? Arlen's insights prompt us to think: instead of deepening the silos in which professions operate, perhaps the next frontier of breakthroughs awaits at the confluence of these worlds. In the dance between disciplines, like the one Arlen so masterfully choreographs, lies the promise of a future rich with uncharted possibilities.

Images courtesy of: Dr Arlen Meyers