WEBVTT 1 00:00:01.320 --> 00:00:07.000 It's Night Side with Dan Ray. I'm Boston Radio. 2 00:00:07.200 --> 00:00:08.199 Thanks very much, Nicole. 3 00:00:08.279 --> 00:00:11.439 Hope you have a very happy and enjoyable weekend and 4 00:00:11.480 --> 00:00:13.640 the weather holds for everybody here in New England. 5 00:00:13.679 --> 00:00:14.519 My name is Dan Ray. 6 00:00:14.599 --> 00:00:17.960 I am the host of Night Sign and here every weeknight, 7 00:00:18.039 --> 00:00:21.160 Monday through Friday from eight until midnight, and we will 8 00:00:21.199 --> 00:00:23.519 take you all the way till Saturday morning. If you 9 00:00:23.559 --> 00:00:25.199 stay with us now, if you're in the car headed 10 00:00:25.239 --> 00:00:29.440 west or north or south, just keep it tuned to 11 00:00:29.679 --> 00:00:31.800 ten thirty and your AM dial and we'll provide you 12 00:00:31.839 --> 00:00:35.880 with good information and hopefully some entertaining conversation as the 13 00:00:35.920 --> 00:00:36.600 evening goes on. 14 00:00:36.719 --> 00:00:37.640 Of course, that's going to. 15 00:00:37.600 --> 00:00:41.320 Depend very very large part if the topics that I've 16 00:00:41.359 --> 00:00:45.079 picked click with the listeners, and if the listeners turned 17 00:00:45.119 --> 00:00:48.960 themselves into callers. That's the magic of talk radio, and 18 00:00:49.000 --> 00:00:51.479 we try to think that most nights. We get pretty 19 00:00:51.479 --> 00:00:54.439 magical here, simple as that. So Rob Brooks is back 20 00:00:54.479 --> 00:00:56.560 in the control room tonight. He'll be taking your phone 21 00:00:56.560 --> 00:00:59.880 calls beginning, but not before not a call. 22 00:01:00.320 --> 00:01:00.560 Now. 23 00:01:00.799 --> 00:01:03.840 We have four really interesting guests this hour, so sit 24 00:01:03.920 --> 00:01:07.239 back and relax and enjoy the first of our very 25 00:01:07.280 --> 00:01:11.719 interesting guests doctor Michael Barnett. He's an associate professor in 26 00:01:11.760 --> 00:01:14.480 the Department of Health Policy and Management at the Harvard 27 00:01:14.920 --> 00:01:17.560 th Chance School of Public Health. And we're going to 28 00:01:17.599 --> 00:01:20.840 look at the whole question about why is so hard 29 00:01:21.120 --> 00:01:24.120 these days to get a doctor's appointment or to actually 30 00:01:24.120 --> 00:01:30.920 become a patient of a doctor. Getting a new PCP 31 00:01:31.239 --> 00:01:34.799 is not as easy as it once was. Doctor Michael Barnett, 32 00:01:34.840 --> 00:01:37.040 Welcome to Nightside. How are you to this evening, sir. 33 00:01:38.280 --> 00:01:39.760 I'm Jim Great, thanks for having me. 34 00:01:40.120 --> 00:01:43.280 I gotta tell you I was looking for a primary 35 00:01:43.319 --> 00:01:46.799 care physician a few years ago, and after having had 36 00:01:46.840 --> 00:01:50.599 a great primary care physician for many years, doctor Allan 37 00:01:50.719 --> 00:01:54.439 Cole out in Natick. He literally take care of me 38 00:01:54.519 --> 00:01:56.079 for thirty five or forty years. 39 00:01:56.719 --> 00:02:00.159 It was tough. What's going on here? 40 00:02:00.200 --> 00:02:03.439 I mean, you know, if I thought to myself, I 41 00:02:03.480 --> 00:02:05.760 was in a third world country for a few weeks 42 00:02:06.159 --> 00:02:09.360 I wanted I called a couple of doctor's offices, said well, 43 00:02:09.199 --> 00:02:12.400 we can get you an interview to be considered as 44 00:02:12.439 --> 00:02:14.960 a patient, you know, three or four months from now. 45 00:02:16.919 --> 00:02:19.520 Wow, I haven't heard of interview since like apply. 46 00:02:19.360 --> 00:02:20.039 To be a patient. 47 00:02:20.080 --> 00:02:21.919 But yes, yeah, I mean it's really tough. 48 00:02:23.240 --> 00:02:25.919 Exactly what it was. I never I never said that's crazy. 49 00:02:28.319 --> 00:02:30.680 Yeah, well, you know it is. It is really hard, 50 00:02:31.080 --> 00:02:34.560 and you know, I think you can kind of go 51 00:02:34.639 --> 00:02:37.560 back to just you know, basic the basic economics of 52 00:02:37.599 --> 00:02:40.800 supply and demand. You know, I think, you know, especially 53 00:02:40.879 --> 00:02:43.599 post pandemic, we're in a world where they're just growing 54 00:02:43.680 --> 00:02:47.000 patient demand. People are older, they're on more medications, they 55 00:02:47.080 --> 00:02:50.520 see other doctors, there's more stuff to do, and the 56 00:02:50.520 --> 00:02:53.120 primary care supply just hasn't caught up. You know, we don't. 57 00:02:53.159 --> 00:02:55.840 We don't. We don't make enough doctors. We don't have 58 00:02:56.000 --> 00:02:59.599 enough time for patients. You know, in our system right now, 59 00:02:59.599 --> 00:03:01.639 there's no well one thing. 60 00:03:01.680 --> 00:03:07.360 We have a plethora of our lawyers. But I believe 61 00:03:07.439 --> 00:03:12.719 that the AMA has some pretty struck strict standards for 62 00:03:13.120 --> 00:03:16.680 getting medical schools up and running. There are some offshore 63 00:03:16.759 --> 00:03:19.800 medical schools are which are really good medical schools. There 64 00:03:19.800 --> 00:03:23.759 are a lot of smart young men and women graduating 65 00:03:23.759 --> 00:03:26.599 from college who would like to become doctors, and they 66 00:03:26.639 --> 00:03:29.159 have to go to an offshore medical school. 67 00:03:29.199 --> 00:03:30.759 Am I right or wrong on that? Doctor? 68 00:03:32.479 --> 00:03:35.479 There are a lot of offshore medical schools. I mean, 69 00:03:35.520 --> 00:03:39.560 I think another another source of doctors that doesn't receive 70 00:03:39.599 --> 00:03:41.520 a whole lot of attention, but it's pretty important. Or 71 00:03:41.520 --> 00:03:44.000 also doctors from other countries. You know, there are lots 72 00:03:44.000 --> 00:03:46.759 of doctors, say from Europe or India that wants to 73 00:03:46.759 --> 00:03:48.520 come to the US, and many of them do end 74 00:03:48.599 --> 00:03:51.039 up practicing here, but it's a very, very long road. 75 00:03:51.280 --> 00:03:53.759 These are people who are already established physicians in their 76 00:03:53.800 --> 00:03:58.039 own home country. But it is true that we have 77 00:03:58.120 --> 00:04:01.599 a lot more demand also for medical schoo but that 78 00:04:01.719 --> 00:04:06.159 does if we're talking about primary care, that does kind 79 00:04:06.159 --> 00:04:09.360 of look past the facts that you know of people 80 00:04:09.360 --> 00:04:11.759 who graduate medical school. Not a lot of people want 81 00:04:11.759 --> 00:04:13.199 to go into primary care right now. 82 00:04:15.360 --> 00:04:19.279 Well, well, here's my If I'm wrong here, please tell me. 83 00:04:19.360 --> 00:04:22.560 But I was told a long time ago that the 84 00:04:22.600 --> 00:04:27.560 American Medical Association is involved in the licensing of medical 85 00:04:27.560 --> 00:04:31.160 schools and that they have been pretty reluctant to open up. 86 00:04:32.199 --> 00:04:35.639 It's very difficult to get into medical schools because, for example, 87 00:04:35.639 --> 00:04:39.279 at UMass out in Worcester is only I have to 88 00:04:39.360 --> 00:04:42.519 leave one hundred and twenty seats for the first year 89 00:04:42.600 --> 00:04:43.399 medical students. 90 00:04:43.519 --> 00:04:45.600 I think that numbers on the money, Am I correct? 91 00:04:47.360 --> 00:04:48.240 That sounds that right? 92 00:04:48.439 --> 00:04:53.480 Okay, so it seems to me that we have plenty 93 00:04:53.560 --> 00:04:58.160 of academic space and we turn out, you know, anthropology 94 00:04:58.240 --> 00:05:01.639 majors and you know, well a lot of majors, which 95 00:05:02.360 --> 00:05:05.480 maybe a wonderful majors, but we must have seen the 96 00:05:05.480 --> 00:05:08.680 baby boom coming. What I'm trying to understand is is 97 00:05:08.759 --> 00:05:13.160 why has this pipeline not produced the adequate number of 98 00:05:13.199 --> 00:05:15.399 doctors this We're not a third world country. And I 99 00:05:15.399 --> 00:05:18.240 guess that's my frustration. And if I'm sounding frustrated, it's 100 00:05:18.240 --> 00:05:20.120 only because I've experienced it. 101 00:05:21.160 --> 00:05:23.439 Well, I mean I think, you know, I totally understand 102 00:05:23.480 --> 00:05:25.839 your frustration. I mean, I hear it from my patients 103 00:05:25.879 --> 00:05:28.560 who are also struggling to get appointments for their family 104 00:05:28.600 --> 00:05:31.560 members and they beg me to, you know, get them appointments. 105 00:05:32.680 --> 00:05:36.120 I totally get it. Yeah, the you know, the growth 106 00:05:36.279 --> 00:05:41.279 in I mean basically the growth and physicians in this 107 00:05:41.399 --> 00:05:45.519 country hasn't really kept up with population growth. And also 108 00:05:46.160 --> 00:05:48.519 another thing that we found in our research is that 109 00:05:48.600 --> 00:05:51.600 over the past you know, you know, two or three decades, 110 00:05:52.040 --> 00:05:55.000 physicians are also working fewer hours than they used to, 111 00:05:55.360 --> 00:05:59.920 probably because the job is really hard and so per physician, 112 00:06:00.040 --> 00:06:02.480 we also get fewer hours from them. Than we used to, 113 00:06:03.360 --> 00:06:06.959 and so you know, that creates an increasing gap. And 114 00:06:07.040 --> 00:06:10.279 you know, you pointed out the baby boomer generation is 115 00:06:10.360 --> 00:06:13.480 kind of you know, they're getting to an age where 116 00:06:13.519 --> 00:06:16.399 they have an increasing number of medical issues that have 117 00:06:16.480 --> 00:06:18.959 to be dealt with, and that creates a lot more demand. 118 00:06:19.839 --> 00:06:21.720 One thing I do want to add here is that 119 00:06:22.879 --> 00:06:27.000 mds are not meeting demand, but one group that is 120 00:06:27.680 --> 00:06:31.839 rising really really quickly as nurse practitioners and physician assistants 121 00:06:31.839 --> 00:06:34.680 to a lower extent. And so, you know, one thing 122 00:06:34.680 --> 00:06:37.040 that we're seeing a lot of is that a lot 123 00:06:37.079 --> 00:06:41.720 of health systems and offices are hiring nurse practitioners like gangbusters, 124 00:06:41.839 --> 00:06:44.399 and there's the growth in that profession has just been 125 00:06:44.439 --> 00:06:47.160 like double digits for years, I think because it's a 126 00:06:47.240 --> 00:06:48.199 huge market to fill. 127 00:06:49.519 --> 00:06:52.639 Well, I understand that, but I guess what I guess 128 00:06:52.639 --> 00:06:57.120 what my frustration is is that and I've had I've 129 00:06:57.160 --> 00:07:01.839 dealt with physic PA's physicians assistance nurse practitioners, and frankly, 130 00:07:02.079 --> 00:07:08.519 there are nurses who sometimes have a better bedside manner 131 00:07:08.560 --> 00:07:14.399 than some doctors. Maybe, so that's wonderful. But I had 132 00:07:14.399 --> 00:07:19.079 a conversation within the last hour with a former nurse 133 00:07:20.480 --> 00:07:24.600 who is dealing with a serious medical matter. Very bright 134 00:07:24.680 --> 00:07:30.240 woman at a big teaching institution here in Boston, someone 135 00:07:30.759 --> 00:07:34.959 that everyone knows, and she has been bounced around for 136 00:07:35.560 --> 00:07:41.759 months months, and she is someone who knows what the 137 00:07:41.839 --> 00:07:43.040 proper medical care is. 138 00:07:43.360 --> 00:07:46.040 I think that I think we got a huge. 139 00:07:45.759 --> 00:07:48.319 Problem coming up here. And I'm going to ask that 140 00:07:48.399 --> 00:07:50.920 question again. Am I correct when I say that the 141 00:07:50.959 --> 00:07:55.759 American Medical Association is involved in the licensing the number 142 00:07:55.839 --> 00:07:58.120 of medical schools in this country? Because I had been 143 00:07:58.160 --> 00:08:01.079 told that and I don't want to spread an accurate information. 144 00:08:02.600 --> 00:08:05.639 Do they have some input in who would way or 145 00:08:05.720 --> 00:08:06.920 medical schools open up? 146 00:08:08.439 --> 00:08:12.160 So I'll have to confess I don't know. I don't 147 00:08:12.160 --> 00:08:15.399 know the exact like policy pathway where people uh, you know, 148 00:08:15.480 --> 00:08:19.360 for approving new medical schools. I think the key organization here, 149 00:08:19.399 --> 00:08:21.800 which you know might as well be the am for 150 00:08:21.879 --> 00:08:24.800 probably a lot of people, is called the American Association 151 00:08:24.879 --> 00:08:32.080 of Medical Colleges or double or double AMC. And I 152 00:08:32.120 --> 00:08:34.720 think though that one of the biggest bottlenecks is not 153 00:08:34.879 --> 00:08:38.279 so much that there are a lot of places clamoring 154 00:08:38.360 --> 00:08:41.759 to build medical schools and being denied, but rather it's 155 00:08:41.799 --> 00:08:44.559 like a really expensive complicated proposition to start a new 156 00:08:44.559 --> 00:08:47.240 medical school. It's way more profitable to do something else. 157 00:08:47.919 --> 00:08:50.240 You know, if with the amount of energy and resources 158 00:08:50.240 --> 00:08:52.440 the health system could put into building a medical school, 159 00:08:52.519 --> 00:08:55.399 you know, they could build a new cardiology building, or 160 00:08:55.639 --> 00:08:58.120 you know, expand their on collogey practice or do something. 161 00:08:59.799 --> 00:09:03.639 And so I think also, it's just it's very expensive, 162 00:09:03.960 --> 00:09:06.240 and training doctors is expensive. 163 00:09:07.240 --> 00:09:09.720 Well, I think we've identified some of the problems. 164 00:09:09.759 --> 00:09:12.480 I'm not sure that we've been able to figure out 165 00:09:12.519 --> 00:09:17.080 the solutions, but I would think that well, I would 166 00:09:17.120 --> 00:09:19.440 think that some bright minds in the medical field could 167 00:09:19.559 --> 00:09:22.159 could address this. We can't turn this ship around overnight, 168 00:09:22.720 --> 00:09:28.279 but for future generations we better. We better do a 169 00:09:28.279 --> 00:09:30.960 better job of turning out people and not necessarily sending 170 00:09:31.039 --> 00:09:33.600 qualified students out of some of the best colleges and 171 00:09:33.720 --> 00:09:39.440 universities in this country to to offshore facilities and places 172 00:09:39.480 --> 00:09:43.519 like Granada and and Caribbean islands to go to medical schools. 173 00:09:43.519 --> 00:09:45.559 And they come back and they're great doctors. But it's 174 00:09:45.600 --> 00:09:48.320 being done. It's being done offshore. I'm sorry to be 175 00:09:48.360 --> 00:09:50.639 so frustrated, but I don't. 176 00:09:50.440 --> 00:09:53.480 Often Okay, I get it, I get it, and you know, 177 00:09:54.080 --> 00:09:55.840 I just I just also want to point out, you know, 178 00:09:55.879 --> 00:09:58.320 like the people who go to the offshore medical schools, 179 00:09:58.320 --> 00:10:00.240 you know, when they come back, we also need them 180 00:10:00.240 --> 00:10:03.120 to want to be primary care doctors, if you know, 181 00:10:03.240 --> 00:10:05.480 if you know, if we're seeing kind of seeing that 182 00:10:05.519 --> 00:10:07.919 as the key bottleneck because a lot of people don't 183 00:10:07.960 --> 00:10:10.960 want to go into primary care. So you know, it's 184 00:10:11.039 --> 00:10:12.679 it's not you know, I'll give you I'll give you 185 00:10:12.720 --> 00:10:14.879 a quick example, right. I think there's a lot of 186 00:10:15.840 --> 00:10:19.720 there's a lot of you know, hype and celebration around 187 00:10:20.159 --> 00:10:22.840 n YU made their medical school free for students, like 188 00:10:22.879 --> 00:10:25.279 several years ago, who think is before the pandemic, and 189 00:10:25.320 --> 00:10:27.679 everybody was all excited about it, and they're like, oh, 190 00:10:27.679 --> 00:10:30.000 we're going to do this because we don't want tuition 191 00:10:30.120 --> 00:10:34.919 to affect which specialty medical students choose. Well, it's several 192 00:10:35.000 --> 00:10:38.360 years later, their medical students have I'm sure enjoyed free 193 00:10:38.440 --> 00:10:41.519 tuition and they're not treating any more primary care doctors. 194 00:10:41.159 --> 00:10:42.879 It's it's no different than it was before. 195 00:10:44.559 --> 00:10:44.679 Uh. 196 00:10:44.759 --> 00:10:49.440 Well, to do that, you could you could execute a 197 00:10:49.519 --> 00:10:53.440 contract with students and if they agree to become primary 198 00:10:53.440 --> 00:10:55.759 care physicians or if they agreed to practice in a 199 00:10:55.840 --> 00:10:59.440 rural area, rural part of America who are in desperate 200 00:10:59.480 --> 00:11:02.960 need of PCPs UH and if they do not comply 201 00:11:03.080 --> 00:11:05.600 with that contract, then they could be a clawback provision 202 00:11:05.600 --> 00:11:11.120 to get the medical school tuition back. I I think 203 00:11:11.120 --> 00:11:14.360 that creative minds could come up with with a solution, 204 00:11:15.000 --> 00:11:18.279 UH to the to this problem. But look, I'd love 205 00:11:18.320 --> 00:11:20.960 to have this conversation with you, maybe in an entire 206 00:11:21.000 --> 00:11:23.480 hour some night and take phone calls if you'd be willing. 207 00:11:23.600 --> 00:11:26.559 I'm I promise, I mean hard time. 208 00:11:26.799 --> 00:11:29.799 There's a lot if you if you think I've given 209 00:11:29.799 --> 00:11:31.960 your hard time tonight, I apologized that was not my 210 00:11:32.039 --> 00:11:37.799 intention at all, but I just I wanted to be 211 00:11:37.879 --> 00:11:40.519 as honest with you as I could because I think 212 00:11:40.519 --> 00:11:43.399 this is going to become a real crisis in this country. 213 00:11:43.440 --> 00:11:47.759 Maybe we need to raise and make uh make salaries 214 00:11:47.799 --> 00:11:51.519 for primary care physicians more attractive, more lucrative, and maybe 215 00:11:51.519 --> 00:11:53.320 we need to back off some of the paperwork that 216 00:11:53.360 --> 00:11:56.639 we're that we're forcing doctors to comply with. So let 217 00:11:56.679 --> 00:12:00.000 them let the practice medicine and not just not practic 218 00:12:00.039 --> 00:12:00.759 as they're typing. 219 00:12:02.279 --> 00:12:04.639 Yeah, well there's a lot to dig into there. Happy 220 00:12:04.679 --> 00:12:06.879 to talk more about it. There's you know, could definitely 221 00:12:06.919 --> 00:12:07.480 talk all night. 222 00:12:07.759 --> 00:12:08.440 Sounds great. 223 00:12:08.799 --> 00:12:11.799 Uh, Doctor Michael Barnett, I really appreciate your great sport 224 00:12:12.000 --> 00:12:15.159 and and I thank you for joining us tonight because 225 00:12:15.200 --> 00:12:17.600 I think we opened up some areas or conversation that 226 00:12:17.679 --> 00:12:19.639 probably people around New England and the country will be 227 00:12:19.639 --> 00:12:20.600 talking about this weekend. 228 00:12:20.639 --> 00:12:21.799 Thank you so much. Appreciate that. 229 00:12:21.960 --> 00:12:23.039 All right, thank you for having me. 230 00:12:23.039 --> 00:12:23.879 I really appreciate it. 231 00:12:23.960 --> 00:12:26.840 You're welcome. Good night. All right. When we come back, 232 00:12:26.960 --> 00:12:28.320 we're going to talk with Paula Fleming. 233 00:12:28.399 --> 00:12:30.720 She's the chief spokesperson of the Better Business Bureau has 234 00:12:30.720 --> 00:12:33.120 been a guest in during this hour on several occasions. 235 00:12:33.159 --> 00:12:37.080 It's back to school time. Students are being issued school laptops, 236 00:12:37.120 --> 00:12:42.600 which is great, but those school laptops also prevent some 237 00:12:42.600 --> 00:12:45.799 some stranger danger. We'll talk to Paula with some advice 238 00:12:45.840 --> 00:12:47.759 for parents. Coming back on night Side. 239 00:12:48.639 --> 00:12:51.639 Now, back to Dan Ray live from the Window World 240 00:12:51.759 --> 00:12:56.200 night Side Studios on WBZ News Radio. 241 00:12:56.240 --> 00:12:57.519 Back by popular demand. 242 00:12:57.519 --> 00:13:00.559 Paula Fleming, chiefs spokesperson of the Better Business Bureau. 243 00:13:00.600 --> 00:13:01.600 Hi, Paula, welcome back. 244 00:13:01.639 --> 00:13:03.399 How are you good evening? 245 00:13:03.440 --> 00:13:03.559 Dan? 246 00:13:03.639 --> 00:13:04.240 I'm well, thank you. 247 00:13:04.279 --> 00:13:05.240 How are you good? 248 00:13:05.320 --> 00:13:08.879 So if there are any children listening to me right now, 249 00:13:08.919 --> 00:13:13.320 please have them leave the room because it's back to 250 00:13:13.399 --> 00:13:20.200 school time and a couple of weeks kids, I remember 251 00:13:20.240 --> 00:13:22.320 this at that time of year when they then the 252 00:13:22.399 --> 00:13:27.320 days are getting shorter and uh and the shadows are 253 00:13:28.000 --> 00:13:30.720 you know, it's it's a tough time for kids who 254 00:13:30.799 --> 00:13:33.240 are enjoying the summer. But they getting back to school 255 00:13:33.519 --> 00:13:36.039 and now instead of like getting a box of crayons 256 00:13:36.080 --> 00:13:39.039 like we did and had a new notebook, they get 257 00:13:39.039 --> 00:13:43.080 school laptops, which is great, which is great. However, how 258 00:13:43.080 --> 00:13:46.240 do you keep your kids safe, particularly young parents who 259 00:13:47.519 --> 00:13:50.039 who realized that the children now are going to have 260 00:13:50.080 --> 00:13:54.240 some laptops and open up maybe a new world to them, 261 00:13:54.360 --> 00:13:56.720 not necessarily a safe world. 262 00:13:59.320 --> 00:14:02.799 Yeah. So it's an important subject that I'm encouraging people, 263 00:14:03.120 --> 00:14:05.919 you know, to have within their families. And we want 264 00:14:05.919 --> 00:14:08.960 people to educate and empower their children and teach them 265 00:14:09.000 --> 00:14:13.159 about online privacy risks and empower them to make smart choices. 266 00:14:13.759 --> 00:14:17.399 I can't urge this enough. Younger and younger kids are 267 00:14:17.399 --> 00:14:21.960 dependent upon these electronic devices but aren't really educated on 268 00:14:22.399 --> 00:14:25.679 the risks that come along with them. And there are risks, 269 00:14:25.720 --> 00:14:27.919 and we want your listeners to be aware of those 270 00:14:27.960 --> 00:14:31.120 and to protect and have an open conversation about what 271 00:14:31.240 --> 00:14:32.120 can transpire. 272 00:14:33.360 --> 00:14:36.039 How should that conversation and at what age can that 273 00:14:36.080 --> 00:14:39.639 conversation really start. I assume you're going to tell me 274 00:14:39.679 --> 00:14:41.600 probably it's never too early to start. 275 00:14:42.639 --> 00:14:44.919 I will, yes, I would agree with that, it is 276 00:14:45.000 --> 00:14:48.519 never too early. Every household has you know, I'm myself 277 00:14:48.600 --> 00:14:51.879 now with a college a child. I remember saying I'm 278 00:14:51.879 --> 00:14:56.519 not going to allow electronics a cell phone until middle school, 279 00:14:56.799 --> 00:15:00.720 but for convenience purposes. You know, sometimes it was fifth grade. 280 00:15:00.840 --> 00:15:05.919 So it's really dependent upon when when you introduce electronics 281 00:15:05.960 --> 00:15:09.320 to your child, to your family members, and I think 282 00:15:09.440 --> 00:15:13.120 at that point, if not before, you should start those conversations. 283 00:15:13.919 --> 00:15:16.320 You want to keep up with the latest as a parent, 284 00:15:16.440 --> 00:15:20.440 as a family on cybersecurity news and resources, and you 285 00:15:20.480 --> 00:15:23.559 want to maintain an ongoing dialogue with your children your 286 00:15:23.559 --> 00:15:27.639 family members about their online experiences. I think open communication 287 00:15:27.840 --> 00:15:30.519 is key. I think a lot of you know, those 288 00:15:31.279 --> 00:15:33.639 even for my son who's going to college, I said, oh, 289 00:15:33.679 --> 00:15:36.840 I set aside money for college books. But you know what, 290 00:15:37.159 --> 00:15:39.720 they aren't using nearly what we did when we went 291 00:15:39.759 --> 00:15:43.080 to college for those hard copy books. A lot of 292 00:15:43.120 --> 00:15:47.039 it is online, So those conversations need to happen early, 293 00:15:47.159 --> 00:15:48.600 and they need to happen often. 294 00:15:49.240 --> 00:15:53.559 Now, I assume every school district is a little different 295 00:15:53.559 --> 00:15:56.559 policy and this, well maybe there is a model policy. 296 00:15:56.879 --> 00:16:00.960 But at what age are students in mass it's being 297 00:16:01.039 --> 00:16:04.879 given laptops by the school system. 298 00:16:06.200 --> 00:16:09.840 What is a great question. I mean, I can speak 299 00:16:09.879 --> 00:16:17.679 to my community. It's middle school, and it's provided by 300 00:16:17.720 --> 00:16:20.960 the school, which I have been informed it's white before 301 00:16:21.039 --> 00:16:24.480 they receive it, right, But that doesn't necessarily mean and 302 00:16:24.519 --> 00:16:28.360 they monitor it and quotes. I'm saying that to the 303 00:16:28.399 --> 00:16:32.320 best of their ability. But you also have to take 304 00:16:32.360 --> 00:16:35.039 into account with the kids have cell phones. They are 305 00:16:35.039 --> 00:16:40.519 communicating right with all these new different apps. So understand 306 00:16:40.559 --> 00:16:44.080 the apps and apps are short for applications, which are 307 00:16:44.080 --> 00:16:47.639 downloaded software that operates on various devices such as smartphones. 308 00:16:47.720 --> 00:16:50.639 I'm referring to sometimes I get after I have conversations 309 00:16:50.679 --> 00:16:52.240 with you people saying I'm not sure what you were 310 00:16:52.279 --> 00:16:52.840 talking about. 311 00:16:54.399 --> 00:16:59.080 Yeah, it's a brave new world, and it is, but 312 00:16:59.519 --> 00:17:02.720 but what my what my concern is, Okay, they're going 313 00:17:02.799 --> 00:17:07.480 to put into your child's hands a laptop. Now, some 314 00:17:07.680 --> 00:17:11.200 parents might say, you know, I'm not comfortable with that. 315 00:17:12.440 --> 00:17:15.000 But but but they they give. 316 00:17:14.839 --> 00:17:22.240 It to your child, are they able to manage those laptops. 317 00:17:21.680 --> 00:17:26.200 From the school system where certain web web pages are 318 00:17:26.279 --> 00:17:29.400 accessible and others aren't. I mean, or is it just 319 00:17:29.559 --> 00:17:31.880 they get a it's almost like putting a gun in 320 00:17:31.920 --> 00:17:36.839 the kid's hands. I hate to use that that that example, 321 00:17:36.920 --> 00:17:42.559 but you know, a laptop with a fifth grade and. 322 00:17:44.839 --> 00:17:47.680 To the safety of that, it can be. It can be. 323 00:17:47.839 --> 00:17:52.279 And to my understanding that the schools are monitoring where 324 00:17:52.319 --> 00:17:54.279 they go and what they're doing to the best of 325 00:17:54.319 --> 00:18:01.119 their ability, is anything safe, I would say no. I 326 00:18:01.119 --> 00:18:03.559 think even you know, we've talked about this before, Dan, 327 00:18:03.640 --> 00:18:06.519 where people you know, allow their children in the basement 328 00:18:06.599 --> 00:18:08.759 that are playing you know, what they think to be 329 00:18:08.799 --> 00:18:12.240 in ascent games online and then before they know it, 330 00:18:12.279 --> 00:18:15.400 they're talking to strangers. So I think I think the 331 00:18:15.440 --> 00:18:19.759 most important thing we're back to school, electronic devices are 332 00:18:19.759 --> 00:18:22.519 being introduced at a younger age. I feel like every 333 00:18:22.640 --> 00:18:28.079 year it gets younger and younger, and I think the 334 00:18:28.079 --> 00:18:32.920 the importance of creating accounts and websites that you know, 335 00:18:33.279 --> 00:18:37.359 require permissions, making sure everything is up to date, having 336 00:18:37.359 --> 00:18:41.799 that open conversation and understanding what your school monitors and 337 00:18:41.839 --> 00:18:44.160 what is allowed and not allowed on the devices is 338 00:18:44.240 --> 00:18:45.160 important as well. 339 00:18:46.039 --> 00:18:48.880 Couldn't agree with you more, Paula, is there some information 340 00:18:49.119 --> 00:18:52.400 on the website that we can send parents to. Obviously 341 00:18:52.440 --> 00:18:55.720 your information here is really important, but I'm just wondering 342 00:18:55.759 --> 00:18:58.920 if there's some stuff on your website or some places 343 00:18:58.960 --> 00:19:03.240 that you could send parents too who maybe frightened by 344 00:19:03.240 --> 00:19:05.200 the conversation or just we've just had. 345 00:19:06.519 --> 00:19:10.039 Of course, yes, our information on staying safe on the 346 00:19:10.119 --> 00:19:14.680 internet and other tips, it would be BBB dot org. 347 00:19:14.839 --> 00:19:18.279 It's BBB dot o RG. We have a lot of 348 00:19:18.279 --> 00:19:22.799 information that can help parents navigate through this time. Again, 349 00:19:22.960 --> 00:19:25.839 every town and city is different, every state is different. 350 00:19:26.480 --> 00:19:29.319 But I and I would encourage open conversations with your 351 00:19:29.359 --> 00:19:33.559 school system to see what is in place to protect 352 00:19:33.640 --> 00:19:35.920 your child and also to monitor it so they don't 353 00:19:35.920 --> 00:19:39.000 get in trouble. And sometimes it's unbeknownst to them that 354 00:19:39.039 --> 00:19:41.240 they don't even realize that it was not allowed in 355 00:19:41.240 --> 00:19:44.240 the school system. So I think those open conversations are important. 356 00:19:44.400 --> 00:19:49.319 And that website, which is BBB dot org obviously is 357 00:19:49.319 --> 00:19:52.799 an acronym for Boston Better Business Bureau, so it's three 358 00:19:52.920 --> 00:19:55.160 vs BBB dot org. 359 00:19:55.559 --> 00:19:57.519 Like Boston, Boston Boston dot Org. 360 00:19:58.480 --> 00:20:03.440 Thank great information. Thank you so much, as always, appreciate 361 00:20:03.440 --> 00:20:03.759 your time. 362 00:20:03.920 --> 00:20:05.599 Thank you, and I don't want to scare people. I 363 00:20:05.640 --> 00:20:08.920 hope everyone has a fantastic back to school year. And 364 00:20:09.000 --> 00:20:11.599 again I appreciate your time, Thanks so much for having me. 365 00:20:11.960 --> 00:20:13.680 I hope they have a couple a good couple of 366 00:20:13.680 --> 00:20:16.039 weeks or whatever they have left in the summer before 367 00:20:16.079 --> 00:20:18.440 they even think about back to school year. 368 00:20:18.640 --> 00:20:20.920 Although it does still a little bit like fall in 369 00:20:20.960 --> 00:20:23.119 the morning already, I'm not I'm gonna tell you. 370 00:20:23.079 --> 00:20:25.039 That, I know. 371 00:20:26.480 --> 00:20:29.200 Thanks all right. 372 00:20:29.720 --> 00:20:33.079 About a year ago, there was a huge fire in Hawaii. 373 00:20:33.200 --> 00:20:36.480 I think all of us remember that. And one of 374 00:20:36.519 --> 00:20:39.839 the central points of concern in that fire was a 375 00:20:39.880 --> 00:20:43.279 one hundred and fifty year old banyon tree which was 376 00:20:43.319 --> 00:20:50.759 in Kolua, Hawaii. It was actually, I believe, in a 377 00:20:50.839 --> 00:20:53.319 town called a Loan of High And we are going 378 00:20:53.359 --> 00:20:56.519 to talk with Kevin eckert Man, who was in charge 379 00:20:56.599 --> 00:20:59.480 a year ago and who we talked to about how 380 00:20:59.559 --> 00:21:02.119 that tree is going, and we do have some good 381 00:21:02.160 --> 00:21:04.720 news on this. After that, we're going to take you 382 00:21:04.759 --> 00:21:08.079 into a swamp, believe it or not, literally into a 383 00:21:08.119 --> 00:21:13.640 swamp where they are hunting Florida pythons tonight, and we 384 00:21:13.759 --> 00:21:16.920 might even hear a python caught on our ear. 385 00:21:17.000 --> 00:21:18.480 So stay with us is going. 386 00:21:18.400 --> 00:21:21.720 To be a very interesting second half hour, just as 387 00:21:21.759 --> 00:21:23.240 the first half hour is interesting. 388 00:21:23.240 --> 00:21:25.119 We'll be right back on Nightside. 389 00:21:25.680 --> 00:21:30.759 It's Nightie with on Boston's news radio. 390 00:21:32.039 --> 00:21:33.400 That's great advice, Nicole. 391 00:21:33.559 --> 00:21:37.400 Now, about a year ago, and I'm not sure the 392 00:21:37.480 --> 00:21:40.240 exact date, but I know that my guest will know 393 00:21:40.400 --> 00:21:44.839 the exact date. We spoke on this program with Kevin Eckert, 394 00:21:45.240 --> 00:21:50.480 President and managing director of Arbor Global in Kolua, Hawaii. 395 00:21:51.200 --> 00:21:55.799 There was a huge, huge fire on the island of Maui, 396 00:21:56.839 --> 00:21:59.559 the incredible damage. I think all of us remember it. 397 00:22:00.079 --> 00:22:03.319 And at the center of that fire was a tree, 398 00:22:03.440 --> 00:22:07.039 a one d and fifty ye old Banyan tree, beautiful tree, 399 00:22:07.079 --> 00:22:12.319 which was really hit by the flames. With us, now, 400 00:22:12.400 --> 00:22:16.839 is Kevin eckertt Kevin, I forget our first interview with you, 401 00:22:17.039 --> 00:22:20.119