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T.V. Doc juggles multiple jobs and a family. |
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Dr. Wanda Filers friends often joke that she isnt really a doctor; she just plays one on T.V. T.V. Doc Filer is a leading health care advocate involved in countless health related issues. By KATHYRN HERR Reporting Spring 2004 |
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HARRISBURG, Pa Dr. Wanda Filers friends often joke that she isnt really a doctor; she just plays one on T.V. T.V. Doc Filer is a leading health care advocate involved in countless health related issues. Filer earned the nickname as T.V. Doc by making daily appearances on WGALs Healthy Living segment. Filer has been working with WGAL since September 1990. She did a health issues show at 12:30 p.m. five days a week for 10 years; until the show was canceled. She now does the Healthy Living segment on the 5:00p.m. news and makes some appearances on the news program at 12:00 p.m. Her first four years at WGAL were volunteer work. Filer informs viewers about many different health issues. Filer is the main source for the segment ideas, but tailors the subjects to coincide with other health related news when possible. She recently talked about the benefit of colon cancer screenings during March; colon cancer screening month. Her work with WGAL has made her somewhat of a celebrity in her profession and is what she is most known for by the general public. Filer said sometimes people approach her in the grocery store and tell her about their very personal health problems. They sometimes ask for her advice, which she is never able to give. She said it would be unethical to give advice because she does not know the people or their medical health and, therefore, is in no position to give advice. Filer is only able to direct them to see their doctors about their problems. She said there have been instances where people dig through her shopping cart to see what she was buying. Filer said her daughters get a kick out of their moms celebrity status and enjoy going on errands with her to witness these events. Filer founded the Strategic Health Institute as a vehicle to market her health advocacy skills and knowledge. The company pulls together other related advocacy groups to work on specific issues. This allows the groups to become a stronger force for their cause. The company also does minor media communication. Filer is also involved in strategic health planning related to government policies and marketing strategies. She gives many speeches about health issues and about the health care system. Filer is currently working to connect different parts of the health care system together and to get the system to work in conjunction with other departments involved such as law enforcement and the political arena. She travels around the country speaking about this subject in hopes of getting others involved. She is often recruited to help decipher policies, bills, or other official health documents for companies who do not understand political or health related jargon. Filer works as a government liaison for the Susan Byrnes Health Education Center and other organizations. Katie Harrington, Brynes chief operation officer said Filer is a great help with understanding government relations and policy making. Much of Filers job includes building bridges between the different departments and legislation. Often the government makes a policy without regard for the patients. This sometimes ties the hands of doctors that are trying to help their patients. Filer often speaks to legislation about building bridges with the Health department. Health insurance is also a factor in treatment. Filer said that she once prescribed a certain blood pressure to a woman. Filer said that the womans insurance would not cover it. The woman thought Filer prescribed the wrong medicine and went home. Neither the insurance company nor the pharmacist contacted Filer about the problem and within a week the woman had a heart attack. This is just one instance Filer remembers when an insurance policy restricted treatment. As a result of her experiences, Filer is working to build connections between doctors, insurance companies, and patients. Filer is a member of various health related organizations. Filer works with all types of issues from colon cancer to osteoporosis to Medicare programs. She is a member of the Pennsylvania Osteoporosis Advisory Council, board member and government relation committee member for the Susan Brynes Health Education Center, president of Strategic Health Institute, president of the Pennsylvania Academy of Family Physicians, and the vice president-president elect of the Pennsylvania Cancer Society Cancer Control. She is also working with womens groups to raise awareness of heart disease. Filer is currently working to pass a bill though the Senate forcing insurance companies to cover the cost of colon cancer screening. Another issue that is close to Filer is domestic violence. Filer began working with domestic violence programs after a tragic event hit close to home for her. A whole family of patients that she saw regularly was murdered by a family member. She had never thought about domestic violence as a health issue until this happened. It was a wake up call for me said Filer. She said she believes training for the medical community about domestic violence would make a difference. If a doctor or nurse knows the right questions to ask or signs to read, they may discover a reason to ask more questions and recognize signals of a problem Filer said. She believes this can lead to preventing domestic violence. Filer also said that getting knowledge of all groups related to domestic violence prevention would also aid the medical community in preventing domestic violence. In 1997, Filer accepted the newly formed position of Pennsylvanias first Physician General. After a short 15-month term with the Department of Health, Filer had had enough. The administration did not see eye to eye with Filer. She said the job description she was given in the interview was changed after just two days in office with no notice to her. When she confronted her superiors about the change they responded with Im surprised you figured it out so quickly. She also had trouble broadcasting her public health concerns from within the Health Department due to restrictions put on her by the serving administration. Filer said she was scolded for releasing public health announcements and kept from attending important meetings. Even after Filer left her position, the administration would not admit fault in its treatment of Filer. Filer currently works 10-20 hours a week as a family physician at the York Foundation Medical Group. She said she loves seeing patients and couldnt work just with paper all day long. Seeing patients regularly helps Filer keep in touch with the patients and understand how what she is doing outside of the doctors office is affecting them. Filers day is full of work from morning to night and throughout the weekends. However, she always finds time to spend with her family. Her two daughters are very active in school activities, sports, and theater. Neither of them can drive yet so it is up to Filer and her husband to chauffer the girls to their practices, lessons, and games. Although all family members are very busy they all make time for family activities. They often eat out to avoid wasting time on cooking and dishes. Its just like the dinner table at home only I dont have to clean up. Filer says some of their best moments are at the dinner table where the family is sometimes loud with laughter but always finds time for serious discussion. Filer loves to travel. Traveling is another way of connecting with her family. Her daughters and husband go along with her whenever possible. When Filer reached the last of the 50 states she called her dad to let him know she had beaten him in their contest to visit all the states. A very memorable place she visited is Brugge, Belgium; a medieval town where lace is still made by hand. She also talks about a trip to Jamaica where the resort was beside the airport and when the planes flew by everyone waved up at the sky. By the end of the trip you dont even notice that you are waving to the planes; it was a reflex said Filer. Filer is dedicated to her advocacy work, her patients, and most of all her family. She is still emailing at 10:30 p.m. and begins work early every morning said Marie Roda, friend of Filer. She never stops Roda said. I dont know how she does it said John Jordan, executive director of Pennsylvania Academy of Family Physicians. All stories in this magazine are the intellectual property of the individual authors. You may email comments about this story to: kah928@psu.edu
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