I will admit - the math geek in me found this interesting.

Today - March 14 - is Pi Day. And imagine this - it has been recognized by the U.S. Congress as such (our tax dollars hard at work, I am sure). I guess it's like a "Hallmark Day" for math enthusiasts.

So for those who need a reminder, the mathematical constant pi is the ratio of the circumference of a circle to it's diameter.

For true geeks, the number is 3.1415926535 ...

... and yes, to this day I still remember pi to all those decimal points - no Wikipedia reminder required. No, I have no idea why that is permanently etched into the deepest recesses of my cortex. I suspect it's because math (and science) were the classes that got me through high school. If you want a reminder of how to calculate it, you can always throw frozen hot dogs - among other options, of course.

Officially, there is a Pi Day and, wait, a Pi Second - 3/14 at 1:59:26 ... and yes, people do celebrate this!

But wait, there's more ...

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Two of the more extreme endurance events are Ironman Hawaii in Kona, HI – the Ironman World Championship – and the Western States 100 Mile Endurance Run in Auburn, CA. One has you swimming, cycling, and running 140.6 miles on the lava fields of the Big Island, the home of the first Ironman triathlon. The other has you running 100 miles - with 18,090 feet of ascent and 22,970 feet of descent - on the original trails used by gold and silver miners of the 1850s. Both have long, storied traditions. Either one could be considered the most demanding single day event, the “Big Dance”, in their respective sport. Athletes covet the opportunity to experience either of them simply because of their illustrious history and daunting challenges.

But it is more than just the challenge involved. Events like these bring with them a purity and simplicity, a back-to-the-essence-of-the-sport  vibe. They are surreal to some, and tantalizing to others. And they have a deeper inner meaning to many.

I have coached athletes in both events. I have heard countless reasons for taking on these adventures. As an Ironman triathlon finisher myself, one thing has become crystal clear: there are a number of life lessons that can be learned through sport in general, and through endurance sports such as these in particular. Sport does, in fact, become a metaphor for life.

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It's one of those phenomena that makes me wonder about what goes on inside our brains when left unattended. Let's call it the "mental jukebox". Surely this is something that everyone experiences.  It really can't just be me ... really, it can't.

I would swear that there is a jukebox in my mind - and it seems there are times that I have absolutely no control over it. Before you think that I have lost my mind, let me explain.

I have always been a music lover. More often than not, there is some kind of tune, melody, guitar riff, or song running through my head. I know for certain that the roots of this go back a long time. I can remember it being a bit of a joke with my friends in high school. When they were all busy singing the lyrics to a lame '80s tune, I was probably recollecting the guitar solo - note for note.

You have to admit, there was a lot of good rock music in the '70s and '80s ... with a lot of great guitar riffs!! I could whistle them note for note - I know, strange skill indeed. But cut me some slack - it was high school (ok ok I can still do that to this day, but I digress).

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We are now halfway through a four part series that provides an EPIC solution to health care reform. Thus far, the series has discussed the first two pillars: Evidence and Payment.

Many people have theorized that if universal health coverage makes an appearance in this country, then the level of care and ingenuity of providers (i.e. the brain-trust behind health care) will diminish. Would the brightest minds move away from a career in health care? I would suggest that the answer is “no”. Entry level requirements in many health care provider educational programs are higher now than they were 20 years ago, and I don’t foresee that changing just because we change our reimbursement structure. In fact, I would project exactly the opposite.

Why? Because of the “I” in our EPIC solution: Incentives. Changing the incentives will actually promote having the brightest minds using the best techniques to then earn a healthy living doing what they do best.

In Part 2, I mentioned that part of the problem with our current health care delivery and payment model is that it is built around the wrong incentives. Providers are reimbursed by the number of procedures performed, not by the outcome or concordance with clinical guidelines. Patients are seeking health care, and not disease prevention or health promotion. These factors promote the wrong incentives - by definition.

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