As many of you know, Matthew has punched his timecard, hung up his keyboard, and is blissfully away with his beloved on a well-deserved honeymoon. With consulting gigs, the daily demands of maintaining the best and most entertaining health care blog going, and responsibility for the ever-approaching (Sept. 20) Health 2.0 conference, it was a perfect time for Matthew and bride to slip away, unencumbered by the always-shifting sands of health care. We’ll miss him, but he’ll be back soon, and we’ll try to keep you enlightened and amused while he’s gone.

I’m Brian Klepper. For the last couple months, I’ve been posting over at The Doctor Weighs In, where I’m the only "fake doctor" – a PhD – among a stable of several very thoughtful and readable physicians who include caregivers, scientists, managers and analysts. Over the last several years, I’ve worked hard on a national health care reform effort – See how effective its been? – The Center for Practical Health Reform.  But the peculiar nature of my work has also let me see a great deal of interesting programs that work, and many more that don’t. While I’m here, I’ll do my best to share some of that with you.

So here we go. Bear with me. I’m not Matthew of course – who is? – but there’s plenty to share with you that you’ll find interesting. While Matthew is encyclopedic, he tends to focus on the influence of health care IT. I do my best to be equally broad, but with more of a focus on insurance, benefits, the dynamics in the provider marketplace and the health care supply chain. If I’m lucky, I’ll be able to cover a good deal of that and generate one or two "Ahas!" as well.