JERRY SPRINGER, YOU'VE got competition.

OK, not really.

But coming soon to Texas television sets will be Health Talk, a 30-minute public access program produced by-and co-starring-Barry Johnson, president of Duncanville-based home medical equipment provider Texas Medical.

"I think I know what I'm doing," says Johnson, who is venturing into waters rarely occupied by his industry peers.

What Johnson is doing is using the relatively low-tech medium of local television to raise his company's visibility. The show, which co-stars Texas Medical's community liaison, Robin Poston, will promote health care and address related issues faced by the suburban Dallas community.

If the idea works, Johnson says, business will increase and the show might be shopped around to the local public broadcasting station, as well as public access outlets in other areas. But first things first for the program, which debuted last month and was the brainchild of Johnson, a trained respiratory therapist who doubles as media coordinator of Duncanville's Chamber of Commerce.

"We were just sitting around talking about how people aren't informed about what we do and how we interface with the community, and there had to be a way to get that word out," Johnson says.

"People don't even know where we are," he adds. "But they know where the Oil Exchange is across the street. They know where to get their oil changed, but not where to get oxygen for their child. TV gives us an air of legitimacy, whether it should or not. If you're on the air, you're real and good in the people's minds."

The media-savvy Johnson actually has a broadcasting background, of sorts.

When he was 17 years old, he visited the set of the local American Bandstand dance show clone, Something Else, and became fascinated with the behind-the-scenes production work. One day, a cameraman failed to show and Johnson talked his way into a fill-in job. Later, through his role with the Chamber of Commerce, he produced public service announcements.

Because of public access restrictions on commercialism, Johnson says the promotion of his HME business must be subdued and tasteful. The talk-show format will focus on one health care subject each episode and will air at least four times monthly. He tapes two shows at a time, at a cost of only $120 per 30 minutes.

"Our public access station is highly watched because of its role as a community bulletin board," he says. "This is an older, bedroom community with a high diabetic population, for some reason. The people need to know what supplies are available, what treatment is available. This show can do that, and we can get the company an indirect plug while we're at it.

"It's going to be a lot of fun to do and a lot of fun to watch," he adds. "We can give our referral sources exposure and it can be an infectious thing. One doctor sees another on the show and he'll want to get on the show. It's definitely a different concept. I haven't heard of anybody else in the country doing it. But I think it's going to work."