How you can thrive despite the looming physician shortage

Physician
January 7, 2023

A perfect storm is brewing in the U.S. health care system, and we must prepare to counter the rushing waves. America is facing a potentially catastrophic physician shortfall. All indicators point toward unprecedented times ahead. If I were an attorney, I would state my case something like this.

Exhibit A

According to the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC), the United States is facing a projected shortage of between 37,800 and 124,000 …

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Understanding patients’ religious and spiritual beliefs promotes healing

Physician
January 6, 2023

Religious and spiritual experiences have shaped my worldview since I was a teenager. At age 13, I celebrated my bar mitzvah. Later that year, I underwent an appendectomy. A priest asked my mother if he could pray for me prior to the operation. My mother did not hesitate to accept the priest’s blessing. I learned at an early age that prayers for one’s well-being should be welcomed regardless of …

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How to deal with challenging patients

Physician
January 6, 2023

Dealing with challenging patients can be difficult and stressful for doctors and health care professionals.

It can be helpful to remember that they can be difficult for a variety of reasons, such as pain, fear, confusion, or unmet expectations that were expressed or not — reasonable or not. To effectively handle challenging patients, a few key points must be kept in mind.

Remain calm and professional. This will help keep the situation …

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Learn to earn end-of-life respect

Physician
January 6, 2023

Pele, the famous Brazilian soccer star, reportedly stopped medical treatment for colon cancer. Media outlets stated he was receiving various iterations of comfort, hospice, and palliative care which were perceived as criminal and disrespectful. His daughter denied these allegations on Instagram.

How often are those with serious illnesses treated like criminals for wrongdoing?

When medical treatment is withdrawn or withheld, it seems the person has lost the battle or chose not …

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How a positive staff helped an uncertain hospital stay [PODCAST]

Podcast
January 5, 2023
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“Hospitals and health systems should bolster the skills of care teams through education to improve patient outcomes by minimizing variations in obstetric care and being equipped to prevent, identify, and address any possible maternal emergency. Our obstetrics …

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Clinicians serving under-resourced populations should seize opportunity for free lifestyle medicine education

Conditions
January 5, 2023

As a pediatrician serving under-resourced families in Washington, D.C., I was glad to see health leaders converge for the White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health. Solutions to food insecurity and diet-related diseases are urgently needed to address the crisis of chronic disease, which afflicts six in 10 Americans.

One of the important issues discussed at the conference is the critical need for more education and training in nutrition …

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How to prevent a frivolous medical malpractice lawsuit

Physician
January 5, 2023

There are 50,000 medical malpractice lawsuits filed per year. Each doctor has a 5 percent chance of being sued each year, and every doctor will be sued at least once in 20 years. 70 percent of medical malpractice lawsuits are non-meritorious and are dropped. These represent 35,000 frivolous lawsuits. Until now, there is no way to prevent a frivolous medical malpractice lawsuit.

America is a litigious society. The medical liability …

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The emotional side of CPR: Reflecting on the challenges of resuscitation in the wake of Damar Hamlin’s collapse

Conditions
January 5, 2023

First, I want to extend my thoughts, wishes, and prayers to Damar Hamlin, his family, and his teammates. Seeing his collapse on television stirred many emotions in me; I can’t imagine what those who were on the field or in the stadium experienced.

As a pediatric emergency physician, I can tell you that anything related to cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is difficult. America got a real glimpse of the horrors of CPR …

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My journey parenting with chronic depression as a physician mom

Conditions
January 5, 2023

I remember feeling like I was on an island, and any time I separated from her and put her down, I frantically looked around for her, daydreaming she was lost at sea.

When I was pregnant, everything was contained and controlled. Her womb gymnastics, even at night, were welcome interruptions to my sleep.

It was my first time breastfeeding, and even though I was a pediatrician, getting her to get a good …

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Treating rare, multi-system illnesses [PODCAST]

Podcast
January 4, 2023
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“If patients had an accurate diagnosis and their physicians knew the root of their illness and could treat it effectively, then the medical care costs would go down. The effect on patients of being diagnosed years earlier …

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Care aides in long-term care were traumatized during COVID-19

Conditions
January 4, 2023

The COVID-19 pandemic wreaked havoc on long-term care in Canada. During the first two waves in 2020, over 80 percent of all Canadian COVID-19 deaths happened in long-term care homes. While vaccination and policy changes have helped to reduce the number of deaths, long-term care homes are still experiencing COVID-19 outbreaks and severe staffing shortages.

The people who provide front-line care to our most vulnerable seniors in long-term care have experienced …

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Why the internet of things (IoT) must pivot to achieve health care potential [PODCAST]

Podcast
January 3, 2023
YouTube video

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“In many ways, internet of things (IoT) is a double-edged sword: connected devices are capturing huge volumes and varieties of data that can be mined for everything from potentially life-saving health care information to guidance toward peak …

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Why perfectionists in medicine need to practice compassion

Physician
January 3, 2023

I recently read the article, “Perfectionism will kill you.”

Our perfectionism is often worn like a badge of honor. It signifies our complete commitment, at times at the expense of others. Wanting to do your best job is what drives “good” perfectionism. Woody Allen quipped, “80 percent of life is just showing up.” And the other 20 percent is reserved for perfectionists.

Success often comes from attention to detail, something perfectionists …

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From cough to cancer: one woman’s determination to find answers and relief

Conditions
January 3, 2023

My mom is putting garlic oil in her ears because her house cleaner told her it would help with her recent hearing loss. When I asked her why she was continuing to do this even after being assessed by two physicians, including an ear, nose, and throat specialist, she just shrugged and told me she wants to fix the problem.

You see, she has recently been through a difficult six months …

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Tragedy strikes Monday Night Football as Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin suffers cardiac arrest. Is commotio cordis to blame?

KevinMD
January 3, 2023

A shocking scene during the Monday night football game between the Buffalo Bills and Cincinnati Bengals. According to the New York Times:

During a Monday Night Football game, Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin tackled Cincinnati Bengals receiver Tee Higgins. After the tackle, Hamlin quickly stood up and took a few steps before collapsing and becoming unconscious. Medical personnel administered CPR and attended to Hamlin for 10 minutes before …

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Keep the faith: Why the role of spiritual care in health care is critical 

Conditions
January 3, 2023

This time of year, advice abounds on how to develop New Year’s resolutions that last. Some assert the need for resolutions and goals that reflect the deep desire for meaning-making, living life to the fullest extent possible, and establishing healthier, fuller lives moving forward.

Spiritual care is an essential part of any health care resolution.

Some describe a recent Journal of the American Medical Association study as “the most rigorous …

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Secrets from a physician-entrepreneur [PODCAST]

Podcast
January 2, 2023
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“Health care has changed dramatically in the last decades, from the introduction of electronic medical records to the COVID-19 pandemic serving as a catalyst for telehealth and virtual care options to the increased familiarity with digital therapeutics, …

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Reflections from a (former) self-compassion and boundary setting skeptic

Physician
January 2, 2023

Self-compassion does not make you soft. Boundaries do not make you closed off or selfish.

I had to repeat this many times before I started to understand how true and how essential self-compassion and boundaries are in our lives.

I did not realize how much I maintained my resistance to these ideas until Dr. Brené Brown provided her research findings at a conference held in Houston this year. Dr. Brown shared her …

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