For years, I cared for patients as a nurse practitioner—managing chronic disease, guiding them through acute illness, counseling them through the often messy realities of life and health. I loved my work. I loved the relationships I built with patients, the trust they placed in me, and the opportunity to make a difference in their lives.
But over time, a quiet restlessness began to grow—a sense that I wanted to deepen …
In cities like Los Angeles, accessing advanced cardiac imaging is not always a matter of medical need. It is often a question of logistics. Even in major metro areas, where advanced technology is available, practical barriers—like scheduling delays, traffic, and long waitlists—can prevent patients from getting scans when they need them.
Many wait weeks for appointments or travel across the city to reach a facility equipped for high-quality cardiac CT. In …
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Internal medicine and pediatric physician Charles LeBaron discusses his article “How the CDC’s opioid rules created a crisis for chronic pain patients.” Charles discusses the 2016 CDC opioid guideline, initially framed as …
Healthcare organizations continue to face financial and operational efficiency pressures to implement or upgrade their electronic health record (EHR) systems, driven largely by the push for greater interoperability and the need to consolidate disparate systems. While the benefits of modern, integrated EHR systems are clear, the path to successful implementation remains complex and challenging for many organizations.
The foundation: Stakeholder engagement and leadership buy-in
The success of any EHR implementation hinges on …
Recent budget cuts to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) have dominated the headlines since February of this year, when the NIH announced a 15 percent cap on indirect costs — a move that jeopardizes essential research infrastructure by slashing funding for facilities and administrative support vital to the advancement of scientific innovation.
Now, leaked documents threaten to compound this issue: The Trump administration plans to cut the NIH’s …
“Those who forget the past are condemned to repeat it.”
Didn’t take long, did it?
The quote in the title is from George Santayana. The movie is It’s a Wonderful Life with Jimmy Stewart as George Bailey along with Clarence Odbody, who played Clarence the angel. The scenes are from the moments when Clarence shows George what the world would have been without him and his value to his family, his friends, …
As a pediatrician and public health advocate, I’ve spent my career serving families whose lives often depend on a strong safety net. Medicaid is that safety net. It provides care for over 70 million Americans — including children, pregnant women, seniors, and people with disabilities.
Right now, federal policymakers are considering dramatic Medicaid cuts that would threaten coverage for millions. This is not just a policy debate. It will spark a …
“We’re six minutes in now, and she’s applied almost ten products.”
That’s how Dr. Molly Hales begins the video abstract for her recent Pediatrics study on TikTok skin care trends. The clip she’s referring to features a young girl layering product after product—acids, toners, serums—each promising glowier, cleaner, brighter skin.
This child isn’t an outlier. In a recent study analyzing 100 viral TikTok skin care videos posted by users aged 7 to …
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Otolaryngologist Kevin C. McMains discusses his article “The hero’s journey: Understanding professional identity formation in graduate medical education.” Kevin discusses the ongoing crisis of burnout and mental health issues in medical training, …
In the age of glucose monitors, blood sugar charts, and wearable tech, one of the most effective strategies for stabilizing post-meal glucose levels might already be sitting in your kitchen cabinet: vinegar.
As someone with a strong interest in endocrinology and women’s’ metabolic health, I’ve found myself increasingly drawn to the work of educators like Jessie Inchauspé (popularly known as Glucose Goddess), who break down blood sugar science in ways that …
For a while, I enjoyed telling Dave’s story. In the beginning, I found it therapeutic. It was just as unbelievable to me as it was to the person I was telling it to. Somewhere along the line, telling the story of Dave’s accident and the health care nightmare that followed became more matter of fact. Then, it became heavy.
What I didn’t tell most is that Dave’s injury took more than …
The importance of diversity in clinical trials is well-documented, yet unfortunately the lack of diversity still occurs at an alarming rate. As a result, we continue to have less effective treatments, poorer health outcomes, one-size-fits-all medicine that falls short of many patients, and many more negative impacts on health care.
The reason for lack of diversity in clinical trials is similarly known, with language barriers, limited access to health care facilities …
There’s a growing disconnect between the promises being made about artificial intelligence in health care and what’s being delivered. If you’re a health system leader, it’s time to take a discerning view—not because AI lacks potential, but because many of the solutions entering the market are more marketing than medicine.
We’ve seen this dynamic before.
Earlier this month, a fintech founder was charged with defrauding investors after promoting an AI-powered shopping app …
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Osteopathic medical student Scarlett Saitta discusses her article “The school cafeteria could save American medicine.” Scarlett discusses the profound connection between childhood nutrition and long-term health outcomes, drawing from her personal experiences …
The perpetuation of the increasing abuse of physicians across our nation has reached a level now that is essentially unrepairable. The Medical-Industrial-Economic Complex (Deep State of Medicine) has been the aggressive predator of the medical profession for decades. It is not by chance that the planning for the takeover of health care and the medical profession came into being decades ago.
Older physicians have seen and experienced all the tactics that …
My son was born with a congenital cytomegalovirus (cCMV) infection.
Unless you specialize in prenatal care, infectious disease, or pediatric audiology, you’ve probably never heard of it.
That’s the first part of the problem.
And, even if you have heard of it, unless you’re a public health advocate or a parent (or both, like me), you probably don’t know enough about it—at least, not in the ways that matter most to patients.
That’s the …
At 9:32 a.m., shortly after Hind and her family left their home in Tel al-Hawa, an Israeli military spokesperson issued an evacuation notice on social media, instructing residents of western Gaza City to head south. At approximately 2:30 p.m., Layan Hamada, Hind’s cousin, made the initial call to the Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) dispatch after their car was struck by gunfire. At that moment, Layan and Hind were …
Compared to urban areas, rural communities had a 21 percent higher rate of deaths due to heart disease and a 15 percent higher rate of cancer deaths from 2001 to 2019. The per capita number of general surgeons decreased from 6.4 to 5.2 per 100,000 population (−18 percent) during the same period, further highlighting disparities in rural care.
The recruitment of rural physicians and surgeons remains a challenge. …
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Licensed clinical psychologist and health care ethicist Jenny Shields discusses her article, “DSM-5 doesn’t name it, but moral distress is everywhere in medicine.” Jenny illuminates the pervasive issue of moral distress among …
What is the purpose of psychotherapy? What are the goals?
Psychotherapy is a talking process between a patient and a psychotherapist that involves looking at feelings, behaviors, impulses, and thoughts through a process of self-reflection. The purpose of psychotherapy is to explore life patterns and to learn what works and what gets in the way of feeling successful and fulfilled. The goals are to reach one’s fullest potential. This is done …
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