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The malpractice environment doesn’t influence doctors to provide better care

Physician

March 1, 2017

A study of over 890,000 Medicare beneficiaries shows that states with malpractice environments unfavorable to physicians do not see improved postoperative outcomes for 11 different types of mostly elective major operations.

States with higher general surgery malpractice insurance premiums had significantly more episodes of postoperative sepsis, pneumonia, acute renal failure, and gastrointestinal bleeding.

Those with higher numbers of paid claims per 100 physicians had more postoperative myocardial infarctions, surgical site …

What this physician learned from a dying patient

Jalal Baig, MD

Physician

February 28, 2017

Propelled in part by the unalloyed hopes I cultivated in medical school, I got through my internal medicine residency training largely free of questions about medicine’s limitations. Ailing strangers entered my life in the hospital and I helped them leave nearly restored to health. This was exactly the kind of physician I expected to be.

That changed when …

Multiple choice tests in our post-truth world

Paul Marantz, MD, MPH

Physician

February 28, 2017

It has been purported that one of the major take-home messages from the bizarre events of 2016 is that we are now living in a “post-truth” world. Indeed, that very phrase was dubbed the “word of the year” by Oxford Dictionaries, which defines it as “relating to or denoting circumstances in which objective facts are less influential in shaping public opinion than appeals to emotion and personal belief.”

We are also …

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Don’t forget that we’re not just women, we’re doctors

Jessica Celine Morgan

Medical Education

February 28, 2017

“You’re too pretty to be a doctor.”

“When will I see the real doctor?”

“You’re just going to med school to meet a husband right? I’ve heard that’s what girls do.”

If you’re a female medical student or physician, it’s likely that these phrases are not completely unfamiliar to you. Despite it being 2017 — a fact we continue to point out to highlight how far we should have come by now, but …

The unintended consequences of bundled payments

Peter Ubel, MD

Health Policy

February 28, 2017

Knee replacements are booming. Between 2005 and 2015, the number of knee replacement procedures in the United States doubled, to more than one million. Experts think the figure might rise sixfold more in the next couple decades, because of our aging population. Since many people receiving knee replacements are elderly, Medicare picks up most of the cost of such procedures. In response to this huge rise in expenditures, …

My patient more than earned this moment of tranquility

Ben Gold, MD

Physician

February 28, 2017

The ER doc sounded genuinely concerned, which is never a good sign. “Sixty-year-old guy, no real medical history, dude is seriously hallucinating. Head imaging is negative. Can you come take a look at him?” I flitted through the chart. A car accident a few years ago that left him with chronic, poorly controlled migraines. Depression, on Prozac and well controlled. That was pretty much it. I grabbed my stethoscope and …

What pediatricians should know about bone marrow failure syndromes

Akiko Shimamura, MD, PhD

Conditions and Diseases

February 28, 2017

Pediatricians face a difficult task determining when to refer a child for a suspected bone marrow failure syndrome. We now realize that only a subset of children with bone marrow failure syndromes present with the findings described in textbooks. These children often appear well and lack classical physical stigmata. By the time they look sick, their marrow’s ability to produce blood cells can be so weakened that it could be …

Help your IBS symptoms with a low FODMAP diet

Katherine Freeman, MD

Conditions and Diseases

February 27, 2017

FODMAP what? Have you heard? It’s the new dietary approach for the bloating and belly cramps seen with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).

IBS affects one in seven Americans. It’s a gut condition which affects the flora in the bowels and causes abdominal pain, cramping, diarrhea or constipation, bloating, gas and overall discomfort and misery. It can be life changing and debilitating; jeans and Spanx don’t stand a chance!

IBS has …

Little is gained by arguing that President Trump has a psychiatric disorder

Steven Reidbord, MD

Conditions and Diseases

February 27, 2017

On January 31, 2017, the Psychology Today editorial staff published a well-balanced summary of the debate over whether to declare President Trump mentally ill. While the debate focuses on mental health professionals such as psychiatrists and psychologists who are credentialed to make such diagnoses, the question clearly goes further.

Public commentary following this and other articles expresses outrage — not only at the behaviors and policies of Trump himself, but also at …

Doctors serve the people not the system

Linda Girgis, MD

Physician

February 27, 2017

Most health care professionals went into the field because of a calling. For many of us, it is not just a career but a sense of mission. While the system drives hoards to the brink and over the edge of burn-out, a sense of purpose remains. The goals are not the same for all, but it is a good time to re-examine our life goals.

Being a doctor, or any professional …

Read more…

Doctors serve the people not the system

We have a vaccine for six cancers. Why are less than half of kids getting it?

Electra D. Paskett, PhD

Medications

February 27, 2017

Early in our careers, few of us imagined a vaccine could one day prevent cancer. Now there is a vaccine that keeps the risk of developing six Human Papillomavirus (HPV)-related cancers at bay, but adoption of it has been slow and surprising low.

Although it’s been available for more than a decade, as of 2014 only 40 percent of girls had received the full three doses of the …

PCMH recognition process isn’t easy but it is becoming more relevant and less burdensome

Yul Ejnes, MD

Health Policy

February 27, 2017

A guest column by the American College of Physicians, exclusive to KevinMD.com.

When the American College of Physicians (ACP) and the other primary care societies introduced the Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH) over 10 years ago, the model was untested. Here’s a look at how the PCMH recognition process has evolved and how my …

Is breastfeeding as a working doctor an impossible task?

Maisie Jackson, MD

Physician

February 27, 2017

I am a new mom to a beautiful 8-month-old girl, and I am breastfeeding. I am also a doctor at a large, well-known academic institution. The hospital where I work delivers several thousand babies a year, and highly encourages their new moms to breastfeed. They offer a postpartum consultation with a lactation consultant, keep the baby in the mom’s room 24/7 while in the hospital, and provide several other pro-breastfeeding …

Patients are not a nuisance to their physicians

Warren Holleman, PhD

Patient

February 26, 2017

An article from the Wall Street Journal caught my attention, and for all the wrong reasons. It was a review of two recent studies showing that medical trainees have difficulty diagnosing patients with complicated histories or confounding psychosocial features. At least, that’s the way I would describe those studies.

The WSJ, however, used much more pejorative language, referring to them as “difficult patients,” “a nuisance,” and “an annoyance.” …

The Obamacare generation of physicians is ready to fight for patients

Nuriel Moghavem

Health Policy

February 26, 2017

I’m a member of the 25,000-strong medical school graduating class of Obamacare.

We were pre-med college students during the debate over the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and began medical school during its implementation. We put ourselves into deep debt and studied late into the night with the promise that we would practice medicine in a system that promoted insurance coverage, reduced medical bankruptcy, and incentivized high-quality care.

Increasingly, we see that promise …

Are you ready for a recording device in your exam room?

Matthew Anderson, MD, MBA

Health Technology

February 26, 2017

During residency, one of my patients brought a tape recorder to his appointment. It was a big bulky old tape recorder, that was antique technology ten years ago. He was older and wanted to record his appointment so he could remember every detail. His children often called him and wanted an in-depth report of all of his medical visits. He decided he would audio-record his appointments and send the tape …

Obese patients are among our most vulnerable

Helena Frischtak

Physician

February 26, 2017

It was around 2 p.m. when a 380-pound woman came into the ED. She was in her late 30s. The physician went to see her and then ordered IV fluids, some basic blood tests, and a urine sample.

At a hospital, everyone’s job is made harder when a patient is obese. Getting the patient on the bed requires more personnel. Inserting an IV — an intravenous catheter to infuse fluids or …

Physician coaching and retreats are innovative ways to fight burnout

Maiysha Clairborne, MD

Physician

February 25, 2017

One of the most memorable times from my family medicine training days was the annual residency my intern year. It was the year of the World Cup, and a bonding experience that would later save my life. Being able to be with not only my residency class, but also the faculty in a relaxed and empowering environment brought a sense of safety that allowed me to reach out to one …

The exploding cost of prescription drugs

Homayoun L. Daneschvar, MD

Medications

February 25, 2017

The amount of prescribed medications and the number of individuals taking them are increasing rapidly. The share of Americans taking one or more prescription drugs has risen among all age groups. According to the IMS Health Study, the total spending on prescription drugs in the U.S. reached $310 billion in 2015. This is almost three times more than total drug expenditures in the year 2000. It is forecasted that the …

Success is not congratulated as easily as failure is shamed

Judy Salz, MD

Physician

February 25, 2017

“Bask in the glory, toots. You deserve it!”

I received this text message from my very dear friend a few days ago after an extraordinary occurrence.

I’m a retired internist, and recently my clinical acumen and intervention saved another friend’s life. That is a statement of fact, not a boast. And that’s why I’m writing about it.

The patient, a retired surgeon, hosted our circle of friends’ New Year’s Eve party a little …

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