Physician

Medical workplace bullying: We just want it to stop

Physician
April 25, 2019

Health care is increasingly complex. Objective peer review, constructive feedback, and robust debate are essential to continually improve the quality of patient care.

But doctors don’t always disagree well. One of the contributing factors to bullying in medicine is the complex interplay of different personality types in very stressful situations. Some doctors have personality traits that predispose them to have interpersonal conflict and being unable to see the view from the …

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The powerful phrase that’s ruining medicine

Physician
April 20, 2019

Within the clinics, hospital corridors, and halls of medicine, a new phrase has emerged and taken hold of the practice of medicine. Whenever confronted with the challenging, inconvenient, undesirable, underinsured or maybe when just overwhelmed, health care personnel have begun to utter the phrase “I’m not comfortable with …”

Upon the utterance, all responsibility to the patient, institution or the honorable practice of medicine is immediately and completely discharged until the …

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8 things to watch for if you, or a family member, is hospitalized

Physician
April 18, 2019

Hospitals are busy, hectic, and unpredictable places. Professionals who work in health care are highly trained and competent individuals, and if you are receiving acute care in America — the standard of your treatment and access to high-quality tests and an array of specialists, is unparalleled (take it from someone who has worked in different countries). Nevertheless, the hospital experience itself, despite our best efforts, often falls short. Here are …

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What distinguishes good physicians from truly seasoned medical professionals?

Physician
April 17, 2019

One thing that gastroenterologists know about is stool. But, I’m not referring to that kind of stool in this post. Follow along.

When we do a colonoscopy, for example, we are relying upon stool, or more accurately a stool, as in a three-legged stool. This metaphor illustrates that the three legs must be equally strong or the stool will not stand. The three pillars of support that a colonoscopist needs include:

Was she a doctor? Or was she a hack?

Physician
April 14, 2019

Separating fact from fiction had once been her favorite activity. Going over research with a fine-toothed comb, she caught the inaccuracies that riddled popular culture like unruly strands of hair. It came down to this simple algorithm: there were things that could be proven and things that could not. In other words, there were things that would happen consistently given the same set of conditions, while other things were random. …

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Fleece pajama bottoms in the ER

Physician
April 12, 2019

Can someone please tell me the exact moment when fleece pajama bottoms became the fashion sensibility of America?

I can’t pinpoint the moment exactly, but several years ago I began to notice that many of our ER patients were presenting for treatment wearing nice fluffy fleece bottoms. Men. Women. Old. Young. These fleece bottoms seemed to be enjoyed by a variety of the population. Most of these earlier bottoms for the …

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Work-life balance is hard. Here’s how this physician does it.

Physician
April 8, 2019

Work-life balance is hard, and that’s true for so many career options both in and out of the medical field. The topic is something that you consider as you choose a career path. It’s something that you struggle to achieve and maintain as you train for your job, and as I have found out over the past eight months, something that you have to invest energy into after finishing training …

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Innovative approaches to solve physician burnout

Physician
April 8, 2019

Health care organizations are moving to address clinician burnout with a real sense of urgency. It is now commonly accepted that burnout is widespread among health care professionals and has serious repercussions for patient safety and the quality of care. A report released by several major Massachusetts health care organizations labeled the situation “a public health crisis” and warned about the adverse impact “on the health and well-being …

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Should medical residents appear in reality TV shows?

Physician
April 6, 2019

This notice appeared on a general surgery news website in early February.

I don’t know who has been long anticipating this, but I’m pretty sure it’s not people on medical Twitter. My informal, nonscientific Twitter poll garnered 707 votes with 87 percent of those responding saying they would not allow their residents to participate in a reality television show.

Many of those who …

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Can you put me to sleep? Why ER physicians have to say no.

Physician
April 2, 2019

The heavy young man curled on his left side is in the ER for a pain in his backside. The sweaty blue dragon on his chest smells like fear.

“It’s an abscess. I’ll have to open it. It’s gonna hurt.”

“Can you put me to sleep? I hate pain.”

I can. Should I? Remember Michael Jackson? I do.

His neck would make a Hereford bull proud; he’s missing a chin but he’s got a …

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Appreciative and respectful of my privilege in caring for elderly patients

Physician
April 1, 2019

I dedicate this to each of you who have cared for or are currently caring for an ill parent or family member. 

Recently, due to the stress that several of my dearest friends have been experiencing in caring for their elderly parents, I am even more appreciative and respectful of my privilege in caring for elderly patients who have attentive and loving adult children who accompany them to our ER.

Although this …

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A tragic Fentanyl story without redemption

Physician
April 1, 2019

Matt was 40, my sister’s age. He was training for a marathon and trying to talk his many friends into joining. He lay in bed with his three-year-old son every night to help him fall asleep. It’s hard to sleep train a toddler with a newborn to nurture at the same time, but he loved spending this time with his two kids and being the dad everyone counted on.

Matt’s best …

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How physicians can find meaning in their work

Physician
March 29, 2019

“Seriously, do you often/very often reflect on how your work helps make the world a better place?”

I was recently involved in an email exchange with a colleague when she sent me this line. We will get to the answer to that question at the end. I was disappointed, but not surprised because until about three years ago, I probably would have answered, “No.” However, I have had a paradigm shift …

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The sweet path to hell: addiction in medical professionals

Physician
March 28, 2019

K: “I was assaulted by an intoxicated female. She punched me and ruptured two discs in my back. I lost my whole self. I could no longer take the CPR course required. I lost my income that was supporting me and my three children.

I needed the narcotics — not only to dull the physical pain but to numb the emotions. I found myself taking more than prescribed. I asked the …

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Fixing burnout among hospitalists is a leadership challenge

Physician
March 28, 2019

“Happiness is when what you think, what you say and what you do are in harmony.”
– Mahatma Gandhi

Burnout among physicians is at an epidemic proportion. National data suggests that more than 50 percent of our workforce is burned out, and this trend has been across the board from physicians in training to practicing physicians. Some of the specialties are more affected than others. Repercussions of provider burnout on health care …

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Hospice didn’t stop suffering. But what it did for us was priceless.

Physician
March 27, 2019

My wife Uzma died peacefully at home. She didn’t take any painkillers for her last three days. Our kids, my parents, and I were next to her. In the weeks leading up to her death, many old friends visited her. Others sent her flowers, cards, and food. It was a good death. Yes, in the last five years cancer and its treatment took a physical and emotional toll. Yes, she left us a …

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Reminding ourselves why we practice medicine

Physician
March 25, 2019

Going to medical school was a dream come true. I was excited; I couldn’t wait. I spent my childhood dreaming about it. It was this amazing fantasy in my head where nothing was impossible, and I would be able to help thousands of people, maybe millions? Biology, physiology, chemistry, physics — they resonated with me. I could not imagine doing anything else. I loved meeting new people. I loved learning …

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