Policy

The hidden heroes who fought for women’s reproductive rights in the 1950s

Policy
August 18, 2024

The term “Dainty Maids” could refer to various subjects depending on the context—ranging from historical groups to fictional characters.

Historically, women in service roles, such as maids or attendants, were referred to as Dainty Maids. They were noted for their refined manners and appearance, women who embodied ideals of delicacy and decorum. In literary works, poetry, and plays from various periods, particularly in the Victorian era, Dainty Maids were often described …

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From Super Bowl to supermarket: How candy ads shape kids’ diets

Policy
August 12, 2024

A gummy candy shimmies on stage, dancing to Flashdance. The music swells; it pulls a chain and is showered in multi-colored candies. The ad, for Nerds Gummy Clusters, was one of dozens of food ads that 123 million people saw during the 2024 Super Bowl. While the nostalgic soundtrack entertained adults, the cartoon candies were engineered to appeal to a different audience: children.

And it …

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Street medicine: a lifeline for Florida’s homeless amidst new public sleeping ban

Policy
August 9, 2024

Despite the evening hour, the sun beats down on our group as we gather to orient new participants to the street run. It’s a typical Spring day in Florida, with temperatures already in the upper 80s. We stand in a circle on a downtown sidewalk in our green t-shirts. In the center of our circle are bags filled with socks, toiletries, and naloxone, an opioid reversal medication. We’ll distribute these …

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Private equity’s takeover of health care: a patient’s nightmare

Policy
August 1, 2024

As private equity (PE) plays a larger role in health care, we likely have a patient-centric image of who these individuals are and what these institutions do. But what does health care look like to PE, and what does health care do from their perch? While attending a housewarming party of an acquaintance who works in PE and specializes in GI clinic acquisitions, these questions were answered, and it was …

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Prescribing data and efficiency: Harnessing technology to alleviate the physician shortage in the U.S.

Policy
July 29, 2024

Amidst the pressing challenges confronting the health care landscape in the United States, the physician shortage stands out as a critical issue demanding innovative solutions. The Association of American Medical College’s latest report projects that the nation’s physician shortage could reach up to 86,000 by 2036. Burnout, which was further exacerbated by the pandemic, a large portion of physicians nearing retirement, limited medical school enrollment, and population growth …

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It’s time to pass federally mandated paid parental leave

Policy
July 25, 2024

“You’ve got some guts starting your residency pregnant!” I was that intern.

It was June 2011. A few months earlier, on Match Day—the day when the National Residency Matching Program releases results to applicants seeking residency in a specialty of their choice in the U.S.—I had found out that I’d gotten into my first-choice hospital residency program in pediatrics. I started my residency four months pregnant, and one of my attendings …

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The truth behind the U.S. doctor shortage: Is it intentional or not?

Policy
July 20, 2024

My friend and colleague, Alex Berezow, wrote a piece titled “Is the U.S. doctor shortage intentional?” The writers at ACSH share their work before publication to get feedback, and in the case of Alex’s latest, we disagreed. While much of what he wrote is factual, without the nuance of the setting, it fails to tell the entire story. So here is not so much my rebuttal but the rest of …

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How ultra-processed foods are devastating public health

Policy
July 18, 2024

As the world emerges from COVID-19, we must remember there is a silent yet devastating health crisis: our diets. In this era, convenience reigns supreme, with ultra-processed foods infiltrating everyone’s lives, leading to surges in preventable diseases and deaths. This crisis is more than individual food choices; it is a systemic issue affecting millions, especially in low-income communities.

One of the biggest drivers of the crisis is the ubiquity of …

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How hospitals’ requirements lead to staffing shortages

Policy
July 17, 2024

Most hospitals are now also requiring fingerprinting and immunizations, with some demanding double PPDs. Extra COVID boosters and proof of previous immunization for MMR, Hepatitis B, and Varicella are now required. They require current titers. COVID cards are no longer valid and also require a printout of where you received them. Hospitals are reaching a point where they will have no one to work.

Working in credentialing now and being on …

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Toxic energy: Confronting the carcinogenic risks of fossil fuels

Policy
July 7, 2024

The evidence is clear: Proximity to fossil fuel infrastructure poses a significant cancer risk to millions of Americans. Studies consistently link exposure to pollutants like benzene, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and particulate matter from fossil fuel facilities to elevated rates of lung cancer, leukemia, and other malignancies.

Alarmingly, 17.6 million Americans live in close proximity to active oil and gas wells, transportation pipelines, and processing facilities, …

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Medicare’s 14-day rule is hurting cancer patients

Policy
July 5, 2024

It is no secret that we are making great strides in reducing the mortality of lung cancer. From improving screening rates which have reduced the chances of dying from lung cancer due to earlier detection, increased adoption of minimally invasive surgical techniques, and exciting new drugs that have been shown to improve survival even in metastatic disease, there is reason to be hopeful in what has usually been a devastating …

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Interdisciplinary care teams play a pivotal role in mitigating the clinician shortage

Policy
June 29, 2024

The evolving health care landscape presents a growing demand for skilled providers. To meet this challenge, health care leaders must prioritize innovation and explore solutions that leverage existing resources to deliver the high-quality care that patients deserve.

The U.S. health care system faces a looming crisis: a critical shortage of clinicians. The Health Resources and Service Administration predicts a shortfall of nearly 140,000 physicians by 2036. Compounding this issue, a …

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Getting caught in the crossfire of the hearing aid wars

Policy
June 24, 2024

My hearing precipitously declined four years ago. As a patient and practicing physician, I became dependent upon hearing aids. Thus, I was introduced to the off-putting business of hearing aids in America.

The American hearing aid market is estimated to generate between $3 to 4 billion per year annually. It is expected to grow six to eight percent annually as our population ages. Assistive listening devices can be a vast mystery …

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Migrant health in crisis: How we can lead the way in inclusive care

Policy
June 24, 2024

“I’m sorry, but we’re unable to accept this patient into the program right now due to a shortage of Spanish-speaking workers.”

I have lost count of the number of times I’ve had to say this statement to the various referral sources that call me daily, requesting services for immigrant patients.

Jane is a single parent from Guyana. She traveled to New York to visit family with her daughter, who was …

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Innovation doesn’t have to be flashy to make a big impact

Policy
June 23, 2024

Labor shortages have become a pressing concern across the health care sector, with the nurse staffing crisis looming large over hospitals and health systems nationwide.

A report from the Massachusetts Health Policy Commission illuminated the severity of the workforce challenges, revealing a doubling of vacancy rates for registered nurses in the state’s hospitals from 2019 to 2022. Despite concerted efforts, the problem persists, with health systems still resorting to costly pandemic …

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For treatment, please call Dr. Congressman

Policy
June 14, 2024

Recent regulatory changes create a national staffing level for nursing facilities. Despite the much-needed rule change and the well-known stench of understaffed nursing homes that many Americans dread going to, most of the news cycle has portrayed this as a negative development. This is but one example where our patients are being manipulated into beliefs and actions that are contrary to their best health care interests. Recently, the same lies …

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The unseen impact of Miami’s homeless crackdown

Policy
June 12, 2024

17th Street – nestled between Jackson Memorial, a major U.S. safety net hospital, and Camillus House, the largest homeless shelter in South Florida – is empty. There are no bicycles or tents belonging to the individuals who typically inhabit the area. There is no line outside of the Three Sisters where people usually wait for a meal. The street is quiet and desolate.

We visit 17th Street every Saturday morning with …

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Why the U.S. must urgently address maternal health disparities for Black women

Policy
June 11, 2024

It is no secret that the U.S. lags greatly behind other developed nations in maternal health outcomes. When we hear the stories of women like Shalon Irving, who died three weeks after giving birth and whose pleas for help prior to her death were all but ignored, or the story of Kira Johnson, who was left hemorrhaging for ten hours in the hospital after what was supposed to be a …

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Why health care organizations must be accountable to local communities

Policy
June 11, 2024

In the not-too-distant past, health care was a local industry. If you saw a doctor, they were likely a solo practitioner. If you went to the hospital, it was probably run by a local religious order or non-profit. Health care leaders and board members shopped at the same stores as their patients did, socialized in the same community groups, and sent their children to the same schools. Today, though, health …

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Can we afford to lose nurses? The economic argument for change

Policy
June 3, 2024

The medical alert blared over the hospital’s public announcement system. Someone was down in the medical office building. A medical team, including myself and a doctor, rushed with a portable cot to find a man in his early 30s unconscious on the waiting room floor.

The man hadn’t been feeling well and was waiting to see his doctor when he passed out. We whisked him to the ER, and I …

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CME Spotlights