During the Olympics and Paralympics, all eyes turn to the best of the best: incredible athletes who have dedicated their lives to the pursuit of greatness in hopes of earning one of the most sought-after titles in the world.
“Gold medalist” has a glorious ring to it, and the athletes who earn this honor have every right to be proud. But the mantra of the Olympic movement isn’t “get gold or …
Recently, an elderly patient at my practice unexpectedly began to miss her monthly appointments.
I was alarmed. The patient has atrial fibrillation—a condition characterized by irregular heart rhythms and an increased risk of stroke. The condition demands consistent and timely medical care. For elderly patients like the one in our care, these appointments are not just check-ups. They are vital for adjusting medications, monitoring heart health, and preventing serious complications like …
Georgia was ranked 5th worst place to practice in a recent Medscape article (“Best and Worst Places to Practice 2024”), using five criteria: physician compensation, cost of living, malpractice premiums, the health of the state’s residents, and physician burnout levels. As current and future physicians and health advocates, this column will add context by detailing our experiences practicing in Georgia.
The article identified challenges that Georgia physicians encounter. Particularly concerning is …
As climate change advances, it has amplified a variety of diseases globally, especially in under-resourced countries and communities. This article summarizes three of these consequential trends. The first is that wildfires and industrial pollution are worsening respiratory diseases. Second, hotter climates are increasing the incidence of infectious diseases such as malaria, and lastly, heat waves are increasing the risk of various diseases, disrupting public services, and causing unprecedented amounts of …
America has a systemic and pernicious problem: health care without primary care. Just a century ago, primary care physicians were the trusted cornerstone of the U.S. health care system, providing the first point of entry into health care, addressing most ailments, and managing patients across a lifespan. This primary care “first” system has gradually eroded over the ensuing decades, and unfortunately, many citizens have fallen victim to a modern culture …
People learned during the COVID pandemic that getting limited care online via telemedicine can be a great way to expand access, especially in rural areas. But Visibly, founded in 2014, was ahead of the curve.
The Chicago-based company invented technology that lets people renew eyeglass prescriptions from home or anywhere with an internet connection. No appointment is necessary, no driving, and no waiting in a lobby. Licensed ophthalmologists review results and …
I want to express my frustration with the state of health care in the United States, particularly in the context of my own experiences within the system. Over the past 12 years, I have submitted articles to KevinMD advocating for quality patient care and fair working conditions for health care professionals. I have urged hospital administrators to reevaluate their operations to improve patient and staff satisfaction and the overall efficiency …
In the sweltering heat of 19th-century colonial Delhi, legend has it that cobras were taking over the streets. To eliminate the dangerous snakes, British officials offered a bounty for every dead cobra brought to government offices. Soon, locals began breeding and killing cobras for profit. When British officers caught wind of the scheme, they ended the program immediately. In response, the breeders released their now-worthless snakes back into the streets, …
Hospital readmissions continue to be frequent despite their negative impact on health outcomes and financial strain on the health care system overall. On average, 14.56 percent of patients across the nation who have been discharged from a hospital, whether to a post-acute care facility or a home, will be readmitted for unforeseen circumstances. Readmissions can be triggered for various reasons and may be inevitable, yet some could be easily …
Emergency department (ED) wait times are on the rise across the United States, a troubling trend that reflects deeper systemic challenges in the nation’s health care systems. According to data from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, the median time spent in the ED has increased from 2 hours and 15 minutes in 2018 to 2 hours and 40 minutes in recent years. Data from …
The aging nursing population is one of the underlying conditions contributing to the nursing shortage in the United States. According to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, 1 million nurses are at least 50 years of age, and 60 percent of nurses are over age 40. Furthermore, over 20 percent of nurses plan to retire within the next five years. For reference, there are nearly 4.7 million registered nurses (RNs) …
An excerpt from Healing Healthcare: Evidence-Based Strategies to Mend Our Broken System.
The greatest challenge facing our professional workforce today is creating a healthy work environment in which nurses care for patients. A significant characteristic of a healthy work environment is appropriate staffing. Nurse staffing is a multifaceted issue, and it is extremely difficult to objectively advocate for change. Different members of the health care team have different concepts of …
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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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
“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 …
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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