Blame game in U.S. health care: Who’s responsible and what’s the solution?

Policy
February 16, 2024

The perception that our U.S. health care system is broken has become nearly fact among health care workers and the public alike. Many other countries are facing similar challenges, beyond the recent spotlight on our Canadian and British friends across the pond. The issue remains: Who are we to blame and more importantly, what can we do about it?

The angst is typically directed at insurance companies or government interference. Many …

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The unseen battle: America’s veterans and the crisis of chronic pain

Meds
February 16, 2024

Since the Civil War, there have been seventy-four wars and conflicts America has fought in. But as bad as previous wars had been, there has never been anything in American history like the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. While America’s direct intervention against Germany and Japan lasted less than five years, the war on terror went on for decades. Extended time in extreme circumstances will cause extreme adaptations in the human …

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We need to step up for Black mothers

Conditions
February 16, 2024

I started my day today (ironically, Martin Luther King Day) reading another tragic story about a young Black mother who hemorrhaged to death after giving birth in a large public hospital in Brooklyn.

Statistics tell a shocking story. The maternal death rate increased by 79 percent from 2018 to 2021. Women of color had even worse numbers, with the maternal mortality rate among Black women increasing from 37 per 100,000 in …

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Building credibility in digital health [PODCAST]

Podcast
February 15, 2024
YouTube video

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Join David Lee Scher, a cardiologist and digital health consultant. We’ll explore the ever-evolving world of digital health, discussing topics such as problem-solving in health care, building credibility in digital health technologies, the power of digital partnerships, …

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Steps to take so that a medical malpractice lawsuit is decided from unbiased opinions

Physician
February 15, 2024

Today, the conventional rules that medical experts use to evaluate the merits of a malpractice lawsuit are established by attorneys, not doctors. These rules are based on inductive reasoning. Inductive reasoning is acceptable except for one thing; it forgives threats to validity. Although the premises are true, the conclusions are influenced by bias. The rules are as follows:

There are four categories of evidence:

  • The disputed treatment represents a medical error.

    • …

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From pain management to Port au Prince: a doctor’s journey in disaster relief

Physician
February 15, 2024

As medical doctors, we think we can help alleviate physical suffering in almost any situation. When the 2010 earthquakes shattered Haiti’s capital, I felt compelled to help. I had extensive pain management experience and training as a physiatrist. I thought I was ideally suited to lend a hand. At the time, this all seemed obvious. But I had never been in a disaster zone before, which made me hesitant.

Still, my …

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Government neglect and the erosion of private medical practice

Finance
February 15, 2024

Who could imagine that physicians born with an enigmatic passion to be in a position where the health of our civilization depends on them would be caught in so many obstructive and despicable circumstances that have led to increasing attrition of physicians in clinical medical practice. It is not so much about the overwhelming challenges that physicians are expected to overcome, but far more about the fact that our government, …

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High-deductible plans and chronic conditions [PODCAST]

Podcast
February 14, 2024
YouTube video

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In this episode, we sit down with Shirin Hund, an internal medicine physician, to explore the impact of high-deductible health plans on individuals with chronic medical conditions like diabetes. Shirin discusses the financial barriers these patients face, the consequences for medication adherence and health outcomes, and the need for legislative changes to improve access …

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Psychodermatology: A skin-brain axis exists, so what are you doing about it?

Conditions
February 14, 2024

Skin and mental health are intertwined. This is evident embryologically, as we know that the skin and brain are derived from ectoderm, forming a skin-brain axis. Furthermore, scientific pathophysiology has shown that conditions such as acne, psoriasis, and atopic dermatitis are directly influenced by mood.

Whether you are a patient, a provider, or an aesthetics professional, be aware that treating skin should also include treating mental health when needed. Ignoring that …

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The top 3 factors influencing how patients choose your health care practice

Finance
February 14, 2024

When building your practice, knowing what factors influence how patients find you and ultimately choose to be treated by you is critical. As a health care provider, you focus on treating patients and providing the best care possible. The business side of health care may be of less interest to you. However, to effectively grow your practice, it’s essential to know how new patients find you and why they chose …

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From popcorn to peril: a C. difficile survivor’s tale [PODCAST]

Podcast
February 13, 2024
YouTube video

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We sit down with Carol Raye, a patient advocate who shares her personal journey with a life-threatening C. difficile infection. Join us as Carol sheds light on the challenges she faced, the importance of responsible antibiotic use, …

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The power of nutrition in cancer prevention

Conditions
February 13, 2024

In its annual cancer statistics report released this week, the American Cancer Society (ACS) predicted over 2 million new cancer cases and over 600,000 cancer deaths in the United States in 2024. The ACS cites decreased smoking rates, earlier detection, and improved treatments as the primary reasons for decreased death rates from cancer in recent decades. Missing from the report, however, is the fundamental recommendation to shift from the traditional …

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Can we finally say goodbye to opioids? There may be new pain relief on the horizon.

Meds
February 13, 2024

In an article I recently wrote about a new calcium channel-blocking medication that could be effective in treating central chronic pain, I mentioned that medications like lidocaine block sodium channels to prevent the transmission of pain through the peripheral nervous system. I also said that these medications have limited use, usually just in the ER, because they are short-acting and injected, though there is a lidocaine patch that some …

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The secret superstitions of surgeons: How rituals impact surgical success

Physician
February 13, 2024

“Man is a dupeable animal. Quacks in medicine, quacks in religion, and quacks in politics know this, and act upon that knowledge. There is scarcely anyone who may not, like a trout, be taken by tickling…there is scarcely a disease for which a charm has not been given.”
– Thomas J. Pettigrew

As a surgeon, when I routinely went to the OR, I had a ritual. I would …

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Patient engagement: the missing piece in health care [PODCAST]

Podcast
February 12, 2024
YouTube video

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Join health care executives Susan Montminy and Marlene Icenhower as they discuss the critical topic of patient engagement in health care. In episode, Susan and Marlene explore the impact of patient engagement on provider satisfaction and health …

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How do we get a critical mass of women physician innovators?

Tech
February 12, 2024

Dr. Margaret-Mary Wilson is UnitedHealth Group (UHG)’s chief medical officer, and she recently told Fortune magazine that UHG’s acquisition of physician practices and surgery centers through its subsidiary Optum has allowed UnitedHealth Group to gather “a critical mass” of doctors, which helps the company improve care. She said that the practices that they’ve acquired are not a bunch of “flashy acquisitions” but rather each one “brings the pieces together to …

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Exploring neurodivergence: a specialist psychiatrist’s journey

Conditions
February 12, 2024

I read about a psychiatrist whose interests are in medical ethics and the improvement of medical care for youth coping with the complexities related to neurodivergence and significant mental health conditions. Additionally, she specializes in work with twice-exceptional (2e) individuals – those with exceptional talents and abilities who also navigate challenges related to disabilities or psychiatric illness.

Neurodivergence and 2e individuals are fairly new concepts for me. Back in the day, …

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Now is a good time to reassess your medications with your clinician

Meds
February 12, 2024

Now that we are embarking on a new year, many of us take on annual resolutions with a focus on diet and exercise.  Overlooked is another important way to improve our health: increasing awareness of our medications.

Nearly 4 in 10 adults over the age of 65 living in the United States are prescribed five or more medications. Sometimes these medications are necessary.  But sometimes, they may need adjusting or …

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Nursing in crisis: How administrative tasks are taking a toll [PODCAST]

Podcast
February 11, 2024
YouTube video

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Join Karlene Kerfoot, a nurse executive, as we delve into the nurse and clinician workforce crisis in the United States. Discover the factors contributing to this crisis, the impact of administrative tasks on health care professionals, and …

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Not all patients are on disability

Conditions
February 11, 2024

A recent conversation with a relative inspired me to write this post. She is a physical therapist who often rants about how patients with chronic pain or chronic illness don’t work and are just on disability. I know she’s far from the only health care provider with the same belief. She and her coworkers spend time ranting and complaining about their patients who don’t work and use the therapy sessions …

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