The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is talking when they should be listening

Physician
December 6, 2024

On May 9-10, 2017, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) held a workshop titled “Training health care providers on pain management and safe use of opioid analgesics — exploring the path forward.” I attended the workshop in person to offer comments on behalf of chronic pain patients. A summary of my observations at the time was published by the now-defunct Pain News Network. The following extended extract is from …

Read more…

Physician compensation secrets: 2024 MGMA DataDive insights [PODCAST]

Podcast
December 5, 2024
YouTube video

Subscribe to The Podcast by KevinMD. Watch on YouTube. Catch up on old episodes!

Join us in this insightful episode as we delve into the 2024 MGMA DataDive, the gold standard for physician compensation data. Our guest, Jon Appino, the driving force behind Contract Diagnostics,  will explore …

Read more…

Why every physician craves a break from daily chaos

Physician
December 5, 2024

In today’s medical world, cancer treatment guidelines are constantly evolving. CME events are held worldwide to help health care professionals become more familiar with new treatments. They can be live events held at specific locations or online activities. I will not go into further detail about the CMEs or industry-sponsored CMEs because that is not the focus of this story.

The best thing about being a physician is the opportunity to …

Read more…

The hidden truth about ghost networks: one mom’s fight for mental health care justice

Conditions
December 5, 2024

Jane Doe – her real name being hidden to protect her young child – thought she knew how to help her eight-year-old son “”Baby Doe.” She was well-educated, employed in a professional role by a federal agency, and comfortable navigating bureaucracies and unresponsive gatekeepers. More importantly, she was a fierce advocate for her child, who had been diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder and needed occupational and speech therapies, which …

Read more…

A neurosurgeon’s 23 simple things you can do (in five minutes or less) to improve your brain health

Conditions
December 5, 2024

Here are 23 simple things you can do (in five minutes or less) to improve your brain health. Do one of them each day. Keep it up for a few short weeks and your brain will sing your praises.

Attitude of gratitude

The act of being grateful improves mental health in a number of ways, such as making the grateful person less prone to depression and fostering stronger relationships. Becoming more grateful …

Read more…

Why rapid weight loss drugs may not be the health solution they seem [PODCAST]

Podcast
December 4, 2024
YouTube video

Subscribe to The Podcast by KevinMD. Watch on YouTube. Catch up on old episodes!

Join us in this episode as we talk with health reporter Martha Rosenberg about the complex dynamics behind obesity, junk food advertising, and the surge of new semaglutide-based weight loss drugs. We explore …

Read more…

8 important things everyone should know about tongue-ties and lip-ties by a pediatric dentist

Conditions
December 4, 2024

As a pediatric dentist and owner of a tongue tie center, I pride myself on having a conservative and collaborative approach when it comes to treating oral restrictions. Too many providers rush to release, and too many parents are misinformed thinking the release is going to be a “magic fix.”

I’ve compiled a list of important things that I feel everyone (both providers and parents) should know about tongue-ties and lip-ties.

1. …

Read more…

The heartbreaking lesson about life, love, and the “doctor hustle”

Physician
December 4, 2024

“Bring me flowers now while I’m living.
I don’t need your love when I’m gone.
Don’t spend time, tears, and money on my old breathless body.
If your heart is them flowers, bring ’em on.”

These are the words of that great philosopher and country music singer, Tanya Tucker. A friend of hers had died, and someone suggested they bring flowers for the deceased. Tanya thought about this a moment. As she reflected on …

Read more…

The untold truths behind overdiagnosis and why it matters to your health

Conditions
December 4, 2024

An interview with Jerome Hoffman, MD, professor emeritus at UCLA.

Martha Rosenberg: As professor emeritus at UCLA (University of California, Los Angeles), you engaged in what is laughingly called in academics the “triple threat” of research, teaching, and clinical work for 30 years. Can you please summarize a little of what you did?

Jerome Hoffman: You’re right – I spent my career as an old-style academic, doing those three types of work. …

Read more…

Why rudeness and AI are pushing doctors to rethink their approach

Physician
December 4, 2024

Last week my nurse called me, weeping. A patient had called and abused her, threatened her, and said he would complain to authorities about her. This, because his insurance company had delayed his medication refill request by a week. My nurse was hurt; she answers patient queries and emails even on her days off. He is not the only one shouting at and threatening medical staff. In my 30-year career …

Read more…

When empathy is found in unexpected places [PODCAST]

Podcast
December 3, 2024
YouTube video

Subscribe to The Podcast by KevinMD. Watch on YouTube. Catch up on old episodes!

We delve into the powerful narrative of patient vulnerability and resilience. Our guest, writer Rachel Litchman, shares her deeply personal experience of being hospitalized, highlighting the disconnect between patient needs and systemic responses. …

Read more…

Medicaid in non-expansion states: Explaining the indefensible

Policy
December 3, 2024

Over the years, as members of the Health and Public Policy Committee (HPPC) of the Texas chapter of the American College of Physicians (ACP), we have focused on advocacy for what we believe is the most important health policy issue in our state, Medicaid expansion under provisions of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Our efforts, and the work of many others, have had no discernable impact on state policy.

In the …

Read more…

The impact of sleep on fertility: Why rest matters for reproductive health

Conditions
December 3, 2024

Introduction

Sleep is not just a luxury; it is essential for maintaining health, and its role in fertility is particularly profound. From regulating reproductive hormones to protecting egg and sperm quality, sleep impacts every stage of the reproductive process. Yet, sleep disturbances—such as insomnia, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), and irregular schedules—are often overlooked in fertility discussions. Recent research highlights how poor sleep affects fertility in men and women, influencing natural conception …

Read more…

ADVERTISEMENT

Nurses, stop eating your young: a call for change

Conditions
December 3, 2024

I sat on a cylindrical stool, eyes bleary from the early hour. Navy scrubs freshly pressed, my nursing school patch tacked to my left shoulder. Would anyone notice I used hot glue and whipstitches?

I remember the sound my clipboard made as I attached a fresh piece of paper. The whoosh was faint and mimicked the flip-flap of wings attached to butterflies whirring around in my belly. I waited eagerly for …

Read more…

How to conquer the devils of modern medicine for a longer, happier life [PODCAST]

Podcast
December 2, 2024
YouTube video

Subscribe to The Podcast by KevinMD. Watch on YouTube. Catch up on old episodes!

Cardiologist P. Albert Chan shares critical insights into the importance of preventive care and a holistic approach to longevity and happiness. Drawing on decades of experience across continents, he discusses the prevention and …

Read more…

A doctor’s life-saving instinct reveals the hidden danger in a patient’s crisis

Physician
December 2, 2024

An excerpt from Yankee Doctor in the Bible Belt: A Memoir.

There are patients you can help. You can see them through a crisis, give them a magic medicine that makes everything better. There are others where there is little you can do. Their distress is beyond cure. The following story is about one person I could help.

Tony Bowman is a man in his early …

Read more…

Are the AI safeguards currently in place sufficient to prevent a doomsday scenario?

Tech
December 2, 2024

My vote for Time’s Person of the Year is Artificial Intelligence (AI). I think AI is the most talked about and hyped (overhyped?) development of 2024, already transforming operations across numerous sectors, from manufacturing to financial services. In the health sector, AI has ushered in groundbreaking advancements in several areas, including psychotherapy, substituting for therapists and also posing ominous portents for physicians. AI systems that learn …

Read more…

Heartbreaking stories of famous lives lost to suicide and a community’s fight for awareness

Physician
December 2, 2024

Famous artists and athletes who succumbed to suicide:

Robin Williams (American actor and comedian) – August 11, 2014; 63 years old.

Anthony Bourdain (American celebrity chef, author, travel documentarian) – June 8, 2018; 61 years old.

Robert Enke (German goalkeeper, part of German national soccer team) – November 10, 2009; 32 years old.

Goo Hara (South Korean singer and actor) – November 24, 2019; 28 years old.

Ruslana Korshunova (Kazakhstani model) – June 28, 2008; …

Read more…

You don’t need to be a doctor to save lives and make a difference

Physician
December 2, 2024

If you ask aspiring doctors, “Why do you want to become a doctor?” they often reply, “I want to help people” or “I want to save people.”

The intention to help is commendable, but many careers work toward protecting and supporting us.

It is much easier to view doctors as “knights in shining armor,” “heroes,” or “saviors.” In some cultures, they may even be seen as deities. This perception can sometimes unintentionally …

Read more…

610
pages