NICU tragedy: How new nurses’ nail choices led to a newborn’s heartbreaking fate

Conditions
February 5, 2024

A small, cliquish bevy of nurses was working their way through orientation in the NICU straight out of nursing school. They were happy and thrilled to be accepted into this specialized nursing unit: the NICU.

Practicing good hygiene, washing hands up to the elbows with soap each time one entered a baby’s cubicle, and gowning and gloving was a standard and mandatory protocol before touching the babies.

These were preemies in the …

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The opioid addiction epidemic and its impact on health care costs

Conditions
February 5, 2024

The opioid addiction crisis has escalated into a formidable challenge within the U.S. health care system, causing widespread devastation. The opioid epidemic has not only devastated communities and individual lives but has also inflicted a substantial economic toll on the health care system. The opioid epidemic has led to a surge in health care costs, stemming from the increased demand for addiction treatment, including psychiatric and psychological evaluations, emergency room …

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Solving health care’s staffing crisis [PODCAST]

Podcast
February 4, 2024
YouTube video

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Join Patrick Dotts, a health care executive. We’ll delve into the pressing challenges faced by the health care workforce, including high turnover rates and low employee satisfaction. Patrick will share insights on how health care organizations can …

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Letting go of perfectionism: a New Year’s resolution for self-compassion

Physician
February 4, 2024

Last week I drove to my favorite trails in Point Defiance Park. The roads seemed oddly empty and quiet, even for “the time between the years” as I’ve heard it called. Perhaps I hadn’t noticed it before, since in medicine, it’s always been just another week when most people don’t work, but we always had a full schedule.

The day was overcast, as it so often is during winter in the …

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Taylor Swift in the operating room: the surgeon who found strength in song

Physician
February 4, 2024

Every surgeon dreams of the day when they’ll wield the cold steel of the scalpel independently. Of the day they’ll see their name on the daily operating room (OR) schedule. Of the day they’ll be the one leading the surgery team. Of the day they will finally get to choose the music.

Surgeons are particular people, and our music choice is no exception. …

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Accelerate your career with mentorship

Physician
February 4, 2024

As a lifelong learner who takes pride in self-directed learning, the importance of mentorship has not always been readily obvious to me. When I completed my residency and embarked on a career in academic medicine, little did I realize how important the mentorship of my then department chair, Dr. Janet Townsend, would be in terms of my career progression. In addition to supporting my commitment to staying clinically active while …

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Gene therapy breakthroughs: a new era in genetic disorder treatment

Meds
February 4, 2024

In a significant leap forward for medical science, recent breakthroughs in gene therapy are ushering in a new era of treatment for various human diseases. The field of gene therapy, which involves manipulating or introducing genetic material into a person’s cells to treat or prevent disease, has seen remarkable advancements, with several gene therapy drugs receiving approval from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Gene therapy has emerged as a groundbreaking …

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Navigating the art of delivering life-altering medical news [PODCAST]

Podcast
February 3, 2024
YouTube video

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Join Emily Schehlein, a glaucoma and cataract surgeon. In this episode, we delve into the emotional and ethical complexities of delivering life-altering medical diagnoses. Emily shares her insights and experiences in the world of ophthalmology and how …

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A patient reached out to a doctor, and they helped each other heal

Physician
February 3, 2024

Kim Downey:

“Each year, almost 400 physicians die by suicide.” That sentence stopped me in my tracks.

I’d been reading all the articles here on KevinMD for almost a year when I came across one written by Dr. Avellino, with the opening line above.

One of my amazing doctors had died several months prior. I was, and in some ways still am, struggling with his death from over a year ago.

I clicked on …

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Senior health care leaders: This is what a psychopath looks like. Please fire them.

Physician
February 3, 2024

How do you spot a “psychopath” inside a complex bureaucracy?

It is a consistent feature of bureaucracy. Psychopath doctors and senior leaders almost never get walked out of the building despite years of complaints and truly outrageous behavior. When they finally are fired or brought to justice, just a small amount of digging reveals National-Enquirer-headline-style shenanigans.

Here is the latest in the health care industry press: “Prominent Johns Hopkins physician on …

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The hand from behind the curtain

Physician
February 3, 2024

It has been almost two decades since I worked at this hospital. This is where I grew up as a physician. After my home, I have spent most of my life within these walls and walking these hallways. The hospital used to have two main buildings, but a few years ago, the administration decided to erect a third building, which is a state-of-the-art facility. The hospital is situated at the …

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Why Barbie resonated with me as a mid-career woman physician: a reflection for National Women Physicians Day

Physician
February 3, 2024

(Spoiler alert: contains spoilers for the movie Barbie.)

In Barbie, a singular scene resonated powerfully with Women in Medicine across the land.

You know the one. Shortly after Ken and Barbie leave Barbie Land and arrive in the Real World, Ken ventures off, discovers The Patriarchy, waltzes into a hospital emergency room, and demands the first woman he sees …

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How responsible AI can benefit patients and clinicians

Tech
February 3, 2024

The impact of artificial intelligence (AI) is palpable across the health care spectrum, from aiding in early disease detection through image analysis to streamlining administrative tasks. Regulatory agencies recognize the need for rapid integration of health care AI solutions, as demonstrated by the FDA’s clearance of over 500 AI solutions classified as Software as a Medical Device (SaMD).

However, AI developers often prioritize speed over meticulous validation, which can compromise …

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Create a new, empowering identity for yourself [PODCAST]

Podcast
February 2, 2024
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Join Parastoo Jangouk, a gastroenterologist and internal medicine physician. We dive into the challenges faced by business owners and health care professionals in December. It’s a month filled with long hours, patient appointments, and marketing efforts.

But amidst …

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A surprising resolution in primary care

Physician
February 2, 2024

I normally don’t make professional resolutions, but this year I am making an important exception. Why would I do such a thing? Like most of my evolution as a doctor, it comes from the wellspring of wisdom, namely listening to my patients.

I had a conversation recently with a patient, Kate, a retired school teacher, a lovely woman who spent her career in Berkeley County, WV, and taught kids who struggled. …

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What films get wrong about cancer – and why it matters

Physician
February 2, 2024

There are more cancer types than there are organ systems, but, according to Hollywood, there is essentially just “Cancer.” Capital C. Period.

Cancer-inflicted characters on the silver screen also primarily face just one outcome: death. This usually follows a montage of chemotherapy treatments that leave movie stars bald and purple under the eyes. There is no targeted immunotherapy in Hollywood. No clinical trials. No genomic medicine. Just an amorphous round of …

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A dementia patient’s poignant return to childhood

Conditions
February 2, 2024

I recently watched an Indian movie called The Three of Us, which revolves around a woman named Shelujah. She is in her late 30s, very charming, traditional, and intelligent. She works as a marriage counselor, leading a happy married life with one son studying abroad. Shelujah diligently maintains a diary, documenting even her minor daily chores. Often, she becomes engrossed in her thoughts, even failing to respond when called by …

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The adversarial system in perioperative medicine

Physician
February 2, 2024

It is always assumed that the prosecution and the defense in the adversarial system may be searching for the facts that can then discover the truth. However, the whole truth may always remain undiscovered when the complete facts may not get uncovered due to competitive differences among the prosecution and the defense. This unbalanced competitiveness may arise from the perceived power held by the prosecution’s law offices contrasting with the …

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A doctor’s tale of dismissiveness and patient harm [PODCAST]

Podcast
February 1, 2024
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Join Alan Lindemann, an obstetrics-gynecology physician, who shares his insights and real-life experiences, shedding light on the issues surrounding patient care, medical decision-making, and the role of institutions and personal connections in shaping health care outcomes. Discover …

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Unlocking emotional healing: the power of EMDR therapy

Conditions
February 1, 2024

The therapeutic modality developed by Francine Shapiro and referred to as eye movement desensitization reprocessing or EMDR, when embedded in the context of a wider lens, focuses on specific events and feelings with a view to overarching goals. We become who we are in a relationship, and specifically in our earliest relationship with a primary caregiver who shapes our worldview before we can give this active consideration. Subsequently, we develop …

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