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Why doctors must talk about death: the truth about CPR and end-of-life care

Conditions

February 1, 2025

When I was a general surgery intern, I was doing my very early morning pre-rounds on a frail female patient in her late 70s with significant cardio- and peripheral vascular disease. She’d been in the hospital for weeks and wasted away to no more than 85-90 pounds. She was not able to get out of bed unassisted. I don’t even remember why she was in the hospital, but what I …

How empathy transformed a psychiatrist-patient encounter [PODCAST]

The Podcast by KevinMD

Podcast

January 31, 2025

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

In this episode, psychiatrist Chika Oriuwa discusses her KevinMD article, “How a psychiatrist rebuilt trust with a patient in crisis.” She also reflects on her book Unlike the Rest: A Doctor’s Story, …

Antipsychotic use has been rising in long-term care homes, but we can do something about it

Sid Feldman, MD and Julie Weir, BSN

Meds

January 31, 2025

As health care providers working in long-term care (LTC), we’ve seen firsthand how antipsychotic medications are prescribed to residents, and why. Antipsychotics are often used to help manage behaviors such as agitation and aggression in older adults living with dementia. They may be helpful for some patients, but antipsychotics can do more harm than good for many, especially when used long-term.

Now a new report has highlighted this as a …

Improving type 1 diabetes screening awareness among women is critical. Here’s why.

Shara Bialo, MD

Conditions

January 31, 2025

As a board-certified pediatric endocrinologist, the field medical director for type 1 diabetes immunology (T1D) at Sanofi, and someone who was diagnosed with T1D as a child, it’s fair to say that much of my life has revolved around the disease.

I could recite the risk factors for T1D in my sleep; I’ve seen first-hand the perils of an unexpected T1D diagnosis—including diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA); I’m keenly aware that those with …

Chadwick Boseman’s cancer battle reveals urgent need for personalized screenings [PODCAST]

The Podcast by KevinMD

Podcast

January 30, 2025

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

Arnold Eiser, an internal medicine physician and author, discusses his KevinMD article, “What Chadwick Boseman’s death reveals about cancer prevention and risk factors,” examining how environmental toxins and systemic health inequities shaped …

When it comes to medical malpractice lawsuits, forewarned is forearmed

Howard Smith, MD

Physician

January 30, 2025

Medical malpractice is a subject about which I am passionate. I am an obstetrician-gynecologist; I have been sued five times (one case ends in a mistrial, two in settlements of convenience, and two are dismissed with prejudice); I paid over $1 million in medical malpractice premiums over a career, and I abandoned my specialty because of threats of medical malpractice. These are reasons enough to be passionate.

There are 85,000 medical …

Why creativity in medicine can inspire the next generation of doctors

Ryan McCarthy, MD

Physician

January 30, 2025

It was like being struck by lightning during the chorus, the recognition that Paul Simon was singing directly to me. “Medicine is magical, and magical is art,” he sang, and I turned up the radio, convinced that I was supposed to hear these lyrics—a tender moment in which I was vulnerable to possibility. The hair on my neck stood up and warmth washed over me, the telltale signs that this …

Pain management for IUD procedures is not a one size fits all: A patient-centered conversation about women’s pain doesn’t have to be painful

Madison Ziobro

Conditions

January 30, 2025

On August 8, 2024, the CDC updated its selected practice recommendations for contraception for the first time since 2016. This revision emphasized the importance of discussing pain management options with patients undergoing intrauterine device (IUD) placement. Although the steps involved in IUD insertion are widely recognized as painful, this update marked the first time the CDC recommended tailoring pain management strategies based on open conversations with patients.

Despite the well-known discomfort …

Telepsychiatry’s role in a post-pandemic world: challenges and triumphs [PODCAST]

The Podcast by KevinMD

Podcast

January 29, 2025

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

Muhamad Aly Rifai shares his journey as an early advocate for telepsychiatry, highlighting its role in addressing the U.S. mental health crisis and providing access to care in underserved areas. He delves into …

Here’s what the NFL could learn from ancient Rome and the gladiators

Eric Dessner, MD

Physician

January 29, 2025

It seems unlikely that Paramount Studios released Gladiator Part 2 immediately after the presidential election to diffuse political rancor. They didn’t intend to provide a cathartic release for the nation’s pent-up frustrations. The goal wasn’t to help remove the hissing American tea kettle from such a divisive political flame.

Hollywood made the film to entertain us and make some money in the process. The studio probably released it during the holiday …

The criminal enforcement of HIPAA

Muhamad Aly Rifai, MD

Physician

January 29, 2025

Congress passed the Health Information Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) in 1996. This federal regulation was aimed at maintaining the privacy of medical records while ensuring the smooth flow of medical information pertinent to patient care. Penalties assessed for violations of the HIPAA Act mostly involve financial penalties (between $25,000 per violation up to $100,000 per violation). Congress also included criminal penalties for violations of HIPAA rules enacted under 42 …

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The criminal enforcement of HIPAA

The weight of the white coat: imposter syndrome among medical students

Farid Alsabeh

Education

January 29, 2025

For students, medical school is more than just an educational opportunity: it’s a major stage of life that can evoke profound self-reflection. Between classes, clinical experiences, and interactions with classmates, one of these reflections may be the following: Do I really have what it takes to be here?

This is known as imposter syndrome, a phenomenon whereby a person’s perception of their merits or skills doesn’t match their actual accomplishments, leading …

As Robert F. Kennedy Jr. faces confirmation, a look at his vaccine stance

Shetal Shah, MD

Physician

January 29, 2025

The nomination of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as Secretary of Health and Human Services raises concerns about the potential impact on public health policy. As hearings on his candidacy take place, it is important for senators to consider how his views and public statements have influenced physicians, children, and the broader health care system.

Kennedy has been a prominent figure in the discussion around vaccines, often promoting claims that contradict established …

How artificial intelligence is transforming medicine [PODCAST]

American College of Physicians & The Podcast by KevinMD

Podcast

January 28, 2025

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

Janet A. Jokela discusses the profound impact of artificial intelligence in health care, exploring how AI is reshaping clinical decision-making, reducing physician burnout, and strengthening the patient-physician bond. She highlights the potential of …

The emotional toll of a broken health care system

Robert Pearl, MD

Physician

January 28, 2025

As a physician and health care leader, I initially declined to comment on the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. I felt that speculating about the shooter’s intent would only sensationalize a terrible act.

Regardless of the circumstances, vigilante violence has no place in a free and just society.

But now, more than a month later, I feel compelled to address one aspect of the story that has been widely misunderstood: the …

Small language models and edge technology: Transforming health care delivery

Harvey Castro, MD, MBA

Tech

January 28, 2025

Artificial intelligence (AI) advances are ushering in a new era of health care innovation, and small language models (SLMs) deployed on edge devices are leading the charge. Unlike large-scale AI systems, SLMs are lightweight, efficient, and capable of operating on localized devices such as smartphones, wearables, and IoT sensors. By combining the power of edge computing with the adaptability of SLMs, health care professionals can benefit from real-time, cost-effective solutions …

Medspa madness: How illegal practices are putting patients in peril

Kate Dee, MD

Physician

January 28, 2025

An excerpt from Med Spa Mayhem: The Good, The Bad and the Ugly Secrets of the Aesthetics Industry.

Over the last 20 years, the medical aesthetics industry has grown from infancy to a $20 billion industry. Botox was approved for cosmetic use in 2003, giving birth to a new Wild West of medicine. It may have started in the offices of plastic surgeons and dermatologists, but now there are med …

The silent cry: somatic symptom presentations of Chinese heritage patients

Michelle Zhu, Angela Liu, MD, Ashley Wu, MD and Thomas Pak, MD

Conditions

January 28, 2025

Returning home from medical school for the holidays, I had an all-too-familiar experience for medical trainees, but with a cultural twist. My Chinese American family bombarded me with medical questions. “I wake up at 4 a.m. every day, 不舒服 (bù shū fu; body feels uncomfortable), feels like 心跳 (xīn tiào; heart palpitations).” “I get woken up at 3 a.m. every day, 胃痛 (Wèitòng; stomach pains), but I …

When “do no harm” falls short: a pediatrician’s plea for long COVID care [PODCAST]

The Podcast by KevinMD

Podcast

January 27, 2025

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

Navigating the uncharted waters of long COVID in children, Elham Raker shares a deeply personal journey of advocating for her daughter’s health while questioning the medical system’s approach to chronic illness. This episode …

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