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The hidden cost of medical training: debt, depression, and despair

Education

December 28, 2024

I imagined that medical school would be a challenging yet fulfilling journey—an opportunity to learn, grow, and ultimately make a difference as a physician or surgeon. We medical students dedicate over a decade of our lives, and many invest more than $200,000 (plus interest) for the honor of caring for patients. Yet, the surge of medical training-related memes and reels on social media captures our reality: “You have to laugh …

Why ADHD diagnosis in adults is often overlooked [PODCAST]

The Podcast by KevinMD

Podcast

December 27, 2024

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Explore the complexities of adult ADHD with Muhamad Aly Rifai, a practicing internist and psychiatrist. This episode dives into the evolving understanding of ADHD as a lifelong disorder, the stigma surrounding diagnosis and …

Navigating a rare neurodegenerative disorder as mother and daughter

Melanie Robinson

Conditions

December 27, 2024

Before her diagnosis, my mom was extremely active and healthy. She loved bird watching, walking, and volunteering at her church and its school. So in 2013, when she began experiencing symptoms like incontinence and difficulties with walking, we knew that something wasn’t right.

We faced many potential explanations for my mom’s symptoms before receiving her diagnosis. I remember the doctors testing her for numerous diseases like diabetes and multiple sclerosis (MS), …

The potency of purpose: Merging corporate values with business success

Shakeel Ahmed, MD

Physician

December 27, 2024

“People don’t buy what you do; they buy why you do it. And what you do simply proves what you believe.”
– Simon Sinek.

Business is equated with money—dollars, profits, ledgers, etc. But there is much more to business than finances. At the end of the day, you don’t take profits or losses home—you take home values. You rake in integrity. You create a playground of ethics for people. There are certain …

How workplace civility can transform health care and save lives [PODCAST]

The Podcast by KevinMD

Podcast

December 26, 2024

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Explore the critical role of civility in health care with insights from Matthew Sherrer, associate professor and director of care team collaboration at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, and Chris Turner, an …

How innovative partnerships are transforming patient safety in health care

Timothy McDonald, MD, JD

Physician

December 26, 2024

As health care leaders and providers, our ultimate mission is to provide safer care for all—but there’s a flaw in our system. Today, as many as 4 in 10 patients are harmed in primary and ambulatory health care settings, and up to 80 percent of this harm is avoidable. Patients should feel safe when they receive health care. Unfortunately, the pervasiveness of medical harm across all health care settings and …

The political crossroads shaping the future of medical training

Emma Fenske, DO

Policy

December 26, 2024

As a training physician, the experience of navigating graduate medical education in today’s political landscape has introduced unprecedented adversity

Whether transitions in health policy or the continually evolving public perceptions of medicine as a field, trainees are now finding themselves at a unique crossroads where medicine, poignant societal issues, and personal morals intersect. While medicine is often influenced by policy of various forms, the current political climate, charged with intensely debated …

How payment models shape your doctor’s decisions [PODCAST]

The Podcast by KevinMD

Podcast

December 25, 2024

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

In this episode, family physician Jonathan Staloff and internal medicine physician Joseph H. Joo join us to discuss the challenges and opportunities in reshaping health care systems. Drawing from their book, Reshaping Health …

Medicare’s decision to stop telehealth coverage in 2025: an urgent call to action

Stephanie Marcovici

Policy

December 25, 2024

Medicare is planning to stop coverage for telehealth in 2025—unless Congress acts by the end of 2024.

According to Medicare’s website:

Absent Congressional action, beginning January 1, 2025, the statutory limitations that were in place for Medicare telehealth services prior to the COVID-19 PHE will retake effect for most telehealth services.

This means most telehealth visits will not be covered by Medicare in 2025, unless Congress acts by the end of December 2024.

Congress …

The rise and fall of telepsychiatry

Muhamad Aly Rifai, MD

Physician

December 25, 2024

Telepsychiatry is a private audio (telephony) or video (video with sound) conference connection through which most psychiatric services can be provided to patients. I have been an early adopter and advocate for providing services, through telepsychiatry, to our patients who are experiencing mental health issues and psychiatric illnesses. The road leading to where we are right now in the field of telehealth has been treacherous and filled with regulatory landmines …

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The rise and fall of telepsychiatry

Christmas in a children’s hospital

Ann F. Beach, MD

Physician

December 25, 2024

In December, the questions parents ask in the hospital are different. Instead of “Will my child be OK?” we pediatric hospitalists hear:

“We have plane tickets to go skiing for Christmas. Will he be well by then?”

“She’ll be home for Christmas, right? We’ve never been away from home for Christmas.”

“It’s his first Christmas. He’ll be discharged by then, right?”

And every other variation you can think of. The hospital for Christmas is …

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Christmas in a children’s hospital

Rethinking shift work: Why “job sharing” is the key to happier, healthier doctors

Maureen Gibbons, MD

Physician

December 25, 2024

In the realm of shift-based health care, the term “job sharing” doesn’t technically exist—after all, shifts aren’t a single continuous job to split. Yet, still, a full-time workload is considered the norm, and the concept of dividing the workload among multiple physicians rather than relying on one overburdened individual feels revolutionary in a field where burnout is rampant.

For independent contractors, who often enjoy the flexibility to choose when and how …

Breaking the silence on physician burnout and suicide

Anonymous

Conditions

December 25, 2024

KevinMD has been publishing multiple reports about the current widespread, deeply worrisome physician burnout and suicide phenomena. As a card-carrying epidemiologist, I have sought to categorize these reports into the three overarching factors we might see in any epidemic, namely: agent, host, and environment. If we were to use this conceptual framework for research, we could gain a better understanding of how much each of its various facets contributes to …

Extracorporeal CPR: the next evolution of cardiac arrest care [PODCAST]

The Podcast by KevinMD

Podcast

December 24, 2024

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

Join critical care physician Jon Marinaro as we explore the transformative potential of extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation (ECPR) in revolutionizing cardiac arrest outcomes. Discover why traditional CPR’s limitations demand a paradigm shift and how …

The oxygen mask principle: a critical lesson in health care self-preservation

Pamela Buchanan, MD

Physician

December 24, 2024

In the high-stakes world of health care, medical professionals are renowned for their selfless dedication to patient care. They work long hours, navigate complex medical challenges, and consistently prioritize the needs of others. Yet, within this culture of compassion, there exists a profound and often overlooked truth: to provide optimal care, health care workers must first care for themselves.

The oxygen mask principle, famously demonstrated during pre-flight safety instructions on commercial …

Beware of these talking points in medical malpractice litigation

Howard Smith, MD

Physician

December 24, 2024

A medical liability litigation industrial complex manipulates medical liability litigation with three talking points. As a result, 85,000 lawsuits are filed per year. Of these, 56,000 are summarily dropped; 28,000 are settled; 300 are plaintiff verdicts, and 700 are defense verdicts. The cost of health care is $60 billion per year, and the medical liability litigation industrial complex takes a chunk of the action. There is considerable uncertainty. Facilities close …

A framework to deliver higher-value care [PODCAST]

The Podcast by KevinMD

Podcast

December 23, 2024

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

Join us as we dive into the Healthcare Incentives Framework with internal medicine physician and health policy researcher Taylor J. Christensen. Discover how this innovative approach identifies barriers to high-value care and explores …

Evaluating the performance of health care artificial intelligence (AI): the role of AUPRC, AUROC, and average precision

Neil Anand, MD

Tech

December 23, 2024

As artificial intelligence (AI) becomes more embedded in health care, the ability to accurately evaluate AI models is critical. In medical applications, where early diagnosis and anomaly detection are often key, selecting the right performance AI metrics can determine the clinical success or failure of AI tools. If a health care AI tool claims to predict disease risk or guide treatment options, it must be rigorously validated to ensure its …

Emergency medicine: Balancing challenges, rewards, and well-being

Maureen Gibbons, MD

Physician

December 23, 2024

Emergency medicine is one of the most challenging and rewarding specialties in health care. We are required to be clear-headed enough to make quick decisions while sleeping when we can, hugging our families while we can, and forming unshakable bonds with our colleagues over shared triumph and tragedy.

For many emergency physicians, these challenges come at the expense of their own health and well-being, yet we don’t see it. At least …

Forgiveness: Why it’s the hardest and most rewarding act of humanity

Dr. Damane Zehra

Physician

December 23, 2024

I believe in forgiveness and not hating anyone, no matter what. But, ultimately, we are all human. I believe in karma, and we should not hurt or push people to their limits so much that they become damaged beyond repair. I’ve seen cruel people end up in miserable lives. Some people excel at concealing their sorrows, while others struggle. But we indeed reap what we sow. Those who are cruel …

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