Conferences’ duty of care in the face of discriminatory health policy
I’ve spoken at many medical conferences since co-founding the Peggy Lillis Foundation for C. diff Education & Advocacy following my mother’s death from a C. difficile infection in 2010. Unfortunately, I am often the only patient advocate. The pressure of representing patients in a group of hundreds of clinicians, scientists, and administrators can be intimidating. But for the most part, I have always felt welcome and valued.
One of my favorites …
Understanding the mind’s role and embracing contentment for a flourishing life
It is challenging to open a medical journal in any specialty without coming across an article on burnout. These articles present statistics, trends, and various causes in detail. Some even propose sensible solutions such as flexible scheduling, peer support, delegation of clerical work, and an increased focus on personal well-being activities as steps in the right direction.
I have previously emphasized that “the absence of burnout does not equal wellness,” …
The surprising risks of long-term proton pump inhibitor use
A lot of my patients take proton pump inhibitors (PPIs). They generally work pretty well for their intended use. By limiting the secretion of gastric acid from the stomach, they can effectively blunt uncomfortable symptoms of erosive gastritis, gastroesophageal reflux disease, H. pylori infection, and peptic ulcers. However, without further evaluation, these medications are not designed to be prescribed indefinitely, or for more than a two-month period. When patients experience …
A physician’s fight against insurance denials [PODCAST]
3 myths about ECMO that are costing hospitals and patients
Although the global pandemic is officially over, it has left a permanent mark on the health care landscape, reshaping the dynamics of hospitals in the United States. While staffing crises often dominate the headlines, health care institutions face an underlying financial crisis that remains largely underreported.
In 2022, a startling 50% of all U.S. hospitals concluded the year with a negative margin. Due to factors like elective surgical …
How to maximize your dermatology appointment for effective care
An office visit with a health care professional can seem like a race against time and money. With rising co-pays and shorter appointments, arriving prepared for a health care appointment will maximize the likelihood of addressing as many concerns as possible and developing a personalized treatment plan. Below are the ways you can prepare for your upcoming dermatologist appointment.
Keep track of your scheduled appointments and arrive early.
Know the day and …
Revolutionizing postpartum care: Transforming breastfeeding support for families
An open response to “Breast or Bottle: The Illusion of Choice” by Amy Kennedy, MD.
We see and hear you and are so sorry you endured these experiences. We are physicians practicing breastfeeding and lactation medicine, and we acknowledge the overwhelming lack of support for families after birth. Many of us have come to this field after experiencing our own similar challenges, and we would like to offer a different …
Where to invest $25K in 2023 according to experts
This article is sponsored by Masterworks, the art investment platform.
Right now, there are millions of physicians standing at a crossroads.
More than 40% of active physicians are expected to reach retirement age over the next ten years, and according to Fidelity, the average physician needs about $2.4 …
Breaking barriers in Medicaid access [PODCAST]
Subscribe to The Podcast by KevinMD. Catch up on old episodes!
Join us in this insightful podcast episode as we discuss the challenges and importance of Medicaid access in the United States. Our guests include Fatima Al-Shimari, an epidemiologist, and medical students Miriam Al-Saedy and Salsabeal Al-Saedy. We …
Unveiling the hidden impact of social inflation: Soaring costs for medical professionals revealed
In Philadelphia, a family alleged that a birth injury had led to their baby’s cerebral palsy. They sued Penn Medicine and were awarded $183 million.
In Boise, a jury recently awarded the state’s second-highest-ever award, $13.5 million, in a suit against an emergency medicine group that was filed after a patient was disabled by a stroke. This verdict …
Unleashing the power of optimized operations, data connectivity, and technology for unparalleled patient care
Health care organizations are complex systems that require a multitude of moving parts to work smoothly. The background operations that keep health systems running are key to enabling frontline doctors and nurses to deliver quality care. As a registered nurse and health care administrator for 45 years, I have a unique perspective on the challenges facing health care organizations today.
Earlier this year, I attended the Healthcare Operations Summit in …
Unlearning perfectionism: Embracing imperfection and finding my true self through improv
I walked into my local improvisational comedy theater a few years ago and started taking classes to escape burnout and have some fun. It was so freaking difficult. Here I was, a frazzled, tightly-wound mid-career pediatrician, surrounded by all these creative, quirky folks from all walks of life who were just so funny. I kept hearing, “We don’t want to hear you on stage, Wendy,” meaning they wanted me to …
ADVERTISEMENT
Unlocking the secrets to aging well [PODCAST]
Can chatbots help choose the right doctor or hospital?
While ChatGPT and Bard cannot provide reliable medical or treatment advice, there is a question of whether these chatbots can assist patients in selecting the right doctor or hospital. Surprisingly, both chatbots occasionally suggest individual physicians and hospitals, providing detailed provider information. However, the accuracy and usefulness of this information are difficult to assess. As I highlighted in a recent Forbes.com column, chatbots like Microsoft and OpenAI’s ChatGPT and …
Syndicators and risk management: Educating investors on multifamily syndication
In a recent Wall Street Journal article titled “A Housing Bust Comes for Thousands of Small-Time Investors,” the foreclosure woes of Jay Gajavelli, the head of Applesway Investment Group, were brought to light. Gajavelli’s ownership of multiple units across Houston took a turn for the worse, shedding light on the risks associated with syndicators in the real estate market. However, it is crucial to note that this case does …
ADVERTISEMENT
Unveiling the true origin of “first, do no harm” in medicine: Discover the father of clinical medicine
A recent essay on this blog, “Navigating the complexity of ‘first do no harm’ in modern medicine,” provided an excellent review of this principle. However, as is so often the case, it misattributed the statement to the Hippocratic Oath.
Certainly, this does contain elements of this sentiment, more fully expressed in another work of Hippocrates called “Of the Epidemics.” But the term does not originate with this Greek physician.
Scholars have …
How the U.S. blood pressure validated device listing (VDL) ensures accurate readings and revolutionizes hypertension control
Blood pressure is an important upstream indicator of overall patient health, and high blood pressure can be a precursor to more serious medical conditions like cardiovascular disease, kidney disease, and stroke. Measuring blood pressure frequently is the best way to stay on top of any changes, but as telehealth and at-home monitoring gain in popularity, how can you be sure your patients are getting accurate measurements outside of a physician’s …
Cracking the code to a healthy spine: Revealing the secrets of aging gracefully [PODCAST]
ADVERTISEMENT
Revolutionizing communication and enhancing prosthetics: breakthroughs in neural engineering systems
An excerpt from Future of Technology in Medicine, The: From Cyborgs to Curing Paralysis.
Have you ever experienced the urge to text someone in the middle of cooking? Have you ever experienced the necessity of responding to a friend’s eager text when performing small tasks such as holding groceries? Brain-machine interfaces, …
Past Week
-
What’s driving medical students away from primary care?
-
How scales of justice saved a doctor-patient relationship
-
Make cognitive testing as routine as a blood pressure check
-
The dreaded question: Do you have boys or girls?
-
The broken health care system doesn’t have to break you
-
The hidden cost of delaying back surgery
-
Past 6 Months
-
What’s driving medical students away from primary care?
-
Internal Medicine 2025: inspiration at the annual meeting
-
What happened to real care in health care?
-
Residency as rehearsal: the new pediatric hospitalist fellowship requirement scam
-
Are quotas a solution to physician shortages?
-
A faster path to becoming a doctor is possible—here’s how
-
Recent Posts
-
A female doctor’s day: exhaustion, sacrifice, and a single moment of joy
-
Addressing America’s reliance on psychotropic medication [PODCAST]
-
The hidden cost of malpractice: Why doctors are losing control
-
How scales of justice saved a doctor-patient relationship
-
Rediscovering the soul of medicine in the quiet of a Sunday morning
-
An introduction to occupational and environmental medicine [PODCAST]
-
Subscribe to KevinMD and never miss a story!
Get free updates delivered free to your inbox.
547
pages
Past Week
-
What’s driving medical students away from primary care?
-
How scales of justice saved a doctor-patient relationship
-
Make cognitive testing as routine as a blood pressure check
-
The dreaded question: Do you have boys or girls?
-
The broken health care system doesn’t have to break you
-
The hidden cost of delaying back surgery
-
Past 6 Months
-
What’s driving medical students away from primary care?
-
Internal Medicine 2025: inspiration at the annual meeting
-
What happened to real care in health care?
-
Residency as rehearsal: the new pediatric hospitalist fellowship requirement scam
-
Are quotas a solution to physician shortages?
-
A faster path to becoming a doctor is possible—here’s how
-
Recent Posts
-
A female doctor’s day: exhaustion, sacrifice, and a single moment of joy
-
Addressing America’s reliance on psychotropic medication [PODCAST]
-
The hidden cost of malpractice: Why doctors are losing control
-
How scales of justice saved a doctor-patient relationship
-
Rediscovering the soul of medicine in the quiet of a Sunday morning
-
An introduction to occupational and environmental medicine [PODCAST]
-
