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Are Ozempic patients on a slow-moving runaway train?

Meds

July 30, 2024

Have you ever heard of a drug called Ozempic? Just kidding. As we all know, this medicine and numerous related drugs are the rage. It is classified as a GLP-1 drug. The percentage of my patients who are taking these drugs is steadily rising. Of course, initially, Ozempic’s purpose was in diabetic management. Once it was discovered that weight loss was a “side-effect,” a new therapeutic mission was discovered. Indeed, …

AI in health care: Improve outcomes with effective prompt engineering [PODCAST]

The Podcast by KevinMD

Podcast

July 29, 2024

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We are joined by Fady Chamoun, an internal medicine physician, to explore the transformative potential of artificial intelligence (AI) in health care. We delve into the art of prompt engineering and its six …

How physicians can find true happiness beyond wealth

W. Ben Utley, CFP

Finance

July 29, 2024

Most physicians step into their careers already burdened with over $200,000 in student debt, no assets to speak of, and a nagging feeling that they’re way behind. If you’re the primary breadwinner in your family, this pressure can be even more intense. Interestingly, most doctors didn’t pursue medicine for the paycheck. But once that MD is proudly displayed after their name, they are thrust into a relentless sprint to catch …

21st century schizoid health care: the unseen crisis of our system

Arthur Lazarus, MD, MBA

Physician

July 29, 2024

“21st Century Schizoid Man” is a 1969 antiwar song by the prog rock band King Crimson. It appeared as the lead cut on their debut album In the Court of the Crimson King. “Schizoid Man” is considered an epic, described by Rolling Stone as “a seven-and-a-half-minute statement of purpose: rock power, jazz spontaneity, and classical precision harnessed in the service of a common aim.”

Schizoid personality disorder is much …

Prescribing data and efficiency: Harnessing technology to alleviate the physician shortage in the U.S.

Patrick Hunt, MD, MBA

Policy

July 29, 2024

Amidst the pressing challenges confronting the health care landscape in the United States, the physician shortage stands out as a critical issue demanding innovative solutions. The Association of American Medical College’s latest report projects that the nation’s physician shortage could reach up to 86,000 by 2036. Burnout, which was further exacerbated by the pandemic, a large portion of physicians nearing retirement, limited medical school enrollment, and population growth …

Diverse data redefines heart disease prevention strategies

Charles Dinerstein, MD, MBA

Conditions

July 29, 2024

In 2013, the American Heart Association (AHA) and the American College of Cardiology (ACC) created a “risk calculator” to estimate the 10-year risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) and guide patient-centered medical therapy for prevention strategies, like starting statins. However, concerns arose that the pooled cohort equations (PCEs) overestimate risk and do not reflect the current diverse U.S. population, particularly underrepresenting Asian and Hispanic adults.

In 2023, AHA’s Cardiovascular-Kidney-Metabolic Scientific Advisory …

Innovative solutions to the clinician shortage crisis [PODCAST]

The Podcast by KevinMD

Podcast

July 28, 2024

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We dive into the evolving health care landscape with Jamie Babcock, a health care executive. We’ll explore the growing demand for skilled providers and the critical clinician shortage projected by the Health Resources …

The hidden talent that transformed my medical career

Dr. Damane Zehra

Physician

July 28, 2024

Writing is something I enjoy. I take pleasure in writing, especially because of my beautiful handwriting. When I started school, we had to write with a lead pencil until fifth grade. I was so excited to write with a pen when I started sixth grade. After I learned how to write with a pen, I have been writing nonstop. I found my writing mesmerizing. My friends used to cram notes …

The emotional toll of chronic illness

Meredith Mangold

Conditions

July 28, 2024

My legs felt like thick, immovable tree trunks as I shakily shuffled down the long, cold hospital hallway in my chafing hospital gown and ill-fitting non-skid socks, pulling my stubborn and squeaky IV pole alongside me. My mom took small, measured steps next to me as we took our daily walk around the hospital floor to escape from my cramped, confining hospital room.

Now several weeks into my first hospitalization after …

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The emotional toll of chronic illness

How team sports prepared me for a successful career in medicine

Gene Uzawa Dorio, MD

Physician

July 28, 2024

Nothing could have prepared me better for my career and life than playing team sports growing up.

It’s hard to imagine someone now in their 70s pitching a fastball 100 miles per hour, bench pressing almost 400 pounds, and running the 100-yard dash in 9.8 seconds. These skills allowed me to play baseball until I was 26 and then move on to medical school.

Professional athletes pride themselves on their speed and …

From farm to pandemic: the urgent need for dietary changes [PODCAST]

The Podcast by KevinMD

Podcast

July 27, 2024

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

We sit down with Roxanne Becker, a lifestyle medicine physician, to discuss the urgent implications of the first human case of H5N1 avian influenza contracted from a dairy cow. We explore how zoonotic …

Young lives at risk: the unseen dangers of fentanyl addiction

Shah-Naz H. Khan, MD

Conditions

July 27, 2024

When we go charging in blood vessels at breathtaking speed to relieve the blockade that otherwise may bring a sad end to life, we expect to be doing it for the mature and elderly. The stress and strains upon the heart through the journey that is life upend the natural rhythm and flow, with the turbulence churning up clots like butter from milk that flow downstream till the narrowed channels …

The health care assembly line. Time is money.

Debbie Moore-Black, RN

Conditions

July 27, 2024

After 45 years as an ICU nurse specializing in surgical trauma ICU and eventually PACU nursing, Marsha wasn’t ready to retire. She was restless and bored and decided to continue her PACU expertise at a freestanding surgical center. While juggling that job and an endoscopy center, she started to notice a recurring theme: time is money.

The endoscopy freestanding clinic performed colonoscopies, EGDs, and sigmoidoscopies—up to 42 procedures a day. More …

Social media use and physician wellness [PODCAST]

The Podcast by KevinMD

Podcast

July 26, 2024

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Join us in this episode as we explore the challenges of balancing social media and device use with the essential aspects of life. Our guest, Dawn Baker, an anesthesiologist, shares her insights from …

Struggles of navigating prestigious medical systems

Toni Brayer, MD

Physician

July 26, 2024

I tried to get a personal appointment at a large prestigious academic outpatient service. The website had a “contact us” link, which directed me to a very prolonged questionnaire wanting to know details (mainly financial) that practically included turning over my firstborn child. After spending extensive time clicking through the questionnaire, I finally came to a screen that “allowed” me to pick a time over two weeks in the future …

Patients and immunizations: It’s a matter of trust

American College of Physicians

Physician

July 26, 2024

It was 2018. Previously, “Max” had steadfastly refused all vaccines. Despite his HIV infection, which was well controlled, and my pleading with him over multiple years to get a flu shot, he was firmly opposed. He was intelligent and very matter-of-fact, and we had discussed this often. It was obvious that he did not want to be vaccinated, …

Palliative care is plagued by misunderstanding

Aldebra Schroll, MD

Physician

July 26, 2024

During a recent palliative conference, the discussion turned to the challenges of translating our work to the public and our colleagues. Despite the growth of our field and increasing access, there remains major confusion about palliative care and hospice. Much of the misunderstanding originates from within the medical profession. Having worked in the palliative care and hospice arena for nearly two decades, I have seen many examples of the confusion …

Transforming patient care with cultural values in direct primary care [PODCAST]

The Podcast by KevinMD

Podcast

July 25, 2024

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Join Maryal Concepcion, a family physician, as she shares her inspiring story of transitioning from a traditional health care role to direct primary care (DPC). Discover how the values of social harmony and …

It’s time to pass federally mandated paid parental leave

Amaka Nnamani, MD

Policy

July 25, 2024

“You’ve got some guts starting your residency pregnant!” I was that intern.

It was June 2011. A few months earlier, on Match Day—the day when the National Residency Matching Program releases results to applicants seeking residency in a specialty of their choice in the U.S.—I had found out that I’d gotten into my first-choice hospital residency program in pediatrics. I started my residency four months pregnant, and one of my attendings …

Revitalizing rural health care with technology and policy

Jay Anders, MD

Physician

July 25, 2024

As a physician who grew up in a small town in central Illinois, I’ve witnessed firsthand the decline of rural health care in America. The hospital where I first became interested in medicine is now half its original size, merged with a larger health system, and struggling to stay afloat. This story is all too common across rural America, where health care access is becoming increasingly scarce, and the challenges …

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