An excerpt from Just One Heart: A Cardiologist’s Guide to Healing, Health, and Happiness.
“The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched – they must be felt with the heart.”
— Helen Keller
In my journey of the heart, two atlases, seemingly worlds apart, converged to illuminate the interconnected dimensions of the heart. They helped me …
Timeless wisdom for our aching hearts
When demand exceeds supply, a resource is limited. Allocating those resources “involves a tension between efficiency and equity.” The market has several ways to allot those limited resources, beginning with cost. For example, frequent flyer miles, a form of resource allocation, may not seem controversial, except to those getting on last, where there is no room for their carry-on. Health care is a limited resource for many reasons, and equity …
Concierge medicine: exclusive access or equity dilemma?
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Join us as we delve into the growing interest in holistic approaches to cancer care with Wayne B. Jonas, a family physician. We explore the benefits of integrating complementary therapies, such as nutrition …
Beyond traditional cancer treatment [PODCAST]
The yearly arrival of Santa Claus was a wonderful ritual of my early childhood years and later as I became a parent and a grandparent. It was exciting and fun, and the production provided mystery and joy. The fact that millions of people look forward to giving without getting accolades for doing so symbolizes the best in human nature. We willingly give credit to a myth for bestowing on those …
Why teaching medicine feels like being Santa Claus year-round
The aging baby boomer generation is creating a multitude of new challenges for our already stretched thin health care sector. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, by 2030, all baby boomers will be older than 65, with about one in every five residents being of retirement age and increasing demand for health care services. Simultaneously, many of our clinicians are nearing retirement or choosing to retire early. The …
A few years into my faculty career, my division chief met with me to discuss late charts. “Britt, charts,” she said. “You just have to make it happen.” I don’t remember much about the specifics of what was said in that meeting, but I know exactly how I felt: a flood of shame overlying simmering anger. This someone that I respected, someone who had carved a way for the department …
From punitive measures to radical compassion for late charting
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Join us for an insightful episode as we navigate the complexities of negotiating your first employment contract as a doctor. Our guest, attorney Ethan A. Nkana, shares invaluable advice on avoiding common mistakes, …
Avoid these common mistakes in your first doctor employment contract [PODCAST]
My five-year-old daughter is helping me with my PhD thesis. I wish she didn’t have to.
No, she’s not a prodigy (even if she is very clever!), and I’m not that desperate for assistance. She just happens to be a subject matter expert.
My thesis in human nutrition is on food marketing to kids and every time we go to a grocery store together, I see that marketing at work. She is …
Why my 5-year-old is helping with my PhD thesis
Working as a resident in medicine can be tiring. You are expected to study, pass exams, take care of your patients without making any mistakes, keep your seniors happy, have friendly ties with your co-workers, work extremely long hours, and avoid conflict at all times. No one will ever think of your well-being or happiness. You’ll be blamed and criticized even when your work is exceptional. You have to deal …
Surviving medical residency: the untold story of resilience and hope
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We sit down with Jennifer Jonsson, a patient advocate, to explore the complex world of medication interactions and their impact on mental health. Jennifer shares her personal journey of managing ADHD, bipolar disorder, …
Balancing diabetes and mental health: the medication challenge [PODCAST]
Since the United States Food and Drug Administration approved exenatide in 2005, it took decades for the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) to identify and address perioperative safety concerns, if any, among patients using glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs) such as exenatide. This delay could be due to several factors: GLP-1 RAs were initially used only for managing diabetes and later for obesity, and now potentially for a wide …
To anesthetize, or not to anesthetize: a pervasive dilemma of the GLP-1 era
How can a group of dedicated general surgeons transform their compensation and work conditions in six months? Here’s their story.
The group’s story: facts and dynamics
Four general surgeons, one NP, and one PA for a specific physician have been practicing at a small community hospital with three ancillary facilities in the Northeast for many years. The group and staffing have been dependable, without turnover, for the past three years. Three physicians …
A group of 4 successful surgeons negotiate better contracts: a case study
Better three hours too soon than a minute too late.”
-William Shakespeare
“Oh, I forgot to ask my doctor something” is a line as old as time itself. This happens within 0.6 seconds of starting the ride back home. So you then decide to call the office. Then you’re probably greeted with a “listen carefully to our menu options.” It’ll be a long day before you get a hold of anyone. Even …
Mastering patient inquiries: Streamline your practice communication
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We dive into the challenges and strategies for private medical practices to thrive, featuring our guest, pediatrician Nneka Unachukwu. We discuss the importance of adopting an entrepreneurial mindset, effective business practices, and the …
Key strategies for private medical practices [PODCAST]
As a health care writer and subject matter expert in public health policy for the treatment of chronic pain and opioid addiction, I spend a lot of time online reading or writing. Nearing the age of 80, I have time for such occupations. In that context, I recently ran into a quite profound quotation on Facebook:
I lived when simply waiting was a large part of ordinary life: when we waited, …
Transform relationships: Embrace real interactions over digital distractions
In recent years, the medical landscape has seen significant changes, not all of them favorable. One of the most noticeable shifts is the increasing reliance on physician extenders—such as nurse practitioners (NPs) and physician assistants (PAs)—to handle a substantial portion of patient care. While this model works well for a broad segment of the population, it doesn’t suit everyone’s needs. As a physician myself, I understand the importance of efficient …
Where did the physician to physician courtesy go?
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We delve into the evolution of health care with our guest, Brian R. Jackson, a pathologist. Once a local industry where doctors and hospitals were deeply integrated into their communities, health care has …
Can local health care survive in a world of mega-corporations? [PODCAST]
Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said that it is valid for people to ask whether Joe Biden’s June 27, 2024 debate performance against Donald Trump, which was weak at best and incoherent at worst, was just “an episode” or part of a “condition.”
“I think it’s a legitimate question to say, is this an episode, or is this a condition,” Pelosi remarked less than a week after the debate.
“It was …
President Biden’s debate performance: episode or condition?
As a pain management physician, I often receive requests to authorize or renew patients’ accessible parking permits. These usually are routine, but not always. One morning, a patient, whom I’ll refer to as Steve, came into my clinic.
Steve was mainly a healthy man in his 40s. He had had chronic pain since an accident on a construction job site several years ago. He had successfully filed for disability, with a …
The ethical dilemma of accessible parking permits
The evidence is clear: Proximity to fossil fuel infrastructure poses a significant cancer risk to millions of Americans. Studies consistently link exposure to pollutants like benzene, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and particulate matter from fossil fuel facilities to elevated rates of lung cancer, leukemia, and other malignancies.
Alarmingly, 17.6 million Americans live in close proximity to active oil and gas wells, transportation pipelines, and processing facilities, …
Toxic energy: Confronting the carcinogenic risks of fossil fuels
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