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Empowering patients: Navigating medical information with AI

Tech

April 8, 2024

An excerpt from ChatGPT, MD: How AI-Empowered Patients & Doctors Can Take Back Control of American Medicine.

Imagine a ship at sea, its engine idle. The boat drifts dangerously close to the shoals, a mere hundred yards from land. The captain, fearing the worst, radios for help. The lighthouse watchman responds, sending an experienced mechanic named Charlie to the rescue.

With a single precise hit of his hammer, Charlie gets the …

Plaintiff attorneys and their contingency fees: causes of chaos in medical malpractice litigation

Howard Smith, MD

Physician

April 8, 2024

In the English Rule, the losing party in a lawsuit pays all legal costs. It is accepted worldwide; however, in the United States, it was replaced by the American Rule. In the American Rule, both the plaintiff and defendant in a lawsuit pay their own legal costs. Of course, there are exceptions.

In theory, the American Rule encourages meritorious lawsuits and discourages frivolous and even malicious ones. It is noteworthy that, …

Dream jobs and dream contracts: restrictive covenant nightmares

Shakeel Ahmed, MD

Physician

April 8, 2024

“The limits of tyrants are prescribed by the endurance of those whom they oppress.”
— Frederick Douglass

For doctors beginning their postgraduate professional lives, there are several options. One is the proverbial “hanging up the shingle,” a folk saying meaning going out on one’s own. The advantage is that this doctor is his/her own boss, can run the practice any way desired, and reap all the profits; the downside is such a …

Responsibility, burnout, and self-care [PODCAST]

The Podcast by KevinMD

Podcast

April 7, 2024

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

We welcome Mary Braun, an internal medicine physician. Mary shares her insights on how perceptions of responsibility for patient outcomes have evolved throughout her career, particularly in light of systemic challenges like the …

Why South Korean resident physicians are quitting

Joo-Young Lee, MD and Jinwook Park, MD

Education

April 7, 2024

In February 2024, the resident physicians in South Korea resigned in waves. This was not a strike; striking seemed meaningless, and the residents went right on quitting. This occurred after the Korean government promulgated health care reform plans to tackle major problems brewing under the nation’s universal health insurance system. One of the plans–to increase the medical school quota across the nation by 66 percent …

Navigating the tides: Finding balance in the unyielding world of medicine

Harvey Castro, MD, MBA

Physician

April 7, 2024

In the relentless pursuit of saving lives and advancing health care, medical professionals often find themselves on the frontline, where the high stakes of their profession can blur the lines between personal well-being and professional obligations. The noble calling to medicine is, without doubt, a source of immense fulfillment and pride. Yet, this very dedication can sometimes push us towards an imbalance, impacting not just our well-being but also the …

Ode to the gap year(s) before medical school

Ilaria Simeone

Education

April 7, 2024

Taking gap year(s) before medical school does not mean that you have failed or that you are “lesser than” as a student. These are the words I needed to hear as a resolute pre-med student who used to proudly proclaim that I was “going straight through” to med school. It was like a badge of honor—why do anything that would delay my path to becoming a physician?

The pre-med years …

A young surgeon’s night: from calm to chaos

Carol Scott-Conner, MD, PhD

Physician

April 7, 2024

When you are a young academic general surgeon, even the nights are sometimes good. A good on-call night unfolds something like this. You might have spent the day working in the operating room or in the clinic seeing patients. Your on-call typically begins at 5 p.m., although occasionally, a colleague may ask to sign out early. This call period will not end until 7 or 8 a.m. the next morning, …

Finances in dual-doctor households [PODCAST]

The Podcast by KevinMD

Podcast

April 6, 2024

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

Join us for an insightful discussion on managing finances in dual high-income earner households, featuring Shane Tenny, a financial planner. In this episode, we delve into the unique challenges faced by couples in …

Confronting colon cancer: a daughter’s regretful journey

Debbie Moore-Black, RN

Conditions

April 6, 2024

My mother. 63 years old. Colon cancer.

She first noticed rectal bleeding. She made excuses. Maybe it’s hemorrhoids.

She put her physician on a pedestal. He said, “You’re too young to die,” and there was no need for further tests.

Her daughters, both RNs (one an ICU nurse, the other an anesthetist), pleaded with her to get a colonoscopy. She refused. We pleaded with her getting a second opinion. She refused. Her once-plump …

The abuser’s playbook: the weaponization of mental health

Chloe N. L. Lee, MD, MPH

Conditions

April 6, 2024

I almost didn’t write this piece. Almost.

I feared it might be seen as provocative like I was asking for trouble. But that is exactly the attitude that has silenced victims of harassment and stalking for too long.

The short version of the story is that an unwanted presence continues to plague my life, bringing only turmoil and vitriolic spite with every intrusion. In his eyes, our “dynamic” was “volatile” …

The curse of the excellent doctor

Dr. Damane Zehra

Physician

April 6, 2024

The reward for good work is always more work. The employer becomes dependent on the quality of work that you do because he knows that you, as a person, are a workaholic and perfectionist. You put your heart and soul into everything you do. No other employers can do the kind of work that you do. But don’t ever think that you would be appreciated for your hard work. You …

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The curse of the excellent doctor

Strategies for sustainable practice growth [PODCAST]

The Podcast by KevinMD

Podcast

April 5, 2024

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

We sit down with Marita McCahill, founder of a health care growth strategy consulting firm. In this interview, we explore the critical factors that influence patients’ choices when seeking health care providers, and …

Confessions of a disruptive physician

Beverly Joyce, MD

Physician

April 5, 2024

At the lowest depths of burnout, I was a “disruptive physician.” I got away with a lot. I frequently lashed out in anger with inappropriate comments to nurses and staff. I yelled at my husband and my kids. I was in full “victim” mode and I let everyone know it.

As an OB/GYN, I was available to my patients 24/7/365. This was the way it was in my private practice. I …

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Confessions of a disruptive physician

How microplastics harm your health

Neha Pidatala, MD

Conditions

April 5, 2024

The New England Journal of Medicine recently published a paper titled “Microplastics and Nanoplastics in Atheromas and Cardiovascular Events,” which detected the presence of microplastics and nanoplastics (MNPs) in carotid artery plaque, with a higher risk of a composite of myocardial infarction, stroke, or death from any cause at 34 months follow-up than those in whom MNPs were not detected. Although this study did not establish a causal effect, …

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How microplastics harm your health

Disparities between physician and C-suite contracts [PODCAST]

The Podcast by KevinMD

Podcast

April 4, 2024

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

In this episode, health care attorney Dennis Hursh delves into the contentious issue of executive compensation within the health care sector. With a critical eye on the disparities between physician and C-suite salaries, …

Autoimmune disease flares: stress, grief, and management tips

Nancie Wiseman Attwater

Conditions

April 4, 2024

Autoimmune diseases occur when the immune system mistakenly attacks healthy cells and tissues in the body. More than 80 recognized autoimmune diseases exist, including alopecia areata, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, lupus, multiple sclerosis, celiac disease, scleroderma, and Raynaud’s. These conditions can cause a wide range of symptoms, making management crucial for maintaining a good quality of life.

Why the immune system attacks healthy cells is a bit of a mystery in most …

Unlocking compassion: lessons from a prison clinic

Francisco M. Torres, MD

Physician

April 4, 2024

The healing potential of human interaction should always be considered, particularly when practicing medicine. Early in my medical career, I worked in the electromyography laboratory at Charity Hospital, Louisiana State University. During my time there, I saw an astonishing variety of patients. Among other things, we were the hospital of choice for the nearby Louisiana State Penitentiary, Angola, or “The Alcatraz of the South.” This prison was infamous for housing …

Rise of mega payouts: Physicians are now the white whales

Jay K. Joshi, MD & Ron Chapman II, JD

Physician

April 4, 2024

In recent years, malpractice attorneys have intensified their efforts to target physicians, becoming more aggressive in their pursuit of legal action. This relentless pursuit can be likened to Captain Ahab’s relentless quest for the white whale in the famous novel Moby Dick. The landscape has become increasingly challenging for physicians, as recent tort reform legislation in numerous states is rolling back the protections they once enjoyed. This unsettling trend underscores …

Fighting for choice in dementia deaths

Lewis Cohen, MD

Conditions

April 4, 2024

Last month, the daughters of Wendy Miller, a 68-year-old author of three bestselling books about her experience with dementia, posted online her final words: “In the end, I died simply by deciding not to eat or drink anymore.”

Her stark statement reminded me of my interviews with Dan Winter, 62, which had begun nine months before he, too, took his own life. Alzheimer’s disease was slowly disassembling Dan’s rich and …

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Fighting for choice in dementia deaths

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