A new vision for success beyond the American dream

Physician
December 20, 2023

Being a first-generation immigrant growing up in the conservative South, I followed the “traditional” vision board. At the age of 40, I reached the American dream: successful mommy doctor entrepreneur, married, raising three kids, living in an affluent neighborhood, driving an environmentally friendly vehicle, investing in real estate, traveling the world, and making yearly charitable contributions.

I made it! OK, great, now what?

My knee-jerk reaction was: Now you do more.

You work …

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AI for health care professionals: How it is used now and how to use AI as a clinician

Tech
December 20, 2023

AI has been all the rage over the past year. Maybe you have played with ChatGPT or encountered yet another news story about the increasing impact of AI on a given industry. In this article, I’d like to break down a few things:

  • What is AI?
  • How is AI already being used in health care and other industries?
  • How can I use AI in my practice?

What is AI?

AI means artificial …

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A physician’s compassion in action

Physician
December 20, 2023

As soon as my stethoscope makes contact with her chest wall, I can hear the wheezing. Not quite as loud as last time, but still there, persistently announcing itself with every exhale. I step back and look into her brown eyes, which are searching mine, filled with a mixture of hope and fear.

“How is your breathing?” I ask Greta (name changed).

“A little worse,” Greta admits. She goes on to tell …

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Private practice: key insights before doctors sign on [PODCAST]

Podcast
December 19, 2023
YouTube video

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Join attorney Dennis Hursh, who brings over 40 years of experience in representing physicians. In this discussion, Dennis delves into the multifaceted world of physicians working in private practices. We explore the motivations driving physicians into the …

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The DEA’s war on addiction doctors

Meds
December 19, 2023

Tennessee Dr. Ralph Thomas Reach is a vastly experienced addiction medicine physician. Continued application of his knowledge and pioneering experience could improve the opioid drug overdose death rate in his state. Unfortunately, the state government revoked his medical license, and Dr. Reach will soon begin serving six months in federal prison, followed by 18 months under house arrest.

After obtaining approval from the Drug Enforcement Administration, Dr. Reach had been treating …

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A difficult case managed well

Conditions
December 19, 2023

As time passes, we have more new names for what we used to call quality assurance, but it appears to me to now be a public relations issue and have very little to do with quality.

Years ago, I returned home about 10:00 p.m. on Sunday night. I had spent the weekend at my lake cabin for some sorely needed time off. As I usually do when I arrive home after …

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The harsh reality of dementia

Conditions
December 19, 2023

Dementia is a general term for diseases affecting memory, thinking, or decision-making, impacting daily activities.

Someone in the world develops dementia, on average, every 3 seconds. That’s 10 million new cases of dementia each year worldwide. In 2020, over 55 million individuals worldwide were living with this disease. This figure is expected to double every 20 years, reaching 78 million in 2030 and 139 million in 2050. As you can see, …

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Breaking free: Health care workers pursuing purpose-driven careers

Physician
December 19, 2023

Burnout and visceral discontent are rapidly becoming the most pressing crises for modern health care professionals. The reported rates of burnout and work dissatisfaction exceed 50 percent in practically every specialty of medicine, regardless of the stage of training or career. The impact of COVID on health care professionals, and physicians in particular, is beginning to become clear. The U.S. alone lost over 100,000 physicians to retirement or other careers …

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How today’s physicians juggle legal threats and patient care [PODCAST]

Podcast
December 18, 2023
YouTube video

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We delve into the intricate and challenging world of medical decision-making with L. Joseph Parker, a research physician. Join us as we explore the delicate balance between rapid decision-making and precision in high-pressure medical situations. Joseph will …

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How to thrive in medicine during festive seasons

Physician
December 18, 2023

We all do it at one time or another.

Maybe the office or clinic is closed, but you’re on call, waiting for the phone to ring and take your attention away from family, friends, and festivities.

Is it a source of stress, or have you learned to go with the flow?

There are many things that trigger us in medicine and in life.

In the first few years as an attending physician, holidays were …

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How AI is redefining clinical documentation [PODCAST]

Podcast
December 17, 2023
YouTube video

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We welcome Matthew Allen, a medical student, as we delve into the significant findings of the American Medical Informatics Association (AMIA) 25×5 Task Force, which aims to reduce the clinician documentation burden by 25 percent in five …

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The challenge of seeking joy: Navigating the current health care maze

Physician
December 17, 2023

Before delving into the heart of joy’s pursuit, it’s essential to grasp the complexities faced by medical professionals in today’s health care environment. The modern health care system, with all its advancements, presents unique challenges that can often overshadow the intrinsic joys of the profession.

The burden of bureaucracy. One of the significant hindrances to joy in medicine is the ever-increasing administrative demands. Doctors find themselves spending more time on paperwork and …

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The double-edged sword of AI in health care

Tech
December 17, 2023

What will your workday look and feel like when it has eliminated your need to document, answer messages, or deal with your inbox? Isn’t that what we all want: freedom from electronic medical records and all the other documentation tasks? Yes? For decades now, the physician’s lament has been, “I just want to see patients.” A recent article, revealing the Mayo Clinic’s AI task automation strategy, hints at a future …

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Behind closed doors of traveling: the concerns often overlooked

Conditions
December 17, 2023

One thing is for sure: in today’s modern world, and as we recover from the impact of a pandemic, we are busier than ever. Another certainty is just how many of us are constantly on the move, with over 900 million people traveling internationally every year. Whether you’re traveling for pleasure or business, many do so without ever considering the health risks and security concerns to which we are exposed. …

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Inside Appalachia’s health crisis [PODCAST]

Podcast
December 16, 2023
YouTube video

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We welcome Ryan McCarthy, an internal medicine physician, to delve into the multifaceted challenges of providing primary care in Appalachia. Ryan shares his firsthand experiences from Martinsburg, West Virginia, a region grappling with the invisible effects of …

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Employer health plans need a makeover

Physician
December 16, 2023

Are you satisfied with your health benefits plan? That’s one of the many questions asked of over 2,000 employers, running large and small businesses, by the annual survey from KFF. Approximately 153 million workers and their families receive health benefits from employers in the U.S. Therefore, the survey results offer a window on the current satisfaction (or lack thereof) of health plans, whether by self-insured entities or as part …

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A test of medical leadership for Penn’s new president

Education
December 16, 2023

When the University of Pennsylvania’s president Liz Magill was forced to resign her position due to her equivocal stance regarding antisemitic harassment on Penn’s campus, J. Larry Jameson, MD, PhD, was soon announced as her interim successor. Jameson had served as executive vice president of Penn’s health system and dean of the Perelman School of Medicine since 2011.

Jameson is a prominent molecular endocrinologist, author of over 350 scientific …

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From task-oriented to goal-driven: the power of habits in “magnet” hospitals

Physician
December 16, 2023

The banner in front of the ED where I work proclaims “magnet hospital.” “Magnet” status tells patients and visitors that the care from nurses (and ED technicians and patient care associates staff under their auspices) is so good that the ED should be a magnet, attracting patients and nurses to come here and inspiring other EDs emulation.

For many years, our ED’s annual census has been 100,000 patients. One might think …

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