While it appears we are on the downhill slope of COVID-19’s integration into everyday life, burnout rates are rising, and organizational trust is taking a nose-dive. Aren’t we supposed to be in the post-disaster recovery phase? What is the bottleneck holding us back from moving toward our new horizon? On the surface, issues like operating losses, staffing shortages, and scarcity of supplies appear to be a few of the big …
Gatorade’s commercial featuring Michael Jordan from 1992 and its catchy song, “Like Mike,” is now part of pop culture history. The lyrics were likable. “I dream I move, I dream I groove, like Mike, if I could be like Mike, oh if I could be like Mike.” Let’s face it, growing up, many of us dreamed to be like Mike. As their first athlete endorser, Michael Jordan elevated the Gatorade …
Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro. These names have entered our common parlance within the last year via news articles, television stories, and celebrity exposes. Everyone from Hollywood to your neighbor seems to be on medication for weight loss or trying to find a way to access one via their medical provider, from primary care physicians to dermatologists. The widespread demand for these medications has resulted in a shortage for those who could …
Self-awareness and courage. Out of all the information and knowledge you gain during medical school, from a personal development standpoint, I would say that self-awareness and consistent courage are what make the difference between a good student and an excellent student. As a third-year medical student, I can confidently say that beginning medical school with these traits and continuing to keep these traits close during medical school will take you …
My husband passed away six months ago, and it is quite evident to me that not only do I miss him, but so does our dog Grace. She adored Bill and would scamper to find him if I directed her to “Go find dad!” I no longer use the word dad, as that sets her off on a sad but fruitless chase around the house.
Very soon after Bill died, it …
Advancements in health IT have created ease and efficiency in delivering health care that has never been seen before. Electronic ordering and prescribing have reduced medication errors from misinterpreting handwritten information. The interoperable transmission of critical patient history, lab work, and digital imaging from one hospital to another has reduced costs and unnecessary extraneous tests. Virtual care and telehealth utilization during the COVID-19 pandemic has revolutionized how patient encounters are …
It wasn’t until I reflected upon how many times the highway rumble strip had potentially saved my life that I sought the help of a physician trained in sleep medicine. Prior to that, no doctor had ever asked me about my intractable insomnia.
Sleep is increasingly being recognized as an underappreciated vital sign. An estimated 50 to 70 million Americans may have a sleep disorder, and according to the Centers …
Giving patients the information, abilities, and resources they need to actively participate in their care is at the heart of the critical health care concept known as patient empowerment. Health care professionals can increase patient involvement, boost health outcomes, and maximize the use of health care resources by empowering people. In recent years, there has been an increase in interest in using technology to encourage patient empowerment. Chatbots, in particular, …
As an OB/GYN, I know that medication abortion is safe, commonly used, and effective. Women’s rights, family building, and abortion are recognized in many international human rights documents. The United Nations’ 1966 Human Rights Treaty states that all people have a right to the highest attainable standard of health. The ability for someone to choose when and if they want to have a child is the basis of the Reproductive Justice framework and is paramount …
I treat myself to the same restaurant for breakfast once or twice a month. There she is again, the same waitress with those same sad eyes. She knows my name, but I don’t know hers. Sometimes she has a bruise on her forehead or bruises up and down her arms, and I can see through her makeup.
My heart aches because even though I don’t know her, I know her. It’s …
When I was doing my transitional year in internal medicine, I was essentially bullied for going into diagnostic radiology by my co-residents and the internal medicine attending doctors I worked with. They used to tell me that my “forever job” would be to sit on a chair in a dark room and dictate “correlate clinically” all day long. And I would immediately argue: No! That’s terrible! I would never do …
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My mother passed away in early December. She had been battling Alzheimer’s disease for several years. Her communication was poor due to the disease. The caregivers in the memory care unit where she was located stated that she had been vomiting the night before her death. The next morning, she was moaning, and they believed she was in pain. An ambulance was called, and she was taken to the local …
As the internet has become increasingly accessible, many individuals have turned to online platforms, such as ChatGPT and “Doctor Google,” to search for information about their symptoms and health concerns. While these resources can help provide individuals with a general understanding of their symptoms, there are risks associated with self-diagnosis and relying on online resources for medical advice. Another trend is patients inadvertently putting their personal medical information at risk …
The World Health Organization (WHO) first declared the COVID-19 outbreak a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC) on January 30, 2020, when, outside of China, there were fewer than 100 cases, and there were no deaths. This formal declaration by the WHO has been renewed 12 times, most recently last month the International Health Regulations Emergency Committee advised the WHO that the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic continues to be …
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An excerpt from Justice in the Age of Judgment: From Amanda Knox to Kyle Rittenhouse and the Battle for Due Process in the Digital Age.
In the early 1970s, a group of researchers at Stanford University placed advertisements in a newspaper offering two dollars to people who would participate in an …
We’ve all been there, sitting in a virtual meeting, our eyes glaze over, and our minds wander as yet another PowerPoint slide drones on. The experience can make even the most dedicated health care professional question the value of meetings altogether.
But in health care settings, meetings can be a matter of life and death. Physicians and health care administrators are tasked with managing complex care teams, staying up-to-date on …
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“We appreciate your tireless efforts in these difficult times.”
Eyeroll. No, you don’t. I don’t need another meeting or committee. I don’t need a “Burn-Out Committee Action Plan.” I don’t need a “token of appreciation”— a pair of socks? (Really? How much did that cost?) I don’t need another seasoned and respected nurse leaving to travel and make bank or going to some made-up administrative role. I don’t need to come …
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