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EMDR therapy: From walk to wonder, unmasking trauma’s secrets

Conditions

January 31, 2024

In 1987, Francine Shapiro went for a walk and discovered eye movement desensitization reprocessing (EMDR) as a therapeutic technique for traumatic experiences with lasting impact. Some thirty years later, with a substantial body of research confirming its efficacy, the mechanism of action remains a mystery. However, the treatment has expanded to focus on chronic pain, addictions, attachment trauma, among other areas. So, what is EMDR exactly? First and foremost, like …

Maximizing health care efficiency: Harnessing the power of personality diversity

Harvey Castro, MD, MBA

Physician

January 31, 2024

The impact of personality in health care

The health care sector’s success hinges on the diverse personalities within its workforce. Embracing this diversity, particularly the dynamics of introversion and extroversion, is not just beneficial for patient care but crucial for the well-being and job satisfaction of health care providers. Studies have shown that a diverse personality mix in health care settings can …

Clinicians and management at odds in health care

Michele Luckenbaugh

Conditions

January 31, 2024

In a survey conducted by a University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing team led by Linda Aiken, PhD, RN, of 21,050 physicians and nurses at 60 hospitals, it was found that more than 40 percent of clinicians were not confident that hospital management would act to resolve problems that clinicians identify in patient care. Close to one-third of clinicians said their values were not aligned with those of their hospital’s …

2024 health care informatics forecast: AI diagnostics, personalized medicine, and cybersecurity transformations

Afua Aning, MD

Tech

January 31, 2024

Predicting specific developments in health care informatics for 2024 is challenging, but trends suggest continued advancements in AI-driven diagnostics, personalized medicine, and enhanced interoperability for seamless data exchange among health care systems. The emphasis on cybersecurity to protect sensitive health data will also likely increase.

AI-driven diagnostics are likely to see advancements in accuracy and efficiency. Improved algorithms will enable faster and more precise analysis of medical data, such as diagnostic …

From surgery to AI [PODCAST]

The Podcast by KevinMD

Podcast

January 30, 2024

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

Join Maria Iliakova, a bariatric and general surgeon. We’ll dive deep into the world of artificial intelligence (AI) and its remarkable applications across various industries, including health care. Maria will shed light on what AI is, how …

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From surgery to AI [PODCAST]

Nursing homes: How they impact the dignity of older adults

Gene Uzawa Dorio, MD

Physician

January 30, 2024

Call it what you want: nursing home, skilled nursing facility, rehab center, convalescent home, or post-acute care. They are all the same and a common destination should you survive a recent hospitalization.

But they all have an existing reputation and can ultimately diminish the dignity of older adults. Never in my four decades of practice has anyone ever said, “Please, Dr. Dorio, send me to a nursing home!”

As a geriatric physician, …

Freedom to roam: Breaking down the boundaries of non-competes

Tod Stillson, MD

Finance

January 30, 2024

Change is a constant in the medical field, and one significant shift that’s been shaking up the world of health care employment is the reform of non-compete contracts. Understanding the implications of these changes is crucial to every doctor. I believe it’s important for you to grasp what the new non-compete contract reforms mean and how they might affect your career.

During the first 15 years of my career as a …

Urogynecologists tackle the stigma of incontinence

Sarah Boyles, MD, MPH

Conditions

January 30, 2024

As a urogynecologist, my clinic is full of women with bothersome bladder issues. And while this likely does not appeal to you, curing incontinence is my favorite clinical endeavor.

Urinary incontinence seems like a minor medical problem. After all, it isn’t heart disease or cancer. However, urinary incontinence has a dramatic and negative impact on the quality of life. On any given day, I talk to women who have stopped exercising …

Women’s intuition in health and healing

Tami Burdick

Conditions

January 30, 2024

There’s much to be said about women’s intuition. The instinct a woman has can be so intense that nothing anyone says or does will change her beliefs or feelings. For some women, maybe over time, the intuition has been acquired, but for others, it’s been a gift she naturally has had her entire life. Because of this, we not only know better when something is off or doesn’t seem right, …

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Women’s intuition in health and healing

Balancing research with safe opioid prescribing to reduce pain and improve quality of life

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Conditions

January 29, 2024

This article is sponsored by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Pain is a deeply personal experience and one of the most common reasons why individuals seek medical care in the U.S. The Centers for Disease Control …

Unveiling the power of healing: a journey through stories [PODCAST]

The Podcast by KevinMD

Podcast

January 29, 2024

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

Join Dustin Grinnell, the author of The Healing Book. Dustin takes us on a journey through this thought-provoking collection of short stories, where characters embark on paths of self-discovery, healing, and personal growth. We delve into the …

Break free from screen addiction: a doctor’s prescription for smartphone sanity

Allison O. Ignatz-Hoover, MD

Tech

January 29, 2024

Screentime addiction is real and it is everywhere. Over the past decade, I’ve worked with only one physician who doggedly held onto his pager, refusing to adopt the hospital’s HIPAA-compliant messaging app. He happens to be in his seventies, and a giant in his field; if he gets any grief for not using a smartphone 24/7, he probably doesn’t care. For the rest of us, though, this isn’t an option. …

Dressing to inspire confidence: How the clothes you wear can change perceptions

Sarah Samaan, MD

Physician

January 29, 2024

There are a lot of things that I’ve forgotten since 1984, the year I started medical school. But I will never forget the Dean of Students’ proclamation on the very first day of class: “You must dress to inspire confidence,” he thundered. But that wasn’t the last of it. Over and over, our dapper dean schooled us on the importance of professionalism. Whether he said it overtly or not, we …

Ketones may be the key to unlocking a healthier brain

Marc Arginteanu, MD

Conditions

January 29, 2024

You’ve undoubtedly heard the buzzwords: ketogenic diet, intermittent fasting. I don’t have much of an opinion about what that all does for your waistline, but I venture to say that ketones may benefit your brain.

Some doctors have recommended, with rock-solid evidence, diets that increase brain ketone levels as part of the regimen to treat drug-resistant epilepsy in children. Others claim that high ketone levels are like a magic bullet and …

Holistic success and happiness in medicine [PODCAST]

The Podcast by KevinMD

Podcast

January 28, 2024

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

Join Ketan Kulkarni, a physician entrepreneur. We’ll delve into the pressing issues of burnout and discontent among health care professionals, particularly physicians, and explore strategies for achieving holistic success and happiness in both personal and professional life.

What’s trying to start the next pandemic? AI drug discovery and the quest for a pan-antiviral drug

Davey Smith, MD

Conditions

January 28, 2024

As the world continues to navigate the challenges posed by respiratory viruses, recent developments have highlighted the urgency of advancing our therapeutic arsenal, particularly in the realm of broad-spectrum antivirals.

1. Winter is here. It is winter again in the northern hemisphere, and with it come the known respiratory viruses like flu, RSV, and COVID-19. Recent reports have also identified a wave of childhood pneumonia in China, not entirely attributable to …

Beyond the myths: ADHD explained in powerful comics

Emily Watters, MD

Conditions

January 28, 2024

An illustrated overview of ADHD, addressing common misconceptions and illustrating the real challenges faced by those with the condition. Through comic strips, the narrative explains the impact of ADHD on executive function and daily life, debunking the myth that symptoms are a choice or the result of not trying hard enough. It also touches on the less visible inattentive symptoms, aiming to …

Escaping the time warp: my journey after leaving clinical medicine

Keith Pochick, MD

Physician

January 28, 2024

It’s been almost two years since I left clinical medicine. In the midst of our country’s health care attrition crisis, stories of early retirement, burnout, and career transitions aren’t hard to find. While each of those accounts brings a deeper understanding of the problem, as well as potential strategies to remedy it, this is not a story about why I left medicine. Instead, it is an observation of how medicine …

Intralymphatic immunotherapy: a breakthrough approach for allergies

Amber Patterson, MD & Kara Wada, MD & Tiffany Owens, MD

Meds

January 28, 2024

Are you or a loved one constantly battling the frustrating symptoms of seasonal or year-round allergies? You are not alone; millions around the globe are affected by sneezing, itchy, watery red eyes, stuffy, runny noses, and headaches. Avoidance of triggers and medications may provide temporary relief, but for those seeking a longer-lasting or more natural solution, immunotherapy (IT) can be life-changing. IT provides sustained benefits of decreased symptoms and medication …

Empathy: the unexpected gift from abuse

Chloe N. L. Lee, MD, MPH

Physician

January 28, 2024

Months after I left him, I could still feel the pain he inflicted. He not only weaponized my insecurities but also demeaned the things about myself that I loved, insidiously dismantling my sense of self until nothing remained.

I even doubted my ability as a psychiatrist, and I hated him for that.

“Talking to you is like trying to read a Step 2 question!” he had sneered. “I don’t know anyone who …

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Empathy: the unexpected gift from abuse