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Lessons from VA hospitals: Meeting basic needs improves wellbeing

Policy

October 5, 2023

I started my career at a state hospital but transitioned to a VA hospital in 2007. I had been a resident at the hospital and was familiar with the unit and population. The unit had 19 beds, and typically these were filled. Often, admissions were for crisis stabilization due to suicidal ideation, and recidivism was very high. Typically, an unmet need other than psychiatric care was being addressed in many …

Skills for resident physicians to increase distress tolerance

Frances Mei Hardin, MD

Physician

October 5, 2023

Picture yourself as a junior resident on morning rounds with a senior and a rotating intern. You’ve been up almost all night on call, and you’re almost at the end of the patient list. Your senior asks you about the next patient, and you stumble. You can’t find your notes, and you’re blanking on the answer. Your senior becomes impatient and starts to raise their voice. How do you react?

If …

A doctor’s journey through narcissistic abuse [PODCAST]

The Podcast by KevinMD

Podcast

October 4, 2023

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

Join Karla Lester, a pediatrician and certified life and weight coach, as she shares her compelling journey from dedicated medical professional to a survivor of narcissistic abuse within the health care system. Karla sheds light on her …

Pioneering space race research: G-forces and human physiology

Earl Howard Wood, MD, PhD

Conditions

October 4, 2023

An excerpt from Life at High G-Force: The Quest of Mayo Clinic Researcher Dr. Earl H Wood.

Tensions were high in the Aero Medical Laboratory at Mayo Clinic in the fall of 1959. The space race with the Soviet Union to send a human into outer space and eventually to the …

How to pick the right mutual funds to reduce your taxes

Amarish Dave, DO

Finance

October 4, 2023

Tax-efficient investing is about preserving your capital by optimizing investment decisions to minimize the tax consequences. This strategy becomes especially crucial when you’re investing for the long term. With their professional management and diversification, mutual funds offer several avenues for tax-efficient investing.

1. Capital gains efficiency. When you buy and sell individual stocks, you’re responsible for capital gains taxes on any profits you realize. In contrast, mutual funds pool money from multiple …

What is the physician’s role in the food is medicine movement?

Deb Kennedy, PhD

Conditions

October 4, 2023

In the early 1990s, complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) began its rise with the development of the National Institutes of Health’s CAM center. However, scientists and clinicians struggled with the decision of whether or not to allow individuals access to information on these CAM approaches. I was part of that discourse as I was invited to speak at a congressional hearing on that very issue. Thankfully for everyone, the right …

America’s young men are facing a mental health crisis. Can we help them before it’s too late?

Henna Hundal and Karan Patel

Conditions

October 4, 2023

September was National Suicide Prevention Month. In a short while, we also approach the 41st birthday of the late Stephen “tWitch” Boss, a widely beloved dancer and executive producer of The Ellen DeGeneres Show whose death by suicide is still hard to grapple with

tWitch, who initially rose to prominence from the dance competition So You Think You Can Dance, captured the hearts of millions by running social media …

When physicians are disrespected [PODCAST]

The Podcast by KevinMD

Podcast

October 3, 2023

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Join Sarah Samaan, a retired cardiologist and Master Certified Physician Development Coach. We’ll delve into the pressing issue of physician dignity, discussing the challenges physicians face in today’s health care landscape and Sarah’s strategies to combat disrespect …

Addressing dual diagnosis needs in addiction treatment

Susan Hertz Berrick, EdD

Conditions

October 3, 2023

An excerpt from Slow Dancing with the Devil: A Son’s Substance Use Disorder, A Mother’s Anguish.

The only time my anxiety was gone, or at least on pause, was when Luke was in a treatment center or sobriety house. I knew he was safe and surrounded by those who understood the …

The essence of health narratives, including poetry

Arthur Lazarus, MD, MBA

Physician

October 3, 2023

In the vast universe of all that has been written, writing about loss, illness, and death is probably second only to writing about intimacy, relationships, and longing. In the world of narrative medicine, the order is reversed. Patients are harnessing the power of writing, sharing, and telling stories of health and sickness using personal narratives to navigate illness, trauma, and grief. The experience of being ill is made less isolating …

Discover the power of patience

Diane W. Shannon, MD, MPH

Physician

October 3, 2023

This summer, my cousin Cindy has been raising Monarch butterflies. Two weeks ago, when I was visiting her for the weekend, she gave me a chrysalis to bring home. She’d already done the bulk of the work, feeding and caring for the caterpillar. I left with a mesh-sided carrier and an expected due date of 7 days. I was instructed on how to determine the gender and that I needed …

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Discover the power of patience

Doctors rediscover joy in practicing medicine, on their own terms

Kim Downey, PT

Physician

October 3, 2023

Challenging and frustrating are two words describing what it feels like to be a doctor today. Yet numerous physicians are sharing their journeys as to how they moved through difficult times and have been able to find joy again by practicing medicine on their own terms.

The following doctors describe how they have continued seeing patients while incorporating additional pursuits that help them feel balanced and fulfilled.

Be sure to watch their …

End-of-life ethics and antibiotic use [PODCAST]

The Podcast by KevinMD

Podcast

October 2, 2023

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Join Althea Halchuck, a patient advocate. We explore critical insights into end-of-life care, the ethical considerations around antibiotic use, and the quest for a peaceful, dignified death. Delve into the complex world of health care decision-making in …

Physician return-to-work policies

Deepak Gupta, MD

Physician

October 2, 2023

Police officers are required to undergo second-victim counseling before returning to duty. Should physicians also undergo such counseling before resuming their work? This question arises, especially in light of the ongoing shortage of health care professionals. It prompts us to consider whether the prerequisites for returning to work are deemed more critical for police officers than for doctors. Perhaps physicians should establish specific scenarios where taking time off before returning …

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Physician return-to-work policies

Communication, power dynamics, and organizational culture in health care

Beth Boynton, RN, MS, CP

Conditions

October 2, 2023

In a recent podcast conversation with Kevin Pho, MD, we talked about the importance of assertiveness in health care, including the ability to say “No” and the significance of culture in supporting it.

One of the topics we touched on was the influence of both top-down and bottom-up factors, which I want to elaborate on here.

Organizational culture refers to how and why things are done at work and the rules …

How my patients’ Zoom backgrounds made me a better doctor

Joseph Barrera, MD

Physician

October 2, 2023

In May 2020, I wrote a piece published on this very website titled, “Remembering the art of medicine during virtual visits.” In that article, I wondered how telemedicine could possibly allow us to make the humanistic connection that occurs more organically during in-person office visits. Now, more than three years later, and after hundreds of telehealth visits, my patients have shown me how.

In December 2020, one of the bleakest …

Understanding reproductive rights: complex considerations

Anonymous

Physician

October 2, 2023

A phrase commonly heard is “reproductive rights,” and while there is some variability in what this entails, in most cases, this includes a woman’s right to choose not to be sexually active, to say no to unwanted sex, to access contraception, to receive appropriate and adequate care during pregnancy, and to seek abortion. By definition, rights are “a moral or legal entitlement to have or obtain something or to act …

Innovations in surgical education [PODCAST]

The Podcast by KevinMD

Podcast

October 1, 2023

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Join Ruchi Thanawala, a cardiothoracic surgeon, as we explore the transformative power of technology in surgical training. Discover how innovation is reshaping the way we educate future surgeons, improve feedback, and address critical issues of equity in …

Everyday dangers unknowingly impacting our health

Tami Burdick

Conditions

October 1, 2023

When we think of symptoms or ailments, they are often a signal to us that there’s something off with our health. Yet, many of us, as well as doctors, often don’t think so much outside the traditional box when it comes to what may be influencing or causing these health issues. I have even experienced this personally in my life.

Some people may even experience ongoing frustrations with concerns failing to …

A shop teacher’s daughter on transforming patient safety

Barbara L. Olson, RN

Conditions

October 1, 2023

Just a few weeks ago, the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST) issued a report, “A Transformational Effort on Patient Safety.” This was both a “surprise” and “not a surprise” to me because I’m a nurse, a subject matter expert in patient safety, and a shop teacher’s daughter.

PCAST’s call for action was not a surprise because in 2023, care intended to help patients harms them at an …