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Overcoming health challenges: one patient’s story

Conditions

November 2, 2023

The patient was a typical one in my primary care practice, and for those of you in my field, one familiar to you as well. Jim, as we will call him, was a middle-aged, obese male with a history of hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and diabetes, whose most concerning medical problem was his long history of noncompliance. He came in once a year for the physical his company required but otherwise ignored …

Hit pause before embarking on a health guru’s protocol

Kara Wada, MD

Physician

November 2, 2023

In today’s age, it’s common to encounter a myriad of protocols, often promoted by celebrity doctors or health gurus, each promising solutions for various health concerns, from thyroid and adrenal issues to immune system and gut health. But what exactly is a protocol in this context? It is essentially a set of guidelines or rules designed to address specific health issues or optimize well-being. These protocols often come with dietary …

Medicine has become the new McDonald’s of health care

Arthur Lazarus, MD, MBA

Policy

November 2, 2023

I was having a conversation with a colleague about a state-funded Medicaid managed care organization (MCO). She told me that the mental health performance measures used by the state to evaluate the MCO were all “placement and provider issues,” such as the amount of time children spent sleeping on the floors of social services offices or languishing in emergency departments (ED) before they were transferred for treatment or placed into …

Overcoming depression: a medical resident’s journey

Anonymous

Physician

November 2, 2023

How did I get here? Heading to the highest place I can find, in contemplation of jumping and falling to my death. I had always feared death before this point, but now it seemed the only logical solution. I seemed to have it all going my way. So why would a medical resident in a coveted training program in one of the most beautiful parts of the country, with a …

Maternal mortality disparities [PODCAST]

The Podcast by KevinMD

Podcast

November 1, 2023

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

We are joined by Bayo Curry-Winchell, a family physician, as we delve into the alarming maternal mortality crisis among Black women in the U.S. Join us as we discuss the complex factors contributing to this issue, the …

It’s time for burnout to become a quality metric

Trina E. Dorrah, MD

Physician

November 1, 2023

I completed a fellowship in quality improvement, making quality metrics an integral part of my career for the past 15 years.

At times, these metrics can be frustrating, especially when reimbursement is tied to constantly shifting targets.

Yet, health systems invest hundreds of thousands of dollars in order to improve quality metrics because Medicare mandates it.

This led me to contemplate:

What if Medicare included burnout as a quality metric?

What if health systems were …

Navigating the AI revolution in medicine: from liability and technicalities to ethics and policy

Harvey Castro, MD, MBA

Tech

November 1, 2023

The current landscape of AI in medicine. Integrating artificial intelligence (AI) into health care is a complex yet transformative journey. As AI becomes increasingly indispensable, the medical community faces a paradigm shift—from being accountable for using AI to potentially being liable for not using it. In this article, we will explore the multifaceted implications of AI in medicine, from technical aspects to …

Gaza’s medical crisis

Tammy Abughnaim, MD and Emily Hacker, MPH

Physician

November 1, 2023

On October 11th, cardiopulmonary resuscitation was performed on the lifeless body of paramedic Hatem Awad as he was rushed through an ambulance bay in Gaza. Awad and his colleagues from the Palestinian Red Crescent had just been given the green light to head into eastern Gaza to assist victims of airstrikes, not knowing they would become victims themselves.

On October 17th, surgeon Dr. Ghassan Abu Sittah stood in the ruins of …

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Gaza’s medical crisis

From immigrant to pediatrician: a midlife transformation

Sogol Pahlavan, MD

Physician

November 1, 2023

I was born in Tehran, Iran. I immigrated to the U.S., specifically Houston, Texas, at the age of 10. I completed my undergraduate degree, medical school, and pediatric training, all in Texas. I consider myself a Houstonian. I am a board-certified pediatrician. Additionally, I am an entrepreneur, co-founder, and managing partner at ABC Pediatric Clinic in East Houston, serving the low-income Hispanic community. I have an amazing and supportive husband …

Menopause and chronic disease [PODCAST]

The Podcast by KevinMD

Podcast

October 31, 2023

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

Join Susan J. Baumgaertel, an internal medicine physician. In this conversation, we dive into her book, The Menopause Menu, as Susan sheds light on navigating the complex intersection of menopause and chronic diseases.

The alarming problem for rural medicine

Dylan Angle

Policy

October 31, 2023

Have you ever wondered what it’s like to have a heart attack? Or maybe you’ve had one. What about that same heart attack on a single-lane, pitted road flanked by cornfields on both sides, two hours from the nearest city? This is the reality for rural Americans, and it becomes more extreme by the day. Rural hospitals are sometimes the only tertiary care centers for hundreds of miles, and they’re …

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The alarming problem for rural medicine

Cannabis compounds in fracture pain relief and healing

L. Joseph Parker, MD

Meds

October 31, 2023

In a recent study published in the Journal of Bone and Mineral Research, it was found that two compounds found in cannabis, cannabidiol, and cannabigerol, may not just ease the pain of fractures but also speed up fracture healing. The study, titled “Cannabidiol (CBD) and Cannabigerol (CBG), Nonpsychotropic Cannabinoids, as Analgesics that Effectively Manage Bone Fracture Pain and Promote Healing in Mice,” is …

What does the term “doctor” mean, who can use it, and does it matter?

Michael Brant-Zawadzki, MD

Physician

October 31, 2023

From the Oxford Dictionary: Doctor.

a qualified practitioner of medicine; a physician. (a number of synonyms are listed, including “quack”)

a person who holds a doctorate.

Increasingly, non-physicians are using the term “doctor.” Clearly, a doctorate degree allows the holder to use that term semantically, contextual puffery or not. Nurses can obtain a doctorate degree through a rigorous peer-reviewed process of study. PhDs in various fields likewise. All MDs are doctors. Not all …

Health equity: Social workers are the answer

LaCinda Jones, LCSW, Robyn Golden, LCSW, and Laura Taylor, LCSW

Conditions

October 31, 2023

Americans are suffering from an unequal health care system in which some people have resources and receive excellent care while others lack access to basic and essential services. Despite the entrenched and systemic nature of some of these barriers, there are vehicles for change on the horizon.

Nearly 80 percent of health outcomes are directly impacted by social determinants of health (SDoH) which is a term that encompasses social factors …

An emergency physician’s insights on health partnerships [PODCAST]

The Podcast by KevinMD

Podcast

October 30, 2023

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

Join Drew Remignanti, an emergency physician, as he delves into the fascinating world of medicine and discusses his book, The Healing Connection: A Partnership for Your Health. Get ready to explore the insights and experiences of a …

Empathetic patient care: Addressing disability in education

Heather Finlay-Morreale, MD

Physician

October 30, 2023

The students entered, chattering among themselves about their recent break. This is their interviewing and communication class, and today’s guest lecturer is a bit different than the usual physician educator. Speaking today is Linda Long-Bellil, JD, PhD, an expert in educating medical professionals about disability. Dr. Long-Bellil is also a person with a disability herself. I am assisting as well, as a physician with a disability and a wheelchair user. …

20 reasons every resident should form a micro-corporation

Tod Stillson, MD

Physician

October 30, 2023

The majority are wrong.

Is it possible that the growing majority of doctors are mistaken in their decision to choose traditional employment? How is it that the most intelligent group of individuals on earth can be influenced to believe that being confined to traditional employment is in their best interest, especially when the burnout rate is approaching almost 60 percent?

Don’t follow the herd.

In a world where the “herd mentality” often prevails, …

The power of listening in palliative care consultations

Aldebra Schroll, MD

Conditions

October 30, 2023

Finishing up a consultation in the ICU, the nurses approached me to see how it went. “Did you get the DNR?” I explained that I enter these conversations without an agenda. My first goal is to develop rapport, reading the room to gauge how far I can take this conversation. What are they ready to hear? This phase of the consult is akin to preparing the soil for planting. The …

Exploring promising breakthroughs in Alzheimer’s research [PODCAST]

The Podcast by KevinMD

Podcast

October 29, 2023

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

Join Ken Blaker, a health care and technology consultant, and Cuong Do, a health care executive, as they shed light on the latest developments in combating these challenging conditions. From the recent FDA approval of Leqembi to …

Are health care workers being gaslit about burnout?

Chetan Wasekar, MD

Physician

October 29, 2023

When an animal is shot and bleeds to death, does it “suffer from a bleed out”? No, the hunter shot and killed it – that’s the truth, and that’s the main narrative. “Bleeding out” was a natural consequence. Yet in health care, it feels as though the narrative has been cleverly turned on its head and reflected back to health care workers as “suffering from burnout,” giving the culprit workplace …

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