I’m squished in an unnaturally upright seat. My elbows slowly develop pressure sores atop rigid armrests, with my wife on one side and a semi-uncomfortable stranger on the other. I stare at my lopsided gray tray table, sporting a Styrofoam cup of lukewarm coffee, the chalice special of Sky Chefs. My ears have become one with the perpetual background hum of engines, a prelude to the impending orchestra of jet …
I have been representing physicians for over 40 years, and the vast majority of the people I work with are genuinely nice. Overworked, stressed, sometimes distracted – yes, but most physicians entered the profession because they were sincerely concerned about people and wanted to help. Medicine can be a truly thankless job, and the vast majority of physicians don’t pursue it solely for the money.
Unfortunately, this characterization of physicians is …
Nurse practitioner (NP) burnout is at an all-time high. Many nurse practitioners (and health care providers in general) are struggling right now, feeling mentally, physically, and emotionally exhausted. Many are contemplating leaving health care altogether. The factors contributing to nurse practitioner burnout are multifactorial, stemming from various personal and work-related causes. However, for APRNs, there is a leading cause of burnout.
Signs and symptoms of nurse practitioner burnout:
Before we delve into …
Rising nurse practitioner burnout: charting and work-life balance
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Join L. Joseph Parker, a research physician, as we delve into the evolving definitions of addiction, particularly in the context of chronic pain management. Explore the historical shifts in diagnostic criteria, the challenges faced by chronic pain …
Exploring changing definitions of addiction [PODCAST]
We are human and we all make mistakes. It’s an inherent part of our nature. It’s easy to get caught up in the belief that our mistakes define us or determine our worth; however, this couldn’t be further from the truth.
As physicians, mistakes often serve as the uninvited guests in our otherwise meticulously planned professional lives. Yet, it is crucial to recognize that these errors are not stamps of incompetence …
We all make mistakes. Don’t let them define you.
We have a problem with current recommendations for depression treatment. Thirty-five percent of patients will not go into remission or get any relief at all from SSRIs and SNRIs. And even when it does work, it takes about six weeks to start having an effect.
The prevailing theory was that serotonin, abbreviated 5-HT, was the “satisfaction” neurotransmitter. Just as dopamine has been considered the pleasure neurotransmitter. Using selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors …
Can ketamine and SSRIs offer a complete depression treatment?
If your conscious mind is asking, “Is this what burnout feels like?” your little voice already has the answer.
One of the things physicians ask me on our coaching discovery call is whether or not I think they are burned out.
They want a second opinion from a fellow doctor. That’s a natural instinct, and yet, my opinion is completely irrelevant in the arc of their life as a physician.
What matters is …
The “little voice” physician burnout survey
Obesity has undeniably become the top health issue of our time, with its prevalence and impact on our bodies making headlines across health care and popular media.
This isn’t merely a matter of carrying extra pounds; it’s about the multitude of serious health complications that come in its wake. The conversation around obesity often gravitates towards heart disease, diabetes, and certain cancers.
Still, another critical aspect frequently slips under the radar – …
The critical link between America’s obesity epidemic and the liver
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Join Esther Covington, a professional standardized patient. Esther shares her firsthand experiences, shedding light on the critical role communication, empathy, and assumptions play in medical education. We delve into the impact of assumptions on patient care, the …
Communication in health care: lessons from a standardized patient [PODCAST]
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 …
Overcoming health challenges: one patient’s story
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 …
Hit pause before embarking on a health guru’s protocol
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 …
Medicine has become the new McDonald’s of health care
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 …
Overcoming depression: a medical resident’s journey
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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 …
Maternal mortality disparities [PODCAST]
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 …
It’s time for burnout to become a quality metric
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 …
Navigating the AI revolution in medicine: from liability and technicalities to ethics and policy
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 …
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 …
From immigrant to pediatrician: a midlife transformation
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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.
Menopause and chronic disease [PODCAST]
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 …
The alarming problem for rural medicine
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