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How AI will protect everyday Americans from overwhelming medical debt

Braden Pan

Finance

July 27, 2023

America’s medical debt problem is out of control, with collection agencies holding around $140 billion in unpaid medical bills.

Some experts think the amount of medical debt may actually reach $1 trillion and affect nearly 1 in 3 Americans. That’s because not all medical debt appears on credit reports. Moreover, many people pay their medical bills with their credit card and then are forced to have those unpaid …

Medical school applicants do not need to “check” a box to succeed

Arthur Lazarus, MD, MBA

Policy

July 27, 2023

Medical pundits are predicting that the recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling striking down race-conscious admissions will have dire consequences for medical schools and the composition of the physician workforce.

The concern is that the high court’s decision to restrict public and private higher education institutions from considering an applicant’s race or ethnicity in admission decisions will negatively impact medical schools’ diversity and the nature of future physicians.

The fear …

Unmasking the threat of greed in health care [PODCAST]

The Podcast by KevinMD

Podcast

July 26, 2023

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Join Don Gaede, an internal medicine and vascular medicine physician, to discuss the “existential threat of greed in U.S. health care” highlighted in a JAMA editorial. Don shares his firsthand encounters with unethical practices within his specialty …

Female physician burnout and its impact on patient care

Raya Iqbal

Education

July 26, 2023

Although many systemic factors universally contribute to both burnout in both male and female physicians, female physicians also tend to experience burnout at disproportionately high rates versus their male counterparts. Burnout, also known as a state of as a “state of physical, mental, and emotional exhaustion,” continues to grow despite being a recognized problem for decades. Burnout is a critical public health risk which not only affects …

Harnessing light field technology for enhanced navigation and imaging

Samuel Browd, MD, PhD

Tech

July 26, 2023

Imagine being able to cross a chasm between a digital world and a physical world in an operative environment. The medical technology sector has only begun to tap into the vast possibilities presented by light field technology, particularly in surgery, where it offers significant advantages, including computational imaging, improved data quality, and the elimination of harmful radiation. The application of light field technology holds the potential to revolutionize the operative …

6 ways physicians can change the health care system

Laurence Bauer, MSW

Physician

July 26, 2023

Physicians are respected influencers who can directly impact public opinion and drive change within the health system. If you are dissatisfied with the current state of affairs, it’s time to become part of the solution. Here are some strategies you can employ to initiate health care transformations locally and beyond.

Join or form local groups with engaged patients and employers. As a health care system insider, you possess valuable knowledge about how …

Understanding the hidden effects of burnout on physician families [PODCAST]

The Podcast by KevinMD

Podcast

July 25, 2023

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Join Amna Shabbir, an internal medicine physician, as she shares her personal journey and reflections on physician burnout and its impact on family dynamics. Amna opens up about her early exposure to burnout through her mother’s experiences …

The surprising impact of medical students on patients

Nicole Cifra, MD, MPH

Education

July 25, 2023

There are a few clinical scenarios that stand out to me from my undergraduate medical education. I completed a combined MD/MPH program, and I remember coming back from the year of public health, inserted between years two and three of medical school, feeling rusty and often in the way. One conversation I’ll always remember is one I overheard between an attending on my family medicine rotation (my first rotation of …

The persecution of pain management doctors

L. Joseph Parker, MD

Physician

July 25, 2023

The call came in during a busy workday. My comprehensive primary care clinic had been built over a decade of hard work and had a general practice clinic staffed by a very capable former surgeon and several nurse practitioners, as well as a pain management program and an addiction treatment clinic. We also had several counselors on staff. I immediately recognized the voice on the other end of the line …

The ketogenic diet: a historical perspective and survival consequences

Mukaila Kareem, DPT

Conditions

July 25, 2023

As someone who had an early life in rural Nigeria, I strongly believe that the diet debates are out-of-touch elite pastimes born out of food glut in Western societies. For survival, all living things evolved and adapted to scarcity, and humans have been appropriately described as opportunistic omnivores who would eat whatever is available. How supposedly omnivorous humans turned out to be sharply divided into tribalistic die-hard vegan, keto, Mediterranean, …

How EHRs can impact climate change [PODCAST]

The Podcast by KevinMD

Podcast

July 24, 2023

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Join Earl Stewart, Jr., an internal medicine physician, as we discuss the critical need for electronic health record (EHR) systems to address the impact of climate change on patient health. Earl highlights the limitations of current EHRs …

The 3 things that make people love their work (and why medicine falls short)

Kent McCann, MD

Physician

July 24, 2023

The old adage of “do what you love, and you’ll never work a day in your life” may have misled an entire generation.

While researching individuals with high career satisfaction, psychologists Ryan and Deci found that the introspective “follow your passion” approach was rarely a major factor. Instead of relying on some intrinsic passion, people who loved their jobs were found to have work that fulfilled three specific psychological needs: autonomy, …

Optimize your knee injury recovery without surgery

Francisco M. Torres, MD

Conditions

July 24, 2023

Recently, growing attention has been given to the fact that some types of surgery may be overrated. This article succinctly summarizes the situation, citing dozens of studies showing that some orthopedic surgeries popular in past decades had no better results than non-invasive treatments.

This issue is deeply personal to me. In 2020, during the pandemic, I sustained an injury to my left knee, experiencing severe pain, swelling, and loss of …

Dermatology at a crossroads: an urgent case for value-based care

Hannah Kopelman, DO, MBA

Physician

July 24, 2023

Over the past decade, the medical field has witnessed a profound shift—a transformative movement fueled by the commitment to render patient-centered, cost-effective care. This sweeping change is characterized by the transition from a volume-based to a value-based model of health care. While several medical specialties have responded to this call for change and started implementing value-based systems, dermatology has been relatively slow on the uptake. The need for a robust …

Grief and healing: Navigating loss and meaningful connections

Richard E. Waltman, MD

Physician

July 24, 2023

My wife, Ruth, passed away in April, and I am currently struggling with the immense loss. I deeply miss her, and for the most part, I feel terrible. I haven’t reached a point of “getting over it.”

Since her death, numerous people, including relatives, friends, acquaintances, and caring individuals throughout my day, have approached me with the same question: How am I doing? Despite multiple attempts to respond, I still haven’t …

Unmasking the truth about ECMO [PODCAST]

The Podcast by KevinMD

Podcast

July 23, 2023

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Join John R. Mehall, a cardiothoracic surgeon and physician executive. We explore the lasting impact of the global pandemic on hospitals in the United States, uncover the underlying financial crisis often overlooked by headlines, and discuss innovative …

The rewards and challenges of emergency medicine

Yang Wang, MD

Physician

July 23, 2023

Congratulations! Maybe you matched, maybe you scrambled. Either way, you’re here, and after four years of reading and watching, you are about to finally start doing. Get all those practical skills: Intubate! Drop central lines! Insert chest tubes! Sign verbal orders within 24 hours! Write medicolegally bulletproof notes that also capture all the RVUs necessary to maximize billing.

As you embark on your journey to becoming an EM doc, let me …

AI in health care: Could it be an unexpected catalyst for physician burnout?

Tatum R. Dam, Joshua I. Leaston, Diana A. Hla, and Ank A. Agarwal

Tech

July 23, 2023

Artificial intelligence (AI) has rapidly ingratiated itself in the health care landscape, emerging as a powerful tool with the potential to revolutionize various aspects of clinical practice. From enhancing diagnostic precision to streamlining administrative workflows, AI is touted as a solution to many of health care’s long-standing inefficiencies. Yet, the transformative power of AI is a double-edged sword, and its integration may bear unintended repercussions for not …

How trauma, health care, and kindness are the keys to contagious change

Peggy A. Rothbaum, PhD

Conditions

July 23, 2023

I spent years researching and writing about the health care crisis. It was depressing and isolating — traumatizing. When I met someone with more reach, it was a relief to be able to stop.

Early on, it was obvious to me that our medical health care crisis is actually a mental health crisis. It is about disconnectedness and devaluation of relationships, a basic need. Evidence abounds. The Read more…

How trauma, health care, and kindness are the keys to contagious change

Uncovering the personality traits that drive physician burnout [PODCAST]

The Podcast by KevinMD

Podcast

July 22, 2023

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

Join Susan Biali Haas, a physician and author of The Resilient Life: Manage Stress, Prevent Burnout, & Strengthen Your Mental and Physical Health. In this episode, we delve into the personality traits that contribute to physician burnout …

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