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The power of liquid biopsies and the challenge of health care disparities

Conditions

June 23, 2023

Laura Nuttall was diagnosed with deadly brain cancer at the age of 18 after going for a routine eye exam. She completed an incredible bucket list, which included meeting Michelle Obama, driving a monster truck, and commanding a Royal Navy warship before ultimately succumbing to her cancer this past Monday at the age of 23.

What if her cancer had been discovered earlier through a simple blood test? Could it …

An alarming rise in military suicides: Unveiling hidden crisis and urgent need for action

Martha Rosenberg

Policy

June 23, 2023

During the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, suicides among active-duty troops were frequently reported. Since then, news reports have subsided but the suicides have not. In fact, a 2022 report from the Defense Suicide Prevention Office revealed that there were more suicides in 2021 than any other year since the September 11 attacks. According to Army Times, suicide deaths among active-duty troops in 2021 “climbed …

Cracking the code of physician contracts: Mastering letters of intent [PODCAST]

The Podcast by KevinMD

Podcast

June 22, 2023

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Join us for an insightful podcast episode featuring Dennis Hursh, a veteran attorney with over 40 years of experience in health law. Discover the importance of letters of intent in physician contracts, their purpose, and the legal …

From failure to success: How a nurse overcame challenges and thrived in the medical field

Dale Pearce, DNP, RN

Conditions

June 22, 2023

I remember the day clearly – sitting in a convenience store parking lot after buying a pack of pencils on my way to my first day of nursing school. I had no idea what I was getting myself into. Or, perhaps more realistically, I had no idea how ill-prepared I really was. As a mediocre high school student who got by with the bare minimum, I was rudely awakened when …

How one liver disease patient found hope and overcame adversity

Johnathan Yao, MD, MPH

Conditions

June 22, 2023

The first day I came to the liver service, I met Mr. S, who was struggling with complications of liver disease. In the long term, he required a TIPS procedure that would better distribute his abdominal pressure and eventually a liver transplant. He was at high risk for the procedure and was struggling to maintain the fluid restriction necessary to prepare him for it.

Mr. S was entirely despondent when I …

Breaking the chains of medical burnout: How physicians are reclaiming their well-being and transforming patient care

Kristin Yates, DO

Physician

June 22, 2023

When I was an OB/GYN intern, I made the mistake of admitting that I was able to get a short nap during my night shift. I was immediately met with comments that made it clear that rest during downtime was not something to be proud of. I felt so ashamed that once I became an attending, I was always afraid to admit when I had a relatively “easy” call shift …

Breaking barriers in health care: the power of cultural competency training [PODCAST]

The Podcast by KevinMD

Podcast

June 21, 2023

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Join us for an insightful podcast episode as we delve into the significance of cultural competency training for physicians in providing health care for LGBTQ+ individuals. Our guest, Michael Pessman, a gerontologist, shares his expertise on the …

The inspirational journey of an 82-year-old WWII veteran battling cancer

Debbie Moore-Black, RN

Conditions

June 21, 2023

He was 82 years old when he came into our ER, writhing in excruciating abdominal pain. After an ultrasound and a subsequent CT scan, the devastating diagnosis was revealed—end stage pancreatic and liver cancer.

Despite enduring a pain level of 10, he managed to maintain his sense of humor, joking about “biting the bullet.” However, he admitted that the pain had become unbearable.

This resilient individual was not just any patient; he …

Patients with chest numbness following mastectomy may experience lower quality of life

Kristen Casey, PsyD

Conditions

June 21, 2023

Imagine not being able to fully feel a hug from your loved ones.

Not being able to feel your baby’s head nuzzled against your chest.

Feeling like a part of your body doesn’t belong to you.

These side effects are common following a mastectomy—and often permanent. Chest numbness is the result of nerves being cut during a mastectomy. When the severed nerves are not reconnected, they cannot transmit a signal to the brain, …

Surviving multiple cancers: a tale of blessings and exceptional doctors

Kim Downey, PT

Conditions

June 21, 2023

Although it could be said that I’ve been very “unlucky” over the past couple of years due to surgeries and treatments for three separate cancers, I feel blessed by how “lucky” I have been to have had a combination of outstanding doctors.

Dealing with ongoing medical issues, as a health care professional, I fully appreciate the challenges facing patients and physicians alike in the current health care climate.

Thank you, doctors, for …

A physician’s journey through propaganda and misinformation [PODCAST]

The Podcast by KevinMD

Podcast

June 20, 2023

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Join us for a fascinating podcast episode as we explore the dangerous consequences of propaganda and misinformation within the context of the opioid epidemic. Our guest, Jay K. Joshi, a family physician and author of Burden of …

How a lack of business education is destroying private medical practice

Curtis G. Graham, MD

Physician

June 20, 2023

Over a million intelligent American physicians are walking around in the medical practice environment today, patting themselves on the back while believing they have reached their ultimate success in medical practice. They have absolutely no idea that they have never come close to their optimal potential. It’s a tragedy that has been disregarded yet tolerated by medical school scholars and administrators for at least the last century.

What every physician should …

Emotional intelligence in entrepreneurship: the significance and application of the 5 core pillars

Harvey Castro, MD, MBA

Physician

June 20, 2023

Emotional intelligence (EI) represents an essential suite of abilities that dictate our capacity to recognize, understand, and manage our own emotions and the emotions of others. This skill set significantly influences our decision-making process, conflict resolution abilities, empathy towards others, and how we handle stress. EI plays a fundamental role in entrepreneurship and forms the bedrock of successful leadership, effective team dynamics, and robust client relationships.

Pioneered by psychologist Daniel Goleman, …

Unlocking the power of value-based care: How collaborative partnerships drive health care success

Kristan Langdon, DNP and Timothy Lee, MPH

Policy

June 20, 2023

Value-based care (VBC) holds the opportunity to re-create partnerships designed to increase health care sustainability by strategically improving processes, care delivery, and patient outcomes. However, the potential of the Institute of Healthcare Improvement (IHI) Triple Aim framework will never be optimized until the major stakeholders are identified, connected by a common goal, and willing to participate equally. Thus, the movement toward VBC delivery models is found mainly in …

The magic of human connections

Susan J. Baumgaertel, MD

Physician

June 20, 2023

I was doing laundry last week when my engagement ring snagged on a shirt. Upon closer inspection, I noticed that one of the four prongs holding the diamond in place was sticking up and on the verge of breaking.

Quickly, I took off the ring and placed it in a safe spot, relieved that it hadn’t accidentally gone down the drain.

Shortly after, a …

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The magic of human connections

Unveiling the mental health crisis in health care [PODCAST]

The Podcast by KevinMD

Podcast

June 19, 2023

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Join us for a thought-provoking podcast episode as we dive into the critical topic of mental health and suicide among health care providers. Our guests, Jessica Singh, an experienced emergency physician, and Lorenzo Norris, a psychiatrist, provide …

Unlocking physician resilience: the mindfulness cure for health care burnout

Gail Gazelle, MD

Physician

June 19, 2023

An excerpt from Mindful MD: 6 Ways Mindfulness Restores Your Autonomy and Cures Healthcare Burnout.

For Mira, the inner chatter started when her alarm buzzed at 5:15 a.m.—and it was anything but calm and friendly. When she didn’t get out of bed to exercise: I’m such a slug. Why …

EHRs must do more to help combat climate change

Earl Stewart, Jr., MD

Policy

June 19, 2023

Each day, as an internal medicine specialist who practices primary care, I care for patients who are experiencing the brunt of climate change. These patients have various medical conditions due to different causes. However, it is evident that greenhouse gas emissions, air pollution, extreme weather, and heat-related illnesses are major contributors to the development and worsening of chronic medical conditions in the adult population. Electronic health record (EHR) systems are …

Advice for the hospitalist caring for a patient after delirium in the post-anesthesia care unit

Elizabeth Mahanna-Gabrielli, MD

Physician

June 19, 2023

You are called by the bedside nurse that your patient arrived on the floor from the post-anesthesia care unit (PACU). The nurse tells you that the patient was delirious and agitated after anesthesia, pulled out their IVs, and was sedated by the PACU team. They are …

From business trip to battling a rare breast disease: my journey of survival, advocacy, and remission

Tami Burdick

Conditions

June 19, 2023

I never envisioned a business trip could result in a diagnosis of a rare, under-practiced, poorly understood, and emerging chronic inflammatory breast disease affecting 2.4 women per 100,000 and growing. Two months after my return from that business trip, I started experiencing a multitude of symptoms, including breast pain. During a self-breast exam, I discovered a lump. Wasting no time, I called my primary care physician, who ordered both a …

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