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Medical reparations are long overdue in medicine

Policy

July 5, 2023

The Philadelphia Inquirer has been covering health inequities and potential remedial solutions for years. One recent story described how a new policy requires that patients’ kidney function be estimated without taking their race into account, highlighting the case of a Black woman whose kidney transplant was delayed five years because the medical center relied on an outdated race-based formula to determine her kidney function, …

Taking charge of your future by taking charge of medical malpractice suits

Howard Smith, MD

Physician

July 5, 2023

Attention all doctors: You can be dismissed from a medical malpractice lawsuit and, at the same time, save 30% on the cost of your medical malpractice premiums per year.

Just as no physician is immune from a complication, none are immune from a resulting malpractice lawsuit. As of now, you stand a 5% chance each year of a medical malpractice lawsuit that has a 70% chance of being frivolous. A 70% …

Unmasking OCD: Separating fact from fiction [PODCAST]

The Podcast by KevinMD

Podcast

July 4, 2023

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

Join us for an episode with guest Brandi Lawless, an associate professor of communications, as we delve into the misconceptions and realities of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Through her personal journey and expertise, Brandi challenges the …

Philadelphia’s devastating gun violence epidemic: a wake-up call for action

Lauren Burgoon, MD

Policy

July 4, 2023

It’s become my morning ritual on the way to the hospital. Cruising down a main Philadelphia stretch, just as the road crests and the hospital becomes visible, I steel myself for the line. Is it going to be long today? In just a few more blocks, my second reflexive check-in: Are there news vans outside of the hospital?

Both glances are woven into the larger story of Philadelphia’s gun violence epidemic …

It is time for the FDA to re-evaluate metrics for weight loss drugs

Tatum R. Dam, Diana A. Hla, Aditya Narayan, and Ank A. Agarwal

Meds

July 4, 2023

Between 2013 and 2016, 49.1 percent of U.S. adults surveyed had attempted to lose weight within the last 12 months. Weight loss medications have reached the public eye in popular culture and practice. To be considered effective in a clinical trial by the FDA, the drug candidate must demonstrate a statistically significant difference in mean weight loss between the active product and placebo-treated group of at least five …

C. difficile: a dangerous bug takes hold in communities

Larry K. Kociolek, MD

Conditions

July 4, 2023

Carol Raye’s devastating Clostridioides difficile (C. difficile) experience started with what she thought was a stomach bug after a dental visit. She took the antibiotics prescribed by her dentist and thought a weekend of rest would make her feel better. Soon, she was debilitated by the severe diarrhea from a C. difficile infection that left her weak, confused and barely able to get out of bed. Fortunately, she made it …

Navigating youth mental health [PODCAST]

The Podcast by KevinMD

Podcast

July 3, 2023

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

Join us for an insightful podcast episode with guest Eliza Humphreys, a pediatrician and certified life coach, as we explore the challenges faced by young teens and their families in navigating mental health issues. Through a poignant …

Unveiling the ever-evolving truth: a transformative journey beyond boundaries

Osmund Agbo, MD

Physician

July 3, 2023

Not too long ago, I found myself immersed in a profoundly thought-provoking encounter that ignited a cascade of reflections on the intricate interplay between truth, faith, and the essence of what we hold dear as our ultimate truth.

It was a casual evening spent with a group of friends, a mix of familiar faces, and some new acquaintances. Our host, a genuinely compassionate man, had inadvertently sparked an impassioned conversation on …

Fourth of July daredevil fireworks mishap: a tragic tale of loss and redemption

Debbie Moore-Black, RN

Conditions

July 3, 2023

Jason had always cherished the Fourth of July—it was his moment to shine. At 19 years old, he saw himself as a real man, a car mechanic who garnered the attention and admiration of the ladies. With a fit and muscular physique, he relished his workouts and delighted in showcasing his daredevil spirit.

The day was marked by a grand cookout, where Jason reunited with his high school friends. The smoky …

Triathlete defies odds, qualifies for world championship after grueling half Ironman race

Dinesh Arab, MD

Physician

July 3, 2023

Rick Taylor was swimming the race of his life. The Virginia half-Ironman (70.3 miles) was underway, and Rick swam the 1.2-mile course in the Carvin Cove Reservoir in 30 minutes and 43 seconds, coming out of the water first in his age group at a blistering pace of 1 minute and 35 seconds per 100 m (1.36/100 m). What was more incredible was that his heart rate through that effort …

Unmasking physician burnout: a survivor’s story and solutions for a healthy medical profession

William Lynes, MD

Physician

July 3, 2023

I am a physician, a urologist, but what most people don’t know about me is that I am a survivor of mental illness, physician burnout, and multiple suicide attempts. Today, I write about the condition of the medical profession, its problem with burnout, and its solutions.

I began practicing general urology in 1987. My subsequent life as a physician can be divided into two very different eras. In the first era, …

A urologist’s reflection on suicide and emotional anguish [PODCAST]

The Podcast by KevinMD

Podcast

July 2, 2023

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

Join us for a thought-provoking podcast episode with guest William Lynes, a urologist, as we delve into the depths of a poignant message that left a lasting impact. Explore the story of Mr. G, a patient who …

Inspiring lessons from WWII veterans and the intensity of the medical field

Johnathan Yao, MD, MPH

Physician

July 2, 2023

On some of my night rotations during intern year, I found myself watching WWII documentaries and movies. The patients at the VA medical center had stuck with me with their stories and their attitudes. My experiences at the VA motivated me to learn more about my patients’ lives, who had served our country. As I watched some of these movies, I noticed parallels between my life and those of the …

Key factors for complete, easy, and fair payments

Deepak Gupta, MD

Physician

July 2, 2023

Both privileged and marginalized payers should reflect on the completeness, difficulty, and straightforwardness of procedures, processes, and payments.

When it comes to procedures that are reimbursed at reduced rates due to their incomplete nature, it is important to consider the reasons behind the failure to complete them. Were the factors patient-related, provider-related, or related to the location? Were there issues with the preparation for the procedures themselves? Furthermore, if the failure …

How direct primary care saved my career and my life

Andrea Wadley, MD

Physician

July 2, 2023

In late 2017, I was standing in the hallway between two different departments in a hospital where I was rounding on a particularly busy day. As a hospitalist, I was very familiar with this facility and where to go in order to find a moment of peace away from the hustle and bustle of my workday.

As I held the stack of rounding sheets in my hand, I had a fleeting …

Debunking myths about automated red blood cell exchange [PODCAST]

The Podcast by KevinMD

Podcast

July 1, 2023

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

Join us in this insightful podcast episode as we debunk common misconceptions surrounding automated red blood cell exchange (RBCX) therapy. Our guest, Carly Newton, a registered nurse specializing in apheresis treatments, will share her expertise and shed …

Unveiling the emotional toll: a resident physician’s journey through pediatric loss

Shouli Tung, MD

Physician

July 1, 2023

We take care of the living, and remember those who passed, what they taught us, and how they touched us.” These were some of the words my parents said to me after I called them, sobbing in tears, that my patient had passed away. She was only eight years old. To most of her doctors, she was the patient with retinoblastoma that had metastasized to her liver, causing her to …

Let’s rethink letters of recommendation

Heather Furnas, MD

Physician

July 1, 2023

Letters of recommendation help open gates to university admissions, jobs, and scholarships. Now that more colleges are ditching SAT/ACT requirements and medical schools are grading pass/fail, these letters will likely rise in importance. As a decision-maker myself, I rely on a letter writer’s personal judgment in vouching for (or not mentioning) an applicant’s work ethic, experience, and character.

At least I did—until the subject of one of my own letters …

Read more…

Let’s rethink letters of recommendation

Embracing compassion: a physician’s journey in overcoming prejudice

Tyler Jorgensen, MD

Physician

July 1, 2023

During my fellowship in palliative medicine, I have learned the value of home visits. I learn more about my patients’ lives in two minutes of seeing their homes than I could in a lifetime of clinic visits. During home visits, I get to pet dogs, touch quilts, study photos, and admire charming heirlooms that would fetch only a few dollars in a garage sale, but that in these homes are …

Everything the government thinks it knows about the opioid crisis is wrong

Richard A. Lawhern, PhD

Conditions

July 1, 2023

“In July 2015, journalist Johann Hari gave a TED Talk that over 20 million people have since viewed. Hari offered convincing evidence that vulnerability to opioid addiction is a consequence of the conditions under which people live — the social determinants of health — rather than simple exposure to opioid pain relievers. This theme is brilliantly elaborated by economist Anne Case and Nobel Prize winner Angus Deaton …

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