Through a physician’s eyes: Living twice as long as your parent
Do you remember the exact moment in your life when you had that knowing feeling inside that drew you to your chosen career? My usual answer to that question occurred in October of 1973, at 7 years old in 3rd grade, when my teacher rolled out a life-size skeleton. I was mesmerized, hungry to learn much more about the human body. But if I am being honest with you, and …
The hidden cost of medical training: debt, depression, and despair
I imagined that medical school would be a challenging yet fulfilling journey—an opportunity to learn, grow, and ultimately make a difference as a physician or surgeon. We medical students dedicate over a decade of our lives, and many invest more than $200,000 (plus interest) for the honor of caring for patients. Yet, the surge of medical training-related memes and reels on social media captures our reality: “You have to laugh …
Why ADHD diagnosis in adults is often overlooked [PODCAST]
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Explore the complexities of adult ADHD with Muhamad Aly Rifai, a practicing internist and psychiatrist. This episode dives into the evolving understanding of ADHD as a lifelong disorder, the stigma surrounding diagnosis and …
Navigating a rare neurodegenerative disorder as mother and daughter
Before her diagnosis, my mom was extremely active and healthy. She loved bird watching, walking, and volunteering at her church and its school. So in 2013, when she began experiencing symptoms like incontinence and difficulties with walking, we knew that something wasn’t right.
We faced many potential explanations for my mom’s symptoms before receiving her diagnosis. I remember the doctors testing her for numerous diseases like diabetes and multiple sclerosis (MS), …
The potency of purpose: Merging corporate values with business success
“People don’t buy what you do; they buy why you do it. And what you do simply proves what you believe.”
– Simon Sinek.
Business is equated with money—dollars, profits, ledgers, etc. But there is much more to business than finances. At the end of the day, you don’t take profits or losses home—you take home values. You rake in integrity. You create a playground of ethics for people. There are certain …
How workplace civility can transform health care and save lives [PODCAST]
How innovative partnerships are transforming patient safety in health care
As health care leaders and providers, our ultimate mission is to provide safer care for all—but there’s a flaw in our system. Today, as many as 4 in 10 patients are harmed in primary and ambulatory health care settings, and up to 80 percent of this harm is avoidable. Patients should feel safe when they receive health care. Unfortunately, the pervasiveness of medical harm across all health care settings and …
The political crossroads shaping the future of medical training
As a training physician, the experience of navigating graduate medical education in today’s political landscape has introduced unprecedented adversity
Whether transitions in health policy or the continually evolving public perceptions of medicine as a field, trainees are now finding themselves at a unique crossroads where medicine, poignant societal issues, and personal morals intersect. While medicine is often influenced by policy of various forms, the current political climate, charged with intensely debated …
How payment models shape your doctor’s decisions [PODCAST]
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In this episode, family physician Jonathan Staloff and internal medicine physician Joseph H. Joo join us to discuss the challenges and opportunities in reshaping health care systems. Drawing from their book, Reshaping Health …
Medicare’s decision to stop telehealth coverage in 2025: an urgent call to action
Medicare is planning to stop coverage for telehealth in 2025—unless Congress acts by the end of 2024.
According to Medicare’s website:
Absent Congressional action, beginning January 1, 2025, the statutory limitations that were in place for Medicare telehealth services prior to the COVID-19 PHE will retake effect for most telehealth services.
This means most telehealth visits will not be covered by Medicare in 2025, unless Congress acts by the end of December 2024.
Congress …
The rise and fall of telepsychiatry
Telepsychiatry is a private audio (telephony) or video (video with sound) conference connection through which most psychiatric services can be provided to patients. I have been an early adopter and advocate for providing services, through telepsychiatry, to our patients who are experiencing mental health issues and psychiatric illnesses. The road leading to where we are right now in the field of telehealth has been treacherous and filled with regulatory landmines …
Christmas in a children’s hospital
In December, the questions parents ask in the hospital are different. Instead of “Will my child be OK?” we pediatric hospitalists hear:
“We have plane tickets to go skiing for Christmas. Will he be well by then?”
“She’ll be home for Christmas, right? We’ve never been away from home for Christmas.”
“It’s his first Christmas. He’ll be discharged by then, right?”
And every other variation you can think of. The hospital for Christmas is …
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Rethinking shift work: Why “job sharing” is the key to happier, healthier doctors
In the realm of shift-based health care, the term “job sharing” doesn’t technically exist—after all, shifts aren’t a single continuous job to split. Yet, still, a full-time workload is considered the norm, and the concept of dividing the workload among multiple physicians rather than relying on one overburdened individual feels revolutionary in a field where burnout is rampant.
For independent contractors, who often enjoy the flexibility to choose when and how …
Breaking the silence on physician burnout and suicide
KevinMD has been publishing multiple reports about the current widespread, deeply worrisome physician burnout and suicide phenomena. As a card-carrying epidemiologist, I have sought to categorize these reports into the three overarching factors we might see in any epidemic, namely: agent, host, and environment. If we were to use this conceptual framework for research, we could gain a better understanding of how much each of its various facets contributes to …
Extracorporeal CPR: the next evolution of cardiac arrest care [PODCAST]
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Join critical care physician Jon Marinaro as we explore the transformative potential of extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation (ECPR) in revolutionizing cardiac arrest outcomes. Discover why traditional CPR’s limitations demand a paradigm shift and how …
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The oxygen mask principle: a critical lesson in health care self-preservation
In the high-stakes world of health care, medical professionals are renowned for their selfless dedication to patient care. They work long hours, navigate complex medical challenges, and consistently prioritize the needs of others. Yet, within this culture of compassion, there exists a profound and often overlooked truth: to provide optimal care, health care workers must first care for themselves.
The oxygen mask principle, famously demonstrated during pre-flight safety instructions on commercial …
Beware of these talking points in medical malpractice litigation
A medical liability litigation industrial complex manipulates medical liability litigation with three talking points. As a result, 85,000 lawsuits are filed per year. Of these, 56,000 are summarily dropped; 28,000 are settled; 300 are plaintiff verdicts, and 700 are defense verdicts. The cost of health care is $60 billion per year, and the medical liability litigation industrial complex takes a chunk of the action. There is considerable uncertainty. Facilities close …
A framework to deliver higher-value care [PODCAST]
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Join us as we dive into the Healthcare Incentives Framework with internal medicine physician and health policy researcher Taylor J. Christensen. Discover how this innovative approach identifies barriers to high-value care and explores …
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Evaluating the performance of health care artificial intelligence (AI): the role of AUPRC, AUROC, and average precision
As artificial intelligence (AI) becomes more embedded in health care, the ability to accurately evaluate AI models is critical. In medical applications, where early diagnosis and anomaly detection are often key, selecting the right performance AI metrics can determine the clinical success or failure of AI tools. If a health care AI tool claims to predict disease risk or guide treatment options, it must be rigorously validated to ensure its …
Past Week
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The silent crisis hurting pain patients and their doctors
-
How the CDC’s opioid rules created a crisis for chronic pain patients
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How to build a culture where physicians feel valued [PODCAST]
-
From the other side of the table: a plea for empathy
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Why vaccine access still fails America’s most vulnerable groups
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ADHD isn’t one-size-fits-all: Why nuance in diagnosis matters
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Past 6 Months
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How trade wars could destroy the U.S. health care system
-
The hidden bias young female physicians face every day
-
How hospitals are quietly taking control of physicians
-
Cutting opioid use in half: a hospital’s pain management breakthrough
-
How to advocate for your transgender child’s health care
-
How the system hunts physicians who refuse to kneel
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Recent Posts
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Healers or criminals: the alarming trend of physician prosecution [PODCAST]
-
Teaching by humiliation is still crushing future doctors
-
A philosophical shift: the doctor’s journey into the role of patient
-
What happened to real care in health care?
-
When saving lives leads to losing your own
-
A surgeon’s startling ketamine experience [PODCAST]
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Past Week
-
The silent crisis hurting pain patients and their doctors
-
How the CDC’s opioid rules created a crisis for chronic pain patients
-
How to build a culture where physicians feel valued [PODCAST]
-
From the other side of the table: a plea for empathy
-
Why vaccine access still fails America’s most vulnerable groups
-
ADHD isn’t one-size-fits-all: Why nuance in diagnosis matters
-
Past 6 Months
-
How trade wars could destroy the U.S. health care system
-
The hidden bias young female physicians face every day
-
How hospitals are quietly taking control of physicians
-
Cutting opioid use in half: a hospital’s pain management breakthrough
-
How to advocate for your transgender child’s health care
-
How the system hunts physicians who refuse to kneel
-
Recent Posts
-
Healers or criminals: the alarming trend of physician prosecution [PODCAST]
-
Teaching by humiliation is still crushing future doctors
-
A philosophical shift: the doctor’s journey into the role of patient
-
What happened to real care in health care?
-
When saving lives leads to losing your own
-
A surgeon’s startling ketamine experience [PODCAST]
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