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How early intervention can transform a child’s speech development

Conditions

August 1, 2023

The American Academy of Pediatrics’ recent decision to move away from the “wait and see” philosophy to a more proactive intervention when dealing with childhood obesity got me reflecting on how “wait and see” is still used in many other aspects of children’s development.

As a speech therapist and a mother of a child who was at risk for developmental delays, I had personal experience with this approach. My son …

How dementia and COVID-19 robbed the baby doll of love

Robert Killeen, MD

Conditions

August 1, 2023

When I started visiting patients in nursing homes, a good many of them had some degree of dementia. In its earliest form, a person with dementia could recall what they were doing when they found out about 9/11, or when Kennedy was shot, or when Pearl Harbor was bombed in the Second World War. However, they couldn’t recall their most recent …

Orthopedists’ role in gender diverse athletes’ care

Alicia Jacobson

Education

August 1, 2023

Ask Alex what cuddly toy they slept with as a child, and you’ll discover that it was a soccer ball – real, not plush. This was by choice; they assure me. We sit at a small corner table in a local coffee shop in Ann Arbor, MI. With exposed brick walls, mix-and-match seating, and the latest pride flag in the window, it’s no wonder that two queer millennials choose this …

Health care workers under attack [PODCAST]

The Podcast by KevinMD

Podcast

July 31, 2023

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Join Harry Severance, an emergency physician, as we explore the factors contributing to this issue, including the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the demonization of health care workers. Discover the alarming statistics and consequences presented by …

Patients aging with HIV: What role can doctors play?

George Kerr, III

Conditions

July 31, 2023

As a member of the Washington D.C. Center for AIDS Research, I’ve been deeply grateful to see how medications such as PrEP are significantly reducing the toll of HIV. Additionally, we have made great strides with limiting the transmission of HIV. A plethora of research has proven that if HIV is undetectable in your system, it cannot be spread to others. This is known as “U …

Harnessing the power of code interpreters in health care: a look at ChatGPT’s new feature and HIPAA compliance

Harvey Castro, MD, MBA

Tech

July 31, 2023

In the rapidly evolving health care landscape, artificial intelligence (AI) is making significant strides, transforming how we approach patient care, medical research, and health care operations. One such advancement is the introduction of code interpreters in AI systems, such as the one recently introduced in ChatGPT. This powerful feature opens up many …

Bitcoin investment for doctors: risks, rewards, and the necessity of diversification

Noah Kaufman, MD

Finance

July 31, 2023

As the world becomes increasingly digitized and economic realities continually shift, there has been a growing conversation among medical professionals regarding investing, particularly in digital assets like Bitcoin. The appeal of Bitcoin is substantial, especially in an era marked by high inflation rates. Bitcoin is the first “programmed” money that relies on math and code. It has an open public and simple code and has never been hacked. This is …

How unproven orthopedic treatments impact health care costs

James Francis Marino, MD

Physician

July 31, 2023

I am a clinically retired orthopedist who completed my residency training in the mid-80s. I trained at a university residency program with faculty who were both forward-thinking and innovative, yet always grounded in evidence-based medicine. It was understood that many traditional concepts in orthopedic surgical care had not been challenged and lacked convincing clinical data to justify their continued advocacy. Examples included post-operative immobilization, avoidance of internal fixation in the …

Adolescent medicine at risk [PODCAST]

The Podcast by KevinMD

Podcast

July 30, 2023

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Join Meredithe McNamara, a pediatrician and adolescent medicine specialist, in discussing the challenges adolescent medicine physicians face due to the current political climate. We explore the impact of unfilled pediatrics residency spots and the importance of their …

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Adolescent medicine at risk [PODCAST]

Ensuring fair reimbursement for emergency procedures

Deepak Gupta, MD and Shushovan Chakrabortty, MD

Physician

July 30, 2023

The applicability of add-on payment/reimbursement qualifiers/modifiers for emergency procedures should not be limited to patients’ emergency conditions alone. They should also be applicable to situations where arrangements are made for procedures outside regular office hours or on weekends. This includes cases where proceduralists choose to schedule procedures during after-hours or patients choose to have procedures during these times. Additionally, these qualifiers/modifiers should apply to proceduralists who work during after-hours or …

Is it time to shorten medical education in the U.S.?

Amol Saxena, DPM, MPH

Education

July 30, 2023

Shortening U.S. medical education can significantly improve U.S. population health. As patients and stakeholders of U.S. health care, we are at crisis levels. There are not enough primary care doctors for the U.S. population — a basic human need for health and safety — which creates inequities. Peer-reviewed medical literature and mainstream media both document the highest burnout rates are in primary care and ER doctors, especially since the pandemic, …

Inside the world of family medicine: a patient’s eye-opening account

Michele Luckenbaugh

Conditions

July 30, 2023

Today’s health care system is in a state of drastic flux. Gone are the days of private practice family doctors, the “Marcus Welby, MDs,” who stood ever-ready to heal the sick and comfort the disillusioned. They were the sole decision-makers in the care of their patients and had the welfare of their patients at the forefront. Now, the corporate blanket has fallen upon the field of medicine, oftentimes blurring the …

How to protect your epithelial barriers and improve your health [PODCAST]

The Podcast by KevinMD

Podcast

July 29, 2023

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Join Kara Wada, an adult and pediatric allergy, immunology, and lifestyle medicine physician, as we discuss the epithelial barrier hypothesis. What is the epithelial barrier hypothesis? What are some of the diseases that have been linked to …

Health misinformation’s deadly impact

Neha Gour

Policy

July 29, 2023

Turning into vegetarians can cure COVID-19, birth control pills cause abortions, or eating ginger is 10,000 times more effective than chemotherapy at curing cancer were some casually trending health misinformation in the past year. But what is health misinformation, and why is it a serious public health concern?

Health misinformation refers to health-related information that is false, unverified, and lacking scientific evidence. It poses a significant threat to public health as …

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Health misinformation’s deadly impact

How a teenager with seizures became the face of trauma-informed care

Wendy L. Hunter, MD

Conditions

July 29, 2023

A teenage girl was found alone, having a seizure on a bench outside our clinic’s front door. She had never been inside our clinic, but it was our fault she was seizing.

The office manager from the dentist’s office upstairs found the girl as she returned from lunch. Not knowing what to do, she opened our clinic door and called for help. Our front office staff summoned the doctors from our …

Ensuring accurate blood pressure measurement [PODCAST]

The Podcast by KevinMD

Podcast

July 28, 2023

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We talk with Jordana Cohen, an internal medicine physician, about the importance of accurate blood pressure measurement. With the rise of telehealth and at-home monitoring, ensuring reliable readings is crucial. Jordana discusses concerns regarding device accuracy and …

Youth vs. experience: Who wins in medicine?

Paul Pender, MD

Physician

July 28, 2023

Harvard researchers who recently wrote an essay analyzed data from Medicare to draw conclusions about hospitalists and surgeons who treat hospital in-patients for non-elective admissions. The researchers grouped the physicians by age to determine which groups performed better. The yardstick by which they were measured was mortality within 30 days of admission. The sample size was significant—over 700,000 Medicare patients, all over 65 years of age. What they found were …

The transitional year: a must-have preliminary for GME

Deepak Gupta, MD and Sarwan Kumar, MD

Physician

July 28, 2023

The debate surrounding graduate medical education (GME) revolves around whether one should dedicate themselves to their current residency or focus on future fellowship opportunities. This confusion becomes more pronounced after completing fellowship programs, especially in inpatient settings, where specialists consult with generalists who have completed residency programs and obtained board certification without pursuing further specialization.

The fundamental question is whether generalists should be regarded and treated as specialists. Looking towards the …

The wisdom of words: Thank God it’s Friday!

Diana Londoño, MD

Physician

July 28, 2023

“Thank God it’s Friday.”

So many of us say it often. This resonates with many, as there is even a restaurant franchise with that name that has $2.5 billion in sales. Clearly, they are tapping into something that echoes what many think (even if they have what feels like a 73-page menu which, on Fridays when you are especially tired, can seem overwhelming, but I digress).

However, if we dig a little …

When work becomes an escape for physicians [PODCAST]

The Podcast by KevinMD

Podcast

July 27, 2023

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Join Scott Abramson, a neurologist, as we delve into the complex interplay between work and home life for physicians. Scott shares his personal experiences and reflections on how challenging periods in his family and personal life led …

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