How the Medicare Prescription Payment Plan provides a practical solution to medication nonadherence
Starting January 1, 2025, the Medicare Prescription Payment Plan (MPPP) will give providers a powerful way to address one of the biggest barriers to effective care: cost-related medication nonadherence. With 54 million Medicare beneficiaries eligible, this program has the potential to improve adherence, reduce hospital readmissions, and ensure better health outcomes on a large scale. By helping patients access the program, providers can play a pivotal role in transforming patient …
Taking a break from medicine: a journey to rediscover joy and purpose
Dear medicine,
We need to take a break. I’ve finally realized that this relationship isn’t healthy for me—in fact, it’s borderline abusive. For a long time, I didn’t realize I was in an abusive relationship. We’re taught that it’s OK when patients curse at us, threaten us, and even sometimes physically assault us. Unfortunately, for many of us, medicine checks many of the boxes of abusive relationships.
Not realizing we’re in an …
Biomarkers: How to manage your body’s KPIs for longevity
Longevity can be a polarizing topic. For some of us, it conjures images of a grandparent’s final years, filled with chronic diseases and prolonged suffering. Understandably, we would not want any part of that.
However, longevity science is not only about extending lifespan but also healthspan — the period of life spent in good health, free from debilitating conditions. While medicine has not yet eradicated such age-related diseases, research shows that …
Overcoming social anxiety: insights into trauma, perfectionism, and therapy [PODCAST]
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We explore the complexities of social anxiety with renowned psychotherapist Jonathan Berent. We delve into two contrasting cases: a high-achieving physician facing performance anxiety and a young adult paralyzed by avoidance. Jonathan shares …
Why the U.S. health care system is failing patients—what every American should know
I’m a semi-retired cardiologist. I currently volunteer at a free community health clinic for individuals who do not have health insurance. Many of these individuals are undocumented foreign workers, yet we care for them seamlessly, without the restraints of our bureaucratic billing system and the burdens and restrictions promoted by the insurance industry.
As I age, to my chagrin and utter dismay, I have also unfortunately become a patient. I have …
Taglines, chief complaints, and the risk of losing the story
A fellow writer and I were having an online exchange. She said her painting was being interrupted by bursts of writing. She texted, “I’m writing about how storytelling is liberating itself from commerce, politics, religion, and emerging as medicine and culture.”
I asked if I could use her quote as my biographical tagline. On my LinkedIn profile I could say: “I write about how storytelling liberates us from commerce, politics, and …
Why a visit to my old school brought tears of nostalgia and gratitude
I visited my school after many years. I enrolled in first grade in 1998 at age five and graduated from FSc Pre-Medical (12th grade) in 2011. After that, I started medical school in 2012, and since then, I haven’t returned to my school.
It was one of those schools where skipping classes was simply not an option. The teachers were professional, dedicated, and sincere. Although it was a government school with …
How objective pain management can save lives and prevent addiction
The management of pain in clinical practice often involves navigating the critical tension between compassionate care and ensuring patient safety. While subjective self-reports of pain are essential for understanding a patient’s experience, relying solely on these assessments may risk overtreatment, leading to adverse outcomes. Incorporating objective measures can enhance safety and maintain clinical integrity without compromising compassion.
The role of objective measures in pain management
1. Promoting patient safety
- Preventing overmedication: Objective …
Strategies to reduce costly hospital readmissions and improve patient care [PODCAST]
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We explore the pressing issue of hospital readmissions and their significant impact on health outcomes and financial strain within the health care system. Our guest, health care executive Ahzam Afzal, shares insights into …
The hidden cost of neglecting self-care: the autoimmune connection
Imagine your immune system as a vigilant guardian suddenly turning against the body it’s meant to protect. This is the reality of autoimmune diseases—a group of complex conditions where the immune system mistakenly attacks healthy cells, leading to chronic illnesses like multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, and lupus.
A striking statistic reveals a sobering truth: 80 percent of autoimmune diseases occur in women, with an even more pronounced impact on Black women. …
Doctors must rethink “do no harm” to help children with long COVID
As medical students, we all take the Hippocratic oath—a pledge to help patients and, of course, not to cause harm in any treatments we provide. It is a core element in the care of our patients. We would never want to do anything that could make things worse. But is it that simple?
As medical diseases have become more and more complex, can we ethically say we will not offer a …
High tech should not replace high talk and high touch in health care
Though many of the dollar-driven decision makers within health care would have us believe otherwise, we can’t AI, blood tests, or high-tech image our way out of our current U.S. health care mess. I learned this from having spent 40 years as a board-certified emergency physician and 50+ years as a chronic autoimmune disease patient. We must overtly acknowledge that all three of the above are simply supplemental tools. They …
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Why failure should be part of every doctor’s story [PODCAST]
A medical malpractice lawsuit is just words: Actions speak louder than words
Data indicates that there are 85,000 malpractice lawsuits filed per year. This is the status quo.
What if the status quo is worse? There are other data showing that 85,000 is only the number of lawsuits represented by lawyers. There are 3.065 million additional claims that lawyers do not represent. The total could be 3.15 million. Plaintiff lawyers agree that, for every 37 cases that cross their desks, 36 are summarily …
From burnout to breakthrough: Why treating yourself like a patient could save your medical career
I started my career in medicine with the same noble intentions that many physicians share—to help and care for people. But like so many of my colleagues, I quickly found myself consumed by a broken system.
Three years into my medical career, I was an overwhelmed family doctor in a small town, juggling urgent care, inpatient care, and seeing 40 patients a day—spending the typical average of just seven minutes with …
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Harnessing the power of AI to improve prostate cancer outcomes
It’s important to highlight the significant progress being made to improve outcomes for men facing health challenges. Efforts to transform men’s health focus on advancing awareness and reshaping how conditions such as prostate cancer are understood and treated.
Globally, prostate cancer remains one of the most significant health challenges faced by men. Fortunately, advancements in data science are offering promising solutions to improve outcomes. While traditional methods of tracking prostate cancer …
How the Olympic spirit can transform diabetes care [PODCAST]
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Join us as we sit down with Gary Marc Rothenberg, a podiatrist, to explore the unique connections between Olympic-level perseverance and the day-to-day challenges of chronic disease management, specifically diabetes. We discuss how …
Perspective-taking in medicine: an important tool for educators to remember
I wrote an opinion piece, as a graduating medical student, in KevinMD a little over six years ago, expressing the importance of supporting medical students through confidence and encouragement. As a pediatric attending now, with my own trainees, I continue to support this “ask,” but I would love to add to it and give it a different perspective.
I recently realized that I have been feeling quite far removed from …
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How a no-internet vacation transformed my life and career
The vacation had been planned for months. With laptop in hand, I headed to my happy place… my favorite place in the sun. I was excited to check some things off my to-do list while enjoying the sun, the beach, and the breeze.
But things didn’t go as planned. For the next ten days, the internet service was out. Despite my daily calls to the service provider, hoping for a fix, …
Past Week
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Pope Francis dies at 88. What his care reveals about America’s failing hospitals.
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Learning to trust your body again: Healing the hidden wounds of medical training
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What a doctor felt when his neighbor was shot
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Reuniting with a colleague reminded me why I love being a doctor
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The altar of equity: a cautionary tale from the temple of healing
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Fitness, mindset, and nutrition: Unlocking longevity after 60 [PODCAST]
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Past 6 Months
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How trade wars could destroy the U.S. health care system
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How hospitals are quietly taking control of physicians
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The silent crisis hurting pain patients and their doctors
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What happened to real care in health care?
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Doctors don’t need yoga, they need time to smoke
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How the system hunts physicians who refuse to kneel
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Recent Posts
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Learning to trust your body again: Healing the hidden wounds of medical training
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Love, empathy, and the triangle of exhaustion: Why humanity must come first
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How smartphones are stealing your focus—and what you can do about it
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Practical advice for physicians seeking joy and well-being [PODCAST]
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Unleashing the kraken: What The Pitt gets wrong about psychiatric care
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Why every physician needs business skills to thrive
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Past Week
-
Pope Francis dies at 88. What his care reveals about America’s failing hospitals.
-
Learning to trust your body again: Healing the hidden wounds of medical training
-
What a doctor felt when his neighbor was shot
-
Reuniting with a colleague reminded me why I love being a doctor
-
The altar of equity: a cautionary tale from the temple of healing
-
Fitness, mindset, and nutrition: Unlocking longevity after 60 [PODCAST]
-
Past 6 Months
-
How trade wars could destroy the U.S. health care system
-
How hospitals are quietly taking control of physicians
-
The silent crisis hurting pain patients and their doctors
-
What happened to real care in health care?
-
Doctors don’t need yoga, they need time to smoke
-
How the system hunts physicians who refuse to kneel
-
Recent Posts
-
Learning to trust your body again: Healing the hidden wounds of medical training
-
Love, empathy, and the triangle of exhaustion: Why humanity must come first
-
How smartphones are stealing your focus—and what you can do about it
-
Practical advice for physicians seeking joy and well-being [PODCAST]
-
Unleashing the kraken: What The Pitt gets wrong about psychiatric care
-
Why every physician needs business skills to thrive
-
