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Common open enrollment considerations for doctors

Finance

November 15, 2022

Similar to most financial topics, benefit elections are not a one-size-fits-all recommendation. Open enrollment occurs at the end of each year and remains open for a month and a half. During this time, you can sign up for health insurance, flexible spending accounts (FSA) for health care and/or dependent care, health savings accounts (HSA), retirement plans, as well as other benefits. Be aware that employers often use the open enrollment …

Preparing for fall and winter: Importance of COVID-19 vaccination during the flu season [PODCAST]

The Podcast by KevinMD

Podcast

November 15, 2022

This article is sponsored by Novavax.

In this special sponsored episode. I’m joined by Dr. Filip Dubovsky, chief medical officer at Novavax, to discuss topics like COVID-19 and influenza in the fall and winter seasons, the importance of education to understand your vaccine …

Be a shining example for your weight loss patients

Heather Awad, MD

Conditions

November 15, 2022

How can you be an example of what’s possible for your patients on their weight loss journey? I got this question recently in a doctor’s social media group I like. The answer is simpler than you think. As their doctor, you aspire to perfection in your medical care for them, but you can be an example of what’s possible in weight loss as a plain regular human being. Sharing …

Why does it take 10 years to diagnose this common disease?

Christopher Sayed, MD

Conditions

November 15, 2022

Every day, patients with the same story walk into my office. Young people in their teens, 20s or 30s are exasperated and seeking help for constant painful boils that drain the pus in underarms, groin, and around breasts — a condition called hidradenitis suppurativa (HS). This disease often makes their lives a nightmare. Despite being a more common condition than once thought, many patients see providers for 7 to 10 …

Keeping rural hospitals in the game [PODCAST]

The Podcast by KevinMD

Podcast

November 14, 2022

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“Without a strong rural health care system, our nation’s ability to expand and contract with surges in demand will become very limited. When hospitals work together, they can better ensure that no community is left without a …

The environmental impact of the diabetes epidemic

Dr. Syeda Fatima Murtaza, Ali R. Chaitou, MD, and Dr. Jobby John

Conditions

November 14, 2022

The superior doctor prevents sickness. The mediocre doctor attends to impending sickness. The inferior doctor treats actual sickness.”
– Chinese Proverb

The management of diabetes today requires an understanding of the concept of the circular economy in eliminating waste and pollution, circulating products and materials at their highest level, and regenerating nature.

Today, we saw a 64-year-old woman for her follow-up visit to the diabetes clinic. She is our typical Oklahoma patient with …

If growing a hospital pediatric program was only this easy

David Epstein, MD

Physician

November 14, 2022

The goal of making a hospital pediatric program a greater presence in the community hinges upon two areas, building community and alliance with local pediatricians and creating more visibility in the public arena. Both are not mutually exclusive, and each affects the other. The goal is to create a positive experience for both areas that will enhance each individually as they connect with one another.

Unfortunately, if not done correctly, negative …

Physicians are only good for 90 days

Aaron Morgenstein, MD & Victoria Brown, MD

Physician

November 14, 2022

“Nothing is certain except death and taxes.”

Physicians are commonly offered one, two, and three-year employment contracts that appear ironclad and have automatic renewal clauses. The length of these contracts encourages us to believe we can confidently make major financial decisions based on expected income. Moreover, we want to believe that enduring years of training and oppressive loans have finally resulted in financial success. So, we read contracts hoping these agreements …

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Physicians are only good for 90 days

Urging patience with patient self-advocacy [PODCAST]

The Podcast by KevinMD

Podcast

November 13, 2022

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“I have come to appreciate why doctors find self-directed patients challenging, if not downright difficult. I wish all docs would engage with us, hear us out, and offer an explanation and further discussion when they disagree. The …

The powerful role of administrative leaders in high-value primary care

Sara Pastoor, MD

Physician

November 13, 2022

The market for health administrators in the U.S. is projected to grow 28 percent from 2021 to 2031, growing more rapidly than the average for all other occupations.

Traditionally, those in health administration work in hospitals, large health systems, health plan organizations, and consulting firms. However, health administration has the potential to contribute value to every component of the U.S. health care …

Investing today in early-career physicians’ unique needs fuels tomorrow’s health care leaders

Muhammad A. Farooq Anwar, MD, MBA

Physician

November 13, 2022

A guest column by the American Society of Anesthesiologists, exclusive to KevinMD.com.

My physician grandfather believed medicine was the noblest profession, a career that combined making an honest living with a meaningful difference. Inspired by his passion, I followed in his footsteps, believing I was on the path to a lucrative life of helping people in need.

The reality has …

Negotiating a raise with the right compensation data

Kyle Claussen, JD

Policy

November 13, 2022

As a physician, do you know the average salary for your specialty and location? What about the average signing or relocation bonus? If you don’t know or are unsure of how to get that information, you are not alone.

In a society where most employees hesitate to openly share compensation numbers, it can be difficult to determine what you should be earning, physician or otherwise. Unfortunately, employers benefit much more from …

Health care is upside down [PODCAST]

The Podcast by KevinMD

Podcast

November 12, 2022

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

“With regard to health care in the USA, the quote from Dickens is twice correct. We are in the best of times for knowledge, capability, and potential. We also are in the worst of times with regard …

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Health care is upside down [PODCAST]

How templates can make you a better doctor

Charles Tanguay, MD

Physician

November 12, 2022

“If it ain’t written down, it didn’t happen.”

We’ve heard that before. And it’s so true. Good medical documentation is essential because it reflects your clinical thought process. Your notes are crucial for continuing care, ensuring you are compliant with billing, and protecting you in case of a lawsuit. Your notes are the expression of your digital identity as a physician.

When I started using templates many years ago, the most obvious …

Advice from a pediatrician during the viral surge

Alexander Rakowsky, MD

Conditions

November 12, 2022

As is the case throughout the country, central Ohio is in the midst of a viral surge with an unusually high number of ill children for this time of the year, leading to long delays in our urgent cares and emergency departments, in our primary care offices, and with over capacity inpatient units. It’s an extremely busy time for all of us and honestly makes for tiring and stressful days. …

Why physicians should go on a retreat

Wendy Schofer, MD

Physician

November 12, 2022

Have you ever gone on a retreat?

I’m not talking about the Scouts of America kind, and I’m not talking about the one day the residents took off training to do team-building exercises and trust walks. Nope, family vacations do not count, as we all know that we need a vacation from our vacation when we get home.

Have you ever just gone away, disconnected from everything else, and connected to yourself?

Does …

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Why physicians should go on a retreat

Addressing pain in patient experience surveys [PODCAST]

The Podcast by KevinMD

Podcast

November 11, 2022

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

“Yes, the opioid crisis in this country has caused a reckoning in the medical field about how to treat patient pain. Ignoring the pain will not make it go away.

Options are available beyond opioids, and policymakers and …

Dementia peels back the layers of our lives

Karen Hendrickson

Conditions

November 11, 2022

When you begin to pay close attention, you notice how what used to be so easy becomes complicated. When you step back and watch things unfold in front of you, you realize that what once was enough is simply too much. Dementia peels back the layers of our lives, and you begin to understand that less becomes more in the world of dementia.

The signs were there for a long time. …

Better guidelines that consider breast density are critical for women’s health

Veronica Irvin, PhD, MPH

Conditions

November 11, 2022

October 27th is the 30th anniversary of the Mammography Quality Standards Act (MQSA). Congress enacted this law to safeguard nationwide access to quality mammography to detect breast cancer in its earliest, most treatable stages. With this Act, the federal government accredits, inspects, and certifies mammography facilities and standardizes mammography equipment, quality assurance, recordkeeping, and communication of results.

What’s missing from the …

How to swallow a pill

Susan J. Baumgaertel, MD

Meds

November 11, 2022

You’ve been swallowing things your entire life: breast milk (or formula), food––maybe a marble or small Lego. But did you know that swallowing pills is different?

Let’s start with how not to swallow a pill.

Sorry, but Bruce Willis in all five Die Hard movies is incorrect. You don’t just take a small handful of aspirin, toss them into your mouth, and jerk your head back while swallowing.

Not to mention, if you have …

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How to swallow a pill