Why is the government so scared of directly negotiating drug prices?

Meds
August 29, 2020

President Trump recently signed two executive orders directly related to prescription drug prices in the U.S.

One order would allow the “reimportation” of prescription drugs from Canada. This longstanding idea would allow U.S. pharmacies and drug wholesalers the ability to pay generally much lower prices for their prescription drugs by getting them from Canadian suppliers who benefit from government management of the system. Many consumers have been buying direct from Canadian …

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The impact of COVID-19 on human kindness

Physician
August 29, 2020

Human kindness is a trait that, though inherent within our genetic make-up, can also be a learned behavior.

The absence of human kindness is blatantly visible to others when a lack of compassion and/or empathy permeates within an interaction with another human being.

As our daily life responsibilities continue at a steady state: mundane things such as paying bills, holding down a job and successfully interacting with co-workers, our ability to respond …

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AI-powered, digital voice assistants in the exam room [PODCAST]

Podcast
August 28, 2020
YouTube video

“Building great tech for doctors is no different from ventilator technology. In some scenarios, you will want to talk to the EMR like you talk to Siri, rather than poring over a screen littered with boxes and lists. In other cases, you will want elegant graphs intuitively laid out to show how your ICU patient is progressing. Other solutions will go …

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How to be a transformational, supportive leader during COVID-19

Conditions
August 28, 2020

The behavior of managers and supervisors in organizations affects the mental health of their employees. This is especially true during times of uncertainty, such as a global pandemic.

Does a leader’s health and well-being change how they lead?

Early evidence shows that when leaders are experiencing challenging conditions, they are more likely to become resource depleted and exhibit negative behaviors, such as passive leadership or abusive …

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How COVID-19 impacts rural America [PODCAST]

Podcast
August 27, 2020
YouTube video

“We all knew this pandemic was going to change how we practiced medicine, but I, personally, was not prepared for how much it would challenge the ‘work-life balance’ that I have spent years carefully maneuvering. Female physicians are often hesitant to express individual needs for fear of being viewed as “weak.” I’m finding freedom in removing the stigma of weakness and …

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Physician personal development and growth [PODCAST]

Podcast
August 26, 2020
YouTube video

“COVID-19 has given all of us the opportunity to live in extremely challenging times. We can choose to run away from this challenge or decide to acknowledge it as part of our journey to grow and transform. So, will you face your habitual reactions, biases, and unpleasant emotions and turn these COVID-19 related challenges into opportunities for personal development and growth?

It’s …

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An alternative to the current model of primary care

Physician
August 26, 2020

What does a primary care visit look like from the patient’s point of view? I often wonder this myself, as a resident physician currently seeing patients at an FQHC in Austin, Texas. A brief look at the process reveals an often tumultuous ordeal for patients and providers alike.  Consider the following steps: Finding an available appointment day and time in an overbooked schedule, requesting time off from work in order …

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How a physician can learn to be an expert witness

Finance
August 26, 2020

When I was a full-time partner in a large radiology practice, I worked days, nights, evenings, and weekends without control over my schedule. Doing the laundry, I washed days’ worth of my children’s outfits that I never saw them wear. I saw them in PJs in the morning before I left for work, kissed their warm cheeks goodbye, and saw them again at night when I got home after dinnertime …

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Challenges female physicians face in medicine and the strength of vulnerability [PODCAST]

Podcast
August 25, 2020
YouTube video

“I know I am not alone in my thoughts; I am just echoing sentiments of other female physicians. We are mothers, wives, patient advocates, and educators. And we’re all suddenly finding ourselves in unchartered waters. In weathering this pandemic, I’ve taken time to reflect. I wish I could say I emerged from this introspection having conquered all my fears. Instead, I …

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The importance of holding space

Physician
August 24, 2020

Today I wanted to talk about a concept that is very near and dear to my heart: Holding space.

Have you ever heard of it? Do you know how to describe it?

I will first start with the definition and then give you an example.

Holding space means being physically, mentally, and emotionally present for someone. It means putting your focus on someone to support them as they feel their feelings. An important …

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Remembering Kobe Bryant and what basketball can teach us in medicine [PODCAST]

Podcast
August 24, 2020
YouTube video

“Through my coaching of girl’s basketball in California’s Central Valley, my daughter and I were fortunate enough to know Kobe as a mentor and coach, and a person who inspired my daughter to be the best through hard work, dedication, and passion. While Kobe will live on as one of the game’s greatest athletes, he wanted to be remembered for much …

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Now is not the time for medical students to be spectators [PODCAST]

Podcast
August 23, 2020
YouTube video

“It is time to stop being spectators. We are at a critical turning point in our fight against this disease, and our actions now will determine whether we stay on the sidelines, or put an effective end to the scourge of the disease.  If we want to avoid a deadlier and costlier battle for the years to come, students, and the …

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Why physician advocacy is so important [PODCAST]

Podcast
August 22, 2020
YouTube video

“We need to stay healthy for our patients, but also for ourselves and our families. We need to mobilize the faction not just with regard to this pandemic, but by anticipating the arrival of others. So how do we advocate for ourselves? A great way to start is continuing our conversations amongst our colleagues and sharing experiences, looking to local businesses …

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A medical student’s experience at an urban free clinic

Education
August 22, 2020

During my first year of medical school, a professor in my clinical skills course shared a timeless adage in medicine: “If you listen closely enough to the patient, they will tell you the diagnosis.” I accepted this statement as a fact of medicine – if I could develop astute history taking skills in my first year, this skill would serve me well throughout my medical training. However, when I volunteered …

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What can residents do to prepare for hospital closings?

Physician
August 22, 2020

“We are transitioning.” In July of my intern year, this was the sentence that the CEO of our community hospital used to tell the staff that the hospital was closing its inpatient services. The emotions that traversed my mind were quite vast, to say the least. Anger was undeniably at the top of the list, but mostly directed at myself.

Initially, I thought medical school definitely did not prepare me for this. …

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Pediatric practices face financial strain [PODCAST]

Podcast
August 21, 2020
YouTube video

“Physicians are trained to do what is best for their patients and to do no harm. Independent practices have sat quietly watching, feeling hopeless as our communities cannot access the care they need, shamefully shutting our doors to spend hours on the phone with insurers.  But no more.  We can no longer remain quiet: Our pediatric patients may not be suffering …

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Do patients addicted to drugs truly have capacity? [PODCAST]

Podcast
August 20, 2020
YouTube video

“We care for patients suffering from addictions every shift and are often the only care providers they can turn to. Despite our best efforts, we are often forced to watch as these patients continually succumb to their addiction, sacrificing their bodies as collateral damage in the battle.

What frustrates me the most is that every time one of these patients leaves against …

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Stop trying to impress your family by spending money and start impressing them by spending time

Finance
August 20, 2020

I have been reading alarming tales of doctors who think they can buy their way into the hearts of their spouse and kids on the weekend to make up for not being there during the week. The reality is your kids don’t need your money; they need you to spend time with them. Quality time is needed at work; quantity time is needed at home.

Buying a vacation home to use …

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How masks are like your underwear

Physician
August 20, 2020

1. Both masks and underwear exist to contain badness. Neither works 100 percent, but they’ll curb the worst of the spill.
2. Don’t borrow someone else’s, no matter how cool they look.
3. Keep them on around strangers, unless you’ve both been tested.
4. Cotton breathes better than polyester.
5. If they don’t fit well, you’ll be chaffing.
6. Wear them both when you visit grandma.
7. They stink at the end of the day. They …

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