18 words in medical records that restore principles in a medical malpractice lawsuit

Physician
November 29, 2024

There are 85,000 medical malpractice lawsuits filed per year. There are 1 million physicians. Therefore, your odds as a doctor for being sued for malpractice are 8.5 percent per year, which corresponds to one lawsuit every 12 years. To make matters worse, two-thirds of lawsuits have questionable merit.

A malpractice lawsuit is inevitable because a complication is inevitable. It just takes one complication. The problem arises when a complication is a …

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Why ADHD in adults is more common than you think

Conditions
November 29, 2024

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder that impairs focus, attention, and behavioral control. ADHD hinders and compromises major life activities. Initially considered exclusively a disorder afflicting children and adolescents, it is now widely accepted that ADHD continues into adulthood, impacting the lives of those plagued by this impairment and disability. Furthermore, ADHD symptoms may fluctuate over the lifespan of an individual who struggles with a myriad of …

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How a minimally invasive procedure is transforming hypertension treatment [PODCAST]

Podcast
November 28, 2024
YouTube video

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Join us as we discuss the global epidemic of hypertension with cardiologist Jeremy Bock. With over a third of the adult population affected and traditional treatments missing the mark for millions, Jeremy dives …

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Seeing the unseen: How racism manifests in professional spaces and how you can help

Physician
November 28, 2024

My sister and I speak almost every day. Sometimes we talk about our kids, our husbands, and our jobs. She is an attorney in the military and part of the JAG corps. I am an academic obstetrician/gynecologist (OB/GYN), which means my practice involves education. We are both Black women in majority-white professions. Our morning conversations about our respective jobs are sometimes about the work itself, which we are both passionate …

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Why health care professionals must ask, “How am I doing?” [PODCAST]

Podcast
November 27, 2024
YouTube video

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We sit down with Perrette St. Preux, a nurse, to explore the realities of work-life balance in health care. We discuss the personal and professional challenges that come with maintaining well-being in a …

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How a community rebuilds from devastation day by day

Physician
November 27, 2024

If you make a wrong turn and end up in the heart of it all, there’s a light brown hue over things. The leftover mud. Sometimes on the trees. Other times on the asphalt. Up the rock walls while driving. A reminder that destruction happened here.

If you make a wrong (or right) turn, you can see piles of wreckage. An office chair. Metal debris. Plastic things. Relief and aid workers …

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Why Americans are failing to keep up with essential knowledge

Conditions
November 27, 2024

At age 80, I am an old man. I am also an experienced writer and voracious reader. I’ve been active in internet bulletin boards and social media interest groups since the 1980s—in what we used to call “users net” (USENET)—before the emergence of the World Wide Web.

In the 1980s, I briefly moderated a community on the internet called “Internet Village Elders.” The forum was intended to share information between librarians …

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Why a football legend’s prostate cancer advice sparked controversy

Conditions
November 27, 2024

I didn’t know who Emmitt Smith was. I didn’t know September was Prostate Cancer Awareness Month. I didn’t know what was going on in the weekend football game my husband was watching next to me on the couch. I was typing a clinic note because, in general, that is what I am doing if I am sitting down, regardless of the day or time. I am an academic physician with …

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How to navigate stipend offers [PODCAST]

Podcast
November 26, 2024
YouTube video

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We dive into navigating stipend structures for final-year medical residents with insights from Jon Appino, the CEO of Contract Diagnostics. He shares expert advice on what to consider when evaluating stipend offers, understanding …

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How Pixar’s Soul teaches us to live in the moment

Physician
November 26, 2024

It is not every day that a children’s movie can touch and challenge the soul of an adult. This is how I felt recently during one part of Pixar’s movie Soul. Whether you’ve seen this movie or not, I want to write about one particular scene that has really affected how I approach life.

The setup (no spoilers!): the main character Joe has received the job opportunity of a lifetime only …

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Addressing the mental health crisis with virtual on demand

Tech
November 26, 2024

The U.S. is grappling with a mental health crisis. The National Institute of Mental Health estimates that one in five US adults live with a mental illness. This includes disorders such as depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and more, ranging in severity from mild-moderate to severe.

Telehealth has proven to be an effective tool in addressing the crisis by improving access to care, reducing stigma, and providing flexible, timely support.

Imagine …

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Unexpected lessons in self-care from my backyard garden

Physician
November 26, 2024

Here’s something you may already know. I didn’t until recently, but I sure do now, and it’s a lesson I won’t forget—something I wish I’d known three weeks ago.

Rabbits love cone flowers.

We recently downsized to a cute house with window boxes. I’ve never had window boxes before and am honestly not much of a gardener. I went to the local place where we buy plants and picked out some tall …

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How a setback fueled a lifelong dedication to patients [PODCAST]

Podcast
November 25, 2024
YouTube video

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We sit down with family medicine physician Jennifer Tillman to explore the transformative journey from early academic struggles to a fulfilling medical career. Jennifer shares her personal story of overcoming a pivotal setback …

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How family presence in hospitals can be a lifeline for patients in crisis

Education
November 25, 2024

During my time as a medical student shadowing in the intensive care unit, I met Ms. Stacey, hospitalized with a severe intestinal infection. As I entered her room, I saw her frail form lying amidst a web of tubes and monitors. Her prolonged hospital stay had visibly drained her, leaving her dependent on the vigilant care of both the medical staff and a quiet, devoted man sitting beside her bed—her …

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How to dress like a doctor

Physician
November 25, 2024

Are you a medical student or resident rotating through new parts of the hospital? Then it’s a good time for some nuts-and-bolts advice about what you should wear on your upcoming rotations.

No, it’s not about looking like a doctor (whatever that is). It’s not about whether patients like white coats or not. Or whether white coats carry germs. It’s not about style and personal expression. It’s about how to have …

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A missing tracheostomy tube fragment in an asymptomatic 26-year-old

Conditions
November 25, 2024

When a 26-year-old male with a history of tracheostomy arrived in our emergency department, the case appeared routine—until we uncovered an unusual detail. The patient’s sister had recently changed his tracheostomy tube at home but noticed something concerning afterward: the terminal piece, or the distal end of the tube, was missing. Despite searching, the piece couldn’t be found. This immediately raised concerns that it might be lodged within his trachea, …

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Doctors at the forefront of health care reform [PODCAST]

Podcast
November 24, 2024
YouTube video

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We dive into the complexities of the U.S. health care system and explore potential solutions before it reaches a breaking point. Alisa Berger, a urologist, shares her expert insights on the root causes …

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Belief in God: Medicine’s guiding light through every challenge

Physician
November 24, 2024

In medicine, there’s a rhythm we grow accustomed to—diagnose, treat, move on to the next patient. But for me, beneath that rhythm, there’s always been a quiet hum: belief. Not the kind that seeks to explain every event or outcome, but the kind that reassures you that even when things go wrong, you are exactly where you need to be.

Faith in God didn’t arrive through one grand moment for me. …

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More than just the flu: Helping families and doctors prepare for pan-respiratory viruses

Conditions
November 24, 2024

In previous flu seasons, only about half of all Americans got the flu shot. Now we face pan-respiratory season, when we must worry about RSV, COVID, and the flu. The good news is these vaccines are lifesaving. The bad news is that if people don’t get them, they aren’t very effective and we might see fewer people get them at all.

As a clinical psychologist, I’ve spent my career thinking about …

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Lessons from Forward Health: How direct primary care is the future of health care

Conditions
November 24, 2024

In the rapidly evolving landscape of health care, startups promising disruption often make headlines. But not all disruption leads to success. Forward Health, once hailed as a pioneer with its ultramodern clinics and AI-driven “doctor-in-a-box” CarePods, recently announced its abrupt closure. Despite raising over $650 million in funding, Forward’s inability to deliver on its ambitious promises is a case study in the pitfalls of prioritizing technology over patients.

The story of …

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