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Utilize a baseline test to uncover COVID brain fog

Conditions

December 17, 2020

It’s been dubbed “COVID brain fog,” the neurological symptoms suffered by an estimated 80 percent of people who are hospitalized with COVID-19. These are early dementia-like neurological problems that patients face even after recovering from COVID-19, and there is a concern that people who recover from the disease have a higher risk of long-term cognitive decline.

We have always encouraged people age 50 and over to undergo a baseline cognitive assessment. …

10 things parents want their pediatrician to know (from a pediatrician mom’s perspective)

Tuere Hughes-Kapenzi, MD, MBA

Physician

December 17, 2020

Throughout my years of pediatric training and being a mother, I have benefited from viewing medicine from both sides. I have also tried to hone listening to and understanding my patients’ parents and their perspectives. I have listed 10 things that I believe most parents wish their child’s pediatrician knew.

We are just worried about our kids

First and foremost, we are worried about and invested in the health and happiness of …

What does colon cancer screening have to do with self-driving cars? [PODCAST]

The Podcast by KevinMD

Podcast

December 16, 2020

“We can clearly see that exponential technologies are disrupting cars and phones. So why wouldn’t these technologies find their way into health care and gastroenterology?

What do stool tests have to do with self-driving cars? We’ll soon find out. But let’s first go back to the discussion we had earlier on the shift …

Solving imposter syndrome in physicians

Diane W. Shannon, MD, MPH

Physician

December 16, 2020

“I no longer start every day in dread,” Sheila (not her real name) told me as we completed a six-month coaching engagement. Her statement initially surprised me because that’s not how she described her interest in coaching when we began. She had simply and unemotionally told me that she needed a career change and didn’t want to jump into another not-quite-right situation. But as I recalled the time we spent …

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Solving imposter syndrome in physicians

Medical residents signed up to live in the hospital, not to die there

Anonymous

Physician

December 16, 2020

I saw a tweet recently from a medical resident training at another hospital that really hit home for me: “In response to a rumor that health care workers who treat COVID patients will be prioritized for vaccination in our health system, one of my co-residents asked unironically, ‘Does that include us?’”

“Resident” is a word coined in the twentieth century when physicians in training often physically lived (“resided”) at the hospital. …

What worries this physician about the COVID-19 vaccine

Dalia Saha, MD

Conditions

December 16, 2020

Over coffee and the usual banter in the doctor’s lounge, a group of physicians takes a break from seeing patients after donning off their PPE. The TV is blasting the news, largely ignored, until the focus turns to the COVID-19 vaccine. The newscaster announced that the first group to receive the vaccine would be health care workers. Everyone stops talking; all gaze at the wall-mounted screen. And it …

How can we redefine locum tenens? [PODCAST]

The Podcast by KevinMD

Podcast

December 15, 2020

“Hiring locum tenens clinicians often proves to be more efficient, and when a position goes unfilled, health care organizations are potentially leaving millions of dollars on the table in unrealized revenues. Once in place, locum tenens clinicians can help organizations expand their service lines, provide access to specialists, relieve existing staff …

COVID, paternalism, and the death of patient autonomy

Garrett Jensen

Education

December 15, 2020

A year ago, if you had asked me if most doctors respected their patients’ wishes, I would have answered with a resounding yes. If you had asked me if medicine had divorced its paternalistic roots when physicians trampled over ideals like patient autonomy and non-malfeasance, I would have said yes. But that was last year, and in this new world of COVID, panic, hysteria, and ever-present claims of just “following …

Understanding the business of medicine: How to pursue excellence in the medical field

Todd Skertich

Finance

December 15, 2020

Your success in the medical field is not solely contingent upon your clinical dexterity but often results from the mastery of various industry aspects. What separates a great doctor from a good doctor is their cognizance of both the clinical and business sides of medicine. The market, risks, and trends of medical businesses are a great resource for residents as they establish their place in medicine. Business management is a …

How to make peace with purpose

Kara Pepper, MD

Physician

December 15, 2020

“Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?”
– Mary Oliver, The Summer Day

Ikigai is a Japanese concept that means “a reason for being.” The word “ikigai” is usually used to indicate the source of value in one’s life or the things that make one’s life worthwhile. The word translated to English roughly means “thing that you live for” or “the reason for …

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How to make peace with purpose

When coaching physicians with wellness, don’t lead with mindfulness [PODCAST]

The Podcast by KevinMD

Podcast

December 14, 2020

“In my work with physicians and physician leaders in academic medicine, I learned that physicians are highly self-reflective and aware of the pressures they face; however, they are frequently the last to ask for help, and the first to deprioritize their own self-care. This has led to high suicide rates in the overall …

Why can I trust the COVID vaccine?

Alexandra Fairchok

Conditions

December 14, 2020

Many friends have asked for my perspective on the COVID vaccine. Answering this requires both an explanation of clinical trials and an understanding of what normally slows down pharmaceutical development.

Importantly, COVID vaccines are required to go through the same process as every other pharmaceutical. These include the following:

Preclinical trials. In this stage, researchers conduct animal testing to see if the vaccine can produce an immune response. If the vaccine is …

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Why can I trust the COVID vaccine?

New Medicare documentation and payment changes starting next year that deliver relief for clinicians

Seema Verma, MPH

Policy

December 14, 2020

Starting on January 1, 2021, clinicians across the country can expect new Medicare rules on billing, documentation, and payment for evaluation and management (E/M) services — or common office/outpatient visits – to go into effect. These historic changes will give clinicians more flexibility in how they document visits in their patients’ medical record, reduce their paperwork burden and give them more time to spend with patients. With over 750,000 clinicians …

What to consider before becoming a medical power of attorney

Miles J. Varn, MD

Conditions

December 14, 2020

If a family member or friend asked you to serve as his/her medical power of attorney, what would your answer be? Many people agree to assume this role without a second thought, but you should take some time to understand what your responsibilities as a medical power of attorney would be, why the person has chosen you to do this, and what potential complications and conflicts may arise. With that …

Turn 2020 into an opportunity by changing your mindset [PODCAST]

The Podcast by KevinMD

Podcast

December 13, 2020

“A few months ago, I signed up for a virtual conference for women in medicine. It’s a group of women, over 10,000 of us, who have watched me and supported me through the past two years of my career. Two years of struggle. Two years of personal and professional pain. Two …

Proponents of independent non-physician practice make a dangerous assumption [PODCAST]

The Podcast by KevinMD

Podcast

December 12, 2020

“Most Americans have remained dangerously unaware of this revolution in health care. Being treated by a non-physician is not on the radar of the average patient, most of whom assume that anyone in a white coat is a physician. If patients do wonder about being treated by a non-physician, they are …

8 things physicians should know before they’re interviewed by the media

Tyeese L. Gaines, DO

Physician

December 12, 2020

Lights, camera, action!

You get a call from your hospital’s public relations office asking you to speak to the local news. Even though this isn’t your first time, your heart is pounding, with a mix of nerves and excitement. You start doubting whether you have anything valuable to say about the topic, even though, yes – you went through many years of medical school and residency before this moment. You are …

What is culinary medicine and why do we need it?

Disha Narang, MD and Nisha Patel, MD

Physician

December 12, 2020

It is no secret that physicians spend countless hours studying a wide variety of disease processes and treatments. We all know that sub-optimal dietary choices and habits can lead to chronic diseases such as obesity, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and cancer. The burden of these diseases is rising astronomically. According to the USDA 2015-2020 guidelines, in 2008, the medical cost related to the chronic disease of obesity was estimated to be …

Can there be hope amid politics? [PODCAST]

The Podcast by KevinMD

Podcast

December 11, 2020

“Humans are complex. Humans are multifaceted. Humans are capable of grit and determination. This means that humans are also worthy of hope.

If I learned anything from watching this moment in history, I realize that it’s not about being a ‘Democrat’ or a ‘Republican’ it’s about being human.

What we do now will echo …

What it takes to be called a great doctor: a patient’s perspective

Michele Luckenbaugh

Potpourri

December 11, 2020

Let me begin by extending my gratitude to all physicians who have served our country during this time of the coronavirus pandemic. During this trying time, your dedication and service have given a sense of stability and confidence in our health care systems at a time filled with so much uncertainty and turmoil.

As a member of the “Baby Boomer” generation, I’ve seen my fair share of physicians over the years. …