9 proven ways to gain cooperation in health care without commanding

Physician
May 29, 2025

You’ve probably had this experience. You ask someone—nicely—to do something that clearly needs to be done. And they don’t. Or they nod, walk away, and nothing changes. You’re not trying to be difficult. You’re just trying to keep the team moving, the patients safe, and the wheels from coming off.

But in medicine, authority doesn’t guarantee compliance. Respect doesn’t guarantee follow-through. And asking once—no matter how reasonable—doesn’t guarantee action.

So the question …

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Closing the gap in respiratory care: How robotics can expand access in underserved communities

Tech
May 29, 2025

As a U.S.-licensed respiratory therapist and former ENT physician, I have seen firsthand how respiratory illnesses can devastate lives when early intervention is out of reach. From hospital wards in Moscow to respiratory units in Florida, the one constant I’ve observed is that underserved communities—whether due to geography or poverty—suffer the most. Across the United States, millions of patients living with chronic respiratory diseases like COPD and asthma lack consistent …

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Model context protocol: the standard that brings AI into clinical workflow

Tech
May 29, 2025

The real limitation of clinical AI isn’t the model; it’s the context.

AI can draft notes, flag interactions, and read scans. However, when it comes to understanding the patient in front of you, it’s still a matter of working in the dark.

It doesn’t know the blood pressure you entered three minutes ago.

It can’t find the beta-lactam allergy buried in yesterday’s note.

It misses …

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Bird flu’s deadly return: Are we flying blind into the next pandemic?

Conditions
May 29, 2025

Scientists have known about bird flu (H5N1) for decades as a virus that primarily affects birds. Until suddenly, one day, it didn’t. In March 2024, H5N1 showed up somewhere very unexpected—in dairy cows in Texas (and their milk). And then, the virus started jumping to other mammals—goats, domestic cats, and even dolphins—and to humans who interacted with these animals. While there was no evidence …

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Breaking the cycle of sacrifice: from medical martyrdom to purposeful healing [PODCAST]

Podcast
May 28, 2025
YouTube video

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Pediatrician and certified coach Jessie Mahoney discusses her article, “What if we stopped sacrificing ourselves to practice medicine?” She explores the pervasive culture of martyrdom and self-sacrifice within the medical field that often leads to physician burnout and a deep yearning for …

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The silent toll of ICE raids on U.S. patient care

Policy
May 28, 2025

It is standard practice to start opinion pieces with a powerful anecdote that “hooks” the reader and lures them in, winning their attention by appealing to their humanity. However, this highlights the exact issue posed by the recent revocation of immigration rights in the U.S.; we do not know the stories that most need to be told right now. Instead, we have to tell of the patients who did not …

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“The medical board doesn’t know I exist. That’s the point.”

Conditions
May 28, 2025

She whispered when she said “panic attacks.”

Not because she thought I would judge her or fail to understand. But because she was a physician, and in her world, saying the wrong thing to the wrong person could cost her everything.

She found me through a colleague of a colleague. No insurance, no documentation trail, no diagnostic codes, no third-party systems. She paid in cash. She never used her full name.

“If I …

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Why does rifaximin cost 95 percent more in the U.S. than in Asia?

Meds
May 28, 2025

Rifaximin, a minimally absorbed antibiotic, has become a cornerstone therapy for several gastrointestinal disorders, including irritable bowel syndrome with diarrhea (IBS-D) and hepatic encephalopathy. Despite its established use, access to rifaximin varies significantly across global markets, with cost barriers posing challenges in some regions. In contrast, in many Asian countries, the same medication is available at a fraction of the price, raising important questions about pharmaceutical pricing practices and access …

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When moisturizers trigger airport bomb alarms

Conditions
May 28, 2025

Explosive trace detection systems at airport checkpoints are designed to identify minute quantities of explosive materials through techniques such as ion mobility spectrometry. However, their high sensitivity comes at a cost: False-positive alarms can occur when common substances chemically resemble explosive agents. In dermatology, this includes topical medications and moisturizers containing glycerin or nitrates, compounds that are chemically similar to …

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Medicaid cuts are quietly fueling the diabetic kidney failure crisis

Conditions
May 27, 2025

We’re constantly reminded of the organ shortage and the lives lost while waiting for a kidney. Like fish unaware they swim in water, we’ve accepted the rising tide of kidney failure as natural and inevitable, but it’s not. The most urgent question goes unasked: Why do so many kidneys fail?

Diabetes is the leading cause of kidney failure, with 40 percent of those on the kidney waitlist diabetic. Every day …

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Why physicians deserve more than an oxygen mask

Physician
May 27, 2025

In medicine, we’ve long relied on the oxygen mask analogy to justify self-care: “Put your own mask on first before assisting others.” It’s a powerful image—but it’s not enough.

Oxygen masks drop in emergencies. Putting them on is a reactive action. They keep us alive—but they don’t help us thrive.

For many physicians, the oxygen mask has become the gold standard of wellness. In a culture that rewards self-sacrifice and martyrdom, “putting …

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Addressing the physician shortage: How AI can help, not replace

Tech
May 27, 2025

The physician shortage in the United States is a real and urgent issue. Projections from the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) estimate that by 2034, the nation could face a deficit between 37,800 and 124,000 physicians. Primary care will be particularly affected, with a potential shortfall of up to 48,000 doctors. Rural and underserved communities will likely bear the brunt of the burden.

This shortage stems from multiple …

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What super agers can teach us about longevity and health span

Conditions
May 27, 2025

An excerpt from Super Agers: An Evidence-Based Approach to Longevity.

For many years, my colleagues and I have been fascinated by individuals like Mrs. L. R., who are so lucky to be so resilient to diseases. In 2008, we set up a research project called “Wellderly,” to study people who were at least eighty years old and had never been sick or had a chronic illness. It took almost six …

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More than a meeting: Finding education, inspiration, and community in internal medicine [PODCAST]

Physician
May 26, 2025
YouTube video

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

Former American College of Physicians treasurer and infectious disease physician Janet A. Jokela discusses her article, “Internal Medicine 2025: inspiration at the annual meeting.” She shares her personal reflections on the profound …

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Why recovery after illness demands dignity, not suspicion

Physician
May 26, 2025

After twenty-five years of dedicated service as a physician, overcoming a severe neurological illness taught me that medicine embraces patient recovery—but not physician recovery. I never imagined returning to practice after illness would mean humiliation, suspicion, and unnecessary trauma. Yet, that is exactly what happened.

When my illness took me away from clinical practice for over three years, I anticipated hurdles returning to medicine. I understood the need for a competency …

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How physicians can reclaim control over medical malpractice risks

Physician
May 26, 2025

In ancient times, there were oracles and soothsayers. In the 1950s, risk management becomes a science. Nevertheless, there are 85,000 medical malpractice lawsuits filed per year. They are problematic, not because they overwhelm court dockets, but because a disproportionate number of claims are either frivolous or, if meritorious, are not represented. Also, each physician, myself included, has an 8.5 percent chance per year of being sued for a bad result …

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Boost patient satisfaction with the power of fragrance

Physician
May 26, 2025

I have previously blogged about identifying your practice’s UVP or unique value proposition. This is based on differentiating your practice from others in the community or the region. According to an article in the Wall Street Journal, workplaces are pumping fragrances into offices to make the offices smell better. The article focused on real estate properties in Manhattan trying to lure renters back to the workplace after the pandemic. …

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Rethinking addiction treatment: contingency management and the future of recovery [PODCAST]

Podcast
May 25, 2025
YouTube video

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

Health care executive Traci Sweet discusses her article, “The role of contingency management in addiction treatment.” She makes a compelling case for the increased use of contingency management—an evidence-based approach utilizing positive …

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What Adam Smith would say about America’s for-profit health care

Policy
May 25, 2025

Over 80 percent of people are discontented with their medical insurance, whether provided by the government, their employer, or a commercial company. Common complaints are cost, increasing prices, and limited or rejected coverage. Regardless of the insurance’s source, we, the citizens, pay the bill through higher co-payments, deductibles, or premiums. Thus, their future payments increase when people request increased coverage for specific treatments, tests, or conditions.

However, individual desires are not …

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