Curbing health care costs: 3 reforms for a more efficient system

Policy
February 21, 2025

The United States health care system is plagued by inefficiencies that drive up costs and limit access to care. The Department of Government Efficiency has a crucial role to play in addressing this challenge. As a physician, I often strive to practice cost-conscious care whenever possible. Three common-sense broad reforms—repealing Certificate of Need (CON) laws, implementing universal physician licensing, and advocating for site-neutral payment reform—offer significant opportunities to reduce health …

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How to know if your leadership is effective

Physician
February 21, 2025

What sets great physician leaders apart? How do they ensure their leadership remains sharp, effective, and impactful?

Physicians often recognize the need to refine their leadership skills when they notice breakdowns in communication, delays in response times, or a lack of team cohesion. If you’re experiencing these challenges, it may be time to evaluate how you’re engaging with your team.

A common leadership misstep

Imagine …

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When every second counts: the evolving challenges of pediatric transport

Physician
February 21, 2025

The most difficult transport I have ever encountered was during my pediatric critical care fellowship. I traveled to an outside hospital with a fully equipped pediatric critical care transport team, including a critical care nurse, respiratory therapist, and myself—a third-year pediatric critical care fellow—to pick up a toddler ejected from a vehicle during a high-speed collision. Upon arrival, we found a child who had undergone an open laparotomy, open clamshell …

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Ending physicians’ addiction to unhappiness

Conditions
February 21, 2025

A large number of physicians are addicted to unhappiness. Practicing medicine is no longer fun, and they are frustrated working in an environment where they do not feel valued and appreciated. Forty percent of all physicians are looking to change their employment venue over the next two years, according to a recent survey by the AMA.

Physicians’ unhappiness is understandable.

Reimbursement by Medicare and other payors is declining, while the costs of …

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Enhancing physician practice with strategic AI tools [PODCAST]

Podcast
February 20, 2025
YouTube video

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Dermatologist Michael Sherling discusses his KevinMD article, “Where physicians need to implement AI first.” In this episode, Michael examines the potential of artificial intelligence to alleviate administrative burdens in health care, such …

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A stroke patient’s unwavering love: Caring for his wife amidst his illness

Conditions
February 20, 2025

A 90-year-old gentleman has been admitted to our ward under the care of a neurologist. He was diagnosed with an ischemic stroke after experiencing weakness in his left upper limb and slurred speech. His mental status is fluctuating, and the stroke has impacted his memory. However, it has not affected his ability to walk and move around.

He and his wife had been living independently for the past 20 years. They …

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My personal experience in medical malpractice litigation

Physician
February 20, 2025

In 2004, the AMA declared a “medical malpractice crisis.” At that time, 34 percent of all physicians in the United States had been sued. The practice of medicine was at risk. Hospitals were closing. Coverage for certain high-risk specialties was unaffordable. Medical services were unavailable. Some malpractice carriers were on the verge of insolvency.

This has been the case since the mid-1970s. Coincidentally, so has a political initiative for national health …

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How physicians can fight medical misinformation in the digital age

Conditions
February 20, 2025

In 2019, a mother in the U.S. stood in a hospital, clutching her feverish toddler, tears streaming down her face. Just months earlier, she had declined the routine vaccination after reading an article claiming it was “full of toxins” and linked to developmental disorders. That article, shared widely on social media, was based on no credible evidence. Now, her child was fighting for their life against a disease that vaccines …

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Enhancing vaccine uptake for pan-respiratory viruses [PODCAST]

Podcast
February 19, 2025
YouTube video

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Pediatrician Christina Suh discusses the KevinMD article, “More than just the flu: Helping families and doctors prepare for pan-respiratory viruses.” In this episode, Christina addresses the challenges of the current pan-respiratory season, …

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Advocating for immigrant children: a doctor’s perspective

Physician
February 19, 2025

As a rising developmental pediatrician, I often become a small part of a life-changing moment in my patients’ lives. I help them navigate the challenges of autism, ADHD, and other developmental disabilities. I celebrate their successes and offer support during their struggles.

Like myself, most of the patients I serve come from immigrant backgrounds, and English is not their first language. We work through tears and frustrations but also hang onto …

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Why empathy is the missing piece in modern health care

Conditions
February 19, 2025

As I navigate this world, I often feel overwhelmed by its harshness, making peace and harmony seem elusive.

Today, the atmosphere feels particularly heavy with distrust and anger, leaving me caught in a constant “me” versus “you” mindset. At times, it feels as though a corrosive glue has enveloped the workings of my heart, preventing me from experiencing emotions and diminishing my willingness to seek the truth or ensure my story …

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How medicine is evolving: Bridging generational divides in the profession

Physician
February 19, 2025

I recently came across an ongoing “discussion,” or rather aggressive bantering, in an online physician platform regarding the old guard versus the alleged newer, more entitled, and lazy generation of doctors. Years ago, I would have more staunchly fallen on the side of the old guard. Though I am a solid elder millennial, my “bootstrap” upbringing and Navy career fully encouraged the concept of medicine as a calling vice a …

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Balancing technology and personal care in modern health care [PODCAST]

Podcast
February 18, 2025
YouTube video

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Emergency physician Drew Remignanti discusses his KevinMD article, “High tech should not replace high talk and high touch in health care.” In this episode, Drew examines the limitations of artificial intelligence and …

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Helping your teenage patients with chronic headache move on to college

Conditions
February 18, 2025

It’s getting close to that time of the school year. Your teenage patient with chronic headache/migraine is finishing up their high school education, either through the traditional or non-traditional pathway. They have chosen their next step—going to college. As their provider, you are so proud of them. Perhaps high school has been really hard for them academically, socially, and/or emotionally. They needed and used accommodations around schoolwork and attendance. They …

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What if insurance companies were held accountable for health outcomes?

Physician
February 18, 2025

Picture this: You’re sitting in a courtroom, and the defendant in front of you is a major insurance company. The charge? Denying a life-saving claim that led to devastating consequences for someone’s health. The prosecutor stands up, looks toward the jury—a group of everyday people like you and me—and declares, “They prioritized profits over the lives of people.” Doesn’t that statement hit differently this morning, especially as you sip your …

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Why does leaving medicine feel like escaping a cult?

Physician
February 18, 2025

“Shame on you for glorifying people leaving such a noble profession.”

That’s a little … intense.

I was jolted but, unfortunately, not surprised by this negative comment on my LinkedIn post—a post sharing my story of resigning from residency.

Backlash like this is not new to me. Anytime I speak publicly about leaving clinical medicine, I am met with an odd mix of “That’s so brave of you to share” and “How dare …

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The truth about the orgasm gap and how to bridge it

Conditions
February 18, 2025

If you have followed my blogs for the past few years, you know that I have focused on practice management, the business of a medical practice, and recently AI. This blog will depart from those topics and discuss a clinical topic, the orgasm gap, that I have written with a colleague, Dr. David Mobley, a urologist at Weill-Cornell Medicine.

Everyone, both men and women, deserves to experience an orgasm or the …

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Managing litigation and medical malpractice stress [PODCAST]

Podcast
February 17, 2025
YouTube video

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Psychotherapist and litigation stress coach Gail Fiore discusses her KevinMD article, “Recognizing and addressing medical malpractice stress syndrome (MMSS).” In this episode, Gail explores the prevalence of MMSS among physicians, the common …

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From surviving to thriving: a new era in breast cancer care

Conditions
February 17, 2025

Breast cancer recovery is about more than survival—it’s about reclaiming a vibrant, fulfilling life. Instead of focusing solely on survivorship, we need to embrace what I call “livingship”: the journey of truly thriving after treatment. This approach focuses on ensuring patients not only survive but thrive in their cancer-free lives.

A personal journey in medicine

My path to becoming a breast cancer specialist was shaped by early aspirations and personal experiences with …

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Are you protecting your career? 5 essential questions about your NP liability insurance

Policy
February 17, 2025

The Doctors Company

A nurse practitioner (NP) in urgent care saw a patient with a severe headache following a fall. Initial testing and symptoms suggested a concussion, leading to discharge. However, when the patient’s worsening condition later revealed an elevated white blood cell count, they were rushed for further evaluation—but it was too late. The patient succumbed to bacterial meningitis. …

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