The first thing I remember is the sound of oxygen at night.
It was my second week as a hospice nurse. I had just pulled up to a modest home on a cul-de-sac, the kind of place where wind chimes echo off empty sidewalks. Inside, a man in his seventies was dying of end-stage pulmonary fibrosis. He was surrounded by family, but it was that soft hiss—steady and rhythmic, like an …
The quiet work of dying: a hospice nurse’s reflection
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Dr. Lorna Breen Heroes Foundation co-founder Corey Feist and physician advocate Kim Downey discuss their article, “Health workers deserve care too: How to protect their mental health.” They highlight the ongoing mental …
A systemic plan for health worker well-being [PODCAST]
Pain management physicians, who often prescribe controlled substances like opioids, face intense scrutiny. Critics argue that investigations are overly aggressive, resembling fishing expeditions where investigators search broadly for any evidence of wrongdoing, often beyond the original complaint. A 2023 Los Angeles Times report noted that nearly 10,000 investigations were conducted in 2021–2022, with pain physicians disproportionately targeted due to outdated guidelines predating modern evidence-based practices. For example, the reliance on …
Why pain doctors face unfair scrutiny and harsh penalties in California
Physicians are masters at holding it together.
You walk into a patient’s room, and no matter how little sleep you have gotten, how chaotic the last shift was, or how much is weighing on you personally, you put on the calm, capable, competent face that patients and colleagues expect. That ability to compartmentalize (to suppress your own emotions so you can stay functional) is often what gets you through residency, twenty-four-hour …
Why physicians need a place to fall apart
Sepsis, multi-organ failure, near death
I fought back to the work I loved.
Life shifted; teaching’s call opened another door.
Not time yet.
The student clinic, a rebirth at the bedside,
Watching timid M1s bloom into confident, caring M3s: pure joy.
Being a doctor, teaching, healing, helping those in need.
Not time yet.
The pure fun of light bulbs igniting in small groups,
Connecting with so many bright, caring young minds,
Knowing medicine’s future is secure through them.
Not time yet.
Another …
The joy of teaching medicine through life’s toughest challenges
We don’t send SEAL teams into the field without backup, but we routinely send health care workers into no-win situations and tell them: don’t fail.
I celebrated friendship and teamwork during a Change of Command ceremony this week—full of honor, tradition, and those stirring reminders of what it means to lead. But one repeated phrase stuck in my craw: “This is a no-fail mission.”
It’s meant to inspire. It’s meant to light …
Why health care can’t survive on no-fail missions alone
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Addiction medicine physician Safina Adatia discusses her article, “Why gambling addiction is America’s next health crisis.” She warns that following the Supreme Court’s 2018 ruling to overturn sports gambling bans, the U.S. …
An addiction physician’s warning about America’s next public health crisis [PODCAST]
There is a generation change happening in how health information and care is accessed, understood, and delivered, driven by Gen Z. They are the first generation of digital natives and the first to fully benefit from the Affordable Care Act, which has cut uninsured rates in half for 19- to 25-year-olds, improving access to preventive care services. But now, as they enter adulthood and are becoming responsible for their …
Gen Z’s DIY approach to health care
In a little area outside our free clinic in Miami, ten of us sit together in a group. The air is thick and unmoving. Some wear torn shirts while others arrive in stylish outfits. A few have not had the chance to shower in weeks, but all show up, bringing their full selves to the group. These are the people who call the streets home, men and women who sleep …
What street medicine taught me about healing
Don’t let a lawsuit undo decades of hard work. Here’s how to keep your wealth safe!
According to the American Medical Association, approximately one-third of all physicians will face a malpractice lawsuit, and just under 2 percent of physicians will face a lawsuit each year. While the volume of lawsuits seems high, roughly half of these lawsuits are considered frivolous. These statistics should prompt any physician to add asset protection measures …
Smart asset protection strategies every doctor needs
I still remember the first time a physician told me they felt they had become a “data clerk with a stethoscope.”
And to my surprise, it wasn’t about too many clicks; it was about trust.
As a product manager building EHRs, RCM systems, practice management tools, remote monitoring, and AI scribes for over 12,000 health care professionals across the U.S., I’ve spent countless hours listening to clinicians, shadowing workflows, and observing quiet …
The silent cost of choosing personalization over privacy in health care
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Clinical research physician Khutaija Noor discusses her article, “Why clinical research is a powerful path for unmatched IMGs.” She addresses the intense pressure and profound disappointment international medical graduates (IMGs) face when …
How IMGs can find purpose in clinical research [PODCAST]
You may have noticed the Supreme Court announced several crucial rulings on controversial topics. Buried in most coverage was a note that the Court upheld the legality of the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF).
Most folks have no clue what the USPSTF is or does. To people like me, it is crucial to advancing the early detection and prevention of cancer in the United States. For now, we can be …
Why the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force is essential to saving lives
I remember a patient in her early sixties who came to our clinic with subtle memory problems. She lived alone in a rural county, relied on Medicaid, and had been passed between social services and different primary care providers for more than a year. No one had ordered imaging, and there were no neurologists nearby. By the time Alzheimer’s disease was suspected, her window for early intervention had already closed.
Medicare …
Medicaid lags behind on Alzheimer’s blood test coverage
We often sign extensive contracts when entering long-term commitments — think of the fine print in a mortgage, a car loan, or a new job offer.
While there are privacy forms and acknowledgments of office policies, the expectations of the physician-patient relationship are often assumed rather than explicitly stated. Some providers do outline expectations, and in today’s medicolegal environment, HIPAA notices are always signed — but that’s not the same as …
The unspoken contract between doctors and patients explained
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Psychiatrist, internist, and addiction medicine specialist Muhamad Aly Rifai discusses his article, “In medicine and law, professions that society relies upon for accuracy.” He argues that labeling AI errors as “hallucinations” is …
AI isn’t hallucinating, it’s fabricating—and that’s a problem [PODCAST]
An excerpt from Disease Detectives: True Stories of NYC Outbreaks.
Dr. Westyn Branch-Elliman contributed to this chapter.
There exist within NYC, communities that feel more like a small town than a perspiring slab of metropolis. People know and speak to their neighbors, greet each other warmly on the street, and watch over each other’s children. Single- and two-family brick homes with small, manicured lawns line quiet streets. There is usually one …
Brooklyn hepatitis C cluster reveals hidden dangers in outpatient clinics
Being a doctor is about more than diagnosing illnesses or prescribing medications. It is about more than knowing the latest research, the right drug dose, or the most effective treatment plan. Those things matter (of course they do), but they are just part of the job description.
The reality is more human, more vulnerable, and more complex.
Imagine what it is like to sit in the waiting room before your appointment. You …
The truth in medicine: Why connection matters most
I got into the car outside the bus station in Lowell, Massachusetts, where my father was waiting to pick me up. He looked nervous when he handed me an envelope. Inside was my medical school decision letter. I was accepted. We let out a cheer.
Along with the acceptance letter was the projected cost of attendance: around $70,000 for the first year, climbing to nearly $90,000 by the fourth. I would …
New student loan caps could shut low-income students out of medicine
Everyone wants the best model. The flashiest algorithm. The one with the highest AUC and the sexiest machine learning buzzword attached.
But here’s the problem: In hospital care, especially at midsize institutions, the “best” model on paper might be the worst fit for your people, your patients, and your workflow.
As a hospitalist and data-minded clinician, I’ve been exploring how we can use AI to reduce 30-day readmissions—an outcome tied not just …
Why trust and simplicity matter more than buzzwords in hospital AI
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