The battle of the bulge: The struggle is real

Conditions
March 30, 2024

The economic impact of obesity looms large, casting a shadow over both individual well-being and national prosperity. Beyond the personal struggles and societal pressures surrounding weight management, the financial ramifications of obesity ripple through health care systems, labor markets, and various sectors of the economy. In the United States alone, the annual health care costs attributed to obesity-related conditions soar into the hundreds of billions of dollars, placing a significant …

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Beyond safety whistles and pizza: On National Doctor’s Day and every day, physicians deserve humanity

Physician
March 30, 2024

Recently, on an average workday, my hand brushed against the small safety whistle clipped beside my ID badge. Most days, I don’t even remember the whistle is there, a “Happy Doctor’s Day” gift from a few years ago. I dutifully clipped it on, but I can’t say it makes me feel safer.

I remember shrugging when I received it and thinking, well, it’s more practical than pizza.

I also …

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Lessons for a doctor on the Ski Patrol

Physician
March 30, 2024

Is the scene safe?

This is the first thing that you, as a member of the National Ski Patrol, need to ask and assess when coming upon a scene.

As a doctor, I can tell you: they do not teach you this in med school.

When becoming a doctor, you learn how the body works as best we currently understand it. You study how substances affect the body, from illegal drugs to those …

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Patient engagement: Can tech help? [PODCAST]

Podcast
March 29, 2024
YouTube video

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Join Joshua Reischer, a physician executive, as we delve into the complexities of modern health care delivery. Explore the challenges physicians face in obtaining essential patient information, the frustrations experienced by both patients …

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Addressing mental health in the medical field

Conditions
March 29, 2024

In the heart of a bustling hospital, where the relentless pace of saving lives never wanes, lies an unseen battle that rages quietly within the souls of those who care for us. Health care professionals, heralded as heroes, especially in the wake of a global pandemic, face an array of mental health challenges, often overlooked and underaddressed. This article delves into the psychological toll of working in high-stress medical environments …

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Real pain deserves real treatment

Conditions
March 29, 2024

When a patient comes to us and describes confusing symptoms that don’t seem to fit into any immediate category, we can see it in two different ways: as a challenge, we can rise to, a riddle to solve … or we can see it as an opportunity to denigrate the patient, to imply that they are malingering or that it’s “all in their head.” This tendency is amplified when we …

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How my sister’s rights were taken away, like thousands of others with developmental disabilities

Conditions
March 29, 2024

Teresa has Down syndrome and was 49 when the capacity assessment took place in Ontario.

I saw her as happy, healthy, and active. She enjoyed living nearby with my 91-year-old father, who often said, “We’re a team. We help each other.”

But that’s not how the social worker saw her.

Teresa didn’t understand what the assessment was for, and according to the records, she did not agree to be …

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How AI can save lives by simplifying communication

Tech
March 29, 2024

Artificial intelligence is here. While the hype is new, it has existed longer than most think. With a history rooted in the mid-20th century, technologies like natural language processing (NLP) and machine learning (ML) spent decades in an academic chrysalis before emerging to revolutionize our daily lives. Both were introduced in the 1950s and 1960s but have only taken off in the last decade.

The latest of these is LLM, which …

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Health care waste exposed [PODCAST]

Podcast
March 28, 2024
YouTube video

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We are joined by Edward Hoffer, an internal medicine physician, to explore the alarming levels of waste plaguing the U.S. health care system. Together, we shine a light on the various culprits behind …

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When the doctor’s office becomes a confession booth

Physician
March 28, 2024

“I made a big mistake a long time ago.”

These words snapped my concentration. I squinted at the computer screen, and even though it had been stable, I waited for Cindy’s pancytopenia to collapse entirely. I enjoyed seeing Cindy, the kind of patient who trusted my counsel and, just as importantly, needed my help. Sweet and cute, she gave me a real hug and a genuine smile every time I saw …

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How Enhanced Recovery After Surgery solves our opioid problems

Meds
March 28, 2024

In retrospect, we were an addicted nation waiting to happen. Not from a self-indulgent culture, not from an unwillingness to suffer hardship, nor any of the generational criticisms of lack of grit. Our opioid crisis derives from an impatient culture that fears loss of health more than health care profit. With pain as most people’s proxy for health, we were …

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Princess and the pauper: Both deserve health privacy

Physician
March 28, 2024

The sad news of Princess Kate Middleton’s cancer diagnosis is a sound reminder of the sanctity of a person’s health status and their right to privacy.

I wasn’t sure which adjective I should use to describe Kate’s diagnosis – “sad,” “tragic,” or “devastating.” All are equally true, depending on whose perspective you consider. No doubt a cancer diagnosis is “sad” in the public’s eyes and even harsher in Kate’s. In my …

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Finding peace in the face of loss: a father’s journey with hospice

Physician
March 28, 2024

How do you make sense of someone dying? The only way I know is to put it into some context so that, if possible, some good can come of it.

Some of you may have known about my dad’s Parkinson’s disease. He’s had a fairly rapid decline over the past four months, and now he’s rapidly declining again. He has been on home hospice for the past three months. He has …

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Physician scrutiny: legal challenges and career impact [PODCAST]

Podcast
March 27, 2024
YouTube video

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We are joined by Ron Chapman II, a federal criminal defense attorney, who sheds light on the increased scrutiny that physicians are facing from regulators. During our conversation, Ron delves into the impact …

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From doctor to family: Witnessing both sides of end-of-life care

Physician
March 27, 2024

We all have those moments in medicine when we know that care has become more futile. Then we do everything in our power to educate, support, gently guide, and give permission to patients and families. There are moments that treating for a cure goes against our tenet to “first do no harm.”

I never would have imagined that I would be on the family side of these debates. I had a …

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Can you predict Alzheimer’s? New research on early detection.

Conditions
March 27, 2024

You can’t treat something until you know it’s there. Currently, there’s no cure for Alzheimer’s disease (AD) but earlier diagnosis may lead to better understanding of how the disease inexorably progresses, which in turn may lead to prevention of AD and ultimately eradication of this horrific scourge. The latest breakthroughs in earlier diagnosis and even perhaps pre-diagnosis have involved lumbar punctures, brain MRIs, eye exams, and blood tests.

A 2024 study, …

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Addressing physician workforce shortages [PODCAST]

Podcast
March 26, 2024
YouTube video

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Join William E. Fox, chair-elect of the ACP Board of Regents, as we delve into the pressing issue of physician workforce shortages in primary care. William sheds light on recent alarming statistics, including …

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Exploring pulmonary and ICU insights through cartoons

Physician
March 26, 2024

I’ve created cartoons using DALL-E, each with its own humorous caption. They’re all original ideas from me, but I used the AI to visualize them. Although they mostly touch on topics related to pulmonary and ICU medicine, I think they could catch the interest of a wide medical audience. Given the pulmonary theme, I decided to call the series Take a Breath.

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Wendy Williams’s battle with health and the fragility of success

Conditions
March 26, 2024

Lifetime recently premiered the documentary Where is Wendy Williams? This four-part special delves into the captivating life and career of Wendy Williams, the once dynamic 59-year-old American broadcaster, media personality, and writer. Renowned for hosting the nationally syndicated television talk show, The Wendy Williams Show, from 2008 to 2021, Williams has left an indelible mark on the entertainment industry.

The documentary follows Williams’s journey to revive her career after health concerns …

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Improving care with AI-powered solutions

Podcast
March 25, 2024
YouTube video

This article is sponsored by Nuance Communications, a technology pioneer with market leadership in conversational, ambient, and generative AI. Nuance is a Microsoft company.

Technological advancements have always played a pivotal role in enhancing the delivery of care and improving patient outcomes. …

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