Navigating sex and intimacy with ME/CFS and long COVID

Conditions
December 19, 2024

Living with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) or long COVID can transform every aspect of life, including one that often feels too delicate or taboo to address: sex and intimacy. These conditions introduce physical limitations, emotional strain, and communication challenges that can make intimacy feel out of reach. But here’s the truth: intimacy is possible—it just looks different, and that’s OK!

Understanding the impact of ME/CFS and long COVID on intimacy

Both …

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How expert witness work can transform your career and life [PODCAST]

Podcast
December 18, 2024
YouTube video

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We speak with Gretchen E. Green, a radiologist and expert witness, about her journey from full-time clinical practice to building a fulfilling career that balances work, life, and family. She shares insights on …

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How the Medicare Prescription Payment Plan provides a practical solution to medication nonadherence

Policy
December 18, 2024

Starting January 1, 2025, the Medicare Prescription Payment Plan (MPPP) will give providers a powerful way to address one of the biggest barriers to effective care: cost-related medication nonadherence. With 54 million Medicare beneficiaries eligible, this program has the potential to improve adherence, reduce hospital readmissions, and ensure better health outcomes on a large scale. By helping patients access the program, providers can play a pivotal role in transforming patient …

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Taking a break from medicine: a journey to rediscover joy and purpose

Conditions
December 18, 2024

Dear medicine,

We need to take a break. I’ve finally realized that this relationship isn’t healthy for me—in fact, it’s borderline abusive. For a long time, I didn’t realize I was in an abusive relationship. We’re taught that it’s OK when patients curse at us, threaten us, and even sometimes physically assault us. Unfortunately, for many of us, medicine checks many of the boxes of abusive relationships.

Not realizing we’re in an …

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Biomarkers: How to manage your body’s KPIs for longevity

Conditions
December 18, 2024

Longevity can be a polarizing topic. For some of us, it conjures images of a grandparent’s final years, filled with chronic diseases and prolonged suffering. Understandably, we would not want any part of that.

However, longevity science is not only about extending lifespan but also healthspan — the period of life spent in good health, free from debilitating conditions. While medicine has not yet eradicated such age-related diseases, research shows that …

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Overcoming social anxiety: insights into trauma, perfectionism, and therapy [PODCAST]

Podcast
December 17, 2024
YouTube video

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We explore the complexities of social anxiety with renowned psychotherapist Jonathan Berent. We delve into two contrasting cases: a high-achieving physician facing performance anxiety and a young adult paralyzed by avoidance. Jonathan shares …

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Why the U.S. health care system is failing patients—what every American should know

Physician
December 17, 2024

I’m a semi-retired cardiologist. I currently volunteer at a free community health clinic for individuals who do not have health insurance. Many of these individuals are undocumented foreign workers, yet we care for them seamlessly, without the restraints of our bureaucratic billing system and the burdens and restrictions promoted by the insurance industry.

As I age, to my chagrin and utter dismay, I have also unfortunately become a patient. I have …

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Taglines, chief complaints, and the risk of losing the story

Physician
December 17, 2024

A fellow writer and I were having an online exchange. She said her painting was being interrupted by bursts of writing. She texted, “I’m writing about how storytelling is liberating itself from commerce, politics, religion, and emerging as medicine and culture.”

I asked if I could use her quote as my biographical tagline. On my LinkedIn profile I could say: “I write about how storytelling liberates us from commerce, politics, and …

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Why a visit to my old school brought tears of nostalgia and gratitude

Physician
December 17, 2024

I visited my school after many years. I enrolled in first grade in 1998 at age five and graduated from FSc Pre-Medical (12th grade) in 2011. After that, I started medical school in 2012, and since then, I haven’t returned to my school.

It was one of those schools where skipping classes was simply not an option. The teachers were professional, dedicated, and sincere. Although it was a government school with …

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How objective pain management can save lives and prevent addiction

Conditions
December 17, 2024

The management of pain in clinical practice often involves navigating the critical tension between compassionate care and ensuring patient safety. While subjective self-reports of pain are essential for understanding a patient’s experience, relying solely on these assessments may risk overtreatment, leading to adverse outcomes. Incorporating objective measures can enhance safety and maintain clinical integrity without compromising compassion.

The role of objective measures in pain management

1. Promoting patient safety

Strategies to reduce costly hospital readmissions and improve patient care [PODCAST]

Podcast
December 16, 2024
YouTube video

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We explore the pressing issue of hospital readmissions and their significant impact on health outcomes and financial strain within the health care system. Our guest, health care executive Ahzam Afzal, shares insights into …

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The hidden cost of neglecting self-care: the autoimmune connection

Physician
December 16, 2024

Imagine your immune system as a vigilant guardian suddenly turning against the body it’s meant to protect. This is the reality of autoimmune diseases—a group of complex conditions where the immune system mistakenly attacks healthy cells, leading to chronic illnesses like multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, and lupus.

A striking statistic reveals a sobering truth: 80 percent of autoimmune diseases occur in women, with an even more pronounced impact on Black women. …

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Doctors must rethink “do no harm” to help children with long COVID

Conditions
December 16, 2024

As medical students, we all take the Hippocratic oath—a pledge to help patients and, of course, not to cause harm in any treatments we provide. It is a core element in the care of our patients. We would never want to do anything that could make things worse. But is it that simple?

As medical diseases have become more and more complex, can we ethically say we will not offer a …

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High tech should not replace high talk and high touch in health care

Physician
December 16, 2024

Though many of the dollar-driven decision makers within health care would have us believe otherwise, we can’t AI, blood tests, or high-tech image our way out of our current U.S. health care mess. I learned this from having spent 40 years as a board-certified emergency physician and 50+ years as a chronic autoimmune disease patient. We must overtly acknowledge that all three of the above are simply supplemental tools. They …

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Why failure should be part of every doctor’s story [PODCAST]

Podcast
December 15, 2024
YouTube video

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We sit down with medical student Ashley McCray to explore the powerful lessons learned from failure and the resilience it builds. Ashley shares her personal story of perseverance after failing her licensing exam, …

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A medical malpractice lawsuit is just words: Actions speak louder than words

Physician
December 15, 2024

Data indicates that there are 85,000 malpractice lawsuits filed per year. This is the status quo.

What if the status quo is worse? There are other data showing that 85,000 is only the number of lawsuits represented by lawyers. There are 3.065 million additional claims that lawyers do not represent. The total could be 3.15 million. Plaintiff lawyers agree that, for every 37 cases that cross their desks, 36 are summarily …

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From burnout to breakthrough: Why treating yourself like a patient could save your medical career

Physician
December 15, 2024

I started my career in medicine with the same noble intentions that many physicians share—to help and care for people. But like so many of my colleagues, I quickly found myself consumed by a broken system.

Three years into my medical career, I was an overwhelmed family doctor in a small town, juggling urgent care, inpatient care, and seeing 40 patients a day—spending the typical average of just seven minutes with …

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Harnessing the power of AI to improve prostate cancer outcomes

Tech
December 15, 2024

It’s important to highlight the significant progress being made to improve outcomes for men facing health challenges. Efforts to transform men’s health focus on advancing awareness and reshaping how conditions such as prostate cancer are understood and treated.

Globally, prostate cancer remains one of the most significant health challenges faced by men. Fortunately, advancements in data science are offering promising solutions to improve outcomes. While traditional methods of tracking prostate cancer …

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How the Olympic spirit can transform diabetes care [PODCAST]

Podcast
December 14, 2024
YouTube video

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Join us as we sit down with Gary Marc Rothenberg, a podiatrist, to explore the unique connections between Olympic-level perseverance and the day-to-day challenges of chronic disease management, specifically diabetes. We discuss how …

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Perspective-taking in medicine: an important tool for educators to remember

Physician
December 14, 2024

I wrote an opinion piece, as a graduating medical student, in KevinMD a little over six years ago, expressing the importance of supporting medical students through confidence and encouragement. As a pediatric attending now, with my own trainees, I continue to support this “ask,” but I would love to add to it and give it a different perspective.

I recently realized that I have been feeling quite far removed from …

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