Justin Oldfield is a family physician.

Smartphone overuse is a disease doctors ignore

Physician
July 4, 2026

Imagine, for a moment, an epidemic sweeping the country. No one is immune. Its vague symptoms range from physical to mental, but they appear unrelated. Unlike during COVID, however, there is no outcry from health officials, the government, or the public. The problem is widely felt but rarely confronted; its insidious nature allows it to pass as normal. Therefore, the medical and scientific communities have made no serious effort to …

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Smartphone overuse is a disease doctors ignore

Primary care crisis requires new training and skills

Physician
May 14, 2026

The primary care crisis has been well documented. Experts cite low pay, lack of respect and administrative burden, all of which have contributed to burnout and a growing shortage of primary care physicians (PCPs). But even if we solve those problems, are PCPs well-prepared to care for an increasingly older, sicker population saddled with psychiatric disease? For many PCPs practicing today, the answer is no. There are myriad reasons for …

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Primary care crisis requires new training and skills