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Latest articles
Conditions and diseases
I have enjoyed being the center of attention and always pretending that I am on stage. This works out just perfectly as my wife likes being behind the scenes and allows me to take center stage. Thus, I would describe…
I have enjoyed being the center of attention and always pretending that I am on stage. This works out just perfectly as my wife likes being behind the scenes and allows me to take center stage. Thus, I would describe myself as an extrovert.
I learned about personality testing as a psychology major in undergraduate school. I never took personality testing seriously. There are many different methods used to identify personality …
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9 Enneagram types every practice leader should know
Conditions and diseases
A solution to the typical afternoon sinking spell is short bursts of exercise. In this blog, I will discuss the concept of short bursts of exercise and how just 1 to 2 minutes of cardio exercise that won't make you…
A solution to the typical afternoon sinking spell is short bursts of exercise. In this blog, I will discuss the concept of short bursts of exercise and how just 1 to 2 minutes of cardio exercise that won’t make you break out in a sweat will make you more productive and less lethargic.
The evidence continues to grow that even short periods of activity can make a difference. A recent …
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Short bursts of exercise can ease the afternoon slump
Physician voices
There are two types of employees: the go-getters and the gunnas. The go-getters are those who have a clear vision of setting out to do something, giving it their all, and accomplishing it. They don't need to be monitored. They…
There are two types of employees: the go-getters and the gunnas. The go-getters are those who have a clear vision of setting out to do something, giving it their all, and accomplishing it. They don’t need to be monitored. They are the first to arrive for a meeting or at work and the last to leave at the end of the day. They are self-starters and serve as role models …
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Hiring medical office staff who actually follow through
Physician voices
We all have times when we wonder, "Did I choose the right profession? Should I recommend a medical career for my children? Is it time to retire?" These questions creep into the minds of mid-career physicians. We often ask ourselves…
We all have times when we wonder, “Did I choose the right profession? Should I recommend a medical career for my children? Is it time to retire?” These questions creep into the minds of mid-career physicians. We often ask ourselves how we should address the mid-career blahs. What can we do to improve our professional satisfaction? How can we combat the dullness and tedium of our workday lives? And how …
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5 ways to beat mid-career physician burnout
Physician voices
I enjoy building LEGO projects with my grandchildren, because it is possible to sit with a grandchild for several uninterrupted hours, unlike video games or watching them scroll on cell phones. Our last project was a LEGO Technic set, which…
I enjoy building LEGO projects with my grandchildren, because it is possible to sit with a grandchild for several uninterrupted hours, unlike video games or watching them scroll on cell phones. Our last project was a LEGO Technic set, which lets the child learn about engineering principles like cams, levers, and fulcrums. This project was estimated to take 7 to 8 hours to complete. We made the mistake of misplacing …
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What LEGO taught me about attention to detail
Physician voices
A physician who had a side gig as a pig farmer wanted to breed his three female pigs with the boars on a neighboring farm. He loaded them into the back of his pickup truck and took them to visit…
A physician who had a side gig as a pig farmer wanted to breed his three female pigs with the boars on a neighboring farm. He loaded them into the back of his pickup truck and took them to visit several boars at the nearby farm. While the pigs were getting acquainted, the farmer of the female pigs asked the second farmer, “How will I know if my pigs are …
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7 practical tips to improve the patient experience in your clinic
Conditions and diseases
One of us (NB) has been reasonably conscientious about his health for the past 50 years. He sees his PCP twice a year and has tried to set an example for his patients by focusing on diet and exercise. I…
One of us (NB) has been reasonably conscientious about his health for the past 50 years. He sees his PCP twice a year and has tried to set an example for his patients by focusing on diet and exercise. I have done well, except I need a little work on stress reduction and sleep hygiene. Curiously, in 50 years and more than 100 office visits to health care providers, no …
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The mouth as a gateway: Why oral health matters for physicians
Physician voices
Our nation and the health care industry have been in shock following the assassination of the CEO of one of the largest insurance companies in the U.S. in December 2024. The reaction to Brian Thompson's death and suspected shooter Luigi…
Our nation and the health care industry have been in shock following the assassination of the CEO of one of the largest insurance companies in the U.S. in December 2024. The reaction to Brian Thompson’s death and suspected shooter Luigi Mangione appeared to have captured America’s attention. The assassination has focused public outrage toward the health care insurance industry and a lack of empathy for the victim and his …
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Physician patient advocacy: Fighting insurance denials effectively
Physician voices
Have you ever asked yourself, "Why do your patients select you and your practice for their medical care?" Most medical practices offer the same service, i.e., evaluation and treatment, at approximately the same cost, and produce similar outcomes. After all,…
Have you ever asked yourself, “Why do your patients select you and your practice for their medical care?” Most medical practices offer the same service, i.e., evaluation and treatment, at approximately the same cost, and produce similar outcomes. After all, how many ways are there to treat a urinary tract infection, diabetes, hypertension, or arthritis? Most doctors are trained to offer similar services, which typically produce identical outcomes. So, why …
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Why starting with why can transform your medical practice
Physician voices
An excerpt from Medicine is a Practice: The Rules for Healthcare Marketing. "I'm late! I'm late! For a very important date!" — The White Rabbit, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, Lewis Carroll Lewis Carroll wrote about the tardiness of the White…
An excerpt from Medicine is a Practice: The Rules for Healthcare Marketing.
“I’m late! I’m late! For a very important date!”
— The White Rabbit, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, Lewis Carroll
Lewis Carroll wrote about the tardiness of the White Rabbit in Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland in 1865. The problem of tardiness is older than the White Rabbit, and lack of punctuality plagues every profession and human interaction. Unfortunately, in the medical …
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How to handle chronically late patients in your medical practice
Health technology
Mark Twain (Samuel Clemens) spent his youth deciphering the Mississippi River, a system far more complex than any artificial intelligence (AI) algorithm. He learned that real understanding demands nuance, context, and skepticism. Were he alive today, he'd likely see NarxCare,…
Mark Twain (Samuel Clemens) spent his youth deciphering the Mississippi River, a system far more complex than any artificial intelligence (AI) algorithm. He learned that real understanding demands nuance, context, and skepticism. Were he alive today, he’d likely see NarxCare, the controversial opioid-risk AI algorithm, as a cautionary tale about the dangers of replacing human judgment with lies, damn lies, and statistics.
NarxCare scores patients based on morphine milligram equivalents and …
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How Mark Twain would dismantle today’s flawed medical AI
Physician voices
"Happiness is the absence of striving for happiness." – Chuang Tzu A hunter once lost his way deep inside the jungle while chasing a deer. He used all his navigation skills, but he did not find any way out of…
“Happiness is the absence of striving for happiness.”
– Chuang Tzu
A hunter once lost his way deep inside the jungle while chasing a deer. He used all his navigation skills, but he did not find any way out of the jungle or food for several days. He started feeling so hungry that he could eat an entire elephant in one go. Disappointed, he lost all hope. And that is exactly when …
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How the 10th Apple Effect is stealing your joy in medicine
Physician voices
If you have been to the circus and toured the tent where the elephants rest and are fed, you will see that large, two-to-three-ton elephants are tethered to a small wooden stake with a small chain around the ankle of…
If you have been to the circus and toured the tent where the elephants rest and are fed, you will see that large, two-to-three-ton elephants are tethered to a small wooden stake with a small chain around the ankle of one of their hind legs. This tiny wooden stake driven into the ground could be pulled up in a nanosecond, and the elephant could run away.
But the large …
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The hidden chains holding doctors back
Physician voices
I have previously blogged about identifying your practice's UVP or unique value proposition. This is based on differentiating your practice from others in the community or the region. According to an article in the Wall Street Journal, workplaces are pumping…
I have previously blogged about identifying your practice’s UVP or unique value proposition. This is based on differentiating your practice from others in the community or the region. According to an article in the Wall Street Journal, workplaces are pumping fragrances into offices to make the offices smell better. The article focused on real estate properties in Manhattan trying to lure renters back to the workplace after the pandemic. …
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Boost patient satisfaction with the power of fragrance
Physician voices
I was scheduled to see a prominent federal judge in my office at 9:00 a.m. The judge requested the first appointment of the day and expected to be seen promptly at 9:00 a.m. I had an emergency providing care for…
I was scheduled to see a prominent federal judge in my office at 9:00 a.m. The judge requested the first appointment of the day and expected to be seen promptly at 9:00 a.m. I had an emergency providing care for a patient in clot retention. As a result, I was not able to see him at the designated time. At 9:15 a.m., he approached the desk and asked when he …
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How scales of justice saved a doctor-patient relationship
Physician voices
Admiral William McRaven is a Navy SEAL and was the president of the University of Texas. In 2014, he gave a commencement speech that has been viewed over 10 million times. It is considered one of the greatest contemporary graduation…
Admiral William McRaven is a Navy SEAL and was the president of the University of Texas. In 2014, he gave a commencement speech that has been viewed over 10 million times. It is considered one of the greatest contemporary graduation speeches of all time.* Although the speech was directed at 8,000 graduates at the University of Texas, his message certainly applies to the health care profession.
So, here
…
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How to change the world: Start by making your bed
Physician voices
Critical to success in the restaurant industry is the practice of preparation, referred to as mise en place, a French term meaning "putting in place." In a culinary context, mise en place signifies preparing all utensils and ingredients before you…
Critical to success in the restaurant industry is the practice of preparation, referred to as mise en place, a French term meaning “putting in place.” In a culinary context, mise en place signifies preparing all utensils and ingredients before you start cooking. Mise en place is required in culinary schools and high-end restaurant kitchens.
Mise en place is a guiding principle in any field, increasing productivity and improving workflow.
Here are three …
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How a restaurant principle can transform your patient care
Physician voices
A few months ago, the longshoremen's union shut down 14 ports along the East and Gulf Coasts. This strike of dockworkers was costing the American economy up to $5 billion per day. The strike lasted 3 days, and there was…
A few months ago, the longshoremen’s union shut down 14 ports along the East and Gulf Coasts. This strike of dockworkers was costing the American economy up to $5 billion per day. The strike lasted 3 days, and there was an agreement to suspend the strike and continue negotiations in early 2025.
One of the issues pertained to restricting the use of automation and artificial intelligence (AI) to load and unload …
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The surprising reason doctors might turn to unions
Physician voices
In the previous article, I offered four ways (other than growth) a practice can compensate for declining reimbursements: improve efficiency, boost collection ratio, increase productivity, and consider a practice merger. As promised, here are four more. Stay focused. Focused strategies…
In the previous article, I offered four ways (other than growth) a practice can compensate for declining reimbursements: improve efficiency, boost collection ratio, increase productivity, and consider a practice merger. As promised, here are four more.
Stay focused.
Focused strategies lead to better outcomes and lower costs. It is no accident that the best outcomes and lowest price for open-heart surgery are achieved
…
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How doctors can thrive despite declining reimbursements
Physician voices
Physicians, practices, and other health care providers seem to face a continual decline in reimbursements. According to an AMA analysis, inflation-adjusted Medicare reimbursement rates for physicians dropped 22 percent from 2001 to 2021, and insurers of Affordable Care Act plans…
Physicians, practices, and other health care providers seem to face a continual decline in reimbursements. According to an AMA analysis, inflation-adjusted Medicare reimbursement rates for physicians dropped 22 percent from 2001 to 2021, and insurers of Affordable Care Act plans denied 17 percent of in-network claims in 2021.
The gut reaction is often to increase growth, but that brings on problems of its own, like reduced profitability from increased overhead and …
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4 strategies to boost your medical practice’s profitability
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