Rethinking consent in the age of Facebook and Cambridge Analytica

Social media
May 27, 2018

As physicians and particularly surgeons, we deal with consent all the time. The process can be complex particularly for pediatric surgeons because we obtain it from the parents and the participation of the child in that process varies. For example, it is not unusual to be confronted with a parent who wants their child to undergo an elective operation. Yet that child, being 15 years-old, may have zero interest in …

Read more…

Rethinking consent in the age of Facebook and Cambridge Analytica

A better way of using Lyft and Uber in health care

Policy
May 13, 2018

Recently there was an article in the Washington Post titled, “Uber and Lyft think they can solve one of medicine’s biggest problems,” in which these two companies are angling to provide better, safer more reliable transportation for patients. While I applaud this mission, given the depth and reach of both companies, I think they may be underselling their abilities to improve health care delivery and reduce cost.

Recently, one of my …

Read more…

A better way of using Lyft and Uber in health care

If academic medicine is to avoid becoming academic, it must prioritize patient care

Physician
March 6, 2018

One of the definitions of “academic” is the following: Not of practical relevance; of only theoretical interest.

When we look at the term academic medicine, sadly the descriptor “academic” increasingly falls under this definition.

To be fair, there have been some wonderful scholars in the field of medicine: Semmelweis, Fleming, Salk, Sabine, Starzl, and Marshall to name a few. And these few were not readily embraced by their peers in medicine. Barry Marshall was ridiculed …

Read more…

If academic medicine is to avoid becoming academic, it must prioritize patient care

Will Buffet, Bezos, and Dimon be able to control health care costs?

Policy
February 17, 2018

The recent announcement that Berkshire Hathaway, Amazon, and JPMorgan have joined forces to pare down health care costs has sent ripple effects across the health care space. The announcement sent stocks tumbling due to the uncertainty of what influence these companies will have on a deeply complex, unruly and wasteful health care system.

Said Berkshire Hathaway chair and CEO Warren Buffett: “The ballooning costs of health care act as a hungry …

Read more…

Will Buffet, Bezos, and Dimon be able to control health care costs?

Is there a future for robot-assisted surgery?

Tech
December 12, 2017

Recently, there was a fascinating article in the Wall Street Journal regarding robot-assisted surgery. It reported the results of two articles published in JAMA that demonstrated that robotic-assisted surgery cost more and took longer without achieving superior results to laparoscopic surgery on average.

With this, my LinkedIn account lit up. Here are several of the comments that came through:

“I’ve come to assume that robotic surgery is better …

Read more…

Is there a future for robot-assisted surgery?

Maybe the reason patients don’t understand us is because we don’t speak in plain English

Physician
November 17, 2017

Recently, I was challenged by the mother of a trauma patient. She had read about traumatic spleen injuries online and was concerned about the risk a hematoma presented and wanted the ultrasound to look at the hematoma. I found myself floundering around trying to explain how this study was unnecessary. In frustration, I turned to my nurse practitioner and said, “Heather, can you translate for me?”

This is a common problem. …

Read more…

Maybe the reason patients don’t understand us is because we don’t speak in plain English

A hospital invested tens of millions to preserve its community and won

Policy
September 27, 2017

A dear friend who is many years my senior recently remarked that he has stopped watching television. “I’m tired of seeing all the bad s%&t that’s happening in the world.  I know it’s happening, but I can’t do much about it, and it makes me depressed. I want to hear some good news stories.”

He is correct, of course. we all could use a good news story or two.

To be sure, our news media has evolved …

Read more…

A hospital invested tens of millions to preserve its community and won

What your mother didn’t eat may determine your cause of death

Conditions
September 19, 2017

With the attempts to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act, it is a good time to educate our leaders on an opportunity to significantly reduce the incidence of the most expensive and common preventable, pre-existing condition: What your mother did or didn’t eat when she was pregnant with you.

Yes, it is a pre-existing condition that determines how you die.

Confused? Let me give you a little scientific context.

Recently I was …

Read more…

What your mother didn’t eat may determine your cause of death

Medical device companies will soon face hard audits

Physician
September 5, 2017

Approximately 18 months ago, I was asked to serve as the surgical director for operating room (OR) services at our children’s hospital. The opportunity has been an eye-opening experience in understanding how a hospital functions.

ORs are like the economic engine room in a large ocean-going vessel. Without them functioning optimally, the boat stops moving, and is batted about by of waves economic disruption. If surgical admissions drop below a certain …

Read more…

Medical device companies will soon face hard audits

Why we must temper our unregulated free-market philosophy in health care

Policy
December 9, 2016

Quick, name the most watched, financially successful and competitive sports league in the United States?

The NFL. Right?

Now, name the most tightly regulated, transparent sports league, one that has a multilayered system of wealth redistribution and the one of the strongest unions of any profession in the United States? The NFL.

Surprised?

This is not a coincidence

Major problems with concussions and Roger Goodell’s persona and salary aside, the NFL offers a tremendous lesson …

Read more…

Why we must temper our unregulated free-market philosophy in health care

Hold medical schools and residencies accountable for how doctors perform

Physician
June 18, 2016

It was recently reported that medical errors are the third-eading cause of death in the United States after heart disease and cancer. The estimated number per year is over 400,000. This is not new information, and unfortunately, this will not be a simple problem to fix.

A portion of these deaths result from health care providers lacking resources and being overextended, both contributing to making errors. Some will also result from …

Read more…

Hold medical schools and residencies accountable for how doctors perform