Skip to content
  • About
  • Contact
  • Contribute
  • Book
  • Careers
  • Podcast
  • Recommended
  • Speaking
KevinMD

Rick Donahue, MD

  • All
  • Physician
  • Practice
  • Policy
  • Finance
  • Conditions
  • .edu
  • Patient
  • Meds
  • Tech
  • Social
  • Video
  • All
  • Physician
  • Practice
  • Policy
  • Finance
  • Conditions
  • .edu
  • Patient
  • Meds
  • Tech
  • Social
  • Video
    • All
    • Physician
    • Practice
    • Policy
    • Finance
    • Conditions
    • .edu
    • Patient
    • Meds
    • Tech
    • Social
    • Video
    • About
    • Contact
    • Contribute
    • Book
    • Careers
    • Podcast
    • Recommended
    • Speaking
KevinMD

Rick Donahue, MD

  • All
  • Physician
  • Practice
  • Policy
  • Finance
  • Conditions
  • .edu
  • Patient
  • Meds
  • Tech
  • Social
  • Video
    • All
    • Physician
    • Practice
    • Policy
    • Finance
    • Conditions
    • .edu
    • Patient
    • Meds
    • Tech
    • Social
    • Video
    • About
    • Contact
    • Contribute
    • Book
    • Careers
    • Podcast
    • Recommended
    • Speaking
  • About KevinMD | Kevin Pho, MD
  • Be heard on social media’s leading physician voice
  • Contact Kevin
  • Discounted enhanced author page
  • DMCA Policy
  • Establishing, Managing, and Protecting Your Online Reputation: A Social Media Guide for Physicians and Medical Practices
  • Group vs. individual disability insurance for doctors: pros and cons
  • KevinMD influencer opportunities
  • Opinion and commentary by KevinMD
  • Physician burnout speakers to keynote your conference
  • Physician Coaching by KevinMD
  • Physician keynote speaker: Kevin Pho, MD
  • Physician Speaking by KevinMD: a boutique speakers bureau
  • Primary care physician in Nashua, NH | Kevin Pho, MD
  • Privacy Policy
  • Recommended services by KevinMD
  • Terms of Use Agreement
  • Thank you for subscribing to KevinMD
  • Thank you for upgrading to the KevinMD enhanced author page
  • The biggest mistake doctors make when purchasing disability insurance
  • The doctor’s guide to disability insurance: short-term vs. long-term
  • The KevinMD ToolKit
  • Upgrade to the KevinMD enhanced author page
  • Why own-occupation disability insurance is a must for doctors

When to see a doctor if you have a new symptom

Rick Donahue, MD
Patient
October 6, 2011

Patients and friends tell me it’s sometimes difficult to decide exactly what symptoms merit a doctor’s appointment. I find that it helps to think of three basic categories of visits. One category is the all-important annual checkup, which assesses and promotes overall health and can detect signs of early disease. Another category is the follow-up appointment to track chronic conditions or recovery from a major illness.

But the third category …

Read more…

When to see a doctor if you have a new symptom

The secret to better patient care is time

Rick Donahue, MD
Physician
August 29, 2011

Lets face it — the system of primary care medicine in the United States is broken. Even in Boston, the mecca of medicine, patients struggle hard to find an accessible doctor. And when they finally land an appointment, their well-intentioned internist, pediatrician or family physician often seems overworked, rushing from patient to patient, with little time to really listen to details.

As a primary care family physician for 20 years, …

Read more…

The secret to better patient care is time

How smog affects the human body

Rick Donahue, MD
Conditions
August 6, 2011

We all know that outdoor aerobic exercises like running and biking are good for your health. But during the hottest days of summer, it’s not just excess heat we have to worry about, but smog, the concentrated air pollution you can often see hovering over the cityscape. During the hot summer months, smog can become a serious health problem in the Boston area. We are often downwind from the Midwest’s …

Read more…

How smog affects the human body

  • Most Popular

  • Past Week

    • The cost of time constraints in primary care: Why doctors feel rushed

      Ann Lebeck, MD | Physician
    • Why we need a new medical specialty to fix corporate medicine

      Allan Dobzyniak, MD | Physician
    • The art of medicine and clinical reasoning: a lesson at the bedside

      Fazlur Rahman, MD | Physician
    • Why your patient’s disability claim was denied

      Jennifer Hess, JD | Conditions
    • The truth about Medicare Advantage funding and costs

      Timothy Bulat | Policy
    • How to spot artificial intelligence recruiters who target candidates from LinkedIn

      Arthur Lazarus, MD, MBA | Physician
  • Past 6 Months

    • The dangers of vertical integration in health care

      Stephanie Waggel, MD | Policy
    • Why does sex work seem like a more viable path than medicine in 2026?

      Corina Fratila, MD | Physician
    • The 9 laws of health care quality: Why metrics miss the point

      Constantine Ioannou, MD | Physician
    • Politics and fear have replaced science in U.S. pain management [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • How board certification fuels the physician shortage crisis

      Brian Hudes, MD | Physician
    • The Platinum Rule in health care: Moving beyond the Golden Rule

      Harvey Max Chochinov, MD, PhD | Conditions
  • Recent Posts

    • The art of medicine and clinical reasoning: a lesson at the bedside

      Fazlur Rahman, MD | Physician
    • Reclaiming human dignity as the foundation of medical practice [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • The pediatric home health system is failing children with cancer

      Alexis Chen Boulter, MD | Conditions
    • How your clinical notes impact military veterans’ disability benefits

      Robin Hoon, RN | Conditions
    • How prior authorization and step therapy harm pain management

      Kayvan Haddadan, MD | Physician
    • Pajama time is for fools

      Armand Rodriguez, MD | Physician

Subscribe to KevinMD and never miss a story!

Get free updates delivered free to your inbox.


Founded in 2004 by Kevin Pho, MD, KevinMD.com is the web’s leading platform where physicians, advanced practitioners, nurses, medical students, and patients share their insight and tell their stories.

Social

  • Like on Facebook
  • Follow on Twitter
  • Connect on Linkedin
  • Subscribe on Youtube
  • Instagram

ADVERTISEMENT

  • Most Popular

  • Past Week

    • The cost of time constraints in primary care: Why doctors feel rushed

      Ann Lebeck, MD | Physician
    • Why we need a new medical specialty to fix corporate medicine

      Allan Dobzyniak, MD | Physician
    • The art of medicine and clinical reasoning: a lesson at the bedside

      Fazlur Rahman, MD | Physician
    • Why your patient’s disability claim was denied

      Jennifer Hess, JD | Conditions
    • The truth about Medicare Advantage funding and costs

      Timothy Bulat | Policy
    • How to spot artificial intelligence recruiters who target candidates from LinkedIn

      Arthur Lazarus, MD, MBA | Physician
  • Past 6 Months

    • The dangers of vertical integration in health care

      Stephanie Waggel, MD | Policy
    • Why does sex work seem like a more viable path than medicine in 2026?

      Corina Fratila, MD | Physician
    • The 9 laws of health care quality: Why metrics miss the point

      Constantine Ioannou, MD | Physician
    • Politics and fear have replaced science in U.S. pain management [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • How board certification fuels the physician shortage crisis

      Brian Hudes, MD | Physician
    • The Platinum Rule in health care: Moving beyond the Golden Rule

      Harvey Max Chochinov, MD, PhD | Conditions
  • Recent Posts

    • The art of medicine and clinical reasoning: a lesson at the bedside

      Fazlur Rahman, MD | Physician
    • Reclaiming human dignity as the foundation of medical practice [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • The pediatric home health system is failing children with cancer

      Alexis Chen Boulter, MD | Conditions
    • How your clinical notes impact military veterans’ disability benefits

      Robin Hoon, RN | Conditions
    • How prior authorization and step therapy harm pain management

      Kayvan Haddadan, MD | Physician
    • Pajama time is for fools

      Armand Rodriguez, MD | Physician

MedPage Today Professional

An Everyday Health Property Medpage Today

Copyright © 2026 KevinMD.com | Powered by Astra WordPress Theme

  • Terms of Use | Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy
  • DMCA Policy
All Content © KevinMD, LLC
Site by Outthink Group