Emergency Medicine
We got the new COVID vaccine. It was a whopping $191 per shot.
As emergency physicians, my husband and I were determined to protect ourselves, our teenagers, and society at-large with the latest, monovalent COVID vaccine, which the CDC recently recommended for every American 6 months and older.
I realized, though, we were in for turbulence when my 78-year-old mother arrived for her appointment at a national pharmacy chain only to be told they did not yet have the vaccine. …
Tomb of the unknown emergency physician
An overly familiar alarm buzzes at 4:20 a.m. My first thought was, “I should have slept more.” I lazily brush my teeth with the combination of spearmint and reflux mixing in the back of my throat. With heavy arms and legs, I wearily climb into scrubs in the dark and carefully exit the house – a thief in my own night. The pitch-black drive is less interesting this morning. News …
Metric shaming in medicine and 3 ways to overcome it
Looking back at my career as an emergency physician, I remember how my first year out of residency was a roller coaster ride with many ups and downs, practicing as an emergency physician in a semi-rural town in Illinois. But once I found my stride and confidence as an attending physician, I recall distinctly knowing to my core that I was a good doctor. I was strong in my clinical …
Inner practices for navigating health care burnout [PODCAST]
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Join Wendy Lau, an emergency medicine physician, as we delve into the world of health care burnout and the moral challenges faced by medical professionals. Discover valuable insights, practical strategies, and the importance of inner practices to …
Navigating the demands of emergency medicine [PODCAST]
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Join Rida Jawed, an emergency medicine resident in Pakistan. Rida shares her invaluable insights and experiences from her journey in the emergency department. We delve into essential rules for thriving in this demanding field, from self-care to …
Why aren’t more pediatricians leaning into rural health?
Rural health for children is in trouble. Don’t take my word for it, just ask the CDC.
“The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has just offered further evidence that American children — and rural children in particular — are in trouble. Previously, the CDC had noted that poor U.S. children 2 to 8 years of age have higher rates of parent-reported mental, behavioral, and developmental disorders (MBDDs) than their …
Challenging the diagnosis: dehydration or bias?
The mediation was scheduled for noon. When the attorney in charge of the mediation was an hour late, his assistant began earnestly to find him. This was not typical behavior at all. A phone call to the condominium where the attorney lived sent security guards to his residence and then to the parking garage, where they found him slumped behind the wheel, seat belt securely fastened, and his keys in …
Emergency care nightmare: the urgent need for experienced nurses
Imagine you are in a bad car accident. You are in and out of consciousness. There are lights and sirens and the smell of gasoline. Everything hurts more than you can bear. Hands pull you from the car and place you on a hard backboard with a rigid cervical collar around your neck. You bump down the road in the back of an ambulance as you start feeling like you …
Is emergency medicine your calling? [PODCAST]
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Join Yang Wang, an emergency physician. Explore the unique challenges and rewards of emergency medicine, the evolving landscape of the field, and the qualities that make someone an ideal fit for this demanding profession. Discover insights into …
Pericardiocentesis saves a life
An excerpt from The Healing Connection: A Partnership for Your Health.
The blood spurt was alarming though because it therefore indicated that the pressure in the venous system had to be sky high in order to shoot a column of blood in such a continuous arc over my right shoulder.
So, I …
From burnout to brilliance: How one doctor found balance
During my five-year journey as an emergency medicine physician, I have experienced the adrenaline rush and ever-changing dynamics of the emergency department. Each shift offers a chance to make a meaningful impact on those around me. However, the demanding nature of this work can sometimes challenge my motivation, making it difficult to ensure that every shift is a great one.
Throughout the years, I’ve learned some essential rules that help me …
Ensuring fair reimbursement for emergency procedures
The applicability of add-on payment/reimbursement qualifiers/modifiers for emergency procedures should not be limited to patients’ emergency conditions alone. They should also be applicable to situations where arrangements are made for procedures outside regular office hours or on weekends. This includes cases where proceduralists choose to schedule procedures during after-hours or patients choose to have procedures during these times. Additionally, these qualifiers/modifiers should apply to proceduralists who work during after-hours or …
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The 3 things that make people love their work (and why medicine falls short)
The old adage of “do what you love, and you’ll never work a day in your life” may have misled an entire generation.
While researching individuals with high career satisfaction, psychologists Ryan and Deci found that the introspective “follow your passion” approach was rarely a major factor. Instead of relying on some intrinsic passion, people who loved their jobs were found to have work that fulfilled three specific psychological needs: autonomy, …
The rewards and challenges of emergency medicine
Congratulations! Maybe you matched, maybe you scrambled. Either way, you’re here, and after four years of reading and watching, you are about to finally start doing. Get all those practical skills: Intubate! Drop central lines! Insert chest tubes! Sign verbal orders within 24 hours! Write medicolegally bulletproof notes that also capture all the RVUs necessary to maximize billing.
As you embark on your journey to becoming an EM doc, let me …
Modern medicine is disappointing to many of us at the later end of our careers
I graduated from medical school in 1995. I completed an internal medicine and pediatrics residency in 1999, after which I spent three years in private practice, then moved on to a hospitalist practice for the next four years. From there, I transitioned to an ER job, where I have been for the last seventeen years.
In the ER, my role initially involved expeditiously seeing patients and only performing what was absolutely …
Fourth of July daredevil fireworks mishap: a tragic tale of loss and redemption
Jason had always cherished the Fourth of July—it was his moment to shine. At 19 years old, he saw himself as a real man, a car mechanic who garnered the attention and admiration of the ladies. With a fit and muscular physique, he relished his workouts and delighted in showcasing his daredevil spirit.
The day was marked by a grand cookout, where Jason reunited with his high school friends. The smoky …
Treating substance use disorders in the criminal justice system [PODCAST]
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In this thought-provoking podcast episode, we invite guest Casey Grover, an emergency physician, to explore the ethical dilemmas surrounding the treatment of substance use disorders in the criminal justice system. Join us as we examine two compelling …
Powerful lessons from a tragic hospital incident: the importance of living wills and last goodbyes
As an emergency physician, I’m a strong proponent of living wills, POLST forms, and discussing uncomfortable topics with your loved ones. Even making decisions about your child being an organ donor, if, Heaven forbid, something happened. You never know when the “last time” might be.
A recent case I had served as a reminder of this. The patient and their spouse came to the hospital for what was supposed to be …
How an emergency physician’s knowledge and confidence save lives in high-stakes situations
I think that from time to time, everyone has had the feeling that they weren’t doing their best. Maybe something we did wasn’t the right thing at the time. Perhaps we should have thought about it longer or acted sooner. We often second-guess the decisions we make, whether they involve matters of love, career, finances, child-rearing, or even where to meet the in-laws for dinner.
While I can do that in …
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Past Week
-
The loss of community pharmacy expertise
-
Accountable care cooperatives: a community-owned health care fix
-
Why fee-for-service reform is needed
-
Preventing physician burnout before it begins in med school [PODCAST]
-
What is shared truth and why does it matter?
-
Reflecting on the significance of World AIDS Day from the 1980s to now
-
Past 6 Months
Recent Posts
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Preventing physician burnout before it begins in med school [PODCAST]
-
Why we can’t forget public health
-
Why pediatric leadership fails without logistics and tactics
-
Why invisible labor in medicine prevents burnout
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The risk of ideology in gender medicine
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The economic case for investing in tobacco cessation
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