Emergency Medicine

Can collaboration build subject matter expertise? We think so.

Resa E. Lewiss, MD and Adaira Landry, MD

Physician

February 5, 2024

At my [Resa] first emergency medicine position leading a clinical ultrasound section, I noticed the impact of organizing a monthly educator series. It started out as a fun way to invite friends to visit me in New York City. Win-win: I could amplify their expertise, they met my team who expanded their networks, and my friend could add a line item to their résumé. At the same time, the resident …

The opioid addiction epidemic and its impact on health care costs

Brocha Kagan, PA-C

Conditions

February 5, 2024

The opioid addiction crisis has escalated into a formidable challenge within the U.S. health care system, causing widespread devastation. The opioid epidemic has not only devastated communities and individual lives but has also inflicted a substantial economic toll on the health care system. The opioid epidemic has led to a surge in health care costs, stemming from the increased demand for addiction treatment, including psychiatric and psychological evaluations, emergency room …

Escaping the time warp: my journey after leaving clinical medicine

Keith Pochick, MD

Physician

January 28, 2024

It’s been almost two years since I left clinical medicine. In the midst of our country’s health care attrition crisis, stories of early retirement, burnout, and career transitions aren’t hard to find. While each of those accounts brings a deeper understanding of the problem, as well as potential strategies to remedy it, this is not a story about why I left medicine. Instead, it is an observation of how medicine …

A heartfelt plea: the power of emotions in health care

Victoria Goodheart, DO

Physician

January 19, 2024

I leaned over the bed’s railing, straining to hear the morphine-slurred words spilling out of his chapped lips. “Make them stop laughing,” he said, referring to the cohort of young nurses giggling around the code cart in the hallway. “I’m in here suffering, in pain, and I shouldn’t have to hear laughter. Tell them to stop. Tell their boss. It’s so unprofessional.” After spitting out the last spiteful words of …

How community health needs assessments can assist emergency providers in tackling social determinants of health

Benjamin O. Aiwonodagbon, MD, MPH, Mary O. Peter, MD, MPH, Peter S. Yun, MD, MPH, and Emmanuel C. Ohuabunwa, MD, MBA

Policy

January 17, 2024

Dr. Gray is a young, bright emergency medicine physician who recently relocated to Austin, Texas, to start his first job as an attending. Nervous and excited, Dr. Gray is eager to explore the lively city of Austin and start practicing emergency medicine on his own. After a few months in the city, he noticed higher rates of obesity, homelessness, and uncontrolled diabetes among his patients compared to his prior practice …

Navigating medical uncertainty: a patient’s perspective [PODCAST]

The Podcast by KevinMD

Podcast

January 8, 2024

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Join Ana María Caballero, a poet, artist, and author. Ana María delves into her book, A Petit Mal, and we delve into an unexpected encounter in the emergency room, with Ana María shedding light on both the …

Leaders advise us to accept it as a job norm: violence and abuse in the health care workplace

Harry Severance, MD

Physician

January 7, 2024

Violence and assaults against health care workers are now reported at an all-time high. While health care workers comprise just 13% of the U.S. workforce, they experience 60% of all workplace assaults. Health care has been declared America’s most dangerous profession due to workplace violence. Health care and social service industries experience the highest rates of injuries caused by workplace violence and are five times as likely to suffer a …

How today’s physicians juggle legal threats and patient care [PODCAST]

The Podcast by KevinMD

Podcast

December 18, 2023

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We delve into the intricate and challenging world of medical decision-making with L. Joseph Parker, a research physician. Join us as we explore the delicate balance between rapid decision-making and precision in high-pressure medical situations. Joseph will …

From task-oriented to goal-driven: the power of habits in “magnet” hospitals

Anonymous

Physician

December 16, 2023

The banner in front of the ED where I work proclaims “magnet hospital.” “Magnet” status tells patients and visitors that the care from nurses (and ED technicians and patient care associates staff under their auspices) is so good that the ED should be a magnet, attracting patients and nurses to come here and inspiring other EDs emulation.

For many years, our ED’s annual census has been 100,000 patients. One might think …

A cardiologist’s COVID-19 frontline journey [PODCAST]

The Podcast by KevinMD

Podcast

December 13, 2023

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We sit down with Marissa Lombardo, a cardiologist, to delve into her deeply moving experiences on the frontlines of the COVID-19 pandemic in New York City. Join us as Marissa shares her journey, from delivering heart-wrenching news …

Breaking free from metric shaming [PODCAST]

The Podcast by KevinMD

Podcast

December 7, 2023

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Join Archana Reddy Shrestha, an emergency physician. In this episode, we explore her personal journey through the highs and lows of her medical career, addressing the challenges of metric-driven evaluations and the impact on a physician’s sense …

The dark role of science, medicine, and tasers

L. Joseph Parker, MD

Physician

December 7, 2023

The sciences and even medicine have long been used to justify atrocities. In the early 1800s, the United States of America was a slave nation. Citizens were allowed to purchase and imprison other races and hold them in bondage as property. This is different from indentured servitude, where someone is held in bondage until they pay off a debt. The indentured servant still has some rights and autonomy; the slave …

Advocating for health and humanity: a physician’s call to action amidst conflict

Therese Zink, MD, MPH

Physician

November 19, 2023

The unfolding events in Gaza, Israel, and the West Bank present a complex and deeply concerning situation. The entire area is smaller than the state of Vermont. My experiences in the West Bank, supported by a U.S. Scholar Fulbright award, have given me firsthand insight into the disruptions faced by individuals in these regions. The war may be focused in Gaza, but routine life is also disrupted in the West …

Navigating the new minefield of ER medical practice

L. Joseph Parker, MD

Physician

November 16, 2023

The practice of medicine has always been difficult. In the best of times, physicians must make fast decisions under very stressful conditions. Every time a doctor navigates a crisis, they reflect on what decisions they made and how they might improve. At least the good ones do. This soul-searching often involves discussions with colleagues and staff on the events and decisions made.

Mortality and morbidity discussions, M&M as we say, are …

When medical protocol meets family concerns

Richard Young, MD

Conditions

November 12, 2023

An excerpt from 2060.

Willis murmured, “Not again.” He approached his mother, who was lying in bed with an uneaten tray of food on the bedside table. A stream of drool collected on her gown as she slumped to the right. “Mom.” Willis gently shook her, and she attempted to open …

Physicians can write their way to increased empathy

Laya Jalilian-Khave, MD

Physician

November 8, 2023

“When and how much?” I tried to recall the list of questions for intoxicated patients. A middle-aged man, much older than the demographics printed on the documents I hold, was writhing in pain, vomiting, and sobbing. The paper stated: chief complaint – mouse poison pellet ingestion, attempting suicide. “How and why?” I kept asking. I was his first encounter upon entering the emergency room, a terrified fifth-year medical student at …

Encountering a gentle soul amidst stomach cancer

Veronica Bonales, MD

Conditions

November 6, 2023

It was the final hour of my shift, and I was cleaning up for my colleague who would be taking over. Glancing at the clock, I decided I could see one of the “easy” fast-track patients just to help offload the board a bit. I figured he wasn’t going to take long, as his complaint on the board was “sore throat.” What I came to find out was that he …

We all make mistakes. Don’t let them define you.

Josh Schwarzbaum, MD, MBA

Physician

November 3, 2023

We are human and we all make mistakes. It’s an inherent part of our nature. It’s easy to get caught up in the belief that our mistakes define us or determine our worth; however, this couldn’t be further from the truth.

As physicians, mistakes often serve as the uninvited guests in our otherwise meticulously planned professional lives. Yet, it is crucial to recognize that these errors are not stamps of incompetence …

Gaza’s medical crisis

Tammy Abughnaim, MD and Emily Hacker, MPH

Physician

November 1, 2023

On October 11th, cardiopulmonary resuscitation was performed on the lifeless body of paramedic Hatem Awad as he was rushed through an ambulance bay in Gaza. Awad and his colleagues from the Palestinian Red Crescent had just been given the green light to head into eastern Gaza to assist victims of airstrikes, not knowing they would become victims themselves.

On October 17th, surgeon Dr. Ghassan Abu Sittah stood in the ruins of …

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Gaza’s medical crisis

An emergency physician’s insights on health partnerships [PODCAST]

The Podcast by KevinMD

Podcast

October 30, 2023

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Join Drew Remignanti, an emergency physician, as he delves into the fascinating world of medicine and discusses his book, The Healing Connection: A Partnership for Your Health. Get ready to explore the insights and experiences of a …

Emergency Medicine

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