Patients and caregivers writing on KevinMD about illness and the health care system from the other side of the exam table: navigating care, the doctor-patient relationship, being heard, cost, and what patients want physicians to understand. Physicians who have become patients write here too. For the record of what pain patients and physicians have said to each other about opioids since 2007, with patient authors cited at the same weight as physicians, see Opioids: what physicians and pain patients say, in their own words. For what patients pay and who is left out when physicians leave insurance, see Direct primary care: what physicians say, in their own words. For what patients, families, and physicians have said about dying, hospice, and the decisions families face, see End of life: what physicians say, in their own words. For what physicians and family caregivers have said about growing old, dementia, nursing homes, and caring for aging parents, see Aging and dementia: what physicians say, in their own words.
“Gimme five,” the TV doctor said to his little patient as he entered the exam room. As I watched this scene in an evening TV program, I was reminded of one of my pediatric practice’s most gratifying stories, which happened over 20 years ago.
Before the days of cellphones, the internet, and social media, I had become the local expert on support groups. After realizing how what I learned from support …
When you think of a hospital chaplain, what comes to mind? A bearer of bad news? An imminent turn for the worse? A symbol of death and dying? That’s what I used to think. Chaplains showed up in end-of-life situations, and I’d give anything to never encounter one.
I couldn’t have been more wrong.
Last week, I had the privilege of listening to a chaplain at my local children’s hospital as he …
“Inaccurate patient records aren’t just an inconvenience. They’re a risk. The EHR might speak for the patient when they cannot speak for themselves, and if it’s wrong, it’s a serious liability.
In lieu of any system-wide improvements to EHRs, I try to be vigilant. I ask the medical assistants to review the medication list …
“The weapon of the advocate is the sword of the soldier, not the dagger of the assassin,” according to journalist and writer, Alexander Cockburn.
The sword of the advocate, whether used for oneself or a loved one, may also end up opening doors that can benefit others. My work involves promoting the importance of family involvement in patient advocacy. But on occasion, I have needed to advocate for myself; I hope …
For those working in the health care profession, life has been a nightmarish existence for the past 18 months. COVID-19, originally billed as an illness no more severe than the flu, has devastated America and most other world countries. Loss of life due to the virus has been astounding, often attacking the most vulnerable of our population. Now, more than 1 1/2 years later, the virus is still in our …
I took a deep breath. The medical assistant who was checking me in for a video appointment was trying my patience. I was trying to explain, once again, that no, I really didn’t have HNSHA due to triosephosphate isomerase deficiency. The rare condition had inexplicably been added to my problem list in my electronic health record, and it was proving impossible to remove.
I believe in the power and sanctity of the relationship between nurses, patients, and physicians. A feeling that one is part of a team, part of a triad, whose sole purpose is centered on enhancing the patient’s health. This security empowers a patient to move forward on his journey of health. In recent years, this strong bond has been tested and shaken. Why?
“Don’t be the patient that says: ‘Doc, just tell me what to do …’ Instead, you should ask for information to empower yourself to make decisions about your healing process. Framing questions around the clinician’s experience is always a good starting point; pretend to be the doctor for just a moment and …
It’s been a rough and difficult year for us. Separation, desperation, depression, illness, and death are scattered among the months that have passed by. Hope, for the longest time, seemed non-existent. The COVID virus gave the world a “sucker punch,” leveling us all to the ground. Positivity test rates sky-rocketed, death rates at unacceptable levels. The days have been dark.
Faulty political power plays brought havoc upon our country when we …
My heart pumps rhythmically, as does yours, and aches when sadness strikes.
I am stressed and discouraged when I feel I have no control over an illness that invades my body. Is this not true for you as you lay in your bed at night, feeling that “your best was not good enough” to help your patient?
We enter this world and we will leave it someday; our mortality confronts us. Our …
Yes Virginia, there are still some doctors who truly care for their patients.
On December 13, 1993, my husband Bill was playing golf. Early in his round, he suffered a massive heart attack. Bill was 56 years old. Thanks to the staff and emergency room staff’s quick action, Bill was stabilized by the ER physician. That same afternoon, Bill suffered a second heart attack, and Dr. Robert Barden performed Bill’s first angioplasty.
“The practice of medicine is an art, not a trade; a calling, not a business; a calling in which your heart will be exercised equally with your head.”
– Sir William Osler
One of the most sacred and intimate relationships is that which exists between patient and physician. A patient shares feelings and fears as he traverses the path of illness or chronic disease. As roadblocks in health emerge, a patient looks …
I taught myself as a child how to lip read. I needed something to help me know what was going on around me other than relying on my hearing aids. I went to a deaf school as a kindergartner for all of three months and hated it, so my parents switched me over to the local public school system. I was the first deaf student to be mainstreamed in that …
I walk this dark and winding path between wellness and illness, moving between darkness and light on this journey of life. As I move between well-being and an uneasy state of uncertainty, a roller-coaster of emotions moves over me. I am brought to my knees with doubt, restlessness, discontent, anger, and fear. At times, I feel heavy with the weight of the world upon my shoulders; other moments, I feel …
Let me begin by extending my gratitude to all physicians who have served our country during this time of the coronavirus pandemic. During this trying time, your dedication and service have given a sense of stability and confidence in our health care systems at a time filled with so much uncertainty and turmoil.
As a member of the “Baby Boomer” generation, I’ve seen my fair share of physicians over the years. …
I’m writing this piece partly to celebrate the release of my new book, How to Be Sick: Your Pocket Companion, and partly, as always, to try and help readers. I thought I would share the challenges that the book covers, adding some comments as I go. Many of the challenges turn out to apply to the restricted lives all of us are leading in light of …
The third week of September is Mitochondrial Disease Awareness Week: a time to fundraise, light up buildings in green, and hold events that highlight mitochondrial disease research and awareness.
My family has never heard of mitochondrial disease until 2017, when our newborn daughter, Miriam, tragically died from it at seven weeks old. Our family felt a profound sense of loss and tried out best to participate in awareness and fundraising efforts …
“Time is generally the best doctor,” according to the Roman poet Ovid. But these days, in the middle of the pandemic, what doctor has time?
Health care professionals already have 29-hour days. In many places, hospitals are at or near capacity because of Covid-19 cases. Some hospitals and staff are functioning in crisis mode; chaos reigns, particularly in areas where the surge came on suddenly. As a result, clinicians are stretched …
“Each morning before the doctors came in for rounds; I’d paint feverishly whatever abstraction came to mind and what evolved from my situation. When I completed my pieces, I felt like I had not only gotten out my frustrations and worry, but also found a place of joy and gratitude. I would put each canvas outside my hospital room, and soon …
In cancer language, it’s not unusual for the medical or scientific meaning of a word to be different from the way the same word is understood in everyday language. Sometimes the difference reflects a focus on populations vs. individuals, and in that case, the context in which the term is used is critical. Media reports often add to the confusion by failing to clarify these differences.
