Primary Care

Adapting to survive: lessons from Blockbuster for primary care

Policy
March 27, 2025

Blockbuster was once a dominant force in the video entertainment industry, with thousands of stores and near-total market control. However, when digital streaming services emerged, Blockbuster was slow to respond, dismissing Netflix as a passing trend. By the time it recognized the shift in consumer preferences, it was too late – the company collapsed, unable to compete in the new era of on-demand entertainment.

Health care, particularly primary …

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Transforming patient care with motivational interviewing [PODCAST]

Podcast
March 24, 2025
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Gastroenterologist Steven Pearce, health care consultant Bruce A. Berger, and physician advocate Kim Downey discuss their article, “How motivational interviewing transforms patient care and outcomes.” They explore the transformative power of motivational …

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The hidden struggle of women with rare diseases

Conditions
March 24, 2025

Rare diseases were not something I studied in any depth in medical school or residency.

It was my aunt, Dr. Vivian Shih, who first raised my awareness of this area of medicine. A nationally renowned researcher studying inborn errors of metabolism, her work reminded me of the biochemical pathways I had studied as an undergraduate. Though I trained at the same medical school where she worked, these conditions were …

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Adventure as medicine: the wellness benefits of travel [PODCAST]

Podcast
March 22, 2025
YouTube video

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Physician Stacey Funt discusses her article, “The healing power of travel: How adventure transforms mind, body, and spirit.” Stacey explores how travel serves as a potent remedy for physical, emotional, and spiritual …

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From burnout to breakthrough: How a coaching culture transforms health care

Physician
March 19, 2025

Last year, 54 percent of physicians reported symptoms of burnout. Behind that statistic are thousands of dedicated professionals who entered health care to help people, only to find themselves drained.

I know because I was one of them.

I’m going to share how transforming my approach to leadership through coaching not only saved my career but can revolutionize outcomes across our entire health care system.

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The key to longevity: fitness, mindset, and nutrition

Conditions
March 18, 2025

An excerpt from Embracing Fitness as You Age: Maintaining a Healthy and Active Lifestyle Beyond Sixty.

We do not often hear that joy, vitality, and physical strength can thrive after age sixty. In a society that idolizes youth, people too often assume that decline with age is inevitable. However, many individuals challenge these misconceptions by embracing fitness and well-being at any stage of life.

Each year, individuals embark on transformative fitness …

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How The Far Side reshaped my view of science and medicine [PODCAST]

Podcast
March 15, 2025
YouTube video

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Internal medicine physician Ryan McCarthy discusses the article, “What The Far Side taught me about belonging in science.” In this episode, Ryan reflects on the unexpected inspiration he found in Gary Larson’s …

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Embracing compassion in family medicine [PODCAST]

Podcast
March 14, 2025
YouTube video

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Family physician Dan Muntean discusses the article, “The heart of family medicine: a doctor’s journey of compassion and care.” In this episode, Dan shares his personal journey through 30 years of practice …

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The hidden crisis in health care: How corporate greed is destroying patient care

Conditions
March 14, 2025

I grew up in a medical family, primary care. I’ve worked in the medical field for 40 years, from the front office to the back, lab to radiology. I’ve been a registered nurse for 33 years and a family nurse practitioner for 30 years. I have worked in hospitals, private practices, federally qualified health centers (FQHC), hospice, and corporate health. I am deeply passionate about my calling—caring and advocating for …

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The truth about burnout in medicine: a journey of gladiators, night shifts, and humanity

Physician
March 13, 2025

Becoming a doctor is often seen as a noble quest—a path filled with sacrifice, resilience, and the ultimate reward of helping others. We all start the same way: pre-med studies, endless exams, and the grueling four years of medical school. It’s a journey filled with sleepless nights, skipped meals, and cramming obscure diseases into our already overloaded brains. But we keep going, fueled by the dream of finally being called …

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What The Far Side taught me about belonging in science

Physician
March 13, 2025

Perpetually late to the game, I was watching The Crown on my laptop Friday night, the wonderful episode set in the summer of 1969, when astronauts landed on the moon. While the world gazed into the heavens, series creator Peter Morgan looked around here on Earth and asked, What does it all mean?

Contrasted against this crowning scientific achievement was the Duke of Edinburgh’s personal crisis of faith. When NASA launched, …

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Rising health insurance costs challenge small medical practices [PODCAST]

Podcast
March 12, 2025
YouTube video

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Family physician Tony Gerk discusses the article, “Even medical practices aren’t immune from the high cost of employer-provided health insurance.” In this episode, Tony explains the challenges small medical practices face due …

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The cost of caring: How medicine is shortening the lives of women physicians

Physician
March 12, 2025

A recent Time magazine article, “Women Live Longer Than Men—But Not in Medicine,” confirmed what many of us have long felt in our bones: Being a woman in medicine comes at a cost.

A staggering one.

Women physicians are dying younger than male physicians. Younger than women in the general population.

And that’s just what the mortality data shows.

The morbidity—the chronic health issues, the …

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Navigating long-term parental leave for fathers in medicine [PODCAST]

Podcast
March 9, 2025
YouTube video

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Neurohospitalist and clinical neurophysiologist Franklyn Rocha Cabrero discusses the article, “Missing prescription: long-term parental leave for fathers in medicine.” In this episode, Franklyn delves into the systemic and societal barriers that hinder …

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How a simple habit changed my entire medical career

Physician
March 9, 2025

It became my go-to daily practice and changed everything.

Mondays and me: a rocky start

For years, I dreaded Mondays. They felt like a tidal wave of catch-up work after the weekend.

During fellowship, the schedule was structured so that one fellow covered the entire weekend. This setup gave the others a real break—time to rest, recover, and reconnect with family and friends. But then …

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How poor doctor-patient communication leads to worse outcomes [PODCAST]

Podcast
March 5, 2025
YouTube video

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Family physician Pamela Buchanan discusses her article, “How poor communication is killing patients and burning out doctors,” exploring the devastating impact of unclear or avoided conversations in health care. Pamela shares firsthand …

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Why friendships fade: Understanding the seasons of life

Physician
March 5, 2025

Recently, a close friend of mine reached out, expressing his frustration over our mutual friend, who, for some time now, has ignored his calls and messages. We spoke at length, the conversation charged with emotion, and the underlying theme of our exchange led me to reflect deeply on the nature of friendships in adulthood. I have decided to share these reflections.

John and Darrel (not their real names) were two best …

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The harsh reality of becoming a doctor: a dream turned nightmare

Physician
March 1, 2025

I have wanted to be a doctor since I was 12 years old. I revered my pediatrician, Dr. Helen Nash, who was a giant in our community. Growing up poor in St. Louis, it was rare to see a Black doctor. Seeing Dr. Nash—owning her own practice, helping people, and commanding deep respect—was inspiring. She was an advocate for health care in the African American community, and whenever she spoke, …

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The uncertain future of general physicians: Is it time to pivot?

Physician
March 1, 2025

As a board-certified internal medicine physician and hospitalist with over 12 years of experience, I find myself grappling with an unsettling thought: I cannot, in good conscience, encourage medical students with clinical ambitions to pursue any general medicine field.

This may seem like a harsh assessment, but in my opinion, the writing is on the wall for general physicians. While those of us already established in practice are likely to have …

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Emergency departments as primary care safety nets [PODCAST]

Podcast
February 28, 2025
YouTube video

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Family physician Pamela Buchanan discusses her article, “The ER doctor who became the new PCP.” In this compelling conversation, Pamela explains her transition from emergency medicine back to primary care, driven by …

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