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Susan Landers shares her heartfelt journey as a neonatologist navigating the challenges of burnout, the rewards of practicing medicine, and the complex emotions surrounding early retirement. From her intimate experiences in the NICU …
Journalist Te-Ping Chen wrote about the nature of a physician’s career in a recent featured article in The Wall Street Journal where older physicians criticize the younger generation as being less committed to their patients. The article is titled: “Young Doctors Want Work-Life Balance. Older Doctors Say That’s Not the Job.”
The major point of discussion was the definition of a career in medicine as a “calling” versus a “job,” …
Yes, I said it. Health care is a dumpster fire—a meme-worthy catastrophe of epic proportions. It’s the chaos that future comedians and historians will roast with gusto, leaving us shaking our heads in embarrassed agreement. My somewhat cynical sense of humor is helping me mentally process the dumpster fire that is the current U.S. health care system. But as bleak as it feels, there’s a glimmer of hope. When health …
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Jeffrey Gladd shares his transformative journey from burnout to a thriving career in integrative medicine. Discover how shifting from treating symptoms to addressing whole-person care changed his life and practice. From battling burnout …
This wasn’t the article I had initially planned to publish. I had intended to discuss the health care system, calling it a “proverbial dumpster fire.” But in a year marked by relentless challenges, the metaphor feels too raw, too real, so I will save that for a later date. Parts of the country are literally on fire, with Los Angeles and nearby areas battling raging infernos that have torn families …
After 30 years of practice and expertise in family medicine, with two specialties—one in Romania in general and preventive medicine for four years, and another in family medicine with Michigan State University for three years—I had my first forced vacation. Three weeks ago, I had a total hip replacement, which went excellently. I’m in great shape, but staying home 24/7 is something new. I discovered that the day feels much …
As a health care writer and patient advocate for over 27 years, I have interacted with thousands of patients who experience chronic severe pain, caregivers who support struggling family members, and clinicians who treat painful conditions. Depression and anxiety are very common in these patients and may significantly complicate treatment. Untreated depression – or under-treated pain – can cause increases in healing times, suicidal ideation, and Read more…
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We dive into the critical issue of physician burnout and the challenges facing primary care providers with family physician Santina Wheat. Discover practical strategies for reclaiming joy in medicine, setting boundaries, and rediscovering …
In the fall of 2004, everything changed. I became a father for the first time. I had completed four years as a practicing primary care doctor at Kaiser Permanente in Northern California in the Department of Adult Medicine. I had my first op-ed piece published – “How to make your health insurance count as if your life depended on it” – as I was working hard on a book …
As an emergency room physician with 20 years of experience, I’ve witnessed countless moments where patients come to the ER not because their symptoms demand urgent care, but because they lack understanding about their own medical conditions. These are not isolated incidents—they’re a systemic failure in communication that contributes to patient distress, health care inefficiency, and physician burnout.
This week alone, I had two particularly heart-wrenching encounters:
A 65-year-old man with metastatic …
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Join us for an inspiring conversation on transforming health care with Kim Downey, a physician advocate and physical therapist; Dawn Ellison, an emergency physician; and Denise Wiseman, a health care executive. Together, they …
I am a family physician by training, and I thank God every day for that foundation. About a decade ago, I transitioned to emergency medicine, thinking I’d left primary care behind. Back then, primary care problems—hypertension, diabetes, routine medication refills—would occasionally show up in the ER, but they weren’t the norm. Fast forward to today, and they’ve become a central part of my shift.
It’s not because people suddenly decided the …
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Join us as we explore the challenges of health care non-compliance among older adults with gerontologist Michael Pessman. We discuss the underlying factors driving resistance to medical advice, the importance of rebuilding trust …
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This article is sponsored by NRC Health.
In the evolving landscape of health care, our consumers, patients, and workforce are undergoing significant demographic changes. At the heart of these changes are generational differences in attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors. These generational influences don’t …
An excerpt from The Purpose Code: How to unlock meaning, maximize happiness, and leave a lasting legacy.
Back in middle school, an awkward kid on the cusp of teenagerdom, I met a man who changed my life forever without intending to. He had stumbled upon his own sense of purpose and, because of it, was making his mark on the world—and those around him.
Roman was the picture of …
I’ve wanted to be a doctor since I was 12. Growing up, I idolized my pediatrician, Dr. Helen Nash, one of the first Black female physicians in St. Louis. Her warmth and competence left a lasting impression on me. Medicine became my calling, my purpose, and my dream. I worked tirelessly through high school, college, medical school, and residency to make that dream a reality. But no one warned me …
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Abstract
The United States health care system faces escalating costs, access disparities, and significant physician burnout. Direct primary care (DPC) offers a transformative approach by emphasizing patient-centered care, price transparency, and reduced administrative burdens. Yet, federal policy reforms are necessary to scale this model nationally. This article outlines actionable federal policy recommendations, identifying how mechanisms like agency rulemaking and budget reconciliation can be used to drive adoption, expand access, and empower …
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