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1. Boston Bombing a Lesson in Prep for Hospitals. The Boston Marathon bombing serves as yet another tragic reminder that American healthcare must be prepared to deal with terrorist attacks that result in the injuries typical of the wide-ranging damage caused by explosive devices.
2. FDA Updates OxyContin Label, Blocks Generics. The FDA has issued new labeling ...
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Today the road all runners come,
Shoulder high we bring you home
And set you at your threshold down
Townsman of a stiller town.
-A.E Housman
As the afternoon’s events unfolded, I sat glued to my computer screen between patients. My life has really been a tale of three cities—Houston, Boston and San Diego. Boston was where I did my residency training, met my husband, had my three children and my first “real” jobs. I ...
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A few years ago my best friend ran the Boston Marathon. She came back glowing, proud that she’d qualified, amazed by the crowds and energized by the feeling of community. Never once did she think that she could have died from a bomb exploding at the finish line.
America seems to be facing tragedy after tragedy. From the Aurora shootings, to Sandy Hook Elementary, to the Boston Marathon bombings, each time ...
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“Daddy, a bomb blew up in Boston!”
That was how my 4-year old greeted me when I came home this evening.
Of course, I already knew about the horrific attacks during the Boston Marathon, first on Twitter, then realizing the gravity of the event as mainstream media caught up.
I practice in Nashua, NH, which is about 45 minutes north of Boston. But ...
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Has anyone else noticed the growing presence of ultimatums in medicine today?
The New England Journal of Medicine published a discussion of the ethics of not hiring smokers. My hospital adopted this policy six months ago and they are not alone. There is a tobacco blood test that new employees have to pass. If they fail, they can look for a job elsewhere. I do not know the exact details, ...
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Flexibility is important these days, perhaps more than ever before. I'm reminded of this almost every time I order lunch at a fast food joint: "I'd like a double cheeseburger, please, with ketchup only." "You mean 'only ketchup,' don't you?" "Okay, a double cheeseburger with only ketchup." "Right, got it, coming up!"
So many changes on the medical care horizon and everyone speaking a slightly different language -- it's bound to ...
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Although I rarely get sick with the numerous strains of “bugs” that seem to go around our community this time of year, the week prior to my return to work for my next scheduled string of four shifts was spent mainly in bed, coughing and aching and whining about how miserable I felt. Fully recovered, though, I was excited to return to the emergency department to do my fair share ...
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“We’re doing everything we can,” I said as I put my hand on the sobbing woman’s shoulder. “We’re going to keep trying for about 10 more minutes, but I don’t know if we’re going to be successful with this.”
These are the moments that are truly difficult in my job. Telling people their loved ones have passed away, or preparing them for what seems inevitable.
“You can do it!” the woman said ...
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Mayor Michael Bloomberg recently introduced new restrictions on opioid painkillers for New York City public emergency departments.
I give my take on the issue in a USA Today column: ER key to curb painkiller abuse.
Prescription drug abuse is a growing national tragedy. One of the biggest culprits is opioid painkillers, such as OxyContin and Percocet. Shockingly, more than 200 million ...
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A good hockey player plays where the puck is. A great hockey player plays where the puck is going to be.
–Wayne Gretzky
Recently, I attended an end-of-year review with one of our hospital partner’s executive team. We reviewed our performance for the past year, and discussed mutually strategic goals and how to improve upon our excellent service. As part of the conversation turned ...
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"A comprehensive and extremely useful roadmap for doctors."
-Eric Topol, MD, author of The Creative Destruction of Medicine
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Past 6 Months
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