I recently received this email message from one of my residents who has moonlighted in a local commercial urgent care center. This message is reprinted with his permission just as I received it, except I removed the brand name.
Hey Dr. Young, I’m looking for some basic mentoring advice. I’ve been moonlighting at ZZZ Urgent Care for about a year. Not my favorite work, but oh well. I don’t routinely prescribe antibiotics ...
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It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity.
The woman lying on the gurney was motionless. Her chest moved up and down with a timid but halting regularity. The calmness of her face was in sharp contrast to the panicked despair of the ...
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As trauma surgeons we often have to disassociate ourselves from the stories that surround our patients so that we can focus on their life-threatening injuries. It's also how I personally cope with the devastating injuries to the patient and the aftermath left for the family. Sometimes, though, I am caught off guard and my defenses aren't strong enough.
A middle-aged man was brought in one evening after being hit while riding ...
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I'm not old enough, in emergency medicine years, to identify with the struggle of those calling for the end of the term “ER.” The argument was about the “R” vs. the “D”: "It's not a room!” It’s a department!” was the war cry. Then perceptions changed, battles were won, and along came the very popular TV show, "ER.” The war hawks quieted ...
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My first night shift in a stretch of 7 was almost over. It was 6:15am and I had to keep moving otherwise the minute I would stop, my eyelids would drop like two ton shades and I’d fall asleep. That never makes for a good drive home after a night shift.
“Got time to see one more?” asked Jenny the nurse.
“Do I have ...
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One Friday, Jerry got the scare of his life.
Jerry is a 48-year old mechanic who is in good health. His ...
Right now, the technology exists to completely transform healthcare.
A doctor should be able to walk into the room where a patient is waiting for them and get everything they need to make an informed decision about that patient’s care.
Location-based technology should sense the doctor approaching and already know which patient is waiting for them. A computer or a tablet in the room should have access to thousands of data points ...
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America consumes 80% of the world opioid supply (99% of the world hydrocodone supply), but has about 5% of the world’s population. If you don’t think America has some kind of opioid problem, then move along because this rational, evidence-based, experience-laden way in which I’m going to discuss opioid use and misuse will not interest you.
To combat our opioidification the
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The link to a recent article in Forbes magazine entitled, "Why Rating Your Doctor is Bad for Your Health" keeps showing up in my inbox with the subject, “thought you would find this interesting.” The reason is because I’m responsible for overseeing education and training related to physician communication and patient satisfaction for a large national hospitalist practice.
The article isn’t so much interesting as it is unfortunate. Its premise, ...
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Have you ever gone to the doctor and felt like he wasn't listening to you? Have you tried to tell your story, only to have him interrupt with a checklist of questions: do you have chest pain, shortness of breath, fevers, cough, and so forth? Have you ever felt ignored, and left thinking that your doctor never understood why came to him in the first place?
Studies show that ...
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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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