Why diversity in sports medicine is the key to better patient care
The field of sports medicine is steadily growing, highlighting the imperative for a more inclusive workforce. There has been a notable rise in female athletes at all levels of sports. The success of U.S. female athletes at this summer’s Paris Olympics was dominant. The prominence of U.S. women in sports is evident by their winning of twenty-six of the forty gold medals awarded. Despite the clear rise in competitive women …
The hidden estate tax: How the SECURE Act could impact your heirs
When planning for retirement, most of us focus on building a nest egg that will support us in our golden years. We diligently contribute to our 401(k)s, IRAs, and other retirement accounts, hoping to maximize our savings and minimize our tax burden. However, the passage of the SECURE Act and SECURE Act 2.0 have introduced new rules that could significantly affect how your retirement savings are passed on to your …
How a doctor with cerebral palsy defied the odds and transformed health care
About midway through my pediatric residency program at a well-known children’s hospital on the East Coast in the mid-1990s, I found out what was wrong with me.
I told the chief of the pediatric emergency department, a Jewish woman, that I had finally learned the name of a device after I had patients use it many times. I knew what it was for, but I hadn’t learned its name. It was …
When technology merges with humanity
An excerpt from Nephilim.
“Those eggs really hit the spot, right?”
“I’d love some more,” he answered.
“Sure,” Zdenek responded. “One or two?”
“How many do we have?”
Before long, James had wolfed down nine eggs.
“I wonder if it’s the choline,” Zdenek mused as James shoveled. “Eggs have a boatload of choline. Maybe she’s craving it. Orange that is.” James hadn’t touched his toast. “Choline, you know? It might help my baby merge with …
Legitimate vs. sham peer review (SPR): Is there a difference?
For an introduction to SPR, read this overview. Additionally, you can explore the history of SPR.
When summoned for a peer review, how can you tell if it’s a sham? The biggest clue is whether the peer review process seems intended to help or harm you. If you feel sincerely supported by colleagues and the peer review proceedings are uniformly applied throughout your practice, you have less cause for …
AI-powered health care [PODCAST]
How health systems can combat a $3B+ patient retention issue
In today’s health care ecosystem, patient retention has become a $3 billion dollar issue for health systems, with patient leakage (also known as patient keepage) at its core. Despite efforts to keep patients within their networks, a significant portion continue to seek care elsewhere, leading to financial losses. Interestingly enough, physical therapy proves to be key in improving patient retention, as recent data shows that rehab-related leakage is the number …
Medical gaslighting and strategies to combat it
An excerpt from Story Treasures: Medical Essays and Insights in the Narrative Tradition.
The Gish gallop – named after American creationist Duane Gish, who challenged the science of evolution – is a rhetorical technique often used by a debater to throw out a fast string of lies, non-sequiturs, and specious arguments, so many that it is impossible to fact-check or rebut them in the amount of time it took to …
How to stay calm and lead effectively in high-stress medical emergencies
Can you remain steady in the midst of chaos—whether in the emergency room, on the unit, or in the clinic? There are times in medicine when chaos ensues. Maybe it’s a trauma rushing into the ER. Or a refractory asthmatic coming into the office who rapidly deteriorates, requiring immediate intervention. Maybe it’s a newborn who is floppy and cyanotic after birth.
Regardless of the clinical setting, there are times when the …
How hypothesis testing could slash legal costs
There are 85,000 medical malpractice lawsuits filed annually. Among them, 52,190 are summarily dropped for reasons unknown; 26,860 are settled; 1,190 result in plaintiff verdicts, and 4,760 in defense verdicts. Only 33.3% of these lawsuits are likely to have merit, while 66.7% do not. To make matters worse, only one out of every 37.5 claims reviewed by attorneys is represented, meaning that 3,102,500 other claims are abandoned for reasons known …
How this doctor turned music into a secret weapon for medical students [PODCAST]
Fighting burnout with deeper human connections
Kim Downey:
Fostering meaningful connections and building a supportive community has become my mission as I work to stand up for and alongside doctors. I recently connected Dr. Wael Saasouh with Lisa Scardina. During our thought-provoking conversation, Wael said, from his perspective of wearing many hats in business, leadership, clinical, and research, “Once we can collaborate on multiple levels, a solution becomes a lot more attainable!” Lisa and I wholeheartedly agreed. …
Mastering health literacy: the key to taking control of your well-being
In an increasingly complex world, where technology, science, and medicine are rapidly evolving, health care literacy is no longer a luxury but a necessity. The ability to understand and use health information effectively can mean the difference between life and death. However, it is important to distinguish between being health literate and health care literate. While both are critical, they serve different purposes in ensuring successful health outcomes.
Health literacy refers …
Empathy at the bedside: a gaping injury in our training
“Please grab a chair and sit,” I told my resident, who was preparing to discuss a procedure with a patient. She smiled. Her confusion was evident in the gentle lift of her upper lip, showing just the tip of her incisors. A touch of surprise was also flitting across her forehead and eyebrows. As surgeons, we are conditioned to be efficient and laser-focused bullet-point communicators with patients and other medical …
How emotional and spiritual connections deepen relationships [PODCAST]
Doctors under fire: Is the DEA turning them into drug dealers?
In the state of New York (you already know it’s going to be bad), a doctor and a pharmacist were arrested in a sting operation conducted by a joint task force of the DEA, FBI, IRS, and probably CIA and CBS, though I have no proof of the latter two. The doctor, Mordechai Bar, and the pharmacist, Feroze Nazirbage, have been accused of “violating their oaths,” something you almost never …
Time to get digital in your practice
Can you imagine if you were shopping online and placing an order took eight hours? What if your order took 26 days to arrive? Sadly, this is the current state of many Americans’ struggles to schedule their doctors’ appointments. We, as physicians, can do better.
Americans are spending an average of eight hours a month managing their health care and are waiting 26 days to see a new doctor in many …
Why isn’t medical advertising regulated like other advertising?
As long as you live, you will never hear an article from news media contending that “America Runs On Duncan.” Why? Because the line is a marketing allegation created by the advertising company and designed to sell product.
Yet news media repeat medical claims from drug makers found in journals like they are news––which gives Pharma companies free advertising and can mislead consumers and patients.
The most recent example is the “news” …
The heartbreaking reality of smoking: a daughter’s final goodbye
Fred was the cool guy.
Back in the 1950s and 60s, smoking cigarettes was considered movie star quality. That circling of smoke in his parked car with the girl of his dreams.
He started smoking at the tender age of 15.
Fred had it figured out. Cigarettes were glamorous. Cigarettes were cool.
Doctors advertised that smoking was good for you. It helped you keep weight off, and it relieved your anxiety.
In 1965, the Surgeon …
Past Week
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Should transgender athletes compete in women’s sports?
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Medicare’s cobra effect: How a well-intentioned policy spiraled into a health care crisis
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Time to get digital in your practice
-
Doctors under fire: Is the DEA turning them into drug dealers?
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Cultivating joy beyond the clinic: a physician’s tale of rediscovering hobbies
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Is big business controlling your surgeon’s decisions? [PODCAST]
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Past 6 Months
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The truth behind opioid use disorder
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How medical school curricula perpetuate inequality
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From conviction to appeal: a doctor’s opioid case sparks debate
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Stop physician burnout: the hidden danger of AI note-writing software
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President Biden: a closer look at leadership, dignity, and aging
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A doctor’s eye-opening journey as a patient
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Recent Posts
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Is big business controlling your surgeon’s decisions? [PODCAST]
-
Why diversity in sports medicine is the key to better patient care
-
The hidden estate tax: How the SECURE Act could impact your heirs
-
How a doctor with cerebral palsy defied the odds and transformed health care
-
When technology merges with humanity
-
Legitimate vs. sham peer review (SPR): Is there a difference?
-
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Past Week
-
Should transgender athletes compete in women’s sports?
-
Medicare’s cobra effect: How a well-intentioned policy spiraled into a health care crisis
-
Time to get digital in your practice
-
Doctors under fire: Is the DEA turning them into drug dealers?
-
Cultivating joy beyond the clinic: a physician’s tale of rediscovering hobbies
-
Is big business controlling your surgeon’s decisions? [PODCAST]
-
Past 6 Months
-
The truth behind opioid use disorder
-
How medical school curricula perpetuate inequality
-
From conviction to appeal: a doctor’s opioid case sparks debate
-
Stop physician burnout: the hidden danger of AI note-writing software
-
President Biden: a closer look at leadership, dignity, and aging
-
A doctor’s eye-opening journey as a patient
-
Recent Posts
-
Is big business controlling your surgeon’s decisions? [PODCAST]
-
Why diversity in sports medicine is the key to better patient care
-
The hidden estate tax: How the SECURE Act could impact your heirs
-
How a doctor with cerebral palsy defied the odds and transformed health care
-
When technology merges with humanity
-
Legitimate vs. sham peer review (SPR): Is there a difference?
-
