Author's posts
Inside the cancer waiting room where hope hangs in the balance
I sat there, frozen in time, full of fear, full of anxiety. Waiting for my time to “face the music,” but this wasn’t a dance party. My fellow patients, complete strangers, were seated about me, and each of us kept a safe distance apar…
From trusted family doctors to silent white walls
The face of health care in today’s world is unfamiliar to me in many ways. When I was growing up, the family doctor was a well-known and respected member of the community. Patients trusted their doctor to help them navigate life’s challenge…
Clinicians and management at odds in health care
In a survey conducted by a University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing team led by Linda Aiken, PhD, RN, of 21,050 physicians and nurses at 60 hospitals, it was found that more than 40 percent of clinicians were not confident that hospital management …
The harsh reality of dementia
Dementia is a general term for diseases affecting memory, thinking, or decision-making, impacting daily activities. Someone in the world develops dementia, on average, every 3 seconds. That’s 10 million new cases of dementia each year worldwide. …
The toll of health care: suicide risk among professionals
Our health care workers—nurses, physicians, and support staff—are at a heightened risk of committing suicide. Plain and simple. The emotional and physical toll on our health care professionals has been ever-increasing, exacerbated by the COVID pandemic…
Navigating your first MRI: tips and insights
MRI, or magnetic resonance imaging, is a commonly used form of imaging to help diagnose conditions that might not be visible in an X-ray. The MRI scanner is a large cylindrical tube-shaped machine that creates a strong magnetic force and radio waves to…
Nature’s role in relieving physician burnout
In today’s corporate health care world, physicians are exposed to high levels of stress in the course of carrying out the duties of their profession, making them susceptible to experiencing burnout. Burnout has far-reaching implications not only …
Physician autonomy and patient interactions in corporate health care
Have you noticed that when you try to make an appointment with your primary care physician, you have to wait much longer these days to be seen? And when you do finally walk into the exam room for the appointment, it seems the countdown clock is already…
Chronic health issues and homelessness
In 2022, over 500,000 people in the United States found themselves homeless, without a permanent shelter to offer a sense of stability in their lives. This poses a far-reaching problem for the individuals who find themselves in this situation, but also…
The complexities of healing and faith
As a physician, there are moments during the day when you must deliver a disheartening diagnosis to your patient: pancreatic cancer, ALS, leukemia, and unfortunately, the list goes on. The patient must face the harsh realities that are now placed befor…
