Author's posts
Is it time to find a new mental health provider?
The stress and hardship of the ongoing pandemic caused an increase in the number of adults, teens, and children who have sought mental health care recently. More than 23 million American adults received mental health care last year and the American Aca…
Beware of errors in your medical record
Anyone can make a mistake — even your health care provider. And sometimes, those mistakes end up in your medical records. That can cause a variety of issues, including misdiagnosis, medication interactions, missed follow-up testing and care, duplicate …
3 strategies to lower the risk of fragmented medical care
After a minor bike accident, you go to the emergency room with a broken wrist. While you’re being triaged, you tell the nurse you take blood thinners because you had deep vein thrombosis a few years ago. The doctor treating you says he’s read your medi…
How to overcome the roadblocks to getting a medical second opinion
There are many reasons why you should seek a second opinion. A second opinion can help you: Make sure your diagnosis is accurate, lowering your risk of misdiagnosis and the harms that can cause. Ensure that you’re choosing an appropriate, evidence-base…
Could a pause in screenings increase missed cancer diagnoses?
When the COVID-19 pandemic began in the U.S. in 2020, most hospitals and physician’s offices paused elective and preventive care services to focus on treating large numbers of COVID patients, preserving medical supplies and bed space in hospitals, and …
4 ways to support someone living with alcohol or substance use disorder
The pandemic has made the difficult work of recovering from alcohol or substance use disorder even harder. To deal with the heightened anxiety, depression, and stress caused by the pandemic, more people have turned to alcohol and substances. In additio…
Tips to help you overcome your pandemic bad habits
When the COVID-19 pandemic began in the U.S., and states issued stay-at-home orders, many people vowed to use their time at home positively, learning new skills, virtually volunteering, and getting into shape. Now, more than a year into the pandemic, m…
Why people diagnosed with cancer should get a second opinion
Although people think of medicine as a science—the facts reveal the diagnosis, the diagnosis dictates the treatment—most physicians acknowledge that medicine is as much an art as a science. It’s not like a simple math equation with one undeniably right…
The health care documents needed at each stage of life
If your 85-year-old mother was rushed to the hospital, would you be able to get the information you need about her condition from the doctors treating her? If your college-age son showed signs of severe depression, could you talk to his therapist? What…
Choosing an experienced surgeon and high-volume hospital can impact your outcome
If you’ve been diagnosed with a condition and the recommended treatment is surgery, there are proactive steps you can take to lower the risk of post-surgical complications and improve the likelihood of a good outcome. First, before deciding to undergo …
