Imagine two patients are diagnosed with liver cancer on the same day. Both have similar tumors and overall health. The only difference? Their zip codes. While we’d like to believe that all patients in the United States receive standardized care r…
Category: Conditions
The rise of at-home hormone tests: a double-edged sword for patients
At-home hormone testing kits have surged in popularity, offering individuals unprecedented access to tools they believe will help them understand their bodies. Marketed as convenient, empowering solutions to monitor fertility and general hormone health…
Navigating the ashes: Supporting emotional strength amid the Los Angeles wildfires
As an employee assistance program (EAP) therapist at a hospital, I am often called upon to help people navigate the emotional fallout of life’s most challenging moments. The wildfires devastating Los Angeles bring a unique layer of grief, stress,…
This perspective will change how physicians address pain and recovery
I implore all physicians to watch the film Tipping the Pain Scale. Invited by a friend to view from the perspective of recovery, I accepted in support and out of curiosity for the proposed approach to the treatment of pain. As an osteopathic neuromuscu…
Peer review case: a surgeon’s fight for due process
We recently resolved a complex peer review case involving a surgeon in a Midwestern state. The case arose as the hospital began transitioning to an employed-physician model, seeking to phase out its non-employed, voluntary medical staff. Our client, a …
You are already at the table: Letting go of perfectionism in health care
A few years ago, I decided to pursue a PhD. Why … isn’t it obvious? Being a psychotherapist who helps health care professionals navigate burnout and imposter syndrome, raising three teenagers, and holding multiple certifications in everything fro…
How a family caregiver saved my life during a rare medical crisis
Americans heard a lot this campaign season about family caregivers. The federal government is making progress, but more needs to be done. I know about the importance of family caregiving; I’m alive today because a family caregiver advocated for m…
How lab values management can improve cancer testing and treatment
When it comes to medical breakthroughs, it can be a long journey between discovery and implementation. Implementing new technologies and therapies for patients is often hindered by slow adoption, inaccurate application, and delays caused by the rapid p…
From liquid handcuffs to miracle molecule: MOTAA would expand methadone access and help fight the overdose epidemic
Kayla was referred to our addiction clinic after a visit to the emergency department for a skin infection, common in people who use drugs intravenously. Recognizing her fentanyl use was escalating out of her control, she made an appointment to discuss …
The untold story of a nurse’s final shift after 47 years of service
I was on the phone with my sister when I thought I heard a knock at the door. Then another. My dogs barked, and I told her, “Don’t hang up.” My chest tightened. Nightmares of someone coming for me flashed through my mind—a stranger lu…
