Category: Hospital-Based Medicine

A patient’s family bridges two worlds

Toward the end of my clinical rotations, I met Salma, a 34-year-old woman who came from Egypt with her family to the U.S. two years ago. Wearing a latte-colored hijab, she was here at the hospital to care for her father, who had a case of congestive he…

Who are the real superheroes of medicine?

Imagine yourself spending two years of your life indoors with books. Sometimes the only person you speak to for a few days is yourself, as you memorize intricate details of bugs and drugs that you never imagined yourself knowing. And then after these t…

Who are the real superheroes of medicine?

Imagine yourself spending two years of your life indoors with books. Sometimes the only person you speak to for a few days is yourself, as you memorize intricate details of bugs and drugs that you never imagined yourself knowing. And then after these t…

Don’t make me choose between motherhood and my career

A debate highlighting gender discrimination in medicine currently rages within the pediatric hospitalist medicine community. The debate centers on the board certification process for “grandfathering” for the new pediatric hospitalist subspe…

Who should advocate for older patients in the hospital?

It’s often said that pediatricians and veterinarians have the hardest jobs in medicine because their patients can’t tell them where it hurts. But the same is often true for the health care professionals treating older patients who can&#8217…

Anonymous acts of kindness: How this physician connects with every patient

The only times I stood in Emily’s room without fear was the day I met her, and the day she died. These days were two long years apart, years of unhealthy snacking and spending most weekends away from my husband and son. When Emily’s name first appeared…

Is direct contracting an answer to soaring health costs?

Colorado’s ski resort areas in Summit County have a high cost of living, among the highest in the country. The people who visit these places — Keystone, Breckenridge and Copper Mountain ­— can afford it. Many of those who live and work there can’t, esp…

The medical record often doesn’t capture the care of the clinician team

While my forty-year parts warranty expired some time ago, leaving me with a snapped fibular styloid process not long after, the ensuing twenty-five years have not resulted in any serious medical encounters until last week.  Following a very pleasant ea…

Communicating honestly with patients about uncertainty

When looking at the way medical education and patient care is delivered, there is no question that there is a culture of “knowing.” From the moment a pre-med enters high school, they are bombarded with tests that assess knowledge. This extends througho…

Communicating honestly with patients about uncertainty

When looking at the way medical education and patient care is delivered, there is no question that there is a culture of “knowing.” From the moment a pre-med enters high school, they are bombarded with tests that assess knowledge. This extends througho…