Category: Infectious disease

Putting on my daily máscara

Signs encouraging mask-wearing compliance during the COVID-19 pandemic are posted in English and Spanish at my hospital. I was fascinated that a Spanish word for mask is máscara, since “mascara” in English signifies the cosmetic that darkens the eyelas…

Health misinformation from a patient perspective [PODCAST]

“What on earth are we doing here, folks? To try to save a tanking economy, workers were sent back to their jobs much too early, causing again a spike in cases of the virus. I realize that the loss of a paycheck is a major traumatic situation for …

A thank you to all artists on behalf of the health care community

Amid the pandemic, when the world quieted to the sounds of our own breathing when the stillness of our isolation felt dark, who did the health care workers on the frontlines battling COVID-19 turn to, earnestly and urgently, for comfort and meaning? Th…

Telemedicine in COVID-19: Disparities still exist [PODCAST]

“An increasing number of institutions are relying on telemedicine to continue delivering care to patients in lieu of typical outpatient visits in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Telemedicine has been lauded as a potential equalizer in health c…

To my health care colleagues in South Dakota

I see you, and I am honored every day I get to work alongside you. To the frontlines: As the hospital gets busier and busier, I can feel the anxiety.  People are sicker than ever with COVID and non-COVID illness alike.  Seeing the new diagnoses going u…

How writing can change minds and make you a better physician [PODCAST]

Meet the physician who has written multiple widely-shared articles on KevinMD. How does writing change minds and bring people together? Why is humor such an important part of her pieces? Explore how her articles come together, and why writing has made …

Internal medicine, the pandemic, and William Osler

A guest column by the American College of Physicians, exclusive to KevinMD. National Internal Medicine Day is October 28, 2020.  It’s a time for internists to reflect on the work they do and take pride in being a part of the greater internal medicine c…

5 life lessons COVID-19 has taught me

During this past year, the COVID-19 pandemic has turned our lives upside down and changed not just the way we live and work but also how we think and behave. Every part of the world has been affected, and every aspect of life has been impacted. Our eve…

Doctors for truth: Fighting for trust in an era of misinformation

I read on social media that sea moss gel is supposed to cure coronavirus.  Do I still need to wear a mask? It’s hard to imagine physicians being deceptive to patients about matters of life and death. Yet, the politicization of health care coverage, COV…

3 coronavirus facts Americans must know before returning to work and school [PODCAST]

“We can’t un-bungle our nation’s COVID-19 response. Political leaders acted too slowly; health agencies committed unforced errors with testing kits and, amid the confusion, an information fog settled over the land. Americans remain afraid, perple…