An excerpt from Dr. Koop: The Many Lives of the Surgeon General. “I have learned that, when an idea’s time has come—and it is on your watch—you must seize the moment.”– CEK, Glasgow speech It would take C. Everett Koop, M.D., Sc…
Category: Policy
Adapting to survive: lessons from Blockbuster for primary care
Blockbuster was once a dominant force in the video entertainment industry, with thousands of stores and near-total market control. However, when digital streaming services emerged, Blockbuster was slow to respond, dismissing Netflix as a passing trend….
How corporate greed and politics are destroying health care
In past decades, physicians practiced medicine. The majority were dedicated to patient well-being. They were paternalistic and decided what was in their patients’ best interests, and patients generally trusted their judgments. In the 1970s, ethic…
The hidden cost of health care: How rising debt threatens your access to care
Before a discussion of entitlements and welfare programs is started, a primer on the fiscal situation of the country seems appropriate. Service on the national debt is now second only to Social Security as a government expenditure. The debt is now abou…
When state legislators are given the opportunity, they vote overwhelmingly for doctor autonomy in pain treatment
As I have written elsewhere, the United States is now embroiled in a highly contentious debate concerning the causes of the so-called “opioid crisis.” Prescribing guidelines updated in 2022 by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention …
10 ways health care leaders sabotage their own success—and how to stop
As a former health care executive, I have witnessed many leaders at all levels sabotage their own success. Most of it was unintentional but rather the result of a failure to learn from those who have gone before. Many in the health care industry are pr…
Why Quebec’s health care model could change Canada’s system for good
Health care systems worldwide are grappling with access, efficiency, and sustainability challenges. In Canada, the debate over public versus private care is especially charged, and nowhere is this more evident than in Quebec. The province has the highe…
The truth about FEMA: a lifeline in disaster response
We heard of Hurricane Irma only a handful of days before it smacked straight through 5th Avenue in my hometown. The predicted storm paths sent the hurricane sweeping through Miami—across the coast. When the storm path shifted, it was almost too late fo…
The deadly impact of the U.S. anti-abortion funding policy
As first-year medical students, we are taught to always prioritize patients over politics. However, our research in maternal health has shown us that the two are dangerously intertwined, with political decisions directly impacting the provision of heal…
Chainsaw politics may cut deeply into the fabric of health care
Federal downsizing, while touted as a means to streamline operations and eliminate bureaucratic waste, has significant and often detrimental consequences for the U.S. health care system. Two documents shed light on this issue from complementary perspec…
