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 …
Category: Policy
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…
Curbing health care costs: 3 reforms for a more efficient system
The United States health care system is plagued by inefficiencies that drive up costs and limit access to care. The Department of Government Efficiency has a crucial role to play in addressing this challenge. As a physician, I often strive to practice …
Are you protecting your career? 5 essential questions about your NP liability insurance
A nurse practitioner (NP) in urgent care saw a patient with a severe headache following a fall. Initial testing and symptoms suggested a concussion, leading to discharge. However, when the patient’s worsening condition later revealed an elevated …
To boost primary care physician pay, Congress should change funding requirements for Medicaid state-directed payments
Introduction It is no secret that the U.S. medical system fails to treat all patients equally. Those with Medicaid often lack access to the same primary care and subspecialty clinics as those with Medicare or private insurance and face longer wait time…
Murder, vitriol, and hidden costs: inside the health insurance industry’s biggest battles
With the murder of the UnitedHealthcare CEO, many have expressed vitriol towards the insurance industry. Having worked in non-profit health care all my life, I decided in 2018 to switch to the “dark side,” or the insurance industry, out of …
