Category: KevinMD

Do hospital administrators eat last?

A book was recommended to me recently by a resident of mine.  It is written by Simon Sinek and called Leaders Eat Last.  I already knew that I agreed with a lot of what Sinek says because I’ve seen You Tube Videos by Sinek that feel like he has reached…

When patient and surgeon meet in Cancun for surgery

Donna Ferguson awoke in the resort city of Cancun before sunrise on a sweltering Saturday in July. She wasn’t headed to the beach. Instead, she walked down a short hallway from her Sheraton hotel and into Galenia Hospital. A little later that morning, …

5 lessons from an emergency physician

The emergency room is an interesting place to work. It’s controlled chaos. Walk through the hallways, and you’ll hear people screaming, see others crying, and others wincing in pain. Over time, you get a unique perspective on the human condition. In my…

Gun violence in America is a national emergency.

Gun violence in America is a national emergency. We are tired of suturing closed bullet holes that our society refuses to prevent. Congress should return to Washington during the August recess and legislate universal background checks for all gun sales…

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…

Adopting the DoorDash model to health delivery

I was reading an article in The New York Times entitled, “The Rise of the Virtual Restaurant.” More and more people, particularly in urban settings, are using apps like Uber Eats, Grubhub, and DoorDash to bring fresh, warm food directly to …

Can the cardiac risk of red meat be measured? And is it useful?

Prevention of heart disease has centered on smoking cessation, controlling blood pressure, achieving an appropriate weight, regular exercise, control of blood sugar, and control of your cholesterol.  Despite addressing and controlling these items, indi…

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…