We’re all gonna die. It’s a simple truth that an astounding number of people neglect to acknowledge or accept. Some people die sudden, unexpected deaths, but most eventually fall victim to chronic or terminal conditions like COPD, heart fai…
Category: KevinMD
A lack of understanding for what physicians really do
I recently had the pleasure of participating in an administrative law judge (ALJ) hearing. Novitas, the Medicare administrative contractor had denied the E/M code 99291, critical care. The case was appealed to the qualified independent contractor, who …
A lack of understanding for what physicians really do
I recently had the pleasure of participating in an administrative law judge (ALJ) hearing. Novitas, the Medicare administrative contractor had denied the E/M code 99291, critical care. The case was appealed to the qualified independent contractor, who …
The history of viewing bones through telescopes
It is probable that primitive man’s curiosity markedly increased soon after he stood up and started walking on just his feet. He could both peek into caves and drop back onto all fours to peer down badger holes. Looking into his family’s mouths a…
Losing my first patient as a primary care physician
The first time I spoke to her was in the hospital when I was a relatively new intern caring for her. She was ailing for a while with complications of liver cirrhosis. She was new to the area. She had relocated from a different city to live close to her…
Remembering a physician, suddenly taken away
Our 20-bed ICU finally captured 10 intensivists — all board-certified in critical care medicine. We were fortunate enough to have one of these doctors in our ICU 24-7. Of course, they all practiced professionally with expertise. But I remembered this o…
If you’re chronically ill, setting limitations can make your symptoms manageable
For many years after I became chronically ill, I blamed myself for failing to recover my health. I told myself: “You get sick; you get better. It’s as simple as that.” As a result of this stubborn attitude, I refused to set limits, even though it would…
Cancer care costs everyone too much. What can we do about it?
Today’s fee-for-service oncology business model misaligns incentives by rewarding practices for keeping margins and service volumes high — even when it’s wasteful — rather than for optimizing patient outcomes. While discussions of drug pric…
Physicians have been reduced to overpaid dairy farm labor
I can tell you why there is a high burnout rate in the medical profession, but to do so, I have to explain why there isn’t one for small private practices. When I was finishing up medical school, I went to see a general practitioner. Now, this doctor h…
Our doctors are suffering from human rights violations in medicine
An excerpt from Human Rights Violations in Medicine: A-to-Z Action Guide. From sex trafficking to censorship, the range of human rights violations is immense, some more heinous than others. Abuse may be perpetrated by dictators in war-torn countries an…
