For the last three decades, the numeric pain score has been the go-to assessment for acute pain in the hospital setting. Since this methodology was developed for research purposes to see if drug “A” had an effect on patient “A,” its clinical utility is…
Category: KevinMD
The disaster at Hahnemann University Hospital
Though the news at first stayed local in Philadelphia and the northeast, it’s gaining traction nationwide. ZDoggMD is on it. Bernie Sanders held a rally. What happened? The venerable Hahnemann University Hospital, the main teaching hospital for Drexel …
The experiences in medicine shape your future
Hitting a roadblock in your life and career? Don’t get frustrated. Use the resources that are readily available to you. Not sure what they are? Think about it. You have had access to them all the time. The moment you decided to become a doctor, you bec…
What health care can learn from the Boeing 737 Max tragedies
The recent Boeing 737 airline crashes have left a scar on the American (and worldwide) psyche regarding air travel. Boeing, an iconic brand, prestigious in history and talent, neglected to update and formally educate pilots regarding an essential softw…
A physician’s reflection on Roberto Clemente and his leadership legacy
I am a physician who was born and raised in Puerto Rico. I confess that since I was a child, I have always wanted to visit Roberto Clemente’s statue in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Recently, my dream came true when a meeting I attended in the city a…
When a physician becomes the control subject in a study
When I was on staff at a large medical center, the CEO established four core values for the institution which he arranged in a diamond pattern: safety at the apex — think of yourself as a patient expectedly at the bottom. While it seems hard to assess …
A physician’s role in enlisting help to prevent suicide
A young man’s life is over too soon. He had been seen more than four times by more than ten different physicians and in four different clinical settings in the two weeks leading up to his death. Each time he was accompanied by a concerned loved o…
Think beyond benzodiazepines for anxiety
An excerpt from Understanding Medicines for Anxiety. Although the SSRIs (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors) are among the most widely prescribed medicines for depression, they also have a useful role to play in treating anxiety disorders. In this…
5 things I learned from being a “high-maintenance” patient
Physicians and health care providers across the world are trained to treat disease processes and disease states. Often, this approach becomes technical. And while directed towards the patient, it paradoxically distances itself from the patient. The dis…
Show your staff you care. Here’s how.
Have you heard of the book The 5 Love Languages? My wife will tell you my love language is “words of affirmation,” and I agree. I feel most appreciated when I’m told that I’ve done something well or when my hard work and efforts…
