Category: KevinMD

Thinking about changing jobs? Here’s what physicians should consider.

A large percentage of doctors end up switching jobs within the first five years of practice.  This really isn’t surprising given that the medical training experience doesn’t necessarily correlate with the medical practice experience. Many doctors work …

What to do with disparaging doctors

Doctors who disparage, or even ridicule, what parents tell them are, fortunately, rare. Nevertheless, sometimes parents may infer from what the doctor says or how he acts that he does not value what they are telling him, even though he did not mean to …

Understanding the distinction between universal health care and a single-payer system is critical

The World Health Organization describes universal health coverage — a system coupling health care access with financial protection for all residents — as the “single most powerful concept that public health has to offer.” The goal of univer…

Practicing medicine full-time in America is very difficult. It’s time to think outside the box.

Talk about physician burnout and job dissatisfaction is everywhere right now. If you are a doctor, you cannot escape the news. Within the last couple of weeks, organizations in Massachusetts (a mecca of healthcare and hospitals) declared physician burn…

When Dr. Pimple Popper teaches us something more

Several years ago, my daughter Emma introduced me to some videos on YouTube of a dermatologist from California who posted her sometimes shocking but always intriguing encounters with patients who suffered from a variety of dermatologic issues. Of all o…

Why is it so difficult for Americans to make doctors’ appointments?

Jill Ladkin was already having a terrible autumn. It began with a seizure that put her in the hospital with what seemed like scores of unfamiliar physicians attending to her state of health. The brain scan revealed a mass in the lining of her brain, a …

The problem of physicians and nurses connecting patients with hospital fundraisers

Many organizations solicit private donations from benefactors and philanthropists. Is there a stadium in the country that does not bear the name of a prominent donor? There are also anonymous donors who are not cursed with egos that require their names…

The problem of physicians and nurses connecting patients with hospital fundraisers

Many organizations solicit private donations from benefactors and philanthropists. Is there a stadium in the country that does not bear the name of a prominent donor? There are also anonymous donors who are not cursed with egos that require their names…

In the age of EHRs, why are we still asking patients to fill out paper forms?

From the sublime to the ridiculous. That’s sort of how my day went yesterday. It started out with an early morning meeting with a colleague who has been implementing a telehealth program at one of our institution’s practices, learning about…

The man who defecated outside the ER

“Sometimes sh*t just happens.” Just a few days ago, I finished yet another string of four hectic shifts in the ER of our incredibly busy trauma center. After saying my goodbyes to my coworkers and transferring the care of my remaining patie…