It is a known fact, but every generation feels that they had it worst and that other generations have it made. “When I went to school we had to walk uphill in the snow both ways!” says every grandparent I identify myself with the Generation…
Category: KevinMD
Not all pathologists are created equal
Pathology and laboratory medicine services play a vital role in global health care and continuously improve patient care around the world. When it comes to your medical care, you have many options, and choosing the right professional could improve your…
The Apple Watch’s ECG feature could save many lives. But only if it has something else.
Recently the Apple Watch’s latest feature went live – an electrocardiogram (ECG) app that monitors irregular heart rhythms. The internet is overflowing with reports from people didn’t know they had irregular heartbeats until they took their data to the…
Why managers will never be a source of disruptive innovation in health care
I have had several dealings with the benefits managers/HR managers of large corporations and other large organizations over my career. I have one over-arching conclusion about what motivates these people: They will never be a source of disruptive innov…
How to spark the attention of patients
I’ve been mean to my body lately. And since I know better, I talk negatively to myself about why I continue to be mean to my body. Lately, I’ve been considering why I do this — why we do this — and how to think about ourselves differently. …
Standing on the shoulders of the basic science researchers who came before us
I recently attended a small dinner hosting Robert Lefkowitz, MD, the winner of the 2012 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for his discovery for G-protein coupled receptors. Throughout the night, the conversation traversed a diverse range of topics — from his ad…
Too many moving parts: Physicians can’t own it all anymore
A few days ago, I made a call to my neurologist’s office. The fourth call about the same issue. I needed my migraine medication and wasn’t able to get it. I was almost ready to give up and give in to having migraines on a daily basis. None …
After a partial retirement, what this physician misses the most
This weekend was bliss. I went from Friday night to Monday morning without a single phone call. No nursing homes were needing to send a patient to the emergency room: no new fevers or unexpected falls. I can honestly say that it is the first time in…
Seasoned medical professionals prescribe new medicines sparingly
I prescribe heartburn medicines every day. There’s a gaggle of them now — Prilosec, Nexium, Prevacid, Protonix — to name a few. As far as experts know, their primary effect is to reduce the production of stomach acid. This is why they are s…
To do population health right, think about individuals
How do we change the way we think about taking care of patients, particularly when it comes to not the individual patient sitting in front of us, but a whole population of patients just like them (or somewhat like them)? In our practice, we have been s…
