Category: KevinMD

Challenging patients and the art of empathy

On a fine afternoon, my nurse came in and gave me a heads-up. “Doctor, the next one’s a bit of a handful. Made a fuss scheduling, complained about her old doctor endlessly at reception … doesn’t seem like a picnic.” I smil…

Health care surges: the role of virtual care partnerships [PODCAST]

Subscribe to The Podcast by KevinMD. Watch on YouTube. Catch up on old episodes! Join Lyle Berkowitz, a physician executive, as we explore the challenges faced by health systems during this time, from overcrowded emergency departments to increased dema…

Understanding seasonal affective disorder: more than just winter blues

As the summer sun bids its farewell, a distinct group of people seem to “fall back” as a mysterious change begins to take hold. Several individuals get caught in the embrace of the transitions of fall and winter, revealing a shift between t…

Shedding some weight on the health care crisis

In today’s world, the term “obesity” is more than just a medical diagnosis—it’s a complex issue intertwined with personal experiences, societal norms, and systemic challenges. As a seasoned family doctor, I’ve witnessed fi…

Women of color face biases in endometriosis diagnosis and surgical treatment

March is endometriosis awareness month. Endometriosis, a disease in which tissue similar to the lining of the uterus grows outside of the uterus, affects 1 in 10 women, or 190 million individuals worldwide. Although endometriosis leads to chronic pain …

Beyond the workout: the hidden struggle of diabetic gastroparesis

The final three minutes of my hour-long elliptical workout were not easy. Pain spread across my stomach, causing me to row in a half-sitting motion, and my chest vacillated between violent coughs and the sorts of deep breaths people take when they thin…

Intralymphatic immunotherapy and the future of allergy care [PODCAST]

Subscribe to The Podcast by KevinMD. Watch on YouTube. Catch up on old episodes! Join Kara Wada, an adult and pediatric allergy and immunology physician. We’ll delve into the world of allergy treatments, exploring the challenges faced by millions…

Physician burnout: a surgeon’s story of exhaustion, recovery, and systemic change

An excerpt from Safeguarding Physician Wellbeing. There are numerous books written by physicians of various specialties, primary care, and subspecialists, on the topic of physician burnout. Most physician authors, like me, have been inspired to write a…

Sepsis protocols coupled with rapid host response technologies are the key to improving patient outcomes

Patients come into the emergency department (ED) with symptoms, not diagnoses. That’s when time is of the essence. Clinicians must quickly triage patients and establish an appropriate care pathway to obtain the best possible outcome. The time-sen…

A doctor’s journey: from student to healer, facing a mentor’s illness

I had a teacher in my third year of med school. His name was Dr. T. He taught us pediatrics. At that time, he was the head of the department of pediatrics in the busiest teaching hospital in our city, where I was working. Every day, hundreds of childre…