Category: KevinMD

A message of hope for physicians

Physicians are struggling with challenges navigating the health care system while trying to provide the best possible care for their patients. Sometimes, struggles at work are compounded by struggles at home as we all face stressors during our travel t…

Motorcycle helmet laws: Balancing freedom and financial impact

Several years ago, I cared for a young man who crashed his motorcycle at highway speeds. He arrived, slightly dazed, with a few broken bones. Because he was wearing a full-face helmet, he had sustained only a concussion. The paramedics brought in his h…

Crying to be heard: women in emotional pain

I am struck by how often crying is overlooked or trivialized by doctors despite its therapeutic value and need for recognition. Crying can play a significant role in healing and overall well-being. Research has shown that crying serves as an emotional …

From aversion to office politics to embracing independence

Though often described as friendly and a great team player, I sometimes find myself harboring strong opinions. When pushed, my personality occasionally veers towards the rebellious. I disdain formal meetings, struggle with office politics, and lack the…

Empathy and compassion in palliative care [PODCAST]

Subscribe to The Podcast by KevinMD. Catch up on old episodes! Join Vickie Leff and Terry Altilio, both palliative care social workers, as we delve into their book, Mirrors and Windows: Reflections on the Journey in Serious Illness Practice, which offe…

Unveiling excessive medical billing and greed

Recent op-eds have questioned medical billing and doctors’ pay, as both seemed high. Medical “greed” has become more apparent in the past two decades and has been well highlighted by two of my Dartmouth MPH Professors, Elliot Fisher, …

Navigating medical decision-making: Embracing limits and growth

“Ms. Smith is going to the MICU,” the resident on the other end of the line informs me.  My stomach tightens as that visceral sense of guilt and frustration sets in, familiar by now but this time with a newfound intensity.  It is my second …

Dying is a selfish business

An excerpt from A Caregiver’s Love Story. Whether you are the dying or the caregiver, living life to the fullest remains your goal, but somedays it’s just too darn hard. When you are so busy that it doesn’t seem you have time to take …

Dying is a selfish business

An excerpt from A Caregiver’s Love Story. Whether you are the dying or the caregiver, living life to the fullest remains your goal, but somedays it’s just too darn hard. When you are so busy that it doesn’t seem you have time to take …

The importance of “I statements” in health care settings

Three nurses are at the nurses’ station. Two are talking about managing a patient’s pain, and a third, Donna, is reviewing a patient’s lab results and finding it difficult to concentrate. Which is Donna’s best statement? 1) Shhh…