In 1948, Claude Shannon revolutionized the world of communication with his theory of information, showing that precision and efficiency could emerge from chaos. Roughly 40 years earlier, Max Planck had done something similar in physics by discovering t…
There is something strangely captivating about the RVU (relative value unit) system in medicine. It’s as if it has become our own “precious”—a golden ring that offers power and financial viability, yet comes at a great cost. Just like the O…
For over twenty years, I’ve had a recurring nightmare: I’m back in medical training, and my patient is crashing. To save them, I must enter my medical orders into the electronic health record (EHR). The only problem is, there are no open co…
Subscribe to The Podcast by KevinMD. Watch on YouTube. Catch up on old episodes! We dive into the powerful story of a physician-mother whose world changed with the onset of COVID-19. Our guest, Arian Nachat, a palliative and emergency medicine physicia…
Primum non nocere, “first, do no harm,” is the prime directive of medical ethics for all physicians. It is also the first thing that comes into question when maleficence by a doctor is suspected. The standard of care is how any prudent and …
According to the National Institutes of Health, the majority of individuals experience several traumatic events in their lifetimes, but do they all develop post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)? If you question the general populace or the media, they w…
“Do any of you have children?” the patient’s mother asked each of my team members during rounds. I (STG), as the attending, quickly jumped in and mumbled, “Yes, I have (as a foster parent),” and redirected the conversation…
Subscribe to The Podcast by KevinMD. Watch on YouTube. Catch up on old episodes! We discuss the growing challenges within the U.S. health care system, from long wait times and fragmented care to the corporatization of medical services. Our guest, patie…
Recently, I encountered a stark reminder of the challenges facing our mental health care system. A 16-year-old Black boy came to us at Boston Community Pediatrics (BCP) in a state of crisis, expressing suicidal thoughts and a deep sense of fear. As par…
I recently encountered a new patient, a seemingly healthy 25-year-old man who had just graduated from college and was working his first job. He was not a tobacco user and had no medical diagnoses, but shoulder and abdominal pain brought him to Mass Gen…
