A few months ago, the longshoremen’s union shut down 14 ports along the East and Gulf Coasts. This strike of dockworkers was costing the American economy up to $5 billion per day. The strike lasted 3 days, and there was an agreement to suspend th…
Category: KevinMD
Healers or criminals: the alarming trend of physician prosecution [PODCAST]
Subscribe to The Podcast by KevinMD. Watch on YouTube. Catch up on old episodes! Practicing internist and psychiatrist Muhamad Aly Rifai discusses his article “Criminalizing care: How the system turned on physicians.” He argues that physici…
Teaching by humiliation is still crushing future doctors
Shouting at student physicians is still a thing. Justified as “teaching by humiliation.” It is the worst form of “teaching” I have ever encountered. Being asked questions aggressively, Being ridiculed if you get the answer wrong…
A philosophical shift: the doctor’s journey into the role of patient
Recently, I found myself in need of surgery, a situation I had not faced in many years. The vulnerability I experienced as a patient was more intense than I ever anticipated. Despite my role as a doctor who often considers patients’ emotional wel…
What happened to real care in health care?
Every time I turn on the television, there’s another commercial for a new drug treating a condition I’ve never even heard of. It’s constant. And honestly, it’s exhausting. I can’t help but wonder: What happened to real car…
When saving lives leads to losing your own
I didn’t know them well. They were primary care doctors on the hospital staff where I served on the Medical Executive Committee. They provided care to the most vulnerable members of our community, both in the hospital and their offices. I feel gu…
A surgeon’s startling ketamine experience [PODCAST]
Subscribe to The Podcast by KevinMD. Watch on YouTube. Catch up on old episodes! General surgeon Arthur Williams discusses his article “A surgeon’s battle with ketamine-induced hallucinations.” He shares an account from his novel of a…
How doctors can thrive despite declining reimbursements
In the previous article, I offered four ways (other than growth) a practice can compensate for declining reimbursements: improve efficiency, boost collection ratio, increase productivity, and consider a practice merger. As promised, here are four more….
How DrKoop.com rose and fell: the untold story behind the Surgeon General’s startup
An excerpt from Dr. Koop: The Many Lives of the Surgeon General. “I’ve had two major messages that I’ve tried to get out to the public all my professional life,” Koop proclaimed. “One is to take charge of your own health. …
Why prescribing medicine to kids scares even experienced doctors
I absolutely hate prescribing medication to children. I am quite worried when someone asks for my opinion on a sick child. I have some experience treating children during my internship and residency, yet I am pretty uncomfortable. However, living in a …
