“The pharmacy department plays a vital role in hospitals. They prepare and dispense medications. Sometimes the pharmacist will receive an order from the doctor on a med whose written dosage he is not sure of. In some cases, the pharmacist will ca…
Category: KevinMD
Now is the time for postpartum home visits
I ring the doorbell, waiting patiently outside. I hear a weak “coming” and some shuffling. Who greets me is a mother in her robe, hunched over at the waist, supporting her protruding postpartum belly. Her hair is disheveled. Her mask is revealing e…
When coaching physicians with wellness, don’t lead with mindfulness
Times of great change can cause people to reflect on their career and work-life balance and evaluate what supports meaning and joy. When the COVID-19 pandemic reaches a manageable state, I believe that health care providers and physicians, more specif…
Medicine must create inclusive clinical trials
Clinical trials have an ugly history with race, but have we gone from exploitation to exclusion? People of color have long been underrepresented in clinical trials of all kinds; however, as the coronavirus pandemic rages and global attention is fixed o…
Overcoming the invisible “coronavirus wall” between doctors and patients
A guest column by the American College of Physicians, exclusive to KevinMD. Pandemics periodically alter the course of history, reshaping society as people struggle to deal with the consequences of a new and often devastating disease. As with past pan…
Which COVID-19 test should I get?
COVID-19 testing has been on the rise – with more and more tests being developed and more testing sites available. Many are drive-thru and walk-in test sites, and anyone is able to show up and get tested. There are so many different types of COVID-19 t…
Blowing the whistle on health care fraud [PODCAST]
“Fraud in the health care industry is a fact of life. In 2016 alone, the federal government estimated that improper payments by Medicare and Medicaid totaled about $95 billion. And that’s only a single year’s amount for just two of the governme…
How virtual learning enhanced my immersion and mentorship in neurosurgery
A message appeared in the chatbox. “Always trust the parents. If they think the shunt has failed, more likely than not, they’re right.” It was one of the two fifth-year neurosurgery residents, both present on the video platform for virtual clinic to mo…
In the rush to get back to school, let’s not forget teachers’ mental health
Teachers in Ontario, Canada never imagined they would leave for March break and not return to finish the school year with their students. Many classrooms were frozen in time with Friday, March 12, 2020 still displayed on the walls. Before COVID-19, the…
Direct primary care: Great for some doctors, but challenging for patients
The COVID-19 pandemic and the consequent drop in patient visits have led some observers to conclude that primary care physicians would be better off financially if they were capitated than if they were paid fee for service. If they received a fixed amo…
