A few days ago, I made a call to my neurologist’s office. The fourth call about the same issue. I needed my migraine medication and wasn’t able to get it. I was almost ready to give up and give in to having migraines on a daily basis. None …
Category: primary care
After a partial retirement, what this physician misses the most
This weekend was bliss. I went from Friday night to Monday morning without a single phone call. No nursing homes were needing to send a patient to the emergency room: no new fevers or unexpected falls. I can honestly say that it is the first time in…
To do population health right, think about individuals
How do we change the way we think about taking care of patients, particularly when it comes to not the individual patient sitting in front of us, but a whole population of patients just like them (or somewhat like them)? In our practice, we have been s…
When the buck stops with primary care
“Red” McDougall had terrible leg pains soon after going to bed. He did have a bad back, and some mild spinal stenosis, but I hadn’t heard much about that in the past few years. He was dealing with the ache in his legs when he was on his feet too long. …
Solving physician burnout requires so much more than self-care
So many people are suggesting that if only doctors practice self-care we could deflect burnout before it overtakes us. Yes, physicians are probably the worst professionals for taking care of ourselves. We work long hours, answer calls at all hours of …
Health care professionals must always be on their A game
I was having dinner with somebody not so long ago, and the conversation turned to what life is like as a physician. I always find it interesting to have these conversations with people who are not in the medical field, especially those who have got the…
Applying to residency as an osteopathic medical student: myths and realities
In the last year of medical school, all medical students are faced with important decisions about where they would like to complete their residency. For osteopathic students, one key element of this decision is to what extent do they want to be a minor…
Applying to residency as an osteopathic medical student: myths and realities
In the last year of medical school, all medical students are faced with important decisions about where they would like to complete their residency. For osteopathic students, one key element of this decision is to what extent do they want to be a minor…
Getting to a minimum viable product (MVP) health care app: Partner with physicians
Over the course of several years, IBM’s fledgling Watson for Oncology program has received a wide range of reviews. Among them is a harsh critique published by Gizmodo. The article is filed under the keywords “AI,” “Watson,” “health,” “health care,” a…
Getting to a minimum viable product (MVP) health care app: Partner with physicians
Over the course of several years, IBM’s fledgling Watson for Oncology program has received a wide range of reviews. Among them is a harsh critique published by Gizmodo. The article is filed under the keywords “AI,” “Watson,” “health,” “health care,” a…
