Net promoter scoring (NPS) measures customer experience and predicts business growth. Recently it is becoming more common for health networks to adopt NPS. The word “customer” should be a red flag. In medicine, we do not have customers; we …
Category: primary care
The pros and cons of practicing medicine in a rural setting
This article is sponsored by Careers by KevinMD.com. Wide open spaces. Fresh, clean air. No people for miles around. The advantages of rural living are plentiful, but there are disadvantages, too, especially when it comes to health care; being way out …
The generational differences of physicians
It is a known fact, but every generation feels that they had it worst and that other generations have it made. “When I went to school we had to walk uphill in the snow both ways!” says every grandparent I identify myself with the Generation…
How to spark the attention of patients
I’ve been mean to my body lately. And since I know better, I talk negatively to myself about why I continue to be mean to my body. Lately, I’ve been considering why I do this — why we do this — and how to think about ourselves differently. …
Too many moving parts: Physicians can’t own it all anymore
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 …
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…
