This episode is sponsored by Athelas, the number one provider of remote patient monitoring. “Patients die. This is a tragic truism in the world of medicine. Usually, the patients who die are elderly. Patients die from diabetes and kidney disease,…
Category: primary care
You are a servant with a servant heart
As I was preparing for my next medical mission, I began to think about the word “minister.” Obviously from a religious standpoint, it has certain connotations, one of which is “to serve”. When you are ministering to someone̵…
The business of medicine creates a culture where doctors aren’t allowed to rest
When I was in the fourth grade, I left school early one day unbeknownst to anyone. I misread my watch when the teacher was switching subjects, and she stepped out of the room for a minute. I thought it was 12:05 — time for lunch. I gathered my ba…
Can medicine transcend beyond the clinic walls? [PODCAST]
“Absolutely, there are times when you need to be face-to-face with your patient. Yet looking at the broader picture, COVID-19 has shown us that in many instances, we can perform at an optimal level while remote. In my experience, I’m often able t…
The power of a patient’s thank you
I turned to leave. She spoke softly, “Thank you. Thank you for coming.” The way these words were spoken caused me to gulp a deep breath while my heart fluttered. In my mind, I was doing my job. A physician visiting one of our COVID-positive…
Why boundaries should be part of your 2022 physician goals
As we enter another predictably unpredictable year in medicine, we all have some sort of goals for this year, or at least we should. Goals help us experience mastery, even if our goals include brushing our teeth daily, leaving medicine or traveling. Ho…
The importance of treating early treatment diseases
Today, the practice of medicine mainly involves treating medical conditions after symptoms of the medical condition become obvious (e.g., setting a fracture or treating pneumonia), or preventing disease for a population of patients using a preventative…
Why lifestyle medicine is an urgent priority [PODCAST]
“Lifestyle medicine’s foundational pillars include a specialized look into diet, physical activity, sleep, stress, mood, substance use, and relationships. Creating a patient-centered plan of care based on these areas are proven successful in prev…
What shared journeys to the afterlife teach about dying well and living better
An excerpt from At Heaven’s Door: What Shared Journeys to the Afterlife Teach About Dying Well and Living Better. What brings you here? I ask this question of every person who steps through the door because they have come to talk about death—the …
The gift of honoring life
The doorbell at my father’s house rang, and the dogs went crazy. A physician was at the front door who had requested to come to pay his respects and to check on my father, as he had lost his wife (my mother) of more than six decades just days bef…
