How might I live differently if I really believed that I don’t need to earn security, dignity, and respect? I tell my children and my patients I believe these are inherent rights to which we are all entitled as human beings. But do I orient my …
Category: primary care
My insurance company is making me sick
“Dealing with my insurance company is making me sick.” It wasn’t exactly her chief complaint, but it was one of the concerns raised by my patient at a recent office visit. In fact, it has become increasingly more common in recent year…
Put nutrition counseling in primary care [PODCAST]
“One of the best solutions to rising obesity and non-communicable disease rates lie in primary care. Medical professionals can influence the U.S. food system indirectly through demand and collective purchasing power by educating their patients to…
Being a doctor is my heart-song
There are days I hate being a doctor. OK, let’s be honest—there have been weeks, and with the current pandemic, the whole past year has been an entire theme park of emotional rollercoasters. I think a better description would be to say that there are c…
A breakup with primary care
It pains me to write this. I am tired of pretending. I simply cannot do this anymore. I sincerely wish you well. I do hope our paths will cross again. I first gazed at you, cautiously intrigued. Coquettish even. Butterflies fluttered when I thoug…
Doctors and patients continue to search through the overgrown forest of corporate health care
It’s been a rough and difficult year for us. Separation, desperation, depression, illness, and death are scattered among the months that have passed by. Hope, for the longest time, seemed non-existent. The COVID virus gave the world a “suc…
Another lesson learned: This is what gratitude looks like
This week a patient, for whom I served as the primary care physician for over many years, died after an extended illness. I had the privilege of visiting her two days before her death, as she weakened and drew closer to her last breath. It was an oppo…
One physician’s journey from burnout to bliss [PODCAST]
“As a young girl, I’d stand on my tiptoes, craning my neck to watch her sweep cerulean eye shadow across lids and smear foundation on sunken cheeks. While my high school friends resorted to secondhand eye shadow instruction from the pages of Teen…
This physician loves primary care. A pandemic isn’t going to change that. [PODCAST]
“I just started laughing. It was early on Monday morning during our COVID surge. I couldn’t help myself. Phones were not on yet, but I already had triage COVID calls. “Put on your roller skates” was all I was thinking. I questioned my laughter. …
The world needs more hope-givers. Be that person.
He stood silently. His eyes fixed on us, immaculately dressed in a dark three-piece suit adorned with a gold watch and chain, hair meticulously groomed, a brightly colored bow tie centered perfectly on a freshly starched white shirt, wire collar stays …
