Category: surgery

A physician’s group disability nightmare

My last operative day was October 15, 2009. My last attempt at getting to understand my group disability policy was on May 10, 2018. I’m a disabled anesthesiologist who lost his career when my left median nerve stopped functioning properly. I had two disability policies, a private and a group. My dealings with these two […]

How do you come back after losing a battle?

During my pediatric surgery training, I could easily point out which was the hardest day for the three fellows that were under training on that specific year. It was late evening when I received a call that one of our patients had coded. I was at home, and the drive usually took me exactly seven […]

How do you come back after losing a battle?

During my pediatric surgery training, I could easily point out which was the hardest day for the three fellows that were under training on that specific year. It was late evening when I received a call that one of our patients had coded. I was at home, and the drive usually took me exactly seven […]

The hidden issues of the “dancing doctor”

Over the last month, a dermatologist practicing in Georgia known as the “dancing doctor” was suspended by the Georgia Medical Board, which said she posed a “threat to public health, safety, and welfare.” At least ten patients have sued this physician with complications including disfigurement and brain damage, and reportedly there are another 100 former […]

The risks of publically reported surgical outcomes

“Some data is better than no data at all.” Do you believe that? I heard it frequently when the infamous ProPublica’s Surgeon Scorecard first appeared three years ago. Back then I blogged about it saying “To me, bad data is worse than no data at all.” A recent study in BJU International confirmed my thoughts about this type of publicly posted […]

The risks of publically reported surgical outcomes

“Some data is better than no data at all.” Do you believe that? I heard it frequently when the infamous ProPublica’s Surgeon Scorecard first appeared three years ago. Back then I blogged about it saying “To me, bad data is worse than no data at all.” A recent study in BJU International confirmed my thoughts about this type of publicly posted […]

Why this mother is still a surgeon

Why does she work? It’s a question that she must answer, for it begs itself every time she picks him up from daycare. She always finds him happy there. And yet that — selfishly? — is part of what tears at her. Shouldn’t she be the one making him happy at 11 months? It’s more […]

Am I a doctor or a mother first?

It is a little after 9 a.m. I am about to start the second of a long list of endoscopy cases when my phone rings. I glance briefly at the caller ID to confirm it isn’t my office or the hospital calling about another patient, and am quickly overcome with dread as I see the […]