As physicians, it's important to understand the role of utilization review staff in the healthcare system. While nobody likes to play the game of ensuring proper admission status, it's a necessary part of ensuring the hospital gets paid for the care provided. If the admission status is incorrect, the hospital…
In this episode, we welcome special guest Ronald A. Zent, a family physician, to discuss the ongoing opioid crisis. With a fourfold increase in opioid prescriptions and overdose deaths from 1999-2010, Ronald shares his insights on how the medical community has been duped and the role of big pharmaceutical companies…
Building emotional strength is key to navigating life's challenges, and there are many practices you can engage in to strengthen your emotional resilience. Mindfulness, meditation, and resilience-building exercises can help you build the emotional muscle you need to get through difficult situations. Bad things will happen, but if you have…
Being surrounded by happiness while feeling sad can be especially challenging for one's mental health. The dissonance between how you're feeling and what you think you should be feeling can add an extra layer of suffering to the pain. For example, when a loved one dies, feeling sad is a…
In this episode, we welcome Jennifer Shaer, a pediatrician, to discuss the issue of physician suicide rates and how the holidays can impact mental health. Despite being one of the happiest countries in the world, Scandinavian countries like Finland and Denmark have some of the highest suicide rates, higher than…
Clinicians are more than just their degrees and the opp ortunities for professional growth and fulfillment are abundant. Gone are the days where physicians are limited to a hospital, surgery, or clinic setting. The definition of what it means to be a clinician is now incredibly varied, and there are…
Navigating the healthcare system can be a daunting task for patients, and it's important for clinicians to be their guide and advocate. While healthcare can be challenging for clinicians, it's even harder for patients who are trying to navigate through the maze of bureaucracy. Patients need support and guidance to…
In this episode, I'm on the other side of the microphone. I'm interviewed by Adam Sewell at the Medical Entrepreneur podcast. I share insights on the non-linear paths physicians can take with their degrees and their options beyond clinical medicine. We also delve into the topic of physician burnout and…
Referring to hospice and palliative care sooner and educating medical staff on the importance of patient rights is crucial in end-of-life treatment. It's not about the doctor's ego or keeping someone alive at all costs, it's about considering the patient's quality of life and making informed decisions. For example, administering…
An advanced directive is a crucial document for anyone who wants to ensure their medical wishes are respected in the event of an emergency. Despite its importance, only 30% of people in the United States have one. In an ideal world, advanced directives would be the first thing healthcare providers…
In this episode, we sit down with patient advocate Althea Halchuck to discuss the importance of advance directives in end-of-life care. We delve into the story of Dr. Gerald Greenberg, a New York dentist who was diagnosed with early-onset dementia and executed a living will stating his preferences for end-of-life…
Knowing your medical records is a crucial aspect of healthcare. Having a concise and organized copy of your medical records can be a lifesaver when visiting multiple doctors or in an emergency situation. It's important for patients to understand the details of their own health and medical history. Too often,…
Patient empowerment is a crucial aspect of healthcare. It empowers patients to take an active role in their own care and make informed decisions. To me, patient empowerment means that patients are equipped with the knowledge and resources to be a central part of their healthcare team. They don't just…
In this episode, Ann M. Hester, a board-certified internal medicine physician, dives into the perfect storm brewing in the U.S. health care system and what we can do to prepare for it. The country is facing a projected shortage of doctors and the increasing number of elderly citizens with chronic…
Balancing clinical duties with administrative responsibilities is a challenge faced by many physicians in academia. An academic contract should provide adequate administrative time, but this is not always the case. With some contracts offering as little as 4 patient contact hours per month, it can be difficult to manage both…
Titles do matter in the medical field! All physicians deserve to be recognized for their education and training, just like this board certified physician who was offered the role of an instructor straight out of med school. Don't let anyone tell you that titles don't matter, because they can greatly…
Join us on this episode, where we welcome Dennis Hursh, a physician contract lawyer, to discuss the ins and outs of academic physician employment agreements. Dennis will share his expertise on the common pitfalls and what to look out for when accepting an academic appointment. He will also delve into…
I was so obsessed with TikTok that it was taking me away from the most important thing in my life - my family. I'll never forget the time I snuck away during my daughter's volleyball tournament to do a TikTok live. I got busted when her friends saw me and…
Imagine waking up to tens of thousands of new followers every morning - it's a rush of excitement that's hard to resist. But the truth is, the algorithms that make videos go viral have nothing to do with accuracy. It's like the wild, wild west of social media out there.…
Join us on this episode, where we welcome Brian Boxer Wachler, an ophthalmologist and author of Influenced: The Impact of Social Media on Our Perception. During the COVID shutdowns, Brian had a lot of extra time on his hands, and his twin daughters urged him to join TikTok to dispel…
As healthcare professionals, we have the power to transform the clinic experience for our patients. By giving them our undivided attention, we create a relaxed and welcoming environment that can help alleviate their anxieties. During clinic visits, we can focus on getting to know our patients on a personal level,…
As healthcare professionals, we often find ourselves spending time on tasks that don't bring us true value. Between making a living, caring for our families, and maintaining our own health, it can be easy to get caught in a cycle of burnout. But it doesn't have to be this way.…
In this special sponsored episode, we're discussing how ambient clinical intelligence can improve patient care and reduce clinician burnout. Our sponsor is the Dragon Ambient Experience, or DAX, an ambient clinical intelligence solution from Nuance Communications and Microsoft. I'm joined by Alfred Atanda Jr., MD, a pediatric orthopedic surgeon at…
Clinical medicine is a demanding and rewarding field, but it's not the only passion for all healthcare professionals. For some doctors, finding a passion outside of their clinical work is crucial to avoiding burnout and staying in the profession. We need to find ways for doctors to explore their interests…