Information and Critical Thinking for Your Health
(Snippets from the frontline) What’s your DRG? Upon admission to a hospital, Medicare and some insurances assign patients a DRG code (Diagnosis Related Group). This complex system is based on … Continue Reading →
(Snippets from the frontline) The stethoscope: A symbol or a tool The practice of medicine has become a lost art. When assessing their patients, doctors commonly rely on technology in … Continue Reading →
(Snippets from the frontline) Power of Attorney A major struggle families face is who makes medical decisions if a loved one is mentally incapacitated? Having a legal designee on a … Continue Reading →
(Snippets from the frontline) Age as a pre-existing condition When one reaches 65 years old, there is an option to apply for supplemental insurance known as a “secondary” to cover … Continue Reading →
(Snippets from the frontline) Cancer: The stop button Body cells multiply allowing growth and development. Some cells grow slowly, while others rapidly, all controlled by DNA. When you cut your … Continue Reading →
(Snippets from the frontline) Here’s the scam: Observation Status You’re admitted to the hospital with chest pain. Tests show you did not have a heart attack, and you are discharged … Continue Reading →
(Snippets from the frontline) Marijuana I don’t smoke marijuana but have no problem with those who use it judiciously and responsibly. For some pain management patients, I prescribe marijuana derivatives. … Continue Reading →
(Snippets from the frontline) Lie Detector Innocent prisoners of color pack our jails because they are poor and had no access to reasonable legal representation. Wall Street bankers responsible for … Continue Reading →
(Snippets from the frontline) Skin in the game Our nightmare has begun again as lawmakers are going at it in Washington, D.C. to develop healthcare legislation for the American people. … Continue Reading →
(Snippets from the frontline) Defining where a senior lives Some of my elder seniors have lived in their home for over 50 years, yet age forces difficult decisions moving them … Continue Reading →
(Snippets from the frontline) Drought-free America The essence of health is water. It makes up at least 60 percent of the human body, with our existence dependent on growing crops … Continue Reading →
(Snippets from the frontline) Safe Senior Driving Ever find yourself behind a slow car, and as you pass notice the gray haired driver tightly gripping the wheel while staring and … Continue Reading →
(Snippets from the frontline) The most difficult place to work in medicine The emergency room. It is a conveyor belt of medical care. Because the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) did … Continue Reading →
(Snippets from the frontline) Paperwork sequela OFFICE SCHEDULE: Morning: Paperwork, paperwork, paperwork, paperwork, paperwork, paperwork, paperwork See patient Paperwork, paperwork, paperwork, paperwork, paperwork, paperwork, paperwork See patient Paperwork, paperwork, paperwork, … Continue Reading →
(Snippets from the frontline) Living shorter lives Life Expectancy in the United States decreased last year for the first time in 23 years. Despite advancing technology, innovation in drug therapy, … Continue Reading →
(Snippets from the frontline) Private Practice I’ve been practicing medicine for 36 years. One of my patients fought in the 1898 Spanish-American War; a handful lived in three centuries…born in … Continue Reading →
(Snippets from the frontline) Doctor Shortage We do not have enough doctors. Passage of the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) amplified this deficiency in our healthcare system. Even with new insurance … Continue Reading →
(Snippets from the frontline) Infrastructure Society needs roads, bridges, and power to function. Likewise, the human body has an infrastructure requiring vision, hearing, and good teeth. Physiologic infrastructure deteriorates … Continue Reading →
(Snippets from the frontline) Good hands We know a tight end can catch a football. How do you know a surgeon has similar hand-eye coordination? Shouldn’t this quality be possessed … Continue Reading →
(Snippets from the frontline) Doctor Bonus Primary Care Physicians are internists, family practitioners, and pediatricians who are frontline doctors encountered by patients seeking medical care. Some physicians are in private … Continue Reading →
(Snippets from the frontline) Improving Nursing Home Care None of my seniors want to go to a nursing home. Being surrounded by screaming patients, the odor of incontinence, and the … Continue Reading →
(Snippets from the frontline) Cost of Drugs Pharmaceutical companies have a stranglehold on us. Medicare Part D was written by their lobbyists. Drugs developed decades ago have gone up 10 … Continue Reading →
(Snippets from the frontline) Hospital administrators on a pedestal Last month, a hospital administrator retired and all local media outlets had press-release headlines lauding his accomplishments. Two years ago, our … Continue Reading →
(Snippets from the frontline) Look at the medication As our mother entered her late 80’s, living at home alone became more challenging. Within a four month span, she was admitted … Continue Reading →
(Snippets from the frontline) Courage, Character, Responsibility Sometimes my surgical colleagues impress me with not just their skills, but the quality and spirit of their character. A neurosurgeon gets up … Continue Reading →