Information and Critical Thinking for Your Health
(Snippets from the frontline) Mother Nature vs. vulnerable seniors We’ve seen it with hurricanes in Florida, flooding in Texas, and fires in California. Vulnerable seniors perish. Why? Does their frailty … Continue Reading →
(Snippets from the frontline) Corralling votes The first objective of newly elected legislators is to get re-elected. Therefore in their crosshairs from the outset are two goals: 1) Expand campaign … Continue Reading →
(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 →