Information and Critical Thinking for Your Health
(Snippets from the frontline) Getting old sucks Gray hair and wrinkles are just part of it. Slower mobility, loss of balance, and skin “barnacles” diminish confidence and creates inhibition, … Continue Reading →
(Snippets from the frontline) A matter of comfort Some of my physician friends delivered their patients, cared for them as teens, helped them into middle age, and now give advice … Continue Reading →
(Snippets from the frontline) Holding ‘denied’ accountable Doctors are trained to make medical decisions caring for patients. If something goes wrong, they are responsible for their decisions. These days, an … Continue Reading →
(Snippets from the frontline) The circle of life We have our place in the circle of life. Apart from lessons taught to Simba by his father Mufasa in The Lion … Continue Reading →
(Snippets from the frontline) Breathalyzer at the doorway There is ongoing debate concerning regulation of medicinal and recreational marijuana. Government interest is raising tax revenue, but there are still moral … Continue Reading →
(Snippets from the frontline) Here’s the game plan Hospitals are integral to the health and vitality of a community, and often serve as the difference between life and death. In … Continue Reading →
(Snippets from the frontline) On being a nurse Florence Nightingale once said on nursing: “…the very first requirement in a hospital, that it should do the sick no harm.” A … Continue Reading →
(Snippets from the frontline) Transition from hospital to nursing home Full-court press is a basketball term signifying an all-out effort to win a game. The same applies when you are … Continue Reading →
(Snippets from the frontline) Jury Duty Some people think not registering to vote will keep them off jury duty. Not so in California as potential jury lists come not just … Continue Reading →
(Snippets from the frontline) Myron’s right to die When I first visited this mid-80s senior at home, he laid on a hospital bed paralyzed. Myron ran a successful … Continue Reading →
(Snippets from the frontline) Bad news As a physician, giving bad news is not an easy task. In the past, the hardest thing to tell a patient was they have … Continue Reading →
(Snippets from the frontline) Making a hospital complaint As a primary care doctor, I am responsible for admitting patients who are ill. A plan is developed, discussion made with patient … Continue Reading →
(Snippets from the frontline) Start a revolution To my colleagues: Throughout the nation, we convene at education meetings to coalesce evidence-based information improving medical care. Missing at these conferences is … Continue Reading →
(Snippets from the frontline) Your physician “quarterback” When admitted to a hospital, you might be too ill to ask questions or make good medical decisions. Having a family member or … Continue Reading →
(Snippets from the frontline) Insurance company denial is your risk My patient was admitted to the ICU with a heart attack. At that time we did not have coronary angiograms … Continue Reading →
(Snippets from the frontline) US healthcare – another inconvenient truth Profit: Business takeover of medicine at the expense of quality patient care. Doctors: Marginalized without a voice becoming a mere … Continue Reading →
(Snippets from the frontline) Daylight savings preventive care She got on a stool to change the clock and fell, breaking her hip. From that point on “fall back in Fall” … Continue Reading →
(Snippets from the frontline) DNA DNA links your past to present weaving together multiple generations. Simple testing (spitting into a test tube) may reveal information you might never suspect. Some … Continue Reading →
(Snippets from the frontline) How hospitals minimize doctor input Despite physicians being on the frontline of healthcare, doctor input in hospitals is nil. Medical decision-making is now in the hands … Continue Reading →
(Snippets from the frontline) Symptoms Your body talks to you. Billions of cells work in harmony allowing you to live and survive our environment. But when something goes wrong, the … Continue Reading →
(Snippets from the frontline) Powered by Toyota Everyone wants their hospital to run like a lean machine. Efficient, safe, and providing timely quality service. Some hospitals indeed are launching a … Continue Reading →
(Snippets from the frontline) Archimedes et al in tribute He was a Greek mathematician who historians say was on the verge of developing calculus, but was deliberately killed by a … Continue Reading →
(Snippets from the frontline) Character counts People cheat and have no scruples. I’ve seen it in business and government. Worse, I’ve seen it in my own profession with doctors. I … Continue Reading →
(Snippets from the frontline) Learning a lesson Here is the dilemma: Medicare patient has chest pain and calls 911. Ambulance transports patient to the emergency room and a diagnosis of … Continue Reading →
(Snippets from the frontline) Paying off my medical school loan Yep…it’s done. It took only 37 years. Why did it take so long? Partly because of the principal, but mostly … Continue Reading →