Patients are not passengers

--------------------------------------------------------------- Here are the stories you missed on KevinMD. Thank you for your continuing readership. --------------------------------------------------------------- Sponsors [New guide]( Physicians are overwhelmed with data. Care won’t get less complex, so how can we help reduce their cognitive burden and increase their happiness? [Get answers here](. Physicians are concerned about the quality of care they provide to patients,but are disappointed with the present state of medical practice. Bill Fleming, COO of The Doctors Company, [discusses]( the results from [The Future of Healthcare Survey](. An estimated [50% of specialty referrals]( are never completed. View this guide to learn how to connect with over 1.5 million health care providers and [close the communication gap](. What happens when care teams don’t communicate? [Get this 5-step guide]( to preventing patient harm through better communications. Health care needs a purpose-built identity governance strategy. [Find out why](. --------------------------------------------------------------- KevinMD Plus: Dec 10, 2018 [Patients are not passengers]( Health care safety efforts have long focused on improving the behavior of providers and improving the systems of care. A proven model of safety is in the airline industry. There are undoubtedly many parallels between airline safety and health care working toward common goals. This work should continue in both industries to ensure the safety […] [Sickle cell is my neighbor]( I was diagnosed with sickle cell disease at three months old in Haiti. The diagnosis from the doctor was followed by more tragic news; my parents were told that I was not going to live past five months. From that point on, my parents searched high and low for medication and knowledge about this unfamiliar […] [The power of the tincture of time]( A guest column by the American College of Physicians, exclusive to KevinMD.com. I distinctly recall during residency a much older and well-respected clinical teacher periodically opining that what was needed in a particular patient case was “a dose of the tincture of time.” For those less familiar with more historic terminology, a tincture is an […] [As doctors, our social capital is changing]( Retirement has gotten me edgy. Three months after departing, I had begun spending too much time horizontal, which I forced myself to remedy but then finding myself with nothing to do. Moreover, things have gotten more noticeably like Bowling Alone, an often-cited book by Robert Putnam published in 2000 that describes attrition of diverse communal […] [5 ways we can prevent doctor suicide]( For Meg — with sorrow. We have failed to address the scale of suicide and mental illness in the medical profession, which is a global issue. Each of us can help prevent doctor suicide with these five strategies at a locally and worldwide: 1. We can destigmatize mental illness for doctors and medical students First, […] --------------------------------------------------------------- [Conference planners!]( Find vetted, handpicked physician speakers that shine on stage. Now booking for 2019! Physician Speaking by KevinMD: [Your audience deserves the best](. --------------------------------------------------------------- [What medicine can learn from Disney]( When I was a young child, like most children, I loved Disney. However, my fascination with Disney did not involve the exhilarating theme parks, characters or delicious foods. As a young boy, I was captivated by the Disney culture, the multifaceted business model and the life and legacy of Walt Disney. During the past two […] [When physicians don’t enjoy the holidays, it’s a wakeup call]( As the holidays approach, this time of year can be filled with mixed emotions for high achieving medical professionals who find themselves in the hospital, clinics, and practices caring for patients instead of spending time with loved ones. It can be more hectic than ever as doctors try to be all things to family and […] [The challenge of no to arthroscopic surgery]( Nearly half of Canadians aged 65 and over experience osteoarthritis in their knees. Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis and occurs when the protective cartilage on the ends of bones wears down over time leading to pain, stiffness and decreased mobility. It frequently occurs in the hips and knees — and can be quite […] [Why your practice needs a makeover]( The spaces where we live and work can exert both strong and subtle influences on the way our brains function. They can make us anxious, distracted, inefficient or tired, affecting not only our cognitive ability but also our emotional state, mental stability, and physical well-being. Clinical medical practice, like much of life in our society, […] [This isn’t just my lane, it’s my highway]( On Wednesday, I did a gunshot-wound autopsy. On Friday, I was going into the morgue to perform another when I checked Twitter and saw this. Doctors across the U.S. and across medical specialties were already responding and sharing photos: their face shields spattered and scrubs drenched in their patients’ blood; more blood on the emergency room floor; […] [Give millennials what they need in health care]( Another study reiterates what we already know: In droves, millennials are venturing away from the traditional model of securing a primary care provider and opting not to access health care “as usual.” Still, too many physicians do little more than shake their heads over this. We wonder when millennials will figure out they need a […] [There’s a good reason why we don’t see patients’ joy in the office]( I like to think of myself as a relatively optimistic person. If you have ever met me in person, you might think that I have a pretty sunny disposition on life. And for the most part, I do. Since I write every day, however, there are times when my posts may start going negative. Not for an […] [6 ways to smooth the journey to value-based care]( I have had the fortune — both good and bad — of being at the forefront of reforming physician reimbursement as an advocate for physicians. I’ve worked on models spanning private practice, group employment, faculty practice plans, and independent physician associations. It’s been a bruising journey. There were the old ways — relative value units (RVUs) and other […] [3 common complaints patients have]( I enjoy talking to random people about their experiences with health care. As somebody who regularly travels all over the country, for both work and pleasure (I far prefer the latter), whenever I meet people in situations where you end up talking — be it on airplanes, a guided city tour, or at a social […] [Hospitals are no longer an important part of the social safety net. That’s a problem.]( “Admission diagnosis: causa socialis” In my training in Sweden, it was not unusual to admit patients to the hospital for social reasons: an elderly person who could no longer manage at home, a person whose social network fell apart, and so on. “Social reasons,” causa socialis, was a legitimate diagnosis (Swedes used more Latin than […] [Before undergoing a test, ask whether it will make a difference in your care]( Recently, a physician asked my opinion if a patient needed a colonoscopy. My partner was already on the case and I was covering over the weekend. The facts suggested that a colonoscopy was warranted. The patient had a low blood count and had received blood transfusions. Certainly, a bleeding site in the colon, such as […] [During this holiday season, be aware that some people are really suffering]( It’s that time of year again when retail outlets start counting down the days to Christmas and deck their stores with holiday cheer. For many people, this time of year feels magical. Yet for others, it is a consumer competition to buy the absolute best gift at the lowest price. While both these groups love […] [MKSAP: 53-year-old woman with hypertension and chronic active hepatitis B infection]( Test your medicine knowledge with the MKSAP challenge, in partnership with the American College of Physicians. A 53-year-old woman is evaluated during a routine follow-up visit. Medical history is significant for hypertension and chronic active hepatitis B infection. Her hepatitis B infection has been treated with tenofovir for the past 5 years with suppression of her serum […] [Why mentors are so important in medicine]( This article is sponsored by Careers by KevinMD.com. After spending a decade in college and medical school, followed by internships and residency, seeking additional guidance at the beginning of your career may seem excessive. You’ve already taken direction from dozens of leaders; isn’t it time to cut your own path? Yes and no. You’ll make […] [The blood of patients is not a rhetorical device]( Recently, social media and news organizations have been awash in the physician-led backlash to the NRA’s now infamous “stay in your lane” tweet, and consequently, awash in images of the literal blood of seriously wounded or now deceased patients. Gun control is undeniably a cause near and dear to many physicians, who are duty-bound to […] [A medical student takes a look into the abyss. Here’s what he learned.]( After my surgery rotation, I was in a very bad place. I felt like two months of grueling work hours and relentless studying were wiped away in an instant by a bad test score. That single number somehow mattered more to me than every positive comment I had received from my patients, colleagues, residents, and […] [Emergency physicians: You rock!]( I am a critical care physician and spend a good amount of time in the emergency room seeing consults. As an internal medicine resident, we were often in the ER, admitting new patients. In my three years of residency, we spent only two to four weeks working in the emergency room. It was the one […] --------------------------------------------------------------- If a friend sent you this email and you want to subscribe, go to [KevinMD](. --------------------------------------------------------------- 345 Hudson Street New York NY 10014 USA [Unsubscribe]( | [Change Subscriber Options](