How the pandemic created an opportunity to support families

Here are the stories you missed on KevinMD. Thank you for your continuing readership. --------------------------------------------------------------- Here are the stories you missed on [KevinMD](. Thank you for your continuing readership. --------------------------------------------------------------- Sponsors [The State of Healthcare Communications: 2020 Survey](. We want your opinion on the priorities, challenges, and communication technologies that are redefining the health care industry. Take this 3-5 minute survey to [help inform new research](. [True informed consent]( is a process of managing expectations. An established rapport between the patient and the physician can prevent disappointment from [ripening into a claim](. While many businesses are still experiencing the [brunt of the pandemic]( insights have emerged on how health care practices have transformed at a rapid pace. Download the Updox white paper and learn the [5 predictions for the future of health care](. [Tax planning for physicians updated with recent COVID-19 changes](. Learn how to save taxes and keep more of what you make by registering for this month’s webinars: Locum Tenens Tax Planning Strategies, Renting your Home to Your Business, and [Making the Most of Meals and Entertainment](. --------------------------------------------------------------- KevinMD Plus: Jul 21, 2020 [How the pandemic created an opportunity to support families]( Working within the nation’s poorest large city, our pediatric emergency department (ED) serves as a safety net for the most vulnerable. We are witnesses to parents stretched beyond their limits – juggling raising a family amidst the stress of work, financial strain, community violence, social injustice, and the many other heavy weights they quietly bear […] [When did it become acceptable to attack the medical community for simply doing their jobs?]( Maybe I haven’t been paying close attention. Forgive me, I’ve been a bit busier than usual. When did it become acceptable or seemingly the norm to attack the medical community for simply doing our jobs? I understand that corporations, notably big pharma, and all politicians have inherent biases as profits, constituents, and election campaigns influence […] [The unseen debt of the pandemic]( Some images stick in the mind as unreal and incandescent things, despite their lived experience. My mind holds onto the gray-haired woman, stooped from age and wearing the hospital-issue facemask, standing alone with her hands clasped tightly behind her back. She was peering through the window of the door to her husband’s ICU room where […] [Declaring racism as a public health crisis from the lens of two Latinx student doctors]( “I often heard as a child that Mexicans were lazy and dirty. As a Mexican-American, I did not wear shorts for years despite the heat because I thought my knees looked dirty. Now I fully embrace my identity. However, as a medical student, I still feel the pressure to disprove these stereotypes.” – Camila Hurtado […] [In the age of misinformation, don’t be a contributor to the problem]( There are two battles waging from the COVID-19 virus this year: the obvious fight for human life but also the attack on science. During philosophical and political debates, one steadfast weapon has been the scientific method. Opinion doesn’t matter. State the facts. The thing about facts are, though, that one has to be willing to […] [The COVID-19 pandemic reveals gaping holes in locum tenens contracts]( The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic brings to the fore many health system weaknesses that we always knew were there, but not too bothersome to be addressed. The media has focused on paid sick leave as a public health policy to permit infected workers to stay at home to avoid infecting their colleagues and clients. As many […] [The challenge of trauma-informed care in the age of COVID]( “Doctor, I can’t wear a face mask, can you write me a medical excuse?” My first reaction was a resounding No. COVID-19 cases are surging in many parts of the country; we’ve only just emerged from our own deadly surge in Boston. It’s essential that we employ every measure we can to prevent spreading this deadly […] [Our health system is stealing a free ride on the broken backs of the nurses]( Nursing has always been my passion. The idea of spending hours at a patient’s bedside, putting in blood, sweat, and tears to save a life. Now that is living! I was made to be a nurse. I’m not afraid of hard work. I have worked 13 consecutive hours without as much as a bathroom break; […] [Infection control lessons that we have learned so far [PODCAST]]( “We are in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, but it’s already very clear that the infection prevention community in the U.S. has never faced such an enormous challenge. We have learned many things that will make us better prepared for the long term. We are far too reliant on single-use disposable products. Having […] [The daily medical podcast packed with information, insight, and inspiration]( The Podcast by KevinMD is now on the Health Podcast Network. Fifteen minutes a day, seven days a week. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts or on your favorite podcast app. [Birthing in the era of COVID]( As an obstetrician, I am asked daily, what is my birth going to look like? What happens when I am in labor? Where do I go if I think I am in labor? Before COVID, these were easy questions to answer. I would explain what the usual steps are and then politely refer them to […] [After 3 straight weeks in the NICU, a neonatologist’s take on the pandemic]( We are tired, overwhelmed, very committed, missing our families, and carrying each patient with us as we try to deliver excellent care in a very disorienting time. We worry about the health of our families and friends and community as well as our own health, for we are no help if we become sick and […] [Mask up like you buckle up]( In this world of misinformation, fear, social media overload, and mistrust, seek counsel from your health care provider. Over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, I have witnessed the bravery of my colleagues on the front lines treating patients and putting themselves and their families at risk, heroic nurses swabbing hundreds of patients tirelessly in […] [Making time for patient advocacy is more important now than ever]( “Time is generally the best doctor,” according to the Roman poet Ovid. But these days, in the middle of the pandemic, what doctor has time? Health care professionals already have 29-hour days. In many places, hospitals are at or near capacity because of Covid-19 cases. Some hospitals and staff are functioning in crisis mode; chaos […] [How hospitals allocate scarce resources [PODCAST]]( “We are grateful to be avoiding the need to use draconian measures for resource allocation. We have been afforded the blessing of lead-time here in Los Angeles and have the chance to learn from other parts of the world, as well as other areas within the United States. We are preparing our personal protective equipment, […] [Public health, not medicine, is what will save us]( In a small community not far from my hometown, Paul sat peacefully in his self-built abode on a July day like just about any other. Happy to experience the peace of his bucolic life far from the hustle and bustle of the city, he rarely visited a doctor despite a festering back ailment that limited […] [Empower residents: It’s important now more than ever]( On March 20th, as the chaos of the unfolding pandemic enveloped New York City, Governor Cuomo issued Executive Order 202.10, which, among other directives, suspended work hour restrictions for residents in New York. These regulations, which had been enacted 30 years prior, were the consequence of the journalist Sidney Zion’s well-publicized crusade to investigate the […] --------------------------------------------------------------- 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](