Virtual care is convenient, but is it better for everyone?

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[Register for free]( and turn insight into advantage. --------------------------------------------------------------- KevinMD Plus: Apr 25, 2022 [Virtual care is convenient, but is it better for everyone?]( Through all the changes that we experienced in the past two years, two trends became quite popular: staying home to binge-watch television and getting medical care over your phone. Interestingly, neither are new, and both have been around for 20+ years in various forms. Both have become mainstream by the common denominator of COVID-19. This [...] [A psychiatrist’s part-time journey [PODCAST]]( “She kept quiet, but she had planted the seed. Interestingly I did not talk much about work during the appointment, so her question stirred my thoughts. Why did she think it was work-related? I started to look at my daily routine. I was able to recognize where I needed to set boundaries at work. At [...] [The horror of darkened hearts]( In 2016, I published A Tale of Two Epidemics in the Harvard Health Blog. Sadly, our current pandemic has joined with health professional burnout and the opioid epidemic to gobsmack us with virus-infused spittle. Although doctors and nurses have stepped up heroically to save lives, many of us are depressed and dispirited. We’ve gotten sick. [...] [Malpractice: an officer of the court]( Tony (not his real name) was one of those patients who came to be a friend. I was his doctor for 11 years, guiding him through some very difficult times with a chronic autoimmune disease. He was a handyman, a fly fisherman, a husband, a father and a man of deep faith. His condition was [...] [Done with COVID? Not so fast.]( Moving into the pandemic’s third year, as many settle into the notorious “new normal” of COVID, the challenge now is avoiding complacency and keeping attention and vaccination rates high enough to maintain protection against the still-evolving virus. Six months after approving a first vaccine booster, the FDA has now authorized a second booster dose for [...] [Debunking the myths around asynchronous care [PODCAST]]( “So how can health systems and clinicians provide patients with an improved, consumer-friendly experience while also making strides to decrease provider administrative burden and burnout? They need to embrace virtual care beyond just video visits and look toward asynchronous telehealth. Asynchronous care allows providers to treat patients for common, low-acuity conditions online without a real-time, [...] [Does Chicago needs a rapid response to food sanitation and safety?]( As the momentum to mitigate food insecurity continues to unfold, we need a stronger emphasis on ensuring better food sanitation and safety in economically disadvantaged and under-resourced communities. For example, the closing of 400 Dollar General Stores in several states and a grocery store closure on Chicago’s West side due to rodent infestation are of concern, especially [...] [This doctor got COVID. Here’s what it taught him.]( Tuesday night, March 29 into March 30, I started to feel that sensation I associate with the start of a cold. It was a feeling in the back of my throat that’s almost hard to describe. I haven’t had that sensation in years. Because I have been wearing an N95 mask every time I come [...] [Prostate cancer, sex drive, male menopause and conversations to have with your doctor]( Americans are having less sex than ever before. Should we be worried? Ask your prostate. A 2022 study from the National Survey of Sexual Health and Behavior found that the rate of all types of sexual intercourse have declined from 2009 to 2018. While the authors speculate as to why this may be the case [...] [Tips for delivering difficult pediatric diagnoses [PODCAST]]( “I remember our first day in the cystic fibrosis clinic like it was yesterday. I cried in the parking garage and struggled to nurse my daughter in the waiting room. And then it happened. That moment is forever etched in my mind. The pediatric pulmonologist took my hands, looked me in the eye, and said, [...] [PPE: psychiatrist presenting emotion]( Out of all the fields of medical practice, the field of psychiatry is the most unlikely place to be wearing a mask. My fellow physicians in hospitals, operating rooms and clinics typically had masks ready to utilize for several procedures long before COVID emerged. In mental health care, especially as a child psychiatrist, masks are [...] [Want to stem frontline worker burnout and walkout? Here are 3 ways.]( Early in the COVID-19 pandemic, Lorna Breen, MD, a New York City emergency room doctor, committed suicide following weeks of incredible stress she endured at work. Nearly two years later, the Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Act was signed into federal law, providing federal grants to support programs and training on reducing health [...] [The criminalization of true medical errors is a step backwards for patient safety]( On December 27, 2017, as the result of a medication error, 75-year-old Charlene Murphey died tragically at Nashville’s Vanderbilt University Medical Center. The nurse who administered the medication, RaDonda Vaught, was criminally convicted for the mishap and the case ultimately caught the attention of the entire global health care community. Unfortunately, medical errors are not [...] [How to cope with pandemic fatigue [PODCAST]]( “The COVID-19 pandemic has been raging in the United States for over two years. Health care workers across the country have been chronically pushed to their limits as we navigate difficult situations on a daily basis. The advent of the COVID-19 vaccine, although a powerful tool in our crusade against the pandemic, has created a [...] [Why did it feel like I failed my patient?]( “Have you ever had feelings of depression?” I regretted asking that question the moment it slipped out of my mouth. In the span of what felt like 5 minutes but was probably 30 seconds, both the patient and I immediately became awkward. The patient hesitated and her breathing hitched. My heart rate became rapid and [...] [Me is who I am]( I awake each day, looking for the sunlight to brighten my life, just as you may do. I wonder who I will meet today who might have an impact on my life, just as it may be for you. I organize in my mind my “to do” list for the day … all the things [...] --------------------------------------------------------------- [Thousands of physicians are browsing this job board](. They love its selection of over 12,000 openings across the U.S. [Physicians are finding opportunities they almost missed](. --------------------------------------------------------------- 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](