Medical
Reducing death from COVID-19 pneumonia before widespread vaccination
When the pandemic hit the U.S. – we were caught off guard. We were uncertain about how COVID-19 spread or how it killed. But amidst the chaos, health care providers have learned how to better care for infected patients today. Since March, we’ve learned that surprisingly simple actions can make a significant difference in both…
Read MoreCBD and other medications: Proceed with caution
Products containing cannabidiol (CBD) seem to be all the rage these days, promising relief from a wide range of maladies, from insomnia and hot flashes to chronic pain and seizures. Some of these claims have merit to them, while some of them are just hype. But it won’t hurt to try, right? Well, not so…
Read MoreBotox for the beheaded
“Oh, but don’t worry, they’re fresh!” We were not talking about produce, and this was not reassuring. The conference speaker was scheduled to teach a Botox training session the next day – using cadaver heads. When I had initially signed up for this physician seminar on facial cosmetic rejuvenation, there was no mention of cadavers.…
Read MoreHow this surgeon beat a medical staff disciplinary action [PODCAST]
“I recently represented a physician in a noteworthy peer review case at an academic medical center. The medical staff president initiated a complaint against a surgeon, who would later become my client. The complaint was that the surgeon inappropriately collected cash payment from an uninsured patient at the hospital’s point of service instead of having…
Read MoreA resident’s perspective on personal loss and patient care during the COVID-19 pandemic
The day before the United States border with Canada shut down to non-essential travelers, my mother left Chicago to take care of my grandparents who lived by themselves in Ottawa, Canada. With the COVID outbreaks at nursing homes, she took it upon herself to stay with them as long as they needed her. During the…
Read MoreDemocracy and the health of a nation
I am a Philadelphian. I was born in a hospital within a few blocks of Independence Hall, where the Constitution was written, and of Thomas Jefferson’s lodging, where the Declaration of Independence was drafted. Whether it was elementary school trips to Betsy Ross House, Ben Franklin’s Printing House or, yes, to see the crack in…
Read MoreWhy do I laugh during a pandemic?
I just started laughing. It was early on Monday morning during our COVID surge. I couldn’t help myself. Phones were not on yet, but I already had triage COVID calls. “Put on your roller skates” was all I was thinking. I questioned my laughter. The day and a life of a primary care physician during…
Read MoreHow transparent were the COVID vaccine trials?
On March 2nd, 2020, as New York State announced its first proven case of COVID-19, a federal court there handed down a stunning decision. For 10 years, according to the court, the United States government illegally failed to hold drug companies accountable when they did not report, or inaccurately reported, crucial data about their drugs’ safety…
Read MoreWhen an epidemic of violence against health care workers meets a pandemic [PODCAST]
“The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated factors that cause violence in the workplace. At no time in recent history will you find clinical health care workers under this degree of stress. Physicians and nurses are operating under high alert in hospitals and clinics while facing COVID deniers and abusive treatment (name-calling such as “disease spreaders”) in…
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