Why Physicians Need a Voice in Public Health Issues

When discussing the health and wellbeing of those we serve, we must elevate the conversation to include public health matters that affect our patients and society in its entirety. Physician organizations are instrumental in formulating recommendations and supporting health-related social justice. However, these discussions are equally imperative at the individual level, as physician interactions with their patients become… Read More »

Education Debt May be a Barrier to Enhanced Care

With the 2018 New York University announcement of free medical school tuition, undoubtedly there is increased interest in the potential impact this will have. Many hypothesize that this is a new era, and a new education model is forthcoming and necessary. As recently as 2017, there was a proclamation from the Association of American Medical Colleges that the… Read More »

The Tipping Point of Value-Based Care

If one studies the life span of a company, progression occurs in many stages. Once a business has reached a level of “maturity,” its survival depends on its ability to innovate and adapt. Regarding value-based care and payment models, healthcare experiences a similar metamorphosis. Fee for service has been the prevailing payment model, and the consumer historically remained… Read More »

Is AI the Next Major Innovation in Healthcare?

With the evolution of technology and innovation surrounding artificial intelligence (AI), it is essential to step back and dissect the nuances of how best to implement this emerging frontier in Health care. AI attempts to mimic human intelligence through iterative, complex pattern recognition and matching based on input data at a speed and scale that exceeds the human… Read More »

Are Portals and Telehealth Being Utilized and Do they Increase Value?

We continue to focus on improving access and services using technology as we move towards value-based care. Furthermore, we have experienced similar shifts away from direct human interactions with online retail and self-service banking, airline ticket purchases, etc. As we progress within this technology realm, numerous questions arise. Are consumers willing to sacrifice face-to-face visits with their clinicians… Read More »

Diagnostics & Treatment – There’s an App for That?

With healthcare continuing to focus on patient-centricity, smartphone applications “Apps” are rapidly becoming more prevalent in the diagnosis and treatment of conditions. Currently, there are approximately 325,000 health Apps on the market with consistent increased investment for the past decade. Furthermore, there are Apps that not only focus on wellness and prevention, but also help diagnose unknown symptoms… Read More »

When it comes to improving patient safety, should we be learning from the patient?

All of us in healthcare are striving to improve patient safety; but our current systems for tracking diagnostic errors have focused on individual clinicians’ decisions based on data and system designs and not information from the patient. Relatively few systems capture information from patients with the purpose of aiding in the understanding of such mistakes. A recent study… Read More »

How Should We Approach End-of-life Care?

I was recently asked by Gist Healthcare to weigh-in on end-of-life care and how we as a society should approach it and what needs to change. You can read the full interview conducted with Gist Healthcare writer Chas Roades here. But today, I am going to summarize some of my thoughts on why Advance Care Planning needs to… Read More »

Understanding Physician Burnout

multitasking physician

Physician burnout is an ongoing discussion in healthcare. Characterized by emotional exhaustion and depersonalization, burnout is a syndrome, accompanied by a feeling of reduced personal accomplishment, loss of work fulfillment, and reduced effectiveness. Since physicians are so integral to the healthcare system, the effects of their fatigue have a global impact often leading to potential losses in productivity,… Read More »