“Life After the Diagnosis”Last week one of my family members was diagnosed with a serious illness.
My niece, a physician in San Francisco, recommended a book written by one of her colleagues: Life After the Diagnosis: Expert Advice on Living Well with Serious Illness for Patients and Caregivers.
I immediately bought myself a copy, too. (If you’ve followed my blog, you know I’m an advocate of hospice, palliative care … read on
Even doctors have trouble—if they’re the patientIf you like reading books about medical mysteries and hospital disasters, then you’ll love In Shock: My Journey from Death to Recovery and the Redemptive Power of Hope, by Dr. Rana Awdish.
In short, Dr. Awdish, an ICU physician, ends up a patient in her own ICU. Her story is a beautifully written, but horrific, page-turner. We see her as a vulnerable … read on
Have you had unnecessary medical procedures?If you see a physician on a regular basis and always follow his or her advice regarding routine screening tests or common diagnostic tests for minor illnesses, the answer is probably YES.
I just finished reading a new report published in my state (Washington) about the extent and cost of these unnecessary medical procedures.
This is a problem I’ve posted about before. Many … read on
I’ve been reading that more patients are using telemedicine this flu season, which is great. It can not only save you money, but keep you home where you’re comfortable and not spreading germs to others. This post was originally published May 2016, but I’ve updated the information.
Maybe you have affordable health insurance and a doctor you like.
But have you ever had the experience of calling … read on
Target BPs are much lowerLast week the American Heart Association (AHA) and the American College of Cardiologists (ACC) published new guidelines in the diagnosis and treatment of high blood pressure.
What are the new numbers and what do they mean?
Many people will be surprised to find out they now have “elevated” high blood pressure, which could be a reading as low as 120/70, or Stage 1 hypertension at … read on
I’ve posted a couple of times about my husband’s high LDL level and his attempts to lower it through diet and exercise.
I’ve also said that because he doesn’t have any other risk factors for heart disease, we aren’t too worried about it. But the engineer in him likes the challenge of seeing how low he can get his LDL.
When I saw this recent YouTube … read on
Unnecessary tests = unnecessary expenseThis is a follow up to my last post about the dangers of too much medical care.
One of the biggest doors leading to an overabundance of healthcare and healthcare costs is the annual exam and all the “routine” lab work that is ordered almost without thought.
Doctors’ offices strive to be efficient. They have a lot of patients to see every day, after … read on
As an advocate for less medicine and better health, I love the latest healthcare trend of “deprescribing,” or cutting down the number of prescription drugs a patient is taking.
Dr. Aaron Carroll of Healthcare Triage explains the importance of deprescribing in this video:
Polypharmacy—taking multiple prescription drugs—has become much more common over the last couple of decades. There are more drugs … read on
Cutting the wasteI’ve posted several times about the Choosing Wisely campaign.
Developed by Consumer Reports and the American Board of Internal Medicine, Choosing Wisely hopes to educate both physicians and patients, and cut back or eliminate unnecessary medical tests, procedures and treatments.
Over-testing and over-treatment are estimated to cost about $200 billion every year. I think that’s a conservative figure, as the financial—not to mention emotional—consequences of too … read on
I just read an article in the New York Times by Perri Klass, MD: Rude Doctors, Rude Nurses, Rude Patients.
Rudeness all around!
Dr. Klass, a pediatrician, refers to a recent study published in a pediatric medical journal. The study looked at how rude or disparaging comments (by an actor playing the part of an infant’s mother) affect the performance of doctors and nurses.… read on