The Podcast by KevinMD

Latest Episodes:

A COVID and Omicron update with Jeremy Faust, MD Dec 12, 2021

Show notes

"Right now, I think that people need to understand that this virus is clearly mutating to become more contagious, and that is in its evolutionary best interest. That's what viruses do. That is not the same thing as a virus having an advantage by making us more sick or breaking through our vaccines. There's no advantage there. So we don't yet know about that.

So what I really want your audience to know and to think is, do I care about infection or do I care about outcomes? Sometimes those things are totally interchangeable, like an infection is an outcome. You get infected. You have a long-term consequence. But as time goes on, I want people to really think about whether we've uncoupled that with our vaccines, with our therapeutics. And if we have, then we should really be watching a different set of outcome metrics.

So I want people to be willing to stand up their level of concern when something new and unknown comes along. But I want them to also be able to deescalate that when we learn more. Because look, we've been humbled by this many times in many directions, and I think that watching those issues in real-time and responding to the data is really our best chance to keep getting better at this."

Jeremy Faust is an emergency physician who can be reached on Twitter @JeremyFaust and on Instagram @JeremySamuelFaust. He also publishes the newsletter, Inside Medicine.

"Take it or leave it" is not negotiation but coercion Dec 11, 2021

Show notes

"Physicians can exert their influence in a health care environment to put the patient-physician relationship at the center of the enterprise. Working with middle-market employers (between 200-2,000 employees), some companies pair bold doctors with innovative employers to bring exceptional value to employee health benefits. There are no pre-authorizations for medical decisions, but doctors are held accountable for best practices. Customized health benefits offered within the ERISA framework allow employers to tailor programs and coverage to their employee population. A purpose-built tech solution allows all the players to see more, see it sooner, and maximize health. Nurses serve as the point of contact for employees and as trusted guides for any health concerns, facilitating appointments with doctors and other healthcare professionals. In this model, doctors are equal partners with employers, reducing avoidable costs while delivering higher quality care. Instead of a fragmented journey, patients are supported through three phases of care—navigation, facilitation, and resolution."

Paul Pender is an ophthalmologist and can be reached at his self-titled site, Dr. Paul Pender. He is the author of Rebuilding Trust in Healthcare: A Doctor's Prescription for a Post-Pandemic America.

He shares his story and discusses his KevinMD article, "'Take it or leave it' is not negotiation but coercion." (https://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2021/11/take-it-or-leave-it-is-not-negotiation-but-coercion.html)

Kevin Pho on life as an MD online Dec 10, 2021

Show notes

In this special episode of The Podcast by KevinMD, I'm on the other side of the podcast mic.

It was an honor to be interviewed by Jonathan Baktari, MD on his show, the Baktari MD Show. In this hour-long episode, Life as an MD Online, I discuss how I got started, online reputation and social media, the KevinMD platform, my medical career, physician burnout, online misinformation, how COVID impacts medicine, and much more.

Thanks again to Jonathan Baktari who can be reached at BaktariMD.com (https://baktarimd.com/) on Twitter @baktarimd and YouTube.

An obstetrician recommends midwifery care Dec 09, 2021

Show notes

"By denigrating midwifery care, pathologizing the natural process of birth, and instilling fear of complications and pain, doctors persuaded women to give birth at the hospital under their care. By touting the benefits of anesthesia, forceps delivery, episiotomy and promoting in-hospital birth, doctors and hospitals were able to capitalize on the new specialty.

Interventions of increasing risk and complexity, and their routine use — without proof of benefits for the 80 percent of birthing people who are low risk — have caused harm not just because of their invasive nature, but because the birthing person is subjected to various forms of persuasion and coercion (without informed consent) to do what doctors believe is best for them and their babies. Many of the practices employed on labor and delivery interfere with the natural process of birth. When patients ask to avoid those interventions (which often make life easier for the staff or more money for the hospital), they are told they are not allowed to do what they want for their labor and birth. In a 2019 survey of women who gave birth in U.S. hospitals, 28 percent reported mistreatment. Black people report discrimination in about one-third of their medical encounters."

Leslie Farrington is an obstetrician-gynecologist.

She shares her story and discusses her KevinMD article, "This obstetrician recommends midwifery care." (https://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2021/07/this-obstetrician-recommends-midwifery-care.html)

Personal attacks and sexual harassment of physicians on social media Dec 08, 2021

Show notes

"This survey study examines the self-reports of personal attacks and sexual harassment of physicians through social media outlets. A total of 108 physicians (23.3%) reported being personally attacked on social media, with no significant difference between female and male physicians. In contrast, women were significantly more likely than men to report online sexual harassment."

Shikha Jain is a hematology-oncology physician who blogs at her self-titled site, Dr. Shikha Jain. She can be reached on Twitter @ShikhaJainMD.

She shares her story and discusses the article, "Prevalence of Personal Attacks and Sexual Harassment of Physicians on Social Media."

How the residency application process has changed forever Dec 08, 2021

Show notes

"The collective resiliency of the medical education community shone through the challenges of the past year. In medicine, physicians must adapt to all situations, and GME is no exception. Even in a pandemic, everyone adjusted as needed. Program coordinators and faculty were flexible and creative, while applicants remained passionate and pushed past roadblocks. It seems that there is no situation to which GME cannot adjust. With the financial and time-saving benefits of an all-virtual and/or hybrid recruitment model on the horizon, applicants and programs can rest assured that, while it will take some getting used to, the residency recruitment process will be changed forever."

Jason Reminick is a physician-entrepreneur.

He shares his story and discusses the KevinMD article, "A transformative year for GME recruitment: How the process has changed forever." (https://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2021/05/a-transformative-year-for-gme-recruitment-how-the-process-has-changed-forever.html)

A medical student shares a story about language Dec 07, 2021

Show notes

"My mother screamed. It meant my father needed a doctor — now.

But why?

We just visited the hospital days before to refill his drugs. He would be better if he used the drugs. Magic drugs. That is what he called them. I stood up from the mat where I slept beside them to find him not moving.

But why?

When he got sick, he moved. He moved a lot. Then, he got better and stopped moving. But he always moved first. My mother noticed me. Her eyes reminded me of a movie. The warrior dropped her sword in the middle of a battle. Her comrades were all dead. But she was not. I never understood why she dropped her sword. She could have fought and lived. But she died. My mother held the same look as the warrior."

Sarah Fashakin is a medical student.

She shares her story and discusses her KevinMD article, "What my father taught me about language." (https://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2021/10/what-my-father-taught-me-about-language.html)

To achieve health equity, culturally relevant care must be the standard of care Dec 06, 2021

Show notes

"Practicing culturally relevant care means we can account for the social determinants of health, barriers to access, and the emotional disconnect that results from the status quo, one-size-fits-all approach many patients have come to expect. It helps us reach into underserved communities and lift them up, which is essential during a pandemic that disproportionately affects low-income and diverse Americans.

If we, as clinicians, can align around the fact that we exist to serve all patients, we must realize that culturally relevant care is more than a situational deviation from the norm. Rather, it must represent the new normal—the new standard of care."

Vik Bakhru is a clinician and health care executive.

He shares his story and discusses his KevinMD article, "To achieve health equity, we must make culturally relevant care the standard of care." (https://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2021/04/to-achieve-health-equity-we-must-make-culturally-relevant-care-the-standard-of-care.html)

Amid powerlessness, reclaim your personal power Dec 05, 2021

Show notes

"You have more power than you realize.

It's no secret that medical providers feel structurally powerless in our chaotic health care system. Control over the volume, pace, and elements of our work often rests squarely in the hands of others. But know this: Your own personal power over your work remains formidable and fully intact.

If you're stressed out, burning out, and dreading Mondays, you have the power to make quality decisions about your work and life — decisions that honor who you are and what you want. Imagine waking up excited to do work that gives you joy, not despair. Imagine work that promotes happiness and wellbeing, not stress and impairment. As a health expert, surely you deserve healthy work."

Cathy Woodhouse is an internal medicine physician.

She shares her story and discusses her KevinMD article, "Amid powerlessness, reclaim your personal power." (https://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2021/10/amid-powerlessness-reclaim-your-personal-power.html)

Instead of focusing on your time, focus on your energy Dec 04, 2021

Show notes

"I can attest to the tremendous power of simply noticing these rhythms and attending to them. It's part of a larger attempt to live a more authentic life. So much of my time over the past 20 years has been vying to achieve someone else's standards or to live the way I 'should.' I should exercise in the morning since it's healthier! I should shut down my computer at 5 p.m. so I can be focused on my family! I should block out all distractions on the weekends! The fight against the 'should' is a common one for many physicians, especially female physicians. We are inculcated with the notion that success is defined by one particular aspect of our lives or one particular way of being. In the process, and in the struggle, we silence the part of ourselves that knows a better way. We silence the truth inside that is trying to guide us down our individual path. If we turn towards that truth – little by little – we open up to endless possibilities and countless ways of being. We can turn on our creativity and bring forth our unique gifts and skills; and in doing so, increase our abilities to honor ourselves and serve others."

Laura Huete is a family physician.

She shares her story and discusses her KevinMD article, "An argument against time management." (https://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2021/03/an-argument-against-time-management.html)

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