November 4, 2019 3:41 pm Published by admin A lot of media attention, including television, print and online sources, is focused on various plans to revolutionize the delivery of healthcare in America. Critics point to medical errors, waste of resources and lack of access among the numerous factors requiring the replacement of our healthcare system. To many politicians and think tank experts, the [...]
August 12, 2019 3:37 pm Published by admin I am pleased to share with you a podcast in which I participated with Jodie Jackson, Jr. on his program, “Quality Talk.” Among the issues covered were the challenges physicians face in the new value-based reimbursement system called MIPS and some of the subjects discussed in my blog posts on “Burdens and Burnout” and “A [...]
July 31, 2019 2:31 pm Published by admin Some doctors are losers in this zero-sum game Although retired from my practice of ophthalmology, I still keep up with the latest developments from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) as they impact my former specialty. A decades-long reimbursement system based upon relative value units for exams and procedures is part of the [...]
July 22, 2019 3:55 pm Published by admin After finishing the pitch for my book at a recent Harvard Writers’ Conference in Boston, I felt relieved and encouraged by the judges’ comments. As I waited for my turn at the podium, I glanced above my notes over the faces of 300 of my fellow attendees who had accomplished so much in their respective [...]
May 28, 2019 6:44 pm Published by admin I was glad to hear my former chief technician’s son, a recent college graduate, had received multiple job offers. Some would argue that with low unemployment and a strong economy, his odds were good for finding a job. That observation, based upon macroeconomics, ignores the character of the job seeker. While one position was an [...]
May 6, 2019 3:56 pm Published by admin Paul Pender, MD published on KevinMD.com May 3, 2019 During a recent walk at Crystal Cove, a splendid California State Park with miles of pristine coastline, I encountered two young women sitting on a bench with a magnificent view of the ocean. Yet their only view of interest was their cell phone screens. One of [...]
February 5, 2019 8:21 pm Published by admin Writing and speaking about the changes in health care that have occurred in the last few decades have spawned a cottage industry online. On the social media website for physicians founded by Kevin Pho MD, we learn about what issues concern doctors and patients. The exchanges posted seem to foster a sense of group therapy—and [...]
January 7, 2019 4:13 pm Published by admin So much of what I read from the futurists is the stuff of science fiction without the humanity. We now have cellphones with facial recognition for identification (and to create effective and personal emoji’s). Artificial intelligence is being developed to gauge the emotional state associated with facial expressions, something physicians have developed over years of [...]
December 10, 2018 4:02 pm Published by admin It’s NOT about where you studied; it’s about what you do with it. Or is it? See the article in the WSJ from November 27, 2018 by Allan Ripp, “Take It From an Almost-Harvard Man.” Prestigious brands and labels can open doors, but it’s really about what you do after you cross the threshold. As [...]
October 9, 2018 7:56 pm Published by admin An Emergency Physician, LS, came to me for an eye problem. After diagnosing and treating him, we talked about his current assignments. He covers hospital emergency rooms in two towns and the urgent care centers affiliated with the parent hospital. Lately, he has had to tell patients in an urgent care setting that a study, [...]
