physician

Part 3 of a 3-Part Series in recognition of Health Literacy Month   I’m the parent of a strong-willed, teenaged daughter. Since she was a very young child, she’s always wanted to know the “why” behind just about everything, including the many directives issued by me and her dad. While this can sometimes be exasperating,

Part 2 of a 3-Part Series in recognition of Health Literacy Month Imagine being placed behind the wheel of a brand new car. Sounds really nice, right? Now imagine you are only 13 years old, you haven’t taken a single driver’s education class, and you have no idea what to do. Unfortunately, this is often

Part 1 in a 3-part series in recognition of Health Literacy Month   Before I became a caregiver for my dad, I had only peripheral knowledge of his medical challenges. I remember getting frustrated with him during conversations about his declining health. I would ask about his most recent visit with his primary care doctor

Have you ever heard the saying, “What you don’t know won’t hurt you?” It’s sometimes used to glorify the “ignorance is bliss” mentality. The idea is that we can’t worry about issues if we don’t know about them. It is also used to justify lying by omission, the act of leaving out “small details” to

I live in a metropolitan area with several renowned academic medical centers and high-quality community hospitals. When my mother was diagnosed with leukemia, she received top-notch care at a local university hospital’s cancer center. My father had open heart surgery at a facility with an award-winning cardiac surgery department. There’s a peace of mind associated

There have been numerous changes to the way health care is delivered in the United States. Regulatory agencies, electronic medical records and insurance companies have altered the way physicians practice medicine. One of the unfortunate consequences has been the erosion of the doctor-patient relationship. Many patients don’t trust their doctors anymore. With less time for

A couple of years ago I saw a rheumatologist for a problem that developed in my fingers. After obtaining my history and performing a thorough physical examination, the specialist ordered 32 blood tests in an attempt to determine the cause of my problem. A month later I received a bill from the lab for $985.

I’ve always been the kind of doctor who enjoys engaging in dialogue with patients and families. I encourage them to ask questions about their health and about the recommendations I provide. A thoughtful question will occasionally prompt me to do additional reading or to “curbside” a colleague for input. Doctors are skilled and knowledgeable, but

The doctor-patient relationship can be challenging. Today’s health care system does not facilitate the development of a meaningful connection; in fact, it tends to impair this crucial relationship. Solo practitioners, 30-minute appointments, and house calls are mostly fond memories from the “good old days”. Today’s physician grapples with time constraints, insurance denials, unnecessary paperwork, and

During one of my dad’s more frustrating hospitalizations my sisters and I were having a very difficult time communicating with the doctors. We provided them with numerous examples of his confusion and disorganized thoughts. We had significant concerns about his mental status and ability to care for himself yet the doctors kept telling us he