Patients were supposed to be given unfettered access to their clinical records beginning November 2, 2020. Because of the pandemic, the enforcement date has been delayed until April 5, 2021. The “open notes” rule is a federal mandate designed to […]
Dr. Ken’s Corner: Demand for Mental Health Practitioners Surging
The stress-related toll of the pandemic is relentless. Anxiety, depression, increasing drug and alcohol use, sleepless nights, and suicides are sweeping across America. According to a Kaiser Family Foundation survey, more than half of Americans say that the worry and […]
Dr. Ken’s Corner: What Lies Ahead for Primary Care Physicians?
At first glance, the future of primary care may seem unpredictable. For the most part, however, it will probably be an acceleration of changes already underway prior to the pandemic. Whatever the future has in store, it will be shaped […]
Dr. Ken’s Corner: How Will This Pandemic Play Out?
Even this late in its course, no one can accurately predict the trajectory of COVID-19. Will the spread of the virus go from bad to worse? Or, will it show a dramatic decline in case numbers, hospitalizations, and deaths? Four […]
Dr. Ken’s Corner: Virtual Med School Classes Coming This Fall
First-year medical students spend many hours in the laboratory where they learn human anatomy by sight and touch, a memorable hands-on experience that lasts a lifetime. But this year, things will be different. Thanks to the coronavirus pandemic, classes this […]
Dr. Ken’s Corner: Looming Shortage of Primary Care Physicians Questionable
The coronavirus pandemic has been a particular challenge for America’s frontline health providers — primary care physicians. This brings up the age-old question: Are we facing a shortage of primary care physicians? Some projections seem to support this view, although […]
Dr. Ken’s Corner: Pandemic Prompts Response to Physician Anxiety and Depression
Overwhelmed by the number of coronavirus patients who died on her watch, Dr. Lorna Breen, an emergency medicine physician at New York Presbyterian Hospital, took her own life. Tragically, her dedication and despair pushed her past the breaking point. “She […]
