The numbers are staggering. According to a recent survey by The Physicians Foundation, 6 in 10 physicians said they’re experiencing feelings of burnout. One in three said they felt hopeless or without a purpose. Despite their mental health issues, only […]
Dr. Ken’s Corner: Locum Tenens Physicians Urged To Address Polypharmacy
Polypharmacy is defined as the use of five or more medications per day by an individual patient. Studies have shown that nearly one-half of older adults take at least this many prescription drugs, and as many as one in five […]
Dr. Ken’s Corner: Are Practice Acquisitions A Threat To Physician Autonomy?
Physicians are wary of the term “corporate practice of medicine.” It implies a practice environment in which corporations directly influence and control the doctor-patient relationship. In other words, when corporations “practice medicine,” physicians risk losing one of their profession’s most […]
Dr. Ken’s Corner: High-Level Panel Calls For Primary Care Overhaul
A primary care physician for every American? In an urgently worded 449-page report, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, has recommended that all Americans select a primary care provider or be assigned one. “Successfully implementing high-quality primary care […]
Dr. Ken’s Corner: Telemedicine’s Post-Pandemic Future Remains Uncertain
There’s no longer any doubt that telemedicine is here to stay…to what extent is anyone’s guess. What impact will this have on the practice of medicine? How will it change the doctor-patient relationship? The quality of patient care? For the […]
Dr. Ken’s Corner: Hospital Care At Home Picks Up Speed
Propelled, in part, by the pandemic and a subsequent shortage of hospital beds, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has now given 56 hospitals the green light to provide hospital care at home. The concept has actually been […]
Dr. Ken’s Corner: Rural Healthcare Needs “Shot In The Arm”
Rural healthcare in America has had to face more than its share of challenges. The pandemic has only made the situation worse, revealing the weaknesses of an already fragile system. Alabama, for example, has a 41% rural population, among the […]
