The Podcast by KevinMD

"A resurgent CDC is necessary to recapture the vitality of U.S. medical science. A scientific researcher alone cannot do this work. This will also require heavy managerial work and restructuring and charting a different course altogether. CDC will need a double-headed leader approach, one excelling in scientific expertise and another proficient in managerial miracles. The current messaging algorithms at the CDC are misplaced. The CDC tried to placate diverse constituencies at different times without having a solid baseline policy. In some instances, the CDC came to wrong conclusions because there were no accurate scientific data to depend on. And the U.S. did not produce that data when COVID-19 was ravaging in 2020 and 2021." P. Dileep Kumar is a hospitalist. He shares his story and discusses his KevinMD article, "The CDC's continuing failures: Is there a way out?" Reflect and earn 1.0 AMA PRA Category 1 CME for this episode. Did you enjoy today's episode? Rate and review the show so more audiences can find The Podcast by KevinMD. Subscribe on your favorite podcast app to get notified when a new episode comes out.

"I'm a small-time doc in a small town, and I work at a small hospital in the Midwest, and I'm proud of it. The huge university hospitals (like Cleveland Clinic) get all the glory (especially in society and in the press), but small hospitals like mine drive this country. It has been really weird working at a small hospital, where it seems like the emotions are more magnified than in the big city. A year ago, it seems like there was a local community group every day bringing food or treats for the hospital workers. Nationally, there was this outcry to recognize those in the medical field. And, then, something changed. Now, for some reason, both nationally and locally, medical workers are seen as "the problem," and there is a lot of negative emotion directed at us. And, it seems locally, like that negative emotion is magnified. Why did that happen, and how did we get here?" Mike Sevilla is a family physician who blogs at his self-titled site, Dr. Mike Sevilla. He shares his story and discusses his KevinMD article, "A shout out to small hospitals." Reflect and earn 1.0 AMA PRA Category 1 CME for this episode. This episode is sponsored by Athelas, the number one provider of remote patient monitoring. Did you know more than 65 percent of doctors are actively investing in remote patient monitoring? That's because RPM is the fastest-growing segment in health care today. And for good reason: RPM boosts patient outcomes through preventative care. In fact, a recent study by the VA showed that implementing RPM at a practice can reduce hospital readmission rates by as much as 25 percent, saving more than $20,000 per patient in medical costs. If you're not investing in RPM, you're missing out. Luckily, Athelas can help you roll out RPM end-to-end. They provide devices to your patients, handle 100 percent of billing, and even provide a team of nurses to monitor patient vitals for you. All at zero net cost to your practice. Try out RPM for your practice by going to KevinMD.com/tryrpm. Did you enjoy today's episode? Rate and review the show so more audiences can find The Podcast by KevinMD. Subscribe on your favorite podcast app to get notified when a new episode comes out.

"This last mile of the COVID pandemic—Omicron or not—is a painstaking one-on-one endeavor. As is most of primary care. Sadly, we now have to deal with political epidemiology as much as emotional and clinical epidemiology. We'll sit with each of our patients, listening as much as possible, attempting to understand and address their concerns. With some, the bloc of silence may be impenetrable. This is heartbreaking, especially for those of us who've penned more condolence cards this past year than we have in a lifetime of clinical practice. But such is the reality of our society's self-inflicted wounds." Danielle Ofri is an internal medicine physician and editor-in-chief, Bellevue Literary Review. She can be reached at her self-titled site, Danielle Ofri. She shares her story and discusses her KevinMD article, "Emotional epidemiology of disease is as critical as clinical epidemiology." Reflect and earn 1.0 AMA PRA Category 1 CME for this episode. This episode is sponsored by Athelas, the number one provider of remote patient monitoring. Did you know more than 65 percent of doctors are actively investing in remote patient monitoring? That's because RPM is the fastest-growing segment in health care today. And for good reason: RPM boosts patient outcomes through preventative care. In fact, a recent study by the VA showed that implementing RPM at a practice can reduce hospital readmission rates by as much as 25 percent, saving more than $20,000 per patient in medical costs. If you're not investing in RPM, you're missing out. Luckily, Athelas can help you roll out RPM end-to-end. They provide devices to your patients, handle 100 percent of billing, and even provide a team of nurses to monitor patient vitals for you. All at zero net cost to your practice. Try out RPM for your practice by going to KevinMD.com/tryrpm. Did you enjoy today's episode? Rate and review the show so more audiences can find The Podcast by KevinMD. Subscribe on your favorite podcast app to get notified when a new episode comes out.

"Medical-legal consulting is a great way to use your medical training in a non-clinical field that helps people. I started this field 14 years ago and have trained over 1,600 physicians to be medical-legal consultants. Most physicians do medical-legal consulting as a part-time side gig. All of the work is pre-litigation and pre-trial. I don't act as a medical expert, and I don't participate in medical malpractice cases. There are over a dozen services and types of consultations I offer attorneys. One service we frequently provide is to give our opinions regarding specific medical questions that arise in cases. Usually, these reports help the attorney to prove a particular medical theory for the case." Armin Feldman is a medical consultant to attorneys. He shares his story and discusses his KevinMD article, "Medical-legal consulting as a side gig." Reflect and earn 1.0 AMA PRA Category 1 CME for this episode. This episode is sponsored by Athelas, the number one provider of remote patient monitoring. Did you know more than 65 percent of doctors are actively investing in remote patient monitoring? That's because RPM is the fastest-growing segment in health care today. And for good reason: RPM boosts patient outcomes through preventative care. In fact, a recent study by the VA showed that implementing RPM at a practice can reduce hospital readmission rates by as much as 25 percent, saving more than $20,000 per patient in medical costs. If you're not investing in RPM, you're missing out. Luckily, Athelas can help you roll out RPM end-to-end. They provide devices to your patients, handle 100 percent of billing, and even provide a team of nurses to monitor patient vitals for you. All at zero net cost to your practice. Try out RPM for your practice by going to KevinMD.com/tryrpm. Did you enjoy today's episode? Rate and review the show so more audiences can find The Podcast by KevinMD. Subscribe on your favorite podcast app to get notified when a new episode comes out.

"Instead of trying to earn a spot on a talk show to help a person dealing with costly treatments for illness, perhaps it is best to lobby policymakers to pass legislation that impacts big numbers of patients dealing with the high costs of treatment, ultimately including that person. Perhaps encouraging businesses, institutions, and organizations to allot funds for health care programs is a more salient idea. Talk shows end. The need to close the gap in medical funding does not." Amanda LaMonica-Weier is a nurse practitioner. She shares her story and discusses her KevinMD article, "Fund this: Policies can fill medical funding gaps for all." Reflect and earn 1.0 AMA PRA Category 1 CME for this episode. This episode is sponsored by Athelas, the number one provider of remote patient monitoring. Did you know more than 65 percent of doctors are actively investing in remote patient monitoring? That's because RPM is the fastest-growing segment in health care today. And for good reason: RPM boosts patient outcomes through preventative care. In fact, a recent study by the VA showed that implementing RPM at a practice can reduce hospital readmission rates by as much as 25 percent, saving more than $20,000 per patient in medical costs. If you're not investing in RPM, you're missing out. Luckily, Athelas can help you roll out RPM end-to-end. They provide devices to your patients, handle 100 percent of billing, and even provide a team of nurses to monitor patient vitals for you. All at zero net cost to your practice. Try out RPM for your practice by going to KevinMD.com/tryrpm. Did you enjoy today's episode? Rate and review the show so more audiences can find The Podcast by KevinMD. Subscribe on your favorite podcast app to get notified when a new episode comes out.

"In the ongoing saga of the pandemic, there is the debate whether to wear a mask or not. These are physical masks that temporarily hide our face, but we all wear another type of mask, a metaphorical mask. These are the masks we put on to present who we want the world to see. People who are referred to as having "high functioning autism" often put on the greatest masks of all; masks that society does not allow them to take off. "High functioning autism" is a term used to describe people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) that have average or above IQ level and good language ability, which currently is about 44 percent of autistic people. As our understanding of autism expands, this number will grow. It is this group that is often left behind in advocating for individuals with ASD. The term "high functioning autism" obfuscates the real struggles that they endure. You may not realize there is a person with autism in your world hiding behind a mask that you could help." Lisa Yeh is a psychiatrist. She shares her story and discusses her KevinMD article, "Autism spectrum disorder and the masks we wear." Reflect and earn 1.0 AMA PRA Category 1 CME for this episode. This episode is sponsored by Athelas, the number one provider of remote patient monitoring. Did you know more than 65 percent of doctors are actively investing in remote patient monitoring? That's because RPM is the fastest-growing segment in health care today. And for good reason: RPM boosts patient outcomes through preventative care. In fact, a recent study by the VA showed that implementing RPM at a practice can reduce hospital readmission rates by as much as 25 percent, saving more than $20,000 per patient in medical costs. If you're not investing in RPM, you're missing out. Luckily, Athelas can help you roll out RPM end-to-end. They provide devices to your patients, handle 100 percent of billing, and even provide a team of nurses to monitor patient vitals for you. All at zero net cost to your practice. Try out RPM for your practice by going to KevinMD.com/tryrpm. Did you enjoy today's episode? Rate and review the show so more audiences can find The Podcast by KevinMD. Subscribe on your favorite podcast app to get notified when a new episode comes out.

"As a clinician who has received two Pfizer doses and a booster without any side effects, I wholeheartedly embrace vaccination to solve this pressing public health crisis. The key is for policymakers to identify the best tool for the job (i.e., Covaxin) and utilize it effectively to solve the widest-ranging public health crisis of the past century." Tayson DeLengocky is an ophthalmologist. He shares his story and discusses his KevinMD article, "Why is the world's first universal coronavirus vaccine not in the FDA's toolbox?" Reflect and earn 1.0 AMA PRA Category 1 CME for this episode. This episode is sponsored by Athelas, the number one provider of remote patient monitoring. Did you know more than 65 percent of doctors are actively investing in remote patient monitoring? That's because RPM is the fastest-growing segment in health care today. And for good reason: RPM boosts patient outcomes through preventative care. In fact, a recent study by the VA showed that implementing RPM at a practice can reduce hospital readmission rates by as much as 25 percent, saving more than $20,000 per patient in medical costs. If you're not investing in RPM, you're missing out. Luckily, Athelas can help you roll out RPM end-to-end. They provide devices to your patients, handle 100 percent of billing, and even provide a team of nurses to monitor patient vitals for you. All at zero net cost to your practice. Try out RPM for your practice by going to KevinMD.com/tryrpm. Did you enjoy today's episode? Rate and review the show so more audiences can find The Podcast by KevinMD. Subscribe on your favorite podcast app to get notified when a new episode comes out.

"At the beginning of my time as a CMIO, I needed to remain clinical to build camaraderie with my colleagues. This proved essential as the health system was going through a transition to a new EMR. The medical staff needed to know that every decision I made affected me as much as it affected them. As time went on and the EMR matured, it became less relevant if I practiced and more critical to perform as a change agent. However, I elected to still practice in a part-time fashion because of my love for orthopedics. I also recognized the importance of a minority surgeon for the community." Nathan Gause is an orthopedic surgeon and former CMIO. Afua Aning is a physician informaticist. They share their stories and discuss the KevinMD article, "Innovation and the ever-changing role of the CMIO." Reflect and earn 1.0 AMA PRA Category 1 CME for this episode. This episode is sponsored by Athelas, the number one provider of remote patient monitoring. Did you know more than 65 percent of doctors are actively investing in remote patient monitoring? That's because RPM is the fastest-growing segment in health care today. And for good reason: RPM boosts patient outcomes through preventative care. In fact, a recent study by the VA showed that implementing RPM at a practice can reduce hospital readmission rates by as much as 25 percent, saving more than $20,000 per patient in medical costs. If you're not investing in RPM, you're missing out. Luckily, Athelas can help you roll out RPM end-to-end. They provide devices to your patients, handle 100 percent of billing, and even provide a team of nurses to monitor patient vitals for you. All at zero net cost to your practice. Try out RPM for your practice by going to KevinMD.com/tryrpm. Did you enjoy today's episode? Rate and review the show so more audiences can find The Podcast by KevinMD. Subscribe on your favorite podcast app to get notified when a new episode comes out.

"Patients die. This is a tragic truism in the world of medicine. Usually, the patients who die are elderly. Patients die from diabetes and kidney disease, or from alcohol abuse and liver failure, or from heavy smoking and lung disease. Or patients die from cancer. As a physician, I take these deaths in stride. I try to provide comfort care as they lay dying. Patients often pass into a dreamlike state, at the end. They are not fully conscious. I provide morphine for any pain, which may or may not hasten their entry into the final, dreamlike state." Janet Tamaren is a family physician and author of Yankee Doctor in the Bible Belt: A Memoir. She can be reached at her self-titled site, Dr. Janet Tamaren, and on Twitter @jtamaren. She shares her story and discusses her KevinMD article, "Patients should never underestimate the self-flagellation of the physician." Reflect and earn 1.0 AMA PRA Category 1 CME for this episode. This episode is sponsored by Athelas, the number one provider of remote patient monitoring. Did you know more than 65 percent of doctors are actively investing in remote patient monitoring? That's because RPM is the fastest-growing segment in health care today. And for good reason: RPM boosts patient outcomes through preventative care. In fact, a recent study by the VA showed that implementing RPM at a practice can reduce hospital readmission rates by as much as 25 percent, saving more than $20,000 per patient in medical costs. If you're not investing in RPM, you're missing out. Luckily, Athelas can help you roll out RPM end-to-end. They provide devices to your patients, handle 100 percent of billing, and even provide a team of nurses to monitor patient vitals for you. All at zero net cost to your practice. Try out RPM for your practice by going to KevinMD.com/tryrpm. Did you enjoy today's episode? Rate and review the show so more audiences can find The Podcast by KevinMD. Subscribe on your favorite podcast app to get notified when a new episode comes out.

"The U.S. health care industry has large challenges that can be overcome if we remember why our systems and services exist. We are here to help patients, and we must obtain the needed staffing capacity to drive throughput so patients can receive the care they need. Our system will cease to exist if hospitals are forced to close or begin to limit services offered due to financial concerns. As stated in the title of this paper, the 'goal' is in peril. However, by remembering and instituting key principles from operations, accounting, and with federal assistance, we can overcome the challenges worsened by the pandemic and build a resilient health care system that will be in place in this country for years to come." Vincent Roddy is an emergency physician. He shares his story and discusses his KevinMD article, "The goal of health care is in peril." Reflect and earn 1.0 AMA PRA Category 1 CME for this episode.