The Podcast by KevinMD

"Being a neonatologist and a mother is living with the knowledge that the question 'What would you do?' could so easily become real, not hypothetical. And so what would I do? I don't know, heartbroken mama. Because I feel too much, but I don't feel enough. Because I know too well, but I don't know at all. Being a neonatologist and a mother means sitting in those painful, fearful spaces of uncertainty, at a loss for what to say because I know that nothing I could ever say will be enough. And so I just sit. In that space. With that other mother." Diana Montoya-Williams is a neonatologist. She shares her story and discusses her KevinMD article, "Being a neonatologist and a mother." (https://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2020/08/being-a-neonatologist-and-a-mother.html) This episode is sponsored by Augmedix: Ambient medical documentation and live clinical support powered by virtual scribes. (https://augmedix.com/kevinmd) Did you know that nearly 75 percent of clinicians surveyed in a recent study say they spend over 10 hours per week on paperwork and medical notes? Augmedix is a leading provider of remote medical documentation, using remote AI-assisted live scribes to observe, listen, and capture relevant details from natural conversation for over 35 specialties. Augmedix provides real-time support that includes orders, referrals, and reminders to deliver accurate, complete, and timely medical notes. Augmedix brings back the joy of practicing medicine. To learn more and to bring the Augmedix joy to your practice, visit Augmedix.com/kevinmd (https://augmedix.com/kevinmd).

"As the mother of a child born with hypoplastic left heart syndrome, besides going through four open-heart surgeries and coding, my son has also had eight abdominal surgeries, including a Ladd's procedure and resection of his colon. William also functions without his appendix, spleen, and gall bladder. In addition to every kind of therapy imaginable, he has had to endure pamidronate infusions, daily shots, G-tube feedings, and TPN. Who knows how many times he's been X-rayed and poked by a needle. It's been a roller coaster, but he wouldn't be here without you: all of you." Wendy Hind is a health care consultant. She shares her story and discusses her KevinMD article, "Thank you pediatric medical professionals, as we fondly bid you adieu." (https://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2020/11/thank-you-pediatric-medical-professionals-as-we-fondly-bid-you-adieu.html) This episode is sponsored by Augmedix: Ambient medical documentation and live clinical support powered by virtual scribes. (https://augmedix.com/kevinmd) Did you know that nearly 75 percent of clinicians surveyed in a recent study say they spend over 10 hours per week on paperwork and medical notes? Augmedix is a leading provider of remote medical documentation, using remote AI-assisted live scribes to observe, listen, and capture relevant details from natural conversation for over 35 specialties. Augmedix provides real-time support that includes orders, referrals, and reminders to deliver accurate, complete, and timely medical notes. Augmedix brings back the joy of practicing medicine. To learn more and to bring the Augmedix joy to your practice, visit Augmedix.com/kevinmd (https://augmedix.com/kevinmd).

"Rumor has it that the SARS-CoV 2 virus was brought into prison via inmates who were on a work-release program. Allegedly, they boarded a city bus with a driver who was ill. From there, it crept beyond the work-release camp and wafted over to the general prison population. The pandemic had reached this impenetrable fortress; a tiny virus with no proper consideration of human incarceration rules. It had failed to stop at the gatehouse. Traditionally, due to the nature of prisons and the nature of convicts, infectious illnesses do have a presence in prison systems. SARS-CoV 2 is no exception. As the alarms within the prison rose from orange to red, and new hotspots named, the direness increased. Then, the ebb and flow of prison life ceased and came to a complete halt. Similarly, in the free world, those who had no convictions or felonies became imprisoned in their homes. When once, a workday end meant freedom as we left the gatehouse behind, now it only meant further seclusion. Prison had crept outside the gatehouse. We left one boiling pot only to enter into another." Edna Wong McKinstry is an internal medicine physician. She shares her story and discusses her KevinMD article, "How to find joy in prison." (https://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2020/11/how-to-find-joy-in-prison.html) This episode is sponsored by Augmedix: Ambient medical documentation and live clinical support powered by virtual scribes. (https://augmedix.com/kevinmd) Did you know that nearly 75 percent of clinicians surveyed in a recent study say they spend over 10 hours per week on paperwork and medical notes? Augmedix is a leading provider of remote medical documentation, using remote AI-assisted live scribes to observe, listen, and capture relevant details from natural conversation for over 35 specialties. Augmedix provides real-time support that includes orders, referrals, and reminders to deliver accurate, complete, and timely medical notes. Augmedix brings back the joy of practicing medicine. To learn more and to bring the Augmedix joy to your practice, visit Augmedix.com/kevinmd (https://augmedix.com/kevinmd).

"What form the incoming winter will take depends on the location and status of the COVID-19 pandemic. Each city must find a method that will provide the most relief and assistance for their homeless population. Analyzing the results of the measures already taken by shelters in the country will prove vital to developing individualized intentional plans for others. Finances will have to be the deciding factor on whether a shelter will install an HVAC system, engage in strict lockdowns, tap into the community, or develop a hybrid solution. Whatever the choice, shelters and the cities best act fast, because after all – winter is coming." Miracle Diala is a medical student. He shares his story and discusses the KevinMD article he co-wrote, "Stuck between a virus and a cold place: A choice for homeless Americans awaits." (https://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2020/12/stuck-between-a-virus-and-a-cold-place-a-choice-for-homeless-americans-awaits.html) This episode is sponsored by Augmedix: Ambient medical documentation and live clinical support powered by virtual scribes. (https://augmedix.com/kevinmd) Did you know that nearly 75 percent of clinicians surveyed in a recent study say they spend over 10 hours per week on paperwork and medical notes? Augmedix is a leading provider of remote medical documentation, using remote AI-assisted live scribes to observe, listen, and capture relevant details from natural conversation for over 35 specialties. Augmedix provides real-time support that includes orders, referrals, and reminders to deliver accurate, complete, and timely medical notes. Augmedix brings back the joy of practicing medicine. To learn more and to bring the Augmedix joy to your practice, visit Augmedix.com/kevinmd (https://augmedix.com/kevinmd).

"Everything I ever have and ever will accomplish is in part due to the doctors, nurses, administrators, and security officers who gave me safe, compassionate care. This was no fairytale ending; I wish I never had to make this choice, and I grieved for months for the path I did not choose. But I often think of the resident who held my hand in the procedure suite and told me I would make a fantastic doctor. And when I look at what she gave me — the freedom to pursue my medical education, the privilege to care for patients, the right to live my life how I choose — I hope I've made her proud." Shira Fishbach is a medical student. She shares her story and discusses her KevinMD article, "I will be a doctor because I was once a patient." The opinions expressed in this episode are those of the guest and are not necessarily those of the host or the host's employer. Please review KevinMD's terms of agreement under "Information disclaimer."

"At first, it may seem strange that 'physician' and 'side gig' are even used in the same sentence. After all, the average physician in the United States is already working more than a 40 hour work week and struggling with issues related to work-life balance. As someone who talks about physician burnout and as the founder of the Physician Side Gigs Facebook group, I've been asked many times how adding yet another thing to the physician's plate could possibly be a good idea. And yet, I'm a strong believer that physicians should have additional revenue streams and pursue other interests. Why?" Nisha Mehta is a radiologist and founder, Physician Side Gigs and the Physician Side Gigs Facebook group. She can be reached at her self-titled site, Nisha Mehta, MD, and on Twitter @nishamehtamd. She shares her story and discusses her KevinMD article, "Why physicians need side gigs." (https://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2018/01/physicians-need-side-gigs.html) This episode is sponsored by Augmedix: Ambient medical documentation and live clinical support powered by virtual scribes. (https://augmedix.com/kevinmd) Did you know that nearly 75 percent of clinicians surveyed in a recent study say they spend over 10 hours per week on paperwork and medical notes? Augmedix is a leading provider of remote medical documentation, using remote AI-assisted live scribes to observe, listen, and capture relevant details from natural conversation for over 35 specialties. Augmedix provides real-time support that includes orders, referrals, and reminders to deliver accurate, complete, and timely medical notes. Augmedix brings back the joy of practicing medicine. To learn more and to bring the Augmedix joy to your practice, visit Augmedix.com/kevinmd (https://augmedix.com/kevinmd).

"In Wooster, Ohio, where I practiced, a small not-for-profit hospice agency relied on local physicians, clergy, and many other volunteers to supplement the skills and dedication of their employed staff. It was through this work with Hospice of Wayne County, in making home visits when needed, that I learned the immeasurable value of presence. By continuing to care for my cancer patients until they died, I acquired insight into the equally essential virtue of nonabandonment. When I first attended a hospice and palliative medicine conference in the early 1990s, I realized that I had found my home—a community of professionals of various disciplines who had found what I had discovered: that it is the people, not the diseases, that matter. It would be years before I would totally focus my medical practice on the care of the dying, but in the meantime, the lessons I learned from those at the end of their lives made me a better oncologist and maybe even a better person. As I mentioned above, the most important of those lessons is the realization that I also am mortal, and I too will die." Jeff Spiess is an oncologist and palliative care physician. He is the author of Dying with Ease: A Compassionate Guide for Making Wiser End-of-Life Decisions. (https://amzn.to/2NpqrSf) He shares his story and discusses his KevinMD article, "Death is personal for this physician." (https://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2020/09/death-is-personal-for-this-physician.html)

"A practicing anesthesiologist for the past 14 years, when COVID hit, and the ORs came to an abrupt halt, I needed to occupy my mind. An opportunity to learn about the business behind running a practice came to me via a good friend who is a founding member of an award-winning Fintech on a mission to make a change in the credit card processing industry. I was stunned to learn about the questionable practices common in this industry. Medical education does not include business training, leaving us particularly vulnerable – no matter how great our office manager! I've seen first-hand how a little knowledge can yield significant savings in time and money. Here are the basics about what we, as doctors, should know." Jennifer Mogan is an anesthesiologist and account executive, Park Place Payments. She shares her story and discusses her KevinMD article, "How doctors are losing money every time a patient pays a bill." (https://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2020/10/how-doctors-are-losing-money-every-time-a-patient-pays-a-bill.html)

"Just as the pandemic has forced massive technology adoption in the delivery of care, we will see the rapid, widespread implementation of innovative solutions that medical education has desperately needed for years. Technologies like computer-based training, adaptive learning using artificial intelligence, video game-based learning, and extended reality such as virtual reality and augmented reality can close the educational gap. Virtual colonoscopies can be practiced 100 times before touching an actual patient. Many companies innovating in this space are seeing tremendous market interest in the wake of the pandemic. Most of these new technology-based educational tools can be used remotely, synchronously, or asynchronously, often without a teacher or proctor present. Although training will always require clinical experience, innovations at the bedside will also provide a major advantage over the traditional educational path. Hence learning can continue, and learning losses minimized. This is the way forward for most, if not all, institutions in the foreseeable future, and institutions that adopt these technological solutions will outpace those that resist." Eric Gantwerker is a pediatric otolaryngologist. He shares his story and discusses his KevinMD article, "Health care's tech renaissance during the pandemic." (https://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2020/09/health-cares-tech-renaissance-during-the-pandemic-extends-to-medical-training.html)

"We lack the necessary signaling of the nonverbal cues when only looking at one's face. The presenter's large face only a few inches from our screen may evoke our primordial threat response with its resulting cascading transmitters. The angulation of computer and phone cameras causes facial distortions. Unless one aligns oneself to be at the same level as the camera, the camera angulation may cause one to feel either looked down upon or looked up to, but rarely on the same playing field. Our neurons are living and breathing cells, and they need to eat and rest. The brain is responsible for filtering through vast quantities of homeostatic signaling from the rest of our bodies, which may affect the limitation of information that we can process. Our neural circuitry limits our information processing capacity. Just ask why can't we pay attention to two ongoing conversations at one time? Electrical circuits have breakers for overload. We just have coffee." Lester Gottesman is a colorectal surgeon. He shares his story and discusses his KevinMD article, "Zoom is foie gras of the brain." (https://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2020/10/zoom-is-foie-gras-of-the-brain.html)