Blogs
Graduation
Congratulations!
Years of training and work, all your efforts and overcoming hurdles have culminated in where you are today – on the verge of a new life, a new plan and possibly a new career.
Our Privilege
Another lonely locked-down day. Seems like months. Rent is due, phone and EMR fees next week. Loan is pending. Seems impossible to treat complex diseases without touch and only computer screen rapport. And yet, it is a good day.
Safe Practices for Outpatient Appointments
As many parts of the country are lifting restrictions for businesses and allowing them to re-open, doctors are asking what they should do to keep themselves, their staff, and their patients safe. As rheumatologists, we have vulnerable patients who are at high risk for complications from COV
Need for Pre-operative Hyperglycemia Testing Prior to Total Joint Replacement
JAMA reports on a large Medicare cohort study showing that amongst patients undergoing total joint replacement (TJR), preoperative HbA1c testing was performed in 26% to 43% of patients with diabetes and in only 5% of those without diabetes. Importantly research has shown that an elevated HbA1c level is associated with postoperative complications.
Shutdown and the New Normal
COVID-19 is not going to suddenly end on June 1st. This is a long haul change and you need to be prepared for the aftershocks and fallout. It’s time to be be a Marine and ”Improvise, Adapt, and Overcome”.
Urgent or Not
Our practice standards have been flipped. The physician’s best clinical tool has become the webcam or telephone. The nagging question is: “who needs to be seen in clinic or in the hospital with a F2F evaluation?” It basically boils down to urgency.
Some Good Things, During the Time of COVID-19
It is not hyperbole to acknowledge that the COVID-19 pandemic has changed the world, inflicting pain and suffering to many, and inconvenience to all. As everyone struggles to make it through these difficult times, it might be worth pointing out some small silver linings that have emerged despite this pernicious dark cloud.
Staying Abreast of COVID-19
Dealing with unknowns is both difficult and frustrating, as the answer is often not within our reach. The current pandemic has created a tidal wave of unknowns, scaring patients and putting physicians in a difficult spot.
Goodwill Wednesday
Business as usual, Wednesday morning, as I quickly stop at 7-Eleven for my morning coffee and it all begins. A nice stranger holds the door open for me; I reach for a carton of milk for someone unable to; the cashier skips the 2 cents on a $2.02 bill (with a smile). What transpired in a quick five minutes was a series of random, unrelated, unprovoked acts of kindness. Blatant politeness, sincere smiles, compliments between strangers and lots of open doors. This made me think.