Doctors Take the Mic

The application of artificial intelligence (AI) can provide substantial improvements in all areas of healthcare from diagnostics to treatment. o   AI tools will facilitate and enhance human work and not replace the work of physicians and other healthcare staff. o   AI is ready to support healthcare personnel with a variety of tasks from administrative workflow to clinical documentation and patient...

Blockchain is a way to have secure patient data within healthcare systems.  While Blockchain technology was created in 2008 for financial systems, eg Bitcoin.  Its use  in healthcare is now taking shape. Blockchain is useful for healthcare because it is unalterable, decentralized and transparent log of all patient data.  It is only transparent to the owner of the"private key" and that owner can de...

The millenials are talking about FIRE which is the acronym for "financial independence retire early."  However physicians do not graduate medical school and finish their training until age 30 so we are already 8 years behind our colleagues in business or real estate or law.  How do we catch up? First off, many physicians are employed by large networks with healthy retirement packages and they do n...

Atrial fibrillation is the most common arrhythmia in the United States.  A skipped heartbeat is not so uncommon, but if you have shortness of breath or fainting or loss of consciousness, see a doctor right away, preferably a cardiologist.   Wearable devices such as the Apple Watch or Kardia or other wearable devices can detect a skipped heart beat. The Apple watch study changed the way cardiologis...

Today, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued an  emergency use authorization (EUA) for the first over-the-counter (OTC) at-home diagnostic test for influenza A and B, commonly known as the flu, and SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.   The Lucira COVID-19 & Flu Home Test is a single-use at-home test kit that provides results from self-collected nasal swab samples in roughly 30 minut...

Suicides have risen during the COVID pandemic.  Physician suicides are at an all time high. Now there are 300-400 suicides by physicians each year, equivalent to an entire medical school!  This is equivalent to approximately 3 airplane crashes a year, all MDs.  Female MDs commit suicide at 250% to 400% higher than females in other professions.  In general, males commit suicide 4x more than females...

Cybersecurity is a problem in medical offices and hospitals. 45 million people were affected in 2021, a 41% increase over 2020.  In 2020, 34 million people were affected and in 2018, 14 million people were affected.   Outpatient clinics and subspecialty clinics were targetted preferentially. Hospital systems were also targetted.  The reasons were ransomware, credential harvesting or theft of devic...

The ending of the COVID-19 Emergency Status will occur on May 11, 2023. This will mean, that COVID vaccines will not be free anymore. No more free COVID testing.  However, if you have health insurance, you can still get a COVID vaccine.    But at-home tests may not be covered.  Check your insurance carrier.   If you are not vaccinated, get the free COVID vaccine now.   Paxlovid as a treatment for...

How will we lead now that it is the new year? We have new challenges each day.  How can we always embrace the positive? Remember to look at your personal mission statement. Examine your "Why"--  it is empowering!

Say only the yes word to yourself.  Eliminate the negative in your workplace. Get everyone on the team to see the positive.  

Inner critics, we all have them. Can we be better? Can we get additional degrees?  Can I see more patients faster? Be a better surgeon, be a better physician, be more beautiful, be smarter? How do we silence these inner voices and move on?

How do Men lead and how do Women lead? Is there a difference.  What is the goal of the company or the organization?  As a woman leader, how can you find your voice to lead?

Is your leadership style conducive for growth?  What about humility and sensitivity? Is there a role for compassion in leading?

Why do women physicians hesitate to speak at meetings or conferences? Do men have the same feelings?   Do we have an inner critic? What does that mean? What is imposter syndrome?  What holds women back?  

Hillary Clinton's concession speech on Election Night in November 2016 talked about the glass ceiling.  How are women physicians dealing with the glass ceiling? Is it gone or is there more work to do?