COVID Hits Home
To some, the pandemic is a distant thing. The deaths of hundreds of thousands can feel unreal and even impossible to comprehend. That is, until COVID hits home. More
Humanism Before Heroism in Medicine
During the COVID-19 pandemic, heroic clinician narratives have been a prominent feature of media coverage. Health care professionals who worked ceaselessly in intensive care units, sacrificed time with their families to travel to severely affected areas to care for patients with COVID-19, and put themselves in harm’s way have been acknowledged and rightly celebrated. More
If pediatrics board can’t lead with its maternity leave policy, it should at least follow
The American Board of Pediatrics counts maternity leave as part of its 20-weeks-leave-over-three-years policy. That needs to change. More
Covid Was a Tipping Point for Telehealth. If Some Have Their Way, Virtual Visits Are Here to Stay.
Pressure is mounting on Congress and the Biden administration to make permanent pandemic-inspired rules that fueled telehealth growth. Some fear fraud and ballooning costs. More
Study: 1 in 5 physicians highly distressed during first COVID-19 triages
A survey of 164 New York physicians found that one in five were severely distressed during their first COVID-19 triage decisions and last-minute training did not appear to alleviate stress, according to a study yesterday in Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness. More
Caring for an Aging Nation
The number of Americans 65 and older is expected to nearly double in the next 40 years. Finding a way to provide and pay for the long-term health services they need won’t be easy. More
Traumatised, burnt out & depressed — the silent crisis of Indian doctors in the second wave
Constant high-risk exposure to the virus, surrounded by death & long hours in sweat-drenched PPE kits that make even washroom breaks tricky, the struggle is nightmarish for doctors. More
Aiding Her Dying Husband, a Geriatrician Learns the Emotional and Physical Toll of Caregiving
This has been a year like none other for Dr. Rebecca Elon, who has dedicated her professional life to helping older adults. More
Women in health care are at a breaking point — and they’re leaving
In the pandemic, women are abandoning health care jobs, citing burnout and inequities in a system that was never designed to support them. More
My ‘postmortem’ folder and the intensely personal nature of the latest Covid-19 surge
The latest Covid-19 surge felt extra personal as more and more of my patients' names were appearing in my email's 'postmortem' folder. More
Nurse burnout remains a serious problem, putting patients in danger, experts say
"There was no one we could speak to, and our mental well-being was beginning to deteriorate," nurse Joanna Engman said. More
Telemedicine Is a Tool. Not a Replacement for Your Doctor’s Touch.
Covid-19 made virtual medicine a popular investment. But patients should beware. More
Informed Consent—We Can and Should Do Better
Informed consent is fundamental to the ethical and legal doctrines respecting research participants’ voluntary participation in clinical research, enshrined in such documents as the 1947 Nuremberg Code; reaffirmed in the 1964 Declaration of Helsinki, revised in 1975, and the 1978 Belmont Report; and codified in the United States in the 1981 Common Rule, revised in 2018 and implemented in 2019. More
Burned out by the pandemic, 3 in 10 health-care workers consider leaving the profession
After a year of trauma, doctors, nurses and other health workers are struggling to cope. More than half are burned out. More than 6 in 10 have struggled with worsening mental health. More
Survey by Ohio regulator shows stress, fatigue among pharmacists at chain stores
The findings echo NBC News reporting in March that overworked, understaffed pharmacists at chain drug stores say they are reaching a breaking point. More
For new Lown intern, personal experience inspired a career in public health
Lown Institute intern Emily Acker has had more interactions with the health care system than the typical young adult. Here's how that has informed her experience as a public health advocate and researcher. More
How Health Care Leaders Can Support Their Frontline Workers
The pandemic has taught us important lessons about the needs of the health care workforce More
12 Months of Trauma: More Than 3,600 US Health Workers Died in Covid’s First Year
More than 3,600 U.S. health care workers perished in the first year of the pandemic, according to “Lost on the Frontline,” a 12-month investigation by The Guardian and KHN to track such deaths. More
In memory of Bernard Lown
Dr. Bernard Lown was the best of his generation. Kind and wise. A listener, a thinker, a doer. A teacher and prodder. A challenger and inspirer. Impossible to equal. And impossible to ignore. More
One in 5 COVID-affected health workers weighs quitting: study
Childcare stressors, impact on careers, and more have affected healthcare workers. More