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Articles by Eric Tian
A clarion call about medical malpractice to leaders in health care
There are one million physicians practicing medicine in the United States. No medical intervention they recommend is immune from a complication. The exact number of complications is unknown. Some are medical errors inherent to the intervention, while others are random errors of nature caused by external factors. When you add to this the fact that there are more lawyers in the United States today than ever before, something has to give. There are approximately 64,000 personal injury law firms.
Top-down hierarchies in health care harm patients and health care workers alike Original
As I lay abandoned on a stretcher in the hallway of my university hospital’s emergency room, I felt powerless in my ability to improve the quality of my care. Nurses bustled back and forth between patient rooms, too busy to give me the attention I deserved. My bladder was getting painfully full, but I was too weak to get up to use the restroom and unable to find anyone I could ask for help. For the nurses, there was no time to rest.
Why having hobbies can save your medical career [PODCAST]
Subscribe to The Podcast by KevinMD. Watch on YouTube. Catch up on old episodes! We dive into the personal and professional journey of Ben Reinking, a board-certified pediatric cardiologist, medical educator, and certified physician development coach. We explore the importance of maintaining hobbies, finding balance, and how personal interests can help prevent burnout in physicians.
How health care workers cope with budget constraints [PODCAST]
Subscribe to The Podcast by KevinMD. Watch on YouTube. Catch up on old episodes! We sit down with Amol Shrikhande, a nephrologist, to explore the challenges faced by frontline health care workers in an overburdened system. We delve into the real-world impact of budget constraints, staffing shortages, and administrative decisions on patient care, as well as the emotional toll on nurses and physicians.
Struggles of navigating prestigious medical systems
I tried to get a personal appointment at a large prestigious academic outpatient service. The website had a “contact us” link, which directed me to a very prolonged questionnaire wanting to know details (mainly financial) that practically included turning over my firstborn child.
How international medical graduates shape U.S. health care [PODCAST]
Subscribe to The Podcast by KevinMD. Watch on YouTube. Catch up on old episodes! Join us for a conversation with George M. Abraham, former president of the American College of Physicians (2021-2022) and a professor of medicine. We’ll explore the vital role of international medical graduates (IMGs) in the U.S. health care system. Discover how IMGs enhance cultural competence, improve access to care in underserved areas, and contribute to academic medicine and research.
The misrepresentation of the EDUCATE Act and the future of our health care system
In the past year alone, legislative assaults on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in higher education have surged across the United States. This disturbing trend threatens the foundational values of our academic institutions and endangers the very essence of health equity in medical education and practice. The recent introduction of the Embracing Anti-Discrimination, Unbiased Curriculum, and Advancing Truth in Education (EDUCATE) Act by Rep.
Incurable psychiatric disorders: Should we offer palliative care or medical aid in dying?
The application of palliative care to intractable psychiatric disorders has been debated at least since 2010, when a journal article reported that a patient with severe anorexia nervosa died in hospice after being referred there by her psychiatrist. The New York Times published a thought-provoking article earlier this year on the same topic: whether we should ever deem severe, treatment-refractory anorexia incurable and terminal. Are there incurable psychiatric patients?
How to escape the "rat race" in your medical career
In writing and teaching about physician careers, I’ve explored themes like job satisfaction, burnout, professional development, and well-being. A recurring phrase that arises in conversations, at conferences, and in online forums is the so-called “rat race” of medical practice. “I need to find a way out of this rat race.” “This rat race wasn’t what I signed up for when I chose medicine.” “I’m tired of the rat race and need to find a way out.” You get the idea.
AI in medical practices [PODCAST]
Subscribe to The Podcast by KevinMD. Watch on YouTube. Catch up on old episodes! Join Robert Murry, chief medical officer at NextGen Healthcare, to delve into the transformative power of artificial intelligence in rural medical practices. Robert, also known as a country doctor practicing in the picturesque “horse country” of New Jersey, shares his firsthand experience of integrating AI-driven ambient listening into his workflow.
The unspoken skill of touch in health care
What drew me to spending my gap year as a medical assistant was the advertised “direct patient care experience.” While patient care is my favorite part of the job, it comes with its own unique challenges for a first-time health care worker. An unexpected challenge that I had to overcome with patient care was learning how to touch patients. I am tasked daily with removing sutures, staples, assisting with wound care, etc.
from student to healer, facing a mentor's illness
I had a teacher in my third year of med school. His name was Dr. T. He taught us pediatrics. At that time, he was the head of the department of pediatrics in the busiest teaching hospital in our city, where I was working. Every day, hundreds of children from far-flung areas are referred to our hospital with complications due to suboptimal treatment received in their local areas, as we lack essential medications in our small hospitals and dispensaries.
Prioritizing self-care for health care workers [PODCAST]
Subscribe to The Podcast by KevinMD. Watch on YouTube. Catch up on old episodes! Join us as we sit down with general surgeon Scott Ellner to discuss evidence-based strategies aimed at improving the well-being of those on the front lines. In this insightful conversation, Scott delves into a range of techniques, from mindfulness to cold shower therapy, that can help health care professionals navigate the unique challenges they face on a daily basis.
Medical aid in dying legislation for end-of-life care [PODCAST]
Subscribe to The Podcast by KevinMD. Watch on YouTube. Catch up on old episodes! Join Thaddeus Mason Pope, an expert in medical law and clinical ethics, as we delve into the complex landscape of medical aid in dying (MAID) legislation. Explore the evolution of MAID legislation over the past three decades, the impact of recent innovations on patient access, and the ethical considerations surrounding end-of-life care. Thaddeus Mason Pope is a foremost expert in medical law and clinical ethics.
Violence against health care workers [PODCAST]
Subscribe to The Podcast by KevinMD. Watch on YouTube. Catch up on old episodes! Join Harry Severance, an emergency physician, as we delve into the alarming rise in violence against health care workers. We’ll explore the root causes of this issue, the impact on health care professionals, the implications of underreporting, and the urgent need for preventive measures. Harry Severance is an emergency physician.
Empowering health care workers amid consolidation
If there is one root cause of all the disgruntlement among health care workers, it is that we lost autonomy due to hospital consolidation. Relationships are largely about leverage. With rare exceptions, a single doctor cannot dramatically impact the bottom line of a hospital chain, whereas the loss of your professional income—particularly for those of us geographically rooted in an area with few alternatives—is devastating.
Are health care workers being gaslit about burnout?
When an animal is shot and bleeds to death, does it “suffer from a bleed out”? No, the hunter shot and killed it – that’s the truth, and that’s the main narrative. “Bleeding out” was a natural consequence. Yet in health care, it feels as though the narrative has been cleverly turned on its head and reflected back to health care workers as “suffering from burnout,” giving the culprit workplace a pass.
Balancing medical guidelines and personalized care [PODCAST]
Subscribe to The Podcast by KevinMD. Catch up on old episodes! Join Alan Lindemann, an obstetrics-gynecology physician, as we explore the fascinating interplay between evidence-based medicine and the invaluable insights gained from individual patient stories. Alan shares his insights on navigating rigid medical guidelines, the art of personalized patient care, and how his expertise has shaped treatment decisions beyond textbooks.
Health care workers under attack [PODCAST]
Subscribe to The Podcast by KevinMD. Catch up on old episodes! Join Harry Severance, an emergency physician, as we explore the factors contributing to this issue, including the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the demonization of health care workers. Discover the alarming statistics and consequences presented by organizations like the Association of American Medical Colleges and National Nurses United.
Mastering career transitions in the medical field: tips from a health care attorney [PODCAST]
Subscribe to The Podcast by KevinMD. Catch up on old episodes! In this episode, our guest Amanda Hill, a health care attorney, shares insights on navigating career transitions in the medical profession. Whether you’re burned out, seeking new challenges, or dealing with personal or health issues, leaving a job or position can be challenging. Amanda highlights the importance of planning ahead and carefully reviewing legal agreements, such as non-compete clauses and buy-out agreements.
Thriving in an AI-driven health care system: essential skills for medical professionals to stay relevant and make a difference
As the health care industry continues to evolve with the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) and other cutting-edge technologies, it’s more important than ever for medical professionals to identify and develop skills that set them apart from their peers. Embracing these skills can help you survive and thrive in an AI-driven health care system. Here are some essential skills that will enable you to maintain relevance and find your unique role in the health care ecosystem. 1.
Doctors and nurses are dying by suicide, as America's health care workers call for change
In the spring of 2020, as COVID-19 swept through hospitals in the tri-state area, Dr. Lorna Breen, a physician who served as the medical director of the emergency department at New York-Presbyterian Allen Hospital, contracted COVID while caring for patients. Shortly after returning to work under relentlessly overwhelming circumstances, she died by suicide. Dr. Breen had no prior mental health conditions.
The reality of health care workers in the pandemic: burnout, overwork, and inadequate support
“We appreciate your tireless efforts in these difficult times.” Eyeroll. No, you don’t. I don’t need another meeting or committee. I don’t need a “Burn-Out Committee Action Plan.” I don’t need a “token of appreciation”— a pair of socks? (Really? How much did that cost?) I don’t need another seasoned and respected nurse leaving to travel and make bank or going to some made-up administrative role. I don’t need to come into my shift with three-quarters of my beds being occupied by boarding patients.
Gratitude takes practice. How come health care workers aren’t better at it?
Like interest rates and food prices, burnout among health care providers continues to rise. From my perch—as a hospitalist in a large tertiary hospital—the sheer terror of the early days of the COVID pandemic has been replaced by a grinding fatigue fueled by staffing shortages across the entire health care system. Patients and their families are burned out too, frustrated by delays and shortcomings in care that inevitably arise in an overworked and overwhelmed system.
The challenges and rewards of being the doctor in the family
Let me tell you that being a doctor in the family can be a tricky business! On the one hand, you’re the go-to person for all things medical, so you’re never short on people to talk to at family gatherings. On the other hand, you’re also the go-to person for all things medical, so you’re never short on people to talk to at family gatherings. That can get old very quickly.
A medical lifeline for the aging male [PODCAST]
Subscribe to The Podcast by KevinMD. Catch up on old episodes! “It seems too good to be true, but it is: physical activity improves every health outcome we can name. Note that some of those benefits arrive in the long term, some in the short. It’s critically important to remember that although the mortality benefits of exercise fade out at a certain level, the health benefits do not.
A blessing for health care workers
As winter approaches and life slows down, it’s a time to pause and reflect on all everyone has had to endure these past few years. To those involved in health care, it has been an especially difficult time… a test of both resolution and inner strength. With my hope that all will see brighter days ahead, I offer the following as my means of giving thanks to all of you who have worked so hard in tending to the sick and honoring the oaths you have taken. *** Twinkle, twinkle little stars ….
Protecting children from bad medical care
Unfortunately, at least from where I sit, suboptimal medical care seems to abound. And every encounter of my family members with the health care behemoth is an opportunity for them to become a recipient of it. When it comes to shielding them, I have had some failures in the past — it took a minor stroke in my father, who lived in England, for me to realize that he had never been anticoagulated for his atrial fibrillation, despite regular visits to his GP.
Use connectivity to rise above our individual and collective challenges
With so much disconnect in our world right now, it can be a challenge for some to find ways to stay connected to meaningful things, people, places, and events. I won’t belabor my own list of disconnectedness, but I imagine many of your lists are much longer than you are accustomed to. A recent medical experience motivated me to write about this subject, and I am amazed at the directions it has taken me in just a few days. It all started with a picture I posted on social media.
Keep us safe: Stop the violence against health care workers
Violence against health care workers has escalated to unprecedented levels in the last decade. The pandemic seems to have accelerated outbursts against health care providers online, in print, and in person. A man from Tulsa, Oklahoma, recently angry over back pain, killed his surgeon and other health care workers before ending his own life.
Trauma and burnout among frontline health care workers
Thinking back to 2020, concerning the emergence of COVID-19 and the first hard lockdowns all over the world. Individuals from all walks of life were frightened, locking themselves in their homes for fear of being infected. Yet, frontline providers and health care workers had to carry on with their daily jobs. Were they less scared than the nonmedical layman or immune to the virus? Unfortunately, they weren’t. They were just as fearful as we were.
What makes health care workers superhuman
“So, the next step in the history taking process is to define the pain. You start this by asking for site, with questions like, “Where are you experiencing the pain? Can you pinpoint the site or is it more general? Does the pain radiate (spread anywhere)?” And if the pain is on one side of the body, remember to ask about the other side – this is important. Got it?
What challenges do you see yourself facing as a doctor?
“What challenges do you see yourself facing as a doctor?” I’m sitting in a suit, facing a young Asian woman with black, round glasses across a desk. On the desk in front of her is an iPad, and she sits cross-legged, hands resting on her legs. I’m in my interview for medical school, and the woman across me, who introduced herself as Angela, is awaiting my response. I pause and mentally check my body posture. Am I sitting straight? Am I smiling? Are my arms relaxed?
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