From time to time in this blog, I take a moment to celebrate fine writing. Here is an example I came across in an article in Smithsonian magazine from May 2014. The author, Corey Powell , was trying to explain how astronomers use gravitational “tug” to indirectly reveal the existence of planets. In other words, they can’t…
Recovering from surgery can be painful. That’s why lots of surgeons give patients narcotics post-operatively. But that is also the time when people can get hooked on narcs. Here is a picture of how many patients take narcotics for at least 3 months following a surgical procedure: Perhaps orthopedic surgeons should ask for help from…
For more than half a century now, the United States has stood out among its peers in the developed world for having the largest percent of its citizens living without health insurance. But once you turn 65-years-old in America, the government has you covered. Right? Maybe not so much. Because even after people enroll in,…
“Antibody tests might be deceptively dangerous. Blame the math.” – Washington Post
Here is a nice summary of our research, published by an excellent reporter at The American Journal of Managed Care: A new qualitative study of clinical meetings between physicians and patients pointed out certain behavioral concerns that stand in the way of helping patients navigate out-of-pocket spending. The study, published in Health Affairs and led…
In the US, Black patients often receive significantly less medical care than similarly sick white patients.