Category: Random Stuff
Bitter Pill: Why Medical Bills Are Killing Us
Steven Brill wrote "Bitter Pill: Why Medical Bills Are Killing Us" in Time Magazine, Feb 20, 2013. This 36-page behemoth is actually a quick read, and I think worth the time spent. I never learned this stuff in medical school. As doctors, we order tests for the "benefit of the patient" regardless of cost. We … Continue reading Bitter Pill: Why Medical Bills Are Killing Us
There’s not nothing more we can do
Ashley Shreeves (from SmartEM) is an EM doctor in NY who took a year to do a palliative care fellowship. Now she practices both. It would, at first, seem to be paradoxical. In EM, we are trained to do something. For us, the end-of-life is a challenge to overcome - not to be met gracefully. … Continue reading There’s not nothing more we can do
An introduction to Medicare and the Affordable Care Act
Many students have asked me for an explanation of how the health care system works. When we are done with that, we'll review Consciousness and the Meaning of Life. That's a big question. So, let's take it in pieces. First let's look at Medicare. This is a government sponsored program that provides health care funding … Continue reading An introduction to Medicare and the Affordable Care Act
Enhancing pain scale effectiveness
I've never really understood the utility of the pain scale. I understand that certain certifying bodies mandate its use and therefore we're required to use it, but for me, when people consistently rate their pain at 11 or 13 - I never understood how I was to use this. Seems patients have difficulty with it … Continue reading Enhancing pain scale effectiveness
Splint Like a Pro
Paul Casey and I were making videos to teach splinting. The lighting was poor, the audio terrible and Paul's splint application technique was pathetic. So we instead decided to see if someone else has already done this. Luckily someone has. Rob Orman (from the ERcast podcast). It's called Splint-Like-A-Pro because Rob goes to the ortho … Continue reading Splint Like a Pro
How competitive am I for an EM match?
Emergency Medicine is one of 8 specialities that had 100% fill in the 2012 match. Of the 1,668 positions available, all of them filled. This means you couldn't scramble into a position if you didn't match. This doesn't mean it's impossible to get a position in an EM residency, but you got to play it … Continue reading How competitive am I for an EM match?
What do residency directors look for in their applicants?
Hello prospective Emergency Physicians. Dr. Casey and I have created this note to help maneuver through some of the documents that the NRMP (National Residency Matching Program) put out, specifically in regards to matching in Emergency Medicine. Our hope is that this can answer some of your questions before we meet, so we can spend … Continue reading What do residency directors look for in their applicants?
Radiolab: End of Life Care
There was an amazing piece on the Radiolab podcast this week (Jan 15, 2013) on perceptions of end-of-life care. This is an issue that we face in the Emergency Department as we see many patients who present in their last minutes. This may be an acute exacerbation of a chronically ill person or an acutely … Continue reading Radiolab: End of Life Care
What is your learning style?
In medicine, we are presented with information to learn in many different ways. Reams of journal articles and text book chapters Flowcharts and anatomical atlases (atli?) Managing a complicated patient on the first day of your rotation Paper cases allowing you time to reflect and digest information Regardless of how you learn best, you're going … Continue reading What is your learning style?
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