Health – Page 55 – watercress words by Dr Aletha

Today I am continuing my series about health blogs you should read. We’ll look at 3 blogs by physicians in 3 different specialties today.

For the complete introduction to this series and for the first 2 blogs, go to this post, otherwise continue reading .

I recommend these health blogs because they

offer valid medical information on a variety of topics.
offer sound advice without quick fixes.
discuss common everyday health concerns
discuss the healthcare system, how it works well and how it doesn’t.
offer insights on healthy living, both as individuals, families and a society.
show you how physicians think , feel and act , both as persons and professionals
will educate and challenge you.

These blogs open a window into the medical community. You may be surprised that physicians have the same concerns about health and medical care as you , and some that you are unaware of. Most importantly, you will find they are on your side; they care about you,their patients, probably a lot more than you care about them.

These bloggers’ viewpoints often surprise and challenge me; I don’t always agree with them and you may not either. By recommending them, I don’t endorse their opinions, nor do I benefit financially.

We’ll explore these 10 over several days so check back often, or subscribe by email to make it easy to keep up.

The accompanying photos are illustrative only, and are not necessarily affiliated with the blogs or bloggers mentioned.

James Marroquinn, M.D.

Dr. Marroquinn writes on health, bioethics and the practice of medicine.

He practices internal medicine in Austin, Texas, is fellowship-trained/board certified in palliative care and works from time to time at an inpatient hospice facility.

Battleship Texas sign — The last of the battleships to participate in World War I and II, Battleship Texas became the first battleship memorial museum in the U.S. in 1948.

the Battleship Texas — The Battleship Texas State Historic Site is in Houston.

His goals for his self-titled blog are

“to inform people (including myself) about health science, ponder philosophical, political, theological issues associated with medicine, and make sense of my experience as a physician.”

Dr. Marroquinn posts infrequently; his posts are timely, articulate and informative.

Here is a post I especially enjoyed about Boxing and Parkinson’s Disease. He discusses a video about 60 Minutes news correspondent Leslie Stahl and her husband who has Parkinson’s Disease.

In this post, he offers three reasons why physicians and other health practitioners should recognize and address the spiritual component of their patients’ lives.

medicine for real– Navigating the healthcare system

is written by blogger Dr. Shirie Leng, an anesthesiologist, who writes,

“I have worked in health care both as a nurse and as a doctor for 15 years. The health care industry is just that, an industry. As such it doesn’t have a whole lot of concern for the “customer”. I write about the processes, redundancies, red-tape and pure pointlessness of much of medicine, so that you can make decisions and navigate for yourself.”

pre-op area of hospital — I suspect Dr. Leng spends much time in places similar to this.

Besides healthcare, she writes about education, insurance, end-of-life issues, motherhood, and the history of medicine.

Dr. Leng had not posted in awhile because, as she explains it, “nothing health-care related has outraged me recently. And I definitely write better when agitated about something.”

But she did post this piece recently, Health Is For Us, Not you , in which she touches on mass shooters, Syrian refugees and ISIS.

freud & fashion

BECAUSE IT’S STYLISH TO TALK ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH, ESPECIALLY HOW WE MAINTAIN OUR OWN.

THE WRITINGS OF A YOUNG, MODERN & NEWLY-GRADUATED PSYCHIATRIST

You’ve met Vania Manipod, D.O when I shared her post about New Year’s Resolutions.

In this post, Dr. Manipod gives tips on recognizing and controlling anger

musicians on California beach — Dr. Manipod comes from California , which I found to be an interesting place.

flowers along the Pacific Ocean shore — And beautiful.

Dr. Aletha

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“6 reasons to sue your doctor and how not to”

was the original title of a series of posts I wrote soon after starting this blog. Later the posts were called

“Stopping medical malpractice- how patients can help”

The main point of the series ,the relationship between patients and physicians, prompted me to start this blog. Too often doctors and patients become adversaries rather than partners, and this series addresses that.

You will find links to all four articles in the series here, with a brief excerpt from each one. They have also been slightly revised and updated.

Part 1

In the March 2015 issue of Medical Economics, attorney Richard Baker wrote, “Being sued for malpractice, especially for the first time, can be an unsettling and frustrating experience for a physician.” And stressful and unsettling for a patient, or patient’s family .

A medical malpractice lawsuit follows an adverse medical outcome –

a missed or inaccurate diagnosis,
an ineffective or harmful treatment,
a surgery gone bad,
an outcome that left permanent harm or at worst, death.

Patients become upset and often angry, and may assume that malpractice has occurred. They want to hold the doctor responsible , and want compensation for medical expenses, lost income, pain and suffering.

I don’t understand all the legal aspects of medical liability. But an unsatisfactory outcome may not mean poor care ; illness or injury can be so severe that any treatment is ineffective. Or there were multiple possible treatment options so the physician made a judgement call that proved less than ideal.

But it may reflect some behavior on the part of the doctor, another healthcare professional, or even the patient that could have been avoided.

continued here

Part 2

No matter how careful hiring policies are , incompetent, unscrupulous and dishonest employees get into the healthcare system undetected. This is bad for any industry, but in healthcare is dangerous and even deadly.

If you notice something out of line in a medical office or hospital, or if the care is not as expected, don’t hesitate to report it to someone in authority. You can do this anonymously, although the more specific information you provide, the more likely the situation can be corrected .Even if nothing proves to be wrong, it will give them helpful feedback about their service.

continued here

Part 3

You can’t control your doctor’s training, CME (continuing medical education), and certifications. But you have a right and responsibility to confirm that the doctor is qualified to perform the services offered. Doctors’ offices have diplomas, licenses, awards displayed on the walls for a reason-they want you to look at them. Hospitals and other health care facilities confirm that the physicians who work there have the appropriate credentials.

continued here

Dr. Aletha with a health worker in Central America — Here I am with a health worker at a rural clinic in Central America. We held a medical outreach with a volunteer team.

Conclusion

The best way for physicians and patients to work through their feelings about a bad outcome is to start out with a mutually respectful, cooperative relationship.

Just like any other relationship, there may be times of disagreement; but these can and should be resolved with each satisfied that their viewpoint has been listened to , understood, and respected

continued here

(Photos are from volunteer medical trips to Mexico, Panama, Ecuador and VietNam )

Dr. Danielle Ofri , author of several books about practicing medicine and patient relationships, considers effective doctor-patient communication crucial to successful medical outcomes. I reviewed her book here

What Patients Say, What Doctors Hear- a book review