HWN Suggests

Twenty-Seven Years

Twenty-seven years. More than a quarter of a century. Maybe not much in terms of a tree, but rather a long time.

Time for a babe in arms to reach adulthood, complete with a condo, live-in girlfriend, three cats, and a PhD within spitting distance.

Time for a medical practice to begin, grow, expand, and contract again until it is just the right size for a solo dinosaur.

Twenty-seven years ago today I hung out my shingle in front of a tiny basement office. I saw three patients that first day but only three more the rest of the week. I’ve had my ups and downs; overall, more of the former than the latter. Paper charts have turned electronic. Guidelines have come and gone.…

read full article

Featured

 Becoming a better doctor

I have been working on a few professional self-improvement projects that I hope will make me a better doctor in the long term.

 There is Too Much Technology in Medicine

Technology has not only eroded physicians’ physical exam talents but has also diminished doctors’ skill and enthusiasm in obtaining patients’ medical history, the important narrative that the patient communicates to the physician.

Articles of Interest

I’m a doctor. Here’s what it’s like helping terminally ill patients end their lives.

Throughout my medical career, I’ve had many patients ask me to help hasten their death. While a few have moved to Oregon in their final months to take advantage of its legality there, most could not relocate. “It is not up to you doctors to decide what my suffering is,” a dear friend of my mother’s told me as he chose palliative care and hospice, wishing he had the choice to end his own life in California in the final months despite excellent palliative care and hospice care.

Medical Marijuana is a Scam, with which I Want No Part

People keep asking me what I think about Medical Marijana. Does it really work? Am I willing to prescribe it? Here’s what I think...

Resources

A Country Doctor Writes

Notes from a doctor with a laptop, a housecall bag and a fountain pen.

Common Sense Family Doctor

Common sense thoughts on health and conservative medicine from a family doctor in Washington, DC.

Jay Parkinson MD, MPH

I believe healthcare should be accessible, affordable, and personal.

MD Whistleblower

I am a full time practicing physician and writer. I write about the joys and challenges of medical practice including controversies in the doctor-patient relationship, medical ethics and measuring medical quality. When I'm not writing, I'm performing colonoscopies. MD Whistleblower presents vignettes and commentaries on the medical profession. We peek 'behind the medical curtain' and deliver candor and controversy in every post.

Musings of a Dinosaur

Solo family practice: I may be going the way of the dinosaur, but I'm not dead yet.

Notes From Dr. RW

Hospitalist in Northwest Arkansas opining on clinical topics, the interface between medicine and politics and whatever else grabs my attention.

Retired Doc's Thoughts

State of medicine from a technical and philosophical point of view.

Dr. Mike Sevilla Family Physician

Commentary on Medicine, Social Media, and Life. The Website of Mike Sevilla, MD

DrPullen.com

Hi. I'm Ed Pullen, a board certified family physician practicing in Puyallup, WA. I'm writing this blog to provide an experienced family physician's viewpoint on medical news as well as give interesting and helpful information to keep patients informed.

Family Practice Pearls

Dr. Koo is Assistant Director at the Florida Hospital Family Medicine Residency in Orlando, Florida. Before coming down south, he was a busy family doctor in rural Ohio for almost 11 years. He came to Florida because he loves teaching (Disney didn't hurt either)! This blog is his attempt at writing down some of the medical stuff that has accumulated–often against his will–inside his head over the last 15 years. Enjoy!

KevinMD.com

A practicing primary-care physician tells it like it is.

medGadget

Internet Journal Of Emerging Medical Technologies.

CasesBlog

The blog of ClinicalCases.org with medical, tech and other interesting stories.