When we talk of patient safety, the analogy is often to aviation. But perhaps like commercial flight's problems with baggage, the last little push -- from a very few to never -- is a very steep hurdle.
Disease
Today the Hamptons, the summer community on the East End of New York's Long Island, conjure up a beautiful-people, trendy vibe. But its past contains a dark genetic nightmare.
Like educators who "teach for the test," hospitals and health systems are able to quickly learn and adapt to new rules, especially those that come with financial rewards and penalties.
Sometimes you just have to speak your mind. A TV ad demonstrates the power of language to further demean medical care.
Jimmy Carter is reportedly doing well, recovering from surgery for a broken hip sustained after the 94-year-old former president fell at his home. With falls among the top five leading causes of preventable death, context is paramount.
A recent paper gives us a preview of precision medicine, and the breadth of the undertaking should humble us. Consider it medicine's moonshot.
A 50-year-old man’s rare condition caused by a catastrophic stroke leaves him unable to move, speak or perform basic functions like chewing and swallowing. All the while his mind is intact. The diagnosis is called “locked-in syndrome,” and here's a look at this terrifying condition.
Is it possible to separate the roles of our genetic inheritance from our environment? Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) and polygenic scores have tried to look at the genetic component. But it turns out that polygenic scores vary as much with our "not inheritable characteristics" -- like years of schooling -- as they do with our race or ethnicity.
Providing healthcare by region increases experience and improves outcomes. But what happens when you have a complication ... and your doctors and regional care is a few hours away?
A third of patients started on dialysis die within a year. Does that make the care futile?
A new study tries to show that not eating breakfast increases your risk of dying from cardiovascular disease. The study has significant limitations, and so it remains unanswered whether breakfast is the most important meal of the day.
Is there a magical prescription for how much exercise and activity eliminates the increased risk of premature death, which comes from sedentary behavior? A new paper takes a swing at an elusive target. Spoiler alert: This is an area that continues to defy precision.