There are strong and persistent data that suggest social factors — in addition to the typical pathophysiologic influences — have a significant impact on mortality. Often called “social determinants of health,” these forces can be challenging to notice and therefore easy to deny. However, evidence shows that they can have health-related consequences and increase patient…
The landscape of prescribing practices is constantly evolving, and clinicians must stay informed to ensure responsible prescribing of controlled substances.
While medical credentials are meaningful to both patient and provider, they can also cause confusion.
Even short amounts of time spent participating in low-impact physical activity have been shown to improve sleep.
The term mid-level provider is causing confusion for patients and frustration for medical providers.
Curtailing prescription opioid use has led to an increase in prescribing benzodiazepines to manage pain.
With soaring healthcare costs in the United States, the added burden of caring for people who do not live in the country legally can be overwhelming for healthcare providers and institutions.
The future of the Affordable Care Act remains unknown, but the results of the 2018 midterm elections almost certainly prevent its repeal during the current presidency.
Although physician assistant curricula focused on treating the LGBT community has increased, more work is needed to expand the research on this population.
Although the volume of articles on sleep medicine has increased in medical journals and consumer publications, patients still fail to recognize the importance of sleep on overall health and wellness.
Understanding the current opioid prescribing rules is necessary for clinicians to safely and effectively treat patients with chronic pain conditions.
Although bed rest was once frequently advised in pregnancy, clinicians today routinely warn against bed rest for most pregnant patients due to potential negative effects.
Although the holiday season may be joyous for some, others may feel the sting of depression; therefore, it is important to monitor patients during this time of year.
Overweight patients often experience bias from the medical community, which may prevent them from seeking medical attention, even when it’s necessary.
Restless leg syndrome is one of the most difficult sleep disorders to manage.
Paying a surrogate to carry a fetus shoehorns a fourth, and fifth, party into the already tight therapeutic triangle formed by the biological mom, fetus, and physician.
REM sleep behavior disorder is commonly seen in older men, and symptoms include violent muscle movements or fighting during the night.
Discussing alcohol use with patients is important as alcohol consumption before bedtime is shown to negatively affect patient sleeping patterns.
Although the beneficial effects of drinking coffee include increased mental alertness, stamina, muscle recovery, and wakefulness, unwanted effects can include restlessness, palpitations, hypertension, insomnia, tremors, and increased urine output.
Some of the most memorable moments in medical practice are the times when a patient and clinician can chit-chat like friends.
