“We don’t need more police incarceration; we need a brand new mental health system with the accompanying resources required to make it work once and for all,” notes Jim Anderson, MSPAS, PA-C.
The Oxford English Dictionary defines ableism as “discrimination in favor of able-bodied people.” Jim Anderson asks: what does “able-bodied” mean?
Jim Anderson, MPAS, PA-C, wonders if SAMHSA will make the methadone take-home flexibility program permanent.
Jim Anderson, PA-C, wonders why it is so difficult to see his primary care provider. Is it pandemic related or is something else broken in health care?
Jim Anderson, MPAS, PA-C, discusses strategies for adapting methadone induction protocols to meet the therapeutic needs of patients using fentanyl.
Jim Anderson, MPAS, PA-C, describes proven public health approaches to tackling gun safety issues.
Jim Anderson, MPAS, PA-C, explores the role and limits of guidelines. He notes: Whether these practice aids are considered friends or foes, they can never eliminate the inevitable gray areas.
The lyrics of the song War by Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong sum up the horror and futility of war. As Russia invades Ukraine, Jim Anderson, MPAS, PA-C reflects on how to balance the horrors of war with the need care for patients and stay sane in the process.
Jim Anderson, MPAS, PA-C, explores COVID-19 fatigue and how it is all a bit numbing for medical providers who are trying to do their best to treat patients while clinging to trusted sources to help guide the way.
Jim Anderson, MPAS, PA-C, discusses how some Americans deal with the worry, stress, and pressures of the pandemic by pretending it’s not real.
Amid the due epidemic of COVID-19 and clinician burnout, Jim Anderson shares his gratitude list and urges other health care workers to do the same.
The simple act of writing down the indication for a medication can boost patient adherence.
Amid the vaccine debate, Jim Anderson wonders how any HCW — PA, nurse practitioner, physician, or nurses —could square not getting vaccinated with their mission to preserve and improve the health of all Americans. Read his column here.
PAs, NPs, and other medical providers need to assess the health impact of high-impact policing on their patients and to advocate for change.
Since the inception of Western medicine, there has been an effort to identify genes specific to certain races that would explain why minority populations, including Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC), have higher disease burden than White populations. Jim Anderson addresses what role racism has had in creating this implicit bias.
Jim Anderson, PA-C, finds that remembering to ask about the small stuff, like medication reconciliation and smoking cessation, improves his ability to help keep his patients safe and healthy.
Asking patients artful questions about the kinds of foods they consume can provide clinicians with more insight than simply asking if the patient eats a balanced diet.
Describing patients as “nonadherent” rather than “noncompliant” to a treatment regimen reflects a healthy patient-provider relationship.
PAs and NPs are playing a key role in diagnosing and treating patients with COVID-19. Will this change how other clinicians view advanced practice providers?
State-by-state differences in regulation processes cause nurse practitioners (NPs) and physician assistants (PAs) to have different practice experiences across the United States.
