Posts about Primary Care
Let’s be honest: most of us in healthcare didn’t learn about how much medications actually cost our patients when we trained. The system is opaque, the rules are ever-changing, and even the language is confusing.
Mental health might not be what we trained for, but in primary care and urgent care, it’s become a core part of the job. Managing anxiety, depression, and ADHD can be a daily challenge, especially when psychiatric support is limited.
Let’s set the scene: You’re finishing up clinic, maybe finally stealing a minute for lunch, when your phone rings. It’s the medical board—or so it seems. The caller knows your license number, your full name, and insists your credentials have been used in a drug trafficking scheme in another state. They sound serious. You’re a responsible provider and a little spooked, so you listen.
Collagen supplements. You’ve seen them everywhere: mixed into smoothies, stirred into coffee, hyped on social media. Patients ask about it. Your friend swears it made their skin glow. But is collagen just another wellness buzzword, or is there real science behind the hype?
Managing dyslipidemia often means going beyond just statins, especially for patients with familial hypercholesterolemia (FH), statin intolerance, or persistently high LDL-C levels.
As a primary care provider, you’re often the first to catch signs of substance use—and one of the most trusted to help manage it. Urine drug screening (UDS) is one of the tools in your back pocket, but it comes with questions:
In my primary care practice, I see a lot of women in perimenopause and menopause. But since my training was during an era when the WHI had raised alarms about hormone replacement therapy (HRT), I've had to get up to speed. Fortunately, the North American Menopause Society (NAMS) updated their hormone therapy position statement in 2022, and we now know the benefits of menopausal hormone therapy outweigh the risks for many people.
You’ve probably seen the headlines: Autism rates are rising. You might have heard it called an epidemic—a term that’s not just attention-grabbing, but also fuels fear and confusion. Parents might be asking you about this in clinic. Many argue that the rise in diagnoses just means we’re getting better at identifying what has always been there. Others feel the alarm bells ringing, wondering what’s causing this apparent surge.
Pelvic exams can be uncomfortable—even distressing—for many patients. That’s why adopting a trauma-informed care approach is essential. It means recognizing how common trauma is and shaping your care to prioritize safety, empowerment, and trust. When done thoughtfully, a pelvic exam can become more than just a clinical necessity—it can be a meaningful moment of connection and support.
Measles was declaredeliminated in the United States in 2000. Yet, in 2025, it’s back with force. At the time of this writing, theCDC reports outbreaks in 31 states, with 1,001 confirmed cases and two pediatric deaths—96% of those infected being either unvaccinated or have an unknown vaccination status against measles. One-third of U.S. cases this year have occurred in children under age five, including infants under 12 months.
When caring for patients with dementia, some of the hardest moments don’t come from the diagnosis itself—but from the complex, emotionally charged decisions that follow. From driving safety to end-of-life planning and managing agitation, there are no easy answers. Here’s a practical guide to help you navigate the challenges, support families, and make thoughtful, patient-centered decisions in the clinic.
Prescribing antibiotics in the outpatient setting is more complex than it gets credit for. We’re balancing evolving guidelines, limited face-to-face time, patient expectations, and a growing public health threat: antimicrobial resistance.
