Posts about Primary Care
It’s summer, and that is officially the season of the weekend warrior. You know who I’m talking about because you see them every week in your clinic. They decided to take on a new gardening project, a strenuous workout or tried water-skiing for the first time in decades, and now, a few days later they come to you with pain in their lower back.
As we enjoy the remainder of our summer but look ahead to the upcoming school year, it’s time to start thinking about those back-to-school physicals and routine immunizations for our patients and our own kiddos. In this blog post, we will offer insight into two current methods of offering HPV vaccinations to our youngsters and their parents/caregivers and discuss which method improves HPV vaccination rates.
It’s hard to help patients quit smoking. Many of us, myself included, received limited training in tobacco cessation and may harbor misconceptions about effective treatments. To clear the air, we invited Michael Baca-Atlas, MD, our addiction medicine specialist, to join us on Primary Care RAP to debunk some common myths about tobacco cessation. Here are some highlights from that conversation.
As the parent of a tween girl, I'm acutely aware of the risks associated with her eventual exposure to social media. As a family, we have been holding out on a smartphone for as long as possible (we signed the Wait Until 8th Pledge). We also plan to follow the current recommendations to wait until age 16 for social media exposure.
Recently, one of my primary care patients sent me a routine question through the electronic medical record, asking when they should get a specific blood test to guide their medication dosing. When an hour went by and I hadn’t responded, my patient called the front desk of our clinic to ask the question over the phone and inquire why I hadn’t written back. They also wrote me another message, voicing their disappointment that I hadn’t...
In the high-stakes world of medicine, where every decision holds weight, the inevitability of human error can loom large over clinicians. It's a reality we all face, yet admitting our mistakes and grappling with their aftermath can be one of the most challenging aspects of our profession. How do we reconcile our desire for perfection with the reality of fallibility? How do we move forward gracefully and resiliently after making a clinical...
In primary care, we are seeing more and more patients using complementary or integrative medicine approaches. Understanding these treatment options and being able to counsel our patients about them is an important part of providing good care. But this can leave us wondering: What exactly is integrative medicine?
Long COVID continues to perplex clinicians and researchers alike. With its myriad symptoms and unpredictable course, it's no wonder it's been frustrating for both patients and healthcare providers. Whilethe prevalence seems to be declining, it still presents significant challenges, often lingering for weeks, months, or even years after the initial COVID-19 infection.
The buzz around hormone therapy for cisgender women is undeniable, with a surge of interest in testosterone. Big shoutout to Emilie, one of our astute RAP listeners, for spotlighting this topic! (Psst, you can also listen to us unpack this further on Primary Care RAP’s April episode).
In the realm of pediatric sleep management, melatonin has emerged as a popular yet contentious tool. As healthcare providers dedicated to the well-being of our pediatric patients, it's essential to understand both the potential benefits and risks associated with melatonin use. In this blog, we'll explore the latest recommendations and guidelines, along with practical insights to educate parents on the use of melatonin in children.
Eating disorders are often misunderstood, sometimes overlooked, and tragically underestimated in their severity, especially in the healthcare setting. Contrary to common misconceptions, they are not phases or lifestyle choices but rather serious, biologically influenced illnesses. With an estimated 28 million Americans grappling with eating disorders, it's crucial to recognize that these conditions are far more prevalent than once believed.
The recent explosion of GLP-1 agonists has led to an increase in the number of patients asking about medication for weight loss. Although you may be happy to encourage patients to achieve their weight loss goals, you may also wonder about the best ways in which to support them.