An examination of medical ethics and the practitioners who define them. Sign up to receive the Second Opinion topics in newsletter form at kcrw.com/newsletters .
Without more research we could be under-utilizing the benefits of cannabis or over using the drug and causing additional problems. There’s only one way to find out, and that’s with well conducted research.
Full disclosure of hospital charges and POOMS (patient oriented outcomes that matter to us) will help drive the system toward higher quality care and lower costs.
Sometime simple solutions can have huge benefits. A group of nurses found putting some money where the mouth is can save lives and reduce costs. The cost? $1.35.
Is the spread of global disease the new normal?
First SARS, then MERS, and now N-Corona suggest we have a new normal.
There are many social determinants that greatly impact health, but one that takes place within the health care system is implicit bias.
Natural gas isn’t as healthy as producers maintain, and it’s health impacts aren’t just on humans.
Health care costs continue to rise, and much of this is due to unnecessary tests and procedures that do not improve length or quality of life. One area that is rarely discussed are clinical laboratories that push doctors to do tests that are simply not needed.
Americans spend twice what other developed nations spend on health care and we certainly are not any healthier because of that spending
Collecting a good family medical history can be useful for the entire family.
Schools should serve as safe places for HIV infected children - a place where they can receive support and encouragement. But, in Uganda where HIV still carries stigma schools can create havoc for infected children.
Despite large barriers, Romania struggles to provide its 20 million citizens with adequate health care.
We are more than just the sum of our genes - the environment in which those genes work can have a large impact on our physical and mental health.
It feels good, but there is biology that suggests it actually improves health.
Times have changed and new data suggests that daily aspirin isn’t as helpful as once thought.
Culture plays a huge role in how we manage our last living days.
While miscommunication is never good, in medicine it can lead to poorer medical outcomes and overall dissatisfaction.
40 million American provide some level of care to members of their family, and for most it isn’t easy.
Those supplements you’re taking and paying lots for – do they really provide any benefits?
The science behind a recent report is not credible due to financial conflicts of interests by the funder. Why were these conflicts not detected by the medical journal?
Why can a society that is clever enough to create a drug to prevent the spread of HIV not find a why to make it affordable?
It's hard to tell if the unionization of the medical profession is good or bad for patient care. But it seems to be a growing movement.
While politicians talk about change in health care, those on the front lines have not seen much change and it is effecting their lives.
While poverty is a potent driver of poor health care there are other factors such as access, the health care system, patients, culture, and health care providers.
In Tanzania poverty can have a devastating effect on health – particularly for women and children. But, its not just Africa that has this problem….
It is time to improve communication to assure that patient’s end of life wishes are respected.
Conflicts of interests impact most medical specialties, most hospitals, and many product manufactures – the conflicts all impact our health.
Preliminary studies suggest that for at least some people high stress jobs can cause harm to DNA.
What we seem to have lost in our discussions on health care is bipartisan moral compass to tackle some wicked problems.
Why can’t we be as committed to providing all evidence-based health care to Americans as we are to caring for those with end stage renal disease?
