What is a normal part of aging?
Not all problems should be attributed to normal aging.
Episodes
Second Opinion
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 .
Episodes
The meaning of gratitude
It turns out that gratitude can benefit physical and mental health.
When to report child or elderly abuse
The consequences of reporting, and not reporting abuse, can be enormous
Hospital Culture and End-of-Life Care
We need to do better at matching care provided at the end of life to patient’s preferences.
Is gambling a medical problem?
Decreasing problem gambling will require a toolbox of remedies including health care interventions and new policies.
Hospital Discharge- given only a few hours to decide what’s next
Hospital discharge can be complicated, and too often, patient’s preferences are not considered.
Do we need black boxes in medicine?
There are many similarities between medicine and aviation, but one change we need to make in medicine is to develop the equivalent of black boxes to improve the quality of care.
Harm Reduction
While not a perfect solution, it has been shown to work.
Substance Abuse Part 1
What drives substance abuse is complex and treatment requires a dual approach
Vector Borne Disease and Climate Change
Climate change has created unique opportunities for insects to spread disease.
The Popularity of Total Body MRI Scanning
These expensive tests have very little benefit and some important risks.
Intergenerational Trauma
Trauma experienced by refugees can have a powerful effect on the biology and behaviors of future generations.
The meaning of being on the “BEST HOSPITAL” list
We need to agree on outcomes for a “best hospital” and then figure out how to measure those qualities.
The impact of positive childhood experiences
It turns out both adverse and positive childhood experiences impact our health as adults.
Emotional Support Animals
Certain rules assure that people can live with emotional support animals, but they are different rules than protect service animals.
Medical Research Volunteers are often poorly informed
The FDA has dropped the ball on requiring that studies are properly evaluated for ethical violations
The White Coat Ceremony – only a partial celebration.
Perhaps the white coat is no longer a fitting symbol for a patient-focused modern medical profession.
Religion and Medicine often make strange partners
Is our life’s path already written, or can we control behaviors and impact our health?
Ordering drug tests without permission
Drug testing for elicit substances should require explicit permission from the patient
The new heavily promoted weight loss drugs
Like with all new drugs, – things are never quite what they first seem.
The doctor and allocating scarce resources
Should limited resources go to those with the greatest expected benefit?
De-prescribing medications
Too many people use too many medications, negatively affecting their health.
One factor in picking the best surgeon
Data over many years suggests that surgeons who do more surgeries have better outcomes.
What we know about fathers
Being a father isn’t easy, and the expectations have changed remarkably over the years.
Cannabis for sleep
A good night’s sleep is vital to well-being, but it isn’t always easy
Meat consumption and human health (part 2)
While consuming meat can negatively impact our health, it also affects meat processing workers and those living near these processing plants.
The impact of meat consumption on human health
The relationship between meat consumption and human health is complicated.
Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare
Artificial intelligence has suddenly burst onto the world stage, but now is the time to ensure that the use of AI is transparent, confidential, and enhances health care and not just institutional profits.
Is there a good time to stop screening for disease?
We spend lots of time figuring out at what age to start screening for cancer. But when do we stop screening?
Direct-to-Consumer Genetic Testing
You can easily order genetic tests online, but should you?