Best Practices

A whole lot more than just one genetic mutation determines whether and how disease develops. lvcandy/DigitalVision Vectors via Getty Images ~~~~~ Genetic inheritance may sound straightforward: One gene causes one trait or a specific illness. When doctors use genetics, it’s usually to try to identify a disease-causing gene to help guide diagnosis and treatment. But for most health conditions, the...

The Transformation of Medicine: From Healers to Healthcare Workers I had the privilege of addressing the American Association of Physicians and Surgeons this past Friday at their annual meeting and convention. I spoke on a topic that I’d never addressed publicly before, but one in which I feel quite versed through hard-won experience. During my medical career, which spans four decades, I’ve...

Infusion of the tiny, sausage-shaped structures helps to rejuvenate tissues deprived of blood. Researchers hope the technique can treat a variety of damaged organs. James McCully was in the lab extracting tiny structures called mitochondria from cells when researchers on his team rushed in. They’d been operating on a pig heart and couldn’t get it pumping normally again. McCully studies heart...

TikTok and other social media are inundating youth with misinformation. But educators find the platform can also be a powerful tool, teaching students to parse truth from fiction. The goal of my medical writing class at the University of Delaware is to teach STEM students how to translate nerd jargon to the general public. But more and more, I find myself guiding them through the reverse...

As a postpartum doula, Dawn Oliver does her best work in the middle of the night. During a typical shift, she shows up at her clients’ home at 10 p.m. She answers questions they may have about basic infant care and keeps an eye out for signs of postpartum depression. After bedtime, she may feed the baby a bottle or wake the mother to breastfeed. She soothes the infant back to sleep. Sometimes,...

If you’re a healthcare provider working under DCE (ACO Reach or ACO MSSP models), you’ve likely experienced the unique challenges of shared savings agreements. These programs can be a fantastic tool for improving care coordination and reducing costs, but as an attorney who has worked extensively in this field, I’ve seen firsthand how complex and frustrating these agreements can become. One of...