American medicine did not accidentally drift into its current imbalance between cognitive and procedural care. It was built that way, step by step, over the past 75 years. The American Medical Association played a central role, not as the sole actor, but as the architect of key structures that continue to shape how physicians areContinueContinue reading “How We Built a Payment System That Undervalues Thinking in Medicine”
Tag Archives: healthcare
Solution to Delaware Health Care Costs?
Delaware has some of the highest healthcare costs in the country, and Senate Bill 1 is exactly the kind of reform our state needs. SB1 strengthens primary care while finally addressing one of the biggest drivers of high insurance premiums: hospital pricing that has been allowed to rise far above national benchmarks. A key provision would cap certain hospitalContinueContinue reading “Solution to Delaware Health Care Costs?”
The Biohacking Brothers: Legit or Snake Oil Salesmen?
Warning: Most of this is not clearly backed by medical science and should be looked at with a critical eye. There clearly appear to be issues with anecdotal evidence, placebo response and the entrepreneurial aspect of the Biohacking Brother’s recommendations. Miguel and Carlos Bertonatti, also known as the “Biohacking Brothers,” are health optimization entrepreneurs andContinueContinue reading “The Biohacking Brothers: Legit or Snake Oil Salesmen?”
The Role of Doctors Is Changing Forever
Physician and writer Dhruv Khullar argues that doctors are losing their traditional authority as new forces, artificial intelligence, wellness influencers, populist movements, and corporate interests, compete for public trust in medicine. Through the story of “Jim,” a patient who self-diagnosed a blood clot using ChatGPT, Khullar illustrates how the medical journey increasingly unfolds outside traditionalContinueContinue reading “The Role of Doctors Is Changing Forever”
Implosion or Explosion?
At this moment, there’s really only one story that matters in American politics: Is Donald Trump going through a rough patch, or are we watching something deeper unravel? If you talk to Republican strategists or peek at the conversations that ripple through Washington, the mood has shifted. This isn’t normal turbulence. It’s the kind ofContinueContinue reading “Implosion or Explosion?”
Delaware Rural Health Overhaul
Governor Matt Meyer announced Delaware’s application for up to $1 billion from the federal Rural Health Transformation Program, part of a $50 billion national effort. The plan assembles 15 projects aimed at transforming healthcare delivery in Kent and Sussex counties, home to nearly 40% of Delaware’s population. Core goals: expand access, lower costs, and strengthenContinueContinue reading “Delaware Rural Health Overhaul”
Paris Holiday Gone Sideways: Apple Watch Sends SOS
A Split Second in ParisCrossing a street near the Louvre, I had no time to react before an inebriated Parisian ran a red light and struck me in the pedestrian lane. My Apple Watch immediately detected the impact, sent an SOS message to my three children (my emergency contacts) and summoned an ambulance. I lostContinueContinue reading “Paris Holiday Gone Sideways: Apple Watch Sends SOS”
The US ‘Healthcare’ System is a Mess
A recent and important PBGH white paper reveals the fundamentally chaotic and arbitrary nature of U.S. commercial healthcare pricing, demonstrating that provider rates have no correlation to quality and vary dramatically without logical justification 😳 Key Findings The study analyzed data from five major employers (including Boeing, Qualcomm, and Denver’s city/county government) across multiple geographicContinueContinue reading “The US ‘Healthcare’ System is a Mess”
The “Perfect Storm” in Healthcare
A “Perfect Storm” in the American healthcare system is developing, driven by mounting structural failures and stupid political decisions. The core issues include severe physician shortages, government cutbacks on Medicare and preventative services, looming loss of ACA marketplace subsidies, and major reductions in public health and child nutrition programs, all combining to reduce access, qualityContinueContinue reading “The “Perfect Storm” in Healthcare”
If AI Can Diagnose, What Are Doctors For?
Dr. Dhruv Khullar’s New Yorker article, “If A.I. Can Diagnose Patients, What Are Doctors For?,” explores how large language models (LLMs) such as ChatGPT are transforming medical diagnostics, blending compelling anecdote with wide-ranging critique. The article opens with the story of Matthew Williams, whose mysterious gastrointestinal illness eluded eight clinicians but was quickly explained byContinueContinue reading “If AI Can Diagnose, What Are Doctors For?”
Dr Bob, Brain Mechanic 