The Battle Against An Ignoble Death

9 months ago
Dr. Hesham A. Hassaballa

The battle against critical illness in the ICU is self-evident. The battle against an ignoble death is paramount for me.

It’s About Time: CDC Changes COVID Isolation Guidelines

1 year ago

At Long last. The CDC has updated its guidelines with respect to Covid isolation. This has been a long time coming,…

Violence in Healthcare Should Never Be “Just Part of the Job”

1 year ago

The NY Times published an article about violence against healthcare workers. It was heart-wrenching to read: Last year one of my patients…

Just Like the Airline Industry, Safety Has to be Non-negotiable in Healthcare

2 years ago

I travel quite a bit for work. For the most part, it runs smoothly. There are times, however, where it…

The Unsustainable Math of Medicare Physician Reimbursement Cuts

2 years ago

Let me get this out of the way: Yes, physicians earn a very good living. Many, if not most, physicians…

Why I Stopped Drinking Diet Coke

2 years ago

For more than a year, I have stopped consuming diet soda. My go to drink was Diet Coke, and it…

Dr. Hassaballa’s Latest Book is Now Available: “How Not To Kill Someone in the ICU”

2 years ago

The intensive care unit can be a very intimidating place, not only for patients, but for their doctors and nurses…

New Research Clarifies Cause of Myocarditis After mRNA Vaccine

2 years ago

Vaccination against SARS CoV-2 has made a tremendous difference and impact on the course of the SARS CoV-2 pandemic. This…

Reflecting on the End of the COVID Public Health Emergency

2 years ago

On April 10, 2023, President Biden signed H.J. Res. 7, which ended the national emergency order for COVID-19. The Public…

From The Appeals Desk: Brevity Beware

2 years ago

Clinician documentation is everything. It tells the story of the patient's current condition and what is being done to fix…

This Sleep Doctor Disagrees With AASM: Keep Daylight Savings Permanent

2 years ago

On March 13, most of the country "sprung forward" its clocks and entered into daylight savings time. The American Academy…

Are Early Morning Laboratory Studies Really Necessary in Hospitalized Patients?

2 years ago

Whenever we get sick with an infection, a very important component of our treatment and recovery plan is sufficient sleep.…

In Defense Of The Noncompete Clause In Healthcare

2 years ago

In early January 2023, the Federal Trade Commission proposed a new rule banning noncompete clauses in employment contracts. According to the FTC,…

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Taught Us Talk Is Cheap

2 years ago

To me, the most profound part of the famous "I Have a Dream" speech by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. came at…

The Scientific Case For a Scarf (Or A Mask)

2 years ago

It is common knowledge that respiratory viral infections - such as common colds, influenza, RSV, and now COVID-19 - are…

A Screen Is No Substitute

2 years ago

Even before the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted in-person work and fundamentally altered the dynamic of in-person meetings, many of my administrative…

Your Best Defense Against Denials: DOCUMENTATION

3 years ago

We have been traveling on a journey through the very frustrating, annoying, and obnoxious world of health insurance company denials.…

We Get No Credit For Being Good Clinicians

3 years ago

I was honored to be on a panel of experts for a webinar on sepsis denials by payers, especially commercial insurance companies.…

When A Healer Cannot Be Healed

3 years ago

I sat with him for hours. We spoke and spoke and spoke at length over why he could no longer…

The Ruthless Monster That Is Sepsis

3 years ago

The fever and diarrhea were relentless. For almost one week straight, it just would not stop. That was despite good…

From The Appeals Desk: The “30 Day Readmission” Denial

3 years ago

Insurance company denials are terribly frustrating. They delay prompt processing of claims. They require annoying extra steps to get paid.…

ICU Rule #8: Treat The Patient

3 years ago

I can make abnormal numbers go away...that doesn't mean I have done the patient any good.

Every Single One Of Us Will “Lose The Battle” One Day

3 years ago

All of us, one day, will "lose the battle" of illness, accident, or condition. The question is: will we have…

ICU Rules #6 and #7: Your Ego Can Be Dangerous

3 years ago

I had known the patient well. She was just in my ICU a few weeks previous with a perforated bowel…

From The Appeals Desk: Know Your Sepsis

3 years ago

Among the many types of denials from insurance companies that come across my desk, one I have been seeing more…

The Top Five Rules of the ICU

3 years ago

I could be panicking on the inside. But if I panic on the outside, it could mean the difference between…

The Grief Is Right Under The Surface

3 years ago

It can be a random sound, or picture, or song, and that is all it takes to bring it all…

Sigh of Relief As Nurse Sentenced to Probation

3 years ago

RaDonda Vaught, the former Tennessee nurse convicted of two felonies related to a drug error, was sentenced to three years…

Of Sisyphus and COVID

3 years ago

There is character from Greek mythology named Sisyphus. This man was condemned to push a large boulder up a hill,…

Cancer Isn’t Random: What 42% of Diagnoses Have in Common — and How You Can Lower Your Risk.

27 mins ago

“The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars, but in ourselves…”— William Shakespeare, Julius Caesar. That quote haunted me for…

When Is Exercise Not Exercise, and Is That Good Enough?

35 mins ago

Going for walks, dancing, and doing housework —although not technically exercises —any kind of movement counts toward your daily activity goal. Get more…

How Real-World Evidence Proves the Power of Patient Engagement

1 week ago

Data isn’t just an asset—it’s a trust marker. In life sciences, our credibility hinges on who contributes data and whether…

This 5-Minute Habit Could Help Prevent a Dangerous Heart Condition.

1 week ago

At 7:28 a.m., the sidewalk was still damp from last night’s Seattle area rain. I stepped outside, tea still warming…

How the growing trade war could affect biopharma intellectual property

2 weeks ago

President Trump said recently that the United States will announce a “major” tariff on pharmaceutical imports “very shortly.”

STOP! Brushing Your Teeth May Expose You to Deadly Neurotoxins

2 weeks ago

Are you sure the toothpaste you’re using is safe and won’t expose you or your kids to harm?

‘They Won’t Help Me’: Sickest Patients Face Insurance Denials Despite Policy Fixes

2 weeks ago

In 2023, Sheldon Ekirch was diagnosed with small fiber neuropathy, which makes her limbs and muscles feel as if they’re…

A Digital Turning Point in Migraine Care: CT-132 FDA Approval to Market is a Win for Patients and Proof that Clinical Evidence Matters

2 weeks ago

First Digital Health App United States Approval for Migraine Treatment with a Comprehensive Indication of Use

Spotlighting Emerging Dementia in Its Many Iterations and Stages

2 weeks ago

Dementia’s devastation may slip under our notice unless we recognize its many manifestations in behavior, speech, and mood.

Saturday Night Live’s Kenan Thompson’s Health Wake-Up Call

2 weeks ago

As a physician, I spend much of my day helping people navigate serious illnesses. But even outside of cancer, some…

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