The hottest Patient Experience Substack posts right now

Patients face challenges with BMI-based denials in healthcare, leading to significant emotional, financial, and physical impacts.
Advocating for medical necessities, like surgeries, can be a long and arduous process involving research, professional consultations, and legal assistance.
The use of BMI as a sole metric for healthcare decisions is criticized as outdated and unfair, impacting individuals' access to necessary care.

Know the weight and size capacities of your equipment and facilities to provide better care to higher-weight patients.
Understand the diverse needs of all patients and create protocols to ensure a positive experience for everyone, including those with disabilities and neurodivergence.
Communicate openly and proactively with patients about accommodations, accessibility, and equipment capabilities to enhance their experience and educate them about available options.

American healthcare stories can have a positive spin amidst high costs and bills.
Media coverage of medical bills can create misleading impressions of excessive costs.
Costs in healthcare involve many factors like drug development and operational expenses.

Perspective and attitude are crucial when handling situations where higher weight patients cannot be accommodated - blame should not be directed at the patient, but rather focus on addressing the lack of resources and tools for equitable care.
Prevention is key - prioritize purchasing equipment that can accommodate patients of all sizes, communicate size/weight limits openly, and have protocols in place to handle situations where accommodation is not immediately possible.
When accommodation isn't possible, have non-shaming protocols in place, take responsibility for the lack of accessibility, refer patients to other facilities that can accommodate them, and ensure a seamless and respectful experience for higher-weight patients.

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Getting regular health screenings, like mammograms, is really important for early detection of diseases like cancer. A friend's encouragement made a big difference in taking that step.
Cancer is not just one illness but over 200 different types. Understanding this complexity is important for awareness and prevention.
Facing a cancer diagnosis can feel like a game of chance, where each medical visit reveals new information. It's crucial to focus on the present and deal with what you know, rather than worrying about what might come next.

AI can analyze personal genomic data and provide tailored health recommendations. This can help people get advice that is more specific to their situation than the average doctor visit.
Using AI tools like GPT-4 allows individuals to access a wide range of research and findings that may not be known to their healthcare provider.
It's important to understand certain medical concepts when interpreting genetic information. Being informed can help you ask the right questions and get the most accurate insights.

Using ambient AI in healthcare can help save time for doctors by generating visit summaries and transcripts automatically.
Physician adoption and engagement with new technologies like AI tools can be challenging due to existing habits and the need for behavior change.
AI integration in patient care can enhance the patient experience by allowing better communication, documentation sharing, and potentially improving understanding of medical encounters.

Observing someone's suffering increases when we disconnect the process of eating from its natural form.
Historically, advances in clinical nutrition mirror advancements in surgical procedures.
Feeding tube technology, while important for sustenance, can also present a challenge due to its disconnect from the human experience of dining.

India's healthcare system is very open to using AI and tech for direct patient care. This makes it easier for people to get medical help quickly without going through lots of red tape.
Unlike many countries, many Indians pay for healthcare out of pocket, which allows for faster services and less hassle. This lets patients access care directly and makes it easier for healthcare businesses to innovate.
India has a huge population and not enough doctors, creating a big chance for AI tools to assist in healthcare. This could help doctors manage their workloads better and improve access to care for more people.