One of the best parts of my job is interviewing physicians about the work they love. I recently spoke to Michael Edwards, MD, a neurosurgeon …
Category: Emergency medicine
Decreasing demand on emergency department resources with "ankle hotline"
Sprained ankles were a common occurrence when I was growing up and, occasionally, prompted a visit to the emergency department to confirm the rapid swelling …
New Stanford Hospital team ready to mobilize for disaster relief
When Stanford Hospital staff members volunteered to participate in a relief mission to post-earthquake Haiti last year, they were stunned over the number of deaths that could have …
Brain sponge: Stroke treatment may extend time to prevent brain damage
A new study in mice reports that admistering pharmacological doses of a "sponge-like" molecule that occurs naturally in the human body may stave off brain damage from stroke. …
Lawn mower injuries a growing problem
Thanks to my father's love - and constant pursuit - of the perfectly manicured lawn, nothing can take me back to childhood summers like the …
The importance of mental health triage in disaster preparedness
News reports that this year's tornado season is the deadliest since 1953 have me thinking about emergency preparedness. While many equate preparing for natural disasters …
Every second matters for stroke survival, recovery
A very lucky stroke survivor tells his story in this month's Stanford Health Notes and in the video above. Minutes after slumping over, paralyzed in …
The importance of being a health-conscious traveler
My husband often teases me for packing an array of over-the-counter medications and first-aid items whenever I travel, no matter whether the destination is a …
Can proper nutrition help blunt brain injury?
The Institute of Medicine suggested today that paying immediate attention to a person's nutrition - particularly providing adequate protein and calories within the first 24 …
Harvard forum on the health impact of Japan crises
The Harvard School of Public Health is hosting a forum today from 1 to 2 p.m. Pacific time on the public health response to the …
Why an emergency room physician keeps his blog
I was happy to learn recently that StorytellERdoc, the blog of an emergency department physician, was awarded the title of "best literary blog" in the …
Our "very ordinary" emergency trauma system
There's an interesting Huffington Post piece today on U.S. trauma centers, one of which garnered much attention following the shooting in Tucson, Ariz. eleven days …
Haiti, a year after the quake
At Hospital Albert Schweitzer (where I traveled last February to write about the hospital's struggle to care for the wounded in the quake's aftermath), the …
When the call button calls, part two: Helping four patients in one round-trip transatlantic flight
Okay, just one final post on air travel. This morning a colleague called my attention to another fascinating account of in-flight health care, wherein an …
When the call button calls: A hospitalist's thoughts on delivering care at 30,000 feet
I spend a lot of time on airplanes. And - surprise, surprise - I also spend a fair amount of time traveling with doctors on …
The dangers of caffeinated alcohol drinks
Much has been in the news lately about the dangers of caffeinated alcohol drinks, and experts weighed in with their concerns in a recent HealthDay …