How seniors can avoid misdiagnosis
An old joke goes, aging is a question of mind over matter. If you don’t mind, it doesn’t matter. However, it matters very much when aging gets in the way of an accurate diagnosis. Seniors are misdiagnosed more often than younger adults and can be harmed more by it than younger bodies are. While it is estimated that everyone will experience at least one diagnostic error in their lifetime, experts believe it happens more frequently for older patients. The barriers to getting pr
This winter, COVID-19 is not your only health concern
As you read this, COVID-19 may be spiking in your community for the second or third time. Perhaps your hospitals are overwhelmed with patients and have stopped elective surgeries. Restaurants and gyms and all but essential stores may be closing, again. The news is filled with scary headlines. You have every reason to want to limit your exposure. But when was the last time you saw your doctor? When were you supposed to have a colonoscopy, or a mammogram, or get your cholestero
COVID-19 testing is confusing. What you need to know now.
The world’s been turned upside down due to COVID-19. Any virus can be a complicated creature, especially when a new one pops up. And because medical experts are learning as they go, and sharing what they learn with the rest of us, it can sometimes feel like we’re standing on shifting sands as the tide is rising. It’s also not easy to develop tests for a new virus while scientists are still studying the basics of how it’s transmitted and what it does to our bodies. COVID-19 ha
Why the Color of Your Skin Can Affect the Quality of Your Diagnosis
Kevin Wake called 911 as he realized he was beginning to have a stroke. By the time the ambulance arrived, he was unable to speak or use his right side. He was conscious and could hear and see everything but couldn’t respond. The EMTs presented Kevin to the emergency room as a suspected overdose based on just one observed fact: he was a black man in Chicago. They didn’t know he had called 911 or that he had said ‘stroke’ to the operator. They didn’t know he was a successful p
COVID-19 and People of Color
Recent reports tell us that the novel coronavirus, COVID-19, disproportionately infects and kills black and Hispanic patients. Experts are alarmed but not surprised. The virus is shining a light on existing and long-established gaps and inequities in our healthcare system. Infectious disease specialists say the first element of this is exposure. While the majority of Americans have been able to shelter-in-place, people of color make up the majority of essential workers during
How to know if your diagnosis is right or wrong
Diagnosis is a journey. Over the past seven months, this column has taken you through the various steps of that journey to help you get an accurate diagnosis. Last month we focused on how to protect yourself against medical testing’s dirty little secret. Each month we’ve shown you where the pitfalls may be, how to be proactive, and how to partner with the healthcare team to reduce your risk. If you want an overall look at how misdiagnosis happens, click here.] This article wa
Medical testing’s dirty little secret and how you can protect yourself
Diagnosis is a journey. Over the next few months, this column will take you through the various steps of that journey, to help you get an accurate diagnosis. Last month we focused on what to do if your symptoms are dismissed or ignored. Each month we’ll show you where the pitfalls may be, how to be proactive, and how to partner with the healthcare team to reduce them. [If you want an overall look at how misdiagnosis happens, click here.] This article was originally published
Feeling Dismissed and Ignored by Your Doctor? Do this.
Diagnosis is a journey. Over the next few months, this column will take you through the various steps of that journey, to help you get an accurate diagnosis. Last month we focused on the most important questions to ask when you get a working diagnosis. Each month we’ll show you where the pitfalls may be, how to be proactive, and how to partner with the healthcare team to reduce them. [If you want an overall look at how misdiagnosis happens, click here.] This article was origi
Ask these key questions when you get a diagnosis
Diagnosis is a journey. Over the next few months, this column will take you through the various steps of that journey, to help you get an accurate diagnosis. Last month we focused on how to navigate the doctor’s visit when you have a health concern. Each month we’ll show you where the pitfalls may be, how to be proactive, and how to partner with the healthcare team to reduce them. [If you want an overall look at how misdiagnosis happens, click here.] This article was original
Sitting in your doctor’s office? Do this to help get the right diagnosis
Diagnosis is a journey. Over the next few months, this column will take you through the various steps of that journey, to help you get an accurate diagnosis. Last month we focused on preparation: Dx IQ #5 — Top five things to do before you see your doctor. This month we’ll talk about how to navigate the doctor’s visit when you have a health concern. Each month we’ll show you where the pitfalls may be, how to be proactive, and how to partner with the care team to reduce them.
