Category Archives: Briefs/Thoughts

The Health Hazards of Being Poor

This was last months column from The Free Lance-Star. At the risk of being a bit esoteric, for a variety of reasons I am focused on health and social inequities in the US. I’m talking about what the American Public Health Association defines as “a particular type of health difference that is closely linked with social, economic,…
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The Hypochondriacle Downside of the Apple Watch 4

Call me skeptical, but the new Apple Series 4 watch, touted as having a “serious role as a clinical health tracker” makes me worry that it’s going to fire up the hypochondriacs. [caption id="attachment_2577" align="alignnone" width="707"] A Cool New Gadget[/caption]   About to be on the market, the watch has improved heart rate sensor; a…
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Is This Self Prescribing OK?

The patient I saw in the clinic yesterday has fully embraced the Virginia senate’s unanimous vote decriminalizing medical marijuana it would seem.   Edward C. was my first patient, being seen for the first time. “He uses quite a lot of marijuana” the nurses who checked him in told me. “He smoked some this morning”…
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