What Does Cancer Screening Tell Us?

Cancer is an especially frightening disease. To “catch it early” we have come to rely on screening tests such as a mammogram, PSA, and colonoscopy. Whether a physician recommends a test or we learn about it through advertisements, we have come to believe that early detection will significantly increase life expectancy. Yet, a recent article […]

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Can a Low-Tech Tool Improve Healthcare Delivery?

We are all grateful for high-tech innovations in medical science. In a recent blog I spoke about the benefits of artificial intelligence in helping doctors make accurate diagnoses and develop more effective treatment plans. Despite these advances in technology, a patient’s understanding of medical information can still be a challenge.   In describing the clinician’s […]

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Will Artificial Intelligence Replace My Doctor?

There is little doubt that artificial intelligence (AI) is going to have a profound effect on healthcare delivery. This technology has the potential to improve medical diagnoses and treatment planning. AI can also generate documentation for medical records and save time, something that is at a premium in the medical world.   The role of […]

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We’re All Confused

There are no rules for proper behavior, conversation or actions when there’s an advancement of a serious illness and no viable treatment options. Patients can find themselves confused when trying to communicate with family and friends about a dire prognosis and an uncertain future. This brings to mind what a friend with advanced breast cancer […]

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Patients as Real Time Teachers

During my tenure as a medical humanist at a cancer center in Vermont, I was an eyewitness to the challenges that patients and healthcare providers faced in communicating about serious illness. What I learned became source material for the Center for Communication in Medicine’s (CCM) programs and tools to improve healthcare communication. Although the educational […]

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