August Articles worth reading
It is hard to keep up with all the interesting posts and articles worth reading that are published each month. In trying to understand trends in our industry, I find it is worth reading and following information both in veterinary publications and from outside the industry. I have shared some articles in the past on Linked in or on my facebook page. However, I thought it might work better to share a monthly list of articles that I have found thought provoking or news worthy.
Articles worth reading: Organizing in healthcare
There has been quite a bit of talk about union organizing for veterinary technicians. This article has quite good information about the current status of the situation.
This article in the New Yorker advocates for doctors to organize and to use their collective strength for change. Dr. Topol, the head of the Scripps Research Translational Institute, discusses problematic issues in human healthcare. Understanding challenges facing human healthcare helps us predict issues veterinarians are also likely to face.
The time factor of electronic medical records is a huge issue. On the human side, many input fields are designed for insurance tracking, not patient care. Topol states: “Administrative tasks have become so burdensome that, according to one recent report, only thirteen per cent of a physician’s day, on average, is spent on doctor-patient interaction.”
The collective organization envisioned is described: “It’s possible to imagine a new organization of doctors that has nothing to do with the business of medicine and everything to do with promoting the health of patients and adroitly confronting the transformational challenges that lie ahead of for the medical profession. . .Its top priority might be restoring the human factor – the essence of medicine – which has slipped away, taking with it the patient-doctor relationship.”
I found this blog, “Why I stopped reseaching physician wellness” to be a quite interesting perspective given the increasing conversation about veterinary wellness and veterinary burnout. Jodie Eckleberry Hunt has a PhD in counseling psychology and has done research in physician wellness. She states in this blog, “What I find disheartening is the over-emphasis on physician stress management education as the answer. The problem should not be solely owned by physicians. And, decreasing workload, though it is problematic, isn’t the entirety of the solution either. There are significant issues associated with the transformation of medicine from an art into a belt tightening business where physicians (who are the experts) have too little influence on the process.”
Articles worth reading: Rural veterinary medicine
I have talked a lot in my blog about changes in the veterinary industry but my perspective is very much small animal practice in a large metropolitan area. I found this article to be incredibly well written about the challenges in rural veterinary practice.
Articles worth reading: Successful Independent Veterinary Practice
I really enjoyed this article about one of my veterinary classmates, Jorge Colon, and his successful equine practice. He has great advice for other potential owners.
Articles worth Reading: How design can affect work
When my first emergency job moved locations, we had some limited input on design. However, we were not consulted or kept in mind for all decisions. When we moved into the facility, every single upper cabinet in the hospital was designed to be opened by people who were at least 5’8″. However, our entire staff was women under 5’4″. Thus, we had step stools everywhere to reach our everyday supplies. I hadn’t thought about that design challenge in years until I read this article, “The dangers of gender bias in design.” The article definitely has many points worth considering.
What articles did you read in August that are worth reading? Please share in the comments!
