Bottom Line Advocator

Here at Bottom Line, we can’t tell you how to vote, but we can educate you on the complicated issues to consider before visiting the polls, such as single-payer health care. In this edition of the Bottom Line Advocator, Robert Graboyes, PhD, senior research fellow and health-care scholar at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University—and author of Fortress and Frontier in American Health Care—breaks down the little discussed (and, in most cases, misunderstood) cost implications of the health-care system and the considerations of a single-payer option with Bottom Line CEO Sarah Hiner.

For information on single-payer health care, check out Bottom Line’s recently published article How Much Single-Payer Health Care Would Really Cost. 

Three-quarters of patients today are cared for by a group of rotating “hospitalists”—not their own doctors. This system may be good for hospitals, but it is not providing the best quality of care for patients, according to a study by Harvard researchers. In this edition of the Bottom Line Advocator, Bottom Line CEO Sarah Hiner and Dr. David Sherer, author of Dr. David Sherer’s Hospital Survival Guide discuss the pros and cons of hospitalist medicine. As patients, we can’t control the system, but with the right knowledge, we can protect ourselves and our loved ones from inadequate care and medical error.  They discuss the most important questions to ask when admitted to a hospital…the common trend known as “Physician burnout”…and all the red flags to look out for. In addition, Dr. Sherer shares a method he recommends to all of his patients when it comes to preparing for a hospital stay.

For more with Dr. Sherer, click here for his video interviews, or purchase his memoir, The House of Black and White: My Life with and Search for Louise Johnson Morris.

Did you know that there actually is an opioid shortage? And no one is talking about it—until now. Several opioid-based drugs are critical components on surgical anesthesia and post-surgical care—yet there is a major shortage of these drugs at hospitals. Implication? Patients are at risk during surgery or at risk of having their surgeries delayed. In this edition of the Bottom Line Advocator, anesthesiologist, and winner of Health Tap’s leading anesthesiologist award, Dr. David Sherer discusses with Bottom Line CEO Sarah Hiner how this shortage began… how everyone from cancer patients to people with chronic pain are now suffering…and what to expect going forward. Other questions explored—are doctors too quick to use opioids even after surgery? How are the substitute drugs putting patients at risk? What should patients be asking their doctors when they are planning their surgery? All of those questions answered and more in this edition of the Bottom Line Advocator.

For more with Dr. Sherer, click here for his video interviews, or purchase his memoir, The House of Black and White: My Life with and Search for Louise Johnson Morris.

In today’s culture of looking for immediate results and answers to medical problems, doctors often turn to prednisone, a synthetic form of the hormone cortisol prescribed to relieve a vast array of inflammatory and allergic conditions. While there is a place for prednisone, the drug is being overprescribed at an alarming rate, putting patients at risk for dangerous side effects while rarely solving the underlying problem. In this edition of the Bottom Line Advocator, Bottom Line CEO Sarah Hiner and Dr. David Sherer shine a light on this frightening trend that no one seems to be talking about. Listen in as Dr. Sherer shares what you need to know about how prednisone is not only overprescribed, but misused and misunderstood. In addition, Sarah and Dr. Sherer share their own personal stories about taking prednisone—stories that will change your trust in one of the most commonly prescribed drugs in the US. The next time your doctor suggests that you start taking prednisone, ask these questions recommended by Dr. Sherer. All of that explored, and more, in this edition of the Bottom Line Advocator.

For more with Dr. Sherer, click here for his video interviews, or purchase his memoir, The House of Black and White: My Life with and Search for Louise Johnson Morris.

Our generation spends more time indoors than any generation in history, which means that we are engulfed in germs at home, at the office, in school and more. We can either be victims of this onslaught, or we can develop a plan of attack. But first you have to know where to look. In this edition of The Bottom Line Advocator, Bottom Line CEO Sarah Hiner talks germs with Dr. Charles Gerba, the top expert in the field of “germology” who discloses the worst places that germs hide, many of them in plain sight! (elevator buttons…ATM machines…ect.). Know where they are. Know how to kill them. Know how to protect yourself. Other topics explored: Why do people always get sick when starting a new job? And Dr. Gerba’s take on the famous “5-second rule.” All of those questions answered and more in this edition of The Bottom Line Advocator.

The incredible edible egg—much loved…much maligned. In this episode of The Bottom Line Advocator, Bottom Line CEO Sarah Hiner gets the “bottom line” on eggs from renowned naturopathic physician and self-acclaimed “Egg-spert” Dr. Andrew Rubman. Dr. Rubman shares results of a 500,000-person study conducted in China that produced staggering results that should end the egg debate once and for all. So why are eggs a scapegoat for high cholesterol? And why does the mainstream media ignore the many health benefits of eating eggs? Dr. Rubman explains that and more, including how many and how often you should eat eggs and the best way to cook your eggs to get the most benefit. Get healthy now in this edition of The Bottom Line Advocator.

 

Western, or “allopathic,” medicine is defined as a system in which medical professionals treat symptoms and diseases using drugs, radiation or surgery. In short, we’re treating a lot of different ailments using a lot of isolated methods. But are we creating better health? There are those who question it, including both Bottom Line CEO Sarah Hiner and Dr. David Sherer. They discuss the debate in this edition of The Bottom Line Advocator. Both Dr. Sherer and Sarah look to the importance of treating the human body as a whole—a well-oiled machine, if you will. What problems have risen in the medical community as a result of this fast-paced, technology-driven world where communication has broken down? What are some of the qualities you should look for when searching for a doctor? And according to Dr. Sherer, what needs to change? All of those topics explored, and more, in this edition of The Bottom Line Advocator.

For more with Dr. Sherer, click here for his video interviews, or purchase his memoir, The House of Black and White: My Life with and Search for Louise Johnson Morris.

Kids are most vulnerable to sickness at the start of the school year. As cold and flu season approaches, parents want to protect their children and their families from the “Germ Soup” present in every classroom. In this edition of The Bottom Line Advocator, Bottom Line President Sarah Hiner talks to Dr. Jamison Starbuck about the many factors that leave kids vulnerable to illness and Dr. Jamison’s best “back to school” methods for keeping kids healthy during flu season.

For more from Dr. Jamison Starbuck, visit her website.

Drugs prescribed for anxiety are a quick fix, but they do nothing to truly treat the root cause. Leading naturopathic physician Dr. Jamison Starbuck knows that the root often is low hormones…or low cholesterol! It’s easy to rebalance if you know where to look. She explains her methods to diagnose and treat this debilitating condition in this edition of The Bottom Line Advocator with Bottom Line CEO Sarah Hiner.

For more from Dr. Jamison Starbuck, visit her website.

The link between dietary choices and eczema flare-ups is well-researched and well-documented, yet doctors don’t talk about it…and they don’t treat it. Bottom Line CEO Sarah Hiner discusses this outrageous oversight with Dr. Jamison Starbuck in this edition of The Bottom Line Advocator. Problems with our skin are the manifestation of a problem on the inside. Ointments and creams won’t heal those. But Dr. Starbuck knows how.

For more from Dr. Jamison Starbuck, visit her website.