"I called the locum agency in the morning to air my concerns. To their credit, they admitted that the COVID-19 pandemic is an unprecedented event for which no one could have planned. They had developed a fund through which they could support health workers in need. If I took ill, I would have to call them for support. My health care will depend on the benevolence of the locum agency.

My other concern predates COVID-19, but the potential of getting sick helps to clarify all sorts of work-related risks. If I were to develop a cough with sniffles and unable to work around children, I wouldn’t have a timesheet to submit, and that would mean no income for the week to ten days while I am off sick.

Now that my locum contract is over, but the COVID-19 pandemic rages on, I’d be hard-pressed to take another locum contract without health insurance and income protections. Locum agencies must be as meticulous with asking that their contractors have health and disability insurance, with the protection of incomes, as they are with credentialing and malpractice protections. These benefits should be offered by the agency just as they provide medical liability coverage."

Koye Oyerinde is a pediatrician.

He shares his story and discusses his KevinMD article, "The COVID-19 pandemic reveals gaping holes in locum tenens contracts." (https://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2020/07/the-covid-19-pandemic-reveals-gaping-holes-in-locum-tenens-contracts.html)

"COVID-19 is a tragedy that could have easily been prevented if our leaders cared more about the well-being of their citizens instead of economies, stock markets, and their political campaigns. To all those arguing about how the economy is more important, I ask, how will sick and dead people contribute to an economy? How will sick and dead health care workers contribute to our already broken health care system, which is a critical part of any economy?

Before we decide to sacrifice our loved ones for the economy, we must remember that a nation cannot flourish if its citizens are not healthy."

Rabia Jalal is a physician.

She shares her story and discusses her KevinMD article, "Health care should be apolitical, but it isn’t." (https://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2020/07/health-care-should-be-apolitical-but-it-isnt.html)

"I suppose those of us between zero and ninety-three are blessed in our own way as well. We are here, swirling in a jumble of the inconsequential and consequential. We’ve enjoyed some of the world’s beauty and reserve the potential to experience more. Some of us will have longer than others, but perhaps we should focus on savoring rather than quantitating it. Even if it’s only one more year. 

That’s life. I have it on good authority that you can’t get through it without a little pain.

In the meantime, let us remember that it’s never too late to chase dreams."

Hailey Amick is an anesthesiologist who blogs at Facing Monsters.

She shares her story and discusses her KevinMD article, "Anesthesia touches nearly every area of medicine." (https://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2020/07/anesthesia-touches-nearly-every-area-of-medicine.html)

"There are roughly 221 million people — including 48 million kids — in states where marijuana has been named a medicine. These include patients who suffer from depression and could see their symptoms worsen. Mothers who could give birth to babies with low birth weights. Children who could face an increased risk of addiction, depression, and suicide.

We must allow our citizens to make informed choices. A page on a website, a label on a box. The platforms exist. It’s time we use them properly."

Erik Messamore is a psychiatrist and can be reached on Twitter @ErikMessamoreMD and LinkedIn.

He shares his story and discusses his KevinMD article, "Many medical marijuana program websites are silent about possible risks." (https://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2020/08/many-medical-marijuana-program-websites-are-silent-about-possible-risks.html)

"While Imperial County faces a confluence of vulnerabilities that have led to its susceptibility during COVID-19, it is not alone. Like an insidious undercurrent, these deficiencies are lurking in every region of the United States. Structural issues require structural solutions—to effectively contain COVID-19, our local, state, and federal leaders must address these underlying faults in the foundation of the systems which we rely on to maintain our personal and public health. As COVID-19 continues to aptly demonstrate, when the health of part of our community is imperiled, we are all imperiled."

Eric Rafla-Yuan is a psychiatrist.

He shares his story and discusses the KevinMD article that he co-wrote, "A Southern California outbreak highlights failures of the American health care system." (https://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2020/08/a-southern-california-outbreak-highlights-failures-of-the-american-health-care-system.html)

"Physicians are steeped in a noxious culture that seems to be averse to creating healthy physicians. We ignore mountains of evidence that show exercise, sleep, and healthy eating is beneficial for cognitive function, learning, and performance — all aspects that physicians should optimize. But the current medical training system pushes physicians, residents, and students to the brink of their physical, emotional, and mental capabilities and leaves little room for much else other than work. The culture of medicine forces us to ignore our health. I’ve done it too, but it’s time to focus more on our health, not just patients’."

Vybhav Jetty is a cardiology fellow.

He shares his story and discusses his KevinMD article, "The culture of medicine forces us to ignore our health." (https://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2020/08/the-culture-of-medicine-forces-us-to-ignore-our-health.html)

"Advocate for the children in your community. Studies show that one of the most powerful buffering factors for kids experiencing toxic stress is having at least one supportive, caring adult in their lives. Who in your circles needs you to provide this role? Studies also show that a healthy foundation of sleep, nutrition, exercise, and coping strategies can also mitigate stress effects. Don’t forget to promote healthy lifestyle choices to your patients. Remember to model them yourself. Learn mindfulness. Practice yoga. Go outside. Take a deep breath.

As Mahatma Gandhi said, 'We must become the change we want to see in the world.' Rather than chasing after our goals at the expense of well-being, let’s care for ourselves and each other. Let the healing begin now.

Have you experienced any 'aha moments' that have profoundly affected the way you practice medicine? What are some ways you support your patients in achieving overall well-being?"

Mary Illions Wilde is a pediatrician.

She shares her story and discusses her KevinMD article, "Even as a pediatrician, I didn’t realize stress started so young." (https://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2020/04/even-as-a-pediatrician-i-didnt-realize-stress-started-so-young.html)

"The pharmacy department plays a vital role in hospitals. They prepare and dispense medications. Sometimes the pharmacist will receive an order from the doctor on a med whose written dosage he is not sure of. In some cases, the pharmacist will call the nurse in order to get clarification on this. The problem here is that the nurse did not write the order. The nurse does not have the authorization to write the order. The appropriate thing for the pharmacist to do is to call the doctor on this. We, in turn, tell the pharmacist to call the doctor. The pharmacist knows that this should have been done in the first place. The problem here is that the nurse has wasted valuable time talking to the pharmacist about something he should have never been called on, but this situation happens frequently. Here, we have a situation where the pharmacist is hoping that the nurse can do the doctor’s job."

Anthony Langley is a nurse.

He shares his story and discusses his book, Nurses are Nuts. (https://amzn.to/3gJBiPN)

"Fraud in the health care industry is a fact of life.  In 2016 alone, the federal government estimated that improper payments by Medicare and Medicaid totaled about $95 billion.  And that’s only a single year’s amount for just two of the government’s many health care programs.  With an aging population, increased health care spending, the passage of the CARES Act, and the government’s multi-trillion-dollar effort to mitigate the health and economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, health care fraud will only increase.

Unfortunately, some of the readers of this article will be in the unenviable position of witnessing or even being asked to participate in billing and treatment frauds. Most will want to do the right thing and report it but will understandably be concerned about the effect on their careers. Rest assured, there are powerful laws in place to address this situation."

Joseph Gentile is an attorney.

He shares his story and discusses his KevinMD article, "Blowing the whistle on health care fraud: the rewards and protections of doing the right thing." (https://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2020/04/blowing-the-whistle-on-health-care-fraud-the-rewards-and-protections-of-doing-the-right-thing.html)

"In honor of one of the great classic novels, Go the F**k to Sleep, I would like to present to you my literary work: Stay the F@$k at Home.

To the healthy 20 year old who asks, “Why should I stay the F@$k at home, COVID-19 is not going to kill me?”

I ask: Do you want to kill your nana and grand-pops?

No?

Then stay the F@$k at home."

Jesica Herrick is an infectious disease physician.

She shares her story and discusses her KevinMD article, "An infectious disease physician says: Stay the F@$k at home." (https://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2020/03/an-infectious-disease-physician-says-stay-the-fk-at-home.html)