Patients Are Not Customers: Why Online Reviews of Physicians Need to Stop

The rise of the Internet has changed many things in the world of the customer.  Now, in the age of the online consumer, a person can search for not only the exact item or service he or she wants, but read hundreds of reviews on that particular item or service…

Dangers of Smoking in Pregnancy: More than Just Low Birth Weight

“32 week pregnant female, en route to the hospital via ambulance.  She is bleeding heavily with a suspected abruption.  10 minutes out.”  I received the call at about 2am. I arrived at the hospital just before the ambulance. The elevator doors opened and two emergency medical technicians entered the Labor…

Maternal Mortality in the US: Is the Hospital a Dangerous Place?

There has been a lot of talk lately about maternal mortality.  A recent story published in ProPublica and NPR has been circulating social media, highlighting the problems with our labor and delivery system (Martin 2017).  The story is heartbreaking, describing a preventable postpartum death in a young, healthy mother.  While…

We Need to Heal the Healers

It was 5:00am and pitch black except for the dim parking garage lighting.  I sat in my car, breathing in and out slowly, trying to will myself to get up and go into work.  I wanted to cry, but I was beyond crying.  I was too defeated, too exhausted…

Surviving the Baby Shower Registry

I walked into Babies R Us on a sunny Saturday afternoon.  Full of excitement, I grabbed my scanner, ready to have some fun.  I had a blast doing my wedding registry 5 years ago!  We started at bedding.  I saw fitted sheets, regular sheets, pads that went under and over…