The PMD Critical List: Don't Forget EQ

This week's list of must-read stories shows why a physician's

EQ — not just her IQ – is

increasingly important. The list also includes a look at a new kind of medical school and an explanation of why Medicare Advantage physician directories aren't always very useful.

• The Case for Boosting Doctors' EQ (Forbes)

Traditionally, “medical training rewards individual competitiveness and academic knowledge,” making many doctors “ill-equipped to cater to the human side of patient demands.” Today’s successful physicians, however, must build their EQ (emotional intelligence).

• Doctors Not Always Healers for People with Disabilities (Washington Post)

A young ER physician who stutters tells of seeing doctor-colleagues who too often lack compassion and care when it comes to treating people with special needs—or about 20% of US patients.

• New Tech-Centered Medical College Aims to Combat Physician Shortage (USA Today)

A medical school in Wisconsin (with a 3-year MD program) is seeking to “build a new educational model” that allows for more students, cheaper education, and faster learning. Goodbye “traditional lectures?”

• Most Doctors in Insurance Directories Are Unavailable (Reuters)

The MD shortage problem may be deeper. A recent study found that over 50% of “the dermatologists in Medicare Advantage plan directories were either dead, retired, not accepting new patients or specialized only in specific conditions.”

• Primary Care Doctors Want Bigger Piece of the Pie (PhysiciansNews.com)

PCP groups have launched a national campaign to improve public perception of their ability and worth in the changing healthcare arena. Better pay, incentives for med students, team-based care, and EHRs improvements are among the goals.

• Crowdsourcing Helps Patients and Doctors Connect (InformationWeek.com)

A source of American strength is that we are a melting pot of people, cultures, and languages. Effective uses of online media can eliminate miscommunication allowing for vital life and death treatment.

• The Right—and Right Time—to Die: How Doctors Should Help (Time)

The author of Doctored: The Disillusionment of an American Physician, says the medical profession “deceives itself” too much on end-of-life care. Better to “empower patients to make their own decisions in the terminal phase of their live.”

• Hospitals’ Dirty Little Secret: Caregivers Share Clinical Data on Personal Phones (VentureBeat News)

In a clear and dangerous HIPAA violation, many US hospitals have health professionals who communicate patient information on private cell phones outside the protection of an institution’s Wi-Fi firewall.

• Well Being: Reflections o n a Long Medical Career (Philly.com)

A rare pro-medical career interview with an MD who’s retiring after 40 years. He found: “fulfilling and meaningful work, the esteem of professional colleagues, and interesting relationships with different kinds of patients.” Humility and work balance were his guide.