Healthcare Archive

Doctors may diagnose heart attacks in people who have not actually had one, in part because they screen people with subtle symptoms out of fear of missing the diagnosis. Failure to diagnose a heart attack is the No. 1 cause of malpractice payouts in the emergency department. But the blood test used to detect a heart attack is very sensitive, and other conditions such as myocarditis (heart inflammation) may be misdiagnosed as a heart attack. This problem of overdiagnosis can expose people to unneeded risks, high costs, and other downsides.

When you have a medical appointment, your health provider writes notes on the visit that are available to you. It's a good idea to read these — though you may be surprised or confused by some of the language — and to check in if you have questions or need to make important corrections.

Health insurance companies sometimes require prior authorization for new, expensive medications. The high price patients pay for these drugs is related to complexities in health insurance coverage.

Modern medicine offers ever-expanding ways to heal and prevent disease, but it's also true that health care can cause harm. Some harms are preventable while others are much harder to control. So how can you reduce your chances of being harmed?

Three strategies can help decrease the number of days one must devote to medical appointments. The first is eliminating unneeded care, such as screening tests for people at low risk for certain conditions. The second strategy is coordinating various doctor visits, tests, or imaging for the same day. The third strategy is using telemedicine in place of appointments that would normally happen in person, such as mental health care visits or routine appointments for diabetes or high blood pressure.

A 2024 study of 277 million patient visits within the Veterans Affairs Health Care System found that video-based telemedicine visits remain close to the peak pandemic level of about 12%, which is a steep increase from the pre-pandemic level.

It's important to take certain steps before a hospital stay, if planning is possible. Examples include packing printed copies of one's living will and health care proxy form; alerting one's health care proxy about details of the stay, including what should or shouldn't be done if the proxy needs to make decisions; packing additional clothing in case the stay lasts longer than expected; arranging to have a friend present for hospital discharge instructions; and arranging for a ride home.

A second opinion from a cardiologist may be helpful for people considering whether to undergo a specialized heart procedure. Such consultations may be increasingly appropriate as new, minimally invasive treatments for various heart problems become more widely available and more specialized. Others who might seek a second opinion include people with heart-related symptoms that persist despite treatment, who have been told they have no more options.

Telemedicine visits combined with self-measured blood pressure readings may help control high blood pressure better than traditional clinic visits, according to a 2024 study.