Article

What to do when the evidence is not conclusive
- Author:
- John Hickner, MD, MSc
Why don't we have conclusive evidence? Because the right studies have not been done.
Article

It’s time to get to know AI
- Author:
- John Hickner, MD, MSc
Artificial intelligence will be widely deployed in clinical tools that improve our diagnostic accuracy and provide better personalized data to...
Article

Burned out? Change your practice
- Author:
- John Hickner, MD, MSc
No amount of yoga, mindfulness, meditation, or exercise will be sufficient to combat physician burnout.
Article

Medical Cannabis: Not just a passing fad
- Author:
- John Hickner, MD, MSc
It behooves us to be prepared to discuss the pros and cons of Cannabis use with our patients—even if we decide not to prescribe it.
Article

Doing our part to dismantle the opioid crisis
- Author:
- John Hickner, MD, MSc
We were part of the problem and must be part of the solution.
Article

We all benefit from this powerful pairing
- Author:
- John Hickner, MD, MSc
- Anna Hickner, PsyD
Patients are more likely to engage with treatment when the physician introduces them to the mental health professional and expresses confidence in...
Article

Guidelines are not mandates
- Author:
- John Hickner, MD, MSc
I find the recommendations for adults ages 75 and older and for children and teens to be problematic.
Article

Aspirin for primary prevention: It depends
- Author:
- John Hickner, MD, MSc
No wonder our patients are confused!
Article

Getting that Dx right, keeping patients safe
- Author:
- John Hickner, MD, MSc
Listening closely to the patient's and family's concerns can lead in a direction other than my initial impression.
Article

To refer—or not?
- Author:
- John Hickner, MD, MSc
My mentor often told me that a competent family physician should be able to manage about 80% of patients’ office visits without consultation.
Article

3 steps we can take to address childhood adversity
- Author:
- John Hickner, MD, MSc
The research strongly supports a causal relationship between adverse childhood experiences and a host of mental and physical ailments.
Article

A (former) skeptic’s view of bariatric surgery
- Author:
- John Hickner, MD, MSc
My skepticism, however, has changed to cautious optimism for carefully selected patients.
Article

4 pearls for treating musculoskeletal pain
- Author:
- John Hickner, MD, MSc
Studies remind us to harness the placebo effect, rather than dismiss it.
Article

A bright—not bleak—future for family medicine
- Author:
- John Hickner, MD, MSc
I remain bullish on family medicine and believe the future remains bright for those who practice high-quality primary care.
Article

When our biases derail the diagnosis
- Author:
- John Hickner, MD, MSc
My partner saw the patient's myxedematous face and knew she had hypothyroidism—not hyperlipidemia.