Telemedicine Could Reduce the Role of Family Physicians to Case Managers.

The COVID-19 pandemic led to the widespread and continuing use of telemedicine in primary care. Despite telemedicine's benefits, it threatens to reduce the role of family physician to that of gatekeeper and case manager, nullifying decades of experience and medical intuition that is more difficult to develop and apply virtually. Additionally, many values of family medicine have eroded during this global process.

Mourning My Patient, Mr Schwartz.

The story depicts my close relationship with Mr Schwartz, an elderly Holocaust survivor, spanning over 20 years. During those years, he became a significant patient to me; during my many home visits, we often shared significant conversations about life. When Mr Schwartz was diagnosed at age 90 with advanced cancer, we made an alliance whereby I would represent him in his decision not to receive medical interventions.

The Phoenix: A 20-Year Patient-Doctor Journey.

In a previous story ("On Blindness and Blind Spots") I sought to understand the psychological causes of a long-time patient's myriad of seemingly inexplicable symptoms. Since then, I learned more of her story, which helped me understand my patient with a new perspective.Dana shared with me, and now with the readers, short poetic pieces she has written to describe her traumatic experiences as a child-and the efforts she makes as a grown woman to heal, like the phoenix rises from its ashes.