Hsieh Forbes Column: Could A ‘Morality Pill’ Help Stop The Covid-19 Pandemic?

My latest Forbes piece is now out: "Could A ‘Morality Pill’ Help Stop The Covid-19 Pandemic?"

I make the following three points in response to this speculative proposal:

1) The science is still quite dubious.

2) The concept of a “morality pill” is pretty controversial amongst ethicists.

3) Even if a “morality pill” were fully safe and effective, the ethics of any mandatory “morality pill” basically reduces to the already existing ethics over mandating people wear masks. 

For more details, read the full piece at "Could A ‘Morality Pill’ Help Stop The Covid-19 Pandemic?"

Hsieh Forbes Column On Blood Type And Science Reporting

My latest July 2020 Forbes column is out: "Blood Type May Have Minimal Effect On Covid-19 Health Risk".

Beware early science reporting on "hot" topics.

Hsieh Forbes Column: Delayed Cancer Care Due To Covid-19 Could Cost Thousands Of Lives

My latest Forbes piece is now out: "Delayed Cancer Care Due To Covid-19 Could Cost Thousands Of Lives".

I discuss the cost in lives due to the lockdowns, and how this illustrates Bastiat's principle of "the seen vs. the unseen". I also offer some practical suggestions for patients and for lawmakers.

Hsieh Forbes Column: 9 More Bizarre Consequences Of The Covid-19 Coronavirus Pandemic

My latest Forbes piece is out: "9 More Bizarre Consequences Of The Covid-19 Coronavirus Pandemic".

My favorite:

A clever app developed by Japanese firm Yamaha allows fans to remotely cheer (or boo) players from home, played through the stadium speakers so that players can feel the energy of the online crowd.

The article wryly notes, “The app does not, as yet, allow fans to question the referee’s eyesight, or the eating habits of players who struggled to stay match-fit during the league’s virus-enforced break.”

Hsieh Forbes Column: Do Not Delay Urgent Medical Care Due To COVID-19

My latest Forbes piece is now out: "Do Not Delay Urgent Medical Care Due To The COVID-19 Coronavirus Pandemic".

I'm glad to be able to discuss some practical information for patients, as well as to tie our current situation back to Bastiat's famous principle of "the seen vs. the unseen."

Hsieh Forbes Column: 11 Bizarre Consequences Of The COVID-19 Pandemic

My latest Forbes piece is now out: "11 Bizarre Consequences Of The COVID-19 Coronavirus Pandemic".  Here is the opening:

Imagine you had fallen into a coma a month ago and had just woken up. How much would the world have changed?

The COVID-19 virus has created enormous suffering and challenges for many around the world. I don’t wish to minimize the hardships everyone is enduring.

And yet, there have also been numerous bizarre, quirky, and sometimes even humorous twists, such as...

Hsieh Forbes Column: How Will Doctors Allocate Scarce Medical Resources?

My latest Forbes piece is on the difficult topic of rationing health care: "How Will Doctors Allocate Scarce Medical Resources During The COVID-19 Coronavirus Pandemic?"

Patients, family, and physicians may need to be prepared for some difficult conversations ahead.

Hsieh Forbes Column: Tips For Staying Out Of The ER

My latest Forbes piece is now out: "Tips For Staying Out Of The ER During The Coronavirus COVID-19 Pandemic".

Here's the opening:

As case numbers increase during the current Coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic, hospital emergency rooms are becoming more crowded. Patients showing up at the ER for possible COVID will add to usual load of patients already there for heart attacks, stroke, acute appendicitis, accidents, “normal” influenza, etc.

So anything you can do to keep yourself out of the ER helps everyone (yourself included).

In that spirit, I’d like to remind folks follow some simple old-fashioned prudent practices...

(Full text available at "Tips For Staying Out Of The ER During The Coronavirus COVID-19 Pandemic".)

Hsieh Forbes Column On 'Left Digit Bias'

My latest Forbes column is now out: "If You Just Turned 50, 60, 70, Or 80, Your Doctor Might Suffer From 'Left Digit Bias'".

"Left digit bias" is why customers are more likely to purchase an item priced $4.99 than $5.00.  I discuss how physicians' "left digit bias" could affect medical care in older patients, and what patients can do about it.

Hsieh Forbes Column: Why More Employers Are Not Hiring Smokers And What To Do About It

My latest Forbes column is now out: "Why More Employers Are Not Hiring Smokers And What To Do About It".

I discuss how we can address "lifestyle discrimination" by employers by repealing existing bad laws, rather than imposing new bad regulations. 

Also: Have you ever wondered why you get health insurance from your employer, but not your car or homeowner's insurance? I cover that bizarre "feature" of the US economy as well.

Hsieh Forbes Column: Doctors Use Youtube And Google All The Time. Should You Be Worried?

My latest Forbes column is now out: "Doctors Use Youtube And Google All The Time. Should You Be Worried?"

It's been a fun year writing for Forbes. I look forward to continuing next year, and I hope you all have a good 2020!

Hsieh Forbes Column: I'm A Physician, And I'll Continue Eating Red Meat

My latest Forbes column is now out: "I'm A Physician, And I'll Continue Eating Red Meat".

"Looks like meat's back on the menu, boys!"

Below -- some tasty beef stew I recently made in my beloved Instant Pot electric pressure cooker.

Hsieh Forbes Column On Government Quality Metrics And Unintended Consequences

My latest Forbes piece is now out: "How Patients Pay The Price For Unintended Consequences Of Government Health Care".

I discuss how various government "quality" metrics intended to improve patient care can have the exact opposite effect.

This is an example of Goodhart's Law in action, sometimes phrased as, "When a measure becomes a target, it ceases to be a good measure."

Hsieh Forbes Column On Vaping And Unintended Consequences

My latest Forbes column is now out: "Don't Make The Vaping 'Crisis' Worse With Hasty New Regulations".

Hsieh Forbes Column: Pooping Less Frequently To Save The Planet? Really?

My latest Forbes column is out: "Pooping Less Frequently To Save The Planet? Really?"

I'm totally unleashing my inner 10-year old.

Hsieh Forbes Column: Great Moments In Medical Self-Experimentation

My latest Forbes column is now out: "Great Moments In Medical Self-Experimentation".

Sometimes, you literally have to "bet on yourself" and do what you think is right, even if everyone else thinks you're crazy.

Hsieh Forbes Column On Physician Fatigue And Errors

My latest Forbes piece is now out: "Is Your Doctor Making Mistakes Because He Or She Is Too Tired?"

Hsieh Forbes Column: 18-Year-Olds Should Have Right To Smoke

My latest Forbes piece is now out, "If 18-Year-Olds Can Fight For Their Country, They Should Be Able To Smoke A Cigarette".

I discuss the latest bipartisan push to raise the legal smoking age from 18 to 21.

I frame the discussion in the form of three questions:

1) Is it the government’s job to stop legal adults from making unhealthy life choices?

2) If Congress allows 18-year-olds risk their lives in military service, shouldn’t they also be allowed to smoke?

3) Whose body is it, anyways?

For more details, read the full piece "If 18-Year-Olds Can Fight For Their Country, They Should Be Able To Smoke A Cigarette".

Hsieh Forbes Column: Health Care Vs. Liberty In Singapore

My latest Forbes column is now out: "Health Care Vs. Liberty In Singapore".

I discuss the trade-offs that Singapore residents must make when they accept government-run "universal health care" and "cost control". This is includes significant losses in liberty as well as accepting government rationing of medical services.

For more details, see the full text of "Health Care Vs. Liberty In Singapore".

Hsieh Forbes Column: How Government Policies Created The Current Disaster Of Electronic Health Records

My latest Forbes column is now out: "How Government Policies Created The Current Disaster Of Electronic Health Records".

Some key take-home points include.

* The federal government played a major role of foisting EHRs on doctors.
* Many features of the EHRs were not driven by the needs of practicing physicians, but by bureaucrats and government officials not involved in direct patient care.
* Practicing physicians find these EHR systems burdensome.
* EHRs contribute significantly to physician burnout.
* The problems with EHRs are not inherent in the technology, but rather due to government policies.