One day, many realities, as COVID-19 cuts an uneven swath across L.A.

The pandemic may have slowed the city, but it hasn’t stopped it. Starting well before dawn, essential workers toil at factories and markets and restaurants. Some remain deep into the night; the lucky ones work from home. Parks and beaches and hiking trails beckon those desperate for a break. But COVID-19 has not been an… Read More One day, many realities, as COVID-19 cuts an uneven swath across L.A.

Mammograms, CT scans, X-rays: Assessing the risk of all that radiation

An X-ray for knee pain. A CT scan for a head injury. Mammograms every other year, starting at age 50. Over a typical lifetime of radiation exposure from medical tests, a person can start to wonder: How much is too much? There’s no formula for answering that, experts say, in part because the health effects… Read More Mammograms, CT scans, X-rays: Assessing the risk of all that radiation

Pathologists shortage ‘delaying cancer diagnosis’

Patients are facing delays in diagnosis because of severe shortages among pathology staff, according to a report seen by the BBC. A survey by the Royal College of Pathologists found only 3% of the NHS histopathology departments that responded had enough staff. Histopathologists are doctors and scientists who diagnose and study diseases such as cancer.… Read More Pathologists shortage ‘delaying cancer diagnosis’

Hidden From View: The Astonishingly High Administrative Costs of U.S. Health Care

It takes only a glance at a hospital bill or at the myriad choices you may have for health care coverage to get a sense of the bewildering complexity of health care financing in the United States. That complexity doesn’t just exact a cognitive cost. It also comes with administrative costs that are largely hidden… Read More Hidden From View: The Astonishingly High Administrative Costs of U.S. Health Care

Why Your Brain Tricks You Into Doing Less Important Tasks Yet again, your brain is working against you, and it’s because of a phenomenon called the urgency effect.

Here’s a list of things I did before starting this newsletter: I filled out the documents to renew my passport; clipped my cat’s nails; bought some household items; responded to a few Instagram DMs; and ate a snack because I was hungry. Sound familiar? Some of those tasks were relatively urgent — I need to… Read More Why Your Brain Tricks You Into Doing Less Important Tasks Yet again, your brain is working against you, and it’s because of a phenomenon called the urgency effect.