Medical Topics from Dr. Patrick O’Connell
How to Slow the Spread of Coronavirus
Flattening the Curve: Trying to Slow the Spread of Coronavirus North Carolina's schools are closed; the stock market is a roller coaster; NC's governor has banned gatherings over 50. Society seems upside down, and it has an unnerving feel, so the question is: how does this make sense? How does all this Herculean effort help? Separate from debates over how intensive the isolation efforts should be, the rationale for these efforts turns out to [...]
Coronavirus COVID-19 Questions & Answers
Coronavirus COVID-19 Takeover It feels like coronavirus is taking over every aspect of our lives-- travel disruption, the stock market roller coaster, now even the ACC basketball tournament has been canceled! Amidst the upheaval, information can be useful and reassuring, so let me update my practical points from my email last week. 1. What to do if you get sick with a bad “cold”? Two weeks ago the question would have been flu or [...]
Novel Coronavirus – First Thoughts
Novel Coronavirus - First Thoughts I have to admit to enjoying sci-fi pandemic movies like 12 Monkeys or the 1971 movie Andromeda Strain. I’m not a fan when it’s real life however. I was talking to a friend last weekend who expressed concern over the possible societal impact of the novel coronavirus--a form we have not seen before--and I thought, “Eh, what's the worry?” Then I saw the news headlines on Monday. And on [...]
Do You Know Who Is Making Your Medical Decisions?
Who Makes Your Medical Decisions? Ever wonder what patient-centered medical care would be like? Talk to us about direct primary care with Sentinel. Why Direct Primary Care? A question we frequently hear is, "Why would I need the kind of direct primary care that Sentinel provides when I have insurance?" The answer can be complex, but at its core is bringing health care decisions closer to you. Do You Know [...]
Exercise Trends: 10,000 Steps
10,000 Steps Do you really need to take 10,000 steps a day? The Japanese Symbol for 10,000 looks a little like a person walking. Taking 10,000 steps a day is a pretty good target if you need a target, but you should know that the whole “10,000 steps” thing was invented in 1969 by a company that wanted to sell pedometers. It happens that the Japanese character for “10,000 steps” looks a [...]