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Boston Globe
5 days ago
- Business
- Boston Globe
‘We're losing doctors every day': As Mass General Brigham primary care doctors vote on union, effort is slowed by Trump
Advertisement But MGB, the corporate parent of Massachusetts General Hospital and Brigham and Women's Hospital, MGB filed an appeal with the labor board last week challenging the makeup of the prospective bargaining unit, likely putting the matter in limbo indefinitely. That's because '[MGB is] appealing, knowing that cases won't be heard,' said Dr. Mark Eisenberg, a primary care doctor at Mass. General and one of the union organizers. 'They want to take away our democratic vote. They want to make doctors feel like it's hopeless to fight against a giant.' Advertisement MGB said in a May 21 memo to employees that its legal challenge 'isn't about the outcome of the election — it's about making sure the bargaining unit follows established legal guidelines.' The health system says the NLRB regional director in Boston erred by allowing 237 primary care doctors at 29 practices to vote on whether to form their own union. In fact, MGB says, as many as three-quarters of those physicians were ineligible to vote under NLRB rules because they work in practices that are integrated into acute-care hospitals with other kinds of doctors. Under the rules, MGB contends, the proposed union would have to include all physicians at those hospitals, an argument the regional director previously rejected. 'Even when there is a quorum [at NLRB], this is not an unusual strategy,' she said. 'But now [MGB leaders] get the added benefit that the delay is likely to be even longer because there's not even a chance of getting a decision right now.' The National Labor Relations Board seal at its headquarters in Washington, D.C. Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg A week after his inauguration, Trump fired Gwynne Wilcox, the first Black woman to serve on the NLRB, even though her term didn't expire until 2028. The Supreme Court on May 22 allowed Trump to remove Wilcox while legal proceedings over her firing move forward. With only two members, one below the minimum required to fully function, the NLRB is adrift. Advertisement The MGB union election comes as primary care faces a crisis in much of the nation and more doctors are organizing unions. In 2023, primary care physicians at Minneapolis-based Allina Health formed a chapter of the Doctors Council that included more than 600 members. They have been seeking a contract for over a year. 'This idea that attending physicians are more interested in organizing is a very recent phenomenon over the last two to three years,' said Dr. Kevin Schulman, a professor of medicine at Stanford University. From 2000 to 2022, attending physicians Although Massachusetts has some of the most coveted physicians in the world, primary care medicine is broken here, state officials said Among the woes identified by the Health Policy Commission: more patients reporting difficulty finding doctors; physicians struggling with workloads; an aging and burned-out workforce; short-staffed practices; and a meager pipeline of new clinicians. The outlook is unlikely to improve any time soon. Over the next decade, Economics explains the anemic growth. A newly minted doctor can graduate from medical school with over $200,000 in debt. To pay it off, many opt to become specialists, who typically earn much more than primary care doctors. (On average, a full-time family physician with 20 or more years in practice made $292,373 a year in the United States, according to 2022 data from the American Academy of Family Physicians.) Advertisement At MGB, primary care doctors say they are grappling with similar problems faced elsewhere plus some resulting from upheaval at their health system. In particular, they say, 'We have, drip by drip, lost resources and investment that had been given to primary care over the years,' said Dr. Michael Barnett, a primary care doctor at Brigham and a union organizer. 'We are just a chopping block when they need to save money.' Dr. Kristen Gunning, who has been a primary care physician at Mass. General for 17 years, said she had never considered joining a union before she began participating in the effort about 18 months ago. Gunning is considered a part-time employee because she sees patients for 16 hours a week and, in theory, performs four hours of administrative duties. In reality, she said, she works 45 to 50 hours a week because her duties continue to grow, with much of her work taking place before and after she sees patients. That includes answering questions from patients who call her or use the online portal, reading lab and diagnostic test results, reviewing cases of patients who have been hospitalized, calling in prescriptions, and dealing with insurance companies. Primary care doctors picket outside of Brigham and Women's Hospital on Dec. 13, 2024. David L. Ryan/Globe Staff Gunning said Mass. General's leaders promised primary care doctors their first raise in 10 years last fall but withdrew the offer after the physicians petitioned the NLRB to let them form a union. (MGB says NLRB rules barred the system from changing salaries with a union election pending.) Some physicians are so frustrated, Gunning said, that they are retiring earlier than expected, leaving to work at other health systems, or starting concierge practices. Advertisement 'We're losing doctors every day,' she said. MGB says it recognizes the challenges facing primary care doctors and is taking ambitious steps to address them. Klibanski said the money will pay for more than 90 new support staffers and four more doctors. It will also provide more support for 'practices that serve highly complex patients, patients with social needs, and our aging population,' she wrote in an email to staff. The system also intends to create a new position, MGB chief of primary care. MGB gave few details on what else the investment will finance. Nor would the system say where it will get the money; it has complained of financial challenges and recently completed Barnett, like several other primary care doctors, said Klibanski made her announcement largely because of the impending vote to join the Doctors Council, which is part of the Service Employees International Union. (Klibanski says the health system held focus groups with primary care physicians early last year to hear about their challenges.) Advertisement Even if MGB bolsters primary care, said Barnett, an associate professor of health policy and management at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, 'there's absolutely nothing stopping them from cutting it again.' That's why, he said, it's crucial for MGB and unionized doctors to negotiate improvements to primary care in a contract. The ballot-counting at the NLRB regional office on Friday will mark the third time that physicians at MGB have taken steps to form a union in the past two years. In June 2023, about 2,600 doctors-in-training at multiple MGB hospitals voted to join the Committee of Interns and Residents of the SEIU. (Last week, Jonathan Saltzman can be reached at
Daily Mail
5 days ago
- Health
- Daily Mail
Major study identifies common sleep habit that's linked to an early death
If your afternoon naps often last for more than half an hour you could be on your way to an early grave, new research has suggested. A study, by experts from the Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, also found that napping between midday and early afternoon is linked to dying early. This contradicts advice from the NHS and the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. that recommends napping after midday and before mid-afternoon. Napping for durations that wildly vary from day to faced also entails greater health risks. The researchers, who studied almost 90,000 people, found that these alarming associations remained even after accounting for factors like age, sex, body weight, smoking, alcohol use and length of sleep. While experts aren't entirely sure why these three napping habits are linked to early death, there are some potential explanations. It could be that either be longer or irregular naps are a sign of underlying health issues, or this sleeping pattern may disrupt the body's natural rhythms. Other research has found that poor sleep patterns can be a sign of other health issues such as depression, diabetes and heart disease. The new study tracked the health of 86,000 adults with an average age of 63 over the course of 11 years. For one week during the study, they were asked to wear a health tracker device to monitor their sleep. Within the 11 year follow-up period, 5,189 people, six percent of the group, died. While results showed that those with specific napping behaviours were more likely to die, the study cannot prove cause and effect, the scientists cautioned. Previous studies have raised the alarm over the dangers of napping. Earlier this year, a study found that long daytime naps can increase the risk of a stroke by nearly a quarter. Studies suggest that around one in five people in the UK regularly have naps, although the habit is most common in people who sleep for five hours a night or less. A healthy adult is recommended by the NHS to get around seven to nine hours sleep, but age, health, and personal circumstances affect how much you need.
The Sun
7 days ago
- Health
- The Sun
The 3 common sleep habits that increase your risk of dying young – as red flag raised over napping danger
YOU might think a quick kip during the day is harmless – or even healthy. After all, in parts of the Mediterranean, daytime naps - or siestas - are seen as a good way to reboot your system during the post-lunch slump. Earlier this year, scientists from Texas, said that taking an afternoon nap can increase adults problem-solving brain power. But now, new research from the US has flipped that idea on its head, suggesting that certain nap habits could actually raise your risk of dying young. This isn't the first time science has raised concerns - with many experts remaining wary of the adult nap. Previous studies have linked daytime snoozing to a higher risk of d iabetes, obesity and high blood pressure. Now, the latest findings, set to be presented at the SLEEP 2025 annual meeting in June, have identified three key reasons why naps could be so dangerous. "People who slept longer during the day, had irregular daytime sleep patterns, or slept more around midday and early afternoon were at greater risk, even after accounting for health and lifestyle factors," lead author Dr Chenlu Gao, from Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, said. This was especially the case for middle-aged and older adults. The study tracked over 86,000 adults with an average age of 63, monitoring their sleep patterns using apple-watch-like wrist devices for a full week. They found the average daytime nap lasted about 24 minutes, but those who regularly took longer naps or had wildly varying nap lengths from day to day faced a higher risk of dying sooner. Napping most often around midday to early afternoon was linked to greater health risks. I spent three days at a sleep retreat - these are the top 7 things I learnt "This contradicts what we currently know about napping, so further research on that link could be warranted," Dr Chenlu added. Since mid-afternoon is usually the time experts recommend for napping, The participants were followed for up to 11 years, during which time 5,189 people - about 6 per cent of the group - died. The researchers adjusted for factors like age, sex, body weight, smoking, alcohol use, and how much people slept at night to make sure the links with napping weren't simply due to those other risks. Even after accounting for these, the patterns of longer, irregular, or midday naps still stood out as an influencing risk factor. 2 Experts aren't entirely sure why, but it could be that longer or irregular naps signal underlying health problems, or that they disrupt the body's natural rhythms more than previously thought. Other research has shown that poor sleep patterns can sometimes be a sign of other health issues, like heart disease, diabetes, or depression. Both the NHS and the American Academy of Sleep Medicine say keep naps short - around 10 to 30 minutes - and take them before mid-afternoon (around 3 pm). This helps boost energy without messing up your nighttime sleep or leaving you groggy. But you give up napping for good, the experts note that more research is needed to fully understand the risks, especially since the current study can only show links, not cause and effect. New research has found that certain daytime sleep patterns could increase your risk of dying young — especially if you're middle-aged or older. 1. Long naps Napping for longer than 30 minutes regularly was linked to higher mortality risk. Experts say short 'power naps' of 20–30 minutes are best. 2. Irregular nap schedules People whose nap durations varied wildly from day to day faced greater health risks. Keeping a consistent nap routine may help. 3. Napping around midday to early afternoon Although this is often the recommended time to nap, the study found people who napped most during these hours had an increased risk of early death.
Yahoo
25-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
The Magnesium-Rich Fruit That Can Also Help With Inflammation
When you think about foods that are the best sources of magnesium, beans, nuts and seeds might come to mind. But don't forget about their sweet and tangy plant friends — plenty of fruits are also solid sources of magnesium and shouldn't be left off your plate. Magnesium is a mineral that is found naturally in many foods, but isn't produced by our body. According to Abeer Bader, R.D., clinical nutrition manager at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, magnesium has an array of benefits. It's been shown to help with stress, sleep, constipation, nerve and muscle function, blood pressure, heart health, blood sugar regulation and bone health. In fact, a 2023 study showed that eating more magnesium-rich foods is linked with better brain health as we age — especially in women — and potentially lowers the risk of dementia. 'Magnesium plays a role in almost every single reaction in our body,' says Erica Leon, R.D., a nutrition expert based in New York City. While she acknowledges the importance of magnesium in our diet, Leon emphasizes the importance of how magnesium works in concert with other vitamins in our body. 'My main take-home message is for everyone is to have a varied diet,' says Leon. One interesting thing to note is that if you're trying to up your intake of magnesium, you might want to focus on other nutrients as well. According to Bader, vitamin B6 helps transport magnesium to our cells and potassium and magnesium help with electrolyte disturbances that can cause weakness and fatigue. 'They're all partners,' says Bader. Now that the weather is warm, many fruits are in season. Load your plate with the magnesium-rich fruits below to support better all-star of the Mediterranean diet, one cup of dried figs offers an impressive 101mg of magnesium. Known for their beneficial influence on gastrointestinal, respiratory, inflammatory, metabolic and cardiovascular disorders, figs are also high in fiber and a number of micronutrients that include iron, potassium, calcium and vitamin K. RELATED: 8 Natural Remedies to Reduce InflammationOne cup of raw passion fruit packs a whopping 68.4 mg of magnesium. In addition to its hefty load of magnesium, passion fruit is a good source of fiber, antioxidants and vitamins A and C. A 2024 study even showed that when healthy people drank passion fruit juice, their blood glucose levels were significantly lower and their working ability was enhanced. Move over, coffee, passion fruit has something to star of the healthful Mediterranean diet, one cup of dried apricots offers a solid 41.6 mg of magnesium. Data shows they are also high in vitamin A, niacin, vitamin E, iron, potassium and calcium. Plus, the fruit has been known to help improve gastrointestinal, respiratory, inflammatory, metabolic and cardiovascular of the best-known sources of potassium, one medium banana also provides 32 mg of magnesium. It has been shown to be anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-cancer and anti-diabetic. Interestingly, it's not only the fruit of the banana that is healthful — the peel contains phenolic compounds that may potentially lower the risk of chronic diseases like heart disease, diabetes and certain types of in vitamins A and C, one cup of sliced papaya also offers 30.4 mg of magnesium. Papaya is more than just a beautiful fruit — its color is caused by its high-levels of lycopene, which is known for its cancer fighting properties. Surprisingly, it's not carrots or tomatoes that are the superstars of beta-carotene. The uptake of beta-carotene from papayas were three times higher in and mighty, a 1-cup serving of blackberries has 28.8 mg of magnesium. These little treats are also rich in antioxidants and fiber, calcium, potassium and vitamins A, B, C, E and K. Full of anthocyanin, which gives the fruit its rich color, blackberries are known to help prevent heart disease. RELATED: 10 High-Protein Fruits, According to NutritionistsKiwi is most known for its high levels of vitamin C which studies have shown increases a person's psychological well-being. Even better is its additional health-boosting magnesium. One cup of kiwi provides 28.8 mg of magnesium, an added bonus on top of its good mood serving size, about half a cup of avocado, offers 22 mg of magnesium, along with heart-healthy monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. In fact, a 2022 study of men and women with a higher intake of avocado (more than two servings a week) showed a lower risk of cardiovascular and coronary heart disease. Avocados have even shown themselves to be influential in the choices we make while eating. A 2024 study found that participants who ate one avocado a day had healthier eating habits for its high levels of vitamin C, one orange also provides 15. mg of magnesium. Studies have shown that oranges offer antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. They may also support gut microbiota, aid weight management, enhance cognitive function and maintain healthy blood lipid, glucose and pressure levels. RELATED: The 14 Best Foods to Boost Brain Health and Memory You Might Also Like 67 Best Gifts for Women That'll Make Her Smile The Best Pillows for Every Type of Sleeper
Boston Globe
18-05-2025
- Health
- Boston Globe
Trump's cuts threaten our global standing in biomedical research
In my 50 years of experience in cancer drug development at the National Cancer Institute and at Massachusetts General Hospital, the primacy of US researchers in biomedical research and drug development has been unchallenged. The withdrawal of funding for research in American universities could have dire consequences for health care and for the competitive position of Boston and the United States in this important field. Dr. Bruce Chabner Newton The writer is a professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and clinical director emeritus of the Mass General Cancer Center.
