Batya Swift Yasgur, MA, LSW

Contributing Writer https://www.empr.com

Batya Swift Yasgur MA, LSW, is a freelance medical writer who writes news, features, CME materials, and books for a variety of venues and target audiences, including healthcare professionals and consumers. She has a passion for human rights activism and is the author of Behind the Burqa (John Wiley, 2002), a memoir of 2 Afghan sisters who escaped Afghanistan. In addition, she holds the 1995 Robert L. Fish Award for Best First Published Mystery Story. Her fiction has appeared in Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine and several other publications. Beyond her desire to contribute to people's health and wellbeing through her writing, Batya offers emotional/spiritual support to clients in her Teaneck, New Jersey-based counseling practice to facilitate their journeys toward healing.

All articles by Batya Swift Yasgur, MA, LSW

Features

COVID-19 Vaccine Allocation: Ethical Concerns, Practical Challenges

Batya Swift Yasgur, MA, LSW

November 2, 2020

In the event of a likely scarcity of COVID-19 vaccines, a framework must be developed to inform who should get priority.

Features

Seven Tips for Managing Healthcare Teamwork During a Pandemic

Batya Swift Yasgur, MA, LSW

July 16, 2020

COVID-19 has brought unprecedented stress to society at large and perhaps most of all to frontline healthcare teams in a variety of settings. We spoke to an expert about teamwork during such trying times.

Features

Reopening Your Practice: 10 Tips for Navigating a Complex Process

Batya Swift Yasgur, MA, LSW

June 4, 2020

Physicians should remain cognizant that this is a rapidly and continually evolving situation and that, although some regulations are being relaxed as the country reopens, there might be an increase in cases.

Features

Seven Things to Consider When Transitioning to Telemedicine During COVID-19

Batya Swift Yasgur, MA, LSW

April 28, 2020

The use of telemedicine has been surging since the onset of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), with millions of Americans now using this medium for connecting with their clinicians, according to a report that appeared in Kaiser Health News.1 The increase in use of this modality can be attributed to fears of contracting COVID-19, social distancing…

Features

Support and Self-Care for Clinicians During COVID-19: An Interview With Jesse Clark, DO

Batya Swift Yasgur, MA, LSW

April 7, 2020

To shed light on how clinical practice is dealing in this time of COVID-19, we spoke with Jesse Clark, DO, Associate Program Director of Education at the Community East Family Medicine Residency and Clinical Chairperson of Family Medicine at Marian University College of Osteopathic Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana.

Features

Helping Patients Quit Smoking: A Road Map for Clinicians

Batya Swift Yasgur, MA, LSW

January 21, 2020

Successful smoking cessation involves a 2-pronged approach, since there are 2 components to smoking – physiological and behavioral, according to Nervana Elkhadragy, PharmD, MS, TTS, of Purdue University, College of Pharmacy, Indianapolis.

Features, News

Dress for Success: Physician Attire May Influence Patients’ Perception of Care

Batya Swift Yasgur, MA, LSW

December 23, 2019

“A good first impression can work wonders,” author JK Rowling writes in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.1 Conversely, a negative first impression can have long-lasting adverse repercussions.2 “First impressions” are based not only on the verbal content of the interaction, but also on appearance and demeanor and other nonverbal components.3 This is…

Features, News

Consider CBD-Drug Interaction Potential: An Expert Interview

Batya Swift Yasgur, MA, LSW

October 25, 2019

To shed light on this complex subject, MPR interviewed Joshua D Brown, PharmD, PhD, Assistant Professor, Pharmaceutical Outcomes & Policy.

Features, News

Should Aging Physicians Be Required to Undergo Cognitive Testing? Three Experts Weigh In

Batya Swift Yasgur, MA, LSW

September 16, 2019

The issue of aging physicians poses serious challenges to the medical profession, with concerns that judgment or skills might decline with age.

Features

Do Your Patients Consult Google Before They Consult You? An Expert Interview

Batya Swift Yasgur, MA, LSW

August 26, 2019

A 2013 Pew Research Center and Internet Life Project report found that 59% of US adults said that they turned to the Internet regarding a health problem during the past year.