logo
episode-header-image
Oct 2021
21m 46s

10. The Mystery of the Man with Confusio...

Freakonomics Radio + Stitcher
About this episode

Hear diagnostician Gurpreet Dhaliwal try to solve the case of a patient who came to the emergency room with an unusual combination of symptoms. Plus, we discuss how difficult it is to separate the signal from the noise when treating patients, and how cognitive biases factor into doctors’ decision-making.

Up next
Jul 2023
The Economics of Everyday Things: Animal Urine
In the newest show from the Freakonomics Radio Network, host Zachary Crockett explores the hidden side of the things around us. This week: One creature’s trash is another’s cash. (Or, how one man found profit in pee.) 
12m 57s
Jul 2023
Tom Brady, A.D.H.D., and a Really Bad Headache (Bonus)
A sneak peek at Bapu's new book, Random Acts of Medicine, available now from Doubleday, and an announcement about the show. 
37m 40s
Mar 2023
78. Do Kids Cause Divorce?
Couples get divorced for all kinds of reasons. Is having kids one of them? Bapu talks about research that investigates what happens to parents who unexpectedly have twins. Plus, an announcement about the future of the show. 
18m 50s
Recommended Episodes
Aug 2021
Episode 1: Deciding When and Who Should Start Acute Dialysis - From Evidence to Bedside Practice
In this episode, Dr. Ravi Mehta and Dr. Marlies Ostermann discuss the controversy around defining the optimal timing for starting dialysis in critically ill patients. Dr. Osterman highlights the most relevant parameters that influence when to offer, start, and stop dialysis and g ... Show More
13m 32s
Jun 2023
Diagnosis and Management of Migraine in Ten Steps
Dr. Messoud Ashina shares a ten-step approach for the diagnosis and management of migraines in various patient populations. Show references: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41572-021-00328-4 This podcast is sponsored by argenx. Visit www.vyvgarthcp.com for more information. 
4m 3s
May 2022
How doctors communicate with Indigenous patients
Doctors at Royal Darwin hospital struggle to communicate with Aboriginal patients, but a podcast featuring Aboriginal elders answering doctors’ questions aims to help better deliver culturally safe care. 
8m 42s
Nov 2023
Approach to Diuresis
Dr. Leslie Chang, a hospitalist at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), discusses an approach to diuresis with host Dr. Joyce Zhou, a resident at MGH and core Run the List podcast member. Together, they discuss determining a patient's volume status via history, physical exam, an ... Show More
27m 1s
Feb 2024
Using AI to Help Doctors Save Lives
Every year in the U.S., tens of thousands of hospital patients die of preventable causes. For many of these patients, warning signs are subtle and easy for doctors to miss. Suchi Saria is the founder and CEO of Bayesian Health, and a professor at Johns Hopkins where she runs a la ... Show More
39m 50s
Oct 2016
003: E = Empathy — Does It Really Make a Difference?
How an encounter with a patient with paranoid schizophrenia dramatically changed the course of his career The 5 Secrets of Effective Communication How to talk with your EAR Dr. Burns also discusses what therapists can do when you are angry with a patient you don’t like a patient ... Show More
39m 36s
Sep 2021
Will This Patient Be Difficult to Intubate? A Rational Clinical Examination Review
Recognizing a potentially difficult intubation can help clinicians prepare for complications by getting assistance from colleagues with airway training and by ensuring advanced airway management equipment is available. Michael E. Detsky, MD, MSHP, assistant professor of medicine ... Show More
16m 35s
Jan 2022
SMNTY Classics: Do doctors listen to women?
Do doctors listen to female patients? Women often complain of doctors not taking symptoms seriously, and patient-doctor mistrust is nothing new. Tune in to this classic episode to learn more about this relationship, including how stress influences a female patient's diagnosis. Le ... Show More
35m 11s
Mar 2023
DECOUVERTE - Douleurs lombaires : le diagnostic était loin d'être celui auquel s'attendait le médecin
En 2016, le médecin généraliste Jean-Marc Aydin reçoit dans son cabinet un de ses patients qu'il connait bien, qu'il suit pour des problèmes bénins. L'homme, un père de famille d'une trentaine d'années, consulte cette fois pour des douleurs lombaires, une pathologie très fréquent ... Show More
20m 9s