Why Chicago Became Such a Great City for Medical Innovation Columns

Why Chicago Became Such a Great City for Medical Innovation

Fact checked by Derick Wilder   I am a history buff. So when I heard about the theme for this issue of…

Do No Harm Features

Do No Harm

Exploring Chicago’s rich history of physician activism   Fact checked by Derick Wilder   The day that physician residents and fellows…

Considering the Dangers of Breathing Columns

Considering the Dangers of Breathing

On one of those first gorgeous spring days when Chicago reminds us why we live here, my eldest son, Harry,…

Never Not Hunting for a Diagnosis Columns

Never Not Hunting for a Diagnosis

My two boys are perfect. They are void of the trappings of time: wrinkles, scars, clogged pores, hunched shoulders, bulbus…

Public Safety and Public Health: Sharing the Bike Lane Columns

Public Safety and Public Health: Sharing the Bike Lane

I have long said that I’m not a true Chicagoan because I haven’t been doored. If you’re not familiar with…

It’s Never Too Late to Make Yourself Superhuman or, at Least, Healthy Columns

It’s Never Too Late to Make Yourself Superhuman or, at Least, Healthy

It’s a fight against time — our age versus our health. Getting old ain’t for the weak. It is for…

In Appreciation of Us All Columns

In Appreciation of Us All

“I appreciate you,” my friend Joan Gordon often said. Well, Joan wasn’t just my friend. She was our friend, here…

The Support No One Wants (But Everyone Needs) Columns

The Support No One Wants (But Everyone Needs)

This morning, I attended a virtual funeral for Brad Rosner. He was 36. Bile duct cancer. Gone just 36 days…

Celebrating 10 Years: Top Chicago Health Stories of Each Year Latest News

Celebrating 10 Years: Top Chicago Health Stories of Each Year

Chicago Health turned 10 this year, and while other major events took a priority over our planned celebration, we’re proud…

It’s Not You, It’s All of Us Reasonable Hypochondria

It’s Not You, It’s All of Us

Should we cancel it? I think we should cancel it.” I agreed with my wife. It was March 11. Our…

The Cool Dad Reasonable Hypochondria

The Cool Dad

I like to think of myself as a man of action. Drop me in any situation that needs some doing or…

Mind & Body: What a Pain Reasonable Hypochondria

Mind & Body: What a Pain

Shortly after I turned 31, I was diagnosed with shingles. Born of the same virus as chickenpox, shingles is a…

Dreaming of Meaning Reasonable Hypochondria

Dreaming of Meaning

It was the night before my brother’s wedding. I was getting ready for the rehearsal dinner. One last check in…

Prenatal Paternal Panic Reasonable Hypochondria

Prenatal Paternal Panic

I’m going to be a dad. It’s happening. The thing I’ve been planning for and dreading most of my adult…

This Old Body Reasonable Hypochondria

This Old Body

I’ve always enjoyed birthdays. Mine falls around Memorial Day, near the birthdays of several family members and friends. With the…

Life After Cancer Columns

Life After Cancer

By David Himmel Above photo: Abigail Mendoza. Photo by Angela Garbot It’s been almost three years since I was diagnosed…

Chicago Brain Doc Goes Hollywood Neurology

Chicago Brain Doc Goes Hollywood

Above photo: Will Smith, left, and Alec Baldwin star in Columbia Pictures’ “Concussion.” Photo by Melinda Sue Gordon. © 2015 Columbia Pictures Industries,…

Got Milk (Intolerance)? Gastroenterology

Got Milk (Intolerance)?

By David Himmel, with reporting from Brett Dworski My mother tells me she never liked mint chocolate chip ice cream…

Up for Grabs Features

Up for Grabs

An adventure through the evolving science of organ transplantation By David Himmel It is late morning in early May 2014.…

Chicago Bears Tackle Skin Cancer Dermatology

Chicago Bears Tackle Skin Cancer

By David Himmel The Chicago Bears have teamed up with the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) to help protect fans…

Skin Cancer: A Cautionary Tale Cancer

Skin Cancer: A Cautionary Tale

Diagnosed with basal cell carcinoma, everything is called into question By David Himmel You wouldn’t have known it by looking…

Chicago Ranks at the Top of the Nation’s Worst Readmissions Rates Business of Healthcare

Chicago Ranks at the Top of the Nation’s Worst Readmissions Rates

By David Himmel In most businesses, a strong and frequent returning-customer base is a sure sign of long-standing success. But…

Awareness Related to Colorectal Cancer Helps Reduce the Number of Deaths Cancer

Awareness Related to Colorectal Cancer Helps Reduce the Number of Deaths

By David Himmel March is Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month, and here’s what you need to know: Colorectal cancer is tricky.…

Scaredy Kids Family Health

Scaredy Kids

The trick to mastering a kid’s fear makes for a real treat By David Himmel One of my life’s crowning…

Business of Healthcare

News In Brief

Enrollment for Obamacare Continues Despite Government Shutdown Among technical and congressional glitches, the Affordable Healthcare Act’s mandated health insurance registration…

The Flu Outbreak

Why it broke and whether it’s fixed By David Himmel It begins with an ache. Then a chill. And before…