Beyond The Stethoscope

Arn Facklam, NP, FHM
  • 5.0 (4)
  • Medicine

Why do ER visits take so long? Behind-the-scenes explanations of healthcare- helping people understand what really happens in hospitals, emergency departments, and the medical system in clear plain language. From the creator of PlainSpeak Health, your secure portal to translate your medical information into plain English.

  1. 2d ago

    The Doctor Said "Hospice." Here's What That Actually Means.

    "Hospice." It's the word families hear as giving up — and it isn't. In this episode I untangle the two most confused words in the hospital: hospice and palliative care. What each one actually does, when each one starts, the myths that frighten families (hospice does not speed up dying, and it's not a one-way door), and the one sentence that holds the whole difference: all hospice is palliative care, but not all palliative care is hospice. Explained the way I explain it at the bedside, at two in the morning. 📥 Free download — the PlainSpeak Hospital Survival Toolkit: the checklists and questions that help your family through a hospital stay, starting with the first 24 hours: https://beyond-the-stethoscope.kit.com/toolkit #HospiceCare #PalliativeCare #FamilyCaregivers

  2. Oct 25

    Your Medicare is Ending? 3 Things to Do Before December 30th

    If a letter showed up in your mailbox this month saying your Medicare Advantage plan is ending, you are not alone — and you are not in trouble. But you do have homework. UnitedHealthcare and Humana are ending plans that cover about a million people, and those plans end December 31. Here's the part the letter buries: the company is cancelling its plan. It is NOT cancelling your Medicare. Your Part A and Part B are untouched, and your current plan covers you through the end of the year. In this video, the three moves to make, in order: 1. USE OPEN ENROLLMENT (open now through December 7) Most people will pick a new Medicare Advantage plan. Before the premium, check two things: are your doctors and your hospital in the new plan's network — and are your actual prescriptions on its drug list, at a tier you can afford? 2. KNOW YOUR SPECIAL WINDOW (through February 28) Because your plan was cancelled on you — you didn't leave it — you get a special enrollment period that runs through February 28. But don't treat February as a cushion: to start new coverage January 1 with no gap, enroll by December 31. 3. LOOK AT THE MEDIGAP DOOR WHILE IT'S OPEN When an Advantage plan is cancelled, you get a guaranteed-issue right: from about 60 days before your plan ends to 63 days after (roughly early November through early March), you can buy certain Medigap plans with NO health questions asked. Keep that cancellation letter — it's your proof, and your ticket. ⚠️ The one thing you cannot do is nothing. If January 1 arrives and you've chosen nothing, you're placed on Original Medicare alone — no drug coverage, and no cap on the 20% Medicare doesn't pay. FREE HELP THAT ISN'T SELLING YOU ANYTHING: • Medicare.gov — the Plan Finder runs your doctors and prescriptions against every plan in your county • 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) — a real person will walk it with you • SHINE — Florida's free counseling program (every state has one; counselors earn nothing from your choice) One warning: this is the season scam calls bloom. Medicare will never call you out of the blue to sell you a plan. If someone does, hang up — and never give your Medicare number to a stranger who called you. 📋 THE FREE HOSPITAL SURVIVAL TOOLKIT The checklist I wish every family had before they ever needed it: https://beyond-the-stethoscope.kit.com/toolkit I'm Arn Facklam, Nurse Practitioner and Fellow of Hospital Medicine, with over 30 years working in hospitals. Subscribe to PlainSpeak Health for plain-language health guidance — and read the letter. This video is education only. It is not insurance advice, and I don't enroll anyone in anything. For help with your specific situation, use Medicare.gov, 1-800-MEDICARE, or your state's free SHINE/SHIP counselors. ⚠️ The one thing you cannot do is nothing. If January 1 arrives and you've chosen nothing, you're placed on Original Medicare alone — no drug coverage, and no cap on the 20% Medicare doesn't pay. #Medicare #MedicareAdvantage #OpenEnrollment

  3. Oct 23

    Avoid These 5 Mistakes When Your Loved Ones in the ICU

    When someone you love lands in the ICU, the first 24 hours can feel overwhelming—and even the most caring families can make mistakes without realizing it. Join Arn Facklam, nurse practitioner and Fellow of Hospital Medicine, as he explains five common mistakes and what to do instead. Learn why choosing one family spokesperson, getting rest, and sharing your loved one’s normal routine can help you work with the ICU team. We’ll also discuss how to keep the monitors from taking over your attention and why you should never feel embarrassed to ask questions. You’ll leave with a simple notebook habit to help you organize updates, remember questions, and prepare for important conversations. For more guidance, explore my book, ICU: What Every Family Should Know, at https://ps-health.com. Subscribe to PlainSpeak Health for clear, practical explanations that help you understand what’s going on in a hospital—in plain English. Check Out my book ICU: What Every Family Should Know: https://www.amazon.com/ICU-What-Every-Family-Should-ebook/dp/B0HLKHHPR4/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2GEUM7JN074T7&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.gXTBVZgnDTrLf_J3oE3EaM_91DtdsDA82snqjRGK-cgE4DClAic8JfVu-pXU7uQcKuEBC-qOT3iFaKdwptIGnKuqaOdVtkVwmREoMo3sV89Otgvx_mVjLK3WQjbE7homIjPbl2IIYPju5pwHxxF-vSqdJ2IPt0ovE3hpFzKMRQuvlFTlXeBm6GRpxfXZcvjkdQPOW53fiu-AeEwDOM79NytoKJBRcDJ_w-pZRnKtM3E.Ecl3y0uTKAkZAtwZxg8ZiaYgqInyPx68A2FsautUQDw&dib_tag=se&keywords=icu+what+every+family+should+know&qid=1792756093&sprefix=ICU%3A+What+%2Caps%2C182&sr=8-1

  4. Oct 17

    Home or Rehab? The 6 Things That Actually Decide It.

    The discharge planner says it gently: "We're recommending rehab." And just like that, the question nobody prepared you for is sitting in the middle of the room. Home or rehab is one of the biggest decisions a family makes in a hospital — and it's usually made in about fifteen minutes, with nobody explaining what it's actually based on. In this episode, I walk you through the six things the care team is really weighing: how safely your loved one can get up and move; whether they can handle the basics — bathing, dressing, getting to the toilet; what the house itself will demand of them; who's actually home to help; the medical homework that follows them out the door; and whether their recovery is moving fast enough for home to be safe. Here's what matters most: hearing "rehab" is not the end of the conversation. I'll show you what families can do — and ask — in the first day after that recommendation to change the answer, or to make peace with it. Because rehab isn't a detour. It's a bridge — if it's the right bridge. FREE DOWNLOAD — The PlainSpeak Hospital Survival Toolkit. Chapter 1: the 10 questions to ask before leaving the hospital. Chapter 2: The First 24 Hours, a roadmap for day one. Get it free here: https://beyond-the-stethoscope.kit.com/toolkit WATCH the full video version on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n8GmCpGRPIw — Arn Facklam, Nurse Practitioner and Fellow of Hospital Medicine, with over 30 years working in hospitals. Beyond the Stethoscope: plain-language conversations about healthcare, from the people who live it. New episodes every Saturday. This episode is general education for patients and families — not medical advice for any individual. Always follow the guidance of your own care team.

  5. Sep 23

    Advanced Directives: What Exactly Do They Mean?

    Advance directives are something many of us have heard about—but do we really understand what they mean when a medical crisis happens? In this episode of Beyond the Stethoscope, we break down advance directives in clear, everyday language. We explore what these documents can—and cannot—do when someone is too sick to speak for themselves. You’ll learn why choosing the right healthcare decision-maker may be just as important as completing the paperwork. We’ll also discuss why conversations with the people you love should happen long before anyone reaches the emergency room or ICU. Because the best time to make your wishes known is before someone else has to guess what they are.

  6. Sep 12

    S2 E7 Too Many Medications? When The Treatment Becomes The Problem

    Every medication may have been prescribed for a good reason—but is every one still helping? In this episode, Arn Facklam explains how multiple medications can contribute to dizziness, falls, confusion, bleeding, kidney problems, and avoidable hospitalizations. Learn what deprescribing means and why medication side effects are sometimes mistaken for new illnesses. You’ll also hear five important questions to ask during your next medication review.

  7. Sep 8

    S2 E6 -Kratom: Natural Doesn't Mean Harmless

    Kratom is often marketed as a natural herbal product, but “natural” does not automatically mean safe. In this episode, we explain what kratom is, why people use it, and how it can affect the brain and body. We explore the risks of dependence, withdrawal, side effects, drug interactions, and potentially serious complications. Most importantly, we separate the marketing claims from what people need to know to make informed decisions about kratom.

  8. Sep 1

    BEYOND THE STETHOSCOPE -S2 E5 -SUPER BUGS : WHEN ANTIBIOTICS STOP WORKING (AND WHY)

    Superbugs are bacteria that have learned how to survive the antibiotics we rely on to treat infections—and they’re becoming a growing concern in healthcare. In this episode of Beyond the Stethoscope, we break down what makes a “superbug” super, how antibiotic resistance develops, and why it matters to all of us. We’ll also look at what each of us can do to help protect ourselves and slow the spread of antibiotic resistance. This isn’t about being afraid of antibiotics—it’s about understanding how to use these lifesaving medications wisely so they’ll still work when we truly need them.

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About

Why do ER visits take so long? Behind-the-scenes explanations of healthcare- helping people understand what really happens in hospitals, emergency departments, and the medical system in clear plain language. From the creator of PlainSpeak Health, your secure portal to translate your medical information into plain English.

Information

  • Creator
    Arn Facklam, NP, FHM
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    46
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Arn Facklam, NP, FHM
  • Show Website
    Beyond The Stethoscope