Wendy S. Harpham, M.D., F.A.C.P.

7989 Belt Line Road

Dallas, TX, 75248

972-795-3029

Helping others through the synergy of science and caring

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Wendy S. Harpham, M.D., F.A.C.P.

Wednesdays with Wendy blog on Healthy Survivorship

WEDNESDAYS WITH WENDY

Hopeful news and views
on Healthy Survivorship

Chatbots as Healthcare Consultants--Part II

April 22, 2026 Wendy Harpham

The newest members of many medical teams are chatbots—computer programs designed to simulate human conversation. No matter how compassionate the answers may sound, chatbots do not care about you because they are incapable of caring about you! And, they have no responsibility for their impact on you.

With those two facts in mind, chatbots can be useful in optimizing your care. Three tips for using them to learn about your condition or make decisions about your care:

With those two facts in mind, they can be useful in optimizing your care when learning about your condition or making decisions about your care. Three tips:

Chatbots as Healthcare Consultants

March 25, 2026 Wendy Harpham

Approximately one in three adults consults artificial intelligence platforms for health information and advice, according to

One of the Tough Decisions as a Caregiver

March 11, 2026 Wendy Harpham

It’s a decision that can challenge even experienced caregivers: How hard do I push the patient to go to the emergency room if (s)he doesn’t want to?

One of the Tough Decisions as a Patient

March 4, 2026 Wendy Harpham

It’s a decision that can challenge even the most experienced patient: Should I go to the emergency room or wait until my doctor’s office opens?

A Practical, Comforting Primer for Newly Diagnosed Patients

September 14, 2023 Wendy Harpham

Jen Singer is an accomplished medical writer who wrote a book you can judge by the cover. This remarkable 78-page primer guides people through the transition from “healthy” to “sick.”

The Best Decisions are Governed by Values

September 10, 2017 Wendy Harpham

A man's decision to donate one of his kidneys to a stranger offers Healthy Survivors a provocative insight on decision-making.

When Implants Cause Cancer

May 14, 2017 Wendy Harpham

Journalists often use heartbreaking stories to make a point. Those stories thrill me when they educate and mobilize people to proper action. They worry me when they risk causing undue fear and leading people away from proper action.

A Risk of Empowering Patients--Part II

January 1, 2017 Wendy Harpham

Not all patients embrace the idea of patient empowerment. In particular, some patients don't want to be actively involved in their treatment decisions. Others don't want to hear lists of things they should be doing to optimize their outcome. Why?

Making the Best Medical Decisions - Part III

November 28, 2016 Wendy Harpham

Are you a believer or a doubter, when it comes to modern medicine?

Making the Best Medical Decisions - Part II

November 7, 2016 Wendy Harpham

To make wise medical decisions, you need to know whether you are a believer in modern medicine or a doubter.

Making the Best Medical Decisions

October 28, 2016 Wendy Harpham

Making the best medical decisions for you is vital to Healthy Survivorship, and not only because doing so optimizes your chance of the best outcome. If you end up with a disappointing treatment result, your prior decisions affect--and may determine--your happiness....

Self-Advocacy and Healthy Survivorship

September 28, 2016 Wendy Harpham

The National Breast Cancer Foundation just published my guest blog post on self-advocacy, in which I explained how "The first time I heard that term in a medical context it conjured images of clench-fisted activists picketing in front of hospitals, demanding better care. Actually, self-advocacy is simply the act of....

The Difficulty of Reporting Minor Symptoms--Part III

September 8, 2016 Wendy Harpham

Recent posts outlined some of the many reasons patients may experience conflict and distress when deciding whether to call about minor symptoms. What's a Healthy Survivor to do?

The Difficulty of Reporting Minor Symptoms -- Part II

August 30, 2016 Wendy Harpham

What's challenging about reporting minor symptoms? They're less frightening. Shouldn't they be easier to report? Like many long-term survivors (LTS), I've felt torn between...

The Difficulty of Reporting Minor Symptoms

August 19, 2016 Wendy Harpham

After someone has been through cancer treatment and recovery, a new mild symptom is no big deal, right? Well, maybe. In the next few posts, we'll explore the difficulty of reporting minor symptoms in long-term survivors (LTS) who want to be Healthy Survivors.

A Cancer in the Family

July 22, 2016 Wendy Harpham

If you ever wondered if you might be at increased risk of cancer because a family member has or had cancer, this book is for you: A Cancer in the Family by Theodora Ross, MD, PhD.

Colonoscopy Comparison

July 16, 2016 Wendy Harpham

Colonoscopy naturally makes you think of all the inconvenience and yuck. Here’s the problem: If you compare the colonoscopy experience to your normal routine, you might be tempted to delay (or decline) the cancer screening test.