cover story one
Histotripsy
New Game-Changing Technology
By ASHWIN S. KAMATH, MBBS
Hepatocentrism is the widely held belief among many ancient civilizations that the liver is the center of the human being and from it sprang life, the soul, emotions and intelligence. This belief persisted into the Middle Ages and was frequently referenced in art and literature.
Although modern science suggests this may not specifically be the case, the liver is vital to survival. It is the largest organ inside the body and has the unique ability to regenerate up to 70% of lost or damaged tissue in as quickly as six weeks. The first successful liver transplant occurred in 1967. In 2025, more than 12,300 liver transplants were performed in the United States. Today, liver cancer accounts for almost 5% of all cancer deaths.
Cover story two
Female Urinary Incontinence
A difficult discussion
By Shravya Kovela, PT, DPT, OCS
Stress urinary incontinence (SUI) is one of the most common conditions family physicians will never hear about, not because their patients don’t have it, but because most won’t bring it up unless asked directly. Research suggests that 62% of adult women experience urinary incontinence (UI), compared to 15% of men, yet only about a third ever discuss their symptoms with a physician. Most who stay silent don’t do so out of ignorance about the condition. They simply decided, on their own, that it isn’t bad enough to mention, or that nothing could be done about it.
Administration
Minnesota’s Medicaid Fraud Crackdown Unintended negative consequences
By Alea Zemlicka
A Minnesota clinic sought to add a new provider to its practice, submitting a Medicaid enrollment application on March 24, 2026. By early July, more than 100 days later, the application still had not been reviewed. When Integrity Health Network (IHN), which handles credentialing for the clinic, called the Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS) to ask why, staff said the application would be handled “in the order it was received.” Two weeks later, an application submitted in July, months after the March application, was approved. submitted.
Interview
Financial Wellness for Health Care Professionals
Joel Swanson is the president and CEO of Associated Healthcare Credit Union
Health Care Architecture Honor Roll
By
Minnesota Physician Publishing
For the past 38 years, Minnesota Physician’s Health Care Architecture Honor Roll has recognized outstanding achievement in new facilities design. Medicaid funding cuts have put unprecedented financial strain on hospitals and clinics, ignoring how this affects many fundamental elements of delivering health care that requires a physical structure. Population growth and larger physical spaces to accommodate modern and constantly evolving technology, coupled with the natural process of buildings aging and becoming obsolete, requires ongoing new construction and remodeling. These considerations can be seen in many of the projects featured this year. Our thanks to all those who participated in the nomination and production process of presenting this year’s Honor Roll.
