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October 2005
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Some conservative groups think the cervical cancer vaccine will promote teenage sex. "What the Bush administration has done has taken this coterie of people and put them into very influential positions in Washington. And it's having an effect in debates like this." (via FARK.com)
The more things change, the more they stay the same:
Drug makers have come under fire for "ask your doctor" style advertising and have vowed to change their ways, but research data shows they are spending more on direct-to-consumer (DTC) prescription drug advertising in 2005 than they did last year.
A doctor wants to drug test all high school students for marijuana. "Perth doctor George O'Neil suggests that high schools should test students for marijuana use as part of an annual health check and if they fail, they would be forced to undergo monthly tests." (via FARK.com)
Doctors offices in Florida still have no power - emergency rooms are swamped. "Six days after Hurricane Wilma, more than 1 million people are still without power and many doctors offices have been closed for a week. That leaves hospitals - now the only source of medical care in some communities - swamped with routine medical problems."
Skewed priority: Grocery stores are receiving flu vaccines before doctor's offices. "The patients are asking why don't we have it if Stop & Shop is saying they have vaccine available."
I'm asking that same question too. (via Medpundit)
Immigrant populations are practicing some dangerous health practices. "Teresa Muñoz of San Bernardino died last year following an injection of an antibiotic she'd purchased from an unlicensed practitioner at a Rialto swap meet.
Rialto police said Muñoz bought the antibiotic and a syringe in September 2004, and the merchant showed her how to inject herself at home.
But the 42-year-old Mexican immigrant, who was seeking relief from ...
The FDA is taking a look at celebrity endorsements of drugs. "It's hard to imagine a setting in which a celebrity endorsement of a drug conveys any meaningful information to patients in terms of either efficacy or side effects."
News flash: Ordering more tests increases health care spending. "Dr. Brenda Sirovich, assistant professor of medicine at Dartmouth Medical School, published a report last week in which she and her research team concluded that higher health care spending is driven in large part by physicians ordering more tests, referrals and treatments."
Quicken Medical Expense Manager
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The NY Times recently wrote about the bewildering array of paperwork that accompanies the patient anytime they use the medical system:
Medical paperwork is a world of co-payments and co-insurers, deductibles, exclusions and contracted fees. Nothing is as it seems: patients receive ...
New Jersey keeps feeding the plaintiff lawyers. "And of course whenever this topic comes up here, someone always trots out the red-herring study showing that plaintiff-bar parasitism only increases the cost of health insurance by one or two percent. The real costs are indirect, as providers overprescribe diagnostics and procedures designed more to insulate themselves from malpractice awards than from improving outcomes for patients, and decline to provide certain services ...
A home health company was giving out fake flu shots. "As many as 1,000 Exxon Mobil employees and 14 residents of a senior citizens home were injected with fake flu vaccine, authorities said Friday, and the owner of a home health care company was arrested.
Preliminary tests indicated the syringes were filled with purified water, U.S. Attorney Chuck Rosenberg said. And no ill effects from the shots were reported."
GruntDoc links to the best emergency nurse rap video I've seen.
Not a misprint: Doctors and lawyers are working together in Tennessee. "Doctors and lawyers _ often natural-born enemies in the courtroom _ are joining forces in Chattanooga in an experimental effort to keep junk science and dubious malpractice cases out of court.
Under the program, judges presiding over malpractice cases will select an independent doctor from out of state to evaluate the testimony of potential expert witnesses and help ...
Supporters of Dr. Bennett picket at a pretrial hearing.
"We have to stick up for Dr. Bennett. If he retires, I'll have to take up witchcraft. He speaks his mind, and if you listen to him, he'll add a lot of years to your life." (image via Portsmouth Herald)
Update:
Said by one of Dr. Bennett's black patients: "Dr. Bennett is no racist. I'm living proof ...
A doctor was arrested for spanking his son in public - he claims racism. "Claiming he was targeted because he is black, a doctor who was arrested for spanking his 2-year-old son at the Quaker Bridge Mall has sued Lawrence and Plainsboro townships."
"The clitoris needs more respect." "She undertook in the 1990s to dissect a series of female cadavers and document, layer by layer, the anatomy of the clitoris. Then, with magnetic resonance imaging, she was able to document live anatomy in healthy volunteers. This research has led to better education of medical students about the clitoris, better sexual health for women undergoing pelvic surgery and some brand-new observations."
They're making a Jack Kevorkian movie. "A film adaptation is being made of the book 'You Don't Know Jack,' the story of Michigan suicide doctor, Jack Kevorkian."
Doctors misdiagnosed avian flu in tourists in Bangkok.
Kevin Pho, MD
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How I approach ovarian cancer screening with patients
Ovarian cancer screening clearly touches a nerve. No one doubts that ovarian cancer is a devastating diagnosis, often found when the disease...
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Why more primary care doctors are referring patients to specialists
According to a recent study from the Archives of Internal Medicine, primary care physicians are referring more patients to specialists than ever...
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Should Google censor anti-vaccine claims?
One of the reasons there is such a movement against vaccines is the democratization of information, perpetuated by search engines like Google....
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Radiologists who cheat on their board exams: Who’s to blame?
In a widely circulated CNN article, many radiologists have been found to cheat on their board exams: "Doctors around the country taking an...
Physician
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Why an anesthesiologist would be needed for organ donation
I've only had to declare death a couple of times. Once in a three-year-old and once in an adult. In each case...
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5 ways to avoid a misdiagnosis
Billionaire Teddy Forstmann had been diagnosed with a serious form of brain cancer. There’s a tragic twist to the story: according to...
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Benefits of the Medicare Adult Wellness Visit
One of the things I love about family medicine is that I get to care for people of all ages. I almost...
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Cancer has a way of teaching us poignant life lessons
I just finished reading George’s recent post on Evelyn Lauder, who recently passed away from ovarian cancer, and am still stirred by...
Patient
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In love there is a life giving force
Here is a toast to the miracle of love. Not to the romantic, chocolate, dance club nightlife type of love. Not warm...
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How to get ready for death
No one wants to die. Even people who want to go to heaven don't want to die to get there. And yet...
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The long term cost of a pain in the neck
One morning this May, I woke up with a stiff neck. I applied hot and cold therapy all day and took an...
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Preparing for your visit with someone in hospice care
Visiting someone who is dying or critically ill is an experience many of us will have in the course of our lives....
Policy
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AMA: Advocating for Medicare, military and fiscal responsibility
A guest column by the American Medical Association, exclusive to KevinMD.com. This week, I’m joining hundreds of physicians and medical students in Washington, DC...
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A critical look at value driven health care
Everyone in the world is talking about “value-driven health care.” Or so it might seem if you pick up a medical journal...
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Surviving the new landscape of physician reimbursement
CNN recently posted an article titled "Doctors Going Broke." It described several cases of independent physicians who are near bankruptcy although they once...
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Doctors lobby Congress to repeal the SGR
One of the things that I like most about my job is engaging with ACP’s physician leadership—the internal medicine doctors who dedicate...
Tech
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There is a patient attached to that implantable defibrillator
As a follow-up to my post on why patients with implantable defibrillators should have access to their device’s data, I am going...
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The pitfalls of email communication with patients
A recent article in the Wall Street Journal reviewed the emerging role of email in healthcare, arguing that doctors should more aggressively...
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Why adoption of EHRs is a transformational event for physicians
Paul Conslato, MD, director of clinical affairs for Lancaster General Medical Group, recently was quoted in the PAMED Better Health Network eZine...
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Why EMR is a dirty word to many doctors
Don’t get me wrong, EMRs (electronic medical records) are inevitable. Over the long-run they are almost certainly good for physicians, patients and...
Social Media
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Using Twitter to deliver health improvement messages
I have decided to spam for public health. Phone calls, text messaging, and even apps have been shown to help improve health...
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Addressing comments on your medical practice’s Facebook page
Does your medical practice allow anybody to post links and comments on your Facebook page? The short answer is yes. We do....
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The Internet is where patients go for pre-visit consultations
As a physician, technology cannot replace you, but it can make you more efficient and effective. This was the message from Richard...
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5 ways doctors can benefit from professional connections
Looking ahead to the next several months, I’ve found myself frequently wondering how many physicians will make this their year to take...
