Welcome to Grand Rounds, the weekly best the medical blogosphere has to offer, and a hello to all the new readers from WebMD. I’m honored to be hosting for the third time – it has come a long way since Kevin, M.D. last hosted way back in 2004.
The phenomenon of medical blogs has been gathering increasing mainstream recognition, with writeups in The Wall Street Journal, Medscape, and the LA Times.
Thanks to Nick for organizing this weekly event. Don’t forget to check out previous installments, as well as Nick’s “Pre-Rounds” write-ups of the hosting medblogs on Medscape.
Because of space limitations, not all entries were included. Apologies.
A welcome to the WebMD Health Blogs
Laurie Anderson talks about heart disease. She wonders, “Why do you come to my office to see me?”
On Healthy Children, Dr. Steven Parker asks parents, “How can you as a parent best handle it when your child has certain traits that just don’t fit into your image of the perfect child? When the child you love isn’t always the child you like?”
All Ears ponders the frenetic pace of a pediatric practice.
Dr. Ira Kirschenbaum is Mad About Medicine. He says the government and the press are clueless about health care reform.
Eye on Vision talks about the true power of Microsoft PowerPoint.
To cut or not to cut. Dr. Marks at the Men’s Health Office talks about circumcision and penile cancer.
Patient Care
Who needs a doctor when you have Google? over my med body! gives the pros and cons of this approach.
Tales from the Trauma Service is a gripping continuing series at A Chance to Cut is a Chance to Cure. Here, our blogger trauma surgeon takes us through a case of a subdural and subarachnoid hemorrhage.
Dr. Centor at DB’s Medical Rants wants to know why patients stop taking statins.
PSA and prostate cancer screening – boy, has that been dragged through the mud here. Dr. Bob offers some fresh, and detailed, insight.
Medpundit asks whether the lack of insurance is an impediment to transplant surgery.
Red State Moron is blogging OB/GYN. He gives his take on elective cesarean births.
The heart of the matter gives us a primer on balloon angioplasty.
The MSSPNexus Blog wonders about how to give your doctor feedback. She suggests writing a letter.
At The Blog That Ate Manhattan, a physician ponders women and the biological time clock. Tick tock.
Parallel Universes looks at what it takes for a boxer to win, medically speaking.
Derek Lowe of In the Pipeline says it’s unknown whether Tamiflu can treat avian flu.
Dr. Andy comments on the impressive improvement in the treatment of childhood leukemia.
On The Wards has recently joined the medical blogosphere, and writes about predicting the risk of SIDS.
Dr. Savatta at the Robotic Surgery Blog wonders what the best way is to inform a patient of prostate biopsy results.
Are cell phones linked to cancer? Galen’s Log puts the debate to rest.
O Canada! The InsureBlog writes about how the Canadian health care system deals with alcoholics.
sleepdoctor points to the effects of having a TV in the bedroom.
Stories
I always enjoy Maria’s snippets of life as a psychiatry resident.
Dr. Charles is one of the best literary medbloggers around. Here, he writes a touching story about a patient with Down’s Syndrome.
The Cheerful Oncologist was asked if he could guarantee that a patient’s chemotherapy treatment would be successful.
Psychologist Dr. Helen is afraid to go to the doctor, and she wonders if she has medical psychosis.
At code blog: tales of a nurse, Geena tells a tale of acute desaturation from the CCU.
An ER nurse blogs at Emergiblog. She tells a tale of a ruptured spleen.
Writing at Feet First, Dr. Alice hates watching people die.
Doc Around the Clock tells a story about a nurse putting in a foley: Pop Goes the Weasel indeed.
about a nurse tells us another foley story – this time in an 84-year old virgin.
GeekNurse takes us behind the scenes at the pediatric ICU.
shrinkette is a blogging psychiatrist in Oregon, and the recent Supreme Court decision makes her reminisce.
The former Mad House Madman, now known as Doctor, talks about the so-called “Attending effect“.
HealthyConcerns tells us about some of her personal health stories.
Opinion
The Bioethics Discussion Blog ponders the serious questions. This week, Dr. Bernstein wonders if physician-assisted suicide represents a legitimate medical purpose.
The Nurse Practitioner’s Place opines on Oregon’s Death with Dignity Act.
two (presidential) terms later gives another take on the Oregon decision.
Diabetes Mine wants to tax high-fat, high-calorie, low-nutrient foods. I’m all for it.
Oasis of Sanity despairs that her pediatrician is “going over to the dark side”, and becoming a homeopath.
Medviews talks about the quandary of juggling motherhood with medical school.
Sumer’s Radiology Site questions the relevance of peer-reviewed articles.
The Medical Blog Network goes toe to toe with Dr. George Lundberg of Medcape, debating the key issues between Old and New Media.
DrTony wonders why some trial attorneys want malpractice claimants to waive their right to sue.
Orac at Respectful Insolence demands the evidence. With this in mind, he examines “ethnoscience“.
Notes from Dr. RW defends the science behind medicine.
Healthy Policy takes a look if doctors are leaving medicine because of malpractice.
Health Care Renewal thinks that the money hospitals spend on their image is better spent on patient care.
Miscellany
The NHS Blog Doctor wonders what goes on behind pharmaceutical ads.
RangelMD analyzes Aunt Voula’s lump from My Big Fat Greek Wedding. Can it happen for real? Read and find out.
MedGadget announces the winners of the 2005 Medical Weblog Awards.
Condolences to GruntDoc who lost his best friend four years ago.
The Health business blog questions Genetech’s competency.
Interested-Participant sheds light on gay activists tainting the blood supply in South Africa.
The Daily Rhino asks, “How’s it hangin’?” – your stethoscope that is.
More suspicion on clinical studies. The Krafty Librarian points to one that fooled the Lancet.
The Healthcare IT Guy obviously knows his healthcare servers. He says that one of the biggest threats to data security could be from an inside job.
Clinical Cases and Images warns about the rise of internet addiction.
Anxiety, Addiction and Depression Treatments looks at the growing methamphetamine epidemic.
Aggravated DocSurg considers RFID use in the hospital.
Circadiana wonders about the connection between serotonin, melatonin, immunity and cancer.
Want to start a medical blog? KidneyNotes gives us a basic medblog primer.
Epilogue
Not enough? Feel free to read more about the world of medical blogs:
An introduction to medical blogs
Blogging offers doctors outlet for opinions
Doctors and ‘blogs’
Kevin, MD: A Physician’s Perspective on Medical News
Tales from the medical blogosphere
Welcome to the blogosphere: A brave new world of web dialogue
Or listen to some medblogger podcasts:
Kevin, M.D.
Blogborygmi’s Nick Genes
DB’s Medical Rants’ Robert Centor
GruntDoc’s Allen Roberts
intueri’s Maria
Medpundit’s Sydney Smith
Notes from Dr. RW’s Dr. Donnell
RangelMD’s Chris Rangel
shrinkette
And finally, we come to a close. That was quite a ride, wasn’t it?
Thanks for reading, and enjoy next week’s edition at Barbados Butterfly.
