It's good to know that the FDA is using its resources wisely.
February 2007
All Stories
Coding complexity
Dr. Rob looks at the morass we call E/M coding. He points out one fatal flaw with the proliferation with EHRs:
One of the solutions to this is to use an electronic medical record (like mine). These programs often include tools to properly match the coding to the documentation and suggest how to document in a way that would result in better codes (and better pay). The problem with ...
Havidol – people fell for it
The artist behind the satire:
"The thing that amazes me is that it has been folded into real Web sites for panic and anxiety disorder. It's been folded into a Web site for depression. It's been folded into hundreds of art blogs," he added.
The parody is in response to the tactics used by the drug industry to sell their wares to the public. Consumer advertising for prescription ...
STD dating sites
Rising rates of genital herpes and other STDs are making these sites more popular.
Doctor-senators on intelligent design
Seems like another physician-senator from Tennessee is throwing scientific thinking out the window for politics:
Now we have a state Senator, Raymond Finney, M.D. (Maryville), who is behind a resolution that, if passed by the Senate (the House need not be involved), will demand that the Tennessee Department of Education respond publicly to a series of questions on the origin of the Universe.
Treating a malpractice lawyer in the ER
Don't know how I missed this earlier this year. Charity Doc tells of an ER encounter with a malpractice attorney:
"Yeah, I'm a personal injury lawyer. I have no problems telling doctors that. I get better care that way, actually. Makes you guys more careful around me."Another lawyer falling for the "more care = better care" fallacy. (via Waking Up Costs)
Bird-flu vaccine: Better than nothing
The first attempt protected about 45 percent of patients in a hasty clinical trial.
Krispy Kreme’s whole wheat doughnut
What they're not telling us: 4 to 6 grams of trans-fat per doughnut.
Taking the malpractice fight to the waiting room
New York physicians are encouraging patients to support malpractice reform:
"We're not trying to scare anyone," Conway said in a conference call with the Freeman and other society representatives. "We have a moral obligation to inform our patients the system is under stress. High malpractice premiums are already creating access problems for patients. It is driving some doctors out of business. It may create very deep and wide issues in ...
Expert witnesses are immune from defamation suits
It's neurosurgeon vs neurosurgeon as one is sued for his testimony against the other in a malpractice suit.
The shadowy world of internet prescribing
A multi-million dollar business that is kept alive by unscrupulous physicians:
In Internet chat rooms, people exploiting the rules often discuss the laws and assure one another that it's OK to break them. They think they've got the system wired, and they're usually clueless -- or don't care -- that the doctor doling out the prescriptions is someone like Santi.
The drugs arrive at their doorsteps via express couriers. ...
Implantable sensors
The FDA is considering these new, expensive, wave of devices to remotely track those who have chronic diseases:
The device, known as a "hemodynamic monitor," is designed to measure pressure inside the heart, along with body temperature and heart rate. The information is transmitted wirelessly via the Internet to a doctor's office. There, medical personnel can tell, for example, if the patient is quickly building up fluids that could ...
Emergency landing for a stroke
A fortunate 40-year old woman where an emergency landing probably saved her life. (via GruntDoc)
"America has fallen in love with the stamp of medical authority"
More on the controversy, and possible motivations, of the obsession with psychiatric labels:
And parents who in the past might have fought ferociously against giving their children labels -- particularly for once-stigmatized conditions such as learning disorders -- sometimes actually seek such diagnoses for their children to get them extra time on tests, to receive insurance reimbursement for treatment, to qualify for extra educational services or simply to have ...
More slamming of dietary supplements
Anti-oxidants, like vitamins A, C, and E, don't have any mortality benefits.
The "miracle baby"
The story of a baby who come back after suffering a heart attack and 30 minutes of resuscitation.
The 200-pound 8-year old
The child may go into protective custody because of his weight. A reader suggests Prader-Willi Syndrome. (via a reader tip)
A woman teaches her kids to fake retardation
In order to collect Social Security benefits. Another anecdote that may explain the rise in the incidence of autism.
How to cause the downfall of socialized medicine
Have the politicians use publicly financed systems. Given the choice, would they? Of course not:
Stephen Robertson is Minister of Health for Queensland, the third most populous state of Australia where he oversees the taxpayer-supported, government-run, public health care system. Australia has long waiting lists for diagnostic tests, appointments with specialists, and surgery. Mercifully, Australia (unlike Canada) also has private hospitals as an alternative to the public queue. Last ...
Advice to ER patients: "Say, ‘I need to be tested.’"
Liliana Pezzin regarding the CT-angiogram for the evaluation of chest pain. She clearly isn't an advocate of the routine history and physical by asking patients to demand this new, expensive test.
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...
