From the monthly archives:

August 2007

Placebo Television #5

August 31, 2007
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‘Nuff said

August 31, 2007

(via Dr. Wes)

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Why physicians get irked by "suits"

August 31, 2007

Like Billy Walsh on Entourage, doctors have disdain for “suits”. Here’s why:
But now the intrepid blogger of Over My Med Body may be getting an inkling why doctors who have had years of training like this can get so upset when their dedication, knowledge, or work habits are questioned by some “suit” with a [...]

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Medicare error P4P

August 31, 2007

Dr. RW looks further at the unintended adverse consequences, saying it will outweigh any benefits.

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Evidence-based medicine

August 31, 2007

Pallimed looks at several recent articles discussing EBM.

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Doctors treating themselves

August 31, 2007

As common saying goes, “A physician who treats him(her)self has a fool for a patient.”
So, what to make of these numbers?
. . . a survey conducted of Michigan psychiatrists regarding their opinions toward self-prescribing. A survey of more than 500 Michigan psychiatrists showed that more than 40% would medicate themselves for mild to moderate depression [...]

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Zero percent financing

August 31, 2007

Coming soon to a doctor’s or dentist’s office near you:
For $3,500 laser eye surgery, $6,000 ceramic tooth implants or other procedures not typically covered by insurance, millions of consumers have arranged financing through more than 100,000 doctors and dentists that offer a year or more of interest-free monthly payments.
Richard Reece comments on the practice.

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Resident work hours: An alternative view

August 31, 2007

Zagreus Ammon with a somewhat different take:
I don’t think working forty eight hours straight is the problem. More likely the fact that those 48 hours have become as grueling and punishing as an ultra-marathon. The fact is that medical interventions have become much more intense than ever before and no patient lounges around the hospital [...]

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WSJ: Medical records as a "credit score"

August 31, 2007

Any errors in medical records can hinder the chance of obtaining insurance.

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Big Pharma’s Wikipedia editors

August 31, 2007

Abbott Labs has an in-house employee editing various Wikipedia entries pertaining to their drugs:
As other observers have noted since the Wikipedia tool was released, other companies have edited their Wikipedia entries “” sometimes making small changes, sometimes making their entries sound more promotional “” but the Abbott case was particularly striking because it involved the [...]

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Is it wise to use a "wide stance" when you go to the bathroom?

August 30, 2007

Slate with the answer:
No. When you’re sitting on the toilet, spreading your feet and leaning forward tightens the levator ani muscles that control defecation. If you’re having trouble passing stools, you should take the opposite of a wide stance, and lean back. Doctors recommend this technique to relax the bowel muscles.

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"Doctors do best when they treat their patients by the numbers"

August 30, 2007

McArdle on Groopman’s How Doctors Think. I agree with her, and continue to advocate global, evidence-based measures (which also would help the medical malpractice/defensive medicine problem) to guide clinical decision making:
Every profession resists being told that there is a standard way to do things, that a cookie cutter can cut better than their skilled [...]

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Labor day and resident physicians

August 30, 2007

Dr. Val thinks about the hardworking residents working this upcoming Labor Day weekend:
Physicians work for 3-7 years after graduating from medical school, and are paid (on average) about the equivalent of a home health aide or a medical secretary but work about twice the hours during residency. In fact, if you calculate out the [...]

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"Dr. 10/10 puts in his own chest tubes"

August 30, 2007

Don’t tempt the medicine gods.

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First night on call

August 30, 2007

Graham’s first night on call during his medicine sub-i: “Man it sucked.”
Don’t worry, it gets better. An attending once told me to always look at the orders first, then the note. When it comes to things getting done, the note means nothing. This is especially true out of academic medical settings when [...]

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