From the monthly archives:

February 2008

You’re fired, again

February 29, 2008

When doctors fire patients. Most commonly happens during sustained non-compliance or appointment no-shows.

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"Can’t I get an American doctor?"

February 29, 2008

Dealing with the prejudiced patient.

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World’s first eyeball tattoo

February 29, 2008

Freaky.

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"We ought to have evidence-based tort reform"

February 29, 2008

The AMA analyzes tort reform:
Recent research — consistent with earlier studies — revealed that noneconomic damage caps continue to reduce insurers’ claims payouts, which translates to lower rates for doctors.
The AMA analysis also concluded that reforms can help alleviate physician shortages. And some research showed that medical liability risk contributed to higher health care spending, [...]

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Annuale

February 29, 2008

I missed this last weekend, but it’s pretty damn funny.

(via John Mack)

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Code blue in the air

February 29, 2008

Scalpel: “I’m sure a lawsuit will be brought against American Airlines in this case, but the sad truth is that if you have a cardiac arrest when you’re 30,000 feet over the ocean, then you are likely going to die whether the oxygen tanks are working or not.”
Panda: “No doubt the family of the lady [...]

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Physician "consulting" agreements

February 29, 2008

How medical device companies are bribing doctors:
Wine-tasting outings to California’s Napa Valley. Ski trips to Colorado. Tickets to sporting events. Gourmet meals at swanky restaurants. Forays to “adult entertainment” clubs.
Paying doctors to go to strip clubs? Bizarre. (via Schwitzer)

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What happened here?

February 29, 2008

(via Street Anatomy)

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Google interviews Joshua Schwimmer

February 29, 2008

He talks about Google Book Search.

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Neurosurgeon shortage

February 29, 2008

Expect more of this to happen:
As a group, specialists are getting older and less willing to work on call. Many specialists say they fear they are more likely to get sued by emergency patients than by their regular patients, who know and trust them. Even when hospitals pay doctors for working on call, specialists [...]

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Beautiful inside?

February 29, 2008

Sid Schwab: “Operating, as is our aim, on sick people, more often than not things aren’t so pretty inside. Diabetic, or old, or overweight, or with concomitant diseases affecting various organs, typical surgical patients rarely retain the born-in beauty and peach-fuzz perfection with which they came into the world.”

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Costs

February 29, 2008

The Happy Hospitalist: “It does not surprise me that health care costs are out of control in this country. It does not surprise me that health care costs are out of control in any country that does not run its business practices based on capitalistic principles of supply and demand. Resources are not [...]

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