Drug reps were allegedly instructed to use Disney characters during their sales pitch for the psychiatric drug Seroquel:
We are told the idea was conveyed at a national sales meeting and on field rides with sales reps, who were told to use Tigger as a bipolar patient and Eeyore - the down-in-the-mouth ...
The head of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute responds to the $13.5 million verdict awarded to a family during a malpractice trial:
We all know that cancer is a terrible disease that still claims far too many lives. Unfortunately, even as we work intensely to develop newer, more effective treatments, we aren't always successful and complications can arise. That does not mean that we did anything wrong, something that juries ...
There are now 14 MDs in Congress, with OBs being the most represented specialty. It's small step towards better physician representation, which is absolutely essential with health reform soon to take priority.
Some think that's too many, which is nonsensical considering the disproportionate amount of lawyers in Congress compared to the general population.
topics: congress, politics
To curb costs, physicians are increasingly going through pre-authorization procedures prior to ordering expensive MRIs, CTs, and nuclear heart studies.
They are mostly geared towards primary care physicians who order the majority of the tests.
Now, pre-authorizations are moving into specialty territory, requiring cardiologists and oncologists to endure the cumbersome procedure:
Two of the three biggest companies in the imaging field "” CareCore National and WellPoint's American ...
Obama's health care plan is actually the most moderate of the options coming from the left. That fact, as well as the ads he ran emphasizing that his approach wasn't a single-payer plan, scored him points with the moderates and frankly, made him the most appealing of the Democratic candidates.
Now that he's in office with Democratic majorities, will the Medicare for all, single-payer demagogues sway his ...
Matthew Mintz takes exception to the criticism that Actos and Avandia are taking. This class of diabetes medication, known as thioglitazones, have been much maligned due to possibly dangerous adverse outcomes combined with only a modest benefit.
Dr. Mintz wonders why the newer insulins aren't scrutinized as carefully:
The TZDs (Avandia and Actos) did peak in 2005 at 34%, but their use in 2007 is now the ...
The snake that bit you, things you coughed up, things you passed in your stool.
Just a few examples of what you can safely leave at home.
topic: emergency
Rest in peace Dr. Crichton. He was one of my favorite authors, and I've read almost all of his books. Among his more significant contributions was NBC's long-running show ER, which changed the way life in the emergency department was dramatized.
Edwin Leap and GruntDoc ...
Apparently not, according to this unscientific poll (via Dr. Rob):
I asked 22 people today why there is a problem with healthcare in the U.S. I got umpteen dozen answers, with the most popular being "insurance is too expensive". Not one person mentioned there was a shortage of PCP's. Not one person knew that PCP's were reimbursed at a much lower rate than specialists, and not one person realized ...
It's often seen as the light at the end of a rigorous tunnel of training. Filled with residency interviews, sub-internships, and elective rotations, this year is often the most enjoyable. Here's what to expect.
topics: medical school, residency
The Happy Hospitalist thinks so, and I partially agree, as the physician payment system encourages specialization and the fractionation of patient care:
We are here ONLY as a financial necessity out of a payment system gone mad. As much as I rile on the MNB, I am forced to admit that my position as a hospitalist would be nonexistent if not for the incompetent clowns making policy decisions ...
What does an Obama administration mean for health care IT? He has stated that he'll spend billions on modernizing our antiquated health record systems.
Health IT guru John Halamka predicts how he'll approach it.
topics: obama, electronic records
I have switched back to Blogger's old commenting form, so feel free to comment away. Sorry for the inconvenience.
Congratulations to Barack Obama on his historic Presidential victory. He dominated New Hampshire, carrying my home state by over 10 points.
I voted with the nominees' health care platforms weighing heavily. Both did not offer plans that I felt would work, as I wrote previously. While reading ...
A patient visits an emergency department in the UK to remove an eyelash. No tweezers were available at the hospital, so they suggested that the patient go out and buy his own:
So diabetes sufferer Mr Williams drove three miles to the nearest supermarket and bought a pair before returning to the hospital to have the painful eyelashes removed.topics: nhs, emergency
Apologies to those who tried to leave comments since yesterday. Blogger is having problems with their embedded comment form. I'll give them until tonight, and if it's still not fixed, I'll revert back to full page comment submission.
Either way, I'll let you know when comments are working properly again.
Plastic surgeon Ramona Bates gives some information on what causes nose bleeds, and tips on what to do at home. The proper technique of applying pressure, and when to go to the hospital or call the doctor, are addressed.
Thanks for the good advice to a common problem.
A study has shown that the brand name medications Actos and Januvia were prescribed in over a quarter of doctor's visits. These drugs are markedly more expensive than the recommended first-line generic medication metformin.
It's no wonder than spending on diabetes drugs has doubled to $12.5 billion over the past 6 years. Unless there's a medical contrindication, doctors shouldn't be reaching for these brand name medications ...
Robert Lamberts, better known as Dr. Rob at Musings of a Distractible Mind, was interviewed over at ReachMD. He talks about the doctor-patient relationship:
We all know that both patients and physicians play an integral role in the doctor-patient relationship. Yet this partnership isn't always as balanced as we might hope. Why might our patients become frustrated with us or feel uncomfortable in our office? Are there simple ...
NBC's medical correspondent Dr. Nancy Snyderman has taken criticism from this corner.
Today she scored some points as she stands up to Matt Lauer dispelling any link between vaccines and autism, which apparently is becoming a dangerous stance to take:
Snyderman talked about how the physician-author, Dr. Paul Offit (author of "Autism's False Prophets"), has received death threats. Snyderman herself said she had been physically ambushed by ...
Who has the potential to be the most influential physician of our generation? It's Priscilla Chan, who not only recently graduated from...
In a widely anticipated move, the USPSTF officially recommended against prostate cancer screening in healthy men. Case closed, right? Hardly. The prostate...
When it comes to medicine and social media, much of the attention is negative. Doctors losing their hospital privileges because of Facebook....
A version of this column was published on April 24, 2012 in USA Today. There has been a recent uptick of elderly men...
I was appalled recently by the coverage of radiology “test recalls” by CNN, amplified by Dr. Gary Becker of the American Board...
I was invited to a medical staff leadership conference sponsored by our hospital. A company specializing in training physician leaders ran the...
As a cardiac electrophysiologist, I have had to discuss bad news with patients and families more times than I would like during...
He looked dead. The paramedics brought him down the hall toward one of my critical care beds, and for a moment I...
I was honored to be part of a beautiful experience in late January of 2011. It was the death of my mother-in-law...
Theirs is a lonely journey; to be moving towards the separation and end of all things known and loved. Being with a...
As a patient who was asked to speak at the Association of Health Care Journalists 2012 conference, I felt a bit covert....
Nothing will force you to live life on your own terms faster than almost losing it. In 2008, I was on fire....
America has this paradox of excellent biomedical science, innovative drug manufacturers and entrepreneurial device developers along with outstanding providers but at the...
"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times ..." So begins a story called A Tale of Two...
The nation’s “safety net” hospitals are designed to ensure that uninsured, lower income and indigent populations receive adequate medical care – a...
Technology to lower costs rather than accelerate them. Smart phones to increase physician and other providers’ productivity. Fewer primary care physicians but...
The policeman was two cars in front of me. I meandered down the road cautiously adjusting my speed a few ticks above...
Every month, hundreds of thousands of people look for a doctor on Google. As an amazing practitioner, your site deserves to be...
The first thing I noticed when I walked into the physician’s office were the tall cabinets filled with manila folders, tabbed with...
This example of a disaster waiting to happen, in the form of an error-promoting CPOE, is a poster example of why the...
Prior to 1794, farms across the world could only pick cotton as fast as humanly possible. In the late 18th century, Eli Whitney...
Social media in healthcare is all the rage these days. You can’t visit even one physician-oriented website without someone breathlessly advising you...
Want to understand social media? Physicians wanting to learn about social media must learn transparency. We must learn transparency on a personal...
It was my first ER shift in charge of the resuscitation area. Needless to say, my adrenaline and nerves were firing like...
