May 2009

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Will diabetes derail Sonia Sotomayor’s chance to become a Supreme Court justice?

in Policy | 3 responses

Sonia Sotomayor has been named as a potential favorite to fill the upcoming Supreme Court opening.But she has type I diabetes, and diabetes blogger Amy Tenderich discusses whether this will work against her.As she puts it, this can be a ground-breaking decision, "where survivorship with chronic illness meets the glass ceiling." There are arguments in the blogosphere back and forth, but Ms. Tenderich raises some interesting points.For instance, ...

Should Oprah be giving medical advice?

in Patient | 9 responses

When it comes to influence, you need not go further than Oprah Winfrey.Just ask Kentucky Fried Chicken.With the recent news that she is giving anti-vaccine proponent Jenny McCarthy prominent airtime, as well as her previous endorsement of Suzanne Somers' book on "bioidentical hormones," is she doing more harm than good?That's what Rahul Parikh suggests in a piece on Salon. Despite her soaring ratings captive audience, Dr. Parikh ...

Death of the medical riddle and why Google is responsible

in Education | 10 responses

Stanford's Abraham Verghese challenges readers to solve his medical riddle, without using Google.These exercises, when thought through, offer the student the opportunity to "formulate hypotheses, go to the book, research and eliminate possibilities . . . and come to the answer," and can be a valuable learning experience.But with the dawn of Google, many arcane answers can simply be looked up, often at the expense of thinking through a problem.So, ...

Open a landscape business for health insurance

in Policy | 2 responses

There's no doubt that those with pre-existing conditions find it difficult to obtain individual health insurance.In a minority of states, some are able to become a so-called "group of one," where they become a company. All in the name of obtaining health coverage.And yes, landscaping happens to be one of the more common fronts for these groups.This is just one tip that those with pre-existing conditions can use ...

Poll: Should doctors discuss the price of medical treatment?

in Patient | 10 responses

A recent poll conducted by the Consumer's Union, publisher of Consumer Reports, found that only 4 percent of patients said their doctors talk with them about the cost of prescriptions. And 60 percent find out what the price is for the first time when they pick up their drugs at the pharmacy.Should doctors discuss the price of medication before prescribing it?As physicians, we’re trained to make treatment decisions without the ...

Do drug company logos influence medical students?

in Education | 3 responses

Many medical schools are in the midst of purging pharmaceutical companies from their halls.But can subtle marketing tactics can influence perceptions of prescription drugs?It depends on where you trained.A recent study looked at fourth-years, some of whom were exposed to pharmaceutical-branded clipboards and pens. At the University of Miami, which has a less restrictive policy towards drug companies, students preferred the brand name cholesterol medication Lipitor over its ...

How is concierge medicine doing in the recession?

in Physician | 3 responses

Surprisingly well.Although there are plenty of reports where people are splitting their pills, and delaying elective procedures and preventive care, those who are able to afford concierge medicine aren't cutting back.In these cases, health is showing resiliency during these tough economic times, and, "With jobs scarce and stress at a peak, many may see a link between continued health and continued employment. And with savings depleted, they recognize that ...

Paul Ravetz: Can the art of medicine exist in the computer age?

in Tech | 10 responses

The following is a reader take by Paul Ravetz.Does the "Art of Medicine" really exist, or perhaps more importantly, can it do so in the computer age?Computers are both the boon and the bane of medicine. Electronic medical records (EMRs) are excellent for retrieval of information about labs, medications, and past medical history of our patients. These records are much easier to access than our old paper charts. However, ...

Welcome back, now powered by WordPress and Thesis

in Uncategorized | 9 responses

Thank you all for your patience.The migration took longer than expected, but now the blog is running on WordPress and the acclaimed Thesis theme.Many thanks to Aaron Brazell, aka Technosailor, for doing the job and navigating the obstacles along the way.  I am aware that the "Previous entries" link on the bottom of the main page, the Archives, and the RSS feed are not working properly.  They are being worked ...

Migrating to WordPress, down for maintenance

in Uncategorized | 4 responses

There will be no posts over the next few days, as the blog will migrate to WordPress.Furthermore, comments will be temporarily turned off to ensure all of them make the transfer.With over 19,000+ posts, at least twice as many comments, and close to 500 MB of data, it's a major undertaking.When it re-emerges, expect an updated look, better functionality, and improved navigation. The most dramatic changes will be "under ...

Is House M.D. bad for medicine?

in Social media | 5 responses

A few days ago, we talked about how Scrubs was a relatively accurate portrayal of medical life.

Let's talk about the other end of the spectrum, namely, Fox's House M.D.

As an emergency physician notes, the doctors in the House-universe seem super-human. Indeed, "the docs on that show are not only walking encyclopedias of rare diseases, but they are ...

Do we really need fancier, more expensive hospital gowns?

in Physician | 2 responses

The hospital gown has been much-maligned.

So, in response, textile companies are coming up with innovative replacements that are more functional and stylish, as well as offering better access for medical personnel.

Of course, the biggest obstacle is cost, and with many hospitals financially floundering, spending double the money on hospital gowns is pretty low on the priority list.

Some, like patient Duncan Cross, doesn't feel ...

7 top medical comments, May 17th, 2009

in Policy | one response

Here are some of the more interesting comments readers have left recently.

1. Anonymous on whether IV sedation is overused:
I think it depends on the patient and on the procedure. For my colonoscopy, I did prefer the sedation. It wasn't something that I cared to remember.

But I've also had a core needle biopsy of an abdominal tumor. The tumor was right ...

Costs are forcing more patients to leave against medical advice

in Patient | 3 responses

But can that be a good thing?

More patients have higher deductible health insurances, making them question the costs of emergency room tests and treatments. The fear of sticker shock is causing some to leave the hospital against medical advice.

In fact, discharges against a doctor's advice jumped by almost 50 percent over the last decade.

Such cases can range from patients not willing ...

Worrying about a miscarriage while performing a liver transplant

in Patient | one response

Transplant surgeon Pauline Chen uses that harrowing personal account to discuss the intersection between motherhood and medicine.

Women currently make up the majority of students at most medical schools, which means that female physicians will comprise a major part of the future medical workforce. But, despite the stress that you'd intuitively associate between juggling medicine and raising children, "work-family conflicts were not a major source of stress ...

Hospitals lose money by preventing patient re-admissions

in Physician | 3 responses

Preventing re-admissions, or so-called "bounce backs," is one way for Medicare to cut costs.

Too bad there's zero economic incentive for most hospitals to do so.

It's obvious that keeping patients out of the hospital will save money in the long run. Many factors play a role in this, including, appropriate primary care follow-up. But, when hospitals diligently spend money to ensure good post-hospital care, they're ...

Should doctors who follow evidence-based guidelines be offered liability protection?

in Physician | 15 responses

As we know, the American Medical Association was part of the consortium that offered to voluntarily rein in health care spending over the next decade.

I'll leave it to the health policy blogs to discuss the implications, but of course, everyone is asking, "What's in it for me?"

The AMA tipped their hand a bit in a recent WSJ Health Blog post. It's well known that President ...

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