Jamie Heywood, in a TEDMED 2009 lecture, shares an idea and plan, inspired by his brother, to help ALS patients and others through an inventive website for sharing and tracking patient data.width="425" height="349">
February 2010
All Stories
Magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) for persistent vegetative state
Originally published in MedPage Todayby Michael Smith, MedPage Today North American CorrespondentResearchers in England are reporting they have been able to establish limited communication with a man in a persistent vegetative state by using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI).
The 34-year-old man was able to answer simple Yes or No questions by imagining different types of activity, which caused changes ...
Electronic medical records need to be more intuitive for doctors
It's commonly thought that the current generation of medical students are more technologically savvy, and thus, able to better utilize electronic medical record systems.But an interesting study found that's not always the case.From the ACP Internist, almost 200 medical students were asked to use a mock-EMR during a patient encounter. Here's what was found:
Students were scored on their ability to find information crucial to the patient's case within ...
Don’t fall into the dementia trap when treating a developmental disability
by Lockup DocIn addition to correctional psychiatry, I spend about half of my professional time treating patients with developmental and intellectual disabilities (mental retardation). The majority of my patients have severe or profound mental retardation and are completely nonverbal.Over the years I have observed that when many of them are admitted to the hospital for acute medical or surgical problems, because they are severely cognitively and functionally impaired, they are ...
How to better notify patients of their abnormal test results
I just returned from vacation to find email messages from three patients inquiring about their recent test results.The first email was from a young man who had fainted and underwent Holter monitoring, a test that checks for abnormal heart rhythms. The second was from a woman I recently started on cholesterol-modifying therapy who wanted to know whether her recent blood work showed a satisfactory improvement in her cholesterol. The third ...
How many Americans are going online for health information?
Originally published in MedPage Todayby Cole Petrochko, MedPage Today Staff WriterJust over half of U.S. adults under 65 used the Internet to look up health information over the course of a year, according to the first National Health Interview Survey to collect data on health information technology. Although Americans are still concerned about security of medical information, the survey showed ...
How to convince doctors to accept a salary or lower pay
When doctors complain about reimbursement and their salaries, there is often very little public sympathy.So when progressives envision health reform, downward pressure on provider salaries is often their preference to control costs. It's politically safe, and unlikely to encounter significant public opposition.But, as I've written before, this antagonizes the medical profession. And when they hold so much influence over patients' perceptions of health reform, wouldn't it be ...
Why is President Obama ignoring the doctors when it comes to health reform?
by Ernesto Gutierrez, MDThere is a lot of discussion about what Obama did right and wrong in managing the politics of passing health insurance reform. What strikes me as the most obvious is the failure to engage physicians. Sure there was support from the AMA, ACP, and AAFP, but the support was lukewarm at best. The position letters sent out to society members outlining their support seemed forced ...
Doctors using social media to talk to patients, but where’s the evidence?
The patient-centered model of care is predicated among other things on physicians factoring in knowledge of the “person behind the patient” into their treatment. That’s means understanding and, where practical, honoring the patient’s beliefs, values and preferences. In order for a communication between a physician and person (patient) to be “patient centered,” it must be congruent with patient preferences for how they want their ...
Why The Biggest Loser uses CT scans to help contestants lose weight
Originally published in MedPage Todayby Cole PetrochkoThe train wreck has become an integral part of reality TV programming, and that's terrible. As much as I've learned on the internet about the "Snooki Punch" fiasco from MTV's Jersey Shore, there's little to watching a household of adults thrown together under a wacky premise turn into overgrown, throat-seeking children under lights and a camera, except on the one-season CBS show Kid ...
Poll: Should doctors be forced to treat patients promptly?
New regulations to reduce wait times for medical care in California are due to take effect next year.Under the proposal, primary care doctors employed by HMOs are required to see patients within 10 days of the appointment request, and specialists must see patients within 15 days. Telephone calls must be returned within 30 minutes and patients needing urgent care have to be seen within 48 hours.But will these mandates actually ...
What should free health care to members of Congress be called?
Originally published in MedPage Todayby Charles BankheadRecently, I learned that members of Congress have their very own medical clinic. I guess I shouldn't have been surprised. Being a member of Congress is a tough job, filled with stress and posturing and righteous indignation. I know that if I had to decide whether to spend tax money on a Bridge to Nowhere or a pet airport that has flights to ...
10 most read health blog posts, January 2010
Here are the top posts from the past month, based on the number of times they were viewed.1. Why I had to fire my primary care doctor2. Why the Mayo Clinic is refusing to see Medicare patients3. Good doctors sometimes may make patients unhappy4. How root cause analysis can improve patient safety5. The Haiti earthquake damage to hospitals and health care infrastructure6. 5 reasons ...
How alternative and herbal medications can have dangerous side effects
Originally published in MedPage Todayby John Gever, MedPage Today Senior EditorHerbal medicines are not always the harmless nostrums that many patients and even some physicians think, but may actually contribute to cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, researchers warned in a review covering 44 years of research into the subject.Many such products, including aloe vera, ginkgo biloba, ginseng, and green tea, can ...
Op-ed: Social media can enhance the doctor-patient relationship
A version of this op-ed was published on January 27th, 2010 in the USA Today.Raise your hand if you've ever left a physician's office without fully understanding what the doctor just told you.Studies show that half of patients admit to not understanding what their doctor told them during an office visit; and more than 75% of emergency room patients acknowledge not fully grasping instructions given to them.As a ...
How overly aggressive cancer awareness can backfire
The American Cancer Society has designated this weekend "Suits and Sneakers Awareness Weekend," as part of the annual Coaches vs. Cancer program that will feature well-dressed basketball coaches wearing "sneakers instead of dress shoes with their usual game attire during weekend games to demonstrate their support for the Society and the fight against cancer." The idea is to encourage people to exercise and eat a healthy diet to reduce their ...
Thoughts from a doctor attending a patient funeral
On the way to the funeral you wonder how you’ll be received by the grieving. Although you are confident that your care for the deceased was sincere, professional, and adept, you still question if others will so assume. There is silence in the car. This is a trip you make alone.You manage a bitter smile as you recall stories the patient shared in unguarded moments, behind the door of a ...
Neuroscience explains why changing addictive behavior is so difficult
Originally published in MedPage Todayby Kristina Fiore, MedPage Today Staff WriterBy the end of January, many New Year's resolutions have been tossed out with the leftover holiday cookies. That's because change is hard -- and neuroscientists are learning why.Advances in neuroimaging have enabled researchers to peer inside the brains of addicts and patients with addictive behaviors. They can see in ...
Are hospitals who limit ties with drug companies at a competitive disadvantage?
Doctors have been coming under increasing scrutiny for their relationships with pharmaceutical companies.Many hospitals and medical schools have outright banned any involvement of their physician staff with drug companies. This isn't a contentious issue most of the time.But a recent case at Boston's Brigham and Women's Hospital raised some eyebrows. Apparently, an asthma specialist was so dependent on drug company money, that he chose to quit the ...
Why Haiti disaster relief efforts cannot be applied domestically
Like most people, I’ve found the news and images coming from Haiti in the aftermath of the January's earthquake appalling and upsetting.The sheer amount of devastation and orders of magnitude loss of life make the story compelling by itself. Coupled on top of Haiti’s ignominious history, the situation touches us for its Job-like quality: ”How much misery can one people withstand?”I’ve been pleased at the outpouring of support for Haiti. ...
Kevin Pho, MD
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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...
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Doctors: Don’t be ashamed about going bankrupt
Are doctors really going broke? According to this piece from CNN Money, some are: "Doctors list shrinking insurance reimbursements, changing regulations, rising...
Physician
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Patients will understand an honest mistake if the doctor tells the truth
It was 1976 and I was a junior resident in urology at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas. I was assigned...
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Diagnosing an illness is an art
Diagnosis is the foundation on which all care and treatments rest. If the diagnosis is wrong, most probably so is the treatment. ...
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Physicians have a natural role as advocates
As physicians, we are often called upon to be advocates for our patients. Sometimes they have no other person to turn to....
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Our society expends huge sums on futile care
Mike was a runner, outdoors-man, and fitness nut. This was not so much as for health reasons as for "feeling good", but...
Patient
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How will the Baby Boomers age and die?
I love listening to life stories. As a hospice chaplain, I loved sitting with our patients and their loved ones engaging in...
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Patient engagement is the holy grail of health care
For health care professionals, patient engagement is the holy grail of health care. It is the key to patient adherence – a...
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Why do doctors delay hospice referrals?
This is a response to Deb Discenza's article requesting a one page informational sheet informing a patient about hospice or palliative care. This would...
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How touch can calm patients
So, Megen at Not Nurse Ratched wrote post recently about therapeutic presence. The following passage really caught my attention: "Question is: are...
Policy
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A lack of incentive for medical schools to train primary care doctors
A social media movement is happening before our eyes with action starting to take shape. The #occupyhealthcare movement has begun within to...
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What should be the stated aim of health care in America?
The triple aim of health care, as defined by the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) is: improving the experience of care, bettering...
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How Moneyball applies to healthcare
The storyline is familiar. An organization is challenged to achieve better results without spending more money. An executive is committed to obtaining...
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The problem of insurance gaps in cancer patients
Why are cancer organizations waiting until it starts to rain before they suggest buying an umbrella? “Join my Medicare Advantage plan and...
Tech
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Repetition is the curse of the doctor-patient engagement
How many times as a doctor do you ask the same questions over and over again as part of the routine process...
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Why the prognosis of patients is difficult
Many clinical decisions in older persons are dependent on life expectancy. For example, as life expectancy declines, cancer screening is likely to...
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Innovative technologies can markedly enhance safety
“To Err Is Human” is the title of the now famous book from the Institute of Medicine on patient safety published about...
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Google knows more about certain diseases than physicians ever will
Professor Gunter Dueck, is a calm and eloquent german mathematician who’s also the CTO of IBM Germany. He studied mathematics and philosophy...
Social Media
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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...
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Twitter Is my third office location
The physician’s decision to first dive into social media can be stress-inducing. Issues of time management, maintaining professionalism, and determining a return...
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The impact of social media on a physician assistant
The impact of social media on medicine could arguably be compared to the impact of the industrial revolution on the human condition....
