The following is part of a series of original guest columns by the American Medical Association.by J. James Rohack, MD
Prominently displayed at the top of the AMA’s Web site this week is a “countdown clock” to this year’s 21 percent Medicare physician payment cut, which will hurt physicians ability to care for all Medicare and ...
February 2010
All Stories
Doctors are responsible for a minority of medical mistakes in radiation therapy
The New York Times recently featured a disturbing expose of serious medical errors associated with the newest forms of high tech radiation treatment, entitled, Radiation Offers New Cures, and Ways to Do Harm. The piece is an example of excellent medical journalism, compelling stories of two individuals who sustained truly horrifying injuries as the result of treatment errors framed a detailed investigation of similar errors that have occurred in New ...
Doctors have an ethical obligation to treat complications from a transplant operation performed abroad
Originally published in MedPage Todayby Kristina Fiore, MedPage Today Staff WriterPatients who travel to foreign countries for organ transplants may return with more problems than they left with -- and physicians here have a moral responsibility to treat them, researchers asserted in a transplant journal.
"Medical tourism" has been on the rise as demand for organs outpaces supply and U.S. ...
Why plastic surgeons are leaders in using the web to talk with patients
Plastic surgery is a competitive field, and as such, is a leader in using social media for marketing.Just go to YouTube, for instance, and you'll find a plethora of plastic surgeons vying for your business.But in an interesting progression, they've also taken the lead on "e-consultations," using Skype and other video conferencing tools to interact with patients with the hope of bringing them to their practice.Whereas professional organizations like ...
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When doctors can’t figure out what’s wrong with a patient
Part one of a series.The first patient I ever saw as a first year resident came in with a litany of complaints, not one of which I remember today except for one---he had headaches. The reason I remember he had headaches isn't because I spent so much time discussing them but rather the opposite: at the time I knew next to nothing about headaches and somehow managed to end the ...
How will the earthquake affect the future of the Haitian American community?
Marleine Bastien is the founder and executive director of Fanm Ayisyen Nan Miyami--Haitian Women of Miami--www.fanm.org, which advocates for the rights of Haitian women. She is also a congressional candidate for U.S. House District 17, representing Little Haiti and other neighborhoods in Miami. Erin N. Marcus spoke with Bastien on Jan. 22 about the Haiti earthquake.What has FANM been doing since the earthquake? As soon as we heard about it, ...
Similarities between H1N1 flu pandemic conspiracies and the Y2K bug
Originally published in MedPage Todayby Mike HimowitzWhen I read Michael Smith’s account of European politicians taking WHO to the woodshed for allegedly conspiring with vaccine makers to overinflate the danger from H1N1 pandemic flu, I was reminded of a similar -- and equally silly -- argument that occurred exactly a decade ago. In the early days of 2000, you ...
Why are demented women still getting mammograms?
In case you haven't read enough about the mammogram debate, here's one more post.Newsweek's Sharon Begley points to an study showing that a significant number of elderly women with dementia are still receiving mammograms to screen for breast cancer. These women have an average life-expectancy of 3.3 years; the American Cancer Society recommends those with life-expectancies less than 5 years not be screened.So, why is this happening? ...
Not enough patients receive vaccines and what doctors can do about it
Imagine a world where consumers all knew about the latest developments in preventive health.Earlier this month the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) released the 2010 immunization schedules. Revised annually, the immunization schedules are what doctors in the U.S. use to decide who should be immunized against what diseases. Far from esoteric, the schedules pertain to every single person living in the United States. If the H1N1 pandemic and subsequent ...
How fame has corrupted Dr. Mehmet Oz
The newest media doc on the block is Dr. Mehmet Oz. When he was first seen on Oprah, he seemed engaging and answered some interesting questions in a real and professional way. The audience loved his blue scrubs and boyish clean cut open style.That was then.Let’s face it . . . the media spotlight seems to corrupt even the best physicians. Dr. Oz now has his own show and ...
Increasing copays will increase costs for health insurance companies in the long run
Originally published in MedPage Todayby Todd Neale, MedPage Today Staff WriterRaising seniors' copayments for ambulatory care to offset increasing healthcare costs may backfire on insurers, researchers asserted. Seniors enrolled in Medicare plans that increased copayments had significantly fewer outpatient visits but spent more time in the hospital than patients in plans that left copayments untouched, according to Amal Trivedi, MD, ...
Do part time doctors worsen the primary care shortage?
More graduating doctors are making family and personal life a priority, and opting for part-time work.But when primary care doctors are needed more than ever, is that contributing to the shortage?That's a question that Dr. Gwenn asks over at Better Health. In pediatrics specifically, more "are now opting for part time work right out of the gate, just after training or during, in their 30s. And, that more ...
The power of a doctor’s choice of words in explaining CPR
Words have power. Language has power.The words we use may comfort or shock, allay or provoke, sooth or batter. Words often imply layers of meaning that are not explicitly articulated, yet rest beneath the surface:“I worry that time is short for you” (You are dying) (I care about you)“I wish we could have done more” (Nothing would have changed her death) (I am on your side)“I hope with you that ...
How your health can depend on where you live
Bill Davenhill asks, "Can your health depend on where you live?" From TEDMED 2009.width="425" height="349">
An anesthesiologist accused of making up trial data pleads guilty to federal charges
Originally published in MedPage Todayby John Gever, MedPage Today Senior EditorA Massachusetts anesthesiologist accused of fabricating data in studies of pain drugs will plead guilty to federal criminal charges under an agreement with prosecutors. Scott Reuben, MD, a well-known pain researcher at Baystate Medical Center in Springfield, Mass., was charged with one count of healthcare fraud.Early last year, the hospital ...
Don’t forget the patient when using algorithms in their care
The common thought among health reformers is that we spend too much on care, and the additional care patients receive doesn't necessarily help them.What inevitably follows is a discussion on how to streamline care, yet maintain quality. To that end, most hospitals and emergency rooms are using algorithm-based care based on the best available evidence. Where doctors actually had to hand write admission orders, they are now checked off ...
How hypertension increases the risk of dementia
Originally published in MedPage Todayby John Gever, MedPage Today Senior EditorAnother study has found that hypertension may contribute to increased risk of dementia, this time with evidence of actual brain abnormalities.Data from an offshoot of the Women's Health Initiative found that participants' baseline blood pressure was strongly correlated with volume of lesions in their brains' white matter, according to Lewis ...
How patients can bring information and new ideas to their doctors
A patient learns about a treatment for his condition. So he goes to his physician to suggest the treatment as an option. Is there anything wrong with that?It depends on how his "suggestion" is presented.In today's age of patient advocacy and direct-to-patient marketing of pharmaceuticals, a new phenomenon is flourishing in doctors' offices: patients asking for specific diagnostic tests or therapies.I think it's terrific if you bring information and ideas ...
What is the biggest risk for soldiers fighting overseas?
Originally published in MedPage Todayby John Gever, MedPage Today Senior EditorMore than 85% of American military medical evacuations from the Middle East were not the direct result of enemy action, but the result of non-battle injuries and disease, researchers said. Of some 34,000 military personnel in Iraq and Afghanistan who shipped out for medical reasons from 2004 to 2007, only ...
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....
