This question was what drove me to graduate school for an MPH degree a few years ago. I was finishing up my family medicine residency at, arguably, one of the top residency programs in the nation. I had been well trained in both medical science and doctor-patient relationship skills. Yet my patients still consistently did not adhere to my advice.
I was not disappointed in my MPH studies. It turns out ...
Read more...
Having married parents is good for children. That's why the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) thinks that same-sex couples should be able to marry.
In a policy statement, that's exactly what they said. It's going to put the AAP in the middle of controversy--but it was the right thing to do for children.
There are currently almost 2 million children being raised by gay and lesbian parents in the United ...
Read more...
I visited with 5 charming teenagers last week. Four of them had something in common: These teenagers are texting in the middle of the night, nearly every night.
Texting in the middle of the night is not a new phenomenon. Over 2 years ago, reports on teenagers texting at night began to surface. One study concluded the average teenager sends 34 texts after lights out. ...
Read more...
First, it was the MMR-autism link—that turned out to be a complete fabrication, a fraud invented by a single “researcher” who made up his data. He was taking money from plaintiff’s lawyers, and he was trying to patent his own, competing vaccine. Too bad for the scare and the resulting surge in measles.
Then, the mercury connection. A mercury-containing preservative,
Read more...
Sometimes, when a parent tells me about something that happened with their child, I think (and say, as nicely as I can): Why didn't they call right away?
And sometimes, when I'm talking to a parent or seeing their child in the office, I think (but don't say): Why did they call about this?
It can be really hard to know when to call the doctor.
It's hard because sometimes you plain old ...
Read more...
Has anyone else noticed the growing presence of ultimatums in medicine today?
The New England Journal of Medicine published a discussion of the ethics of not hiring smokers. My hospital adopted this policy six months ago and they are not alone. There is a tobacco blood test that new employees have to pass. If they fail, they can look for a job elsewhere. I do not know the exact details, ...
Read more...
Brought to you by MedPage Today.
1. Diabetes 'Cure' After Weight Loss Surgery Lasts Long Term. Bariatric surgery may keep type 2 diabetes at bay for good.
2. Car Emissions Tied to Rare Pediatric Cancers. Children born to mothers who lived within a mile of heavy traffic while pregnant were at higher risk of developing any of three childhood cancers.
3.
Read more...
Brought to you by MedPage Today.
1. Teach Health Info to Teens? Use Electronic Media. Electronic media may be an effective health intervention for teens, but better-quality studies are needed to confirm this association.
2. Annual Pap Tests a Hard Habit for Docs to Break. Most physicians wanted female patients to undergo cervical cancer screening more frequently than recommended under published guidelines.
3.
Read more...
Patricia Wen's front page story, "Children's Access to Mental Health Care is Growing," in which she describes the "co-location" of mental health care services in pediatric practices, brought me back to the summer of 2011 when I attended a meeting of a working group of the Massachusetts Chapter of the American Academy of
Pediatrics (MCAAP.) The task of this working group, a subgroup of the MCAAP task force on mental ...
Read more...
Brought to you by MedPage Today.
1. Heart Health in Future Foretold in Teens. Many U.S. adolescents are already on their way to increased cardiovascular risk in adulthood.
2. Sleep Disordered Breathing Takes Toll on Kids. Children with sleep disordered breathing (SDB) are at significantly increased risk of behavioral problems, including hyperactivity, attention problems, aggressiveness, and reduced social competency.
3. $$$ ...
Read more...
"A comprehensive and extremely useful roadmap for doctors."
-Eric Topol, MD, author of The Creative Destruction of Medicine
Learn More...
Past 6 Months
Dear lawmakers: This is what it’s like to be a doctor today
Matthew Moeller, MD | PhysicianA gun owner responds to Sandy Hook
Edwin Leap, MD | PhysicianIs Chris Christie too obese to run for president?
Jeffrey Parks, MD | PhysicianIf I’m wrong about guns, can you please explain why?
Claire McCarthy, MD | PhysicianPrimary care doctors may no longer be needed
Doug Olson, MD | PhysicianWalgreens moves into primary care, and it’s our own damn fault
Kevin Pho, MD | Kevin's Take