Childhood obesity and chronic illnesses that result from being overweight

Patient
January 4, 2011

Our national health status is in imminent danger from the effects of a condition that most population health experts acknowledge is out of control.

I am speaking of obesity — and, in particular, its increasing prevalence in American adolescents and children.

Almost every study that has been done concerning obesity shows a correlation with soda consumption. As a result, some states and municipalities have tried to implement initiatives that make it more …

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Childhood obesity and chronic illnesses that result from being overweight

Protecting health care professionals who act based on their conscience

Patient
January 4, 2011

by Child of the Ocean

I recently came across an interesting article titled “Conscientious Objection Gone Awry — Restoring Selfless Professionalism in Medicine” by Julie D. Cantor, M.D., J.D., in the New England Journal of Medicine.

This article argues against a rule, the Provider Refusal Rule, from the United States Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) that legally protects health care professionals who act based on …

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Protecting health care professionals who act based on their conscience

Medical care and airlines – should there be a difference?

Patient
January 3, 2011

A recent article by Pauline Chen features a group of primary care physicians at Tufts Medical Center in Boston, who have created a concierge practice that funnels income into the traditional general medical practice that sees less-advantaged patients.

Surveys (performed by the medical center itself) found that patients rated the quality of interactions with their doctors similarly regardless of their affiliation. The only significant differences in responses had to …

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Medical care and airlines – should there be a difference?

An automated call center for your medical practice

Physician
January 3, 2011

Having an answering service is essential for the typical medical practice. But what about your regular call center? Do your front desk personnel answer the phone? Do you have a dedicated receptionist? Or a formal call center?

Outsourcing services seem to be on the rise and medical practices are beginning to realize some cost savings just like other businesses.

The trade-off of course can be the perception of less personalized service. Some …

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An automated call center for your medical practice

ACP: Clinical decision support – is it time?

Health Technology
January 3, 2011

A guest column by the American College of Physicians, exclusive to KevinMD.com.

by John Tooker, MD, MBA, MACP

The recently enacted American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA, 2009) and Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA, 2010) contain provisions that, if implemented, will fundamentally change the way that medicine will be practiced in the future.

As I indicated in a …

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ACP: Clinical decision support – is it time?

Is the media responsible for childhood eating disorders?

Patient
January 3, 2011

I really don’t want my children to be overweight. I know this because I see the consequences every day in my practice, consequences like high blood pressure, impending diabetes, or poor self-esteem.

At the same time, I really, really don’t want my children to have an eating disorder. I know this because I had one.

In college, I suffered from anorexia nervosa. I’m a little more than 5 feet 9 inches tall, …

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Is the media responsible for childhood eating disorders?

Permanent makeup risks and dangers

Conditions and Diseases
January 2, 2011

“She just got permanent eye liner and eyebrow augmentation—looks fab,” emailed one of my closest friends last month, about her coworker. “I am seriously considering permanent liner/eyelash augmentation. Do you have any interest in doing this with me?”

I understood the appeal … I’d never have to reapply makeup after showering at the gym, save time on my morning routine and enhance features like thinning lashes and brows. Although we had …

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Permanent makeup risks and dangers

What will become of health insurance companies after reform?

Health Policy
January 1, 2011

The talk around the country among health insurance companies is that their insurance business is dying.

What is happening? First, the consolidations in other industries, resulting in large, multistate corporations, already mean that many companies self insure their employees. Even many local firms have large enough work forces that they can be self-contained risk pools. (One source I found says that in 2008, 89 percent of workers employed in …

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What will become of health insurance companies after reform?

Discussing cancer treatment with the terminal patient

Conditions and Diseases
January 1, 2011

For everything, there is a season…
– Ecclesiastes

“Are you giving up on me?” My patient looks at me severely. “There must be other treatment options! Aren’t there some experimental drugs out there? I have beaten this cancer twice before. Are you saying that I can’t beat it again?”

No one can ever know with absolute certainty whether my patient’s newly recurrent cancer might miraculously disappear with one more treatment. His recurrence, however, has …

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Discussing cancer treatment with the terminal patient

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