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Disruptive technology in medicine has the ability to heal or harm

Health Technology

August 2, 2013

Disruptive technology is a term used to describe new technology that disrupts the status quo. These technologies displace existing technology—dramatically changing the production, delivery, or use of a product or service. For example, 3D printing is an innovative method of producing three dimensional objects using digital prototypes and will change manufacturing as we know it. Although the term is traditionally used in a positive light, this technology, as its name …

When the patient represents tedious work

Rich Joseph

Medical Education

August 2, 2013

I have reached a new milestone in my medical training—third year—the year when we transition from the classroom into the hospital, from the preclinical to the clinical curriculum. Those who have come before me understand that this is a major turning point in one’s medical education where the theory and memorizing from the first two years is put into play in order to manage patients with complex conditions.

It is an …

Are doctors ethically obligated to sign patients up for Obamacare?

Bob Doherty

Health Policy

August 2, 2013

One of the most disheartening developments in the unrelenting political fight over the health reform law is the organized effort by its opponents to dissuade the public from signing up for coverage. Having failed in efforts to block Obamacare in the Supreme Court, or to elect a president or Senate that would work for its repeal, they are now working to kill the law by persuading people to not sign …

Locums tenens physicians change the face of medicine for the better

Edwin Leap, MD

Physician

August 2, 2013

I remember a time when many physicians, especially residents in various specialties, would moonlight in small emergency departments. They viewed it as a convenient way to supplement their low salaries. Some of them were excellent doctors. Sadly, quite a few were not qualified and caused more harm than good.

I did the same thing, although I was a second- and third-year emergency medicine resident at the time. Indeed, the money came …

It’s time primary care doctors diagnose autism

Denise A. Somsak, MD

Conditions and Diseases

August 1, 2013

I remember how my son’s autism diagnosis was delivered. He was three years old. It wasn’t a surprise really, merely a confirmation of something that I expected and feared. He was already enrolled in speech and occupational therapy making very little progress. He saw a developmental specialist at age two and two and half who initially believed that he was not autistic but merely delayed with sensory issues. After we …

Anesthesiology and obstructive sleep apnea: A patient safety challenge

Jeffrey S. Jacobs, MD

Conditions and Diseases

August 1, 2013

A guest column by the American Society of Anesthesiologists, exclusive to KevinMD.com.

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) has been diagnosed in more than 18 million American adults, but there are likely millions of others who suffer with OSA, but are undiagnosed. While OSA is frustrating to the patient and the patient’s family, it is crucial to remember OSA is a significant …

Why patients have to be their own advocates

Angie Dresie

Patient

August 1, 2013

I am a 47-year-old female. In December of 2010, I had surgery to remove a 2 inch atrial myxoma (a heart tumor) in my left atrium. The costs for that were astronomical. That is not what I am writing about. I am writing about what happened in the months after my surgery and a cure that cost $9.19 if you don’t count all of the unnecessary doctor visits and …

Losing my temporarily able-bodied status

Sandra L. Shea, PhD

Conditions and Diseases

August 1, 2013

I thought of Peter when I lost my TAB status.

I lost it on vacation. These things happen. Suddenly, one Friday night in Florida, I was no longer a TAB. Shouldn’t have been too surprised, I guess.

But I didn’t expect it would involve a chicken.

I should explain.

I’m a medical educator: I have a PhD in experimental psychology/neuroscience, and I teach first-year medical students. In our curriculum, the students work through patient …

Exercise is a powerful tool in the fight against cancer

James C. Salwitz, MD

Conditions and Diseases

August 1, 2013

If you had cancer, how good would a treatment have to be, how much would it have to help, for you to use it? How about if it gave you a 5% better chance of cure? A 10% chance? How about a 20% chance to be beat the disease using a treatment without side effects that is free? “Sign me up,” you say? Nonetheless, only 8% of breast cancer patients …

How no shows hurt private practice doctors

Michael Kirsch, MD

Physician

August 1, 2013

I’ve had two jobs since I completed a fellowship is gastroenterology over 20 years ago. For the first decade, I was a salaried physician. Afterwards, I promoted myself to private practice. Each model has its advantages and drawbacks, but for me the private practice model wins out. The climate in Cleveland is extremely inhospitable to private practice, because of two mega-medical institutions that incinerate private practices as their boiling …

Is obesity a symptom or a disease?

Shirie Leng, MD

Conditions and Diseases

July 31, 2013

There’s a great scene in the classic West Side Story in which members of the Jets gang go through all the different things people say is wrong with them.

“The problem is he’s crazy, the problem is he drinks, the problem is his mother, the problem is he stinks.”

“I’m depraved on account ‘a I’m deprived!”

It’s satire, and it’s funny, and it’s a catchy song, but it illustrates the complexity of social and …

Read more…

Is obesity a symptom or a disease?

The medical school interview: Strategies from an admissions officer

Samir Desai, MD

Medical Education

July 31, 2013

As a member of the medical school admissions committee, I’ve interviewed many amazing applicants. Here’s what I wish I could say to them:

1. Your interview performance is critical. As interviewers, we’re amazed by the quality of today’s applicants. In fact, many of us wonder if we would get into med school today. “I can’t believe how much she’s done,” is something I hear time and time again from my colleagues. The sad …

Hospital care practically guarantees that we won’t get good sleep

Peter Ubel, MD

Conditions and Diseases

July 31, 2013

The importance of sleep is perhaps most realized when we become sick. When we are hospitalized and most in need of every ounce of health, though, hospital care practically guarantees that we won’t get good sleep. Fortunately, two approaches hold promise to improve sleep for patients: one organizational, and the other a common trick of the trade among those of us working in behavioral economics.

Recently I was all-too-miserably reminded of …

Your doctor’s a jerk: Professionalism extends to the community

Sara Stein, MD

Physician

July 31, 2013

This is an interesting dilemma, but honestly, I could use your help. A former neighbor (not a close friend, but a pleasant fellow whom I run into less than occasionally) rented a house to a medical student and his family. They seemed reliable enough, and signed a 4 year lease. Over time, the medical student and the landlord began to feud over who does what. Usually things like landscaping were at …

How the government has spurred the adoption health care technology

David Lee Scher, MD

Health Technology

July 31, 2013

Both World War II and the race to the moon were events which pushed commercial development of technologies. I would submit that the ACA and HITECH have had the same effect on the development of many sectors of the digital health technology industry. I will cite five such areas.

Government mandates usually have unintended consequences and they certainly exist in healthcare. The rapid proliferation of some of these technologies has itself …

Bigger is not necessarily better when it comes to medicine

Angelo Falcone, MD

Physician

July 30, 2013

Two recent articles highlight the challenges we will face as our healthcare system changes with regard to how care is delivered and reimbursed. The first article from the New York Times, Medicare Panel Urges Cuts to Hospital Payments for Services Doctors Offer for Less, notes that large hospital-centric systems of care do not necessarily serve patients well in terms of cost and sustainability.

The second on the front page of …

3 data driven health technologies I’d like to see

Robin Friedlander, MD

Health Technology

July 30, 2013

The digital health and wellness space is growing a mile a minute, with thousands of new sensors, apps, trackers, and websites promising ultimate health and fitness born every day. Data requests to MyFitnessPal’s API alone – from wearable sensors like Jawbone’s UP and Nike’s Fuelband to GPS-enabled tracking apps like Runtastic – roughly doubled from 28 million to almost 55 million in one month, between March and April of 2013.

We have entered a new era when it …

How to revolutionize health prevention efforts around the world

Abraar Karan, MD

Health Policy

July 30, 2013

Imagine your 7-year-old son’s face, abdomen, and legs begin to mysteriously swell one morning. Your initial reaction as a parent would likely be to worry first. However, your second instinct is probably to rush to your computer and search the Internet for what might be going on. This is easy enough for the roughly 72% of people in America who have a computer with Internet access in their homes.

Now, imagine …

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