KevinMD.com

October 6, 2011Oct 6, 20117

I caught the tail end of a recent #hcsm (health-care social media) tweetchat and it looked to be a good one. I saw a few comments about teaching bedside manner and whether it’s a thing of the past (oh, how…

I put on a brave face when I got a mastectomy for stage 0 DCIS …

Physician voices

Physicians need to understand data to provide better and safer care

Donald Tex Bryant

October 6, 2011Oct 6, 20116

Patients expect excellent care from their physicians. Unfortunately, not all receive such care and most of us realize this. Many who do understand the wide variation in patient care probably believe it is due to the clinical knowledge and attitude of the provider—a very knowledgeable physician or nurse who is passionate about his or her job will deliver the best care. Although these ingredients are necessary for excellent patient …

Patient voices

Practical tips for a more comfortable mammogram

Stacey Vitiello, MD

October 6, 2011Oct 6, 2011

By now you’ve probably seen the internet jokes that compare the mammogram experience to having your breast squashed in a refrigerator door. A few years back, I joined the club of women who have our annual mammograms, and I can’t say that I disagree with the imagery of the jokes. However, the benefits of early detection far outweigh the discomfort, so I’m willing to put up with it.

I’d like to …

Real physician voices, twice a week

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Conditions and diseases

Preventing deaths from food allergy

Scott H. Sicherer, MD

October 6, 2011Oct 6, 20112

Sadly, recent news reports described two food allergy-related deaths in a single week. Although the details are scant, the victims were a 15 year old and a 20 year old, who apparently ingested unsafe foods and were not treated promptly. These preventable tragedies behoove us to learn how to better manage our food-allergic patients and advocate for them as well.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimated that approximately …

Read more…

Preventing deaths from food allergy

Patient voices

When to see a doctor if you have a new symptom

Rick Donahue, MD

October 6, 2011Oct 6, 20113

Patients and friends tell me it’s sometimes difficult to decide exactly what symptoms merit a doctor’s appointment. I find that it helps to think of three basic categories of visits. One category is the all-important annual checkup, which assesses and promotes overall health and can detect signs of early disease. Another category is the follow-up appointment to track chronic conditions or recovery from a major illness.

But the third category …

Physician voices

A doctor cannot be on time and take care of your needs

Stewart Segal, MD

October 6, 2011Oct 6, 201125

Today’s article addresses a common complaint about physicians. “Freewheel” responded to a previous article by writing the following, “you will not make me wait more than 10 minutes. My time is important, too.” One of the most common complaints I…

Today’s article addresses a common complaint about physicians.

“Freewheel” responded to a previous article by writing the following, “you will not make me wait more than 10 minutes. My time is important, too.” One of the most common complaints I hear is “I waited over an hour to see you!” Waiting for an appointment, particularly when you are sick, is frustrating. Once you have that appointment, waiting for a doc who …

Health technology

How Steve Jobs mentored a physician and changed health care

Davis Liu, MD

October 6, 2011Oct 6, 201116

I've been reading A Game Plan for Life: The Power of Mentoring written by famed UCLA basketball coach John Wooden. Wooden spends half of his book thanking the people who had a powerful influence on his life, coaching, philosophy, and…

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I’ve been reading A Game Plan for Life: The Power of Mentoring written by famed UCLA basketball coach John Wooden. Wooden spends half of his book thanking the people who had a powerful influence on his life, coaching, philosophy, and outlook on life. Important people included his father, coaches, President Abraham Lincoln, and Mother Theresa.

Yes, President Abraham Lincoln and Mother Theresa.

Though …

Conditions and diseases

Healthcare professionals need to get an annual flu shot

Norman H. Edelman, MD

October 6, 2011Oct 6, 20112

Whether you are a physician, nurse, physician assistant, pharmacist, or someone else who cares for sick or disabled people, your job as a healthcare professional is an important one. Healthcare professionals are expected to provide services to individuals in need…

One way we can help ensure that we are doing our job the best way possible is to get our annual flu …

Conditions and diseases

The Haiti cholera outbreak is a repeat of history

Christopher Hamlin, PhD

October 5, 2011Oct 5, 2011

The Cholera outbreak in Haiti reminded us that this is not simply a disease of the distant and unsanitary past. The outbreak was both unique and typical. Caused by a disease that has a long and devastating history, this Haiti outbreak has much in common with the outbreaks of the nineteenth century and twentieth century. History helps us keep in mind five key factors.

1. The role of media …

Conditions and diseases

Depression causes a drop in productivity at work

Dheeraj Raina, MD

October 5, 2011Oct 5, 20113

According to a recent study, depression causes an 23% drop in productivity at work. The drop is almost 45% for treatment resistant depression, defined in that study as depression that has not responded to 2 adequate trials (i.e. adequate dosage…

My gut, based on clinical experience, tells me that even when depressed, people devote lot more of their emotional resources to trying to not let …

Physician voices

Calling yourself Doctor and what that now means

Bradley Flansbaum, DO

October 5, 2011Oct 5, 201111

In New York State, the issue of scope of practice is at the fore. Mainly, what activities can non-physicians (NP’s) engage in, with or without physician supervision? It is a heated subject here where I reside, but not the one…

The New York Times discusses a similar matter, although altogether more controversial. Many of you are aware nurses are obtaining doctorate degrees and advancing their training.

The divisive …

Conditions and diseases

Cancer screening is plagued by dissonance

Kevin Pho, MD

October 5, 2011Oct 5, 20118

Last year, the USPSTF was poised to meet regarding its prostate cancer screening guidelines. According the Kenny Lin, a physician who was with the Task Force at the time, the meeting was cancelled for political reasons. He points us to…

Last year, the USPSTF was poised to meet regarding its prostate cancer screening guidelines.

According the Kenny Lin, a physician who was with the Task Force at the time, the meeting was cancelled for political reasons. He points us to a New York Times story on the dueling narratives of prostate cancer screening.

It’s a topic that often appears here …

Physician voices

The use of a signing bonus as tool for physician recruitment

Bo Claypool

October 5, 2011Oct 5, 2011

As someone whose livelihood is dependent upon successfully recruiting physicians to various practice opportunities, whenever possible I use the tool of a "signing bonus" and it may not be for the reason you think. If you have found yourself in…

As someone whose livelihood is dependent upon successfully recruiting physicians to various practice opportunities, whenever possible I use the tool of a “signing bonus” and it may not be for the reason you think.

If you have found yourself in the role of recruiter for your practice, you should be open to use of this valuable tool within the physician recruiting process.

Now, I must say, that whenever this is brought …

Patient voices

You may benefit from having a medical student care for you

Vineet Arora, MD

October 4, 2011Oct 4, 2011

Amid the buzz about whether medical students should be sued and the bill currently debated in Arizona (a state which finds itself in the spotlight more than usual these days), I noticed some commentary from several people who do not think they would like a medical student on their case. Sometimes patients do refuse to be cared for by medical …

Physician voices

The words we choose can have impact on those we interact with

Kate Land, MD

October 4, 2011Oct 4, 201110

Language matters. The words we choose can have far-reaching impact on those we interact with. This is arguably more true in medicine than in any field. Ryan Madanick wrote a recent blog post on the use of descriptor terms used…

Language matters. The words we choose can have far-reaching impact on those we interact with. This is arguably more true in medicine than in any field.

Ryan Madanick wrote a recent blog post on the use of descriptor terms used by physicians in patient’s charts. He felt that the use of phrases like “is a very pleasant 52 y/o woman” or “is an unfortunate 16 y/o boy” is inappropriate. I …

Patient voices

Patients and families must be tireless in expressing any frustrations

Norman Silverman, MD

October 4, 2011Oct 4, 20116

I was reading the other day in a magazine the personal account of a woman who had a "perfect example of a mitral valve click" (a type of heart murmur) that was so textbook in sound that she was asked…

I was reading the other day in a magazine the personal account of a woman who had a “perfect example of a mitral valve click” (a type of heart murmur) that was so textbook in sound that she was asked to be a listening post for a class of medical students. She was pleased to help, but was disappointed in how of the 15 examiners no one treated her like …

Physician voices

Keith Ablow on Chaz Bono and the outrage that follows

Ford Vox, MD

October 4, 2011Oct 4, 201117

Dr. Keith Ablow is an assistant clinical professor at Tufts University School of Medicine. So am I. Ablow has a problem with transgendered people. I do not. I first learned about Ablow’s well publicized stance Wednesday via an email to the Tufts community, signed by the university’s president, the dean of the medical school and the chair of the psychiatry department.

The university reaffirmed its commitment to the complete inclusion …

Conditions and diseases

Health related questions about plastic

Avril Swan, MD

October 4, 2011Oct 4, 2011

Susan Freinkel is the author of the new book, Plastic: A Toxic Love Story. She was kind enough to answer some health related questions about plastic based on her research for her book. Is all plastic toxic? There are lots…

Susan Freinkel is the author of the new book, Plastic: A Toxic Love Story.

She was kind enough to answer some health related questions about plastic based on her research for her book.

Is all plastic toxic?

There are lots of different kinds of plastic and some may pose more of a health hazard than others. The two experts are most worried about are:

Polycarbonate, a hard, clear plastic …

Read more…

Health related questions about plastic

Conditions and diseases

Disease treatment progress will continue to be slow and painful

James Haddad

October 4, 2011Oct 4, 2011

Recently, a friend sent me a text message with a rather conservative back-of-the-envelope calculation putting the number of lecture slides we’ve seen since October 2009 at roughly 41,000. That got me thinking: how many questions have I answered in that…

Here’s the conservative estimate, not including quizzes, workshops, and miscellaneous other goodies: with roughly 100 questions per exam, an average of an exam every 3 weeks, and accounting for a few weeks …

Medical education

Personal statement tips for medical school

Jennifer Adaeze Anyaegbunam

October 4, 2011Oct 4, 20112

As you all know, the personal statement is one of the most important components of the medical school application process. It is one of the first opportunities you have to explain to an admissions committee exactly who you are and…

Here are some tips I learned while writing my personal statement.

1. The personal statement on the AMCAS does not have …

Real physician voices, twice a week

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