Benjamin T. Galen, MD
Benjamin T. Galen is an internal medicine physician.
Physician
Patients admitted to the hospital ward sometimes get sicker instead of getting better right away. Often this can happen acutely. Depending on the circumstances, ranging from a "rapid response" for unstable vital signs to a cardiac arrest (a "code”), previously…
Patients admitted to the hospital ward sometimes get sicker instead of getting better right away. Often this can happen acutely. Depending on the circumstances, ranging from a “rapid response” for unstable vital signs to a cardiac arrest (a “code”), previously uninvolved hospital staff might be called on to help. Despite the commotion, these events are a period of time for the health care team to shine. At inpatient emergencies,
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Avoid the blame game during inpatient emergencies
Conditions and Diseases
Direct-to-consumer genetic testing is increasingly available to the general public. Reduced cost and ease of testing make this service easy and seemingly harmless. For less than $100 and without even having your blood drawn (a saliva sample is sufficient), a…
Direct-to-consumer genetic testing is increasingly available to the general public. Reduced cost and ease of testing make this service easy and seemingly harmless. For less than $100 and without even having your blood drawn (a saliva sample is sufficient), a private company promises to provide you with information about your ancestry and your health.
However, undergoing genetic testing of any kind is not a trivial decision. It is not like having …
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Be careful when ordering your own genetic tests
Physician
Physicians and the public are urging doctors to bring cost into consideration at the bedside when ordering laboratory tests and imaging studies. Although diagnostic testing represents an important component of the rising cost of medical care, asking what a test…
Physicians and the public are urging doctors to bring cost into consideration at the bedside when ordering laboratory tests and imaging studies. Although diagnostic testing represents an important component of the rising cost of medical care, asking what a test costs is the wrong question.
Cost-saving shouldn’t begin at the bedside, it should begin by training the next generation of doctors to think in terms of value; not bang-for-buck or potential …
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Physicians have an obligation to eliminate waste
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