Medical State of Mind
Medicine has gradually been drawn into a state of mind where legalese and bureaucracy have replaced medical and scientific results. “Evidence based medicine” has surpassed scientific results, or empirical…
Medicare Payments to Physicians – Proposed Rule for 2012
It's doc season again, that time of year when the sustainable growth rate rules are trotted out, and physicians are informed that they will face catastrophic rate reductions courtesy of…
The One Medicare Program that Actually Works
This is Avik Roy, writing in National Affairs: This is Avik Roy, writing in National Affairs: The most successful cost-control experiment in Medicare — the relatively new prescription-drug component called…
Lawsuit Filed Against Quest Diagnostics for Overcharging
Andrew Baker was fired from a company that Quest purchased, Unilab, when he refused to participate in the scam and the case had been sealed since 2005 but recently re-opened. …
Small Airplane Crashes Into Community Hospital In Northern California
The crash took place after hours and there will be a couple of doctors without offices tomorrow. Luckily the offices were empty. Two surgical technicians in surgery left the room…
Cheap Generic Drugs from Emerging Markets Risky
Poorly made medicines are a greater threat than counterfeit medications, according to Roger Bate and Julissa Milligan of the American Enterprise Institute in Washington. They write: Poorly made medicines are…
Study: Medicaid Coverage ‘Substantially’ Improves Access to Care
How does obtaining health coverage (insurance) compare to not getting it at all? According to a trial published via the National Bureau of Economic Research (Harvard/MIT), beneficiaries’ quality of life…
Fresh Air Fund Needs Loving Host Families
While this is a little out of our usual realm of publication, I thought it was a good cause and the time frame for the need is closing quick. While…
Telehealth, the Nucleus of Patient Care
The energy flowing last month through Tampa’s mega convention center at the 2011 American Telemedicine Association (ATA) conference was electrifying. Surrounded by brilliant telemedicine experts all competing to showcase their…
Medical Center Offers Telehealth Monitoring in ICU
The patient has a choice to be monitored by either a remote doctor while in intensive care or to choose doctors and nurses on premise. In this example below, the…
