MedWorm provides a medical RSS filtering service. Over 6000 RSS medical sources are combined and output via different filters. This feed contains the latest medical blog items that have been tagged with 'ama'. Sat, 03 Sep 2011 01:55:58 +0100 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5118998&cid=t_123808_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2Fg-WZvl9XAuY%2F The new president of the American Medical Association is lashing out at critics who claim the AMA has not done enough to persuade physicians to join its five-year-old Physician Data Restriction Program, InformationWeek reports. So far, less than 28,000 doc have joined the PDRP, which enables them to opt out of prescription data mining used in pharmaceutical marketing campaigns. Last week, a commentary in The New England Journal of Medicine commentary suggested the AMA had sabotaged the PDRP. As part of a discussion about the recent US Supreme Court decision to strike down a Vermont data mining law (read here), the authors pointed out that the AMA makes a great deal of money from selling its physician lists, which data miners combine with prescribing data. “To date, few physicians (... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5118998 Wed, 10 Aug 2011 12:37:32 +0100 5118998 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5103336&cid=t_123808_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fhealth-care-attorney-discusses-the-use-of-disclaimers-on-facebook-pages%2F2011.08.06 This is the third part of a three part post addressing the legal concerns of social networking in the health care arena. In part one, legal expert David Harlow, Esq., Health Care Attorney and Consultant at The Harlow Group, LLC in Boston, answered questions regarding “The Legal Implications for Doctors, Nurses and Hospitals Engaging in Social Media?” In part two, Mr. Harlow answered questions related to the Pharma industry;  “Legal Concerns: What Steps can Pharma Take to Engage in Social Media?” The third part addresses a question from a follower on Facebook about the use of disclaimers. Q:  Barbara: A Healthin30 reader on Facebook writes:  “I’m looking for a good disclaimer to put on a couple of medical practices’ Facebook pages. The AMA social media guidelines aren’t h... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5103336 Sat, 06 Aug 2011 21:00:47 +0100 5103336 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4992692&cid=t_123808_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fsupreme-court-data-mining-ok-even-when-physician-privacy-is-compromised%2F2011.07.01 The Supreme Court has sided with Big Pharma in their challenge to the Vermont Law limiting the pharmaceutical Industry’s access to physician prescribing information. The nation’s high court handed down a verdict Thursday in the Sorrell v. IMS Health case, striking down by a 6-3 vote a 2007 Vermont law that that bans the practice of data mining — the sale and use of prescriber-identifiable information for marketing or promoting a drug, including drug detailing — unless a physician specifically gives his or her permission to use the information. Apparently, Big Pharma’s right to “free speech” trumps my right to privacy. How getting access to my prescribing information has anything to do with free speech is beyond me.  In the twisted logic of the pro-business, anti-citizen Sup... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4992692 Fri, 01 Jul 2011 12:00:14 +0100 4992692 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4968486&cid=t_123808_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fprimary-care-is-undervalued-what-should-be-done%2F2011.06.26 An article by Brian Klepper and Paul Fischer at Health Affairs has me all fired up. Finally these two health experts are calling it like it is. The Wall Street Journal, New York Times and EverythingHealth have written before about the way primary care is undervalued and underpayed in this country and how it is harming the health and economics of the United States. A secretive, specialist-dominated panel within the American Medical Association called the RUC has been valuing medical services for decades. They divvy up billions of Medicare and Medicaid dollars and all insurance payers base their reimbursement on these values also. The result has been gross overpayment of procedures and medical specialists and underpayment of doctors who practice primary care in internal medicine, family medi... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4968486 Sun, 26 Jun 2011 16:00:00 +0100 4968486 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4968914&cid=t_123808_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FaEr37LbJgo4%2F The ongoing controversy over industry sponsorship of continuing medical education took a new turn this week when delegates to the American Medical Association annual meeting voted to restrict support from entities or individuals that have financial interests in the subject matter. In other words, the delegates decided there should be little or no commercial support and those who are tapped to teach the material should not have any financial relationship with a drug or device maker. Danny Carlat, a psychiatrist who was once an industry speaker but now derides industry-sponsored CME, calls this vote “huge” (see here). However, an AMA spokeswoman says not so fast, or words to that effect. In a phone conversation, she says the language adopted by the delegates is open to interpreta... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4968914 Thu, 23 Jun 2011 13:23:12 +0100 4968914 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4960067&cid=t_123808_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fwho-is-responsible-for-the-hospital-bills-of-prisoners%2F2011.06.22 Are government entities required to pay the hospital bills of incarcerated prisoners?  This is a scenario that happens quite often.  Jailed patients are admitted onto the hospitalist service through the ER for anything from patients faking seizures in the ER to chest pain to drug overdoses.  When patients are under the custody of the city, state or federal system, those entities are required to pay for necessary acute health care services.  I don’t know, maybe it has something to do with a prisoner’s constitutional right.  You lose your right to vote, but not to get a liver transplant. So what happens? Jailed patients get admitted and guards, sometimes, one, two or three at a time, are required to be at the patient’s bedside 24 hours a day.  If the patient needs to ... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4960067 Wed, 22 Jun 2011 18:00:00 +0100 4960067 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4953012&cid=t_123808_109_f&fid=38951&url=http%3A%2F%2Fcarlatpsychiatry.blogspot.com%2F2011%2F06%2Fama-votes-to-discourage-commercial.html (Source: The Carlat Psychiatry Blog) The Carlat Psychiatry Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4953012 Tue, 21 Jun 2011 20:42:00 +0100 4953012 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4902543&cid=t_123808_118_f&fid=34702&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fmspblog%2F%7E3%2Frf-8jUbEjv8%2F James L. Madara, MD, takes over the position of Executive Vice President, CEO of the American Medical Association on July 1st.  Madara, 60, is a pathologist and the former CEO of the University of Chicago Medical Center. Having worked with physicians for many years, I rarely hear them even mention the AMA. It appears to be an organization that has largely failed to engage its members. Dr. Madara has his work cut out for him as the American Medical Association has struggled with declining membership over the past several years, especially after the organization’s decision to support healthcare reform. (Source: MSSPNexus Blog) MSSPNexus Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4902543 Sun, 05 Jun 2011 12:25:38 +0100 4902543 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4893450&cid=t_123808_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fnew-york-state-wants-to-dictate-what-doctors-can-wear%2F2011.06.03 From AMA Medical News: New York physicians may have to take off their neckties, jewelry, wristwatches and long-sleeved white coats when caring for patients if a bill under consideration in the state legislature becomes law. The bill, proposed in April in the state Senate, calls for a “hygienic dress code council” within the New York Health Dept. to consider advancing a ban on neckties and requiring physicians and other health professionals to adopt a “bare below the elbow” dress code in an effort to slash hospital-acquired infections. Even though there’s no data that this does anything to reduce hospital acquired infections. But that doesn’t matter. So why stop there? I say, doctors should do the ultimate for their patients: the Full Monty. *Th... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4893450 Fri, 03 Jun 2011 18:00:00 +0100 4893450 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4862550&cid=t_123808_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Forganized-medicine-is-out-of-touch-with-how-practicing-physicians-feel-about-obamacare%2F2011.05.24 There is a widespread discrepancy between the opinions of organized medical group leaders in the American Medical Association (AMA), the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP), the American College of Physicians (ACP), and  practicing physicians.  AMA, AAFP, and ACP are part of organized medicine. These organizations supported the healthcare reform law in 2010 and continue to support the legislation. I believe they have taken this position because they want a seat at the table as implementation of the legislation moves forward. President Obama has not paid attention to them so far and there is little evidence that he will in the future. In March of 2010, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi famously said, “We have to pass the [health care] bill so that you can find out what is i... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4862550 Tue, 24 May 2011 16:00:17 +0100 4862550 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4828888&cid=t_123808_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fhealth-insurance-coverage-and-leaving-the-hospital-against-medical-advice%2F2011.05.15 There is a huge myth being unknowingly  perpetrated against the general public when it comes to their rights and responsibilities as a patient.  It’s a myth that I can remember hearing as far back as my first few weeks of clinicals during medical school.  It was a constant presence during my residency training and even now, as a private practice hospitalist I hear misinformation being handed down day after day, month after month. This myth is perpetrated by doctors, nurses, and therapists of all kinds.  What is this myth?  That their health insurance company will not pay for the care provided if they want to leave against the medical advice of their physician. Will my insurance company pay if I leave against medical advice (AMA)? Yes.  They will pay.  Medicare and Medicaid pa... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4828888 Sun, 15 May 2011 19:00:00 +0100 4828888 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4615097&cid=t_123808_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fobama-is-not-reforming-healthcare-the-right-way%2F2011.03.20 Last year’s “Doctor Fix” was passed the last week congress was in session in 2010. This was after the medical profession was held in suspense for 9 months. The “Doctor Fix” was supposedly the result of President Obama making a deal with the AMA for the AMA’s support. He was going to pass a real “Doctor Fix” in 2011 by repairing the defective sustainable growth rate formula (SGR). Nothing has been done about this by President Obama in 2011. The cumulative physician reimbursement reduction of 25% was suspended until January 2012. Physicians face a 29.5% Medicare Pay Cut in January 2012. Four and one half percent was added to last year’s cumulative physicians reimbursement reduction. The reduction was calculated into the CBO’s cost score for President Obama’s Healthcar... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4615097 Sun, 20 Mar 2011 20:00:41 +0100 4615097 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4592327&cid=t_123808_87_f&fid=34765&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhcrenewal.blogspot.com%2F2011%2F03%2Fama-deluded-on-health-it-begs-for.html The American Medical Association (AMA) has become worse than useless:AMA urges issuance of EMR penalties be delayedCongressional Quarterly's CQ Weekly (3/14, Zeller) reports that "Congress strongly believes that electronic medical records will bring down the cost of healthcare, so much so that it has passed two laws providing incentives for doctors who upgrade their systems and levying penalties on those who don't."But, the American Medical Association is urging that the penalties be delayed. Notably, the association "says a Government Accountability Office study released in February bolsters its point that the two laws create competing incentives that contradict each other." [Just our sub-15% approval rating Congress at work - ed.] The article adds that the Department of Health and Human ... Health Care Renewal blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4592327 Mon, 14 Mar 2011 16:42:00 +0100 4592327 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4560275&cid=t_123808_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Flying-a-way-of-life-in-the-medical-profession%2F2011.03.07 In his last post, DrRich analyzed whether the young Wisconsin doctors who stood out on street corners proudly offering fake “sick excuses” to protesting teachers were engaging in an act of civil disobedience. DrRich respectfully kept an open mind on this question, but after careful deliberation concluded that it is very unlikely that their actions constituted classic civil disobedience as espoused by Thoreau or Gandhi. Instead, these doctors were, in a professional capacity, lying. They did not lie in any truly malicious way, however. They lied because they have been trained to believe in a higher cause than mere professional ethics, namely, the cause of social justice. They lied in full confidence that telling lies to advance such a noble cause is a natural duty of the medical profess... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4560275 Mon, 07 Mar 2011 21:00:13 +0100 4560275 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4386272&cid=t_123808_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fmystery-providers-healthcare-professionals-and-identification-badges%2F2011.01.22 So I’m in the exam room recently with a new patient. After some initial dialog with the child and family, I launched into the business of problem solving. Ten minutes into my history the mother politely asks: “I’m sorry, and you are?…” I hadn’t introduced myself. I had left my ID badge at my workstation, and by order of some innocent distraction with the child or family, I hadn’t identified myself immediately on entering the room. This is rare. Sometimes I assume people will know who I am. But I don’t wear a white coat and my stethoscope is concealed. I wear clothes only good enough to sustain the barrage of regurgitation, urine, full-frontal coughs, and sloppy hugs that mark a successful clinic day. A colleague once told me I dress like an algebra teacher. I haven’... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4386272 Sat, 22 Jan 2011 20:00:56 +0100 4386272 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4322508&cid=t_123808_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fphysician-visibility-in-public-i-see-patients-and-they-see-me%2F2011.01.07 In the movie “The Sixth Sense,” there was that kid who saw dead people. I’m like that. But I see patients and their parents instead. They’re all around me. They’re watching at the grocery store when my kids act up. We meet during anniversary dinners, at Christmas Eve service, and on the treadmill at the Y. I bump into parents when buying personal effects and even during the early morning coffee run in my oldest sweats. I see patients. The follow-up dialog between the parents might go something like this: Dad: “Marge, don’t you think Billy’s colitis might be better managed by a doctor capable of pulling himself together?” Mom: “Don’t be ridiculous, Frank. DrV’s bedhead has nothing to do with his ability to care for Billy. And besides, I’ve heard tha... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4322508 Fri, 07 Jan 2011 18:00:43 +0100 4322508 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4322510&cid=t_123808_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Faverage-hourly-earnings-of-primary-care-relative-to-other-specialists-graph%2F2011.01.07 Here’s an interesting article, talking about stuff that’s not new to anyone who has read my blog for the last three years. The current relative value unit (RVU) system is a scam, perpetuated by a super-secretive group of subspecialists each  inflating their own worth for the benefit of themselves, at the expense of primary care. If you don’t understand what I’m talking about, first read about RVUs explained. Then come back and read this article put out by the National Institute for Health Care Management. It’s titled “Out of Whack: Pricing Distortions in the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule.“ In his essay, Dr. Robert Berenson shows how distorted primary care specialties are paid, relative to other specialties, in an all Medicare practice with t... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4322510 Fri, 07 Jan 2011 14:00:00 +0100 4322510 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4266213&cid=t_123808_147_f&fid=39273&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FePharmaSummit%2F%7E3%2Fbw0MjE1fwq4%2Fnew-policy-by-ama-aims-to-help-guide.html 90% of Americans are searching online for health information, but until recently, what they found tended to be jumbled and lacked credibility. Times are changing though. Mashable reports that as the health care revolution changes, many doctors, nurses and medical professionals are taking their insights online and offering patients credible resources to improve their health knowledge online.Both the AMA and the CDC has recognized this, and released Best Practice documents for those professionals. A few of the Best Practices that caught our attention were:Using privacy settings to safeguard personal information and content to the fullest extent possible on social networking sites. Routinely monitoring their own Internet presence to ensure that the personal and professional information on the... ePharma Summit blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4266213 Thu, 16 Dec 2010 15:30:00 +0100 4266213 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4233182&cid=t_123808_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fhow-preauthorization-impacts-care%2F2010.12.06 The American Medical Association (AMA) had a press release [recently] announcing findings from their survey on the impact of insurance company preauthorization policies. Surprisingly, they discovered that these policies use physician time and delay treatment. It’s funny, because preauthorization policies were designed to save money. And I imagine they do, for the insurer, but they cost money for everyone else. (more…) *This blog post was originally published at Shrink Rap* (Source: Better Health) Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4233182 Mon, 06 Dec 2010 23:00:00 +0100 4233182 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4214127&cid=t_123808_88_f&fid=38153&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ozemedicine.com%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D896 Their 5 golden rules for social media use by doctors: Don’t discuss patients Don’t defame colleagues Don’t ‘friend’ patients Maintain a professional image – eg posting images, joining certain groups, making comments etc Be aware of who’s accessing your details – eg patients and employers See their guidelines here (Source: Oz E Medicine - emergency medicine in Australia) Oz E Medicine - emergency medicine in Australia blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4214127 Tue, 30 Nov 2010 11:52:14 +0100 4214127 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4205932&cid=t_123808_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fcan-patients-choose-a-good-doctor-online%2F2010.11.27 The following op-ed was published on October 27th, 2010 in USA Today: When I ask new patients how they found me, frequently they say on the Internet through search engines such as Google. Out of curiosity, I recently Googled myself. Numerous ads appeared, promising readers a “detailed background report” or a “profile” of me. Among the search results was information about my practice, whether I was board certified, had any lawsuits against me, and reviews from online doctor rating sites. Thankfully, most were favorable, but some were not. Can patients reliably choose a good doctor online? People already choose restaurants, movies, and their college professors based on what they read on the Internet, so it’s inevitable that many will research their doctors on the Web as well. But t... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4205932 Sat, 27 Nov 2010 21:00:36 +0100 4205932 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4205934&cid=t_123808_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Famerican-medical-news-welcome-to-our-archives%2F2010.11.27 Via the American Medical Associations’s American Medical News article “Welcome to our archives“: Now, our extensive online archive, paired with search and article collections by topic, puts thousands of stories at your fingertips. Add to that a growing collection of Web-only content, such as our interactive tool for tracking health-plan earnings and a “Vault” page that will take you directly to articles and multimedia on topics of enduring interest (www.amednews.com/vault). Most of that older content has been behind an access-control wall. By knocking down that barrier, we are making available 10 years of full content and several years more of selected earlier articles. All told, about 15,000 articles now can be searched and read. We invite our readers to vis... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4205934 Sat, 27 Nov 2010 17:00:23 +0100 4205934 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4190153&cid=t_123808_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fthe-amas-policy-on-professionalism-in-the-use-of-social-media%2F2010.11.22 A new policy on professionalism in the use of social media was [recently] adopted by the American Medical Association (AMA). The AMA Office of Media Relations was kind enough to share a copy of the policy: The Internet has created the ability for medical students and physicians to communicate and share information quickly and to reach millions of people easily. Participating in social networking and other similar Internet opportunities can support physicians’ personal expression, enable individual physicians to have a professional presence online, foster collegiality and camaraderie within the profession, provide opportunity to widely disseminate public health messages and other health communication. Social networks, blogs, and other forms of communication online also create new challe... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4190153 Mon, 22 Nov 2010 15:00:18 +0100 4190153 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4151978&cid=t_123808_114_f&fid=34646&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FHealthCareBlogLaw%2F%7E3%2Fc4MJiaVfawU%2Fama-issues-new-policy-to-guide.html Today the American Medical Association announced that it has adopted and issued a new policy offering guidance to physicians on the use of social media. The new policy focuses on helping physicians to "maintain a positive online presence and preserve the integrity of the patient-physician relationship."The press release indicates that the policy encourages physicians to:Use privacy settings to safeguard personal information and content to the fullest extent possible on social networking sites. Routinely monitor their own Internet presence to ensure that the personal and professional information on their own sites and content posted about them by others, is accurate and appropriate. Maintain appropriate boundaries of the patient-physician relationship when interacting with patients online a... Health Care Law Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4151978 Wed, 10 Nov 2010 13:51:08 +0100 4151978 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4152263&cid=t_123808_150_f&fid=34889&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpharmamkting.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F11%2Fama-policy-on-use-of-social-media-sees.html Yesterday, the American Medical Association (AMA) adopted a new policy on "Professionalism in the Use of Social Media" (find the press release here) According to the AMA, this policy aims at "helping physicians to maintain a positive online presence and preserve the integrity of the patient-physician relationship."Looking over the AMA guidelines,  I find that this policy, like all such policies -- including the policies of pharma companies regarding employee use of social media -- (1) was developed after the cow has left the barn (ie, many physicians are already using social media; see, for example, this recent Pharma Marketing News article: "Physician-Generated Content on Social Media Sites") and (2) has an underlying negative view of social media and physician-generated content.The ... Pharma Marketing Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4152263 Wed, 10 Nov 2010 12:56:00 +0100 4152263 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4133714&cid=t_123808_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Flight-shed-on-the-corruption-of-the-ruc%2F2010.11.03 Interesting [recent] front-page article in the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) about the American Medical Association’s (AMA) Relative Value Scale Update Committee (RUC). From the WSJ: Three times a year, 29 doctors gather around a table in a hotel meeting room. Their job is an unusual one: divvying up billions of Medicare dollars. The group, convened by the American Medical Association, has no official government standing. Members are mostly selected by medical-specialty trade groups. Anyone who attends its meetings must sign a confidentiality agreement. [...] The RUC, as it is known, has stoked a debate over whether doctors have too much control over the flow of taxpayer dollars in the $500 billion Medicare program. Its critics fault the committee for contributing to a system that spen... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4133714 Wed, 03 Nov 2010 18:00:00 +0100 4133714 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3816399&cid=t_123808_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fnew-ama-report-almost-90-of-us-physicians-are-victims-of-meritless-lawsuits%2F2010.08.03 I received this press release today and was depressed by the prevalence of meritless lawsuits in this country. Most physicians (95%) are sued at some point in their careers, and as many as 90% of these suits are found to be meritless. If that doesn’t make you want to quit practicing medicine, I don’t know what does. This kind of litigious climate definitely adds to my stress levels — and makes me fearful of caring for very sick and fragile patients who are likely to have poor outcomes, regardless of what I do. Many of my colleagues practice medicine with one eye always looking over their shoulder, wondering when that one bad apple will take them to court in an attempt at a financial windfall. In Canada, those who bring frivolous lawsuits to court are responsible for all l... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3816399 Tue, 03 Aug 2010 20:07:44 +0100 3816399 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3822922&cid=t_123808_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fnew-ama-report-almost-90-of-us-physicians-are-victims-of-meritless-lawsuits%2F2010.08.03 I received this press release and was depressed by the prevalence of lawsuits filed against doctors in this country. More than 40% of physicians are sued at some point in their careers, and the vast majority of these suits are found to be meritless. If that doesn’t make you want to quit practicing medicine, I don’t know what does. This kind of litigious climate definitely adds to my stress levels — and makes me fearful of caring for very sick and fragile patients who are likely to have poor outcomes, regardless of what I do. Many of my colleagues practice medicine with one eye always looking over their shoulder, wondering when that one bad apple will take them to court in an attempt at a financial windfall. In Canada, those who bring frivolous lawsuits to court are... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3822922 Tue, 03 Aug 2010 19:53:36 +0100 3822922 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3790706&cid=t_123808_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fpublic-service-does-having-an-opinion-disqualify-you%2F2010.07.26 Many conservatives are up-in-arms about President Obama’s decision to appoint Don Berwick, a pediatrician and renowned expert in quality improvement and patient safety, to lead the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). They object to Dr. Berwick’s views on a range of issues, and to Obama’s decision to use his office’s authority to appoint Dr. Berwick while the Senate was out on a short Independence Day holiday recess. As a “recess appointment,” Dr. Berwick was able to take office without Senate hearings and confirmation, but he can only serve through the end of the 111th Congress — that is, until the end of 2011 — unless ratified by the Senate. Berwick, though, also has many supporters. Maggie Mahar articulates the “pro&#8221... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3790706 Mon, 26 Jul 2010 12:00:00 +0100 3790706 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3706675&cid=t_123808_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fsgr-tired-of-congress-hitting-the-6-month-snooze-button%2F2010.06.28 I have not a single thing I want to write about today. I am weary of the obvious topic: the “passage” of the 6-month extension on the SGR, but do feel I need to comment. I am tired of this. I am tired of being jerked around by congress. I am tired of congress hitting the 6-month snooze button and somehow feeling that they are doing something good. This is procrastination, not a solution. Reassurances that something will be done are starting to be irrelevant. The problem is becoming the frustration, anger, and exhaustion that congress is thrusting upon doctors and patients, not the pay cut itself. The idea of no longer having to deal with the passive-aggressive tactics of congress is becoming increasingly appealing –- and if it’s this way for me, I’m sure it’s the s... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3706675 Mon, 28 Jun 2010 16:00:17 +0100 3706675 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3683618&cid=t_123808_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Ffor-medicare-patients-the-doctor-is-out%2F2010.06.21 In a last-minute shocker, the Senate voted Thursday against postponing a scheduled 21-percent cut in Medicare reimbursement to physicians and other healthcare providers. Sixty senators were needed to end filibuster debate and stop the cuts under Senate rules. Fifty six voted in favor, while 40 opposed. There was no Republican support. (And, of course, no support from Senator Lieberman, who is a Republican in disguise.) Another consequence of the vote is that tens of thousands of Americans who have exhausted their jobless benefits would not be eligible for more. In addition, new taxes on wealthy investment managers would not be imposed, along with an increase in liability taxes on oil companies, leading Democrats to contend that Republicans were protecting Wall Street and the oil industr... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3683618 Mon, 21 Jun 2010 20:00:00 +0100 3683618 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3683619&cid=t_123808_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fcongress-acts-on-doc-fix-music-to-doctors-ears%2F2010.06.21 Leading members of the Senate Finance Committee came to an agreement Thursday night on a six-month “doc fix,” paving the way for physicians to be reimbursed a little more for seeing Medicare patients instead of a lot less. (This is now separate from the rest of the legislative package it had been part of, which is still under debate.) Sen. Majority Leader Harry Reid warned that without passage, there’d be “havoc in America.” But the American Medical Association (AMA) continued its attack on anything less than a permanent solution. The AMA compared it to fiddling while Rome burns. What tune are members of Congress playing? A) Stayin’ Alive by the Bee Gees B) Doctor, Doctor! by the Thompson Twins C) Time to Get Ill by the Beastie Boys (The Hill, Politico, ... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3683619 Mon, 21 Jun 2010 18:00:00 +0100 3683619 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3678502&cid=t_123808_83_f&fid=34856&url=http%3A%2F%2Finsidesurgery.com%2F2010%2F06%2Famerican-medical-association-calls-ban-shackling-women-childbirth%2F The AMA house of delegates has called for a ban on shackling women in labor, calling it dehumanizing and in most cases unnecessary. (Source: Inside Surgery) Inside Surgery blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3678502 Sun, 20 Jun 2010 05:36:25 +0100 3678502 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3671583&cid=t_123808_83_f&fid=34856&url=http%3A%2F%2Finsidesurgery.com%2F2010%2F06%2Fama-insurance-industry-eliminate-purging%2F The American Medical Association is urging health insurers to drop the practice of “policy purging”, a strategy that prices health insurance plans prohibitively high so that holders that have made previous claims can not afford the premiums. Dr. Steven Stack of the AMA and insurance industry whistleblower Wendell Potter, former vice president of Cigna discuss this practice and the need for a health insurer code of conduct. (Source: Inside Surgery) Inside Surgery blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3671583 Thu, 17 Jun 2010 00:11:52 +0100 3671583 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3629564&cid=t_123808_83_f&fid=34856&url=http%3A%2F%2Finsidesurgery.com%2F2010%2F06%2Famerican-medical-association-starts-ad-campaign-senate-medicare-mess%2F Dr. James Rohack, President of the American Medical Association, is criticizing the United States Senate for failing to block cuts in Medicare funding due to begin June 1, 2010. (Source: Inside Surgery) Inside Surgery blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3629564 Fri, 04 Jun 2010 04:29:18 +0100 3629564 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3625502&cid=t_123808_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fdoc-fix-blamed-on-doctors%2F2010.06.02 The American Medical Association will launch a multi-million-dollar ad campaign tomorrow to heighten pressure on Congress for a doc-fix bill. The American College of Physicians (ACP) reacted by calling for doctors to contact their member of Congress directly to let their voices be heard. Robert Centor, FACP, called for doctors to protest as well. (American Medical Association, American College of Physicians, DB’s Rants) Meanwhile, a Florida medical society predicts a crisis in that senior-laden state. The society cited but did not name eight primary care doctors who’ve stopped accepting Medicare patients this year, and 12 cardiologists who left private practice for employment elsewhere because of already reduced payments. Unbelievably, business columnist Steven Pearlstein sorte... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3625502 Wed, 02 Jun 2010 18:00:00 +0100 3625502 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3577482&cid=t_123808_113_f&fid=34634&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FEmrAndHipaa%2F%7E3%2F4XHgJ1StZZ4%2F David Swink wrote an interesting comment on my previous post in which he lists a number of reasons why he thinks the EMR effort is proceeding so slowly. Since many of you don’t read all the comments on this site (I’ll forgive you this time), I thought I’d highlight his comments here to see what people think of his comments and what more they might add to the list. Thought on why the EMR effort is proceeding so slowly: 1) EMR is much more complex than a simple inventory control system. The “human resources” apps probably come closest to the mark, but there are hundreds of separate HR apps out there, but they don’t have to talk to other HR apps. 2) Government is not good at organizing complex efforts. The government-sponsored HDTV effort took some 30 years... EMR and HIPAA blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3577482 Tue, 18 May 2010 15:07:08 +0100 3577482 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3563958&cid=t_123808_87_f&fid=38368&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FDisruptiveWomenInHealthCare%2F%7E3%2FUHjGKILo-L8%2F By Archelle Georgiou. On Wednesday, the FDA suddenly decided to impose their regulatory authority on personalized genetic test kits after Walgreens and Pathway Genomics announced they’d be selling them in local pharmacies. But, what triggered this response from the FDA? Are they new? No. These kits have been available to consumers via the Web for 3 years. Have they been off the regulatory radar screen? No. As far back as 2008, the rapid emergence of genetic testing fueled the passage of GINA, a federal law prohibiting health insurers and employers from discriminating on the basis of genetic information. Have these companies been quietly launching their strategy and staying invisible? No. They have made major investments in marketing with an abundant amount of media coverage in women&... Disruptive Women in Health Care blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3563958 Fri, 14 May 2010 11:57:24 +0100 3563958 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3494297&cid=t_123808_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FspXUjt4XBzk%2F By Alan ReynoldsThe Obama administration thinks it has discovered the perfect formula to cram legislation through in a hurry:  Demonize some prominent firm within an industry you plan to redesign, and then pass a law that has nothing to do with the accusation against the demonized firm.  They did this with health insurance and now they’re trying it with finance. With health insurance, the demon was Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield of California, which Obama accused of raising premiums by “anywhere from 35 to 39 percent.” Why didn’t some curious reporter interview a single person who actually paid 39% more, or quote from a letter announcing such an increase?  Because it didn’t happen.  Insurance premiums are regulated by the states, and California wouldn’t approve such a boost.... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3494297 Wed, 21 Apr 2010 19:46:01 +0100 3494297 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3390722&cid=t_123808_87_f&fid=34765&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhcrenewal.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F03%2Feffort-to-make-health-insurance.html We previously discussed a legal settlement of charges that UnitedHealth's Ingenix subsidiary manipulated its database of payments to physicians so as to reduce its and other insurers' payments to "out-of-network" physicians.  One aspect of the settlement was a new initiative to better determine such payments.  Now that effort has been caught up in the web of conflicts of interests that has ensnared health care.  As reported by the Syracuse (NY) Post-Standard, [New York state Attorney General Andrew] Cuomo obtained $100 million in settlements from 13 insurers, including Excellus, that used the defective reimbursement data supplied by Ingenix, a subsidiary of United Health, the nation’s second biggest insurer. Cuomo’s investigation showed... Health Care Renewal blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3390722 Mon, 22 Mar 2010 15:50:00 +0100 3390722 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3378410&cid=t_123808_87_f&fid=34765&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhcrenewal.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F03%2Fama-and-nearly-100-other-physician.html In a remarkable development, the American Medical Association and nearly one hundred other physician specialty societies submitted a letter to CMS on Mar. 15 (in PDF at http://www.ama-assn.org/ama1/pub/upload/mm/399/meaningful-use-comments-15mar2010.pdf).These organizations wish to prevent physicians from purchasing ill conceived and poorly designed HIT that does not support better practice. The organizations also express deep concern about ominous reporting requirements and overly aggressive timelines, the latter an issue I've written about repeatedly such as in my formal reply to ONC's "Proposed Establishment of Certification Programs for Health Information Technology" at this link.The entire letter is available at the PDF link above and is quite lengthy, but the section of the letter th... Health Care Renewal blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3378410 Thu, 18 Mar 2010 03:55:00 +0100 3378410 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3212305&cid=t_123808_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FKktZfHgKEmc%2F By Jeffrey A. Miron1. Abandon Obamacare 2. Forget Cap and Trade 3. Reject the Card Check Bill 4. Withdraw from Iraq and Afghanistan 5. Legalize Drugs 6. Scrap the tax code and replace with a flat tax 7. Expand free trade and immigration 8. Stop the bailouts 9. Cut spending 10. Cut spending BONUS -  Cut spending (Source: Cato-at-liberty) Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3212305 Wed, 27 Jan 2010 15:03:17 +0100 3212305 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3171890&cid=t_123808_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FrBfejxnclPI%2F By Mark A. CalabriaPerhaps I am a little confused, but didn’t the Obama Administration tell the American public only months ago that TARP was turning a profit?   But now the same administration is proposing to assess a fee on banks to cover losses from the TARP. Maybe President Obama is coming around to the realization that the TARP has indeed been a loser for the taxpayer. He appears, however, to be missing the critical reason why: the bailouts of the auto companies and AIG, all non-banks. This is to say nothing of the bailout of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, whose losses will far exceed those from the TARP. Where is the plan to re-coup losses from Fannie and Freddie? Or a plan to re-coup our rescue of the autos? If the effort is really about deficit reduction, then it completely misses ... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3171890 Wed, 13 Jan 2010 16:29:00 +0100 3171890 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3146003&cid=t_123808_105_f&fid=38964&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdrwes.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F01%2Fwhy-arent-doctors-asking-why-secrecy.html With the turn of the calendar to the new decade, the reality of health care reform has set in for doctors and patients. Already cuts to physician salaries and patient access to care are becoming starkly apparent to those of us on the front lines of health care.I wonder why doctors have been so ineffectual relative to the other special interests “at the table,” in the health care debate? One would think that those with the knowledge base and skill to manage their patients would be the ultimate power brokers in the efforts of health care reform. Yet here we are, watching the commoditization of our profession at the hands of lawyers and politicians in Washington, eager to avoid being perceived as the spoiler. There appears to be a curious dichotomy, neither very effective, in physicians r... Dr. Wes blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3146003 Wed, 06 Jan 2010 12:38:00 +0100 3146003 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3067312&cid=t_123808_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FVaK7NxxlzzY%2F As part of an ongoing probe into conflicts of interest, the Senate Finance Committee’s Chuck Grassley has sent letters to the American Medical Association, the American Cancer Society and 31 other medical advocacy groups for details about the money they and their board members received from drug and device makers, The New York Times reports. Such funding is often considered proprietary, but critics contend the influence leads them to lobby on behalf of industry, the Times writes. An AMA spokesman tells the paper industry funding comprised less than 2 percent of its budget (see AMA letter) and an American Cancer Society spokesman wrote the Times to say it “holds itself to the highest standards of transparency and public accountability, and we look forward to working with Senator Gra... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3067312 Mon, 07 Dec 2009 23:19:02 +0100 3067312 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3015274&cid=t_123808_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FLqjgGYeZLeo%2F Just in time for Thanksgiving, the turkey has arrived: How Harry Reid’s health care “reform” bill is stuffed with extra costs. A few things you might not know about the Chrysler bankruptcy. Why you should not blame Obama for Bush’s 2009 deficit. Standing against the storm: Nien Chang, 1915-2009. Podcast: Think the Federal Reserve is independent? Think again. (Source: Cato-at-liberty) Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3015274 Fri, 20 Nov 2009 17:04:29 +0100 3015274 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3008072&cid=t_123808_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FcjT3muqiNHU%2F Why America leads the world in medical innovation. If the health care overhaul bill were a medical product it would have to come with a warning label, which could read something like this: Warning: This product will increase your health insurance premiums, make your children poorer and won’t make you healthier. That’s not all. There’s more. Unintended Consequences: Could government efforts to redesign cities to make them more pedestrian friendly, concentrate jobs in selected areas, and increase mass transit actually raise C02 emission levels? What does it say about politicians who think Americans who don’t buy health insurance should be subject to a $250,000 fine and/or five years in jail? The president is on his first official trip to Asia. Here’s an... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3008072 Wed, 18 Nov 2009 20:32:18 +0100 3008072 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2981056&cid=t_123808_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FPkRxqYAXtvU%2F The New Republic’s Jonathan Cohn reports that back in March, IMS Health projected slightly negative revenue growth for the pharmaceutical industry but recently changed that projection to 3.5-percent annual growth from 2008 through 2013. “What changed?” Cohn asks. “A major factor, according to IMS, was the emerging details of health care reform . . . Put it all together, and you have more demand for name-brand drugs . . . enough to boost revenue significantly.” And: “If this bill is implemented,” the report concludes on page 138, “an increase in prices on new drugs can be expected.” How could this be happening?  Oh yeah: That brings us back to the deal that the Pharmaceutical Researchers and Manufacturers of America, which represents th... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2981056 Wed, 11 Nov 2009 15:45:58 +0100 2981056 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2977268&cid=t_123808_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FfbouaqOhHe0%2F President Obama’s approach to health care reform — forcing taxpayers to subsidize health insurance for tens of millions of Americans — cannot not change the status quo on abortion. Either those taxpayer dollars will fund abortions, or the restrictions necessary to prevent taxpayer funding will curtail access to private abortion coverage. There is no middle ground. Thus both sides’ fears are justified. Both sides of the abortion debate are learning why government should not subsidize health care. Tip of the hat to President Obama for creating this teachable moment. Meanwhile, Catholics should be outraged at the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (to which my grandfather served as counsel). Yes, the USCCB helped prevent taxpayer funding of abortions in the H... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2977268 Tue, 10 Nov 2009 14:42:32 +0100 2977268 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2977240&cid=t_123808_87_f&fid=34470&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thehealthcareblog.com%2Fthe_health_care_blog%2F2009%2F11%2Fare-we-too-small-to-succeed.html By DON LINDSTROM The logic behind the government bailouts in the financial and automobile industries goes like this: some institutions are so large and interconnected that their failure could collapse the entire economy. They are considered to be too big... (Source: The Health Care Blog) The Health Care Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2977240 Mon, 09 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100 2977240 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2855522&cid=t_123808_87_f&fid=34765&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhcrenewal.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F10%2Frole-of-ruc-in-medicares-price-fixing.html An important part of the noisy and contentious debate about health care reform in the US centers on the role of the government as a provider of health insurance. Some on the left want a government "single-payer" plan to be the only health insurance available. Some left of center want a government "public option" health insurance plan to be available, particularly to those who have trouble obtaining commercial insurance. Some on the right want none of it, and sometimes note that the existing government single-payer plan for the elderly and disabled, Medicare, has important faults that would only become more significant if the plan is extended or duplicated. Yet even critics of Medicare on the right do not seem to want to talk about what may be its worst fault.The latest example, an op-ed pi... Health Care Renewal blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2855522 Fri, 02 Oct 2009 14:55:00 +0100 2855522 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2832130&cid=t_123808_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2F_vLaTtpIhq8%2F Obama can twist words all he wants, but a government mandate to buy health insurance is still a tax. “Think of it this way: If the government took money directly from you, then turned around and gave it to an insurance company, everyone would agree that you’ve been taxed.” Nobody considers it a tax? Even his advisers call it a tax. More on the health care mandate: “Compulsory health insurance could require nearly 100 million Americans to switch to a more expensive health plan and would therefore violate President Barack Obama’s pledge to let people keep their current health insurance.” Why the U.S. slapped a trade tariff  on Chinese tires: “President Obama’s decision was guided strictly by selfish, political considerations: He felt he ow... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2832130 Thu, 24 Sep 2009 19:30:14 +0100 2832130 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2823955&cid=t_123808_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2F9d_QjFkWqlY%2F As Michael Cannon discussed in an earlier post, the White House is trying to claim that health care “reform” does not mean higher taxes. This is a two-pronged issue. First, there is a mandate to purchase health insurance. Second, there is a tax (the White House calls it a fee) on people who fail to purchase a policy. The White House claims this mandate is akin to state-level requirements for the purchase of health insurance, and that the newly-insured people will be getting some value (a health insurance policy) in exchange for their money. These assertions are defensible, but that does not change the fact that a tax is being imposed. It might be plausible to argue that the mandate is not a tax if the value of the insurance policy to the individual was equal to the cost. But ... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2823955 Wed, 23 Sep 2009 16:45:48 +0100 2823955 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2796799&cid=t_123808_151_f&fid=35805&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Ftwelvestepfacilitation%2FwAgT%2F%7E3%2F9WBJzXB6YBQ%2F Online Videos Train Clinicians to Help Patients Who Drink Too Much A new, interactive video training program from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), part of the National... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]] (Source: Twelve Step Facilitation.com) Twelve Step Facilitation.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2796799 Sat, 12 Sep 2009 11:46:38 +0100 2796799 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2788509&cid=t_123808_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FznpyTnlvQzw%2F Jack of all trades and master of none: What happens when the government gets so big that it fails to fulfill its most important role. The hard truth about end-of-life care in America. If current trends continue, the U.S. government will soon spend a greater portion of GDP on Medicare and Medicaid than Canada now spends on its entire single-payer government-run system. Here’s a way to fix that. How about a little honesty from time to time in the tobacco policy debate? More drug-related chaos along the Mexican border. Go North Young Man! Will Wilkinson becomes “forever Canadian.” (Source: Cato-at-liberty) Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2788509 Fri, 11 Sep 2009 18:34:15 +0100 2788509 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2782010&cid=t_123808_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2Fr1sh67TTEv4%2F Hell of a speech last night, eh?  Here are a few of my favorite gems. Under this plan, it will be against the law for insurance companies to deny you coverage because of a pre-existing condition. Translation: I, Barack Obama, ignoring thousands of years of failed price-control schemes, will impose price controls on health insurance. I will force insurers to sell a $50k policies for $10k. What could go wrong? We were losing an average of 700,000 jobs per month. True. And your employer mandate would kill hundreds of thousands of low-wage jobs that would never come back. They will no longer be able to place some arbitrary cap on the amount of coverage you can receive in a given year or a lifetime.   We will place a limit on how much you can be charged for out-of-pocket expenses…. And i... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2782010 Thu, 10 Sep 2009 14:24:49 +0100 2782010 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2782011&cid=t_123808_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FpchSQtigQgA%2F Cato health care experts dissected President Obama’s address Wednesday night, providing live commentary throughout the speech. Overall impressions: Michael D. Tanner:  Can’t see this as a game-changer. I would give him an ‘A’ on delivery, but at best a ‘C’ on substance.   There were surprisingly few details and very little new. Patrick Basham:  Strikingly political/partisan rather than statesmanlike speech. Obama chose to pressure Republicans to support his plan rather than attempt to persuade them to do so. He risks a another wave of (effective) opposition from conservative talk radio  & cable TV. Michael F. Cannon:  Translation: My health plan cannot work if you are free to make your own decisions. (Source: Cato-at-liberty) Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2782011 Thu, 10 Sep 2009 14:15:20 +0100 2782011 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2788711&cid=t_123808_101_f&fid=38969&url=http%3A%2F%2Ftheemtspot.com%2F2009%2F08%2F27%2Fget-anyone-to-go-with-you-to-the-hospital%2F I’m going to share with you a very powerful technique to convince just about anyone to go with you to the hospital, and I’m going to ask a favor of you. Please only use this technique in the patient’s best interest. This isn’t a technique to drag out when your service pressures you to increase transports or you’re not in the mood to call in for a proper refusal. This is a technique for when you really honestly believe that the patient needs to go, but they refuse.    -Steve                  It’s an interesting contradiction in prehospital medicine. The people who don’t really need an ambulance insist on transport and the really sick folks refuse to go. Sometimes the people we could really help dig in their heals and just refuse ... The EMT Spot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2788711 Fri, 28 Aug 2009 00:20:40 +0100 2788711 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2744071&cid=t_123808_87_f&fid=34470&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thehealthcareblog.com%2Fthe_health_care_blog%2F2009%2F08%2Fcan-a-collection-of-official-statements-be-called-a-blog.html By Michael L. Millenson American Medical Association president, J. James Rohack has begun sharing his thoughts on the U.S. health care system, health reform and other issues affecting patients and physicians in a new blog, according to the AMA. There’s... (Source: The Health Care Blog) The Health Care Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2744071 Wed, 26 Aug 2009 23:00:00 +0100 2744071 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2709116&cid=t_123808_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2F7nvtIb_Ez3o%2F Politico reports that the so-called “public option” provision could be dropped from the highly controversial health care bill currently being debated throughout the country: President Barack Obama and his top aides are signaling that they’re prepared to drop a government insurance option from a final health-reform deal if that’s what’s needed to strike a compromise on Obama’s top legislative priority…. Obama and his aides continue to emphasize having some competitor to private insurers, perhaps nonprofit insurance cooperatives, but they are using stronger language to downplay the importance that it be a government plan. As I have said before, establishing health insurance co-operatives is a poor alternative to the public option plan. Opponents of a government ta... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2709116 Mon, 17 Aug 2009 14:33:11 +0100 2709116 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2681889&cid=t_123808_87_f&fid=34765&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhcrenewal.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F08%2Fsgim-urges-chuck-ruc.html This week, Society of General Internal Medicine (SGIM) members received the 5 August, 2009, Update in Health Policy that urged we "chuck the RUC," (quoted in its entirety below, italics added for emphasis):Who will assign the value of primary care services? Chuck the RUC!How does Medicare determine physician payment rates? The answer to this question is a core element of the ongoing debate about health care reform. Changing how Medicare sets payment rates for physicians is especially critical since Medicare rates also guide the rates set by private insurers. Since 1992, Medicare has paid physicians according to the Resource Based Relative Value Scale (RBRVS), a fee schedule that multiplies relative values for physician services by a conversion factor to determine the amount of payment. The... Health Care Renewal blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2681889 Fri, 07 Aug 2009 15:30:00 +0100 2681889 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2634659&cid=t_123808_150_f&fid=38374&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FePharmaSummit%2F%7E3%2FGCjF0zuuOM4%2Fwhy-physicians-may-never-have-their-own.html (Source: ePharma Summit) ePharma Summit blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2634659 Thu, 23 Jul 2009 14:50:00 +0100 2634659 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2610920&cid=t_123808_87_f&fid=34470&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thehealthcareblog.com%2Fthe_health_care_blog%2F2009%2F07%2Fpreventing-extortion.html By JACK CHURCHILL The debate about a public health insurance option mirrors the debate about public power in the 1920’s and 30’s. The arguments then were very similar to the arguments we hear today. The principal issue then was whether... (Source: The Health Care Blog) The Health Care Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2610920 Wed, 15 Jul 2009 23:00:00 +0100 2610920 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2601958&cid=t_123808_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FSM9bMXLDZSw%2F Health care “reformers” (meaning those who want to effectively nationalize America’s medical system) have long understood that their best hope in the new political environment is to ram through legislation with the claim that it is an emergency and won’t wait.  The longer the American people think about the increased cost, decreased choice, and other negative impacts of a a government takeover, the less likely they are to support it. Thankfully, the government health express has slowed noticeably in recent weeks.  Even supporters are coming to doubt that legislation can be approved before Congress goes home in August.  Reports Politico: Health care reform proponents are growing pessimistic that they can meet President Barack Obama’s August target for passing... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2601958 Tue, 14 Jul 2009 12:44:46 +0100 2601958 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2576679&cid=t_123808_113_f&fid=34625&url=http%3A%2F%2Fclinicalit.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F07%2Fama-and-emrs-continued.html Last month, I wrote a rather scathing piece on the BNET Healthcare blog about the American Medical Association's annual House of Delegates meeting. I wrote another one for FierceEMR. Admittedly, I focused on a handful of fringe ideas, though one of the more audacious ones actually wound up in a resolution that the House of Delegates adopted as AMA policy. For BNET, I wrote:[A]nother resolution directs the AMA to tell the federal government that the EMR incentive program "should be made compliant with AMA principles by removing penalties for non-compliance and by providing inflation-adjusted funds to cover all costs of implementation and maintenance of EMR systems."It's one thing to ask for more money to cover ongoing expenses. It’s another thing altogether to conclude that the government... Neil Versel's Healthcare IT Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2576679 Mon, 06 Jul 2009 19:34:00 +0100 2576679 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2527791&cid=t_123808_87_f&fid=34765&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhcrenewal.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F06%2Fwhy-did-us-physicians-give-up-their.html In his recent review of Dr Ezekiel Emanuel's book, (Healthcare, Guaranteed: A Simple, Secure Solution for America,) Dr Arnold Relman, Editor-Emeritus of the New England Journal of Medicine, discussed the history of the deprofessionalization of American physicians.The behavior of US physicians has been changed by the commercialization of medical care, and this too has increased costs. US medical practice has traditionally relied on fee-for-service, which has always given it some of the attributes and incentives of a business. However, the American Medical Association (AMA) maintained for many years that medical practice was a profession, not a business. The AMA's ethical guidelines therefore advised physicians to limit their income to reasonable earnings from the care of patients, and to re... Health Care Renewal blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2527791 Fri, 26 Jun 2009 18:08:00 +0100 2527791 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2515181&cid=t_123808_87_f&fid=34765&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhcrenewal.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F06%2Fruckus-continues-former-medicare.html We have posted frequently about the role of the RBRVS Update Committee (RUC) in fixing the rates at which Medicare pays physicians. These payment rates have been much more generous for procedures than for "cognitive" services, (that is, services including interviewing and examining patients, making diagnoses, forecasting prognoses, recommending tests or treatments, and counseling patients.) Several authors have suggested that how the RUC fixes payment rates is a major cause of the decline of primary care. (See our previous posts on this here, here, here, here, here, here, and here and important articles by Bodenheimer et al,[1] and Goodson.[2])An Interview with a former Medicare administratorHealth Affairs just published an interview(3) with Kerry Weems, a recent administrator of the US Ce... Health Care Renewal blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2515181 Thu, 25 Jun 2009 14:06:00 +0100 2515181 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2511549&cid=t_123808_113_f&fid=34625&url=http%3A%2F%2Fclinicalit.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F06%2Fanswering-mail.html I have to admit I'm shamefully behind on blogging this week. Between the AMA House of Delegates meeting, deadlines for FierceMobileHealthcare Tuesday and FierceEMR Thursday, plus a dentist's appointment thrown in for good measure, I've been too busy or too tired to post here. I also submitted an entry for the BNET Healthcare blog, but it hasn't been posted yet.Meantime, I've left some people hanging.While I was on the air with news anchor Andrea Darlas of WGN-AM 720 in Chicago to discuss President Obama's speech to the AMA, I promised this link to a story about a high-schooler in Washington state who correctly diagnosed herself in science class with Crohn's disease after doctors were stumped for years. Folks, this is why we need clinical decision support.Fellow blogger Lodewijk Bos of the ... Neil Versel's Healthcare IT Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2511549 Fri, 19 Jun 2009 04:17:00 +0100 2511549 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2477538&cid=t_123808_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2Fe8IFYO4hqEg%2F In his speech to the American Medical Association today, President Obama repeatedly denied that he supports “socialized medicine” or “government-run” health care. But what is important is not the terminology, but under the proposal supported by the president, government would control more and more of our health care decisions. Government would compel Americans to purchase health insurance, controlling its content, how much we pay, and the relationships between insurers, doctors, and patients. Government bureaucrats would determine whether Americans receive certain medical services. There may be no better salesman than Barack Obama, but his product is deeply flawed. The so-called “Public Option,” or government-run plan, that President Obama supports wo... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2477538 Mon, 15 Jun 2009 17:13:24 +0100 2477538 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2511552&cid=t_123808_113_f&fid=34625&url=http%3A%2F%2Fclinicalit.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F06%2Fnj-bill-would-ban-non-cchit-emrs.html This is something I reported for the new FierceEMR last week: There's a bill in the New Jersey legislature that would effectively ban the sale and use of health IT products that don't carry CCHIT certification. My story got picked up Friday by iHealthBeat, where it quickly became one of the top five most-viewed stories and No. 1 on the list of most e-mailed. The story even drew a comment from CCHIT Chairman Mark Leavitt, who linked to a post on the commission's blog. There, I learned from a commenter that the bill made it out of committee on a unanimous vote. That's an ominous sign. If states start setting their own EMR rules, we'll be left with 50 different systems of interoperability, few of which would actually interoperate with other. We will have wasted billions of taxpayer money on m... Neil Versel's Healthcare IT Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2511552 Mon, 15 Jun 2009 03:55:00 +0100 2511552 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2511553&cid=t_123808_113_f&fid=34625&url=http%3A%2F%2Fclinicalit.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F06%2Fmore-on-ehealth-ontario-scandal.html If you're interested in a more detailed report on the scandal at eHealth Ontario, I blogged about it last week for BNET. I'm spending this sunny Sunday in a series of windowless rooms at the AMA annual meeting, and will have some reports on it tonight or tomorrow. Expect a healthy dose of cynicism. (Source: Neil Versel's Healthcare IT Blog) Neil Versel's Healthcare IT Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2511553 Sun, 14 Jun 2009 18:29:00 +0100 2511553 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2469483&cid=t_123808_87_f&fid=34765&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhcrenewal.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F06%2Fletter-from-ruc-and-my-reply.html The vast amounts spent in the US on health care have not translated into access for many patients, consistently excellent quality of care, and signiticantly improved outcomes. While we spend all this money, the primary care and generalist practitioners on the front lines are increasingly embattled and disgruntled, and their numbers are rapidly thinning. One problem may be the pattern of fees paid to physicians. Fees paid to physicians not only influence costs directly, but provide incentives for physician decision making about what tests and treatments patients receive. We have posted several times, most recently in February, 2009, here, about how the US Medicare system sets fees paid to physicians.Since health care reform is now a hot topic in the US, there has been increasing discussion ... Health Care Renewal blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2469483 Wed, 10 Jun 2009 18:35:00 +0100 2469483 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2424011&cid=t_123808_87_f&fid=37069&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpolicymed.com%2F2009%2F05%2Fama-ceja-council-on-medical-education-cme-conflict-of-interest-and-bias-in-continuing-medical-education.html This report has described the inextricable link between the CEJA ethical opinions and the AMA PRA credit system; therefore, activities that do not conform to the CEJA ethical framework or other pertinent CEJA opinions by using the mechanisms outlined above and/or other mechanisms to reach the stated CEJA objectives, may not be certified for AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™. It should be noted that neither the CEJA report nor this report addresses promotional or industry designed, Food and Drug Administration-regulated events. Promotional events, as already stated in previous CEJA opinions, should be clearly indicated as such. There cannot be AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™ given for those activities. All physicians should be aware of the difference between purely promotional and certified CME ac... Policy and Medicine blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2424011 Tue, 19 May 2009 18:16:20 +0100 2424011 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2405007&cid=t_123808_87_f&fid=37069&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpolicymed.com%2F2009%2F05%2Fama-ceja-2009-financial-relationships-with-industry-in-continuing-medical-education.html This report is in stark contrast to the report this same committee issued in 2008 but which was rejected by the AMA House of Delegates, which called for a complete ban on industry support.   According to the CEJA committee: Relationships with industry—i.e., pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and medical device companies—can offer enormous benefit to the profession and the patients it serves.   However, commercial funding for professional education can pose significant ethical challenges to medicine’s ability to focus primarily on the needs of patients and ensure quality education for physicians.   They came up with two categories of interests:   It is ethically preferable that:   CME providers accept funding only from sources that have no direct financial... Policy and Medicine blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2405007 Tue, 12 May 2009 17:45:41 +0100 2405007 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2406172&cid=t_123808_150_f&fid=34889&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpharmamkting.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F05%2Fend-all-pharma-freebies-to-physicians.html Has the time come for physicians to be forcibly weaned away from ALL pharma "freebies," including CME and drug samples? Or should the principle caveat doctor be emphasized?An editorial in today's issue of Archives of Internal Medicine (Arch Intern Med. 2009;169[9]:829-831), a medical journal published by the American Medical Association, entitled "Time for the Medical Profession to Act," argues that it is time to prohibit pharma companies from providing free gifts, free meals, free CME, and free samples to physicians.The author, Philip Greenland, MD, of the Feinberg School of Medicine (Northwesetrn University) points out that the new PhRMA Code on Interactions with Healthcare Professionals (see PMN Reprint #77-01) does not prohibit sponsorship of office-based or hospital-based meals, conti... Pharma Marketing Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2406172 Mon, 11 May 2009 21:00:00 +0100 2406172 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2375995&cid=t_123808_88_f&fid=38129&url=http%3A%2F%2Fsandnsurf.medbrains.net%2F2009%2F04%2Finfluenza-pandemic-guidelines%2F Swine influenza is deservedly the hottest topic in health right now. Things could get hairy. Let’s us all prepare for the worst and hope for the best. The World Health Organization has declared the swine flu outbreak in North America a “public health emergency of international concern”. The decision means countries around the world will be asked to [...] (Source: Life in the Fast Lane) Life in the Fast Lane blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2375995 Wed, 29 Apr 2009 02:13:52 +0100 2375995 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2376320&cid=t_123808_113_f&fid=34634&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FEmrAndHipaa%2F%7E3%2FobYqjBTwwQE%2F I was recently sent a news release about DrFirst offering their ePrescribing services to physicians through a new online American Medical Association (AMA) platform. Here’s a short description of the new AMA platform: DrFirst is the first company to announce that it is offering its services through the new AMA online platform. The platform, which is currently in beta testing, is aimed at providing physicians access to information, products, services and resources that can facilitate medical practice and ease adoption of evolving health information technologies. The AMA aims to launch its new platform in early 2010. I find the concept of the AMA offering a platform for doctors interesting. Does anyone else know anything about this platform? On face it just sounds like the AMA trying t... EMR and HIPAA blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2376320 Mon, 27 Apr 2009 18:52:05 +0100 2376320 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2365195&cid=t_123808_113_f&fid=35744&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fe-CareManagement%2F%7E3%2F7gtTQvi2XCg%2F What’s stunning about this deal is who its NOT with.  The AMA chose NOT to partner with any of the incumbent electronic medical record (EMR) companies, e.g., Allscripts, GE, Epic, NextGen, or many others. For those of you who have not seen earlier posts in this series, please understand that the reference to “goes to the dogs” is a great compliment. In a joint press release, the American Medical Association and Covisint unveiled an agreement yesterday: Compuware Corporation (NASDAQ: CPWR) announced today that its Covisint subsidiary signed an agreement with the American Medical Association (AMA) to deploy an innovative health information exchange solution delivering value to its 240,000 member physicians and the physician population at large…. Covisint will enable AMA physicia... e-CareManagement blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2365195 Thu, 23 Apr 2009 21:42:57 +0100 2365195 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2580281&cid=t_123808_113_f&fid=35744&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fe-CareManagement%2F%7E3%2F7gtTQvi2XCg%2F What’s stunning about this deal is who its NOT with.  The AMA chose NOT to partner with any of the incumbent electronic medical record (EMR) companies, e.g., Allscripts, GE, Epic, NextGen, or many others. For those of you who have not seen earlier posts in this series, please understand that the reference to “goes to the dogs” is a great compliment. In a joint press release, the American Medical Association and Covisint unveiled an agreement yesterday: Compuware Corporation (NASDAQ: CPWR) announced today that its Covisint subsidiary signed an agreement with the American Medical Association (AMA) to deploy an innovative health information exchange solution delivering value to its 240,000 member physicians and the physician population at large…. Covisint will enable AMA physicia... e-CareManagement blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2580281 Thu, 23 Apr 2009 21:21:43 +0100 2580281 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2306984&cid=t_123808_87_f&fid=34765&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhcrenewal.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F03%2Fblogscan-mysterious-disappearance-of.html On the Carlat Psychiatry Blog, Dr Daniel Carlat discussed the mysterious disappearance of a report by the AMA's Council on Ethical and Judicial Affairs (CEJA) which recommended the end of commercial funding of continuing medical education (CME). The report was tabled, and is now no longer available on the AMA web-site. (Although, it has not completely vanished off the webs. See the comments on Dr Carlat's post.) Meanwhile, the AMA has posted a series of "fact sheets" from their National Task Force on CME Provider/Industry Collaboration which seem notably friendly to "collaboration" among educators and industry. (Source: Health Care Renewal) Health Care Renewal blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2306984 Wed, 25 Mar 2009 18:24:00 +0100 2306984 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2107698&cid=t_123808_87_f&fid=34765&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhcrenewal.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F01%2Fout-of-ruc-american-college-of.html We and the other bloggers have been trying to provoke an open discussion of the secretive, unrepresentative, unaccountable process which the US Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) uses to fix payments to physicians. That process may largely be responsible for the implosion of primary care in this country, and substantially responsible for how we manage to pay so much for health care, yet have worsening problems with access and quality.See our previous discussions of the process, and the central role of the RBRVS Update Committee (RUC), most recently here, and in earlier posts (here, here, here, here, and here) and important articles by Bodenheimer et al,(1) and Goodson.(2)The ACP Advocate blog, the apparently official voice of the American College of Physician on its advocacy e... Health Care Renewal blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2107698 Thu, 15 Jan 2009 15:48:00 +0100 2107698 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2056687&cid=t_123808_88_f&fid=38153&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ozemedicine.com%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D374 See Unfortunately not much detail of the offer released as yet but seems 1st year doctors get a whopping $2 per hour pay rise if I read that 5-7% correctly - and I’m guessing that increase will be spread over 3 years. The good news is that Govt has seemingly agreed to increase hospital beds by 276 - but they had to do this anyway to manage increased population demands and I am not sure this should be linked at all with medical remuneration. Well we will have to wait on the details to see if we can still attract trainee registrars to our hospitals or will they flee interstate? (Source: Oz E Medicine - emergency medicine in Australia) Oz E Medicine - emergency medicine in Australia blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2056687 Mon, 22 Dec 2008 04:29:45 +0100 2056687 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2022734&cid=t_123808_88_f&fid=38129&url=http%3A%2F%2Fsandnsurf.medbrains.net%2F2008%2F12%2Fmyth-conceptions-of-er-overcrowding%2F Major Myth-conceptions of ED overcrowding Creation myths:  An ED problem due to GP type patients and  inefficient EDs Outcomes / management myth:  Poor patient outcomes are rare Poor outcomes have minimal consequences Therefore - ERs are good places to store excess admitted patients Solution myths: Access block is inevitable and insoluble AND / OR Access block can be sorted out by GP clinics, telephone lines or [...] (Source: Life in the Fast Lane) Life in the Fast Lane blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2022734 Mon, 08 Dec 2008 06:19:37 +0100 2022734 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2013550&cid=t_123808_111_f&fid=34660&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.codeblog.com%2Farchives%2Fstory_submission%2Fare-you-missing-a-man-in-a-kimono.html “Zookeeper, RN” writes: I am an RN at a very large public safety-net/regional trauma center/teaching hospital. It is a very interesting place to work as a nurse as there is always some kind of drama going on. I work on a medical floor where we see lots of infectious disease (HIV, MRSA, VRE, TB, c. diff, you name it), complications of IV drug use and booze, diabetes, renal failure, and many psych co-morbidities. As we are a public safety-net hospital, we see a lot of the same people over and over again because, well, no one else in town will take them. One such gentleman we see quite often, we’ll call him Sammy, was assigned to me recently. Sammy is what happens when you drink too much for waaaay too long. His liver is shot and all those toxins that a healthy liver would f... code blog: tales of a nurse blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2013550 Fri, 05 Dec 2008 01:01:29 +0100 2013550 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2011057&cid=t_123808_87_f&fid=34765&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhcrenewal.blogspot.com%2F2008%2F12%2Fno-such-ruc-new-england-journal-takes.html The vast amounts spent globally on health care do not seem to translate into access for many patients, quality care, and improved outcomes. The US, in particular, spends huge amounts, now more than $2 trillion a year, without getting universal access, or superb quality and outcomes. While we spend all this money, the primary care and generalist practitioners on the front lines of care are paid less and less, are increasingly embattled and disgruntled, and their numbers are rapidly thinning.Although these problems are huge, there is not much clear discussion of them.Thus, it was encouraging to see the vaunted New England Journal of Medicine, the premier US journal of medicine, take up the issue of the "future of primary care." A few weeks ago, the journal published a series of commentaries ... Health Care Renewal blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2011057 Wed, 03 Dec 2008 15:59:00 +0100 2011057 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1922091&cid=t_123808_88_f&fid=38129&url=http%3A%2F%2Fsandnsurf.medbrains.net%2F2008%2F10%2F31%2Fbureaucracy-belligerence-bureaucracy%2F A German doctor whose bid for permanent residency in Australia was refused because his son is disabled, says he does not think the doctor shortage was taken into account when his application was assessed. Dr Bernhard Moeller has worked in Horsham  (Victoria) for two years, leading the intensive care of patients and supervising other GPs in the [...] (Source: Life in the Fast Lane) Life in the Fast Lane blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1922091 Fri, 31 Oct 2008 14:40:21 +0100 1922091 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1918323&cid=t_123808_87_f&fid=37069&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.policymed.com%2F2008%2F10%2Fama-ceja-round-2.html This past summer the AMA CEJA committee proposed elimination of commercial support of CME which was soundly rejected by the AMA Membership. The AMA Committee on Ethical and Judicial Affairs and the AMA Council on Medical Education are now joining up to write companion reports on commercial support for medical education for the House of Delegates meeting in June of 09.  This proposal, to begin the process will be presented at the AMA House of Delegate Interim Meeting November 8-11 in Orlando, Florida. Joint Report of the Council on Ethical and Judicial Affairs and the Council on Medical Education CEJA Report 1-A-08, “Industry Support for Professional Education in Medicine” - Update (Informational) They understand that the last version of the 2008 CEJA report received input t... Policy and Medicine blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1918323 Wed, 29 Oct 2008 17:37:28 +0100 1918323 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1892248&cid=t_123808_87_f&fid=37069&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.policymed.com%2F2008%2F10%2Fwisconsin-state-medical-society-dumping-gifts.html This past week the Wisconsin Medical Society passed a voluntary ban on gifts to physicians becoming the first state medical society to enact such a ban. The ban categorizes gifts as: “Physicians shall accept no gifts from any provider of products that they prescribe to their patients such as personal items, office supplies, food, travel and time costs, or payment for participation in on-line CME. A complete ban eases the burdens of compliance, biased decision making, and patient distrust.” Could a complete ban be a cop-out for physicians in Wisconsin -- so they don’t have to make choices between right and wrong?   "If our doctors accept nothing then the problem will go away, and our patients will trust us." In reality, if physicians in Wisconsin will focus... Policy and Medicine blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1892248 Mon, 20 Oct 2008 16:59:50 +0100 1892248 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1709713&cid=t_123808_131_f&fid=35743&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthegenesherpa.blogspot.com%2F2008%2F08%2Fby-secretary-or-by-professional-report.html A recent study caught my eye. Done by multiple centers..... from the Division of Laboratory Systems,* Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia; the Wadsworth Center, New York State Department of Health, Albany, New York; the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, New York; ARUP Laboratories and the University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah; the Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, Washington; San Ramon Valley Primary Care, San Ramon, California; the Genetic Services Laboratory,** Sequenom Incorporated, San Diego, California; and the Department of Human Genetics, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, New York.What did they investigate? Simple....how genetic tests were orderded and how results were given. What really g... Gene Sherpas: Personalized Medicine and You blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1709713 Thu, 14 Aug 2008 15:31:00 +0100 1709713 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1622087&cid=t_123808_87_f&fid=34765&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhcrenewal.blogspot.com%2F2008%2F07%2Fcan-we-fix-medicare-while-pretending.html There has been much media discussion of how the US Congress just forestalled an across-the-board cut in Medicare's payments to physicians that threatened to markedly decrease access to care. There was some discussion that this was just a temporary fix, but more fundamental solutions would be difficult. Some of the media discussion made some points that previously went unsaid, including:Medicare fixes payments to physicians - For example, a Wall Street Journal editorial noted, "As a virtual monopoly, Medicare uses a complex formula to set reimbursement rates for thousands of services. In short, it controls prices. That's why doctors are supposed to eat a pay cut, even though everyone knows this would prompt more doctors to stop seeing Medicare patients."Changing the system would be difficul... Health Care Renewal blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1622087 Mon, 14 Jul 2008 19:32:00 +0100 1622087 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1522653&cid=t_123808_87_f&fid=37069&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.policymed.com%2F2008%2F06%2Fama-ceja----bac.html Today the AMA House of Delegates soundly rejected the CEJA recommendations Report 1 of The Council on Ethical and Judicial Affairs: Industry Support of Professional Education in Medicine and sent them back for further study and without objection.  This closes this chapter on the issue of funding for Continuing Medical Education. Earlier in the day the Reference Committee on Amendments to Constitution and Bylaws, “recommended for referral” what was formerly identified as CEJA Report 1, so that it will not be presented on the house floor for a vote. However, because the Reference Committee did not  “recommend for not adoption”,  CEJA can revise and (improve) their report for presentation at a later meeting as soon as this time next year. We don’t believe however, ... Policy and Medicine blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1522653 Mon, 16 Jun 2008 21:58:21 +0100 1522653 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1522437&cid=t_123808_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F313156450%2F UPDATE as of 4 pm: The American Medical Association’s house of delegates this afternoon decided a proposal to rid medical education of industry funding needs more review. The controversial proposal was made by the AMA’s Council on Judicial and Ethical Affairs to end pharma funds for residency positions and clinical fellowships; educational programs, such as live or web-based CME; physician speakers’ bureaus; and travel, lodging, and amenities for CME participants. Other recommendations include a ban on industry gifts, meals and detailing at med schools, and an unspecified effort to secure non-commercial funding sources. One exception was suggested for training in new diagnostic or therapeutic devices and techniques, because industry reps may have to play an educational role a... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1522437 Mon, 16 Jun 2008 17:05:21 +0100 1522437 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1519082&cid=t_123808_87_f&fid=37069&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.policymed.com%2F2008%2F06%2Fama-ceja-former.html George Lundberg, MD Editor of Medscape Journal of Medicine and former Editor and Chief of the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) discusses the conflict of interest recommendations including the AMA CEJA Report 1 of The Council on Ethical and Judicial Affairs: Industry Support of Professional Education in Medicine in The Medscape Journal of Medicine, Responding to the American Siege Against Continuing Medical Education. His insightful commentary includes the following statement about the CEJA recommendations: “It reads like something from 1-2 decades ago, before the numerous current CE safeguards were instituted.” He goes one step further than others in recommending that “CEJA should withdraw this report before the meeting and bring stakeholders together to ... Policy and Medicine blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1519082 Sat, 14 Jun 2008 01:54:47 +0100 1519082 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1517002&cid=t_123808_87_f&fid=37069&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.policymed.com%2F2008%2F06%2Fama-ceja----a-c.html A group of key influential leaders in CME along with others are standing up to ask the AMA House of Delegates to reconsider Report 1 of The Council on Ethical and Judicial Affairs: Industry Support of Professional Education in Medicine The National Task Force on CME Provider/Industry Collaboration. An important group in the CME community, The Task Force, is an organization of nearly 50 senior professionals in CME who represent themselves, but have distinguished careers and vast experience with CME in medical schools, specialty and other societies, accrediting agencies, state medical groups, CME providers, grantor companies, and other industry organizations. The report (and related Q & A included in the HOD material) does not sufficiently distinguish between certified CME. While... Policy and Medicine blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1517002 Fri, 13 Jun 2008 14:14:02 +0100 1517002 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1512422&cid=t_123808_87_f&fid=37069&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.policymed.com%2F2008%2F06%2Fama-ceja-how-di.html This article promises to be a foundational report to helps us understand the value of collaboration. By working together with industry colleagues, we can explain to the public that the contributions of corporations to medicine are on balance more beneficial than harmful and that both medicine and the industries that provide it with its technologies are worthy of public support. Cooperation, instead of antagonism, can help industry market its products with the highest integrity, keep physicians current on the best available evidence, and provide excellent patient care. This plan, not woolly ethical generalities, is the proper model of medical professionalism. We challange those who disagree with our position to read his editorial .  This article may change the way you think.  E... Policy and Medicine blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1512422 Thu, 12 Jun 2008 18:00:00 +0100 1512422 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1512423&cid=t_123808_87_f&fid=37069&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.policymed.com%2F2008%2F06%2Fama-ceja----doc.html For the last Sevin days, Medscape has asked physician’s their thoughts on AMA CEJA recommendations to ban commercial support of CME and the answer was resounding (House of Delegates Vote No) At its June 14-18 annual meeting, the AMA will consider its ethical council’s call for a ban on industry support of CME for physicians, medical schools, teaching hospitals, and societies. Critics say the ban would reduce the availability and quality of CME and increase its cost. Do you favor or oppose such a ban on industry support of CME? Favor 19%  (451) Oppose 80%  (1844) Link to Medscape Poll (Source: Policy and Medicine) Policy and Medicine blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1512423 Thu, 12 Jun 2008 14:27:37 +0100 1512423 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1512424&cid=t_123808_87_f&fid=37069&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.policymed.com%2F2008%2F06%2Fama-ceja----mor.html In the last few days, two organizations:  the AAMSE and ACME, released their positions on CEJA: Report 1 of The Council on Ethical and Judicial Affairs: Industry Support of Professional Education in Medicine American Association of Medical Society Executives (AAMSE) is a professional organization of approximately 900 medical society executives and staff specialists who represent more than 380 physician member organizations. Member organizations include county, regional, state, state specialty, national, national specialty and international medical societies, as well as affiliated healthcare organizations and industry partners. AAMSE AMA CEJA Position Letter The Alliance for Continuing Medical Education (Alliance) is an international membership organization of more than 2,500 pro... Policy and Medicine blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1512424 Thu, 12 Jun 2008 13:40:22 +0100 1512424 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1512426&cid=t_123808_87_f&fid=37069&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.policymed.com%2F2008%2F06%2Fama-ceja-medica.html The Council for Medical Specialty Societies (CMSS) an organization representing medical societies with over 500,000 physician members, released their letter outlining their position on the CEJA Report Industry Support of Professional Education in Medicine. Their position was a resounding no: “CMSS  does not support recommendation 1 b) of CEJA Report 1-A-08, and therefore cannot support adoption by the AMA House of Delegates of AMA CEJA Report 1-A-08 in its current wording.” They had significant concerns with the report: “The report, unfortunately, fails to distinguish between promotional activities and certified CME.”  CMSS also went into great lengths to show how much effort has gone into “fixing the system” to protect against bias especially since the S... Policy and Medicine blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1512426 Tue, 10 Jun 2008 13:46:14 +0100 1512426 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1512428&cid=t_123808_87_f&fid=37069&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.policymed.com%2F2008%2F06%2Fama-ceja---appe.html Last week the AMA CEJA staff developed an a Appendix with clarifying questions to address questions on CEJA report that will be given to the members of the House of Delegates upon registration for the AMA meeting. It opened with the following note: As you're aware, the report on industry support for professional education in medicine by the Council on Ethical and Judicial Affairs will be submitted to the Reference Committee on Amendments to Constitution and Bylaws on Sunday afternoon, June 15th. Over the past several weeks the Council and CEJA staff have received questions from many quarters seeking clarification of this report. These questions aren't meant to be exhaustive, of course, but it is the Council's hope that you will find them helpful as the profession moves forward in delibera... Policy and Medicine blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1512428 Mon, 09 Jun 2008 13:41:57 +0100 1512428 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1469985&cid=t_123808_113_f&fid=35744&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2Fe-CareManagement%2F%7E3%2F298487415%2F Since the AMA has issued some “real” numbers relating to the RUC’s recommendations for valuing the Patient Centered Medical Home (PCMH), I’ve added a fourth part to this series. The June 2 issue of American Medical News provides payment scenarios for a medical home: Here’s how much a primary care practice could receive, if AMA/Specialty Society RVS Update Committee advice is accepted. Figures are based on the current conversion factor and are for a hypothetical practice with one doctor, one nurse case manager and 250 participating beneficiaries. Tiers represent how comprehensively the practice has adopted the medical home concept. Figures have been rounded. Most of these items should be viewed as pass through expenses to a medical practice, e.g., case manager SW&B, prof... e-CareManagement blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1469985 Mon, 26 May 2008 22:11:11 +0100 1469985 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1369138&cid=t_123808_151_f&fid=35805&url=http%3A%2F%2Ftwelvestepfacilitation.com%2Fonline-video-alcohol-training%2F Online Videos Train Clinicians to Help Patients Who Drink Too Much A new, interactive video training program from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), demonstrates quick and effective strategies for screening patients for heavy drinking and helping them to cut down or quit. “The video scenarios demonstrate evidence-based techniques for assessing and managing at-risk drinking and alcohol use disorders,” says NIAAA Director Ting-Kai Li, M.D. “We want to make these techniques widely available to clinicians so that more people with alcohol use problems will get the help they need.”   Called “Video Cases: Helping Patients Who Drink Too Much,” the program is available online at ww... Twelve Step Facilitation.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1369138 Sun, 13 Apr 2008 12:55:38 +0100 1369138 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1309067&cid=t_123808_145_f&fid=35710&url=http%3A%2F%2Fstoryofhealing.com%2F2008%2F03%2F17%2Fupcoming-conferences-international-medicine-and-medicine-20%2F Wonderful news! Two of my favorite topics and explorations, International Medicine and Medicine 2.0 are currently accepting registrations for their respective conferences.   On May 30th to 31st 2008, the Institute for International Medicine would be hosting the 3rd Exploring Medical Missions Conference at the University Center on the Main Campus of the University of Missouri-Kansas City, Kansas City, MO. Most health professionals contemplate international service and are inspired by the prospects. Yet few are confident about where to begin. This event is co hosted by the St. Luke’s System, Healthy Mothers-Healthy Babies, Research Medical Center, University of Kansas School of Medicine Department of Infectious Diseases, and the University of Missouri School of Medicine Internationa... the story of healing blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1309067 Mon, 17 Mar 2008 22:39:15 +0100 1309067 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1163224&cid=t_123808_145_f&fid=35710&url=http%3A%2F%2Fksdescartin.wordpress.com%2F2008%2F01%2F20%2Fwelcome-to-the-17th-edition-of-medicine-20-blog-carnival%2F The Truth, Is It Still Out There? Life, as we know it to be so far, always reserves space for seeking answers. The truth. And in our search for truth along the avenues and paths of explorations, lie many dimensions and perspectives. Other’s truths may be some other’s lies. While unfortunately, as knowledge unfolds, some opposing and constricting force, covers the light and distract those whose quest is simple–to know the truth.  Medicine, had its share in this unraveling and evolution. It too had its share of dark times. Though these days are definitely not dark times for understanding Medicine and Life, the current state is also neither the absolute truth. I have the opinion that we are in a spasmic process–breaking down walls, tearing off false attachments fro... the story of healing blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1163224 Sun, 20 Jan 2008 17:18:18 +0100 1163224 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1133797&cid=t_123808_114_f&fid=34646&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthcarebloglaw.blogspot.com%2F2008%2F01%2Fpresident-elext-of-american-medical.html Congratulations to Elkins, West Virginia native, Nancy J. Nielsen, M.D., Ph.D., president-elect of the American Medical Association. Dr. Nielsen will only be the second female to hold the position. Another example of a West Virginian making great strides in health care and medicine.More of the story from today's Charleston Daily Mail. AMA press release dated June 23, 2006. (Source: Health Care Law Blog) Health Care Law Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1133797 Mon, 07 Jan 2008 21:41:00 +0100 1133797 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1090419&cid=t_123808_87_f&fid=34765&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhcrenewal.blogspot.com%2F2007%2F12%2Frelman-in-jama-on-threats-to-physicians.html The purpose of the Health Care Renewal blog is to address "threats to health care's core values," as noted in our side-bar.The latest issue of JAMA contains an important article by Arnold Relman on this topic.(1) Much of its content will be very familiar to Health Care Renewal readers.Relman's first point is that physicians' core values are threatened:Endangered are the ethical foundations of medicine, including the commitment of physicians to put the needs of patients ahead of personal gain, to deal with patients honestly, competently, and compassionately, and to avoid conflicts of interest that could undermine public trust in the altruism of medicine.These threats arise from "the growing commercialization of the US health care system." This has been abetted by physicians who accept "the ... Health Care Renewal blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1090419 Wed, 12 Dec 2007 18:21:00 +0100 1090419 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=838808&cid=t_123808_87_f&fid=34866&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thecardioblog.com%2F2007%2F09%2F04%2Fhealth-organizations-want-americans-to-cut-salt-by-half%2F Filed under: Diet, PreventionI'll be honest here and admit that, because I've never had a blood pressure problem, I once believed it didn't matter how much salt I ate. Older and at least a little wiser, I now realized that as a nation, we all eat far too much sodium than is healthy. Four major health organizations -- the AMA, AHA, ADA, and the U.S. National Institutes of Health -- have teamed up in a national campaign to cut our intake of salt by 50%. Cutting salt can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and lower the risk of death.What can you do to lower your salt intake? You can eat fewer processed foods and become a savvy label reader. You can make more of your foods at home and use spices instead of salts to flavor food. When eating out, ask for unsalted foods and empty your salt... The Cardio Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=838808 Tue, 04 Sep 2007 04:00:00 +0100 838808 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=674469&cid=t_123808_114_f&fid=34646&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthcarebloglaw.blogspot.com%2F2007%2F06%2Fscott-shreeve-md-on-sermo-and-knowledge.html Scott Shreeve, MD one of my favorite Health 2.0 thinkers skeptically examines Sermo's business model of incentive pay for physician opinions and gives us non-physicians a glimpse (with screen shots) of how Sermo works in his post, "Change Agents: Knowledge Prostitution."I've followed and posted about Sermo's development over the last year. Recently Sermo entered into a strategic affiliation with the AMA mashing up the old school health care industry with Health 2.0.As these new health care business models evolve they raise all sorts of interesting legal questions for health care lawyers. For example, what impact will the recent outing of flea have on the reluctance of physicians to post recommendations/comments on sites like Sermo? Could specific content posts by physicians ultimately be u... Health Care Law Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=674469 Sat, 09 Jun 2007 12:06:00 +0100 674469 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=658879&cid=t_123808_87_f&fid=34866&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thecardioblog.com%2F2007%2F06%2F04%2Fmission-lifeline-to-battle-the-deadliest-heart-attacks%2F Filed under: American Heart AssociationThe deadliest form of heart attack, which involves total blockage of a heart artery and is called an ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), is hopefully about to get a little less deadly. The American Heart Association is planning to launch a new community-based program called "Mission Lifeline" specifically designed to improve treatment times for patients suffering from this type of heart attack. The plan will focus both on teaching patients to recognize the symptoms of a heart attack sooner and call 911, and on establishing reliable speedy systems to transport the patients in need to appropriately equipped hospitals.Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments (Source: The Cardio Blog) The Cardio Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=658879 Mon, 04 Jun 2007 04:00:00 +0100 658879