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 'america'. Sat, 03 Sep 2011 01:51:44 +0100 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5181975&cid=t_101755_113_f&fid=38236&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.healthcareitnews.com%2Fblog%2Fehr-incentives-likely-improve-quality Healthcare is one of the last industries in the United States to universally incorporate technological advancements. While most sectors have made significant investments in information technology to improve efficiency and consumer relationships, America’s health care system is still largely paper-driven. As a result the healthcare system is plagued by inefficiency and poor quality. Delivery is slower, more prone to errors, and harder to measure and coordinate than it should be. Investments in health information technology can help improve this situation. read more (Source: Healthcare IT News Blog) Healthcare IT News Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5181975 Thu, 01 Sep 2011 12:19:45 +0100 5181975 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5107513&cid=t_101755_87_f&fid=39182&url=http%3A%2F%2Fcovertrationingblog.com%2Fpodpress_trac%2Ffeed%2F1727%2F0%2Fepiphany.mp3 Podcast: DrRich’s recent posts on the death of primary care medicine elicited several responses from readers, not all of them positive. Most of the complaints DrRich harvested from these posts had to do with his suggestion that the physicians formerly known as PCPs ought to drop out of the dysfunctional healthcare system altogether (the system that has, purposefully and with malice aforethought, wrecked their chosen careers), then strike out instead on their own, and establish private practices in which they are paid directly by their patients. This suggestion creates, among many in our society (and apparently, among many of DrRich’s readers), a viscerally negative reaction. Many people believe that DrRich is exhorting doctors to embrace their inner greed, and abandon the grea... The Covert Rationing Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5107513 Mon, 08 Aug 2011 10:56:04 +0100 5107513 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5096467&cid=t_101755_113_f&fid=38236&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.healthcareitnews.com%2Fblog%2Funitedhealth-improving-rural-healthcare The UnitedHealth Center for Health Reform and Modernization released a white paper on Modernizing Rural Health Care. To quote from the UHG presser: read more (Source: Healthcare IT News Blog) Healthcare IT News Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5096467 Wed, 03 Aug 2011 13:18:59 +0100 5096467 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5050534&cid=t_101755_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FzE5hTHeZnEM%2F The American welfare state has been in crisis for decades. Many of the problems faced in 1995 fight have become less tractable problems today. John Samples comments in yesterday’s Cato Daily Podcast. One notable difference between 1995 and today, Samples says, is that the GOP of 1995 kept Social Security off the chopping block for spending cuts. Subscribe to the podcast here (RSS) and here (iTunes). Parallels to 1995 in Spending Fight is a post from Cato @ Liberty - Cato Institute Blog (Source: Cato-at-liberty) Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5050534 Wed, 20 Jul 2011 12:44:31 +0100 5050534 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5036279&cid=t_101755_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F07%2F15%2Fsport-psychology-and-its-history%2F My boyfriend, an avid golfer, always says that golf is mainly a game of the brain. That is, your mental state has a lot to do with your success on the course. And, not surprisingly, it’s like that with other sports. Psychology can give players an edge. As Ludy Benjamin and David Baker write in From Séance to Science: A History of the Profession of Psychology in America, “Indeed, in so many instances when physical talents seem evenly matched, it is the mental factors that will make the difference in winning or losing.” That’s where sport psychology — also sometimes referred to as sports psychology — comes in. So how did sport psychology start and evolve? Early Experiments In America, sport psychology’s roots date back to the late 19th and early 20th centuries when se... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5036279 Fri, 15 Jul 2011 16:35:35 +0100 5036279 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5028210&cid=t_101755_87_f&fid=39182&url=http%3A%2F%2Fcovertrationingblog.com%2Fpodpress_trac%2Ffeed%2F1658%2F0%2Fprimary-care-is-dead-part-2.mp3 Podcast: In his last post, DrRich pointed out to his PCP friends that their chosen profession of primary care medicine is dead and buried – with an official obituary and everything – and that it is pointless for PCPs to waste their time worrying about “secret shoppers” and other petty annoyances. It is time for you PCPs to abandon “primary care” altogether. It is time to move on. Walking away from primary care should not be a loss, because actually, primary care has long since abandoned you. Whatever “primary care” may have once been, it has now been reduced to strict adherence to “guidelines,” 7.5 minutes per patient “encounter,” placing chits on various “Pay for Performance” checklists, striving to induc... The Covert Rationing Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5028210 Mon, 11 Jul 2011 10:53:01 +0100 5028210 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5008191&cid=t_101755_87_f&fid=39182&url=http%3A%2F%2Fcovertrationingblog.com%2Fpodpress_trac%2Ffeed%2F1648%2F0%2Fprimary-care-is-dead-part-1.mp3 Podcast: The recent announcement that President Obama would dispatch “secret shoppers” – agents of the government posing as patients with either private insurance or Medicare/Medicaid, who would call primary care physicians’ offices to document how long it takes to receive appointments – had many PCPs quite upset. PCPs were upset despite the fact that the administration assured them that the President’s spies were only aiming to help. In particular, the secret shoppers were going to document that America has a PCP shortage, presumably so that government programs of some sort could be devised to fix that shortage. (They would also document, bye the bye, that patients with government insurance have a more difficult time getting appointments with PCPs.) Ap... The Covert Rationing Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5008191 Tue, 05 Jul 2011 15:05:33 +0100 5008191 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4984417&cid=t_101755_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2F5JSxrOs2SHo%2F By Gabriela Calderon de BurgosIt is traditional for a Latin American nationalist to criticize people who take their money out of their country and invest it somewhere else. President Rafael Correa has done it several times. In 2009 he forced private banks to repatriate part of their assets. What is unusual is finding evidence that he who preaches does not necessarily practice what he preaches. Last week, Ecuadorians were surprised to hear the news—with our tax authority (Servicio de Rentas Internas–SRI) and then the presidency as a source—that Correa had transferred $330,000 to his bank account in Germany. The President then clarified (“…don’t be stupid, the money was sent to Belgium not Germany”) [in Spanish] that the money was transferred to pay for an apartment fo... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4984417 Thu, 30 Jun 2011 16:06:47 +0100 4984417 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4934338&cid=t_101755_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F06%2F13%2Fbipolar-disorder-tips-for-reducing-relapse%2F For many mental illnesses relapse is part and parcel. Bipolar disorder is one of these. What’s especially unnerving for people is that relapse can seem random, as though you go to bed feeling one way and wake up another, feeling hints of mania or depression. Why relapse occurs is largely unknown. But we do know certain facts based on research findings, according to Joseph R. Calabrese, M.D., director of the Mood Disorders Program at the Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, in this excellent article in bp Magazine on relapse: “Those who are diagnosed with bipolar II are more likely to relapse than those with bipolar I. Their episodes of depression, mania or hypomania are often shorter than the episodes experienced by those with bipolar I but tend to return more of... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4934338 Mon, 13 Jun 2011 11:34:54 +0100 4934338 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4911820&cid=t_101755_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FWRej8NgksWI%2F Good morning, everyone, and how are you today? A scorcher is predicted to envelope the Pharmalot corporate campus. We plan to keep cool by perusing interesting documents and chatting up interesting people. We will also break later to appear on a PhRMA panel on social media. To prepare, we are downing a few cups of stimulation - our flavor today is Southern Pecan. Meanwhile, here are some nifty tidbits from around your world. Watch out for the heat and see you soon… Pfizer Teams With Harvard In $100M Drug Discovery Deal (Bloomberg News) Merck Ends Trial Of Intercell Vaccine For MRSA (Reuters) Covidien Seeks A Buyer For Its Pharma Unit (Bloomberg News) Orphan Drug Development Success Remains Elusive (Gen New) US Seeks Prison Sentences For Device Execs (Associated Press) Glaxo Faces Adv... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4911820 Wed, 08 Jun 2011 12:00:08 +0100 4911820 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4911620&cid=t_101755_113_f&fid=38236&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.healthcareitnews.com%2Fblog%2Flost-translation-clinical-decision-making-and-need-lab-data-standards The HITECH initiative and the promise of effectively coordinated care are fundamentally based on the adoption of standards as an integral part of the larger adoption of healthcare information technology. Numerous types of standards are being promoted, including messaging standards, secure communication standards and data standards. But perhaps, some of the most important standards are those that are not being enforced. No sticky read more (Source: Healthcare IT News Blog) Healthcare IT News Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4911620 Tue, 07 Jun 2011 18:35:04 +0100 4911620 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4893542&cid=t_101755_107_f&fid=36672&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sciencebase.com%2Fscience-blog%2Flatest-spectroscopy-and-crystallography.html Electric microbes – X-ray diffraction has been used to reveal the structure of proteins attached to the surface of the microbe Shewanella oneidensis, a species found in deep-sea anaerobic habitats. These proteins can transfer electrons making this micro-organism potentially rather interesting as an electricity-generating system. The research could allow researchers to tether bacteria directly to electrodes creating efficient microbial fuel cells or bio-batteries powered by human or animal waste. Such an advance could also hasten the development of system based on microbial agents that can clean up oil spills or provide a new approach to remediating radioactive waste. Uranium and Raman – Scientists at the Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research in Tamil Nadu have carried out th... Sciencebase Science Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4893542 Thu, 02 Jun 2011 09:32:50 +0100 4893542 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4862834&cid=t_101755_136_f&fid=35302&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FWhitePebble%2F%7E3%2FuioSAiTyxNM%2F Image via Wikipedia Parrot and Olivier in America, Peter Carey Filed under: books Tagged: Alexis de Tocqueville, Parrot and Olivier in America, Peter Carey (Source: white pebble) white pebble blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4862834 Wed, 25 May 2011 12:28:21 +0100 4862834 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4780309&cid=t_101755_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fbariatric-bathrooms-toilets-built-for-500-pound-patrons%2F2011.05.03 America’s handicap bathroom definition has officially left the train depot for the next station. In America, we are entitled to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Oh yeah, and bariatric rated bathrooms. I snapped this picture of a bariatric rated “handicap bathroom” at the hospital Mrs Happy delivered Zachary A part of me feels for folks who struggle through life outside their home in search of a toilet adequate enough to do their thing. Bathrooms and toilets simply aren’t made to hold the weight or size of 300, 400 or 500 pound people and neither are the hospital toilets. Part of me wants to believe these bariatric rated bathrooms are for the oversized pregnant women on the floor. But the rational side in me knows otherwise. America is fat. And we have the... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4780309 Tue, 03 May 2011 20:00:00 +0100 4780309 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4734442&cid=t_101755_131_f&fid=35005&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Ffungalcompgenomics%2F%7E3%2FCUzFa4eT5MA%2F Several upcoming meetings may be of interest to those working on fungi, fungal genetics & genomics, and pathogenesis. Keystone Symposia’s 2012 Meeting on Fungal Pathogens: From Basic Biology to Drug Discovery 2012 Keystone Fungal Pathogens Flyer The conference will be held January 15-20th in Santa Fe New Mexico and is poised to be a milestone for the field. The aim of this meeting is to bring together the academic, medical and pharmaceutical communities focused on fungal microbial pathogens of humans and other animals to illustrate common themes, and therapeutic, diagnostic and preventive strategies. Opportunities for interdisciplinary interactions will be significantly enhanced by the concurrent meeting on Drug Discovery for Protozoan Parasites, which will share the keynote sess... Fungal Genomes and Comparative Genomics blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4734442 Thu, 21 Apr 2011 16:56:22 +0100 4734442 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4724181&cid=t_101755_136_f&fid=35302&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FWhitePebble%2F%7E3%2FPQHfX_RftrM%2F Rick Santorum is backing away from the campaign slogan featured on the website for his exploratory committee, “Fighting to Make America America again,” after it was pointed out to him that it was first made famous in a pro-union poem by the gay poet Langston Hughes. via Santorum Disowns Slogan by Gay Black Poet. Santorum Uses Langston Hughes-Inspired Campaign Slogan (theroot.com) Filed under: Words of One Syllable Dept. Tagged: Langston Hughes, Let America be America Again, Rick Santorum (Source: white pebble) white pebble blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4724181 Sat, 16 Apr 2011 20:07:51 +0100 4724181 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4719959&cid=t_101755_113_f&fid=38236&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.healthcareitnews.com%2Fblog%2Fmostasharis-onc-wont-be-easy-run-blumenthals Farzad Mostashari, the newly-appointed and fourth leader of the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) is going to face some stiff challenges his predescessor David Blumenthal did not have to face. No sticky read more (Source: Healthcare IT News Blog) Healthcare IT News Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4719959 Fri, 15 Apr 2011 12:53:06 +0100 4719959 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4715014&cid=t_101755_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FpYq3k6eZCQ4%2F Four years after the merger between the CVS drugstore chain and the Caremark pharmacy benefits manager, which has spurred numerous investigations and lawsuits over anticompetitive concerns, a handful of consumer groups have written the US Federal Trade Commission to ask the agency to break up the company. Why? The groups charge CVS Caremark limits choice through various programs, the merger has given CVS unfair advantage over other retailers, patients are steered toward CVS and confidential patient information is improperly shared. Such concerns have already prompted investigations by the FTC and attorneys general of 24 states. CVS Caremark has previously said it is cooperating with the probes. “There is strong evidence that the CVS Caremark merger has harmed consumers,” says the lett... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4715014 Fri, 15 Apr 2011 12:18:08 +0100 4715014 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4684410&cid=t_101755_106_f&fid=34805&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FAwfulPlasticSurgery%2F%7E3%2FRYPKscnsfvs%2F This is completely off topic,... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit MyWebsite.com for full links, other content, and more! ]] (Source: Awful Plastic Surgery) Awful Plastic Surgery blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4684410 Thu, 07 Apr 2011 02:42:36 +0100 4684410 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4684432&cid=t_101755_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F04%2F05%2Fcoming-to-america-can-increase-depression-anxiety%2F I chalk this up to the category, “This is news how, exactly?” Here’s the finding in a nutshell — “After arrival in the United States, [Mexican] migrants had a significantly higher risk for first onset of any depressive or anxiety disorder than did non-migrant family members of migrants in Mexico,” the authors report. Wow, surprising. You mean going to a foreign country, not necessarily knowing anyone, not necessarily having any job or job prospects, and not necessarily knowing the language can negatively impact your mental health? Do tell. The researchers “compared a sample of Mexican-born migrants (259 men and 295 women) after their arrival in the U.S. with a sample of non-migrants in Mexico (904 men and 1,615 women) on their risk for first onset of a de... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4684432 Tue, 05 Apr 2011 22:21:19 +0100 4684432 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4610797&cid=t_101755_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2Fiwx_-UAQHks%2F By Ted Galen CarpenterPresident Obama’s trip to Latin America is likely to focus on economic topics, but two security issues deserve scrutiny during his stops in Brazil and El Salvador.  Washington’s diplomatic relationship with Brazil has become somewhat frosty, especially over the past year.  U.S. leaders did not appreciate Brazil’s joint effort with Turkey to craft a compromise policy toward Iran’s nuclear program.  The Obama administration regarded that diplomatic initiative as unhelpful freelancing.  And when Brazil joined Turkey in voting against a UN Security Council resolution imposing stronger sanctions on Tehran, the administration’s resentment deepened.  Obama should not only try to soothe tensions, he should shift Washington’s policy, express appreciation for B... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4610797 Fri, 18 Mar 2011 16:16:49 +0100 4610797 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4565674&cid=t_101755_146_f&fid=38266&url=http%3A%2F%2Fsleepeducation.blogspot.com%2F2011%2F03%2Fsleep-in-america-2011-sleep-technology.html (Source: Sleep Education) Sleep Education blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4565674 Wed, 09 Mar 2011 22:57:00 +0100 4565674 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4512394&cid=t_101755_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fdoctors-are-sponges%2F2011.02.23 I am a doctor. Go ahead, call me what you may. Group me into a neatly, prejudged category: “All you doctors.” Just don’t label me a sponge. That’s right. Recently in the Wall Street Journal, Mr. Andy Kessler, famous author and former hedge fund manager smart enough to turn $100 million into $1 billion, grouped doctors into a sub-category of the service economy which he labeled as “sponges.” We could have done worse: His other categories included “sloppers” (DMV workers), “slimers” (financial planners), and “thieves” (cable companies). It seems that doctors — along with cosmetologists, lawyers, and real estate brokers — offend him because of the tests and licenses that we deem necessary: Sponges are those who earned t... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4512394 Wed, 23 Feb 2011 16:00:37 +0100 4512394 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4472949&cid=t_101755_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fthe-nursing-shortage-a-big-disconnect%2F2011.02.13 With the aging of America, it’s well known that there will be a shortage of registered nurses and nursing assistants to take care of the population. It’s predicted that the shortage of nurses in California will climb to 80,000 by 2015. California has just 653 registered nurses employed per 100,000 people. One of the problems is a lack of qualified faculty to teach at nursing schools. California was forced to turn away 23,000 qualified applicants from nursing programs during 2008-2009. And this week Humboldt State University announced plans to discontinue the school’s nursing program because of financial concerns and inability to retain nursing faculty. Shortage of nurses and closing nursing programs — now there’s a big disconnect. *This blog post was ... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4472949 Sun, 13 Feb 2011 19:00:00 +0100 4472949 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4472980&cid=t_101755_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F02%2F13%2Fwho-moved-my-cheese-keep-moving-the-cheese%2F Human beings are creatures of habit, which is why Spencer Johnson sold more than ten million copies of his book, Who Moved My Cheese?. Business executives sit down to PowerPoint presentations based on it, and depressed patients watch the Who Moved My Cheese? video during group therapy in hospital psychiatric units across the country. (Who would have thought corporate America and psych ward programs had so much in common?) The story is about two mice, Sniff and Scurry, and two “Littlepeople,” Hem and Haw, who live in a maze of cheese stations, some filled with cheese and others empty. When Cheese Station C runs out of cheese, the two mice immediately search the maze for other cheese stations, while Hem and Haw overanalyze their situation, convinced that one day the old cheese wi... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4472980 Sun, 13 Feb 2011 11:17:40 +0100 4472980 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4405760&cid=t_101755_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FSNsR1IcCYoM%2F By Tad DeHavenWhen it comes to reining in federal spending, House Republicans and the president have one idea in common: freezing nondefense discretionary spending. That category accounts for about 18 percent of total spending, so let’s see how such a freeze would affect the overall budget. Today the Congressional Budget Office released updated budget figures and baseline projections of federal spending through fiscal 2021. Projecting the budgetary future is obviously an inexact science, and the CBO’s baseline reflects unrealistic assumptions. However, it does allow us to get an idea of the impact of a nondefense discretionary freeze on total federal spending. Three proposals have been put forward: In his State of the Union address, President Obama proposed freezing nondefense discret... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4405760 Thu, 27 Jan 2011 15:00:31 +0100 4405760 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4399507&cid=t_101755_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FNb9gopEJD8o%2F By David RittgersIf you haven’t seen it already, I recommend the Frontline report Are We Safer? Since September 11, 2001, the government has gone on a spending spree without any regard for fiscal federalism, dumping $31 billion into grant programs. The program is based on The Washington Posts’ Top Secret America article, “Monitoring America.” Watch it below: Much of this spending has gone to local pork projects or allowed state and local governments to avoid the realities of budgeting – spend federal counterterrorism dollars on normal law enforcement requirements while spending the local tax base on unsustainable pensions for public employees. For a tally of this excess, check out the Price of Peril, an interactive map showing homeland security spending by state, courtesy of the... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4399507 Tue, 25 Jan 2011 18:49:22 +0100 4399507 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4399527&cid=t_101755_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fdiscussing-immunization-the-injustice-of-interviewing-dr-wakefield%2F2011.01.25 When Dr. Andrew Wakefield was interviewed on ABC’s “Good Morning America” [recently], an injustice occurred. For children, I mean. And it occurred inadvertently, I suspect. But I believe this injustice happens all the time when it comes to children’s health and wellness. What the media covers really changes how we think and feel about protecting and parenting our children. The media’s effort to inform and educate — just like that of physicians and nurses, social workers and ancillary staff, researchers, and students — can get lost and misconstrued. ABC worked hard to inform us of the accusations against Dr. Wakefield with a two-minute introduction by Dr. Richard Besser, a pediatrician and medical editor/correspondent. Yet when the interview was over, ... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4399527 Tue, 25 Jan 2011 18:00:46 +0100 4399527 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4372213&cid=t_101755_136_f&fid=37846&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthinfoispower.wordpress.com%2F2011%2F01%2F19%2Flibbys-hope%25e2%2584%25a2-proudly-announces-a-strategic-partnership-with-womens-oncology-research-dialogue%2F It is our privilege and honor to announce a strategic partnership between Libby’s H*O*P*E*™ and Women’s Oncology Research & Dialogue. It is our privilege and honor to announce a strategic partnership between Libby’s H*O*P*E*™ (LH) and Women’s Oncology Research & Dialogue (WORD). WORD’s overarching mission is to raise gynecologic cancer awareness and fund related scientific [...] (Source: Libby's H*O*P*E*) Libby's H*O*P*E* blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4372213 Thu, 20 Jan 2011 01:22:53 +0100 4372213 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4372089&cid=t_101755_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F01%2F18%2Fcaptain-america-fights-suicide%2F Suicide prevention comes in all forms and formats. And why not comic book form, to reach kids and teens who digest comic books as easily as some digest video games? Enter Captain America from Marvel comics. I don’t see how anything like this could possibly hurt. Appealing to those who are suicidal in every form possible and in every type of media just makes sense. I liked the short story — it told a story of hope in just 12 pages. Because suicide is primarily about hopelessness — about running out of the resources needed to cope. The 11-page story “Captain America: A Little Help” is written by psychologist Tim Ursiny and illustrated by Nick Dragotta. In it, a despondent youth is poised to jump off a building when he spies Captain America facing a bevy of villa... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4372089 Wed, 19 Jan 2011 03:42:29 +0100 4372089 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4355757&cid=t_101755_105_f&fid=39124&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.jeffreymlevinemd.com%2Fbacktrack-on-reimbursement-for-end-of-life-counseling%2F Medical doctors are trained to understand and administer powerful technologies which can prolong life.  They get paid to do this.  But should they also get paid to inform patients of alternatives if they do not want these technologies?  The Obama administration has said no to this question.  During the healthcare reform debate the issue of physician reimbursement [...] (Source: Jeffrey M. Levine MD | Geriatric Specialist | Wound Care | Pressure Ulcers) Jeffrey M. Levine MD | Geriatric Specialist | Wound Care | Pressure Ulcers blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4355757 Mon, 17 Jan 2011 05:07:18 +0100 4355757 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4337912&cid=t_101755_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FvCim4AHajoo%2F By Ian VasquezIn yesterday’s Brazilian daily, O Globo, Pedro Abramovay, the drug czar of the new Brazilian administration, said that Portugal’s experience with drug decriminalization should be considered as an alternative to Brazil’s current anti-narcotics policy. This comes on top of Rio Governor Sergio Cabral’s call for drug legalization and of former President Fernando Henrique Cardoso’s criticism, along with other prominent Latin Americans, of drug prohibition. By officially weighing in on the side of harm reduction, Latin America’s giant can have a significant effect on the debate over this hemisphere’s drug war. Brazil’s Drug Czar: Let’s Look at Portugal’s Experience with Decriminalization is a post from Cato @ Liberty - Cato Institute Blog (Source: Ca... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4337912 Wed, 12 Jan 2011 13:50:53 +0100 4337912 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4298662&cid=t_101755_105_f&fid=39124&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.jeffreymlevinemd.com%2Fmore-geriatrics-by-legislation%2F In a recent blog post I pointed out some legislative initiatives that essentially make certain principles of geriatric practice required by law.  I noted how these laws can be interpreted as an effort to make up for the scarcity of practicing geriatricians, and the lack of geriatrics training for most physicians in America.   President Obama [...] (Source: Jeffrey M. Levine MD | Geriatric Specialist | Wound Care | Pressure Ulcers) Jeffrey M. Levine MD | Geriatric Specialist | Wound Care | Pressure Ulcers blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4298662 Tue, 28 Dec 2010 05:32:07 +0100 4298662 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4272501&cid=t_101755_136_f&fid=37852&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdonnatrussell.com%2F2010%2F12%2F20%2Fjulian-assange-and-bank-of-america-sit-down-for-tea%2F New cartoon by Trussell & Trussell on Politics Daily. Julian Assange and Bank of America Sit Down for Tea. And by the way, your smart phone just got stupid. Filed under: Politics Tagged: bank of america, banks, julian assange, wikileaks (Source: Donna Trussell) Donna Trussell blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4272501 Mon, 20 Dec 2010 15:40:38 +0100 4272501 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4253134&cid=t_101755_87_f&fid=39182&url=http%3A%2F%2Fcovertrationingblog.com%2Fpodpress_trac%2Ffeed%2F1167%2F0%2Fcriminalize-IPAs.mp3 Podcast: It should by now be obvious to everyone that, in its great push to take over the American healthcare system, our government will do everything it must to eliminate private practice physicians. This is necessary because Obamacare (or any government-controlled healthcare system) simply cannot operate unless physicians cooperate completely with the Central Authority. Physician behavior absolutely must be controlled, and so doctors who insist on acting independently must either be reeducated or eliminated. (Don’t get too exercised about DrRich’s language here – he is talking mainly about forcing recalcitrants into early retirement, or career changes. The other kind of “elimination” probably will not become necessary.) Accordingly, under Obamacare all doc... The Covert Rationing Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4253134 Mon, 13 Dec 2010 10:27:12 +0100 4253134 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4253184&cid=t_101755_105_f&fid=39124&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.jeffreymlevinemd.com%2Freprieve-for-geriatric-physicians%2F Earlier this month the Senate voted to postpone for one year the impending Medicare pay cuts to doctors that would have gone into effect January of 2011.  This is the latest postponement for a measure that will have deep impact on care of the elderly in America.  In a recent blog post I discussed the [...] (Source: Jeffrey M. Levine MD | Geriatric Specialist | Wound Care | Pressure Ulcers) Jeffrey M. Levine MD | Geriatric Specialist | Wound Care | Pressure Ulcers blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4253184 Mon, 13 Dec 2010 04:39:13 +0100 4253184 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4253119&cid=t_101755_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FlR0NxOqnxWQ%2F By Daniel J. MitchellThere are plenty of reason to like and dislike the tax deal between President Obama and congressional leaders. On the plus side, we dodge a big tax increase for the next two years. We also replace a goofy and ineffective “make work pay” tax credit with a supply-side oriented reduction in the payroll tax rate (albeit only for one year, so there probably won’t be much economic benefit). On the negative side, the deal extends unemployment benefits, which has the perverse effect of subsidizing unemployment. The deal is also filled with all sorts of corrupt provisions for various interest groups such as ethanol producers. Then there are provisions such as the 35 percent death tax. Is this bad news, because it is an increase from zero percent this year? Or ... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4253119 Sat, 11 Dec 2010 17:20:07 +0100 4253119 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4251104&cid=t_101755_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FlR0NxOqnxWQ%2F By Daniel J. MitchellThere are plenty of reason to like and dislike the tax deal between President Obama and congressional leaders. On the plus side, we dodge a big tax increase for the next two years. We also replace a goofy and ineffective “make work pay” tax credit with a supply-side oriented reduction in the payroll tax rate (albeit only for one year, so there probably won’t be much economic benefit). On the negative side, the deal extends unemployment benefits, which has the perverse effect of subsidizing unemployment. The deal is also filled with all sorts of corrupt provisions for various interest groups such as ethanol producers. Then there are provisions such as the 35 percent death tax. Is this bad news, because it is an increase from zero percent this year? Or ... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4251104 Sat, 11 Dec 2010 17:20:07 +0100 4251104 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4241723&cid=t_101755_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Felizabeth-edwards-champion-of-healthcare-reform%2F2010.12.08 The day Elizabeth Edwards announced that she had breast cancer, my heart sank. Finding a lump in the breast only heightens the suspicious that the prognosis may not be good and in Elizabeth’s case, it wasn’t. We all admired Elizabeth for different reasons. In my case, it was her love for healthcare reform that quickly grabbed my attention. Elizabeth advocated universal healthcare and comprehensive insurance for all Americans, not a “compromised” version based on partisanship and politics. As the years wore on, she discussed her diagnosis of incurable breast cancer with passion stating that she knew that she had access to the best possible care, but empathized with women who were not as fortunate. It is said that behind every successful man lies the power behind the throne, and we k... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4241723 Wed, 08 Dec 2010 16:00:14 +0100 4241723 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4233181&cid=t_101755_87_f&fid=39182&url=http%3A%2F%2Fcovertrationingblog.com%2Fpodpress_trac%2Ffeed%2F1144%2F0%2Fsomething-for-PCPs-to-do.mp3 This article describes the efforts of a non-profit organization called the Investor Protection Trust to (it appears) medicalize the problem of financial scams involving the elderly. Specifically, under the auspices of the IPT, government securities regulators will be teaming up with physicians organizations (in particular, the American College of Physicians and the American Academy of Family Physicians), to train PCPs to recognize signs that their elderly patients are victims of financial fraud or exploitation. If such fraud is uncovered or suspected, the physician is to notify Adult Protective Services, an organization which (helpfully) is not subject to certain annoying confidentiality regulations. IPT estimates that screening for financial abuse can be accomplished by adequately-trained... The Covert Rationing Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4233181 Mon, 06 Dec 2010 12:40:52 +0100 4233181 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4175695&cid=t_101755_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fprimary-care-poverty-and-mortality-in-england-and-america%2F2010.11.17 It is an article of faith that, in Barbara Starfield’s words, adults whose regular source of care is a primary care physician rather than a specialist have lower mortality, even after accounting for differences in income, and she draws upon studies at both the county and state levels to prove it. Now a new paper in JAMA about England’s Primary Care Trusts refocuses the discussion on poverty. While Starfield’s county-level studies are often cited as evidence that more primary care physicians and fewer specialists lead to lower mortality, they actually showed virtually no differences at all. And when repeated by Ricketts, the small differences noted were not consistent throughout various regions of the U.S. On the other hand, “counties with high income-inequality experienced much hig... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4175695 Wed, 17 Nov 2010 17:00:23 +0100 4175695 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4172064&cid=t_101755_88_f&fid=38129&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Flifeinthefastlane%2FWZHV%2F%7E3%2F003IkJjfuMw%2F Well that's it, just like that the conference has come to end. The last few days have been a wild ride through the essentials of emergency medicine. Mel Herbert and his team have put on one hell of a show, and San Francisco played host superbly (Source: Life in the Fast Lane) Life in the Fast Lane blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4172064 Tue, 16 Nov 2010 02:54:18 +0100 4172064 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4164578&cid=t_101755_117_f&fid=38856&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.timemastermd.com%2F%3Fp%3D1298 No one could be more unhappy than Lindsay Lohan about the fact that soon there will be no more free drugs at any doctor’s office thanks to President Obama’s “healthcare reform law”.  While touted to bring access and affordability to all – naturally it doesn’t, and while it is now clear to the Democrat Congress and Senate who voted it in without reading the bill – here is another unseen but real consequence of their failures. Pharmaceutical companies give doctor’s offices free samples to give to patients who can’t afford medication, or need to “try them before they have to buy them.”  And they give us a lot of them! Pfizer Inc. 101 million samples worth $2.7 billion Merck & Co. 39 million samples worth about $356 mill... Timemaster MD blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4164578 Sun, 14 Nov 2010 18:16:03 +0100 4164578 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4164528&cid=t_101755_88_f&fid=38129&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Flifeinthefastlane%2FWZHV%2F%7E3%2FoixDQ7me7wo%2F Days 2 and 3 of essentials 2010 have come and gone. It was no surprise to me, nor to other EMCrit fanatics, that Scott Weingart, MD stole the show with his talks on (p)re-oxygenation; delayed sequence intubation, and post-arrest care. More detailed information on these topics be found on EMCrit - go there now! (Source: Life in the Fast Lane) Life in the Fast Lane blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4164528 Sun, 14 Nov 2010 14:53:09 +0100 4164528 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4162928&cid=t_101755_88_f&fid=38129&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Flifeinthefastlane%2FWZHV%2F%7E3%2FgyR3bRs3wzw%2F The bang was provided by the force of nature otherwise known as William "Billy" Mallon, M.D. perhaps the most natural candidate for F.UCEM status alive today. His keynote consisted of a few trademark rants... (Source: Life in the Fast Lane) Life in the Fast Lane blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4162928 Sat, 13 Nov 2010 02:27:50 +0100 4162928 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4159221&cid=t_101755_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FkAivM-Ud-r0%2F By Caleb O. Brown As governor of New Mexico, Gary Johnson succeeded in eliminating New Mexico’s budget deficit, cutting the rate of growth in state government in half, and privatizing half of the state prisons. During Johnson’s term, New Mexico experienced the longest period without a tax increase in the state’s history. He vetoed 750 bills in eight years, more than all other governors combined. The Economist dubbed him “America’s boldest governor” — and that was before he took on drug prohibition. He discussed drug policy and other issues at the Cato Institute November 1, 2010 at a Cato on Campus forum. Subscribe to Cato’s YouTube Channel. Gary Johnson and Drug Policy is a post from Cato @ Liberty - Cato Institute Blog (Source: Cato-at-liber... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4159221 Thu, 11 Nov 2010 16:37:19 +0100 4159221 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4139237&cid=t_101755_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fhealthcare-reform-and-a-divided-congress%2F2010.11.05 Republicans who had opposed healthcare reform before the election are now elected officials with a say in how the programs are funded. At federal and state levels, the program’s opponents either have a larger voice or are now in charge of implementing elements of reform. Sen. Majority Leader Harry Reid said he’d consider adjustments to healthcare reform. Frightened seniors flipped toward opposition to healthcare reform, while flipping on the issue may have saved a few Democrats. Exit polling showed 48 percent would repeal healthcare reform, 16 percent would leave it as is, and 31 percent would expand it. Now that Republicans have a larger say in the matter, take a look at their plan for healthcare in A Pledge to America, starting on page 25, and decide for yourself. (New Yor... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4139237 Fri, 05 Nov 2010 14:00:00 +0100 4139237 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4122069&cid=t_101755_151_f&fid=35797&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnewrecovery.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F10%2Frecover-and-be-killed.html [Originally published 29 Oct 2010 on hellowellness.in]Trying to get clean and sober is a pathway to a new life in most places, but in some cities of Mexico it’s a ticket for getting killed.  Gunmen believed to be narco gangsters this week stormed into a drug rehab center in Tijuana, found 13 patients watching a movie, lined them up on the floor, and murdered them with machine gun fire.  A few days later, masked gangsters invaded a car wash in the central Mexican city of Tepic, not far from the tourist destination Puerto Vallarta.  They sprayed employees and customers with automatic weapon fire.  Most of the murdered car wash workers were recovering addicts.The border town Ciudad Juarez has seen a streak of massacres in drug rehab centers.  Minutes after the mass ... New Recovery blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4122069 Sat, 30 Oct 2010 18:36:00 +0100 4122069 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4119198&cid=t_101755_113_f&fid=38236&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.healthcareitnews.com%2Fblog%2Fnine-ways-icd-10-will-better-your-business The healthcare industry might not yet realize this simple fact: Although this does not garner much in the way of media attention, ICD-10 promises to improve the business of healthcare in numerous ways. Despite the cost, expanse, and overwhelming transformation payers and providers will have to undertake to achieve ICD-10 compliance, ultimately it will be a boon for both healthcare in America and those organizations that serve up that care. (Source: Healthcare IT News Blog) Healthcare IT News Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4119198 Thu, 28 Oct 2010 17:15:09 +0100 4119198 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4105729&cid=t_101755_105_f&fid=39124&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.jeffreymlevinemd.com%2Fspecialty-of-geriatrics-is-in-danger%2F On December 1, 2010, Medicare payments will be slashed by more than 21%, a cut that will severely impact physicians who practice geriatric medicine.  The result will be devastating to the 43 million American seniors who receive Medicare coverage, sharply limiting access to care in an environment that is already facing a deficit in geriatric [...] (Source: Jeffrey M. Levine MD | Geriatric Specialist | Wound Care | Pressure Ulcers) Jeffrey M. Levine MD | Geriatric Specialist | Wound Care | Pressure Ulcers blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4105729 Mon, 25 Oct 2010 04:08:23 +0100 4105729 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4074148&cid=t_101755_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F10%2F15%2Fjill-bolte-taylor-a-stroke-of-insight-and-our-brains%2F Many of you may have seen the Ted video by Jill Bolte Taylor, the neuroanatomist and spokesperson for the Harvard Brain Tissue Resource Center who survived a stroke in 1996, at age 37, to describe the shifts in her brain that took place as part of her recovery. Fascinating stuff. And very useful and inspiring to not only those recovering from neurological disorders, but also psychological ones. I had the privilege of meeting Taylor and attending her workshop at the NAMI National Convention in DC. This woman knows her stuff and is a powerful communicator. I couldn’t scribble fast enough to get it all down on paper. First she described the right brain (the buddha): Nonverbal Thinks in pictures Kinesthetic Present moment Holistic thinking Seek similarities Perceives energy Compassiona... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4074148 Fri, 15 Oct 2010 18:01:16 +0100 4074148 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4074150&cid=t_101755_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F10%2F14%2Fon-the-red-carpet-at-the-voice-awards-2010%2F It was an honor and a pleasure to attend the 2010 Voice Awards, hosted by SAMHSA, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. SAMHSA is the agency responsible for helping to get the word out about substance abuse and mental health issues, so their focus is much aligned with ours. This year’s theme was focused on honoring portrayals of men and women who serve in the military but come home to grapple with mental health issues and friends and family who often just don’t understand how to help. It also featured a lifetime achievement award given to Former First Lady Rosalynn Carter for her decades’ long work on helping advance mental health care in the U.S. The annual ceremony is held to honor the realistic and often-poignant depiction of people struggling ... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4074150 Thu, 14 Oct 2010 18:46:09 +0100 4074150 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4082176&cid=t_101755_113_f&fid=38236&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.healthcareitnews.com%2Fiom-blog Two landmark reports by the Institute of Medicine (IOM) changed Americans’ perception of their health care system and launched today’s drive to improve the quality and safety of medical care in America. The reports were To Err Is Human, published in 1999, and Crossing the Quality Chasm, released in 2001.  (Source: Healthcare IT News Blog) Healthcare IT News Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4082176 Tue, 12 Oct 2010 13:15:35 +0100 4082176 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4036718&cid=t_101755_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F10%2F06%2F11-surprising-facts-about-americas-sexual-behaviors%2F Wow, to be a paid researcher in America to study the sexual behaviors of Americans. Now that’s an enticing job. Where do I sign up? Apparently I’d pop on over to Indiana University, as that’s where the latest batch of researchers come from who have something to say about sex in America. As a part of the National Survey of Sexual Health and Behavior, researchers surveyed a national, representative sample of 5,865 people ages 14 to 94. They recently published some of their initial findings in The Journal of Sexual Medicine. So without further ado, here are 11 surprising facts about sex in America from that survey. 1. Condom use is pretty uncommon. Only 1 in 4 acts of sexual intercourse are protected by a condom. Condoms are, of course, the most reliable method to avoid s... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4036718 Wed, 06 Oct 2010 19:33:09 +0100 4036718 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4031218&cid=t_101755_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FbgQ2mnW-Hx0%2F By Daniel IkensonToday’s Wall Street Journal headline screams: “Americans Sour on Trade.” And why shouldn’t they? After all, the public is routinely bombarded with misleading or simplistic trade coverage that too often relies on cliché, innuendo, and regurgitated conventional wisdom: it’s Team America versus the world. Without the war metaphor, trade is just a peaceful, mutually-enriching endeavor between consenting parties. BO-RING! Dan Griswold attributes the declining sentiment to the business cycle and goes on to suggest that this “collective attitude is more reflective of the complaints people hear in the media than of any hard reality on the ground.” Let me continue with that theme because I’ve made no secret of my concern about media’s inclination ... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4031218 Mon, 04 Oct 2010 19:25:56 +0100 4031218 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4013187&cid=t_101755_87_f&fid=39182&url=http%3A%2F%2Fcovertrationingblog.com%2Fprimary-care-in-america%2Fshould-pcps-begin-packing-heat This is a delicate topic, and even DrRich (who has displayed on these pages a willingness to risk alienating Progressives, Conservatives, President Obama’s minions, fat people, editors of prestigious medical journals, global warming enthusiasts, babies, bunnies, and even his beloved fellow cardiologists) is hesitant to bring it up. But events force DrRich to throw caution to the wind, and issue a warning, and a plea, to those among the broad community of physicians for whom he has the most respect – the PCPs. The event to which DrRich refers, of course, is the recent, tragic gunning-down of a physician at Johns Hopkins University Hospital by a disgruntled patient (or rather, by the clearly disgruntled son of a possibly disgruntled patient). This is DrRich’s warning: the r... The Covert Rationing Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4013187 Wed, 29 Sep 2010 13:54:16 +0100 4013187 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3999226&cid=t_101755_136_f&fid=37852&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdonnatrussell.com%2F2010%2F09%2F24%2Flemon-scented-pledge-to-america%2F New cartoon by Trussell & Trussell on Politics Daily. Lemon-Scented Pledge to America. Filed under: Politics Daily Tagged: 2010 election, comics, gop, humor, pledge to america, political cartoon, republican, robert donna trussell (Source: Donna Trussell) Donna Trussell blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3999226 Fri, 24 Sep 2010 21:37:18 +0100 3999226 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3993869&cid=t_101755_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2F2POxws7y4Uc%2F By Michael F. CannonRegarding ObamaCare’s first adverse-selection death spiral, Julie Rovner posts this over at Shots, the NPR health blog: The advocacy group Health Care for America Now was the first to bring the action to widespread attention. “Even for the insurance industry this behavior is surprisingly brazen,” HCAN Executive Director Ethan Rome wrote in a blog entry for the Huffington Post. “They don’t like the rules, so they’re going to take their ball and go home.” But the insurance industry trade group America’s Health Insurance Plans rejected HCAN’s contention that the companies’ refusal to sell to all comers is somehow a violation of a promise made earlier this year by AHIP CEO Karen Ignagni that insurance companies ... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3993869 Thu, 23 Sep 2010 01:00:27 +0100 3993869 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3993884&cid=t_101755_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FaPLQbHBbzV8%2F By Michael F. CannonThis is what happens when government price controls limit insurance companies’ ability to set premiums according to risk: Note that this adverse-selection death spiral happened before ObamaCare‘s price controls on child-only coverage even took effect.  (Of course, President Obama never calls them price controls.  He calls them “consumer protections.”  Some protection.) ObamaCare supporters are in full-blown denial: “We’re just days away from a new era when insurance companies must stop denying coverage to kids just because they are sick, and now some of the biggest changed their minds,” Ethan Rome, executive director of Health Care for America Now, an advocacy group, said in a statement. “[It] is immoral, and to blame ... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3993884 Tue, 21 Sep 2010 18:09:40 +0100 3993884 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3983417&cid=t_101755_105_f&fid=39124&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.jeffreymlevinemd.com%2Flegislated-standards-of-medical-practice%2F Recently Governor Paterson signed a law that mandates New York doctors to offer balanced information on choices for end-of-life care – a practice in line with principles of geriatric practice and informed decision making.  All nursing homes are already mandated by regulation to perform assessments for such medical problems as delirium, depression, and pressure ulcers [...] (Source: Jeffrey M. Levine MD | Geriatric Specialist | Wound Care | Pressure Ulcers) Jeffrey M. Levine MD | Geriatric Specialist | Wound Care | Pressure Ulcers blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3983417 Mon, 20 Sep 2010 05:03:10 +0100 3983417 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3972906&cid=t_101755_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FRJz0v7DMT98%2F By Michael F. CannonHere’s my contribution to a “one-minute debate” on ObamaCare in the Christian Science Monitor: The new health-care law’s mandates are already causing health insurance premiums to rise 3 to 9 percent more than they otherwise would. Its price controls are pushing insurers to abandon the market for child-only coverage and will soon begin rationing care to Medicare patients, partly by driving nearly 1 in 6 hospitals and other providers out of the program. Starting in 2014, when the full law takes effect, things will get really ugly. ObamaCare’s “individual mandate” will drive premiums even higher – assuming the courts have not declared it unconstitutional, as they should. Because the penalty for violating the mandate is a fraction of those premiu... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3972906 Wed, 15 Sep 2010 14:00:23 +0100 3972906 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3920822&cid=t_101755_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FUpnbaPxADCw%2F By Daniel GriswoldThree of the world’s largest companies involved in wireless telecommunications—Nokia, AT&T, and Verizon—this week asked the Obama administration to further loosen the U.S. embargo against Cuba. According to a Bloomberg News story this morning: Nokia, the world’s biggest mobile-phone maker, is urging the U.S. to ease its 47-year-old trade embargo so it can sell handsets to Cuba. AT&T and Verizon, the largest U.S. wireless providers, urged regulators to make it easier for U.S. companies to directly connect calls to and from Cuba. The almost half-century-old embargo no longer serves any legitimate national security purpose, as I’ve argued before. The remaining restrictions on providing wireless communication services only demonstrate how the embargo act... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3920822 Tue, 31 Aug 2010 16:15:59 +0100 3920822 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3911671&cid=t_101755_87_f&fid=36050&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblisstree.com%2Flive%2Flike-coffee-stop-driving-your-car%2F photo: Thinkstock If you’re one of millions who can’t fully function without a cup of coffee in the morning, you might want to rethink your driving habits. The coffee berry borer beetle thrives in warm weather, which the world is seeing a lot more of lately. When the temperatures in South America climb, the beetle is able to spread to more locations, destroying coffee crops along the way. Farmers haven’t yet found a way to kill the pest, so for now, coffee drinkers should do their best to work against climate change and global warming. Would you make your life a little greener to save your much-loved cup of Joe? via Treehugger Post from: BlissTree Like Coffee? Stop Driving Your Car (Source: Breastfeeding 1-2-3) Breastfeeding 1-2-3 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3911671 Fri, 27 Aug 2010 18:03:30 +0100 3911671 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3858141&cid=t_101755_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FTqwbOHfkRQ0%2F By Daniel GriswoldA $600-million bill to enhance border enforcement has hit a temporary snag in the Senate, but it is almost inevitable, with an election only a few months away, that Congress and the president will spend yet more money trying to enforce our unworkable immigration laws. “Getting control of the border” is the buzz phrase of the day for politicians in both parties, from Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., to Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y. Never mind that apprehensions are down sharply along our Southwest border with Mexico, mostly I suspect because of the lack of robust job creation in the unstimulated Obama economy. Meanwhile, since the early 1990s, spending on border enforcement has increased more than 700 percent, and the number of agents along the border has increased five-fold, f... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3858141 Wed, 11 Aug 2010 15:36:28 +0100 3858141 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3854507&cid=t_101755_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FVft88mk0MxI%2F By Neal McCluskeyIn the gag-inducing tradition of National Education Association propaganda, President Obama’s “Organizing for America” has released the video below taking issue with House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-OH) calling teachers a “special interest.” Watch…and wince. Now, certainly many teachers want nothing more than to teach and do a good job. Some might even do it as much “for the kids” as their own personal satisfaction.  But teachers, at least as represented by the NEA and the American Federation of Teachers, sure as heck are a special interest. Indeed, they might be called a super-special interest, with unparalled sway over Democrats especially, and an incredible ability to get money out of taxpayers. But what about teach... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3854507 Tue, 10 Aug 2010 18:53:50 +0100 3854507 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3862085&cid=t_101755_113_f&fid=38236&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.healthcareitnews.com%2Fblog-tullman The recent release of the final rule on "meaningful use" will have a profound impact on healthcare providers across the country.  Those who already have an electronic health record in place are well positioned to capture a share of the $30 billion in Federal funding based upon meeting increasingly challenging standards of use.  Many of those who don't have an electronic health record are starting to search for one. (Source: Healthcare IT News Blog) Healthcare IT News Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3862085 Wed, 04 Aug 2010 20:06:09 +0100 3862085 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3822909&cid=t_101755_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2Fe5AI4U4Lm2Q%2F By Daniel GriswoldIn a bid to revive their sagging election prospects, congressional Democrats have hit on the theme of promoting domestic U.S. manufacturing. As a front-page story in the Washington Post reports today, the party has adopted the bumper-sticker slogan, “Make It in America.” I’m all for making things in America, when it makes economic sense to do so. But the Democratic plan opens a window for all sorts of government intervention, including trade barriers, higher taxes on U.S.-owned affiliates abroad, and subsidies for “clean energy” and make-work infrastructure projects. The campaign relies on two major but faulty assumptions: That U.S. manufacturing is in deep trouble, and that creating more manufacturing jobs is the key to prosperity. Neither assumption is true. A... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3822909 Wed, 04 Aug 2010 15:52:32 +0100 3822909 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3822887&cid=t_101755_87_f&fid=36050&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblisstree.com%2Flive%2Fgiada-de-laurentiis-cooking-up-change-daily-do-gooder%2F In between being a Food Network darling, writing cookbooks, having her own Target product line, voicing Paulette for the Disney kids’ show Handy Manny, and raising a daughter, Giada finds time to fight poverty on the side as an ambassador for Oxfam America. Giada advocates for women’s issues, and is helping Oxfam  raise $25,000 dollars by this Thursday to support their efforts to help pass the International Violence Against Women Act. Oxfam also aims to give impoverished families a voice when it comes to climate change legislation – to help protect them from future natural disasters. (Donating $20 or more will get you a limited-edition set of photo postcards.) Giada packs a powerfully philanthropic punch into that 5′2″ frame. photo: Getty Images Post from: Blis... Breastfeeding 1-2-3 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3822887 Wed, 04 Aug 2010 12:30:11 +0100 3822887 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3798547&cid=t_101755_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FdN1uWxMDQLE%2F By Ilya ShapiroIn an apparent attempt to simultaneously slander the Tea Party movement and preempt some of the themes the Republican Party will run on come Labor Day, the Democratic National Committee is announcing today the “Republican Tea Party Contract on America.”  Echoing Newt Gingrich’s 1994 “Contract with America,” the faux manifesto contains the following ten points: Repeal the Affordable Care Act (Health Care Reform) Privatize Social Security (or phase it out altogether) End Medicare as it presently exists Extend the Bush tax breaks for the wealthy and big oil Repeal Wall Street Reform Protect those responsible for the oil spill and future environmental catastrophes Abolish the Department of Education Abolish the Department of Energy Abolish the E... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3798547 Wed, 28 Jul 2010 14:22:34 +0100 3798547 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3767162&cid=t_101755_113_f&fid=38236&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.healthcareitnews.com%2Fblog%2Fadvancing-future-health-care-electronic-health-records Last week, we took great steps forward in bringing America’s health records into the 21st century. Widespread and meaningful use of fully functional electronic health record systems combined with a robust infrastructure for broad-based health information exchange can improve the quality, safety, and efficiency of health care for all Americans. (Source: Healthcare IT News Blog) Healthcare IT News Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3767162 Mon, 19 Jul 2010 13:12:40 +0100 3767162 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3757846&cid=t_101755_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FGtkT3rmoRX8%2F By Juan Carlos HidalgoNowadays, it’s hard to find an instance where Argentina sets a positive example for the rest of Latin America. However, last night’s vote in that country’s Senate that legalizes same-sex marriages must be praised as that. Argentina has now become the first country in Latin America to recognize marriage equality for all couples. The fight for marriage equality is just beginning in Latin America. Outside of Argentina, only Mexico City grants gay couples the right to marriage. Uruguay has granted civil union rights to same-sex couples since 2008, and last year in Colombia the Constitutional Court ruled that same-sex couples can be recognized as de facto unions, which enjoy all the rights of marriage. In December, Costa Rica might hold a referendum on this issue. Wh... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3757846 Thu, 15 Jul 2010 19:32:36 +0100 3757846 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3754077&cid=t_101755_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FctXS71Wdiqk%2F For those spending all their time following the Avandia controversy, you can be forgiven for not realizing that PhRMA named a new ceo yesterday to replace Billy Tauzin. This would be John Castellani, who spent the past nine years as chief executive of the Business Roundtable, the pro-business lobbying group that is chock full of chief executives (see here). He arrives at a precipitous time for the pharmaceutical industry - a collective pipeline thinner than a terribly clogged artery; an historically contentious relationship with Democrats in Congress; a reputation among the public that may rival Toyota (but probably not BP), and a work force that is now devoid of who-knows-how-many scientists, the very type of employee that Lilly ceo John Lechleiter last week wrote this country needs more ... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3754077 Wed, 14 Jul 2010 15:47:39 +0100 3754077 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3758115&cid=t_101755_151_f&fid=35818&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FRecoveryIsSexycom%2F%7E3%2F6PcH19rouAY%2F Sex addiction: not just for men Any time I met a guy who didn’t respond to me sexually, it would make me determined to have him,” confesses Valerie, 35, a human-resources manager in the City. “It became a challenge, a game, regardless of whether he was married or with someone. The lowest point came when I tried to seduce my best friend’s fiancé. I couldn’t bear the fact that, when they were together, he wouldn’t so much as look at me. It was an itch I had to scratch.” “Sex addict” is the last phrase that would come to mind if you met the demure and sober-suited Valerie. Yet she is in 12-step recovery for that very issue. “Everyone used to tell me how lucky I was, as I could get any man I wanted. I’m quite a competitive person and it was important for me to know that,... Recovery Is Sexy.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3758115 Wed, 14 Jul 2010 15:47:01 +0100 3758115 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3750271&cid=t_101755_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2Fa5bN68miKH4%2F Well, he isn’t a former member of Congress. Instead, the PhRMA board chose a different kind of insider - John Castellani, who spent the past nine years as chief executive of the Business Roundtable, the pro-business lobbying group that is chock full of chief executives. The move comes several months after Billy Tauzin resigned amid bickering over the health care reform deal he orchestrated with the White House. Tauzin, a former Congressman, argued that pursuing a bipartisan approach to the issue - and the Obama administration - was likely to yield more benefits. But that alienated some PhRMA members, many of whom have traditionally backed Republicans (back story). By tapping Castellani, PhRMA gets a known quantity who understands what chief executives want and the power of lobbying.... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3750271 Tue, 13 Jul 2010 14:15:01 +0100 3750271 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3754087&cid=t_101755_151_f&fid=35818&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FRecoveryIsSexycom%2F%7E3%2FZ3I0Htc4n_M%2F New research has examined the cost of raising kids from birth to age 17 years in America. The results are stunning as they compared normal, non-delinquent teens with the abused, the delinquent, the violent and the homicidal. Each group of 30 teenagers were assessed for total expenses, victimization costs, and criminal justice expenditures. The 17 years cost were; Normal, non-delinquent youth – $150,754 Abused, delinquent, and violent youth – $301,508 Homicidal youth – $3,935,433 Incredibly the cost to society of homicidal youth is 26 times the cost of a normal non-delinquent youth. While the severe personal costs to the victims and to the youth themselves needs to be addressed public health policies need to work on these issues more effectively. Personal costs i... Recovery Is Sexy.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3754087 Mon, 12 Jul 2010 15:59:00 +0100 3754087 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3729984&cid=t_101755_129_f&fid=36036&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Fkelly-building-a-crohns-disease-community%2Funderstanding-inflammatory-bowel-disease%2F is an educational series from the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of America (CCFA) One great resource for information related to Crohn’s and Ulcerative Colitis is the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of America (CCFA).  They are a non-profit organization run by volunteers and their goal is to find a cure for both Crohn’s and Ulcerative Colitis.  Every year they hold a fund-raising event called “Take Steps” for which I participate and blog about every year.  They also have a lot of information on their website that you may find interesting:  http://www.ccfa.org/info/about/crohns I just found out that they are bringing a new series of educational events to different cities across the States.  This event, open to all patients, family members, caregivers, and community members,... Life with Crohn's blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3729984 Tue, 06 Jul 2010 21:19:57 +0100 3729984 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3718367&cid=t_101755_87_f&fid=36050&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblisstree.com%2Flive%2Fobesity-in-the-u-s-we-are-getting-fatter%2F Photo from Flickr user xornalcerto A new obesity report is out, and the findings are hugely depressing. The fattest states in 1991 were as large as the thinnest states are in 2009. Not all that long ago, the U.S. was much trimmer little lady. So what’s changed: More heavily-processed foods, less exercise, and too much time on the computer? We’d be fools to not point out the correlation between the decline of rollerblading and the increase in Americans’ waistlines. But seriously, what do you think has happened? via Treehugger Post from: BlissTree Obesity In the U.S.: We Are Getting Fatter (Source: Breastfeeding 1-2-3) Breastfeeding 1-2-3 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3718367 Thu, 01 Jul 2010 21:49:49 +0100 3718367 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3718400&cid=t_101755_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2F%25e2%2580%259cnaturopathic-oncology-a-new-specialty-of-pseudoscience%2F2010.07.01 On “wholistic” medicine If there’s one aspect of so-called “alternative medicine” and “complementary and alternative medicine” (CAM) is that its practitioners tout as being a huge advantage over what they often refer to sneeringly as “conventional” or “scientific” medicine is that–or so its practitioners claim–alt-med treats the “whole patient,” that it’s “wholistic” in a way that the evil reductionist “Western” science-based medicine can’t be. Supposedly, we reductionistic, unimaginative physicians only focus on disease and ignore the “whole patient.” Of course, to me this claim is belied by the hectoring to which my own primary care physician has subjected me about my horrible diet and lack of exercise on pretty much every visit I’ve had wi... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3718400 Thu, 01 Jul 2010 12:00:53 +0100 3718400 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3706778&cid=t_101755_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2FxiHveFhb7SE%2F In spite of the recent economic downturn, revenues for digital technologies to assess, enhance and treat cognition, or digital brain health and fitness tools, grew 35% in 2009. “The convergence of demographic and policy trends with cognitive neuroscience discoveries and technological innovation is giving birth to a nascent marketplace that can fundamentally transform what brain health is, how it is measured, and how it is done,” says Alvaro Fernandez, member of the World Economic Forum’s Council on the Aging Society and Editor-in-Chief of the report. “This groundbreaking report can help pioneers shape the emerging toolkit to benefit an aging society that increasingly seeks new ways to enhance cognitive functionality and mental wellness across the lifespan.” &#... SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3706778 Mon, 28 Jun 2010 11:26:58 +0100 3706778 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3699546&cid=t_101755_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F06%2F25%2Fcongratulations-to-christine-stapleton-depression-on-my-mind%2F Earlier this month, Christine Stapleton, blogging for us over at Depression on My Mind, won a 2010 Media Award from Mental Health America, the national mental health advocacy group. This is a prestigious award honoring journalists, writers and producers who cover mental health issues during the previous year in newspapers, magazines and online. I “discovered” Christine through her wonderful column in The Palm Beach Post called “Kicking Depression.” But of course, tens of thousands of people were already aware of her writing! I thought she would make a great addition to Psych Central because she brought a journalist’s eye to covering her own battle with depression — a refreshing perspective to say the least. More amazingly, this has been a great fit for ... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3699546 Fri, 25 Jun 2010 16:20:29 +0100 3699546 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3690840&cid=t_101755_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fwill-physician-education-be-valued-in-the-future%2F2010.06.23 The future of American healthcare will not value physician education. Perhaps it’s time to abandon the medical school model and train millions of nurses instead at a fraction of the cost. This comment was left on my blog over at NP=MD: I don’t even compare NPs and MDs. Their models differ. One is not better than the other. The schooling — minus the residency — is nearly equivalent in terms of time spent. The problem is that NPs don’t get a long enough residency. If you take a NP and a MD, both with 20 years clinical experience, the MD does not know more than the NP. Sure, he had a few extra classes 20 years ago — which he doesn’t remember — but that’s about it. NPs aren’t trying to steal MDs’ meal tickets, they’re a... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3690840 Wed, 23 Jun 2010 14:00:00 +0100 3690840 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3687247&cid=t_101755_129_f&fid=36036&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Fkelly-building-a-crohns-disease-community%2Ftake-steps-for-crohn%25e2%2580%2599s-and-colitis-2010%2F Hello Everyone!  How are you doing today?  I hope that you find yourself well and in good health.  Hopefully you participated or will participate in the annual Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of America’s (CCFA) Take Steps for Crohn’s and Colitis walk.  In case you didn’t know, each year the CCFA holds a fund-raising walk – “Take Steps” –  to raise much-needed money for the cure to these horrible digestive diseases. The Houston walk was this past weekend, but I was unable to go due to a sinus infection and bad cough.  Of course, the first antibiotic did not work, so instead of getting better, I just kept getting worse.  I started my new antibiotic on Monday and it seems to be helping.  Although, I think that I pushed myself too hard and too fast so today I was ba... Life with Crohn's blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3687247 Tue, 22 Jun 2010 15:32:36 +0100 3687247 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3687164&cid=t_101755_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F06%2F22%2Fbest-of-our-blogs-june-22-2010%2F How was your Father’s Day? Was it all you wanted, expected and hoped it would be? The activities of the day, however, are less important than the memories associated with Father’s Day. Even if you’re not a father yourself or were unable to spend time with your dad due to death or distance, there’s still a lot that can be celebrated. Things like treasured memories and happy moments and taking time to remember the fatherly figures in your life and how they have influenced who you are today. On Sunday, I spoke with my dad. He talked about his life as a child growing up in Hawaii. He reminisced about the way things were. The neighbors he knew, the small local-owned stores that used to be in existence, and the truck that sold produce picked from local farms. How simple l... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3687164 Tue, 22 Jun 2010 11:26:46 +0100 3687164 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3683619&cid=t_101755_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=3658980&cid=t_101755_105_f&fid=39124&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.jeffreymlevinemd.com%2Fgeriatrics-humanistic-medicine-and-art%2F I recently served as keynote speaker at the American Medical Directors Association annual meeting in Long Beach, California.  The title of my talk was Geriatrics, Humanistic Medicine, & Art, and the goal was to weave together themes of art and medicine to draw conclusions as to how geriatrics is the most humanistic of medical specialties.  Humanistic [...] (Source: Jeffrey M. Levine MD | Geriatric Specialist | Wound Care | Pressure Ulcers) Jeffrey M. Levine MD | Geriatric Specialist | Wound Care | Pressure Ulcers blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3658980 Mon, 14 Jun 2010 04:29:10 +0100 3658980 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3648801&cid=t_101755_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2Fy6IVMFN-_ZE%2F Three months ago, a controversy erupted in India where intellectual property conferences sponsored by drugmakers, law firms and others angered various non-profit groups that argued the sessions are little more than gussied up opportunities to lobby India’s judges and policy makers. In their view, these IP summits, which are organized by the George Washington University Law School, are attempts to influence sitting judges on patent law enforcement issues that are pending in Indian courts. At the time, more than 20 consumer groups and non-governmental organizations wrote to India’s Minister of Commerce and Industry to complain the meetings are used as forums by companies to promote their IP and lobby for amendments to existing law or plead cases before the Indian Patent Office. Now, ... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3648801 Thu, 10 Jun 2010 11:49:55 +0100 3648801 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3641021&cid=t_101755_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2F4-reasons-why-doctors-dont-use-linkedin%2F2010.06.08 Where are the doctors on LinkedIn? If you spend any time there, you’ll find that we are few and far between. Sure, there are the entrepreneurs, the physician executives, and the social wonks, but not many practicing physicians. Why not?   1. Physicians are hyperlocal. Most MDs live and work in relatively small, geographically defined locations. Their success is sustained through word of mouth and the cultivation of a limited number of personal relationships. The average practicing physician has no need to sell himself beyond his local market. The depth of their bio is irrelevant to their local success. 2. Physicians are static. Once established, physicians aren’t likely to pick up and move as other professionals might need to do. Many physicians spend their careers in a coupl... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3641021 Tue, 08 Jun 2010 12:00:46 +0100 3641021 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3635729&cid=t_101755_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2F1s97jqEG2e4%2F By Jim HarperThe Contract From America is a very interesting political document, seeking to rally people around a set of policies that—unlike the Contract With America from years ago—was generated from the bottom up. On the WashingtonWatch.com blog, I’ve been assessing the ten items in the Contract From America. The Tea Party movement stands for a lot of ideas in a lot of people’s minds. Here’s a chance to see what substantive policies are important to a large cross-section of this political movement. (Source: Cato-at-liberty) Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3635729 Sun, 06 Jun 2010 19:24:05 +0100 3635729 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3632260&cid=t_101755_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2Fxc77Kl2VykU%2F By Mark A. CalabriaAn insightful op-ed in yesterday’s Financial Times by Raghu Rajan (who will be presenting his latest book soon here at Cato), apparently was too much for Paul Krugman to bear.  What was Rajan’s great crime that so upset Krugman?  Rajan, correctly, pointed out that US policies, such as Fannie Mae and the Community Re-investment Act, were direct contributors to the financial crisis and that bankers shouldn’t be blamed for simply reacting to perverse government incentives. Now Krugman cannot bear to see CRA and Fannie questioned.  He claims that Rajan is relying on some blind faith that has been disproven by all thinking people.  Krugman offers two points (his supposed “facts”) that prove Fannie Mae and CRA are innocent. First, he argues t... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3632260 Fri, 04 Jun 2010 18:30:13 +0100 3632260 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3599344&cid=t_101755_87_f&fid=36050&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblisstree.com%2Flive%2Funder-the-surface-of-bps-oil-spill-video-of-the-day%2F BP is using chemical dispersants to break up the remnants of its oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, but is that doing more harm than good? Good Morning America explored under the surface to see what the conditions are really like. Hint: It’s not looking  good… Post from: BlissTree Under the Surface of BP's Oil Spill: Video of the Day (Source: Breastfeeding 1-2-3) Breastfeeding 1-2-3 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3599344 Tue, 25 May 2010 18:00:43 +0100 3599344 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3595621&cid=t_101755_105_f&fid=39124&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.jeffreymlevinemd.com%2Fgeriatric-patients-are-different%2F In 1981 I was an Internal Medicine intern rotating through a community hospital in New Jersey.  My job was to carry out the day-to-day patient care under the direction of the private docs.  I will never forget the first experience that showed me that geriatric patients are different, and helped me decide to pursue the [...] (Source: Jeffrey M. Levine MD | Geriatric Specialist | Wound Care | Pressure Ulcers) Jeffrey M. Levine MD | Geriatric Specialist | Wound Care | Pressure Ulcers blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3595621 Tue, 25 May 2010 05:30:28 +0100 3595621 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3592407&cid=t_101755_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FI4fZsyYZdHM%2F Most Americans believe the FDA takes too long to approve new drugs and devices, and that confidence in safety reviews is slipping, according to a new poll. Meanwhile, most say drugmakers do a good job of providing risk and safety info, as well as product awareness, but don’t listen very well to patient concerns. Many Americans also have no clue whether clinical trials are handled responsibly. Specifically, 72 percent are very confident or confident in the FDA’s safety review system, down from 74 percent in 2007. And 41 percent say the FDA approval process takes too long. However, Americans are more evenly divided about risk: 52 percent say the FDA should move more quickly to get new treatments to patients, even if it means there may be risks, while 48 percent believe the FDA sh... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3592407 Mon, 24 May 2010 13:19:03 +0100 3592407 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3588852&cid=t_101755_87_f&fid=36050&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblisstree.com%2Flive%2Fthao-and-dianna-agron-on-oxfam-america-videos-we-like%2F There’s a very particular type of excitement that results from finding out that celebrities you love from afar are actually cool in real life. Usually, this feeling is immediately followed by a surge of depression, as you realize that you probably will never be friends with them – but let’s focus on the positive here. Thao (one of our favorite indie-rockers) and Dianna Agron (our favorite former mean girl of Glee fame) have collaborated on a video for one of Thao’s latest songs, “Body.” Dianna directs the video, and it’s an awesome take on a great song. But the coolest thing to come out of this collaboration is the fact that they decided to premiere the video on Oxfam America, to increase awareness of the effects of climate change on the world’s ... Breastfeeding 1-2-3 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3588852 Fri, 21 May 2010 21:37:23 +0100 3588852 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3569847&cid=t_101755_105_f&fid=39124&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.jeffreymlevinemd.com%2Fmedical-residents-knowledge-about-pressure-ulcers%2F   The answer:  Not as much as nurses! This past weekend I presented a new study on how much medical residents know about pressure ulcers at the American Geriatrics Society (AGS) Annual Scientific Meeting in Orlando, FL.  In our research we tested medical doctors in residency training at a major New York City hospital.  For those of us who [...] (Source: Jeffrey M. Levine MD | Geriatric Specialist | Wound Care | Pressure Ulcers) Jeffrey M. Levine MD | Geriatric Specialist | Wound Care | Pressure Ulcers blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3569847 Mon, 17 May 2010 05:58:01 +0100 3569847 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3549565&cid=t_101755_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FR5X8ROkZJCs%2F What is a Sammie? Each year, the Partnership for Public Service, a non-profit organization, bestows a $3,000 prize on a public servant who has made a significant contribution of some sort. And among this year’s finalists is Deborah Autor, who is director of the FDA’s Office of Compliance in the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research. She made the final cut through her campaign to remove hundreds of prescription drugs that were never approved. For those who may not recall, a large number of drugs were marketed before Congress made successive changes to the law that required drugs to be subject to FDA approval for safety and effectiveness. This occurred back in 1962. In other words, someone at the FDA is being commended for their actions. And this began under Andy von Eschenbach... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3549565 Mon, 10 May 2010 12:31:32 +0100 3549565 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3538035&cid=t_101755_83_f&fid=34856&url=http%3A%2F%2Finsidesurgery.com%2F2010%2F05%2Fpete-combs%2F Pete Combs received his cooking training at the Culinary Institue of America and is the Executive Chef at the University of Kentucky/Chandler Medical Center. We recently met with him to get his thoughts on hospital food and other items. Where are you from? I was born in Pt. Pleasant, New Jersey. My parents then moved to Skaneatlas, New York. They were originally from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Where did you go to college and what was your academic major? I went to Purdue University and graduated with Bachelor of Science in Restaurant and Hotel Management and a minor in accounting. I then went to The Culinary Institute of America. I went there to further my cooking skills that had started at the age of 13 in a country Ccub kitchen. My friend’s Dad owned it and gave me an opportunit... Inside Surgery blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3538035 Wed, 05 May 2010 21:53:13 +0100 3538035 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3538076&cid=t_101755_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2F5P7uroEV4wg%2F By Mark A. CalabriaWhen it comes to banking policy, there are few people I respect more than Jonathan Macey and Arnold Kling; so when these two, independently, argue that we should be breaking up the largest banks, it is idea that merits consideration.  Yet I still have my doubts. First, lets start with what we are fairly certain of.  There is a large empirical literature that suggest most US mega-banks are beyond their efficient size.  There is a good survey of the literature by former Fed Economist Allen Berger .  So, at a minimum, the academic literature suggests the largest banks are beyond a size that is justified by the social benefits. However, there is also a small literature that suggests more concentrated banking systems are more stable, and less prone to crisis.  Some of t... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3538076 Wed, 05 May 2010 18:30:52 +0100 3538076 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3538130&cid=t_101755_105_f&fid=39124&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.jeffreymlevinemd.com%2Fmemorial-shrine-to-a-closed-hospital%2F After servicing the Downtown Manhattan Community for 160 years, St. Vincent’s Hospital is now closed except for some outpatient services.  I still go there for my wound care clinic, and passed by the old emergency room where I took the photos posted here.  This is the shrine that spontaneously appeared in front of the boarded up [...] (Source: Jeffrey M. Levine MD | Geriatric Specialist | Wound Care | Pressure Ulcers) Jeffrey M. Levine MD | Geriatric Specialist | Wound Care | Pressure Ulcers blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3538130 Wed, 05 May 2010 18:23:26 +0100 3538130 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3522619&cid=t_101755_87_f&fid=36069&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffrankiespeakingfrankly.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F04%2Foil-spill-rss.html It is terrible news about the oil spill heading towards the cost of America.I searched the topic of oil spills on MedWorm and found it to contain some useful information.Here's a MedWorm RSS oil spill feed for those that want to keep up date with what is happening.The search is quite wide, so there's a number of articles that come through that are not relevant, but most of them are, and it should pick up everything going into MedWorm that is relevant. (Source: Frankie Speaking Frankly) Frankie Speaking Frankly blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3522619 Fri, 30 Apr 2010 20:06:00 +0100 3522619 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3519483&cid=t_101755_105_f&fid=39124&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.jeffreymlevinemd.com%2Fpressure-ulcer-prevention-lacking-in-high-risk-patients%2F A major study published in The Gerontologist has shown that pressure ulcer prevention measures are lacking in high risk patients.  A research group based in the Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine at the University of Maryland School of Medicine studied elderly patients with hip fractures, following them across care settings that included hospitals, rehabilitation [...] (Source: Jeffrey M. Levine MD | Geriatric Specialist | Wound Care | Pressure Ulcers) Jeffrey M. Levine MD | Geriatric Specialist | Wound Care | Pressure Ulcers blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3519483 Thu, 29 Apr 2010 15:45:00 +0100 3519483 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3508169&cid=t_101755_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FjzR2S_zYOqU%2F By Daniel GriswoldArizona’s harsh new law against illegal immigration is being justified in part as a measure to combat crime. The murder of an Arizona rancher in March, allegedly by somebody in the country without documentation, galvanized support for the bill. The death of the rancher was a tragedy, and drug-related violence along the border is a real problem, but it is a smear to blame low-skilled immigrant workers from Latin America for creating a crime problem in Arizona. The crime rate in Arizona in 2008 was the lowest it has been in four decades. In the past decade, as the number of illegal immigrants in the state grew rapidly, the violent crime rate dropped by 23 percent, the property crime rate by 28 percent. (You can check out the DoJ figures here.) Census data show that immigr... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3508169 Tue, 27 Apr 2010 15:38:47 +0100 3508169 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3508306&cid=t_101755_117_f&fid=38856&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.timemastermd.com%2F%3Fp%3D932 FDA!  No Lick, Just Sip & Suck? For thousands of years, salt’s high value has made it the foundation of a society, a currency of trade, and cause for wars.  Now suddenly salt is the bad girl.  An organized push by the FDA to ban salty foods and have manufacturers reduce salt in their products, is fueled by idiots who know nothing about health and those who ignore the US Constitution!   So if the FDA get’s it way, and outlaws salt – what happens to #1?  I guess we tequila drinkers will just have to make do with number 2 and 3!                  Consumers love the taste of salt in food and, in fact, their bodies crave it. With the trend toward low-fat foods, food producers must rely on salt to provide the desired taste.   So, what do you think will hap... Timemaster MD blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3508306 Mon, 26 Apr 2010 19:24:51 +0100 3508306 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3508216&cid=t_101755_105_f&fid=39124&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.jeffreymlevinemd.com%2Fhigh-tech-devices-for-older-patients%2F A substantial multi-billion dollar industry in implantable cardiac devices has emerged in recent years.  Technologies such as cardiac defibrillators (ICDs) and cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) devices are being implanted in many people who may not need them, and one of the biggest markets is the elderly.  A recent paper published in the Archives of Internal Medicine [...] (Source: Jeffrey M. Levine MD | Geriatric Specialist | Wound Care | Pressure Ulcers) Jeffrey M. Levine MD | Geriatric Specialist | Wound Care | Pressure Ulcers blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3508216 Mon, 26 Apr 2010 14:19:31 +0100 3508216 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3505092&cid=t_101755_134_f&fid=35187&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FDiabetesDaily%2F%7E3%2FlT8F4yV1EQk%2Fninjabetic-mn-meet-up-details.php There's a little less than one week before my buddy G-Money (aka Ninjabetic, aka SuperG, aka George) comes to town.  I'm very excited, and can't wait for him to get here!  As I try to figure out everything that we want to do during his short stay, I only wish we had more time.  I've got a tentative schedule all mapped out in my head, including a lot of time visiting with my family and my wife's family.George is going to introduce me to disc golf, and maybe even some geocaching around my place.I scored some tickets to the Dead Sea Scrolls exhibit at the Science Museum of MN, which we are both looking forward to.  We're also going to spend most of Saturday (May 1st) at the Mall of America.  I'm thinking that will probably be the best place for a local PWD (+friends a... Diabetes Daily blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3505092 Mon, 26 Apr 2010 00:25:06 +0100 3505092 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3499245&cid=t_101755_131_f&fid=34989&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FGeneticsHealth%2F%7E3%2FXW_pRW2Io3s%2F Annie Leonard, author of the book and video The Story of Stuff, discusses the cycle of American consumption on ABC’s Good Morning America: Post from: BlissTree You Know You're Unwell If… Your Life Looks Like "The Story of Stuff" (Source: Genetics and Health) Genetics and Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3499245 Fri, 23 Apr 2010 12:00:13 +0100 3499245 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3490800&cid=t_101755_131_f&fid=35005&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Ffungalcompgenomics%2F%7E3%2Fexy_DTEWLyk%2F Abstract deadline and early registration deadlines have been extended for MSA meeting which will be held June 28 – July 1 in Lexington, KY. MSA/ISFEG MEETING JUNE 28-JULY 1 EARLY REGISTRATION DEADLINE HAS BEEN EXTENDED TO APRIL 30 Have YOU registered for the joint meeting of the Mycological Society of America and the International Symposium on Fungal Endophytes of Grasses yet? If not, don’t despair, you still have a chance to see and be seen by everyone who is anyone in the mycological /endophyte world: join us in Lexington at the Hilton Hotel and Convention Center, June 28-July 1. The meeting price is a real deal, the registration fee INCLUDES your tickets for the opening social (with real, live bluegrass fiddlers) and the closing banquet at the Kentucky Horse Park, featuring the ... Fungal Genomes and Comparative Genomics blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3490800 Wed, 21 Apr 2010 04:07:27 +0100 3490800 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3490794&cid=t_101755_131_f&fid=34989&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FGeneticsHealth%2F%7E3%2F33twgCbfLEM%2F You say you’re an environmentalist. You use cloth bags when grocery shopping; your house is fitted with CFL light bulbs; and you drive a hybrid. (Hopefully not a Prius, though.) But if you really want to get your hands dirty for the sake of saving the planet, here are 10 ways you can use Earth Week as an excuse to get active in your community. If none of these opportunities are near where you live, check out Serve.org or Volunteermatch.org to find a worthy cause nearby. 1. Phoenix, Arizona Girls For A Green Planet – Saturday, May 1 You can teach Girl Scouts (grades two through six) how to lead greener lives, and help inspire the next generation to be as committed to saving the environment as you are. 2. Los Angeles, California Earth Day at SEA Lab – Saturday, April 24 Spend the morni... Genetics and Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3490794 Tue, 20 Apr 2010 21:02:41 +0100 3490794 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3487039&cid=t_101755_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2F_DRd7kaHz24%2F By Ian VasquezThe presidential election in Chile that brought Sebastián Piñera to power last month was good news for Chile and the region. It confirmed once again that Chile is Latin America’s most modern country, one in which Chileans chose a center-right candidate to lead the country after 20 years of center-left governments that by and large stuck to the free-market model set in place in the 1970s and 1980s and that has made the country one of the most economically free in the world. In Chile, what’s at stake in presidential contests is not a radical change of the rules of the game, but rather policies that build on or depend on high growth. Chile’s mature democracy and economy serve as a model for Latin America. But in just over a month of being in office, Piñera has made two ... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3487039 Tue, 20 Apr 2010 12:48:06 +0100 3487039 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3467794&cid=t_101755_105_f&fid=39124&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.jeffreymlevinemd.com%2Ftears-and-anger-at-st-vincents-hospital%2F Yesterday, in a clumsily administered coup de grace to St. Vincent’s Hospital, 3,500 pink slips were handed out to all employees.  It sounds unbelievable but that is what I wrote – all employees.  This applies to maintenance people, lab techs, nurses, nursing assistants, chaplains, secretaries, research assistants, doctors, administrators, and anyone else who works for [...] (Source: Jeffrey M. Levine MD | Geriatric Specialist | Wound Care | Pressure Ulcers) Jeffrey M. Levine MD | Geriatric Specialist | Wound Care | Pressure Ulcers blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3467794 Tue, 13 Apr 2010 21:00:29 +0100 3467794 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3460188&cid=t_101755_105_f&fid=39124&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.jeffreymlevinemd.com%2Fthe-sinking-of-st-vincents-hospital-in-manhattan%2F When the Titanic struck an iceberg and sank in April, 1912, survivors were brought to New York City by the rescue ship Carpathia.  They were unloaded on the West Side docks and brought directly to St. Vincent’s Hospital where 106 of them were treated.   Now, In one of the saddest events I have witnessed in my decades [...] (Source: Jeffrey M. Levine MD | Geriatric Specialist | Wound Care | Pressure Ulcers) Jeffrey M. Levine MD | Geriatric Specialist | Wound Care | Pressure Ulcers blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3460188 Sun, 11 Apr 2010 16:21:19 +0100 3460188 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3448890&cid=t_101755_105_f&fid=39124&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.jeffreymlevinemd.com%2Fhow-will-health-care-reform-affect-geriatrics%2F The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (HR 3590) purports to contain provisions that will provide for better care for America’s seniors and add stimulus to growth of the field of Geriatrics.  One wonders, however, whether this historic bill will have true impact in stemming the flow of medical doctors away from caring for the [...] (Source: Jeffrey M. Levine MD | Geriatric Specialist | Wound Care | Pressure Ulcers) Jeffrey M. Levine MD | Geriatric Specialist | Wound Care | Pressure Ulcers blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3448890 Wed, 07 Apr 2010 15:06:41 +0100 3448890 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3443728&cid=t_101755_105_f&fid=39124&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.jeffreymlevinemd.com%2Fits-lights-out-for-st-vincents-hospital-in-manhattan%2F In one of the biggest travesties I have witnessed in my decades of medical practice, a major hospital in Manhattan has announced that it will close.  This evening Mark Toney, Chief Restructuring Officer and Dr. Armand Cacciarelli, President of the Medical Staff showed up unexpectedly at an offsite meeting of the St.  Vincent’s Hospital physicians to announce [...] (Source: Jeffrey M. Levine MD | Geriatric Specialist | Wound Care | Pressure Ulcers) Jeffrey M. Levine MD | Geriatric Specialist | Wound Care | Pressure Ulcers blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3443728 Wed, 07 Apr 2010 01:19:19 +0100 3443728 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3443941&cid=t_101755_134_f&fid=35187&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FDiabetesDaily%2F%7E3%2F8QcEcp-fhu4%2Fthree-weeks-and-counting.php In about three weeks I will be picking up a very special guest from the MSP airport.  Let me tell you, I cannot wait!  THE George "Ninjabetic" Simmons will be my guest for a fun filled weekend, right here in Minnesota.  George is such a great guy, and I am lucky to say that he is one of my very best friends.  A little more than a year ago I visited George and his family for an extended weekend.  I was in Los Angeles for work, and they were gracious enough to let me crash at their house for a few extra days.  Let me tell you, I had the best time out there.  We were crazy busy, but it was crazy fun.  We were even lucky enough to spend a day at Disneyland!I'm very excited for my family to meet my buddy, and for any PWD who is within a couple days drive ... Diabetes Daily blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3443941 Wed, 07 Apr 2010 00:39:40 +0100 3443941 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3440746&cid=t_101755_87_f&fid=34872&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblisstree.com%2Flive%2Fpoll-of-the-day-laura-munsons-marital-crisis%2F Laura Munson, pictured with her husband. (Photo: Good Morning America) “Honey, I don’t love you anymore, and I don’t know if I ever did” are words that must sting coming from a spouse after 20-odd years of betrothal. But when Laura Munson’s husband told her exactly that, she forged ahead, unconvinced. The Montana-based writer’s new book, This Is Not The Story You Think It Is chronicles the tale she first told in The New York Times (to overwhelming reader response – the comments came in at a rate that crashed the comments section). Her husband told her he wanted to leave, she didn’t believe him, and through the power of belief, she seems to have saved her marriage. On today’s Good Morning America, George Stephanopoulos interviewed Munson, an... Healthbolt blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3440746 Mon, 05 Apr 2010 21:02:21 +0100 3440746 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3403866&cid=t_101755_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FpxjZUAbo3NU%2F By Juan Carlos HidalgoCosta Rica – my home country – has suddenly become part of the health care debate after celebrity radio talk show host, Rush Limbaugh said that he would move to Costa Rica go to Costa Rica for health care if  ObamaCare were approved by Congress the federal government gets too involved in health care in the next few years. Soon after Sunday’s vote in the House of Representatives, a website was set up to buy Limbaugh a one-way, first-class ticket to Costa Rica. Liberals were quick to point out that my country has a socialized health care system that is among the best in Latin America. People claim that in Costa Rica health care is a right, not a commodity. The problem surfaces when you actually need to exercise your “right.” Last July, La Nación newspaper ca... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3403866 Wed, 24 Mar 2010 20:29:23 +0100 3403866 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3420509&cid=t_101755_105_f&fid=39124&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.jeffreymlevinemd.com%2Fshakespeare-and-aging%2F The plays of William Shakespeare written in the sixteenth century reflected the culture and opinions of his time.  In Shakespeare’s day, life expectancy was in the 30’s, and Shakespeare himself lived to the old age of 52.  In contrast to today’s population, very few people lived into the 80s and 90s.  Throughout Shakespeare’s works there [...] (Source: Jeffrey M. Levine MD | Geriatric Specialist | Wound Care | Pressure Ulcers) Jeffrey M. Levine MD | Geriatric Specialist | Wound Care | Pressure Ulcers blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3420509 Sun, 21 Mar 2010 20:33:01 +0100 3420509 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3382780&cid=t_101755_87_f&fid=36050&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblisstree.com%2Flive%2Fhating-on-martha-never-gets-old-is-always-profitable%2F Mariana Pasternak, Martha Stewart’s ex-bestie, went on ABC’s Good Morning America on Tuesday to hawk her new book, The Best of Friends: Martha and Me. In the video below, Pasternak waxes poetic about their past with host George Stephanopoulos. “…We went to the Galapagos, we went to Machu Picchu, we sailed the Nile, rode horses in Egypt, paddled the Amazon … and on those trips we shared everything. We shared excitement, we shared a room, we shared a bed”. They also shared insider trading info that landed Martha in the slammer. Oops! Pasternak misses her friendship with Martha, but not as much as she hopes her book rakes it in. Post from: BlissTree (Source: Breastfeeding 1-2-3) Breastfeeding 1-2-3 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3382780 Fri, 19 Mar 2010 17:35:38 +0100 3382780 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3378519&cid=t_101755_106_f&fid=34805&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FAwfulPlasticSurgery%2F%7E3%2FVOZ7y9KAZGo%2F No, he hasn’t had a... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit MyWebsite.com for full links, other content, and more! ]] (Source: Awful Plastic Surgery) Awful Plastic Surgery blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3378519 Thu, 18 Mar 2010 04:40:30 +0100 3378519 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3342283&cid=t_101755_146_f&fid=38266&url=http%3A%2F%2Fsleepeducation.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F03%2Fsleep-race-in-america.html Author Studs Terkel called race “the American obsession.” In the U.S. race colors almost everything we do – even sleep.Today the National Sleep Foundation released the results of the 2010 Sleep in America Poll. It focused on the relationship between sleep and race.Telephone interviews were conducted with 1,007 adults between the ages of 25 and 60. The sample was equally divided among four groups: Asians, blacks, Hispanics and whites.Results show that the average reported nightly sleep time on workdays or weekdays was less than seven hours in each group. Blacks had the lowest average of 6.2 hours, and whites had the highest average of 6.9 hours.About 60 percent of blacks were “short sleepers” who reported sleeping less than seven hours per night during the week. Fifty percent of H... Sleep Education blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3342283 Mon, 08 Mar 2010 17:37:00 +0100 3342283 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3331285&cid=t_101755_87_f&fid=38368&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FDisruptiveWomenInHealthCare%2F%7E3%2FI7gar2l91uE%2F Help Wanted: PHRMA ISO New CEO By Robin Strongin | February 13th, 2010 Immediately after the snow stopped falling in Washington DC this week, another news story took DC by storm–the resignation of Billy Tauzin, effective June 30th. Mr. Tauzin’s departure comes at a critical time for those involved with health reform efforts, not to mention PHRMA’s own thick portfolio of issues that include patents and trade, the economy, taxes (think offshore), and shrivelling pipelines, just to name a few. The job pays well, but the applicant will surely inherit a daunting to-do list… Read the rest of Robin’s “Help Wanted: PHRMA ISO New CEO” post. Stop Running Red Lights AND Pay for Health Care Reform By Rosemary Gibson | February 1st, 2010 With all the hand wringing about health... Disruptive Women in Health Care blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3331285 Wed, 03 Mar 2010 21:35:08 +0100 3331285 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3306826&cid=t_101755_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FQeZLx8BeJR0%2F By Ian VasquezA report (PDF) released today by the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights condemns in well documented form the growing violation of human rights under the regime of Hugo Chavez. The 302-page study is yet another confirmation of the multitude of ways in which individuals, NGOs, union leaders, politicians, activists, businessmen, students, judges, the media and others who disagree with Venezuelan government policies are targeted by the government and its supporters through intimidation, arbitrary use of administrative and criminal law, and sometimes violence and homicide. Among the many cases it documents, the report describes how the government last year shut down a publicity campaign in defense of private property run by our colleagues at the free-market think tank CEDIC... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3306826 Wed, 24 Feb 2010 20:44:59 +0100 3306826 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3420513&cid=t_101755_105_f&fid=39124&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.jeffreymlevinemd.com%2Fretooling-for-an-aging-america%2F This study was commissioned by the Institute of Medicine (IOM) and put together by the Committee on the Future Health Care Workforce for Older Americans chaired by John W. Rowe.  The document presents an analysis of America’s [...] (Source: Jeffrey M. Levine MD | Geriatric Specialist | Wound Care | Pressure Ulcers) Jeffrey M. Levine MD | Geriatric Specialist | Wound Care | Pressure Ulcers blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3420513 Mon, 22 Feb 2010 13:00:17 +0100 3420513 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3294530&cid=t_101755_83_f&fid=34856&url=http%3A%2F%2Finsidesurgery.com%2F2010%2F02%2Fdr-irfan-galaria-islamic-medical-association-north-america-imana-tells-haiti-experiences%2F Virginia plastic surgeon Dr. Irfan Galaria, leaving behind his wife pregnant with his fourth child, was one of the first volunteer surgeons to make it to Haiti after the earthquake. Dr. Galaria went with four other members of the Islamic Medical Association of North America (Source: Inside Surgery) Inside Surgery blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3294530 Mon, 22 Feb 2010 04:53:36 +0100 3294530 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3259307&cid=t_101755_167_f&fid=38271&url=http%3A%2F%2Frebeccascritchfield.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F02%2F09%2Fa-look-inside-lets-move-michelle-obamas-campaign-to-reverse-childhood-obesity%2F The Let’s Move campaign will combat the epidemic of childhood obesity through a comprehensive approach that builds on effective strategies, and mobilizes public and private sector resources.  Let’s Move will engage every sector impacting the health of children to achieve the national goal, and will provide schools, families and communities simple tools to help kids be more active, eat better, and get healthy. To support Let’s Move and facilitate and coordinate partnerships with States, communities, and the non-profit and for-profit private sectors, the nation’s leading children’s health foundations have come together to create a new independent foundation – the Partnership for a Healthier America – which will accelerate existing efforts addressing childhood obesity and facil... Balanced Health and Nutrition Rebecca Scritchfield's Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3259307 Tue, 09 Feb 2010 18:14:53 +0100 3259307 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3420516&cid=t_101755_105_f&fid=39124&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.jeffreymlevinemd.com%2Fageism-the-new-york-times-and-geriatric-medicine%2F After reading an article entitled “The Geezers’ Crusade” by columnist David Brooks in the Op-Ed pages of the New York Times last week I felt compelled to comment on it.   The article begins on an encouraging note, pointing out how society’s views of human aging are evolving from negative to optimistic.  Once viewed as a [...] (Source: Jeffrey M. Levine MD | Geriatric Specialist | Wound Care | Pressure Ulcers) Jeffrey M. Levine MD | Geriatric Specialist | Wound Care | Pressure Ulcers blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3420516 Tue, 09 Feb 2010 15:03:07 +0100 3420516 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3231597&cid=t_101755_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F02%2F01%2Fjerilyn-ross-leader-in-raising-awareness-about-anxiety%2F Ms. Ross was the co-founder, President and CEO of the Anxiety Disorders Association of America, a not-for-profit organization whose mission is to raise public awareness about anxiety and its treatment. She passed away early last month. Below is an obituary for this remarkable woman, Jerilyn Ross, An Advocate for the Anxious, by Benedict Carey as it appeared in the New York Times: Jerilyn Ross, a therapist who helped hundreds of people overcome their worst anxieties and who became one of the country’s most visible and effective advocates for those with mental health problems, died on Jan. 7 in Washington. She was 63 and lived in Potomac, Md. The cause was cancer, said her husband, Ronald Cohen. Ms. Ross was a 25-year-old teacher on vacation in Salzburg, Austria, when she was struck by a ... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3231597 Tue, 02 Feb 2010 00:06:33 +0100 3231597 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3208447&cid=t_101755_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F01%2F25%2Fhaiti-relief-a-mindful-dialogue%2F I know many of you have already given to charities in order to help Haiti. Today, as the crisis enters its third week, I ask that you consider giving a little more… A Mindful Dialogue is a new e-book edited by our blogger Elisha Goldstein, Ph.D. and that was written to be a companion through life when dealing with stress, pain and difficult emotions. Through 24 interviews with leaders in the field such as Jack Kornfield, Dan Siegel, Sharon Salzberg, Tara Brach, Jeff Brantley, Zindel Segal and Others and 23 short explorations of simple quotes from leaders such as Thich Nhat Hanh, the Dalai Lama, Rumi, Hafiz, Pema Chodron and Others, you’ll uncover a mindful path toward working with the stress, pain and difficult emotions in daily life. 100% of the proceeds will go to HOPE FOR HA... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3208447 Mon, 25 Jan 2010 20:05:31 +0100 3208447 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3200607&cid=t_101755_131_f&fid=35005&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Ffungalcompgenomics%2F%7E3%2FTVjpvpN2flQ%2F Don’t forget to register for Neurospora 2010 held at the beautiful Asilomar Conference center in Pacific Grove, CA held April 8-11, 2010. Get your filamentous fungi fix here! Also save the date for some other important upcoming conferences you may consider attending American Society of Microbiology, Candida and Dimorphic Fungi Meeting, March 22-26, Miami, FL, USA Joint Genome Institute, 2010 User Meeting, March 24-26, Walnut Creek, CA, USA New and emerging fungal diseases of animals and plants, April 17-21, Roscoff Biological Station (near Brest), Brittany, FRANCE American Society of Microbiology, 110th Annual Meeting, May 23-27, San Diego, CA, USA Cellular and Molecular Fungal Biology Gordon Conference, June 13-18, Holderness, NH, USA Mycological Society of America meeting, June 2... Fungal Genomes and Comparative Genomics blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3200607 Fri, 22 Jan 2010 19:03:23 +0100 3200607 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3189126&cid=t_101755_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FaxTtFN283XA%2F By Chris Moody Gene Healy on today’s election in Massachusetts: “If Republican Scott Brown wins the Massachusetts special election Tuesday, the Bay State will have its first GOP senator since the era when disco was king. And Brown will have the much-derided Tea Party legions to thank.” Why opportunistic politicians need to stop using times of crisis for their own ends and let the next one go to waste. George W. Obama? “Bush’s successor—who actually taught constitutional law at the University of Chicago—is continuing much of the Bush-Cheney parallel government and, in some cases, is going much further in disregarding our laws and the international treaties we’ve signed.” Can Google beat China? Cato’s Timothy B. Lee tackles the questi... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3189126 Tue, 19 Jan 2010 21:02:39 +0100 3189126 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3159924&cid=t_101755_132_f&fid=35024&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FBlindscientist%2F%7E3%2FZRvH3weyFj4%2F Image via Wikipedia (I’m really behind on my promise to post 365 in 365, four to keep the average on 1, three to go after this one) In mid-October I went to Brazil, first to attend the 2009 X-Meeting in Angra dos Reis and for a first vacation period since 2005. When I moved to Canada, I wasn’t able to bring all the scientific literature I had amassed over the years, mostly stuff about frogs, evolution and phylogenetics. Nowadays printed or copied papers and out-of-date, PDF is the new in, so I decided to throw away most of the things I would be able to recover online later, but still keep some copies of rare stuff and original copies of papers. Some of the original copies I saved where from the 50’s, 60’s and 70’s, and some of these contained the stamp tha... Blind.Scientist blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3159924 Sun, 10 Jan 2010 17:50:34 +0100 3159924 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3119068&cid=t_101755_151_f&fid=35818&url=http%3A%2F%2Frecoveryissexy.com%2Faddicted-lawyers-recovery%2F Addicted lawyers can overcome barriers to recovery Robert started drinking at age 18 and was an alcoholic by the time he entered law school. “I managed to get my degree and go to work for a Wall Street firm. After that I changed jobs every two years or less. I just couldn’t hang on to one. Nobody ever mentioned drinking to me. But I’m sure that with every job I lost, drinking was the main reason.” Images of hard-headed, hard-drinking lawyers abound in popular culture. These images make a point: The professional status granted by a law degree offers no immunity from addiction. The same can be said for people in other prominent professions, such as physicians, pilots and politicians. In fact, the rate of addiction for attorneys may exceed that for the general population. In 2... Recovery Is Sexy.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3119068 Thu, 24 Dec 2009 11:38:40 +0100 3119068 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3075498&cid=t_101755_87_f&fid=38368&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FDisruptiveWomenInHealthCare%2F%7E3%2F3YSllfd10Kw%2F The following post by Debbie Myers, Founder of Virtuarte, is part of Disruptive Women’s “The Value of Health: Creating Economic Security in the Developing World” series. Deborah E. Myers has more than 25 years of experience in international economic development, including advocacy, public policy and developing strategic partnerships. She has worked with major corporations, governments, non-government organizations, and international organizations to find solutions to problems facing the people and governments in the developing world. Events in Life often force you to step back and review where you are. In 2007 this is exactly what happened to me. I had spent the last 15 years working for three different multinational corporations, the last one for six years. As is often... Disruptive Women in Health Care blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3075498 Thu, 10 Dec 2009 14:02:09 +0100 3075498 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3075728&cid=t_101755_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Flosing-health-care-in-the-middle-of-chemo%2F Those of us that have been through treatment for breast cancer know how complicated it can be to have to deal with insurance companies to make sure you are covered for tests, surgery and office visits, it can be a nightmare to navigate through. My personal nightmare is all about losing health insurance coverage in the middle of chemo. When I was in my third month of chemotherapy, my husband’s job situation changed. That meant that after 30 days we would have to choose COBRA or be without health insurance. I still had several more chemotherapy sessions scheduled. So we chose COBRA. I have told this story before, but it helps people understand why I am so committed to health care reform. It is because in the middle of chemotherapy I had to find an additional 1200.00 dollars a month to ... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3075728 Wed, 09 Dec 2009 21:23:54 +0100 3075728 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3067247&cid=t_101755_131_f&fid=35005&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Ffungalcompgenomics%2F%7E3%2FcVgkeRAUhuM%2F Announced today at the 10th Frontiers in Fungal Biology meeting in Ensenada, Baja California: In honor of his contributions to research in cell biology fungi, in particular the growth of hyphae in fungi, the discovery and characterization of the Spitzenkörper,  development numerous approaches for microscopic and biochemical characterization of fungal cell walls, and uncovering molecular mechanisms for growth and morphogenesis in filamentous fungi, a named award will be established for Salomón Bartnicki-García, Director in the Department of Microbiology at CICESE and Professor Emertius at UC Riverside. He has been honored in the past upon his retirement from UCR in a special issue in Fungal Genetics and Biology and by the Mycological Society of America as a Distinguished Mycologist.  H... Fungal Genomes and Comparative Genomics blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3067247 Tue, 08 Dec 2009 00:16:09 +0100 3067247 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3056882&cid=t_101755_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FJB_ObJOoTjc%2F Hired someone new and exciting? Promoted a rising star? Finally solved that hard-to-fill spot? Share the news with us and we’ll share with it others. That’s right. Send us your announcements and we’ll find a home for them. Don’t be shy. Everyone wants to know who is coming and going, especially with all the layoffs. Despite the downsizing, there is movement. Here are some of the latest changes. Recognize anyone? Jazz Pharmaceuticals hired Kathryn Falberg as senior vp and cfo; NovaDigm Therapeutics named R. Gordon Douglas as chairman; Pfizer named Adele Gulfo as US president of its primary care business; Amarin hired Joe Zakrzewski as executive chairman; Cardinal Health added Carrie Cox to its board of directors; Catalent Pharma Solutions hired Paul Burns as vp of global sales; Kfor... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3056882 Fri, 04 Dec 2009 13:24:18 +0100 3056882 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3023103&cid=t_101755_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2Fcl_3Rv3NzC8%2F Sunday marked the third anniversary of the signing of a free trade agreement between the United States and Colombia. It is an embarrassment to our great nation that this agreement with an important Latin American ally still sits on the shelf three years later, a victim of congressional trade politics. As my Cato colleague Juan Carlos Hidalgo and I argued in a 2008 Free Trade Bulletin, and as I wrote in a more recent op-ed, the FTA with Colombia is a win-win for Americans. It fully opens the Colombian market and its 44 million pro-American consumers to our exports, while deepening our ties with one of our most dependable allies in the Western Hemisphere. The AFL-CIO and other opponents of the agreement demand that Colombia further reduce violence against trade unionist before approval can b... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3023103 Mon, 23 Nov 2009 17:33:31 +0100 3023103 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2999738&cid=t_101755_131_f&fid=34994&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.gnxp.com%2Fblog%2F2009%2F11%2Fsouth-park-does-its-homework.php Years ago there was a South Park episode which commented on the primitive nature of Canadian transportation. Turns out that there was some truth to the jibe (via Tyler). (Source: Gene Expression) Gene Expression blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2999738 Tue, 17 Nov 2009 03:46:00 +0100 2999738 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2989331&cid=t_101755_129_f&fid=39065&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fgluten-freesimplicity%2FGNKb%2F%7E3%2F-Y6CfjJB6Y4%2F Surely, I will put together a list of "probably safe" and "possibly not" Gluten-Free "safe" menu items soon. And I will publish it. But for now, I think the "Safe" thing to do would be for America's Corporate Bosses to wax sincerely about the "Gluten-Free" issue or NOT wax at all. And I think that those of us who sometimes have emotional rants in our empty dining enjoyment quests that sometimes lead to "Gluten-Free" starvation -- oh... and I have been there many times too.. -- should also think next time before we blast an unsuspecting cashier the local "Minute Burger Joint". (Source: Gluten-Free Simplicity) Gluten-Free Simplicity blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2989331 Fri, 13 Nov 2009 12:58:33 +0100 2989331 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2984783&cid=t_101755_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2Fxa6w9YSpjHE%2F I expected and got some pushback about my post comparing the Berlin Wall to the wall along our southern border. Happily, it was more civil than the reactions I often get when I talk about immigration and free movement of people. One fair comment focused on the key distinction between the Berlin Wall and our border wall: the direction the guards were facing. From the perspective of the state, it’s easy to conceive of border guards facing “in” or “out”—and those facing in suggest much worse than those facing out. But from the perspective of the individual, what matters is whether or not the border guards are facing you. Our border wall keeps Mexicans and Central Americans from freedom and a better life precisely the way the Berlin Wall did East Ge... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2984783 Wed, 11 Nov 2009 18:25:34 +0100 2984783 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2977273&cid=t_101755_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2F8Zy8En-qHt4%2F On its front page today, the Washington Times reports that expanded powers for the Federal Reserve are being opposed by “odd allies.”  The Fed’s imperial over-reach for additional regulatory powers is being opposed by Democrats and Republicans, and liberals and conservatives alike.  As well it should be.  As Senator Shelby observed, “Anointing the Fed as the systemic-risk regulator will make what has proven to be a bad bank regulator even worse.” The regulation of financial services failed conspicuously to prevent the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression.  The Fed failed most conspicuously as it was charged with oversight of all the major banks, including notably Citigroup and Bank of America. Bank regulation now functions to insulate banks f... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2977273 Mon, 09 Nov 2009 17:28:21 +0100 2977273 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2946994&cid=t_101755_113_f&fid=38236&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.healthcareitnews.com%2Fblog%2Fmessage-americas-physicians-purchasing-ehr-technology-shaky-state-affairs Much of the conversation and debate about physician EHR adoption has centered on the single issue of the (high) cost of purchase.  However, we'd like to suggest that the situation is much more complex and involves several more subtle variables. (Source: Healthcare IT News Blog) Healthcare IT News Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2946994 Fri, 30 Oct 2009 18:33:54 +0100 2946994 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2931089&cid=t_101755_113_f&fid=38236&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.healthcareitnews.com%2Fblog%2Fehrs-public-eye I saw this ad in Terminal 3 at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport last week: (Source: Healthcare IT News Blog) Healthcare IT News Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2931089 Tue, 27 Oct 2009 16:21:07 +0100 2931089 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2916081&cid=t_101755_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FziYjmUwKyB8%2F According to reports, executives from bailed out companies Citigroup, Bank of America, GM, Chrysler, GMAC, Chrysler Financial and AIG are going to see major pay cuts this year, which will be enforced by the president’s “pay czar,” Kenneth R. Feinberg. WaPo: NEW YORK — The Obama administration plans to order companies that have received exceptionally large amounts of bailout money from the government to slash compensation for their highest-paid executives by about half on average, according to people familiar with the long-awaited decision. The administration will also curtail many corporate perks, including the use of corporate jets for personal travel, chauffeured drivers and country club fee reimbursement, people familiar with the matter have said. Individual per... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2916081 Thu, 22 Oct 2009 14:30:50 +0100 2916081 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2886414&cid=t_101755_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FcdBBtLAF0Ng%2F Senator Jim DeMint from South Carolina recently traveled to Honduras and found—no surprise—a peaceful country and broad support for the ouster of President Zelaya among members of civil society, the supreme court, political parties and others. In an op-ed in this weekend’s Wall Street Journal, DeMint describes his trip in light of Washington’s continuing support of Zelaya and its condemnation of what it calls a “coup.” U.S. policy is mystifying since the ousted president’s removal from office was a rare example in Latin America of an institutional defense of democracy as envisioned by the constitution and interpreted by the Supreme Court that ruled that the president be removed. (For independent opinions on the case, see here and here.) However, the Senator reports a legal an... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2886414 Tue, 13 Oct 2009 12:42:50 +0100 2886414 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2865646&cid=t_101755_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FYJlwfEirQ2c%2F The Washington Post has a great story today on the swelling number of political prisoners in Venezuela. As the story points out, the government of Hugo Chávez is increasingly targeting university students who have been active in the opposition movement. They are jailed under bogus charges of “destabilizing the government,” or “inciting civil war.” Unfortunately, despite stories and numerous reports from international media outlets and human rights groups, the Organization of American States—which has been very active in trying to reinstall Manuel Zelaya to the Honduran presidency—has remained silent on this issue. Last week, dozens of students went on a hunger strike in front of the OAS headquarters in Caracas, but no official from that organization came out to meet them. Afte... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2865646 Mon, 05 Oct 2009 20:19:16 +0100 2865646 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2862558&cid=t_101755_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F10%2F05%2Fprevalence-of-common-mental-disorders%2F In support of Mental Health Awareness Week — meant to increase awareness of mental health issues and helping people better understand mental disorders — we’ve created the graph below to give you a better idea of the prevalence (in the past year) of these disorders in the general American population. The media sometimes emphasizes one disorder over another, distorting the picture of how many people actually have the disorder. For instance, the graph shows that bipolar disorder — the subject of so many advertising campaigns, TV commercials and more — has similar prevalence rates to panic disorder, generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), and binge eating. Mental disorders are more common than many people realize, and far fewer people seek out treatment for them than... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2862558 Mon, 05 Oct 2009 17:39:47 +0100 2862558