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 'charts'. Sat, 03 Sep 2011 02:21:48 +0100 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5118746&cid=t_145171_113_f&fid=34634&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FEmrAndHipaa%2F%7E3%2FQcpbBa3mVII%2F This is the next in a series of EMR and EHR interviews that will be done on EMR and HIPAA and EMR and EHR. The full EMR interview with Dr. Ho can be found on the new EHR and EMR interviews website. The following is a summary of that interview written by Kathy Bongiovi. After completing a family practice residency at the University of Rochester in 1989, Dr. Ho worked in a variety of settings before making her decision to open her no-staff “micropractice” in 2004. Ho defines micropractice as being “a small, low overhead, no staff, hightech-high touch practice.” Because Ho believes the current financing model of delivering primary care by cranking up the volume of visits in order to meet overhead and salary is broken she wanted to move to a model that would be better for patients and ... EMR and HIPAA blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5118746 Wed, 10 Aug 2011 19:18:04 +0100 5118746 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5096344&cid=t_145171_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F08%2F02%2F7-books-that-changed-the-way-i-see-the-world%2F One of my favorite things: when I read a book that transforms the way I see the world, or the way I see the possibilities of writing. Another one of my favorite things: when I convince someone to read one of those books, and he or she loves it as much I do. So keeping that in mind, here’s a short list of books that transformed the way I see the world. I could go on for pages, but here’s a start, and if you’re at your bookstore or the library, check these out… 1. Christopher Alexander, A Pattern Language. I’ve never been interested in interior design or architecture, but this book taught me how to be aware of why certain spaces are pleasing — or not. I think about it all the time. 2. Scott McCloud, Understanding Comics. I’ve never been interested i... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5096344 Tue, 02 Aug 2011 15:42:19 +0100 5096344 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5008363&cid=t_145171_113_f&fid=34634&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FEmrAndHipaa%2F%7E3%2FWF5XYwzCgZU%2F Some 10 years ago, when I first started covering health IT, a lot of the talk was about the “modular” approach to EMR adoption, i.e., put in a piece at a time during a transition period. Much of that had to do with the state of technology at the tail end of the dot-com bubble, when companies developed applications to address one small problem, often in the hopes of getting a larger firm to shell out big bucks for their idea. (Wouldn’t you know, that’s how many vendors, most notably GE Healthcare, put together end-to-end enterprise systems.) Implicit in any step-by-step transition to EMRs was the idea that there would be an interim period where providers would have to run dual electronic and paper systems. It’s a notion that’s always been with us, but how... EMR and HIPAA blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5008363 Thu, 07 Jul 2011 21:46:42 +0100 5008363 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4789380&cid=t_145171_113_f&fid=34634&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.emrandhipaa.com%2Femr-and-hipaa%2F2011%2F05%2F01%2Fhealthcare-twitter-roundup%2F It’s that time again for a quick roundup of some interesting tweets happening out their in the wonderful twittersphere. #bbpBox_64113991093456896 a { text-decoration:none; color:#0084B4; }#bbpBox_64113991093456896 a:hover { text-decoration:underline; } (awkward moments on Twitter) RT @techguy: Is that a change? ;-) RT @Doctor_V I’m gonna turn 33 charts into a link-baiting content farm April 29, 2011 4:49 pm via TweetDeckReplyRetweetFavorite @Doctor_V Bryan Vartabedian This series of responses made me laugh. Mostly because my response was totally facetious (and just like me in real life). I wouldn’t have said it if it were true. 33 Charts is an amazing blog. Especially if you love social media and healthcare. #bbpBox_64864986551427072 a { text-decoration:none; col... EMR and HIPAA blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4789380 Mon, 02 May 2011 06:14:30 +0100 4789380 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4565903&cid=t_145171_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fmanaging-patient-uncertainty%2F2011.03.09 How comfortable are we with uncertainty? I struggle with this question every day. I treat children with abdominal pain. Some of these children suffer with crohns disease, eosinophilic esophagitis, and other serious problems. Some children struggle with abdominal pain from anxiety or social concerns. I see all kinds. But kids are tricky, and sometimes I can’t pinpoint the problem. Trudging forward with more testing is often the simplest option since it involves little thinking. And some parents perceive endless testing as “thorough.” The question ultimately becomes: When do we stop? Once we’ve taken a sensible first approach to a child’s problem and judged that the likelihood of serious pathology is slim, when and how do we suggest that we wait before going any furt... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4565903 Wed, 09 Mar 2011 20:30:46 +0100 4565903 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4549751&cid=t_145171_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fdefining-online-physician-conduct%2F2011.03.04 This week a reporter cornered me on the issue of professional behavior in the social space. How is it defined? I didn’t have an answer. But it’s something that I think about. Perhaps there isn’t much to think about. As a “representative” of my hospital and a physician to the children in my community, how I behave in public isn’t any different than a decade ago. Social media is just another public space. Sometimes it’s easy to forget that we’re in public. When I’m wrapped up in a Twitter thread it’s easy to forget that the world is watching. But the solution is simple: Always remember that the world is watching. On Twitter I think and behave as I do in public: Very much myself but considerate of those around me. I always think about how I might be perceived.... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4549751 Fri, 04 Mar 2011 20:00:27 +0100 4549751 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4527734&cid=t_145171_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fquestioning-mobile-health%2F2011.02.27 This is something. Jay Parkinson on the Future Well blog has suggested that health apps are overrated. Then on Twitter came a remark that the post represented “fightin’ words.” While I think the tweet was in jest, I’m sure there are some who will take offense to the less-than-flattering remarks about our coveted health apps. We love the concept of health apps for what they represent more than for what they really offer us. We want to feel that we’ve got it all in the palm of our hand. After all, technology might do for us what we won’t do for ourselves. Like Jay I’m underwhelmed, but I don’t think that’ll always be the case. The post’s criticism should start a conversation about what’s real in mobile health and what isn’t. Even the fantasy of Health 2.... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4527734 Sun, 27 Feb 2011 18:00:47 +0100 4527734 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4501584&cid=t_145171_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fnarrative-medicine-healing-through-storytelling%2F2011.02.21 More in the evolving meme of narrative medicine: Researchers at the University of Massachusetts Medical School (my alma mater) have found that for a select population of individuals, listening to personal narratives helps control blood pressure. While the power of stories is old news, the connection to clinical outcomes is what’s newsworthy here. Read Dr. Pauline Chen’s nice piece in the New York Times. The implications for ongoing work in this area are mind boggling. The Annals of Internal Medicine study authors sum it up nicely: Emerging evidence suggests that storytelling, or narrative communication, may offer a unique opportunity to promote evidence-based choices in a culturally appropriate context.  Stories can help listeners make meaning of their lives, and listeners may be in... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4501584 Mon, 21 Feb 2011 16:00:32 +0100 4501584 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4472950&cid=t_145171_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fconsumer-health-information-the-new-third-party-in-the-exam-room%2F2011.02.13 It was sometime in the mid-nineties that parents started showing up in my office with reams of paper. Inkjet printouts of independently unearthed information pulled from AltaVista and Excite. Google didn’t exist. In the earliest days of the Web, information was occasionally leveraged by families as a type of newfound control. A young father and his inkjet printer One case sticks clearly in my mind. It was that of a toddler with medically unresponsive acid reflux and chronic lung disease. After following the child for some time, the discussion with the family finally moved to the option of a fundoplication (anti-reflux surgery). On a follow-up visit the father had done his diligence and appeared in the office with a banker box brimming with printed information. He had done his homewo... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4472950 Sun, 13 Feb 2011 16:00:39 +0100 4472950 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4445804&cid=t_145171_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fthe-problem-with-casual-medical-advice%2F2011.02.07 It’s happening more frequently: Requests for medical advice by email. The more I do, the more people I meet. The network grows and friends of friends learn about what I do. So junior has a little pain and shows at the local ER where the requisite CT shows a little thickening of the ileum. Someone suggests that the family drop me a line. Here’s the problem: There’s more to this than digital correspondence will allow. While the statistical reality of this child’s situation is that this finding represents a little edema from a virus, the differential is precarious: Crohn’s disease, lymphoma, tuberculous ileitis, eosinophilic enteropathy. A case of this type requires the thorough exploration of a child’s story and a compulsive exam that takes into consideration the problems in the... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4445804 Mon, 07 Feb 2011 14:00:30 +0100 4445804 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4419137&cid=t_145171_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fbook-review-deadly-choices-how-the-anti-vaccine-movement-threatens-us-all%2F2011.01.31 A friend suggested she was tired of hearing about vaccines. Her comment and our subsequent conversation seemed to reflect an important shift in parent sentiment: The conversation about vaccines is beginning to get somewhere. While much of this was born of the mainstream media’s newfound realization that the vaccine-autism connection was cooked, some of this is due to the tireless work of those like the Children’s Hospital of Philedelphia’s Dr. Paul Offit who get the story right. As part of his passionate agenda to expose vaccine truths, he’s published “Deadly Choices: How the Anti-vaccine Movement Threatens Us All” (Basic Books, 2011). For those looking to understand the origins of anti-vaccine sentiment, read this book. What struck me is the deep history beh... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4419137 Mon, 31 Jan 2011 21:00:50 +0100 4419137 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4386272&cid=t_145171_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fmystery-providers-healthcare-professionals-and-identification-badges%2F2011.01.22 So I’m in the exam room recently with a new patient. After some initial dialog with the child and family, I launched into the business of problem solving. Ten minutes into my history the mother politely asks: “I’m sorry, and you are?…” I hadn’t introduced myself. I had left my ID badge at my workstation, and by order of some innocent distraction with the child or family, I hadn’t identified myself immediately on entering the room. This is rare. Sometimes I assume people will know who I am. But I don’t wear a white coat and my stethoscope is concealed. I wear clothes only good enough to sustain the barrage of regurgitation, urine, full-frontal coughs, and sloppy hugs that mark a successful clinic day. A colleague once told me I dress like an algebra teacher. I haven’... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4386272 Sat, 22 Jan 2011 20:00:56 +0100 4386272 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4372105&cid=t_145171_113_f&fid=34634&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FEmrAndHipaa%2F%7E3%2FTQ5ADWHyE9c%2F JamesNT wrote a really interesting forum post recently about how a number of EMR vendors are holding doctor’s patient information “ransom” (his word) from them. Here’s his whole description and he even names a few EMR vendors and the challenges related to getting the EMR data out of their systems: To many EMR’s lock up the practice’s data and hold it for ransom. The data entered into an EMR belongs to the practice, not the EMR. It is not fair for EMR’s to not provide ways to interface or export data from the database. If a doctor wants to hire an IT person or developer such as myself to write custom reports or export data from the EMR, then it should be possible. Consider the following examples: Amazing Charts: They use SQL Server 2005 Express as t... EMR and HIPAA blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4372105 Wed, 19 Jan 2011 17:33:48 +0100 4372105 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4355716&cid=t_145171_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fdo-patients-have-clinical-judgment%2F2011.01.16 I used to think they didn’t, but they do. Clinical judgment is the application of individual experience to the variables of a patient’s medical presentation. It’s the hard-worn skill of knowing what to do and how far to go in a particular situation. It’s having the confidence to do nothing. Clinical judgment is learned from seeing lots of sick people. Good clinical judgment is when the gifted capacity of reasoning intersects with experience. Some doctors have better judgment than others. Aristotle called this phronesis – or practical judgment. Patients have practical judgment. We often can tell when something’s amiss with our own body. Things feel different or look different. Taking action on these observations is how we exercise judgment as patients. Parents of chi... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4355716 Sun, 16 Jan 2011 23:00:49 +0100 4355716 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4337934&cid=t_145171_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fwhen-doctors-and-patients-speak-different-languages%2F2011.01.12 I can’t say that I enjoy the patient encounter as much when it involves a translator. There’s just something about communicating through a third party that changes the experience. But there are some things you can do as a provider to bridge the language gap: Look. Even thought the translator is doing the talking, look at the patient just as if you are asking the question yourself. There’s a tendency to let the translator act as a surrogate with respect to eye contact and visual feedback. Smile. A smile doesn’t need translation. It conveys very clearly that have a sincere interest in making a connection. Touch. I never leave the exam room without some type of sincere physical contact. A firm handshake or a hand on the shoulder go a long way in closing the language barrier. Sa... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4337934 Wed, 12 Jan 2011 22:00:29 +0100 4337934 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4322508&cid=t_145171_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fphysician-visibility-in-public-i-see-patients-and-they-see-me%2F2011.01.07 In the movie “The Sixth Sense,” there was that kid who saw dead people. I’m like that. But I see patients and their parents instead. They’re all around me. They’re watching at the grocery store when my kids act up. We meet during anniversary dinners, at Christmas Eve service, and on the treadmill at the Y. I bump into parents when buying personal effects and even during the early morning coffee run in my oldest sweats. I see patients. The follow-up dialog between the parents might go something like this: Dad: “Marge, don’t you think Billy’s colitis might be better managed by a doctor capable of pulling himself together?” Mom: “Don’t be ridiculous, Frank. DrV’s bedhead has nothing to do with his ability to care for Billy. And besides, I’ve heard tha... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4322508 Fri, 07 Jan 2011 18:00:43 +0100 4322508 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4300550&cid=t_145171_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fare-doctors-afraid-of-social-media%2F2010.12.30 We sometimes forget that public transparency can be scary. I’ve found this particularly true for doctors. And they tell me so. This tweet from MD Anderson’s Dr. Garcia-Manero hints that the daily digital repartee that I take for granted isn’t so easy for the newbie: And this comment came in today from a rheumatologist, Dr. Irwin Lim of BJC Health. It illustrates nicely the hesitancy physicians sometimes feel: Our clinic’s business manager was pushing me to blog as a means to improve the profile of our group musculoskeletal clinic. I found myself quite afraid of this, as I had not previously participated in social media. I was also wary that I could not control patient comments. Eventually, I tiptoed into LinkedIn. I then started reading blogs and came across yours. Your posts h... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4300550 Thu, 30 Dec 2010 18:00:33 +0100 4300550 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4287413&cid=t_145171_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2F5-clinical-resolutions-for-2011%2F2010.12.24 Jenni Prokopy (aka Chronicbabe) put us to the challenge for this week’s Grand Rounds by asking for our 2011 clinical resolutions. I have to admit that I’m not one for resolutions because I can never take them seriously. But admittedly there are things that I need to tighten up. So here goes: 1.  Clear my chart rack every afternoon. This is key because my creative mind operates better when my charts are done. Of course this means no more tweeting “47 charts” or “33 charts” when I’m behind. Had I made this resolution for 2009, this blog wouldn’t have a name. 2.  Cultivate innovative communication channels with my referring docs. While I need to be consistent and compulsive with my referral letters, I want to improve mobile, real-time communications between me and my ref... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4287413 Fri, 24 Dec 2010 20:00:35 +0100 4287413 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4272287&cid=t_145171_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fhealth-2-0-is-it-a-threat-to-the-medical-profession%2F2010.12.20 The Internet has threatened journalism. Clay Shirky has said that everyone is a media outlet. An Internet connection and blogging platform makes everyone a publisher. Can the mass professionalization of journalism be applied to medicine or health? Can access to a broadband connection outfit a citizen to think and act like a physician? There are pieces of what physicians do that can be replicated, and other pieces that can’t. The technical things that doctors do can’t be replaced. Removing an appendix or replacing a heart valve, for example. Tough to pull off on CureTogether. But what about the thinking? After all, patients have access to the same information, references, and literature as physicians. Unfettered access to information can create an illusion. It can give us a fals... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4272287 Mon, 20 Dec 2010 14:00:04 +0100 4272287 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4253140&cid=t_145171_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fsocial-networks-for-doctors-one-place-at-a-time%2F2010.12.12 I suspect that in the next couple of years we’ll see the emergence of a viable social network for physicians. It hasn’t happened yet, but I suspect that we’re getting close. Physicians are increasingly dabbling in mainstream social sites. But maybe that’s a problem. After all, a doctor can only hang in so many places. If you have “The Facebook for Doctors,” do you expect us to spend our time there instead of on Facebook itself? Maybe we will, and maybe we won’t. Beyond the obvious requirement of a network to deliver value, I think the rate-limiting factor is old-fashioned bandwidth. You can only be one place at a time. If I spend my days on Twitter, I’m not likely to spend my days on said doctor’s network. I will go there for particular things and to talk to certai... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4253140 Sun, 12 Dec 2010 15:00:55 +0100 4253140 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4237897&cid=t_145171_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fthe-best-social-tool-for-doctors-and-patients%2F2010.12.07 We all want technology to improve communication between doctors and patients. We fantasize that social tools will open doors and bridge the expanding divide between doctors and patients. I’m wondering if it’s a case of unicorns and rainbows: Fancy new tools to do the old thing in a less-effective way. I’m guessing that if Facebook was the old platform for doctor-patient dialog and the telephone was invented this year, everyone would be clamoring to use the phone (“Dude, this is amazing…you can hear them talk.”) I like the telephone. Written copy misses intonation, timing, pitch, and all the other rich elements of human speech. Subtle changes in a parent’s voice tell me if I’ve made my point and exactly how I need to proceed [with caring for their child]. Unspoken wo... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4237897 Tue, 07 Dec 2010 13:00:50 +0100 4237897 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4225248&cid=t_145171_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fsome-things-about-medicine-will-never-change%2F2010.12.03 I just can’t imagine life today as a medical student. Every medical publication in the palm of your hand. The capacity to create an audience and publish at your own will.  Real-time dialog between students, faculty, anyone. Global reach from your phone. It’s mind-boggling really. This is in stark contrast to my experience. My world was centered on index cards, textbooks and pens with different colors. We communicated via Post-it notes on the door of the student lounge. There were no apps and our only game was foozball. As a first year I scheduled time to compose H&Ps on the library’s only Macintosh II computer. This was plugged into the new Apple LaserWriter with WYSIWYG. Hi tech we were. We thought. Being distractible and restless, I’m going to guess that if I had a... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4225248 Fri, 03 Dec 2010 19:00:17 +0100 4225248 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4207289&cid=t_145171_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fshould-childrens-hospitals-do-social-media%2F2010.11.27 I [recently] participated in an interview for an upcoming publication. As the interview wound down, the dialog downshifted into small talk that included, among other things, hospital blogs. The interviewer (who had recently been exploring the blogging community) asked me what I thought about Thrive’s (Boston Children’s Hospital blog) recent birthday nod to Seattle Mama Doc (Seattle Children’s Hospital blog). More specifically, did I think it was unusual that one children’s hospital would congratulate a competing institution on its one-year anniversary? I thought the question was odd but it got me thinking: Do children’s hospitals compete in the social space? I don’t think so. They shouldn’t. And if they were competing, what would they be competing for? Children’s hospita... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4207289 Sat, 27 Nov 2010 23:00:30 +0100 4207289 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4190153&cid=t_145171_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fthe-amas-policy-on-professionalism-in-the-use-of-social-media%2F2010.11.22 A new policy on professionalism in the use of social media was [recently] adopted by the American Medical Association (AMA). The AMA Office of Media Relations was kind enough to share a copy of the policy: The Internet has created the ability for medical students and physicians to communicate and share information quickly and to reach millions of people easily. Participating in social networking and other similar Internet opportunities can support physicians’ personal expression, enable individual physicians to have a professional presence online, foster collegiality and camaraderie within the profession, provide opportunity to widely disseminate public health messages and other health communication. Social networks, blogs, and other forms of communication online also create new challe... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4190153 Mon, 22 Nov 2010 15:00:18 +0100 4190153 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4172057&cid=t_145171_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fwhen-a-patient-contacts-a-doctor-on-twitter%2F2010.11.16 When perusing my Twitter feed [one] morning, I stumbled onto this post directed to me: Patients reaching me in public social spaces is becoming a regular thing. I’ve discussed this in the past, but I think it bears repeating. So here’s what I did: I understood the mom’s needs. Patients resort to “nontraditional” means of communication when the traditional channels fail to meet their needs. Recognize that these patients (or parents in my case) are simply advocating for themselves. My specialty struggles with a shortage of physicians, so we’re dependent upon phone triage to sort out the really sick from the less-than-sick. It’s an imperfect system and consequently parents find themselves having to speak up when the gravity of their child’s condition hasn’t be... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4172057 Tue, 16 Nov 2010 23:00:23 +0100 4172057 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4159240&cid=t_145171_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fa-two-biscotti-physician%2F2010.11.12 [Recently] I ate at one of my favorite Italian restaurants. I had eaten there many times before, but the experience this time was different. After ordering, I received a vacuous bread basket with precisely two pieces of bread. At the end of my meal I was offered two biscotti — and no more. Only the manager could offer an explanation: As a means of containing costs, the decision had been made to capitate bread and biscotti distribution. I was disappointed. I had been eating here for years. When Colic Solved was released, my publication party was held here. After all those anniversaries, New Year’s celebrations, and birthdays, I’m shortchanged on cookies? It’s remarkable how a great experience can be shadowed by something so small. Then I got to thinking: Perhaps I’m a tw... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4159240 Fri, 12 Nov 2010 17:00:23 +0100 4159240 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4151796&cid=t_145171_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fthe-end-of-private-practice%2F2010.11.08 I didn’t need the Wall Street Journal to tell that the days of “private practice” are numbered. According to recent numbers, fewer and fewer medical practices are under the ownership of physicians. Even in my corner of the economically secure State of Texas, small practices are folding faster than beach chairs at high tide. I was driven out of private practice in 2004 by rising malpractice premiums and plummeting reimbursement. In Texas at the time the trial attorneys ran the place and medmal insurance carriers simply couldn’t keep up with the greed. Medical practices are just too expensive to run and the services that physicians provide are dangerously undervalued. You do the math. Sure it’s a complicated issue. But the end result is institutionally-employed doctors with inst... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4151796 Mon, 08 Nov 2010 23:00:01 +0100 4151796 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4133708&cid=t_145171_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Freaching-doctors-in-the-virtual-world%2F2010.11.04 It’s the great migration to digital. And as civilization makes its move, the pharmaceutical industry is trying to figure out how to reach out to physicians. Pharmaceutical reps are slowly becoming a thing of the past. Branded medication portals leave most doctors cold. Email outreach is marginal. Pharma strategists ask me how to reach doctors in the new world. I don’t have an answer. It isn’t that I can’t come up with an answer. It’s just that a good one doesn’t exist. Why? Doctors aren’t anywhere right now. They’re stuck somewhere between the analog and digital. Socially they’re nebulous. Their virtual communities are non-existent. Public social networks are sparsely populated. When they participate they watch and rarely create or discuss. Our profession is going ... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4133708 Thu, 04 Nov 2010 18:00:49 +0100 4133708 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4121857&cid=t_145171_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fsocial-neighborhoods-how-many-can-a-doctor-have%2F2010.10.30 Recently I was speaking to some physicians about social media. As we discussed the evolution of public social platforms and physician-specific networks the question came up: “How many social networks can a doctor have?” In other words, if a doctor dedicates time to Facebook and Twitter, will he or she then also spend time on Sermo, iMedExchange, or Doximity? This is an important question if you’re in the business of attracting doctors to a specific network. As part of the attention crash, we’re facing the reality of human bandwith. We can only socialize in so many places. I always tell physicians starting out to pick their social spaces carefully. You can only dedicate so much time to social. For me, my attention is spent here on 33 charts and on Twitter. I’ve bee... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4121857 Sat, 30 Oct 2010 12:00:41 +0100 4121857 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4082091&cid=t_145171_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fare-social-networks-compatible-or-competitive%2F2010.10.19 I was in Las Vegas, but it wasn’t all just spending quality time with blogging buddies.  There was work to do — we were there for the Social Health track of BlogWorld & New Media Expo 2010 to help inform others about the discussions taking place in the medical blogosphere, and the power of these communities.  The panel that I was participating on was Social Networks & The Medical Blogosphere:  Compatible or Competitive, with fellow panelists Kevin Pho and Bryan Vartabedian (see photo) moderated by the fabulous Kim McAllister. The big question was: “Are these social networking technologies helping or hurting the blogosphere?” We, as a panel, gave this a lot of thought as we prepared for our discussion, and we ultimately settled on the answer of “W... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4082091 Tue, 19 Oct 2010 12:00:04 +0100 4082091 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4074064&cid=t_145171_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Ftweetchats-are-they-good-for-doctors%2F2010.10.15 [Recently] some of us participated in the flagship physician Tweetchat (MDChat). Or better, I tried to participate between finishing up some calls and choking down a bean burrito. When the idea was initially proposed to me I committed only to supporting its initiation with the occasional role of host. I’m simply overcommitted, but wanted to support Phil Baumann and those who were willing to try to break new ground. So I lurked, chewed, and pondered. Doctors or not, everyone knows I’ve been a pretty lukewarm proponent of the tweetchat. I think they’re noisy, difficult to follow, and too abbreviated for constructive dialog. As early adopters I think we tend to put the novelty of the medium above its practicality. With that said, chats can be fun. It’s a situation where I feel co... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4074064 Fri, 15 Oct 2010 12:00:10 +0100 4074064 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4055713&cid=t_145171_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fshould-patient-engagement-be-regulated%2F2010.10.11 Last month in Cambridge I met Twitter friend Bryan Vartabedian, M.D. (Twitter @Doctor_V) at a meeting at Vertex Pharmaceuticals. We’ll cross paths this fall on the conference speaking circuit. [Recently] on his blog he raised a rowdy, rough, but valid point: As e-patients (obviously including me) get into the business, should they/we be regulated? He said: Will industry be required to publicly list monies used for sponsorship, travel and swag support of high profile patients in the social sphere? Should high visibility patients who serve as stewards and advocates disavow themselves of contact with pharma just as many academic medical centers have begun? As is often the case, I don’t have an answer. I’m just raising the questions. Smart questions. My short answer: Fine with me if ... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4055713 Mon, 11 Oct 2010 18:00:46 +0100 4055713 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4045093&cid=t_145171_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fbreaking-oncology-news-can-it-spread-socially%2F2010.10.08 I [recently] received a press release from a friend in the Bay Area. Investigators at UCSF have published a study in the New England Journal of Medicine showing that less chemotherapy can be effective at treating some childhood cancers. The paper was the result of an eight-year clinical study in children with neuroblastoma. In this particular population, researchers were able to reduce chemotherapy exposure by 40 percent while maintaining a 90 percent survival rate. You can read about it here. The press release sparked a brief email exchange between me and my friend: Who might be interested in writing about this study and is there any way to get it to spread?  What would make it sticky in the eyes of the public? Here are a few ideas: Figure out who cares. Sure it’s niche news, but t... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4045093 Fri, 08 Oct 2010 18:00:16 +0100 4045093 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4031243&cid=t_145171_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fmarketing-direct-to-e-patient%2F2010.10.04 Patients are the new darling of the medical-industrial complex. If you look around you will see patients advocating for one another. If you click a little closer you’ll find some with relationships to industry. It makes perfect sense that the manufacturer of a drug or medical device would want the blessings of our nascent cybercelebs. Some want genuine patient input.  Some, however, want to curry their favor. Chock up influence of the patient population as evidence of social health’s evolving maturity. A couple of questions: Will industry be required to publicly list monies used for sponsorship, travel and swag support of high profile patients in the social sphere? Should high visibility patients who serve as stewards and advocates disavow themselves of contact with pharma just as... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4031243 Mon, 04 Oct 2010 20:00:52 +0100 4031243 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4018181&cid=t_145171_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fthe-medical-profession-is-it-devolving%2F2010.09.29 I had lunch with a group of physicians recently, and along for the ride was a college student thinking of applying to medical school. When talking about the future, I suggested that the work of a physician 30 years from now will be hardly recognizable to today’s physician. Everybody disagreed and the student was confused. There was a lot of denial and myopic rationalization. But I can’t blame them, really. Most of us see what’s immediately changing in our day-to-day work and the bigger picture gets lost. For most of us, the role of the physician is hard to see for anything other than it always has been. Most live and work as the self-determined independent care coordinator, reactively working to treat disease just as its been done for over a century. But change is happening arou... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4018181 Wed, 29 Sep 2010 17:00:11 +0100 4018181 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3998993&cid=t_145171_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fshould-doctors-be-socially-anonymous%2F2010.09.23 I don’t think doctors should be socially anonymous. We need to be seen. Here’s why going underground isn’t good policy for physicians: Anonymity makes you say stupid things. When you’re shouting from the crowd it’s easy to talk smack.  Come up to the podium, clear your throat, and say something intelligent. You’re a physician, not a hooligan. It’s 2010: Anonymity died a long time ago. You think anonymity offers shelter? You’re funny, you are. Anonymity is a myth. You can create a cockamamie pseudonym, but you can’t hide.  And if I don’t find you, the plaintiff attorneys will. They found Flea. Being a weanie is no excuse. Just as you’re unlikely to consult a lawyer before speaking at a cocktail party, commenting as Dr. You is unlikely to kill you or land you in... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3998993 Thu, 23 Sep 2010 20:00:19 +0100 3998993 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3982016&cid=t_145171_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fsocial-media-and-lazy-doctors%2F2010.09.18 When it comes to the social media landscape, doctors are scarce. Few on Twitter and fewer with blogs. Maybe we’re socially lazy. Or maybe we’re just taking it all in. Mitch Joel of Six Pixels of Separation caught my eye last week with his article ”In Praise of Lazy” and reminded me that despite the how we may want to see things, most of us aren’t interested in creating content. In fact, he describes a 1 percent rule — only 1 percent of the audience will take time to actually create content. I suspect that if we were to take the time and do the survey properly, we would find that physicians too are largely new media consumers — or spectators, joiners or collectors in the Forrester sense of the word. Physicians, in fact, might adhere to something of a 0.1 p... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3982016 Sat, 18 Sep 2010 12:00:51 +0100 3982016 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3703004&cid=t_145171_113_f&fid=34634&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.emrandhipaa.com%2Femr-and-hipaa%2F2010%2F06%2F24%2Fthe-falling-chart-another-case-for-emr%2F Sometimes when we think about EMR, I think we forget about the subtle nuances of paper charts that make them so undesirable. Check out this story which I got in response to my post called “Think About the Problems with Paper Charting.” It’s a a good illustration of some of the more simple things we often forget about: I was recently visiting a relative at a major teaching hospital in the Midwest. While in the hall I noticed that they had charts in binders stored in boxes affixed to the wall. Just as I was wondering why such a prestigious institution relied on paper charts a nurse went to re-insert a chart into its box. She was in a hurry and missed, the chart dropped to the floor and binder opened and paper went all over the hall. What was even more surreal was the nurse ... EMR and HIPAA blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3703004 Thu, 24 Jun 2010 18:14:58 +0100 3703004 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3678593&cid=t_145171_113_f&fid=34634&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.emrandhipaa.com%2Femr-and-hipaa%2F2010%2F06%2F08%2Fthink-about-the-problems-with-paper-charting%2F Back in April, Evan Steele, CEO of SRSsoft, wrote an interesting post about EMR adoption and he asked the question, “Why Are You Still on the Fence?” It’s a very good question. Plus, he adds some value to the conversation by listing some of the problems with paper charts versus an EMR. Here’s a section of his post: So why are these physicians, who have determined that government incentives are not relevant or achievable, still on the fence about adopting an EMR solution that will deliver measurable benefits? Staying with paper charts is not a good business strategy because there is nothing more inefficient! The costs associated with the excess staff needed to manage these medical records are massive and wasteful—these positions can be eliminated or the employees ... EMR and HIPAA blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3678593 Tue, 08 Jun 2010 16:06:02 +0100 3678593 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3432850&cid=t_145171_87_f&fid=36050&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblisstree.com%2Flive%2Fhome-rules-choose-your-chores-wisely%2F We all dreaded doing chores growing up. But chores are an integral part of teaching children about the value of work and the importance of responsibilities. Your kids will also build confidence and independence, because they feel like a valuable part of the family. And with the children pitching in, along with parents, the household will run more smoothly and most everything will get done. Image: istockphoto “Giving children jobs around the home helps parents and teaches children they are important cogs in the household wheel,” said Kris Jenkins, a University of Missouri human development specialist. “Chores help children learn to take pride in their work and gain self-respect.” Chores can begin for children as young as toddlers. They can pick up toys, throw away trash, and handle ... Breastfeeding 1-2-3 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3432850 Fri, 02 Apr 2010 12:35:54 +0100 3432850 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2995806&cid=t_145171_113_f&fid=34634&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.emrandhipaa.com%2Femr-and-hipaa%2F2009%2F11%2F13%2Fpaper-chart-to-emr-scanning-list%2F I’ve previously written about chart disposal after an EMR implementation and the concept of “thinning your paper chart for scanning into an EMR.” Because of those posts, one reader asked me about feedback on a list of what things should be included in the “thinned” paper chart. Of course, my first reaction was to tell them to ask the doctors. Each doctor/specialty/clinic is unique and so every one of those would have their own list of what they thought was important. However, I also said I’d post their list on here for people to take a look at and provide feedback on things that shouldn’t be on the list or things that might be missing from this list. So, check out this list and I’d love to hear feedback on it in the comments: Paper Chart to E... EMR and HIPAA blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2995806 Fri, 13 Nov 2009 16:46:49 +0100 2995806 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2846462&cid=t_145171_113_f&fid=34634&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.emrandhipaa.com%2Femr-and-hipaa%2F2009%2F09%2F25%2Femr-data-archiving%2F In my previous post I talked about a few of the options related to shredding or archiving your paper charts after you’ve implemented an EMR and the paper charts aren’t being accessed. Now let’s take a look at what’s just begun to come up in our clinic: EMR Data Archiving Archiving Old EMR Records Once you’ve been on an EMR for a number of years, you start to think about all of the data that’s stored in your EMR. Do you really want to store ALL of the information you’ve entered into an EMR in perpetuity? The answer as usual is maybe. Quick Disclaimer: Before you do any EMR data archiving, you better talk to a good lawyer to make sure what you’re doing is legal in your state. I am not a lawyer and don’t even play one on TV. Just don&#8217... EMR and HIPAA blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2846462 Fri, 25 Sep 2009 17:00:58 +0100 2846462 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2846463&cid=t_145171_113_f&fid=34634&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.emrandhipaa.com%2Femr-and-hipaa%2F2009%2F09%2F24%2Fpaper-chart-disposal-after-implementing-an-emr%2F I’d be planning on posting about this for a while and someone brought it up in the comments of one of my other posts. So I figure it must be time to talk about what to do with all those old paper charts. I’m not going to go into the specific regulations. First, I’m not a lawyer and don’t want to give any legal advice. Second, these regulations often vary from state to state and 50 is a lot of different regulations. With that disclaimer, let’s take a look first at what to do with all the old paper charts that are no longer being accessed. Archiving or Shredding Old Paper Charts One of the big questions people ask is what do we do with the old paper charts. In this post I’m not going to talk about the various ways that you can incorporate your old paper ch... EMR and HIPAA blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2846463 Thu, 24 Sep 2009 17:00:05 +0100 2846463 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2405567&cid=t_145171_113_f&fid=34634&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.emrandhipaa.com%2Femr-and-hipaa%2F2009%2F05%2F11%2Fguaranteed-emr-benefits-legibility-of-charts%2F There are some absolute guaranteed benefits to implementing an EMR. These aren’t things that some will get. These EMR benefits don’t come from the government. They aren’t based on some certification. They are just absolute benefits to implementing an EMR system. The crazy part about these absolute benefits of an EMR system is that most of these absolute benefits to using an EMR just get quickly swept under the rug. They are easily forgotten and never get the credit they deserve (like a good medical biller). People just begin to take them for granted once they have them that they forget what it was like before the implemented an EMR. For those who haven’t implemented an EMR, most of the absolute benefits aren’t financial and so they don’t even make it on ... EMR and HIPAA blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2405567 Mon, 11 May 2009 14:47:21 +0100 2405567 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2364990&cid=t_145171_87_f&fid=34595&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnhsblogdoc.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F04%2Fminor-obsession.html Faulty Blood Pressure machineFor various reasons, we have been doing an internal audit of our patients' blood pressure readings. One of my partner's pointed out that I have no patients on whom I have recorded a blood pressure of 120/80. I checked myself. It is true. Over the years I have recorded literally thousands of blood pressure readings and not a single 120/80. I have never thought about it before, but I now realise that I have a phobia that prevents me recording 120/80. Anything close will do. 122/82 or 118/78 or occasionally 120/76 and so on. There are not even many readings containing either a 120 or an 80 separately. A minor obsession. I remember a consultant physician whom I very much respected who used to take the mickey from those nursing observation charts which showed endl... NHS Blog Doctor blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2364990 Fri, 24 Apr 2009 19:02:00 +0100 2364990 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2170052&cid=t_145171_87_f&fid=36050&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FBreastfeeding123%2F%7E3%2FcfOhLsGRAy8%2F I thought I would update how Nicole is doing at six months of age. Solid Foods Nicole continues to enjoy trying new solid foods. As you can see, mashed ripe avocado is one of her favorites! Just as with breastfeeding, I believe in baby-led solid food feeding. She feeds herself with her fingers or with a spoon that I have pre-loaded for her with food. She controls how much she gets, and I make sure to take her out of the high chair before she ever gets upset. I want that feeding chair to be a happy place! It must be working because she certainly is an enthusiastic eater so far! Measurements At six and a half months I took her in for her six-month well baby visit with the pediatrician. I would have taken her in earlier, but we both had rotavirus and I completely forgot about the appointme... Breastfeeding 1-2-3 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2170052 Mon, 09 Feb 2009 13:09:27 +0100 2170052 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2147493&cid=t_145171_113_f&fid=34634&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FEmrAndHipaa%2F%7E3%2F_sHWbgfOmUU%2F Do we really know the true benefits of EMR or can we not find them out until we have them implemented? This is a question which has been on my mind a lot lately as I’ve been reading and writing about Obama and EMR.  There have been so many different studies describing the effectiveness of electronic medical records.  Some show the amazing benefits of an EMR.  Others have shown that electronic medical records aren’t everything we hoped they’d be. As I think about these two differing opinions, I can’t help but think that we probably don’t know the benefits that can come from having broad EMR adoption. Certainly many studies and those interested in EMR have evaluated the fiscal and clinical benefits of an EMR.  I just can’t help but wonder if we won&#82... EMR and HIPAA blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2147493 Fri, 30 Jan 2009 16:00:18 +0100 2147493 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1938845&cid=t_145171_113_f&fid=34634&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.emrandhipaa.com%2Femr-and-hipaa%2F2008%2F11%2F06%2Fbenefits-of-converting-from-paper-chart-to-emr%2F Today, I decided to start a new web page that I believe will really grow over time. It’s basically a list of the possible benefits a doctor or clinic can receive from using an EMR or EHR rather than paper charts. I haven’t take much time to make the list at all, but I think it’s better to start it and then as ideas come to my head I can add to it as time permits. I already have a number of other ideas (like quality of medical care), but I need some more free time to put all the details down. Now that I’m thinking about it a little bit more, maybe each benefit of an EMR should have it’s very own blog post describing the benefit that’s received by using EMR. We’ll see how that works. Seems like a worthwhile series of posts to me. Also, in all fairnes... EMR and HIPAA blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1938845 Fri, 07 Nov 2008 07:04:57 +0100 1938845 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1809992&cid=t_145171_87_f&fid=36050&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FBreastfeeding123%2F%7E3%2Fvs3PpluH8t4%2F It has been two months since Nicole was born. I have yet to capture a good picture of her wonderful smile, so this photo will have to do. She cracks me up! Yesterday I took her to our family practitioner for her two month well baby visit. She’s doing great, nursing well, and meeting all of her developmental milestones (in spite of my inability to capture them on film!) She weighed 12 pounds 9 ounces, and measured 23 inches in length and 15.5 inches in head circumference. When the doctor told me that that put Nicole in the 25th, 10th and 10th percentiles on the CDC growth charts, I was a little surprised! My second daughter was petite like that, but does this look like a child who is on the low end of the charts? Ignore my belly! Look! Cute buddha baby! Cute Imse Vimse organic cotton... Breastfeeding 1-2-3 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1809992 Fri, 19 Sep 2008 20:47:23 +0100 1809992 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1355960&cid=t_145171_113_f&fid=34634&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.emrandhipaa.com%2Femr-and-hipaa%2F2008%2F04%2F07%2Fscanning-and-importing-paper-charts-into-an-emr%2F As many of you know, I love getting comments on my blog. Plus, comments on my blog often ask very good questions that I prefer to just answer as a separate blog post. I’ve considered a few times trying to integrate something that would allow people to ask questions that I could then answer, but I’ve never found just the right solution. Until then, just leave a comment and I’ll reply as best I can. The following quotes are from a comment Sean made on my Choosing and EMR or EHR post. Eric, I’m not sure how he got my name as Eric since it’s not Eric. Possibly he was confusing it with my post about Eric Schmidt’s Google Health Announcement at HIMSS. I really don’t mind what you call me as long as you leave insightful comments and questions. Thanks for ... EMR and HIPAA blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1355960 Mon, 07 Apr 2008 23:11:04 +0100 1355960 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1283372&cid=t_145171_86_f&fid=36669&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffadelibrary.wordpress.com%2F2008%2F03%2F06%2Fda-da-da%2F This Week Last Week Post Title 1 - Heart Disease Statistics 2 - About 3 - Public Health: Ethical Issues 4 5 Library Catalogue 5 4 Sociology of Health and Illness 29(6) 6 - Who’s who? 7 - Currently Reading 8 - Variations in Life Expectancy by Social Class 9 - GP Notebook 10 - Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health January 62(1) It’s Thursday (traditional Top of the Pops day) and time to pull on yer leg warmers and pop on those deely-boppers. This week see’s the return of the Library Catalogue upo 1 place as the Sociology of Health and Illness 29(6) drops a place. (Source: Fade Library) Fade Library blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1283372 Thu, 06 Mar 2008 20:43:49 +0100 1283372 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1272585&cid=t_145171_140_f&fid=35472&url=http%3A%2F%2Fweirdcake.blogspot.com%2F2008%2F03%2Ffebruary-2008-mood-chart.html So here is is, my February mood chart (generated using the online tools freely available at MoodTracker.com)! I know, I'm aware that I skipped quite a few days, but overall you can see that I've been quite stable, with the exception of the last few days...but circumstances at work weren't exactly hot. I'll try to be better about updating my daily ranking for the month of March. :-)Pink area: Zoloft 50 mg and Abilify 5 mg.(Everything else is as referenced previously...) (Source: Weird Cake: Treats from a Bipolar Mind) Weird Cake: Treats from a Bipolar Mind blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1272585 Mon, 03 Mar 2008 07:30:00 +0100 1272585 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1263361&cid=t_145171_86_f&fid=36669&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffadelibrary.wordpress.com%2F2008%2F02%2F28%2Fwise-guys-realize-theres-danger-in-emotional-ties%2F This Week Last Week Post Title 1 1 Heart Disease Statistics 2 2 About 3 4 Public Health: Ethical Issues 4 5 Sociology of Health and Illness 29(6) 5 3 Library Catalogue 6 - Who’s who? 7 - Currently Reading 8 - Variations in Life Expectancy by Social Class 9 11 GP Notebook 10 9 Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health January 62(1) It’s Thursday (traditional Top of the Pops day) and because we can do it with a bunch of stat’s we’ve not seen before we’ve introduced a post chart. Here’s your top 10 for this week, without less Wham! than you might expect. Big winner of the week is the GP Notebook storming back into the chart and rising one place is Sociology of Health and Illness 29(6) , meanwhile the Library Catalogue tumbles 2... Fade Library blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1263361 Thu, 28 Feb 2008 03:41:53 +0100 1263361 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1247801&cid=t_145171_86_f&fid=36669&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffadelibrary.wordpress.com%2F2008%2F02%2F21%2Fputting-the-tree-into-country%2F This Week Last Week Post Title 1 1 Heart Disease Statistics 2 2 About 3 5 Library Catalogue 4 - Public Health: Ethical Issues 5 3 Sociology of Health and Illness 29(6) 6 - Who’s who? 7 - Currently Reading 8 - Variations in Life Expectancy by Social Class 9 - Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health January 62(1) 10 - Contact Fade It’s Thursday (traditional Top of the Pops day) and because we can do it with a bunch of stat’s we’ve not seen before we’ve introduced a post chart, so here’s your top 10 for this week, without Pan’s People jigging about and getting your Dad hot under the collar. Big winner of the week is the Library Catalogue rising two places as Sociology of Health and Illness 29(6) falls a similar number... Fade Library blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1247801 Thu, 21 Feb 2008 09:16:55 +0100 1247801 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1231772&cid=t_145171_86_f&fid=36669&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffadelibrary.wordpress.com%2F2008%2F02%2F14%2Fjingle-jangle-guys-and-gals%2F This Week Last Week Post Title 1 2 Heart Disease Statistics 2 1 About 3 - Sociology of Health and Illness 29(6) 4 - Public Health: Ethical Issues 5 - Library Catalogue 6 - Who’s who? 7 - Currently Reading 8 - Variations in Life Expectancy by Social Class 9 - Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health January 62(1) 10 11 Contact Fade It’s Thursday (traditional Top of the Pops day) and because we can do it with a bunch of stat’s we’ve not seen before we’ve introduced a post chart, so here’s your top10 for this week, and not a Womble or member of the Sweet in sight. This week Heart Disease Statistics storms to the top of the charts as About’s bubble is burst and we have a new entry from Contact Fade as GP Notebook d... Fade Library blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1231772 Thu, 14 Feb 2008 16:32:29 +0100 1231772 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1215202&cid=t_145171_86_f&fid=36669&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffadelibrary.wordpress.com%2F2008%2F02%2F07%2Fer-hello-pop-pickers%2F This Week Last Week Post Title 1  - About 2  - Heart Disease Statistics 3  - Sociology of Health and Illness 29(6) - 4  - Public Health: Ethical Issues 5  - Library Catalogue 6  - Who’s who? 7  - Currently Reading 8  - Variations in Life Expectancy by Social Class 9  - Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health January 62(1) 10  - GP Notebook It’s Thursday (traditional Top of the Pops day) and because we can do it with a bunch of stat’s we’ve not seen before we’ve introduced a post chart, so here’s your top10 for this week. (Source: Fade Library) Fade Library blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1215202 Thu, 07 Feb 2008 16:39:47 +0100 1215202 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=770774&cid=t_145171_140_f&fid=35472&url=http%3A%2F%2Fweirdcake.blogspot.com%2F2007%2F07%2Fjuly-2007-mood-chart.html July's mood chart (brought to you as usual using the online tools available following a free and easy registration at MoodTracker.com) isn't too pretty because, well, I skipped many days, but you get the basic idea: stable for the most part. The suicide threw me for a loop and bummed me out, but I'm doing a lot better now...still don't feel quite up to writing very much, but I'm coming along. Anyone who thinks I'm slighting you: I'm not, I just need a little time to get my head together.Pink area: Zoloft 50 mg, Abilify 10 mg, and Topamax 100 mg.(Everything else is as referenced previously...) (Source: Weird Cake: Treats from a Bipolar Mind) Weird Cake: Treats from a Bipolar Mind blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=770774 Tue, 31 Jul 2007 21:14:00 +0100 770774 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=707209&cid=t_145171_140_f&fid=35472&url=http%3A%2F%2Fweirdcake.blogspot.com%2F2007%2F06%2Fjune-2007-mood-chart.html June's mood chart (brought to you as usual using the online tools available following a free and easy registration at MoodTracker.com) shows quite a return to overall stability following the hectic month that was May. I'm not too happy with how hectic and disordered my sleep schedule currently is (depicted by the green line), but that's something I'd like to actively work on stabilizing in the coming month...only time will tell whether or not I can get control of it. ;-)Pink area: Zoloft 50 mg, Abilify 10 mg, and Topamax 50 mg.Blue area: Zoloft 50 mg, Abilify 10 mg, and Topamax 100 mg.(Everything else is as referenced previously...) (Source: Weird Cake: Treats from a Bipolar Mind) Weird Cake: Treats from a Bipolar Mind blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=707209 Sat, 30 Jun 2007 21:09:00 +0100 707209 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=841736&cid=t_145171_132_f&fid=35004&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.bioinformaticszen.com%2F2007%2F05%2Fggplot-a-plotting-alternative-to-r-base-and-lattice%2F If you found the tutorial on drawing graphs using R a bit of a kerfuffle, there’s a good introduction on drawing graphs using the ggplot package. An alternative to the R base and lattice packages - so now you’ve got three to choose from. (Source: Bioinformatics Zen) Bioinformatics Zen blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=841736 Mon, 14 May 2007 17:00:52 +0100 841736 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=841739&cid=t_145171_132_f&fid=35004&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.bioinformaticszen.com%2F2007%2F05%2Fbioinformatics-simple-graphs-in-r%2F Graphs and statistics, you can’t really get away from it. Even if you try, like a warm seafood sandwich, it’ll come up later. So here I made up some example data to produce a short tutorial on how to represent common types of information in R. (more…) (Source: Bioinformatics Zen) Bioinformatics Zen blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=841739 Fri, 04 May 2007 13:49:11 +0100 841739 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=581520&cid=t_145171_140_f&fid=35472&url=http%3A%2F%2Fweirdcake.blogspot.com%2F2007%2F04%2Fapril-2007-mood-chart.html Break time, and mood chart time as well (as usual, generated using the free online tools available at MoodTracker.com)! I had quite a bit of playing around with med doses going on this month, and I also missed a day (red dot) of Zoloft, though it didn't seem to make much of a dent in the scheme of things. :-)Pink area #1: Zoloft 50 mg, Abilify 7.5 mg, and Topamax 200 mg.Blue area #1: Zoloft 50 mg, Abilify 10 mg, and Topamax 200 mg.Pink area #2: Zoloft 50 mg, Abilify 10 mg, and Topamax 100 mg.Blue area #2: Zoloft 50 mg, Abilify 10 mg, and Topamax 50 mg.(Everything else is as referenced previously...) (Source: Weird Cake: Treats from a Bipolar Mind) Weird Cake: Treats from a Bipolar Mind blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=581520 Mon, 30 Apr 2007 18:53:00 +0100 581520 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=841746&cid=t_145171_132_f&fid=35004&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.bioinformaticszen.com%2F2007%2F03%2Fgraphs-in-presentations%2F A post at Presentation Zen discusses keeping the signal-to-noise ratio in presentations as low as possible. Definitely worth a look, the point is to keep your slides uncluttered (noise) so that the audience can focus on your message (signal). As an example of this I recently gave a presentation to illustrate hierarchical regulation. I gave the talk to a non bioinformatics audience so therefore I was trying to present using a simple and straight forward manner. The slides included a couple of graphs, and since I’ve mentioned graphs in presentations previously I thought I’d include a few slides here. The presentation might appear minimal, but I was also speaking at the same time. (Source: Bioinformatics Zen) Bioinformatics Zen blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=841746 Mon, 12 Mar 2007 20:48:11 +0100 841746 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=841749&cid=t_145171_132_f&fid=35004&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.bioinformaticszen.com%2F2007%2F03%2Fgraphical-guide-to-graphics%2F A great post at creating passionate users. The point - user manuals are REALLY important. Bottom line: never underestimate the value of providing fabulous training materials in getting–and keeping–users motivated to get better. And the better they are, the more likely they are to appreciate (and buy) your higher-end versions, evangelize, buy and create accessories, etc. I really like head first books. Based on getting you to learn the way your brain wants to, I think their method is fantastic. But could these principles can be applied to science too?. Reading scientific literature takes a lot of effort. Sitting still and focusing on what the author wants you to understand, requires energy and concentration. What if the principles of the head-first learning series were applied... Bioinformatics Zen blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=841749 Mon, 05 Mar 2007 10:12:48 +0100 841749 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=841751&cid=t_145171_132_f&fid=35004&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.bioinformaticszen.com%2F2007%2F02%2Fthe-right-graph-at-the-right-time%2F I think everyone would agree that the most important thing in science is results. The best scientists produce the most relevant and important results. Of course, the best results won’t matter if no one knows about them. Which is why we publish and give presentations. Sometimes I see results in papers and presentations illustrated poorly. Graphs that don’t demostrate the point to the reader/audience in the best possible way. Here I give examples of how data can be presented in different contexts, based on two of my favorite resources. The first is the R language for statistics, the other is Garr Reynolds‘ Presentation Zen ideology. A bad example Here’s an extreme case, but not completely uncommon in presentations. Two continuous variables - the oxidation of ammonia ... Bioinformatics Zen blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=841751 Wed, 28 Feb 2007 01:13:55 +0100 841751