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 'college'. Sat, 03 Sep 2011 01:51:20 +0100 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5181900&cid=t_101565_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F08%2F31%2Fif-i-could-go-back-to-college-id-be-a-little-more-practical%2F [If I Could Go Back is a series of articles that center around the college experience. Hindsight is 20/20, and sometimes the best advice we could ever give stems from experiences in our past that make us cringe just the tiniest bit.] “If I could do it all over again, I’d major in Education.” “Oh, me too. Either that or Business.” “I should have majored in Economics. At least then I’d have a real job.” These are not the words of slackers or lazy, “Generation Me” complainers. Nor is this a made up conversation invented by a conglomerate of strict parents hoping their children will study something safe in college. This dialogue was actually spoken, by real twenty-somethings, all of whom worked hard for good grades and big fellowships... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5181900 Wed, 31 Aug 2011 10:25:14 +0100 5181900 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5169546&cid=t_101565_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fresearch-shows-decrease-in-time-from-hospital-arrival-to-heart-attack-treatment%2F2011.08.27 Heart attack patients are now being treated on average 32 minutes faster than they were five years ago, and medical societies are touting it as evidence of the success of national campaigns to treat heart attacks more quickly. The study, “Improvements in Door-to-Balloon Time in the United States: 2005-2010,” found that the average time from hospital arrival to treatment declined from 96 minutes in 2005 to just 64 minutes in 2010. In addition, more than 90% of heart attack patients who required emergency angioplasty in 2010 received treatment within the recommended 90 minutes, up from 44% in 2005. Also, the study reported that (more…) *This blog post was originally published at ACP Hospitalist* (Source: Better Health) Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5169546 Sat, 27 Aug 2011 18:15:00 +0100 5169546 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5159463&cid=t_101565_125_f&fid=34819&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FFullosseousflapsDentalBlog%2F%7E3%2FDZbK0YSh-3s%2F The 2008 Presidential Electoral College Results According to the latest Sachs/Masson-Dixon Florida Poll. A new Sachs/Mason-Dixon Florida Poll finds Barack Obama trailing Mitt Romney in America’s biggest battleground and in a dead heat with Texas Gov. Rick Perry among Republicans. “Unlike 2008, if the election were held today, President Obama would face a stiffer headwind to hold onto Florida and its 29 electoral votes against a top-tier Republican challenger – and that could cost him reelection,” said Ron Sachs, President of Ron Sachs Communications. “Judging by the poll, President Obama’s success in 2008 will be more difficult to duplicate in 2012. The Presidency will go to the candidate with the message that resonates with Florida’s unique and di... FullosseousFlap's Dental Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5159463 Thu, 25 Aug 2011 22:10:36 +0100 5159463 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5159200&cid=t_101565_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F08%2F24%2Ffrom-end-to-beginning-navigating-a-transition-well%2F I’ve had transitions on my mind recently. A lot of clients I work with feel stuck in the middle of a transition they didn’t quite anticipate, or that felt thrust upon them, or whose ramifications they just couldn’t calculate at the outset of the change. Marriage, divorce, childbirth, graduating college, losing a job, moving back home: whether positive or negative, transitions can be messy. And they can also give birth to previously unforeseen opportunities for growth. Therapy is, after all, about change, so I guess it is no surprise that as a therapist I should be witness to transitions galore. William Bridges, author of a book aptly titled Transitions, writes that moving from here to there involves three distinct stages: endings, the middle ground, and beginnings. He emphasizes that... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5159200 Wed, 24 Aug 2011 15:21:17 +0100 5159200 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5159204&cid=t_101565_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F08%2F22%2Fweb-surfing-at-work-helps-you-be-more-productive%2F Thank goodness the Wall Street Journal isn’t known for its outstanding health reporting. In a story written by Rachel Emma Silverman, she reports on some preliminary research recently presented at a management conference. Like a lot of research that gives us “surprising” results, it was done on a single group of 96 undergraduate students at a single college campus. And the task designed for the college laboratory setting by the researchers would be difficult to characterize as analogous to most people’s work environment or jobs — it was highlighting every single letter “e” or, in the second part, “a,” while reading. The question the researchers asked — Can surfing the Internet help you to become a more productive employee? The an... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5159204 Mon, 22 Aug 2011 18:23:31 +0100 5159204 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5159208&cid=t_101565_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F08%2F19%2F11-tips-for-succeeding-in-college-when-you-have-adhd%2F College is a big transition for any student. But when you have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), there are added challenges to consider. These obstacles concern everything from studying to managing your time to spending impulsively to planning your future post-college. But by being aware of these potential problems and being proactive, students with ADHD can accomplish great things in school. Here’s how, according to Stephanie Sarkis, Ph.D, a national certified counselor and licensed mental health counselor and author of Making the Grade with ADD: A Student’s Guide to Succeeding in College with Attention Deficit Disorder. 1. Apply for accommodations. Accommodations are “specific adaptations, including extended time on tests and an assigned note taker, that give yo... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5159208 Fri, 19 Aug 2011 15:45:13 +0100 5159208 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5159028&cid=t_101565_90_f&fid=36413&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.dcscience.net%2F%3Fp%3D4704%26utm_source%3Drss%26utm_medium%3Drss%26utm_campaign%3Duniversity-of-westminster-shuts-down-naturopathy-nutritional-therapy-but-keeps-acupuncture-and-herbal-medicine There’s been no official announcement, but four more of Westminster’s courses in junk medicine have quietly closed. For entry in 2011 they offer University of Westminster (W50) qualification Chinese Medicine: Acupuncture (B343) 3FT Hon BSc Chinese Medicine: Acupuncture with Foundation (B341) 4FT/5FT Hon BSc/MSci Complementary Medicine (B255) 3FT Hon BSc Complementary Medicine (B301) 4FT Hon MHSci Complementary Medicine: Naturopathy (B391) 3FT Hon BSc Herbal Medicine (B342) 3FT Hon BSc Herbal Medicine with Foundation Year (B340) 4FT/5FT Hon BSc/MSci Nutritional Therapy (B400) 3FT Hon BSc   But for entry in 2012 University of Westminster (W50) qualification Chinese Medicine: Acupuncture&... DC's goodscience blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5159028 Wed, 17 Aug 2011 11:43:52 +0100 5159028 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5118641&cid=t_101565_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fbeing-a-doctor-is-a-lot-like-being-a-parent-you-cant-tap-out%2F2011.08.11 The American College of Graduate Medical Education has enacted further restrictions on resident work hours.  No more than 80 hours per week of work for resident physicians, averaged over one month.  And no more than 16 hours of continuous work for first year residents (24 after that), which includes patient care, academic lectures, etc. Whenever they do this sort of thing, everyone seems excited that it will make everyone safer.  After all, residents won’t be working as much, so they’ll be more rested and make much better decisions.  It’s all ‘win-win,’ as physicians in training and patients alike are safer. I guess.  The problem of course is that after training, work hours aren’t restricted.  There is no set limit on the amount of work a physician can be expected to do, ... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5118641 Thu, 11 Aug 2011 18:05:30 +0100 5118641 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5118712&cid=t_101565_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F08%2F09%2Ffacebook-tied-to-poor-mental-health-in-teens-kids%2F You know it’s a good time of the year for psychology “news” when the American Psychological Association holds its annual convention. Why? Because they push out a bunch of sexy press releases about presentations at the conference. Case in point, “Social Networking’s Good and Bad Impacts on Kids,” a presentation that presents a seemingly-random selection of research findings about social networking websites like Facebook from the past few years. This quickly gets turned into an exclusive focus on the negative aspects of the talk — “Facebook tied to poor mental health in teens: What parents must know” (CBS News), “Too Much Technology Breeds Health Problems in Teens” (Patch.com), and of course the inevitable, “Is constant &#82... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5118712 Tue, 09 Aug 2011 21:43:50 +0100 5118712 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5103347&cid=t_101565_88_f&fid=38129&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Flifeinthefastlane%2FWZHV%2F%7E3%2FnPoSFjxykkk%2F The UCEM executive have recently relocated from Swarmington-on-the-Wold to the more picturesque setting of Enlightenment Boulevard...but where should we move the non-executive members? (Source: Life in the Fast Lane) Life in the Fast Lane blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5103347 Sat, 06 Aug 2011 03:00:12 +0100 5103347 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5103330&cid=t_101565_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2F3z_7L-RqMYc%2F By Neal McCluskeyAbout a month ago, Anthony Carnevale and his associates at the Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce released a report that, in my estimation, significantly oversold the value of college degrees. As I wrote, it focused too much on median earnings by educational attainment, and made some considerable leaps of faith about the value of degree-holding people who have jobs that do not require college degrees. Today, in contrast, I’m grateful to Prof. Carnevale for producing a new report that goes a long way toward correcting the first flaw in his June offering. The College Payoff: Education, Occupations, Lifetime Earnings, released today, does nice work breaking earnings down by both employment category and educational attainment, and showing th... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5103330 Fri, 05 Aug 2011 16:50:31 +0100 5103330 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5086256&cid=t_101565_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F08%2F01%2Fare-you-living-vicariously-through-your-kids%2F In his book, The Available Parent: Radical Optimism for Raising Teens and Tweens, psychologist John Duffy, PsyD, talks about an adolescent client named John, who’s a star football player. He’s so good that the local paper predicts that he’ll play in Division I football, and college scouts have already started contacting him. A teenager’s dream, right? Well, unfortunately, John isn’t too keen on football. He plays the sport solely because it’s the only time his father, a famous college football player, pays attention to him.  And John pines for that attention and his dad’s approval. But he also wants to quit football and pursue other interests. Maybe you’ve felt a similar trap with your own parents: not enjoying or downright hating something you’re doing but sticking ... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5086256 Mon, 01 Aug 2011 15:45:03 +0100 5086256 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5077689&cid=t_101565_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fthe-case-for-mammograms-friends-and-family-might-be-a-greater-influence-than-doctors%2F2011.07.28 Most women in their 40′s believe they should have annual mammograms, regardless of what screening regimen their doctor might recommend. So say researchers in Massachusetts who surveyed women (primarily white, highly educated) ages 39-49 presenting for annual checkups. They gave the women a fact sheet about the new USPSTF guidelines on mammogram screening in their age group, and asked them to read one of two articles either supporting or opposing the guidelines. The researchers then asked women about their beliefs, concerns and attitudes about breast cancer and mammogram screening. Here’s what they found - Women overwhelmingly want annual mammograms – Close to 90% of women surveyed felt they should have annual mammograms, regardless of what their doctor might recommend. Women... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5077689 Thu, 28 Jul 2011 21:00:16 +0100 5077689 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5057763&cid=t_101565_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F07%2F23%2Fsallie-mae-markel-and-dewar-discriminate-against-people-with-mental-illness%2F Sometimes you just have to shake your head — the more things change, the more they stay the same. It can really be depressing to see how, 3 years after the federal mental health parity act was passed, the company known primarily for underwriting students loans — Sallie Mae — is discriminating against people with a mental illness. It’s doing so through one of its myriad of products called tuition refund insurance, something that allows you to reclaim up to 100 percent of your tuition if an illness strikes you while you’re in school. But not just any illness — it has to be a physical illness. If a mental illness strikes you, you will only get 75 percent of your tuition returned. There’s a silver lining on this cloud… suggesting change may be fo... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5057763 Sat, 23 Jul 2011 12:42:04 +0100 5057763 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5057764&cid=t_101565_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F07%2F22%2F7-tips-for-deciding-how-best-to-spend-your-time-energy-and-money%2F We all have to make decisions about how to spend our time, energy, and money. Because of my happiness project, I now explicitly ask myself, “Will this decision make me happier?” I’m determined to get the most happiness bang for the buck. Here are some questions I consider: 1. Is this decision likely to strengthen my relationships with other people? Strong relationships with other people are a key — the key — to happiness, so decisions that help me build or strengthen ties are likely to boost my happiness. Yes, it’s a hassle and an expense to go to my college reunion, but it’s likely to have a big happiness pay-off. 2. Will this decision provide me with novelty and challenge? Novelty and challenge make me happier—but they also make me feel insecure, intimidated, frustrated,... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5057764 Fri, 22 Jul 2011 15:55:45 +0100 5057764 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5036278&cid=t_101565_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F07%2F16%2Fexpectation-affects-our-food-likes-and-dislikes%2F What is expectation assimilation? It’s the notion that our taste perceptions are biased by our imagination, and if you expect a food to taste good it will.  However, expectation assimilation also works in the opposite direction.  If you expect a food to taste unpleasant it will (Wansink, 2006). At a cafeteria in Urbana, Illinois, 175 people were given a free brownie dusted with powdered sugar (Wansink, 2006).  They were told the brownie was a new dessert that may be added to the menu.  They were asked how they liked the flavor and how much they would pay for it.   All of the brownies were the same size and had the same ingredients.  However, the brownies were served on a china plate, on a paper plate or on a paper napkin. Those who received the brownie on a china plate said t... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5036278 Sat, 16 Jul 2011 10:28:53 +0100 5036278 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5036279&cid=t_101565_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=5028573&cid=t_101565_113_f&fid=38236&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.healthcareitnews.com%2Fblog%2Fradiology-needs-reassert-their-it-leadership Radiology groups and imaging centers have been on the leading technology edge for many years. The leadership principles of radiology CEOs and CIOs shine in how they approach: Documenting and streamlining workflows Selecting and implementing technology to enable the workflows Measuring the results and focusing on how to continue to enhance the workflows read more (Source: Healthcare IT News Blog) Healthcare IT News Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5028573 Mon, 11 Jul 2011 13:50:18 +0100 5028573 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5028033&cid=t_101565_83_f&fid=34856&url=http%3A%2F%2Finsidesurgery.com%2F2011%2F07%2Fradiation-exposure-heart-tests-increasing-future-cancer-risks-worrisome%2F Dr. Jersey Chen of Yale University and his colleagues have published a study in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology documenting the signficant increase in the number of ionizing radiation tests being administered each year and the unknown risk of possible increased cancer rates because of it. (Source: Inside Surgery) Inside Surgery blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5028033 Sun, 10 Jul 2011 08:29:22 +0100 5028033 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5008312&cid=t_101565_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F07%2F05%2Fapproaches-to-knowledge-interview-with-nathaniel-b-jones%2F Dr. Brian Jones has a PhD in exercise science and is a full-time professor at the University of Louisville where he teaches both graduate and undergraduate courses. He approaches all his courses with a scientific mindset, emphasizing the importance of critical thinking. Recently, Dr. Jones sent me a file containing one of his lectures on critical thinking. The lecture was for college students, but after reading the file I thought the subject matter would be great for everyone to know, not just those who are attending college. In the following interview, we discuss important points on critical thinking and approaches to knowledge. I think most people know that the media is not the best source for reliable information.  Yet, many seem to almost exclusively turn to the media for knowledge. ... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5008312 Tue, 05 Jul 2011 10:22:38 +0100 5008312 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5159031&cid=t_101565_90_f&fid=36413&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.dcscience.net%2F%3Fp%3D4582%26utm_source%3Drss%26utm_medium%3Drss%26utm_campaign%3Dapologists-for-andrew-wakefield-at-southampton-university-a-russell-group-university-teaching-some-dangerous-nonsense Conclusion Electrodermal testing cannot be used to diagnose environmental allergies", published in the BMJ .[download reprint]. In 2003 he published "A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled proving trial of Belladonna 30C” [download reprint] that showed homeopathic pills with no active ingredients had no effects: The conclusion was "”Ultramolecular homeopathy has no observable clinical effects" (the word ultramolecular, in this context, means that the belladonna pills contained no belladonna). In 2010 he again concluded that homeopathic pills were no more than placebos, as described in Despite the spin, Lewith’s paper surely signals the end of homeopathy (again). [download reprint] What i cannot understand is that, despite his own findings, his pri... DC's goodscience blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5159031 Sun, 03 Jul 2011 17:10:30 +0100 5159031 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4975828&cid=t_101565_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FfE42ltbBPEc%2F By Neal McCluskeyIt looks like Peter Thiel won’t be unopposed advising kids to stay out of college Thanks to a new report from Georgetown University economist Anthony Carnevale, and a David Leonhardt column based on Carnevale’s study, over the last few days the college-for-all crowd has been striking back. But they seem to have missed something in their own college training: correlation does not equal causation. Carnevale, Leonhardt, and others’ argument is basically that there are big, positive returns on a college degree. It’s something, frankly, that’s not generally in dispute. I say “generally,” because while on average college grads make a lot more than people without a degree, there’s a lot more to the story than averages. Ind... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4975828 Tue, 28 Jun 2011 16:12:10 +0100 4975828 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4968486&cid=t_101565_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fprimary-care-is-undervalued-what-should-be-done%2F2011.06.26 An article by Brian Klepper and Paul Fischer at Health Affairs has me all fired up. Finally these two health experts are calling it like it is. The Wall Street Journal, New York Times and EverythingHealth have written before about the way primary care is undervalued and underpayed in this country and how it is harming the health and economics of the United States. A secretive, specialist-dominated panel within the American Medical Association called the RUC has been valuing medical services for decades. They divvy up billions of Medicare and Medicaid dollars and all insurance payers base their reimbursement on these values also. The result has been gross overpayment of procedures and medical specialists and underpayment of doctors who practice primary care in internal medicine, family medi... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4968486 Sun, 26 Jun 2011 16:00:00 +0100 4968486 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4952984&cid=t_101565_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F06%2F21%2Ftiki-barber-football-retirement-and-depression%2F As a reminder that depression strikes anyone, at any time, for any reason or no reason whatsoever, I give you Tiki Barber. For those of you unfamiliar with Mr. Barber, he was a professional (American) football player who decided to retire four years ago at age 32. A good time to retire as a football player, as your body starts to show its age against the physicality of the game. He took jobs as a sports commentator at NBC, both in their sports division and for “The Today Show.” But Mr. Barber’s depression appears to be directly related to a number of events that occurred in his life after his retirement. And now he says he wants to get back into the game, at age 36. His real problems appear to have started when it was revealed he was having an affair with a 23-year-old N... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4952984 Tue, 21 Jun 2011 15:37:49 +0100 4952984 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4952849&cid=t_101565_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fcdc-reports-that-salmonella-is-still-a-major-problem%2F2011.06.20 Salmonella food infections continue despite success reducing disease caused by other pathogens, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports. Salmonella should be targeted because while infection rates have not declined significantly in more than a decade, they are one of the most common, the CDC reports in its latest Vital Signs. Contaminated food causes approximately 1,000 reported disease outbreaks and an estimated 48 million illnesses, 128,000 hospitalizations, and 3,000 deaths annually in the U.S. Salmonella causes 1 million foodborne infections annually, incurring an estimated $365 million in direct medical costs. Salmonella infections in 2010 increased 10% from 2006-2008. The same prevention measures that reduced Escherichia coli infections to less than 1 case per 100,000 ... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4952849 Mon, 20 Jun 2011 12:00:00 +0100 4952849 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4893405&cid=t_101565_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FBGwwH_nACTM%2F By Ilya ShapiroPeople in the D.C. area maye be familiar with the tragic tale of Fairfax teacher Sean Lanigan, who was falsely accused of sexual molestation, resulting in termination and a destroyed reputation.  As pointed out by friend of Cato and Cato Supreme Court Review contributor Hans Bader, however, the Department of Education is pushing a policy that would allow for more Sean Lanigans, even in cases not involving anything close to rape or molestation: If the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights has its way, more teachers like him will end up being fired even if they are acquitted by a jury of any wrongdoing.  It sent a letter to school officials on April 4 ordering them to lower the burden of proof they use when determining whether students or staff are guilt... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4893405 Thu, 02 Jun 2011 19:22:05 +0100 4893405 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4883847&cid=t_101565_136_f&fid=37852&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdonnatrussell.com%2F2011%2F05%2F30%2Fj-school-of-hard-knocks%2F New Actual Malice cartoon by Trussell & Trussell: J-School of Hard Knocks. Filed under: Actual Malice, Journalism Tagged: cartoon, college, layoffs, newspaper, poynter, trussell & trussell (Source: Donna Trussell) Donna Trussell blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4883847 Mon, 30 May 2011 06:24:49 +0100 4883847 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4853026&cid=t_101565_129_f&fid=27216&url=http%3A%2F%2Flifewithadhd.com%2Fadhd-research%2Fcollege-research-papers-on-adhd.php ADHD or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder is one of the most common childhood disorders. Like the name suggests, a child is unable to focus their attention on one specific task and their impulses are usually wild to say the least. Some of the good news is that a child with ADHD may outgrow it during the teenage years but some are not so lucky. The bad news is that with increased age, the condition is usually severe and the effects are long term. When writing a college paper on ADHD, the most important thing is to collect all the needed data and compile it in the citation style needed. Discussed below are some of the facts relating to ADHD and may be included in a research paper involving the disorder. First of all it is not easy to determine whether a child has ADHD or not because u... Life With ADHD blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4853026 Sat, 21 May 2011 23:00:00 +0100 4853026 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4848004&cid=t_101565_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F05%2F20%2Fbest-of-our-blogs-may-20-2011%2F You probably noticed by now, but we’re all excited that it’s not only Mental Health Awareness Month, but a few days ago on May 18, our bloggers participated in blogging for mental health. It’s been a wonderful week spreading information about mental health and busting stigma that still exists on mental illness. Why is spreading mental health awareness and fighting prejudice so important? About ten years ago, I was talking to a college classmate about depression. He was just 20 years old and I was a few years older and several years ahead of him in terms of my experience with mental illness. I had witnessed the impact depression had on my grandfather when I was 16. When the topic of mental illness and depression came up, he passionately voiced his opinions to me. He felt t... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4848004 Fri, 20 May 2011 10:24:20 +0100 4848004 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4841578&cid=t_101565_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F05%2F19%2Fwhen-the-rapture-doesnt-happen-how-will-harold-camping-react%2F There will be no rapture on Saturday, May 21st. And I can’t wait to see how Harold Camping reacts on Sunday when he’s still alive, on this Earth, and in this human body. That said, let’s talk about a method of persuasion called “social proof”. In “Influence: the Psychology of Persuasion”, Dr. Robert Cialdini describes social proof as follows: “In general, when we are unsure of ourselves, when the situation is unclear or ambiguous, when uncertainty reigns, we are most likely to look to and accept the actions of others as correct” (p. 129). We’re familiar with this concept. Should I laugh at this joke? Better wait and see if anyone else laughs first. Should I join a sorority? Better wait and see if one of my friends joins first. Sh... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4841578 Fri, 20 May 2011 00:13:16 +0100 4841578 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4841436&cid=t_101565_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FsSGo76ioxcw%2F By Neal McCluskeyThe most recent, comprehensive Pew higher education survey has gotten a lot of coverage for its findings on how important the public thinks college is, its financial payoff for grads, etc. For some reason, though, by far the most interesting statistic in the report has gotten roughly zero play, either from Pew itself or media coverage of the report: “Among all college graduates, 33% say they are in a job that does not require a college degree.” Wait. One-third of all college graduates are in jobs that don’t call for a college education? So one-third of all college degrees are quite possibly total economic wastes? (To be fair, no doubt some of those grads are looking for jobs requiring a degree, mitigating this somewhat. On the flip side, many job... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4841436 Wed, 18 May 2011 17:32:46 +0100 4841436 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4828863&cid=t_101565_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FKRf3Lui9Hoo%2F This article about donors who want to give colleges money with strings attached, published in Bloomberg Markets and splashed across a full page of the Sunday Washington Post, leads with the story of former BB&T chairman John Allison’s campaign to get the books and ideas of Ayn Rand into college classrooms and is lavishly decorated with big photographs of Rand. Most of the story is actually about much less titillating demands — donors who variously want a say in hiring the next football coach, a change in the school’s tuition policy, a rejection of money from other donors. But apparently editors know that Ayn Rand’s name can bring in the readers. So they act in their rational self-interest and put her name on the cover and her picture at the top of the page. At l... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4828863 Sun, 15 May 2011 20:27:10 +0100 4828863 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4828987&cid=t_101565_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F05%2F14%2F8-reasons-why-twitter-can-make-you-happy%2F I’m a huge fan of Twitter, and I’ve tried to persuade several people to give it a try. (My greatest triumph: convincing my sister to use it. Seeing my sister in my Twitter feed — that makes me very happy.) We’ve all seen how Twitter can play an unprecedented role in world events and in news communication. But on a very personal, routine level, there are several (other) ways in which Twitter can boost your happiness. After all, is it just a coincidence that a blue bird is both the symbol for happiness and the symbol for Twitter? Probably yes, I know, but still, it’s a happy coincidence. 1. Twitter allows you to pursue your passion — even if only in your imagination. A key to a happier life is to have fun – people who regularly have fun are twenty times ... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4828987 Sat, 14 May 2011 16:30:58 +0100 4828987 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4821100&cid=t_101565_136_f&fid=37846&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthinfoispower.wordpress.com%2F2011%2F05%2F13%2Fova1-blood-test-detects-ovarian-cancer-in-women-with-a-known-ovarian-mass-more-accurately-than-ca-125%2F A study published online in Obstetrics & Gynecology reports that the OVA1 blood test detects ovarian cancer in women with a previously discovered ovarian mass more accurately than the CA-125 blood test. The study also considers OVA1′s place in future surgical referral guidelines. A study published online ahead of print in the June 2011 edition of [...] (Source: Libby's H*O*P*E*) Libby's H*O*P*E* blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4821100 Fri, 13 May 2011 15:11:11 +0100 4821100 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4813348&cid=t_101565_107_f&fid=36672&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sciencebase.com%2Fscience-blog%2Fwho-ever-reads-the-ikea-manual.html – What British bloke would ever admit to reading the IKEA manual for that latest peculiarly named objet functionale in pine? Well for a change, there are some IKEA manuals you really should read before assembling, including those for the Litsabbur and the Tjardiis. Probably best to avoid the Dindassur altogether though… Selected from the latest science stories to hit DB’s virtual desktop @sciencebase. Related Posts:125 PhDs per second with superfast JanetScientists and social mediaYou are more virus than humanWhat killed Darwin?Scientists on TwitterWho ever reads the IKEA manual? is a post from: Sciencebase Science Blog (Source: Sciencebase Science Blog) Sciencebase Science Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4813348 Wed, 11 May 2011 11:00:02 +0100 4813348 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4803272&cid=t_101565_113_f&fid=34625&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FNeilVerselsHealthcareItBlog%2F%7E3%2FBstfPqOs__U%2F A little more than a year ago, I had my first-ever professional speaking engagement, keynoting the University of Maryland-Baltimore Health Sciences and Human Services Library’s “@Hand Symposium on Mobile Technologies in Medicine and Academia.” How green was I? Prior to this presentation, I had never created a PowerPoint slide deck. I knew the audio from my session had been recorded, but I didn’t find out until after the fact that there was a ninja video camera stealthily hidden in the projector mount that dropped down out of the ceiling. It took a while, but UMB finally got around to posting video and presentation slides from that day-long event. Then compare and contrast to my recent speaking gig at Meharry Medical College to see what’s changed, both in terms of my conte... Neil Versel's Healthcare IT Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4803272 Sun, 08 May 2011 14:35:46 +0100 4803272 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4803145&cid=t_101565_88_f&fid=38129&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Flifeinthefastlane%2FWZHV%2F%7E3%2Fjb3BNUadb9Y%2F Environmental selection pressures are a driving force in the adaptive processes driving adaptive processes in organisms. (Source: Life in the Fast Lane) Life in the Fast Lane blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4803145 Wed, 04 May 2011 16:38:30 +0100 4803145 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4775390&cid=t_101565_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fbig-brother-taken-to-another-level-physician-movements-tracked-with-rfid-tags-at-medical-conferences%2F2011.05.02 Not everything that counts can be measured. Not everything that can be measured counts. -Albert Einstein Recently, a disturbing trend of monitoring physician quality and accountability has taken another ominous turn: tracking physician’s movements at scientific conferences (so called “tag and release”) using RFID tags imbedded in attendees name badges at national scientific sessions. Having had personal experience with the recent American College of Cardiology meeting, this technology will also be imbedded in the name badges for attendees at the upcoming Heart Rhythm Society meeting to be held in San Francisco in May. On first blush, it shouldn’t be such a big deal, right? It was all just a great way for companies to obtain, for a fee, the names and institutions of ... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4775390 Mon, 02 May 2011 16:00:00 +0100 4775390 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4762769&cid=t_101565_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fsome-older-male-physicians-dont-even-realize-when-theyre-being-inappropriate%2F2011.04.28 A few days ago I read that Dr. Lazar Greenfield, Professor Emeritus at the University of Michigan, resigned as the president-elect of the American College of Surgeons over flak for authoring a Valentine’s Day-pegged, tacky, tasteless and sexist piece in Surgery News. The February issue is mysteriously absent in the pdf-ied archives. According to the Times coverage: “The editorial cited research that found that female college students who had had unprotected sex were less depressed than those whose partners used condoms. From Pauline Chen, also in the Times: It begins with a reference to the mating behaviors of fruit flies, then goes on to discuss studies on the menstrual cycles of heterosexual and lesbian women who live together. Citing the research of evolutionary psychologists at the... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4762769 Thu, 28 Apr 2011 13:00:47 +0100 4762769 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4753627&cid=t_101565_86_f&fid=38272&url=http%3A%2F%2Flaikaspoetnik.wordpress.com%2F2011%2F04%2F27%2Fhow-a-valentines-editorial-about-chocolate-semen-lead-to-the-resignation-of-top-surgeon-greenfield%2F Dr. Lazar Greenfield, recently won the election as the new President of  ACS (American College of Surgeons). This position would crown his achievements. For Greenfield was a truly pre-eminent surgeon. He is best known for his development of an intracaval filter bearing his name. This device probably has saved many lives by preventing blood clots from going into the [...] (Source: Laika's MedLibLog) Laika's MedLibLog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4753627 Tue, 26 Apr 2011 23:51:44 +0100 4753627 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4747650&cid=t_101565_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F04%2F24%2Fwillpower-self-control-can-be-learned%2F I’m a little astounded by how quickly some people are willing to just throw up their hands and, rather than learning how to gain more willpower and self-control in their life, use technology tools as a substitute for learning those skills. Or suggesting how we seem to be at the mercy of social networking sites, which have some sort of undeniable power over us, our choices and our behaviors. I’m talking about the article in today’s Boston Globe from Tracy Jan bemoaning how college students nowadays are “tangled in an endless web of distractions.” The article reads like college students are saying, “The Internet and Facebook are just too darned addicting, I can’t help myself!” It’s gotten so bad that some college professors — even a... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4747650 Sun, 24 Apr 2011 16:49:05 +0100 4747650 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4747651&cid=t_101565_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F04%2F24%2Fanalyzing-the-thinking-process-interview-with-diane-halpern%2F Diane Halpern is a professor of psychology at Claremont McKenna College; she is the former president of the American Psychological Association and former president of the Western Psychological Association.  Halpern has won many awards for her teaching and research, including the 2002 Outstanding Professor Award from the Western Psychological Association, the 1999 American Psychological Foundation Award for Distinguished Teaching, and the Silver Medal Award from the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education.  She has also authored a variety of books. Here are some of Halpern’s views on the thinking process. What is the goal of critical thinking?  Is critical thinking rational thinking? Critical thinking is good thinking or clear thinking—it involves analyzing the think... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4747651 Sun, 24 Apr 2011 12:16:37 +0100 4747651 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4734205&cid=t_101565_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F04%2F21%2Fa-snippet-of-psychologys-scientific-roots%2F Throughout the years, sometimes it seems that the public has been iffy about psychology and psychologists. Part of the problem is a lack of knowledge. Past surveys have shown that many people have no idea what psychologists even do. More recent research has found that the public largely views psychology in a positive light. But people still have a limited understanding of the discipline and don’t view it as a hard science. A 1998 survey revealed that both adults and college faculty viewed the physical sciences more favorably. They believed that psychology — along with sociology — led to fewer critical contributions to society and had less expertise than the physical sciences. How did psychology get this bad reputation? PsyBlog’s Jeremy Dean (which, by the way, is an aweso... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4734205 Thu, 21 Apr 2011 12:01:13 +0100 4734205 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4734689&cid=t_101565_155_f&fid=38412&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpathlabmed.typepad.com%2Fsurgical_pathology_and_la%2F2011%2F04%2Fascocap-clarifications-to-erprher2-testing-guidelines.html ASCO is publishing a clinical notice regarding clarifications to previously published guidelines for HER2 testing and estrogen receptor (ER) and progesterone receptor (PR) testing in breast cancer.  A summary can be found at the CAP Web site. The clarifications were needed since these tests are generally run on the same specimen in routine practice and reconcile discrepancies between the two guidelines regarding cold ischemia time, handling of remotely obtained specimens, appropriate fixation times in NBF, and selection of optimal areas for testing. This is a welcomed development for us practicing grunts (who must acknowledge, explain and document this stuff) but shouldn't affect current routine practice or patient testing. (Source: The Daily Sign-Out) The Daily Sign-Out blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4734689 Wed, 20 Apr 2011 19:43:39 +0100 4734689 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4734259&cid=t_101565_113_f&fid=34625&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.meaningfulhitnews.com%2Ffiles%2F2011%2F04%2FMeharry-presentation-041311.pdf As I previously mentioned, I was invited to speak last week at Meharry Medical College in Nashville, Tenn., on the subject of mobile and wireless healthcare. Unlike past presentations I’ve given, this time I have video. But it’s not easy posting 65 minutes of HD video (a 4.5-GB file). YouTube limits uploads to 15 minutes. Vimeo has no time limit, but restricts file size. Finally I got some software to downsize my video to an acceptable size, so here it is via Vimeo. I actually gave the same presentation twice, first to about 50 people in an auditorium for Meharry’s grand rounds (plus a few more by videoconference from the local VA hospital), and later in the day to an audience of about 20 people in the Department of Family & Community Medicine. This is the latter, tak... Neil Versel's Healthcare IT Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4734259 Wed, 20 Apr 2011 03:46:21 +0100 4734259 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4723737&cid=t_101565_83_f&fid=34856&url=http%3A%2F%2Finsidesurgery.com%2F2011%2F04%2Fdr-lazar-greenfield-resigns-board-regents-american-college-surgeons%2F Dr. Lazar Greenfield has resigned as President-elect and Board Member of the American College of Surgeons in the face of burgeoning criticism of a recent editorial he wrote in Surgery News that many College members found offensive and sexist. Drs. Barbara Bass and Diane M. Simone comment. (Source: Inside Surgery) Inside Surgery blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4723737 Mon, 18 Apr 2011 00:59:52 +0100 4723737 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5159036&cid=t_101565_90_f&fid=36413&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.dcscience.net%2F%3Fp%3D4308%26utm_source%3Drss%26utm_medium%3Drss%26utm_campaign%3Dthe-a-to-z-of-the-wellbeing-industry-from-angelic-reiki-to-patient-centred-care This is a slightly-modified version of the article that appeared in BMJ blogs yesterday, but with more links to original sources, and a picture. There are already some comments in the BMJ. The original article, diplomatically, did not link directly to UCL’s Grand Challenge of Human Wellbeing, a well-meaning initiative which, I suspect, will not prove to be value for money when it comes to practical action. Neither, when referring to the bad effects of disempowerment on human wellbeing (as elucidated by, among others, UCL’s Michael Marmot), did I mention the several ways in which staff have been disempowered and rendered voiceless at UCL during the last five years. Although these actions have undoubtedly had a bad effect on the wellbeing of UCL’s staff, it seemed a litlle... DC's goodscience blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5159036 Fri, 15 Apr 2011 20:29:37 +0100 5159036 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4714720&cid=t_101565_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FGZNf3vZlAdM%2F By Ilya ShapiroAs the number of events I’ve participated in as a result of my challenge to debate “anyone, anywhere, any time” on the constitutionality of Obamacare approaches 50, I find myself in many interesting situations. This past Tuesday was no exception, as George Mason law professor (and Cato adjunct scholar) Ilya Somin and I took on Yale law professor Akhil Amar and NYU law professor Rick Hills in an Oxford-style parliamentary debate organized by the Amherst College Political Union. This event had a number of interesting subplots: Somin and I have held an annual “Battle of the Ilyas” but now appear on the same stage arguing from the same position; Amar wrote a scathing oped attacking Judge Roger Vinson’s decision in the Florida Obamacare case to... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4714720 Thu, 14 Apr 2011 20:26:13 +0100 4714720 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4709205&cid=t_101565_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fkudos-to-acog-a-moral-victory-for-pregnant-women%2F2011.04.13 This post is written as a follow-up to The Hijacking of Pregnant Women. It is said that sometimes you have to rock the boat in order to shift the course of progress. Well today pregnant women have reason to celebrate. The winds of change are apparent. Bowing under pressure, K-V Pharmaceutical Company reduced the price of Makena from $1500 to $690. Makena is the trade name for hydroxyprogesterone caproate or 17OHP. It is a drug recently approved by the Federal Drug Administration (FDA) to reduce premature deliveries before 37 weeks if it is given before 21 weeks gestation.  It has been used for years as an off-label drug and costs approximately $10 to $20 to make by compound pharmacists. When the FDA gave K-V an exclusive right to manufacture the drug, their integrity flew out the window.... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4709205 Wed, 13 Apr 2011 17:00:38 +0100 4709205 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4709260&cid=t_101565_113_f&fid=34625&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FNeilVerselsHealthcareItBlog%2F%7E3%2FFOYHI80Otmk%2F I haven’t blogged in a couple of days because I’ve been preparing for a speaking engagement at Meharry Medical College in Nashville, Tenn., on the subject of mobile healthcare. It’s about the fifth time I’ve spoken on this subject, but this presentation was longer than any of the previous ones, a little more than an hour. I gave my first talk earlier this morning and will repeat it after lunch for a different audience. I’ll post my slides after I’m done and I expect to have video at some point. I’ll put that up, too, once I get it. Related posts:Video: Overview of mobile healthcare technologies Podcast: Panel discussion on mobile healthcare Mobile phones for HIV/AIDS treatment (Source: Neil Versel's Healthcare IT Blog) Neil Versel's Healthcare IT Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4709260 Wed, 13 Apr 2011 15:29:23 +0100 4709260 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4704713&cid=t_101565_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F04%2F12%2F6-tips-for-living-with-an-autism-spectrum-disorder-in-college%2F As Autism Awareness month continues, April is a time of transition for many high school seniors, as they learn what colleges and universities they got into. So it seems like an ideal time to talk about autism and college, and some tips to help with the transition. The excerpt below is from the book, Living Well on the Spectrum by author Valerie L. Gaus, Ph.D. The book is a self-help book that helps a person with an autism spectrum disorder identify life goals and the steps needed to achieve them. Read on for the excerpt… April is the month when most high school seniors receive their college acceptance letters and begin to plan the next phase of their lives. The transition from high school to college can be very difficult for people on the spectrum. All too often I am referred a youn... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4704713 Tue, 12 Apr 2011 21:05:05 +0100 4704713 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4696623&cid=t_101565_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fbaseball-safety-should-we-ban-non-wood-bats%2F2011.04.10 Opening Day, the first day of the 2011 major league baseball season, was March 31st. The first pitch was thrown a little after 1 p.m., and sometime after that baseball fans heard the first crack of the bat of a brand-new season. Even nonfans can rejoice at this sign of spring, and a promise that summer days are ahead. But you won’t hear the crack of the bat very much these days from other diamonds—Little League, high school, and college. It has been replaced by pings and thunks as most players at those levels now use metal bats or composite ones, which that are made with a mixture of materials, including graphite. Players started using metal (usually aluminum) bats about 30 years ago. They last longer than wooden bats and send the ball farther. The composite models have come on strong ... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4696623 Sun, 10 Apr 2011 12:00:17 +0100 4696623 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4693287&cid=t_101565_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fbritish-women-would-trade-longer-life-for-thinner-bodies%2F2011.04.08 College-aged women in the UK say they would trade longevity for an ideal body weight. 320 women studying at 20 British universities (ages 18-65; average, 24.49) completed a survey in March. The research, conducted for new eating disorder charity The Succeed Foundation, in partnership with the University of the West of England (UWE), found that nearly 30% of women would trade at least one year of their life to achieve their ideal body weight and shape: –16% would trade 1 year of their life –10% would trade 2-5 years –2% would trade 6-10 years –1% would trade 21 years or more (more…) *This blog post was originally published at ACP Internist* (Source: Better Health) Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4693287 Fri, 08 Apr 2011 17:00:00 +0100 4693287 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4693232&cid=t_101565_83_f&fid=34856&url=http%3A%2F%2Finsidesurgery.com%2F2011%2F04%2Fdr-larry-bramlage-wins-top-orthopedic-surgery-award-horses%2F Equine orthopedic surgeon Dr. Larry Bramlage of Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital has won the American College of Veterinary Surgeons Foundation Legends Award. (Source: Inside Surgery) Inside Surgery blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4693232 Fri, 08 Apr 2011 00:20:51 +0100 4693232 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4684319&cid=t_101565_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fsurgeons-criticize-medical-tourism-you-cant-sue-if-things-go-awry%2F2011.04.06 In an earlier post, DrRich offered several potential strategies for doctors and patients to consider should healthcare reformers ultimately succeed in their efforts to make it illegal for Americans to seek medical care outside the auspices of Obamacare. To those readers who persist in thinking that DrRich is particularly paranoid in worrying about such a thing, he refers you to his prior work carefully documenting the efforts the Central Authority has already made in limiting the prerogatives of individual Americans within the healthcare system, and reminds you that in any society where social justice is the overriding concern, individual prerogatives such as these must be criminalized. Indeed, whether individuals will retain the right to spend their own money on their own healthcare is ul... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4684319 Wed, 06 Apr 2011 20:00:54 +0100 4684319 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4684430&cid=t_101565_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F04%2F06%2Fis-your-job-making-you-depressed%2F The other day I wrote a post for Blisstree.com on how to stay productive when you are clinically depressed. I mentioned that, at my rock bottom, I had to take a break altogether from writing, as every time I sat down in front of my computer, all I could do was cry. Moreover, because my concentration was totally so shot, composing a sentence — much less an article — wasn’t going to happen. I took a year off. To heal. Because Eric was gainfully employed at that time, I was able to swing it. Eventually I tip-toed back to the working world. Very slowly. Very carefully. Very deliberately. Because a sudden plunge might have rendered me disabled for another year or so. And I didn’t start with writing, ironically. My therapist advised me to do something in which I interacted with people, a... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4684430 Wed, 06 Apr 2011 18:35:39 +0100 4684430 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4653602&cid=t_101565_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FdtWgguerbvk%2F Yet another study has found a conflict of interest among doctors. This time, conflicts were reported by 56 percent of 498 docs who helped write 17 guidelines for the American Heart Association and American College of Cardiology between 2003 through 2008, according to the study published today in the Archives of Internal Medicine (see the abstract). And this finding matters because these panels typically wield considerable influence. “Panels are the select groups of experts who are assigned to evaluate science independently and issue their advice to other doctors on what to do in clinical practice,” the researchers write. Guidelines “play an important role in synthesizing information for clinicians, as well as increasing uniform practice to certain standards and avoiding t... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4653602 Tue, 29 Mar 2011 20:15:11 +0100 4653602 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5159038&cid=t_101565_90_f&fid=36413&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.dcscience.net%2F%3Fp%3D4239%26utm_source%3Drss%26utm_medium%3Drss%26utm_campaign%3Da-thoroughly-dangerous-charity-yestolife-promotes-nonsense-cancer-treatments Conclusion The information supplied by YesToLife is more likely to kill you than to cure you. The next time you see somebody collecting for a "cancer charity" be very careful before you give them money. Follow-up (Source: DC's goodscience) DC's goodscience blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5159038 Mon, 28 Mar 2011 00:42:45 +0100 5159038 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4622288&cid=t_101565_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F03%2F22%2Fhow-well-do-you-multitask-between-the-tv-and-the-computer%2F This study hints at the generational shift that is occurring and that researchers are starting to document in studies such as this. Younger adults are used to consuming media simultaneously, from multiple sources, and enjoy doing so. Older adults (that is to say, middle-aged adults and older) do less of this, and tend to enjoy it less. At least according to this single study. Last, the researchers conclude: The brevity of gaze durations on both computer and television content in this multitasking environment suggests a fracturing of attention with rapid attentional shifts and reorientation; both media seem to have limited ability to “hook” a participant into extended runs of attention. Television attention is especially composed of very quick gazes overall, supporting the contention th... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4622288 Tue, 22 Mar 2011 15:25:45 +0100 4622288 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4600517&cid=t_101565_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2F1YSRhz1002k%2F By Neal McCluskeyAn explanation for explosive college prices that's very popular with ivory-tower apologists is that state governments have been ruthlessly "defunding" higher ed for years, forcing schools to raise prices. Two new reports help to make clear -- as I have argued many times in the past -- that this simply doesn't hold water. The first report is the annual State Higher Education Executive Officers' State Higher Education Finance Report.  While it shows that on a per-pupil basis state and local funding has declined over the last few years, total amounts have risen pretty steadily since 2000. Adjusted for inflation, total state and local support dipped from $81.3 billion in 2000 to $78.0 billion in 2005, ballooned to $87.1 billion in 2009, then dropped just a bit to $85.5 ... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4600517 Wed, 16 Mar 2011 18:49:04 +0100 4600517 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4600536&cid=t_101565_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fobesity-beats-adiposity-for-cardiovascular-risk%2F2011.03.16 Obesity contributes to cardiovascular risk no matter where a person carries the weight, concluded researchers after looking at outcomes for nearly a quarter-million people worldwide. Body mass index, (BMI) waist circumference, and waist-to-hip ratio do not predict cardiovascular disease risk any better when physicians recorded systolic blood pressure, history of diabetes and cholesterol levels, researchers reported in The Lancet. The research group used individual records from 58 prospective studies with at least one year of follow up. In each study, participants were not selected on the basis of having previous vascular disease. Each study provided baseline for weight, height, and waist and hip circumference. Cause-specific mortality or vascular morbidity were recorded according to well d... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4600536 Wed, 16 Mar 2011 17:00:00 +0100 4600536 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4600538&cid=t_101565_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fcolon-cancer-screening-guideline-truths-and-myths%2F2011.03.16 Colon cancer screening has a particular personal interest for me — one of my colleagues in residency training had her father die of colon cancer when she was a teenager. No one should lose a loved one to a disease that, when caught early, is often treatable. But for both men and women, colon cancer is the third most common cancer behind lung cancer and prostate cancer in men, and behind lung cancer and breast cancer in women, it’s the second most lethal. The problem is that patients are often confused about which test is the right one. Is it simply a stool test? Flexible sigmoidoscopy? Colonoscopy? Virtual colonoscopy? Isn’t there just a blood test that can be done? (No.) In simple terms, this is what you need to know: All men and women age 50 and older should be scr... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4600538 Wed, 16 Mar 2011 13:00:00 +0100 4600538 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4592401&cid=t_101565_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fnearly-12-million-cancer-survivors-in-the-u-s%2F2011.03.14 The number of cancer survivors in the United States increased to 11.7 million in 2007, according to a report released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the National Cancer Institute (NCI), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Women survive more often, and survive longer, according to the report. There were 3 million cancer survivors in 1971 and 9.8 million in 2001. Researchers attributed longer survival to a growing aging population, early detection, improved diagnostic methods, more effective treatment and improved clinical follow-up after treatment. The study, “Cancer Survivors in the United States, 2007,” is published today in the CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. To determine the number of survivors, the authors analyze... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4592401 Mon, 14 Mar 2011 13:00:00 +0100 4592401 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4575009&cid=t_101565_83_f&fid=34856&url=http%3A%2F%2Finsidesurgery.com%2F2011%2F03%2Facs-operation-giving-assessing-situation-japan%2F The Operation Giving Back section of the American College of Surgeons is currently gathering information about the on-the-ground status and the need for surgeon and physician volunteers in the earthquake and tsunami affected regions of Japan. At this time, they are recommending that those who wish to help can donate to one of the following aid organizations: The American Red Cross Global Giving Save the Children (Source: Inside Surgery) Inside Surgery blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4575009 Fri, 11 Mar 2011 17:56:23 +0100 4575009 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4570547&cid=t_101565_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fbehavior-vs-disease-a-new-way-to-look-at-health%2F2011.03.10 What is the leading cause of death in the United States? Heart disease? Cancer? No, it’s smoking. Smoking? Yes, depending on how you ask the question. In the early 90s, McGinnis and Foege turned the age-old question of what people die of on its head by asking not what diseases people die of but rather what the causes of these are. Instead of chalking up the death of an older man to say lung cancer, they sought to understand the proximate cause of death, which in the case of lung cancer is largely smoking. Using published data, the researchers performed a simple but profound calculation — they multiplied the mortality rates of leading diseases by the cause-attributable fraction, that proportion of a disease that can be attributed to a particular cause (for example, in lung can... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4570547 Thu, 10 Mar 2011 16:00:06 +0100 4570547 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4570548&cid=t_101565_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2F5-avoidable-air-travel-health-risks%2F2011.03.10 For those of you planning air travel to your next medical conference (and ACP Internist isn’t too shameless to plug Internal Medicine 2011 — we hope to see you there), TIME reports that there are five health risks that are rare yet have recently happened. Tips on avoiding these maladies include: – E. Coli and MRSA on the tray table. Microbiologists found these two everywhere when they swabbed down flights. Bring your own disinfecting wipes. – Bedbugs in the seat. British Airways fumigated two planes after a passenger posted pictures online about her experience. Wrap clothes in plastic and wash them. – Sick seatmates. Everyone has experienced (or been) this person. Wash your hands. – Deep vein thrombosis (DVT). Tennis star Serena Williams experienced a p... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4570548 Thu, 10 Mar 2011 14:00:00 +0100 4570548 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4560275&cid=t_101565_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Flying-a-way-of-life-in-the-medical-profession%2F2011.03.07 In his last post, DrRich analyzed whether the young Wisconsin doctors who stood out on street corners proudly offering fake “sick excuses” to protesting teachers were engaging in an act of civil disobedience. DrRich respectfully kept an open mind on this question, but after careful deliberation concluded that it is very unlikely that their actions constituted classic civil disobedience as espoused by Thoreau or Gandhi. Instead, these doctors were, in a professional capacity, lying. They did not lie in any truly malicious way, however. They lied because they have been trained to believe in a higher cause than mere professional ethics, namely, the cause of social justice. They lied in full confidence that telling lies to advance such a noble cause is a natural duty of the medical profess... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4560275 Mon, 07 Mar 2011 21:00:13 +0100 4560275 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4560277&cid=t_101565_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fhealthcare-reform-continues-as-judge-relents%2F2011.03.07 A federal judge who’d ruled healthcare reform was unconstitutional and that his decision as a federal judge was the equivalent of an injunction has relented. Healthcare reform can continue in the states, pending appellate and Supreme Court review. “The sooner this issue is finally decided by the Supreme Court, the better off the entire nation will be,” wrote federal judge Roger E. Vinson, who’d decided that the healthcare reform act’s mandate that people buy insurance or face penalties overextended Congress’ powers under the commerce clause of the constitution. One reason for granting a stay, despite his previous clear intent that healthcare reform cease, includes his statement (on page 18) that: “Can (or should) I enjoin and halt implementation of... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4560277 Mon, 07 Mar 2011 17:00:00 +0100 4560277 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4545011&cid=t_101565_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F03%2F03%2Fmechanical-turk-to-the-rescue-of-psychology-research%2F One of the problems faced with psychology research — really, with all medical research — is finding enough appropriate subjects to study. Subjects have to be obtained in a way that is representative of the population as a whole for research findings to be generalizable. Which is a real problem, because as I noted back in August 2010, there are literally thousands of psychology studies based upon nothing more than a bunch of college students from a single campus at a university in the U.S. While young adults who are attending college may indeed help us understand some aspects of human behavior, you can’t just assume that the behaviors you observed in those studies apply to 60-year-old women and men too. Enter Amazon.com’s Mechanical Turk service to the rescue. Can te... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4545011 Thu, 03 Mar 2011 17:21:54 +0100 4545011 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4544970&cid=t_101565_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fcdc-campaign-hasnt-slowed-inappropriate-antibiotic-use%2F2011.03.03 High rates of inappropriate antibiotic use continued despite a 15-year campaign by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) aimed at Michigan physicians and consumers on the dangers of antibiotic overuse. The Center for Healthcare Research & Transformation (CHRT) released an issue brief detailing overall antibiotic prescribing for adult Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan (BCBSM) members. (The project is a non-profit partnership between the University of Michigan and BCBSM.) While antibiotic prescribing in adults decreased 9.3 percent from 2007 to 2009, it increased 4.5 percent for children during the same time period. The studies found significant differences in prescribing patterns between rural southeast Michigan and the rest of the state, particularly for children. Chi... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4544970 Thu, 03 Mar 2011 16:00:00 +0100 4544970 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4540589&cid=t_101565_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F03%2F02%2Fnaked-therapy-or-just-cam-girl-soft-porn%2F When is psychotherapy, well, therapeutic? Is it any more therapeutic if your “therapist” starts taking off their clothes during your session? A freelance computer programmer, Sarah White, has decided that anyone can do therapy online. And not only that, she does it while she disrobes, one piece of clothing at a time. Yes, I’m serious. She calls this “Naked Therapy.” No, I’m still not kidding (and neither, apparently, is Sarah White). Be forewarned — a lot of the links in this article lead to websites with half-naked photos of a woman. I suppose the hook here is obvious — someone peddling cam-girl soft porn under the guise of something that’s “therapeutic,” because they hold a notepad and take notes while disrobing. So what a... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4540589 Wed, 02 Mar 2011 19:30:19 +0100 4540589 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4532208&cid=t_101565_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fdoctors-garments-and-bacterial-contamination%2F2011.03.01 Bacterial contamination of physicians’ newly laundered uniforms occurs within three hours of putting them on, making them no more or less dirty than the traditional white coats, researchers reported. Researchers sought to compare bacterial and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus contamination of physicians’ white coats to freshly laundered short-sleeved uniforms, and to determine the rate at which bacterial contamination happens. They reported results in the Journal of Hospital Medicine. ACP Internist‘s blog recently took up the debate as well. The issue has cropped up over the years, assessing not only the cleanliness but the professionalism inherent in the white lab coat. Researchers conducted a prospective, randomized, controlled trial among 100 residents and h... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4532208 Tue, 01 Mar 2011 14:00:00 +0100 4532208 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4532217&cid=t_101565_88_f&fid=38129&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Flifeinthefastlane%2FWZHV%2F%7E3%2Fh3hODAdYe1g%2F Egerton Y. Davis IV makes an announcement concerving the future of the Utopian College of Emergency for Medicine. Will they stay or will they go? (Source: Life in the Fast Lane) Life in the Fast Lane blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4532217 Tue, 01 Mar 2011 00:00:26 +0100 4532217 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4527735&cid=t_101565_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Ftop-5-most-expensive-classes-of-prescription-drugs%2F2011.02.27 The top five therapeutic classes ranked by total expense are metabolic, central nervous system, cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, and psychotherapeutic, altogether totaling $155.7 billion, or two-thirds of prescription drug expenses by U.S. adults in 2008. Two-thirds of American adults use a prescription drug, totaling the $232.6 billion in expenses. The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality compiled a statistical brief showing that drug classes varied widely in how they made the top five list. While 46 percent of adults with a prescribed drug expense bought a central nervous system agent, they are relatively cheaper on average. Gastrointestinal agents had the highest average expense per prescription ($133), or more than three times the average expense of the cheapest class, which wa... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4527735 Sun, 27 Feb 2011 15:00:00 +0100 4527735 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4525053&cid=t_101565_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F02%2F26%2F10-forms-of-twisted-thinking%2F Both David Burns (bestselling author of Feeling Good: The New Mood Therapy and Abraham Low (founder of Recovery, Inc.) teach techniques to analyze negative thoughts (or identify distorted thinking — what psychologists call “cognitive distortions”) so to be able to disarm and defeat them. Since Low’s language is a bit out-dated, I list below Burns’ “Ten Forms of Twisted Thinking,” (adapted from his “Feeling Good” book, a classic read) categories of dangerous ruminations, that when identified and brought into your consciousness, lose their power over you. 1. All-or-nothing thinking (a.k.a. my brain and the Vatican’s): You look at things in absolute, black-and-white categories. 2. Overgeneralization (also a favorite): You view a nega... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4525053 Sat, 26 Feb 2011 18:17:59 +0100 4525053 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4522106&cid=t_101565_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fa-thank-you-a-day%2F2011.02.25 This is a guest post by Dr. John Schumann. ********** I just read the book “365 Thank Yous” by John Kralik. I heard an interview with the author on NPR and it caught my attention. Kralik had been down on his luck in 2007: Divorced twice, overweight, with a struggling law firm that he’d started, he was also failing in a new romantic relationship. He was worried about losing his seven-year-old daughter, too, in a custody dispute. He made a momentous decision: Instead of feeling sorry for himself (easy to do given his predicaments), he decided to be grateful for what he had. To show it, he vowed to write a thank-you note every day for the next year. What do you think happened? His life changed for the better. His relationship improved. His clients started paying their bills... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4522106 Fri, 25 Feb 2011 18:00:00 +0100 4522106 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4512392&cid=t_101565_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fthe-first-emergency-physician-elected-to-congress%2F2011.02.23 I was unaware that Dr. Joe Heck of Nevada is the first emergency physician to be elected to Congress. Good for him! From the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP): In one of the closest congressional races of 2010, Republican challenger and ACEP member Dr. Joe Heck upset Rep. Dina Titus in Nevada’s third Congressional District.  Dr. Heck is the first ACEP member and emergency physician to be elected to Congress. I suppose that leaves me to be the first for the Senate… *This blog post was originally published at GruntDoc* (Source: Better Health) Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4512392 Wed, 23 Feb 2011 20:00:39 +0100 4512392 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4512567&cid=t_101565_134_f&fid=35187&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FDiabetesDaily%2F%7E3%2Fb-6Nj3zyoxc%2Fmeet-the-college-diabetes-network.php Hi, Everyone! My name is Christina Roth, I am a college student at the University of Massachusetts Amherst and the founder of the non-profit organization College Diabetes Network (CDN). I was diagnosed with diabetes as a freshman when I was 14 years old, and I struggled with diabetes throughout high school. I was finally able to gain some control over it when I got to college thanks to my CGM- but it wasn’t easy. For those of you who have been through college, regardless of if you are diabetic or not, I’m sure you remember the late nights, intense stress studying for exams, unhealthy foods (late night pizza anyone?!), crazy parties, stupid decisions…..the list goes on. As fun as “the college experience” is, it poses challenges to managing diabetes. It is exhausting to mainta... Diabetes Daily blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4512567 Wed, 23 Feb 2011 17:22:54 +0100 4512567 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4501585&cid=t_101565_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fmore-physician-temps-needed-for-doctor-shortage%2F2011.02.21 The use of temporary physicians is rising, filling in until permanent physicians can be hired amid the ongoing shortage of doctors nationwide, a locum tenens firm has found. The company estimates between 30,000 and 40,000 physicians worked on a locum tenens basis in 2010. The survey, by Staff Care, polled hospital and medical group managers about their use of locum tenens. Eighty-five percent said their facilities had used temporary physicians sometime in 2010, up from 72 percent in 2009. Psychiatrists and other behavioral health specialists were the most sought-after specialty (22 percent of all requests), followed by primary care physicians, defined as family physicians, general internists and pediatricians (20 percent) and internal medicine subspecialists (12 percent). Hospitalists... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4501585 Mon, 21 Feb 2011 14:00:00 +0100 4501585 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4498276&cid=t_101565_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fibm-watson-could-revolutionize-healthcare%2F2011.02.19 If you’ve been watching Jeopardy! over the past couple days, you probably know that IBM’s highly-advanced artificial intelligence software, Watson, has been competing against Jeopardy!’s most successful contestants (and as of Tuesday night, took a commanding lead over the humans, despite having some trouble with United States geography). Besides the amazing ability to power through “Daily Doubles” and answer random trivia in the form of a question, IBM researchers believe that Watson could revolutionize the healthcare industry. From diagnostics to informatics, Watson could quickly search through medical records, clinical documents, and research information for precise answers that would benefit both doctors and patients. Check out the video below to see physic... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4498276 Sat, 19 Feb 2011 14:00:16 +0100 4498276 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4489672&cid=t_101565_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fadult-vaccines-most-doctors-dont-stock-all-of-them%2F2011.02.17 Less than one in three primary care practices offer all 10 recommended adult vaccines, citing a variety of financial and logistical reasons. Researchers sponsored by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention sampled 993 family physicians and 997 general internists. Of the respondents, 27 percent (31 percent of family practitioners and 20 percent of internists) stocked all 10. Results appear in the Feb. 17 issue of the journal Vaccine. The 10 vaccines were hepatitis A; hepatitis B; human papillomavirus vaccine (HPV); combined measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR); meningococcal conjugate vaccine (MCV4); pneumococcal polysaccharide (PPSV23); tetanus diphtheria (Td); combined tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis (Tdap); varicella; and zoster. Of the responding practices, two percent plan... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4489672 Thu, 17 Feb 2011 19:00:00 +0100 4489672 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4482759&cid=t_101565_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fthe-cost-of-treating-kidney-disease%2F2011.02.15 Medical spending to treat kidney disease totaled on average $25.3 billion annually from 2003 to 2007 (in 2007 dollars). Almost half of the expenditures ($12.7 billion) were spent on ambulatory visits. On average, 3.7 million adults (1.7 percent of the population) annually reported getting treatment for kidney disease, reports a statistical brief from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. During 2003-2007, for those ages 18 to 64, more than half of the total kidney disease expenditures were from ambulatory visits (53.1 percent) compared with about one third (30.3 percent) from inpatient visits. Among those age 65 and older, ambulatory visits accounted for 46 percent of the total kidney disease expenditures and hospital stays were 43 percent. Similar amounts were spent on prescri... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4482759 Tue, 15 Feb 2011 18:00:00 +0100 4482759 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4477767&cid=t_101565_88_f&fid=38129&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Flifeinthefastlane%2FWZHV%2F%7E3%2FNLPyLS0cFnE%2F The UCEM has today received leaked information that Wakefield is set to open his own research institute to collect evidence that supports his assumptions. (Source: Life in the Fast Lane) Life in the Fast Lane blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4477767 Tue, 15 Feb 2011 02:30:18 +0100 4477767 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4477704&cid=t_101565_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FYGTW9YOSXeY%2F By Neal McCluskeyAfter House Republicans' weak first attempt at offering cuts to gargantuan federal spending -- a proposal that included nary a flick at education-related outlays -- and the Obama administration's hinting that it would leave education totally untouched, there is a tiny bit of good news: Both the GOP and the administration are apparently willing to trim funding putatively intended to help educate people. But these are just tiny bones they're throwing to people who know that the federal government likely does zero net good when it comes to actually educating people, and that there is no acceptable excuse not to make big cuts to federal "education" programs. House Republicans, for their part, scheduled lots of education programs for shaves in their second attempt at mak... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4477704 Mon, 14 Feb 2011 15:33:36 +0100 4477704 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4464715&cid=t_101565_180_f&fid=38612&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fpickthebrain%2FLYVv%2F%7E3%2F_B2fvGGICQs%2F Sometimes you can learn really valuable things—information, examples, and guiding principles, for instance—without knowing it at the time. The importance of those lessons become apparent years later, and you can only chuckle and shake your head at the transparency of hindsight, proving once and for all that life really should come with a built-in rear view mirror. A Short Life Lessons List In no particular order, below are just 10 life lessons actually learned long ago but ones that are often remembered much later: 1. Change v Evolution: Changing for the sake of changing doesn’t mean you are getting better. It merely means you’re indecisive and let others make decisions for you. Don’t follow the crowd if the crowd isn’t going where you want to go. Besides, chang... PickTheBrain | Motivation and Self Improvement blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4464715 Fri, 11 Feb 2011 06:28:26 +0100 4464715 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4459957&cid=t_101565_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fdoctors-and-patients-wish-their-relationship-was-better%2F2011.02.10 Physicians said in a survey that noncompliance with advice or treatment recommendations was their foremost complaint about their patients. Most said it affected their ability to provide optimal care and more 37 percent said it did so “a lot.” Three-quarters of patients said they were highly satisfied with their doctors. But they still had complaints ranging from long wait times to ineffective treatments. Those are just some of the findings from two surveys, the first a poll of 660 primary care physicians conducted by the Consumer Reports National Research Center in September 2010 and the second a poll of 49,000 Consumer Reports subscribers in 2009. The magazine reported its results online. In the doctors’ poll, physicians named these top challenges: – 76 percent o... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4459957 Fri, 11 Feb 2011 00:00:00 +0100 4459957 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4460005&cid=t_101565_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F02%2F10%2Fcan-you-fake-feeling-remorse%2F An offender in the criminal justice system often seeks to portray themselves as feeling remorse, especially when it comes time for sentencing in front of a judge, or parole hearings and the like. It may be easier to relate to someone who feels genuinely sorry for their crime. And it may be easier to show some mercy to a person who appears to be displaying genuine remorse. Deception is also a good part of any skilled criminal’s behavioral toolkit, because dumb, honest criminals don’t usually last long. So how can you detect whether someone is feeling genuine remorse, versus deceptive remorse in order to gain some favor with another person? Canadian researchers from the University of British Columbia and the Memorial University of Newfoundland set to find out. In the first inve... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4460005 Thu, 10 Feb 2011 23:07:29 +0100 4460005 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4450294&cid=t_101565_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fdifficult-patients%2F2011.02.08 Physicians see nearly one in five patients as “difficult,” report researchers. Not surprisingly, these patients don’t fare as well as others after visiting their doctor. Researchers took into account both patient and clinician factors associated with being considered “difficult,” as well as assessing the impact on patient health outcomes. They reported results in the Journal of General Internal Medicine. Researchers assessed 750 adults prior to their visit to a primary care walk-in clinic for symptoms, expectations, and general health; for how they functioned physically, socially and emotionally; and whether they had mental disorders. Immediately after their visit, participants were asked about their satisfaction with the encounter, any unmet expectations, and... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4450294 Tue, 08 Feb 2011 16:00:00 +0100 4450294 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4441974&cid=t_101565_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fputting-your-heart-into-the-super-bowl%2F2011.02.06 Sports fans may literally live and die on their team’s victories, according to researchers who examined cardiac mortality rates after the home team won and lost the Super Bowl. Total and cardiac mortality rates in Los Angeles County increased after the football team’s 1980 Super Bowl loss but overall mortality fell after the 1984 the team’s Super Bowl win, researchers concluded from a review of death certificates reported in Clinical Cardiology. First, authors gave a clinical review. Stress causes a cardiac cascade. The sympathetic nervous system increases and releases catecholamines. This triggers a rise in heart rate and blood pressure, and ventricular contractility increases oxygen demand, causing blood the sheer against and fracture atherosclerotic plaque, the authors... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4441974 Sun, 06 Feb 2011 16:00:00 +0100 4441974 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4433102&cid=t_101565_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Faccountable-care-act-unconstitutional-the-fate-of-americans-health%2F2011.02.03 A Florida’s judge’s ruling that the Accountable Care Act (ACA) is unconstitutional doesn’t resolve the underlying constitutional issue (which will ultimately have to be decided by the U.S. Supreme Court) but it has introduced new uncertainty for the $2.3 trillion health care industry, and emboldened the law’s critics to push even harder for repeal (not that they weren’t trying already). The Wall Street Journal’s (WSJ) health blog reports that “states and companies that are supposed to be implementing the law trying to figure out what to do next. The WSJ reports that the 26 states that are parties to the suit are considering whether to ask the Supreme Court to take up the case now, before it has fully wended its way through the legal system. The New York Times (NYT) quotes the... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4433102 Thu, 03 Feb 2011 20:00:00 +0100 4433102 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4433103&cid=t_101565_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fno-more-cameras-in-the-delivery-room%2F2011.02.03 Most of our posts here deal with gadgets physicians or other medical professionals would use, but the New York Times has published an article about issues stemming from the patient or the family bringing cameras into the delivery room. Now, as anyone who’s been made to watch a video of a friend’s delivery during a party can attest, this isn’t a new phenomenon. However, since almost any device can record video now and it’s easiest to share the video online, medical-legal considerations are leading some hospitals to restrict any and all recordings of live births. We’d be interested to know what our readers think. Do you let patients film you while you work? New York Times article: Rules on Cameras in Delivery Rooms Stir Passions… *This blog post... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4433103 Thu, 03 Feb 2011 18:00:28 +0100 4433103 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4424239&cid=t_101565_88_f&fid=38129&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Flifeinthefastlane%2FWZHV%2F%7E3%2FVwkHirwnKXU%2F Is the Utopian College of Emergency for Medicine about to ditch 'Life in the Fast Lane' and take their online presence elsewhere? Find out here... (Source: Life in the Fast Lane) Life in the Fast Lane blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4424239 Wed, 02 Feb 2011 00:00:33 +0100 4424239 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4424235&cid=t_101565_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fcardiovascular-care-costs-could-triple-by-2030%2F2011.02.01 Real total direct medical costs of cardiovascular disease (CVD) could triple, from $273 billion to $818 billion (in 2008 dollars) by 2030. Real indirect costs, such as lost productivity among the employed and unpaid household work, could increase 61 percent, from $172 billion in 2010 to $276 billion. Results appeared in a policy statement of the American Heart Association. CVD is the leading cause of mortality and accounts for 17 percent of national health expenditures, according to the statement. How much so? U.S. medical expenditures rose from 10 percent of the Gross Domestic Product in 1985 to 15 percent in 2008. In the past decade, the medical costs of CVD have grown at an average annual rate of 6 percent and have accounted for about 15 percent of the increase in medical spending... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4424235 Tue, 01 Feb 2011 18:00:00 +0100 4424235 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4419143&cid=t_101565_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fshiver-yourself-thin%2F2011.01.30 British researchers are trying to causally link raising the thermostat to obesity prevalence. “Domestic winter indoor temperatures” appear to be rising, the researchers wrote, as is obesity. They focused on a causal link, focusing on acute and long-term effects of being comfortable in the winter. They write: “Reduced exposure to seasonal cold may have a dual effect on energy expenditure, both minimizing the need for physiological thermogenesis and reducing thermogenic capacity. Experimental studies show a graded association between acute mild cold and human energy expenditure over the range of temperatures relevant to indoor heating trends.” They also look at brown adipose tissue (BAT), aka “brown fat,” the type of fat that actually consumes energy inste... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4419143 Sun, 30 Jan 2011 17:00:00 +0100 4419143 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4405776&cid=t_101565_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fstate-of-healthcare-in-the-union%2F2011.01.27 Short and sweet. That’s how President Obama addressed healthcare reform in his State of the Union address [Tuesday] night. In less than 700 words, he outlined how he’d improve but not retreat on what’s been enacted into law. He’s willing to work on changes, he said, naming malpractice reform and reducing onerous paperwork burdens for small businesses. But, he cautioned, “What I’m not willing to do is go back to the days when insurance companies could deny someone coverage because of a pre-existing condition.” President Obama had invited two real people to his address to highlight the law’s successes. One is a brain cancer survivor who can access health insurance through high-risk pools created by the law. The other is a small business owner w... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4405776 Thu, 27 Jan 2011 16:00:00 +0100 4405776 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4399529&cid=t_101565_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Feffect-of-autism-vaccine-fraud-not-easily-undone%2F2011.01.24 Eighteen percent of American believe that vaccines can cause autism, 30 percent remain unsure, and 52 percent of Americans don’t think vaccines can cause autism, according to public opinion polling done after research linking vaccines to the condition was reported as fraudulent. While 69 percent of respondents said they had heard about an association between vaccination and autism, 47 percent knew that the original Lancet study had been retracted, and that recently the research is reported as being fraudulent. The poll also found that 86 percent of parents who have doubts about the vaccine said that their children were fully vaccinated, compared to 98 percent of parents who believe vaccines are safe, and that 92 percent of children are fully vaccinated. The poll was conducted... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4399529 Mon, 24 Jan 2011 22:00:00 +0100 4399529 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4394443&cid=t_101565_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Famericans-are-quickly-rethinking-the-autism-vaccine-link%2F2011.01.24 Eighteen percent of American believe that vaccines can cause autism, 30 percent remain unsure, and 52 percent of Americans don’t think vaccines can cause autism, according to public opinion polling done after research linking vaccines to the condition was reported as fraudulent. While 69 percent of respondents said they had heard about an association between vaccination and autism, 47 percent knew that the original Lancet study had been retracted, and that recently the research is reported as being fraudulent. The poll also found that 86 percent of parents who have doubts about the vaccine said that their children were fully vaccinated, compared to 98 percent of parents who believe vaccines are safe, and that 92 percent of children are fully vaccinated. The poll was conducted... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4394443 Mon, 24 Jan 2011 22:00:00 +0100 4394443 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4389182&cid=t_101565_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fbaby-boomers-2011-a-new-frontier-with-few-guideposts%2F2011.01.23 This is a guest post by Dr. John Schumann. ********** In 2011, the first wave of baby boomers will turn 65 years old. Sixty-five still has currency because that’s the age at which non-disabled Americans are eligible to be covered under the Medicare program (now itself having reached middle age). As our economy continues to recover (hopefully) from the Great Recession, the entrance of millions of Americans to the Medicare rolls over the next decade and a half will be a formidable planning challenge. Look at this chart to see how the baby boomers population has surged: So is the promise of healthcare reform (the “PPACA“), which will enlarge Medicaid by an additional 16 million Americans — about half of the projected growth in coverage for those currently uninsured.... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4389182 Sun, 23 Jan 2011 20:00:00 +0100 4389182 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4386301&cid=t_101565_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F01%2F22%2Funiversities-college-students-and-mental-health%2F With the recent tragedy allegedly perpetrated by suspended college student Jared Loughner in Tuscon, AZ, the role of colleges’ and universities’ student counseling centers has taken center stage. This is a little odd, given that Mr. Loughner attended a community college that lacked a student counseling center. Most community colleges — catering to part-time students who often have families or hold down full-time jobs — don’t seem to have the mental health counseling centers that most traditional universities and colleges have. Dr. Emily Gibson, a family physician who apparently works with students at a college, recently wrote a blog entry about mental illness in the college student. In this entry, she seems to bemoan the fact that students have come to expect ... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4386301 Sat, 22 Jan 2011 13:47:23 +0100 4386301 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4377570&cid=t_101565_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fwhos-more-pessimistic-about-healthcare-reform-physicians-or-patients%2F2011.01.20 While public opposition to healthcare reform has diminished since its passage, physician opinions are still negative, especially among specialists who see their value to the healthcare system decreasing as reform emphasizes primary care. A survey reports that 65 percent of nearly 3,000 physicians in all specialties said the quality of healthcare in the country will deteriorate in the next five years. Seventeen percent of respondents believe the quality of healthcare will stay the same and 18 percent believe it will improve. Meanwhile, 30 percent of healthcare consumers believe that the quality of healthcare will improve. Physicians cited as reasons for their pessimism personal political beliefs, anger at insurance companies and a lack of accurate planning in the reform act. Other reas... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4377570 Thu, 20 Jan 2011 18:00:00 +0100 4377570 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4372047&cid=t_101565_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fshould-doctors-be-allowed-to-self-refer%2F2011.01.19 Federal law generally prohibits physicians from referring their own patients to a diagnostic facility in which they have an ownership issue — a practice called “self-referral” — unless the facility is located in their own practice. This exemption exists to allow patients with access to a laboratory test, X-ray, or other imaging test at the same time and place as when patients are seeing their physician for an office visit. Less inconvenience and speeder diagnosis and treatment — what could be wrong with that? Much, say the critics, if it leads to overutilization and higher costs and doesn’t really represent a convenience to patients. This is the gist of two studies by staff employed by the American College of Radiology, published in the December issue of Health Affa... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4372047 Wed, 19 Jan 2011 16:00:00 +0100 4372047 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4360984&cid=t_101565_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fcancer-treatments-to-cost-158-billion-by-2020%2F2011.01.17 Medical expenditures for cancer are projected to reach at least $158 billion in today’s dollars by 2020. That’s a 27 percent increase, assuming that incidence and treatment costs remain at 2010 levels, according to a National Institutes of Health (NIH) analysis of growth and aging of the U.S. population. But new diagnostic tools and treatments could raise medical expenditures as high as $207 billion, assuming that the costs of new treatments increases 5 percent, said the researchers from the National Cancer Institute (NCI), part of the NIH. The analysis appears in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute. Recent trends reflect a 2 percent annual increase in medical costs in the initial and final phases of care, which would boost projected 2020 costs to $173 billion.Projec... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4360984 Mon, 17 Jan 2011 20:00:00 +0100 4360984 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4349515&cid=t_101565_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Freferral-communication-what-happens-to-handoffs-between-primary-care-physicians-and-specialists%2F2011.01.14 Far more primary care doctors report detailed referrals than do specialists report receiving them. The same applies in reverse. Specialists report returning quality consultations, while primary care physicians report receiving them far less often. Researchers reported in Archives of Internal Medicine that perceptions of communication regarding referrals and consultations differed widely. While 69.3 percent of primary care physicians reported “always” or “most of the time” sending a patient’s history and the reason for the consultation to specialists, only 34.8 percent of specialists said they “always” or “most of the time” received the information. And, while 80.6 percent of specialists said they “always” or “most o... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4349515 Fri, 14 Jan 2011 18:00:00 +0100 4349515 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4343129&cid=t_101565_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fglaucoma-testing-through-the-eyelid%2F2011.01.13 Intraocular pressure is usually measured by applying a force on the cornea using a tonometer. Although sufficiently accurate, tonometers are only used in ophthalmologist offices and so don’t measure intra-day pressures. They also fail with people post cataract surgery that have a thicker cornea. Researchers at University of Arizona have developed a new device that measures intraocular pressure through the eyelid. From the University of Arizona College of Engineering: The self-test instrument has been designed in Eniko Enikov’s lab at the UA College of Engineering. Gone are the eye drops and need for a sterilized sensor. In their place is an easy-to-use probe that gently rubs the eyelid and can be used at home. “You simply close your eye and rub the eyelid like you might c... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4343129 Thu, 13 Jan 2011 16:00:03 +0100 4343129 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4337939&cid=t_101565_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fhealthcare-repeal-how-would-it-affect-coverage-and-cost%2F2011.01.11 [Soon] the new GOP-controlled House of Representatives will be voting on and is expected to pass a bill to repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA) – lock, stock, and barrel. There is virtually no chance the repeal bill will get through the Senate, though, which maintains a narrow Democratic majority, and President Obama would veto it if it did. But let’s say that the seemingly impossible happened, and the ACA was repealed. What would the impact be on healthcare coverage, costs, and the federal deficit? In a letter to Speaker John Boehner (R-OH), the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) released its preliminary estimates of the impact of repeal on the deficit, uninsured, and costs of care, and found that it would make the deficit worse, result in more uninsured persons, and higher premiu... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4337939 Tue, 11 Jan 2011 22:00:00 +0100 4337939 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4337913&cid=t_101565_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FB8YxsIToNjA%2F By Neal McCluskeyThe United States is facing a gigantic debt problem, as we all know. Governments at all levels have simply been spending too much, which most Republicans and Democrats now seem willing to concede. But don’t expect to hear the following from many members of either party: We need to stop spending taxpayer money on sending so many people to college! Indeed, President Obama has already said he’ll support spending cuts but not to education, and few Republicans have ever shown the willingness to flatly declare student aid a costly waste. And maybe they’re right. After all, doesn’t more college education necessarily translate into more productivity and prosperity? Nope. As I’ve pointed out repeatedly, lots of people never finish the educat... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4337913 Tue, 11 Jan 2011 20:53:54 +0100 4337913 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4331013&cid=t_101565_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Ftired-surgeons-how-long-was-the-patient-asleep%2F2011.01.10 In a recent New England Journal of Medicine, a perspective piece on what to do with fatigued surgeons is generating debate. The issue of work-hour restrictions has been a controversial issue when it comes to doctors in training, something that I wrote about earlier in the year in USA Today. But once doctors graduate and practice in the real world, there are no rules. As summarized in the WSJ’s Health Blog, the perspective piece argues for more regulation for tired surgeons: … self-regulation is not sufficient. Instead, “we recommend that institutions implement policies to minimize the likelihood of sleep deprivation before a clinician performs elective surgery and to facilitate priority rescheduling of elective procedures when a clinician is sleep-deprived,” they write. For exampl... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4331013 Mon, 10 Jan 2011 20:00:40 +0100 4331013 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4331015&cid=t_101565_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Frepealing-healthcare-reform-to-gain-campaign-ammunition%2F2011.01.10 Repealing healthcare reform has become a way of stockpiling ammunition for the campaign trail. The Republican-led House has scheduled a repeal of healthcare reform for Wednesday, Jan. 12, and they’d garner as allies some but not all 13 Democrats that voted against healthcare reform to begin with. The House’s quixotic vote would then promptly die in the Democrat-held Senate. But recording votes on repeal would put pressure on already vulnerable lawmakers, as well as give a quick boost to incoming ones. A Gallup poll shows 46 percent of Americans want healthcare reform to be repealed, 40 percent don’t want repeal. Unfortunately, not only can’t the law be passed, it would add $230 billion to the federal debt by 2021, according to the Congressional Budget Office. Hous... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4331015 Mon, 10 Jan 2011 16:00:00 +0100 4331015 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4318333&cid=t_101565_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fhealthcare-spending-slowest-growth-since-the-great-depression%2F2011.01.06 Healthcare spending grew in 2009 at its slowest rate since 1938, according to a report published in Health Affairs. The last time America saw such a slow growth rate on health spending it was still emerging from the Great Depression and hadn’t yet entered World War II. The most recent recession is also the cause for the health spending figures, according to the annual report, released by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. The report shows that the recession left a deeper impact than previous ones. Healthcare spending grew 4 percent to $2.5 trillion, outpacing the rest of the still recovering economy. Authors wrote that the recession contributed to slower growth in private health insurance spending and out-of-pocket spending by consumers, as well as a reduction in capita... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4318333 Thu, 06 Jan 2011 18:00:00 +0100 4318333 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4314007&cid=t_101565_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fnew-year-begins-with-a-baby-boom%2F2011.01.05 On January 1, Kathleen Casey-Kirschling became the first of the baby-boom generation to qualify for Medicare. She’s hardly alone: The baby-boom generation will cause enrollment in Medicare to soar. According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, Medicare enrollment will increase from 47 million today to 64 million in 2020 to 80 million people by 2030. At the same time, the ratio of workers paying into the program to support each Medicare enrollee will drop from 3.4 (2010) to 2.8 (2020) and then to 2.3 workers per beneficiary in 2030, denying the program the tax revenue needed to sustain it. What happens then? Well, the President and Congress would have a dismal menu of political and policy choices. They could impose huge tax increases, inflicting great harm on working families and the economy... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4314007 Wed, 05 Jan 2011 18:00:00 +0100 4314007 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4309612&cid=t_101565_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fmaking-2011-meaningful%2F2011.01.03 Today, $27 billion in incentives begin for using electronic medical records, as office- and hospital-based providers begin to register for meaningful use criteria. Providers must use a certified system according to Centers for Medicare and Medicaid meaningful-use guidelines for 90 consecutive days within the first year of the program to qualify. Eligible professionals can receive up to $44,000 over five years under the program. There’s an additional incentive for eligible professionals who provide services in a Health Professional Shortage Area. To get the most money, Medicare-eligible professionals must begin by 2012. By 2015, Medicare-eligible professionals and hospitals that do not demonstrate meaningful use get punished. (more…) *This blog post was originally publis... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4309612 Mon, 03 Jan 2011 20:00:00 +0100 4309612 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4300551&cid=t_101565_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fremembering-gene-goldwasser-discoverer-of-epo-a-cure-for-anemia%2F2010.12.30 Gene Goldwasser died last week. He was 88, and he was my friend. I wrote previously about a series of conversations I conducted with Gene and Rabbi A.J. Wolf a few years ago. I met Gene one spring day after calling to invite him to sit in on a class I was teaching to a small group of medical students about social issues in healthcare. I’d read about him in a book called “The $800 Million Pill,” by Merrill Goozner. In the book, Goozner writes the story of Gene’s two-decade hunt to isolate the hormone erythropoietin (EPO). Part of the story relates how Gene tried to interest traditional big pharma companies in his discovery, only to be brushed aside. Instead, Gene wound up sharing his discovery with what became Amgen. The company went on to make a windfall from recomb... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4300551 Thu, 30 Dec 2010 16:00:00 +0100 4300551 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4298767&cid=t_101565_136_f&fid=37846&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthinfoispower.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F12%2F29%2Fuh-biochemist-works-to-revolutionize-ovarian-cancer-treatment-by-unleashing-the-power-of-micrornas-nanotechnology%2F The day when an ovarian cancer patient can treat her tumor with a single, painless pill instead of a toxic drug cocktail is the ultimate goal of the pioneering research of a University of Houston (UH) scientist.  Preethi Gunaratnee, assistant professor in the department of biology and biochemistry, is studying a class of tiny genetic [...] (Source: Libby's H*O*P*E*) Libby's H*O*P*E* blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4298767 Wed, 29 Dec 2010 23:01:17 +0100 4298767 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4294629&cid=t_101565_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fthe-business-of-anticoagulation%2F2010.12.28 This is a guest post by Dr. Juliet Mavromatis: ********** The emergence of a new generation of anticoagulants, including the direct thrombin inhibitor, dabigatran and the factor Xa inhibitor, rivaroxaban, has the potential to significantly change the business of thinning blood in the United States. For years warfarin has been the main therapeutic option for patients with health conditions such as atrial fibrillation, venous thrombosis, artificial heart valves and pulmonary embolus, which are associated with excess clotting risk that may cause adverse outcomes, including stroke and death. However, warfarin therapy is fraught with risk and liability. The drug interacts with food and many drugs and requires careful monitoring of the prothrombin time (PT) and international normalized ratio (IN... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4294629 Tue, 28 Dec 2010 15:00:00 +0100 4294629 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4294643&cid=t_101565_88_f&fid=38129&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Flifeinthefastlane%2FWZHV%2F%7E3%2FgEv52Bqcpdc%2F Excitement is building as the the post-prandial somnolence evolves into austere reverence as the the Utopian College Council start the protracted process of sobering up in time to announce the inaugural New Years Day Honours list. This year 50 new individuals will be officially recognised as Fellows of the College. (Source: Life in the Fast Lane) Life in the Fast Lane blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4294643 Sun, 26 Dec 2010 07:56:13 +0100 4294643 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4287416&cid=t_101565_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fthe-twelve-days-of-healthcare-reform%2F2010.12.24 Today’s blog will be my last for 2010, as I will be taking a break to spend the Christmas and New Year’s holidays with family and friends. In keeping with a tradition I started two years ago, I again have taken the liberty of mangling a beloved holiday song, story, or rhyme to give a humorous (I hope!) perspective on current politics. In December, 2008, I adapted “Twas the Night Before Christmas” to convey President-elect Obama as being a not-so-jolly old elf besieged by lobbyists demanding stimulus gifts. Last year, I depicted the GOP as the Grinch trying to stop “ObamaCare” from coming. Today, I’ve re-written the “Twelve Days of Christmas” carol so that it is the government bestowing “gifts” (based on actual provisions of the Affordable Care Act) that the new Co... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4287416 Fri, 24 Dec 2010 14:00:00 +0100 4287416 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4277814&cid=t_101565_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FqsLU7mCp_-o%2F By Neal McCluskeyLast night, the University of Connecticut women’s basketball team broke the college hoops consecutive win record of 88 games set by UCLA’s men in the early 1970s. In anticipation of this, UConn coach Geno Auriemma caused a bit of a stir by accusing some male sports fans of being upset because a women’s team was threatening a record set by men. This does not compute. Somewhere there might be a man upset by this — though I haven’t heard one — but I don’t see why: The UCLA men beat men’s teams, the UConn women have beaten women’s teams. It says nothing bad about men that a women’s team has a longer win streak. Where there might be en element of gender conflict at play is in how UConn got to this point. According ... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4277814 Wed, 22 Dec 2010 03:07:55 +0100 4277814 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4277831&cid=t_101565_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fgoing-against-medicine-courageous-or-foolish%2F2010.12.21 Every once I awhile a story catches my eye as I scan the news websites. There was one this morning on CNN with this catchy title: “Mom Defies Doctor, Has Baby Her Way.” The article describes a story where a mother was going to have her fourth baby. Her previous three were born via C-section. Mom did not want another C-section done, and “defied” her doctor’s order for the procedure. “You’re being irresponsible,” the patient was told. The middle of the article talks about the current thinking and statement of the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology saying that “it’s reasonable to consider allowing women who’ve had two C-sections to try to have a vaginal delivery.” Of course, there’s risks with proceeding... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4277831 Tue, 21 Dec 2010 22:00:00 +0100 4277831 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4275551&cid=t_101565_135_f&fid=35247&url=http%3A%2F%2Fmyjourneywithaids.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F12%2F21%2Fsenator-don-meredith%2F One of the first business days after the House of Commons broke for the Christmas recess and Stephen Harper appoints Don Meredith to the PM’s new favourite play-pen, The Senate. Wait! This Don Meredith? Stephen Harper’s cynicism knows no bounds – appointing to the Senate the fifth-place finisher, himself an appointed replacement to the Conservative [...] (Source: My journey with AIDS) My journey with AIDS blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4275551 Tue, 21 Dec 2010 05:36:24 +0100 4275551 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4275325&cid=t_101565_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Freassuring-patients-about-ct-scans-and-radiation-risks%2F2010.12.20 Emergency patients with acute abdominal pain feel more confident about medical diagnoses when a doctor has ordered a computed tomography (CT) scan, and nearly three-quarters of patients underestimate the radiation risk posed by this test, reports the Annals of Emergency Medicine. “Patients with abdominal pain are four times more confident in an exam that includes imaging than in an exam that has no testing,” said the paper’s lead author. “Most of the patients in our study had little understanding of the amount of radiation delivered by one CT scan, never mind several over the course of a lifetime. Many of the patients did not recall earlier CT scans, even though they were listed in electronic medical records.” Researchers surveyed 1,168 patients with non-traum... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4275325 Mon, 20 Dec 2010 22:00:00 +0100 4275325 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4265735&cid=t_101565_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fleading-healthcare-systems-collaborate-on-best-practices-for-common-conditions%2F2010.12.17 Six of the nation’s leading healthcare systems will collaborate on outcomes, quality, and costs across eight common conditions or procedures in an effort to share best practices and reduce costs with the entire healthcare system. Cleveland Clinic, Dartmouth-Hitchcock, Denver Health, Geisinger Health System, Intermountain Healthcare, and Mayo Clinic will to share data among their 10 million patients with The Dartmouth Institute, which will analyze the data and report back to the collaborative and the rest of the country, according to a press release. The collaborative will focus on eight conditions and treatments for which costs have been increasing rapidly and for which there are wide variations in quality and outcomes across the country. The first three conditions to be studies are ... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4265735 Fri, 17 Dec 2010 22:00:00 +0100 4265735 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4258866&cid=t_101565_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fjudge-rules-healthcare-reform-unconstitutional%2F2010.12.14 A federal judge in Virginia has ruled that healthcare reform is unconstitutional and expects the Obama administration to honor that ruling while it’s being appealed. But states and private companies are continuing to plan and budget for it nonetheless. The court ruled that Congress exceeded its constitutional powers in compelling Americans to buy health insurance. Judges elsewhere have ruled the law is valid or dismissed the cases on procedural grounds, while a judge in Florida will hear another case later this week. In the meantime, though, employers and healthcare companies have to continue adjusting to the reform law’s many provisions. States will continue to set up their health insurance exchanges, and they’ve already budgeted for the additional 16 million people who ... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4258866 Tue, 14 Dec 2010 17:00:00 +0100 4258866 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4259000&cid=t_101565_113_f&fid=38236&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.healthcareitnews.com%2Fblog%2Fhospital-cio-confidence-level-meeting-meaningful-use-drops A mid-November survey of 191 members of the College of Health Information Management Executives (CHIME) reveals that hospital CIOs are less confident they will meet Stage 1 meaningful use criteria and therefore not qualify early for EHR federal stimulus funds. Only 15 percent of respondents, compared to 28 percent of respondents in CHIME's August survey, believe they expect to qualify in the first six months of fiscal year 2011, which began in October of this year. (Source: Healthcare IT News Blog) Healthcare IT News Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4259000 Tue, 14 Dec 2010 14:00:10 +0100 4259000 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4253136&cid=t_101565_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Frationed-care-denied-treatment-and-%25e2%2580%259cdeath-panels%2F2010.12.13 One of the canards slung at the Affordable Care Act is that it creates “death panels” that would allow the government to deny patients lifesaving treatments, even though two independent and non-partisan fact-checking organizations found it would do no such thing. I don’t bring this up now to rehash the debate, but because the New York Times had a recent story on Arizona’s decision to deny certain transplants to Medicaid enrollees — “death by budget cuts” in the words of reporter Marc Lacey. His story profiles several patients who died when they were unable to raise money on their own to fund a transplant. Lacey quotes a physician expert on transplants who flatly states: “There’s no doubt that people aren’t going to make it because of this decision.” Arizona Medic... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4253136 Mon, 13 Dec 2010 15:00:00 +0100 4253136 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4253200&cid=t_101565_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F12%2F12%2Fdo-your-panic-attacks-ever-grow-rosy-in-retrospect%2F Photo Credit: gavinmusic The other night, I found myself obsessively listening to a unique crowd-sourced brand of music at OneHelloWorld. OHW is — well, think Postsecret, but for your ears. The site’s creator (who doesn’t identify himself by name) asks the world to call his phone and leave a three-minute narrative voicemail. Then, he creates a musical composition for the background that’s inspired by the content of your message. (“Call it a soundtrack for your thoughts,” the site describes it.) The result? An intriguing amalgam of personal stories and instrumental melodies. The completed tracks are moving. Some are inspirational; some are depressing. Always one to take part in the novelty of experimental projects on the internet, I called OHW’s ph... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4253200 Sun, 12 Dec 2010 23:06:16 +0100 4253200 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4251234&cid=t_101565_135_f&fid=35247&url=http%3A%2F%2Fmyjourneywithaids.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F12%2F11%2Fdefying-the-christmas-based-economy%2F Were it not for Christmas, we hear constantly, many retailers would not make it through a year.  The exploited workers of China, whom we have increasingly employed since local manufacturing jobs became of secondary concern to our finding cheap goods, now make most of our clothes and gadgets (luxury and otherwise).  Their jobs are secure [...] (Source: My journey with AIDS) My journey with AIDS blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4251234 Sat, 11 Dec 2010 20:25:24 +0100 4251234 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4237893&cid=t_101565_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fnew-food-allergy-guidelines%2F2010.12.07 The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) issued comprehensive food allergy guidelines to help primary care physicians and subspecialists diagnose and manage patients. The guidelines were published online at the NIAID food allergy guidelines portal, which also has a frequently asked questions section. The agency will release a patient synopsis early next year. The guidelines establish consistent terminology and definitions, diagnostic criteria and patient management practices. Additional topics covered by the guidelines include the prevalence of food allergy and management of acute allergic reactions to food, including anaphylaxis. The report also identifies gaps about what is known about food allergy. NIAID Director Anthony S. Fauci, MACP, said, “Because thes... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4237893 Tue, 07 Dec 2010 21:00:00 +0100 4237893 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4237873&cid=t_101565_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FU3uOfiXo-54%2F By Andrew J. CoulsonHe did it on the campaign trail in 2008, he did it in his first year in office, and how he’s done it again: speaking at the Forsyth Technical Community College in North Carolina yesterday, President Obama praised post-Sputnik federal education initiatives aimed at improving achievement in math and science. The trouble is, those investments—the National Defense Education Act—failed. Having already demonstrated the decline in achievement that followed the passage of the NDEA two years ago, I won’t re-hash it here. I’m left to wonder though, what the next two years are going to be like. If the president is still recycling campaign speeches about programs that never worked in the first place, is this what we can expect for the next two years? P... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4237873 Tue, 07 Dec 2010 16:24:38 +0100 4237873 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4225247&cid=t_101565_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Faddressing-healthcare-spending-%25e2%2580%259ccowardice%25e2%2580%259d-or-bravery%2F2010.12.03 In assessing the “best and worst” of the recommendations from the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility, Washington Post blogger Ezra Klein accuses the Commission of “cowardice” in addressing healthcare spending: “The plan’s healthcare savings largely consist of hoping the cost controls . . . and various demonstration projects in the new healthcare law work and expanding their power and reach. . . In the event that more savings are needed, they throw out a grab bag of liberal and conservative policies . . . but don’t really put their weight behind any. . .[their] decision to hide from the big questions here is quite disappointing . . . ” Pretty harsh words, considering that in other respects Klein gives the Commission high marks. But I think there is a lot mo... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4225247 Fri, 03 Dec 2010 21:00:00 +0100 4225247 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4219793&cid=t_101565_109_f&fid=34786&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdrmichelletempest.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F12%2Fappreciate-apprenticeships.html The hard working MP for Harlow, Robert Halfon, is in support of creating a Royal College of Apprenticeships, and you can read more about his proposal here. Apprenticeships should have their value highlighted and supported in both the economy and society. I wish him every luck with his proposal. He has suggested that he hopes it will develop into something like the British Medical Association. However, I hope that any Royal College of Apprenticeships will remain true to its name, and rather than following the 'trade union' BMA, it will follow in the footsteps of the Royal College of surgeons/ Physicians or Psychiatrists and be a body to 'maintain and achieve high standards'. (Source: The Psychiatrist Blog) The Psychiatrist Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4219793 Wed, 01 Dec 2010 13:15:00 +0100 4219793 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4214105&cid=t_101565_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fgerms-kids-and-school%2F2010.11.30 Everyone knows that when it comes to germs and kids, it can sometimes be difficult to limit the spread of infection — especially in a school or daycare setting. In this video, I talked with local TV news last week about germs and kids, and about preventing infections in college students during finals week:   If you find this video helpful, I invite you to check out my other videos at MikeSevilla.TV. Enjoy! *This blog post was originally published at Doctor Anonymous* (Source: Better Health) Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4214105 Wed, 01 Dec 2010 00:00:00 +0100 4214105 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4214191&cid=t_101565_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F11%2F30%2Fsmile-big-youre-going-to-have-a-good-long-life%2F Wrinkles should merely indicate where smiles have been. ~Mark Twain I have been interested in the art of smiling since my first graduate school paper The Biological and Maturational Development of the Smile in the Neonate. You don’t really want to know how long ago that was, but to give you a rough idea — I wrote it while wearing my bellbottoms. Back then I learned that infants initially smile as a type of reflex, almost as a way of getting them jump-started, but very soon afterward that grimace emerges into a social smile. They learn how to engage their caretakers, get some attention, be loved and, most importantly, survive. This means that a social smile has Darwinian value. But more than survival, a smile may be the doorway into understanding what brings us the good life. Resear... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4214191 Tue, 30 Nov 2010 16:32:50 +0100 4214191 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4214113&cid=t_101565_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fbend-the-healthcare-cost-curve-by-preventing-diabetes%2F2010.11.29 By 2020, an estimated 15 percent of adults will have diabetes and 37 percent will have prediabetes, a total of 39 million people, compared with rates of 12 percent and 28 percent today, respectively. Today, more than 90 percent of people with prediabetes, and about a quarter of people with diabetes, are unaware of it, according to a report from UnitedHealth Group, the provider of insurance and other health care services. The health savings alone of preventing diabetes would bend the cost curve of health care spending in the country. Health spending associated with diabetes and prediabetes is about $194 billion this year, or 7 percent of U.S. health spending, the report said. That cost is projected to rise to $500 billion by 2020, or a total of almost $3.4 trillion on diabetes-related... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4214113 Mon, 29 Nov 2010 17:00:00 +0100 4214113 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4205937&cid=t_101565_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fare-airport-security-pat-downs-unhealthy%2F2010.11.26 Potential health effects of airport security are being questioned for their possible health consequences, from spreading germs to radiation exposure to the stress that being searched induces. With cheaper flights available this year and the need for security in air travel, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is justifying its full body scans and its pat-downs that rise up travelers’ legs — all the way up. The scanners use microwaves, leading some to question whether people may be receiving too much radiation. It’s also a concern to activists who may have already undergone a lot of radiation for existing condition, or who have other conditions for which TSA agents may not be trained. (Read one seasoned traveler’s personal experience here.) The TSA report... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4205937 Fri, 26 Nov 2010 22:00:00 +0100 4205937 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4197067&cid=t_101565_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Finner-ear-infections-still-no-need-for-antibiotics%2F2010.11.23 Kids get inner ear infections and then they get antibiotics, despite a long-standing knowledge that it’s not always best. Any physician knows this, but who hasn’t faced an irate or anxious parent in the exam room insisting on a prescription, whether the evidence warrants it or not? Reuters reports that the tally for all those antibiotics is $2.8 billion dollars, or $350 per child annually. And there’s only a slight benefit to them. While hardly comforting to the parents, physicians can add more heft to their argument that antibiotics are only modestly more effective than nothing, and they can avoid the rashes and diarrhea that antibiotics incur. (more…) *This blog post was originally published at ACP Internist* (Source: Better Health) Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4197067 Tue, 23 Nov 2010 21:00:00 +0100 4197067 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4190154&cid=t_101565_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fhealth-reform-compete-and-succeed-or-repeal-or-replace%2F2010.11.22 Senator Scott Brown (R-MA) thinks so. So does Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR). And Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT). Senators Brown, Wyden and Sanders have introduced the “Empowering States to Innovate Act.” Ezra Klein blogs that the Senators may have found a way forward on health reform. “If a state can think of a plan that covers as many people, with as comprehensive insurance, at as low a cost, without adding to the deficit, the state can get the money the federal government would’ve given it for health-care reform but be freed from the individual mandate, the exchanges, the insurance requirements, the subsidy scheme and pretty much everything else in the bill,” Ezra Klein writes. “If conservative solutions are more efficient, that will be clear when their ben... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4190154 Mon, 22 Nov 2010 13:00:00 +0100 4190154 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4183297&cid=t_101565_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Femployers-up-the-ante-for-workers-health%2F2010.11.19 More than half of employers are likely to keep offering insurance rather than use state health insurance exchanges when they become available under health care reform in 2014, reported a survey by an insurance broker. Willis Human Capital Practice released results of its Health Care Reform Survey 2010, which showed 55 percent of employers would keep their health plans in 2014 even if the new state exchanges offer competitive prices. The survey sampled 1,400 employers of varying sizes, industry sectors and geographies whose plans cover more than 9 million employees and dependents (including retirees). Key findings from the survey include: • 88 percent believe that group health plan costs will increase as a result of health care reform; • 76 percent expect administrative compliance co... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4183297 Fri, 19 Nov 2010 15:00:00 +0100 4183297 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4175696&cid=t_101565_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Falcoholic-energy-drinks-health-hazards-and-bannings%2F2010.11.17 In this video, you will see an interview I was asked to do on November 11th on local TV about alcoholic energy drinks like Four Loko that has been in the news recently. I talk about the potential harmful effects of the ingredients of a product like this. As of this posting there have been a number of states, colleges, and universities who have taken steps to ban these type of beverages.   At the end of the interview, I talk about how I don’t think banning a product like this is going to solve the problem. In the article “Banning Four Loko Doesn’t Solve Problems,” Alex Belz from The North Wind explains: It seems these health officials are either unaware of or choosing to ignore the fact that combining a caffeinated beverage with an alcoholic one is a time-tested... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4175696 Wed, 17 Nov 2010 15:00:00 +0100 4175696 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4172039&cid=t_101565_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FDJYxdqdNbgU%2F By Andrew J. CoulsonThe current issue of the Chronicle of Higher Education features a story by a professional ghost-writer of college student papers. One passage in particular caught my eye: it’s hard to determine which course of study is most infested with cheating. But I’d say education is the worst. I’ve written papers for students in elementary-education programs, special-education majors, and ESL-training courses. I’ve written lesson plans for aspiring high-school teachers, and I’ve synthesized reports from notes that customers have taken during classroom observations. I’ve written essays for those studying to become school administrators, and I’ve completed theses for those on course to become principals…. This is of course the weakest ... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4172039 Tue, 16 Nov 2010 22:24:31 +0100 4172039 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4172060&cid=t_101565_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fcaregivers%2F2010.11.16 It was a straightforward phone message (names changed): “Hey Dr. S., this is Bobbie Jones, April Dixon’s granddaughter. I was calling to inform you that April passed away today at City Hospital. They said she was bleeding in her stomach or something. I’m not quite what sure what happened, but she got real sick. But she’s gone, so, thanks so much. You’ve been a real neat doctor, and it’s been good working with you through the years taking care of my grandmother. Take care. Bye.” Bobbie Jones is a saint. Pure and simple. She took care of her 88-year-old grandmother with tender, loving care. I am certain if left to the vagaries of the “healthcare system” that her grandmother would have died at least three years ago, maybe earlier. Ms. Jone... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4172060 Tue, 16 Nov 2010 17:00:00 +0100 4172060 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4167972&cid=t_101565_90_f&fid=36413&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.dcscience.net%2F%3Fp%3D3675 Jump to follow-up The mainstream media eventually catch up with bloggers. BBC1 TV (Wales) produced an excellent TV programme that exposed the enormous degree validation scam run by the University of Wales. It also exposed the uselessness of the Quality Assurance Agency (QAA). Both these things have been written about repeatedly here for some years. It was good to see them getting wider publicity. Watch the video of the BBC programme, "Week In Week Out – University Challenged." “The programme examines how pop stars and evangelical Christians are running colleges offering courses validated by the University of Wales.” (I make a brief appearance, talking about validation of degrees in Chinese Medicine). In October 2008 I posted Another worthless validation: the Un... DC's goodscience blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4167972 Mon, 15 Nov 2010 20:45:22 +0100 4167972 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4167958&cid=t_101565_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fhappy-birthday-baby-boomers-one-more-eligible-for-medicare-every-8-seconds%2F2010.11.15 Today begins a lame duck session of Congress before it breaks for Thanksgiving. It’s the final chance to work out a temporary patch to Medicare reimbursement before a 23 percent cut takes effect Dec. 1. Doctors are going to stop taking new Medicare patients if the cuts happen. And, as one breast cancer surgeon explains, if Medicare stops paying, so to private insurers and even military health programs. Congress will meet in December, but the damage will be done. This all is happening two weeks before the baby boomers become eligible for Medicare. That populous generation starts to turn 65 beginning on Jan. 1, which means they become eligible for Medicare on Dec. 1, which, as we mentioned, is the day the 23 percent Medicare pay cut kicks in. Boomers will continue to become eligible ... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4167958 Mon, 15 Nov 2010 19:00:00 +0100 4167958 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4245626&cid=t_101565_175_f&fid=39258&url=http%3A%2F%2Fmypatraining.com%2F2010%2F11%2F13%2Fwhite-coat-origins-meaning-of-the-clincicians-uniform-part-1-of-2%2F In just a few weeks, my classmates and I will participate in what has become a right of passage for medical students: the white coat ceremony.  The ceremony commemorates the formal presentation and donning of the white lab coat for medical students, and like any symbolic act, it is interpreted differently depending on whom you [...] (Source: Palpating the Field) Palpating the Field blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4245626 Sun, 14 Nov 2010 06:49:32 +0100 4245626 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4164729&cid=t_101565_175_f&fid=39258&url=http%3A%2F%2Fmypatraining.com%2F2010%2F11%2F13%2Fwhite-coat-origins-meaning-of-the-clincicians-uniform-part-1-of-2%2F In just a few weeks, my classmates and I will participate in what has become a right of passage for medical students: the white coat ceremony.  The ceremony commemorates the formal presentation and donning of the white lab coat for medical students, and like any symbolic act, it is interpreted differently depending on whom you [...] (Source: Palpating the Field) Palpating the Field blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4164729 Sun, 14 Nov 2010 06:49:32 +0100 4164729 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4159241&cid=t_101565_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fmore-doctors-are-refusing-industry-perks-and-gifts%2F2010.11.12 Physicians and particularly primary care doctors are reporting fewer industry ties than five years ago, according to a survey. While 94% of doctors reported some type of perk from a drug or device maker in 2004, 83.8% did in 2009, researchers reported in the Nov. 8 Archives of Internal Medicine. Researchers surveyed a stratified random sample of 2,938 primary care physicians (internal medicine, family practice, and pediatrics) and specialists (cardiology, general surgery, psychiatry and anesthesiology) with a 64.4% response rate. (more…) *This blog post was originally published at ACP Internist* (Source: Better Health) Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4159241 Fri, 12 Nov 2010 15:00:00 +0100 4159241 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4155229&cid=t_101565_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2F8cuexlB0bA0%2F This study compares the percentages of students scoring at advanced levels across countries, and it controls for the confounding effects of differing populations of disadvantaged groups. When the researchers looked exclusively at white students and at students with at least one parent with a college degree, the results remained largely the same. Among white students, for instance, 8 percent of Americans scored “advanced” in math, landing us in 25th place among nations for which scores were available–behind nearly every other advanced industrialized nation on Earth. And the highest ranked U.S. state, Massachusetts, trails the overall averages of 14 nations. This may come as a shock to those who imagined that America’s educational shortcomings were restricted to inne... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4155229 Wed, 10 Nov 2010 20:55:45 +0100 4155229