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 'communication'. Sat, 03 Sep 2011 01:50:01 +0100 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5181799&cid=t_100060_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fimproving-doctor-patient-communication-to-provide-patient-centered-care%2F2011.09.01 The first experience patients are likely to have with your hospital is not in an ER visit or inpatient stay.  A patient’s first experience will most likely be in one of your primary-care physician offices.  That because a person is 10 times more likely during a year to end up in the physician’s office for a routine visit than they are to require an overnight hospital stay. As a hospital marketer or patient experience officer this should raise an interesting question. How well do your physicians–particularly your primary-care physicians–represent your brand? Take “patient-centeredness.” Lots of hospitals these days are promoting themselves as providing patient-centered care.  You know … when the hospital and its staff try where possible to be sensitive to and honor the wish... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5181799 Thu, 01 Sep 2011 18:00:05 +0100 5181799 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5182372&cid=t_100060_180_f&fid=38607&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fsuccessbeginstoday%2FBHWQ%2F%7E3%2F7LXk__7Ztaw%2F In my first experiment creating a motivational video presentation, I decided to start with the basics. I stood in front of a white wall and shot a video of myself. In my first attempt, I stood next to a flat screen TV with a Powerpoint (Keynote) presentation on it. As I spoke, I advanced the slides on the monitor. While this worked well in theory, the video camera had real trouble picking up the video presentation. The slides were all washed out and hard to read. Back to the drawing board. I did some searching on Google for techniques to include a PowerPoint style presentation into a video using iMovie. After a few minutes, I ran across a youtube video showing a technique to include a second video on the screen using the built-in picture in a picture function. I’ve used iMovie for a whi... Success Begins Today blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5182372 Thu, 01 Sep 2011 01:30:34 +0100 5182372 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5181871&cid=t_100060_107_f&fid=34860&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.corporeality.net%2Fmuseion%2F2011%2F08%2F31%2Fmundane-design-vs-fine-sci-art-as-two-realms-of-aesthetic-practice-in-science-communication%2F Here’s my abstract for a panel on the role of the humanities in science communication that Joan Leach in the Science Communication programme, U Queensland, is putting together for the PCST-12 meeting in Florence next spring: Mundane Design vs. Fine Sci-Art: Two Realms of Aesthetic Practice in Science Communication Sci-art has become an increasingly important dimension of science communication through printed media, museums, science centers and the web. Ranging from beautiful images on scientific journal covers to tissue-engineered wet-art installations, sci-art has become a recognised subgenre of the contemporary fine arts; it has entered art schools and caught the interest of gallery owners and art reviewers. It has also drawn the attention of major funding agencies, like the Well... Biomedicine on Display blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5181871 Wed, 31 Aug 2011 05:38:14 +0100 5181871 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5174611&cid=t_100060_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fcancer-drug-demonstrates-no-survival-benefit-receives-fda-approval%2F2011.08.29 Recently, the FDA announced its approval, upon accelerated review, of a new drug, Adcetris (brentuximab) for patients with Hodgkin’s lymphoma that has relapsed after bone marrow transplant and for some patients with T-cell anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL). This interests me for a lot of reasons, among them that I used to work in the field of lymphoma immunology and spent some time in my life studying molecules like CD30, the protein to which the new antibody binds. First, a mini-primer on the disease and numbers of patients involved: (more…) *This blog post was originally published at Medical Lessons* (Source: Better Health) Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5174611 Mon, 29 Aug 2011 21:00:19 +0100 5174611 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5169553&cid=t_100060_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fgreat-clinical-care-and-excellent-bedside-manner-are-they-mutually-exclusive%2F2011.08.26 The New York Times recently published an article titled, Finding a Quality Doctor, Dr. Danielle Ofri an internist at NYU, laments how she was unable to perform as well as expected in the areas of patient care as it related to diabetes.  From the August 2010 New England Journal of Medicine article, Dr. Ofri notes that her report card showed the following – 33% of patients with diabetes have glycated hemoglobin levels at goal, 44% have cholesterol levels at goal, and a measly 26% have blood pressure at goal.  She correctly notes that these measurements alone aren’t what makes a doctor a good quality one, but rather the areas of interpersonal skills, compassion, and empathy, which most of us would agree constitute a doctor’s bedside manner, should count as well. Her articl... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5169553 Fri, 26 Aug 2011 14:00:00 +0100 5169553 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5158991&cid=t_100060_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fimproving-surgical-residents-bedside-manner%2F2011.08.25 I was alerted to this Archives of Surgery article (full reference below) by MedPage Today:  Role Playing Boosts Surgical Residents’ Bedside Manner. I find it intriguing.  Role playing gives you a chance for a “do-over” when you make a social or communication faux pas. So much of medicine is communication.  Those of us who have been at it for years, deliver bad news differently (learned the hard way) now than we did previously.  You choose your words more carefully (though I still occasionally screw up).  Some words are more emotionally charged than others.  Some patients want more information than others. The University of Connecticut Health Center conducted a prospective study  of a pilot project designed to  teach surgical residents patient-centered communication skills... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5158991 Fri, 26 Aug 2011 00:15:00 +0100 5158991 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5159921&cid=t_100060_180_f&fid=38607&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fsuccessbeginstoday%2FBHWQ%2F%7E3%2Fg7buknRwxdY%2F Yesterday we talked about creating Quick Response Business Cards. (Be sure to watch the accompanying video on that post to see how they work). Here is a template in Photoshop and a short tutorial. This template requires a basic working knowledge of Photoshop. We also have a fun template in Microsoft Publisher format if you don’t have Photoshop that will create similar cards. Here is what our basic Photoshop template looks like… A finished card will look like this… Photoshop Template Instructions: Open the 300 dpi Quick Response Card PSD template in Photoshop Copy and paste your logo, graphic, or photo in the logo area Go to a Quick Response Generator such as this and create a code for your website or video link. Copy and paste your QR code graphic into the code area of the card Re... Success Begins Today blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5159921 Thu, 25 Aug 2011 13:37:02 +0100 5159921 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5158858&cid=t_100060_86_f&fid=36669&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffadelibrary.wordpress.com%2F2011%2F08%2F23%2Fhow-to-guide-improving-transitions-from-the-hospital-to-home-health-care-to-reduce-avoidable-rehospitalizations%2F Scan or click to download 'How-to Guide: Improving Transitions from the Hospital to Home Health Care to Reduce Avoidable Rehospitalizations' Title: How-to Guide: Improving Transitions from the Hospital to Home Health Care to Reduce Avoidable Rehospitalizations The Skinny: Guide from Institute for Health Improvement on avoiding avoidable rehospitalisations as a result of poor co-ordination of care settings. Avoiding this is a key step toward achieving broader delivery system transformation. Based on the healthcare system of the USA this guide is of use to those looking to aviod rehospitalisation on return to the community detailing initial steps to create an enhanced transition to home health care in the first 48 hours after the patient is discharged from the hospital, a post-acut... Fade Library blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5158858 Tue, 23 Aug 2011 07:59:04 +0100 5158858 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5139615&cid=t_100060_86_f&fid=35599&url=http%3A%2F%2Fshrlibrary.blogspot.com%2F2011%2F08%2Fcommunicating-risks-and-benefits.html The FDA has published, for free as a pdf, a resource addressing evidence around risk communication, which is "the term of art used for situations when people need good information to make sound choices... commitment to accuracy and avoidance of spin".  Chapter topics include Quantitative and Qualitative information, Health Literacy, Affect and Emotion, Readability, Shared Decision Making, and Practitioner and Agency perspectives.  To access the full text click herehttp://feeds.feedburner.com/blogspot/mNAX (Source: SHR Medical Library) SHR Medical Library blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5139615 Wed, 17 Aug 2011 22:03:00 +0100 5139615 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5139637&cid=t_100060_86_f&fid=36669&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffadelibrary.wordpress.com%2F2011%2F08%2F17%2Fdeveloping-health-communication-research-a-focus-on-communicable-diseases%25e2%2580%2594challenges-and-opportunities%2F Title: Developing health communication research: a focus on communicable diseases—challenges and opportunities Scan or click to download Developing health communication research: a focus on communicable diseases—challenges and opportunities The Skinny: Health communication represents an innovative approach to applied communication research in the European Union (EU). A large number of public health interventions in the EU related to communicable diseases include health communication objectives. Publisher: European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control Published: Dec 2010 Size: 12p. Filed under: Ooops Missed Category! Tagged: Communicable disease control, Communication, Grey Literature, Health communication (Source: Fade Library) Fade Library blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5139637 Wed, 17 Aug 2011 14:15:19 +0100 5139637 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5130653&cid=t_100060_86_f&fid=36669&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffadelibrary.wordpress.com%2F2011%2F08%2F15%2Facute-care-toolkit-for-handover%2F Scan or click to download Title: Acute Medicine Toolkit May 2011 The Skinny: Royal College of Physicians toolkit on handover in acute settings which includes concise practical guidance to enhance patient safety, medical effectiveness and high quality service and training within current working patterns. Publisher: RCP Published: 11/07/11 Size: 4p. Additional Documents Handover Proceedings Sheet Out of Hours Handover Filed under: Ooops Missed Category! Tagged: Clinical Governance, Communication, Grey Literature, Information exchange, Information management, Information transfer, Management, Medical communication, Medical information exchange, Medical Staff, Patient Safety, Quality, Quality control, Quality Improvement, Safety (Source: Fade Library) Fade Library blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5130653 Mon, 15 Aug 2011 14:36:35 +0100 5130653 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5131080&cid=t_100060_180_f&fid=38607&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fsuccessbeginstoday%2FBHWQ%2F%7E3%2FuLzcKkboecQ%2F If you are in business or building a platform to promote yourself, you’ve probably had the need for effective marketing materials. Business cards, letterhead, reply cards, one sheets, and promotional flyers, are very helpful to get the word out. To get a good price, you have probably found you need to order a relatively large order and wait at least a week to get them back from the printer. This usually means that your materials are relatively generic and usually boring! But what about the times you are at a trade show and need a custom response card. How about when you are at a networking event and need to customize your business cards. You have probably taken out a pen and written additional information on the back. This week I’d like to show you how to create high quality promotion... Success Begins Today blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5131080 Mon, 15 Aug 2011 13:27:16 +0100 5131080 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5130668&cid=t_100060_86_f&fid=36669&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffadelibrary.wordpress.com%2F2011%2F08%2F15%2Fdiversion-pathfinder-selection-for-children-and-young-people%2F Scan or click to download 'Diversion pathfinder selection for children and young people' Title: Diversion pathfinder selection for children and young people The Skinny: Invitation from DH Offender Health to submit expressions of interest to become a youth justice point of arrest diversion pathfinder. Funding is available to provide identification of health needs and other vulnerabilities and support under 18 year olds into interventions at the earliest stage possible. Publisher: DH Size: 16p. Published: 03/03/11 Supplementary Documents: Background Scope Document: Pathfinders for Children and Young People Point of Arrest Diversion Application guidance for Children and Young People Point of Arrest Diversion Pathfinders Application form Youth Justice Liaison and Diversion process ... Fade Library blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5130668 Mon, 15 Aug 2011 07:27:47 +0100 5130668 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5131081&cid=t_100060_180_f&fid=38607&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fsuccessbeginstoday%2FBHWQ%2F%7E3%2FlkyKDThBgCk%2F This was our fifth theme based week on Success Begins Today. The theme was motivational speaking and featured a speech planning sheet.. Theme: Motivational Speaking Monday: How To Become a Motivational Speaker An overview of motivational speaking and the P.A.R. method Tuesday: Becoming a Motivational Speaker: Part 2 Have you accomplished great things or been through a major adversity? Why not speak… Wednesday: Public Speaking: Going From Free to Fee How to actually make money speaking… Friday: Create Custom Resources for Your Speaking Business Match your resources to your audience with these low cost items… Links mentioned during the week: Toastmasters World Championship of Speaking. Darren LaCroix Ed Tate Simple P.A.R. worksheet Nancy Duarte’s Powerful TED speech Toastma... Success Begins Today blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5131081 Sun, 14 Aug 2011 15:27:12 +0100 5131081 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5125984&cid=t_100060_180_f&fid=38607&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fsuccessbeginstoday%2FBHWQ%2F%7E3%2FrexrvZgCH6A%2F In our earlier posts this week, we talked about creating a Motivational Speech and building a business around it. One of the keys has been to narrowly focus your niche to reach a specific group of people. Once you do this you’ll need to create resources to reach out to them. Since you may only be speaking to this group once or presenting and doing a follow up training, your resources will work better if they are custom designed for your group’s specific needs. As a speaker, you may have business cards, letterhead, and possibly a one-sheet, created with your name and business entity on them. Since these materials are relatively generic, you can order a large quantity at a time. But when you want to focus on a smaller group, say a 100 people at a conference, it becomes impractical to ord... Success Begins Today blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5125984 Thu, 11 Aug 2011 13:41:48 +0100 5125984 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5119038&cid=t_100060_180_f&fid=38607&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fsuccessbeginstoday%2FBHWQ%2F%7E3%2FrEb4aN4bF1k%2F Are you a struggling public speaker? Do you have a compelling message, amazing experiences, and a mastery of the English language? Do you dress well, smell good, and brush your teeth? If so, why hasn’t someone hired you to speak? That is the question that many people in the Toastmasters organization ask themselves. They go through the basic program, they refine their speaking and presentation skills, and they have totally killed any instance of UM, AH, or You Know from their vocabulary. They are great speakers. Yet nobody is knocking on their doors to have them speak. Yet other people, with little or no speaking experience, are making a good living from speaking to groups. Why is this? It doesn’t seem right. What is wrong with this picture? It comes down to one thing… The message is... Success Begins Today blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5119038 Wed, 10 Aug 2011 13:38:08 +0100 5119038 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5118692&cid=t_100060_107_f&fid=34860&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.corporeality.net%2Fmuseion%2F2011%2F08%2F10%2Fscience-communication-after-information%2F Even more thoughts after reading How We Became Posthuman (other posts are here and here). I think part of my fascination with the book is that it inadvertently articulates what I see to be a watershed change that has happened in the past ten years or so – the change from an informational paradigm to a new, more material one. And working with science communication now, the need to articulate the contours of this change seems urgent. One of the key elements in Hayles’ book is the detailed analysis of how information lost its body. Information, she argues, gained an almost transcendental status, as something that could move more or less unaffected through different media. It was as if the world was given a new realm of being, a pure digital substratum where information cascaded throug... Biomedicine on Display blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5118692 Wed, 10 Aug 2011 09:17:01 +0100 5118692 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5119044&cid=t_100060_180_f&fid=38612&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fpickthebrain%2FLYVv%2F%7E3%2F7_KyNKVn7oA%2F Conclusion So the next time you need help with something, only take advice from 1 person. Don’t complicate this stuff. Getting a second opinion is fine, just don’t let it conflict with your goals.   ———————————————– Keith Lai is the author of the fitness blog FitMole.com where he talks about his simple and flexible approach to all things fitness. He also has a big mole on his face. You can keep up with him on Twitter and Facebook here and here. Art Credit: Roy Lichtenstein Don’t forget to follow PickTheBrain on Twitter! : Finding Bliss: How to Reverse Engineer Happiness The 6 Components of a Happy Life     (Source: PickTheBrain | Motivation and Self Improve... PickTheBrain | Motivation and Self Improvement blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5119044 Wed, 10 Aug 2011 06:14:57 +0100 5119044 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5107964&cid=t_100060_180_f&fid=38607&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fsuccessbeginstoday%2FBHWQ%2F%7E3%2FpCc_q8C9Ihw%2F Yesterday we talked about what it takes to become a motivational speaker. You could boil it down into two words… Problem Solver. If you can identify people’s problems, give them action steps to take, and show them the results they can get, you have put together a very powerful speech. There is another popular method that World Champions, Ed Tate and Darren LaCroix talked about that may be a good fit for you. It’s a simple three word combination… Then, Now, How… If you have a major accomplishment in your life or have overcome a major adversity, this method may provide a good outline for a motivational presentation. The key is CONTRAST. You need to contrast the past with the present and give your listeners a roadmap of how you got from then to now. We have all heard presentations f... Success Begins Today blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5107964 Tue, 09 Aug 2011 13:41:44 +0100 5107964 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5107965&cid=t_100060_180_f&fid=38607&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fsuccessbeginstoday%2FBHWQ%2F%7E3%2Fab5o7LHBCz0%2F We’ve all been there. Sitting in a stadium or other large venue, listening to a speaker that captivates the crowd. Their words pierce the air, and their call to action is so powerful that hundreds or thousands of people rise to their feet, and move forward. Whether it’s a passionate preacher, a compelling leader, or someone that can tell you how to pull up your bootstraps and change your life, the true motivational speaker will leave you a changed person when you leave the event. I’ve often dreamed about being that person. The bright lights, the thousands of faces, the powerful words, the life changing material… and more than anything else… the voice of someone who comes up after the event and says their life has been changed for the better. That they were able to overcome and c... Success Begins Today blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5107965 Mon, 08 Aug 2011 13:20:09 +0100 5107965 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5107574&cid=t_100060_107_f&fid=34860&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.corporeality.net%2Fmuseion%2F2011%2F08%2F08%2Fare-science-and-society-frenemies-and-what-if-anything-does-this-mean-for-sci-med-tech-communication%2F Sometimes conference announcements only become interesting in the very last sentence. Like this one for “Frenemies: The love-hate relationsship between science and society”, taking place at Universiteit Twente on 14 September. Science is put in the dock, so it seems. Experts are under attack, there is public agitation on the internet. Yet we cherish expertise as never before, and cite expert sources whenever they suit us. Are we friends, or enemies, or both? [...] This symposium looks at the dynamic role of expertise in our society. How should we understand the notion of expertise? What operates as credible expertise, and when? Is scientific expertise overrated, and are other forms of expertise too easily dismissed? Or is it precisely the other way around? Seems like any othe... Biomedicine on Display blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5107574 Mon, 08 Aug 2011 12:03:04 +0100 5107574 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5097181&cid=t_100060_180_f&fid=38607&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fsuccessbeginstoday%2FBHWQ%2F%7E3%2Fs1XGhJRx7L0%2F For the last week I’ve struggled with an ongoing debate among the bloggers that I follow. It boils down to a simple question… Should I put up a blog post every day? It sounds simple enough, but there are powerful arguments on both sides. Here are the competing voices Pro: Popular bloggers like Chris Brogan and Michael Hyatt suggest that you build your platform by blogging on a regular basis. They argue that you should aim for a post (almost)every day. This builds consistency with your readers, gives you lots of content, and helps your readers form a daily reading habit. It brings people back. Mike Lieberman adds to the discussion with a compelling post with six great reasons to blog every day. They include… Search engines re-index your website every time there is an update. Search ... Success Begins Today blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5097181 Fri, 05 Aug 2011 13:41:33 +0100 5097181 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5096205&cid=t_100060_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fwill-patients-accept-the-patient-portal-as-the-next-big-thing%2F2011.08.04 There seems to be an inverse relationship between the amount of spin one hears about “the next big thing”…and reality.    First it was EMRs and virtual e-visits, then social media, and now patient portals seem poised to be next big thing.  The drumbeat of vendors and pundits is unmistakable….physicians that don’t adapt will be toast.   It can all sound pretty convincing until you ask to see the evidence.  What do patients think? Take the physician patient portal.   If you read between the lines, patient portals are frequently being positioned as the new “front door” to physician practices.   By signing on to a secure website patients will have real time access to the electronic health record and will be able to communicate with their physicians by e-mail.   Addit... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5096205 Thu, 04 Aug 2011 16:00:59 +0100 5096205 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5086370&cid=t_100060_127_f&fid=38260&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.amacf.org%2F2011%2F07%2Fhuman-cancer-gene-gets-green-light-for-patent.html In a 2:1 decision handed down by Judge Lourie, the United States Court of appeals of the Federal Circuit ruled that “On the merits, we reverse the district court’s decision that Myriad’s composition claims to ‘isolated’ DNA molecules cover patent-ineligible products of nature under § 101 since molecules as claimed do not exist in nature”. (Source: Alternative Medicine Blog) Alternative Medicine Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5086370 Sat, 30 Jul 2011 17:42:05 +0100 5086370 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5077684&cid=t_100060_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fpatient-empowerment-has-the-potential-to-be-problematic%2F2011.07.29 Let me say first that I am a practicing primary care doctor who is very much focused on patient centered care.  Though I cannot go back to being a patient who is unaware about what a doctor does, the terminology she uses, or what the importance of certain test results are, I can empathize with the overwhelming amounts of information, challenges, and stressors patients and families can have in navigating the healthcare system to get the right care.  This is the reason I wrote my book. However, over the past few months I’ve noticed a particularly disturbing trend.  Patients are not consulting doctors for advice, but rather demanding testing for diagnoses which are not even remote possibilities.  A little knowledge can be dangerous particularly in the context of little to no clinica... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5077684 Fri, 29 Jul 2011 21:00:00 +0100 5077684 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5069471&cid=t_100060_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fwhen-physicians-fail-to-take-responsibility-for-their-own-orders%2F2011.07.27 A physician asked me a question regarding what should be the role of hospitalists in carrying out discharge orders written by other physicians. I have been following your blog since I was a resident and recommend it to a lot of people.  Thank you so much for enlightening me on so many day to day hospital issues.  I wanted to know your opinion about something that puzzles me.  When a specialist changes a medication or requires a lab to be done as outpatient after a discharge order is written (for example you write: okay to D/C if okay with cardiology, and they change a dose or request stress test out-pt) who is required to write the new scripts and arrange that test? Is it the hospitalist’s responsibility to do it? Or is the specialist who changed the dose after you rounded require... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5069471 Wed, 27 Jul 2011 21:00:00 +0100 5069471 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5078074&cid=t_100060_180_f&fid=38607&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fsuccessbeginstoday%2FBHWQ%2F%7E3%2F8-PwtUaGyt8%2F We have all been there, the after lunch presentation that takes two hours, has 500 bullet points, and puts the most well intentioned person to sleep. Yet year after year, the standard Powerpoint snooze-fest continues. People keep filling slides with bullets in ever smaller font sizes and stand in front of everybody and read the slides to them. My response: I don’t need you to read your slides to me… If you want me to read this stuff give me a printout and let me get back to work. I would like to share with you today some ideas to take your next presentation to a new level. One where people pay attention, and actually look forward to the next slide. Here are seven points that will help your audience focus on what you have to say.. 1. Start at the Beginning. Research has shown that our... Success Begins Today blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5078074 Wed, 27 Jul 2011 13:31:45 +0100 5078074 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5069849&cid=t_100060_180_f&fid=38607&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fsuccessbeginstoday%2FBHWQ%2F%7E3%2F_QufFu4sp6A%2F If you are a writer, speaker, entrepreneur, or small business person, you may find the need to create a website for yourself. This can be an overwhelming task for many people. Where do you even start? Do you need to learn HTML, buy hosting, and pay a few hundred dollars for a program like Dreamweaver? Will this get you what you need? Do you need to hire someone to do the work for you? While this is the course that many people took in the past, designing a professional website now is much easier. You need three things to get started… Web hosting from a reputable company Make sure they have good uptime Look for a hosting account that allows multiple domain accounts Look for a good initial price Look for a good upgrade path for future traffic expansion WordPress installed on your ho... Success Begins Today blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5069849 Tue, 26 Jul 2011 12:06:54 +0100 5069849 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5062525&cid=t_100060_180_f&fid=38607&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fsuccessbeginstoday%2FBHWQ%2F%7E3%2FCEhqG7Kd9sI%2F This was our second theme based week on Success Begins Today. The theme was communication and featured a free book giveaway. Theme: Communication Monday: Making A True Connection We all communicate, but do we truly connect? Tuesday: Communicating Your Title The words you use in your title say a lot about you. Choose wisely. Thursday: Google Plus: What Will You Write? A post about creating your about page for Google Plus and the Throne of Agony. Friday: Good Morning, Mike Guest post by Sarah McGaugh on using a greeting to change someone’s life. Links mentioned during the week: Everyone Communicates, Few Connect. Sally Hogshead Fascinate Test Throne of Creative Agony Career Builder Article Google Plus Bird in your Hand Additional References: John Maxwell: Everyone Communicates Book Page K... Success Begins Today blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5062525 Sun, 24 Jul 2011 15:16:23 +0100 5062525 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5057721&cid=t_100060_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fone-physician-learns-to-efficiently-manage-her-electronic-medical-records%2F2011.07.23 My practice has been using the EPIC electronic medical record for 5 years now, and it’s taken about that long for me to figure out how to tweak the system to make myself more efficient, and for the system to evolve to a place where I could tweak it myself. Case in point – Quick Actions. EPIC’s most recent upgrade includes little self-made macros called “quick actions” that turn repetitive tasks into a mouse click. I’m using quick actions to manage my results in basket in much the same way you may be using Rules in Outlook to manage your email. Some of my macros are actually little work-arounds for a system that is not yet entirely integrated and a patient population that has not yet embraced online results communication. About half of my patients sign up for online results – ... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5057721 Sat, 23 Jul 2011 19:00:03 +0100 5057721 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5057762&cid=t_100060_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F07%2F23%2Fthe-critical-thinking-coach-interview-with-stephen-haggerty%2F Stephen Haggerty is a 2011 recipient of Eastern Kentucky University’s Critical Thinking Teacher of the year award.  The award is given to recognize “outstanding faculty members who have had an effect on developing their students’ critical/creative thinking skills.” (Read more about the award at Think EKU.) In this two-part interview I discuss critical thinking with Stephen Haggerty. What is the primary goal of critical thinking? If I am a critical thinker, I am thinking things through before making choices.  In other words, a fundamental goal of critical thinking is to be able to consider multiple perspectives before deciding to act upon information, a person’s request, or even something like buying car or a house. A critical thinker in school will be more success... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5057762 Sat, 23 Jul 2011 16:44:52 +0100 5057762 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5057726&cid=t_100060_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthecommunications.files.wordpress.com%2F2011%2F07%2Ftime-and-money.jpg “I don’t have the time…I don’t get reimbursed for that.”  This is an all too common refrain from primary care physicians and practice managers when ever the subject of improving physician-patient communications comes up. I get it.   Primary care physicians in particular are under tremendous pressure to produce.   Just imagine…physicians in small primary care practices spend about 3.5 hours/week just on dealing with insurance-related paperwork.  Then there’s keeping up with recommended treatment guidelines, journals, and IT issues and routine staffing issues…not to mention routine patient care, much of which they in fact do not get paid for.  Physicians do have it rough right now. But Doctors Can Sometimes Be Their Own Worst Enemies Currently, in just about every St... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5057726 Fri, 22 Jul 2011 18:00:52 +0100 5057726 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5051316&cid=t_100060_180_f&fid=38607&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fsuccessbeginstoday%2FBHWQ%2F%7E3%2FKj6TKYVvaIE%2F This is a guest post by Sarah McGaugh. She is a teacher, entertainer, four star general, and nurse: in other words, a mom. After many years of a fulfilling career as a high school English teacher who loved being in her classroom with her students, she now stays at home to home school her two young children and also works as a freelance editor. Her philosophy is simple: find the magic in the ordinary, laugh whenever possible, and embrace the joy that was meant for you. You can read more from Sarah on her blog, Bird in your Hand. In the fall of 2003, when I was a first year teacher who had both the advantage and disadvantage of knowing hardly a thing about teaching, I met Mike. A seventeen-year-old junior in my English class, Mike wore a thick black hooded sweatshirt everyday, even in the d... Success Begins Today blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5051316 Fri, 22 Jul 2011 13:01:49 +0100 5051316 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5051317&cid=t_100060_180_f&fid=38607&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fsuccessbeginstoday%2FBHWQ%2F%7E3%2FmSdsEPwRibQ%2F I’ve had the privilege of using Google Plus in beta format for the last few weeks. Plus is the new social network from Google, that is similar to Facebook. It has a timeline and allows you to interact with friends with an interface called circles. You group your friends in different circles (such as work, family, friends, etc) and interact with them through posts, video, chat, and even group video chat. This circle feature is a big step ahead in Social Media and the reason that many people will migrate from Facebook to Google Plus. There are so many tools and features in Google+ that you will certainly want to take the interactive tour and sign up for an account. Once you do, you will be presented with a Profile Screen. This is where I want to challenge you today. I want to know what you... Success Begins Today blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5051317 Wed, 20 Jul 2011 13:01:36 +0100 5051317 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5051311&cid=t_100060_180_f&fid=38604&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fmakeitgreat%2F%7E3%2FLuyxV3o-wP8%2F Note from Phil: What follows is an awesome guest post from Jodi Glickman, author of Great on the Job: What to Say, How to Say It. The Secrets of Getting Ahead. Time and time again, I’m asked about the most important qualities needed to get ahead in the workplace. Is it technical prowess? Good networking skills? The right timing, or just plain good luck? I don’t think it’s any of these, actually. Instead, I’d argue that dynamic and honed communication skills are the keys to success at work. Sure, we all need to be technically proficient to do our jobs well. But technical skills aren’t enough. They are simply “check the box” skills, meaning you’ve got to have them to get-by. But to make it to the top, to advance through an organization, to get promoted, to be compensated wel... Phil Gerbyshak blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5051311 Wed, 20 Jul 2011 13:00:00 +0100 5051311 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5051318&cid=t_100060_180_f&fid=38607&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fsuccessbeginstoday%2FBHWQ%2F%7E3%2F4JMwFxnaffY%2F In yesterday’s post, we looked at some material from John Maxwell’s book, “Everyone communicates, few connect.” One of his main points is… “Connecting is the ability to identify with people and relate to them in a way that increases your influence with them.” One of the most important ways we communicate with others is by our title or job description. It’s how we communicate who we are. This has become increasingly important with social media and entrepreneurs. When people look us up on the web or take one of our business cards they expect a title or job description of some sort. When they look us up on Twitter, they expect a few words of description about who we are and what we do. Here are a few of the descriptions that some of my Twitter contacts use… Author, Construct... Success Begins Today blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5051318 Tue, 19 Jul 2011 13:47:19 +0100 5051318 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5051319&cid=t_100060_180_f&fid=38607&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fsuccessbeginstoday%2FBHWQ%2F%7E3%2Fygk4Wj6F9h8%2F Do you communicate with others? I know I do. I talk on the phone, send e-mail, blast off tweets, update Facebook, and reply to comments on this blog. All forms of communication. But do I truly connect? Do I really turn these conversations into meaningful experiences or are they like passing comments in the hall… how ya doin’… fine… I’ve been reading a great book by John Maxwell, entitled “Everyone communicates, few connect.” This book has some eye opening statistics and revolves around a simple principle… “Connecting is the ability to identify with people and relate to them in a way that increases your influence with them.” He goes on to say… “The ability to communicate and connect with others is a major determining factor in reaching your potential. To be successf... Success Begins Today blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5051319 Mon, 18 Jul 2011 12:04:57 +0100 5051319 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5036620&cid=t_100060_180_f&fid=38607&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fsuccessbeginstoday%2FBHWQ%2F%7E3%2FawFiUfoWf6I%2F   Our theme this coming week will be Communication…   (Source: Success Begins Today) Success Begins Today blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5036620 Sun, 17 Jul 2011 14:33:36 +0100 5036620 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5036232&cid=t_100060_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fteamwork-and-good-communication-make-everything-better%2F2011.07.16 What? Just what am I talking about? Give me a minute. More and more people are telling me too often they are encountering doctors who 1) don’t look them in the eye 2) don’t listen to them 3) don’t touch them or get anywhere near them and 4) stay focused on their a) computer b) smartphone or c) iPad. More of us are saying we are “mad as hell and are not going to take it anymore” just like the character in the movie “Network” years ago. We find another doctor. I am happy to report that an increasing number of the gray haired doctors who run medical schools are agreeing with us. Doctors need to be better communicators. They need to celebrate human contact rather than devote themselves to only technology and leading edge science. The professors also want tomorrow’s doctors to ... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5036232 Sat, 16 Jul 2011 22:00:48 +0100 5036232 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5036235&cid=t_100060_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fshould-you-find-a-new-doctor%2F2011.07.16 Come  on people… you know what I am talking about.  Sure you are comfortable with your current doctor… after all you are still alive and kicking.  Besides it has taken you years to figure out what you can safely tell your doctor and when it’s ok to speak up.  Yes the fact that your doctor is often late and never seems to listen to you bothers you just a little.  But you aren’t displeased enough to stop giving your doctor high satisfaction scores.  After all who wants to upset their doctor?   But admit it; you have wondered if there isn’t a doctor out there that would be a better fit with you.   I know I have. Doctors probably feel the same way about many of their patients.   It can’t be easy everyday trying to help patients that don’t seem to want to help themselv... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5036235 Sat, 16 Jul 2011 14:00:02 +0100 5036235 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5029292&cid=t_100060_180_f&fid=38604&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fmakeitgreat%2F%7E3%2FdjV08J20gKo%2F One of the things I’m noticing as I consult with more and more businesses is they don’t have an email signature with their contact information and business name, making it nearly impossible to search for their phone number unless I add it immediately to my contacts or if I happen to have their business card handy. This makes it very hard for me to call you or follow up with you or refer business to you or do business with you. I have an easy fix for this: Create a business email signature and attach it automatically to every single email you send. There are some mandatory parts of a business signature, and some optional parts. I’ll break them down for you, and show you a completed example at the end. Mandatory Parts of A Business Email Signature These are the parts of a business ema... Phil Gerbyshak blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5029292 Thu, 14 Jul 2011 14:00:00 +0100 5029292 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5028556&cid=t_100060_113_f&fid=35744&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fe-CareManagement%2F%7E3%2FKoxg_7AJwv0%2F Click here or on the graphic to download a copy of my July 11 presentation from this year’s Healthcare Unbound conference. No tag for this post. (Source: e-CareManagement) e-CareManagement blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5028556 Wed, 13 Jul 2011 00:46:54 +0100 5028556 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5028336&cid=t_100060_93_f&fid=36531&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FJeffreyMD%2F%7E3%2FOOUP2O7Ei_E%2F The following post originally appeared on Medscape’s The Differential on January 12, 2011. ***** Knowing I had recently completed a rotation in OB/GYN, a friend asked me how they (medical schools) make male medical students understand what their pregnant patients feel like. It was an interesting question. And it got me thinking about understanding what our patients go through – no matter their age, or sex, or condition. As medical students, there is not much discussion about how our patients feel. Sure, there are classes about human suffering. But these classes deal with generalities. Each patient experiences their condition in their own unique way. To draw upon the obstetrical cases, telling a woman that she is pregnant can be met with a variety of responses that range from fear ... JeffreyMD.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5028336 Tue, 12 Jul 2011 05:28:24 +0100 5028336 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5028557&cid=t_100060_113_f&fid=35744&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fe-CareManagement%2F%7E3%2FeGWUB4gsJgQ%2F It’s understandable that a healthcare delivery system would have a mindset and business objective to keep referrals within its network of care providers. Businesses have a right and an obligation to try to hang on to their customers. It’s a different issue whether closed or walled garden HIT is an acceptable means toward that end. Outside of healthcare, we understand and can accept that businesses used closed, proprietary IT as part of their business model. Apple has designed their iPod with an eye toward incompatibility and high hassle factor in not being plug-and-play with other music players and systems. IMHO, however, healthcare is different. Keep your proprietary business model away from my body and gimme my damn data. Google+ v. Facebook on Data Portability We are witnessing an... e-CareManagement blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5028557 Sun, 10 Jul 2011 18:32:34 +0100 5028557 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5107805&cid=t_100060_133_f&fid=35084&url=https%3A%2F%2Fballastexistenz.wordpress.com%2F2011%2F07%2F07%2Fthank-goodness-for-that-instinct%2F That instinct was back again this week. I’m pretty sure I’ve written of it before. Despite terrible conscious body awareness, this instinct has popped up to save me more than once. It tells me “There’s something wrong with your body. If you don’t find a way to detect and treat it, you could die or end up in the hospital.” It sounds ominous but it’s not a panicked “OMG I’m going to die AAAAAAACK!!!!”, it’s more like a calm but firm realization. In the past, it has warned me of things like organ failure, untreated bronchiectasis (treated it’s only a little more dangerous than asthma, untreated it can kill you), and the beginnings of going septic. And this week it popped up two or three times (seemed like twice, but the ... Ballastexistenz blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5107805 Thu, 07 Jul 2011 19:00:10 +0100 5107805 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4997657&cid=t_100060_113_f&fid=35744&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fe-CareManagement%2F%7E3%2F1wckhjpaKlU%2F An earlier post — Could Facebook Be Your Platform for Care Coordination? resonated well with folks. Readers and commenters (on e-CareManagement and The Health Care Blog) quickly grasped that a social networking platform could play a very useful role in coordinating our health care, yet also agreed with the conclusion that Facebook wasn’t  “it”. So let’s ask the question again: Could Google+ be your platform for care coordination? This post will Describe Google+ and Circles Discuss how Google+ gets past some of Facebook’s limitations as a care coordination platform Comment on Google+ as a care coordination platform (promising, but too early to tell) (more…) Article Series - Social Networks and Care CoordinationCould Facebook Be Your Platform for ... e-CareManagement blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4997657 Mon, 04 Jul 2011 23:24:57 +0100 4997657 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4992685&cid=t_100060_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fnurse-prompts-are-key-to-successful-implementation-of-icu-safety-measures%2F2011.07.02 Over the last few years, you may have heard a lot about the value of checklists in ICU medicine and their ability to reduce mortality, reduce cost and reduce length of stay.   But a recent study took the concept one step further and suggested that checklists by themselves may not be  effective unless physicians are prompted to act on the checklist. As reported in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Journal, a single site cohort study performed at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine’s medical intensive care unit compared two rounding groups of physicians.  One group was prompted to use the checklist.  The other group of physicians had access to the checklist but were not prompted to use it. What they found was shocking.  Both groups had access t... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4992685 Sat, 02 Jul 2011 16:10:00 +0100 4992685 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4968491&cid=t_100060_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fhospitalization-vs-discharge-when-is-one-the-preferred-option%2F2011.06.25 I received a call recently from an emergency room (ER) physician about a patient who presented there with rectal bleeding. Does this sound blogworthy? Hardly. We gastro physicians get this call routinely. Here’s the twist. The emergency room physician presented the case and recommended that the patient be discharged home. He was calling me to verify that our office would provide this patient with an office appointment in the near term, which we would. We had an actual dialogue. This was a refreshing experience since the typical emergency room conversation of a rectal bleeder ends differently. Here’s what usually occurs. We are contacted and are notified that the patient has been admitted to the hospital and our in-patient consultative services are being requested. In other words, we ... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4968491 Sat, 25 Jun 2011 16:00:00 +0100 4968491 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4968597&cid=t_100060_109_f&fid=38953&url=http%3A%2F%2Frileyjennifer.blogspot.com%2F2011%2F06%2Fwarm-temperatures-improve-feelings-of.html See also Heat Therapy.A 2008 study demonstrated that “Experiencing Physical Warmth Promotes Interpersonal Warmth.” The idea is based on the fact that both physical and psychological 'warmth' (friendliness, helpfulness, trustworthiness, empathy, ) can be visualised in the insula. In the first part of the study in which participants were asked to hold a hot or cold beverage and then rate personality traits as either warm or cold. While the findings of this experiment were significant they were not great and the experiment wasn't double-blind. The authors also reported significant findings for the second part of the study (which was double-blind). However, in this experiment participants, after holding a hot or cold pack, were asked to choose between a fruit drink or a gift certificate fo... Psych Scamp blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4968597 Fri, 24 Jun 2011 22:09:00 +0100 4968597 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4968580&cid=t_100060_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F06%2F24%2Fintroducing-panic-about-anxiety%2F Lots of people experience panic attacks. For some people, it can get so bad that they also get agoraphobia — the fear of leaving one’s house. So I’m happy to introduce Panic About Anxiety with Summer Beretsky, a blog that will explore panic, agoraphobia and even topics about general anxiety in upcoming entries. If you’re not familiar with Summer, you can check out her archives at the World of Psychology blog. She is a graduate of the University of Delaware, where she received her Master of Arts degree in Communication. She enjoys writing about her experiences with anxiety, panic, and Paxil. She contributes to the World of Psychology blog here on PsychCentral and has written for the Los Angeles Times. You can follow her on Twitter @summerberetsky. You can read more about her here. W... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4968580 Fri, 24 Jun 2011 14:34:41 +0100 4968580 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4952844&cid=t_100060_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthecommunications.files.wordpress.com%2F2011%2F06%2Fsatisifaction1.jpg While by no means a representative sample of how we think about physicians, there is a clear pattern to the comments.  A lot of people feel disrespected by their doctors…and they are pretty angry. Here’s what patients (including a lot of former patients) had to say.  I attempted to summarize the comments by category and included the top five categories of comments below. #1 – “Being on time is a two way street.” – patients are expected to be on time for their appointments – why aren’t physicians expected to be on time.   Doctors think and act as if their time is more valuable than the patient’s time. #2 – “Listen to what I have to say.” “Doctors should realize that many patients have more life experience and have done more research about a cond... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4952844 Tue, 21 Jun 2011 12:00:04 +0100 4952844 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4953300&cid=t_100060_136_f&fid=39026&url=http%3A%2F%2Fcarolinemfr.blogspot.com%2F2011%2F06%2Fold-friends.html Recently I have been catching up with high school friends on Facebook (that evil time suck). Some one posted that a former classmate had died of breast cancer in March. Then another posted that another had passed away last fall. I asked how/when and one classmate told me what she had heard and another classmate told me he died of AIDS. I replied to him that AIDS and cancer aren't picky about who they pick. It turns out he is a 12 year volunteer with ACS' Relay For Life. It was only then that I told him about my fun cancer adventures.A few months ago I reconnected with another high school friend. It turns out he successfully battled testicular cancer ten years ago and is now fine. After he told me that, then I told him about my adventures.Yesterday I went to a party where there were some fr... Caroline's Breast Cancer Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4953300 Sun, 19 Jun 2011 10:54:00 +0100 4953300 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4945129&cid=t_100060_147_f&fid=39266&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCreationInteractive%2F%7E3%2FtfIIu6iuEZE%2F No one wants to be wrong; ever. As much as there are trendy business mantras such as ‘Fail Fast’ which apparently encourage failure (as long as you learn quickly), it somehow just doesn’t translate to the world of a pharmaceutical company. In fact, ‘fail-fast’ is really an engineering concept that is most often considered in a research and development phase, long before a product reaches the general public where it might affect reputation. To be fair, any kind of ‘failure’ in the world of pharmaceutical companies can potentially result in a significant loss in some form or another which could include shareholder value, customer confidence, or general credibility, not to mention individual careers. Consequently, we are risk-averse. Rightly so. As much as no individual wants to... Creation Interactive blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4945129 Fri, 17 Jun 2011 17:00:35 +0100 4945129 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4934166&cid=t_100060_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fcya-tmi-drug-label-warnings-list-dizzying-number-of-adverse-events%2F2011.06.15 Drug labels warn about a mean of 70 adverse events per medication, leading researchers to conclude that the glut of information is confusing patients. Jon Duke, MD, an ACP Member, and other researchers extracted 534,125 adverse drug events from 5,602 product labels. There was a mean of nearly 70 events per label. They found 588 with more than 150 adverse drug events and 84 with more than 300, with the top offender having 525 events listed. This top group included selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, anti-virals, and restless leg syndrome drugs. Labels for the 200 most commonly dispensed medications contained significantly more adverse drug events than others (median, 79 vs. 47; P<.001). By specialty, there were more adverse drug events listed in the fields of neurology (n=168), psyc... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4934166 Wed, 15 Jun 2011 12:00:00 +0100 4934166 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4921794&cid=t_100060_180_f&fid=38612&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fpickthebrain%2FLYVv%2F%7E3%2FptmdWN0kacE%2F Not so long ago, influence was claimed as a matter of birthright. Now, even for the highborn, influence is a skill that is honed with dedicated practice, feedback and reflection. Here’s how to be more persuasive: Being right doesn’t equal winning Too often people get stuck in a trap of thinking that if I’m right I should win. You won’t. It’s a terrible flaw – and I’d advise you against it. Truths are subjective – and both parties must accept them as true or they’re just opinions. And haven’t you ever noticed how often what people think should happen is quite often what they want to happen? More than we’d like to admit, we structure our beliefs based upon emotions and desires rather than facts. Understanding that is the core of powerful persuasion. Understand why they... PickTheBrain | Motivation and Self Improvement blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4921794 Fri, 10 Jun 2011 06:23:41 +0100 4921794 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4921426&cid=t_100060_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fphysicians-who-exercise-are-more-likely-to-encourage-patients-to-follow-suit%2F2011.06.09 Active, healthy medical students are more likely to prescribe physical activity to patients, according to research presented at a meeting of the American College of Sports Medicine. A research team assessed objective markers of cardiometabolic health, including cardiorespiratory fitness and attitudes on physical activity counseling, in 577 freshman medical students in Colombia from 2005 to 2010. Students’ health and fitness were measured by waist circumference, body mass index, fasting glucose levels and lipid profiles, in addition to the 20-meter shuttle run test. Attitudes toward physical activity counseling were gauged through students’ answers to “How relevant do you think it will be in your future medical practice to counsel your patients on physical activity?”... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4921426 Thu, 09 Jun 2011 19:00:00 +0100 4921426 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4921498&cid=t_100060_107_f&fid=34860&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.corporeality.net%2Fmuseion%2F2011%2F06%2F09%2Fpublic-communication-of-science-and-technology%2F My impression of the first and only Public Communication of Science and Technology (PCST) conference I’ve attended (Malmö in 2008) was quite mixed. The academic quality wasn’t particularly high, there were pretty few theoretically interesting talks, not much surprising stuff, almost no nerds around, no sudden bursts of creativity — and new media were (with few exceptions :-) totally absent. The whole thing was smoothly organised but there was an aura of a public and business management hanging over the conference venue. I think these biannual meetings are a major hang-out for science communication managers. But things can change for the better. And even better if researchers and curators from science, technology and medical museums were to attend (there was almost ... Biomedicine on Display blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4921498 Thu, 09 Jun 2011 15:00:53 +0100 4921498 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4902490&cid=t_100060_109_f&fid=34958&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.counsellingresource.com%2F%7Er%2Fpsychology-philosophy%2F%7E3%2F0NOGtFoieeY%2F If there ever was a perennial parental complaint, I'd have to say it is "why won't my child listen to me?" When you know some of the most common reasons why your little one is ignoring or defying you, you have a better chance of being heard and getting what you want.Tags: anger, boundaries, communication, parenting and children, relationships (Source: Psychology, Philosophy and Real Life) Psychology, Philosophy and Real Life blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4902490 Mon, 06 Jun 2011 13:18:36 +0100 4902490 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4893593&cid=t_100060_112_f&fid=34971&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.drmalpani.com%2F2011%2F06%2Fphysician-professionalism-crucial-core.html " As a former full-time faculty member, I regularly had to rate residents in six core competencies — six general categories of skills or assets needed for one to be considered a competent physician, one who could safely care for patients independently. I had often felt that the most crucial of them all, and the one that is the hardest, if not impossible, to teach is professionalism. Without it, all the others are moot.One can learn the pathophysiology of a disease (medical knowledge), know the appropriate tests to order and the gold standard of therapy (patient care), learn it through actual patient interaction (practice-based learning), utilize the rest of the health team (systems-based practice), and be able to explain it to the patient and the rest of the health team (interpersonal an... The Patient's Doctor blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4893593 Thu, 02 Jun 2011 09:24:00 +0100 4893593 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4883658&cid=t_100060_107_f&fid=34860&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.corporeality.net%2Fmuseion%2F2011%2F05%2F31%2Fwhy-control-has-to-die-so-that-information-may-live%2F “Why Proteins Have to Die So That We May Live”. This was the title of the talk given by Nobel Laureate Dr. Aaron Ciechanover at the international symposium entitled Protein Chemistry: Applications to Combat Diseases held at the University of Copenhagen earlier this week. Three days packed with talks from the world’s leading protein chemists and researchers. The focus of the conference was the life of proteins from their synthesis to their degradation. This was highlighted by talks from three Nobel Prize laureates: Ada Yonath, Avram Hersko and Aaron Chiechanover – each of whom have contributed immensely to our understanding of these processes. The symposium featured talks from invited speakers only, and as such the quality of the talks reflected this in being very h... Biomedicine on Display blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4883658 Tue, 31 May 2011 10:00:52 +0100 4883658 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4883748&cid=t_100060_123_f&fid=39035&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.liddlekidzblog.com%2F2011%2F05%2Fbe-change.html I was driving in the rainy streets of Chicago a couple of days ago, flipping through radio stations when I paused to hear the next song. It was John Mayer’s “Waiting on the World to Change.” In that moment, driving along, those lyrics really resonated with me. I got to thinking . . .why are people waiting on the world change? Why are we not doing what we can, to change the things we can? Mahatma Gandhi said “Be the change you wish to see in the world.” I agree with this! So, how do you start? It can be something that appears so little, such as coming through security at the airport. I was just in Chicago Midway Airport and I saw a mom was struggling to put her shoes back on and get everything stuffed back into her bags. Her little daughter struggled to get her bag off of the secu... Liddle Kidz Infant and Pediatric Massage Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4883748 Mon, 30 May 2011 15:46:00 +0100 4883748 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4876491&cid=t_100060_136_f&fid=39026&url=http%3A%2F%2Fcarolinemfr.blogspot.com%2F2011%2F05%2Flife-in-paranoid-society.html I go to the gym - the new high tech, cool gym, where I don't stand around like an idiot looking at the machines trying to figure out how to use them - and everyone there carries around the sanitary wipes to protect from germs. So I don't look like an idiot, I use them too but I really don't think they do much more than move the germs around... My theory is I wash my hands before I work out and after. A little soap and water goes further than the little wipe things.If you ride a subway, bus, or any other public transportation (taxi anyone?), think about the germs you touch, breath, etc. Or grocery carriages? Or entrance and exit doors to buildings? Or those wheel chairs at hospitals and airports? Or... and the list goes on. Then its headlines that a hospital notifies people of TB exposure -... Caroline's Breast Cancer Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4876491 Sat, 28 May 2011 15:28:00 +0100 4876491 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4872094&cid=t_100060_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fwhy-medical-blogs-may-be-more-reliable%2F2011.05.26 Last week Aaron Sorkin wrote for The Atlantic a piece in which he details his daily news feed, in What I Read. He’s not into blogs: When I read the Times or The Wall Street Journal, I know those reporters had to have cleared a very high bar to get the jobs they have. When I read a blog piece from “BobsThoughts.com,” Bob could be the most qualified guy in the world but I have no way of knowing that because all he had to do to get his job was set up a website–something my 10-year-old daughter has been doing for 3 years. When The Times or The Journal get it wrong they have a lot of people to answer to. When Bob gets it wrong there are no immediate consequences for Bob except his wrong information is in the water supply now so there are consequences for us. PZ Meyers, whose tagline f... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4872094 Thu, 26 May 2011 21:00:02 +0100 4872094 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4862545&cid=t_100060_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fwhen-physicians-have-to-say-no-does-patient-satisfaction-suffer%2F2011.05.25 The short answer: No. At least not in the context of a strong physician-patient relationship. Many physicians have legitimate concerns about the prospects of having their salary or level reimbursement linked to patient satisfaction. I would too given the way most health care providers go about measuring and interpreting patient satisfaction data. A major concern of physicians is the issue of patient requests – particularly the impact of unfulfilled (and unreasonable) requests upon patient satisfaction. According to researchers, explicit patient requests for medications, diagnostic tests and specialty referrals occur in between 25% to 40% of primary care visits. This figure is much higher when requests for information are factored in. (more…) *This blog post was originall... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4862545 Wed, 25 May 2011 14:00:01 +0100 4862545 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4862614&cid=t_100060_107_f&fid=34860&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.corporeality.net%2Fmuseion%2F2011%2F05%2F24%2Ffacebook-and-the-extended-mind%2F Score one for the usefulness of facebook in science. In January and February, a group of scientists, led by Dr. Brian Sidlauskas, assistant professor of fisheries at Oregon State University (OSU), had been conducting the first ichthyological survey on Guyana’s Cuyuni River. The purpose of the study was to find out which species of fish live in the Cuyuni and get a good estimate of their abundance. After two weeks of fishing, the team had more than 5.000 specimens in their nets. But then trouble came: “In order to get the fish out of the country,” says Bloom, “we needed an accurate count of each species.” The team’s research permit required them to report this information to the Guyanese government. “We couldn’t leave the country until we turn... Biomedicine on Display blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4862614 Tue, 24 May 2011 07:14:27 +0100 4862614 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4847959&cid=t_100060_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Freally-seven-per-cent-of-physicians-use-video-chat-with-patients%2F2011.05.20 Seven percent of U.S. physicians use online video conferencing to communicate with any of their patients, according to a study of physician digital adoption trends. The study captures a snapshot of technology, including mobile platforms, electronic health records, electronic prescribing and interaction with patients, pharmaceutical and health care market research company Manhattan Research said in a press release. Psychiatrists and oncologists are more likely to be using video conferencing with patients. But physicians added that reimbursement, liability and privacy are still major barriers to communicating online with patients. Major findings include: (more…) *This blog post was originally published at ACP Internist* (Source: Better Health) Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4847959 Fri, 20 May 2011 11:00:00 +0100 4847959 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4828991&cid=t_100060_109_f&fid=34958&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.counsellingresource.com%2F%7Er%2Fpsychology-philosophy%2F%7E3%2FG6ZiHespZl8%2F Long-term romantic relationships were never easy, but Internet pornography is now becoming a problem for all too many couples. The key to defeating online smut is to understand and counter its allure.Tags: communication, relationships, sexuality (Source: Psychology, Philosophy and Real Life) Psychology, Philosophy and Real Life blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4828991 Tue, 17 May 2011 11:53:05 +0100 4828991 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4820854&cid=t_100060_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Ftips-for-physicians-dealing-with-difficult-colleagues%2F2011.05.12 Recently I attended a CME course entitled “Dealing with Difficult Colleagues.”  It was part of my medical malpractice company’s risk management series to teach physicians/nurses how to lessen our risk of being sued. This lecture was given by Linda Worley, MD who is a psychiatry professor at UAMS.  She is a good speaker, easy to understand, engages the crowd, and knows her subject. My only complaint would be that it focused only the “angry” or “frustrated” physicians who exhibit unprofessional behavior and did not include the ones whom you suspect might be difficult due to impairment (illness, drugs, alcohol). Difficult colleagues can impact a team (in office, OR, or hospital) by creating low morale, high staff turnover, inefficiency, decreased patient satisfaction, increase... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4820854 Thu, 12 May 2011 21:00:00 +0100 4820854 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4813324&cid=t_100060_93_f&fid=36531&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FJeffreyMD%2F%7E3%2F7oQ_uvWDM2c%2F Let me set up the scene. I had just met my patient and examined her in her room. She was an older woman. She was an inpatient (meaning she was staying at the hospital). We were discussing a possible trip to the OR that day. I wasn’t sure if she would go that day or if the surgery would have to wait. Nevertheless, our conversation was pleasant and I felt that we had fairly good rapport. We laughed and smiled throughout the conversation even though she was obviously anxious about surgery. And then this conversation happened: Me: Well, it was good meeting you. I’ll probably see you later today. If you’re here tomorrow, then I’ll see you then too. Her: If I’m here? Where would I go? I sensed the panic in her voice. She sounded like I had just casually mentioned t... JeffreyMD.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4813324 Thu, 12 May 2011 02:35:17 +0100 4813324 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4803185&cid=t_100060_106_f&fid=36682&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FSutureForALiving%2F%7E3%2Fc8FIZcl2HnE%2Ftips-on-dealing-with-difficult.html Recently I attended a CME course entitled “Dealing with Difficult Colleagues.”  It was part of my medical malpractice company’s risk management series to teach physicians/nurses how to lessen our risk of being sued.  This lecture was given by Linda Worley, MD who is a psychiatry professor at UAMS.  She is a good speaker, easy to understand, engages the crowd, and knows her subject.  My only complaint would be it focused only the “angry” or “frustrated” physicians who exhibit unprofessional behavior and did not include the ones whom you suspect might be difficult due to impairment (illness, drugs, alcohol).  Difficult colleagues can impact a team (in office, OR, or hospital) by creating low morale, high staff turnover, inefficiency, decreased patien... Suture for a Living blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4803185 Mon, 09 May 2011 11:16:00 +0100 4803185 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4803452&cid=t_100060_136_f&fid=39026&url=http%3A%2F%2Fcarolinemfr.blogspot.com%2F2011%2F05%2Fcancer-causes-ptsd-for-patients-and.html There are not enough rocket scientist cancer people out there who could deny this one but it took a study about parents of children with cancer and a referral to a study of stress on breast cancer patients to paint the big picture. A cancer diagnosis is stressful - well DOH! - whether its you or a family member. I think the issue of the stress level of family members is finally getting more attention. A cancer diagnosis does a number on everyone in the family. I have seen more emotional people talking about their family member's cancer and fewer emotions from the patients themselves. A cancer diagnosis is hard to cope with - facing the unknown. If you are the patient in treatment, you get a whole group of people to help you - doctor, nurses, social workers, etc - who are on call 24/7 for e... Caroline's Breast Cancer Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4803452 Mon, 09 May 2011 10:17:00 +0100 4803452 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4794858&cid=t_100060_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fthe-nra-wants-to-prevent-physicians-from-asking-their-patients-about-guns%2F2011.05.06 Should the government be able to dictate to a doctor what he or she is allowed to discuss with a patient? Yes, says the National Rifle Association (NRA), which is pushing state legislation to prohibit physicians from asking patients about firearms in their homes. An NRA-supported bill in Florida originally would have made it a criminal offense—punishable by fines and/or jail—if physicians asked a patient about firearms. The Florida Medical Association (FMA) fiercely opposed the bill as an intrusion on the physician-patient relationship. Now, a compromise has been reached between the NRA and the FMA that “allow doctors to ask questions about gun ownership, as long as the physician doesn’t ‘harass’ the patient, and doesn’t enter the information into the patient’s record witho... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4794858 Fri, 06 May 2011 19:00:00 +0100 4794858 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4794860&cid=t_100060_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fwhat-makes-a-great-oncologist%2F2011.05.06 I had a WOW experience yesterday when I accompanied my wife to interview a new doctor for her.   As some reader may know she is being seen by specialists at MD Anderson Medical Center in Houston for Stage IV lung cancer.   She has not had a local oncologist for the past 6 years…but she does now.   And we both love this guy! You need to understand that I have been very underwhelmed by the local oncologists I had met up till now.   I am sure they were clinically proficient…but as a group not a one could muster a smile….or any sense of interest or curiosity in my wife’s medical condition.  I held out little hope that this new doctor would be any different. After being ushered into the exam room, a Physician’s Assistant came into the room to get smart about my wife’s histo... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4794860 Fri, 06 May 2011 13:00:04 +0100 4794860 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4771024&cid=t_100060_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fwhat-medical-condition-is-the-most-costly-to-employers%2F2011.04.30 Ok…here’s a brain teaser.  What medical condition is the most costly to employers?  I’ll give you a hint.  It is also a medical condition that is likely to go unrecognized and undiagnosed by primary care physicians. If you guessed depression you are correct. If you mentioned obesity you get a gold star since that comes in right behind depression for both criteria…at least in terms of cost and the undiagnosed part. Four out of every ten people at work or sitting in the doctor’s waiting room suffer from moderate to severe depression.  Prevalence rates for depression are highest among women and older patients with chronic conditions.  Yet despite its high prevalence and costly nature, depression is significantly under-diagnosed (<50%) and under-treated by physicians. For em... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4771024 Sat, 30 Apr 2011 19:00:08 +0100 4771024 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4768203&cid=t_100060_136_f&fid=39026&url=http%3A%2F%2Fcarolinemfr.blogspot.com%2F2011%2F04%2Fcultural-competency.html What is cultural competency? Well I could google it or look it up in wikipedia but its too early in the morning (and I am slightly distracted because I really want to see Kate's wedding dress). Therefore I will define it as I understand it. In my opinion, cultural competency is being informed on other the socio-economic and culture issues of cultures other than the one in which you grew up. For example, is a big city person familiar with life on a farm? Or someone from suburban American familiar with life in a third world country? And its not just being comfortable with the other lives but aware of the differences in life style, social constraints, religious pressures, economic quality of life, etc. And to understand that these differences are theirs and you cannot force them on you. There... Caroline's Breast Cancer Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4768203 Fri, 29 Apr 2011 09:53:00 +0100 4768203 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4753989&cid=t_100060_180_f&fid=38604&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fmakeitgreat%2F%7E3%2FbD3ajKczYxU%2F In business we spend a lot of time theorizing, hypothesizing and strategizing about what we think will work and what we believe matters. But do we get so immersed in our own plans that we miss the writing on the wall? Customer feedback is without question one of the best ways to determine the strengths and weaknesses of any business. But are you listening? Actually, are you even asking? When it comes right down to it customers are the life blood of a business and their opinions should be a weighty factor in decision making. There are a number of ways to get customer feedback; you just have to be open to hearing it. Online The internet by far is one of the best ways to collect customer feedback. From on-site customer comments or off site reviews, to social media, if you know where to look ... Phil Gerbyshak blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4753989 Tue, 26 Apr 2011 12:00:00 +0100 4753989 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4753803&cid=t_100060_113_f&fid=35744&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fe-CareManagement%2F%7E3%2FxLWKxHLiDZs%2F Healthcare needs positive role models for innovation…and we have a real-time mentor in Netflix. If you have a Netflix subscription, you probably identify with the company as providing a convenient DVD rental service — order on the web, the DVD arrives by mail, send it back in the handy pre-paid envelope when you’re done. Today’s ReadWriteWeb describes Netflix’ latest letter to shareholders and explains how the company is preparing for the demise of DVDs: (more…) Tags: business model, disruptive innovation (Source: e-CareManagement) e-CareManagement blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4753803 Mon, 25 Apr 2011 22:52:16 +0100 4753803 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4747701&cid=t_100060_112_f&fid=34971&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.drmalpani.com%2F2011%2F04%2Fwhat-american-health-care-system-can.html " In Denmark, we’ve developed communication thus far for almost all IT systems in the health sector. We have implemented all prescription and medication information, and all discharge letters and summaries from hospitals. This also includes outpatient notes, injury reports, x-ray reports, lab reports and lab orders. Reimbursements from health insurance have been made electronic, along with referrals to hospitals and private specialists, and referrals to psychologists. All private physicians have electronic health records today so they can communicate and transfer documents electronically, as well.From the beginning it was a grassroots effort; we thought it was a good idea to exchange information electronically. And now it has become mandatory that you must communicate electronically. The... The Patient's Doctor blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4747701 Mon, 25 Apr 2011 05:02:00 +0100 4747701 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4744847&cid=t_100060_113_f&fid=35744&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fe-CareManagement%2F%7E3%2Fcvkny3XUFqI%2F By now most people understand the promise of pharmaceuticals being customized to “YOU” based on your individual genetic code.  While this isn’t prevalent today, we understand that this will be possible in a few years. Let’s take a minute to consider the mechanics of how this will occur. You’ve received a prescription, and it directs the pharmacist to tailor the medicine to YOUR genetic profile. Consider two possible scenarios of how this transaction might happen. You’re on the phone with your pharmacist: 1) “OK, you need my DNA sequence. I keep my genetic profile in my mattress…let me get it and I’ll read it out loud to you.  C, A, T, G, G, A, T… no,  that was actually a G…let me start over.  C, A, T, G, G, A, T… (19 hours later) … T, and... e-CareManagement blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4744847 Sat, 23 Apr 2011 17:12:12 +0100 4744847 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4744834&cid=t_100060_106_f&fid=36682&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FSutureForALiving%2F%7E3%2FRU5Phxu4pa4%2Fwhat-they-hear.html This past week the comic strip Baby Blues has been doing a “When you say…..They must hear” series.  It has made me think this phenomenon in medical practice. ….. Here’s one: When a plastic surgeon says “Your scar will fade over time.” Patients often hear “Your scar will disappear over time.” (Source: Suture for a Living) Suture for a Living blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4744834 Sat, 23 Apr 2011 12:12:00 +0100 4744834 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4742498&cid=t_100060_113_f&fid=35744&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fe-CareManagement%2F%7E3%2FPMKzUWq-mhk%2F Unlike some of my colleagues, I’m not losing ANY sleep over whether personal health record (PHR) systems ultimately will be adopted and used by patients. In my mind, the issue isn’t WHETHER, but WHEN. Yes, I know that adoption has lagged and that surveys suggest 7% or less of the U.S. population has used a PHR. Stay with me on this one for a minute. You’d have to have two underlying beliefs to conclude that PHR systems won’t eventually emerge: That health record data will persist in non-electronic formats, i.e., paper That people won’t have interest in accessing or using their health record data (more…) Tags: EHRs/PHRs, platform (Source: e-CareManagement) e-CareManagement blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4742498 Fri, 22 Apr 2011 21:45:18 +0100 4742498 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4742388&cid=t_100060_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fthings-you-can-learn-from-a-bad-nurse%2F2011.04.21 My husband had a screening colonoscopy last Friday.  His nurse in the recovery is the only one I had issues with.  I, not my husband. All went well, but let me tell you he is not an ePatient Dave.  He did not read his instructions about when to quit eating and the prep.  I did.  I then reminded him along the way:  “Only clear liquids today.”  “You must take the Ducolax at 3 pm.  Do you want me to text you a reminder?” Sometimes the instructions we give patients are clear, but not always read. The staff at the front desk were very kind and organized.  Calls had been made the day before and I had insured the insurance information they had was correct.   I did not tell anyone I was a doctor.  I’m not sure if my husband did later or not. ….. When I was called back by th... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4742388 Thu, 21 Apr 2011 23:00:00 +0100 4742388 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4734214&cid=t_100060_109_f&fid=34958&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.counsellingresource.com%2F%7Er%2Fpsychology-philosophy%2F%7E3%2Fht3fBkM82Q4%2F There's no shortage of discourse and debate out there right now, but what happened to keeping it civil? All too often, what passes for debate on politics or the economy or the environment is little more than a steady stream of sensationalistic attacks and unreasoned cajoling.Tags: communication, politics, relationships, society (Source: Psychology, Philosophy and Real Life) Psychology, Philosophy and Real Life blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4734214 Wed, 20 Apr 2011 13:21:52 +0100 4734214 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4734268&cid=t_100060_113_f&fid=35744&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fe-CareManagement%2F%7E3%2FokDK9gkw3iE%2F (click on the graphics to link to original sources) Regular readers know that I find Professor Clay Christensen’s theory of disruptive innovation to be a useful lens to explain industry evolution. Let’s look at two recent health IT initiatives and see why one is working and the other is stalled. (more…) Tags: disruptive innovation, EHR, interoperability (Source: e-CareManagement) e-CareManagement blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4734268 Tue, 19 Apr 2011 00:26:45 +0100 4734268 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4734711&cid=t_100060_180_f&fid=38607&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fsuccessbeginstoday%2FBHWQ%2F%7E3%2Fa0SRPTq2BxY%2F I just got back from a Caribbean cruise for creatives that was one of the highlights of my life. I met some very interesting people, heard great speakers, and had a chance to share ideas and brainstorm. I also had a chance to climb a waterfall and experience a foreign marketplace. When I got back home, I was on a creative high like no other. My mind was racing with ideas, and I couldn’t wait to get started on some new projects. Then reality hit. I went back to work to find problems. I bent over to tie my shoe and threw out my back. Unexpected expenses on a variety of things came up one after the other I went to fill up my car and gas had gone up over 4 dollars a gallon. A Variety of depressing and painful things. Things we all face. But why does the pendulum have to swing from positi... Success Begins Today blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4734711 Mon, 18 Apr 2011 12:41:01 +0100 4734711 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4723803&cid=t_100060_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fevidence-that-doctors-make-bad-patients%2F2011.04.18 Physicians recommend treatments with higher survival rates for their patients, but they make more mental mistakes when they are the patient and have to choose for themselves. Psychologists know that when people make decisions for others, they are dispassionate enough to be less swayed by extraneous factors. Even toddlers make less impulsive decisions for others than they do for themselves. Researchers surveyed general internists and family medicine specialists about two scenarios, each with two treatment alternatives. Both outcomes involved a choice between surviving a fatal illness but with sometimes crippling outcomes. Physicians were randomized to groups in which they imagined themselves as the patient facing the decision, or in which they were recommending an option to a patient. (more... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4723803 Mon, 18 Apr 2011 11:00:00 +0100 4723803 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4723806&cid=t_100060_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fonline-health-information-can-be-more-trustworthy-than-printed-texts%2F2011.04.17 Recently Ed Silverman of Pharmalot considers the case of a ghost-written medical text’s mysterious disappearance. The 1999 book, “Recognition and Treatment of Psychiatric Disorders: A Psychopharmacology Handbook for Primary Care,” (reviewed in a psychiatry journal here) came under scrutiny last fall when it became evident that the physician “authors” didn’t just receive money from a relevant drug maker, SmithKline Beecham; they received an outline and text for the book from pharmaceutical company-hired writers. poster for the X-Files Now the book’s listing is gone from the website of STI (Scientific Therapeutic Information), the company that provided the authorship “help.” I tried to get a copy of the handbook on Amazon.com, where it’s currently out-of-stock. The book ... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4723806 Sun, 17 Apr 2011 16:00:58 +0100 4723806 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4719897&cid=t_100060_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fphysicians-will-be-sued-if-they-dont-tell-people-theyre-fat-and-also-if-they-do-tell-them%2F2011.04.15 The leader of the anti-obesity lawsuit movement is threatening physicians-in-training with lawsuits if they don’t warn obese patients about their excessive weight. George Washington University law professor John Banzhaf III, who has led efforts to sue fast-food chains for contributing to America’s extra weight, is scheduled to speak tomorrow morning at the annual convention for the American Medical Student Association. Source: washingtontimes.com/business/20050317-102021-7358r.htm A lawyer warns of obesity suits. He is telling medical students that they need to warn their patients of the risks of their obesity. Not long ago we spoke of a doctor being sued for the way he told a patient she was obese. Is the bottom line no matter what you do, as a doctor you will be sued? (more…) ... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4719897 Fri, 15 Apr 2011 23:00:55 +0100 4719897 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4715131&cid=t_100060_4_f&fid=38622&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffdatransparencyblog.fda.gov%2F2011%2F04%2F15%2Fupcoming-event-fda-basics-webinar-by-the-center-for-drug-research-and-evaluation-on-the-bad-ads-program-april-28-2011-at-12-noon-et%2F Did you know that healthcare providers can play an important role in ensuring that prescription drug advertising and promotion is truthful by recognizing and reporting misleading ads? As part of FDA Basics, FDA is hosting a webinar where you can learn more. Catherine Gray, Pharm.D., in the Division of Drug Marketing, Advertising, and Communication (DDMAC) in FDA’s Center for Drug Research and Evaluation will present an overview of the FDA’s “Bad Ad” program, specifically focusing on how to identify misleading prescription drug promotion and report this activity to the agency. The free 30 minute webinar will be held Thursday, April 28 at 12 noon ET. There are a limited number of spots available for the webinar. Materials from the webinar will also be made available on the FD... FDA Transparency Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4715131 Fri, 15 Apr 2011 12:58:12 +0100 4715131 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4714745&cid=t_100060_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthecommunications.files.wordpress.com%2F2011%2F04%2Fwatch.jpg I recently participated in a Twitter Chat about physician-patient communications. A common refrain from some of the providers in the group was that “there isn’t enough time” during the typical office visit for physicians to worry about communicating effectively. What’s up with that? The goal of patient-centered communications is to engage the patient in their own health care. While most physicians endorse the concept of patient centered communications, many seem reluctant to employ such techniques in their own practice.  Why?  I suspect that many fear that too much patient involvement will increase the length of the visit. Take the patient’s opening statement aka “patient agenda” in patient centered lingo.  This is where the doctor asks the patient why they are there.  T... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4714745 Thu, 14 Apr 2011 14:00:41 +0100 4714745 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4714819&cid=t_100060_106_f&fid=36682&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FSutureForALiving%2F%7E3%2FaxiXlya6HdY%2Freminders-to-self.html My husband had a screening colonoscopy last Friday.  His nurse in the recovery is the only one I had issues with.  I, not my husband.  All went well, but let me tell you he is not an ePatient Dave.  He did not read his instructions about when to quit eating and the prep.  I did.  I then reminded him along the way:  “Only clear liquids today.”  “You must take the Ducolax at 3 pm.  Do you want me to text you a reminder?” Sometimes the instructions we give patients are clear, but not always read. The staff at the front desk were very kind and organized.  Calls had been made the day before and I had insured the insurance information they had was correct.   I did not tell anyone I was a doctor.  I’m not sure if my husba... Suture for a Living blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4714819 Thu, 14 Apr 2011 11:15:00 +0100 4714819 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4709333&cid=t_100060_131_f&fid=34989&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FGeneticsHealth%2F%7E3%2FXBm80Sp_QXM%2F Painful truths are always difficult to tell and hear; if they weren’t, they’d call them no-problem-o truths. I recently had to confront this dilemma in the form of telling someone close to me that their breath has been chronically very, very bad for a while, and that I’m worried about this issue for health reasons, and would they please consider making an appointment with a dentist and/or regular doctor ASAP? The reason I felt that I needed to tell this painful truth wasn’t because I was smelling the offending breath all the time. (I wasn’t; the other person and I don’t live in the same state.) It was because chronic bad breath can be a sign of advanced tooth decay, which can lead to serious infections of the blood. (Bad breath can also be a sign of ongo... Genetics and Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4709333 Wed, 13 Apr 2011 16:08:01 +0100 4709333 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4696735&cid=t_100060_118_f&fid=34702&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fmspblog%2F%7E3%2FwqafBt7EZeI%2F I spoke at a conference of medical staff service professionals Friday.  My time slot was towad the end of the two day program, and the topic, professional communication skills, was a little lighter fare than that of most of the other speakers.  It’s a topic I like to present because I get to tell stories, some of them wonderful examples of people who said or did just the right thing, at just the right time, like the father who knew what to say to his tired daughter.  Some of the stories focus on the fact that the way we dress influcences how people think about us.  Some are shared in the hopes of bolstering people up who handle an often difficult, sometimes thankless, job with grace and courage. Some of the other presenters at the two-day conference spoke about electronic me... MSSPNexus Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4696735 Sun, 10 Apr 2011 11:36:06 +0100 4696735 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4696719&cid=t_100060_113_f&fid=35744&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fe-CareManagement%2F%7E3%2FC4I7Th9bops%2F My guess is you’ve probably never asked yourself this question. A quick preview: Technical barriers aren’t the limiting factors to Facebook becoming a care coordination platform. Facebook’s company DNA won’t play well in health care. Could Facebook become the care coordination platform of the future? If not Facebook, then what? 1) Technical barriers aren’t the limiting factors to Facebook as a care coordination platform. Can you imagine Facebook as a care coordination platform? I don’t think it’s much of a stretch. Facebook already has 650 million people on its network with a myriad of tools that allow for one-to-one or group interactions. What would it take to make Facebook a viable care coordination platform? More servers to handle the volume ... e-CareManagement blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4696719 Sat, 09 Apr 2011 23:13:18 +0100 4696719 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4693335&cid=t_100060_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F04%2F08%2Fbest-of-our-blogs-april-8-2011%2F I’m going to skip my biweekly words of reflection today and talk about something important going on this month. While bees spread pollen during spring, organizations are spreading awareness about autism in April. There will be several activities running this month that will help raise awareness about autism, which is defined by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke as, “complex neurodevelopment disorders, characterized by social impairments, communication difficulties, and restricted, repetitive, and stereotyped patterns of behavior.” It is estimated that “three to six children out of every 1,000 will have an autism spectrum disorder.” For more information, you can check out the NINDS website. And to find out what you can do participate i... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4693335 Fri, 08 Apr 2011 11:56:52 +0100 4693335 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4684485&cid=t_100060_113_f&fid=35744&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fe-CareManagement%2F%7E3%2FsIIYXgtP5I8%2F Healthcare IT News just published its list of top issues for health plans in 2011: 1. Administrative Mandates (Compliance HIPAA 5010, ICD-10, etc.). 2. Care Management, Data Analytics, and Informatics. 3. Health Insurance Exchanges and Individual Markets. 4. New Provider Payment & Delivery Systems (ACOs, PCMHs, etc.). 5. Bend the Cost Trend. 6. Medicare and Medicaid. 7. Health Information Exchanges and EMRs. 8. Consumer’s Role in the Modernization of Healthcare. 9. Reform Uncertainties. 10. Payer/Provider Interoperability. Dear health plan colleagues, Wake up! The order of this list is totally out of whack. #2: Care Management, Data Analytics, Informatics. Good…sounds about right. However, #2 can’t happen before you address: #7: HIEs and EMRs #10: Payer/Provider ... e-CareManagement blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4684485 Tue, 05 Apr 2011 18:15:37 +0100 4684485 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4676789&cid=t_100060_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fare-emrs-the-key-to-improving-hand-offs-from-the-er-to-the-pcp%2F2011.04.04 Improving handoffs from the emergency room back to the primary care physician will require changing how electronic health records are used, better reimbursement to both the hospital and ambulatory doctors, and malpractice reform, according to a study. The rising use of hospitalists and larger primary care practice sizes has contributed to the difficulties faced when an ER doctors tries to reach a physician who best knows the patient. Haphazard communication and poor coordination can undermine effective care, according to a new research conducted by the Center for Studying Health System Change. Researchers conducted 42 telephone interviews between April and October 2010 with 21 pairs of emergency department and primary care physicians, who were case-matched to hospitals so the perspective o... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4676789 Mon, 04 Apr 2011 12:00:00 +0100 4676789 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4670106&cid=t_100060_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fpatients-dont-want-to-communicate-with-their-doctors-on-facebook%2F2011.04.03 Patients may not want to discuss clinical matters via social media, but they’d gladly set pay their bills when reminded. Social media’s value in communicating with patients is limited to the administrative aspects of it. Americans still want traditional ways of communication when they need a clinical consult. A survey finds 84% would not use social media or instant messaging channels for medical communication if their doctors offered it, according to the communications firm Capstrat. Respondents were more favorable toward conferring with the doctor via e-mail (52%) than they were by Twitter and Facebook (11%), chat or instant messaging (20%) or a private online forum (31%). Even among those 18 to 29 years old, 21% said they would take advantage of an online forum if their docto... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4670106 Sun, 03 Apr 2011 15:00:00 +0100 4670106 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4664300&cid=t_100060_113_f&fid=35744&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fe-CareManagement%2F%7E3%2FB9uML3xGuUk%2F Let me try to get you in the right frame of mind to read one of the most remarkable white papers in a long time: Better to BEST: Value Driving Elements of the Patient Centered Medical Home and Accountable Care Organizations — released yesterday by the Commonwealth Fund, Dartmouth Institute, and PCPCC. Having been a debater in high school and then trained as a lawyer, my default mode of thinking is to be critical: “Hey, Vince, how ya doin’? Great day isn’t it?” “Well, …err…maybe, maybe not…actually, here’s 14 reasons why not.” My wife and friends kindly tell me that this personal quality can be insufferable, and if you’ve ever met a lawyer you know what I’m talking about. My internal defense mechanism against my inner-critical brain is simply to... e-CareManagement blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4664300 Thu, 31 Mar 2011 14:48:23 +0100 4664300 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4664180&cid=t_100060_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fcrowd-sourcing-for-medical-diagnoses%2F2011.03.31 The Times ran an intriguing experiment on its Well blog yesterday: a medical problem-solving contest. The challenge, based on the story of a real girl who lives near Philadelphia, drew 1379 posted comments and closed this morning with publication of the answer. Dr. Lisa Sanders, who moderated the piece, says today that the first submitted correct response came from a California physician; the second came from a Minnesota woman who is not a physician. Evidently she recognized the condition’s manifestations from her experience working with people who have it. The public contest – and even the concept of using the word “contest” – to solve a real person’s medical condition interests me a lot. This kind of puzzle is, as far as I know, unprecedented apart from the somewhat removed d... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4664180 Thu, 31 Mar 2011 14:00:56 +0100 4664180 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4658543&cid=t_100060_133_f&fid=35127&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthefamilyvoyage.blogspot.com%2F2011%2F03%2Fidentity.html I was driving with just Duncan in the car with me. He was quiet, taking time to dream, ponder, plan or whatever. I don't know- it's none of my business. Then he said a single word, "autism."I said nothing, just waited. He said it again. I said, "yes, autism...What is autism?"His response; "charming and delightful."I've often mentioned in passing when talking with him, that he is autistic, is a boy with autism. It's another facet of him like his curly hair, blue eyes and love of animated films. I've also told him over and over how wonderful he is, how he's perfect to me, funny, sweet, and yes delightful. I can't remember ever calling him charming but he just worked that out for himself.I love how he is thinking about these parts of his identity- where he lives, who his family and friends ar... The Voyage blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4658543 Wed, 30 Mar 2011 12:43:00 +0100 4658543 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4642854&cid=t_100060_131_f&fid=34989&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FGeneticsHealth%2F%7E3%2FDVDUXiqk6Yw%2F Listening is one of the simplest and yet most difficult things to do well and consistently. We often hear or use the phrase “listening is key,” but most of the time we regard the act of listening as an essential part of the communication process, as a simple courtesy, or possibly as a means to getting what we want. But how often do we really consider that the art and practice of listening may have actual and long-lasting mental benefits for us? Not nearly enough, in my opinion. So I asked Dr. Dale Archer, an M.D. and a clinical psychiatrist, for his take on the connection between learning to listen well and better emotional health – and got him to give us eight tips on how to make that important connection last: How is being a good listener beneficial to our state of mental h... Genetics and Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4642854 Mon, 28 Mar 2011 19:43:15 +0100 4642854 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4636554&cid=t_100060_122_f&fid=34736&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FChannelN-PodcastsPoweredByOdiogo%2F%7E3%2F27Ut8F4xPUE%2F It’s all in the timing: A psychologist measures how musicians communicate emotion Dan Levitin designed a psychology experiment using a special player piano to analyze and reproduce a performance without expressive elements, and versions in between. When participants ranked their preference of versions it was found they matched the most expressive, in which a musician uses variations in timing, loudness and softness to convey emotion. In the second brief video, part 2, Levitin discusses implications for synthesized music. Hat tip: Open Culture. (Source: Channel N) Channel N blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4636554 Fri, 25 Mar 2011 19:53:36 +0100 4636554 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4615198&cid=t_100060_109_f&fid=34958&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.counsellingresource.com%2F%7Er%2Fpsychology-philosophy%2F%7E3%2FXKWgroaF8d8%2F With the US unemployment rate slowing creeping down from 10%, I'm seeing many clients with unemployment and underemployment on their minds. Worse, conventional techniques for job-hunting seem to be less effective as time wears on. But I've found there are new, less-conventional approaches that can help put job-seekers back in the game.Tags: communication, social skills, work-life (Source: Psychology, Philosophy and Real Life) Psychology, Philosophy and Real Life blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4615198 Mon, 21 Mar 2011 13:25:37 +0100 4615198 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4615231&cid=t_100060_113_f&fid=35744&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fe-CareManagement%2F%7E3%2F14qt2xM1Yms%2F   “If you’re a health plan, you either become a care delivery system or an information services company,” said David Brailer, a former George W. Bush administration health official who now leads an investment firm. “The traditional business is dead.”   Read more at Kaiser Health News. . Tags: health plan, strategy (Source: e-CareManagement) e-CareManagement blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4615231 Sun, 20 Mar 2011 23:03:46 +0100 4615231 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4610870&cid=t_100060_113_f&fid=35744&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fe-CareManagement%2F%7E3%2FsvXAj8nXUiE%2F   Click here.   No tag for this post. (Source: e-CareManagement) e-CareManagement blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4610870 Fri, 18 Mar 2011 23:34:58 +0100 4610870 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4610871&cid=t_100060_113_f&fid=35744&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fe-CareManagement%2F%7E3%2FSjXt2mNST7s%2F While in Philadelphia earlier this week, my colleague Dr. David Nace presented me with a print copy of McKesson Relay Health’s newest whitepaper — Providing Accountability: Accountable Care Concepts for Providers.  I felt honored as he handed it to me and confided that it was one of only six copies in print.  I took time to read it carefully on the long flight home. The whitepaper is a great overview of accountable care and ACOs (Accountable Care Organizations). It’s a quick and easily digestible read. However, there is one key point articulated in the paper that I’d like to emphasize here: accountable care is not synonymous with ACOs. (more…) Article Series - Accountable Care Organizations: Cure-du-Jour or Real Collaborative Care?The Big Idea in U... e-CareManagement blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4610871 Fri, 18 Mar 2011 18:25:39 +0100 4610871 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4605864&cid=t_100060_107_f&fid=34860&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.corporeality.net%2Fmuseion%2F2011%2F03%2F17%2Fthe-moral-economy-of-science-communication%2F The announced talk by Andy Williams (Cardiff) about “A crisis of science journalism?” at the next London Public Understanding of Science seminar, made me think about why science journalism actually is declining in quality — and not only in the UK, but also here in the Scandinavian countries. Based on internet surveys and interviews, Williams suggests (in his abstract distributed on the Mersenne list) that the current decline in science news journalism is due to staff cutting and rising workloads and concludes that “As long as science reporters’ everyday routines leave ever-diminished time and space for finding their own news stories and writing them rigorously, the prospects for high quality, independent, science news in national mainstream media are dimin... Biomedicine on Display blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4605864 Thu, 17 Mar 2011 09:02:46 +0100 4605864 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4600535&cid=t_100060_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fenough-about-physician-empathy%2F2011.03.16 Is anyone else tired of hearing about how important empathy is in the doctor-patient relationship? Every other day it seems a new study is talking about the therapeutic value of empathy. Enough already! It’s not that I don’t believe that empathy is important — I do. I also believe the data that links physician empathy with improved patient outcomes, increased satisfaction, and better patient experiences. A recent study released in Academic Medicine reported that “patients of physicians with high empathy scores were significantly more likely to have good control over their blood sugar as well as cholesterol, while the inverse was true for patients of physicians with low scores.” Findings from this study by Hojat, et al. are consistent with a 2009 study by Rakel, et al. which f... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4600535 Wed, 16 Mar 2011 19:00:36 +0100 4600535 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4592497&cid=t_100060_113_f&fid=35744&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fe-CareManagement%2F%7E3%2Fbm7GeabSsXU%2F “If banks can exchange funds electronically through the ATM system, why can’t my doctor and hospital exchange information electronically?” Keith Boone’s concise article “A Doctor is Not a Bank” explains why this conclusion about healthcare interoperability is overly-simplistic. …and Keith’s article reminded me of an even deeper explanation presented in the National Academies’ Frontiers of Engineering series — Why Health Information Technology Doesn’t Work, by Elmer Bernstam and Todd Johnson. The table below summarizes the differences between health data and banking data.   (more…) No tag for this post. (Source: e-CareManagement) e-CareManagement blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4592497 Mon, 14 Mar 2011 13:03:41 +0100 4592497 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4549873&cid=t_100060_131_f&fid=34989&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FGeneticsHealth%2F%7E3%2Fyo0UPIjhcNY%2F Many see emoticons as a lower form of communication, best reserved for teens, geeks, and those lacking in knowledge of grammar and vocabulary. But emotional intelligence expert Daniel Goleman (who, by the way, is over forty and Harvard-educated, for anyone who cares) says emoticons could make us happier by improving email communication, which so often creates confusion. According to Goleman, author of Social Intelligence, emails are perceived as negative by default, unless they’re marked with emotional cues like exclamation marks and emoticons. (So even if the content of an email is neutral, it will likely be read as negative.) So even if they seem a little silly or immature, adding emoticons can improve correspondence by counterbalancing our predisposition towards reading emails neg... Genetics and Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4549873 Fri, 04 Mar 2011 22:07:39 +0100 4549873 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4536166&cid=t_100060_113_f&fid=35744&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fe-CareManagement%2F%7E3%2FT1DeFM2yPX4%2F iMedicalApps recently published its list of Top 20 Free iPhone Medical Apps for Healthcare Professionals. What struck me about the list is that the state-of-the-art is stand alone applications — I didn’t see any that had any connection to an EHR (electronic health record).  Here’s the top 5 to give you a flavor of what’s on the list: Medscape Micromedex New England Journal of Medicine Epocrates Free Medical Calculators I expect that this list will begin to look very different in coming years as EHRs continue to open their platforms to outside developers…and applications will increasingly be integrated into direct patient care. No tag for this post. (Source: e-CareManagement) e-CareManagement blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4536166 Tue, 01 Mar 2011 18:26:48 +0100 4536166 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4536064&cid=t_100060_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fwhat-the-king%25e2%2580%2599s-speech-teaches-us-about-stuttering%2F2011.03.01 The film “The King’s Speech” won the Academy Award for Best Picture [on Sunday night.] The movie has come in for some criticism for its depiction of the political machinations surrounding the abdication of Edward VIII  and Britain’s appeasement of Hitler. The British-born writer Christopher Hitchens, unsparing and deliciously eloquent as always, puts the politics of  George VI in a far less favorable light than the movie does.       But ”The King’s Speech” has won almost universal praise for its portrayal of the reluctant monarch’s stuttering, a speech pattern that includes involuntary repetition of sounds and syllables and “speech blocks” that cause prolonged pauses. Many young  children who stutter grow out of the problem, but p... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4536064 Tue, 01 Mar 2011 18:00:13 +0100 4536064 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4532245&cid=t_100060_107_f&fid=34860&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.corporeality.net%2Fmuseion%2F2011%2F03%2F01%2Fbeyond-science-journalism-the-web-and-new-forms-of-communication-power%2F Today’s good news from the science communication world is that the editors of the Journal of Science Communication are inviting papers for a special issue on the future of science journalism, knowledge and power. As the editors point out, the consequence of the internet is that today “science journalism finds itself in the middle of a deep cultural, economic and political change in which technological evolution has a prominent role”. Traditional journalism is threatened and the social and professional roles of communicators need to be re-defined “in order to avoid a loss of the journalism’s democratic, social and cultural function”. The aim of the planned special issue is to investigate how knowledge and power are being re-distributed among differen... Biomedicine on Display blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4532245 Tue, 01 Mar 2011 10:03:03 +0100 4532245 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4527771&cid=t_100060_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F02%2F28%2F2-simple-ways-to-enhance-joy-in-your-relationship%2F As a couple, when you’re dealing with the many demands of day-to-day life, it can feel like the fun has been zapped from your relationship. But contrary to popular opinion, you don’t necessarily have to do anything spectacular or pricey to bring the enjoyment back. Below, Susan Heitler, Ph.D, a clinical psychologist in Denver who specializes in couples and author of The Power of Two: Secrets of a Strong & Loving Marriage, offers a simple 2-step plan to perk up your relationship. 1. Do a joy audit. Ask yourself ”How much time are we devoting to doing things that we enjoy as a couple?” Consider a further question. “How enjoyable are we making time together when the activity we need to do isn’t essentially fun?” For instance, you can easily turn “have-to” activit... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4527771 Mon, 28 Feb 2011 12:00:57 +0100 4527771 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4527952&cid=t_100060_136_f&fid=39212&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbahtocancer.com%2F2011%2F02%2Fgestures-and-signs%2F The more I drive, the more I extend my driving repertoire. I’ve recently added several new skills, including: pulling out onto a roundabout even though there is one car just visible on one horizon; getting out of a tight parking space; remembering to lock the car when I leave it. Fifth gear and I are no longer the strangers we once were. There’s one area of driving, though, that I will be struggling to master for some time to come. And that is the non-verbal communication with other drivers. I’m developing a good repertoire of little ‘thank you’ waves and nods which I deploy when passing other vehicles on country lanes just slightly too narrow for both of us, when we’ve both had to wiggle and swerve our way past. I can do ‘chuh!’ eye movement... Bah! to cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4527952 Mon, 28 Feb 2011 07:49:54 +0100 4527952 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4525075&cid=t_100060_113_f&fid=35744&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fe-CareManagement%2F%7E3%2FSFlJznDf4IQ%2F After attending the largest annual health IT conference of the year — HIMSS 11 –  John Moore reported that “nearly every EHR vendor has an iPad App for the EHR [electronic health record], or will be releasing such this year.” Doctors love iPads…not surprising? But, how might you explain this? There are at least two different possibilities: Coincidence Theory Conspiracy Theory The Coincidence Theory So doctors want to access EHR software through the iPad…what’s the big deal? Apple has built a great new hardware platform with the iPad. There’s nothing else like it in the marketplace.  While other companies are building competing tablets, Apple’s has been the only viable option in the market for over a year. (more…) Tags: Apple, EHRs/PHRs, strategy... e-CareManagement blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4525075 Sun, 27 Feb 2011 00:21:41 +0100 4525075 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4525046&cid=t_100060_107_f&fid=34860&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.corporeality.net%2Fmuseion%2F2011%2F02%2F26%2Fnew-web-technologies-of-biomedical-self-presentation%2F Like biography, autobiography has always been an important genre for science communication — like Francis Crick’s autobiography What Mad Pursuit (1988). A couple of decades ago, only a tiny scientific elite had, in practice, access to present themselves autobiographically in the form of book-length memoirs and interviews in newspaper and magazines. Science communication through self-presentation was thus largely restricted to famous life scientists, medical doctors and their famous patients. Now, thanks to the web, and especially social web technologies, public self-presentation has become an opportunity for the global biotechnoscientific multitude. Medical and nursing students, life science PhD students, and all kinds of ordinary patients are blogging, facebooking and t... Biomedicine on Display blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4525046 Sat, 26 Feb 2011 14:08:29 +0100 4525046 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4517228&cid=t_100060_113_f&fid=35744&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fe-CareManagement%2F%7E3%2FU1dkkpoguZg%2F Last May Fred Trotter wrote a brilliant blog post entitled The Power of Push. His essay described the latent power of the Direct Project (known then as NHIN-Direct). At that time, the Direct Project was still being incubated and was not widely known or understood. Since then, it’s gone from being an idea to a project in full-speed implementation. The simplest conceptualization of the Direct Project has been as a secure email alternative to medically-related transactions that today typically occur by fax, e.g., Dr. A faxes a medical record to Dr. B. The functionality of the Direct Project has been described as “push-only”. Fred notes that Push-only means that A can send messages to B, but B cannot automatically get data  from A (that would be pulling). Email and Faxes are push m... e-CareManagement blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4517228 Thu, 24 Feb 2011 23:27:33 +0100 4517228 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4495284&cid=t_100060_113_f&fid=35744&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fe-CareManagement%2F%7E3%2Fjq53TQcTWYo%2F By Rich Elmore and Arien Malec. Rich Elmore is the Direct Project Communication Workgroup leader and Vice President, Strategic Initiatives at Allscripts.  Arien Malec is ONC’s Coordinator, Direct Project and Coordinator, S&I Framework. A patient’s health records are no longer confined to a doctor’s office, shelved inside a dusty file cabinet. With the advent of the Nationwide Health Information Network, a framework of standards, services and policies that allow health practitioners to securely exchange health data, medical records digitized to be easily shared between doctor’s offices, hospitals, benefit providers, government agencies and other health organizations, all across America. This health information exchange is dramatically enhanced by the Direct Project. Launched i... e-CareManagement blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4495284 Fri, 18 Feb 2011 16:49:43 +0100 4495284 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4489715&cid=t_100060_107_f&fid=34860&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.corporeality.net%2Fmuseion%2F2011%2F02%2F16%2Fa-manifesto-for-creating-science-technology-and-medicine-exhibitions%2F Two weeks ago I mentioned that the Museums Journal had published Ken Arnolds and my Dogme 95-style manifesto for creating science, technology and medicine exhibitions, first presented last September at a conference organised by Medical Museion in Copenhagen. We have now received the journal’s permission to publish the full version of the manifesto. Enjoy and/or criticize! Just over 15 years ago, Danish directors Lars von Trier and Thomas Vinterberg spearheaded Dogme 95, a manifesto to purify the art of film-making. The aim was to engage audiences more profoundly and make sure they weren’t distracted by over-production. The Dogme manifesto ruled out special effects, post-production changes and other tricks in order to focus on the story and the performances. Since then, writer... Biomedicine on Display blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4489715 Wed, 16 Feb 2011 21:43:31 +0100 4489715 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4489678&cid=t_100060_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fmedical-aspects-of-the-king%25e2%2580%2599s-speech%2F2011.02.16 Over the weekend I went to see “The King’s Speech.” So far the film, featuring Colin Firth as a soon-to-be-king-of-England with a speech impediment, and Geoffrey Rush as his ill-credentialed but trusted speech therapist, has earned top critics’ awards and 12 Oscar nominations. This is a movie that’s hard not to like for one reason or another, at least most of the way through. It uplifts, it draws on history, it depends on solid acting. What I liked best, though, is the work’s rare depiction of a complex relationship between two imperfect, brave, and dedicated men. At some level, this is a movie about guys who communicate without fixating on cars, football (either kind), or women’s physical features. Great! (Dear Hollywood moguls: Can we have more like this, please?) T... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4489678 Wed, 16 Feb 2011 17:00:11 +0100 4489678 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4477761&cid=t_100060_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fmeasuring-the-patient-experience%2F2011.02.15 There’s a growing recognition within the medical-industrial complex that the patient is a key element of the enterprise, and that patient satisfaction, patient experience, patient engagement, patient activation, and patient-centeredness are very important. Some research shows that patient activation yields better patient outcomes, and that patient activation can be measured. Patient-centeredness and patient engagement are two of the key metrics to be used by the feds in describing Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs), if the internecine battles within government are resolved soon enough to actually release draft ACO regulations in time to allow for sufficient advance planning for the January 2012 go-live date. (Wearing one of my many hats, I’ve had the opportunity to submit ... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4477761 Tue, 15 Feb 2011 14:00:44 +0100 4477761 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4477922&cid=t_100060_123_f&fid=39035&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.liddlekidzblog.com%2F2011%2F02%2Fhave-you-hugged-you-kids-today.html Have you hugged your kids today? (Source: Liddle Kidz Infant and Pediatric Massage Blog) Liddle Kidz Infant and Pediatric Massage Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4477922 Mon, 14 Feb 2011 16:58:00 +0100 4477922 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4472950&cid=t_100060_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fconsumer-health-information-the-new-third-party-in-the-exam-room%2F2011.02.13 It was sometime in the mid-nineties that parents started showing up in my office with reams of paper. Inkjet printouts of independently unearthed information pulled from AltaVista and Excite. Google didn’t exist. In the earliest days of the Web, information was occasionally leveraged by families as a type of newfound control. A young father and his inkjet printer One case sticks clearly in my mind. It was that of a toddler with medically unresponsive acid reflux and chronic lung disease. After following the child for some time, the discussion with the family finally moved to the option of a fundoplication (anti-reflux surgery). On a follow-up visit the father had done his diligence and appeared in the office with a banker box brimming with printed information. He had done his homewo... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4472950 Sun, 13 Feb 2011 16:00:39 +0100 4472950 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4455263&cid=t_100060_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fartificial-sweeteners-and-telling-pregnant-women-in-moderation%2F2011.02.09 I can already tell that this pregnancy is different from my first. When I was pregnant with Little Isis, I drank no caffeine and took no over-the-counter medication. I remember having a few headaches and Mr. Isis fighting with me to take a headache pill. I would then proclaim dramatically, “But I can’t! What if it hurts the baby?!” This morning, now pregnant with my second, I washed down a Zyrtec and two Tylenol with a cup of coffee. The little bugger is going to have to grow up with Little Isis. He might as well start building up his tolerance to exogenous substances at some point. I figure, now that its got a closed neural tube and a beating heart, we might as well begin. Still, you can’t blame a pregnant woman for being a bit neurotic. The feeling that one is solely res... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4455263 Wed, 09 Feb 2011 20:00:01 +0100 4455263 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4455330&cid=t_100060_113_f&fid=35744&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fe-CareManagement%2F%7E3%2Fu0KNW3vFHmc%2F Many Physicians and Clinical Service Providers Will Not Be In Your ACO Contracting Network. Expect Significant Patient Leakage (Migration) Out of Your ACO Network Expect Patient Demands for Sharing Records. Minimize Anti-Trust Concerns. Expect Continuing Government Pressure for Broad Data Exchange. (more…) Article Series - Accountable Care Organizations: Cure-du-Jour or Real Collaborative Care?The Big Idea in Understanding “Accountable Care Organizations”The Achilles Heel of ACOs? Shared Savings Payment Model Unlikely to Motivate HospitalsA Dark Horse in ACO Formation: Large Physician Groups“Does This ACO Thing Really Mean We Need to be ‘Accountable’”Will ACO IT Models Be Walled Gardens or Open Platforms?10 Reasons Why an Open IT Platform Strate... e-CareManagement blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4455330 Wed, 09 Feb 2011 19:46:29 +0100 4455330 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4455331&cid=t_100060_113_f&fid=35744&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fe-CareManagement%2F%7E3%2FA49jXUh59R8%2F Click here for a complimentary copy of of the February 2011 issue of Accountable Care News. Click here for more information about subscribing to Accountable Care News. No tag for this post. (Source: e-CareManagement) e-CareManagement blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4455331 Wed, 09 Feb 2011 19:28:44 +0100 4455331 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4450294&cid=t_100060_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=4433343&cid=t_100060_180_f&fid=38612&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fpickthebrain%2FLYVv%2F%7E3%2FWaeXOLKiU-U%2F Personality typing systems abound on the Internet, some of them more reputable than others. Facebook quizzes and other social media sites will tell you everything from which cartoon character you are most like to what love story your life most resembles. You can spend hours answering questions on some online dating sites that will help you clarify what you are like and what you want to see in a mate. And then there are professional personality typing systems such as Myers Briggs that will help you figure out which of 16 personality buckets you fit into. These are fun but are they really useful? Well, the more you understand about yourself the better you’ll be able to relate to others. Here’s why. Understanding That Not Everyone is Like You One of the biggest “ah ha” moments for me ... PickTheBrain | Motivation and Self Improvement blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4433343 Thu, 03 Feb 2011 07:22:45 +0100 4433343 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4429079&cid=t_100060_113_f&fid=35744&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fe-CareManagement%2F%7E3%2F32qW7qHRZ2A%2F Webinar Title: An Impending Marriage: Electronic Health Records (EHRs) and Care Management Software The presentation will be geared at practicing clinical case managers in health plans, hospitals, disease management companies, and similar organizations: Describe market forces driving integration of EHRs and care management software.  Review care management software survey data and stimulus funding for EHR adoption.  Describe a 3 stage framework for the evolution of EHRs and care management software.  Characterize benefits to patients and impacts on care manager responsibilities. The event is sponsored by HealthSciences Institute and the PartnersinImprovement Alliance. When: Friday, February 4, 2011 11:30 am Eastern Time 10:30 am Central Time 9:30 am Mountain Time 8:30 am Pacific Time... e-CareManagement blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4429079 Wed, 02 Feb 2011 21:13:33 +0100 4429079 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4433255&cid=t_100060_133_f&fid=37107&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.aspieweb.net%2Ffree-ipod-touch-for-autism%2F Needy people with Autism now have a chance at getting iPod touches to help them communicate with the world.  Priya Kishnan a high school junior from Alexandria Virginia founded the organization Project Touch and is partnering with Autism Speaks to provide free iPod touches to those on the Autism Spectrum.  Those interested in obtaining an [...] (Source: AspieWeb.net) AspieWeb.net blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4433255 Wed, 02 Feb 2011 18:59:37 +0100 4433255 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4419139&cid=t_100060_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fpossible-5-million-fine-or-prison-for-doctors-who-ask-about-guns-in-the-home%2F2011.01.31 No photo for this post. You can imagine why. I’m a little stunned by the news that a politician in Florida is trying to stifle pediatricians from asking questions about guns in the home. My reaction is utterly predictable. Should I YELL IT or write it down or leave it up to your genius (and imagination)? (silence) The skinny on the Florida proposal: Florida Rep. Jason Brodeur said “he has heard about a number of cases in which doctors asked about guns. He thinks the topic should be off-limits.” Brodeur says he’s concerned about doctors asking patients about guns in the home. He’s concerned that information could get into the hands of the government or insurance companies. Under the proposed legislation, a doctor could face a fine of up to $5 million or be sent to prison for up t... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4419139 Mon, 31 Jan 2011 16:00:08 +0100 4419139 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4411742&cid=t_100060_180_f&fid=38612&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fpickthebrain%2FLYVv%2F%7E3%2FVl4KxoZVXn0%2F Screw you! You Fu*k**g idiot. Did you forget to pay your brain bill? I don’t know why I waste my time with your stupid a**. With the destructive force of an enraged carnivorous animal that has tasted blood we use our tongues as uncontrollable weapons of mass destruction. Although the original intent is to passionately prove a point sometimes disagreements transform into a clash of raw emotion that is just as spontaneous as it is combustible. An argument is supposed to be a junction of ideas where different perspectives merge together cohesively to form a bond between two opposing viewpoints. Now they are an un-officiated cage match of mixed martial arts fighters inflicting demoralizing blow after blow in attempts to not only humiliate but also destroy anyone who dares to view things ... PickTheBrain | Motivation and Self Improvement blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4411742 Fri, 28 Jan 2011 07:19:51 +0100 4411742 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4405855&cid=t_100060_113_f&fid=35744&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fe-CareManagement%2F%7E3%2FXGQzNuEv3Zo%2F Deven McGraw is the Director of the Health Privacy Project at the Center for Democracy & Technology.  The Health 2.0 movement has seen incredible growth recently, with new tools and services continuously being released. Of course, Health 2.0 developers face a number of challenges when it comes to getting providers and patients to adopt new tools, including integrating into a health system that is still mostly paper-based. Another serious obstacle facing developers is how to interpret and, where appropriate, comply with the HIPAA privacy and security regulations.  Questions abound when it comes to Health 2.0 and HIPAA, and it’s vital we get them answered, both for the sake of protecting users’ privacy and to ensure people are able to experience the full benefits of innova... e-CareManagement blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4405855 Thu, 27 Jan 2011 03:33:07 +0100 4405855 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4389233&cid=t_100060_113_f&fid=35744&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fe-CareManagement%2F%7E3%2FsejciRvUwz4%2F The PCAST Report on Health IT has become a political piñata.  Early Feedback on PCAST  Like many of my colleagues, I was taken aback by the release of the Report in early December 2010 — I didn’t know quite what to make of it. Response in the first week of release was:  Limited. The first commentaries were primarily by technical and/or clinical bloggers. The mainstream HIT world had remarkably little initial reaction to the Report.  Respectful of the imprimatur of “The President’s” Report and noting some of the big names associated with the report (e.g., Google’s Eric Schmidt and Microsoft’s Craig Mundie.) Focused on technical and/or clinical perspectives around two broad themes. The vision is on target:  “extraordinary”, “breathtakingly... e-CareManagement blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4389233 Sun, 23 Jan 2011 21:11:05 +0100 4389233 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4386272&cid=t_100060_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fmystery-providers-healthcare-professionals-and-identification-badges%2F2011.01.22 So I’m in the exam room recently with a new patient. After some initial dialog with the child and family, I launched into the business of problem solving. Ten minutes into my history the mother politely asks: “I’m sorry, and you are?…” I hadn’t introduced myself. I had left my ID badge at my workstation, and by order of some innocent distraction with the child or family, I hadn’t identified myself immediately on entering the room. This is rare. Sometimes I assume people will know who I am. But I don’t wear a white coat and my stethoscope is concealed. I wear clothes only good enough to sustain the barrage of regurgitation, urine, full-frontal coughs, and sloppy hugs that mark a successful clinic day. A colleague once told me I dress like an algebra teacher. I haven’... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4386272 Sat, 22 Jan 2011 20:00:56 +0100 4386272 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4382766&cid=t_100060_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fhow-doctors-feel-about-patients-who-google-their-symptoms%2F2011.01.21 Many doctors roll their eyes whenever patients bring in a stack of research they printed out, stemming from a Google search of their symptoms. A piece by Dr. Zachary Meisel on TIME.com describes a familiar scenario: The medical intern started her presentation with an eye roll. “The patient in Room 3 had some blood in the toilet bowl this morning and is here with a pile of Internet printouts listing all the crazy things she thinks she might have.” The intern continued, “I think she has a hemorrhoid.” “Another case of cyberchondria,” added the nurse behind me. It’s time to stop debating whether patients should research their own symptoms. It’s happening already, and the medical profession would be better served to handle this new reality. According to the Pew Internet and ... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4382766 Fri, 21 Jan 2011 14:00:37 +0100 4382766 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4372108&cid=t_100060_113_f&fid=35744&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fe-CareManagement%2F%7E3%2F2LlHAo67_oQ%2F The Health IT Policy Committee has published proposed Stage 2 and 3 Meaningful Use Recommendations and they’re open for public comment until February 25. I’ll share a couple of particularly useful and well written analyses and commentaries by colleagues. Health IT guru and thought leader Dr. John Halamka writes about The Proposed Stage 2 and 3 Meaningful Use Recommendations in his blog. This is a great article to get a thumbnail overview of all the proposed recommendations. John lists 38 criteria and provides a quick commentary on how challenging he sees each of them. (Keep in mind that he’s CIO at one of the most HIT-advanced health systems in the country — your definition of “easy” and his might not be alike.) (more…) Article Series - Stages 2 and 3 of ... e-CareManagement blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4372108 Wed, 19 Jan 2011 22:16:13 +0100 4372108 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4372044&cid=t_100060_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fhow-good-is-your-doctor-at-diagnosing-you%2F2011.01.19 We’ve all been there. It often starts with some kind of recurring pain or dull ache. We don’t know what’s causing the pain or ache. During the light of day we tell ourselves that it’s nothing. But at 3:00am when the pain wakes you, worry sets in: “Maybe I have cancer or heart disease or some other life-ending ailment.” The next day you make an appointment to see your doctor. So now you’re sitting in the exam room explaining this scenario to your doctor. Based on your previous experience, what’s the first thing your doctor would do? A. Order a battery of tests and schedule a follow-up appointment. B. Put you in a patient gown and conduct a thorough physical examination, including asking you detailed questions about your complaint before ordering any test... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4372044 Wed, 19 Jan 2011 22:00:07 +0100 4372044 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4361085&cid=t_100060_112_f&fid=34971&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdoctorandpatient.blogspot.com%2F2011%2F01%2Fpatient-education-in-india-times-of.html (Source: The Patient's Doctor) The Patient's Doctor blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4361085 Mon, 17 Jan 2011 13:33:00 +0100 4361085 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4355716&cid=t_100060_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fdo-patients-have-clinical-judgment%2F2011.01.16 I used to think they didn’t, but they do. Clinical judgment is the application of individual experience to the variables of a patient’s medical presentation. It’s the hard-worn skill of knowing what to do and how far to go in a particular situation. It’s having the confidence to do nothing. Clinical judgment is learned from seeing lots of sick people. Good clinical judgment is when the gifted capacity of reasoning intersects with experience. Some doctors have better judgment than others. Aristotle called this phronesis – or practical judgment. Patients have practical judgment. We often can tell when something’s amiss with our own body. Things feel different or look different. Taking action on these observations is how we exercise judgment as patients. Parents of chi... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4355716 Sun, 16 Jan 2011 23:00:49 +0100 4355716 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4349515&cid=t_100060_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=4386412&cid=t_100060_133_f&fid=37107&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.aspieweb.net%2Ffacilitated-communication-mistake-false-rape-charge%2F A mistake with an aide helping a student communicate using a method known as facilitated communication results in a father spending 80 days in Jail on false rape charges  according to the Detroit Free Press.  The girl who has an intellectual functioning of a two year old reported using assistance from a school aid and typing using facilitated [...] (Source: AspieWeb.net) AspieWeb.net blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4386412 Fri, 14 Jan 2011 09:43:50 +0100 4386412