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 'empowered'. Sat, 03 Sep 2011 02:09:17 +0100 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5103342&cid=t_107186_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fwhat-should-people-receiving-health-care-be-called-empowered-patient-vs-health-care-consumer%2F2011.08.05 “There is a better way – structural reforms that empower patients with greater choices and increase the role of competition in the health-care marketplace.” Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI) August 3, 2011 The highly charged political debates about reforming American health care have provided tempting opportunities to rename the people who receive health services.  But because the impetus for this change has been prompted by cost and quality concerns of health care payers, researchers and policy experts rather than emanating from us out of our own needs, some odd words have been called into service.  Two phrases commonly used to describe us convey meanings that mischaracterize our experiences and undervalue our needs: “empowered patient” and “health care consumer.” As one who has done ... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5103342 Fri, 05 Aug 2011 21:00:35 +0100 5103342 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5077684&cid=t_107186_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=5077685&cid=t_107186_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Ftake-an-active-role-in-your-own-health-it-can-save-more-than-just-your-life%2F2011.07.29 Sometimes you need a published study to tell you what should be obvious in the first place. This time, researchers have discovered that: When physicians have more personalized discussions with their patients and encourage them to take a more active role in their health, both doctor and patient have more confidence that they reached a correct diagnosis and a good strategy to improve the patient’s health. Really? But wait, there’s more. (more…) *This blog post was originally published at See First Blog* (Source: Better Health) Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5077685 Fri, 29 Jul 2011 18:00:07 +0100 5077685 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5036235&cid=t_107186_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=4984452&cid=t_107186_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fbending-the-cost-curve-in-cancer-care-reduce-excessive-testing-for-reassurance-purposes%2F2011.06.29 This is the second in a series of posts on Bending the Cost Curve in Cancer Care. We should consider the proposal, published in the NEJM, gradually over the course of this summer, starting with “suggested changes in oncologists’ behavior,” #1: 1. Target surveillance testing or imaging to situations in which a benefit has been shown. This point concerns the costs of doctors routinely ordering CTs, MRIs and other imaging exams, besides blood tests, for patients who’ve completed a course of cancer treatment and are thought to be in remission. The NEJM authors consider that after a cancer diagnosis many patients, understandably, seek reassurance that any recurrence will be detected early, if it happens. Doctors, for their part, may not fully appreciate the lack of benefit of detecting ... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4984452 Wed, 29 Jun 2011 15:00:37 +0100 4984452 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4934161&cid=t_107186_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fthe-boundaries-between-doctor-and-patient%2F2011.06.16 This post from Kelly Young on Howard Luks’ blog asks when patients cross the line with respect to their own advocacy.  It’s worth a peek. The question of boundaries between doctor and patient is interesting.  All of my patients are empowered in some way.  The extent and level of that empowerment is personal.  On our own there are few lines and little with respect to boundaries.  We have effectively unlimited access to information and resources.  And how far we go to look after ourselves and our kids has few limits. But when we enter into a relationship with a provider, we’re no longer alone.  It’s unreasonable for a provider to tell a patient (more…) *This blog post was originally published at 33 Charts* (Source: Better Health) Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4934161 Thu, 16 Jun 2011 12:00:58 +0100 4934161 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4872089&cid=t_107186_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fthree-good-reasons-for-healthcare-professionals-to-use-social-networks%2F2011.05.27 Social networking allows doctors, nurses and other health professionals to deeply connect and engage with the community and their colleagues. “We are standing at the precipice of a new online revolution in health care. As more and more health experts embrace the Internet and increase their social media activity, health information seekers will undoubtedly benefit in profound ways.” [Source: Mashable] Dynamic health and medical professionals engaged in social networking, using Twitter, Facebook, Blogs and YouTube are on the front-line of new modern medicine. Today’s modern medicine is all about the patient.  Participating, partnering and developing a professional relationship is paramount. While many health consumers are searching the web for support, reassurance and specific health ... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4872089 Fri, 27 May 2011 21:00:03 +0100 4872089 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4742388&cid=t_107186_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=4575059&cid=t_107186_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fhow-e-patients-find-answers-and-each-other-online%2F2011.03.11 [Recently] NPR’s popular program “Talk of the Nation” covered something we discuss often: How e-patients find information and find each other online. Featured guests were Pat Furlong, mother of two boys with a rare disease who started an online community, and Susannah Fox of the Pew Internet and American Life Project, a frequent contributor here. The audio is here. It’s a good combination: Pat speaks from the heart about her own experience and her passion for community, and Susannah, as usual, speaks as an “internet geologist” — as she once put it, “A geologist doesn’t have opinions about the rocks, she just observes and describes them.” Susannah spoke about her newly-released report “Peer-To-Peer Healthcare,” about which she recently wrote here. L... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4575059 Fri, 11 Mar 2011 14:00:52 +0100 4575059 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4507280&cid=t_107186_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fselecting-targeted-therapies-online-the-future-of-personalized-cancer-treatment%2F2011.02.22 The word cancer comes from the greek word for crab “karkinos,” so named by Hippocrates who visualized the tumor and its surrounding vessels looking like a crab, dug stubbornly into the sand with its legs. We know far more about cancer today than the ancient Greeks, but the vision of an entrenched opponent, almost impossible to extract whole, appears to be vividly prescient. What we have realized over the last half century is that removal of the visible tumor is not enough. Even as we learned how to do bigger and more destructive surgeries, the cancer still managed to sneak back in, growing later at different locations. The crab’s legs are still embedded in the patient. Thus the discovery that certain chemicals could extinguish these rogue cells opened the modern era of cancer therapy... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4507280 Tue, 22 Feb 2011 20:00:25 +0100 4507280 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4455264&cid=t_107186_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fwhen-a-world-class-medical-institution-saves-you-yet-fails-you%2F2011.02.09 Let me start by saying I really like MD Anderson Cancer Center. There is a lot to like. Take their tag line for example: “Making care history.” If anyone finds a cure for this cancer or that cancer, MD Anderson will have a hand in it, I’m sure. Hospitals could also learn a thing or two about the meaning of comprehensive care, clinical integration, and customer service from MD Anderson is well. I have another reason why I like MD Anderson so well: They saved my wife’s life. You see, she was diagnosed back in November of 2004 with stage four non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). As anyone familiar with lung care knows, lung cancer is a very tough adversary. It’s an even tougher adversary when your insurance company insists that your local community hospital and oncologists are �... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4455264 Wed, 09 Feb 2011 18:00:04 +0100 4455264 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4405774&cid=t_107186_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fwhy-every-pregnant-woman-needs-to-do-a-background-check%2F2011.01.27 The journey to a healthy pregnancy and delivery begins with the selection of a healthcare provider, and the challenge is to find the right one. This is the person who will be in charge of your pregnancy up until the time of the delivery, so it certainly is not a casual date. For the next 280 days your life and the life of your unborn child will be in this person’s hands. A background check is therefore in order. One of the best ways to find the right healthcare provider is by word-of-mouth referral from neighbors, friends, or family members however please don’t stop there. Labor and delivery nurses are also a great source of referral because they have seen physicians and midwives under their most vulnerable and challenging moments. Don’t feel intimidated about checking a provide... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4405774 Thu, 27 Jan 2011 20:00:38 +0100 4405774 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4399524&cid=t_107186_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fa-second-opinion-is-good-but-a-third-or-fourth%2F2011.01.26 A few years ago I started writing a book on what it was like to be a cancer patient and an oncologist. This morning I came upon this section on second opinions: Is It OK To Get A Second Opinion? Definitely. And there’s no need to be secretive about it, or to worry about hurting the doctor’s feelings. Second opinions are routine in fields like oncology, and are often covered by insurance. Be up-front: Any decent oncologist can understand a cancer patient’s need to find a doctor who’s right for them, with whom they’re comfortable making important decisions. And in difficult cases, some specialists appreciate the chance to discuss the situation with another expert. So a second opinion can be beneficial to patients and physicians alike. When things can get out of hand, though, is whe... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4399524 Wed, 26 Jan 2011 14:00:50 +0100 4399524 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4382762&cid=t_107186_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Frealistic-medicine-the-kind-of-thinking-to-look-for%2F2011.01.21 There are several stages in becoming an empowered, engaged, activated patient — a capable, responsible partner in getting good care for yourself, your family, whoever you’re caring for. One ingredient is to know what to expect, so you can tell when things seem right and when they don’t. Researching a project today, I came across an article* published in 2006: ”Key Learning from the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute’s 10-Year Patient Safety Journey.” This table shows the attitude you’ll find in an organization that has realized the challenges of medicine and is dealing with them realistically: “Errors are everywhere.” “Great care in a high-risk environment.” What kind of attitude is that? It’s accurate. This work began after the death of Boston Globe healt... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4382762 Fri, 21 Jan 2011 22:00:29 +0100 4382762 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4337935&cid=t_107186_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fwhat-if-all-patients-were-this-engaged-in-their-health%2F2011.01.12 This video is an excellent testimony of what a truly engaged and knowledgable patient with diabetes looks and sounds like. Kudos to the Mayo Clinic for sharing this wonderful piece about shared decision making. Pay particular attention to the fact that the patient in the video was treated for diabetes by her primary care physician for eight years before being referred to a clearly “patient-centered” endocrinologist. Also note her belief that a patient-centered approach to chronic disease management probably results in shorter, more productive visits in the long run. *This blog post was originally published at Mind The Gap* (Source: Better Health) Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4337935 Wed, 12 Jan 2011 20:00:14 +0100 4337935 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4337941&cid=t_107186_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fhow-to-have-a-pain-free-hospital-stay%2F2011.01.11 This is a guest post from Dr. Anita Gupta. ********** How To Have A Pain-Free Hospital Stay Too often patients feel like they’re in the passenger seat when entering the hospital. Even in the best of circumstances — such as planned admissions — patients often don’t feel in control of their own care. One of the most unnecessary issues facing patients when they enter the hospital is untreated (or undertreated) pain. Often the focus of the medical team is to treat a condition, and controlling a patient’s pain comes second. Fortunately, this doesn’t need to be the situation. Here are a few tips for patients to ensure that their pain does not go overlooked: – Let someone know if you are in pain. This may seem obvious, but patients often hesitate to question their doctor... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4337941 Tue, 11 Jan 2011 18:00:55 +0100 4337941 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4331016&cid=t_107186_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Ffirst-report-from-the-society-of-participatory-medicines-newly-appointed-public-policy-committee-chair-david-harlow%2F2011.01.10 In December, the Society for Participatory Medicine’s executive committee appointed health law attorney David Harlow to represent the Society in public policy matters. Regular readers of HealthBlawg::David Harlow’s Health Care Law Blog know what a patient-centered, participatory thinker David is. This is his first report. I am delighted to offer my first report as Public Policy Committee Chair for the Society of Participatory Medicine. I encourage all of you who are not yet Society members to join, and I encourage new and old members to consider volunteering to help with the wide range of public policy issues facing us today. Over the past couple of months, the Public Policy Committee has gotten its sea legs. We are beginning to add the Society’s voice to the national discourse on p... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4331016 Mon, 10 Jan 2011 14:00:15 +0100 4331016 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4318331&cid=t_107186_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fcomparative-effectiveness-research-more-can-be-less%2F2011.01.06 Discussion About Comparative Effectiveness Research When the public turns its attention to medical effectiveness research, a discussion often follows about how this research might restrict access to new medical innovations. But this focus obscures the vital role that effectiveness research will play in evaluating current medical and surgical care. I am now slogging through chemotherapy for stomach cancer, probably the result of high doses of radiation for Hodgkin lymphoma in the early 1970s, which was the standard treatment until long-term side effects (heart problems, additional cancers) emerged in the late 80s. So I am especially attuned to the need for research that tracks the short and long-term effectiveness — and dangers — of treatments.  Choosing a surgeon this Septembe... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4318331 Thu, 06 Jan 2011 22:00:53 +0100 4318331 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4309608&cid=t_107186_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fpersonalized-medicine-a-2011-resolution-for-you%2F2011.01.04 You are an individual right? To your mom and dad you are/were like no other. Hopefully your family and friends continue to see you as one-of-a-kind. Had you considered your doctor should see you that way too? Not as yet another one with diabetes, or heart disease, or cancer, but as a singular human being with biology that may be different from even the next person through the door with the same diagnosis. This is the age of “personalized medicine” and it will accelerate in 2011. It is our responsibility as patients to ensure the power of this concept is leveraged for us each time we interact with the healthcare system. This is especially true as we manage a serious chronic condition or a cancer. Now, in research and in clinical practice there are refined tests to determine what our spe... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4309608 Tue, 04 Jan 2011 19:00:47 +0100 4309608 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4302124&cid=t_107186_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fpractice-variation-essential-to-e-patient-awareness%2F2010.12.31 This is the first of the follow-up posts I hope to write from participating in the Salzburg Global Seminar titled “The Greatest Untapped Resource in Healthcare? Informing and Involving Patients in Decisions about Their Medical Care.” One of our purposes on this site is to help people develop e-patient skills, so they can be more effectively engaged in their care. One aspect is shared decision making, which we wrote about in September. A related topic, from August, is understanding the challenges of pathology and diagnosis. Both posts teach about being better informed partners for our healthcare professionals. I’ve recently learned of an another topic, which I’m sure many of you know: Practice variation. This is a big subject, and I’ll have several posts about it. It’s complex, ... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4302124 Fri, 31 Dec 2010 18:00:02 +0100 4302124 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4305111&cid=t_107186_151_f&fid=35818&url=http%3A%2F%2Frecoveryissexy.com%2Fwomen-the-12-steps-of-aa%2F 12 Steps lead women upwardsWomen and the Twelve Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous: A Gendered NarrativeThis paper examines how women “work” the twelve steps of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) from a gendered perspective.Feminist critics of AA havechallenged the language of AA’s Twelve Steps,the spiritual nature of the steps, andthe male-dominated culture of the Twelve-Step program.This paper offers insight into how women in AA approach, interpret, and utilize the Twelve Steps to recover from alcoholism.Through survey and narrative data, findings suggeststhat women working AA’s Twelve Steps become empowered andchange for the better in spite of the male-dominated culture and language of the Twelve Steps andregardless of the difficulty they may have encountered in completing these steps.In part... Recovery Is Sexy.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4305111 Fri, 31 Dec 2010 15:21:02 +0100 4305111 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4298620&cid=t_107186_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fabout-patient-autonomy%2F2010.12.29 Recently, I was involved in a discussion on an email list serve and decided to takes some of my comments on patient autonomy and blog about them. This arose following a debate about whether the term “patient” engendered a sense of passivity and, therefore, whether the term should be dropped in favor of something else, like “client” or something similar. Having participated in the preparation and dissemination of the white paper on e-patients, I don’t see the need for “factions” or disagreements in the service of advancing Participatory Medicine. As Alan Greene aptly stated: “This is a big tent, with room for all.” I want all of my patients to be as autonomous as possible. In my view, their autonomy is independent of the doctor-patient r... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4298620 Wed, 29 Dec 2010 22:00:00 +0100 4298620 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4298622&cid=t_107186_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fbecoming-a-savvy-healthcare-consumer-a-difficult-science%2F2010.12.29 Dr. Kent Bottles is in the midst of a very thoughtful multi-part blog post under the heading, “The Difficult Science Behind Becoming a Savvy Healthcare Consumer.” Part I examined “the limitations of science in helping us make wise choices and decisions about our health.” Part II explores “how we all have to change if we are to live wisely in a time of rapid transformation of the American healthcare system that everyone agrees needs to decrease per-capita cost and increase quality.” Both parts so far have addressed important issues about news media coverage of healthcare. (more…) *This blog post was originally published at Gary Schwitzer's HealthNewsReview Blog* (Source: Better Health) Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4298622 Wed, 29 Dec 2010 18:00:30 +0100 4298622 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4272287&cid=t_107186_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fhealth-2-0-is-it-a-threat-to-the-medical-profession%2F2010.12.20 The Internet has threatened journalism. Clay Shirky has said that everyone is a media outlet. An Internet connection and blogging platform makes everyone a publisher. Can the mass professionalization of journalism be applied to medicine or health? Can access to a broadband connection outfit a citizen to think and act like a physician? There are pieces of what physicians do that can be replicated, and other pieces that can’t. The technical things that doctors do can’t be replaced. Removing an appendix or replacing a heart valve, for example. Tough to pull off on CureTogether. But what about the thinking? After all, patients have access to the same information, references, and literature as physicians. Unfettered access to information can create an illusion. It can give us a fals... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4272287 Mon, 20 Dec 2010 14:00:04 +0100 4272287 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4258867&cid=t_107186_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fa-patient%25e2%2580%2599s-contagious-confidence-and-endless-possibilities%2F2010.12.14 In a recent post I wrote why patients are the most important part of the medical team, and my colleagues, Elizabeth Cohen, Kevin Pho, MD, Donna Cryer, JD, and Carl R. Sullivan, MD, shared their insights as well. Today, Ginger Vieira, a patient living with type 1 diabetes and celiac disease, says: “You, as the patient, are the most important part of the medical team because you are the one who makes the daily decisions, who balances your disease around dinners, soccer games, long hours at work without enough time to check your blood sugar and eat lunch. You are the one who takes the knowledge you learn from your doctor and fits it into your everyday life. That’s a huge role, and it’s never easy.” Ginger Vieira shares her story about the challenges and how her positive attitude is al... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4258867 Tue, 14 Dec 2010 15:00:54 +0100 4258867 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4251108&cid=t_107186_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fvideo-the-too-informed-patient%2F2010.12.11 This video, “The Too-Informed Patient,” came my way lately. It’s featured on NPR’s Mar­ket­place website: The Too Informed Patient from Marketplace on Vimeo. —– The pup­peteer skit fea­tures the inter­ac­tion between a young man with a rash and his older physi­cian. The patient is an informed kind of guy: He’s checked his own med­ical record on the doctor’s web­site, read up on rashes in the Boston Globe, checked pix on WebMD, seen an episode of “Gray’s Anatomy” about a rash and, most inven­tively, checked iDiagnose, a hypo­thet­i­cal app (I hope) that led him to the con­clu­sion that he might have epi­der­mal necro­sis. “Not to worry,” the patient informs Dr. Matthews, who mean­while has been try­ing to ex... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4251108 Sat, 11 Dec 2010 19:00:28 +0100 4251108 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4230157&cid=t_107186_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fpatient-centered-outcomes-research-will-patients-be-involved%2F2010.12.05 A year ago Gangadhar Sulkunte shared his story here about how he and his wife became e-patients of necessity, and succeeded, resolving a significant issue through empowered, engaged research. As today’s guest post shows, he’s now actively engaged in thinking about healthcare at the level of national policy, as well – and he calls for all patients to speak up about this new issue. – Dave I recently came across a Pauline Chen piece in the New York Times, “Listening to Patients Living With Illness.” It refers to a paper by Dr. Wu et al, ”Adding The Patient Perspective To Comparative Effectiveness Research.” According to the paper and the NY Times article, Dr. Wu and his co-authors propose: Making patient-reported outcomes a more routine part of clinical studi... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4230157 Sun, 05 Dec 2010 19:00:34 +0100 4230157 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4230160&cid=t_107186_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2F5-reasons-why-patients-dont-mention-symptoms-to-their-doctors%2F2010.12.04 To com­plain or “be good” is an appar­ent dilemma for some patients with seri­ous illness. Yes­ter­day I received an email from a close friend with advanced breast can­cer. She’s got a lot of symp­toms: Her fatigue is so over­whelm­ing she can’t do more than one activ­ity each day. Yes­ter­day, for exam­ple, she stayed home all day and did noth­ing because she was sup­posed to watch a hockey game in the evening with her teenage son and other fam­ily mem­bers. Her voice is weak, so much it’s hard to talk on the phone. She has dif­fi­culty writ­ing, in the man­ual sense — mean­ing she can’t quite use her right arm and hand properly. “It’s some­thing I would never men­tion to the doc­tor because it is very sub­tle,” she wrote. “But it has no... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4230160 Sat, 04 Dec 2010 21:00:07 +0100 4230160 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4220442&cid=t_107186_147_f&fid=39273&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FePharmaSummit%2F%7E3%2FeAbLOY4dt6U%2Fwinning-in-relationship-era.html Marketers feel the ground shifting beneath their feet. Health care consumers are more empowered than ever, and as consumers gain unparalleled access to and influence over brands, they form new expectations about brand relationships. They expect us to truly engage with them - and to provide value beyond the pill - by building an experience around the brand that’s not about product branding, but rather about making them and their loved ones healthier. Authenticity and trust will drive their behaviors, not 30-second spots. So, how can business leaders - given the realities of the current regulatory environment - best adapt from a campaign-driven paradigm to an always-on marketing ecosystem? Learn how brands can adapt and win in the “Relationship Era” by building sustainable relationship... ePharma Summit blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4220442 Wed, 01 Dec 2010 15:52:00 +0100 4220442 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4214106&cid=t_107186_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fhealthcare-transparency-patient-experts-at-medical-conventions%2F2010.11.30 We are invading their home turf. Increasingly, in among the thousands of doctors, scientists, and medical industry marketers at the largest medical conventions you are finding real patients who have the conditions discussed in the scientific sessions and exhibit halls. Patients like me want to be where the news breaks. We want to ask questions and — thanks to the Internet — we have a direct line to thousands of other patients waiting to know what new developments mean for them. I vividly remember attending an FDA drug hearing a few years ago and how there were stock analysts sitting in the audience, BlackBerries poised for the “thumbs up” or “thumbs down” on whether a proposed new drug would be recommended for approval. (At that session it was thumbs dow... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4214106 Tue, 30 Nov 2010 22:00:47 +0100 4214106 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4197064&cid=t_107186_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fthe-patient-the-most-important-member-of-the-healthcare-team%2F2010.11.24 Do you feel patients are the most important part of the medical (healthcare) team? In a recent post on Health in 30, “When Doctors and Nurses Work Together,” I wrote about the team-based approach for caring and treating patients, and it addressed the relationship between nurses, doctors, patients and the importance of a multidisciplinary, team-based approach to patient care. The healthcare team is comprised of a diverse group of specialized professionals, and the most important part of the medical team is the patient. Subsequent to publishing this post, I received an email from an author and patient advocate stating that patients are not the most important member of the medical team. I value and respect this comment, however I politely and passionately disagree. As a registered nurse a... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4197064 Wed, 24 Nov 2010 15:00:41 +0100 4197064 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4197316&cid=t_107186_136_f&fid=39025&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Feverythingchangesbook%2F%7E3%2FCJbwNkT3T28%2Freduce-medical-bills The first step to reducing your medical debt is asking your doc or hospital to reduce your bill. This takes time, chutzpah, and smarts and is worth the work. Asking for a discounted bill can sound impossible but it’s not.  Here’s why:  The cost of medical procedures, doctor’s time, and hospital services are not set in stone. In fact, different patients are even billed different prices for the same services. Walking into a doc’s office or hospital is not like walking into McDonald’s where a Big Mac costs the same for everyone in line.  With medical care, different people get charged different rates and your rates can be negotiated.  After all, negotiating rates is exactly what insurance companies do and you can do it for yourself too! The National Endowment... Everything Changes blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4197316 Tue, 23 Nov 2010 14:04:28 +0100 4197316 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4179474&cid=t_107186_136_f&fid=39025&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Feverythingchangesbook%2F%7E3%2FCJbwNkT3T28%2Freduce-medical-bills The first step to reducing your medical debt is asking your doc or hospital to reduce your bill. This takes time, chutzpah, and smarts and is worth the work. Asking for a discounted bill can sound impossible, but did you know the cost of medical procedures, doctor’s time, and hospital stays are not set in stone?  In fact, different patients are billed different prices for the same services. It’s not like walking into McDonald’s where a Big Mac costs the same for everyone in line. (For example, hospitals often charge much less to insured patients because there’s a higher guarantee the bill will be paid.) Unfair?  Yes.  But use to your advantage the fact that hospitals can and do charge many different rates: Get them to lower your bill! The National Endowment for F... Everything Changes blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4179474 Thu, 18 Nov 2010 14:04:28 +0100 4179474 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4172059&cid=t_107186_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fheart-smarts%2F2010.11.16 From the American Heart Association’s “Scientific Sessions 2010” in Chicago (November 13-17): Chicago Heart Smarts from Patient Power® on Vimeo. *This blog post was originally published at Andrew's Blog* (Source: Better Health) Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4172059 Tue, 16 Nov 2010 19:00:39 +0100 4172059 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4164525&cid=t_107186_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2F5-tips-on-how-to-be-a-healthcare-survivalist%2F2010.11.13 There are plenty of “survivalists” out there who stock their basements with canned goods, getting ready for some unexpected (and unlikely) apocalypse. Meanwhile there are things that are much more likely to happen to you — like getting sick — which many of us don’t prepare for at all. So to help you get started, here are five important tips on how you can become a healthcare survivalist: 1.  Take care of your chronic conditions. Whether it’s high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol, depression, asthma or any other kind of ailment, do what it takes to manage your own care. Take your medications and follow your doctors’ instructions. Why? Because if you don’t, your condition can get worse and lead to even more serious problems. As much of a pain as it may (... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4164525 Sat, 13 Nov 2010 22:00:47 +0100 4164525 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4151788&cid=t_107186_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fsharing-your-health-issues-the-responsibility-of-survivorship%2F2010.11.10 This past weekend Oscar-nominated Hollywood and Broadway actress Jill Clayburgh died at age 66. The cause was chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), which she had been fighting, privately, for 21 years. As you may recall, I, too, have CLL and I was diagnosed at the same age, 45. For me, I am 16 and a half years into that “battle” although, fortunately, I have been feeling very good in the ten years since I received treatment as part of a breakthrough clinical trial. While I have no symptoms and take no medicine I do not consider myself cured. So when someone like Ms. Clayburgh dies of CLL after 21 years, I can’t help but wonder if the disease will shorten my life too, even if I feel good now. That brings up the question of what do we do with the time we have when we know we have had a s... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4151788 Wed, 10 Nov 2010 16:00:19 +0100 4151788 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4151789&cid=t_107186_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fpatient-engagement-how-empathy-can-empower-your-patients%2F2010.11.10 In my recent post on KevinMD, “Deeply Connect and Engage Your Patients With Empathy,” I write about how empathy is essential to help empower our patients: “It is with empathy that we can engage and empower our patients.” Doctors and nurses are leaders in health care. Being a great leader means having a clear vision, mission or goal. It means being committed, and knowing how to listen and communicate, but it involves much more. It’s about having heart, empathy, and an uplifting spirit. I value and respect a well written post by Thomas Goetz, author of The Decision Tree: Taking Control of Your Health in the New Era of Personalized Medicine recently published on KevinMD, “How can doctors successfully engage their patients?” Goetz writes about “Five things they should seek to... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4151789 Wed, 10 Nov 2010 14:00:50 +0100 4151789 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4142750&cid=t_107186_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2F5-tips-for-diagnosing-yourself-online%2F2010.11.07 “What’s the highest peak in North America, Mt. McKinley or Denali?” This is a great question the Web can answer for you. “What’s that lump on my neck?”  This is another great question — but not one you should rely on the Web to solve. Best Doctors recently conducted a Twitter-based poll to find out what channels of information people use to get healthcare advice.  It turns out, 54 percent of respondents use the Web as their primary source of information. Is this kind of do-it-yourself medicine a good idea? I’m a firm believer that you should do everything you can to make sure you’re getting the right care when you’re sick. But before you start your do-it-yourself journey, here are five things to keep in mind: 1. To get the right answer, you need to a... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4142750 Sun, 07 Nov 2010 14:00:20 +0100 4142750 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4105668&cid=t_107186_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fthe-lies-of-medical-science-whats-an-e-patient-to-do%2F2010.10.25 There’s an extraordinary new article in The Atlantic entitled “Lies, Damned Lies, and Medical Science.” It echos an excellent article in our Journal of Participatory Medicine (JoPM) a year ago by Richard W. Smith, 25-year editor of the British Medical Journal, entitled ”In Search Of an Optimal Peer Review System.” JoPM, Oct 21, 2009: “….most of what appears in peer-reviewed journals is scientifically weak.” The Atlantic, Oct. 16, 2010: “Much of what medical researchers conclude in their studies is misleading, exaggerated, or flat-out wrong.” JoPM 2009: “Yet peer review remains sacred, worshiped by scientists and central to the processes of science — awarding grants, publishing, and dishing out prizes.” The Atlantic 2010: “So why are doctors — to... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4105668 Mon, 25 Oct 2010 16:00:09 +0100 4105668 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4097937&cid=t_107186_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fa-grassroots-leukemia-mission%2F2010.10.23 I am just back from Phoenix where I spent the weekend with people living with CML, chronic myelogenous leukemia. The operative words are “living with” because it wasn’t very long ago when people did not live long with this disease. However, medical science and dedicated researchers like Dr. Brian Druker at OHSU in Portland, Oregon have brought us what first appear to be “miracle” pills (Gleevec, Sprycel, and Tasigna) that can keep patients alive and doing well. My weekend was spent with several people, all taking one of the tyrosine kinase inhibitor drugs, as they were planning next steps for a new advocacy organization, The National CML Society. The Society is the creation of Greg Stephens of Birmingham, Alabama, a business consultant who lost his mother to CML. Now he has devot... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4097937 Sat, 23 Oct 2010 13:00:06 +0100 4097937 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4082088&cid=t_107186_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fcancer-prevention-how-to-sift-through-the-headlines%2F2010.10.19 Guest post submitted by MD Anderson Cancer Center Most of us can’t keep up with all the new ways to avoid cancer. Thanks to the Internet, we now have an unlimited supply of cancer knowledge at our fingertips. But, how can we filter out the good, the bad and the questionable? Below are steps to help you tease out the facts when reading that next big news story on preventing cancer. Says who? Don’t just take the writer’s word for it. Dig a little deeper to find out the source behind the hype. The American Cancer Society says you should ask yourself these questions when reading an article: Was this a press release from a company announcing a new breakthrough in cancer prevention? Was it a report from a clinical study that was given at a scientific conference? Was it a report from a st... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4082088 Tue, 19 Oct 2010 18:00:57 +0100 4082088 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4074059&cid=t_107186_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fhealthcare-staff-please-hold-the-snark%2F2010.10.16 Every once in awhile I have the distinct “pleasure” of being a patient. This week I was reminded about how awful it is. I didn’t mind the blood draws, poking and prodding, injections, or interaction with my physician, but it was the rudeness of the ancillary and administrative staff that really got under my skin. I had forgotten how unfriendly people can be, and how especially hard it is to deal with when you’re not feeling well. Context is everything when it comes to rolling your eyes and sighing heavily. Let me explain. (more…) (Source: Better Health) Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4074059 Sat, 16 Oct 2010 17:00:26 +0100 4074059 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4065367&cid=t_107186_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fthe-reality-of-participatory-primary-care%2F2010.10.13 No matter where one stands on appropriateness and advantages of each patient being involved in self-diagnosis and treatment of their own medical problems there are two inevitable conclusions: •    First of all, self diagnosis and treatment are as natural as breathing and as impossible to extinguish as thought itself. •    Secondly, given today’s healthcare system, there always will exist a dynamic tension between self-determination of the individual patient and the powerful healthcare system which often insists on patients falling back in line and complying with orders. Few would argue against the need for a powerful alliance that embraces the benefits brought to the table by both the practitioner and the patient. Simplistically, the physician would carry the role of healthcare... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4065367 Wed, 13 Oct 2010 14:00:06 +0100 4065367 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4040562&cid=t_107186_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fin-the-hospital-to-rest-and-recover-right%2F2010.10.07 Nobody is in the hospital these days feeling good. Regulations have made it so sick people are hospitalized and not-so-sick people are usually outpatients. People who are horizontal are there to have procedures, take heavy duty meds, rest and, hopefully, get better. Hospitals have increasingly put in sophisticated television systems so you can be in bed and distracted and entertained. But that is not restful for everyone. Here’s an example from this past weekend that stands out: Mark Dantonio, the coach of the Big Ten’s Michigan State Spartan college football team, was diagnosed with a heart attack right after last week’s game. Boom. He was hospitalized. Boom. He had a stent put in to unblock at least one artery. This past Saturday he was still in the hospital resting and recovering,... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4040562 Thu, 07 Oct 2010 19:00:45 +0100 4040562 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4027157&cid=t_107186_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fever-google-your-doctor%25e2%2580%2599s-name%2F2010.10.03 Andrew takes you behind the scenes of what health information people are searching for online, and how we know: Popular Health Search: Your Doctor’s Name from Patient Power® on Vimeo. *This blog post was originally published at Andrew's Blog* (Source: Better Health) Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4027157 Sun, 03 Oct 2010 22:00:01 +0100 4027157 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4018181&cid=t_107186_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fthe-medical-profession-is-it-devolving%2F2010.09.29 I had lunch with a group of physicians recently, and along for the ride was a college student thinking of applying to medical school. When talking about the future, I suggested that the work of a physician 30 years from now will be hardly recognizable to today’s physician. Everybody disagreed and the student was confused. There was a lot of denial and myopic rationalization. But I can’t blame them, really. Most of us see what’s immediately changing in our day-to-day work and the bigger picture gets lost. For most of us, the role of the physician is hard to see for anything other than it always has been. Most live and work as the self-determined independent care coordinator, reactively working to treat disease just as its been done for over a century. But change is happening arou... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4018181 Wed, 29 Sep 2010 17:00:11 +0100 4018181 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4002884&cid=t_107186_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fhealth-care-not-health-performance%2F2010.09.26 The “empowered patient” movement (which I think is a good thing) strives to take the doctor out of the center of care and put the patient at its focus. The role of doctor is not to be the star of the show, the quarterback, the superhero, but the advocate and helper for the patient to accomplish their goal: Health. Many rightly attack doctor prima donnas who want the exam/operating room to be about them instead of the patient. This is health care, not health performance. They want doctors who care more about the people they treat than they do about money, praise, or status. I get it. I get the message that doctors have to adjust to this new age of patient empowerment and patient-centeredness. I get the fact that making patients wait is a bad thing, and that communication is as essentia... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4002884 Sun, 26 Sep 2010 15:00:36 +0100 4002884 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3983394&cid=t_107186_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fpatient-empowerment-is-it-what-americans-really-want%2F2010.09.19 Empowered patient. Consumer driven healthcare. Transparency. Access to their full medical records online. Review the latest news and you’ll discover more books and articles recommending patients be advocates for themselves. The pitch? The only way to get the best care is to be thorough, informed, and always asking questions. This perspective is understandable because advocates have observed a healthcare system that provides inconsistent quality, too many preventable medical errors, and overtreatment resulting in unnecessary injuries and deaths. Even I’ve written a book saying the same thing, and I hate to write.  The public is urged to take charge of their health and their healthcare. When they have a problem, ask the doctor questions. Do research. If they need a proc... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3983394 Sun, 19 Sep 2010 14:00:00 +0100 3983394 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3946454&cid=t_107186_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fthe-e-patient-revolution-is-it-over%2F2010.09.08 There’s a conversation brewing over use of the term “e-patient.” The online health revolution is over, it’s been suggested. Web use, after all, has become so widely adopted  that the term “e-patient” may have more historical meaning. Dropping the “e” might indicate that we’ve arrived. I’m not so sure. Perhaps the revolution we thought was going on never entirely took off. Or maybe it’s all about how you define the revolution. Here’s what I see: Day in and day out, over weeks and months, hundreds of patients visit my clinic. I talk to them candidly about the tools they use and how technology and community is changing how they see their problems. I do the same with friends and family members. And like it or not, they’re a lot closer to ... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3946454 Wed, 08 Sep 2010 15:00:48 +0100 3946454 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3942788&cid=t_107186_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2F5-reasons-why-people-dont-ask-their-doctor-questions%2F2010.09.07 A neighbor of mine was diagnosed with breast cancer about the same time my wife was being treated for lung cancer. I saw my neighbor the other day for the first time in several years. I asked her how she was doing. She said great. In turn I asked her how her PET/CT exam looked. PET/CT scans are often done to make sure that one’s cancer hasn’t spread. My wife gets one every year. My neighbor told me her doctor never told her she needed one, that mammograms would suffice. She went on to say a friend had also recently asked her if she had a PET/CT as well. “Maybe I should ask my doctor,” she told me. That was the same response she gave me the last time I raised the subject two years earlier: “I should ask my doctor.”   So Why Don’t People Ask More Questions?   My nei... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3942788 Wed, 08 Sep 2010 00:14:14 +0100 3942788 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3920839&cid=t_107186_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fpatient-safety-%25e2%2580%259care-you-safe%25e2%2580%259d-awareness-video%2F2010.08.31 Today [Aug 28] I’m participating in the workshop “Engaging Minority Communities in Safer Healthcare” organized by MITSS (Medically Induced Trauma Support Services), a Boston non-profit I’ve written about before. The current speaker is Lisa O’Connor, VP of Nursing at Boston Medical Center. She just showed this four-minute safety awareness video, produced by Quantros. Much of its content will be familiar to our readers here (the frequency of medical errors and hospital acquired infections), but I’m posting it because of its good, concrete, specific actions every patient should know. The part with specific actions for patients starts around 2:30. (My highlights are below.) (more…) *This blog post was originally published at e-Patients.net* (Source: Better Health) Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3920839 Tue, 31 Aug 2010 20:00:51 +0100 3920839 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3914999&cid=t_107186_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fthe-10-not-100-most-powerful-people-in-your-health-care%2F2010.08.30 In case you haven’t seen it, a list of the 100 Most Powerful People in Health Care was [recently] published. In thinking about this list I realized that, in reality, these people had little to do with my patients’ health care delivery. So how did they became the most powerful people in health care? Quite simply, they are not the 100 most powerful people in health care, but rather they are the 100 most powerful people overseeing the funding of health care — at least for the moment. In as little as 11 months, many of the people on this list will be gone or have moved on to their next money-making venture. So who are the most powerful people in health care? (more…) *This blog post was originally published at Dr. Wes* (Source: Better Health) Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3914999 Mon, 30 Aug 2010 14:00:00 +0100 3914999 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3808666&cid=t_107186_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Flife-insurance-companies-and-cancer-survivors%2F2010.08.01 I have always heard that Northwestern Mutual Life (“The Quiet Company”) was a grade-A company. And for years I have been happy to have a disability insurance policy and a term life one with them. I got those policies back in the early 1990s, and it was a good thing I did. In 1996 my health changed. I was diagnosed with leukemia. I knew I was very lucky to have insurance in place because, as many told me: “You’ll never get insurance now.” Now fast-forward 14 years, and 10 years after receiving treatment in a phase II clinical trial. I have no evidence of disease and have not had any evidence for nine years. The drug therapy I received in a trial has now been approved by the FDA and in Europe as the standard of care. People are living well with this leukemia and it is extending li... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3808666 Sun, 01 Aug 2010 16:00:44 +0100 3808666 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3750060&cid=t_107186_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fthe-problem-with-the-newly-launched-healthcaregov%2F2010.07.13 If a website touted misleading healthcare information, you’d hope the government would do something about it. But what do you do when the government is the one feeding the public bad information? Last week the Obama administration launched the new Healthcare.gov. It’s mostly an online insurance shopping website. It’s very much a federal government version of sites like eHealthInsurance.com or Massachsetts’ HealthConnector site, which have been around for years. So when HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, in announcing the new site, claims it gives consumers “unprecedented transparency” into the healthcare marketplace, you should wonder what she means. But that’s not the big problem with this site. (more…) *This blog post was originally published at See First B... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3750060 Tue, 13 Jul 2010 16:00:33 +0100 3750060 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3746739&cid=t_107186_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Ffor-patients-does-the-fda-play-fair%2F2010.07.12 They have a tough job, those government doctors, scientists, and bureaucrats who are charged with assessing the safety and effectiveness of proposed new medical products. As you know, they rely largely on studies presented by the applicants. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has the power to not approve a new drug or product or even pull it off the market. Right now it is considering limiting or pulling GlaxoSmithKline’s (GSK) diabetes drug, Avandia, because of newly discovered data that it may have caused heart attack in some patients –- data mysteriously not shown in GSK’s own studies. If the drug is pulled it will cost GSK billions of dollars in lost revenue but, from the FDA’s point-of-view, it will be protecting the public. And, after all, there are safer diabetes drugs ... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3746739 Mon, 12 Jul 2010 18:00:41 +0100 3746739 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3733085&cid=t_107186_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.vimeo.com%2Fmoogaloop.swf%3Fclip_id%3D10444174%26amp%3Bserver%3Dwww.vimeo.com%26amp%3Bfullscreen%3D1%26amp%3Bshow_title%3D1%26amp%3Bshow_byline%3D0%26amp%3Bshow_portrait%3D0%26amp%3Bcolor%3D01AAEA ePatient Dave, who shared his story (video below) with my students in the “Internet in Medicine” course this semester, is about to publish his own book: “Laugh, Sing, and Eat Like a Pig: How an Empowered Patient Beat Stage IV Cancer.” Now three of his friends have written essays about this important issue: We who’ve worked on it hope it will provoke thought about how healthcare is changing because of what e-patients can contribute, empowered as individuals and enabled by the Internet. To start that process, we’re publishing the introduction. Three friends and mentors generously offered introductory essays. These essays they have little to do with my story, and everything to do with how e-patients can help heal healthcare: Part 1, by Dr. Danny Sands: Putting Informatio... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3733085 Wed, 07 Jul 2010 19:00:37 +0100 3733085 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3644767&cid=t_107186_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fclinical-trials-accessing-the-medicines-of-tomorrow-today%2F2010.06.08 Reporting from the American Society of Clinical Oncology conference in Chicago, empowered patient Andrew Schorr discusses how long it can take before a study is presented at ASCO and the role of clinical trials in giving patients access to the medicines of tomorrow today. What’s Old is New at ASCO from Patient Power® on Vimeo. *This blog post was originally published at Andrew's Blog* (Source: Better Health) Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3644767 Tue, 08 Jun 2010 16:00:55 +0100 3644767 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3603595&cid=t_107186_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fhow-an-empowered-patient-finds-a-new-doctor%2F2010.05.26 What if the average patient (person) knew what healthcare insiders, providers and expert patients know? Take the process of looking for a new personal physician. Conventional wisdom tells people that when looking for a new physician they need to consider things like specialty, board certification, years in practice, and geographic proximity. Online services like Health Grades allow you to see and compare the satisfaction scores for prospective physician candidates. But industry insiders know different. Consider those patient satisfaction scores for physicians. In reality, “one can assume that the quality of care is actually worse than surveys of patient satisfaction would seem to show,” according to a 1991 lecture by Avedis Donabedian, M.D.: “Often patients are, in fact, overly pati... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3603595 Wed, 26 May 2010 16:00:23 +0100 3603595 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3573825&cid=t_107186_129_f&fid=36038&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Ftrevis-life-with-multiple-sclerosis-ms%2Fthings-weve-learned-from-ms%2F Please do not get me wrong; I HATE multiple sclerosis!  The content of this posting does not, in ANY WAY, hint that I’m ok with having this disease.  Like every circumstance in my life, however, I believe it is my task to learn something from and advance myself because of the experience. That said, I have learned much from living with MS. This weekend friends from Europe called to let us know they were arriving (in hours).  We knew they would be coming sometime this month, but weren’t exactly sure (as they have been driving around the western states on holidays). A quick phone call from a national forest in California and we were in full planning mode! On Saturday, just hours before a welcoming party, I suffered a couple of back-to-back self-inflicted injuries which lay me down for ... Life with MS blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3573825 Mon, 17 May 2010 19:23:36 +0100 3573825 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3573689&cid=t_107186_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fcutting-healthcare-costs-means-saying-no-to-patients%2F2010.05.17 Let’s face it, the best way to cut healthcare costs is to say “no.” That means denying unnecessary tests that most patients in the United States are accustomed to having. The New York Times‘ David Leonhardt has the best take on this issue that I’ve read. He acknowledges the difficulty of telling the American public “no,” and cites examples ranging from the breast cancer screening controversy to the managed care backlash in the 1990s: This try-anything-and-everything instinct is ingrained in our culture, and it has some big benefits. But it also has big downsides, including the side effects and risks that come with unnecessary treatment. Consider that a recent study found that 15,000 people were projected to die eventually from the radiation they received from CT scans given i... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3573689 Mon, 17 May 2010 18:00:58 +0100 3573689 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3563964&cid=t_107186_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fthe-value-of-social-media-for-patients-doctors-and-nurses%2F2010.05.13 A patient apologized to me for asking so many questions. “There’s no need to apologize,” I said to the patient, “It’s wonderful that you have so many questions concerning your healthcare.” I mentioned to her that she is an “empowered and engaged patient,” and that’s a good thing. It’s no secret that health consumers are turning to the Internet for health information. In a recent article from MediaPost News, Gavin O’Malley writes that, according to new a study by Epsilon Strategic & Analytic Consulting Group, “40% of online consumers use social media for health information — reading or posting content — while the frequency of engagement varies widely. According to the study, individuals who use healthcare social media fall into two br... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3563964 Thu, 13 May 2010 16:00:53 +0100 3563964 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3556297&cid=t_107186_134_f&fid=34841&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.diabetesmine.com%2F2010%2F05%2Fdiabetes-blog-week-my-biggest-supporters.html Karen over at Bitter-Sweet blog has proclaimed this “Diabetes Blog Week.” For those who haven’t run into it yet, the idea is that the hundreds of us now blogging about diabetes participate in sort of an online rally.  With seven pre-defined topics to post about, we all “get a variety of unique insights on a [...] (Source: Diabetes Mine) Diabetes Mine blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3556297 Wed, 12 May 2010 13:00:48 +0100 3556297 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3533841&cid=t_107186_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fa-family-medicine-leader-what-it-is-what-it-takes%2F2010.05.04 What is a leader? What is a family medicine leader? Giving a clear and concise answer to these questions have been a challenge for me as I have taken on different leadership tasks and positions. I can’t believe that it was 10 years ago when I gave my first speech in seeking national office for my professional organization. I was in the final year of my residency, and my colleagues had to convince me to “just give it a go.” I had done a bunch of stuff on the state level. But, I didn’t feel my game was ready for “prime time” -– meaning being on a national stage. I remember that speech like it was yesterday. My heart still pounds and my hands still get sweaty thinking about it. At the time, it was the most stressful couple of minutes of my life. (more…) *This blog ... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3533841 Tue, 04 May 2010 18:00:00 +0100 3533841 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3499197&cid=t_107186_129_f&fid=36038&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Ftrevis-life-with-multiple-sclerosis-ms%2Fms-and-compassion%2F Do you ever feel like you maybe don’t give yourself enough credit for doing as much as you do…MS and all? I had a very busy work weekend (which ran into Tuesday).  I had every intention of waking up on Wednesday, banging out a blog for posting and getting on with a productive day. And now, it’s Thursday! I really have no idea where yesterday went. By the evening I was beating myself up pretty good over what didn’t get done; including (but FAR from limited to) that blog… But this morning, even though I don’t feel 100%, I think I’ll get a little more done.  Certainly, I’ll not get everything done I want.  In fact I hope to get everything done I need and will call that a successful day.  But, here I am writing this blog so things are at least a bit better than yesterday. P... Life with MS blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3499197 Thu, 22 Apr 2010 20:32:31 +0100 3499197 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3327235&cid=t_107186_134_f&fid=34841&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.diabetesmine.com%2F2010%2F03%2Fthe-%25e2%2580%259cpatient-centered-medical-home-too-good-to-be-true.html Those of you who follow me on twitter may know that I traveled to Washington DC late last week to take part in a “roundtable event” discussing paths to better diabetes care. Now, I’m no policy-maker, and certainly no expert on the crazy mixed-up reimbursement system in this country.  I was there, again, to talk [...] (Source: Diabetes Mine) Diabetes Mine blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3327235 Wed, 03 Mar 2010 13:00:38 +0100 3327235 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3197862&cid=t_107186_136_f&fid=39025&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Feverythingchangesbook%2F%7E3%2FYe4WaA00YrQ%2Fpatient-advocacy One of the coolest feelings is getting emails from patients who say, “I saw you speak, or I read your book, and you totally convinced me to get super aggressive with my doctor, or hospital, or employer, and it worked!” Managing my own illness has at times felt lonely and defeating.  When I’m crying on the phone with a receptionist trying to get a sooner appointment, or flat like a butterfly pinned down to an exam table, it’s easy to feel at the mercy of the system.  That’s why it’s incredibly important for me to hear and tell success stories about being a pro-active patient. Here’s one: Six hospital personnel were hovering over a table looking down at my neck: pathologists, radiologists, nurses, and fellows.  They were preparing to do multiple ultrasound guided needle ... Everything Changes blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3197862 Thu, 21 Jan 2010 19:33:18 +0100 3197862 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2967472&cid=t_107186_134_f&fid=34841&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.diabetesmine.com%2F2009%2F11%2Fadventures-in-primary-care.html In the years since my diagnosis, I’ve often wondered why I needed a primary care physician.  Since my health is all about controlling blood sugars and staving off D-complications these days, I literally have only seen our family doctor two or three times in the past six years.  And then recently, we got a letter [...] (Source: Diabetes Mine) Diabetes Mine blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2967472 Fri, 06 Nov 2009 13:00:58 +0100 2967472 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2912397&cid=t_107186_134_f&fid=34841&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.diabetesmine.com%2F2009%2F10%2Fjournal-of-participatory-medicine-launches-today.html Academic and medical journals — yawn, right?  Not anymore. Today (at the Connected Health conference in Boston) marks the launch of a new kind of journal, which is marking a new kind of medicine, actually: the Journal of Participatory Medicine, an all-online pub that’s open and free-of-charge for all to read and enjoy. The content, which [...] (Source: Diabetes Mine) Diabetes Mine blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2912397 Wed, 21 Oct 2009 14:58:46 +0100 2912397 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2865867&cid=t_107186_134_f&fid=34841&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.diabetesmine.com%2F2009%2F10%2Fcoming-soon-the-diabetesmine-keas-health-account-plan.html What’s that you say? What the heck is a “Health Account Plan?” I am pleased to announce that this week, at the Health 2.0 Conference in San Francisco, I’ll be part of the launch of a brand new kind of online platform called Keas — featured in the New York Times today (!) As many [...] (Source: Diabetes Mine) Diabetes Mine blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2865867 Tue, 06 Oct 2009 12:00:31 +0100 2865867 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2839129&cid=t_107186_134_f&fid=34841&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.diabetesmine.com%2F2009%2F09%2Fhow-to-be-a-good-endo-from-a-patient%25e2%2580%2599s-pov.html Scott Johnson is one of my favorite fellow diabetes bloggers. Always has been. This post will show you why.   A Guest Post by Scott K. Johnson, of Scott’s Diabetes Journal Amy’s guest post from Dr. Anne Peters last Thursday on “How to be a Good Diabetes Patient” sure ruffled some feathers.  I wanted to take [...] (Source: Diabetes Mine) Diabetes Mine blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2839129 Mon, 28 Sep 2009 13:00:25 +0100 2839129 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2859068&cid=t_107186_136_f&fid=39025&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Feverythingchangesbook%2F%7E3%2FMXxpwuPVbCg%2Fhave-you-ever-fired-a-doctor I was interviewed in the Chicago Tribune this past Sunday about when you know it is time to ditch your doctor. For me the answer hinges on what kind of doctor it is: primary care physicians (PCP) versus a specialist. I’m actually much more stringent about my PCP, and much more lenient on my specialists. Here is why: My PCP is the gatekeeper of my health. If they don’t ask the right questions, don’t investigate a symptom, don’t remember who I am or if my body has changed over the years it’s a big problem. In the myriad interviews in my book Everything Changes, it was most often the PCP who neglected the signs and symptoms of young adult cancer. Dana’s PCP suggested her back pain was caused by the sexual positions she was using. Mary Ann’s PCP told her she was anorexic and a hy... Everything Changes blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2859068 Thu, 03 Sep 2009 19:19:00 +0100 2859068 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2405953&cid=t_107186_134_f&fid=34841&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.diabetesmine.com%2F2009%2F05%2Fblogging-about-our-doctors.html Is it OK for patients to chatter away about their doctors online, while those doctors remain under oath not to disclose patient information?  And yet, some doctors do blog about interactions with their patients. Last Friday, I was a guest on a Podcast hosted by Albert Maruggi, creator of the Social Media Throwdown series, on this [...] (Source: Diabetes Mine) Diabetes Mine blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2405953 Tue, 12 May 2009 13:00:18 +0100 2405953 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2297361&cid=t_107186_134_f&fid=34841&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.diabetesmine.com%2F2009%2F03%2Fdiabetes-design-challenge-veenu-aulakh-on-involving-patients-in-care.html For the this year’s DiabetesMine Design Challenge, we are fortunate to have a judging panel that includes some highly influential individuals in healthcare and diabetes treatment. So who are these people? And what prompted them to get involved with a diabetes design contest? I’d like to take the opportunity to introduce these folks in [...] (Source: Diabetes Mine) Diabetes Mine blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2297361 Wed, 25 Mar 2009 13:00:26 +0100 2297361 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1727809&cid=t_107186_136_f&fid=37846&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthinfoispower.wordpress.com%2F2008%2F07%2F16%2Fpov-documentary-in-the-family-one-womans-journey-through-the-unpredictable-world-of-predicative-genetic-testing%2F “At the age of 27, filmmaker Joanna Rudnick tested positive for the BRCA mutation. Joanna now faces an impossible decision: remove her healthy breasts and ovaries or risk incredible odds of developing cancer. Armed with a positive test result that leaves her essentially “a ticking time bomb,” she balances dreams of having her [...] (Source: Libby's H*O*P*E*) Libby's H*O*P*E* blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1727809 Wed, 16 Jul 2008 22:51:22 +0100 1727809 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=501621&cid=t_107186_87_f&fid=34865&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thecancerblog.com%2F2007%2F03%2F26%2Fthought-for-the-day-pink-is-the-new-black%2F Filed under: Breast Cancer, Prevention, Fundraisers, Thought for the DayNot everyone buys into the power of pink when it comes to breast cancer. Pink ribbons, pink teddy bears, pink hats, shirts, scarves, socks, purses, jewelry, magnets, and even cooking appliances have monopolized the breast cancer market. And some people just plain refuse to associate the disease with anything remotely sweet, soft, and soothing.Think about this: Annette`s Angels, founded in 2006 by the children of Annette Roberta, love and applaud the effectiveness of the flood of pink used to raise awareness about a disease that took Roberta after a 15-year battle. But they refuse to embrace any color but black as they proceed to kick breast cancer in the butt. Black reflects their anger at breast cancer. And their powe... The Cancer Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=501621 Mon, 26 Mar 2007 04:00:00 +0100 501621