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 'experts,'. Tue, 04 May 2010 18:24:50 +0100 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3511535&cid=t_322821_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblogs.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2010%2F04%2Fmanicures-the-price-may-be-higher-than-it-seems-risks-of-gel-nail-manicures-.html "I’m in agony," the woman told my secretary last week, pleading to be seen for an emergency appointment. "Every time my thumb touches anything I get a severe electric shock, occasionally running through to my elbow," she explained. She had gone to six doctors in the past month since her injury, including two primary care physicians, two orthopedic specialists, a dermatologist and, a chiropractor and none of them could find a cause. She was at the end of her rope—her right thumb was still clearly swollen and there was a yellow, mottled, dimpled abrasion on her fingerpad. When I touched the tip of it, she cried out in pain and pulled away. My patient’s thumb undoubtedly had nerve damage. The day before her symptoms began she had what she was told was a gel manicur... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3511535 Wed, 28 Apr 2010 15:25:56 +0100 3511535 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3479668&cid=t_322821_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblogs.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2010%2F04%2Fzapping-migraines-treating-migraine-headaches-transcranial-magnetic-stimulator.html When a migraine hits I usually reach for a drug to stop it like sumatriptan (Imitrex) or rizatriptan (Maxalt). I know that if I wait too long my day will be shot and I’ll end up in bed. But the medications often make me sleepy and I end up wanting to go lie down anyway. Neither of these scenarios is ideal for me because as a neurologist, I can’t just leave an office full of patients. So when I read about a new non-drug therapy that looks promising according to a study published in the April issue of Lancet Neurology, I decided to find out more. The study involved a handheld device called a Transcranial Magnetic Stimulator, a non-invasive, portable machine that delivers brief, individual, magnetic pulses to the back of the head. In the randomized, double-blind trial that took place ac... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3479668 Fri, 16 Apr 2010 18:43:34 +0100 3479668 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3467710&cid=t_322821_87_f&fid=34872&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblisstree.com%2Ffeel%2Fself-help-test-drive-my-holosync-semi-solution%2F photo: Thinkstock This is the final post in a four-part series by contributor Carole Braden about her experiences with meditation CDs from Centerpointe Research Institute. Click to read parts one, two, and three of her series. How many Awakening Prologue listens does it take before you lasso your ultimate life? I couldn’t say. I’ve mainlined my Centerpointe sound files for an hour nearly every morning for exactly ten months. And while the effort has not brought me an all-new existence – or a gurgling set of twins in pink and blue Pampers – I do feel it’s helped push me through some productive, if not always enjoyable, phases. There was what I’ll call my “WTF?” period, during which I experienced vivid and often unsettling dreams about fictional cat fights among girlfriends a... Healthbolt blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3467710 Wed, 14 Apr 2010 14:04:45 +0100 3467710 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3448851&cid=t_322821_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblogs.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2010%2F04%2Fskinny-jeans-men-feel-the-squeeze-too-mens-sexual-health-infertility.html Women have been feeling the pinch of fashion ever since the early 1800’s when corsets were used to slenderize the female silhouette. And today’s no different—it took just as long for Scarlett O’Hara to squeeze into her corset as it takes women today to wriggle into a body slimmer. So, it’s no surprise that ladies have taken to wearing skinny jeans without batting a Latisse-enhanced eyelash, often paring them with tumble-inducing four-inch stilettos. Besides sacrificing both stride and pride, fashion-driven women are also risking a troubling mix of health dangers. Nevertheless, as long as trend-setters like Jennifer Lopez perform in teetering heels and body-hugging cat suits, and Today Show host Kathy Lee Gifford admits to sleeping in her Spanx, mere mortal women will be willing t... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3448851 Wed, 07 Apr 2010 17:57:36 +0100 3448851 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3440935&cid=t_322821_129_f&fid=36038&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Ftrevis-life-with-multiple-sclerosis-ms%2Fnew-webcasttelecast-ms-and-employment%2F Multiple Sclerosis is a disease which affects our lives in so many different ways; employment being one of them. Many of us have, for much of our adult lives, associated our identities with our careers.  Many of us derive great satisfaction and meaning from the work we do or from the independence our work (or at least our paycheck) affords. Many of us living with Multiple Sclerosis are struggling to say employed. Tomorrow (Tuesday, April 6th) night, I’ll be hosting a 2-hour live telecast/webcast entitled “Staying In The Employment Game”. The program will air live, with a studio audience at 8:00pm (PDT) on the stations of the University of Washington.  If you don’t live in the Seattle area, you can watch live via webcast on either the University website or Research Channel on the ... Life with MS blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3440935 Mon, 05 Apr 2010 18:59:00 +0100 3440935 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3435047&cid=t_322821_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblogs.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2010%2F04%2Ftanning-salon-dangers-reality-tv-glorifies-dangerous-tanning-skin-cancer-risks.html Last year, four of the top five programs ranked by Nielsen were reality shows. It seems no topic is too crass or mundane in m any of them, which has led some critics to argue that reality TV has ruined America. I agree that reality TV has incited some really bad conduct (remember the White House gate crashers, and the Balloon Boy Hoax?). But my greater concern is that in some instances it seems to glamorize risky behaviors. Teens are particularly impressionable given that young cast members are viewed as celebrities, even when shown as 16 and Pregnant, or 16 and wasted as in NYC Prep. I’m especially concerned about the potentially dangerous health consequences from activities in tattoo parlors on TLC’s Miami Ink (or their LA, Rio, London counterparts) and the tanning salons like thos... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3435047 Fri, 02 Apr 2010 16:52:03 +0100 3435047 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3385460&cid=t_322821_129_f&fid=36038&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Ftrevis-life-with-multiple-sclerosis-ms%2Fms-at-work-thrive-to-survive%2F Last week I was “workshopping” some of the topics for the upcoming “Staying in the Employment Game” MS TV program.  We sat, a group of about a dozen of us, talking about issues with staying employed after diagnosis. My full-time work experience ended abruptly within 4 months of Dx.  Most of the people in our group were still employed with the same employers (if not in the exact same jobs) as they were when they learned of their multiple sclerosis.  For this reason, I wanted to learn more about the nuts and bolts of their experiences. I was a little surprised at the universality of one of the sentiments I heard that night… “I’ve gone from thrive to survive,” said one man; EVERYONE chimed in with the same feeling.  The conversation that ensued about promotion, income, sta... Life with MS blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3385460 Fri, 19 Mar 2010 20:46:28 +0100 3385460 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3378491&cid=t_322821_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblogs.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2010%2F03%2Fdoctor-patient-relationship-six-things-to-do-in-a-doctors-waiting-room-things-to-ask-your-doctor-.html This article first appeared in our January 2010 issue of Consumer Reports on Health. Get tips on how to talk to your doctor and how to frame your health concerns. (Source: Consumer Reports Health Blog) Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3378491 Thu, 18 Mar 2010 14:30:00 +0100 3378491 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3346453&cid=t_322821_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblogs.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2010%2F03%2Fonline-quiz-or-deceptive-advertising.html We all know there is suspect information floating around the Internet. But when you look for medical information from a major health website, you expect it to be above board, don’t you? Unfortunately, that may not always be true. Take the case of a recent WebMD depression quiz. The business site, BNET, noticed recently that no matter how you answered a 10 question quiz on depression, you’d be told you “may be at risk for major depression” – even if you answered “no” to each of the screening questions. The quiz is funded by Eli Lilly (and was clearly marked as such), and along side it ran an advertisement promoting Lilly’s drug Cymbalta, which, you guessed it, is approved to treat depression. Senator Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) also noticed the quiz and sent a letter (via Pharma... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3346453 Tue, 09 Mar 2010 14:00:00 +0100 3346453 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3311652&cid=t_322821_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FmALQ7TiE9tE%2F By Chris Moody Republicans and Democrats are both missing the point of true health care reform: “Health care reform cannot just be about giving more stuff to more people. It should be about actually ‘reforming’ the system. That means scrapping the current bills, and crafting the type of reform that makes consumers responsible for their health care decisions.” Alan Reynolds: If people looking for individual health insurance policies were allowed to shop in any state, the number of uninsured could drop by 11.1 million … or more. And the winner for the worst idea for health care reform goes to… Something you might want to brush up on: The Reconciliation Rulebook. In case you missed it, Cato health policy experts live-blogged part of Thursday&#821... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3311652 Fri, 26 Feb 2010 16:20:08 +0100 3311652 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3290807&cid=t_322821_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblogs.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2010%2F02%2Fnow-its-getting-interestingis-more-health-care-always-better.html We welcome the controversy sparked by this week’s New England Journal of Medicine article and reported by the New York Times regarding the hospital intensity data published by the Dartmouth Atlas and used in Consumer Reports hospital ratings. It is our hope that this encourages U.S. hospitals and doctors to make better information available on the quality, costs, and results of various types of medical treatments so that consumers can make better choices. For decades the independent studies conducted by the Dartmouth Atlas have been raising concerns that hospitals in some regions of the country used two or three times the medical and financial resources than those in other regions on treating Medicare patients with chronic diseases, with no noticeable increase in life span or qual... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3290807 Fri, 19 Feb 2010 22:32:00 +0100 3290807 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3287731&cid=t_322821_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblogs.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2010%2F02%2Fa-few-bumps-on-the-road-to-better-health-preventative-measures-that-improve-health.html While gulping down my coffee and finishing my whole-wheat muffin, I heard on National Public Radio about a new invention that might be making the round of London pubs in the near future. It was all about beer mugs lined with a clear plastic film so that when two drunks clobbered each other and the glasses broke, the sharp chards would be encased and prevent serious injury. I almost choked on that last gulp and thought how typically British to try and prevent the harmful outcome, while seemingly paying little attention to primary prevention by stopping the fight between the two drunks and, even more basic to the situation, by deterring the excessive consumption of alcohol that caused the belligerent behavior in the first place. Such reasoning is not at all unheard of in this count... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3287731 Fri, 19 Feb 2010 15:50:29 +0100 3287731 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3262760&cid=t_322821_129_f&fid=36038&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Ftrevis-life-with-multiple-sclerosis-ms%2Fstaying-employed-with-multiple-sclerosis%2F A topic which seems to thread itself into the tapestry of nearly all of our conversations at our Life with MS blog is employment. In these economic times, finding and/or keeping a job is difficult for “typical” people.  For we of the compromised myelin, the idea of finding new employment is daunting, while the thought of losing our jobs (and oft, thus our health insurance) is downright frightening! There are so many questions we have about MS and employment: Who do we tell and when?  How much do we disclose?  What are reasonable accommodations to request?  What does discrimination look like?  When do we say when? There is no shortage of questions…the problem is: Who do we ask? That one, I can answer! I am in the process of writing a two-hour television program/webcast which I’... Life with MS blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3262760 Wed, 10 Feb 2010 23:12:11 +0100 3262760 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3246880&cid=t_322821_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblogs.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2010%2F02%2Fsuper-bowl-football-injuries-when-it-comes-to-head-injuries-football-still-has-a-long-way-to-go.html The first time I looked at a skull X-ray from a professional hockey player, I cried. The athlete had sustained so many facial-bone fractures over time that the normal bony features were a massive white blur. It was 1990. I had just begun to see patients as a neurology consultant for the New York Rangers.But the National Hockey League sharpened its performance in 1997. Since then, every time a player gets a concussion, doctors conduct a battery of neuropsychological tests. Later, the team’s medical professionals give the player follow-up memory and motor-skill tests to make sure that he is back to his pre-injury level of mental performance before returning to the ice. The league has also made safety adjustments, such as installing more flexible glass around the rink. In December the Nat... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3246880 Fri, 05 Feb 2010 21:41:49 +0100 3246880 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3239563&cid=t_322821_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblogs.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2010%2F02%2Fsports-and-head-injuries-when-is-it-serious-preventing-and-treating-a-head-injury.html The 17-year-old high-school soccer player who came to my office a few months ago had experienced a head-to-head collision with a teammate several days earlier that left him with 10 stitches. Immediately after the injury he had a headache and dizziness and was taken to the emergency room. His examination and CT scan were normal, and after getting stitched up, he was discharged. He felt much better by the next morning and decided to drive to school and stay for soccer practice. But he became dizzy and was driven home by two friends, who left him at his doorstep, parking his car in the driveway. Instead of going inside his house, he got in his car, backed it down the driveway, and continued to back down the street until his car hit a telephone pole and flipped over. His friends heard the cr... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3239563 Wed, 03 Feb 2010 22:09:31 +0100 3239563 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3220511&cid=t_322821_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FaCkqZa3u09U%2F By Chris Moody Cato experts give Obama’s State of the Union a video fisking. Are we watching the History Channel or something?  Because this new president sure does sound a lot like the old one. Time for the SOTU fact check:  Cato experts put some of President Obama’s core State of the Union claims to the test. Here’s what they found. Flashback to February 2009: Gene Healy on how “the president talks too much.“ During this year’s SOTU, President Obama criticized the Supreme Court decision in the Citizens United case. Today’s podcast examines the Court’s ruling. (Source: Cato-at-liberty) Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3220511 Thu, 28 Jan 2010 20:44:38 +0100 3220511 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3220515&cid=t_322821_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FdC1O9e04uXY%2F By Cato EditorsCato experts put some of President Obama’s core State of the Union claims to the test. Here’s what they found. THE STIMULUS Obama’s claim: The plan that has made all of this possible, from the tax cuts to the jobs, is the Recovery Act. That’s right — the Recovery Act, also known as the Stimulus Bill. Economists on the left and the right say that this bill has helped saved jobs and avert disaster. Back in reality: At the outset of the economic downturn, Cato ran an ad in the nation’s largest newspapers in which more than 300 economists (Nobel laureates among them) signed a statement saying a massive government spending package was among the worst available options. Since then, Cato economists have published dozens of op-eds in major news outlets poking hol... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3220515 Thu, 28 Jan 2010 17:54:17 +0100 3220515 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3216562&cid=t_322821_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FeGNsm0O3g-E%2F By Chris MoodyAfter live-blogging Obama’s State of the Union Address Wednesday night, Cato experts fact checked the speech, subject by subject. Cato produced a short video that cuts through the rhetoric and explains what the president really meant: Video produced by Caleb Brown and Austin Bragg. (Source: Cato-at-liberty) Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3216562 Thu, 28 Jan 2010 15:23:15 +0100 3216562 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3129500&cid=t_322821_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblogs.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2009%2F12%2Fconflicts-of-interest-trust-scientific-evidence.html The idea of science is that it gives us impartial answers to important questions. Doctors and patients can look at scientific evidence to help them decide what a healthy diet is, or whether a drug can treat a particular condition. Scientific journals take care to publish detailed reports of research, allowing readers to see for themselves that the studies were unbiased. Even so, sometimes you can’t help but wonder about whose interests are served by research. Earlier this year, research from the University of Illinois reported that a high-protein diet helped improve cholesterol levels and reduce body fat. Funding came partly from the National Cattlemen's Beef Association. An organization called the CRA publicized research showing that there’s “no meaningful difference in how th... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3129500 Tue, 29 Dec 2009 17:47:16 +0100 3129500 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3092688&cid=t_322821_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblogs.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2009%2F12%2Fdont-forget-a-flu-shot-for-the-holidays.html Holiday gatherings can be an ideal place to catch an infection.  Folks may have flown or driven in from diverse areas, bringing who knows what germs with them. Then there's the kissing, hugging, food sharing--all part of having a good time, of course, but also great ways for germs to spread. So now's not the time to be complacent about the H1N1, even though government stats show it may be on the wane. Here are three good reasons to get an H1N1 and seasonal flu shot (or nose spray) right now. 1. Had trouble finding the vaccine? It’s easier now... Despite yesterday's voluntary recall of some batches due to potential potency issues, H1N1 vaccine supplies continue to grow—85 million doses have now been made available since October. That means it’s getting easier than ev... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3092688 Wed, 16 Dec 2009 14:00:00 +0100 3092688 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3015280&cid=t_322821_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblogs.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2009%2F11%2Fmammogram-age-for-women-breast-cancer-screening-preventative-care-for-breast-cancer-.html This week’s news from the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) on routine breast cancer screening has caused quite the stir. The USPSTF shared their new ratings of preventive services for breast cancer: Mammograms work really well in women in their 60s, pretty well in women in their 50s and not so well in their 40s. If you want to have mammograms in your 40s prepare for more confusing results including additional imaging to clarify and in some cases, a biopsy to be certain. And their recommendations included a couple of small but important points: breast self exam doesn’t lead to early detection of breast cancer nor do breast exams by doctors (remember we are only talking about women who have NO symptoms). The big news: Doctors and patients in their 40s should talk to each othe... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3015280 Fri, 20 Nov 2009 20:17:04 +0100 3015280 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3012386&cid=t_322821_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblogs.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2009%2F11%2Fpartners-in-crime-diabetes-and-obesity.html The number of Americans with type 2 diabetes has almost doubled in the past decade, to an estimated 24 million. That includes the one in four who don’t even know they have the disease. And some experts believe it won't be long before that number exceeds 30 million. Why the explosion? Obesity. Up to a third of us are now clinically obese. And since the vast majority of people with type 2 diabetes are also overweight, it's no wonder those two disorders are often referred to as twin epidemics. Indeed, three out of four respondents to a Consumer Reports survey of 5,012 people with type 2 diabetes said they were overweight. And overweight respondents were more than twice as likely to say that they were unsuccessful at managing their diabetes. The good news is that efforts to... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3012386 Thu, 19 Nov 2009 23:00:00 +0100 3012386 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2973919&cid=t_322821_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblogs.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2009%2F11%2Ffind-swine-flu-vaccine-h1n1-vaccine-swine-flu-wherefore-art-thou-vaccine.html With the swine (H1N1) vaccine production and distribution slower than expected, many Americans are having trouble finding vaccine, according to a new poll. And the trickle of vaccine has caused problems for mandatory vaccination programs for health care workers, as well as some public health officials when it was reported that Wall Street firms were delivered vaccines while hospitals continue to struggle with a shortage of supply.Public having difficulty finding vaccine A poll from the Harvard School of Public Health conducted October 30th through November 1st found that 21 percent of high-priority adults, and 41 percent of all parents tried to get the H1N1 vaccine, but 66 percent of both populations were unsuccessful. In response to the Harvard poll, the Centers for Disease Control and P... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2973919 Mon, 09 Nov 2009 15:33:47 +0100 2973919 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2950730&cid=t_322821_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblogs.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2009%2F11%2Fvideo-of-flu-shot-cheerleader-is-misleading-.html "Dad, have you seen the video of this cheerleader? All of my friends have and they don’t want to get vaccinated if this could happen to them. It seems strange that she can do some things and not other things.  Is this for real?" That’s the response John Santa, M.D. and Director of the Consumer Reports Health Ratings Center, got from his 23-year old son recently after being reminded to get the two (seasonal and H1N1) flu vaccines.  The concern echoed those expressed by many others after the story was released by FoxNews in mid-October. It reported that a Washington Redskins cheerleader, Desiree Jennings, was diagnosed with a rare neurological disorder called dystonia alleged to be caused by a severe reaction to the seasonal flu shot.  The online ... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2950730 Mon, 02 Nov 2009 16:13:25 +0100 2950730 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2943783&cid=t_322821_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblogs.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2009%2F10%2Finformation-on-neuroenhancement-drugs-ritalin-adderall-adhd-drugs-for-adults-and-children.html They’re all the buzz, and more of my patients seem to be asking for them: Drugs that can improve attention span and memory and help them be more productive at work. That may explain why the demand for neuroenhancement medication seems to be gaining steam. Prescriptions for the 18-year-old-and-older age group have been steadily rising, with 3.2 million recorded between November 2006 and October 2007. In one survey conducted in 2008 by the scientific journal Nature, 20 percent of respondents admitted to using neurocognitive-enhancing drugs, mostly to improve concentration. Examples include stimulants such as Ritalin (methylphenidate) and Adderall (amphetamine/dextroamphetamine combination)—the drugs used for children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)—to improve per... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2943783 Thu, 29 Oct 2009 18:15:33 +0100 2943783 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2927288&cid=t_322821_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FjOO2iJQRRsE%2F President Obama and his congressional allies want to create yet another government-run health insurance program (call it Fannie Med) to cover yet another segment of the American public (the non-elderly non-poor). The whole idea that Fannie Med would be an “option” is a ruse. Like the three “public options” we’ve already got – Medicare, Medicaid, and the State Children’s Health Insurance Program – Fannie Med would drag down the quality of care for publicly and privately insured patients alike.  Yet despite offering an inferior product, Fannie Med would still drive private insurers out of business because it would exploit implicit and explicit government subsidies.  Pretty soon, Fannie Med will be the only game in town – just ask its architect, Jacob Hacker. Now the quest... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2927288 Mon, 26 Oct 2009 14:35:10 +0100 2927288 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2912160&cid=t_322821_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FHOoufWaiZ4k%2F I cannot disagree with Uwe Reinhardt’s response to my previous post at National Journal’s Health Care Experts blog. But his response bears clarification and emphasis. Improving “population health” generally means “helping people live longer.” To paraphrase, Reinhardt then writes: If helping people live longer were our objective in health reform, we could do better than universal coverage. But health reform is not (solely or primarily) about helping people live longer. It is (also or primarily) about other things, like relieving the anxiety of the uninsured. I applaud Reinhardt for acknowledging a reality that most advocates of universal coverage avoid: that universal coverage is not solely or primarily about improving health. Will Reinhardt go further an... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2912160 Wed, 21 Oct 2009 15:24:51 +0100 2912160 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2890625&cid=t_322821_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FMnmE0GBdNoI%2F The Senate Finance Committee votes today on Senator Max Baucus’ version of the health care bill. Cato health care experts have analyzed the bill thoroughly, and point out three vital components to the cost and reach of the legislation: 1) The real cost of the bill is in excess of $2 trillion. Chairman Max Baucus hoodwinked the CBO with a number of clever budgetary gimmicks, most notably by keeping about half of the cost off the federal books. The bill also assumes Congress will make cuts to Medicare payments, which has never once happened before. 2) The bill contains an enormous middle-class tax hike. The bill imposes a 40 percent excise tax on health insurance plans that offer benefits in excess of $8,000 for an individual plan and $21,000 for a family plan. Insurers would almost ce... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2890625 Tue, 13 Oct 2009 15:57:40 +0100 2890625 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2879397&cid=t_322821_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblogs.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2009%2F10%2Fswine-flu-facts-and-fiction-myths-and-rumors-about-h1n1-swine-flu-prevention-.html It seems that swine flu has infected YouTube. When I was on the Brian Lehrer Show recently, a caller claiming he was a pediatrician announced that the H1N1 (swine flu) virus was "man-made" and another caller urged me to look into this on YouTube because "college students are all over it...". Dangerous rumors like this outlandish conspiracy theory are causing concern all over the country and may be one reason that our swine flu poll found that 43 percent of Americans are on the fence about getting the vaccine. Other ridiculous notions floating around cyberspace include: "there is no swine flu", "a girl got the swine flu vaccine last month and died an hour later", "and you’ll be fine if you don’t eat bacon".To clear up the misconceptions ... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2879397 Fri, 09 Oct 2009 16:47:47 +0100 2879397 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2871588&cid=t_322821_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblogs.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2009%2F10%2Fcatch-flu-influenza-mask-contamination-sneeze-cough-h1n1.html Hate it when somebody coughs right into your face and eyes? You're not just germ-phobic, that may be the most likely way to transmit influenza, according to a newly published study. Researchers from UC-Berkley’s School of Public Health and the University of Illinois at Chicago’s School of Public Health concluded that close contact spraying of respiratory droplets with the influenza virus carried the greatest risk of infection, followed by hand contact with contaminated surfaces, and inhaling particles carrying the virus. The study was published in Risk Analysis: An International Journal published by the nonprofit Society for Risk Analysis, and used mathematical modeling to examine the theoretical risk of catching an influenza A virus—a type of influenza virus that includes the n... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2871588 Wed, 07 Oct 2009 17:39:41 +0100 2871588 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2782011&cid=t_322821_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FpchSQtigQgA%2F Cato health care experts dissected President Obama’s address Wednesday night, providing live commentary throughout the speech. Overall impressions: Michael D. Tanner:  Can’t see this as a game-changer. I would give him an ‘A’ on delivery, but at best a ‘C’ on substance.   There were surprisingly few details and very little new. Patrick Basham:  Strikingly political/partisan rather than statesmanlike speech. Obama chose to pressure Republicans to support his plan rather than attempt to persuade them to do so. He risks a another wave of (effective) opposition from conservative talk radio  & cable TV. Michael F. Cannon:  Translation: My health plan cannot work if you are free to make your own decisions. (Source: Cato-at-liberty) Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2782011 Thu, 10 Sep 2009 14:15:20 +0100 2782011 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2751875&cid=t_322821_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblogs.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2009%2F08%2Fpreventing-ear-lob-tears-preventing-keloids-earring-infections-.html No, despite the title, this is not another noise blog. Last month I wrote about the health risks of skinny jeans after I saw a magazine ad for a "Skinny jeans challenge" while waiting to see a surgeon for a torn earlobe. Ironically, I, too, had sacrificed my better judgment for the sake of fashion. After years of wearing heavy gold and silver earrings, gravity had caused a split in the piercing that needed to be surgically repaired. So as I wait for my incision to heal and sit out the three-month period before I can get my ear lobe re-pierced, I did some investigating. Ear piercing has been around for centuries and practiced in many cultures. Over time the custom has grown in the Western world with around 90% of women currently adorning at least one ear with jewelry. Along with... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2751875 Mon, 31 Aug 2009 15:01:47 +0100 2751875 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2752046&cid=t_322821_125_f&fid=34820&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.dentalblogs.com%2Farchives%2Fadministrator%2Fosap-announces-call-for-abstracts%2F Annapolis, MD: August 27, 2009 - The Organization for Safety & Asepsis Procedures (OSAP) has announced a call for abstracts for their 2010 Annual Symposium, which will be held June 10-13, 2010 in Tampa, Florida. The Symposium will feature leading experts on infection control and occupational health and safety sharing information of critical concern to dental professionals and others involved in dentistry. Abstracts may be submitted in the categories of Infection Control, Occupational Safety and Health, Environmental Science, and Other (a category that includes analysis of policy development and implementation, new analysis of existing research, meta-analysis or synthesis from existing studies of the above, and behavioral studies [including intervention studies] of utilization or adopti... dental blog for dentists about dentistry blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2752046 Mon, 31 Aug 2009 14:33:17 +0100 2752046 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2737689&cid=t_322821_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblogs.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2009%2F08%2Flasik-surgery-survey-laser-eye-surgery-reviews-of-lasik-should-you-have-lasik-eye-surgery-.html My wife recently expressed frustration that she can no longer see the bedroom clock without putting on her glasses. Knowing the time is important when you wake up in the morning. It can mean the difference between grabbing another hour’s sleep or needing to bounce out of bed and get going. Seeing the alarm clock is apparently a crucial eye test for many folks. In our recent survey of people who had Lasik and other types of laser vision correction, those who were better able to see the alarm clock were among those most satisfied with their results. Interestingly, although people said they underwent laser vision correction to get rid of their glasses, 55 percent said they still needed to use glasses or contact lenses, at least sometimes, even after the surgery. But this still didn’t in... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2737689 Wed, 26 Aug 2009 22:05:00 +0100 2737689 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2734201&cid=t_322821_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2FnMGlv0o1OWA%2F I know other families whose kids have autism. Yes, sometimes more than one child in the family with autism, and I really don’t know how they keep it together. I have to admit I think we’re doing a fairly terrible job a lot of the time with just one. photo courtesy of r0Kk (flickr.com) We haven’t done ABA with Alex (long story and not interesting, so I’m not going to go into it). I used to feel bad; then I recalled children I know who have had years of ABA and whose behavior is not so very different from Alex’s. And if you look online there is plenty of criticism about ABA being too rigid or too target-specific rather than behavior general. (Of course there is good ABA, too.) But still. If Alex had had years of ABA would he be functioning at a higher level? Ale... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2734201 Tue, 25 Aug 2009 15:16:51 +0100 2734201 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2712165&cid=t_322821_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F08%2F19%2Fis-my-child-a-kleptomaniac%2F In an article about apologizing, I confessed to stealing a friend’s hair brush when I was six. That brush burned a hole in the back of my closet until the unbearable guilt ratted me out to my Mom. She marched me over to my friend’s house and stood at a supervisory distance while I did the death walk of the condemned up to the door. The brush was returned together with a shaky, sincere apology. I never felt so bad, before or since. Thus ended my career in petty crime. When I read Perri Klass’s article in the New York Times Health section, Stealing in Childhood Does Not a Criminal Make, it rang so true. Dr. Klass is a pediatrician/writer whose career I’ve followed since my graduate school, her medical school days back in the ’80s. Like me, she is now a seasoned professional wit... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2712165 Wed, 19 Aug 2009 10:00:57 +0100 2712165 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2702551&cid=t_322821_167_f&fid=38271&url=http%3A%2F%2Frebeccascritchfield.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F08%2F14%2Fthe-price-of-misinformation-in-the-media%2F Misinformation in the media can be dangerous. It breeds confusion, frustration, and even fear. Just last week I posted some tips for spotting nutrition misinformation on the internet.  Little did I know there would be two national media outlets in print and television (Time and Good Morning America) that would produce misleading stories in nutrition and exercise with potentially damaging effects. It’s one thing when people hear new information and share it with others (there’s a reason they call it a “rumormill” and “myths”), but when the media are behind the misinformation it helps no one. People trust the media and they assume that the stories are well-researched. But that’s not always the case in this day and age of a small news hole and the fi... Balanced Health and Nutrition Rebecca Scritchfield's Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2702551 Fri, 14 Aug 2009 15:50:09 +0100 2702551 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2653651&cid=t_322821_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblogs.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2009%2F07%2Fdangers-of-hookah-smoking-hookah-with-lollipop-flavors-snus-kids-and-smoking-tobacco-free-kids-.html This week I spoke on Good Morning America about the dangers of hookah smoking (also called waterpipe, shisha (sheesha), goza, or hubble bubble) for teens. I blogged about the subject last year after my son—then only fifteen years old—told me how easy it was to get served at hookah bars in New York City. Like many adolescents, he was convinced that, unlike cigarettes, it was not harmful. In fact, hookahs do use tobacco (referred to as Massel) which comes in a wide variety of flavors— including apple, strawberry, cappuccino, coconut and mango—intended to provide smokers with a pleasant smoking experience. Because it provides a much less irritating smoking experience, hookahs are considered more pleasant by many smokers, and as a result, they may smoke for longer durations and ... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2653651 Wed, 29 Jul 2009 16:14:01 +0100 2653651 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2630043&cid=t_322821_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblogs.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2009%2F07%2Fskinny-jeans-trend-dangers-of-skinny-jeans-nerve-damage-from-skinny-jeans-meralgia-paresthetica-.html Squeezing into skinny jeans can put you at risk for nerve damage, fertility problems, bladder infections, and even blood clots, according to Consumer Reports' medical adviser Dr. Orly Avitzur.  On the Today show today, Dr. Avitzur weighed in on this potentially dangerous trend, popular with men and women alike, and spoke on why trying to be more "skinny jeans confident" might not be such a good idea. Take a look (right), and for more on the risks, read the "The dangers of squeezing into skinny jeans."  —Ginger Skinner (Source: Consumer Reports Health Blog) Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2630043 Thu, 23 Jul 2009 00:25:30 +0100 2630043 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2556072&cid=t_322821_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblogs.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2009%2F06%2Flower-back-pain-readers-weigh-in-osteopathic-manipulative-treatment-opioid-medications-narcotics-.html Readers who have lower-back pain have written us a lot since the Consumer Reports Health Ratings Center Survey results were released in April. We’ve heard from chiropractic fans and chiropractic detractors, readers who have problems with opioid medications and readers who use such narcotics without a problem. Many writers remarked that our coverage had failed to mention treatments that worked well for them. There was a spinal decompression success story as well as a "compression shirt" success story. There were those who were helped by a therapy called the Feldenkrais Method® and those who swore by another called the Alexander Technique. There was a reader who touted the book "Healing Back Pain: The Mind-Body Connection," by John E. Sarno, M.D., and another who tout... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2556072 Mon, 29 Jun 2009 22:15:00 +0100 2556072 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2441113&cid=t_322821_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblogs.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2009%2F05%2Fanswers-about-the-risks-benefits-of-medical-care-lower-back-pain-survey-informed-medical-decision-sh.html Patients who come to my office for lower-back pain are often seeking a second opinion because they’ve been told they need surgery. And as it turns out, many get better by waiting it out, which may explain why 35 percent of our Consumer Reports Health Ratings Center survey of more than 14,000 people with lower-back pain said they never consulted a professional at all. Others improve with a variety of treatments, especially hands-on therapies. Patient preference plays a big role in healing, regardless of the treatment chosen. If a person is not keen on taking medications, the drugs are not likely to be effective (and prescriptions may not even be filled), and likewise, if someone doesn’t want to make the time for regular physical therapy, its benefits are bound to be limited. The decisio... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2441113 Tue, 26 May 2009 20:39:08 +0100 2441113 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2414730&cid=t_322821_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblogs.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2009%2F05%2Fconflict-of-interest-psychiatry-guidelines-health-ratings-center-health-reform.html Quick, answer this question: Who writes the guidelines for physicians on how to treat mental illnesses, such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder or major depression?  A) Psychiatrists interested in the welfare of patients with these terrible and debilitating diseases?B) Academic researchers who are willing to lend their expert opinion to help fellow doctors?C) People financed by drug companies who can be counted on to write the guidelines in a way that serves the company’s interests?D.) All of the above. If you answered D, you’re on the money. In fact, being “on the money” is the operative phrase here, because a recent report on the conflicts of interest in psychiatric guidelines committees reveal some shocking facts about the financial entanglements ... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2414730 Fri, 15 May 2009 21:03:33 +0100 2414730 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2404993&cid=t_322821_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblogs.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2009%2F05%2Ffree-drug-samples-could-cost-you-more-in-the-long-run-starter-packs-free-prescription-drugs-.html Everyone likes freebies. Eighty percent of respondents in our recent drug survey said they had accepted free drug samples from their doctors. But while those freebies might sound like a great deal, particularly if you’re having a hard time affording your prescriptions, they could cost you more in the long run. According to a study published this week in PLoS Medicine, free samples, also referred to as “starter packs,” actually increase the cost of health care, and do little to promote safe, rational prescription drug use. So what questions should you ask before taking free drug samples from your doctor? Watch our video with Dr. John Santa, director of the Consumer Reports Health Ratings Center, to find out. —Ginger Skinner We’d like to hear from you: Have you accepted free drug... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2404993 Tue, 12 May 2009 21:14:39 +0100 2404993 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2404994&cid=t_322821_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblogs.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2009%2F05%2Ftoothpicks-an-effective-treatment-for-lower-back-pain-treating-back-pain-with-placebos-fake-acupunct.html This study "raises important questions about acupuncture’s mechanisms of action," says lead researcher Daniel Cherkin, Ph.D. of Group Health Center for Health Studies in Seattle. And Josephine P. Briggs, M.D., director of the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) says "This adds to the growing body of evidence that there is something meaningful taking place during acupuncture treatments outside of actual needling. Future research is needed to delve deeper into what is evoking these responses." But why did the patients in this study respond so well to toothpicks? "Touch is a complex interaction that involves a completely different approach to a person," says John Santa, M,D, M.P.H., director of the Consumer Reports Health Ratings... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2404994 Tue, 12 May 2009 20:47:46 +0100 2404994 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2389664&cid=t_322821_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2F4OyzVrtztoU%2F With the economy in a deep recession and policymakers turning to massive government intervention in an attempt to create jobs and bolster the financial system—it feels like the 1930s all over again.  Today’s new New Deal is rapidly unfolding, with the Obama administration and many lawmakers making it clear that any question of the success of FDR’s New Deal policies was resolved long ago: government intervention worked, and history bears repeating.   However, there are deep disagreements about the New Deal, and whether Roosevelt’s policies deepened the depression and delayed recovery.  Join us at the Cato Institute on June 1 to be a part of a highly informative half-day conference. Recognized national experts will discuss the economic and legal impact of the New Deal, and how i... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2389664 Tue, 05 May 2009 15:11:37 +0100 2389664 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2386822&cid=t_322821_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FYhi6yWYuuqY%2F Code and Other Laws of Cyberspace, Lawrence Lessig’s seminal work on Internet law, turns ten this year. To mark the occasion, Cato Unbound has invited a distinguished panel of Internet law experts to discuss the book’s enduring significance: What did it get right? What did it get wrong? And where do we go from here? Joining us will be Adam Thierer, Jonathan Zittrain, and Lawrence Lessig himself. The lead essay, up this morning, is by Declan McCullagh. Readers of Code will recall that McCullagh was called out by name in the book’s final chapter, and his “do-nothing” cyberlibertarian views were criticized at length. Ten years later, is it time to reconsider? Join us and find out. (Source: Cato-at-liberty) Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2386822 Mon, 04 May 2009 15:21:03 +0100 2386822 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2382242&cid=t_322821_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblogs.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2009%2F05%2Ffor-iraq-veterans-headaches-continue-following-traumatic-brain-injury-soldiers-mild-head-trauma-or-b.html A study conducted at Fort Lewis, WA, and presented this week at the American Academy of Neurology’s 61st annual meeting in Seattle reports that many soldiers who experienced mild head trauma or blast exposure while serving in active combat are returning to the United States with headaches. The study involved 978 US Army soldiers returning from Iraq or Afghanistan in 2008 who had experienced a concussion, head injury or blast exposure while deployed. Nearly 98 percent of the soldiers reported having headaches during the last three months of their service. Thirty-seven percent of the soldiers stated that their headaches began within one week of the traumatic brain injury (TBI); of these 60 percent had migraine-like headaches and 40 percent had headaches which interfered with their ability ... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2382242 Fri, 01 May 2009 23:11:46 +0100 2382242 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2382246&cid=t_322821_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblogs.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2009%2F05%2Fhpv-vaccine-does-not-increase-the-risks-of-guillainbarr%25C3%25A9-syndrome-american-academy-of-neurology-gard.html A study presented this week at the American Academy of Neurology’s 61st annual meeting in Seattle supports last year’s blog cautioning against making cause-effect conclusions from anecdotal reports and tragic patient stories linking the HPV vaccine (Gardasil) with Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS). In the report, researchers examined data from the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) in which 36 cases of GBS were reported to have occurred after vaccination in the United States from 2006 to 2008. The University of Medicine and Dentistry in New Jersey study reports that the disorder occurred within six weeks after vaccination in 75 percent of the people, and in 60 percent, HPV was the only vaccine administered at the time (the remaining 40 percent received the HPV vaccine along wi... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2382246 Fri, 01 May 2009 17:41:10 +0100 2382246 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2364885&cid=t_322821_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblogs.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2009%2F04%2Fone-step-closer-to-personal-health-records-electronic-health-records-health-it-health-information-te.html No more mixing up prescriptions, racking your brain about a previous doctor’s diagnosis or treatment, or scrambling to find lab results from months back. This is the promise we’ve been hearing about electronic health records for years. But now it looks like we’re getting a big step closer. President Obama and Congress made a substantial investment—$19 billion—in what is broadly called “health information technology” (HIT) in the economic stimulus bill signed into law in February. Some hospitals and doctors aren’t wasting any time. Mayo Clinic this month became the latest to jump on the HIT bandwagon in a partnership with Microsoft to launch Mayo Clinic Health Manager, an online personal health record (PHR) that allows you to store all your medical records and results (those... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2364885 Fri, 24 Apr 2009 20:14:30 +0100 2364885 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2347709&cid=t_322821_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblogs.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2009%2F04%2Fnarcotic-medicine-can-be-deadly-after-spinalfusion-surgery-opioids-back-pain.html A new study in the April issue of Spine underscores our concerns about taking narcotics for back pain. The study looked at nearly 2,400 patients who had undergone lumbar-fusion surgery for lower-back pain, usually from degenerative disk disease. After about six and a half years, 103 had died. Of those deaths, 21 percent were linked to pain relievers, especially narcotic ones such as codeine, morphine, and oxycodone. Spinal fusion was the most common surgery in our April 2009 back-pain poll. While satisfaction with the procedure varied according to diagnosis and type of surgery, those with degenerative disk disease were far less likely to be highly satisfied (54 percent) than were those with a herniated disk (73 percent). Spine-surgery rates in the U.S. have skyrocketed over the past two de... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2347709 Fri, 17 Apr 2009 15:05:41 +0100 2347709 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2284305&cid=t_322821_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblogs.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2009%2F03%2Fcomparative-effectiveness-better-care-lower-costs.html Congress recently approved $1.1 billion in the stimulus package to fund more comparative research, so we can know just how well medications stack up against each other, as well as other treatments and surgeries (important note: the government-funded research only compares effectiveness, not cost. Pricing information is what groups like ours can do, to help doctors and their patients find more affordable alternatives). This type of unbiased, scientific information helps level the playing field for consumers in a medical game where all the cards have been held by the drug companies. But as the Washington Post reports, some are waging a not-so-subtle campaign against this type of research, claiming that if we know what medications works best, we’ll end up with our care rationed. But Dr. San... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2284305 Wed, 18 Mar 2009 19:34:00 +0100 2284305 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2249493&cid=t_322821_129_f&fid=36038&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Ftrevis-life-with-multiple-sclerosis-ms%2Fa-new-multiple-sclerosis-webcast%2F MS community you asked for it, now you’ve got it.  Everyday Health has posted our latest webcast about multiple sclerosis titled, “Multiple Sclerosis Clinical Trials and Research.” Unlike our previous webcasts this one was not broadcast live.  Still, we used many of your questions that you submitted here on the “Life with MS” blog and I hope you’ll continue to do so in the future. Yes, the future!  We happily have another MS webcast scheduled for May. I encourage you to grab a cup of coffee (or be like me and pour yourself something a little stronger) and login for an hour of really interesting information.  Our panel included prominent researchers from the US and Canada as well as a person living with multiple sclerosis who has been participating in an oral MS drug trial. ... Life with MS blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2249493 Fri, 06 Mar 2009 22:09:36 +0100 2249493 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2236130&cid=t_322821_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblogs.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2009%2F03%2Four-experts-comment-on-patient-gag-orders.html Yesterday we reported on news that some physicians are starting to ask patients to sign waivers that say they will not post negative comments on rating Web sites. We asked for your thoughts, and you said it was a bad idea. Our doctors here on staff agreed: "I often counsel friends and family that if a doctor tries to talk you out of getting a second opinion or acts in a defensive or arrogant manner, it is time to get a new doctor. Similarly, if a doctor tries to get you to sign such a waiver you should run the other way. Patient centered care requires that physicians put the patient first – long waits, gruff demeanor, being treated like a statistic rather than a person, etc. are all unacceptable. While we all have bad days, I find it hard to believe that a doctor with m... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2236130 Thu, 05 Mar 2009 19:30:24 +0100 2236130 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2196348&cid=t_322821_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblogs.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2009%2F02%2Fpeanut-problems-in-a-nutshell.html For the last few weeks we’ve kept you posted on the ongoing peanut-butter recalls. Earlier last week the FBI raided the Peanut Butter Corp. of America, the Georgia company implicated in the outbreak of Salmonella that is now linked to 637 illnesses and 9 deaths in 44 states and that has led to the recall of more than 2,200 products. Some experts now think that the bacteria may have been spread by the birds that often roost on peanut-butter processing plants. Water contaminated with salmonella-infested feces may have leaked through the roof and into the peanut butter, where the bacteria could thrive and multiply. While this is the most serious problem ever linked to peanuts or peanut butter, it’s not the first. Here are a few other potential risks posed by peanuts—along with some of t... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2196348 Wed, 18 Feb 2009 16:54:55 +0100 2196348 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2195329&cid=t_322821_151_f&fid=36896&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FSuboxoneTalkZone%2F%7E3%2FKQVixe099Ug%2F A question from a reader: I have been taking oxycontin 40mg 4 years and want to quit so went to dr and gave me 12 suboxone 8mg took one 8mg yesterday at 3pm which would be 20 hrs after last oxy i was having serious withdrawals 10minutes after taking the suboxone i felt so nice freezing cold went away and so pleased, it is 10am and still no chills, is it possible the suboxone is out of my system now? should i still follow the dr’s calender? My Response: There are at least two points I want to make.  The first is a direct answer to your question:  no, the Suboxone is not out of your system.  You still have considerable withdrawal in front of you, and you are being kept from withdrawal by the long duration of action of the buprenorphine in Suboxone. You are used to taking 40 mg of Oxycod... Suboxone Talk Zone blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2195329 Thu, 12 Feb 2009 03:04:14 +0100 2195329 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2178654&cid=t_322821_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblogs.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2009%2F02%2Fdrug-industry-fights-stimulus-provision.html According to a report in the The Wall Street Journal yesterday, the drug industry is gearing up to fight a provision in the stimulus bill. The provision will spend $1.1 billion on research that compares medical treatments on effectiveness and cost, also known as comparative effectiveness. Since the 90s, the federal government has allowed pharmaceutical companies to dominate drug information to consumers by allowing direct-to-consumer advertising and generally loosening FDA regulations on the boundaries about what pharma companies can say to consumers. At the same time the federal government rarely funded any research that compared one drug to another. To no ones surprise, given the pharmaceutical industry's obligation to generate profits, the industry rarely funded comparison studies a... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2178654 Wed, 11 Feb 2009 15:49:21 +0100 2178654 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2175258&cid=t_322821_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblogs.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2009%2F02%2Fviagra-for-women.html The Journal of the American Medical Association published a study last summer that found that some women who take certain antidepressants, and who also suffer from sexual dysfunction issues as a side effect, might be helped by taking Viagra. Is it a good idea? Is it safe? Dr. Marvin Lipman explains when—or even if—a women should consider using Viagra. Watch our video (right), read more on viagra and women, and see our new survey on Americans' sex lives. And we'd like to hear from you. Given Dr. Lipman's advice, do you think women should take Viagra? Why or why not? (Source: Consumer Reports Health Blog) Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2175258 Tue, 10 Feb 2009 15:45:34 +0100 2175258 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2164666&cid=t_322821_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblogs.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2009%2F02%2Fdoctor-privacy.html An appeals court ruled earlier this week to keep Medicare data on individual doctors out of the public's eye in a court case where Consumers' Checkbook, a ratings group, sued to have access to the data to use as a basis for doctors ratings. Consumers Union, the publisher of Consumer Reports, supported the Consumers' Checkbook suit. While we disagree with the court decision, it should reinforce the responsibility physicians have to patients and consumers that goes beyond just their medical care. The government has often come down on the side of doctors, citing their professional obligations to patients as a rationale for less oversight. Given the excesses of the current market, including soaring health-care costs, doctors shouldn’t lose sight of the fact that consumers e... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2164666 Thu, 05 Feb 2009 20:51:27 +0100 2164666 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2156533&cid=t_322821_87_f&fid=35052&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FWomensBioethicsBlog%2F%7E3%2F530773433%2Finteracting-with-experts.html Every so often, you get a really fun opportunity to interact with experts in a field at a casual level. I've had the pleasure of having several of these random moments, and one of my first involved neuroethics, an article by Danniell Dennett, the 2005 National Undergraduate Bioethics Conference, and some professor by the name of Paul Root Wolpe. Of course, it wasn't until later that I realized precisely who Dr. Wolpe was, at which point I promptly suffered from extreme mortification at my casual level of arguing - but I think that's half the fun of those hindsight situations.I had the privilege of getting to know and occasionally work with Dr. Wolpe after that first random meeting, and my impression of him hasn't changed. He's extremely fun to talk to about a wide range of subjects, still ... Women's Bioethics Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2156533 Tue, 03 Feb 2009 16:54:21 +0100 2156533 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2112485&cid=t_322821_129_f&fid=36038&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.healthtalk.com%2Fmultiple-sclerosis%2Flife-with-ms%2Fms-and-clinical-trials-a-call-for-questions%2F I am preparing for a multiple sclerosis webcast that will happen in early February.  The topic for this conversation will be phase III clinical trials and I’ll have guests from around the country join us to talk about many aspects of this subject. As always, I want to make sure that “real” questions and concerns are addressed during the webcast and I’d like to know your questions about clinical trials. What would you like to know?  Let me put that another way: If you were sitting in a room with two well renowned MS researchers and a person living with MS who has been in a phase III clinical trial, what would you ask them? Some of my questions are: How do you get into a trial?  What are the risks?  Do I have to stop using my current drugs? What would you ask? Thi... Life with MS blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2112485 Fri, 16 Jan 2009 18:17:44 +0100 2112485 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2102478&cid=t_322821_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblogs.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2009%2F01%2Fdartmouth-hospitals.html More hospital and doctor services do not mean better outcomes or more positive experiences for patients. This is according to an analysis of patient experiences by the Dartmouth Institute in the current issue of Health Affairs. Why? One possibility is that more health care can be less effective (and could harm you) if it is not well coordinated. Unlike other industries, hospitals and doctors haven’t been able to keep pace with information technology that would help doctors keep tabs on each others’ tests and medications. Doctors are trained to work independently, and they are usually paid to do more, not less. Hospitals struggle to impose guidelines and other processes on doctors. This can lead to uncoordinated care, putting patients at risk. Only rarely do doctors and hospitals tell u... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2102478 Wed, 14 Jan 2009 15:50:11 +0100 2102478 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2093728&cid=t_322821_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblogs.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2009%2F01%2Ffree-antibiotic.html More than a few grocery store chains have recently announced that they would provide free generic antibiotics to their customers who present a prescription. Normally Consumer Reports would applaud this kind of price competition, but not in this case. Inappropriate use of antibiotics in viral infections such as the common cold, bronchitis, and run-of-the-mill sore throat is still much too common. Antibiotics not only don't help those viral infections but can cause serious side effects. In addition, every antibiotic prescribed unnecessarily increases the risk of a future infection from a bacterial mutation that is resistant to antibiotics. Consumer activists supported by Consumers Union have long led a national campaign to raise awareness of deadly health-care acquired infections, such a... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2093728 Fri, 09 Jan 2009 22:54:31 +0100 2093728 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2080986&cid=t_322821_87_f&fid=34825&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.wesleyjsmith.com%2Fblog%2F2009%2F01%2Fis-everything-cause-for-experts-to.html So, a study shows that girls play less energetically than boys. Big whup and, as they say, vive la difference. But some find even this innocuous information a cause for hand wringing. From the story:Girls tend to play less energetically than boys, because they are more interested in chatting, a new study shows. Researchers found the girls spent six per cent less time in vigorous physical activity than the boys Even at the age of 10, girls are more likely to stand around gossiping than playing games or sports like their male classmates, the research found. And here's the kicker:Researchers warn that the trends last a lifetime and could lead to obesity.Please. But, don't worry "experts:" the men catch up by drinking more beer. And I am sure you are all worried about that, too. (Source: Secon... Secondhand Smoke blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2080986 Tue, 06 Jan 2009 01:49:00 +0100 2080986 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2068168&cid=t_322821_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblogs.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2008%2F12%2Fmercury-fish.html Recent news stories have suggested that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is considering relaxing its fish-consumption advice for vulnerable populations, such as women of child-bearing age, pregnant women, nursing mothers, and young children. The stories are based on a leaked internal draft report, which has been posted on the website of the Environmental Working Group. The FDA told us that the reports aren't accurate, and the guidelines won't be changed in the near future. Currently, the FDA advises these populations to avoid shark, swordfish, king mackerel, and tilefish (all contain high levels of mercury), to eat only 12 ounces (about 2 average meals) a week of lower-mercury fish, and to reduce albacore tuna consumption to 6 ounces a week. Consumers Union believes that the mercury... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2068168 Fri, 26 Dec 2008 18:52:43 +0100 2068168 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2052533&cid=t_322821_113_f&fid=34634&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.emrandhipaa.com%2Femr-and-hipaa%2F2008%2F12%2F19%2Fthank-you-emr-and-hipaa-sponsors%2F As EMR and HIPAA passes our 3 year anniversary, I thought I’d take a moment to thank the sponsors of this blog. Their sponsorship makes this website possible. This is especially true at Christmas time. So, thanks to both EMR Choice and EMR Experts for your sponsorship and advertising on EMR and HIPAA. Our relationship with EMR Experts goes back almost 2 years and so hopefully they’ve found our relationship as beneficial as I have found it. EMR Choice is a new sponsor that’s really trying to do some good things in the EMR market. It’s hard to believe that it’s been over 3 years since I started this blog. I first started out just wanting to document my experience with EMR. I still do that to a large extent, but it’s grown to a lot of other things includin... EMR and HIPAA blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2052533 Fri, 19 Dec 2008 20:12:57 +0100 2052533 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1985917&cid=t_322821_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblogs.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2008%2F11%2Ftattoos-and-tee.html My friend's daughter, Becky (not her real name), is a radiant, outgoing high school senior who is planning to go to nursing school like her mom. Over the years I've watched her grow into a strikingly beautiful young woman with a flair for style and fashion. So when she recently traded in her braces for nasal piercings and a tattoo, I was taken aback. But perhaps it should have come as no surprise. Tattoos have gone mainstream. Recent data suggest that more than one-third of adults in the U.S. under the age of 35 and about one-quarter of those ages 18 to 50 now sport at least one tattoo. State and local authorities oversee tattoo practices, which vary across the country. There is no standard regulation for training or licensing, no requirements for inspection, record-keeping, informed con... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1985917 Mon, 24 Nov 2008 19:03:39 +0100 1985917 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1962648&cid=t_322821_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblogs.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2008%2F11%2Fheart-attack-pr.html I started getting phone calls from my patients almost as soon as the headlines starting appearing last week. All the media were trumpeting the results of a new study showing that rosuvastatin (Crestor), a powerful cholesterol-lowering statin drug, slashed the risk of heart attack and stroke even in people with normal—that’s right, normal—cholesterol levels who also had high blood levels of a substance called C-reactive protein. CRP rises when the arteries are inflamed, and, as we’ve previously reported, growing research has linked such inflammation with an increased risk of heart attack. All of those callers wanted to know the same thing: Should they start taking the drug? Here’s my answer to that and two related questions. Should I immediately start taking a statin? Probably ... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1962648 Fri, 14 Nov 2008 20:33:53 +0100 1962648 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1961439&cid=t_322821_151_f&fid=36896&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FSuboxoneTalkZone%2F%7E3%2F452534491%2F Every day I receive several comments from self-identified ‘Suboxone experts’ who repeat the same comments over and over again. I am tempted to post a few here, and then pick them apart piece-by-piece, but I am afraid that somebody will pop in, read them out of context, and think that I am agreeing with something that I actually take issue with. The comments are generally something like this: You are wrong. You are replacing one drug for another. Suboxone is the same as methadone. Suboxone is the worst thing in the world to get off of. You should check your facts. Trust me doc—you don’t know what you are talking about.’ Then they often add something like ‘have a nice recovery’, or ‘may you rot in hell’, or ‘if you get defensive that only proves that you are wrong’ (my ... Suboxone Talk Zone blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1961439 Fri, 14 Nov 2008 05:18:48 +0100 1961439 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1877276&cid=t_322821_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblogs.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2008%2F10%2Fmaternity-care.html My cousin's wife is expecting a baby next week. She wants to have a natural childbirth, and her birth plan includes requests to allow spontaneous rupture of membranes, to avoid pain relief/epidural unless she asks, to steer clear of the labor-inducing drug oxytocin, to avoid episiotomy, and also to only have intermittent fetal monitoring. For expectant mothers like her, the recent report, Evidence-Based Maternity Care: What It Is and What It Can Achieve, is welcome news. It sheds light on several overused maternity practices, including labor induction, epidurals for pain, and Cesarean section. It points out that such practices can lead to a host of additional interventions, are associated with risk of maternal and newborn harm, and add considerable costs to patient care. The report confi... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1877276 Wed, 15 Oct 2008 18:22:55 +0100 1877276 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1857438&cid=t_322821_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblogs.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2008%2F10%2Fraking-leaves-a.html My patient, a 54-year-old dentist, was mowing the lawn one recent September when he ran over a nest of yellow jackets, causing them to swarm. He ran to escape but slipped on wet leaves. He fell with his arm outstretched, dislocated his shoulder, and suffered nerve damage. Although it took a year and a half, he ultimately recovered. While winter may be the season most people consider risky for slips and falls, autumn can be equally dangerous.  Accidents sustained in autumn clean-up work keeps emergency rooms hopping and orthopedists busy until spring. If you're not careful, injuries can occur from cleaning the gutters, operating lawn mowers, raking leaves, and hoisting them into bags.  Falls off ladders, foot injuries from mowers, and low back pain from strenuous twisting and lif... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1857438 Mon, 06 Oct 2008 21:24:15 +0100 1857438 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2513536&cid=t_322821_177_f&fid=38133&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FTubalReversalBlog%2F%7E3%2FMkXXqcLrQRY%2Fmomzilla-reveals-her-true-identitymommy.html Momzilla, as she is well known on the Tubal Reversal Message Board, is actually Tracy, a 43 year-old married, mother of three who is employed as a Senior Human Resource Manager. Tracy has described her symptoms of Post Tubal Ligation Syndrome (PTLS) on the Tubal Reversal Blog, and now, four months after her tubal ligation reversal surgery, she and her husband Glenn describe her recovery from PTLS. (Source: Tubal Reversal Blog) Tubal Reversal Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2513536 Mon, 06 Oct 2008 13:07:17 +0100 2513536 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2513540&cid=t_322821_177_f&fid=38133&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FTubalReversalBlog%2F%7E3%2F2lJECZlzM7A%2Ftubes-tied-regret-guil.html The decision to have one's tubes tied (tubal ligation) is often made under stressful circumstances. This can lead to regret and guilt over the decision. Some women choose to have their tubes untied to relieve the burdens of regret or guilt as well as to be able to have another child after a tubal ligation. (Source: Tubal Reversal Blog) Tubal Reversal Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2513540 Tue, 23 Sep 2008 13:18:38 +0100 2513540 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1818961&cid=t_322821_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblogs.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2008%2F09%2Fzetia-down-for.html For the second time in six months, ezetimibe (Zetia), a featherweight LDL (bad) cholesterol fighter, has taken a hit, and this blow could well end its career. The referee, with the initials FDA emblazoned on his white lab coat, has begun the countdown. Ezetimibe (made by Schering-Plough and still on patent as the brand name Zetia) was approved in 2002 for use with a statin to achieve additional small reductions in LDL cholesterol, compared to just the statin alone. In 2004, when Merck's brand of simvastatin, known as Zocor, was about to go off patent, Merck teamed up with Schering-Plough to produce a new patented product called Vytorin, a combination of simvastatin and Zetia. A vigorous advertising campaign resulted in billions of dollars in sales. Then, in February of this year, the fir... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1818961 Fri, 19 Sep 2008 18:28:53 +0100 1818961 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2513568&cid=t_322821_177_f&fid=38133&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FTubalReversalBlog%2F%7E3%2FPqmLUSjyJDE%2Ftubal-reversal-possible.html Dr. Monteith’s Diary – May 22, 2008 One of our 4 tubal reversal patients today had the following story. She was from North Carolina and had three older children. She had her tubes tied several years ago. As time passed, she changed her mind and desired more children. She wanted a tubal ligation reversal and after searching [...] (Source: Tubal Reversal Blog) Tubal Reversal Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2513568 Thu, 22 May 2008 23:50:59 +0100 2513568 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1909188&cid=t_322821_177_f&fid=38133&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FTubalReversalBlog%2F%7E3%2F296174604%2Ftubal-reversal-possible.html Dr. Monteith’s Diary - May 22, 2008 One of our 4 tubal reversal patients today had the following story. She was from North Carolina and had three older children. She had her tubes tied several years ago. As time passed, she changed her mind and desired more children. She wanted a tubal ligation reversal and after searching [...] (Source: Tubal Reversal Blog) Tubal Reversal Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1909188 Thu, 22 May 2008 23:50:59 +0100 1909188 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1458604&cid=t_322821_133_f&fid=35119&url=http%3A%2F%2Frettdevil.blogspot.com%2F2008%2F05%2Fwhat-parents-of-autistic-kids-can-do.html As a response to my inaugural posting on this blog, one reader suggested that, in addition to calling out the misdeeds of many parents, I or Kassiane should tell parents of autistic children what they can do to positively impact their children's lives. I thought this sounded like a pretty good idea, so this is my own modest attempt. This list is certain to be incomplete as I am sure I will leave more than a few valuable suggestions out.Allow your child to be autistic. I'm not crazy about the wording on this one because it really isn't the parent's right to say whether or not the child is "allowed" to be autistic any more than it's the parent's right to decide whether or not the child is "allowed" to be gay; perhaps "accept" would be a better word. The meaning here is fairly simple: no 40 h... The Rettdevil's Rants blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1458604 Tue, 20 May 2008 10:15:00 +0100 1458604 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2513579&cid=t_322821_177_f&fid=38133&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FTubalReversalBlog%2F%7E3%2F6jiyf3voWNA%2Funtying-tied-tubes.html There really is no such thing as simply "tying tubes". Many people seem to imagine the fallopian tubes are like a shoe lace and we tie them up in a bow to prevent pregnancy. As a tubal ligation reversal specialist, I wish it were that simple- then reversing tied tubes would be a whole lot easier! (Source: Tubal Reversal Blog) Tubal Reversal Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2513579 Fri, 02 May 2008 01:56:35 +0100 2513579 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1017713&cid=t_322821_137_f&fid=35357&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAlzheimersNotes%2F%7E3%2F182450057%2F Want to know more about the history of Alzheimer’s Disease ? Then check out this site. Everything you want to know about the history of Alzheimer’s Disease can be found at Michigan State University’s Kalamazoo Center for Medical Studies History of Alzheimer’s Disease website. They have put together an innovative course that provides historic context to the modern practice of medicine. The aim is to help students understand how Alzheimer’s disease was perceived, experienced, and treated throughout history. The site features an Alzheimer’s Disease timeline that leds on to indepth information. Here you can learn more about Dr Alois Alzheimer or examine the medical records of Auguste D who is known as historically as the first patient to be diagnosed with Alzhei... Alzheimer's Notes blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1017713 Sat, 10 Nov 2007 00:20:54 +0100 1017713 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1012272&cid=t_322821_113_f&fid=34634&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.emrandhipaa.com%2Femr-and-hipaa%2F2007%2F11%2F07%2Ffree-emr-by-medicare%2F I’ve been working with John Deutsch of EMR Experts, Inc. and I invited him to be a guest blogger on my blog. Here’s an article John sent me about the Free Vista EMR offered by the government. While I think the news about Vista being free came out about 2.5 years ago, the information about adopting it is still VERY relevant. Probably because the EMR adoption level is so low. Enjoy John’s take on the government’s “Free EMR.” Is anything ever free these days? Maybe so. Instigated by the incredibly slow adoption of Electronic Medical Records (EMR) by doctors across the nation, Medicare is announcing it will begin offering doctors free electronic medical record software solutions. Both upfront and ongoing costs have been critical factors in the lagging EMR a... EMR and HIPAA blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1012272 Wed, 07 Nov 2007 16:24:15 +0100 1012272 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=988475&cid=t_322821_137_f&fid=35357&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAlzheimersNotes%2F%7E3%2F176857564%2F An informative three part video interview with Peter V. Rabins, MD, MPH Professor of Psychiatry at the John Hopkins School of Medicine and co-author of The Thirty Six Hour Day, a family guide for caring for people with Alzheimer’s Disease. Part One Part Two Part Two Share This (Source: Alzheimer's Notes) Alzheimer's Notes blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=988475 Mon, 29 Oct 2007 21:06:31 +0100 988475 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=823013&cid=t_322821_87_f&fid=34867&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thediabetesblog.com%2F2007%2F08%2F26%2Fscientists-to-discuss-epidemic-at-seattle-meetup%2F Filed under: Type 2, Research, Events, CareScientists from all over the world will meet up in Seattle October 22-23 to attend the Warren G. Magnuson Congress for a Global Diabetes Alliance. The initiative is intended to help fight the rapid rise of type 2 diabetes worldwide. International Diabetes Federation past president Pierre Lefebvre, who will be a speaker at the conference, says the need for such an alliance to fight the T2 global epidemic "could not be more urgent."More than one hundred diabetes experts hailing from over twenty countries will attend the congress. There's one main goal: the discussion of how to help under-served populations, such as indigenous peoples. However, the more general problems - prevention, treatment and the possibility of a cure - will also be on the table... The Diabetes Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=823013 Sun, 26 Aug 2007 04:00:00 +0100 823013 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=764307&cid=t_322821_133_f&fid=35100&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhardwonwisdom.blogspot.com%2F2007%2F07%2Fgoogle-autistic-experts.html and "autism experts".Okay, I know it's a lazy blog, but I'm jus sayin.... (Source: Hard Won Wisdom) Hard Won Wisdom blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=764307 Sat, 28 Jul 2007 16:08:00 +0100 764307 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=655574&cid=t_322821_137_f&fid=35357&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAlzheimersNotes%2F%7E3%2F121966285%2F Mary Emma mentioned in yesterday’s post how the computer - and especially the internet - is a great outlet and aid for people with Alzheimer’s disease. It is also a great place to access information and find experts in the field that can answer your questions about Alzheimer’s disease. Here’s a list of five internet sites where you can ‘ask an expert’ about whatever is concerning you. From medications to caregiving issues, these experts are available to help. Most of the sites also have archives of questions already asked and answered that you can wander through. Alzheimer’s Research Forum Alzheimer’s Association Ask an Expert American Health Assistance Foundation Fisher Center for Alzheimer’s Research Foundation Unversity Alzheimer Cen... Alzheimer's Notes blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=655574 Mon, 04 Jun 2007 05:56:24 +0100 655574