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 'hospital'. Sat, 03 Sep 2011 01:49:38 +0100 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5181971&cid=t_99821_113_f&fid=38236&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.healthcareitnews.com%2Fblog%2Felevator-pitch-your-60-second-commercial Trade shows, conferences, networking events…these are all prime opportunities to grease the opportunity wheel. Say you’ve been eyeballing a certain hospital or company, maybe you even submitted a resume already, but you’re at an event and suddenly an executive is standing right in front of you. Here’s your chance to talk yourself up and shine, but you might only have their attention for a minute. read more (Source: Healthcare IT News Blog) Healthcare IT News Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5181971 Fri, 02 Sep 2011 12:17:36 +0100 5181971 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5181843&cid=t_99821_105_f&fid=34896&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdoctorrw.blogspot.com%2F2011%2F09%2Feffect-of-mrsa-bundle-for-hospitalized.html (Source: Notes from Dr. RW) Notes from Dr. RW blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5181843 Thu, 01 Sep 2011 12:02:00 +0100 5181843 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5174622&cid=t_99821_88_f&fid=38129&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Flifeinthefastlane%2FWZHV%2F%7E3%2FX8KSTUUJEno%2F A chest trauma patient lies before you. When would you perform an emergency thoracotomy? A case-based Q&A approach to the indications and contraindications. (Source: Life in the Fast Lane) Life in the Fast Lane blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5174622 Tue, 30 Aug 2011 00:00:10 +0100 5174622 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5174615&cid=t_99821_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fimaging-that-can-reliably-distinguish-between-benign-and-malignant-pancreatic-cysts%2F2011.08.29 Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) has been demonstrated to be able to differentiate between benign and potentially malignant pancreatic cysts. Researchers from Massachusetts General Hospital, Physical Sciences, Inc., Brigham and Women’s Hospital, and Brandeis University have published their findings in Biomedical Optics Express. In their study they used surgically removed pancreas specimens of patients with pancreatic cysts to assess them with OCT and compare the results with histology examinations. OCT was able to reveal specific morphological characteristics used to differentiate between the low-risk and high-risk cysts. (more…) *This blog post was originally published at Medgadget* (Source: Better Health) Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5174615 Mon, 29 Aug 2011 12:00:53 +0100 5174615 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5169546&cid=t_99821_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fresearch-shows-decrease-in-time-from-hospital-arrival-to-heart-attack-treatment%2F2011.08.27 Heart attack patients are now being treated on average 32 minutes faster than they were five years ago, and medical societies are touting it as evidence of the success of national campaigns to treat heart attacks more quickly. The study, “Improvements in Door-to-Balloon Time in the United States: 2005-2010,” found that the average time from hospital arrival to treatment declined from 96 minutes in 2005 to just 64 minutes in 2010. In addition, more than 90% of heart attack patients who required emergency angioplasty in 2010 received treatment within the recommended 90 minutes, up from 44% in 2005. Also, the study reported that (more…) *This blog post was originally published at ACP Hospitalist* (Source: Better Health) Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5169546 Sat, 27 Aug 2011 18:15:00 +0100 5169546 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5169505&cid=t_99821_85_f&fid=34587&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FKevinMd-MedicalWeblog%2F%7E3%2FBov28GLllG4%2Fconsumer-powers-choosing-hospital.html An excerpt from Doctor, Your Patient Will See You Now: Gaining the Upper Hand in Your Medical Care (Rowman & Littlefield).The casual attitude people demonstrate when choosing doctors incurs a steep price. Let’s direct our attention to your consumer powers when choosing a hospital.The imperative ‘caveat emptor’ (let the buyer beware) carries the most consequence when you purchase health care. When it comes to hiring a hospital’s services, it’s more caveat empty than caveat emptor.Read the rest of Your consumer powers when choosing a hospital on KevinMD.com.Category: Patient | Tags: Hospital, Patients | 8 comments (Source: Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog) Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5169505 Fri, 26 Aug 2011 19:00:58 +0100 5169505 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5169511&cid=t_99821_87_f&fid=34765&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhcrenewal.blogspot.com%2F2011%2F08%2Fwill-hired-executives-let-healing.html Hospital - noun, 1.  a charitable institution for the needy, aged, infirm or young  2.  an institution where the sick or injured are given medical or surgical care, Merriam-Webster             - noun.  1.  an institution providing medical and surgical treatment and nursing care for sick or injured people, Oxford DictionaryTwo recent NY Times articles raise concerns that changes in leadership may cause hospitals to stray from their original purpose.  Cook County Health and Hospitals SystemThe first NY Times article discussed leadership of Cook County Health and Hospitals System (in the Chicago, IL area). This is a public health system whose mission was traditionally "to serve Cook County... Health Care Renewal blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5169511 Fri, 26 Aug 2011 18:20:00 +0100 5169511 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5159312&cid=t_99821_113_f&fid=38236&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.healthcareitnews.com%2Fblog%2Fsharp-focus-roundup I've been thinking about the Strategic Health IT Advance Research Projects (SHARP) Program lately and plan to give an update soon on some of the progress being made. SHARP has four major efforts underway at major collaborative efforts at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, the University of Texas at Houston, Harvard University, the Mayo Clinic of Medicine, and Massachusetts General Hospital. The websites for each of these projects are: read more (Source: Healthcare IT News Blog) Healthcare IT News Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5159312 Fri, 26 Aug 2011 13:27:50 +0100 5159312 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5158838&cid=t_99821_85_f&fid=34587&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FKevinMd-MedicalWeblog%2F%7E3%2FzSOQ7a1exfs%2Ftop-10-musts-hospital-visit.html Whether you are going to the hospital for an outpatient procedure or whether you will be admitted to the hospital for medical illness or surgical procedure, there are certain things you must know and certain things you must do in order to ensure that your reasonable expectations will be met.Read the rest of Top 10 musts for your hospital visit on KevinMD.com.Category: Patient | Tags: Hospital, Patients | No comment (Source: Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog) Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5158838 Thu, 25 Aug 2011 16:00:34 +0100 5158838 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5159314&cid=t_99821_113_f&fid=38236&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.healthcareitnews.com%2Fblog%2Femergency-room-balancing-act There seems to be an undercurrent of debate going on with regard to emergency room wait times. I’ve come across a number of articles and blogs lately having to do with the growing trend of hospitals advertising the wait times of their ERs to the surrounding community. Healthcare IT is helping many to go mobile with these timely messages. Patients in need of emergency care can text their zip code to 4ER411 and receive a list of area hospitals and their ER wait times from Miami-based ER Texting. read more (Source: Healthcare IT News Blog) Healthcare IT News Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5159314 Thu, 25 Aug 2011 14:02:16 +0100 5159314 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5158854&cid=t_99821_86_f&fid=36669&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffadelibrary.wordpress.com%2F2011%2F08%2F23%2Fthe-core-cities-health-network-report-new-horizons-and-new-challenges%2F Scan or click to download 'The Core Cities Health Network Report: New Horizons and New Challenges' Title:  The Core Cities Health Network Report: New Horizons and New Challenges The Skinny: Report from the Core Cities Health Network that identifies that understanding the commissioning task for securing healthcare for large city/urban areas will be essential for established (and yet to be established) GP commissioning consortia and new statutory Health and Wellbeing Partnership Boards. Building effective partnerships across agencies ensures that local health care strategies for city populations must be informed and driven by health improvement and the reduction of health inequalities. Publisher: DH Published: August 2011 Size: 35p. Filed under: Ooops Missed Category! Tagged: Annu... Fade Library blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5158854 Tue, 23 Aug 2011 12:56:43 +0100 5158854 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5158857&cid=t_99821_86_f&fid=36669&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffadelibrary.wordpress.com%2F2011%2F08%2F23%2Fhow-to-guide-improving-transitions-from-the-hospital-to-post-acute-care-settings-to-reduce-avoidable-rehospitalizations%2F Scan or click to download 'How-to Guide Improving Transitions from the Hospital to Post-Acute Care Settings to Reduce Avoidable Rehospitalizations' Title: How-to Guide Improving Transitions from the Hospital to Post-Acute Care Settings to Reduce Avoidable Rehospitalizations The Skinny: Guide from Institute for Health Improvement on avoiding avoidable rehospitalisations as a result of poor co-ordination of care settings. Avoiding this is a key step toward achieving broader delivery system transformation. Based on the healthcare system of the USA this guide is of use to those looking at intermediate care/rehabilitation settings. Publisher: Institute for Health Improvement Published: August 2011 Size: 144p. Filed under: Ooops Missed Category! Tagged: Clinical Governance, finance, Gr... Fade Library blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5158857 Tue, 23 Aug 2011 08:27:37 +0100 5158857 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5159682&cid=t_99821_136_f&fid=39016&url=http%3A%2F%2Fturquoisegates.blogspot.com%2F2011%2F08%2Fout-of-sync.html A life raft made of spheres and oblongs, a handful of pills to chase away sadness, chase away the chaotic mind, smooth the anxiety out like wrinkles on a dress shirt, float me into peace at night and drift me out of flashbacks by day. I feel angry at these pills, angry at my need. I long for the day I throw the bottles out forever, when my personal demons are finally hushed to a whisper and the armor of God is once more light enough to carry.I knew lament so deeply as a nurse working with terminal kids. The bereft, uncomprehending shock of the loss of a child. I heard from those parents that for a while the earth seemed shifted off it's axis, flowers blooming when there should be ice forming, sun instead of rain, beauty instead of desolation. Their souls in gray and unchangeablely out of s... Turquoise Gates blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5159682 Mon, 22 Aug 2011 18:36:00 +0100 5159682 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5159301&cid=t_99821_113_f&fid=35744&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fe-CareManagement%2F%7E3%2F6e23a3ZIUP8%2F by Jaan Sidorov MD, MHSA, FACP and Vince Kuraitis JD, MBA Physicians face great uncertainty. According to a survey conducted by The Physicians Foundation, the great majority of physicians (89%) believe the traditional model of independent private practice is either “on shaky ground” or “is a dinosaur soon to go extinct.” In the face of this uncertainty, many physicians are jumping to a conclusion that “I have to sell my practice to the hospital.” In this post of our series on The 100 Year Shift, we will examine physician practice.  We’ll show that the economic and clinical environment  is changing rapidly and that selling to the hospital is one option. However, it is not the only option. (more…) Article Series - The 100 Year Shift? Strategic ... e-CareManagement blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5159301 Mon, 22 Aug 2011 15:26:12 +0100 5159301 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5159281&cid=t_99821_113_f&fid=34634&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FEmrAndHipaa%2F%7E3%2F_az5UonSHQ4%2F Discussion About EMR Study by Accenture One of the first people I talked with when I... Google Health Co-op (Making Google Health Portal Possible) This is a little late to be posting, but I’ve... (Source: EMR and HIPAA) EMR and HIPAA blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5159281 Mon, 22 Aug 2011 05:11:50 +0100 5159281 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5159282&cid=t_99821_113_f&fid=34634&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FEmrAndHipaa%2F%7E3%2FU4K02LkFYNc%2F LinuxMedNews just posted the announcement that OpenEMR is now a certified EHR. Here’s the quote from their announcement: It’s official! OpenEMR has passed all ONC certification tests as a fully qualified emr that can be used to attest for incentive moneys. The official posting: http://onc-chpl.force.com/ehrcert/EHRProductDetail?id=a0X30000003mNwTEAU&retURL= appeared on the website 2011/08/19. Congratulations to all involved! OpenEMR 4.1 should be ready for download in a few weeks. This is a really big announcement for the open source ambulatory EHR community. A number of other open source EHR are certified, but they’re mostly for the hospital EHR space. So, it’s a great thing for OpenEMR to provide an open source EHR to the ambulatory space. Plus, I have to adm... EMR and HIPAA blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5159282 Sun, 21 Aug 2011 05:32:11 +0100 5159282 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5139730&cid=t_99821_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fwhat-really-happens-on-a-night-shift-at-the-hospital%2F2011.08.19 I wonder how many cups of coffee an average night nurse consumes during their shift. Look, there’s someone we can ask, although it looks like her caffeine buzz is wearing off. Notice the telltale chin to chest head tip that gives sleep deprived nurses away. She may look like she’s charting, but she really is in a twilight sleep. Working nights isn’t for wimps. Neither is working holidays and weekends. You are always short of help, and BIG things seem to go wrong just as the day shift staff heads out the door. I always thought that I was just paranoid about working the off shifts, but Muhammad Saleem from RN Central sent me some information that validated my observations. I’ve posted their research results below. I’ve lived through a lot of these situations. I’ve seen seasoned n... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5139730 Fri, 19 Aug 2011 12:00:50 +0100 5139730 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5139647&cid=t_99821_87_f&fid=34765&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhcrenewal.blogspot.com%2F2011%2F08%2Fbest-and-brightest-behaving-badly.html To err is human, and any group of humans can be expected to include those who stray.  However, the constant spin that surrounds most top leaders of health care organizations seems to suggest that these people are different.  In particular, the lavish compensation given leaders of health care organizations is often justified by claims that those in leadership positions are the best and the brightest.  Catching up after a vacation afforded me the opportunity to go through a large volume of news stories, leading to a collection of those from the last year that showed the contrast between such compensation and behavior that was far from the "best and the brightest. "North Memorial Health Care CEO Pleads Guilty to Engaging in ProstitutionAs reported by the Minneapo... Health Care Renewal blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5139647 Thu, 18 Aug 2011 21:02:00 +0100 5139647 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5139590&cid=t_99821_85_f&fid=34587&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FKevinMd-MedicalWeblog%2F%7E3%2Faz514-5olY0%2Fopportunity-hospitalists-improve-patient-care.html Some hospitalists are in denial.  Some hospitalists have become methodologic critics.  But all hospitalists should take the findings of the recent Annals of Internal Medicine article seriously.  We should not argue about the article, but rather ask whether these findings point out a weak point in our care of patients.Read the rest of An opportunity for hospitalists to improve patient care on KevinMD.com.Category: Physician | Tags: Hospital, Hospitalist | 1 comment (Source: Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog) Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5139590 Thu, 18 Aug 2011 19:00:17 +0100 5139590 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5140182&cid=t_99821_136_f&fid=37846&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthinfoispower.wordpress.com%2F2011%2F08%2F18%2Fmesothelin-antibodies-occur-in-some-women-with-an-epidemiologic-risk-for-ovarian-cancer%2F Researchers at Rush University Medical Center discover mesothelin antibodies in the bloodstream of infertile women, who possess a higher risk of ovarian cancer. Using a new approach to developing biomarkers for the very early detection of ovarian cancer, researchers at Rush University Medical Center have identified a molecule in the bloodstream of infertile women, who [...] (Source: Libby's H*O*P*E*) Libby's H*O*P*E* blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5140182 Thu, 18 Aug 2011 16:32:48 +0100 5140182 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5130756&cid=t_99821_88_f&fid=38129&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Flifeinthefastlane%2FWZHV%2F%7E3%2F9o1-UChiy-0%2F This week Ian Miller’s blog impactednurse.com along with his twitter account and Facebook page have been removed as a result of 'issues' with his employer (The Canberra Hospital). (Source: Life in the Fast Lane) Life in the Fast Lane blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5130756 Tue, 16 Aug 2011 05:10:04 +0100 5130756 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5130650&cid=t_99821_86_f&fid=36669&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffadelibrary.wordpress.com%2F2011%2F08%2F15%2Fcommissioning-healthier-catering-and-hospitality-investing-in-a-healthy-workforce-%25e2%2580%2593-guidance-to-help-specify-healthier-catering-and-hospitality%2F Title: Commissioning healthier catering and hospitality: Investing in a healthy workforce – guidance to help specify healthier catering and hospitality Click or scan to download Commissioning healthier catering and hospitality: Investing in a healthy workforce - guidance to help specify healthier catering and hospitality The Skinny: Report from the North West Food & Health Taskforce that offers guidance in specifying healthier catering and hospitality with in the NHS. It also considers issues of sustainability and fair trade. Publisher: North West Food & Health Taskforce Published: March 2006 Size: 136p. Published: May 2011 Filed under: Ooops Missed Category! Tagged: Balanced diet, Catering, Commissioning, Contract catering, Food preparation, Food purchasing, Grey Literature,... Fade Library blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5130650 Mon, 15 Aug 2011 14:57:43 +0100 5130650 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5130664&cid=t_99821_86_f&fid=36669&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffadelibrary.wordpress.com%2F2011%2F08%2F15%2Fnhs-reforms-in-england-managing-the-transition%2F Scan to download 'NHS reforms in England managing the transition' Title: NHS reforms in England: managing the transition The Skinny: Nuffield Trust report that assesses the 2011/12 Operating Framework for the NHS together with guidance on the operation of Payment by Results (PbR) in 2011/12. Establishes the key challenges associated with managing the transition to a reformed NHS, as envisaged in the White Paper: Equity and Excellence: Liberating the NHS, and proposes ways in which the risks associated with transition might be mitigated. It suggests there is a need for clear guidance on the governance and structural arrangements for emerging GP consortia, to ensure adequate local and national accountability for quality, financial control and value for money. The report also identi... Fade Library blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5130664 Mon, 15 Aug 2011 08:16:29 +0100 5130664 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5125825&cid=t_99821_113_f&fid=34634&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FEmrAndHipaa%2F%7E3%2FU55DsRRCd6E%2F I was hit by this comment made by Ciro on a LinkedIn group that I’m apart of (You can find the HealthcareScene.com blog network on LinkedIn if you want to join). My patients are discharged from hospitals and are seen in different offices. I have no clue what changes have been made when I open the patient’s record in my emr. We have to call to have notes faxed to us all the time. Then we scan the documents into the emr and attach it to the patient record as a tif file. If a patient has a reaction to a medication and is seen at urgent care facility, I will not know about it unless the patient tells me. There is no integrity in my emr data since changes are made all the time. Our hospital recently spent millions on a emr that does not integrate with any outpatient emr. Where is th... EMR and HIPAA blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5125825 Fri, 12 Aug 2011 13:47:51 +0100 5125825 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5125830&cid=t_99821_113_f&fid=38236&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.healthcareitnews.com%2Fblog%2Fhit-acos-need-part-i-analytic-data The Accountable Care Organization draft rule (http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2011/2011-7880.htm) is out, and the political, clinical and technical trek to establishing these lynchpins of the Affordable Care Act and health reform is on. Community physicians and hospitals are jockeying for potential shares of the incentives that will be distributed via the ACO program. Health Information Technology has been so frequently cited as being a critical part of making ACOs successful that it is now de rigueur. read more (Source: Healthcare IT News Blog) Healthcare IT News Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5125830 Fri, 12 Aug 2011 12:17:53 +0100 5125830 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5125756&cid=t_99821_88_f&fid=38129&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Flifeinthefastlane%2FWZHV%2F%7E3%2FcItpkSW7QJU%2F Our friends over at RN Central have created a statistically based infographic outlining what really happens on a 'typical' night shift in the hospital... (Source: Life in the Fast Lane) Life in the Fast Lane blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5125756 Fri, 12 Aug 2011 02:30:04 +0100 5125756 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5118642&cid=t_99821_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fpediatric-physician-joins-collaborative-network-and-sees-improvement-in-his-work%2F2011.08.11 I never thought I’d change the way I practice medicine.  But I recently enrolled as a provider in the Improved Care Now (ICN) collaborative network and I’m already working differently. ICN is an alliance of gastroenterologists and patients working in a new model of pediatric inflammatory bowel disease care based on the analysis of thousands of doctor–patient visits as well as the latest studies and treatments.  Doctors and patients apply this information, experiences are tracked in an open registry, the results are then shared and refined to improve care.  I can see what I’m doing well and where I’m falling short relative to other clinics and pediatric gastroenterologists. ICN is under the direction of Dr. Richard Colletti of the University of Vermont.  ICN is supported by t... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5118642 Thu, 11 Aug 2011 16:00:26 +0100 5118642 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5118564&cid=t_99821_85_f&fid=34587&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FKevinMd-MedicalWeblog%2F%7E3%2Fc7dDX2pqrnM%2Fwork-hour-restrictions-improve-patient-safety.html Darshak Sanghavi recently wrote an excellent piece in the New York Times summarizing the controversy over resident work hours.The topic has been discussed here frequently, with ramifications ranging from the fact that errors arising from patient handoffs negate any benefit gained from restricting work hours, to surgeons not accumulating enough experience during their work hour-restricted training.I’ve often said that there are no work hour restrictions in the real world, so residents used to shift work may find themselves in for a bit of a surprise when they graduate.Read the rest of Why work hour restrictions won’t improve patient safety on KevinMD.com.Category: Pho | Tags: Hospital, Patients, Residency | 1 comment (Source: Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog) Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5118564 Thu, 11 Aug 2011 12:54:31 +0100 5118564 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5107558&cid=t_99821_105_f&fid=34896&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdoctorrw.blogspot.com%2F2011%2F08%2Fhospital-acquired-anemia-due-to.html (Source: Notes from Dr. RW) Notes from Dr. RW blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5107558 Tue, 09 Aug 2011 14:28:00 +0100 5107558 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5107516&cid=t_99821_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fcolumbia-university-medical-center-to-hold-all-day-event-covering-pancreatic-cancer-research%2F2011.08.08 On Thursday, October 20, The Pancreas Center of NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Medical Center will be holding the 2011 Gigi Shaw Arledge Conference on Pancreatic Diseases. This all-day event is targeted for clinicians and scientists, covering pancreatic cancer research from basic, translational, clinical and epidemiological perspectives and will feature distinguished guest lecturers and leaders in the field of pancreatic diseases. The conference is being held due to the generous support of the Gigi Arledge Foundation. Giselle (Gigi) Arledge, the late wife of Columbia Trustee and benefactor Roone Arledge, passed away from pancreatic cancer in 2010. According to foundation President Catherine Shaw, ” Now is the time to move pancreatic cancer research forward. Dr. Chabot,... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5107516 Mon, 08 Aug 2011 21:00:05 +0100 5107516 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5107561&cid=t_99821_105_f&fid=34896&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdoctorrw.blogspot.com%2F2011%2F08%2Freactions-to-annals-article-on-costs.html (Source: Notes from Dr. RW) Notes from Dr. RW blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5107561 Mon, 08 Aug 2011 20:38:00 +0100 5107561 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5107450&cid=t_99821_85_f&fid=34587&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FKevinMd-MedicalWeblog%2F%7E3%2FCy9CfHSW8aE%2Fneurologist-turned-interesting-hospital-case.html Dr. Grumpy has lost his neurology mojo over time. Actually, I shouldn’t say I’ve lost it, as much as it’s been worn down by red tape.Yesterday I turned away a good hospital case, and told them to find someone else. The patient was insured. The patient was interesting. Not some run of the mill chronic back pain case.28-year old guy admitted for abdominal pain and weight loss. Large mass found (possibly lymphoma). Within 2 days of admission he developed 2 separate cranial nerve palsies, on opposite sides.Read the rest of Why a neurologist turned down an interesting hospital case on KevinMD.com.Category: Physician | Tags: Hospital, Specialist | 2 comments (Source: Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog) Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5107450 Mon, 08 Aug 2011 17:00:52 +0100 5107450 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5103336&cid=t_99821_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fhealth-care-attorney-discusses-the-use-of-disclaimers-on-facebook-pages%2F2011.08.06 This is the third part of a three part post addressing the legal concerns of social networking in the health care arena. In part one, legal expert David Harlow, Esq., Health Care Attorney and Consultant at The Harlow Group, LLC in Boston, answered questions regarding “The Legal Implications for Doctors, Nurses and Hospitals Engaging in Social Media?” In part two, Mr. Harlow answered questions related to the Pharma industry;  “Legal Concerns: What Steps can Pharma Take to Engage in Social Media?” The third part addresses a question from a follower on Facebook about the use of disclaimers. Q:  Barbara: A Healthin30 reader on Facebook writes:  “I’m looking for a good disclaimer to put on a couple of medical practices’ Facebook pages. The AMA social media guidelines aren’t h... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5103336 Sat, 06 Aug 2011 21:00:47 +0100 5103336 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5103307&cid=t_99821_85_f&fid=34587&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FKevinMd-MedicalWeblog%2F%7E3%2FpqFGzrB_9ok%2Fcall-day-zdoggmd.html What’s it like to be on call? Hospitalist ZDoggMD knows.Category: Physician | Tags: Hospital, Hospitalist | No comment (Source: Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog) Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5103307 Sat, 06 Aug 2011 17:00:16 +0100 5103307 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5103308&cid=t_99821_85_f&fid=34587&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FKevinMd-MedicalWeblog%2F%7E3%2FLB7C7_ld9tU%2Fholidays-goal-provide-holiday-patients.html During Christmas holidays, many medical students, interns, and residents will not be celebrating the holidays with their families. Instead, they will be on call, or night shifts, or just long schedules, taking care of patients.For life and death, sickness and health, do not take holidays, and nor should our compassion for taking care of those who are in trying times. I recall working last year on Christmas Eve at the VA on an inpatient medicine rotation. Trust me, the VA hospital is probably close to the last place you want to be almost any time of the year, let alone Christmas. It is strange to say that in some ways. For the most part, the patients, staff, and doctors are all nice and well-intentioned. However, the VA simply is not home, and everyone should be home for the holidays, patie... Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5103308 Sat, 06 Aug 2011 15:00:03 +0100 5103308 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5103309&cid=t_99821_85_f&fid=34587&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FKevinMd-MedicalWeblog%2F%7E3%2FjiT0OnJuKSY%2Fpatient-unforgettable-form-medical-education.html In his online essay, This Won’t Hurt A Bit, cardiologist Dr. Eric Van De Graaff tells his own story of being a hospital patient after surviving a motorcycle accident while he was in med school. His experiences as a patient will sound very familiar to heart patients, and the lessons he learned while on the other end of the stethoscope may very well have made him a far better doctor.A universal constant about being a patient is vulnerability and loss of control.  ”Once I entered the hospital, I lost power over nearly everything: what I ate, what I wore, how much activity I was allowed, whether I was permitted to get up to the bathroom—it was all dictated by someone else.”Read the rest of Being a patient is an unforgettable form of medical education on KevinMD.com.Category:... Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5103309 Sat, 06 Aug 2011 14:00:56 +0100 5103309 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5096264&cid=t_99821_105_f&fid=34896&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdoctorrw.blogspot.com%2F2011%2F08%2Fhospitalist-model-value-neutral.html (Source: Notes from Dr. RW) Notes from Dr. RW blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5096264 Thu, 04 Aug 2011 12:06:00 +0100 5096264 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5096209&cid=t_99821_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Feven-with-insurance-childbirth-is-an-expensive-undertaking%2F2011.08.03 Childbirth hospital costs these days aren’t cheap. Some studies suggest the cost of raising a child exceeds $200,000, not including education expenses.   Most insurance companies charge women of childbearing age more for their insurance because the actuarial tables say so.  Mrs  Happy and I now have a 3 month old Zachary in our wings.  He is a cute little peanut.  His two brothers, Marty and Cooper adore him. Forty-two days after his April 21st, 2011 delivery, we still had not received our explanation of benefits from Blue Cross Blue Shield for the midwife charge.  I had previously received a statement from them saying the charge was under review.  Perhaps they believed that delivering Zachary was not medically necessary.  I can’t explain it. When I called to ask them w... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5096209 Wed, 03 Aug 2011 18:00:00 +0100 5096209 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5096470&cid=t_99821_113_f&fid=38236&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.healthcareitnews.com%2Fblog%2F2-healthcare-facility-design-trends Today hospital executives can say that their facilities are unlike their predecessors ten years ago, but in another ten years from now health facilities will be even more sophisticated and advanced than the most modern centers today. Being able to see ahead of the curve to accommodate future situations is key for any health facility to stay successful and thrive as market conditions change, patient preferences switch, and amenities not thought related to hospitals are suddenly in high demand. read more (Source: Healthcare IT News Blog) Healthcare IT News Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5096470 Wed, 03 Aug 2011 12:12:30 +0100 5096470 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5096266&cid=t_99821_105_f&fid=34896&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdoctorrw.blogspot.com%2F2011%2F08%2Freduction-of-central-line-infections.html (Source: Notes from Dr. RW) Notes from Dr. RW blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5096266 Wed, 03 Aug 2011 11:55:00 +0100 5096266 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5096217&cid=t_99821_88_f&fid=38129&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Flifeinthefastlane%2FWZHV%2F%7E3%2Fz_hroKVr_D8%2F Sick of your patients waiting in the ED for life saving treatment as a result of interminable ICU / CCU bed-block? Worry no more...move to Indonesia (Source: Life in the Fast Lane) Life in the Fast Lane blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5096217 Wed, 03 Aug 2011 06:10:43 +0100 5096217 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5086170&cid=t_99821_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fwho-report-outlines-problem-of-hospital-acquired-infections%2F2011.08.01 The World Health Organization’s new patient safety envoy will take on health care acquired infections in his new role, he announced last week. Liam Donaldson, England’s former Chief Medical Officer, pointed out in his first report as envoy that patient safety incidents occur in 4% to 16% of all hospitalized patients, and that hospital-acquired infections affect hundreds of millions of patients globally. A WHO report outlined the problem. High-income countries had pooled health care acquired infection rates of 7.6%. The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control estimated that 4.1 million Europeans incur 4.5 million health care acquired infections annually. In the U.S. the incidence rate was 4.5% in 2002, or 9.3 infections per 1,000 patient-days and 1.7 million affected ... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5086170 Mon, 01 Aug 2011 14:00:00 +0100 5086170 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5086174&cid=t_99821_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fhealth-care-attorney-warns-about-hipaa-privacy-issues-in-social-media%2F2011.07.31 This is the first of a three part post addressing the legal concerns of social networking in the health care arena. Legal expert, David Harlow, Esq., Health Care Attorney and Consultant at The Harlow Group, LLC in Boston, addresses the legal issues. Q:  Barbara: What are the legal implications for doctors, nurses and hospitals engaging in social media? A:  David: Health care providers are concerned about HIPAA privacy issues – HIPAA violations may occur as a result of staff posts, or as a result of patient, family or caregiver posts – as well as potential liability for medical advice provided on line.  Physicians and nurses have been sanctioned and fired for privacy breaches via social media, so these are real concerns.  Some communications that folks think are OK may in fact be v... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5086174 Sun, 31 Jul 2011 16:00:39 +0100 5086174 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5086488&cid=t_99821_136_f&fid=39026&url=http%3A%2F%2Fcarolinemfr.blogspot.com%2F2011%2F07%2Fits-all-fancy-bookkeeping-to-me.html Partners Health Care, a group of doctors and hospitals, has promised to rein in costs by $40 million. That sounds like a nice number and everything should be peachy keen. But they are not giving back any money, they are renegotiating contracts and have taken over a year to do this. Also, their assets are $11.5 billion. I have nothing against Partners and think they probably do a good job at providing health care. I also think that reducing health care costs is a good idea. I am just using them as an example here because they were in the news.It is obvious that health care costs need to be reined in. I don't think this is really doing anything. Yes they are going to renegotiate contracts from high rates to low rates and take a $40 million dollar hit. But how does this help us consumers/pati... Caroline's Breast Cancer Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5086488 Sun, 31 Jul 2011 12:47:00 +0100 5086488 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5077724&cid=t_99821_105_f&fid=34896&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdoctorrw.blogspot.com%2F2011%2F07%2Fdelirium-guidelines-from-nice.html (Source: Notes from Dr. RW) Notes from Dr. RW blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5077724 Thu, 28 Jul 2011 20:20:00 +0100 5077724 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5086318&cid=t_99821_113_f&fid=34634&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FEmrAndHipaa%2F%7E3%2F-7lsbU-z0_s%2F I’ve just turned in a story for InformationWeek Healthcare about the new “Essentials of the U.S. Hospital IT Market, 6th Edition” report from HIMSS Analytics. That report details the progress hospitals and integrated delivery networks have made in IT over the past year and gives an update on how far along providers are according to the HIMSS Analytics EMR Adoption Model. That’s the seven-level scale (eight if you count Stage Zero) that measures adoption of various EMR components. At the top of the scale, 1 percent of nonfederal hospitals in the U.S. attained Stage 7 in 2010, meaning that the EMR served as the legal medical record for all departments, was capable of exporting patient records as Continuity of Care Documents and had data warehousing and mining in place... EMR and HIPAA blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5086318 Thu, 28 Jul 2011 20:18:20 +0100 5086318 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5077697&cid=t_99821_88_f&fid=38129&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Flifeinthefastlane%2FWZHV%2F%7E3%2FcAKgzU3LuFY%2F In the critical care specialties we have to make things happen, sometimes this involves life-saving actions that may have never before performed. We must be ready, after all, in the words of Peter Safar, "it's up to us to save the world!" Cliff Reid tells us how. (Source: Life in the Fast Lane) Life in the Fast Lane blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5077697 Thu, 28 Jul 2011 00:00:43 +0100 5077697 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5159030&cid=t_99821_90_f&fid=36413&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.dcscience.net%2F%3Fp%3D4615%26utm_source%3Drss%26utm_medium%3Drss%26utm_campaign%3Ddr-elizabeth-thompson-of-bristol-homeopathic-hospital-finds-that-pills-that-contain-nothing-have-no-effect-not-even-placebo-effect Conclusions: A future study using this design is not feasible, That’s pretty feeble. They don’t state the conclusion as "homeopathy doesn’t work", far less that "homeopathy doesn’t even have a placebo effect". Just the eternal cry after every failed trial of magic medicine: the trial design was wrong and more research is needed. An excuse was offered in the form "A further limitation was the length of the study period which may have needed to be longer in order for homeopathic treatment to make an impact in a complex disease with high variabilitythrough the year." This is a paraphrase of the typical homeopathic modus operandi. Keep trying a different pill until the patient gets better anyway, then claim the credit. Some details of th... DC's goodscience blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5159030 Wed, 27 Jul 2011 22:46:35 +0100 5159030 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5069471&cid=t_99821_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fwhen-physicians-fail-to-take-responsibility-for-their-own-orders%2F2011.07.27 A physician asked me a question regarding what should be the role of hospitalists in carrying out discharge orders written by other physicians. I have been following your blog since I was a resident and recommend it to a lot of people.  Thank you so much for enlightening me on so many day to day hospital issues.  I wanted to know your opinion about something that puzzles me.  When a specialist changes a medication or requires a lab to be done as outpatient after a discharge order is written (for example you write: okay to D/C if okay with cardiology, and they change a dose or request stress test out-pt) who is required to write the new scripts and arrange that test? Is it the hospitalist’s responsibility to do it? Or is the specialist who changed the dose after you rounded require... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5069471 Wed, 27 Jul 2011 21:00:00 +0100 5069471 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5069391&cid=t_99821_85_f&fid=34587&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FKevinMd-MedicalWeblog%2F%7E3%2FIQsoqJloq70%2Fhospital-comfortable-patients.html Although filled to the brim with patients, hospitals were created to support doctors, not us patients. Historically, their organizational structure focused on doctors’ needs and doctors’ requirements. The concept of centering hospital care on patient needs and requirements is a relatively recent development.How can a hospital switch from being provider-centered to patient-centered? Shifting such a complicated and cumbersome behemoth a full 180 degrees is a huge undertaking.I believe it can be done. I’ve put much thought into this and feel my 5 steps are do-able and (relatively) easy to implement without interfering with the changes already in evidence organizationally and technologically.Read the rest of What a hospital can do to be more comfortable for patients on KevinMD.com.Catego... Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5069391 Wed, 27 Jul 2011 14:00:24 +0100 5069391 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5069504&cid=t_99821_105_f&fid=34896&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdoctorrw.blogspot.com%2F2011%2F07%2Fappreciating-hospitalists-for-gasp.html (Source: Notes from Dr. RW) Notes from Dr. RW blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5069504 Wed, 27 Jul 2011 10:32:00 +0100 5069504 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5050574&cid=t_99821_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fmore-bad-news-about-the-obesity-epidemic-in-america%2F2011.07.22 A report released recently by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Trust for America’s Health issued some grim warnings about the current and future state of the U.S.’s obesity epidemic. Bluntly titled “F is for fat: How obesity threatens America’s future 2011,” the report found that obesity rates rose in 16 states since 2010 and that more than 30% of people are obese in 12 states, compared with one state just four years ago. The South is still the worst-faring region—nine out of 10 states with the highest obesity rates are located there. The report compared today’s data with data from 20 years ago, when no state’s obesity rate exceeded 15%. Now, only one state—Colorado—has a rate below 20%. The report also points out that d... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5050574 Fri, 22 Jul 2011 14:00:00 +0100 5050574 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5050439&cid=t_99821_85_f&fid=34587&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FKevinMd-MedicalWeblog%2F%7E3%2F7p0A4o11vbM%2Fbenefits-successful-patient-selfmanagement-programs.html The emerging literature on chronic disease management suggests that successful programs rely on patient self management skills. Having been in the primary care role for 20 years, that initially seemed self evident and a bit “so what?” to me, thinking it meant that we just need to teach our patients a bit more in the primary care office.However self-management skills refer to specific curricula of skills that can be taught to patients in formal programs, without doctors. Coordinating these activities with what goes on a primary care office, and the community, and other care-giving settings is critical. These specific skills involve patients setting their own goals, and then creating plans to reach those goals with the assistance of their primary care team and others, but not at the dire... Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5050439 Fri, 22 Jul 2011 11:00:25 +0100 5050439 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5050811&cid=t_99821_113_f&fid=35744&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fe-CareManagement%2F%7E3%2FtS3SgTYmYeY%2F by Vince Kuraitis JD, MBA and Jaan Sidorov MD, MHSA, FACP In our introductory posting of this series, we noted that economic incentives previously aligning doctor-hospital interests were changing. This creates the potential for The 100 Year Shift – physicians awakening to possibilities for stronger partnerships with payers than with hospitals. In this post, we will zero in on the changing economic position of hospitals and the effect this is having on physician-hospital relationships. We will examine the trend of hospital employment of physicians and point out challenges and tensions for the future. [This is a long post...so now might be the time to refill your coffee cup.] (more…) Article Series - The 100 Year Shift? Strategic Realignment among Physicians, Hospitals and Payer... e-CareManagement blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5050811 Tue, 19 Jul 2011 19:28:14 +0100 5050811 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5050562&cid=t_99821_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2011%2F07%2Fhospital-acquired-infections-common-and-deadly-in-trauma-patients.html In this study, researchers found that trauma patients who develop serious bloodstream infections are six times more likely to die during their stay than those without an infection. And people who develop other infections, such as pneumonia or MRSA, are 1.5 to 1.9 times more likely to die. Patients with infections also had hospital stays roughly twice as long and hospital costs roughly twice as high as those who didn’t have infections. In an editorial accompanying the article, H.Scott Bjerke, M.D., at the Research Medical Center in Kansas City, Mo., says: Infections make trauma patients sicker and sicker patients do worse; they die more, they consume more resources, and they stay longer. Or as my teenage son would say, ‘Duh, Dad, everyone knows that.’ So why do we need... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5050562 Mon, 18 Jul 2011 22:01:00 +0100 5050562 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5050812&cid=t_99821_113_f&fid=35744&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fe-CareManagement%2F%7E3%2Fjm_ArodpnyU%2F I doubt it. IMHO, the recent acquisition by Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield of West Penn Allegheny Health System (WPAHS) for $475 M is unique to local market conditions. It was done as a last resort and should not be taken as a signal that health plans are starting a hospital buying binge. Why are hospitals unattractive investments for health plans: (more…) Tags: acquisition, hospital (Source: e-CareManagement) e-CareManagement blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5050812 Mon, 18 Jul 2011 19:00:17 +0100 5050812 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5050827&cid=t_99821_113_f&fid=38236&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.healthcareitnews.com%2Fblog%2F4-ways-digital-hospital-signage-improves-hospital-experience Hospital signage benefits are most easily seen through the enhanced navigation experience provided for patients, but benefits also come with a multitude of other factors. From bolstering brand identity to reducing administration costs, hospital signage is a growing industry with a continuous supply of new and sophisticated tools that spread hospital communication. read more (Source: Healthcare IT News Blog) Healthcare IT News Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5050827 Mon, 18 Jul 2011 12:10:12 +0100 5050827 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5036233&cid=t_99821_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Ffirst-successful-implantation-of-a-synthetic-trachea%2F2011.07.16 Clinicians at Karolinska University Hospital in Sweden are reporting that they successfully performed the world’s first implantation of a synthetic trachea.  The organ was created from a biocompatible scaffold that was seeded with the 36 year old patient’s own stem cells inside a Harvard Bioscience bioreactor. The patient had been suffering from late stage tracheal cancer. Despite maximum treatment with radiation therapy, the tumor had reached approximately 6 cm in length and was extending to the main bronchus. It was progressing and almost completely blocked the trachea. Since no suitable donor windpipe was available, (more…) *This blog post was originally published at Medgadget* (Source: Better Health) Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5036233 Sat, 16 Jul 2011 18:00:16 +0100 5036233 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5036209&cid=t_99821_85_f&fid=34587&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FKevinMd-MedicalWeblog%2F%7E3%2FU_ra3p-aeIA%2Fpublic-private-cloud-computing-hospital.html by John Halamka, MDIn a meeting with senior management at Harvard Medical School, one of our leaders asked, “What is our cloud strategy?”My answer to this is simple.   The public cloud (defined as the rapid provisioning and de-provisioning of CPU cycles, software licenses, and storage) is good for many things, such as web hosting or non-critical applications that do not contain patient or confidential information.At Harvard Medical School (HMS) and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC), we’ve embraced public cloud technology, but transformed it into something with a guaranteed service level and compliance with Federal/State security regulations  - the private cloud.(...)Read the rest of Public and private cloud computing at a hospitalCategory: Tech | Tags: Health... Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5036209 Fri, 15 Jul 2011 19:00:02 +0100 5036209 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5029207&cid=t_99821_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FmeIeLnrcOiY%2F Earlier this month, three prominent psychiatrists from Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital were sanctioned for violating conflict of interest rules. The trio received grant money from various drugmakers while studying their meds, but failed to report some of the outside income to the institutions while also receiving grants from the National Institutes of Health (see this). The move followed a long-running controversy over the interplay between academia and pharma, which was prompted by a high-profile US Senate Finance Committee probe over concerns that such undisclosed relationships may unduly influence medical research and practice. For their sins, the trio issued a mea culpa. The most prominent among them is Joseph Biederman, a psychiatrist with a national profile ... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5029207 Fri, 15 Jul 2011 13:36:22 +0100 5029207 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5028187&cid=t_99821_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2011%2F07%2Fcdc-releases-new-guide-on-preventing-infections-in-outpatient-clinics.html More than three-quarters of all operations in the U.S. are now done in outpatient clinics, not hospitals. But many of those clinics don’t adhere to standard infection-prevention practices. To help correct that problem, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention today released new guidelines meant to prevent infections in in “ambulatory” surgery centers, primary-care offices, endoscopy clinics, and pain-management clinics. The new guide is based on existing CDC guidelines now used mostly in hospitals. The guide includes a checklist meant to prevent infections from injections, poor hygiene, and other causes. Among other recommendations, it suggests that all outpatient practices have at least one individual with specific training in infection control on staff or regular... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5028187 Wed, 13 Jul 2011 20:51:06 +0100 5028187 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5028357&cid=t_99821_105_f&fid=34896&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdoctorrw.blogspot.com%2F2011%2F07%2Fpocket-mobile-echocardiography-ready.html (Source: Notes from Dr. RW) Notes from Dr. RW blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5028357 Mon, 11 Jul 2011 13:01:00 +0100 5028357 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5028359&cid=t_99821_105_f&fid=34896&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdoctorrw.blogspot.com%2F2011%2F07%2Fclaims-of-rapid-response-systems-still.html (Source: Notes from Dr. RW) Notes from Dr. RW blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5028359 Mon, 11 Jul 2011 11:42:00 +0100 5028359 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5028361&cid=t_99821_105_f&fid=34896&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdoctorrw.blogspot.com%2F2011%2F07%2Fwhich-hospitalized-patients-should.html (Source: Notes from Dr. RW) Notes from Dr. RW blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5028361 Mon, 11 Jul 2011 09:46:00 +0100 5028361 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5028522&cid=t_99821_112_f&fid=34971&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.drmalpani.com%2F2011%2F07%2Fpreventing-medical-errors-role-of.html Most patients feel that when an error occurs , it’s the doctor who is to blame. It’s true that sometimes there’s very little a patient can do to prevent an error - for example , when the surgeon leaves a swab inside the abdomen during the operation . However, a lot of the times medical errors can be actively prevented if the patient is alert, active, aware and takes an interest in his treatment. Patient’s relatives need to be watchful and observant, so they can make sure that the right medicines are being administered by the nurse in the hospital ; and that the doctor’s orders are being properly carried out.Isn’t this the medical staff’s job ? Won’t the doctors and nurses get upset if relatives ask questions ? Patients need to speak up – and this is not being meddlesome o... The Patient's Doctor blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5028522 Sat, 09 Jul 2011 03:00:00 +0100 5028522 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5008379&cid=t_99821_113_f&fid=38236&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.healthcareitnews.com%2Fblog%2Fsmall-isolated-rural-hospitals-show-pooerer-results-measures-quality-care-patient-outcomes In the first national study to examine care at critical access hospitals (CAHs) in rural areas of the U.S., Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) researchers found that CAHs have fewer clinical capabilities, lower quality of care, and worse patient outcomes compared with other hospitals. The researchers found that patients admitted to a CAH for heart attack, congestive heart failure, or pneumonia were at greater risk of dying within 30 days than those at other hospitals. read more (Source: Healthcare IT News Blog) Healthcare IT News Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5008379 Fri, 08 Jul 2011 13:19:48 +0100 5008379 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5008060&cid=t_99821_85_f&fid=34587&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FKevinMd-MedicalWeblog%2F%7E3%2FU41uDk88MuY%2Fattending-physicians-work-hours-restrictions.html by Felicity Billings, MDDr. Lewis didn’t sleep last night.All day he stood, heavy in full surgical scrub with a human heart in his hands, replacing damaged valves and calcified arteries until the heart beat on its own again. After he finished, there were a few hours before the transplant to get some dinner, to call home.The heart came on a helicopter. A young man, a bad accident, a perfect heart. Dr. Lewis pierced the veins and the arteries and connected the sick dying man to the bypass machine that would pump and breathe for him in the time between the cooler arrived and the heart in the cooler started to beat inside the dying man’s chest.(...)Read the rest of Attending physicians who work too many hours need restrictions tooCategory: Physician | Tags: Hospital, Specialist, Surgery | ... Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5008060 Fri, 08 Jul 2011 11:00:47 +0100 5008060 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5008243&cid=t_99821_105_f&fid=34896&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdoctorrw.blogspot.com%2F2011%2F07%2Foutpatient-management-of-pe-when-is-it.html (Source: Notes from Dr. RW) Notes from Dr. RW blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5008243 Thu, 07 Jul 2011 22:25:00 +0100 5008243 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5008077&cid=t_99821_87_f&fid=34765&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhcrenewal.blogspot.com%2F2011%2F07%2Fbeing-non-profit-hospital-ceo-means.html When my arm was twisted heartily to see the movie "Love Story" a very long time ago, I could never understand why so many audience members sighed upon hearing that immortal line, "love means never having to say you're sorry."  I could not understand it then, and still cannot.However, it seems that for reasons that are not any more clear, being the CEO of a not-for-profit hospital or hospital system also means never having to say you are sorry, as shown in some recent stories from the media. Not Sorry for LeavingOriginally published in the Fargo (ND) InForum:The merger 1½ years ago of Sanford Health and MeritCare created a new entity that doubled in size and covers a service area of more than 130,000 square miles.But the unified health care giant needed only one top executive, and the... Health Care Renewal blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5008077 Thu, 07 Jul 2011 19:59:00 +0100 5008077 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5008062&cid=t_99821_85_f&fid=34587&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FKevinMd-MedicalWeblog%2F%7E3%2FBsTE0Rtf_nA%2Fradiation-delivered-ct-scanners-largely-unregulated.html by Bob Wachter, MDAlthough the medical profession has been harming unlucky patients for centuries, the patient safety movement didn’t take flight until 1999, when the Institute of Medicine published its seminal report, To Err is Human. And that report would have ended up as just another doorstop if not for its estimate that 44,000-98,000 Americans each year die from medical mistakes, the equivalent of a jumbo jet crashing each day.Come to think of it, the quality movement also gelled after the publication of Beth McGlynn’s 2003 NEJM study, which produced its own statistical blockbuster: American medical care comports with evidence-based practice 54% of the time, a number close enough to a coin flip to be unforgettably disturbing.(...)Read the rest of The radiation delivered by CT scann... Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5008062 Thu, 07 Jul 2011 19:00:34 +0100 5008062 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5008063&cid=t_99821_85_f&fid=34587&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FKevinMd-MedicalWeblog%2F%7E3%2F1ww7I9bD5zk%2Fhealth-system-defaults-treatment-compassion.html by Sara Billings, RNI believe knowledge is power. There is no more complex topic in the healthcare debate than end-of-life care. I have been a Registered Nurse for thirty years. I deal with this every day. All of us will confront this issue eventually. When it’s your turn, I hope the medical profession will guide you to the best options for you and your family.Often I see patients who have prepared living wills and think a document will protect them. This is frequently not the case. Often these documents are not specific enough to guide family members. Occasionally they are completely ignored.(...)Read the rest of Our health system defaults toward treatment rather than compassionCategory: Patient | Tags: Health reform, Hospital, Patients, Primary care | 12 comments (Source: Kevin, M.D. -... Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5008063 Thu, 07 Jul 2011 18:00:59 +0100 5008063 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5028239&cid=t_99821_88_f&fid=38129&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Flifeinthefastlane%2FWZHV%2F%7E3%2FJzcJ0iXgn6M%2F A real case highlighting the challenges of managing the critically ill obstetric patient in remote regions of Australia. (Source: Life in the Fast Lane) Life in the Fast Lane blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5028239 Thu, 07 Jul 2011 07:00:23 +0100 5028239 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5008382&cid=t_99821_113_f&fid=38236&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.healthcareitnews.com%2Fblog%2F4-factors-driving-hospital-satellite-emergency-department-development The satellite emergency department market is doing well, and from what I have seen, as attractive to patients as hospitals looking to implement them. Satellite emergency clinics are much what they sound like: a remote facility, often time located off campus from the hospital, which perform very similar types of services as a hospital emergency room. read more (Source: Healthcare IT News Blog) Healthcare IT News Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5008382 Tue, 05 Jul 2011 12:48:36 +0100 5008382 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4997642&cid=t_99821_112_f&fid=34971&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.drmalpani.com%2F2011%2F07%2Fhow-doctors-and-labs-fool-patients.html In this report, the Prior Risk ( risk prior to doing the test) of the patient having a baby with the chromosomal anomaly called Down syndrome is 1:140. This is considered to be High Risk - the baby has a 1 in 140 chance of being abnormal . Now, after doing the test, the Posterior Risk ( risk calculated after taking the test results into account) has dropped dramatically to only 1:7500 ( which means there is a 7499:7500 chance that the baby does NOT have Down syndrome ! ) This is a very reassuring report, which means the doctor can counsel the patient she does not have to worry.However , rather than do this, this doctor chose to highlight ( see the black arrow she has drawn with her hand in the right column) the 1:140 printed High Risk figure in this report. She has told her patient that th... The Patient's Doctor blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4997642 Tue, 05 Jul 2011 03:21:00 +0100 4997642 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4992989&cid=t_99821_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2Fl9r_qs2CrEo%2F Three years after they were fingered in a US Senate probe into the interplay between academics who receive grant money from both pharma and the National Institutes of Health, three prominent psychiatrists from Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital have been sanctioned for violating conflict of interest rules and failing to report the extent of their payments. In a mea culpa addressed to their colleagues, Joseph Biederman, Thomas Spencer and Timothy Wilens wrote that “we want to offer our sincere apologies to HMS and MGH communities…We always believed we were complying in good faith with the institutional polices and our mistakes were honest ones. We now recognize that we should have devoted more time and attention to the detailed requirements of these polici... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4992989 Sat, 02 Jul 2011 14:04:29 +0100 4992989 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4997646&cid=t_99821_113_f&fid=34634&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FEmrAndHipaa%2F%7E3%2FAN87yAQ7xgw%2F I remember when I first started blogging about EMR and health care IT about 5.5 years ago, I searched out whatever EMR and healthcare IT blogs I could find. The first three blogs that I can remember finding (and loving) were Neil Versel’s blog, Shahid’s Healthcare IT blog and Will Weider’s Candid CIO blog. I loved reading Neil Versel’s blog because he was actually a professional journalist in the healthcare IT arena. I learned a lot by watching what he did. In fact, I think some of my writing style came from reading his blog. Along with his blog, Shahid provided HITsphere where I could see the posts from other bloggers. Plus, in the early days the traffic from HITsphere to my blog was really great. It’s hard to have a blog that no one reads. I loved the Candid... EMR and HIPAA blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4997646 Fri, 01 Jul 2011 14:13:23 +0100 4997646 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4992781&cid=t_99821_112_f&fid=34971&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.drmalpani.com%2F2011%2F07%2Ftoday-is-doctors-day-so-what.html This is an article which I wrote for Times Wellness for Doctor's Day.---------------------------There used to be a time when the doctor was a highly regarded member of society. Doctors were treated as trusted professionals who could be counted upon to provide wise counsel in times of sickness.Sadly, times have changed. Doctors are now looked upon as mercenaries who run a business and are out to make a quick buck, often at the expense of the patient. The doctor has been knocked off his pedestal and part of the reason for this is because patients have unrealistic expectations from medical technology. They assume that there is a pill for every ill – and they jump to the conclusion that if the patient does not improve, this means the doctor was negligent.Doctors are also to blame for this sa... The Patient's Doctor blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4992781 Fri, 01 Jul 2011 06:18:00 +0100 4992781 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4984528&cid=t_99821_113_f&fid=34634&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.emrandhipaa.com%2Femr-and-hipaa%2F2011%2F06%2F30%2Femr-and-healthcare-it-blogging-community-let-the-sparring-begin%2F I remember when I first started blogging about EMR and health care IT about 5.5 years ago, I searched out whatever EMR and healthcare IT blogs I could find. The first three blogs that I can remember finding (and loving) were Neil Versel’s blog, Shahid’s Healthcare IT blog and Will Weider’s Candid CIO blog. I loved reading Neil Versel’s blog because he was actually a professional journalist in the healthcare IT arena. I learned a lot by watching what he did. In fact, I think some of my writing style came from reading his blog. Along with his blog, Shahid provided HITsphere where I could see the posts from other bloggers. Plus, in the early days the traffic from HITsphere to my blog was really great. It’s hard to have a blog that no one reads. I loved the Candid... EMR and HIPAA blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4984528 Thu, 30 Jun 2011 17:13:23 +0100 4984528 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4984478&cid=t_99821_105_f&fid=34896&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdoctorrw.blogspot.com%2F2011%2F06%2Fexpanding-use-of-checklists.html (Source: Notes from Dr. RW) Notes from Dr. RW blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4984478 Thu, 30 Jun 2011 04:29:00 +0100 4984478 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4984449&cid=t_99821_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fhow-to-complain-effectively-about-mistreatment-at-a-psychiatric-hospital%2F2011.06.29 For those who don’t follow the comment sections of posts, there have been commenters who have been telling us about the awful experiences they have had as psychiatric patients.  In particular (but not exclusively) as  hospital inpatients.  Commenters have used terms like “abuse” and “humiliation” and describe awful scenarios.  One person asked why the mean nurses don’t get fired, everyone knows they are mean including the staff.  Others throw the baby out with the bath water, one bad experience.  There is implication by at least one commenter that he/she would rather die (presumably permanently) rather than face a day on a psych unit again.  The suffering in these posts is palpable. To those who feel better after leaving comments on Shrink Rap, by... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4984449 Wed, 29 Jun 2011 23:00:00 +0100 4984449 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4975793&cid=t_99821_87_f&fid=34765&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhcrenewal.blogspot.com%2F2011%2F06%2Fbabys-death-spotlights-safety-risks.html Two tragic cases.Case #1. See Baby's death spotlights safety risks linked to computerized systems by Judith Graham and Cynthia Dizikes in the Chicago Tribune.A baby died at Advocate Lutheran General Hospital due to an intravenous solution containing a massive overdose of sodium chloride — more than 60 times the amount ordered by the physician. The authors write:Although a series of other errors contributed to the tragedy, its origin — a piece of data entered inaccurately into a computer program — throws a spotlight on safety risks associated with medicine's advance into the information age, a trend being pushed aggressively under health reform.One wonders - what happened to the alerting features, for the tens or hundreds of millions of dollars the hospital spent on health IT?I've als... Health Care Renewal blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4975793 Mon, 27 Jun 2011 15:26:00 +0100 4975793 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4968485&cid=t_99821_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fis-your-cell-phone-carrying-bacteria%2F2011.06.26 Alright doctors, time to give up the cell phones. (Never mind that there has not been a study linking cell phones and hospital acquired infections). From the American Journal of Infection Control: A cross-sectional study was conducted to determine bacterial colonization on the mobile phones (MPs) used by patients, patients’ companions, visitors, and health care workers (HCWs). Significantly higher rates of pathogens (39.6% vs 20.6%, respectively; P = .02) were found in MPs of patients’ (n = 48) versus the HCWs’ (n = 12). There were also more multidrug pathogens in the patents’ MPs including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, extended-spectrum β-lactamase-producing Escherichia coli, and Klebsiella spp, high-level aminoglycoside-resistant Enterococcus spp, ... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4968485 Sun, 26 Jun 2011 18:00:00 +0100 4968485 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4968836&cid=t_99821_136_f&fid=39026&url=http%3A%2F%2Fcarolinemfr.blogspot.com%2F2011%2F06%2Fmail-delivery.html Six days a week the mail shows up at our house In the summer it comes through the mail slot in the front door (which sometimes scares the cat when it wakes him up from his nap). In the winter, we seal up the mail slot and hang a little mail box in our front entry way. We get the usual assortment of bills, junk mail, catalogs, and sometimes real correspondence from people we know. But I get the medical stuff too. By medical stuff I mean the hospital bills, health insurance claim statements, and appointment schedules. Usually a few times a week.Yesterday was an unusual pile of mail. My husband got a letter from his mother. We got one catalog to recycle. I got: - one appointment reminder for an upcoming blood test- two hospital bills- eight insurance statements- one list of my next ten appoin... Caroline's Breast Cancer Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4968836 Sun, 26 Jun 2011 10:25:00 +0100 4968836 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4968489&cid=t_99821_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Ffda-approved-drugs-are-not-always-effective-the-benefits-of-alternative-medicine%2F2011.06.25 On Saturday, while thousands of Boston Bruins fans gathered at Government Center to celebrate the team’s recent Stanley Cup victory, a hundred or so true die-hards met a few blocks away at a Massachusetts General Hospital conference to talk about complementary and alternative medicine for psychiatric disorders. While I hated to miss the Bruins parade, I’m glad I attended the MGH conference. I’ve always been a bit of a skeptic about so-called natural therapies for one simple reason: they don’t have to go through the same rigorous testing in clinical trials that medications do. At the same time, I realize that FDA-approved drugs don’t work for everyone. One in three adults with major depression, for example, can’t completely improve their mood and other symptoms even after trying... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4968489 Sat, 25 Jun 2011 21:00:31 +0100 4968489 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4968492&cid=t_99821_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fmedical-students-deterred-from-primary-care%2F2011.06.25 Primary care physicians are getting paid more, two surveys agree, while hospital employment is rising. Internists earned $205,379 in median compensation in 2010, an increase of 4.21% over the previous year, reported the Medical Group Management Association’s (MGMA’s) Physician Compensation and Production Survey: 2011 Report Based on 2010 Data. Family practitioners (without obstetrics) reported median compensation of $189,402. Pediatric/adolescent medicine physicians earned $192,148 in median compensation, an increase of 0.39% since 2009. Among specialists, anesthesiologists reported decreased compensation, as did gastroenterologists and radiologists. Psychiatrists, dermatologists, neurologists and general surgeons reported an increase in median compensation since 2009. Regional... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4968492 Sat, 25 Jun 2011 14:00:00 +0100 4968492 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4968583&cid=t_99821_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F06%2F23%2Fwhen-things-go-wrong-in-massachusetts-fire-the-employees-not-carney-hospital%2F Mental health care in Massachusetts is sometimes a hit or miss proposition. Especially if you’re poor or indigent, or may present a danger to yourself or others. For the 14-bed locked hospital unit at Carney — now owned by Steward Health Care — it apparently was such a “miss” proposition that they ended up sacking the entire staff. Yes, you heard me — all 29 psychiatric nurses and mental health counselors were let go about a month ago. Meanwhile, Massachusetts continues to pay Carney Hospital to run its program, with all new staff. Is it possible that 29 different professionals really were responsible for the four complaints? Or is this a perfect example of incompetent management and senior hospital executives covering their asses, and trying to put the ... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4968583 Thu, 23 Jun 2011 14:39:20 +0100 4968583 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4960067&cid=t_99821_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fwho-is-responsible-for-the-hospital-bills-of-prisoners%2F2011.06.22 Are government entities required to pay the hospital bills of incarcerated prisoners?  This is a scenario that happens quite often.  Jailed patients are admitted onto the hospitalist service through the ER for anything from patients faking seizures in the ER to chest pain to drug overdoses.  When patients are under the custody of the city, state or federal system, those entities are required to pay for necessary acute health care services.  I don’t know, maybe it has something to do with a prisoner’s constitutional right.  You lose your right to vote, but not to get a liver transplant. So what happens? Jailed patients get admitted and guards, sometimes, one, two or three at a time, are required to be at the patient’s bedside 24 hours a day.  If the patient needs to ... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4960067 Wed, 22 Jun 2011 18:00:00 +0100 4960067 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4952840&cid=t_99821_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fyears-of-planning-and-construction-lead-to-a-one-day-transition%2F2011.06.21 Tomorrow we’ll be far away Tomorrow is the judgement day Tomorrow we’ll discover what our God in heaven has in store One more dawn… On an unrelated note, tomorrow morning at 5AM our new ER opens and the old one closes down. I’ll be there working clinically. To the degree that it doesn’t interfere with patient care, I’ll live-tweet the experience. For those not familiar with the institution or the project — it’s a 110,000 annual visit ER closing down and reopening next door in a new, state of the art 83 bed ER, with an entire new 10-story hospital opening directly above at the same time, more or less. The logistics of the transition are pretty staggering. The ER will be the first unit to open. The old ambulance bay will have a barrier put up ... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4952840 Tue, 21 Jun 2011 21:00:00 +0100 4952840 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4952723&cid=t_99821_85_f&fid=34587&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FKevinMd-MedicalWeblog%2F%7E3%2F3YC0F21k8qo%2Fhospitalists-limit-number-patients.html by S. Irfan Ali, MDI was talking to a fellow physician and he inquired, “how many patients do you see in a day?” I said, “maybe around 20.”He smirked and replied, “20 only! I can see around 40 in a day and still have time to hit some balls.” There is something fishy here at Smallville.A few years ago I used to work for this company. I had no option but to see a huge number of patients. Sometimes my census would be around 40 or so. I remember one day that I got 26 new admissions. I took care of them all along with the patients who were already on my list. By the end of the day I was a tad confused. When nurses would call it would take me a moment to recall a patient. I would have to think twice so that I don’t confuse a chest painer with a GI bleeder.(.... Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4952723 Tue, 21 Jun 2011 17:00:32 +0100 4952723 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4952720&cid=t_99821_83_f&fid=34856&url=http%3A%2F%2Finsidesurgery.com%2F2011%2F06%2Fwrong-site-surgery-continues-plague-patients%2F The Washington Post has published a list of hospitals where wrong site surgeries have occurred, including Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Rhode Island Hospital, and Children’s Hospital of Orange County. (Source: Inside Surgery) Inside Surgery blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4952720 Mon, 20 Jun 2011 22:58:07 +0100 4952720 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4953044&cid=t_99821_113_f&fid=34634&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FEmrAndHipaa%2F%7E3%2FfDeOPTZnEYY%2F #bbpBox_82695997494530048 a { text-decoration:none; color:#0000ff; }#bbpBox_82695997494530048 a:hover { text-decoration:underline; } Looks like Estonia is the new model for system wide EHR http://bit.ly/liYLwe June 19, 2011 11:27 pm via TweetDeckReplyRetweetFavorite @boltyboy Matthew Holt I’m always fascinated by other countries EHR implementations. So many other countries are interesting to consider since they’re missing so many of the barriers that make EHR adoption and even more specifically health information exchange between EHR software so difficult. Nice to learn more about the success that Estonia has had adopting EHR software. I’d like to learn a lot more about what’s being done with international EHR implementations. #bbpBox_82462900882644992 a { t... EMR and HIPAA blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4953044 Mon, 20 Jun 2011 07:02:57 +0100 4953044 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4934238&cid=t_99821_105_f&fid=34896&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdoctorrw.blogspot.com%2F2011%2F06%2Fambulance-diversion-and-acute-mi.html (Source: Notes from Dr. RW) Notes from Dr. RW blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4934238 Thu, 16 Jun 2011 17:50:00 +0100 4934238 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4934459&cid=t_99821_113_f&fid=38236&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.healthcareitnews.com%2Fblog%2Ffive-factors-showing-growth-medical-real-estate An article headline caught my attention the other day, “A thriving medical industry is a boon for the building.” That statement rings true from my perspective. The medical industry is doing well, and with halted construction projects from the economic downturn back on track, medical real estate’s potential is coming into full swing. There are five main contributing factors for this growth: market economics, healthcare reform, aging Baby Boomers, increase in outpatient centers and a patient centric hospital experience. read more (Source: Healthcare IT News Blog) Healthcare IT News Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4934459 Mon, 13 Jun 2011 12:26:52 +0100 4934459 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4921331&cid=t_99821_85_f&fid=34587&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FKevinMd-MedicalWeblog%2F%7E3%2Fmm8IYKAzkCc%2Fabim-maintenance-certification-moc-internal-medicine-exam-tips.html by Kevin Pho, MDThis past spring, I took the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) Maintenance of Certification (MOC) exam. 7 weeks later, I received my results.  Thankfully, I passed.This was not entirely a surprise, as the pass rate for first-time test takers was 88%.  But it definitely requires some studying.  It’s not a gimmie.Considering that I last took my board exam in 2002, when it was a 2-day pencil and paper affair, I wanted to check online to see if there were any test taking tips, or advice for studying.(...)Read the rest of ABIM Maintenance of Certification (MOC) internal medicine exam tipsCategory: Pho | Tags: Hospital, Primary care | 4 comments (Source: Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog) Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4921331 Fri, 10 Jun 2011 21:25:05 +0100 4921331 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4921420&cid=t_99821_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fphysicians-must-do-their-part-to-reduce-unnecessary-hospital-expenses%2F2011.06.10 Hospital costs are out of control. We have an aging population living longer with more complicated presentation of disease. We have an insurance driven platform instead of a health driven accountability. The long term sustainability of that architecture is one of guaranteed insolvency. One way or another hospitals are going to find their lifeline cut off. Medicaid is bankrupt. Hospital profit margins from Medicare have been negative for almost a decade. In addition, the rapid rise in private insurance premiums and industry’s gradual but accelerating exit from the health insurance benefit market all tell me that hospitals must find a way to reduce the cost of providing care. There are many ways hospital costs can be reduced. Administrators are paid handsomely to make it happen. Either... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4921420 Fri, 10 Jun 2011 21:00:00 +0100 4921420 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4921409&cid=t_99821_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2011%2F06%2Fhospitals-that-make-their-data-hard-to-find.html One of the most important things to know about a hospital is how many of its patients develop infections. But hospitals often don’t release that data. To help motivate them, we put together a list of teaching hospitals that haven't made their information on infections easily accessible to the public. “The best hospitals know that sunlight is the best disinfectant, so they are willing to publicly report even if their performance is not yet optimal,” said Leah Binder, chief executive officer of The Leapfrog Group, a nonprofit organization that focuses on improving health care in hospitals, in part by encouraging them to report information on infections and other measures. For this analysis, we focused on hospitals that are members of the Council of Teaching Hospitals, ex... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4921409 Fri, 10 Jun 2011 15:56:00 +0100 4921409 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4921411&cid=t_99821_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2011%2F06%2Fboston-beats-new-york-in-cr-hospital-ratings.html The Boston vs. New York rivalry isn’t just the Red Sox vs. the Yankees. It’s which city, each known for its prestigious hospitals, has better medical care. Well, when it comes to preventing hospital-acquired infections at least, Boston wins, according to our updated hospital Ratings. For this comparison, we looked at hospitals that are members of the Council of Teaching Hospitals (excluding Veteran Administration hospitals) that are in either the Boston hospital-referral region (Boston, Cambridge, and a few neighboring towns); or in the three New York City hospital-referral regions (the five boroughs plus certain neighboring suburbs). We looked at the two most serious kinds of infections: bloodstream infections in intensive-care units that are linked to central-line catheters... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4921411 Thu, 09 Jun 2011 13:00:00 +0100 4921411 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4911397&cid=t_99821_85_f&fid=34587&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FKevinMd-MedicalWeblog%2F%7E3%2FUbMejAHIVVI%2Fbudget-cuts-nicu-admissions-ripple-effect.html by Linda Burke-Galloway, MDWhat is wrong with the state of Texas? Have they no heart? Why is it that at the time of fiscal crisis, it’s always the “little” people whose services are eliminated first?The “little” people in this case would be babies who are either born sick or premature. The New York Times article, In Search of Cuts, Health Officials Question NICU Overuse, was shocking. The Texas state officials have set their sights on looking at “inappropriate admissions” to the neonatal intensive care units as a way of cutting costs.(...)Read the rest of Budget cuts to NICU admissions will have a ripple effectCategory: Physician | Tags: Hospital, Specialist | No comment (Source: Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog) Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4911397 Wed, 08 Jun 2011 19:00:25 +0100 4911397 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4911471&cid=t_99821_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2011%2F06%2Fwhere-to-find-a-safe-hospital.html In which hospitals are you least likely to pick up an infection? Our updated hospital Ratings include eight elite ones that reported zero surgical-site infections and zero bloodstream infections. We also identified 36 hospitals with the enviable record of having no bloodstream infections in both our 2010 and 2011 Ratings. This year we were able to include Ratings on central-line bloodstream infections for 1,119 hospitals in the District of Columbia and every state except Arkansas, Hawaii, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, and West Virginia. Of those hospitals, 142 (almost 13 percent) reported zero infections, compared with 11 percent last year. Particularly impressive are the 36 hospitals that had zero bloodstream infections in two consecutive reports. For surgical-site infections,... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4911471 Wed, 08 Jun 2011 10:50:00 +0100 4911471 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4911775&cid=t_99821_136_f&fid=39026&url=http%3A%2F%2Fcarolinemfr.blogspot.com%2F2011%2F06%2Fits-good-for-hospital-but-is-it-good.html This morning I am horrified (is that too much?) that the hospital, Lahey Clinic, where I go for all my treatment might merge with another hospital, Beth Israel Deaconess, buried in downtown Boston (which I avoid like the plague these days). I like Lahey. Its a 10-15 minute drive at most. It is in the suburbs. It is convenient. I can find everything I need there. Don't change it! If I need something, like a test, procedure or other medical adventure, its all in the same place. They do have other offices around the area but they are all within the same 10-15 minutes except the one that is 5 minutes from one of my jobs. I don't have to get a road map to get to my appointments and deal with traffic, stress, and parking. They are only in preliminary talks with BID and it could be some time in t... Caroline's Breast Cancer Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4911775 Wed, 08 Jun 2011 10:32:00 +0100 4911775 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4911473&cid=t_99821_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2011%2F06%2Fteaching-hospitals-not-always-best-for-patient-safety.html When you’re really sick you’re best off in a large teaching hospital in a big city, right? Not necessarily, at least when it comes to patient safety, according to our new hospital Ratings. What they found: While many well-established teaching hospitals do well at preventing potentially deadly hospital-acquired infections, others don’t. We looked at bloodstream infections that patients developed in intensive-care units while on central-line catheters, or tubes used to deliver fluids, medication, and nutrition to patients. The data came either from one of the 18 states that publicly report hospital-infection rates, or from The Leapfrog Group a nonprofit organization in Washington, D.C., that focuses on improving health care in hospitals. We focused on hospitals that are... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4911473 Tue, 07 Jun 2011 11:00:00 +0100 4911473 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4902521&cid=t_99821_113_f&fid=38236&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.healthcareitnews.com%2Fblog%2Fovercrowding-er-spurs-new-facility-development Even before accounting for the mass influx of Americans rushing to hospitals’ emergency departments from healthcare reform, EDs are in serious need of fine tuning as over crowding and escalating inpatient costs are on the rise. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, emergency department visits increased 117 million from 2007 to 2008 and it shows no sign of slowing. No sticky read more (Source: Healthcare IT News Blog) Healthcare IT News Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4902521 Mon, 06 Jun 2011 12:21:14 +0100 4902521 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4902368&cid=t_99821_83_f&fid=34856&url=http%3A%2F%2Finsidesurgery.com%2F2011%2F06%2Fdrug-shown-prevent-breast-cancer%2F A recent study, published by Dr. Paul Goss of Massachusetts General Hospital, has shown that taking the currently available drug Aromasin (exemestane) prevented the onset of cancer by 65% in study participants. (Source: Inside Surgery) Inside Surgery blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4902368 Sun, 05 Jun 2011 12:47:27 +0100 4902368 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4893566&cid=t_99821_109_f&fid=34786&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdrmichelletempest.blogspot.com%2F2011%2F06%2Findependent-letter.html This letter was published in the Independent newspaper :Hospital doctors must have a roleYou report that Andrew Lansley is holding out on letting hospital doctors have a role in deciding what care the NHS provides to patients (10 May). Why? Modern medicine increasingly requires vertical integration of treatment, where specialist hospital doctors and GPs work together to provide both acute and chronic health provision. It is not only logical but vitally important that the skill of hospital doctors is not lost.Though the argument against hospital doctors having a role in commissioning is based on a perceived conflict of interest, a recent report in the GP magazine Pulse suggested that 10 per cent of GPs in consortia have declared private healthcare business interests. "Conflict of interest" ... The Psychiatrist Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4893566 Sat, 04 Jun 2011 13:51:00 +0100 4893566 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4893322&cid=t_99821_83_f&fid=34856&url=http%3A%2F%2Finsidesurgery.com%2F2011%2F06%2Fjack-dr-death-kevorkian-dies-age-83%2F Dr. Jack Kevorkian, a pathologist by training who advocated for assisted suicide, died at age 83 from pneumonia and kidney failure at Beaumont Hospital in Michigan. (Source: Inside Surgery) Inside Surgery blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4893322 Sat, 04 Jun 2011 04:33:32 +0100 4893322 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4893342&cid=t_99821_87_f&fid=34765&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhcrenewal.blogspot.com%2F2011%2F06%2Fshould-phenomenal-1-million-ceo-be.html A recent story with some local color once again illustrates the cognitive dissonance evoked by current patterns of compensation of health care leaders.Let me start chronologically. The Stratospheric Compensation of the CEO, and Its JustificationIn 2009, the compensation given to the CEO of the Palomar Pomerado Health, a public health system in the vicinity of San Diego, California, provided some headlines. As reported then by the San Diego Times-Union,Palomar Pomerado Health CEO Michael Covert has received a 26 percent — or $154,000 — pay raise.The increase, approved by the hospital district’s board of directors last month, is retroactive to July 1, the beginning of the fiscal year, board Chairman Bruce Krider said.The increase brought Covert’s pay from $582,000 a year to $736,000 ... Health Care Renewal blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4893342 Fri, 03 Jun 2011 21:40:00 +0100 4893342 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4893502&cid=t_99821_105_f&fid=34896&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdoctorrw.blogspot.com%2F2011%2F06%2Fnew-guidelines-for-glycemic-control-in.html (Source: Notes from Dr. RW) Notes from Dr. RW blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4893502 Fri, 03 Jun 2011 11:42:00 +0100 4893502 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4893333&cid=t_99821_85_f&fid=34587&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FKevinMd-MedicalWeblog%2F%7E3%2FOnydn3zPlXI%2Fnurses-work-cardiac-catheterization-lab.html by Gina, RNReady to learn more about nurses who work beyond the bedside?  Nurses who work in the Cardiac Catheterization Lab (CCL) play an important role in cardiac care.  Amy Sellers, RN blogs at Nursing Influence and graciously agreed to give us a peek at what a nurse is responsible for doing in the CCL.Amy has worked in the Cath Lab for about 6 months now.  She previously worked in cardiovascular intensive care unit for almost 5 years before deciding that she needed a new challenge.  She is paid hourly and works three 12 hour shifts per week (all daytime Mon-Fri) with lots of opportunities for overtime and call shifts.(...)Read the rest of Nurses who work in the cardiac catheterization labCategory: Patient | Tags: Heart, Hospital, Specialist | No comment (Source: Kevin, M.D. - Medic... Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4893333 Fri, 03 Jun 2011 11:00:00 +0100 4893333 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4893819&cid=t_99821_136_f&fid=39016&url=http%3A%2F%2Fturquoisegates.blogspot.com%2F2011%2F06%2Fmoths-hovering.html The clouds beckon the coming storm, and I rock in my chair and survey the grandeur. Yellow, orange, pink, purple...and every shade in between. I bask in the eye of the storm, waiting for sunset to fade it's glow   melting the the evening sky to bring out it's lights of night. Waiting for the first mist of cold rain to come across the fields.I've been in a storm since the beginning of April. My diagnosis is Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, and I am taking a slew of medication in an attempt to slow the anxiety and help me keep control of my impulses. I have gone 4 weeks now without hurting myself intentionally. One therapist pointed out that physical pain is helpful because it shunts electricity from one part of the brain (the conscious part that is running scared) to less intellect... Turquoise Gates blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4893819 Fri, 03 Jun 2011 09:49:00 +0100 4893819 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4893434&cid=t_99821_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2011%2F06%2Fpatients-cell-phones-may-carry-dangerous-bacteria.html Hospital-acquired infections often stem from poor hand washing or a mishandled catheter, but there’s another culprit right at your fingertips—your cell phone, suggests a study published in the June issue of the American Journal of Infection Control. It found that cell phones used by patients and their visitors were twice as likely to be contaminated with potentially dangerous bacteria as those carried by people who worked in the hospital. Researchers looked at 200 cell phones from patients, visitors, and health-care workers at a hospital in Turkey, and took swabs of the phones’ keypad, mouth piece, and ear piece. Roughly 40 percent of the patient’s phones and close to 21 percent of health-care workers’ phones tested positive for pathogens. Seven of the patie... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4893434 Thu, 02 Jun 2011 21:20:00 +0100 4893434 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4893460&cid=t_99821_88_f&fid=38129&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Flifeinthefastlane%2FWZHV%2F%7E3%2FEw-zLWtpeQE%2F Dr. Kevin Kikta was one of two emergency room doctors on duty at St. John’s Regional Medical Center in Joplin, MO on Sunday, May 22, 2011 when a destructive tornado hit the hospital. (Source: Life in the Fast Lane) Life in the Fast Lane blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4893460 Thu, 02 Jun 2011 02:31:26 +0100 4893460 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4893821&cid=t_99821_136_f&fid=39016&url=http%3A%2F%2Fturquoisegates.blogspot.com%2F2011%2F06%2Flessons-at-bird-feeder.html I identify with these anxious birds who flit in and out, buzzing busily, occasionally creating an outburst if another bird lands while they are feeding. Hummungbirds are a new discovery of mine, since buying an aesthetically pleasing feeder and a porch swing just under it.So industrious they seem, as I rock in my chair, trying to clear cloudy thoughts, trying to push away hurtful thoughts, file them somewhere deep in the abyss of the mind where I will never go looking again.I remember distinctly learning in science that hummingbirds never land, but fly always. Now that we have a dozen or so ambushing our porch day and night, I can honestly say they sit aLOT. But only when they're not anxious. When they're anxious, they flit and flicker here and there, emitting a strangled warble now and ag... Turquoise Gates blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4893821 Wed, 01 Jun 2011 10:07:00 +0100 4893821 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4883513&cid=t_99821_85_f&fid=34587&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FKevinMd-MedicalWeblog%2F%7E3%2FV2cglIFanuw%2Fhappened-hospital-joplin-mo-tornado.html Dr. Kevin Kikta was one of two emergency physicians on duty at St. John’s Regional Medical Center in Joplin, MO on Sunday, May 22 when an EF-5 tornado struck the hospital.by Kevin J. Kikta, DOYou never know that it will be the most important day of your life until the day is over.  The day started like any other day for me: waking up, eating, going to the gym, showering, and going to my 4 pm ED shift. As I drove to the hospital, I mentally prepared for my shift as I always do, but nothing could ever have prepared me for what was going to happen on this shift.Things were normal for the first hour and half. At approximately 5:30 pm, we received a warning that a tornado had been spotted. Although I work in Joplin and went to medical school in Oklahoma, I live in New Jersey, and I have neve... Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4883513 Tue, 31 May 2011 19:34:21 +0100 4883513 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4883518&cid=t_99821_85_f&fid=34587&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FKevinMd-MedicalWeblog%2F%7E3%2F7dt1YUYrJ74%2Fmedicine-greatest-save-save.html by Shantanu Nundy, MDIn the real world of medicine, “great saves” are rare. Most patients that you expect to die will die, and those who experience a cardiac arrest or code rarely survive. Mr. GR is the closest I’ve seen to an exception to both of these rules, and his story illustrates the best but also the worst of what our health care system achieves.I first met Mr. GR in the emergency room. As the cardiac ICU resident on call, I was urgently paged down to the E.R. for a “cath lab activation.”(...)Read the rest of In medicine, the greatest save is not having to make a save at allCategory: Physician | Tags: Emergency, Heart, Hospital | 2 comments (Source: Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog) Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4883518 Tue, 31 May 2011 15:00:46 +0100 4883518 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4876370&cid=t_99821_83_f&fid=34856&url=http%3A%2F%2Finsidesurgery.com%2F2011%2F05%2Femory-university-hospital-reports-tb-transmission-infected-employee%2F Emory University Hospital is contacting approximately 600 patients and 100 employees who may have contracted tuberculosis after coming into contact with a hospital worker who has tested positive for the disease. (Source: Inside Surgery) Inside Surgery blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4876370 Sat, 28 May 2011 15:16:43 +0100 4876370 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4876376&cid=t_99821_85_f&fid=34587&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FKevinMd-MedicalWeblog%2F%7E3%2FlXY-SPjPYfs%2Fkevinmd-column-solving-hospital-bullying-requires-share-blame.html My latest column, discussing hospital bullying, has been published on FoxNews.com: Bullies In Hospitals?Recently, Theresa Brown wrote a New York Times op-ed on the issue, which generated some controversial feedback, including how I thought it was unfair to single out physicians, and how the piece perpetuated doctor bashing in the media.I aim for a more balanced take, where I discuss how hospital bullying starts at the genesis of physician training, and requires everyone — not just doctors —  to both share the blame and take part in solutions:I wonder if the issue is more complicated than simply blaming physicians. Most doctors I know harbor nothing but the greatest respect for nurses, and realize how important they are to quality patient care. It seems unfair to tar them with... Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4876376 Sat, 28 May 2011 14:00:32 +0100 4876376 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4872089&cid=t_99821_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=4872030&cid=t_99821_87_f&fid=34765&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhcrenewal.blogspot.com%2F2011%2F05%2Fmedical-societies-paid-to-do-corporate.html BackgroundLast year we posted about how two medical societies which received funding from a drug manufacturer tried to persuade the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to deny approval of a generic competitor to one of that company's products.  The medical societies were the Society of Hospital Medicine (SHM) and the North American Thrombosis Forum (NATF).  The company was Sanofi-Aventis and the product involved was its anti-coagulant derivative of heparin, Lovenox.  At the time, we noted that the SHM CEO denied the need to specifically disclose funding from Sanofi-Aventis in the letter to the FDA, since he asserted the letter was about "providing the best, most effective care to the hospitalized patient." If so, I wondered why the SHM ha... Health Care Renewal blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4872030 Fri, 27 May 2011 18:37:00 +0100 4872030 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4872018&cid=t_99821_85_f&fid=34587&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FKevinMd-MedicalWeblog%2F%7E3%2Fteh8rJxydDk%2Fprotocols-decisions-nurses.html by Sarah Beth Cowherd, RNIf you have been at your nursing job for a while, you’ve probably almost forgotten.Forgotten what it was like to come in to the healthcare system you now work for and realize there are hundreds of new protocols for you to learn and adhere by as a nurse. After years of routine, you now go about your day as if you actually have some choice in the way you give care.At one point you probably did. I was not around during this age of nursing. The age when we had autonomy. Freedom to practice. Freedom to be innovative.(...)Read the rest of How protocols are taking the decisions away from nursesCategory: Patient | Tags: Hospital, Patients | No comment (Source: Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog) Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4872018 Fri, 27 May 2011 17:00:50 +0100 4872018 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4872127&cid=t_99821_105_f&fid=34896&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdoctorrw.blogspot.com%2F2011%2F05%2Fpost-discharge-problems-faced-by.html (Source: Notes from Dr. RW) Notes from Dr. RW blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4872127 Fri, 27 May 2011 10:08:00 +0100 4872127 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4862455&cid=t_99821_85_f&fid=34587&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FKevinMd-MedicalWeblog%2F%7E3%2FnDehqrdF49I%2Fcut-hospitalizations-reduce-hospital-related-medical-errors.html by David Cundiff, MDTo address the huge problem of errors by health professionals causing injuries and deaths to hospitalized patients, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius unveiled the Partnership for Patients initiative.Secretary Sebelius referred to a recent study showing that adverse events in hospitalized patients, including those caused by human errors (i.e., preventable), occur about 10 times as frequently as previously thought—at least 49 adverse events per 100 hospital admissions including about 20 errors.(...)Read the rest of Cut hospitalizations to reduce hospital related medical errorsCategory: Physician | Tags: Hospital, Malpractice, Primary care, Specialist | No comment (Source: Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog) Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4862455 Wed, 25 May 2011 13:00:47 +0100 4862455 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4862920&cid=t_99821_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FwIP6GVupYbw%2F Sanofi contributed more than $5 million to two medical groups and a Duke University researcher that encouraged the FDA to delay approval of a medicine the drugmaker feared would undercut its blockbuster Lovenox bloodthinner, according to a US Senate Finance Committee report released this morning. The Society of Hospital Medicine, the North American Thrombosis Forum and Duke University thrombosis expert Victor Tapson wrote to the FDA to argue that generic versions of Lovenox may not be as safe as Lovenox, but the letters did not mention any ties to Sanofi, according to the Senate findings, which were first reported by The Wall Street Journal. Just the same, the FDA last summer approved a generic from Momenta Pharmaceuticals and Sandoz, the Novartis generics unit (back story here and here).... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4862920 Wed, 25 May 2011 12:55:52 +0100 4862920 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4862459&cid=t_99821_85_f&fid=34587&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FKevinMd-MedicalWeblog%2F%7E3%2F2yTknL0mNFs%2Fandroid-ipad-platform-dominate-hospitals.html by Jared Sinclair, RNFelasfa Wodajo, MD has written a post for iMedicalApps on the iPad’s future role in healthcare institutions. The title says it all: Why Locked Android Tablets Will Beat the iPad for Hospital Use.The gist of his argument is that Android’s “openness” and hardware-agnosticism will make it more ubiiquitous in the market in general, and a more robust and affordable platform for use in hospitals.(...)Read the rest of Will an Android or iPad platform dominate hospitals?Category: Tech | Tags: Health IT, Hospital | 7 comments (Source: Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog) Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4862459 Tue, 24 May 2011 19:00:32 +0100 4862459 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4852807&cid=t_99821_85_f&fid=34587&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FKevinMd-MedicalWeblog%2F%7E3%2FPcbt2HckkVQ%2Fconfused-weak-elderly-patients-subjected-aggressive-care.html by Edwin Leap, MDLying on the backboard, a frail little old lady moaned with discomfort.She had fallen beside her bed in the nursing home and was then tightly bound by straps onto the backboard, a cervical collar pushing her chin up and holding her immobile. A person not familiar with modern medicine might think the ensemble looked like a torture device. Indeed, it can be. Not only uncomfortable, a backboard is made of hard plastic and can quickly cause pressure ulcers even in younger patients. It’s all too common a scene.(...)Read the rest of Why confused, weak elderly patients are subjected to aggressive careCategory: Physician | Tags: Hospital, Patients | No comment (Source: Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog) Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4852807 Mon, 23 May 2011 18:00:23 +0100 4852807 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4852963&cid=t_99821_112_f&fid=34971&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.drmalpani.com%2F2011%2F05%2Fpromoting-information-therapy-in-india.html The Indian healthcare system has become sick. Doctors are illness experts –not healthcare experts . India just cannot keep up with the increasing demands the ever growing population puts on the healthcare infrastructure . The only effective solution is to empower everyone in the healthcare ecosystem with Information Therapy . The right information at the right time for the right person can be powerful medicine !However, this is still a very new concept in India. When people talk about the problems facing healthcare in India, the focus is primarily on the shortage of doctors – and how we need to invest more money in training new doctors. While opening new medical colleges is very profitable for politicians ( which is why they do this all the time), this does not address the underlying i... The Patient's Doctor blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4852963 Mon, 23 May 2011 03:25:00 +0100 4852963 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4847889&cid=t_99821_83_f&fid=34856&url=http%3A%2F%2Finsidesurgery.com%2F2011%2F05%2Fstudy-shows-death-rate-higher-hospital-patients-admitted-weekends%2F A new study led by Rocco Ricciardi reports that overall death rates (but not deaths from trauma) are ten percent higher if the patient is admitted on a weekend. (Source: Inside Surgery) Inside Surgery blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4847889 Sat, 21 May 2011 00:11:29 +0100 4847889 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4847904&cid=t_99821_85_f&fid=34587&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FKevinMd-MedicalWeblog%2F%7E3%2Fg2qCUMrN6C8%2Fpower-music-hospital-haiti.html by Mariana Perroni, MDThe following post was written on February 27, 2010, while working as a volunteer in a field hospital in Haiti. It was called Love a Child Recovery Center and it was run by us (Albert Einstein Hospital – São Paulo – Brazil), Harvard Medical School and University of Chicago Medical School. We have, according to the census, 39 patients under our care today. This amount represents 15% of the total number of patients in the field hospital. Still, the number of family tragedies is uncountable.(...)Read the rest of The power of music at a hospital in HaitiCategory: Physician | Tags: Hospital | 1 comment (Source: Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog) Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4847904 Fri, 20 May 2011 13:00:12 +0100 4847904 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4841525&cid=t_99821_105_f&fid=34896&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdoctorrw.blogspot.com%2F2011%2F05%2Fanother-view-of-hospitalist-movement-at.html (Source: Notes from Dr. RW) Notes from Dr. RW blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4841525 Thu, 19 May 2011 17:57:00 +0100 4841525 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4841375&cid=t_99821_85_f&fid=34587&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FKevinMd-MedicalWeblog%2F%7E3%2Fp86KI-eiRgE%2Ffuture-health-depends-success-hospital-medicine.html by Robert Centor, MDOver the past few years I have talked with many hospitalists.   I know many hospitalist leaders and have many hard working hospitalists.Most classic general internists have viewed the hospitalist movement with skepticism.  Many outpatient internists express jealousy over the salaries and work hours of most hospitalists.(...)Read the rest of Our future health depends on the success of hospital medicineCategory: Physician | Tags: Hospital, Hospitalist | 1 comment (Source: Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog) Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4841375 Thu, 19 May 2011 15:00:38 +0100 4841375 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4841377&cid=t_99821_85_f&fid=34587&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FKevinMd-MedicalWeblog%2F%7E3%2FEZX4ppnHKWA%2Fnavigating-health-care-facility-requires-sophisticated-literacy-skills.html by Rima Rudd, ScDWe take the written word for granted.Signs and billboards are everywhere – offering directional information, alerts, warnings, and advertisements. Streets, public squares, buildings, agencies, and institutions are numbered and named. We are surrounded by the written word in public locations and within public and private institutions. Individual entrances and even elevators in some large buildings carry names. The lobby, the inside hallways, and walls of offices are replete with postings and signs. We are surrounded by the word and adults are expected to use reading, writing, listening, speaking, and math [the full panoply of literacy skills] to locate places and to follow posted and oral directions.(...)Read the rest of Navigating any health care facility requires sophis... Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4841377 Thu, 19 May 2011 11:00:25 +0100 4841377 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4841527&cid=t_99821_105_f&fid=34896&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdoctorrw.blogspot.com%2F2011%2F05%2Ftele-icu-aka-eicu-does-it-affect.html (Source: Notes from Dr. RW) Notes from Dr. RW blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4841527 Thu, 19 May 2011 10:53:00 +0100 4841527 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4841367&cid=t_99821_83_f&fid=34856&url=http%3A%2F%2Finsidesurgery.com%2F2011%2F05%2Fmemorial-plastic-surgeon-dr-martha-bobby-macguffie-planned%2F Former colleagues lead by Dr. Daniel Spitzer are planning an upcoming memorial service at Nyack Hospital to honor the life and work of pioneering plastic surgeon Dr. Martha “Bobby” MacGuffie. (Source: Inside Surgery) Inside Surgery blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4841367 Thu, 19 May 2011 01:45:03 +0100 4841367 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4841379&cid=t_99821_85_f&fid=34587&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FKevinMd-MedicalWeblog%2F%7E3%2F026EHXxTidM%2Freal-life-medicine-glamorous-residency.html by Jordan Grumet, MD“Code Blue ICU … Code Blue ICU”I was greeted by the PA system as I walked into the hospital this morning. A shiver ran down my spine as I quickened my pace . The days of running to codes are long gone. But since I have a patient In the ICU I was curious and just a little bit worried.(...)Read the rest of How real life medicine is less glamorous than residencyCategory: Physician | Tags: Hospital, Residency | 2 comments (Source: Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog) Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4841379 Wed, 18 May 2011 19:00:35 +0100 4841379 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4841530&cid=t_99821_105_f&fid=34896&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdoctorrw.blogspot.com%2F2011%2F05%2Fupdated-guidelines-for-iv-catheter.html (Source: Notes from Dr. RW) Notes from Dr. RW blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4841530 Wed, 18 May 2011 16:08:00 +0100 4841530 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4841531&cid=t_99821_105_f&fid=34896&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdoctorrw.blogspot.com%2F2011%2F05%2Fhospitalist-movement-at-15.html (Source: Notes from Dr. RW) Notes from Dr. RW blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4841531 Wed, 18 May 2011 10:38:00 +0100 4841531 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4841534&cid=t_99821_105_f&fid=34896&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdoctorrw.blogspot.com%2F2011%2F05%2Fdaily-blood-work-in-hospitalized.html (Source: Notes from Dr. RW) Notes from Dr. RW blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4841534 Tue, 17 May 2011 18:34:00 +0100 4841534 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4826779&cid=t_99821_46_f&fid=38787&url=http%3A%2F%2Fmsf.ca%2Fblogs%2Fphotos%2F2011%2F05%2F16%2Fsudan-8%2F Yambio, South Sudan – January 2011 A woman waits to see a doctor at a hospital run in partnership with Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF), in the town of Yambio, southern Sudan. Yambio, a poor and isolated town near the borders of Central African Republic (CAR) and Congo, has had a history of conflict due to the presence of the shadowy paramilitary group the Lords Resistance Army (LRA) which has terrorized much of the population along the border regions of the three countries. (Source: MSF Blogs) MSF Blogs blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4826779 Mon, 16 May 2011 10:03:55 +0100 4826779 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4829021&cid=t_99821_112_f&fid=34971&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.drmalpani.com%2F2011%2F05%2Fdoctor-google-thyself.html I found this great article , Doctor, Google thyself, on MDConsult." My patients fit into three broad categories. There are the patients who love me, there are the patients who worship me, and, unfortunately, there are the patients who hate my guts and share their feelings freely at various online “rate-the-doc”–type websites. These websites seem to be a magnet for every patient with a gripe and access to a computer."This is an article every doctor should read ! It's easy for unhappy patients to write unflattering ( and dishonest) reviews online - and this can cause serious harm to your online reputation ! (Source: The Patient's Doctor) The Patient's Doctor blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4829021 Sat, 14 May 2011 13:35:00 +0100 4829021 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4820955&cid=t_99821_113_f&fid=35744&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fe-CareManagement%2F%7E3%2F5iLWq8bfPRM%2F It’s time to call it — the Medicare Shared Savings (SS) ACO is dead-in-the-water. Ironically — at the same time — commercial payers are awakening to ACO opportunities. Please read further. (more…) Article Series - Accountable Care Organizations: Cure-du-Jour or Real Collaborative Care?The Big Idea in Understanding “Accountable Care Organizations”The Achilles Heel of ACOs? Shared Savings Payment Model Unlikely to Motivate HospitalsA Dark Horse in ACO Formation: Large Physician Groups“Does This ACO Thing Really Mean We Need to be ‘Accountable’”Will ACO IT Models Be Walled Gardens or Open Platforms?10 Reasons Why an Open IT Platform Strategy is the Right Long-Term Choice for an ACOIs Economic Credentialing A Tool for Primary Care to Lead... e-CareManagement blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4820955 Fri, 13 May 2011 23:12:43 +0100 4820955 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4820839&cid=t_99821_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2011%2F05%2Fbedbugs-may-carry-msra-heres-why-you-shouldnt-panic-yet.html Bedbugs are back. And more than just creepy-crawly pests, scientists now worry that the parasites might be connected with a much more serious bug: A particularly nasty bacterium called MRSA. Researchers in Canada recently conducted a study in an area of Vancouver that has both a large bedbug infestation and numerous reports of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, such as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, or MRSA. And in small sample of bedbugs collected from patients at St. Paul's Hospital in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside, they found three bedbug carrying the MSRA bacteria. Two other bugs were contaminated with a less dangerous superbug called vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium. Dr. Marc Romney, a medical microbiologist at St. Paul's Hospital/Providence Health Care told Reute... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4820839 Thu, 12 May 2011 18:25:00 +0100 4820839 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4820858&cid=t_99821_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Foverheard-at-the-nursing-desk-how-to-optimize-your-care-while-hospitalized%2F2011.05.12 It was interesting lunchtime conversation. A lone doctor listening to some highly experienced and capable nurses, reflecting on their work: “If the patient’s nice, it’s a lot easier to want to go back in that room with them. Their reputation travels at the nurses station. But if they’re mean, well, it’s not as easy to go back in there, so I might not stop by as often.” “I agree, it’s easier to catch flies with honey than vinegar.” Words to live by. *This blog post was originally published at Dr. Wes* (Source: Better Health) Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4820858 Thu, 12 May 2011 13:00:00 +0100 4820858 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4813388&cid=t_99821_112_f&fid=34971&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.drmalpani.com%2F2011%2F05%2Fwhere-does-your-hospital-website-rank.html When someone falls ill, you want them to come to your hospital for their treatment. Just like you want to be their preferred real-life destination for treatment of their medical problems, shouldn’t you want to be their online preferred destination as well ?Everyone knows that patients go online to research their medical problem and their treatment options. In fact , searches for medical problems are the second commonest reason for going online (after pornography !)However, patients will not google your hospital name. When someone has arthritis and needs knee replacement surgery, they will do a google search for knee replacement surgery. Does your hospital website feature on Page 1 ? Or are you going to lose them to your competing hospital’s website ?If they come to your website, the ch... The Patient's Doctor blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4813388 Thu, 12 May 2011 03:16:00 +0100 4813388 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4813636&cid=t_99821_136_f&fid=39212&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbahtocancer.com%2F2011%2F05%2Fnot-needlephobic-just-human%2F Reading through the edit on the Bah! book, I did wonder – not for the first time – whether I was being a little harsh on some of the people treating me. I’m not horrible about anyone (or at least no more horrible than I am here on the blog) but I am quite clear that there were many moments when a little bit of empathy would have gone a very long way. Then I remembered something – it’s not in the book, or the blog, but something triggered it and it popped up. It was the early days of herceptin and I had been asked to go on a lifestyle study. I’d agreed. I was at oncology clinic on Monday, was due to have herceptin on Wednesday, and the deadline for having bloods taken for the study was the following Monday. At the time, I didn’t have a PICC, so bloo... Bah! to cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4813636 Wed, 11 May 2011 08:40:31 +0100 4813636 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4813194&cid=t_99821_83_f&fid=34856&url=http%3A%2F%2Finsidesurgery.com%2F2011%2F05%2Fneurosurgeon-dr-christopher-carver-reportedly-arrested-domestic-dispute%2F Neurosurgeon Dr. Christopher Carver has reportedly been arrested in a domestic dispute. He is said to be on staff at Salinas Valley Memorial Hospital and Community Hospital of Monterey Pennisula. (Source: Inside Surgery) Inside Surgery blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4813194 Wed, 11 May 2011 04:21:41 +0100 4813194 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4813391&cid=t_99821_112_f&fid=34971&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.drmalpani.com%2F2011%2F05%2Fdear-ceo-are-you-making-most-of-your_11.html Your hospital has a great website with lots of clever graphics, health calculators, videos, and flash presentations ! Your marketing department is very pleased that you now have a Youtube and Twitter channel and a Facebook page. However, if you are using your hospital website as just a branding tool or a digital hospital brochure , you are not getting most bang for your buck !You need to integrate Information Therapy as part of your medical workflow, so your doctors can provide better medical care to their patients; and your patients can have a hospital experience they can rave about !By using clever new applications based on the Healthwise Knowledgebase , you can marry Information Therapy with EMRs, patient portals and web 2.0 social media, to improve the care you provide to your patients... The Patient's Doctor blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4813391 Wed, 11 May 2011 03:15:00 +0100 4813391 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4813255&cid=t_99821_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FQDY0pPdVFzs%2F By Michael F. CannonUSA Today reports on a new Obama administration study: On average, uninsured families can pay only about 12% of their hospital bills in full. Families with incomes above 400% of the poverty level, or about $88,000 a year for a family of four, pay about 37% of their hospital bills in full, according to the Department of Health and Human Services study. Oy, where to begin? This is pre-existing conditions all over again.  In the hope of saving ObamaCare from the gallows, the Obama administration is blowing a real but relatively small problem way out of proportion. The best data indicate that the problem of the uninsured not being able to pay their medical bills is real but relatively small.  “Uncompensated care” for the uninsured accounts for just 2.8 percent of he... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4813255 Tue, 10 May 2011 21:59:25 +0100 4813255 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4813279&cid=t_99821_87_f&fid=38113&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.consumerreports.org%2Fhealth%2F2011%2F05%2Fsome-hospital-infections-can-be-eliminated.html Hospitals that institute a simple checklist and other safety measures can eliminate infections in their intensive-care units for a year or more, according to a study published this week in the Archives of Internal Medicine. The study focused on bloodstream infections in 57 hospitals, mostly in Michigan, caused by central lines, catheters that deliver fluid, nutrition, and medication to patients. Most of the hospitals that participated in the study eliminated the infections for at least a year, and a quarter did so for two years. Overall, the program led to a statewide decline in the number of bloodstream infections that has lasted 36 months. Forty-four other states are now instituting a similar program. The authors of the study wrote that while the results are encouraging, similar effo... Consumer Reports Health Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4813279 Tue, 10 May 2011 19:55:00 +0100 4813279