Month: May 2015

Should I go into radiology? A radiologist gives honest answers.

I used to be a surgical resident in the U.K. One day, I was a little dispirited during a brutal call, and my senior resident asked, “Do you love surgery?” “I like surgery,” I replied. “If you don’t love surgery, love it unconditionally I mean — like loving your child — you will be unhappy.” […]

A powerful reminder of medicine’s humbling nature

“A thousand times we die in one life. We crumble, break and tear apart until the layers of illusion are burned away, and all that is left, is the truth of who and what we really are.” The coronary care unit (CCU) rotation is a unique place. Postoperative cardiothoracic surgery patients among many other pathologies […]

Doctors need to take care of each other. Starting now.

I like to think that doctors are still a profession made up of people who want to help others. Sure, there are other benefits to our jobs. The technical challenge, the intellectual rewards, the financial security. But honestly, we do really get a lot from helping others. It’s satisfying to look to your fellow man […]

So you failed maintenance of certification. What now?

What is it like for physicians to fail their ABMS Maintenance of Certification® (MOC) program examination? How does the largest member board of the ABMS, the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM), respond to doctors who fail their secure examination? Continue reading … Your patients are rating you online: How to respond. Manage your online reputation: A […]

Did Obamacare make it easier for patients to see a doctor?

One of the goals of the Affordable Care Act (a.k.a. Obamacare) was to increase access to primary care physicians. The notion is that if people have insurance it would be easier for them to get appointments with primary care physicians. This is because many physicians are unwilling to accept new patients who are uninsured. Continue […]

Top stories in health and medicine, May 18, 2015

From MedPage Today: Remote Monitoring, a New Paradigm for Cardiac Implanted Devices? Patients who used the remote monitoring (RM) function of their cardiovascular implantable electronic devices (CIEDs) had less healthcare utilization and better survival than those without RM according to a pair of studies. Migraine, Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Linked in Association Study. Migraine headache and carpal […]

There should not be a body count to disprove bad science

A few months ago, I became aware of the ongoing measles outbreak that has been traced back to visits to Disneyland in Anaheim, CA, which began in December 2014. I remember reading the news reports, including the defense of those who did not believe that vaccines are safe, and witnessed the pleas from physicians, who […]

It’s time to study the economic impact of new drugs

I recently was invited to participate in a research study, looking at the economic impact of a new drug for the treatment of Clostridium difficile infection. The new drug, called fidaxomicin, has been available for a few years and has proven efficacy in thousands of patients but is generally very expensive. The study will follow […]

Remarkable Pointer For A Great Home Improvement Task

House enhancement can really be an intelligent endeavor for your house. It does need a great deal of effort to work, however. This can make you wonder where to begin to start improving your home. Don’t stress, everything you need to know about where to start with home improvement is listed in the pointers below.

If you plan to release a huge house improvement task, seek advice from a expert designer. Without specialized training in developing living areas, your own concepts might do not have the needed information to allow your home to function optimally. A professional designer can develop concrete plans that are viable which conform to local building regulations.

One terrific way to make the inside of your house sparkle is to put brand-new molding in. New molding helps create a fresh sense in your home. You can purchase special molding with gorgeous carvings on them to include a unique touch of elegance and design to your house.

When you are choosing exactly what it is you want to redesign ask for opinions. You want to ensure you are releasing the best vibes when you are choosing how to redesign your house. Ask for advice from neighbors or buddies and family. In some cases other individuals‘s guidance can help you in the choice making process when renovating your house.

Everyone enjoys a good bathroom. You can do this by getting a brand-new sink or toilet and getting nice new cabinets. Upgrading your bathroom is among the very best methods to enhance your home and it will certainly likewise increase the net rate on your residence selling it on the marketplace.

In any significant home improvement job, it’s a great idea to take things slowly when it comes to demolition work. Don’t take apart a cabinet or wall till you have actually appropriately checked the structure behind it. If there is electrical energy involved in your home improvements, it might cost a lot to repair it.

Bugs tend to afflict every household. A terrific method to make sure that you have it under control is by vacuuming and moving things around everyday. Likewise, pinecones are really a terrific solution to keep bugs away. Gather pinecones and display them in a bowl to: fend off the bugs, and include a stylish touch to your decoration.

If your home is fulled of old-style brown wooden doors, do not try to brighten them up with paint. The effort involved will not deserve it. It might take 3 or 4 coats of paint to cover the brown wood. You’re much better off merely buying a brand-new white door instead.

Kids can easily climb from windows or doors and damage themselves. Often, kids think about ways to escape from doors and crevices before you do. See to it to keep your youngster safe by installing window and door security locks that only your or older kids have the ability to open.

So, as you have actually seen, it is sincere that home-improvement needs research, work, and effort to start improving your house. It is also true that in order to see outcomes that you have to keep at it. Keeping the aforementioned tips in mind, you are well on your way to being successful with it.

Can a robot draw your blood?

A company has produced prototype robots that can draw blood from human arms. The video above is a 48-second video showing one of them in action. Using an infrared camera, the robot identifies a suitable vein and accesses the vein with ultrasound guidance. Continue reading … Your patients are rating you online: How to respond. […]

Less is more in medicine: You get what you pay for

You gotta hand it to our health department. They are laser focused on this one. They want 85 percent of payments made to doctors by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to be linked to clinical quality measures within the next two years. Moreover, I suspect the health department is still giddy from […]

Keeping Nepal safe moving forward: A doctor’s take

“She’s safe,” my friend and fellow resident told me over the phone just hours after reaching his Mom in Kathmandu. A text from my undergraduate Hindi Professor read, “My own family is safe. But it’s hard to comprehend the amount of loss. My own house in which I was born is gone.” Calls, texts, and […]

Anal health should become a routine conversation topic between doctors and patients

About 17 years ago, Jeff Taylor, an AIDS advocate, became worried he might have anal cancer. Through his work, Taylor knew that anal cancer rates had risen steeply among people with HIV. He was having discomfort, and he knew that there was a simple screening test: a swab that is processed just like a routine […]

A surgeon who wasn’t God in the OR after all

Do you know the difference between a surgeon and God? God doesn’t think he’s a surgeon. Everyone who goes into the study of surgery has ideas about what they’re going to be. I would imagine that each individual has different expectations of what the future holds, though few find their future at all resembles those […]