March 29th, 2010 by Shadowfax in Better Health Network, Health Policy, News, Opinion
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Last year when I interviewed then-American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) President Nick Jouriles I was disappointed that the ACEP had not staked out a clear position on healthcare reform. However, it wasn’t terrible that they didn’t have a position at that time, because the House bill was still being finished up and the Senate was still mired deeply in the fruitless “Gang of Six” negotiations. If ACEP wasn’t going to endorse reforms sight unseen, that was pretty reasonable, I thought. President Jouriles suggested that, in time, ACEP would weigh in with a position, one way or the other.
But we never heard ACEP take a position in the intervening months. So when I saw this post appear over at The Central Line, linking to this letter on the ACEP web site from ACEP’s current president, Angela Gardner, I was not surprised to see that ACEP has taken the weasel’s path and abstained from taking a position on the more or less final healthcare reform package. It’s pathetic, and brings into question whether ACEP can fulfill one of its most crucial functions: advocating for emergency room patients and advocating for emergency medicine physicians. The excuses offered by Dr Gardner for ACEP’s reticence to take a stand are fairly lame. Read more »
*This blog post was originally published at Movin' Meat*
March 28th, 2010 by Happy Hospitalist in Better Health Network, Health Tips, Opinion, True Stories
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Have you ever asked yourself the question: “Who has access to my medical records?” It’s supposed to be secure. Your medical records are supposed to be protected. For many people, they don’t want anyone knowing they have genital warts or that they were treated for depression five years ago.
Many people believe that those with access to their medical records protect their privacy according to HIPAA rules. Well folks, I’m sorry to be the one to tell you, but your medical records aren’t as secure as you may think they are. In fact, if you live in Happy’s town, you might even be lucky enough to have ME get access to your medical records without even trying.
You see, my home fax number is very similar to a laboratory fax number in my city. And because of that, every week I’m getting faxes from hospitals and doctors’ office with lab results. I used to call them back to let them know, but so often I’d get put on hold or have to navigate through twenty phone options that I just said “forget it.”
Now when I get these faxes I chuck them. If I feel like taking the time to shred them I may. Otherwise, they go straight into the garbage. Except for the fax I got last week regarding Mary Smith and her condyloma results. Read more »
*This blog post was originally published at The Happy Hospitalist*
March 28th, 2010 by PhilBaumannRN in Better Health Network, Opinion
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There’s been an ongoing discussion about how the Life Sciences industries can face and integrate recently-evolving media which the Web has been and continues to sprout. Remarkable as they are, the discussions are endless and most loop back into themselves without generating sufficient voltage to power an army of macrophages. Additionally, pharmaceutical companies (pharma) –- beset by a myriad of constraints –- are anxious about flipping on social connection switches which the Web furiously creates every day. We could say that pharma has a sort of social media anxiety disorder. What to do?
The answer isn’t in social media. It’s not in what the FDA decides to do. It’s not in echo chambers found within Twitter or blogs or conferences. It lies in simple, basic economic truths. It lies in radical acceptance and in brave recreation. It lies beneath the proverbial nose of obviousness. It lies far beyond any discussion about the meanings and promises and purposes of new media on the Web. Pharma’s social media anxiety disorder is merely a peripheral symptom of deeper pathologies. Let’s assess the patient. Read more »
*This blog post was originally published at Phil Baumann*
March 28th, 2010 by Bryan Vartabedian, M.D. in Better Health Network, Opinion, True Stories
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Last week I scribbled about the future of the social health community. This week I’m in Australia speaking about screaming babies, practical parenting, and social media — such divergent things.
I’ve listened to author Tim Sanders suggest that a person needs to stick to just one thing or folks will be confused about who you really ARE — your “brand” will get fuzzy. I’m not sure. While having a niche is important, it’s not everything.
Case in point: Steven B. Johnson is one of this generation’s most talented nonfiction authors. By day he oversees his social startup outside.in. By night he travels the globe speaking about his bestselling books, among them Ghostmaps and The Invention of Air. In his free time you’ll find him writing cover features for Time magazine.
And then there’s Daniel Pink, former speechwriter for Al Gore and peripatetic bestselling author, speaker, and thinker. Manga, motivation, videos on travel tips — nothing is outside his realm it seems.
Two remarkable people defined more by their curiosity and thinking than the imposed confines of a tangible niche — and it works for them. I’m guessing that Johnson and Pink don’t spend a lot of time fashioning their look. They just “do” — and do it well. Perhaps that’s how I’d like to be seen.
*This blog post was originally published at 33 Charts*
March 28th, 2010 by DrWes in Better Health Network, Health Policy, Opinion, Research
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BACKGROUND
For those who are landing on this page for the first time, be sure to read the background FIRST to these case presentations. The intent here is to compare and contrast two patients, one insured and the other uninsured, from the United States and England as care is delivered today. The U.S. cases are described in detail in this blog and the corresponding cases, British-style, are described on Sarah Clarke, MD’s blog from England.
CASE #1: The U.S. Case of Mr. Thurgood Powell
The ER radio sounds: (*bleeeeee, deeeeeeeeeppppp*) “Rampart, we have a 57 year old white male en route with a 45 minute history of substernal chest pain and diaphoresis. Initial single-lead EKG discloses ST segment elevation. One ASA given, nitro given, BP 96/47, pulse 110, respirations 22, pt diaphoretic…”
ER doctor: “Code cor activated. Cath lab ready. Proceed as soon as possible.” Read more »
*This blog post was originally published at Dr. Wes*
