Many of the peculiar terms and phrases we’ve learned in medicine have found a new use in cyberspace, as titles of websites (consider 10 out of 10, The Central Line, or this blog — and that’s just emergency medicine sites).
But that’s the virtual world — what about the real world? I [recently] saw a couple of products that make me think medical parlance could sell physical products. Read more »
*This blog post was originally published at Blogborygmi*
Medical moonlighting. That’s what you’d better be thinking about as the healthcare finance reform trap continues its destined pursuit of bankrupting America.
The only possible outcome to all of this mess is the biggest man-made healthcare recession of all time that will make the current economic implosion look like a walk in the park.
What are some possible second jobs for doctors? Every week I get offers to respond to surveys and telephone conferences by private industry asking for my opinions on up-and-coming pharmaceuticals. Just the other day I was offered $500 for a 90-minute interview. (That reminds me, I had better call them back!)
Other second jobs for doctors? Read more »
*This blog post was originally published at The Happy Hospitalist*
In medicine, hardly a week passes without the introduction of some new acronym, previously unspoken in the average practice, which then grows to prominence — take HIPAA, PECOS, CPT, ICD, etc. — the list goes on and on.
I believe that after 14 years of practice I’ve earned the right to introduce an acronym of my own: CRAPP. For the last several months, my partner and I have used this term to describe the volumes of denials, pre- and prior- authorizations (is there really a difference?), and faxes that seem to grow like weeds on the fertile planting grounds of our desks.
More specifically, in our office the acronym CRAPP stands for: Continuous Restrictive And Punitive Paperwork. To put it blithely, CRAPP could represent any document you wish someone had put on your partner’s desk instead of yours.
On a more emotional level, this acronym captures the visceral response I have whenever my attention is drawn away from my patients and redirected towards some nonsensical busywork — much like someone yelling at a golfer during their backswing.
An orthopedic doctor in Japan wanted to see what made the iPad tick, so he threw it under an X-ray machine and posted the images to his blog.
We guess the good doctor (whose name is Dr. Ambition, according to his blog) wasn’t happy with all of the teardown photos and videos of the iPad. Or maybe he just wanted to see what happens when you pump it full of radiation.
Appropriately enough, the iPad’s X-ray was processed with OsiriX DICOM medical imaging software for Mac.
The good news for the iPad is that nothing was broken and, as long as the stool samples come back negative, it seems it can look forward to a long life.
*This blog post was originally published at Movin' Meat*
Donkey Kong has a new recordholder — and he’s a plastic surgeon.
Hank Chien, M.D., scored 1,061,700 points in 2 hours and 35 minutes, breaking the world-record score for the classic arcade game.
Read the piece to learn how he did it, and more interestingly, the painstaking steps he had to take to verify his score.
The feat does lend some anecdotal support linking video games and the hand-eye coordination required for surgery. There are small studies linking the laparoscopic skill of surgeons with how well they do on video games. Read more »
*This blog post was originally published at KevinMD.com*
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