August 2nd, 2010 by EvanFalchukJD in Better Health Network, Health Policy, News, Opinion, Research
Tags: Accuracy of Medical Decision Making, Actors as Patients, Annals Of Internal Medicine, Change in the Plan of Care, Conversations with Doctors, Doctor-Patient Encounter, Doctors Under Time Pressure, Error-Free Care, Failure to Individualize Care, General Medicine, Hundreds of Patient Encounters, LA Times, Medical Errors, Medical Red Flags, Mystery Patients, Scripted Medical Situations, Wrong Medical Decisions By Doctors
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According to the Annals of Internal Medicine, doctors make the wrong medical decisions surprisingly often.
Using a “mystery patient” technique –- in which actors pretended to be patients –- researchers found that doctors made errors in complicated cases in 60 percent to 90 percent of cases. Sixty to ninety percent. In uncomplicated cases, they made errors in nearly 30 percent of cases.
As one study participant put it, “I was shocked.”
The study took place over three years, and included more than 100 doctors in six Chicago-area hospitals. The doctors had agreed to participate in a study on medical decision making, but had no idea that they might see a patient who was actually an actor. The actors recorded their conversations with the doctors. Read more »
*This blog post was originally published at See First Blog*
August 2nd, 2010 by Bryan Vartabedian, M.D. in Better Health Network, Health Policy, News, Opinion
Tags: 21st Century Medical Institution, Core Competency, General Medicine, Healthcare Professionals Online, Healthcare Social Media, Improving Health Literacy, Internet and Medical Practice, Internet-Based Medicine, Lee Aase, Medical Education, Medical Research, Online Healthcare, Social Media Tools, The Mayo Clinic Center for Social Media, Training to Hospitals and Medical Schools, Victor Montori
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In a move that may represent a new level of social health organization within large institutions, the Mayo Clinic announced that it has launched The Mayo Clinic Center for Social Media. Mayo intends to “accelerate effective application of social media tools throughout Mayo Clinic and to spur broader and deeper engagement in social media by hospitals, medical professionals and patients to improve health globally.”
Look for more information in Mayo’s press release which is diplomatically vague while at the same time lofty and enticing.
So what does this really mean?
The Mayo Clinic recognizes opportunity. The opportunity to formally offer comprehensive social media training to hospitals and medical schools is huge. The Mayo Clinic can and should leverage what they’ve done both to their own advantage and to help create a new standard for providers. While the details are forthcoming, Mayo Clinic’s manager of social and sydicated media Lee Aase tells us that Mayo wants to make available its resources, training, toolkits and legal guidelines to fledgling hospitals. Read more »
*This blog post was originally published at 33 Charts*
August 1st, 2010 by John Mandrola, M.D. in Better Health Network, Health Tips, Opinion, True Stories
Tags: Challenge Yourself, Comfort Zone, COURAGE, General Medicine, Life Choice, Life Is Short, Life's Exams, Mental Health, Psychology, Self Esteem, Self-Motivation, Taking Tests, Taking Tests In Life, Test Your Limits, To Test Yourself Or Not, Voluntarily
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Do you remember the visceral sensations of angst over an upcoming final exam? Or the first procedure as an independent doctor? A major presentation, perhaps?
Life’s exams test not only specific knowledge and skill, but one’s self esteem as well. And it’s the self esteem portion that creates the stomach churn, the palpitations, and the random thoughts of doom.
The future lurks over you for weeks, like a weighty backpack, or the possibility of encountering the bully on your walk home from elementary school. (For my bony self, her name was Marilyn.) Read more »
*This blog post was originally published at Dr John M*
August 1st, 2010 by AndrewSchorr in Better Health Network, Health Policy, Opinion, Research, True Stories
Tags: Andrew Schorr, Cancer Survivors, Empowered Patients, Former Cancer Patients, Healthcare Policy, Healthcare reform, Insurance Changes, Life Insurance Companies, Life Insurance Industry, Life Insurance Revisions, Medical History, No Appeal Process, Northwestern Mutual, Oncology, Patient Empowerment, Patient Power, Request Denied, The War Against Cancer
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I have always heard that Northwestern Mutual Life (“The Quiet Company”) was a grade-A company. And for years I have been happy to have a disability insurance policy and a term life one with them. I got those policies back in the early 1990s, and it was a good thing I did.
In 1996 my health changed. I was diagnosed with leukemia. I knew I was very lucky to have insurance in place because, as many told me: “You’ll never get insurance now.”
Now fast-forward 14 years, and 10 years after receiving treatment in a phase II clinical trial. I have no evidence of disease and have not had any evidence for nine years. The drug therapy I received in a trial has now been approved by the FDA and in Europe as the standard of care. People are living well with this leukemia and it is extending life — some people may even be cured.
So I asked the insurance company to consider giving me the ability to change my policy, to take advantage of lower rates and optimize my coverage for a longer life. Read more »
*This blog post was originally published at Andrew's Blog*
August 1st, 2010 by DrRob in Better Health Network, Health Tips, Opinion, True Stories
Tags: A Doctor's Feelings, Abnormal Kids, Autism, Autistic Children, Caring For Disabled Patients, Disabilities, Disabled Kids, Family Medicine, General Medicine, Internal Medicine, Normal Children, Pediatrics, Pity, Primary Care, Treating Autistic Kids
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I’ve been practicing for sixteen years now, doing both internal medicine and pediatrics. One of the joys of that is watching kids under my care grow up and not having to give up their care just because they get older. The spectrum is wide, with some kids growing up in “normal” families with “normal lives,” others in “abnormal” families, and yet others with inherently “abnormal” lives due to illness or disability.
But the kids aren’t the only thing that has changed over the past sixteen years. Their doctor has changed as well. My comfort zones have widened, not getting rattled by “abnormal” as I once did. I used to feel uncomfortable with the mentally and emotionally disabled, now I am not. I used to feel sorry for parents with “abnormal” children. I used to feel bad for kids who were “abnormal.” I still do now, but not nearly as much. Read more »
*This blog post was originally published at Musings of a Distractible Mind*
