August 4th, 2011 by GruntDoc in Health Policy, Opinion
Tags: Austin American Statesman, DEA License, DPS, Medical License, Narcotics Certification, National Medical License, Policy, Prescribing Narcotics, State License, Texas, Texas Medical Association, Unrestricted Medical License
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In one of those things I don’t really get*, Texas requires a separate license from an unrestricted medical license to prescribe narcotics. As the price of this extra license has always seemed to be more ‘cover the cost’, nobody has seriously objected. It’s $25, in case you’re interested.
Since it’s a State license, it’s required if your job could even perceivably need to prescribe narcs in a hospital. (So, Radiologists and Pathologists are usually exempted). It’s never been an issue, as long as you don’t screw up.
Until now.
From the Austin American Statesman: Read more »
*This blog post was originally published at GruntDoc*
August 3rd, 2011 by Michael Kirsch, M.D. in Opinion, Research
Tags: Biopsy, Bowel, Camera, Capsule Endoscopy, Colonoscope, Colonoscopy, Diagnostic Procedure, Gastroenterology, Medical Technology, Miniaturized Camera, Miniaturized Medical Care, Polyp, Therapeutic Task, WCE, Wireless Capsule Endoscopy
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Most of us born several decades ago, recall the futuristic book Fantastic Voyage by Isaac Asimov, where a miniaturized crew traveled through a human body to cure a scientist who has a blot clot lodged in his brain. Ironically, miniaturized medical care is now upon us while books are at risk of becoming obsolete.
I hope that gastroenterologists won’t become obsolete, at least until my last kid graduates from college.
I perform an amazing diagnostic procedure called wireless capsule endoscopy (WCE), when patients swallow a camera. Once swallowed, this miniaturized camera takes its own fantastic voyage through the alimentary canal. The test is used primarily to identify sources of internal bleeding within the 20 feet of small intestine, which are beyond the reach of gastroenterologists’ conventional scopes. I have performed over 200 of these examinations, and I am still awestruck when I watch a ‘movie’ of someone’s guts. While most examinations do not reveal significant findings, I have seen dramatic lesions that were bleeding before my eyes. WCE can crack a cold medical case wide open.
Here’s a typical view of the small bowel as seen by the cruising camera: Read more »
*This blog post was originally published at MD Whistleblower*
August 3rd, 2011 by Happy Hospitalist in Opinion, True Stories
Tags: biliblanket therapy, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Charges, Childbirth, Cost, Expensive, Gender Discrimination, Global Delivery Charge, Hospital, Hospital Admission, Insurance, Insurance Claim, Jaundice Treatment, Medically Necessary, Midwife, Miscarriage Blood Testing Panel, Pregnancy, Pregnancy Tests, Progesterone Therapy, Routine Labs
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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 why this charge had not been approved, they said they could not give me a reason why my explanation of benefits statement had not been finalized after 42 days. I pressed for more information, but to no avail. I was given no reason other than to say that they had a lot of claims to review. That’s not an acceptable reason to delay a payment of a claim. Read more »
*This blog post was originally published at The Happy Hospitalist*
August 3rd, 2011 by KerriSparling in Opinion, True Stories
Tags: Afraid, Big Babies, Children with Diabetes, CWD, Diabetes, Friends for Life, Jeff Hitchcock, Nervous, Pre-pregnancy Planning, Pregnancy, Pregnancy and Diabetes, Steel Magnolias, Type 1
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When Jeff Hitchcock approached me last year and asked if I would feel comfortable leading the Pregnancy and Diabetes session at Friends for Life, I was honored. But also a little confused. What on earth was I going to tell the session attendees? I couldn’t spout off medical information. I am not a licensed medical professional.
“I’m just a person with diabetes who had a baby. And my pregnancy was a bit of a tangled one, too!” I remember emailing to Jeff, wondering if they’d be better off with a doctor at the helm of that discussion.
He replied within minutes, telling me that was exactly why they wanted me to lead the session. And I grinned, but felt nervous.
Before the little bird joined our family, I did a lot of research about pregnancy with diabetes. Hard facts, statistics, and professional recommendations were available by the fistful. The problem was finding anecdotal information about managing pregnancy and diabetes at the same time. Before Chris and I left for Spain that year, knowing we were ready to try for a baby, I felt prepared. But when we came home and found out I was pregnant, I wanted nothing more than to find a room full of other pregnant women who had diabetes, so I could immerse myself in their support and say, “I have NO CLUE what I’m doing!! HELP!!” Read more »
*This blog post was originally published at Six Until Me.*
August 2nd, 2011 by John Di Saia, M.D. in Health Tips, Opinion
Tags: Arm Lift, Brachioplasty, Cosmetic Surgery, Gastric Bypass, Plastic Surgery, Scar, Short Scar Technique, Tightened Skin, Truth, Upper Arm, Weight Loss
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- Brachioplasty Before Surgery
- Brachioplasty surgery has been called the “Arm Lift” and it kinda does “lift” the arm. The areas treated in the upper arm have been called amongst other things “Bat Wings.” Surgery tightens the skin around the upper arm which can hang unattractively in those who have lost a good deal of weight. This varies of course.
Traditional brachioplasty surgery is performed through an incision (and leaves a scar) from the arm pit to the elbow. Care is taken to try to make the scar fall into a less often seen area when the arms are at the sides. The scars from surgery
Read more »
*This blog post was originally published at Truth in Cosmetic Surgery*
