July 26th, 2011 by Bryan Vartabedian, M.D. in Opinion
Tags: Cultural Shift, Doctor Patient Relationship, Doctors, Healthcare provider, History, Internet, Medical Field, Patients, Technology, Transition
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I can’t help but think that as time passes we’ll forget about how much medicine has changed with the introduction of the Internet. We’re witnessing a transition that hasn’t been seen in generations. We live with the end result but the memory of how we got here is fading quickly. Like any kind of cultural shift, once we’ve arrived it’s hard to remember what it was like along the way.
How did patients think before the information revolution? And how did it go down when patients began to search? How specifically did information clash with the old model of doctor and patient and how did we deal with it? There are stories here that need to be told. I think the real stories are in the small details of what went down between doctors and patients. But as early adopters, most of us spend our time looking forward, not back. Read more »
*This blog post was originally published at 33 Charts*
July 25th, 2011 by Edwin Leap, M.D. in Opinion
Tags: Accountability, Brain Attack, Clots, Emergency Medicine, Neurologist, Neurology, Primary Care, Public Health, Specialists, Stroke, Technology, Tele-medicine, Thrombolytics
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For years now, we’ve all heard the drum-beat. Bill-boards in cities have proclaimed it. Various medical associations have touted it’s importance. Stroke symptoms have to be treated immediately! Give clot-busting drugs, also known as ‘thrombolytics!’
Until, of course, those in favor of giving the drugs (namely neurologists) realized that a) Not everyone with a stroke, aka ‘brain attack’ has insurance and b) people have a very inconsiderate habit of having said strokes at the most inconvenient of hours. For instance, after 5PM, on the weekend, on holidays. The nerve!
So across the country, physicians in emergency departments like mine are finding themselves expected by the court of public opinion to give a potentially dangerous drug (albeit a sometimes useful drug) without any neurologist being available to evaluate the patient. Our emergency department thought we had a tele-medicine link; even that has failed, as nearby physicians in our regional referral center don’t feel keen to take responsibility for our patients. Our own neurologists, of course, have Read more »
*This blog post was originally published at edwinleap.com*
July 25th, 2011 by Berci in Opinion, Video
Tags: Google, Google Buzz, Health 2.0, Medicine, Medicine 2.0, Pharma, Social Marketing, Social Network, Web 2.0
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There have been some articles and blog entries lately focusing on whether Google+ could be used in medicine or pharma. I’ve been trying to use it more actively in the past couple of days and it’s still a question for me to figure out whether I should separate my professional Facebook and Google+ activities. A few comments from fellow bloggers:
Google+: the ultimate tool for social geeks
My first impressions are enthusiastic. Google+ has enormous potential and can become the future of private and social communication. Fresh and slim design, no gaming distractions, no 140 word limit. Yes, it sets itself between facebook and twitter. There is a necessary condition: people willing to adopt this new tool and even migrate from other platforms. If I really have to say, I think its competing more with facebook, since twitter can be easily synced with Google Buzz, which I have ultimately activated today. In few words Google+ has given me an excellent impression of being a professional and versatile platform.
Could Google+ be Pharma’s Answer to Social Media Marketing? Read more »
*This blog post was originally published at ScienceRoll*
July 25th, 2011 by John Di Saia, M.D. in Health Tips, Opinion
Tags: Cosmetic Surgery, Diet, Exercise, Lazy, Plastic Surgery, Pregnancy, Surgery, Tummy Tuck, Weight Gain, Working Out
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Recently at the gym (I workout three to five days a week mostly swimming laps in a pool,) I got into a conversation with a mom about tummy tuck surgery. This happens occasionally when you wear your CosmeticSurgeryTruth.com t shirt to the gym. 
“I would never get a Tummy Tuck. I would just workout more.”
People do not see outside of their own experience very often. This pretty young mom would not benefit much by a Tummy Tuck as she had no “hanging apron” or much lose skin. Many gastric bypass patients or other women not as fortunate after pregnancy to have their bellies “snap back” have changes. And some of them workout several days a week too. Tummy Tuck surgery is not Read more »
*This blog post was originally published at Truth in Cosmetic Surgery*
July 24th, 2011 by Toni Brayer, M.D. in Health Tips, Opinion
Tags: Cost, Diet, Epidemic, Europe, Expensive, Fast Food, Fat, Fish, food, Good Health, Italy, Longevity, Meat, Obesity, Olive Oil, Red Wine, Sugar, United States, Vegetables
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For years I have touted the health benefits of the “Mediterranean Diet” and encouraged patients to eat like the Europeans. Fresh farm vegetables, olive oil, fish and red wine have been linked with longevity and good health. I just read in NPR news that young Italians are forgoing the eating patterns of their elders and are imitating the “U.S. diet”. The result is soaring obesity, just like in the United States.
According the the article, young Italians ages 6-12 are sitting in front of the TV and are eating fast foods and soda. In just three generations, the eating habits and activity of kids has changed from their healthy grandparents. Italian health officials say obesity is reaching epidemic proportions.
Part of the diet changes are a result of Read more »
*This blog post was originally published at EverythingHealth*
