September 25th, 2010 by KerriSparling in Better Health Network, Health Tips, Humor, Opinion, Research, True Stories
Tags: Diabetes Criminals, Diabetes Management, Diabetes Police, Doctor Patient Relationship, Dr. Bill Polansky, Dr. Steve Edelman, Endocrinology, Improving Diabetes Health, Individual Diabetes Needs, Kerri Morrone Sparling, Living With Diabetes, People With Diabetes, PWD, Six Until Me, Taking Control Of Your Diabetes, TCOYD
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At TCOYD [Taking Control Of Your Diabetes], one of the sessions I attended was about Diabetes Police (Healthcare Providers) and Diabetes Criminals (People With Diabetes). And I was a little taken aback by the title of the session, but we used it to our advantage when we walked into the session a few minutes after it had already started.
“Okay, we see a few late stragglers in here. It’s not like they had to be on time or anything,” Dr. Edelman quipped from the front of the room, giving us a smirk.
“I’m sorry we’re late. But what do you expect? We’re the criminals, man!” I shot back at him. And the crew of us “criminals” took up the last few rows, our smartphones at the ready to Tweet out the best of the session. (We were the total nerd row.
The charismatic team of Dr. Bill Polansky and Dr. Steve Edelman were running this session, and it was packed with both PWDs [people with diabetes], caregivers, and medical professionals. Bill and Steve took to the white board, asking first for complaints that PWDs have about healthcare providers. Read more »
*This blog post was originally published at Six Until Me.*
September 23rd, 2010 by Bryan Vartabedian, M.D. in Better Health Network, Health Policy, Medblogger Shout Outs, Opinion, Quackery Exposed, True Stories
Tags: 33 Charts, Doctors and Social Media, Doctors and Social Media Anonymity, Doctors Who Blog, Doctors' Credibility, Dr. Bryan Vartabedian, Healthcare Blogs, Healthcare Social Media Camp, Medbloggers, Medical Blogging, Medical Blogosphere, Medical Blogs, Physician Bloggers, Social Media Behavior, Social Media in Healthcare, Social Media In Medicine, Socially Anonymous Doctors, Unease About Social Media
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I don’t think doctors should be socially anonymous. We need to be seen. Here’s why going underground isn’t good policy for physicians:
Anonymity makes you say stupid things. When you’re shouting from the crowd it’s easy to talk smack. Come up to the podium, clear your throat, and say something intelligent. You’re a physician, not a hooligan.
It’s 2010: Anonymity died a long time ago. You think anonymity offers shelter? You’re funny, you are. Anonymity is a myth. You can create a cockamamie pseudonym, but you can’t hide. And if I don’t find you, the plaintiff attorneys will. They found Flea.
Being a weanie is no excuse. Just as you’re unlikely to consult a lawyer before speaking at a cocktail party, commenting as Dr. You is unlikely to kill you or land you in court. Just a few pointers: Don’t talk about patients, help people out, and be nice. Trust me, I’m a doctor. Read more »
*This blog post was originally published at 33 Charts*
September 22nd, 2010 by Jeffrey Benabio, M.D. in Better Health Network, Health Tips, True Stories
Tags: Aerobic Exercise, Athlete's Health, Cleanse Out the Toxins, Dermatology, Dr. Jeff Benabio, perspiration, Physical Activity, Sports Medicine, Sweat, toxins, Urea, Working Out
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Can you sweat out toxins?
The guy next to me on the bike yesterday morning was working like Lance Armstrong in training: He had laid towels on the floor to absorb the impressive perspiration he was generating.
He shouted over to me: “I’m hitting it hard to cleanse out the toxins from last night. Too much Captain Morgan and buffalo wings, ya know?”
“Really,” I said.
“Actually, I’m a dermatologist, and sweat does not contain any toxins,” I said to myself so that he could not hear. (Gym decorum dictates men do not correct men in the middle of a workout — especially if prefaced by “Actually, I’m a dermatologist.”) I left him to his aerobics and wrote this post in my head while I finished mine. Read more »
*This blog post was originally published at The Dermatology Blog*
September 22nd, 2010 by DrRob in Better Health Network, Health Policy, News, Opinion, Research, True Stories
Tags: ADHD, Dr. Rob Lamberts, DSM, Family Medicine, General Medicine, Internal Medicine, John Gever, Life Happens, Life Without Pain, Living Life, Medicine Won't Fix Life, Mental Health, Musings of a Distractible Mind, Off-Label Drug Use, Overmedicating, Pain In Life, Patient Requests For Medications, Philosophy On Life, Primary Care, Psychiatric Drugs, Psychiatry and Psychology, Quality of Life, Real Life, Regular Medications, Sick People, Treating Colds
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The man who twirled with rose in teeth
Has his tongue tied up in thorns
His once expanded sense of time and
Space all shot and torn
See him wander hat in hand –
“Look at me, I’m so forlorn –
Ask anyone who can recall
It’s horrible to be born!
– Bruce Cockburn, from song “Shipwrecked at the Stable Door”
I found the discussion around my recent post about treating colds very interesting. Sick people come to the office to find out how sick they are. Most people don’t want to be sick, and when they are sick they want doctors to make them better.
Most people.
Some people want to be sick, and some doctors want to make people sick. I am not talking about hypochondriacs — people who worry that they may have disease and become fixated on being sick. I am not talking about malingerers — people who pretend to be sick so they can get medications. I am talking about the slippery slope of defining disease. Read more »
*This blog post was originally published at Musings of a Distractible Mind*
September 22nd, 2010 by AlanDappenMD in Better Health Network, Health Policy, Opinion, Primary Care Wednesdays, True Stories
Tags: Doctokr Family Medicine, Dr. Alan Dappen, Electronic Medical Record, MDHQ EHR, Primary Care, Telemedicine
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My desire for integrating the power of technology with primary care started nearly two decades ago. It was then, when working as a family physician in a busy medical practice, that I began experimenting with typing my notes and using computers in front of my patients.
In 2001, I launched a new medical practice DocTalker, focusing on access of medical care to patients, and almost immediately I started searching in earnest for an EMR solution to fit my needs. However, I was not happy with the systems I looked into and tested and felt that they didn’t do what I needed them to.
Some of my discontent came from the way my medical practice consults with patients, which is primarily via telephones and emails and house calls (in addition to the common office visit). Because of our ability to offer telemedicine, we often treat patients when they’re not in town, but rather traveling for business or taking a vacation. We therefore must interface with hundreds of different local labs, radiology groups, pharmacies, and specialists. Read more »
