May 18th, 2011 by Medgadget in Health Tips, News
1 Comment »
Researchers from the University of Calgary have shown that doctors can make a stroke diagnosis using an iPhone application just as accurately (and faster) than they can on a traditional computer. In a study recently published by Journal of Medical Internet Research, two neuro-radiologists looked at 120 consecutive noncontrast computed tomography (NCCT) scans and 70 computed tomography angiogram (CTA) head scans. One used a diagnostic workstation and the other using Calgary Scientific‘s ResolutionMD Mobile app. The study results showed that using the ResolutionMD app is between 94%-100% accurate in diagnosing acute stroke, compared to a medical workstation.
In addition to accurately diagnosing a stroke, the app was also praised for its ability to handle a large number of images seamlessly and to detect subtle, but potentially critical findings in CT scans. Moreover, the mobile nature of the app gives doctors the ability to analyze and diagnose strokes from practically anywhere. Read more »
*This blog post was originally published at Medgadget*
May 17th, 2011 by Peggy Polaneczky, M.D. in News, Research
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In an article filled with speculation, misinformation and broad sweeping generalizations, the Wall Street Journal does its damned best to make the birth control pill seem to be the worst thing to have happened to modern civilization, implying that by interfering with ovulation, the pill impairs our natural ability to choose a mate, causes women to choose less masculine partners and then stray from them, and makes us pick genetically similar rather than dissimilar mates.
Women on the pill no longer experience a greater desire for traditionally masculine men during ovulation….Researchers speculate that women with less-masculine partners may become less interested in their partner when they come off birth control, contributing to relationship dissatisfaction…That could prompt some women to stray, research suggests. Psychologist Steven Gangestad and his team at the University of New Mexico showed in a 2010 study that women with less-masculine partners reported an increased attraction for other men during their fertile phase.
“Less masculine” men. What the heck does that mean? Less hairy? Less into sports? Less violent? Not into Nascar or big trucks?
How about more likely to engage in conversation? More likely to care about their partner’s satisfaction in bed than their own? More likely to accept a woman having a career? Read more »
*This blog post was originally published at The Blog That Ate Manhattan*
May 17th, 2011 by Bryan Vartabedian, M.D. in Health Tips, Opinion
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I’ve been to several major medical meetings recently and Twitter is beginning to see traction. Slowly but surely Twitter hashtag use among doctors at meetings is growing. The vendors are there, too. I attended AGA/Digestive Disease Week this week and I have been unimpressed with the attempts of vendors to participate in the back channel. Those trying seem inept at real dialog.
Remember that a meeting’s Twitter feed is a communication channel, not an opportunity for spam. Go ahead and remind us about your booth but only after contributing in a way that serves everyone in a non-promotional way (one pitch tweet for 10-20 informational tweets).
What works is sharing, not selling. Take interest in the attendees. Watch the feed. Listen. Re-tweet the interesting stuff. Share some breaking medical information. Reach out to attendees in a genuine, respectful way. And fear is no excuse – because the most memorable dialog will not involve your drug or medical device.
Start there and Twitter will work for not only for you but everyone.
*This blog post was originally published at 33 Charts*
May 17th, 2011 by Stanley Feld, M.D. in Health Policy, Opinion
1 Comment »
“The media is the message.” It does not matter if the policy has failed previously. All that is important is the effectiveness of the policy’s presentation and its ability to manipulate the polls.
The government’s purpose is to work for the people who elected it. It does not seem to be working that way at present. Bureaucrats create rules or regulations as they interpret the laws made by congress and the president. Regulations are controlled by the administration’s ideology. Many times the regulations in one area nullify the intended effect in another area.
Regulations and bureaucracy inhibit the use of common sense in policy making for the benefit of the people.
The people did not have an outlet to express their opinions or frustrations until blogging came into its own seven years ago.
Americans do not like President Obama’s healthcare reform act. They also do not like Dr. Don Berwick’s apparent disrespect for their intelligence and his infatuation with the British healthcare system.
“I am romantic about the NHS (British National Health Service); I love it. All I need to do to rediscover the romance is to look at health care in my own country.” Read more »
*This blog post was originally published at Repairing the Healthcare System*
May 17th, 2011 by John Di Saia, M.D. in Opinion
2 Comments »
In a nation with 93 million obese people, a few ob-gyn doctors in South Florida now refuse to see otherwise healthy women solely because they are overweight. Fifteen obstetrics-gynecology practices out of 105 polled by the Sun Sentinel said they have set weight cut-offs for new patients starting at 200 pounds or based on measures of obesity — and turn down women who are heavier. Some of the doctors said the main reason was their exam tables or other equipment can’t handle people over a certain weight. But at least six said they were trying to avoid obese patients because they have a higher risk of complications.
Source: visiontoamerica.org/719/report-doctors-refusing-to-treat-overweight-patients/
While I have not specifically “refused to treat” obese patients, I have in a few cases recommended against surgery or recommended weight loss and re-evaluation later. Than again I am not in primary care and do understand what these OB/GYNs are saying. Obese patients do represent more risk when it comes to surgery and that would of course cover pregnancy and child bearing.
Take into account that Read more »
*This blog post was originally published at Truth in Cosmetic Surgery*
