May 4th, 2010 by Davis Liu, M.D. in Better Health Network, Health Policy, Health Tips, Opinion, Research
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As a practicing family doctor, it’s easy for me to figure out how to choose a great doctor. Let me tell you the secrets in finding the best one for you and what I tell my family and friends. Look for the following:
— Board certification
— Report card on quality
— Licensing/public reporting
As a doctor, I know many doctors who have great bedside manner but aren’t particularly reliable in giving the right medical care you deserve, and these traits separate the so-so doctors from the truly excellent ones. Read more »
*This blog post was originally published at Saving Money and Surviving the Healthcare Crisis*
May 3rd, 2010 by Felasfa Wodajo, M.D. in Better Health Network, Health Policy, Opinion, Research, True Stories
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[Here’s a] good article [from] the New York Times written by a doctor [Pauline Chen, M.D.] about intrusive aspects of electronic health records (EHRs) on doctor-patient communication. An excerpt:
“…just because EMR improves information sharing and retrieval, it doesn’t necessarily follow that our communication with patients and colleagues will also be better.”
Read the rest of the article here.
*This blog post was originally published at a few thoughts from a tumor surgeon*
May 3rd, 2010 by KevinMD in Better Health Network, Health Policy, News, Opinion, Research
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Hospital rankings matter. Specifically, those published in U.S. News & World Report carry additional weight. Hospitals use these numbers in advertising campaigns, and patients often choose hospitals based on these rankings.
But does a high place really mean you’re getting better care? Not necessarily. Read more »
*This blog post was originally published at KevinMD.com*
May 3rd, 2010 by Toni Brayer, M.D. in Better Health Network, Health Policy, News, Opinion, Research
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A new article published in the American Journal of Public Health shows that U.S., Canadian, and European insurance firms hold $1.88 billion of investments in fast food companies like Jack in the Box, McDonald’s, Burger King and Wendy’s/Arby’s Groups. Both health insurers and life insurers have substantial holdings in these companies.
A person just needs to read “Fast Food Nation” or watch the documentary “Food, Inc.” to understand the negative impact of processed foods on the health of our country.
The evidence is so compelling that the new health reform legislation is requiring fast food and chain restaurants to disclose calorie counts on their menus. Ironically, the new legislation will also add millions of customers to the health insurers. Read more »
*This blog post was originally published at EverythingHealth*
May 2nd, 2010 by Shadowfax in Better Health Network, Humor, True Stories
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An orthopedic doctor in Japan wanted to see what made the iPad tick, so he threw it under an X-ray machine and posted the images to his blog.
We guess the good doctor (whose name is Dr. Ambition, according to his blog) wasn’t happy with all of the teardown photos and videos of the iPad. Or maybe he just wanted to see what happens when you pump it full of radiation.
Appropriately enough, the iPad’s X-ray was processed with OsiriX DICOM medical imaging software for Mac.
The good news for the iPad is that nothing was broken and, as long as the stool samples come back negative, it seems it can look forward to a long life.
*This blog post was originally published at Movin' Meat*