July 31, 2023 12:48 pm Published by admin Harvard researchers who recently wrote an essay analyzed data from Medicare to draw conclusions about hospitalists and surgeons who treat hospital in-patients for non-elective admissions. The researchers grouped the physicians by age to determine which groups performed better. The yardstick by which they were measured was mortality within 30 days of admission. The sample size [...]
May 15, 2023 2:10 pm Published by admin Join Paul Pender, ophthalmologist and author of Standing Up & Speaking Out for Patients & Doctors, as he discusses the need for a change in mindset and a willingness to adopt new concepts in health care. Paul believes that building unique relationships within a cooperative framework is necessary for success, but that alone is not [...]
March 14, 2023 2:59 pm Published by admin On the podcast Rx for Success (episode 144) I discuss my new ebook, Standing Up & Speaking Out for Patients & Doctors, as well as my role as an advisor to Vxtra Health. My interview with Dr. Cook speaks to the values that attracted us to healthcare in the first place, part of what I [...]
January 13, 2023 2:54 pm Published by admin Patients may find themselves caught in the middle between their health insurance company and their oncologist when it comes to selecting the drugs used to treat their cancer. Why is this? The American Cancer Society explains biologic drugs (derived from living organisms such as yeast, bacteria, or animal cells) and biosimilar drugs, which behave similarly [...]
January 4, 2023 3:29 pm Published by admin Our perfectionism is often worn like a badge of honor. It signifies our complete commitment, at times at the expense of others. Wanting to do your best job is what drives “good” perfectionism. Woody Allen quipped, “80 percent of life is just showing up.” And the other 20 percent is reserved for perfectionists. Success often [...]
November 21, 2022 2:41 pm Published by admin An essay posted by Fareeha Kahn, MD (“A hospitalist’s struggle to find teamwork in academic medicine“), raises an important issue. The problem of lack of collaboration is not unique to academic medicine. The problem is the result of misaligned incentives. Having read the work of Harvard Business School professor Michael E. Porter, I better understand [...]
July 6, 2022 2:43 pm Published by admin “My take on the Task Force statement is that clinical judgment should rule as to whether or not screening is indicated for glaucoma. Family history, race, diabetes, and other risk factors should be considered for such screening, especially in the face of potential asymptomatic damage. How often have doctors said, ‘If you had only come [...]
June 24, 2022 3:09 pm Published by admin In a published statement in JAMA Network on May 24/31, 2022, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force found that there was insufficient evidence for screening for primary open-angle glaucoma in adults. They could not find a way to balance harms versus benefits for screening in general. But is this reasoning faulty? It is well known [...]
May 2, 2022 4:14 pm Published by admin As a practicing ophthalmologist, I saw many patients who had developed blurred vision, glare, or trouble reading. These patients needed to understand that cataracts were the cause of their vision problems and how the cataracts developed and how they should be treated. I would begin the explanation by using a large, plastic eye model to [...]
February 16, 2022 2:25 pm Published by admin For senior services, especially the vision impaired, consider caring.com. Those caring for older relatives will appreciate the links provided by this organization. Positive reviews; people who help with difficult situations that require assisted living alternatives. American Academy of Ophthalmology
