Don’t forget HIPAA privacy rules
Dr. Ramona Bates says the fascination with celebrity should make hospitals consider re-emphasizing and retraining employees about HIPAA.
Gawande rebuked?
Dr. Jeffery Parks finds a kindred spirit speaking out against what he calls "one of the most dangerous acts of anti-physician propaganda to come down the pipeline in twenty years."
With the Rise of AI, What IP Disputes in Healthcare Are Likely to Emerge?
Munck Wilson Mandala Partner Greg Howison shared his perspective on some of the legal ramifications around AI, IP, connected devices and the data they generate, in response to emailed questions.
Only in America would a patient request a bone marrow biopsy
Medical blogger Happy Hospitalist writes about patients demanding biopsies, the manipulation of standard of care, and the need for physicians to "take back their profession and establish standards based on sound scientific principles."
Steve Jobs get a new liver
Dr. Jeffrey Parks writes that "Monday morning quarterbacking" the ethics around Steve Jobs' liver transplant "makes us look petty and small."
Never let the story get in the way of a good headline
Many are agog over Abraham Verghese's recent article headlined "The Myth of Prevention." But Merrill Goozner urges people to dig deeper and think deeply about the articles true message: an attack on fee-for-service medicine and a call for more government control.
Interview with Vishal Wanchoo, president of GE Healthcare IT
David Williams talks with Vishal Wanchoo, president of GE Healthcare IT, who provided additional insight into the company's Stimulus Simplicity program to finance implementation of GE's electronic health records solution.
A Deep-dive Into Specialty Pharma
A specialty drug is a class of prescription medications used to treat complex, chronic or rare medical conditions. Although this classification was originally intended to define the treatment of rare, also termed “orphan” diseases, affecting fewer than 200,000 people in the US, more recently, specialty drugs have emerged as the cornerstone of treatment for chronic and complex diseases such as cancer, autoimmune conditions, diabetes, hepatitis C, and HIV/AIDS.
Co-ops as an alternative to the public plan portion of health reform
Merrill Goozner writes that the concept of co-operative insurance plans may be the antidote to a public plan for health care reform. New legislation has been introduced in Congress.
Should doctors say how many?
Dr. Ramona Bates wonders whether physicians should disclose how often they've done certain procedures to their patients -- and even if doctors should be required, in some instance, to disclose on a form how often they've done procedures.
Hispanic patients will suffer if MetroHealth loses control of Cleveland’s McCafferty center
Hugo Urizar says the Cleveland area's Hispanic community fears the loss of MetroHealth Medical Center's presence at the West Side Thomas F. McCafferty Health Center. The City of Cleveland, which owns the center, has asked for new bids to run the facility. "Many people familiar with the quality and quantity of services provided by the McCafferty-MetroHealth Clinic think that a change in management could disrupt services and unnecessarily break up a team of bilingual professionals that have been together for more than 18 years," he says.
Taxing health benefits: Some downsides
David E. Williams, a longtime proponent of taxing health benefits, admits he swayed by a recent report against the practice.
When Investment Rhymes with Canada
Canada has a proud history of achievement in the areas of science and technology, and the field of biomanufacturing and life sciences is no exception.
Malpractice or criminal?
Dr. Jeffery Parks looks at the case of pharmacist Eric Cropp, scheduled to be sentenced for manslaughter for his role in the death of 2-year-old given a toxic mixture of chemotherapy. Parks said a case like Cropp's "sets an ominous precedent for future emotionally charged situations where there are bad outcomes."
The new pragmatism at FDA
Merrill Goozner says the pragmatic centrism that's a part of most Obama administration appointees is also at the core of the new Food and Drug Administration team. Nearly every constituency with a stake in FDA regulation will like the initial statements by Commissioner Margaret Hamburg and Deputy Commissioner Joshua Sharfstein, but "if there is any group that should come away emboldened by this first broadside by the Hamburg and Sharfstein leadership team, it is the career scientists at the FDA."
Why hire a PA or NP when you could hire an RN for half price?
It used to be doctors who gathered patient data. Now it's PAs and NPs and, in some cases, now it's RNs. And the Happy Hospitalist wonders what's next: "Before long, high school students will be gathering the data."
Experts versus the public on health care: Reconciling the gaps
David E. Williams offers his perspective on why the public and medical experts have often dramatic differences on the issues in health care -- from health IT and doctor ratings to quality measures and care. Williams also explains why the public is (sometimes) right.
Clinical decisions vs. business decisions
Some physicians have a reputation for being great at patient care, but poor at managing the "business side" of their practice. The Healthcare Entrepreneur looks at decision-making styles and explains why some physicians have trouble shifting gears and running the business side of things.