Sarah Latson

Sarah Latson covers topics including medical education and research for MedCity News. She is a lecturer in journalism at Fairleigh Dickinson University’s College at Florham in Madison, N.J. Previously, she worked as a medical reporter at The Plain Dealer.

Sarah has a master’s degree in journalism from Columbia University and a bachelor’s degree in history from Colgate University.

Posts by Sarah Latson

Health IT

Medical students hit the airwaves with Radio Rounds broadcast

Drive through Dayton, Ohio, on a Sunday and deep on the FM dial you’ll often hear a show that can include an interview with the deputy director of the Pan American Health Organization, a report on the American Medical Association’s “Lobby Day” event and a discussion with the director of Stanford University’s anesthesiology residency program. […]

Health IT

Turning medical residents away from copy-and-paste culture

For all the benefits of electronic medical records, they have led to what one Cleveland physician calls an "egregious problem": The practice of copying and pasting information in patients' charts. Dr. Sarah Augustine, associate chief of medicine at the Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center, said the practice--seen by busy residents as a time-saver--has the potential to perpetuate mistakes. So she and her colleagues are trying to put an end to it.

Top Story

On the heels of controversial mammography recommendations, new cervical cancer screening guidelines – MedCity Morning Read, Nov. 20, 2009

For the second time in a week, new guidelines call for less-frequent cancer screening for women. Today, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists will announce changes to its screening guidelines for cervical cancer. According to The New York Times, the group will advise women to get their first Pap tests at age 21, and then every two years until age 30. On Monday, the United States Preventive Services Task Force recommended that most women delay the start of routine mammograms until age 50.

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Senate Democrats unveil $848 billion health-care legislation, vote to begin debate expected soon – MedCity Morning Read, Nov. 19, 2009

Senate Democrats on Wednesday presented their version of health-care reform legislation, which carries a price tag of $848 billion over 10 years, The New York Times reported. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, a Nevada Democrat, said the bill – called the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act – would extend coverage to 31 million uninsured Americans, while reducing the federal budget deficit by $130 billion.

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Drug companies seek answers from FDA regarding online advertising – MedCity Morning Read, Nov. 12, 2009

Pharmaceutical companies want to market drugs online, and today, they will push the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for guidelines on how to do so, according to The Wall Street Journal. The Journal reported Wednesday that drug companies have only dabbled in Internet advertising because of "fears of running afoul of regulators." The FDA has not established specific rules for online advertising.