December 2010 - The Health Care Blog

Spent

By ROB LAMBERTS, MD “I need you to do me a favor,” my nurse asked me at the end of our day on Friday. “Sure,” I answered, “what do you want?” “Please have a better week next week,” she said... Read More...

Published Thu, Dec 09 2010 6:54 AM by The Health Care Blog

Filed under: Physicians, Patients, Rob Lamberts

More Can Also Be Less: We need a more complete public discussion about comparative effectiveness research

By JESSIE GRUMAN, PhD Media coverage of the government’s new investment in comparative effectiveness research leans heavily toward the effects of such research on new drugs and technologies: Will such evaluations lead to restricted access to the latest...

Published Thu, Dec 09 2010 3:39 PM by The Health Care Blog

Filed under: Comparative Effectiveness Research, Jessie Gruman

Facebook Saves Woman's Life: Newt Gingrich and Reality-Based Healthcare Systems Planning

By DAVID HARLOW I've seen at least half a dozen links to the op-ed coauthored by Newt Gingrich and neurosurgeon Kamal Thapar about how the doctor used information on Facebook to save a woman's life. (It was published by AOL... Read More...

Published Mon, Dec 13 2010 7:42 AM by The Health Care Blog

Filed under: HIT, Patients, Social Media, David Harlow

What's Surprising About the Virginia Ruling

By MARK W. HALL Most everyone expected district Judge Hudson in Richmond VA to strike the individual mandate as unconstitutional, so the outcome of today’s decision is hardly surprising. What was uncertain is: 1) what remedy he would grant; and... Read...

Published Mon, Dec 13 2010 3:51 PM by The Health Care Blog

To Die Well

By ROB LAMBERTS, MD Everyone liked him. Though his later years (the only ones in which I knew him) took away his ability to do most things, and though he was in great pain every day, it was easy to... Read More...

Published Wed, Dec 15 2010 8:25 AM by The Health Care Blog

Filed under: Rob Lamberts, Op-Ed

Selecting an EHR for the Patient Centered Medical Home

By MARGALIT GUR-ARIE The conceptual definition of a Patient Centered Medical Home (PCMH) speaks of a physician directed medical practice, oriented to the whole person, where patients have enhanced access to a personal physician and care is coordinated...

Published Wed, Dec 15 2010 4:00 AM by The Health Care Blog

Filed under: EHR, Patients, Margalit Gur-Arie

Thoughts on the PCAST Report

By MARGALIT GUR-ARIE The President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST) released a report this month ambitiously titled “REALIZING THE FULL POTENTIAL OF HEALTH INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY TO IMPROVE HEALTHCARE FOR AMERICANS: THE PATH FORWARD...

Published Fri, Dec 17 2010 5:35 AM by The Health Care Blog

Filed under: HIT, EHR, ONC, Margalit Gur-Arie

Two Degrees of Freedom

By PAUL LEVY I don't often write about commercial ventures here, but from time to time, one that has a broader public service mission emerges. Here's the latest, recently announced. A company called Two Degrees is marketing a new, nutrition.....

Published Sun, Dec 19 2010 12:09 PM by The Health Care Blog

Job Post: THCB Web Development/Wordpress

We're expanding. We're looking for a talented Wordpress developer to work on the final phase of the launch of the new and improved THCB. Requirements: CSS, advanced theme customization, plug-in installation, graphics skills a plus but not required...

Published Tue, Dec 21 2010 2:30 AM by The Health Care Blog

Year End Pondering

By JOHN STEUERT It’s the end of the year – an opportune time to forecast how 2011 will unfold in health care. We are likely to see some surprises, such as the sharply rising importance of primary care physicians. Here... Read More...

Published Fri, Dec 31 2010 2:51 AM by The Health Care Blog

Blood Test Surprise

BY BRAD WHITE In the spring of 2005, the sinus infection returned. I awoke severely congested with a pounding forehead and pain around my eyes that grew worse when I bent to tie my shoes. The feeling was familiar. Two... Read More...

Published Fri, Dec 03 2010 3:55 AM by The Health Care Blog

The Problem with Free Market Healthcare

By JOE FLOWER The right payment structure keeps patients healthy while saving money. We want healthcare to be abundant, effective, easy, and cheap; for too many of us too much of the time it is scarce, ineffective, and maddeningly difficult.... Read More...

Published Mon, Dec 06 2010 7:32 AM by The Health Care Blog

Filed under: Health Plans, Joe Flower, Health care costs

New Law Lets the Feds Sponsor Prize Competitions

By GLENN LAFFEL The repeal of Don’t Ask Don’t Tell and the ratification of a brand-new START treaty represent milestone achievements for the suddenly prolific lame duck Congress, and the press has covered these developments accordingly. But Congress passed...

Published Thu, Dec 23 2010 6:47 AM by The Health Care Blog

The Difficult Science

By KENT BOTTLES, MD “The mind leans over backward to transform a mad world into a sensible one, and the process is so natural and easy we hardly notice that it is taking place.” Jeremy Campbell On the same day... Read More...

Published Sat, Dec 25 2010 4:32 AM by The Health Care Blog

Heard it Through the Grapevine

By STEVE SANDERS, MD Occasionally a patient will come in for a visit and during discussion will ask that we run a specific blood or diagnostic test. Sometimes it’s just a matter of curiosity (“What’s my blood type?”), other times... Read More...

Published Mon, Dec 27 2010 8:45 AM by The Health Care Blog