The AMA sells information about what your doctor is prescribing says an op-ed in the San Francisco Chronicle.
doctors
Heartburn Drugs Prilosec and Nexium May Cause Heart Attacks
By 8.11.07
The FDA has launched a safety review of the heartburn drugs Prilosec and Nexium after two studies linked the medicines to an increased risk of: “heart attacks, heart failure, and heart-related sudden death.” The FDA warned that the studies are only preliminary, and that doctors and patients should keep using the drugs. From the LA Times:
Hospital Found Negligent For Hiring Worst Doctor Ever
By 8.2.07
According to the Charleston Gazette, Putnam General Hospital in West Virginia was guilty of “wantonness, recklessness and gross negligence” in not properly checking the background of John A. King, a surgeon who is now facing more malpractice lawsuits than any other doctor in the state’s history.
American Medical Association Goes After Walmart-Style Retail Clinics
By 6.27.07
The American Medical Association is going after in-store clinics being opened by retail giants such as Walmart and Walgreens, according to the Chicago Tribune. The AMA is concerned about potential conflicts of interest between the nurse-practitioners who prescribe the drugs and the pharmacists who fill them.
“Our primary focus is patient safety and patient care, and the retail clinics have a different mission of selling products and prescriptions,” said Dr. Rodney Osborn, a Peoria anesthesiologist who is president of the Illinois State Medical Society, an AMA delegation among the most outspoken on scrutiny of retail clinics. “We want these clinics to be accountable.”
The AMA says it will advocate for increased regulation of the retail clinics. The clinics usually operate 7 days a week and do not require an appointment. There is usually no doctor on site. Patients are charged about $60, even without health insurance. Some clinics waive a patient’s copay, in a move that doctor’s say encourages consumers to avoid seeing a physician.
How To Choose A Doctor
By 6.19.07
Finding the perfect doctor doesn’t need to be a daunting task, according to five doctors interviewed by New York Magazine. Like kids to an ice cream truck, the best doctors flow to the best hospitals. When in doubt, look for your local teaching hospital. If you have a particular malady that calls for a specialist, check the hospital department’s website for a list of potential doctors and start checking credentials. Referrals from friends and colleagues can also help, especially when it’s time to make an appointment.
It’s all about who referred you. If you don’t have someone who referred you to them, then you’re sort of in the general pool with everybody else. The second most important factor is what insurance you have. Doctors will pick.
How did you find your doctor? Tell us in the comments. — CAREY GREENBERG-BERGER
Is Your Doctor's Bad Handwriting Dangerous?
By 5.18.07
If you’re like us, you’ve always assumed that pharmacists had a magical power that allowed them to decipher whatever was written on your prescription. But what if they don’t? Can your doctor’s bad handwriting lead to costly medical mistakes? Sure, according to the USDA there are 7,000 deaths a year caused by drug errors, and a quarter of those are likely caused by drug name mix-ups.
Surgery With A Warranty?
By 5.17.07
What if your surgery came with a warranty? One group of hospitals in central Pennsylvania is trying it, according to the NYT:
The group, Geisinger Health System, has overhauled its approach to surgery. And taking a cue from the makers of television sets, washing machines and consumer products, Geisinger essentially guarantees its workmanship, charging a flat fee that includes 90 days of follow-up treatment.
Doctors Who Have "Close Relationships" With Drug Makers Prescribe Newer, Pricier Drugs
By 3.21.07
“When honest human beings have a vested stake in seeing the world in a particular way, they’re incapable of objectivity and independence,” said Max H. Bazerman, a professor at Harvard Business School. “A doctor who represents a pharmaceutical company will tend to see the data in a slightly more positive light and as a result will overprescribe that company’s drugs.”
In Minnesota, a state in which drug company payouts are disclosed to the public, “More than 250 … psychiatrists together earned $6.7 million in drug company money — more than any other specialty. Seven of the last eight presidents of the Minnesota Psychiatric Society have served as consultants to drug makers, according to the Times examination.”
Your Doctor Might Want To Save You Some Money
By 2.9.07
As a physician, I want to offer my perspective on the “sticker shock” problem in the pharmacy. I am very conscious of the fact that my patients may not be able to afford medications I prescribe.
Baby Born on Plane Headed for Chicago
By 12.11.06
A 42-year-old woman gave birth to a healthy girl late Wednesday aboard a plane destined for O’Hare International Airport from Mexico, officials said Thursday.
Find A Surgeon Online
By 12.8.06
Just saw this on the news (thank you, Katie Couric): HealthGrades is a website giving consumers unprecedented access to health procedure cost and hospital information.
Your Doctor is Googling
By 11.10.06
“Two Australian doctors have found that entering the symptoms of a tricky case into the internet search engine often results in accurately diagnosing the illness.
United Healthcare Doesn’t Feel Like Paying For Your Drugs
By 10.29.06
“Your drugs are too expensive.”
Avoid Medical Bill Sickness
By 10.20.06
Staying in a hospital can feel like the song in Les Miserables where they charge you if the window sash is down, and charge you if it’s up. Luckily, FiveCentNickle’s got a good writeup on avoiding getting nicked and dimed on your medical expenses.
What’s A Girl Got To Do To Get An HMO To Help Her?
By 9.28.06
What lengths do you have to go to to get good coverage from an HMO? Being sick obviously won’t do it. So what about starving yourself? Well, not if your HMO is Blue Cross Blue Shield.
No More Drug Company Pens For Stanford Doctors
By 9.14.06
In order to combat the perception of undue corporate influence upon doctors, Stanford University is banning its hospitals from receiving all gifts from drug company reps. Effective October 1st, everything from pens to coffee cups to catered lunches are verboten.
