Fantastic Voyage?...Google's The Body Browser

Google "Body Browser" to access.  I haven't looked at it yet but it might be a good patient education tool.

Rethinking the placebo effect

From the Plos One article "Placebos without Deception: A Randomized Controlled Trial in Irritable Bowel Syndrome":

Placebos administered without deception may be an effective treatment for IBS. Further research is warranted in IBS, and perhaps other conditions, to elucidate whether physicians can benefit patients using placebos consistent with informed consent.

Click here to access this interesting article.

NPs as independent PCPs...has the future just arrived?

From the FierceHealthcare article:

CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield (CareFirst) today announced that, effective immediately, it will permit nurse practitioners (NPs) to participate in its health care provider networks as independent primary care providers. Previously, CareFirst permitted NPs to participate in its networks, but they were only permitted to practice independently of physicians in certain medically underserved areas with limited access to primary care physicians.

Click here to access the article.

NAAMECC transforms into NAMEC

The North American Association of Medical Education and Communication Companies (NAAMECC) recently changed its name to the National Association of Medical Education Companies (NAMEC).  Click here to access their website.

Academic Medicine Supplement - Free!

September 2010 - Volume 85 - Supplement, A Snapshot of Medical Student Education in the United States and Canada: Reports from 128 Schools

Board certification and quality of care

From the ABMS news release:

A new study on the quality of physician care provides evidence of the benefit of specialty board certification and suggests the necessity of continuous professional development programs, such as the American Board of Medical Specialties Maintenance of Certification® (ABMS MOC®) program.
...
The study also found two other important quality distinctions relevant to the general population of physicians in the United States:

•Specialty board certification was associated with lower mortality and shorter stays.
•Physician performance declined over time, with mortality rates and length of stays increasing with the number of years since graduation from medical school. The study was authored by John Norcini, CEO of Foundation for Advancement of International Medical Education and Research, a Philadelphia-based not-for-profit.

Click here to access the ABMS news release. Click here to access the Health Affairs article published on the aforementioned study (subscription required).

Break out the popcorn...coming to a theater near y'all...soon

Hat tip to Pharmalot.

"Change Board Recertification"

Have y'all heard of this group?  If not, click here to check it out.  Interesting...

AMA publishes info on malpractice claims for 2007-2008

 Can you guess which specialty is sued most often?  Click here to access AMA's press release on this report.

Nurse fired because of Facebook posting

Big changes in store for Britain's health care system

From the New York Times article:

Perhaps the only consistent thing about Britain's socialized health care system is that it is in a perpetual state of flux, its structure constantly changing as governments search for the elusive formula that will deliver the best care for the cheapest price while costs and demand escalate.

Even as the new coalition government said it would make enormous cuts in the public sector, it initially promised to leave health care alone. But in one of its most surprising moves so far, it has done the opposite, proposing what would be the most radical reorganization of the National HealthService, as the system is called, since its inception in 1948. 

Click here to access the NYT article.

Berwick to head CMS

From the Baltimore Sun article:

President Barack Obama bypassed the Senate Wednesday and appointed Dr. Donald Berwick, a Harvard professor and patient care specialist, to run Medicare and Medicaid.
...
Medicare has been without an administrator since 2006, and the White House says the need to fill the post is critical because of its role in implementing the new health care law. Medicare is to be a key testing ground for numerous aspects of the new law, from developing new medical techniques to trying out new payment systems, and the White House says a permanent leader is key with deadlines approaching.

Click here to access the Sun article. 

From the Washington Post article:

Berwick has praised Britain's National Health Service, and he told an interviewer last year: "The decision is not whether or not we will ration care -- the decision is whether we will ration with our eyes open. And right now, we are doing it blindly." He has also said that "any health-care funding plan that is just, equitable, civilized and humane must -- must -- redistribute wealth from the richer among us to the poorest and less fortunate.''

Click here to access the WP article.

Healthcare.gov now live

Click here to check it out.

Will these nurses face...consequences?

From the North County Times article:

Tri-City Medical Center's chief executive said Monday that he intends to fire five employees, and discipline a sixth, who allegedly discussed patient information on an Internet site.

In a statement released by the hospital, CEO Larry Anderson said Tri-City will pursue termination hearings for the five employees who "used social media to post their personal discussions concerning hospital patients."

Tri-City has not specified what kind of patient information was posted online, but Anderson said no patient names, photographs or similar identifying information appear to have been used.

Click here to access the NCT article.  In this age of social media, this is one to follow!

Bad Ad?

The FDA just launched the Truthful Prescription Drug Advertising and Promotion (Bad Ad Program).  From the Reuters online article:

U.S. health officials are encouraging physicians to report misleading promotions from pharmaceutical salespeople who pitch medicines in doctors' offices or over dinner.
The effort announced on Tuesday aims to increase regulators' reach into the largest area of prescription drug promotion -- the private contacts between drug company salespeople and prescribers.
...
Starting this month, FDA staff will set up booths at major medical conferences to tell doctors how to spot questionable pitches. The agency also is sending a letter to about 33,000 healthcare providers about the campaign, dubbed the Bad Ad Program.

Apparently the idea for this campaign came from two former drug pitchmen.  Click here to access the Reuters article.  Click here to access the FDA news release.

Texas Tech announces incentives to future family practice physicians

From the Associated Press article:

Texas Tech University's medical school will soon become the first in the U.S. to offer aspiring family doctors a three-year degree at half the cost of a traditional four-year path, university officials said.

The program, which begins this fall, is aimed at addressing a national shortage of family physicians. One study estimates the country will need about 39,000 more family doctors by 2020.

Click here to access the AP article.

Closing the gap

From the Associated Press article:

Stylish hospital gowns that snap down the side were unveiled in Britain on Tuesday, intended to replace those shapeless cloth sacks with useless ties that flash open at the worst possible moments.

I love it! Click here to access the AP article and see some photos.

Stanford extends policy to adjunct faculty

From the New York Times article:

The Stanford University School of Medicine plans on Monday to introduce rules that would prohibit its volunteer teaching staff — called adjunct faculty — from giving paid speeches drafted by the makers of drugs or medical devices.

Stanford already has one of the most comprehensive policies in the country governing the interactions between academic faculty and the medical industry. The policy, enacted in 2006, is intended to limit potential industry influence on day-to-day clinical practice and medical education, according to a Stanford press release.

The policy prohibits faculty members from participating in industry speakers’ bureaus in which drug and medical device makers pay a physician to give company-prepared speeches to doctors about company medical products. It also prohibits Stanford faculty members from accepting free gifts, including drug samples for patients.

And as of Monday, the 660 community physicians who volunteer their time to teach at Stanford will also have to abide by the same policy — or give up their Stanford titles.

Click here to access the NYT article. Hap tip to Pharmalot.

Chocolate and health

From the MedPage Today news item:

Just in time for Valentine's Day, researchers have reported that chocolate may keep sweethearts safe from stroke.

To reach that conclusion, Sarah Sahib, BScCA, of McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario, and colleagues reviewed three studies, two of which showed that chocolate significantly reduced stroke risk, likely because of its flavonoid content.

Click here to read more on this good news!

"Searching and Learning" CME

The University of Utah School of Medicine CME folks had an interesting poster at the recent Alliance conference in New Orleans...they've set up an online system for their physicians whereby the physicians can search the Internet and get CME credit for doing so. And, apparently, they are willing to share their low-cost online program with others! Click here to access more information on this jewel of a find! Also be certain to check out the slides from their presentations at the Alliance conference.