Obama says primary care is a top priority for the administration, but 36% of physicians lose money every time they see a Medicare patient. Now Medicare will cut reimbursement by 30%.
Government-hired mystery shoppers were to spy on doctors to figure out what’s really going wrong.
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Tired of assembly-line medicine? Don’t wait for politician-saviors. Convene with your neighbors.
Americans typically rely on elected officials to uphold the will of the people, but decades of partisan struggle have stalled meaningful health-care reform. Now physicians are leaving exam rooms to take direct action.
In 2004 I had my epiphany: “Why wait for legislation?
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Meet Elaine.
We lost touch for a while, but caught up with each other recently.
Like most girlfriends, we shared adventures of love, travel, and work. I told Elaine that I left assembly-line medicine. Now I host town hall meetings–inspiring citizens nationwide to design ideal clinics and hospitals.
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When’s the last time you felt euphorically hopeful?
When I inspire citizens to design ideal clinics and hospitals I feel exhilarated and, honestly, a bit manic. There’s something extremely energizing about helping people live their dreams. And the excitement is contagious.
Last weekend NPR aired my segment on creating dream hospitals.
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“I’m a gastroenterologist in practice for four years and frustrated, hopelessly unfulfilled with modern health care. I’ve even contemplated leaving practice. I love medicine and treating patients but I’m sick of the headaches of running a business and worrying about what insurance, if any, people may have. Thanks for your advice.”
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Some heroes are not invited to the White House. Their opinions are not sought by Washington think tanks. There is no national holiday to recognize their contributions.
Welcome to IMCHeadline News! Here we celebrate the people who are living the dream and leading the way to ideal medical care for all.
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George Lundberg, MD–the once Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of The American Medical Association–reports on MedPage Today “How to Ration Rationally, the Oregon Way.”
His brief video highlights the pioneering work of Dr. John Kitzhaber’s Oregon Health Plan and Dr. Pamela Wible’s grassroots–new & improved–version of the Oregon Health Plan.
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Over the years I’ve been asked about the proper care and cleaning of the vagina. Women often want to know how to douche and what preparations to use.
But the vagina is like a self-cleaning oven.
Cleaning with water externally during bathing is quite adequate. Use a small amount of mild unscented soap if you must.
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Can you meditate your way out of high blood pressure? Can you yoga your way out of atrial fibrillation? Will falling in love during menopause make you fertile again?
We’ve know for years that Tibetan monks have been able to lower their blood pressure, heart rate, temperature, and metabolism with meditation.
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I suggested a screening colonoscopy back in the fall of 2009. It’s not easy to convince folks to sign up, but Tom relented earlier this year.
Who wants a stranger shoving a tube up one’s butt? And the cost? Whoa . . . Uninsured patients don’t have an extra 2000 bucks.
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Could a complete stranger receive your echocardiogram results in the mail?
Could a homeless guy in Boston end up with your labs in his shopping cart?
Is it possible that your medical records were sold on eBay?
Yes.
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In my effort to provide timely care for patients, I often end up treating them in some very unusual places. I recently shared a visit I held in the DMV waiting room. When I queried my colleagues on the topic, I learned that many had examined patients in a variety of unusual places including:
Here’s my latest addition to the list:
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In a recent NYT article, Abraham Verghese, a professor at Stanford University School of Medicine, relates:
‘This computer record creates what I call an “iPatient” — and this iPatient threatens to become the real focus of our attention, while the real patient in the bed often feels neglected,
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Can we depend upon government-supported health care? As federal and state governments stagger under huge deficits and payments from entitlement programs such as Medicaid and Medicare are being cut back, what’s a hospital to do?
Put patients in charge.
Read full story in Becker’s Hospital Review.
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Early in my career an elderly woman presented to establish care. When I discovered she was suffering from a urinary tract infection, I reviewed all her treatment options from natural remedies to antibiotics. When I stopped talking, she looked straight at me and said, “What’s the matter, Honey? Don’t you know what you are doing?”
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Doctor revived after suicide. Here's what he says.
