Frequently Asked Questions About Ebola
Recently, the World Health Organization issued FAQ on Ebola which addressed the following questions:
- What is Ebola virus disease?
- How do people become infected with the virus?
- Who is most at risk? (more…)
Only 1 In 6 of The 38 Million Problem Drinkers Have Come Clean To A Health Professional
We all know family members, friends and colleagues who deny their alcoholism. The New York Times article reports that they don’t tell their doctors either therefore doctors need to focus more on diagnosing alcoholism.
“Every family has a tortured soul in a closet whose door doesn’t quite close. The demons inside are all too visible to friends and family, neighbors and doormen, even the staff of the emergency room. To the outside world, though, not a hint of a problem displays, and that includes colleagues, clients and always, especially, the doctor.”
“It May Be Tough Determining Which Provider Is In What Plan.”
Hundreds of new health insurance plans have been created to comply with the Health Care Reform (Obama Care) requirements. Price is, of course, a major consideration but you probably want to make sure you can continue to see your current doctor and use your local hospital.
An article in the Albany Times Union explored the problem.
“Since Most Headaches Are Benign, Guidelines Recommend Against Routine MRIs Or CT Scans. Yet Doctors Frequently Order These Expensive Scans Anyway…”
Are physicians practicing defensive medicine or are we demanding unnecessary test?
The CBS News report noted “Among the reasons these tests are not recommended is that they can often find some abnormality, which although benign, could lead to further unnecessary tests and treatment…” “In 1 to 3 percent of people you will find something on the MRI, whether it be a tumor or blood vessel malformation. You don’t want to find something you weren’t looking for. It can be anxiety provoking…”
“We’ve Almost Halved The Mortality Rate From Colon Cancer In The Last 35 Years.”
So why are you delaying your colonoscopy again? Colonoscopy! Ugh! But…
The Wall Street Journal article reported “The incidence of colon cancer, declining since the mid-1980s, plunged a further 30% last decade among Americans 50 and older as more people had colonoscopies…”
Courteous Bedside Manners Are Associated With Improved Patient Recovery And Satisfaction
An article in Becker’s Hospital Review reported that hospital interns generally failed to use “five key communications strategies, including introducing themselves, explaining their role in the patient’s care, touching the patient, asking open-ended questions such as ‘How are you feeling today?’ and sitting down with the patient. The five actions are components of what is termed ‘etiquette-based medicine,’ as described in a 2008 New England Journal of Medicine article by Michael W. Kahn, MD.”
“With internal medicine in particular, especially these days, it’s about chronic medical problems and chronic care, where much of what we need to do is motivate the patient to provide self-care and self-management to improve their health over the long term … You can’t do that if you’re not connecting with the patient very well.”