Skin & Allergy News articles from December 2005

Skin & Allergy News archives from December 2005

Lending a helping hand after Katrina.(Practice Trends)
December 1, 2005... Col. Scott A. Norton, M.D., has served on humanitarian medical assistance missions in Haiti, the Philippines, and numerous other countries. So when the dermatologist received an order to deploy to New Orleans for 90 days or until the "mission...

iPLEDGE delayed; compliance dates are pushed back: enrollment in isotretinoin registry sluggish.(Dermatologic Surgery)
December 1, 2005... The implementation of the iPLEDGE program for isotretinoin prescribing has been delayed by 1 month for pharmacies and by 2 months for physicians and patients, the Food and Drug Administration announced in early November. Pharmacies must...

Registries, guidelines pay fill biologics' data gap.(Dermatologic Therapy)
December 1, 2005... LONDON -- Dermatologists can build on the accumulated experience of rheumatologists, establishing their own registries and guidelines, to provide much-needed data on long-term safety and efficacy of the biologic therapies in psoriasis, Nick J....

Thalidomide may soothe NFD.(News)
December 1, 2005... BOSTON -- Thalidomide appears promising for the treatment of nephrogenic fibrosing dermopathy, according to the results of a small, open-label trial. If larger trials show thalidomide to be more effective than placebo or other therapies,...

Many patients 'strongly favor' physicians' use of new medical technologies.(VITAL SIGNS)(Brief article)
December 1, 2005... MANY PATIENTS 'STRONGLY FAVOR' PHYSICIANS' USE OF NEW MEDICAL TECHNOLOGIES Home monitoring 51% E-mail with patient 49% Imaging by e-mail 44% Electronic records 42% Personal...

Studies shed new light on melanoma sun risk.(News)
December 1, 2005... VANCOUVER, B.C. -- Genetic studies suggest that certain people are susceptible to melanomas caused by early, minimal sun exposure, according to speakers at the Sixth World Congress on Melanoma. The problem with explaining melanoma risk...

Metaanalysis of melanoma margins is inconclusive.(News)
December 1, 2005... VANCOUVER, B.C. -- Experts at the Sixth World Congress on Melanoma debated whether the evidence from clinical trials suggests wider surgical margins for the disease. The question was discussed in the wake of results from the most recently...

Alefacept labeling altered for HIV positive.(News)
December 1, 2005... The use of alefacept (Amevive) is contraindicated in patients who are HIV positive, according to a "Dear Doctor" letter issued by its manufacturer. Alefacept is used in the treatment of moderate to severe chronic plaque psoriasis. The...

President unveils pandemic flu response plan.(News)
December 1, 2005... The long-awaited national pandemic influenza plan unveiled this month could also help solve chronic problems in production of seasonal flu vaccine. "We don't need to have a disaster to get a benefit from this influenza planning," said...

Pilot study uses market concepts to predict influenza activity.(News)
December 1, 2005... SAN FRANCISCO -- The same principles that keep commodities traders in business were used for the first time to predict disease, accurately forecasting influenza activity up to 6 weeks in advance, Philip M. Polgreen, M.D., said. Instead of...

Physicians make final appeal to fix fee schedule.(News)
December 1, 2005... Doctors will see a 4.4% cut in their Medicare fees under rules announcing next year's fee schedule, unless legislation pending in Congress supersedes those rules. Mark D. McClellan, M.D., administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid...

Roots.(Under My Skin)
December 1, 2005... "They removed a mole when I was 17," Claire said, pointing to her knee. The scar had faded to white in the 50 years since. Claire had come for a body check. Her special concerns were the seborrheic keratoses on her torso. "Do you think,"...

Should pharmaceutical companies be allowed to pay for residents to attend educational meetings?(Pro & Con)
December 1, 2005... YES While I don't support pharmaceutical company-sponsored vacations for our residents, I do think it's appropriate to use unrestricted educational grants from these companies to pay for residents to attend important education events, such...

Renew passion for melanoma detection.(Guest Editorial)
December 1, 2005... After a fall lasting for decades, the incidence of melanoma is on the rise. In 2005, dermatologists will have diagnosed 46,170 cases of in situ melanoma. Another 59,580 people will have learned they have invasive melanoma, and 7,770 of...

Correction to dermatitis article.(Letters)(Correction notice)(Letter to the editor)
December 1, 2005... The chart "pH of Selected Cleansers," which accompanied a recent article on dermatitis, contained erroneous information about Johnson's Baby Wash ("Tackle Atopic Dermatitis With Multifaceted Approach," October 2005, p. 34). All Johnson &...

Generics aren't always cheaper.(Letters)(Letter to the editor)
December 1, 2005... In the drug update on statins, you listed the cost of generic lovastatin as $6.40 per day, which is significantly higher than every brand name statin included in the list ("Statins for Very-High-Risk Patients," Drug Update, August 2005, p. 38)....

Coping with the death of young patients.(Guest Editorial)
December 1, 2005... The death of a patient is the ultimate "bad outcome" in health care, yet few physicians or nurses are prepared to deal emotionally with such experiences. Especially early in training and in hospital settings, where patient deaths are...

Mobilizing for a disaster.(Guest Editorial)
December 1, 2005... North Carolina had much to offer flood-ravaged states in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. What we weren't prepared for were the hurdles we had to face to successfully deploy our medical resources in an area of need. Our statewide trauma...

Match vein Tx to patient's preference, tolerance. (Dermatologic Surgery.
December 1, 2005... BALTIMORE -- Patients seeking leg vein treatment have the best outcome when clinicians selectively choose to treat varicosities and telangiectasias with sclerosants or lasers, Margaret A. Weiss, M.D., said at a meeting sponsored by the Skin...

Phase III: reloxin shows rapid onset, lasting effect.(Dermatologic Surgery)
December 1, 2005... ATLANTA -- Recently completed phase III data on Reloxin, a botulinum toxin type A formulation known as Dysport in Europe, may hasten the product's availability in the United States, Gary Monheit, M.D., said at the annual meeting of the American...

Plasma energy harnessed for damaged, aging skin.(Dermatologic Surgery)
December 1, 2005... PARIS -- One of the newest trends in nonablative skin rejuvenation is the use of plasma energy to rid patients of sun damage, fine lines, and wrinkles. The advantage of plasma energy technology is in the conduction of uniform and efficient...

Radiation efficacy requires adequate tumor margins.(Dermatologic Surgery)
December 1, 2005... DENVER -- A margin of 10 mm beyond the gross tumor border of a nonmelanoma skin cancer is required to achieve a 95% probability of obtaining clear resection margins, C. Richard Choo, M.D., said at the annual meeting of the American Society for...

Aggressive scalp tumors may require bone resection.(Dermatologic Surgery)
December 1, 2005... ORLANDO -- Bone or perineural involvement portends a poorer prognosis when it comes to aggressive and extensive tumors of the scalp, according to a study presented at the annual meeting of the Florida Society of Dermatologic Surgeons. In...

For quick results, think nonablative resurfacing: new devices help with streamlining in-office resurfacing procedures; sideline use of C[O.sub.2] lasers.(Dermatologic Surgery)
December 1, 2005... LOS ANGELES -- Non-or minimally ablative facial resurfacing offers patients the results they desire without extended downtime, said several presenters at the annual fall meeting of the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive...

New navel remodeling technique effectively contours 'outies'.(Dermatologic Surgery)
December 1, 2005... ATLANTA -- A novel surgical technique for aesthetic remodeling of the navel is proving safe and effective, Betssy C. Hazoury, M.D., reported at the joint annual meeting of the American Society for Dermatologic Surgery and the American College...

Lasers, ultrasound expand in diverse directions.(Dermatologic Surgery)
December 1, 2005... PARIS -- The latest developments in cosmetic dermatology showcase a range of new light sources, focused ultrasound, and home devices. Here's a quick look at a few of the devices that were reviewed by experts in sessions at the Fourth...

Needle roller may rival dermabrasion.(Dermatologic Surgery)
December 1, 2005... LOS ANGELES -- A miniature roller equipped with dozens of microfine 30-gauge needles that repeatedly puncture the facial epidermis may be a good alternative to laser resurfacing or dermabrasion for some patients. The Medical Roll-CIT...

Tisseal can facilitate concomitant brow lifts.(Dermatologic Surgery)(Brief article)
December 1, 2005... ATLANTA -- Dermatologic surgeons who shy away from brow lifts are losing about 80% of their blepharoplasty patients, as most blepharoplasty candidates also need a concomitant brow lift. But a fibrin glue technique could change all that, Steven...

Imiquimod tied to immune activation for AKs.(Dermatologic Therapy)
December 1, 2005... LAS VEGAS -- New data based on the use of confocal microscopy confirm that treating actinic keratoses with imiquimod stimulates immune activation, Roger I. Ceilley. M.D., said at the Fall Clinical Dermatology Conference. Dr. Ceilley said...

Deoxycholate looks promising for treating lipomas; may spare excision.(Dermatologic Therapy)
December 1, 2005... ATLANTA -- Sodium deoxycholate is a safe and effective treatment for reducing lipomas, a small study suggests. Of 12 tumors treated with intralesional sodium deoxycholate injections, all decreased in size by a mean of 75%, and several...

Imiquimod responses variable in lentigo maligna.(Dermatologic Therapy)(Brief article)
December 1, 2005... VANCOUVER, B.C. -- Imiquimod cream may not be a safe treatment for lentigo maligna, according to a series of nine patients. The experience with those nine patients suggests that "imiquimod may be successful in lentigo maligna, but at a very...

New fumaric acid formulation better tolerated.(Dermatologic Therapy)
December 1, 2005... LONDON -- A new formulation of fumaric acid has demonstrated "quite impressive" results in a phase III study of patients with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis, Thomas A. Luger, M.D., said at the 14th Congress of the European Academy of...

Rosacea subsets call for tailored treatment.(Dermatologic Therapy)
December 1, 2005... LAS VEGAS -- When rosacea overlaps with another skin disease, certain topical treatments are better than others, Guy F. Webster, M.D., said at the Fall Clinical Dermatology Conference. "I'm fending there are subsets of topical treatments...

Which is better for atopic dermatitis: wet or dry Tx?(Dermatologic Therapy)
December 1, 2005... SAN FRANCISCO -- A new study looked at whether the "wet school" or the "dry school" has the better approach to treating atopic dermatitis m children. The wet school favors the daily bathing of children who have dermatitis, followed by...

Practical education aids parents' AD caregiving.(Dermatologic Therapy)
December 1, 2005... VANCOUVER, B.C. -- The battle against atopic dermatitis and eczema is often won or lost in the home, and educating parents by giving them simple, practical instructions can enhance daily care of the diseases in children, Alfons Krol, M.D., said...

Urea vehicle is effective moisturizing complement in acne Tx.(Dermatologic Therapy)
December 1, 2005... LAS VEGAS -- Treating acne with 4.5% or 8.5% benzoyl peroxide in a 10% urea vehicle once daily for 4 weeks was effective and well tolerated, results from a large study demonstrated. The finding underscores urea's role as an effective...

Idebenone.(Cosmeceutical Critique)
December 1, 2005... Synthesized for the first time a little more than 20 years ago, 2,3-dimethoxy-5-methyl-6-(10'-hydroxy-decyl)-1,4-benzoquinone--also known as CV-2619, QSA-10, or idebenone--is similar in structure to the potent antioxidant coenzyme Q10, an...

Topical dapsone gel engenders screening requirement.(Dermatologic Therapy)
December 1, 2005... Topical dapsone gel, a new option for the treatment of acne vulgaris, requires screening patients for an enzyme deficiency. Dermatologists are required to test patients for a lack of the glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) enzyme...

Clofazimine rivals chloroquine for SLE lesions.(Dermatologic Therapy)
December 1, 2005... The compound clofazimine was as effective as chloroquine diphosphate in controlling active cutaneous lesions in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus who participated in a small randomized study. The trial, which involved 33 patients,...

Swedish melanoma study shows 2-cm margin safe.(Clinical Rounds)
December 1, 2005... VANCOUVER, B.C. -- A2-cm margin is adequate for melanomas with a Breslow depth greater than 2 mm, according to preliminary results from a trial presented by Ulrik Ringborg, M.D., at the Sixth World Congress on Melanoma. "The findings...

Melanoma masqueraders call for a low index of suspicion.(Clinical Rounds)
December 1, 2005... SANTA BARBARA, CALIF. -- The melanomas that students are taught to recognize in medical school are often tough to miss--ugly, misshapen, and black, maybe with tinges of blue and red. In real life, it's not always that easy, Clay J....

Follow up melanoma survivors with exams.(Clinical Rounds)
December 1, 2005... SANTA BARBARA, CALIF. -- Secondary primary melanomas occur in 2.3% of patients, compared with a 1% incidence of primary melanoma in the white population. That's not a huge difference, but it is high enough to justify annual skin...

Consumer antibacterial soaps may not deliver; antiseptic home-use soaps no better than plain soap and water for reducing infection incidence.(Clinical Rounds)
December 1, 2005... SILVER SPRING, MD. -- Several decades' worth of clinical data on antibacterial additives in home-use soaps and detergents has shown no benefit over plain soap and water in reducing infection, the Food and Drug Administration's advisory panel on...

Cutaneous B-cell lymphoma tied to infection in Europe.(Clinical Rounds)
December 1, 2005... LONDON -- Tick-borne Borrelia burgdorferi, the causative agent of Lyme disease in the United States, has been associated with cases of primary cutaneous B-cell lymphoma in certain endemic areas of Europe, according to Rein Willemze, M.D. ...

In preterm infants, opportunistic fungi can lead to systemic infection.(Clinical Rounds)
December 1, 2005... SAN FRANCISCO -- Very-low-birth-weight infants have immature skin that leaves them vulnerable to opportunistic fungi, Lawrence F. Eichenfield, M.D., said at a meeting sponsored by the Skin Disease Education Foundation. Such fungal...

Get a leg up on proper venous disease treatment.(Clinical Rounds)
December 1, 2005... SAN FRANCISCO -- The first step in treating varicose veins, reticular veins, and telangiectasias in the lower extremities is a thorough assessment of the patient, Whitney D. Tope, M.D., said at a meeting sponsored by the Skin Disease Education...

Skin complications common with varicose veins.(Clinical Rounds)
December 1, 2005... ORLANDO -- About half of all limbs with varicose veins will have a skin complication, according to a retrospective study Venous disease affects an estimated 20% of women and 7% of men in the United States. Patients often present with one or...

Could it be restless legs syndrome?(Clinical Rounds)
December 1, 2005... The diagnosis of restless legs syndrome is made correctly in only 6% of symptomatic patients, Richard P. Allen, Ph.D., of Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, and colleagues have reported. The investigators surveyed 15,391 adults in the...

Silver ingestion may be at root of gray skin.(Clinical Rounds)(Brief article)
December 1, 2005... SANTA BARBARA, CALIF. -- The patient looked Theodore Rosen, M.D., square in the eye and said, "My friends say I look dead." In truth, Dr. Rosen thought so, too, he recalled during a talk at the annual meeting of the California Society of...

Group a strep is still causing most uncomplicated cellulitis.(Clinical Rounds)
December 1, 2005... SAN FRANCISCO -- Don't reach for the vancomycin when you see uncomplicated cellulitis, because in most cases, empiric therapy is still needed to fight the [beta]-hemolytic streptococci, Ramesh V. Nathan, M.D., said at the annual meeting of the...

If parasitosis delusions point to crystal meth use, order HIV test.(Clinical Rounds)
December 1, 2005... SANTA BARBARA, CALIF. -- Add delusions of parasitosis to the list of "red flags" for possible HIV infection, Marcus Conant, M.D., said at the annual meeting of the California Society of Dermatology and Dermatologic Surgery. "Every patient...

AD treatment progression: start simple.(Clinical Rounds)
December 1, 2005... LAS VEGAS -- If you're stumped about how to manage your patients with severe atopic dermatitis, consider simple solutions first, Amy S. Paller, M.D., advised at the Fall Clinical Dermatology Conference. "It's important to see if there's a...

Starting antiretrovirals for chronic HIV in adults.(Drug Update)
December 1, 2005... Gone are the days when anti-HIV drug regimens required taking lots of pills many times per day. The availability of newer medications and combination formulations has made adherence to therapy easier for patients, but clinicians still face...

Phospholipid Tx for ulcerative colitis.(Clinical Capsules)
December 1, 2005... Ingestion of phosphatidylcholine capsules during a 3-month period resulted in high rates of response and remission in patients with chronically active ulcerative colitis, according to the results of a double-blind, randomized study of 60...

Community-associated MRSA.(Clinical Capsules)
December 1, 2005... Certain patient characteristics play a role in the extent of community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infection, a study suggests. The investigators compared 586 patients with CA-MRSA skin and soft tissue infections...

Drug-resistant flu.(Clinical Capsules)
December 1, 2005... The increase in amantadine- and rimantadine-resistant H3N2 influenza A viruses over the past decade is alarming, Rick A. Bright, Ph.D., of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, and his colleagues reported. Between the...

S. aureus is agent of fatal syndrome.(Clinical Capsules)(Brief article)
December 1, 2005... Three children diagnosed with Waterhouse-Friderichsen syndrome died after rapidly progressive illness was traced to severe Staphylococcus aureus infection, said Patricia V. Adem, M.D., of the University of Chicago, and her associates. The...

Scleroderma complicates Raynaud's emergencies.(Clinical Rounds)
December 1, 2005... BOSTON -- Raynaud's phenomenon secondary to scleroderma can quickly progress to catastrophic ischemic events resulting in the loss of fingers, toes, and even limbs; at the same time, the efficacy of therapies varies widely. Determining the...

Effects of TNF blockade examined in composite patient.(Clinical Rounds)
December 1, 2005... CLEVELAND -- Tumor necrosis factor--[alpha] blockade should not be instituted in patients with known multiple sclerosis and should be used with caution in patients with family histories or other risk factors for MS, according to Jeffrey A....

Risk-targeted policy kept for hepatitis B vaccines.(Clinical Rounds)
December 1, 2005... ATLANTA -- A risk-targeted strategy will remain the recommended approach to adult hepatitis B vaccination, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices voted at its fall meeting. The...

Panel recommends hepatitis A immunization for all children.(Clinical Rounds)
December 1, 2005... ATLANTA -- All children should receive hepatitis A vaccine beginning at age 12-23 months, and the vaccine should be integrated into the routine childhood immunization schedule, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Advisory Committee...

Committee votes to add MMRV to routine vaccination schedule.(Clinical Rounds)
December 1, 2005... ATLANTA -- The new combination measles, mumps, rubella, and varicella vaccine should be incorporated into the routine vaccination schedule for children aged 12 months to 12 years, according to a vote taken by the Centers for Disease Control and...

Multiple etiologies possible for chronic vaginitis.(Clinical Rounds)
December 1, 2005... CHARLESTON, S.C. -- Desquamative inflammatory vaginitis has been diagnosed as often as bacterial vaginosis in an ongoing study of women presenting with chronic vaginal symptoms, Paul Nyirjesy, M.D., reported at the annual meeting of the...

Continuous OCs may beat standard 21-day regimen.(Clinical Rounds)
December 1, 2005... MONTREAL -- Continuous oral contraceptive regimens suppress ovulation better than do conventional 21-day regimens, according to research presented at the conjoint annual meeting of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine and the Canadian...

Clinical pears: proper anesthesia can ease the pain of vulvar biopsy.(Clinical Rounds)(Brief article)
December 1, 2005... SAN FRANCISCO -- Vulvar biopsy is simple and need not be painful, said Erika Klemperer, M.D., at a meeting sponsored by the Skin Disease Education Foundation. Dr. Klemperer, a dermatologist in private practice in Ashland, Ore., offered...

Angeliq, Humira.(New & Approved)
December 1, 2005... Angeliq (drospirenone and estradiol, Berlex Inc.) A combined hormone therapy (HT) for moderate to severe vasomotor symptoms and moderate to severe symptoms of vulvar and vaginal atrophy associated with menopause in women with a uterus....

SLE nephritis associated with certain antibodies.(Clinical Rounds)
December 1, 2005... Patients with systemic lupus erythematosus who develop nephritis are more than five times as likely to have antibodies to lipoprotein lipase in their serum, according to findings from a study led by Morris Reichlin, M.D. This suggests that...

Smoking may be linked to DNA antibodies in patients with lupus.(Clinical Rounds)
December 1, 2005... Systemic lupus erythematosus patients who are smokers are more likely to be seropositive for double-stranded DNA autoantibodies, compared with those patients who never smoked or were former smokers, according to the findings of a recent study....

Incidence of renal failure declines 30% among people with diabetes.(Clinical Rounds)
December 1, 2005... SAN DIEGO -- The incidence of end-stage renal disease in people with diabetes in the United States decreased by 30% between 1996 and 2002, Nilka Rios Burrows reported at a press briefing during the annual scientific sessions of the American...

Etanercept's tolerance, safety in rheumatic disease not affected by patient age.(Clinical Rounds)
December 1, 2005... The safety of the biologic etanercept (Enbrel) does not appear to vary depending on the age of the patient taking it for a rheumatic disease, according to the findings of a review of 22 clinical trials. The investigation, by Roy...

Acarbose reduces MI risk in type 2 diabetes.(Clinical Rounds)
December 1, 2005... VANCOUVER, B.C. -- Acarbose markedly reduces the risk of cardiovascular events in patients with type 2 diabetes, according to a metaanalysis of seven randomized trials, Dieter Petzinna, M.D., said at a meeting sponsored by the International...

Ceftriaxone for early syphilis in pregnancy.(Clinical Rounds)
December 1, 2005... The antibiotic ceftriaxone is an effective treatment for early syphilis in pregnancy, a small study has shown. Researchers evaluated the efficacy of the broad-spectrum cephalosporin in 11 HIV-negative pregnant women diagnosed with early...

Stable weight averts risk factors in young adults.(Clinical Rounds)
December 1, 2005... NEW ORLEANS -- Young adults who can maintain a stable body. weight into middle age--or who at least manage to gain less than the American average of about 1 pound per year--may largely prevent the progression of other cardiovascular risk...

Jet lag can be avoided through preflight phase-shifting program.(Clinical Rounds)
December 1, 2005... DENVER -- With the right combination of morning bright light exposure, low-dose melatonin, and gradually advancing bedtimes in the days prior to flying eastward, travelers can avoid the hassles of jet lag, Victoria L. Revell, Ph.D., said at the...

Steady surgery growth.(Policy & Practice)
December 1, 2005... Nearly 5 million skin surgery procedures were performed in the United States this year, with minimally invasive procedures fueling the steady growth since 2001, according to a survey from the American Society for Dermatologic Surgery (ASDS)....

Alternative medicine centers.(Policy & Practice)
December 1, 2005... The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) is funding five new research centers to study complementary and alternative approaches to HIV/AIDS, arthritis, asthma, and pain. Three of the new centers will focus on...

The research pipeline.(Policy & Practice)
December 1, 2005... Drug researchers are currently developing 446 medicines aimed at the diseases that disproportionately affect women in the United States, according to a report from the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA). Forty-seven...

HHS mulls investigation.(Policy & Practice)
December 1, 2005... The Department of Health and Human Services' Office of Inspector General is looking into the circumstances surrounding the resignation of former FDA Commissioner Lester M. Crawford, D.V.M., Ph.D., to determine if an investigation should be...

Humana settles class action suit.(Policy & Practice)
December 1, 2005... Humana and representatives of more than 700,000 physicians settled a nationwide class action suit that had been pending in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida for more than 6 years. The original lawsuit alleged a conspiracy...

Resident work hours.(Policy & Practice)
December 1, 2005... Resident work-hour restrictions have improved residents' satisfaction with their personal lives but not with their work, according to a study published online in the September issue of the Journal of Reproductive Medicine. Researchers surveyed...

New Medicare Part D benefit will provoke many patient questions.(Policy & Practice)
December 1, 2005... SAN DIEGO -- Physicians will face many questions about the new Medicare Part D benefit as patients decide whether to enroll and which plan to select in the voluntary prescription drug program, Elizabeth Carder-Thompson said at the annual...

Panel seeks citizen input for health care reform.(Practice Trends)
December 1, 2005... WASHINGTON -- American health care could be in for the world's largest customer satisfaction survey as the U.S. Citizens' Health Care Working Group seeks comments nationwide on how to reform the system. "In order to make health care work...

Personal touches improve office efficiency.(Practice Trends)
December 1, 2005... ORLANDO -- Optimize patient interaction, staff training, professional relationships, and office setup to increase office efficiency and personal satisfaction, Roger I. Ceilley, M.D., said in a presentation at the annual meeting of the Florida...

Medical errors viewed through different lenses.(Practice Trends)
December 1, 2005... QUEBEC CITY -- Clinicians, staff, and patients report medical errors in distinctly different ways, Robert L. Phillips Jr., M.D., said at the annual meeting of the North American Primary Care Research Group. Patients tend to file fewer...