Skin & Allergy News articles from October 2005

Skin & Allergy News archives from October 2005

Derm fellowship has global allure.
October 1, 2005... "Doctors manage patients differently here than in Brazil," Gustavo Braz Tha, M.D., said in speaking of his initial impression of the cosmetic dermatology International Fellowship Program at the University of Miami. Dr. Braz Tha learned of...

Derms may drive rise of antibiotic resistance rates: prescribing practices called 'cavalier.'.
October 1, 2005... VANCOUVER, B.C. -- Dermatologists need to take responsibility for contributing to rampant antibiotic resistance and alter their practices to reverse the trend, Ted Rosen, M.D., said at the annual meeting of the Pacific Dermatologic Association....

Benign course seen for newly described lesion.
October 1, 2005... VANCOUVER, B.C. -- Clues are beginning to emerge about the epidemiology and behavior of newly described, heavily pigmented lesions originally reported under the terms "animal-type" or equine melanoma. Bruce D. Ragsdale, M.D., described 18...

High-dose PUVA therapy requires lifelong follow-up.(News)
October 1, 2005... GLASGOW, SCOTLAND -- A review of all patients in one U.K. center who received more than 200 whole-body ultraviolet A radiation treatments between 1977 and 2004 has confirmed the potential for life-threatening consequences and the need for...

Expert pegs emerging issues in dermatopathology.(News)
October 1, 2005... CHICAGO -- The field of dermatopathology is ever fluid, and the past year was no exception, Evan R. Farmer, M.D., reported at the American Academy of Dermatology Academy 2005 meeting. The topics affecting dermatopathology are far ranging,...

Legislating tanning facilities one state at a time.(News)
October 1, 2005... If a 14-year-old girl walks into an indoor tanning facility in California, she would need parental consent to get a tan. But in Wisconsin, that same teen would be turned away at the door. Twenty-one states and some counties restrict minors'...

In situ photoimmune therapy may aid advanced melanoma.(News)
October 1, 2005... CHICAGO -- The combination of topical imiquimod 5% followed by phototherapy resulted in complete clearance in two of three consecutive patients with advanced melanoma. Moreover, the treatment cleared distant lung metastases that were...

FDA takes heat for delaying decision on Plan B.(News)
October 1, 2005... Citing difficult and novel regulatory issues, the Food and Drug Administration delayed its decision on over-the-counter marketing status for the emergency contraceptive Plan B (levonorgestrel), to seek public comment. "The agency is unable...

Direct-to-consumer ad guidelines draw criticism.(News)
October 1, 2005... New voluntary guidelines for direct-to-consumer prescription drug advertising released by the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America have drawn criticism from politicians and consumer groups who say they don't go far enough. ...

Derms aid colleagues affected by hurricane: efforts are underway to help relocate displaced residents and aid practices in Louisiana.
October 1, 2005... SANTA BARBARA, CALIF. --American Academy of Dermatology president Clay Cockerell, M.D., urged cooperation and creativity among colleagues in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. About 150 dermatologists in the area have been displaced...

Mistakes don't correct themselves.(Under My Skin)
October 1, 2005... People like to quote George Santayana, who said that those who forget history are doomed to repeat it. Few realize he was referring to the treatment of cutaneous fungal infections. OK, he wasn't exactly referring to ringworm, but he could...

Feds shouldn't have health care role.(Letters)(Letter to the editor)
October 1, 2005... Predictably, neither of the commentators in the health savings accounts debate made an effort to correctly diagnose the problem; they just want to treat symptoms, an approach that we physicians should know is not optimal ("Will health savings...

Setting an exercise example.(Guest Editorial)
October 1, 2005... American Medicine has allowed itself to become lost. Our $1.8 trillion annual outlay for health care nets us a 37th place world ranking in composite health outcomes. Other industrialized countries (such as Norway, which ranks first) spend far...

Two novel agents boost heat shock proteins: zooplankton and yeast extracts could enhance cell protection against UV and heat in older skin.(Dermatologic Therapy)
October 1, 2005... PARIS -- Extracts from a zooplankton and from yeast may help compensate for the decrease in heat shock proteins observed in aging and sun-exposed skin cells, a new study suggests. Harnessing heat shock proteins, or stress proteins, is a new...

Retinaldehyde an option for rosacea.(Dermatologic Therapy)
October 1, 2005... ANAHEIM, CALIF. -- Retinaldehyde for rosacea is exceptionally well tolerated and offers patients the efficacy of treatments such as retinoic acid without the irritation, said Dore J. Gilbert, M.D., at a cosmetic dermatology seminar sponsored by...

Reasons for prescription drug noncompliance.(DATA WATCH)
October 1, 2005... Reasons for Prescription Drug Noncompliance Forgot to take 64% Symptoms disappeared/Had no symptoms 36% Wanted to save money 35% Considered drugs ineffective ...

Ferulic acid.(Cosmeceutical Critique)
October 1, 2005... Ferulic acid (4-hydroxy-3-methoxycinnamic acid) is pervasive in the plant world. It is present in the cell walls of grains, fruits, and vegetables, where it is conjugated with mono-, di-, and polysaccharides and other compounds (Biochem....

Cross-polarized light beats UV for visualizing Asian skin.(Dermatologic Therapy)
October 1, 2005... PARIS -- Cross-polarized light appears to be the most accurate and useful method to enhance the definition of pigmented lesions in Asian skin, Stephanie Nouveau, Ph.D., reported in a poster at the Fourth international Academy of Cosmetic...

Don't rely on antibiotics to treat chronic wound infections.(Dermatologic Therapy)
October 1, 2005... VANCOUVER, B.C. -- If physicians had a better understanding of the bacteriology of chronic wounds, they would stop overprescribing antibiotics for this indication--a strategy that rarely works and contributes to antibiotic resistance. ...

Oral or intramuscular? Steroid debate continues.
October 1, 2005... QUEBEC CITY -- Polarized views persist on the value of intramuscular injections of corticosteroids despite 50 years of use, Robert N. Richards, M.D., said at the annual conference of the Canadian Dermatology Association. Textbooks range...

Inhibitors curb progress of rare skin tumors.(Dermatologic Therapy)
October 1, 2005... VIENNA -- Imatinib, a protein-tyrosine kinase inhibitor indicated for chronic myeloid leukemia and certain stages of gastrointestinal stromal tumors, has shown clinical activity against dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans, Jens Gille, M.D.,...

Fortifying AD therapy rationale: it's in the genes.(Dermatologic Therapy)
October 1, 2005... GLASGOW, SCOTLAND -- A rational approach to the treatment of atopic dermatitis is to use calcineurin inhibitors and topical corticosteroids in different therapeutic niches, based on a scientific understanding of the effects of the drugs on the...

Methotrexate plus prednisone aids scleroderma.(Dermatologic Therapy)
October 1, 2005... A combination of oral methotrexate and pulsed high-dose corticosteroids significantly improved the visible inflammation in 15 adults with severe localized scleroderma, wrote Alexander Kreuter, M.D., of Ruhr-University Bochum (Germany) and his...

TNF inhibitor puts the brakes on refractory hidradenitis.(Tumor necrosis factor)
October 1, 2005... GLASGOW, SCOTLAND -- Treatment with etanercept provided rehef to six patients with hidradenitis suppurativa that had not responded to high-dose oral antibiotics, dapsone, isotretinoin, tacrolimus, or rifampin, Caitriona Cusack, M.B., reported...

Biologic Tx may tackle palmoplantar pustulosis.(Dermatologic Therapy)
October 1, 2005... CHICAGO -- Evidence is mounting that biologic therapies such as alefacept and efalizumab can successfully treat palmoplantar pustular psoriasis. Preliminary data from a pilot study of 15 patients at two sites showed a 16-week course of...

Carefully assess psoriasis patients who relapse on efalizumab.(Dermatologic Therapy)
October 1, 2005... CHICAGO -- Patients whose psoriasis worsens while they are on efalizumab therapy can be identified early and managed successfully, Jeffrey M. Sobell, M.D., said at the 11th International Psoriasis Symposium. The first step for the...

Some ethnicities need extra TB screening before taking biologics.(Dermatologic Therapy)
October 1, 2005... CHICAGO -- Consider additional tuberculosis screening strategies in patients of certain ethnic backgrounds prior to biologic therapies, Stephen E. Wolverton, M.D., said at the American Academy of Dermatology's Academy 2005 meeting. ...

Beware patients' inappropriate use of fluorouracil.(Dermatologic Therapy)
October 1, 2005... NAPLES, FLA. -- Dermatologists should be on the lookout for problems arising from the inappropriate use of topical antineoplastic agents such as 5-fluorouracil, Charles Perniciaro, M.D., said in a presentation at the annual meeting of the...

Periocular edema may point to rosacea diagnosis.(Dermatologic Therapy)
October 1, 2005... VANCOUVER, B.C. -- Periocular edema may be an underappreciated sign of rosacea, sometimes even preceding ocular and skin surface signs of the disorder, said Adelaide A. Hebert, M.D., at the annual meeting of the Pacific Dermatologic...

Don't oversell the results achieved with Radiesse.
October 1, 2005... LAS VEGAS -- Don't overpromise results to patients considering facial soft tissue augmentation with Radiesse, says a facial plastic and reconstructive surgeon who has now treated 1,174 patients with the filler previously known as Radiance FN....

Simpler alternative may work in place of Mohs.(Dermatologic Surgery)
October 1, 2005... QUEBEC CITY -- A quasi-Mohs micrographic surgery procedure involving excision and curettage with pathologic analysis of margins may be a practical way of treating skin cancer patients in areas that do not have access to Mohs surgeons, Louis...

Radio frequency plus vacuum may lessen wrinkle Tx pain.(Dermatologic Surgery)
October 1, 2005... PARIS -- A new device that uses vacuum suction in combination with radio frequency painlessly treats facial lines and wrinkles, Michael H. Gold, M.D., reported at the Fourth International Academy of Cosmetic Dermatology World Congress. ...

Reconsider sclerotherapy to treat facial veins.(Disease/Disorder overview)
October 1, 2005... CHICAGO -- Dermatologists shouldn't shy away from sclerotherapy to treat facial and even periocular veins, David Green, M.D., reported at the American Academy of Dermatology's Academy 2005 meeting. Although sclerotherapy is widely used to...

New device may offer gentler skin resurfacing.(Brief article)
October 1, 2005... LAS VEGAS -- A novel device that transfers energy from nitrogen gas into the skin may be capable of producing improvements in skin quality and texture comparable with those produced by the carbon dioxide laser, but with a less traumatic...

Combination sheds light on facial rejuvenation.(Disease/Disorder overview)
October 1, 2005... CHICAGO -- Add facial rejuvenation to the growing list of indications for topical photodynamic therapy. Short-contact, broad-area application of 20% 5-aminolevulinic acid and photodynamic therapy (ALA-PDT) can enhance or improve all...

Once-popular technique resurfaces for face-lifts.
October 1, 2005... PARIS -- Add the curl lift technique to the growing list of so-called lunchtime face-lifts. First popularized in the 1970s by Rene Guillemain, M.D., in Paris, the curl lift technique is being rediscovered, thanks to the use of a...

LED therapy promotes wound healing.(Dermatologic Surgery)
October 1, 2005... PARIS -- Light-emitting diode phototherapy improves tissue quality and leads to accelerated wound healing after cosmetic and medical surgical procedures, Mario Trelles, M.D., reported at the Fourth International Academy of Cosmetic Dermatology...

To treat hyperhidrosis, consider iontophoresis.(Drug overview)
October 1, 2005... NAPLES, FLA. -- Botulinum toxin may be a good treatment for primary focal hyperhidrosis, but for patients with hand or foot hyperhidrosis you should try iontophoresis first, Lewis P. Stolman, M.D., said at the annual meeting of the Florida...

Purpura morphology, setting may indicate cause: not all purpura is created equal; knowing what to look for can help narrow differential diagnosis.
October 1, 2005... CHICAGO -- The morphology and distribution of purpura can help to narrow a differential diagnosis, Warren W. Pierre, M.D., said at the American Academy of Dermatology's Academy 2005 meeting. Purpura is the result of one of three hemorrhagic...

Tackle atopic dermatitis with multifaceted approach.(Clinical Rounds)
October 1, 2005... SAN FRANCISCO -- Atopic dermatitis is a multifactorial disease requiring multimodal treatment, Jeffrey Sugarman, M.D., said at a meeting on clinical pediatrics sponsored by the University of California, San Francisco. Dr. Sugarman of the...

Expert calls for better education about nodular form of melanoma.(Clinical Rounds)
October 1, 2005... GLASGOW, SCOTLAND -- The success in recent years of public- and professional-relations efforts to spread awareness of early signs of melanoma has had one unfortunate downside: The common checklists that identify worrisome features of skin...

Melanoma stain may suggest SLN status.(Clinical Rounds)
October 1, 2005... QUEBEC CITY -- Immunostaining with the monodonal antibody D2-40 correlates with the status of sentinel lymph nodes in patients with cutaneous melanoma, Lynn From, M.D., reported at the annual conference of the Canadian Dermatology Association....

Genetic subtypes found in cutaneous melanomas.(Clinical Rounds)
October 1, 2005... VIENNA -- Genomic analyses suggest that there are biologically distinct subtypes of cutaneous melanoma, Boris C. Bastian, M.D., reported at the 10th World Congress on Cancers of the Skin. He and his colleagues at the comprehensive cancer...

Malignant melanoma can be mistaken for Bowen's disease.(Clinical Rounds)
October 1, 2005... GLASGOW, SCOTLAND -- The importance of diagnostic biopsy for solitary lesions was underscored by three cases presented in a poster session by Daniel Glass, M.B., at the annual meeting of the British Association of Dermatologists. In case...

Melanoma investigators look beyond Bcl-2 gene.(Clinical Rounds)
October 1, 2005... VIENNA -- There are multiple genetic targets and combinations of therapies that hold great promise for changing the fate of melanoma patients, Christoph Hoeller, M.D., said at the 10th World Congress on Cancers of the Skin. A major focus...

Vaccine purchase seen as best bet for flu pandemic.(Clinical Rounds)
October 1, 2005... ROCKVILLE, MD. -- Should the United States face an influenza pandemic, the federal government should buy all the vaccine, members of the National Vaccine Advisory Committee agreed at a joint meeting with the Advisory Committee on Immunization...

Seniors, sick get first shots in shortage.(Clinical Rounds)
October 1, 2005... In the event of an influenza vaccine shortage during the 2005-2006 season, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has advised physicians to prioritize people age 65 years and older with comorbid conditions if their local vaccine...

Can vaccine supply meet demand?(Clinical Rounds)
October 1, 2005... The U.S. government aims to buy millions of doses of avian influenza vaccine, which preliminary data have shown produces a robust immune response against the A (H5N1) virus in some doses. "We have been asked to provide up to 20 million...

Aceon, Invader UGT1A1 Molecular Assay.(coronary artery disease treatment drug approval)(genetic test approval for gene mutation identification)
October 1, 2005... Aceon (perindopril, Solvay Pharmaceuticals and CV Therapeutics) An angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor approved for reducing the risk of cardiovascular mortality or non-fatal MI in patients with stable coronary artery disease. Approved...

Careful questioning may nail perioral allergen.(Clinical Rounds)
October 1, 2005... HERSHEY, PA. -- The subtle signs and symptoms that often occur with perioral allergic contact dermatitis should cue dermatologists to take a careful history of product use and conduct appropriate patch testing, Susan Nedorost, M.D., said at a...

Compulsive tanners may have body dysmorphia.(Clinical Rounds)
October 1, 2005... ATLANTA -- A high proportion of individuals with body dysmorphic disorder are compulsive tanners, so "clinicians should be aware that compulsive tanning may be a clue to the presence of the psychological illness," Michelle Conroy, M.D., said at...

Soft tissue sarcomas: a diagnostic puzzle with an aggressive course.(Clinical Rounds)
October 1, 2005... GLASGOW, SCOTLAND -- A 20-year-old woman with a lump on her elbow was given a diagnosis of olecranon bursitis, was treated with NSAIDs--and then died 8 months later of brain and lung metastases from a blue cell tumor, Andrew J. Birnie, M.B.,...

How to diagnose puzzling pediatric skin problems.(Clinical Rounds)
October 1, 2005... ORLANDO -- Pediatric skin conditions often pose diagnostic challenges because many cutaneous disorders have similar clinical features. Annular lesions of granuloma annulare may be mistaken for tinea corporis; follicular papules of...

Wheezing in infants worsens near stop-and-go traffic.(Clinical Rounds)
October 1, 2005... Infants who live near roads with lots of stop-and-go bus and truck traffic are significantly more likely to develop wheezing than those who live near steady traffic or those who aren't exposed to much traffic, Patrick Ryan and his associates...

Chronic osteoarthritis.(Drug Update)
October 1, 2005... The much publicized removal of all but one of the three cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitors from the U.S. market because of concerns over their cardiovascular risks has forced clinicians to reconsider pain control strategies for many of their patients...

Bisphosphonates beat alfacalcidol as agent for curbing steroid-induced osteoporosis.(Clinical Rounds)
October 1, 2005... VIENNA -- Alendronate is markedly more effective than 1-hydroxyvitamin [D.sub.3] (alfacalcidol) as prophylaxis against glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis, Johannes W.J. Bijlsma, M.D., Ph.D., said at the annual European Congress of...

Celecoxib approved for AS despite cardiovascular risk.(Clinical Rounds)
October 1, 2005... Celecoxib, the only cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitor left on the U.S. market, has won an additional approval from the Food and Drug Administration--but, as expected, the drug also received a black box warning on the increased risk of cardiovascular...

No link found between OC use and birth defects.(Clinical Rounds)
October 1, 2005... ST. PETE BEACH, FLA. -- Periconceptional exposure to oral contraceptives was not associated with increased risk of adverse fetal outcomes in a recent prospective study. None of the 45 women who were exposed to oral contraceptives during...

Combo topical agent may prevent jellyfish stings.(Clinical Rounds)
October 1, 2005... SNOWMASS, COLO. -- The best product for preventing jellyfish stings is a combination sunscreen/topical jellyfish sting inhibitor called Safe Sea, Paul S. Auerbach, M.D., said at the annual meeting of the Wilderness Medical Society. "I use...

Systemic lupus patients prone to major infections.(Clinical Rounds)
October 1, 2005... VIENNA -- Patients with systemic lupus erythematosus experience an exceptionally high rate of major infections, Irene E.M. Bultink, M.D., reported at the annual European congress of rheumatology In her retrospective series of 103 unselected...

Childhood-onset SLE often has neuropsychiatric sequelae.(Systemic lupus erythematosus)(Disease/Disorder overview)
October 1, 2005... VIENNA -- Nearly two-thirds of a cohort of childhood-onset systemic lupus erythematosus patients had evidence of irreversible organ damage after a decade of disease, Vibke Lilleby, M.D., said at the annual European congress of rheumatology. ...

Rituximab effective for refractory extrarenal SLE in a small study.(Clinical Rounds)
October 1, 2005... VIENNA -- Rituximab successfully induced remission of severe extrarenal systemic lupus erythematosus previously unresponsive to cyclophosphamide and/or mycophenolate in five of six treated patients in a small series, Constantine K. Saadeh,...

Pimecrolimus promising for discoid LE.(Brief article)
October 1, 2005... VIENNA -- Pimecrolimus 1% cream proved safe and effective for the treatment of discoid lupus erythematosus in a small, uncontrolled patient series, Alberto Tlacuilo-Parra, M.D.; reported at the annual European congress of rheumatology. He...

Hepatitis rates decline.(Clinical report)
October 1, 2005... The incidence of hepatitis dropped from 35% to 19% among children aged 2-18 years between a baseline period of 1990-1997 and 2003, said Annemarie Wasley, Sc.D., of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, and her colleagues. ...

Not bothering with birth control.(Clinical Capsules)
October 1, 2005... Adolescent girls at high risk for pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections who participated in a recent study were knowledgeable about common birth control methods, but most reported having unprotected sex. Of 332 girls aged 12-18...

Fighting lymphatic filariasis.(Disease/Disorder overview)
October 1, 2005... An 8-week course of doxycycline was highly effective against lymphatic filariasis caused by Wuchereria bancrofti in a randomized, placebo-controlled trial. This novel approach to the treatment of bancroftian filariasis, which is "one of...

Predicting STI risk in teens.(Clinical Capsules)
October 1, 2005... Teenagers who thought that their parents would strongly disapprove of their having sex were less likely to have developed sexually transmitted infections 6 years later, said Carol A. Ford, M.D., of the University of North Carolina at Chapel...

Assess needs, readiness when choosing an EHR.(Electronic Health Records)
October 1, 2005... BOSTON -- Choosing an electronic health record for your practice involves a comprehensive readiness and needs assessment, according to participants in a congress sponsored by the American Medical Informatics Association. A group of about...

Grant funds focus on women.(Policy & Practice)
October 1, 2005... The Women's Health Career Development Award is being offered for the first time in 2006 by the Dermatology Foundation. This grant funds research into a range of disorders that primarily affect women, from lupus and scleroderma to the effects of...

Assessing plastic surgery.(Policy & Practice)
October 1, 2005... About 85% of participants in a telephone survey who said they had considered plastic surgery reported that the benefits far outweighed the risks, according to a study published in the Sept. 1 issue of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. The...

Walter reed to close.(Policy & Practice)(Walter Reed Army Medical Center )(Brief article)
October 1, 2005... Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, which has cared for hundreds of thousands of soldiers and dignitaries for the past 96 years, is slated to close as part of the base realignment and closure process. The medical center was tapped by...

Census finds rise in uninsured.(Policy & Practice)
October 1, 2005... The Census Bureau reports that 45.8 million Americans were without health insurance in 2004, up from 45 million in 2003. While the increase is statistically small, it means that "an additional 860,000 Americans live without the safety net of...

Seniors split on drug benefit.(prescription drug benefit poll report)(Survey)(Brief article)
October 1, 2005... Patients' optimism about Medicare's new prescription drug benefit has improved over the last few months, although beneficiaries remain split on their support, an August poll conducted by the Kaiser Family Foundation indicated. About one in...

Chronic care projects launched.(Policy & Practice)
October 1, 2005... Medicare is launching chronic care pilot projects this year aimed at improving care for people with heart failure and diabetes. The program, called Medicare Health Support, will provide free, voluntary services to about 160,000 Medicare...

Teledermatology services offered worldwide.(Practice Trends)
October 1, 2005... VIENNA -- Teledermatology is expanding in Europe through an online international dermatology community that provides open-access consultations, H. Peter Soyer, M.D., reported at the 10th World Congress on Cancers of the Skin. The...

Is a cosmetic practice for you? Consider these tips.(Practice Trends)
October 1, 2005... CHICAGO -- Cosmetic dermatology is a rapidly moving and rewarding area of dermatology for those with the right mind set, Gerald N. Bock, M.D., said at the American Academy of Dermatology's Academy 2005 meeting. An elective procedures...

Congress floats Medicare payment formula fixes.(Practice Trends)
October 1, 2005... Any legislative approach to fixing Medicare's sustainable growth rate system "would be prohibitively expensive," according to House Ways and Means Chair Bill Thomas (R-Calif.). Attaining a permanent fax is possible, however, provided that...

Merck loses first Vioxx lawsuit.(Practice Trends)
October 1, 2005... A jury in Texas last month awarded 253 million to the widow of a man who died after taking Vioxx (rofecoxib). The plaintiff charged that the drug maker Merck & Co. failed to warn physicians about the danger posed by Vioxx, that the drug was...

Tennessee governor offers options for Medicaid reforms.(Practice Trends)
October 1, 2005... NASHVILLE, TENN. -- The Medicaid program needs to undergo some fundamental changes, including asking patients to share some of the costs, Tennessee Gov. Phil Bredesen said at the annual conference of the National Academy for State Health...

New option for purchasing injectables to start in 2006.(Practice Trends)
October 1, 2005... A new Medicare program to start next year will take some of the gamble--and administrative hassles--out of providing injectable drugs to patients. The arrangement, known as the Medicare Competitive Acquisition Program for Part B Drugs and...

Searching the Web, Part 2.(Managing Your Dermatology Practice)
October 1, 2005... My recent column on Web searching techniques has generated more questions, comments, and discussion than any other. (If you missed that column, you can Fred it on the SKIN & ALLERGY NEWS Web site, www.skinandallergynews.com. Click on "The...

Panel endorses 2.7% Medicare payment increase.(Practice Trends)
October 1, 2005... WASHINGTON -- The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services should not institute the 4.3% decrease proposed in the 2006 physician fee schedule, a federal advisory panel recommended. As it works to fix the sustainable growth rate, CMS...

Feds will monitor EHR adoption gap annually.(Electronic Health Record)(Brief article)
October 1, 2005... SAN DIEGO -- Government strategies for health information technology will aid physicians by lowering the cost, improving the benefits, and lowering the risks, said David J. Brailer, M.D., Ph.D., national coordinator for health information...

Local health information networks share data.(Practice Trends)
October 1, 2005... SAN DIEGO -- A few pioneering health care organizations have set up local information networks to share electronic health data, and there are interesting lessons to be learned from these examples, according to Gordon J. Apple, a health lawyer...