Family Practice News articles from December 2003

Family Practice News archives from December 2003

Pediatric ERs leave out family doctors: lost to follow-up.
December 1, 2003... Family physicians are concerned that emergency rooms that specifically cater to children may be leaving them out of the loop. Dr. Kim Bullock, vice chairman of the emergency department of Providence Hospital in Washington, acknowledges that...

Vital signs.(More Women Applying to U.S. Medical Schools Than Men, 2003)
December 1, 2003... More Women Applying to U.S. Medical Schools Than Men, 2003 Women Men Applicants 17,672 17,113 (34,785 total) (50.8%) (49.2%) Entrants 8,209 8,315 (16,524 total) (49.7%)...

Medicare reform ups fee schedule 1.5% for 2004-05: relief for rural physicians: giant legislation contains several items with positive impact for physicians.
December 1, 2003... WASHINGTON -- Physicians have 2 more years to lobby for a permanent legislative fix to Medicare's flawed reimbursement formula. The historic $400 billion Medicare overhaul/prescription drug bill (H.R. 1) blocked a projected 4.5% cut to...

Partnership aims to spread acceptance of EHRs: helping small practices: AAFP advocates electronic health record.( )
December 1, 2003... WASHINGTON -- Financial incentives designed to put more electronic health record systems into family physicians' offices are the centerpiece of a partnership between technology companies and the American Academy of Family Physicians. ...

Simple screen identifies anxiety in elderly patients: look for signs.(News)
December 1, 2003... NEW ORLEANS -- Recognizing anxiety disorders in the elderly can be as easy as asking a couple of questions at checkup, Dr. Raymond Pomm said at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Family Physicians. If you suspect anxiety in these...

In-office behavioral therapy helps older patients: depression and anxiety.(News)
December 1, 2003... NEW ORLEANS -- Cognitive-behavioral therapy is an effective complement to medication when it comes to treating depression and anxiety in the elderly, and it's something that family physicians can do in their own offices, Heidi A. Pomm, Ph.D.,...

Mental changes shouldn't be chalked up to just getting old: depression in the elderly.(News)
December 1, 2003... NEW ORLEANS -- Much about us declines as we age, but not all mental changes in the elderly should be chalked up to old age, Dr. Raymond M. Pomm said at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Family Physicians. "What we don't want to...

Cancer risk jumps after first episode of venous thromboembolism: within 3 months.(News)
December 1, 2003... ORLANDO, FLA. -- A first episode of venous thromboembolism confers a whopping 76-fold increased risk of cancer being diagnosed within the next 3 months, according to new data from the Physicians' Health Study and the Women's Health Study. ...

Acarbose slashes MI risk in type 2 diabetic patients: new findings from MERIA.(News)(Metaanalysis of Risk Improvement Under Acarbose )
December 1, 2003... ORLANDO, FLA. -- Acarbose therapy in type 2 diabetic patients results in a dramatic 64% reduction in their relative risk of acute MI, Dr. Dieter Petzinna reported at the annual scientific sessions of the American Heart Association. Results...

Military EHR: from enlistment to retirement: Department of Defense.(News)(electronic health record)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... CHICAGO -- An electronic health record is a reality for the 8.7 million Americans covered by the U.S. Military Health System, Lt. Col. Bart Harmon, MC, USA, said at a meeting sponsored by the Medical Records Institute. The Department of...

More adverse events reported for Cypher stent: FDA warning.(News)
December 1, 2003... The Food and Drug Administration has issued a public health notification to physicians regarding adverse event reports, including some deaths, involving the drug-eluting Cypher coronary stent. More than 290 reports (more than 25 from...

One swab will do for accurate rapid strep test: highly reliable results.(News)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... CHICAGO -- One throat swab is enough when using the optical immunoassay rapid strep throat detection tests, Dr. Elias Ezike reported at the annual Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy. Many physicians,...

Early flu cases spur call for increased vaccination: variant, virulent strain identified.(News)
December 1, 2003... Early influenza infections, many of them caused by a more virulent strain not included in this year's vaccine, have federal officials calling for increased rates of vaccination to forestall what could be a severe flu season. The variant...

Intensive RA management improves outcomes: modeled on diabetes care.(News)(rheumatoid arthritis)
December 1, 2003... ORLANDO, FLA. -- Intensive disease management of rheumatoid arthritis dramatically improved symptoms and slowed radiographic progression, compared with standard care in a randomized trial involving more than 100 patients. "Tight control of...

Marijuana discussions okay per Supreme Court: seen as free speech issue.(News)
December 1, 2003... Dr. Marcus Conant is glad that he didn't get his day in court. This fall, the U.S. Supreme Court announced that it would not take up the case of Conant v. Walters, in which Dr. Conant was the lead plaintiff. The case revolved around the...

Nonspiritual history.( )(Letter to the Editor)
December 1, 2003... The enthusiasm that Dr. Harold G. Koenig has for a documented spiritual history in the medical record is misguided at best ("Pro & Con: Should physicians conduct spiritual histories of their patients?" Oct. 15, 2003, p. 9). It is...

Tort system or lottery?(Letter to the Editor)
December 1, 2003... The article on the recent General Accounting Office report failed to provide a critical analysis of the government's findings ("Liability Crisis Hasn't Yet Crimped Access, GAO Says," Oct. 1, 2003, p. 77). The report was the result of a...

Correction.(Correction Notice)
December 1, 2003... In the story "Just Say No More to Liability Insurance?" (Nov. 1, 2003, p. 1), Lori Bolas should have been identified as Media Manager, News and Information, for the American Medical Association.

Will you be getting a flu shot this season?(Talk Back Online)
December 1, 2003... Will you be getting a flu shot this season? (Nov. 1, 2003, p. 6) YES 82% NO 18% To Talk Back, visit www.efamilypracticenews.com Note: Table made from pie chart.

Provider-payer relationships.( )(Editorial)
December 1, 2003... If providers and payers do not work together to improve the health care system, politicians will do it for us. Physicians, hospitals, health plans, and others should join forces and lobby together for medical liability reform. Tort reform...

Should physicians intervene when dysplasia is found with Barrett's esophagus?(Pro & Con)
December 1, 2003... YES When we say a patient has high-grade or low-grade dysplasia, how sure are we that that is the correct diagnosis? Several studies have examined the agreement of pathologists on diagnosing dysplasia. In one study, 20 community...

Good enough? Or good enough to increase the odds of an MI in the next ten years?(mild-to-moderate elevations of cholesterol and blood pressure may increase cardiovascular risk)
December 1, 2003... The data are clear: concurrently, even mild-to-moderate elevations of blood pressure and cholesterol can mean an increased risk of cardiovascular events. (1-3) Studies such as the Multiple Risk Factor Intervention Trial (MRFIT), an...

Allergy is not always behind rhinitis symptoms: separating allergic from nonallergic.(Clinical Rounds)
December 1, 2003... NEW ORLEANS -- The runny nose and congestion associated with rhinitis aren't always due to an allergy, Dr. Susan M. Pollart said at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Family Physicians. "Allergic and nonallergic rhinitis can be...

Allergy testing can be effective in primary care: test symptomatic patients.(Clinical Rounds)
December 1, 2003... NEW ORLEANS -- Allergy testing is a useful tool in the hands of a family physician, said Dr. Harold H. Hedges III at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Family Physicians. Allergy testing can help distinguish between allergic and...

Half of primary care doctors don't follow asthma guidelines: improved management.(Clinical Rounds)
December 1, 2003... ORLANDO, FLA. -- Family physicians and general internists are the first line of defense in the asthma war--but most are unaware of the best treatment strategy, according to a survey presented at the annual meeting of the American College of...

Controversial decision on ICDs could be revised: CMS defends coverage policy.(Clinical Rounds)(implantable cardioverter defibrillators)
December 1, 2003... SANTA FE, N.M. -- A June decision by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to restrict coverage of implantable cardioverter defibrillators to post-myocardial infarction patients with favorable QRS intervals was neither "scientifically...

Building a better automatic external defibrillator: biphasic shocks.(Clinical Rounds)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... VIENNA -- Juicing up automatic external defibrillators by utilizing biphasic instead of the traditional monophasic waveforms results in a higher shock success rate, Dr. Anouk van Alem reported at the annual congress of the European Society of...

One laser session improves acne for 12 weeks: no serious side effects.(Clinical Rounds)
December 1, 2003... BARCELONA SPAIN -- A single session of nonablative pulsed dye laser therapy for acne vulgaris brought marked clinical improvement lasting more than 12 weeks in a double-blind, randomized, controlled trial, Dr. Anthony Chu said. This is an...

Laser Tx for acne now safer for ethnic skin: technological improvements.(Clinical Rounds)
December 1, 2003... CHICAGO -- Technological advances are making laser treatment for ache safer for non-Caucasian skin, Dr. Min-Wei Christine Lee said at the American Academy of Dermatology's Academy 2003 meeting. Although 80% of both Caucasians and people of...

Light-based acne treatment remains a last resort: laser experts.(Clinical Rounds)
December 1, 2003... GLENEDEN BEACH, ORE. -- Light-based therapy for acne is an excellent adjunct to traditional treatment of acne, but for now it remains just that, a treatment to turn to when the prescription pad fails, according to laser experts who spoke at a...

Derm diagnosis.(Clinical Rounds)(leishmaniasis)
December 1, 2003... A 28-year-old white male sought medical attention because of an erythematous, nodular skin lesion on the forehead that was associated with regional adenopathy. He had returned 1 month ago from spending 2 weeks on vacation in Venezuela. ...

Mystery deepens on renal-failure--related skin diseases: newly recognized disorders.(Clinical Rounds)
December 1, 2003... BARCELONA, SPAIN -- More questions than answers currently exist regarding two recently recognized skin disorders restricted to patients in renal failure. Among the key unresolved issues surrounding the new cutaneous disorders--nephrogenic...

FDA backs expanded indication for Photofrin: high-grade dysplasia.(Clinical Rounds)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... The Food and Drug Administration has approved an expanded indication for Photofrin (porfirmer sodium) for injection to include the ablation of precancerous lesions in patients with Barrett's esophagus who do not undergo esophagectomy. ...

Plication reduces GERD symptoms, medication use: improves quality of life.(Clinical Rounds)(gastroesophageal reflux disease)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... ORLANDO, FLA. -- Endoscopic plication reduced esophageal acid exposure and medication use in patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease for up to 1 year, according to a study presented at the annual Digestive Disease Week. Following...

Multivitamins may lower risk of rectal cancer: drops 34% at 15 years.(Clinical Rounds)
December 1, 2003... WASHINGTON -- Adults who reported taking multivitamins for at least 15 years had a 34% reduction in their risk for developing rectal cancer, Esther K. Wei, Ph.D., reported at the annual meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research....

Those at highest risk for HBV are not getting vaccine: study of 1,036.(Clinical Rounds)(hepatitis B virus)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... NEW ORLEANS -- The people who most need hepatitis B vaccination aren't getting it, said Dr. Nidhi Jain at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Family Physicians. Only 30% of men and 31% of women considered to be at high risk for...

New NSAID appears effective for osteoarthritis: LOX-COX inhibitor.(Clinical Rounds)(licofelone)
December 1, 2003... BERLIN -- A new type of NSAID that inhibits the production of leukotrienes, prostaglandins, and thromboxanes was as effective as and better tolerated than a standard NSAID or a selective cyclooxygenase inhibitor for the treatment of...

Program cuts racial disparities in flu vaccination: aged 50 and older.(Clinical Rounds)
December 1, 2003... NEW ORLEANS -- Locally focused interventions helped to eliminate racial disparities in influenza vaccination rates at two disadvantaged urban health centers, Dr. Richard Zimmerman said at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Family...

Sulfonamide cross-reactivity.(Clinical Capsules)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Patients who develop hypersensitivity to sulfonamides are likely to be predisposed to drug reactions; cross-reactivity between sulfonamide antibiotics and nonantibiotics doesn't appear to be a factor, according to Dr. Brian L. Strom of the...

Hemorrhoidectomy procedures.(Clinical Capsules)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Hemorrhoidectomies performed with Ligasure diathermy are associated with significantly less operating time and postoperative pain than those performed by conventional monopolar diathermy, reported Dr. Ernest Franklin of Washington University,...

Compression prevents PTS.(Clinical Capsules)(postthrombotic syndrome)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... A metaanalysis confirms that the use of elastic compression stockings after deep vein thrombosis can effectively prevent the development of postthrombotic syndrome, reported Dr. Dinanda N. Kolbach at a meeting of the International Union of...

Rivastigmine for Alzheimer's.(Clinical Capsules)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Patients with Alzheimer's disease who respond poorly to donepezil seem to do well with an immediate switch to rivastigmine, reported Dr. Carl Sadowsky of St. Mary's Neuroscience Center, West Palm Beach, Fla. Switching patients within 24-36...

Guggulipid for dyslipidemia.(Alternative medicine: an evidence-based approach)
December 1, 2003... * Guggulipid is a traditional treatment in India for arthritis and obesity, and is widely used there to treat hypercholesterolemia. * The first U.S. study found no benefit for lowering LDL cholesterol, but further investigations are...

Multivitamins could save Medicare money: $1.6 billion savings?(Clinical Rounds)
December 1, 2003... Daffy multivitamin use by older Americans could result in a $1.6 billion savings to Medicare in the next 5 years, according to the results of new research. The study, which was undertaken by the Lewin Group on behalf of Wyeth Consumer...

Antioxidant-rich diet may shield women from Alzheimer's: foods, not supplements.(Clinical Rounds)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... ALBUQUERQUE -- Diets high in antioxidant-rich foods were associated with a lower likelihood of Alzheimer's disease in women in a study presented at the annual meeting of the International Academy of Nutrition and Aging. Heidi Wengreen,...

Sphincter injury linked to anal incontinence: vaginal childbirth.(Women's Health)
December 1, 2003... HOLLYWOOD, FLA. -- Anatomic anal sphincter injury from vaginal childbirth is significantly associated with anal incontinence and stage IV pelvic organ prolapse, according to a study presented at the annual meeting of the American Urogynecologic...

Urogenital M. pneumoniae infection documented: persistent symptoms.(Women's Health)(Mycoplasma pneumoniae)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... OTTAWA -- The list of pathogens that produce clinically significant disease in the female urogenital tract should be expanded to include Mycoplasma pneumoniae. This pathogen, which most commonly infects the lower respiratory tract, was...

Infection tied to cerebral palsy development: increasing evidence.(Women's Health)
December 1, 2003... ASHEVILLE, N.C. -- A growing number of studies suggest that infection and infectious processes play greater roles in the development of cerebral palsy than previously thought, Dr. Joseph Mac Ernest III said at the annual Southern Obstetric and...

Both low and high birth weights linked to CP: 10-country study.(Women's Health)(cerebral palsy )
December 1, 2003... Babies born at either extreme of weight for gestational age--low or high--are at increased risk for cerebral palsy, according to a 10-country European study of 4,503 children. That low birth weight is associated with cerebral palsy (CP) and...

Gastric stimulation device may curb hunger: potential weight loss tool.(Women's Health)
December 1, 2003... FORT LAUDERDALE, FLA. -- A new surgical approach to obesity that doesn't alter the anatomy of the stomach appears to be effective, low risk, and reversible, Dr. Scott Shikora said at the annual meeting of the North American Association for the...

Mental health care needed for obese patients to lose weight: behavior modification insufficient.(Women's Health)
December 1, 2003... NASHVILLE, TENN. -- Psychotherapy is the key component of a successful weight-loss program for many obese patients, Gwendolyn Pla, Ph.D., said at the annual meeting of the American College of Nutrition. Behavior modification is a widely...

Low [beta]-HCG levels can mean viable pregnancies: change in practice?(Women's Health)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... SAN ANTONIO -- Serial [beta]-HCG levels rose at a minimum of only 50% every 2 days in a study of 293 viable first-trimester pregnancies, contradicting the widely held belief that levels should rise at least 66%. "This should hopefully...

Rule out ectopic pregnancy after miscarriage: monitor HCG levels.(Women's Health)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... PARIS -- Ectopic pregnancies may be present in up to 6% of women who appear to have had a complete miscarriage based on history and ultrasound findings, Dr. George Condous said at the 13th World Congress on Ultrasound in Obstetrics and...

Exercise boosts libido.(Clinical Capsules)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Results of a small, 5-year study of sexual satisfaction in naturally menopausal women suggest that exercise can fight decreasing sex drive, reported Judith Gerber, Ph.D., of the University of Vermont, Burlington. Her study, presented at...

Malignancies after breast Ca.(Clinical Capsules)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Patients with breast cancer develop second primary malignancies both before and after diagnosis of breast cancer. About 10% of 952 breast cancer patients registered at the University of Arkansas, Little Rock, had second primary...

Relaxation for IBS.(Clinical Capsules)(irritable bowel syndrome)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Cognitive-behavioral therapy is no more effective than relaxation training or routine clinical care for treating the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome, said Dr. Philip M. Boyce and his associates at the University of Sydney, Penrith,...

Count those calories.(Clinical Capsules)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Long-term use of a premeasured meal-replacement plan appears to be an effective tool for weight-loss maintenance, Dr. George L. Blackburn reported in a poster presented at the annual meeting of the North American Association for the Study of...

Stop recurrent wheezing with clarithromycin: long-term improvement.(Children's Health)
December 1, 2003... CHICAGO -- Two weeks of clarithromycin brings long-term improvement in children with recurrent wheezing and nonallergic bronchospasm, according to the findings of a randomized, double-blind trial. It's unclear, however, whether the...

Flu vaccine appears safe in 6- to 23-month-olds: scant data.(Children's Health)(trivalent inactivated influenza vaccine )
December 1, 2003... ATLANTA -- Available safety data on the use of trivalent inactivated influenza vaccine in 6- to 23-month-old children are "limited but reassuring," Dr. John Iskander said at a meeting of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Advisory...

Report children with influenza-associated encephalopathy to CDC: four U.S. deaths.(Children's Health)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... ATLANTA -- The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is looking for cases of influenza-associated acute encephalopathy in children. Since the mid-1990s, several hundred cases of acute encephalopathy have been reported in Japanese...

Missed doses won't slow pneumococcal vaccine: catch-up vaccines.(Children's Health)
December 1, 2003... CHICAGO -- The heptavalent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine is effective in children even if they miss doses or start the series later than recommended, reported Dr. Tamar Pilishvili and her colleagues of the Centers for Disease Control and...

Prevnar appears to convey 'herd immunity' on unvaccinated people: large California study.(Children's Health)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... SAN DIEGO -- Postlicensure surveillance of pneumococcal heptavalent conjugate vaccine (Prevnar) has shown a striking decrease in invasive pneumococcal disease incidence without evidence of replacement, especially among adults of parenting age...

Manage stress to help functional abdominal pain: behavioral therapy, antianxiety Rx.(Children's Health)
December 1, 2003... COLUMBIA, MO. -- Most children with functional recurrent abdominal .pain benefit from behavioral therapy and treatment with antianxiety medications, Dr. Alejandro Ramirez said at a meeting on common pediatric problems sponsored by the...

Frequent abdominal pain in children may be somatization: psychosocial difficulties.(Children's Health)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... ORLANDO, FLA. -- Female sex and high levels of psychosocial difficulties are risk factors for abdominal pain in children, results of a prospective, population-based survey suggest. Of 570 children aged 11-14 years who were surveyed and...

Pimecrolimus helps control eczema in infants: no effect on immune system.(Children's Health)
December 1, 2003... VANCOUVER, B.C. -- Topical pimecrolimus adequately controlled eczema in children younger than 2 years and had no apparent effect on their immune systems, according to a manufacturer-sponsored study presented at the World Allergy Organization...

Pediatric atopic dermatitis takes toll on family: financial, emotional costs.(Children's Health)
December 1, 2003... NEW YORK -- The emotional and financial stress on a family with a child who has moderate or severe atopic dermatitis is so great that parents often consider not having any other children, Dr. Seth R. Stevens said. "Families spend between...

Look for signs of steroid use in athletes' skin: patients rarely admit using.(Children's Health)
December 1, 2003... LAS VEGAS -- If an athlete presents with a sudden breakout of comedones, sebaceous cysts, or cystic acne, think about abuse of anabolic androgenic steroids as the potential culprit, Dr. Michael J. Scott III advised at the annual meeting of the...

Gonorrhea: consider screening all teen patients: asymptomatic teens.(Children's Health)
December 1, 2003... NEW ORLEANS -- Routine annual screening of adolescents is likely to identify numerous asymptomatic gonococcal infections, Dr. Cynthia Holland-Hall said at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Pediatrics. "I diagnose so much...

Check for scrotal disorders at sports participation exams: teach testicular self-exams.(Children's Health)
December 1, 2003... KIAWAH ISLAND, S.C. -- The sports participation exam is the perfect time to examine adolescent males for scrotal disorders and teach them how to do a testicular self-exam. Although scrotal disorders aren't uncommon, adolescent males who...

Drug update: [beta]-blockers for hypertension.(Rx)
December 1, 2003... Though demoted to add-on therapy in the Seventh Report of the Joint National Committee on Prevention, Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Pressure, a [beta]-blocker plus a low-dose thiazide diuretic is still an effective way to...

Neuropathic pain often mistreated in elderly: inappropriate medication.(Rx)
December 1, 2003... NEW ORLEANS -- Elderly patients with a neuropathic disorder are much more likely to be prescribed an inappropriate pain medication than previously believed, said Dr. Bill McCarberg at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Family...

Antipsychotic-induced metabolic syndrome costly: clinical, economic impact.(Rx)(Clozaril, Zyprexa, Seroquel, and other antipsychotics may cause diabetes, dyslipidemia, and metabolic syndrome)
December 1, 2003... NEW YORK -- Antipsychotic-induced diabetes, dyslipidemia, and metabolic syndrome exert a significant clinical and economic impact, Gilbert J. L'Italien, Sc.D., reported at a symposium sponsored by the Giovanni Lorenzini Medical Foundation. ...

Expect eruptive xanthomas in olanzapine users: secondary to hypertriglyceridemia.(Rx)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... BARCELONA, SPAIN -- Physicians can expect to increasingly encounter eruptive xanthomas occurring in association with olanzapine therapy, Dr. Jeffrey P. Callen predicted at the 12th Congress of the European Academy of Dermatology and...

Liability makes a hike.(Policy & Practice)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Operating costs for medical group practices increased by 7.47% in 2002, due largely to rising professional liability premiums, the Medical Group Management Association reports in its 2003 cost survey. Ob.gyn. practices, for example, experienced...

Insured drive up emergency visits.(Policy & Practice)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Emergency rooms aren't just for the uninsured anymore. The Center for Studying Health System Change reports that insured Americans account for most of the 16% rise in hospital emergency room visits. Capacity constraints experienced by...

Employers manage disease.(Policy & Practice)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Employers and health plans are taking aim at patients with chronic diseases, another HSC report observes. With the retreat of tight managed care networks, many employers are exploring disease management as a tool to save money and improve care....

Debit card tools.(Policy & Practice)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... The debit card is the latest advance in the area of consumer-driven health care, says Victoria Nipple, chief operating officer of mbi, the originator of employee benefits debit cards. The debit card removes the need to submit claim forms by...

States boost health literacy.(Policy & Practice)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Several states are taking innovative steps to improve health literacy, Trudi Matthews, chief health policy analyst with the Council of State Governments, said at a national conference on health literacy sponsored by Pfizer Inc. In July,...

Roadmap for research.(Policy & Practice)(National Institutes of Health)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... The National Institutes of Health is embarking on a series of research initiatives known collectively as the "NIH Roadmap,'" to accelerate medical research. The roadmap focuses on three areas: new pathways to discovery in medicine, research...

Kids, TV, and computers.(Policy & Practice)(analysis of child television and computer use)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... American children aged 0-6 years spend as much time--2 hours a day--watching television, using computers, and playing video games as they do playing outside, a study commissioned by the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation says. "These are...

Conquer patient backlog with office organization: examine all processes.(Practice Trends)
December 1, 2003... NEW ORLEANS -- Physicians who are drowning in backlogged patient appointments can resolve them by taking a few simple steps, Dr. Mark Murray said at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Family Physicians. "If a doctor has an...

Establish and follow simple rules to maximize collections: every copay counts.(Practice Trends)
December 1, 2003... NEW ORLEANS -- Physicians need to get tough about collecting what's owed them, Michael Fleischman said at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Family Physicians. "Patients may think you're the greatest thing since the public...

Burnout prevention requires physicians to set new priorities in their private, work lives: try to leave room in your life.(Practice Trends)
December 1, 2003... NEW ORLEANS -- Physicians concerned about burning out need to think differently about their lives and careers, Dr. Richard Swenson said at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Family Physicians. Technologic progress is a major...

Good people skills may help deter malpractice suits: fire difficult patients.(Practice Trends)
December 1, 2003... NEW ORLEANS -- Dr. Edward Zurad has developed a new skill in his office-based practice: "firing" patients. Although it's not something he does frequently, Dr. Zurad, a family physician in Tunkhannock, Penn., said he has "gotten really good...