Internal Medicine News articles from June 2003

Internal Medicine News archives from June 2003

Lifestyle measures get BP in control. (Little Benefit from Adding Dash Diet).
June 1, 2003... MIAMI BEACH -- Adults with elevated blood pressure significantly reduced their risk factors for hypertension and cardiovascular disease after adopting lifestyle changes as part of a randomized trial with 810 participants. After 6 months,...

Vital Signs.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... VITAL SIGNS Top 10 Diagnoses in Internal Medicine Office Visits in 2002 % of Office Visits Hypertension NOS 15.1...

Skeptics question proposal for fourth year of IM training: panel recommends extra year of residency to provide mastery of crucial new skills. (Society of General Internal Medicine).
June 1, 2003... VANCOUVER, B.C. -- A recommendation to lengthen general internal medicine residency training to 4 years met with a skeptical reception at the annual meeting of the Society of General Internal Medicine. The recommendation was one of eight...

Excess weight linked to increased cancer mortality: Experts doubt finding will curb obesity. (May Account for 90,000 Deaths Per Year).
June 1, 2003... New evidence of increased cancer mortality in overweight adults offers yet another argument for maintaining a healthy weight--but will people listen? Obesity experts who spoke with this newspaper expressed doubts that findings from a large...

Pain relief for former addicts. (Guest Editorial).
June 1, 2003... If a chronic pain patient is in need of effective pain relief using opioid therapy, don't refuse to provide it just because the patient has a history of addiction. Such patients deserve to experience the benefits of aggressive pain management...

Should medicare cover PET scans for Alzheimer's disease? (Pro & Con).
June 1, 2003... YES The diagnosis of dementia in Alzheimer's disease is not straightforward. With current clinical approaches, it often takes years for a physician to feel confident enough to make a diagnosis of probable Alzheimer's disease. Over the...

Regular breakfast may lower risk for obesity. (Don't Bring Home the Bacon).
June 1, 2003... MIAMI -- People who ate breakfast regularly had a significantly lower risk of becoming obese and developing insulin resistance syndrome in an observational study of nearly 4,000 people who were followed over 8 years. "Little is known about...

Montelukast improves allergic rhinitis in the spring. (Randomized, Double-Blind Trial).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... Montelukast therapy significantly reduces symptoms and improves the quality of life of patients who have seasonal allergic rhinitis in the spring, reported Dr. Janet van Adelsberg of Merck & Co., Rahway, N.J., and her associates. They...

Experts debate new Swedish mammography study. (44% Decrease in Breast CA Mortality).
June 1, 2003... A new Swedish study linking routine screening mammography with a 44% decrease in breast cancer mortality hasn't convinced some experts, who claim it suffers from the same flaws that plagued a 2002 study by the same authors. The new...

Cancer guidelines available in Spanish. (Clinical Rounds).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... Three new guidelines for patients on cancer treatment are available in Spanish from the National Comprehensive Cancer Network and the American Cancer Society Ovarian cancer, melanoma, and fever and neutropenia are the latest additions to the...

Referrals for BRCA testing low in minorities. (Community Education).
June 1, 2003... SAN DIEGO -- The number of genetic counseling referrals for BRCAI and BRCA2 testing among Hispanic and African American women is disproportionately low for the underlying demographics of a catchment area based in the Bronx area of New York,...

Tailored education boosts mammogram, Pap use. (Addressing Individual Concerns).
June 1, 2003... PHILADELPHIA -- "Tailored" interventions led to an increased use of mammography and Pap smears by a diverse sample of women in a controlled study with more than 1,400 participants. The tailored interventions included printed brochures and...

Men with osteoporosis often fall through the cracks. (Effective Therapies Underused).
June 1, 2003... Los ANGELES -- Osteoporosis and its associated fractures are as devastating in men as they are in women, yet the rates of osteoporosis detection and treatment in men are dismal, Dr. Eric Orwoll said at the annual meeting of the International...

Easy screening test can flag osteoporosis risk. (Five-Item Questionnaire).
June 1, 2003... Los ANGELES -- A brief questionnaire is proving to be a highly effective screening test for osteoporosis in women. The Osteoporosis Risk Assessment Tool (ORAT) includes five questions that women can answer in the waiting room. It was...

Risedronate cut new vertebral fractures. (Women at Risk).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... Risedronate reduced the incidence of new vertebral fractures within a year in postmenopausal women at increased risk of fracture, said Dr. Nelson B. Watts of the University of Cincinnati and his colleagues. They analyzed data from two...

Intervention boosts osteoporosis treatment rate. (Efficient Form of Secondary Prevention).
June 1, 2003... VANCOUVER, B.C.--A simple emergency-department-based quality improvement intervention can sharply increase the rate of detection and treatment of osteoporosis in older patients with a wrist fracture, Dr. Sumit R. Majumdar reported at the annual...

Rheum referrals can improve osteoporosis care. (Pilot Study of Quality of Care).
June 1, 2003... LOS ANGELES -- Osteoporosis care improves when orthopedists refer fracture patients directly to rheumatologists, instead of leaving management to the patients' primary care physicians, Dr. J. Timothy Harrington reported at the annual meeting of...

Vertebroplasty can reduce pain, improve mobility. (Results of Small Study).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... CHICAGO -- Injecting polymethylmethacrylate into fractured vertebrae can reduce pain and improve mobility in patients with symptomatic vertebral compression fractures, Dr. Mayumi Oka reported at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of...

Medicare to test coverage of PET for dementia. (Experts Differ on Diagnostic Value).
June 1, 2003... WASHINGTON -- The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has decided to implement a "demonstration program" to test coverage of PET scans for use in diagnosing suspected dementia, but experts disagree over the value of the test. ...

Thyroid incidentaloma: When is biopsy needed? (Expert Opinion).
June 1, 2003... SAN DIEGO -- If you detect a thyroid incidentaloma on an unrelated study of the neck, nodules 1.5 cm or greater should undergo fine-needle aspiration and those less than 1 cm should be followed closely Dr. David F. Gardner said at the annual...

Former smokers sought for trial of lung Ca screening methods. (Slated to Run 8 Years).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... Researchers with the National Lung Screening Trial hope to enroll 50,000 current or former smokers to compare the effectiveness of spiral CT and standard chest x-ray in the early detection of lung cancer. Slated to run for 8 years, the...

Incidental adrenal masses. (The Effective Physican).
June 1, 2003... Background Based on autopsy data, adrenal masses occur in at least 3% of adults who are over 50 years old. An increasing number of incidentally found adrenal masses are being detected as abdominal imaging technology is improved and...

Patients not filling asthma medication prescriptions. (Few using Controller Agents).
June 1, 2003... DENVER -- Three months after visiting an emergency room or being hospitalized for an acute asthma attack, only a quarter of patients are using asthma controller medications, Adam Atherly, Ph.D., said at the annual meeting of the American...

Physicians get poor marks at grading asthma. (Pilot Survey).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... DENVER -- Primary care physicians who participated in a pilot survey varied widely in grading the severity of asthma in a hypothetical patient, Dr. Cheryl L. Walker reported at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and...

Cost of asthma drugs deters elderly patients. (Medications Not Taken Regularly).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... DENVER -- Only 23 of 125 poor elderly patients with asthma reported taking their medications regularly and cost was the main obstacle, Dr. Carol A. Saltoun said. The cross-sectional survey of adults aged 60 and older attending centers...

Have new asthma patients read up in waiting room. (More Productive Visits).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... SAN ANTONIO -- Having new asthma patients read about the disease in your waiting room may make office visits more productive, Dr. Thomas F. Plaut said at the annual meeting of the American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology. His...

Morphine improves sleep in osteoarthritis patients. (Extended-Release Formula).
June 1, 2003... NEW ORLEANS -- Extended-release, once-daily morphine capsules improved the quality of sleep among patients with chronic, moderate to severe osteoarthritis pain, Dr. Jacques R. Caldwell reported at the annual meeting of the American Academy of...

Avocado, soy unsaponifiables for osteoarthritis. (Alternative Medicine).
June 1, 2003... * Blinded studies suggest that a mixture of avocado and soy unsaponifiables may provide relief of osteoarthritis symptoms. * No serious adverse effects have been seen after 2 years of treatment. Rationale for Use A proprietary...

Eletriptan edges sumatriptan for migraine control. (Randomized, Controlled Trial).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... HONOLULU -- Eletriptan 40 mg was more effective than sumatriptan 100 mg on several measures of migraine control in a large randomized trial, Dr. Ninan T. Mathew reported at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Neurology. The study...

Triptan use not linked to MI, stroke, mortality. (Large Cohort Study).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... HONOLULU -- The use of triptans is not associated with increased risk of myocardial infarction, stroke, or overall mortality, according to a study of 130,411 migraineurs and an equal number of age-, sex-, and health plan--matched...

Cell implants helpful in knee OA in young patients. (Autologous Chondrocyte Implantation).
June 1, 2003... ORLANDO, FLA. -- Consider autologous chondrocyte implantation a first-line treatment in the young patient with osteoarthritis of the knee who wants to regain the ability to perform physical labor or strenuous sports. About 90% of patients...

Diabetes not linked to deep infection risk. (After Knee Replacement).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... NEW ORLEANS -- Deep infection after total knee replacement is not significantly more likely in diabetic patients than in nondiabetic patients, Dr. John B. Meding said at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. ...

Cementless knee replacements may need revision. (After 10 Years in Younger Patients).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... NEW ORLEANS -- Total knee replacements in osteoarthritic patients age 60 and younger often require revision in the second decade after surgery, Dr. Louis Jordan reported at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. ...

Smoking hurts outcomes in cervical ca patients. (Locally Advanced Disease).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... NEW ORLEANS -- Smokers with locally advanced cervical cancer have significantly worse outcomes than nonsmokers, a recent study suggests. Of 315 patients with previously untreated stage IIB, IIIB, or IVA cervical cancer who were followed for...

Cervical Ca tied to hormonal contraceptives. (Especially after 10 Years).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... Women who use hormonal contraceptives may have a significantly increased risk of cervical cancer, especially after 10 years of use, according to a British study. These findings are based on a systematic review of data from 28 studies...

Clinical history key to Dx of nipple discharge. (Is it Benign or Suspicious?).
June 1, 2003... SAN DIEGO -- Clinical history is the most important factor in determining if nipple discharge is significant, Dr. Julia A. Files said at the annual meeting of the American College of Physicians. "Nipple discharge is an alarming symptom to...

Sleep disturbance tied to hot flashes in breast ca survivors. (Objective Measures).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... SALT LAKE CITY -- Breast cancer survivors are subject to both sleep disturbances and hot flashes, and the two symptoms are related, Janet S. Carpenter, Ph.D., reported at the annual meeting of the Society of Behavioral Medicine. Dr....

Database programs: HanDBase v3.0. (Digital Assistance).
June 1, 2003... Overview: HanDBase is a highly customizable database program for Palm and Pocket PC handheld devices. Intuitive configuration allows easy creation, use, and sharing of databases for virtually any type of information. The wide variety of free...

Demyelination tied to TNF-[alpha] blockers for RA. (Temporal Correlation).(rheumatoid arthritis)
June 1, 2003... NEW YORK -- Demyelinating disorders are being seen with increased frequency among patients with rheumatoid arthritis being treated with tumor necrosis factor--[alpha] inhibitors. Causality has not been proven, but it is clear that there is...

Drug toxicity often avoidable in elderly patients. (Dangers of Common Medications).
June 1, 2003... Many hospital admissions for drug-drug interactions in elderly patients are pre-dictable and avoidable, according to Dr. David N. Juurlink of Sunnybrook and Women's College Health Sciences Centre, Toronto. On the basis of what they called...

Drug Update: Oral Agents for Type 2 Diabetes.
June 1, 2003... Drug Update: Oral Agents for Type 2 Diabetes Mitchel L. Zoler, editor Miriam E. Tucker, writer Treatment of type 2 diabetes has come a long way in a few years. Until 1994, the only drug options in the United States were...

New formula for skin adhesive. (Products).
June 1, 2003... High Viscosity Dermabond Topical Skin Adhesive (2-octyl cyanoacrylate) is approved as a topical application to hold closed easily approximated skin edges of wounds from surgical incisions, including punctures from minimally invasive surgery and...

Long-term care tool kits. (Products).
June 1, 2003... The American Medical Directors Association (AMDA) has two new tool kits on long-term care: "We Care: Implementing Clinical Practice Guidelines" and "Determination of Medical Necessity of Rehabilitation Therapy Services." The implementation kit...

Web service helps smokers quit. (Products).
June 1, 2003... The Web-based Taperoff.net service uses scheduled reduction to help smokers quit gradually. The service uses the Web, email, or mobile phone to notify users when it is time to smoke the next cigarette. A step-by-step wizard lets users create a...

Cleanser for rosacea. (Products).
June 1, 2003... Rosanil (sodium sulfacetamide 10% and sulfur 5%) cleanser is available to treat rosacea. The cleanser can be used once or twice daily during the initial treatment phase. Patients should apply to wet skin and massage, waiting 10-20 seconds...

Nanofiltration technology. (Products).
June 1, 2003... Carimune NF intravenous immunoglobulin (human) uses nanofiltration--a size-exclusion filtration method-to improve pathogen reduction. Available in sizes of 1, 3, 6, and 12 g, the product comes as a freeze-dried powder that can be reconstituted...

Testosterone deficiency gel. (Products).
June 1, 2003... Testim--a testosterone gel--is approved for the treatment of conditions associated with a deficiency or absence of endogenous testosterone, such as primary hypogonadism and hypogonadotropic hypogonadism. The topical testosterone gel is applied...

New indication for Avandia. (Products).
June 1, 2003... Avandia (rosiglitazone maleate) oral tablets-2, 4, and 8 mg-are now indicated for use in combination with insulin for the treatment of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. For more information, contact GlaxoSmithKline, 888-825-5249,...

Women's health campaign. (Products).
June 1, 2003... "Putting Women's Health First" is a campaign supported by Digene Corp., which markets tests for detecting human papillomavirus (HPV), and partners that include the National Cervical Cancer Coalition. The campaign educates women about cervical...

Indirect calorimeter. (Products).
June 1, 2003... The Reevue indirect calorimeter measures resting metabolic rate, allowing physicians to accurately determine the caloric needs of patients. Results are comparable with traditional metabolic carts, though the device costs less than $4,000. A...

Obesity, high CRP can derail low-fat DASH diet. (Less Beneficial for those at Highest Risk).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... CHICAGO -- Nonobese individuals with low baseline levels of C-reactive protein were the subjects most likely to benefit from the low-fat, reduced-sodium diet used as part of the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension--Sodium trial, Dr. Thomas...

Daily rofecoxib linked to rise in blood pressure. (Patients with Diabetes, HT, Osteoarthritis).
June 1, 2003... CHICAGO -- Daily treatment with rofecoxib increased blood pressure in patients who had the combination of diabetes, hypertension, and osteoarthritis in a controlled study with more than 400 patients. In contrast, treatment with two other...

Cardiologists earn kudos in non-ST-elevation MI. (Primary Care Tied to Greater Mortality).
June 1, 2003... CHICAGO -- Patients with a non-ST-elevation acute coronary syndrome are twice as likely to die in-hospital if cared for primarily by an internist or family physician rather than by a cardiologist, according to data from a large national quality...

Web site focuses on nutrition. (Cardiovascular Medicine).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... A new Web site offers information from the 2000 National Nutrition Summit and other federal resources. The site includes speeches and videocasts from the summit, along with subsequent journal articles and program initiatives. The Web site...

Pravastatin, aspirin have additive effect on CV risk. (Secondary Prevention).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... CHICAGO -- Pravastatin and aspirin are additive in their benefits for secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease, based on a metaanalysis presented by Dr. Charles H. Hennekens at the annual meeting of the American College of Cardiology. ...

Vasodilators can help, not hurt. (Clinical Capsules).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... The vasodilator nitroprusside rapidly improves cardiac function in critically ill patients with decompensated heart failure from severe left ventricular systolic dysfunction and severe aortic stenosis. This comes as a surprise, because...

Ibuprofen undermines aspirin. (Clinical Capsules).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... Patients with cardiovascular disease who take low-dose aspirin for secondary prevention raise their mortality risk if they also take ibuprofen for other indications, according to Dr. T.M. MacDonald and Dr. L. Wei of Ninewelis Hospital and...

Treatment options for elderly. (Clinical Capsules).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... Elderly patients with symptomatic coronary artery disease have the same survival and quality of life at 1-year follow-up whether they initially receive medical therapy or undergo invasive procedures-but those on medical therapy are likely to...

CV risks of HIV therapy. (Clinical Capsules).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... Fear of accelerated vascular disease should not deter patients or physicians from using highly active antiretroviral therapy in HI V-positive patients, said Dr. Samuel A. Bozzette of the San Diego Veterans Affairs Medical Center and his...

Aggressively target CV risk in systemic lupus erythematosus. (New Guidelines Proposed).
June 1, 2003... MANCHESTER, ENGLAND -- Patients with systemic lupus erythematosus should have their cardiovascular disease risk factors managed just as aggressively as patients with established heart disease or diabetes mellitus, Dr. Ian N. Bruce said at the...

Insulin resistance implicated in lupus-linked atherosclerosis. (Normal Glucose Maintained).
June 1, 2003... NEW ORLEANS -- Insulin resistance is linked to the accelerated atherosclerosis that is seen in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus. In a study that included 27 women who had systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and 48 healthy...

Polio-like paralysis a feature of West Nile virus. (Autopsy Findings).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... HONOLULU -- Muscle weakness and acute flaccid paralysis can be features of infection with West Nile virus, Dr. Jonathan Fratkin reported at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Neurology. Dr. Fratkin and his colleagues at the...

VIG reasonable to curb fetal vaccinia after inadvertent smallpox vaccination. (No Need to Terminate Pregnancy).
June 1, 2003... ATLANTA -- A woman who receives the smallpox vaccine without realizing that she is pregnant may benefit from a dose of intravenous vaccinia immune globulin before the time when viremia may occur. At a meeting of the Centers for Disease...

Sepsis deaths increasing. (Clinical Capsules).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... Sepsis incidence and deaths are increasing, and gram-positive bacteria and fungal organisms are increasingly common culprits. From 1979 to 2000, about 10.32 million cases of sepsis occurred in approximately 750 million hospitalizations,...

Disinfectant contamination. (Clinical Capsules).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... An outbreak of postinjection site infections caused by Mycobacterium abscessus in Texas has been traced to the antiseptic benzalkonium chloride. Use of benzalkonium chloride (BC) as an antiseptic should be discontinued, concluded Dr....

Q fever, another bioterror? (Clinical Capsules).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... Researchers have successfully deciphered the genome sequence of Coxiella burnetii, the highly infectious organism that causes Q fever and is a potential agent of bioterrorism. Q fever, which manifests as a flu-like illness with a...

Dip in food-borne illnesses. (Clinical Capsules).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... The incidence of some major bacterial food borne illnesses such as Campylobacter, Listeria, and Yersinia is declining, but Escherichia coli and Salmonella are still going strong. In 2002 there were 5,006 cases of Campylobacter infection, (a...

Vaccine ingredients can cause allergic reactions. (Skin-Prick Testing can Identify Problem).
June 1, 2003... DENVER -- Patients who react to vaccines that contain egg or gelatin may be allergic to those food ingredients even though they safely eat omelets or a gelatin dessert, Dr. John Kelso said at the annual meeting of the American Academy of...

Mishandling vaccines endangers patients and wastes money. (Use Best Practices).
June 1, 2003... CHICAGO -- Errors in vaccine handling put patients in danger and can cost hundreds of millions of dollars nationwide each year if physicians don't implement best practices for vaccine storage and handling, Gary Coil said at the National...

Conjugate pneumococcal vaccine benefits extend to adult contacts. ('Stand Up and Cheer').
June 1, 2003... ATLANTA -- In the 3 years since licensure of the conjugate pneumococcal vaccine, rates of Streptococcus pneumoniae infection have decreased among adult contacts of vaccinated children. That's a finding "that should cause us to stand up and...

Updated guidelines address care for colon and rectal ca. (New Drugs, Approaches).
June 1, 2003... HOLLYWOOD, FLA. -- New drugs and new approaches to treatment were highlighted in a presentation of updated colon and rectal cancer treatment guidelines at the annual conference of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network. Oxaliplatin, a...

Biopsy anal canal lesions for cancer. (Can be of Mixed Pathology).
June 1, 2003... HOLLYWOOD, ELA.--Updated guidelines on anal carcinoma call for a biopsy of any anal canal lesion, Dr. Paul F Engstrom said at the annual conference of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network. Presentation usually involves a painful,...

Fungal food: adverse reactions. (Clinical Capsules).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... Over 550 anecdotal reports of adverse reactions to the fungus-based food Quorn have been reported to www.quorncomplaints.com, according to the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI). The most common adverse reactions have been...

Blood tests for HCV fibrosis. (Clinical Capsules).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... Two noninvasive tests that use different biomarkers for liver fibrosis in patients with hepatitis C have nearly equal ability to identify patients who do not have significant fibrosis, according to two reports. Dr. Keyur Patel and...

Disrupting HCV persistence. (Clinical Capsules).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... An enzyme produced by the hepatitis C virus is one of the primary causes of the decreased immune response in chronic hepatitis C viral infections, reported Eileen Foy of the University of Texas, Dallas, and her colleagues. A protease...

H. pylori prevalence in GERD. (Clinical Capsules).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... The prevalence of Helicobacter pylori in patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) may be lower in countries where the prevalence of H. pylori is high in the general population, reported Anan Raghunath of the University of Durham...

HHS inspector general faults FDA drug review process. (Workload Problems Need Attention).
June 1, 2003... WASHINGTON -- The Food and Drug Administration's process for approving new drugs needs to be changed, according to a report from the Health and Human Services Department's Office of Inspector General. The report, which was issued in late...

New enrollment process. (Policy & Practice).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... Medicare is proposing to simplify the enrollment policy for health care providers and suppliers and to raise the bar on qualifications at the same time. Under the proposal, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services would consolidate...

Physician services growth chart. (Policy & Practice).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... Imaging appears to be the fastest growing service that physicians are billing for under the Medicare program, researchers told the Medicare Payment Advisory Committee. Analysis of physician services is an ongoing project at MedPAC. In the...

Drug purchasing habits. (Policy & Practice).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... Physicians would eventually like to get out of the drug sale business, a MedPAC researcher says. "Working with five insurers, each with a different designated vendor, physicians feel like they're losing control of the system," says Jack...

Temporary docs. (Policy & Practice).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... Spending on temporary doctors in the United States more than quadrupled from 1997 to 2002, to $2.08 billion, according to Staff Care Inc., the temporary placement division of the physician recruitment firm Merritt Hawkins & Associates. That is...

Speedy appeal. (Policy & Practice).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... Medicare Plus Choice patients under a new final rule get a speedy, independent review when they disagree with their health plan's decision that services should end. CMS believes the quick appeals process should minimize paperwork burdens on...

Surprise survey. (Policy & Practice).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... Group practices accredited by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations shouldn't be surprised if JCAHO shows up at the door--unannounced. Starting in January 2006, JCAHO will be conducting impromptu accreditation...

Liability reform kit. (Policy & Practice).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... Physicians fighting the medical liability crisis can request a special kit from the American Medical Association and redecorate their waiting rooms with posters and patient brochures. This "physician action kit" is part of the AMA's grassroots...