Just The Facts Intern Manual
Found this “Guide to Being an Intern” online –it’s for UMich residents, but has some good little tips that I’ll definitely be referring back to when I hit my SubI and finally graduate.
Archive for January, 2007
Cool Health Care Map in NYC
If you’re not aware of it, just like everything else, the poor get disproportionately screwed in the health insurance world–as well as the health care one. (“The rich get richer, the poor get sick.” )
One organization, Opportunity Agenda , has put together a Google Maps mashup showing hospital closures in New York over time –and no surprise, they’re mostly in poorer neighborhoods. (Even if you somehow don’t care, it’s pretty impressive to see how many hospitals there are just in Manhattan and the surrounding burrows.)
Huge Horse Abscess:
If you get squeamish from popping zits, you probably won’t like this. (On my surgery rotation, we incised and drained a gigantic abscess in this guy’s calf, and it flowed out just as well. Disgusting, but fun.)
January 17th, 2007
Advertising for a Procedure
Dr. Sid takes on direct to consumer advertising , which apparently is now advertising implantable defibrillators. I don’t blame him. All of it should be banned–only the US and New Zealand allow it–to our detriment.
World Leaders Hit the Internet
The President of India asks a question about stopping terrorism on Yahoo! Answers.
The Chancellor of Germany launched a podcast .
Our President uses The Google to use the maps “program.” He also talks about rumors on the Internets .
Sigh.
Two Linked Thoughts
More props to KevinMD , as he always scours the web for interesting links.
First, we head to Romania, where a surgeon, “under stress,” cut off a man’s penis during surgery . Geez, and you think American surgeons are mean. (What’s worse: doctors unions are complaining about the surgeon being fined!)
Next, to Samoa, where a tree may lead to the discovery of a new antibiotic . Soooo, how many species have we already wiped out that may have had similar natural compounds that could function as antivirals, antifungals, antibiotics, or other treatments? Causing our own extinction we are. (Karma’s a bitch.)
Medicare Pricing Won’t Cost Bajillions
Joe Paduda takes the Manhattan Institute to task for spreading lies about Medicare negotiating drug prices. Factoid I didn’t know: Pharma companies in Europe, which have price-setting, invest more in R&D than Pharma in the US.
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Where There Is No Doctor’s Medical Record
An intern I was working with mentioned that he had a friend doing an elective in Africa, and that there, without the medical infrastructure, there’s no such thing as a doctor or hospital that keeps track of a patient’s medical record.
The patient must keep track his or her own medical record; otherwise, the patient is assumed to be a new patient, with no medical history whatsoever.
Not saying we should switch to this system, but I think it’s just an interesting thought experiment to how it might change the healthcare system–patients would likely be forced to know more about their own medical conditions, which I think would be A Good Thing; currently it’s not uncommon to have a patient come in with 20 different medications, and they have no idea which pill is for what, or don’t even know what their diagnoses even mean.
Thought: Weird that many people get all active and knowledgeable and support groupy when they have a diagnosis of Cancer, but not when they have a diagnosis of Coronary Artery Disease, Congestive Heart Failure, or something else more/equally deadly. (Or maybe that’s just a false notion, but it sure seems like it.)
California Health Insurance Roundup
The Governator announced a “Universal Health Care” scheme. It’s “in quotes” because I’m, to say the least, “skeptical.”
First up we go with Ezra Klein’s post –I was really waiting for him to post something on this, and he finally got around to it. I should link to his stuff more often. I like Ezra’s analyses, and he just posts so damn much, I can’t keep up with it all. Ezra’s roundup is nice, but he gives the governor too much credit. Ahnold’s 4% funding plan will never pay for itself. (But okay, I like the community rating too. This means that insurance companies could only determine premiums by age and location, not other factors.)
The somewhat-obligatory, of-course-Graham-will-post-this piece from Don McCanne , single-payer advocate and former-physician turned health policy wonk. Rips apart the 4% funding scheme. Shout out to my man Don, strong work.
The obligatory Matthew Holt article , which I was also waiting for. Another good analysis.
My favorite thus far (sorry, above 3!) is this one , by Sentinel Effect, a blog I’m not familiar with, but maybe should start reading more. He divides things up by pros and cons, winners and losers. (Maybe my mind has just become so full that it prefers to think in bullet points now.) Makes a good argument that the “85% of health care dollars must go to actual health care” is a perverse incentive for the insurers to just raise their rates in order to keep their total administrative costs the same. My bugaboo: I think doctors will definitely be losers; I don’t think they will be “stuck with fewer unpaid bills,” as the uninsured currently will probably have the minimal, $5,000-deductible coverage, and they will probably just forego seeing a doctor anyway.
Apple iPhone
Ok, so I’m a big geek and super excited about Apple’s new iPhone they just announced; is it just me, or are we getting close to the tricorder era already? (Yes, I’m a Star Trek nerd, too.)