http://www.doctorpundit.com Wed, 20 Aug 2008 11:21:01 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en As little as a few days ago, pundits were claiming the Minnesota US senate race as being incumbent's Norm Coleman to lose. That's changed, as Democratic challenger and Republican whipping boy Al Franken is steadily closing that gap. The former Air America talk show host appears to be capitalizing on the ... http://www.doctorpundit.com/index.php/2008/08/20/franken-veterans-should-receive-lifetime-healthcare-entitlements/ It's something that we have always done as physicians, and usually quite well at that. The treatment of chronic pain has attracted much in the way of media exposure during the last 10 years or so, and that increased public awareness has usually arisen out of news which has largely ... http://www.doctorpundit.com/index.php/2008/08/18/government-agency-to-weigh-special-training-for-dispensing-of-narcotic-analgesics/ CA Supreme Court: Physicians cannot deny care to homosexuals on religious grounds. Since the antidiabetic drug exenatide (Byetta) was approved by the FDA, its role in the cause of adverse events resulting in death has largely flown under the radar of the media....until now. WP: For teens, access to prescription drugs easier ... http://www.doctorpundit.com/index.php/2008/08/18/monday-headlines-influenza-survivors-immunologic-superiority-more/ Huntington's disease (HD) is a genetic neurological disorder characterized by abnormal body movements called chorea and a lack of coordination; it also affects a number of mental abilities and some aspects of behavior. In more advanced stages it can cause complications that significantly reduce life expectancy. The disorder is named after ... http://www.doctorpundit.com/index.php/2008/08/17/fda-approves-first-drug-treatment-of-chronic-movement-disorder/ The music industry cognoscenti are all atwitter on the Material Girl's 50th birthday (not to mention the fact that both Michael Jackson and Prince are celebrating their Big Five-Oh's this month, as well). Pundits all over the mainstream media are truly gushing over Madonna's iconic influence within the strange ... http://www.doctorpundit.com/index.php/2008/08/16/weekend-music-club-rihanna/ Yet another story describing wrong-side surgery. Although not surprising in their incidence, one would think that the rate of wrong-side surgical procedures is on the decline in this country, or at the very least, leveling off. Can the quality assurance admonitions of healthcare organizations occur soon enough? http://www.doctorpundit.com/index.php/2008/08/16/tx-patient-files-suit-alleging-medical-negligence/ Medicare officials have just announced rate increases in prescription drug premiums for beneficiaries in stand-alone Part D plans.  Starting next year, the average monthly premium will mean $3 more per month for beneficiaries out of pocket.  CMS is quick to buttress news of this increase with the acknowledgement that the ... http://www.doctorpundit.com/index.php/2008/08/15/cms-announces-premium-increase-for-part-d-beneficiaries-in-2009/ A single room for the healthcare of an institution's entire patient population. The relative squalor of certain facilities that threatens the spread of disease to staff and other patients on an almost daily basis. Treatment conditions which one judicial official characterized as one of "incompetence and outright depravity in the ... http://www.doctorpundit.com/index.php/2008/08/14/california-state-republican-lawmakers-powerless-against-government-demand-to-completely-overhaul-its-prison-systems-healthcare-quality/ In earlier times (throughout the last 15 years or so), the use of telemedicine was relegated to inferior analog video technologies.  It was often seen as an "interesting" curiosity to those global thinkers in healthcare delivery as the Next Big Thing.  Of course, that sentiment is not to detract from ... http://www.doctorpundit.com/index.php/2008/08/14/lancet-study-strongly-shows-benefits-of-broadband-telemedical-technologies/ You've got to be asking yourself if medical device companies are going to feel the effects of this finding: the utilization of coronary stents in the treatment of heart disease becomes less crucial the longer the patient survives this particular diagnosis; that is, the role of medical (non-surgical) therapy leads ... http://www.doctorpundit.com/index.php/2008/08/14/study-in-the-long-term-treatment-of-angina-symptoms-in-patients-with-coronary-disease-optimal-medical-therapy-matched-outcomes-achieved-with-stents/