Notes on the Social History of American Medicine, Self Reliance and Health Care, Today

…a bit on the history of health care in the United States. The Social Transformation of American Medicine, by Paul Starr, was first published in 1982. The author, a professor of sociology and public affairs at Princeton, gives a fascinating, still-relevant account…

Posted in Books, Economics, Medical Education, Medical History, ReviewsTagged , , , , , , 1 Comment on Notes on the Social History of American Medicine, Self Reliance and Health Care, Today

Counterfeit Drugs, A New Concern for Patients

Counterfeit vials were sold and distributed to more than a dozen offices and medical treatment facilities in the U.S. This event, which seems to have affected a small number of patients and practices, should sound a big alarm.

Posted in Economics, health care delivery, Life as a Patient, Medical News, Public HealthTagged , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a Comment on Counterfeit Drugs, A New Concern for Patients

Should You Tell Your Employer When a Loved One Is Ill?

An article caught my attention in the September AARP Bulletin: The Caregiver’s Dilemma considers the 61.6 million people in the U.S. who care for older relatives or friends. People with jobs are, understandably, unsure if they should let their boss or supervisor know they’re caring for someone who’s sick. This indirect cost of illness and […]

Posted in Economics, Family, Life, Women's HealthTagged , , , , , , Leave a Comment on Should You Tell Your Employer When a Loved One Is Ill?

Reducing Cancer Care Costs by Comparative and Cost-Effectiveness Research (CER)

Well, it’s the day after Labor Day, time to resume our discussion of Bending the Cost Curve in Cancer Care. We’ve reached the end of the list, on ideas to reduce oncology costs put forth by Drs. Smith and Hillner in the May 25 issue of the NEJM. Really this 10th and final point intended for […]

Posted in cancer treatment, clinical trials, Economics, health care costs, Oncology (cancer)Tagged , , , , , , , 2 Comments on Reducing Cancer Care Costs by Comparative and Cost-Effectiveness Research (CER)

Reducing Costs by Holding Back on Chemotherapy for Cancer Patients Who are Frail

This is the fourth in a series of posts on Bending the Cost Curve in Cancer Care, by Drs. Thomas J. Smith and Bruce E. Hillner, in a recent NEJM health policy piece. The authors’ third suggestion: to limit chemotherapy to patients with good performance status, with an exception for highly responsive disease, is surely one of the most […]

Posted in cancer treatment, Economics, health care costs, Medical Ethics, Oncology (cancer), PolicyTagged , , , , , , , , 5 Comments on Reducing Costs by Holding Back on Chemotherapy for Cancer Patients Who are Frail

Opening Up a Dialogue on the R-Word

Today a short article in the NY Times, New Kidney Transplant Policy Would Favor Younger Patients, draws my attention to a very basic problem in medical ethics: rationing. According to the Washington Post coverage, the proposal comes from the United Network for Organ Sharing, a Richmond-based private non-profit group the federal government contracts for allocation […]

Posted in Economics, health care costs, Life, Medical Ethics, PolicyTagged , , , , Leave a Comment on Opening Up a Dialogue on the R-Word
newsletter software