JAMA Review on Mammography Points to the Need for Better Ways to Advise Women and Detect Breast Cancer

This new JAMA article reviews the literature. At a glance, it may add to the growing perception among journalists, primary care physicians and others – including ordinary women – that mammography’s effectiveness has been, again, disproved.

Posted in Breast Cancer, cancer screening, journalism, Oncology (cancer), Public Health, Women's HealthTagged , , , , , , , 3 Comments on JAMA Review on Mammography Points to the Need for Better Ways to Advise Women and Detect Breast Cancer

Seeing ZocDoc, And Listening To A Panel On Improving Health Care

No word cloud is needed; we were in one. It’s hard not to be charmed by the brightness of delightful, eager tech-workers who want to make it easier for people to get to doctors they might need. In theory. The ZocDoc space bore no semblance to any hospital or office where I’ve been a doctor or a patient.

Posted in Future of Medicine, health care delivery, Health IT, Life in NYC, Public HealthTagged , , , , , , , , , 2 Comments on Seeing ZocDoc, And Listening To A Panel On Improving Health Care

Reading Toms River

The residents hadn’t a clue what was happening to their water. Fagin, an environmental journalist, wades through a half century of dumping, denial, Greenpeace efforts to expose the situation, local citizens’ mixed responses…

Posted in Books, cancer causes, Environmental Health, Oncology (cancer), Public Health, ReviewsTagged , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a Comment on Reading Toms River

Another Take on Not Smoking, the Law and Tolerance

This vignette offers a 1930s perspective on what some call social health – that an individual’s behavior might be influenced by neighbors’ and coworkers’ attitudes.

Posted in Communication, Magazine, Public Health, Shorts, Women's HealthTagged , , , , , , , 2 Comments on Another Take on Not Smoking, the Law and Tolerance

Three Reasons to Celebrate the Supreme Court’s Decision on Obamacare

Like a good, smart doctor, morally grounded and, perhaps, influenced by compassion (hard to tell), the Chief Justice figured out a legally acceptable way for his court to do the right thing. Bravo!

Posted in from the author, journalism, Policy, Public HealthTagged , , , , , , , , , , 3 Comments on Three Reasons to Celebrate the Supreme Court’s Decision on Obamacare

New Studies on Colon Cancer Screening by Colonoscopy and Fecal Blood Testing

My take is that periodic colonoscopy has the potential to halve the number of deaths from colon cancer in the general population…As to how colonoscopy relates to fecal blood testing as a screening method at the population level, and the optimal start and frequency of either test, those remain uncertain.

Posted in cancer screening, Medical News, Oncology (cancer), Public HealthTagged , , , , , , , , , 1 Comment on New Studies on Colon Cancer Screening by Colonoscopy and Fecal Blood Testing

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

Do Adults Need Physicians to Tell Them to Exercise?

Whatever the reasons are that most doctors don’t bring up the issue, one might ask this: Why do adults need doctors to tell them about the health benefits of regular exercise? After all, it’s common knowledge –

Posted in Communication, Fitness, Patient-Doctor Relationship, Public HealthTagged , , , , , , , 1 Comment on Do Adults Need Physicians to Tell Them to Exercise?

Notes on Wendell Potter, and Why Companies Support the Individual Mandate

The current debate about the individual mandate reminded me to post this – About a year ago, I had the opportunity to hear Wendell Potter, author of Deadly Spin – an insider’s sharp critique of the insurance industry, speak at a meeting of the New York Metropolitan Chapter of Physicians for a National Health Program. Despite […]

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