Cyberchondria Rising – What is the Term’s Meaning and History?

Yesterday the AMA news informed me that cyberchondria is on the rise. So it’s a good moment to consider the term’s meaning and history. Cyberchondria is an unfounded health concern that develops upon searching the Internet for information about symptoms or a disease. A cyberchondriac is someone who surfs the Web about a medical problem […]

Posted in Communication, Diagnosis, Health IT, Medical News, Psychiatry, Tuesday TermTagged , , , , , , , 2 Comments on Cyberchondria Rising – What is the Term’s Meaning and History?

Crowd-Sourcing a Medical Puzzle

The Times ran an intriguing experiment on its Well blog yesterday: a medical problem-solving contest. The challenge, based on the story of a real girl who lives near Philadelphia, drew 1379 posted comments and closed this morning with publication of the answer. Dr. Lisa Sanders, who moderated the piece, says today that the first submitted […]

Posted in Communication, Diagnosis, Future of Medicine, Health IT, Ideas, Medical Education, PrivacyTagged , , , , , , , 3 Comments on Crowd-Sourcing a Medical Puzzle

Suggestions to Reduce Errors in Breast Cancer Pathology

A prominent article in yesterday’s New York Times considers some troubling problems regarding inaccuracy in breast cancer diagnosis and pathology. The main point is that some women get needless, disfiguring and toxic treatments after being told they have breast cancer when, it turns out, their condition was benign. My main take is that, whenever possible, […]

Posted in Breast Cancer, Diagnosis, Oncology (cancer), Pathology, Women's HealthTagged , , , , , , 1 Comment on Suggestions to Reduce Errors in Breast Cancer Pathology

On Sergey’s Search (for a Cure for Parkinson’s Disease)

…This goes well beyond a new approach to finding a cure for Parkinson’s disease.

This story, largely based in genomics and computational advances, reflects the power of the human mind, how the gifted son of two mathematicians who fell into a particular medical situation, can use his brains, intellectual and financial resources, and creativity, to at least try to make a difference.

Posted in Empowered Patient, Future of Medicine, Genetics, Medical News, Neurology, ScienceTagged , , , , , Leave a Comment on On Sergey’s Search (for a Cure for Parkinson’s Disease)

Uncertainty Rules (on Eyjafjallajokull, volatility and a patient’s prognosis)

As pretty much anyone traveling in Europe this week can tell you, it’s sometimes hard to know what will happen next. Volcanologists – the people most expert in this sort of matter – simply can’t predict what the spitfire at Eyjafjallajokull will do next.

It comes down to this: the volcano’s eruption could get better or it could get worse…

Posted in Communication, Diagnosis, Life, Life as a Patient, Oncology (cancer), ScienceTagged , , , , , , , , Leave a Comment on Uncertainty Rules (on Eyjafjallajokull, volatility and a patient’s prognosis)
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