Doctors

Medical School Student Costs in the U.S. are Affecting Mental Health

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A research letter titled “U.S. Medical Students’ Health Insurance Coverage for Mental Health and Substance Abuse Treatment” published in the Journal of the American Medical Association  vol. 306, no.9, pages 931-933, in September 7, 2011, and written by Rachel Nardin and et al. discusses how medical students are often sleep-deprived, depressed, and have thoughts of suicide. This can lead to lack of empathy for their patients and contribute to additional medical errors once they graduate. It can also lead to substance abuse. Even so these medical students are not being adequately treated for their psychiatric disorder or substance abuse due to wanting to avoid adding additional costs to their already substantial debt from school. It is a fact that about 50% of those with a serious mental disorder also suffer from a substance abuse disorder. The study looked at health insurance offered … Read more

Free Speech Rights For Patients Online

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An interesting article appears over on drbicuspid.com over at http://www.drbicuspid.com/index.aspx?sec=sup&sub=pmt&pag=dis&ItemID=309247 titled “Lawsuit claims dentist stifled patients’ free speech rights” by Donna Domino and posted on Dec. 1 2011. A discussion is made of a New York dentist and a class action lawsuit that was filed in late November. The complaint was filed by the Public Citizen Litigation Group. In the case a patient went to the New York dentist and signed an agreement by Medical Justice  in which the patient agreed not to denigrate or disparage the dentist on the Internet or other broadcast media. The patient went to the dentist because of a sore tooth and was charged $4,766 for two office visits. The patient says the insurance claim was sent to the wrong insurance company and was 25 times the going rate. The patient requested his records so … Read more

What is Science Up to?

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A hilarious piece aired on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart back in October 26, 2011 titled “Science: What’s It Up To?” In the segment Aasif Mandvi sits down with Republican Strategist Noelle Nikpour She says “Scientists are scamming the American people right and left for their own financial gain.” Aasif Mandvi comments “Why are surgeons the only ones allowed to perform surgeries and other surgeons are the only ones who get to say whether this surgery is necessary or not? Doesn’t make any sense. And the only other people that can check to make sure that they are not manipulating ….are other scientists.” Dr. Martin Chalfie later comments “All that we do in science is subjected to peer review.” Of course the issue as pointed it in the segment is that the peers are other scientists like them. Watch … Read more

Dentist and Patient Flame War over Reasons People and Dentists Hate Each Other

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A recent post was made by a 36 year old female dentist who has recently decided to leave the profession. Of course she couldn’t just leave dentistry, she had to cut her hair http://lolabees.me/2011/11/23/the-big-reveal/ and write a post about the 10 Reasons Your Dentist Probably Hates You Too http://lolabees.me/2011/11/28/10-reasons-your-dentist-probably-hates-you-too/ Reading over the 10 Reasons Your Dentist Probably Hates You Too I totally see where she is coming from. The first on her list is often patients sit down and the first thing they say is “I hate the dentist.” Other issues on her list include patients not brushing their teeth before the appointment, complaining about the size of the bill after the work was completed, failing to get a cavity or filling performed when it is recommended, not showing up or canceling at the last minute for an appointment, and … Read more

How to Protect Yourself from Abusive Doctors

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John A. McDougall, MD, is a physician and nutrition expert who considers himself a leader of public opinion and often finds it necessary to challenge the accepted wisdom of the time. Dr. McDougall produces a newsletter over on his website. In the October 2011, vol. 10, issue 10, edition he writes about “How to Protect Yourself from Abusive Medical Doctors.” http://www.drmcdougall.com/misc/2011nl/oct/protect.pdf I think the entire article is well worth the read but I will cover some of the more interesting parts here. Dr. McDougall discuses a case where he has a patient named Marsha who has a history of precancerous changes in the tissues lining her uterus known as endometrial hyperplasia. Over 2 years her condition progressed to early stage cancer. Two surgeons whom she consulted with recommended a hysterectomy as the treatment. Dr. McDougall has a telephone consultation with a young Obstetrician/Gynecologist. This doctor … Read more