THE MEAN, THE BAD AND THE BEST DOCTOR

Few months ago I was talking to one of the doctors from the same Hospital I work at. I showed him the website ratemds. He looked at it and I said, “I don’t buy this. I don’t like the idea patients to rate doctors. Who are they? They don’t know anything about medicine. I can rate somebody I work with for 10-15 years, but a patient can’t rate a doctor. Than he continue…, “I prefer to get treatment from an asshole doctor who is very good, than from somebody nice and polite who is just playing as a doctor without knowing anything”.

Initially I was kind of surprise and said to him, “Yes! The doctor should be knowledgeable. Knowledge comes first, but a good doctor has to know how to sell his knowledge too. He/She should be diplomatic as well. Medical business can be compared at some points to any other business. For example: you have a fabric and make the best shoes, but if you don’t know how to sell your product, how the people will buy from you. He said again, “the best doctors I know are assholes:)”. OK, I questioned him, “why the best doctors are assholes”. He answered,”because if you wanna be a good doctor you have to separate from the patient’s situation. The patient is not your friend. Who is the patient? Nobody…if you want to be the best doctor you don’t have to care that much about the patient and his/her feelings”.

I don’t know what to say. That conversation made me kind of confused. What do you thing? Do you like the best asshole doctor (whatever that means), or you are more into the nice, showing empathy but lacking knowledge one. Is there such thing as the “optimal” doctor. Smart and educated enough, polite enough, respectful enough?

 

The New U.S. Preventive Services Task Force

This info will be helpful for all the preventive medicine lovers. Enjoy guys and don’t forget to say thank you in the comments.

The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF), first convened by the U.S. Public Health Service in 1984, and since 1998 sponsored by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), is the leading independent panel of private-sector experts in prevention and primary care. The USPSTF conducts rigorous, impartial assessments of the scientific evidence for the effectiveness of a broad range of clinical preventive services, including screening, counseling, and preventive medications. Its recommendations are considered the “gold standard” for clinical preventive services.

The mission of the USPSTF is to evaluate the benefits of individual services based on age, gender, and risk factors for disease; make recommendations about which preventive services should be incorporated routinely into primary medical care and for which populations; and identify a research agenda for clinical preventive care. For more information visit this web page.

To see the Guide to Clinical Preventive Services visit this web page.

To see and download PDF file of the pocket guide to clinical preventive services visit this web page.

To download Electronic Preventive Services Selector (ePSS for PDA) visit this web page.

 

CLAUDICATION WALKING PROGRAM

I did 3 days of shadowing (observeship) on the vascular floor and clinic. Before I forget I would like to put down what I learned for claudication walking program:

• The goal is to walk for 30 minutes three times per day (every other day).
• Speed is not a factor. Comfortable pace is best.
• Stop walking and rest when legs are near maximal pain.
• Rest for a few minutes, then continue walking. (Total walking time should be 3o minutes.)
• Keep a chart of your progress. In 6-8 weeks you should be able to walk farther without stopping due to pain in your legs.

 

Quebec opens door to more private health

Quebec Health Minister Philippe Couillard left the door open yesterday to physicians practicing in both the public and the private systems under strict conditions in his response to a task force report on the province’s health-care system that proposed “profound” changes.

read more | digg story

 

Rate Your Doctor

Have you been to your family physician with angina symptoms and after the check up you were sent home with the diagnosis, that you eat too much salt and you are overweight with 20 pounds.

Have you seen a specialist making the diagnosis for 15 seconds just looking at you, without doing any basic check up or laboratory tests?

Have you been in situation when the doctors saves your life and give you the best care and support?

Have you been in a hospital and the doctors, nurses, and the support staff make you feel secure and you are in good hands?

There are so many other situations, sometimes the patients are happy with the medical service, sometimes not. If you want to say your opinion, whatever it is, good or bad for your family doctor or specialist, the website ratemds.com is the best bet for it. So, thinking of medicine as any other business (this is kind of controversial) the costumers can rate and give stars to their physicians in the same way they can rate cell phones, laptops, air-conditioners, and any other products.

Good luck to the good doctors and sorry for the bad guys. The costumers will judge you now, and believe me it could be embarrassing.

Add to: | blinklist | del.cio.us | digg | yahoo! | furl | rawsugar | shadows | netvouz

 

Best Hospitals 2007

U.S. News has ranked 192 hospitals in 17 specialties. Detailed information on the hospitals can be found by selecting a specialty here or by browsing our alphabetical index of all hospitals. Children’s hospitals are ranked using a newly enhanced methodology.

Cancer| Digestive Disorders| Ear, nose, and throat| Endocrinology| Geriatrics| Gynecology| Heart| Kidney Disease| Neurology and neurosurgery|Ophthalmology| Orthopedics| Pediatrics| Psychiatry| Rehabilitation| Respiratory Disorders| Rheumatology| Urology

 

Tips for Dealing With Seasonal Depression

For some, Christmas and the holiday season is not a time of joy and cheer but of depression, loneliness, anxiety and self-evaluation. Financial constraints, not being able to spend time with family and/or friends, or conversely, spending too much time with them, can all lead to Christmas and holiday depression. The added stresses, unrealistic expectations and fatigue of the season can also contribute to depression. People with few friends or family members may feel even more alone and isolated, while people with a large circle of family and friends may feel stressed by having to find the “perfect” gift and entertain for large get-togethers.

Consider some holiday depression stressors:

• Separation or divorce can leave people celebrating Christmas and the holiday season alone.
• People who have lost a loved one are especially mindful of that loss.
• The activities of the holidays can place a significant burden on already full schedules.
• The costs involved with the holidays can place a significant burden on already tight budgets.

Although the stressors that can cause holiday depression cannot be completely eliminated, there are a number of suggestions that can help keep Christmas and holiday depression at a minimum.

 

Health Care Workers and Occupational Injuries

• Health care is the second-fastest-growing sector of the U.S. economy, employing over 12 million workers.
• Women represent nearly 80% of the health care work force.
• Health care workers face a wide range of hazards on the job, including needlestick injuries, back injuries, latex allergy, violence, and stress.
• Although it is possible to prevent or reduce health care worker exposure to these hazards, health care workers actually are experiencing increasing numbers of occupational injuries and illnesses.
• Rates of occupational injury to health care workers have risen over the past decade.
• By contrast, two of the most hazardous industries, agriculture and construction, are safer today than they were a decade ago.

 

MRSA at The Workplace

Staphylococcus aureus, often referred to simply as “staph,” is a type of bacteria commonly carried on the skin or in the nose of healthy people. Sometimes, staph can cause an infection. Staph bacteria are one of the most common causes of skin infections in the United States. Most of these skin infections are minor (such as pustules and boils) and can be treated without antibiotics. However, staph bacteria also can cause serious infections (such as surgical wound infections, bloodstream infections, and pneumonia).Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) refers to types of staph that are resistant to a type of antibiotic methicillin. MRSA is often resistant to other antibiotics, as well. While 25% to 30% of the population is colonized with staph (meaning that bacteria are present, but not causing an infection with staph), approximately 1% is colonized with MRSA.

 

How to Find The Right Home Care Agency

At some point in your care giving experience, an educated decision regarding home care agencies will become critical.

We have some essential questions that can help prepare you for this difficult decision.

• What type of agency is this? (Home Care, Employment, Registry/Broker or Independent Contractor)
• Does the agency accept the responsibility for any of the following with regards to its staff?(Screening, Training, Insurance, Supervision)
• How long as the agency provided this kind of care?
• How does the agency screen and select caregivers for an assignment?
• Does the agency hire independent contractors?

• What of the following are conducted with all employees? How often? (References Verified, Drug Testing and Criminal Background Screen)

• Who helps our family develop an individualized plan of care? Is he/she a licensed health care professional?
• How are emergencies handled outside of business hours?

How to assess a home care agency [AGIS]