What's in the box? Is UnitedHealthcare delivering on its promises?
Whether it's cereal or health insurance, you're right to wonder whether there's truth in the hype--and to be concerned about what the "improvements" might cost you.
Letters to the Editors
How much do your kids know about credit?
Precious little, probably. Read this, and you might prevent them from sinking into debt.
How I almost killed Otis
A near-fatal mistake in the ER taught this doctor the importance of thinking carefully before giving treatment orders.
Practice Beat
Hospitals, Physician Retirement, Medical Practice, Medical Marijuana, Electronic Prescribing, Report Cards, Did You Know...
Doctors and the Web: Build your own information highway
Some groups are starting to connect doctors online with payers, hospitals, and other data sources. There are practical benefits, but the obstacles remain formidable.
How I learned to be a better boss
Employees were taking advantage of the author's inexperience and good nature—until he started setting rules.
My second specialty? It's suing lawyers
Stung by his run-ins with the legal profession, this doctor went on the offensive.
Doctors Who Go the Extra Mile: A lifelong ally for cystic fibrosis patients
A lifelong ally for cystic fibrosis patients
HMO Liability, Antitrust, Health Plan Failure, Online Prescribing, Managed Care
Acupuncture in 2000: Working its way into mainstream medicine
This ancient healing system continues to make inroads in modern health care. Are your patients among the 1 million Americans who have signed on?
Why call is an abuse of doctors' time; Dr. Moms shouldn't have to bargain for leave; Sexual orientation should be part of sex ed; Does every good deed have a price?
Let's put an end to code "bundling"
The debate over claims-auditing software continues. Here's one physician's plan to get insurers to stop code bundling, among other abuses.
CAM Consult: What makes a physician an expert in CAM?
Any MD or DO with minimal training in alternative medicine can claim competence--and who's to argue? But standards are about to be raised.
Malpractice Consult
Never feud with nurses on the patient's chart; forwarding the records of other physicians.
How connectivity is changing practice
These three practices have started down the information superhighway. As their experiences show, there's a long, winding road ahead.
A managed care sting
A flat fish administers a unique brand of justice.
How to squash a small malpractice claim
Should you use some of your own funds to compensate a disgruntled patient? Sometimes that makes sense, this lawyer argues.
Why didn't I speak up for this patient?
Hindsight tells the author he should have prodded colleagues into doing more for a very sick relative.
I opened my home to a homeless patient
Looking for some relief from her hectic pace, this doctor made a deal with a destitute woman. Here's how it turned out.
Risk adjustment: Medicare's latest move to tinker with your income
HCFA's phase-in of case-mix adjustment for senior HMOs will be reflected in payments to doctors. And that's only the beginning.
Bolster your portfolio with US regional funds?
Some boast eye-opening returns, and proponents claim the fund managers can spot winning companies before the crowd catches on. But consider the drawbacks before investing.
How location can make or break your practice
There's a science to selecting the right site for your office. Here's how the experts do it.
Do you need critical-illness insurance?
Its a new type of coverage you probably havent heard of. Heres what you need to know before deciding whether to buy it.
A doctor's worst nightmare: My own child has cancer
A year of treatment and nonstop crises has finally ended, but the author will never feel the same about medicine-or anything else-again.
When I treated Grace, I also treated myself
Ever care for a patient who looks just like you? It does wonders for your ability to empathize.
What a behavioral specialist could add to your practice.
Doctors have long been criticized for turning a blind eye to patients' psychological disorders. Now some groups are forcing the issue.
Are online pharmacies good for your patients—and for you?
Rogue Viagra peddlers aside, Internet drugstores will have a place in your medical practice, and not just as amazon.coms for pills. They're one more sign that everything in health care is converging electronically