Taxes: Beware of these latest scams
The IRS warns of a rash of e-mail and telephone scams whose aim is to latch onto a taxpayer's personal and financial data.
Malpractice: 3 lessons I learned the hard way
After several narrow escapes, the author is eager to share his hard-won lessons with others.
The day Joy died
When my patient died needlessly, part of me died, too.
Physician report cards: Help, ho-hum or horror?
Public scorecards on individual doctors are just around the corner, and payers want you to supply the data.
Adding Ancillaries: Physical therapy
You can get started for as little as $1,000-but first makesure payers in your area will reimburse for these services.
Rx vs OTC? Damned if you do,...
To save patients money, physicians are writing prescriptions even when an equivalent OTC med is available. Should they?
Scheduling drug reps online
Companies offering online sales appointment scheduling say they can make your practice life easier. Are they right?
The Way I See It: Report cards deserve an F
A numbers-only P4P agenda shouldn't reward—or punish.
I should've kept my mouth shut!
Long before HIPAA, an embarrassing incident taught this doctor that some conversations should never take place.
Adding ancillaries: Laser hair removal
This is the first in a series of articles on specific ancillary services that can boost your bottom line and keep you and your practice busy in a competivtive healthcare market.
MURDERED
A popular young doctor lay dead. The prime suspect: A fellow physician.
5 rules for managing tough patients
The author has treated more than his share of these challenging individuals. Here are some valuable tips he's learned that will make your job easier.
My patients and I — our own support group
The author had the same disease as some of her patients. Should she tell them?
He's not my patient, he's my father
Our Father's Day tribute: A reminder that in at least one relationship, you're not the doctor, you're still his child.
Malpractice: Another way to get sued
If a routine employment physical or workers' comp exam reveals abnormal results, your obligation to the patient goes deeper than you might think.
A young woman sits alone, dying
A young physician learns that the failure to care can be worse than the failure to cure.
Hospitals: Portrait of a failure
The closing of an inner-city hospital creates problems for doctors as well as patients.
Can your hospital help you get an EHR?
Evanston Northwestern Healthcare has offered to rent its EHR to community doctors. Read about their experiences.
Cultural Competence: Caring for your Muslim patients
Stereotypes and misunderstandings affect the care of patients from the Middle East and other parts of the Islamic world.
My patient lived—so she sued me
By mistakenly predicting a patient's imminent demise, this doctor nearly ended up in court.
The night I lost my faith
Every doctor is spiritually vulnerable, the author says. His unsuccessful effort to save a dying baby triggered his personal crisis. 2004 DOCTORS' WRITING CONTEST - GRAND PRIZE WINNER
Is your patient faking?
The modern-day "Munchausen" will do almost anything to get medical attention—and she's more common than you may think.
Dumb things I've said to patients
I thought I was saying the right things. Then I realized how pointless my timeworn words were.
Stephen Barrett on unconventional therapies
Here's how to steer folks away from bogus or useless "cures."
A field guide to alternative healers
Your patients see them as well as you, so know who's out there.
Bargain healthcare stocks worth buying
The time is right to snap up one of the many good deals in this sector. Here are nine worth considering.
Clip and Copy: Keeping track of preauthorizations
Insurance paperwork for tests and other services needn't get lost in the shuffle.
When did this patient die?
A man's suicide attempt left him brain dead. His organs might keep someone alive. But there were problems.
Last Word: Never underestimate a patient
Mr. W reminded me of why I became a doctor.
Do these doctors give medicine a black eye?
With billions of dollars at stake in the fen-phen case, a judge raises questions about legal and medical ethics.
