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Practice Beat

Good Samaritan Laws, Managed Care, Medical Practice

In this ethnically diverse country of ours, patients with health care customs and practices quite different from Western medicine's are looking for doctors who understand their needs. Will you be one of them?

Many states require an expert's "pre-certification" when plaintiffs file malpractice claims. But a high-profile court case in North Carolina could change that.

The author took two very different approaches to two cases of genital herpes. What would you do?

Personal contact keeps medicine fresh, the author says. It's a lesson he learned the hard way and relates in this 2001 Doctors' Writing Contest prize winner.

False positives can have devastating results. How can you protect your patients, and yourself, from an erroneous diagnosis?

Your colleagues share their secrets for defusing hostility, coaxing compliance, and allaying anxiety.

When your patient lies

People don't tell the truth about their health for a variety of reasons--some of which could have dangerous repercussions.

AFib? But I'm only 38!

An episode of prolonged atrial fibrillation, makes a young cardiologist take stock and make changes.

Mercy--or murder?

A troubled physician faces criminal charges in the deaths of five patients. The state says it was homicide; the doctor says it was compassionate care.

Labs online: Everybody wins

As more and more laboratories put test results online, your patients' reports could be as close as your Web browser.

Spending more time managing investments than enjoying their gains? Take these steps now to clear out the clutter.