One of my favorite late night shows was Jay Leno and his segments on “Jaywalking” This segment had Jay going to a public park or boardwalk and interviewing people with common questions. The questions were generally current events, current politics, or some common knowledge such as the capital of a state, or my favorite Question: “Why did women burn their bras in the ‘60”s (meaning … Continue reading Is It Apathy or Is It Ignorance?
So here I sit on New Year’s Eve contemplating this year of 2014. I will not be sad to leave it behind and as the eternal optimist I look forward to a better year in 2015. It’s a surprise that we can get up every morning if we listen to the media. So much hate, so much violence, so much war, so much obesity, so … Continue reading Bang Head Here!
Several of my friends, independently, have told me their stories about their experiences with Obamacare. All the stories are similar in many ways and entail recounting of large deductibles and small coverage. The news media has recounted different stories, each with a different problem, but basically all with the same theme. My favorite of the most recent ones in my realm is of a wife … Continue reading Are We Sinking Ourselves in Medical Debt?
I wonder how many patients Elizabeth Agnvall has sent to an early grave today? The latest AARP Bulletin screams the headline- Doctors say: Skip These Tests! “Doctors warn that some of the common medical tests routinely taken by Americans do more harm than good, waste billions of dollars and could endanger your health or even your life…” Are you kidding me? On page 12 she … Continue reading AARP Bulletin Advises Members Against Medical Tests
Why is it that I believe certain truisms? Did I learn them as a child or was I taught by the television ad? We are much more likely to believe an anecdote or story than we are to believe the scientific evidence. Mothers that believe they know the cause of a child’s illness are unlikely to be swayed by hundreds of scientific studies that say … Continue reading Influences and Perceptions: How our intuitions deceive us
In the last few weeks the online and print communities have been touting neuroimaging research. Every disease of the brain, as well as some normal functions, are finding their way through the newest and greatest of fMRI, MRI, and PET. Recent studies for depression, Alzheimer’s, schizophrenia, autism, epilepsy, and Parkinson’s are reporting findings that help identify different parts of the brain where the disease resides … Continue reading Can Brain Scans Become the new EKGs for Mental Illness?
If you have been a patient in any health care situation recently, you have experienced a denial of some type of medical care. It could have been a procedure that was not approved, a diagnostic test that someone determined was not necessary, or more likely a medication that was not on your approved list. Health care is changing rapidly and even though you have not … Continue reading The Patient’s Rights and the 5 ”Rights” of Imaging
