“Jimmy Clark figures he has only so much time left, maybe five years in a best-case scenario, less than two if things go south quick. He’s trying to stay positive, knocking things off his bucket list, but he knows the deterioration that comes with ALS portends a gradual loss of the ability to speak, move, eat, and breathe. Clark, a 59-year-old Texarkana retailer, wants to … Continue reading The “Right-To-Try” Before I Die
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
The media is finally addressing one of the most important and interesting societal changes happening in our country today. When we are not reading about the violence our society has encountered, the whole world is changing its mind about marijuana. Just last month Dr Sanjay Gupta, medical expert for CNN, broadcast his special about “Why I Changed My Mind on Weed”. Conservative Senator John McCain … Continue reading Marijuana Laws Collide
From the Urban Dictionary: an employer of a particularly evil nature, completely devoid of empathy or concern for anyone else, the deadly hybrid of boss and asshole. In this enlightened time, when we speak fervently about leadership skills and innovation, it is improbable that bossholes still exist. We do know that this is not a genetic trait but learned. No MRI or research is going … Continue reading You May Know One, You May Work For One or You May Be One: The Bosshole!
We all can tell stories about the visit to the doctor’s office. It was too crowded. I had to wait too long. The Doctor was insensitive to my complaints. I left feeling confused. A friend recently described what the impending physician visit entailed: three days of surfing the internet until she had diagnosed her complaint, 1 hour travel to the doctor, 1 hour wait to … Continue reading Do You Shop Your Diagnosis Until The Doctor Tells You What You Want To Hear?
AHEC and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission Training Officer and Contracting Officer had their “kickoff” meeting today for the new award announced last week. Advanced Health will be presenting up to 8 classes per year for NRC and state radiation control personnel. The purpose of the classes will be to teach the clinical aspects of Diagnostic and Therapeutic Nuclear Medicine and Brachytherapy, Gamma Knife and Emerging … Continue reading NRC AWARD “Kickoff” Meeting
