Diet and Nutrition. Natural Health, and Healthy Living

In case you don't have easy access to the statistics posted yearly by the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, here's the recap of their analysis of aesthetic procedures performed in 2009.

(more...)

I saw a patient today and looked back at a previous note, which said the following: “stressed out due to insurance.” It didn’t surprise me, and I didn’t find it funny; I see a lot of this. Too much. This kind of thing could be written on a lot of patients’ charts. I suspect the percentage of patients who are “stressed out due to insurance” is fairly high.

My very next patient started was a gentleman who has fairly good insurance who I had not seen for a long time. He was not taking his medications as directed, and when asked why he had not come in recently he replied, “I can’t afford to see you, doc. You’re expensive.”

(more...)

Just when we thought things were calming down in the world of Health 2.0, it’s kicking off. WebMD has been watching Everyday Health take over its spot as top Health site ranking in the ComScore rankings (cue angry diatribe from those who don’t believe Comscore, and explanations from those who think they understand what Comscore is up to). They’ve also presumably been watching as MedHelp.org went from nowhere to close to 10m visits a month (WebMD claims 60m users but Comscore says closer to 24M).

(more...)

One of the most fun times at HIMSS last week was the MEDecision party at the Georgia aquarium. I took a few videos of the Fish and the humans—so something a little different for you all

(more...)

In the 'you've got to be kidding me' category... Six women in NJ ended up in the hospital after they were injected with 'bathroom tile calk' from unlicensed ass-injectors.

(more...)

No need to shed tears for Allergan with a market cap of nearly $18 billion last week.

Allergan Inc. Chief Executive David Pyott is guarded about 2010 as the drug maker faces competition, uncertain spending on its medical cosmetics and a relatively quiet year for product launches.

(more...)

A surprise move by ONC/HHS indicates the wheels may be falling off health IT reform at about the same rate they've fallen off Democrats' broader health reforms.

David Blumenthal and his staff have unveiled two separate plans to test and certify EHR technology products and services. We don't think this is a good idea. We've supported the purpose and spirit of the ARRA/HITECH incentive programs, and believe ONC's/HHS' re-definition of EHR technology puts it on a trajectory to improve the quality and efficiency of health care in the U.S. But this recently-announced two-stage EHR technology certification plan bears all the marks of a hastily drawn up blueprint that, if rushed into production, could easily collapse of its own bureaucratic weight.

(more...)

Last week we had a webinar on social media marketing and more than 70 Medical Spa MD Members signed up. I'd expected somewhere from 10-15 so having 70+ surprised me somewhat.

Alex Panagiotopoulos of Freelance MD explains basic Twitter functions for physicians running medical spas, laser clinics, and cosmetic medical practices

(more...)

After days of technical gremlins holding me back, I'm getting my HIMSS interviews up online. I’ll start with one from two of my favorites. This is Daniel Palestrant of Sermo and Jonathan Bush of athenahealth, who are starting to work together in a potentially interesting way (if you’ve been following my mantra of Health 2.0 Tools and Communities merging). And both of them are pretty riotous to interview, so enjoy!

(more...)

From: Paul Longmore,

longmore@SFSU.EDU

Deadline March 15, 2010

Call for Papers and Proposals: The Question of Rights

San Francisco State University will host a conference September 16-17, 2010 exploring the question and place of rights in history, politics, andsociety.

Rights, both individual and collective, have long been a theme in American society, often seen in conflict with state power. We welcomepapers on assertions of rights by insurgent groups, resistance to rights claims, and governmental efforts to suppress or promoterights, in areas including but not limited to: civilliberties;disability rights; labor and economic rights; feminismandantiracism; immigration; environmental justice; access to healthcare;
(more...)