Nov. 6, 2006: Table of Contents

American Medical News   vol. 49 no. 41
Top stories - Government - Profession - Business - Opinion - Health - 2006 index

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"If you think about the Ford Pinto when you hear the word 'recall,' it's hard to sleep when you've got that in your chest," says Dwight Reynolds, MD, Heart Rhythm Society president, advocating a "safety advisory" rather than a "recall" for pacemaker problems.

Osteoporosis: Men get it, too Women aren't the only ones who face bones thinning with age. More studies are showing that the impact on men's health can be devastating. In Health FTC rules: The cost of confusion Doctor groups say the guidelines on joint arrangements for negotiations are unclear. In Government Uno employee, dos jobs Bilingual employees can serve as interpreters -- and help market a practice. In Business

Top stories

Medicaid payment inching up
Physician payment rates are going up in at least 24 states, but there's a lot of lost ground to make up.

Schools for physician leaders: Teaching doctors how to champion change
State medical programs hope physicians will be catalysts for improvements in patient care, health policy and other community issues.

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Government & Medicine

The cost of confusion: Trying to decipher FTC's rules on negotiation
More than two dozen physician organizations have settled antitrust cases with the commission in the past four years. Doctors say guidelines on joint arrangements are unclear.

Details emerge on new pay-for-performance test plan
CMS hopes to recruit 800 solo or small- to medium-sized physician practices for the three-year Medicare pilot.

Florida doctors and lawyers turn to waivers after tort ruling
The medical profession says its patient form will help keep doctors in practice. Attorneys say injured patients should have their day in court.

MedPAC developing options for Medicare formula
In a March report, the commission will stress efficiency and quality as key elements in a new pay structure.

Government news briefs:

• Medicare error rate drops
• Former FDA chief pleads guilty
• Family physicians to rate insurance companies

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Professional Issues

Connecticut court upholds doctors' right to pay only part of jury award
Some lawyers say the ruling isn't clear on whether a physician who is partially at fault must show what another defendant did wrong.

Demand up for locum doctors
Staffing firms see a growing number of both older and younger physicians choosing to go the temporary route.

Oregon nixes use of term "physician-assisted suicide"
Right-to-die advocates hope that changing the language may help pass laws in other states.

Massachusetts coalition creates tracking form for patients' medications
A complete, regularly updated drug list reviewed by physicians and patients is a first step toward eliminating medication errors.

California expands oral surgeons' scope of practice
More than two dozen medical groups raised patient safety concerns before lawmakers acted.

FDA advised to rethink recall language on heart devices
The wording of agency warnings was inflammatory and led to risky replacements of malfunctioning defibrillators, some doctors say.

Quick View: Asking doctors for stimulants

Ethics Forum: Pay-for-performance programs stir debate

Professional Issues news briefs:

• Sports come before emergency care
• Age-related driving tutorial available for doctors, office staff
• Fla. verdict could be biggest medical liability award the state has seen
• New Calif. law stops big payouts for egg donors, adds protections
• Study: No link between work-hour limits and improved surgical care

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Business

Uno employee, dos jobs: Benefits of a bilingual staff
With the Hispanic population surging, physicians find that bilingual employees can meet federal requirements for interpreters -- and help market the practice.

Physicians gauge impact as CEO leaves UnitedHealth
An insider is selected to lead the health plan giant as a stock-option scandal claims the careers of other executives.

Individual health plans come under scrutiny in California
The insurers allegedly dropped policyholders in violation of state law. Physicians and others say such problems occur throughout the country.

MGMA: Doctors on "unsustainable course"
The organization's survey shows the continuing trend of physicians having to work longer and harder to stay afloat.

Hospital system pulls out of retail clinic deal
SSM Health Care made the decision after hearing objections to the arrangement from its physicians.

Wal-Mart expands generic drug rollout
Target follows suit, while other retail chains say their drug prices already are competitive.

Illinois hospital denied property tax exemption
Some observers believe the case could have nationwide implications.

Business news briefs:

• Misys launches grant program
• Minnesota Blues reimburses for online consultations
• Geisinger looks to personalized medicine

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Making things clear on cost and quality
President Bush's order for transparency is good, but it's only one step to ensure that patients get the correct read on doctors' costs and effectiveness.

AMA Leader Commentary: Clear thinking critical to solving Medicare pay problem

Letters:

• Practice-based sales risk reducing physicians to cosmetics salespeople
• Prison research can't meet standard of "freely given informed consent"
• End Medicare hypocrisy by making it mandatory for those now in charge
• Medicaid capitation fails patients

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Health & Science

Not just for women: Osteoporosis jumps gender gap
Men's bones also may thin with age, more studies are demonstrating, and the impact can be devastating

Distribution gaps appear in flu shot supply
Those involved in dispensing vaccine are taking pains to explain the system's complexities to physicians.

The arthritis dilemma: When drugs help but also hurt patients
A federal agency sorts through the many options for this common condition but finds, not surprisingly, that all have downsides.

Alliance aims to snuff out movie smoking
A new grant will fund efforts to end tobacco use in films rated for kids.

New class of drugs for type 2 diabetes
The oral medication can be used alone or with two other commonly used drugs to better control the disease.

New screening tool boosts breast cancer detection
The role genes play in disease development can be thwarted if women are correctly identified and given heightened scrutiny and targeted treatment.

Health news briefs:

• FDA, manufacturer warns of fake glucose test strips
• Moderate drinking may lower heart attack risk for men
• Alzheimer's trials under way
• Patients with one STD at high risk for second

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