Dec. 18, 2006: Table of Contents

American Medical News   vol. 49 no. 47
Top stories - Government - Profession - Business - Opinion - Health - 2006 index

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"We believe this is one of the more pressing health care challenges we face as a nation," says AAMC President Darrell G. Kirch, MD, describing the need for a more racially and ethnically diverse physician work force.

What's lurking in that carpet? Bacteria? Formaldehyde gasses? Health care settings are vulnerable to indoor air problems. Here are steps to treat a sick office. In Health Surviving the squeeze What a doctor can do when caught in the middle of a contract dispute between a hospital and a health plan. In Business Boosting diversity in medicine A new marketing campaign will focus on undergraduate biology majors, hoping to spur interest earlier in the process. In Profession

Top stories

Medicare touts audit plan's success as doctors decry "bounty hunters"
Physicians say the hassle factor is far more costly than the dollar amounts collected.

Electronic records push: Big companies tell physicians they better go tech
Some observers say the initiative to promote personal health records is a step toward business squeezing out physicians who don't adopt information technology.

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Government & Medicine

Court to rule on dying patients' access to experimental drugs
Doctors worry that permitting early use could compromise the very process that helps them learn more about promising medications.

New York health plan merger sparks fears of insurer monopoly
New York City fails in its attempt at a restraining order. Doctors say the deal would hurt their ability to negotiate fair contracts.

Medicare begins posting physician price information online
Officials say health consumers can use the data to shop around for care.

Government news briefs:

• Lawyers sue over Ill. liability cap
• Dr. Frist nixes White House bid
• Medicare pays HMOs better than traditional plans

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Professional Issues

Court looks at consent in emergencies
New Jersey's top court will decide if physicians should have obtained informed consent from a patient's family when a postoperative complication arose.

Move to increase minorities in medicine focuses on undergrads
The Assn. for American Medical Colleges is launching its awareness campaign at four schools.

Evidence of autopsy done in 1600s discovered
Today's scientists used modern technology to determine the French colonist died from scurvy and exposure.

Quick View: Drawing an ethical line

Professional Issues news briefs:

• Mich. doctors can sue over payment
• Ohio is latest state to take tough stance on physician sex offenses

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Business

Surviving the squeeze: How to endure being in the middle of a contract dispute
When health plans and hospitals battle, physicians often are left to sort out the mess. Here are some suggestions for getting through it.

New York doctors, hospitals see a onetime critic become an ally
Physicians are grateful to receive support from a banker who formerly believed that those providing the care were the problem in health care finance.

Group calls on hospitals to waive payments for "never events"
The call from an employer group builds on recent state legislation requiring the reporting of the most egregious medical errors.

Practice Pointers: Holiday cash bonuses must be reported for tax purposes

Business news briefs:

• CCHIT expands certification
• Wal-Mart completes generics rollout
• Collection class-action suit gets green light

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Hospital standards worth your attention
Strong medical staffs are key to patient safety.

AMA Leader Commentary: The House of Medicine has been abundantly blessed

Letters:

• Get politicians to go on the record about Medicare for their own care
• Patients not well served by transparency proposals on price and quality reporting

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Health & Science

How to treat a sick office: Go after hidden environmental factors
Beyond the germs that float around physicians' offices, poor air quality could be taking a toll.

Restless legs syndrome patients may need drug rotation
Several strategies can address the tolerance and augmentation that are common.

Connection between SSRIs, suicide coming under review
Studies will undertake a variety of approaches ranging from examining large databases to developing assessment tools.

Health news briefs:

• Cell phones not tied to cancer
• Certain magnets can interfere with pacemakers and ICDs
• Seniors have greater risk from bariatric surgery
• Spleen cells may contribute to beta-cell regeneration in diabetics

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