Professional Issues

LAST WEEK

• » Pap tests used more often then screening guidelines call for - Nov. 20
• » DEA enforces written order requirement for schedule II drugs - Nov. 18
• » Climate change could put public's health at risk - Nov. 17
• » Disruptive behavior by doctors, nurses persists a year after crackdown - Nov. 16
• » Maryland high court to consider expert witness rule - Nov. 16
• » More middle-age women having heart attacks, but survival rates increasing - Nov. 16

Alzheimer's is the 6th leading cause of death among American adults. Read more

Health system

• » Putting a value on prevention could keep programs running - Aug. 10
• » Health coalition says system reform should include liability reform - July 28
• » AMA meeting: AMA exhorts doctors to offer charity care, help the uninsured - June 29
• » Retail clinics avoid medically underserved areas - June 18
• » Physicians still skeptical about Obama's approach to reform - June 15
• » Obama tells AMA, "I need your help" - June 15
• » Serving the servers: Health care co-op for restaurant workers - June 15

Quality and safety

• » Disruptive behavior by doctors, nurses persists a year after crackdown - Nov. 16
• » Physicians give hospital chaplains high approval rating - Nov. 10
• » Patient safety after hospital discharge challenging - Nov. 6
• » 10% of seniors' ED visits related to falls - Oct. 29
• » Doctors called on to screen all adults for depression - Oct. 26
• » "July phenomenon" from new residents debunked - Oct. 26
• » Medicare's no-pay rule has little financial impact - Oct. 26
• » EMR alerts can signal abnormal tests, but some doctors don't use them - Oct. 19
• » Quality improvement tool available for doctors, hospitals - Oct. 12
• » Resident duty hours: Does more sleep mean safer care? - Oct. 5
• » Joint Commission opens center to develop patient safety solutions - Sept. 30
• » When is conduct reportable? National Practitioner Data Bank takes complaints from hospitals about physicians - Sept. 21
• » Surgical quality program cuts complications, patient deaths - Sept. 21
• » New quality measures gauge medication adherence - Sept. 18
• » Transportation board calls for increased medevac safety - Sept. 16
• » 75% of discharge summaries don't mention pending test results - Aug. 31
• » When the Institute of Medicine reports, the country listens: An interview with IOM president Harvey V. Fineberg, MD, PhD - Aug. 10
• » Half of parents misinterpret OTC cough and cold medication labels - July 24
• » Can protecting patients be made recession-proof? (Patient Safety Congress annual meeting) - July 20
• » Patients don't hear of abnormal results 7% of time - July 16
• » FDA found lax in regulating medical devices - July 7
• » Physician-patient privilege waived in fraud probe - July 6
• » AMA meeting: Delegates see boosting quality of care as duty - June 29
• » Surgical team briefings may improve patient safety - June 19

Profession

• » Disruptive behavior by doctors, nurses persists a year after crackdown - Nov. 16
• » Quality-of-care concerns add to doctors' stress - Aug. 31
• » Smallpox -- The Death of a Disease (book excerpt) - Aug. 17
• » Women surgeons want more flexibility with schedules, child care - Aug. 5
• » Some states still prohibit hospitals from hiring doctors; physicians want to keep it that way - Aug. 3
• » Chaotic working conditions wear down primary care physicians - Aug. 3
• » Texas appeals court upholds $10 million award to fired doctor - July 14
• » Treating celebrity patients not all glitz and glamour - July 13
• » AMA meeting: AMA urges Web system for prior authorizations - June 29
• » Serving the servers: Health care co-op for restaurant workers - June 15
• » Academic physicians avoid burnout by focusing on favorite tasks - June 9
• » First-degree murder charge brought in slaying of Kansas ob-gyn - June 3
• » Kansas physician who performed abortions killed - June 2
• » Doctor gets jail time for online, out-of-state prescribing - June 1
• » Long appointment waits may signal doctor shortage - June 1

Liability

• » Maryland high court to consider expert witness rule - Nov. 16
• » Malpractice lawsuits hit 10-year low in Missouri - Nov. 12
• » Tort reform law challenged in Georgia - Nov. 4
• » In the Courts: Disciplinary records relevant in liability case - Nov. 2
• » Litigation stress: Being sued is personal as well as professional - Nov. 2
• » Certificate-of-merit law struck down by Washington Supreme Court - Oct. 12
• » In the Courts: Florida lawsuit takes swing at 3-strikes liability rule - Oct. 5
• » Challenges to medical liability caps go before Georgia, Maryland high courts - Sept. 28
• » In the Courts: N.J. liability trial swamped with errors - Sept. 7
• » Wis. high court maintains limits on awards to third parties - Aug. 10
• » In the Courts: Doctor liable despite no patient relationship - Aug. 10
• » Litigation screening panels on trial - Aug. 3
• » Liability insurance rates stabilize in Illinois - July 29
• » Health coalition says system reform should include liability reform - July 28
• » Court: Physician liability limited in third-party cases - July 20
• » Appellate court upholds California medical liability cap - July 13
• » N.Y. doctors challenge liability insurance report - July 2
• » Oklahoma enacts comprehensive tort reform - June 8

States

• » DEA enforces written order requirement for schedule II drugs - Nov. 18
• » Climate change could put public's health at risk - Nov. 17
• » Maryland high court to consider expert witness rule - Nov. 16
• » Malpractice lawsuits hit 10-year low in Missouri - Nov. 12
• » California licensing backlog keeping doctors from starting jobs - Nov. 9
• » Tort reform law challenged in Georgia - Nov. 4
• » Mandating cultural competency: Should physicians be required to take courses? - Oct. 19
• » Doctors owed no duty to nonpatient, Illinois high court rules - Oct. 19
• » Assisted-suicide statute challenged by 2 Connecticut doctors - Oct. 19
• » Certificate-of-merit law struck down by Washington Supreme Court - Oct. 12
• » In the Courts: Florida lawsuit takes swing at 3-strikes liability rule - Oct. 5
• » Connecticut court opens door for patients to see peer review records - Sept. 29
• » Challenges to medical liability caps go before Georgia, Maryland high courts - Sept. 28
• » Quality-of-care concerns add to doctors' stress - Aug. 31
• » Two state courts, same ruling: Informed consent must include all options - Aug. 24
• » Wis. high court maintains limits on awards to third parties - Aug. 10
• » Some states still prohibit hospitals from hiring doctors; physicians want to keep it that way - Aug. 3
• » Liability insurance rates stabilize in Illinois - July 29
• » Ohio med school and medical board team up to teach professionalism - July 27
• » New York OKs paying women who donate eggs for research - July 27
• » Texas appeals court upholds $10 million award to fired doctor - July 14
• » Appellate court upholds California medical liability cap - July 13
• » N.Y. doctors challenge liability insurance report - July 2
• » Nevada law heightens J-1 waiver scrutiny - June 19
• » Oklahoma enacts comprehensive tort reform - June 8
• » Vt. bans industry gifts, tightens reporting rules - June 1
• » Calif. may require public notice of medical license - June 1

Patients and public health

• » Climate change could put public's health at risk - Nov. 17
• » H1N1 vaccine shortage leaves doctors managing crowds, anxieties - Nov. 2
• » Doctors called on to screen all adults for depression - Oct. 26
• » Seasonal flu vaccine supplies lower than expected in some places - Oct. 14
• » Ethics Forum: H1N1 vaccination of children can require reasoning with concerned parents - Oct. 12
• » H1N1 vaccine to be tracked for safety concerns - Oct. 12
• » Doctor's rap on H1N1 prevention wins HHS contest - Oct. 5
• » 75% of discharge summaries don't mention pending test results - Aug. 31
• » Panel hears conflicting views on Lyme disease treatment - Aug. 17
• » H1N1 flu shots: Pregnant women, health care workers and children first - Aug. 12
• » Doctors seen as key in fighting nation's battle of the bulge - Aug. 10
• » Putting a value on prevention could keep programs running - Aug. 10
• » Patients can cope with learning their Alzheimer's risks - Aug. 7
• » Physicians asked to persuade adults to get immunized - Aug. 3
• » New Web tool helps study of environmental factors and disease - July 31
• » Half of parents misinterpret OTC cough and cold medication labels - July 24
• » H1N1 vaccine on the way for fall distribution - July 20
• » Geriatric Consult: Helping older patients get a good night's sleep - July 20
• » HHS: Reducing disparities should be part of health reform - July 13
• » Doctors, nurses getting A(H1N1) - July 9
• » Transplant physicians face ethics of paternity discoveries - July 6
• » Guided Care model for older complex patients wins praise - July 2
• » AMA meeting: U.S. needs national HIV/AIDS strategy - June 29
• » AMA meeting: Vitamin D checks urged - June 29
• » AMA meeting: Comprehensive sex ed said to have most impact - June 29
• » Pertussis risk much higher among unvaccinated children - June 26
• » Family physicians seeing fewer prenatal visits - June 22
• » Geriatric Consult: Knowing when to ask seniors for the car keys - June 15
• » H1N1 put further strain on public health work force - June 8
• » Ethics Forum: Conversation, rapport key to evolving world of medical history taking - June 8
• » Clinics fall short in treatment of transgender patients, doctors - June 4
• » Quick View: Prevalence of C. diff in hospital patients - June 1

Ethics

• » Ethics Forum: CME must be untainted -- no matter who's paying - Nov. 9
• » Journal editors propose detailed disclosure form for authors - Nov. 9
• » Fertility doctors tighten guidelines in wake of "octomom" controversy - Nov. 9
• » Commercial CME loses funding from second drug firm - Oct. 19
• » Doctors owed no duty to nonpatient, Illinois high court rules - Oct. 19
• » Assisted-suicide statute challenged by 2 Connecticut doctors - Oct. 19
• » Ethics Forum: H1N1 vaccination of children can require reasoning with concerned parents - Oct. 12
• » Ethics Forum: Medical spas can be a good business, but with ethical challenges - Sept. 14
• » Pfizer pays record $2.3 billion in off-label drug marketing settlement - Sept. 14
• » Research subjects want to know investigators' financial ties - Sept. 9
• » Outsourcing clinical trials: Is it ethical to take drug studies abroad? - Sept. 7
• » End-of-life care provision stirs angst in health reform debate - Aug. 24
• » AAP approves withdrawal of artificial nutrition from children in certain cases - Aug. 20
• » Has kidney trafficking come to the U.S.? - Aug. 17
• » Ethics Forum: Take care when discussing phase I trial options - Aug. 17
• » Court to examine possible conflict over hospital board's role in staff privileges case - Aug. 11
• » Industry gift bans slammed for overreaching - Aug. 10
• » Liver transplant for Apple CEO turns spotlight on organ system inequities - July 27
• » New York OKs paying women who donate eggs for research - July 27
• » NIH considers revisions in federal conflict-of-interest rules - July 22
• » Ethics Forum: Doctors weigh morals, ethics in decisions on refusing services - July 13
• » Transplant physicians face ethics of paternity discoveries - July 6
• » 5 people die under new Washington physician-assisted suicide law - July 6
• » Medical schools improve scores on interactions with drug firms - July 3
• » AMA meeting: Doctors get to see how ethics bar is set - June 29
• » Doctors, lung cancer patients skirt hospice talk - June 15
• » Ethics Forum: Conversation, rapport key to evolving world of medical history taking - June 8
• » Vt. bans industry gifts, tightens reporting rules - June 1

Education

• » "July phenomenon" from new residents debunked - Oct. 26
• » Mandating cultural competency: Should physicians be required to take courses? - Oct. 19
• » Resident duty hours: Does more sleep mean safer care? - Oct. 5
• » More federal money to go toward physician training - Aug. 21
• » Shortage of cardiothoracic surgeons expected - Aug. 14
• » Ohio med school and medical board team up to teach professionalism - July 27
• » Increasing residency slots could help reduce physician shortages - July 17
• » Medical schools improve scores on interactions with drug firms - July 3
• » AMA meeting: AMA looks for ways to trim rising student debt - June 29
• » Scientific competencies for med students defined - June 24
• » More cuts in resident hours could be costly - June 1
• » Long appointment waits may signal doctor shortage - June 1

Drugs and devices

• » NIH considers revisions in federal conflict-of-interest rules - July 22
• » Medical schools improve scores on interactions with drug firms - July 3
• » Vt. bans industry gifts, tightens reporting rules - June 1

Courts

• » Malpractice lawsuits hit 10-year low in Missouri - Nov. 12
• » California licensing backlog keeping doctors from starting jobs - Nov. 9
• » Tort reform law challenged in Georgia - Nov. 4
• » In the Courts: Disciplinary records relevant in liability case - Nov. 2
• » Litigation stress: Being sued is personal as well as professional - Nov. 2
• » Doctors owed no duty to nonpatient, Illinois high court rules - Oct. 19
• » Assisted-suicide statute challenged by 2 Connecticut doctors - Oct. 19
• » Diagnostic test can be patented, appeals court rules - Oct. 15
• » Certificate-of-merit law struck down by Washington Supreme Court - Oct. 12
• » In the Courts: Florida lawsuit takes swing at 3-strikes liability rule - Oct. 5
• » Connecticut court opens door for patients to see peer review records - Sept. 29
• » Challenges to medical liability caps go before Georgia, Maryland high courts - Sept. 28
• » When is conduct reportable? National Practitioner Data Bank takes complaints from hospitals about physicians - Sept. 21
• » Pfizer pays record $2.3 billion in off-label drug marketing settlement - Sept. 14
• » In the Courts: N.J. liability trial swamped with errors - Sept. 7
• » Supreme Court patent case could affect medical research - Aug. 25
• » Two state courts, same ruling: Informed consent must include all options - Aug. 24
• » Court to examine possible conflict over hospital board's role in staff privileges case - Aug. 11
• » Wis. high court maintains limits on awards to third parties - Aug. 10
• » In the Courts: Doctor liable despite no patient relationship - Aug. 10
• » Litigation screening panels on trial - Aug. 3
• » Lawsuits test boundary rights of medical patents - June 29
• » Organized medicine urges Supreme Court to take vaccine case - June 5
• » In the Courts: Doctor's duty to a third party the exception, not rule - June 1

Professional regulation

• » Warnings issued about bogus board certifications - Sept. 1
• » Physicians seeking licensing increasingly find a standard application - Aug. 17
• » Some licensing questions at odds with the ADA - June 29
• » AMA meeting: Physician supervision of nurses sought in all practice agreements - June 29
• » Medicine decries nurse doctorate exam being touted as equal to physician testing - June 8
• » Calif. may require public notice of medical license - June 1

Organized medicine

• » Challenges to medical liability caps go before Georgia, Maryland high courts - Sept. 28
• » In the Courts: N.J. liability trial swamped with errors - Sept. 7
• » Organized medicine scores another delay on enforcement of identity theft rules - July 30
• » AMA meeting: AMA reaffirms stance in health system reform debate - June 29
• » AMA meeting: Don't shortchange specialists to fund care model - June 29
• » AMA meeting: Doctors get to see how ethics bar is set - June 29
• » AMA meeting: Doctors object to penalties for avoiding EHRs - June 29
• » AMA meeting: More to do on tobacco control - June 29
• » AMA meeting: U.S. needs national HIV/AIDS strategy - June 29
• » AMA meeting: Vitamin D checks urged - June 29
• » AMA meeting: Comprehensive sex ed said to have most impact - June 29
• » AMA meeting: AMA looks for ways to trim rising student debt - June 29
• » AMA meeting: Physician supervision of nurses sought in all practice agreements - June 29
• » AMA meeting: Delegates renew efforts for antitrust relief - June 29
• » AMA meeting: AMA urges Web system for prior authorizations - June 29
• » AMA meeting: AMA exhorts doctors to offer charity care, help the uninsured - June 29
• » AMA meeting: Delegates see boosting quality of care as duty - June 29
• » Physicians still skeptical about Obama's approach to reform - June 15
• » Obama tells AMA, "I need your help" - June 15
• » Organized medicine urges Supreme Court to take vaccine case - June 5

Hospitals

• » Court to examine possible conflict over hospital board's role in staff privileges case - Aug. 11
• » Some states still prohibit hospitals from hiring doctors; physicians want to keep it that way - Aug. 3
• » Many hospitals cut back on infection-control efforts - June 22