Professional Issues

LAST WEEK

• » Teens' kidney function harmed by even low lead levels - Feb. 4
• » Quality improvements being seen at hospitals - Feb. 3
• » Caregivers can be part of physician-patient relationship - Feb. 2
• » "I'm sorry": Why is that so hard for doctors to say? - Feb. 1
• » First national health security strategy released by HHS - Feb. 1
• » In the Courts: Fraud charges dropped, but doctor can't recoup costs - Feb. 1

In 1910, 2.5% of doctors and med students were black; in 2006, it was 2.2%. Read more

Health system

• » H1N1 vaccine problems trigger review of public health emergency plans - Dec. 1, 2009

Quality and safety

• » "I'm sorry": Why is that so hard for doctors to say? - Feb. 1
• » Organized medicine pushes back on expansions of scope of practice - Jan. 18
• » New system warns health professionals of medication errors - Jan. 15
• » New studies try to quantify cancer risk from CT scans - Jan. 11
• » Aviation-based training improves safety at 2 hospitals - Jan. 8
• » Wrong surgeries a product of poor communication - Dec. 11, 2009
• » Quality of care low on hospital boards' priority list - Dec. 3, 2009
• » Patient safety surveillance: keeping watch in hospitals, from sinks to surgery - Nov. 30, 2009
• » AMA meeting: Keep hands off the handhelds, drivers urged - Nov. 23, 2009
• » AMA meeting: Nap time mandate for on-call residents rejected - Nov. 23, 2009
• » Disruptive behavior by doctors, nurses persists a year after crackdown - Nov. 16, 2009
• » Physicians give hospital chaplains high approval rating - Nov. 10, 2009
• » Patient safety after hospital discharge challenging - Nov. 6, 2009

Profession

• » Disruptive behavior by doctors, nurses persists a year after crackdown - Nov. 16, 2009

Liability

• » Maryland high court upholds medical liability cap - Jan. 28
• » Fate of Missouri's liability cap before state Supreme Court - Dec. 25, 2009
• » HIPAA's role in liability cases tested in Mich. - Dec. 7, 2009
• » Kansas liability cap faces high court challenge - Nov. 30, 2009
• » Maryland high court validates rule setting minimum requirements for expert witnesses - Nov. 26, 2009
• » Liability premiums stay stable, but insurers warn this might not last - Nov. 23, 2009
• » AMA meeting: Are doctors responsible for controlling health care costs? - Nov. 23, 2009
• » Maryland high court to consider expert witness rule - Nov. 16, 2009
• » Malpractice lawsuits hit 10-year low in Missouri - Nov. 12, 2009
• » Tort reform law challenged in Georgia - Nov. 4, 2009
• » In the Courts: Disciplinary records relevant in liability case - Nov. 2, 2009
• » Litigation stress: Being sued is personal as well as professional - Nov. 2, 2009

States

• » "I'm sorry": Why is that so hard for doctors to say? - Feb. 1
• » Maryland high court upholds medical liability cap - Jan. 28
• » Tobacco, texting, trans fats all subject to new state laws - Jan. 25
• » Halting ambulance diversions didn't affect ED waits - Jan. 25
• » Organized medicine pushes back on expansions of scope of practice - Jan. 18
• » Liability by locality: Practical standard or outdated notion? - Jan. 18
• » Physician-assisted suicide legal in Montana, court rules - Jan. 18
• » In the Courts: Ohio court to decide what damages are reasonable - Jan. 4
• » Fate of Missouri's liability cap before state Supreme Court - Dec. 25, 2009
• » Is it legal for Nev. physicians to let medical assistants handle drugs? - Dec. 16, 2009
• » Diabetes prevalence growing disproportionately across nation - Dec. 14, 2009
• » HIPAA's role in liability cases tested in Mich. - Dec. 7, 2009
• » Patient safety surveillance: keeping watch in hospitals, from sinks to surgery - Nov. 30, 2009
• » Kansas liability cap faces high court challenge - Nov. 30, 2009
• » Maryland high court validates rule setting minimum requirements for expert witnesses - Nov. 26, 2009
• » DEA enforces written order requirement for schedule II drugs - Nov. 18, 2009
• » Climate change could put public's health at risk - Nov. 17, 2009
• » Maryland high court to consider expert witness rule - Nov. 16, 2009
• » Malpractice lawsuits hit 10-year low in Missouri - Nov. 12, 2009
• » California licensing backlog keeping doctors from starting jobs - Nov. 9, 2009
• » Tort reform law challenged in Georgia - Nov. 4, 2009

Patients and public health

• » First national health security strategy released by HHS - Feb. 1
• » Help Haiti: AMA registers physician volunteers - Jan. 28
• » Tobacco, texting, trans fats all subject to new state laws - Jan. 25
• » IOM urges increased awareness of viral hepatitis - Jan. 25
• » Halting ambulance diversions didn't affect ED waits - Jan. 25
• » H1N1 added to new immunization schedules - Jan. 19
• » Darker skin not immune to melanoma - Jan. 15
• » AMA launches resources Web site on Haiti earthquake - Jan. 14
• » Care management tools for patients with chronic conditions not always used - Jan. 7
• » Epidemiology resources spread thin in state health departments - Jan. 6
• » Autism increase may reflect greater awareness - Jan. 4
• » Does Santa really need more cookies? - Dec. 18, 2009
• » H1N1 vaccine problems prompt government to review emergency preparedness - Dec. 14, 2009
• » H1N1 vaccine problems trigger review of public health emergency plans - Dec. 1, 2009
• » AMA meeting: No flu shot mandate for doctors; hand sanitizer pushed - Nov. 23, 2009
• » AMA meeting: Delegates support review of marijuana's schedule I status - Nov. 23, 2009
• » AMA meeting: Keep hands off the handhelds, drivers urged - Nov. 23, 2009
• » Climate change could put public's health at risk - Nov. 17, 2009
• » H1N1 vaccine shortage leaves doctors managing crowds, anxieties - Nov. 2, 2009

Ethics

• » Caregivers can be part of physician-patient relationship - Feb. 2
• » "I'm sorry": Why is that so hard for doctors to say? - Feb. 1
• » Physician-assisted suicide legal in Montana, court rules - Jan. 18
• » Ethics Forum: Guide patients openly, honestly in second-opinion decisions - Jan. 11
• » Ban on paying bone marrow donors challenged in court - Dec. 21, 2009
• » Drug industry still has many ties to university researchers - Nov. 26, 2009
• » AMA meeting: "Don't ask, don't tell" said to hurt patient care; repeal urged - Nov. 23, 2009
• » AMA meeting: Are doctors responsible for controlling health care costs? - Nov. 23, 2009
• » Ethics Forum: CME must be untainted -- no matter who's paying - Nov. 9, 2009
• » Journal editors propose detailed disclosure form for authors - Nov. 9, 2009
• » Fertility doctors tighten guidelines in wake of "octomom" controversy - Nov. 9, 2009

Education

• » AMA meeting: Nap time mandate for on-call residents rejected - Nov. 23, 2009

Courts

• » In the Courts: Fraud charges dropped, but doctor can't recoup costs - Feb. 1
• » Organized medicine pushes back on expansions of scope of practice - Jan. 18
• » Liability by locality: Practical standard or outdated notion? - Jan. 18
• » Physician-assisted suicide legal in Montana, court rules - Jan. 18
• » In the Courts: Ohio court to decide what damages are reasonable - Jan. 4
• » Fate of Missouri's liability cap before state Supreme Court - Dec. 25, 2009
• » Ban on paying bone marrow donors challenged in court - Dec. 21, 2009
• » HIPAA's role in liability cases tested in Mich. - Dec. 7, 2009
• » Kansas liability cap faces high court challenge - Nov. 30, 2009
• » Maryland high court validates rule setting minimum requirements for expert witnesses - Nov. 26, 2009
• » Malpractice lawsuits hit 10-year low in Missouri - Nov. 12, 2009
• » California licensing backlog keeping doctors from starting jobs - Nov. 9, 2009
• » Tort reform law challenged in Georgia - Nov. 4, 2009
• » In the Courts: Disciplinary records relevant in liability case - Nov. 2, 2009
• » Litigation stress: Being sued is personal as well as professional - Nov. 2, 2009

Professional regulation

• » N.C. includes more disciplinary actions in physician profiles - Dec.28, 2009
• » California gets tougher on substance-abusing physicians - Dec. 16, 2009
• » Is it legal for Nev. physicians to let medical assistants handle drugs? - Dec. 14, 2009
• » DEA enforces written order requirement for schedule II drugs - Nov. 18, 2009
• » California licensing backlog keeping doctors from starting jobs - Nov. 9, 2009

Organized medicine

• » Organized medicine pushes back on expansions of scope of practice - Jan. 18
• » AMA meeting: Delegate vote refines AMA stance on system reform - ov. 23, 2009
• » AMA meeting: 'Don't ask, don't tell' said to hurt patient care; repeal urged - Nov. 23, 2009
• » AMA meeting: No flu shot mandate for doctors; hand sanitizer pushed - , 2009
• » AMA meeting: Delegates support review of marijuana's schedule I status - Nov. 23, 2009
• » AMA meeting: Keep hands off the handhelds, drivers urged - Nov. 23, 2009
• » AMA meeting: Better data protection needed from Blues - ,Nov. 23 2009
• » AMA meeting: Nap time mandate for on-call residents rejected - Nov. 23, 2009
• » AMA meeting: Are doctors responsible for controlling health care costs? - Nov. 23, 2009
• » DEA enforces written order requirement for schedule II drugs - Nov. 18, 2009
• » Disruptive behavior by doctors, nurses persists a year after crackdown - Nov. 16, 2009
• » Malpractice lawsuits hit 10-year low in Missouri - Nov. 12, 2009
• » Tort reform law challenged in Georgia - Nov. 4, 2009