Staff News Writer

AMA Affiliated Groups

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Written by members of the AMA Physician Communications team.

Prevention & Wellness

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4 Min Read

Doctor gives 4 ways to avoid one behavior that's aging your heart

Being sedentary is a primary risk factor of heart disease and premature heart aging. What to do if your job involves sitting for hours? One physician offers simple ways you can avoid this deadly behavior.

Prevention & Wellness

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8 Min Read

How to help patients make heart health changes: Q&A with Dr. Rakotz

Once habits are formed, the effort that is required to change is often overwhelming for both patients and physicians. Michael Rakotz, MD, provides guidance from his own experience as a primary care physician on approaching heart healthy changes with patients.

Medical School Diversity

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5 Min Read

School's holistic solution is boosting Hispanic students in medicine

Hispanic health is stuck in a paradox, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, underscoring the importance of addressing the complex needs of this patient population through diversifying the physician workforce. That’s precisely why several enriching programs are preparing Hispanic students to enter medical school and excel as physicians.

ChangeMedEd Initiative

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3 Min Read

New care curriculum paves way for advanced student learning

The 2015 class of students at the University of Michigan Medical School will experience learning in a completely different way from their predecessors. Here’s the latest on the new curriculum and how the school plans to immerse students in health care systems, illuminating the patient experience starting in the students’ first semester.

Sustainability

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4 Min Read

One simple way to streamline office visits—while improving care

Implementing pre-visit lab testing in your medical practice can improve patient care. It gives physicians the opportunity to discuss results with patients at their visits, eliminating the need to review results later and call patients to explain results and coordinate follow-up care

Claims Processing

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3 Min Read

ICD-10 code mapping tools--can you trust them?

The Oct. 1 compliance deadline for ICD-10 implementation is just days away, and many physician practices may be relying on the aid of coding tools to help ease the transition from the ICD-9 code set. Experts caution that you should verify the accuracy of these tools and make sure the code best represents the patient’s diagnosis.

Population Health

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2 Min Read

3 simple ways to help prevent falls among older patients

Fall-related injuries among older Americans are rising as the people age 65 and older become a larger percentage of the population. With National Falls Prevention Awareness Day, sponsored by the National Council on Aging, try these three things to minimize a patient’s risk of falling.

USMLE® Step 1 & 2

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5 Min Read

Here's the most missed USMLE test prep question—and the right answer

With help from Kaplan Medical, we’ll go over the most missed United States Medical Licensing Exam® test prep questions and provide the right answer. This month’s question explores microbiology and reproductive topics.