Doctors

"You won't believe the price of this one!"

Physician Group Calls On Government To Rein In Drug Prices

3:22pm March 29, 2016

by Alison Kodjak

The American College of Physicians will lobby Congress to allow the re-importation of medicines from other countries and to let Medicare bargain with drugmakers over price. Will lawmakers go along?

How much value is there for seniors in staring at the eye chart in the primary care doctor's office?

Health & Safety

Guideline Group, Eye Doctors Disagree On Vision Tests For Seniors

5:00am March 11, 2016

by Michelle Andrews

The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force says there isn't enough evidence to know whether vision screening given by primary care doctors benefits patients.

Asian-American teens say there's a stereotype that they're studious, not sexy.

Asian-American Teens Say They Lie To Doctors About Sex

2:27pm March 09, 2016

by Katherine Du

Doctors presume that Asian-American teens aren't having sex, and teenagers presume that doctors will tell their parents if they ask about contraception or other key aspects of sexual health.

A federal whistleblower suit unsealed in late February alleges that Humana knew about billing fraud involving Medicare Advantage patients and didn't stop it.

Health & Safety

Florida Doctor Says False Diagnoses Inflate Bills, Could Harm Patients

7:28pm March 04, 2016

by Fred Schulte

A whistleblower suit against Humana Inc. alleges the insurer turned a blind eye to billing fraud involving Medicare patients. People were diagnosed with more serious ailments than they actually had.

Some doctors say clinicians can now get much more information from newer technology than they can get from a stethoscope. Clinging to the old tool isn't necessary, they say.

The Stethoscope: Timeless Tool Or Outdated Relic?

7:23pm February 26, 2016

by Taunya English

Why is a 200-year-old icon of the medical field still in wide use in the digital age? Some say modern tools are more informative and worth the extra cost, but the stethoscope has staunch defenders.

Queue Listen Now

Criminologist Joseph Richardson is skeptical that the federal government alone can solve the data problem for police shootings. "There has to be a more pioneering, innovative approach to doing it," he says.

Could Hospital ERs Provide Missing Data On Police Shootings?

6:18pm February 04, 2016

by Vanessa Rancaño

If police violence is considered a public health issue, then doctors and nurses might be able to compile basic information about shootings involving law enforcement that go unreported.

Study Suggests Surgical Residents Can Safely Work Longer Shifts

10:02pm February 02, 2016

by Jordan Rau

Researchers tested whether loosening restrictions on the work schedules of doctors in training would lead to more harm to patients.

Queue Listen Now

After knee surgery, David Larson, 66, of Huntington Beach, Calif., experienced pain in a calf muscle. His answer to an automated email from the doctor led to the diagnosis and treatment of a potentially dangerous blood clot.

Health & Safety

The Doctor's Computer Will Email You Now

5:47pm January 29, 2016

by Barbara Feder Ostrov

Though it may sound like an oxymoron, "automating empathy" is becoming a catchphrase in health care. The goal is to help doctors engage with patients cheaply and with minimal effort. Does it work?

General surgeons are among the doctors most likely to be the subjects of paid malpractice claims.

Health & Safety

A Few Doctors Account For Outsize Share Of Malpractice Claims

10:59am January 28, 2016

by Lisa Aliferis

When it comes to medical malpractice, a history of claims against a doctor is the strongest indicator that more malpractice claims are likely.

How much does that test cost and how much is it worth?

Health & Safety

Why Doctors Need To Have Answers For Patients' Questions About Costs

5:54am January 16, 2016

by John Henning Schumann

When a patient had a colonoscopy that was covered by insurance, the doctor assumed she wouldn't care how much the test cost. He couldn't have been more wrong.