Doctors

Health & Safety

Opioid-Makers Cut Back On Marketing Payments To Doctors

2:40pm June 28, 2018

ProPublica found that drugmakers spent less to market opioids to doctors in 2016 than in prior years. Studies have shown that payments to doctors are linked to more prescriptions for the drugs.

If you're at low risk for heart disease, an electrocardiogram shouldn't be a routine test for you, a panel of medical experts says.

Health & Safety

Doctors Told Not To Order Electrocardiograms For Low-Risk Patients

2:16pm June 12, 2018

by Rob Stein

The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force says the benefits from routine electrocardiograms in people at low risk of heart disease don't outweigh the harms from unnecessary follow-up tests.

Telemedicine is helping transgender populations in rural areas receive health care.

Health & Safety

Telemedicine Takes Transgender Care Beyond The City

9:01am May 05, 2018

by Keren Landman

In rural areas, doctors and nurses competent in transgender care are hard to find. It can also be a challenge to locate providers who offer respectful care for issues unrelated to gender identity.

Telemedicine is making it easier for inmates to be seen for special medical needs, like cancer or cardiac care.

Health & Safety

When Inmates Need A Specialist, They Often See The Doctor By Video

6:37pm May 01, 2018

by Michelle Andrews

Corrections officials are increasingly using remote appointments to handle specialized needs, such as psychiatric, cancer and cardiac care.

The drug test developed by Aegis Sciences checks urine samples to help doctors determine if their patients are taking their blood pressure medicine.

Drug Test Spurs Frank Talk Between Hypertension Patients And Doctors

10:40am April 16, 2018

by Blake Farmer

High blood pressure can cause severe health problems, but some of the medications to control it have unpleasant side effects. A new drug test alerts doctors when patients aren't taking their meds.

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Dr. Katie Merriam, an OB-GYN resident in Charlotte, N.C., says she loves her mostly female work environment but also appreciates having male colleagues.

Male OB-GYNs Are Rare, But Is That A Problem?

2:50pm April 12, 2018

by Alex Olgin

Women outnumber men in obstetrics and gynecology residencies and medical practices in the U.S. Heads of training programs now wonder if they should go out of their way to recruit more men.

Feranmi Okanlami, now a doctor, became partially paralyzed after an accident in 2013. He says adjustments for his disability during his training, like this standing in frame chair, helped him succeed. A new report finds variability in medical institution

Health & Safety

For Aspiring Doctors With Disabilities, Many Medical Schools Come Up Short

11:37pm March 13, 2018

by Elana Gordon

A national survey finds medical schools should do more to help doctors with disabilities thrive. While some schools do make needed accommodations, others need to take basic steps to take to help.

When it comes to chronic pain, how do patients and doctors find the right treatment?

Questions And Answers About Opioids And Chronic Pain

8:09pm March 09, 2018

Are opioids the best way to manage long-term pain? NPR's Ari Shapiro talked with Dr. Ajay Wasan, a pain specialist at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, to find out.

Renea Molden was able to stop taking opioid painkillers with the help of non-opioid alternatives.

Opioids Don't Beat Other Medications For Chronic Pain

7:07pm March 06, 2018

by Alex Smith

Nonopioid treatments for common conditions that leave people in chronic pain fare as well as opioid treatments and have fewer risks and side effects.

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Opioids could make some patients' pain worse.

Health & Safety

When Opioids Make Pain Worse

6:56pm March 03, 2018

by Clayton Dalton

For some people, something as simple as having an IV line inserted can be excruciating. An emergency room doctor noticed a strange pattern. Many of these sensitive patients were regular opioid users.