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Advances, Options Offer Hope for Breast Cancer Patients
Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed form of the disease among women in Tennessee and the second leading cause of death, according to the Tennessee Department of Health.
As a surgeon in Knoxville, Randal Graham, MD, knows he is often the first, and sometimes the last, hope for patients seeking treatment for breast cancer... Read More
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Readying for Another Round of Audits Medicaid Integrity Program Audits Coming Soon to Tennessee
Just when you thought you were beginning to get a handle on RAC ... here comes MIP, ZPIC and OIG. More than just another round of the federal government’s favorite game of “Guess the Acronym,” these particular letters could spell big trouble for providers across the nation. CINDY SANDERS |
Clinically Speaking: Advanced Laboratory Tests Assist Physicians in Fight Against Colorectal Cancer Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second leading cause of cancer-related death for men and women in the United States. Unfortunately, despite well-defined recommendations, compliance with screening protocols remains suboptimal. However, for those patients diagnosed with CRC, there are several new and novel molecular and cellular diagnostic assays to assist the clinician with patient management decisions, including treatment selection and clinical course monitoring. It is anticipated that, as the demand for personalized medicine grows so will the availability of these innovative laboratory tests. Nicholas Potter, PhD, FACMG |
The Bottom Line: Pearls of Wisdom University of Tennessee athletics has endured all manners of disappointments from a minute group of student athletes in the last year. Coach Bruce Pearl took quick and decisive actions against players involved in an apparent armed robbery attempt. Some of the behaviors were so onerous and criminal that players were terminated from their positions on the team and lost their scholarships. Others, who were less involved, and simply influenced by the action of the main culprits, were suspended for a few games. BILL MORRIS |
Moral Medicine: Lethal Compassion The moral prohibition in medicine against doctors assisting patients in killing themselves continues to crumble. In late December, the Montana Supreme Court ruled that there was nothing in their constitution preventing physician-assisted suicide (PAS). In their troubling opinion they stated physicians, if accused could use the defense that there is no legal difference between a patient refusing treatment in a living will and a doctor prescribing deadly drugs. DAVID STEVENS, MD, MA (Ethics) |
My Practice is Worth What? The Need for Valuation Many physicians work their entire careers in private practice and only think of the value created on two occasions: when buying a practice and when selling a practice. These, of course, are the most pressing times to address value, but they are not the only ones. Just as most physicians recommend a yearly physical, it is recommended that a practice be valued several times during its “life” (at least once every three years). Getting several valuations over the years is a good way for a physician to track his/her progress in building value. Your practice will most likely be one of your largest assets. If handled correctly and developed over the years, it can be a large source of wealth. If you wait until it is time to sell, there is very little that can be done to change and you may be surprised by the value or lack thereof. The following are the three major categories of reasons a practice should be valued. T. BLAKE KING, CPA, MAcc, CVA |
Literary Examiner Reviews of Weekends at Bellevue by Julie Holland, MD and Last Acts by David J. Casarett, MD Terri Schlichenmeyer |
Legal Matters: What Is Involved In Analyzing And Reporting The Breach of Unsecured Protected Health Information? Have you ever received a notice that your bank account or credit card may have been compromised? Similar reporting rules now apply to protected health information (PHI) held by providers, insurance companies, health care clearinghouses and their business associates. These rules require methods to detect, analyze and notify patients, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the news media of breaches of unsecured PHI in both paper and electronic form. This rule is in effect and is enforceable as of February 22, 2010. RANDY SERMONS |
Meaningful EHR Use and the Physician Practice The legislation of electronic health records (EHR) through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) has lead to imminent adoption of EHR. However, confusion abounds with questions, such as how do I qualify? How will I receive these incentives? What happens if I do not adopt EHR technology? ADELE ALLISON |
Advances, Options Offer Hope for Breast Cancer Patients Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed form of the disease among women in Tennessee and the second leading cause of death, according to the Tennessee Department of Health.
As a surgeon in Knoxville, Randal Graham, MD, knows he is often the first, and sometimes the last, hope for patients seeking treatment for breast cancer. SCOTT BROOKS |
Mapping Out a Plan of Attack The Cancer Genome Atlas Provides Repository for Data, Discoveries
The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) is a comprehensive effort to create a data repository for the discoveries and findings of more than 150 of the nation’s top researchers who are working in concert on specific cancer types. These scientists, who are based out of more than two dozen renowned institutions, are systematically mapping genomic changes to create a cancer atlas accessible to all who are searching for better methods to prevent, diagnose and treat cancer. CINDY SANDERS |
Disruptive Behavior is Bad for Patients Survey Reveals Troubling Conduct in the Healthcare Environment
Being a good member of a team means playing well with others, but a recent survey by the American College of Physician Executives reveals that disruptive behavior by professional members of healthcare teams compromises patient safety, undermines cooperation and makes going to work a miserable experience. SHARON H. FITZGERALD |
Physician to Physician: Patients versus Process An inherent difficulty that each of us within the healthcare system faces is our ability to balance process versus patients. It seems we all have one process for our patients to enter the office or healthcare facility, another for them to be accurately identified, and another for them to efficiently receive the appropriate utilization of our diagnostic armory. Without argument, these are a necessary sign of the times in which we live. In no way do I wish to demean the importance of any of these very important facets that to me represent a necessity when it comes to caring for our patients. Jeffrey W. Schoondyke, MD, MPH, FACC, CCDS |
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Onion Cream Treats New Stretch Marks
Title: Onion Cream Treats New Stretch Marks Category: Health News Created: 3/12/2010 11:23:00 AM Last Editorial Review: 3/12/2010 11:23:01 AM Posted Friday, March 12, 2010 2:00 am EST
| | Occasional High Blood Pressure Risky, Too?
Title: Occasional High Blood Pressure Risky, Too? Category: Health News Created: 3/12/2010 11:16:00 AM Last Editorial Review: 3/12/2010 11:16:29 AM Posted Friday, March 12, 2010 2:00 am EST
| | Retail Spices Recalled in Salmonella Scare
Title: Retail Spices Recalled in Salmonella Scare Category: Health News Created: 3/12/2010 11:08:00 AM Last Editorial Review: 3/12/2010 11:08:28 AM Posted Friday, March 12, 2010 2:00 am EST
| | Seeing an 'A' Raises Test Scores
Title: Seeing an 'A' Raises Test Scores Category: Health News Created: 3/12/2010 11:03:00 AM Last Editorial Review: 3/12/2010 11:03:26 AM Posted Friday, March 12, 2010 2:00 am EST
| | Health Tip: Risk Factors for Melanoma
Title: Health Tip: Risk Factors for Melanoma Category: Health News Created: 3/11/2010 10:10:00 AM Last Editorial Review: 3/12/2010 Posted Friday, March 12, 2010 2:00 am EST
| | Health Tip: IBD May Contribute to Other Health Problems
Title: Health Tip: IBD May Contribute to Other Health Problems Category: Health News Created: 3/11/2010 10:10:00 AM Last Editorial Review: 3/12/2010 Posted Friday, March 12, 2010 2:00 am EST
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