October 2011


Anthony Yates MD FACP rides a cart off the playing field while treating an ankle injury to Maurkice Pouncey a center with the Pittsburgh Steelers Photo by SteelersslashMike Fabus

Sports internists treat players as patients

These internists turned their own athletic pursuits into careers for professional sports teams, treating high-caliber athletes as they practice and play. When working the sidelines, it's just another day not at the office.

Managing the elderly with cardiovascular disease

As patients are living longer, they're seeking more care for their cardiovascular diseases, as well as the accompanying comorbities such as diabetes. Effective therapy works in the older population, say the experts.

Medical missions in Iraq help train next generation of doctors

U.S. military physicians are helping to train Iraq's next generation of doctors, as well as helping to restore an infrastructure smashed by decades of neglect then the shock and awe of combat.

Thinking about our thinking as physicians

Cognitive errors have been the bane of making the right diagnosis, and the final installment of the Mindful Medicine column reviews the previous three years of traps and pitfalls that physicians must account for when presented with patients who aren't getting any better, often despite multiple encounters in the health care system.

Electronic medical records have yet to fulfill their potential

An admittedly technophobic internist recounts her first day using an electronic health records. Her lesson learned: Internists must take control of their design and use to make the most of these new systems.

Mandated health care cuts don't equal health care reform

Under the new budget control agreement that President Obama and Congress reached in August to allow for an increase in the debt ceiling, federal health care spending could be subject to deep cuts.

Letters to the Editor

Readers respond about malpractice.

Internists as team physicians keep their heads in the game

This month we take an inside look at internists practicing in a field of medicine that's just a little bit different from the norm.

Learn about potential auditors to avoid becoming a target

Four programs overlook a practice's billing and coding efforts, and each has its areas of emphasis. There are seven simple steps to follow that will help a practice avoid incurring an audit.

Why accessibility matters

When deciding on how satisfied they are with a practice, patients look foremost to how quickly they can be seen, and how they can reach a physician for after-hours problems. Eleven quick tips can strongly influence the quality of care and how it's perceived by the patient.

Obituary

William F. Denny, MD, MACP.

MKSAP Quiz: Cause of hypertension

Based upon a physical exam and chest radiograph, what is the most likely diagnosis?.