By Barbara Ficarra, RN, BSN, MPA My post on KevinMD, “Social media starts the patient dialogue with doctors and nurses” talks about the importance of gathering health information online to get the conversation started with doctors and nurses. A patient apologized to me for asking so many questions. There is no need to apologize, I said to the patient; it’s wonderful that you have so many questions concerning your health care. I mentioned to her…
Read More...Bruce Dan, MD Cancer Blog – 4 Tips to Help Whip Doctors and Nurses into Shape
By Barbara Ficarra, RN, BSN, MPA Part II In Part I of my blog, “Bruce Dan, MD Blogs About His Cancer Treatment”, and I highlighted areas where Dr. Dan shows humor, strength and resolve. Part II addresses issues that Dr. Dan observes firsthand that affect patient care. Dr. Dan offers his observations and I offer some simple tips to help improve patient care. Dr. Dan is now the “e-Patient” – an empowered and engaged patient…
Read More...The Patient, Square in the Middle of Doctors’ Blind Spot
Guest Post By Alan Greene, MD Participatory Medicine and the e-Patient Right before our eyes there’s a dark hole in what we see. Not only don’t we see some of what’s right in front of our face, but we don’t even notice the gap. Our illusion of a seamless visual world is so strong that scientists used to think that the spot where our optic nerve enters the back of each eye gave us our…
Read More...Make the Most of the 15 Minute Office Visit with Your Doctor
Part 1 By Barbara Ficarra, RN, BSN, MPA Kevin Pho, MD, primary care physician in Nashua, N.H., blogs at KevinMD.com, member of USA TODAY’S board of contributors and a guest to the Health in 30® Radio Show, writes about the importance of doctors engaging in social media to communicate with patients. He writes in an op-ed in USA TODAY “Doctors ignore Internet at their own peril” on January 27, 2010: “Raise your hand if you’ve…
Read More...New Mammogram Guidelines Cause Confusion and Debate
By Barbara Ficarra, RN, BSN, MPA Latest breaking news this week New mammogram guidelines set by the United States Preventative Services Task Force (USPSTF) now recommends that women begin breast cancer screening every two years starting at age 50, instead of every year beginning at age 40. These new standards sent a shock wave throughout women and the medical community. The American College of Surgeons released a statement today on its website in strong support…
Read More...