While typing words, the advertisement for yet another hospital is overheard from the TV. “Ignore it John,” I think to myself, but, it is impossible to not look up and see. The head shakes with a smirk, like my grandfather did and without words displeasure was easily conveyed. Do people really think the graphical professionalism […]
Category: Health Care Reform
During residency, there was always a case of mis-diagnosed chest pain to discuss in conference. Incorrectly sending a patient home and missing the diagnosis of cardiac chest pain was an infrequent but repetitively observed phenomenon. So as to tread carefully with words, it is sufficient to say that even now, chest pain triage remains a […]
These days of uncharacteristic winter have created much angst for the many who dwell in a southern state and have southern feelings about snow. For the busy electrophysiologist who lives 5k from the hospital and grew up in New England, the snow provides an intermission from the race -a time out. All in the […]
On the way out of the exam room, after proclaiming her happiness on being cured of a lifelong arrhythmia by a single 4mm radio-frequency ablation lesion, the patient shows me the hospital bill and asks why it costs 39,000 dollars? Of course, the answer requires a few words. We are young doctors in training, learning […]
Nearly every day an email comes with medical news and it is truly remarkable how many repetitive studies are done, which show adherence to the usual lifestyle factors, diet, exercise and cessation of smoking improve outcomes. This past week the Go Red for Women Hearts is yet another proclamation, specifically to women, to get with […]
If only it was like the old days reading ECG’s in the bland room with Dr Fisch. A cardiologist sues a hospital in Ohio and stands to gain millions. Reminds one of the angry kid on the playground who does not like the game and takes his bat and ball home, but in this case […]
Conflicted am I on reading of the strategy of a group of South Miami cardiologists who have written their patients complaining of the cuts to reimbursement, primarily cuts in imaging procedures. Â A tension emerges from within upon reading the following quote from a “healthcare expert.” “I’m not at all sympathetic with the cardiologists,” said Robert […]
The WSJ recently reported the American Heart Association’s earth shattering proclamation urging people to focus on the prevention of heart disease. The AHA provides the seven steps to wellness, like a map to the grail. Does the AHA have a surprise or something novel to share with us? No, just the usual recommendations to not smoke, […]
Just when one can discover little good news in the health care reform dreariness, a text message comes from the hospital vice president overseeing cardiac care. The hospital board has approved expansion of the current dated EP (electrophysiology) lab to two modern labs side by side. Capital investments like this are not for the faint […]
Taking care of heart attacks is about speed, the “door to balloon time” is the primary metric used to determine a hospital’s worthiness. So congratulations to the Santa Rosa Memorial’s staff for being the fastest in the country, but they should not delude themselves with the notion that high quality care is all that is […]
The new MacBook was scrolling fast but this headline grabbed the eyes… “Self-discipline, perseverance needed for successful cardiac rehabilitation, cardiologist says.” The story of cardiac rehab acts as a metaphor for the entire cardiac health quagmire. Cardiac rehab following a stent, coronary bypass, or heart attack is indeed scientifically proven to improve outcomes. Problematically though, […]