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The First Amendment (Free Speech) applies to the internet as much as to traditional forms of media: print, film, art, etc. The internet is different from other forms of mass communication because it is easier for non-corporate groups and individuals to participate. Lawmakers who long for a return of the day of exclusive corporate control of the news have been very much exercised about the rise of the internet because it completely undermines their ability to dictate \"the message\" heard by American users of the internet.
UK
The move will expose alarming variations in the mortality rates of NHS trusts carrying out commonplace procedures, including hip and knee replacements and surgery of the esophagus and abdominal aorta, the main blood vessel.
It will be the first time anywhere in the world that a government has systematically exposed the work of rival hospital teams, giving patients an opportunity to choose to be treated where their lives are least at risk.
USA
While not a brand-new article, this item continues to have revealing tips about the eye care business. One of the items on the list: Glasses are a cash cow... Since optometrists and ophthalmologists rarely hand over eyeglass prescriptions without prompting, most people don't know that federal regulation requires eye doctors to release them so that patients can comparison-shop for glasses. And why would they? In order to offset the high overhead of managing a practice, doctors and optical retailers may jack up the prices of glasses they sell from 50% to 80%. After one patient learned he was entitled to his prescription, he took it to Wal-Mart, where he found a pair of glasses similar to those at his doctor's office, but for $100 less.
Georgia, USA
5 tips to staying germ-free when in a hospital.
Pennsylvania, USA
Dr. David M. Wielechowski, 32, a dentist, got in a fight on his wedding night, first with his wife, then with two people who came to the aid. Ironically, the dentist knocked a tooth out of one of the good Samaritans. The dentist himself was left with a black eye.
Florida, USA
Written by caveatemptor
I have seen and heard the recent reports about the FDA getting involved in and investigating Lasik. First of all, let me say that I have little faith in the FDA's ability to get to the bottom of anything and do it fairly and without bias. Remember, these are the same people who allow drugs (like Celebrex, Vioxx, Fosamax, Actonel, Baytrol, Vytorin, etc.) to be approved, and remain on the market when the risks outweigh the benefits in many cases.
Having said that, and having had a great success with my own Lasik surgery, I felt the need to comment. While this is my opinion only, with no "scientific" data to back it up, I think it deserves to be heard if it could help someone frightened of this procedure, yet wanting to have it. Legal disclaimer here......I am not telling anyone to have this surgery, just relating it to my own personal experience and that of others that I know who have also had success with Lasik.
First of all, it is imperative that you go to a reputable doctor with a good reputation, and not one of the "factories" that turn out thousands and thousands of patients per year. The preliminary screening is THE most important step in making an informed decision, and there are many factors that could disqualify a person from being a good candidate. (i.e. cornea too thin, too high a level of myopia or astigmatism, propensity for dry eyes, existing retinal problems, etc.) There may be doctors out there who are so interested in making money that they don't turn away the patients who are not good candidates. It is imperative that the DOCTOR, as well as the techs, check and recheck the screening procedures. I had two VERY extensive screening appointments before I had the surgery itself. Two techs and my doctor saw me on each of these two occasions, and the appointments took a long time and were very thorough.
Also, it is my opinion that the success of the procedure and the avoidance of side effects may depend upon the ability of the doctor (through careful screening) to "get it right" the first time. By that I mean, that if an "enhancement' (i.e. a second procedure) is done, it may (and this is only my hypothesis) result in "dry eye", as the cornea is "thinned" infinitesimally each time that the procedure is done, and that may affect more nerves, which may, in turn, produce the "dry eye" effect. Secondly, some of the responsibility lies with the patient. The aftercare is very important. There may be patients who do not wear the protective goggles (which are not comfortable) for sleeping, there may be patients who forget and rub their eyes, there may be patients who do not adhere to the regimen for putting the steroid and antibiotic drops in their eyes as instructed, there may be women who don't forego the eye makeup as instructed, resulting in an infection.. Failure to be a compliant patient in any of these areas could pose a problem.
The best advice that I can offer those contemplating Lasik is to speak with other patients who have seen the doctor that you are contemplating having as your surgeon. Check out his "track record" and see if he has any lawsuits on file, and if so, what they are for. Ask him for a list of his/her patients with whom you may speak. I could not be more pleased with the results of my procedure, and of the few people that I know who have had it done, I know of no one who has any adverse side effects or who has any regrets about having had the procedure done. Understand, I am not saying that there are not people who have had complications, only that I had none.
As of now, three months post-op, I have absolutely no side effects and am elated with my results, which I never take for granted. As one who needed glasses at a very young age (third grade) and one who was unable to see the big "E"" on the Snellen eye chart, and one who had a fair degree of both astigmatism and myopia, I consider my "new" vision to be nothing less than miraculous.
Free advertisement.....my doctor is Dr. Ross Parks of FL Eye Clinic and I had my procedure done on Jan. 29th of this year.
USA
More and more drugs are not working "as advertised". For example, the drug used to treat high cholesterol, Vytorin, failed to work as widely expected. Final results of a clinical trial showed the drugs reduced LDL cholesterol, but failed to slow the buildup of artery-clogging plaque, suggesting they’ll do little or nothing to prevent heart attacks. Doctors are as surprised by findings like these as patients.
USA
The US government made hospital ratings public today. The site lets you compare hospitals by how well they cared for patients with certain conditions. Hospitals can be compared by how well they cared for a specific condition, like a heart attack or pneumonia.
Where does the data come from? The website says: "Hospitals voluntarily submit data from their medical records about the treatments their adult patients receive..." And elsewhere on the site: "The data presented on this website comes from hospitals that volunteered to submit their data for public reporting."
Florida, USA
She was captain of her cheerleading team and hoped to become a doctor herself. Surgeon Stephen Schuster said he was devastated by the loss and felt for the family.
msn.com
German scientists reported that a woman endured a series of nasty abscesses caused by a bacteria, until a veterinarian screened — and treated — the family cat.
USA
Carol Weihrer of Reston, Va., said that she awakened during surgery to remove a diseased eye. Weihrer said she heard the doctor give instructions: “Cut deeper, pull harder.” “I actually saw them cut the optic nerve when everything went black."
Nevada, USA
Nevada, USA
Nearly 40,000 patients of the clinic learned that they might have have been infected by reused syringes and vials of medication. Patients may have been injected with potentially fatal hepatitis C virus and HIV.
dailypress.com
One tip from article: "Use technology to your advantage. Bring a tape recorder to appointments so you can replay conversations later or use digital cameras to record symptoms at home."
Iowa, USA
A man from Iowa went in for hernia surgery, expecting to leave with a single scar. The doctor operated on the wrong side of his body, then started over and performed the surgery on the correct side. The patient left with two scars and his health insurance was billed for 2 surgeries!
pbfcomics.com
COMIC
USA
The Los Angeles city attorney sued Health Net, claiming it illegally canceled the coverage of about 1,600 patients. City Attorney Rocky Delgadillo also said the company illegally ran an incentive program in which it paid bonuses to an administrator for meeting targets of policy cancelations.
Patsy Bates, 52, a hairdresser from Lakewood, had been left with more than $129,000 in unpaid medical bills when Health Net Inc. canceled her policy in 2004.
"It's hard to imagine a situation more trying than the one Bates has had to endure," Cianchetti (the judge) wrote in the decision. "The rug was pulled out from underneath, and that occurred at a time when she is diagnosed with breast cancer, one of the leading causes of death for women."London, UK
A standard computer can diagnose diseases like Alzheimer's from brain scans, with a higher accuracy rate than doctors. Maybe this tool could help free up some doctors to work on other health issues.
Saskatchewan, Canada
What does a country do when it has a nurse shortage? Here's one idea: Go to a poor country, wave some cash in their faces, and entice them to leave their people behind to care for your people. (Filipinos make an average of just $3,300 per year versus $38,200 for Canadians.)
Washington DC, USA
It's time to write up the recipe for next year's flu vaccine -- and the nation's influenza experts are aiming for better protection than this year's shot wound up offering.
Minnesota, USA
Is this legal? Some websites are selling counterfeit doctor's notes online to those who want to trick their employer for some time off work. Students use the fake notes to get out of school.
Alabama, USA
Even after losing an arm in a hunting accident, Dr. Lucian Newman III is still able to perform surgery. Dr. Newman III is the the only surgeon now operating in the USA with one arm.
California, USA
Ali Moayed, a urologist, performed a painful cancer treatment on a patient who didn't have the disease. Moayed pleaded guilty to felony charges of elder abuse and insurance fraud.
Indiana, USA
Members of the plan will be able to rank physicians based on trust, communication, availability and office environment, but not effectiveness of care. Members will be able to rank doctors only in their health insurance network.
Alberta, Canada
Town offers free rent for a ready-to-go office to a physician to begin work. Why? They haven't had a doctor in 6 months. Local pharmacy is hurting without someone to write prescriptions.
Canada
...especially on airplanes.
India
Dr Vivek Jawali, chief cardiovascular surgeon along with his team at Wockhardt Heart Hospital at Bangalore have set a global benchmark by performing the first coronary bypass surgery along with an aortic valve replacement without using general anaesthesia or ventilator support while the patient was on a heart lung machine. Click image for video.
United States
In the future, stem cells may be used to help patients with type 1 diabetes gain insulin independence.
New Jersey, United States
The patient says he had a hair transplant procedure, performed by Dr. Feinberg at The Dermatology Center in Englewood, NJ. "...my hair transplant looks terrible and I have a red scar on the back of my head...After 4 years and over $8,000 dollars spend on my hair transplant the results are terrible. I try to contact Dr. Feinberg but he refused to talk to me or give me a refund for the hair transplant he performed. I have a personal website where I post photos of my hair transplant at http://www.HairMdProblem.com"
The patient also created a scorecard for the dermatologist.
Texas, United States
Faulty lab work is to blame. Ameripath tested a biopsy and concluded she had ovarian cancer. After both ovaries were removed, no cancer was found.
New York, United States
...then pushes the drill bit through her sinus near her eye socket.
California, United States
The young man complaining of chest pain was told to sit in the waiting room until it was his turn. He waited more than 3 hours, then stood up and went outside, collapsing on the pavement.
United States
Dr. Jose Veizaga-Mendez provided dangerously substandard care resulting in deaths, according to Massachussetts state regulators. So what did the doctor do? He left the state to resume working in Illinois, got in trouble there, too, so he applied for a license in yet another state: North Dakota. "Nearly 90 percent of the 5,000 doctors who faced disciplinary action in the United States last year had medical licenses in more than one state, according to the Federation of State Medical Boards, giving them the option of moving to another state to practice if they fear losing their license in the first."
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