Some segments of the American population receive excellent health care. Statistics on their life expectancy, mortality, and risk factors for disease compare favorably to citizens of other advanced countries. What throws off the numbers for the US — the reason our overall statistics are 23 points behind Britain, Canada, France, Germany, and Japan on a… Read more
Author Archives: Jan
Couples who prefer to sleep alone: Your room or mine?
Source: Timeless Lesons In pursuit of a good night’s sleep, an increasing number of couples now choose to sleep alone. Couples who share a bed suffer 50% more sleep disturbances than those who sleep apart, according to recent research by a sleep specialist in Britain. In a separate study, a British sociologist found that when… Read more
Music: Rosen Movement Playlist September 8
Source: TruthSeeker Click photo for larger view. This was the first class of the fall semester. For Warm Up, Renee Olstead (like Rod Stewart) is great for updated versions of old standards. This was the first time I used Il Divo. I figured it would be too dramatic for On the Floor, but it works… Read more
Your insurance industry at work
Source: State of the Division Here’s something about health care reform that can unite the Left and the Right. They should find this equally offensive. The one Congressional committee that has yet to agree on its legislative reform plan is Max Baucus’ Senate Finance Committee. An 18-page summary (PDF) of what we can expect was… Read more
The health care debate: Seeing ourselves through the eyes of others
Source: The Guardian I wonder if the behavior of Europeans is restrained by a desire to maintain their self-image in the eyes of neighboring countries. Is there social pressure in France to avoid outrageous behavior because your nation would immediately be ridiculed by England and Germany? Does national pride operate as a constraint? That certainly… Read more
After health care reform, will Big Insurance be the enemy of Big Food?
Source: eHow Michael Pollan has a great editorial in today’s New York Times on Big Insurance and Big Food. Could health care reform motivate the insurance industry to lobby for healthier food? The argument goes like this. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, three-quarters of health care dollars are spent on preventable… Read more
Kennedy's posthumous letter, Obama on American character, a Congressman's apology
Rep. Joe Wilson of South Carolina Source: The New York Times Two years ago, when Democrats were preparing for the presidential primaries, a liberal political expert advised against discussing health care for the uninsured. Everyone loves to say they care about the issue, he said. No one – with the possible exception of Ted Kennedy… Read more
The doctor/patient relationship: What have we lost?
I collect stories of how the doctor/patient relationship has changed over the last half century. There’s a new generation of doctors and patients who’ve only known the 12-minute office visit. For them, an extended, personal conversation between a patient and her physician is as antiquated as Marcus Welby, MD. In the 12 to 15 minutes… Read more
Swine flu and hand washing: The how, the when, and the why
Source: PR Newswire There are a number of things about the H1N1 (swine) flu that are different from the seasonal flu we see each year. For example, adolescents are at a greater risk of dying than younger children. This is just the opposite of what we typically expect. In a normal flu season, at least… Read more
Swine flu, kids, and a "wash your hands" rap video
Source: Feelgood Health Here’s a well-written story by a mother (Brigid Schulte) whose son caught the flu at summer camp. She ended up nursing a houseful of sick patients, including herself. Everyone survived, but it was no picnic. The subtitle of the article is “During the Swine Flu Season, Think Before You Share a Drink… Read more
Flu season: Should we stop shaking hands?
Source: The New York Times Click photo for larger view. What with the start of school, the flu season may already be here. Washington State University has already reported over 2000 students with flu symptoms. Public health officials recommend staying three to five feet away from anyone who coughs or sneezes. Also from anyone who… Read more
Preparing for the flu: Why don't we do it in our sleeves?
Source: Coughsafe.com Goodness! I’ve been sneezing into my elbow and didn’t realize it was socially unacceptable. It makes so much sense. You should never sneeze into your hands unless you can wash them without first touching something. Handkerchiefs collect germs and tissues should be used only once. This first video is from the CDC and… Read more
Doctors in the trenches speak out – Part three
Here’s the third and last installment from the documentary Money-Driven Medicine. The topics this time focus on the financial issues of health care: Insurance premiums, competitive hospitals, the control of medicine by profit-driven corporations, the disconnect between money and health. The first and second installments are in previous posts. Is it possible for opponents and… Read more
Doctors in the trenches speak out – Part two
Here’s a second installment from the documentary Money-Driven Medicine. The producer, Alex Gibney, is an Oscar-winning filmmaker (Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room). See the previous post for the first installment. Bill Moyers: “Money-Driven Medicine is one of the strongest documentaries I have seen in years and could not be more timely. The more… Read more
Doctors in the trenches speak out – Part One
I grow weary of the politics of health care reform. Powerful interest groups buy the politicians. The need to get re-elected takes precedence over the national interest. Paul Krugman writes: “Actually turning this country around is going to take years of siege warfare against deeply entrenched interests, defending a deeply dysfunctional political system.” My sympathies… Read more
What's next for health care reform? Reconciliation
Source: Gearlog Optimists predict that media coverage of Senator Kennedy’s death will shame Republicans into changing their opposition to health care reform. Nicholas Lemann, writing in the New Yorker, says, “Kennedy’s death … will cost Obama a vote in the Senate, but this may be outweighed–is it too much to hope?–by the good feeling that… Read more
A reason not to marry: Medical bankruptcy
Source: Canadian Family Physician If you’re a middle-class family and you learn that your beloved spouse is going to require long-term care, do you know what hospital social workers recommend? Get divorced. Otherwise you’ll go bankrupt. And do it as soon as you can. It takes five years after a divorce before your assets are… Read more
Why is it so hard to reform health care? National identity
Source: Teachers.net Documentaries, such as Sicko and Sick Around the World, visit other countries and ooh and ahh over their rational, effective, and equitable health care systems. Why is it that France, Italy, Japan, the UK, Canada – all the major developed countries – have managed to solve the problem of guaranteeing affordable health care… Read more
Should Obama have pitched health care differently? Will Kennedy's death make a difference?
Source: The AV Club “Obama surely has made mistakes, among them focusing so heavily on how reform would reduce the cost of medicine. Had he spent more time reminding voters that reform would provide them with the security they now lack–security from financial ruin and medical catastrophe, the type private insurance too rarely provides–he probably… Read more
Edward Kennedy: Healthcare is a fundamental right, not a privilege
Source: WTRF Some tributes to Senator Edward Kennedy and some honest recollections and assessments. Ezra Klein in The Washington Post: “Year after year, decade after decade, he labored to pass health-care reform. He sought deals with Republican presidents, with Democratic presidents, and even pursued the office himself. He tried to cut out the health-care industry… Read more
Are insurance co-ops a reasonable alternative to the public option?
Source: The Washington Post Dan Roam’s visual presentation of the issues involved in health care reform lists three possible options for health insurance: Private insurance, non-profit insurance exchanges or co-ops, and a government insured plan (the “public option”). There’s been much media speculation lately that the public option is now out of the picture. There… Read more
Why is it so hard to reform health care? The issues are complex
One reason it’s so hard to make progress on health care reform is that it’s an extremely complex problem. Although President Obama does an excellent job of articulating the issues simply and clearly, it appears his message is not getting through clearly enough. Dan Roam, a business consultant and the author of The Back of… Read more
A doctor assesses Michael Jackson’s cause of death
Source: Artie Wayne on the Web Since shortly after Michael Jackson’s death, the powerful anesthetic propofol has been suspected as the cause of death. Details of Jackson’s final hours were released today by the Los Angeles coroner’s office. Although the final injection of propofol may have been the immediate cause of death, it’s only one… Read more
Health Culture Daily Dose #17
Additional stories related to health. Categories include: More articles on Health Care Reform, History of Medicine, Medical Journalism, Medical Technology, Medical News, Pharmaceuticals, Pop Culture, Social Media and the Internet, and The So-Called Obesity “Epidemic.” HEALTH CARE REFORM A ‘Common Sense’ American Health Reform Plan (The New York Times – Uwe Reinhardt) After studying this… Read more
The So-Called Obesity "Epidemic"
Source: Everything Changes I was planning to include a category called “The So-Called Obesity ‘Epidemic’” in the next Daily Dose, so I thought I should first explain what I mean by that. Back in June, there was an article in The Washington Post called “Judging Fat People.” Here are some excerpts: “Be honest: What’s your… Read more
Health Culture Daily Dose #16
Here are some things I’ve come across recently. Categories include: Aging/End of Life/Death, Doctors, Influenza, Genetics, and Health Care Reform. AGING, END OF LIFE, AND DEATH End-of-Life Care: Where Ethics Meet Economics (The New York Times – Uwe Reinhardt) Health spending in the United States has doubled every 10 years during the last four decades.… Read more
Is there a doctor on board?
Source: flickr Imagine you’re a doctor flying back to the US from Singapore with a medical colleague. Shortly after your first class lunch, the Korean man across the aisle groans and regurgitates his meal. The flight attendant announces: “Could I have your attention, please. Is there a doctor on board?” Moments later a female passenger… Read more
Health care: Reminding people of death triggers irrational emotions
Source: The Associated Press Sharon Begley, science writer for Newsweek, has written one of the best articles I’ve seen so far on the acrimony of the current health care debate. It’s not about the politics, which are unpredictable. It’s an analysis of the underlying psychology, which will not easily be changed. I recommend reading the… Read more
Fear of flying: Will I catch swine flu on an airplane?
Source: National Geographic Kids When you breathe recirculated airplane air, do you expose yourself to the coughs and sneezes of everyone onboard? Well, not quite everyone. Most airlines do not circulate air along the length of the cabin, allowing it to interact with every passenger. Air is circulated from side to side in discrete sections… Read more
Contempt and compassion: The noncompliant patient
Source: Salvation Army “After I had berated the patient for his obvious failure to comply with my recommendations to correct his ‘misbehavior,’ he said, ‘You know, doctor, there is more to life than good health.’ These words have helped me rein in my sometimes overzealous attempts to force patients into that glorious state of wellness… Read more