Via Dr. Val on Twitter:

RT @Doctor_V RT @bobfinn: CDC’s Cox: “What’s the diff btwn bird & swine flu? 4 bird flu U need tweetment, 4 swineflu U need oinkment.” [Ugh]

Hahaha.  Here’s hoping I can deliver both!

Yes, it’s that time.  As a general rule either no posting for 3 months or an intentional abandonment will get you added to the heap of Dead Blogs (right sidebar, near the bottom).

Adventures in Medicine

Blogborygmi (this one hurts, and I suspect he’ll be back soon, but dead is dead) decided he wants to live!

Canadianmedicine, now Canadian Medicine News (a push)

Docsboard

Dr. Wannabe

Fat Doctor (again)

Fingers and Tubes in Every Orifice (again)

Glorfindel of Gondolin

nzou.com

Paging Dr Jess

Physicians, et al.

Pulmonary Roundtable (restarted at Facebook as a group.  Hmm.)

Pure Pedantry

Richard[Winters]MD (again)

Suburban Emergency

symtym (though planned) moved to quanta vie

Tales from the Emergency Room

The Doctor Blogger

The Physician Executive

Travel Nurse Aim

Tundra Medicine Dreams

Wait Time and Delayed Care

Wandering Visitor

What, Me Worry?

24 added to the Dead Blogs.  The circle (well, cliff) of blog-life continues.

If you’d like to be added to the ‘medical’ sidebar overe there, please drop me an email (not a comment here, an email, use the “Contact” page above).

I am sorry for your loss.

The by-line reads “The Editors” but it’s actually a compilation of Short editorials, two of which are by medical bloggers!  One is the usual suspect, Kevin, MD, and the other is Shadowfax from Movin’ Meat (his real name and a picture with hair is at the NYT).

They’re all good, and all presuppose that the system can be fixed without fundamentally changing the way people (patients) buy their healthcare.

Let patients see the menu, with the prices.  Let hospitals, doctors, and vendors compete, out in the open.  Lift the veil of secrecy about what company x pays vs y, and let’s let the rational consumer decide what they want to spend.  I would trust the wisdom of purchasers over those of government rule-makers every day.

Dr. Wes: An Open Letter To Patients Regarding Health Reform
Dear Mr. and Ms. Patient,

It has come to my attention that in order for your to enjoy success as patients in the new era of health care reform, you must start working now to prevent illnesses that might befall you. Do not, under any circumstances, eat or drink too much.

Nice…

From the “I’ll believe it when I see it, but I’d like to see it” files, via Overlawyered:

Confirming earlier reports: “In closed-door talks, Mr. Obama has been making the case that reducing malpractice lawsuits — a goal of many doctors and Republicans — can help drive down health care costs, and should be considered as part of any health care overhaul, according to lawmakers of both parties, as well as A.M.A. officials.

I’m not going to hold my breath, but…

It’s a brand new drug formulation (injectable ibuprofen (motrin)) but check out the approved trade name:

FDA Approves Injectable Form of Ibuprofen

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today approved Caldolor, the first injectable dosage form of the common pain medication ibuprofen, to treat pain and fever.

I’m no Latin scholar, but I do know that Calor = fever, and Dolor = pain.  Put them together in the name for a drug that is made to treat those?  Pretty cool!

And no, I won’t be using it for a long time, if ever (old medical dictum: don’t be the first, don’t be the last).

hat tip: Luis

The Trial Of A WhiteCoat – Part 1 « WhiteCoat’s Call Room
The Trial Of A WhiteCoat – Part 1

This is the first in a series of posts I’m going to do about my malpractice trial.
Names and minor facts about the patient and his family have been changed.
Everything else is the real deal.

—————————–

Am I wrong to want an intervention here? Okay, it’s his career, but, for the Love of God man, stop. Tell us all about it after it’s over.

M.D.O.D.: An Answer to Hugh Hewitt

Hugh Hewitt is a popular radio talk show host, an accomplished academic within the legal profession, a keen political commentator, and an evangelical Christian. He has dedicated this week on his show to physician callers, and asks, in short, what the hell we are doing sitting on our hands while Obama and his cohorts push to completely wreck the best medical system in the world, and thereby, our livelihoods.

I have an answer and it’s hopefully not going to come off as an excuse. It is quite simple,

And you’ll have to go there to read it. Nice work!

I had an IM session with him just now. His blog migration is taking longer than planned, he hopes to be back up and running by Monday at the latest.

AMA – New AMA Collaboration With Physician Blogger KevinMD.com

KevinMD: Blogger, editorialist, and now so important Organized Medicine needs him to get their message out. Way to go, Dr. Pho!

I know the doc in Green. He’s a med school chum, an occasional commenter, and hasn’t gained a pound since medical school. Nice toupee, BTW.

I put it below the fold, because I cannot get it to stop the auto-run.

Read the rest of this entry »

I know you’re already tired of hearing about it, but:

Emergency Physicians Monthly – Swine Flu Update: April 28

They’re have a nice Informational about ‘Swine Flu’ and a good Q&A in the comments.

I have learned the Western Way of politeness: when meeting a stranger look them in the eye and give a firm handshake.  I do this quite a lot in this ‘patient satisfaction’ world, shaking the hands of not just the patients but also their families.  (And sometimes you’d think I’d learn).

I’m wondering if we need some sort of socially acceptable way to say ‘I’d shake your hand but given that this is a hospital where illness concentrates, let’s not’.   Seems like a good tradeoff from a risk-benefit standpoint.

Yes, I use the alcohol-based foam gels between patients, and when I pass a dispenser, and when I think about it.  I’m pretty obsessive about it.  I’m not advocating not touching patients appropriately, just seems like something we should be able to change.

Prologue « Ten out of Ten
…So I’ve come a long way, surviving this adolescent growth spurt, with most of my teen angst now behind me. But it’s funny how life works, just as you find one career obstacle safely in your rearview mirror, another one pops up unexpectedly in front of you. And once again I found myself in unfamiliar territory, flying by the seat of my pants, trying to make the right decisions. It’s a long story that I’ll break up over a series of upcoming posts.

Start here, and read the follow-ons.  It’s The Nightmare for independent EM groups.

Scalpel or Sword?: Starting the Hypothermia Protocol
I’m not calling the code…

Scalpel’s decided to take a break from blogging, and I hope he comes back.

I would like to say that, just because any blogger hits a ‘dry spell’ for new, original things to say, it’s not necessary to close up shop and decide to quit blogging.  Heck, my dry spell is going on 4 years now.

There’s a weird pressure bloggers put on themselves to keep writing, keep producing, etc.  Maybe it’s narcissism (a little), maybe it’s a desire to please, but for your readers it’s still all free ice cream*.  Unless you’re being paid to write there’s no shame in pushing away from the keyboard and having an analog life, coming back to blog when the mood strikes.

*Free ice cream analogy courtesy of InstaPundit years ago.