I know this may sound judgmental, but here goes. Most medical shows on TV, at least recent ones, are inept, contrived, and far from the reality of what real doctors, nurses, and patients encounter every day. Did I mention they are also boring? “Grey’s Anatomy”? Continue reading
Author Archives: RMoore
Methadone – a complex tool for pain management
Methadone is a valuable tool for patients with chronic benign pain, but it is a medication with a complex pharmacology and potential dangers in prescribing. It is often used for patients who require a long acting pain medication when they have failed or have side Continue reading
Oh, my aching back
A few months ago, I had to undergo an L5-S1 spinal fusion. Before surgery I had a number of epidural injections to try to avoid the surgery and several studies to clearly identify the offending nerve root level. Like most patients, I said “yes” to my doctors’ suggestions Continue reading
All I want for Christmas is a closed reduction of my spiral radial fracture
Yes, just in time for the Christmas shopping season comes a study from the journal Clinical Pediatrics showing that pediatric toy-related injuries have jumped almost 40% since 1990. Notably, this study did not include the numerous parental injuries from Continue reading
A source is a source, of course, of course
Scientists at the University of Leeds investigated the hypothesis that forced air hand dryers, touted for their greenness, might spread bacteria due to aerosolization of contaminated particles. E.L.Best, et.al., recently published a study in the Journal of Hospital infection comparing the propensity of three common hand drying techniques Continue reading
Beware the drug sample trap
Drug samples are insidious. They may seem benign. They are just small quantities of a medication, dropped off in medical offices by drug company representatives, to be handed out to patients who may benefit from them. What could be more harmless than that?
Well, let’s start by defining the term “Trojan horse.” Continue reading
A long evening in the Emergency Department
It took me several days to recover from my recent long evening in the ED. I have a harder time staying up till 2:00 am on weekdays than I used to. My old body and brain do better on seven hours sleep than on four. The night started when my sister called at 6:30 pm, Continue reading
Continuing to Choose Wisely
For those who are regular readers, we have previously discussed the Choosing Wisely campaign from the ABIM Foundation and its goal to reduce unnecessary and potentially harmful testing. Some experts estimate 30% of health care spending is considered Continue reading
I am thinking about going to medical school
I recently spoke with the bright young son of a physician who is thinking about going to medical school. He spent a year in Peru after college helping people and thinks medicine would be a good life choice for him. He then spoke with several physicians Continue reading
Wikipedia is not a trustworthy colleague
The internet! It is a boon and a bane. It is a blessing and a curse. But when it comes to dispensing medical advice, the scales tip towards the negative. We have all had patients come to our offices citing information they gleaned from the internet. Some patients will Continue reading