Researchers in Spain have discovered a 430,000-year-old human skeleton with fatal skull wounds they believe have resulted from “interpersonal aggression.”
Archives for May 2015
In diabetic rats a poor diet can cause Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s Disease
Think twice before eating that donut or pizza . . .
Family Practice – Is It a Dying Specialty?
This essay by Frederic H. Schwartz, MD is a look at the many factors causing a decline in the numbers of family practice physicians.
BYOD – Saves Physicians Time, Money
Bring your own device (BYOD) policies can save money-but require time, careful planning, and thorough execution to maintain the integrity and security of the patient information being accessed and shared on mobile devices. This guide walks you through the critical points to consider as you design an effective BYOD policy for your hospital.
Get a copy of the 2015 Hospital Guide to BYOD policies.
New method detects more breast cancer in screening
Tomosynthesis detects 40% more breast cancers than traditional mammography does, according to a major screening study from Lund University, Sweden. This is the first large-scale study to compare the screening method with regular mammograms. The 3D X-ray technique is also more comfortable for women, as breast compression is halved.
Read the full article in MNT.
“Big Data” is not the solution to controlling hospital costs
Being a retired data scientist, I know very well the value of using large datasets to prevent or intervene in illness. Having said that, HEDIS has been required by the feds for more than 20 years – yet healthcare costs are still going up much faster than most people can afford to pay.
Killer Pharmacy: Inside a Medical Mass Murder Case
For all of us who are medical detectives, this story of how runaway corporate greed by now-defunct compounding firm NECC (New England Compounding Center) is one of the best essays on a medical mystery. Newsweek and writer Kurt Eichenwald trace the story how NECC management, pharmacists and other employees allegedly illegally turned NECC from a compounding pharmacy into a manufacturer, ultimately costing 64 people their lives.
Dog-to-Human transfer of plague confirmed by CDC
The CDC announced that it has identified the first-ever transmission of plague (Yersinia pestis) from a dog to a human. The pet owner and infected veterinary clinic employees all recovered; however, the dog was euthanized.