An impressive study published last week strongly suggests that when it comes to a certain kind of breast cancer, early, aggressive intervention has no effect on a patient’s survival 10 years later. The research in JAMA Oncology reviewed the records of more than 100,000 women. After being diagnosed with ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), the […]
When a doctor calls out a whole field of medical specialists for conflicts of interest that risk harming patients, things must really be rotten in the state of orthopedics. Dr. James Rickert, an Indiana orthopedist, has launched what he calls a “moral persuasion” campaign in the hope of getting his colleagues to stop performing needless […]
We all know about epidemics of infectious disease — that’s how the science of epidemiology got its name in the 19th century when the cause of cholera was first traced by statistics to a contaminated water well in London. But here’s what a modern epidemic looks like — this one not an epidemic of disease […]
We’ve long highlighted the risks of getting too much medical treatment, and now a national survey of physicians finds that they, too, believe their colleagues order unnecessary tests and provide unnecessary care. As summarized by KaiserHealthNews.org (KHN), 3 in 4 physicians believe that fellow doctors prescribe an unnecessary test or procedure at least once a […]
In a good news/bad news scenario about end-of-life care, more people older than 65 are dying in hospice care and fewer are dying in hospitals, but patients also are hospitalized more frequently in the last three months of their lives. They’re also more likely to spend time in intensive care units, and frequently receive hospice […]
The epidemic of overtreatment in U.S. health care is figuring ever more prominently into public policy and private care. We’ve repeatedly discussed how this country medically defaults toward testing, screening, prescribing and treating. We’ve shown how such “over care” isn’t the best practice, nor does it necessarily extend lives or reduce suffering. A recent post […]
It’s natural to want an X-ray or MRI or some other kind of scan when you’ve had an injury that’s so painful it hurts to use the involved body part. But many orthopedic surgeons are starting to speak out against the overuse of MRI scans in particular. They say it leads to over-diagnosis of injury […]
More and more women with cancer in one breast are now opting to have the other healthy breast removed as well, even though the statistics show survival odds don’t improve by having both breasts removed and most patients end up with chests that are numb to sensation. Peace of mind is cited by many of […]
Even as Congress lumbers into creating the next crisis for millions of Americans and whether they can access and afford health insurance, the giant, built-in flaws in the current coverage system keep sending far too many patients and their loved ones into a financial morass with which politicians and policymakers refuse to reckon. Successive Democratic […]
Modern medicine isn’t addressing women’s distinctive health care needs as optimally as needed, with research further showing it may be time to dial down expectations about breast cancer screening, while heightening physicians’ awareness and best practices in eliminating gender biases. Women also may want to keep close tabs on how changes with the Affordable Care […]
DC Medical Malpractice & Patient Safety Blog