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There’s an App for That!
Medical Applications for Mobile Technology are Burgeoning
With mobile technologies advancing, so too are medical uses of those technologies – and the ride has just begun, predicts one expert.
SHARON H. FITZGERALD - Posted: Wednesday, June 30, 2010 3:08 pm |
Stark Reality
Multi-Specialty Practices Anxiously Await MedPac Recommendations for Imaging
Over the past few years, there has been a gradual chipping away of allowed reimbursements for imaging. Tightening Stark regulations have largely been driven by concern over the rising costs of advanced diagnostic imaging and soaring utilization rates.
CINDY SANDERS - Posted: Wednesday, June 30, 2010 3:08 pm |
Healthcare Reform Affects Medicare Patients and the Under 65 Set Differently
How to Answer Questions from Your Patients
If you’re a physician, chances are you have already fielded a bevy of questions from patients about healthcare reform. Rest assured, the questions will keep coming. Experts say that doctors need to be up to speed, and fast, about how reform will affect their patients’ healthcare and their insurance options in the future.
SHARON H. FITZGERALD - Posted: Wednesday, June 30, 2010 3:08 pm |
Healthy Community, Healthy Initiatives
Morristown/Hamblen County Region Reaching Out
Hamblen County is unique. As part of the Lakeway Area, the region is nestled between the Smoky Mountains, Cherokee Lake, and Douglas Lake. As for locale, the county, centered around the city of Morristown, can boast proudly. As for health initiatives, the county can boaster even more proudly.
BRIDGET GARLAND - Posted: Wednesday, June 30, 2010 3:08 pm |
Moral Medicine: Professionalism
As a child, I was scared to go to the doctor. It seemed there was always a nurse lying in wait with a big syringe attached to a bigger needle dripping some syrupy liquid ready to cause me pain. No matter how much my mom reassured me it wasn't going to hurt much, it never turned out that way.
DAVID STEVENS, MD, MA (Ethics) - Posted: Wednesday, June 30, 2010 3:08 pm |
East Tennessee Region Welcomes New Hospitals
Despite the current economy and uncertainty surrounding healthcare reform, the East Tennessee region has experienced tremendous growth to its medical community. With the recent addition to the University of Tennessee Medical Center's new heart hospital in Knoxville, as well as the region's first "green" hospital to open in Johnson City, Tenn., healthcare in the Smoky Mountains just keeps getting better.
Posted: Wednesday, June 30, 2010 3:08 pm |
Gearing Up for Guatemala
Donations needed for trip to begin July 12.
Part Four in our series following Lisa J. Broyles, MD, as she plans to lead a medical missions trip to Guatemala
Lisa J. Broyles, MD and Brad Broyles - Posted: Wednesday, June 30, 2010 3:08 pm |
Enjoying East Tennessee: Making Music!
The "lazy days of summer" are synonymous with July. Whether it's enjoying a parade, outdoor grilling on the 4th, or just spending time around the region close to home in the evenings, the midsummer month is just a little more relaxed and festive.
LEIGH ANNE W. HOOVER - Posted: Wednesday, June 30, 2010 3:08 pm |
The Literary Examiner
Reviews of Healing Hearts: A Memoir of a Female Heart Surgeon by Kathy E. Magliato, MD and The Match: 'Savior Siblings' and One Family’s Battle to Heal Their Daughter by Beth Whitehouse
TERRI SCHLICHENMEYER - Posted: Wednesday, June 30, 2010 3:08 pm |
Legal Matters: Contracting for Health Information Technology
The Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act has flooded billions of dollars into health information technology projects. Part of the HITECH Act includes incentive payments through the Medicare and Medicaid programs for meaningful use of electronic medical records and back-end penalties for failing to meet the requirements. Successfully choosing and implementing any health information technology project presents some unique problems...
RANDALL E. SERMONS - Posted: Wednesday, June 30, 2010 3:08 pm |
Physician Spotlight: Sonya Clark, MD
Nothing slows down Sonya Clark. Whether she is skiing the slopes, trekking triathlons, paddling in her kayak, or being a mother to her 7-year-old, Clark understands firsthand why her patients need to be back in full health.
CHELSEA FARNAM - Posted: Wednesday, June 30, 2010 3:08 pm |
Administrator's Corner: Early Mornings Equal Success for Morristown-Hamblen Hospital's Dedra Whitaker
Being a hospital administrator invariably entails organization, a keen sense of the proverbial "big picture," and, perhaps most of all, time-management skills. Considering the spate of staff and physicians, the deluge of ever-shifting regulations and red tape, and the sheer volume of tasks, it's a wonder that anyone has the tenacity required for such a demanding position. For Dedra Whitaker, Vice President and Chief Nursing Officer of Morristown-Hamblen Hospital, meeting all of the aforementioned demands on a daily basis can only work when she rises before dawn—every wearying day of the week.
JOHN SEWELL - Posted: Wednesday, June 30, 2010 3:08 pm |
Physician Spotlight: Anuj Chandra, MD
Anuj Chandra, MD, is constantly on the move… running his own practice in sleep medicine in three offices in Chattanooga, Cleveland and North Georgia; reading sleep studies for most major hospitals in the area; and traveling to India, where he teaches and serves on the organizing committee for a physician education course that is bringing cutting edge sleep medicine to cities across India.
Rich Bailey - Posted: Wednesday, June 30, 2010 3:08 pm |
Administrator's Corner: Perfecting the Long Reach
Julie Brooks stays plugged in, even from another state
Some administrators are more hands-off than others; operating from one state away, Julie Brooks is more so than most.
JOE MORRIS - Posted: Wednesday, June 30, 2010 3:08 pm |
Physician Spotlight: Cary H. Meyers, MD, FACC, FACS
"If you go back ten years, when I was a resident, when we saw people with venous disease, it wasn't ignored, but it was completely de-emphasized," explained Cary H. Meyers, MD, a board-certified surgeon with Cardiovascular Associates (CVA). "There really were no treatment options for patients, or for physicians, beyond surgical vein stripping, and with that, the patients would come back, and they would be miserable. They also had to be hospitalized for several days."
BRIDGET GARLAND - Posted: Wednesday, June 30, 2010 3:08 pm |
Administrator's Corner: KJ Gulson
First impressions say a good deal about a person. For KJ Gulson—young, enthusiastic, dedicated—are just some of the attributes that stand out upon meeting her. As the administrator for primary care and internal medicine with Blue Ridge Medical, such qualities make her shine in her management role of nine clinics throughout East Tennessee...
BRIDGET GARLAND - Posted: Wednesday, June 30, 2010 3:08 pm |
Loss of Limb does not mean Loss of Life
Adding quality of life to all amputees requires a deeper commitment to patients
In the solitude of the exam room of her vascular surgeon’s office, an eighty-six-year-old grandmother of ten tries to hide the tear forming at the corner of her eye. Her stoic strength has always been a lighthouse in the ebbing challenges facing her family. With her husband’s passing a few years ago, she has continued to carry the mantle of leadership for her clan.
Paul Dixon, CP - Posted: Wednesday, June 30, 2010 3:08 pm |
Physician to Physician: Progress in the Treatment of Metastatic Liver Cancer
Over 20,000 patients per year are diagnosed with primary or secondary liver cancer. The majority of liver cancers are secondary liver cancers occurring from metastatic spread to the liver from other primary sites. Common sources of metastatic liver cancer are colon, breast, pancreas, lung, and stomach. For many years, the prognosis of metastatic liver cancer was extremely poor. Over the last twenty years, with the development of new surgical and nonsurgical techniques, patients with metastatic liver cancer have effective treatment options which can greatly improve survival while preserving a reasonable quality of life.
Joseph R. Lee, MD - Posted: Wednesday, June 30, 2010 3:08 pm |
Physician to Physician: Nonsurgical Hemorrhoid System Optimizes Patient Care
I am very interested in helping my patients achieve their optimal health. This often involves tackling those nagging, lifestyle limiting problems which are not emergent but significantly impact people in their day-to-day lives. One of these common conditions is enlarged hemorrhoids which can cause bleeding, itching, pain, and difficulty with hygiene.
BY HOPE SHERIE, MD - Posted: Thursday, June 10, 2010 9:20 am |
Fostering an Epidemic of Skin Cancer
Dermatologists Take Aim at Indoor Tanning
On an average day in America, more than 1 million people visit an indoor tanning salon. That’s why dermatologists nationwide have declared war on the practice, which research overwhelmingly has shown causes cancer.
SHARON H. FITZGERALD - Posted: Tuesday, June 8, 2010 1:13 pm |
Playing Well With Others
Building Strong Relationships in an Evolving Environment
In theory, hospital administrators, physicians and nurses are all on the same team with the same ultimate goal — delivering the highest quality of patient care possible. In practice, those relationships are easily strained as fiscal realities, misaligned objectives and strong personalities are factored into the equation.
CINDY SANDERS - Posted: Tuesday, June 8, 2010 1:13 pm |
Healthcare Reform Boosts Primary Care
Reimbursement Incentives Offered to Ease the Strain
Well, it’s done, and depending on your perspective, the historic Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act that sets about reforming America’s health system could be a boon or it could be a bust. For most stakeholders, reality is somewhere in the middle.
SHARON H. FITZGERALD - Posted: Tuesday, June 8, 2010 1:13 pm |
Gearing Up for Guatemala
Planning a Medical Mission
I entered medical school to become a family doctor and work abroad serving through medical relief work. Therefore, I chose to attend Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina, a school focused on producing primary care physicians for underserved areas. Similarly, my husband Brad is now a medical student at Quillen College of Medicine, both of us desiring to serve patients locally and abroad. We intend to live in Guatemala on a more permanent basis once he completes his training and are thrilled to share our passion with our team this summer.
LISA J. BROYLES, MD - Posted: Tuesday, June 8, 2010 1:13 pm |
The New 'Face'book of Medicine?
Wellmont's Social Media Efforts Receive National Recognition
The use of social media in healthcare marketing has grown exponentially over the past few years. Based in Kingsport, Tenn., Wellmont Health System has recently been recognized as a leader in the social media industry. AlertPresence.com, the online blog for Brett Pollard's Internet marketing/consulting organization, named facebook.com/wellmont one of the top five health system Facebook pages in the nation. Other health systems on Pollard's list are the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota, Florida and Arizona; Alegent Health in Nebraska and Iowa; St. Vincent's Health System in Alabama; and Memorial Health System in Colorado.
BRIDGET GARLAND - Posted: Tuesday, June 8, 2010 1:13 pm - 1 opinion posted |
Is there room in your practice for social activity?
As the online community becomes even more crowded with social media sites and participants, physicians and medical groups remain mostly on the sidelines and wondering if there is room in their medical practice for social activity.
SHANE RHYNE - Posted: Tuesday, June 8, 2010 1:13 pm |
The Bottom Line: Relief Stress
The medical community has really stepped up to provide support for the relief efforts in Haiti. The US and world response has been so great with the delivery of food and clothing that the Haitian government has now said enough is enough. The availability of free food is harming the local farmers in their efforts to sell their crops and earn a living. This is not to say you should not consider a donation to the Red Cross or other relief agency, but the need now is not food and clothing, but money to allow the country to rebuild its infrastructure. So, by all means , if you have the ability to send money, do so.
BILL MORRIS - Posted: Tuesday, June 8, 2010 1:13 pm |
Enjoying East Tennessee: A Summer of Festivals
Although summer does not officially begin until June 21st, the arrival of June makes us anxious for all that the summer months entail. For our region, a main component is the many wonderful and exciting festivals.
LEIGH ANNE W. HOOVER - Posted: Tuesday, June 8, 2010 1:13 pm |
Legal Matters: No Expert Required? Violating Regulations May Lead to Malpractice Liability
Can a violation of a medical board regulation establish that a physician breached the standard of care, even without the use of expert testimony? The answer may surprise you. A recent decision by the Tennessee Court of Appeals held that, under certain circumstances, a plaintiff may rely on regulations promulgated by the Tennessee Board of Medical Examiners in order to establish the standard of care and its breach.
JENNIFER PEARSON TAYLOR - Posted: Tuesday, June 8, 2010 1:13 pm |
Physician Spotlight : Sophia J. Hendrick, MD
Acne, rashes, and warts—oh my! For children and adolescents, these annoying disorders can send them straight to the dermatologist if they get out of hand. Poison ivy may get spread out of control and into the eyes. Teens may be embarrassed when pimples are numerous or begin to scar.
BRIDGET GARLAND - Posted: Tuesday, June 8, 2010 1:13 pm |
Administrator's Corner: Christi Selvidge
"With every new opportunity, come new challenges that help me grow personally and professionally," said Healthcare Administrator Christi Selvidge of her work at Dermatology Associates of Knoxville.
JAMIE MERRIMAN-PACTON - Posted: Tuesday, June 8, 2010 1:13 pm |
Administrator’s Corner: Allen Vessels
Patient care drives staff support, office operations at NAC
Over a 30-year career in healthcare, Allen Vessels has seen a lot of change. He’s also been around enough to know that a few things stay constant when it comes to administration.
JOE MORRIS - Posted: Tuesday, June 8, 2010 1:13 pm |
Physician Spotlight : R. Keith Huffaker, MD
Physician brings new pelvic-floor treatments to region
Sometimes it can be lonely, being the only practitioner of a specialty branch of medicine. Not so for R. Keith Huffaker, MD, whose services are very much in demand by women throughout East Tennessee and the surrounding region.
JOE MORRIS - Posted: Tuesday, June 8, 2010 1:13 pm |
Administrator's Corner : Lee Fish
Lee Fish loves people.
When patients enter the lobby of the newest location of Cardiovascular Associates (CVA) in Johnson City, they are greeted with a big smile, a firm handshake, a cup of coffee—and Fish is always glad to meet them. "Patients are our difference, and how we treat them is what opens our doors everyday," said Fish. "We have to go the extra mile."
BRIDGET GARLAND - Posted: Tuesday, June 8, 2010 1:13 pm |
East TN Healthcare Law: Health Care Reform: Top 10 Things Employers Need to Know
In late March, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and the Health Care & Education Affordability Reconciliation Act of 2010 were signed into law (together “the Act”), effectively ushering in a new era in healthcare. This sweeping legislation will radically alter the way healthcare is delivered and the way health insurance will be bought, sold and provided in the United States. The Act also imposes many new requirements on employer-sponsored group health plans. Failure to comply with those requirements may result in substantial monetary penalties. Healthcare providers are also employers, of course, and they will be drastically impacted by the following provisions like all other employers. This article is by no means intended to be a comprehensive look at the Act, rather it is a quick look at those provisions of the Act most likely to have a substantial impact on employers.
Posted: Tuesday, June 8, 2010 1:13 pm |
Patient-Centered Practices: Magnet Redesignation
It’s no easy task—compiling page after page of a book-length application, preparing two hospital nursing staffs for a site inspection, and anxiously anticipating the news that all of the requirements have been met. Applying for Magnet Recognition by the American Nurses Credential Center (ANCC) demands quality, and for the second time, Johnson City Medical Center (JCMC) and Quillen Rehabilitation Hospital (QRH) have successfully been accepted.
BRIDGET GARLAND - Posted: Tuesday, June 8, 2010 1:13 pm |
Before the Breathin' Air is Gone
Luring Physicians "Out in the Country"
Grady, S.C., was one of the lucky rural communities. Unfortunately, it was fictional.
In the 1991 film "Doc Hollywood" with Michael J. Fox, the Porsche Speedster of hotshot plastic surgeon Benjamin Stone breaks down in Grady, and the charms of the community, its people and one woman in particular entice the young physician to hang his family-practice shingle in the rural Southeast.
SHARON H. FITZGERALD - Posted: Monday, May 17, 2010 11:11 am |
Robotic Surgery and Women's Health
Questions & Answers with Grover May, MD
Note: One of the latest advancements in healthcare, and perhaps responsible for the quickest turn around time in surgical patients, is the implementation of robotic surgery. Both Drs. Grover May and Chad Drey with Medical Center Obstetrics & Gynecology in Johnson City perform robotic procedures for their female patients. ETMN asked Dr. May to share with our readers more about this great improvement in women's healthcare.
Posted: Monday, May 17, 2010 11:11 am |
Women's Health Initiatives across the Region
Recent Advancements Greatly Improving Patient Care
Across the East Tennessee region, medical providers and practices have been offering the latest advancements and technologies in an attempt to improve the health and quality of life for their female patients.
Posted: Monday, May 17, 2010 11:11 am |
Survival Guide to Health-System Reform
Where Do Providers Focus Their Attention First?
So, now what?
The massive health-system reform legislation dubbed the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act is law, enacting the most sweeping changes in America's health system since Medicare. Experts say now is the time providers should take a deep, cleansing breath, then jump into action with short-term strategies that could pay off down the road.
SHARON H. FITZGERALD - Posted: Monday, May 17, 2010 11:11 am |
MedTenn 2010
TMA Covers Wide Range of Issues at 175th Meeting
Last month, the Tennessee Medical Association convened in Nashville for the organization’s 175th annual meeting. The TMA represents the professional interests of more than 7,800 physicians and 44 component medical societies statewide.
CINDY SANDERS - Posted: Monday, May 17, 2010 11:11 am |
The Bottom Line: Three Point Shot
“The three-point shot will ruin basketball,” was uttered by many basketball coaches and fans when the rule was first installed. In fact, the three-point shot has revolutionized basketball in a positive way. It’s made the game more exciting to watch, leveled the playing field for teams that don’t have a dominate inside man, and increased the revenue at programs that had been seeing a drop in attendance.
BILL MORRIS - Posted: Monday, May 17, 2010 11:11 am |
Legal Matters: Healthcare Reform: The Evolving Issue of Overpayments
As we are all aware, after months of debate and struggle to pass healthcare reform measures, on March 23, 2010, President Obama signed into effect Public Law 111-148, more commonly known as the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 ("PPACA"). Most of the media surrounding PPACA has focused on what effect PPACA has on individuals and businesses. However, there is a section that has not been addressed by the mainstream media which has significant impact on healthcare providers.
Shannon D. Coleman - Posted: Monday, May 17, 2010 11:11 am |
Gearing Up for Guatemala
Planning a Medical Mission
Part two in our series following Lisa J. Broyles, MD, as she shares her experiences while planning and serving on a medical mission trip with a team of ten medical students.
LISA J. BROYLES, MD - Posted: Monday, May 17, 2010 11:11 am |
Moral Medicine: A Modest Proposal
The biggest issue in healthcare reform is escalating costs. Without something changing our growth curve, we will be spending one out of every five dollars in the country on healthcare in 2017, one out of four in 2025, and one out of two by 2050. Clearly, something must be done.
David Stevens, MD, MA (Bioethics) - Posted: Monday, May 17, 2010 11:11 am |
The Literary Examiner
Reviews of Operating Room Confidential: What Really Goes on When You Go Under by Paul Whang, MD and Officer, Nurse, Woman by Kara Dixon Vuic
TERRI SCHLICHENMEYER - Posted: Monday, May 17, 2010 11:11 am |
Enjoying East Tennessee
New monthly column will feature "staycation" resources
Our gorgeous region of the country offers so much to its residents. With year round moderate temperatures and four distinct seasons of beauty, it’s understandable why so many people of all ages enjoy calling East Tennessee home.
LEIGH ANNE W. HOOVER - Posted: Monday, May 17, 2010 11:11 am |
Physician Spotlight : Bergein Overholt, MD
At age 72, Bergein Overholt, MD, of Knoxville has no plans to retire or slow down. After devoting the better part of the last half-century to practicing medicine and medical research, Overholt is just getting started.
SCOTT BROOKS - Posted: Monday, May 17, 2010 11:11 am |
Administrator's Corner: Alberta Roderick
Having invested 32 years of service at Knoxville's Center for Sight, Office Administrator Alberta Roderick is one of the rare persons who made her own way from square one.
JOHN SEWELL - Posted: Monday, May 17, 2010 11:11 am |
Physician Spotlight: Amar Singh, MD
Amar Singh, MD, becomes very animated when he talks about his practice, Academic Urologists with Erlanger Health System in Chattanooga. One reason may be that he never expected to end up in Chattanooga.
STACY FENTRESS - Posted: Monday, May 17, 2010 11:11 am |
Administrator's Corner: Rae Young Bond
A long and successful career with different types of nonprofits has given Rae Young Bond the ability to advocate effectively for an organization, no matter what its purpose.
But when it comes to managing people, and running an office on a tight budget, one thread has run consistently throughout her career.
JOE MORRIS - Posted: Monday, May 17, 2010 11:11 am |
Physician Spotlight: Ginger Williams Carter, MD
When "It's football time in Tennessee," life for Ginger Williams Carter, MD, gets a little bit busier. As the wife of Science Hill High School's newest football coach, Stacy Carter, she finds herself cheering on the team every Friday night. And Saturdays are no exception, as the couple enjoys the college football season as well. "My husband teases that Derek Dooley and he are the only two football coaches in Tennessee that know what a Group B Strep test is," laughed Carter, referring to the University of Tennessee newest coach, also married to a gynecologist.
BRIDGET GARLAND - Posted: Monday, May 17, 2010 11:11 am |
Administrator's Corner: Dan Bragg
Becoming a practice administrator was what Dan Bragg described as a "natural transition" from his background in accounting. As the administrator for East Tennessee Brain & Spine (ETBS) in Johnson City, Bragg often applies his knowledge and skills as a CPA to many of the tasks his position entails. And Bragg enjoys the diverse responsibilities his position demands.
BRIDGET GARLAND - Posted: Monday, May 17, 2010 11:11 am |
Healthcare Real Estate Outlook
Looking for Silver Linings in Cloudy Skies
Turn on the television; open any paper, and it’s clear the American housing market has been in a freefall for more than a year. For the most part, the commercial sectors have followed suit.
Cindy Sanders - Posted: Monday, April 12, 2010 10:34 am |
Fibromyalgia: A Disease Without a Medical Home
"Ideally, It Would Be Neurology," Expert Says
Rae Marie Gleason, executive director of the National Fibromyalgia Association, said the tendency still exists among physicians to view fibromyalgia as “an illness of whining women who really could get better if they just wanted to.” Yet, Gleason’s job gets easier every day, as an abundance of research ties those patients’ complaints to brain activity – or lack thereof.
SHARON H. FITZGERALD - Posted: Monday, April 12, 2010 10:34 am |
History in the Making
Healthcare Reform Becomes Law
The president needed 216. He got 219. By the slimmest of margins … and without a single Republican vote … the House of Representatives passed H.R. 3590, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act on March 21.
Posted: Monday, April 12, 2010 10:34 am |
The Bottom Line: Medical condominiums nice option for Healthcare Real Estate
In July of 2008, East Tennessee Medical News reported the opening of East Tennessee Healthcare Center in Dowell Springs Business Park, conveniently located in West Knoxville on Middlebrook Pike. Since that report, a variety of clinical and wellness facilities and medical offices have opened, and the property, home to mountain views, waterfalls, walking trails and historical landmarks, houses Allergy Specialists of Knoxville, East Tennessee Diagnostic Center, Center for Biomedical Research, East Tennessee Healthcare Partners, East Tennessee Vein Clinic, Endocrinology Consultants of East Tennessee, Knoxville Comprehensive Brest Center, Knoxville Orthopaedic Clinic, Tennessee Cancer Specialists, Tennessee Eye Care, and additional services of nuclear medicine, physical therapy and The Wellness Center arriving in June.
BECKY MINK - Posted: Monday, April 12, 2010 10:34 am |
Alternatives in Pain Management
Mercy Pain Management Centers
Unlike years ago, when advanced treatments were not available, chronic pain no longer has to be endured. "I think that there is more awareness that people do not really have to suffer with pain," said Chris Vinsant, MD. "There are some alternatives and things that can be done."
LEIGH ANNE W. HOOVER - Posted: Monday, April 12, 2010 10:34 am |
Clinically Speaking: Minimally Invasive Surgery in Contemporary Neurosurgical Practice
Neurosurgeons draw on a long heritage of surgery which seeks to alleviate pathology in the nervous system while preserving or enhancing neurological function. The delicate structures in the brain and spine lend themselves to techniques involving gentle handling of tissue, careful manipulation of neural structures, and attention to anatomical detail. As technology has allowed the evolution of neurosurgical procedures over the last forty years, progressive techniques in brain and spinal surgery have resulted in shorter hospital stays, decreased blood loss, fewer operative complications, and faster, more complete recoveries.
James A. Killeffer, MD - Posted: Monday, April 12, 2010 10:34 am |
Clearing the Air
A Look at Hospital Tobacco Policies across Tennessee
The winds of change began in the west and have moved across the state as hospitals look at rules regarding smoking on campus by employees, patients and visitors. The latest policy changes have come out of East Tennessee where several hospitals have adopted a tobacco-free workplace, and one has opted to no longer hire employees who use nicotine at all.
CINDY SANDERS - Posted: Monday, April 12, 2010 10:34 am |
The Literary Examiner
Reviewss of The Decision Tree by Thomas Goetz and Get Me Out: A History of Childbirth by Randi Hutter Epstein, MD
Terri Schlichenmeyer - Posted: Monday, April 12, 2010 10:34 am |
Gearing Up for Guatemala
Planning a Medical Mission
Those of us who have been on a medical mission team hopefully share good memories of long hard days which are extremely exhausting but rewarding. For myself, each time I go to Guatemala I feel a strange sense of being home. My days are full treating long lines of mostly women and children who otherwise have no healthcare. I always dread returning home as it tears my heart out to leave them. Their need and suffering galvanize my passion for medicine; they are the reason I am an MD today.
LISA J. BROYLES, MD - Posted: Monday, April 12, 2010 10:34 am |
Local Gastroenterology Group Partners With Clinics To Offer Colonoscopy Screenings
Colon cancer does not discriminate. Whether a person can afford treatment or not, the risk is present, and colonoscopies are important for detecting the disease before it’s too late. However, preventative care can also be costly, and physicians in the Tri-Cities region are working together to offer these important screenings to patients who cannot pay for them.
BRIDGET GARLAND - Posted: Monday, April 12, 2010 10:34 am |
Physician Spotlight: John D. Simmons, MD
Radiology is a family affair for John D. Simmons, MD. He and his wife, Margo Uri, MD, are radiologists with Abercrombie Radiology in Knoxville. "We met while I was in med school in Cleveland, Ohio, and we both did our fellowship training at the same place in California. We've been married for 32 years," shared Simmons, who also explained how his daughter Leslie broke the news that she would not be following in her parents' footsteps...
BRIDGET GARLAND - Posted: Monday, April 12, 2010 10:34 am |
Administrator's Corner: Kevin Burris
If he isn't in his office identifying and evaluating industry trends for Premier Surgical Associates in Knoxville, you may find Kevin Burris, CEO of Premier, out on Norris Lake if it's summer time. While his weeks are filled with taking care of day-to-day operations, blocking and tackling, and watching internal trends for the group, on the weekends, he takes time out to be with his family. "We like to go to the lake, particularly Norris," shared Burris. "You have to take time for yourself. Otherwise, you will be less productive."
BRIDGET GARLAND - Posted: Monday, April 12, 2010 10:34 am |
Physician Spotlight: Charles A. Crump, Jr., MD
Simple is a word that aptly describes Charles A. Crump, MD’s approach to medicine. His decision to become a doctor was simply based on his urge to help people. He believes simply that healthcare reform needs to be decided by those who work in medicine, and his philosophy of patient care is about simple communication. "There is no need to make things complex for patients," shared Crump. "Make it simple, explain things, and take time with them. Stay in touch with them."
BRIDGET GARLAND - Posted: Monday, April 12, 2010 10:34 am |
Administrator’s Corner: Robert Main
Building a rehabilitation hospital literally from the ground up is no small task, but it's one that Robert Main says has allowed him and his team to create a nationally known center that goes far behind just simple treatments and therapies.
JOE MORRIS - Posted: Monday, April 12, 2010 10:34 am |
Physician to Physician: New Options in Neurosurgery at Mountain States Health Alliance
Surgery is only one of many modalities available to your patients through Mountain States Appalachian Neurosurgery Clinic. Because surgery is not reversible, we try hard to help patients improve without surgery first. Medication, physical therapy and other modalities such as spinal injection therapy are all routinely utilized prior to neurosurgical intervention. Where surgery is required, our surgeons have led the southeast and in many cases, the nation, with the introduction of new less invasive techniques to maximize your patient’s outcome and speed recovery.
SCOTT C. DULEBOHN, MD - Posted: Monday, April 12, 2010 10:34 am |
Mapping Out a Plan of Attack
The Cancer Genome Atlas Provides Repository for Data, Discoveries
The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) is a comprehensive effort to create a data repository for the discoveries and findings of more than 150 of the nation’s top researchers who are working in concert on specific cancer types. These scientists, who are based out of more than two dozen renowned institutions, are systematically mapping genomic changes to create a cancer atlas accessible to all who are searching for better methods to prevent, diagnose and treat cancer.
CINDY SANDERS - Posted: Tuesday, February 23, 2010 5:12 pm |
Advances, Options Offer Hope for Breast Cancer Patients
Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed form of the disease among women in Tennessee and the second leading cause of death, according to the Tennessee Department of Health.
As a surgeon in Knoxville, Randal Graham, MD, knows he is often the first, and sometimes the last, hope for patients seeking treatment for breast cancer.
SCOTT BROOKS - Posted: Tuesday, February 23, 2010 5:12 pm |
Disruptive Behavior is Bad for Patients
Survey Reveals Troubling Conduct in the Healthcare Environment
Being a good member of a team means playing well with others, but a recent survey by the American College of Physician Executives reveals that disruptive behavior by professional members of healthcare teams compromises patient safety, undermines cooperation and makes going to work a miserable experience.
SHARON H. FITZGERALD - Posted: Tuesday, February 23, 2010 5:12 pm |
Readying for Another Round of Audits
Medicaid Integrity Program Audits Coming Soon to Tennessee
Just when you thought you were beginning to get a handle on RAC ... here comes MIP, ZPIC and OIG. More than just another round of the federal government’s favorite game of “Guess the Acronym,” these particular letters could spell big trouble for providers across the nation.
CINDY SANDERS - Posted: Tuesday, February 23, 2010 5:12 pm |
Clinically Speaking: Advanced Laboratory Tests Assist Physicians in Fight Against Colorectal Cancer
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second leading cause of cancer-related death for men and women in the United States. Unfortunately, despite well-defined recommendations, compliance with screening protocols remains suboptimal. However, for those patients diagnosed with CRC, there are several new and novel molecular and cellular diagnostic assays to assist the clinician with patient management decisions, including treatment selection and clinical course monitoring. It is anticipated that, as the demand for personalized medicine grows so will the availability of these innovative laboratory tests.
Nicholas Potter, PhD, FACMG - Posted: Tuesday, February 23, 2010 5:12 pm |
The Bottom Line: Pearls of Wisdom
University of Tennessee athletics has endured all manners of disappointments from a minute group of student athletes in the last year. Coach Bruce Pearl took quick and decisive actions against players involved in an apparent armed robbery attempt. Some of the behaviors were so onerous and criminal that players were terminated from their positions on the team and lost their scholarships. Others, who were less involved, and simply influenced by the action of the main culprits, were suspended for a few games.
BILL MORRIS - Posted: Tuesday, February 23, 2010 5:12 pm |
Moral Medicine: Lethal Compassion
The moral prohibition in medicine against doctors assisting patients in killing themselves continues to crumble. In late December, the Montana Supreme Court ruled that there was nothing in their constitution preventing physician-assisted suicide (PAS). In their troubling opinion they stated physicians, if accused could use the defense that there is no legal difference between a patient refusing treatment in a living will and a doctor prescribing deadly drugs.
DAVID STEVENS, MD, MA (Ethics) - Posted: Tuesday, February 23, 2010 5:12 pm |
My Practice is Worth What? The Need for Valuation
Many physicians work their entire careers in private practice and only think of the value created on two occasions: when buying a practice and when selling a practice. These, of course, are the most pressing times to address value, but they are not the only ones. Just as most physicians recommend a yearly physical, it is recommended that a practice be valued several times during its “life” (at least once every three years). Getting several valuations over the years is a good way for a physician to track his/her progress in building value. Your practice will most likely be one of your largest assets. If handled correctly and developed over the years, it can be a large source of wealth. If you wait until it is time to sell, there is very little that can be done to change and you may be surprised by the value or lack thereof. The following are the three major categories of reasons a practice should be valued.
T. BLAKE KING, CPA, MAcc, CVA - Posted: Tuesday, February 23, 2010 5:12 pm |
Literary Examiner
Reviews of Weekends at Bellevue by Julie Holland, MD and Last Acts by David J. Casarett, MD
Terri Schlichenmeyer - Posted: Tuesday, February 23, 2010 5:12 pm |
Meaningful EHR Use and the Physician Practice
The legislation of electronic health records (EHR) through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) has lead to imminent adoption of EHR. However, confusion abounds with questions, such as how do I qualify? How will I receive these incentives? What happens if I do not adopt EHR technology?
ADELE ALLISON - Posted: Tuesday, February 23, 2010 5:12 pm |
Hospitals, legislators working on plan to fill reimbursement gap
JOHNSON CITY, Tenn.–Hospitals across Tennessee are working with state legislators on a plan to fill the $540 million hospital reimbursement gap in TennCare being proposed in the upcoming budget by Gov. Phil Bredesen to take effect on July 1.
Posted: Tuesday, February 23, 2010 5:12 pm |
Legal Matters: What Is Involved In Analyzing And Reporting The Breach of Unsecured Protected Health Information?
Have you ever received a notice that your bank account or credit card may have been compromised? Similar reporting rules now apply to protected health information (PHI) held by providers, insurance companies, health care clearinghouses and their business associates. These rules require methods to detect, analyze and notify patients, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the news media of breaches of unsecured PHI in both paper and electronic form. This rule is in effect and is enforceable as of February 22, 2010.
RANDY SERMONS - Posted: Tuesday, February 23, 2010 5:12 pm |
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