Grand Rounds Vol. 5 No. 52

Updated 3/2017-- photos and all links (except to my own posts) removed as many no longer active. and it was easier than checking each one. 

Welcome to the latest edition of Grand Rounds, the weekly compilation of the best of the medical blogosphere! Let’s take a trip around the blogosphere with a nod to “Around the World in Eighty Days”

The story starts in London on October 2, 1872. Phileas Fogg is a wealthy English gentleman who lives unmarried in solitude at Number 7 Savile Row, Burlington Gardens. …..Later, on that day, in the Reform Club, Fogg gets involved in an argument over an article in The Daily Telegraph, stating that with the opening of a new railway section in India, it is now possible to travel around the world in 80 days.

Since I live on the North American Continent, we’ll begin our journey here. Consider taking a walking tour of the monuments if you are ever in Washington DC. (photo credit)

This past week has brought the reform of health care to the forefront (had it left) again with President Baraka Obama’s address. These first post all deal with reform issues.

Doc Gurley brings us a humorous take on the state of healthcare reform now : Obama's Speech: what's an internist to do? This post proves once again that, two years later, she's STILL reporting from an insane healthcare system.

Dr. Toni Brayer, Everything Health, rants on Pfizer and their recent fine for illegal marketing. She (and I) is really sick of seeing just how much money there really is in "healthcare" that never goes to any type of patient care.

Kim, Emergiblog, discusses how the proposed funding for the new health care system is based on finding waste, abuse, “And Then There’s Fraud.”

Ryan, ACP Hospitalist, tells us “patients finding shopping around for medical costs easier online” as they take up comparison shopping.

Henry, InsureBlog, brings us a guest-post discussing the Ethics of “ObamaCare”

Marya, EviMedGroup, discusses "Healthcare reform: so much more than costs”

Sam, Canadian Medicine, discusses the perplexingly paradoxical evidence about the relationship between economic growth and population health: "Good or bad? Assessing recessions' health effects"

Louise, Colorado Health Insurance Insider, takes on Outcome Based Incentives for Doctors. Will it encourage doctors to avoid the sickest patients or will it compensate them for spending more time with them to provide quality care?

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Moving on to the European Continent, join me in a walking tour of Scotland. (photo credit).

Mark, Medic999, tells us the story of a wonderful family he had the pleasure to meet. The experience touched him deeply (as you will be), as did the single gesture from the patient at the end of the job.

Ever wonder if you deserve the praise given when you are introduced. So has Alison, Shoot Up or Put Up, who has Type 1 diabetes. After being introduced recently as a “diabetes expert,” she wondered “Diabetes expert. Who? Me?”

Laika, Laika's MedLibLog, cautions us in The Trouble with Wikipedia as a Source for Medical Information. You should listen to this medical librarian.

Dr Zhang, The Cockroach Catcher, writes about NHS & McKinsey: The Professor & 10%

Dr Shock has written a thoughtful post, Empathy during Medical Education, discussing the decline in empathy which occurs during the third year of medical school. Third year is when medical students have more patient-care activities.

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Off now to Asia to walk the Great Wall, one of the greatest wonders of the world. It was listed as a World Heritage by UNESCO in 1987, stretching approximately 8,851.8 kilometers (5,500 miles) from east to west of China. (photo credit)

There weren’t any submissions from bloggers in Asia, but our Dr Lisa, a neonatologist, tells us about her trip to Mongolia starting with Mongolia: Day 1.

Sumer’s Radiology Site shares some great pictures of Caroticocavernous Fistula-MRI

Vijay, Scan Man’s Notes, has delved into India’s medical politics of late: Support the NCHRH Bill

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Off now to walk around the Australian Continent. So many places to see (photo credit), but I can tell you I’m not sure I’d want to walk upon this.

Life in the Fast Lane gives us “Toxicology Conundrum 016” which discusses an intentional overdose of warfarin.

Bite the Dust tells us about the Refeeding syndrome and vitamin supplementation RGH E-Bulletin.

Outback Ambo tells us of some of the hazards of driving in the outback of Australia in A country relief - Chapter 1, Episode 5: On dodging water buffaloes and kangaroos.

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A walking safari on the African Continent would be a wonderful thing to experience. (photo credit)

The great story teller Bongi, other things amanzi, writes a cautionary tale for us in 200%

No Cure for Stupidity speaks of frustration and a little rant discussing the the two tiers of healthcare in his country.

Karen, Just Up the Dose, tells a tale of “a staff nurse came running out of the gastro ward with the floppy body of Yoliswa, a two-year old kwash we'd had with us for a few days, in his arms” in her post Kwashiorkor.

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Can you imagine taking a walking tour on the South American Continent? What would you chose? The Andes? The Rainforest? Again, a continent with so much to experience. (photo credit)

Flavio, Pharmamotion, writes a post that educates us on the classification of serotonin receptors and the drug classes that act on serotonergic transmission: Serotonin (5-HT) pharmacology: receptors, agonists and antagonists

Jon Mikel Iñarritu-Castro, Unbounded Medicine discusses Carcinophobia is often an indication for prophylactic mastectomy.

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Time for me to head back home to the North American Continent. How about taking a hiking tour of the Anasazi Ruins in New Mexico? (photo credit)

T, Notes of an Anesthesioboist, reflects on a difficult (and controversial) situation in, The Problem With Asking, "What Are You?"

Barbara, FlorenceDotCom, sends us this tongue in cheek advice regarding a serious topic: "Don't throw the skater under the Zamboni when you're already on thin ice."

Paul, Medicine for the Outdoors, discusses how the Sawyer point-one water filtration device described might potentially be one of the biggest practical technology breakthroughs to benefit public health that has come along in quite some time.

Barbara, In Sickness and In Health, asks Has Your Partner made You Laugh? Laughing together makes everything better -- if only for a few moments.

Ves, Clinical Cases, tells us how 4 Healthy Habits Sharply Reduce Risk of Serious Disease.

Allergy Notes wants to Dispel Internet Myths about Allergy.

Dr Kim, Medicine and Technology, asks “Do You Bargain with Your Doctor?”
How to Cope with Pain gives us a review of two exciting new treatments for pain that re-train the brain to drop the pain signal without using surgery or medicines in her post New Brain-based Treatments for Pain.

Dr. Jolie Bookspan, The Fitness Fixer, reminds us that it’s still hot in many places and a chance to learn the several overlooked medical benefits of exercise and heat and improving heat tolerance. Take her advise when you Exercise in the Heat.

Lauren, Novel Patient, who is a patient with multiple chronic illnesses gives advice on staying organized: 10 Ways To Stay Organized With A Chronic Illness

Reality Rounds wants you to make the most of any horrible situation your work in medicine may bring you: “Embrace the Suck.”

Robin, survive the journey, discusses growth hormone and it’s bad rap due to misuse (abuse by healthy, adult athletes and body-builders): Growth Hormone for Survival: It's not always controversial

Nancy, Teen Health 411, writes to remind us that as parents and adults our alcohol use influences how our teens face substance abuse: Fathers' Alcohol Use and Substance Use in Teens

Chris Langston, John A. Hartford Foundation’s blog sends us a post entitled: Team or Mob? in which he discusses the team approach in medicine. Are well working together or against each other?

Stacy, ACP Internist, gives us a swig of “medical news of the obvious”

With help for our jet lag, here’s Daryl, Listed as Probable, discussing it’s affects on teams who fly from one coast to the other with little time to adjust: East Coast vs. West Coast

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Thanks to Dr. Val Jones at Better Health and Colin Son for keeping the carnival up and running and to Nick Genes for starting it all way back when!

This edition ends the 5th year of Grand Rounds. Residency Notes gets the honor of starting off the 6th year of Grand Rounds with Vol 6 No1 next week.

Consider making a trip to Las Vegas next month to join us at the at BlogWorld/New Media Expo 09. Information on registration can be found here and rooms are available at the Venetian at a discount!

Medscape Interviews

Surgeon Sews for Fun, Sutures for a Living by Nick Genes, MD, PhD (May 7, 2008)

Suture for a Living by Colin T. Son, MD ( September 15, 2009)