Shout Outs

Updated 3/2017--  all links (except to my own posts) removed as many no longer active.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

DrRich, The Covert Rationing Blog, is this week's host of Grand Rounds. You can read it here (photo credit).  It’s the “cost containment in healthcare” edition.

Critics of the Obama health (insurance) reform plan have been formally served notice that they are under observation, ……….. So, as he embarks on this week’s edition of Grand Rounds, DrRich would like to welcome any visitors who are here on behalf of such important surveillance efforts, and hasten to tell you that DrRich is on your side. Indeed, this version of Grand Rounds is dedicated to exploring the many ways in which the proposed health (insurance) reforms will succeed in all its goals, and most especially in achieving cost containment…….

The latest edition of Change of Shift (Vol 4, No 3) is hosted by Man-Nurse Diaries who used a video game theme!   What fun!You can find the schedule and the COS archives at Emergiblog.  (photo credit)

It's August and school is looming around the corner, so kids everywhere are scrambling to waste time and do as much nothing as possible. What better way to dampen your brain activity than with video games? So here it is, your video game themed Change of Shift Vol 4 No 3: The Revenge!

H/T to  @EvidenceMatters for the link to this article:  A new superbug found in Britain is major concern: Government scientists by Rebecca Smith, Medical Editor.  The article talks about an un-intended consequence of medical tourism – the global spread of antibiotic resistant bacteria.

A new superbug that is resistant to all antibiotics has been brought into Britain by patients having surgery abroad, Government scientists said.

Doctors are urged to be vigilent for a new bug that has arriving in Britain with patients who have travelled to India and Pakistan for cosmetic surgery or organ transplants and is now circulating here.

Great show on NPR yesterday on “End Of Live Decisions And The Health Care Bill.”  You can listen to it here.

A portion of one health care bill in congress states that the cost of consultations between patients and doctors over "end-of-life" issues would be covered. The proposal has sparked fears that the bill promotes euthanasia.

Dr Rob has made his local paper, “Doctor 's humor is a hit on iTunes!"  Check out his podcast,  “House Call Doctor.” You can find the list of his podcasts here.  Enjoy!

Did you know that approximately 200 people die each year in the U.S. after being struck by lightning?  H/T to @laikas  for the link to this article: ER Doc explains how to avoid or respond to lightning strike

Prevention begins by seeking cover at the start of a storm. “Lightning seems to be concentrated at the forefront of a storm,” according to Zinzuwadia, “so there tends to be a greater risk of being hit by lightning at the beginning of a storm.”

WhiteCoat raises an interesting question in his post Charity Care Tax Exemptions. 

If exemption from federal income and/or state property taxes for non-profit hospitals is based upon providing “charity care” to their surrounding communities, how will hospitals qualify for income tax and property tax exemptions if health care coverage becomes “universal” and there is no longer a need for “charity care”? ………….

Crazy for Quilts Contest Gallery is up!  The quilt I did is #4.  

All contest quilts will be auctioned via eBay. All proceeds will support AAQ.
All auctions begin and end at 9:00 PM Eastern

On eBay search keyword "Alliance for American Quilts." Never used eBay? No problem! View a great tutorial on the eBay website.

                            

This week Dr Anonymous guest will be  The Hollums Adoption.  Come joint us.  The show starts at 9 pm EST.

Upcoming Dr. A Shows 

8/20: Dr. Rob & House Call Doctor podcast
8/27: Dr. A Show 2nd Anniversary & BlogWorldExpo
9/3 : Dr. A Show (9:30pmET)

SurgeXperiences 303 is Up!

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

Dr Bruce Campbell, Reflections in a Head Mirror, is the host of this edition of SurgeXperiences. You can read the “dog days of summer” edition here.

Welcome to the August 9, 2009 edition of surgeXperiences! I'm happy to be hosting again. Here in the Northern Hemisphere, these are the "Dog Days of Summer," so in honor of dogs everywhere, lets chew into the best of the surgical blogosphere. Along the way, we will sniff around a few categories and search for the "Best of Show."

Thanks Dr Campbell for the “vote” for Rusty!

The winner of the "BEST IN SHOW" Trophy: Rusty, who lives at Suture for a Living, is one of the medical blogosphere's beloved mascots (along with a certain lobster and some llamas). Rusty is a contestant in the Top Dog in Arkansas Contest! You can vote for him (registration required) at the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette's website from now until August 26. Go, Rusty!

The host of the next edition (304), August 23rd, will be Sterile Eye. The deadline for submissions is midnight on Friday, August 21st. Be sure to submit your post via this form.

SurgeXperiences is a blog carnival about surgical blogs. It is open to all (surgeon, nurse, anesthesia, patient, etc) who have a surgical blog or article to submit.

Here is the catalog of past SurgeXperiences editions for your reading pleasure. If you wish to host a future edition, please contact Jeffrey who runs the show here.

It Happens

Many of the surgeries I do are elective. They can and should be scheduled to be convenient. It happens – God laughs at our plans or life interrupts or …..

Last week was such a time for one patient. She called, very apologetic, “Dr Bates, I need to reschedule my surgery. My father is having tests done. He hasn’t been feeling well.”

I quickly assure her that no apology is necessary. Her family comes first. I suggest we simply cancel the surgery for now until the “dust settles.” She can call me back when she is sure things are okay with her family. We’ll reschedule then.

She is still worried. “The surgery center called me today. Do I need to call them? Will I need to pay them or anesthesia or you for the canceled time?”

Again I reassure her, “No, I’ll call them and take care of cancelling the surgery. No, we don’t charge you for surgery we don’t do. It happens. It’s okay to cancel surgery for whatever reason – another family member gets sick, an accident happens, you just get scared.”

It happens on both sides. Sometimes (as for me earlier this year when my mother had surgery) it’s the doctor who has to cancel or reschedule. Sometimes it’s the patient. I once had a patient not show up for surgery, only to find out later she had been in a motor vehicle accident the evening before her scheduled surgery. She turned out to be okay, but it really cemented how I fell about patients who call to cancel or reschedule. It’s okay. No need to apologize. Thank you for letting me know. (video removed 3/2017)

2009 River City Restaurant Week

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

The restaurants in my community are raising money for Arkansas Hospice.   They call it Restaurant Week, but it is actually two weeks, August 9-22. (photo credit)

Over 40 restaurants are participating this year.  The event is modeled after the the highly-successful Dallas Restaurant Week.  This is the second year for River Cities Restaurant Week.   The restaurants will offer special lunch and dinner menus for just $35 per person or less (beverages, tax and gratuity not included).   A donation of $5 from each meal will be donated to Arkansas Hospice.

The participating restaurants are many of the best in the area. A complete list can be found here.

Flea Market Apple Core Quilt

Last week I shared with you Bud’s quilt top.  This is the quilt I “loaned” him when he had his heart surgery.  I found the quilt top at a flea market in 1994.  I loved the fabrics!  I think it must be from the 1950’s era.  The pattern is called “apple core.”  The quilt measures 72 in X 93 in.  It was hand pieced.  I paid a fellow quilter to do the hand quilting, then did the binding myself.

Here is Dorothy from the “Wizard of Oz”

Here is the Scarecrow. 

This photo just shows some of the interesting fabrics used.
As does this photo.
Here is the label with the details of the quilt’s history.

Medical News of Arkansas Article

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

Steve Brawner interviewed me over a month ago for an article on medical bloggers in Arkansas. I received my copy of the Medical News of Arkansas with the article (pdf) this past week. The article is titled “Docs Online: Medical Bloggers Enjoy Pluses, Avoid Perils.”

He focuses on four bloggers from Arkansas. I knew of two of the others (R. W. Donnell, MD and Victoria Powell, RN). The other one is a female pathologist who lives here in Little Rock too. I am the forth blogger.

Here are the other three:

R. W. Donnell, MD is a hospitalist in NW Arkansas. His blog is called “Notes from Dr RW.” He has been blogging since July 2005. His blog “helps keep his reading current on clinical medical topics and public policy issues.”

Victoria Powell, RN is a nurse consultant in Benton, Arkansas. Her blog is “VP-Medical.” She began her blog in October 2007. As she puts it, “It allows me a commercial opportunity without shouting from the rooftop, ‘Hey, look what I can do’.”

Elizabeth Schneider, MD is a Baptist Health pathologist, Little Rock, Arkansas. Her blog is “Methodical Madness.” She began her blog on election day 2008. Her blog is mostly personal, “a way for her to release some creative energies after a day of looking through the microscope.”

I know of another physician blogger from Arkansas, but she wasn’t interviewed. Jen is a 2nd year radiology resident at UAMS. She began blogging in June 2006. Her blog used to be called “And Then Sum” but recently changed to “This I Write.” Her blog is mostly personal with a little medical.

I'm a mom to three rambunctious boys, a wife to a wonderful man, and a radiology resident. So, I basically write about my twisted world of medicine and motherhood.

And did you know that Paul Levy, Running a Hospital, has an Arkansas connection? That’s right, he used to live and work in Arkansas (Director, Arkansas Department of Energy).

Anyone know of any others? Physician, nurse, EMT, etc bloggers in Arkansas? I would love to know.

Scar-free surgery?

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. 

H/T to MedGadget for bring this research to my attention.  Wow!  I know it is not ready for primetime, but still – wow!  Currently, this isn’t the case (no scar-free tummy tucks or facelifts), but the possibility may exist in the future.

Michael Berger over at Nanowerk profiles the work of Japanese scientists who created adhesive ultrathin "nanosheets" which are able to bind tissue together.  Their goal was to create a material that can help avoid suturing or stapling of fragile tissue during surgery.   (photo credit)

Shinji Takeoka tells Nanowerk. "We found that our ultra-thin PLLA nanosheet has an excellent sealing efficacy for gastric incision as a novel wound dressing that does not require adhesive agents. Furthermore, the sealing operation repaired the incision completely without scars and tissue adhesion. This approach would constitute an ideal candidate for an alternative to conventional suture/ligation procedures, from the perspective not only of a minimally invasive surgical technique but also reduction of operation times."

Takeoka and colleagues have published their findings in a recent paper in Advanced Materials ("Free-Standing Biodegradable Poly(lactic acid) Nanosheet for Sealing Operations in Surgery").

Shout Outs

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. 

Kim at Emergiblog is this week's host of Grand Rounds. You can read it here (photo credit).  A Cracking Grand Rounds!

Welcome to the latest edition of Grand Rounds, the weekly compilation of the best of the medical blogosphere!

Our theme this week comes to us courtesy of that loveable, wacky duo, Wallace and Gromit!

Dr Nancy Brown writes about  The Newest Eating Disorder: Orthorexia Nervosa.

Orthorexia is a term coined by Dr. Steven Bratman. “Ortho” simply means straight or correct, while “orexia” refers to appetite. Orthorexia nervosa refers to a nervous obsession with eating proper foods. While anorexia nervosa is an obsession with the quantity, orthorexia is an obsession with the quality of the food consumed.

While on food, how about checking out this NY Times article “101 Simple Salads for the Season” By Mark Bittman.  (photo credit)

SUMMER may not be the best time to cook, but it’s certainly among the best times to eat. Toss watermelon and peaches with some ingredients you have lying around already, and you can produce a salad that’s delicious, unusual, fast and perfectly seasonal. 

More on eating -- Dr. Val Offers ABC News Secrets To Long-Term Weight Loss.  Good for you Dr Val!!!  It takes diet and exercise.

Check out Dr Wes’ “careful exam” – a Pepsi is not always a Pepsi.

Dr Graham Walker talks about “never events” in his post “Fixing Medical Err-ERs”

The NYT has an Op-Ed by a former head of the National Transportation Safety Board talking about reforming the health care system and reducing medical errors. He cites the To Err Is Human Institute of Medicine report suggesting 98,000 annual deaths and billions of dollars due to medical errors, and notes:

H/T to Clinical Cases and Images – Blog for TED Talks: Daniel Kraft invents a better way to harvest bone marrow

Remember the crazy quilt I made back in  May for entry into the “Crazy for Quilts” contest?  Well, the quilts are making their rounds for exhibit.  If you get a chance, I hope you will go to one of them.  From an email I received:

Our next exhibit venue will be the Virginia Quilt Museum from August 17-September 11, 2009. Since we had such an incredible response to this year’s contest (86 quilts total) the VQM will not be able to hang all of the quilts.

On September 24, all of the quilts will be exhibited in a one-day presentation in Asheville, NC, at the AAQ’s home base- 125 S. Lexington Avenue. The exhibit will be co-presented by the AAQ and HandMade in America, a regional nonprofit that leases us office space.

Dr Rob is now doing podcast as the “House Call Doctor”  giving “quick and dirty tips” to help you take charge of your health.   You can find the list of his podcasts here.  Enjoy!

                      

This week Dr Anonymous returns from taking July off.  Come joint us.  The show starts at 9 pm EST.

Upcoming Dr. A Shows 

8/13: The Hollums Adoption
8/20: Dr. Rob & House Call Doctor podcast
8/27: Dr. A Show 2nd Anniversary & BlogWorldExpo
9/3 : Dr. A Show (9:30pmET)

Tanning Beds = High Cancer Risk

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

Finally!  [H/T to Cleveland.com]

After surgery I am often asked, “When can I get back in the tanning bed?”  I say something like, “I would rather you not use a tanning bed.  You need to protect you new scar from the sun, that includes tanning beds, for at least 6 months.”

“But, if I cover up the scar, when can I get back in the tanning bed?” is the usual response.

I then counter with, “IF you feel you must, then yes cover the scars.  Please, limit or reduce the time you spend in the tanning bed.  I would rather you not use a tanning bed.”

Most see “no harm” in using a tanning bed.  After all, it’s not like laying out in the sun for hours.  Too many see tanning beds as a “safe” way to get a tan.  It isn’t.

Experts at the International Agency for Research on Cancer in Lyon, the cancer arm of the World Health Organization, have published their analysis of 20 studies online in the medical journal Lancet Oncology.  The analysis concludes the risk of skin cancer jumps by 75 percent when people start using tanning beds before age 30.

These same experts have moved tanning beds and ultraviolet radiation into the top cancer risk category, deeming both to be as deadly as arsenic and mustard gas.  The new classification also puts them in the list of definite causes of cancer, alongside tobacco, the hepatitis B virus and chimney sweeping, among others.

I would not mind tanning bed extinction.  Regular use increased the risk of melanoma.  It is much better to have a “peaches and cream” complexion or to use self-tanning creams.  Skin cancer is no fun.

Related posts:

Sun Protection (March 19, 2009)

Melanoma Review (February 25, 2008)

Skin Cancer—Melanoma (December 8, 2008)

Melanoma Skin Screening Is Important (April 29, 2009)

Skin Cancer -- Basal Cell Carcinoma  (December 3, 2008)

Skin Cancer – Squamous Cell Carcinoma  (December 4, 2008)

Moles Should Not Be Treated by Lasers  (July 27, 2009)

Emeriblog is 4!!!!

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. 

On August 3rd, 2005  Kim's blog Emergiblog entered the blog world.  Today she starts her 5th year in the medical blogging community.    Along the way she started Change of Shift (the nursing blog carnival). 

One of my first “contacts” with Kim was as a new blogger in 2007.  She had just turned 50 (a few weeks ahead of me) and had this great T-shirt on her blog (photo credit).  I wanted to know where to get one for myself.  I emailed her and she answered me.  I was so impressed that someone so “big” in the blog world would bother with me.

That’s Kim, a classic.  I am honored to “know” her.  I can’t wait to meet her at Blog World Expo in October.
Happy Blog Birthday, Kim!

SurgeXperiences 303 – Call for Submissions

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

SurgeXperiences 303 (August 9th)  will be hosted by Dr Bruce Campbell, Reflections in a Head Mirror.  The deadline for submissions is midnight on Friday, August 7th.  Be sure to submit your post via this form. 

SurgeXperiences is a blog carnival about surgical blogs. It is open to all (surgeon, nurse, anesthesia, patient, etc) who have a surgical blog or article to submit.   If you would like to be the host  in the future, please contact Jeffrey who runs the show here.

Here is the catalog of past SurgeXperiences editions for your reading pleasure.

Give Blood -- It's the Gift of Life

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

The American Red Cross called the other night to ask me to come in and give blood.  They reserves are low. 

I have been remiss in giving this past year, but gave this past Wednesday.  I tend to have a problem with iron deficiency anemia if I give as often as they would like.   Over the years I have learned that I am better off if I only give a couple of times a year rather than every 56 days.

Full eligibility guidelines for donors are available here.  In general, a donor

* must be healthy (fell well and can perform normal activities)

* be at least 17 years old or 16 years old if allowed by state law

* weigh at least 110 pounds

* not have donated whole blood in the last 8 weeks (56 days)

Information on the ARC’s website states

Every minute of every day, someone needs blood. That blood can only come from a volunteer donor, a person like you who makes the choice to donate. There is no substitute for your donation.

When you make a blood donation, you join a very select group. Currently only 3 out of every 100 people in America donate blood.

Join me in giving blood.  You’ll be giving life to someone.

Related posts:
Iron Deficient Anemia (June 15, 2007)
The Gift of Life (November 18, 2007)