Print and broadcast media medical reporter based in Sioux Falls, S.D.
Dermatologists weigh in on the Affordable Care Act
September 1st 2012After the U.S. Supreme Court of the United States upheld the constitutionality of the 2010 Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA), including the individual mandate requiring all Americans to purchase health insurance, a number of professional medical organizations reiterated concern about potential effects of the law.
Dermatologists share views on practicing, teaching defensive medicine
August 1st 2012Recently, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine surveyed their third- and fourth-year residents and found that even though it is not on the official curriculum, the residents are learning defensive medicine. Whether it's an attending mentioning that a particular biopsy isn't necessary or deciding not to offer a patient a particular medication because it of a potential lawsuit, the residents are seeing defensive medicine in practice.
Dermatologists discuss how to manage patient concerns over vitamin D deficiency
July 1st 2012It's summertime, and once again, people are looking for reasons to enjoy the sun. Assertions that sunscreens are detrimental to health are surfacing once more. This time, the question is whether sunscreens provide so much protection from sun exposure that they inhibit the body's natural production of vitamin D, leading to deficiencies.
Three years after Accutane's withdrawal, derms discuss current prescribing practices
June 1st 2012Three years after Roche pulled Accutane off the market, On Call wondered whether dermatologists were still using isotretinoin, whether they see problems from these portended side effects, and whether patients and their parents are as concerned about the medication as they used to be.
Reform's ramifications: Will Congress' current emphasis on primary care help, or hurt, specialists?
December 1st 2009In healthcare reform discussions, there is an emphasis on primary care. We wondered what dermatologists think of this, and whether this could diminish specialty practices and/or impact patient care.
Crash course: Seasoned derms offer 'newbies' advice on the business side of medicine
November 1st 2009Are dermatologists coming out of residencies prepared for dealing with the challenges of running a practice? We asked dermatologists around the country if they think young physicians are prepared to make business decisions.
The nation's health: Derms express views on proposed reform
September 1st 2009Despite urging from President Obama, both houses of Congress went home for their August break without passing any version of healthcare reform. All facets of reform appear to be on the table still, while the proposals being considered have a multitude of interpretations.
Nickel allergy: Contact dermatitis, sensitization occur with exposure
February 1st 2009Sensitivity to nickel has been increasing over the past two decades. Contact dermatitis occurs with exposure to nickel, which is found in common items such as zippers, cell phones and shoelaces. Individuals with nickel sensitivity should avoid repeat exposure, as the response increases each time. A movement is under way to request a reduction in the allowable amount of nickel that manufacturers use in products in the United States.
Opinions: Changing times: Doctors face unexpected, severe economic challenges
February 1st 2009The final quarter of 2008 offered some unexpected and severe challenges to the United States - a collapse on Wall Street, rising unemployment, threatened bankruptcy of at least two of the big three automakers, rising healthcare coverage issues and rising levels of violence in the Mideast. At the same time, the United States elected its first black president and a highly Democratic–weighted Congress. 2009 is likely to be a year of change and readjustment.
Lipodissolve remains controversial
January 1st 2008Dissolving away fat seems like a dream come true for a lot of people. It's also the subject of contoversy. Lipodissolve has been banned in Brazil and almost banned in Kansas. Questions arise about the efficacy and safety of the fat-dissolving technique, yet doctors who do the procedure regularly contend the fat-dissolving procedure is an excellent addition to their fat loss armamentarium.
Derms talk about goals for 2008
January 1st 2008The year 2008 is under way. It's a year that promises a lot of discussion of healthcare delivery and costs, and promises of change. On Call wondered what direction dermatologists expect to take in their practices in the coming year. What are their priorities for their practices? What are their New Year's resolutions for their practices? For several of the dermatologists who spoke to On Call, the business end of their practice is slated to get a lot of attention this year as they try to run their offices as efficiently as possible.
Immunocompromised patients call for special attention to wounds
December 1st 2007When a patient suffering from an open wound also presents with a compromised immune system, it can lead to increased complications and additional difficulties in caring for the wound - but it can be done. The keys to successfully healing the wound are "recognition and vigilance."
Store-and-forward technology coming to forefront of teledermatology
April 1st 2007When the concept of telemedicine was introduced several years ago with the intent of broadening patient access to a decreasing number of specialists, dermatology was considered possibly the best specialty to use the new system because it is such a visual field.