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Climbing the Hill: Derms face off with nation's leaders on healthcare reform
September 1st 2009At press time, lawmakers were still inching toward meeting a Sept. 15 deadline set by the Senate Finance Committee to reach a bipartisan compromise on healthcare reform. Dermatologists from across the country were expecting to be on Capitol Hill that day to let lawmakers know face-to-face their concerns about this sweeping legislative initiative.
Formulations 101: Exploring the science behind cosmetic products
September 1st 2009Dapsone has been an important antibiotic in dermatology, especially historically, in the treatment of leprosy. It has been used for both antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory purposes orally, but no topical preparation was ever available. This is because dapsone is neither water- nor oil-soluble, presenting a formulation challenge.
Getting the red out: A focused, strategic approach will keep you 'in the black'
September 1st 2009Neither being on the brink of major health reform nor living through the tumultuous economy will give you any relief from the challenges to your dermatology practice's bottom line. As employers continue to push more financial responsibility to employees, the ranks of the uninsured surge daily,
Preventive medicine: Avoid common physician estate-planning mistakes
September 1st 2009Like many successful people, physicians are often so busy dealing with their practices and personal lives that they never take the time to deal with the important challenge of creating a tax-wise estate plan for their families. In fact, in our practices, we have found that fewer than 5 percent of doctors had a proper estate plan in place when we met.
'Online filing cabinet': Google service centralizes medical records, does not violate HIPAA
September 1st 2009Dr. Skin has a large, skin cancer-based practice in a large metropolitan area. Many of his patients are highly successful businessmen who travel extensively to many parts of the world for long periods of time.
'Dermabilia': Discarded items are doctor's treasure
September 1st 2009When Carol Isaacs, M.D., was a dermatology resident, she started collecting what she calls "dermabilia" - "nothing particularly valuable, but nevertheless, interesting to me," says the board-certified dermatologist who is in private practice and on staff at St. Helena Hospital.
Prepping for a pandemic: Be ready for widespread flu - or any other emergency
September 1st 2009While the H1N1 or swine flu virus pandemic hasn't proven particularly deadly to date, sources say it should remind dermatologists to remain vigilant and prepared for myriad threats, from infectious agents to natural disasters, bioterrorism and power outages
Going generic: Formularies limit brand-name choices
September 1st 2009A patient with a complicated chronic skin disease consulted me some time ago. He had been under the care of another practitioner and was very satisfied with the quality of the care he had been receiving, but he could no longer afford the treatments being prescribed.
Music to medicine: Classically trained violist, jazz pianist thrives as dermatologist
September 1st 2009Hungarian-born dermatologist Judith Hellman, M.D., has a life rich in experiences. She served in the Israeli Air Force; she's a classically trained violinist and jazz pianist; and, ultimately, she trained in medicine to follow the footsteps of her father, the late Lawrence Hellman, M.D. - formerly on the dermatologic faculty of Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York - and her mother, Vera Rados, M.D., an allergist/immunologist, who continues
Golimumab eases PsA: Benefits of once-monthly anti-TNF treatment sustained for at least two years
September 1st 2009Results have been analyzed from 276 patients followed for two years in the phase 3 trial of golimumab for the treatment of psoriatic arthritis. The data shows sustained benefits with no new safety signals emerging.
Destroying benign lesions: Are you getting your money's worth?
September 1st 2009Next to biopsies and the destruction of premalignant lesions, the third most common bread-and-butter service for dermatologists is the destruction of benign lesions (CPT codes 17110 and 17111). In this article, we will discuss the proper use of these codes, rules that govern their use and bundling issues
On the horizon: Deciding when to collect your Social Security benefits is a highly personal matter
September 1st 2009Whether your retirement is off in the distance or just over the horizon, eventually you will have to decide when to start drawing your Social Security benefits. That decision will have a significant effect on your financial future. The more you know about your options, the better your chance for making the decision that is right for you.
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.
Pet vectors: MRSA infections transmitted between humans, animals
September 1st 2009People and their pets are often said to take on the morphology and mannerisms of each other over time. Regardless of whether that is true, it's clear that they do come to share diseases, and, increasingly, that means methicillin-resistant Staphyloccus aureus (MRSA).
NeoGenomics, Abbot partner to develop melanoma test
August 31st 2009Ft. Myers, Fla. - NeoGenomics, a provider of cancer genetics testing services, announced that it has entered into a Strategic Supply Agreement with Abbott. The agreement provides for Abbott to supply materials for NeoGenomics to develop its own FISH (fluorescence in situ hybridization)-based test for the diagnosis of melanoma.