Treating pain: Can doctors put their fears to rest?
The medical use of controlled substances has gained new legitimacy. But physicians' dread of regulatory scrutiny lingers.
My patient's car is his castle
By taking time to understand and communicate with a unique patient, the author helped him solve his medical problems.
Let's stop giving alternative medicine a free ride
A leading medical editor takes on alternative medicine, laws against physician-assisted suicide, plaintiffs' attorneys, and for-profit health care.
Investment Derby: A high-tech gamble pays off
Several of our model portfolios have underperformed. But two are ahead of the market, and one of those is way ahead.
Malpractice Consult
Getting caught in the middle of a child-custody battle; separate liability policies for nurses.
I learned my bedside manner the hard way
The author (at right) saw medical care from a new point of view after she became acutely ill during a vacation trip.
Okay, Doc, let's talk price
The author, an uninsured writer, needed surgery. Here's what happened when he asked for discounted care.
Was this cowboy's story a lot of bull?
The rodeo was in town, and with it came a patient who might--or might not--have been clobbered by a rampaging animal.
Your patient thought you said what?
You did everything you could think of to make yourself clear. So how come your patient's still baffled?
Washington Beat
THE UNINSURED, MEDICARE, LEGISLATION, ACCOUNTABILITY
Practice Beat
Utilization Review; Medical Records; Abortion; Quoteworthy; Aids-HIV; Teen Health; Capitation
My patient paid me with a treasure
Unable to afford cash, a proud mountain man instead offered one of his most precious belongings.
Face-to-face--once more--with a childhood bully
He thought that part of his life was behind him. But on a hot, muggy night in the emergency room, the past came alive. One doctor's story.
"Take two worts, and call me in the morning"
How much are groups paying their doctors?
With more practices tying compensation to productivity for all doctors, primary care can kiss its subsidy goodbye.
Financial Beat
Taxes; Bonds; Travel; Stocks; Credit Cards; Internet
Your own five-year plan: What do you want to accomplish?
What would you like to accomplish-in your practice and on the home front-in the next five years? Judging from our survey, you're raring to get things done, make a difference, and smell some roses, too.
Memo from the Editor's Guest: Is there a doctor in the house? Yes--two
Is there a doctor in the house? Yes--two.
Treating genuine characters helps build your own
Patients who aren't afraid to be themselves can teach doctors a thing or two.
What's in a name? For DOs, plenty
A new public awareness campaign aims to make osteopathic physicians as recognizable as MDs. Few think its going to be easy.
Memo From the Editor's Guest: The e-train is coming at you
The e-train is coming at you
I tell patients, "Pay the piper"
Many of us pay a price for living a longer life. Is it worth it? This doctor thinks so, and tells his patients why.
The people who shaped our world
From Johannes Gutenberg to the original "real McCoy," a smattering of the men and women of this millennium. A few dozen physicians made the list.
How alternative providers get their credentials
Yes, there are standards against which CAM professionals are judged. Here's a primer to help you with referrals or new hires.
Devastated by a decimal point; Insurance: the word very rarely heard in a courtroom
Are bargain-basement medications harming your patients?
Potent drugs purchased abroad may be responsible for puzzling symptoms. But you won't know without asking the right questions.
Would you have thought of anthrax?
The patient's occupation was the key that unlocked the mystery of his deadly illness.
