The PMD Critical List: Doctors and Torture

This week's list of must-read news stories for physicians includes the retirement of a physician-senator, hot healthcare stock tips, and a hard look at how physicians may have impacted the behavior documented in the Senate's so-called "Torture Report."

• Senate's Dr. No Says a Poignant Farewell (USA Today)

The nation’s taxpayers are really going to miss this valuable troublemaker. Senator Tom Coburn, an Oklahoma physician and relentless government spending watchdog, is leaving Congress at the end of this term.

• Top Healthcare Stocks for 2014 (Motley Fool)

It was a very good year for healthcare investors this financial pro says. Among winners two things prevailed: innovative new technology is rewarded and constant consolidation.

• How America's Doctors Helped the CIA Get Better at Torture (Forbes)

There’s been a lot of debate about this new Senate report. Too partisan? Too naive? Too confusing? Here a prominent surgeon claims that in more than a few instances, doctors guided the CIA in harsh interrogation tactics.

• How One Hospital Turns Doctors into Leaders (Harvard Business Review)

Brigham and Women’s Hospital found that superior doctor leadership training programs comprise 4 components: instruction on essential leadership tools; opportunity for and support of physician leaders; performance accountability; and reinforcement through social networking.

• Survey of PCPs on Prescription Drug Abuse (Science Daily)

A recent survey of primary care physicians finds a near unanimous concern about prescription drug usage: More than 8 in 10 doctors say that Rx drug abuse is a problem in their community and that opioids are overused in patient care.

• The Case for Music During Surgery (Smithsonian.com)

A holiday-time BMJ editorial claims that operating room music can benefit both doctor and patient. The authors cite numerous instances where music can act as a “wonder drug” on all involved. And tastes can vary.

• A Physician’s Touch (TheTandD.com)

Here’s a compelling essay from a patient about a physician who is retiring after many years of practice. Connection comes in many ways. It’s a feel-good piece about doctors and especially poignant at holiday time.

• Doctors Without Documents (The Atlantic)

For the first time American medical schools are granting admission to undocumented immigrant students. And while these students generally can’t get federal loans or receive a medical license upon graduation, more and more med schools are opening their doors.

• What Factors Influence Physician EHR Adoption? (AAFP.org)

About 80% of US doctors use or plan to use an electronic health record system. Leading the way on EHR utilization are primary care physicians, larger practices, and multispecialty practices. And financial incentive is the best way to get other MDs to join in.

• 50% of Listed Medicaid Doctors Are Unavailable (The New York Times)

Just another failure of Obamacare or very poor record-keeping? How bad is this? … “More than one-third of providers could not be found at the location listed by a Medicaid managed-care plan.”

• Why Scientists Hate Their Journals (Pacific Standard)

Interesting commentary on the state of scientific journals today. Are publishers more concerned with image and publishing profitability or to the science and its education value and benefit to humanity?

• Doximity Has Signed Up More Than Half of America’s Physicians (VentureBeat.com)

A report on the new social network for physicians (or “LinkedIn for Doctors”) which now includes more than 400,000 US physicians as members. The CEO’s goal: when “physicians have better communications software than teenagers.”