The PMD Critical List: The Doctor Who Took on the NFL

A largely unknown doctor whose research into football-related brain damage made international headlines is now getting a moment in the spotlight. That story tops this week’s PMD Critical List. Also on the list: Applause for first responders in Paris, and a call for lawyers to work more closely with physicians.

• The Doctor the NFL Tried to Silence (The Wall Street Journal)

Dr. Bennet Omalu, the Pennsylvania neuropathologist whom the NFL sought to discredit after he uncovered evidence linking football and brain damage, is out with a new book (and a movie), Concussion. Does it “mark a turning point in the evolution of thinking about the effects of head injuries in pro football”?

• Physicians and Lawyers Can Work Together (Crain’s New York)

Interesting essay from two physician-health system executives who say “doctors and lawyers are not known as allies, but improving health care for the poor requires change.” With lawyers “part of the care team, doctors are not burdened with issues outside their expertise and can focus on patients' health.”

• Incredible Work by Doctors to Help Paris Terror Victims (Stars & Stripes)

A gripping report about the medical care provided by doctors in the aftermath of last month’s ISIS terrorist attacks in France. “Physicians in Paris rarely treat gunshot wounds. ‘Not one a day. Not one a week,’” said one doctor.

• Are Doctors Prescribing Generic Drugs Often Enough? (The Washington Post)

Even as generic drugs account for 88% of all US prescriptions, the American College of Physicians says doctors should more diligently prescribe generics whenever possible, to help contain rising drug costs and improve patient adherence to their therapies.

• “Pot Doctors” Push Boundaries (ABC News)

A report about “marijuana-friendly doctors” and how some states are reacting to the growing usage of medical marijuana. “Writing a law to restrict how doctors recommend marijuana is tricky.”

• End of 10% Medicare Bonus Will Impact Physicians (Becker’s Hospital Report)

“It's not so much about the salary as it's about the practice expense,” says the president of the American Academy of Family Physicians. "Family medicine runs on very small margins, and sometimes on negative margins if they're paying for EHRs. Every few thousand makes a difference.”

• How Physician Shortages Are Transforming Healthcare’s Future (RevCycleIntelligence.com)

A doctor disappearing act? With up to 100,000 fewer physicians in the coming years, according to estimates from the Association of American Medical Colleges, “keeping not only physicians, but perhaps even more importantly, those who teach physicians, from leaving needs to be on the radar if the healthcare industry is to be saved.”

• How and How Not to Choose a Doctor (Forbes)

What are the challenges that patients face with choosing a physician? Here are some keen insights from a guy with and MD and MBA. “It could literally mean the difference between life and death. So why not give the choice the care that it deserves?”

• 5 Best Medical Devise Inventions of 2015 (MedCityNews)

Time magazine is out with its Best Inventions of 2015—“innovators venturing to take technology to the next level”—and several with healthcare application made the cut. They are: 6SensorLabs’ Nima, Doppler Labs’ Here Active Listening Earbuds, Eko Core — Smart Stethoscope, The Sproutling baby monitor, and Juno desktop DNA lab.

• 9 Tips from Warren Buffett to Make Kids Better at Business and Life (Inc.)

It’s the wise doctor who knows his/her own child. Businessman extraordinaire and investing genius Warren Buffett wants kids to learn about business at a young age. And he’s is out with a new book on the matter—here’s a review.