The mobile version of the blog is now available to view from your mobile web device!
The Daily Docblock: Self-Block Edition
Sometimes docblocks come from the most unexpected of places. . . ourselves! Recently I’ve had a slew of patients see me in follow-up after me or my partners saw them while in the hospital. . . sometimes months later. Problem is, there is not always a dictation summary available, meaning I’ve gotta spend lots of extra time digging through test results (over a painfully slow remote access system) until I can finally suss out the reason for the follow up. Eventually we get it all figured out, but those extra minutes are surely frustating.
The Daily Docblock: Jurisprudence Edition.
We usually have a nurse practitioner who helps round on hospital inpatients. Unfortunately she got called away on jury duty, which means I will be seeing more patients on my own. Luckily it’s not too busy in the hospital today and I’ve also got a fellow doing a critical care rotation, which should make things easier.
The Daily Docblock: Vacation Edition
Sometimes a doc just wants to get away from it all, ya know go back to their hometown and let the grandparents get some grandkiddy time. Unfortunately the docblockage followed me to the airport, where Delta airlines cancelled our flight, then got us to an adjacent city sans luggage and car seats. . . at 1 am. Luckily we now are now in possession of our prized possessions 2 days later. . .though I was starting to get used to wearing my dad’s 1970’s leisure wear.
The Daily Docblock: CPAP edition.
The Docblockers strike again. Ran into an insurance today that will not cover sleep studies unless its a severe case and you plead with them. But then they won’t cover a CPAP or any of it’s supplies. Weird.
The Daily Docblock: Antibiotic Edition
I tried to get IV Bactrim last week, to treat MRSA. Pharmacist called, not on formulary. Bummer :(. According to the IDSA guidelines, I could use clinda, but then there’s the increased risk of C. dif. . .
Announcing a New Series: The Daily Docblock
We’ve all experienced it. Sometimes it happens in the office . . . an unsuspecting fax requesting a phone call to get approval for that CT I just ordered. Other times at the pharmacy. . . the antibiotic I’m hoping will clear up that nagging cough. . . wait for it. . . DENIED! Yes, at some point all of us have been hapless victims of what I call the docblock.
The frustation is endless. The toils against it, useless. Let’s face it, the docblockers can’t be stopped. But that doesn’t mean we can’t whine about it. That’s where this blog comes in. In an attempt to preserve my sanity slightly longer, I will be using this space to document my common battles with that singularly frustating entity known as The Docblock.
EMR and the Loss of Eloquence
Much has been made of the downside of the increasing use of EMR systems by physicians. But I am not going to dwell on those pervasive complaints concerning the cost and complexity of setting up the systems. Nor shall I rehash the well known issue of what I call “doc blocking”. . . wherein a computer (or other entity) stands between the patient and physician, slowing the exchange of information to however many words can be typed per minute. No there’s another more pressing issue to me personally that is rarely discussed in regards to use of the EMR. The loss of eloquence. Continue reading “EMR and the Loss of Eloquence”
Healthcare Armageddon 5: The Crux of the Problem
There’s a central theme running through many of these “Truth About Health Care” posts that I write. Whether it comes to medical centers putting out press releases that are nothing more than thinly veiled advertising, or drug companies trying to get physicians to write more prescriptions, it comes down to the fact that there’s a whole lot of competing interests out there trying to get a bigger slice of a shrinking money-pie. And the pie is about to shrink a whole lot faster. . . Continue reading “Healthcare Armageddon 5: The Crux of the Problem”
A New Staging System for a Terminal Disease.
My dear readers, it is with great regret that I relay the news to you that your author has been diagnosed with a terminal, incurable affliction similar to what you see in the picture above. You may think I’m talking about simple male pattern baldness. But no, this is much more spontaneous, insidious, and frankly morally shameful. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, it appears that I have the early stages of comb-over.
Continue reading “A New Staging System for a Terminal Disease.”