journaljunkie

Some of the best medical journals in the country come from college towns. Small hamlets of culture and intellectualism where home security companies and officers help residents at night and trendy restaurants stay open for decades. Here are a few of our favorites:
Dermatology Online Journal: Published by the University of California, this medical journal is rife with information about the ever-changing dermatological field. Experts weigh in on Read the rest of this entry »

This is truly a complex question, it’s true that insurance companies do employ some physicians for claim and qualification purposes; however, the AMA’s code of ethics is also a document in play for physicians (at least those in the United States). In today’s world insurance companies tend to dictate the type of care and tests that can be conducted by a medical professional, because it comes down to will the professional be paid for their services and technology? Some physicians will alert a patient that Read the rest of this entry »

People often question whether insurance companies work for doctors, especially in some cases of worker’s compensation. In a worker’s compensation claim a worker is supposed to be reimbursed financially for an injury that he or she acquired on the job. The claim goes through the job, then to an insurance company. This insurance company may send the injured worker to a specific doctor that it has lined up. The insurance company does not work for that doctor, but it may prefer that specific doctor for several reasons which will be covered.Didn’t catch that? This explains it.

Before Read the rest of this entry »

As lawmakers debate the logistics of President Obama’s health care overhaul and other equally important healthcare related matters doctors in congress make a difference. Politicians often cast their vote based on the sentiments of their constituents without fully understanding the complexity of an issue while a practicing physician has firsthand experience in dealing with the reality of health care economics such as the denial of a necessary procedure or medication by insurance carriers.

Insurance reimbursement is a factor most doctors will need to consider in how they will treat each individual patient. The physician must consider the Read the rest of this entry »

In 2008 I happen to be the proud recipient of a four artery bypass. While getting the bypass the Doctor discovered an anurysm on the root of my Aorta. He determined that it required fixing and did just that.

The way I came to getting to this point was a strange situation. My doctor asked me to take a stress test, which is very difficult because I have had a left hip replacement and have had problems and cannot walk for any long distance. After the test, I was told that the doctor would contact me in a week Read the rest of this entry »

With the rising cost of prescription medications in the United States, many people are turning to the neighbor to our South for their prescription needs. There has been an incredible debate over rather the drugs from Canada are safe for Americans. The FDA has made several statements against purchasing drugs in Canada, but their reasons have been incredibly limited.

Rod Blagojevich, an Illinois governor had proposed legislation that would have given state employees the ability to obtain inexpensive prescriptions from Canadian sources. During the research for the legislation, which eventually failed, there was much debate Read the rest of this entry »

The Food and Drug Administration, also known as the FDA, is necessary for the protection of public health. This agency assures the security, safety and efficiency of both veterinary and human drugs. They are the agency in control of our nation’s food supply, cosmetics and cosmetic testing, medical devices, and products such as biological products and such products that emit radiation. One may more commonly know of the FDA for their role in protecting the public’s’ health by educating on healthy food choices, ensuring the safety of widely prescribed medications, attempting to reduce smoking Read the rest of this entry »

Are chiropractors good for back problems? For some people the answer is a big yes. The manipulation and methods of a chiropractor along with the correct follow up care can make a big difference in some back problems. Most of these are the more acutely painful back problems that do persist for a really long time. If you strained your lower back lifting an object or just working around the house, or when playing a sport, you may have caused back spasms and pain. A chiropractor can offer you Read the rest of this entry »

In partial response to a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine dated October 16, 1997 which revealed that “suicidal patients ingested almost twice as much acetaminophen as those in the accidental-overdose group, and that those who accidentally overdosed on acetaminophen showed greater levels of liver necrosis” the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) announced on January 17, 2011 that it will “limit the active pain-reducing ingredient in the pain medications Percocet and Vicodin.”The administration went on to say they would order drug manufacturers to reduce the amount of acetaminophen to 325 milligrams per tablet (or dosage unit) in pain medications such as Percocet (Tylox) and Vicodin (Lortab).It is reported that the FDA plans to completely phase out what it calls “high dose” prescription medications that contain acetaminophen within a three year period.The Deputy Director of the Office of New drugs in the FDA’s Center for Drug and Evaluation Research (CDER) commented the “FDA is taking this action to make prescription combination pain medications containing acetaminophen safer for patients to use” and went on to state that “overdose from prescription combination products containing acetaminophen account for nearly half of all cases of acetaminophen-related liver failure in the United States; many of which result in liver transplant or death.”Interestingly, over-the-counter acetaminophen is not facing the same restrictions currently pursued for its prescription counterpart (since the FDA has stated that it has no intention of imposing such restrictions on over-the-counter drugs) which means that after the three-year roll out it is feasible that over-the-counter acetaminophen will actually be stronger than the acetaminophen prescribed by doctors.How’s that for logic.

If you plan to dive into some medical journals in areas where you may not have a vast amount of expertise, you may want to also include the reading from one or more of the following (or at a minimum have handy for quick reference) as you navigate some vernacular that may not be on the tip of your tongue.Medical Terminology Made Easy (Jean M. Dennerll) promotes learning through word building. Book sections are grouped by topic and body system and each builds from simple to complex through a series of instructional and interactive coaching. Ideal for individuals who wish to teach themselves basic medical terminology or as a supplement to entry-level health care oriented courses.Medical Terminology with Human Anatomy (Jane Rice) is a comprehensive look at all aspects of medical terminology. The text is arranged by body systems and specialty areas and makes learning Read the rest of this entry »