Some time ago, I wrote an editorial in this magazine describing my early experience with the use of an electronic medical record. In the article, I indicated that this technology was a valuable addition to the medical office, but there was a fairly steep learning curve and some difficulties in creating a coherent and understandable document. After three years of using an EMR, much of what I said before remains valid.
From fast-food restaurants churning out a meal in just minutes to the Internet culling through millions of documents in mere seconds, Americans are used to getting what they want, and getting it now. Have you figured the value of patient access to your practice?
Controversy remains about the role of sentinel lymph node biopsy in the management of thin, or early, melanoma. Dermatology Times asked two experts to weigh in.
New York - Congress is considering a bill that would allow federal regulators to limit the ultraviolet radiation emitted by tanning beds and restrict the amount of time consumers may tan indoors.
Throughout the last decade, an increasing number of doctors have looked internationally for wealth planning, although overall it’s still a small minority. To be sure, there are numerous pitfalls involved with international planning, all of which can catch up to naive doctors.
Now that we’re showing signs of slowly emerging from one of the worst financial crises in our history, it may be time to look back and try to figure out what lessons we’ve learned from the market crash of late 2008 through early 2009.
Frankfurt, Germany - A study using glycyrrhizic acid, the herbal extract from licorice, proves to be effective in halting hair growth in rats. This topical approach appears to be promising for future epilation therapies, and may rival currently used epilation modalities, which can frequently be associated with a host of unwanted side effects.
Vancouver, British Columbia - Various factors have to be addressed before a clinician decides what is the best course of management for a woman who is experiencing hair loss, according to an expert.
Naples, Fla. - The recent identification of a gene responsible for a cluster of debilitating diseases collectively known as cryopyrin-associated periodic syndrome (CAPS) has led to extremely effective anticytokine therapy.
West Palm Beach, Fla. - All the attention paid to medical lasers’ aesthetic indications has overshadowed the fact that lasers’ utility for treating medical conditions continues to grow, an expert says.
Jahrom, Iran - Many different therapies are currently being used to treat alopecia areata, however, most prove to be only marginally effective. A recent study showed that sulfasalazine is effective in the treatment of alopecia areata and can be considered as a viable therapeutic option for this disease.
Montreal - The key to warding off skin reactions to specific cosmetic products is to stop using the offending products, as treatment will fail if exposure continues, and desensitization cannot be done, says an associate professor at McGill University in Montreal.
Camden, N.J. - Dermatologists know that skin symptoms can often be linked to the pathologies of internal organs, and the cutaneous manifestations of thyroid disease are no exception.
Casselberry, Fla. - Incorrect use of modifier 59 in dermatology is the single most common reason for claim denials by Medicare and commercial insurance carriers, according to Inga C. Ellzey, M.P.A., R.H.I.A., C.D.C., president and chief executive officer of Inga Ellzey Practice Group, Casselberry, Fla.
Miami - Pigmented lesion clinics or melanoma surveillance and detection clinics have a role in the early detection of melanoma in patients who are at elevated risk of developing a malignant lesion.
Nashville, Tenn. - The popularity of photodynamic therapy (PDT) for treating precancer skin conditions has increased exponentially over the past decade. The reasons are many, according to Michael Gold, M.D., medical director, Gold Skin Care Center, and clinical assistant professor, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, department of dermatology, Nashville, Tenn.
National report - Little did dermatologist Luette Semmes, M.D., know that her successful treatment of a young patient with bullous pemphigoid would land her a spot on national television a few years later.
Washington - Though Congress adjourned for recess without taking action to forestall the 21 percent cut in Medicare reimbursement that took effect April 1, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has acted to buy doctors more time, MedPage Today reports.
Gaithersburg, Md. - A panel of advisers to the Food and Drug Administration has recommended that the agency place tighter controls on artificial tanning, the Associated Press reports. Those controls could range from requiring parental consent forms to banning the practice in teens under age 18.
Fort Worth, Texas - The Food and Drug Administration has approved the lotion formulation of adapalene (Differin 0.1 percent, Galderma) for the topical treatment of acne in patients age 12 and older, Medscape Today reports.
Bristol, Tenn. - The Food and Drug Administration has approved Zyclara, a new cream made by Graceway Pharmaceuticals of Bristol, Tenn., for treatment of actinic keratoses, news source TriCities.com reports.
Washington - The Food and Drug Administration says Novartis AG and Astellas Pharma may need to expand warning labels on their eczema drugs following dozens of new reported cases of cancer and infection in children, Reuters reports.
Rolling Meadows, Ill. - Lawrence Field, M.D., has donated $100,000 to the American Society for Dermatologic Surgery (ASDS) to start the Lawrence Field, M.D., International Dermatologic Surgery Educational Exchange Fund.
Petaluma, Calif. - Medical technology company Oculus Innovative Sciences is bringing Microcyn Dermatology HydroGel to the U.S. market, Business Wire reports.
Pediatric Dermatology : Growing pains beset this ‘new kid’ subspecialty Battling Back : Derms oppose healthcare reform’s new IPAB panel, lack of Medicare fix Special Report : Pediatric Dermatology
Patients undergoing cosmetic procedures may also have underlying cardiovascular (CV) issues for which they may need to take various therapeutic medications. Here, the cosmetic and medical sides of dermatology sometimes clash regarding the negative impact that these medications may have. It is the task of the astute physician to circumvent unwanted adverse events.
Physicians are looking for ways to control costs and increase income as malpractice premiums and practice overhead costs skyrocket and rates paid by insurers decline. Many physicians have exhausted cost-control measures, and most are not aware that they can increase their revenue by improving coding and overall claim processing and reviewing their payer contracts.
Wailea, Hawaii - The level of concern for neonatal dermatoses ranges depending on the type of condition, according to Julie V. Schaffer, M.D., director of pediatric dermatology, director of resident education, assistant professor of pediatrics and dermatology, NYU Langone Medical Center, New York.
Recent changes to how dermatologists charge for Mohs and subsequent repairs have diminished reimbursement for those procedures. But some dermatologists are taking more of a financial hit than necessary because of simple, correctable mistakes, according to Inga C. Ellzey, M.P.A., R.H.I.A., C.D.C., president and chief executive officer, Inga Ellzey Practice Group, Casselberry, Fla.
As medical groups grow in size and doctors tend to migrate toward larger population areas, it’s often harder to find specialists in smaller towns. Particularly in lesser-populated states, such as Oklahoma, South Dakota and Wyoming, a patient needing dermatologic care often has to drive hundreds of miles before finding a dermatologist.
