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Three top-ranking senators have asked for a federal investigation
into how effective state medical boards are at tracking and disciplining
doctors who have been sanctioned by their hospitals or managed care
organizations.
"Sens. Max Baucus (D-Mont), Charles Grassley (R-Iowa), and Orrin Hatch
(R-Utah) asked Daniel Levinson, director of the Office of the Inspector
General (OIG) for the Department of Health and Human Services to
undertake an evaluation of state medical boards, the first such
investigation in 15 years."
"In a letter, the trio outlined a number in instances in which
physicians were sanctioned by their employer for wrongdoing -- which
included sexual misconduct, malpractice, and fraud -- but did not face
any consequences from their state medical board."
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Surgeons may struggle with alcohol use disorders that are potentially
related to burnout and depression, survey results suggested.
Just over 15% of surgeons who participated in the survey met
criteria for alcohol abuse or dependence on the Alcohol Use Disorders
Identification Test, version C (AUDIT-C)
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Happy patients have higher rates of hospitalization and mortality,
researchers found.
Patients who reported the highest satisfaction in a
national survey were at the highest odds of inpatient admission and
mortality in the years that followed, at 12% and 26% above that of the
least satisfied group, respectively.
High patient satisfaction also came with greater total healthcare expenditure and more spending on prescriptions.
"Our findings raise concern that efforts to satisfy patients may
have downsides if they lead to unnecessary care that comes with health
risks [and] without benefits."
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The American Chiropractic Foundation (ACF) is pleased to announce that
it has been accepted by the Federation of Chiropractic Licensing Boards
(FCLB) as a Provider of Approved Continuing Education credits (PACE).
This certification allows ACF to promote quality, scientifically sound
continuing education that helps DCs remain current in their educational
obligations.
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TCA District 5 asks the question: "Have you ever wanted to get more
involved and give back to your colleagues and the Chiropractic
Profession? Now is your chance! We are looking for hardworking and
passionate DCs to join the TCA District 5 Leadership!"
"This is
your chance to be a part of the BIGGEST development of Chiropractic in
Texas! Help us make history and preserve our practices for future
generations. 2012 is about improving and redefining how Texans
understand Chiropractic.
TCA District 5 will have an official vote on February 21st, 2012 at the Quarterly Meeting.
Find more information about TCA District 5's elections in this article.
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Did you know that the man in charge of the entire U.S. Olympic training facility and program is a Doctor of Chiropractic?
He is, and Dr Bill Moreau is coming to the TCA District 5 meeting on February 21, 2012.
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Middle-age men who smoke may be setting themselves up for rapid cognitive decline.
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Too much sunlight is bad for the skin, but not enough may be a risk factor for stroke, according to a study.
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People who died from stroke had the most severe and rapid memory loss
prior to the event compared with stroke-free individuals and those who
survived a stroke, a large study found.
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Life-threatening problems persist at Parkland Memorial Hospital and are
more widespread than previously known, enabled by a “business as usual”
culture that has kept it from fixing serious breakdowns, according to a
report obtained by The Dallas Morning News.
The main charge underlying causes of problems at the 118-year-old facility that keep
resurfacing. Among them: a culture that has failed in accountability,
from top to bottom. The focus has at times strayed from putting patients
first.
We believe that the current operation of Parkland’s resident training
program is contributing to the hospital’s deficiencies in meeting all
standards” to remain eligible for Medicare funding.
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Women seeking to avoid medical interventions and gain control of the
birth process are increasingly choosing to deliver their babies at home,
but medical experts warn that the option is accompanied by elevated
neonatal mortality, even in low-risk births.
Recent evidence suggests that while the absolute risk of planned home
births is low, such births carry a neonatal death rate at least twice as
high as that of planned hospital births.
Neonatal death occurred less
than once in 1,000 hospital births, compared with two in 1,000 home
births,
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U.S. orthopedic surgeons in a large survey said roughly 30% of tests and
referrals they ordered were medically unnecessary, with an estimated
annual cost exceeding $2 billion.
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Health insurers have been busy the last several years talking about how
best to promote the use of primary care. Now the country's
second-largest health plan has promised what some physicians say has
been lacking from other efforts: a pay raise for primary care doctors.
Indianapolis-based WellPoint announced in January that it planned to
give primary care physicians a roughly 10% increase in pay and a chance
to share savings that stem from improved outcomes for their patients. |
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The Obama administration and the plaintiffs suing the federal government over the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) at least see eye-to-eye on one thing: A federal tax law shouldn't bar the Supreme Court from ruling on the case. Lawyers for 26 states and the National Federation of Independent Business -- the plaintiffs in the case -- and lawyers for the Obama administration filed briefs with the high court stating their positions on the Anti-Injunction Act. That act prohibits anyone from suing the federal government over a tax before the tax goes into effect. Under the ACA, nearly everyone will have to have health insurance starting in 2014 or else pay a penalty. But since 2014 is still two years away, the court is considering whether it even has the jurisdiction to decide the case before then. "That penalty is not a tax, lawyers for all sides argued." The Supreme Court will hear oral arguments on the Affordable Care Act on March 27, 28, and 29.
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If the Supreme Court rules that the Affordable Care Act's individual
mandate is unconstitutional, the entire law doesn't need to be thrown
out, lawyers for the Obama administration argued in a brief filed with
the high court.
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On February 14, 2012, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
("CMS") published a proposed rule implementing the requirements of the
Affordable Care Act requiring Medicare providers and suppliers to report
and return Medicare overpayments by the later of 60 days after the date
on which the overpayment was identified, or the date any corresponding
cost report is due. Failure to identify, report and return the
overpayment within the 60 day deadline constitutes a false claim under
the False Claims Act, which subjects the provider or supplier to
additional penalties under the law.
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Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Acting Administrator
Marilyn Tavenner (left) said Tuesday that the agency would be willing to
re-examine the pace at which the ICD-10 code set will be implemented.
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The newly proposed Federal Budget includes several health care budget expenditures. Here is an overview...
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Parker University honored Dr. Gene Giggleman, professor of Parker
University, with one of the most highly regarded awards given by Parker
University—the James W. Parker Founders Award.
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Parker University held the Starlight Soirée, the premier chiropractic
research event, on Friday, January 20, during Parker Seminars Las Vegas.
The event raised nearly $33,000 for chiropractic research.
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Parker Seminars awarded some of the most influential leaders in the
profession during 2012 Parker Seminars Las Vegas. Erchonia Medical, a
leader in low level laser health care applications, was honored with the
coveted Philanthropy Award.
The Parker Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to Dr. Terry Yochum
for enhancing the profession with his substantial contributions. Dr.
Yochum, director of Rocky Mountain Chiropractic Radiological Center in
Denver, Colorado, and adjunct professor of radiology at Southern
California University of Health Sciences, is well-known for his work in
radiology.
The World Congress of Women Chiropractors (WCWC) named Dr. Janette
Kurban as the Woman Chiropractor of the Year for her exemplary service
to the profession. A 2009, Parker graduate, Dr. Kurban is actively
involved in the profession and is a leader in chiropractic. She
maintains a practice in Arlington, Texas. In 2008, Dr. Kurban made
history as the first Parker graduate appointed to serve on the Board of
Chiropractic Examiners (TBCE).
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The TBCE has published its February 23, 2012 agendas. CLICK HERE to see the full agenda.
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The Texas Board of Chiropractic Examiners reports that it has adopted a final amendment to Rule 71.13, Chiropractic Specialties.
Included in the new rule is "Licensees receiving board-approved specialty certification shall be
entitled to use the terms, specialty, or specializing in public
communications, including advertisements, letterhead, and signage. Any
such specialty designate shall be preceded by the licensee's name, and
by one of the following: (1) D.C.; (2) Chiropractor; or (3) Doctor of Chiropractic."
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The Texas Board of Chiropractic Examiners has proposed an amendment to Rule 75.2, Proper Diligence and Efficient Practice of Chiropractic.
PROPOSED changes include:
"failing to conform to the generally accepted standards of care within the chiropractic profession in Texas"
"failing
to timely refer a patient to an appropriate health care provider when
the licensee determines or should have determined that the patient may
suffer from a condition:"
- "that requires a diagnosis outside the chiropractic scope of practice ... ; or"
- "that requires treatment outside the chiropractic scope of practice ...;
or"
- "failing to timely refer a patient to an appropriate health care
provider when the licensee determines or should have reasonably
determined that the patient suffers from a condition that is within the
chiropractic scope of practice, but requires a diagnosis or treatment
that exceeds the licensee's education, training or experience."
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Regarding the practice of chiropractic, there are some who are telling
us that "...what is in the statute is extremely limiting."
If
that is the perspective you wish to look at it then the results of the
various court judgments are the results you would expect.
I see the term "condition" in a broader sense.
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At this point in the history of mankind, we have been conditioned to
abhor symptoms of any kind. Headaches, sneezing, coughing, colds,
allergies, pain, infections, hypertension, etc., are no longer tolerated
as a part of the process of living. Rather than look into the
mechanisms that may be causing these symptoms, we are reaching for the
medicine that will suppress them. In so doing, we may feel better, but
we now have no motive to look at causes and correct for the issues that
may be impairing our health, thus increasing our "need" for more
medications over time.
Without the
"gold standard" double blind, placebo controlled study there can be no FDA approval of a new drug. So let's look at this approval process more closely.
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In years gone by, many children were afflicted with polio, measles,
mumps, Rubella, influenza, small pox, diphtheria, whooping cough and
others. Of course, the majority of these children recovered without
incident (other than polio, which caused permanent nerve damage most of
the time), but there were some children who had serious sequelae and
even some who died from these diseases. Modern science discovered a way
to confer immunity on these children so that they would never become
afflicted with these diseases, and for the most part, it has been
successful. The question is, at what price?"
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