Category Archives: Elpern, David J.

It’s Freezing in our County: Medicare Reimbursement in 2012

Posted on

by David J. Elpern and Mariah L. Ferrara Abstract: We have documented the access to dermatology care in the Berkshire County, Massachusetts. Of the six dermatologists practicing in the area only two accept Medicaid patients and for one of these, the wait for an appointment was over six months. Our data show unequal access to dermatologic care in Western Massachusetts Keywords:  dermatology, access to care, Medicaid, dermatologist, medical insurance. Berkshires, Massachusetts, cryotherapy, liquid nitrogen Introduction: It is clear to Medicaid recipients nationwide that they have difficulty in obtaining health care from large numbers of private practitioners There are many reasons for this, but chief among them is that physicians are … Continue reading →

Share

Dermatology on Mars

Posted on

PDF of presentation:  Dermatology_on_Mars “If any man could arrive at the exterior limit [deepest space],… he would see a world beyond; and if the nature of man could sustain the sight, he would acknowledge that this other world was the place of true heaven and the true light and the true earth.”                                                                                                                          Socrates, 400 B.C. “I believe the time has arrived for medical investigation of the problems of manned rocket flight, for it will not be the engineering problems but rather the limits of the human frame that will make the final decision as to whether manned space flight will eventually become a reality”         … Continue reading →

Share

What Every Physician Should Know About Macular Degeneration

Posted on

by Malcolm Ing The speaker will present facts concerning the challenge of treating macular degeneration. He will discuss the diagnosis of the two main types, dry and wet. Current treatment will be described. The causes and risk factors will be outlined. Strategies to minimize risk factors for this potentially devastating eye disease will be presented. PDF:  What the General MD Should Know About Macular Degeneration

Share

Herpes Okolealis

Posted on

Everybody needs some sweet okole. Keola and Kopono Beamer Abstract: Recurrent herpes simplex of the sacrum and buttocks is commonly seen by dermatologists but rarely described in the literature. These patients can be helped by timely administration of acyclovir (famcyclovir or valcyclovir). Since recurrent sacral and buttock herpes simplex virus (HSV) infections can be associated with neurologic symptoms (sciatica, urinary retention, low back pain) it is important to recognize for primary care physicians, orthopedists, physical therapists and urologists. Case Report: The patient is a 77-year-old woman who presented for evaluation of a recurrent localized blistering eruption on the right buttock. This has occurred off and on for two to three … Continue reading →

Share

The Care of Patients

Posted on

More humanism and less science, that’s what medicine needs. But, humanism is hard work,and a lot of science is just Tinkertoy. Robertson Davies, The Cunning Man David J. Elpern, MD Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology 2002;47:317-8. Author’s note (July 2015): I wrote this report based on an office study I did in 2000. Originally, it had a number of tables, but the editors truncated the paper, thus confirming the saying, “A camel is a horse designed by a committee.” Still, I often reminisce on the research’s findings: that almost all of our patients need our specialized knowledge and our comfort and caring, while only some require our technical … Continue reading →

Share

Academy-PhRMA Liason

Posted on

This flier came attached to the July issue of The Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology.  Topicort Spray is hardly a unique product and it will run a patient ~ $600 for what appears to be a 60 ml bottle.  The business of PhRMA is business.  The business of a professional society should be knowledge and service. Sir Thomas Browne famously wrote:  No one should enter the Temple of Science with the soul of a money changer. The leaders of our professional societies should follow that precept. Also see AMA-Dermatology July 2015 cover. July 29, 2015:  Late Breaking! The Topicort rhino was seen today on two new publications. 1. … Continue reading →

Share

Meet Mr. Marsh

Posted on

To talk of disease is an Arabian nights experience. Osler David Elpern’s Book Review with Excerpts of: Do Not Harm by Henry Marsh You are invited to spend some time with Mr. Marsh, an eloquent neurosurgeon who escorts us into his operating theatre, his parent’s home as his mother lies dying, interminable maddening administrative meetings in his NHS hospital and to accompany him to Ukraine where he has volunteered as a surgeon for over 20 years. You’ll share his triumphs and suffer the sadness and humiliation of his mistakes and failures. His war stories are captivating; as are his anecdotes about his family, his education and his jousting with the … Continue reading →

Share

My Narrow Road Through Cyber-Medicine

Posted on

by David J. Elpern This essay is the basis of a talk delivered at the Jag Bhawan, M.D. Research Symposium held on July 6, 2015 at the Boston University School of Medicine. Abstract: Herein, I chronicle  a 25-year medical odyssey through the universe of personal and professional cyberspace. These explorations continue, but the author does not know the next ports-of-call;  He can only “hope the voyage is a long one,/full of adventure, full of discovery.” Keywords: cybermedicine, blogs, pathography, Cell 2 Soul, MedFlix, Pathography Blog, VGRD Word File:  My-Narrow-Road-Final PDF: The Narrow Road Through Cyber Medicine 7.15 PowerPoint: The Narrow Road – Jag Talk (this may take ~ 20 seconds … Continue reading →

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...
Share