Tuesday, December 28, 2004
Wednesday, December 22, 2004
Friday, December 17, 2004
Wednesday, December 15, 2004
Tuesday, December 14, 2004
Monday, December 13, 2004
Tuesday, December 07, 2004
Tuesday, November 30, 2004
Friday, November 26, 2004
Monday, November 22, 2004
Wednesday, November 17, 2004
Tuesday, November 16, 2004
Wednesday, November 10, 2004
Tuesday, November 09, 2004
Friday, November 05, 2004
Wednesday, November 03, 2004
Wednesday, October 27, 2004
Tuesday, October 26, 2004
Monday, October 25, 2004
Wednesday, October 20, 2004
Tuesday, October 19, 2004
Monday, October 18, 2004
Friday, October 08, 2004
Tuesday, October 05, 2004
Monday, October 04, 2004
Thursday, September 30, 2004
Wednesday, September 29, 2004
Tuesday, September 28, 2004
Monday, September 27, 2004
Thursday, September 23, 2004
Wednesday, September 22, 2004
Tuesday, September 21, 2004
Friday, September 17, 2004
Who Makes Profit From Medical Care ?
Arkansas Medical Society: "
According to a new financial report from financial firm Weiss Ratings, HMOs nearly doubled their net profits last year, earning $10.2 billion in 2003 compared to $5.5 billion in 2002. Kaiser Permanente, accounted for one-fifth of the HMO industry�s profit increase, reporting increased earnings of $1.1 billion.
The nation�s BlueCross BlueShield plans reported that their combined profits increased 63 percent last year, to $5.4 billion in 2003 up from $3.3 billion in 2002.
�The industry�s soaring profits continue to irk both consumers and businesses who are shouldering sky-rocketing health care costs without any perceived improvement in benefits,� said Melissa Gannon, Vice President of Weiss. Of the 502 HMOs surveyed by Weiss, 24 companies were financially upgraded and 14 were downgraded.
� Modern Healthcare, August 30, 2004"
Wednesday, September 15, 2004
Tuesday, September 14, 2004
Monday, September 13, 2004
Sunday, September 12, 2004
Friday, September 10, 2004
A Message from the President of the AMA
FROM THE PRESIDENTJohn C. Nelson, MD, MPHThe Census Bureau recently made a heartbreaking announcement: last year, 45million Americans lacked health insurance. This ever-increasing number can beattributed to a number of factors, including our nation’s medical liabilitycrisis and a reduction in employment-based health insurance coverage. In fact,according to a recent national study by the Center for Studying Health SystemChange, the percentage of Americans under the age of 65 with employer healthinsurance dropped from 67 percent to 63 percent between 2000 and 2003.Without insurance, many patients forgo seeking medical attention until theirhealth problem reaches a crisis level. At that point, many illnesses, such asheart disease and cancer, have reached the point of no return.But it doesn’t have to be this way. Covering the uninsured is one of the AMA’smajor priorities -- and we have a plan to help remedy the situation. As it stands, employers – not employees – choose health insurance, so plans arenot responsive to individual demand for access, quality and affordability. Thecornerstone of the AMA plan is to allow federal tax credits for the purchase ofindividually selected and owned health insurance and a wide range of new,affordable insurance options. The AMA also supports the crafting of appropriatemarket regulation based on the recognition that neither free-market mechanismsnor market regulations alone will fully meet the needs of those who have chronicillnesses or conditions that are expensive to treat.Not having health insurance is in and of itself a risk factor. If we have theability to map the human genome, we ought to be able to devise a rational planto ensure access to health care coverage for all Americans.Take the time to talk with your patients, friends and family about theadvantages of individually selected and owned health insurance. Visitwww.ama-assn.org/go/insurance-reform where you can learn more about our approachto expanding health insurance coverage and choice and help us to make it areality. Of course, we welcome constructive criticism.
Thursday, September 09, 2004
Wednesday, September 08, 2004
Tuesday, September 07, 2004
Thursday, September 02, 2004
Wednesday, September 01, 2004
Saturday, August 28, 2004
Friday, August 27, 2004
Thursday, August 26, 2004
Tuesday, August 24, 2004
Tuesday, August 17, 2004
Wednesday, August 11, 2004
Tuesday, August 10, 2004
Sunday, August 08, 2004
Friday, August 06, 2004
Wednesday, July 28, 2004
Monday, July 26, 2004
Sunday, July 25, 2004
Saturday, July 24, 2004
Thursday, July 22, 2004
Tuesday, July 13, 2004
Monday, July 12, 2004
Lyme Disease Update
Throughout the next year, AMS President Dr. Scott Ferguson will be
writing commentaries for statewide publications on different topics of
public health. We invite you to read the following commentary and reply
with any feedback, additions or corrections you may have. Watch for
these commentaries to run in your local newspaper.
*************************************************
Protect Yourself from Tick-Borne Lyme Disease
Guest Commentary
Scott Ferguson, MD
Arkansas Medical Society President
Warm months bring us an increased exposure to those pesky little things
called ticks, which can carry diseases. A common tick-borne disease is
Lyme disease, which can cause a rash around the tick bite, fever,
fatigue, headache, muscle aches, joint aches and in severe cases can
cause neurological disorders. Playing in the yard, camping, hiking,
working outdoors and gardening all increase your chances of coming in
contact with a tick.
Not all ticks carry Lyme disease, but there are certainly things you can
do to reduce your chances of coming in contact with one. Ticks attach to
your skin when you come in direct contact with them. They will usually
climb upward until they reach a protected or creased area such as the
back of your knee, groin, navel, armpit, ears or neck. The best
protection is to avoid coming in contact with vegetation as much as
possible. Ticks favor moist, shaded areas, especially places with leaf
litter and low-lying vegetation in the woods, brush or overgrown grass.
Any contact with vegetation, even playing in the yard, can result in an
exposure to ticks, so it's important to check your entire body each
bight before going to bed.
If you are going to be in an area that may have ticks, here are some
things you can do to avoid and help prevent possible tick bites:
* Wear light-colored clothing so you can see ticks more easily and
remove them before they attach to your skin
* Wear long-sleeved shirts and tuck your pants into your socks or
boots to keep ticks from reaching your skin
* Apply an insect repellant that contains DEET to your clothes and
exposed skin (follow product guidelines)
* Scan your clothes and any exposed skin frequently for ticks
* Stay on clear, well-traveled trails
* Avoid sitting directly on the ground or on stone walls
* Keep long hair tied back
* Do a final, full-body check at the end of the day (including
pets)
After you have been in an area where ticks may live, check your body for
ticks and remove any of them that may be attached. To do this, simply
use a pair of tweezers to firmly grasp the tick as close to your skin as
possible, firmly pull the tick away from your skin and then cleanse the
area with an antiseptic. Do not use petroleum jelly, a hot match, nail
polish or other products to remove the tick. They can backfire and even
increase the chances of the tick transmitting the disease.
Ticks transmit the bacteria that causes Lyme disease after it has been
attached to the skin for about 36-48 hours. Lyme disease most often
causes a "bulls-eye" shaped rash around the bite area. You also can have
fever, chills, fatigue, headaches, muscle aches and joint aches. The
time of infection to the time of initial symptoms is usually 7 to 14
days, but can be as short as 3 days or as long as 30 days. If you notice
a red rash surrounding a tick bite, have flu-like symptoms or joint pain
in the first month following any deer tick bite, you should immediately
see your doctor.
More severe, potentially debilitating symptoms of later-stage Lyme
disease may not occur until weeks, months or, in a few cases, years
after a tick bite. These can include severe headaches, painful arthritis
and joint swelling, cardiac abnormalities and central nervous system
problems that could lead to mental disorders or paralysis.
Antibiotics are used to treat early stages of Lyme disease, and
treatment normally lasts for 3-4 weeks. Later stages of Lyme disease may
require treatment with IV antibiotics for 4 weeks or more, depending on
the severity of the disease. If treated early with antibiotics, Lyme
disease is almost always readily cured. Later stages also can be treated
effectively, but response to treatment varies from person to person.
Some people may have symptoms that linger for months or years following
treatment. In rare instances, Lyme disease can cause permanent damage.
The best way to prevent Lyme disease is to prevent tick bites. Take the
precautions mentioned above use insect repellant if you are planning on
being outdoors, even if you are just playing in your yard or gardening.
Then before going to bed, check all over your body for ticks and remove
any you see. Monitor the tick bite area for the next month and see your
doctor if you have a rash or any other symptoms of Lyme disease.
--END--
Thursday, July 08, 2004
Wednesday, July 07, 2004
Sunday, June 20, 2004
Saturday, June 19, 2004
Friday, June 18, 2004
Wednesday, June 16, 2004
Cost of Drugs
I wish to go on record on my site challenging the decision of the FDA limiting access to pharmaceuticle agents and medicines from Canada. Their argument, that it is "not safe", or they "can't guarantee the safety" of the drugs is ludicrous. These drugs are manufactured in the USA and shipped directly to Canada. They are no more subject to tampering, etc. than the medicines you take from your corner drug store! This is a gross attempt to maintain the profits for the pharmaceutical companies, and I for one am very angry about it.
D.L. Cohagan, M.D.
Tuesday, June 15, 2004
Sunday, June 06, 2004
Saturday, June 05, 2004
Friday, June 04, 2004
Thursday, June 03, 2004
Monday, May 31, 2004
Wednesday, May 26, 2004
Monday, May 24, 2004
Thursday, May 20, 2004
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