Interesting Post in Medical Blogs This Week

A patient is unhappy with the hospitalists

"Although I can understand the practical advantages of the “hospitalist” movement, as a patient, I’m not at all fond of it.", writes Moof and explains why she fired his PCP who transferred her care to a hospitalist during a recent admission. DB’s Medical Rants and Notes from Dr. RW also discuss the pros and cons of the hospitalist movement. DB summarized what Moof and the commenters were saying.

How do patients choose a doctor?

"Never go to a doctor whose office plants have died" is among the other pieces of advice in The Times Union. Link via Kevin, M.D.

The physical exam is useless

Kevin, M.D.: "We already have robot doctors making hospital rounds. In the near future, doctors won't have to even touch their patients." Really?...

Why don't they teach doctors useful stuff?

The Patient's Doctor lists a few useful skills he feels medical students need to be taught to help them become better doctors:

1. How to talk to patients
2. How to run a business
3. How to network with colleagues
4. How to manage money

Notes from Dr. RW respectfully disagrees and points out that more emphasis should be placed on basic sciences.

Graham is a medical student who wants medicine to teach him how to manage chronic diseases.

Was the WHI fat reduction trial asking the wrong question?

Retired doc's thoughts comments that WHI fat reduction trial published in JAMA did not distinguish between the intake of total, saturated and unsaturated fat. This could explain why the intervention (low fat diet) had no effect on the risk of CAD or stroke. Medpundit also comments on the study.

Reference:
Low-Fat Dietary Pattern and Risk of Cardiovascular Disease. JAMA, Vol. 295 No. 6, February 8, 2006
Low-Fat Diets Disappoint for Cancer and Heart Disease. MedPage Today

Broken hearts, through the ages

Medgadget covers the scientific evidence behind the expression "broken heart".