Two decades after tens of thousands of Iranian soldiers and civilians were exposed to mustard gas from Iraqi attacks during the Iran-Iraq war, devastation caused by the chemical weapons continues. Reuters Health Information
Author: Medscape
Avastin as Effective as Costlier Lucentis for AMD
A federally funded study also found that administering either drug on an as-needed basis works about as well as administering it monthly. Medscape Medical News
Watch Out for Staff and Partner Hostility During Clinical Trials
Your colleagues and staff may be annoyed about conducting clinical trials. Here’s how to deal with hidden or overt negative response. CenterWatch
Medicare Quality Bonuses More Than Doubled in 2010
However, the incentive program turns into a penalty program in 2015 for physicians who fail to report their performance on quality measures. Medscape Medical News
Society Introduces Template for Peer Reviewers Uneasy With Stats
Dr. Andrew Vickers provides a template for journal editors who wish to assist totally unqualified peer reviewers. Once again, with apologies to The Onion. Medscape Business of Medicine
The 10 Most Prescribed Drugs
A most-prescribed drug list differs from a list of drugs with biggest market share. WebMD Health News
Nine Drugs Added to FDA Watch List
A drug’s appearance on the watch list does not mean the agency has determined that the drug necessarily causes the adverse event in question. Medscape Medical News
Why Defensive Medicine Won’t Go Away…and Might Become Worse
Defensive medicine is a fact of life, and some of the proposals involved with healthcare reform may keep it alive and well, says this physician. Medscape Business of Medicine
Reporting EHR Meaningful Use for Medicare Bonus Begins Monday
Physicians who qualify as meaningful users of electronic health record systems will receive an extra $18,000 from Medicare this year, as early as May. Medscape Medical News
Congress Votes to Fund Government Through September 30
Lawmakers face harder decisions as they turn to budget proposals for fiscal 2012, long-term plans to reduce the federal deficit, and markedly different approaches to controlling Medicare and Medicaid costs. Medscape Medical News
Deficit Reduction Plan to Implement Feared Cost-Control Tool
The Independent Payment Advisory Board, already unpopular in medical circles, will work with a lower spending target for Medicare and possess more power to enforce spending cuts. Medscape Medical News
Survey Names EHRs Most Likely to Help Physicians Earn Bonus
Many providers believe they will receive a meaningful-use bonus even though they are not using all the necessary EHR software functions, according to a survey by the research firm KLAS. Medscape Medical News
Boing! What to Do When Your Patients’ Checks Bounce
When patients’ checks bounce, should you keep billing them, charge extra fees, or go to collection? Here’s advice on what to do and how to avoid receiving checks that bounce. Medscape Business of Medicine
Physicians Choose Different Treatments for Themselves
Faced with the hypothetical choice of treatment with better chance of survival but greater risk for adverse effects, physicians are more likely to recommend it for patients than choose it themselves. Medscape Medical News
New EHR Czar Understands Technology Roll-Out
Farzad Mostashari, MD, the new National Coordinator for Health Information Technology inside HHS, helped more than 1500 clinicians in New York City implement EHRs. Medscape Medical News
Mastering EHR After Rollout Is Key to Productivity Gains
A survey by the Medical Group Management Association also shows that most organizations regret not setting enough time aside for EHR training, a key to getting the most from the technology. Medscape Medical News
Comparison of Prognostic Value of Roper Hall and Dua Classification Systems in Acute Ocular Burns
What is the best way to classify and treat ocular burns? The British Journal of Ophthalmology
Seniors Would Pay Much More Under GOP Medicare Plan: CBO
The budget proposal from House Republicans also could mean lower physician reimbursement under a block-grant approach to Medicaid, according to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office. Medscape Medical News
A 62-Year-Old Woman With a Growing Mass
A 62-year-old woman presents with a mass near her eye that has been slowly growing for a year. What is your diagnosis? Medscape Ophthalmology
Senate Nixes 1099 Requirement, Obama’s Signature Is Next
The business community and organized medicine had lobbied hard for the repeal of Although President Barack Obama agrees with both parties that an onerous tax- reporting duty in the Affordable Care Act Act.ought to go, he disagrees on how to offset the …