Articles related to Pulmonology

US News & World Report recently published its state healthcare rankings, based on three measures: access to healthcare, quality of care, and overall health of the population, measuring rates of obesity, smoking, suicide, mental health, and mortality for adults and infants. At the top, Hawaii was the clear winner. At the bottom, Mississippi. Where does your state measure up in the rankings?

The IRS was kind enough to move the traditional tax deadline from April 15 to Monday, May 17, granting a bit of a reprieve for getting your financial affairs in order. Many physicians choose to handle their taxes themselves despite a good CPA paying for him/herself in the deductions and tax-savings strategies that they find for you. If you decide to go this route, here are some things you should be asking.

The FDA’s Oncologic Drugs Advisory Committee will hold a public meeting from April 27 to 29, 2020, to reevaluate six treatments that were previously granted accelerated approval and have since reported results that failed to verify clinical benefit. The six indications to be discussed include atezolizumab (two indications), pembrolizumab (three indications), and nivolumab (one indication).

According to a recent study published in Clinical Toxicology, the authors examined the makeup of 17 brands of OTC supplements in the US, purchased online, that were labeled to include banned and unapproved stimulants, including deterenol, a beta-agonist that has never been approved for use in the US and which the FDA banned from supplements in 2004.

In this podcast/article from KevinMD, the story of Dr. Hasan Gokal is examined, a Houston physician who was fired from his public health job and was subsequently faced with criminal charges for stealing a vial of the vaccine. His case was also brought to the Texas Medical Board. In a sea of regulations and protocols, were his actions well-intentioned and in the best interest of patient care and safety?

Without a centralized scheduling system and 50 states to consider, scheduling a COVID-19 vaccine appointment online isn’t so simple. Thankfully, others with scheduling savvy and a little patience have put together some advice. We invite you to share these tips with your patients struggling to get an appointment and how to handle the technology, processes, and preparation.