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Daniel Ginsberg, MD, FACP
I'm an internal medicine physician and have avidly applied computers to medicine since 1986, when I wrote my first medically oriented computer programs. So yes, that means I'm at least 35-years-old!
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Recent Posts
- TV Ad with Unintended Medical Humor
- New Dietary Guidelines Ignore Science
- Aspirin – Questioning Established Wisdom
- Medical Pricing Transparency via Non-Transparent Rule
- National Guideline Clearinghouse Goes Kaput
- Fever – Hot Off the Press
- Drawing Lessons From a Disaster
- Wasting Resources – A Day in the Life of Yours Truly
- As If I Have Nothing Better To Do
- Trying to Destroy Healthcare the Ostrich Way
- Regulators Asleep at the Wheel
- Politicians Playing Doctor
- Exploring Cuba – Part 2
- Exploring Cuba – Part 1
- Presidential Politics and Influenza Vaccinations
- ICD-10 Keeps Getting More Painful
- Remote Globe Puppy
- Let’s be Clear on ClariSpray
- Healthy Snacks
- The Medical Paperwork Reduction Act
- Trump the Bureaucracy
- Gluteus Maximus
- Disabled Parking and Needless Paperwork
- An ICD-9 Story
- Going Viral is Bad for Your Health
- Medicare Audits – Or How I Spent Part of Labor Day Weekend
- Asinine Associations
- Sesame Chicken
- A High Tech Call Schedule
- Medicare Payment Formula Finally Changed – Win or Loss?
- Healthy Kitchens, Healthy Lives
- Patient Satisfaction / Physician Dissatisfaction
- January Resolutions
- When is DNR not DNR?
- FMLA Paperwork
- Epic SmartPhrases
- How to Get Rich – A Guide for Pharmaceutical Companies
- Quitting Smoking and Happiness
- If Doctors Ran Their Practice Like The Airlines
- Up in Arms, Up in Smoke
Tag Archives: drug
As If I Have Nothing Better To Do
Ask most primary care physicians and they will probably tell you they waste a lot of time getting medications approved for their patients. I just dealt with this for one of my patients. He had been on it for four … Continue reading
Let’s be Clear on ClariSpray
Bayer, the maker of Claritin, has a new product, ClariSpray. This is a good product, but with a confusing name. It has nothing to do with Claritin, other than they are both used for allergies (allergic rhinitis). It’s actually fluticasone … Continue reading
Gluteus Maximus
I ordered atorvastatin (generic Lipitor) for one of my patients with high cholesterol and Medicare Part D coverage. It was denied. We then appealed it (prior authorization). A fax from Maximus Federal Services said their decision was, “UNFAVORABLE.” They said … Continue reading
Posted in Government, Pharmaceuticals
Tagged drug, humor, Medicare, medicine, pharmacy, red tape
3 Comments
How to Get Rich – A Guide for Pharmaceutical Companies
Thanks to Congress, Medicare is not allowed to negotiate for the cost of medications. The bill was shepherded through by congressman Tauzin, the chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee that regulates the industry, who subsequently stepped down then … Continue reading
Posted in Business of Medicine, Medical Politics, Pharmaceuticals
Tagged drug, Medicare, medicine, politics
2 Comments
Medication Small Print
When I give a cortisone injection, I have to document it in our electronic medical records. I’ve always included the dose, how administered (intramuscular), and the lot number. This week my company added the requirement that we include the NDC … Continue reading
Posted in Pharmaceuticals
Tagged drug, EHR, EMR, FDA, humor, informatics, medicine, red tape, vaccine
3 Comments
Aspirin – Coated or Naked – Does it Matter?
Aspirin is often used to prevent heart attacks and strokes. Patients usually take an 81 mg (baby aspirin) or 325 mg (regular strength) pill. It also comes in plain, enteric coated, or buffered. Enteric coated aspirin is often recommended to … Continue reading
Over-the-Counter Confusion
The FDA allows some medications to be sold over-the-counter (OTC), generally after patent expiration. Pharmaceutical companies need to prove they are safe to be taken that way. But as more medications become available, the opportunities for confusion increase. I’ve had … Continue reading
Cataracts and Hip Fractures
A recent study showed that cataract surgery helps prevent hip fractures. It looked at a sample of Medicare patients with cataracts who did or did not have cataract surgery. Those who had cataract surgery had a 16% less change of … Continue reading
Making the Affordable Care Act Individual Mandate Work
The Supreme Court has ruled that most of the Affordable Care Act, aka Obamacare, is constitutional. In order to provide affordable care to all, insurance companies need the healthy to pay premiums, and not just the people who will use … Continue reading
Posted in Business of Medicine, Legal, Medical Politics
Tagged drug, health, medicine, presidential
1 Comment
Ask the Doc: Human Growth Hormone
On this site I’m unable to answer patient specific questions, but as time permits, may answer questions of a general interest. Question: I have been working out with a personal trainer with weight training and have been doing running on … Continue reading