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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: medicine
Exploring Cuba – Part 2
In my prior post, I discussed a trip I made to Cuba in December. In this second part I will focus on some medical aspects. When my patients ask about foreign travel where there may be health concerns, I usually … Continue reading
Posted in Medical Politics, Travel
Tagged clinical, health, medicine, politics, travel
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Remote Globe Puppy
The New York times just ran a story about how Mongolia uses a system for their mail where each address consists of three words. A clever British start-up company What3Words divided a map of the world into 57 trillion pieces, … Continue reading
Posted in Informatics, Medical Humor
Tagged humor, informatics, marketing, medicine, travel
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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
Going Viral is Bad for Your Health
A few days ago CNN hosted the 2nd Republican presidential debate. Unfortunately, the topic of vaccines came up. Donald Trump had previously suggested that vaccines can cause autism. When asked about this he responded, “You take this little beautiful baby, … Continue reading
Medicare Payment Formula Finally Changed – Win or Loss?
Congress passed a law in 1977 linking Medicare payments for physician services to growth in the economy. Because it failed to take into account inflation and other factors, Congress has had to act 17 times to prevents cuts to physician … Continue reading
Posted in Business of Medicine, Government, Medical Politics
Tagged debate, health, informatics, Medicare, medicine, politics
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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
Health in China
The Chinese are less concerned about safety than American. We worry about health risks, perhaps obsessively at times, but from my perspective it’s less of a concern to them. As I wrote, I thoroughly enjoyed a recent trip to China, … Continue reading
Off Label Drugs and Free Speech
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has ruled that pharmaceutical companies cannot promote drugs for purposes other than the reasons for which the drug was approved. Physicians are free to do such off-label prescribing, however the drug companies cannot suggest … Continue reading
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