Ask MetaFilter posts tagged with medical

Looking for a wallet card - if it exists, help me find it.

rmm — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 08:48:09 -0800

Medical wallet card summary thing - is there one? Hi folks,

Looking for a handy medical wallet card summary thingy for a family member with a lot of medications - something small enough to fit into a purse (doesn't have to be wallet sized). I'm aware of the Pocket Doc , which is great but doesn't have much space to write lots of medications down, and I want to put a list of her doctors as well.

Anyone aware of a product I can buy, or a template online that I can fill out I can whip one up in Illustrator?

Thanks! My Googlefu failed me and needs some coffee apparently.

Wireless/microwaves disrupt pacemakers/aircraft how?

spock — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 10:26:11 -0800

Pilots and medical personnel: Exactly why are cell phones and wireless devices prohibited at takeoff/landings and in ICUs (etc.). Are there known consequences on certain equipment? And why, precisely, are microwaves bad for pacemaker wearers? I'm interested in knowing exactly what mechanisms are/could be affected, how and why. This question was spurred by the pacemaker remote hacking thread.

Real diagnosis in general practice

crapmatic — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 18:41:00 -0800

US doctor question: do general practitioners practice real diagnosis anymore? Every doctor my wife and I have gone to in the past ten years has turned out to be incompetent or disinterested in doing more than the bare minimum. My son has a fever and some other symptoms, and my wife and I were talking about finding a pediatrician. This led to a discussion about whether it's even worth bothering. We both remember that back in the 1970s, doctors (GPs) here in the US seemed to make serious efforts to diagnose colds, flus, and illnesses. My wife recalls it was normal for them to take throat cultures, do bloodwork to check white blood cell counts, temperature, and so forth. She remembers that sometimes the doctor would decide on a diagnosis after the visit (I would assume to go look in a book and research the symptoms). I recall similar experiences.

Fast forward to the late 1990s and 2000s.... when my wife or I have gone in for minor ailments, we've both had the experience of doctors shotgunning our diagnosis: i.e., half-attentively listen to our problems, do a cursory check of the lungs and ears, not do any more physical checks, then just say that some sort of virus is going around. Typically the doctor would then scratch up some Rx's for something like doxycycline, nasonex, and promethazine and bid us adieu. I'm not talking about one doctor... this is the typical sequence with seven doctors we've had in three different places we've lived in TX and OK.

Does our experience agree with anyone else's? Is our memory flawed or has there been some change in recent decades about how GPs approach diagnosis? Is it possible that new doctors are less technically informed than "old school" doctors used to be? Are we supposed to actually ask for a detailed examination (is there some code word)? Is there a trick to increase our odds at finding a doctor willing to check things out completely, for example using a DO instead of an MD or avoiding a multi-doctor practice? Many will say "word of mouth" but I don't trust it since by the reviews I've seen on Google Maps and ratemd.com, people seem to put emphasis on doctor cheeriness, wait time, and submissiveness about wanted prescriptions.

So as things stand now, we want to bring our kid in but we're hesitant about the idea of getting nothing but 5 minutes of time, an antibiotic, and whatever the pharma rep is pushing.

Somehow I suspect that basically I'm asking about shopping for a doctor. I know. But it's hard to call it shopping when I haven't been able to find a good one, ever, and I suspect there is a systemic problem. Maybe my expectations are too high. Please enlighten me.

Patient looking for Medical Student

polexxia — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 09:34:27 -0800

How do I find a medical school that is looking for patients? As one of the chronically-underinsured in America, I need some reconstructive surgery done (skin removal, post-gastric bypass). I know that medical schools used to do all sorts of procedures for free or very cheap (since the students needed someone to practice on), and I am willing to take that risk, but how do you go about finding a program that is seeking patients?

Medical suggestions for accident victim in India?

maya — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 21:40:33 -0800

Earlier this week I witnessed a pedestrian/car accident while traveling in Calcutta, India. A boy was pinned between two vehicles and his leg is badly injured. [warning] Here is a photo of his leg a few days later. His care is deficient as best and I am looking for advice and suggestions. Inside is an excerpt from my blog where you can find the full story, including known medications administered. His leg was stitched at the government hospital, under dire conditions. He has no broken bones. He has received an IV saline drip continuously except for the 4th day when he received 2x250ml of blood (about 1 pint). He never lost consciousness and responds to questions. He has no feeling around or below the wound (right calf, extending behind knee). There is obviously nerve damage, but I have no idea how extensive. His right foot seemed cold the first night but blood flow seems to have returned. He told me he can move/extend his right leg at the knew but it is extremely painful. He is very thin and his leg is somewhat swollen. Around the wound his skin is warmer.

Advice so far:
*try squeezing a toenail, it should blanche and then return to normal
*make sure he can move his foot
*Pus, if it is a white/thick substance is obviously a sign of infection and he needs stronger antibiotics. However, if it's blood and a more-or-less clear/yellowy liquid, that's normal as part of the healing process.
*the abrasion on the left of the photo should have a different bandage than the rest of the wound, and should be kept moist

As mentioned in my blog, I know advice without face-to-face consultation is inadequate. Anything stated will be taken as suggestion only, and I will consult a doctor that can see him before suggesting or administrating any changes in his care.

Tips on keeping medical notes and records organized

xo — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 15:12:57 -0800

I'm looking for tips on organizing personal medical records and information, assuming a chronic or complicated health problem. Things like X-rays and MRI discs, blood test results, prescriptions, notes taken during appointments with the doctor, notes made on non-appointment days about symptoms, medical history, insurance policies and bills, therapies tried and discontinued... what are great ways to keep it all organized, for ease of use (and consistent record-keeping) both for the patient and his care partners?

Preventive Medicine

netbros — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 06:24:03 -0800

Are expensive, precautionary tests for health preventive maintenance an abuse of the medical system? We change the oil, belts, and filters in our cars on a regular basis to avoid failure. We update our computers appropriately with the latest security patches. Women get mammograms, men prostate screenings. Occasional chest x-rays have become routine. But what about the more expensive diagnostic testing?

My grandfather died of heart disease. My father survived a heart attack when he was 52, but has had two angioplasty procedures since. Obviously, at age 55, I am at high risk for heart disease, but am otherwise very healthy. A couple years ago I talked with my physician about testing my arteries before they clog or blow. He ordered a preventive stress test, and everything looked rosey.

Is this kind of testing abusive? How about MRI or CT-scan for those with a family history of stroke? Will this kind of preventive testing cause insurance rates to go up for everyone? Should it be more common? Thanks in advance for your help.

Alternative to ABC's Hopkins?

chrisalbon — Sat, 02 Aug 2008 09:03:21 -0800

Other Shows / Documentaries Like ABC's Hopkins? I wife is a medical students and every week enjoys watching ABC's Hopkins. The final episode of Hopkins airs next week.

I was wondering if the Hivemind could suggest other medical-reality shows similar to Hopkins she could watch. Preferably on Netflix (we do not have cable and watch Hopkins online).

Thanks in advance!

Medical Device Industry Primer?

nancoix — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 06:41:03 -0800

I'm about to begin work at a medical device company (as a paralegal) and would like an introductory book on the subject. I've scoured Amazon, but haven't found anything that's a general overview, with chapters on history, business climate, FDA and regulatory issues, litigation -- just a smattering of everything, with perhaps emphasis on legal / regulatory. Most books are more specialized. Or are there websites or white papers along these lines? Recommendations, please!

Are there any significant disadvantages to going to medical school in the Caribbean?

SeizeTheDay — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 16:17:14 -0800

Are medical schools in the Caribbean a respectable alternative to the traditional route of going to school in the US? I know a young person who recently got accepted to, and is now destined to goto, a Caribbean medical school in lieu of finishing a traditional undergraduate degree in the US and applying here. I have some major concerns because I'm more of a traditionalist in the academic sense, and I'm very afraid that their education will be subpar and would put them at a significant disadvantage to tradional medical school graduates.

Here's what I know: 1) They still need to apply to, and get accepted to, a residency program in the US following med school. 2) It's a tougher climb to get into residency. 3) They will not graduate with an undergraduate degree, and could put them in a disadvantage should they decide that being a doctor isn't for them anymore.

What I don't know: 1) Does the fact that the school is located in the Caribbean really matter (i.e. is the education actually subpar)? 2) Are there any professional disadvantages that doctors here can attest to? 3) If there's really no downside, why don't more people do this? (or do they, and I'm just unaware) 4) Is my concern justified, or am I simply being an overly traditional academic?

Haiti 101

Anonymous — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 14:50:04 -0800

Traveling to Haiti in a few months with a medical missions org. Looking for books or authors that give a good analysis of the social, political, historical, and cultural background of the country.

Medical clipart collections on CD?

richmondparker — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 14:42:27 -0800

I'm trying to find a CD with quality clipart / illustrations of nothing but the human digestive system. I've found a lot of CD's that offer general medical imagery, but nothing that has ONLY the digestive system. I've found some sites that offer individual images, but most of these are at least $200 per image. Anyone know of a cheaper source?

HIPAA

cvoixjames — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 11:45:57 -0800

What is HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability Accountability Act)? How does it protect an individual in terms of Doctors and medical conditions that , say, an employer might ask. Does it protect your privacy?

What's the deal with these sores on my lips?

anazgnos — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 16:54:39 -0800

What's the deal with these sores on my lips? I've got these little sores/breakages in the mucous membrane on the surface of the tissue right inside the mouth, just on the inside of the lips. They're very minor, but persistent. I think I can rule out herpes, and they're nothing like canker sores, just the very topmost surface tissue is broken and kind of ragged. No bleeding to speak of. It's been ongoing about 5 days, and I've tried adjusting a few things (dietary/behavioural), but they still seem to be happening afresh. There's a small irritated patch on my lower lip, but the upper is worse - it started out in the middle, and has been spreading outward. It seems like it starts out as a sort of generalised blistering, to the tissue/membrane visibly being broken, to the area ending up sort of red and puffy. The middle of my upper lip is in the latter phase while there is some newish blistering toward the outer edge.

I wouldn't describe them even as painful so much as irritated. They don't bother me when eating or drinking particularly. It's just the persistence which concerns me.

I've been applying Hydrogen Peroxide with a q-tip for the past two mornings, and drinking a lot of water, which seems to soothe the irritation a bit.

Is this something specific that anyone recognizes? Something viral/bacterial I should see a doctor about? Are there foods/drinks I should definitely be avoiding, or anything I should be taking to promote mouth healing?

Treatments deemed unnecessary after the fact, do we have to pay?

Sloben — Sun, 15 Jun 2008 16:12:43 -0800

Several months after her last visit to physical therapy, my fiancee was informed that her health insurance company won't pay for the last two months of it because they didn't think it was "medically necessary". Even if she upheld all her obligations, including co-pays every visit, is she liable for these charges? (more details inside) Some details:
- Jan: She was referred to an in-network physical therapist from her primary care physician due to pain from a back injury.
- June: Almost 5 months later the therapist stopped therapy as they felt they had done all they could do. She had paid her co-pay every visit and had even inquired about whether she needed additional referrals from her physician, to which she was answered no.
- Nov: Almost 6 months after the last visit, she was informed by the health insurance company that they weren't paying for the final two months of visits due to lack of "medical necessity".
- Feb: The physical therapist starts sending us bills for the final two months of treatment.

Since then we have appealed the "medical necessity" assessment with the health insurance company and were denied. They essentially said they had repeatedly asked for additional notes from the therapist regarding the final two months, and once they received them had deemed the treatment ineffective (and unnecessary) because she wasn't demonstrating the required improvement to prove the ongoing treatment medically beneficial.
We have also filed a complaint with the Illinois Dept. of Insurance, but they essentially said there is nothing they can do.

The therapist is getting aggressive and threatening to call a collections agency if we don't pay several thousand dollars.

We feel that at some point during those two months someone should have at least let us know these treatments might not have been covered instead of half a year later. We are mostly upset with the therapist because it seemed like they racked up 60 days worth of charges even while the insurance company was not paying them, all while my fiancee was never informed or given alternative options. We have researched things quite a bit, but short of getting a lawyer, haven't found any details in terms of legal obligations and obligated time frames that might help us out. Any help or suggestions from the hivemind?

Chinese jungle encephalitis ... or something like it.

TheyCallItPeace — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 19:13:50 -0800

My girlfriend's parents have been told that they may develop 森林脑炎 -- a Chinese disease which seems to be similar to Lyme disease. Can you help me find out what this is called in English, so I can find out how serious a condition this is? My girlfriends parents went hiking in Harbin (northern China), and both found what seemed like multiple bug bites on their bodies after the hike. After visiting a doctor, they were told the bugs had in fact embedded themselves under their skin, and had to be surgically removed. These bugs also carry some bacteria causing 森林脑炎 which loosely translates to "jungle meningitis/encephalitis". Apparently they will receive no further treatment until there is some indication that they will develop the disease, but the incubation period may be as long as 2 weeks.

As any sort of brain infection is pretty serious, we are trying to find out as much about 森林脑炎 as possible, to gauge how serious this can be. However, we have no idea what is the equivalent English medical term, so we can't really get anywhere in out search.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Civilian Medical Work for the US Armed Forces?

dougiedd — Sun, 08 Jun 2008 17:44:48 -0800

Wondering if anyone on the threads has any experience with civilian medical jobs for the military or could point to a resource on the web where people might discuss this. In particular I am looking at some medical officer position with the air force overseas. the pay isn't great (though not bad either), but i have reason to want to consider living in a couple locales where they have openings and where otherwise my medical degree would be unusable secondary to licensing reqs.
Things i wonder about: is the work and lifestyle more military or civilian in nature? Could one reasonably be opposed to our war effort and yet work in such a field? how are employees treated in general in your own experience?

Housing in Winnipeg?

Orange Pamplemousse — Sat, 07 Jun 2008 15:22:04 -0800

Where should a first year medical student live in Winnipeg? My girlfriend is attending the University of Manitoba for medicine come August. Which neighbourhoods in Winnipeg are "best"?

Safe, clean and very quiet accomodation is sought - either a bachelor suite or one-bedroom, apartment or basement suite. The medical school is downtown, so a place near there, or on a direct (red service) bus line would be ideal.

How do I choose a scoliosis specialist?

desjardins — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 07:24:21 -0800

How do I go about choosing an orthopedist to monitor my adult scoliosis? Any personal recommendations in the Chicago area? I was born with severe scoliosis and am now 33. I haven't had an orthopedist since I was a child and he's since retired. I haven't been good about seeking regular medical care either since I take fairly good care of myself (don't smoke, eat right) and don't have any chronic conditions. Well, yesterday I went to the ER with severe neck pain and X-rays showed I have a degenerative condition in my cervical vertebrae. (Although the Dr. thought my pain was muscular; this was just an aside.) The ER doctor told me to make an appointment with an orthopedist but only gave me a general reference, not to one who specializes in scoliosis. I did some research online and came up with a list of specialists in Chicago. How the heck do I whittle this down? I live WAYYY out in the 'burbs, so none of them are near me.

Medical care for travelers in the Netherlands?

rivenwanderer — Fri, 30 May 2008 16:59:33 -0800

My friend is going on a 2-week vacation in the Netherlands starting tomorrow night. Her brother did something to his knee a couple of days ago and they're worried that it'll need more medical attention later. What's medical care like for tourists in the Netherlands? To my knowledge, they haven't gotten any kind of travelers' insurance for the trip. They have relatives (cousins, uncles, etc) in Amsterdam and will have some money with them, but not loads and loads of cash to spare. They have BCBS health insurance in the US.

What can an editor teach medical writers?

Wolfster — Wed, 21 May 2008 05:27:38 -0800

What can an editor teach medical writers? I work for a company that has been very generous (in training opportunities). In particular, the editor for our department of mainly medical writers is going to teach a weekly class to improve our writing skills.

The medical writers do have PhDs (basic sciences) but not a lot of writing experience. Furthermore, most of us are writing material that is in a new area of expertise and unlike material we have previously written. For example, much of the current content we write and develop is in the format of a peer reviewed journal article for Lancet, NEJM, and summarizes a clinical trial.

My goal is to be able to learn from the editor how to improve our writing and more specifically, improve the quality of the article before it even goes through the editorial department. I am fishing for topics/syllabus/things that we should learn as I am supposed to generate a list of topics, and I don’t think I even know what we need to learn.

If you are an editor and work with writers, if you could offer a course, what would you teach the writers? Alternatively, if you are a medical writer, what skills should we learn from the editor? Most of us are also early in our medical writing “careers” (less than a year).

I’m also open to suggestions for other material that you think we can learn or that would further benefit us in our career development. I may request another class, or try to learn material on my own (the content area is oncology but may be expanded to other therapeutic areas). This is a great job because there is always something new to learn – I just don’t know what I should do to improve further. Thanks.

Mad money looks like a terrible film

ouchitburns — Sun, 18 May 2008 17:13:55 -0800

How do I make medical school affordable? I will be attending medical school (in Canada) come September and I am already worrying about money.

I was hoping to find out:

1) What things I will need to buy and what things I can avoid (i.e. PDA or just a notebook).
2) Of the things I need, from where and what brand should I get to make it the cheapest?
3) are there any deals out there that I can take advantage of? I know that banks will give me a line of credit just because I am going to med school. Are there other deals for people entering advanced degrees, like cell phone plans or whatever?
4) other anecdotal ways of keeping costs down?

I know that there are other sources for this information but I was hoping for gems of information that only past experience can give. Thanks for any advice at all (even advice not directly related to the questions). I am petrified of debt.

What makes raw eggs dangerous?

lord_yo — Thu, 15 May 2008 10:20:15 -0800

What is the relationship between the age of a consumed raw egg and the risk of food poisoning, and what factors influence it - in general, but also specifically to salmonella? While I understand that the longer you wait to consume a raw egg, the higher the risk of food poisoning, I have trouble understanding some details about it - specifically:

- Are the dangerous organisms typically inside the egg, or is it contamination from other sources that introduce them?

- What is more important - the quality of the egg, or the waiting time before consumation?

- Is the risk of getting salmonella via raw eggs a stochastic one (i.e. there either are salmonella in the egg, and then you will surely get it, or there isn't, and you will not get it), or is it a risk that's getting bigger over time (i.e. if there are salmonella in the egg, the chances of you getting food poisoning depends on the time you wait before eating it).

How do I sell a piece of medical equipment?

Slacktastic — Tue, 13 May 2008 09:10:10 -0800

How do I sell a piece of medical equipment to the chiropractic/wellness market? I have a ST-8 Light Beam Generator made by Elf Labs that I want to sell. It was purchased and used by my (now deceased) wife while she was undergoing treatment for breast cancer. It is supposed to assist in removing blockage in the Lymphatic System.

I don't know if it is snake oil or not. It was one of many things tried to help my wife survive (you would be surprised at what you will do to try to save a loved ones life). I have found negative and positive opinions on the validity of this treatment but have spoken to one MD who says it is a valid therapy. It does concern me that the validity of the machine is questionable but it seems that there is a market for it, albeit an elusive one.

As far as I can tell it is used mostly by wellness centers, chiropractors, and possibly rheumatologists.

The problem I am having is finding how to sell the machine without loading it up and going door to door. I'm a pretty good researcher but haven't come up with any sites or message boards catering to this market.

I have seen a couple of these for sale on ebay but they didn't sell.

Any ideas?

Who's the one you call Dr. Feelgood?

Roman Graves — Sun, 04 May 2008 21:54:49 -0800

I'm a 25 year old fella looking for a good general practitioner in Austin. "Good" doesn't mean someone who will medicate me with whatever I want and send me on my way, but someone who pays attention to his patients and their needs. Preferably north, but it's not a deal breaker. I'll mostly be going for chronic headaches, if that makes any difference either. Suggestions?