On the last day of ESC2013 I attended a press conference entitled Update in Rhythmology. The purpose was to highlight four rhythm-related studies released at ESC2103. The most noteworthy of the four abstracts involved gender-related issues in atrial fibrillation therapy. French researchers used a 1.6 million patient database (including 1200 French GPs) to come up […]
Author’s note: Apologies to regular readers and subscribers who expect hard-hitting medical news. What follows is a ride report, similar to the self-indulgent sort of thing you find on thousands of other cycling blogs. — My last full day in Holland was one that will stick in my mind for a long time. The 2013 […]
A general rule about writing a story is to lead with the important stuff. I’ve reviewed each of my ESC2013 updates, and as it turns out, each day I have led with the folly. Sorry about that. I’m going to continue the trend. If you had a blog, you could do this too. Before I’m […]
Okay, I’m getting the hang of this. The Monday morning and evening commute in Amsterdam is something special. You talk about focus. It requires laser-like focus. You’ve got bikes, narrow lanes, buses, trams, pedestrians and tourists. Still though, traveling 6k by bike took 15 minutes; a cab from the convention center, more than 30. I […]
I thought I loved Germany, but this is ridiculous. I love Amsterdam! Yesterday, Michael O’Riordan and I decided to embrace the Dutch mode of transportation. Mike is a real journalist who works for theHeart.org. He’s also a fellow endurance athlete. We got off the congested tram yesterday and decided to rent bikes. This, my friends, […]
Hi all, I arrived yesterday in the Netherlands. I am here to help cover the 2013 European Society of Cardiology Congress. I consider ESC Congress to be the euro version of AHA. The meeting is very large, encompassing all aspects of cardiology, including an electrophysiology sections. There is also significant coverage for Sports’ Cardiology. As […]
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If it has come to this…
…we are in big trouble. Really? This is awful America. Just awful. I think and write a lot about the effects of making treatment worse than disease. This image makes me feel sad for my country. If you don’t think social fabric is […]
Earlier this year a famous group of researchers did a careful study on the relationship between surgical complications and hospital finances. Their findings should jolt you: The average hospital makes money when patients suffer complications from procedures. This is outrageous. It is fee-for-service at its worst. The first thought that popped into my mind after […]
This morning I awoke to a picture of myself in the Wall Street Journal. I was asked to comment on the effects of the coming Sunshine Act. Respected health care journalist Peter Loftus found me through social media channels. What follows are some thoughts about how the Sunshine Act might play out. — Every Thursday […]
After reporting recently on how current healthcare reform efforts are extracting humanity from the patient-caregiver interaction, I decided to review other posts I have written on the matter. I found this guest post by Dr. Edward J. Schloss (Twitter ID @EJSMD), medical director of cardiac electrophysiology at Christ Hospital in Cincinnati, OH. It was originally […]
Be sure: what follows are not complaints; these are just the facts. — Here’s a recent exchange from an enlightened physician leader, one who has yet to give up: “My colleagues are discouraged and frustrated every day, leaving the office defeated and fatigued. There are other ways to practice.” High healthcare costs get most of […]