July/August 2008


A memorable convocation at Internal Medicine 2008 inducted 658 new Fellows and 47 Masters into the College

Internal Medicine 2008 melds new programs and politics

A wrap-up of events at ACP's annual meeting held in May in Washington, DC.

Evidence-based tips for common illnesses

Much of the time physicians spend on patients' paperwork is uncompensated, but insurers usually will reimburse physicians for filling out forms, such as home health plans and copying medical records, that require a significant investment of time.

War dilemmas put medical ethics under fire

Physicians debate challenges posed by war on terror and caring for enemy detainees at Guantanamo.

Consider race-based risks, but treat patients individually

Data on the prevalence of certain diseases and health risks among different populations should surely play a role in crafting public health screenings and education programs targeted to specific groups. Once in the doctor's office, though, a patient's treatment is an individual matter.

ACP presses its case for payments, pilots and primary care

Leadership Day attendees focused on three key areas when they met with their congress people for comprehensive payment reforms.

Playing the blame game for rising prostate cancer rates

Blame the rising rate of prostate cancer on better testing. Blame it on the ubiquity of the disease as men age. Just don't blame it on the pathologists. They feel bad enough.

New info on common outpatient infections

Expert offers recommendations on UTIs, sinusitis and MRSA.

Letters to the Editor

Opinions on pharmacy benefit managers, imaging, ethics and primary care.

How to survive private practice and have a life

It's not too late to start reporting quality data to Medicare and receive a bonus payment. Learn how to submit claims on 15 consecutive eligible Medicare patients to receive a bonus of 1.5% of allowed Medicare charges from July 1 to Dec. 31.

It's not too late to start quality reporting and get paid for it

It's not too late to start reporting quality data to Medicare and receive a bonus payment. Learn how to submit claims on 15 consecutive eligible Medicare patients to receive a bonus of 1.5% of allowed Medicare charges from July 1 to Dec. 31.

Mindful Medicine: Don't confuse correlation with causation

The case of a young woman mistakenly diagnosed with asthma llustrates the danger of confusing correlation and causation.

Genomics victory marks end of government service for its main proponent

The Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act—the first civil rights bill of the new century of the life sciences—affords nationwide protection from discrimination based on genetic heritage.

White House lauds ACP Master for work on AIDS

What's new from other areas of The College's Medical Knowledge and Education offerings.

FDA issues alert for CellCept, recalls for Solodyn, Digitek

An overview of agency actions, including an alert for CellCept and recalls for Solodyn and Digitek.

Web forum lets peers swap ideas for health care innovation

The Health Care Innovations Exchange Web site informs users how their peers have tackled common problems such as appointment scheduling or monitoring glucose levels of hospitalized patients.

Doctors demand specifics on candidates' health care plans

The Health Care Innovations Exchange Web site informs users how their peers have tackled common problems such as appointment scheduling or monitoring glucose levels of hospitalized patients.

Discontent leads to medical home models

Returning primary care to the foundation of health care delivery and adopting the patient-centered medical home as the central hub for each patient's care holds great promise for fostering a system that patients welcome and young physicians find appealing.

A passion for primary care and politics at Internal Medicine

Internists often ask me what it will take to restore primary care in the U.S. Even more important than policies, strategies or tactics is having the passion to create great change.

Put words in our mouth

Readers submit their wit by providing captions for cartoons. The latest winner is...

Don't lose money on filling out forms

Insurers usually will reimburse physicians for filling out forms, such as home health plans, that require a significant investment of time.

Combining education and advocacy at Internal Medicine 2008

This issue highlights events at Internal Medicine 2008, the College's annual meeting.

What's new in other College publications

ACP Internist, ACP Hospitalist, ACP Press, Annals of Internal Medicine, and MKSAP