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Issue Date: May 2006

Expert Foresaw Rise of the Internet in Medicine
In an interview seven years ago, Tom Ferguson, MD, predicted that refusing to use the Internet would not be an option for physicians. At the time, his prediction might have seemed unusual, at least for some physicians. But, of course, he was correct. A Harris Interactive Survey showed that 98% of graduating medical students and 90% of practicing physicians have Internet access today. In his career, Ferguson had an uncanny ability to predict the future accurately. He articulated the concept of health care consumers using the Internet to educate themselves. He coined the terms “e-patients” and “disease tribes,” meaning patients who search the Web for disease-specific information and discuss their conditions in chat rooms.

Connecticut Group Easily Implements Document-Based EMR
Deterred by real or perceived obstacles such as high costs and a steep learning curve, cardiologists in many practices are reluctant to install electronic medical record (EMR) systems. They still want the potential improvements that come in care quality and efficiency, however.
To avoid the obstacles other groups face with EMRs, some cardiology groups are choosing to implement document-based electronic medical record systems rather than EMRs that require extensive data entry. A data-entry EMR requires physicians and staff to type information into a structured database that they can use whenever a patient chart is needed. Many of these systems require physicians to change their practice patterns to meet the needs of the EMR.

Mega-Groups Boost Efficiency, Revenue
As health care has become more complex, many physicians have found it is virtually impossible to see more patients while also attending to such business functions as billing, collections, and insurance eligibility. While costs rise, reimbursement has declined. Recognizing these trends, physicians are seeking ways to increase efficiency and revenue while also improving billing and collections. Physicians who struggle with labor-intensive insurance claims, re-submissions, and slow payments or denials have several options. One is to buy and maintain billing software. A second option is to contract with a billing service. And a third option is to contract with a vendor that provides billing service software and support and collection services. Those physicians who choose this third option find that these vendors help them increase collections and decrease the time spent on back-office operations. What’s more, contracting with such vendors enables the physicians to consolidate their operations with other practices, increasing size and efficiency.

Treatment Options for GERD
As any parent knows, almost all infants spit up occasionally, and usually at the most inconvenient times. This gastro-esophageal reflux (GER) is a normal part of childhood, and most children outgrow it. When GER becomes chronic and produces worrisome symptoms such as pain or recurrent vomiting, however, it is termed gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and may require treatment. Parents and physicians do not always recognize GERD in children. “GERD is both underdiagnosed and undertreated in children because of a lack of communication about the significance of GERD symptoms among children, their parents, and their physicians,” observes David A. Gremse, MD, professor and chair of Pediatrics at the University of Nevada School of Medicine in Las Vegas.

Alliance Seeks to Raise Awareness
When it comes to reducing cancer deaths, there are many different approaches. Some experts believe efforts put into prevention have the greatest value, while others believe early detection is the answer. Still others say basic research holds the key to curing malignant disease.
The National Colorectal Cancer Research Alliance (NCCRA) embraces all of these approaches. Founded by NBC Today show anchor Katie Couric, cancer activist Lilly Tartikoff, and the Entertainment Industry Foundation in 2000, this organization has had a significant role in raising awareness among Americans about colorectal cancer. Couric is one of the most visible and charismatic promoters of the NCCRA. Her husband, legal analyst Jay Monahan, died of colorectal cancer at the age of 42. Fueled by this tragedy, she has poured energy and enthusiasm into her fight against colorectal cancer.