The Lost Art of Medicine: Patient care is paramount in practice

The science of medicine continues to expand rapidly, and this is obviously good for humanity. The art of medicine, on the other hand, has been largely forgotten. This skill is the basis of the time-honored physician-patient relationship and is an important aspect of good patient care. So why have so many physicians forgotten this basic skill? Why would a caring physician disregard any expertise that would benefit his patient?

Update Your Practice: Follow these tips to select the right EMR for your group

I have been working with electronic medical records (EMR) for many years, having first become interested in 1996, when I was looking for a tool to collect data for pediatric sinusitis. As we designed a product to collect this data, our scope expanded into developing a subspecialty-specific EMR. I have since learned a great deal about developing and codifying information and am currently participating in my third and largest implementation of an EMR at Boys Town National Research Hospital in Omaha, Neb. In this column, I would like to discuss what to look for in an EMR and give some initial thoughts on implementation.

Structural Support: Surgeons extol the cartilage stability provided by a new nasal implant

For patients who undergo septoplasty to repair a crooked septum, reconnecting pieces of cartilage and stabilizing the cartilage during the healing process is critical to achieving straight alignment of the nasal septum. Stabilizing cartilage is particularly challenging for patients who require correction of severe septal deviations or severe post-traumatic deformities that are often both functional and cosmetic.

A New Way to Learn: Residency programs use medical simulation to fill training gaps

In May, Marcelo Antunes, MD, chief resident of otorhinolaryngology-head and neck surgery at the University of Pennsylvania, was able to practice bilobed flaps on pig’s feet at an ORL Rising Chief Boot Camp held at Penn Medicine Clinical Simulation Center in Philadelphia. While he had previously experienced medical simulation during his otolaryngology residency, the boot camp put the methodology in proper context for Dr. Antunes, who is particularly interested in facial plastics.

A Meta-Analysis of Minimally Invasive Video-Assisted Thyroidectomy

How does minimally invasive video-assisted thyroidectomy (MIVAT) compare with conventional thyroidectomy? Background: The advantages of minimally invasive thyroid surgery include shorter hospital stays, reduced postoperative pain, and improved cosmetic results. Studies […]