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‘ObamaCare’ Pits Generalists Against Specialists

President Obama has made an astonishing discovery: We’re not producing enough primary care doctors, he recently told Congress. Although this may be news to the president’s minions, physician groups, legislators, insurers, and patients are all well aware of the dearth of generalists.

Spreading Medical Knowledge Abroad Is Necessary and Rewarding

PHOENIX-As James D. Smith, MD, took his place behind the lectern to prepare to speak about what America’s role should be in the instruction of physicians in underprivileged and disease-stricken countries, a question was posed on the screen next to him: Do we have a responsibility to help?

Salvage Surgery Shows More Prosthesis-Related Complications

PHOENIX-Performing salvage surgery after chemoradiation or radiation treatment for laryngeal cancer patients, rather than just performing primary surgery right away, appears to lead to more complications with patients’ tracheoesophageal voice prostheses, according to a retrospective study reported by researchers here.

Otolaryngologists Find Creative Ways To Offer Cancer Screening to High-Risk Populations

Oral, head and neck cancer screening is critical to early detection-but otolaryngologists often find that they aren’t reaching the populations at highest risk for the disease. Consequently, many physicians are taking the initiative to develop novel and creative outreach programs to target people who are likely to regularly use tobacco and alcohol, as well as individuals who do not have ready access to health care.

Induction Chemo May Be Superior to Chemoradiotherapy Alone in Unresectable Head And Neck Cancer

ORLANDO-Concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CRT) is considered standard treatment for unresectable advanced head and neck cancer. A new study presented at the 2009 meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) suggests that induction chemotherapy (IC) delivered before CRT significantly improved time to treatment failure (TTF) compared with standard upfront CRT alone in this setting.

Eosinophilic Esophagitis: Serious But Misunderstood

PHOENIX-Eosinophilic esophagitis is a serious, growing problem that is little understood by many otolaryngologists, according to panelists discussing the disease. Some doctors who specialize in swallowing disorders acknowledged that they were not even aware of the problem, let alone well versed in diagnosing and treating the illness, according to results of a survey completed by 80 members of the American Broncho-Esophagological Association (ABEA).

Experts Debate Surgical Approaches To Sinus Disease

Part 1 of 2 articles

PHILADELPHIA-Surgeons are faced with many options for approaching diseases of the sinus, and the right approach is not always clear-cut. Five experts reviewed several approaches at Rhinology World held recently here, with some favoring a more aggressive approach, some preferring to be less aggressive, and others highlighting new technology.