News

Regular serial screening by dermatologists may be the key to ensuring survival for patients at high risk of melanoma, according to a study. In the study, which is now in its 20th year, no melanoma deaths occurred in any higher-risk patients who underwent serial screening in the private practice of Ronald N. Shore, M.D.

The recent release of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Final Rule for Stage 2 of the Medicare and Medicaid Electronic Health Record (EHR) Incentive Program gives dermatologists a clear view of where the government initiative is steering you - and your patients. What lies ahead - eventually, even for those not participating in the program - is a new world of electronically connected practices and patients.

Preventing and addressing filler complications requires a thorough knowledge of the anatomy underlying the injection area, said Joel L. Cohen, M.D., earlier this year at MauiDerm 2012: Advances in Cosmetic and Medical Dermatology.

With the Nov. 6 election quickly approaching, dermatologists, issues involving the impact of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and specific provisions (such as the establishment of the Independent Payment Advisory Board/IPAB) will be part of the decision-making process for many healthcare professionals. Dermatologists also should be aware that the Department of Health and Human Services has published a final rule that will directly affect their practices.

Carl R. Thornfeldt, M.D., has taken a fresh approach to an age-old dermatologic problem. "Where I practice in the high desert area, we have tremendous trouble with contact reactions to many skincare products and a lot of trouble with hyperpigmentation" in darker-skinned patients, who make up 30 percent of his practice. He is a Fruitland, Idaho, private practitioner and CEO and founder of Episciences.

Mary Maloney, M.D., says she believes everyone in dermatology is a leader. "We're the brightest and best," she says. "That's whether we lead our staff, our patients, our communities, choose to lobby in Washington, or serve a dermatology organization? we're all leaders."

A first-in-class cell-based therapy holds promise for better treatment of chronic venous ulcers. Surprisingly, the less intense regimen - fewer cells, administered less often - proved to be the more effective of the options studied, according to results published online Aug. 2 in The Lancet.

On Call asked dermatologists around the country whether they dispense prescription or over-the-counter products in their office, why they chose the course they did, what benefits they feel product sales have, and how they choose the products they sell. While the number of dermatologists who offer items for sale is growing, not all offices have gone the retail route.

Although contact dermatitis is more widely recognized in children, patch testing - the gold standard for identification of the condition - is underutilized in this population, says Sharon E. Jacob, M.D., associate clinical professor of medicine and pediatrics, University of California, San Diego.

A patient's immunodeficiency and/or sheer neglect of basal cell carcinoma (BCC) and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) tumors can result in very large, difficult-to-resect lesions, begging the need for higher vigilance and closer patient care, said Robert E. Clark, M.D., Ph.D., of the Cary Skin Center, Cary, N.C., at the 2012 meeting of Mastering Advances in Dermatology: Beyond Skin Deep in April.

These days, dermatologists have a lot to consider. Take, for example, the complexities surrounding implementation of electronic health records, as well as the looming and potentially drastic changes planned for healthcare delivery and reimbursement. So why would any dermatologist want to add learning leadership skills to their list of things to do?

A disgruntled employee went on Facebook and described a salary disagreement with his boss, Dr. Labor. Dr. Labor found out about this and promptly fired the employee for violating an office policy on not discussing office-related issues on social media. The now-former employee filed a lawsuit against him with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) alleging that his former boss violated his First Amendment rights.

Atopic dermatitis presents differently in children with skin of color, and dermatologists should be aware and culturally sensitive when managing the disease in these patients, says Adelaide A. Hebert, M.D., professor of dermatology and pediatrics, University of Texas Medical School at Houston.

Topical corticosteroid addiction may cause many patients' "red skin" syndrome, according to an expert in steroid-induced dermatitis.

Some of the most common surgical coding errors involve Medicare definition changes, physicians' erroneous assumptions or clinically ambiguous findings, says Howard W. Rogers, M.D., Ph.D., director of Advanced Dermatology, Norwich, Conn.

Successful repair and rejuvenation of the hand require a thorough knowledge of the subcutaneous anatomy and appropriate anesthetic techniques, says Emily J. Fisher, M.D., chief of cosmetic dermatology and laser dermatology, Lahey Clinic, Boston.

In treating children of color, promising breakthroughs include the discovery that nutritional deficiencies may have implications in vitiligo, said Nanette Silverberg, M.D., at the 2012 American Academy of Dermatology Summer Academy Meeting.

The approval of the newest botulinum toxin product available in the United States underscores the value of the Food and Drug Administration drug approval process and the importance of using branded products, says Mich?l H. Gold, M.D.

Defined benefit pension plans as well as cash balance plans are generating a lot of interest with medical practices, both large and small.

Early initiation of treatment for atopic dermatitis (AD) offers the best possibility for altering the natural course of the disease, increasing the odds that children might outgrow the problem, according to Elaine Siegfried, M.D., professor of pediatrics in dermatology, Saint Louis University Health Sciences Center, St. Louis.

Over the past few years, many physicians have re-examined not only their investment assumptions, but also their relationships with investment advisory professionals. Declines in market values, such as the 2007-2008 40 percent drop in the S&P 500, often cause investors to rethink their investment strategies

Lumenis has signed an agreement with Sound Surgical Technologies (SST) that will make Lumenis a distributor of SST’s VASER Shape MC1 System, a noninvasive body-shaping device for aesthetic practitioners.

Lucid Inc. is operating under a new company name - Caliber Imaging & Diagnostics Inc., or Caliber ID. The new name reflects the company’s commitment to innovating and delivering the highest-caliber identification tools for accurate, rapid diagnosis to assist in the fight against skin cancer and other diseases, according to company reports.

Ulthera is now registered in Brazil to market and distribute its UltheraSystem, which combines ultrasound imaging with focused ultrasound therapy in a treatment known as Ultherapy.

Valeant Pharmaceuticals has agreed to acquire Medicis Pharmaceutical for $44 per share in cash, in a deal worth approximately $2.6 billion.

Palomar Medical Technologies has announced the availability of the Palomar Vectus laser for laser hair removal.

Galderma’s Cetaphil brand is partnering with Camp Wonder, an initiative of the Children’s Skin Disease Foundation, by donating a portion of the proceeds of a special edition moisturizing cream to the camp, as well as granting $100,000 to fund camp activities.

Allergan has opened a new research and development center in Bridgewater, N.J.

NovaBay Pharmaceuticals has expanded its commercial partnership agreement with Naqu Area Pioneer Pharma, a Shanghai company that markets high-end pharmaceutical products into China, for the commercialization of NeutroPhase Skin and Wound Cleanser in China and other select Asian markets.

Reflectance confocal microscopy is a valuable noninvasive tool for diagnosing basal cell carcinoma and melanoma, and may dramatically reduce unnecessary excisions of benign lesions, according to a recent study.