News

Doctors may be fined or expelled from the Medicare program if they charge patients extra for providing a deluxe version of services already covered by Medicare, according to the New York Times.

Seattle - Reducing medical errors can be greatly facilitated by bringing state-of-the-art information technology into offices, clinics, pharmacies, and hospitals, according to Paul Tang, M.D. "The status quo is unacceptable," he said. "We can't manage the amount of paper we have now as healthcare professionals."

Washington - Investigators developing a rosacea-specific quality-of-life instrument (RosaQoL) have demonstrated its reliability and validity and have begun testing its responsiveness to changes in rosacea severity, said Suephy C. Chen, M.D., M.S., at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Dermatology.

More than half of all Americans are symptomatic of highly contagious, unsightly, and often difficult-to-cure nail fungus and infections, and may potentially pass them along to others by sharing nail tools, according to a survey on nail hygiene habits.

Prescription drug makers will be required within two years to put bar codes on packaging in an effort to reduce potentially dangerous dispensing errors in hospitals, U.S. health officials said. The bar codes are meant to enable nurses and other healthcare workers to electronically verify that they are giving the right drug at the right dose at the right time. The Bush administration published a final regulation on the bar-coding requirement in February. Under the requirement, each bar code must contain a drug's unique identification number. Companies also may include information on the product's lot number and expiration date. A nurse using the system would scan a patient's identification bracelet and then the drug label, and then a computer would compare the information. An error message would appear if the drug, dose, or time of dose were incorrect.

Before adding an allied health professional to your practice, keep in mind these practical suggestions from four practice management experts on how to identify and attract prime candidates:

The Food and Drug Administration said consumers should stay away from Green Hornet, a liquid pitched as an herbal form of the illegal drug ecstasy. The agency has received reports of four teens taking Green Hornet and being hospitalized for seizures, excessive heart rates, severe body rashes, and high blood pressure. The FDA said the herbal liquid, sold on the Internet and in stores, is illegal because it contains active drugs not listed on the label and because Green Hornet claims to be an alternative to a street drug.

Business owners across the country are facing big hikes in worker's compensation rates. In Alaska, worker's compensation insurance rates will rise more than 20 percent in 2004.

McClellan takes over at CMS; tackles medicare reforms, drug benefits

Recognizing specific conditions or personality traits may help reduce your exposure

Washington - Timely diagnosis of juvenile dermatomyositis is critical because early aggressive management with immunosuppressive agents, even for patients with amyopathic disease, is the best method for preventing calcinosis that is a source of significant morbidity for these children, said Amy S. Paller, M.D., at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Dermatology.

Washington - While hair loss may become more acceptable with increasing age, for some older people it is psychologically devastating and adds to the string of losses they may encounter, said Janet L. Roberts, M.D., at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Dermatology.

Washington - Intradermal botulinum toxin type A (Botox) for the treatment of primary axillary hyperhidrosis produces a durable effect, with nearly half of patients requiring only one treatment over a one-year period, according to study data released at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Dermatology here.

Waikoloa, Hawaii - The increase in the number of topical anesthesia options available mandates that dermatologists consider how they compare with respect to efficacy, safety, and patient convenience when selecting an agent to minimize the pain of a cutaneous procedure, said Dina N. Anderson, M.D., at the recent annual Hawaii Dermatology Seminar.

Los Angeles - Use of the topical skin adhesive 2-octylcyanoacrylate (Dermabond, Closure Medical) for final wound closure makes life much easier for surgeons and their patients, said Susan E. Downey, M.D.

Washington - The phrase "what is old is new again" aptly describes the current status of antimicrobial dressings, which, thanks to a new generation of products, are making a comeback in the woundcare arena, said Marketa Limova, M.D., at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Dermatology.

Plans and employers are called to promote health search literacy on the 'Net

Washington - Treatment of melasma has advanced significantly with the availability of new hydroquinone combination therapies that can produce clearing safely and more rapidly than single-agent regimens, said Valerie D. Callender, M.D., at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Dermatology.

From skin cancer drug studies to foot exams, patient and physician awareness of melanoma is key to quick detection of dreaded disease

Periungual warts require accurate diagnosis; aggressive treatment

Washington - Treatment of melasma has advanced significantly with the availability of new hydroquinone combination therapies that can produce clearing safely and more rapidly than single-agent regimens, said Valerie D. Callender, M.D., at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Dermatology.

Doctor comes to correct conclusion using tests, not just visual assessment

Washington -Timely diagnosis of juvenile dermatomyositis is critical because early, aggressive management with immunosuppressive agents, even for patients with amyopathic disease, is the best method for preventing calcinosis, which is a source of significant morbidity for these children, said Amy S. Paller, M.D., at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Dermatology.

Washington - Oral tazarotene has sustained efficacy in the treatment of moderate to very severe plaque psoriasis with no cumulative toxicity. Alan Menter, M.D., presented data from a one-year, open-label study at the 62nd annual meeting of the American Academy of Dermatology.

Overlap strategy can ease transition, preserve stabilitywhen shifting from methotrexate to alefacept therapy

Washington -- Oral tazarotene (Tazorac; Allergan Inc., Irvine, Calif.,) gives patients with plaque psoriasis significant improvements that continue after treatment stops, according to a poster study presented at this year's annual meeting of the American Academy of Dermatology. The blinded, placebo-controlled, multicenter study of about 700 patients shows that oral tazarotene delivers several advantages over existing treatment alternatives.

In a continuing series from Dermatology Times , a panel of pediatric masters discusses treatment options for specific and unusual cases. This second case is that of a 13-year-old girl who presents a progressive area of alopecia over the frontal parietal scalp. There is an ivory scleratic plaque with an extension to the forehead. What do you do?

Isotretinoin still falling in the hands of pregnant women

Vitamin therapy, sunscreen help protect skin from ultraviolet radiation and free radicals

Reports summarizetreatment options,possible thyroid link