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Muslim Nose Jobs and Gossipy Doctors
Byadmin March 15, 2012

A scandal is rocking Egypt, now that word has spread that those unsightly bandages on Anwar el-Balkimy’s face weren’t there because he got beaten by a masked gunman but, instead, because he had had (horror of horrors!) plastic surgery—a procedure which many people in the conservative Islamist party that el-Balkimy belongs to considered to be “sinful.”
But the real scandal? His lies were brought to light by the doctors who performed the procedure, physicians who were so aghast at his brazen falsehoods that they unhesitantly violated doctor-patient confidentiality.
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Behavioral Economics and Public Policy

Discussing Life Expectancy With Older Patients
Byadmin March 12, 2012

In a recent post, I laid out a question to readers — about whether and how physicians should discuss the prognosis among patients whose shortened life expectancy is the result of their already long lives…(Read the rest and view comments at Scientocracy)

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Health Care Cost

Do You Want Your Doctor to Tell You When You’re Going to Die?
Byadmin March 8, 2012

Paul Kostick’s DNA was under attack and his fate was sealed. Forces beyond his control were hacking large pieces of genetic material off the ends of his chromosomes. Should his doctor tell him how long he has to live?

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Revolutionary Thought

Thought of the Day: Can someone stop Gail Collins from making "dog on the roof" jokes, please!
Byadmin March 7, 2012

Is it possible for Gail Collins, New York Times op-ed columnist, to write an article about Mitt Romney without making a joke about him, as she describes it, “strapping his dog to the roof of his car”?
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Health Care Cost

Talking Money With Your Doctor
Byadmin March 6, 2012

In a recent post, I asked whether you think doctors should routinely discuss the costs of medical interventions with their patients before exposing these patients to large out-of-pocket expenses. According to the responses I have gotten on websites and by email, most of you think the answer is “yes.”
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Behavioral Economics and Public Policy | Health Policy

It's We, the Public, Who Are "Flip Floppers"
Byadmin February 23, 2012

The failure of health care reform does not rest solely at the president’s feet. Instead, we, the general public, are also to blame…(Read the rest and view comments at Scientocracy)

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Health Policy

When Harry and Louise Met Hillary
Byadmin February 17, 2012

As part of the Duke undergraduate course I teach on health care policy, I recently prepared a lecture on Bill Clinton’s ultimately futile efforts to reform the US health care system early in his first term of office, back in 1993. This preparation gave me an excuse to read Theda Skocpol’s wonderful book, Boomerang.
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View original post and comments at Scientocracy

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Revolutionary Thought

Thought of the day: On war
Byadmin February 15, 2012

I drove behind a car today with a bumper sticker proclaiming “War is not the answer”. Well, doesn’t that depend on the question?

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Health Care Cost

Should Your Doctor Talk With You About the Cost of Your Pills?
Byadmin February 14, 2012

In the last few decades, medical schools have been teaching us doctors to inform patients about their treatment alternatives, so our patients can pick the alternative that best fits with their individual values. Which raises the question: Should doctors take the time to figure out the cost of treatment alternatives and communicate such information to…

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Miscellaneous

Should Your Doctor Talk With You About the Cost of Your Pills?
Byadmin February 13, 2012

In the last few decades, medical schools have been teaching us doctors to inform patients about their treatment alternatives, so our patients can pick the alternative that best fits with their individual values. Which raises the question: Should doctors take the time to figure out the cost of treatment alternatives and communicate such information to their patients? Read More

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