Recently on Twitter I unfollowed a friend who had become too noisy. Long strings of banal tweets were interfering with those in my stream who had something to say. I launched a tweet reflecting my decision but didn’t disclose the perpetrator. I then received a handful of direct messages reflecting anxious concern (“I hope it wasn’t me”). Interesting, but not ... Continue Reading about To Unfollow is Human
When Doctors Think Out Loud
I recently had dry erase boards installed in my office exam rooms.I didn’t give it much thought but felt on a whim that it might help with diagrams and things.As it turns out, the result has been dramatic.Parents are crazy about them. Here’s how I use them: After my history and physical I summarize the 4-5 key points of a child’s story in the upper right part of the ... Continue Reading about When Doctors Think Out Loud
Wakefield’s Last Stand
In an attempt to save what remains of his ramshackle reputation, Andrew Wakefield took to the airwaves tonight in Dateline’s A Dose of Controversy to pitch his long-disproven theory linking autism to the MMR vaccine. For the unaware, Wakefield’s crafted study published in Lancet in the late 1990’s sparked a worldwide panic over the MMR and its relation to autism. The ... Continue Reading about Wakefield’s Last Stand
Self-Surfing Patients
When I finish a history and exam I always ask parents what they understand about their child’s problem. It’s a critical question. It helps me understand how they see their child. When answering the question, parents often introduce their comments with, "I know I shouldn’t be on the Internet but…" Translation: “I know as my doctor you’ve always been my sole source of ... Continue Reading about Self-Surfing Patients
Is There a Doctor on the Plane?
There was obvious commotion in the galley. Something was up. I initially turned a deaf ear to the overhead call for a doctor but my laptop’s Powerpoint images were a dead giveaway. Flight service attendant: Are you a doctor? (you’re not dressed nearly well enough but we thought we’d ask) DrV: Yes (but trust me, not the kind you need) Flight service attendant: ... Continue Reading about Is There a Doctor on the Plane?
Take a Peek to the Beach
I’ve never done this before. The folks over at Typepad asked if I’d like to monkey around with a Peek device. I said yes. They mailed me one. No money ever changed hands. I took it on vacation and here we are. I will remind you, however, that I’m no Walt Mossberg. For the uninformed, the Peek is a bare bones email/text only device working to position itself among ... Continue Reading about Take a Peek to the Beach