Tapping Technology, Patient Involvement For Healing
The New York Times looks at potential health gains when patients have full and easier access to their medical information, while Reuters reports on using web searches to predict population disease risks. Other stories examine the growing focus on wellness and prevention during physicals and how doctors are altering their practices.
The New York Times:
The Healing Power Of Your Own Medical Records
Steven Keating’s doctors and medical experts view him as a citizen of the future. A scan of his brain eight years ago revealed a slight abnormality — nothing to worry about, he was told, but worth monitoring. And monitor he did, reading and studying about brain structure, function and wayward cells, and obtaining a follow-up scan in 2010, which showed no trouble. ... So when he started smelling whiffs of vinegar last summer, he suspected they might be “smell seizures.” (Lohr, 3/31)
Reuters:
Web Searches May Predict Disease Risk Among Populations
Internet search data might someday help estimate the prevalence of noncommunicable diseases like stroke, heart disease or cancer, a new study suggests. Web searches are often linked with behavior, said Svetha Venkatesh, one of the study’s co-authors. (Doyle, 3/31)
The Philadelphia Inquirer:
Annual Physicals Are Back In Fashion, But With A Difference
Health economists and medical groups including the American College of Physicians and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, have concluded that the standard checkup and battery of routine tests waste money, do not prolong life, and often result in overdiagnosis and unnecessary treatment. ... "Today, it is a conversation about wellness and prevention. An opportunity to ask your patient about smoking, nutrition, and personal relationships."
(Dribben, 3/31)
Minnesota Public Radio:
How Primary Doctors Are Making It Personal
A growing number of primary care doctors are leaving the traditional medical clinic and insurance systems behind and working more directly with patients. Sometimes called "concierge care" or "direct primary care," the goal is to strip out layers of management that can come between patients and doctors. (Miller, 3/31)
