Service. My parents exemplified it and passed the value down to me. Since my first job delivering newspapers in Federal Way for the Seattle Times, I have enjoyed serving others. On rainy days it was important to me that the papers I delivered did not get wet. “Any job worth doing is a job worth doing well,” my Dad would say. I learned early that “going the extra mile” pleases others and is its own reward. Click here to see where this led ->
Tasers safe, study shows
Bozeman et al., in an August, 2009, article, report the results of their EKG monitored study of the effects of tasers (Conducted Electrical Weapons or CEW’s) on cardiac rhythm. The study concluded they are safe, as did a previous study of 105 volunteers. (How researchers recruited volunteers to subject themselves to taser shocks is an even more interesting question.)
Defensive medicine less of a cost driver than alleged
In an article in WSJ, Searcey and Goldstein recently reviewed the role played by defensive medicine in the overall cost of health care. Their conclusion is that the impact is modest. There are many other drivers, as shown in a recent survey.
Super-obese will be next fertile ground for trial lawyers
Dr. David Baehren, one of my favorite columnists, writes in ACEP News that the care of the super-obese will be a source of significant litigation in coming years. With patients frequently topping 300 pounds and sometimes topping 500 pounds or more, hospital equipment such as an MRI is unable to accommodate their weight. As a result, an increasing number of lawsuits claiming discrimination based on obesity are being filed by super-obese patients. Check out “In the Arena: Heavy Stuff” for the full story
Facebook: Friend or foe in a malpractice trial?
Facebook posts can be viewed by a surprising number of people who may not be one’s “friends.” This article from NY law firm Ziff Law shows what can happen when one’s life looks much better on Facebook than it is made to appear during a malpractice trial. Facebook is just one of many internet sites where both plaintiff and defense attorneys can check out litigants. Simply Googling a name often yields fascinating results.