Infectious Diseases Specialists and You
The Infectious Diseases (ID) subspecialty of Internal Medicine has been in existence for only about 40 years. Once thought to be the province of epidemic detectives (epidemiologists) sleuthing exotic, rare acquired diseases, the ID specialist has become appreciated over the past 20 years as part of the mainstream of vital assets in defining and managing […]
Healthcare Reform/Private Practitioners
Healthcare Reform: A Private Practitioner’s Perspective The Decline and Fall of the American Medical Profession Edward R. Rensimer, MD, FACP Abridged Version I am a 63 yr-old self-employed medical specialist who has practiced internal medicine (one aspect of primary care) as well as the specialty of infectious diseases since graduating medical school in 1975. […]
Medical Politics/Policy/Healthcare Reform
Hospital Governing Boards Re: 1. Rensimer Report on Oct 4th Physician Leadership/CI Event 2. Proposal for Task Force on Governing Boards I sent out a report to many Houston-area physicians on our Oct 4th speaking event by Alice Gosfield is a call to action and lays the foundation for a quality-driven payor environment; […]
Electronic Health Records/Defiling Physician Performance
9/10/10 Concept Document: EHR/ Physician Interface Electronic Health Records (EHRs) are inevitable and will be mandatory for economically viable medical practice in the next 5 years. It will be impossible to practice without them because, ePrescribing will become statutorily required for patient safety. Physician culture will become interconnected in electronic information exchange; this will […]
Dilemma of a Positive TB Test
The Dilemma of a Positive TB Test You have been told by your doctor or your employer’s medical department that your tuberculosis (TB) test is positive. What does that mean? Do you have TB? Are co-workers and family at risk because they have been around you? Should you be on medication? All of these questions […]
Rabies Prevention
Rabies is an almost invariably fatal viral infection of the brain and spinal cord. The virus inhabits the nervous system of infected animals and humans and is shed in saliva. So a bite, lick, or scratch by a rabid animal is the means of transmission. In the U.S., principal vectors are wild animals, especially skunks, […]