Where’s the Outrage?

I heard this song a couple of days ago. Since then I can’t get it out of my head (Earworm). So, here is Nu Shooz with their only hit that I can remember, “I can’t wait.”

 

 Nu Shooz - I can't wait [3:37m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Tags: Music by ecthompson
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About 10 years ago, I was working as an emergency room doctor at a small community hospital. A 25 year-old gentleman came in with a bump on his head. It seems that while he was working, he turned around and hit his head on a metal pole. The gentleman had a small goose egg in the middle of his forehead, otherwise known as a hematoma. I asked all of the important questions and the patient said “no” to all of them. I gave him all of the warnings of what to look for that would be cause for concern. Then, I wrote a prescription for pain and discharged him.

If you could have witnessed the scene that man put on in the emergency room. He complained that I didn’t know anything, that I was a quack. He said he was seriously injured and that I needed to do some tests.

The standard of care is to get a CT scan on all patients who experience a loss of consciousness. Most physicians do not want the scene that I described above. It is faster for them to order the CT scan, get the normal results back, then talk to the patient armed with a negative CT scan. Most patients come to the hospital with expectation; They want the physician’s time and they want tests. This is reality.

Also, the fear of lawsuits is real. A physician exam is subjective. A CT scan is objective (for the most part). It is something that you can show the jury that will save a physician’s butt.

There is a new AP article that suggests that insurance companies are taking a closer look at what scans need to be ordered. Look for the medical community to push back big time. The medical community may join with patient advocacy groups to take on the insurance companies. Physicians must be able examine their patients and discuss a course of action that will lead to a diagnosis. Insurance companies should not be allowed to insert themselves between the physicians and the patients (any more than they already are).

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From AP:

Insurance companies are taking a harder look at advanced medical scans like CT scans, citing spiraling costs and safety concerns. And some doctors agree there’s emerging evidence that these scans are being over-prescribed.

“Costs are soaring in this area, quality concerns are mounting and safety concerns are mounting,” said Karen Ignagni, chief executive officer of the trade group America’s Health Insurance Plan.

Health insurers are requiring more preauthorizations before patients can receive these scans, and setting other restrictions including mandating that the imaging equipment and medical staff operating it be credentialed in advance. (more…)

Tags: Medical Ethics/Issues by ecthompson
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Here is a photo of a fishing boat that is returning with its catch from Corpus Christi Bay.

Here is a map of Corpus Christi Bay.

Here is information on destructive fishing practices.

Here is information about the ecology of Corpus Christi Bay.

The boat is being followed by many brown pelicans. Here is information on brown pelicans.

Here is information on visiting Corpus Christi, Texas.

I took this picture last week while visiting Corpus Christi.

Tags: Environment, General by Texas Liberal
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I recently read an article in the North Padre Island Moon about a new political action committee called Island United. North Padre Island is part of Corpus Christi, Texas.

A purpose of this political action committee is to encourage island residents to vote as a block in order to influence the outcome of elections for the Corpus Christi City Council and Mayor of Corpus Christi.

(Above is a Padre Island sand dune though I’m not sure how you’d prove otherwise if I’m making its location up. Here is information on sand dunes).

Some North Padre Island residents feel a divided vote weakens the clout of the community at Corpus Christi City Hall.

Here is the full article.

Please click here for a political map of Corpus Christi.

The presumption of this political action committee is that highly localized issues should be the guiding factor in how residents of this area cast votes for city council and mayor.

Given  that island voters have a history of differing opinions on who should be elected to municipal posts in Corpus Christi, this seems to be a tenuous assertion.

What are factors beyond North Padre Island issues that could impact how residents vote for council and mayor?

1. How will candidates for city office administer to Corpus Christi as a whole? Just as no man is an island, we can also say that not even an island is an island.

[Read more →]

Tags: Other Political Thoughts by Texas Liberal
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