Welcome to this week's mid-term edition of the medical blog-o-sphere's Grand Rounds! Before we begin, be SURE to get to the polls to VOTE!
This week submissions were classified by state or country of origin. Politically incorrect posts by state were colored RED whereas politically correct posts by state were colored BLUE. (States with both extremes are represented in PURPLE.)
Now what would any political post be without a POLITICAL MAP of the states represented in this week's Grand Rounds?
(Scroll down or click on a desired state)
TENNESSEE
It is rare to find such a wonderful example of our great democracy in action, where even the little guy can run for governor. But along came this must-see video, by far the most politically-incorrect submission to this week's Grand Rounds. This post should serve as a reminder to all of us why we MUST get out and vote today. (Submitted by the Happy Hospitalist). Go Basil! (Return to map)
GEORGIA
The Peach State has both extremes,
- From the very politically correct: Kimberly Manning, MD takes one heck-of-a-big-breath as she offers a refreshingly realistic view of the tenacity required to manage medicine, kids, home and a bit of social life. Doctor-moms never get enough credit. (Via: the ACP Hospitalist blog)
- To the very politically incorrect: Insurance executive Bob Vineyard isn't too happy with the Department of Health and Human Services granting "Obamacare waivers" to large, influential companies and wants to make sure you know about it. Tell us how you feel! (Return to map)
PENNSYLVANIA
Dr. Rich, ever politically incorrect yet astute over at the Covert Rationing blog, shares with us why he feels this midterm election cycle is a yawner: the fat lady, er, man, has already sung. (Return to map)
KENTUCKY
Dr. John Mandrola of the Dr. John M blog, always a bastion of political correctness, explains who should be on
ARKANSAS
Doctors who blog add depth to medical stories found on the internet. A fantastic example is Dr. Ramona Bates's coverage of California Republican U.S. Senate Candidate Carly Fiorina’s recent hospitalization due to an infection related to her post-mastectomy breast reconstruction. We need more like this. I wonder if she's thought about a run for Congress... (Return to map)
ILLINOIS
File these under politically correct:
Ever have something break (like an exploding ICD) and want to find out if others have seen the same thing? Check out Tony Chen's FDAZilla search engine that makes it easy to search the FDA's MAUDE database.
John H. Schumann, FACP uses President Obama's handling of the career USDA employee Shirley Sherrod's contextual kerfuffle as an example for "making nice" after we screw up. And while errors are inevitable and this is probably the best way to handle them once they've occurred, the story also reinforces principles to which all blog readers should ascribe: checking sources before drawing conclusions. (Return to map)
NEW YORK
(Political Action Committee) Chris Langston, Program Director of the John Hartford Foundation, happily reintroduces us to the must-see satirical video that lampoons a clueless “health care executive” who has read in Modern Healthcare how to create an Accountable Care Organization (ACO) and “have lots of meetings” to make his board happy. While Langston acknowledges "...everyone interested in health care reform is hoping that ACOs will provide a miracle cure for our ailing health system, no one is really sure how they will work." But like the true executive that he is, he then explains (with the help of Modern Healthcare, of course), how they will work. It's hard to find a better example of executive political correctness.
Elaine Schattner, M.D. shares her review of a new Broadway play Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson and shares these tag lines:
Some times you have to take the initiative.Hmmm. A metaphor? (Return to map)
Some times your whole family dies of cholera.
Some times you have to make your own story.
Some times you have to shoot the story teller in the neck.
Some times you have to take back the country….
NEBRASKA
Regarding sentiment for health care reform, the Happy Hospitalist reminds us that some former supporters are throwing in the towel. In a word: change. (Return to map)
MASSACHUSETTS
(Political Action Committee) Julie Rosen of the Bedside Manner blog explains why health literacy matters and brings our attention to the need for good public education and its benefits of such later health care. (Return to map)
INDIANA
(Political Action Committee) Walter Jessen of Highlight HEALTH reports on how the National Breast Cancer Coalition (NBCC) has thrown down the glove to push for a breast cancer vaccine by 2020. This is a great example how special interests confront our legislators every day. (Note: they listen more if you bring lunch!) (Return to map)
CANADA
In "From Plain Film to 3D: Radiologists as Superstars," Notwithstanding Blog argues that radiologists are the economic superstars of American Medicine. Funny to hear this from Canada. Still, it's acknowledged "... the challenge facing American radiologists in my lifetime may not be justifying their value in patient care so much as justifying their value over and above their American-boarded Indian-based counterparts." Exactly. (Return to map)
UNDISCLOSED
Dr. Fizzy over at A Cartoon Guide to Becoming a Doctor explains, as only a cartoon can, why Health Insurance Sucks. Too bad Dr. Fizzy may soon be mandated by law to buy it. (Return to map)
Before closing, I'd like to point you to a few more salient election day thoughts by Paul Levy, CEO and President of Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center:
I hope the very good people who lose in tomorrow's balloting will keep up their fights, whether they are incumbents or challengers. They, especially, deserve our thanks for participating in our election process.Amen.
Next week's Grand Rounds will be hosted by Mother Jones, RN at Nurse Ratched's Place.
-Wes
12 comments:
Wes, Thanks so much for hosting! I wonder if the map is representative of North American med-bloggers' whereabouts.
Wonderful edition, Dr Wes!
Elaine-
Perhaps. But I was struck by the drop in the number of independent bloggers that submitted. Perhaps it was Halloween, perhaps the topic was too risky for doc and nurses these days. But one thing is clear, the medical blogosphere, like medicine in general, is different now..
You've got MY vote for terrific 'Rounds!
Thanks for hosting, and for including our post.
Thanks for the interesting range of posts; the map was great (especially seeing Canada on it). I was inspired too late to make this one, though I did post an an election-themed bit this morning.
As for the number submitted, I think it may have to dow ith both the subject matter (which would make anyone at least slightly relunctant to comment in the echosphere of the Internet) and the fact that when it's harder to get a job, you work harder to keep it (and don't say things that might work against that goal). Just two cents to consider.
we know that every state in the united states is a separate issue, but it is important to know the opinion of each of them in a matter of health care, which I think is the priority.
Hi Dr. Wes,
Very clever edition of Grand Rounds. It would be interesting to see how different the map looks after the election!
Julie Rosen
Dr Wes - great compilation! I linked to it from my blog. I just came across your blog today and was heartened to see so many people commenting and thinking about the elections today on this post. Even though you mentioned that there seems to be a drop from times before, I hope it's still a sign that people are trying their hardest to remain engaged when the future of our healthcare system **continues** to be at stake.
Wes,
The map was a cool idea.
Like in real-life 2010, I am reading your submissions and watching the election results simultaneously. Listening to politicians, as it turns out, lends itself well to doing other more complicated matters. Like Muzak, their dronings are hardly distracting.
Your other commenters are right, it is hard for practicing clinicians to tee-off. We have many masters these days.
Thanks for posting such a cool Grand Rounds, and of course, a special thanks for including my words.
John
Great theme for election day. High five, Doc!
Nicely done. We are particularly fond of clicky maps for navigating grand rounds posts (like our 2008 iPhone grand rounds post).
Thanks for hosting this week.
Great job! Loved it!
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