Monday, December 8, 2014

The best recent posts you may have missed

Every few months, I post a list of my top 5 favorite posts since the preceding "best of" list on this blog, for those of you who have only recently started reading Common Sense Family Doctor or don't read it regularly. Here are my favorites from September, October, and November:

1) The demise of the small practice has been greatly exaggerated (9/22/14)

In addition to providing superior service, solo physicians or small groups can create their own economies of scale by pooling resources and collaborating with other practices in areas such electronic health record systems and quality improvement.

2) For homeless patients, housing is preventive health care (11/9/14)

I have come to realize that some of my patients will not be able to fully address their chronic health issues until they have roofs over their heads and the stability and security that comes with having a place to call home.

3) Birth control pills over-the-counter: debate evidence, not politics (11/6/14)

Over-the-counter birth control need not be an evidence-free debate. Regardless of where you stand on this issue personally or politically, it's time to stop with the slogans and inform the discussion with science.

4) Why are doctors still prescribing bed rest in pregnancy? (9/8/14)

71 percent of maternity care providers would recommend bed rest to patients with arrested preterm labor, and 87 percent would advise bed rest for patients with preterm premature rupture of membranes at 26 weeks gestation, even though most of them did not believe it would make make any difference in the outcome.

5) The natural history of symptoms in primary care (11/2/14)

At least one-third of common physical symptoms evaluated in primary care are "medically unexplained," meaning that they are never connected to a disease-based diagnosis after an appropriate history, physical examination, and testing.

If you have a personal favorite that isn't on this list, please let me know. Thank you for reading!