Volume 4 Issue 4 – March 2008
Market-Based Failure — A Second Opinion on U.S. Health Care Costs – An NEJM Perspective Article
R Kuttner, February 7 2008, Vol 358 (6), 549-51
Solutions to American healthcare problems will be one of the most important issues in the upcoming Presidential election. Understanding the reasons for America’s especially high healthcare costs is consequently a high priority for those interested in the medical field. Dr. Kuttner asserts that the failure of the U.S. system lies in its obsession with profit maximization. He advocates universal health care to increase cost-effectiveness and standard of care.
Medical Mistakes
Misdiagnosis is, unfortunately, a more common occurrence than is desired. But as with other efforts in curbing medical malpractice, an increasing focus has been placed on misdiagnosis. Emory Hsu investigates the reasons for the prevalence of misdiagnosis, describes methods of reducing mistakes, and suggests how doctors should react when they happen to err.
Pathways Through Medicine: Radiology
Medical imaging has rapidly developed to its current advanced state, and its commonplace tools are critical in diagnosis and treatment. Radiologists serve a vital role in many branches of medicine, from analyzing fractures in the emergency room to investigating potential tumors in cancer centers. In this Pathways article, Roger Batt describes the current state of radiology, the pros and cons of radiology as a profession, and the process of becoming a radiologist.
