by Caroline Fife, M.D. | Apr 30, 2015 | Do the Right Thing: Thoughts on Quality
Sometimes it feels so hopeless trying to manage paralyzed patients. None of them seem to have physical medicine doctors. Their bladder spasms and muscle spasms are terrible and I am arguing with their insurance companies to get them to physical medicine doctors who...
by Caroline Fife, M.D. | Apr 29, 2015 | Do the Right Thing: Thoughts on Quality
If you have followed along with Wound Wednesday for the last several weeks, I have shown a progression of treatment for a with an inflammatory leg ulcer. Here are the final results. 1. Theraskin for GT: inflammatory leg ulcer after debridement with maggots and the...
by Caroline Fife, M.D. | Apr 28, 2015 | Pressure Cooker: Rethinking Pressure Ulcers
I recently attended the American Professional Wound Care Association meeting where Kevin Yankowsky of Norton, Rose, Fulbright, talked about the criminalization of adverse events including pressure ulcers. The National Quality Forum lists Stage 3 and 4 pressure ulcers...
by Caroline Fife, M.D. | Apr 27, 2015 | Do the Right Thing: Thoughts on Quality
Every Monday in April I have been talking about the annual National Quality Forum meeting, healthcare reform and what I think it means to wound care professionals. Why is CMS driving so hard in the direction of quality measurement? The measures CMS really wants to...
by Caroline Fife, M.D. | Apr 23, 2015 | Do the Right Thing: Thoughts on Quality
I think that Velcro devices for edema control are the greatest things since sliced bread. I hardly ever prescribe stockings for my elderly patients since it’s so unlikely they can put them on. I use Farrow wraps and Circaids almost exclusively. However, I get so...
by Caroline Fife, M.D. | Apr 22, 2015 | Don't Miss This
I am removing the maggots after only 24 hours (sometimes they are left on longer). Look how clean the wound is. Next week you can see how she did. [wpvideo AinSKUuN] Caroline Fife, M.D.Dr. Fife is a world renowned wound care physician dedicated to improving patient...
by Caroline Fife, M.D. | Apr 21, 2015 | Do the Right Thing: Thoughts on Quality
It happened again this week that the manufacturer of a cellular product suggested to me that their product was so effective, there should be no problem with the hospital (wound center) purchasing it for an amount equal to, or slightly more than, the total amount...
by Caroline Fife, M.D. | Apr 20, 2015 | Do the Right Thing: Thoughts on Quality
Have you heard of the “Triple Aim”? The Triple Aim is a framework developed by the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI). The concept is that as we reform our healthcare system, we should simultaneously optimize three dimensions: 1) improve the patient experience...
by Caroline Fife, M.D. | Apr 16, 2015 | Cassandra Chronicles: Regulatory and Coverage Policy
By now you have heard about Medicare rescinding coverage for most of the honey based dressings. I had good success with them for a variety of applications. However, the sad fact is that a lot of the research we need to do about dressings and the benefits of the...
by Caroline Fife, M.D. | Apr 15, 2015 | Don't Miss This
This is an inflammatory leg ulcer in a patient with an autoimmune disease. I don’t want to use sharp debridement but I’d like to get her ready for a cellular product so I’ve decided to use biological debridement (larval maggots). Next week I will...
