by Caroline Fife, M.D. | Nov 25, 2020 | COVID-19
Tomorrow is Thanksgiving. The very first Thanksgiving followed a period of truly terrible trials for the Mayflower survivors. A large percentage of the original passengers had died of hunger and disease, and their lives were still difficult. Artist conceptions of the...
by Caroline Fife, M.D. | Nov 24, 2020 | Fight the Good Fight
The Sagol Center for Hyperbaric Medicine and Research, Shamir (Assaf-Harofeh) Medical Center in Israel has just published a new study indicating that hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) has “senolytic” (anti-aging) effects. The study is reported ahead of print in the...
by Caroline Fife, M.D. | Nov 23, 2020 | COVID-19, Dr. Marissa Carter
Dr. Carter has posted a new article on her own blog about COVID-19. “Things are not looking good in regard to the COVID-19 virus. Infection rates are totally out of control…“ –Caroline Caroline Fife, M.D.Dr. Fife is a world renowned wound care physician...
by Caroline Fife, M.D. | Nov 20, 2020 | COVID-19, Healthcare Payment Policy
As a result of the pandemic, The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has invoked its Extreme and Uncontrollable Circumstances policy (click the link to download the PDF) and is allowing participants in the Merit Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) to...
by Caroline Fife, M.D. | Nov 19, 2020 | Pressure Cooker: Rethinking Pressure Ulcers
In honor of “World Wide Pressure Injury Prevention Day,” I’d like to propose that we acknowledge that severe pressure injuries (and probably “stage 1 pressure injuries”) form from the inside-out due to the compromise of named blood vessels that supply a 3-dimensional...
by Caroline Fife, M.D. | Nov 12, 2020 | Healthcare Payment Policy
Thank you to Dr. Helen Gelly for providing this guest post about Medicare denials for radiation proctitis. –Caroline Why are Medicare charges for hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) denied when treating radiation proctitis? National Coverage Decision (NCD) 20.29...
by Caroline Fife, M.D. | Nov 11, 2020 | COVID-19, COVID-19 Diaries
Our Covid Diaries author mentioned a video created by an ICU nurse as a tribute to the healthcare workers. We got permission to share the link with you: Caroline Fife, M.D.Dr. Fife is a world renowned wound care physician dedicated to improving patient outcomes...
by Caroline Fife, M.D. | Nov 10, 2020 | COVID-19, COVID-19 & HBOT, COVID-19 Diaries
It’s hard to believe that our collective national journey with COVID-19 began only about 9 months ago. In March, I got an informal email from a close friend who is an intensive care and hyperbaric medicine physician. It was so moving that I thought, “Everyone...
by Caroline Fife, M.D. | Nov 6, 2020 | Healthcare Payment Policy
Recently someone asked me if it was actually possible to report wound care relevant quality measures to CMS as part of MIPS (the Merit Based Incentive Payment Plan). The answer is yes. Here are screenshots from my own reporting, so you can see that I reported them and...
by Caroline Fife, M.D. | Oct 23, 2020 | Miscellaneous Musings
Please tell me you have it, too. At least then I won’t feel alone! I have trouble concentrating on tasks and I am inefficient with my time. People keep telling me, “Previously you said . . .” I don’t even remember TALKING about that, much less remember what I said. I...
