by Caroline Fife, M.D. | Nov 29, 2017 | Don't Miss This, Fight the Good Fight, Health Information Technology and Wound Care
This is atrophie blanche. Note the smooth ivory white plaque of skin with telangiectasias. It has other names, including lividoid vasculopathy. These areas often ulcerate. It is NOT vasculitis. It is usually excruciatingly painful. The majority of these lesions are...
by Caroline Fife, M.D. | Nov 27, 2017 | Fight the Good Fight, Health Information Technology and Wound Care
A recent issue of JAMA contained a Viewpoint article by Pronovost and colleagues about the need for transparent standards in quality reporting by healthcare organizations:. I communicated with Pronovost to thank him for raising this issue. I’ve been troubled about...
by Caroline Fife, M.D. | Nov 20, 2017 | Fight the Good Fight, Health Information Technology and Wound Care
I’ve noticed a lot of postings about what topics NOT to discuss at Thanksgiving. In an era of heightened sensitivity even about topics that used to seem safe (e.g. food), it may seem that there are no safe conversation topics left. A friend sent me this list of GOOD...
by Caroline Fife, M.D. | Nov 13, 2017 | Fight the Good Fight, Health Information Technology and Wound Care
This woman had a stroke at home and was on the floor for 3 days before anyone found her, so I am treating the sacral and heel pressure ulcers which developed during that time. However, on her first visit I noticed was this pretty BIG skin cancer on her forehead. She...
by Caroline Fife, M.D. | Nov 7, 2017 | Fight the Good Fight, Health Information Technology and Wound Care
We have a special treat for you today – a guest post by the esteemed Dr. Helen Gelly, CEO of HyperbaRXS in Atlanta, GA. In the exclusive article below, she crystallizes a lot of the issues surrounding Targeted Review and Education (TPE). Enjoy, it’s a...
by Caroline Fife, M.D. | Nov 2, 2017 | Fight the Good Fight, Health Information Technology and Wound Care
This patient had a “tummy tuck” done in the Caribbean where she said about 20 lbs of fat was removed from her abdomen. On the flight home she developed acute abdominal pain and respiratory distress, requiring the plane to make an emergency landing in a...
by Caroline Fife, M.D. | Oct 31, 2017 | Don't Miss This, Fight the Good Fight, Health Information Technology and Wound Care
After 30 years I have made enough mistakes for several people, so maybe I can spare you some of them. Don’t miss Necrobiosis lipoidica diabeticorum. Necrobiosis lipoidica diabeticorum (NLD) is a skin eruption that usually occurs on the shin in diabetic patients...
by Caroline Fife, M.D. | Oct 26, 2017 | Fight the Good Fight, Health Information Technology and Wound Care
Happy 15th Birthday Alliance of Wound Care Stakeholders! No other organization provides so much bang for the buck! In addition to submitting comment letters on every policy that affects wound care, it carried out the just released Value in Health article on the cost...
by Caroline Fife, M.D. | Oct 23, 2017 | Fight the Good Fight, Health Information Technology and Wound Care, Quality Payment Program
Stopping Data Blocking by EHR Vendors The biggest barrier to participation in the US Wound Registry (USWR) has been data blocking (also called information blocking) by electronic health record (EHR) vendors. Data blocking endangers patients and can prevent physicians...
by Caroline Fife, M.D. | Oct 20, 2017 | Fight the Good Fight, Health Information Technology and Wound Care, Quality Payment Program
I’ve been blogging about debridement as it relates to the Novitas Local Coverage Determination (LCD) on Wound care issued in final form just recently. (You can find a pdf version of the LCD here). The Novitas LCD states that debridement services can be continued...
