by Caroline Fife, M.D. | Oct 11, 2024 | Fight the Good Fight
A brief report was recently published in JAMA Cardiology about the estimated benefits of a drug called Finerenone (nonsteroidal mineralocorticoid receptor antagonist) in heart failure (HF). I read the cardiology literature because as a field, they understand a lot...
by Caroline Fife, M.D. | Oct 8, 2024 | Fight the Good Fight, Healthcare Payment Policy
Medicare’s Quality Payment Program vs. Wound Care Practitioners | Today’s Wound Clinic Today’s Wound Clinic just posted an article I wrote about everyone’s favorite topic, MIPS! Here’s a table with the MIPS quality measures that might be reportable by most wound...
by Caroline Fife, M.D. | Oct 1, 2024 | Fight the Good Fight
An abstract presented in Madrid at the annual meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) suggests that when obese people lose weight, they may be less likely to develop a serious infection. That is particularly true for individuals with...
by Caroline Fife, M.D. | Sep 25, 2024 | Fight the Good Fight, Miscellaneous Musings
I’ve talked before about my experience developing severe anemia from both iron and B12 deficiency. It happened so gradually that I was breathless just carrying on a conversation before I finally decided I needed medical attention! It’s embarrassing to admit this...
by Caroline Fife, M.D. | Sep 23, 2024 | Fight the Good Fight, Healthcare Payment Policy
Patricia Han is a retired nurse with very serious health challenges who struggles with chronic wounds. She’s written articles about Medicare Advantage vs. regular Medicare for patients with wounds, as well as what she wishes every wound care practitioner knew (see...
by Caroline Fife, M.D. | Sep 17, 2024 | Fight the Good Fight, Miscellaneous Musings
Today is National Physician Suicide Awareness Day. Suicide among physicians is a shockingly big problem. Suicide is usually the result of a long sequence of negative and self-defeating thoughts. It’s what happens after you lose “the battle in your mind.” I admit...
by Caroline Fife, M.D. | Sep 16, 2024 | Cellular / Tissue-Based Products, CTP / Skin Substitutes, Fight the Good Fight
Joe Rolly posted a fantastic article explaining the pathways by which various CTPs/skin subs come to market, and what that means in terms of the claims that sales representatives can make. Because amniotic products are the fastest growing sector of the market, I am...
by Caroline Fife, M.D. | Sep 13, 2024 | Cellular / Tissue-Based Products, CTP / Skin Substitutes, Fight the Good Fight
I am genuinely trying to understand what is “allowed” and what isn’t when it comes to CTPs/skin subs in the office-based and “mobile”. Everyone has heard about what happened to the owners of a CTP/skin sub company in Arizona. I am trying to understand the scenario...
by Caroline Fife, M.D. | Sep 10, 2024 | Cellular / Tissue-Based Products, CTP / Skin Substitutes, Fight the Good Fight
I am genuinely trying to understand what is “allowed” and what isn’t when it comes to Cellular Tissue Products (CTPs) / skin substitutes in the office-based setting – and that includes the “mobile” practice (which may include skilled nursing and care in the patient’s...
by Caroline Fife, M.D. | Sep 3, 2024 | Fight the Good Fight, Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy
Dear Dr. Fife, For years you have been asking why it is so hard to do the right thing in wound care. I don’t know the answer, but this case is a great illustration of the problem. Here’s the photo of a patient I recently saw. He has had this diabetic foot ulcer for...
