by Caroline Fife, M.D. | Oct 16, 2015 | Fight the Good Fight, Health Information Technology and Wound Care
Good morning and Happy Friday! Friday’s on the blog are reserved for “Ask the Physician Friday.” If you have any questions for me please feel free to leave them in the comments below, ask on Twitter (@carolinefifemd), or on Facebook (@Woodlands Wound Physicians). I...
by Caroline Fife, M.D. | Oct 14, 2015 | Fight the Good Fight, Health Information Technology and Wound Care
What is this? It’s a relatively new off-loading device called a TOAD or T brace. I am trying it in a patient with bilateral plantar DFUs who is not a good candidate for a total contact cast. Caroline Fife, MD I’ve got a NEW Facebook Page – be sure to follow me there...
by Caroline Fife, M.D. | Oct 7, 2015 | Fight the Good Fight, Health Information Technology and Wound Care, Miscellaneous Musings, Nutrition & Wound Healing
This is an initial and a follow-up photo of a woman with an autoimmune disease that is causing horrible leg ulcers primarily on her knees. Her biggest problem, however, is that she weighs 88 lbs and doesn’t eat. I admitted her for malnutrition early in her course,...
by Caroline Fife, M.D. | Oct 6, 2015 | Fight the Good Fight, Health Information Technology and Wound Care
I recently got a complicated patient healed with a cellular product. I’d have to pay money back if Medicare reviews my claim because I used it outside of the coverage criteria. Based on the analysis that Dr. Marissa Carter and I performed, here’s a description of the...
by Caroline Fife, M.D. | Sep 30, 2015 | Fight the Good Fight, Health Information Technology and Wound Care
I never get tired of seeing the before and after of a total contact cast change. This ulcer started out much larger but this is just the change with one week. She was healed the next week. Caroline Fife, MD I’ve got a NEW Facebook Page – be sure to follow me there...
by Caroline Fife, M.D. | Sep 23, 2015 | Fight the Good Fight, Health Information Technology and Wound Care
We talk about “livedoid patterns” on the skin but this has got to be one of the most amazing ones I have ever seen. This lady burned her backside falling asleep on a heating pad. The burn healed but these livedoid skin changes remained. Caroline Fife, M.D.Dr. Fife is...
by Caroline Fife, M.D. | Sep 22, 2015 | Fight the Good Fight, Health Information Technology and Wound Care
Yesterday I posted some of the reasons for denial of HBOT under prior authorization. I thought I’d point out something that should be obvious but might not be. It appears that HBOT is being denied for DFUs unless—at a bare minimum: Hemoglobin A1C is being checked and...
by Caroline Fife, M.D. | Sep 16, 2015 | Fight the Good Fight, Health Information Technology and Wound Care
What do you think this erythematous eruption is? Ring worm maybe? How about a nickel allergy to the battery in the patient’s watch. Caroline Fife, M.D.Dr. Fife is a world renowned wound care physician dedicated to improving patient outcomes through quality driven...
by Caroline Fife, M.D. | Sep 15, 2015 | Fight the Good Fight, Health Information Technology and Wound Care
I am trying 2 new cellular-based products at the moment. I won’t say which ones they are. I am grateful to have sample products to try since there are always patients who don’t have secondary insurance and can’t afford the copays if I have to charge them, or whose...
by Caroline Fife, M.D. | Sep 9, 2015 | Fight the Good Fight, Health Information Technology and Wound Care
While there are a lot of HIPAA issues to keep track of regarding patients with cell phones taking photos in clinic, I use them a lot. This is a photo of a patient’s wife (which is why she isn’t wearing gloves!) taking a photo of his toe so he can see the wound (it’s...