by Caroline Fife, M.D. | Dec 15, 2017 | Fight the Good Fight, Health Information Technology and Wound Care, Quality Payment Program
It has taken a decade. In 2008 I put together a program called “Pressure Ulcers and the Law” which I patterned after the programs on birth injuries and the law that changed the way cerebral palsy cases were handled. It was demonstrated that most cases of CP happen...
by Caroline Fife, M.D. | Dec 11, 2017 | Fight the Good Fight, Health Information Technology and Wound Care
On Thursday, Dec. 7th 2017, the FDA issued draft guidance explaining which clinical decision support (CDS) tools won’t be considered devices (and thus will NOT require FDA clearance). This is part of the homework that the FDA needed to do to adhere to the...
by Caroline Fife, M.D. | Dec 8, 2017 | Don't Miss This, Fight the Good Fight, Health Information Technology and Wound Care
The photo above is a pretty classic case of vasculitis, with palpable purpura, and these lesions HURT. The patient is a young healthy school teacher and we never found the cause. This is a leukocytoclastic vasculitis, too. This patient, who has a lot of medical...
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...
