In this episode, we dig into the terms being bandied about by politicians this year. Medicare for all, single-payer, socialized medicine. What do they all mean? Are they all the same or are there differences between these systems. 

And what would we do, today, to start making healthcare work a little better?

Resources:

Per Capita Health Spending by Country

Gallup Poll on Healthcare Satisfaction by Country

One of the big scary pieces of growing old is the possiblity of developing Alzheimer Dementia. This progressive neurological disease is poorly understood, meaning the options for prevention and treatment have a long way to go.

In this episode, we talk about what the disease is, current options for treatment, the reality of prevention, and an approach to choosing long term care.

Resources:

Systematic review of studies on cholinesterase inhibitors

JAMA Neurology meta analysis of memantine

Risk reducing effect of education on in Alzheimer's disease

Lumosity fined $2 million for deceptive advertising

Non-profit vs. for profit nursing homes

CMS Five Star Rating

The gluten-free phenomenon has grown into a $2.5 billion industry in the U.S. The question we have to ask is if the medical concern from gluten is enough to justify such a huge national expenditure. In this episode, we look at the disorders behind gluten and wheat allergies, gluten sensitivities and the science that supports these diagnoses.

The supplement industry is a big one - estimates place it anywhere from $12 billion to $37 billion. 

However, if you put that number in the context of healthcare spending overall, it's not too crazy...if supplements are effective and safe.

But issues with the approval and regulations of dietary supplements make leave us with many unanswered questions about the so-called "natural" products on the market.

In this episode we examine supplements, homeopathic remedies, the placebo effect and much more. So take a listen, and leave a comment if you have thoughts on the topic.

References:

Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994

National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health

Placebos Without Deception

Perception of Drug Cost Influences Placebo Effect

Be sure and leave a comment if you have any thoughts on the show. And you know we'd appreciate it so much if you would leave us a review in iTunes!

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Hepatitis C infection is on the rise in recent years. The growing opioid epidemic has multiplied the problem, as the primary means of spread is IV drug use. 

Surprisingly only 35 percent of those infected received treatment even though excellent treatment available is for this devastating disease. Not surprisingly, drug costs are a major factor in this issue.

Join us as we discuss the issue of Hep C and what can be done about it.

Resources:

American Journal of Managed Care Special Issue on Hepatitis C Virus

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If you watch any tv at all, it's likely you've seen a drug ad. These ads generally show seemingly healthy people living normal lives, the message being the drug did this for them.

But are the drug ads telling the whole story? And should they even be advertising directly to consumers to begin with? We discuss this issue on today's episode.

Resources:

Nivolumab Research from New England Journal of Medicine

What the FDA has to say about drug ads

Be sure and subscribe in iTunes or Stitcher if you haven't already.  And you know we’d appreciate it so much if you would tell your friends about 2 Docs Talk!

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Lice are an issue that many parents of elementary students have to deal with, often more than once.

In this episode we discuss the three different types of lice - body lice, pubic lice, and head lice - how to get them, the health threats associated with them, and what works to get rid of them. 

Resources:

The CDC on head lice treatment

An Interesting Paper if You Want to Get Totally Geeky on Lice

Dr. Pearlman's Site on the Cetaphil Treatment and Lice

Be sure and subscribe in iTunes or Stitcher if you haven't already.  And you know we’d appreciate it so much if you would tell your friends about 2 Docs Talk!

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Back pain is second only to cancer as a cause of long term disability. This health problem is damaging to individuals and costly to society. And we don't have much in our arsenal that is effective at treating it.

This week, we discuss the difference between acute and chronic back pain with regard to treatment and outcomes. We also discuss the role of surgery, medications, alternative therapies, and some interesting new research on what helps resolve chronic back pain.

Resources:

Research on efficacy of epidural steroid injections for back pain

Trends in spinal fusion surgery

American College of Physicians Guidelines for the Treatment of Chronic Low Back Pain

Our understanding of what sleep is and why it is important grows daily. It's clear that poor sleep plays a role in all sorts of disease states. Sadly, more and more people report sleep disturbances to their doctors. 

Is this a new epidemic we are facing, or is it just our awareness of the issue that makes it seem so?

In this episode, we take a look at the role sleep plays in our health, what happens when sleep is disturbed, and how insomnia can be treated. Take a listen and see what you think. We try not to put you to sleep, but you might want to grab a cup of coffee whiel you listen anyway.

Resources:

Arianna Huffington's story

Sleep and Chronic Disease

Sleep loss and inflammation

Sleep, ghrelin, leptin and weight gain

Meta analyis of melatoning and sleep duration

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for insomnia

In a world when concerns about healthcare costs, access to care, and medical complications create significant barriers to medical care, telemedicine has an obvious role to fill. 

But what are the potential downsides of a technology that is being adopted faster than we can track? Is it effective? Is it safe? Is it a door for the unscrupulous ot take advantage of the unsuspecting?

We discuss these and other issues of the growing field of telemedicine. 

Resources:

AMA policy on telemedicine

AAFP debate on telemedicine policy

AAP on telemedicine and the "medical home"

Hospital at Home

Use of telemedicine to prevent preterm labor