Spring 2004 - Volume 8 Number 2
Clinical Contributions
2003 Vohs Award Winner
Initiative to Improve Mammogram Interpretation
Kim A Adcock, MD
The 2004 Vohs award winner from the Colorado region employed a multidisciplinary approach to minimize variability and inaccurate interpretation of mammograms. The impressive five-year results are described.
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2003 David M Lawrence, MD, Chairman's Patient Safety Award Winner
Preoperative Safety Briefing Project
James DeFontes, MD; Stephanie Surbida, MPH
The first David M Lawrence Patient Safety award-winning project, presented here, was designed by Southern California surgeons, nurses, anesthetists, scrub technicians, and administrators with the objective to improve patient safety prior to and during the operating room procedure.
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Factors Associated with Smoking Cessation Among Quit Smart Participants
Karen M Polizzi, MPH; Douglas W Roblin, PhD; Adrienne D Mims, MD, MPH; Dianne Harris, BS, CHES; Dennis D Tolsma, MPH
This is a description of a comprehensive smoking cessation program and objective evaluation of outcomes and of factors related to likelihood of success.
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The Myth of the Preventive-Only Visit
Patricia E Boiko, MD, MPH; Alethea Lacas, MD
This article explores the current status of the health maintenance visit, including discussion of the expectations of both patients and health care providers.
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Corridor Consult
When Should Patients Receive the Pneumococcal Vaccination? Case Example and Suggestions
Adrienne Mims, MD, MPH
Using a brief case profile, this article discusses the rationale and indications for administration of this effective preventive measure.
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Commentary
The Anatomy of Hope
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A Word from the Medical Directors
The Need for New Capabilities and New Products: One Medical Director's Perspective.
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KP in the Community
Produce to the People
Preston Maring, MD
This article discusses the nascence of the Oakland Medical Center's farmer's market anecdotes and recipes.
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Physicians in the News
Physician News Roundup
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Health Systems
Permanente Roundtable Discussion
Next-Generation Cost-Sharing Products--The Concerns, The Experience, The Future Part 1: The Concerns
In the first of a three-part roundtable discussion, seven PMG physician leaders talk about the potential impact on clinicians of implementing cost-sharing products.
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Colorado's KP Helps Assists Patients In Need
Harvey Bograd, MD; Maureen Hanrahan, BSN, MA; Nancy Strauss, MSPH
The KP Colorado program, KP Helps, was expanded to assist low-income members with out-of-pocket expenses; some results, and resources are described in this brief article.
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Systems Learning from Physician Performance Data
Patricia H Parkerton, PhD, MPH; Gary A Feldbau, MD; Hugh L Straley, MD
The assessments and value to improving primary care practice of data collected on physician performance in Group Health Cooperative are presented in this article.
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Optimal Practice Support (OPS) at the Kaiser Permanente Los Angeles Medical Center
Nancy A Cohen, MD
This article describes the implementation and success of the Optimal Practice Support program at the KP Los Angeles Medical Center.
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CPC Corner: A Patient's Manifesto--Communicating in the Exam Room.
Lee Jacobs, MD
In this article, Dr Jacobs explains five clinician-patient communication principles and their importance in the changing health care environment.
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Medical Ethics
The Shared Terrain of Narrative Medicine and Advocacy Journalism
Jon Stewart
This article explores the importance of storytelling and the role of physician-writers, historically and currently, as physician-advocates and the importance of continuing their legacy.
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Stories Tell Us What We Need To Know: Perspective for Ethical Dilemmas--The Story Study
Tom Janisse, MD
The story study--a dramatized case study--gives you an experience and a lived perspective, increasing your understanding of clinical encounters.
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A Moment in Time
The Asphyxiating and Exsanguinating Death of President George Washington.
Vibul V Vadakan, MD, FAAP
This article describes President Washington's fatal illness, largely through quotations from personal accounts and historical research; it is placed into a medical historical perspective.
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Abstracts
Abstracts of articles authored or coauthored by Permanente clinicians
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Editorial Comments
Share Your Insights
Marilyn Chow, RN, DNSc, FAAN
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The James A Vohs Award for Quality--The Permanente Journal Sixth Annual Special Issue
Arthur L Klatsky, MD
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The David M Lawrence, MD, Chairman's Patient Safety Award
Arthur L Klatsky, MD
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Letters to the Editor
Letters from our readers
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Book Reviews
Keep It Off: Use the Power of Self-Hypnosis to Lose Weight Now--Book and 4-CD Set
Brian Alman, PhD
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The Cutting Edge: A Newsletter for People Living With Self-Inflicted Violence
Ruta Mazelis, Creator and Editor
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Rudolph's Pediatrics, 21st edition
Colin D Rudolph, Abraham M Rudolph, Margaret K Hostetter, George Lister, and Norman J Siegel, editors
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Pocket Radiologist: Chest: Top 100 Diagnoses
Jud W Gurney, MD, Helen T Winer-Muram, MD
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Crossword Puzzle
Medical Animals
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Soul of the Healer
"The River Weser"
Neil L Barber, MD
Art
"Bayon Face 2"
Beverly Brott, MD
Art
The Lament of the Hypochondriac Caregiver
Kelly Ann Malone
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"What the Monk Saw"
Beverly Brott, MD
Art
"Garden at Nijo Castle"
Michael Jaffe, DO
Art
POST OP
William Goldsmith, MD
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