Fall 2014 Issue

By Mark W. McFarland, DO and Raj N. Sureja, MD Vertebral compression fractures are observed in any age demographic due to trauma from a fall or a car accident; however, they are most prevalent in the geriatric population. Significant loss of bone may occur due to pathology (cancer, osteomyelitis); chemotherapy or radiation therapy used to treat cancer; age-related conditions … [Read more...] about Your Geriatric Patients and Vertebral Compression Fractures

By Wayne MacMasters, PT, MSPT One of the most important cost saving concepts in medicine today is the use of the physician extender.  When I started practice in 1985, there was no such term; but look up ‘physician extender’ in the dictionary today, and you’ll find:  “a health care provider who is not a physician but who performs medical activities typically performed by a … [Read more...] about Physical Therapists as Physician Extenders

There’s never a bad time to review your current tax situation. But year-end can be an especially good time to plan and implement tax-saving strategies. Time Year-end Payments If your practice uses the cash method of accounting, it may be a good idea to review the timing of year-end payments so that you can more effectively coordinate their tax impact. For example, you can … [Read more...] about Year-end Tax Planning for Your Practice

By Kathryn Freeman-Jones and Diane L. Dull In today’s health care environment, patients are confronted by an ever-expanding myriad of technologies and treatments, leading to an increasing reliance on the clinical experience, advice and guidance of their physicians when making difficult medical decisions. Navigating the waters of health care decisions with patients can be … [Read more...] about “Patient” Conversations

By Alan L. Wagner, MD, FACS During the past seven years, there have been miraculous improvements in the tools available to prevent and reverse blindness. Before these improvements, I hated explaining to patients that we are going to help them live with vision loss. Now, that is no longer necessary. The leading cause of blindness in the industrialized world is … [Read more...] about Blindness: Preventable and Reversible