Monthly Archives: April 2011

The Incredible Shrinking Oncology Workforce

Posted on April 27, 2011 by Laura Newman

LC1, the insured lung cancer patient whose search for an oncologist described in last week’s post, is not alone. If more Americans realized that they might not find an oncologist or other specialist provider, they could help drive changes that … Continue reading →

Posted in Access to care, Healthcare reform, oncologists, Physician shortage | 2 Comments

Is There An Oncologist In the House?

Posted on April 18, 2011 by Laura Newman

Imagine, if you will, that you have early (stage 1b) lung cancer, that you think you have good insurance, and that you cannot find an oncologist to follow you. That’s the story of a 55-year-old man, who asked that I … Continue reading →

Posted in Chemotherapy, continuity of care, Health insurance, Lung Cancer, oncologists, Patient stories | Comments Off on Is There An Oncologist In the House?

Planning Orthopedic Surgery: Ask Ahead About Aftercare

Posted on April 12, 2011 by Laura Newman

Don’t make the mistake of thinking that orthopedic surgery will miraculously dispense with your bone problems; aftercare is just the beginning of healing. That’s how two women see it. Each woman has had five or more orthopedic surgeries. They report … Continue reading →

Posted in Aftercare, Orthopedic surgery, Pain, Physical therapy, Rehabilitation | 11 Comments

How One Man Faced A Prostate Cancer Diagnosis

Posted on April 5, 2011 by Laura Newman

The man I will call Paul remembers when he was first diagnosed with prostate cancer about a year ago. It started with a PSA of 4.3 ng/mL on a routine annual physical. A PSA of 4.0 ng/mL is a widely … Continue reading →

Posted in Active Surveillance, Patient stories, Physician bias, Prostate Cancer, Treatment decisions | 11 Comments