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Data breaches a near certainty
February 3rd 2017In the event of a data breach physicians may have to inform HHS, law enforcement and the media, as well as any patients who may have been affected. Suspected breaches also should trigger calls to your IT staff, lawyer and insurer. An alarming number of violations have been the result of inappropriate use of social media by doctors or staff rather than hacking or aggressive data breaching.
Updated guidelines for diagnosis, treatment of rosacea
January 31st 2017A revised and updated set of criteria and treatment recommendations establishes a phenotype approach to diagnosing and classifying rosacea. This approach marks a transition from treating rosacea patients according to subtype. Global representation may identify research needed to determine whether rosacea is a global condition.
Keloid care and insurers – will they or won’t they pay?
January 19th 2017Insurers tend to think of keloids as a cosmetic issue so they have a wide range of standards covering reimbursement for care and treatments. Practitioners must fully document the medical necessity of the care they provide and then code the conditions and treatments correctly to maximize their chance for reimbursement.
How dermatologic research can get its groove back
January 17th 2017Research in dermatology comprises only a small portion of the total amount of money spent yearly on research in fields such as internal medicine, neurology and cancer. The need for interested and talented individuals to tackle the big challenges in dermatology is greater than ever before, and practitioners are looking at ways to make the most of limitations in funding, compensation and opportunities that stand in the way of recruiting more qualified individuals to the research ranks.
Laser and injectable options for treatment of keloids
January 17th 2017Laser treatments, non-steroid injectables, and topical applications of imiquimod cream are proving to be effective in the treatment of keloids and excessive scarring. In many cases, recurrence rates have dropped to 20% and lower from former highs of 70% or more.