MMS Physician Focus

Research has shown that oral health and physical health are connected, and that problems with our oral health are associated with serious medical problems such as respiratory disease, heart disease, and diabetes. This edition of Physician Focus will examine how oral health affects overall physical health and how physicians and dentists are working together to improve oral health.

In 2000, the Institute of Medicine, the independent health arm of the National Academy of Sciences, issued a report called Unequal Treatment: Confronting Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Health Care. This landmark report pointed out that racial and ethnic minorities receive poorer quality care than white patients, even when insurance, income, age, and medical conditions are comparable. The April edition of Physician Focus with the Massachusetts Medical Society will examine the causes and consequences of health care disparities, the barriers to equal treatment, and what physicians and patients can do to reduce these differences and improve care.

Mon, 03 Mar 2014

Mon, 03 Mar 2014 1

This program is an introduction to Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, two inflammatory bowel diseases that affect the body's digestive tract. The program looks at symptoms, how the diseases are diagnosed and treated, and the impact they have on a person's health and daily living.

Chronic or non-healing wounds are those that do not significantly improve from conventional medical treatments. They affect millions of people, lead to a poor quality of life and result, in some cases, in amputation. In many cases, they are associated with such conditions as diabetes, poor circulation, and immobility. This program examines the causes of chronic wounds, what prevents them from healing, who is most likely to suffer from these conditions, how these cases are treated, and what patients should do if they think they have such wounds.

Anorexia, bulimia, and binge eating disorder affect as many as 10 million females and one million males in the United States, many of them young. The physical health consequences of eating disorders can be severe -- heart disease, diabetes, reduced bone density, among other conditions – and the conditions are usually accompanied by mental health issues, such as low self-esteem, depression, and anxiety. Among the topics of conversation in this program are how patients with these conditions view themselves; the cultural, environmental, and genetic factors that contribute to the conditions; the physical and mental health effects of the disorders; how to recognize and discover if someone has one of these conditions; and the steps health professionals take to treat the illnesses.

The Centers for Disease Control estimates that 19 million new infections from sexually transmitted diseases occur every year, making STDs the most commonly reported infectious diseases in the country. In Massachusetts, some 20,000 cases are reported each year. Among the topics discussed in this program are specific diseases and their symptoms and treatments, how public health officials track diseases, reporting obligations of health providers, issues of confidentiality, steps public health officials take to stop the spread of such diseases and how they assist affected individuals in getting care and treatment.

The effects of alcohol and illegal drugs, age, and distracted driving activities on a person’s ability to operate a motor vehicle are well known. Yet many other conditions besides substance abuse, youth or old age, or “texting” can affect how one drives. This edition of Physician features an in-depth discussion on impaired driving and medical conditions that can affect a person’s ability to drive.

Home health care services are dramatically increasing and will continue to do so as the population ages and concern rises in government agencies and private companies to control soaring health care costs. In Massachusetts, home health services reach 150,000 people through 160 agencies. Nationally, about eight million Americans require some type of medical care in the home, and those numbers will jump: by 2030 the nation will have more than 72 million elderly. This edition of Physician Focus discusses the kinds of services available in the home, who may be eligible for these services, who provides such services, and how effective they are in providing care and controlling health care costs.

Epilepsy is the third most common neurological disorder in the United States, after Alzheimer’s disease and stroke. The condition affects nearly three million Americans, with some 200,000 new cases diagnosed each year. Half of all patients are children. Characterized by various kinds of seizures, epilepsy is a major chronic medical condition and can affect a person’s quality of life similar to arthritis, heart disease, diabetes or cancer. It can limit activity; cause pain, anxiety or depression; impede learning, behavior, and memory; and seriously affect development. Epilepsy may also present non-medical challenges such as discrimination and social stigma. This edition of Physician Focus examines the causes of epilepsy, how it’s diagnosed and treated, and the challenges it presents to patients, their families, and those around them.

Respiratory illnesses such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), asthma, tuberculosis, and pneumonia are common medical conditions affecting millions of people around the world. Despite medical progress, in some cases with vaccines, these conditions continue to present major challenges to our public health as well as to our personal health. For example, COPD, which includes bronchitis and emphysema, is the third leading cause of death in the country, claiming nearly 125,000 deaths annually. This program will examine the causes of some of the more common respiratory conditions, their effects on personal health, how they are treated, and what can be done to prevent them.

Along with the epidemic of obesity in the US has come an increasing patient demand for weight-loss surgery, proven to be an effective treatment for excessive weight. Increasing evidence suggests it might also be effective therapy for metabolic diseases such as diabetes and hypertension. This edition of Physician Focus will examine such questions as: Who is eligible for this treatment? What is required of patients? What are the different kinds of weight-loss surgery? What are the risks of this kind of surgery? And how successful is it as a treatment for obesity?

The number of joint replacements is soaring in the U.S., as more than a million people a year are getting total replacements, usually for a hip or knee. As baby boomers age and their joints wear out from a variety of causes, these operations are expected to increase. Featuring a board-certified orthopedic surgeon who specializes in hip and knee replacements, this edition of Physician Focus provides an introduction to the medical procedures of joint replacements. Among the topics of conversation are why more people are getting joint replacements, how they are done, and what patients need to know before, during, and after surgery.

Smoking, Tobacco, and Health – January 2014 marks the 50th anniversary of the U.S. Surgeon General’s first comprehensive report on smoking and health. This edition of Physician Focus examines the impact of tobacco on personal and public health, how far we’ve come with anti-tobacco efforts over five decades, what can be done to further reduce tobacco usage, and new challenges, particularly for young people, such as flavored cigars and e-cigarettes.

Parkinson's disease is a progressive, chronic movement disorder of the brain that affects nearly one million people in the United States. Some 60,000 new cases are diagnosed each year, and many more go undetected. The disease usually begins around age 60. The cause of Parkinson’s disease is unknown, and no cure exists at present. This edition of Physician Focus will discuss the many aspects of Parkinson’s disease - symptoms, effects on health, how it’s diagnosed and treated, and what the prognosis is for patients.