The Skeptical EP

The Blog Page of Robert Clare MD

“Questioning medical dogma to improve the lives of patients.”

Skepticism, from the Greek word skepticos (to inquire), is not simply a noun but a process. Skeptics demand evidence before accepting claims of truth; they enjoy the process of inquiry and analysis. Unlike cynics who take a negative view of both the claims of others and the people making them, skeptics are perfectly happy to change their minds when better evidence comes along. For physicians, a questioning attitude is an essential component to decision-making. When faced with increasing pressure from administrators and pharmaceutical companies to “Show me the money!” the best counter from the physician is “Show me the evidence!” The purpose of this blog is to raise awareness through an inquiry of the best available medical knowledge, to foster discussion, and to challenge prevailing truths in order to improve the lives of patients everywhere.

Disclaimer: The opinions put forth in this blog are just that: opinions. They should not be used as a substitute for your own good sense or that of your doctor. Readers of this column do so at their own risk—this blog is not intended to treat or diagnose disease. Information contained here should be considered a “dietary supplement.” None of it is FDA approved. Mistakes in data interpretation are mine alone (I don’t claim to be a statistician), and you should assume that mistakes will occasionally be made. All personal patient information has been altered.

I’m skeptical about … malpractice reform (part 2).

Bob Clare

In my last post, I noted that malpractice reform enacted in Texas in 2003 making it almost impossible to sue physicians failed to save money or decrease defensive medical testing. We now have ER data from South Carolina and Georgia demonstrating the same thing. Doctors in those states continued ordering tests up the yin-yang despite legislation substantially reducing the likelihood of a lawsuit. Why? Continue reading →

I’m skeptical about … malpractice reform (part 1).

Bob Clare

Responding to a 2009 request from Senator Orrin Hatch (R, Utah), the Congressional Budget Office issued a letter suggesting that medical malpractice tort reform would “reduce federal budget deficits by roughly $54 billion over the next 10 years.” Sounds great—a billion here, a billion there and pretty soon you’re talking real money—but the devil is in the details. The CBO letter reported that 40% of the savings would come in the form of lower malpractice premiums to physicians and 60% from “less utilization of health care services.” Continue reading →

I’m skeptical about … cough medicines

Bob Clare

The typical adult can expect to develop 2 to 4 URIs (upper respiratory infections) annually. Included in this category are colds with nasal congestion, sore throat, and cough. Bronchitis is a term meaning “airway inflammation.” People who are coughing have bronchitis by definition, and there is nothing about this term that implies a need for antibiotics. More than 90% of cough illnesses are virally mediated, and multiple studies have confirmed that antibiotics fail to shorten the severity of cough or duration of symptoms (even when the infection is bacterial). The CDC specifically states, “Routine antibiotic treatment of uncomplicated bronchitis is not recommended, regardless of the duration of cough.”

Continue reading →