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A Very Tepid Defense of the Physical Exam

Sensible Medicine

Doctors of a certain age tend to fetishize the physical exam. I think this is because learning the physical exam is an important part of the socialization of the doctor. Though with every passing day I feel more and more like part of the old guard, I can only give the exam a tepid defense.

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Friday Reflection 44: Diagnostic Enigma

Sensible Medicine

I feel most like I am “among my people” discussing diagnostic dilemmas with my team post call. What makes a diagnostic dilemma? Diagnostic dilemmas are those which occupy the other three squares of a 2X2 table. 2 Common puzzles test diagnostic reasoning. These unsolved chronic problems are never easy.

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A (re)Visit to an Old-Fashioned Doctor

Sensible Medicine

Old-fashioned doctors spend whatever time it takes to obtain a good medical history and physical examination. The history and physical exam is not something to be fetishized but something to be recognized as a time saver. An exam finding does, on occasion, make you feel more comfortable with your diagnosis.

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Telehealth Analysis: The Pros & Cons

We Care Online

While video calls allow for visual assessments, certain aspects of a physical exam—such as checking vital signs, palpating areas of pain, or listening to a patient’s heart and lungs—cannot be replicated remotely. This limitation means that telehealth may not be suitable for all medical concerns.

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What Are SOAP Notes and How Do You Write Them?

Valant

Objective : Vital signs, results of physical exams, completion of inventories/instruments, and other actual observations such as the patient’s mood, behavior, appearance, and statements, when pertinent to treatment. Note Items of a particularly private nature may be reserved for private therapy notes (not progress notes).

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Healthcare Costs Inspire Employer Activism and Employee Dissatisfaction – What PwC Found Behind the Numbers

Health Populi

At worksite clinics, 43% of employers offer physical exams and urgent care, 36% do annual preventive exams, and 11% offer chronic care management. One of employers’ key challenges in moderating healthcare costs is the burden of chronic disease among workers.

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What to Expect After Medical School

Accepted Blog

Through patient case scenarios, the exam tests your ability to formulate a diagnosis based on a patient’s history, their physical exam, and the associated lab findings. Through a combination of CME, board recertification, and special training in new diagnostic and treatment options, there are myriad options to stay up-to-date.