My PICC Line

On Grey’s Anatomy last week, Dr. Derek Shepherd (enough playing, McDreamy) is called in from home to soothe a young man unhinged with pain after a highly invasive surgery. The attending physician has already tried morphine with no relief. Where heavy narcotics fail, McDreamy flourishes. After placating the patient he turns to the worried mother, [...]

Go into most doctor’s office and there are stacks of floppy folders decorating the receptionist’s area. It’s worked well enough for many years, but the classic medical chart may finally be phased out, replaced by electronic medical records (EMRs). There are some holdups—the start-up expense, IT glitches, even the destruction of the patient/doctor relationship. But [...]