For physicians, Scott P. Brown’s surprise election to the U.S. Senate on Jan. 19 was a reminder: You can’t count on anything in health care.

“I think overall, health care reform is in a really dicey position right now,” said Kevin Pho, a Nashua, N.H., primary care physician who blogs about health care policy at KevinMD.com. “The components of it are changing on a daily basis.” Read more

Physician licensure targeted

Doctors and health care attorneys are up in arms over a bill pending in the state legislature that would tie physician licensure to participation in a proposed affordable medical plan for small businesses.

They contend that such a change could drive doctors into bankruptcy while exacerbating the already dramatic shortages of Massachusetts physicians in critical specialties. Read more

Social networking 101 for physicians

The usefulness of online social networking is undeniable and it’s no surprise that physicians are embracing it.

But lawyers and other experts warn that these tools present a minefield of legal and professional hazards for medical professionals who don’t take the utmost care in how, what and where they post. Read more

Doctor’s View: Aging drivers and public safety: The physician’s role

Following several widely reported incidents in which older drivers caused auto accidents, including one that resulted in the death of a 4-year-old, the elderly driver is increasingly seen as a major public safety concern. Read more

Electronic health records surge despite barriers

By Kimberly Ashton

Although Massachusetts has a head start on the national effort to digitize medical records, much work remains to be done before the state can meet President Barack Obama’s goal of having all health documents computerized by 2015. Read more

Doctor’s View: The public health problem of domestic violence

It was another first for the state. Last June, Governor Patrick signed a violence intervention bill making Massachusetts the first state to require health care providers to refer victims of violence to a variety of social services.

The impetus behind the action was clear: the soaring number of deaths from domestic violence. Murders of domestic partners in the Commonwealth were nearly three times higher in 2007 than in 2005, reaching 42 in 2007, with an additional 13 suicides. In 2008, 25 homicides occurred, with 10 suicides.

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Surgeon wins $1.6 million sex bias verdict

A federal jury has found that a prominent neurosurgeon and Brigham and Women’s Hospital subjected a female surgeon to a hostile work environment and then retaliated against her when she complained.

On Feb. 24 jurors awarded $1.6 million in damages to Dr. Sagun Tuli, 39, who had complained for several years about discriminatory treatment by Dr. Arthur Day, 61, chairman of Brigham and Women’s Hospital’s neurosurgery department. Read more

Doctors must prepare now for new identity theft rules

Under new federal “red flag” rules, health care entities and physicians will be required to implement procedures for preventing, detecting and responding to identity theft, according to attorneys.

Until recently, many entities, including health care providers, thought the red flag rules only applied to traditional financial institutions, such as banks.

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The SEIU’s latest tactic in organizing health care workers hits Beth Israel

During a recent fundraising event for Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, a flatbed truck pulled up out front carrying a mobile billboard inscribed with three-foot red letters – “Keep Your Eye on B.I.”

The billboard advertised a website of the same name, www.eyeonbi.org, that alleges serious problems with patient care and accounting practices at the hospital.

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Stopping disruptive physician behavior

Imagine a nurse being so intimidated by a condescending and abusive doctor that she decides not to contact him for an emergency while he’s on call.

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