Medical Justice Blog

The information presented on this site is for general educational purposes only. It is not specific medical or legal advice. Nothing on this site should be construed as establishing a doctor-patient or attorney-client relationship.

Is Facebook Engaged in the Practice of Medicine?

What is considered the practice of medicine? In the seminal 1964 Supreme Court case which litigated the threshold definition of obscenity, Justice Potter Stewart opined: “I shall not today attempt further to define the kinds of material I understand to be embraced within that shorthand … Read more
Is Facebook Engaged in the Practice of Medicine?

The Most Frivolous Lawsuit Contest Redux: Part II

Medical Justice takes aim squarely at deterring frivolous litigation. And we provide remedies for those unjustly sucked into such lawsuits. Ten years ago we ran a contest for the Most Frivolous Lawsuit. The “winning” defendant received a free year of membership in Medical / Dental … Read more
Medical Justice

The Most Frivolous Lawsuit Contest Redux: Part I

Medical Justice takes aim squarely at deterring frivolous litigation. And we provide remedies for those unjustly sucked into such lawsuits. Ten years ago, we ran a contest for the Most Frivolous Lawsuit. The “winning” defendant received a free year of membership in Medical / Dental … Read more
Medical Justice

Too Many Eggs in One Basket

This could not be an easy conversation.   “The eggs or embryos we have been storing may have been lost.”  Two fertility clinics recently reported technical problems with storage tanks that may have damaged frozen eggs and embryos. Many of these are from women and couples struggling with infertility.  Or they … Read more
Medical Justice

Some Residents Will Have Longer Shifts

Here’s a common joke I heard during my residency. “What’s the problem with every other night call?” “You miss half the cases.” The gist was that the more you saw, the more you did, and the more you learned. Because it was believed that patient … Read more
Some Residents Will Have Longer Shifts

Need Spine Surgery? If You Work for Walmart, Talk to Your Travel Agent.

Most patients want to receive care close to where they live. Patients also want the option to travel to centers of excellence, if necessary. Walmart has flipped that model on its head for its employees. Effective January 2019, Walmart will mandate its employees travel to … Read more
Medical Justice

Training Medical Students to Perform Pelvic and Rectal Exams

Learning how to do a proper history and physical serves as the foundation for training young physicians. This includes learning how to examine sensitive parts of the body. A rectal exam. A pelvic exam. When I was training, paid models served as teachers when we … Read more
Medical Justice

Hell Hath No Fury Like Office of Civil Rights Scorned

A three doctor Allergy and Immunology practice in Connecticut just wrote the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Civil Rights a check for $125,000. Three Boston hospitals, Mass General, Brigham and Women’s and Boston Medical Center wrote a check for $1M. New York … Read more
Medical Justice

The Most Frivolous Lawsuit Contest

Ten years ago, we ran a contest, encouraging doctors to reveal if they had been involved in a frivolous lawsuit. We awarded a prize to the doctor who submitted the Most Frivolous Lawsuit. Cold comfort. Still, the winner did receive a free membership for one … Read more
Medical Justice

“Grief as My Guide. How My Sister Made Me a Better Doctor.”

“Even when she was gone, she was present in the patient sitting before me and in the way I was newly able to comfort and reassure her.” Dr. Joseph Stern, a neurosurgeon, wrote a moving piece published in the NY Times, about how his sister’s … Read more
Medical Justice