Being a Doctor and Playing Poker – The Overlap

Dr. Kelly McMasters, a surgical oncologist, graciously allowed us to republish the commencement address he delivered to the University of Louisville School of Medicine Class of 2017. His words of wisdom resonated far beyond the typical platitudes pushed onto graduates. Further, his personal experience as a father of an ill child delivered unasked-for-insights that, when practiced, can … Read more

HIV Positive Man Charged With Murder After Mistress Dies from AIDS 

Two interesting cases are working their way through the system in Ohio.  Robert Murdock was charged with murder in Ohio for not telling his mistress, Kimberly Klempner, he was HIV positive.  The indictment alleges that Murdock knew he was HIV +positive but failed to tell his mistress. The indictment continued they had unprotected sex during their five year … Read more

Florida Takes a Step Backward

Let’s go down memory lane. As the new millennium dawned, Dade and Broward Counties were in the midst of a professional liability crisis. Insurance was not only unavailable. It was unaffordable. Neurosurgeons were being asked to pay $250k/yr in coverage. Many policies topped out at $250k in benefits. But, hell, they’d cover you for up … Read more

Freckles and Lawsuits

Virtually every physician knows that patient privacy is sacred. One needs a patient’s affirmative consent to disclose what is known as protected health information. This is covered by state and federal (HIPAA) privacy laws. If a doctor posts the medical record, that is disclosure of protected health information. If a doctor acknowledges a particular patient … Read more

Physician Warns Medical Students How Easy it is to be Bribed 

In 2014, an internist pled guilty to violating anti-kickback laws for illegal referrals. She accepted monthly cash payments of $5,000 to refer patients to a New Jersey lab, Biodiagnostic Laboratory Services. Apparently a total of 30 doctors have been snagged in the roundup. Biodiagnostic Laboratory Services is now out of business.  Dr. Martinho accepted a … Read more

How Facebook Saved My Patient’s Life 

Sometimes you need a nugget of medical information – pronto. If your patient has been in a hospital, you likely have access to reams of data. Finding your nugget may take seconds, minutes, or hours. You may never find it. A number of years ago, Dr. Kamal Thapar, a Wisconsin neurosurgeon, gave a talk on … Read more

Jewelry Store Owner’s Son has to Pay Competitor Because of Fake Review

The jury has spoken. Stephen Blumberg owns Stephen Leigh Jewelers in Massachusetts. Toodie’s Fine Jewelry is a competitor. Allegedly, Adam Jacobs, a Toodie’s employee, wrote a multi-paragraph negative Yelp review about Stephen Leigh Jewelers. The review said he was looking for a 1.5 karat engagement ring and he had a negative experience. He then advised … Read more

The Tax Man and Med-Mal Settlements

First, the obvious. This is not to be construed as tax advice. Now for some interesting nuggets. When people sue one another (or even threaten litigation) and money changes hands, there are tax implications. A recent article by Robert Wood dives deeper. (A) Settlements and judgments are taxed similarly. Whether you come to a meetings … Read more

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