Health Blog

There has been a significant increase in the number of people who undergo spinal fusion surgery to treat back and leg pain, but a new study suggests that spinal fusion may not be the most appropriate treatment for many of these people. The goal of the study was to compare pain relief and the ability... Read More

An Institute of Medicine (IOM) study found that 12 million Americans receive the wrong diagnosis each year and that nearly every American will experience at least one misdiagnosis in his or her lifetime. The IOM study focused on adults who received the wrong diagnosis, but some researchers believe the problem could be just as significant... Read More

If your doctor has recommended joint replacement, there’s some information you should gather before setting a date for surgery. Whether your surgery is to replace your hip or knee, you should first get a second opinion from an experienced, fellowship trained joint replacement surgeon to help you determine if surgery is the most appropriate option.... Read More

In medical treatment, more is not always better. Each year, thousands of people receive inappropriate medical treatment for their health problems or too much treatment for a problem that doesn’t pose a serious threat to their health. But there are a number of steps you can take to protect yourself from the problem of inappropriate... Read More

There are some infectious diseases, such as chicken pox, that can usually be treated by your primary care physician. But other, more serious infections can be difficult to diagnose correctly and require the care of a specialist to ensure you receive the most appropriate and effective treatment. With many infectious diseases, getting the right diagnosis... Read More

If you or someone you care about has been diagnosed with cancer, there are several decisions you need to make about what treatment plan to follow and what physician and hospital you’d prefer to provide your care. To help you understand what information you need to make these important decisions, we talked with Robert G.... Read More

If you’ve been living with back pain and a physician has recommended surgery, how do you know if undergoing surgery is the most appropriate treatment? Start gathering the information you need to make an informed decision by asking your physician these key questions. Are there non-surgical treatments that I could try first? For some types... Read More

A second opinion can be one of the most valuable tools you have to ensure that you’re getting the most accurate diagnosis and appropriate treatment. Misdiagnosis is more common than most people realize. One study found that delayed, missed and incorrect diagnoses occur in 10 to 20 percent of cases. And these errors don’t only... Read More