Mindblown: a blog about philosophy.

The owner of shares of stock in a corporation.  

Interactive laser disc computer programs to assist patients in medical decision making by providing them with general and specific information about their condition and the potential harms and benefits of the alternative medical and surgical treatments. SDMP are available for an increasing number of conditions, including benign prostatic hyperplasia, low back pain, mild hypertension, breast…

Setting the price for a product by matching the price for the same or similar product to that of a competitor. Some HMOs are said to have failed because they have used this method in establishing their premiums rather than actuarial analysis, in which the premium is set by defining a specific benefit package to…

The American Medical Association (AMA) Council on Ethical and Judicial Affairs states that “sexual contact or a romantic relationship concurrent with the physician-patient relationship is unethical,” and that “sexual contact or a romantic relationship with a former patient may be unethical under certain circumstances.” The Council goes on to state “in the case of sexual…

A form of discrimination in the workplace which violates the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (a federal law; 42 U.S.C. secs. 2000 et seq.). “Sexual harrassment” can be of two forms: (1) “quid pro quo” (the employee must submit to sexual advances to obtain tangible job benefits, or be penalized for refusing); or (2) “hostile…

A genetic characteristic, such as color-blindness, that is determined by a gene on a sex chromosome and shows a different pattern of inheritance in males and females. A trait controlled by genes on the sex chromosomes. The X and Y chromosomes determine sex but also carry genes unrelated to sex.  

A modified classification system reportedly being readied by the Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA) for use in the Medicare payment process for early implementation. The purpose is to address the criticism of DRGs that they result in the same pay for all patients within a given category, that they do not reflect the fact that…

When a patient directly contacts a specialist to obtain secondary care. This is distinguished from a primary care physician (PCP) making the referral on behalf of the patient. A physician referring a patient so as to create a conflict of interest. Physicians are prohibited by federal law from accepting payments from any provider resulting from…

The base office of an organization, including its professional and clerical staffs, along with the essential technological and other resources necessary for carrying out the work of the organization.  

Giving diagnostic tests to “normal” individuals or a population in order to detect diseases. The tests employed include examinations of the blood and urine, x-rays, blood pressure measurements, height and weight, questionnaires, and vision and hearing testing. Screening may be employed for detection of a single problem, such as hypertension (high blood pressure) or drug…