Internal Medicine Ask The Experts

Ask the Experts: Internal Medicine

Medscape's Ask the Experts allows you to ask members of a panel of leading experts for advice or information. You also have the opportunity to share your own views and insights by clicking the "Discuss this" link at the top of each response.

Ask the Experts

Pandemic Demands: Can an Employer Do This? Nurse practitioners may be asked to cut their hours, accept less pay, or deploy elsewhere. Can employers require this?
Ask the Experts, June 2020
NPs vs PAs: What's the Difference? On the surface they might seem the same, but differences do exist between these advanced practice professionals.
August 2019
Must I Take Calls From a Nurse Practitioner's Patients? A physician wants to know whose responsibility it is to take after-hours calls from an NP's patients.
June 2019
Which Drugs Interact With Lab Tests? Drug-lab test interactions frequently occur yet often remain unrecognized. What should you be aware of?
Ask the Pharmacists, June 2019
I Need Help, but Employee or Independent Contractor? I'd like to have an independent contractor help out in my practice. Is that legal?
May 2019
New Patient Assigned by Health Plan: PCP's Responsibility? When a health plan assigns a new patient, who has to make the first move?
January 2019
Patient Suicide: Protect the Patient and Yourself After a suicide, families may blame physicians and sue for malpractice. The standard of care starts with risk assessment.
January 2019
The Legal Risks of Taking Call A healthcare attorney tells providers what they can do to reduce their liability risk when taking call.
October 2018
How to 'Fire' a Patient A healthcare attorney explains the steps to take to properly sever a physician-patient relationship.
July 2018
How to Break an Employment Contract It's best to know before you sign the contract how to get out of it, if you need to.
July 2018
I'm Being Audited by CMS--Should I Worry? A nurse practitioner has received notice of a CMS audit for the use of certain CPT codes. What does it mean, and is it cause for concern?
Legal and Professional Issues for Nurses, January 2018
How Should 'Scribes' Be Used? A nurse practitioner who has been offered a 'scribe' asks about the legal ramifications of this assistance. The rules for the use of scribes by any licensed provider are found here.
Legal and Professional Issues for Nurses, December 2017
Garcinia for Weight Loss: Modest Effect With Safety Caveats Is garcinia a safe and effective dietary supplement for patients hoping to lose weight?
Ask the Pharmacists, November 2017
Physicians Who Work With NPs: What's the Liability Risk? Attorney Carolyn Buppert lays out the different models of working relationships between physicians and NPs, and the liability faced by physicians in each situation.
Legal and Professional Issues for Nurses, September 2017
Poppy Seed Tea: Beware This Beverage For centuries, poppy seed tea has been used for its narcotic, analgesic, antidiarrheal, or euphoric effects, or as a substitute for opiates. What are the risks associated with this herbal beverage?
Ask the Pharmacists, March 2017
Dietary Supplements for the Prevention of Falls Several dietary supplements claim to prevent falls. Does the evidence support the use of them?
Ask the Pharmacists, January 2017
Antibiotics and Mental Status Changes In the differential diagnosis of new-onset confusion, don't overlook antibiotics.
Ask the Pharmacists, January 2017
Can a Good Diet Prevent Dementia? Need another reason to eat healthy food? Dr Reuben explains that certain diets may help prevent cognitive decline.
September 2016
What Is the Attending Physician's Role in Hospital Discharge? A nurse writes to Medscape to ask what the attending physician is required to do at patient discharge, and whether these tasks can be accomplished the day before discharge.
Legal and Professional Issues for Nurses, September 2016
Statins for Migraine Prevention For patients who do not respond to first-line migraine prevention treatments, are statins an effective option?
Ask the Pharmacists, September 2016

Disclaimer
The information in this web site reflects the views of the authors only and not Medscape. These materials may discuss uses and dosages for therapeutic products that have not been approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration. A qualified health care professional should be consulted before using any therapeutic product discussed. All readers should verify all information and data before treating patients or utilizing any therapies noted in this program.