Houston Matters

Update: Strategies to Reduce Misdiagnosis in Hospitalized Patients 

Posted on · Last year (Sept. 23, 2015), we discussed a report that said most people will experience at least one diagnostic error (an inaccurate or delayed diagnosis) sometime in their lifetime. The report warned that — without some changes — our healthcare system could see more such errors in diagnoses, which could be bad news for all […]

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Repeat DWIs and Fracking Wastewater: Monday’s Show (October 24, 2016)

Posted on · We've previously discussed on our program how pervasive drunk driving is in Harris County and ways in which law enforcement and courts are trying to crack down. But what do we do about repeat DWI offenders?Those who, after initial interactions with law enforcement and the court system and despite whatever punishments are handed down, drink […]

Houston Matters

Study: Electronic Health Records Create Information Overload for Doctors and Risks for Patients

Posted on · Do you spend way too much time at work responding to email? Well, it’s no different for doctors — but with possible greater consequences. In our digital world, many physicians spend more than an hour a day processing and responding to electronic notifications — things like test results, requests for prescription refills, referral requests and […]

Houston Matters

Why Do Diagnosis Mistakes Happen, and How Can They Be Prevented?

Posted on · We trust our doctors. We let them poke us and prod us. They give us shots. They see us naked. We entrust to them our medical history and share personal details about our lives in the hopes it leads to the best possible care. But doctors are also human, and they make mistakes. A new […]

Houston Matters

What’s the Best Way to Hear Bad News About Your Health?

Posted on · When something abnormal comes up in a medical test, would you like to hear the news immediately from the lab or later from your doctor? Researchers at the Houston Veterans Affairs Center for Innovations in Quality, Effectiveness and Safety recently conducted studies to determine whether patients and doctors agree on how abnormal test results should […]