tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-72637482011-04-21T22:56:47.587-07:00A physician looks at medicine, religion, politics, pets, and passion in life.Dr. Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18028919267675917775noreply@blogger.comBlogger481100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7263748.post-1113025452401067472005-04-08T22:42:00.000-07:002005-05-04T22:47:40.153-07:00

Thanks for dropping by - this blog has moved to a new location:The Doctor Is InPlease update your bookmarks and come visit my new site.

Dr. Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18028919267675917775noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7263748.post-1112424525649400542005-04-01T22:37:00.000-08:002005-04-01T22:59:16.643-08:00

It has been said that fools rush in where angels fear to tread, so April Fools seems an appropriate time to announce the new location of my blog: The Doctor Is In.Blogger has been a great way to get started - free, instant setup, no host maintenance, virtually no development except a little CSS. But with ease comes limitations, and growing performance problems. My new location is powered by

Dr. Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18028919267675917775noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7263748.post-1112078437266470702005-03-30T17:40:00.000-08:002005-03-30T18:48:50.576-08:00

I have been avoiding any comment on the Terry Schiavo case for a host of reasons: first and foremost, I simply do not have enough information to make a reasoned judgment (nor, as far as I can tell, are the majority of people opining on her case). There is a huge amount of heat, and very little light, surrounding this case, and countless emotional, impassioned, and often irrational arguments have

Dr. Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18028919267675917775noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7263748.post-1111897482759018702005-03-27T20:24:00.000-08:002005-03-28T00:02:51.040-08:00

Three men on a Friday, condemned to die. Ensnared by Roman justice, convicted, and sentenced to a lingering death of profound cruelty and excruciating agony.The Romans knew how to do it right: execution designed to utterly humiliate its victims, and maximize their suffering -- a public spectacle and object lesson to others about the foolishness of defying Roman authority. First used by the

Dr. Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18028919267675917775noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7263748.post-1110857358932715662005-03-14T19:27:00.000-08:002005-03-16T23:10:42.386-08:00

Sometimes in the rush of the high-speed news cycle a story just reaches out and grabs you. Brian Nichols -- on trial for raping his ex-girlfriend at gunpoint for three days -- shot a judge and three others in a courtroom in Atlanta, before escaping as a an armed, hunted and highly dangerous fugitive. At 2 AM in a parking lot, he encountered Ashley Smith, and took her hostage in her own apartment:

Dr. Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18028919267675917775noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7263748.post-1109813838252294722005-03-12T17:36:00.000-08:002005-03-12T21:11:49.650-08:00

I will be travelling with family to the East Coast tomorrow for the week (Washington D.C., Baltimore, and maybe Philadelphia), so there won't be much -- if any -- blogging until then. I was hoping to get a post up before leaving, but alas, work and trip prep were unrelenting. Looking forward to recharging the batteries with some much-needed time off.God bless, and God willing, I'll be back soon.

Dr. Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18028919267675917775noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7263748.post-1109454568490210282005-02-26T13:36:00.000-08:002005-02-27T13:17:06.216-08:00

The war rages on. It is a battle with ancient roots, deeply embedded in religion, culture, and the tensions between rich and poor. It is a war of contrasts: high technology and primitive cultural weapons; knowledge versus ignorance; speed and urgency against the methodical slowness of an enemy who knows time is on his side.It is a war in which enormous strides have been made, with countless

Dr. Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18028919267675917775noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7263748.post-1108687477691618872005-02-17T16:36:00.000-08:002005-02-19T09:45:03.990-08:00

I have turned off comments on the site for now. After my last post, I received a flurry of comments, the basic premise of which was that I was an arrogant physician who cared nothing for patient autonomy, was a greedy SOB, and that I -- and all doctors with me -- deserve to be sued out of our BMWs. And that was the warm, fuzzy icebreaker -- it went downhill from there.Now, far worse things have

Dr. Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18028919267675917775noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7263748.post-1108340516218737772005-02-13T20:19:00.000-08:002005-02-13T22:41:21.486-08:00

A recent brief AP wire story highlights the adversarial and often irrational legal environment in which physicians practice today. The article, Man sues over botched testicular surgery (hat tip: Kevin, M.D.), is very brief, and it is obviously not possible to determine the validity of such a suit based on a such a brief press release or wire story.One wonders why such a story is newsworthy at all

Dr. Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18028919267675917775noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7263748.post-1107570833742498902005-02-04T18:33:00.000-08:002005-02-06T21:52:29.573-08:00

Considerable media attention has been paid to a recent study demonstrating a strong link between bankruptcy and medical illness. When I first read of the study in the Wall Street Journal, I must confess I was skeptical. Studies which receive large media attention are sometimes driven by an underlying agenda, and in some instances, have used questionable study populations and statistical analysis

Dr. Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18028919267675917775noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7263748.post-1107055045623925622005-01-31T19:17:00.000-08:002005-01-31T22:51:48.936-08:00

This essay begins a series on problems and possible solutions to the current mess we call health care in our country. It takes no small amount of hubris to assume that one has all the answers to the health care quagmire -- I most certainly don't -- especially when far smarter and more knowledgeable folks have been beating their heads against this problem for ages, with little apparent results.

Dr. Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18028919267675917775noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7263748.post-1107108747988963112005-01-30T10:11:00.000-08:002005-02-13T16:28:18.213-08:00

In my free time, between practicing medicine, doing a major rewrite of my electronic medical records software, photographing my wife's product line and posting it to her web site, and of course, running a blog, I had the chance to read Hugh Hewitt's latest book, Blog. It was, I must admit, a surprisingly good and easy read.In my experience, many Internet and media pundits who are superb and

Dr. Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18028919267675917775noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7263748.post-1106622703955474542005-01-24T19:08:00.000-08:002005-01-25T22:06:46.356-08:00

Like most states, Medicaid in Washington State has struggled to provide health care for the poor. In Washington, Medicaid has been on life support for least several years. Its shortcomings are legion: very low reimbursements for services to providers; a poorly-written provider contract which put physicians at a severe disadvantage in any disputes; retroactive computer-generated audits of

Dr. Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18028919267675917775noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7263748.post-1106115666372807592005-01-18T22:09:00.000-08:002005-01-20T20:27:33.596-08:00

Some of my readers want me to stop startling the sheep with terrifying tales of wolves at the gate, but rather rest peacefully in pastoral bliss, secure in the knowledge that our appointed shepherds have their security measures and manuals close at hand. Blessed assurance, thy rod and thy staff meetings, they comfort me. Stick to the Marcus Welby script, they tell me. And so I shall (in due time)

Dr. Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18028919267675917775noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7263748.post-1105749968939020292005-01-14T16:45:00.000-08:002005-01-14T17:06:42.470-08:00

I had a most interesting and troubling conversation with a patient of mine yesterday. The patient, a Federal Air Marshall, related an incident in which he was involved this past year. He and his partner were assigned to a flight (the airline, airport, and destination were not disclosed) in their customary undercover security role. They boarded the airplane early in order to meet the flight

Dr. Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18028919267675917775noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7263748.post-1105674846612326522005-01-13T19:53:00.000-08:002005-01-13T23:16:47.250-08:00

I have been working on a posting -- or series of postings -- on medical malpractice, a project which has taken longer than I anticipated. So, in the meantime, I thought I would treat you to some kidney stone blogging. Say again? Kidney stone blogging. Management of kidney stones has changed dramatically over the past 20 years. In the past, patients who formed kidney stones often required open

Dr. Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18028919267675917775noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7263748.post-1104973402264910932005-01-05T17:02:00.000-08:002005-01-06T06:10:35.836-08:00

The holidays have passed, so it's time to get back into the daily routines which provide predictability and productivity to life. As for many, the holidays provided both ample enjoyment and stress, as the compounding time requirements of work, family, and entertainment formed a potent - if exhausting - brew. The joy of Christmas was tempered by the need to be on call, which foreshortened time

Dr. Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18028919267675917775noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7263748.post-1103482337912655322004-12-19T10:52:00.000-08:002004-12-19T11:01:42.586-08:00

With Christmas week coming up, family in town, shopping yet to do, and the responsibility to be on call on Christmas weekend, there will be little or no time in the next few weeks for blogging. Time to recharge the batteries and treasure life close to home. Here's wishing each and every one of you a blessed and joyful Christmas. May you find the peace of Christ and the joy of life in Him this

Dr. Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18028919267675917775noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7263748.post-1102207026777337082004-12-05T21:36:00.000-08:002004-12-05T21:35:14.823-08:00

In the years following the Great War, a sense of doom and panic settled over Germany. Long concerned about a declining birth rate, the country faced the loss of 2 million of its fine young men in the war, the crushing burden of an economy devastated by war and the Great Depression, further compounded by the economic body blow of reparations and the loss of the German colonies imposed by the

Dr. Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18028919267675917775noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7263748.post-1100721537975162772004-11-17T11:52:00.000-08:002004-11-22T21:16:59.010-08:00

On April 25th 1990, the long awaited Hubble space telescope was launched. In the planning stages since 1967, delayed in deployment for 4 years by the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster, scientists were ecstatic at its potential to view deep space as never before from above the atmosphere's distorting optical envelope. Within days their excitement turned to dismay, as pictures from Hubble returned

Dr. Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18028919267675917775noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7263748.post-1100372934951377032004-11-13T11:05:00.000-08:002004-11-15T23:16:09.263-08:00

The year was 1914. The Great War was raging in Europe, with America as yet spared its suffering. For the followers of Charles Taze Russell, the war was but one sign of a far more portentous event: 1914 was the predicted year for the parousia, the visible return of Christ in power. Russell, a clothing merchant and self-proclaimed "Bible student", had become interested in the teachings of William

Dr. Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18028919267675917775noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7263748.post-1099602621071145692004-11-04T13:52:00.000-08:002004-11-05T06:16:49.716-08:00

The talking heads of the mainstream media are echoing the refrain that President Bush - having won by a significant margin in the popular and electoral vote, as well as significant gains by his party in Congress - should recognize the bitterly divided nature of the electorate, and promote healing by adopting a conciliatory philosophy of governance. This presumably would include the appointment of

Dr. Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18028919267675917775noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7263748.post-1099009423919021842004-10-28T17:16:00.000-07:002004-10-29T21:30:30.216-07:00

There's less than a week to the election, and I'm burned out from checking the polls at Real Clear Politics every 15 minutes. So, to relieve the stress, relax the body and clarify the mind, it's time for some bridge blogging. Say what? Bridge blogging. It just so happens that I live near an engineering marvel in progress: the new Tacoma Narrows bridge. Most folks have heard of the Tacoma

Dr. Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18028919267675917775noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7263748.post-1098133444892637632004-10-20T14:03:00.000-07:002004-10-22T23:57:01.306-07:00

Ron Suskind's article in the NY Times Magazine, Without a Doubt, addressing the issue of the faith of George W. Bush, begins as follows: Bruce Bartlett, a domestic policy adviser to Ronald Reagan and a treasury official for the first President Bush, told me recently that ''if Bush wins, there will be a civil war in the Republican Party starting on Nov. 3.'' The nature of that conflict, as

Dr. Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18028919267675917775noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7263748.post-1098075789798286462004-10-17T21:57:00.000-07:002004-10-23T00:07:26.476-07:00

Life can be stranger than fiction. Much has been written - and considerable media attention given - to the benefits and risks of estrogen replacement therapy, but considerably less attention has been directed at testosterone replacement. Yet androgen replacement therapy is becoming increasingly common, as improved delivery systems have been developed. Low testosterone is common in aging men,

Dr. Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18028919267675917775noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7263748.post-1097897206136217092004-10-15T20:23:00.000-07:002004-10-16T00:08:08.600-07:00

The FDA this week approved the use of the Applied Digital 4Verisign implantable chip in humans. The chip has been in use for some time in animals, to identify pets and livestock. The technology is straightforward: the chip is implanted under the skin, in the subcutaneous tissue, ideally in the right upper arm near the triceps, and contains RFID transmitter which is activated by a hand-held

Dr. Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18028919267675917775noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7263748.post-1097530015305089962004-10-11T14:26:00.000-07:002004-10-11T21:07:54.953-07:00

In the second presidential debate between John Kerry and George Bush, the topic of medical malpractice reform was raised. Here's the exchange: LAURENT: Senator Kerry, you've stated your concern for the rising cost of health care, yet you chose a vice presidential candidate who has made millions of dollars successfully suing medical professionals. How do you reconcile this with the voters? KERRY

Dr. Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18028919267675917775noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7263748.post-1097079610036066092004-10-06T09:18:00.000-07:002004-10-06T16:58:49.780-07:00

In the Vice Presidential debate last night, John Edwards detailed the Kerry-Edwards health care plan, stressing, among other points, their intention to allow drug importation from Canada: They've blocked allowing prescription drugs into this country from Canada. We're going to allow it. Practicing in the Pacific Northwest, 4 hours from the Canadian border, I have talked with many patients who

Dr. Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18028919267675917775noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7263748.post-1096348781811099082004-09-27T22:18:00.000-07:002004-09-27T23:31:41.206-07:00

Milton Friedman, in his influential work Free to Choose, puts forth the premise that restrictions on medical licensure and the numbers of physicians in training by the AMA is one of the principal reasons for spiraling health care costs and diminshing quality. In a truly free health care market, the consumer would be free to choose from a large number of health care providers - physicians,

Dr. Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18028919267675917775noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7263748.post-1095803358560239402004-09-21T14:47:00.000-07:002004-09-22T17:55:35.316-07:00

Lucette Lagnado's article today in the Online WSJ (subscription required), Anatomy of a Hospital Bill, details a couple financially devastated by an uninsured health care crisis, with the couple owing nearly $40,000 for a less-than-24-hour stay for a cardiac stent for myocardial infarction. Like many of the 45 million Americans who don't have health insurance, the Shipmans gambled -- unwisely,

Dr. Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18028919267675917775noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7263748.post-1095390944261861282004-09-16T19:57:00.000-07:002004-09-16T20:40:23.703-07:00

"Fake but accurate." Thus declares the mainstream press about the forged National Guard memos promulgated by Dan Rather and Friends at CBS. What could better typify the postmodern Gnosticism of the Left in today's culture? In essence, this proclamation says it all: we liberals have a higher knowledge than those who are unenlightened, and if the basis of our convictions is proven false,

Dr. Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18028919267675917775noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7263748.post-1094601693147508762004-09-07T16:57:00.000-07:002004-09-12T15:11:50.256-07:00

David Brooks, in his NY Times Op-Ed piece, Cult of Death, says the following about the Muslim terrorists and the Beslan school massacre: We should be used to this pathological mass movement by now. We should be able to talk about such things. Yet when you look at the Western reaction to the Beslan massacres, you see people quick to divert their attention away from the core horror of this act, as

Dr. Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18028919267675917775noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7263748.post-1093668134423821242004-08-27T21:41:00.000-07:002004-08-31T22:29:01.330-07:00

It would be hard to add anything - pro or con - to the firestorm of comments regarding John Kerry's service or the Swift vets attack on his character and post-Vietnam testimony about ubiquitous war crimes in Vietnam. This is presidential campaign season, and tempers and hyperbole are on overdrive. Vietnam, even so many years later, is a festering wound which refuses to heal, and the scab's been

Dr. Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18028919267675917775noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7263748.post-1093156427440782112004-08-21T23:33:00.000-07:002004-08-24T20:04:28.106-07:00

"There is a solution." So starts a chapter of the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous - the virtual Bible of recovery from alcoholism and the basis of all 12-step recovery programs. And it works - according to the testimony of millions of recovering alcoholics and addicts in the nearly 70 years since the inception of AA by its two founders, Bill Wilson and Dr. Robert Smith. In our age of science,

Dr. Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18028919267675917775noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7263748.post-1092267281149636842004-08-11T16:26:00.000-07:002004-08-14T01:09:36.110-07:00

If you take the opportunity to speak with those who have survived the ordeal of addiction and alcoholism and who are in recovery, you will find a wide range of stories and experiences. When we think about those who are alcoholics and addicts, they are typically viewed through the lens of late-stage affliction: homeless, disheveled, living on the street or under bridges, hanging out in seedy bars

Dr. Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18028919267675917775noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7263748.post-1091910752854860482004-08-07T13:25:00.000-07:002004-08-08T22:12:13.740-07:00

I was listening to Bill O'Reilly on the radio a few days ago, discussing a sports figure whose career was ended by drug use. He was using it as a segue into his philosophy about drug laws, enforcement, legalization and addiction. Now, I like O'Reilly, and agree with him maybe 60-70% of the time, but he - and almost all conservatives I've heard - are way off base about this issue. His conclusion,

Dr. Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18028919267675917775noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7263748.post-1091313229101046212004-07-31T15:28:00.000-07:002004-08-02T12:19:40.830-07:00

Myths are often regarded as quaint stories, perhaps relating a tale of morality or human folly, but otherwise embodying only entertainment or fantasy. In the current political season, however, they have assumed a surprising power and resonance. Myths in and of themselves are neither inherently good nor bad. There is a wide spectrum, ranging from pure fantasy to caricature based in greater or

Dr. Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18028919267675917775noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7263748.post-1090707373545847102004-07-24T15:14:00.000-07:002004-07-26T09:27:19.593-07:00

Amy Richard's article on her selective reduction in the NY Times Magazine (registration required) has recently been discussed on National Review Online (see also here) and elsewhere. It should be read by everyone with an interest in the abortion debate, or the general state of the culture wars in 21st century America. At every level, Ms. Richard's story displays the moral vacuousness of the

Dr. Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18028919267675917775noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7263748.post-1089853409814033182004-07-14T17:30:00.000-07:002004-07-17T20:17:25.203-07:00

It was late evening. I was headed for a meeting, at the end of a too-long day, and stopped into Starbucks for a fix. The store was empty except for a single barista. I ordered my coffee, and was stunned when told: "Your drink has been paid for by someone else." I looked around - no "someone else" here. The coffee was free, but better yet: I had received a free life lesson on grace. I was raised

Dr. Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18028919267675917775noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7263748.post-1089135567240630582004-07-06T10:25:00.000-07:002004-07-06T12:56:37.296-07:00

The anticipation is over, the selection made: it's John Kerry and John Edwards. After all the media hyperventilation, the speculation about Hillary and surprise candidates who would add pizazz and dazzle to the Democratic ticket, flirting with McCain (who, while flaky, is not suicidal), the NSA-level secrecy, it's ... John Edwards?? ... Oh, well. It was fun while it lasted. There were two VP

Dr. Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18028919267675917775noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7263748.post-1088364252904957662004-06-27T12:17:00.000-07:002004-07-06T12:47:15.013-07:00

In July 1940, an engineering marvel was completed: the first Tacoma Narrows Bridge. One of the longest suspension bridges in the world at the time, it exemplified the light, graceful architectural trend of suspension bridges built in this era. Called the crowning achievement of his career, designer Leon Moisseiff - the architect of the Golden Gate and Bay bridges in San Francisco - later declared

Dr. Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18028919267675917775noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7263748.post-1088020740058849932004-06-23T13:22:00.000-07:002004-11-20T22:41:31.196-08:00

My bookkeeper's husband recently underwent coronary angioplasty with stents - a procedure which opens clogged arteries in the heart and keeps them open with synthetic tubes. He was hospitalized for less than 24 hours. This miracle of modern medicine came with a price, however - his hospital bill alone (excluding physicians' fees, which are billed separately and will be much less) was nearly

Dr. Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18028919267675917775noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7263748.post-1087708647752284832004-06-19T22:16:00.000-07:002004-06-28T12:40:25.263-07:00

It takes only a brief review of conservative web sites, print media, and pundit blogs to be left with the impression of a deep frustration with liberalism. Not merely the disagreement with their beliefs and priorities, mind you - that is a given - but rather with their peculiar unresponsiveness to arguments of reason and logic. The scenario goes something like this: Some Democrat in Congress or

Dr. Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18028919267675917775noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7263748.post-1087238948708638542004-06-14T11:30:00.000-07:002004-06-28T12:41:19.176-07:00

In contemporary political discourse, we often discuss the Rule of Law, especially in our postmodern culture where bad behavior is often justified (and excused) by situation, upbringing, or historical injustice. But no one ever talks about the Law of Rules. Today in the office I reviewed one of Medicare's bulletins, clarifying (at least in intent, if not in practice) their regulations in some

Dr. Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18028919267675917775noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7263748.post-1087069271895972522004-06-12T13:32:00.000-07:002005-02-06T14:03:18.966-08:00

I am struck by the evisceration of language in our contemporary culture, and wonder about its implications. We humans can communicate by many means - by touch, by expressions, by giving -- even by our mere presence in situations where we would be more comfortable elsewhere, such as when sharing grief or loss with another. But our primary means of communication is by our language. In Genesis we

Dr. Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18028919267675917775noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7263748.post-1086960322174547022004-06-11T10:15:00.000-07:002004-06-11T10:10:00.676-07:00

When doing my medical dictation, I have used voice recognition software for the past several years. It is rather amazing technology in many ways. With sufficient training, accuracy is about 95%. Complex medical terms appear on the screen with surprising ease and accuracy. It never makes spelling errors, but contextual errors are common. As you can imagine, these can prove humorous at times. Like

Dr. Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18028919267675917775noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7263748.post-1086934660856962802004-06-10T23:17:00.000-07:002004-06-28T12:45:57.080-07:00

Meet Cheap Suit... Her real name is Grace. Like all our pets, she has multiple names, rarely going by that originally issued -- unless they're in trouble. I call her Cheap Suit because of her propensity to be all over you (like a cheap suit) whenever hungry or attention-starved. And like a cheap suit, she doesn't always wear well... Grace joined our family two years ago at Christmas. Dirty,

Dr. Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18028919267675917775noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7263748.post-1086843461043095932004-06-09T21:30:00.000-07:002004-06-11T15:08:23.290-07:00

Here's adding my raindrop to the ocean of web logs... The Doctor is In is a blog by a physician philosopher, dealing with medicine, religion, family, politics, current events, philosophy, pets, photography, the Pacific Northwest, software development, humor, and any other area of life worthy of passion and depth of consideration. Here's hoping you find it enjoyable and thought-provoking, and join

Dr. Bobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18028919267675917775noreply@blogger.com