Tips on Neonatal Jaundice

(SOURCE: Wikipedia)

Neonatal jaundice! Should I start bili lights or not? AHHHHHHH! Nomograms! Charts! Calculating lab draw times! Assessing risk factors! There has to be an easier way to do this. We are in a technological age aren't we? For goodness sake, we have computers that can calculate the prime derivative of thirty billion electrons playing hop scotch in Andromeda! All I want is for the computer to do some pretty basic math and plot it on a simple nomogram! Ok...

Check this website out: www.bilitool.org. Makes all the calculations MUCH easier... And... You're welcome!

Lice! Lice! Lice!

What do you do when the Nix (1% permethrin) does not get rid of the patient's lice? Well... Assuming that you are doing all the other stuff (using the lice comb, treating family members, etc.), consider using Elimite cream. "But Dave, the patient doesn't have scabies!" you say. Well Elimite cream is 5% permethrin which is 5 times more concentrated than the permethrin in Nix. And, for me, this tip usually does the trick.

Of course there are many other Lice tips and tricks and medications (and some are quite flammable!). This is just what works for me.

Vagisil Cream and Manliness?

Ok... I admit it. Vagisil cream is not the most manly thing a guy can pick up at the neighborhood Walgreens. Heck, I'd rather pick up a box of tampons! But, the stuff does relieve minor topical pain. The main ingredient is benzocaine, a local anesthetic. I've used it on patient's with shingles, minor first degree burns, etc. It's much cheaper than the Lidoderm Patches. And I don't have to fill out a prior auth form only to have the Lidoderm Patch denied because I'm using it off-label!

BUT I do recommend that the wives purchase the Vagisil for their man. Real men do NOT purchase Vagisil... NOT EVER!

Making Your Own Jeopardy Game

Have you every wanted to make your own custom Jeopardy Game for a lecture or class or your daughter's 10th birthday party? Why of course you do! Why doesn't? "But it's too hard!" you say. Well fear not! Here's an online tutorial that I did for the STFM Spring Conference on just this topic. It's really easy (and quite fun) with some FREE online tools!

Make Custom Game Shows for Education from David Koo on Vimeo.

When to start medications for osteopenia?

Consider medications in osteopenia if the 10-year probability of hip fracture ≥ 3% or a 10-year probability of a major osteoporosis- related fracture ≥ 20%. These percentages can be calculated using the online FRAX calculator.   Enjoy!