Physicians Walk the Line Between Being Overly Cautious, And Not
Cautious Enough
June 19, 2007
Diagnosing autism isn’t easy for a family doctor. But when a toddler reads the numbers off Dr. Brewer’s exam-room doors, it provides an important clue there is something very different about the 18-month-old boy. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB118220574802439684.htmI
An Unexpected Birth upends a Doctor’s Day August 14, 2007
Sometimes one phone call changes everything. In the midst of a routine morning of blood-pressure treatment, well-child care and earaches, a pregnant patient started bleeding at home. Dr. Brewer takes us with him as he safely delivers a two-pound baby boy at rural hospital without the help of specialists. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB118703916283196341.htmI
Retail Clinics Put Pressure on Doctors September 11, 2007
An uninsured patient rings up a $600 hospital bill after a trip to the emergency room for an earache. The episode helps Dr. Brewer explain the appeal of retail clinics and the threat they post to doctors. In a sign of the times, Dr. Brewer explains why he is opening his own retail clinic to stay competitive. http://online.wsj.com/article/SBl18946026954823013.htmI
It’s Hard to Heed the Experts When Your Kid Has the Cold
October 23, 2007
The runny nose started in the morning. By bedtime, a cold had settled in my 3-year-old son’s chest, and a deep, hacking cough could be heard throughout the house. At 1 a.m., my wife gave me the look that said: “You’re a doctor; do something.” The same day experts recommended that the Food and Drug Administration ban cold medicines for kids, Dr. Brewer and his wife give them to their son anyway. He explains the risks and the benefits.http://online.wsj.com/article/SBl19310429635767959.html