Alicia Gallegos

Hospitals Muzzle Doctors and Nurses on PPE, COVID-19 Cases

Hospitals are warning physicians not to speak or post publicly about their COVID-19 experiences, including PPE shortages that are putting doctors' health in danger. Winner of 2021 Regional BRONZE award by the American Society of Business Press Editors.

Grads Say Cheating Problem Is Rampant

Our investigation found clear evidence of the selling and buying of United States Medical Licensing Examination questions online. After questioning USMLE leaders and days before we planned to publish our report, the program announced it was invalidating scores due to "a pattern of anomalous exam performance."

Reviewer accused of stealing manuscript and publishing it as his own denies he refereed it

An early-career researcher who discovered a nearly identical version of her manuscript published by the researcher who reviewed - and recommended rejecting - the work for another journal is still awaiting a resolution 10 months after reporting her concerns. Shafaq Aftab, now a lecturer at the University of Central Punjab in Pakistan, learned of the...

Heart-Liver Surgery May Help Patients Excluded from Transplant List

Patients with both heart and liver diseases are usually turned away from organ transplant lists. A new dual procedure aims to give them another chance.

Older, Breastfeeding Mothers Face Differing Advice About Mammograms

Older, breastfeeding moms face conflicting guidance about cancer screenings. What's behind the differing recommendations?

Heart Risks After Pregnancy-Related High Blood Pressure in Latinas

New data shows that Latina women with high blood pressure during pregnancy face a greater chance of heart problems. What is causing the complication, and how can you lower your risk?

A Life on the Line and $250K in Medical Debt Amid Insurer Denials

After being diagnosed with a rare form of cancer at 35, Nathan Kirkland's only chance for a cure was a liver transplant. But his insurance company refused to pay for the procedure. Could a new AI company that fights claim denials turn the tables in time?

Drugmakers Are Limiting Cancer Patients’ Access to Financial Lifelines. Why?

A Medscape investigation finds that more drug makers are quietly banning or restricting commercially insured patients from their patient assistance programs. The new limits are leaving patients scrambling to pay for the life-saving treatments they need.

Insurance Barriers to Obesity Care: Physicians Navigate Complex Prior Authorization Process

Caissa Troutman, MD, recently treated a patient in her early 50s who she planned to prescribe the anti-obesity medication Zepbound. The patient’s insurance covered Zepbound but required prior authorization. After going through the “tedious” prior authorization process, Troutman learned the insurer would only cover Zepbound for patients ...

Is Mammography Ready for AI? Opinions Mixed on Usage, Cost Methods

Screening mammograms miss close to one in eight breast cancers. But early research suggests artificial intelligence could close this detection gap and improve early diagnosis of the disease.

Keeping Up with Artificial Intelligence: The Role of HI Professionals

Artificial intelligence (AI) and its impact on healthcare is a pressing topic for professionals across the health information (HI) spectrum, raising countless questions about benefits, risks, and applications.

When Could You Be Sued for AI Malpractice? You're Likely Using It Now

The use of AI at your medical practice could be putting you in danger of a lawsuit, legal experts say.

Falsely Accused MD

Urologist Joseph Oesterling was accused of overprescribing pain medication and faced up to 30 years in prison. He fought to maintain his innocence, despite an uphill battle against the government.

Supreme Court offers mixed take on false claim liability

A U.S. Supreme Court ruling that expands liability under the federal False Claims Act (FCA) could have both positive and negative implications for physicians accused of submitting false claims to the government.

Mega Malpractice Verdicts Against Physicians on the Rise

Jurors are awarding record-high jury verdicts against doctors. What's behind the trend?

Dog mourns owner's death

Since her best friend's death, Zelda has taken to wandering. Neighbors spot the one-eyed, rust-colored dog roaming the farm roads near her home, heading in the direction of the cemetery.

Breaking through a 'cloud of silence.' One physician’s suicide offers lessons for prevention.

2021 National GOLD Award, American Society of Business Press Editors

Electrocuted by 11,000 Volts, Now a Triple Amputee…and an MD

Bruce "BJ" Miller Jr., a 19-year-old Princeton University sophomore, was horsing around with friends near a train track in 1990 when they spotted a parked commuter train. They decided to climb over the train, and Miller was first up the ladder.

Violent Crime: Everyone Pays

2007 Story of the Year awarded by the Hoosier State Press Association

Can sex offenders be cured?

Winner 2009 Indiana Associated Press Managing Editors, Third Place, non-deadline news story.

Out of Sight: Mental Illness and the Criminal Justice System

First Place 2006 Best Criminal Justice Reporting: Society of Professional Journalists Indiana Chapter

Money, Patients, Romance: Physician Ethics 2020

Physician attitudes on important issues have changed since Medscape's first ethics survey in 2010. In 2020, 5000+ US physicians shared their perspectives about ethical issues they encounter.

Malpractice 2017: Do we need reform?

Malpractice reforms long espoused by Thomas E. Price, MD, Health & Human Services secretary, are fostering debate on whether national fixes are necessary in an improving liability landscape. Claims against health providers have decreased twofold and doctors nationwide have seen their premiums decrease steadily for a decade.

Medscape Malpractice Report 2021

Read about physicians' malpractice experiences and the latest lawsuit trends discovered in our 2021 survey.

Channel 22 report on hearing

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VIDEO: Innovative hospital staffing models enhance productivity, ease work flow

NATIONAL HARBOR, MD. – Inefficient hospital staffing structures can waste resources, stifle work flow, and frustrate hospitalists and their teams.

How Often Do Docs and Insurers Spar Over Settlements?

Conflicts between physicians and insurers are common when it comes to malpractice settlements. How much control do doctors have over final resolutions?

What makes a direct primary care practice successful?

Direct primary care practices are growing, but experts say it takes the right preparation, marketing, and structuring to keep the models afloat. In an interv...

Video: Health reform's legal showdown

Reporting live from Washington DC for the U.S. Supreme Court arguments over the ACA.

Disability Activist Led Quietly

Notre Dame graduate Adam Milani leaves behind a legacy of activism.

Pushing Through One Last Barrier

Highest ranking Mexican-American police officer retires after 37 years.

An MD's Anguish: COVID Has Split My Family

A doctor's family must live separately due to their daughter's rare cardiovascular disorder.

Medical Education Elevates with Video Games Technology

First-of-its-kind, third-party study finds that medical video games improve decision making in highly experienced doctors

Whitepaper: Measuring the Impact of Medical Games on Experienced Physicians’ Knowledge and...

Case study: HOW A BRAND RAISED AWARENESS FOR A RARE DISEASE USING THE NEUROSCIENCE OF PLAY