Patients' descriptions of their medications can cause confusion-with potentially dangerous results.

I use ICE at each visit to help ensure that patients are satisfied with the care they receive.

Measure your volume by season and day.

Many patients with a viral upper respiratory tract infection still expect an antibiotic prescription when they come to the office.

Remember that patients will Google you and nowadays rate you on one of the many rating sites.

A 69-year-old man presents with a cough of 3 months' duration. He has taken a variety of over-the-counter suppressants and received a course of antibiotics, without resolution. The cough is not position-related; it produces a small amount of sputum and recently flecks of blood as well.

To safely immobilize children for suturing of forehead lacerations, try the "Superman cape" technique.

Jan Henderson, PhD, is a graduate of Harvard College and Yale University. After receiving her degree in the History of Science and Medicine, she taught at the City University of New York (Queens College). She has been a fellow at the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, NJ. Currently she writes on the history of the medical profession in the 20th century, as well as changing attitudes towards health. You can follow her on her blog, The Health Culture.

We live in a litigious society. Unfortunately, that statement may be most accurate in the setting of medical practice. Did you know that 40% and 34% of family practice and general internists, respectively, have been sued for malpractice? One in seven primary care practitioners have been sued at least twice. A recent "Business of Medicine Report" offered some very helpful advice that may keep practitioners out of court.

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For several months, a 45-year-old woman has had ocular irritation, tearing, blurred vision, and swelling of the eyelids in both eyes. A close-up view of her eyelashes is shown here.