Medicine

Doctors and physician assistants who spread misinformation about COVID-19 in Washington could face disciplinary measures. That’s after action taken this week by the Washington Medical Commission, which monitors and enforces licenses of about 34,000 physicians and physician assistants here.

If male doctors were as good as their female counterparts at caring for older people in the hospital, about 32,000 fewer patients a year would die. What do female doctors do better than men?

A proposed change in work rules would let first-year residents care for patients for as many as 28 hours straight, scrapping a 16-hour limit. Supporters say longer shifts would improve patient safety.

Treating depression is a hit-or-miss process; the first treatment works less than half the time. Scientists say they may be able to use PET brain scans to tell whether antidepressants or cognitive behavioral therapy will work best. But tailored treatments are still far off.

If you have high-deductible health insurance – possibly paying $2,000 or more out of pocket – the price of every test or procedure matters a lot. In…

Where you live definitely affects the quality of your health care. That’s clear in a new report comparing communities across the country. Western…

King County Executive Dow Constantine says he’ll be able to preserve as many as a dozen sheriff’s deputies and 20 public health nurses. That’s because…

The strain of E. coli has genes that appear to account for its toxicity and the high rate of kidney problems among patients. The germ is also armed with genes that would help it defeat common antibiotics.

http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/kplu/local-kplu-957030.mp3If you've had arthroscopic knee surgery for osteoarthritis, maybe you…

King County's major medical centers continue jockeying for position in the emerging new health-care world. U.W. Medicine and Valley Medical Center…