Words that sound wonderful can come back to haunt you. As a case in point, I recently responded to Elizabeth Wortley’s eloquent blog “Please refrain from using that kind of […]
William Cayley
William Cayley: Out with the old (and practical) and in with the new (and techie)?
Out with the old and in with the new? Improvements in the quality and portability of electronic diagnostic equipment have led to increasing discussion of late over the possible demise […]
William Cayley: Christmas thoughts
The Christmas holidays annually are a time for jolliness, cheer, and fun—from “Ugly Sweater” events to “White Elephant” gifts, and even The BMJ Christmas issue. It’s all in good fun, it […]
William Cayley: Is the Good Samaritan the wrong metaphor to use for doctors?
A story from the Christian New Testament has provided the literary namesake for countless medical facilities, as well as legal and ethical principles guiding care for those in need, but […]
William Cayley: To doctor is to diagnose—part two
Having recently posted some thoughts on the continuing centrality of diagnosis in doctoring, I was happy to see the recent Institute of Medicine (IOM) report “Improving Diagnosis in Healthcare.” I […]
William Cayley: The value of the tweet
I’ve only recently begun tweeting, but have already been struck by the challenge of sometimes trying to convey complex ideas in 144 characters or less. The combinations of abbreviations, “hashtags,” […]
William Cayley: Neither complementary nor conventional
I appreciate Timothy Caulfield’s exploration of the “straw men” set up in many a discussion over integrative, complementary, or alternative medicines (CAM for short). However, I think we need to […]
William Cayley: Continuity over efficiency
It has become fairly clearly established that a strong primary care system is associated with better overall health for a society and a more equitable distribution of health in the […]
William Cayley: Life saving science?
This past week saw the interestingly coincident publication of a reanalysis of “Study 329” in The BMJ and an opinion piece in the New York Times, calling for more rapid dissemination of […]
William Cayley: Comfort always and advocacy for the vulnerable
Reading the Monday morning paper, I was greeted by stories about ongoing fights over whether or how to undo the Affordable Care Act (“Obamacare”) and controversies over solitary confinement. Later, while driving […]