Healthcare Triage

As we've explained in previous episodes, insurance is complicated. Even John gets confused (watch the video!). But there's a reason we have all these deductibles, co-pays, and co-insurance. It's because of the moral hazard, and a very important research study known as the RAND Health Insurance Experiment. Watch this episode and learn all about it. Make sure you subscribe above so you don't miss any upcoming episodes! Here's more info on the RAND HIE: http://theincidentaleconomist.com/wordpress/the-moral-hazard/ John Green -- Executive Producer Stan Muller -- Director, Producer Aaron Carroll -- Writer Mark Olsen - Graphics http://www.twitter.com/aaronecarroll http://www.twitter.com/crashcoursestan http://www.twitter.com/realjohngreen http://www.twitter.com/olsenvideo

Antibiotics are one of the greatest medical innovations ever, responsible for saving something like a gazillion lives. But today, we're worried about overusing them, and there are concerns that one day they won't really work anymore. There are lots of misconceptions about antibiotics, and in this week's episode we're going to tackle a lot of them. Make sure you subscribe above so you don't miss any upcoming episodes! Those of you who want to read more and see references can go here: http://theincidentaleconomist.com/wordpress/?p=52679 John Green -- Executive Producer Stan Muller -- Director, Producer Aaron Carroll -- Writer Mark Olsen - Graphics http://www.twitter.com/aaronecarroll http://www.twitter.com/crashcoursestan http://www.twitter.com/realjohngreen http://www.twitter.com/olsenvideo

Thanks to Audible.com for supporting this episode of Healthcare Triage. You can get Nate Silver's The Signal and the Noise, or a book of your choice, free at Audible.com: http://www.audible.com/triage There is almost no topic in health and health policy that immediately polarizes people more than the idea that vaccines cause autism. Even though the original big paper on this topic came out at the end of the last century, the anger this causes is still raw and potent. But there is a very, very large amount of research showing that vaccines and autism are unrelated. Please, watch the video before you jump down my throat. Make sure you subscribe above so you don't miss any upcoming episodes! Here are references for all the studies I talk about: http://theincidentaleconomist.com/wordpress/?p=52677 John Green -- Executive Producer Stan Muller -- Director, Producer Aaron Carroll -- Writer Mark Olsen - Graphics http://www.twitter.com/aaronecarroll http://www.twitter.com/crashcoursestan http://www.twitter.com/realjohngreen http://www.twitter.com/olsenvideo

Healthcare Triage #13 We are seeing a lot of changes recently as to what we are "allowed" to eat. When the FDA decided to get rid of trans fats, I applauded. When New York City tried to ban sodas bigger than 16 ounces, though, I booed. Why is this not hypocritical? Watch and find out. Make sure you subscribe above so you don't miss any upcoming episodes! Data for all the things I talk about are here : http://theincidentaleconomist.com/wordpress/healthcare-triage-banning-trans-fats-versus-sodas/ John Green -- Executive Producer Stan Muller -- Director, Producer Aaron Carroll -- Writer Mark Olsen - Graphics http://www.twitter.com/aaronecarroll http://www.twitter.com/crashcoursestan http://www.twitter.com/realjohngreen http://www.twitter.com/olsenvideo

Many of my friends and family will only touch organic food. That's their right, and I don't try to fight with them. I sometimes get uncomfortable, though, when they make claims about organic food that just aren't supported by data and evidence. Moreover, I think arguing with anyone who is attempting to eat more fruits and vegetables that theirs are in some way "not good enough" is counter-productive. Watch the video and argue with me in the comments below. Make sure you subscribe above so you don't miss any upcoming episodes! Here are references for all the studies I talk about: http://theincidentaleconomist.com/wordpress/?p=53086 John Green -- Executive Producer Stan Muller -- Director, Producer Aaron Carroll -- Writer Mark Olsen - Graphics http://www.twitter.com/aaronecarroll http://www.twitter.com/crashcoursestan http://www.twitter.com/realjohngreen http://www.twitter.com/olsenvideo

Our episode on Organic food was a hit, but lots of you had questions in the comments asking about the safety of artificial sweeteners. We live to serve, so this week's episode is about the research in that area. These chemicals get a bad rap, but you might be surprised by what you learn by watching. Send your hate tweets to Aaron. He's used to them. Make sure you subscribe above so you don't miss any upcoming episodes! Here are references for all the stuff I talk about: http://theincidentaleconomist.com/wordpress/?p=53215 John Green -- Executive Producer Stan Muller -- Director, Producer Aaron Carroll -- Writer Mark Olsen - Graphics http://www.twitter.com/aaronecarroll http://www.twitter.com/crashcoursestan http://www.twitter.com/realjohngreen http://www.twitter.com/olsenvideo

We've been getting a lot of requests to talk about the health care systems of different countries. It's really hard to compress the complexities of each into an episode, but we're going to try. First up is the United States. Others will follow, including next week. Make sure you subscribe above so you don't miss any upcoming episodes! Here are references for all the stuff I talk about: John's video on health care costs: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qSjGouBmo0M Aaron's series on costs: http://theincidentaleconomist.com/wordpress/what-makes-the-us-health-care-system-so-expensive-introduction/ Aaron's series on quality: http://theincidentaleconomist.com/wordpress/how-do-we-rate-the-quality-of-the-us-health-care-system-introduction/ John Green -- Executive Producer Stan Muller -- Director, Producer Aaron Carroll -- Writer Mark Olsen -- Graphics http://www.twitter.com/aaronecarroll http://www.twitter.com/crashcoursestan http://www.twitter.com/realjohngreen http://www.twitter.com/olsenvideo

Last week we discussed the United States health care system. This week we discuss Canada's. We also take some time to bust some myths about their single payer health care system. Fight about it in the comments below. Make sure you subscribe above so you don't miss any upcoming episodes! References for a lot of the "myths" about Canada can be found here: http://theincidentaleconomist.com/wordpress/in-defense-of-canada/ Aaron's series on quality is here: http://theincidentaleconomist.com/wordpress/how-do-we-rate-the-quality-of-the-us-health-care-system-introduction/ Canadian wait time data is here: http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/hcs-sss/qual/acces/prov-eng.php John Green -- Executive Producer Stan Muller -- Director, Producer Aaron Carroll -- Writer Mark Olsen - Graphics http://www.twitter.com/aaronecarroll http://www.twitter.com/crashcoursestan http://www.twitter.com/realjohngreen http://www.twitter.com/olsenvideo

One of the things that baffles me about people is how they completely misunderstand risk. Lots of my friends panic about things that have no real chance of killing them, but ignore the things that will. This can lead us to make irrational decisions, and sometimes irrational policy. What really will kill us? Watch and learn. Make sure you subscribe above so you don't miss any upcoming episodes! References can be found here: http://theincidentaleconomist.com/wordpress/?p=53600 John Green -- Executive Producer Stan Muller -- Director, Producer Aaron Carroll -- Writer Mark Olsen - Graphics http://www.twitter.com/aaronecarroll http://www.twitter.com/crashcoursestan http://www.twitter.com/realjohngreen http://www.twitter.com/olsenvideo

This episode of Healthcare Triage is brought to you by Audible.com, the leading provider of audio books and spoken word entertainment on the internet. You can download a free book of your choice at http://www.audible.com/triage. If something has a benefit, and no harms, then you should likely use it. But if something has no benefits, and potentially real harms, then you shouldn't. The latter is the case with antibacterial soap. Although the stuff is ubiquitous, there's tons of data showing it doesn't do what it's supposed to, while possibly damaging us and the environment. Watch this week's episode to learn about the difference between efficacy and effectiveness, why bacterial counts really don't matter here, and why the FDA made the right call. Then, as always, feel free to attack Aaron in comments or on Twitter. Make sure you subscribe above so you don't miss any upcoming episodes! References can be found here: http://theincidentaleconomist.com/wordpress/?p=53849 John Green -- Executive Producer Stan Muller -- Director, Producer Aaron Carroll -- Writer Mark Olsen - Graphics http://www.twitter.com/aaronecarroll http://www.twitter.com/crashcoursestan http://www.twitter.com/realjohngreen http://www.twitter.com/olsenvideo

Does anyone really think there's something magical about five seconds when it comes to food and the floor? There's a press release out this week (I still can't find the study) that claims that the five second rule is "real". It isn't. If bacteria are going to transfer, they do it fast. Plus, there is no evidence at all that actual health is affected by the time food sits on the floor. Watch Aaron recoil at both bologna and the mangling of science in this week's episode. Make sure you subscribe above so you don't miss any upcoming episodes! References can be found here: http://theincidentaleconomist.com/wordpress/?p=54051 John Green -- Executive Producer Stan Muller -- Director, Producer Aaron Carroll -- Writer Mark Olsen - Graphics http://www.twitter.com/aaronecarroll http://www.twitter.com/crashcoursestan http://www.twitter.com/realjohngreen http://www.twitter.com/olsenvideo

Readers of Aaron's blog know of his beef with the milk industrial complex. Why does milk, of all beverages, get a pass in our efforts to reduce everyone's caloric intake? Why is it encouraged, when all others are shunned? Is it because you need the calcium? Is it because it makes your bones stronger? Watch, and learn why the milk emperor has no clothes. Make sure you subscribe above so you don't miss any upcoming episodes! References can be found here: http://theincidentaleconomist.com/wordpress/?p=54205 John Green -- Executive Producer Stan Muller -- Director, Producer Aaron Carroll -- Writer Mark Olsen - Graphics http://www.twitter.com/aaronecarroll http://www.twitter.com/crashcoursestan http://www.twitter.com/realjohngreen http://www.twitter.com/olsenvideo

This week, Healthcare Triage presents its first questions video! Many of you submitted questions over Twitter, and John and Aaron sat down to answer them. Hilarity sometimes ensues. Make sure you get your question in next time if you want to see it answered. Or, if you want your Twitter handle prominently displayed in a video. Or both. AND SORRY I SCREWED UP HDL/LDL!!! Make sure you subscribe above so you don't miss any upcoming episodes! John Green -- Executive Producer Stan Muller -- Director, Producer Aaron Carroll -- Writer Mark Olsen - Graphics http://www.twitter.com/aaronecarroll http://www.twitter.com/crashcoursestan http://www.twitter.com/realjohngreen http://www.twitter.com/olsenvideo

Does a positive test mean that you have a disease? Does a negative test mean you're healthy? Unfortunately, the answer to both these questions isn't a definitive "yes". How good a test is depends on it's sensitivity and specificity. Learn about both, and why understanding these test characteristics is so important. Next week we'll talk about what this all means in part II of this series, The Bayes Theorem. The Vermont Study: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3611728/ John Green -- Executive Producer Stan Muller -- Director, Producer Aaron Carroll -- Writer Mark Olsen - Graphics http://www.twitter.com/aaronecarroll http://www.twitter.com/crashcoursestan http://www.twitter.com/realjohngreen http://www.twitter.com/olsenvideo

Last week we discussed test characteristics like sensitivity and specificity. This week, we'll talk about how those concepts get used in actual medical decision making. At least, we'll talk about how they're supposed to be used. You'll learn about Bayes' Theorem, too! Don't let the equations scare you. You're going to learn a ton. Likelihood Ratios: http://ktclearinghouse.ca/cebm/glossary/lr Fagan's Nomogram: http://mcmasterevidence.files.wordpress.com/2013/02/fagan-nomogram.jpg John Green -- Executive Producer Stan Muller -- Director, Producer Aaron Carroll -- Writer Mark Olsen - Graphics http://www.twitter.com/aaronecarroll http://www.twitter.com/crashcoursestan http://www.twitter.com/realjohngreen http://www.twitter.com/olsenvideo

There's just no way to talk about marijuana without someone completely misinterpreting what I say. Some of you are going to call me a fascist for saying anything bad about pot. Others are going to attack me for not coming down on it hard enough. But the truth of the matter is that many things that are far more dangerous than pot are totally legal in this country. That's not my opinion, it's what scientific studies show us. No one is saying marijuana is totally safe. But is it so bad for you that it should be illegal, even though it has benefits? Watch and decide. Happy weed day. Those of you who want to read more and see references can go here: http://theincidentaleconomist.com/wordpress/?p=54913 And, yes, we do know about the new study on brain development, which came out long after we taped. But as with a lot of research, it's being totally misinterpreted by the media. Go check out the references to see a nice article where the author of the study says the same thing. John Green -- Executive Producer Stan Muller -- Director, Producer Aaron Carroll -- Writer Mark Olsen -- Graphics http://www.twitter.com/aaronecarroll http://www.twitter.com/crashcoursestan http://www.twitter.com/realjohngreen http://www.twitter.com/olsenvideo

We've covered the United States and Canada. today, we cross the Atlantic to discuss the healthcare System in France. Their system is a combination of universal social insurance with some optional private overlays. It's expensive (relative to most), but it's arguably the best in the world. Watch and learn why. Those of you who want to read more and see references can go here: http://theincidentaleconomist.com/wordpress/?p=55033 John Green -- Executive Producer Stan Muller -- Director, Producer Aaron Carroll -- Writer Mark Olsen -- Graphics http://www.twitter.com/aaronecarroll http://www.twitter.com/crashcoursestan http://www.twitter.com/realjohngreen http://www.twitter.com/olsenvideo

Everyone just knows that violence is on the rise, especially among kids. Everyone just knows that violent video games have something to do with it. Except violence isn't on the rise, as we showed in our "Sky isn't falling episode". And there's really no evidence that video games are the cause of violence anyway. Step away from my video games! Those of you who want to read more and see references can go here: http://theincidentaleconomist.com/wordpress/?p=55217 John Green -- Executive Producer Stan Muller -- Director, Producer Aaron Carroll -- Writer Mark Olsen -- Graphics http://www.twitter.com/aaronecarroll http://www.twitter.com/crashcoursestan http://www.twitter.com/realjohngreen http://www.twitter.com/olsenvideo

We thought about doing myths about Moms, but that might get us in trouble. "Mothers-to-be" aren't as dangerous, at least not to any of us making these videos. So this week we present a whole bunch of pregnancy myths. It's amazing how many of those exist. If you learn one thing this week, let it be that if you have a sperm anywhere near an egg - YOU CAN GET PREGNANT. Enjoy. Those of you who want to read more and see references can go here: http://theincidentaleconomist.com/wordpress/?p=55348 John Green -- Executive Producer Stan Muller -- Director, Producer Aaron Carroll -- Writer Mark Olsen -- Graphics http://www.twitter.com/aaronecarroll http://www.twitter.com/crashcoursestan http://www.twitter.com/realjohngreen http://www.twitter.com/olsenvideo

We've done the US, Canada, and France. None of them are really socialized healthcare systems. To get at that, we need to go look at a system like that of the UK. More specifically, we're going to talk about England's National Health Service. See what a real "government run" system looks like, how it compares to yours, and what's good (and not so good) about it. For those of you who want more information or references, go here: http://theincidentaleconomist.com/wordpress/?p=55536 John Green -- Executive Producer Stan Muller -- Director, Producer Aaron Carroll -- Writer Mark Olsen -- Graphics http://www.twitter.com/aaronecarroll http://www.twitter.com/crashcoursestan http://www.twitter.com/realjohngreen http://www.twitter.com/olsenvideo

In past episodes, I've talked about how accidents are the number one killer of children, and how car accidents represent a fairly large part of accidents in general. In response, a number of you asked me why we don't reduce the speed limits of many roads nationwide in an attempt to bring that number down. I'm glad you asked. That's the topic of this week's Healthcare triage. Those of you who want to read more and see references can go here: http://theincidentaleconomist.com/wordpress/?p=55712 I also addressed a lot of the questions in comments in an additional blog post. Go here to read it: http://theincidentaleconomist.com/wordpress/healthcare-triage-sometimes-not-always-faster-is-better-ctd/ John Green -- Executive Producer Stan Muller -- Director, Producer Aaron Carroll -- Writer Mark Olsen -- Graphics http://www.twitter.com/aaronecarroll http://www.twitter.com/crashcoursestan http://www.twitter.com/realjohngreen http://www.twitter.com/olsenvideo

For better or for worse, whenever many are asked about how they would help control spending in the US health-care system, tort reform always seems to be one of the first things offered as a solution. That's because there's a malpractice crisis! And tort reform will cure it! Except, neither of those things is really true. Watch and learn why not. Those of you who want to read more and see references can go here: http://theincidentaleconomist.com/wordpress/?p=55842 John Green -- Executive Producer Stan Muller -- Director, Producer Aaron Carroll -- Writer Mark Olsen -- Graphics http://www.twitter.com/aaronecarroll http://www.twitter.com/crashcoursestan http://www.twitter.com/realjohngreen http://www.twitter.com/olsenvideo

Since our first episode, you've begged us to cover Genetically Modified Organisms, or GMOs. Honestly, I often can't tell if those of you who are asking us to do this expect us to tell you're they're awesome of the worst thing to happen to humanity. Ever. This is one of those topics people feel so passionately about, that I'm guaranteed to make a lot of you angry, no matter what I say. But we never let that stop us. GMOs are the topic of this week's Healthcare Triage. Those of you who want to read more and see references can go here: http://theincidentaleconomist.com/wordpress/?p=56068 John Green -- Executive Producer Stan Muller -- Director, Producer Aaron Carroll -- Writer Mark Olsen -- Graphics http://www.twitter.com/aaronecarroll http://www.twitter.com/crashcoursestan http://www.twitter.com/realjohngreen http://www.twitter.com/olsenvideo

Singapore is a small city-state that likely isn't as well known to you as some of the other countries we've discussed before. But they've got one of the most fascinating health care systems around. It's cheap, it's pretty much universal, and it achieves some amazingly strong outcomes. It's also much different in structure than other systems we've covered before. Watch and learn - you'll be glad you did. If you want to learn more, there's pretty much only one book you need to read. It's short, it's awesome, and it's still free in Kindle format. It's called Affordable Excellence: The Singapore Health System, and you can get a copy here: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00CDUS7WS/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00CDUS7WS&linkCode=as2&tag=dotswyogu-20 John Green -- Executive Producer Stan Muller -- Director, Producer Aaron Carroll -- Writer Mark Olsen -- Graphics http://www.twitter.com/aaronecarroll http://www.twitter.com/crashcoursestan http://www.twitter.com/realjohngreen http://www.twitter.com/olsenvideo

Warm weather is finally here. Time to bust some summer myths here at Healthcare Triage. If you would like references, help on getting them is here: http://theincidentaleconomist.com/wordpress/?p=56275 John Green -- Executive Producer Stan Muller -- Director, Producer Aaron Carroll -- Writer Mark Olsen -- Graphics

One of the problems with the way we discuss health interventions is that we see them in black and white. Something is either good for you or bad for you. Things are rarely that simple, though. Moreover, there's "good for you" and "GOOD FOR YOU". How do you tell the difference? Watch and learn. Almost all of the data for this came from the amazing website TheNNT (http://thennt.com). You can go there to see those and more. Additionally, Aaron's new book is out! Please consider buying a copy. He'd really appreciate it! http://dontputthatinthere.com/#buy_the_book John Green -- Executive Producer Stan Muller -- Director, Producer Aaron Carroll -- Writer Mark Olsen -- Graphics http://www.twitter.com/aaronecarroll http://www.twitter.com/crashcoursestan http://www.twitter.com/realjohngreen http://www.twitter.com/olsenvideo

Last week, we discussed the NNT, or number needed to treat. I'm sure it made a lot of you upset to realize that many therapies you've been sold as "awesome" were, in fact, somewhat incremental with respect to benefits. But another problem is that a lot of those therapies are anything but benign. They come not only with costs, but also with side effects or problems. We can quantify harms, too. Watch and learn about NNH! Almost all of the data for this came from the amazing website TheNNT (http://thennt.com). You can go there to see those and more. Additionally, Aaron's new book is out! Please consider buying a copy. He'd really appreciate it! http://dontputthatinthere.com/#buy_the_book John Green -- Executive Producer Stan Muller -- Director, Producer Aaron Carroll -- Writer Mark Olsen -- Graphics http://www.twitter.com/aaronecarroll http://www.twitter.com/crashcoursestan http://www.twitter.com/realjohngreen http://www.twitter.com/olsenvideo

Thanks to Audible.com for supporting this episode of Healthcare Triage. You can download a free audio book of your choice at Audible.com: http://www.audible.com/triage When I was a kid, I remember people talking about putting on suntan lotion to help them absorb the sun's rays. Those days are over. Too much sun can be terrible for you. Besides the fact that it significantly increases the risk of skin cancer, the sun will age your skin and make you look older, too. Who wants that? Today, we use sunscreen to protect us from the sun. But most of us are doing it wrong. How so? Watch and learn. Those of you who want to read more and see references can go here: http://theincidentaleconomist.com/wordpress/?p=56836 Additionally, Aaron's new book is out! Please consider buying a copy. He'd really appreciate it! http://dontputthatinthere.com/#buy_the_book John Green -- Executive Producer Stan Muller -- Director, Producer Aaron Carroll -- Writer Mark Olsen -- Graphics http://www.twitter.com/aaronecarroll http://www.twitter.com/crashcoursestan http://www.twitter.com/realjohngreen http://www.twitter.com/olsenvideo

The last international health care system we covered – Singapore – got a great response from all of you. This week. We head back to Europe. Specifically, we're going to Germany. Their universal health care system is based on the principles of Bismark, which say that the state should provide only for those unable to provide for themselves. It's a private insurance system, and it's the topic of this week's Healthcare Triage. Those of you who want to read more and see references can go here: http://theincidentaleconomist.com/wordpress/?p=57058 Additionally, Aaron's new book is out! Please consider buying a copy. He'd really appreciate it! http://dontputthatinthere.com/#buy_the_book John Green -- Executive Producer Stan Muller -- Director, Producer Aaron Carroll -- Writer Mark Olsen -- Graphics http://www.twitter.com/aaronecarroll http://www.twitter.com/crashcoursestan http://www.twitter.com/realjohngreen http://www.twitter.com/olsenvideo

In the last few years the rates of vaccine preventable illness have been on the rise. This isn't just something that's happening in the United States – it's happening throughout the world. Often, these outbreaks begin with unvaccinated people. They spread through them, too. Outbreaks occur because of a breakdown in herd immunity. That's the topic of this week's Healthcare Triage. Those of you who want to read more and see references can go here: http://theincidentaleconomist.com/wordpress/?p=57180 John Green -- Executive Producer Stan Muller -- Director, Producer Aaron Carroll -- Writer Mark Olsen -- Graphics http://www.twitter.com/aaronecarroll http://www.twitter.com/crashcoursestan http://www.twitter.com/realjohngreen http://www.twitter.com/olsenvideo

Switzerland! It's a gorgeous alpine nation of 8 million people. It's a parliamentary republic made up of 26 cantons. I've never been, but I hear great things about it. The country should free to fly us over so we can learn even more. But what I do know about its healthcare system, I'll be telling you in this episode of Healthcare Triage. Those of you who want to read more and see references can go here: http://theincidentaleconomist.com/wordpress/?p=57335 John Green -- Executive Producer Stan Muller -- Director, Producer Aaron Carroll -- Writer Mark Olsen -- Graphics http://www.twitter.com/aaronecarroll http://www.twitter.com/crashcoursestan http://www.twitter.com/realjohngreen http://www.twitter.com/olsenvideo

The news is full these days of advances in phones and personal devices that will allow us to track and share more and more information about our health. The latest big announcement came from Apple, not long ago, when they announced a partnership with Epic Systems, which is one of the biggest purveyors of electronic medical records around. Each time I see one of these announcements, it's accompanied by a claim about how any day now, patients are going to be able to share all their amazing data with physicians, and how that's going to change everything. Except it's probable not going to. Why? Watch and learn. Much of this is adapted from a piece Aaron wrote for the NYT. All of the links you might want for supporting data and evidence are there: http://www.nytimes.com/2014/06/17/upshot/apples-healthkit-probably-wont-bring-a-new-age.html John Green -- Executive Producer Stan Muller -- Director, Producer Aaron Carroll -- Writer Mark Olsen -- Graphics http://www.twitter.com/aaronecarroll http://www.twitter.com/crashcoursestan http://www.twitter.com/realjohngreen http://www.twitter.com/olsenvideo

Healthcare Triage is almost one year old. To celebrate, we're going to give you… more Healthcare Triage. Two episodes a week. Monday will be a traditional episode, full of all the detail and knowledge you've come to expect. But a second episode, on Friday, will be more of a newsy episode. We're going to cover topics that have been floating around social media and your favorite websites. It's Healthcare Triage News. Today's episode is about Ebola and salt. Enjoy! John Green -- Executive Producer Stan Muller -- Director, Producer Aaron Carroll -- Writer Mark Olsen -- Graphics http://www.twitter.com/aaronecarroll http://www.twitter.com/crashcoursestan http://www.twitter.com/realjohngreen http://www.twitter.com/olsenvideo

This is another one of those videos that I expect many of you to hate. Gluten is surprisingly polarizing. Of course, most of the evidence that many of you will throw at me are anecdotes. And we all know that the plural of "anecdote" is not "data". So let's talk about gluten, and whether a gluten-free diet is for you. "Spoiler" – for the vast majority of you, the answer is "no". For those of you who want to read more or see references, look here: http://theincidentaleconomist.com/wordpress/?p=57683 John Green -- Executive Producer Stan Muller -- Director, Producer Aaron Carroll -- Writer Mark Olsen -- Graphics http://www.twitter.com/aaronecarroll http://www.twitter.com/crashcoursestan http://www.twitter.com/realjohngreen http://www.twitter.com/olsenvideo

What are people talking about this week? Better yet, what should they be talking about? We're talking about marijuana and obscene language. The story on cursing I mention can be found here: http://www.vox.com/2014/8/26/6066069/swearing-science-obscenity-research John Green -- Executive Producer Stan Muller -- Director, Producer Aaron Carroll -- Writer Mark Olsen -- Graphics http://www.twitter.com/aaronecarroll http://www.twitter.com/crashcoursestan http://www.twitter.com/realjohngreen http://www.twitter.com/olsenvideo

You've probably heard of "evidence-based medicine". It's the idea that we practice based on research and data. There's another way of practicing called "eminence-based medicine". It's the idea that we listen to the person who's been around the longest or who has somehow managed to be labelled the expert. It used to be that such a person would periodically get to write a review article in some journal, and that would be how everyone learned what to do in medicine. That's a problem. We've got a solution. Systematic reviews! For those of you who want to read more or see references, look here: http://theincidentaleconomist.com/wordpress/?p=57771 John Green -- Executive Producer Stan Muller -- Director, Producer Aaron Carroll -- Writer Mark Olsen -- Graphics http://www.twitter.com/aaronecarroll http://www.twitter.com/crashcoursestan http://www.twitter.com/realjohngreen http://www.twitter.com/olsenvideo

This week's news are on topics everyone loves: sex, food, and cars. But the details may not be what you expect. The last segment is so important, we may address it in more detail in a Monday HCT episode soon. John Green -- Executive Producer Stan Muller -- Director, Producer Aaron Carroll -- Writer Mark Olsen -- Graphics http://www.twitter.com/aaronecarroll http://www.twitter.com/crashcoursestan http://www.twitter.com/realjohngreen http://www.twitter.com/olsenvideo

Last week we discussed systematic reviews, and why they're better than review articles, or opinions. But they're not the only types of "studies of studies" I've presented to you. Sometimes you can go a step further. After you've collected all the appropriate studies, you can merge the data together and do one large analysis. Those studies are called meta-analyses, and they're the subject of today's Healthcare Triage For those of you who want to read more or see references, look here: http://theincidentaleconomist.com/wordpress/?p=57918 John Green -- Executive Producer Stan Muller -- Director, Producer Aaron Carroll -- Writer Mark Olsen -- Graphics http://www.twitter.com/aaronecarroll http://www.twitter.com/crashcoursestan http://www.twitter.com/realjohngreen http://www.twitter.com/olsenvideo

According to my Facebook and twitter feeds this week, everyone seems to be in a panic. Too many of you are worried that if the respiratory virus plaguing the Midwest doesn't get you, Ebola will. I'm going to try and calm you down. John Green -- Executive Producer Stan Muller -- Director, Producer Aaron Carroll -- Writer Mark Olsen -- Graphics

If you've been paying attention to recent news, you might think that we're entering a time when leaps forward in health care only happen at great expense. That misses the point. It also, once again, confirms the incorrect impression that we can only make leaps through advances in technology. As I said in previous episodes, people are more important than technology. To illustrate this point, we'll discuss the guinea worm. This is adapted from a piece Aaron wrote for the NYT. Links and references are embedded in that piece: http://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/12/upshot/lessons-from-the-low-tech-defeat-of-the-guinea-worm-.html?abt=0002&abg=1 John Green -- Executive Producer Stan Muller -- Director, Producer Aaron Carroll -- Writer Mark Olsen -- Graphics http://www.twitter.com/aaronecarroll http://www.twitter.com/crashcoursestan http://www.twitter.com/realjohngreen http://www.twitter.com/olsenvideo

Hospitals banning sugar sweetened beverages, provinces cracking down on dangerous drivers. And get me an Apple Watch! John Green -- Executive Producer Stan Muller -- Director, Producer Aaron Carroll -- Writer Mark Olsen -- Graphics http://www.twitter.com/aaronecarroll http://www.twitter.com/crashcoursestan http://www.twitter.com/realjohngreen http://www.twitter.com/olsenvideo

CORRECTION at 0:29. The text should read, "...people who were exposed to high levels of fluoride had a standardized mean difference in IQ scores which was lower by 0.45 points..." Thanks to audible.com for supporting Healthcare Triage. Sign up and get a free audiobook at http://www.audible.com/triage. Every once in a while chain emails or Facebook posts make their way back into prominence. It happened last year with HPV killing girls. Recently, it seems to be Fluoride. A number of you have been forwarding me a post from last year which features a meta-analysis published a few years ago on Fluoride and IQ. So let's talk about Fluoride! For those of you who want to read more or see references, look here: http://theincidentaleconomist.com/wordpress/?p=58286 John Green -- Executive Producer Stan Muller -- Director, Producer Aaron Carroll -- Writer Mark Olsen -- Graphics http://www.twitter.com/aaronecarroll http://www.twitter.com/crashcoursestan http://www.twitter.com/realjohngreen http://www.twitter.com/olsenvideo

Shrooms to quit smoking, who's using drugs, and a clarification on Ebola. This is Healthcare Triage News. For those of you who want to read more, go here: http://theincidentaleconomist.com/wordpress/?p=58424 John Green -- Executive Producer Stan Muller -- Director, Producer Aaron Carroll -- Writer Mark Olsen -- Graphics http://www.twitter.com/aaronecarroll http://www.twitter.com/crashcoursestan http://www.twitter.com/realjohngreen http://www.twitter.com/olsenvideo

There are so, so many diets out there. Some are low in fat, others are low in carbs. Some involve special foods, others tell you to avoid them. So what's the best diet for you? Watch and learn! Most of the data for this episode comes from this recent paper in JAMA: http://jama.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=1900510 John Green -- Executive Producer Stan Muller -- Director, Producer Aaron Carroll -- Writer Mark Olsen -- Graphics http://www.twitter.com/aaronecarroll http://www.twitter.com/crashcoursestan http://www.twitter.com/realjohngreen http://www.twitter.com/olsenvideo

Diabetes on the decline? Switzerland votes on single payer! For those of you who want to read more, go here: http://theincidentaleconomist.com/wordpress/?p=58565 John Green -- Executive Producer Stan Muller -- Director, Producer Aaron Carroll -- Writer Mark Olsen -- Graphics http://www.twitter.com/aaronecarroll http://www.twitter.com/crashcoursestan http://www.twitter.com/realjohngreen http://www.twitter.com/olsenvideo

"Pay for performance" is one of those slogans that seem to upset no one. But as with so many things in health care, it's much more complicated than it appears at first glance. Watch and learn! This episode was adapted from a NYT piece Aaron wrote for The Upshot. All references can be found in links there: http://www.nytimes.com/2014/07/29/upshot/the-problem-with-pay-for-performance-in-medicine.html John Green -- Executive Producer Stan Muller -- Director, Producer Aaron Carroll -- Writer Mark Olsen -- Graphics http://www.twitter.com/aaronecarroll http://www.twitter.com/crashcoursestan http://www.twitter.com/realjohngreen http://www.twitter.com/olsenvideo

Some kids are getting too many antibiotics, and some Americans are drinking WAY too much For those of you who want to read more, go here: http://theincidentaleconomist.com/wordpress/?p=58682 John Green -- Executive Producer Stan Muller -- Director, Producer Aaron Carroll -- Writer Mark Olsen -- Graphics http://www.twitter.com/aaronecarroll http://www.twitter.com/crashcoursestan http://www.twitter.com/realjohngreen http://www.twitter.com/olsenvideo

One of the arguments you hear most often by people who don't want to get immunized against influenza is that the flu just isn't a big deal; it's just a bad cold. It's not. There are lots of other things people often get wrong about flu shots, too. For those of you who want references or more information, go here: http://theincidentaleconomist.com/wordpress/?p=58721 John Green -- Executive Producer Stan Muller -- Director, Producer Aaron Carroll -- Writer Mark Olsen -- Graphics http://www.twitter.com/aaronecarroll http://www.twitter.com/crashcoursestan http://www.twitter.com/realjohngreen http://www.twitter.com/olsenvideo

I'm a doctor. My father is a doctor. My colleagues are doctors, the people I train are doctors, lots and lots of my friends are doctors. But that doesn't meant that doctors sometimes aren't blind to certain issues like their own financial conflicts of interest. Sometimes we have to poke doctors with a stick. That's how we show our love. Conflicts of interest are the topic of this week's Healthcare Triage. This episode is adapted from Aaron's NYT piece on the topic. References can be found in the links there: http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/09/upshot/doctors-magical-thinking-about-conflicts-of-interest.html?abt=0002&abg=1 John Green -- Executive Producer Stan Muller -- Director, Producer Aaron Carroll -- Writer Mark Olsen -- Graphics http://www.twitter.com/aaronecarroll http://www.twitter.com/crashcoursestan http://www.twitter.com/realjohngreen http://www.twitter.com/olsenvideo

How infectious is that virus? How good is free birth control? How much should you worry about supplements? Watch and learn! For those of you who want to read more, go here: http://theincidentaleconomist.com/wordpress/?p=58849 John Green -- Executive Producer Stan Muller -- Director, Producer Aaron Carroll -- Writer Mark Olsen -- Graphics http://www.twitter.com/aaronecarroll http://www.twitter.com/crashcoursestan http://www.twitter.com/realjohngreen http://www.twitter.com/olsenvideo

Research fails to show that green coffee extract works. It also fails to show travel bans are a good idea for Ebola. For those of you who want to read more, go here: http://theincidentaleconomist.com/wordpress/?p=58938 John Green -- Executive Producer Stan Muller -- Director, Producer Aaron Carroll -- Writer Mark Olsen -- Graphics http://www.twitter.com/aaronecarroll http://www.twitter.com/crashcoursestan http://www.twitter.com/realjohngreen http://www.twitter.com/olsenvideo

The latest Kaiser Family Foundation survey on employer sponsored health insurance focused on the fact that growth in premiums in 2013 was as low as it has ever been in the 16 years of the survey. And that's awesome. Health insurance premiums have been rising more quickly than we'd like for a long time. But buried in the details of the report were some interesting insights into how employers think about controlling health care costs. One example is that they're very fond of workplace wellness programs. This is surprising, because while such programs sound great, research shows they rarely work as advertised. Watch and learn! This episode is adapted from Aaron's and Austin's NYT piece on the topic. References can be found in the links there: http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/12/upshot/do-workplace-wellness-programs-work-usually-not.html John Green -- Executive Producer Stan Muller -- Director, Producer Aaron Carroll -- Writer Mark Olsen -- Graphics http://www.twitter.com/aaronecarroll http://www.twitter.com/crashcoursestan http://www.twitter.com/realjohngreen http://www.twitter.com/olsenvideo

A few more patients are cured of Ebola in the US, and placebos can help kids with the cold. This is Healthcare Triage News. For those of you who want to read more, go here: http://theincidentaleconomist.com/wordpress/?p=59076 John Green -- Executive Producer Stan Muller -- Director, Producer Aaron Carroll -- Writer Mark Olsen -- Graphics http://www.twitter.com/aaronecarroll http://www.twitter.com/crashcoursestan http://www.twitter.com/realjohngreen http://www.twitter.com/olsenvideo

Just over a year ago, Healthcare Triage's first video was on the opening of the exchanges mandated by the Affordable Care Act, and what people in the US should do about that. It's a year later, and we thought you might enjoy an update. How are things going with the ACA, or Obamacare? What's changing? What do you need to be worried about now? We'll answer all that, and more, on this week's Healthcare Triage. Many of the references for this can be found at a recent piece Aaron wrote for the JAMA Forum: http://newsatjama.jama.com/2014/10/29/jama-forum-the-2014-midterm-elections-is-the-aca-still-a-political-flashpoint/ John Green -- Executive Producer Stan Muller -- Director, Producer Aaron Carroll -- Writer Mark Olsen -- Graphics http://www.twitter.com/aaronecarroll http://www.twitter.com/crashcoursestan http://www.twitter.com/realjohngreen http://www.twitter.com/olsenvideo

We have merch! Buy it here: http://dft.ba/-HCTmerch Thanks to Audible.com for supporting this episode. You can get a free trial of Audible at http://www.audible.com/triage Measles is back, the milk industrial complex takes another hit, and how does your favorite Halloween candy rank? This is Healthcare Triage News. Updated Measles Graph: https://pbs.twimg.com/media/B17NbVzCYAAVvcw.jpg:large For those of you who want to read more, go here: http://theincidentaleconomist.com/wordpress/?p=59244 John Green -- Executive Producer Stan Muller -- Director, Producer Aaron Carroll -- Writer Mark Olsen -- Graphics http://www.twitter.com/aaronecarroll http://www.twitter.com/crashcoursestan http://www.twitter.com/realjohngreen http://www.twitter.com/olsenvideo

You can get Healthcare Triage mugs and posters just in time for holiday gift giving: http://store.dftba.com/collections/healthcare-triage In one of our first episodes of Healthcare Triage, we discussed how placebo controlled randomized controlled trials showed that sugar doesn't make kids hyper. Placebos, or fake therapies, are important because people who think they're getting a treatment will often feel an effect. Watch and learn! Many of the references for this can be found in a recent piece friend-of-the-show Austin Frakt wrote for the NYT. His twitter is http://www.twitter.com/afrakt, so go thank him for letting us adapt that piece for this episode : http://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/14/upshot/placebos-help-just-ask-this-health-economist.html?_r=0&abt=0002&abg=1 John Green -- Executive Producer Stan Muller -- Director, Producer Aaron Carroll -- Writer Mark Olsen -- Graphics http://www.twitter.com/aaronecarroll http://www.twitter.com/crashcoursestan http://www.twitter.com/realjohngreen http://www.twitter.com/olsenvideo

Healthcare Triage has merchandise! Get your mugs and posters here: http://store.dftba.com/collections/healthcare-triage Berkeley passes a tax on sugary drinks, and Canada passes a ban on Ebola travel. Neither will work. This is Healthcare Triage News. For those of you who want to read more, go here: http://theincidentaleconomist.com/wordpress/?p=59417 John Green -- Executive Producer Stan Muller -- Director, Producer Aaron Carroll -- Writer Mark Olsen -- Graphics http://www.twitter.com/aaronecarroll http://www.twitter.com/crashcoursestan http://www.twitter.com/realjohngreen http://www.twitter.com/olsenvideo

http://store.dftba.com/collections/healthcare-triage In order for a drug to be approved by the FDA, it must prove itself better than a placebo, or fake drug. But when it comes to medical devices and surgery, the requirements aren't the same. Placebos aren't required. That is likely a mistake. On the other hand, how might placebos work in surgery? It actually turns out that fake, or "sham" procedures, have been around for quite some time. And, they're important. Watch this episode and learn. For those of you who want to read more, go here: http://theincidentaleconomist.com/wordpress/?p=59441 John Green -- Executive Producer Stan Muller -- Director, Producer Aaron Carroll -- Writer Mark Olsen -- Graphics http://www.twitter.com/aaronecarroll http://www.twitter.com/crashcoursestan http://www.twitter.com/johngreen http://www.twitter.com/olsenvideo

Get your Healthcare Triage merch here: http://dft.ba/-HCTMerch What are we worried about in terms of health? What's really gonna kill us? How different is that from the past? All this and more on this week's Healthcare Triage News. For those of you who want to read more, go here: http://theincidentaleconomist.com/wordpress/?p=59567 John Green -- Executive Producer Stan Muller -- Director, Producer Aaron Carroll -- Writer Mark Olsen -- Graphics http://www.twitter.com/aaronecarroll http://www.twitter.com/crashcoursestan http://www.twitter.com/johngreen http://www.twitter.com/olsenvideo

Now you can get Healthcare Triage merchandise! We have coffee mugs and posters, and our merch partner, DFTBA.com is having a black Friday sale. Get the deals here: http://dft.ba/-HCTmerch It's Thanksgiving this week in America. Last year, we talked about the myth that turkey makes you sleepy. I argued that there's nothing special about turkey that would make you tired. But, we pointed out that a super large meal, and excessive alcohol consumption, could make you want to take a nap. But how caloric is the feast? Let's get some answers. This is Healthcare Triage. For those of you who want to read more, go here: http://theincidentaleconomist.com/wordpress/?p=59660 John Green -- Executive Producer Stan Muller -- Director, Producer Aaron Carroll -- Writer Mark Olsen -- Graphics http://www.twitter.com/aaronecarroll http://www.twitter.com/crashcoursestan http://www.twitter.com/johngreen http://www.twitter.com/olsenvideo

Healthcare Triage has merchandise! Get mugs and posters here: http://dft.ba/-HCTmerch It's been a while since we've done an international health care system episode. We thought you might need a break. That break ends now. Australia has the only continental, universal health care system, and it's topic of this week's Healthcare Triage. For those of you who want to read more, go here: http://theincidentaleconomist.com/wordpress/?p=59785 John Green -- Executive Producer Stan Muller -- Director, Producer Aaron Carroll -- Writer Mark Olsen -- Graphics http://www.twitter.com/aaronecarroll http://www.twitter.com/crashcoursestan http://www.twitter.com/johngreen http://www.twitter.com/olsenvideo

Healthcare Triage merchandise! Mugs and Posters! They're awesome! http://store.dftba.com/collections/healthcare-triage Smoking prevalence is way down in the US, and you likely don't need to be screened about Vitamin D deficiency. It's good news all around on Healthcare triage News. For those of you who want to read more, go here: http://theincidentaleconomist.com/wordpress/?p=59833 John Green -- Executive Producer Stan Muller -- Director, Producer Aaron Carroll -- Writer Mark Olsen -- Graphics http://www.twitter.com/aaronecarroll http://www.twitter.com/crashcoursestan http://www.twitter.com/johngreen http://www.twitter.com/olsenvideo

We have Healthcare Triage merchandise! Mugs and posters here: I can't speak for you, but lots my friends go into a tizzy when groups like the WHO classify cell phones as "possibly carcinogenic". Should you panic? Cell phones and cancer are the topic of this week's Healthcare Triage. For those of you who want to read more, go here: http://theincidentaleconomist.com/wordpress/?p=59926 John Green -- Executive Producer Stan Muller -- Director, Producer Aaron Carroll -- Writer Mark Olsen -- Graphics http://www.twitter.com/aaronecarroll http://www.twitter.com/crashcoursestan http://www.twitter.com/johngreen http://www.twitter.com/olsenvideo

Healthcare Triage Merchandise! http://dft.ba/-HCTmerch HPV vaccines and girls having sex. The flu shot and the difficulties combating myths. This is Healthcare Triage News. For those of you who want to read more, go here: http://theincidentaleconomist.com/wordpress/?p=60087 John Green -- Executive Producer Stan Muller -- Director, Producer Aaron Carroll -- Writer Mark Olsen -- Graphics http://www.twitter.com/aaronecarroll http://www.twitter.com/crashcoursestan http://www.twitter.com/johngreen http://www.twitter.com/olsenvideo

Get Healthcare Triage merchandise! http://dft.ba/-HCTmerch Is there a mother out there who doesn't warn their children that going out in the cold is going to make them sick? Have you heard that old chestnut about losing all of your body's heat through your head? Do you think drinking alcohol will warm you up? All myths! We'll discuss them on this week's Healthcare Triage. For those of you who want to read more, go here: http://theincidentaleconomist.com/wordpress/?p=60130 John Green -- Executive Producer Stan Muller -- Director, Producer Aaron Carroll -- Writer Mark Olsen -- Graphics http://www.twitter.com/aaronecarroll http://www.twitter.com/crashcoursestan http://www.twitter.com/johngreen http://www.twitter.com/olsenvideo

Healthcare Triage merch is available now! http://dft.ba/-HCTmerch It's all bike safety today! New studies and old on Healthcare Triage News. For those of you who want to read more, go here: http://theincidentaleconomist.com/wordpress/?p=60259 John Green -- Executive Producer Stan Muller -- Director, Producer Aaron Carroll -- Writer Mark Olsen -- Graphics http://www.twitter.com/aaronecarroll http://www.twitter.com/crashcoursestan http://www.twitter.com/johngreen http://www.twitter.com/olsenvideo

We have merchandise: http://dft.ba/-HCTMerch There's a flu shot for the flu. But what about colds? Does anything work? Let's find out. . For those of you who want to read more, go here: http://theincidentaleconomist.com/wordpress/?p=60270 John Green -- Executive Producer Stan Muller -- Director, Producer Aaron Carroll -- Writer Mark Olsen -- Graphics http://www.twitter.com/aaronecarroll http://www.twitter.com/crashcoursestan http://www.twitter.com/johngreen http://www.twitter.com/olsenvideo