Ob/Gyn Suspended for Inadequate Charting; Affordable Care Act Kicks In, and More

Ob/Gyn Suspended for Inadequate Charting
An ob/gyn’s suspension is causing an uproar in Montreal. The physician, Gilles Mercier, was suspended for two months for “inadequate charting” by the Collge des mdecins du Qubec, and ordered to pay a $14,000 fine. The disciplinary report cites 22 cases of inadequate charting between 2007 and 2009, and while the beloved 71 year-old doctor admits that he fell behind in filing orally dictated notes, he insists that notes were always kept in patient charts and care was never compromised. Eight-hundred of the physician’s appointments had to be rescheduled or referred to other doctors, and 30 of Mercier’s patients-including expectant mothers and new mothers--protested at the Collge des mdecins. This was the first time in 14 years that the organization has issued sanctions for inadequate charting, and Mercier feels he is unfairly singled out.
 

IUD Use On the RiseMore women are opting for IUDs, according to a study in the journal Fertility and Sterility. In 2009, 8.5% of women elected to use an IUD or implant for birth control, up from 4% in 2007. Lead researcher Lawrence B. Finer suggested that multiple factors probably influenced the jump, including endorsement by ACOG and increased advertising by manufacturers.
 

Affordable Care Act Gives Women Free Preventative Care
On August 1, a provision in the Affordable Care Act kicked in that gives women enrolling in new health plans or renewing their plans access to free preventative care. The provision covers:

• Well-woman visits
• Screening for gestational diabetes
• HPV DNA testing for women over 30
• STI counseling
• HIV screening and counseling
• Contraception and contraception counseling
• Breastfeeding support and supplies
• Domestic violence screening and counseling