Now that the new year is in full swing, the impetus for many runners in 2012 is to emerge from the fog of holiday overindulgence with a new body, a new lease on life, and just maybe, a slimmer waist line.

It has to be said there’s a lot of excellence at St. Joseph’s–Candler and Memorial Health; I know because my patients benefit from that excellence every day.

There is a swell building in world of medicine, particularly the field of cancer treatment. What was once considered "alternative medicine" - using nutritional and herbal supplements as a way of maintaining a more holistic approach to health - is fighting for a place at the table in the ongoing discussion of how to best treat cancer patients.

Last week the Affordable Healthcare for America Act won a narrow vote in the House of Representatives, 220-215. But as critics and supporters alike continue to sift through the bill, which is nearly 2,000 pages long, questions remain about the impact it will have, and whether the reforms will actually increase access to healthcare in the United States.

Under-budget and highly effective aren't two words commonly used in discussions about healthcare these days, but they're apt descriptors of the City of Savannah's healthcare system.

Cutting through the H1N1 hype Flu epidemics can start off with a mild form, followed by a "second wave" caused by a more dangerous strain that can lead to an epidemic of severe illnesses during fall and winter crowding. The 1918-1919 flu epidemic started off this way. But after the onset of the second wave, more than 50 million people died, mostly from pneumonia. Even though the 1918 flu was caused by the H1N1 virus, ...

Democrat John Barrow has been Savannah's congressman since 2004. Though an early supporter of Barack Obama's presidential run, he has since become something of a thorn in the president's side on the issue of health care reform.

When I came to Savannah, most of us in the medical community had single-handed practices in small buildings scattered around town. We didn't see the world the same way, but we agreed on the need to be friendly and helpful. If you wanted to go to St. Simon's the coming weekend, six physicians would cover for you, but pay-back was hell.

Last week, the Center for Disease Control announced it will no longer report new H1N1 cases (the virus formerly known as swine flu) on a local level anymore, and will switch to state-level reports - the same way that seasonal flu is reported.

  In a neighborhood behind the Y on Habersham Street near Stephenson, if you told someone you're a doctor, you might hear, "Isn't that wonderful? " whereas on Duffy Street downtown, the reply might be "So what?" Physicians are less esteemed in poorer neighborhoods where folks have a harder time gaining access to health care. Over years of medical practice countless numbers of people have told me in stores and diners that they can't afford ...

When you think "pizzeria," you don't usually think health insurance. Think again.

  The first case of swine flu in Georgia has been confirmed. The Georgia Division of Public Health said Thursday the case involves a 30-year-old woman in LaGrange. The woman apparently traveled to LaGrange, which is located in west Georgia, from Kentucky and became ill after she reached Georgia. She had visited Cancun, Mexico, earlier this month. Locally, Chatham County Emergency Management, the Memorial Health and St. Joseph’s/Candler health systems, the Chatham ...