July 2010

Several HAPA members have recently published very worthwhile books or articles. The following are worthy of your attention:

1) Book by HAPA member Philip Candilis, MD

“Forensic Ethics and the Expert Witness”

By Philip J. Candilis, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA, Robert Weinstock, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA & Richard Martinez, University of Colorado Health Sciences Center/Denver Health Medical Center, Denver, CO,  USA Springer Publishing, New York 2010

From the cover of the book: “” The expert witness’ job is often described as a balancing act: duty to clients on the one hand, duty to society on the other. Forensic Ethics and the Expert Witness probes beyond the familiar conflict of interest/overlapping roles framework to present a new, innovative model of professional ethics. Richly illustrated with cases from medicine, psychiatry, and law, this elegantly written volume examines the common moral ground that links these usually separate domains, and relates forensic ethics to larger concepts of morality and justice. In this integrative approach, the expert witness is redefined as one who can balance professional with societal and personal codes in what the authors call ‘robust professionalism’.”

2)Book by HAPA member Petros Levounis, MD

“Handbook of Motivation and Change

A practical Guide for Clinicians”

By Petros Levounis, M.D., M.A. ,Bachaar Arnaout, M.D. APPI Press 2010.

To order: www.appi.org

From the cover of the book: “What a fun book! Levounis and Arnaout have assembled a wonderful collection of authors who present tons of evidence-based clinical science—and even more clinical wisdom—in an entertaining and engaging way. Reading the introduction and the first chapter makes you want to read more. Most physicians are contemplative or precontemplative about how they can motivate their patients to change unhealthy behaviors—this Handbook of Motivation and Change will prepare clinicians to ‘get into action’ applying these approaches to the benefit of people under their care.”

Handbook of Motivation and Change: A Practical Guide for Clinicians is a busy clinician’s guide to Motivational Interviewing. With a special focus on substance use disorders and addiction, this unique handbook equips readers with a full understanding of the Motivational Interviewing approach—an understanding that readers can flexibly apply to address patients’ issues of motivation and change even beyond substance use. The handbook is written by more than 20 practitioners of different psychotherapies who employ motivational work. This volume features a collection of case studies punctuated by movie references that illustrate discussed concepts, practical suggestions for treatment and trainee supervision, and summary key points and multiple-choice questions for readers. Authors focus on interventions ranging from psychopharmacology to support groups, zero in on the unique challenges of treating patients at various stages of their lives, examine how motivational work can change the culture of an organization and discuss the evidence base of this effective and compelling therapy. The practical reach of this handbook will appeal not only to the general psychiatrist but to family practitioners, internists, pediatricians, medical students, and allied professionals. More than a “how-to,” this book provides clinicians with expert insight and information that will help them meet their patients in the midst of the very real challenges of motivation and lasting change””.

We welcome other submissions

3) An article by HAPA member Nick Bouras, PhD

“A historical account of modern Hellenic Medical Diaspora”

N. BOURAS  Institute of Psychiatry, King’s College London, London, UK

Archives of Hellenic Medicine 2009, 26(2):151–159

Summary

There has been an increasing interest in recent years on the Greek Diaspora. Very little is known, however, about the role of Greek physicians and biomedical scientists of the diaspora and their contributions. The physician of King Charles II was Greek and other very well known doctors of the diaspora included Adamantios Korais, pioneer of the Greek Enlightment, Iakovos Pyla?inos early contributor to the immunization of small pox, Constantine von Economo who described the encephalitis lethargica and George Papanikolaou the originator of the “pap-test”. The World Hellenic BioMedical Association was the first structured initiative to bring together the Hellenic BioMedical Diaspora in contemporary times. The First World Congress of the Hellenic Medical Diaspora was organised in Athens in 1990, in collaboration with the Athens Medical Society. Since then eight more World Congresses were organised in Athens, Cyprus and New York with the participation of many biomedical colleagues from Greece and many other countries all over the World. The Hellenic Medical Journal was also publishes for a while as well as two newsletters. This article presents the activities of the World Hellenic BioMedical Association from 1990 to 2008 and comments on the strengths and weaknesses of the overall endeavour.”