Alisa Miller at Nursing Online Education Database has an article on how to start taking control of your health records. “Taking control” in this case means storing, updating and sharing them in a way that is convenient for you. The article is chock-full of useful links on the following subjects: -what are the options for….
Continue ReadingArchives for June 2008
A Patient’s Advice to Hospital Staff
Larry Ragan, a man who spent a great deal of time around doctors before dying of Lou Gehrig’s disease, made a list of suggestions for hospital workers, regarding how they can improve their treatment of patients. Much of the advice centers around basic respect. Don’t condescend to a patient by using their first name without….
Continue ReadingPsychiatric Patients Face Long ER Waits
A new study from the American College of Emergency Physicians shows that scarcity of beds and a decrease in the number of hospitals with mental health units has led to long emergency room waits for psychiatric patients. As the article points out, almost eighty percent of hospitals have a four-hour wait for mentally ill patients…..
Continue ReadingDetecting Ovarian Cancer Early
Tara Parker-Pope at the New York Times has an article on how to detect ovarian cancer early. Ovarian cancer is usually detected in its late stages, when it is the least treatable. Early signs of ovarian cancer exist, but are very common and easily mistaken for other problem. For example, difficulty eating, or increased abdominal….
Continue ReadingRegion Affects Health Care Quality
Researchers at Dartmouth University have found striking regional differences in quality of health care. In addition, within any given region, black people are less likely to receive the appropriate health care than white people. But region was the strongest factor that affected quality of health care. From the article: For instance, the widest racial gaps….
Continue ReadingWalking: One of the Best Forms of Physical Exercise
The American College of Sports Medicine suggested at a recent conference that walking is the most effective form of exercise because of its accessibility and simplicity. From the article: “There are certainly many forms of cardiovascular exercise that improve health and fitness, such as running, cycling, and swimming,” said Catrine Tudor-Locke, Ph.D., FACSM, one of….
Continue Reading11 Deaths Tied to Medical Devices Containing Heparin
Previously, this blog has discussed the contaminated heparin (a blood-thinning medication) found in the U.S. and linked to deaths and injuries. Now the Food and Drug Administration has received reports of deaths tied to medical devices that use heparin, although they are not currently sure whether the heparin in these devices is contaminated. From the….
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