Health: Single parents with cancer get help

Single parents with cancer get help in healthy blog. Even if you have no helpmate, you can get sick. Then what—what about the income, the kids, the treatments, the phone trees?Out here in Scottsdale, we have a group called Singleton Moms to help out.This was started in 2006 by two women who watched a 32-yr-old friend succumb.More than 100 single parents (some men) have been helped.They bring in maids to clean, they bring meals, they negotiate with the bureaucrats.Each year they have a

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Health: "Customized" knee replacement

"Customized" knee replacement in healthy blog. There are already “male” and “female” knee assemblages. Now, docs have invented the Signature Knee. The Signature Knee is still a metal-on-metal replacement joint, but one crafted to the patient’s individual knee structure.Before, docs did not know what they would find inside the knee, so they had to have several sizes available. Now, the doctor and an engineer look over the patient’s MRI or CT scan and calculate the best places to

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Will the Citigroup Ruling Challenge Health Care Leaders' Impunity? info

Will the Citigroup Ruling Challenge Health Care Leaders' Impunity? in healthy blog. A federal judge's refusal to approve yet another cozy settlement that was supposed to resolve allegations of wrong-doing by a giant corporation has left the financial world atwitter.  It may be that this ruling will also affect the coziness between giant health care corporations and government regulators.  Summary of the Citigroup CaseWe first discussed this case twp weeks ago here.  Here is

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Will the Freeze of the Global Fund Finally Put Health Care Corruption on the Agenda? info

Will the Freeze of the Global Fund Finally Put Health Care Corruption on the Agenda? in healthy blog. In February, 2011, we posted about problems with corruption affecting the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. At the time, the Fund promised to better detect fraud and corruption affecting its grants programs. We later posted about how after an internal debate, the Fund promised to make more information public about any losses to fraud and corruption. Now it has made more such

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Will the Freeze of the Global Fund Finally Put Health Care Corruption on the Agenda? info

Will the Freeze of the Global Fund Finally Put Health Care Corruption on the Agenda? in healthy blog. In February, 2011, we posted about problems with corruption affecting the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. At the time, the Fund promised to better detect fraud and corruption affecting its grants programs. We later posted about how after an internal debate, the Fund promised to make more information public about any losses to fraud and corruption. Now it has made more such

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Will the Freeze of the Global Fund Finally Put Health Care Corruption on the Agenda? info

Will the Freeze of the Global Fund Finally Put Health Care Corruption on the Agenda? in healthy blog. In February, 2011, we posted about problems with corruption affecting the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. At the time, the Fund promised to better detect fraud and corruption affecting its grants programs. We later posted about how after an internal debate, the Fund promised to make more information public about any losses to fraud and corruption. Now it has made more such

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Health: The shampoo wars

The shampoo wars in healthy blog. Americans sent billions down the drain last yr. In the form of shampoo. Did you know of the cheap stuff is just as good as the pricey? You don’t have to buy at the salon.And buying at Walmart is even cheaper.Suave or White Rain is about a buck at W’s--$ 1.25 in the grocery store.To really save money, use less. For long hair—a nickel-size amount, less for short hair.This is especially true for salon stuff—it’s very concentrated.Generally speaking, the

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Will the Freeze of the Global Fund Finally Put Health Care Corruption on the Agenda? info

Will the Freeze of the Global Fund Finally Put Health Care Corruption on the Agenda? in healthy blog. In February, 2011, we posted about problems with corruption affecting the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. At the time, the Fund promised to better detect fraud and corruption affecting its grants programs. We later posted about how after an internal debate, the Fund promised to make more information public about any losses to fraud and corruption. Now it has made more such

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Magical Thinking on Health IT from ModernMedicine.com info

Magical Thinking on Health IT from ModernMedicine.com in healthy blog. Annette M. Boyle, MBA has an article in the journal ModernMedicine.com that exhibits a severe form of fallacious thinking, approaching magical thinking. It's this type of thinking that gets patients injured and killed:Health information technology: Better in long term despite short-term safety risksPublish date: Nov 23, 2011By: Annette M. Boyle, MBAResponding to a new report that says health information technology (HIT)

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Magical Thinking on Health IT from ModernMedicine.com info

Magical Thinking on Health IT from ModernMedicine.com in healthy blog. Annette M. Boyle, MBA has an article in the journal ModernMedicine.com that exhibits a severe form of fallacious thinking, approaching magical thinking. It's this type of thinking that gets patients injured and killed:Health information technology: Better in long term despite short-term safety risksPublish date: Nov 23, 2011By: Annette M. Boyle, MBAResponding to a new report that says health information technology (HIT)

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Magical Thinking on Health IT from ModernMedicine.com info

Magical Thinking on Health IT from ModernMedicine.com in healthy blog. Annette M. Boyle, MBA has an article in the journal ModernMedicine.com that exhibits a severe form of fallacious thinking, approaching magical thinking. It's this type of thinking that gets patients injured and killed:Health information technology: Better in long term despite short-term safety risksPublish date: Nov 23, 2011By: Annette M. Boyle, MBAResponding to a new report that says health information technology (HIT)

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Two Opposing Views of EHR: InformaticMD vs. NextGen's Holder of "American Medical Informatics Certification for Health Information Technology" info

Two Opposing Views of EHR: InformaticMD vs. NextGen's Holder of "American Medical Informatics Certification for Health Information Technology" in healthy blog. The AMA's publication American Medical News recently quoted me following comments from IOM EHR Safety committee member Richard Cook in the Nov. 21, 2011 article "IOM calls for monitoring and probe of health IT hazards" by Kevin O'Reilly:... Not everyone on the panel agreed with delaying FDA regulation. Committee member Richard I.

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Two Opposing Views of EHR: InformaticMD vs. NextGen's Holder of "American Medical Informatics Certification for Health Information Technology" info

Two Opposing Views of EHR: InformaticMD vs. NextGen's Holder of "American Medical Informatics Certification for Health Information Technology" in healthy blog. The AMA's publication American Medical News recently quoted me following comments from IOM EHR Safety committee member Richard Cook in the Nov. 21, 2011 article "IOM calls for monitoring and probe of health IT hazards" by Kevin O'Reilly:... Not everyone on the panel agreed with delaying FDA regulation. Committee member Richard I.

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Health: Don't mess up those white choppers

Don't mess up those white choppers in healthy blog. Robert Preidt, AZ Republic, Nov 20, 2011, says if you pay for some expensive teeth whitening, you need to protect it by eating the right things.It’s like losing weight—you don’t want to backslide.Some foods keep your teeth white—firm veggies such as apples, green beans, cauliflower, carrots and celery scrape stuff off teeth.Dairy products—cheese especially—are good for teeth.Watch the tobacco, soy sauce, soft drinks, red and white

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Two Opposing Views of EHR: InformaticMD vs. NextGen's Holder of "American Medical Informatics Certification for Health Information Technology" info

Two Opposing Views of EHR: InformaticMD vs. NextGen's Holder of "American Medical Informatics Certification for Health Information Technology" in healthy blog. The AMA's publication American Medical News recently quoted me following comments from IOM EHR Safety committee member Richard Cook in the Nov. 21, 2011 article "IOM calls for monitoring and probe of health IT hazards" by Kevin O'Reilly:... Not everyone on the panel agreed with delaying FDA regulation. Committee member Richard I.

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Magical Thinking on Health IT from ModernMedicine.com info

Magical Thinking on Health IT from ModernMedicine.com in healthy blog. Annette M. Boyle, MBA has an article in the journal ModernMedicine.com that exhibits a severe form of fallacious thinking, approaching magical thinking. It's this type of thinking that gets patients injured and killed:Health information technology: Better in long term despite short-term safety risksPublish date: Nov 23, 2011By: Annette M. Boyle, MBAResponding to a new report that says health information technology (HIT)

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Health: Don't mess up those white choppers

Don't mess up those white choppers in healthy blog. Robert Preidt, AZ Republic, Nov 20, 2011, says if you pay for some expensive teeth whitening, you need to protect it by eating the right things.It’s like losing weight—you don’t want to backslide.Some foods keep your teeth white—firm veggies such as apples, green beans, cauliflower, carrots and celery scrape stuff off teeth.Dairy products—cheese especially—are good for teeth.Watch the tobacco, soy sauce, soft drinks, red and white

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John Wiley and Sons Director Apologizes for Pepper Spray - An Example of the Proximity of the One Percent to the Leaders of Academic Medicine info

John Wiley and Sons Director Apologizes for Pepper Spray - An Example of the Proximity of the One Percent to the Leaders of Academic Medicine in healthy blog. The title of this post has not been hacked.  All will be revealed soon.Review: the University of California - Davis Pepper Spray IncidentWe just discussed the now infamous pepper spraying of peaceful student protesters at the University of California.  We noted our previous concerns about the leadership of the university

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John Wiley and Sons Director Apologizes for Pepper Spray - An Example of the Proximity of the One Percent to the Leaders of Academic Medicine info

John Wiley and Sons Director Apologizes for Pepper Spray - An Example of the Proximity of the One Percent to the Leaders of Academic Medicine in healthy blog. The title of this post has not been hacked.  All will be revealed soon.Review: the University of California - Davis Pepper Spray IncidentWe just discussed the now infamous pepper spraying of peaceful student protesters at the University of California.  We noted our previous concerns about the leadership of the university

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Health: Give us this day our glucomannan

Give us this day our glucomannan in healthy blog. Certain noodles can help you lose the el-bees. They come from the Asian konjac plant. It’s a water-soluble fiber, also called glucomannan.Besides noodles you can get a powder to throw on your food or in a shake.This stuff may help you lower cholesterol, keep glucose under control, and exert a MILD effect on weight. Maybe.At very least, it’s not harmful. Look for shirataki or yam noodles. They may be refrigerated and packed in water.With

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John Wiley and Sons Director Apologizes for Pepper Spray - An Example of the Proximity of the One Percent to the Leaders of Academic Medicine info

John Wiley and Sons Director Apologizes for Pepper Spray - An Example of the Proximity of the One Percent to the Leaders of Academic Medicine in healthy blog. The title of this post has not been hacked.  All will be revealed soon.Review: the University of California - Davis Pepper Spray IncidentWe just discussed the now infamous pepper spraying of peaceful student protesters at the University of California.  We noted our previous concerns about the leadership of the university

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Health: Give us this day our glucomannan

Give us this day our glucomannan in healthy blog. Certain noodles can help you lose the el-bees. They come from the Asian konjac plant. It’s a water-soluble fiber, also called glucomannan.Besides noodles you can get a powder to throw on your food or in a shake.This stuff may help you lower cholesterol, keep glucose under control, and exert a MILD effect on weight. Maybe.At very least, it’s not harmful. Look for shirataki or yam noodles. They may be refrigerated and packed in water.With

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Health: Honey is money

Honey is money in healthy blog. Yes, it comes from a bee’s bee-hind, so to speak, but it’s delish and has many good properties and uses. First, it has antiseptic properties—you can make a bandage with honey inside for infections. They even recommended it when my kid had MRSA. Try to get Manuka UMF honey for this.It’s pure energy—yes, a carb, but one spoonful can help you run faster and endure. It’s absorbed fast!Put it on toast or in tea for a morning jumpstart.It’s full of

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The UC-Davis Pepper-Spray Case as Illustrative of Problems with the Leadership of Health Care info

The UC-Davis Pepper-Spray Case as Illustrative of Problems with the Leadership of Health Care in healthy blog. The aggressive actions by University of California-Davis police against unarmed, peaceful student protesters turn out to be the latest illustration of the problems with leadership and governance we discuss on Health Care Renewal.  The University of California - Davis Pepper Spray IncidentTo summarize the current episode, I start with quotes about its background from

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Health: Honey is money

Honey is money in healthy blog. Yes, it comes from a bee’s bee-hind, so to speak, but it’s delish and has many good properties and uses. First, it has antiseptic properties—you can make a bandage with honey inside for infections. They even recommended it when my kid had MRSA. Try to get Manuka UMF honey for this.It’s pure energy—yes, a carb, but one spoonful can help you run faster and endure. It’s absorbed fast!Put it on toast or in tea for a morning jumpstart.It’s full of

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The UC-Davis Pepper-Spray Case as Illustrative of Problems with the Leadership of Health Care info

The UC-Davis Pepper-Spray Case as Illustrative of Problems with the Leadership of Health Care in healthy blog. The aggressive actions by University of California-Davis police against unarmed, peaceful student protesters turn out to be the latest illustration of the problems with leadership and governance we discuss on Health Care Renewal.  The University of California - Davis Pepper Spray IncidentTo summarize the current episode, I start with quotes about its background from

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Health: Honey is money

Honey is money in healthy blog. Yes, it comes from a bee’s bee-hind, so to speak, but it’s delish and has many good properties and uses. First, it has antiseptic properties—you can make a bandage with honey inside for infections. They even recommended it when my kid had MRSA. Try to get Manuka UMF honey for this.It’s pure energy—yes, a carb, but one spoonful can help you run faster and endure. It’s absorbed fast!Put it on toast or in tea for a morning jumpstart.It’s full of

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If gov't officials can't deal with bendy bananas, curvy cucumbers and water for hydration, how can they possibly consider issues with computers? info

If gov't officials can't deal with bendy bananas, curvy cucumbers and water for hydration, how can they possibly consider issues with computers? in healthy blog. I present this story with almost no commentary except this post's title, the simple observation that keeping government out of many aspects of out lives is not a bad idea, and a few minor points:The TelegraphEU bans claim that water can prevent dehydration Brussels bureaucrats were ridiculed yesterday after banning drink

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Websites dedicated by patients to a physician in Illinois under fire essentially because he's "too slow" with an EMR info

Websites dedicated by patients to a physician in Illinois under fire essentially because he's "too slow" with an EMR in healthy blog. Stunning.Two websites dedicated by patients to a physician in Illinois under fire essentially because he's "too slow" with an EMR:In Support of Dr. Steven KottemannTestimonials submitted by the patients of Dr. Steven Kottemann, Lincoln, Illinoishttp://kottemann.wordpress.com/And a corresponding Facebook page:Support Dr.

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To Sir Andrew? With a Settlement - GlaxoSmithKline to Settle for $3 Billion, CEO Said to Pursue Knighthood info

To Sir Andrew? With a Settlement - GlaxoSmithKline to Settle for Billion, CEO Said to Pursue Knighthood in healthy blog. Two weeks ago, reports of the largest legal settlement involving a pharmaceutical company to date in the US appeared.  The $ 3 Billion SettlementIn summary, per the Philadelphia Inquirer,In perhaps the largest penalty ever paid by a pharmaceutical company, GlaxoSmithKline said Thursday it had reached a tentative deal with the U.S. Justice Department to pay $ 3

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Health: Does a patient know best?

Does a patient know best? in healthy blog. Laura Landro, WSJ, Nov 7, 2011, says come next fall, hospitals can lose 1% of their Medicare payment if they miss quality care goals or patients give them a bad rap.Thus—hospitals are putting personnel through customer-service training.Patients like cleanliness, quiet and someone who listens.The hospitals are therefore adding massage, reflexology and concerts.Some hospitals are also instituting a program I heard about decades ago—HEART. This stands

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Health: Shaking hands with food

Shaking hands with food in healthy blog. People are always wringing their hands over what to eat or not eat, what is “bad” and what isn’t. Food is body fuel. But it is also a social ritual—and one of life’s great pleasures.If you second guess it every second, feel guilty, hang your head, confess to people, you are leaving a lot of pleasure on the table, so to speak.I am a big woman, always have been…I eat what I like now, don’t do the scale deal, and am trying to enjoy life. I

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Health: Shaking hands with food

Shaking hands with food in healthy blog. People are always wringing their hands over what to eat or not eat, what is “bad” and what isn’t. Food is body fuel. But it is also a social ritual—and one of life’s great pleasures.If you second guess it every second, feel guilty, hang your head, confess to people, you are leaving a lot of pleasure on the table, so to speak.I am a big woman, always have been…I eat what I like now, don’t do the scale deal, and am trying to enjoy life. I

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Novel Idea on Healthcare IT: Worth a Billion Dollars! info

Novel Idea on Healthcare IT: Worth a Billion Dollars! in healthy blog. From an AMIA announcement:CMS Innovation Center Announces $ 1 Billion Funding Opportunity:CMS announced a new initiative, the Health Care Innovation Challenge, which will provide grants for new ideas to improve care and lower costs for those in Medicare, Medicaid and CHIP. CMS will award up to $ 1 billion in grants for a 3 year period and is encouraging providers, payers, local government, public-private partnerships and

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A New Low - A Hospital CEO Got a "Golden Parachute" for A Merger that Never Occurred info

A New Low - A Hospital CEO Got a "Golden Parachute" for A Merger that Never Occurred in healthy blog. We recently posted about how top hospital managers are often the first to benefit from mergers and acquisitions, which once again have become fashionable in management circles.  Now it appears that top executives can benefit even from failed mergers, as reported by the Daytona Beach (Florida) News-Journal,Five months after Bert Fish Medical Center's failed merger, one board member

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A New Low - A Hospital CEO Got a "Golden Parachute" for A Merger that Never Occurred info

A New Low - A Hospital CEO Got a "Golden Parachute" for A Merger that Never Occurred in healthy blog. We recently posted about how top hospital managers are often the first to benefit from mergers and acquisitions, which once again have become fashionable in management circles.  Now it appears that top executives can benefit even from failed mergers, as reported by the Daytona Beach (Florida) News-Journal,Five months after Bert Fish Medical Center's failed merger, one board member

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Health: Presents for poor old folks

Presents for poor old folks in healthy blog. We are on a, ahem, limited budget, and I needed kitchen sponges for months before springing for them—kept putting them in the dishwasher to no visible effect.My daughter was ribbing me—“I heard you in your room saying sponges, sponges.”Banner Hospitals in this area has some ideas for us broke oldies for the hols.First, if you know someone older who may not get to the store much or is snacking on crackers and so on for meals, look into what

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George Lundberg, MD: The Promise of Health IT, and a Caveat info

George Lundberg, MD: The Promise of Health IT, and a Caveat in healthy blog. I was cited yesterday in a Medpage TODAY video by medical internet pioneer George Lundberg, MD, also former editor of the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA). A link was made to Healthcare Renewal as well. Health IT: Garbage In, Garbage OutBy George Lundberg, MD, Editor-at-Large, MedPage TodayNovember 15, 2011http://www.medpagetoday.com/Columns/29688 (video and transcript)Click on picture to

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Health: Be realistic--the blues may sneak up

Be realistic--the blues may sneak up in healthy blog. First, get this straight. If your family is more Jerry Springer than Rebecca at Sunnybrook Farm, you are not alone.The holidays are tough, because family members are thrown in a room together sometimes. The big wad-up, as one woman I know calls it. Alcohol may be served. Uh-oh.Also, you are supposed to be cheery and thrilled. You must be! What is wrong with you?Uh, no money to buy presents, age-old gripes, perversity, who knows.Too much

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Health: Be realistic--the blues may sneak up

Be realistic--the blues may sneak up in healthy blog. First, get this straight. If your family is more Jerry Springer than Rebecca at Sunnybrook Farm, you are not alone.The holidays are tough, because family members are thrown in a room together sometimes. The big wad-up, as one woman I know calls it. Alcohol may be served. Uh-oh.Also, you are supposed to be cheery and thrilled. You must be! What is wrong with you?Uh, no money to buy presents, age-old gripes, perversity, who knows.Too much

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Health: Be realistic--the blues may sneak up

Be realistic--the blues may sneak up in healthy blog. First, get this straight. If your family is more Jerry Springer than Rebecca at Sunnybrook Farm, you are not alone.The holidays are tough, because family members are thrown in a room together sometimes. The big wad-up, as one woman I know calls it. Alcohol may be served. Uh-oh.Also, you are supposed to be cheery and thrilled. You must be! What is wrong with you?Uh, no money to buy presents, age-old gripes, perversity, who knows.Too much

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EMR Defects That Injure and Kill, and Litigation: A Hospital Is Paying a Huge Hourly Rate for This? info

EMR Defects That Injure and Kill, and Litigation: A Hospital Is Paying a Huge Hourly Rate for This? in healthy blog. At my Oct. 2011 post "A Diary of EHR-Initiated Tragedy" I wrote that:... I've realized that these past posts, when integrated for an upcoming investigation, tell a story that is probably not uncommon in hospitals today. They form a sort of Diary of EHR-Initiated Tragedy.Sadly, this Diary was my account of my own mother's EHR-related injuries.There is a new chapter brewing.In

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EMR Defects That Injure and Kill, and Litigation: A Hospital Is Paying a Huge Hourly Rate for This? info

EMR Defects That Injure and Kill, and Litigation: A Hospital Is Paying a Huge Hourly Rate for This? in healthy blog. At my Oct. 2011 post "A Diary of EHR-Initiated Tragedy" I wrote that:... I've realized that these past posts, when integrated for an upcoming investigation, tell a story that is probably not uncommon in hospitals today. They form a sort of Diary of EHR-Initiated Tragedy.Sadly, this Diary was my account of my own mother's EHR-related injuries.There is a new chapter brewing.In

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Health: Exercising for two

Exercising for two in healthy blog. We get a supplement from a local hospital in our paper, and today it quoted Tiffany Weathers, MD, an OB-GYN with Banner Ironwood Physicians on exercising while preggers.Generally, she says, if you are healthy, you can continue to exercise. It strengthens muscles for pushing and is especially helpful if you develop diabetes during gestation.I walked a lot—I COULD walk a lot then, well, waddle… The hip ligaments open up and soften, so you sort of roll

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Health: Fat banking

Fat banking in healthy blog. Finally, some good use for fat.Hope you didn’t just eat, but Wendy Schmid, Harper’s Bazaar, says the new hot happening, darlings, is banking your fat. Or more accurately, freezing it and paying someone to hang onto it.Not fat—think of it as “cosmetic filler.” You can get someone to spackle into into your wrinks at a distant time. A place called BioLife Cell Bank in Dallas will do the honors.While they don’t exactly recommend “banking” the gunk in

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Health: Fat banking

Fat banking in healthy blog. Finally, some good use for fat.Hope you didn’t just eat, but Wendy Schmid, Harper’s Bazaar, says the new hot happening, darlings, is banking your fat. Or more accurately, freezing it and paying someone to hang onto it.Not fat—think of it as “cosmetic filler.” You can get someone to spackle into into your wrinks at a distant time. A place called BioLife Cell Bank in Dallas will do the honors.While they don’t exactly recommend “banking” the gunk in

healthy food

Health: Fat banking

Fat banking in healthy blog. Finally, some good use for fat.Hope you didn’t just eat, but Wendy Schmid, Harper’s Bazaar, says the new hot happening, darlings, is banking your fat. Or more accurately, freezing it and paying someone to hang onto it.Not fat—think of it as “cosmetic filler.” You can get someone to spackle into into your wrinks at a distant time. A place called BioLife Cell Bank in Dallas will do the honors.While they don’t exactly recommend “banking” the gunk in

healthy food

Health: Fat banking

Fat banking in healthy blog. Finally, some good use for fat.Hope you didn’t just eat, but Wendy Schmid, Harper’s Bazaar, says the new hot happening, darlings, is banking your fat. Or more accurately, freezing it and paying someone to hang onto it.Not fat—think of it as “cosmetic filler.” You can get someone to spackle into into your wrinks at a distant time. A place called BioLife Cell Bank in Dallas will do the honors.While they don’t exactly recommend “banking” the gunk in

healthy food

Health: Fat banking

Fat banking in healthy blog. Finally, some good use for fat.Hope you didn’t just eat, but Wendy Schmid, Harper’s Bazaar, says the new hot happening, darlings, is banking your fat. Or more accurately, freezing it and paying someone to hang onto it.Not fat—think of it as “cosmetic filler.” You can get someone to spackle into into your wrinks at a distant time. A place called BioLife Cell Bank in Dallas will do the honors.While they don’t exactly recommend “banking” the gunk in

healthy food

Health: The wasted bucks REALLY stinks

The wasted bucks REALLY stinks in healthy blog. According to Loyola, the US is winning against the evil smoking habit. Fewer people are starting, and 3 million quit a year. Still, a fifth of adults smoke. My kid is among them. She apparently started when she was 12—love those parochial schools chockful of naughty peers .Anyhow, now that we are struggling economically (she is still at home), I took note of the fact that a pack a day runs $ 3,300 a year!And it’s bad for ya, you might have

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Health: The wasted bucks REALLY stinks

The wasted bucks REALLY stinks in healthy blog. According to Loyola, the US is winning against the evil smoking habit. Fewer people are starting, and 3 million quit a year. Still, a fifth of adults smoke. My kid is among them. She apparently started when she was 12—love those parochial schools chockful of naughty peers .Anyhow, now that we are struggling economically (she is still at home), I took note of the fact that a pack a day runs $ 3,300 a year!And it’s bad for ya, you might have

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The Parallels Between Health Care and Financial Dysfunction: Leadership's Impunity as Demonstrated by the Citigroup Case info

The Parallels Between Health Care and Financial Dysfunction: Leadership's Impunity as Demonstrated by the Citigroup Case in healthy blog. For years, we have noted the parade of legal settlements made by large health care organizations.  The parade is notable on one hand because it illustrates how often some of our best known health care corporations and institutions behave badly.  Impunity for Health Care LeadersIt is notable on the other hand because it illustrates how the leaders of

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Health: The wasted bucks REALLY stinks

The wasted bucks REALLY stinks in healthy blog. According to Loyola, the US is winning against the evil smoking habit. Fewer people are starting, and 3 million quit a year. Still, a fifth of adults smoke. My kid is among them. She apparently started when she was 12—love those parochial schools chockful of naughty peers .Anyhow, now that we are struggling economically (she is still at home), I took note of the fact that a pack a day runs $ 3,300 a year!And it’s bad for ya, you might have

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EHRevent.org Leadership: "Heck, getting out of bed in the morning is dangerous- it just beats the alternative" info

EHRevent.org Leadership: "Heck, getting out of bed in the morning is dangerous- it just beats the alternative" in healthy blog. I have posted about the organization EHRevent.org on numerous occasion. I expressed concerns that this organization's representation as an alternative aggregator of health IT difficulty cases, compared to established organizations and resources such as FDA's Medwatch and MAUDE database, was probably not a good idea:November 15, 2010:

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Health: Can be many causes of knee pain

Can be many causes of knee pain in healthy blog. Ralph Wilson, an orthopedic surgeon in Gilbert, AZ, wrote in the Chandler Republic, Nov 9, 2011, that even a finding of “bone on bone” meaning cartilage is all worn away in the knee may not be the cause of knee pain. People with bone on bone can have no pain.Other causes of pain could be psoriasis, sciatica, or an arthritic hip. Gout can also cause it.A Novocaine shot in the hip can help the knee in some cases.This may mean back x-rays in

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CEOs First to Benefit from For-Profit Takeovers of Non-Profit Hospitals info

CEOs First to Benefit from For-Profit Takeovers of Non-Profit Hospitals in healthy blog. Last year, we noted concerns about the againy fashionable practice of for-profit corporations taking over previously not-for-profit hospitals and hospital systems. Two examples we cited were the planned acquisitions of Detroit Medical Center (DMC) by Vanguard Health, which was owned by the Blackstone Group, and of Caritas Christi Health Care by Cerberus Capital Management. At the time, we noted,

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Health: Mother's little helpers

Mother's little helpers in healthy blog. ABC News had a story on how moms are too freaked out these days to sleep without a pill.How to make the mortgage, will the kids have a better life than the parents, why aren’t the schools teaching them anything…you can get in a hamster wheel of thoughts at night.Especially in this disgusting economic calamity or whatever it is.A 2007 study by the National Sleep Foundation found that three in 10 women use some sleep aid a few nights a week. This is

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IOM Report - "Health IT and Patient Safety: Building Safer Systems for Better Care" - Nix the FDA; Create a New Toothless Agency info

IOM Report - "Health IT and Patient Safety: Building Safer Systems for Better Care" - Nix the FDA; Create a New Toothless Agency in healthy blog. The Center for Public Integrity has published a story ahead of the Thursday release of the Institute of Medicine's report on health IT safety (a panel, by the way, which rejected my testifying, live, about my own mother's injury and death related to health IT despite my credentials and explicit requests).Excerpts: Panel recommends new agency to

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Sudden Outbreak of Kwashiorkor (Severe Malnutrition) in Maryland, or Computer-Facilitated Upcoding? info

Sudden Outbreak of Kwashiorkor (Severe Malnutrition) in Maryland, or Computer-Facilitated Upcoding? in healthy blog. At a Feb. 2011 post "Does EHR-Incited Upcoding Need Investigation by CMS, And Could it Explain HIT Irrational Exuberance?" I wrote about how EMR's can facilitate medically unjustified upcoding, a form of fraud.Here's a peculiar upcoding story out of Baltimore. I am cited:Malnutrition diagnoses at Kernan were fraud, feds sayBaltimore SunJay Hancock7:44 p.m. EST, November 7,

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Health: I used to think this was dumb

I used to think this was dumb in healthy blog. I used to hear older people say all their friends were dead. I thought, wow, bummer. Now, some of mine are. And others have drifted off.It didn’t help that I moved away from my home of 35 yrs to help take care of my own aging mother. It’s hard to keep up. Oddly, some friends from college are more in touch than people I knew in Washington more recently.Of course, they have done studies—if you have friends, you are more connected to life and

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Lifespan (Rhode Island): Yet another health IT "glitch" that, of course, caused no patient harm info

Lifespan (Rhode Island): Yet another health IT "glitch" that, of course, caused no patient harm in healthy blog. There's been yet another health IT "glitch" that, of course, caused no patients to be harmed (see other "glitches" here, here, here and at other posts which can be found by searching this blog on the insipid and ever-present term 'glitch').When health IT causes errors that can injure or kill, it's commonly referred to as just a "glitch", the now-standard euphemism.Presenting the

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Lifespan (Rhode Island): Yet another health IT "glitch" that, of course, caused no patient harm info

Lifespan (Rhode Island): Yet another health IT "glitch" that, of course, caused no patient harm in healthy blog. There's been yet another health IT "glitch" that, of course, caused no patients to be harmed (see other "glitches" here, here, here and at other posts which can be found by searching this blog on the insipid and ever-present term 'glitch').When health IT causes errors that can injure or kill, it's commonly referred to as just a "glitch", the now-standard euphemism.Presenting the

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How Much Fiber Do You Need For Good Health info

How Much Fiber Do You Need For Good Health in healthy blog. When people see the science of nutrition, they often want to jump on the latest nutrition for the year. They want to know what kind of protein powder is the best, if they should whey or casein. You want to know if the creatine powder is a good supplement, or eat if, before or after exercise? Few people want to take the time to sit and learn the basics of nutrition, such as the amount should be in protein, carbohydrates, eating fat, and

healthy food

Lifespan (Rhode Island): Yet another health IT "glitch" that, of course, caused no patient harm info

Lifespan (Rhode Island): Yet another health IT "glitch" that, of course, caused no patient harm in healthy blog. There's been yet another health IT "glitch" that, of course, caused no patients to be harmed (see other "glitches" here, here, here and at other posts which can be found by searching this blog on the insipid and ever-present term 'glitch').When health IT causes errors that can injure or kill, it's commonly referred to as just a "glitch", the now-standard euphemism.Presenting the

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Health: Doctors--lie down till the thought passes

Doctors--lie down till the thought passes in healthy blog. I can’t see well (thanks to medical care I opted to succumb to), and never could drive, so even a routine doctor visit means getting a ride from my sister, who is willing, but I don’t want to wear out the option.Then comes the paperwork—I don’t want to put my Social…that is discussed. Then the scale—yes, all ills, every one, stem from excessive size—so this is a big issue. I will not get weighed. Blah blah…that is not

healthy food

Lifespan (Rhode Island): Yet another health IT "glitch" that, of course, caused no patient harm info

Lifespan (Rhode Island): Yet another health IT "glitch" that, of course, caused no patient harm in healthy blog. There's been yet another health IT "glitch" that, of course, caused no patients to be harmed (see other "glitches" here, here, here and at other posts which can be found by searching this blog on the insipid and ever-present term 'glitch').When health IT causes errors that can injure or kill, it's commonly referred to as just a "glitch", the now-standard euphemism.Presenting the

healthy food

Health: Doctors--lie down till the thought passes

Doctors--lie down till the thought passes in healthy blog. I can’t see well (thanks to medical care I opted to succumb to), and never could drive, so even a routine doctor visit means getting a ride from my sister, who is willing, but I don’t want to wear out the option.Then comes the paperwork—I don’t want to put my Social…that is discussed. Then the scale—yes, all ills, every one, stem from excessive size—so this is a big issue. I will not get weighed. Blah blah…that is not

healthy food

Health: Doctors--lie down till the thought passes

Doctors--lie down till the thought passes in healthy blog. I can’t see well (thanks to medical care I opted to succumb to), and never could drive, so even a routine doctor visit means getting a ride from my sister, who is willing, but I don’t want to wear out the option.Then comes the paperwork—I don’t want to put my Social…that is discussed. Then the scale—yes, all ills, every one, stem from excessive size—so this is a big issue. I will not get weighed. Blah blah…that is not

healthy food

How Much Fiber Do You Need For Good Health info

How Much Fiber Do You Need For Good Health in healthy blog. When people see the science of nutrition, they often want to jump on the latest nutrition for the year. They want to know what kind of protein powder is the best, if they should whey or casein. You want to know if the creatine powder is a good supplement, or eat if, before or after exercise? Few people want to take the time to sit and learn the basics of nutrition, such as the amount should be in protein, carbohydrates, eating fat, and

healthy food

Health: Doctors--lie down till the thought passes

Doctors--lie down till the thought passes in healthy blog. I can’t see well (thanks to medical care I opted to succumb to), and never could drive, so even a routine doctor visit means getting a ride from my sister, who is willing, but I don’t want to wear out the option.Then comes the paperwork—I don’t want to put my Social…that is discussed. Then the scale—yes, all ills, every one, stem from excessive size—so this is a big issue. I will not get weighed. Blah blah…that is not

healthy food

Lifespan (Rhode Island): Yet another health IT "glitch" that, of course, caused no patient harm info

Lifespan (Rhode Island): Yet another health IT "glitch" that, of course, caused no patient harm in healthy blog. There's been yet another health IT "glitch" that, of course, caused no patients to be harmed (other "glitches" here, here, here and at other posts which can be found by searching this blog on the insipid and ever-present term 'glitch').When health IT causes medication errors that can injure or kill, it's just a "glitch."Presenting the latest "glitch":Computer glitch led patients to

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Health Care Also Needs to Challenge "Crony Capitalism," the "New Gilded Age, and "the Idolatry of the Market" info

Health Care Also Needs to Challenge "Crony Capitalism," the "New Gilded Age, and "the Idolatry of the Market" in healthy blog. The increasing size and scope of the "Occupy Wall Street" movement, and continuing instability in the finance system, most recently due to the threatened default of Greece, and resulting problems with the Euro, and now the bankruptcy of yet another prominent financial firm, MF Global, has lead to renewed discussion of what has gone wrong with the greater political

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Dr. Scott Monteith: On a New Wonder "Drug" on the Market info

Dr. Scott Monteith: On a New Wonder "Drug" on the Market in healthy blog. I've posted several guest posts by Dr. Scott Monteith, a psychiatrist/informaticist, at Healthcare Renewal.These include the Mar. 2011 post "On 'The Best Compromise' on Physicians and Use of Troublesome Health IT", the Jan. 2011 post "Interesting HIT Testimony to HHS Standards Committee, Jan. 11, 2011, by Dr. Monteith" and the Dec. 2010 post "Meaningful Use and the Devil in the Details: A Reader's View".Here's a new

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Health: Growing pains are real

Growing pains are real in healthy blog. Gremlyn Bradley-Waddell, AZ Republic, Nov 2, 2011, writes that 25-40% of kids experience “growing pains.”Usually these aches and cramps come in the night and are below the knee.Often these arise after a very physical day. About all that can be done to prevent them is good quality, supportive shoes.If these pains continue or extend into the morning or pop up during exercise—you might want to tell the doctor.In the meantime, some attention, massaging

healthy food

Dr. Scott Monteith: On a New Wonder "Drug" on the Market info

Dr. Scott Monteith: On a New Wonder "Drug" on the Market in healthy blog. I've posted several guest posts by Dr. Scott Monteith, a psychiatrist/informaticist, at Healthcare Renewal.These include the Mar. 2011 post "On 'The Best Compromise' on Physicians and Use of Troublesome Health IT", the Jan. 2011 post "Interesting HIT Testimony to HHS Standards Committee, Jan. 11, 2011, by Dr. Monteith" and the Dec. 2010 post "Meaningful Use and the Devil in the Details: A Reader's View".Here's a new

healthy food

Health: Growing pains are real

Growing pains are real in healthy blog. Gremlyn Bradley-Waddell, AZ Republic, Nov 2, 2011, writes that 25-40% of kids experience “growing pains.”Usually these aches and cramps come in the night and are below the knee.Often these arise after a very physical day. About all that can be done to prevent them is good quality, supportive shoes.If these pains continue or extend into the morning or pop up during exercise—you might want to tell the doctor.In the meantime, some attention, massaging

healthy food

Dr. Scott Monteith: On a New Wonder "Drug" on the Market info

Dr. Scott Monteith: On a New Wonder "Drug" on the Market in healthy blog. I've posted several guest posts by Dr. Scott Monteith, a psychiatrist/informaticist, at Healthcare Renewal.These include the Mar. 2011 post "On 'The Best Compromise' on Physicians and Use of Troublesome Health IT", the Jan. 2011 post "Interesting HIT Testimony to HHS Standards Committee, Jan. 11, 2011, by Dr. Monteith" and the Dec. 2010 post "Meaningful Use and the Devil in the Details: A Reader's View".Here's a new

healthy food

Health: Growing pains are real

Growing pains are real in healthy blog. Gremlyn Bradley-Waddell, AZ Republic, Nov 2, 2011, writes that 25-40% of kids experience “growing pains.”Usually these aches and cramps come in the night and are below the knee.Often these arise after a very physical day. About all that can be done to prevent them is good quality, supportive shoes.If these pains continue or extend into the morning or pop up during exercise—you might want to tell the doctor.In the meantime, some attention, massaging

healthy food

Dr. Scott Monteith: On a New Wonder "Drug" on the Market info

Dr. Scott Monteith: On a New Wonder "Drug" on the Market in healthy blog. I've posted several guest posts by Dr. Scott Monteith, a psychiatrist/informaticist, at Healthcare Renewal.These include the Mar. 2011 post "On 'The Best Compromise' on Physicians and Use of Troublesome Health IT", the Jan. 2011 post "Interesting HIT Testimony to HHS Standards Committee, Jan. 11, 2011, by Dr. Monteith" and the Dec. 2010 post "Meaningful Use and the Devil in the Details: A Reader's View".Here's a new

healthy food

If a Medical School is Just Part of the "Biomedical Industry," Who Will Do Medical Education? info

If a Medical School is Just Part of the "Biomedical Industry," Who Will Do Medical Education? in healthy blog. A little while ago, we discussed questions raised by the pre-existing financial relationships of Dr Laurie Glimcher, the new incoming Dean of Weill Cornell Medical School. Dr Glimcher is also the longest serving director of Bristol-Myers-Squibb, and has a number of other financial relationships with drug and device companies. A new interview with Dr Glimcher suggested that what is most

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If a Medical School is Just Part of the "Biomedical Industry," Who Will Do Medical Education? info

If a Medical School is Just Part of the "Biomedical Industry," Who Will Do Medical Education? in healthy blog. A little while ago, we discussed questions raised by the pre-existing financial relationships of Dr Laurie Glimcher, the new incoming Dean of Weill Cornell Medical School. Dr Glimcher is also the longest serving director of Bristol-Myers-Squibb, and has a number of other financial relationships with drug and device companies. A new interview with Dr Glimcher suggested that what is most

healthy food

Health: Smelly house

Smelly house in healthy blog. Remember those house-a-tosis ads? I always think of that when I walk in—is it EW or EAU?There is such a thing as occupancy odor—I wrote about this once for WebMD. It’s BO, PO (pet odor), fresheners, cooking, products, etc.Febreze did a study—people don’t clean 75% of their porous surfaces—couches, rugs, pillows—regularly. These soak up stinks and hold them.Smell is directly linked to emotion. Smell a perfume—WHAM, you think of the guy you were with

healthy food

Dr. Scott Monteith: On a New Wonder "Drug" on the Market info

Dr. Scott Monteith: On a New Wonder "Drug" on the Market in healthy blog. I've posted several guest posts by Dr. Scott Monteith, a psychiatrist/informaticist, at Healthcare Renewal.These include the Mar. 2011 post "On 'The Best Compromise' on Physicians and Use of Troublesome Health IT", the Jan. 2011 post "Interesting HIT Testimony to HHS Standards Committee, Jan. 11, 2011, by Dr. Monteith" and the Dec. 2010 post "Meaningful Use and the Devil in the Details: A Reader's View".Here's a new

healthy food