State Children's Health Insurance Program has recently been accepted by the Senate and signed by President Barack Obama. SCHIP has been a 12 year national success story that has provided coverage to more than 7 million low-income children, and hopefully that number will increase to 14.1 million children by 2013.
SCHIP guarantees that children who do not qualify for Medicaid will still have health care. SCHIP has cut the rate of uninsured children to less than 10%, compared with 20% for adults. Even when the rate of uninsured adults is increasing, the rate for uninsured children is decreasing. The Senate will fund SCHIP until 2019.
This is definitely a program that works.
Thursday, March 11, 2010
GetWell :) Network
Get Well Network is a leading provider of Interactive Patient Care (IPC) solutions. Get Well Network has been helping hospitals achieve an exceptional patient and family experience. This program's goal is to inform patients of their status, keep family members updated, and lead the patient to a safe, speedy recovery with a pleasant and comforting environment that suits them.
The goal of Get Well Network is not to have patients lying in bed impatiently waiting to hear results from their surgery. Most patients lie awake after surgery too uncomfortable to do anything but stare at a television that usually doesn't even get any good movie channels. Patients after surgery crave answers, communication, and interaction with their friends and loved ones. Today, they can get that satisfaction with the help of Get Well Network.
Get Well Network is a more personal way of dealing with patients after surgery. It is enabling hospitals to achieve great results in improved patient satisfaction as well as financial and clinical outcomes by engaging the patient and the family directly at their bedside.
Get Well Network provides a solution to hospital patient education by turning an in-room television monitor into an interactive experience for patients, families, caregivers, and administrators.
For patients and families, they have anytime access to an array of education, entertainment, services and Internet resources. These are all beneficial to the patients health and a speedy recovery with a positive outcome.
Caregivers are able to obtain the right type of support for their particular patient as well as their wants and needs more clearly. This will also gear the patient in the direction of a speedy recovery. The caregiver's job is to lead the patient in the right direction of health and guide them after surgery to advise them on their progress, what is healthy for them, and any possible ways in which the patient will be able to recover faster.
Administrators are able to achieve their vision through real time resources that inform service delivery decisions, ease the administration of regulatory compliance, and improve financial performance.
Get Well Network works with more than 60 leading hospitals and healthcare systems.
Interactive Patient Care (ICP) technology has emerged as one of the most effective ways to proactively inform and engage families and patients in the care process. There are many positive things that can result from engaging patients in patient safety, service management, and hospital discharge.
Engaging patients can:
-Improve care measures performance
-Improve HCAHPS scores in priority focus areas
-Lower the average length of stay
-Provide new workflow efficiencies for nurses and patient care providers.
The American Hospital Association uses the Interactive Patient Care solution. They have a television in the patients room that transforms into an interactive resource during a hospital stay. Using a wireless keyboard, touchscreen, or handheld device, patients can access an education library, entertainment options, surveys, and service request menus directly at their bedside.
The goal of Get Well Network is not to have patients lying in bed impatiently waiting to hear results from their surgery. Most patients lie awake after surgery too uncomfortable to do anything but stare at a television that usually doesn't even get any good movie channels. Patients after surgery crave answers, communication, and interaction with their friends and loved ones. Today, they can get that satisfaction with the help of Get Well Network.
Get Well Network is a more personal way of dealing with patients after surgery. It is enabling hospitals to achieve great results in improved patient satisfaction as well as financial and clinical outcomes by engaging the patient and the family directly at their bedside.
Get Well Network provides a solution to hospital patient education by turning an in-room television monitor into an interactive experience for patients, families, caregivers, and administrators.
For patients and families, they have anytime access to an array of education, entertainment, services and Internet resources. These are all beneficial to the patients health and a speedy recovery with a positive outcome.
Caregivers are able to obtain the right type of support for their particular patient as well as their wants and needs more clearly. This will also gear the patient in the direction of a speedy recovery. The caregiver's job is to lead the patient in the right direction of health and guide them after surgery to advise them on their progress, what is healthy for them, and any possible ways in which the patient will be able to recover faster.
Administrators are able to achieve their vision through real time resources that inform service delivery decisions, ease the administration of regulatory compliance, and improve financial performance.
Get Well Network works with more than 60 leading hospitals and healthcare systems.
Interactive Patient Care (ICP) technology has emerged as one of the most effective ways to proactively inform and engage families and patients in the care process. There are many positive things that can result from engaging patients in patient safety, service management, and hospital discharge.
Engaging patients can:
-Improve care measures performance
-Improve HCAHPS scores in priority focus areas
-Lower the average length of stay
-Provide new workflow efficiencies for nurses and patient care providers.
The American Hospital Association uses the Interactive Patient Care solution. They have a television in the patients room that transforms into an interactive resource during a hospital stay. Using a wireless keyboard, touchscreen, or handheld device, patients can access an education library, entertainment options, surveys, and service request menus directly at their bedside.
Viagra may help children with heart defects
Underdeveloped heart chambers is a rare, but serious defect in children. This defect can be fatal in some children. Recent studies have shown that a medication that a lot of men throughout the world use, can also be used to treat these heart problems in children.
This medication is called sildenafil, although the more common, recognized name is Viagra. So why should a medicine that is used to help treat erectile dysfunction in men also treat heart defects in children?
The heart works in a very meticulous way. It has 4 chambers pumping deoxygenated blood in one direction through all 4 valves, resulting in oxygenated blood coming out of the valves supplying the rest of the body with the oxygen needed for life.
When a child has a single ventricle defect, it makes it difficult for the heart to function properly and supply oxygen to the blood. An underdeveloped heart is also another defect that can prevent the correct flow of oxygen through the ventricles. The underdeveloped left side forces the blood returning from the lungs to flow through an opening in the wall separating the right and left atrium.
Children with these defects usually go through a series of operations, the third being the Fontan operation. In this system, blood is redirected to the pulmonary arteries, bypassing the heart and greatly improving the oxygenation of blood.
If you've had this surgery for a single-ventricle defect, you can live a relatively normal life. The only thing that would be altered is the ability to exercise rigorously. Although, new studies have shown that the use of sildenafil will help you achieve your full exercise ability.
In a study, 28 children and young adults who had the operation were given the sildenafil pill and the other half were given a placebo pill. The results of this study show that the half which received the sildenafil showed significant improvements in heart condition and performance.
Sildenafil works by directly improving the squeeze of the heart muscle making it easier for oxygenated blood to be delivered throughout the body.
This represents great promise for patients with single-ventricle heart disease. Enhanced heart performance can contribute to a greater ability to exercise and a general improvement of the quality of life.
This medication is called sildenafil, although the more common, recognized name is Viagra. So why should a medicine that is used to help treat erectile dysfunction in men also treat heart defects in children?
The heart works in a very meticulous way. It has 4 chambers pumping deoxygenated blood in one direction through all 4 valves, resulting in oxygenated blood coming out of the valves supplying the rest of the body with the oxygen needed for life.
When a child has a single ventricle defect, it makes it difficult for the heart to function properly and supply oxygen to the blood. An underdeveloped heart is also another defect that can prevent the correct flow of oxygen through the ventricles. The underdeveloped left side forces the blood returning from the lungs to flow through an opening in the wall separating the right and left atrium.
Children with these defects usually go through a series of operations, the third being the Fontan operation. In this system, blood is redirected to the pulmonary arteries, bypassing the heart and greatly improving the oxygenation of blood.
If you've had this surgery for a single-ventricle defect, you can live a relatively normal life. The only thing that would be altered is the ability to exercise rigorously. Although, new studies have shown that the use of sildenafil will help you achieve your full exercise ability.
In a study, 28 children and young adults who had the operation were given the sildenafil pill and the other half were given a placebo pill. The results of this study show that the half which received the sildenafil showed significant improvements in heart condition and performance.
Sildenafil works by directly improving the squeeze of the heart muscle making it easier for oxygenated blood to be delivered throughout the body.
This represents great promise for patients with single-ventricle heart disease. Enhanced heart performance can contribute to a greater ability to exercise and a general improvement of the quality of life.
Can soda make you fat?
Everyone knows that the added sugar and calories in regular soda is one of the causes of obesity in America. The reason for this is because when most children and adults consume sugary drinks, they don't realize how many calories they are actually consuming. A beverage is not as fully satisfying as solid food. If you drink a regular soda before dinner you will still be just as hungry, but if you have dessert before dinner with the same amount of calories as the soda, you will be less likely to eat as much.
The reason to worry now is because in the past years, children have been drinking soda as an alternatives to other beverages such as water and milk. This adds to the obesity epidemic without people even noticing.
The government has now issued a 2 cent per ounce tax on sugary drinks like soda. Will this help the obesity epidemic? Some researchers say it will because the extra dollar that is added to one beverage will halt people from purchasing soda on a daily basis. They will have to substitute regular soda for either diet soda or bottled water, which is generally sold at the same stores that regular soda is sold at.
In Philadelphia however, they government wants to make a greater tax on soda. This is because in inner city areas such as Philadelphia, most African Americans and Hispanics are more likely to purchase sugary drinks than most other Americans. When the prices become steeper, most people are not willing to travel to another city to purchase a sugary drink, therefore they will have to settle for diet soda or bottled water.
A $1 increase on the price of a 2 liter bottle of soda will save people 124 fewer calories a day and 2.34 lbs a year.
David S. Ludwig, a pediatric endocrinologist at Children's Hospital Boston conducted a study that tracked drink consumption by 548 children in Massachusetts public schools for 19 months. He found that each additional can of sugar sweetened drink a day increased the odds of becoming obese by 60%.
He also conducted another study that followed 50,000 nurses, old and young, for 8 years. This research concluded that increased consumption of regular soda was linked to greater weight gain and increased risk of Type II diabetes.
Both of these studies done by Ludwig were included in over 30 research papers. Some research papers found clear links between soda and obesity. Some concluded that there was no such associated between drinking soda and being obese. One study suggested that drinking soda only affected people who were already obese. And one study linked diet soda, as well as regular soda leads to increased body fat.
This wide range of findings leads to question whether or not there really is a link between soda and obesity. Some say that it's not just the soda that leads to obesity but it is a series of things. Things such as lack of exercise, metabolism, and other junk food containing sugar. If you put all of these things together, they will most definitely cause obesity. But how much of that obesity can be attributed to sugary drinks alone?
One study can be considered biased to some. The soda company conducted a study in which their results found that there was no link between drinking regular soda and being obese. In society today, this is clearly not 100% accurate, but rather a marketing campaign to keep people buying their products.
Philadelphia health commissioner Donald F. Shwartz states that no one action is going to stop obesity. "It is a series of actions, policy changes, and pilot programs that are likely to make a difference." He said a soda tax, besides hypothetically reducing consumption would also provide revenue to subsidize healthy foods, fund nutrition education campaign, and expand pedestrian and bike networks.
The soda tax, if fully implemented would raise about $77 million a year; $20 million of that would go towards helping the obesity epidemic.
To read the full Philly Times article on soda tax, click here.
The reason to worry now is because in the past years, children have been drinking soda as an alternatives to other beverages such as water and milk. This adds to the obesity epidemic without people even noticing.
The government has now issued a 2 cent per ounce tax on sugary drinks like soda. Will this help the obesity epidemic? Some researchers say it will because the extra dollar that is added to one beverage will halt people from purchasing soda on a daily basis. They will have to substitute regular soda for either diet soda or bottled water, which is generally sold at the same stores that regular soda is sold at.
In Philadelphia however, they government wants to make a greater tax on soda. This is because in inner city areas such as Philadelphia, most African Americans and Hispanics are more likely to purchase sugary drinks than most other Americans. When the prices become steeper, most people are not willing to travel to another city to purchase a sugary drink, therefore they will have to settle for diet soda or bottled water.
A $1 increase on the price of a 2 liter bottle of soda will save people 124 fewer calories a day and 2.34 lbs a year.
David S. Ludwig, a pediatric endocrinologist at Children's Hospital Boston conducted a study that tracked drink consumption by 548 children in Massachusetts public schools for 19 months. He found that each additional can of sugar sweetened drink a day increased the odds of becoming obese by 60%.
He also conducted another study that followed 50,000 nurses, old and young, for 8 years. This research concluded that increased consumption of regular soda was linked to greater weight gain and increased risk of Type II diabetes.
Both of these studies done by Ludwig were included in over 30 research papers. Some research papers found clear links between soda and obesity. Some concluded that there was no such associated between drinking soda and being obese. One study suggested that drinking soda only affected people who were already obese. And one study linked diet soda, as well as regular soda leads to increased body fat.
This wide range of findings leads to question whether or not there really is a link between soda and obesity. Some say that it's not just the soda that leads to obesity but it is a series of things. Things such as lack of exercise, metabolism, and other junk food containing sugar. If you put all of these things together, they will most definitely cause obesity. But how much of that obesity can be attributed to sugary drinks alone?
One study can be considered biased to some. The soda company conducted a study in which their results found that there was no link between drinking regular soda and being obese. In society today, this is clearly not 100% accurate, but rather a marketing campaign to keep people buying their products.
Philadelphia health commissioner Donald F. Shwartz states that no one action is going to stop obesity. "It is a series of actions, policy changes, and pilot programs that are likely to make a difference." He said a soda tax, besides hypothetically reducing consumption would also provide revenue to subsidize healthy foods, fund nutrition education campaign, and expand pedestrian and bike networks.
The soda tax, if fully implemented would raise about $77 million a year; $20 million of that would go towards helping the obesity epidemic.
To read the full Philly Times article on soda tax, click here.
Can vaccines have adverse effects?
Most parents believe that vaccines prevent diseases in their children, however recent studies show that 1 in 4 parents believe that some vaccines can cause autism in an otherwise healthy child. And 1 in 8 parents are refusing the necessary vaccinations because they are scared they could possibly be harmful to their child.
A study was done where researchers asked 1500 parents with children 17 and under about the use of vaccines to prevent diseases. The vaccine that is most commonly rejected by parents is the vaccine for human papillomavirus or HPV, which is used to prevent against cervical cancer. Some other common vaccines parents rejected were the chicken pox vaccine, the meningococcal conjugate vaccine, and the MMR, which prevents measles, mumps, and rubella.
Dr. Gary L. Freed, a professor of pediatrics at the University of Michigan was shocked to discover that 1 in 4 parents believe that vaccines can cause autism. Although they think this, an overwhelming number of parents are still vaccinating their children, fortunately.
Although a lot of parents think that vaccines can cause illnesses among their children, they are still vaccinating them. In the future, hopefully physicians and researchers can relax the minds of parents who think that vaccines cause serious health problems. Maybe in the future there will be no defect in vaccines, although some parents are still bound to believe otherwise. Until 100% of vaccinations are proved to be completely safe, parents will always worry about the well being of their children when it come to receiving vaccines.
A study was done where researchers asked 1500 parents with children 17 and under about the use of vaccines to prevent diseases. The vaccine that is most commonly rejected by parents is the vaccine for human papillomavirus or HPV, which is used to prevent against cervical cancer. Some other common vaccines parents rejected were the chicken pox vaccine, the meningococcal conjugate vaccine, and the MMR, which prevents measles, mumps, and rubella.
Dr. Gary L. Freed, a professor of pediatrics at the University of Michigan was shocked to discover that 1 in 4 parents believe that vaccines can cause autism. Although they think this, an overwhelming number of parents are still vaccinating their children, fortunately.
Although a lot of parents think that vaccines can cause illnesses among their children, they are still vaccinating them. In the future, hopefully physicians and researchers can relax the minds of parents who think that vaccines cause serious health problems. Maybe in the future there will be no defect in vaccines, although some parents are still bound to believe otherwise. Until 100% of vaccinations are proved to be completely safe, parents will always worry about the well being of their children when it come to receiving vaccines.
Small amount of lead in children's blood can lead to health problems
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention have said that a 10 micro gram "thresh hold" of lead in the blood is the cause to worry about liver functions. The amount of lead in the blood is correlated with the ability of the liver to function and filter out harmful materials. They have done a test in which children whose lead content is 1.5 micro grams were compared to children's whose lead content was 2.9. The higher the lead content in the blood, the worse the liver functions. With each doubling of lead levels, the filtration capacity dropped.
This is one out of many studies finding that lead levels below the CDC's "thresh hold" may have detrimental impact on children's health. No amount of lead in the blood is a healthy thing, however the question comes where you can reasonably mount a public health response.
Some of the sources of lead can be found in old paint, drinking water, and contaminated soil.
Approximately 1.4% of children had a lead content of 10 micro grams or higher in 2006. This figure is down from 9% in 1988. We can attribute this factor to the fact that lead is no longer found in gasoline and paint.
Lead exposure affects cognitive ability and behavior. Studies show that children with elevated blood lead levels have problems such as hyperactivity, attention dysfunction, and lowered IQ. Lead can also harm the kidneys, reproduction, and cause hypertension and gastrointestinal problems such as colic, nausea, and constipation.
In 1991, the CDC's "thresh hold" went from 30 micro grams to 10 micro grams due to the vast amount of studies showing that a lower blood lead level can lead to health problems. For children with levels higher than 10, many states have an intervention program. When children test higher than 20 micro grams of lead in the blood, medical evaluation and environmental remediation is performed. When children test higher than 45 micro grams, medical treatment may be necessary.
There has been growing concern from researchers and physicians about lower levels of lead being toxic. Studies show that, on average, children whose blood lead level was 1 micro gram had an IQ 7 points higher than children with blood lead levels of 10.
Children with blood lead level from 5-10 micro grams had 49% lower reading scores and 59% lower writing scores than children with blood levels of 1-5 micro grams.
A study done in 2009 by the State University of New York at Oswego found a link between lead levels and cardiovascular function. The study took 140 children ages 9-11 all with blood lead levels of 3.8 or lower. The children were given a mildly stressful computer test, and the study showed that the kids who had slightly higher levels of lead in their blood had more constricted flow of blood vessels while they were stressed.
Researchers and physicians state that their is no healthy amount of lead in the blood, so the question is what we can do about it. Parents who are aware of their child's blood lead level have cleaned their homes of all toxic lead chemicals. There is no evidence, however, that this helps children with higher or lower blood lead levels. Drug therapy is not a very effective way to eliminate lead from the blood either.
The best thing that can be done is to create an environment in which kids who suffer the health consequences due to higher blood levels can be helped and ensured a safe environment to deal with their health problems and work past the hurdles they face.
This is one out of many studies finding that lead levels below the CDC's "thresh hold" may have detrimental impact on children's health. No amount of lead in the blood is a healthy thing, however the question comes where you can reasonably mount a public health response.
Some of the sources of lead can be found in old paint, drinking water, and contaminated soil.
Approximately 1.4% of children had a lead content of 10 micro grams or higher in 2006. This figure is down from 9% in 1988. We can attribute this factor to the fact that lead is no longer found in gasoline and paint.
Lead exposure affects cognitive ability and behavior. Studies show that children with elevated blood lead levels have problems such as hyperactivity, attention dysfunction, and lowered IQ. Lead can also harm the kidneys, reproduction, and cause hypertension and gastrointestinal problems such as colic, nausea, and constipation.
In 1991, the CDC's "thresh hold" went from 30 micro grams to 10 micro grams due to the vast amount of studies showing that a lower blood lead level can lead to health problems. For children with levels higher than 10, many states have an intervention program. When children test higher than 20 micro grams of lead in the blood, medical evaluation and environmental remediation is performed. When children test higher than 45 micro grams, medical treatment may be necessary.
There has been growing concern from researchers and physicians about lower levels of lead being toxic. Studies show that, on average, children whose blood lead level was 1 micro gram had an IQ 7 points higher than children with blood lead levels of 10.
Children with blood lead level from 5-10 micro grams had 49% lower reading scores and 59% lower writing scores than children with blood levels of 1-5 micro grams.
A study done in 2009 by the State University of New York at Oswego found a link between lead levels and cardiovascular function. The study took 140 children ages 9-11 all with blood lead levels of 3.8 or lower. The children were given a mildly stressful computer test, and the study showed that the kids who had slightly higher levels of lead in their blood had more constricted flow of blood vessels while they were stressed.
Researchers and physicians state that their is no healthy amount of lead in the blood, so the question is what we can do about it. Parents who are aware of their child's blood lead level have cleaned their homes of all toxic lead chemicals. There is no evidence, however, that this helps children with higher or lower blood lead levels. Drug therapy is not a very effective way to eliminate lead from the blood either.
The best thing that can be done is to create an environment in which kids who suffer the health consequences due to higher blood levels can be helped and ensured a safe environment to deal with their health problems and work past the hurdles they face.
The Dangers of Vaccines
Parents whose children suffer from serious health problems due to vaccines are now having their case heard in the Supreme Court. Many young children receive all of the vaccinations that are required to enter schools and by the health care system. That doesn't always mean they are safe. Some common vaccinations used to prevent minor health issues in the future have an adverse affect and cause many young children to become seriously ill.
Hannah Bruesewitz from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania had some minor vaccines for diphtheria, whooping cough and tetanus when she was an infant. After the vaccinations, Hannah became ill and frequently had seizures and became disabled. She is now suffering from residual seizure disorder as a teenager. Her parents claimed that the vaccine company, Wyeth Laboratories failed to warn them about the possible risks associated with the vaccine. The vaccine court rejected the initial claim, so the family moved the case to the federal courts. A federal appeals court eventually ruled in favor of Wyeth Laboratories, concluding that all design-defect claims were barred under statute.
In another similar case, Stefan Ferrari suffered severe neurological damage 12 years ago from booster shots. Stefan's parents took this to the federal court and the Georgia Supreme Court became the first appeals court in the US to allow families to sue outside the special vaccines court. Due to the vaccine containing the mercury based preservative thimerosal, Stefan is unable to speak. Since then, the preservative has been taken out of all standard vaccines.
Despite winning at the state level, the family withdrew it's case from the federal court, but the liabilities resulting from that decision remains in force in Georgia.
As a result of all these serious health injuries, the National Childhood Vaccine Injury Compensation Act was passed to establish a nationwide strategy to secure vaccine supply, ensure that all vaccinations are healthy and safe for everybody, and to compensate innocent victims who have been injured by vaccinations.
Hannah Bruesewitz from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania had some minor vaccines for diphtheria, whooping cough and tetanus when she was an infant. After the vaccinations, Hannah became ill and frequently had seizures and became disabled. She is now suffering from residual seizure disorder as a teenager. Her parents claimed that the vaccine company, Wyeth Laboratories failed to warn them about the possible risks associated with the vaccine. The vaccine court rejected the initial claim, so the family moved the case to the federal courts. A federal appeals court eventually ruled in favor of Wyeth Laboratories, concluding that all design-defect claims were barred under statute.
In another similar case, Stefan Ferrari suffered severe neurological damage 12 years ago from booster shots. Stefan's parents took this to the federal court and the Georgia Supreme Court became the first appeals court in the US to allow families to sue outside the special vaccines court. Due to the vaccine containing the mercury based preservative thimerosal, Stefan is unable to speak. Since then, the preservative has been taken out of all standard vaccines.
Despite winning at the state level, the family withdrew it's case from the federal court, but the liabilities resulting from that decision remains in force in Georgia.
As a result of all these serious health injuries, the National Childhood Vaccine Injury Compensation Act was passed to establish a nationwide strategy to secure vaccine supply, ensure that all vaccinations are healthy and safe for everybody, and to compensate innocent victims who have been injured by vaccinations.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
