December 22nd, 2009 by KevinMD in Better Health Network, Health Tips, Opinion
Tags: Blausen, Internal Medicine, iPod Touch, Medical Education, Technology
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Originally posted in MedPage Today
by Iltifat Husain
There has been a great deal of commentary profiling medical applications that are useful for healthcare providers. However, there hasn’t been much talk about how mobile medical applications can enhance the doctor-patient experience and in turn help optimize your practice’s overall experience. In future posts, we’ll focus more on applications for medical providers, but this post will discuss applications centered around the physician-patient relationship.
We all know how busy clinic can be and this leads to increased waiting times for patients. Understandably, patients often complain that this is the most frustrating time for them, and no one likes walking in excessively late to an angry patient because you had to deal with another patient’s medical emergency. So how can this downtime be made more bearable and productive at the same time?
Here is where the iPod Touch comes in. Read more »
*This blog post was originally published at KevinMD.com*
December 22nd, 2009 by Gwenn Schurgin O'Keeffe, M.D. in Better Health Network, Opinion
Tags: Developmental Milestones, iPhone App, iPod App, Online, Parenting, Pediatrics, Technology, Tracking
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With our world becoming high tech, it’s not surprising that gizmos and programs or our computers, iPhones and Smartphones are emerging to help us track everything from our infant’s cry to our child’s development. But, are these necessary?
I was called by a reporter from Wired.com to weigh in on this with a colleague of mine. As members of the American Academy of Pediatrics Council of Communications and Media, and Spokespersons for the AAP, we had a few opinions on this very important topic that I want to share with you that you can find here.
Before you download or buy any computer program or cell phone application just ask yourself one question: Read more »
*This blog post was originally published at Dr Gwenn Is In*
December 22nd, 2009 by Medgadget in Better Health Network, Medical Art, News
Tags: Bacteria, Clean Hands, Design Award, Hospital, Miscea, Miscea B.V., Nosocomial Infections, Red Dot
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Keeping hands clean in the hospital is a bit more complicated and much more important thing to do than doing it at home. Nosocomial organisms can easily jump from clinician to clinician to patient via faucet handles and soap dispensers. Miscea B.V., out of Augsburg, Germany, won this year’s red dot best of the best design award for its MISCEA touch-free faucet.
The touch-free operation concept of this innovative, clear and aesthetically designed hygiene system allows users to choose between water, soap and disinfectant with just one hand, thus preventing causative organisms from being accidentally transmitted and causing new infections. Operation of this faucet is self-explanatory and comfortable; choosing soap or disinfectant is interactively guided: a softly pulsating LED indicates whether the system is ready for use and each dispensing mode is accompanied by a light impulse. The design of this hygiene system thus merges a high degree of comfort with a maximum reduction of cross-contamination risk. Read more »
*This blog post was originally published at Medgadget*
December 21st, 2009 by MotherJonesRN in Better Health Network, Health Policy, News, Opinion
Tags: Culver, Hospitals, Iowa, Krogmeier, Mental Health, Nursing Homes, Psychiatry
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I took this picture a couple of years ago during a trip to Iowa. This is the old Clarinda Asylum for the Insane. The name was changed for obvious reasons a long time ago to the Clarinda Treatment Complex. I grew up in Iowa, so let me tell you a few things about my home state. Among other things, Iowans grow corn, raise hogs, and sometimes elect people to the Iowa State House who need a little schooling about mental illness and the needs of the mentally ill.
Iowa currently has four state hospitals for the mentally ill. Now that number is being cut down to three. Iowa State Legislators, who have no clue about what they’re doing, ordered the head of the Department of Human Services, Charles Krogmeier, to shut down one of the state’s mental hospitals. The Clarinda facility and three other hospitals were put on the chopping block. Krogmeier didn’t want to shut down any of the hospitals. He said that the move wouldn’t save money or improve patient care, but the politicians gave him no choice. Mr. Krogmeier suggested the elimination of the Mount Pleasant Mental Health Institute. Read more »
*This blog post was originally published at Nurse Ratched's Place*
December 21st, 2009 by Joseph Scherger, M.D. in Better Health Network, Health Tips, Research
Tags: Diet Soda, Food and Nutrition, Obesity, Primary Care, Weight Gain
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You would expect that diet sodas would help you lose weight since they have no or minimal calories. Drinking a diet soda rather than a regular soda saves you all that sugar, right? Many people develop diet soda drinking habits due to several factors, the caffeine, the sweetness or just wanting to drink something without the calories.
The link between diet sodas and weight is not what you might expect. Reviewed recently in the medical journal JAMA (Dec. 9, 2009), a major heart study showed that people who drank more than 21 diet sodas per week had twice the risk of becoming overweight or obese compared with people who don’t drink diet soda. In another major study, daily consumption of diet soda was associated with a 67% increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes (cause by excess weight). Drinking diet sodas gives you the same “sweet tooth” behavior as other sweets and actually results in people eating more calories than if they stayed away from sweets in general. Read more »
*This blog post was originally published at eDocAmerica*
