March 27th, 2010 by KevinMD in Better Health Network, Health Policy, Opinion, Research
Tags: Doctors, End of Shift, General Medicine, Medical Errors, Medical Mistakes, Pager-Free, Patient Hand-Off, Physicians
No Comments »
When nurses sign out during the end of shift, it’s done so in a quiet setting. Contrast that to medical residents — at least when I was a resident 8 years ago — where pager interruptions during sign out were the norm.
PookieMD compares the situation to the “sterile cockpit” that airline pilots enjoy:
“Pilots have the sterile cockpit–a situation in which, if the plane is below 10,000 feet, only conversation directly relevant to flying is allowed. The rule was developed because take offs and landings are the most likely time a crash will occur, and take offs and landings occur below 10,000 feet. Simple enough, and it saves lives.”
Physicians enjoy no such luxury. Patient discussions with other doctors often take place in distracted settings, under the threat of a pager going off at any time.
Changing this, PookieMD argues, requires a cultural shift. As mentioned earlier, when nurses sign out, it’s sacred time. Doctors need something similar. Studies show that medical errors can arise during the patient hand-off to another physician. Signing out patients in an undisturbed setting may minimize the risk of poor communication, and subsequently, potential mistakes. “Page early and often needs to be replaced with ‘page urgently when appropriate,’” writes PookieMD.
Let’s see if hospital administrators have the courage to make this happen.
*This blog post was originally published at KevinMD.com*
March 27th, 2010 by Medgadget in Better Health Network, News, Research
Tags: Chemistry of Materials, Condom, Erectile Dysfunction, Internal Medicine, Nitric Oxide, NYT, Organ Transplants, Primary Care, University of Texas at Dallas, Urology, Zeolites
No Comments »
The New York Times profiles research by Harvey A. Liu and Kenneth J. Balkus Jr. of the University of Texas at Dallas to create a therapeutic nitric oxide releasing bandage. Nitric oxide can play a significant role in peripheral vasodilation, relaxation of pulmonary vasculature, and other physiological processes, such as penile erection. Therefore, an effective method of delivering this free radical should allow the development of new types of vascular stockings, bandages, and other therapeutic (or recreational) devices.
A snippet from NYT:
As they describe in a paper in Chemistry of Materials, the researchers use a zeolite, an aluminosilicate mineral that has a three-dimensional cage structure. Zeolites have been shown to be able to store and release nitric oxide and other chemicals. They embed the mineral in fibers of a biocompatible polymer, polylactic acid, as they are spun and form a tissue-like mat. The fibers are then infused with nitric oxide; by controlling the porosity of the fibers, the researchers could control the release of the gas.
The researchers say the resulting material could be incorporated into socks for diabetics that would deliver nitric oxide through the skin. It might also prove useful before transplants as a wrapping for organs to help preserve them outside the body for longer.
More from the New York Times…
Abstract in Chemistry of Materials: Novel Delivery System for the Bioregulatory Agent Nitric Oxide
*This blog post was originally published at Medgadget*
March 25th, 2010 by Medgadget in Better Health Network, News, Research
Tags: CT Guided Biopsies, CT Images, Death of Soldiers, Dover Air Force Base, Forensic Examination, Forensic Robot, High Definition Images, University of Bern's Institute of Forensic Medicine, Vitrobot, Vitual Autopsies
No Comments »
Virtobot is the name of a forensic robot used at the University of Bern’s Institute of Forensic Medicine to perform virtual autopsies. In the futuristic Virtopsy laboratory, the robot scans the contours and texture of the human body by projecting light bars on it and acquiring high definition images.
These data are combined with the CT images acquired by the scanner in the same room. A three dimensional image of the body is then reconstructed that can be used during forensic examinations and be preserved as long as necessary. Additionally, the robot can also perform CT guided biopsies. The US forces have already installed a Virtopsy laboratory at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware to assess the cause of death of soldiers sent back from Iraq and Afghanistan.
Video of the Virtobot in action:
Press release: Digital future heralded for forensic medicine…
The Virtopsy Project on Youtube…
*This blog post was originally published at Medgadget*
March 25th, 2010 by DaveMunger in Better Health Network, Opinion, Research
Tags: Global Recession, Socioeconomics, World Population
No Comments »
I’ve been searching Twitter for “population” and “economics” this month and came across this article on LifeSiteNews.com. The contention: Low population growth is responsible for the current recession. Here’s a snippet:
“With the decline in births, there are fewer young people that productively enter the working world,” Tedeschi explained. At the same time, he said, “there are many more elderly people that leave the system of production and become a cost for the collective,” increasing social welfare costs that a shrinking proportion of taxable young workers will have to sustain.
There’s actually a smidgen of truth to that. In a nation where the population is growing, the young outnumber the old. Where there are “pay as you go” retirement programs like Social Security in the U.S., this places an increasing burden on the working class to support the elderly.
But to say that the current global recession is due to slow population growth disingenuous. China is still doing quite well, even though its population growth has also slowed. The US continues to have relatively rapid population growth, but it’s in a recession just like places where population is stagnating, like Western Europe and Japan. The places world where population is growing fastest are typically highly impoverished. Read more »
*This blog post was originally published at The Daily Monthly*
March 25th, 2010 by Berci in Better Health Network, Opinion, Research
Tags: Clinical Genomics, Gene Therapy, Genetic Research, Genetic Testing, Genetics, Pathway Genomics
No Comments »
As I’m doing my PhD in clinical genomics, I’m really interested in the connection between the Internet and medicine. I was happy when Pathway Genomics, one of the newest direct-to-consumer genetic companies, offered me a free genetic test.
After an interview I did with them, I sent my saliva sample back and 3-4 weeks later, I received an email that my results were ready. This is my experience and the things I found interesting. As I got a free test from Navigenics a year ago, I plan to compare these services. I was very interested in the service of Pathway Genomics because of what they analyze:
1) Sampling: It was quite an easy process with only a few papers to fill (though it’s always hard to solve FedEX issues from Europe) and clear instructions. A video about a patient showing the whole process in 1-2 minutes, including saliva collection and filling out the paperwork, would be useful.
2) Preparations: I liked that I had to complete a questionnaire focusing on my lifestyle and patient history (Your Environment and Lifestyle, The Shape You’re In, and You and Your Family). As family history is the best genetic test out there, so it’s important to use that data while analyzing genetic results. Though, I couldn’t calculate my BMI (couldn’t use kg and centimeter) and the family history application wasn’t working for me. Read more »
*This blog post was originally published at ScienceRoll*
