July 28th, 2011 by Paul Auerbach, M.D. in Health Tips
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As summer continues in North America, and for anyone who goes near the water during any time of year, prevention of drowning is very important. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) takes its responsibilities on this issue seriously, and in 2010 issued a policy statement on prevention of drowning. This is a remarkable and well-thought out document that addresses all of the important issues associated with risk for and prevention of drowning. The online version of the policy statement, along with updated information and services, is available on the web.
The document points out that, historically, drowning has been the second leading cause of unintentional death in individuals aged one to 19 years, causing more than 1,100 deaths per year in the United States alone.
The AAP defines drowning as “the process of experiencing respiratory impairment from submersion/immersion in liquid.” It does not imply any particular outcome. Persons may “drown” and survive. The categories of outcomes include:
- death
- no morbidity
- morbidity (moderately disabled, severely disabled, vegetative state/coma, and brain death)
There is a discussion of entanglement in drains, particularly in females who are underwater with long hair near a suction outlet. Inflatable pools pose a particular hazard if they are not fenced.
The AAP has previously taken the stance that children are not developmentally ready for swimming lessons until after their fourth birthday. They based this opinion on factors including: Read more »
This post, Swimming May Not Be As Safe For Your Children As You Think, was originally published on
Healthine.com by Paul Auerbach, M.D..
July 28th, 2011 by John Mandrola, M.D. in Opinion
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Today I would like to say thanks to a group of colleagues that too often go un-thanked.
These would be my hospital-based internal medicine friends: hospitalists are what they are called.
This idea came to me after reading Dr Robert Centor’s post on KevinMD. In his usual concise manner, he laments the lack of respect that many sub-specialists show hospitalists.
I feel differently about my hard-working colleagues.
As a sub, sub-specialist who works primarily in the hospital, I would like to say how grateful I am to have knowledgeable, hospital-based internists available.
I believe, and write frequently about the importance of seeing the forest through the trees. A good doctor must see the big picture: a little atrial fib, for instance, isn’t a major problem if you can’t move, eat or have widespread Cancer.
But for good patient care, the details are important too. Hospitalists are good at details. In fact, Read more »
*This blog post was originally published at Dr John M*
July 28th, 2011 by GruntDoc in Health Tips, Research
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Courtesy of Virginia Tech-Wake Forest School of Biomedical Engineering and Sciences:
National Impact Database
Adult Football Helmet Ratings – May 2011
A total of 10 adult football helmet models were evaluated using the STAR evaluation system for May 2011 release. All 10 are publicly available at the time of publication. Helmets with lower STAR values provide a reduction in concussion risk compared to helmets with higher STAR values. Based on this, the best overall rating of ‘5 Stars’ has the lowest STAR value. Group rankings are differentiated by statistical significance.
If you’re in the market to buy a loved one a football helmet, or just curious, go and have a look. It doesn’t take long, there are only 10 helmets on the list. Go to the list.
I got to this from ESPN’s Page 2: Read more »
*This blog post was originally published at GruntDoc*
July 27th, 2011 by Happy Hospitalist in Health Policy, Opinion
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A physician asked me a question regarding what should be the role of hospitalists in carrying out discharge orders written by other physicians.
I have been following your blog since I was a resident and recommend it to a lot of people. Thank you so much for enlightening me on so many day to day hospital issues. I wanted to know your opinion about something that puzzles me. When a specialist changes a medication or requires a lab to be done as outpatient after a discharge order is written (for example you write: okay to D/C if okay with cardiology, and they change a dose or request stress test out-pt) who is required to write the new scripts and arrange that test? Is it the hospitalist’s responsibility to do it? Or is the specialist who changed the dose after you rounded required to handle it? It was easier during residency due to abundance of residents/fellows and the fact it was electronic RX access. What are your thoughts? As so far I always return back and make the adjustments needed for the patient welfare, and the fact I don’t know whether I should take stance and request that physician to do their job.
Dear physician, there is nothing puzzling here. It’s black and white. Read more »
*This blog post was originally published at The Happy Hospitalist*
July 27th, 2011 by Elaine Schattner, M.D. in News, Opinion
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Recently the Times ran a leading story on a new med school admission process, with multiple, mini-interviews, like speed dating. The idea is to assess applicants’ social, communication and ethical thinking (?) skills:
…It is called the multiple mini interview, or M.M.I., and its use is spreading. At least eight medical schools in the United States — including those at Stanford, the University of California, Los Angeles, and the University of Cincinnati — and 13 in Canada are using it.
At Virginia Tech Carilion, 26 candidates showed up on a Saturday in March and stood with their backs to the doors of 26 small rooms. When a bell sounded, the applicants spun around and read a sheet of paper taped to the door that described an ethical conundrum. Two minutes later, the bell sounded again and the applicants charged into the small rooms and found an interviewer waiting. A chorus of cheerful greetings rang out, and the doors shut. The candidates had eight minutes to discuss that room’s situation. Then they moved to the next room, the next surprise conundrum…
This sounds great, at first glance. Read more »
*This blog post was originally published at Medical Lessons*
