February 15th, 2010 by Paul Auerbach, M.D. in Better Health Network, Health Tips, True Stories
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Prior to departing for my assignment in Haiti for International Medical Corps, I didn’t have much time to pack, so wasn’t able to bring everything I might need. However, I was able to carry a few items that proved quite useful. First and foremost was a new EMS-type trauma shears. Scott Forman, MD of Adroit Innovation, LLC has created a very functional titanium shears in which one finger loop has been replaced by a carabiner, so the shears can easily hang from a belt or other loop. I used them all the time to cut tape, change dressings, slice through wire, and other assorted tasks. I just purchased one for each member of the Stanford team. Read more »
This post, A First Responder’s Top 4 Items Of Medical Equipment: Lessons From Haiti, was originally published on
Healthine.com by Paul Auerbach, M.D..
February 15th, 2010 by Edwin Leap, M.D. in Better Health Network, Health Policy
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As we wrestle with political factions and mull over assorted ideas for reforming health-care in America, one simple solution bears discussion. Of course, we notoriously hate simple solutions. The modern American solution to simple solutions is to develop layers of complexity and inefficiency. I can only assume that in government, as in hospital administrations, this has to do with creating jobs. To the extent that it keeps nefarious, clever individuals off the street and occupies them in what passes for gainful employment, I applaud the effort. But it seldom solves problems, and typically creates them.
Nevertheless, I digress. My painfully simple solution is this. Allow every health-care provider to deduct, from their federal income tax, the care they provide for free to uninsured patients. It can be the Medicare value of the care; possibly even the Medicaid value. But in the end, a financially savvy doctor, dentist, therapist or any other health professional will end up paying no income tax. Read more »
*This blog post was originally published at edwinleap.com*
February 12th, 2010 by Nancy Brown, Ph.D. in Better Health Network, Health Tips
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What is it about our culture that encourages newer and riskier ways to challenge our health? Public health folks have become very concerned about the latest challenge – alcoholic energy drinks. These are prepackaged beverage with alcohol and caffeine, as well as other stimulants, that look like other energy drinks but carry a much more powerful, and dangerous, punch!
There were 500 new energy drink products introduced worldwide in 2006 with average sales topping $3.2 billion. These products are targeting youth by creating brand confusion with nonalcoholic versions; providing a cheap alternative to mixing energy drinks with alcohol; and using youth-friendly grassroots and viral marketing. The names of these products say it all – Rockstar, Sparks, and Tilt. Read more »
This post, Why You Shouldn’t Mix Energy Drinks With Alcohol, was originally published on
Healthine.com by Nancy Brown, Ph.D..
February 12th, 2010 by Shadowfax in Better Health Network, True Stories
1 Comment »
Sometimes in this job you just get lucky. You have an elusive and/or dangerous diagnosis just dropped in your lap. Something devastating that you would never have been able to tease out otherwise just gets handed to you by the patient. There’s a catch, though: you have to be smart enough to know when to listen to the patient, when not to blow off their crazy talk as just crazy.
So it was recently when I saw a guy with back pain. From the chart, it didn’t sound like anything complex: a middle-aged to older guy, maybe 60 or so, with a history of chronic back pain and multiple surgeries for the same. He was on Oxycontin 80 mg three times daily (a very high dose, and a red flag for an ER doc naturally suspicious of drug-seeking behavior). I went to see him, and it was clear in seconds that this dude was JPN: Just Plain Nuts. Read more »
*This blog post was originally published at Movin' Meat*
February 11th, 2010 by Emergiblog in Better Health Network, True Stories
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Something is in the air.
Work has been uncharacteristically crazy, nuts, bananas busy since I returned from my influenza-induced hiatus. Scores of very sick people, no real pattern. And a ton of pediatrics.
Feverish, coughing, runny-nose, wheezing, stridorous, vomiting, diarrhea-having, screaming, combative, medicine-spitting small humans.
It’s not easy triaging these little folks. You have to get the history over the crying/screaming, try and obtain vitals while they kick off any and all probes, do a rectal temperature if they are under 2 years old (wrestling to keep them still), and weigh them for medication dosing. Read more »
*This blog post was originally published at Emergiblog*
Prior to departing for my assignment in Haiti for International Medical Corps, I didn’t have much time to pack, so wasn’t able to bring everything I might need. However, I was able to carry a few items that proved quite useful. First and foremost was a new EMS-type trauma shears. Scott Forman, MD of Adroit Innovation, LLC has created a very functional titanium shears in which one finger loop has been replaced by a carabiner, so the shears can easily hang from a belt or other loop. I used them all the time to cut tape, change dressings, slice through wire, and other assorted tasks. I just purchased one for each member of the Stanford team. Read more »
