The mother of two visited her doctor right away, but a misdiagnosis led to deadly infection
From: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/uk-woman-mother-of-two-dies-of-sepsis-just-days-after-gardening-scratch/
Monday, October 3, 2016
FDA to parents: Avoid homeopathic teething products
The agency warns that these teething tablets and gels have been linked to adverse effects in children
From: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/fda-to-parents-avoid-homeopathic-teething-products/
From: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/fda-to-parents-avoid-homeopathic-teething-products/
FDA to parents: Avoid homeopathic teething products
The agency warns that these teething tablets and gels have been linked to adverse effects in children
From: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/fda-to-parents-avoid-homeopathic-teething-products/
From: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/fda-to-parents-avoid-homeopathic-teething-products/
More Research Cites Salt's Potential Health Risks
Every half-teaspoon or so raises risk of premature death by 12 percent, study suggests
From: http://www.webmd.com/heart/news/20161003/more-research-cites-salts-potential-health-risks?src=RSS_PUBLIC
Can Childhood Traumas Make You Old Before Your Time?
Study suggests link between family stress and potential damage to DNA
From: http://www.webmd.com/parenting/news/20161003/can-childhood-traumas-make-you-old-before-your-time?src=RSS_PUBLIC
Breast Cancer Deaths Increasing for Black Women
Atlanta tops list of 10 deadliest cities for African-American women dying from breast cancer, but Austin, Dallas, Memphis, Los Angeles, Chicago, and others are not far behind.
From: http://www.webmd.com/breast-cancer/news/20161003/breast-cancer-deaths-black-women?src=RSS_PUBLIC
Nobel prize for Japanese scientist who unraveled cell recycling system
Scientists hope Yoshinori Ohsumi's discoveries will one day help fight against cancer, Alzheimer's and other diseases
From: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/nobel-prize-yoshinori-ohsumi-japanese-scientist-cell-recycling-system/
From: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/nobel-prize-yoshinori-ohsumi-japanese-scientist-cell-recycling-system/
FDA warns against use of homeopathic teething tablets, gels
Homeopathic teething tablets and gels may pose a risk to infants and children and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration recommends that consumers stop using these products and discard any in their possession, according to a news release the FDA issued Sept. 30.
From: http://www.ada.org/en/publications/ada-news/2016-archive/october/fda-warns-against-use-of-homeopathic-teething-tablets-gels
From: http://www.ada.org/en/publications/ada-news/2016-archive/october/fda-warns-against-use-of-homeopathic-teething-tablets-gels
E-cigarette explosion injures girl on Harry Potter ride
E-cigarette belonging to another passenger shot a fireball at teen's face
From: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/e-cigarette-explosion-injures-girl-on-orlando-theme-park-harry-potter-ride/
From: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/e-cigarette-explosion-injures-girl-on-orlando-theme-park-harry-potter-ride/
Some Bleeding Risk Seen With Xarelto Vs. Pradaxa
But study wasn't definitive, and heart experts say both newer drugs are better than warfarin
From: http://www.webmd.com/heart-disease/atrial-fibrillation/news/20161003/some-increased-bleeding-risk-seen-with-blood-thinner-xarelto-vs-pradaxa?src=RSS_PUBLIC
New FAQ addresses provider access to protected health information
Business associates may not block a provider's access to protected health information maintained on behalf of the provider, according to the U.S. Office for Civil Rights.
From: http://www.ada.org/en/publications/ada-news/2016-archive/october/new-faq-addresses-provider-access-to-protected-health-information
From: http://www.ada.org/en/publications/ada-news/2016-archive/october/new-faq-addresses-provider-access-to-protected-health-information
Crowdsourcing effort takes aim at deadliest breast cancers
A new project aims to gather molecular and genetic clues from metastatic breast cancer patients in hopes of finding new and better ways of treating patients
From: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/crowdsourcing-effort-takes-aim-at-deadliest-breast-cancers/
From: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/crowdsourcing-effort-takes-aim-at-deadliest-breast-cancers/
Zika Causes Widespread Damage to Fetal Brain
Infected moms-to-be should have regular ultrasounds, study author says
From: http://www.webmd.com/news/20161003/zika-causes-widespread-damage-to-fetal-brain?src=RSS_PUBLIC
USDA Launches New Apprenticeship Program Targeting Veterans
WASHINGTON, Oct. 3, 2016 - Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack announced today the start of a new U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) jobs program that will use the national apprenticeship system to hire new employees as agricultural commodity graders, a key role in USDA's mission to protect American consumers. The new program will also serve as a way to increase jobs for U.S. veterans.
From: http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/usda/usdahome?contentid=2016/10/0209.xml&contentidonly=true
From: http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/usda/usdahome?contentid=2016/10/0209.xml&contentidonly=true
USDA Report Shows Growing Biobased Products Industry Contributes $393 Billion and 4.2 Million Jobs to American Economy
WASHINGTON, Oct. 3, 2016 - A new report released today by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) shows that in 2014, the biobased products industry contributed $393 billion and 4.2 million jobs to America's recovering economy. The report also indicates that the sector grew from 2013 to 2014, creating or supporting an additional 220,000 jobs and $24 billion over that period.
From: http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/usda/usdahome?contentid=2016/10/0208.xml&contentidonly=true
From: http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/usda/usdahome?contentid=2016/10/0208.xml&contentidonly=true
USDA Announces Support for Rural Cooperative Businesses and Organizations
WASHINGTON, Oct. 3, 2016 - Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced that USDA is awarding 29 grants totaling $5.8 million to help rural cooperatives create jobs and support business expansion. The funds are being provided through the Rural Cooperative Development Grant (RCDG) program, which helps fund non-profit groups, such as rural cooperative development centers and higher education institutions.
From: http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/usda/usdahome?contentid=2016/10/0210.xml&contentidonly=true
From: http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/usda/usdahome?contentid=2016/10/0210.xml&contentidonly=true
Experts mark health literacy month with video
October is Health Literacy Month and a good time for dental professionals to brush up on health literacy basics, such as using plain language and confirming comprehension when talking with patients.
From: http://www.ada.org/en/publications/ada-news/2016-archive/october/experts-mark-health-literacy-month-with-video
From: http://www.ada.org/en/publications/ada-news/2016-archive/october/experts-mark-health-literacy-month-with-video
How to make friends in college
Certain personality type was found to be a turn-off
From: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/how-to-make-friends-in-college/
From: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/how-to-make-friends-in-college/
Certain parents more likely to skip kids flu shots
Kids who have received certain "alternative" health therapies were less likely to get vaccinated for the flu
From: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/parents-and-flu-shots-some-skip-influenza-vaccines/
From: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/parents-and-flu-shots-some-skip-influenza-vaccines/
Cardiac Rehab: Smart for Healing Hearts - Mayo Clinic
From: Mayo Clinic http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f5nJTEU81ZA
Smoking Rates Differ by County, Not Just State
Regional figures can help health officials tailor prevention programs
From: http://www.webmd.com/smoking-cessation/news/20161003/us-smoking-rates-differ-by-county-not-just-state?src=RSS_PUBLIC
Medical errors: Honesty is the best policy
“It’s a definite that you’re all going to screw up, but it’s not a definite that any of you will learn from that,” declared one of our medical school instructors, years ago. “Cultivate the attitude that allows you to own your mistakes, and then, not repeat them.”
How common are medical errors?
Medical errors are, frankly, rampant. A recent study used data analysis and extrapolation to estimate that “communication breakdowns, diagnostic errors, poor judgment, and inadequate skill” as well as systems failures in clinical care result in between 200,000 to 400,00 lives lost per year. What this means is that if medical error was a disease, it would be the third leading cause of death in the United States.
The article is specifically about fatalities secondary to medical errors, and how these are vastly underreported. They point out many reasons for this, the first being that cause of death on a certificate is usually listed as the physiologic cause of death. For example, “myocardial infarction” may be listed as cause of death for a patient who was sent home from the emergency room with chest pain and a diagnosis of acid reflux. We have no direct way of knowing that their fatal heart attack was due to misdiagnosis.
In the course of my training over a decade ago I saw many errors, such as a punctured lung during central intravenous line placement in the intensive care unit, postoperative morphine overdose requiring emergency intervention, cancer seen on an emergency room CT scan and never reported to the patient… I could go on. What was most common then was a culture of silence: there was not consistent nor complete disclosure to the patient. People would whisper about mistakes, never directly addressing the issue for fear of litigation, or even retaliation by the involved physician.
Preventing medical errors—and learning from the ones that do occur
As the BMJ article authors point out, we can’t develop safer healthcare without identifying and analyzing medical errors when they happen. They call for a national database of medical errors, so that the information can be compiled for quality improvement and prevention research.
Thankfully, I now work at an institution that recognizes this, and openly embraces errors reporting. We even have an easy-to-use online safety reporting system which my colleagues and I have used many times, for everything from blood test tubes being sent to the lab without labels, to the wrong vaccine being administered, to falls suffered by our patients while in the hospital.
Worried that these types of reports reflect more mistakes being made than normal? Think again: as the data supports, the vast majority of medical mistakes simply go unreported. The true number of medical errors, both fatal and non-fatal, is unknown. What we do know is that healthcare delivery cannot improve if these are not examined.
How does this work? I can pull an example easily from among my own recent mistakes:
A lovely patient of mine* in her late forties complained of fatigue, depression, and body aches, which I attributed to perimenopause and arthritis. She did have slightly elevated calcium levels, but I didn’t think much of it. I blamed it on her calcium supplements.
After more than a year, we finally discussed checking her calcium level OFF of supplements, and lo and behold, it was still high. We discovered that she had hyperparathyroidism, an overactive parathyroid gland that causes calcium to leach out of the bones. Indeed, hyperparathyroidism and high blood calcium levels can cause fatigue, depression, and body aches, among other things that she had, such as osteopenia (weak bones).
She asked for a referral to a surgeon and had her overactive parathyroid gland surgically removed. Her complaints resolved within a day after surgery.
I apologized for my error which had resulted in a delay of diagnosis of about two years, during which time she had not only felt awful, but also developed weakened bones. I offered to facilitate her transfer to a new primary care doctor. She declined, and said that she was appreciative of my honesty in discussing the error, and hoped it could serve as a valuable lesson.
I shared this error with my colleagues and in the system. I, for one, will never let any slight elevation in calcium go uninvestigated, and my colleagues have learned from my example.
My med school instructor was right: if we don’t own our errors, we are destined to repeat them. In medicine, honesty is truly the best policy.
*This is a real case, without identifying characteristics. I have obtained the explicit written permission from this patient to discuss the case in this forum.
Related Post:
The post Medical errors: Honesty is the best policy appeared first on Harvard Health Blog.
From: Monique Tello, MD, MPH http://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/medical-errors-honesty-is-the-best-policy-2016100310405
Certain Parents More Likely to Skip Kids' Flu Shot
Those who favor alternative therapies often bypass the annual vaccine, study says
From: http://www.webmd.com/children/vaccines/news/20161003/certain-parents-more-likely-to-skip-kids-flu-shot?src=RSS_PUBLIC
ADA unveils revamped CE Online website
In an effort to help members who go online for their continuing education, the ADA unveiled Oct. 3 a new ADA Online CE website, which the Association says is more functional and efficient.
From: http://www.ada.org/en/publications/ada-news/2016-archive/october/ada-unveils-revamped-ce-online-website
From: http://www.ada.org/en/publications/ada-news/2016-archive/october/ada-unveils-revamped-ce-online-website
'Dentistry is a lifetime learning process'
Camaraderie, sharing of knowledge and coming together to do something good for others are all part of what being an Association member has meant for Dr. Gary L. Roberts.
From: http://www.ada.org/en/publications/ada-news/2016-archive/october/dentistry-is-a-lifetime-learning-process
From: http://www.ada.org/en/publications/ada-news/2016-archive/october/dentistry-is-a-lifetime-learning-process
Just the Facts — October 3, 2016
Dental hygiene education programs
From: http://www.ada.org/en/publications/ada-news/2016-archive/october/just-the-facts-october-3-2016
From: http://www.ada.org/en/publications/ada-news/2016-archive/october/just-the-facts-october-3-2016
Snapshots of American Dentistry — October 3, 2016
Reasons why adults do not visit the dentist more often
From: http://www.ada.org/en/publications/ada-news/2016-archive/october/snapshots
From: http://www.ada.org/en/publications/ada-news/2016-archive/october/snapshots
MetLife requires electronic reimbursement
A new MetLife policy requires dentists to receive their reimbursements electronically, but after the ADA contacted the company, it clarified its position that dentists can opt out if they do not have the technology available.
From: http://www.ada.org/en/publications/ada-news/2016-archive/october/metlife-requires-electronic-reimbursement
From: http://www.ada.org/en/publications/ada-news/2016-archive/october/metlife-requires-electronic-reimbursement
Get ready for Give Kids A Smile 2017
The ADA Foundation is reminding Give Kids A Smile program coordinators to sign up their programs by Nov. 7 to be eligible for product kits.
From: http://www.ada.org/en/publications/ada-news/2016-archive/october/get-ready-for-give-kids-a-smile-2017
From: http://www.ada.org/en/publications/ada-news/2016-archive/october/get-ready-for-give-kids-a-smile-2017
Some Stroke Rehab Interruptions May Be Preventable
Dehydration, urinary tract infections force patients to return to hospital, study finds
From: http://www.webmd.com/stroke/news/20160930/1-in-10-stroke-rehab-interruptions-may-be-preventable?src=RSS_PUBLIC
Psychiatrist shares “true tales of madness and hope”
In his new book, "Bedlam's Door," Dr. Mark Rubinstein attempts to unravel some of the human mind's most complex mysteries
From: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/mysteries-of-the-mind-psychiatrist-shares-true-tales-of-madness-and-hope/
From: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/mysteries-of-the-mind-psychiatrist-shares-true-tales-of-madness-and-hope/
Advocates: Sperm bank industry lacks oversight
Lawsuits accuse some clinics of losing biological materials or failing to properly screen donors
From: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/advocates-sperm-bank-industry-lacks-federal-oversight/
From: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/advocates-sperm-bank-industry-lacks-federal-oversight/
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