In 2012, a group of medical organizations did something they’d never done before: give doctors a list of things they shouldn’t do for their patients. The goal of what the group called “Choosing Wisely”: to empower doctors and patients to start a conversation about avoiding unnecessary care. According to a release from the University of… Continue reading “Choosing Wisely” Campaign: Off to a Good start, but Change Needed for Continued Success
Category: Medical Care
Tracking a Common Hospital-Related Infection
Electronic health records (EHRs) in hospitals are helping researchers track down the source of a common infection often acquired in the facilities. In its investigation, the UC San Francisco Health Informatics team traced the movements of more than 85,000 patients over a three-year period. A bacterium known as Clostridium difficile (colloquially called “C. diff”) is… Continue reading Tracking a Common Hospital-Related Infection
Blood-thinning Medications Associated with Increased Risk of Blood in Urine
Use of blood-thinning medications among older adults was significantly associated with higher rates of complications related to hematuria — the presence of blood in urine –including emergency department visits, hospitalizations, and urologic procedures to manage visible hematuria. That is the finding of reseach done at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, University of Toronto,according and published in… Continue reading Blood-thinning Medications Associated with Increased Risk of Blood in Urine
Antibiotics for Simple Staph Infections?
Although the overuse of antibiotics has raised concerns about whether to give the medicines to children with simple staph infections, new research indicates that doing so may reduce the risk of such infections later on. That conclusion was reached by investigators led by Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. It was published online… Continue reading Antibiotics for Simple Staph Infections?
Study: A Need to Rethink Hospice Admissions
Many older adults are admitted to hospice for only a short amount of time, even though they have been experiencing symptoms months before the end of life, researchers say. The Yale-led study highlights the need for earlier hospice admission or other strategies to address such cases. The study was published on September 12 in the… Continue reading Study: A Need to Rethink Hospice Admissions
Examining the Quality of Evidence for Drugs Granted Accelerated FDA Approval
Among drugs granted accelerated approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2009-2013, efficacy was often confirmed in subsequent trials a minimum of 3 years after approval, and the use of nonrandomized studies and surrogate measures, instead of clinical outcomes, was common, according to a study published August 15th 2017 by JAMA. A… Continue reading Examining the Quality of Evidence for Drugs Granted Accelerated FDA Approval
Researchers: Too Much Information Can Be Good – if Doctors Convey It Correctly
On the internet, there’s more information than anyone could ever have imagined. But sometimes, especially when it comes to health matters, it can be a problem. Still, research shows too much information isn’t necessarily bad for patients who listen to instructions or suggestions from their health-care practitioners. University of Illinois researchers studied the issue and… Continue reading Researchers: Too Much Information Can Be Good – if Doctors Convey It Correctly
4 Medication Safety Tips for Older Adults
Smart strategies from the federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on how best to take your medicines: Whether you’re settling into your sixties or heading into your ninth decade, be careful when taking prescription and over-the-counter medicines, herbal preparations, and supplements. And if you’re caring for older loved ones, help them stay safe, too. Why… Continue reading 4 Medication Safety Tips for Older Adults
Time to Drop “Complete the Course” Message for Antibiotics
The deeply embedded message that patients should “complete the course” of antibiotics to avoid antibiotic resistance for themselves and others is not backed by evidence and should be dropped, according to Professor Martin Llewelyn at Brighton and Sussex Medical School and colleagues who published their article in July 2017 in The BMJ. A release from… Continue reading Time to Drop “Complete the Course” Message for Antibiotics
Don’t Skip These Important Health Tests
With the healthcare system is crisis, tons of red tape, and fewer doctors accepting insurance, managing one’s health has become a major challenge. More and more women are skipping key exams simply because getting appointments are a hassle and obtaining coverage isn’t always guaranteed. That said, there are some key tests and exams that everY… Continue reading Don’t Skip These Important Health Tests
Could Calcium Hold the Key to Fighting C. diff, a Dangerous Hospital Infection?
Clostridium difficile (a bacterium also known as “C. diff“) lurks in hospitals and nursing homes, surviving the cleaning crews attempts to kill it by holing up in a tiny hard shell. It preys upon patients already weak from disease or advanced age. And when it reaches their guts, it breaks open its shell to unleash… Continue reading Could Calcium Hold the Key to Fighting C. diff, a Dangerous Hospital Infection?
Seven Medicine Cabinet Must-Haves for the Summer
Summer is a time to enjoy the warm weather and the outdoors as much as possible. However, the hot season means natural elements that can hinder anyone’s well-being, making it imperative your medicine cabinet is stocked with the most essential, over-the-counter, at-home first aid products and medications. Moisturizing Sunscreen – This goes without saying. A… Continue reading Seven Medicine Cabinet Must-Haves for the Summer
Ten Tips for Effective Communication With Your Doctor
Sometimes in my work as a family doctor, the days don’t always go as expected. On a busy day, I feel like I’ll never catch up, and it’s frustrating that I can’t give adequate time to each individual patient. One afternoon not long ago, I was feeling unusually tired. I looked down at my schedule… Continue reading Ten Tips for Effective Communication With Your Doctor
First Targeted Treatment for Essential Tremor, the World’s Most Common Movement Disorder
Essential tremor is the world’s most common movement disorder, affecting an estimated seen million people in the U.S. alone, according to a release form the University of Washington regarding a new treatment for the disorder developed in 2017. The hallmark of this disease is involuntary, rhythmic shaking during intentional movement, complicating everyday tasks such as… Continue reading First Targeted Treatment for Essential Tremor, the World’s Most Common Movement Disorder
How To Beat The Healthcare Odds In These Uncertain Times
A recent Gallup poll revealed that Americans list healthcare as tied for the nation’s No. 1 problem, right along with dissatisfaction with government. Each of those was named by 18 percent of the people polled, far outdistancing any other worry. Maybe it’s no coincidence that those two issues cause equal amounts of anxiety among Americans.… Continue reading How To Beat The Healthcare Odds In These Uncertain Times
Traditional Chinese Medicine May Benefit Some Heart Disease Patients
Traditional Chinese medicine might be effective as a complement or alternative to traditional Western medicine for primary and secondary prevention of heart disease, according to a state of the art review paper published June 12th 2017 in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology. A release from the publisher notes that heart disease is… Continue reading Traditional Chinese Medicine May Benefit Some Heart Disease Patients
Why Antibiotics Fail
When a patient is prescribed the wrong antibiotic to treat a bacterial infection, it’s not necessarily the physician who is at fault. The current antibiotic assay — standardized in 1961 by the World Health Organization and used worldwide — is potentially flawed. So says University of California-Santa Barbara biologist Michael Mahan, whose lab has developed… Continue reading Why Antibiotics Fail
New Antibiotic Packs a Punch Against Bacterial Resistance
Scientists at The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI) in La Jolla, CA have given new superpowers to a lifesaving antibiotic called vancomycin, an advance that could eliminate the threat of antibiotic-resistant infections for years to come. The researchers, led by Dale Boger, co-chair of TSRI’s Department of Chemistry, discovered a way to structurally modify vancomycin to… Continue reading New Antibiotic Packs a Punch Against Bacterial Resistance