Vitamin D Added to FDA Osteoporosis Risk-Reduction Health Claim

  • Author: Health Informer
  • Filed under: Health News
  • Date: Sep 30,2008

As a result of a 2004 petition from the Beverage Institute for Health & Wellness (hereafter the Institute) of The Coca-Cola Company, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced today that it has amended its osteoporosis risk reduction health claim to reflect the importance of vitamin D, in combination with calcium, in promoting long-term bone health. The amended rule also includes a broader definition of the populations that could benefit from consuming calcium and vitamin D to include both men and women of all ages and races.

The amended labeling regulation explains that vitamin D is required for the normal absorption of calcium, and authorizes the health claim: “Adequate calcium and vitamin D throughout life, as part of a well-balanced diet, may reduce the risk of osteoporosis.”

“Osteoporosis is a growing public health crisis, and all Americans, men and women alike, will benefit from knowing that vitamin D along with calcium can help delay or prevent the onset of this disease,” said Robert P. Heaney MD, FACP, John A. Creighton University Professor and Professor of Medicine at Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska. “Along with weight-bearing exercise, the most valuable intervention for maintaining bone health is an overall healthful diet that supplies adequate amounts of all nutrients such as vitamin D.”

The US National Osteoporosis Foundation predicts that by 2010, about 12 million people over the age of 50 will have osteoporosis and another 40 million will have low bone mass. These numbers are expected to continue climbing. To help address this significant public health issue, the FDA developed this health claim for manufacturers to include on labels of appropriate foods and dietary supplements. The new labeling can help consumers identify products with adequate calcium and Vitamin D that can help to reduce their risk of osteoporosis.

Increasing Awareness and Consumption of Vitamin D

“We initiated this petition because we believe consumers will benefit from efforts to increase awareness of the link between calcium and vitamin D and bone health,” said Dr. Rhona Applebaum, Vice President and Chief Scientific and Regulatory Officer for The Coca-Cola Company. “Revising the osteoporosis risk reduction health claim to include both vitamin D and calcium will help the food industry communicate the importance of these nutrients to consumers.”

According to Carolyn E. Moore, PhD, RD, Principal Scientist with The Coca- Cola Company’s Institute, studies sponsored by the Institute at the Boston University Medical Center and ENVIRON Health Sciences, demonstrated that many consumers are not getting enough Vitamin D from food and dietary supplements. The groups at greatest risk in the US include teenage girls, women, the elderly, and African-American and Mexican-American adults.

It was The Coca-Cola Company who sought approval to add vitamin D to calcium-fortified juices and juice drinks from the FDA, through research the Company sponsored at the Vitamin D and Bone Health Research Laboratory at Boston University Medical School. Results from this research demonstrated that vitamin D is readily absorbed by the body when added to skim milk and orange juice. The FDA approved the addition of vitamin D to calcium-fortified juices in 2003.

The Importance of Vitamin D for Strong Bones

Vitamin D requirements of all age groups can be met under conditions of adequate exposure to sunlight. However, several factors can reduce the production of vitamin D from the skin including the use of sunscreens, increased skin pigmentation, normal aging, and insufficient exposure to sunlight.

The primary function of Vitamin D is to aid in the body’s absorption of calcium, helping to form and maintain strong bones. Without Vitamin D, the body absorbs 10 – 15 percent of calcium consumed in the diet. With Vitamin D, the absorption level increases to 30 – 50 percent.

Emerging Research on Vitamin D

Vitamin D has been the subject of extensive basic and clinical research in the past several years, which has generated valuable insights about this vital nutrient.

  • In a recent study supported in part by the Institute, researchers from Boston University School of Medicine found that vitamin D2 (found naturally in plants) is equally as effective as vitamin D3 (produced as a result of sun exposure and found in some food sources such as cod liver oil and oily fish) in maintaining circulating blood levels of vitamin D.
  • With support from the National Institutes of Health and the Institute, the United States Department of Agriculture’s Nutrient Data Laboratory is in the process of conducting an updated analysis of vitamin D content in a wide range of whole and processed foods, including, for the first time, specific forms of vitamin D, i.e., D2 and D3.

Source: The Coca-Cola Company


Recent reports of medical studies about Vitamin D deficiency may be causing some people to overreact and take harmful large doses of this naturally occurring, healthful byproduct of sunshine, according to Boyd Lyles, M.D., Chief Medical Officer of U.S. Preventive Medicine(R), an organization specializing in disease prevention.

Although there are studies that show that both men and women who have lower blood levels of Vitamin D also have a corresponding higher mortality rate, more Vitamin D is not necessarily better, said Dr. Lyles. He notes that other studies have shown significant toxicity in people who have consumed 2,000 IU (International Units) of Vitamin D daily, in part because Vitamin D is fat soluble and tends to accumulate in the body when taken in excess.

“We should all have a healthy respect for Vitamin D and its potential benefits and likely consequences if it’s overlooked or underutilized,” he said. “When visiting your physician, ask about your personal risk for Vitamin D deficiency and how much sun or supplements you should be getting. Even though guidelines exist for Vitamin D supplementation, the dose should be personalized and the best person to consult is your doctor.”

The actual recommendations for Vitamin D established by the U.S. Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences are as follows: 200 IU for those under age 50; 400 IU for those ages 50 — 70; and 600 IU for people over age 70.

Increased dosages are recommended as a person ages due to the skin’s declining ability to absorb the sun’s UVB radiation and the body’s declining ability to convert it to Vitamin D in the liver and kidneys. The usual recommendation of five to 15 minutes of daily sun exposure to the face, arms and hands should be weighed against an individual’s risk of developing skin cancer from sun exposure, cautioned Dr. Lyles. Some foods, such as fish, milk and other foods, are often fortified with Vitamin D.

Source: U.S. Preventive Medicine


As the United Nations General Assembly convenes this week, the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America (AFA) is encouraging foreign leaders to collaborate on a global effort to advance a dialogue about minimizing the impact of Alzheimer’s disease on the 26 million people worldwide currently living with the disease and those who will be affected in the future.

Eric J. Hall, AFA’s president and CEO, said the increasing incidence of the disease worldwide — expected to quadruple by 2050 — warrants further awareness-raising on a global level, similar to the national advocacy efforts that AFA has been advancing in the United States.

As part of its outreach, AFA has been corresponding with UN delegates this week and is holding a cocktail reception for them on September 24.

“Together, we can more aggressively tackle this worldwide health crisis and optimize quality of life for those affected by this brain disorder,” Hall said.

Among AFA’s suggestions for collaboration on awareness-raising, it is recommending additional education about the importance of early detection and ongoing disease management, and the value of caregiver support, as well as prevention surrounding this health issue.

In addition, AFA is inviting delegates to participate in its memory screening initiative, aimed at proper detection of memory problems and education about successful aging; and its AFA Quilt to Remember, a powerful arts project that pays tribute to those affected by Alzheimer’s disease. Some countries have already stepped forward on both these fronts.

Concerning memory screenings, AFA has been holding National Memory Screening Day each November since 2003. Qualified healthcare professionals at community sites nationwide provide free confidential memory screenings to those concerned about memory loss or who want to establish a baseline score; the screenings do not represent a diagnosis but individuals with abnormal scores or concerns are encouraged to follow up with their clinicians for evaluation.

This year, AFA will hold National Memory Screening Day on November 18 in the United States, and for the first time the Alzheimer’s Foundation for Caregiving in Canada, a sister organization to AFA, will introduce the initiative in Canada.

The AFA Quilt to Remember marks the first grand-scale dementia-related quilt that pays tribute to individuals with Alzheimer’s disease and related illnesses, their caregivers and healthcare professionals. Unveiled in late 2005, the collection now includes more than 100 heartfelt quilt blocks crafted by individuals and organizations across the United States.

Recently, the Quilt to Remember received its first panels from outside the United States — from Canada and Brazil.

“The AFA Quilt to Remember shares personal stories of loved ones and spreads the message of Alzheimer’s disease in a create and powerful way,” Hall said. “Contributions from around the world will boost the message of the quilt to an even stronger and more global level.”

The Alzheimer’s Foundation of America is a national nonprofit organization headquartered in New York and unites more than 950 member organizations that provide hands-on programs to meet the educational, emotional, practical and social needs of families. For more information, visit www.alzfdn.org or call 866-AFA-8484.

Source: Alzheimer’s Foundation of America


Lilly CEO Lechleiter detailed registry plans at Indianapolis speech

Eli Lilly and Company announced that it is set to become the first pharmaceutical research company to disclose its payments to physicians in the United States.

At a speech before the Economic Club of Indiana today, Lilly’s president and chief executive officer, John Lechleiter, Ph.D., outlined the company’s plans to launch an online registry of physician payments in 2009. Lechleiter announced the physician registry as a part of a broader outline on the company’s transformation efforts.

“With each of our industry firsts, from launching our clinical trials registry to the public reporting of educational grants, Lilly is striving to be a leader in improving transparency across our industry,” said Lechleiter. “As Lilly continues to look for more ways to be open and transparent about our business, we’ve learned that letting people see for themselves what we’re doing is the best way to build trust.”

Earlier this year, Lilly was the first pharmaceutical research company to endorse bipartisan federal legislation – known as the Physician Payments Sunshine Act – that would establish a national registry of payments to physicians by medical device, medical supply and pharmaceutical companies. The legislation, which was introduced by United States Senators Charles Grassley (R-Iowa) and Herbert Kohl (D-Wisconsin) last September, has not been passed yet by Congress.

Lechleiter added, “Though we remain hopeful that the Sunshine Act will be passed by Congress at some point, Lilly is taking action independently. Being more transparent by opening up our business to the public is an important step to building trust and confidence.”

Under the Lilly registry plan, the public will have access to an Internet database listing its payments to physicians. Lilly will launch this registry as early as the second half of 2009. When first launched, its contents will include 2009 payments to physicians who serve the company as speakers and advisors. By 2011, Lilly plans to expand the reporting capabilities of the registry to resemble the Sunshine Act legislation. The registry will be updated annually to reflect the previous year’s payment information.

“Eli Lilly is leading the charge for transparency in the relationship between pharmaceutical companies and doctors by fulfilling the obligations of the Physician Payments Sunshine Act before it has been enacted,” said Senator Kohl. “It takes a lot of courage to be the first. They have made a principled decision that I believe will benefit both their business and the consumers of their products.”

“Lilly is proud of the important and longstanding relationships we have with physicians,” said Lechleiter. “Many physicians perform valuable services for the biopharmaceutical industry by advising us on the development of new medicines and giving lectures to other medical professionals to educate them about new treatment options. For these services, they are compensated at market rates. These services help to advance the science related to medicines and are important to both current and future patients who rely on pharmaceuticals as an integral part of their therapy.”

“Our primary focus is the well-being of our patients and APA has adopted strict disclosure policies to ensure our patients are informed regarding relationships between physicians and industry,” said James H. Scully Jr., M.D., CEO and Medical Director of the American Psychiatric Association. “We applaud efforts by Lilly to ensure there is transparency in their relationships with physicians.”

Lilly’s plan to create a physicians payments registry is consistent with other voluntary actions it has taken recently to enhance transparency in health care, including its support of the Physician Payments Sunshine Act. In 2004, Lilly became the first company to voluntarily make public its clinical trials and its clinical trials data; that information can be found at www.lillytrials.com. Last year Lilly added another first by publicly reporting all of its educational grants and charitable contributions and, each quarter, posting the data online at www.lillygrantoffice.com.

Source: Eli Lilly and Company


September is Pain Awareness Month

  • Author: Health Informer
  • Filed under: Health News
  • Date: Sep 24,2008

Painful Joints: An ‘Unspoken’ Barrier To Combating Chronic Health Conditions For African-Americans

According to the Centers For Disease Control (CDC), almost one in three African-Americans suffers from joint pain. Joint pain makes it difficult to exercise, which is desperately needed to help combat chronic health conditions like obesity, diabetes and high blood pressure that severely impact the African-American community.

The statistics are alarming:

  • One in four African-American women over 55 years of age has diabetes(1).
  • African-Americans have higher death rates for coronary heart disease (CHD), coronary artery disease (CAD), and stroke(2).
  • The prevalence of high blood pressure among African-Americans is among the highest in the world(3).
  • There is an estimate that 80% of black women and 60% of black men are overweight or obese (which contributes to heart disease, certain cancers, high blood pressure, diabetes among other chronic health conditions)(4).

“Every warning from governmental and non-profit health organizations implores our community to ‘get moving’ because of the positive impact it has on combating these conditions,” explains Verona Brewton, Director of Minority Initiatives. “But we have failed to make the direct link between painful movement and poor health.”

The CDC reports that the knee is the joint that causes the most pain(5). Additionally, the CDC reported that African-Americans cite arthritis as the leading condition that limits their daily activities. Arthritis is the third most common problem among African-Americans(6), and arthritis-attributable work limitation disproportionately affects minority groups(7). In a May 2007 report, the CDC projected a nationwide surge in arthritis prevalence, which caused the Arthritis Foundation to warn Americans to take action now to limit future disability(8).

“There is a vicious cycle at play: African-Americans suffer from chronic conditions that require us to exercise. But we also disproportionately suffer from osteoarthritis and chronic pain in our knees and hips that prevent us from exercising,” explains Ms. Brewton.

Early intervention is key as there are a wide range of options to alleviating joint pain. The onset of knee or hip discomfort should not be dismissed as one of the natural signs of aging without discussing it with a primary care physician. There have been significant advancements in joint pain treatments. Today’s options offer non-surgical solutions which provide temporary pain relief and more permanent solutions such as joint replacement. Today’s advancements have progressed to address differences in gender. Women account for nearly two thirds of knee replacement procedures in the US(9).

Regaining mobility and being active is critical in helping to manage and defeat chronic health conditions. The health and social care costs related to chronic disease and pain management is on the rise:

  • Heart disease and stroke as well as diabetes account for 30.8% and 9.4% of national health expenditures, respectively(10).
  • The economic cost of obesity in the United States is $117 billion annually(11).
  • The U.S. government projects that medication costs, the second largest health expense after hospital bills will grow to 14.6 percent of national health care spending by 2010. Many co-morbid medical conditions and pain management are largely “controlled” by costly prescription drugs(12).

Restoring optimal mobility, eradicating daily pain and taking charge of our health are some of the most important ways that the African-American community can overcome these issues. Pain and poor mobility should not be accepted as a normal part of life. A primary care physician or joint specialist can provide advice and options to overcome painful movement.

Established in 2006, Zimmer, a worldwide leader in orthopaedics, created the Back in the Groove* Program to educate African-American communities about their options for treating joint pain, including joint replacement and the dramatic improvement in quality of life it can deliver. For more information on Zimmer’s Back in the Groove* Program, log onto http://www.backinthegroove.zimmer.com/ or call 1-866-923-2345.

(1) African Americans and Diabetes Facts — American Diabetes Association website, http://www.diabetes.org/
(2) African Americans and Cardiovascular Disease — American Heart Association Statistical Fact Sheet 2007 update.
(3) See reference above
(4) Losing the War on Weight — Obesity Rates Growing For African-Americans. Black Enterprise May 2007
(5) New Report Finds Pain Affects Millions — Centers For Disease Control (CDC) press release Nov. 15 2006
(6) Self-help care in older African Americans with arthritis – Geriatric Nursing — Volume 22 Issue 3 pg 135-138
(7) US Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Racial/Ethnic Differences in the Prevalence and Impact of Doctor-Diagnosed Arthritis – US, 2002.
(8) Arthritis Prevalence Limitations To Skyrocket — Arthritis Foundation press release, May 3, 2007
(9) US Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics.
(10) Addressing the Nation’s Leading Killers – At a Glance 2007, Division for Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention. US Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics.
(11) F as in Fat — Trust for America’s Health, http://www.healthyamericans.org/; August 1, 2006
(12) On file with Zimmer

Source: Zimmer Back in the Groove


Press Ganey findings support positive impact of transparency initiative

Press Ganey Associates, Inc., the health care industry’s leading provider of quality improvement solutions, today released data showing an unprecedented improvement in patient satisfaction — a result that underscores the impact of public reporting of hospital-by-hospital satisfaction scores.

Press Ganey experts analyzed the company’s proprietary patient satisfaction data — including Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) measures — for hospitals that began reporting HCAHPS data in March 2008, and found a dramatic upturn in patient satisfaction, which strengthens the link between public disclosure and health care quality.

The data analyzed by Press Ganey represents more than 1.5 million patients and 1,158 hospitals across the nation from January 2007 through June 2008*.

Following the first public release of HCAHPS data in March, a positive year-over-year increase in performance was seen in April. This further widened to statistically significant year-over-year increases for the months of May and June. These trends were noted both for the percentage of patients rating their hospital as a 9 or 10 as well as the percentage of patients who said they would definitely recommend the facility, which directly impacts a hospital’s patient volumes and its revenue.

Press Ganey has been looking at patient satisfaction data very closely for 23 years, and these trends represent the most positive service quality delivery in inpatient care that our nation has ever experienced.

“We have always seen a slow and steady improvement in patient-centered care over the years. The HCAHPS measures show a dramatic increase timed following the public reporting which indicates that everyone really stepped up their efforts — and the results are astounding,” said Dr. Deirdre Mylod, vice president of acute services at Press Ganey. “We were anticipating that there could be such improvements on the HCAHPS measures because we’ve noted significant year-over-year improvements each month of 2008 for important Press Ganey concept areas such as coordination of care — a key driver of HCAHPS results that is not included within the HCAHPS measure set.”

American Hospital Association President and CEO Rich Umbdenstock commented: “Sharing information from the HCAHPS survey about patients’ experience of care is one of the many ways hospitals are being transparent about the quality of care they provide. HCAHPS is useful information consumers can use to make important health care decisions, and that hospitals are using to improve the care for patients. Press Ganey’s analysis shows that hospitals, doctors, and nurses care deeply about meeting patients’ needs and will work to improve care in response to the thoughts and concerns of those they serve. America’s hospitals will continue their efforts to share even more information on the quality of care provided to their patients.”

The graphs of these Press Ganey data points are now available at http://www.pressganey.com/galleries/default-file/HCAHPS_Graphs.pdf.

Commentary from Dr. Mylod is available upon request.

HCAHPS data is available on the Hospital Compare website, http://www.hospitalcompare.hhs.gov/. Hospital Compare is a consumer-oriented website that provides side-by-side information on hospital quality. This tool provides consumers with information on how well hospitals care for their adult patients with certain medical conditions or surgical procedures. This information will help patients compare the quality of care hospitals provide and will help consumers make informed decisions about their care.

* The hospitals included in this analysis voluntarily began participating in the early implementation of HCAHPS beginning in October 2006. Participation has been linked to a hospital’s reimbursement since July 2007. Press Ganey supports 1,840 hospitals in their continuous HCAHPS measurement.

Source: Press Ganey Associates, Inc.


Americans Constantly Change Eating Habits to Improve Nutrition

  • Author: Health Informer
  • Filed under: Health News
  • Date: Sep 23,2008

Soy Remains Popular for Potential Health Benefits and Versatility

Evidence suggests changing eating habits regularly — and not sticking to any one diet for long — is a long term trend among Americans. But, beware: constantly changing the diet may actually sabotage good health, if smart eating patterns are never established. Jumping on the latest dietary fad isn’t always as beneficial as basic good nutrition like whole grains, fruits and vegetables, and high quality protein sources like soy and lean meats.

As a promising long-term phenomenon, an increasing number of Americans turn to soy as a healthy choice. Results released today from the 2008 Consumer Attitudes about Nutrition survey — the 15th annual research study sponsored by the United Soybean Board (USB) — uncovered these findings.

soy

The study revealed that 74 percent of consumers changed eating habits in the past three to five years due to health concerns, a number that has remained relatively consistent over the last 15 years. The International Food and Information Council (IFIC) confirms this trend, noting that 67 percent of Americans have changed their diets over the past six months alone. The main reasons? According to IFIC’s 2008 Food & Health Survey, a majority of Americans change their diets to improve overall well-being (69 percent), lose weight (69 percent) or improve physical health (64 percent).

Overall, nine in 10 Americans in the USB study express concern about nutrition. “The trick is to find sensible solutions you can stick with, day in and day out. I recommend soy to my patients because the wide variety of soy products helps fight food boredom — and many soyfoods satisfy the demand for healthy eating on a budget too,” says Keith Ayoob, Ed.D., R.D., Director of Nutrition Services at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine.

According to the USB study, 85 percent of consumers view soy as healthy, on par with 2007, and up 26 percentage points from 1997. In fact, a growing number of consumers specifically seek out soyfoods to aid in weight management, promote heart health and reduce the risk of some cancers, up 10 points over the last three years.

Soyfoods, soy beverages and soybean oils offer three simple options for consumers looking to increase their intake of healthier foods, when replacing foods higher in saturated fat. In the study, consumers continue to recognize soybean oil as one of the healthiest cooking oils. Soybean oil, commonly labeled as vegetable oil, contains zero grams of trans fat, no cholesterol and is relatively low in saturated fat.

Turning to soy protein, the ongoing trend toward healthy, versatile foods and an increase in offerings at mainstream grocery stores has promoted the increase of trial and awareness of soy foods and beverages. In 1997, 18 percent of consumers surveyed had tried soymilk. Today, this number has more than doubled to 40 percent, and consumption of other soyfoods such as edamame and tofu are also on the rise.

Food companies are taking note: from 2000 to 2007, food manufacturers in the U.S. introduced over 2,700 new foods with soy as an ingredient, according to the Mintel Global New Products Database. This includes 161 new products introduced last year alone.

USB’s fifteenth annual Consumer Attitudes about Nutrition was conducted by an independent research firm. The study includes 1,000 random online surveys conducted in February 2008, providing a sample consistent with the total American population. The margin of error is +/- 1.9 to 3.1 percent with a confidence interval of 95 percent. The United Soybean Board is a farmer-led organization comprised of 68 farmer-directors. USB oversees the investments of the soybean checkoff of all U.S. soybean farmers. For more soy health information, visit http://www.soyconnection.com/.

Source: United Soybean Board


Toni Braxton is diagnosed with coronary microvascular angina

  • Author: Health Informer
  • Filed under: Health News
  • Date: Sep 23,2008

Toni Braxton is diagnosed with coronary microvascular angina. The diseases starves parts of her boy of oxygenated blood and causes breathing problems. Despite this condition she is joining and competing in the coming season of Dancing with the Stars.

toni-braxton

A new federal project, funded by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, will lead efforts to develop, implement and evaluate four computer-based decision-support tools that will help clinicians and patients better use genetic tests to evaluate and treat breast cancer.

The first pair of tools will assess whether a woman with a family history of cancer should be tested for BRCA1 and BRCA2 gene mutations. Knowing whether a woman has inherited these gene mutations may help determine her chances of developing certain kinds of cancer, especially breast cancer. The second pair of tools, for women already diagnosed with breast cancer, will help determine which patients are appropriate for a Gene Expression Profiling (GEP) test. GEP test results can help evaluate which patients are at a high risk of cancer recurrence and therefore are good candidates for chemotherapy, in addition to other appropriate treatments.

“Genetic testing can be a powerful tool for assessing the risk of breast cancer and treating the disease effectively, but clinicians need better support in identifying which patients will benefit from specific tests,” said AHRQ Director Carolyn M. Clancy, M.D. “This work is part of a broader effort to provide decision support tools that will help physicians and patients in achieving the best possible outcomes and improving patient care.”

The $1 million project will be completed by RTI International, an independent, non-profit research institute in Research Triangle Park, N.C. It is expected to take about 16 months. It responds to recent recommendations from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Secretary’s Advisory Committee on Genetics, Health, and Society. The committee concluded there are extensive gaps in knowledge about genetic tests and their impact on patient care. The project also reflects the goals of HHS Secretary Mike Leavitt’s priority initiative on personalized health care, which aims at increasing the effectiveness of medical care by more precisely matching each patient’s conditions and needs with therapies that will be effective for them.

Development of these tools will support AHRQ’s work of translating research into clinical practice in the areas of genetic tests, health information technology and patient care. For instance, the

AHRQ-sponsored U.S. Preventive Services Task Force has recommended that women whose family history is associated with an increased risk for BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene mutations are referred for genetic counseling and evaluation to measure the need for BRCA testing. AHRQ has also published an Evidence-based Practice Center report on the impact of GEP tests on breast cancer outcomes.

The new project to create decision-support tools is funded through AHRQ’s DEcIDE (Developing Evidence to Inform Decisions about Effectiveness) research network, part of the Effective Health Care Program. The Effective Health Care Program sponsors the development of new scientific knowledge through studies on the outcomes of health care technologies and services. For more information about AHRQ’s Effective Health Care Program and the DEcIDE Network, visit the Effective Health Care Web site at http://effectivehealthcare.ahrq.gov/.

To learn more about the project to create gene-based clinical decision-support tools for breast cancer patients, visit: http://effectivehealthcare.ahrq.gov/healthInfo.cfm?infotype=nr&ProcessID=68.

Source: Agency for Healthcare Research & Quality


First Robot of its Kind in a Community-Based Hospital

WHAT: Launch and demonstration of the KineAssist Robot, which represents a giant leap forward in safety and effectiveness for people learning to walk again after a stroke or disability

The KineAssist(TM) Walking & Balance Exercise System, winner of the prestigious international Industrial Design Excellence Award, applies robotic technology to helping patients learn to walk, step sideways, climb stairs and regain the balance, strength and mobility to carry on daily activities. The new KineAssist Robot increases physical therapists’ ability to safely challenge patients in real-life tasks, since it protects them from falling. Fully supported and held in a safe position even if they lose their balance, patients using the KineAssist Robot feel safer and more confident as they build strength and stamina. Its portability means it can be used in a wide variety of clinical settings, even outside.

The KineAssist Robot enables physical therapists to safely perform more intensive and effective therapy, while enhancing the connection between them and their patients. This type of body weight support was previously limited to a treadmill with a harness. The KineAssist allows total mobility and removes the need for therapists to support the patient’s weight, freeing them for other hands-on interaction. It also accurately records patient performance data and reports objective measures of progress.

Developed through a joint venture of the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago (RIC) and Kinea Design, a company of expert physical therapists and engineers, the KineAssist Robot has been in clinical trials since 2004. This new prototype is being introduced at Alexian Rehabilitation Hospital following three years of successful clinical trials.

WHEN: Wednesday, September 24, 2008 10:00 a.m.

WHERE: Alexian Rehabilitation Hospital 935 Beisner Road Elk Grove Village

Alexian Rehabilitation Hospital

WHO: Mark Frey, Chief Executive Officer, Alexian Brothers Hospital Network
Bruce Anderson, Chief Executive Officer, Alexian Rehabilitation Hospital
John Dunkin, Executive Director, Alexian Rehabilitation Hospital
Dr. Elliott Roth, Chief Academic Officer, Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago
Dr. David Brown, KineAssist Designer, Co-Founder Kinea Design and PhD Associate Professor at Northwestern University

Alexian Rehabilitation Hospital offers a full range of inpatient, day rehabilitation and outpatient services in partnership with the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago. It is a member of the Alexian Brothers Hospital Network, which provides the one million residents of Chicago’s Northwest suburbs the most advanced medical care. Alexian Rehabilitation Hospital and the Alexian Bothers Hospital Network are nationally recognized for providing a continuum of care for stroke patients, from screening and acute treatment to post stroke rehabilitation. The Alexian Brothers Hospital Network and the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago share a dedication to providing the finest, most comprehensive rehabilitation services for people with disabilities.

Kinea Design is a committed practitioner of user-oriented observational design research. By understanding real users, in real tasks, set in real contexts, Kinea gains a thorough understanding of the terrain before it commences design. Kinea Design believes that its user-centered approach, backed by a proven team of human-machine design engineers, clinical researchers and experienced commercial experts, uniquely positions it to bring technology into practice. Individuals interested in being research subjects in the therapy program using the KineAssist robot should contact Linda Foster at 847-640-5600, x3752.

Matt Wakely
+1-847-385-7176
Alexian Brothers Hospital Network

Source: Alexian Brothers Hospital Network

http://www.alexianbrothershealth.org/


Categories

Archives

Blogroll

Meta