- Author: Health Informer
- Filed under: Health News
- Date: Jul 14,2010
Lung Cancer Alliance (LCA) highlighted a study, carried out by Ipsos MORI on behalf of The Global Lung Cancer Coalition (GLCC). The study finds lung cancer patients are likely to suffer significant stigma due to the disease’s link to smoking.
Over 16,000 people in 16 countries were asked questions about their attitudes surrounding lung cancer. The study found some evidence that sympathy levels were influenced by the smoking rates of each country. Generally people in countries with lower smoking rates had a greater tendency to admit that they felt less sympathetic to people with lung cancer compared with other types of cancer.
Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in the United States and worldwide. This year it will take the lives of nearly twice as many women as breast cancer and three times as many men as prostate cancer. At least two thirds of those diagnosed are former smokers or those who have never smoked.
“This study reinforces what the lung cancer community has felt for decades — public perception of this disease is overwhelmingly negative,” said Laurie Fenton Ambrose, LCA President & CEO. “We must do more to overcome this pervasive stigma and focus attention where it should be — on research for early detection and treatment for lung cancer. Lung cancer patients deserve the same compassion and support given to those impacted by other diseases.” Read the rest of this entry »
CareCenter MD Delivers Pioneering Wireless Capabilities
Cardiac Science Corporation expands its ECG and cardiac stress product lines with CareCenter MD, a multimodality PC-based diagnostic workstation designed for today’s physician practices.
“CareCenter MD delivers superior ease-of-use and efficiency,” said Rene Mitchell, Cardiac Science director of marketing. “It’s the first PC-based diagnostic workstation that supports both resting ECG and stress testing with a wireless data acquisition module. And, it allows physicians to comply with pending electronic record mandates even if they have not yet chosen an electronic medical record (EMR) partner.”
The CareCenter MD diagnostic workstation features:
– Wireless data acquisition: A Bluetooth connection between the patient and the diagnostic workstation removes the need for cables, providing the opportunity for physicians to perform testing in a wider range of settings.
– Advanced connectivity: Physicians can read, analyze, and confirm patient tests from anywhere with a secure internet connection. While no EMR is required to view data with CareCenter MD, records can be easily transferred to an EMR if desired. Read the rest of this entry »
- Author: Health Informer
- Filed under: Health News
- Date: Jul 12,2010
While most knee replacements will function well for years, patients should be aware of the signs of failure–including increased pain or decreased function–that may require a corrective procedure known as revision total knee replacement, if necessary.
“A failed knee implant is usually caused by wear and tear with subsequent loosening of the implant. Other causes are infection, instability, fracture, or stiffness,” says Dr. Amar Ranawat, a hip and knee specialist in the Adult Reconstruction and Joint Replacement Division of Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City.
Each year, more than 300 patients elect to receive revision knee surgery at Hospital for Special Surgery, despite the fact that their original surgery was performed elsewhere.
The most common symptoms of a failed knee implant are pain, instability, swelling and stiffness across the entire knee (generalized) or in a small section (localized).
Although knee replacements normally perform well for at least 15-20 years in more than 95 percent of patients, Dr. Ranawat says there are five primary reasons why a knee implant fails: Read the rest of this entry »
Kaiser Permanente Study Finds Quality of Care Scores Increase as Patients and Physicians Communicate via Secure E-mail
Secure patient-physician e-mail messaging improves the effectiveness of care for patients with diabetes and hypertension, according to new research by Kaiser Permanente. The study, published in the July issue of Health Affairs, shows that health information technology improves quality of care scores.
The study observed 35,423 patients with diabetes, hypertension, or both, in Kaiser Permanente’s Southern California region, finding that use of secure patient-physician messaging in any two-month period was associated with statistically significant improvements in HEDIS (Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set) care measurements. Results included 2.0 percentage-points to 6.5 percentage- points improvements in glycemic, cholesterol and blood pressure screening and control.
“Putting patients and their data at the center of care allows Kaiser Permanente to improve health care quality, access and cost,” said George Halvorson, chairman and CEO, Kaiser Permanente. “This data proves that health IT can be a fundamental component of accomplishing those three critical goals.” Read the rest of this entry »