UMC receives failing grade in hospital survey

By PAUL HARASIM
LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL

 
A national report card on patient safety gave a failing grade to University Medical Center, long regarded as having one of the country’s top trauma units. It was one of only 22 hospitals nationwide to receive such low marks.

In a report to be issued today, the Leapfrog Group, an employer-backed nonprofit organization focused on health care quality, issued an overall letter grade of F to taxpayer-supported UMC for performing poorly on several measures tied to preventing infections, medical errors and deaths.

Also sobering from the survey of more than 2,500 hospitals was this news: One of the Las Vegas hospitals that received an A had a higher rate of death from treatable complications than the 110.37 deaths per 1,000 national mean for the measure. Desert Springs Hospital’s rate was 137.48 per 1,000, worse than UMC, which had 136.57.

The other A-graded hospital, St. Rose Dominican — Rose de Lima campus, had a a rate of 98.09.

Complications after surgery often arise because those involved in the procedure aren’t comfortable working as a team, according to Dr. Lucian Leape, a leader of the patient safety movement and an original founder of Leapfrog.

Leapfrog’s latest survey, which can be accessed at hospitalsafetyscore.org, assessed hospitals on 28 components in three critical areas during 2012 and the first quarter of 2013: leadership and structures that promote patient safety; resources used in caring for patients; and how patients fare.

Dr. Joan Brookhyser, UMC chief medical officer, said the hospital’s score was hurt in the survey because it does not voluntarily participate. She said UMC does not have the money to hire the full-time employee it takes to come up with the data.

CEO Lawrence Barnard wasn’t happy with the assessment. “The Leapfrog results are not an accurate reflection of UMC’s overall patient care. UMC does not participate at all in the … survey, because we do not ‘pay to play.’ ”

But Leah Binder, the Leapfrog CEO, who said statistics show hospital errors may be responsible for as many as 400,000 deaths per year in the United States, said Monday it takes an employee an average of 40 to 80 hours to come up with the documentation Leapfrog requests.

If a hospital refuses to participate in the survey voluntarily, Binder said, her organization uses information hospitals must report to the government to compile scores and does not penalize them.

Data from sources that included the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services were weighted by patient safety experts to produce a composite score that is published as a letter grade.

Four hospitals — Centennial Hills, St. Rose Dominican — San Martin campus, MountainView and Southern Hills — received B grades while North Vista, Sunrise, St. Rose Dominican — Siena campus, Summerlin, Spring Valley and Valley got C’s.

Why Desert Springs Hospital and St. Rose Dominican — Rose de Lima campus got an A and UMC flunked is illustrated in the measure that calls for patients to receive an antibiotic within one hour before surgical incision.

While Desert Springs scored 100 and St. Rose de Lima 99, UMC’s score was 89, below the national mean.

Both Sam Kaufman, CEO of Desert Springs Hospital, and Teressa Conley, CEO of St. Rose Dominican Hospital — Rose de Lima campus, said their hospitals received A grades because their hospital staffs worked together.

Dr. Jerry Reeves, a vice president of HealthInsight, an organization dedicated to improving health and health care in Nevada, New Mexico and Utah, said UMC must get the right safety structure in place.

“You can have leaders who are stars at a hospital (such as UMC trauma surgeons) but you also need people who follow and who are willing to do the right thing, such as washing their hands at appropriate times,” he said.

Reeves said UMC needs “focus.” “They need a few blockers and tacklers. … You can’t win with all quarterbacks.”

Brookhyser conceded the financially pinched county hospital still hasn’t implemented a computerized physician order entry system that experts have long said cuts down on medication errors — a shortcoming that cost UMC heavily in its score.

According to researchers, having such a system not only cuts down on handwriting issues but also reduces dosage errors, including giving someone a drug he is allergic to or that will interact negatively with another drug.

And it wasn’t until this year that UMC completed the staffing of intensivist specialists in intensive care units, another shortcoming that downgraded UMC’s score. Studies have shown mortality rates are reduced by intensivists.

UMC executives aren’t the only medical officials who have criticized Leapfrog’s scoring system. American Hospital Association CEO Richard Umbdenstock said Leapfrog appears to favor its own survey over other reliable sources.

In 2012, the Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center received an F after U.S. News &World Report named it the best hospital in California and the fifth-best hospital in the nation. The chief medical officer called the scoring system unfair.

While UMC hasn’t been ranked as one of the nation’s best overall hospitals, the National Trauma Data Bank reports that of those who arrive at its trauma center — where many have less than a 1 percent chance to live — 96 percent survive.

The Heart Association made UMC’s cardiology center the most highly awarded in Nevada. Now a top kidney transplant center, UMC has a pediatric intensive care unit that was one of only five such units in the United States to have zero bloodstream infections.

Hospital Compare, the government’s hospital quality website, ranks UMC at the national average for infections.

Reeves suggested UMC executives not fight Leapfrog’s methodology.

“Leapfrog does good work on behalf of people,” he said. “It’s up to UMC to develop teams that work collaboratively.”

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Distracted Driving Awareness Month - Shocking Stats & Tips for Staying Safe

By Lyndsay McCabe on longisland.com Published: April 05 2014          

Be aware of the dangers of distracted driving, and put a stop to it by pledging to put your phone away while you are on ...


Every driver has done it – or felt the pressure to do it – at least once: Your phone rings while you are driving and you can’t bear to let it go to voicemail, or you hear a text or e-mail alert go off and curiosity gets the better of you.  In New York, there is a ban on using handheld devices while driving, as well as texting while driving, which both carry heavy penalties and fines. The number one cause of unintentional deaths in the United States is car crashes, and since April is Distracted Driving Awareness Month, and it is time to begin taking this hazard seriously and take the pledge to stay off your phone – the primary distractor – while driving.  Take a look at these surprising statistics from the National Safety Council about cell phone and hands-free cell phone use:

    At any given time, 9% of drivers across the country are talking on a cell phone while on the road.
    Drivers who are on their cell phone are four times more likely to get in an accident.
    About 25% of all car crashes involve cell phone use, including hands-free features, such as an earpiece, dashboard system, or speakerphone.  21% of these crashes occur when people are having a conversation on the phone, and 4% occur as a result of text messaging.
    More than 30 studies have shown that hands-free devices are no safer than handheld cell phones.
    According to studies, the activity in the area of the brain that processes moving images decreases by up to 1/3 when listening to someone talking over the phone – meaning your brain is less able to recognize and respond to moving things while you are talking on the phone.
    Your field of view narrows by 50% when talking on any kind of cellphone – not because you can’t see things, but you are so distracted that your brain can only process half of what you would normally see.
    Studies show that using voice-to-text is more distracting than typing texts by hand.
    Even with the statistics of accidents caused while a driver as on a cell phone, fatal accidents with cell phone involvement are believed to be massively underreported.
    Though many people try to argue that having a conversation  with a passenger while driving is just as dangerous as having a conversation on a cell phone, studies have shown that passengers are more likely to point out dangers on the road and respond to traffic changes by stopping the conversation when traffic conditions become challenging, thus making it safer to talk to a passenger than to talk on a phone.

Put a Stop to Distracted Driving
Turn your phone off, and put it somewhere in your car out of your field of vision, such as in the glove compartment or in the backseat, and leave it there.  Take the pledge to be a safe driver at Distraction.gov, the US Government Website for Distracted Driving.  Besides just signing the pledge, put it up somewhere where you and others in your family (such as teen drivers) will see it, such as by where you keep the car keys, or even in the car. Also, make sure you and your family members are aware of the texting stops on the Long Island Expressway and other major highways across the state, so that if you just have to check your phone, you can pull off into one of these stops and check it safely.

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Can Technology Stop Surgeons From Leaving Sponges Inside Patients?

By John Tozzi March 25, 2014

When doctors sewing up a patient after an operation inadvertently leave surgical equipment like sponges inside the body, the result can harm or even kill the patient. Such mistakes also cost hundreds of thousands of dollars in further treatment and legal costs. Along with taking out the wrong kidney or operating on the wrong person, leaving a sponge in a patient is the kind of avoidable medical nightmare that health-care quality experts consider a never event—that is, it should never happen.

It’s hard to know precisely how often it does. A review at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., from 2003 to 2006 found a rate of about one “retained foreign object” case for every 5,500 surgeries. Another analysis of 20 years of malpractice settlements found that such incidents were the most common “never events,” with an estimated 2,024 claims per year, or a rate of more than five each day. The U.S. has no comprehensive system for measuring how often doctors mistakenly leave items in patients’ bodies. The lack of data itself is revealing, when you consider, for example, how scrupulously aviation accidents are tracked.

The most common approach for making sure all sponges come out of patients is to count them as they go in. But the current counting methods “are prone to human error,” according to an October report (PDF) by the Joint Commission, a nonprofit that certifies health-care providers on quality standards. Counts are wrong about 10 percent to 15 percent of the time, and most cases where sponges are left in the patient “occur with what staff believe is a correct count,” according to the report.

Stryker (SYK), the $9 billion-revenue medical-device maker, is betting on technology that will help improve those counts. On Monday it acquired a small company called Patient Safety Technologies, which makes a system of bar-coded sponges and electronic counters that will read the codes even on a sponge soaked in blood. The transaction was valued at $85 million, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.

Executives from Stryker and Patient Safety Technologies were not available for an interview on Tuesday. Patient Safety Technologies had revenue of about $20 million in the 12 months through September 2013. A list of roughly three dozen clients on its website includes the Mayo Clinic, the Cleveland Clinic, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

A few other companies make high-tech sponges intended to reduce the risk that absent-minded doctors will leave one behind, including RF Surgical Systems and ClearCount. Stryker’s acquisition puts a global sales force behind the technology.

Better sponges may help, but eliminating serious medical errors requires a cultural shift inside operating rooms and hospital executive suites. The Joint Commission report draws the parallel to air travel: “High reliability science studies organizations such as those in the commercial aviation industry, which manage great hazard extremely well, and in which the goal is zero harm,” the document says. “In order to achieve high reliability, leadership must commit to this goal, the culture must support workers who identify and report unsafe conditions,” and organizations need to measure the problem by, for example, tracking the number of days since a foreign object has been left inside a patient. Bar codes on the sponges are only a start.

Tozzi is a reporter for Bloomberg Businessweek in New York.

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1st lawsuit filed over hepatitis C outbreak in ND

By BLAKE NICHOLSON Associated Press

    BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) - Two people who contracted hepatitis C at a Minot nursing home last year have filed the first lawsuit stemming from the outbreak against the care facility linked to the potentially fatal illness, and the federal lawsuit eventually might cover all 44 victims.

John Fenner, 78, and Lilas Guttormson, 84, are seeking unspecified monetary damages from ManorCare Health Services. Their attorneys also are seeking to make the lawsuit a class action. If a judge approves that, the lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court in Bismarck late Wednesday would be expanded to cover all of the people infected with the virus that can cause chronic liver problems and even death.

All of the people who were infected had been at the ManorCare nursing home in Minot. Though no one died in the outbreak, it accounted for one-fourth of all hepatitis C infections in the country since 2008, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The median age of the victims was 84.

“It was a very large outbreak of hepatitis C, and it just doesn’t happen by accident,” plaintiffs’ attorney Mike Miller told The AP. All 44 people who were infected are now dealing with chronic problems, he said.

ManorCare spokeswoman Julie Beckert says the lawsuit is premature in light of the state Health Department’s preliminary report on the outbreak, which said neither the state nor the CDC could pinpoint how the patients were infected.

Officials did say analysis suggested the infection might have been associated with foot care, nail care services or blood services. Health officials say about one-third of all hepatitis C investigations fail to find an exact cause. The Health Department’s final report is expected this summer. The state Bureau of Criminal Investigation also is looking into the outbreak, but won’t comment on the ongoing investigation.

Miller said he hopes an exact cause is pinpointed but that the lawsuit does not depend on it. The lawsuit contends that ManorCare failed to live up to both its own care standards as well as state and federal law.

“ManorCare flagrantly violated its fundamental duty to protect its patients and residents, and infected them with a deadly and debilitating disease that could have been prevented by even the most rudimentary of care,” the lawsuit states.

Beckert said in a statement that ManorCare “has been very cooperative and proactive in making sure that we are following our infection control process to proactively curb and prevent the spread of any infection, bacteria or virus. We continue to work with the local health authorities to protect our residents and employees.”

Miller said he hopes to avoid a lengthy legal battle.

“It certainly would be better if ManorCare steps up to the plate here and says, ‘We’re at fault, we acknowledge it,’” he said.

The defendants in the lawsuit are ManorCare of Minot ND LLC, which does business as ManorCare Health Services, and HCR ManorCare Medical Services of Florida LLC, which is headquartered in Toledo.

Read more:

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Toxic Mold Exposure Might Be Associated With Multiple Sclerosis, Warns Environmental Hygienist Fry

Certified Environmental Hygienist Phillip Fry recommends annual mold inspection and testing of homes and workplaces to uncover toxic mold infestations, which are linked to multiple sclerosis and other neurologically-oriented diseases if there are elevated levels of indoor mold exposure.

Montrose, MI, April 19, 2014 (PressReleaseCircle) -- “Mold victims should know that there are possible links between multiple sclerosis (MS) and exposure to elevated levels of indoor toxic mold,” warns Phillip Fry, Certified Environmental Hygienist, author of Mold Health Guide, and webmaster since 1999 of the 300 page mold health information website www.moldinspector.com.

Environmental physicians believe that environmental influences (such as exposure to elevated levels of indoor toxic mold) might possibly be associated with several neurologically-oriented diseases such as Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), autoimmune diseases, autism, and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

The debilitating disease multiple sclerosis is caused by the degeneration of the myelin sheath (that protects the body’s nerves), and it is a chronic inflammatory autoimmune affliction of the central nervous system that affects the brain, spinal cord and the eyes’ optic nerves.

In this degenerative process, the immune system attacks the covering of the nerves, called the myelin sheath. Consequently, the sheaths are damaged, and the damaged areas develop scarring that leads to either distorted communication or lack of communication between the nerve endings, as reported on the health website www.evenbetterhealth.com.

There are several possible links between multiple sclerosis and toxic mold exposure, although medical research into these possible relationships is still ongoing and in its beginning stage.

1. Exposure to Chaetomium Mold Linked to MS & Other Neurological Diseases

Mold victims who have been exposed to elevated levels of the Chaetomium toxic mold are at risk for permanent neurological damage of the myelin sheath. Autoimmune diseases such as Multiple Sclerosis and Lupus have been associated with exposure to Chaetomium.

2. Similarity with Toxic Mold Health Problems

Myelin sheath degeneration (demyelization) causes many of the same health problems as the ones caused by indoor toxic mold exposure-

- Problems with thinking, concentration, memory and judgment
- Difficulty speaking and slurred speech
- Eye problems
- Extreme and chronic fatigue
- Dizziness and loss of balance and coordination
- Feelings of tingling or numbness in legs and arms
- Muscle tremors
- Loss of arm, hand or leg strength

Read about all of the large number mold-related illnesses, along with research references, at www.environmentalhygienist.com.

3. A Furniture Mold Preventative Has Been FDA Approved To Treat Multiple Sclerosis

Dimethyl fumarate, in its reformulation as the pharmaceutical drug named Tecfidera, which was approved by the Food and Drug Administration in March, 2013, to treat multiple sclerosis, is similar to the same dimethyl fumarate used to protect wood furniture from mold growth during ocean shipment from Chinese furniture factories.

The fact that dimethyl fumarate is both a treatment for multiple sclerosis and a mold preventative for wood suggests a possible causal connection between human exposure to elevated levels of toxic mold and the onset and progression of multiple sclerosis.

The Journal of Food Science reported in 2006 that a concentration of dimethyl fumarate inhibited mold from growing on bread.

4. FDA Also Approved a Multiple Sclerosis Drug Derived From a Mold

The pharmaceutical drug Fingolimod is a synthetic compound based on the fungal secondary metabolite myriocin, and it is a potent immunosuppressant that was approved on September 2010 by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration as a treatment for multiple sclerosis.

Mold Inspection and Testing Recommended

To protect home residents and workplace employees from disease-causing toxic mold growth, Mr. Fry recommends annual, in depth mold inspection and mold testing of homes and places of employment by a Certified Environmental Hygienist, Professional Industrial Hygienist, or Certified Industrial Hygienist.

Mr. Fry’s international, environmental and professional industrial hygienists firm EnviroFry provides expert mold inspection, testing, and remediation services in most US states, Ontario Province in Canada, China, and Southeast Asia.

To schedule mold inspection or mold removal in the USA and Canada, phone Mr. Fry toll-free 1-866-300-1616 or his cell phone 1-480-310-7970, or email phil@moldinspector.com, or visit the company’s website www.moldexpertconsultants.com.

For mold inspection and mold remediation in Asia, phone Hank and Merley Taylor 63-927-888-2113 or (0927) 888-2113in the Philippines. Email the Taylors at moldmen@att.net, or visit the websites www.real-estate.ph, www.envirohongkong.com, or www.envirosingapore.com.

From Whatech.com

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Famililes sue Oregon hospital over cerebral palsy births

by Nina Mehlhaf, KGW Staff

SILVERTON, Ore. -- Three families are suing Silverton Hospital for nearly $100 million combined.

Each family has a child who was born with permanent brain damage and cerebral palsy. They blame it on malpractice in the delivery room.

Elizabeth Ramseyer, of Stayton, was having her first child in 2007. When 10-pound baby Maverick wouldn't budge, Elizabeth said nurses gave her drugs to move things along. Hours later, when a C-section finally was ordered, Maverick was born lifeless.

"He was white as paper," recalled father Derrick Ramseyer. "There was nothing there. His arms and legs fell as they spun him around so they could continue to help him."

Among the many accusations in their lawsuit against the hospital, the Ramseyers claim the right doctors and equipment took too long to resuscitate their son.

Maverick was brought back, but had brain damage, and at two-years-old was diagnosed with cerebral palsy. Now six, Maverick's right leg and arm muscles aren't developed, he has rage tantrums and speech issues.

They said he'll spend the rest of his life dealing with leg braces, electro-therapy walkers and surgeries. And the Ramseyers believe it all could have been prevented if different decisions had been made in the delivery room.

They're suing for $40 million. "I want to be able to be told by a doctor 'Your son needs something,'" Elizabeth said. "I want to be able to say, 'Okay, I can take care of that.'"

Two other Marion County families with nearly the same birth story, are also suing. The hospital and doctors won't comment until the cases are over. But in court documents, they have denied all allegations. The doctor who performed Elizabeth's C-section claims he was only responsible for the mother, and not the baby.

"Once you make a diagnosis of Cerebral Palsy, the next question is always 'Why?" said Dr. Peter Blasco, the director of Neuro-Developmental Programs at Oregon Health and Science University. He's a regional expert in Cerebral Palsy, but not connected to the Silverton cases.

Blasco said babies with C-P who were full-term with a healthy pregnancy, a rare number of them - only 8 percent - got their brain damage from a catastrophe in the delivery room. And it can be hard to prove.

"Most of the time it's a lot more difficult and a lot of the time it's really not possible to be sure," Blasco said.

When asked the likelihood when three C-P births in two years at the same hospital had the problem, and two of them had the same doctor. He replied, "A red flag for sure, but does it really mean anything? Boy, you have to look at it pretty closely."

Despite all this trauma, the Ramseyers want other parents to learn from their experience when they arrive at the delivery room. They advise parents to bring a signed birth plan with them, choose a hospital with a neonatal intensive care unit and ask plenty of questions.

"It can go wrong, and when it does, it can be horrible," Derrick Ramseyer said through tears.

He added that, instead of partners just offering the mother ice chips and changing DVD's in the hospital room, they should get educated on what medical equipment is available in case of emergencies.

"He (Maverick) is still a huge miracle because he pulled through and he made it," Elizabeth said. "And that's what moves you day to day. That's what gets you through it because he is here."

In 2009, Consumer Reports magazine named Silverton Hospital as one of the top in Oregon, based on patient surveys.

However, last year it was one of the most federally penalized hospitals in the state by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid because of death rates and patient satisfaction.

As for the delivery room lawsuits, all three cases are currently headed for trial.

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Misdiagnosis Threatens Potentially Everyone

Added by Lindsey Alexander on April 20, 2014.

A new statistic has been announced in a recent report claiming 5 percent of adults seeking outpatient care are misdiagnosed. This is roughly 12 million people who go to outpatient care clinics and are given a false diagnosis. Six million of those people are put in danger for this reason. Potentially everyone who ever expects to seek medical help, is threatened by the risk of clinical error and misdiagnosis.

The study was published in the BMJ Quality and Safety journal. The Society to Improve Diagnosis in Medicine claims diagnostic error is the leading cause of medical malpractice within the United States. It is estimated that 40,000 to 80,000 deaths occur annually from misdiagnosis.

Prior studies examined the rates of misdiagnosis which have focused primarily on hospital patients. This new report, however, suggests a very large number of outpatient care physicians are giving misdiagnosis that are, in effect, comparable.

Dr. Hardeep Singh, lead author and researcher at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston says, “It is important to outline the fact that this is a problem.” Misdiagnosis threatens potential patients everywhere, and that is literally everyone.

Because of the popularity and common place of outpatient clinics, the diagnosis rates make many people vulnerable. “This is a huge number, and we need to do something about it.”

Data sources within the new study include two previous studies, which detected unusual patterns of return visits following a primary care visitation, or lack of follow-up after abnormal clinical findings associated with colorectal cancer. These data included both suggestive and concrete diagnostic errors.

Singh says that patients coming in with undifferentiated symptoms take time for the doctor to diagnose them with various work-ups. Singh is also an associated professor who continues to urge physicians to make patients more aware of how things evolve, and what patients need to do to assist in their own care.

Late diagnosed cancer is not the only risk of misdiagnosis, as all harmful illnesses and diseases pose a danger for these patients.

Many years ago, in 2003, actor John Ritter died of an aortic dissection. This condition is fatal, and occurs following the tearing of the major artery that is attached to the heart. His wife settled for a wrongful death lawsuit against the California hospital. She asserted that he had been misdiagnosed two times.

Experts that follow these reports and study misdiagnosis have come to discover certain conditions are misdiagnosed repeatedly. Aortic dissection is one of these common misdiagnosis. The patient feels a unique tearing sensation in the chest, but occasionally, the signs can be missed as the patient reports symptoms pointing to other diseases. Robert Bonow was once the president of the American Heart Association and said that this condition can feel like heartburn.

The other conditions commonly misdiagnosed are cancer, clogged arteries, heart attack, and infection.

NBC News recently reported that a patient named Erika Hanson Brown’s colorectal cancer was misdiagnosed several years prior. She is now age 70 and was repeatedly misdiagnosed until the condition progressed to Stage 3C. She is now an advocate known as the “Mayor of Colontown.”

Though the reasons vary for why doctors misdiagnose patients, sometimes clinics and hospitals are somewhat “chaotic.” In 1999, the Institute of Medicine claimed 98,000 people die each year from medical errors.

If a patient comes in and is told by their doctor that they are just fine and there is nothing to worry about, the patient might now be reminded of these recent reports. Misdiagnosis potentially threaten everyone as needless injury and deaths may occur.

By Lindsey Alexander

Source NBC News

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5 Ways to Make Sure Your Doctor is Listening to You

Women's Health / Leana Wen

Read this before you step foot in a doctor's office.


Using checklists in medical care sounds like common sense. We’ve all heard the stories of the man who had the wrong leg operated on and the woman who had a sponge left in her belly. Checklists are routine in other professions as well, and we know they can prevent hospital infections and surgical error. But could there be a downside to checklist medical care? Consider these two examples:

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Scenario 1:

You come into the ER after you dove to catch a softball. You’re pretty sure you have a bruised rib, but because you said the magic words of “chest pain,” you’re suddenly whisked away to get blood drawn, an EKG and a chest X-ray. You’re told this is all part of the “chest pain protocol.” But did you really need all of those tests done?

Scenario 2:

You tell your doctor you’re tired and feeling run down. Your doctor does routine blood work, again following a checklist of things to look for: anemia, thyroid problems, and so forth. Everything is “normal.” The checklist is complete, so your doctor assures you that you’re OK—even though you know you’re not.

In my work as an emergency physician, I know that checklists can be helpful. They ensure complex procedures are done thoroughly and provide an extra assurance for safety. But they can also result in a “cookbook” approach, where you get the same recipe of tests and medications as everyone else. Unfortunately, this can result in expensive and unnecessary care, and even misdiagnoses or harm.

Here are five tips to make sure you get the best, personalized care every time you see a doctor:

1. Insist on telling your story. Studies have shown that 80 percent of all diagnoses can be made based on just the story of your illness. Doctors have limited time to listen to your story, but you must make sure they understand why you’re there. Don’t just say that you have chest pain—explain when it started, what you were doing, and how it felt. Write down key elements. Practice until you can tell it in 30 seconds or less. Then tell your story to your doctor the moment you see her to make sure she focuses on your individualized story.

2. Give open-ended responses to close-ended questions. If you suspect that the doctor is going through a checklist of yes/no questions, try to get her to focus on you by adding personal elements to your answers. If you’re asked, “when did you start feeling so tired?” don’t just say “two weeks ago.” Add that you’re normally very energetic and run five miles a day, but for the last two weeks, you can barely get out of bed to work (if that’s the case). These answers help provide context to who you are.

3. Ask about your diagnosis before you consent to tests. If you’re told you need to get blood drawn, ask why. Sometimes, that’s enough to stop the “cookbook” from taking over. Every test should be done for a specific reason, not just because it’s what’s done in this protocol, but because it helps focus the diagnosis. Also ask about what to do if the tests are negative. Just because they’re negative doesn’t mean there isn’t anything wrong, so what would be your next steps?

4. Inquire about treatment options. In very few situations is there only one test that could work or one protocol that must be followed. If your doctor says you need to do this one set of tests, ask what your other options are. Often, watchful waiting is a perfectly acceptable alternative. Discussing options helps remind your doctor to tailor the treatment to you.

5. Let your doctor know that you want to be a partner in your decision-making. If you still think that your doctor is following a recipe rather than individualizing care, ask her to explain her thought process to you. Say that you respect her expertise, and you want to learn what it is that she is thinking. Your doctor may be so busy or so used to checklists that your request can help her refocus on you and your individual needs.

From Time.com

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To Your Good Health: After traumatic brain injury, recovery will take time, patience

By Keith Roach, M.D.

Q: Four months ago, I was in an automobile accident and suffered severe injuries -- a collapsed lung, broken ribs, a broken lumbar spine, broken/damaged teeth and mild traumatic brain injury. My recovery has gone quite well, except for the brain injury. I am a 53-year-old female who has always been in good health. I had a CT scan on my head at the time of the accident and one 10 days after. I went to a concussion clinic several times following the accident and saw a neurology psychologist. Initially, my brain was not functioning properly, but its functioning has improved. I have been released from the psychologist but not the concussion clinic. I was suffering from severe headaches. On my last visit, I was placed on topiramate. It has relieved the severe headaches. At the time of my last visit, I asked the doctor about the constant pressure I feel on the left side on my head and the fuzziness that is always present. He told me the topiramate might not help this if it is nerve damage, and it has helped. Is this something I should just accept as a permanent symptom, or is there another test I can request that might get rid of this?

A: Postconcussive syndrome is the name given to persistent neurological symptoms following traumatic brain injury. The symptoms are highly variable person to person, but headache, dizziness or fuzziness, and head pressure are all consistent.

Recovery from postconcussive syndrome takes time. Most people are better at three months after injury, but some people take longer to recover.

In my opinion, more testing isn't likely to show anything that would change your treatment. There are other treatments that have been helpful for many people in your situation, such as indomethacin for one-sided head pressure.

It sounds like you are fortunate to have medical care with several experts available. It's likely that your functioning will return to normal.

Q: I take the statin drug atorvastatin since my heart surgery. The sticker on the bottle reads, "Do not eat grapefruit or drink grapefruit juice at any time while taking this medicine." My cardiologist said this warning was based on rather thin clinical trials, and it was OK to continue eating one grapefruit in the morning and taking the statin at bedtime. Are there new developments on this topic?

A: Grapefruit juice, indeed, can affect the metabolism of atorvastatin (Lipitor) and many other medications. However, the amount of grapefruit needed in order to have a significant effect is quite high -- the manufacturer recommends avoiding consumption of more than a quart of grapefruit juice a day.

I agree with your cardiologist that a grapefruit is a healthy way to begin the day and is not likely to cause any problems with atorvastatin.

Q: Are men less likely to wash their hands after using the bathroom than women are? Are there any studies providing statistics?

A: In 2003, a study at a university found that after using the washroom, women washed their hands with soap and water 61 percent of the time, and men 37 percent of the time.

Placing a reminder sign increased the rate to 97 percent of women, but only 35 percent of men washed their hands with the reminder, although 53 percent rinsed their hands without soap.

Keeping hands clean reduces infection transmission to yourself and to others. Unfortunately, too often even we doctors forget to wash our hands (only 65 percent of the time, in several studies).

Our nursing colleagues are better at washing their hands. Many hospitals, including mine, have policies in place to improve hand-washing compliance.

Q: I have a problem that I am embarrassed to discuss with my doctor. When I am going to the bathroom and straining with a bowel movement, I often have a major cramp in my abdomen. It used to occur slightly below my belly button, but now it has moved lower and sometimes to my left side. The cramp is very severe and can be felt and seen on my body surface. Is this something I should worry about?

A: Don't be embarrassed. Your doctor needs to know, and needs to do an exam to feel what might be going on.

It could be your normal physiology; it could be mild irritable bowel syndrome. It might be a hernia, especially if it can be seen on your body.

Doctors aren't easily embarrassed, and have heard complaints much, much worse than that.

Q: I am 95 now and take no medications. My primary-care doctor wants me to take aspirin, even just the baby aspirin, twice a week. Some of the supplements I take do have blood-thinning characteristics, and for that reason, I am fighting the aspirin recommendation. In general, is it OK to refuse the recommendation of one's doctor?       

A: It is your body, and you have every right to make decisions about your treatment. How-ever, you should be very circumspect about overruling your doctor, and you should be doing so for very good reasons. Your doctor has the obligation to tell you why he or she is recommending a treatment and what the downsides are from not taking it. You, on the other hand, are obliged to tell your doctor the truth.

In your case, it sounds like you don't want to take the aspirin because you feel the supplements you are taking have a similar effect to aspirin. Very few supplements, if any, have been studied as well as aspirin has.

Aspirin has a clear risk of side effects, especially bleeding, but most evidence shows that it reduces the risk of heart attack more than it increases the risk of bleeding. It also might reduce cancer risk. The higher the risk of heart disease, the better aspirin is, in terms of risks against benefits.

At 95, your risk for heart attack is higher than a 50-year-old's, and so it would be expected to have more benefit than harm.

So while I agree with your doctor to take it, I also respect your decision not to.

From Twincities.com

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Mold exposure may worsen asthma for middle-aged adults

Published March 25, 2014, Reuters, On FoxNews.com

Mold exposure in the home raises the risk of asthma symptoms in middle age, according to a new study from Australia.

The more mold participants reported having seen in their homes, the greater their asthma symptoms, researchers found. Men were especially vulnerable with a four-fold increase in the odds of having non-allergic asthma after recent exposure to visible mold.

"The mold exposure that we were talking about is the typical mold that we all see in our homes from time to time, that is, mold that you see in the wet areas of the house, e.g., bathroom, kitchen and laundry," John Burgess told Reuters Health in an email.

Burgess, a researcher with the Melbourne School of Population and Global Health at the University of Melbourne, co-led the study with colleague Desiree Meszaros.

"We were not talking about 'whole-house' mold infestation that might occur under special circumstances such as following the house being flooded," Burgess said.

While a number of previous studies have examined indoor air pollutants and asthma, the majority focused on children and adolescents, Burgess said, but little research has looked at the relationship between these exposures and asthma in middle-aged adults.

About 25 million Americans have asthma, according to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, and 7 million of them are children. Asthma typically begins in childhood, and often occurs in kids with allergies.

Burgess and his colleagues were interested in the effect of indoor air pollutants on adults' asthma symptoms and also in any differences between responses by those with allergic asthma and those with non-allergic asthma.

"We did this because in older adults, all asthma is not necessarily the same," Burgess said. "In this age group, non-allergic asthma is more common - we surmised that the risk of having 'non-allergic asthma' related to indoor air pollutants might be increased in this older population.

The research team used data from an ongoing study that began in 1968 when the participants were seven years old. In 2004, a total of 5,729 participants filled questionnaires about a variety of health topics, including respiratory symptoms and their home environment.

Participants were asked about asthma, asthma symptoms, amount of visible mold in the home, the number of smokers and types of heating and cooking appliances they had.

About 11.6 percent of the participants had asthma at the time of the 2004 questionnaire. About 17 percent had chest tightness at night and 23 percent reporting wheezing during the previous year. About 30 percent of the participants were smokers and about 15 percent of households included at least one regular smoker other than the study participant.

Almost half reported ever having had mold on any home surface, and about a third said they'd seen mold at home within the last 12 months, according to the results published in Respirology.

Recent household mold exposure was associated with 26 percent greater odds of having asthma, 34 percent greater odds of wheezing and 30 percent greater odds of chest tightness. The authors noted that the more rooms with mold, the worse the asthma symptoms.

For men, mold exposure was linked to almost four times greater odds of having non-allergic asthma, but not for women.

The researchers also found that second-hand tobacco smoke was associated with increased odds of asthma, wheezing and chest tightness in non-smokers.

"We did not find any evidence that the type of stove used in the home for cooking had any effect on asthma," Burgess said. "But we found that having a reverse cycle air conditioner in the home was linked with a 16 percent reduction in the risk of asthma."

The U.S. Environmental Protection offers tips for mold control (here:), urging that mold should be cleaned up promptly and any water problems or leaks should be fixed. Drying any water-damaged areas within 24 to 48 hours can help to prevent mold growth.

Burgess said that to find mold, homeowners should "have a look and have a sniff!"

Most household mold is black, green or yellow and is visible, he said, adding that mold smells.

"We all know the dank smell from mold, so if your nose says mold, you probably have a mold problem," he said.

Getting rid of mold involves two steps, Burgess said.

"First is cleaning it off household surfaces - don't use a dry scrubbing brush - that just spreads the mold around," he said. "And second is ensuring that the room in question is well ventilated and dry. Mold won't grow in dry, well ventilated areas."

Burgess said that methods to actually kill mold spores are debated, with some mold removal experts advising that bleaches will kill mold, while other experts assert that bleaches merely discolor the mold and doesn't kill it.

"For most domestic mold, keep it simple - clean it off and make sure that the place remains dry and well ventilated," he said.

From FoxNews.com

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Ontel Recalls Isometric Exercise Devices Due to Projectile Hazard

Consumers should stop using this product unless otherwise instructed. It is illegal to resell or attempt to resell a recalled consumer product.
Recall date: April 17, 2014
Recall number: 14-150

Name of product:
ISO7X Isometric Exercise Device

Hazard:
The handle grips on each end can break during use and cause parts to be forcefully ejected from the shaft, posing a risk of injury from impact to the user or bystander.

Remedy:
Refund

Consumer Contact:
Ontel Products Corporation at (800) 245-0511 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, visit the firm’s website at www.ontel.com and click on “ISO7X Recall Notice” for more information or send an email to help@ontel.com.

From the CPSC

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Recall: Organic Traditions Brand Dark Chocolate Golden Berries and Dark Chocolate Sacha Inchi Seeds

 
HEALTH MATTERS AMERICA INC. of Cheektowaga, New York is recalling specific lots of ORGANIC TRADITIONS BRAND DARK CHOCOLATE GOLDEN BERRIES AND DARK CHOCOLATE SACHA INCHI SEEDS because they were found to contain undeclared milk. People who have an allergy to milk run the risk of serious or life-threatening allergic reaction if they consume these products.

ORGANIC TRADITIONS BRAND DARK CHOCOLATE GOLDEN BERRIES AND DARK CHOCOLATE SACHA INCHI SEEDSwere distributed through retail stores in Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Maryland, Michigan, North Carolina, New Hampshire, New York, New Jersey, New Mexico, Nevada, Ohio, Oakland, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington and Wisconsin.

The recall applies to 3.5 oz. (100 g) and 5.3 oz. (150 g) consumer size bags as follows:

    ORGANIC TRADITIONS DARK CHOCOLATE GOLDEN BERRIES Lot numbers CACAOXPSWEETZZGBEBLK001-12, CACAOXPSWEETZZGBEBLK001-13; NET WT. 3.5 oz. UPC 8 54260 00263 8, and NET WT. 5.3 oz. UPC 8 54260 00266 9;
    ORGANIC TRADITIONS DARK CHOCOLATE SACHA INCHI SEEDS Lot numbers CACAOXPSWEETZZDSIBLK001-12, CACAOXPSWEETZZSIBLK 001-13; NET WT. 3.5 oz. UPC 8 54260 00709 1, and NET WT. 5.3 oz. UPC 8 54260 00718 3;

No illnesses have been reported to date.

The recall was initiated after it was discovered by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) that ORGANIC TRADITIONS DARK CHOCOLATE GOLDEN BERRIES had tested positive for milk and was distributed in packaging that did not reveal the presence of milk. Testing of the other products by CFIA also revealed the presence of undeclared milk. The problem may have been caused through cross contamination during production and processing at the foreign manufacturer.

Consumers who have purchased the above lots of ORGANIC TRADITIONS BRAND DARK CHOCOLATE GOLDEN BERRIES AND DARK CHOCOLATE SACHA INCHI SEEDS are urged to return the product to the place of purchase for a full refund. Consumers with questions may contact the company at 1-888-343-3278, Monday – Friday, 9 am – 5 pm ET.

Copyright 2014 Nexstar Broadcasting, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
From Myhighplains.com

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Parties disputed whether auto accident caused injuries

Plaintiff sought wage loss, medical bills

On Feb. 20, 2011, plaintiff was involved in an auto accident, which resulted in a back injury requiring surgery. Plaintiff, a young single mother, did not have pre-existing back issues and sought third-party overdue benefits damages from defendant State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Co.

Defendant argued that plaintiff’s treatment for the back injury was not related to the auto accident.

Plaintiff’s counsel narrowed the issues to be decided by the jury to wage loss, medical bills and interest.

A Macomb County jury determined that plaintiff was injured in the accident and awarded $14,467.44 in allowable expenses; $36,532.32 in wage loss; and $12,974.33 in interest for overdue benefits.

Plaintiff brought a motion for attorney’s fees and costs. The matter then settled for $120,000.

Type of action: Third-party no-fault
Type of injuries: Back injury requiring surgery
Court/Case no./Date: Macomb County Circuit Court; 2011-5099-NI; Sept. 18, 2013
Verdict amount: $63,974

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MGH doctors to pay $4.5m over death

By Jacqueline Tempera, Globe Correspondent on BostonGlobe.com

It began as a day spent engaged in spring cleaning.

It ended the next morning in the death of a Plymouth woman.

And now, two top doctors from Massachusetts General Hospital have agreed to pay the woman’s family $4.5 million because, a medical malpractice lawyer said, the physicians failed to take measures that might have prevented the death.

Geraldine Moran, 62, was cleaning her home on March 23, 2005, when she fell off a 6-foot-tall ladder and broke several ribs, according to the attorney for her estate, Benjamin Novotny of the Boston law firm Lubin & Meyer.

Moran was taken to Jordan Hospital, now known as Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital-Plymouth, where she received a high-tech medical scan of her pelvis and chest. Doctors found one of her ribs had cracked in such a way that its sharp tip was close to her aorta, Novotny said.

Doctors suggested Moran be transported to Mass. General, where surgeons would be better equipped to help her, Novotny said.

“It’s basically like you have a knife next to a balloon,” Novotny said in a telephone interview.

“But that balloon is your aorta, which is the largest artery in your body. It’s dangerous.”

Novotny said Dr. Alasdair Conn and Dr. George Velmahos evaluated Moran at Mass. General but failed to order chest imaging or to assemble a trauma team to perform a reduction of the displaced rib.

The doctors monitored her overnight, but planned to wait until the morning to perform a chest X-ray, Novotny said.

Moran was given an epidural for pain relief. It was noted that she had a bad cough, Novotny said.

Velmahos declined to comment on the case. Conn, formerly the longtime chief of emergency medicine at Mass. General, did not respond to a phone message seeking comment. “It is disheartening when physicians who take on some of the most difficult cases and are committed to doing what they can to save lives are faced with malpractice litigation,” Michael Morrison, the hospital’s media relations manager, said in a statement.

After two weeks in trial, the doctors settled this month, Novotny said.

Both doctors still work at the hospital, Morrison said.

The morning after she fell, Moran coughed while in her hospital bed, which caused the rib to go into her aorta, Novotny said. She went into cardiac arrest about 9:30 a.m. Velmahos and his surgical team clamped Moran’s aorta, but she did not respond to the treatment, Novotny said.

At 9:49 a.m., Moran was pronounced dead. An autopsy found a 1-centimeter hole in Moran’s aorta, near the tip of the fractured rib.

“Her three children lost their mother for something that could have been avoided,” Novotny said.

Morrison said the hospital supports the doctors and believes they acted appropriately.

“Now that this matter is behind us, these doctors can get back to doing what they do best — caring for patients,” he wrote in the statement.

While the settlement is significant, there have been larger verdicts in medical malpractice cases in Massachusetts, including a 2005 case in which a jury awarded nearly $40 million to the family of a Dracut boy born with severe brain damage after a traumatic delivery.

Jacqueline Tempera can be reached at jacqueline.tempera@globe.com. Follow her on twitter @jacktemp.

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Teens Charged With Videotaping Abuse Of Nursing Home Resident

March 14, 2014 12:20 PM from CBSLocal.com

ST. CHARLES, Ill. (STMW) – Two northwest suburban teenage employees of a nursing home have been charged with physically abusing an elderly resident and videotaping the incident, the Courier-News is reporting.

South Elgin residents Chemyra Barnett, 18, of the 300 block of Watch Court; and Jacqueline Santos, 18, of the 1300 block of Timber Lane, are charged with aggravated battery of a person over 60, and unlawful videotaping, St. Charles policed reported Friday.

Their Facebook pages indicate both are students at South Elgin High School.

They appeared in bond court Friday morning at the Kane County Judicial Center. Bail was set at $15,000 for each, and they were given March 27 court dates.

Conditions of the bail included no entry to the care center and no contact with the victim or the family, officials said.

Both also were banned from possessing a cell phone or disseminating the video in any way as part of their bail.

According to St. Charles Police spokesperson Lisa Blackwell, St. Charles police were called Thursday to the Rosewood Care Center, 850 Dunham Road.

An administrator at the center told police that two employees, Santos and Barnett, were suspected of physically abusing an elderly resident at the facility and videotaping the incident.

The victim, who officials said is 98 years old, was reportedly uninjured during this incident, Blackwell said.

Following further investigation by St. Charles police, the two suspects were arrested and charged, Blackwell said.

Both Barnett and Santos worked at the facility for less than a year, police said.

The St. Charles Police Department is asking that if anyone has any additional information or concerns, to please contact them at 630-377-4435 or the Drug & Crime Tip Line at 1-866-378-4267.

(Source: Sun-Times Media Wire © Chicago Sun-Times 2014. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

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Study: Baby Aspirin Lowers Risk of Pre-Eclampsia in Pregnant Women

Fred Bodimer    April 10, 2014 8:59 AM


ST. LOUIS (KMOX) - A local OB/GYN says there’s a new way to lower the risk of the dangerous condition known as pre-eclampsia in pregnant women.

Pre-eclampsia is characterized by high blood pressure and excessive protein levels in urine during pregnancy. Wash U OB/GYN Dr. Michael Nelson says taking a baby aspirin once a day greatly lowers risk in certain high risk women.

“For example, if they’ve had a previous pregnancy that was complicated by pre-eclampsia, or if they have a pregnancy that previously had suboptimal fetal growth without a good explanation other than the placenta, then I advise them to start taking a baby aspirin at 12 weeks of gestation,” he says.

Nelson says women can’t use Tylenol as a substitute, either—only a baby aspirin. He says that a baby aspirin amounts to about one-fourth of a regular aspirin that adults might take.

(TM and © Copyright 2014 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2014 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

From CBS Local St Louis

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Two-Car Accident Involves Police Vehicle

Shawnna Robinson, Daily Journal


A Farmington police officer was injured in a two-car accident around 10:25 a.m. Tuesday. According to Farmington Police Chief Rick Baker, the accident occurred when a 2004 GMC pick-up, driven by Robert Pauls, age 75, of Farmington, attempted to turn east onto Karsch Boulevard from Belgrade State Bank. Pauls turned into the pathway of Officer Dan Monrotous, who was traveling west on Karsch Boulevard. Officer Monrotous received minor injuries and was transported to Parkland Health Center by EMS crews.


From the DailyJournal

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Lenovo Recalls Battery Packs for ThinkPad Notebook Computers Due to Fire Hazard

Consumers should stop using this product unless otherwise instructed. It is illegal to resell or attempt to resell a recalled consumer product.
Recall date: March 27, 2014
Recall number: 14-142

Recall Summary
Name of product:


ThinkPad notebook computer battery packs

Hazard:
The battery packs can overheat, posing a fire hazard.

Remedy:
Replace

Consumer Contact:
Lenovo at (800) 426-7378 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday or online at www.lenovo.com and select Support at the top of the page, then click on the link to the recall page in the News and Alerts section at the bottom right of the page for more information.

From the CPSC

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1 killed in Southfield Freeway crash early Monday morning

1 killed in Southfield Freeway crash early Monday morning

Motorcycle, semi truck involved in deadly crash
Author: Charles Jackson, Assignment Desk Editor, @Local4Chuck

 

DETROIT -

The Southbound Southfield Freeway has reopened at Grand River after a deadly accident Monday morning involving a motorcycle.

Michigan State Police closed the freeway shortly after 2:30 a.m. Monday morning while they do an accident investigation. The southbound lanes of the freeway were closed from 2:40 a.m. to 5:30 a.m.

Witnesses tell Local 4, the motorcycle was traveling at a high rate of speed when the biker rear-ended a semi. The driver, a 34-year-old Detroit man, was pronounced dead at the scene. He was wearing a helmet.

Copyright 2014 by ClickOnDetroit.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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Police Academy kicks off with dog-bite prevention demo (with video)

Ordinance officer provides dog-bite prevention demonstration

MARSHFIELD — Editor’s note: Reporter Liz Welter is participating in the Marshfield Police Department Citizens Academy and is filing a story each week of class.

Police officers don’t just drive around in squad cars, writing traffic tickets all day long.

“I know some people think that’s what we do, but it’s not at all like that,” said Chief Gary Jepsen during the start of the Marshfield Police Department Citizens Police Academy on Tuesday night.

From responding to the report of a fight to crime scene investigations, Marshfield Police Department officers do a variety of tasks and jobs every day to ensure the safety of the community, Jepsen said.

The academy is held about once a year for the first 20 people who sign up. It’s free and gives community members a firsthand glimpse of the inner workings of the department and the variety of reports to which officers respond.

While most of the 20 class members joined the academy to learn how the department works, many of the participants also want to learn how they can help authorities.

“We cannot do our job without people like you helping us out,” said Lt. Rick Gramza.

Read more here...

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Kalamazoo woman looks for answers to black mold in apartment

from WWMY.com

KALAMAZOO, Mich. (NEWSCHANNEL 3) - A Kalamazoo woman battling a black mold problem in her apartment turned to Newschannel 3 for help, saying she can't get answers anywhere else.


It all started two weeks ago when a pipe burst at Sage Terrace Apartments.

Ashley Wyman says black mold started growing during the clean-up process, and she claims her apartment complex won't fix the issue, leaving her concerned for her health.

Wyman tells Newschannel 3 she isn't trying to cause problems, but she just wants the mold cleaned up, or she wants a new place to live.

But in researching the issue, Newschannel 3 learned that there are not specific laws when it comes to mold in Michigan.

Wyman was surprised Thursday when she put her key in the door and it wouldn't turn--she tells Newschannel 3 her locks had been changed, and she was not sent a notice.

She had been searching for answers since April 1, when she was allowed to move back in after her apartment flooded.

Wyman says she asked management at Sage Terrace to make some further repairs after she went back in and saw mold.

An expert also turned up high levels of black mold and two other types.

"I went in there and told them what I found, they told me they weren't doing anything else to my apartment," Wyman said.

Since then, she says phone calls have gone unreturned.

Newschannel 3 went to the complex looking for answers only to have them tell our cameras to leave, walking away when we asked questions.

Their corporate offices have not returned our inquiries at this time.

In the meantime, Wyman is staying with friends, with everything she owns in a storage unit, and what won't fit now in the trunk of her car.

Wyman, who works for an apartment complex herself, says the battle is much larger than she expected.

"I don't know, I am frustrated," she said. "I have tried to contact several people, I contacted a lawyer this morning."

She went as far as filing a complaint with the state attorney general, only to learn that the state has no specific regulations on mold.

"I went to all these agencies and they said there is nothing to be done; there is no regulation," she said.

Now, Wyman is hoping to prove living conditions are unfit through state housing laws.

The health department says when it comes to handling black mold, it isn't any more dangerous than other types of mold in your home, but it can be toxic in the air.

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Autism or lead poisoning?: One local mom and a new film, 'MisLEAD,' seek to raise the question

BY: David Quick Posted: Tuesday, April 1, 2014 8:25 a.m.

Lead poisoning has faded as a major health concern over the years, but one Daniel Island mother is joining a national effort to bring it back and to change the perception that the issue only pertains to low-income families.

Mindy Allen says her son, Haddon, was misdiagnosed with autism by the N.C. Children's Developmental Services Agency before age 2 after he exhibited disorder symptoms, such as making no eye contact, not wanting to be touched, having tantrums and severely delayed language skills.

For the Allens, who lived in Wilmington, N.C., where they had restored a historic home, life had been trying and traumatic since his birth.

"I was in pain because he was in pain," recalls Allen. "It was something I carried in my soul."

But when a speech therapist noticed that Haddon also suffered from eczema, watery eyes and other symptoms that don't typically accompany autism, the question was raised about allergies. The Allens were referred to the Center for Occupational and Environmental Medicine, located off of Ashley Phosphate in North Charleston.

Allen says the center's tissue samples came back with "off the charts" lead levels.

Historic home renovation

According to Allen, the center's medical director, Dr. Allan Lieberman, suspected that Haddon's issue dated back to when she was pregnant and supervising renovation of their 1925-era house in Wilmington, where workers demolished a wall that likely contained lead paint.

Lead paint exposure is a well-known problem in Charleston where there are so many houses, dating to pre-1978 years, when lead was banned from paint. The city of Charleston has worked to clean up urban homes where the lead paint is a problem for low-income residents.

Interestingly, the Allen's other children, a daughter who is two years older than Haddon and a daughter who is three years younger, have had no issues.

Haddon was put on a gluten- and casein-free diet, free of preservatives and additives, and about 20 supplements, including fish oil and magnesium. He later received other alternative therapies to remove heavy metals from his body from Lieberman's clinic. Lieberman did not respond to questions for this article.

Haddon's symptoms improved, and before starting kindergarten, his diagnosis of autism was reversed. Today, at age 11, Haddon is a healthy, athletic and socially engaged fifth-grader, making A's and B's, at Daniel Island Elementary School.

Mainstream response

Dr. Jane Charles, a developmental and behavioral pediatrician at the Medical University of South Carolina, could not comment on the specifics of the Allen case because she didn't know the details of it.

Charles adds that parents should know that the "gold standard" for an autism diagnosis is the "Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule."

Charles says she is familiar with Lieberman's practice and warns that many alternative treatment plans are not based on scientific evidence, nor covered by insurance or Medicaid. And she recommends that a therapist observing behavior in patients be "blinded" to information about any changes in diet or supplementation to avoid bias.

A new mission

Allen vowed that she was going to help other parents and be a voice raising a new awareness of lead poisoning, particularly for families who are middle and upper income and live in historic homes along the U.S. coast from Savannah to Boston.

She founded a nonprofit, Special Family Resource, which basically provides resources she felt she and her husband didn't have when they were going through problems with Haddon.

"We really don't know how many kids are being misdiagnosed with disorders that actually have lead poisoning," says Allen.

MisLEAD?

Allen also is joining a campaign by Tamara Rubin, a Portland, Ore., mother of two children who have permanent disabilities from lead poisoning. Rubin is the producer and director of a new film, "MisLEAD: America's Secret Epidemic."

Rubin's children, now 11 and 9, were exposed when painters used a blow torch to remove exterior lead paint from her 1917 home in historic Portland.

"The home had been covered in aluminum siding and we wanted to restore it to its original glory, so we removed the siding and hired a contractor who said he was lead-safe certified, but we never asked to see the certification."

The 94-minute film follows 17 families with lead-poisoned children, who were diagnosed with disorders from attention-deficit disorder to autism, and takes the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to task for being slow to further tighten restriction and safety levels.

"This film is about dispelling some of the myths about lead poisoning," says Rubin, noting that she has enlisted 130 mothers around the nation to help spread the word about the film and its message.

CDC changes

In 2012, the CDC released a report, "Low-Level Lead Exposure Harms Children: A Renewed Call of Primary Prevention," finding that "no safe blood lead level in children has been identified."

In a nutshell, the CDC says that lead causes permanent neurological damage to children, decreasing IQ and causing other serious health consequences.

Meanwhile, Rubin says the CDC needs to recommend that lead levels be tested in youth up to age 25 because "our brains develop until we're 25" and that white families who are middle and upper income need to take it as seriously as other groups considered more vulnerable.

A free screening of "MisLEAD" will be held at 7 p.m. April 23 at the Charleston Music Hall.

Rubin and her film are already getting attention, from meeting with the Environmental Protection Agency for four days in January, to an article expected to be published in "Parents" magazine in the June/July edition.

Despite lead paint being outlawed for residential purposes by the federal government more than 35 years ago, it is still present in millions of homes built prior to 1978.

Read more...

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Hussong Manufacturing and American Flame Recall Three Gas Fireplaces, Fireplace Inserts Due to Explosion Hazard

Consumers should stop using this product unless otherwise instructed. It is illegal to resell or attempt to resell a recalled consumer product.
Recall date: April 04, 2014
Recall number: 14-144

Recall Summary
Name of product:

Kozy Heat, Ambiance and Stellar Hearth gas fireplaces and fireplace inserts
Hazard:
The main control module can allow gas to be released and buildup in the burner area, posing an explosion hazard.

Remedy:
Repair

Consumer Contact:
Hussong Manufacturing at (800) 253-4904 between 7:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. CT Monday through Friday, or online at www.kozyheat.com, www.ambiancefireplace.com, or www.stellarhearth.com, then click on “Recall Info” for more information.
From the CPSC

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Weight-loss drug recalled for tampering

Aaron Smith, CNN 5:14 p.m. EDT March 28, 2014

NEW YORK (CNNMoney) -- Alli, a popular over-the-counter weight loss drug, is being recalled in the United States and Puerto Rico because of possible tampering.

GlaxoSmithKline (GLAXF), the British company that makes the drug, said in a statement Thursday the recall comes after complaints from customers in seven states.

"A range of tablets and capsules of various shapes and colors were reported to be found inside bottles," the company said. "Additionally, some bottles inside the outer carton were missing labels and had tamper-evident seals that were not authentic."

GlaxoSmithKline spokeswoman Deborah Bolding said that 20 tampered bottles were reported to the company by 12 customers. She did not say whether anyone had consumed the fake pills, but she did say that no one got sick.

"We have received no reports of serious illness from the consumers who have reported these tampered products," she said.

The company is assessing the tampered products to try and find out what they are, she said.

GlaxoSmithKline described authentic Alli as a turquoise blue capsule with a dark blue band imprinted with the text "60 Orlistat," which is the active compound that prevents the absorption of fat.

The London-based company said the questionable Alli was purchased in retail stores in Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, New York, North Carolina and Texas. Bolding said the drug is also sold in Europe, but there are no reports of tampering outside the U.S.

The company said it's conducting an investigation with the Food and Drug Administration.

Back in 2010, the FDA warned that a counterfeit version of Alli that was being sold online was potentially harmful to dieters.

Anyone with any questions on this recall can call 800-671-2554.

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Monash Children’s Hospital doctor creates app for children with cerebral palsy

By Julia Rabar Waverley Leader April 10, 2014 12:00AM

A MONASH Children’s Hospital doctor has created an app to help children with cerebral palsy get the most out of their toys in therapy.

Paediatric occupational therapist Dr Brian Hoare launched CPtoys in Australia just before Christmas and already has his eye on the international market.

The app, designed for children under five, generates a list of recommended toys to help achieve a child’s rehabilitation goals.

For young children with one weak hand it might be as simple as recommending a big ball that encourages the child to reach with both arms.

“If you look at a bigger ball and it’s pumped up hard so you can’t grasp it with one hand, your brain is automatically, as part of the planning process saying, ‘I really need two hands to do this’,” Dr Hoare said.

Dr Hoare said playing with a toy that was just challenging enough helped kids with cerebral palsy meet milestones such as the ability to grasp, hold and release.

“The therapy we do is not just playing with toys, there’s science behind it,” Dr Hoare said.

Dr Hoare, who completed a PhD on effective therapies for hands and arms in 2010, said parents couldn’t be expected to be experts in therapy and a simple tool such as CPtoys could make all the difference.

Brooke Johnson, mother of two-year-old Rye who has cerebral palsy, said the app was fantastic.

“It eliminates a lot of time and frustration for parents searching for the right toy,” Mrs Johnson said.

Once CPtoys has generated a list of recommended toys, it directs users to online retailers.

Mrs Johnson said the variety was good.

“We constantly have to buy new toys, even for the same goals, when he gets sick of using the same toy,” the Mt Martha mum said.

Dr Hoare said he was continuing to call for stockists to add their wares to his list.

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