Here is a link to an interview that “foodie”, health advocate, and grass fed beef rancher Lisa Wilcox recently did with author Wendy Schauer.
Yours In Health!
G.E. Moon II
Wednesday, October 31, 2012
Mayo Clinic study confirms stents are safe for patients allergic to metal
Mayo Clinic researchers have found that cardiac patients who have skin allergies to metals commonly found in jewelry, such as nickel, are at no higher risk for complications if they receive a stent containing these metal components.
Mayo Clinic cardiologist Rajiv Gulati, M.D., Ph.D., and colleagues studied a total of 29 patients with a history of skin allergies to stent metal components who subsequently underwent coronary stent implantation. The research team compared clinical outcomes with a matched control group of 250 non- metal allergic patients who received similar stents. In addition to following the study patients’ outcomes in the long term, the team reviewed blood to look for signs of allergic reactions.
The study was recently published in Circulation: Cardiovascular Interventions.
Authors: Santiago Romero-Brufau, Patricia J.M. Best, M.D., David R. Holmes Jr, M.D., Verghese Mathew, M.D., Mark D.P. Davis, M.D., Gurpreet S. Sandhu, M.D., Ph.D., Ryan J. Lennon, M.S., Charanjit S. Rihal, M.D., M.B.A. and Rajiv Gulati, M.D., Ph.D.
an optometrist optometrist is how to be an optometrist the optometrist what are optometrists
Find Out More About A Step Ahead’s Free Long-Term Contraceptive Program
To learn more about A Step Ahead and its free long-term birth control options, choose one of the two videos below. To schedule an appointment or to ask additional questions, please call A Step Ahead at (901) 320-STEP (7837).
Motivation – It’s An Internal Game
What are are the recurring thoughts that are occuring in the space between your ears? Are your thoughts usually ones of doom and gloom? We’ve all heard it said before, “Change Your Thoughts, Change Your Life”. What if each day you started off your morning like little Jessica in this video…how different would your day be?
Take the time to start each new day with better thoughts…the changes can be powerful.
Yours In Health!
G.E. Moon II
Source: http://www.abundanthealthcenter.com/blog/motivation-its-an-internal-game
vision optometrists ophthalmology vs optometrist ophthalmologist vs optometrist optometrist vs ophthalmologist optometrist versus ophthalmologist
Experts Weigh in on Preventing and Addressing Obesity
As National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month comes to a close, it’s clear that childhood obesity is an issue supported by communities, parents, schools and community programs around the nation.
Recently, the East Bay Community Foundation partnered with Kaiser Permanente to present the Weight of the Nation—a national public health campaign targeting obesity—at the Council on Foundations’ annual community foundations conference in New Orleans. The East Bay Community Foundation is an important partner in the work to combat obesity in our local communities, and the organization demonstrates how community foundations nationwide can lead collaborative efforts in fighting obesity. In this interview, Nicole Taylor, president and CEO of the East Bay Community Foundation, explains the challenges in Northern California that the East Bay Community Foundation and Kaiser Permanente are working to address.
Although Colorado takes pride in being the leanest state in the nation, the rate of overweight and obesity among children in Colorado is on the rise. In addition, the rate of childhood poverty is rising faster in Colorado than everywhere else in the nation. Children living in poverty are faced with a number of barriers putting them at greater risk for becoming overweight or obese including less access to nutritious foods like whole grains, fruits, and vegetables.
Over the last few years, The Denver Foundation and Kaiser Permanente have both supported a nonprofit aimed at addressing hunger in Colorado. Hunger Free Colorado, formerly known as the Colorado Coalition to End Hunger, is the state’s leading advocate to end hunger. It aims to do this by increasing participation in federal nutrition programs, food stamps, and school breakfast and lunch programs.
In this interview, Barbara Berv, vice president of philanthropic services at The Denver Foundation, speaks about their partnership with Kaiser Permanente and Hunger Free Colorado and the goal of eliminating hunger in Colorado.
The City of New Orleans has been taking bold steps to address obesity and fitness on a local level—most especially for the city’s children. In this recent interview, Dr. Karen DeSalvo, City of New Orleans health commissioner, discusses the Fit NOLA Partnership, which aims to improve fitness levels and combat childhood obesity in New Orleans through a number of innovative, data-driven program and policies. DeSalvo’s vision is that through Fit Nola, New Orleans will become one of the top ten fittest cities in the United States by 2018.
Source: http://centerfortotalhealth.org/2012/experts-weigh-in-on-preventing-and-addressing-obesity/
Kid-Friendly Resources for Healthy Eating & Active Living
In honor of Childhood Obesity Awareness Month, we thought we’d offer a few helpful resources for engaging children and young people in healthy eating and active living.
Healthy Eating
Michelle Obama and the Let’s Move! campaign recently teamed up with Epicurious, the award-winning food website, to challenge kids across the country to submit their original recipes for nutritious and delicious lunches. The top 54 winning submissions were featured in The Healthy Lunchtime Challenge Cookbook and invited to the White House for a luncheon celebration with Mrs. Obama herself. The menu included some of the winning recipes, including kale chips and a quinoa, corn, and black bean salad.
Consider sharing these resources with the young people in your life….all of us need to engage in activities that foster healthy living.
Looking for more inspiration to get your family cooking healthy and delicious meals together? Check out Chop Chop, a quarterly food magazine and website for kids aged 5-12 and their families. ChopChop’s mission is to educate kids to cook and be nutritionally literate, empower them to actively participate as health partners with their families, and help establish and support better eating habits for a lifetime of good nutrition. The magazine and website are packed with great recipes, fun facts about food and food nutrition, basics on how to use kitchen utensils, and even some tips on how to grow your own vegetables at home.
Active Living
Our friends from the Care Management Institute and the pediatric department of Kaiser Permanente in Hayward, Calif. recently offered up a list of free fitness videos to help get kids and youth more active. Check these out:
Resources for kids
- Sesame Street: Grover’s Workout Video
- Exercise with Daniel Cook
- Get Active Series
- A Cosmic Kids Yoga Adventure
- Jazz Ballet Basics
- Dance Moves with Benjamin Allen
- Fit Factor Kids Exercise
Resources for teens
- MMA Workout with Coach Kozak
- BeeTwixt Pilates
- Fitness Blender Sports Endurance Workout
- Guide to Basic Zumba
- Dance Moves with Benjamin Allen
- Cardio Workouts with Kyle Brayer
We all need to work together for better health. Consider sharing these resources with the young people in your life, and help build awareness about how all of us need to engage in activities that foster healthy living.
Source: http://centerfortotalhealth.org/2012/kid-friendly-resources-for-healthy-eating-active-living/
association optometrists optometrists association optometrist od od optometrist college of optometrist
Welcome to Our Blog
Hello and welcome to the blog for Grochmal Eye Center! We’ve created this resource to assist our patients who are considering vision correction. Our goal is to provide you with information about the latest technology and procedures in vision care. Our blog will also serve as a forum for patients to learn about their surgical options from our Baltimore, Maryland Ophthalmologist, Dr. Jay C. Grochmal.
Source: http://www.grochmaleye.com/uncategorized/hello-world/
Tuesday, October 30, 2012
Premium smart lens patients the real stars of our latest video
Eye Consultants of Texas has just launched a new video featuring actual Fort Worth metro area patients telling their stories. These patients had premium smart lens implants as part of their cataract surgery or as a clear lens extraction. More specifically, these included Crystalens, ReSTOR and AcrySof Toric lens patients.
The video was intentionally unscripted to allow a patient to simply talk and feel comfortable in sharing their story. The goal was to get true heartfelt stories, and to genuinely capture each patient’s expressions and individual personality.
“We are beyond pleased,” Dr. Labor said. “It was very gratifying to see my patients speak so freely about how well they were treated by me, and, more importantly, how happy they were with my staff.” Each patient agreed to appear without compensation, to which Dr. Labor added, “The fact that they voluntarily gave of their time is, in many ways, what means the most. I can’t thank them enough!”
To learn more about Crystalens, ReSTOR, AcrySof Toric or other premium smart lenses we offer, please call our Grapevine office at 877-516-4364. We are conveniently located to all of Dallas/Fort Worth.
Dr. L. Shay Richardson, MD, Chattanooga, TN, 37404
Website Address:
Phone:
4236242696
optometrist pay optometrist salaries optometrists od optometrists salary vision optometrist
New ORA video provides firsthand glimpse at procedures
Eye Consultants of Texas has released a new video to help educate potential patients about the ORA System, and how it works. The ORA System is an updated version of what was previously called ORange, the world’s first technology that measures cataract surgery results in real time; a technology we introduced to Dallas/Fort Worth in 2011.
The short video features Eye Consultants of Texas founder, and Chief Surgeon, Phillips Kirk Labor, MD as narrator. Speaking both on and off camera, Dr. Labor highlights key points about how the ORA works, and how it can greatly benefit the patient. In addition, it shows various shots of he and his staff in action. The entire video was filmed, unscripted, the morning several ORA procedures were performed, in order to capture everything as it happened.
To learn more about the ORA System or cataract treatment, please call our office locally in Grapevine at 877-516-4364.
One thousand patients with primary myelofibrosis: The Mayo Clinic experience
Ayalew Tefferi, M.D., with the Department of Hematology at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., discusses the results of a study of 1,000 patients who have primary myelofibrosis.
Key findings
Researchers found that when patients with myelofibrosis present, their clinical features are not at a steady state and usually progress within the first few months of the diagnosis. It is best to wait a several months before providing a prognostic score.
Many patients with primary myelofibrosis can live a long life (exceeding 15 years) and patients who won’t live that long can be identified.
The most recent version of DIPSS-plus scoring system performed much better than prior versions, helping researchers to determine what proportion of patients with myelofibrosis are suitable for therapies. More than 50 percent of patients require observation alone.
A description of the study is included in the January 2012 issue of Mayo Clinic Proceedings.
ABSTRACT
Objective
To share our decades of experience with primary myelofibrosis and underscore the importance of outcomes research studies in designing clinical trials and interpreting their results.
Patients and methods
One thousand consecutive patients with primary myelofibrosis seen at Mayo Clinic between Nov. 4, 1977, and Sept. 1, 2011, were considered.
The International Prognostic Scoring System (IPSS), dynamic IPSS (DIPSS), and DIPSS-plus were applied for risk stratification. Separate analyses were included for patients seen at time of referral (N=1000), at initial diagnosis (N=340), and within or after 1 year of diagnosis (N=660).
Results
To date, 592 deaths and 68 leukemic transformations have been documented. Parameters at initial diagnosis vs time of referral included:
- Median age (66 vs 65 years)
- Male sex (61% vs 62%)
- Red cell transfusion need (24% vs 38%)
- Hemoglobin level less than 10 g/dL (38% vs 54%)
- Platelet count less than 100 × 109/L (18% vs 26%)
- Leukocyte count more than 25 × 109/L (13% vs 16%)
- Marked splenomegaly (21% vs 31%)
- Constitutional symptoms (29% vs 34%)
- Abnormal karyotype (31% vs 41%)
Mutational frequencies were 61% for JAK2V617F, 8% for MPLW515, and 4% for IDH1/2.
DIPSS-plus risk distributions at time of referral were 10% low, 15% intermediate-1, 37% intermediate-2, and 37% high. The corresponding median survivals were 17.5, 7.8, 3.6, and 1.8 years vs 20.0, 14.3, 5.3, and 1.7 years for patients younger than 60 years of age.
Compared with both DIPSS and IPSS, DIPSS-plus showed better discrimination among risk groups. Five-year leukemic transformation rates were 6% and 21% in low- and high-risk patients, respectively.
Conclusion
The current document should serve as a valuable resource for patients and physicians and provides context for the design and interpretation of clinical trials.
AUTHORS
Ayalew Tefferi, M.D., Terra L. Lasho, M.T., Thitina Jimma, M.D., Christy M. Finke, B.S., Naseema Gangat, MBBS, Rakhee Vaidya, MBBS , Kebede Hussein Begna, M.D., Aref Al-Kali, M.D., Rhett P. Ketterling, M.D., Curtis A. Hanson, M.D., Animesh Pardanani, MBBS, Ph.D.
optometrist salaries optometrists od optometrists salary vision optometrist optometrist wages
MHC Hosts Breast Cancer Awareness Event October 10th, 2012
Memphis Health Center, Inc. is dedicated to raising awareness and educating our patients and the community about breast cancer and other health disparities throughout the year. October is designated as National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Memphis Health Center, Inc. will host “Sharing their Stories” a program scheduled to share information on breast cancer programs and services, and highlight inspirational testimonies of breast cancer survivors. This event will take place on Wed. Oct. 10, 2012 at Memphis Health Center, Inc. 360 E. H. Crump, Main Conference Room 9:30 am – 11:00 am. Please contact Lisa Donnerson at 261-2037 for more information.
Dr. George Martin, MD, El Paso, TX, 79902
Website Address:
Phone:
(915) 590-2225
Fax:
(915) 590-2229
Source: http://www.spine-health.com/doctor/neurosurgeon/george-martin-el-paso-tx
optometrist doctor optometrist a doctor optometrist is a doctor optometrist eye doctor eye doctor optometrist
Dengue Fever in Brazil & elsewhere
There have been nearly 20,000 cases of dengue fever in Rio since the beginning of the year. Commonly known as ‘break-bone fever’, this nasty disease is spread by small mosquitoes that bite in daylight hours. Rio is a popular tourist destination, and travellers should know how to protect themselves against insect bites, as there is no vaccine against dengue fever.
Dengue fever is also increasing in the following countries: Malaysia, India, Ecuador, Bolivia, Paraguay, El Salvador, Bali in Indonesia, and in Queensland, Australia.
Source: ProMED-Mail 2012 #142
For further advice, contact the Globe Travel Health Centre on 01603 667323
optometrist salaries optometrists od optometrists salary vision optometrist optometrist wages
Monday, October 29, 2012
Baltimore LASIK Surgery Practice Hosts Valentine’s Day Special Offer for BOTOX ® Cosmetic
LASIK Surgeon in Baltimore Announces BOTOX Cosmetic Special Offer for Valentine's Day
Dr. Jay C. Grochmal, a LASIK surgeon in Baltimore, has announced his practice will be hosting a special offer on BOTOX ® Cosmetic to provide patients with a rejuvenated appearance and improved self-confidence at a discounted rate. The offer will run until Valentine’s Day and will give patients the chance to take advantage of reduced pricing on BOTOX in Baltimore in preparation for celebrating the iconic holiday with their loved ones.
At his Baltimore cataract and LASIK surgery practice in Baltimore, Dr. Jay C. Grochmal has announced the beginning of a special offer on BOTOX ® Cosmetic for patients looking to boost their appearance before Valentine’s Day. From now until the upcoming holiday on February 14, the Grochmal Eye Center will be offering BOTOX ® Cosmetic at $9.75 per unit. Dr. Grochmal and his practice provide laser vision correction procedures such as LASIK in Maryland, as well as cosmetic enhancements including BOTOX ® injections, Juvederm®, and eyelid surgery.
Dr. Grochmal says cosmetic procedures such as the non-invasive BOTOX ® Cosmetic and surgical procedures like eyelid surgery can offer patients an aesthetic addition to their LASIK or laser vision correction surgery in order to provide a more comprehensive and noticeable enhancement to their new, clearer vision. Dermal injections like Juvederm® and BOTOX ® Cosmetic are designed to tighten loose skin and treat wrinkles and facial lines. He says with reduced pricing on BOTOX ® Cosmetic and his variety of aesthetic procedures, patients now have the opportunity to improve self confidence and tighten the skin under their eyes for a completely refreshed outlook on life.
For patients interested in taking advantage of the Grochmal Eye Center’s BOTOX ® Cosmetic special for Valentine’s Day, Dr. Grochmal says to contact his practice for more information. He also adds that consulting with an experienced and qualified practice is essential for achieving safe and effective treatment.
About Jay C. Grochmal, MD
Dr. Jay Grochmal received his medical degree from the University of Maryland, after which he completed a rotating internship at the U.S. Public Health Hospital in Baltimore. During his residency, he achieved the rank of Chief Resident at the Greater Baltimore Medical Center’s Department of Ophthalmology. Dr. Grochmal is on staff with the Greater Baltimore Medical Center and St. Agnes Hospital. He has participated in several medical mission trips to third world countries to provide his expertise in eye care, including Pakistan, Jamaica, and the Bahamas. Dr. Grochmal is also a member of the American Academy of Ophthalmology.
Located at 405 Frederick Road, Suite 102 in Baltimore, MD, the Grochmal Eye Center can be reached at (410) 697-4090. It can also be contacted online via the website grochmaleye.com or facebook.com/grochmaleye.
###
optometrist vs ophthalmologist optometrist versus ophthalmologist
The ONC’s Kevin Larsen on Meaningful Use
More highlights from Health IT Week: Kevin Larsen, MD, medical director of meaningful use for the Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT, sat down with the Center for Total Health blog and answered a few questions about meaningful use. The video below captures that conversation.
The term “meaningful use” represents the set of standards outlined by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Incentive Programs that governs the use of electronic health records and allows eligible health care providers to earn incentive payments by meeting specific criteria. For more detail on the incentive programs, check out the CMS website.
Source: http://centerfortotalhealth.org/2012/the-oncs-kevin-larsen-on-meaningful-use/
eye exams optometrist doctors eye doctors optometrist optometrist specialist optometrist or opthamologist
The curious metal art object on our wall, explained
Part of building our new Grapevine facility in 2010 included a commissioned piece of art to further add a more interesting, less clinic-like environment for our patients. If you’ve ever been to our office, it’s not hard to miss. It’s located in the main hallway leading to our exam rooms with various eye care instruments, eye charts, and Eye Consultants of Texas elements in steel.
Since we unveiled this piece of art we’ve had lots of questions, including “how was that done,” and “was it hard to do?” The entire piece is actually made up of several individual pieces installed on the wall to create a textured effect. Each was hand drawn onto steel, cut out with a water torch, then finished to give it a copper-like appearance to coordinate with the copper throughout our building.
We simply wanted something different without being too “out there.” We’re glad our patients appreciate that it helps makes our Opthalmology office feel less like a medical facility; especially since it’s made of steel, and not so easy to remove!
Medicare And Medicaid Overpayment Suit Upheld
Whistleblowers, Lucas Matheny (“Matheny”) and Deborah Loveland (“Loveland”), brought an action against Medco Health Solutions (“Medco”) claiming that Medco and its subsidiaries failed to report and refund to the federal government $69 million in Medicare and Medicaid overpayments. The plaintiffs, former employees of Medco, used the authority of the False Claims Act to bring their lawsuit. The False Claims Act allows private individuals to sue an entity on their own and the government’s behalf. In doing so, the individuals receive compensation for being a “whistleblower”, which is usually between 15% and 25% of the funds recovered, including reasonable expenses, attorney fees and costs.
Matheny and Loveland knew of the overpayments to Medco, but were told that because of insufficient manpower to process the necessary forms, the overpayments would not be refunded to the government. Matheny and Loveland claimed the overpayments were transferred to fictitious patient accounts and perfect records with a zero percent error rate were created using a specific computer program. In addition, Medco filed a false certificate of compliance with the government, knowingly concealing millions of dollars in overpayments.
When the lawsuit was first heard by the court, it was dismissed, due to the court noting that the plaintiffs’ complaint had been amended three times and failed to state a claim. However, on appeal, the court concluded that Matheny and Loveland had sufficiently alleged the existence of a false record. Additionally, the court held that the defendants (Medco) knew the records were false and were to be used to avoid a financial obligation to the government.
The Matheny v. Medco Health Solutions matter is a prime example for healthcare providers to be careful with potential overpayments and how to handle those overpayments should they occur.
Source: http://www.pagingdrblog.com/2012/07/09/medicare-and-medicaid-overpayment-suit-upheld/
eyeglasses eye doctor who is an optometrist what is a optometrist optometrist in
Blocked fallopian tubes – successful Natural IVF
Claudia*, 35, already had a child after aggressive, conventional IVF, and wanted another. However, because she had blocked tubes, she needed IVF. She was exhausted after her conventional IVF and said “never again”! It had been very aggressive IVF, had cost her nearly £9000 and she had lots of unpleasant side effects. She had never [...]
optometrist eye is a optometrist a doctor is optometrist a doctor doctor optometrist is an optometrist a doctor
Medicare Star Quality Ratings Released
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services recently announced that of 563 Medicare Advantage plans rated nationwide, only 11 Medicare health plans with prescription drug benefit earned 5 stars for 2013 — the highest overall rating for quality and service.
Each year through the Medicare Star Quality Ratings system, CMS rates Medicare health plans (both parts C and D) on a scale of 1 to 5 stars, with 5 stars representing the highest quality. The overall scores are based on more than 50 care and service quality measures across five categories, including staying healthy, managing chronic conditions, member satisfaction, customer service and pharmacy services.
In addition to receiving high-quality care and service, 5-star excellence means that Medicare beneficiaries may enroll in a 5-star plan from Dec. 8, 2012, to Nov. 30, 2013, without having to wait until the next annual enrollment period.
Leading the nation with six of the 11 Medicare health plans earning 5 stars was Kaiser Permanente. The Kaiser Permanente 5-star Medicare plans are those operating in California, the Northwest, Hawaii, Colorado, Ohio and the Mid-Atlantic States. Kaiser Permanente’s Georgia region is the top-rated plan in its area with 4.5 stars.
Medicare beneficiaries can learn more about the Medicare Star Quality Ratings by visiting kp.org/medicarestars or medicare.gov, or by calling 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227).
Source: http://centerfortotalhealth.org/2012/medicare-star-quality-ratings-released/
Dengue Fever in Brazil & elsewhere
There have been nearly 20,000 cases of dengue fever in Rio since the beginning of the year. Commonly known as ‘break-bone fever’, this nasty disease is spread by small mosquitoes that bite in daylight hours. Rio is a popular tourist destination, and travellers should know how to protect themselves against insect bites, as there is no vaccine against dengue fever.
Dengue fever is also increasing in the following countries: Malaysia, India, Ecuador, Bolivia, Paraguay, El Salvador, Bali in Indonesia, and in Queensland, Australia.
Source: ProMED-Mail 2012 #142
For further advice, contact the Globe Travel Health Centre on 01603 667323
eye doctors optometrist optometrist specialist optometrist or opthamologist optometrist opthamologist opthamologist optometrist
Sunday, October 28, 2012
Top 5 Myths of Glaucoma
Now that you have a basic understanding of glaucoma, let’s clear up a few of the most common myths surrounding this serious condition.
Here are the top 5 myths of glaucoma:
1. Myth: Glaucoma is rare.
Fact: On the contrary, it has been estimated that over 2 million Americans are suffering from glaucoma. Even more disturbing is the fact that glaucoma remains a leading cause of blindness in the US.
2. Myth: Only patients with a family history can develop glaucoma.
Fact: Although certain factors like age and heredity can increase your chances of developing glaucoma, the condition can affect anyone, anywhere and at any age.
3. Myth: Glaucoma cannot be treated.
Fact: While there is currently no cure, there are a host of Glaucoma Treatments aimed at minimizing the risk of permanent vision loss. These treatments include medications, eye drops and surgery.
4. Myth: Only patients with glaucoma symptoms should get checked out.
Fact: The majority of glaucoma patients do not experience any symptoms before the optic nerve actually becomes damaged. For this reason, regular glaucoma screenings are vitally important.
5. Myth: Glaucoma screenings are painful.
Fact: Glaucoma screenings test different things—visual field, pressure in the eye, etc. Each of these tests are not only quick, but non-painful.
Get Checked! Schedule a Glaucoma Screening Today
To schedule a glaucoma screening or to learn about any of the ophthalmology services we offer, we encourage you to contact us today. Our offices are located in Winchester, serving Virginia, West Virginia and Maryland. Book your appointment at (540) 722-6200. We look forward to seeing you.
Source: http://www.seeclear.com/blog/glaucoma/top-5-myths-of-glaucoma
Functional – Movement – Kettlebells – CrossFit
Here is a great interview of the owner of, CrossFit Seattle – Dave Werner. The interview was conducted by, Dr. Wendy Schauer, D.C., R.K.C. of – www.HappyNewYou.com. The interview has many references to some of the leading researchers and their findings on how important “Functional Movement” is to over all health, especially back pain. It also covers the role that the Russian Kettlebell can play in overall health and fitness.
Here is the link to the interview:
http://happynewyou.com/interview-with-dave-werner-rkc-and-owner-of-crossfit-seattle
Yours In Health!
G.E. Moon II
Source: http://www.abundanthealthcenter.com/blog/functional-movement-kettlebells-crossfit
opthamologist optometrist opthamologist or optometrist optometrist and opthamologist optometry school optometrist and ophthalmologist
Baltimore Eye Surgeon Now Performing Cosmetic Eyelid Surgery
Baltimore, MD – According to the Administration on Aging (AOA), persons 65 and older represented nearly 13% of the U.S. population in 2009, and are expected to represent 19% by 2030. The Bureau of Labor Statistics finds that the number of older Americans in the workforce is growing as well. As the population and workforce ages, Baltimore eye surgeon Jay C. Grochmal, MD says his patients that are late stage baby-boomers are under extreme pressure to maintain a high level of performance in the workplace, and portraying a vivacious and youthful appearance is essential to continued success.
While helping patients improve their vision with procedures such as LASIK and cataract surgery is important to success in the workplace, Dr. Grochmal says the desire to help his patients enhance their aesthetic appearance has become an important part of his practice as well. He says this growing demand for increased confidence and a natural-looking enhancement is what led him to the decision to add cosmetic eyelid surgery to his list of procedures: “Our society places such a high value on appearance and equates a youthful look with the likelihood of business and social success. Baby boomers are still very active and productive and a refreshed look can eliminate unwarranted bias in career choices.”
As the number of cosmetic procedures performed in the U.S. continues to increase, Dr. Grochmal says the desire to look younger longer is obvious, adding that a tough economy and high unemployment rate further contribute to the stress his older patients must endure. Because he constantly strives to improve patient care while providing the latest and safest procedures, Dr. Grochmal says providing cosmetic treatments for his patients is a result of his original commitment to provide the most effective treatments available to meet any and all needs of his patients: “As the cliche goes now, 50 is the new 40 and 60 is the new 50, and so on. My patients want to look as young as they feel and be able to see well too. Ultimately, we believe providing cosmetic eyelid surgery will improve their chances of success in the workplace.”
About Jay C. Grochmal, MD
After earning his medical degree from the University of Maryland, Dr. Jay C. Grochmal completed his residency while achieving the rank of Chief Resident at the Greater Baltimore Medical Center’s Department of Ophthalmology. In addition to being on staff at some of the leading hospitals in the Baltimore area, Dr. Grochmal has traveled on a number of missions dedicated to improving eye care around the world.
Grochmal Eye Center is located in the Catonsville Professional Center at 405 Frederick Rd., Ste. 102, Baltimore, MD 21228, and can be reached at (410) 697-4090. Dr. Grochmal and his team can also be reached at grochmaleye.com or their Baltimore Eye Care Facebook page.
Breast Cancer Awareness Month
October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. According to the CDC, 210,203 women in the United States were diagnosed with breast cancer, and 40,589 women died from the disease, in 2008 (the latest year for which statistics are available). With the exception of skin cancer, breast cancer is the most common cancer among American women.
Breast cancer screening can often lead to earlier detection and treatment of the disease. Most health insurance companies pay for the cost of breast screening tests. For those people worried about the cost, the National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program (NBCCEDP) offers free or low-cost mammograms and education about breast cancer. You can find out if you qualify here.
In recognition of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, we are sharing a story of a breast cancer survivor. Kathleen Tebb, a 39-year-old mother of two children, was diagnosed and had a mastectomy followed by aggressive treatment, including radiation. With the help of physical therapy, Kathleen was eventually able to resume one of her passions—rock climbing. Read more about Kathleen’s story here, and check out an interview with her below.
For more stories from breast cancer survivors, check out the latest posts on Kaiser Permanente’s Care Stories Blog.
Source: http://centerfortotalhealth.org/2012/breast-cancer-awareness-month/
eye clinic eye doctors ophthalmologist eye optometrist optometrist eye
MHC Partners with A Step Ahead to Provide Patients with Free Long-Term Contraceptives
Community Health ‘A step ahead’
Nonprofit organization offers community support for women
Claudia S. Haltom is president and CEO of A Step Ahead Foundation, a new nonprofit organization that offers women free, long-term, reversible contraceptives in hopes of helping high-risk youth get ‘a step ahead’ in their life choices.
Medical assistant Lucia Acosta (left) and family nurse practicioner Carmetra Avery attend to patient Shiela Phelps at the Memphis Health Center.
Dr. Vanessa Givens (left); Dr. Barry-Lewis Harris, chief medical officer; CEO Willeen Hastings; and Claudia S. Haltom, president and CEO, discuss health care at the Memphis Health Center.
Claudia Haltom noticed an entry-level pattern in the youth she encountered during her career as a judge at Memphis Shelby County Juvenile Court for 17 years, and in mediation, where she served after retirement. This pattern was that most juvenile offenders were young parents or parents of multiple, unplanned children. Haltom felt the young offenders could have better life options by being able to plan and be in control of their future through contraception. The use of contraception would put these high-risk youth “a step ahead.”
Thus, in August 2011, Haltom formed A Step Ahead Foundation with a mission to provide free, long-term, reversible birth control to women who wouldn’t otherwise have access. But the planning for this foundation started long before August 2011. Haltom found resources to distribute information and access to the program through partnerships with Le Bonheur home nursing program, the Exchange Club, Agape, Porter Leath, Department of Human Services and the St. Jude HIV clinic. Additionally, Methodist Le Bonheur Germantown Hospital, Baptist Memorial Hospital for Women and the Regional Medical Center at Memphis provide information to new mothers regarding spacing children through one-on-one consultation with a health care professional.
Partnering with health care clinics that could perform and prescribe the necessary birth control methods also was crucial. Haltom found willing participants within the Memphis Health Center and Christ Community Health Services.
Haltom found that common barriers to effective use of contraception are access and ease of dispensation. For example, TennCare contraceptive participants must first see a health care professional, get a prescription for the Depo-Provera shot, take the prescription to the pharmacy to be dispensed, and bring the contraceptive back to the clinic to be administered. Birth control pills are also a popular method of contraceptive with TennCare. Both methods require multiple steps — steps that often fall by the wayside at some point, providing ineffective results.
The A Step Ahead Foundation provides a physical, pap smear, pregnancy test and a long term contraceptive instrument. Depending on the chosen method, “long-term” can mean up to 10 years.
Haltom quotes her motto, “Being abstinent is the best method, unless you are not. And if you are not, we’re here to help.”
This motto is followed closely by, “Plan your life (career), your family (choosing a father for your children — one that deserves you), and then plan your babies.”
A Step Ahead Foundation is funded solely through the generous support of people in Shelby County. For more information, to make an appointment or donation, call (901) 320-7837 or go to a step ahead.me.
Medicare And Medicaid Overpayment Suit Upheld
Whistleblowers, Lucas Matheny (“Matheny”) and Deborah Loveland (“Loveland”), brought an action against Medco Health Solutions (“Medco”) claiming that Medco and its subsidiaries failed to report and refund to the federal government $69 million in Medicare and Medicaid overpayments. The plaintiffs, former employees of Medco, used the authority of the False Claims Act to bring their lawsuit. The False Claims Act allows private individuals to sue an entity on their own and the government’s behalf. In doing so, the individuals receive compensation for being a “whistleblower”, which is usually between 15% and 25% of the funds recovered, including reasonable expenses, attorney fees and costs.
Matheny and Loveland knew of the overpayments to Medco, but were told that because of insufficient manpower to process the necessary forms, the overpayments would not be refunded to the government. Matheny and Loveland claimed the overpayments were transferred to fictitious patient accounts and perfect records with a zero percent error rate were created using a specific computer program. In addition, Medco filed a false certificate of compliance with the government, knowingly concealing millions of dollars in overpayments.
When the lawsuit was first heard by the court, it was dismissed, due to the court noting that the plaintiffs’ complaint had been amended three times and failed to state a claim. However, on appeal, the court concluded that Matheny and Loveland had sufficiently alleged the existence of a false record. Additionally, the court held that the defendants (Medco) knew the records were false and were to be used to avoid a financial obligation to the government.
The Matheny v. Medco Health Solutions matter is a prime example for healthcare providers to be careful with potential overpayments and how to handle those overpayments should they occur.
Source: http://www.pagingdrblog.com/2012/07/09/medicare-and-medicaid-overpayment-suit-upheld/
One thousand patients with primary myelofibrosis: The Mayo Clinic experience
Ayalew Tefferi, M.D., with the Department of Hematology at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., discusses the results of a study of 1,000 patients who have primary myelofibrosis.
Key findings
Researchers found that when patients with myelofibrosis present, their clinical features are not at a steady state and usually progress within the first few months of the diagnosis. It is best to wait a several months before providing a prognostic score.
Many patients with primary myelofibrosis can live a long life (exceeding 15 years) and patients who won’t live that long can be identified.
The most recent version of DIPSS-plus scoring system performed much better than prior versions, helping researchers to determine what proportion of patients with myelofibrosis are suitable for therapies. More than 50 percent of patients require observation alone.
A description of the study is included in the January 2012 issue of Mayo Clinic Proceedings.
ABSTRACT
Objective
To share our decades of experience with primary myelofibrosis and underscore the importance of outcomes research studies in designing clinical trials and interpreting their results.
Patients and methods
One thousand consecutive patients with primary myelofibrosis seen at Mayo Clinic between Nov. 4, 1977, and Sept. 1, 2011, were considered.
The International Prognostic Scoring System (IPSS), dynamic IPSS (DIPSS), and DIPSS-plus were applied for risk stratification. Separate analyses were included for patients seen at time of referral (N=1000), at initial diagnosis (N=340), and within or after 1 year of diagnosis (N=660).
Results
To date, 592 deaths and 68 leukemic transformations have been documented. Parameters at initial diagnosis vs time of referral included:
- Median age (66 vs 65 years)
- Male sex (61% vs 62%)
- Red cell transfusion need (24% vs 38%)
- Hemoglobin level less than 10 g/dL (38% vs 54%)
- Platelet count less than 100 × 109/L (18% vs 26%)
- Leukocyte count more than 25 × 109/L (13% vs 16%)
- Marked splenomegaly (21% vs 31%)
- Constitutional symptoms (29% vs 34%)
- Abnormal karyotype (31% vs 41%)
Mutational frequencies were 61% for JAK2V617F, 8% for MPLW515, and 4% for IDH1/2.
DIPSS-plus risk distributions at time of referral were 10% low, 15% intermediate-1, 37% intermediate-2, and 37% high. The corresponding median survivals were 17.5, 7.8, 3.6, and 1.8 years vs 20.0, 14.3, 5.3, and 1.7 years for patients younger than 60 years of age.
Compared with both DIPSS and IPSS, DIPSS-plus showed better discrimination among risk groups. Five-year leukemic transformation rates were 6% and 21% in low- and high-risk patients, respectively.
Conclusion
The current document should serve as a valuable resource for patients and physicians and provides context for the design and interpretation of clinical trials.
AUTHORS
Ayalew Tefferi, M.D., Terra L. Lasho, M.T., Thitina Jimma, M.D., Christy M. Finke, B.S., Naseema Gangat, MBBS, Rakhee Vaidya, MBBS , Kebede Hussein Begna, M.D., Aref Al-Kali, M.D., Rhett P. Ketterling, M.D., Curtis A. Hanson, M.D., Animesh Pardanani, MBBS, Ph.D.
ophthalmology eye clinic eye doctors ophthalmologist eye optometrist
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)