LATEST ESTIMATE FOR MEDICAL ERRORS SETS COSTS AT THE $1.5 BILLION MARK
The latest medical error cost figures have just been released. Incredibly, the cost of potentially preventable surgical errors in the United States is now recorded at almost $1.5 billion annually.
This astounding total comes from estimated figures released in July by the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ). It represents the additional costs for medical services that are passed along to employers and their healthcare providers.
- Two categories of additional care required accounted for the major recipient of extra care dollars. Researchers found the insurers’ average payment for acute respiratory failure totaled $28,218, which added 52 percent more to medical costs. Next were post-operative infections, which required $19,480 additional dollars for a total of 48 percent higher costs.
- When medical errors occurred, nursing costs rose as well by $12,196 for a 33 percent cost increase. Metabolic problems such as kidney failure or uncontrolled blood sugar contributed $11,797 in added dollars for a 32 percent increase.
- Next came the additional care and handling associated with blood clots, vascular problems and pulmonary difficulties. This total came to $7,838 at 25 percent more. Open wounds associated with errors added $1,426 or 6 percent more.
The research work was conducted by the AHRQ’s William E. Encinosa and Fred J. Hellinger, both PhDs. Results of their study were published in the journal Health Services Research. AHRQ Director Carolyn M. Clancy, M.D. said, “Like the physical and emotional harm caused by medical errors, the financial consequences don’t stop at the hospital door. Eliminating medical errors and their after effects must continue to be top priority for our healthcare system.”
Also mentioned in this study was the fact that 1 out of every 10 patients who died within 90 days of their surgery did so because of preventable error. Of these, one-third occurred after discharge from the hospital.
These figures came from a nationwide sample of 161,000 employer-insured patients age 18 to 64 that had surgery in 2001 and 2002.
Medicare has announced that as of October 2008, it will discontinue certain payments to hospitals for preventable medical error. It will be interesting to see how placing the financial burden on hospitals for post-error handling affects the number of surgical errors in this country.
Source: US Department of Health and Human Services, Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. “New AHRQ Study Finds Surgical Errors Cost Nearly $1.5 Billion Annually.” July 2008.
Speak up and educate others,
Dr. Craig
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
MEDICAL ASSOCIATION NOW WANTS CHOLESTEROL SCREENING FOR TODDLERS
It’s hard to say if it’s simply a sign of the times or the continuing search by drug companies to find new and untapped markets for their products. However, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) is now recommending cholesterol testing for children as young as 2 years old and even recommending cholesterol lowering drugs in some older children.
The AAP has made the call for screening and treatment a part of their policy with a statement called “Lipid Screening and Cardiovascular Health in Childhood.” This screening is mainly directed at children in families that have a history of high cholesterol levels in their background. Other familial factors that could trigger a screening would be frequency of cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure or diabetes.
Screening for children that meet these specifications should begin sometime after their 2nd birthday and before the age of 10, says the AAP. Previous AAP screening recommendations were far less specific regarding targeted ages for testing to start.
Previously, the AAP never recommended cholesterol drugs for children under 10. That specification has been lowered now to include younger children to whom drugs are being recommended. “For children who are more than 8 years old and who have high LDL (bad cholesterol) concentrations, cholesterol-reducing medications should be considered. Younger patients with elevated cholesterol readings should focus on weight reduction and increased activity while receiving nutrition counseling.”
Most cholesterol lowering drugs have serious side effects. There is no question that obesity is a problem of increasing proportion throughout American society. It is truly unfortunate that it is becoming a factor in very young children and a sad comment on diet, sedentary lifestyles and a lack of exercise throughout our culture. Children need to be encouraged to “get out and play” and get the body moving. This will go a long way to promote good health and strong bodies.
Parents who are looking for ways to improve the lifestyle and health of their children would be wise to consult a chiropractor for expertise and advice on this subject. It is important not only to keep children off drugs, but also to develop a way of good healthy thinking that will have them choosing exercise and fitness rather than a trip to the medicine cabinet for everything that ails them in their future years.
Source: American Academy of Pediatrics. "New AAP Policy on Lipid Screening and Heart Health in Children." Press Release. July 2008.
Speak up and educate others,
Dr. Craig
P.S. September 30th is the deadline for Family Wellness and Prevention Month. All family members and significant others receive a complimentary wellness evaluation and screening, at no charge. Don’t miss out on the opportunity to go the extra mile when it comes to the health of your loved ones!
Thursday, September 18, 2008
FDA TO REQUIRE BLACK BOX WARNING FOR CIPRO® AND SIMILAR ANTIBIOTICS
It’s taken over 12 years since an original petition was filed, but the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is finally getting around to putting a Black Box Warning label on the antibiotic Cipro® and other similar antibiotics.
Back in 1996, the watchdog group Public Citizen initially presented evidence to the FDA in the form of a petition to require stronger warning labels for all drugs containing fluoroquinolone antibiotics due to reported increased risks of patients developing tendonitis or experiencing tendon rupture. These types of antibiotics are widely prescribed for gastrointestinal, respiratory and urinary infections. The FDA honored the 1996 petition, but warnings about the product were buried in a list of possible reactions and considered inadequate.
Public Citizen reviewed the FDA’s adverse events database form 1997 to 2005 and found enough evidence of tendon problems to submit another warning petition in 2005. During this period of time, there were 262 cases of tendon ruptures reported and over 500 cases of tendonitis and other tendon disorders. Ruptures of the Achilles tendon were the most sudden and severe. Other areas of the body affected include the rotator cuff, the biceps, the hand and the thumb. (Tendons are tough fibrous tissue that connect muscles to joints.)
The reason that fluoroquinolone drugs affect the tendons in this manner is not completely known. One theory is that these antibiotics are toxic to tendon fibers and may cause a decrease in the blood supply to tendons, a part of the body that already operates on a limited blood supply.
The recent FDA action to raise the status of Cipro® to a Black Box Warning is the result of a suit filed against the FDA by Public Citizen for failing to honor petition requests from over 2 years ago. The FDA will now issue a notice to all manufacturers of fluoroquinolone drugs to add a boxed warning regarding the likelihood of developing tendonitis or experiencing tendon rupture. Manufacturers will also be directed to develop a “medication guide” for patients.
Persons who are taking Cipro® or other fluoroquinolone drugs should be instructed to stop taking them immediately if they develop tendon pain. Symptoms may include swelling, inflammation and tears of a tendon.
Persons who are over 60 years of age are considered to be at higher risk of tendon-related problems. Also in the higher risk category is anyone taking steroids, as well as persons who have had organ transplants, according to the FDA.
The following list of medications are being targeted by the FDA for Black Box Warnings: Cipro®, Cipro
XR®, Proquiin XR®, Factive®, Levaquin®, Avelox®, Noroxin® and generic ofloxacin, also marketed as Floxin®.
Source: The US Federal Drug Administration. “Information for Health Care Professionals.” July 2008. http://www.fda.gov/cder/drug/InfoSheets/HCP/fluoroquinolonesHCP.htm and Public Citizen. “FDA Should Warn of Tendon Ruptures Linked to Cipro, Levaquin, Other Antibiotics in Same Class.” Press Release. August 2006. http://www.tradewatch.org/pressroom/release.cfm?ID=2262
Speak up and educate others,
Dr. Craig
Back in 1996, the watchdog group Public Citizen initially presented evidence to the FDA in the form of a petition to require stronger warning labels for all drugs containing fluoroquinolone antibiotics due to reported increased risks of patients developing tendonitis or experiencing tendon rupture. These types of antibiotics are widely prescribed for gastrointestinal, respiratory and urinary infections. The FDA honored the 1996 petition, but warnings about the product were buried in a list of possible reactions and considered inadequate.
Public Citizen reviewed the FDA’s adverse events database form 1997 to 2005 and found enough evidence of tendon problems to submit another warning petition in 2005. During this period of time, there were 262 cases of tendon ruptures reported and over 500 cases of tendonitis and other tendon disorders. Ruptures of the Achilles tendon were the most sudden and severe. Other areas of the body affected include the rotator cuff, the biceps, the hand and the thumb. (Tendons are tough fibrous tissue that connect muscles to joints.)
The reason that fluoroquinolone drugs affect the tendons in this manner is not completely known. One theory is that these antibiotics are toxic to tendon fibers and may cause a decrease in the blood supply to tendons, a part of the body that already operates on a limited blood supply.
The recent FDA action to raise the status of Cipro® to a Black Box Warning is the result of a suit filed against the FDA by Public Citizen for failing to honor petition requests from over 2 years ago. The FDA will now issue a notice to all manufacturers of fluoroquinolone drugs to add a boxed warning regarding the likelihood of developing tendonitis or experiencing tendon rupture. Manufacturers will also be directed to develop a “medication guide” for patients.
Persons who are taking Cipro® or other fluoroquinolone drugs should be instructed to stop taking them immediately if they develop tendon pain. Symptoms may include swelling, inflammation and tears of a tendon.
Persons who are over 60 years of age are considered to be at higher risk of tendon-related problems. Also in the higher risk category is anyone taking steroids, as well as persons who have had organ transplants, according to the FDA.
The following list of medications are being targeted by the FDA for Black Box Warnings: Cipro®, Cipro
XR®, Proquiin XR®, Factive®, Levaquin®, Avelox®, Noroxin® and generic ofloxacin, also marketed as Floxin®.
Source: The US Federal Drug Administration. “Information for Health Care Professionals.” July 2008. http://www.fda.gov/cder/drug/InfoSheets/HCP/fluoroquinolonesHCP.htm and Public Citizen. “FDA Should Warn of Tendon Ruptures Linked to Cipro, Levaquin, Other Antibiotics in Same Class.” Press Release. August 2006. http://www.tradewatch.org/pressroom/release.cfm?ID=2262
Speak up and educate others,
Dr. Craig
WITH A WILL OF IRON AND INTENSE STUDY CHIROPRACTOR OVERCOMES OSTEOPOROSIS
This August, the eyes of the world turned to Beijing, China, where we were treated to marvelous performances by the crème de la crème of the athletically trained world. We marveled at their skill, were reminded frequently of their sacrifices and were totally impressed with their high level of conditioning.
Yet it is just this fashion of training regimen that lead to some severe health difficulties for one past Olympic-quality athlete. His name is Keith McCormick and he is a chiropractor, a member of the 1976 Olympic team and most recently a competitor in the 2005 Iron Man competition in Hawaii. In retrospect, it is his continued ability to be able to compete in Iron Man events that is most remarkable.
The reason is that 53-year-old Dr. McCormick suffers from osteoporosis. A number of years ago this world-class athlete became aware of his condition. “I was an Iron Man competitor, Olympic athlete, a young male with no risk factors – not your typical osteoporosis patient. I was 45 and had the skeleton of a 100-year-old woman.”
A typical road to follow for anyone with this type of a diagnosis would be to take a drug for the problem.
However, this avenue did not sit well with a man trained as a chiropractor with a much higher wellness approach to healing. “Anything I do, I go all out,” he said. “I’m not going to rely on someone else. They just wanted to give me medicine. I wanted to find out why this happened and fix it the right way.” Basically, he followed the age-old advice of “physician health thyself” and decided to do something positive about his condition.
What Dr. McCormick found through his extensive research that went on for some 2 years is that he was overtraining. For a 1982 Iron Man competition he averaged 35 hours per week of working out, which included 450 miles per week on his bicycle. It turned out that this was just too much work for his skeletal system to handle.
The result of his study was a new training schedule and just as importantly, a new diet. Armed with his new knowledge, he ate better and cut down on his workout time. “I rested more, and I had an impeccable diet – no sweets, lots of fruits and vegetables and nothing too high in protein which can lead to calcium loss. My whole way of attacking dietary nutrition was an aspect I paid more attention to. I realized it's important that if I train I need to fill my cup afterward.”
This portrait of Dr. McCormick’s success in looking at his health situation and doing something about it is a scenario that all can benefit from – world class athlete or not. Whether you want to find out more for yourself or simply consult a chiropractor to put you onto a healthy lifestyle, the choice is yours.
Source: Chiropractic Research. “Iron Man Chiropractor Beats Osteoporosis.” January 2006. http://www.chiropracticresearch.org
Speak up and educate others,
Dr. Craig
P.S. September 30th is the deadline for Family Wellness and Prevention Month. All family members and significant others receive a complimentary wellness evaluation and screening, at no charge. Don’t miss out on the opportunity to go the extra mile when it comes to the health of your loved ones!
Yet it is just this fashion of training regimen that lead to some severe health difficulties for one past Olympic-quality athlete. His name is Keith McCormick and he is a chiropractor, a member of the 1976 Olympic team and most recently a competitor in the 2005 Iron Man competition in Hawaii. In retrospect, it is his continued ability to be able to compete in Iron Man events that is most remarkable.
The reason is that 53-year-old Dr. McCormick suffers from osteoporosis. A number of years ago this world-class athlete became aware of his condition. “I was an Iron Man competitor, Olympic athlete, a young male with no risk factors – not your typical osteoporosis patient. I was 45 and had the skeleton of a 100-year-old woman.”
A typical road to follow for anyone with this type of a diagnosis would be to take a drug for the problem.
However, this avenue did not sit well with a man trained as a chiropractor with a much higher wellness approach to healing. “Anything I do, I go all out,” he said. “I’m not going to rely on someone else. They just wanted to give me medicine. I wanted to find out why this happened and fix it the right way.” Basically, he followed the age-old advice of “physician health thyself” and decided to do something positive about his condition.
What Dr. McCormick found through his extensive research that went on for some 2 years is that he was overtraining. For a 1982 Iron Man competition he averaged 35 hours per week of working out, which included 450 miles per week on his bicycle. It turned out that this was just too much work for his skeletal system to handle.
The result of his study was a new training schedule and just as importantly, a new diet. Armed with his new knowledge, he ate better and cut down on his workout time. “I rested more, and I had an impeccable diet – no sweets, lots of fruits and vegetables and nothing too high in protein which can lead to calcium loss. My whole way of attacking dietary nutrition was an aspect I paid more attention to. I realized it's important that if I train I need to fill my cup afterward.”
This portrait of Dr. McCormick’s success in looking at his health situation and doing something about it is a scenario that all can benefit from – world class athlete or not. Whether you want to find out more for yourself or simply consult a chiropractor to put you onto a healthy lifestyle, the choice is yours.
Source: Chiropractic Research. “Iron Man Chiropractor Beats Osteoporosis.” January 2006. http://www.chiropracticresearch.org
Speak up and educate others,
Dr. Craig
P.S. September 30th is the deadline for Family Wellness and Prevention Month. All family members and significant others receive a complimentary wellness evaluation and screening, at no charge. Don’t miss out on the opportunity to go the extra mile when it comes to the health of your loved ones!
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
MAXIMIZED HEALTH REPORT
MEDICAL ERRORS ARE PREVENTABLE WHEN PATIENTS GET INVOLVED IN TREATMENT
The number of medical errors in the United States borders on hard to believe. Wrong-site surgeries, incorrect drug prescriptions and hospital stay errors are way to frequent.
This brings up the question, “Is it possible for the average patient to reduce the risk of experiencing a medical or prescription error? According to the New York State Health Department the answer is yes, and the organization has provided a lengthy list of advices to “help prevent medical errors.”
Number one in importance is this: “The single most important way you can help to prevent errors is to be an active member of your healthcare team.” This means that a person should actively take part in each and every decision because research shows that patients who are more involved in their care tend to get better results.
Imagine trusting your doctor to do surgery on your left knee only to find out upon awakening that the procedure was done on your right leg? According to the advisory, wrong-site surgery is something that should be 100% preventable and patient involvement with a doctor prior to surgery can go a long way to preventing it. “The American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons urges its members to sign their initials directly on the site to be operated on before surgery,” says the advisory. Get involved and get it right would be the advice.
Regarding hospital stays, it’s best to select a hospital where many patients have already received the procedure you need. Infections received in a hospital are sometimes more dangerous than the procedure, so make certain everyone in the hospital who has any contact with you washes their hands. When leaving the hospital, get specific instructions for your continued recovery.
Medication errors are way too frequent. Here are some simple things to do to help prevent them. It starts with fully informing a doctor if you are taking any medications, have any allergies or any prior adverse drug reactions. Make sure that you can read the prescription written by the doctor and get it rewritten if you can’t. When getting the prescription filled, make sure you ask the pharmacist if the one you’re getting is what was prescribed. Don’t be afraid to ask the pharmacist lots of questions about taking the medication.
Finally, learn to speak up when you have questions, and make the doctor answer no matter how busy he seems or how quickly he wants to get you out of the office so he can get on to the next patient. Take a family member or advocate with you if you need help doing this. Also, learn everything you can about your condition and treatment. There is a wealth of information available these days over the internet, for instance. The more you know the more you can have a say in your own correct treatment. This will go a long way to providing you with a good chance for a healthy recovery and avoiding becoming a medical statistic.
Source: The New York State Department of Health. “20 Tips to Help Prevent Medical Errors.”
The number of medical errors in the United States borders on hard to believe. Wrong-site surgeries, incorrect drug prescriptions and hospital stay errors are way to frequent.
This brings up the question, “Is it possible for the average patient to reduce the risk of experiencing a medical or prescription error? According to the New York State Health Department the answer is yes, and the organization has provided a lengthy list of advices to “help prevent medical errors.”
Number one in importance is this: “The single most important way you can help to prevent errors is to be an active member of your healthcare team.” This means that a person should actively take part in each and every decision because research shows that patients who are more involved in their care tend to get better results.
Imagine trusting your doctor to do surgery on your left knee only to find out upon awakening that the procedure was done on your right leg? According to the advisory, wrong-site surgery is something that should be 100% preventable and patient involvement with a doctor prior to surgery can go a long way to preventing it. “The American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons urges its members to sign their initials directly on the site to be operated on before surgery,” says the advisory. Get involved and get it right would be the advice.
Regarding hospital stays, it’s best to select a hospital where many patients have already received the procedure you need. Infections received in a hospital are sometimes more dangerous than the procedure, so make certain everyone in the hospital who has any contact with you washes their hands. When leaving the hospital, get specific instructions for your continued recovery.
Medication errors are way too frequent. Here are some simple things to do to help prevent them. It starts with fully informing a doctor if you are taking any medications, have any allergies or any prior adverse drug reactions. Make sure that you can read the prescription written by the doctor and get it rewritten if you can’t. When getting the prescription filled, make sure you ask the pharmacist if the one you’re getting is what was prescribed. Don’t be afraid to ask the pharmacist lots of questions about taking the medication.
Finally, learn to speak up when you have questions, and make the doctor answer no matter how busy he seems or how quickly he wants to get you out of the office so he can get on to the next patient. Take a family member or advocate with you if you need help doing this. Also, learn everything you can about your condition and treatment. There is a wealth of information available these days over the internet, for instance. The more you know the more you can have a say in your own correct treatment. This will go a long way to providing you with a good chance for a healthy recovery and avoiding becoming a medical statistic.
Source: The New York State Department of Health. “20 Tips to Help Prevent Medical Errors.”
Family Wellness and Prevention Month
I want you to think of someone that is very dear to you. Think of someone who lives with you or near you. It could be a child, your spouse, a boyfriend or girlfriend, a sister or brother, etc. Who is that person to you? Say their name right now to yourself.
Wouldn’t you like to be able to just know that this person is going to end up having a life filled with health and happiness, a life that seldom experiences sickness and dis-ease? If you could, you would do anything to guarantee it wouldn’t you?
The uncertainty of not being able to know if a loved one will remain healthy is so uncomfortable that people literally try not to think about it. This line of thinking or lack thereof is exactly what fuels a family healthcare crisis.
Research is revealing that disease and degenerative disorders are more prevalent than ever before. Nowadays, even kids are at risk for developing health problems. The pharmaceutical industry is actually targeting kids and young adults as the new market for increased profits. What does that say to you? To me, it is saying that they know you are counting on modern medicine far more than you should for HEALTH-care.
The reason for this negative trend is that children and adults receive little to no preventative healthcare on a regular basis. People are sheepishly waiting for symptoms and emergency situations to present themselves before they take action. This is reactive thinking, and is often associated with heavy consequences.
Preventative healthcare is more important now than any other time in history. Health maintenance and disease prevention requires proactive thinking. Take a moment and consider the possibilities that await your loved ones if they remain reactive instead of proactive. Yes, I am referring to children as well.
What are you doing right now to guarantee the health of your loved one? What is your strategy to support them, what is your plan to help them protect their health? You know someone that has problems, but is neglecting to take action to get help. You also know someone who falsely believes that they only need health care when they have a problem – and not until it’s bad enough.
There is a way to better guarantee the future health status of your family. You can get to a point where you just know they are on the right path to taking care of their health proactively. You also can get a point where you don’t have to worry so much about how they will feel in 10, 20, 30, or 40 years.
They need to be taught, like I was, how to think and act differently in order to have a life filled with health, and thus happiness. Your family needs and deserves a healthcare plan that is actively promoting health maintenance and disease prevention. We can help you and your loved ones develop such a plan!
This month is Family Wellness and Prevention Month. It is a month that we dedicate to offering any and all family members a complimentary health service. Our Wellness Evaluation will assess 3 important areas:
· How the body is developing and aging physically
· Determine if the body is toxic or deficient in any way
· Assess the body’s current level of stress, and ability to handle stress in the future
Don’t let your loved one’s health fall victim to chance and circumstance. Schedule their appointment ASAP!
Speak up and educate others,
Dr. Craig
Wouldn’t you like to be able to just know that this person is going to end up having a life filled with health and happiness, a life that seldom experiences sickness and dis-ease? If you could, you would do anything to guarantee it wouldn’t you?
The uncertainty of not being able to know if a loved one will remain healthy is so uncomfortable that people literally try not to think about it. This line of thinking or lack thereof is exactly what fuels a family healthcare crisis.
Research is revealing that disease and degenerative disorders are more prevalent than ever before. Nowadays, even kids are at risk for developing health problems. The pharmaceutical industry is actually targeting kids and young adults as the new market for increased profits. What does that say to you? To me, it is saying that they know you are counting on modern medicine far more than you should for HEALTH-care.
The reason for this negative trend is that children and adults receive little to no preventative healthcare on a regular basis. People are sheepishly waiting for symptoms and emergency situations to present themselves before they take action. This is reactive thinking, and is often associated with heavy consequences.
Preventative healthcare is more important now than any other time in history. Health maintenance and disease prevention requires proactive thinking. Take a moment and consider the possibilities that await your loved ones if they remain reactive instead of proactive. Yes, I am referring to children as well.
What are you doing right now to guarantee the health of your loved one? What is your strategy to support them, what is your plan to help them protect their health? You know someone that has problems, but is neglecting to take action to get help. You also know someone who falsely believes that they only need health care when they have a problem – and not until it’s bad enough.
There is a way to better guarantee the future health status of your family. You can get to a point where you just know they are on the right path to taking care of their health proactively. You also can get a point where you don’t have to worry so much about how they will feel in 10, 20, 30, or 40 years.
They need to be taught, like I was, how to think and act differently in order to have a life filled with health, and thus happiness. Your family needs and deserves a healthcare plan that is actively promoting health maintenance and disease prevention. We can help you and your loved ones develop such a plan!
This month is Family Wellness and Prevention Month. It is a month that we dedicate to offering any and all family members a complimentary health service. Our Wellness Evaluation will assess 3 important areas:
· How the body is developing and aging physically
· Determine if the body is toxic or deficient in any way
· Assess the body’s current level of stress, and ability to handle stress in the future
Don’t let your loved one’s health fall victim to chance and circumstance. Schedule their appointment ASAP!
Speak up and educate others,
Dr. Craig
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