The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services recently announced that it will stop reimbursing hospitals for treating eight reasonably preventable conditions - including pressure ulcers - in October 2008. That simple announcement has put hospitals across America into a state of anxiety and with good reason. Up until now, the majority of hospitals have been focusing on pressure ulcer treatment, rather than prevention.
It's understandable, since the number of hospital patients who develop pressure sores has risen by 63% over the last 10 years and nearly 60,000 deaths occur annually from hospital-acquired pressure sores. That explain why hospitals tend to focus on treating the ulcers and the extreme pain and life-threatening infections that follow, rather than preventing them.
But that's not the only toll. According to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), the average stay for patients admitted to the hospital for treatment of hospital-acquired pressure sores was 13 days, with an average cost of $37,500 dollars per hospital stay. Unless hospitals can afford to continue simply treating pressure sores as they occur without Medicare to subsidize their costs, something must be done.
Pressure sores can initially develop when the blood supply to a patient's skin is cut off for more than two or three hours, or is aggravated by constant pressure on the skin and tissues. When a patient is immobile or has difficulty moving after surgery or procedures, even the slightest friction burns created by bed sheets, wheelchairs or other surfaces can quickly turn into pressure ulcers.
One problem, is that pressure ulcers can initially be hard to identify, sometimes looking like nothing more than a pink or red spot on hard to see areas like skin folds or bony protrusions. And when they do occur, complications such as bone, blood, and skin infections, can quickly develop. Not only do patients suffer; but so do hospitals - treating pressure sores often costs more financially and in personnel hours than the measures that could have prevented them. That doesn't even take into account the cost of litigation hospitals and care facilities can face, for putting their patients at risk when pressure ulcers develop.
So what can we do? We need to put proactive medicine to work by transforming our basic pressure sore protocols into pressure ulcer prevention programs. I know what you're going to say. Your facility already has a program in place to identify patients who are at risk to develop pressure ulcers. Maybe you even have a wound management professional to treat patients and instruct your staff on proper procedures. But as hospitals across the country have seen, if pressure ulcers are still occurring, following basic protocols may not be the answer.
For example, Thibodaux Regional Medical Center in Louisiana already had a better than average pressure ulcer rate. But when their quality improvement data detected an increase in the ulcer rate in late 2003, they decided to launch a Six Sigma project to address the issues. After examining the data, they were surprised at the outcome. First they determined that the tools they had been using to analyze their care were unreliable. Second, some preventative measures they relied upon, like using a specific type of patient bed, wasn't having as much of a positive effect of patient outcomes as small improvements had - for example, the way smaller tasks were performed on the nursing floor. The recommended changes that came out of the project included simple shifts in procedure including reorganization of wound care products on nursing units and creating task lists for CNAs.
Additional solutions included:
Posting a turning schedule in patient rooms to identify need and document results of Q2H turning of patient.
Unit educators to address skin issues during annual competency testing
Reporting on patient skin issues during shift changes
The result? A sixty percent reduction in the overall nosocomial pressure ulcer rate, with an annual cost avoidance of about $300,000.
The best way to create and implement a new pressure ulcer prevention program is to model the successful programs instituted by other hospitals, and recreate that success in your own facility. That's why our organization has created a databank of information on pressure ulcers, causes, treatments, successful prevention programs, six sigma projects and even products other facilities and patients have found helpful. It's a great place to start. You can find it at www.nokep.org/cms.htm.
So how does your facility rate? Can your patient's pressure ulcer rate be improved? Now is the best time to find out. With a little analysis, research and a good deal of planning and implementation, you can face October 2008 ready and able to give your patients the best skin care available. And that is what good medicine is all about!
Laura and Janet Greenwald, are the founders of The Next of Kin Education Project To download a free copy of the Seven Steps System go to: http://www.nokep.org/kitdownloadform.htm You can also sign up today, for our Seven Steps Hospital Pilot program coming in 2008!
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Laura_Greenwald
วันอาทิตย์ที่ 2 ธันวาคม พ.ศ. 2550
Get Wonderful Information on Cystic Fibrosis
Cystic fibrosis (CF) is an inherited disease of your mucus and sweat glands. It affects mostly your lungs, pancreas, liver, intestines, sinuses, and sex organs.
Normally, mucus is watery. It keeps the linings of certain organs moist and prevents them from drying out or getting infected. But in CF, an abnormal gene causes mucus to become thick and sticky. Other people have more mild disease that doesn't show up until they are adolescents or young adults. CF is caused by a mutation in a gene called the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR). Respiratory failure is the most dangerous consequence of cystic fibrosis. Also, the secretions block pancreatic enzymes that help digest fats and proteins, and they prevent your body from absorbing key vitamins. Treatments for cystic fibrosis are aimed at relieving symptoms and complications.
Causes of Cystic Fibrosis
CF is an inherited disease, which means that it's passed down from parent to child. Someone who has CF was born with it. Maybe you've heard someone say, "It's in your genes." They don't mean your blue jean pants. Genes make up the blueprint each of your cells follows to make you a unique individual.
Genes determine your eye and hair color and also are responsible for certain health problems.
Symptoms of Cystic Fibrosis
People with CF can have a variety of symptoms, including:
* very salty-tasting skin; * persistent coughing, at times with phlegm; * frequent lung infections; * wheezing or shortness of breath
Treatment of Cystic Fibrosis
Newborns with meconium ileus typically require surgery, whereas adults with distal intestinal obstruction syndrome typically do not. Treatment of pancreatic insufficiency by replacement of missing digestive enzymes allows the duodenum to properly absorb nutrients and vitamins that would otherwise be lost in the feces. Even so, most individuals with CF take additional amounts of vitamins A, D, E, and K and eat high-calorie meals. It should be noted, however, that nutritional advice given to patients is, at best, mixed.
For digestive problems, a person with CF can take enzymes by mouth in order to help digest food and get nutrients from it. A doctor may also prescribe vitamin supplements and a high-calorie diet.
Can it be prevented?
As yet there's no cure for CF or any way of preventing it. However, since the faulty gene has been identified, much work and research is being done to try to find ways to either repair or replace this gene through gene therapy. Read out for Medical information. Check out blood pressure and stress
Related Articles - Cystic, Fibrosis,
Normally, mucus is watery. It keeps the linings of certain organs moist and prevents them from drying out or getting infected. But in CF, an abnormal gene causes mucus to become thick and sticky. Other people have more mild disease that doesn't show up until they are adolescents or young adults. CF is caused by a mutation in a gene called the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR). Respiratory failure is the most dangerous consequence of cystic fibrosis. Also, the secretions block pancreatic enzymes that help digest fats and proteins, and they prevent your body from absorbing key vitamins. Treatments for cystic fibrosis are aimed at relieving symptoms and complications.
Causes of Cystic Fibrosis
CF is an inherited disease, which means that it's passed down from parent to child. Someone who has CF was born with it. Maybe you've heard someone say, "It's in your genes." They don't mean your blue jean pants. Genes make up the blueprint each of your cells follows to make you a unique individual.
Genes determine your eye and hair color and also are responsible for certain health problems.
Symptoms of Cystic Fibrosis
People with CF can have a variety of symptoms, including:
* very salty-tasting skin; * persistent coughing, at times with phlegm; * frequent lung infections; * wheezing or shortness of breath
Treatment of Cystic Fibrosis
Newborns with meconium ileus typically require surgery, whereas adults with distal intestinal obstruction syndrome typically do not. Treatment of pancreatic insufficiency by replacement of missing digestive enzymes allows the duodenum to properly absorb nutrients and vitamins that would otherwise be lost in the feces. Even so, most individuals with CF take additional amounts of vitamins A, D, E, and K and eat high-calorie meals. It should be noted, however, that nutritional advice given to patients is, at best, mixed.
For digestive problems, a person with CF can take enzymes by mouth in order to help digest food and get nutrients from it. A doctor may also prescribe vitamin supplements and a high-calorie diet.
Can it be prevented?
As yet there's no cure for CF or any way of preventing it. However, since the faulty gene has been identified, much work and research is being done to try to find ways to either repair or replace this gene through gene therapy. Read out for Medical information. Check out blood pressure and stress
Related Articles - Cystic, Fibrosis,
วันเสาร์ที่ 1 ธันวาคม พ.ศ. 2550
Natural & Whole-Food Multi Vitamins
Natural multi vitamins are superior to man-made vitamins. Man made vitamins are cheaper, easier to manufacture, and are prominent in the vitamin pills you see on the shelves. These manufactured vitamins are also less potent and are less useful to the body.
Natural vitamins come from whole foods. The body can easily recognize the structure of these vitamins because the human digestive system has had thousands of years to perfect it's digestion of whole foods.
And, unlike synthetic vitamins, natural multi vitamins don't stimulate the body like their counterparts do. In fact, some of these synthetic vitamins actually act as drugs, causing the body to do things that aren't in it's best interest.
So why is the best source of vitamins whole foods? The body is used to getting lots of vitamins at once and being able to pick and choose which vitamins it needs. The body is used to the multitude of vitamins that come in a head of lettuce or a handful of green beans. You see, lettuce or green beans don't just have 100 mg of Vitamin C, they have a little bit of this vitamin and a little bit of that vitamin. And what scientists have found is that it's the conjunction of these different natural vitamins that the body requires to carry out a lot of the vital functions in the cells.
For instance, vitamins can't be utilized by the cells without certain minerals. But do your synthetic vitamins contain these minerals? Not likely not. That's why it's best to stick to mother nature. A lot of the whole foods we eat contain just the right combination of vitamins and minerals.
Since it's not also easy to eat a lot of whole foods, the best nutrition companies have created whole food multi vitamins (http://mortersupplements.com/superv1.html). These natural vitamins work exponentially better than your typical store bought multi vitamin. They are also more costly to produce and thus carry higher price tags, sometimes upwards of $50 for a 30 day supply. However, the higher price is made up for by their increased utilization by the body.
One reasonably priced natural multi vitamin (http://mortersupplements.com/superv1.html) is Super V by Dr. Morter (http://mortersupplements.com). All of its vitamins come from whole foods. Other vitamins can be found by searching for whole food multi vitamins on the web.
Most people take multi vitamins as their daily healthcare. These multi vitamins are very beneficial to healthy skin, hair, and cellular functions. By using a whole food natural vitamin, the body will be able to use more of the vitamins that are being swallowed.
Related Articles - multi, vitamin, vitamins, minerals, natural, whole, food, mineral, supplement, health, nutritional, morter, dr,
Natural vitamins come from whole foods. The body can easily recognize the structure of these vitamins because the human digestive system has had thousands of years to perfect it's digestion of whole foods.
And, unlike synthetic vitamins, natural multi vitamins don't stimulate the body like their counterparts do. In fact, some of these synthetic vitamins actually act as drugs, causing the body to do things that aren't in it's best interest.
So why is the best source of vitamins whole foods? The body is used to getting lots of vitamins at once and being able to pick and choose which vitamins it needs. The body is used to the multitude of vitamins that come in a head of lettuce or a handful of green beans. You see, lettuce or green beans don't just have 100 mg of Vitamin C, they have a little bit of this vitamin and a little bit of that vitamin. And what scientists have found is that it's the conjunction of these different natural vitamins that the body requires to carry out a lot of the vital functions in the cells.
For instance, vitamins can't be utilized by the cells without certain minerals. But do your synthetic vitamins contain these minerals? Not likely not. That's why it's best to stick to mother nature. A lot of the whole foods we eat contain just the right combination of vitamins and minerals.
Since it's not also easy to eat a lot of whole foods, the best nutrition companies have created whole food multi vitamins (http://mortersupplements.com/superv1.html). These natural vitamins work exponentially better than your typical store bought multi vitamin. They are also more costly to produce and thus carry higher price tags, sometimes upwards of $50 for a 30 day supply. However, the higher price is made up for by their increased utilization by the body.
One reasonably priced natural multi vitamin (http://mortersupplements.com/superv1.html) is Super V by Dr. Morter (http://mortersupplements.com). All of its vitamins come from whole foods. Other vitamins can be found by searching for whole food multi vitamins on the web.
Most people take multi vitamins as their daily healthcare. These multi vitamins are very beneficial to healthy skin, hair, and cellular functions. By using a whole food natural vitamin, the body will be able to use more of the vitamins that are being swallowed.
Related Articles - multi, vitamin, vitamins, minerals, natural, whole, food, mineral, supplement, health, nutritional, morter, dr,
Diet And Weight Loss Tips - Beware Of What You Hear!
Because we live in such a fast paced world, sometimes it's necessary for us to take what other people at face value since we don't have time to check into everything ourselves.
However, be careful :there are many diet and weight loss tips out there that actually aren't accurate at all.
Diet And Weight Loss Tip 1: Fats should be completely cut out is a myth.
This is not accurate. Actually, some fats will even help you lose weight. Surprising, huh?
Don't get it wrong - too much fat will absolutely lead to more disease, but a bit of fat in one's diet does keep them more healthy. Fats allow the body to take in vital nutrients and to feel fuller for longer periods of time, which allows you to end up eating less.
Some foods that are high in fat but are actually good for you (and can help with your diet and weight loss tips) are nuts, fish, and olive oil.
Diet And Weight Loss Tip 2: Cut out as many calories as you can! Skip meals to your heart's content. LIE.
Two words for you: Starvation mode.
When you eat low calorie all the time, your body can go into starvation mode. Before you skim this over, thinking it couldn't happen to you: the calorie level for starvation mode is much less than you would think.
And when your body goes into starvation mode, your metabolism slows down. Once this happens, it's hard for you to lose any more weight. At best, your weight loss efforts will stagnate.
With this in mind, it's not shocking that meal skippers tend to weigh more than people who eat their meals on a frequent basis.
Rachel has lost 100 pounds herself, and is passionate about helping other people do it too. She has been featured in Woman's World, among others.
You can check out more about diet and weight loss tips on her website at http://www.yayfood.com/
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Rachel_Jenkins
However, be careful :there are many diet and weight loss tips out there that actually aren't accurate at all.
Diet And Weight Loss Tip 1: Fats should be completely cut out is a myth.
This is not accurate. Actually, some fats will even help you lose weight. Surprising, huh?
Don't get it wrong - too much fat will absolutely lead to more disease, but a bit of fat in one's diet does keep them more healthy. Fats allow the body to take in vital nutrients and to feel fuller for longer periods of time, which allows you to end up eating less.
Some foods that are high in fat but are actually good for you (and can help with your diet and weight loss tips) are nuts, fish, and olive oil.
Diet And Weight Loss Tip 2: Cut out as many calories as you can! Skip meals to your heart's content. LIE.
Two words for you: Starvation mode.
When you eat low calorie all the time, your body can go into starvation mode. Before you skim this over, thinking it couldn't happen to you: the calorie level for starvation mode is much less than you would think.
And when your body goes into starvation mode, your metabolism slows down. Once this happens, it's hard for you to lose any more weight. At best, your weight loss efforts will stagnate.
With this in mind, it's not shocking that meal skippers tend to weigh more than people who eat their meals on a frequent basis.
Rachel has lost 100 pounds herself, and is passionate about helping other people do it too. She has been featured in Woman's World, among others.
You can check out more about diet and weight loss tips on her website at http://www.yayfood.com/
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Rachel_Jenkins
Getting In Shape With PX90 From Home
Many people do the same thing everyday; they wake up and take a shower, brush their teeth, get some breakfast and then go to work and the cycle goes on and on. A lot of people want to live a healthier life, but their daily routines will not allow them to go to the gym or eat healthy. I over heard a guy on television the other day saying, “if you are above the age of 23 and out of shape, lets face it, you are always going to be out of shape.” You know that might be true to a point, but why does it have to be. With some dedication and some motivation anybody can achieve what they put their mind to. If you do not have the time to go to the gym, who cares, there are lots of resources out there that can fit around your daily lives. For example, there is a workout program called Px90, it is a 90-day challenge that has 12 DVD’s that are designed to target a different area of our body. The great thing about the Px90 workout routine is that you can do it at any part of the day, and even though the workouts are only 45 – 90 minutes long, you can still get a workout that pushes you to the limit. Do not be fooled, this Px90 workout is not easy, it will kick your butt and it will make you sweat like crazy. The reason it is so good is because px90 has revolutionized the way it works out your muscles. After a long period of time your muscles become familiar with the workout routine that you have been doing, resulting in what fitness gurus call the plateau affect. The plateau affect is where a lot of people give up on their workouts because they are not seeing any more results, this period can be very frustrating. But what Px90 has done is set up a system that allows your muscles to skip the plateau stage, resulting in muscles that continue to make strides, so you can see your results. Not only are the workouts effective, but they are also motivating and fun, the DVD’s come with a personal trainer named Tony Horton, he will help you push yourself so you can get the most out of your routine and show you how to do the workouts correctly so you can avoid injury.
So now that we know we can incorporate workouts into our daily lives, what do we do about our eating habits? It really does not matter what type of workout routine you do, if you do not lay off the junk food than nothing will happen. That is another reason why Px90 is do great, it comes with a whole nutrition plan that lays out for you what to eat. Instead of going to a fast food restaurant when you have a craving, the Px90 nutrition plan will give you substitutes so you can avoid going to those greasy places. It also provides three different approaches you can pick from to best fit your life. The PX90 workout routine is the most extreme workout on the market today. Find all of your fitness workout routines with us.
Related Articles - p90x, px90, workout, routine, workouts, fitness, health,
So now that we know we can incorporate workouts into our daily lives, what do we do about our eating habits? It really does not matter what type of workout routine you do, if you do not lay off the junk food than nothing will happen. That is another reason why Px90 is do great, it comes with a whole nutrition plan that lays out for you what to eat. Instead of going to a fast food restaurant when you have a craving, the Px90 nutrition plan will give you substitutes so you can avoid going to those greasy places. It also provides three different approaches you can pick from to best fit your life. The PX90 workout routine is the most extreme workout on the market today. Find all of your fitness workout routines with us.
Related Articles - p90x, px90, workout, routine, workouts, fitness, health,
สมัครสมาชิก:
บทความ (Atom)