Global Health
Scientists Discover A Stem Cell That Causes Heart Disease JUNE ISSUE - 2012
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INSIDE WELLINGTON SURGICAL WEIGHT REDUCTION CENTER IS COMMITTED TO YOU PAGE 2
Paul Wizman, MD., FACS, FRCS(C), FASMBS
BUNION DEFORMITY PAGE 3 UC Berkeley scientists published a report in the journal Nature Communications saying that they have isolated a type of stem cell that causes heart disease in later life. PAGE 4
Dr. Juan Sardina
The Do’s and Don’ts Healthy Diet, Exercise Extend Life for Women of Speed Dating P6
in Their 70s: Study
P 17
Many Americans Taking Too Much Acetaminophen
SFRO’S SURVIVORSHIP CLINIC IS A GIFT FROM ABOVE PAGE 12
P 21
“Help, I Can’t Fall Asleep!”
Kishore K. Dass, MD Board-Certified Radiation Oncologist
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SOARING TO NEW HEIGHTS P 21 GLOBAL HEALTH TRIBUNE P.O. Box 213424 Royal Palm Beach, FL 33421
Palm Beach Children’s Hospital at St. Mary’s Medical Center West Palm Bch, Fl PermIt No. 1340
PaId
Prsrt std U s Postage
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Wellington Surgical Weight Reduction Center is Committed to You pressure, infertility, sleep apnea and joint pain. Patients can begin the process by attending one of the free monthly educational seminars where they will learn about all the surgical options available to them and therefore, help them make a more informed decision. There, they will have the opportunity to meet the talented and experienced bariatric surgeon, Paul Wizman, MD, who is Medical Director of the program.
By Deborah Lynn
t is common knowledge that obesity rates in the United States are soaring and, unfortunately, diet and exercise don’t always work. Over time, this extra weight may lead to a host of medical issues (co-morbidities). Fortunately, there is a high quality surgical weight loss program at Wellington Regional Medical Center that can help you achieve and maintain your desired weight for the long term, help resolve many of the associated co-morbidities and restore your quality of life. Since October, 2008, when the first surgical weight loss procedure was performed at Wellington Regional Medical Center, patients have lost more than 8,000 pounds collectively, a number that is growing daily.
I met with Program Coordinator, Gwen Gosney, RN, a certified bariatric nurse, and Jodie Thollander, RD LD, a registered dietitian working with surgical weight loss patients. You can clearly see the passion and dedication of both professionals who credit the program’s successes to the patient’s commitment. They tell me that they only provide the
Paul Wizman, MD., FACS, FRCS(C), FASMBS
tools, but I’m certain there’s more to it than that.
The number of men and women opting for surgical weight loss and attending the monthly educational seminars is on the rise, they say. According to Health Grades, Inc. there were 14,395 bariatric surgery procedures performed in Florida alone from 2007-2009.
There are a number of reasons why, but one driving force may be the correlation between type II diabetes and obesity. Some patients may decide to take control of their weight after witnessing a loved one battling chronic diseases due to obesity. Other reasons may include high blood
Dr. Wizman is experienced in all surgical weight loss options: Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass, Laparoscopic Adjustable Banding, Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy and Revisional surgery. The decision about which procedures is best suited for the patient may depend on the targeted weight loss, co-morbidities and perhaps, insurance company requirements.
Once the patient has made the decision to go forward with the surgery, Gwen will help guide them through the insurance maze and assist with paperwork. Patients must undergo psychological evaluation as well as nutritional counseling. “Patients need to make immediate changes to their diets,” said Jodie Thollander. “We teach them proper eating habits so they are
equipped to go forward once the surgery is completed.” Following surgery, there will be long-term follow up appointments. It is strongly suggested that patients attend the monthly support group meetings to help them discuss life changes and challenges with others who have been through the surgery. Gwen and Jodie are available to answer patients’ questions and concerns and to provide support. “One of the main concerns patients have following surgery is not being able to eat the foods they love,” Gwen said. “Within the first six months to a year, the patient may be limited, but after that, we encourage them to eat a variety of foods they enjoy.”
“Being obese is more than a cosmetic problem,” said Dr. Wizman. “Given the increased risk of developing co-morbidities associated with obesity, losing weight can be a matter of life and death for some patients. At the Wellington Surgical Weight Reduction Center, we’re a family. Your success is our success; it’s personal.” If you would like additional information, please visit www.wellingtonregional.com, or give the surgical center a call at 561-798-8587.
Signs That You Have a Hearing Problem
hearing loss is among the most common conditions in older people, the cleveland clinic says, affecting about one-third of people 60 or older and half of those older than 85.
do you have the condition? here is the clinic's list of possible warning signs:
l difficulty hearing people on the telephone. l Problems hearing when there is background noise. l straining to follow a conversation. l thinking that most people are mumbling, and frequently asking others to repeat themselves. l Frequently misunderstanding what others say. l difficulty understanding children and women, or needing to turn the tV volume up very loud. l Frequently hearing a hissing, roaring or ringing sound.
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Bunion deformity
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Dr. Juan Sardina
union deformity is a common foot deformity we see in patients of all ages. The misconception that only older ladies have this problem when the big toe starts turning towards the outside of the foot and they have a huge bump of the inside of the foot is not true. This deformity occurs in adults, adolescents and younger children. Why and how the bunion develops is not well understood. A bunion or hallux valgus is when the big toe of the foot turns to the outside of the foot and a large bump develops on the inside of the foot. The deformity starts very mild as well as the symptoms, but increase in severity overtime. The direct cause of the bunion is still debatable, but there are intrinsic and extrinsic factors leading to the deformity. The
direct cause is not well understood, but how it develops is. The foot tends to turn out as in the case of flat foot and the dynamic muscle of the foot tend to pull the big toe towards the outside of the foot while the first metatarsal is going toward the inside of the foot, causing the big bump to appear. Overtime, the inside of the joint of the big toe stretches, and the outside of the joint contracts pulling the big toe more towards the outside. This can cause the other areas of the foot to absorb more pressure during walking and as the bunion becomes more severe, the second toe drifts over the big toe. Ill fitting shoes, like those with high heels and very narrow toe box have been implicated in extrinsic factors leading to bunions. There are also intrinsic factors like genetics, flat foot, and the shape of the bone that have been shown to lead to bunion deformity.
Patients often complain of pain, difficulties wearing shoes and irritation on the inside of the foot. In severe cases, the bump can lead to wounds and infection from friction on the enlarged bump. Evaluating the patient thoroughly by an experienced doctor that specializes in foot and ankle surgery is very important in order to address some of the causes and assess how the
deformity can be treated. X-rays are necessary and will help to guide the doctor to determine what type of surgery is necessary to correct the deformity. Not all the treatments have to be surgical, especially at the beginning of the deformity. Non-surgical treatments include using wider shoes with soft covers that do not irritate the enlarged bump. Orthotics can also help to delay the progression of the deformity and aid when the pressure is transferred to other areas of the foot. There are also extensive amounts of splints that can keep the big toe in a straight position, but they can be uncomfortable to wear with shoes. All
conservative treatments help either delay the deformity or modify it, but will not correct the problem.
The bunion will only be corrected with surgical intervention. There are more than 100 procedures that have being described in the medical literature about correcting bunions. The surgical procedures vary for children and with the severity of the bunion. Some patients can partially walk after surgery while others have to be in a cast without putting weight on the foot for about 6-8 weeks. Having the procedure performed by a specialized foot and ankle surgeon is very important to have lasting good results
as recurrence is common. Also addressing the deformity at an early age is beneficial to the patient and prevents wounds and infection as is seen when the deformity is severe in the later decades. Call to make your appointment
(561) 433-5577 WEST OFFICE:
3347 SR 7, Suite 204 Wellington, FL 33449 EAST OFFICE:
2326 South Congress Ave. Suite 1-A West Palm Beach, FL 33406
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LA PODIATRY GROUP, LLC Podiatric Physicians & surgeons
Dr. Arthur Hansen Dr. Lori Lane Dr. Juan Sardina Dr. Daniel Heck Dr. Shelley Plumb Personal & Gentle Care For:
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• Hammer Toe • Ingrown Nails, Bunions • Poor Circulation • WOUND Care • Diabetic Shoes
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Scientists Discover A Stem Cell That Causes Heart Disease UC Berkeley scientists published a report in the journal Nature Communications saying that they have isolated a type of stem cell that causes heart disease in later life.
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he research is profound because it contradicts much of the generally accepted theories of what causes arterial hardening, and the concept may also relate to many other diseases could the associated stem cells be pinpointed. What senior author Song Li, a bioengineering professor at UC Berkeley and a researcher at the Berkeley Stem Cell Center, and his team have uncovered is a dormant stem cell in blood vessel walls, that seems to sit inactive for most of a person's lifetime, before coming to life and causing less functional cells to begin to grow. Li says these new types of cells that start growing in later life, are the root cause of arterial hardening and clogging that are associated with deadly strokes and heart attacks.
Originally, it was thought that the smooth muscle cells in the arteries lining become scarred over time, and this leads to the narrow and brittle arteries that play a major part in causing cardiovascular disease. Not so says Liu: Essentially, what the scientists are saying is that the smooth muscle cells are not to blame. Rather a different kind of stem cell, that Li calls multipotent vascular stem cells, kicks in, and begins growing cells that look much like the smooth muscle cells, but don't function correctly. The cells were not found previously, because there are so few of them, that they were hard to isolate.
It almost sounds like something from Blade Runner, where the replicant humans have been deliberately designed to deteriorate and die at a much faster rate than the natural ones. What purpose would it serve the body under standard evolutionary terms to have cells activating later in life that effectively lead to its demise? With the arteries poorly formed, with wrong cell types, the blood flow becomes slowed and can then stopped completely. This causes strokes or heart attacks, depending on the location of the blockage. Strokes and heart attacks are one of the leading causes of death in the United States.
Creating drugs or other genetic treatments to shut down these stem cells or even deactivate them while a person is still young has the potential in the future to prevent arteriole hardening, reverse the damage already done, and even make this type of cardiovascular disease a thing of the past. Perhaps the futuristic Woody Allen movie "Sleeper" where people smoke tobacco and eat a high fat diet because it's healthier is not so far fetched after all.
Li backs up his theory by pointing out that the current ideas, of smooth muscle cells in the artery walls, "dedifferentiating", or basically reverting back to an earlier stage of development and causing the scaring and degeneration seen in hardened arteries, actually had no fundamental
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proven mechanism to back it.
Li traced the lineage of the cells back to the multipotent vascular stem cells, which are able to form several types of cell, including the smooth muscle cells.
Dr. Deepak Srivastava, director of the Gladstone Institute of Cardiovascular Disease at UCSF, who provided mouse tissue samples to the UC Berkeley scientists but was not involved in the research commented on the dramatic findings:
These findings shift the paradigm ... If the new data holds up, the target for treating vascular disease may be very different than what we've been aiming at ... Maybe the reason we've met with limited success in treating heart disease is because we've been going after the wrong target."
It is worth noting, of course, that the research is ground breaking and will need to be repeated and confirmed by other research teams, and Li did most of his work on mouse rather than
human tissue. Nonetheless, it is an impressive work and one that will soon give drug companies a target to begin preventing growth of these negative "death" cells. Interestingly, the stem cells that form arteries are also capable of becoming nerve, cartilage, bone and fat cells, suggesting why arteries become brittle or even filled with fat deposits. Li says that trying to attack the problem with diets and lower cholesterol is just attacking the symptoms, much like trying to stop a runny nose when you have a cold.
The research is certainly eye opening, and when we think back 100 years to some of the more outlandish scientific theories that have long since been discarded, it doesn't require much stretch of the imagination to realize that there must still be theories taken to be practically a fact, that are at best misleading or at worse plain wrong. In the spirit of a true scientist, Li has reminded us that we have so much more to understand about our existence.
Erica Whyman Staff Writer and Sales Executive (561) 308-1428 erica@globalhealthtribune.com
GRAPHIC DESIGN Sergio Aguilar (561) 797-2325 ads@globalhealthtribune.com
CONTRIBUTING ARTICLES U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, ARA Content, Hispanic PR Wire, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, METRO Editorial Services, Family Features Š SEA PUBLICATIONS, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Printed in United States.
Global Health Tribune is a newspaper published every month in Palm Beach county and surrounding areas. Copyright 2012, all rights reserved by SEA Publications, Inc. Contents may not be reproduced in any form without the written consent of the publisher. The publisher reserves the right to refuse advertising. The publisher does not accept responsibility for advertisement error beyond the cost of the advertisement itself. All submitted materials are subject to editing.
Many Kids on Medicaid Don't See Dentist: Study Some improvement found over 5-year period but expert says program cuts could hurt.
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nly about one-third of U.S. children on Medicaid receives dental care in a single year, and how often these kids see a dentist depends on where they live, a new study finds. In 2007, the prevalence of visits to the dentist ranged from 12 percent in Nevada to 49 percent in Vermont, but didn't reach 50 percent in any state or the District of Columbia, the researchers found. The researchers also compared the 2007 findings with data from five years earlier.
"This study confirms with actual paid Medicaid claims data that access to dental services for Medicaid-eligible children has increased 16 percent nationally between 2002 and 2007, even though no state has yet reached even 50 percent access," said study co-author Dr. Allen Conan Davis, an associate professor at the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Dentistry and former chief dental officer
for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). Although progress has been made nationally, more work needs to be done to improve access to dental services for Medicaid-eligible children, he said. "CMS has established goals for preventive dental services for the states in an effort to encourage continued improvement," he noted. However, as with all Medicaid programs, children's dental care is a partnership between states and the federal government, Davis said. Since eligibility rules and available dollars vary widely state by state, so does the care provided to those covered by Medicaid, he added. Medicaid dental programs cover regular check-ups as well as needed procedures. The report was published online
June and will appear in the July print issue of Pediatrics. The researchers looked at Medicaid records and found that for infants and toddlers, the rate of dental visits was low in all but three states and peaked when they started school. Children in the Primary Care Case Management part of Medicaid tended to have the highest number of dental care visits; those covered by the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) also tended to see a dentist more often. Dental-care programs in schools and having a regular dentist were key in improved children's dental care and the likelihood of seeing a dentist, the researchers noted. "More people are on Medicaid and more and more states, in an attempt to balance their budgets,
have eliminated dental benefits," said Dr. Lindsay Robinson, a spokeswoman for the American Dental Association. In addition, states are eliminating money for school-based dental education programs, she said. More investment is needed in dental care to cover those who rely on Medicaid, Robinson said. "Only about 2 percent of Medicaid dollars go to dental care, in the private system it's triple that," she said. Not only are Medicaid dollars for dental care being cut and school programs being abandoned in an effort to save money, but reimbursements to dentists from Medicaid are so low that many dentists aren't willing to see Medicaid patients, Robinson said.
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Dawn Thompson Named Director of Emergency and Trauma Services at St. Mary’s Medical Center
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla.- May 22, 2012—St. Mary’s Medical Center is pleased to announce the appointment of Dawn Thompson as the new Emergency Department and trauma services director. Thompson will be responsible for overseeing the Emergency Department and trauma services at the 464-bed comprehensive hospital. Before joining the St. Mary’s Medical Center team, Thompson was the Emergency Department nurse manager for a hospital in north Broward County, where she received several promotions throughout her 15-year career with the hospital.
Thompson has over 25 years of nursing experience and has earned certifications in Critical Care Nursing and Neuroscience Nursing. Thompson is currently pursuing her Master of Science in Nursing at Florida International University, specializing in family health. She has dedicated her nursing career to continuously advancement and learning,
On the plus side, many more young motorists buckle up, drive sober now than before, CDC says.
Dawn Thompson.
earning her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Florida International University; Associate of Science in Nursing from State University of New York; and Practical Nursing degree from McFatter Vocational School.
“We are pleased to welcome Dawn Thompson to our team of directors at St. Mary’s Medical Center,” said chief executive officer, Davide Carbone. “St. Mary’s Medical Center looks forward to Ms. Thompson’s leadership in continuing a high level of excellence in providing emergency and trauma services to our community.”
Disney to Curtail Junk Food Ads Aimed at Kids
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Change will affect the media giant's child-focused TV channels, radio stations and websites.
new strict set of nutritional standards is being introduced for all products advertised on the Walt Disney Company's child-focused television channels, radio stations and websites. The company said its new advertising standards largely follow recommendations proposed last year by federal regulators, The New York Times reported Tuesday. Under the new rules, a wide range of fast foods, sugared cereal, candy, drinks and other products will no longer be acceptable advertising material for Disney. In addition to the new advertising standards, Disney will reduce by 25 percent the amount of sodium in the 12 million children's meals served each year at its theme parks. The company also plans public service announcements encouraging exercise and healthy eating for children, the Times reported. According to USA Today, by 2015, all foods and beverages advertised, promoted or sponsored on the Disney Channel, Disney XD, Disney Junior, Radio Disney, Disney.com and Saturday morning programming for children on ABC-owned stations will have to meet the new guidelines for limiting calories and reducing saturated fat, sodium and sugar. The Walt Disney Co. owns the ABC Network. In response to Disney's announcement, Dr. Risa Lavizzo-Mourey, president and CEO of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, said: "The Walt Disney Company is taking strides to help millions of children lead healthier lives. Selling and marketing healthier foods and beverages, and providing more information about those options, will help children and families make healthier choices. "Disney has set a new bar that other com-
1 in 3 Teens Admits to Texting While Driving
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lthough more teen drivers are buckling up and not driving drunk than in years past, another danger -- texting -- is posing a new threat, U.S. government research shows. One in three high school students said they had texted or emailed while driving during the past month, says a research team from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). "Texting or emailing while driving can have deadly consequences that are entirely preventable," Howell Wechsler, director of CDC's Division of Adolescent and School Health, said during a noon press conference Thursday. "So while we are pleased to see changes in many behaviors related to motor vehicle crashes, we are alarmed by some of the new findings, especially those involving distracted driving." There was some very good news from the new report: Over the past 20 years there have been marked improvements among teens in terms of wearing seatbelts, not riding with drunk drivers and not driving drunk, Wechsler's team found.
"The most notable finding in this report is the significant reduction in risk behaviors related to motor vehicle crashes, which are the leading cause of death among youth in the United States," Wechsler said. "They account for more than one in three teen deaths every year."
From 1991 to 2011, the time span covered by the report, the number of high school students who said they "never or rarely" wore a seat belt dropped from 26 percent to only 8 percent.
panies and business leaders should strive to reach. The company's new policy goes beyond commitments made by other businesses and recommendations made by the federal government to help prevent childhood obesity," Lavizzo-Mourey added in a foundation news release. Disney executives were to make the formal announcement Tuesday in Washington, D.C., where they will be joined by First Lady Michelle Obama, who has long campaigned for healthier lifestyles for America's children. In a statement, she said: "This new initiative is truly a game changer for the health of our children . . . With this new initiative, Disney is doing what no major media company has ever done before in the U.S. -- and what I hope every company will do going forward. When it comes to the ads they show and the food they sell, they are asking themselves one simple question: 'Is this good for our kids?'"
Over the same period, the number of students who said they had recently ridden with a driver who had been drinking dropped from 40 percent to 24 percent. The number of teens who said they had been drinking while driving fell from 17 percent in 1997 to 8 percent in 2011, the report notes. "These trends show that we are making great progress in helping our nation's youth make positive health choices," Wechsler said. "Over the past decade there has been a 44 percent drop in motor vehicle crash deaths in teens aged 13 to 19 years old."
But new distracting, potentially dangerous behaviors such as texting have also emerged. "For the first time, the report offers national data showing that the use of technology [such as cellphones] among youth is resulting in new risks," Wechsler said.
In addition, the report found that one in six teens had been bullied through email, chat rooms, instant messaging, websites or texting in the past year.
Other highlights of the report include: In 2009, 19 percent of teens smoked; in 2011 it was 18 percent. Marijuana use rose from 21 percent in 2009 to 23 percent in 2011.
More high school students smoke marijuana now than smoke cigarettes. The data were collected by interviewing more than 15,000 high school students from around the nation. For the first time, data were collected using both landline phones and cellphones.
Too Much Screen Time May Harm Kids' Fitness
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pending too much time in front of computers and other electronic screens may cause American children's heart and lung fitness levels, or "cardiorespiratory" fitness, to decline, a new study suggests. Cardiorespiratory fitness involves the body's ability to transport oxygen to muscles during exercise. The study included more than 2,000
children who were followed from ages 11 to 13. Each child reported their screen time and completed shuttle run laps to assess their fitness level. Children who reported more screen time completed fewer shuttle run laps, the investigators found. This association was strongest in children with mid-to-high cardiorespiratory fitness levels, and was independent of physical activity levels. The study was published in the June issue of the journal Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise. "The results are interesting and add to the evidence that spending too much time sitting is hazardous to children's health," study lead author Jonathan Mitchell, who conducted the research while at the Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, said in a news release from the American College of Sports Medicine.
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Delray Medical Center Nurse Wins Palm Healthcare Foundation’s Educator of the Year Award Laine Sherman was awarded the Educator of the Year award for her dedication to nursing and clinical education
DELRAY BEACH, Fla. – May, 2012- Delray Medical Center is proud to announce that clinical nurse educator, Laine Sherman, RN, won the Educator of the Year award at this year’s Palm Healthcare Foundation Nursing Distinction Awards event. The event attracted 450 supporters that gathered for “Broadway at The Breakers,” to pay tribute to the exceptional nurses in Palm Beach County. Laine Sherman and other award recipients were recognized for their dedication to excellence in an area of expertise beyond the scope of their jobs, commitment to the profession of nursing, and a sense of community. “Delray Medical Center congratulates Laine Sherman on her
quest for learning and sharing knowledge, Ms. Sherman is a true inspiration to our staff at Delray Medical Center. She is a valued member of our hospital team and community.”
Laine Sherman, RN.
well deserved Educator of the Year award,” said Jennifer Chiusano, chief nursing officer of Delray Medical Center. “With her enthusiasm and constant
This special evening honored registered nurses, licensed practical nurses, nurse educators, nursing assistants, nursing students, and leaders of the nursing community. A committee of 30 selected the eight honorees from over 100 nominations submitted by healthcare professionals and patients/families. Winners were chosen on the basis of dedication to excellence in an area of expertise beyond the scope of their jobs, commitment to the profession of nursing, and a sense of community.
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The Do’s and Don’ts of Speed Dating By Deborah Lynn
o, you’ve just signed up for your first speed dating event and as you wait for the big day to arrive, your mind is flooded with questions. What should I wear? What should I ask? Is there anything that I shouldn't do? Having hosted numerous events for the top speed dating company in Chicago, I have seen firsthand how people have interacted - both appropriately and inappropriately. Therefore, to make your dating event as enjoyable as possible, I have composed a list of Do's and Don'ts that will ensure a positive outcome. DO register in advance and for your correct age group. If you register for the wrong group and do not make a connection, you will have a negative opinion of the service. DO dress appropriately as first impressions count. If you look unkempt, that is what someone will remember.
DO arrive early and with a positive attitude. People that exude positive energy will have a much more favorable experience at the event and in life in general.
DO come prepared with a list of questions that are important to YOU. Are there certain things that are a deal breaker for you? Be honest and upfront. They do not need to know your life story, your illnesses or your favorite sexual position (yes, there was a woman that offended everyone around her by asking every man that very question). Keep personal stuff to yourself. Remember, these are strangers
that are simply trying to meet someone - just like you are trying to meet someone. So, keep it simple.
DON'T use your phone once the event begins. Unless it's an emergency, texting and phone calls can wait until after the event has ended.
DON'T have more than two drinks!!! I don't care how nervous you are, how well you THINK you can handle your alcohol or how thirsty you are drink water!!! You are there to meet people and enjoy yourself. No one wants to date a sloppy drunk.
DO remember - you only have between three and eight minutes to talk with someone. When the bell rings or the whistle is blown – move on.
DO focus and take notes. People will often end up out of numerical order and if you only write down their number - you're in trouble. Write down their first name and things that you will remember them by, such as a
beautiful smile.
DON’T give out your personal information. A first name is all they need to know at that point. You will generally find out within 48 hours if there is a mutual connection. At that time, you will receive their e-mail address and with some services, their phone number as well.
DON’T try to pick up your host. They are there to ensure that you have an enjoyable experience, answer questions and to make sure the event runs smoothly. DO come alone. You will find that most of the people that attend these events come alone.
DO come with friends, but keep in mind that you may be interested in the same person. If they choose you and not your friend, will your friend feel rejected? Unfortunately, this does happen quite often and sometimes they will not pick either just to eliminate any potential problems. Remember that the most important thing is DO HAVE FUN!!!
Good Samaritan Medical Center Receives Get With The Guidelines Gold Plus Quality Achievement Award
Award demonstrates Good Samaritan Medical Center commitment to quality care for heart failure patients
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. May 16, 2012 — Good Samaritan Medical Center has received the Get With The Guidelines®-Heart Failure Gold Plus Quality Achievement Award from the American Heart Association for its excellence in the treatment of patients with heart failure.
This award is given only to hospitals that achieve 85 percent or higher adherence to all Get With The GuidelinesHeart Failure Quality Achievement indicators for two or more consecutive 12month intervals and have achieved 75 percent or higher compliance with four of nine Get With The GuidelinesHeart Failure Quality Measures to improve quality of patient care and outcomes.
Get With The Guidelines is a quality improvement initiative that provides hospital staff with tools that follow proven evidence-based guidelines and procedures in caring for heart failure patients to improve outcomes, prevent future hospitalizations and prolong life. Under Get With The Guidelines–Heart Failure, heart failure patients are started on aggressive risk reduction therapies such as cholesterol-lowering drugs, betablockers, ACE inhibitors, aspirin, diuretics, and anticoagulants in the hospital. They also receive alcohol/drug use
and thyroid management counseling as well as referrals for cardiac rehabilitation before being discharged.
“Here at Good Samaritan Medical Center, we are striving to provide the best care to our patients and family members, and to ensure that all of our patients and visitors are in good hands. The American Heart Association’s Get With The Guidelines program has provided a pathway for our cardiac patients such that we assist in their healing and help them to experience longer and healthier lives, said hospital CEO Mark Nosacka. “We are pleased for our doctors and caregivers to be recognized for our dedication and commitment to cardiac care.” Get With The Guidelines–Heart Failure helps Good Samaritan Medical Center’s staff develop and implement acute and secondary prevention guideline processes. The program provides hospitals with a web-based patient management tool, decision support, robust registry, real-time benchmarking capabilities and other performance improvement methodologies toward the goal of enhancing patient outcomes and saving lives.
This high-tech, evidence-based approach enables Good Samaritan Medical Center to improve the quality of care it provides heart failure patients, save lives and ultimately, reduce healthcare costs by avoiding rehospitalization.
According to the American Heart Association, about 5.7 million people suffer from heart failure. Statistics also show that, each year, 670,000 new cases are diagnosed and more than 277,000 people will die of heart failure.
Small Batteries, Other Shiny Objects Pose Risks to Children
Coins, magnets and small batteries pose serious dangers to children when accidentally swallowed, the American College of Emergency Physicians warns. Not only are these objects potential choking hazards, some can cause severe internal damage. "Items like these are small and shiny and attractive to young children," college president Dr. David Seaberg said in an organization news release. "They are easily accessible to kids. Small bat-
teries, for example, are often found in a child's toy and from that child's perspective, they can look like pieces of candy." If swallowed, small batteries used in many toys and remote controls can get stuck in a child's esophagus or gastrointestinal tract. If not removed quickly, the batteries can erode tissue. A life-threatening situation can occur if a child swallows small but powerful neodymium (a type of metal) magnets. The magnets can attract each other inside the child's body and trap tissue between them.
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Undoing health law could have messy ripple effects I t sounds like a silver lining. Even if the Supreme Court overturns President Barack Obama's health care law, employers can keep offering popular coverage for the young adult children of their workers.
But here's the catch: The parents' taxes would go up.
That's only one of the messy potential ripple effects when the Supreme Court delivers its verdict on the Affordable Care Act this month. The law affects most major components of the U.S. health care system in its effort to extend coverage to millions of uninsured people. Because the legislation is so complicated, an orderly unwinding would prove difficult if it were overturned entirely or in part.
Better Medicare prescription benefits, currently saving hundreds of dollars for older people with high drug costs, would be suspended. Ditto for preventive care with no co-payments, now available to retirees and working families alike. Partially overturning the law could leave hospitals, insurers and other service providers on the hook for tax increases and spending cuts without the law's promise of more paying customers to offset losses.
If the law is upheld, other kinds of complications could result.
The nation is so divided that states led by Republicans are largely unprepared to carry out critical requirements such as creating insurance markets. Things may not settle down. "At the end of the day, I don't think any of the major players in the health insurance industry or the provider community really wants to see the whole thing
overturned," said Christine Ferguson, a health policy expert who was commissioner of public health in Massachusetts when Mitt Romney was governor.
"Even though this is not the most ideal solution, at least it is moving us forward, and it does infuse some money into the system for coverage," said Ferguson, now at George Washington University. As the GOP presidential candidate, Romney has pledged to wipe Obama's law off the books. But he defends his Massachusetts law that served as a prototype for Obama's.
While it's unclear how the justices will rule, oral arguments did not go well for the Obama administration. The central issue is whether the government can require individuals to have health insurance and fine them if they don't.
That mandate takes effect in 2014, at the same time that the law would prohibit insurance companies from denying coverage to people with existing health problems. Most experts say the coverage guarantee
Supreme Court.
sured middle-class households pay premiums and expands Medicaid to pick up more lowincome people.
The coverage for young adults up to age 26 on a parent's health insurance is a popular provision that no one's arguing about. A report last week from the Commonwealth Fund estimated that 6.6 million young adults
Because the legislation is so complicated, an orderly unwinding would prove difficult if it were overturned entirely or in part.
would balloon costs unless virtually all people joined the insurance pool.
Opponents say Congress overstepped its constitutional authority by issuing the insurance mandate. The administration says the requirement is permissible because it serves to regulate interstate commerce. Most people already are insured. The law provides subsidies to help unin-
have taken advantage of the benefit, while a new Gallup survey showed the uninsured rate for people age 18-25 continues to decline, down to 23 percent from 28 percent when the law took effect.
Families will be watching to see if their 20-somethings transitioning to the work world will get to keep that newfound security.
Because the benefit is a winner with consumers, experts say many employers and insurers would look for ways to keep offering it even if there's no legal requirement to do so. But economist Paul Fronstin of the Employee Benefit Research Institute says many parents would pay higher taxes as a result because they would have to pay for the young adult's coverage with after-tax dollars. Under the health care law, that coverage now comes out of pretax dollars.
Fronstin says there's no way to tell exactly how much that tax increase might be, but a couple of hundred dollars a year or more is a reasonable ballpark estimate. Upper-income taxpayers would have a greater liability.
"Adult children aren't necessarily dependents for tax purposes, but an employer can allow anyone to be on a plan, just like they now allow domestic partners," said Fronstin. "If your employer said, 'I'm going to let you keep this,' it would become a taxable benefit for certain people."
Advocates for the elderly are also worried about untoward ripple effects.
If the entire law is overturned, seniors with high prescription costs in Medicare's "donut hole" coverage gap could lose annual discounts averaging about $600. AARP policy director David Certner says he would hope the discounts could remain in place at least through the end of this year. Yet that might not be possible. Lacking legal authority, Medicare would have to take away the discounts. Drugmakers, now bearing the cost, could decide they want to keep offering discounts voluntarily. But then they'd risk running afoul of other federal rules that bar medical providers from offering financial inducements to Medicare recipients. "I don't think anyone has any idea," said Certner.
A mixed verdict from the high court would be the most confusing outcome. Some parts of the law would be struck down while others lurch ahead.
That kind of result would seem to call for Congress to step in and smooth any necessary adjustments. Yet partisan divisions on at 5 pm the same day in a local cemetery. Santos, who is convinced that his son was victim of medical malpractice, has now registered a complaint with the police who have launched an investigation.
'Dead' boy sits up in coffin, asks for water and dies again in Brazil
Melbourne: A two-year-old Brazilian boy, who was declared dead, sat up in his coffin and asked for water before laying back down again lifeless.
According to Website ORM, Kelvin Santos stopped breathing during treatment for pneumonia at a hospital in Belem, northern Brazil.
The boy was declared dead at 7.40pm on Friday and his body was handed over to his family in a plastic bag.
But just an hour before his funeral was to take place on Saturday, the boy apparently sat up in his coffin and said asked his father for water.
"Daddy, can I have some water," the child said.
The child's devastated family took him home where grieving relatives held a wake throughout the night as the boy's body laid in an open coffin.
"Everybody started to scream, we couldn't believe our eyes. Then we thought a miracle had taken place and our boy had come back to life," the boy's father, Antonio Santos said. "Then Kelvin just laid back down, the way he was. We
couldn't wake him. He was dead again‌ Mr Santos rushed his son back to the Aberlardo Santos hospital in Belem,where the doctors reexamined the boy and confirmed that he had no signs of life. "They assured me that he really was dead and gave me no explanation for what we had just seen and heard," Santos said. The boy's family decided to delay the funeral for an hour hoping that he would wake up again, but ended up burying him
"Fifteen minutes after rushing him away for resuscitation, they came and told me he was dead and handed me his body. Perhaps they didn't examine him properly. Dead people don't just wake up and talk. I'm determined to find out the truth," Santos said.
8 JUNE ISSUE
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• 2012
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Junk Food More Appealing When You're Sleepy: Study to sleep for nine hours.
nhealthy foods, such as sweets and chips, are more appealing to people who haven't had enough sleep, new research suggests. When researchers examined the areas of the brain that were most active when people were looking at healthy or unhealthy foods, they found the reward centers of the brain were activated when sleep-deprived study volunteers saw pictures of unhealthy foods. "We found regions associated with reward and motivation -those that are involved with addiction and pleasure-seeking behaviors -- were more strongly activated in the short-sleep phase," said Marie-Pierre StOnge, a research associate at St. Luke's Roosevelt Hospital Center and an assistant professor at Columbia University's Institute of Human Nutrition in New York City.
Findings from the study are scheduled for presentation at the Associated Professional Sleep Societies annual meeting in Boston. A second small study from the same meeting didn't find a large difference in the activation of the brain's reward centers in people
While they were in the fMRI scanner, they were shown pictures of healthy foods, such as fruits, vegetables and oatmeal; unhealthy foods, such as candy or pepperoni pizza; and nonfood items, such as office supplies.
They found that unhealthy foods activated areas of the brain considered reward centers only in people whose sleep was restricted. When the same people were allowed to rest a full night, they had no such activation in the brain's reward center when they saw the unhealthy foods.
who were tired. The researchers from the University of California, Berkeley did, however, find significantly impaired activity in an area in the frontal lobe of the brain. This area of the brain helps control behavior and make complex choices. When people were sleepdeprived and then presented pictures of unhealthy foods, this area of the brain didn't respond well, which would make choosing healthy foods more difficult. The study included 16 healthy
Japan team create liver from stem cells: report
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apanese researchers have created a functioning human liver from stemcells, a report said Friday, raising hopes for the manufacture of artificial organs for those in need of transplants. A team of scientists transplanted induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells into the body of a mouse, where it grew into a small, but working, human liver, the Yomiuri Shimbun said.
Stemcells are frequently harvested from embryos, which are then discarded, a practice some people find morally objectionable. But iPS cells -which have the potential to develop into any body tissue -can be taken from adults. A team led by professor Hideki Taniguchi at Yokohama City University developed human iPS cells into "precursor cells", which they then transplanted into a mouse's head to take advantage of increased blood flow. The cells grew into a human
liver 5 millimetres (0.2 inches) in size that was capable of generating human proteins and breaking down drugs, the Yomiuri reported.
The breakthrough opens the door to the artificial creation of human organs, a key battleground for doctors who constantly face a shortage of transplant donors.
Taniguchi's research could be "an important bridge between basic research and clinical application" but faces various challenges before it can be put into medical practice, the Yomiuri said.
An abstract of Taniguchi's research was delivered to regenerative medicine researchers ahead of an academic conference next week, but Taniguchi declined to comment to AFP before the meeting.
Two separate teams, one from the United States and one from Japan, discovered iPS cells in 2006.
young adults who underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) once after a full night of sleep and then again after 24 hours of sleep deprivation. They were asked to rate their desire for 80 different foods during each test.
St-Onge's study included 25 normal-weight men and women who underwent fMRI after five nights of restricted sleep (four hours a night) and then again after five nights of being allowed
"I think it's related to cognitive control," St-Onge explained. "Your guard is somewhat down when you're tired and sleep deprived. Even though you know you probably shouldn't eat certain foods, when you're tired you might just decide to go for it." Registered dietician Samantha Heller said she was not surprised by the studies' findings. "It makes sense that when you are fatigued, your body would want calorie-dense foods that give you quick energy," said Heller, clinical nutrition coordinator at the Center for Cancer Care at Griffin Hospital in
Derby, Conn. "In an evolutionary sense, doing so would provide an advantage because you do get a momentary lift when you eat."
In today's society, the foods people often turn to for a quick shot of energy are processed carbohydrates, rather than a piece of fruit. But, she said, that momentary lift from processed foods won't last long, and trying to eat to make up for sleep deprivation just won't work.
A better choice is to keep healthy foods around, in both your home and workplace, so it's easy to reach for a healthy option, Heller said.
St-Onge said a clear message from her study is that it's important to get enough sleep every night. She suggested between seven and eight hours nightly. "This is especially important if you're trying to lose weight," she said, because you may choose the wrong foods if you don't get enough sleep.
Because this study was presented at a medical meeting, the data and conclusions should be viewed as preliminary until published in a peer-reviewed journal.
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Key to More Active, Slimmer Kids: Friends: report ould your young child be putting on excess pounds because her friends sit around? A small study suggests it's possible: Kids seemed to become more active in after-school programs if they hung out with active kids, and the reverse was true, too. The findings don't prove that friends directly affect how active kids are, and it's not clear whether there's enough of an impact to make a difference in obesity or activity levels throughout the day. Still, the research raises questions about whether chubbier kids can be influenced by more active peers, said study coauthor Eric Tesdahl, a graduate student in Vanderbilt University's department of human and organizational development. Perhaps, he said, less-active kids could be grouped with more-active ones. "There's a pretty good chance that you could make some significant changes based on the social-influence factor alone," Tesdahl said. This is especially true, he said, since the research suggests kids don't simply flock to other kids who are like them - active or non-active -- but instead are influenced by their peers. In the study, researchers analyzed 81 kids aged 5 to 12 in after-school programs. Their average age was 8 and most were black or Latino. The researchers followed them over three months, asked them about
their friends and tracked their activity levels with devices called accelerometers. They only wore the devices during the after-school programs, which lasted for three hours a day. The kids appeared to adjust their activity levels to those closest to them. While other research has suggested that kids are drawn to those who are most similar to them in terms of obesity -"obese kids tend to befriend obese kids," as Tesdahl put it -this study didn't show that. "It was much more likely for a child to adjust their activity level to that of their friends than it was for them to not adjust or to go in the opposite direction," Tesdahl said. The study found that children consistently increased their activity levels by 10 percent to be more in line with their peers. Ray Browning, an assistant professor at Colorado State University's department of health and exercise science, praised the study and said it helps clarify
"how relationships affect healthrelated behavior" even though "it is easy to look at a study like this and say 'duh.'" However, he said, the study only looks at a few hours of the day. In the big picture, he said, it's "well-established" that peers make a major difference in teenagers when it comes to things like using drugs. But the influence of other kids is not as clear in younger kids. To make things more complicated, "the friendships of young children are fairly dynamic," he said. "They're forming and reforming with some relatively high frequency." By contrast, he said, "we tend to think of obesity as more of a chronic condition that we acquire over time. When the friendships are coming and going, you could make the argument that it may have less of an impact." The study appears in the June issue of the journal Pediatrics, published online.
JUNE ISSUE • 2012 9
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Dr. Waqar Khan is Settling in Quite Nicely
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By Deborah Lynn
t has been a few months now since double board-certified Cardiologist, Dr. Waqar Khan, arrived in South Florida after selling his very successful practice in a suburb of Houston.
Dr. Khan is board certified in Cardiology as well as Interventional Cardiology and is a fellow of the American College of Cardiology. He has extensive experience in Peripheral Vascular Interventions, Coronary and Carotid Artery Angioplasty and Stents. Dr. Khan is one of only a few cardiologists in South Florida trained to perform the revolutionary Carotid Artery Stenting procedure designed to open blockages in arteries supplying brain circulation and thereby avoiding the potential for stroke. Dr. Khan holds a Masters degree in Public Health from the University of Texas Health Sciences Center in Houston. His internship training was at St. Louis University Medical Center, followed by residency in Internal Medicine at University of Texas Health Sciences Center in Houston. Upon the completion of a fellowship in cardiology at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston, he completed additional fellowships in peripheral and coronary interventional cardiology at St. Elizabeth’s Medical Center-Tufts University School of Medicine in Boston and the Cardiovascular Institute of the South in Louisiana respectively. Dr Khan performs advanced cardiac and vascular procedures at some of the area’s best hospitals in Boynton Beach, Delray Beach and Wellington.
So, one would obviously be curious as to why someone who truly made such an impact in the Houston area with his innovative techniques and numerous accolades would leave his thriving practice behind and relocate to Florida?
The answer is quite simple… family. Dr. Khan’s wife, Sarah, missed her family in Ft. Lauderdale and being a devoted family man, he made the concession – out of love.
While sitting down with Dr. Khan to discuss his move and practice, I quickly realized just how passionate he is about the things he loves in his life - family, practice and his wonderful office staff.
Thanks to that very staff, his transition has been a smooth one. When you walk into his office at 1395 State Road 7, you will find Jenna, a sweet young lady that is more than willing to help you with your appointment. When you meet his Medical Assistants, Esther and Norrissiee, you can easily see why they are part of the team as they are so warm, friendly and eager to help all the patients.
Summer, his nurse practitioner, is just as personable as everyone else and works alongside Dr. Khan and their patients. Last, but certainly not least, Shelly is the practice manager. Thanks to Shelly, the office appears to run effortlessly, but there is truly so much that goes into making this practice as good as it is – it’s an out-
standing team and an incredibly gifted cardiologist.
Being double board-certified means that he is certified in cardiology and interventional cardiology - which are actually two different divisions. Although he does the typical procedures that any cardiologist does, he also goes beyond as he is constantly looking for new and innovative
Dr Khan performs advanced cardiac and vascular procedures at some of the area’s best hospitals in Boynton Beach, Delray Beach and Wellington.
techniques and procedures to better serve his patients. According to Dr. Khan, “there are a lot of new things coming down the pipeline. We will be able to do surgeries of the chest without opening up the chest by going through their groin. In addition, there are new types of stents that will actually eat up plaque, including the heavy plaque of the legs. We can also put stents in the arteries in the neck instead of opening them up for the old style surgical technique.”
Exercise Can Help Manage Menopause after menopause, women are more likely than before to have heart disease or develop osteoporosis, the american council on exercise says.
the council says aerobic and weightbearing forms of exercise can decrease a person's risk of: l heart disease.
l osteoporosis.
l anxiety and depression.
l losing too much weight.
He currently enjoys privileges at Wellington Regional Medical Center, Palms West Hospital, Bethesda Memorial Hospital and Delray Medical Center which is one of the top 50 hospitals in the country. In addition to his office on the grounds of Wellington Regional Medical Center, he also has another location at 14428 S. Military Trail in Delray Beach. If you would like to make an appointment at either location, please give Jenna a call at 561-424-5555 and she will be happy to set that up for you at either location.
Delray Medical Center Celebrates First Quarter DAISY Award Winner and Nominees
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DAISY award recognizes extraordinary nurses
ELRAY BEACH, Fla.- May 22, 2012To recognize nurses that provide extraordinary nursing care, Delray Medical Center announced its first quarter DAISY Award finalists and winner. Four nurses were selected as nominees of whom one winner was selected. All nominees were chosen based on their education, training, skill, judgment and compassionate care, which truly make a difference in the lives of so many of Delray Medical Center’s patients and the community. The first quarter Daisy Award winner was Nathalie Garrett from the Neuro Telemetry Unit. Nominees were Gwen McGee from the TICU; Taylor Mackey
from the ED; and Deena Dooley from the Trauma Unit. “Delray Medical Center is proud to celebrate all of our DAISY Award nominees and winner, Nathalie Garrett,” said Delray Medical Center chief executive
officer, Mark Bryan. “We always strive to recognize our nurses who take pride in the nursing profession and who go over the call of duty to provide a high level of service and quality care to our patients.”
For the DAISY Award, numerous hospitals and medical facilities around the country select award recipients each quarter. Recipients are chosen by their nurse administrators, peers, physicians and patients. As of
July, 2009, over 4,500 nurses have received the DAISY Award. Since it takes a team to provide great patient care, physicians, nurses, and staff at Delray Medical Center were treated to Cinnabon® cinnamon rolls during the DAISY Award presentation. Delray Medical Center also received a banner to hang in the hospital to celebrate The DAISY Award honors and the nursing profession. The DAISY award is sponsored by Cinnabon's franchisees and parent company, FOCUS Brands as the Premier Sponsor. It is cosponsored in several hospitals by families and companies, including the Angels Baseball Foundation; Hill-Rom; Johnson & Johnson's Campaign For Nursing's Future; NovaVine; Sam’s Club; UnitedHealthcare; U.S. Airways; Wells Fargo; and Wellington Vineyards.
10 JUNE ISSUE
• 2012
WWW.GLOBALHEALTHTRIBUNE.COM
Nipple Areolar Complex SkinSparing Mastectomies; A Thirteen Year Retrospective Study From A Community Hospital John D. Corbitt, Jr., M.D.
Lori Anthony, PA-C, MPH
JFK Medical Center – Palm Beach County, FL
Luis A. Vinas, M.D.
Victoria Vanacore, PA-C, MMS
Teresa Vaughn, RN, CNOR, CRNFA
Objectives: The standard
treatment of breast cancer from a surgical approach is to eradicate the cancer by excision of the tumor obtaining clear margins. Lumpectomies as a conservative procedure have produced excellent results; however, in cases where mastectomies are necessary or requested, the nipple areolar complex- skin sparing mastectomy produces similar results as a lumpectomy or modified radical mastectomy and should be considered for the standard of care. This retrospective study contains statistically significant data to consider nipple areolar complex mastectomy as an appropriate choice without compromise of the ultimate goal of
cancer removal. The preservation of the nipple areolar complex has an additional benefit to the patient both psychologically as well as cosmetically.
Methods: Nipple areolar complex skin- sparing mastectomies were first performed by us in 1998 with patients entering the study up until 2011. Between 1998 and 2011, 178 patients underwent 280 NAC- skin sparing mastectomies. These patients were chosen from a group of women that either requested or required a mastectomy. Prophylactic procedures were performed in gene positive patients or patients with a strong family history of breast cancer.
The patients were informed that this procedure was investigational and not a standard of care and were referred to a medical oncologist, a radiation oncologist, and a plastic surgeon for consultation. This procedure was offered to patients regardless of their pathology or tumor location, and no patients were denied the opportunity of undergoing a nipple areolar complex- skin sparing mastectomy.
Results: A total of 280 nipple
areolar complex mastectomies were performed; 102 were bilateral and 76 were unilateral; 114 were done for invasive cancer; 48 for in situ cancer; 15 were
Example 1: 37-Year-Old with BRCAI(+)
Pre-op
Post-op Day #1
Pre-op
Patients 87 76 15
3 Months Post-op
3 Months Post-op
Example 2: 34-Year-Old with Strong Family History
Pre-op
4 Months Post-op
either gene positive or had a strong family history of cancer and one patient required a mastectomy for an extensive phyllodes tumor. One patient had a nipple recurrence requiring the nipple to be removed and is cancer free eight years following the second operation. There were 9 patients who had a recurrence to other areas of the breast requiring additional surgery. None of the non-cancer patients developed cancer.
Conclusion: This thirteenyear study demonstrates excellent cancer-free survival using nipple areolar sparing mastectomy. This procedure offers supe-
rior cosmetic results with additional psychological benefits in the overall treatment of the breast cancer patient.
Their offices are located at: John Corbitt, M.D. 142 JFK Drive Atlantis, FL 33462 (561) 439-1500
Luis Vinas, M.D. 550 S. Quadrille Blvd. West Palm Beach, FL 33401 (561) 655-3305 please see page 11 for the physician's ads
Nipple Sparing Mastectomy (NSM): 178 Patients Procedures 174 76 30
Procedure Type Bilateral Nsm for bilateral cancer of unilateral cancer Unilateral Nsm for unilateral cancer Bilateral prophylactic Nsm (gene positive of strong family history)
Example 3: 37-Year-Old with BRCAI(+)
Pre-op
3 Months Post-op
3 Months Post-op
Example 4: 54-Year-Old with Invasive Lobular Carcinoma
Pre-op
6 Weeks Post-op
Pre-op
2 Months Post-op
Example 5: 31-Year-Old with Ductal Carcinoma High Grade
Example 6: 55-Year-Old with Invasive Ductal Carcinoma
Pre-op
4 Months Post-op
Pre-op
2 Months Post-op
Addition of a Biologic Matrix to the Surgical Procedure surgimend is a non-crosslinked collagen matrix derived from fetal bovine dermis. chosen for its ability to be quickly incorporated and revascularized without inflammation, this product was added to the reconstruction procedure in 2006 to provide
support and promote rapid healing. Inclusion of this collagen and promote rapid healing. Inclusion of this collagen implant reduced the number of surgical complications and significantly improved the overall aesthetic results.
JUNE ISSUE • 2012 11
WWW.GLOBALHEALTHTRIBUNE.COM
Humans Can Sniff Out Old Age in Others, Study Shows
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And coming from the healthy elderly, the odor isn't unsettling, participants said.
ow old do you think you smell? A new study suggests that humans possess the ability to judge whether a person has reached their senior years just by sniffing their body odor. People in the study correctly gauged whether the former wearer of an underarm pad was elderly or not just by sniffing it. And for the record, most didn't think "old-people smell" was offputting at all. The finding "shows that there's yet another signal hidden in the body odor that we are somehow able to extract and make use of," said study co-author Johan Lundstrom, an assistant professor at the Monell Chemical Senses Center, in Philadelphia. As for the notion that "old-people smell" doesn't leave people as disgusted as you might expect, Lundstrom said the odor's power -- or lack thereof --
appears to have a lot to do with whether the elderly are actually physically present. "Lacking a context, the negativity of the body odors disappear," he said. The study authors launched their research as part of an effort to better understand the chemical signals that people detect in body odor. Previous research had suggested that we can pick up signs of sickness in other people's body odor and even get a sense of whether someone is related to us, Lundstrom said. Animals appear to be able to detect age through body odor, he said, although it's not clear why it might matter to them. One theory is that the signal could let other animals know that an animal is older and thus more likely to produce offspring because it's managed to stay alive so long, he said. In the new study, 56 people -- 20 young (20 to 30 years old), 20 middle-aged (45 to 55), and 16 elderly (75 to 95) -- wore clean T-shirts and underarm pads while sleeping. The pads soaked up a sample of each individual's body odor. The researchers then asked 41
young people to smell the resulting odors -- from pads kept in glass jars -- and try to tell them apart. Participants were generally able to discriminate between the age groups, but they weren't much better at it than chance, Lundstrom said. However, they were able to do a better job of grouping together body odors from older people and identifying them as coming from the elderly. "The old-age body odor sticks out," Lundstrom said, but it didn't do so in a negative way. In fact, the subjects tended to think the old age body odors were more pleasant and less intense than those of other age groups. One factor might explain that:
John D. Corbitt, Jr., M.D. diplomate of american Board of surgery
dr. corbitt is a general surgeon who specializes in breast disease. he performs the latest procedures for breast care and has the largest, longest running study for nipple sparing skin sparing mastectomies for breast cancer in the U.s. he is a graduate of emory University and completed his residency training at emory University, henrietta egleston children's hospital, atlanta V.a hospital, and grady memorial hospital. he is also a former major in the United states air Force medical corp. dr.corbitt has 31 publications and contributions to 14 textbooks on laparoscopic, hernia, and breast surgery, and he is currently working on publishing a paper regarding the Nipple areolar complex skin-sparing mastectomy for breast cancer patients and patients at high risk for the disease based on family history and genetic testing.
Older men smell more like women, possibly because they've lost testosterone, Lundstrom said. He also noted that the people who provided their body odor for the study were healthy. That means the older people did not suffer from problems that can occur among seniors that might affect their body odors, such as incontinence. The "popular prejudice" against the odor of the elderly probably reflects people's distaste for odors in geriatric wards and nursing homes, noted one expert, Tim Jacob, a professor of biosciences at Cardiff University, in England, who studies smell and is familiar with the new study's findings.
"This is obviously an unfair association," he said. "But if people know where the smell originates [that is, in an older person], they may be unconsciously or consciously prejudiced. In this study they did not know where the smell originated." So how might people be able to detect old age through smell? It's not clear, Lundstrom said. One possibility is that we're not detecting old age specifically, but instead a signal that "piggybacks" on chemical signs of disease in the elderly, he said. In the big picture, "given the research showing the importance of the olfactory -- smell -- system among other animal species, it is likely that humans possess similar capabilities that we don't yet fully understand, yet influence our behavior more than we realize," said Elizabeth Krusemark, a smell researcher and postdoctoral fellow at the University of Wisconsin Madison's Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience Lab. The study appears in the May issue of PLoS One.
Breast Surgery Laparoscopic Surgery General Surgery We accept most insurances!
aetna amerihealth Blue cross Blue shield cigna ghI humana secure horizons United healthcare Vista health....
american Pioneer avmed care Plus coventry healthcare district medicare tricare Universal health and more!
We are located just North of JFK Medical Center 142 JFK Dr. Atlantis, F.L 33462 Phone: (561) 439-1500 • Fax: (561) 439-9902
12 JUNE ISSUE
• 2012
WWW.GLOBALHEALTHTRIBUNE.COM
SFRO’s Survivorship Clinic is a Gift from Above
Kishore K. Dass, MD
Board-Certified Radiation Oncologist
Anthony Addesa, MD
Board-Certified Radiation Oncologist
“We are committed to ensuring your total well-being and want to provide the atmosphere and resources to make sure you have a smooth transition from completion of your cancer care to having total comfort in living your life.” -- Kishore dass, m.d., sFro
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By Deborah Lynn
efore long, South Florida Radiation Oncology will be opening their new survivor clinic in Palm Beach Gardens. Judy Armstrong, a boardcertified advanced nurse practitioner at SFRO, will be running the clinic and believe me, she was the perfect choice. Judy has been with SFRO since their inception and has truly given every ounce of herself to her patients. She is one of the most loving and giving souls that you will ever meet and her survivors are basically her children. Judy and the entire staff will be on hand to help survivors navigate through their initial diagnosis and prepare them for what’s to come. For her, it’s a journey of support, love and hope. The clinic will offer just about
everything you need to help educate and guide you through such a difficult fight. They will offer a variety of alternative therapies such as; acupuncture, physical therapy, massage therapy, psychotherapy, as well as studied therapies. In addition, they will have classes in meditation, yoga, and a full kitchen with cooking lessons from a chef along with nutritional advice. There is a library with computers, books and other sources of information for you to educate yourself on your diagnosis which will allow you to make the right choices for you. Support groups that are currently in place will also be part of the offerings. The facility is not only available to help each and every patient, but every family member or friend of anyone that had been touched by their diagnosis as well.
Studies clearly prove that people who have support in their lives do much better than those that have none. Sometimes when people find out they have cancer, they turn to spirituality as it’s an awakening. “They need to realize that from the day of their diagnosis, their life will never be the same. They make decisions differently and they will choose things differently because just about everything has changed. They may decide to go on a vacation that they never would have or spend more time with kids as they normally wouldn’t, just things like that.” With the new clinic and all the wonderful amenities, survivors can spend time doing productive things that will certainly help them in the long run – mentally, physically and emotionally. As the location will not be open until late summer, the therapy is currently being done in the SFRO office. Judy stresses, “Patients need to realize that once they are diagnosed, time is of the essence. Some people think that going for a biopsy in four weeks is the appropriate step, but that is sim-
ply not the right way to deal with the diagnosis.”
Unfortunately, the individual that answers the phone at your physician’s office is unaware of your diagnosis. Therefore, it’s important to let them know that you need an appointment right away. “When someone has cancer, they need to be moved through the system much quicker. Often patients that have had cancer are fearful that with every ache and pain the cancer may have returned. That is why it’s very important for them to do the follow-up as each cancer will have a different type.” Judy and her staff strive to help patients understand what to expect from the treatments and what life will be like afterwards. In addition to guiding you through the initial diagnosis, as well as the treatment and post treatment, they will also assist you with finding financial assistance. There are many foundations that can help you with some of your household bills, one of which is the Cancer Alliance of Help and Hope
(CAHH). As Judy is a volunteer committee member, she will absolutely try her best to find a way to not only get you the support you need, but the monetary help you need as well. To date, these organizations and foundations have helped Judy with a number of patients and continue to do so. “I can call them and say, I need your help with this and they’re there. I also work with Caridad and help with immigration patients and with Project Access, which is supported by the Palm Beach Medical Society.”
“Our goal is to use a foundation and get donations and charge the patients from little to nothing by having fundraisers. It’s a huge effort, but this is my baby. My job is my life.”
If you would like to volunteer or make a donation, please call 877-930-SFRO (7376).
For additional information about Judy Armstrong, South Florida Radiation Oncology, or the new clinic, please visit their website at www.sfrollc.com.
Judy Armstrong, ARNP, OCN Certified Family Nurse Practioner Oncology Certified Nurse
Judy Armstrong is a Board-Certified Advanced Nurse Practitioner and a graduate of the Peter Bent Brigham School of Nursing in Boston. She completed her Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing at Framingham State College in Massachusetts and her Master’s degree in Nursing and Nurse Practitioner education at Florida Atlantic University.
How Do Cancer Survivors Cope with Everyday Stress? T
By Cindy Collins PhD, RD, LD/N
he number of cancer survivors is growing. Two of every three adult patients diagnosed with cancer are expected to survive greater than five years. It is estimated there are a current 10.5 million cancer survivors living in the United States.
Cindy Collins, Ph.D., R.D.
Experimental Health Psychology / Nutrition
Because so many patients are living in post-treatment survival, it has become of interest to learn how they cope with life’s every day stressors. Many researchers
have already contributed to the question of patients coping with the big stressors like their cancer diagnosis itself. The question we haven’t addressed is whether cancer survivors are more (or less) vulnerable to the everyday hassles. Costanza and coworkers (2012) compared a group of cancer survivors to a matched group of individuals with no history of cancer, measuring their response to daily stress. They have reported their results to two questions: 1) do they perceive stress differently? 2) does stress affect their
Quality of Life (mood, physical symptoms) differently?
Cancer survivors and non-cancer persons reported the same amount of stress and similar perception of stress. Rather than being more vulnerable, it appears that cancer patients are very resilient to every day stress.
Cancer survivors did however report an increased sensitivity to relationship stress, such as disagreements and tension. They reported more of a negative mood in response to this stress than
their non-cancer counterparts. This study reminds us to pay attention to the small stressors and especially the relationship stressors in cancer survivors’ lives, even after they have completed cancer treatment. As the authors state, “Therapeutic interventions…and stress management…to target strategies for coping with everyday life demands may have an added benefit of optimizing cancer survivor’s Quality of Life.”
Taken from Health Psychology (2012), Vol 31, No 3, 360-370.
A diagnosis of prostate cancer dramatically affects the lives of you and your loved ones. That’s why at South Florida Radiation Oncology, we focus on providing comprehensive care with a complete range of the most technically advanced treatment options in the world. Leading technologies, including the CyberKnife®, RapidArc™, TrueBeam™ and brachytherapy, offer fast, effective results to help you get back to living your life. At South Florida Radiation Oncology, our team of radiation oncologists and support staff is knowledgeable and experienced, providing gentle, compassionate care — all at the South Florida location of your choice. Call South Florida Radiation Oncology today to discuss the
With the Most Advanced Treatment Options in the Field
available treatment options for your fight against prostate cancer, and get back to living your life.
South Florida Radiation Oncology. Get back to living your life.
( 7376 )
877.930.SFRO www.sfrollc.com
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14 JUNE ISSUE
• 2012
WWW.GLOBALHEALTHTRIBUNE.COM
Maxillofacial Orthopedics with Functional Appliances ticatory muscles during swallowing and breathing.
More than 60% of a child's facial bone growth occurs before age 6 and the majority of children develop orthodontic problems at this early age. Therefore, it is only logical to apply orthopedic therapy early on and prevent long term and expensive orthodontic and surgical procedures.
Alvaro Betancur, DDS, has practiced dentistry in Florida since 1990. After receiving his dental degree, Dr. Betancur completed a residency in craniofacial pain and pathofunction at the University of Florida and a fellowship at the University of Florida Pain Center rand the American Academy of Craniofacial Pain. Dr. Betancur is a member of the American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine.
By Alvaro Betancur, DDS
S
Develop A More Appealing Face With A Beautiful Smile
tarting as young as 2 years old, you may help your children develop a beautiful smile with a more attractive profile as well as prevent sleep apnea, long time orthodontic treatments, extractions to align the teeth and avoid orthognatic surgery; all with Functional Appliances. We work with the children and parents to motivate them to enjoy wearing the appliances for 10 to 20 minutes twice a day. This amount of time is enough to produce a positive effect on mas-
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The teeth are guided into position by the lips, cheeks and tongue. The shape of the jaw is affected by mouth breathing and tongue position and affects the facial profile. All of these functions can be trained correctly to help develop normal teeth, jaws and faces. Then, if braces are needed, it will be only for less than a year, decreasing the risks of long-term braces.
You can help your child by evaluating the following risk factors:
(1) Lack of space between baby teeth: Usually the per-
manent teeth are bigger than the baby teeth, therefore if there are not enough spaces between baby teeth, the permanent teeth will, most likely, be crowded.
(2) Dental Arch form:
Ovoid dental arches are ideal; triangular or square formed arches do not provide enough space for permanent teeth to be positioned correctly.
(3) Jaw position: When cor-
rectly positioned the facial profile will be straight. If the jaw is left behind when biting it will create a convex profile with increased overbite (retrognatic). If jaw is positioned forward when biting, the profile will be
will compromise the airway facilitating sleep apnea and TMJ problems.
concave (prognatic) with reversed overbite.
(4) Profile: Straight profile is ideal. Convex and concave profiles are due to incorrect Jaw positioning or maxilla underdevelopment. If detected early - as young as 2 - the problem can be corrected. There is no need to wait until the situation gets worse and can only be solved with orthognatic surgery and long time braces. (5) Facial Asymmetry:
When the jaw is positioned to one side or both sides are outside the maxilla it will create facial deformation.
(6) Open Bite and Deep Bite: When the upper and lower
teeth don't meet properly leaving an open space or negative space, it can lead to abnormal facial growth creating too long or too short faces. With orthopedics we can change that and create more appealing faces.
(7) Breathing: Day time and night time breathing should be performed with the mouth closed and lips sealed. If your child sleeps with the mouth open or keeps the mouth open during the day, professional evaluation is recommended since this problem will affect dramatically the
child’s facial development and smile. Children with mouth breathing have a higher risk of developing obstructive sleep apnea, that can be prevented if treated early.
(8) Habits: Tongue trust, over use of pacifier, nails biting, thumb sucking, lips sucking, mucosa sucking and other habits can have a big effect on children’s facial development and breathing patterns leading to sleep apnea, small chin, facial asymmetry, exaggerated over bite, teeth crowding and many other breathing, TMJ, facial and orthodontic problems. This can be managed and retrained to guide facial development correctly with a beautiful wide smile and optimal facial profile. The kids usually have fun during the easy, inexpensive and effective process of correcting their face and smile. In our offices we encourage the mothers to start treatment as soon as a problem is noted, and we also recommend to have the kids evaluated every 6 months starting at 2 years of age. (9) Swallowing: Should be performed with the proper tongue seal at the roof of the mouth. if tongue is directed to the teeth, will create teeth mispositioned and open bite that
(10) Diet: Softer diet in young infants create a smaller bones and an incorrect maxilla / mandible relationship. This will allow to develop teeth crowding with mayor orthodontic needs, TMJ dysfunction and Obstructive Sleep apnea. Hard/semi-hard and fibrous diet accompanied with normal swallowing and breathing stimulates growth factors to develop the necessary bone structures to accommodate all teeth and proper airway.
Children 2 to 6 years old can be treated with trainer and other orthopedic appliances. If your child is between 6 to 10 years old, different orthopedic appliances combined with the trainer can be used for an early correction of the bite and facial profile. Children 10 to 16 years old, will be treated with combination of orthopedic appliances and orthodontic appliances and/or only braces in some cases. Adult’s treatment usually involves Orthodontics, extractions and in some cases orthognatic surgery. If your child presents one of more of the described signs, do not wait any longer; The facial development problems should be treated as soon as discovered, without the proper treatment the situation is only going to get worse. Call our office today for a complimentary consultation: Boca Raton, Florida: 561-750-6790
Pembroke Pines, Florida: 954-392-1851
Sleep Better and Extend Your Life
bstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a breathing disorder in which there is a brief interruption of breathing during sleep.
The throat collapses during sleep causing the individual to snort and gasp for breath. These episodes are called apneas (a temporary suspension of breathing) and can last from ten seconds to over a minute. Hundreds of these episodes can occur every night. According to Dr. Alvaro Betancur, "The body needs oxygen, if it is deprived of oxygen, something bad is going to happen." Dr. Betancur's practice encompasses general and cosmetic dentistry, oral surgery, dental implants, and sleep medicine. He considers sleep apnea to be significantly under diagnosed, which is part of what drew him to obtain advanced training in that area. With the help of an oral appliance, patients suffering from OSA can discover restful nights and better health.
"It's one of the most rewarding parts of my practice. You actually extend patient’s lives, as well as increase the quality of those lives, perhaps making it so that they can sleep in the same bedroom as their spouse again, and allowing them to feel like they have energy rather than being run down.”
"Sleep apnea has so many comorbidity factors, such as heart disease, high blood pressure, and adult-onset diabetes," adds Dr. Betancur. Other risk factors include; snoring, old age, men are twice as likely to have OSA, menopause, excess weight, narrow airway, chronic nasal obstruction, a family history of sleep apnea, smoking and use of alcohol, sedatives or tranquilizers. “It’s also one of the main causes of acid reflux. Treatment just makes life a whole lot easier for patients."
CPAP Machine Vs. Oral Appliance
Dr. Betancur points to the incidence of cardiac arrest by way of example. "When do most people have a heart attack? Between 11:00 p.m. and 4:00 a.m. and although it may say heart attack on the death certificate, what actually happened is that an episode of sleep apnea has triggered cardiac arrest. The breathing stops, the pulse skyrockets which causes the heart to pump much harder as it tries to get oxygen." We have also found that the number one reason for grinding of the teeth is sleep apnea, notes Dr. Betancur. "We used to think it was a result of stress, but now we know that it occurs because of the body's protective mechanism of moving the jaw forward to open the airway so the patient can breathe. When you treat the sleep apnea using oral appliances, the grinding comes to a halt. Patients don't wake up in the morning with headaches or sore jaws, plus it protects their teeth, which ends up saving them a great deal of money.”
From a financial standpoint, sleep apnea treatment is considered economical by patients and insurance companies alike.
"Most patients who have acid reflux, for example, after being treated with a sleep apnea appliance, don't need their medication anymore. However, they should follow up closely with their physician.”
"That's one possible reason that medical insurance, as well as Medicare, pays for the treatment. It's far cheaper for them to treat the sleep apnea than to handle the co-morbidities down the road."
Dr. Betancur hopes to help as many sleep apnea sufferers as he can. "We work with a number of physicians and pulmonologists. For sleep apnea patients who cannot be treated with a CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) machine, or who drop out of treatment, there are alternatives using oral appliances that enable us to extend their lives. In addition, the convenience of an
oral appliance leads to a greater chance of compliance in their treatment."
In terms of those oral alternatives, Dr. Betancur adds, patients have many options. "There are ninety-two FDA-approved appliances for the treatment of sleep apnea," he explains.
To find out more about sleep apnea and treatment, visit www.sleepsnoredentist.com Understanding and treating sleep apnea leads to better rest, higher energy levels, and improved heart health. If you are concerned about the possibility of sleep disordered breathing for yourself or a loved one, Dr. Betancur and his staff would like to help.
The practice accepts Medicare and most major insurance plans. The offices are located at 3401 N. Federal Hwy., Suite 101, in Boca Raton, telephone (561) 750-6790 and 18203 Pines Blvd, Suite 305 in Pembroke Pines, telephone (954) 392-1851.
JUNE ISSUE • 2012 15
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West Boca Medical Center Assistant Nurse Manager Sue Swiderski Awarded Palm Beach County Medical Society 2012 “Heroes in Medicine” Award
Swiderski won the hero award in the health care provider category
BOCA RATON, Fla. (May 24, 2012) — West Boca Medical Center is proud to announce that Pediatric Intensive Care Unit assistant nurse manager, Sue Swiderski, earned a 2012 Palm Beach County Medical Society “Heroes in Medicine” award in the health care provider category. Swiderski was selected for this prestigious award among an extensive list of applicants and five finalists. Swiderski was also inducted into the Tenet Hero Hall of Fame in 2011 for her loyal commitment to help families cope with the range of emo-
M
Sue Swiderski.
tions often experienced when young children and their families are faced with a serious or lifethreatening illness. “On behalf of the staff at West Boca Medical Center, I congratulate Sue Swiderski on yet another deserving award for her countless hours of work and endless compassion that she shares with her pediatric patients and
their families,” said Mitch Feldman, chief executive officer of West Boca Medical Center. “Sue is a true “hero” at West Boca Medical Center and in the community, where she is often helping others outside of her clinical role.” Sue was surrounded by hundreds attendees and other healthcare heroes that were awarded by the Palm Beach County Medical Society at an awards luncheon on May 9th. These prestigious awards honor individuals, organizations, and businesses throughout Palm Beach County that use their skills and resources in the field of health care to provide outstanding services for the people of our local, national, and global communities. In addition to properly recognizing the community’s “Heroes in Medicine,” this initiative serves to encourage and stimulate future heroes by promoting a commitment to community service.
Quitting Smoking No Harder for Women Than Men, Study Says
en are no better than women when it comes to quitting smoking, a new study reveals. The finding challenges the belief that women have more difficulty kicking the habit than men, an idea largely based on the results of clinical trials of smoking cessation aids that show men have higher quit rates than women. Such a gender-based difference would be important in strategies meant to help reduce smoking, noted study author Martin Jarvis, professor in the department of epidemiology and public health at University College London in England, and colleagues. For this study, the researchers examined data from more than 102,000 smokers who took part in surveys conducted in 2006 and 2007 in the United States,
Canada and the United Kingdom. The analysis revealed similar and consistent patterns in all three countries. Before age 50, women were more likely than men to successfully quit smoking. This was particularly true among smokers in their 20s and 30s. Among people over 60, men were more likely than women to stop smoking. However, this may be due to higher death rates from smoking in older men, the researchers noted. When smoking quit rates excluded people who continued to use smokeless tobacco and included those who had stopped smoking for more than a year, the quit rates in the United States were about 50 percent for women and nearly 47 percent for men, while quit rates in Canada were about 46 percent for women and about
Save your life… Peaceful Sleep without CPAP
PEACEFUL SLEEP WITHOUT CPAP SNORING AND DAYTIME SLEEPINES may signal a potentially life threatening disorder:
OBSTRUCTIVE SLEEP APNEA OR OSA OSA can lead to heart attack and reduced libido covered by most medical Insurance and medicare
Member Alvaro Betancur, D.D.S.
43 percent for men. No comparable figures were available for the United Kingdom. The study was published online May 30 in the journal Tobacco Control. "Our study has found convincing evidence that men in general are not more likely to quit smoking successfully than women. The myth of female disadvantage at quitting smoking is bad, first and foremost, for women," who may believe it, Jarvis and colleagues noted in a journal news release. It's also bad for men, because they may think they're at an advantage, the researchers added, and for health care professionals and policy makers who are trying to help people quit. "It is time to put aside the idea that women are less successful than men at giving up smoking," the authors concluded in the news release.
Compare Treatment Options
obstructive sleep apnea (osa) affects more than 18 million americans and can lead to hypertension, heart attack, stroke, diabetes, reduced libido, tmJ dysfunction, morning headaches and excessive daytime sleepiness which can lead to work and car accidents.
T
Daily 'Dose' of Dark Chocolate Might Shield the Heart here's more sweet news about chocolate and your health: A new study suggests that eating a bit of dark chocolate each day may cut the odds of heart attack and stroke in high-risk people. Dark chocolate is rich in flavonoids, antioxidant substances known to have heart protective effects. Until now, the potential benefits of dark chocolate on heart health have only been examined in short-term studies. In the new study, Australian researchers used a mathematical model to predict the long-term health effects of daily consumption of dark chocolate among more than 2,000 people who had high blood pressure and what's known as the "metabolic syndrome" -- a group of conditions that increase a person's risk of heart disease and diabetes. Daily consumption was set at 100 grams (about 3.5 ounces) of dark chocolate. None of the participants had a history of heart disease or diabetes and none were receiving treatment to lower their blood pressure. The researchers determined that 100 percent compliance with eating dark chocolate every day could potentially prevent 70 nonfatal and 15 fatal cardiovascular events per 10,000 people over 10 years, while 80 percent compliance could prevent 55 non-fatal and 10 fatal cardiovascular events. The mathematical model also indicated that promoting or subsidizing the daily consumption of dark chocolate at a cost of $42 per person per year would be a cost-effective strategy for reducing cardiovascular events in high-risk people, according to Ella Zomer and colleagues at Monash University in Melbourne.
Family Dental Care Comprehensive
Our Services Include:
Dental Implants
Snoring ruins your sex life
treatment with oral appliance therapy (oat): for mild and moderate sleep apnea and snoring. Plus severe osa when the patient is intolerant to cPaP or needs to be used in conjuntion with cPaP.
Full Lip Seal
Custom Fit
Permits Movement
eliminate the cPaP mask and continue using cPaP equipment with the new oral appliance to obtain the benefits of both. OAT is covered by most Medical Insurance and Medicare
The researchers stressed that protection against cardiovascular disease has only been shown for dark chocolate (at least 60 to 70 percent cocoa) and not for milk or white chocolate. Experts in the United States had mixed views on the findings. The new findings "will certainly get people with metabolic syndrome excited, but at this point these findings are more hypothetical than proven, and the results need real-life data to confirm," said Dr. Kenneth Ong, interim chair of the department of medicine and interim chief of cardiology at The Brooklyn Hospital Center in New York City. Ong added that "consuming dark chocolate every day for 10 years may have unintended adverse consequences. The authors readily acknowledge that the additional sugar and caloric intake may negatively impact patients in this study, who are overweight and glucose intolerant to begin with." But another expert said the Australian team is not the first to suggest that dark chocolate might help the heart. "Multiple studies have shown the benefits of dark chocolate on preventing heart disease, high blood pressure and diabetes," noted Dr. Suzanne Steinbaum, preventive cardiologist at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City. "For those patients who are at a significant risk for cardiovascular events, like those who have the metabolic syndrome, a daily dose of 70 percent dark chocolate may be part of not only a healthy eating plan, but an integral component of a preventive prescription." The study, which did not receive any food industry funding, was published online May in the BMJ.
Dentist-rx.com
Wisdom teeth removal * oral rehabilitation gums treatment: surgical and non-surgical root canals * Fillings * crowns * tmJ
Orthodontics & Dentofacial Orthopedics
starting as young as 2 years old, you may help your children to solve ear inflammation symptoms, develop a beautiful face and smile with a more attractive profile as well as prevent sleep apnea and avoid orthognathic surgery; all with Funtional appliances and Facial focused orthodontics.
We can straighten your teeth at any age, fast and comfortably using invisible technology with or without braces. Improve your facial appearance with a beautiful and healthy smile.
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3401 N.Federal Hwy. Suite 101 18503 Pines Blvd. Suite 305 Boca Raton, FL 33431 Pembroke Pines, FL 33029
Phone: 561-750-6790
Phone: 954-392-1851
16 JUNE ISSUE
• 2012
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“Help, I Can’t Fall Asleep!” reasons why a human being cannot sleep well and that will have to be dissected methodically by a trained and caring physician who will spend time with you in their office as they try to find the cause of the problem. This way, we can find an effective drug-free way of giving you that restful night of sleep that you have been longing for which will in turn be much better for your long-term health. While sleeping pills may help you get a good night of sleep for now, they are only a temporary fix and can easily become addictive. Therefore, I prefer to find the cause of the problem and stay away from prescribing sleeping pills as often as possible.
have no problem pulling out my prescription pad, I would rather figure out the real reason as to why they are having a problem sleeping – first. I feel that getting to the core of the issue is much more important for their long-term health.
M
Shekhar V. Sharma, M.D. Board Certified in Internal Medicine
illions of Americans have trouble falling asleep. However, this is not just a problem in America, but a worldwide issue. So, why is it so difficult to fall asleep and maintain that blissful sleep throughout the night? In my opinion, a good night sleep consists of seven or more continuous hours of sleep. Unfortunately, there are a variety of reasons why people have such a difficult time and I will address some of them below. I see patients on a daily basis that complain about their lack of sleep, going to sleep really late or having to get up early. Many of them want me to prescribe sedatives in order for them to get a restful night of sleep. As I
First, try to avoid stimulants, such as; caffeinated drinks, nicotine and over-the-counter medications that contain caffeine. Try to avoid consuming excessive amounts of alcohol at night as this could lead to acid reflux symptoms in the long-term, which can keep a person awake at night. In addition, try not to eat a heavy meal late at night. If you have acid reflux, try to avoid items with citric acid in them, such as orange juice, ketchup and some berries, with the exception of blueberries. Avoid chocolate, peppermint and again, do not smoke cigarettes prior to bedtime. Acidity at night can keep you awake and cause various other symptoms.
Second, try to eliminate other stress factors in your routine. This may include reading late night e-mails, watching TV, or those late night movies which may cause worrisome thoughts and therefore deprive you of your sleep. In doing so, this may cause you to feel fatigued
and sleepy during the day and especially after lunch, which is not conducive with your job. Your lack of sleep can lead to irritability, mood swings, depression, headaches and your lack of ability to concentrate.
Essentially, the lack of sleep or poor quality sleep can have a negative impact on your daily productivity, health and emotional balance. Finally, there are various other
Dr. Sharma is a Board certified Internist that has been in practice for the past 19 years. His office is accepting new patients: Palomino Park, 3347 State Road 7 Suite 200 Wellington, FL 33449 and for an appointment please call
(561) 795-9087
Dr. Sharma's office in Belle Glade is at 1200 South Main Street, Suite 100 (opposite the Old Glades General Hospital). He will be seeing patients at this location along with Ebonee Johnson ARNP. He is currently accepting New Patients and the office accepts most insurances.
Call
561-996-7742 for an appointment.
PALM BEACH PRIMARY CARE ASSOCIATES, INC. State of the Art Office Building with Imaging Center,
Shekhar Sharma M.D. Ebonee Johnson A.R.N.P.
Accepting New Patients
Southern Blvd.
MEDICARE, BLUE CROSS BLUE SHIELD, HEALTH CARE DISTRICT AND MOST MAJOR INSURANCES ACCEPTED On staff at Palms West Hospital and Wellington Regional Medical Center
Palomino Park
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PALM BEACH PRIMARY CARE ASSOCIATES
Lake Worth Rd.
Florida’s Turnpke
The Mall at Wellington Green
State Road 7 (441)
Forest Hill Blvd.
Monday - Friday from 9:00 am - 5:00 pm Same Day Appointments and 24-Hour Service Available
3347 State Road 7 Suite 200 Wellington, FL 33449
Tel: (561) 795-9087 • Fax: (561) 753-8730
SPECIALIZING IN: • Diagnosis of Complex Illnesses • Cholesterol Management • Diabetes • Cardiac Care • EKG/24-Hour Heart Monitoring/Spirometry • Hypertension • Geriatric Concerns • Osteoporosis ACCEPTING NEW PATIENTS
1200 South Main Street Suite 101 Belle Glade FL 33430
Tel: (561) 996-7742 • Fax: (561) 753-8730
JUNE ISSUE • 2012 17
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Palm Beach Gardens Medical Center’s Information goes Digital ahead of Schedule
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By Erica Whyman
alm Beach Gardens, FL--The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA), commonly referred to as the Stimulus or The Recovery Act provided an important provision for healthcare providers to bring information to the center of care. The Act provided $19.2 billion in funding to adopt a certified electronic health record system (EHR), there are incentives to adopt such systems early and penalties for adopting late. Palm Beach Gardens Medical Center is ahead of schedule, officially launching their program this April. I had the opportunity to meet with the technology team during “Go-Live” week of the launch to talk about the systems imple-
More Families Seek Kidney Donations on Facebook
mentation. The energy at the hospital was palpable; there were banners, signs and green shirts, announcing the launch of the IMPACT project, IMproving PAtient, Care through Technology.
While moving into the digital age will certainly reduce the reliance on paper records, Ms. Stewart said that the driver is the “increase in patient safety and care” the change will make. “Does this mean no more deciphering a doctor’s handwriting?” I joked. I guess I was not so far off, by having all the patient information keyed in electronically, it reduces the chance medication errors due to written records that were possibly illegible. Also, not
having medication history of a patient can result in errors. With implementation of the new EHR system, “patient history is at your fingertips,” echoed the team. The end result is an increase in patient safety and patient care.
This implementation will also allow all the most up-to-date patient information to be accessed by physicians 24 hours a day, at any location within the hospital or even from remote locations, information such as vital signs and lab results, as well as any previous hospital visits, will be available to those caring for and making critical clinical decisions for the patients exactly when needed.
The system is very sophisticated, each patient’s hospital arm band
has an associated Aztec code that is scanned to ensure the correct patient is identified and all patient information is immediately available. The system also provides physicians with the latest clinical practices at point of care or where the actual care is taking place. Palm Beach Gardens Medical Center was an ideal implementation due to the fact that they already housed certain information electronically and the team was very anxious to adapt to the Electronic Health Record system. When I asked how the week one was going, I was surprised to hear how few hiccups they have had. The nursing staff was phase 1 of the roll out, but the physicians were already stopping by the department eager to be
loaded into the system.
The IMPACT project is a multi phased strategic initiative centered on technology; subsequent phases will include integrating personal health records, interoperability and participation in the health information exchange and computerized provider order entry.
Before leaving, I was taken to the hub or what is referred to in the IT world as the “war room.” Basically it is a room set up as a technology hub, offering 24 hour support to those utilizing the system, during the initial roll out. The room was set up with computers, monitors, phones and of course a plethora of food and caffeinated beverages, but most of all it was filled with people who were excited and enthusiastic about the roll out.
Healthy Diet, Exercise Extend Life for Women in Their 70s: Study
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Participants who were tops in both categories had 8 times the odds of survival.
more patients and families are using Facebook to seek kidney donations, but it's not clear if doing so improves the chances of obtaining a donor organ, a new study finds. researchers from loyola University medical center in maywood, Ill., examined 91 Facebook pages that were seeking kidney donations for patients aged 2 to 69 and found that 12 percent of the pages reported receiving a kidney transplant and 30 percent reported that potential donors had come forward to be tested for compatibility. one page reported that more than 600 people had been tested as potential donors for a child, according to the study recently presented at a meeting of the National Kidney Foundation. on kidney solicitation pages where identities could be determined, the researchers found that 37 percent of the pages were created by patients, 31 percent by patient's children, and 32 percent by other family members or friends of patients. there was wide variation in the amount of personal information revealed on the pages. some pages simply asked people to donate, without providing any other information. other patients offered extensive details about patients who needed kidneys, including medical history, family photos and emotional stories about hospital stays, emergency room visits, financial problems and the difficulties of living on dialysis.
omen in their 70s can gain more years by following advice they may be giving their grandkids: exercise and eat your fruits and vegetables. So finds a new study that helps confirm healthy living can extend life, even in the retirement years. "This is one of those findings that sounds like common sense," said study lead author Emily Nicklett, an assistant professor of social work at the University of Michigan School of Social Work, in Ann Arbor.
"But while it may seem obvious, it's important to go back to the basics in terms of understanding that diet and exercise can strongly predict mortality among older adults," she said. "Promoting healthy diets that include fruits and vegetables, together with some form of simple physical activity like walking, can make dramatic improvements in terms of health outcomes."
Nicklett and her colleagues published their findings in the May issue of the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. The authors noted that U.S. seniors over age 65 are the fastestgrowing slice of the country's population. In the study, Nicklett's team focused on more than 700 women between the ages of 70 and 79 who were living independently in their communities
and enrolled in two related physical disability studies. The women were asked how much they engaged in physical activities such as structured exercise (i.e., walking or strength training), household or outdoor chores, or pastimes such as bowling or dancing. The women's nutrition was measured via blood samples that measured each participant's total level of carotenoids. These plant-based compounds are thought to be an accurate indicator of an individual's fruit and vegetable consumption, the researchers explained.
All the participants were then tracked for five years, during which time nearly 12 percent of the women died. The researchers found that the most active women had the best survival prospects, and so did the women who consumed the most fruits and vegetables.
Breaking it down, the team observed that the most active women had a 71 percent lower death rate during a five-year period compared with the most sedentary women in the study. "And we're not talking about dramatic activity when we talk about exercise," Nicklett stressed. "We're not talking about rugby players. We're talking about something as simple as walking around the block, which is the way most women in our study burned the most calories."
The women with the highest carotenoid levels faced a 46 percent lower chance of dying during the five-year follow-up period versus those with the lowest fruit-and-vegetable intake. And because the study also was designed to explore the impact of exercise and nutrition together, the team found that women who were both the most physically active and the highest consumers of fruits and vegetables were eight times more likely to be alive after the study's five years of follow-up, compared to women who scored lowest on both counts.
"In terms of public health, this finding raises the question of, 'How do we encourage a healthy lifestyle that boosts longevity?'" Nicklett said. "And that can mean looking into whether there are enough safe places for these women to walk, or whether or not they have access to fresh fruits. It's really about going back to the basics." Lona Sandon, a registered dieti-
cian and assistant professor of clinical nutrition at the University of Texas Southwestern in Dallas, agreed that although the findings were "not particularly surprising," they are an important reminder that "exercise and eating healthfully is good for you." "We already know in other age categories that eating well and staying active is good for us," she said. "So it makes sense that it should then also apply to us as we get older."
"As to what it is exactly about exercise and fruits and vegetables that helps women to live longer lives, that is not exactly clear," Sandon cautioned. "Maybe if you stay more physically fit you remain more functional and are less likely to fall and break a leg or hip, for example. Or perhaps exercise and good food keeps your immune system healthier. Or it could be the socialization involved when exercise is done in groups. Or maybe all of the above."
18 JUNE ISSUE
â&#x20AC;˘ 2012
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Pre-diabetes ups patient's risk of future stroke
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ondon: Patients suffering from pre-diabetes may be at a higher risk of stroke, a new study has suggested. Pre-diabetes is characterised by higher than normal blood glucose levels that, if left untreated, develops into type 2 diabetes. The scale of the problem is enormous and growing, with an estimated 79 million people in the US and 7 million people in the UK affected. People with pre-diabetes also harbour the same vascular risk factors as people with type 2 diabetes, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol and obesity, but its effect on future stroke risk has not been established. So a team of researchers from the University of California looked at the relationship between pre-diabetes and risk of stroke whilst taking into consideration other cardiovascular risk factors such as an unhealthy weight and lifestyle. The authors analysed the results of 15 studies involving 760,925 participants.
They showed that the relationship between pre-diabetes and risk of stroke appears to depend on the definition of pre-diabetes. Pre-diabetes is generally defined as impaired fasting glucose (raised blood glucose levels after a 12-hour fast). A range of 70.2 to 100 mg/dl is normal, while a level of 100 to 126 mg/dl is con-
sidered a sign of pre-diabetes. The researchers found that prediabetes based on the 1997 American Diabetes Association (ADA) definition of 110 to 125 mg/dl carried a 21 percent higher chance of stroke. However, in 2003 the ADA redefined pre-diabetes as an impaired fasting glucose of 100 to
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125mg/dl and no risk was found in studies using this current, less stringent definition. This suggested that there may be a 'threshold effect' with regard to the relationship between impaired fasting glucose and future stroke risk to the extent that the risk of a stroke only begins to rise at or above a fast-
ing glucose level of 110 mg/dL. The researchers stress the possibility that some other unmeasured (confounding) factor may explain these results and it is important to note that the quality of evidence was variable. They concluded that people with pre-diabetes (with a fasting glucose 110 to 125 mg/dl) were at a "modestly higher risk of future stroke". They do add however that those with the 2003 ADA's definition (100 to 125 mg/dl) do not have an increased risk of stroke. The researchers suggested that those with pre-diabetes "should be aware that they are at increased risk of future stroke" and that the condition is associated with the presence of one or more other cardiovascular risk factors. They recommended that weight be kept under control and that healthy lifestyle changes should be adopted to decrease this risk. The study was published on bmj.com.
Vaccine trial for Alzheimer's Fruits, Veggies May Help Smokers Quit clears key hurdle vaccine which revives a promising but long-abandoned path to thwart Alzheimer's disease has cleared a key safety hurdle in human trials, researchers say. In a small-scale test, the formula was found to be safe and primed the body's frontline defences against protein deposits in the brain that are associated with the catastrophic disease. Swedish doctors report the results in the issue of the journal Lancet Neurology, saying that the way is now open for wider trials. The prototype vaccine, called CAD106, is a new exploration of traditional vaccine engineering. In this approach, the pathogen that causes a disease is used to teach the immune system to identify an intruder and attack it. In Alzheimer's, one of the enemies is a toxic protein called amyloid beta peptide, which accumulates in plaques in the brain, although exactly how it works remains unclear. A decade ago, doctors launched a first attempt at an amyloid beta vaccine, called AN1792. But they were forced to abandon it at the second of the threephase trial process after six percent of the volunteers fell ill with meningoencephalitis, an inflammation of the brain. The suspected reason was that AN1792 activated white blood
cells called T cells that attacked the brain tissue. The new vaccine uses a smaller fragment of the protein and combines it with a booster, called an adjuvant, intended to prevent Tcell activation. After lengthy trials in the lab, a team led by Bengt Winblad of the Karolinska Institutet's Alzheimer's Disease Research Centre, tested the vaccine on 46 volunteers aged 50 to 80, diagnosed with mild to moderate Alzheimer's. A "control" group of 12 patients received a harmless formula, called a placebo, as a comparison. The group was studied over 52 weeks and given a follow-up examination two years later. Eighty-two percent of the patients who received CAD106
developed antibodies, a sign that the immune defences had responded to the dangerous protein. Overall, nine patients had episodes of ill health during the trial, but investigations showed these were unrelated to the drug, and none entailed meningoencephalitis. The next step after this Phase 1 safety trial should be a larger test, possibly with modifications of the dose, to see if the vaccine works, says the study. Around 26 million people around the world have Alzheimer's, which remains an incurable and progressive disease characterised by memory loss and dementia. The toll by 2050 is likely to be 115 million, according to figures cited in the journal.
People trying to quit smoking are three times more likely to succeed if they eat plenty of fruits and vegetables, according to a new study. Pubic health researchers at the University at Buffalo also found a diet rich in produce helps people remain smokefree longer. "Other studies have taken a snapshot approach, asking smokers and nonsmokers about their diets," Gary Giovino, chairman of the Department of Community Health and Health Behavior, said in a university news release. "We knew from our previous work that people who were abstinent from cigarettes for less than six months consumed more fruits and vegetables than those who still smoked. What we didn't know was whether recent quitters increased their fruit and vegetable consumption or if smokers who ate more fruits and vegetables were more likely to quit." The researchers conducted a national telephone survey of 1,000 smokers aged 25 and older. The survey participants received a follow-up call 14 months later to find out how much they had smoked in the past month. The study, published in the journal Nicotine and Tobacco Research, revealed that smok-
ers who ate the most fruit and vegetables were three times more likely to have not smoked for at least 30 days at the time of the follow-up call than those eating the least amount of produce. The researchers noted this was true even after they took into account the smokers' age, gender, race and ethnicity, education, income and motivation to be healthy. The study also found smokers who ate more fruits and vegetables smoked fewer cigarettes daily, waited longer to smoke their first cigarette of the day and were less dependent on nicotine. "We may have identified a new tool that can help people quit smoking," said study first author Jeffrey Haibach, a graduate research assistant in the department of community health and health behavior.
JUNE ISSUE • 2012 19
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US wants 9/11 health program to include 50 cancers
P
eople who were stricken with cancer after being exposed to the toxic ash that exploded over Manhattan when the World Trade Center collapsed would qualify for free treatment of the disease and potentially hefty compensation payments under a rule proposed Friday by federal health officials. After months of study, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health said in an administrative filing that it favored a major expansion of an existing $4.3 billion 9/11 health program to include people with 50 types of cancer, covering 14 broad categories of the disease.
People with any of the cancers on the list could qualify for treatments and payments as long as they and their doctors make a plausible case that the disease was connected to the caustic dust. The decision followed years of emotional lobbying by construction workers, firefighters, police officers, office cleaners, and many other people who fell ill in the decade after the terror attack, and were sure it had something to do with the many days they spent toiling in the gray soot.
"It's amazing," said Ernie Vallebuona, a former New York City police detective who retired after being diagnosed with lymphoma in 2004. "It's nice to have the federal government recognize that your cancer was caused by ground zero. It's something we've always known. I'm just ecstatic that we are finally being recognized. You almost felt like you were being brushed aside." NIOSH, which oversees the 9/11 health program, acted after an advisory committee made up of
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doctors, union officials and community advocates recommended that cancer be added. Previously, the aid effort has only covered people with mostly less-serious ailments, including asthma, acid reflux disease and chronic sinus irritation.
program is only open to people who have already been sick, or who get sick in the next 4 ½ years. That means that only a fraction of the people who were exposed to the dust, and who eventually develop cancer, can actually get coverage.
The decision on whether to add cancer to that list is a difficult one, and there are still substantial questions about how the program will function.
While stories about first responders struck by cancer are common, there is still little scientific evidence of elevated cancer rates connected to either the trade center dust or other toxins at the ground zero recovery site.
Cancer experts also say that it usually takes many years for an environmental exposure to lead to a cancer case, due to the slow, undetectable development of many types of the disease. That means that many of the people falling ill with cancer now, or in the past 10 years, are unlikely to have gotten it as a result of the attacks.
Questions about whether the dust truly caused cancer was one of the reasons why Congress did not include it in the initial list of covered illnesses.
But some occupational health experts have expressed concern about the presence of carcinogens in the ash and soot, and the advisory panel said it believed there were enough toxins present that it was plausible that some people with heavy exposures might get cancer.
In a 123-page report explaining its decision, NIOSH agreed with that assessment.
"We recognize how personal the
Based on those figures, NIOSH estimated that the cost of treatment to be about $33 million per year.
issue of cancer and all of the health conditions related to the World Trade Center tragedy are to 9/11 responders, survivors and their loved ones," NIOSH director Dr. John Howard said in a written statement. The expansion proposal isn't final yet. The rule will be open for public comment for several weeks, or up to two months, before being finalized. It will still be open to revisions, or even outright abandonment, during that time.
U.S. Reps. Carolyn Maloney, Jerrold Nadler and Peter King, three New York lawmakers who helped create the law creating the health program, then lobbied hard for its expansion, said in a joint statement that they were "thrilled," and confident the change would go through as planned.
"As we have all seen with our own eyes again and again, cancer incidence among responders and survivors is a tragic fact, and we must continue to do everything we can to provide the help that those who are sick need and deserve," they said.
"Together with our allies, New York City pushed for periodic reviews of the medical evidence to ensure that all those ill from exposure to the aftermath of the 9-11 terrorist attacks receive the care they need," New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg said in a statement. "Today's decision is an important step in that process, and we will continue to stand up for all those impacted by the 9-11 attacks on our country."
There has been some concern that adding cancer to the list of covered conditions could put a severe financial strain on the program's limited resources. Congress capped funding for the program at $1.55 billion for treatment and $2.78 billion for compensation payments. Those amounts will remain unchanged even if many people file for benefits. Some 60,000 people have already enrolled in 9/11 health programs for those who lived or worked within the disaster zone. Up to 25,000 more could still join before the program closes. In its current form, however, the
No estimate has been done, yet, on how much the addition of cancer might cost the compensation program, which pays people based on suffering and economic losses caused by their illnesses.
Sheila Birnbaum, the special master overseeing applications for compensation, has said that payouts to the families of people killed by cancer are likely to be significant, and warned that if funding runs out, it might be necessary to prorate payments based on the number of people who apply.
Backers of the program, including King, Nadler and Maloney, are already talking about getting more funding, and also extending the program
Noah Kushlefsky, an attorney who represents about 3,800 people who plan to enroll in the program, said he was confident Congress will eventually extend the fund past 2016, and appropriate additional money if necessary.
"This is a huge victory on many levels. This gives them much needed health care. It gives them much needed financial assistance ... I think that it means a lot emotionally as well," he said. "These folks needed to know that everybody recognized what they did, and what they are going through."
Officials probe E. coli outbreak in 6 states mysterious and scattered outbreak of the E. coli bacteria is linked to 14 illnesses, including a child's death, health officials say. No form of contaminated food or other cause has been identified in the illnesses, which occurred in April and May, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Three people were hospitalized. One — a child in the New Orleans area — died last week of May. The reported illnesses were spread across six states. Georgia had five cases, Louisiana four, Alabama two, and Tennessee, Florida and
California each had one. E. coli is a large family of bacteria and most strains are harmless. The most deadly strain is considered E. coli O157:H7, which became well-known in the early 1990s through a deadly outbreak associated with hamburger meat. Six similar strains are also considered dangerous and one of them is E. coli O145, the strain identified in this new outbreak. Health officials haven't been tracking O145 intensively for very long; it was only in 2009 that the CDC began recommending labs test for it. "These are not newly emerging bacteria. Our awareness of them has been improving," said Stacey
Bosch, who's leading the investigation into the outbreak for the CDC. People tend to get sick two to eight days after ingesting the bacteria. It's most dangerous to very young and very old people and those with weakened
immune systems. For those people, it's more likely that the toxins made by the bacteria will poison the blood and cause kidney failure, experts say. The first U.S. foodborne outbreak linked to O145 occurred in 2010, when more than two dozen people in at least five states were sickened by bacteria transmitted through romaine lettuce. Health officials have also seen instances where it was spread through water and deer meat. The U.S. Department of Agriculture recently enacted measures to step up detection of different strains of E. coli in meat, including the O145 strain. CDC officials say they've seen no evidence that meat was the
source of the new outbreak. Until the source of the new outbreak is identified, health officials can offer the public only general advice for avoiding the infection: Cook meat thoroughly. Avoid unpasteurized milk and ciders. And — if you have a diarrhea-like illness — wash your hands thoroughly and do not prepare meals for others. "People more seriously affected by the disease may have blood in their stool, fever and become extremely fatigued. If you suspect you are infected, see your doctor immediately," said Dr. Raoult Ratard, the Louisiana state epidemiologist, in a prepared statement.
20 JUNE ISSUE
• 2012
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Scientists Spot More Migraine Genes
6.6 Million Young Adults Joined Parents' Health Plans in 2011: Report
Latest discovery sheds light on most common form of these debilitating headaches.
Affordable Care Act may have expanded access to coverage, but many under 25 still go without.
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wo more genetic links to migraines have been discovered, a finding experts acknowledge won't yet help those suffering from the throbbing headaches but may one day lead to new therapies. Comparing the DNA of more than 2,300 patients afflicted with migraines without aura -- the most common type -- with 4,580 people in the general population, German and Dutch scientists spotted two gene variants associated with that migraine form. The research, authored by Arn van den Maagdenberg of Leiden University Medical Centre in the Netherlands, builds on a U.S. study released last year identifying three genes linked to migraines that suggested those inheriting any one of those genes had a 10 percent to 15 percent greater risk for the condition.
"Migraines are under-treated, under-recognized and underdiagnosed, especially with common migraines that don't have any of the dramatic symptoms," said Dr. Gayatri Devi, an attending neurologist at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City. "A lot of times, people feel it's their fault or that stress causes them . . . it's nice to know there are genetic basis for illnesses and it's not all in your head." The study is published online in the journal Nature Genetics.
bout 6.6 million young American adults who would likely not have been able to be covered by their parents' health plans before the Affordable Care Act took effect joined such plans in 2011, a new report finds.
Thought to affect about 12 percent of the population, migraines are characterized by recurring severe headaches and often result in nausea as well as sensitivity to light and sound. Migraines without aura, which comprise about two-thirds of all cases, don't include pre-headache aura symptoms such as experiencing blind spots or hallucinations, seeing zigzag patterns or feeling weak.
"We're trying to find the genetic basis of migraine, and basically speaking, this is the beginning," said Dr. Stephen Silberstein, director of the Jefferson Headache Center at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia. "Now we know in what neighborhood the genes are located, but we still don't know where the houses are. It's an important first step."
While the study uncovered an association between the genes and migraine headaches, it did not prove a cause-and-effect relationship.
Silberstein and Devi agreed it could be many years before these findings point to new preventive or pain-relieving migraine treatments. For frequent sufferers, preventive therapies include certain types of beta blockers, antidepressants, antiseizure drugs or Botox shots. Pain relievers range from overthe-counter ibuprofen, aspirin or acetaminophen to prescriptionstrength triptans, which narrow blood vessels in the brain and relieve inflammation. Devi praised the study for its large size, saying it "was very nicely done" and will assist ongoing research efforts to understand the biological underpinnings of the condition.
"If we can pinpoint what these genes are responsible for, we can better understand the pathology of migraines and hopefully develop treatments that target those areas that are vulnerable," she said. "But it's a long way off from an association to a cause."
Classified
The new study from the Commonwealth Fund found that, in total, 13.7 million young American adults, aged 19 to 25, either stayed on or joined their parents' health plans last year.
But not all young adults can join their parents' health plans and many still have gaps in coverage and are burdened with medical bill problems and medical debt, the report found. Nearly two in five young adults (39 percent) aged 19 to 29 went without health insurance at some time in 2011 and more than one-third (36 percent) had medical bill problems or were paying off medical debt. Of those who were dealing with medical bills or debt, many faced serious financial consequences such as using all of their savings (43 percent), being unable to make student loan or tuition payments (32 percent), delaying education or career plans (31 percent), or being unable to pay for necessities such as food, heat or rent (28 percent), the researchers said.
One-quarter of young adults with medical debt owed $4,000 or more, and 15 percent owed $8,000 or more, the report noted.
"While the Affordable Care Act has already provided a new source of coverage for millions of young adults at risk of being uninsured, more help is needed for those left behind," lead author and Commonwealth Fund Vice President Sara Collins said in a Commonwealth Fund news release.
Young adults in low-income households were most likely to be uninsured, the report said. Seventy percent of young adults with incomes below 133 percent of poverty ($14,484 for a single person) had a gap in coverage in 2011. That's more than three times the rate of those with incomes over 400 percent of poverty ($43,560 for a single person).
The study also found that only 17 percent of young adults aged 19 to 25 in low-income families stayed on or joined their parents' health plans, compared with 69 percent of those in the highest income households. Young adults older than 25 are not eligible.
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SOARING TO NEW HEIGHTS
Palm Beach Children’s Hospital at St. Mary’s Medical Center days a week, 365 days a year. The team includes board-certified pediatric physicians, pediatric trauma surgeons, and pediatric anesthesiologists.
By Erica Whyman
est Palm Beach, FL--- I recently had the privilege of spending some time with Davide Carbone, Chief Executive Officer of St. Mary’s Medical Center, to discuss the newly named Palm Beach Children’s Hospital at St. Mary’s Medical Center. The excitement and pride he and his staff shared when discussing the hospital and the newly named Children’s Hospital was contagious, and by the end of our interview, it was clear as to why. While being a leader in pediatric care is not necessarily anything new for St. Mary’s, the name change reflects the significant achievements made in pediatric care in the last few years, along with the deep commitment the hospital has to pediatric care right here in our own community. “Soaring to new heights” is the campaign kicking off the achievements and the name change. Located in the heart of Palm Beach County, off 45th Street, Palm Beach Children’s Hospital boasts some impressive services, with patients from all over the state, nation and even the world. The name change reflects that this superior level of
Davide Carbone, Chief Executive Officer of St. Mary’s Medical Center
service is located here in Palm Beach County.
“For over 70 years St. Mary’s Medical Center has been deeply rooted in Palm Beach Countyboth in its history and its communities’ health, safety, and prosperity,” says Davide Carbone. “It’s time for our community to know that their home is also home to the best pediatric healthcare in South Florida.”
Palm Beach Children’s Hospital at St. Mary’s Medical Center is the only 24-hour pediatric emergency department from Orlando to Fort Lauderdale, staffed with physicians 24 hours a day, 7
It is critical when pediatric emergency care is needed to know that you will find an attending pediatric physician that is board certified no matter what time of day or night at Palm Beach Children’s Hospital at St. Mary’s.
Davide Carbone also took a moment to discuss the Social Workers and Child Life Specialists that work as a vital part of the pediatric and emergency team, reducing stress and providing comfort to families and children during stressful times. It truly takes a village and Palm Beach Children’s Hospital at St. Mary’s has built that village, giving families peace of mind. “Recruiting the right specialist,” says Davide Carbone, is an important part of the magic formula in providing a superior level of advanced pediatric health care. This is clearly evident in the Pediatric Congenital Heart Surgery Program, which announced in 2011, that fellow-
ship trained congenital cardiac surgeon, Dr. Michael Black, joined the hospital staff, bringing much needed advanced cardiovascular surgery to the Palm Beaches and Treasure Coast. Part of the program, under the leadership of Dr. Black, is to execute the treatment of cardiac disease with smaller incisions in surgical care, allowing for shorter hospital stays, less pain and damage to the muscles and tissues, and a quicker recovery period along with added emotional benefits to children as they age, with minimal scarring. Along with emergency and cardiac pediatric care, Palm Beach
Bump to Bump: Picnic Season Monthly Pregnancy Column By Erica Whyman
At 24 weeks pregnant, I still find myself asking Google if I am allowed to do this while pregnant, or eat that while pregnant. One would think after 24 weeks I would be a more savvy mom-tobe, but the list of things that one should or should not do while pregnant is endless. This monthly column will supply expectant parents some helpful tips and tricks to keep mom and baby safe during pregnancy. It is basically me passing on the things I learn along the way.
Picnic Season: Get Grilling Essentials to Eat Safe This Summer
One of my favorite summer traditions in Florida is the Summer Picnic and Backyard Bar-B-Q. I love putting on a sundress, making something yummy to share, and enjoying a hot lazy summer afternoon with friends. This summer though, as my belly expands, I will have to make a few adjustments… and not just in the sundress, that does not fit anymore. When pregnant there are certain obvious things on the Picnic
Menu you are going to want to avoid, the frozen cocktails and cold beers will have to wait until next year, but there are some less obvious menu items that you may want to be careful of.
Listeria, a potentially dangerous bacteria, is commonly found in deli salads, soft chesses and ready-to-eat meats. Listeriosis (the illness caused from ingesting Listeria) is rare, but according the Center of Disease Control (CDC), pregnant women are 20 times more likely to become infected than non pregnant healthy adults. An estimated 1/3 of all Listeria cases occur in pregnant women. An important note, infection is most common in the third trimester, when a pregnant woman’s immune system is somewhat suppressed. How will you know if you have become infected? Well, symptoms do not always present themselves, but if they do, they will come about 2-3 days after exposure, and will resemble mild to severe flu-like symptoms: headaches, fever, chills, stomach aches, and diarrhea. Contact your health care provider immediately if you experience any of these symptoms and a blood test will usually be able to tell if you
Children’s Hospital at St. Mary’s Medical Center offers a variety of highly specialized services; the Paley Advanced Limb Lengthening Institute, the Pediatric Neurosurgery Program, the only pediatric oncology unit in Palm Beach County, and the new pediatric nephrology and chronic dialysis services.
“Soaring to new heights” indeed, Palm Beach Children’s Hospital at St. Mary’s has put Palm Beach County on the map as a leader in pediatric care in the state and beyond. It is easy to see why Mr. Carbone and his staff are so passionate about the hospital and its accomplishments.
Many Americans Taking Too Much Acetaminophen
blue-veined cheeses that do not state they are pasteurized.
• Avoid
refrigerated Seafood and Pate Spreads.
• Avoid
Deli Meats and smoked seafood like nova
salmon or lox (Canned or shelf stable versions of these are okay as they have been pasteurized).
are suffering from a Listeria infection.
Listeria infections can be potentially damaging to both you and your baby. There is an increased risk of miscarriage, premature delivery, infection to the newborn, and birth defects. Early treatment with antibiotics during pregnancy will in most cases prevent infection to the newborn.
So before you pack or plan that next picnic, here are some things to help keep Mom and Baby Safe: • Avoid Soft Cheeses; Eat Hard Cheese: Avoid cheeses such as Feta, Brie, Camembert,
• Hot Dogs and other sausages should be cooked to a SAFE 165-DEGREE TEMP (use a meat thermometer) • Practice
Safe Food Handling: Wash your hands,
wash all fruits and veggies, keep your fridge at 40 degrees or below, and avoid of cross contamination between raw and uncooked foods.
For more information on food safety and
prevention of food-borne illnesses you can contact: Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention/Food borne Illness Line (24 hr recorded information) 1-888-232-3228 http://www.cdc.gov/foodsafety/
U.S. Food and Drug Administration
Center for Food Safety & Applied Nutrition
1-888-SAFEFOOD
http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/
many U.s. adults are at risk for overdosing on over-thecounter pain relievers containing acetaminophen, according to a new study. acetaminophen (tylenol) is the most commonly used over-the-counter pain medication in the United states, and acetaminophen overdose is the leading cause of acute liver failure, according to researchers from Northwestern University in evanston, Ill.. the researchers interviewed 500 adult patients at outpatient general medicine clinics in atlanta and chicago. more than half had used acetaminophen in the past six months and 19 percent said they were heavy users, which means they took acetaminophen every day or a couple of times a week. each extra strength tylenol capsule contains about 500 milligrams of acetaminophen. In addition, nearly half of the patients were at risk of overdosing by using two acetaminophen-containing products at the same time. the study was published online in the Journal of general Internal medicine.
22 JUNE ISSUE
• 2012
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Solitaire Saves Lives; and it is Not a Card Game ™
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St. Mary Medical Center Comprehensive Stroke Center uses new FDA approved technology saving process can be completed in as little as 15 minutes.
By Erica Whyman
est Palm Beach, FL --Stroke is a disease that effects the youngest to the oldest of people, as such everyone should be aware of potential signs and associated risk factors. It is a disease that affects the arteries leading to and within the brain.. According to the American Heart Association, stroke is the 4th leading cause of death in the U.S and the leading cause of long-term disability in adults. Dr. Ali Malek, Director of the Comprehensive Stroke Center at St. Mary's Medical Center, and his team, were recently the first hospital in the state and second in the southeast, to treat a patient that came in suffering from an ischemic stroke using the most advanced form of therapy, the Solitaire™ FR revascularization device, the latest in life saving stroke technology. An, ischemic stroke, occurs when a blood vessel that carries oxygen and nutrients to the brain is blocked by a clot.
Dr. Ali Malek invited me to view the actual device (picture
shown), which was somewhat non-impressive in appearance but wildly impressive when one considered its capabilities. The Solitaire™ FR revascularization device was originally approved by the U.S. Food and Drug administration in early March, and was used successfully by Dr. Malek and his team shortly after on an emergency stroke patient. “The device is a self-expanding stent retriever designed to yield rapid flow in the brain’s blood vessels. When deployed in the vessel, its expanded metal cage engages the clot at multiple strut points for more effective clot removal.”
The team also showed me videos and pictures of the device in use. In laments and very simplistic terms, the device is basically
The device showed great promise during clinical trials, “in a randomized study of 113 stroke patients at 18 hospitals, the Solitaire system showed a 2.5fold benefit in restoring blood flow to the brain, a 1.7-fold improvement in post-stroke neurological function and effectively cut mortality rate in half at 90 days,” said a company press release.
Dr. Ali Malek.
guided from the patient’s groin to the brain via a catheter, and once the clot is identified, the Solitaire™ FR revascularization device grabs onto the clot, secures the clot and removes it allowing for flow to resume. With one device, the treatment allows for the removal of the clot and the return of circulation.
When I asked how long this process takes in actual practice, I was surprised to learn from Dr. Malek’s team, that the whole life
Dr. Ali Malek credits his team and St. Mary’s Medical Center to the continued success of The Comprehensive Stroke Center.
“As a result of St. Mary’s Medical Center’s continued investment in developing a Neuroscience program of Excellence, we have received great recognition in the industry and been granted the same opportunities with developing technologies, traditionally first reserved for high-end university programs,” says Dr. Malek. That very commitment was demonstrated earlier this year
when St. Mary’s received the American Heart Association /American Stroke Association Get with the Guidelines- ®Stroke Gold Plus Quality Achievement Award.
“With a stroke, time lost is brain lost, and the Get With The Guidelines–Stroke Gold Plus Quality Achievement Award demonstrates St. Mary’s Medical Center’s commitment to being one of the top hospitals in the country for providing aggressive, proven stroke care,” said Davide Carbone, chief executive officer of St. Mary’s Medical Center.
St. Mary’s Medical Center is 1 of 20 hospitals in Florida, and 1 of 4 in Palm Beach County, designated as a Comprehensive Stroke Center. A designation established to identify the delivery of specialized care for patients with more complicated cerebrovascular disease. Once again I left another visit from St. Mary’s Medical Center with admiration and respect for the care delivered and their continued commitment to the community.
St. Mary’s Medical Center Nurse Wins Palm Healthcare Foundation’s Extra Mile Award
COPING WITH STROKE/ CARDIAC DISEASE
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SUPPORT GROUP AT WELLINGTON REGIONAL
ellington Regional Medical Center is pleased to announce a new monthly support group that will meet at the hospital, focused on providing education and support to patients with cardiovascular diseases such as stroke, heart attack, congestive heart failure, etc.
The “Cope to Hope” support group will help patients and their family members cope with cardiovascular illnesses through education about their diseases and provide wellness and nutritional information to support lifestyle changes. Physician speakers will be
invited to address the group at each meeting.
The group will meet in Wellington Regional Medical Center, Conference Room A, on the 3rd Wednesday of every month at 3:00pm. The first meeting will be held on Wednesday, June 20th. The guest speaker will be Dr. David Soria, Chairman of Emergency Medicine at Wellington Regional who will speak on “Recognizing Symptoms of Heart Attack and Stroke— Improving Your Odds.” Refreshments will be served. For more information, please call 561-753-2641
ment to the profession of nursing, and a sense of community.
Martha Eversfield, RN, was presented the Extra Mile Award for her dedication to nursing and clinical education
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – May, 2012- St. Mary’s Medical Center is proud to announce that Martha Eversfield, RN, BSN was honored with the Extra Mile Award at this year’s Palm Healthcare Foundation Nursing Distinction Awards event. The event attracted 450 supporters that gathered for “Broadway at The Breakers,” to pay tribute to the exceptional nurses in Palm Beach County. Eversfield earned the Extra Mile Award for going above and beyond to foster professional growth in others and using compassion to impact lives. Eversfield and other award recipients were recognized for their dedication to excellence in an area of expertise beyond the scope of their jobs, commitment to the profession of nursing, and a sense of community.
Martha Eversfield, RN.
The annual Palm Healthcare nursing distinction awards honor registered nurses, licensed practical nurses, nurse educators, nursing assistants, nursing students, and leaders of the nursing community. This year, a committee of 30 selected the eight honorees from over 100 nominations submitted by healthcare professionals and patients/families. Winners were chosen on the basis of dedication to excellence in an area of expertise beyond the scope of their jobs, commit-
“St. Mary’s Medical Center congratulates Martha Eversfield on her well deserved Extra Mile Award,” said Donna Small, chief nursing officer of St. Mary’s Medical Center. “Ms. Eversfield exemplifies all of the characteristics that we encourage among our nursing staff at St. Mary’s Medical Center; she is a model of compassion and skill in nursing, and is always willing to mentor others to develop their nursing skills. She is a true inspiration to our nursing staff and valued member of our hospital team.” Eversfield has worked at St. Mary’s Medical Center for 40 years. She started her career at the hospital in 1971 and has held different positions over the years. Eversfield was the first nurse hired to work in the Radiology Department in 1984. Before coming to St. Mary’s Medical Center, Eversfield dedicated many years to the Sisters of Saint Joseph Convent in Indiana, serving as a nun. While in the convent, she attended Holy Cross School of Nursing.
JUNE ISSUE • 2012 23
WWW.GLOBALHEALTHTRIBUNE.COM
Imerman Angels Will Not Let You Fight Alone
S
By Deborah Lynn
everal years ago, friends kept talking about Jonny Imerman and Imerman Angels, a non-profit organization that connects newly diagnosed cancer patients with a survivor of the same type of cancer, age and gender. Whenever anyone spoke of Jonny, you could literally see their faces light up. Since we both lived in Chicago and had mutual friends, I reached out to Jonny through Facebook and met him for lunch a few weeks later. As I walked in, there was Jonny standing at a table waiting for me. From the moment I laid eyes on him, I simply could not look away. He has the most incredible energy, beautiful smile and is so charismatic that you are quickly drawn in and simply hooked. Jonny Imerman was on top of the world, having graduated with a degree in psychology from the
University of Michigan. While working a full-time job and toward his M.B.A., his life would forever be changed in 2001. At the age of 26, he was diagnosed with testicular cancer and ultimately had his left testicle removed. Afterward, he endured five months of chemotherapy and thought he was on the road to recovery. Unfortunately, a year after his treatment, a CT scan showed tumors along his spine. He had to undergo surgery to have the four tumors removed. Since then, Jonny has been cancer-free.
During his journey, Jonny realized that while he had the support of family and friends, others had to fight so valiantly alone. While his support group offered encouragement, hope, love and round-the-clock attention, others had none. As Oprah so often talks about that defining moment in your life, Jonny’s moment came through his awareness of others battling... alone.
matches an individual that has been diagnosed with cancer (a fighter or survivor) with someone who has fought and survived the same type of cancer (a Mentor Angel). In addition, cancer caregivers (spouses, parents, children and other family and friends of fighters) also receive one-on-one connections with other caregivers and survivors. Those relationships inspire hope and offer the chance to ask personal questions and receive support from someone who has been through the same diagnosis.
Jonny Imerman.
Jonny recognized the need to connect cancer fighters with cancer survivors. It seems so obvious, yet why hadn’t anyone realized there was such a void? Today, Imerman Angels has over 4,000 survivors in its network and over 1,500 caregivers. His organization is recognized and embraced by oncology departments all over the world.
If you ever have an opportunity to attend one of Jonny’s speaking engagements, please do. I feel so blessed to call him a friend and love him dearly as he truly loves everyone that touches his life. For more information on Imerman Angels, please call them at 312-274-5539, or visit their website at www.imermanangels.org.
Imerman Angels has a loving and caring staff that carefully
Avoid Fighting With the Kids Over Food You shouldn't try to force children to eat healthy, the academy of Nutrition and dietetics says. Pressure won't work.
But the academy says there are things you can do to help achieve the same goal. here are its suggestions:
DEAR DEBORAH: I recently signed up on a dating site and have been talking with this one man for a few weeks, but we haven’t met yet. We seem to have a good connection. Now, a few other men have been contacting me and I am not sure if I should reply. Or, should I just talk with this one man for now? - Not sure what to do
Dear Not sure what to do: Since you and the gentleman that you have been talking with for three weeks have yet to meet – there is no reason why you cannot talk with other men. If and when you finally meet and continue seeing one another, that may be a different story. However, unless you are in a committed relationship or have agreed to not to talk with other people, I would definitely be open to meeting and conversing with others. DEAR DEBORAH: I’m a single woman that loves to go out with my girlfriend to
l adhere to structured, scheduled family meals and snacks with your child where you sit down together to eat.
l Be a good role model by eating healthy foods and practicing healthy eating habits.
l eat plenty of vegetables, serve them in different ways and tell
meet new people. I am 38, never married and still want kids. My girlfriend is 41, divorced, has three kids and doesn’t want anymore. We are both attractive, have great personalities and good jobs, so we are pretty much on the same level. So, why is it that the men we meet seem to gravitate to her and not me? She has more “baggage” and I have none. - No Baggage
Dear No Baggage: I’m not sure how old the gentlemen are that you and your girlfriend are meeting, but there are probably many reasons why this is happening. First, because you’re single and 38, to some men that means that you want to have children... soon. Unfortunately, men are going to feel pressure as your biological clock is ticking (I know, it sounds foolish even typing it). Men that are divorced and have children may be more open to a relationship with women that also have children, especially if they both have younger children.
your child how much you enjoy them.
l turn off the tV and put away cell phones while you eat.
l set clear expectations for manners and behaviors at the table, but be realistic about what children can manage.
Dear Deborah Women that have children appear to be more patient and simply not demand a lot of attention from their partner as they know that their children do come first.
DEAR DEBORAH: I have been dating someone for three months. He is so nice and we get along really well. Last week, he stopped communicating with me for no reason. He completely stopped calling and texting me entirely. I tried to contact him, but he won’t respond. I know that he’s alive because he works with my cousin. Should I have her ask him what is going on? Or, should I go in and see him at work? - Please help!
Dear Please help: This is difficult to answer since I do not know the dynamics of your relationship. I know that after three months, you feel that you have established a bond.
Were you exclusive? If you were both dating others, perhaps he had a better connection with someone else and doesn’t want to hurt you. Maybe he is going through some issues of his own and doesn’t want to deal with others right now. I know that his lack of communication is quite hurtful as you have no closure, but sometimes it’s easier for some people to just walk away. If you feel the urge to confront him, that is your choice. I personally would not as people have reasons for the things they do and you certainly cannot control what another human being does. If your cousin is friends with him and if, and only if, your name comes up in conversation, by all means she can say that you were asking about him. But, I would limit her input as it really is between you and him.
Dear Deborah is a monthly advice column written by Deborah Lynn with a common sense approach to dating. If you have any questions or comments, please forward them to: questions@globalhealthtribune.com as we would love to help.
Upcoming Medical Fundraising Events for June 2012 June 12
Kids Cancer Foundation. Celebrity Bartending at Bonefish Mac’s. This event will begin at 5:00 pm in Wellington. For additional information, go to: www.kidscancersf.org.
June 16
2nd Annual Jackson Laskowski “Keep HOPE Alive” event. Charity golf tournament, dinner, silent auction and raffle. The event begins at Noon and takes place at Binks Forest Golf Course in Wellington. Cost is $110.00. Please call Tim Laskowski at 561-5781948, or 561-252-2933 for additional information.
Quantum House and Jupiter Light Lodge. 6th Annual Jupiter Light Lodge Charity Fishing Tournament. The event begins at 7:00 am at Burt Reynolds Park in Jupiter. Cost is $200.00 per boat. Please call 561-4940515 for additional information.
June 29
Habitat for Humanity South Palm Beach County. 2012 Golf Habitat Classic and After-party. The event begins at 11:30 am at Quail Ridge County Club in Boynton Beach. Please call 561-819-6070 for additional information, or go to their website at www.hfhboca.org. If you would like to add a medical event or fundraiser to our Upcoming Events section, please e-mail your information to info@globalhealthtribune.com. This is a free section.
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