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Medicaid Will No Longer Pay for Preventable Mistakes
The National Journal reported that "Medicaid will no longer pay hospitals or doctors for certain preventable illnesses and injuries, such as operating on the wrong body part." In a statement, Donald Berwick, administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, said, "These steps will encourage health professionals and hospitals to reduce preventable infections, and eliminate serious medical errors." Medicare "already has such a policy -- one widely recommended by health care experts as a way to help prevent expensive and deadly errors." |
Many Doctors, Patients, Troubled by One-Size-Fits-All View of Disease
In the New York Times "Well" blog, Pauline W. Chen, M.D., wrote that more and more "over the last two decades, doctors and insurers have turned to evidence-based clinical guidelines to guide treatment." An increasing "number of doctors and patients, though, have begun to chafe under the absolute one-size-fits-all view of disease inherent to guidelines." Chen noted, however, that research published in The Annals of Internal Medicine "has shown that it may be possible to create more personalized guidelines that not only improve care but save money as well."
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Medical Imaging Tests May Be More Dangerous Than Leaking Nuke Plants
 Huffington Post Health writers Shannon Brownlee and Sam Wainwright questioned why Americans are "afraid of nuclear power, but not worried about the radiation in medical imaging tests." Getting a CT scan after waking up in the middle of the night "with an unfamiliar tightness in your chest" seems like "a no-brainer," but waking up in the middle of the night to view damage to a plant that may be leaking radiation after an earthquake does not. Yet, in both cases, "you would be exposed to similar amounts of radiation, about 15 millisieverts." Moreover, other imaging tests "deliver an even bigger blast." Inserting a stent to "prop open a coronary artery, involves CT angiography, a kind of x-ray movie, and it can deliver up to 57 millisieverts during the course of one imaging test." |
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Motorcycle Deaths Drop Slightly
 Motorcyclist deaths fell last year for the second straight year, but the small drop in fatalities might be masking troubling signs, according to the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA.) Motorcyclist deaths dropped last year by 2%, however, the decline is much less than 2009's drop of 16%. Other factors of concern are that the use of government-approved helmets dropped by 16% and motorcycle ridership is likely to go up as the economy improves. These factors and others will lead to an increase in deaths, according to GHSA, unless states act. The GHSA is recommending states act to increase helmet use, reduce speeding, reduce impaired driving and provide training to all who need or seek it. Read more.
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New CDC Report on TBI-Related Deaths
CDC research shows that traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a serious public health problem in the United States. "Each year, traumatic brain injuries contribute to a substantial number of deaths and cases of permanent disability. Recent data shows that, on average, approximately 1.7 million people sustain a traumatic brain injury annually."
"A TBI is caused by a bump, blow or jolt to the head or a penetrating head injury that disrupts the normal function of the brain. Not all blows or jolts to the head result in a TBI. The severity of a TBI may range from "mild," i.e., a brief change in mental status or consciousness to "severe," i.e., an extended period of unconsciousness or amnesia after the injury. The majority of TBIs that occur each year are concussions or other forms of mild TBI." Get the CDC's latest research here. |
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Hospitalization for Medication Side Effects Up Sharply
 American Medical News reported: the "number of hospitalizations due to medication side effects jumped by more than half between 2004 and 2008, says a federal report that heightened concerns about polypharmacy among an aging US population." The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality report says "antibiotics, anti-cancer drugs, benzodiazepines, corticosteroids, insulin, and blood thinners and other cardiovascular drugs were among the leading causes of more than 2.7 million hospital stays and treat-and-release visits to emergency departments in 2008." Opiates "such as codeine and morphine were a principal culprit, implicated in 121,200 hospital stays and 44,300 ED visits."
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BMW Launches Distracted Driving Campaign
 BMW unveiled a new campaign to help combat distracted driving, focusing on curtailing texting while driving. The summer advertising campaign began this month and runs through the rest of the year, and inclues video spots and print ads. Read more. |
About Our Firm
At The Law Firm of Stephen M. Reck, justice is our mission. Our firm is well known and well respected for its ability to handle personal injury, wrongful death, and professional malpractice cases in Connecticut and Rhode Island. Call today or visit us on the web at www.stephenreck.com.
The Law Firm of Stephen M. Reck, LLC
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Newsletter Archive
New to our mailing list? To read our prior newsletters, click here. | | |
Study: Cell Phones May Be Linked to Some Cancers
The World Health Organization recently examined existing literature and concluded there was evidence to label cell phones as "possibly carcinogenic." Learn what the National Cancer Institute says about cell phones and cancer risk here. One thing we know for sure: talking on the phone while driving, or texting, will dramatically increase your risk of dying in a crash. Don't drive distracted! |
CDC: U.S. Crash-Related Deaths Cost $41B/Year
Motor vehicle crash-related deaths in the United States resulted in an estimated $41 billion in medical and work loss costs per year, according to state-based estimates released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Half of this cost ($20.4 billion) was in just 10 states, the report says. The cost findings are based on 2005 data, which is the most recent year for which comprehensive data on costs associated with crash deaths is available. Read more. |
Recall Central
To read about recent recalls and product safety news from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, click here.
Get the latest recall information from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration here.
The Dept. of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service regulate meat, poultry products and processed eggs. Check their recalls here.
Click here for Food and Drug Administration recalls, market withdrawals and safety alerts.
For updates on the peanut products recall click here. |
Don't Drive Distracted!
It Kills
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Only Half of Companies with Cell Phone Driving Policies Enforce Compliance
Distracted driving is a growing concern among companies with large fleets of drivers. A recent survey indicates that while many companies have adopted written cell phone driving policies, only about half (53%) make any effort to enforce compliance. Among companies that do enforce compliance, most use post-incident disciplinary measures, and only 2% currently use technology to measure or manage compliance. Read more. |
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Proudly Serving Connecticut and Rhode Island
The trial attorneys at The Law Firm of Stephen M. Reck, LLC represent individuals in all types of personal injury cases throughout the state of Connecticut and the state of Rhode Island, including, in Connecticut: New London County, New Haven County, Middlesex County, Hartford County, Tolland County, and Windham County; and in Rhode Island: Bristol County, Kent County, Newport County, Providence County, and Washington County.
Referrals Welcome
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