Unfortunately, there are times when a person is required to return to the hospital after a period of time subsequent to being discharged. Through the use of a transitional care management program, the occurrence of re-hospitalizations can be greatly minimized. This is a very important issue, as re-hospitalization may be an indicator of inappropriate patient care, or a patient’s inadequate understanding of the disease management process. It is imperative that home health care agencies understand and execute appropriate process improvement plans to reduce these re-hospitalization rates. This is typically accomplished by better understanding the reasons why patients are re-admitted to the hospital shortly after they are discharged.
Many of us recall this episode of “The Brady Bunch”: Little Cindy Brady comes down with tonsillitis and is scheduled to have her tonsils removed. Soon, Mrs. Brady ends up getting the same infection, and they both end up having tonsillectomies and recovering in bed together, with neither being able to talk from sore throats.
Winter is here! In order to maintain your fitness and stay physically active all year long, training through the cold Michigan winter is a must-do. Here are some ways to get your routine locked in and be safe and healthy when exercising outdoors in the winter:
Sometimes, the smallest efforts can make the biggest difference. In terms of random acts of kindness this is certainly true, and recently, with applied research at Kettering University, small – or, more accurately –“nano-sized” efforts will eventually yield substantial results.
Yoga, westernized, is considered a Complimentary Alternative Medicine (CAM) while its eastern origination (Patajali’s yoga sutras) identifies Yoga as a thorough hygiene of the mind and body in order to attain heightened consciousness. Most Westerners, in their preference for practicality, simplify yogic discipline down to two of the eight limbs of yoga: pranayama (regulated breathing techniques) and asana (a yoga pose). Hatha yoga is the result of this consolidation, and Western students of Hatha yoga attain substantial benefits including improved lung capacity, flexibility and strength. Consistency in practicing the poses in coordination with breathing will also develop a propensity for more healthful living, and one may decide to encompass the remaining six limbs: yamas (five codes of conduct), niyamas (five hygiene guidelines/observances), pratyahara (withdrawal of the senses/stillness of mind), dharana (concentration), dhyana (meditation), and Samadhi (heart and mind unify to create heightened state of consciousness).
When most of us think about heart attack symptoms, we list chest pain first. It is one of the most common signs – discomfort in the chest such as a feeling of pressure, squeezing, fullness or pain in the chest area can signal that the heart is not functioning properly. But there are many other symptoms that are important to be aware of, as well.
Interventional Pain Management is a subspecialty field of medicine that deals with procedures (typically injections) to treat chronic pain.
Research is showing that the main component of turmeric – called curcumin – an herbaceous perennial plant of the ginger family – appears to block an enzyme that promotes the growth of head and neck cancers. UCLA studied subjects who had cancer and found that those enzymes in the mouths of patients who consumed curcumin were slowed down, helping to prevent the advancing spread of malignant cells.
“Making surgery more precise” … these words are music to the ears of any person awaiting a medical procedure. According to Dr. Michael McCann, DO, FACOS, FACS, Chief of Trauma and Surgical Critical Care at Hurley Medical Center, the daVinci Surgical System has done just that. The hospital has utilized the daVinci Surgical System for a wide range of surgeries since 2012. “The daVinci Surgical System is designed to facilitate complex surgeries using a minimally invasive approach,” explains Dr. McCann. The surgeon controls it from a console. “This has been extremely beneficial to patients!” he exclaimed. “The incisions are smaller and pain is greatly reduced. It also cuts down on recovery time, lowers the risk of infection, there is less blood loss and it allows the surgery to be more precise.”
As the second issue of My City Wellness hits the streets, I want to take a moment to explain why I decided to publish a health related magazine. We would all undoubtedly agree that we live in the Information Age; the last decade of the Internet has put the power of the world’s information banks at the end of a mouse-click. Therefore, one might ask, Why offer a periodical on health topics when I can get the info on the Web? My answer: if there is one thing we’ve learned over the last decade, it’s that not everything you read on the Internet is factual. It may have a slant, be completely false or one-sided, or it can be presented in the form of an infomercial. Maybe what you find about the new drug that you are researching was written by the company that makes the drug … you get the idea.
On December 2, cancer survivors and families of those who lost their fight against cancer gathered to remember loved ones and celebrate the lives of cancer survivors at the first Tree of Love Event. Hosted by Genesys Health Foundation in partnership with the Holly community, the event was held in the atrium of Genesys Regional Medical Center in Grand Blanc Township. The evening included music from the Holly Dickens Music Festival, a brief program, more entertainment from the Holly Dickens characters, and refreshments.
The magic of Christmas is about to begin. A performance of Nutcracker, featuring the Collage Dance Collective of Memphis and the Flint School of Performing Arts kicks off the holiday season at The Whiting in the first weekend in December. It has been described as one of the best-loved and most widely known ballets of our time. Russian composer, Pyotr Ilich Tchaikovsky set the tale to music in the early 1890s. Under the direction of David Mairs, the Flint Symphony Orchestra performs the extraordinary score, including the all-time favorite, “Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy.” The orchestra is considered to be a “cultural icon” in the community, and one of the finest in the nation, with talented musicians from all around the country.
