Showing posts with label Doctors. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Doctors. Show all posts

Saturday, May 27, 2023

There is an Epidemic of Stupidity in Nigeria

In the House of Stupidity

Stupidity is: instead of addressing the national emergency of medical doctors going on strike nationwide, the President, Vice President, President-Elect,  Governors, opposing presidential candidates Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi among the legions of other Nigerians were celebrating and salivating over the ego trip of a young female celebrity chef breaking the Guinness Records for cooking for 100 hours and then gloating over her sexuality; when Americans were celebrating the unprecedented historic academic achievement of LMU valedictorian, Obioma Somtochi Ugorji, the young Nigerian student  who emerged as the 2023 best-graduating student of Loyola Marymount University, Los Angeles, California, USA. It is good Peter Obi has congratulated him.

Every achievement deserves celebration, but it is stupid to be dancing when your house is on fire. 
Will a mother abandon her child having seizure in ER to go and cook for a birthday party?

There is an epidemic of stupidity in Nigeria from the street to the Office of the President.
After "In the House of Dogs", the title of one of my new books should be "In the House of Stupidity".

There is widespread of cases I call Illogical, Irrational and Unreasonable Mentality (IIUM) among the majority of Nigerians, because as you can see from the abnormalities of the last general elections and banalities of the people, they have issues with being logical, rational and reasonable in their behaviours. 
Common sense is not common in Nigeria.

Majority of the artistes who were jumping on the bandwagon of the "Obidients" political movement of Peter Obi before the presidential election on February 23, were in Abuja on Thursday May 25 celebrating and performing at the Renewed Hope live concert for the President-Elect Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu after collecting millions of naira.

#Nigeria
#President
#Vicepresident
#presidentelect
#governor
#doctors
#strike
#celebrity
#chef
#elections
#presidentialelection
#Februsry
#May
#Buhari
#Tinubu
#PeterObi
#Atiku
#Obidients
#stupidity
#dogs
#books

- By Ekenyerengozi Michael Chima,
Publisher/Editor,
NOLLYWOOD MIRROR® Series
New Nigeria on Pinterest
www.pinterest.com/nigeriansreport
https://www.amazon.com/author/ekenyerengozimichaelchima


Tuesday, September 13, 2011

General Hospital Hazards

The Hazards of Hospitals
Created by: Medical Billing and Coding

Infographic: The hazards of hospitals

Hospitals are supposed to be places of healing. But as this infographic shows, threats like superbugs, sloppy records and sleepy interns can make U.S. hospitals surprisingly dangerous.




Friday, July 1, 2011

Consider Medical Treatment Options



New ad campaign urges patients to consider medical treatment options

Washington DC., June 30, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — “Explore Your Treatment Options,” a new multimedia ad campaign announced today by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) and the Ad Council, encourages patients to become more informed about their options before choosing a treatment for a health condition or illness.

The goal of this campaign is to increase consumers’ involvement in their care by providing easy access to unbiased information about treatment options and tools to encourage patients to work with their doctors, nurses, pharmacists and other clinicians to make health care decisions. It features television, radio, print, web and outdoor ads that encourage consumers to visit AHRQ’s Effective Health Care Program website to find plain-language guides that summarize the scientific evidence on treatments for numerous medical conditions, including diabetes, osteoarthritis, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and more.

“We see the best outcomes when doctors and patients work together to come up with a treatment plan that takes into account the patient’s quality-of-life concerns,” said AHRQ Director Carolyn M. Clancy, M.D. “Information is power in health care, and this campaign will provide patients with the information they need to become partners with their doctors in their health and health care.”

Since 2005, AHRQ’s Effective Health Care Program has compared the outcomes and effectiveness of different treatments and communicated findings to providers and consumers to help them make informed decisions about health care. For example, Treating High Cholesterol: A Guide for Adults, provides easy-to-understand information about different kinds of cholesterol medicines, including how they work and their side effects. The guide also includes a list of questions that patients can ask their doctors to help them choose their best treatment option.

As part of the campaign, AHRQ’s Effective Health Care Program website features personal stories from patients with chronic conditions who achieved better health results by exploring their treatment options. In addition, a new Health Priorities Snapshot tool features questions about common daily activities and allows users to rate the importance of quality-of-life concerns. Patients can print out a list of their own health priorities and share it with their clinicians during medical appointments. As part of the campaign, AHRQ’s Effective Health Care Program website features personal stories from patients with chronic conditions who achieved better health results by exploring their treatment options. In addition, a new Health Priorities Snapshot tool features questions about common daily activities and allows users to rate the importance of quality-of-life concerns. Patients can print out a list of their own health priorities and share it with their clinicians during medical appointments. These features are available at http://www.effectivehealthcare.ahrq.gov/options.

Created pro bono for the Ad Council by Grey New York, the new television, radio, print, outdoor and web ads highlight the fact that consumers have options when buying clothing, dining out, watching a movie or buying a car and should expect options when it comes to their health care.

“This new campaign is a wonderful extension of our ongoing efforts with AHRQ to encourage Americans to take a more active role in their health care,” said Peggy Conlon, president and CEO of the Ad Council. “These ads speak to a compelling insight--we look for options in nearly every aspect of our lives, but we’re not always exploring all treatment options available when it comes to our health care. It’s a very important message, as these decisions can affect the length and quality of our lives.”

The new public service advertisements are being distributed to approximately 33,000 media stations nationwide. Per the Ad Council's donated media model, all of the new public service advertisements will air and run in advertising time and space donated by the media.

“People expect options when it comes to the most mundane things in life like shopping, dining and wallpaper,” said Rob Baiocco, EVP, Managing Partner, Grey Worldwide. “This campaign pushes them to demand the same options when it comes to the most critical thing in life, their health.”

###

AHRQ

The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (http://www.ahrq.gov) is part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. AHRQ's mission is to improve the quality, safety, efficiency and effectiveness of health care for all Americans. AHRQ's research helps people make more informed decisions and improve the quality of health care services.
The Ad Council

The Ad Council (http://www.adcouncil.org) is a private, non-profit organization that marshals talent from the advertising and communications industries, the facilities of the media and the resources of the business and non-profit communities to produce, distribute and promote public service campaigns on behalf of non-profit organizations and government agencies.

Media Contact:
AHRQ Public Affairs
(301) 427-1855
(301) 427-1892


Thursday, April 21, 2011

9 in 10 Doctors Want More Say in Hospital Management



20 Apr 2011 12:00 Africa/Lagos


Nine in 10 Doctors Want More Say in Hospital Management, Finds PwC Survey

PR Newswire

NEW YORK, April 20, 2011

NEW YORK, April 20, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- More than 90 percent of doctors in a recent nationwide survey by PwC US believe that physicians employed by hospitals should be more involved in executive leadership and management of the hospital, including serving on the board of directors and outlining performance improvement initiatives, according to From courtship to marriage Part II, a new report released today by PwC's Health Research Institute (HRI).

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20100917/NY66894LOGO )

Healthcare is moving toward a new approach in payment that rewards doctors and hospitals for quality results over volume, and the shift is driving the two closer together. Hospitals must rely on physicians to help them achieve health reform goals, and in return, physicians want not just financial security but also a say in hospital leadership. The prospects for a long-term union between hospitals and physicians will depend on their ability to meet in the middle, says PwC.

PwC's report is based on a nationwide survey of more than 1,000 physicians, supplemented by in-depth interviews with hospital executives, about their expectations as partners sharing power, resources and outcomes in a post-health reform world. HRI's research focused on what PwC says are three secrets for a successful marriage of hospitals and physicians: Shared governance, aligned compensation and changing physician-practice patterns.

Hospital employment means physicians may have to give up control of how they practice to comply with standards that emphasize overall system quality and efficiency goals. The trade-off, in their minds, comes with certain caveats. PwC's survey of physicians found the following:

* More than eight in 10 physicians (83 percent) who are considering hospital employment said they would expect to be paid the same as or more than they are now, with increases ranging from 1 percent to 4.7 percent or an average increase of 2.4 percent. Forty-five percent of physicians said they would expect an increase in pay and 38 percent would expect no change.
* Realizing the health system is changing to track and reward performance, most physicians agree that half their salary should be fixed and the other half should be based on meeting a combination of productivity, quality, patient satisfaction and cost of care goals, with upside earning potential for performance.
* Expectations for compensation varied by physician specialty, with pediatrics, psychiatry and cardiology expecting the largest increase and general surgery, oncology, and emergency medicine expecting the least.
* Six in 10 physicians (62 percent) believe that nationally accepted physician practice guidelines should be used to guide the way they practice medicine, while one in three (30 percent) prefers locally developed guidelines.


Hospital executives interviewed for the report, however, said they aren't ready to "hand over the keys" just yet. They say that in order to pay physicians higher salaries, they will need to find funds elsewhere in the organization through improvements in the healthcare delivery model. They need physicians to not only help reduce supply and infrastructure cost but also to generate additional revenue.

There also is an issue of physician skills. Hospital leaders who were interviewed say that most physicians lack the business management and leadership skills needed to be effective in positions of leadership and governance.

"To succeed in the future, hospital executives and physicians may both have to cede on money and control issues," said Brett Hickman, partner, PwC health industries advisory. "It's a new day, and hospitals and physicians are beginning to realize that they are better together than apart. As in all healthy marriages, there can't be winners and losers. It is a relationship that has to start with trust and transparency, something hospitals and physicians have previously lacked. Then it's a matter of investing in each other and working together toward shared goals that both sides buy into."

Next Generation of MDs Seeking Business Training and Work-Life Balance

From undergraduate studies through medical school and into residency and fellowship programs, physicians traditionally have focused on the science of medicine. The next generation of physicians, however, is more likely to also receive business training to prepare them for their future careers, says PwC. HRI's review of the required curriculum of the 10 largest medical schools by total active enrollment in the country revealed that no time is formally allocated directly to business-related training. However, several universities are now offering joint MD/MBA programs. In fact, 53 medical school-affiliated universities are recognized by the American Association of Medical Colleges for offering dual-degree programs, a reflection of the medical and academic communities' awareness of and response to the need to address changing educational needs of medical student.

The availability of these programs is too late for today's doctors, which means they will need on-the-job training, an investment that hospitals must be willing to make, says PwC. The report describes how some hospitals are addressing the skills issue by creating educational programs to teach physicians business theory and techniques related to quality improvement, outcomes management and staff development. Beyond skills, the second issue for physicians is time. Physicians who have traditionally been paid to generate volume in a fee-for-service compensation model have been driven to see more and more patients, leaving them little time for anything outside of their medical practice. The question is whether they have capacity to also take on hospital governance and management, at least so long as fee-for-service compensation reigns.

Over two-thirds of physicians surveyed by PwC feel confident they could devote more time to leadership roles and activities of hospitals. Three-quarters (77 percent) say they have time for greater involvement in performance improvement initiatives; 71 percent in hospital executive leadership, and 69 percent have time to serve on hospital boards.

As part of larger well-documented generational trends, younger physicians are likely to want better work-life balance than their predecessors, making flexible compensation structures particularly appealing. In fact, not all physicians expect an increase in pay. Seventeen percent of physicians surveyed said they would accept a decrease in overall compensation when considering employment by a hospital.

"The key for hospital executives will be to determine the right compensation package to offer the right physician, based on their individual aspirations and expectations," added Hickman. "Physicians will be the key drivers in improving and sustaining clinical quality, and providing them with the right mix of compensation based on productivity and incentives will help hospitals increase revenue and avoid financial penalties."

The PwC report profiles three hospitals and the different approaches they have taken to address compensation, governance and practice standards issues. These hospitals are Indianapolis-based Franciscan St. Francis Health, Huntsville (Texas) Memorial Hospital, which is affiliated with the Memorial Hermann Healthcare System, and SSM Health Care and Dean Health System of Wisconsin.

From courtship to marriage is a two-part series on hospital-physician alignment by PwC's Health Research Institute, and is part of PwC Health Industries' ongoing exploration of health reform and its implications. A full copy of From courtship to marriage II is available at: www.PwC.com/us/PhysicianHospitalAlignment. From courtship to marriage I and other health reform reports from PwC are available at: www.pwc.com/hri.

Methodology

PwC's Health Research Institute commissioned an online survey of approximately 1,000 U.S. physicians, balanced by age, gender, practice type and specialty. In addition, HRI analysts conducted 28 in-depth interviews with thought leaders and executives representing healthcare providers, payers and professional associations.

About PwC's Health Research Institute (HRI)

PwC Health Research Institute (www.pwc.com/hri) provides new intelligence, perspectives, and analysis on trends affecting all health-related industries. The Health Research Institute helps executive decision makers navigate change through primary research and collaborative exchange. Our views are shaped by a network of professionals with executive and day-to-day experience in the health industry.

About PwC's Health Industries Group

PwC's Health Industries Group (www.pwc.com/healthindustries) is a leading advisor to public and private organizations across the health industries including healthcare providers, pharmaceuticals, health and life sciences, payers, employers, academic institutions and as well as non-health organizations with significance presence in the health market. Follow PwC Health Industries at http://twitter.com/PwCHealth.

About the PwC Network

PwC firms provide industry-focused assurance, tax and advisory services to enhance value for their clients. More than 161,000 people in 154 countries in firms across the PwC network share their thinking, experience and solutions to develop fresh perspectives and practical advice. See www.pwc.com for more information.

© 2011 PwC. All rights reserved. "PwC" and "PwC US" refer to PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, a Delaware limited liability partnership, which is a member firm of PricewaterhouseCoopers International Limited, each member firm of which is a separate legal entity. This document is for general information purposes only, and should not be used as a substitute for consultation with professional advisors.

SOURCE PwC

CONTACT: Todd Hall, PwC US, todd.w.hall@us.pwc.com, +1-617-530-4185; or Lisa Stearns, The Hubbell Group, Inc., lstearns@hubbellgroup.com, +1-781-878-8882

Web Site: http://www.pwc.com



Monday, March 29, 2010

American Doctors Sue to Overturn the Health Care Bill

29 Mar 2010 17:13 Africa/Lagos


Doctors Sue to Overturn the Health Care Bill


TUCSON, Ariz., March 29 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Association of American Physicians and Surgeons (AAPS) became the first medical society to sue to overturn the newly enacted health care bill, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA). AAPS sued Friday in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia (AAPS v. Sebelius et al.).

"If the PPACA goes unchallenged, then it spells the end of freedom in medicine as we know it," observed Jane Orient, M.D., the Executive Director of AAPS. "Courts should not allow this massive intrusion into the practice of medicine and the rights of patients."

"There will be a dire shortage of physicians if the PPACA becomes effective and is not overturned by the courts."

The PPACA requires most Americans to buy government-approved insurance starting in 2014, or face stiff penalties. Insurance company executives will be enriched by this requirement, but it violates the Fifth Amendment protection against the government forcing one person to pay cash to another. AAPS is the first to assert this important constitutional claim.

The PPACA also violates the Tenth Amendment, the Commerce Clause, and the provisions authorizing taxation. The Taxing and Spending power cannot be invoked, as the premiums go to private insurance companies. The traditional sovereignty of the States over the practice of medicine is destroyed by the PPACA.

AAPS notes that in scoring the proposal the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) was bound by assumptions imposed by Congress, including the ability to "save" $500 billion in Medicare, and to redirect $50 billion from Social Security. HHS Secretary Sebelius stated that PPACA would reduce the federal deficit, knowing the opposite to be true if these assumptions are unrealistic.

AAPS asks the Court to enjoin the government from promulgating or enforcing insurance mandates and require HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius and Social Security Commissioner Michael Astrue to provide the Court with an accounting of Medicare and Social Security solvency.

Congress recognized that PPACA cannot be funded without the insurance mandates, and will become unenforceable without them.

Court action is necessary "to preserve individual liberty" and "to prevent PPACA from bankrupting the United States generally and Medicare and Social Security specifically," AAPS stated.

AAPS is a voice for patient and physician independence since 1943. The complaint is posted at http://www.aapsonline.org/hhslawsuit

Source: Association of American Physicians and Surgeons (AAPS)

CONTACT: Jane Orient, M.D. +1-800-635-1196, jorient@mindspring.com

Web Site: http://www.aapsonline.org/


American Doctors Sue to Overturn the Health Care Bill

29 Mar 2010 17:13 Africa/Lagos


Doctors Sue to Overturn the Health Care Bill


TUCSON, Ariz., March 29 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Association of American Physicians and Surgeons (AAPS) became the first medical society to sue to overturn the newly enacted health care bill, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA). AAPS sued Friday in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia (AAPS v. Sebelius et al.).

"If the PPACA goes unchallenged, then it spells the end of freedom in medicine as we know it," observed Jane Orient, M.D., the Executive Director of AAPS. "Courts should not allow this massive intrusion into the practice of medicine and the rights of patients."

"There will be a dire shortage of physicians if the PPACA becomes effective and is not overturned by the courts."

The PPACA requires most Americans to buy government-approved insurance starting in 2014, or face stiff penalties. Insurance company executives will be enriched by this requirement, but it violates the Fifth Amendment protection against the government forcing one person to pay cash to another. AAPS is the first to assert this important constitutional claim.

The PPACA also violates the Tenth Amendment, the Commerce Clause, and the provisions authorizing taxation. The Taxing and Spending power cannot be invoked, as the premiums go to private insurance companies. The traditional sovereignty of the States over the practice of medicine is destroyed by the PPACA.

AAPS notes that in scoring the proposal the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) was bound by assumptions imposed by Congress, including the ability to "save" $500 billion in Medicare, and to redirect $50 billion from Social Security. HHS Secretary Sebelius stated that PPACA would reduce the federal deficit, knowing the opposite to be true if these assumptions are unrealistic.

AAPS asks the Court to enjoin the government from promulgating or enforcing insurance mandates and require HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius and Social Security Commissioner Michael Astrue to provide the Court with an accounting of Medicare and Social Security solvency.

Congress recognized that PPACA cannot be funded without the insurance mandates, and will become unenforceable without them.

Court action is necessary "to preserve individual liberty" and "to prevent PPACA from bankrupting the United States generally and Medicare and Social Security specifically," AAPS stated.

AAPS is a voice for patient and physician independence since 1943. The complaint is posted at http://www.aapsonline.org/hhslawsuit

Source: Association of American Physicians and Surgeons (AAPS)

CONTACT: Jane Orient, M.D. +1-800-635-1196, jorient@mindspring.com

Web Site: http://www.aapsonline.org/


60 Year Old Nigerian Gets a New Lease of Life in India

29 Mar 2010 09:00 Africa/Lagos

60 Year Old Nigerian Gets a New Lease of Life in India - Doctors at Fortis Hospitals Bangalore (Formerly Wockhardt Hospitals) Remove a 4 kg Liver Tumor

BANGALORE, India, March 29, 2010/PRNewswire/ -- A team of doctors led by Dr Ramcharan Thiagarajan, Consultant Surgical Gastroenterology & Hepato Pancreatic Biliary Surgery, Fortis Hospitals, Bangalore (formerly Wockhardt Hsopitals) recently performed a high risk surgery on a 60 year old Nigerian to remove a perilous tumor weighing 4 kilos surrounding his liver.

Mr. Giddy Ejeng was suffering from acute abdomen pain and had symptoms of anemia for almost about a year. While consulting with doctors in Nigeria he had got a CT scan done which revealed the giant sized liver tumor. Sensing the high risk involved, doctors at Nigeria referred the case to Fortis Hospitals Bangalore who have the expertise to perform such high risk surgeries. "The surgery performed is called "Trisegmentectomy" where major part of the liver are resected to remove the cancer, leaving behind a small portion of the normal liver. This surgery is possible because we all know the liver regenerates quite fast. Had the surgery not been performed in time, the situation could have turned fatal," explained Dr. Ramcharan Thiagarajan.

This was a case of a massive liver resection where two thirds of his liver were removed due to a gigantic tumor sitting on his liver. The size of the tumor was unusually big and was impinging on the IVC (inferior vena cava) the large vein that carries de-oxygenated blood from the lower half of the body to the right atrium of the heart. The patient presented with severe abdominal pain and fatigue for four preceding months and loss of appetite. Examination revealed a large mass 20 cm x 15 cm occupying almost the whole of the liver.

"After adequate general anesthesia, the abdomen was opened in layers with an inverted T-shaped incision, detailed inspection of the liver and other abdominal organs was performed. The liver was mobilised to facilitate resection of the mass. A careful dissection of the tumor was performed thereby minimizing collateral tissue damage and blood loss," added Dr. Ramcharan Thiagarajan.

"I believe we should never give up hope even if sometimes everything seems to come to an end. We believed Giddy will be fine and cured completely. So when our doctor in Nigeria told us to take Giddy to India we knew they surely had the expertise to handle the case. Maybe this faith and conviction helped us in going through the difficult times. Since the surgery there has been a tremendous improvement in my husband's health. I would like to thank the doctors at Fortis Hospitals for their support and warmth extended to us. They have treated my husband with utmost care," said Mrs. Giddy.


For more information please contact:
Priyam Bortamuli,
PR & Communication, Mobile: +91-9845558559
Email- priyam.bortamuli@fortishospitals.in or
care.bng@fortishospitals.in

Source: Fortis Hospitals Limited

For more information please contact: Priyam Bortamuli, PR & Communication, Mobile: +919845558559, Email- priyam.bortamuli@fortishospitals.in or care.bng@fortishospitals.in