Samoa disaster tests surfing doctor's skills Oct 11, 2009
" The day after his hospital stint, Dr Hannam, Mrs Hannam, who is former prime minister John Howard's niece, and daughter Georgie volunteered with the Red Cross, visiting the hardest hit villages to help. HSC student Angus put his photography skills to use documenting the devastation. The Hannams have set up a fund with their local Rotary Club to raise money to buy vital hospital equipment, such as monitoring machines and ventilators. Mrs Hannam said: "We wanted to do it in the most direct way... (Sydney Morning Herald -- World)
Docs: Get your jab or find a new job Oct 9, 2009
And all we really have to fight swine flu are ventilators, some drugs that may or may not work and the new vaccine. Interactive map. (MSNBC -- Health)
Hospital ethics panels help families decide between life and death Oct 8, 2009
We bring our full selves to every bedside," says Dawn Seery, head of the five-hospital Methodist Healthcare System in San Antonio. 'Death denial' They tackle questions of whether to begin or continue aggressive treatments or artificial life support, such as ventilators or feeding tubes. Only 25% of Americans have advance directives spelling out their values and choices for the day "when I'm not myself any more and never will be again," Seery says. Consider the often-heard demand that doctors "do... (USA Today)
District Corner: Cutler School Building Committee Oct 7, 2009
It was at this meeting that the Cutler School Building Committee voted to approve the hot water boiler with energy recovery ventilators for the main building and packaged cooling for the modular section approach as the best option. The school committee would like to thank the Cutler School Building Committee members for the time and energy they have invested in this process. (Hamilton Wenham Chronicle, MA)
New Survey Suggests Americans Keen for H1N1 Vaccine Oct 6, 2009
Patients with severe cases of H1N1 infection often need specialized care and ventilators to breathe. Blendon's team found that 53 percent of adults plan to get vaccinated and 75 percent of the parents would get their children vaccinated. (MEDLINEplus)
Many preemies die despite improved care Oct 6, 2009
WASHINGTON - Very early pre-term babies kept alive with ventilators, chest tubes and drugs to support the heart may live a little longer than they did 10 years ago, but are just as likely to die before ever going home, U.S. researchers reported on Monday ... After birth, their children were more likely to be put on ventilators, drugs to boost heart and blood pressure rates and to have chest tubes inserted. (MSNBC -- Health)
Medical Ethics Experts Identify, Address Key Issues In H1N1 Pandemic Oct 5, 2009
The JCB papers say a major pandemic will demand difficult ethical choices related to ventilators, vaccines, antivirals and other resources. Who should get the last bed and ventilator in an intensive care unit, for example: an accident victim suffering a severe but potentially reversible brain injury or a nurse who contracted the flu while caring for patients in the hospital. (Science Daily)
Swine flu staff to have fees paid Oct 4, 2009
" Ms Sturgeon also said critical care capacity is being increased, with 1.4m invested in purchasing 40 additional adult ventilators and 15 paediatric ventilators. Nicola Sturgeon also announced more ventilators would be made available In addition to this eight further neo-natal ventilators and three more adult ventilators have been acquired. The first four new ventilators are expected to arrive within the next few weeks, with the remaining ones likely to be delivered by the end of November. The... (BBC News -- UK)
Folsom long-term hospital replacing itself Oct 3, 2009
for free extra services. Subscribe to Sacramento Business Journal. (Sacramento Business Journal, CA)
School board looks at energy savings Oct 1, 2009
The unit ventilators in each classroom are also almost 50 years old and could need replaced, which could reach a combined heating system cost of close to $1 million. The energy report will see if it is practical to use geothermal heat for the high school. (Kalona News, IA)
Residents view newly renovated school Sep 30, 2009
The updates included a new boiler, unit ventilators and added insulation, repairs and new paint to the lockers, new entryway doors and glass block windows in the gym, a new flagpole and landscaping, and new windows throughout the building. Also, the school has been equipped with a programmable security system that can lock the building immediately in an emergency. (Watertown Daily Times, WI)
Shaughnessy-Kaplan hold its 15th annual Patient Reunion Sep 30, 2009
Many of the patients spent many months working with their caregivers over coming catastrophic injuries, some spending long durations attached to ventilators to help them breathe. Now these same patients who could barely function will return triumphantly through the doors with their family and friends. (Danvers Herald, MA)
Scientists map how white blood cells repair wounds Sep 23, 2009
Almost all people with ALI require breathing assistance from mechanical ventilators, and nearly 75,000 die each year. The study was published online in the Journal of Clinical Investigation. (India Times, India)
Healing Badly Damaged Lungs: Distinct Set Of White Blood Cells Found To Set The Pace Of Wound Repair Sep 23, 2009
Almost all people with ALI require breathing assistance from mechanical ventilators, and nearly 75,000 die each year. The team of Johns Hopkins lung experts, whose study results are set to be published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation online Sept. 21, says their three-year investigation is believed to be the first to distinguish the role of the immune system in wound repair in the lung from its role immediately following injury and the inflammation that follows. (Science Daily)
Mild Exercise While In The ICU Reduces Bad Effects Of Prolonged Bed Rest Sep 22, 2009
Developing physical therapy regimens for ICU patients requires good planning, says Needham, an assistant professor at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, because most of the patients are on mechanical ventilators to help them breathe, and some are also sedated while undergoing treatment ... For the walks, patients remain connected to their ventilators, heart monitors, and other equipment while using a standard walker. (Science Daily)
Seen through loving eyes Sep 22, 2009
Children in wheelchairs, on ventilators and crutches. Children hooked up to IVs getting chemotherapy. (Boston Globe)
* Aborigines horrified by body bags in flu kit Sep 19, 2009
Last spring, a disproportionate number of Aboriginals in northern Manitoba communities ended up on ventilators in intensive care when the flu first the area. Many patients were airlifted from some northern reserves where there are fewer than 10,000 residents. (Taipei Times, Taiwan -- World Business)
Doctor Answers Swine Flu Questions Sep 15, 2009
"But my biggest concern is that we would see a lot of people in those high-risk groups - pregnant moms, babies, those with chronic medical problems - getting sick with the flu, requiring hospitalization, needing to be in the ICU, needing ventilators, and the greatest fear is some of them would die. That's my number one concern.". "My other concern is that the public have a good understanding of what's going on. Unfortunately, this is not a simple, straightforward situation. So, the more... (Click2Houston, TX)
Flames evacuate Beaver Ave. apts. Sep 14, 2009
"It had the potential to be a lot worse," he said, adding that firefighters used ventilators to clear the smoke ... Fire extinguishers and ventilators were used to control the fire, Kuchmay said. (Daily Collegian, PA)
What That NYT Story Missed About the Katrina Hospital Tragedy Sep 5, 2009
An LTCH specializes in patients with major health problems: people who need ventilators to breathe, people with neuromuscular damage, and people with organ failure. Under Medicare regulations, an LTCH is defined as a hospital where the average Medicare inpatient stays more than 25 days. (Slate)
"Death Panels" Born in Heartland Hospital Sep 5, 2009
No drooling in diapers, no ventilators for us. Now I ask all of you, what is so wrong with this, why haven't others engaged in common sense planning. (CBS News)
Republicans’ shameless senior moment Sep 4, 2009
In health care, that translates into endless doctors visits, tests, procedures, and maybe even more ventilators. Could we put that on hold. (Boston Globe)
New Computer Models Aim To Classify, Help Reduce Injury Accidents Sep 4, 2009
(June 3, 2008) Computer modeling of lungs based on information collected from real patients will provide insight into the best way of using ventilators to treat patients while minimizing the risk of. (Aug. (Science Daily)
Local doctors receive their share of H1N1 patients, but aren't too alarmed Sep 4, 2009
Still, Gov. Bobby Jindal is preparing hospitals and schools across the state for a surge of cases, making sure hospitals have extra hospital beds and ventilators, and that schools have a response plan in place. Thursday, Charli and her brother have a clean bill of health. (WWLTV.com, LA)
Health-Care Debate Continues in Region Sep 4, 2009
"People believe there is language in there for senior citizens to be thrown off their ventilators," Mr. Murphy said recently, admitting that health care for the elderly is often costly. "What it is, there's a provision in the bill for counseling on end-of-life care." According to Sec. 1233 of the bill, "Advanced care planning means a consultation between the individual and the practitioner" regarding the patient's final days. (Litchfield County Times, CT)
Sarah Palin, Meet Hippocrates Sep 3, 2009
Though the purpose of the 1990 legislation was to ascertain that hospitalized patients would not be maintained on ultimately futile therapies, such as ventilators or feeding tubes, against their stated wishes, it also forbids anything resembling forced euthanasia, since the patient (or, in the case of incompetence, his or her legally authorized surrogate) by definition would not have requested it. Regardless, fulfilling such a request would be illegal if it were made in any of the 48 states that... (CBS News)
Pune: 20-yr-old succumbs to swine flu Aug 30, 2009
Ashok Laddha, additional director of state health department, said that 11 patients in the city were still critical and were put on ventilators. All of them have tested positive for the H1N1 flu. (India Times, India)
Swine flu toll rises to 26 in Pune Aug 29, 2009
Out of these, nine are critical and six are on ventilators. Four patients were taken off ventilators on Friday, he said, adding that 7,610 people were screened in the district, of whom 322 were given Tamiflu doses. (India Times, India)
Nurses in demand Aug 28, 2009
Her first week on the job, Milian was charged with caring for several patients with complicated issues those on ventilators and with chest tubes and she felt thoroughly unprepared. "It just didn't feel right, it felt very unsafe," Milian said. (FOX61, CT)
Auburn school board member says new project money wouldn't be wasted Aug 26, 2009
A long list was whittled down to items such as exterior windows and doors, air ventilators and hot-water tanks. Nearly all upgrades deal with infrastructure, energy efficiency and technology, with some facility improvements to Holland Stadium. (Auburn Citizen, NY)
12 N.J. hospitals paying doctors to save them money Aug 20, 2009
For instance, it has updated procedures for dealing with patients on ventilators or respirators to prevent pneumonia from developing. "This gainsharing program will incentivize the physicians to be part of the teams and lead the teams," he said. (USA Today -- News)
Cardinal earnings fall ahead of spinoff Aug 19, 2009
Fourth-quarter capital orders were 10 percent higher than anticipated, including an order from the federal government for 4,500 ventilators. Long-term factors are in the company s favor, including hospitals need for the company s safety and efficiency products under health reform, Schlotterbeck told analysts. (Columbus Business First, OH)
SARS Epidemic 2002 to 2003 Aug 16, 2009
Patients were put in isolation rooms in hospitals and given additional oxygen or were hooked up to ventilators. Hospital staff had to take extreme measures when coming in contact with patients. (Suite101.com)
Doctors see benefit in end-of-life controversy Aug 15, 2009
" Dr. Ted Epperly, president of the American Academy of Family Physicians, often has advance end-of-life conversations in his work as a family physician and geriatrician in Boise, Idaho. He says the discussions can protect patients from having costly procedures done against their will. More from Kaiser Health NewsHe describes such conversations as sensitive and time-consuming since they delve into the nitty gritty details: whether patients want to use ventilators to breathe,... (MSNBC -- Politics)
Pune: Dahi Handi celebrations cancelled Aug 14, 2009
Meanwhile, health officials said two swine flu patients kept on ventilators and four others admitted to ICU wards at various hospitals in the city were today discharged. More Stories from this section. (India Times, India)
End-of-life planning is no conspiracy Aug 12, 2009
Study after study also shows that American patients continue to die in pain, on ventilators, and in the intensive care unit, though many of them did not want such treatment at the end of their lives. For instance, the Robert Wood Johnson study Means to A Better End: A Report on Dying in America Today found that 42 percent of all nursing home residents were persistently in pain, and the Dartmouth Atlas of Health Care found that 18 percent of deaths nationwide take place in intensive care units... (Boston Globe)
Sanitizer, tissues may top school supply lists Aug 9, 2009
In the current context of the H1N1 outbreak, if it is similar to the situation in the spring, schools should consider closing if most or all students have particular medical needs, such as children on ventilators or pregnant teens, Frieden said. In addition, some districts may decide that because there are so many cases of H1N1, from an administrative point of view, they cannot stay open, he said. (CNN)
Beware peddlers of fear Aug 8, 2009
They ended up in intensive care and/or on ventilators or were resuscitated. They not only had a worse quality of death by any measure, they left their families in more distress, And here's the kicker: They didn't live any longer. (Albany Times Union)
Pune doc, chemist with H1N1 battle for life Aug 8, 2009
The hospital has just two ventilators and has requisitioned for six more. Dr Pawar said he had enough Tamiflu tablets but has still asked for 5,000 more. (India Times, India)
In a wing-nut world, Granny is toast Aug 7, 2009
They ended up in intensive care and/or on ventilators or were resuscitated. They not only had a worse quality of death by any measure, they left their families in more distress, and here s the kicker: They didn t live any longer. (Boston Globe)
Fragile lives Aug 6, 2009
In fact the noise of voices, monitors and ventilators make this a hub of activity. Nervously, I walk up to one of the intensive care cots where inside lies baby Mia. (BBC News -- Health)
Will H1N1 come back in fall? Aug 3, 2009
It is reported that developed countries like the United States and Canada are busy storing facemasks, ventilators and other life-saving equipment, training nurses, respiratory therapists and laboratory technicians, in case the wave arrives at an earlier date. Certainly, the government should arrange due financial support to hospitals to cope with a possibly surging number of flu patients soon. (People's Daily Online, China)
Is the U.S. prepared for a flu pandemic? Aug 2, 2009
The state also has purchased hundreds of extra ventilators to send to hospitals if necessary. "Obviously we want to make sure the most acute patients are taken care of in the hospital, but in some cases there are patients with less acute needs that could be transported out of hospitals and be taken care of at one of these alternate care sites," Ms. Fitzgerald said. (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, PA)
Q&A: Expected flu surge raises big questions Jul 31, 2009
Recently, in some places, such as Argentina and even Canada, there have been shortages of ICU beds and ventilators. Part of what needs to be done here is for every hospital to have a plan on how to handle everybody. (MSNBC -- Health)
Study: H1N1 virus more severely... Jul 30, 2009
All of them had been healthy before infection, and all went on to develop viral pneumonia, leading to acute respiratory distress that required them to be placed on ventilators, Jamieson said. She acknowledged that the numbers are small, but said data collected since then are still reason for concern. (CNN -- Law)
Got Flu? Official Says It's Likely H1N1 Jul 30, 2009
California has spent more than $200 million to stock a warehouse with 20,000 hospital beds, 2,400 ventilators, and $50 million face masks for health precautions. The state also has enough flu medication on hand to treat nearly a quarter of the population. (KCRA 3, CA)
Pregnant women hit hard by swine flu Jul 30, 2009
Of the six fatal cases in the Lancet study, Jamieson said nearly all had viral pneumonia before experiencing acute respiratory problems, and were put on ventilators before they died. Aside from one woman who had asthma and another who was obese, Jamieson said the women were essentially healthy. (MSNBC -- Health)
O'Leary: Exchange used equipment online Jul 27, 2009
Supplies and equipment such as ventilators, oxygen equipment and catheters will not be accepted. Items posing hygiene or safety risks also will not be listed. (Medford Transcript, MA)
Health reform should focus on what works Jul 25, 2009
They include patients on ventilators who must learn to breathe on their own again and those recovering from serious surgical wounds that must be checked daily ... An article in the Journal of Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology recently found that patients on ventilators in long-term acute-care hospitals had lower rates of developing pneumonia than their counterparts in traditional hospitals. (Boston Globe)
Pandemic could overwhelm critical care beds in England, especially children's units Jul 25, 2009
Experts in intensive care and anaesthesia have predicted that the current swine flu pandemic could overwhelm critical care beds and ventilators in England, with hospitals on the South East Coast, and in the South West, East of England and East Midlands, being worst hit. The research, fast-tracked for online publication by Anaesthesia, suggests that demand for critical care beds could outstrip supply by up to 130 per cent, with up to 20 per cent excess demand for ventilators in some regions ...... (EurekAlert!)
Officer in anguish over death of NOPD dog; investigation ongoing Jul 23, 2009
Riley said the K-9 vehicle comes fitted with equipment that is designed to make the ventilators go on, the windows go down and a fan turn on as soon as the temperatures go above 87 degrees inside the vehicle. Riley said it happens automatically. (WWLTV.com, LA)
NSW swine flu toll hits 14 after four more die Jul 21, 2009
Yesterday seven people were being treated statewide using the machines, including two pregnant women, but many had been successfully taken off them, moved to standard ventilators or relocated to wards, the head of intensive care services at Royal Prince Alfred, Robert Herkes, said yesterday. "It has been very, very busy but the good news is we've been able to get some people off [cardiac bypass] and we've been able to spread the load of critically ill patients across all our hospitals with... (Sydney Morning Herald -- Australia)
Survival story shared at Windber Relay For Life Jul 17, 2009
Denise Sedor spoke on behalf of her 2-year-old daughter, Morgan, a cancer survivor. Sedor also spoke at the Northern Cambria Relay. (Somerset Daily American, PA)
Spinal Cord Treatment May End Ventilator Need Jul 17, 2009
Doctors said it eliminates infections caused by forcing air into lungs with ventilators and dramatically cuts medical expenses. "The cost of care decreases by about $200,000 per patient a year," said Dr. Raymond Anders. (7 KETV Omaha)
Fitch to downgrade Cardinal ratings Jul 16, 2009
Directors at Cardinal (NYSE:CAH) on Friday approved the spinoff of CareFusion Corp. Cardinal s $4 billion-a-year division makes and sells medical equipment, including infusion pumps and ventilators, as well as infection control supplies. CareFusion s shares are expected to trade on the under the ticker CFN.. (Columbus Business First, OH)
Selected recent California newspaper editorials Jul 16, 2009
Since trained nurses are able to bill for a higher amount than home care workers, the company was allegedly billing for nursing care but sending low-paid untrained or inadequately trained health care workers to dispense medication, adjust ventilators and maintain feeding tubes. Although U.S. Attorney Thomas P. O'Brien said that none of the 75 kids treated by the unqualified health care workers was injured, the potential was high. (San Francisco Chronicle -- Crime)
Making the difficult task of transporting a child with special needs safer Jul 14, 2009
One of the biggest problems, the researchers found, was that only 8 percent of the drivers they surveyed had properly secured medical equipment including oxygen tanks, monitors, ventilators, and suctioning devices. In the event of a traffic crash these essentials could become dangerous projectiles. (EurekAlert!)
Swine flu warning as deaths increase Jul 14, 2009
He said the department had stockpiled 130 new standard ventilators two years ago as part of the state's disaster plan and would open more intensive care beds on high dependency units if the number of patients continued to surge. But Peter Collignon, a professor in infectious diseases at the Australian National University, played down the use of the machines, saying "this happens every winter - it just doesn't get publicity". (Sydney Morning Herald -- Australia)
Obesity ups swine flu risk Jul 12, 2009
They described the cases of 10 patients at a Michigan hospital who were so ill they had to be put on ventilators. Three died. (India Times, India)
Cardinal: CareFusion spinoff effective Aug. 31 Jul 11, 2009
The CareFusion division makes and sells medical equipment, including infusion pumps and ventilators, as well as infection control supplies. It generated $318. (Columbus Business First, OH)
New sponsor emerges to revive New York's flagship jazz festival for 2010 Jul 8, 2009
CareFusion produces various medical equipment such as intravenous pumps and ventilators, devices that carry company-designed safety features to prevent medication errors and infection. CareFusion also will sponsor this year's Aug. 7-9 jazz festival in Newport, R.I., which will feature Tony Bennett, Branford Marsalis, Dave Brubeck and Etta James, among others. (FOX61, CT)
Mexico wins praise for swine flu response Jul 6, 2009
Argentina already facing a huge caseload of bronchitis and common flu cases hasn't had enough ventilators to treat everyone, Cox said. "There are all these unexpected events that occur when you have a new pathogen, and some of these have played in the situation in Argentina," Cox said. (Yahoo News)
Cambridge doctors donate $1M for Mass General care unit Jul 1, 2009
Patients in [the PACU] today are sicker and need more space and technology, she said, listing a need for more ventilators and monitors. Along with these new machines, the new building will also be much larger, doubling the capacity and size of the patient bay of the existing PACU, according to a press release from Mass General. (Cambridge Chronicle, MA)
Premature births Jun 20, 2009
"She had a massive brain haemorrhage on her second day, which left long-lasting implications for her health. "She has cerebral palsy, hydrocephalus, epilepsy, learning difficulties and a degree of visual impairment," said Sarah. Sarah said when she was at the intensive care unit for pre-term babies, there was a strange atmosphere, as all the tiny babies on ventilators could not cry. The outlook for Isabel, 8, was bleak, but she has done remarkably well, and loves going to school, Sarah said. We... (BBC News -- Health)
Schools discuss long-term planning Jun 18, 2009
A long list of improvements was whittled down to items dealing exclusively with infrastructure, from exterior windows and doors to air ventilators and hot water tanks. The original project last year included money for the installation of artificial turf at Holland Stadium. (Auburn Citizen, NY)
