Category: Dr. Clancy
Errors involving drugs are the most common type of medical errors, harming about 1.5 million people each year. A recent example shows how easily these errors can happen . . .
The 5-year Million Hearts Campaign hopes to help millions of Americans improve their heart health by preventing and treating high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and tobacco use.
Whether it’s music, lifestyles, or a refuse-to-age outlook, Baby Boomers think of themselves as trailblazers. Now, that generation born between 1946 and 1964 can claim credit for another “first”—a dramatic increase in knee replacement surgeries.
Good doctor-patient communication is a key to improving the quality of your care, the U.S. Agency for Healthcare Quality and Research says. and so the agency is providing free tools online for patients and providers to get the conversation started.
Whether you’re covered by an employer’s plan, by Medicare, or you are self-employed or unemployed, doing homework during “open enrollment” can help you get the best value for your money.
What’s screening tests should a woman have? And what are the benefits and risks of different treatments? New guidebooks provide research-based advice.
Many of us are—or will become—a caregiver to a parent, spouse, child, or other loved one. Are there resources that can help us meet that challenge?
There are resources that can help you meet the challenges of caregiving. But finding them can take time and effort at a time when you already have a lot on your plate. Local connections—your friends, church, or workplace—are an important place to look for help.
Hispanics are less likely to see a doctor regularly than other ethnics groups. In fact, half of adult Hispanics reported that they did not see a doctor in 2008.
Doctors, nurses, and other health care workers are learning that a positive safety culture can improve patient care. What does safety culture in a hospital look like? — Dr. Carolyn Clancy explains.
Electronic health records put your health data—medical history, medicines, allergies, test results, and more—all in one place. This saves you and your medical team time. It also reduces the chance of an error like getting a drug you’re allergic to.
More than one-third of adults over age 65 fall each year, and one-third of older adults who fall suffer moderate to serious injuries, including hip fractures and head trauma.
LocalHealthGuide is a health news and information web service for Seattle and the Puget Sound Region. We are independent and unaffiliated with any hospital, medical association or insurer. If you have questions or if your group has an upcoming event that you would like us to cover, please let us know by going to our "Contact Us" page and dropping us a note. -- Michael McCarthy, Editor
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Lost in translation: Lack of trained interpreters can lead to medical errors
Interpreter services at hospitals and other medical settings are often inadequate, forcing family members, including children, to step in, or the task falls to medical staff members who may not speak the language well.
Some insurers deny ER coverage to people who have been drinking
Laws in more than half the states permit insurers to deny payment for medical services related to alcohol or drug use. Faced with the prospect of not getting paid for care, some ER personnel sidestep the problem by simply not testing patients’ blood or urine for alcohol.
Travel insurance can protect your wallet — and your health on vacation
Think your regular health insurance policy will cover you if you get into medical trouble overseas?
Don’t bet on it.
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