Doctors not always honest with patients — study
Doctors report that they’re not always completely honest with patients, especially when it comes to disclosing a medical mistake, or discussing a difficult prognosis.
Patients hit by high out-of-network costs
Most insurance plans allow you to visit an out-of-network doctor or hospital, but it is very likely to cost you more — possibly a lot more.
Whooping cough cases up sharply in Washington state
The number of cases of whooping cough in Washington state increased by more than 50 percent between 2010 and 2011 from 608 cases to 912 cases — the highest number in six years.
10 foods account for 40% of salt in your diet
Nine in 10 U.S. adults eat too much sodium. Most of it comes from common restaurant or grocery store items. Top sources of sodium in our diet? — Cold cuts, pizza, of course, but bread?
Teen pregnancy rate lowest in nearly 40 years
The good news: Teen pregnancies are at their lowest rate in nearly 40 years, resulting in fewer abortions and births. The bad news: While overall rates have dropped, there is still a major gap among white, Hispanic and black teenagers.
UW School of Public Health lays out ambitious plan for the future
Plan seeks to preserve the school’s core strengths while developing new initiatives to address emerging challenges to local, regional and global health.
Five-year campaign seeks to use prevention to cut heart disease
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.
Experts divided over recommendation to screen children for cholesterol
Some clinicians say universal screening is an important tool to help identify children who are genetically predisposed to high cholesterol and to pinpoint others who could benefit from treatment. Others express concerns that screening may do more harm than good.
Critics say hospitals use marketing to cherry pick best-paying patients
Hospitals using their patients’ health and financial records to help pitch their most lucrative services, such as cancer, heart and orthopedic care and buying detailed information about local residents compiled by marketing firms — everything from age, income and marital status to shopping habits and whether they have children or pets at home.
How to cut your risk of heart disease — Tips from the NIH
The bad news: Heart disease is the number one killer of both women and men in the U.S. The good news: there’s much you can do to prevent heart disease. Here’s how . . .
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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