Health stories in the news
Republicans “clueless” about health reform writes Seattle Times editorial columnist.
A wellness program at Johnson & Johnson has improved employee health and cut health costs.
By Lori Whittaker, MD I love to talk about affairs of the heart: Not just because St. Valentine’s Day falls in February, but because this is American Heart Month. Your heart can always use a little TLC. And the same goes for the heart of your husband, your wife, your significant other, your kids and [...]
By Phil Galewitz – Kaiser Health News August 4, 2009 If there is one thing that both parties can agree on in the health overhaul debate, it’s the need to build a health system that promotes prevention rather than just manages disease. To do that, legislation being debated in Congress requires Medicare and private health [...]
An Aspirin a Day? The Answer is Different for Men and Women By Carolyn M. Clancy, M.D. August 4, 2009 Throughout the ages, the differences between men and women have been the subject of plays, movies, and books. Shakespeare poked fun at the topic. And, more recently, books with titles like Men are from Mars, Women [...]
One out of five people in the U.S. infected with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, doesn’t know it, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports. CDC recommends that everyone between the ages of 13 and 64 be tested for HIV at least once as part of their routine health care. People [...]
Staying sharp as you age Benedict Carey writes in the New York Times about the work of researchers who are trying to figure out why some people are able to stay mentally sharp well into their 90s. Carey writes: “The evidence suggests that people who spend long stretches of their days, three hours and more, [...]
Healthcare providers should make it clear to patients and parents that male circumcision substantially reduces a man’s risk of contracting AIDS, genital herpes and the virus that causes genital warts and cervical cancer, two University of Washington researchers write in today’s issue of the New England Journal of Medicine. In recent years, the value of [...]
People put it off, but colorectal cancer screening should top your list of things to do when you turn 50, writes Dr. Lori Whittaker in this month’s Sound Health column. It seems to be one of the most popular tests to put off to another day. If you’re 50 you probably know what I’m talking [...]
Study found that formal swimming lessons can reduce a young child’s risk of drowning by 88 percent.
Lori Whittaker, M.D. is a family physician, who practices at Swedish Physicians Division. She also serves as a quality improvement consultant for the Puget Sound Health Alliance, a collaboration of more than 150 hospitals, clinics, employers, insurance companies and other organizations working to improve quality and reduce healthcare costs. In this the first of a [...]
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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Seattle Times Health News
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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