Tag Archives: Medical Care

Africa Views: A Look At The Health System In Nigeria

Nigeria is rightly taking its place on the world stage. But its health has been neglected. Prof Iruka Okeke and Dr Ṣẹ̀yẹ Abímbọ́lá lay out a positive, achievable vision for a healthy future. Read the Lancet Nigeria Commission: investing in health and the future of the nation: https://www.thelancet.com/commissions…

Nigeria is projected to become one of the most populous countries in the world, and is rightly taking its place on the world stage. The Lancet Nigeria Commission tells the story of the country through a health lens, and details recommendations that will enable the country and its people to fulfil their potential, and seize the opportunity ahead. It has been led by Nigerians for Nigerians. The Commissioners call for the creation of a new social contract that redefines the relationship between citizen and state. They argue that health has, to date, been neglected by successive governments and consequently the citizens of Nigeria, and must be recentred as a vital investment in the population – one that will reap political and economic benefits. Nigeria is poised to define the future of West Africa, the African continent, and the whole world. This Commission lays out how best to realise that ambition.

Healthcare: Older Adults Prefer Convenience Over Reputation In Physicians

A new study by a team from the University of Michigan Institute for Healthcare Policy and Innovation shows that adults over age 50 place more importance on convenience-related factors, rather than reputation, when choosing a doctor.

The study, based on data from IHPI’s National Poll on Healthy Aging supported by AARP and Michigan Medicine, still shows that online ratings and reviews of physicians play an important role, and should receive attention from providers and policymakers.

Dr. Jeffrey Kullgren, a U-M primary care physician and lead author of the study, describes the findings.

Yale Medicine: ‘What Causes Heart Failure?’

The heart is a muscle and it’s main job is to pump blood but certain things can cause that muscle to fail. There are genetic reasons, there are reasons related to valve disease, and there’s a viral infection that affects the heart called myocarditis.

The most common cause of heart failure is a heart attack. Fatty plaque builds up in the blood vessel that supplies the heart itself and unless that blood vessel is opened up immediately that muscle will die. The rest of the muscle that’s not dead anymore has to do extra to keep on pumping the blood and overtime it cannot keep and that’s when heart failure develops.

Medical: ‘Johns Hopkins Musculoskeletal Center’ – For Muscles, Bones And Connective Tissues (Video)

The Johns Hopkins Musculoskeletal Center aims to streamline and improve access for diagnosis and treatment of conditions affecting muscles, bones and connective tissues. Each of the center’s locations feature a diverse group of physicians, therapists, and advanced practitioners who work together to bring you the right treatment at the right time.

For more information

New Medical Technology: UC Davis Scientists Invent World’s First Total-Body PET Scanner (Video)

UC Davis Health scientists Simon Cherry and Ramsey Badawi spent 15 years developing the world’s first total-body PET scanner, called EXPLORER. This imaging machine scans a patient’s entire body at one time, delivering breathtaking image quality that improves patient diagnoses and disease research.

UC Davis Cultivating Health blog: https://health.ucdavis.edu/cultivatin…

 

Personal Health: “Singing The Praises Of Prevention” (The Scientist Magazine)

From Bob Grant, The Scientist Magazine (April 1, 2020):

Prevention has been playing a growing role in other diseases, infectious and Singing the Praises of Prevention - The Scientist April 2020 - By Andrzej Krauzeotherwise, long before this latest global pandemic. Cancer, the focus of this issue, is ubiquitous, and one would be hard pressed to find a person anywhere on Earth whose life wasn’t in some way touched by the complex and vexing malady. 

This cancer-focused issue features a cover story in which we explore one facet of cancer prevention: exercise. In this feature story, Danish researcher Bente Klarlund Pedersen explains that studies have shown frequent exercise to be useful in avoiding cancer as well as in helping cancer patients lessen the side effects of their cancers and treatments. Her research and that of others is seeking to enumerate the molecular and cellular mechanisms that underlie the benefits exercise seems to offer cancer patients. 

But when one considers the practical ripples that biology sends through societies—issues of public health and the shared goal of minimizing the impact of diseases on a global scale—human behavior and prevention become vitally important.

Read full article

Medical Care: Federal Efforts To End “Surprise Billing” (NEJM Podcast)

New England Journal of Medicine LogoThough U.S. legislation targeting the problem of surprise medical bills advanced out of key congressional committees in 2019 with support from leaders in both parties, Congress ultimately failed to pass a law to end such bills.

Erin Fuse Brown is an associate professor of law at Georgia State University. Stephen Morrissey, the interviewer, is the Executive Managing Editor of the Journal.