Andy Pierotti of Austin’s KVUE News and Photojournalist Derek Rasor, write offer a troubling report on what goes on behind closed doors in nursing homes in Texas. Video footage of actual acts of abuse are included so view discretion is advised. One of the most troubling aspects is how government oversite turns its head the other way while this goes on. Taxpayer dollars still support these facilities who continue to receive aid from the State of Texas even after complaints and allegations are confirmed. Read this report at KVUE.com. … [Read more...]
Provider Offered Credit – the Costly Snare
Does your health care provider offer credit as a solution to the medical costs you already can’t afford? It may well be that your provider knows more about health than finance while offering a simple solution or perhaps, the health care industry and finance industry make a great team each having a mutual interest in your medical needs. The New York Times reports on the experiences of patients who found themselves in the slippery slope of easy finance-- a world of surprises. Read the article by Jessica Silver-Greenberg published October 13, 2013 in the New York Times. … [Read more...]
Salmonella Risk Doubles with Use of Imported Spices
Most of the spices consumed in America come from foreign sources, in fact, much of our food does. But spices are twice as likely to bear contamination than other types of imported foods due to a number of factors. Spices tend to come from smaller farms and therefore a much greater variety of sources. Additionally, once harvested, spices can then take a number of varied routes in transit and spend time in a number of storage facilities. In fact, due to their longer shelf-life, spices may spend more time in storage, be more likely to move from one storage facility to another before finding their … [Read more...]
Callous Workers Comp System To Blame for Unnecessary Injuries and Deaths
Houston Chronicle Columnist Patricia Kilday Hart reports how legislative “reforms” that favored insurance companies have gone too far. Delays in response to doctors’ recommendations led to the premature fatal condition of a Harrison County deputy sheriff who was injured in a high speed chase. Read this compelling article from the Houston Chronicle, August 25, 2013. Further … [Read more...]
Growing Numbers of Medical Mistakes Claiming Lives of Patients
How many lives are lost each year as a result of mistakes made by the medical profession? Over ten years ago, the number reported by the Institute of Medicine was 98,000. That was in the organization’s famous report known as the "To Err is Human" report. Originally desputed, that number has become widely accepted but similar estimates have more than doubled, perhaps quadrupled. As reported by the Journal of Patient Safety, more than 400,000 patients suffer premature death as a result of preventable harm to patients and that "serious harm" could be 10 to 20 times that number. Below is an … [Read more...]
Insurance Denials Skyrocket after TX Court Ruling
The 2011 Texas Supreme Court ruling, Texas Mutual vs. Ruttiger, states that injured workers no longer can seek damages against insurance companies who deny claims "in bad faith." Since this ruling, denials to workers comp claims have skyrocketed while claimants' efforts in desputing denials has fallen to a success rate of less than 30%. Attempts in the Texas State Legislature to amend this decision have died in committee. State Senator Leticia Van de Putte, D-San Antonio, proposed legislation that would have nullified the court decision because she feared that denials would become standard … [Read more...]
Acetaminophen Allergies Can Be Fatal
Although rare, allergic skin reactions to acetaminophen can lead to hospitalization, even death. The Food and Drug Administration recommends that those who experience skin reactions should halt usage of the drug. Despite the rarity percentage-wise, acetaminophen is the most commonly taken drug on the market and therefore public awareness of the possibility of reaction is warranted. Currently, over the counter medications are required to post a warning on the label, and soon, prescription medications that contain acetaminophen will also. From 1969 to 2012, there were reported 107 cases … [Read more...]
The Extent of Deaths as a Result of Medical Errors is Astounding
200,000 people a year - that’s what some estimates say. Politico.Com reports that Captain Chesney Sullenberger, airlines pilot known for the "Miracle on the Hudson", now campaigns for awareness of this staggering figure that is the equivalent of "20 Airline Crashes a Week". What if the airlines collectively were responsible for such a huge number of deaths? The news media would never stop reporting. The government would bring commercial aviation to a halt. But behind a curtain of privacy, in the quiet hallways of hospital wings across the United States, this is actually what is happening… … [Read more...]
Rural Hospital Owner and Doctor Goes to Jail
After years of reported neglect going unaddressed, after years of reported fraudulent charges to the government form falsified documentation of treatment, after directing employees to alter information in insurance claims, after adding conditions to patients' charts whom the doctor had never seen…. After at least three patient deaths as per the records of the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Dr. Tariq Mahmood is behind bars. But for what? For failure to pay property taxes. This is the result of inadequate, fragmented oversight by Federal and State agencies who lack … [Read more...]
U.S. System of Flagging Hazardous Chemicals is Widely Flawed
Facility owners often fail to report while state, county, and local emergency management agencies fail to verify their reporting. Hazardous chemicals are often mis-identified or their locations are mis-reported. This lax oversight and scant reporting is the target of an exclusive report from Reuters. Read the article From Reuters or read below: Exclusive: U.S. system for flagging hazardous chemicals is widely flawed Under the federal Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act, private and public facilities must issue an inventory listing potentially hazardous chemicals stored on … [Read more...]
