New National Electronic Health Record Safety System Launched

/PRNewswire/ -- A new electronic health record (EHR) safety reporting system was announced today by the iHealth Alliance, a not-for-profit organization composed of medical society and professional liability carrier executives in collaboration with federal agencies and PDR Network. EHRevent.org establishes a national system where physicians and other health care providers can report issues related to the implementation and use of EHRs.

Using a standardized online format, EHRevent will collect reports from physicians and other health care providers who use EHRs and create reports that medical societies, professional liability carriers and government agencies, such as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), will use to help educate providers on the potential challenges that EHR systems may bring. The system will be available directly via the Internet at www.EHRevent.org and also integrated into the web sites of participating liability carriers, medical societies, PDR Network and other partners, including EHR system vendors.

EHRevent was modeled after other national reporting systems, including the system used in the aviation industry, and its reports include issues related to software problems, inadequate user training, security breaches and near-misses. Reports will be confidential but used to better understand challenges associated with the adoption and implementation of EHRs and to improve patient safety.

"Electronic health records are being adopted at record rates and present an opportunity to advance patient care," said Nancy Dickey, M.D., iHealth Alliance chair and former president of the American Medical Association. "As with any new system, there is a learning curve for the software providers and for the doctors who use these systems. EHRevent will help us all get smarter about EHRs and assure that patient care advances are also patient-safe advances."

Professional liability carriers who insure doctors against malpractice claims are among the strongest supporters of EHRevent.

"EHRs can impact both the care that is delivered and the record of that care," explained David Troxel, M.D., medical director for The Doctors Company, which is the country's largest professional liability carrier. "EHRs can play a major role in advancing the practice of good medicine, but there are often unanticipated consequences when new technologies are deployed and it is important to collect and disseminate EHR user experience as these powerful systems are adopted."

Alan Lembitz, M.D., vice president of Patient Safety and Risk Management for COPIC Insurance Company, added, "Our experience indicates that EHRs have the capacity either to induce or to reduce medical errors in very unique ways, and we have seen data that indicates that EHR adoption may reduce physician liability. It will be increasingly important to understand best practices to improve patient safety for EHRs and for their users, and EHRevent will help both."

EHRevent is also working directly with EHR vendors as well as Regional Extension Centers (RECs), which are federally designated groups that assist physicians with EHR selection and adoption. Participating EHR vendors and RECs will help educate physicians regarding the importance of EHR event reporting and will receive reports as EHRevent partners.

"Patient safety is at the core of our mission to assist in the adoption of EHRs," explained Kathy Mechler, co-director and chief operating officer for the Texas A&M Health Science Center Rural and Community Health Institute, which includes the CentrEast REC. "We look forward to working with the many EHRevent partners to help educate providers and drive safe EHR adoption."

Michael Stearns, M.D., president and CEO of e-MDs, Inc., a leading EHR vendor, and board president of the Texas e-Health Alliance said, "EHRs have tremendous potential to improve the quality and efficiency of healthcare, but like any tool they must be designed and implemented in a way that uses best practices that strive to eliminate medical errors. We are anxious to collaborate with the EHRevent effort and we encourage all EHR vendors to participate because we believe that EHRevent can be an important communication platform to improve patient safety related not only to EHRs but to medical devices and drugs."

Data collected by EHRevent will also be used by the FDA to help evaluate any safety issues that may arise during the widespread implementation of this technology.

"We applaud the efforts of the iHealth Alliance to help assure the safety of EHRs," said Jeffrey Shuren, M.D., J.D., director of the FDA's Center for Devices and Radiological Health. "We look forward to working with the iHealth Alliance to encourage physicians and EHR vendors to report information on their experiences with electronic health records to EHRevent and other appropriate reporting systems."

EHRevent and a similar service for reporting adverse drug events via EHRs will be governed by the iHealth Alliance, with network operations provided by PDR Network. PDR Network CEO, Edward Fotsch, M.D. explained, "EHRevent, and RxEvent for adverse drug events, will collect information using online forms that include the Common Format developed by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) and will keep the information confidential through PDR Secure, a Patient Safety Organization, allowing only participating organizations to access the reports.

"We know that clinicians and health care organizations want to participate in efforts to improve patient care," said William Munier, M.D. Director for the Center for Quality Improvement and Patient Safety, AHRQ. "Patient Safety Organizations (PSOs) facilitate a shared-learning approach that supports effective interventions to reduce risk of harm to patients and improve quality. We are collaborating in efforts to facilitate reporting to PSOs those adverse events that are related to EHRs and other health information technology, in order to facilitate the development of safer health information technology solutions."

Starting today, U.S. physicians and other healthcare professionals will learn about and be encouraged to use EHRevent by their medical societies, liability carriers, the FDA, PDR Network and other participating groups.

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Georgia Southern University Researchers to Study Role of Prenatal Exercise and Nutrition in Childhood Obesity

Georgia Southern University researchers are looking for ways to prevent and reduce childhood obesity by connecting pregnant women with an online health education course. The research is geared towards promoting preventative measures in the earliest stages of prenatal development by offering the course and promoting physical activity among pregnant women.

Researchers from Georgia Southern’s College of Health and Human Sciences have been awarded $24,844 by the University System of Georgia to study women in their first trimester of pregnancy. They have teamed up with faculty colleagues from the University of Georgia, the Medical College of Georgia and East Georgia Regional Medical Center for the study.

“The state of Georgia ranks the third highest in the nation for childhood obesity with one in three children who are overweight or obese,” said Bridget Melton, Ed.D., coordinator of the study and director of the University’s Physical Activity Healthful Living Program, “and this study will help people understand the risks of childhood obesity.”

Melton says nationwide studies have revealed a critical link between childhood obesity and a mother’s health behavior and weight gain during pregnancy.

“Some women feel that it is unsafe to start an exercise routine or maintain one during pregnancy, and we are going to dispel the myths of unsafe exercise,” said Melton. “Hopefully, if women understand the benefits and the safety concerns of exercise during pregnancy they will be more likely to continue being physically active throughout their pregnancy,” she said.

Women will receive a nutrition education packet and personal pedometer.  The women will be given a pre and post 30 minute survey and their physical activity patterns will be analyzed during each trimester.  The women will also take part in an online course that will explore the benefits and precautions of exercise during pregnancy. The course will include information about the importance of physical activity, safe exercise programs, nutrition, improving pregnancy outcomes and childhood obesity. Additionally, participants will have the opportunity to join online discussions, complete quizzes and question/answer sessions for reinforcement and feedback. “The discussions and blogs offer a great platform for social networking with peers and the women will develop a strong bond online,” said Melton. Upon successful completion of the study, all participants will receive a total of $50 in gift cards from Wal-Mart.

Recruitment for the 50 participants is now underway for the year-long study. Those who would like to participate must be Bulloch County area residents who are at least 18 years old and in their first trimester of pregnancy. For more information, or to participate in the study, call 912-478-1976 or e-mail jn00964@georgiasouthern.edu.

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Statement from CHPA on Today's FDA Advisory Committee Meeting on Dextromethorphan

/PRNewswire/ -- The Consumer Healthcare Products Association issued the following statement on the Drug Safety and Risk Management Advisory Committee's recommendation not to schedule over-the-counter (OTC) medicines containing dextromethorphan:

"Today's FDA advisory committee decision not to recommend scheduling OTC cough medicines containing dextromethorphan as a controlled substance reflects a sound balancing of the benefits of over-the-counter medicines containing dextromethorphan.

"Today, 40 million American households turn to dextromethorphan-containing OTC medicines each year to relieve their cough symptoms. More common than heartburn and severe headaches, cough burdens the sufferer, families, and society (as a very rapid way to spread virus). Because of cough's widespread prevalence and effects, it's vital for people to have OTC access to safe and effective self-treatment. Dextromethorphan is in nearly 90 percent of OTC cough suppressants sold today. We agree that dextromethorphan should not be scheduled as a controlled substance.

"We do, however, recognize the need for continued education to keep any abuse levels low. We also have long called for federal legislation that would limit purchases of bulk quantities of dextromethorphan to manufacturers who are registered with FDA. We believe that a statutory ban on sales of dextromethorphan medicines to those under 18 would limit abuse. We also believe legislation must be matched with targeted research-based education, which has been shown to be effective in reducing substance abuse.

"Research over the past 35 years clearly shows that targeted educational interventions focusing on increased parental awareness and increased perceptions of the risks and social disapproval are the most effective abuse-reduction strategies. Since 2003, we have had educational programs focusing on the dangers of misuse of over-the-counter medicines, including those containing dextromethorphan. We will continue to expand upon these programs through our comprehensive Abuse Mitigation Plan that targets the key risk factors leading to abuse, along with limiting the various points where teens are accessing these medicines.

"It is our hope that FDA will follow the advisory committee's guidance and weigh the important public benefit of continued over-the-counter access to these medicines in making its final recommendation."

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CDC Foundation Launches Viral Hepatitis Action Coalition

/PRNewswire/ -- In anticipation of the release of the Institute of Medicine (IOM) report on viral hepatitis, the CDC Foundation (the independent nonprofit partner of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), in partnership with CDC's Division of Viral Hepatitis, recently launched the Viral Hepatitis Action Coalition. The Coalition is comprised of private-sector organizations committed to supporting high priority research, education and program evaluation projects initiated by CDC's Division of Viral Hepatitis. In addition to providing funding for specific projects, Coalition members also will support CDC by sharing research data, connecting CDC to appropriate stakeholders and networks, and providing feedback on the information and tools needed in the field to respond to the recommendations outlined in the IOM report.

Founding Viral Hepatitis Action Coalition members include: Gilead Sciences, Inc.; Merck & Co., Inc.; OraSure Technologies; and Vertex Pharmaceuticals. In addition to supporting the overall Coalition, members will have the opportunity to fund and partner with CDC on CDC-led research and education projects as priorities are identified. Two initial priority projects include a study called Birth-cohort Evaluation to Advance Screening and Testing for Hepatitis C (BEST-C) and a national hepatitis education campaign. For each project, Coalition members will reach out to other critical partners in the hepatitis community as appropriate, including partners from academia, patient advocacy and other hepatitis-related groups. Coalition members are committed to engaging the entire hepatitis community in efforts to improve screening and treatment of viral hepatitis.

The Viral Hepatitis Action Coalition is seeking additional membership, and those interested in membership should contact Leah-Lane Lowe at 404.653.0790 or llowe@cdcfoundation.org. To learn more about CDC's Division of Viral Hepatitis, please visit www.cdc.gov/hepatitis.

Established by Congress, the CDC Foundation is the independent, nonprofit partner of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The CDC Foundation helps CDC do more, faster by forging effective partnerships between CDC and individuals, corporations and foundations to fight threats to health and safety. To learn more, please visit www.cdcfoundation.org.

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Secretary Sebelius Releases $7.6 Million in Recovery Act Funds to Support Health Professionals Serving in High Need Areas

The grant awarded to Georgia under this announcement was to State Medical Education Board of Georgia.

HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius yesterday announced 63 awards totaling more than $7.6 million to help states recruit new health care clinicians and alleviate their debt burden. The funds are part of the $500 million appropriated to HHS’ Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) to address workforce shortages and encourage diversity in the health professions.

“These funds will help place full-time primary care health professionals in shortage areas and help hundreds of thousands of Americans get primary care they might not otherwise receive,” said Secretary Sebelius.

Eighteen grantees will receive $5.8 million under the State Loan Repayment Program, which provides grants to states to fund loan repayment programs designed to increase the availability of primary health service providers in health professional shortage areas in the state. Health professionals receiving these funds incur a minimum two-year service obligation, but in some cases elect to serve longer. In return for their service in shortage areas, the state repays their qualifying loans. States must provide a dollar-for-dollar match in funding.

In addition, 45 grantees will receive $1.8 million under the State Primary Care Office program to help recruit new National Health Service Corps (NHSC) clinicians. On June 5, Secretary Sebelius announced the availability of $200 million in ARRA workforce funds, of a total $300 million, to expand HRSA’s National Health Service Corps, which provides scholarships and loan repayment for primary care providers who serve in health professional shortage areas. The funds will repay the qualifying student loans of primary care medical dental and mental health clinicians who wish to practice, for a minimum of two years, in NHSC sites that treat underserved and uninsured people.

“Recruiting and training health professionals to serve in shortage areas is critical as we work to provide quality health care to more and more people in need,” said HRSA Administrator Mary Wakefield, Ph.D., R.N.

Yesterday’s awards follow a Sept. 11 announcement by Secretary Sebelius of $33 million in Recovery Act funds to train a variety of health professionals. Also, on Aug. 12, HHS Deputy Secretary Bill Corr announced awards of $13.4 million in Recovery Act funds for loan repayments to nurses who agree to practice in facilities with critical shortages and for schools of nursing to provide loans to students who will become nurse faculty.

HRSA also received $2 billion through the ARRA to expand health care services to low-income and uninsured individuals through its health center program. To date, more than $1.4 billion of these funds have been awarded to community-based organizations across the country. HRSA-supported health centers treated 17 million patients in 2008, 40 percent of whom have no health insurance.

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Secretary Sebelius Releases $33 Million in ARRA Funds to Train Health Professionals

HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius today announced awards totaling $33 million to expand the training of health care professionals. The funds are part of the $500 million allotted to HHS' Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) to address workforce shortages under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA).

"President Obama is committed to passing health insurance reform and we're closer to reform than ever before," said Secretary Sebelius. "The Recovery Act will help ensure we grow our health care workforce and give our aspiring doctors, nurses and health professionals the tools and training they need to provide top-quality care to more Americans."

"As we mark 200 days since President Obama signed ARRA, HRSA has moved quickly to distribute most of the $2.5 billion assigned to us," said HRSA Administrator Mary Wakefield, Ph.D., R.N. "These funds are helping us rebuild the infrastructure needed to produce more skilled health professionals, and they are expanding essential primary care services to hundreds of thousands of additional Americans through our health center system."

The grants announced today, with funding totals, are distributed through six HRSA programs:

* Scholarships for Disadvantaged Students, $19.3 million. This
program funds health professions schools and training programs which, in
turn, provide scholarships to full-time health professions students,
with priority given to those with financial need.

* Centers of Excellence, $4.9 million. This program funds health
professions schools to establish or expand programs for minority
individuals. Funds may be used to improve student academic performance,
recruit and retain minority faculty, and expand opportunities to train
at off-campus, community-based health care sites.

* Public Health Traineeships, $3 million. This program funds
schools of public health to support traineeships that pay tuition, fees,
and stipends for students in biostatistics, epidemiology, environmental
health, toxicology, nutrition, or maternal and child health.

* Nursing Workforce Diversity, $2.6 million. This program
increases nursing education opportunities for individuals from
disadvantaged backgrounds through student scholarships or stipends,
pre-entry preparation, and retention activities.

* Health Careers Opportunities, $2.5 million. This program funds
schools and health professions training sites to establish or expand
programs that help individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds enter and
graduate from a health professions program.

* Dental Public Health Residency Training, $810,925. This program
funds residency programs in dental public health, including financial
aid to residents.

Today's grants follow an Aug. 12 announcement by HHS Deputy Secretary Bill Corr of $13.4 million in ARRA funds for loan repayments to nurses who agree to practice in facilities with critical shortages and for schools of nursing to provide loans to students who will become nurse
faculty.

To date, HHS has announced the availability of nearly $200 million in ARRA workforce funds, of a total $300 million, to expand HRSA's National Health Service Corps. The funds will pay for student loan repayments for primary care medical dental and mental health clinicians who wish to practice, for a minimum of two years, in NHSC sites that treat underserved and uninsured people.

In addition, HRSA received $2 billion through ARRA to expand health care services to low-income and uninsured individuals through its health center program. To date, more than $1.3 billion of these funds have been awarded to community-based organizations across the country. HRSA-supported health centers treated 17 million patients in 2008, 40 percent of whom have no health insurance.

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Three Federal Agencies Join with Sesame Workshop to Launch National PSA Campaign Stressing Healthy Habits to Prevent H1N1 Flu Infection

The Department of Health and Human Services, the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of Education and Sesame Workshop, the nonprofit educational organization behind Sesame Street, have teamed up to launch a new, national public service advertising campaign designed to encourage American children and families to practice healthy habits and to take steps to prevent the spread of the 2009 H1N1 flu virus. The PSAs featured in this campaign can be viewed on www.flu.gov.

During the spring, the Sesame Workshop produced four different versions of a television PSAsfeaturing Sesame Street's Elmo and Gordon explaining the importance of practicing healthy habits such as washing your hands, sneezing into the bend of your arm, and avoiding contact with your eyes, nose and mouth. They have now been reformatted to promote www.flu.gov, the federal government's one-stop website for all the latest information on the new H1N1 virus and the seasonal flu. The PSAs will be distributed nationwide and will be supported in airtime donated by television stations.

"We are thrilled to partner with Elmo, Gordon, and Sesame Workshop again to emphasize the steps kids and their parents can take to stay happy and healthy this school year," said Secretary Sebelius. "Younger children and their parents are some of the people most at risk from the new H1N1 flu virus and with schools starting back up again and the weather starting to get colder, we need to do everything we can to get these important messages about how to prevent the spread of the flu out there.

"The first day of National Preparedness Month is a great reminder that personal preparedness starts at home and these PSAs promote simple things we can all do to stay healthy and safe," said DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano."

"We want to keep our children safe, healthy, and learning. By practicing prevention, close monitoring and common sense, we can help prevent the spread of H1N1 and seasonal flu among children and young people this year" Secretary Duncan said. "Having Elmo and our friends at Seasame Street help get that message out there will be a tremendous help."

"Sesame Street's Elmo can be a powerful messenger in delivering simple, yet compelling messages that teach a child to wash their hands and cover their mouth this flu season," said Gary E. Knell, President and CEO, Sesame Workshop. "These vital prevention messages must be part of a larger flu strategy and Sesame Workshop is proud to be partnering with the Department of Health and Human Services to ensure that parents and their young children receive the information they need to stay healthy."

In late May, Sesame Workshop first partnered with the Department of Health and Human Services on a new PSA campaign focused on the importance of providing parents, teachers and children with accurate information about how to practice healthy habits, highlighting proper hand washing and simple everyday actions that lead to staying healthy and keeping germs away. The PSAs are an extension of Sesame's Healthy Habits for Life initiative, which helps young children and their caregivers establish an early foundation of healthy habits.

On a global scale, Sesame Workshop was the first nonprofit to respond to the flu outbreak in Mexico, with the immediate creation of four PSAs featuring the beloved Muppets of Plaza Sésamo and several Mexican celebrities who donated their time to the cause. The flu prevention messaging has reached millions of children and their families both in Mexico and the United States.

The PSAs are part of an initiative to provide practical steps recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to help prevent the spread of the flu virus and other infectious disease, including:

* Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
* Keep your distance from others if you are sick.
* When possible, stay home from work, school, and errands when you are sick, and don't send your children to childcare or school if they are sick.
* Cover your mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing.
* Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after coughing and sneezing.
* Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth.

The Department of Health and Human Services will be distributing the PSAs via satellite to television stations nationwide later this afternoon. Feed information will be sent out later today.

For more information on how to take steps to prevent the flu, visit www.flu.gov.

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As Diabetes Reaches Epidemic Levels in Georgia and U.S., Thousands Drawn to Diabetes University in Atlanta Nov. 8

PRNewswire/ -- Question: What disease has been diagnosed in more than 600,000 Georgians, could be present in more than 300,000 more, and kills five people every day in Georgia? HIV, cancer, heart disease?

No. The answer is diabetes.

And, new CDC data shows that the rate of diabetes cases in the U.S. has nearly doubled in the past 10 years - with the worst numbers occurring in the South.

Thousands who want to learn how to better manage their diabetes, along with families and loved ones affected by the disease, are expected to take part in a daylong diabetes learning experience at the 15th annual Diabetes University on Saturday, Nov. 8 at the Apparel Mart in downtown Atlanta.

Prevention is essential, but at Diabetes University, participants will learn about managing diabetes to avoid its complications, including blindness and kidney disease.

"For young people born in 2000, the outlook is particularly grim unless they change their lifestyles," said Carol Johnson Davis, Executive Director of the Diabetes Association of Atlanta, key sponsor of Diabetes University Nov. 8. "Statistics show that one third of all Americans born in 2000, and one half of all minorities born in 2000, will develop diabetes in their lifetime if present trends continue. We must address this epidemic now, and Diabetes University is one way we are trying to help."

This November, Diabetes Awareness Month, marks a milestone Georgia should not be proud of, she said. More people than ever before will be suffering from the deadly disease.

At Diabetes University on Nov. 8, participants can experience more than 20 informative and fun workshops, including cooking demonstrations, educational sessions, vendor presentations and other learning events designed to help those affected by diabetes better manage the disease and associated risk factors. The fee for the day full of activities is $10, and includes a healthy lunch and bags full of takeaway materials from the dozens of vendors who will be present.

For all information, please visit www.diabetesatlanta.org, call 404-527-7150, Ext. 100, or e-mail du@diabetesatlanta.org. The event will be held 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. in Building 2 West of the Apparel Mart, 230 Spring Street, Atlanta, GA 30303.

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Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Georgia Expands Breast Cancer Care Program

PRNewswire/ -- As October, Breast Cancer Awareness Month, draws to a close, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Georgia (BCBSGa) understands that it is truly a year-round effort, and is taking additional steps to further improve breast cancer care and awareness for its members. The BCBSGa Breast Cancer Care Program, designed for patients with breast cancer and their physicians, has helped more than 16,000 Georgians navigate through the emotional hardship experienced when undergoing treatment/care for breast cancer.

The goals of this quality improvement program are:

-- To improve breast cancer care and to provide awareness and targeted interventions that will promote informed decision making through meaningful discussions between the patient and the health care team

-- To improve appropriate treatment selections consistent with accepted standards of care and best practice guidelines

-- To provide frontline support to patients with breast cancer.

"It is a wonderful surprise, and a great feeling, to know my insurance company cares," noted Jenifer Hinkemeyer, BCBSGa member. "The program includes useful resources that helped me understand and cope with my diagnosis and treatment."

"When we developed the program, we formed two advisory panels, one of physicians and one of survivors and support organization leaders, to ensure we would provide the most beneficial program for all audiences," said Sandra White, M.D., medical director, BCBSGa. "We identified the most salient messages for each audience in order to ensure the information provided would be well-received and informative. Materials were developed and the program rollout began. We are thrilled with the response thus far and are continuing to expand materials and outreach."

With feedback from the advisory panels, BCBSGa created four new collateral pieces. The materials address the various needs of breast cancer patients at different stages of their cancer journey. "These pieces are designed to provide comprehensive information to support informed decision-making, delivered in a simple, clearly stated manner -- suitable for a diverse audience," said Dr. White.

The program materials include:

-- BCBSGa Resource List - offers support and additional helpful resources to breast cancer patients and their caregivers.

-- BCBSGa Patient Educational Book - contains information on many topics related to breast cancer. This booklet is designed to help patients with breast cancer understand and cope with their disease.

-- BCBSGa Patient Checklist of Questions to Ask the Doctor -- suggests questions for the patient to ask their doctors at each stage of treatment, helping patients arrive at the treatment decisions they are most comfortable with.

-- BCBSGa General Treatment Guidelines for Breast Cancer -- provides information on diagnosis staging of breast cancer and the related treatment decisions or options. This quick reference tool is designed for physicians who are not oncology specialists, to discuss breast cancer treatment options with their patients in general terms.

"We have received a great deal of positive feedback from our members and medical providers. We understand what a difficult and confusing time it can be when being diagnosed with or diagnosing breast cancer," noted Dr. White. "Our goal is to ease the confusion and increase communications between the caregiver and the patient. We believe we are succeeding through this program."

The program reaches all BCBSGa products -- HMO/POS, PPO, and Indemnity. To date, educational materials have been distributed to more than 16,000 patients nationally, and more than 5,200 physicians at more than 7,800 office locations throughout Georgia. The program is expected to reach more than 3,500 patients annually.

In addition to individual requests for the materials, BCBSGa has collaborated with community and clinical organizations to distribute the program materials to their constituents, providing nearly 20,000 component pieces. Among others, the National Black Leadership Initiative on Cancer (NBLIC) partners and the Breast Health Connection of Georgia are including the BCBSGa tools within their community-based distribution networks throughout Georgia (reaching more than 600 breast cancer advocates annually). In addition, the Winship Cancer Institute at Emory University has selected the BCBSGa Patient Education Book as part of their patient support program and the staff of the Grady Health Clinic at the Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport is making program materials available for use in their health clinic activities.

BCBSGa is currently involved in a research project that will help BCBSGa identify additional educational needs and address possible disparities. BCBSGa is also researching how to achieve an effective transition of care from the cancer specialist back to the primary care physician for long-term follow-up with breast cancer survivors.

In addition to direct distribution, program materials are available for viewing and download on the BCBSGa Web site, www.bcbsga.com. For more information, please contact Nancy A. Rodriguez at 404-848-2334 or nancy.rodriguez@bcbsga.com.

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Online Course Gives Physicians Useful Info about Community-Associated MRSA

A new bacterial infection is running rampant in communities because of antibiotic abuse, but ironically it is often misdiagnosed and treated with the wrong antibiotics, says a physician working to stop it.

Physicians regularly mistake the abscesses, or pockets of pus, caused by community-associated MRSA, or CA-MRSA, for spider bites and treat them as such, say Dr. Jim Wilde, pediatric emergency medicine and infectious disease physician at the Medical College of Georgia.

"Don't be fooled into thinking it's a spider bite," he says. "Think MRSA if you see a sore like that on somebody's hand or arm. The problem is that doctors are choosing the wrong oral antibiotics or are just not recognizing it at all."

Now they can log on to a new online lecture through the MCG Division of Continuing Education to learn more about this leading cause of skin and soft-tissue infections in the state.

It's part of a statewide educational campaign sponsored by Georgia United against Antibiotic Resistant Disease, or GUARD, to raise awareness about CA-MRSA.

Doctors and the general public can access the lecture at www.mcg.edu/ce/Online/mrsaonline. Physicians can receive continuing medical education credits for participating.

"The lecture, which is the first online continuing medical education course at MCG, is an excellent opportunity to learn more about this epidemic," says Caro Cassels, director of the continuing education division.

"There is a lot of misinformation and misunderstanding about MRSA, even among practicing physicians," says Dr. Wilde, who directs GUARD. "And we see dozens of cases of CA-MRSA in the emergency room every week here. It is a different type of MRSA than what we've known for the last 40 years and is spreading all over the country very rapidly."

MRSA, or methicillin resistant Staph aureus, cannot be killed by methicillin, a type of penicillin. It is spread by physical contact, not by breathing the same air or coughing. It lives on the skin and can survive on others surfaces for at least 24 hours. Hospital-associated MRSA (HA-MRSA) has been rampant inside hospitals since the early 1960s but was rare among healthy people in the community. CA-MRSA popped up around 2003 and quickly spread nationwide, causing infections primarily in healthy people outside hospitals. Infections caused by either form of MRSA can be treated, but HA-MRSA is much more dangerous. Both are resistant to all beta-lactam antibiotics, which are the most widely used class of antibiotics available.

"And yet, despite the fact that most skin and soft-tissue infections now are caused by CA-MRSA, there are still many doctors who are prescribing these antibiotics," Dr. Wilde says. "We're trying to do is get the word out to everyone in the state to stop using beta-lactams for skin infections."

In addition to the online course, 9,700 primary care physicians received educational packets from GUARD. Each packet contains a CA-MRSA fact sheet, an informational poster, a two-page synopsis of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommendations for treating CA-MRSA and a fill-in-the-blank discharge sheet. Dr. Wilde also coordinates a speakers' bureau on CA-MRSA with more than 30 members available to deliver lectures anywhere in the state.

GUARD is the Georgia chapter of the CDC's Get Smart about Antibiotic Use Program. The coalition seeks to reduce antibiotic-resistant disease by decreasing inappropriate antibiotic use. The educational campaign also is sponsored by the Georgia Department of Human Resources.

For more information about the online course and coalition, visit www.ga-guard.org.

By Amy Connell
Medical College of Georgia

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Prescription Drug Advertising Subject of New FDA Web Site for Consumers

PRNewswire/ -- EthicAd, a nonprofit organization devoted to improving public health through consumer education, announces the launch of a new FDA Web site created to help the general public better understand direct-to-consumer (DTC) advertising of prescription medications. The site, "Be Smart About Prescription Drug Advertising," is hosted by the FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research and was developed by the FDA in partnership with EthicAd. For details, visit www.FDA.gov/CDER/ethicad/index.htm or link to the site via FDA's homepage, www.fda.gov.

Michael S. Shaw, M.D., executive director of EthicAd, notes that the primary goal of the new site is to help the public obtain accurate, science-based information about prescription drugs and to understand the role and nature of DTC advertising.

"People are often confused about DTC advertising, which is one of the most controversial areas of pharmaceutical marketing," Shaw says. "FDA's new Web site helps clarify the issues by outlining the different types of DTC advertising, explaining what information people should expect to see in DTC ads, and what additional information they should seek out about advertised products."

The easy-to-navigate site includes a practical "Ask Yourself" checklist summarizing information consumers should obtain in order to have knowledgeable conversations with their physicians about advertised products. The new Web site also includes a section for public feedback, which will be used to shape the direction of future FDA consumer-oriented initiatives.

"We share the FDA's commitment to developing innovative and relevant education programs," Shaw says. "By helping consumers obtain factual and reliable information about prescription drugs and have empowered conversations with their healthcare providers about treatment options, EthicAd and the FDA hope to improve individual patient outcomes as well as improve the public health at large."

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American Cancer Society, National Medical Association Announce Collaboration to Reduce Cancer Disparities

PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The American Cancer Society and the National Medical Association today announced a three-year strategic collaboration intended to educate the general public, physicians, and other health professionals about best practices to achieve optimal outcomes in cancer prevention and early detection practices, and treatment among ethnic minority and underserved population groups. This collaboration represents a significant commitment by both organizations to target and eliminate cancer disparities specifically among racial and ethnic minorities by reducing inequalities in access to information and screening services, quality care and treatment, and end-of-life support.

Racial and ethnic minorities can often face numerous obstacles to receiving equal access to quality cancer prevention, early detection and treatment services. Many lack health insurance, live in rural or inner-city communities, have low incomes, and experience language barriers, racial bias and stereotyping. They also tend to receive lower quality health care than whites even when insurance status, income, age and severity of conditions are comparable.

"Promoting increased awareness and understanding of cancer prevention, early detection and treatment to help reduce health disparities is a nationwide priority for the American Cancer Society, said Otis W. Brawley, M.D., chief medical officer, American Cancer Society. "Collaborations with pre-eminent organizations such as the National Medical Association are central to the Society's strategy to reach racial and ethnic minorities with appropriate health information."

"Strategic partnerships with organizations like the American Cancer Society amplify the National Medical Association's ability to touch and impact lives through community action and healthcare provider education," said Nelson L. Adams, III, M.D., president, National Medical Association.

Initial goals for the collaboration include developing and distributing culturally relevant consumer and professional materials that focus on prevention, early detection, and treatment of breast, prostate, and colorectal cancer, as well as proper nutrition and physical activity. The effort will also target faculty and alumni of Historically Black Colleges and Universities, NMA clinical specialty sections, regions, states and local members, community-based organization leaders in the African-American and Hispanic/Latino communities, and large African-American and Hispanic/Latino church congregations nationwide.

This year's collaborative activities also feature a joint cancer symposium called "Collaboration in Addressing Cancer Disparities" for health professionals attending the 2008 National Medical Association Annual Convention and Scientific Assembly, July 26 to 31, 2008. This symposium will take place on Tuesday, July 29 from 9a.m. to 11a.m. ET at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta, Georgia. More than 5,000 health professionals, including physicians, scientists, nurses, medical students, dietitians, and others are expected to attend. The program will provide an overview of the cancer burden facing ethnic and racial minorities and special population groups, its impact on the health of those groups, current progress being made in cancer care, and a discussion of disparities in cancer care and recommendations for addressing them.

People With Lower Incomes, Lower Education Levels Have Higher Death Rates After Experiencing Heart Attack

mdash; Researchers have long suspected that socioeconomic factors like education level and income also might affect survival rates following heart attack. In the June issue of Mayo Clinic Proceedings, Mayo Clinic researchers present new data suggesting that people with lower incomes and education levels are more likely to die after heart attack than more affluent, educated people. Over the past several decades, medical research has helped identify a list of factors that increase a person's risk for myocardial infarction, the disruption of blood flow to the heart commonly known as heart attack. These factors include behaviors such as smoking or inactivity, and a variety of physical characteristics, including high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol and obesity. Today, better awareness of heart attack signs and symptoms and improved treatments help many survive that first heart attack.

Mayo authors examined medical records from 705 patients residing in Olmsted County, Minn. — the location of Mayo Clinic — who were treated for heart attack between Nov. 1, 2002 and May 31, 2006. Researchers recorded the years of schooling completed (self-reported by the patients via a questionnaire) and neighborhood income (obtained by linking the participant address to the 2000 U.S. Census Bureau data) for each participant. Participants were divided into three income groups and three education groups. Researchers analyzed survival data across these different groups.

Among the 155 deaths recorded during the study period, one-year survival estimates across income groups were lowest for people with the lowest income. Seventy-five percent were survivors among people earning $28,732 to $44,665; 83 percent survived among people earning $49,435 to $53,561; and 86 percent survived among people earning $56,992 to $74,034. Similarly, the survival rates were lowest for participants with less education. Sixty-seven percent were survivors among those who had fewer than 12 years of education; 81 percent survived among people with 12 years of education; and 85 percent survived among people with greater than 12 years of education.

The authors say that while many previous studies have sought to link socioeconomic status and poor outcomes following heart attack, this study design has yielded some unique results.

"Interestingly, despite the higher-than-average socioeconomic status of this population, the associations of individual education and neighborhood income with death after heart attack were stronger than those reported in many previous studies," notes Mayo Clinic cardiovascular researcher Yariv Gerber, Ph.D., the study's lead author. "We think our approach of evaluating two different and complementary indicators of socioeconomic status allowed us to capture a wider spectrum of this complex theory."

Mayo researchers believe that the association observed for education could be related to education's positive effect on factors that include job opportunities, income, housing, access to nutritious foods and health insurance.

"Higher levels of education also could directly affect health through greater knowledge acquired during schooling and greater empowerment and self-efficacy," writes Dr. Gerber. "As recently reported, education is strongly associated with health literacy, which in turn affects one's ability to obtain, process, and understand basic health information and services needed to make appropriate health decisions."

Mayo researchers also point out that more specific mechanisms linking low socioeconomic status to survival following heart attack could also be related to the greater difficulty that poorer individuals with lower education levels have in attending cardiac rehabilitation programs and adhering to medications and lifestyle recommendations.