RedScrubs
The Resource for Medical Professionals

Data suggests the efficacy of selenium for prevention of colon cancer in humans. The source of selenium may be an important factor as well since selenium in broccoli does not accumulate in the body as fast as other forms of Selenium.
In one experiment, rats (n = 45) were assigned to torula yeast-based diets supplemented with the following: 1) no Se; 2) selenium as selenate; 3) selenized broccoli. In another experiment, rats were assigned to same basal diet supplemented with the following: 1) no added Se; 2) selenium as selenite; 3) selenium as as selenite + low Selenium broccoli; and 4) selenized broccoli.
This is a short and sweet blog about nutrition and our health and how the form our nutrients are in may make a difference in medical outcome.

Amazon.Com: Patient, Heal Thyself: How the “New Medicine” Puts The Patient In Charge: Robert Veatch: Books
That’s what this book is about: fitting the recommendation to the client’s values, not the other way around.

This theme connects the chapters of the book. Veatch argues that doctors should not have a decision-making role because (a) they simply don’t have all the information, (b) they are not qualified to make decisions involving resource allocation and (c) they cannot override an individual person’s values.

This is an interesting, however brief, blog of a book on the role patients can play in the healing process.

One of the conservative mantras in recent years has been “consumer choice.” When Medicare Part D and Medicare Advantage Plans were designed, the availability of a variety of not-strictly-comparable plans was held to be a benefit to “consumers.” The Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) program of health insurance plans available to federal employees and retirees was held up as an example of how “empowering the consumer” made for good insurance coverage – with federal employees having flexibility to change plans annually during enrollment “open season.”

“On December 2nd, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) released a report suggesting that resident physicians have further limits on work hours than those enacted in 2003 by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME). While the number of hours per week would remain at the ACGME maximum of 80, the IOM recommends on 30-hour shifts that a “protected sleep period” of 5 hours occurs between 10pm-8am. These measures are aimed at reducing physician fatigue and the number of resultant medical mistakes. It’s about time some limits were set on how long residents could work without a break.” An average of 195,000 people in the USA died due to potentially preventable, in-hospital medical errors in each of the years 2000, 2001 and 2002, according to a study of 37 million patient records that was released by HealthGrades, the healthcare quality company in year 2004. Preventing medical errors that occur during or after surgery could save lives and almost $1.5 billion a year, according to U.S. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) study. That is what this blog is really talking about, reducing medical errors, saving patient’s lives and avoiding mistakes by tired residents who have been on an 80 hour/week shift.

“Paul Levy’s post regarding unnecessary deaths is something about which I am also passionate. While it may not currently be mainstream, I believe it is enormously effective.
Some of you might say that our theory is Pollyanna in nature, but there is quantifiable information that definitively demonstrates its effectiveness. And I believe that by embracing a philosophy that creates an optimal healing environment, many workplace “never” incidents will ultimately be resolved.” This blog focuses on inspiring us to be the best we can be and to approach life in a positive frame of mind centering on the healing elements of nature in patient care.

“Seven out of ten of the people who read this post will nod their heads in understanding.”
This blog drives home the shortage of primary care physicians as it reminds us of the trouble most of us have getting into see family physicians. The most recent strategy is to have the receptionist tell you that you can’t see your primary for several days, but you can see the doctor’s assistant in a few days. You can’t even get in to see the assistant for a FEW DAYS.

“This makes perfect sense as we are still humans, looking for a human to care for us when we are sick. Sure websites are helpful in looking up office locations, phone numbers, etc. and to get the basic information, as we used to do with phone books, so there’s not a total loss at hand. Most people still rely on word of mouth and health-plan directories when choosing a primary-care physician, and they tend to depend on their primary-care doctors to select a specialist or a hospital. So much for the online doctor rating system, this providing a surprising lack of useable information. A new study by the Center for Studying Health System Change (CSHSC) shows that none of the “transparency” efforts by health plans, the government, and assorted vendors have moved the needle in the past several years – reliance on the internet has not improved, patients still rely on ‘word of mouth’ for doctor referrals.” Some things may never change.