Week of April 28 - In Case You Missed It...TOMF Medical News Roundup
May 2, 2014
We are back, but May will be spotty as far as routine information goes. We'll do our best to keep this post lively and informative, but vacations and conferences will take time.
Speaking of the latter, the Southwestern Conference On Medicine was a success, with more than 350 health professionals attending the four-day CME event at Starr Pass April 24-27. You can start marking calendars for 2015. Dates are April 23-26 same location.
May is Older Americans Month. This year's theme is Safe Today, Healthy Tomorrow and focuses on injury prevention, activity and exercise as a way to remain independent as long as possible. For classes and tips to celebrate older Americans, contact the local area aging experts at Pima Council on Aging, 790-7262. You might also check out the April 28Wall Street Journal ("New Drugs are Engineered to Treat Frailty in Aging"). The story talks of major drug companies working to take research into genetically engineered mighty mice into all our lives as we get older.
While we were at the Southwestern Conference on Medicine and the Arizona Town Hall, we missed the obituary for John S. Welsh MD. He was a Tucson pediatrician for more than 50 years. Tucson osteopathic physicians care for many of his "children."
Alert readers probably spotted lots of other stories we missed. A couple we saw certainly need more explanation.
How can we explain the technician who decided paperwork was too burdensome to even forward mammograms to physician radiologists? Nine women with tumors delayed treatment.
Tucson was number 6 on Medicare's list of blacklisted providers but the story in the April 26 edition of the Arizona Daily Star did not show who the providers are. One thing is certain: twelve percent of Tucson's doctors are NOT on the list of 351 "providers."
Wine is good for kidney health was major news but remember no cause and effect has been proven and the is association with kidney health and drinking a glass of red wine a day is in its earliest research. A lot more must be done before your doctor will recommend this as a health prevention tip.
Ground was broken for the $63 million hospital in Green Valleyaccording to the April 28 Star. it is expected to open next year.
We hope you saw that Lizzie Bell, whose life we followed as she battled a rare blood disorder as a teen, has created an endowment she hopes will grow to help defray costs for other children. Bell, who is now 20, started the fund with a $25,000 donation. Check the April 28 Star for details or see www.lizziebell.org.