Hand Washing and Swine Flu H1N1 – Still Important

Barbara and Kevin’s First, “He Said, She Said” Read our tips in our next post to find out how to be an empowered health consumer! She Said – Barbara Health Information – Confusing? I think most of us feel that there is so much health information circulating the web, in print and on TV that it can often be confusing. Major news networks may have the best intention to provide solid information, but there are…

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He Said, She Said – Viewpoints from Kevin Soden, MD & Barbara Ficarra, RN

Welcome to He Said, She Said! He Said, She Said will be an ongoing posts with views from Kevin Soden, MD, MPH and Barbara Ficarra, RN, BSN, MPA. Kevin and Barbara will provide their own unique insights into the health news of the day. As any man and woman who work in varying parts of the health care system and live in very different geographic and social communities, their perspectives may or may not vary…

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Transparency is Critical for Safe Quality Patient Care

By Barbara Ficarra, RN, BSN, MPA Paul Levy, CEO of Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) in Boston is determined to eliminate preventable harm to patients by increasing transparency. Documented on the BIDMC’s website, a list of hospital wide measures including infections, hand hygiene and nursing care are highlighted.  Keeping track of central line infections, hand hygiene, pressure ulcers and falls, Levy is determined to eliminate preventable harm to patients. Aggressive goals have been set…

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Health Care Reform and You – J.James Rohack, MD, AMA President – Live on Health in 30

By Barbara Ficarra, RN, BSN, MPA [Please stay tuned for more info.  This special show with J. James Rohack, MD will not air live on October 29th, however it will be rescheduled in the near future.  Thank you.] Join me and for the first time my very special guest co-host, Kevin Soden, MD on Thursday, October 29, 2009 for a fascinating discussion with our medical expert, J.James Rohack, MD, President of the American Medical Association.  …

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Swine Flu: H1N1 Flu Vaccine – Who Should Get It, Who Shouldn’t Get It and Is It Safe?

By Barbara Ficarra, RN, BSN, MPA In April I co-authored, “Swine Flu Vs. Soap:  Our bet’s on the soap!” with pediatrician, Dr. Gwenn O’Keefe, founder of Pediatricsnow.  We gave a brief overview about the swine flu H1N1 and discussed preventative measures. While the information remains the same in our post, I’d like to now add a little info about the the H1N1 flu vaccine. Health information about H1N1 is circulating the web faster than tweets…

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