By Barbara Ficarra, RN, BSN, MPA Latest breaking news this week New mammogram guidelines set by the United States Preventative Services Task Force (USPSTF) now recommends that women begin breast cancer screening every two years starting at age 50, instead of every year beginning at age 40. These new standards sent a shock wave throughout women and the medical community. The American College of Surgeons released a statement today on its website in strong support…
Read More...How to Engage Your E-Patients Like a Rock Star
By Barbara Ficarra, RN, BSN, MPA Part 1 in a series on the e-patient, participatory medicine and health 2.0 There’s no question that today’s patients are savvy. Today’s patients are e-patients. Surrounded by technology, researching health information on the Internet has never been easier. Patients are engaging in communities and social networking sites and the exchange of information between patients has proven invaluable to some, thanks to the Health 2.0 movement. When patients visit their…
Read More...How to Avoid Chaos in the Hospital and Get the Care You Need
A Registered Nurse’s Tips to Stay Safe in a Hospital By Barbara Ficarra, RN, BSN, MPA A hospital can be extremely frightening and overwhelming. Hospitals generally are loud, cold, and sterile mazes of chaos. Unfortunately medical errors happen and it’s estimated that nearly 100,000 people die of medical errors each year. According to the CDC, “In American hospitals alone, healthcare-associated infections account for an estimated 1.7 million infections and 99,000 associated deaths each year.” As…
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