We've added the following to items posted previously athttp://budurl.com/healthcarereform
1. SAMUEL H. FLEET, president and CEO of AMWINS GROUP BENEFITS, a provider ofgroup health insurance programs and administrative services, located inWarwick, R.I.: "A California patient who needs a chest X-ray is chargedanywhere from $120 to $1,519; a simple blood count ranges from $47 to $547. Inthe world of consumer products, such price variations would be unsustainableif they involved refrigerators, cameras or even paper towels. Shoppers wouldcompare quality and cost, and then vote with their pocketbooks for the productthat gave them the best deal. But in the world of health care, costs continueto escalate in stealth mode while frustrated consumers stand on the sidelines,wondering why they can afford neither insurance nor direct care. It's a prettysimple fix: Bring transparency to pricing. Every provider must disclose thenet prices they charge (after PPO deals). No back-end kickbacks either." NewsContact: Katy Funk, [email protected] Phone: +1-410-821-8220 (8/12/09)
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EXPERT ALERTS
1. HEALTH: FIBROMYALGIA FACTS, DEBUNKING MYTHS. DR. MILDRED FARMER,nationally recognized fibromyalgia expert and co-founder of MERIDIEN RESEARCH,can discuss fibromyalgia and information on recent advances, in time forNational Pain Month (September): "Fibromyalgia is a debilitating illness thataffects an estimated six million Americans, many of whom are women, who areliving lives that are interrupted by chronic and widespread pain, reducedphysical function, and a host of other debilitating symptoms. Many who sufferfrom fibromyalgia are not correctly diagnosed and are not receiving propercare. The disease is often dismissed or misunderstood, and sufferers oftendon't know where to turn." Farmer is available to offer tips for recognizingthe symptoms of fibromyalgia and what to do if a person thinks they or someonethey love may be suffering. She is based in St. Petersburg, Fla. News Contact:Jennifer Paganelli, [email protected] Phone: +1-212-642-7774 Website: http://www.newstudyinfo.com (8/14/09)
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2. HEALTH: MICHAEL JACKSON'S TRAGIC DEATH HIGHLIGHTS IMPORTANCE OF MEDICATIONSAFETY. DR. BRIAN SOLOW, senior medical director for Clinical Services atPRESCRIPTION SOLUTIONS, a UnitedHealth company, believes that too manyphysicians, pharmacists and patients are unaware of potentially dangerous druginteractions due to multiple prescriptions from multiple providers: "We needto prevent deaths and dangerous drug interactions by creating programs thathelp pharmacists, physicians and patients to better communicate about thedrugs they are taking. Programs that use technology to help identify dangerousdrug interactions and help pharmacists and physicians communicate in real timeand more fully about prescribed medications can help to reduce dangerousinteractions, improve outcomes and lower drug costs for patients and payers."Solow can discuss information on strategies for improving consumers' safety.He is located in Irvine, Calif. News Contact: Elaine Murphy,[email protected] Phone: +1-818-610-0270 (8/14/09)
3. HEALTH: PROPOFOL DOES NOT TRIGGER MALIGNANT HYPERTHERMIA. HENRY ROSENBERG,M.D., CPE, president of the MALIGNANT HYPERTHERMIA ASSOCIATION OF THE UNITEDSTATES: "Propofol does not trigger malignant hyperthermia. Propofol is one ofmany safe anesthetic agents anesthesiologists use to sedate people susceptibleto MH before surgery. Malignant hyperthermia is a rapidly progressive,potentially lethal problem a patient may experience unexpectedly when exposedto certain anesthetic agents. There may be no knowledge of susceptibility, andit may occur in any setting that these agents are used. Successful treatmentof MH depends on early recognition of signs and symptoms and rapidimplementation of treatment. Minutes matter in the treatment, and multipletasks need to be accomplished rapidly. Without emergency therapy for MH, thepatient has a chance of death greater than 85 percent." Rosenberg is based inNorthern New Jersey. News Contact: Michael Wesolowski, [email protected]: +1-607-674-7901 ext. 207 (8/14/09)
4. MUSIC: WOODSTOCK WAS SIGNIFICANT MOMENT OF AMERICAN HISTORY. DR. STEVENGARABEDIAN, assistant professor of history at MARIST COLLEGE in Poughkeepsie,N.Y., incorporates Woodstock into his class discussions and will teach acourse this fall called "A Rock and Roll History of America": "Woodstock was asignificant moment alongside the Democratic National Convention protests in1968, the Vietnam War and Kent State, all of which are important to the largerstory of American history. Woodstock was a reaction to the Cold War and to thepressure for conformity, the expectations and the pressure on young people totake up the mantle of leadership as some of them started to investigateaspects of American society they had always taken for granted -- thateverything was as it should be and the U.S. was the beacon of freedom. Whenthey started to question one thing, they started to question another. When thecivil rights movement was starting in the '50s and started to get theattention of young white kids who perhaps had this inclination to askquestions, I think that encouraged them. Once they started asking questionsabout race in the U.S., then they started asking questions about the Cold War,Vietnam War, gender roles, the women's movement. Musically, Woodstock was partof a trajectory that began with Bob Dylan playing an electric guitar at theNewport Folk festival in 1965 and which continued with the Monterey PopFestival in 1967." News Contact: Tim Massie, [email protected] Phone:+1-845-575-3171 (8/14/09)
5. PARENTING: GOOD WORK AND STUDY HABITS PROMOTE ACADEMIC SUCCESS. DR. KARENJACOBS, Ed.D., OTR/L, CPE, FAOTA, occupational therapy practitioner, formerAmerican Occupational Therapy Association president and board-certifiedergonomist: "As students go back to school, it is a good time to review goodwork and study habits to promote academic success. Occupational therapypractitioners are a valuable resource in schools to support students, teachersand parents as classroom routines and demands are established. The goal is forstudents to be as independent as possible throughout the school day, whichincludes successful completion of homework. Consider this tip to help yourchild establish good habits and reduce the stress of homework: Encourage yourchild to sit in a firm chair with his/her feet planted on the ground or on afootrest. Consider using an office chair in order to adjust the chair height.The child's back should be supported against the backrest. Good postureprevents back and neck stress and promotes ease in completing assignments."News Contact: Heather Huhman, [email protected] Phone: +1-301-652-6611, ext.2963 (8/14/09)
6. SHOPPING: SAVING MONEY FOR BACK-TO-SCHOOL ITEMS BY SHOPPING ONLINE. BRENTSHELTON of FATWALLET.COM, an online shopping source that publishes discounts,giveaways, cash back rewards and more, can talk about how consumers save themost money by shopping online for back-to-school items such as computers,clothing, etc.: "Shopping online for products allows a consumer to not onlyfind the best deals, but to receive rewards they wouldn't receive in thestore. They are able to find the best deals on the Web, receive cash back forpurchases, enter to win giveaways, etc." Shelton can also talk about onlinetrends during back-to-school season and how Web sites work to find the bestdeals for the consumer. News Contact: Carrie Skogsberg, [email protected]: +1-815-489-3955 (8/14/09)
PROFNET is an exclusive service of PR Newswire.To submit an Opportunity by e-mail: [email protected] consult the ProfNet Experts Database: http://www.prnewswire.com/profnetTo contact ProfNet by phone: +1-800-PROFNET, ext. 1To share a thought on ProfNet Expert Alerts: [email protected]___________ TOPIC ALERT Health Care Reform (continued, 1 responses) _____________ EXPERT ALERTS 1. Health: Fibromyalgia Facts, Debunking Myths 2. Health: Michael Jackson's Death Highlights Medication Safety 3. Health: Propofol Does Not Trigger Malignant Hyperthermia 4. Music: Woodstock Was Significant Moment of American History 5. Parenting: Good Work and Study Habits Promote Academic Success 6. Shopping: Saving Money for Back-to-School Items by Shopping Online
SOURCE ProfNet
