I did an appearance last night on CNN's Anderson Cooper 360 to discuss the issue of Health care reform. This has been heavy on the mind of our president for his entire first year in office and has led to quite a few political battles on Capitol Hill. Health care is in serious jeopardy, as the cost of entitlement programs such as Medicaid/Medicare and Social Security threaten our nation's economic security. Our national debt has risen to unprecedented and frightening levels, and our politicians have little incentive to do anything about it.
One additional problem that we are running into on the issue of health care is the fact that our nation doesn't have enough Primary Care physicians. These doctors are incredibly important, since they are the first line of defense against illness in America.
Over the next 10 years, our nation is expected to have a shortfall of 40,000 Primary Care doctors. By 2025, that number is expected to balloon to over 120,000. To make matters worse, our population is aging, implying that there will be a greater demand for these doctors in the future.
Saturday, February 27, 2010
Why Are We Running Out of Doctors?
Monday, February 22, 2010
The Latest in Black Health News – 2/22/10
Obama to propose limits on health insurance rates
By theGrio
8:11 AM on 02/22/2010
WASHINGTON (AP) -- President Obama is making a fresh attempt to rescue his health care overhaul by proposing a measure that would allow the government to deny or roll back egregious insurance premium increases...
White House: Dems near accord on health care bill
By theGrio
4:40 PM on 02/18/2010
WASHINGTON (AP) - The White House and congressional leaders are preparing a detailed health care proposal designed to win passage without Republican support
African-Americans increasingly going under the knife in quest for perfection
By Bonnie Davis
8:53 AM on 02/16/2010
Although perceptions linger that plastic surgery is something for "only rich Caucasian people," it's no longer true...
First lady launches 'Let's Move' effort against childhood obesity
By theGrio
9:35 AM on 02/09/2010
WASHINGTON (AP) - Michelle Obama says she loves burgers and fries, but she wants her daughters -- and the rest of America's children -- to learn about better nutrition...
Bad malaria pills in Africa raise resistance fears
By theGrio
10:06 AM on 02/08/2010
High rates of the most effective type of malaria-fighting drugs sold in three African countries are poor quality...
Sunday, February 14, 2010
The Latest in Black Health – 2/14/10
First lady launches 'Let's Move' effort against childhood obesity
By theGrio
9:35 AM on 02/09/2010
WASHINGTON (AP) - Michelle Obama says she loves burgers and fries, but she wants her daughters -- and the rest of America's children -- to learn about better nutrition...
Bad malaria pills in Africa raise resistance fears
By theGrio
10:06 AM on 02/08/2010
High rates of the most effective type of malaria-fighting drugs sold in three African countries are poor quality...
Denver boy, 9, died after state-benefits error denied him asthma medication
By theGrio
5:04 PM on 02/04/2010
A Montbello mother says her 9-year-old son's death from severe asthma could have been prevented had Denver Human Services resolved problems with his Medicaid pharmacy benefits...
Among black girls, challenges of fighting obesity go beyond diet
By theGrio
9:02 AM on 02/01/2010
CHICAGO (AP) - Like nearly one-third of American teens, Paris Woods is overweight. Her doctor worries her weight will creep up into the obesity range. One out of four black girls her age is obese.
Obese African-Americans at higher risk of stroke
By theGrio
11:21 AM on 01/22/2010
Obesity raises the risk of stroke regardless of race or sex, according to a new study that is one of the first to show a link between obesity and stroke risk in blacks...
Cancer victim sheds light on bone marrow donor crisis
By Todd Johnson
1:07 PM on 01/13/2010
VIDEO - Seun Adebiyi is proud of his many accomplishments -- graduating from Yale Law School, working for Goldman Sachs and even training for the 2014 Winter Olympics...
Hepatitis B and C often ignored as health threat to blacks
By theGrio
12:26 PM on 01/11/2010
WASHINGTON (AP) - They're the overlooked viruses: Hepatitis B and C together infect three to five times more Americans than the AIDS virus does, and most don't know it...
KFC pulls Australian ad over US racism complaints
By theGrio
11:51 AM on 01/08/2010
CANBERRA, Australia (AP) -- Fast food giant KFC has pulled an Australian television advertisement after it was branded racist in the United States...
7 ways to keep your resolution to work out
8:18 AM on 01/05/2010
OPINION - There are many strategies and techniques to following through on your resolution of joining and actually working out in the gym on a long-term and regular basis.
Tiny newborn girl may break world record
By theGrio
9:29 AM on 12/22/2009
VIDEO - A little girl born in Mobile, Alabama may be the world's tiniest baby...
NBA star's wife uses baby to exercise
By theGrio
11:19 AM on 12/11/2009
VIDEO - Jamison knows a little something about shedding baby weight. The wife of the Washington Wizards superstar gave birth to her third child, Rucker King...
Dr. Fleming lives with sickle cell disease and no boundaries
By theGrio
1:14 PM on 12/10/2009
VIDEO - Dr. Lester Fleming is learning to be a pilot --something he once thought would never be possible. Fleming was born with sickle cell disease, a red blood cell deficiency...
Monday, February 8, 2010
Black News: Michael Jackson’s Doctor Pleads Not Guilty
Hours after Dr. Conrad Murray was charged with involuntary manslaughter in connection with Michael Jackson's 2009 death, the embattled physician pleaded not guilty Monday afternoon (February 8) during an arraignment hearing at a Los Angeles courthouse, according to The Associated Press.
Murray's bail was set at $75,000, three times greater than the bail usually set for such crimes. Without being handcuffed, Murray was then taken into custody for booking. He must surrender his passport, allowing him to travel within the United States but not out of the country. Prosecutors had been seeking bail of $300,000, but Superior Court Judge Keith L. Schwartz rejected that amount. The involuntary-manslaughter charge carries a maximum jail sentence of four years.
Thursday, January 7, 2010
Black Olympian Yale Law Grad Needs Bone Marrow Transplant
From Seun Adbiyi At The Huffington Post
As a 26 year-old African-American, I don’t know which is more difficult: trying to make history as the first Nigerian delegate in the Winter Olympics, or finding a donor for a bone marrow transplant.
In June 2009, just days after graduating from Yale Law School, I was diagnosed with two rare and aggressive forms of cancer: lymphoblastic lymphoma and stem-cell leukemia. Instead of a grueling Olympic training regimen for the skeleton — an 80 mph headfirst plunge down a mile-long ice chute — I underwent an equally grueling cycle of high dose chemotherapy during a seven-week hospital stay at Memorial Sloan Kettering.
News: Sex is Good for You
To paraphrase a great old slogan for Guinness beer: Sex isn’t just good, it’s good for you!
Okay, so maybe there’s some wishful thinking going on — the science isn’t exactly iron-clad — but evidence is accumulating that the more sex you have, the better off you are.
There is one caveat, though. “We do not have good data to show a direct connection [to all-around good health]," says Jennifer Bass, the head of information services at the Kinsey Institute for Research in Sex, Gender and Reproduction in Bloomington, Ind. "We know that healthier people have more sexual activity. But we do not know which comes first. Does the good health make you more willing to have sex, or does the sex have a positive impact?”
And you dirty girrrls and Don Juans should know that the assumed health benefits of sex are generally thought to accrue to people in loving, monogamous relationships or those flying solo. Risky sex with lots of partners will probably do more harm than good.
Monday, December 21, 2009
News: EMTs Stand By as Pregnant Woman Dies
A pregnant Brooklyn woman suffering a fatal seizure in a coffee shop in the shadow of FDNY Headquarters was ignored by two callous city medics who continued to buy their breakfast, eyewitnesses told The Post.
"The EMTs just said we had to call 911. They got their bagels and left," said a disgusted worker.
Frantic employees at the Au Bon Pain at 1 Metrotech Center approached the FDNY medics at 9 a.m. on Dec. 9, shortly after colleague Eutisha Revee Rennix, 25, began to complain of shortness of breath and intense stomach pains. Workers immediately dialed 911.
HELAYNE SEIDMAN
NO HELP: Witnesses say that as Eutisha Revee Rennix (above) lay dying at a Brooklyn Au Bon Pain 600 feet from FDNY headquarters, two EMTs on break refused to assist her, leaving son Jahleel, 3, motherless.
"People were calling out saying, 'She's turning blue! She's pregnant!' " said the witness.
But the EMTs appeared unfazed.
"I remember them saying they couldn't do anything because they were on their break," another worker said. "We started screaming and cursing at them."
Rennix fell in a heap and began foaming at the nose and mouth in the back room.
That sent a manager rushing to the front to again ask someone in the Metrotech coffee shop to help.
This time, two good Samaritans in blue FDNY sweaters ran to the back office. One called 911 from his cellphone while the other tried to help keep Rennix still.
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Woman Imitates Healthcare Worker to Kill Another Woman’s Baby
Keisha Jones, 38, a mother of four, is married to Anthony, who has been involved with another woman for the past three years. Monique Hunter, 25, is the other woman and didn't have a clue that her lover was a married man. Hunter became pregnant with Anthony's baby, and the plot that ensues unravels like a Lifetime movie.
When Jones found out about Hunter's pregnancy, she devised a diabolical plan to get rid of the young woman's baby. She started by calling her husband's mistress, pretending to be a health care worker from Hunter's doctor's office. Jones explained to the young pregnant woman that she needed to take some medication that would prevent her from having a child with Down syndrome. The drug that Jones recommended was Cytotec, which can ripen a woman's cervix and induce labor.
Monday, November 30, 2009
Dr. Elaina George: What You Should Know about Fibroids
Sunday, November 22, 2009
Health: Healthcare Reform Passes Key Senate Hurdle
WASHINGTON – A bruising debate on health care awaits the Senate after Thanksgiving now that the historic legislation has cleared a key hurdle over the opposition of Republicans eager to inflict a punishing defeat on President Barack Obama.
The bill would extend coverage to roughly 31 million who lack it, crack down on insurance company practices that deny or dilute benefits and curtail the growth of spending on medical care nationally.
In the final minutes of a daylong session, Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., accused Republicans of trying to stifle a historic debate the nation needed.
The Republican leader, Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, said the vote was anything but procedural — casting it as a referendum on the bill itself, which he said would raise taxes, cut Medicare and create a “massive and unsustainable debt.”
Click to read.Thursday, November 19, 2009
Black Health: Dr. Elaina George on Depression
Dr George and Delores Jones, a correspondent for AOL speak about dealing with depression and change through inspiration and spirituality.
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Swine Flu Vaccines Go to Executives First?
Goldman Sachs' PR reps want to make it clear to the public that the CDC distributes vaccines to many types of large employers, such as Time Warner and New York University. The idea is to get the vaccine to people at many points of potential infection, giving the H1N1 vaccine to those who come into contact regularly with high risk groups within large companies. Goldman Sachs has received 200 H1N1 vaccines, Citigroup 1,200.
This "guest list" treatment makes sense for some early recipients of the H1N1 vaccine. Hospital workers at Memorial Sloan-Kettering and the New York Presbyterian Healthcare System clearly need early protection -- and got some of the first doses along with Goldman.
Friday, November 6, 2009
Congress Soon to Vote on HealthCare Reform Bill
This show is an interview between Dr. Elaina George and Dr Emelita Breyer. Dr. Breyer is from the Breyer Foundation, an independent organization dedicated to finding solutions to health care reform that does not add to the deficit, or raise money on the backs of the people through taxation.
She has a thorough understanding of the sanctity of the doctor patient relationship. And has real solutions that will protect the things that make the US healthcare system the best in the world.
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
Deborah Stroman: Sugar in the Blood
Got Sugar in the Blood? Change Your Lifestyle Today!
Do you remember your elders speaking about “sugar in the blood”? Do you have a friend or family member who suffers from diabetes? The importance of understanding high blood sugar is critical to the management of our often fast-paced, unhealthy, and stressful lives. A few years ago I had the opportunity to visit the “Bodies – The Exhibition” and experienced the most engaging presentation on the anatomy and pathology of the human body. Cadavers, adult and fetus, were on display to showcase the miracle of the body and the importance of good health and exercise. This poignant visit, which highlighted all of our major bodily systems, provides the inspiration to urgently share information regarding sugar – the crack cocaine of the Black of the community!
Sunday, November 1, 2009
Dr. Elaina George: What’s in the H1N1 Vaccine?
There has been a lot of confusion about what ingredients are in the H1N1 Vaccine. In order to distill the information to make it easier for you to make an informed choice, here is a brief synopsis of the information provided by the manufacturers in their package inserts.
There are 4 manufactures who have been approved to sell H1N1 vaccine in the US. They are: Novartis, CSL, Sanofi/Pasteur and MedImmune
1. Novartis makes an injectable vaccine for ages 4 and above
Ingredients: Thimerosal (Mercury) both in the single dose and the multi dose vials
Antibiotics - polymyxin and neomycin (can be neurotoxic)
Manufactured with phenol (the chemical used on skin in cosmetic face peals to remove wrinkles)
Note: They recommend that children ages 4-9 get 2 injections one month apart. This would increase the risk from a reaction to the mercury (e.g, neurological damage such as Gullain-Barre or possibly Autism)
Saturday, October 31, 2009
Black News: Obama Confirms a Black Surgeon General
The Senate has formally confirmed Dr. Regina Benjamin to be the U.S. surgeon general, making her only the third African American to hold the position as the nation's top doctor.
The Senate nod came by a voice vote Thursday night, an expression of unanimous consent of both parties.
The 53-year-old family practice doctor had spent most of her career tending to the needs of poor patients in a Gulf Coast clinic she founded two decades ago in Alabama.
She was the first African-American woman board member of the American Medical Association, and she just served a term as chairwoman of the group's Council on Ethical and Judicial Affairs.
Benjamin received a bachelor's degree in 1979 from Xavier University of Louisiana, attended Morehouse School of Medicine from 1980 to 1982, and received a doctor of medicine degree from the University of Alabama at Birmingham in 1984.
She completed her residency in family practice at the Medical Center of Central Georgia in 1987.
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Michael Baisden and Your Favorite Doctor Go at it Again on the Swine Flu
Dr. Elaina and Michael Baisden break down the hype and misinformation about the Swine flu.
Saturday, October 24, 2009
Black News: Obama Declares Swine Flu a National Emergency
President Obama has declared a national emergency to deal with the "rapid increase in illness" from the H1N1 influenza virus.
"The 2009 H1N1 pandemic continues to evolve. The rates of illness continue to rise rapidly within many communities across the nation, and the potential exists for the pandemic to overburden health care resources in some localities," Obama said in a statement.
"Thus, in recognition of the continuing progression of the pandemic, and in further preparation as a nation, we are taking additional steps to facilitate our response."
The president signed the declaration late Friday and announced it Saturday.
Calling the emergency declaration "an important tool in our kit going forward," one administration official called Obama's action
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Black Health: Avoid the Whites – Salt, Sugar, and Flour!
Do you need a simple rule to begin a smart nutrition routine? Try to make a change in your diet by “avoiding the whites” – those additives that supposedly will make your food taste just right or have the right consistency. To live well and be healthy, we need to make changes that may feel uncomfortable at first and possibly illogical to friends and family.
Salt, according to the Center for Science in the Public Interest, accounts for nearly 150,000 premature deaths every year primarily due to complications from high blood pressure. We do need ~ 6g of salt per day to live. Sadly, the average intake of salt is between 9g and 10g a day! Salt is a commonly occurring mineral, the technical name of which is sodium chloride. It is the sodium part of salt that is important. Sodium helps to maintain the concentration of body fluids at correct levels. It also plays a central role in the transmission of electrical impulses in the nerves, and helps cells process nutrients.
Monday, October 19, 2009
Dr. Elaina George: Natural Remedies for the Swine Flu
In this episode of Medicine on Call, Dr. Elaina George speaks with Dr Maiysha Clairborne of Mind, Body, Spirit, Wellness. we spoke about natural approaches to prevent and treat swine flu. Overall natural remedies to reduce stress and promote overall wellness.
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Your Health Insurance 411 – 10/14/09
Health Insurance Companies causing pain for patients: Are insurance companies limiting the options available to your doctor? That may be the case. While our nation is quick to blame physicians for the state of healthcare, the insurance companies may be a more sensible target for our collective frustration.
What is umbrella insurance? - This type of policy protects you from all the things that your standard insurance plan doesn't cover. Everyone should consider getting umbrella insurance.
How do you keep your insurance if you lose your job? - If you don't know the answer to this question, you need to learn about the COBRA laws. COBRA allows you to keep your old health insurance if you lose your job, and as part of the stimulus package, the federal government pays 65% of the cost.
Sunday, October 11, 2009
Black Health News: The High Cost of Insurance: Americans Struggle
"The high cost of each premium and the high deductible a person or family must pay per year is my biggest complaint against health insurers."
"For example, I pay around $300 a month for my wife and me for basic coverage, and pay a deductible of $750 each every year, not to mention a co-pay of $15 to $20 at the window."
"My yearly income is around $32,000 a year. Very little is left for goodies. Meanwhile, a doctor takes in $80 to $120 a visit that lasts 15 to 20 minutes. Imagine how much he makes a day, a week, a month, a year. Plenty of goodies here."
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News: Swine Flu Kills 76 US Children
Health officials said Friday that 76 U.S. children have died of swine flu, including 19 new reports in the past week — more evidence the new virus is unusually dangerous for the young.
The regular flu kills between 46 and 88 children a year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. That suggests deaths from the new H1N1 virus could dramatically outpace children's deaths from seasonal flu, if swine flu continues to spread as it has.
CDC officials say 10 more states, a total of 37, now have widespread swine flu. A week ago, reports suggested that cases might be leveling off and even falling in some areas of the country, but that did not turn out to be an enduring national trend.
"We are seeing more illness, more hospitalizations, and more deaths," the CDC's Dr. Anne Schuchat said at a press conference Friday.
The new virus, first identified in April, is a global epidemic. The CDCdoesn't have an exact count of all swine flu deaths and hospitalizations, but existing reports suggest more than 600 have died and more than 9,000 have been hospitalized. Health officials believe millions of Americans have caught the virus.
The virus is hitting young people harder. Experts believe older people are suffering from it less, perhaps because they have a bit of immunity from exposure over the years to somewhat similar viruses.
Thursday, October 8, 2009
Professor Wilmer Leon Analyzes the Healthcare Debate
By
Dr. Wilmer J. Leon III, Howard University
According to 2008 US Census Bureau data, approximately 47 million, or 15.8 percent of the US population, were without health insurance during 2006 - a 4.9 percent increase. In 2005, census figures showed that 44.8 million people, or about 15.3 percent of the population, lacked health insurance coverage. According to a report released by the Institute on Medicine, the average cost of family health care coverage more than doubled from 1999 to 2008, from $1,543 to $3,354.
Based upon these realities, presidential candidate Obama made health care reform a central theme of his campaign. He promised to achieve universal health care in his first term and to cut the average family's health care health care costs by $2,500. In the on-going health care reform debate, it is very important to remember that as a result of this and other campaign promises, President Obama won the 2008 presidential election with 53 percent of the popular vote to Senator McCain's 46 percent and 68 percent of the Electoral College vote to McCain's 36 percent.
According to a New York Times/CBS News poll taken in June, 85 percent of respondents said the health care system needed to be fundamentally changed or completely rebuilt. According to a June poll conducted by the Employee Benefit Research Institute, 83 percent of respondents favored and only 14 percent opposed "creating a new public health insurance plan that anyone can purchase." These numbers indicate that health care reform is very important to the American people.
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
News: High Vaccine Costs Lead Physicians to Stop Offering Immunizations
Parents who bring their kids to Dr. G. Andrew McIntosh for the chicken pox vaccine are out of luck.
The family physician, who has a solo practice in Uniontown, Ohio, doesn't offer that shot because he can't afford it. Most insurers won't sufficiently cover the cost.
"It doesn't do me any good. I am losing money on [them]," he said. The chicken pox vaccine runs about $115, but insurers only cover between $68 to $83 of that.
McIntosh has also cut back on a handful of other critical childhood vaccines for the same reason -- including the measles, mumps and rubella, known as the MMR vaccine.
It costs him about $58 to buy an MMR shot, he said, while insurers pay about about $40.
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
Medicine on Call: Getting Ready for Swine Flu Season – Dr. Elaina George
In this episode of “Medicine on Call,” Dr. Elaina George engages in a lively medical conversation about the Swine flu. Click here to listen!
Saturday, October 3, 2009
Elaina George, MD: Prescription drugs: The New Legal Drug Addiction
by Dr. Elaina George, MD
According to a recent CNN report 7% of college students admit to using Adderall without a prescription. It is an amphetamine-like stimulant used to treat attention deficit disorders (ADD) and attention deficit with hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). This drug, come to known as ‘vitamin A’, is taken by students to improve their grades. It is believed to help them study more efficiently by increasing the ability to stay awake and concentrate longer. It is more potent than caffeine or the old standbys No-Doze and Mountain Dew.
When prescribed by a physician for an individual with ADD or ADHD, Adderall is an effective and safe drug. Unfortunately, like many other prescription drugs such as Xanax, Valium, and Oxycontin, which have become easy to get on the Internet and on the black market, its ubiquitous use has taken away the fear factor. There is little regard for the potential side effects such as heart problems, stroke, tremors, and addiction.
In fact both prescription drugs and over the counter drugs have been reduced to quick fixes that are used to ‘make a problem go away’. There is a pervasive feeling that if it is a prescription drug or if it is sold over the counter, then it must be safe. This has been encouraged by the aggressive direct to patient marketing by the pharmaceutical industry.
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Black Health News: The Senate Finance Committee Rejects the Public Option
Liberal Democrats failed Tuesday to inject a government-run insurance option into sweeping health care legislation taking shape in the Senate Finance Committee, despite widespread accusations that private insurers routinely deny coverage in pursuit of higher profits.
The 15-8 rejection marked a victory for Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont., the committee chairman, who is hoping to push his middle-of-the-road measure through the panel by week's end. It also kept alive the possibility that at least one Republican may yet swing behind the bill, a key goal of both Baucus and the White House.
"My job is to put together a bill that gets to 60 votes" in the full Senate, the Montana Democratsaid shortly before he joined a majority on the committee in opposing the provision. "No one shows me how to get to 60 votes with a public option," the term used to describe a new government role in health care. It takes 60 votes to overcome delaying actions thatRepublicans may attempt on the Senate floor.
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Global News:Somalia Finally Gets Ambulance Service
Chaos and death on the streets of Mogadishu: unfortunately, it's nothing new in the Somali capital.
Government forces are fighting against insurgents on this day in September in a bloody battle that leaves 30 dead. Dozens of wounded Somalis are taken out of the danger zone, some of them in the back of insurgents' pick-up trucks.
One of the trucks races through the streets, zig-zagging to the echoing booms of the ongoing shelling. The truck comes to an abrupt halt, stopping at a rare sight in the Somali capital -- an ambulance, waiting at the heart of the chaos to ferry the dead and the injured to the hospital.
The wounded are transferred onto the ambulance. People shout and run as the mortar attacks continue. One woman screams over and over for her son.
The ambulance is one of seven medical vehicles paid for with donated funds from local and expatriate Somalis. Residents can simply call for the ambulances without charge, and the vehicles will be dispatched to the scene.
"It is amazing," said Rufai Salad, one of the founders of the ambulance service in the Somali capital. "We have this toll-free number, 777, that you dial. Someone is giving you a free call and then coming and giving you free help.
"People here find it hard to believe it is real."
Monday, September 28, 2009
Health News: Company Now Selling “Sippin Syrup” in Stores
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You see it all over television, celebrities endorsing "syrup," which is a combination of cough syrup with codeine and soda, two ingredients that can make for a lethal recipe.
Stores in Southeast Texas are now carrying the products that bear the names "drank" and "syrup", but with a different twist.
Drank and Sippin Syrup are two examples of a new anti-energy drink that is supposed to provide "extreme relaxation." There is nothing harmful in these products, in fact one of the main ingredients is Melatonin, a natural substance that helps you sleep.
18-year-old Jackie Robinson says he just started drinking this anti-energy drink because of the slogan, "sippin syrup."
"I ain't gonna lie it really do," said Robinson Wednesday afternoon as he sipped his drink outside a Beaumont convenient store. "It probably attracts a lot of people from the name too."
Saturday, September 26, 2009
News: President Obama Talks Healthcare at CBC Conference
President BarackObama on Saturday resumed his push to overhaul the health care system, telling a Congressional Black Caucus conference that there comes a time when "the cup of endurance runs over."
"We have been waiting for health reform since the days of Teddy Roosevelt. We've been waiting since the days of Harry Truman," he said in remarks at the caucus foundation's annual dinner. "We've been waiting since Johnson and Nixon and Clinton."
"We cannot wait any longer," Obama said.
Obama spent the past week largely focused on global and economic issues in meetings with world leaders in New York and Pittsburgh.
At the G-20 economic summit that wrapped up Friday in Pennsylvania, Obama told a story about an unnamed foreign leader who privately told the president he didn't understand the at-times contentious debate over changing the health care system.
"He says, 'We don't understand it. You're trying to make sure everybody has health care and they're putting a Hitler mustache on you. That doesn't make sense to me,'" Obama said, quoting the world leader he declined to identify.
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Dr. Elaina George: Is the Death of the Medical Profession Coming?
by Dr. Elaina George, Your Black World
Reports estimate that 50-60% of doctors will be sued during the course of their career. However, only 10-20% of those cases actually go to trial. Of those that go to trial, doctors are found innocent of malpractice 80% of the time. This demonstrates the fact that although the perception exists that there may be a lot of bad doctors practicing bad medicine this is actually not the case.
Unfortunately, this perception has led to an explosion in the costs of practicing medicine. Over the last 5-10 years medical malpractice premiums have gone through the roof from primary care to neurosurgery. In Florida, for example, malpractice premiums for OB-GYNs have risen to as high as 250,000 per year. This staggering statistic highlights the unintended consequence of limiting access to medical care for women who live in those states. Florida is not alone, it is happening all over the country. Physicians have either moved out of state, retired early, or they have restricted the type of medicine they practice because they cannot afford the cost of doing business.
Saturday, September 19, 2009
The Politics of Healthcare Reform
Listen up as Dr. Wilmer Leon speaks with Dr. Pearl Ford about President Obama’s Healthcare Reform Plan. Click here to listen to the latest exciting episode!
Both are graduates of Howard University’s Political Science Program
Insane Killer On the Loose: Questions about Mental Health
A legally insane killer was on the loose in the state of Washington on Saturday, two days after he escaped during a field trip to a county fair, authorities said.
Phillip Paul was able to elude a massive manhunt in Spokane County, Washington, after escaping on Thursday, a spokesman for the sheriff's department said.
Though Paul had been confined in a mental institution because of a murder confession, he was allowed to be part of a trip to a county fair Thursday.
Paul, 47, escaped from the fair around noon, which launched the massive manhunt and brought criticism from many, including state government officials. Sheriff's officials told CNN affiliate KREM-TV that Paul also escaped briefly in 1991 and assaulted a law enforcement officer.
A review has been launched on the incident along with the policy that allows patients to take trips, said Susan Dreyfus, secretary of the state's Department of Social and Health Services.
Dreyfus said she was concerned about Paul's escape and another recent brief escape by a patient at a different local mental facility.
"These incidents, separate and coincidental, have raised serious questions about the security readiness of our two state psychiatric hospitals," Dreyfus said.
Click to read.Friday, September 18, 2009
News: Obama Says Race Not an Issue in Healthcare Debate
President Barack Obama said Friday that angry criticisms about his health care agenda are driven by an intense debate over the proper role of government — and not by racism.
"Are there people out there who don't like me because of race? I'm sure there are," Obama told CNN. "That's not the overriding issue here."
The nation's first black president spoke about the issue of race during a battery of interviews on Friday. In a media blitz aimed at pounding home his health care message, he taped interviews with ABC, CBS, NBC, CNN and Univision to be shown during the networks' Sunday morning talk shows.
Some excerpts aired during Friday night broadcasts.
Time and again, Obama was asked about whether the tenor of thehealth care debate turned nasty because of undercurrents in racism.Former President Jimmy Carter raised the point prominently this week when he said the vitriol was racially motivated.
Flu Vaccine Dos and Don’ts
by Dr. Elaina George, Medical Correspondent, Your Black World
Although the Swine flu virus has been identified in over 70 countries, it has not been as deadly as expected
- The world wide number of swine flu cases currently is 209,500 with 2,185 deaths
The common flu is more deadly
- In the US there have been 40,000 cases identified with 1,876 deaths. This is quite low when you compare the death rate to the typical flu virus which kills over 30,000 people per year.
Most cases of Swine flu have been mild
- Most people have had mild self-limited symptoms that resolve without any medical intervention.