ADA Apologizes For Tolerating Discrimination In ’60s November 10, 2010
Posted by marvelwoman in Uncategorized.Tags: discrimination
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In a historic move, the American Dental Association has apologized for not taking a stand against discriminatory membership practices.
Raymond Gist is the first African-American president of the American Dental Association.
Courtesy of the ADA
Raymond Gist is the first African-American president of the American Dental Association.
In an open letter, Dr. Raymond Gist, who became the ADA’s first African-American president in October, said the dentist group should have done a better job in making sure minorities could join affiliated state and local organizations before the mid-1960s.
“[I]n looking forward, we must also look back,” Gist wrote. “Along with acknowledging past mistakes and to build a stronger, collaborative platform for future accomplishments, the ADA apologizes to dentists for not strongly enforcing non-discriminatory membership practices prior to 1965.”
http://ht.ly/35LQx
Michael Battle — the immediate past president of the National Dental Association, which represents more than 6,000 black dentists — says the apology gives NDA members who had been discriminated against in the past some feeling of release, and it helps both organizations move forward.
“We feel it’s a great step in the right direction,” he says.
Why now, though? We asked Fred Peterson, an ADA spokesman, who told Shots in an e-mail that the dental organization made the apology after organization leaders took part in a summit on diversity in dentistry that the ADA held with the NDA; the Hispanic Dental Association; and the Society of American Indian Dentists.
Even though the ADA’s bylaws didn’t contain exclusionary language, Peterson said that some state and local dental societies affiliated with the ADA did engage in discriminatory membership practices.
And while Peterson didn’t have information about how many people were denied membership, “since the beginning of the ADA in 1859 and continuing through the Civil Rights Era, the ADA’s membership reflected the racial segregation that existed in much of the country at the time,” Peterson wrote.
A year after the Civil Rights Act of 1964 was passed, the ADA’s governing body began requiring affiliated state and local dental societies eliminate discriminatory membership practices.
Peterson says no data available show whether there was a surge of minority member applications after 1965. But he says of the 185,000 practicing dentists in the U.S. in 2009, about 3 1/2 percent are African American and about 44 percent of those dentists belong to the ADA.
Also, about 4 percent of dentists are Hispanic, and 48 percent of them are ADA members. Less than 1 percent are American Indian, and 70 percent of them are members; and 9 percent are Asian American, and 60 percent of them are members.
Two years ago, the American Medical Association issued a similar apology. Dr. Ronald Davis, the immediate past president of the AMA at the time, said that the apology followed an AMA study about the history of medicine’s racial divide.
“We knew that there had been problems in the past and after all of the detail was collected, we felt horrible about what had been uncovered, even more so than the anecdotal stories that we had heard previously,” Davis told NPR’s Michel Martin. “And we felt that we wanted to issue a very public, very official apology on behalf of the entire organization to African-American physicians and the organizations that represent them.”
Peterson says that the ADA has established programs to promote diversity, including the Institute for Diversity in Leadership, which aims to help equip minority dentists for leadership roles.
Periodontal disease and preterm birth November 3, 2010
Posted by marvelwoman in Uncategorized.Tags: periodontal disease, preterm birth
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I found this on MDConsult but it also appears in MedConnect: http://tinyurl.com/28vw9r8
Thursday, October 28, 2010 – Elsevier Global Medical News
ARTICLE BY GEORGE A. MACONES, M.D.
The United States spends almost 18% of its gross domestic product on health care, yet its infant mortality rate is higher than that in most other developed countries. The latest available data show the United States ranking 29th in the world in infant mortality.
One may ask why the United States continues to have this asynchrony between its investments and such an adverse health outcome. One way to assess this is to examine the factors that contribute most significantly to infant mortality: prematurity and birth defects. Prematurity remains a vexing problem in the United States – one for which the mechanism and the treatment remain, at best, elusive.
Infection or inflammation is considered to play a dominant role in the pathogenesis of prematurity. Data to support this role have been generated from a number of controlled, uncontrolled, and even laboratory studies. Most recently, additional studies have shown that inflammation or infection occurring within body cavities, including the vagina (bacterial vaginosis) or the oral cavity (periodontal disease) are associated with increased rates of prematurity.
The conundrum that we find ourselves in at this point is that there does not appear to be an effective means of altering the status of infection or inflammation in order to have a direct impact on prematurity rates. The studies so far have been controversial, leaving obstetricians very confused as to how they can best intervene and improve the perinatal outcome.
It is because of this very difficult situation that we believe it is important to have a Master Class that examines the relationship between infection – most significantly, periodontal infection – and the outcome of prematurity, and the options that can be exercised at this time with regard to oral health, prenatal care, and management pending definitive answers.
We have invited Dr. George A. Macones, an expert in maternal-fetal medicine who has extensively studied the prediction and prevention of prematurity, to serve as our guest author. Dr. Macones is the Mitchell and Elaine Yanow Professor and chair of the department of obstetrics and gynecology at Washington University, St. Louis. In this column, Dr. Macones details the value of counseling our patients about good oral health.
During the last 10-15 years, in an effort to improve troubling rates of spontaneous preterm delivery and other adverse pregnancy outcomes, investigators have looked at many kinds of clinical and subclinical infections and explored their possible associations to preterm birth.
Bacterial vaginosis is one infection that has been associated in numerous studies with a higher risk of preterm birth. Periodontal disease is another. While not all studies have found an association, there is substantial evidence – mainly from observational and epidemiologic studies –linking periodontal disease to spontaneous preterm birth and identifying the disease as a probable risk factor for preterm delivery.
One of the larger studies was a prospective cohort study involving more than 1,300 pregnant women who were enrolled at 21-24 weeks’ gestation and provided information on various possible risk factors for preterm birth. Later analyses showed that women with moderate to severe periodontal disease were 4.5 times as likely to deliver spontaneously before 37 weeks’ gestation, 5.3 times as likely to deliver before 35 weeks’ gestation, and 7.1 times as likely to deliver before 32 weeks (J. Am. Dent. Assoc. 2001;132:875-80).
Other published studies report lower levels of risk, and a more recent meta-analysis that included 17 studies and more than 7,000 women suggested a 2.8-fold increased risk of preterm birth in women with periodontal disease (Am J. Obstet. Gynecol. 2007;196:135.e1-7).
Today, interestingly, we know that bacterial vaginosis and periodontal disease each present our patients with a similar magnitude of increased risk for preterm delivery: a two- to threefold increased risk.
Unfortunately, hopes that identifying and treating the conditions could reduce risk and improve pregnancy outcomes have been dashed – in both cases. In the case of periodontal disease, three major randomized controlled trials in the United States – including the Periodontal Infections and Prematurity Study (PIPS) published in February of this year – have provided evidence that screening and treating periodontal disease during pregnancy are not likely to reduce rates of preterm birth.
This does not mean, however, that we should ignore the problem of periodontal disease. It is a huge problem, affecting up to 40% of pregnant women according to most reports, and there is no evidence to suggest that dental examinations or treatment are deleterious during pregnancy. In all the studies that have been done over the last decade or so, there is nothing to suggest that we shouldn’t look for periodontal disease and treat it.
Periodontal disease is clearly associated with other poor health outcomes, in addition to its association with preterm birth, and study after study has shown that good oral health is important for good overall health. Despite our inability to reduce preterm birth rates with periodontal treatment, it is important to recognize the value of good oral health for all adults, including pregnant women.
The Disease and Its Effects
Periodontal disease often evolves from untreated gingivitis, which causes the gums to redden, swell, and bleed more easily. Bacterial plaque on the surface of the teeth spreads and grows below the gum line (dentistry speaks of a subgingival biofilm), adding to progressive gram-negative anaerobic infection of the mouth and inflammatory responses that ultimately lead to the destruction of tissue and bone.
As Dr. Kim A. Boggess has described in numerous articles on periodontal disease in pregnancy, damage occurs both directly from bacteria in plaque and indirectly through bacterial stimulation of local and systemic inflammatory and immune responses.
Interestingly, there is no single validated definition of periodontal disease. Instead, the clinical criteria used to define periodontal disease have varied among studies, which can make all the data difficult to interpret. Some investigators have focused on the magnitude and extent of attachment loss or other clinical measures of periodontal disease, whereas others hone in on measures of infection and host response to oral bacteria. There are commonly agreed upon clinical markers, however, including gingival recession, tooth attachment loss, and bleeding on gingival probing.
Much of the research into the role of maternal oral health in pregnancy outcomes has been driven by appreciation of the importance that oral health plays in overall general health, and by a growing recognition that periodontal disease can trigger chronic, systemic inflammation, which in turn can drive various disease processes.
The conditions most often associated with periodontal disease are cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Some studies published in the last decade have shown, for instance, that individuals with periodontal disease have at least a 1.5-fold increased risk of developing cardiovascular disease. There also is some evidence that treating periodontal disease can improve various measures of cardiovascular function – such as blood pressure and levels of inflammatory cytokines. In addition, some data suggest that periodontal treatment results in better diabetic control.
Maternal periodontal disease also has been associated with other adverse pregnancy outcomes such as preeclampsia, gestational diabetes, fetal loss, and low birth weight. In a “clinical expert series” on maternal oral health in pregnancy published in 2008, Dr. Boggess provides a comprehensive summary of the literature on these associations, and details why good oral health should be a goal for all individuals, including pregnant women (Obstet. Gynecol. 2008:111:976-86).
Treatment and Preterm Birth
While some of the initial studies of periodontal treatment in pregnancy were promising, suggesting that treatment may reduce the risk for preterm birth, we now have three large studies in the United States that have been negative. Each has involved randomization to active treatment with scaling and root planing or placebo treatment, and each has shown no significant difference in preterm birth between the two groups.
In the multicenter Periodontal Infections and Prematurity Study (PIPS) trial reported early this year, we screened more than 3,500 women between 6 and 20 weeks’ gestation and found a prevalence of periodontal disease of 50%. (We defined periodontal disease as attachment loss of at least 3 mm on at least three teeth. Moderate to severe disease was defined as attachment loss of 5 mm or more on three or more teeth.)
The 756 women with periodontal disease who returned for the scheduled treatment visit were then randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to active treatment or placebo (superficial cleaning). The mean gestational age at screening was 13.1 weeks, and the mean gestational age at treatment was 16.5 weeks. The groups were balanced with respect to gestational age, periodontal disease severity, and history of preterm delivery (Am. J. Obstet. Gynecol. 2010;202:147.e1-8).
There was no significant difference between the two treatment groups in the incidence of spontaneous preterm birth at less than 35 weeks’ gestation (our primary end point) or at less than 37 weeks’ gestation. We also saw no difference in mean birth weight or the proportion of low birth weight or very low birth weight newborns. There also was no difference in composite neonatal morbidity/mortality between the groups.
These findings are largely concordant with those of two other recent studies. In one study published in 2006, more than 800 women were randomly assigned to receive either antepartum periodontal treatment (before 21 weeks’ gestation) or postpartum treatment (control). Periodontal treatment improved measures of periodontitis but did not significantly alter the risk of preterm delivery at less than 37 weeks’ gestation (N. Engl. J. Med. 2006;355:1885-94).
The other study – coined the MOTOR study (Maternal Oral Therapy to Reduce Obstetric Risk) – randomized more than 1,800 patients at three sites to periodontal treatment early in the second trimester or delayed treatment after delivery. Again, investigators demonstrated improvements in oral health after treatment, but found no significant reduction in preterm birth at less than 37 weeks of gestation (Obstet. Gynecol. 2009;114:551-9).
Current Thinking
What should we do in the wake of these negative findings?
First, we must realize that periodontal treatment in these trials improved the oral health of pregnant women, and that the benefits of good oral health cannot be disputed. Secondly, we must still appreciate – and share with our patients – that periodontal disease is very common and does appear to be associated with preterm birth (and possibly other adverse pregnancy outcomes), as well as with other negative health outcomes such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes.
We should be careful, however, and be sure to tell patients that treatment of periodontal disease alone does not appear to reduce the risk of preterm birth.
We need to study these associations further and better understand the mechanisms of periodontal disease–associated preterm birth. There also are unanswered questions about treatment. For example, is it possible that treatment prior to pregnancy may reduce the risk of preterm birth? Is it possible that using adjuvant antibiotic mouthwash may improve pregnancy outcomes? Questions such as these should be answered with additional clinical trials.
We also must better understand and delineate reported disparities in oral health. Periodontal disease disproportionately affects racial and ethnic minorities and those of low socioeconomic status. While differences in access to care and other behaviors and practices likely play a role in these disparities, experts believe that there also may be population differences in oral microbiology or inflammatory responses to bacterial colonization.
As we wait for more information, we can tell our patients about the importance of good oral health, and we can reassure them that periodontal disease treatment in pregnancy appears to be safe. We are not ready, however, to recommend routine screening and treatment of periodontal disease in pregnancy to improve pregnancy outcomes.
Dr. Reece, who specializes in maternal-fetal medicine, is vice president for medical affairs at the University of Maryland, Baltimore, as well as the John Z. and Akiko K. Bowers Distinguished Professor and dean of its school of medicine. He said he had no conflicts of interest relevant to this column. He is a member of the editorial advisory board and the medical editor of this column, which appears regularly in. Ob.Gyn. News, an Elsevier publication. Dr. Macones said he has no disclosures relevant to this article. E-mail him at obnews@elsevier.com.
Dr. Gordon Hugo Sindecuse Becomes a Dentist: In His Own Words October 28, 2010
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Check out the new online exhibit from the Sindecuse Museum: Dr. Gordon Hugo Sindecuse Becomes a Dentist: In His Own Words. Using quotes from his memoir matched to historic photographs, this exhibit traces Dr. Sindecuse’s life from his birth in Jonesville, Michigan, his first meeting with a local dentist in Litchfield that determined his future career, his education at the University of Michigan and the establishment of his private practice, and finally his mid-career change to finance and years of philanthropy.
Dr. Raymond Gist New ADA President October 18, 2010
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“The University of Michigan School of Dentistry prepared me for a future in dentistry better than I could have ever imagined. And I appreciate my dental education. I sit here now as president of the American Dental Association, and I owe it all to the dental school.” Dr. Raymond Gist
Ann Arbor, MI — October 14, 2010 — The last 12 months have been a whirlwind for Dr. Raymond Gist (DDS 1966).
Last fall, he began serving a one-year term as president-elect of the American Dental Association. In May, he delivered the commencement address to dental students at Hill Auditorium. On October 13, he became president of the ADA.
The road to the presidency of the nation’s largest dental association actually began in Flint, Michigan, nearly 68 years ago.
“My parents were hard workers and I learned from their example,” he said. His mother, Vesta, was a maid; his father, Isaac, was a janitor at Buick City, the massive General Motors facility. Others in his family also worked at GM.
Listening to them talk about their jobs, young Ray Gist began developing plans for his future. When he was in the sixth grade, he told his parents and an elementary school counselor that he wanted to become a dentist.
“The dentists I knew were intriguing,” he said. “I liked the respect they got from the general public, and I liked their lifestyle.” Gist said he thought going to dental school would be less expensive and would take less time than if he decided to become a physician.
“I don’t think they believed that I would be able to do it because I would be the first member of my family to go to college,” he said in an interview that can be seen on the School of Dentistry’s Web site. Gist said “they took me under their wing and said, ‘that’s a really good idea, and if you’re able to do this, we’d just love it. But make sure you don’t get too overly excited about it, just in case you’re not able to pull it off’.”
Gist said he was one of a few students who took college preparatory courses in high school. With his goal in mind, he concentrated on physics and chemistry. Counselors at Flint Northern High School were impressed and supported his efforts. After graduating in 1960, he attended Flint Junior College, later known as Mott Community College. He said the good grades he earned there in science and math “were crucial to my acceptance” at the U-M School of Dentistry.
Advice for Dental Students
“Difficult.” That was the word Gist used to describe the dental curriculum at U-M. “The workload was surprising. I didn’t realize it would be as intense as it was,” he said. “A lot of my classmates did not make it past the first year. I think it was designed that way, just to see who was tough enough to stay focused.”
In class five days a week, eight hours a day, Gist said that despite the workload, he never thought about quitting. “That’s one thing I could never do is quit,” he said.
He successfully met the challenges he faced and enjoys sharing some of the important lessons he learned with dental students.
“I learned early on that I had to stay focused. With the workload, there was hardly any time to do anything but study because if I faltered, I knew I would be in trouble,” he said. The other important lesson he learned was maintaining self-confidence, “knowing I could get through this, regardless of how difficult it was.”
Gist also said there are other words of encouragement he likes to pass along.
“The reason a student is in this school is because they have something special to offer. They’re selected from a multitude of other applicants to this university,” he said. “That means they have a talent that’s recognized by faculty and by those involved in accepting them to the university. They should take that to heart and use it to their advantage. The confidence will come as they realize their input is significant, their ideas are accepted, and they have the creativity to practice dentistry.”
Addressing the Cost of Dental Education
As president of the 157,000 member ADA, Gist said he would focus on several important issues during his one-year term, including the high cost of dental education.
“I borrowed $25,000 from the government to pay for my dental education and had a very easy repayment system when I left the armed services. But today’s students build up a tremendous amount of debt,” he said, paying for their dental education. At the U-M School of Dentistry, for example, the average debt level of U-M graduating dental students in 2009 was $161,609. Tuition, fees, books, and instruments for the 2010-2011 academic year totaled more than $38,000 for a first-year in-state student and more than $55,000 for a first-year nonresident.
The ADA, he said, is investigating ways to try to offer new options for students to repay their education loans so financial burdens don’t limit their professional and/or personal plans after graduation.
He noted that a commitment to the military or other government service is one way to manage student debt. Lobbying the government for loan forgiveness programs for those who provide care to underserved populations is one option, as is an initiative to encourage dentists to pursue a career in dental education.
Getting Involved in Organized Dentistry
“Get involved” could be his motto.
Pointing to his own experience, Gist said his initial involvement with organized dentistry began with the Genesee District Dental Society’s legislative committee.
“I saw the benefits right away,” he said. “What we could get done as a group with policy makers was just amazing. Realizing that my input and the input of our committee was so effective made me think ‘if we can get this far at this level, then what could we do at higher levels’?” When opportunities arose, Gist became involved in leadership roles with both the Michigan Dental Association and the American Dental Association.
He urges dental students to get involved in organized dentistry as soon as they begin their dental education. “That will allow them to learn more about what’s going on with the dental profession at state and local levels,” he said.
“Organized dentistry has much to offer,” Gist said. “It helps us have a united voice” in educating legislators at state and national levels about what concerns members have, the direction the profession is taking, and more.
Asked about the future of the dental profession, Gist said, “I think the future is bright, but we have to show the value of membership. …My objective is to make new graduates realize that they need to be a member of organized dentistry, and without organized dentistry they would be lost.”
Still Involved with U-M
Drawing on experiences from his past and trying to make a difference in the lives of dental students, especially at the University of Michigan School of Dentistry, is deeply embedded in Gist. In addition to delivering this spring’s commencement address, he spoke to first-year dental students at their White Coat Ceremony in 2003. He has also gifted $100,000 to the U-M School of Dentistry for scholarships for dental students.
When asked to look back on his career, either as a dental student or new practitioner, if he ever thought that one day he would deliver a commencement address at his alma mater as president-elect of the ADA and that he would become the organization’s president that same year, Gist smiled and said, “No. Never in my wildest dreams.”
http://www.dent.umich.edu/featured-news/school-dentistry-alumnus-dr-raymond-gist-now-president-american-dental-association
Roger Ebert, Food Writer September 1, 2010
Posted by cshannon in Uncategorized.1 comment so far
You may remember that Roger Ebert, long-time film critic, is living with cancer in his jaw. Although he can no longer eat, he’s now a food writer. “‘Food for me is in the present tense,’ he said. ‘Eating for me is now only in the past tense.’ He says he has a ‘voluptuous food memory’ that gets stronger all the time.”
Lifestyle in Supported Accommodation Gaps (dental hygiene) August 30, 2010
Posted by marvelwoman in Uncategorized.1 comment so far
Last Updated: 2010-08-30 1:43:20
Lifestyle in Supported Accommodation (LISA) Inc., say many residents in group homes fall into a major service responsibility gap.
The special health care needs of those with high support needs fall in this gap so easily. Responsible parents, guardians, advocates, service providers, often do not see that people with high support needs, need access to immediate health care – Especially dental!
There is rightly a big national move towards a NDIS (National Disability Insurance Scheme) – a percentage on the Medicare levy to ensure disability services have a similar entitlement rating to medical services.
Although basic medical services are an entitlement under Medicare, these services are frequently inadequate for those with an intellectual or multiple disability. Their ability to care for themselves is limited. They frequently need a more personalised service. Their supporters seem not to consider, or see their special needs in this regard.
Private health cover should, therefore, be a high priority, especially as most with high support needs have adequate finance, and their financial resources are often not spent, as their ability often limits the range of social activities which are meaningful to them.
Those with limited capacity do not understand, nor should they need to understand why they have to wait for hospital and dental services under Medicare.
As their financial resources are frequently under utilised, we are at a loss to understand why their money is frequently not being used for their better and more immediate health care.
One of the major health concerns for those with limited capacity living in supported accommodation, is dental hygiene. Teeth cleaning for those totally dependent on direct care staff support can be quite questionable and spasmodic. Therefore. they need far more, and easier access to dental services – Not have to wait long periods to access dental hospitals under Medicare!
In Victoria, those without private administrators, such as family or friends, become clients of State Trustees. This organisation, together with service providers, especially the DHS, tends to generate a rather clinical bureaucratic restriction when administering a person’s finances. A process often not focused on achieving and maintaining their quality of life.
The bureaucratic finance process, the bureaucratic care process and the privacy limitations on the service providers knowing how much money their client has, equals a financial build-up. This is whilst the person with so little in their life anyway, sees little or no real benefit from their finances.
We have seen residents of supported accommodation group homes with shocking bedding, poor towels, poor and cheap clothes and ragged personal activity items, yet sitting on $40 – 50,000.
If the resident has no caring family, friends, guardian or advocate, there is no one to authorise the use of their financial resources for their quality of life. At the very least, their resources should be used to purchase good health care, especially dental, says LISA Inc., a Melbourne based family support group.
About Lifestyle in Supported Accommodation (LISA) Inc. – “The provision of quality of life care for all with an intellectual or multiple disability who live in supported accommodation, and that families need the support to be carers for as long as they wish to be, in the knowledge they have the right to a quality of life care accommodation and support package for their family member with a disability whenever they choose”.
“To empower and support families with a member living in supported accommodation to better understand service provision procedures, care policies, standards and values, and thereby be better positioned to scrutinise service providers”.
By lifestyle in Supported Accommodation (LISA) Inc. – 2010-08-30 1:40:18
Last Updated: 2010-08-30 1:43:20
Lifestyle in Supported Accommodation (LISA) Inc., say many residents in group homes fall into a major service responsibility gap.
The special health care needs of those with high support needs fall in this gap so easily. Responsible parents, guardians, advocates, service providers, often do not see that people with high support needs, need access to immediate health care – Especially dental!
There is rightly a big national move towards a NDIS (National Disability Insurance Scheme) – a percentage on the Medicare levy to ensure disability services have a similar entitlement rating to medical services.
Although basic medical services are an entitlement under Medicare, these services are frequently inadequate for those with an intellectual or multiple disability. Their ability to care for themselves is limited. They frequently need a more personalised service. Their supporters seem not to consider, or see their special needs in this regard.
Private health cover should, therefore, be a high priority, especially as most with high support needs have adequate finance, and their financial resources are often not spent, as their ability often limits the range of social activities which are meaningful to them.
Those with limited capacity do not understand, nor should they need to understand why they have to wait for hospital and dental services under Medicare.
As their financial resources are frequently under utilised, we are at a loss to understand why their money is frequently not being used for their better and more immediate health care.
One of the major health concerns for those with limited capacity living in supported accommodation, is dental hygiene. Teeth cleaning for those totally dependent on direct care staff support can be quite questionable and spasmodic. Therefore. they need far more, and easier access to dental services – Not have to wait long periods to access dental hospitals under Medicare!
In Victoria, those without private administrators, such as family or friends, become clients of State Trustees. This organisation, together with service providers, especially the DHS, tends to generate a rather clinical bureaucratic restriction when administering a person’s finances. A process often not focused on achieving and maintaining their quality of life.
The bureaucratic finance process, the bureaucratic care process and the privacy limitations on the service providers knowing how much money their client has, equals a financial build-up. This is whilst the person with so little in their life anyway, sees little or no real benefit from their finances.
We have seen residents of supported accommodation group homes with shocking bedding, poor towels, poor and cheap clothes and ragged personal activity items, yet sitting on $40 – 50,000.
If the resident has no caring family, friends, guardian or advocate, there is no one to authorise the use of their financial resources for their quality of life. At the very least, their resources should be used to purchase good health care, especially dental, says LISA Inc., a Melbourne based family support group.
About Lifestyle in Supported Accommodation (LISA) Inc. – “The provision of quality of life care for all with an intellectual or multiple disability who live in supported accommodation, and that families need the support to be carers for as long as they wish to be, in the knowledge they have the right to a quality of life care accommodation and support package for their family member with a disability whenever they choose”.
“To empower and support families with a member living in supported accommodation to better understand service provision procedures, care policies, standards and values, and thereby be better positioned to scrutinise service providers”.
Read more: http://www.disabled-world.com/news/america/healthcare/disability-healthcare.php#ixzz0y7Aaxv6A
UpToDate Access Will Continue August 20, 2010
Posted by Mark in Clinical, Resources, Uncategorized.Tags: uptodate
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Due to the generosity of the UM Medical School, UpToDate will continue to be available on campus. This will allow the University Library to continue offering other valuable resources to UM community.
Pilot Safety Protocol Could Help Dentists August 9, 2010
Posted by marvelwoman in Education, Faculty Publications, News and Announcements, Resources, Uncategorized.Tags: checklists, errors, safety
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ANN ARBOR, Mich.—Pilots and dentists have more in common than one might think: Both jobs are highly technical and require teamwork. Both are subject to human error where small, individual mistakes may lead to catastrophe if not addressed early.
A dental professor at the University of Michigan and two pilot-dentists believe that implementing a checklist of safety procedures in dental offices similar to procedures used in airlines would drastically reduce human errors.
Crew Resource Management empowers team members to actively participate to enhance safety using forward thinking strategies, said Russell Taichman, U-M dentistry professor and director of the Scholars Program in Dental Leadership. Taichman co-authored the study, “Adaptation of airline crew resource management (CRM) principles to dentistry,” which will appear in the August issue of the Journal of the American Dental Association.
Airlines implemented CRM about 30 years ago after recognizing that most accidents resulted from human error, said co-author Harold Pinsky, a full-time airline pilot and practicing general dentist who did additional training at U-M dental school.
“Using checklists makes for a safer, more standardized routine of dental surgery in my practice,” said David Sarment, a third co-author on the paper. Sarment was on the U-M dental faculty full-time before leaving for private practice. He is also a pilot and was taught to fly by Pinsky.
CRM checklists in the dentist’s office represent a major culture shift that will be slow to catch on, but Pinsky thinks it’s inevitable.
“It’s about communication,” Pinsky said. “If I’m doing a restoration and my assistant sees saliva leaking, in the old days the assistant would think to themselves, ‘The doctor is king, he or she must know what’s going on.’” But if all team members have a CRM checklist, the assistant is empowered to tell the doctor if there is a problem. “Instead of the doctor saying, ‘Don’t ever embarrass me in front of a patient again,’ they’ll say, ‘Thanks for telling me.’”
At each of the five stages of the dental visit, the dental team is responsible for checking safety items off a codified list before proceeding. Pinsky said that while he expects each checklist to look different for each office, the important thing is to have the standards in place.
Studies show that CRM works. Six government studies of airlines using CRM suggest safety improvements as high as 46 percent. Another study involving six large corporate and military entities showed accidents decreased between 36-81 percent after implementing CRM. In surgical settings, use of checklists has reduced complications and deaths by 36 percent.
Many other industries: hospitals; emergency rooms; and nuclear plants look to the airline industry to help craft CRM programs, but dentistry hasn’t adopted CRM, said Pinsky.
For the next step, the co-authors hope to design a small clinical trial in the dental school to test CRM, Taichman said.
Mendeley’s First iPhone App Has Arrived! August 5, 2010
Posted by cshannon in FAQs, General, Information Skills, Research, Uncategorized.Tags: app, citation managment, iPhone, Mendeley
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Mendeley has released their free iPhone app, with more apps for different platforms to come. Check out the story.
The New OvidSP Interface–My Workspace/My Projects August 5, 2010
Posted by cshannon in Education, FAQs, Information Skills, News and Announcements, Research, Uncategorized.Tags: Medline (Ovid), My Projects, My Workspace, OvidSP, UM-MEDSEARCH
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My Workspace is a new area of OvidSP that includes My Projects, My Searches & Alerts, My TOCs, and an Update Toolbar.
In My Projects you can organize your research projects, citations and other materials that aren’t in OvidSP, and you can subdivide projects into folders.
You can create projects in My Project or you can create them “on the fly,” as you’re doing searches. Folders must be created in the My Projects area.
Simply select citations from your search, then click Add to My Projects.
Add your citations to a new or existing project.
<You can also drag and drop citations into the My Projects area on the lower left of the search results page. Select the citations, then drag the vertical gray bar (it’s not visible here, but just hover over the citation numbers & you’ll see it).
In My Projects, you can also drag and drop citations into different projects and folders.
Create folders in My Project by clicking on the Action button. You can also create a new project, add a citation manually, or upload a file.
