It feels good to be in Abuja again!! Actually, I meant to say GREAT!!! Staring out the window and looking at the trees and the guys on the street speaking Hausa … awesome!
What does this have to do with health? EVERYTHING! A joyful heart is good medicine. Stay healthy my friends. Stay happy.
Computerized nurses might improve health care, researchers say
This is the title of an article that made me smile this afternoon. Now, what do they mean by computerized nurses? Here’s a direct quote from the article:
It works like this: A computer, with a designated first name, gets assigned to a patient, interacts with him and provides guidance on a range of areas, including diagnostics, medication reminders and upcoming tests and appointments.
“My name is Elizabeth, and I am here to help you with the discharge here at Northeastern Medical Center,” says this virtual nurse. “I’m here to get the information you need to help make the transition from home to hospital.”
Researchers say it’s low-hanging fruit for patient safety.
“The changing of culture in hospitals is hard, and we need new tools to help nurses deliver quality care,” said Brian Jack, MD, who presented at the 2013 Association of Health Care Journalists annual meeting in Boston last week.
Jack notes that many patients are readily embracing this approach. Patients say that the computer cares a lot about them and that they understand each other. According to Jack, twice as many patients prefer the computer over a doctor for discharge instructions.
“It’s just like a nurse only better,” he said
It’s like a nurse, only better.
This RNPc (Registered Nurse Personal Computer) will for sure provide proof that patients received discharge instructions, BUT in no way guarantees that these patients will adhere to these instructions. We need to address the root causes of in-adherence to discharge instructions. That will go a long way to address readmission issues, which is the primary reason this RNPc was designed. Perhaps, instead of slapping on a bandaid to the wounds, healthcare issues of noncompliance and readmission, we should focus more on ensuring that patients become more responsible for their own personal care.
We as healthcare providers are here to help, but the patient needs to own his or her own healthcare in order for our jobs to be effective.
I recently came across an article talking about Oxitec’s release of transgenic mosquitoes into the wild as part of their Dengue control innovation/ research.
Who is Oxitec you ask … ? Well, Oxitec is a British company. They have been pioneers in controlling insects that carry spread disease like malaria, yellow fever, dengue, etc. They also work on controlling insects that are harmful to crops. How do they do this? As you may already know, technological advancement has made it easier for us to manipulate the genetic makeup of species, insects included.
In its fight against insects that bear “bad news” Oxitec has designed a novel species of mosquitoes carrying a gene called OX3604C (the OX stands for Oxitec). This transgenic species of mosquito fights dengue using the RIDL method. RIDL stands for Release of Insects carrying a Lethal Dominant gene. In the past (as early as 1950s), male insects were sterilized and released into the environment to mate with females. Of course such mating resulted in no reproduction as the males are sterile. This way, scientists were able to eradicate harmful insects in certain areas. Tsetse fly was one of such insects, and it was eradicated in a certain location in Tanzania in 1997; Tsetse fly carries the pathogen (trypanosomiasis) that causes sleeping sickness. RIDL is an improvement on this older method called sterile insect technique, SIT for short.
Back to Oxitec and OX3604C.
So, Oxitec released their mosquitoes in the Cayman Islands in 2009, but the world did not get to hear of it till November 2010. Of course this raised a lot of dust and the scientific community began to ask questions. If this field release of mosquitoes was as safe as reported, why the long silence before the news was made public?
A bit more on this RIDL mosquito. Male moquitoes are released with this gene, they mate with females, and any female offspring from this mating offspring will be rendered incapable of reproduction. They will be flightless. The females are the ones that suck your blood; the males enjoy sweet nectar from plants. Men. So unable to fly, these females cannot escape predators, cannot seek out mates and cannot mate. In short, no females, no children, no one to carry malaria parasites as well as other disease pathogens.
Let’s bring this home. I for one has had malaria not once, not twice, but multiple times and frankly I never thought much of it till I got older and started hearing and reading of the millions that die from malaria. Dengue is quite new to me (like a lot of other things are), and though I’ve heard of sleeping sickness and elephantiasis, but it was only recently that I really understood the burden these diseases heap on human beings.
Now, with your knowledge of disease, poverty and anything else you believe weighs in, what do you think of the release of insects carrying these lethal genes? Do you care that mosquitoes are being attacked for no fault of theirs? Mind you, your favourite brand of raid, shelltox, moquito coil, etc. kills innocent mosquitoes as well. The other question we need to ask is this: If you believe God created all species smart, don’t you think that at some point these mosquitoes will get smart and figure out a way to mate with normal males?
Share your thoughts please. I would love to hear them. And I must say that severe itching I got from taking Chloroquine a number of times was not funny.
If you’re not in front of a computer right now, you’re probably reading this post on your mobile phone or tablet. Here is a video of how the cell phone was a major tool for saving lives during the Haiti earthquake. Imagine how much more cell phones can do when you and millions of people worldwide tap into its power. Be it healthcare crisis reporting,public education, information dissemination on a large scale, name it. Cell phones can do much more than reading your emails, playing games, browsing the internet, giving directions, or any of the other things we routinely do with them. Share this post, think about how you can impact your community, help your world.
Sleep.
The “wonder drug” that has been both overlooked and at times over-hyped. Whatever your views on sleep, the truth is that there are many who would give an arm and a leg, and possibly a kidney just to get a few nights of good sleep. Sleeping pills are prescribed and used by many people in our societies, and often times even the pills do not guarantee the much desired sleep.
When these pills are prescribed, people are usually instructed to ensure that they have about 8hrs (I think) to dedicate to sleep. No good taking a pills when you only have 4hrs to sleep right? Well, recently, the FDA has begun pushing pharmaceutical companies to decrease the strength of sleeping pills, specifically the brands that carry the active ingredient Zolpidem.
Ever taken sudafed and tried to drive shortly after? Hopefully not. But imagine a half asleep person behind the wheels … quite similar to drunk driving. The FDA has recognized that zolpidem lasts much longer in the body than earlier identified; it actually stays in the body longer in women than in men (the woes of a woman).
Holistic healthcare practitioners will advise that sleeping pills should only be used temporarily/ for a short period of time, and encourage other methods of sleep promotion like having a sleep schedule, keeping the room dark, dedicating your room for sleep and not work or other non-sleep related activities, etc.
Here’s the article on NPR health. Spread the word. Sleep is vital for survival. But like food, it should be sought with care.
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!
2012 is gone and 2013 has come to stay. May this year bring blessings and goodness into your life. As we make our new year resolutions and break them, remember a few things:
1. You can achieve great things, just set your mind to it, surround yourself with positive thinkers, learn how to handle negative thinkers, and above all, believe in yourself.
2. Variety is the spice of life. But you must choose wisely. Hot peppers are nice, so is hot cocoa, but no matter how nice they both are, would you drink a mix of both? Unless you’re looking for a medical emergency …
3. Live life to the fullest, responsibly that is.
4. Love your neighbour, pray for your enemy (at least for them to change their ways if nothing else), stand firm for the truth, and do what is right.
5. May this new year bring among many other good things, love, peace and health to you and yours.
Enjoy the new year!
GMO.
Genetically Modified Organism.
Would you eat GMO foods if you knew they were GMO? Recently, there was a push for manufacturers to label their products so that buyers can decide for themselves whether or not they would rather buy non-GMO products. Why the fuss? You might ask. Well, think of the rice you eat. Rice is used for a variety of food products among other things. I recently came across an article about GMO rice and how it may have silently permeated our food supply. This GMO rice has been manufactured using genes from human liver. Here is a quote from the article I read.
Since about 2006,Ventria has been quietly cultivating rice that has been genetically modified (GM) with genes from the human liver for the purpose of taking the artificial proteins produced by this “Frankenrice” and using them in pharmaceuticals. With approval from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA),Ventria has taken one of the most widely cultivated grain crops in the world today, and essentially turned it into a catalyst for producing new drugs.
Few weeks ago, abc news carried the news of frankenfish, GMO salmon which has been modified using genes from another species of salmon and a species of eel. Of course this new salmon will not be labelled differently, as long as you are not buying from a known source, you will never know where your fish came from. Why tamper with the fish? Well, here’s a visual
The larger fish is the GMO salmon, and the smaller one is a normal wild type salmon. The wild type salmon does not grow very large and does not grow all year round. Taste is guaranteed to remain the same according to the makers.
There are many more foods that have undergone modification, and I can guarantee that you and I have eaten many without knowing. Some are small adjustments to preserve taste and freshness, others are to increase crop yield and resist pests. Enhanced seeds are being given to farmers in many developing regions to help increase their agricultural yield and help feed their families or improve income as the case may be. These farmers know very little if anything at all about these GMO seeds and by default, have no input in the GMO ethics discussion.
What do you think about these GMO foods?
Obiomachi Madukoma
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