Some of you may know that Apple launched a new Health app called Medical ID. It was introduced last year as part of iOS 8. (This Health app is the icon with the little red heart.) What does it do? Medical ID allows you to store your medical history, emergency contacts and other vital health information in one place on…
What are Advance Directives and why are they important? Advance directives are legal documents that specify your end of life wishes regarding your health care. Typically they include a living will and a medical power of attorney (or health care proxy). Laws about them vary from state to state. These legal documents are not just for the elderly or very…
A few months ago, there were more reported cases of measles than you’d see during an entire typical year, says Dr. Anne Schuchat, assistant surgeon general and director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases. She went on to say during a CDC tele-briefing: "This is not a problem with the measles…
During one of the morning news shows, I saw a story about an innovative new use for a drone — one that could potentially save lives in the not so distant future. For his master’s degree project, a Dutch graduate student named Alec Momont has designed what’s being called an “ambulance drone.” A little background: Out of the 400,000 heart…
At Jennings, our focus is on developing communication that makes the world a healthier place to live. Often, good health begins with each of us and the decisions we make. Are we taking accountability for our own health and doing the things we need to stay healthy? That's what led me to think about the flu vaccine. Did you know…
What have all these pink power products and promotions done for those folks living with and at risk of breast cancer? Years ago, the awareness efforts were about empowering women to make educated health choices while providing them with accurate information. The higher goal was to find a cure for breast cancer, reduce incidence and save lives. But now…
Today’s patients are more aware and engaged than ever with their own health. And it goes beyond just looking up symptoms on WebMD. This new “connected patient” is increasingly turning to listservs, Facebook groups, Twitter chats, and other communities to find support, end isolation and meet an information void not being filled by static hospital websites. In his article, The…
Bob Herman reported this week on Modern Healthcare’s business blog that a new study from researchers at Georgetown University’s Health Policy Institute is out. They studied narrow-network plans sold in six states’ individual-market exchanges for the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. Herman’s article is available here. After the first six months, those exchanges are reporting very few complaints from consumers who…
For those of us baby boomers that are beginning to wonder if our forgetfulness could be a sign of a bigger problem, take this to heart from a Harvard Health Publications article titled "Is It Forgetfulness or Dementia? “ A certain increase in forgetfulness seems to be a normal byproduct of aging and is perhaps a result of changes in…
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released a new study on opioid painkiller prescription rates last Tuesday. The study looked at prescriptions per 100 residents throughout the U.S. Southern States. 7 of 12 states with the highest prescription rates were found in the South. Alabama had the highest prescription rates in the nation. North Carolina, Tennessee, South Carolina, Mississippi, Louisiana…