Pay more attention to depression as a side-effect of many medications, researchers say.
http://www.cbc.ca/news/health/second-opinion-depression-as-a-medication-side-effect-1.4710868
A new U.S. study serves as a "very important reminder" that depression is a possible side-effect of many common medications, especially when patients are taking more than one of them, the Canadian Pharmacists Association says. "I think it's something that we don't always think about," said Phil Emberley, the association's director of practice advancement and research, and a pharmacist in Ottawa.
A team of researchers from the University of Illinois at Chicago and Columbia University in New York — including a pharmacist and and psychiatrist — looked at data gathered from more than 26,000 adults in a national health survey conducted from 2005-2006 and from 2013-2014.
The researchers catalogued what medications their subjects were taking at the time, as well as how many depressive symptoms they displayed (based on a self-reporting tool commonly used for diagnosing depression). They found about one-third of the people in the study were taking at least one medication for which depression is listed as a potential side-effect. Those drugs include some types of blood pressure medications, beta blockers, birth control pills, proton pump inhibitors, anticonvulsants, painkillers and corticosteroids. "People are taking a lot of drugs and a lot of these meds have depression as an adverse effect," Qato said. "One to two per cent risk of depression, perhaps, for most of these medications, but when they're taken together in a real-world setting, it really matters."
'It's something we don't always think about,' Canadian pharmacist says of U.S. study findings.
Nicole Ireland · CBC News · Posted: Jun 18, 2018 | Last Updated: June 19, 2018.
=======================================
Treatment with honey is referred to as apitherapy and includes:
Therapeutic Effect: Honey helps restore energy, has a general calming effect and helps to dissolve mucus. Applied externally to the skin, it disinfects and heals minor wounds.
http://parkinsonsresource.org/news/articles/honey/
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
We neither see nor feel it: However, the Immune system is active round the clock, but covertly.
https://www.naturalelementsforlife.com.au/immune-system
Its task is to protect us from harmful germs (pathogens). Each day we are exposed to millions of bacteria, viruses, parasites and fungi, but also particles of dust, pollen and animal hair; still we are usually healthy. For that our body requires a sophisticated and complex safeguard mechanism: The Immune System.
The immune system is not limited to one organ or one location, but it scatters over many areas in the entire body. Bloodstream and lymphatic vessels crisscross the whole body and are the most important transport paths for immune cells and messengers. The lymph transports oxygen and nutrients to the tissues and also evacuates damaged or dead cells, pathogens and impurities.
From brain research we know: Our immune system is not isolated but closely interconnected with the hormone- and nervous system. Emotional and neurochemical conditions are associated with the performance of the immune system. Consequently, the immune system is influenced by thoughts, emotions and stress.
The Unique or Acquired Immune Defence
Features a great adaptability towards new or mutated pathogens. This characteristic is acquired in the course of a lifetime which results in the development of the so-called immunological brain. This allows our body to remember the first contact with germs and a quicker response to further infections.
The cells of the adaptive immune defence are therefore able to adjust to new or mutated pathogens. Thus, they succeed in recognising specific structures (antigens) of foreign substances (cell components, foreign matters, etc.) and activate specific defence mechanisms.
= - = - = - = - = - = - = - = - = - = - = - = - = - = - = - = - = - = - = - = - = - = - = - = -
The Unusual Symptoms of COVID-19
Scientists document a growing list of atypical coronavirus infection symptoms, giving doctors more insight into the emerging disease. Claire Jarvis May 7, 2020
In late April, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention updated its list of COVID-19 symptoms. The CDC initially listed fever, cough, and shortness of breath as the defining clinical aspects of COVID-19, but the agency now recognizes that repeated shaking with chills, muscle pain, headache, sore throat, and a loss of taste or smell may accompany an infection.
Multi-system inflammatory syndrome
Strokes and blood clots “COVID toes” Silent hypoxia Gastrointestinal issues Delirium
With the virus and clinical research moving at breakneck speed, researchers are observing more symptoms, with mounting evidence that the disease presents differently depending on the patient’s age. Many of these symptoms remain rare, and scientists don’t yet know if they are directly caused by the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus.
- 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0
Receptors for SARS-CoV-2 Present in Wide Variety of Human Cells:
https://www.the-scientist.com/news-opinion/receptors-for-sars-cov-2-present-in-wide-variety-of-human-cells-67496
Analyses from single-cell sequencing datasets support the idea that COVID-19 is not just a respiratory disease but an illness that can affect multiple organs.
Chris Baraniuk
Coronavirus (COVID-19) at a glance
This infographic provides a quick view of the current coronavirus (COVID-19) situation in Australia. Updated every afternoon based on the data we receive by 3.00pm from states and territories.
April 2022
The FDA just issued an emergency use authorization to a new coronavirus test that analyzes saliva instead of relying on a nasal swab wedged all the way into the back of the nose.
If the new test, developed at the Rutgers University Cell and DNA Repository (RUCDR) is deployed at scale, it could help make testing far more accessible. It would also make administering tests much safer for medical workers.
COVID-19 Vaccine Developers Gain Enhanced Access to Supercomputers
Federal agencies, academic institutions, and industrial partners are joining forces to combat COVID-19 using artificial intelligence.
Lisa Winter Mar 27, 2020
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
WHY ROLLING CORONAVIRUS PATIENTS ONTO THEIR STOMACHS IS SAVING LIVES
"WE'RE SAVING LIVES WITH THIS, ONE HUNDRED PERCENT."
BY VICTOR TANGERMANN / APRIL 14 2020
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
THE TRUE HEROES OF THIS PANDEMIC
Your anesthesiologist is the man or woman behind the drape, at the head of the bed, next to a machine with a bunch of buttons that no one but they understand. They’re skilled with procedures, have a cart full of drugs that they know inside and out, and monitor patient’s hemodynamics throughout the case. They resuscitate you when you are losing too much blood. They keep you breathing. They make sure your blood continues to circulate and perfuse your organs. They control your pain. They make sure you don’t remember any of the surgery. And most importantly, they make sure you wake up.
But right now, amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, they’re the people in my hospital who are running into possible or confirmed COVID-19 patient rooms to place a breathing tube to give patients a fighting chance. Despite this being the most aerosolizing of procedures, anesthesiologists and ICU doctors are gowning up and facing COVID-19 head-on. I can only speak for my own hospital, but they are being pulled left and right to make sure that patients receive appropriate and timely endotracheal intubations. And they’re not complaining about it. While none of us expected this virus to have this kind of impact on society, they’re still fearlessly waking up early in the morning, heading to work, and delivering admirable patient care.
https://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2020/04/why-you-should-remember-your-anesthesiologists-name.html
How do I talk to health professionals?
Talking to doctors, nurses and others can be daunting. The most important thing to know is that you have a right to talk to them. You have the right to tell health professionals what you think is important for the person you care for and to ask questions. It's OK. They don't Know everything... Like your loved one's reaction to the latest medication change; the worsening of their heart, bowel, lung, back pain... symptoms, and how you were up most of the last night calming, changing pads and the bedclothes, soothing to sleep... all the while juggling their low mood, tendency to isolate themselves, meals, medications, doctor appointments, exercise regimes... their Other health aliments... This is Exhausting!!!
· A GP (for general/referrals/other Health Services ) - go to the HealthShare.com.au
Make better health choices - Search for a health professional, specialty or health topic.
Contact your GP doctor, mental health practitioner or midwife by phone, especially if you have cold or flu symptoms and explain your situation.
HONE NURSE LISTENING SKILLS FOR BETTER PATIENT EXPERIENCE
BY JENNIFER THEW RN | JUNE 28, 2019
https://www.healthleadersmedia.com/nursing/hone-nurse-listening-skills-better-patient-experience
Here are some tips:
1 July 2021
http://www.pbs.gov.au/browse/changes
21 July 2021
- a wrap-up of medicines newly listed or changed on the PBS
and for those frequently asked Questions:- http://www.pbs.gov.au/info/general/faq
The PBS Safety Net protects patients and their families requiring a large number of PBS or RPBS items. For the purposes of the scheme, the family includes the person:
UpToDate information for Patients and Caregivers - type in your medical concern to learn more:
Access Free - Beyond the Basics
http://www.uptodate.com/home/uptodate-subscription-options-patients
Use the Resource Trusted by Clinicians and Healthcare Practitioners Worldwide - Learn more about a medical condition and explore treatment options using UpToDate, the same resource trusted by more than 1.1 million clinicians around the world. After you read the information in UpToDate, you will have the tools and the confidence to ask the right questions and have important conversations with your healthcare provider.
Access the FREE Beyond the Basics (English) patient content in UpToDate by simply typing a term or phrase in the search box. Look up your specific question — anything from a symptom you're concerned about to a condition or treatment you've been discussing with your healthcare provider.
Remember to print the information you find in UpToDate so you can discuss it with your healthcare provider.
---------------------------------------=
"I hope you realize, when you have mates, buddies and old friends, brothers and sisters, who you chat with, laugh with, talk with, have sing songs with, talk about north-south-east-west or heaven and earth, that is true happiness!"
Steve Jobs died a billionaire at age 56. This is his final essay.
Learn more about My Health Record
The My Health Record system operator (Australian Digital Health Agency) has a range of factsheets and guidance available to assist patients with managing their My Health Record including:
The My Health Record system is underpinned by strong legislation and includes penalties for the unauthorised access, use and disclosure of patient health information. If you would like to provide feedback about Queensland Health’s handling of your My Health Record please contact your local Queensland Health facility.
For further information, including how patients can opt out of the My Health Record or cancel their My Health Record, contact the My Health Record system operator on 1800 723 471, or go to the My Health Record website.
The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare is proud to have been selected to manage and release My Health Record data for secondary purposes. The announcement reinforces our position as trusted, experienced managers of and leaders in data.
Using My Health Record for secondary purposes will open a range of possibilities to fill data gaps by allowing the health sector to better understand how Australia’s health system is used—as well as gaining valuable insights into the health outcomes for patients.
It is a significant new role for the AIHW, and we look forward to working closely with the Department of Health, the Australian Digital Health Agency and other stakeholders to build the evidence base and contribute to better health and wellbeing for all Australians, while upholding the strictest data quality and privacy standards.
For more information on the use of My Health Record data for secondary purposes: Framework to guide the secondary use of My Health Record system data.
15 November 2018
----------------------------------------
Prescription Drug Abuse Prevention
Prescription drug abuse prevention starts with you.
You may also find it helpful to have a friend or family member come to appointments with you for comfort and support, or to remind you of anything you might have forgotten.
Remember, communication is a two-way process, so:-
Pay more attention to depression as a side-effect of many medications, researchers say.
http://www.cbc.ca/news/health/second-opinion-depression-as-a-medication-side-effect-1.4710868
A new U.S. study serves as a "very important reminder" that depression is a possible side-effect of many common medications, especially when patients are taking more than one of them, the Canadian Pharmacists Association says. "I think it's something that we don't always think about," said Phil Emberley, the association's director of practice advancement and research, and a pharmacist in Ottawa.
A team of researchers from the University of Illinois at Chicago and Columbia University in New York — including a pharmacist and and psychiatrist — looked at data gathered from more than 26,000 adults in a national health survey conducted from 2005-2006 and from 2013-2014.
The researchers catalogued what medications their subjects were taking at the time, as well as how many depressive symptoms they displayed (based on a self-reporting tool commonly used for diagnosing depression). They found about one-third of the people in the study were taking at least one medication for which depression is listed as a potential side-effect. Those drugs include some types of blood pressure medications, beta blockers, birth control pills, proton pump inhibitors, anticonvulsants, painkillers and corticosteroids. "People are taking a lot of drugs and a lot of these meds have depression as an adverse effect," Qato said. "One to two per cent risk of depression, perhaps, for most of these medications, but when they're taken together in a real-world setting, it really matters."
'It's something we don't always think about,' Canadian pharmacist says of U.S. study findings.
Nicole Ireland · CBC News · Posted: Jun 18, 2018 | Last Updated: June 19, 2018.
=======================================
Carers Gateway: https://www.carergateway.gov.au/help-advice/working-health-services#a1
For more about the National Carer Gateway, click here.
========================================
and a reminder to Doctor's :-)
A Doctor's step-by-step guide to acting humanely with patients, because, after all, the chaos of the hospital makes it so easy to forget:
Treating a patient like a family member, with dignity and respect, and acknowledging their fear, means that Your patient and their family feel acknowledged, listened to, and above all, Your Patient feels that they are getting the Best Treatment and Advice for their condition. This is beyond price...
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
The impact of chronic disease
Chronic diseases are the leading cause of ill health, disability and death in Australia. The effects of chronic disease can be profound, both on an individual’s health and wellbeing, and on the health care system.
What is chronic disease?
The term ‘chronic disease’ refers to a broad group of conditions, illnesses and diseases.
Modern health-care systems are mostly organised around single-system illnesses. However, many elderly people have multiorgan problems.
Frailty is a practical, unifying notion in the care of elderly patients that directs attention away from organ-specific diagnoses towards a more holistic viewpoint of the patient and their predicament.
Frailty is a state of increased vulnerability to poor resolution of homoeostasis after a stressor event, which increases the risk of adverse outcomes, including falls, delirium, and disability. Frailty is a long-established clinical expression that implies concern about an elderly person's vulnerability and outlook.
An apparently small insult (eg, a new drug, minor infection, or minor surgery) results in a striking and disproportionate change in health state—ie, from independent to dependent, mobile to immobile, postural stability to proneness to falling, or lucid to delirious.
The Edmonton Frail Scale is a multidimensional assessment instrument that includes the timed-up-and-go test and a test for cognitive impairment. The test is quick (it takes less than 5 min) and is valid, reliable, and feasible for routine use by non-geriatricians, but its diagnostic accuracy has not been investigated.
The five phenotype model indicators of frailty and their associated measures
------------------
Weight loss
Self-reported weight loss of more than 4·5 kg or recorded weight loss of =/>5% per year
Self-reported exhaustion
Self-reported exhaustion on US Center for Epidemiological Studies depression scale (3–4 days per week or most of the time)
Low energy expenditure
Energy expenditure <383 kcal/week (men) or <270 kcal/week (women)
Slow gait speed
Standardised cutoff times to walk 4·57 m, stratified by sex and height
Weak grip strength
Grip strength, stratified by sex and body-mass index
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
For that extra peace of mind -
Brochures from the Public Trustee in Qld to help explain Enduring Power of Attorney for Financial, Personal and Health Matters...
Download the appropriate Brochures from this site:
https://www.flipsnack.com/publictrusteeqld/lets-talk-about-enduring-powers-of-attorney.html
To find out more:
http://www.pt.qld.gov.au/enduring-powers-of-attorney/about-enduring-powers-of-attorney/
CALL US: 1300 360 044
or Make An Enquiry: [email protected]
21 July 2021
http://www.cbc.ca/news/health/second-opinion-depression-as-a-medication-side-effect-1.4710868
A new U.S. study serves as a "very important reminder" that depression is a possible side-effect of many common medications, especially when patients are taking more than one of them, the Canadian Pharmacists Association says. "I think it's something that we don't always think about," said Phil Emberley, the association's director of practice advancement and research, and a pharmacist in Ottawa.
A team of researchers from the University of Illinois at Chicago and Columbia University in New York — including a pharmacist and and psychiatrist — looked at data gathered from more than 26,000 adults in a national health survey conducted from 2005-2006 and from 2013-2014.
The researchers catalogued what medications their subjects were taking at the time, as well as how many depressive symptoms they displayed (based on a self-reporting tool commonly used for diagnosing depression). They found about one-third of the people in the study were taking at least one medication for which depression is listed as a potential side-effect. Those drugs include some types of blood pressure medications, beta blockers, birth control pills, proton pump inhibitors, anticonvulsants, painkillers and corticosteroids. "People are taking a lot of drugs and a lot of these meds have depression as an adverse effect," Qato said. "One to two per cent risk of depression, perhaps, for most of these medications, but when they're taken together in a real-world setting, it really matters."
'It's something we don't always think about,' Canadian pharmacist says of U.S. study findings.
Nicole Ireland · CBC News · Posted: Jun 18, 2018 | Last Updated: June 19, 2018.
=======================================
Treatment with honey is referred to as apitherapy and includes:
- replenishing energy,
- enhancing physical stamina and
- strengthening those weakened by illness or stress.
- Honey can also help calm the mind and
- promote rejuvenating sleep.
- In addition, honey relieves indigestion and is used to treat cardiovascular complaints.
- Finally, a thin coat of honey can be applied to the skin to disinfect and heal minor skin wounds and chapped lips.
Therapeutic Effect: Honey helps restore energy, has a general calming effect and helps to dissolve mucus. Applied externally to the skin, it disinfects and heals minor wounds.
http://parkinsonsresource.org/news/articles/honey/
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
We neither see nor feel it: However, the Immune system is active round the clock, but covertly.
https://www.naturalelementsforlife.com.au/immune-system
Its task is to protect us from harmful germs (pathogens). Each day we are exposed to millions of bacteria, viruses, parasites and fungi, but also particles of dust, pollen and animal hair; still we are usually healthy. For that our body requires a sophisticated and complex safeguard mechanism: The Immune System.
The immune system is not limited to one organ or one location, but it scatters over many areas in the entire body. Bloodstream and lymphatic vessels crisscross the whole body and are the most important transport paths for immune cells and messengers. The lymph transports oxygen and nutrients to the tissues and also evacuates damaged or dead cells, pathogens and impurities.
From brain research we know: Our immune system is not isolated but closely interconnected with the hormone- and nervous system. Emotional and neurochemical conditions are associated with the performance of the immune system. Consequently, the immune system is influenced by thoughts, emotions and stress.
The Unique or Acquired Immune Defence
Features a great adaptability towards new or mutated pathogens. This characteristic is acquired in the course of a lifetime which results in the development of the so-called immunological brain. This allows our body to remember the first contact with germs and a quicker response to further infections.
The cells of the adaptive immune defence are therefore able to adjust to new or mutated pathogens. Thus, they succeed in recognising specific structures (antigens) of foreign substances (cell components, foreign matters, etc.) and activate specific defence mechanisms.
= - = - = - = - = - = - = - = - = - = - = - = - = - = - = - = - = - = - = - = - = - = - = - = -
The Unusual Symptoms of COVID-19
Scientists document a growing list of atypical coronavirus infection symptoms, giving doctors more insight into the emerging disease. Claire Jarvis May 7, 2020
In late April, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention updated its list of COVID-19 symptoms. The CDC initially listed fever, cough, and shortness of breath as the defining clinical aspects of COVID-19, but the agency now recognizes that repeated shaking with chills, muscle pain, headache, sore throat, and a loss of taste or smell may accompany an infection.
Multi-system inflammatory syndrome
Strokes and blood clots “COVID toes” Silent hypoxia Gastrointestinal issues Delirium
With the virus and clinical research moving at breakneck speed, researchers are observing more symptoms, with mounting evidence that the disease presents differently depending on the patient’s age. Many of these symptoms remain rare, and scientists don’t yet know if they are directly caused by the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus.
- 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0
Receptors for SARS-CoV-2 Present in Wide Variety of Human Cells:
https://www.the-scientist.com/news-opinion/receptors-for-sars-cov-2-present-in-wide-variety-of-human-cells-67496
Analyses from single-cell sequencing datasets support the idea that COVID-19 is not just a respiratory disease but an illness that can affect multiple organs.
Chris Baraniuk
Coronavirus (COVID-19) at a glance
This infographic provides a quick view of the current coronavirus (COVID-19) situation in Australia. Updated every afternoon based on the data we receive by 3.00pm from states and territories.
April 2022
The FDA just issued an emergency use authorization to a new coronavirus test that analyzes saliva instead of relying on a nasal swab wedged all the way into the back of the nose.
If the new test, developed at the Rutgers University Cell and DNA Repository (RUCDR) is deployed at scale, it could help make testing far more accessible. It would also make administering tests much safer for medical workers.
COVID-19 Vaccine Developers Gain Enhanced Access to Supercomputers
Federal agencies, academic institutions, and industrial partners are joining forces to combat COVID-19 using artificial intelligence.
Lisa Winter Mar 27, 2020
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
WHY ROLLING CORONAVIRUS PATIENTS ONTO THEIR STOMACHS IS SAVING LIVES
"WE'RE SAVING LIVES WITH THIS, ONE HUNDRED PERCENT."
BY VICTOR TANGERMANN / APRIL 14 2020
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
THE TRUE HEROES OF THIS PANDEMIC
Your anesthesiologist is the man or woman behind the drape, at the head of the bed, next to a machine with a bunch of buttons that no one but they understand. They’re skilled with procedures, have a cart full of drugs that they know inside and out, and monitor patient’s hemodynamics throughout the case. They resuscitate you when you are losing too much blood. They keep you breathing. They make sure your blood continues to circulate and perfuse your organs. They control your pain. They make sure you don’t remember any of the surgery. And most importantly, they make sure you wake up.
But right now, amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, they’re the people in my hospital who are running into possible or confirmed COVID-19 patient rooms to place a breathing tube to give patients a fighting chance. Despite this being the most aerosolizing of procedures, anesthesiologists and ICU doctors are gowning up and facing COVID-19 head-on. I can only speak for my own hospital, but they are being pulled left and right to make sure that patients receive appropriate and timely endotracheal intubations. And they’re not complaining about it. While none of us expected this virus to have this kind of impact on society, they’re still fearlessly waking up early in the morning, heading to work, and delivering admirable patient care.
https://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2020/04/why-you-should-remember-your-anesthesiologists-name.html
How do I talk to health professionals?
Talking to doctors, nurses and others can be daunting. The most important thing to know is that you have a right to talk to them. You have the right to tell health professionals what you think is important for the person you care for and to ask questions. It's OK. They don't Know everything... Like your loved one's reaction to the latest medication change; the worsening of their heart, bowel, lung, back pain... symptoms, and how you were up most of the last night calming, changing pads and the bedclothes, soothing to sleep... all the while juggling their low mood, tendency to isolate themselves, meals, medications, doctor appointments, exercise regimes... their Other health aliments... This is Exhausting!!!
· A GP (for general/referrals/other Health Services ) - go to the HealthShare.com.au
Make better health choices - Search for a health professional, specialty or health topic.
- Choose from 92,000 Australian health professionals FIND A PROFESSIONAL
- Search over 370+ health topics SEARCH HEALTH TOPICS
- Get free answers to your health questions ASK A QUESTION
Contact your GP doctor, mental health practitioner or midwife by phone, especially if you have cold or flu symptoms and explain your situation.
HONE NURSE LISTENING SKILLS FOR BETTER PATIENT EXPERIENCE
BY JENNIFER THEW RN | JUNE 28, 2019
https://www.healthleadersmedia.com/nursing/hone-nurse-listening-skills-better-patient-experience
- When patients feel nurses are listening to them, they self-report better care outcomes and a happier healthcare experience.
- Nonverbal and verbal behaviors influence patients' perceptions of whether nurses have listened to them.
- Patients who don't feel listened to report they are less likely to follow their care plan.
- Making a personal connection with a patient doesn't take much time, technology, or investment, but it can pay off big when it comes to improving patient outcomes and satisfaction.
Here are some tips:
- Talk to the person you care for about any questions or concerns that they may have about their health.
- https://vimeo.com/124597870
a 90 second online video showing what happens behind the scenes after your Pathology sample is taken - at the Doctor's, or in the hospital system. Pathology is the study of disease, or any condition that limits the quality, length, or enjoyment of life. From the time a new life is created to the time it ends pathology is involved. Pathology touches every facet of medicine and, therefore, society. - Write down a list of questions that you want to ask. Don’t be afraid to ask ‘stupid’ questions – these are often important.
- Write down a list of points you want to tell the health professional.
- Take notes of what they say.
- Ask for an explanation of anything that you don’t understand.
- Ask if there are any handouts, websites or other places you can get more information.
- If they can’t help with any specific issues, ask who you should contact for more help.
1 July 2021
http://www.pbs.gov.au/browse/changes
21 July 2021
- a wrap-up of medicines newly listed or changed on the PBS
and for those frequently asked Questions:- http://www.pbs.gov.au/info/general/faq
The PBS Safety Net protects patients and their families requiring a large number of PBS or RPBS items. For the purposes of the scheme, the family includes the person:
- the partner or de facto partner;
- children under the age of 16 who are in the care and control of the person; or
- dependent full-time students under the age of 25.
UpToDate information for Patients and Caregivers - type in your medical concern to learn more:
Access Free - Beyond the Basics
http://www.uptodate.com/home/uptodate-subscription-options-patients
Use the Resource Trusted by Clinicians and Healthcare Practitioners Worldwide - Learn more about a medical condition and explore treatment options using UpToDate, the same resource trusted by more than 1.1 million clinicians around the world. After you read the information in UpToDate, you will have the tools and the confidence to ask the right questions and have important conversations with your healthcare provider.
Access the FREE Beyond the Basics (English) patient content in UpToDate by simply typing a term or phrase in the search box. Look up your specific question — anything from a symptom you're concerned about to a condition or treatment you've been discussing with your healthcare provider.
Remember to print the information you find in UpToDate so you can discuss it with your healthcare provider.
---------------------------------------=
"I hope you realize, when you have mates, buddies and old friends, brothers and sisters, who you chat with, laugh with, talk with, have sing songs with, talk about north-south-east-west or heaven and earth, that is true happiness!"
Steve Jobs died a billionaire at age 56. This is his final essay.
Learn more about My Health Record
The My Health Record system operator (Australian Digital Health Agency) has a range of factsheets and guidance available to assist patients with managing their My Health Record including:
- What's in a My Health Record?
- How is a patient's record used in an emergency?
- Who can see a patient's My Health Record?
- What privacy and security access controls can be set?
- How secure is the My Health Record system?
The My Health Record system is underpinned by strong legislation and includes penalties for the unauthorised access, use and disclosure of patient health information. If you would like to provide feedback about Queensland Health’s handling of your My Health Record please contact your local Queensland Health facility.
For further information, including how patients can opt out of the My Health Record or cancel their My Health Record, contact the My Health Record system operator on 1800 723 471, or go to the My Health Record website.
The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare is proud to have been selected to manage and release My Health Record data for secondary purposes. The announcement reinforces our position as trusted, experienced managers of and leaders in data.
Using My Health Record for secondary purposes will open a range of possibilities to fill data gaps by allowing the health sector to better understand how Australia’s health system is used—as well as gaining valuable insights into the health outcomes for patients.
It is a significant new role for the AIHW, and we look forward to working closely with the Department of Health, the Australian Digital Health Agency and other stakeholders to build the evidence base and contribute to better health and wellbeing for all Australians, while upholding the strictest data quality and privacy standards.
For more information on the use of My Health Record data for secondary purposes: Framework to guide the secondary use of My Health Record system data.
15 November 2018
----------------------------------------
Prescription Drug Abuse Prevention
Prescription drug abuse prevention starts with you.
- Only take prescriptions medications as directed by your doctor.
- Never give your prescription medications to anyone else.
- Never take a medication that has been prescribed for someone else.
- Talk to children and teens about the dangers of abusing prescription drugs and safeguard medications in your home.
- Ask your pharmacy if they participate in take-back programs to safely dispose of unwanted and expired medications.
- Be aware too of the impact of those 'normal' medications - https://www.medicinenet.com/prescription_drug_abuse_pictures_slideshow/article.htm
You may also find it helpful to have a friend or family member come to appointments with you for comfort and support, or to remind you of anything you might have forgotten.
Remember, communication is a two-way process, so:-
- speak up about your thoughts and concerns.
- They know some of what you need to know, and
- you know some of what they need to know.
- It is better for the person you care for if everybody knows everything.
Pay more attention to depression as a side-effect of many medications, researchers say.
http://www.cbc.ca/news/health/second-opinion-depression-as-a-medication-side-effect-1.4710868
A new U.S. study serves as a "very important reminder" that depression is a possible side-effect of many common medications, especially when patients are taking more than one of them, the Canadian Pharmacists Association says. "I think it's something that we don't always think about," said Phil Emberley, the association's director of practice advancement and research, and a pharmacist in Ottawa.
A team of researchers from the University of Illinois at Chicago and Columbia University in New York — including a pharmacist and and psychiatrist — looked at data gathered from more than 26,000 adults in a national health survey conducted from 2005-2006 and from 2013-2014.
The researchers catalogued what medications their subjects were taking at the time, as well as how many depressive symptoms they displayed (based on a self-reporting tool commonly used for diagnosing depression). They found about one-third of the people in the study were taking at least one medication for which depression is listed as a potential side-effect. Those drugs include some types of blood pressure medications, beta blockers, birth control pills, proton pump inhibitors, anticonvulsants, painkillers and corticosteroids. "People are taking a lot of drugs and a lot of these meds have depression as an adverse effect," Qato said. "One to two per cent risk of depression, perhaps, for most of these medications, but when they're taken together in a real-world setting, it really matters."
'It's something we don't always think about,' Canadian pharmacist says of U.S. study findings.
Nicole Ireland · CBC News · Posted: Jun 18, 2018 | Last Updated: June 19, 2018.
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Carers Gateway: https://www.carergateway.gov.au/help-advice/working-health-services#a1
For more about the National Carer Gateway, click here.
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and a reminder to Doctor's :-)
A Doctor's step-by-step guide to acting humanely with patients, because, after all, the chaos of the hospital makes it so easy to forget:
- Treat the patient like a family member, with dignity and respect.
- Be gentle and honest.
- Don’t rush.
- Make them comfortable.
- Acknowledge their fear.
- Don’t sit behind a desk.
- Encourage them to ask questions.
- Grade yourself by how you feel when you leave the room. If you leave with a smile, give yourself an A.
Treating a patient like a family member, with dignity and respect, and acknowledging their fear, means that Your patient and their family feel acknowledged, listened to, and above all, Your Patient feels that they are getting the Best Treatment and Advice for their condition. This is beyond price...
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The impact of chronic disease
Chronic diseases are the leading cause of ill health, disability and death in Australia. The effects of chronic disease can be profound, both on an individual’s health and wellbeing, and on the health care system.
What is chronic disease?
The term ‘chronic disease’ refers to a broad group of conditions, illnesses and diseases.
- Chronic diseases are usually characterised by their long-lasting effects—once present, they often persist throughout a person’s life, and can lead to functional limitations and disability.
- Chronic diseases can range from mild conditions such as short- and long-sightedness, mild dental decay and minor hearing loss, to debilitating arthritis and low back pain, to life-threatening heart disease and cancers.
- Who suffers from chronic disease?
- Half of Australians are affected by at least one of eight selected chronic diseases:
- • arthritis
- • asthma
- • back pain and problems
- • cancer
- • cardiovascular disease
- • chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
- • diabetes
- • mental health conditions.
Modern health-care systems are mostly organised around single-system illnesses. However, many elderly people have multiorgan problems.
Frailty is a practical, unifying notion in the care of elderly patients that directs attention away from organ-specific diagnoses towards a more holistic viewpoint of the patient and their predicament.
Frailty is a state of increased vulnerability to poor resolution of homoeostasis after a stressor event, which increases the risk of adverse outcomes, including falls, delirium, and disability. Frailty is a long-established clinical expression that implies concern about an elderly person's vulnerability and outlook.
An apparently small insult (eg, a new drug, minor infection, or minor surgery) results in a striking and disproportionate change in health state—ie, from independent to dependent, mobile to immobile, postural stability to proneness to falling, or lucid to delirious.
The Edmonton Frail Scale is a multidimensional assessment instrument that includes the timed-up-and-go test and a test for cognitive impairment. The test is quick (it takes less than 5 min) and is valid, reliable, and feasible for routine use by non-geriatricians, but its diagnostic accuracy has not been investigated.
The five phenotype model indicators of frailty and their associated measures
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Weight loss
Self-reported weight loss of more than 4·5 kg or recorded weight loss of =/>5% per year
Self-reported exhaustion
Self-reported exhaustion on US Center for Epidemiological Studies depression scale (3–4 days per week or most of the time)
Low energy expenditure
Energy expenditure <383 kcal/week (men) or <270 kcal/week (women)
Slow gait speed
Standardised cutoff times to walk 4·57 m, stratified by sex and height
Weak grip strength
Grip strength, stratified by sex and body-mass index
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For that extra peace of mind -
Brochures from the Public Trustee in Qld to help explain Enduring Power of Attorney for Financial, Personal and Health Matters...
Download the appropriate Brochures from this site:
https://www.flipsnack.com/publictrusteeqld/lets-talk-about-enduring-powers-of-attorney.html
- Let's Talk About Elder Abuse
- A Guide for Financial Management Clients
- A Guide for Beneficiaries
- Let's Talk About Bereavement
- Let's Talk About Intestacy
- Let's Talk About Enduring Powers of Attorney
- Let's Talk About Executor Services
- Let's Talk About Wills
To find out more:
http://www.pt.qld.gov.au/enduring-powers-of-attorney/about-enduring-powers-of-attorney/
CALL US: 1300 360 044
or Make An Enquiry: [email protected]
21 July 2021