Category: SCIENCE/MEDICAL NEWS

A Glimpse From The First Cannabis Café in America

(Gloucestercitynews.net)(Nov. 28, 2019)–Cannabis has been recognized for both its benefits and contributions to one’s society. With this, the usage of marijuana has extended into different sectors and services. Alongside this growth and development, the first-ever Cannabis Café in America has become available for service and open to the public.

A weed café, similar to other cafeterias and shops, is a place that offers food and various marijuana products to consume. A guest can afford to order any food from their menu with several marijuana offerings. Upon the establishment of the first weed café, the importance and dominance of cannabis can’t be neglected. Other people choose to visit such a place to obtain

the advantages of taking CBD oil

and marijuana.

Here’s What To Expect From The Lowell Café

Lowell Farms is the first legal business that has a complete cannabis-consumption license. This place allows its customers to smoke weeds while enjoying its ambiance and served food. At the same time, the said restaurant is also believed to create history. It was able to successfully surpassed government negotiation and processes for more than three years before its operation.

This café has also been recognized for its trendy and aesthetic ambiance. Its design is based on the Californian inspiration. With this, it has brick walls, thick ferns, olive trees, and neon signage. The only thing that differs in this shop is its huge air purifiers that help maintain the environment despite the smoking of its customers. Thus,

marijuana

users can continuously consume the plant while enjoying the services and products offered in this restaurant. To explain further, here is a list of things to love from the Lowell Café:

Unique and One-of-a-kind

The legality of marijuana allowed people to consume the plant in the comforts of their home. However, similar to other foods and drinks you consume, several people would also want to try cannabis outside their home. Other people might want to try the plant served and made by professionals. At the same time, customers might also be limited in their homes and can’t use cannabis at home. It may be caused by having children or elderly in the house. Lastly, tourists may seek to visit the country to try cannabis legally. For whatever reason, the establishment of the first café had made a landmark for both long-term and first-time users of marijuana.

Welcoming and Safe

In

an article

posted by CNN, the Lowell Café is created to have an open place for anyone to enjoy cannabis. Thus, the owners seek to offer a welcoming destination for everyone. With this, it can be your go-to place even if it is your first time to try cannabis. At the same time, the café also seeks to provide a safe environment for its customers. Having a legal world of cannabis, this café has proven the success of creating a community that believes in the wonders of the plant.

Well-Served Food and Drinks

This café is more than just the availability of different variants, tools, and flavor of cannabis that you can enjoy. Instead, it also provides its customers with quality food and drinks for everyone to enjoy. By having such, it has proven that it is indeed a café with delicious food to consume and fill one’s tummy.

Powerful Vents

One of the common fear of its potential customers is the threat of smoke due to the vaping and burning of marijuana. There are industrial-sized vents around the restaurant to extinguish the odor of the plant and cigarette that solves this issue. Thus, customers are guaranteed to have clean scenery and ambiance instead of plumes of smoke. At the same time, the café also ensured that the odor and smoke would not get in contact with its neighbors.

The Bottom Line

The significant development established by America’s first weed café paved the way to the changes in view and acceptance to Cannabis users. Despite being limited by state policies, it is considered as a stepping stone towards the acceptance of people regarding marijuana use. At the same time, the creation of the Lowell Farms made a safe and fun place for users to establish its community and for users to interact. With this, it had made history changed negative perspective taken against marijuana.

image courtesy of unsplash.com

4 Amazing Technologies Improving Our Health Every Day

(Gloucestercitynews.net)(Nov. 28,2019)–

We’ve come a long way from leeches. The high-tech boom of the Information and Innovation Ages has melded with the healthy-living craze. Cutting-edge technologies help us live longer, happier, and healthier lives.

Here are four amazing technologies for improving our health every day …

1. Software as a Medical Device

We get it—you already had to learn what SaaS means, but now you have to learn SaMD? Nevertheless, according to

Orthogonal

, “SaMD is proving to be a major disruptive force in the way healthcare professionals do their work, in areas such as bioinformatics, drug discovery, genomics, point-of-care diagnostics, robotics, and therapeutics.”

SaMD basically uses software to perform one or several basic medical functions. Examples include:

Artificially-intelligent software that examines MRI scans for signs of cardiovascular disease.

Software that recommends insulin dosage for a diabetic patient based on inputs from a patient’s cloud-based food log.

Software that determines the correct dosage of the medication for an individual, based on that individual’s cloud-based medical records.

Software that identifies signs of respiratory conditions based on breathing patterns recorded by the microphone.

Software that tracks the risk factors contributing to epileptic seizures.

SaMD should be distinguished from SiMD (software

in

a medical device) which includes programs that automate surgical robots or the magnets inside an MRI machine.

Instead of performing these mechanical functions, SaMD apps work in tandem with cloud-based data and wearable devices to provide medical professionals with a wealth of actionable data they couldn’t possibly get from a brief clinic visit (or the clipboard you fill out before the visit).

2. Wearable Health-Tracking Devices

There’s no need to guess when the doctor asks you whether you lead an active or sedentary life. Why guess when a

cheap pedometer

will tell you exactly how many steps you have taken over the course of a week? A month? A year?

In a way, wearable tech started with the wristwatch or pocket watch and took a long leap forward with the cell phone and then the smartphone. Technologies like the Apple Watch have made a clunky transition into the mainstream, but FitBits made a huge splash. HuffPo estimated that by 2018, 130 million wearable devices would have been delivered to consumers.

According to Business Insider Intelligence, a whopping 80%+ of consumers express a willingness to wear fitness technology.

It’s not just about tracking steps, though. Wearable electrocardiogram (ECG) monitors stand to make a huge difference for patients living with heart conditions. A wearable ECG monitor can transmit data directly to your doctor, as well as your atrial fibrillation and details like your elevation, distance, and pace.

This year, Omron Healthcare debuted the first wearable blood pressure monitor to track daily blood pressure readings for patients at risk of hypertension, correlating it with geographical, environmental, and physical exertion data.

Phillips also released a wearable biosensor patch, like those given to astronauts, which shows the promise of an almost 89% reduction in preventable respiratory or cardiac arrest. What a time to be alive … and, presumably, stay alive.

3. Blockchain

No, we don’t mean we will pay all our medical bills with Bitcoin.

Blockchain technology usually makes the news for its role in the cryptocurrency craze. But while crypto is built on blockchain,

blockchain is not crypto.

The reality is far less sexy … and far more revolutionary.

“Blockchain” refers to a process where “blocks” of data exist on a “chain,” a digital, decentralized, and public ledger that exists simultaneously on thousands of individual computers.

As a result, blockchains are

easy to audit and almost impossible to hack or falsify.

This is why people trust it with systems of currency.

Where else do you need transparency, security, and integrity of data. All over the medical profession, of course. According to

Healthcare Weekly

, “Digital blockchains stand to revolutionize how the medical industry creates drugs, runs clinical trials, gathers medical records, and renders care.” In other words, pretty much the whole shebang.

How does blockchain do this? In many ways:

Warehousing of Pharmaceutical Data.

Blockchain and AI technology could standardize and maintain the integrity of the data that pharma companies use to create drugs.

Fighting Counterfeit Pharmaceuticals.

Pharma companies could reduce the $200+ billion in losses they suffer from counterfeit drugs by shoring up the supply chain with unhackable, unimpeachable blockchain records.

Siloing Clinical Trial Data.

No technology shows more promise than blockchain to create unalterable, auditable, secure databases of clinical trial data, which can be browsed by AI for relevant patterns. Blockchain could also bring data integrity to the identification of viable trial subjects.

Managing Patient Consent.

Blockchain’s biggest contribution to the business community may be “smart contracts”—e-signature records beyond reproach. This could apply to patient consent, as well as other hospital contracts.

Patient Intake.

Hey, what if you

didn’t

have to fill out a clipboard in every hospital waiting room and then wait for that data to be input before the doctor sees you? Blockchain offers a secure solution for patient intake

before

you arrive at the doctor’s office.

Verifying Physician Credentials.

Fraudulent physicians and unlicensed quacks are a real liability for hospitals. A transparent, easily-audited blockchain database could replace “scout’s honor” or burdensome research to verify a provider’s qualifications.

The global healthcare marketplace is expected to spend $5.61 billion on blockchain technology by the year 2025 …

and save $100-$150 billion as a result.

Online medical records facilitated by blockchain could work together with wearable devices and SaMD to completely change how patients track their health and how medical professionals deliver care.

4. Genomics

The mapping of the first human genome in 2003 was a medical milestone. The next frontier is the mapping of

your

own genome. Yes, each person’s unique genome, which contains its own inalterable “blockchain” of data about that person’s physiology.

Genomics stands to take personalized medical treatment to the next level. Doctors can take a much less scattershot approach to treatment, therapy, and medication, instead of tailoring a treatment plan to the data found in the patient’s genome. It really is the application of a data-driven age to the very cells of our body and the DNA inside of them.

Genomics stands to:

Reduce our intake of inefficient medications.

Reduce the application of unnecessary surgeries.

Revolutionize the treatment of cancer.

Provide treatment options for genetic disorders like Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, Angleman’s Syndrome, and many more.

Increase in Calls to U.S. Poison Control Centers for Natural Psychoactive Substances, Driven by Marijuana Exposures

Newswise — (COLUMBUS, Ohio)

– Natural substances with psychoactive effects have been used by people for religious, medicinal and recreational purposes for millennia. Lack of regulation has led to an increase in their availability, especially online. Some psychoactive substances may be appealing to recreational users because of the

Gloucestercitynews.net blog files

perception they are safer because they’re “natural.” However, these substances can produce psychedelic, stimulant, sedative, euphoric and anticholinergic symptoms, which are cause for concern.

A new study conducted by the

Center for Injury Research and Policy

and the

Central Ohio Poison Center

at Nationwide Children’s Hospital found there were more than 67,300 calls to U.S. Poison Control Centers regarding exposures to natural psychoactive substances. The study looked at calls from January 2000 through December 2017, which totaled an average of 3,743 exposures each year, or approximately 10 calls every day.

“These substances have been associated with a variety of serious medical outcomes including seizures and coma in adults and children,” said

Henry Spiller, MS, D.ABAT

, co-author of this study and director of the Central Ohio Poison Center at Nationwide Children’s. The increasing rate of exposures to marijuana accounted for almost half of all natural psychoactive substance exposures and can be attributed, in part, to the increasing number of states that have legalized marijuana for medical or recreational use. “As more states continue to legalize marijuana in various forms, parents and health care providers should treat it like any other medication: locked up, away, and out of sight of children,” said Spiller. “With edibles and infused products especially, curious children are mistaking them for kid-friendly candy or food, and that poses a very real risk for harm.”

The study, published online today in the journal

Clinical Toxicology,

found that most exposures occurred among individuals older than 19 years of age (41%) and 13-19-year-olds (35%). The majority (64%) of cases occurred among males, and 91% occurred at a residence. The substances most commonly involved were marijuana (47%), anticholinergic plants such as jimson weed (21%), and hallucinogenic mushrooms (16%). Kratom, khat, anticholinergic plants, and hallucinogenic mushrooms were the substances with the highest percentages of hospital admission and serious medical outcomes.

Despite an increase in the overall rate of exposure to natural psychoactive substances, most substances showed a significant decrease in exposure rate from 2000-2017, except for marijuana (150% increase), nutmeg (64% increase), and kratom. Kratom demonstrated a nearly 5,000% increase from 2011-2017 and accounted for eight of the 42 deaths identified in this study. These findings support the need for increased efforts to prevent kratom-associated morbidity and mortality.

Of the 42 deaths identified in this study, seven were among children. Five of the deaths were to 13-19-year-olds and involved anticholinergic plants, hallucinogenic mushrooms, kava kava and marijuana. Both deaths among children 12 years and younger involved marijuana. Similar to previous studies, almost all cases among children younger than 6 years old were primarily exposures associated with exploratory behaviors. Children in this age group are mobile, curious and generally unaware of the potential danger of poisoning. Children younger than 6 years accounted for one-fifth of natural psychoactive substance cases, of which, the majority involved anticholinergic plants and marijuana.

Data for this study were obtained from the National Poison Data System, which is maintained by the American Association of Poison Control Centers (AAPCC). The AAPCC receives data about calls to poison control centers that serve the U.S. and its territories. Poison control centers receive phone calls through the Poison Help Line and document information about the product, route of exposure, individual exposed, exposure scenario, and other data.

The Central Ohio Poison Center

provides state-of-the-art poison prevention, assessment and treatment to residents in 64 of Ohio’s 88 counties. The center services are available to the public, medical professionals, industry, and human service agencies. The Poison Center handles more than 42,000 poison exposure calls annually, and confidential, free emergency poisoning treatment advice is available 24/7. To learn more about the Poison Center, visit

www.bepoisonsmart.org

.

The Center for Injury Research and Policy (CIRP) of The Abigail Wexner Research Institute at Nationwide Children’s Hospital

works globally to reduce injury-related pediatric death and disabilities. With innovative research at its core, CIRP works to continually improve the scientific understanding of the epidemiology, biomechanics, prevention, acute treatment, and rehabilitation of injuries. CIRP serves as a pioneer by translating cutting edge injury research into education, policy, and advances in clinical care. For related injury prevention materials or to learn more about CIRP, visit

www.injurycenter.org

.

Samaritan Healthcare & Hospice Hosted Special Educational Conference

on Moral Injury and Veteran-Centric Care with Local Experts

Marlton, NJ

–

Samaritan Healthcare & Hospice

, in collaboration with New Jersey Department of Military & Veterans Affairs, HeroCare Connect and the New Jersey Hospital Association (NJHA), recently hosted the

Moral Injury and Veteran-Centric Care Conference

at The Samaritan Center in Voorhees.

VetConference– Samaritan Healthcare & Hospice, in collaboration with New Jersey Department of Military & Veterans Affairs, HeroCare Connect and the New Jersey Hospital Association (NJHA), recently hosted the Moral Injury and Veteran-Centric Care Conference at The Samaritan Center in Voorhees. Pictured here, from left: Mary Ann Boccolini, President and CEO, Samaritan Healthcare & Hospice; Reverend Chris J. Antal, Staff Chaplain, Michael J. Crescenz VA Medical Center in Philadelphia and Keynote Speaker of the conference; and Kim Rumaker, Manager of Social Work, Spiritual Support & Center of Grief Support, Samaritan Healthcare & Hospice.

“The purpose of this conference was to bring together local experts in order to educate and, ultimately, improve quality care for our veterans across the healthcare continuum,” explained Mary Ann Boccolini, president and CEO of Samaritan Healthcare & Hospice. “Samaritan is proud to host a conference highlighting the unique needs of those who have served our country. By openly discussing topics such as moral injury and PTSD, we are breaking down barriers and raising awareness of how we can best serve our growing veteran population.”

The keynote address was delivered by Reverend Chris J. Antal, staff chaplain at the Michael J. Crescenz VA Medical Center in Philadelphia where he co-leads a group for veterans experiencing moral injury. Accompanied by fellow veterans who shared their own personal experiences, Reverend Antal, who served in the Army Chaplain Corps from 2008-2016 and is a veteran of the United States’ war in Afghanistan, presented the concept of moral injury and then led conference attendees through a series of exercises to bring the concept to life.

The conference also included presentations from local experts on a variety of topics pertaining to veteran-centric care:

The Importance of Veteran-Centric Care

Presented by Dr. Stephen Goldfine, Chief Medical Director of Samaritan Healthcare & Hospice

The Evolution of Caring for Our Military – A Case Study

Presented by Christine Carlson-Glazer, MPH, Government and Community Relations Liaison of Deborah Heart and Lung Center and HeroCare Connect™ and Louis Bezich, MPP, Senior Vice President, Strategic Alliances of Cooper University Hospital and HeroCare Connect™

Navigating Moral Injury – Stats and Stories

Presented by Dr. Mary Ditri, Vice President of Community Health of the New Jersey Hospital Association and Dr. Michael Mimms, Veteran Mental Health Care Navigator of the New Jersey Hospital Association

Connecting Veterans to Services in NJ

Presented by Christopher Wambach, State Supervisor of Veteran Service Offices of the New Jersey Department of Military and Veteran Affairs

Samaritan Healthcare & Hospice is a four-star provider of the

We Honor Veterans

and

Hospice Veterans Partnership (HVP) of New Jersey

.

We Honor Veterans

is a joint program of the Veterans Administration and the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization that focuses on respectful inquiry, compassionate listening and grateful recognition for those who served our country.

HVP of New Jersey

, an affiliate of the Homecare & Hospice Association of New Jersey, establishes a network of hospice and VA professionals in efforts to provide outstanding end-of-life care for New Jersey’s veterans and their families.

To learn more about the services Samaritan provides to members of the veteran community, visit

www.SamaritanNJ.org/hospice-care/veteran-hospice/

.

How Long Do Resin Beads in a Water Softener Last?

(Gloucestercitynews.net)(Nov. 26, 2019)–Whether you have just purchased a water softener or still using the one you bought on your last shopping, one of your many worries include when to replace the resin bed. This leads to asking – how long do resin beads in

industrial water softeners

last?

Also, you inquire further about the kind of maintenance it requires, how they work, and which of these resin beads the best is for you. In this post, we\’ll provide answers to these questions and help you get the most out of your resin beads.

What is a Water Softener Resin

Water softener resin

is a media to remove the hardness of your water. This media uses an ion exchange process to eliminate the high amount of heavy metals and other minerals, causing hardness of water, leaving the water in your plumbing network soft.

While the water conditioner does not remove the hardness in water, the resin descales it. For salt-based models, the resin bed plays an integral part in making your water soft. In most commercial and residential houses, water treatment includes the water softening resin to get rid of minerals, causing hardness.

How the Resin Works

The resin bed of a water softener is a collection of thousands of resin beads located in the unit\’s tank. When you turn on the tap, water flows into the water softener and passes through the resin bed, where it comes in contact with the plethora of resin beads in the tank. During the process, the resin beads trap calcium, magnesium, and other minerals, allowing only soft water to flow out in your kitchen outlet.

Type of Resin

In the market today, there are two main types of water softeners, which includes:

Fine mesh resin

Standard ion exchange resin.

It\’s vital that you know more about each model before heading to your local store to purchase just any water softening resin that comes your way. However, you should choose the one that best suits your needs.

Fine Mesh Resin

This type of resin is excellent for removing high concentrations of iron. It comes with small-sized resin beads that are capable of removing as high as ten parts in a million dissolved iron.

That\’s not all: it helps make your drinking water taste better since this resin is sometimes blended with activated carbon. Besides, this type features small-sized resin beads; you must place a flow basket on the upper part to help avoid resin migration when it\’s regenerating.

Standard Ion Exchange Resin

This is the most popular water softener type on the market. Unlike fine mesh resin, the standard ion exchange resin is only capable of removing up to 5 parts per million of dissolved iron. When it comes to water purification, this model does it better.

Further, standard ion exchange resin uses sodium chloride or potassium chloride to regenerate the resin.

Crosslink Percentage

Crosslink is a crucial factor to consider when trying to pin down the best water softening resin. Crosslink is a measure of the amount of divinylbenzene (DVB), which a resin bed contains. Products featuring higher crosslink percentage, often come with a hefty price tag.

However, it doesn\’t mean resin with a higher crosslink percentage is the best choice for every homeowner.

To begin with, there are two variations of crosslink percentage – 8 and 10 percent. Let\’s take a look at each variation and why you should consider it.

8% Crosslink

The 8% crosslink is the most used

water softening resin percentage

. It\’s suitable for removing dissolved iron up to 3 – 5 parts per million while softening your water wholly. This resin should serve you for about 10 -15 years, which is based on your water quality. You can expect maximum effectiveness from this unit when used with non-chlorinated water.

10% Crosslink

When it comes to softening hard water, 10% crosslink packs a lot of strength. This type is recommended for people dealing with chlorinated iron-free water. Higher crosslink helps handle the high amount of chlorine in your water. Besides, it permits a huge capacity for water.

Sadly, owning a high crosslink resin can be way over your budget and often leads to a significant drop in water pressure.

Which is best

Still not sure which resin suits your needs? Let\’s help you make an informed decision.

For homeowners with water offering 5 P.P.M of chlorine, then you should lean more to resin with 8% crosslink. This option is also suitable for people looking to treat their city water.

But if you have got water featuring higher than 5 P.P.M of chlorine, which means you need a strong resin to handle oxidation. Fine mesh or 10% crosslink resin is an ideal choice. Also, for people with well water, you can make sure of any of the resins to remove hardness.

How long do they last

Needless to say, water softener resin requires replacement after a while. Most brands out there boast of a lifetime within 10 – 15 years. But, in the end, it boils down to the

quality of your water

and the number of times it regenerates.

In addition, keep in mind that the concentration of iron in your water and organic coating of your resin determines how long resin beads last. To simply say, a high amount of chlorine or iron can kill the resin bed faster.

MD Anderson at Cooper Leading the Way in Pancreatic Cancer in SJ

CAMDEN CITY, NJ (Nov. 21, 2019)–Pancreatic cancer is the 4th leading cause of

cancer death in the United States and the second most common gastrointestinal cancer in the U.S.

There are two types of pancreas cancer:

pancreatic adenocarcinoma

, which makes up more than 95% of all pancreatic cancers, and the rarer

pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor

. The symptoms and treatments for neuroendocrine tumors are different than those of pancreatic adenocarcinomas. For this article we will focus on pancreatic adenocarcinoma.

photo Jamin C Morrison, MD

“There are several reasons mortality rates related to pancreatic cancer are so high,” says

Jamin Morrison, MD

, medical oncologist at MD Anderson Cancer Center at Cooper.

“Pancreatic cancer is an aggressive cancer and it generally spreads silently, without symptoms,” says Morrison. “About 80% of pancreatic cancers are diagnosed after the cancer has spread to other organs, which makes them hard to treat.”

“The pancreas is set deep inside the body, behind several other organs, making it difficult to feel or see without special equipment,” he explains.

“Also, there are no screening tests for pancreatic cancer for those at average risk,” Dr. Morrison continues. “Screening is generally limited to people at high risk, such as those with certain inherited

Your pancreas is about 6 inches long and lies horizontally behind the lower part of your stomach back toward the spine. The pancreas is an essential organ in the digestive process. It produces enzymes that aid in digestion and it makes insulin and other hormones that help the body manage sugar.

gene mutations.”

Advanced Treatment Options

Treatment for pancreatic cancer may include surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, interventional radiology procedures, or a combination of these options. “Coordinated, multidisciplinary care like we have at MD Anderson at Cooper is crucial to good outcomes,” says Dr. Morrison.

“Today we are able to offer some exciting new chemotherapy regimens that are more effective in treating pancreatic cancer than ever before,” says Dr. Morrison. “There have been great advances in our understanding of how pancreatic cancers behave, and the more we know about the cancer the more effective treatment can be.

“We often treat patients with an aggressive chemotherapy regimen before surgery to shrink the tumor and make the surgery more effective,” he explains.  “And we have a new clinical trial underway where we are delivering chemotherapy directly into the tumor.”

photo Francis R Spitz, MD, FACS

When pancreatic cancer is confined to the pancreas, and sometimes when it has spread only to nearby lymph nodes, the tumor can be removed with surgery. “Complete removal of the tumor with surgery is often the best chance at curing pancreatic cancer,” says

Frank Spitz, MD, FACS

, Director of the Pancreatic Cancer Program and Deputy Director of MD Anderson at Cooper.

“Research shows that patients who have their surgery at high volume centers like MD Anderson at Cooper have fewer complications and lower mortality,” says Dr. Spitz. “Our team performs the most pancreatic cancer surgeries in South Jersey. The experience of our surgeons and team makes a difference.”

The most common technique used to remove a pancreatic tumor is known as the

Whipple procedure

. This complex operation is performed when the cancer is located in the pancreatic head. The surgery involves removal of parts of the pancreas, intestine, nearby lymph nodes, gallbladder, bile duct, and sometimes parts of the stomach. Often, we can offer minimally invasive surgery for tumors located in the body and tail of the pancreas – which means smaller incisions, shorter hospital stays, less pain, and a faster return to normal activities.

Advanced radiation therapy technologies are also being used to treat pancreatic cancer at MD Anderson at Cooper.

David J Mulvihill, MD

“Patients with pancreatic cancer can receive radiation treatments before or after surgery; either to shrink the tumor pre-operatively or destroy any remaining cancer cells after surgery. Radiation therapy can also be used to destroy the tumor if surgery is not an option or to ease symptoms,” says

David Mulvihill, MD

, radiation oncologist at MD Anderson at Cooper.

In spring 2020, MD Anderson at Cooper will be one of the first centers in the U.S. to offer a ground-breaking new radiation treatment to patients with pancreatic and other cancers – the MR Linac.

“We’re very excited about this technology,” says Mulvihill. “It allows for greater precision during treatment, especially with tumors that move during breathing and/or the body’s natural internal movements.”

“Pancreatic cancer continues to be a challenge for cancer experts, but the team at MD Anderson at Cooper is committed to improving the odds for patients and is leading the way in pancreatic cancer care in South Jersey,” says Dr. Spitz.

For more information about the

Pancreatic Cancer Program at MD Anderson at Cooper

or if you’d like to make an appointment with one of our specialists call 855.MDA.COOPER (855.632.2667).

Pennsylvania Senate Votes to Ban Abortions in Down Syndrome Cases

By Steve Bittenbender |

The Center Square

HARRISBURG, PA–The Pennsylvania Senate on Wednesday voted, 27-22, to advance legislation that would ban abortions in cases where a fetus has been diagnosed with Down syndrome in spite of a promised veto from Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf.

Caused by the presence of an extra chromosome, Down syndrome causes intellectual disabilities and delayed physical development. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, roughly 6,000 babies are born with some type of the condition each year.

“It just seems to me that the genesis of the bill is just about a fundamental right to be born,” said state Sen. Judy Ward, R-Hollidaysburg, when the legislation, House Bill 321, was considered Monday by the Senate Health and Human Services Committee. “And that’s what I see as just a fundamental right.”

Pennsylvania state Sen. Judy Ward speaks Sept. 11, 2019, during a hearing of the Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee. Image courtesy of the Pennsylvania Senate

While Republicans wholeheartedly supported the measure, Democrats, such as state Sen. Judy Schwank, D-Reading, opposed the bill as an attempt to restrict women’s rights.

“I don’t think legislators, government period, has a role to play in the relationship between a mother and a doctor and her family or whoever else she wishes to consult with,” Schwank told state Rep. Kate Klunk, R-Hanover, the bill’s sponsor, during Monday’s hearing. “I just find this really troubling.”

Klunk added that her bill does grant exceptions for pregnancies created through acts of rape or incest and for instances when the pregnancy puts a mother’s health at risk.

The bill faces opposition from reproductive rights groups, such as Planned Parenthood. Another group, the Women’s Law Project, said in a tweet that the bill targets families dealing with complicated pregnancies and deprives people of their constitutional rights.

“The bill’s supporters pretend it is designed to protect people with disabilities, but in reality it merely seeks to force doctors to police patients’ reasons for exercising their constitutional right to abortion if such a decision is considered in the wake of a prenatal diagnosis,” the Women’s Law Project said Monday in a statement on its website. “It is simply more political interference into the exam room.”

Anti-abortion advocates hailed the bill, saying women are often urged to terminate such pregnancies.

“[The legislation] sends a compassionate message to Pennsylvania communities that no human being should be targeted for death by abortion because of a disability,” Michael Geer, president of the Pennsylvania Family Institute, said in a statement.

Wolf spokesman J.J. Abbott reiterated the governor\’s veto promise shortly after the vote Wednesday evening, noting that Wolf \”has said repeatedly, he will veto any bill, including House Bill 321, that seeks to limit health care choices for women and politicize difficult moments for vulnerable families.\”

posted here with permission

|

The Center Square

Jefferson Health in New Jersey Receives MAAPE Proficiency Award

CHERRY HILL, NJ (Nov. 22, 2019)–Jefferson Health in New Jersey (JHNJ) recently received a Proficiency Award from the nonprofit Mid-Atlantic Alliance for Performance Excellence (MAAPE). The award is the next tier in JHNJ’s journey to achieve Baldrige Performance Excellence, after receiving MAAPE’s Commitment Award in 2017.

JHNJ began its Baldrige journey in 2017 — under the leadership of Dr. David Condoluci, Senior Vice President and Chief Patient Safety & Quality Officer; Kathleen Victor, Corporate Director for Performance Improvement; and Abbey Driendl, Performance Excellence Specialist — by using the

Baldridge Health Care Excellence Framework

. Many organizations use the framework to reach their goals, improve and sustain results, and become more competitive.

“I am pleased we have been awarded the next tier level in the Baldrige Journey,” said Joseph W. Devine, FACHE, President, New Jersey Division. “This is a monumental achievement for our program, after just two years on the journey. The award acknowledges our commitment to excellence, and our drive to establish and execute processes for continuous improvement.”

The MAAPE is a Baldrige-based awards program serving Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware. MAAPE helps organizations improve their performance and outcomes; it uses the leading-edge Baldrige Criteria for Performance Excellence as the basis for its process and for giving feedback to applicants. The result of this feedback supports JHNJ’s performance advancement and achieving increasing levels of excellence through MAAPE and, eventually, at the national level through the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST).

The Baldrige Framework helps JHNJ accelerate its performance in 17 Health Care Criteria in leadership, strategy, customers, measurement, analysis and knowledge management, workforce, operations, and results. Dr. Condoluci, who last spring completed the nationally recognized

Baldrige Executive Fellowship Program

, says, “We are excited to see this framework shape our organization to be a high-performing healthcare system dedicated to improving lives by putting people first, doing the right thing, and being bold and thinking differently.”

Devine will accept the award at MAAPE’s annual Awards Banquet & Conference, in Malvern, PA, on Nov. 13. Among the six other award recipients will be Abington – Jefferson Health, who will receive MAAPE’s Excellence Award, the highest level of recognition. For more, visit

www.midatlanticape.org

.

Jefferson Health New Jersey Using MyChart for Patient Medical Records

On September 28, Jefferson Health in New Jersey transitioned to a new patient portal called MyChart. The innovative, user-friendly platform will enhance the safety and security of the organization of medical records, as well as offer unique benefits to

patients.

MyChart allows patients to access real-time results, right at their fingertips, explains Brenda Gorman, oncology assistant at the Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center – Washington Township.

“It’s one chart – everywhere you go,” said Gorman. “That’s what we are so excited about! All of the patient’s information will be comprehensive, in one spot, to help us provide the best possible care.”

If you’re a Jefferson Health patient using MyChart through a secure, internet connection, you can:

Schedule medical appointments during or after office hours.

Swap your appointment for an earlier one.

Message your provider directly (*note: not meant for urgent matters).

Schedule video visits with Jefferson Health doctors.

View test results electronically – no more waiting for a phone call or letter in the mail.

Request prescription refills at Jefferson pharmacies.

View your health information while you\’re in the hospital, with

MyChart Bedside

, a 24/7 tool that provides you with safe and secure access to your medical record, treatment plan, test results and more.

If you or a loved one requires additional assistance in managing and navigating medical care, you can also

assign a Proxy

through MyChart. If you are a parent, legal guardian or other designated adult, you might be eligible to become a designated proxy.

Gorman and all other clinical employees at Jefferson Health in New Jersey have received extensive training in MyChart and Epic (the new internal electronic medical record system).

“It’s our priority to have complete accuracy in each patient’s chart,” continued Gorman. “In addition, no one can access patient records without a proper, credential login, and we can see everyone who views a chart. We want these records to be as safe as our patients.”

With this transition, you’ll be able to manage your healthcare information like never before. You can sign-up for MyChart at your next Jefferson Health visit.

To learn more about MyChart, including how to login, schedule an appointment, pay your bill online, and more, click

HERE

.

Check out Jefferson Health in New Jersey\’s journey to implementing Epic and MyChart by watching the video below!

NJ Department of Health Awards $2.3 Million To Local Health Agencies

To Strengthen Communicable Disease Response

The New Jersey Department of Health today announced $2.3 million in funding to local health departments to detect and respond to communicable disease outbreaks.

Department of Health Acting Commissioner Judith Persichilli announced the grants during the annual “State of Health” Address to county and local health officials at the League of Municipalities Conference in Atlantic City.

The funding, included in the budget Governor Phil Murphy proposed, includes nearly $2 million in grants of $95,000 each to 21 local health departments. Letters announcing the grants were sent to local health departments earlier this month. In addition, $350,000 in state funds will be made available to 73 local health departments through training scholarships. Each of the 73 local health departments will receive $3,000. The funding will be distributed to by the New Jersey Association for County and City Health Officials.

“When there is an outbreak of a communicable disease like measles or Hepatitis A, local health departments provide the front-line public health response. They notify residents who have been potentially exposed, set up vaccination clinics, and respond to local public health concerns,” said Acting Commissioner Persichilli. “These grants will help our local health agencies better prepare for and respond to outbreaks in their communities.”

Twelve county health departments received grants: Camden, Bergen, Burlington, Cumberland, Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex, Monmouth, Ocean, Passaic, Somerset and Sussex. Three regional health commissions received grants in Essex, Hudson and Monmouth. Six towns also received funding: Trenton, Montgomery, Paterson, Jersey City, North Bergen, and Westfield.