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Friday, 20 September 2013
Public Health Update 09/19/13
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Wednesday, 18 September 2013
Alert: 5 cases of H.Flu invasive disease in Minnesota
The CDC reported this week that five cases of H. flu invasive disease have appeared in children in Minnesota. There have been no reports of similar disease in Massachusetts thus far.
One of the five children reported to the Minnesota Department of Health with invasive Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) disease died. Only one of the children had completed the primary Hib immunization series; three had received no doses of Hib-containing vaccine, according to the CDC. “The five Hib cases are the largest number among children aged <5 years reported from Minnesota since 1992. The cases occurred during a Hib vaccine recall and continuing nationwide shortage that began in December 2007," said the CDC.
An American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) alert on the same date reminds pediatricians and family practitioners that it is “critically important” for all infants to complete the primary three dose series of a Hib-containing vaccine on schedule.
“Given the vaccine shortage, prolonged booster deferral, and reduced compliance with the primary series coverage, the increase in the number of Hib cases in Minnesota likely reflects a weakening of herd immunity — that is, the percentage of immunized children in the population has dropped below a certain critical level,” said the AAP.
The AAP said, “The recent cases of Hib invasive disease serve as a reminder that serious vaccine-preventable diseases do occur if infants and children are not vaccinated. Physicians also should remember to review immunization status when evaluating a child with fever since evaluation of unimmunized children with fever and/or lethargy may differ.”
Prior to widespread Hib vaccination, H. Influenzae b was a frequent cause of bacterial meningitis and epiglottitis in infants and young children.
The Massachusetts Department of Public Health has also distributed an alert, reminding practitioners to vaccinate infants against H. influenza. Providers who do not have adequate supplies of Hib containing vaccine to support a 3-dose series for healthy children (or 4 doses for high risk children) should contact the Mass. DPH vaccine unit immediately at 
617-983-6828
.
Carole Allen, MD
President, Massachusetts Chapter, American Academy of Pediatrics
Vice President, Middlesex District, MMS
Annual Education Program: How Technology Is Improving Patient Care
From electronic health records to medical devices to the latest in research, technology is continuing to push into new frontiers in medicine, and that bodes well for patient care.
In introducing the 2013 Annual Education Program, Navigating the Currents of Change: Integrating Innovative Technologies Into Your Clinical Practice, MMS President Richard Aghababian, M.D. said “Incorporating technology into our approaches to patient care is one of the biggest challenges we face as physicians today. The tools and data we now have at our disposal are truly amazing. But we must balance the machines with the humans side of medicine.”
The educational program on Friday, May 10 included four distinguished clinicians and scientists who addressed concrete examples of how the latest technologies have made advances in the surveillance, diagnosis and management of disease, and how those technologies are being incorporated into patient care.
Dr. Robert L. Jesse, Principal Under Secretary of Health at the Department of Veterans Administration, discussed health information technology and how it affects patient care.
Dr. Marc Semigran, Medical Director of the Massachusetts General Hospital Heart Failure and Cardiac Transplant Program, talked about how technology and the latest medical devices are improving and extending the lives of patients with heart disease.
Dr. Suzanne Topalian, Professor of Surgery and Oncology at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, examined how nanotechnology and targeted immunotherapy are making progress in the battle against various forms of cancer.
Dr. John Moore, of MIT’s Media Lab, discussed the application of technology for patient empowerment within the medical home model.
The participants’ presentations, along with their biographical information, are available for viewing here.
Filed under: Electronic health records, Health IT, medical homesNew England CMS Director Says Physicians Must Adapt
The “dizzying” pace of change in our health care system requires physicians to adapt quickly to this new world, says chief medical office of CMS’ New England Region, Dr. William Kassler.
Speaking at the Massachusetts Medical Society’s health IT conference on Friday, Dr. Kassler began his remarks by outlining the impressive breadth of innovation occurring at the national level.
He then told physicians in the audience that the only way to take advantage of these innovations is to embrace information technology.
Later, in response to a question about whether physicians should wait to adopt EHRs until interoperable health information exchanges become a reality, Dr. Kassler said, “I reject the idea that you need a fully functional EHR to get the benefits.” He said the benefits from the decision-support tools in a freestanding EHR is “reason enough to invest.”
Filed under: Electronic health records, Electronic Medical Records, Health IT
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