Good To Be The King!

"It's good to be the king!" When you're in charge you can make a decision and whatever you decide will be done or heads will roll. If you're ruled by the king its not so good. We say this because we read that "(l)eading public health and infectious disease experts have issued a framework for achieving elimination of (HAIs) healthcare-associated infections." Unfortunately for our region HAIs aren't even in the top ten (10) causes of death. When you're sick and or dying it doesn't matter if what you're suffering from isn't popular. What matters is that you get well and whatever your condition its the most important condition in the world.

"The framework is detailed in a white paper co-published today in the journal Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology and the American Journal of Infection Control. The white paper, titled “Moving toward Elimination of Healthcare-Associated Infections: A Call to Action,” was jointly authored by representatives from the leading public health and infectious diseases groups including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America, Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Infectious Diseases Society of America, Association of State and Territorial Health Officials, Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists and Pediatric Infectious Disease Society. " - The Infectious Diseases Society of America (October 7, 2010)

Now if we could only get the king to be dead or dying from the top ten (10) illnesses maybe we could all have a chance to be king. We're not saying that progress is bad. Progress isn't bad we also agree that it's easier to do the easy job first before you tackle the really difficult tasks. We just think that by the time you get to the really tough tasks you might be a little tired and lighter in the E-wallet. While it is true if you don't have the resources to do the really hard or expensive job it neither gets finish or do you receive the satisfaction of completing a tasks. Which is true unless you're king.

“Progress towards the elimination of HAIs is real,” said Dr. Denise Cardo, M.D., director of CDC’s Division of Healthcare Quality Promotion and lead author of the white paper. “Now is the time to build on this momentum and investment made at the federal, state, and local levels." - The Infectious Diseases Society of America (October 7, 2010)

It's good to be the king! If its good to be the king then it must be bad to be the peasants. Bad to be ruled by the king. It's good to be healthy and not need medical coverage, insurance and treatment. Good but not realistic, likely, logical or even possible at a certain age. At our age medical treatment is a requirement for longer life if you live a peasants life. What would be great if it's good to be the king is to be the prince or princess. All of the benefits without any of responsibility are what makes it great to be children of the king. By accident of birth there can only be one king.

"IDSA Comments on HHS Action Plan to Prevent Healthcare-Associated Infections - Based on the experience of healthcare systems such as Virginia Mason Medical Center (VMMC), BJC Healthcare, and the Hospital Corporation of America (HCA), implementation of multifaceted mandatory influenza vaccination programs lead to rapid and sustained increases in influenza vaccination rates."New At IDSA (page 12)

We support the programs that make it better to be the peasants of the king. We support any and everything that makes us healthier, wealthier and give us all longer lives. That's more of the story than the results from this small study from one (1) hospital. Infections are especially important in secondary care facilities for the elderly. PearlieMae was often sent to recover there and while changes made in primary care facilities are important and an improvement we urge all facilities to elect to improve. Where ever there is a hole in the health care wall infections will seep through.