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.

It's Infected

We're not obsessed with death rates and dying but we are concerned about overlooking the things that can prevent us from getting ill and dying. Is there a difference? We think so. If you can do something that will allow you to continue to have a joyful life, isn't difficult and requires few major changes in your life wouldn't you do it? That's our concerns keeping your own Pearlie Mae (loved one) alive and happy.

"Encouraging better vaccination rates to discourage diseases, such as influenze, that would need antibiotics. Using better strategies when prescribing antibiotics—such as using combinations of antibiotics for treatments. Making prescribers more responsible for when they prescribe antibiotics. "Providers don't bear the consequences, and that has to change," Laxminarayan said." - Health Leader

We found this research and though there are spelling errors in the article we still though the information useful to you. Though we've dealt with the issues before including the better hospitals in our jurisdiction based on recovery rates from surgical procedures.We also know that long life can come from where you live and your attitude toward life. We did think that you should know about a flesh eating bacteria especially if it's in the area and ravishing the countryside. It isn't by the way but it is about the things that can cause an infection that can lead to worst thing.

"The bacteria, community-acquired MRSA (methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureus) has been a growing problem in schools, jails and athletic facilities in recent years. A study in the December issue of Emerging Infectious Diseases reported that the strain is now showing up more often in hospital outpatients. Community-acquired staph is a common cause of skin infections. It is a distinctly different type than hospital-acquired MRSA, which often causes bloodstream and surgical infections and pneumonia." - The Cleveland Plain Dealer (Dec 2009)

The number of deaths as a result of infections isn't as large as the other contributing factors that can lead to a loss of life. Now that's what's important to us maintaining life especially a quality of life that leads to continued joy and good health. That' just the way we are! The numbers are actually larger than the research would imply but they do mention their source numbers from our favorite flu source:

"The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that all hospital-acquired infections are associated with 99,000 deaths per year. While the Extending the Cure study looks at only two of the most common and serious conditions caused by these infections, it also calculates deaths actually caused by, rather than just associated with, infections patients get in the hospital." - Resources for the Future (RFF)

What's most interesting to us is this statement by the investigator:

“In many cases, these conditions could have been avoided with better infection control in hospitals,” said Ramanan Laxminarayan, Ph.D., principal investigator for Extending the Cure, a project examining antibiotic resistance based at the Washington, D.C. think-tank Resources for the Future.

We're not certain from the abstract or the statement if Dr. Laxminarayan advocating that patients seek a legal or political solution to hold hospitals accountable? That's something that has been overlooked in the story but that's why we're here to call attention to the overlooked issues in the news.