Dan Frith

We posted an article several months ago that bad nursing home administrators should go to jail! Not surprisingly, we received a private email from a nursing home administrator who believed our comments were outrageous. Well… maybe not as it seems that nursing home administrators are continuing to find themselves facing…

You may know more about the TV or DVD player you want to buy than the hospital where you are about to be admitted for surgery. That just doesn’t seem right to me!A relatively new advocacy group is out to change the situation. The Leapfrog Group is a voluntary program…

Has your doctor changed your medications recently? What about prescribing a new drug altogether? If so, did your doctor tell you all you need to know about that drug? Probably not according to a new study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine.An observational study conducted by Dr. Derjung Tarn…

If bedridden or immobile with diabetes, circulation problems, incontinence, or mental disabilities, you should be checked for pressure sores every day. Look for reddened areas that, when pressed, do not turn white. Also look for blisters, sores, or craters. The following steps are crucial in preventing the development of decubitus…

We have all heard these terms discussed by nurses, family members and in the media. Is there a difference? The answer is no. All of these terms refer to the same condition which occurs when pressure is exerted on the skin, soft tissue, muscle, and bone by the weight of…

Investigators have alleged that a web of companies that oversaw nursing homes was part of a plan to cheat the government out of millions. The list of allegations includes tax evasion, healthcare fraud, money laundering, and lying to the government. Critics say the industry is ripe for abuse because regulators…

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regularly publishes safety alerts and recall information for drugs, medical devices, and foods. It is important information we all should know. For eample, the alert for February 12 is listed below:Device Recall:HoMedics heating pads (produced in 2001 and sold in drug, discount and department…

Are you scheduled for surgery? If so, I am certain you are a little anxious and concerned. For some people, seeing what actually will take place during the surgery (before it happens) will have a calming effect. If you are one of those people, take a look at the surgical…

The American College of Physicians and American Academy of Family Physicians has announced clinical practice guidelines for the diagnosis and management of venous blood clots, complications from which claim more than 200,000 lives each year in the United States. A DVT (deep vein thrombosis) occurs when clots form in the…