The top three MOST difficult things to do in the world:
1. Counting the hair on your head
2. Washing your eyes with soap
3. Breathing while your tongue is sticking out
Please, put your tongue back in your mouth . . .
Thursday, June 13, 2013
Thursday, June 6, 2013
Monday, June 3, 2013
Hepatitis A Linked to Frozen Berry Mix
Hepatitis A has been linked to a contaminated batch of berries sold at Costco's in five different states. See the news video below . . .
If you have eaten these berries and have symptoms of stomach pain, fatigue, nausea, diarrhea, or yellowing discoloration of the skin or white parts of the eye, see your doctor.
If you have eaten these berries and have symptoms of stomach pain, fatigue, nausea, diarrhea, or yellowing discoloration of the skin or white parts of the eye, see your doctor.
Tuesday, May 28, 2013
New ICD-10 Code Requirements
Senator Rand Paul, an opthamologist, explains how much our government just wants to take care of us.
Sunday, May 26, 2013
Analysis of the Obvious
When familiar things happen, mankind doesn't get bothered much about them. It requires a very unusual mind to undertake the analysis of the obvious . . .
One of those is the planetary trio that will occur this evening in the night sky. Look to the west just after the setting of the sun and you will see Jupiter, Mercury and Venus just above the horizon. A planetary trio like this will not reoccur until 2021.
We see the stars in the evening sky all the time. So why is the obvious . . . interesting? The first chapter of Genesis, 14th verse, states "And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years."
Both Mercury and Venus will appear as a "morning star" or "evening star" throughout the year, however, Jupiter will only appear with Mercury and Venus as an evening star once every 12 years. Because of their orbits, they will always appear on the same side of the horizon as the sun when they are seen.
The Native American legends and the correlating 260-day Sacred Round (also called the tzolkin) Mayan and Aztec calendars state that Venus (the brightest of the stars), or the "Dawn Star," follows the life and death of a white and bearded god named Quetzalcoatl who visited them in the first century AD (which sounds a lot like the resurrected Christ).
Their calendar closely followed Venus or the "Dawn Star" in marking important religious or spiritual events throughout history. It may well be that long ago these principles were understood by them. Jesus Christ referred to himself as the "bright and morning star" in Revelations 22:16.
To understand why Venus (the brighter star) and Mercury are called "Morning" and "Evening" stars, see the Venus Cycle pictured to the right. Points 1, 2, and 3 correlate with "man's conception" according to the Mayan Priests and their Sacred Round calendar. Numbers 4 & 5 correlate with Christ's adult life and mortal ministry on the Earth.
According to the Venus and Hebrew calendars, the three wise men appeared on May 27th, 1 B.C., correlating with the three stars coming together at their closest positions this evening.
All three planets can be seen within a simple binocular view with Mercury being the most difficult to see without the aid of binoculars.
Either way, pull out your binoculars this evening at dusk and show your family something they won't see for another 12 years. That's what I'll be doing . . .
One of those is the planetary trio that will occur this evening in the night sky. Look to the west just after the setting of the sun and you will see Jupiter, Mercury and Venus just above the horizon. A planetary trio like this will not reoccur until 2021.
 |
| May 25th, 2013 Oklahoma Skyline - Mike O'Neal |
Both Mercury and Venus will appear as a "morning star" or "evening star" throughout the year, however, Jupiter will only appear with Mercury and Venus as an evening star once every 12 years. Because of their orbits, they will always appear on the same side of the horizon as the sun when they are seen.
The Native American legends and the correlating 260-day Sacred Round (also called the tzolkin) Mayan and Aztec calendars state that Venus (the brightest of the stars), or the "Dawn Star," follows the life and death of a white and bearded god named Quetzalcoatl who visited them in the first century AD (which sounds a lot like the resurrected Christ).
 |
| Venus Cycle as observed on Earth (JohnPratt.com) |
According to the Venus and Hebrew calendars, the three wise men appeared on May 27th, 1 B.C., correlating with the three stars coming together at their closest positions this evening.
All three planets can be seen within a simple binocular view with Mercury being the most difficult to see without the aid of binoculars.
Either way, pull out your binoculars this evening at dusk and show your family something they won't see for another 12 years. That's what I'll be doing . . .
Friday, May 24, 2013
Thursday, May 23, 2013
The Essence of Experience in Leadership
The great illusion of leadership is to think that man can be lead out of the desert by someone who has never been there. . .
Monday, May 20, 2013
Electronic Health Record challenges . . .
One of the challenges of using an electronic health record (EHR) is that of communication and order generation with ancillary services. Medicare has mandated conversion to the use of electronic prescribing and commercial insurance has followed suit. The challenge is that as we are all becoming more paperless, ancillary services are no longer accepting prescriptions that don't have an "actual signature". Medicare as also mandated that every order be "physically signed" which is becoming impossible with use of EHR.
This hasn't posed a problem with Medicare or with the commercial insurances, but it has begun to drive a wedge between the patient and his or her physician. We send a prescription electronically and the ancillary service kicks it back because it isn't "actually signed on paper." Patient's feel our office is not doing its job correctly because the ancillary services told him that he "orders were signed correctly." We are doing our job and having to duplicate services. Everyone gets irritated all the way around the process.
Because we as a society are used to getting "our burger our our way" within a two-and-a-half minute window, my staff frequently gets an ear-full. Screaming and cursing at the doctor's office staff is not the way to get things done or aid your cause.
The burden that is created by the mandate for EHR use causes a significant change in the office flow. It takes a good 6-12 months for a physician's to improve efficiency when the whole office flow changes. My office is not alone in this problem. We just recently changed our electronic health care record and significant process changes were made which has caused us delay and efficiency drops while we accommodate the new flows and attempt to write orders that were signed with electronic signatures with "actual wet signatures."
I have been using electronic health records for over 11 years. The process isn't getting any easier, unfortunately. If you are a patient, or an ancillary service, please be patient with your doctor's office. We are becoming as regulated as the airlines . . . who knows . . . you may soon need to pass through a TSA scanner before you can enter my office. Wouldn't that be exciting?!
Because we as a society are used to getting "our burger our our way" within a two-and-a-half minute window, my staff frequently gets an ear-full. Screaming and cursing at the doctor's office staff is not the way to get things done or aid your cause.
The burden that is created by the mandate for EHR use causes a significant change in the office flow. It takes a good 6-12 months for a physician's to improve efficiency when the whole office flow changes. My office is not alone in this problem. We just recently changed our electronic health care record and significant process changes were made which has caused us delay and efficiency drops while we accommodate the new flows and attempt to write orders that were signed with electronic signatures with "actual wet signatures."
I have been using electronic health records for over 11 years. The process isn't getting any easier, unfortunately. If you are a patient, or an ancillary service, please be patient with your doctor's office. We are becoming as regulated as the airlines . . . who knows . . . you may soon need to pass through a TSA scanner before you can enter my office. Wouldn't that be exciting?!
Friday, May 17, 2013
Meet Brutus
Meet my friend Brutus . . . !
It's coming . . . mark my words. 15,000 IRS agents looking at your healthcare information as it flows through CMS.
Tuesday, May 14, 2013
Change
The challenge in life is to adjust to changing times while still holding true to unchanging principles . . .
Sunday, May 12, 2013
Journaling Thoughts . . .
Francis Bacon
(Anyone who's name ends in bacon ought to be listened to!)
Tuesday, May 7, 2013
Characteristics of Great Leaders . . .
- A leader's most powerful ally is his or her own example.
- Leaders don't just talk about doing something; they do it.
Thursday, May 2, 2013
Influence
Money motivates neither the best people nor the best in people. It can move the body and influence the mind, but it cannot touch the heart or move the spirit; that is reserved for belief, principle, and morality.
Friday, April 26, 2013
The Microbiome of the Gut: Medicine's Final Frontier?
I have been fascinated by a new school of technology that has revealed itself to us in the last few years presented by Suzanne Devkota, PhD, at the recent ASBP Conference. There are 100 trillion bacterial cells in our bodies (more than the number of cells that make up our body). Recently bacterial 16s ribosomal genes have been identified that give us a very fast, specific and quantitative identification of the bacteria in the stomach and gut. It gives us a new gene map of the gastrointestinal system. This identification process not only allows us to look at the current bacteria in the gut, but lets us look at bacteria present in the guts of our ancestors. It also gives us insight into how we metabolize food and how these bacteria can be helpful in the treatment of disease.
There are thousands of bacteria in our bodies that live symbiotically with us of which we were never aware. Landmark papers have been released about these bacteria and their effects begining in 2001. Most of these papers have focused on how these bacteria affect obesity. There are three very interesting benefits I found important.
1. The spectrum of bacteria in our gut affects how we metabolize and break down different foods in our diet. It also influences our health.
2. Mothers transfer the microbiomes early on through the method of birth. There are very specific bacteria that confer specific beneficial or harmful immunity to a person's body.
3. These bacteria have the ability to perform Lateral Gene Transfer. Bacteria have the ability to share genes "laterally," to their neighbor, that confer antibiotic resistance, immunity or action.
What is also important is that these microbes can process dietary fibers more effectively leading to increased formation of glucose and free fatty acids and triglycerides. This can be the reasons that some people gain weight from the same fiber intake that others don't. These bacteria can also increases Lipoprotien Lipase, the enzyme in the body that stimulates increased fat storage.
Another fascinating piece of information relating to this field of study reveals that certain bacteria found in patient's with type II diabetes causes a "gut leakiness that arises predisposing many to various forms of bowel inflammation.
The types of fat we eat actually have an effect on the bacteria colonies and upon the degree of "leakiness" in the GI system. This may be why so many patient feel like they have "gluten" intolerance or gastrointestinal inflammation.
Omega 3 fatty acids have been found to help protect the bacteria and the "leakiness" in the GI system.
Omega 3 fatty acids have been found to help protect the bacteria and the "leakiness" in the GI system.
We still have much to learn in this area and much to gain as we apply what we are learning.
Stay tuned . . .
Thursday, April 18, 2013
Friday, April 12, 2013
Thursday, April 11, 2013
Tuesday, April 9, 2013
Great Thatcherisms . . .
An amazing lady passed away yesterday, the former research chemist turned barrister and then later, British Prime Minister serving from 1979 to 1990. She was nick-named the "Iron Lady" because of her uncompromising political views and leadership style. In honor of the passing of the great Iron Lady, Margaret Thatcher, here are 16 of the best Thatcherisms:
"ON GETTING THINGS DONE:
“If you want something said, ask a man. If you want something done, ask a woman.”
“If you just set out to be liked, you would be prepared to compromise on anything at any time, and yu would achieve nothing.”
“I’m extraordinarily patient provided I get my own way in the end.”
"ON GETTING THINGS DONE:
“If you want something said, ask a man. If you want something done, ask a woman.”
“If you just set out to be liked, you would be prepared to compromise on anything at any time, and yu would achieve nothing.”
“I’m extraordinarily patient provided I get my own way in the end.”
"AN IRON PRIME MINISTER:
“Where there is discord, may we bring harmony. Where there is error, may we bring truth. Where there is doubt, may we bring faith. And where there is despair, may we bring hope.”
“I am in politics because of the conflict between good and evil, and I believe that in the end good will triumph.”
“Do you think you would ever have heard of Christianity if the Apostles had gone out and said, ‘I believe in consensus?’”
“Standing in the middle of the road is very dangerous; you get knocked down by the traffic from both sides.”
“Where there is discord, may we bring harmony. Where there is error, may we bring truth. Where there is doubt, may we bring faith. And where there is despair, may we bring hope.”
“I am in politics because of the conflict between good and evil, and I believe that in the end good will triumph.”
“Do you think you would ever have heard of Christianity if the Apostles had gone out and said, ‘I believe in consensus?’”
“Standing in the middle of the road is very dangerous; you get knocked down by the traffic from both sides.”
"ON HER CRITICS:
“If my critics saw me walking over the Thames they would say it was because I couldn’t swim.”
“If my critics saw me walking over the Thames they would say it was because I couldn’t swim.”
"ON THE START OF THE FALKLAND WARS:
“Defeat? I do not recognize the meaning of the word.”
“Defeat? I do not recognize the meaning of the word.”
"ON GOVERNMENT:
“We want a society where people are free to make choices, to make mistakes, to be generous and compassionate. This is what we mean by a moral society; not a society where the state is responsible for everything, and no one is responsible for the state.”
“We want a society where people are free to make choices, to make mistakes, to be generous and compassionate. This is what we mean by a moral society; not a society where the state is responsible for everything, and no one is responsible for the state.”
"ON HUMANITY, SOCIETY, & FEMINISM:
“The woman’s mission is not to enhance the masculine spirit, but to express the feminine; hers is not to preserve a man-made world, but to create a human world by the infusion of the feminine element into all of its activities.”
“I owe nothing to Women’s Lib.”
“Being powerful is like being a lady. If you have to tell people you are, you aren’t.”
“The woman’s mission is not to enhance the masculine spirit, but to express the feminine; hers is not to preserve a man-made world, but to create a human world by the infusion of the feminine element into all of its activities.”
“I owe nothing to Women’s Lib.”
“Being powerful is like being a lady. If you have to tell people you are, you aren’t.”
"ON AMERICA:
“Europe will never be like America. Europe is a product of history. America is a product of philosophy.”
“Europe will never be like America. Europe is a product of history. America is a product of philosophy.”
"ON SOCIALISM:
“Socialist governments traditionally do make a financial mess. They always run out of other people’s money. It’s quite characteristic of them.”
“And what a prize we have to fight for: no less than the chance to banish from our land the dark divisive clouds of Marxist socialism."
(taken from the article by Becket Adams on TheBlaze.com)
“Socialist governments traditionally do make a financial mess. They always run out of other people’s money. It’s quite characteristic of them.”
“And what a prize we have to fight for: no less than the chance to banish from our land the dark divisive clouds of Marxist socialism."
(taken from the article by Becket Adams on TheBlaze.com)
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