Author: healthprofessionalradio

Overview:
•  New evidence has emerged showing that a sophisticated Medicare scam that involves stealing people’s identities and setting up bogus bank accounts is operating in at least three states. New South Wales Police are investigating the theft of personal details from Medicare records and now an identical scam has emerged in the Northern Territory.

• Ranks of childless foreign couples have flocked to the India in recent years looking for a low-cost, legal and simple route to parenthood. Health industry estimates put the size of India’s surrogacy business at nine billion rupees ($138 million) and growing at 20 per cent a year. But critics have said a lack of legislation governing surrogacy encourages “rent-a-womb” exploitation of young, poor Indian women.

• Local health chief Chris Crawford says he was pleasantly surprised by the findings of a recent patient survey. The Bureau of Health Information quizzed 27,000 patients across the state about the care they received in public hospitals last year. Almost three-quarters of those surveyed in the local area rated their care as very good, compared to a state-wide average of 63 per cent.

Overview:
• A world-first study has found a hormone used to induce labour in pregnant women, oxytocin, has significant benefits for some children with autism. Associate Professor Guastella said the results were promising, with about a third of participants in the study showing significant improvement.

• The World Health Organisation’s International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has released findings which may prompt many of us to ditch bacon, ham, salami, sausages and other processed meats. Consumption of red meat was classified as probably carcinogenic to humans (Group 2A) with the WHO saying there was also an association with pancreatic cancer and prostate cancer.

• Canberra’s pollen levels are twice as high this hay fever season compared with last year, according to researchers at the Australian National University (ANU). The university’s Canberra Pollen project shows record high pollen levels, with Canberra identified as Australia’s hay fever capital.

Overview:
• Ella Ingram 21-year-old Melbourne woman is challenging insurance giant QBE over its blanket exclusion of mental illness in its travel insurance policy, in what could be a watershed legal case for the industry.

• A plan to fix Brisbane’s troubled Lady Cilento Children’s Hospital will be released by the Queensland Government in the coming days. The Australian Medical Association of Queensland (AMAQ) has demanded changes at the year-old hospital, including more beds, resources and an improved IT system.

• More than a quarter of people calling a helpline for adult survivors of child abuse are now over the age of 60, a leading support group says. The figures have been released to mark Blue Knot Day, which aims to raise awareness of the estimated five million Australians who have suffered childhood trauma and abuse.

Guest: Dr Jerome Sarris PhD
Presenter: Wayne Bucklar
Guest Bio: Dr Jerome Sarris PhD is a Senior Research Fellow (CR Roper Fellow) at The University of Melbourne. Jerome moved from clinical practice as a Naturopath, Nutritionist, and Acupuncturist to academic work, and completed a doctorate at The University of Queensland in the field of psychiatry. He undertook his postdoctoral training at The University of Melbourne, Department of Psychiatry; The Centre for Human Psychopharmacology, Swinburne University of Technology; and The Depression Clinical & Research Program at Harvard Medical School (MGH). Jerome has 98 publications to date, and has published in many eminent psychiatry, psychopharmacology, and nutrition/natural product journals.

Segment overview: In today’s Health Supplier Segment, learn about the advancement in research and integrative medicine to better understand mood and anxiety disorder. We welcome Dr Jerome Sarris PhD from the University of Melbourne who is here to share his expertise regarding this topic. In addition, he was among the speakers in the recently concluded Blackmores Institute Symposium held this month. Dr Sarris PhD has a particular interest in mood and anxiety disorder research pertaining to nutraceutical psychopharmacology, and in Complementary and Integrative Medicine, and psychotropic plant medicine research.

Guest: Terri Smith
Presenter: Wayne Bucklar
Guest Bio: Terri Smith was appointed CEO of PANDA in December 2014 bringing a commitment to developing PANDA’s role as a voice for families affected by perinatal anxiety and depression. Terri brings a wealth of experience to PANDA as an experienced not-for-profit executive. She has previously served as CEO of a professional health association, Deputy CEO/National Program and Policy Manager for Breast Cancer Network Australia and Director of Client Services for Moreland Community Health Services.

Segment overview: In today’s Health Supplier Segment, know more about Perinatal Anxiety and Depression from PANDA CEO Terri Smith. Among the services they provide is their helpline staffed by professional counsellors and supervising staff for support and referral service. This service aims to have each caller supported and have gained an increased understanding of what might be happening to them and how they might seek ongoing services and supports in their local areas. They also aim to facilitate learning of callers about perinatal depression and anxiety as well as provide specialist training professionals related to this field.

Overview:
• Fertility clinics in South Australia say they are struggling to keep up with an increasing demand for donor sperm. The rising infertility rates along with a greater number of same-sex couples and single women requesting treatments have contributed to the shortage in donated sperm supplies.

• An increasing number of women in Australia and overseas are taking up the opportunity of freezing their eggs to be used later, as a kind of motherhood insurance. One of the world’s leading IVF researchers, Lord Professor Robert Winston, says women are being given false hope. He believes that women are being deceived.

• South Australians are being warned to take care when using home rotisseries or spits after they were linked to more than 20 people falling ill last financial year. SA Health director said ensuring the meat had been fully cooked through was essential in preventing salmonella.

Guest: Stephen Powell
Presenter: Neal Howard
Guest Bio: Steven Powell is the CEO of Synensis and coauthor of the book, The Patient Survival Handbook. Synensis has helped more than 500 hospitals around the world pursue zero preventable harm by measuring and improving quality and patient safety, eliminating the costs of under-performing processes, and, ultimately, saving lives.

Segment overview:Stephen Powell discusses how after a decade of intense practice, Synensis’ unique collection of proven tools and learning systems expanded to include customizable, outcome-driven solutions that improve patient safety culture, enhance the patient experience, engage healthcare leaders and increase staff satisfaction. Their holistic philosophy is successful due to a synergy of the six dimensions of a Healthy OrganizationSM, leading HTT to emerge as Synensis with a mission of helping organizations achieve zero preventable harm.

Guest: Stephen Powell
Presenter: Neal Howard
Guest Bio: Stephen Powell, MS, is the chief executive officer and president of Synensis, a healthcare consulting firm dedicated to helping hospitals achieve zero preventable harm. He is a recognized leader in the development of practices, behaviors, and strategies to improve organizational outcomes and is a member of the development team that created the TeamSTEPPS teamwork and communication system for healthcare organizations. Powell has supported the success of More than 350 organizations in 11 countries to improve patient safety, quality, and the patient experience by creating a culture of safety. He earned a Master’s in Human Factors from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and is a graduate of the Naval Postgraduate safety school. He is a member of the American College of Healthcare Executives and the Clinical Human Factors Group.

Segment overview: Stephen Powell, coauthor of The Patient Survival Handbook and CEO of Synensis, a healthcare consulting firm, discusses how patients and families can maximize their safety while under the care of a doctor.

Guest: Stephen Powell
Presenter: Neal Howard
Guest Bio: Stephen Powell, MS, is the chief executive officer and president of Synensis, a healthcare consulting firm dedicated to helping hospitals achieve zero preventable harm. He is a recognized leader in the development of practices, behaviors, and strategies to improve organizational outcomes and is a member of the development team that created the TeamSTEPPS teamwork and communication system for healthcare organizations. Powell has supported the success of More than 350 organizations in 11 countries to improve patient safety, quality, and the patient experience by creating a culture of safety. He earned a Master’s in Human Factors from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and is a graduate of the Naval Postgraduate safety school. He is a member of the American College of Healthcare Executives and the Clinical Human Factors Group.

Segment overview: Stephen Powell, coauthor of The Patient Survival Handbook and CEO of Synensis, a healthcare consulting firm, discusses how a lack of leadership and a culture of non communication result in medical errors that are sometimes fatal.

Guest: Stephen Powell
Presenter: Neal Howard
Guest Bio: Stephen Powell, MS, is the chief executive officer and president of Synensis, a healthcare consulting firm dedicated to helping hospitals achieve zero preventable harm. He is a recognized leader in the development of practices, behaviors, and strategies to improve organizational outcomes and is a member of the development team that created the TeamSTEPPS teamwork and communication system for healthcare organizations. Powell has supported the success of More than 350 organizations in 11 countries to improve patient safety, quality, and the patient experience by creating a culture of safety. He earned a Master’s in Human Factors from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and is a graduate of the Naval Postgraduate safety school. He is a member of the American College of Healthcare Executives and the Clinical Human Factors Group.

Segment overview: Stephen Powell, co-author of The Patient Survival Handbook and CEO of Synensis, a healthcare consulting firm, talks about how poor teamwork and communication contribute to medical error.