America Needs a Better Approach to Healthcare
America has superb medical schools, well trained providers, superb science and technology, and their citizens believe they have the best healthcare system in the world, spending more for healthcare than any another country per capita basis. However, compared to some developed countries, the outcome of medical care delivery is not very satisfactory. Life spans are shorter and infant mortality is higher. America’s medical care system tends to focus less on illness prevention and health promotion, and more on the disease and injury. It sees heart disease, cancer, and stroke as the major cause of death, failing to recognize the primary predisposing factors to the diseases that cause death such as poor nutrition, tobacco, and lack of exercise.
What America’s healthcare system needs now is to focus more on disease prevention and health promotion starting in childhood. In addition, it should recognize that chronic illnesses are driving the high cost of care, and these costs could be addressed through a multidisciplinary team approach to patient care.
PAP Helps Children with Sleep Apnea
The use of positive airway pressure (PAP), which is the delivery of a stream of air through a mask into the nose, to treat children and adolescents with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) have shown positive results in terms of attention, anxiety and quality of life.
According to a report by the American Journal of Respiratory and Clinical Care Medicine, PAP relieves OSAS in adults as has been extensively studied. However, there have been few studies on using PAP in children. Study leader Carole L. Marcus, sleep specialist and director of the Sleep Center at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, noted that the vast majority of children with OSAS go through surgery on their tonsils and adenoids, which is not always effective in obese children. She said that with PAP therapy, benefits still occurred even in children who didn’t fully adhere to the treatment.
The study found significant improvements in attention deficits, daytime sleepiness, and behaviors among children treated with PAP.
Other HME News of Interest
Innovation Care Delivery and Management Program for Patients with OSA (AASM) (PDF)
The Customer: Your Biggest Asset!
Related posts:
- Top HME Industry News 2-24-2012 Philadelphia Town Hall Call Discusses Competitive Bidding Program With...
- Top HME Industry News 2-21-2012 Providers Analyze Bid Data After Prof. Peter Cramton’s analysis of...
- Today’s Top HME Industry News 2-16-2012 Work Suspension at Invacare Proposed http://hme-business.com/articles/2011/12/14/invacare.aspx The Food and Drug...
- Top HME Industry News 2-23-2012 Rep. Thompson Seeks More Sponsors for FIMBA Representative Glenn Thompson...
- Top HME Industry News 2-22-2012 AAHomecare Reacts to the Advancement of “Doc Fix” Bill Without...
