Community Health
Some health issues can affect everyone in a community. It is important to be informed on these topics so you can make positive decisions that affect your family and yourself. The environment, local healthcare trends, and information about local providers are some of the topics that will be covered here.
- Charlevoix Area Hospital hosts 'Wellness Wednesday' Sept. 2 2009.08.26 Charlevoix Area Hospital’s next “Wellness Wednesday†will be from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m. and from 1:45 p.m. until 4 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 2.
- Health Department recommends breastfeeding and immunizations 2009.08.12 Breastfeeding and immunizations are two of the best ways parents can help their babies stay healthy, according to public health nurses at the local health department.
- Congress can learn from Mass., Tenn. health plans 2009.08.03 Congressional lawmakers can look north to Massachusetts and south to Tennessee for guidance as they craft a national plan to restrain costs and cover the nation’s estimated 50 million uninsured.
- FDA says Zicam nasal spray can cause loss of smell 2009.06.17 Consumers should stop using Zicam Cold Remedy nasal gel and related products because they can permanently damage the sense of smell, federal health regulators said Tuesday.
- SimpleCare program offers alternatives to those without health insurance 2009.06.16 Internal Medicine of Northern Michigan has taken a pro-active approach to affordable health care by joining the SimpleCare network, a program in which physicians cut out the middleman.
- Local organizations help those with diabetes 2009.06.09 Several Michigan health organizations are offering free resources and assistance to persons with diabetes who are unemployed or without health insurance.
- Free skin cancer screenings 2009.04.23 Northern Michigan Regional Hospital is hosting free skin cancer screenings.
- Northern Michigan Regional Hospital discontinues color coded wrist bands 2009.04.23 As of June 1, Northern Michigan Regional Hospital will no longer use color-coded wristbands to alert staff to specific patient conditions.
- Study says uninsured are costly for all 2009.04.23 The average family with health insurance shells out an extra $1,000 a year in premiums to pay for health care for the uninsured, a new report finds.
- Duplicate of Organ Donation: Recipient Stories 2009.04.23 Northern Michigan Regional Health System and Spectrum Health in Grand Rapids have agreed to explore a potential affiliation.
- Gift of Life: Organ Donation 2009.04.23 Three doctors at Northern Michigan Regional Hospital were honored recently for their efforts with patients and families in organ donation.
- Health Vein Viewer 2009.04.23 Nurses don’t have X-ray vision. Actually, rewind that. Nurses didn’t used to have X-ray vision.
- Study paints picture of collegiate mental health 2009.04.21 A pilot study released Monday by the Center for the Study of Collegiate Mental Health, at Penn State University, hopes to fill that void. Organizers call it a first-of-its kind effort by college counseling centers designed to get an up-to-date picture of
- Diabetes? Some beat it, but are they cured? 2009.04.20 Diabetics who manage to turn things around, getting their blood sugar under control — either escaping the need for drugs or improving enough to quit taking them — are drawing keen interest from the medical community.
- Some schools say parents must decide 2009.04.20 Swine flu shots remain in demand across the state with some clinics temporarily running out of the vaccine. Some schools, however, are balking at giving swine flu shots altogether.
- Boyne Area Free Clinic plans skin cancer screening 2009.04.13 Boyne Area Free Clinic plans skin cancer screening
- Sun protection critical in prevention of melanoma 2009.04.02 There was an 11.8 percent increase in melanoma cases diagnosed and/or treated at Northern Michigan Regional Hospital during the first nine months of 2008 compared to the entire year of 2007.
- Northern Michigan Regional Hospital explores relationship with Spectrum Health 2009.03.27 Northern Michigan Regional Health System and Spectrum Health in Grand Rapids have agreed to explore a potential affiliation.
- Head lice: Nits don’t discriminate 2009.03.10 The key to combating the issue is diligence on the part of parents to check their children’s hair for the pesky critters, especially, and obviously, during the school year and busiest day-care times for families.
- Docs seek gag orders to stop patients’ reviews 2009.03.04 The anonymous comment on the Web site RateMDs.com was unsparing: “Very unhelpful, arrogant,†it said of a doctor. “Did not listen and cut me off, seemed much too happy to have power (and abuse it!) over suffering people.â€
- Q&A on computer network that warned of salmonella 2009.02.09 U.S. health officials were first alerted to the current peanut-based salmonella outbreak through a government computer network called PulseNet. But the system relies on doctors testing patients and it takes interviews with patients to identify the food so
- First Thursday Health Screening Feb. 5 in Petoskey 2009.01.30 The First Thursday Health Screening takes place from 8-10 a.m. on Thursday, Feb. 5, at the Community Health Education Center, located across the parking lot from Northern Michigan Regional Hospital’s main entrance.
- Mississippi has highest teen birth rate, CDC says 2009.01.26 Mississippi now has the nation’s highest teen pregnancy rate, displacing Texas and New Mexico for that lamentable title, according to a new federal report released Wednesday.
- Habits of Healthy Relationships 2009.01.26 You meet, fall in love and live happily ever after, right? For many couples, it’s not that simple an equation.
- February health screening 2009.01.15 There will be no health screening offered on Thursday, Jan. 1. Screenings will resume on Thursday, Feb. 5 from 8-10 a.m. and 4- 5:30 p.m. at the Community Health Education Center, located across the parking lot from Northern Michigan Regional Hospital’s
- Govt pushes electronic family tree for good health 2009.01.13 A good family health history is far more important than a gene test in predicting your future medical needs, but it’s hugely underused.
- Atlanta smoking ban leads to drop in heart attacks 2009.01.02 ATLANTA (AP) — A smoking ban in one U.S. city led to a dramatic drop in heart attack hospitalizations within three years, a sign of just how serious a health threat secondhand smoke is, government researchers said Wednesday, Dec. 31.
- Alzheimer's and loss 2008.12.18 A person with Alzheimer’s may feel a special sense of loss during the holidays. At the same time, caregivers may feel overwhelmed maintaining holiday traditions while caring for their loved one.
- Flu report 2008.12.01 During week 47 (November 16-22, 2008), a low level of influenza activity was reported in the United States.
- United Way distributes FamilyWize prescription drug discount card 2008.11.24 Char-Em United Way is providing these cards free-of-charge to everyone in the community. There are no age restrictions, no income restrictions, no limit on how many times you can use it and no waiting to get a card.
- Alcohol's damaging effects on the brain 2008.11.18 Approximately 100,000 accidents per year are directly related to drowsy driving, and about 1,500 people die in such accidents.
- Study says too many arthroscopic knee surgeries 2008.11.17 Two studies call into question whether many people with arthritis are needlessly undergoing one of the most common operations in America: arthroscopic knee surgery.
- Watch out for drug names that look, sound alike 2008.11.17 Mixing up drug names because they look or sound alike is among the most common types of medical mistakes, and it can be deadly. Now new efforts are aiming to stem the confusion, and make patients more aware of the risk.
- Local E coli cases unrelated to outbreak downstate 2008.11.04 The Health Department of Northwest Michigan is reporting that the five recent cases of E coli in Emmet and Antrim counties have been found to be unrelated to other cases in the state.
- The Truth About "Light" Cigarettes: Questions and Answers Key Points 2008.10.28 The lower tar and nicotine numbers on light cigarette packs and in ads are misleading
- Panel calls for vaccine for adult smokers 2008.10.24 A government panel decided Wednesday, Oct. 22 that adult smokers under 65 should get pneumococcal vaccine. The shot — already recommended for anyone 65 or older — protects against bacteria that cause pneumonia, meningitis and other illnesses.
- Avoid over the counter cold remedies for children under 4 2008.10.22 "The best thing a parent can do is comfort their children," said Dr. Laura Herrera, a Baltimore family practitioner and mother of two. "Keeping them as comfortable as possible is certainly better than giving cough and cold medicines."
- Flu View: Influenza report 2008.10.10 From week 21 through week 39 (weeks ending May 18 – September 27), WHO and NREVSS laboratories located in all 50 states and Washington DC tested 25,031 specimens for influenza and 179 (0.7%) were positive.
- E. coli sickness spreads to Emmet County 2008.10.02 As the number of confirmed E. coli sickness cases continues to climb in Michigan, public health officials are investigating the cause of an outbreak of E. coli in Emmet County
- Cheboygan Memorial links with Munson Healthcare 2008.09.16
- 4.7 Million Uninsured But Eligible Children Not In Medicaid Or CHIP There are still about 4.7 million uninsured American children who are eligible for CHIP (Children's Health Insurance Program) or Medicaid and are not enrolled, says a new report published in the journal Health Affairs. The report estimated about 7.3 million American children were uninsured on an average day in 2008-of those, 65% of them (4...
- Prescription Drug Use Rises 10%, Spending More Than Doubles In One Decade The number of people in the USA who took one prescription medication in a one month period rose 10% during the decade up to the end of 2008. Americans spent US234.1 billion on prescription medications in 2008, more than double the figure in 1999, according to a report published by the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)...
- Minister Harney Launches The Findings Of The All-Ireland Traveller Health Study Mary Harney, Minister for Health&Children, yesterday (Thursday 2nd September, 2010) welcomed the publication of the findings of the All-Ireland Traveller Health Study, which she launched in July 2007...
- Regional Director Of WHO Africa Warns Of Impact Global Financial Situation Will Have On Health Systems, MDGs Regional Director of WHO for Africa Luis Sambo discussed during the 60th session of the Africa Committee of the WHO how the global economic situation could impact funding for health programs in Africa and the ability for countries to reach U.N. Millennium Development Goal (MDG) targets, PANA/Afrique en ligne reports...
- U.N.-NGO Meeting Concludes With Participants Calling On World Leaders To Do More For MDGs A group of more than 350 non-governmental organizations (NGOs) concluded a U.N. forum in Melbourne, Australia, on Wednesday with a call for world leaders to step up their commitments to achieving the U.N. Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), the Australian Associated Press/Sydney Morning Herald reports (Rose, 9/1). "In a wide-ranging declaration adopted at the end of the three-day meeting ...