RSV Treatment

(SACRAMENTO) In his first days of medical school this past summer, Semaj Hornbuckle absorbed a series of fast-paced topics that most students don't encounter until much later in their studies.  He learned how to write detailed notes on patient medical conditions. He discovered how to take accurate readings of vital signs. He even picked up techniques from seasoned professors on how to perform a physical examination.  By the end of a dizzying first week, Hornbuckle and a select group of classmates from the UC Davis School of Medicine took the next step of their academic journey: They headed off campus and walked nervously into an outpatient clinic where they cared for patients under the supervision of experienced physician mentors.  In the majority of U.S. medical schools, students begin their clerkships, their most important clinical experience, in their third year. But UC Davis is not your typical school. Hornbuckle and nine classmates are part o

Experity EMR Software is a cloud-based EMR, practice management, and medical billing software system designed for on-demand care providers of all sizes and specializations, such as occupational medicine, pediatrics, and primary care. Experity EMR /PM is scalable, desktop and mobile compatible, and offers comprehensive clinical workflow and charting solutions from patient registration through discharge. Multiple users can examine patient charts at the same time with same-time documentation.  Built-in payer guidelines, real-time insurance verification, custom common procedure quick-pick lists and one-click discharge plans, auto-populating documentation templates, a patient portal, custom reporting, and E/M code suggestions and CPT coding based on provider documentation are just a few of the platform's features. Experity enables online scheduling and patient queuing, SMS messaging, business analytics, e-prescribing, lab integration, payment processing, and code automation

Scabies is a skin condition caused by human mites called Sarcoptes scabiei . The most common symptoms include a pimple-like rash and severe itching that gets worse at night. Areas of affected skin may be thicker as well. Typically, scabies spreads via direct skin-to-skin contact. It can also spread through contaminated objects and furniture, including mattresses. Because scabies mites aren't visible, it can be difficult to know if they're on your mattress. Read on to learn how long scabies can live, plus ways to get rid of them. Scabies mites can live for up to 2 to 3 days when not on a human. This means they can survive for this long on a mattress and other surfaces. Normally, removing scabies mites from surfaces involves machine washing on the hot cycle and drying. This is used for things like bedding, towels, and clothing. For mattresses and other items that can't be put in the washing machine, removing scabies requires a different approach. Here are several methods for

Atopic dermatitis can be difficult for some patients to manage with topical drugs alone. Such cases now have a new FDA-approved treatment option, a biologic drug from LEO Pharma that tackles the chronic inflammatory skin disorder from within the body. The FDA on Tuesday approved LEO drug tralokinumab, the latest in a string of regulatory approvals for the drug this year as a treatment for moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis, also known as eczema. Ballerup, Denmark-based LEO will market its new drug in the U.S. under the trade name "Adbry." LEO's drug is an antibody designed to bind to and block interleukin-13 (IL-13), a signaling protein called a cytokine that plays a key role in driving atopic dermatitis. Adbry is the first biologic drug approved by the FDA that addresses this disease target. In securing FDA approval, LEO will reach the U.S. market ahead of Eli Lilly, which is pursuing IL-13 with lebrikizumab, an antibody it added via a $1.1 billion acquisition

The Mayo Clinic explains that testosterone levels usually peak during adolescence and early adulthood. Signs that some individuals may notice as levels decline, combined with the effects of natural ageing, includes changes in sexual function, physical changes and emotional changes. Declining testosterone levels can also be a sign of hypogonadism – a disease that disrupts the ability to produce normal amounts of testosterone, due to a problem with the testicles or with the pituitary gland that controls the testicles. For both of these reasons, many men turn to TRT. It is possible that TRT can help to reverse the effects of hypogonadism, but it remains unclear whether the therapy benefits older men who are otherwise healthy, but are just experiencing natural drops in testosterone. According to Harvard Health, TRT can also produce long-term side effects, including a higher risk of cardiovascular problems and an increased risk of prostate cancer due to the therapy stimulating the growth of

The COVID-19 pandemic has turned the spotlight on infectious disease doctors. They've acted as public health messengers, conveying the importance of interventions such as masking, social distancing, and vaccination, and answering questions about viral evolution and transmission. They've established infection protocols to keep medical teams afloat during the public health emergency. While that has made their role more visible to the public, the specialty has struggled to attract new clinicians for years. Interest in the infectious disease specialty among medical trainees has long been waning, as several fellowship training programs in the U.S. haven't filled all their positions over the last decade. Unlike other subspecialties in internal medicine, infectious disease doctors earn a relatively lower salary and perform fewer procedures – factors that may discourage new physicians from pursuing the specialty, experts said. As the critical role that infectious disease doct

With the magnitude of the opioid crisis, there has been a growing call for treatment of patients with opioid use disorder to be expanded beyond specialist care and into the hands of primary care physicians. Yet while primary care providers are positioned to offer these services — and are already allowed to prescribe buprenorphine and naloxone treatment — many choose not to, citing a lack of institutional support and discomfort managing the more complex medical needs sometimes associated with this disorder. To better understand the needs of patients with opioid use disorder and treatment options, Yale researchers analyzed the health records of 355 patients treated in a primary care facility at the APT Foundation in New Haven, Connecticut. According to their findings, published Dec. 10 in the journal Family Practice, the needs of those patients were largely similar to those of the average adult patient. " We thought that if it turned out these patients were not particularly

BANGOR – In what has become a holiday tradition, Northern Light Health presented a $10,000 donation to a worthy non-profit in honor of all Northern Light Health board members across the system on Dec. 20 at Mercy Hospital's Fore River campus. Representing Northern Light Health at the check presentation were Northern Light Mercy Hospital President Charlie Therrien and Vice President of Mission Integration Melissa Skahan. This year's recipient of the holiday gift is Community Housing of Maine, better known as CHOM. Often described as a small non-profit with a big mission, CHOM is the largest provider of supportive housing in Maine and seeks to create safe, stable, and inclusive communities through the development, purchase, and maintenance of high-quality affordable housing. Northern Light Health witnessed CHOM's good work when working together to expand the successful McAuley Residence program, opening a second location in Bangor during the height of the pandemic to

Dr. Gary Knaus, longtime family physician, speaks with a patient at the Carbondale Roaring Fork Family Practice office. Chelsea Self/Post Independent Dr. Gary Knaus is more of a "big picture person," in his own words. So, it should stand to reason that his retirement after 43 years with Roaring Fork Family Practice in Carbondale won't be a complete retirement from health care matters in the region. Knaus will no longer be seeing patients come the new year, as the Rifle native and longtime Carbondale family doctor concludes a career that has seen a lot of changes over the years. He still plans to put all those years of experience toward his continued work with the Valley Health Alliance as a board member and medical director. "I've been doing that in my spare time," Knaus said, "but now I'll have more time to put into that work, and I think we're on the cusp of some good things.&q

WAUWATOSA, WI — Booster shots, available at pharmacies/clinics in Wauwatosa, are the best defense against COVID-19 illnesses as the omicron variant of the coronavirus spreads across the country, according to health officials. Breakthrough COVID-19 cases from the omicron variant — infections among the vaccinated — are less common among people who have received their third vaccination shots, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The omicron variant, first reported in South Africa on Nov. 24, has been detected in all but a handful of states, including Wisconsin. Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation's leading infectious disease expert, said Friday the Pfizer and Moderna booster shots work well against the omicron variant and that there's no need for a specific vaccine to fight it. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said the omicron variant is likely to become the dominant coronavirus strain in the coming weeks. It currently represents 3 pe

Dec. 7, 2021 -- A meat company is recalling 234,391 pounds of cooked ham and pepperoni products that may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes , the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service announced. The meat is being recalled by Alexander & Hornung, a unit of Perdue Premium Meat Co. that is based in St. Clair Shores, MI. There are 17 products on the recall list, including Wellshire Wood Smoked Ham products, Alexander & Hornung Ham products, Garett Valley Farms ham products, Butcher Boy ham products, Five Star Brand pepperoni, and Big Y bone-in hickory smoked ham steak. "While there have been no illnesses or complaints associated with the products and there is no conclusive evidence that the products were contaminated at the time of shipment, the voluntary recall is being initiated out of an abundance of caution," Alexander & Hornung said in a statement. The meat was shipped all over the nation. To find out if you

Escherichia coli bacteria are responsible for 80% of community-acquired urinary tract infections (UTIs). Over 40% of individuals experience recurrent UTIs; of these, 10-25% are due to antibiotic-resistant bacteria . A recent study found that vaccines based on a metal-organic framework demonstrate a strong immune response in mice . Vaccinated mice survived typically lethal doses of E. coli . Vaccinated mice demonstrated an increase in the tissue responsible for producing long-lived antibody-secreting cells. Antibacterials, also known as antibiotics, treat and prevent diseases caused by bacteria. However, their widespread misuse has led to some bacteria evolving resistance, which is called antibiotic resistance . The World Health Organization (WHO) says "Antibiotic resistance is one of the biggest threats to global health, food security, and development today. [It] leads to longer hospital stays, higher medical costs, and increased mortality." UTIs are one of the most common

Keith Roach  |  To Your Health Dear Dr. Roach: I have had osteoporosis for a while and recently had a bone density test that again confirmed that I have it. I am not really interested in taking an oral prescription such as Fosamax, because of the many negative side effects. I would like to find out more about the injection, Prolia. I also understand that there is an infusion, Reclast, that is done once a year. I am concerned about the strength of something that is done only once a year and any side effects since I tend to be sensitive and don't take a lot of medication. I have also heard that the bone that is produced after taking these medications tends to be brittle and breaks easily. If that is true, how is that helpful? A nurse told me that her 88-year-old mother, who had been very active and healthy, just turned the wrong way and broke her back. She said that at 69 years old it isn't a huge issue, but at 80 it may be. That is why I am considering a tre

As the Omicron variant continues to spread, more and more people appear to be presenting a sore throat as one of their symptoms. In a new video on his channel, Dr. Khalid Zalmay, a family doctor and medical YouTuber from the UK, shares some classic home remedies that can be used to treat a sore throat. He begins by explaining that viral infections remain the most common cause for a sore throat, including the common cold, flu, and of course Covid. Other causes include bacterial infections like strep throat, which is most prevalent in children, as well as allergies, irritants, and even acid reflux. The best remedy Zalmay can suggest to ease the pain of a sore throat is gargling salt water. Stir half a teaspoon of salt into a glass of warm water, take a sip, tilt your head back and gargle, but don't swallow. Repeat until the glass is empty; Zalmay recommends doing this once in the morning and once again in the evening. Additionally, ensuring you are drinking enough water throughout th

A primary care physician is someone who: treats minor illnesses answers health questions conducts health checkups performs routine health tests, including those for cholesterol or blood sugar levels provides referrals to specialty physicians when necessary keeps a person's medical records together A primary care doctor may be one of the following types: Family practice physician Family practice physicians are also called family medicine doctors. They treat people of all ages. Internal medicine physician An internal medicine physician performs many of the same tasks as a family practice physician. However, internal medicine physicians treat adults only. Family medicine vs. internal medicine physicians Although family medicine and internal medicine physicians can both treat adults, the American College of Physicians say that there are some key differences. For example, internal medicine doctors have training in both general medicine and subspecialties. They also tend to be more focus