- No green beards in path labs @ John Hopkins University

The pathology department at my medical college was very strict with us Resident doctors. All our activities were constantly noted by our seniors, and being reprimanded  frequently for “unprofessional conduct” was the norm. Our seniors made sure we were always properly dressed and behaved.

But what i read on John Hopkins university, Dept. of Pathology website takes the cake. They have a detailed list of “acceptable” and “unacceptable” conduct. Sample a few,

1) Acceptable- Knee length culottes and dress shorts; Unacceptable- Mini skirts, blue jeans, baseball caps.

2) Acceptable- Fingernails that are of “professional length”, whatever that means; Unacceptable- Applying cosmetics in the laboratory.

3) Acceptable- Short/ Tied back hair of natural color ; Unacceptable- Purple and Green beards and mustaches!!

4) Acceptable- Socks/ Hose/ Tights ; Unacceptable- Printed underwear showing through outer garments.

5) Acceptable- Jewelery in moderation ; Unacceptable- Badges promoting causes/products/slogans NOT endorsed by the Institution/department.

Its definitely a good read. Click here to access the pdf file of acceptable appearance standards at John Hopkins University.

 

- No green beards in path labs @ John Hopkins University

The pathology department at my medical college was very strict with us Resident doctors. All our activities were constantly noted by our seniors, and being reprimanded frequently for “unprofessional conduct” was the norm. Our seniors made sure we were always properly dressed and behaved.

But what i read on John Hopkins university, Dept. of Pathology website takes the cake. They have a detailed list of “acceptable” and “unacceptable” conduct. Sample a few,

1) Acceptable- Knee length culottes and dress shorts; Unacceptable- Mini skirts, blue jeans, baseball caps.

2) Acceptable- Fingernails that are of “professional length”, whatever that means; Unacceptable- Applying cosmetics in the laboratory.

3) Acceptable- Short/ Tied back hair of natural color ; Unacceptable- Purple and Green beards and mustaches!!

4) Acceptable- Socks/ Hose/ Tights ; Unacceptable- Printed underwear showing through outer garments.

5) Acceptable- Jewelery in moderation ; Unacceptable- Badges promoting causes/products/slogans NOT endorsed by the Institution/department.

Its definitely a good read. Click here to access the pdf file of acceptable appearance standards at John Hopkins University.

 

-Why American healthcare is so expensive?

That the American healthcare delivery system is out of control and wasteful is a no-brainer.

Needless battery of investigations and over diagnosis, branded drugs, impractical insurance laws, free-markets approach to health care and sedentary lifestyle are all major factors in creating the current scenario.Its like a bad spiraling black hole which only sucks you into unnecessary and wasteful consumption of health services.

Keeping the whole machinery ticking seems to be the raison d’etre of patient existence.

This video below touches on a few reasons on why health care is so expensive in America. Features like this convince that India must be doing something right in its public health policy. I have been a member of Public health delivery system for about 10 years, in a wide range of positions and institutions. I fully appreciate Indian obstacles (population) and limitations (poverty) in public health delivery. A good step has been taken with the Swasthya bima (govt. sponsored health insurance with private partners). This Indian central govt scheme for BPL (Below poverty line) families is built on sound understanding of indian conditions and mindset. Eighteen states, including Rajasthan, have already launched this scheme. What is needed now is to make sure ALL BPL families OBTAIN an insurance smartcard. NGOs need to come forward to ensure all BPL families get their smartcards. The cost of the insurance is Ruppees 750/- annualy, 75% paid by central govt. and 25% state govt. The consumer would have to pay an annual Ruppees (Thirty) 30/- as registration/renewal fees. Then they would be able to use services at all public hospitals, many private hospitals and most specialist health care institutions all over the country with the help of a single smartcard!! The claims section of the scheme still has to show efficiency. But all in all, its a very well thought out scheme and should work wonders in more ways than one.This would also have a trigerring effect for adoption of EMR(Electronic medical records).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JYC2DJWU41s

 

-Why American healthcare is so expensive?

That the American healthcare delivery system is out of control and wasteful is a no-brainer.

Needless battery of investigations and over diagnosis, branded drugs, impractical insurance laws, free-markets approach to health care and sedentary lifestyle are all major factors in creating the current scenario.Its like a bad spiraling black hole which only sucks you into unnecessary and wasteful consumption of health services.

Keeping the whole machinery ticking seems to be the raison d’itre de patient existence.

This video below touches on a few reasons on why health care is so expensive in America. Features like this convince that India must be doing something right in its public health policy. I have been a member of Public health delivery system for about 10 years, in a wide range of positions and institutions. I fully appreciate Indian obstacles (population) and limitations (poverty) in public health delivery. A good step has been taken with the Swasthya bima (govt. sponsored health insurance with private partners). This Indian central govt scheme for BPL (Below poverty line) families is built on sound understanding of indian conditions and mindset. Eighteen states, including Rajasthan, have already launched this scheme. What is needed now is to make sure ALL BPL families OBTAIN an insurance smartcard. NGOs need to come forward to ensure all BPL families get their smartcards. The cost of the insurance is Ruppees 750/- annualy, 75% paid by central govt. and 25% state govt. The consumer would have to pay an annual Ruppees (Thirty) 30/- as registration/renewal fees. Then they would able to use all public hospitals, many private hospitals and most specialist health care institutions all over the country with the help of a single smartcard!! The claims section of the scheme still has to show efficiency. But all in all, its a very well thought out scheme and should work wonders in more ways than one.This would also have a trigerring effect for adoption of EMR(Electronic medical records).

 

-Why American healthcare is so expensive?

That the American healthcare delivery system is out of control and wasteful is a no-brainer.

Needless battery of investigations and over diagnosis, branded drugs, impractical insurance laws, free-markets approach to health care and sedentary lifestyle are all major factors in creating the current scenario.Its like a bad spiraling black hole which only sucks you into unnecessary and wasteful consumption of health services.

Keeping the whole machinery ticking seems to be the raison d’itre de patient existence.

This video below touches on a few reasons on why health care is so expensive in America. Features like this convince that India must be doing something right in its public health policy. I have been a member of Public health delivery system for about 10 years, in a wide range of positions and institutions. I fully appreciate Indian obstacles (population) and limitations (poverty) in public health delivery. A good step has been taken with the Swasthya bima (govt. sponsored health insurance with private partners). This Indian central govt scheme for BPL (Below poverty line) families is built on sound understanding of indian conditions and mindset. Eighteen states, including Rajasthan, have already launched this scheme. What is needed now is to make sure ALL BPL families OBTAIN an insurance smartcard. NGOs need to come forward to ensure all BPL families get their smartcards. The cost of the insurance is Ruppees 750/- annualy, 75% paid by central govt. and 25% state govt. The consumer would have to pay an annual Ruppees (Thirty) 30/- as registration/renewal fees. Then they would be able to use services at all public hospitals, many private hospitals and most specialist health care institutions all over the country with the help of a single smartcard!! The claims section of the scheme still has to show efficiency. But all in all, its a very well thought out scheme and should work wonders in more ways than one.This would also have a trigerring effect for adoption of EMR(Electronic medical records).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JYC2DJWU41s

 

- Al Gore knows it.

Image by World Economic Forum via Flickr

Internet revolution that elected Obama could save Earth: Gore- Internet -Infotech-The Economic Times

In this article, Al Gore comes across as a very sharp observer of the power of internet. As expected, internet ( and web 2.0) has evolved along commercial lines. Its time social sector is similarly boosted by intelligent use of the real-time 2-way connectivity provided by the internet.

The scope of using these services in public health is a very fertile field.
Education, training, Information, Interpersonal communication, Data gathering, Remote/ Telemedicine, Real time decision support in interventional medicine, Telepathology, Teleradiology, i could go on and on.

Hope i can make a difference with my RAKSHA ( Registered society for knowledge and health).

Related articles by Zemanta

• Twestival Unstoppable: Live Earth Joins Twitter Fundraiser (mashable.com)
• Al Gore headlining Google event: Google Ocean? (Stephen Shankland/CNET News) (techmeme.com)
• Web 2.0 Summit: Al Gore on “What Now?” (venturebeat.com)

 

- Al Gore knows it.

Image by World Economic Forum via Flickr

Internet revolution that elected Obama could save Earth: Gore- Internet -Infotech-The Economic Times

In this article, Al Gore comes across as a very sharp observer of the power of internet. As expected, internet ( and web 2.0) has evolved along commercial lines. Its time social sector is similarly boosted by intelligent use of the real-time 2-way connectivity provided by the internet.

The scope of using these services in public health is a very fertile field.
Education, training, Information, Interpersonal communication, Data gathering, Remote/ Telemedicine, Real time decision support in interventional medicine, Telepathology, Teleradiology, i could go on and on.

Hope i can make a difference with my RAKSHA ( Registered society for knowledge and health).

Related articles by Zemanta

• Twestival Unstoppable: Live Earth Joins Twitter Fundraiser (mashable.com)
• Al Gore headlining Google event: Google Ocean? (Stephen Shankland/CNET News) (techmeme.com)
• Web 2.0 Summit: Al Gore on “What Now?” (venturebeat.com)

 

-Where are the Doctors?, says "Assocham", Indian industries.

India lags in primary health, lacks specialists : iGovernment

New Delhi: About 50 per cent of sanctioned posts of specialists
at various community health centres (CHCs) throughout India are vacant,which shows that the primary health still remains the lowest priority of state governments including union territories, reveals an industry lobby report.

According to the Associated Chamber of Commerce and Industries (Assocham) Paper ‘Role of Health Insurance in Medical Care in India’, 59.2 per cent of posts of surgeons, 46.4 per cent of obstetricians and gynaecologists, 56.6 per cent of physicians and 51.9 per cent of pediatricians are vacant in the 4,500 CHCs in the country.

Releasing the paper, Assocham President Sajjan Jindal said that 2,525 CHCs should have been added to current operational community health centres that number around 5,000 by end of 2007-08 which did not happen at all, speaks of utter apathy that state governments observed towards them.
 
The CHCs are supposed to provide specialised medical care in the form of facilities of surgeons, obstetricians and gynaecologists, physicians and paediatricians throughout the country to promote rural health.

Even out of the sanctioned posts, a significant percentage of posts are vacant at other levels. For instance, about 8.8 per cent of the
sanctioned posts of female health worker are vacant as compared to about 32 per cent of the male health worker.

At primary health centres (PHCs), about 13.8 per cent of the sanctioned posts of female health assistant and 22.1 per cent of male health assistant are vacant.
 
At the sub centre level, the extent of existing manpower can be assessed from the fact that about five per cent of the sub centres were without a female health worker, about 37.2 per cent sub centres werewithout  male health worker and about 4.7 per cent sub centres were without both female health worker as well as male health worker.

This indicates a large shortfall in male health workers, resulting in poor male participation in family welfare and other health programmes, the Assocham paper said.
 
About 5.6 per cent of the PHCs were without a doctor, about 40 per cent were without a lab technician and about 17 per cent were without a pharmacist.

The chamber has, therefore, recommended that states who manage these centres should attach equal priority to their well being just as they take up issues of creating infrastructure such as roads, ports and aviation.

 

-Where are the Doctors?, says "Assocham", Indian industries.

India lags in primary health, lacks specialists : iGovernment

New Delhi: About 50 per cent of sanctioned posts of specialists
at various community health centres (CHCs) throughout India are vacant,which shows that the primary health still remains the lowest priority of state governments including union territories, reveals an industry lobby report.

According to the Associated Chamber of Commerce and Industries (Assocham) Paper ‘Role of Health Insurance in Medical Care in India’, 59.2 per cent of posts of surgeons, 46.4 per cent of obstetricians and gynaecologists, 56.6 per cent of physicians and 51.9 per cent of pediatricians are vacant in the 4,500 CHCs in the country.

Releasing the paper, Assocham President Sajjan Jindal said that 2,525 CHCs should have been added to current operational community health centres that number around 5,000 by end of 2007-08 which did not happen at all, speaks of utter apathy that state governments observed towards them.
 
The CHCs are supposed to provide specialised medical care in the form of facilities of surgeons, obstetricians and gynaecologists, physicians and paediatricians throughout the country to promote rural health.

Even out of the sanctioned posts, a significant percentage of posts are vacant at other levels. For instance, about 8.8 per cent of the
sanctioned posts of female health worker are vacant as compared to about 32 per cent of the male health worker.

At primary health centres (PHCs), about 13.8 per cent of the sanctioned posts of female health assistant and 22.1 per cent of male health assistant are vacant.
 
At the sub centre level, the extent of existing manpower can be assessed from the fact that about five per cent of the sub centres were without a female health worker, about 37.2 per cent sub centres werewithout  male health worker and about 4.7 per cent sub centres were without both female health worker as well as male health worker.

This indicates a large shortfall in male health workers, resulting in poor male participation in family welfare and other health programmes, the Assocham paper said.
 
About 5.6 per cent of the PHCs were without a doctor, about 40 per cent were without a lab technician and about 17 per cent were without a pharmacist.

The chamber has, therefore, recommended that states who manage these centres should attach equal priority to their well being just as they take up issues of creating infrastructure such as roads, ports and aviation.

 

-Where are the Doctors?, says “Assocham”, Indian industries.

India lags in primary health, lacks specialists : iGovernment

New Delhi: About 50 per cent of sanctioned posts of specialists
at various community health centres (CHCs) throughout India are vacant,
which shows that the primary health still remains the lowest priority
of state governments including union territories, reveals an industry
lobby report.

According to the Associated Chamber of Commerce
and Industries (Assocham) Paper ‘Role of Health Insurance in Medical
Care in India’, 59.2 per cent of posts of surgeons, 46.4 per cent of
obstetricians and gynaecologists, 56.6 per cent of physicians and 51.9
per cent of pediatricians are vacant in the 4,500 CHCs in the country.

Releasing
the paper, Assocham President Sajjan Jindal said that 2,525 CHCs should
have been added to current operational community health centres that
number around 5,000 by end of 2007-08 which did not happen at all,
speaks of utter apathy that state governments observed towards them.
 
The
CHCs are supposed to provide specialised medical care in the form of
facilities of surgeons, obstetricians and gynaecologists, physicians
and paediatricians throughout the country to promote rural health.

Even
out of the sanctioned posts, a significant percentage of posts are
vacant at other levels. For instance, about 8.8 per cent of the
sanctioned posts of female health worker are vacant as compared to
about 32 per cent of the male health worker.

At primary health
centres (PHCs), about 13.8 per cent of the sanctioned posts of female
health assistant and 22.1 per cent of male health assistant are vacant.
 
At
the sub centre level, the extent of existing manpower can be assessed
from the fact that about five per cent of the sub centres were without
a female health worker, about 37.2 per cent sub centres were without a
male health worker and about 4.7 per cent sub centres were without both
female health worker as well as male health worker.

This
indicates a large shortfall in male health workers, resulting in poor
male participation in family welfare and other health programmes, the
Assocham paper said.
 
About 5.6 per cent of the PHCs were
without a doctor, about 40 per cent were without a lab technician and
about 17 per cent were without a pharmacist.

The chamber has,
therefore, recommended that states who manage these centres should
attach equal priority to their well being just as they take up issues
of creating infrastructure such as roads, ports and aviation.