Guest guest Posted March 16, 2006 Report Share Posted March 16, 2006 Hello: Here is a new study which indicates the generally poor quality of health care in the US, no matter which class of society one comes from. Thus, it really is important for individuals to take responsibility for their own health, as Vinod often emphasizes. This news makes me appreciate even more the work of Victoria and this group and thankful for Chinese medicine for giving us alternatives. Kind regards, Jack Startling research from the biggest study ever of U.S. health care quality suggests that Americans ¡ª rich, poor, black, white ¡ª get roughly equal treatment, but it's woefully mediocre for all. " This study shows that health care has equal-opportunity defects, " said Dr. Donald Berwick, who runs the nonprofit Institute for Healthcare Improvement in Cambridge, Mass. The survey of nearly 7,000 patients, reported Thursday in the New England Journal of Medicine, considered only urban-area dwellers who sought treatment, but it still challenged some stereotypes: These blacks and Hispanics actually got slightly better medical treatment than whites. While the researchers acknowledged separate evidence that minorities fare worse in some areas of expensive care and suffer more from some conditions than whites, their study found that once in treatment, minorities' overall care appears similar to that of whites. " It doesn't matter who you are. It doesn't matter whether you're rich or poor, white or black, insured or uninsured, " said chief author Dr. Steven Asch, at the Rand Health research institute, in Santa Monica, Calif. " We all get equally mediocre care. " The researchers, who included U.S. Veterans Affairs personnel, first published their findings for the general population in June 2003. They reported the breakdown by racial, income, and other social groups on Thursday. They examined medical records and phone interviews from 6,712 randomly picked patients who visited a medical office within a two-year period in 12 metropolitan areas from Boston to Miami to Seattle. The group was not nationally representative but does convey a broad picture of the country's health care practices. The survey examined whether people got the highest standard of treatment for 439 measures ranging across common chronic and acute conditions and disease prevention. It looked at whether they got the right tests, drugs and treatments. Overall, patients received only 55 percent of recommended steps for top-quality care ¡ª and no group did much better or worse than that. Blacks and Hispanics as a group each got 58 percent of the best care, compared to 54 percent for whites. Those with annual household income over $50,000 got 57 percent, 4 points more than people from households of less than $15,000. Patients without insurance got 54 percent of recommended steps, just one point less than those with managed care. As to gender, women came out slightly ahead with 57 percent, compared to 52 percent for men. Young adults did slightly better than the elderly. There were narrow snapshots of inequality: An insured white woman, for example, got 57 percent of the best standard of care, while an uninsured black man got just 51 percent. " Though we are improving, disparities in health care still exist, " said Dr. Garth Graham, director of the U.S. Office of Minority Health. Graham, who is black, pointed to other data showing enduring inequality in care, including a large federal study last year. He also said minorities go without treatment more often than whites, and such people are missed entirely by this survey. Some experts took heart in the relative equality within the survey. " The study did find some reassuring things, " said Dr. Tim Carey, who runs a health service research center at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill. But all health experts interviewed fretted about the uniformly low standard. " Regardless of who you are or what group you're in, there is a significant gap between the care you deserve and the care you receive, " said Dr. Reed Tuckson, who is black and a vice president of United HealthGroup, which runs health plans and sells medical data. Health experts blame the overall poor care on an overburdened, fragmented system that fails to keep close track of patients with an increasing number of multiple conditions. Quality specialists said improvements can come with more public reporting of performance, more uniform training, more computerized checks and more coordination by patients themselves. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 16, 2006 Report Share Posted March 16, 2006 Chinese Traditional Medicine , Herbee daLuvSlug <herbee wrote: >> My back pain has been controlled by a change of shoes, I > am now wearing Barefoot technology (MBT) shoes, and they have made so much OOPS - CHOPPED THIS OFF - LU BARLEY Hi, Herbee. I am sorry about your mum; there are terrible statistics on people killed by excessive drug-type medicines. I know of course that it doesn't make you feel any better that she is " only " one of a million. But congrats to you on how far you have come on your own! I wanted to ask about those MBT shoes. I don't have back pain except that caused by working at quite hard physical labour 6 months of the year, and all I have are the cheapest, worst boots and shoes imaginable. Maybe those Barefoot shoes would help, so could you give me some info, please? Tks! - Lu. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 17, 2006 Report Share Posted March 17, 2006 Herbee: I used to conduct these types of surveys, and it is amazing how little Americans know about their own health care. Most place their faith in a doctor and leave things at that, and many don't listen to the doctor. Most doctors are simply under the influence of the pharmaceuticals, so its " a pill for this, a pill for that. " My mother, a retired nurse, was taking eleven different pills daily a few years ago, don't know how many per day she is up to now. If a drug has side effects, you have to question what it is doing to your body. Have you considered Chinese medicine treatments for your conditions? Kind regards, Jack --- Herbee daLuvSlug <herbee wrote: > This is something I just recently have > discovered...I have to take my own > health responsibility. I was on so many pills that > I looked like a > pharmacy. If I went to the doctor with another > complaint, mostly I know > now, was because of some medicine interaction, she > gave me another pill. > When I began to shake, and lost a lot of muscle > control, I started to look > up my meds, and my statin drugs I have been taking, > can cause this, > especially in high doses...which I was on, I told > her, she switched the med > to a different one, still a statin...finally I > refused to take them. I told > her that I knew it was them. Within 2 days, I > stopped dropping things, and > shaking. She basically said she could do nothing > for me, if I refused to > take the medication she prescribed for me. Since > then, I have been > prescribed a natural drug for reducing cholesterol, > a lot of oolong tea, and > I had a blood test day before yesterday, and my bad > cholesterol is down more > than it has been for years. Granted the niacin > causes a little livable side > effect, which is itching, and breaking into a sweat, > for about 5 minutes, > after taking the evening pill. > > I am now down to 2 prescription drugs, which I am > afraid not to > take...mainly because I lived with depression all my > life, and panic > attacks, and the Prozac and xanex have controlled > this, and I have not been > plagued with those two problems for 2 years now. My > headaches continue, but > are also livable. My back pain has been controlled > by a change of shoes, I > am now wearing Barefoot technology (MBT) shoes, and > they have made so much > difference, I cannot believe it. > > Just to know there is a way to take care of yourself > without pissing off a > doctor and taking things into your own hands, is > great. I just wish I had > known these things before my mom died. She was also > on heavy does of statin > drugs, and was told she had a pre Parkinson's > condition. In my heart I > really believe all her medications are what killed > her. > > Thanks for reading me, > Herbee > > > On 3/16/06 12:31 AM, " Jack Sweeney " > <mojavecowboy wrote: > > > Hello: > > > > Here is a new study which indicates the generally > poor > > quality of health care in the US, no matter which > > class of society one comes from. > > > > Thus, it really is important for individuals to > take > > responsibility for their own health, as Vinod > often > > emphasizes. This news makes me appreciate even > more > > the work of Victoria and this group and thankful > for > > Chinese medicine for giving us alternatives. > > > > Kind regards, Jack > > > > Startling research from the biggest study ever of > U.S. > > health care quality suggests that Americans ¡ª > rich, > > poor, black, white ¡ª get roughly equal treatment, > but > > it's woefully mediocre for all. > > > > " This study shows that health care has > > equal-opportunity defects, " said Dr. Donald > Berwick, > > who runs the nonprofit Institute for Healthcare > > Improvement in Cambridge, Mass. > > > > The survey of nearly 7,000 patients, reported > Thursday > > in the New England Journal of Medicine, considered > > only urban-area dwellers who sought treatment, but > it > > still challenged some stereotypes: These blacks > and > > Hispanics actually got slightly better medical > > treatment than whites. > > > > While the researchers acknowledged separate > evidence > > that minorities fare worse in some areas of > expensive > > care and suffer more from some conditions than > whites, > > their study found that once in treatment, > minorities' > > overall care appears similar to that of whites. > > > > " It doesn't matter who you are. It doesn't matter > > whether you're rich or poor, white or black, > insured > > or uninsured, " said chief author Dr. Steven Asch, > at > > the Rand Health research institute, in Santa > Monica, > > Calif. " We all get equally mediocre care. " > > > > The researchers, who included U.S. Veterans > Affairs > > personnel, first published their findings for the > > general population in June 2003. They reported the > > breakdown by racial, income, and other social > groups > > on Thursday. > > > > They examined medical records and phone interviews > > from 6,712 randomly picked patients who visited a > > medical office within a two-year period in 12 > > metropolitan areas from Boston to Miami to > Seattle. > > The group was not nationally representative but > does > > convey a broad picture of the country's health > care > > practices. > > > > The survey examined whether people got the highest > > standard of treatment for 439 measures ranging > across > > common chronic and acute conditions and disease > > prevention. It looked at whether they got the > right > > tests, drugs and treatments. > > > > Overall, patients received only 55 percent of > > recommended steps for top-quality care ¡ª and no > group > > did much better or worse than that. > > > > Blacks and Hispanics as a group each got 58 > percent of > > the best care, compared to 54 percent for whites. > > Those with annual household income over $50,000 > got 57 > > percent, 4 points more than people from households > of > > less than $15,000. Patients without insurance got > 54 > > percent of recommended steps, just one point less > than > > those with managed care. > > > > As to gender, women came out slightly ahead with > 57 > > percent, compared to 52 percent for men. Young > adults > > did slightly better than the elderly. > > > > There were narrow snapshots of inequality: An > insured > > white woman, for example, got 57 percent of the > best > > standard of care, while an uninsured black man got > > just 51 percent. > > > > " Though we are improving, disparities in health > care > > still exist, " said Dr. Garth Graham, director of > the > > U.S. Office of Minority Health. > > > > Graham, who is black, pointed to other data > showing > > enduring inequality in care, including a large > federal > > study last year. He also said minorities go > without > > treatment more often than whites, and such people > are > > missed entirely by this survey. > > > > Some experts took heart in the relative equality > === message truncated === Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 17, 2006 Report Share Posted March 17, 2006 I have an appointment tomorrow with a local Chinese doctor, that comes highly recommended, and also had to wait quite some time to get in to see her. They are however the ones who recommended the oolong tea, only leaf, no bags, and the cholesterol lowering meds, until they could see me. I have to continue to be seen by a conventional doctor, or my insurance won¹t pay for alternative. I also had an acupuncture treatment this week for my headaches. I am working on it. Herbee On 3/16/06 5:58 PM, " Jack Sweeney " <mojavecowboy wrote: > Herbee: > > I used to conduct these types of surveys, and it is > amazing how little Americans know about their own > health care. Most place their faith in a doctor and > leave things at that, and many don't listen to the > doctor. > > Most doctors are simply under the influence of the > pharmaceuticals, so its " a pill for this, a pill for > that. " > > My mother, a retired nurse, was taking eleven > different pills daily a few years ago, don't know how > many per day she is up to now. > > If a drug has side effects, you have to question what > it is doing to your body. Have you considered Chinese > medicine treatments for your conditions? > > Kind regards, Jack > > --- Herbee daLuvSlug <herbee wrote: > >> > This is something I just recently have >> > discovered...I have to take my own >> > health responsibility. I was on so many pills that >> > I looked like a >> > pharmacy. If I went to the doctor with another >> > complaint, mostly I know >> > now, was because of some medicine interaction, she >> > gave me another pill. >> > When I began to shake, and lost a lot of muscle >> > control, I started to look >> > up my meds, and my statin drugs I have been taking, >> > can cause this, >> > especially in high doses...which I was on, I told >> > her, she switched the med >> > to a different one, still a statin...finally I >> > refused to take them. I told >> > her that I knew it was them. Within 2 days, I >> > stopped dropping things, and >> > shaking. She basically said she could do nothing >> > for me, if I refused to >> > take the medication she prescribed for me. Since >> > then, I have been >> > prescribed a natural drug for reducing cholesterol, >> > a lot of oolong tea, and >> > I had a blood test day before yesterday, and my bad >> > cholesterol is down more >> > than it has been for years. Granted the niacin >> > causes a little livable side >> > effect, which is itching, and breaking into a sweat, >> > for about 5 minutes, >> > after taking the evening pill. >> > >> > I am now down to 2 prescription drugs, which I am >> > afraid not to >> > take...mainly because I lived with depression all my >> > life, and panic >> > attacks, and the Prozac and xanex have controlled >> > this, and I have not been >> > plagued with those two problems for 2 years now. My >> > headaches continue, but >> > are also livable. My back pain has been controlled >> > by a change of shoes, I >> > am now wearing Barefoot technology (MBT) shoes, and >> > they have made so much >> > difference, I cannot believe it. >> > >> > Just to know there is a way to take care of yourself >> > without pissing off a >> > doctor and taking things into your own hands, is >> > great. I just wish I had >> > known these things before my mom died. She was also >> > on heavy does of statin >> > drugs, and was told she had a pre Parkinson's >> > condition. In my heart I >> > really believe all her medications are what killed >> > her. >> > >> > Thanks for reading me, >> > Herbee >> > >> > >> > On 3/16/06 12:31 AM, " Jack Sweeney " >> > <mojavecowboy wrote: >> > >>> > > Hello: >>> > > >>> > > Here is a new study which indicates the generally >> > poor >>> > > quality of health care in the US, no matter which >>> > > class of society one comes from. >>> > > >>> > > Thus, it really is important for individuals to >> > take >>> > > responsibility for their own health, as Vinod >> > often >>> > > emphasizes. This news makes me appreciate even >> > more >>> > > the work of Victoria and this group and thankful >> > for >>> > > Chinese medicine for giving us alternatives. >>> > > >>> > > Kind regards, Jack >>> > > >>> > > Startling research from the biggest study ever of >> > U.S. >>> > > health care quality suggests that Americans ¡ª >> > rich, >>> > > poor, black, white ¡ª get roughly equal treatment, >> > but >>> > > it's woefully mediocre for all. >>> > > >>> > > " This study shows that health care has >>> > > equal-opportunity defects, " said Dr. Donald >> > Berwick, >>> > > who runs the nonprofit Institute for Healthcare >>> > > Improvement in Cambridge, Mass. >>> > > >>> > > The survey of nearly 7,000 patients, reported >> > Thursday >>> > > in the New England Journal of Medicine, considered >>> > > only urban-area dwellers who sought treatment, but >> > it >>> > > still challenged some stereotypes: These blacks >> > and >>> > > Hispanics actually got slightly better medical >>> > > treatment than whites. >>> > > >>> > > While the researchers acknowledged separate >> > evidence >>> > > that minorities fare worse in some areas of >> > expensive >>> > > care and suffer more from some conditions than >> > whites, >>> > > their study found that once in treatment, >> > minorities' >>> > > overall care appears similar to that of whites. >>> > > >>> > > " It doesn't matter who you are. It doesn't matter >>> > > whether you're rich or poor, white or black, >> > insured >>> > > or uninsured, " said chief author Dr. Steven Asch, >> > at >>> > > the Rand Health research institute, in Santa >> > Monica, >>> > > Calif. " We all get equally mediocre care. " >>> > > >>> > > The researchers, who included U.S. Veterans >> > Affairs >>> > > personnel, first published their findings for the >>> > > general population in June 2003. They reported the >>> > > breakdown by racial, income, and other social >> > groups >>> > > on Thursday. >>> > > >>> > > They examined medical records and phone interviews >>> > > from 6,712 randomly picked patients who visited a >>> > > medical office within a two-year period in 12 >>> > > metropolitan areas from Boston to Miami to >> > Seattle. >>> > > The group was not nationally representative but >> > does >>> > > convey a broad picture of the country's health >> > care >>> > > practices. >>> > > >>> > > The survey examined whether people got the highest >>> > > standard of treatment for 439 measures ranging >> > across >>> > > common chronic and acute conditions and disease >>> > > prevention. It looked at whether they got the >> > right >>> > > tests, drugs and treatments. >>> > > >>> > > Overall, patients received only 55 percent of >>> > > recommended steps for top-quality care ¡ª and no >> > group >>> > > did much better or worse than that. >>> > > >>> > > Blacks and Hispanics as a group each got 58 >> > percent of >>> > > the best care, compared to 54 percent for whites. >>> > > Those with annual household income over $50,000 >> > got 57 >>> > > percent, 4 points more than people from households >> > of >>> > > less than $15,000. Patients without insurance got >> > 54 >>> > > percent of recommended steps, just one point less >> > than >>> > > those with managed care. >>> > > >>> > > As to gender, women came out slightly ahead with >> > 57 >>> > > percent, compared to 52 percent for men. Young >> > adults >>> > > did slightly better than the elderly. >>> > > >>> > > There were narrow snapshots of inequality: An >> > insured >>> > > white woman, for example, got 57 percent of the >> > best >>> > > standard of care, while an uninsured black man got >>> > > just 51 percent. >>> > > >>> > > " Though we are improving, disparities in health >> > care >>> > > still exist, " said Dr. Garth Graham, director of >> > the >>> > > U.S. Office of Minority Health. >>> > > >>> > > Graham, who is black, pointed to other data >> > showing >>> > > enduring inequality in care, including a large >> > federal >>> > > study last year. He also said minorities go >> > without >>> > > treatment more often than whites, and such people >> > are >>> > > missed entirely by this survey. >>> > > >>> > > Some experts took heart in the relative equality >> > > === message truncated === > > > > > > > > > > > > > Post message: Chinese Traditional Medicine > Subscribe: Chinese Traditional Medicine- > Un: Chinese Traditional Medicine- > List owner: Chinese Traditional Medicine-owner > > Shortcut URL to this page: > /community/Chinese Traditional Medicine > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 17, 2006 Report Share Posted March 17, 2006 http://www.walkerswarehouse.com/fitness_cat/shoes/mbt_shoes_by_swiss_masai.a sp http://www.swissmasaius.com/ The first site is the best for purchasing them, the second one explains the technology...and I am living proof they work. Herbee On 3/16/06 2:16 PM, " Mrs. Barley " <chosenbarley wrote: > Chinese Traditional Medicine , Herbee daLuvSlug <herbee > wrote: >>> >> My back pain has been controlled by a change of shoes, I >> > am now wearing Barefoot technology (MBT) shoes, and they have made so > much OOPS - CHOPPED THIS OFF - LU BARLEY > > Hi, Herbee. I am sorry about your mum; there are terrible statistics > on people killed by excessive drug-type medicines. I know of course > that it doesn't make you feel any better that she is " only " one of a > million. > > But congrats to you on how far you have come on your own! > > I wanted to ask about those MBT shoes. I don't have back pain except > that caused by working at quite hard physical labour 6 months of the > year, and all I have are the cheapest, worst boots and shoes > imaginable. Maybe those Barefoot shoes would help, so could you give > me some info, please? Tks! - Lu. > > Post message: Chinese Traditional Medicine > Subscribe: Chinese Traditional Medicine- > Un: Chinese Traditional Medicine- > List owner: Chinese Traditional Medicine-owner > > Shortcut URL to this page: > /community/Chinese Traditional Medicine > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 17, 2006 Report Share Posted March 17, 2006 Chinese Traditional Medicine , Herbee daLuvSlug <herbee wrote: > > http://www.walkerswarehouse.com/fitness_cat/shoes/mbt_shoes_by_swiss_m asai.a > sp > > http://www.swissmasaius.com/ > > The first site is the best for purchasing them, the second one explains the > technology...and I am living proof they work. > > Herbee > > > >-Thank you very much, Herbee. They are a bit on the pricey side for shoes, aren't they...I wear $8.00 running shoes made out of canvas and this will take a bit of saving up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 17, 2006 Report Share Posted March 17, 2006 What were the " 439 measures " that the participants' care in this study were judged by? Penel who isn't satisfied being told of a symptom and wants to know the etiology of disfunction <snip> > The survey examined whether people got the highest > standard of treatment for 439 measures ranging across > common chronic and acute conditions and disease > prevention. It looked at whether they got the right > tests, drugs and treatments. > > Overall, patients received only 55 percent of > recommended steps for top-quality care ¡ª and no group > did much better or worse than that. > > Blacks and Hispanics as a group each got 58 percent of > the best care, compared to 54 percent for whites. > Those with annual household income over $50,000 got 57 > percent, 4 points more than people from households of > less than $15,000. Patients without insurance got 54 > percent of recommended steps, just one point less than > those with managed care. > > As to gender, women came out slightly ahead with 57 > percent, compared to 52 percent for men. Young adults > did slightly better than the elderly. > > There were narrow snapshots of inequality: An insured > white woman, for example, got 57 percent of the best > standard of care, while an uninsured black man got > just 51 percent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 17, 2006 Report Share Posted March 17, 2006 Yes they are, but they have a lifetime guarantee...which makes it worth it. I think, and yes, I did have to save up for them, and now am saving for some sandals for summer, if we ever get any. Herbee > >> > >> > >> >-Thank you very much, Herbee. They are a bit on the pricey side for > shoes, aren't they...I wear $8.00 running shoes made out of canvas > and this will take a bit of saving up. > > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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