May 22, 2012

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NE Medical Center has treated six in last month for flesh-eating bacteria

May 21, 2012 By

Six patients have been treated at the Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha for necrotizing fasciitis, the flesh-eating bacteria.

The Omaha World-Herald reports the medical center has treated the six in the last month, the highest number of patients with the condition ever treated there in such a short period of time, according to Dr. Jeff Cooper, medical director of the hospital hyperbaric oxygen unit.

All the patients are reported to be doing well.

Cooper tells the newspaper, “It’s a very scary disease.”

It can be deadly. Up to 40% of the patients who contract the bacteria die. Many need to have limbs amputated to keep the disease from spreading.

A story that has gained national attention has raised awareness of the disease. 24-year-old Aimee Copeland from Georgia contracted the disease after suffering a gash to her leg May 1st when she fell from a homemade zip line over a river.

Filed Under: Featured Stories, Health & Medicine, News

Two advocacy groups file lawsuit against NHHS

May 18, 2012 By

Nebraska Appleseed and the National Health Law Program filed a class-action lawsuit against the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services and two of its officers.

In court documents filed in Lancaster County District Court today, the two advocacy groups accuse NHHS of denying treatment to children with developmental disabilities.

Executive Director of Nebraska Appleseed Becky Gould says early behavioral health services are effective therapies and is required by the federal Medicaid Act.

The suit was filed on behalf of two children… but Gould says there are others out there who have been denied.

Filed Under: Health & Medicine, News

Nebraskans get rolling with Bike to Work Week

May 14, 2012 By

Nebraska motorists will notice more two-wheelers on the road this morning as part of Bike to Work Week.

Whether it’s for exercise, to save money or to live a greener lifestyle, biking enthusiast Mark Wyatt says plenty of people are turning to pedal power, and not just for a week.

He encourages Nebraskans to give biking to work a spin.

“A lot of times your commute is much shorter than you can even imagine and it’s pretty comparable by car,” Wyatt says. “It’s easy. If you really want to start, give it a try it on a weekend and get out there and see how long your commute’s going to be and help with your timing and such.”

Common complaints are that people don’t want to be all sweaty when they get to work, or that their hair will be messed up from wearing a bike helmet. His reply?

“You can take your clothes to work,” Wyatt says. “Hair products are portable so it’s really easy to set up there at work, towel off and change clothes before you go on about your day.”

One study found that biking to work instead of driving a car can save $6,000 to $7,000 a year. While the winter months pose a challenge in Nebraska, Wyatt says there’s no valid excuse to not try biking to work this spring — and this week.

There is a host of rides, races and other bike-related events over the coming weeks as part of National Bike Month.

Nebraska has hundreds of miles of bike trails. Get rolling by visiting: www.nebraskabiketrails.com

 

Filed Under: Environment & Conservation, Health & Medicine, News, Transportation

Nebraska to receive $5M in national Abbott Laboratories settlement

May 7, 2012 By

Nebraska will receive nearly $5 million as part of an $800 million settlement Abbott Laboratories has reached with the states and the federal government.

Abbott also has pleaded guilty to a violation of the Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act, agreeing to pay a $700 million penalty.

The federal government and 45 states filed a complaint against Abbott Laboratories, claiming it used unfair and deceptive practices to market Depakote for off-label uses. The drug has been approved to treat seizures, mania associated with bipolar disorder and prophylaxis of migraines. The complaint accused Abbott of marketing the drug to treat schizophrenia, agitated dementia and autism though it had not received approval for such use. Abbott has agreed to change how it markets Depakote and to quit promoting uses not included on its label.

The Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Unit handled the civil settlement and will return more than $3.7 million to the state Medicaid program. The Consumer Protection Division handled the consumer settlement which will net $1.2 million to the state.

Filed Under: Business, Health & Medicine, News

Nebraska first in the nation with Vet’s Town project

May 1, 2012 By

Nebraska is leading the nation with a new program aimed at helping our nation’s veterans. The new project is Vet’s Town and Omaha Mayor Jim Suttle stated their goal is to repeat the success of Boy’s Town nearly 100 year’s ago.

Project Homeless Connect Omaha is now in the process of raising $3-million to get the project started. They have two facilities in mind that could house up to 50 people once the doors open and expand from there.

Project Homeless’ long term goal is to have a manufacturing facility where veterans can make products and supply local companies. This will provide a career and needed income for a path to independence.

Mike Fornear with the national Homeless Veterans Project and says they got the idea to team with the Big Ten Conference who agreed to help them with this project. He says, “they expanded their efforts and contacted Dr. Tom Osborne to lead the charge here to make Nebraska the first state in the country to end veteran homelessness”.

Dr. Tom Osborne will serve as honorary chairman of the group’s board of directors.

They hope to raise the needed money within the next several months.

Filed Under: Health & Medicine, News
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