J.P. Morgan HealthCare Conference 

It’s not that opioids are dispensed, it is how it is being dispensed that is the major issue.  Opioid addiction is complicated and there is no simple answer to solve the whole problem.   

There is a simple ounce of prevention that makes complete sense and should be mandated.  This is a different conversation on opioid abuse other then just more draconian restrictions on dispensing.   Giving cognitively impaired patient real tools to manage their medication is the best and logical start to reducing the opioid problems.

Here is why:

1) As doctors and pharmacies are being scrutinized, restrictions and unifying databases are being mandated, the main culprit is not being addressed. The patients that are mentally impaired by the opioids need tools for monitoring their last drug intake. What gets measured gets done, making the patient’s part of the solution from the beginning by giving them the right tools to be responsible with their drug intake. 

2) What we know for sure is that patients disorientated on opioids in traditional packaging and forced to find external means of tracking are not working. 

3) Cognitively impaired patients need automatic timers that count up since last opened to lets patient and caregivers truly monitor usage to prevent unintended abuse, household diversion detection, and to know when it is safe again to operate a motor vehicle.  Opioid need to stay in containers they are dispensed in for maximum safety with all vital information such as: patient, medication name, pill descriptions, dosage, and side effects in case of an emergency.   

4) Traditional dispensing is analogues of giving a person an automobile without a speedometer. Sure they can read the posted speed signs but without a speedometer they have no way of knowing how fast or slow they are going so they can appropriately self-correct.  They can only guess or find out when pulled over by enforcement, this is what is happening to opioid patients they are already impaired and have no way to track their last usage.

5) The TimerCap is a cap with a built-in stopwatch, it resets every time you close the container and begins to count up to display time passed since last closed.  This means the cap is not competing with labeling instructions, foolproof as it starts and resets every time its opened, simple enough for anyone to use without instructions and inexpensive.

6) TimerCaps are inexpensive and have been proven to help patients take their medication as prescribed and is the perfect tool for opioid tracking and diversion detection.  This keep medication and labeling in the container  its dispensed in for maximum safety, keeping all vital information such as: patient, medication name, pill descriptions, dosage, side effects, warnings, prescribing doctor, pharmacy, and refill information.  This makes it simple for easy identification of medications and time of last dosage in case of emergency.  

Best of all they are inexpensive and all CVS and Rite have them for purchase, but these should be mandated with schedule II prescriptions. 

===============================

Steer Clear of Student Loan Scammers with Hollow Promises, High-Pressure Tactics

Nonprofit credit, student loan counseling agency Take Charge America educates borrowers about red flags as they seek repayment options
 

PHOENIX – (Jan. 11, 2017) – With the U.S. Department of Education reporting that more than 40 percent of all borrowers are late or in default, it’s no wonder fake or unethical student debt relief companies are popping up everywhere.

“Borrowers are more stressed than ever before about repaying their loans,” said Sarah Hamilton, student loan supervisor for Take Charge America, a national nonprofit credit counseling and student loan counseling agency. “Scammers prey on their anxiety, promising to clear their debt for steep fees. Their best bet is to work directly with their student loan servicer or a nonprofit counselor to identify the best repayment options.”

To help sort out the confusion, Hamilton offers signs of potential repayment scams:

• Excessive Fees: Many scammers promise lower rates or debt elimination in exchange for hefty fees ranging from $600 to $1,200. If you have federal student loans (which account for the vast majority of student loans), you can manage the repayment process yourself for free at studentloans.gov. Or, if you want objective, one-on-one assistance navigating the system and working with loan servicers, you can seek guidance from a nonprofit student loan counseling agency for half the rate, and a much more comprehensive service. 

• High-Pressure Tactics: Scammers may pressure you with “limited-time” or “exclusive” offers. Often, these companies put you into loan deferment or forbearance, which seems to solve the problem for the short term but doesn’t address the root issue. When it comes to student loan repayment, there aren’t any special deals.

• Instant Forgiveness: A promise of instant loan forgiveness or “Obama forgiveness” is irresistible. Scammers may ask for your private data and charge a fee, which seems a small price to pay to wipe out debt. In reality, instant forgiveness doesn’t exist, and any promises should serve as red flags. In very rare cases some borrowers with permanent disability can obtain forgiveness, but that involves detailed monitoring and can only be granted directly through the Department of Education. Forgiveness programs for public service employees, nonprofit workers and teachers are available, yet they require 5 to 10 years of service within the industry. Moreover, most for-profit organizations don’t even bring up legitimate forgiveness programs because they can’t turn a quick profit. 

• Power of Attorney: Scammers may tell you they require power of attorney to reduce your debt, which enables them to alter your student loans without your consent. If authorization falls in the wrong hands, it could cause irreversible damage.

• Unsolicited Assistance: If you receive cold calls from so-called relief companies, steer clear. Your student loan servicer will not contact you in an unsolicited manner, nor will a nonprofit counseling agency.

• Credibility: Fly-by-night companies will not be listed with the Better Business Bureau or other services assessing the credibility of an organization. If you are considering assistance from a third party, verify with the BBB first at bbb.org. 

Borrowers seeking more information about student loan repayment options can visit Take Charge America at studentloans.takechargeamerica.org or call (877) 784-2008.

About Take Charge America, Inc.

Founded in 1987, Take Charge America, Inc. is a nonprofit agency offering financial education and counseling services including credit counseling, debt management, student loan counseling, housing counseling and bankruptcy counseling. It has helped more than 1.6 million consumers nationwide manage their personal finances and debts. To learn more, visit www.takechargeamerica.org or call (888) 822-9193.

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Intermountain Healthcare Study to Improve Patient Care and Lower Costs at Emergency Departments and Urgent Care Centers

SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH, USA, January 10, 2017 /EINPresswire.com/ -- A team of Intermountain researchers, led by Todd Allen, MD, was recently awarded a grant from the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation for approximately $300,000 to study the proportion, causes, and outcomes of emergency department and urgent care center visits at Intermountain. Researchers aim to identify potentially preventable events that lead to these visits — such as failures in outpatient care — which may help providers reduce how often people seek emergency care, and ultimately lead to improved care and lower costs.

By rapidly applying what is learned through evidence-based solutions, Intermountain intends to help patients seek care from the right place and receive high quality care at an affordable cost.

“It’s only through proper accounting and classification of problems that we can discover solutions that improve patient care and deliver the best medical result at an affordable cost,” says Dr. Allen.

The study will include adults and children and will be conducted in emergency departments and urgent care centers across the Intermountain care delivery system. Clinical experts from Intermountain’s Clinical Programs, the Office of Research, and the Institute for Healthcare Delivery and Research will participate in the study.

The primary endpoint of the study will be the incidence rates of causes for failures in outpatient care leading to potentially avoidable emergency department and urgent care visits. The secondary endpoints will include:

• Disposition from the emergency departments and urgent care centers
• Length of stay for admitted patients
• A classification of the effects of the failure of outpatient care using categories similar to the National Coordinating Council for Medication Error Reporting and Prevention (NCC MERP) method
• 30 and 90-day episode costs

This research initiative will result in three critical outputs:
1. Causes and effects of failures of outpatient care leading to potentially avoidable emergency department and urgent care center visits
2. Estimates of the proportion of emergency department and urgent care center visits that result from a failure of outpatient care, with a classification of the causes and outcomes
3. Measurements of the 30 and 90-day episode costs of emergency department and urgent care center visits associated with a failure of outpatient care beginning the day of the visit

Intermountain Healthcare is a Utah-based, not-for-profit system of 22 hospitals, 185 clinics, a Medical Group with about 1,500 employed physicians and advanced practitioners, a health plans group called SelectHealth, and other health services. With a mission of helping people live the healthiest lives possible®, Intermountain Healthcare is widely recognized as a leader in transforming healthcare through high quality and sustainable costs. For more information visit intermountainhealthcare.org.

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Will Jeff Sessions drain the Internet swamp of crimes against children?

BY DONNA RICE HUGHES, OPINION CONTRIBUTOR - 01/10/17 07:41 AM EST 24

As the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee holds confirmation hearings for Senator Jeff Sessions to be the country's eighty-fourth attorney general today, the committee will probe his views on law enforcement, criminal justice and a number of other legal issues.

According to the 2016 C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital National Poll on Children’s Health, Internet safety is now the 4th most commonly identified “big problem”, up from #8 in 2014 on the list of parent's health concerns for children.

Sexting received the biggest change in rating this year, from #13 in 2014 to #6 in 2015; kids have had free and easy access to prosecutable Internet pornography for over two decades. Child pornographers, predators and traffickers often use anonymizing tools, the Deep Web and unregulated virtual currencies to cover their tracks. And the Internet-enabled sexual exploitation of children in travel and tourism (SECTT) has out-paced international and national efforts to curb the problem.

The endless sludge of criminal content and activity on the Internet must be drained and the rule of law upheld.  

Last summer, Donald J. Trump signed Enough Is Enough’s Children's Internet Safety Presidential Pledge which included the commitment to appoint an Attorney General who will make the prosecution of existing federal laws to prevent the sexual exploitation of children online a top priority.

One key area that the committee must address is Trump's Pledge to appoint an Attorney General who will make the enforcement of the federal obscenity, child pornography, sexual predation and sex trafficking laws a top priority. Every child deserves a protected age of innocence.

The government must start doing its job by vigorously enforcing the laws designed to protect vulnerable children in the digital age. Therefore, some of the questions based on the Pledge the Judiciary Committee should ask Senator Sessions include:

• Will you aggressively enforce the existing federal obscenity laws, child pornography laws, sexual predation laws and the sex trafficking laws?
   
• Research substantiates that online pornography is a growing health crisis that must be addressed and reversed. What strategies would you implement to deal with the proliferation of prosecutable pornography which has been allowed to flourish online due to the failure of the Obama Justice Department to enforce the existing federal obscenity laws?
   
• How will you work with Congress and the White House to ensure law enforcement and intelligence agencies have the necessary tools, resources and support they need to investigate and prosecute child sexual exploitation, obscenity and child pornography and be of sufficient magnitude to effectively deter illegal activity on the Internet?
   
• How will you ensure the enforcement of the Children's Internet Protection Act (CIPA), requiring schools and public libraries using government eRate monies to filter child pornography, obscene content and harmful to minors material? In particular, how will you, as attorney general hold public libraries accountable to filter and work with the FCC to ensure oversight?
   
• Most victims of child pornography are prepubescent with a growing trend towards the depiction of younger children, including infants. Child pornographers and sex traffickers are gravitating to the use sophisticated anonymizing tools to cover their tracks and the "Deep Web" sites that cater to their perversion which accept payment in unregulated currencies such as Bitcoin. How will you tackle these growing challenges?
   
• The sexual exploitation of children in travel and tourism (SECTT) has out-paced every attempt to respond at the international and national levels. The Internet has enabled offenders to groom children online, and to exchange information and advice on how to abuse children and avoid law enforcement detection... What strategies will you implement to get ahead of this growing trend?
   
• Will you support the work of a presidential commission to examine the harmful public health impact of Internet pornography on youth, families, and the prevention of sexual exploitation of children in the digital age?

Today's youth have fully integrated the Internet into their daily lives, using technology as a pervasive platform for education, communication, interaction, exploration, and self-expression. Preventing the sexual exploitation of youth online requires a shared responsibility between the public, corporations and government.  

A growing number of government commissions, task forces, scholars, and institutions have recognized the significant risks associated with unfettered Internet access by youth, and they have called upon governments, policy makers, caregivers, industry and educators to take action. The Presidential Pledge and supporting documentation, including the signed pledge by President-elect Trump can be found at http://enough.org/presidential_pledge

Donna Rice Hughes, Enough Is Enough®'s CEO & President has been an Internet safety pioneer, author, and speaker since 1994. As a media commentator, she has given thousands of interviews on Internet safety related issues. She has testified numerous times before Congress, and has served as a Child Online Protection Act (COPA) Commissioner and other national and state government task forces.

===========================

 COME

JOIN US!

 

Be a part of

 Special Olympics Utah 

in 2017.

 

 

 

TOWN HALL MEETINGS

 

Come learn about our 2017 Sports Programs!  The Special Olympics Utah Board Chair is hosting these meetings which are open to all community members including athletes, families, coaches, volunteers and community supporters.  Come learn about our sports offerings and plans for 2017.

 

 

Tuesday, January 17 - North Area

Pleasant Valley Library

5568 S. 500 E. Ogden City

6:30-7:30pm

Wednesday, January 18 - Metro Area

Taylorsville Library 

4870 S. 2700 W. Taylorsville

6:30-7:30pm

Thursday, January 19 - Central Area
Provo Recreation Center

320 W. 500 N., Provo

6:30-7:30pm

 

 

Tuesday, January 24 - South Area

Southern Utah University Campus 

(exact room TBD), Cedar City

6:30-7:30pm

Wednesday, January 25 - South East 

Conference call - Contact Matt Allen (allen@sout.org) for details

6:30-7:30pm

Thursday, February 2 - North East 

Vernal City Offices, Vernal

7:00-8:00 pm

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

POLAR PLUNGES

 

 

What is the Polar Plunge?

Individuals and groups plunge into cold winter water to show support, increase awareness and raise funds for children and adults with intellectual disabilities to participate in sports training and competition with Special Olympics Utah. 

 

Come Plunge!   Dates and registration information below.

  

     www.firstgiving.com/SOUT

 

DATE

TIME

LOCATION

Saturday, January 21st

 

8:30 AM - Registration & 
Pre-Plunge Party
10 AM - Polar Plunge 
  

North Shore Aquatic Center

245 East 2550 North
No. Ogden 

Saturday, February 4th

8:30 AM - Registration
 & Pre-Plunge Party
10 AM - Polar Plunge
  

Sheraton SLC Hotel
150 West 500 South
Salt Lake City 
 
 

Saturday, February 11th

8:30 AM - Registration
 & Pre-Plunge Party
10 AM - Polar Plunge
  

Cedar City Aquatic Center 

2090 W. Royal Hunter Drive Cedar City 
 
 

Saturday, February 18th

8:30 AM - Registration & Sheriff's Breakfast
10 AM - Polar Plunge
  

St. George City Pool
250 East 700 South
St. George  
 
 

 

 

Who can plunge?

 

Anyone!  Students, corporate groups, athletes...You!  Come show your support for individuals with intellectual disabilities.

 

How do I register to plunge?

Go to www.firstgiving.com/SOUT  and select your Polar Plunge event. Plungers who register in advance online receive a 2017 Polar Plunge t-shirt. Day of registration is available, but plungers are not guaranteed a shirt.

 

What is the minimum donated required?

Adult Plungers: Pay $10 registration fee, raise or pay a min. of $40 to plunge

Student & Athlete Plungers: Pay $10 registration fee, raise or pay a min. of $20 to plu

 

Special Olympics owns the rights to the "Polar Plunge" trademark as well as the related mark of "Polar Bear Plunge."

 

 

Questions?    801-363-1111  or information@sout.org

==================================

NOW AVAILABLE: Briefing on Public Lands Issues in 2017 State Legislatures

DENVER—The Center for Western Priorities today released a reporter brief on public lands issues in 2017 state legislative sessions across the West.

“As lawmakers get to work, we thought it was important to give reporters a bird’s-eye view of what’s happening across the region,” said Greg Zimmerman, deputy director at the Center for Western Priorities. “From state to state, we see wildly different priorities and concerns in this legislative cycle.”

Available online and as a PDF, the briefing includes the big questions that elected officials in eight Western states will tackle as they begin their work this year. Among them:

Utah: Will the governor and attorney general bankroll a $14 million lawsuit against the federal government?

Montana: Will the legislature partner with the governor to form an Office of Outdoor Recreation?

New Mexico: Will citizens win back access to their rivers and streams?

Idaho: Will legislators repeal a misguided and frivolous county supremacy law?

Nevada: What can a pro-public lands majority accomplish?

Colorado: Will legislators build on their Public Lands Day success?

Arizona: Will the governor veto even more failed land seizure bills?

Wyoming: Will hunters, anglers, and county leaders block a land seizure amendment to the state constitution?

 

The brief’s co-author, Advocacy Director Jesse Prentice-Dunn, said, “Western state leaders have an opportunity to lead on public lands issues in 2017. It’s now clear that supporting the extremist land seizure agenda is a political third rail in the West, so legislators can win support across the political spectrum by passing strong pro-public lands bills this year.”

The Center for Western Priorities also looks at state legislatures in the latest episode of Go West, Young Podcast, which includes a discussion with Clayton Elliott of Montana Conservation Voters, and Jessica Goad of Conservation Colorado.

Greg Zimmerman and Jesse Prentice-Dunn are available for interviews about public lands and the 2017 legislative agenda in the West. To schedule an interview, contact media director Aaron Weiss at 720-279-0019.

###

The Center for Western Priorities is a conservation policy and advocacy organization focused on land and energy issues across the American West.

Center for Western Priorities | 820 16th Street Ste 450, Denver, CO 80202 | 303.974.7761

===========================

Preparation key to avoiding cold-weather health problems during inauguration

As part of the extensive preparation for the presidential inauguration, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) reminds attendees to plan ahead to prevent cold-weather related health problems.

The coldest temperatures on average in the Washington, D.C. area occur around January 20, when the inauguration takes place.

“People visiting Washington, D.C. in the city’s peak intensity of winter cold should take precautions to protect their health while participating in the inaugural events,” said Edward J. Gabriel, HHS’ principal deputy assistant secretary for preparedness and response. “In addition to the steps individuals can take to protect themselves, HHS and other federal, state and local agencies are coordinating resources to meet the overall health needs of the many visitors who will be in the D.C. metro area.”

Exposure to cold temperatures can cause serious or life-threatening health problems. Infants and the elderly are particularly at risk, but anyone can be affected. Visitors from warm climates may be more sensitive to the cold and should factor in any sensitivity in deciding how to dress for outdoor inaugural events.

Tips for dressing for cold weather:

·         Warm hats: Attendees of all ages are likely to need warm hats, water-resistant coats, scarves or knit masks to cover the face and mouth, and gloves or mittens. Mittens are warmer than gloves.

·         Layer up: Perspiration can increase heat loss, and wet clothing can chill the body rapidly. To prevent cold-related health problems, dress in layers of loose-fitting clothes, including extra socks, which can be removed as they become damp.

·         Inner layer: HHS’ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advises that wool, silk or polypropylene inner layers of clothing will hold in more body heat than cotton.

·         Outer layer: Be sure your outer layer of clothing is tightly knitted, or wind resistant, to reduce body-heat loss caused by wind.

·         Stay dry: Because wet weather is possible, water-resistant or waterproof outerwear is advisable to reduce the risk of hypothermia (abnormally low body temperature). Hypothermia can occur in chilly weather, and if a person becomes chilled by rain.

·         Warm, comfortable shoes: Inaugural events may require walking long distances and standing for long periods of time, so attendees are advised to wear warm, comfortable shoes.

Mind what you eat and drink, as well:

·         Balanced meals: Eating well-balanced meals will help attendees stay warmer.

·         Drinking to stay warm: Alcoholic or caffeinated beverages can cause the body to lose heat more rapidly. Warm, sweet beverages or broth can help maintain body temperature.

·         Stay hydrated: As people walk around the city, it is important to remain hydrated by drinking water and other non-caffeinated beverages.

Tips for taking care of your medical needs during the inauguration:

·         Bring enough medicine: People who are on medications should bring enough medicine for the duration of the visit. Additionally, visitors likely will be away from their hotels and accommodations for many hours and should carry any necessary medications with them.

·         Be prepared for potential emergencies: People also are encouraged to talk with their doctors about how best to access their medical records when away from home in case an emergency occurs and the records are needed for treatment.

·         Avoid overexertion: Cold weather can put an extra strain on the heart and lungs, so attendees with heart disease, high blood pressure or lung conditions should talk with their doctors about and before exerting themselves in the cold. 

·         Practice good hygiene: As a rule, to avoid illness people should wash their hands frequently with soap and water or use antibacterial products.

Medical services available for the inauguration will include: 

·         Approximately 20 medical aid stations to assist individuals and support medical response. These stations will be staffed with trained medical personnel from the D.C. Department of Health, the National Park Service, HHS’ National Disaster Medical System, the U.S. Public Health Service, the Department of Defense, the Department of Veterans Affairs and volunteer medical professionals in the D.C. Medical Reserve Corps.

• Nine medical aid stations on the National Mall.
• Five medical aid stations in the ticketed areas of the Capitol grounds.
• Seven medical aid stations along the parade route.

·         Ambulances to move patients in response to any medical emergencies.

The Smithsonian Institution museum buildings on the National Mall will be open for people to use as warming stations.

On Jan. 19, the day before the inauguration, six medical aid stations will be set up on the National Mall between the Lincoln Memorial and Washington Monument grounds for the Opening Ceremony.

For additional information about the inauguration, please visit the Washington, D.C. government’s website for the 58th presidential inauguration at inauguration.dc.gov.

For more information on cold weather and avoiding hypothermia and frostbite, visit: https://www.cdc.gov/disasters/winter/index.html

==============================