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Family Medicine

Governor Kemp makes appointments to various positions – ValdostaToday.com

ATLANTA Governor Kemp made various appointments and re-appointments of 58 people to state boards, authorities, and commissions.

Governor Brian P. Kemp announced the appointment and re-appointment of 58 people to various state boards, authorities, and commissions.

Lake Lanier Islands Development Authority and North Georgia Mountain Authority

Governor Kemp has recommendedCharles Burtonto serve as Executive Director of the Lake Lanier Islands Development Authority and North Georgia Mountains Authority, subject to board approval. With over 34 years of experience managing resort properties, he currently serves as General Manager of Brasstown Valley Resort & Spa. Previously, he worked directly with Amicalola Falls State Park & Lodge and Unicoi State Park & Lodge as a Regional Manager. Burton also served honorably in the United States Marine Corp Reserve for six years and was on active duty during Desert Storm. He and his wife, Stephanie, have two children.

Board of Directors of the Georgia Lottery Corporation

Caylee Nogglewas recently named as the incoming president and CEO of the Georgia Hospital Association and will step into that role later this year. Currently, she serves as Commissioner for the Georgia Department of Community Health (DCH), managing the $18 billion agency responsible for health care purchasing, planning and regulation, and improving the health outcomes of Georgians. Prior to joining DCH, Noggle was Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations in the Office of Governor Kemp and also served as Interim Chief of Staff. Before joining the Kemp administration in January 2020, Noggle served in various leadership roles at the Georgia Student Finance Commission and as Director of Physical and Economic Development at the Governors Office of Planning and Budget. She earned a bachelors degree from Millikin University and a masters in College Student Affairs from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. Noggle has extensive experience in management, operations, and finance within Georgias state government systems.

Georgia Board of Nursing

Ryan LokeandAshlan Porterwere reappointed.

Georgia Board of DentistryDr. Debra Wilson, Dr. Don Spillers, and Dr. Brent Stiehl were reappointed.

Board of Review of the Department of LaborHarvey Persons, III and Bambi Riley were reappointed.

State Properties CommissionYi Jeng Jay Lin was reappointed.

State Board of Examiners for Speech Pathology and AudiologyTracy Jordan was reappointed.

Georgia Student Finance Commission Board of CommissionersDavid Perez was reappointed.

Chattahoochee Circuit Public Defender Supervisory PanelAustin Gower, Jr. is a partner at Gower Attorneys at Law and a member of the Georgia Trial Lawyers Association and the Columbus Trial Lawyers Association. He is a graduate of Auburn University and the Mercer University Walter F. George School of Law.

Eastern Circuit Public Defender Supervisory PanelFalen ONeal Cox is a founding partner at Cox, Rodman, and Middleton, a litigation law firm practicing criminal defense, personal injury, family law, business formation, contract law, and employment law. She began her legal career at the Eastern Judicial Circuits Office of the Public Defender and ultimately became a senior trial attorney. Cox founded Best Foot Forward (B.F.F.), a PCBA program which mentors 8th-grade girls enrolled in a local charter school. She also serves on the Savannah Classical Academys Foundation board, which works to benefit Savannah Classical Academy.

Georgia Agricultural Exposition AuthorityJoshua Whitworth is an agriculture educator at Madison County Middle School. He is a Georgia Junior Livestock board member, a Young Farmer Advisor, a livestock judging instructor, and a livestock show teams coordinator. Whitworth earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Georgia before earning his masters and specialist degrees at Auburn University. He also earned a PhD from Murray State University.

Georgia State Rehabilitation CouncilDeborah Hibben, Cherise Mlott, Jennifer Page, Peggy Venable, and Samuel Verniero, Jr. were reappointed.

Matthew Barnes is an employment specialist with the ARC of Southwest Georgia Vocational Services Program, where he has assisted those with disabilities for over two decades. He also currently serves on the Dougherty Special Olympics Management Board, is a Special Olympics coach, and is the past president of the Southwest Georgia Rehabilitation Association. Barnes holds a bachelors in psychology and a masters of Education in Rehabilitation Counseling.

Lisa Leiter is a Transition Resource Specialist for the Cobb County School District. She is also an active member of the Metro Atlanta Transition Council and the Statewide Interagency Council. Leiter and her family served as the ambassador family for the 2013 March of Dimes Cobb Signature Chefs, and she was named Volunteer of the Year by Cobb Life Magazine in 2014 and awarded the 2018 Teacher of the Year recognition from the Marriott Foundations Bridges from School to Work Program. Leiter earned a bachelors of Science in Education, with a concentration in Intellectual Disabilities, from the University of Georgia and a masters of Science in Education with an emphasis in Secondary Special Education and Transition from the University of Kansas.

Michele Mason has more than 20 years of experience serving the disability and special populations community. She currently serves as the Disability Services Lead for the Technical College System of Georgias Office of Workforce Development and has held several positions in this field, including Rehabilitation Employment Specialist, Employment Services Manager, and most recently Board and Council Liaison for the Georgia Vocational Rehabilitation Agency. Mason studied Human Services at Audrey Cohen College of Human Services, earned a degree in Organizational Leadership from Point University, and is a Certified Public Manager and Certified Work Incentive Practitioner.

Myndi K. Pryor is a mission strategist at Goodwill of North Georgia, where she also served as Senior Director of Career Services and Director of Workforce Development. Pryor has also held several positions at the Georgia Department of Labor, including Rehabilitation Unit Manager and Certified Rehabilitation Counselor. She holds both a bachelors and masters degree in Psychology.

Board of Natural ResourcesMark Hennessy is the owner of Hennessy Cadillac, Inc. In 2020, Hennessy was appointed to the State Board of the Technical College System of Georgia, where he served until Spring of this year. In addition to his undergraduate degree, he holds an MBA in Management from Georgia State University. He and his wife live in Atlanta and have two adult children.

Board of Directors of the Georgia Emergency Communications AuthorityBilly Grogan, Billy Hancock, Alex Lee, Steve Nichols, and Ted Wynn were reappointed.

Barry Woodward, Sr. currently serves as a Lieutenant over the 911 Center and Tech Operations of the Decatur Police Department. He began his public safety career with the State Civil Defense Office, now the Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency, as a communications officer. Throughout his career, he has held positions in the DeKalb County Police Department and the Stone Mountain Park Police and Fire Department. Woodward is a certified police officer, firefighter, EMT, communications officer, and emergency manager. He also serves on the Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) Council as the communications specialist on the advisory board.

Vernica Crockett has been the Coffee County E-911 Director for nearly 20 years. She is a member of the Georgia National Emergency Number Association and is a past vice president for region 9 on the board. She is also a member of the Georgia Association of Public Safety Communications Officials and is on the Georgia 911 Board of Directors. Crockett is also active in her community, having served on the Coffee County Chamber Board of Directors and on the Coffee County 4-H Board of Advisors. She and her husband, Willis, have three adult children.

Douglas Jamieson serves as the County Manager and EMA Director for Schley County. He is a retired Air Force officer, former County Commissioner, and former Vice President of Operations for Southwest Georgia Wholesale Builders Supply and Kings Custom Builders. Douglas retired from the Air Force following 28 years of honorable service as a Lieutenant Colonel and Command Pilot. In 2017, he was appointed to the Middle Flint Regional E911 Authority and has been serving as the boards Vice Chairman since January 2020.

Scott Wood was named City Manager of Riverdale in July 2014. With extensive experience in local government management, he has served on numerous boards, authorities, and commissions during his career. Additionally, he has taught local government classes at Georgia College and State University. Wood earned a bachelors degree in Political Science from Mercer University and a masters in Public Administration from Georgia Southern University.

Rhonda Chatham currently serves as Executive Vice President and Executive Director at Georgias Rural Telephone & Broadband Association where she works with state and local partners to receive broadband grants and improve telecommunication services across Georgia. Previously, she worked in accounting and in event planning for both the corporate and nonprofit sectors. Chatham earned a bachelors degree in Business Administration from the University of North Georgia.

Rich Johnson is Assistant Vice President (AVP) of Legislative and Regulatory Affairs for AT&T, managing and directing engagement with policymakers and regulators throughout the state. He previously served as the AVP of External Affairs. Prior to joining AT&T, Johnson served as the Senior Director of Government and Public Affairs for the Technology Association of Georgia. He also serves on the board of the Georgia Partnership for Excellence and Education, Georgia 811, the Georgia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, the Greater North Fulton Chamber of Commerce, and the Council for Quality Growth.

Bradley Andersonhas over 26 years of experience as a licensed funeral director and embalmer in the State of Georgia. He is the owner and operator of Low Country Cremation and Burial in Reidsville and the Glennville Funeral Home in Glennville. Anderson also currently serves as the Tattnall County Coroner and a certified police officer, having previously served as the City of Collins Chief of Police. He is active in a number of civic organizations, including serving as the past Chairman of the Reidsville Housing Authority, past president of the Reidsville Lions Club, and as a member of the Greater Tattnall County Chamber of Commerce, the Rising Sun Lodge 32, the Tattnall Shrine Club, and the Glennville First United Pentecostal Church. Anderson earned an associates degree from East Georgia College and an associates degree from Gupton-Jones College of Funeral Service.

Shanna Jackson Sheats has been a Georgia Licensed Funeral Director and Embalmer for 24 years. She currently works at Jackson-McWhorter Funeral Home in Athens and is a Restorative Art Instructor at Gupton-Jones College. Sheats is a member of the Georgia Funeral Service Practitioners Association, the National Funeral Directors and Morticians Association, the Links Incorporated, and Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority. Sheats obtained a bachelors in Business Administration and an MBA from Piedmont College, as well as an associates degree in Science in Funeral Service from Gupton-Jones College of Mortuary Science and a masters in Pharmaceutical and Forensic Science from the University of Florida.

Georgia Public Service Commission Advisory CommitteeMatthew Bergen currently serves as the Fayette County Environmental Project Manager. Prior to this role, he was the Utility Service Manager for the Fayette County Water System and was General Manager at Rabey Utilities. Bergen is on the Georgia Utilities Coordinating Council (GUCC) Legislative Committee, the GUCC Safety Committee, and has been on the Fayette Utilities Coordinating Council for over a decade.

Chris Rotalsky currently serves as the Public Works Director for the City of Gainesville, providing guidance and leadership to eight divisions. He has served in several capacities within the Public Works Department, including as the Assistant Director. Prior to working in local government, his career in the private sector focused on project management and operations within the construction industry. Rotalsky is an active member of the Georgia Chapter of the American Public Works Association and has served as both the Chapter President and Chairman of the Advocacy Committee. He earned his bachelors in Landscape Architecture from the University of Georgia.

Lisa McKnight is a damage prevention professional in the underground utilities industry with 25 years of expertise in natural gas regulatory compliance, pipeline safety, and public awareness programs for pipeline operators. She currently serves as the City of Lawrencevilles Damage Prevention Director and represents the city on several commissions, advisory panels, and stakeholder groups, including the Georgia 811 Board of Directors and the Leading Women of Damage Prevention Advisory Board. Previously, she served as Assistant Gas Director with the City of Lawrenceville and as a Lead Investigator of Regulatory Compliance. Her leadership and community engagement include serving as a member of the Lawrenceville Rotary Club, the Georgia Utilities Coordinating Council, and as a volunteer with Habitat for Humanity.

Georgia Board of Health Care WorkforceWilliam Fricks, Jr. practices family medicine in Albany, Georgia and is currently the Program Director of the Phoebe Family Medicine Residency, the Chief Medical Informatics Officer for Phoebe Physicians, and a Clinical Assistant Professor of Family Medicine at the Medical College of Georgia and Mercer University School of Medicine. He serves on the board of the Phoebe Physicians Group and has previously served on several other Phoebe Putney and Phoebe Physicians committees. Fricks graduated from the Medical College of Georgia.

State Board of the Technical College System of GeorgiaMike Long currently serves as the Agency Relations Consultant for the Southern Trust Insurance Company. Previously, he was President and Co-Owner of Partners Risk Services South Insurance Agency in Jesup, Georgia. He is a past member of the State Board of Education, the State Workforce Development Board, the Georgia Rehabilitation Association, the Georgia County Workers Association, and the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Institute Advisory Council. Additionally, Long has served as Chairman of the Wayne County Chamber of Commerce, Vice Chair of the Wayne County Solid Waste Authority, and was a member of the Wayne County Industrial Authority and the South Georgia Hospice Board of Directors.

Georgia State Board of Architects and Interior DesignersCraig Buckley was reappointed.

Ralph Raymond is a Senior Associate at HOK and has worked on significant projects like Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, Porsche Cars North America headquarters building, Solis Hotel Two Porsche, the Center for Civil & Human Rights, Emory Health Sciences & Research Building, Grady Center for Advanced Surgical Services, AstraZeneca Cell Therapy Lab, and others. He also serves on HOKs worldwide Technical Board. An active member in community and social organizations, he held leadership positions with the National Organization of Minority Architects Atlanta, the American Institute of Architects Georgia, the National Council of Architectural Registration Board, and the ACE Mentor Program. He also currently serves as president of the American Institute of Architects Georgia Board of Directors and the National Organization of Minority Architects Atlanta. Raymond earned both a bachelors of Science in Architecture and a masters of Architecture from Georgia Tech.

Alapaha Circuit Public Defender Supervisory PanelSuzanne Mathis was reappointed.

Appalachian Circuit Public Defender Supervisory PanelLynn Doss was reappointed.

Atlanta Circuit Public Defender Supervisory PanelJonathan Hawkins was reappointed.

Cherokee Circuit Public Defender Supervisory PanelHarold Choate III was reappointed.

Dublin Circuit Public Defender Supervisory PanelJ. Stanley Smith, Jr. was reappointed.

Macon Circuit Public Defender Supervisory Panel

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Governor Kemp makes appointments to various positions - ValdostaToday.com

Family Medicine

Medical students present their discoveries at PCOM South Georgia … – Moultrie Observer

MOULTRIE PCOM South Georgia medical students showcased their research discoveries with colleagues and medical officials during PCOM South Georgias first research symposium Tuesday.

PCOM South Georgia medical students showcased their research discoveries with colleagues and medical officials during PCOM South Georgias first research symposium Tuesday.

At Research Day, PCOM South Georgia students gave poster and podium presentations of their research and evidence-based projects.

Research Day here at PCOM South Georgia is an opportunity for our students to engage in scholarly work. It gives them the opportunity to ask a research question, go through the research question process and interact with clinical researchers if they do a clinical case report, Dr. Jennifer H. Shaw said.

PCOM South Georgia held its first Research Day program Tuesday afternoon. More than 50 medical students shared their discoveries while presenting their findings to colleagues and health professionals.

The annual symposium began with students attending a presentation from the keynote speaker, Dr. Herman Staats, PhD, a professor of Pathology, Immunology & Medicine at Duke University School of Medicine, Duke Human Vaccine Institute.

Staats's presentation, Development of Intranasal Vaccines for Infectious Agents, Drugs of Abuse & Food Allergy, focused on food allergy development and how to improve therapeutic methods for food allergies.

The medical students took the floor presenting their work to colleagues in the multipurpose room.

PCOM South Georgia student Comfort Orekoya conducted research along with Tiffany Pittman, Kylie Parrish, Grace Perry, Shiv Dhiman and Savita Arya on a case study called, Colonic stenosis in an elderly patient.

PCOM South Georgia Medical Student Oyindamola "Comfort" Orekoya is pictured in front of her group research project, Colonic stenosis in an elderly patient. Orekoyaconducted research along with, not pictured, Tiffany Pittman, Kylie Parrish, Grace Perry, Shiv Dhiman and Savita Arya todetermine the underlying cause of colonic stenosis, which is the inflammation of the small intestines, in a deceased 83-year-old Caucasian female.

Orekoya explained the study aimed to determine the underlying cause of colonic stenosis, which is the inflammation of the small intestines, in a deceased 83-year-old Caucasian female.

Her group analyzed Did the patient's colonic stenosis cause diverticulosis a condition where parts of the colon wall become weakened or did the diverticulitis cause the colonic stenosis?

Orekoya participated in research projects during her undergraduate studies but found conducting them at PCOM South Georgia was different.

What I really learned this time around was how to work in a group and research. We had to [learn how to] divide up the parts, have a group effort and get the results. Celebrating the results as a group was definitely a unique experience for me, and it also taught me that science is advancing in the healthcare profession. As medical professionals, hopefully doctors one day, we will need to use this research and knowledge to advance in the field, she said.

Daniel Santiago, MD, a postgraduate year two Family Medicine Resident at Georgia South Family Medicine Residency Program, took the floor kickstarting the 10-minute podium talks segment. Santiago worked with PCOM students Danielle T. Rosenzweig, Humaira Bibi and Woodwin M. Weeks of the Georgia South Family Medicine Residency Program on an analysis of vulnerable obstetrics patients: A needs assessment of migrant farmworkers in rural South Georgia.

Pictured from left are Daniel Santiago, MD, a postgraduate year two Family Medicine Resident at Georgia South Family Medicine Residency Program; PCOM students Danielle T. Rosenzweig, Humaira Bibi and Woodwin M. Weeks of the Georgia South Family Medicine Residency Program. The group members project was "An analysis of vulnerable obstetrics patients: A needs assessment of migrant farmworkers in rural South Georgia."

Rosenzweig said, We were focused on patients at Ellenton Clinic and what their barriers might be to accessing healthcare not only during their pregnancy but beyond. We gave them a survey questionnaire and it was presented in English and in Spanish. They rated on a scale from one to five what they felt impacted their access to healthcare.

Their findings were skewed due to survey complications. The students are reviewing their work and determining how they can move forward with the study to potentially provide resources to the clinic patients in the future.

Didem Aydin with Zizah-Wosseni, Blair Justice Dove and Stacie Fairley, PhD, found that there was an 61.9% increase in opioid overdoses in Georgia from 2019 to 2021. Through their research, Aydin said, the distribution of methadone clinics and Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) by county demonstrated that urban communities had a higher number of these facilities compared to rural communities.

Originally posted here:

Medical students present their discoveries at PCOM South Georgia ... - Moultrie Observer

Family Medicine

U of A helpline to support new and expectant moms’ mental health – Arizona Daily Star

New and expectant mothers experiencing mental health and substance use disorderswill soon have an additional level of support with the rollout of a 24/7, Tucson-based helpline.

The Arizona Perinatal Psychiatry Access Linewill connect providers across the state with specialists.Primary care physicians, OB/GYNs, pediatricians, family medicine doctors, physicians' assistants and nurses will all have round-the-clock access to experts who can help them diagnose and determine the best next steps of treatment for their patients.

The helpline, free to use, is scheduled to launch June 2 and is funded through a $1.6 million grant from the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System, the state's Medicaid system.

It was created by perinatal psychiatrists Dr. Saira Kalia and Dr. Kathryn Emerick, who work as clinicians and professors in the University of Arizona College of Medicine.

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It's focusing on perinatal patients but will support women along the entire reproductive health spectrum, from premenstrual to peri-menopausal, Kalia said.

There's a big need for a tool like this in Arizona, where the 915 psychiatrists aren't enough, she said.

"There are counties in Arizona that have no psychiatrist at all. Our ratio in Arizona is one psychiatrist to 8,000 people," Kalia said. "There's this limited pool of psychiatrists and then within that, there are even fewer who are trained in reproductive psychology. That makes it really, really challenging to provide good, evidence-based care, or any care."

With the launch of the helpline, staffed primarily by Kalia and Emerick, with support from an additional four or five psychiatrists, Arizona will become the 20th state to have this type of consultation line.

Maternal mortality rate

Kalia became interested in women's reproductive mental health when she was a medical student, saying her status as a Pakistani immigrant piqued her interest.

"Women's health is not exactly prioritized in third-world countries, let alone women's mental health, so part of what I wanted to do was (go) somewhere I could train in women's mental health. So this sort of work is a lifelong passion and drive," Kalia said.

In addition to her work as a perinatal psychiatrist, she also works as the associate training director for the UA's psychiatry residency program. She said very few programs teach women's reproductive mental health or offer fellowships, meaning it's not woven into regular psychiatric training.

For the last six years, Kalia has been running the women's reproductive mental health track and teaching the program residents.

Perinatal Psychiatrists and APAL Directors Saira Kalia, MD, and Kathryn Emerick, MD. The University of Arizona Health Sciences, Noelle Haro-Gomez

In early 2022, she realized that despite all the training she'd done, it wasn't doing much to move the needle when it comes to reducing the burden of perinatal mood and anxiety disordersand maternal mortality rate.

Each year, approximately 70 women die during or within 365 days after pregnancy in Arizona, of which 15 to 20 deaths are pregnancy-related cases, meaning those women would not have died if they had not been pregnant, according to the helpline's website.

Perinatal mood and anxiety disorders are the leading cause of complication in pregnancy and childbirth and affect at least 15,000 women per year in Arizona.

In March 2022, the Arizona Department of Health Services released a report showing that 98% of pregnancy-related deaths involving mental health andsubstance use were preventable.

To learn more about the Arizona Perinatal Psychiatry Access Line, visitapal.arizona.edu

Starting June 1, providers can access the line at 1-888-290-1336 Mondays-Fridays from 12:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.

To learn more about Banner-University Medical Center Tucson's Family Centered Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome Program, visitpeds.arizona.edu/family-centered-nas-care-program

The program is always looking for volunteer "cuddlers" to hold babies. For more information, contact Lisa Grisham atLisa.Grisham@BannerHealth.com

"That's gut-wrenching. That's when we were like, 'Let's do this,'" Kalia said.

More babies born with drug exposure

Lisa Grisham has been a neonatal nurse practitioner for 23 years. She currently works in Banner-University Medical Center Tucson's Family Centered Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome Programwith babies who have been exposed to drugs or medication before birth, a population Grisham has seen steadily increase over the years.

On Thursday, seven of the 35 babies in Banner's neonatal intensive care unit were being treated for neonatal abstinence syndrome, with symptoms that include trembling or extreme shakiness, too much or high-pitched crying, sleep problems, tight muscle tone, poor feeding and sucking, vomiting and diarrhea and fever or unstable temperature.

The program involves treating baby and mother and involving family members in the baby's care while they are in the hospital.

"We recognize that to get the baby better, you need to also get the mother better," Grisham said.

Grisham and her colleagues try to learn from and connect with specialists in the community, but when they need answers on clinical shifts, they need those answers fast. She called the creation of the Arizona Perinatal Psychiatry Access Line invaluable.

"They know I'm a provider, they know I have an educated background and want to help moms but don't have these tools," she said of Kalia and others. "I can call them and get the answers I need to connect moms to the resources she needs, whether that be treatment, counseling or something else."

Grisham said that while the hospital has social workers on staff, they aren't around 24/7 and aren't always available. The helpline will help supplement those services.

With a five- or six-fold increase of babies born with neonatal abstinence syndrome between 2009 and 2023, Grisham called the need for a service like this greater than ever.

She said a lot of moms want to participate in the program and help their babies. Families in the program stay with their babies, hold and feed them. A family's participation reduces their baby's length of stay, and mothers are able to start treatment of their own.

"Some of the moms are already in treatment (when they give birth,) which is fabulous, but many of the moms are not because either they're afraid or they don't know where to go," Grisham said. "I always say it's never too early (to seek treatment,) but it's also never too late."

Managing preventable conditions

In addition to offering telephonic support to providers, Kalia and others will also track information and data.

They'll collect information about reported signs and symptoms; socioeconomic status, race and ethnicity of patients; the county in which they reside; and whether they're on commercial insurance or Medicaid.

This will allow organizers to connect with insurance providers and educate them about ways to effectively manage these types of preventable conditions.

They'll also offer free in-person and online training based on various providers' needs, including assessments, medication management, diagnostic techniques and more.

"I can say, 'I'm guiding you through this, please do it,' but they might be like, 'I'm still not comfortable doing it'," Kalia said. "We can come. We'll educate, we'll do training, we'll do clinical consultation, whatever they need. And hopefully between all of those pieces, we'll take some of the pieces off."

Kalia and Emerick looked first to Massachusetts, the site of the first program of this type, the Massachusetts Child Psychiatry Access Program for Moms.

"But I realized, their state is so different. The state of Massachusetts you can't compare Arizona to in terms of how they practice medicine," Kalia said.

Washington state more resembles Arizona in terms of size, rural areas and birth count.

After reviewing programs in other states, Kalia and others researched local resources and needs. They tested the helpline with a soft release, leaning into relationships with local providers to help test out the service.

The June launch will be half-time, as they test bandwidth and see how large the education component needs to be.

They're also compiling a county-based map on their website of maternal health resources.

Direct patient care is next goal

The goal is to expand the helpline program to involve direct patient care, which is offered in several states.

Kalia hopes that in a year or so, they'll be able to offer to step in for providers who don't feel comfortable diagnosing or treating a patient. They could provide consultation and recommendations and the provider could continue care. She calls that phase two and is writing the pitch for funding it now.

"That would help so much in building the providers' trust in us, in that we've actually seen the patient and we're sending them back," Kalia said. "But that requires a significant bandwidth."

Kalia said it's crucial to support women's mental health during pregnancy and beyond and help reduce the stigma around these disorders and about seeking help and support.

"I can't say that we'll launch this line and if we're starting to see an improvement, it's directly connected, but we can track things like, do providers feel more comfortable and are we sort of building that capacity within our providers?" Kalia said. "As that improves, then we can see the results."

American moms have shared how much time they would like for maternity leave. Buzz60s Keri Lumm shares the results of a new study conducted by OnePoll on behalf of SurePayroll.

Contact Star reporter Caitlin Schmidt at 573-4191 or cschmidt@tucson.com.

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U of A helpline to support new and expectant moms' mental health - Arizona Daily Star

Family Medicine

Baylor University research sheds light on Waco-area behavior … – Waco Tribune-Herald

A Baylor University anthropologists studies of behavior and attitudes associated with COVID-19 have helped inform doctors and continue to provide insights into the dynamics of how people in McLennan County responded to the disease during the first two years of the pandemic.

We have another paper getting close to publication right now, Baylor anthropology professor Michael Muehlenbein said Friday. This one is on the way peoples political leanings affect their behaviors associated with the disease.

Some of the results are more surprising that others, he said.

While people who lean Democrat are more likely to wear a mask in public than those who lean Republican, no surprise there, our surveys revealed that Republicans in McLennan County were not less likely than Democrats to receive a COVID vaccine, Muehlenbein said. That might surprise some people.

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Muehlenbeins publications have provided much needed insight into the experiences of members of the community, said Dr. Zach Sartor, a physician with Waco Family Medicine.

Any publication that helps us provide care in a more informed manner is incredibly useful, Sartor said.

Sartor said he and his colleagues gained understanding of the trends of what people were going through by taking in Muehlenbeins work and publications, helping them effectively tailor the care, counseling and recommendations they provided to patients.

In the early weeks of the public health emergency during March and April of 2020 Muehlenbein and his colleagues began to study how the disease was transmitted among children and anyone who had no symptoms.

By June 2020 his team knew other organizations had larger studies going on that would develop more conclusive understanding of the two problems he started looking at, he said. But he had a study group of 495 people willing to provide survey information on their attitudes, thoughts and behaviors associated with the disease.

The Bernard and Audre Rapoport Foundation and the Cooper Foundation funded the survey effort, known as the Waco COVID Survey, that Muehlenbein led with a team of graduate and undergraduate students working in partnership with Waco Family Medicine and the Waco-McLennan County Public Health District, according to a Baylor press release.

Our group of study subjects were self-selected, in that they came to us, Muehlenbein said.

He said the group does not represent a statistically valid random sample of the general population, so the data provides insight into how particular beliefs or practices affect response to the virus health risks, but he did not want to generalize conclusions beyond certain groups in McLennan County.

Some of the participants worked in health care or were first responders with high risk of exposure. Others worked in restaurants and other essential services, slightly lower risk of exposure, according to the statement. Still others followed stay home, stay safe guidelines scrupulously.

Muehlenbein said the surveys uncovered what he called unrealistic optimism among study participants.

Even among older men of color, with complicating chronic health conditions, some of the highest risk populations for severe disease we have in the county, we found that individuals felt less likely than others to develop the disease, Muehlenbein said. And if they were to develop COVID, they thought they would recover more easily than others.

The survey answers also validate what Muehlenbein called pandemic fatigue.

We found that as the pandemic wore on, people wanted to go without masks and return to life as normal, he said. We started to see this soon after the vaccines were introduced.

While the national public health emergency for the pandemic ended Thursday, Muehlenbein said he still sees people who test positive for COVID-19 without symptoms.

I had a student come into my office yesterday wearing a mask because of a possible exposure and I got an email today informing that the student tested positive, Muehlenbein said. This virus mutates readily and spreads easily. Its going to be with us for a while, and weve got to adapt.

The survey found that participants who reported wearing a mask in public more often were less likely to test positive, and that 75% of participants who tested positive were unvaccinated at the time of their infection, according to the Baylor press release.

The World Health Organization tracking chart for new cases reported around the globe shows some of the lowest totals since the virus emerged. Likewise, the Waco-McLennan County Public Health District COVID-19 data site shows four people locally were hospitalized with COVID-19 on May 1, then no day with more than two since. Last month saw two days when nine were hospitalized locally. The most recent days with 10 or more arrived in March.

Local health district data also show 64 new cases so far this month, with 38 in the seven days through Friday, and 231 new cases for all of last month. New case and hospitalization numbers in the county also are trending among the lowest since the virus emerged.

The health district has reported 23 deaths of McLennan County residents because of COVID-19 so far this year, with two last month.

The federal public health emergency for the pandemic expiring Thursday notwithstanding, COVID-19 remains a threat, said Dr. Marc Elieson, director of inpatient medicine at Baylor Scott & White Hillcrest Medical Center.

COVID still exists. Its highly transmissible, and vaccines still provide protection, Elieson said.

Elieson said he recently oversaw treatment for a COVID-19 patient who died.

Most of the patients we see checked in for COVID are old and frail and have one or two or more chronic health conditions as well, Elieson said of his recent experience at Hillcrest. Usually COVID has worn them down and they have stopped eating and drinking and become dehydrated. Most of the time we can turn them around quickly, but not always.

The dominant strain of the virus right now, an omicron subvariant designated XBB1.5, continues to be highly transmissible and produce a relatively mild form of the disease, much like the original omicron variant that caused a surge of cases months ago, Sartor said.

Things are looking good right now, but things can also change, Sartor said.

He encourages his patients to stay informed on what is going on with local and national trends in COVID-19 and respond by taking measures recommended by medical professionals.

For my patients who may travel this summer, I say to stay home if theyre sick, whether they have COVID or something else, Sartor said. And I always recommend washing hands often or using hand sanitizer. This and covering sneezes will prevent the spread of COVID and many diseases.

Sartor also continues to encourage everyone to be vaccinated against COVID-19 and to get a booster as they become eligible, he said.

Just because you may have had COVID and recovered twice in the last year doesnt mean your bodys immune system is prepared to fight a newly mutated variant, Sartor said.

The current dominant subvariant XBB1.5 was not the dominant strain five months ago, and 12 months ago it did not exist, Elieson said.

Now were seeing XBB1.6, XBB1.16 and XBB1.19. The virus continues to evolve and mutate, Elieson said. This is why people should get the updated vaccine.

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Baylor University research sheds light on Waco-area behavior ... - Waco Tribune-Herald

Family Medicine

Tech center students heading for national skills competition – Huron Daily Tribune

Students from the Huron Area Technical Center will be going to a national skills competition in Atlanta, Georgia this June.

The students qualified by participating in state competitions held by different career and technical student organizations, each of which supports different areas of study.

The first competition was the DECA State Career and Development Conference, held from March 9-10 in Detroit. This was primarily for marketing students and focused on DECA's four main goals: vocational understanding, leadership development, civic consciousness, and social intelligence.

"It was pretty unbelievable," said student Jacob Williamson about the Conference. "They had cars in the lobby. The view was amazing to be able to look over the whole city of Detroit. We were also able to meet a lot of new people there as well."

The second was the SkillsUSA State Conference from April 14-16 in Grand Rapids. The competitions were focused on hands-on skills and gave students the chance to challenge themselves and their technical abilities against other students.

In this competition, three tech center students placed first in their respective fields: Avery Budzisz in esthetics, Taylor Paape in cosmetology, and Jason Murawski in power technology.

"(The event) was challenging to put the (skills) learned here (atHATC) to use, but it was also very exciting to meet new people," Murawski said.

John Hunt, who competed in industrial motor control, will join the first place students at the national competition, even though he placed third in the state. The first and second place winners declined to attend states, so Hunt has the opportunity to go.

"It was a great learning experience," he said of the state competition. "It was good to see how my work compared to others."

The third and final competition was the HOSA State Leadership Conference from April 26-28 in Traverse City, in which three health sciencesstudents competed. Samantha Harder competed in Medical Law and Ethics, Colton Darbee in Pharmacology, and Madilyn Jimpkoski competed in Family Medicine Physician.

"It was an enjoyable experience," Darbee said. "It was very challenging and eye-opening."

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Tech center students heading for national skills competition - Huron Daily Tribune

Family Medicine

Number of Unfilled Medical Residencies Increases in Alberta and … – DARKDaily.com – Laboratory News

Family medicine academic departments in Canada are dealing with a shortage of applicants qualified for their residency programs, mirroring the shortage of pathologists

For the past decade, the number of medical residencies in Alberta Canada that went unfilled have increased each year. Now, just like in many parts of America, the province is experiencing severe medical staffing shortages that includes clinical laboratories and pathology groups.

According to data compiled by the Canadian Resident Matching Service (CaRMS), after the first round of matching for post-graduate training spots as many as 12% of all spots went unfilled, especially in family medicine, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) reported.

Though the trend seems to be worse in Alberta, the resident shortage is affecting the entire Canadian healthcare system. According to the Angus Reid Institute, approximately half of all Canadians cannot find a doctor or get a timely appointment with their current doctor.

That is fueling predictions of an increased physician shortage in coming years, particularly in Alberta.

Internationally Trained versus Home-grown Doctors

Canadas current doctor shortage appears to be rooted in red tape that determines which MDs qualify for residency matching. According to John Paul Tasker, a senior journalist at the CBC, theres no shortage of doctors in Canada. What we have is a shortage of licensed doctors. In his article, Canada Is Short of Doctorsand Its Turning Away Hundreds of Its Own Physicians Each Year, Tasker notes that there may be as many as 13,000 medical doctors in Canada who are not currently practicing.

Whats standing in the way of Canadian doctors becoming licensed to practice? Some claim the system of residency matching is discriminatory towards Canadian doctors who received their training outside of Canada. Rosemary Pawliuk, President of the Society for Canadians Studying Medicine Abroad, is one of those who believe the system of matching is broken.

They have cute slogans like, Youre wanted and welcome in Canada, but when you look at the barriers, its very clear that you should not come home. Their message is essentially, Go away and so [doctors] do, Pawliuk told the CBC.

According the Pawliuk, the current residency selection system puts internationally trained Canadian doctors at a serious disadvantage, the CBC reported. The Canadian public should be entitled to the best qualified Canadian applicant. Whether theyve graduated from a Canadian school or an international school, whether theyre a Canadian by birth or if theyre an immigrant, they should be competing on individual merit, she added.

Canadas Medical School Matching Bias

In Canadas current matching system, medical schools decide who gets a residency. Critics say the schools are biased towards Canadian-educated doctors and overlook foreign-trained doctors. About 90% of all residencies in Canada are set aside for Canadian-trained doctors and the remaining spots are left for the physicians trained abroad, CBC noted.

It is important to note that these doctors who are trained abroad are either Canadian citizens or permanent residents. Thus, its not a question of citizens from other countries competing with Canadian citizens.

So, if a surplus of doctors are being shut out of residency training opportunities, why are there open slots in Alberta?Some believe this indicates individuals are not interested in practicing medicine in Alberta.

People arent interested in staying or coming to Alberta, family physician and Alberta Medical Association (AMA) President, Fredrykka Rinaldi, MD, told CBC.

But, Nathan Rider, MD, President of the Professional Association of the Resident Physicians of Alberta (PARA), claims he has not heard of residents turning down Alberta. He notes that the factors of where a resident may want to go geographically often depend on factors such as proximity to loved ones, cost of living, and program culture.

Second Round Residency Matching Fairs Better

Not all are concerned about the vacancies in the first round of matching, however. University of Calgary Dean of Medicine, Todd Anderson, MD, and the University of Alberta Dean of Medicine and Dentistry Brenda Hemmelgarn, MD, PhD, both see the second round as more important.

But Rinaldi still has concerns, We may fill them with 42 disinterested people who have no interest in family medicine, she says.

Anderson admits that Across the country, over the last five or more years, family medicine has become less popular with medical students graduating from medical schools than it was in the years before.

Therefore, both Andersons and Hemmelgarns schools have changed curriculum to put more of an emphasis on family medicine. Perhaps with these changes, and possibly an opening for internationally-trained Canadian doctors to achieve residency positions, Albertasindeed all of Canadasresidency match days will be better attended.

In the United States, there is little news coverage about serious problems with the health systems in other nations. The experience of residency programs in Canada, as explained above, demonstrates how a different national health system has unique issues that are not identical to issues in the US healthcare system. What is true is that Canada is dealing with a similar shortage of skilled medical technologists (MTs) and clinical laboratory scientists (CLSs), just like here in the United States.

Ashley Croce

Related Information:

Alberta Doctors Sound Alarm Over Low Number of Grads Seeking Residency in Province

Doc Deficits: Half of Canadians Either Cant Find a Doctor or Cant Get a Timely Appointment with the One They Have

Canada is Short of Doctorsand Its Turning Away Hundreds of Its Own Physicians Each Year

B.C. Fights to Maintain the Barriers That Keep Foreign-Trained Doctors from Working

Cant Find a Family Doctor in Alberta? Training More Medical Students Is Not the Silver Bullet

Forbes Senior Contributor Covers Reasons for Growing Staff Shortages at Medical Laboratories and Possible Solutions

US Hospitals Continue to Be Squeezed by Shortage of Nurses, Rising Salaries

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Number of Unfilled Medical Residencies Increases in Alberta and ... - DARKDaily.com - Laboratory News

Family Medicine

Prepare for warm weather and migraines – Newsroom OSF HealthCare

stock photo of a person with a weather-induced migraine

For most adults, spring and summer thunderstorms bring the annoyance of driving in a downpour.

But others dread this time of year for migraines triggered by the environment.

What are migraines?

Aminat Ogun, MD, a family medicine physician at OSF HealthCare, describes migraines as episodic disorders that cause severe, throbbing headaches, usually on one side of the brain.

The list of triggers is, unfortunately, long.

Emotional stress can trigger migraines. Moving, changing jobs, other stressful life situations, Dr. Ogun says. A change in sleeping habits can trigger a migraine. Skipping a meal. Your diet: wine, aged cheese, coffee withdrawal and foods high in nitrates.

Other common triggers include hormones, bright lights, loud sounds and changes in altitude. A propensity for frequent headaches can also run in the family, Dr. Ogun says.

You can prepare

Dr. Ogun says not much is known about weather-induced migraines. But most medical professionals agree there is some evidence for migraines caused by changes in barometric pressure.

How can you prepare?

Up and move, Dr. Ogun says, tongue firmly planted in cheek.

More realistically, watch the weather forecast. If theres a chance for a lot of dust or smoke in the air (think areas like California or Arizona), plan to limit time outside.

Stock up on medication after talking with your health care provider. Dr. Ogun says over-the-counter medicine like ibuprofen will help with pain and can even be taken ahead of when you know a migraine is coming.

They could have a headache diary where they write down what causes their headaches, where the pain is located, how long does it last, symptoms and what treatment helps, Dr. Ogun adds.

If your migraines are more frequent, feel different, or come with other symptoms like confusion, neck rigidity, weakness in the arms or legs, fever or chills, see a doctor right away. Some of those symptoms may be signs of a heart attack or stroke.

Any head trauma, like a sports injury or a car crash, should also be checked on by a doctor.

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Prepare for warm weather and migraines - Newsroom OSF HealthCare

Family Medicine

New and Expanded Primary Healthcare Clinics Boost Access … – Government of Nova Scotia

Nova Scotians deserve to be able to see a doctor, nurse and other healthcare providers in their communities more easily.

The government is investing in 60 new and strengthened clinics that will connect more Nova Scotians to primary care they can count on.

New and strengthened clinics will mean patients who previously would have to use an emergency department or wait to see a healthcare professional at an existing location will be able to get better care, faster than ever before, said Health and Wellness Minister Michelle Thompson. This is just one of a series of efforts we are making to improve primary care for Nova Scotians.

This expansion includes collaborative family practice teams, primary care clinics, after-hours clinics, urgent care centres and urgent treatment centres. More information on the type and locations of the new and expanded clinics can be found at https://novascotia.ca/news/docs/2023/05/10/primary-healthcare-announcement-fact-sheet.pdf

The government is adding eight new collaborative family practice teams, strengthening 26 teams and adding a locum support team. Collaborative family practice teams are fully or partly funded by Nova Scotia Health and bring together a team of professionals like physicians, nurses and social workers to address patients various healthcare needs.

Four of the new or expanded collaborative family practice teams will adopt a new rapid onboarding process for healthcare professionals developed in partnership with Dalhousie family medicine. Other teams will start using this process over time.

Six new primary care clinics will be added, and 10 clinics will be enhanced. Nova Scotia Healths primary care clinics provide care to people on the Need a Family Practice Registry.

One new urgent treatment centre and two new after-hours clinics will be added, and an existing after-hours clinic will be strengthened. These facilities provide urgent, non-emergency care to all Nova Scotians. Currently, there are seven urgent treatment centres and three after-hours clinics.

There will be five new urgent care centres. These centres improve access for existing patients of participating private practices. Several healthcare providers work together from one clinic location to offer evening and weekend appointments to one anothers patients.

Nova Scotians can also access primary care through VirtualCareNS, mobile primary care clinics, 811 and community pharmacies.

This is one of several recent announcements about improving access to primary care, including:

Providing the care Nova Scotians need and deserve is part of Action for Health, the governments plan to improve healthcare.

We are excited to see this investment in primary care. We know that these strengthened and expanded practices will provide better access for patients to receive care at all stages of life. Its also an environment that will attract healthcare professionals, which is very important for recruitment.Dr. Maria Alexiadis, Senior Medical Director, Primary Health Care and Chronic Disease Management Network, Nova Scotia Health

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New and Expanded Primary Healthcare Clinics Boost Access ... - Government of Nova Scotia

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County appoints new hospital board Silvercity Daily Press – Silver City Daily Press and Independent

By JO LUTZDaily Press StaffThursdays meeting of the Grant County commissioners opened with a loan approval for the long-awaited Dos Griegos fire station, and closed with the appointment of the long-awaited Gila Regional Medical Center board of trustees.During the public hearing for an ordinance authorizing the loan agreement, attorney Luis Carrasco acted as the countys loan counsel. He explained that the New Mexico Finance Authority would loan $1,084,911 in principal to pay for a metal building to serve as the Dos Griegos Fire Station for the Pinos Altos Volunteer Fire Department, which has long faced challenges responding to calls in the Dos Griegos area. The county would repay this loan plus about 3.3 percent interest over 30 years using money received from the State Fire Protection Fund.Carrasco said that the loan agreement authorizes the state treasurer to pay the fire protection funds directly to the Finance Authority to service the debt.If, down the road, state funding gets lower or stops, how responsible would Grant County be to pay this? asked Commission Chair Chris Ponce.Youre pledging only the dollars you get from those funds, Carrasco said, adding that the Finance Authority had done its own analysis and wouldnt move forward if it didnt find the pledged amount sufficient. The contract also allows for renegotiation in case of unforeseen circumstances.Last but far from least and postponed on the agenda until after a lengthy executive session commissioners passed the baton of hospital governance to an independent board of trustees. The five County Commission members have directly served as the hospitals Governing Board since a mass resignation of the last board of trustees in May 2020.They appointed seven new voting board members and three ex officio nonvoting members specifically the county manager and the hospitals CEO and chief of staff.The appointment did not pass unanimously, with District 3 Commissioner Alicia Edwards casting a no vote.Id like to thank everyone who applied as a trustee, she said. My challenge with the no vote isnt with who were appointing, its with who were not appointing. The hospital board has a long history of being overwhelmingly Anglo and underwhelmingly female. I believe we missed an opportunity to make more progress than we did.Other commissioners, though they cast yes votes, echoed similar sentiments of compromise.I dont think any one of us got exactly the board we would have individually handpicked, observed District 4 Commissioner Billy Billings.District 5 Commissioner Harry Browne said he also did not get the board he wanted, but he respected the process they went through.We gave full consideration to everyones perspective, he said. Hopefully it will only get better in terms of diversity. The way we staggered the terms was intentional, to help us get to that.Beginning in July, the seven voting members of the hospital board will be former District 2 County Commissioner Javier Salas, nurse practitioner Patricia McIntire, Silver Schools Superintendent William Hawkins, Freeport-McMoRan supply chain superintendent Seth Traeger, internal medicine Dr. Michael Smith, family medicine Dr. Fred Fox and retired economic developer Betty Vega.We took this seriously, Ponce concluded. This is probably one of the most important things that we do as commissioners.Thursdays public comment period saw the return of county resident James Baldwin with an update on his pursuit of reconciliation between the names Bear Mountain Road and Cottage San. He presented as evidence this time an atlas called the Gazetteer, which lists the road as Bear Mountain. He mentioned that he attempted to speak to county staff regarding this issue, and had not received a return phone call.He also weighed in on the increase in international migration expected this week accompanying the lifting of Title 42, the COVID-era emergency measure allowing Border Patrol agents to easily deport most migrants back to Mexico as a public safety measure.Remember on 9/11/2001, we had the Twin Towers? Baldwin said. Now we have 5/11/2023. The two events are similarly destructive to the United States of America. I hope the county will not permit any of the illegals, the migrants, to go through.He reported that two white buses had been seen but not photographed going west on U.S. 180, probably carrying people someplace.Next, Debbie Gray of accounting firm Kriegel, Gray, and Shaw presented the countys annual audit. The written opinion says the governments financial statements were fairly presented in accordance with accounting principles in other words, a passing grade on a pass/fail assessment.Gray reported total assets of $153 million and a net position, or equity, of $98 million. She said that although there were no noncompliance issues that impacted the financial statement, there was a deficiency in one component unit Gila Regional Medical Center related to the tracking of fixed asset values.The report for the hospital was also late, which Edwards clarified was due to the critical access cost report, for which the hospital had to wait on from the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.Both Gila Regional Medical Centers chief financial officer and interim CEO were absent Thursday, leaving interim Chief Nursing Officer Cynthia Lewis to deliver a brief update on the March financials, deferring questions about a five-year facilities plan to her colleagues upon their return.Treasurer Patrick Cohn reported that the county had collected 94.2 percent of taxes due over the last decade, and that of the $7,024,806.69 uncollected, his office had begun to make progress with past-due mobile home owners, a topic which had come up in a previous meeting.The preliminary county budget for FY 2024 passed with minimal discussion, having been covered in Tuesdays work session. Browne did bring up that requested raises for elected officials such as the treasurer and assessor were not granted. County Manager Charlene Webb clarified that this was because the statute barred raises for elected officials in the middle of their terms.The county also approved Mountain Ridge Ace Hardwares lease on their part of the Grant County Veterans Memorial Business and Conference Center building. The lease was renewed for two terms for a total of 10 years, with an increase of $1 per square foot. Webb recalled that the square footage was about 19,000.Jo Lutz may be reached at [emailprotected]

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County appoints new hospital board Silvercity Daily Press - Silver City Daily Press and Independent

Family Medicine

It’s Always Construction Season for the Body The Hamburg Reporter – Hamburg Reporter

Prairie Doc Perspective Andrew Ellsworth, MD

Like a car racing along the interstate, exiting onto a highway, and finally reaching the family farm along a dusty gravel road, our blood circulates inside our bodies. There are the major blood vessels, such as the aorta running out of the heart, and there are the tiny capillaries allowing blood cells one at a time to carry oxygen and nutrients to all the cells in our bodies. The network of capillaries is so complex it is estimated there are over 40 billion in one person, and if stretched out in a single line they would cover over 100,000 miles.

Our blood is made up of a mix of liquids and solids. The liquid, plasma, is composed of water, salts, and proteins. The solids include red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets. In general, the red blood cells deliver oxygen and carry away carbon dioxide, the white blood cells help fight infections, and the platelets help form clots if you get a cut.

Bone marrow is the spongy material inside our bones that helps make new blood cells, which only last so long. Red blood cells last about 120 days, platelets last 6 days, and white blood cells may last less than a day or much longer.

As with any stretch of road, accidents happen. The blood cells can become clogged, causing a stroke in the brain or a heart attack in the heart. Sometimes what goes wrong is a problem of overproduction causing a cancer of the blood. Leukemia is a cancer of the white blood cells, lymphoma is a cancer of the tissues that produce and carry white blood cells, and multiple myeloma is a cancer of plasma proteins. A cancer of too many red blood cells is called polycythemia vera.

While some cancers often cause the growth of a solid tumor, the overproduction of blood cells may be harder to detect. Symptoms are often vague, including fatigue, weakness, night sweats, bone pain, weight loss, frequent infections, enlarged lymph nodes, and other nonspecific symptoms.

Advancements in cancer therapies have made large strides in the treatment of blood cancers. Besides chemotherapy and radiation therapies, treatments can include stem cell transplants, immunotherapies, and targeted therapies which are more specific on the molecular level to what is being overproduced. Immunotherapies include modifying T cells to recognize and attack cancer cells.

The complexities of the human body are endless and amazing. Part of the wonder is how the cells in our bodies are constantly growing and being replaced. Just like our highway system, there is always construction.

Andrew Ellsworth, M.D. is part of The Prairie Doc team of physicians and currently practices family medicine in Brookings, South Dakota. Follow The Prairie Doc at http://www.prairiedoc.org and on Facebook featuring On Call with the Prairie Doc a medical Q&A show based on science, built on trust for 21 seasons, streaming live on Facebook most Thursdays at 7 p.m. central.

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It's Always Construction Season for the Body The Hamburg Reporter - Hamburg Reporter