New phone line offers free advice on memory loss, dementia from the University of Michigan

U-M Memory Connection is answered by expert care team, connects patients to physicians, social workers, support groups and more.

Her diagnosis was scary: Alzheimer’s Disease. So Myriam Torres was desperate for accurate information and help with coping with what the future might bring. Continue reading

Patients feel a little more confident they can pay for care – That’s a “little bit”!

A recent news article from the American Medical News/American Medical Association on January 30, 2012 spoke to a recent survey conducted by Thomson Reuters in December 2012 indicated American families were a bit more confident in their ability to pay for health care services. Even a slight increase in confidence can be a positive, though the following facts, quoted from the article, are still troubling:

“The recession began in December 2007 and officially ended in June 2009, according to the National Bureau of Economic Research. Despite some growth, the economy was in rough shape as of December 2009″.

“The unemployment rate was 9.9%, compared with 8.5% in December 2011. At the end of 2010, 49.9 million Americans had spent at least part of the previous 12 months uninsured, compared with 49 million at the end of 2009, according to a Sept. 13, 2011, report by the U.S. Census Bureau”.

“Other data sets and surveys suggest that the economy — and patients’ confidence in paying for care — is far from fully recovered”.

Agree or disagree?

You can read the entire article by visiting:

http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2012/01/30/bisb0130.htm

Congratulations to these Michigan hospitals for receiving Healthgrade’s Distinguished Hospital Award for Clinical Excellence™

Michigan
Allegiance Health Jackson, MI
Beaumont Hospital – Grosse Pointe Grosse Pointe, MI
Beaumont Hospital – Troy Troy, MI
Bronson Methodist Hospital Kalamazoo, MI
Genesys Regional Medical Center Grand Blanc, MI
Henry Ford Wyandotte Hospital Wyandotte, MI
Holland Hospital Holland, MI
Lakeland Hospital Saint Joseph Saint Joseph, MI
including Lakeland Medical Center Niles Niles, MI
Mount Clemens Regional Medical Center Mount Clemens, MI
Munson Medical Center Traverse City, MI
Providence Hospital Southfield, MI
Saint Mary Mercy Hospital Livonia, MI
Spectrum Health Butterworth Hospital Grand Rapids, MI
including Spectrum Health Blodgett Hospital Grand Rapids, MI
St. Joseph Mercy Oakland Pontiac, MI

Interesting Option to Cure a Nosebleed!

I received this article this morning and found it not only interesting but worth mentioning. It is amazing to me that in era of lasers and miracle drugs something as simple as “bacon” can be the cure to unique medical conditions, such as chronic nosebleeds.

Read more by visiting http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/318499

Recent U of M Study indicates – Avastin, Sutent increase breast cancer stem cells

Courtesy of University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center

Breast cancer patients and advocates were disappointed last year when the FDA revoked approval of the drug Avastin. Now, new research from the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center suggests the reason Avastin and the similar drug Sutent have had limited impact on breast cancer. While these drugs are killing the bulk of cancer cells, they are also leading to an increase in the number of cancer stem cells, the small number of cells in a tumor that fuel its growth and spread. Researchers believe that combining Avastin with a drug designed to kill cancer stem cells will make the treatment more effective.

More details are online at http://www.cancer.med.umich.edu/news/breast-cancer-stem cells-2012.shtml.