Flu season is wreaking havoc around the country, and yet another seasonal illness, respiratory syncytial virus or RSV, appears to be peaking in Illinois. In fact, according to CDC surveillance data, almost all states are reporting epidemic levels, including:

• AZ – 25%
• CA – 39%
• FL – 12%
• GA – 29%
• IL – 23%
• LA – 27%
• NY – 15%
• OH – 39%
• TX – 29%

RSV is considered having reached epidemic levels once rates of positive cases are at or above 10% for two consecutive weeks.

Background:

It’s a virus that’s often mistaken for a common cold, but this highly prevalent, easily-spread illness can be devastating and it’s affecting young infants across the country.  It’s called respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and if contracted, it can bring serious complications to young infants, particularly to preemies whose underdeveloped lungs and immature immune systems make it harder to fight off the infection. In fact, RSV is the leading cause of infant hospitalization—about 125,000 each year—and is responsible for approximately 10 times more infant deaths each year than the flu.

According to the CDC, “RSV season” typically runs from November through March. All children can contract RSV, and nearly 100% of babies do by age two. Unfortunately, there is no cure for RSV, so prevention is key to protecting against this virus, which is highly contagious, particularly among children. For instance, daycare and pre-schools are common areas where children can contract RSV, but there are steps daycare providers and parents can take to help protect children.

Frequent washing of hands, toys, play areas and bedding is important, as RSV can live for several hours on surfaces such as countertops, doorknobs and tissues. Other preventative measures include keeping children away from those who are sick and never letting anyone smoke around the baby. Although RSV can be mild in many children, it’s best to air on the side of caution for the sake of other children. Parents of children who have cold-like symptoms should keep them home from daycare, to avoid exposing other children (especially those who may be at high-risk) from potentially dangerous germs.

Nationally recognized RSV expert Dr. Ram Yogev, MD of Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago and Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine is available to answer common RSV questions and talk about how it impacts children and their families:

·         What is RSV, and what are the risk factors for developing severe RSV disease?

·         What symptoms should parents look for and flag for their child’s pediatrician?

·         What can parents do to try to prevent their child from contracting RSV?

·         How can parents help keep their child from spreading germs and illnesses to other children?

West Des Moines, Iowa - When Medicare patients make an unplanned return to the hospital it delays their recovery, exposes them to infection, costs taxpayers money and consumes health care resources. The approach Iowa communities are taking to improve the transition between hospital and post-hospital care has been validated by research in the January 23, 2013 edition of JAMA, the Journal of the American Medical Association.

The article describes projects in communities in 14 states that produced an average 6% decrease in hospitalizations and re-hospitalizations over two years. This CMS QIO project formed the foundation for Telligen's current care transitions work.

"Our data show that nearly one in five patients who leave the hospital today will be re-admitted within the next month, and that more than three-quarters of these re-admissions are potentially preventable," said Dr. Patrick Conway, CMS Chief Medical Officer and Center for Clinical Standards & Quality Director. "This situation can be changed by approaching health care quality from a community-wide perspective, and focusing on how everyone who touches a patient's life-whether part of the traditional 'health care team' or not-can better work together in the best interests of their shared patient population to prevent hospitalizations."

Telligen is working with communities focused on reducing avoidable hospital readmissions. Following the model described in the JAMA study, this work brings together consumers, hospitals, nursing homes, physician clinics, home health care, pharmacists and social service agencies.

"In our complex health care system people rely on many providers and services, so shared, local effort is important," said Kate LaFollette, Telligen Sr. QI Facilitator. "Communities are breaking down organizational boundaries to do what is best for the patient."

Telligen helps communities discover the reasons behind the readmissions rates. Medical research and best practices are identified and tailored to meet the community's needs. Telligen works with community partners to analyze data to gauge progress and impact.

Telligen's efforts are part of a national project to transform health care in more than 400 communities across the country. Called "Integrating Care for Populations and Communities," the project is part of the Medicare Quality Improvement Organization Program.

More details about this national effort are online at http://www.cfmc.org/integratingcare/.

About the QIO Program: The QIO Program is a major force and trustworthy partner for the continual improvement of health and healthcare for all Americans. The program achieves national health quality goals through a network of 53 QIOs located in every state, territory and the District of Columbia. QIOs bring together patients, providers, practitioners and other stakeholders to improve patient care, improve population and community health and lower the costs of care through improvement.

About Telligen: For over 40 years, Telligen has been dedicated to the delivery of innovative health management solutions that improve the quality and cost-effectiveness of healthcare for consumers and providers. Telligen serves commercial clients and government programs at the federal, state and local level, improving healthcare for millions of people nationwide. For more information, visit us at www.telligen.org.

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At the heart of almost all of his patients’ problems, says psychiatrist Gary Malone, are issues that stem from the family that raised them creating problems in the family they’ve started.

“Almost all of us deal with this to some degree or another. Very few families are idyllic,” says Malone, a distinguished fellow in the American Psychiatric Association, and coauthor with his sister Susan Mary Malone of “What’s Wrong with My Family?”  (www.whatswrongwithmyfamily.com).

“Forget ‘Leave it to Beaver.’ Normal families are more like ‘The Twilight Zone.’ ”

Despite that, most of us manage to lead happy, productive lives.

“Once we recognize the childhood baggage we’ve carried into adulthood, we can take steps to compensate, make corrections, and change how we raise our own children,” Malone says.

These are some of the qualities of a healthy family, and what you can do if that quality was missing or in short supply as you were growing up:

• Shows love: Family is usually the one place and time in life that a person experiences unconditional love. If you did not receive that as a child, you likely have difficulty loving and valuing yourself. There is no substitute for loving yourself; this issue is the No. 1 cause of unhappiness in adult relationships. The first step in healing is recognizing the damage and being willing to believe your feelings of unworthiness are not based in reality but are the product of a deficit likely handed down through generations in your family. Listen to what you tell yourself – if it’s things like, “I’m an idiot” and “I am really messed up,” change that self talk. Words are powerful!

• Respects autonomy: Individuals in the family are encouraged to develop their own personal identity and separate from the family while maintaining a role within it. The family supports and even cheers on individuals in their personal quests. Children who are not allowed the freedom to express and explore their identities may become adults who develop co-dependent relationships – wherein they put the needs of others before their own and/or are dependent on the control of others. Ways to begin addressing autonomy issues as an adult include learning how to comfortably spend time alone, pursuing interests (whether or not they are valued by friends and family) by taking classes or joining clubs, and boosting self-esteem through positive self talk.

• Creates structure & boundaries: Parents are the keepers of the rules; they provide structure for children, both to protect them and to foster learning and growth. People who grow up with little or no structure may fail to offer structure to their own children – or overreact and be too rigid. Provide structure and consistency by setting up routines that everyone in the family is expected to follow daily, with occasional exceptions. These might include making your bed in the morning; daily chores; a set dinnertime, with everyone at the table; and “together” time, such as a game night.

About Dr. Gary Malone, M.D. & Susan Mary Malone

Dr. Gary Malone is an Associate Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Texas Southwestern and a teaching analyst at the Dallas Psychoanalytic Institute. He is a distinguished fellow in the American Psychiatric Association with board certifications in general and addiction psychiatry. He has worked in hospitals and private practices for more than 30 years. Dr. Malone is director of Adult Chemical Dependency Services at Millwood Hospital in Arlington, Texas.

Award-winning writer and editor Susan Mary Malone is the author of the novel, “By the Book,” and three nonfiction books, including “Five Keys for Understanding Men: A Women’s Guide.” More than 40 of the book projects she has edited were purchased by traditional publishing houses. She is Dr. Malone’s siste