Medical Malpractice

I'm a licensed psychologist in private practice. I see depressed, anxious and/or attention deficit professionals. The other day, James, a 50ish physician, sat staring out the window in my office as he said, "I don't know why I'm here. My colleagues wanted me to see someone. I yelled at Debbie, my nurse, the other day." He looked downcast as he continued, "I'm embarrassed and then there is a part of me that believed she deserved it. She didn't give the right dosage to the pharmacy. Fortunately, they caught the error and called. She could have killed my patient!" With the last line, he spoke with great force, and then continued, "I guess I've been snapping at patients, too. I don't know why. I need to get control. I don't know what good it's going to do me to come here."

Later in the day, Caroline, a 43 year old attorney, sat in the same spot with tears rolling down her face. "I don't know even what I'm ccrying about anymore. I just can't seem to stop once I start. I can't concentrate. I start to work on something, and 15 minutes later I still haven't done anything. I'm just staring out into space. I don't have anything unusual going on. I have the usual concerns, like building my practice, taking care of the kids, paying bills, helping my father with my mom - she has Alzheimer's - but this is the same that most people are going through, isn't it."

My last client, George, a 34 year old dentist, fidgeted with his fingers, tapped his leg, and at times, squirmed. He spoke in short, staccato sentences, "My licensing board told me to get counseling. Someone complained. Said they smelled alcohol on my breath. So, I had a drink at lunch. It takes the edge off. Nothing wrong with that. I'm just not getting to sleep and then it's time to get up. I just need to get it together -it's just a little stressful right now. I can do that."

What do these three people have in common? If you said that they sounded stressed, you would be correct. But, don't they sound a bit more than stressed? Deciding when stressed becomes depressed or anxious is not easy to determine on your own. This article gives you some guidelines to use to determine when you might need to seek help from a psychologist. The general layperson often assumes that if you are a professional and/or well-educated that you don't have stress. Or, worse yet, you should be able to deal with it on your own. After all you are smart enough, aren't you? You may subscribe these myths, too. Yet, professionals often have highly profession-specific stresses.

Physicians have to worry about making the correct diagnosis with difficult cases. Life and death can depend on the correct diagnosis and treatment. Staying current with new findings in the field is time-consuming - something that physicians are short on. Add that to the threat of malpractice and decreasing insurance reimbursements and you have a recipe for stress.

What kind of stress does a dentist have? No one wants to go to the dentist. Conscious and unconscious fear is directed at the dentist daily. Having to hurt someone on a daily basis - even if it is to help them - isn't always easy. There has been research that dentists as a profession experience clinical depression more often than the average lay person. Attorneys - the non-attorney might scoff "Hah, they deserve it,". The public opinion of this profession is unwarranted, but, there it is - extremely negative. Attorneys have one of the highest rates of depression and suicide of any of the professions. They, too, have to keep current in their field. They often deal with angry, bitter people. Their colleagues might be included in that group. "Every one wants a piece of me. I can't seem to please anyone," one attorney told me.

I could go on with each profession's signature stresses; but, I think it is sufficient to write that professionals are like everyone else in terms of stress. The more directly a profession impacts other humans, the more stressful it is. I've been using the word "stress" as though we all have the same understanding of its definition. Stress is the physiological and/or emotional response to internal and/or external changes in our lives.

An example of an internal change is the disease process. Betty, a 55 year old client, related that she just felt down much of the time. She wanted to sleep "all of the time," and she had no energy. Stress? Depression? Turns out that she was suffering from hypothyroidism. Her depression was partially biochemical and partially a reaction to not being able to function normally. This vicious cycle is not as uncommon as we'd like to think. So changes in our bodies is a stress, a change to which we try to adjust. External stressors are more easily identified. Changes which we perceive as negative are stressful in that they trigger a physiological change of fight, flight or freeze responses. We feel tense and hypervigilent as a result of excess adrenaline and cortisol in our systems.

Chronic stress leads to chronic symptoms of

• Fatigue
• hypervigilence
• dread
• sleep difficulties
• irritability

Negative changes in the following areas can result in stress responses:

• Relationships
• Marriage
• Religion or spirituality
• Finances
• Career
• Health

How do you know when you should seek help? Everyone experiences stress responses, don't they? Yes, you are correct; however, when the stress responses become chronic or great enough, then they interfere in everyday functioning. When you can't

• Perform your usual tasks in your profession
• Get along with friends, family or colleagues
• Feel contentment more than discontentment

Then it is time to get help.

The following are a list of symptoms that a depressed person might experience:

• Loss of interest in normal daily activities
• Feeling sad or down
• Feeling hopeless
• Crying spells for no apparent reason
• Problems sleeping
• Trouble focusing or concentrating
• Difficulty making decisions
• Unintentional weight gain or loss
• Irritability
• Restlessness
• Being easily annoyed
• Feeling fatigued or weak
• Feeling worthless
• Loss of interest in sex
• Thoughts of suicide or suicidal behavior
• Unexplained physical problems, such as back pain or headaches

An anxiety ridden person might experience some of the following:

• Restlessness
• Feeling of being keyed up or on edge
• Feeling a lump in your throat
• Difficulty concentrating
• Fatigue
• Irritability
• Impatience
• Being easily distracted
• Muscle tension
• Trouble falling or staying asleep
• Excessive sweating
• Shortness of breath
• Stomachache
• Diarrhea
• Headache

Experiencing one or two of the above symptoms on various occasions does not mean that you are experiencing either depression or anxiety. Different people might have various combinations of symptoms. If you have five or more of any of the above symptoms and you have experienced these symptoms for over two weeks, seek help from a qualified mental health specialist. Treatment might include talk therapy, psychopharmaceutical prescriptions or a combination of both. Talk therapy and medication have shown to have the best results. So if you have experienced a feeling of stress with some of the above symptoms, you might be experiencing something more serious, such as depression or anxiety. Stressed, depressed or anxious, you can manage your life more effectively with help. You don't have to suffer alone - there is hope!

You get insurance in order to protect yourself from disaster. When you think of disaster and insurance, you think of bad weather, stolen goods, or a number of other unforeseen physical mishaps that can ruin your business if you're not covered. The same thinking is often applied to business, where owners have equipment to be safeguarded, payroll to be managed, and all other types of business assets and concerns that need to be covered, too.

In other words, when people think of insurance for themselves or their business, they think of the physical things that can go wrong with that business, and getting coverage to cover those range of possibilities. It's pretty straight forward, common sense, and even forward-thinking to a degree.

The problem is that, with today's business environment, it's just not forward-thinking enough. For business professionals in particular, it's probably only half the equation when it comes to getting yourself and your business properly insured.

E&O Insurance

Errors and Omissions insurance. Ever heard of it? If you're a professional, you better hear of it. Not having it could cost you dearly.

E&O insurance, as it's called, essentially protects the business professional from lawsuits arising from real or perceived misconduct resulting from the normal conduct of business. It goes beyond the kind of insurance most people are used to because it covers aspects of a business that impact others when interacting with the public.

This is also known as professional liability insurance, and the reason liability ought to be of such concern to the business owner is related to the very nature of conducting business in and of itself.

Unlike private individuals and their families, businesses are specifically set up to interact with the public as a matter of routine. You normally don't provide a good or a service to a small circle of friends. You set up a business in order to meet a demand that exists out there in the public. That involves interacting with the public and performing exchanges with them in ways that may be even hard for you to perceive. The extent to which a business or a professional can have an impact on the public can almost literally be unimaginable. This is why things like e & o insurance are necessary.

Say you're a lawyer. You provide legal counsel to a client. That client then turns around and uses that counsel as a basis to form a contract with a third party. That third party and its contract provide services to the public. Someone from that public believes themselves to be hurt or damaged as a result of that service. Well, it's possible that the claim can be traced all the way back to the original counsel provided to the client. It may seem improbable. But just think how many frivolous lawsuits are in existence. Errors real and perceived can end up costing you.

This is a component of liability insurance that many business owner and professionals might not come to fully appreciate until it's too late. This includes e & o insurance. The last thing you want to happen in this regard is to have errors and omissions appraisers come to your door and tell you you're not covered for a particular mistake that comes back to haunt you. Quite literally, the cost could not only be your business, but your reputation as a professional as well.

It's not only errors or mistakes that professionals conduct in the normal practice of business. A plumber might install a wrong kind of pipe. A doctor might prescribe the wrong type of medication -- which gets malpractice liability involved for the professional as well. An IT professional might install the wrong type of software for a computer system. This stuff happens, and errors and omissions appraisers will usually deal with these kinds of issues as a matter of routine.

Where some of the unforeseen difficulty lies with the conduct of a professional is the possibility of errors or omissions that are simply perceived as such by individuals affected by what you do. In other words, it's not only the real mistakes that you make as a professional that can come back to bite you, it's the mistakes people think you make that can cost you dearly, too -- especially if you don't have e & o insurance.

You might ask, well how does that work? Think about it. If somebody just thinks your professional conduct cost them harm or injury, you'll need to hire lawyers yourself, which can mean considerable legal fees in and of themselves. There's also the possibility that you'll lose a case because a jury doesn't like you, even though you didn't technically do anything wrong. Just being in the right, or thinking you're being in the right isn't enough. You need a jury to think so, too, and that can sometimes be like rolling the dice at an all-night casino game.

There is also the possibility that, even though damages were the result of an error incorrectly perceived as such by another party, that they're deemed as damages nonetheless. In other words, damages from perceived errors are still damages, and somebody might be seen as having been responsible. That somebody might be you. Unless you have e & o insurance that covers such possibilities, the last people who will want to be your friends in a crisis are those pesky errors and omissions appraisers. They won't necessarily care about what's right, they'll care about what they have to cover.

It is estimated that 25 million people are afraid to fly. That estimate doesn't include the people who fly,but still suffer anxiety from flying. People suffer from fear of flying because they fear giving up control to a total stranger. But, they give up control everyday to doctors, & dentist were tens of thousands of people die every year to malpractice. In comparison, airplane accidents averages about 100 fatalities a year. In some years there were no aircraft fatalities. The average car fatalities is 40,000 a year. If you still have a fear of flying whats important to know is that you are not alone. There are lots' of people out there at one time,or another who had a phobia of flying. In order to overcome your fear of flying you must have a strong desire to. Let me explain some of the benefits to overcoming your fear of flying:

1) Getting job promotions

2) Cheaper then driving

3) Time saved

4) More leisure/vacation time

5) Quality time visiting family

6) Get to travel the world

Now that your'e motivated to get treatment for fear of flying we could now discuss some options. One option is prescription drugs like Xanax that slows down the central nervous system. It is an anti-anxiety medication. It eases tenseness. Some of the side affects are drowsiness, swelling of your lips, & unconsciousness. Xanax does work for some people, but you should always consult with your doctor to see if your'e a good candidate for it. Another method of treatment is hypnosis. Hypnotherapy involves a therapist relaxing your state of mind, & using relaxing techniques such as EFT Emotional Freedom Techniques, or hypnosis. EFT is is like acupuncture except they don't use needles. Furthermore, dvd's courses could be a viable option for fearful fliers. Some of these dvds courses may teach all of the techniques I discussed plus answer many question you wanted to know.

However, my favorite treatment for fearful fliers is to take a fear of flying class. Its one thing to be reassured that flying is the safest form of transportation, but its even better to understand it from a group session of a professional instructor, or therapist. Many of these programs are taught by a pilot, therapist,or flight attendant. Not only do you get to interact in a group setting, but you realize that your'e not alone. You get to share ideas & learn what programs work for others. Hopefully, you get to talk to a pilot & ask questions you always wanted to know. Often times, the class may include breathing techniques & perhaps a virtual reality demo. Virtual reality has been the latest tool used to help with fear of flying treatment. A fear of flying class also serves as a good way for moral support from the group. All of these methods will help in someway. Each method will benefit each person differently.

Taking treatment with a fear of flying class that helps you to overcome your anxiety of flying will build your self-esteem & provide you with an accomplishment of a lifetime.

Pronounced Vee-back -- Vaginal Birth After Cesarean - When a woman has a cesarean section with one baby and then has a subsequent baby vaginally. It sounds simple enough, doesn't it? Not in this political and medical climate, it is not.

Forty years ago, the rule was "Once a cesarean, always a cesarean." In the 1980's, a swing occurred when obstetricians (OB -- doctors who specialize in pregnancy and childbirth) began supporting VBAC. Now, the pendulum is swinging (many believe has swung) the other way with the latest statistics showing the cesarean rate in the U.S. is 31%. Considering the World Health Organization says the cesarean rate should be no greater than 15%, our 31% is atrocious.

Women desiring a VBAC might have to look long and hard to find a provider to attend to their birth. In many places around the country every hospital and every doctor in the area refuse to do a Trial of Labor (TOL) that would lead to a VBAC if successful. Many factors contribute to this refusal including administrative requirements that an OB and anesthesiologist be in-house as a VBAC woman labors. This can be cost prohibited for doctors as it would not allow them to do office hours or spend any time with their families. Another reason for not doing VBACs is the doctor's malpractice insurance not allowing them; they feel they are simply too risky.

What are the risks of a VBAC? A very small percentage of women will have a uterine rupture is 0.8%. Women who have a rupture of their uterus can have catastrophic consequences such as the baby dying as the mother hemorrhages. Very, very rarely, a mother can bleed to death from the opening of the uterus. However, when the person is you, the risk is 100%. This is why some doctors refuse to do VBACs.

It is recommended that VBACs not be induced (using either prostaglandins or Pitocin) as this seems to cause many of the uterine ruptures. An epidural is not seen as a cause of a rupture, however, so women need not go without pain medication. But, supporters of VBACs highly encourage natural birth as the rupture can often be felt early enough to avoid the tragic consequences of a complete rupture.

Probably everyone has at one time or another wished they could look as good as a movie or music star. However, the standards-and particularly those having to do with weight-are going up all the time, and few people these days have exactly the body type it takes. That's where high volume liposuction comes in.

Initially, high volume liposuction sounds like a dream come true: the surgeon tells you he can "vacuum" all the excess weight from your body in a simple surgical procedure, giving you a look it would take months or even years of dieting to achieve. It's very natural for people to interested. Unfortunately, however, not enough of these people stop to ask themselves the all-important question, "Is it safe?"

Those who do ask will probably receive mixed answers. There are doctors out there who claim to have had a lot of success with high volume liposuction, and insist it is both safe and even advisable for overweight and obese patients. They claim this type of liposuction can help those who, through genetics and other issues, would never be able to lose the weight on their own, and that reducing weight has been medically proven to help prevent numerous health problems.

On the other side of the field are those who say high volume liposuction is a dangerous procedure which is never justified, and that those who offer it are trading their clients' health away in order to line their own pockets.

In addition to these two groups, there is a middle party which says that although high volume liposuction can be safe in theory, it frequently runs into trouble in practice. These people point out that legally speaking, any MD can perform cosmetic surgery. Because of the rapid growth of the liposuction market, there is a temptation for family practice and other doctors to switch over to liposuction without getting any additional training first. These doctors in particular could run into trouble trying to perform high volume liposuction, because it is much more traumatic to the body than regular liposuction and the doctor may not know how to best prevent complications from occurring.

If you are considering high volume liposuction, this means you need to be extra careful in selecting your surgeon. Make sure the doctor you choose is not only board certified to perform liposuction, but also that he or she has plenty of experience with high-volume liposuction in particular You may also want to ask about their safety record in the past, and if they have ever been sued for malpractice or had patients hospitalized with complication after their liposuction. Remember, it may be nice to lose the weight, but it's not worth your health.

As the adage goes: Prevention is better than cure. In medical practice, prevention of the
disease before its onset is better than giving medication when it is already malignant or
full-blown. Getting it right early is much better than subsequent expensive treatments.
Furthermore, when you lose your health, the road to recovery gets longer and rougher.
Prevention is the name of the game for individuals and companies.

Just like people, most companies get into trouble simply through sheer neglect. Through
the lack of monitoring, the accumulation of toxins or disease causing pathogens are
allowed to perpetuate till the full manifestation of the ailment before any action is taken
to contain it. At the outset, a company should adopt prudent practices to prevent the
onset of corporate ills or financial problems. The preliminary issue such as prevention
requires the direction to be clear as well as good planning. Next, the hard issues need to
be implemented which include diligent financial and other controls. Also, soft issues such
as taking good care of your people and the wise management of the talent pool are also
crucial.

Diagnosis is the identification of the disease based on its symptoms. However, the
symptoms can sometimes mask the real disease. Also, many diseases share similar
symptoms. Thus further probing is required in order to ensure that the disease is not
misdiagnosed.

Just as a sick person may manifest early symptoms of the ailment, such as cough, running
nose, fever and body aches, likewise, there are usually ample warning signs for a
company. High staff attrition rate and the loss of brand equity are perhaps some of the
symptoms that all is not well with the company. However, they are merely the symptoms
rather than the real disease or root cause. Treating the symptoms is tantamount to
upgrading a cancer-stricken patient to another ward in the hospital, the condition of the
patient does not improve. Prescription without diagnosis is malpractice, and
implementing the corporate restructuring without knowing the root cause of the problems
can be disastrous.

The key is early diagnosis as it increases the chances of curing most diseases. Therefore, a
company should put in place a detection system to facilitate this early diagnosis. How
does a company get out of its trouble? A good way is to diagnose how it gets into trouble
in the first place.

Diagnosis starts with acknowledgement of the problem, good detection system and
identifying the root causes from the symptoms. Then one needs a comprehensive

diagnosis of the "hard issues" such as its pricing, process and communication. The
company also needs to review the "soft issues" such as communication and leadership
functions which may have got the company into trouble.

There are panaceas that can turn a critically ill organisation around into a healthy one and
proper treatment is necessary as the remedies can sometimes be worse than the disease.
For instance, some cancer patients are killed by the chemotherapy rather than the disease
itself. As they say, a stitch in time saves nine. Usually an ailing company needs critical attention
probably in the form of 'surgery' with the primary focus of restructuring the organisation
and improving its cash flow. Most troubled companies need to engage outside help and
change to come in and take drastic action to steer them out of the woods. Efforts are also
needed to restore the company's top line and profits.

Treatment starts with the execution in appointing the appropriate corporate doctor or
turnaround manager and a team. Next, the distressed company needs to focus and
understand some of the techniques to remedy its ailment. Hard issues take precedence
during this stage with restructuring, right sizing and cost cutting. In some cases, the
rescue endeavour may come in too late then the exit strategy may be necessary. After
dealing with the hard issues, the company needs to deal with the soft issues of
dysfunctional personnel and bureaucracy.

When my heart is overwhelmed, my emotions frazzled and my mental faculties fried; I continually return to me, myself and I. Upon coming to the end of myself, I realize when there is nothing else. It is then that I turn within for renewal, refreshing and revelation.

Emotional exhaustion can come at the end of a laborious work week, after a long vacation with the in-laws or during a duel with your darling damsel to whom you are married. Interaction with people can be both invigorating as well as intimidating. It can be fun and at times furious. Our emotions can run the gamut during relational interaction of all sorts and kinds with various people. Some exchanges are more pleasant than others.

If you are in the people business or a relational person, you are more sucsceptible to interpersonal disappointment and conflict. This is because of the frequency of your interactions and the intensity of your expectations. Professions demanding less involvement with people can often be far less stressful due to the removal of the relational component. Things don't have expectations or complaints. These come from people.

That being said, it should be no surprise where emotional exhaustion originates. Unlike intellectual exhaustion that flows from books and placing high demands upon the brain, emotional exhaustion typically occurs from placing high demands upon our emotions when engaged interpersonally with people in varying contexts.

Priests feel it when they must juggle a range of emotions from interacting with people in differing seasons of life. Their congregations are full of people marrying, burying, celebrating newborns, considering divorcing spouses, and committee members in conflict. Priests must access a wide array of emotions to show themselves sympathetic, understanding, celebratory and wise hearted.

Medical doctors feel it when they must emphathize with dying patients, grieving family members, pregnant mothers, ill children, nurses in under staffed hospitals, pharmacists on the telephone and insurance malpractice claims adjusters.

Mothers feel it when they must lovingly support their husbands, rear their children by day, be a lover at night, a social butterfly on the weekends with their friends, serve in their community in some capacity, provide chauffering to and cheerleading at their kids sporting events, and be a chef for three square meals a day.

Sales persons feel it when they must be aggressive to procure leads, cultivate new clients, sweeten deals, negotiate closings and follow-up for future sales. Not to mention there are employee interactions, competeing sales persons, emotionally needy secretaries, money hungry executive managers pushing them to their wits end to produce and clients who rescind on their contracts. Add to this all of the family interactions that any sane person would have after work and during the weekend, which compiled apart from any personal space could drive the most stable soul insane.

Emotional exhaustion therefore can effect us all at various times. We therefore should acknowledge our need for personal space, time to refuel and earnest desire to regroup when necessary. Such times do not devalue any persons dearest to us. In fact it is just the opposite. Because after being refreshed we can return to being at our best, when we are most loving and useful to those who we love and need us most.

Here are 7 Secrets to Refuel Your Emotionally Exhausted Soul:

1. Take time alone where you can rest. Physical rest provides both bodily and emotional rest and renewal simultaneously.

2. Find a quiet place to meditate. Secure a place to think, dream and plan your life. This allows you to see the forest from the trees.

3. Engage in a hobby where you can allow yourself to indulge. Take some me time. For some that means being alone. Others find it refreshing to be around friends who understand and can rejoice with them. Whatever wholesome indulgence makes you feel best, incorporate such into your week.

4. Politely remove yourself from intrusions of the soul. Use an answer machine to handle annoying people and calls. When a stranger comes knocking at your door, look through the peep whole. If you're not interested in talking to them don't.

5. Say no without feeling guilty when asked to do something you don't want to do. It's your life. Live it your way!

6. Delegate and leverage your dollars to get others to do the work you most dislike that most drains you. Prefer work that you are most passionate about and which you excel at doing. By doing so your energy will be protected, optimized and your creativity realized.

7. Use your most productive hours of the day to create your world, pursue your dreams and plan your strategy. Use the less energetic hours of your day (be it day or night for you) to do activities you least prefer and are excited about. Often these tasks are maintenance oriented.

By no means is my method the cure all, but surely it has got you thinking in the right direction to formulate your own strategy for overcoming emotional exhaustion and maximizing your energy levels.

It has been said that success is not determined by what you say yes to, but rather by what you say no to. Structure your life in such a way to erect boundaries and perimeters to protect your focus. What you tolerate will dominate. Make your expectations known when relating with others, while seeking to understand and clarify their expectations of you. Be realistic and make yourself clear as to what you can and cannot do to lessen relational pressure.

An undivided focus directed toward your primary life's purpose will undoubtedly invigorate you within and move you forward with dynamic momentum. Regain your focus and life's purpose. Upon pinpointing your passion and wholeheartedly pursuing it, you will regain your heart.

Say no to intruders, intrusions and that which erodes your focus. It's your life! Now live it your way without apology.

The thyroid is a gland in the neck that is located near the base of the throat and is shaped like a butterfly. This gland is comprised of two different lobes, one on the left and one on the right, and is in charge of producing certain types of hormones. The thyroid uses iodine to help with the production of these various hormones. The hormones produced by the thyroid have many important functions such as regulating blood pressure, heart rate, metabolism, and body temperature. They are also necessary to manage different muscles, the nervous system, and organs. The thyroid is also a major factor in development and growth for children.

Thyroid cancer is a disease that results in the thyroid gland cells growing at a pace that is uncontrollable and rapid, which then becomes abnormal and causes masses to form, known as tumors.

Once the cells are examined under a microscope, and depending on how they appear, the type of cancer is classified as one of four possible types: anaplastic, follicular, medullary, or papillary. Each of these types of thyroid cancer grows at a different pace, and if not treated properly and promptly can spread to other areas within the body.

Anaplastic thyroid cancer is responsible for roughly two percent of all cases of the disease. This form is extremely aggressive, and is the fastest growing form of thyroid cancer.

Follicular thyroid cancer is the second most commonly seen type of the disease, and is responsible for between thirty and fifty percent of all cases. This type of thyroid cancer originates in the cells of the thyroid that produce hormones.

Medullary thyroid cancer is responsible for about five to seven percent of all cases of the disease. This form of thyroid cancer starts in the parafollicular cells that produce calcitonin, which are also known as C cells. This type of hormone does not make use of or contain iodine.

Papillary thyroid cancer makes up the majority of cases of the disease, representing about sixty to eighty percent. This form of thyroid cancer is quite slow growing, and originates in the hormone producing cells that contain iodine.

For the most part, thyroid cancer is a slow growing cancer that often begins with just one symptom: swelling at the base of the neck where the gland is located. Another common symptom may include difficulty swallowing because of the tumor pressing on the gullet or windpipe. Typically, the main function of the thyroid gland is not affected when a tumor is present and individuals who have an overactive or underactive thyroid gland are not considered to be at a higher risk of developing cancer. Since there are few symptoms that are absolutely definitive, it is not uncommon that this disease is misdiagnosed.

In order to ensure a proper diagnosis of thyroid cancer is made, it is necessary for the following to occur:

Blood work - Blood tests help to measure the thyroid releasing hormone (TRH) levels, which is often a strong indicator of abnormalities, including cancer.

Fine needle aspiration and/or biopsy - This involves a medical professional inserting a thin, small needle into the area of the neck that is swollen. It is usually done with the help of an ultrasound. The needle then collects a sample of tissue that will be later examined in a laboratory.

While it is true that most type of thyroid cancers are not aggressive, and grow slowly, it is still absolutely critical that an early diagnosis is made, in order for the best treatment to be ordered, thus providing the best chance of recovery.

Unfortunately, each year, many patients needlessly suffer because a proper diagnosis of thyroid cancer is not made, it is overlooked, or it is delayed to the point that a successful recovery is no longer possible. The main reasons for this have to do with various levels of human interpretation, which leaves a great deal of room for error. When this happens, medical negligence has occurred, and it is important that the responsible parties be held accountable. You do have legal rights, and you should understand that you may be able to take action in order to receive monetary compensation for your injuries and medical expenses.

If you or someone you know has suffered because of a misdiagnosis of thyroid cancer, or a delayed diagnosis, you should not delay in seeking legal advice. A professional personal injury attorney who specializes in the area of medical negligence or malpractice is quite skilled with handling these types of cases and can handle every aspect of your claim. He or she knows the ins and outs of the law, and will be able to determine if your case is viable, along with the best way to file, what evidence is necessary, and when an expert should be called to testify.

Since these cases can be quite complex in nature, and because the laws and statutes of limitations do vary a good deal from state to state, it is important that you get help and do not try to pursue your case on your own. Medical professionals have teams of legal counsel on their side, ready to protect their clients at all times. Because of these reasons, it is very hard for someone without their own legal representation to recoup damages.

Most personal injury attorneys work on a contingency basis, which means you will get proper legal representation of your own, without the need to pay upfront. This will allow you to focus on seeking the medical help and treatments you need to improve your medical condition, without having the added worry of how to fund your legal claim. Personal injury attorneys take care of your case from start to finish. You should never risk becoming a victim twice, and you should not let the party or parties responsible who are for your injuries get away with what they have done. A personal injury attorney can help you to secure your future, while bringing forth the justice that is rightly deserved.

Terminal illness is so frightening and painful that most who dare read this article are personally preparing for the death of a loved one or themselves. Logically, one would think it's just the common end of life you see in every living thing, but if you're facing death, you know it isn't an issue for logic. In this article, we're going to confront death, cover family care, pain control, comfort care and try to prepare as much as possible for terminal illness and death.

Confronting Death And Dying: We live most of our lives in denial or avoidance of the subject of death. When forced to confront it with friends and distant loved ones, we find it shocking, unfair, painful, frightening. Our goal, here, isn't to become more comfortable with death, but to prepare, so our loved ones will have a somewhat easier time in our absence. Life insurance is one of the ways people prepare financially for death...another is estate planning. We're not going to cover these issues that have extensive coverage elsewhere. Instead, when we learn that we or a close loved one is dying, the first things we face are the emotions. Elisabeth Kubler-Ross does an outstanding job covering these emotions in her book On Grief And Grieving. The basic categories of emotion are Denial, Anger, Bargaining, Depression and Acceptance. Whether you're facing your own death or the death of a loved one, prepare to confront serious emotional upheaval. These emotions are often vented on those closest to us, making it even more difficult for family.

Caring For Family: Each person expresses the emotions of grief differently, so caring for family requires a great deal of patience and flexibility. Often with terminal illness, you're faced with deteriorating ability to care for yourself, requiring someone to provide assistance for activities of daily life, from dressing, to eating, to personal hygiene, etc. Often, having a family member do these things is less expensive, financially, but limits the the amount of time left to really be together, sharing and communicating what's important. Time is the most valuable thing right now. Consider the amount of time these close family members have and determine whether that time would be better spent cleaning, shopping and cooking or talking and hugging...even watching a movie together. I have a friend who insists on personally providing routine care for a close loved one, but the stress of performing those duties has caused my friend to resent and treat harshly the very person he's caring for. Sometimes caring for a family member is easier and less painful if someone else is changing the bed pan.

Controlling Pain: With most terminal illnesses, physical pain must be managed with very strong narcotics, especially at the end stage. My brother died from pancreas cancer in the hospital, with most of us sitting by his side. It was difficult watching him suffer unnecessarily while the nurses followed prescription guidelines to the letter. I will never propose anyone use pain medications to commit suicide, but I strongly recommend you make arrangements for a loving family member to administer pain medication instead of a licensed professional, who's primary interest is protecting their license and malpractice premiums. These medicines need to be administered to head off pain, because once you get behind, it takes a too much medicine to catch up. You can talk to your doctor to get dosage recommendations with enough flexibility to cover different sensitivities to pain. Learning from my brother's situation, I did this with my mother when she was dying from osteoporosis and emphysema. Near as I could tell, the process was very painless for her. The best way to be allowed to administer a loved one's pain medication is have the doctor place them in hospice status and care for their final days in home or through a licensed hospice facility.

Comfort Care-Hospice: The whole idea behind hospice care is to provide comfort to the person who is dying. At the end stage of most incurable diseases, there are no ambulances or resucitation efforts. To go to extreme measures to bring someone back if their heart stops is really unnecessary torture. The goal of hospice care is to provide for basic physical needs, pain relief and other comfort measures to minimize the suffering of your loved one. What is specifically required differs from illness to illness. A good hospice is usually equipped with everything that's needed including trained people and grief counselors. Make sure you pick one that can provide room for family and friends to say goodbye...even separate rooms for people to get a break from the emotions of the moment.

Death doesn't have to be the end of life, but a transition to a new life, reunited with past loved ones forever. Right now, while you're dealing with terminal illness, is the best time to get acquainted or re-acquainted with God, through Jesus Christ. This life is yours for the asking.

Can you always trust your dentists' recommendations? Think for yourself - in the last 30 years the health of our teeth has improved dramatically. We drink fluoridated water, which almost eliminated decay in our teeth.

We eat better, we brush and floss. Yet the amount of money we spend on dental care continues to rise. Could it be connected to the fact that the amount of dentists is increasing every year without any proportion to increases in population?

Let's face it - your dentist is in a business like everyone else. And since it is a very attractive business (the dentists' income is three to five times above the average), more and more students are graduating from dental schools every year.

What does it mean to your dentist? He has to face a very tough competition. He must pay his increasing costs (malpractice insurance, new materials, office maintenance) from an ever shrinking pool of potential patients. The only way he can do it is by raising income derived from each patient.

What does it mean to you? You are the one, who is asked to pay the price. As the marketing experts phrase it: "In order to stay in business, a dentist must offer bigger and better services". Translate it into regular language - the dentist must try to sell you more services regardless whether you need them or not.

The amount of money we spend on dental medical services is already insane and it grows every year. A dentist pays hundreds of thousands of dollars for his rising insurance costs, office maintenance, assistant and secretary salaries. If he makes less than $400,000 a year, he considers himself a failure.

There is a clear contradiction here. You want to spend as less as possible on your dental care, and your dentist will earn less if he does that.

Yes, I know. Your dentist is a decent person. He wouldn't do such things. I agree with you. But often there is no clear-cut solution (in most cases). I want to believe that most dentists are good. But why are their prices keep rising?

Check for yourself. How many seminars are on the Net promising to increase a dentist's profits. And what exactly do they preach? Selling you services, which you might not need.

Evaluate your dentist's recommendations using the same common sense, as you would apply to any other business proposition. Is it really necessary? Is there some other alternative treatment, which may achieve the same result?

With the amount of information available today on the Internet you can educate yourself in the new and not so new techniques used for the dental care. You might be able to save a lot of money that way. And yes, by educating yourself you can have better teeth.

Are you considering plastic surgery? Whether you want a smaller and cuter nose, a flatter stomach, bigger breasts or smaller love handles, there is risk involved. Even with the best surgeons available, it always involves the element of risk. There are dozens of things that can go wrong, complicate the procedure and put your life at risk.

But there is a new, growing problem that can make plastic surgery even more dangerous. In the past few years there has been a significant influx of unqualified, uncertified doctors into the this business. With the rising costs of malpractice insurance and student loans, a lot of doctors are looking for ways to make more money. They see the huge dollar amounts people pay for this kind of procedure, and rather than taking the circuitous and expensive route to certification, they falsify their credentials and set up unregulated the practice.

Today, more people than ever before are having plastic surgery. The popularity of reality-based surgery TV shows has led to a huge increase in demand for cosmetic surgical procedures. Because this isn't covered by health insurance, doctors can ensure a hefty, rather trouble-free payday by performing it.

If you are going to have plastic surgery, health experts recommend these three precautions to minimize the risk of complications. First, pick a surgeon certified by the relevant health board in whatever country you're in. For example, in the United States a plastic surgeon should be certified by American Board of Plastic Surgery, or ABPS. These certifications require a doctor to have graduated from an accredited medical school, have very thorough training and pass comprehensive exams. Second, the surgical procedures should be done in either a hospital or an accredited or licensed facility. Be very cautious about checking a non-hospital's accreditations. Third, make sure your health is thoroughly evaluated before you go under the knife. Be sure you are checked for heart issues, diabetes, or a history of blood clots. The majority of deaths that occur during plastic surgery have to do with a blood clot, so be particularly cautious about that.

Here are some more thorough guidelines about checking a plastic surgeon's credentials.

When you are having a body contouring procedure such as liposuction, breast augmentation or a tummy tuck, you want a surgeon certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery. But if you are having facial plastic surgery only, you can use either a certified plastic surgeon or an Otolarynologist (otherwise known as an ENT or Ear, Nose and Throat specialist) certified by the American Board of Otolarynology. But do not allow an Ear, Nose and Throat specialist to perform any procedure below your neck.

In Canada, surgeon performing a body contouring procedure may be certified by the ABPS, the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, or both organizations.

People performing this procedure under false pretenses often use bogus "certifications" from institutions with similar names as the correct organizations. If you want to ensure a safe, successful, high-quality plastic surgery, you absolutely must be positive about the provider's credentials. Otherwise, you put your health, well-being and appearance in great risk.

Knowing the signs and protection

It is estimated that up to 215,000 people die annually due to sepsis and related illnesses. These are high figures given the availability of treatment for the condition. The medical profession is well aware of the risks and the prevalence within certain populations. The reason for this problem is that there is no proper diagnosis of the condition and the families of the victims are not aware of what they are dealing with when the person starts to present some symptoms. The medical profession is geared to monitoring their patients to see whether there are indications that they might have the condition. Early detection might save lives or reduce the agony for the patient.

The incidence of sepsis happens when the body is reacting to an attack on the immune system. An overreaction could lead to an inflammation of the blood vessels. This will then lead to clotting and the resultant tissue damage. Bacterial infections are normally responsible for the incidence of sepsis but viruses can trigger a similar reaction from the immune system. The first symptoms will appear on the pelvis, in the abdomen, in the lungs and the urinary tract. You are likely to get sepsis if you suffer from these conditions: appendicitis, kidney disease, meningitis, pneumonia, peritonitis, cellulitis and other skin infections. The symptoms that you suffer from may include some chills, difficulty in breathing, a skin rash, a fast heart rate, hypothermia, vomiting, low blood pressure, diarrhea, abnormal white blood cell counts and liver dysfunction.

Attorneys might be able to help you deal with the issues that arise out of sepsis. For example they could help you pursue a claim for compensation if the hospital or treatment center has been negligent in diagnosis. This is a serious matter than can lead to death and therefore the legal system will punish those physicians that have been negligent in their diagnosis of the problems that may be facing the patient. These malpractice suits are getting traction in the courts because of the horrendous effects that they can have on the victims of the negligence. You might benefit from the services of an attorney that is experienced in these matters to the extent that they can describe to you the different issues that are affecting the process of winning the arguments. You can also gain the respect of the people that work within the industry.

We then move on to the issue of the medical world and the processes that they go through in terms of improving the output for the client that is trying to get some compensation for the wrongful diagnosis of sepsis. They will assess the case on its merits and the make a decision on whether to proceed with the litigation. The client can halt the proceeding at any stage if they are unhappy at the progress. However it is the duty of the attorney to give the very best advice that they can in terms of helping the client to deal with the demands of the process.

A potential cosmetic surgery patient needs to know what to look for when selecting a plastic surgeon. But first they need to know what kind of plastic surgery they want to have performed. This could be rhinoplasty, face lift, tummy tuck, liposuction, dermabrasion, botox injections or any one of many rules, or even a combination of procedures. Some plastic surgeons are more skilled at one type of treatment than they are at others.

One good way to find a plastic surgeon is by word of mouth. The patient should speak to people they know who have used a plastic surgeon for their own procedures and are happy with the outcome. Some might have before and after photos that they're willing to share. The patient should also look up websites like the American Society of Plastic Surgeons to help them find a local surgeon. Some have been reviewed on-line by their patients and former patients and these reviews should be read and considered.

All of the surgeons the patient might choose should be certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery and in good standing with their state's medical boards and licensing agencies. There should be no unresolved malpractice suits pending against them, nor should they have a criminal record.

When the patient has the names and contact numbers of a few plastic surgeons, they should arrange for interviews. They will probably have to pay for these interviews, but it's possible that insurance covers them.

They should ask the surgeon how much training they've had in the surgery the patient is interested in. A plastic surgeon should have at least six years of experience as a surgeon and at least three years experience in plastic surgery. They should be actively participating in any required continuing education courses and be trained in the latest plastic surgery techniques. Plastic surgery is a specialty where the technological advances can be quite rapid.

The plastic surgeon should only work with accredited hospitals, clinics and other medical venues. The surgeon should be able to tell the patient which facilities these are and where they're located. They should be willing and eager to work with the patient to achieve the desired results of the plastic surgery that they're seeking, but should be realistic about what plastic surgery can and cannot accomplish. The safety of their patients should be first and foremost with them.

The choice between plastic surgeons might come down to how close their office is to the patient's home and if it's convenient to get to. The patient should learn what the office hours are and if there are emergency hours. They should learn the name of and meet the person who would be covering for the surgeon at that time.

Because a lot of plastic surgery is considered elective, it might not be covered under medical insurance. If insurance doesn't cover the procedure the patient wants, they should ask if they would be allowed to pay under an installment plan.

When the patient has chosen the plastic surgeon, then they can ask more specific questions about the procedure they want and what to expect from it.

You are now ready to start therapy and deal with problems that affect your daily functioning and your views of life and yourself. How do you go about finding the right person for you? I will provide some general guidelines to help you through this process.

To begin psychotherapy or counseling is a very important decision, so the choice of the "right" therapist should not be taken lightly. After all, a therapist is a person you need to trust with the most personal and intimate details of your life and relationships. Choosing the right therapist, however, can be daunting and confusing, particularly if you are approach this task for the first time and may not be acquainted with the various options available

Psychotherapy and counseling are talk therapies used in the treatment of mental and emotional problems through the use of psychological techniques and interpersonal connection. Professionals who define themselves as counselors or psychotherapists hold a Master's Degree, a Nursing Degree, a Ph.D. Degree, or are medical doctors who specialize in psychiatry. In addition, there are other people who practice in this field. These are the coaches - like spiritual coaches, life coaches, grief coaches, relationships coaches and so on. These people do not need to hold a degree in the field of mental health and their training is often very short and limited to very specific areas.

Which one, you may ask, is best for you?

The answer depends on what you need. If you need medications for your symptoms, you will want to contact a nurse practitioner or a psychiatrist. If you want talk therapy to help you deal with your emotional problems, learn coping skills and achieve insight, you will want to contact a counselor or a psychotherapist. If you are not sure, you may want to start with a psychotherapist and go from there. Psychiatrists typically charge the highest fees. Master's level counselors typically charge less than therapists at the Ph.D. level. Coaches charge even less. However, if you hare experiencing an emotional problem, I would warn you to be very careful about selecting a coach.

Now that you have determined which category of professionals is most appropriate for your situation, you may want to proceed as follows:

Decide your gender Preference. Do you think you would be more comfortable with a man or a woman?

Try to get a personal referral. If you know somebody you trust who is or was in therapy and benefited from it, you may want to ask for a referral. Your medical doctor also can be a reliable referral source.

Check educational background, experience and areas of specialization.

Check for malpractice suits.

Set treatment goals. Are you interested in symptom relief, problems in an intimate relationship, or do you want to get to know yourself more deeply?

Now that you have done all the background work, it is time to schedule your first appointment. You won't know whether there is a good fit between you and the selected therapist until you sit in his or her office and the two of you begin interacting with one another. Do you feel the therapist understands what you are saying? Do you get the feeling he or she is knowledgeable, empathic and engaged with you? Is he or she providing useful feedback? Be prepared to find someone else if you have serious questions after your first appointment.

To feel connected, understood, attuned and emotionally safe with a therapist are the most important conditions for therapy to be effective and transformative.

Breast augmentation costs vary from one professional to another. Prices are based on the complexity of the procedure, and on the kind of package being offered by the surgeon. Over all, the cost of augmentation is quite expensive and not in everyone's budget but seasonal promotions may lower the cost for a limited period. The patient woman who looks out for these promotions can actually save hundreds if not thousands of dollars in this way. It is important to also bear in mind that health insurance does not cover this surgery as it is considered for cosmetic purposes only.

What Occurs In A Breast Augmentation Procedure

The woman's breasts are inserted with implants to achieve a fuller appearance. Mammoplasty procedures also remedy lack of volume. This lack of volume is often a result of breast tissue damage experienced by women who drastically lose weight or who have just given birth.

Professional Fees

Professional fees depend on the surgeon's background or individual medical practice resume. Those with more experience and a well-known list of clientele charge more on the premise that all their past procedures went perfectly safe and with great success. On the other hand, a novice doctor doesn't have much to show yet and due to his lack of experience he would settle with lower professional fees in order to get more patients, thereby increasing his so called 'market value'. However, I would caution you from going under the knife with any surgeon who can't vouch for his work. I would also highly recommend that you speak to past clients of the surgeon and find out what they really thought. There is no point trying to cut the cost of your cosmetic procedure only to have to have repeat surgeries afterwards due to mistakes and inexperience.

Women on a tight budget but seriously considering breast augmentation should spend ample time searching for reputable or quality doctors who may be located in the less commercialized parts of the city since the price may be reduced according to the practice location. Still, quality and safety should be the main consideration and the fees charged last. Don't expose yourself to dangers of malpractice for the sake of saving money. It might be best not to undergo augmentation at all rather than suffer from the hands of incompetent doctors if your budget is limited.

Nowadays surgery is not the only option. In fact, there are many natural remedies to increase bust size without having to go under the knife at all and the top natural products are highly regarded and recommended in the market place, provided you know which ones to buy.

Like all medical professionals, nurses are held to a high standard when it comes to providing safe, responsible care to patients. In legal terms, the guidelines that govern a nurse's professional conduct are known as standards of care. These guidelines are set by the nursing board in each state and all licensed nurses must meet these guidelines in order to practice nursing. When a nurse is suspected of violating the standard of care, she or he may be investigated by the state board of nursing to determine whether the nurse is guilty of violations, and if so, what disciplinary action should be taken.

Types of Violations

When a patient or another medical staff member suspects a nurse of a standard of care violation, she or he may report the infraction to the state board of nursing, which investigates licensing violations. Typically, standard of care violations are divided into two different types of nursing malpractice:

• Negligence: When a nurse puts a patient at unreasonable risk that is not typical for the procedure, causing harm to the patient.
• Lack of Informed Consent: Failing to fully inform a patient of the details of a procedure, including its benefits and risks, before performing it.

A single standard of care violation can have serious implications for a nurse's career. If the breach is deemed to be serious enough, the nurse in question may even lose her or his license to practice.

Defending Your Case

Every nurse has the right to retain a lawyer and defend herself or himself in a license violation investigation. Because state boards of nursing regularly oversee these types of investigations, they can be quick to assume that the nurse is at fault without properly reviewing all of the evidence. Retaining an experienced nursing license defense lawyer can help to ensure that all proper procedures are followed throughout your investigation and can help to maximize your chances of uphold your nursing licensure.

For More Information

To learn more about nursing standard of care investigations and what to do if you have been accused of violating the terms of your nursing license, visit the website of the Texas nursing license defense attorneys of the Leichter Law Firm today.

For most people, insurance is a fact of life. Insurance offers protection against a variety of contingencies, both anticipated and unanticipated. People insure their homes against fires, flood, and theft. There is malpractice insurance, medical insurance, flight insurance, and car insurance among many others. Those who are starting a café may believe that standard business insurance is adequate for their venture. However, café insurance provides unique protections that result from the specialized atmosphere of a café workplace. Before deciding on which coverage is best for your particular business venture, there are some important aspects of café insurance policies that you should consider.

One of the most important decisions that will determine the necessity of a cafe policy is whether your business will employ workers. This is important because many cafe insurance policies include employer's liability insurance. Accidents are common in these types of work environments. Thus, as the business owner, you are liable for a plethora of things that can and may bring harm to your employees. This includes slips, burns, illnesses and many other unforeseen contingencies. Café insurance not only covers the owner in the event something happens to one of the workers while they are performing their duties, but it also provides some degree of medical coverage for the workers as well.

Since cafe serve the public, they need to be protected against a variety of potential mishaps that may occur while customers are frequenting the business. This includes loss of property, physical harm, or any other claims made against the proprietor. Public liability insurance comes standard with many cafe insurance policies. This insures the owner against a variety of potential claims made by both customers and non-customers. These protections are extremely important because of the specialized nature of cafes.

In addition to specialized coverage, cafe insurance also covers a host of business contingencies. Included is loss of property in transit, equipment failure, and damage to the property. However, these standard protections are not what make cafe insurance an expensive proposition. Most analysts and insurance brokers believe that a café should carry at least two million dollars worth of public liability insurance alone. These totals do not include employer's liability insurance or standard business coverage.

Those in the café business should seriously consider the pros and cons of café insurance. While it can provide specialized coverage that will certainly protect the business from most contingencies, this insurance can be expensive. Like anything else, conduct a thorough review of you business needs and goals in order to determine if café insurance can provide the benefits that you need.

Do you ever wish you could hang out with the crew of Law & Order? Becoming a paralegal is one way to enter the law. It will not be as glamorous as Law & Order, but less glamour does not mean less prestige or satisfaction.

Paralegals make lawyers look prepared. Also known as legal assistants, paralegals may work for a lawyer, but they may also work for a corporation, the government, or any organization that deals with the law. A beginning paralegal will probably spend most of his or her time filing, photocopying, organizing papers and running errands. But paralegals can also do some of the work resembles those exciting crime dramas. Paralegals may help draft legal documents and interview witnesses.

The paralegal profession developed during the 1960s, when people were trained to help lawyers in order to provide legal services to those who could not typically afford them. Paralegals support lawyers and are trained to help law offices run smoothly.

Generally, there are two types of paralegals: litigation and corporate. Litigation paralegals are in charge of documents for trial cases. Most of the routine work that falls to litigation paralegals involves ordering and indexing the huge of amount of paper needed for trials: motions, briefs, depositions, etc. They also interview witnesses, do research, and draft paperwork. Corporate paralegals, on the other hand, spend most of their days organizing the paperwork associated with business dealings. A corporate paralegal, much like a litigation paralegal, makes sure the sets of paperwork are identical, ordering documents, and photocopying them.

The educational background of paralegal will help to determine the type of work he or she will be doing. If, for example, a paralegal took social work classes in college, she may have a better chance of working in a social justice firm or government office firm. Paralegals with some medical knowledge might work for a malpractice lawyer.

Though a paralegal's work may not always seem exciting, it is an excellent way to enter law, and to see if law might be the right career. College graduates, including recent graduates, in addition to those who have taken classes to become a certified paralegal, all have a good chance at finding a paralegal job. Working as a paralegal may help you get into law school and help you make powerful connections with lawyers, businesspeople, or government officials. Even if becoming a paralegal is not your dream job, it can still make for an excellent entry into the professional world.

Hormone Replacement Therapy drugs were often prescribed for patients as they aged and began going through menopause. The drug is a progestin that combines estrogen and medroxyprogesterone acetate, which can cause serious and debilitating side effects. Studies show that the combination often increases the risk of breast and ovarian cancer.

When ovaries stop making estrogen, menopause begins for women between 45-55 years old, and signals the end of the menstral cycle, often referred to the "change of life".

More than 3 million women in the US took HR drugs daily to replace the hormones lost during menopause. Each woman is affected differently by menopause. Some breeze right through it with little or no problems, and others experience hot flashes, night sweats, mood swings, vaginal atrophy, vaginal itch, irregular menstruation, and other problems.

For these situations, Hormone Replacement Therapy was prescribed to reduce these symptoms, and the possibility of osteoporosis and heart disease.

Hormone Replacement Therapy was approved by the (Federal Drug Administration) for use in 1995. It has been found however, that there are dangerous side effects with long term use, such as breast cancer, and ovarian cancer, and many lawsuits have been filed across the US because of side effects.

The manufacturer is responsible for the predominance of the side-effects of it and the injuries being pursued in HR litigation. Menopausal and postmenopausal women were erroneously and repeatedly over prescribed by their doctors indicating that HRT should be taken indefinitely. Inappropriate labeling failed to fully describe the side-effects and long-term dosage has created many serious and life threatening health risks for women. It is the responsibility of drug manufacturers to protect women from harmful injury and to warn users of the side effects of HR drugs.

Because of this failure by manufacturers, many lawsuits have been filed against the manufactures, and are currently in litigation. HRT litigation began after an article published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, (AMA), stated that side effects of HRT increased the risk of possible dementia in postmenopausal women 65 years or older.

Lawsuit loans (advances) may be available for litigants awaiting the outcome of these cases. Investors will often advance cash on the potential recovery in a HR litigation case. If you know of a person that was injured by taking HR, their case may qualify to get a "non recourse" advance on their lawsuit while their case goes through the court system. "Non recourse" means that the loan (advance) is paid back to the investor, along with interest and fees, only, when there is a successful recovery in the case. If the case doesn't settle successfully or the recovery isn't sufficient enough to cover the advance, the advance is never repaid. Lawsuit Funding investors advance cash on many types of pending lawsuits, such as Personal Injury, Medical Device and Drug Related Cases, Malpractice, Jones Act (seamans claims), Railroad (FELA) Workers Comp (in some states), Workers Comp Third Party, Auto Accidents, Slip/Trip/Falls. Premises Liability, & Product Liability. Other cases that we often do are Commercial Litigation, Breach of Contract, Wrongful Death, Wrongful Imprisonment, Wrongful Termination, Insurance Bad Faith, Expert Witness Funding, Attorney/Law firm Funding, & Settled Case Funding, and others. Types of cases that qualify vary with each company, so be sure to check if a particular company does your type of funding. Rates and fees also vary from company to company.

"Only trees, rocks and built structures remain static in their original state or location, even in the face of imminent destruction, but human beings can avoid possible hazards and threats by utilizing their intelligence".

A journey of one thousand miles, they say, begins with a foot. This is always true. The destination or end of these miles so to speak can sometimes be good, it can sometimes be bad. Sometimes it is said in maturity, that is, it is planned and at another, it is left to the fate of unarranged influence.

Philosophers quote that one thing is permanent, "change", and this change could be positive or negative.

A baby born some fifty years ago, that still crawls and breast-feeds needs a serious medical or spiritual attention. In this context, is there any change in the life of such baby? What kind of attention could be giving to a country, fifty years of age - medical, spiritual or otherwise?

October 1, 1960, a new child was born and Nigeria became an independent nation, a country for Nigerians, ruled by Nigerians and for the benefit of Nigerians. The joy of independence was enormous and the green-white-green was enthroned over the Union Jack (British flag). As the jubilation continues, she sought for total control and attained the status of the Republic in 11963, and became the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The atmosphere created then was that of peace, hope, pride and dignity. That was the time when you can proudly say "I am a Nigerian". Nigerian economy was recorded to be good and was actually a world class assessment. The world was forced to recognize Africa and independent African nations like Nigeria. Today, the story is no longer the same, as the reverse is now the case. Everything changes with time, either for good or for bad. Nigeria still breast-feeds compared to other countries that falls within her age group. Let's share the following reasons before you conclude your own fact.

INSECURITY:
One of the primary aims of the country is to protect the lives and properties of her citizens. This primary aim has been defeated, and is far-[fetched from the citizens of this great nation. There is no security in Nigeria; her citizens are intimidated every now and then. Human rights are violated because of are insecurity. Kidnapping is a lucrative business in Nigeria as lives and properties are not protected, banks are robbed even with notice before the actual day of robbery.

Imagine a country, celebrating her golden jubilee, and there was bomb blast at the federal capital territory. People live in fear while others left their homes and properties seeking for refuge where there is no shelter. I cleave only to the biblical injunction "If the lord watches not a city, in vain do the watchmen."

UNEMPLOYMENT:
The rate of unemployment in the country is quite alarming. There is no job for graduates graduating in her tertiary institutions not to talk of non graduates. Where is the hope of these future leaders when there is no foundation for them? How are these going to survive? Any plans for them?

LACK OF POWER SUPPLY:
Research proved that with consistent power supply, the rate of unemployment is reduced. The fact is, you can not plan anything with power supply in the country. You can not even boast of a week power supply when other African neighboring countries are celebrating years or uninterrupted power supply.

When will she stops breast-feeding and grow into maturity? When will these change for good comes when almost every sector in the country practice corruption and there is economic meltdown, which has subjected most citizens to abject poverty? Marginalization, Strike, political thuggery and electoral rigging, hired assassins, godfatherism, accidental discharge, exam malpractice, dilapidated roads and so on has taken over the day.

At 50, Nigeria is toddling and needs attention or guide in every sector. What legacy has she laid for the sands of time? Where is her pride and dignity? I am a Nigerian and can't run away from my dear country. Let us start building now because the foundation is decayed, let's go to the ants, learn her ways and be wise.

HAPPY GOLDEN JUBILEE

Step 2: Early diagnosis

A sick person down with flu may manifest early symptoms of cough, runny nose, fever and body aches. Likewise, there are usually ample warning signs for a company. Prescription without diagnosis is malpractice, and thus carrying out corporate restructuring without knowing the ailments is disastrous. The key is early diagnosis as it increases the chances of curing most diseases.

Principle 7: An annual health check is fundamental

Many companies have annual medical examinations and health screening for their employees, but are negligent when it comes to their own check-ups. Poor management and financial information systems typically get blamed for management's inability to 'see it coming'.
Usually, there are ample warning signs or symptoms of impending trouble. However, these warning signals are often ignored or suppressed; hence the onset of a crisis comes as a surprise.

It is also tragic that many companies fail, not solely due to the irrevocable downward spiral of their financial health, but because of management's inability or unwillingness to face those serious
problems squarely and take appropriate timely action. Sometimes, top executives fall into the denial trap as acknowledging a problem is tantamount to an admission of failure, exposing them to criticism by the company's shareholders.

It is important to pre-empt any problems from arising by looking out for warning signals. Therefore, a proverb that says: "The superior doctor prevents sickness. The mediocre doctor attends to impending sickness. The inferior doctor treats the actual sickness."

Principle 8: To understand the disease, learn to be the patient

There is an old Spanish saying: "To be a bullfighter, you must first learn to be like a bull." in business, a manager needs to be on the ground -- to talk and interact with the various people: staff, suppliers, customers, business partners and even competitors. Through these channels, the manager is able to acquire a better knowledge of the industry and feel of the market, and be better equipped to make sound decisions and take timely action as he does not operate in a vacuum. This will not only check or halt declining trends, but also hopefully improve them in the near future. This is why the worst place for a manager to be in is his air-conditioned room, where he is cut off from the marketplace.

Lou Gertsner, the turnaround CEO of IBM, became IBM's most hardworking salesperson -- logging thousands of miles to visit key customers and prospects. His approach sent an unmistakable message to every employee to be hands-on and gave IBM a new image. By staying in contact with the market, Gertsner was able to make the right decision to turn troubled IBM around.
Sun Tzu, in the art of war also advocated a 'staying on the ground1 policy. "Generally, in the case of armies you wish to strike, cities you wish to attack, and people you wish to assassinate, you must know the names of the garrison commander, staff officers, ushers, gatekeepers and bodyguards. You must instruct your agents to inquire into these matters in minute detail."

Principle 9: Do not block the flow of internal energy or 'qi'

In traditional Chinese medicine, ill health is often associated with the blockage of one's internal energy, qi. If one is ill, such clearance will result in the normalisation and re-establishment of the optimal functioning of one's body and most diseases should disappear, if one is not ill, the free flow of qi will further enhance the existing sense of wellness and well-being.

In the corporate context, qi is the human spirit, drive, passion and energy. It is the same qi that keeps you awake when you are watching the world Cup matches or your favourite television programme. It is also the same qi that impelled wait Disney to risk his reputation by creating Disneyland and Epcot Centre without any market data on their viability, it is the same passion and drive that saw Bill Gates give up his Harvard university studies in pursuit of his dream of establishing Microsoft.

You do not create Disneyland or build personal computers because the outside environment demands it. These things arose out of an inner urge for progress: the drive to go further, to do better, to create new possibilities without any external justification.
Jack Welch, the former chairman of General Electric US recognised the power of energy in his later years, in early 1980, when he first took over the helm, his emphasis was on maximising market share, a directive for all CE's affiliates to be Number 1 or 2. Subsequently, it was a case of maximising market-value through productivity programmes such as 'workout', '6 sigma'. in the later years, Welch indicated that he would hire people with the two energies: those with energy and the ability to energise others.

To compete effectively in the future, companies need to maximise the energy of their staff, as well as exploit and tap the energy of their customers.

Principle 1O: Knowing the type of viruses is half the cure

The troubled company usually gets attacked by two types of problems -- internal and external viruses. Many of the internal viruses are generated by the company and are actually within the company's control. They are usually associated with weak management and a poor financial system. The onslaught of this form of viral attack can lead to bad or untimely business decisions, poor financial control and other related problems. The medical analogy for eliminating internal viruses may merit the use of surgery such as downsizing, restructuring or change of management.
External viruses being macro in nature are often beyond the company's control.

The entire industry or marketplace or even the whole country may be stricken by the same type of external viruses. The attacks can be silent, swift and often appear non-threatening at the beginning. Examples of external viruses can include economic recession, changes in consumer behaviour, natural disasters, political turmoil and terrorist attacks.
Such external viruses are harder to eliminate and predict. Sometimes, even having a strong management team is inadequate to cope with external viruses because the corporate culture is not able to manage change.

The remedy is to foster a strong and healthy corporate culture, which is the immune system of the company. The immune system produces antibodies to get rid of viruses, which is even better than taking drugs, as drugs sometimes create negative side effects. Similarly, a strong and healthy corporate culture can help to respond quickly to changes and shocks in the marketplace.
The best prescription is to know the viruses, predict and eradicate them before they attack your system.

Principle 11: Just as heart ailment is a major killer, competition is the major cause of corporate failures

The management mantra in the 1970s and 1980s was product quality, and activities involving Quality control (QC! circles, Total Quality Management (TQM! and ISO 9000 were the order of the day. Back then, consumers were willing to spend enormous sums for quality products. However, product quality has improved and today, having a good quality product is a mandatory requirement for any company to participate effectively and survive in the marketplace.
Subsequently, the management slogan in the 1980s and 1990s embraced technology as the cure-all, companies then tried to distinguish themselves from their competitors through the use of technology to offer better and more sophisticated features, and the use of the internet and other communication systems. Huge sums were channeled into technology to build a better mousetrap with more superior state-of-the-art features.

Today, the world does not beat down the door of the better mousetrap developer. The collapse of the high-tech stocks on Nasdaq in the early part of 2001 shows that technology is not foolproof.
The thrust in the new millennium is competition, competition intensifies with the emergence of a better range of products that are often of more superior quality with even more attractive pricing. in such a scenario, many products become marginalised, and like commodities, pricing becomes a key determinant in a shrinking market.

Competition is a silent and sudden killer like a heart attack which creeps up on you. It is however also a highly preventable disease -- for the individual through a healthy lifestyle, and for the company, to be always alert and have strategies to combat competition. When you are faced with increasing competition, you may still survive, prosper and succeed, but it cannot be business as usual.

Principle 12: Past business assumptions may be the anaesthetic that dulls business sense

For a troubled company, it is prudent to challenge all 'sacred cows' or sacrosanct and old business assumptions, it is probable that some of these old 'sacred cows,' which were based on some erroneous perceptions and assumptions, got the company into trouble. Traditions and past business assumptions underlying the old ways of doing business, especially those that have become irrelevant and obsolete, may be the root cause of the disease afflicting the ailing company.

In times of rapid change, a strategic failure is often caused by an incorrect or false perception, we console ourselves by telling ourselves that we have gone through the present problem before, or falsely assuming that this change is temporary, or the impact would be limited and hence could be ignored.

Many of these old and obsolete assumptions happen in large and well-known companies whose traditional cash cow businesses have become sacred cows that end up as sacrificial cows or mad cows when market forces overwhelm them.

Time and again, some wrong business assumptions and perceptions by experts have led many companies astray. For example, Ken Olson, president of Digital Equipment, said in 1977: "There is no reason anyone would want a computer in his or her home." Because of these erroneous assumptions and perceptions, it is no wonder Digital Equipment was late in entering the personal computer market.

To ensure the effective and successful implementation of its business assumptions, a troubled company must critically re-examine and re-visit every single one.

The third and last part is in the next article

The March 9, 2010 issue of the Journal of Pediatric, Maternal & Family Health highlights a review of the cases referenced by a recent report claiming chiropractic care is dangerous for children.

The report claiming chiropractic care is dangerous for children was published in the January 2007 issue of the medical journal Pediatrics. The author in that report referenced studies in the published research literature spanning a time period from 1900 to 2004.

The authors were able to find 10 cases of direct adverse events associated with chiropractic care of children. Based on these 10 cases over a 104-year period, they came to the conclusion that serious adverse events may be associated with pediatric chiropractic care. Conversely, they reported that they found 32 articles that did not identify any adverse events associated with chiropractic care of children.

The current study takes a look at the "serious" adverse events and examines other information that was not taken into account.

Three of the cases were identified as producing minor adverse events such as muscle soreness. Muscle soreness is pretty much a self-limiting situation.

One case involved a loss of consciousness after the first two adjustments known as "syncope." While dramatic, this is a common occurrence that is the result of a "vaso-vagal response" and is considered a minor event.

A 10 year-old child who experienced "irritability" after the adjustment was classified as experiencing an adverse event. The basis the authors used to determine that irritability in 10 year-olds is an adverse event was not fully explained.

Moderate adverse events were defined as being those that involved "transient disability involving seeking medical care but not hospitialization." One child experienced headaches and a stiff neck that gradually resolved over a two-week period with continued chiropractic care. Another experienced similar problems in the low back that also was resolved in a couple of weeks of continued chiropractic care. It is unclear why the authors incorrectly applied their own definitions and considered these events were moderate when no medical attention was sought or needed.

In the serious category, all of the cases involved children who had pre-existing conditions before presenting for chiropractic care that were blamed on the adjustments received. They included: episodes of head and neck trauma, including landing on the head and neck during gymnastics practice producing neurological trauma; osteogenesis imperfecta (brittle bone disease) and numerous associated previous bone fractures that resulted in neurological damage. In one case, they blamed chiropractic care equally with a spinal cord tumor for a 4 year-old boy. The child's post surgical paraplegia was partially blamed on the chiropractic care even though the surgeons found no normal mid-back spinal cord left after the tumor material was removed.

Commentary: Two points, if we may. Over a 104-year period, 10 cases of chiropractic care of children were found that incorrectly implicated chiropractic care in negative outcomes. In each case, the researchers either incorrectly classified them according to their own criteria or outright ignored pre-existing traumatic and neurological considerations. To claim this as evidence that chiropractic care is dangerous for children is disingenuous at best and malicious at worst.

In 2000, the Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine reported that there are more than 30 million visits made by children to chiropractors every year. Yet, the average chiropractor pays in the range of $1000 to $2000 per year for malpractice coverage while the average pediatrician pays $100,000 to $200,000 for the same level of coverage, often from the same insurance companies. While concern for safety should never be minimized, it should, nonetheless, be put into perspective relative to the true dangers that are out there.

Osteopathy has indeed become a well-known practice especially within the field of medicine even if it is not an entirely medical profession in itself. The practice has a mixture of the basic medical and anatomical understanding of the human body and its functions. But aside from that, it also plays a large role in rehabilitation of the different bodily structures so that they would be defended from diseases as well as cured of any illness or injury.

All over the world, osteopathy has grown in magnitude in terms of the practitioners-or osteopaths-who utilize the field's principles. If you are living in Australia, you might have noticed that osteopathy has also become a valuable course offering in three of your country's largest and greatest universities: Southern Cross University, Victoria University of Technology, and the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology or the RMIT University.

However, as the practitioners or osteopaths have grown in number, the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) has decided to establish the Osteopathy Board of Australia. The inaugural members were appointed in August 2009 by the Australian Health Workforce Ministerial Council.

There are five main purposes that the Australian osteopathy board works for. The first is to facilitate the registration of osteopaths and students who major in the field. If you are a practitioner or a student majoring in osteopathy, then you would be required to undergo registration so that you would be under the rolls of your health sector.

Another function of the board is to develop codes, standards, and strict guidelines for osteopaths to observe so that they can maximize the potential benefit of the practice. The Australian osteopathy board works using fundamental codes of conduct, mandatory notifications, advertising of regulated health services, and osteopathy guidelines for infection control.

The Australian board of osteopathy also serves to handle complaints and cases of malpractice against osteopaths through extensive investigations and disciplinary sanctions.

In the education field, you would also see that the Australian board has its functions. The board approves the requests for accreditation of courses and methods to be included in the study of osteopathy.

Not only that, the Australian board also assesses foreign individuals who wish to practice osteopathy in Australia. They may approve or disapprove the practice of osteopathy if this individual failed their assessment

On a whole, the Osteopathy Board of Australia aims to ensure that the practice of osteopathy in the country is well-executed by skilled and ethical osteopaths.

The law related to personal injury generally deals with injuries to a person that require medical attention. The injury can be caused by anything. Typical causes of injury that give rise to claims for are: car accidents, work related injuries, railroad accidents, animal attacks, boating accidents, defective products, plane crashes, slip and falls, trucking accidents, motorcycle accidents, professional malpractice, negligence of others and death caused by another. Sometimes insurance disputes arise out of one of these injuries; other times disputes with insurance companies arises because the insurance company simply does not want to pay the covered expense. In these instances, the insurance company generally makes up an excuse to avoid the claim.

Various Florida based personal injury law firms assist clients in recovering money for those injuries caused by others. At the same time, these firms maximize a client's rights under any applicable insurance policy. The personal injury lawyers' and attorneys' goal is to aggressively obtain a client's maximum available recovery from all sources. Although many lawyers handle personal injury and insurance disputes, many treat them as routine. These personal injury lawyers prosecute these cases with the same aggressive fervor used in complex securities and commercial disputes. This ensures that WPL obtains the maximum recovery for the client.

Personal Injury Protection or PIP coverage is mandatory in Florida. PIP generally pays for medical and other expenses related to an auto accident-- regardless of who is at fault. PIP requires that drivers select who is covered under their Florida policy and the deductible amount. In the event of an accident, coverage is provided to the policyholder, policyholder's relatives in the same household, passengers, and other authorized drivers, where applicable.

When you decide to undergo laser vision corrective eye
surgery, it's a pretty important undertaking. You may see a
lot of commercials by doctors' offices talking about how
they've performed thousands of lasik procedures, laser eye
surgeries, and other vision correction procedures. However,
when you go in for your own laser vision corrective eye
surgery, you don't really care about the thousands of other
patients that have done it - your biggest concern is your
own eyes. So how do you know which doctors to trust with
your own vision correction surgery? Well, there are some
basic tips you should keep in mind as you zero-in on the
best doctor to pick for your own laser surgery.

Insurance Coverage

While a lot of insurance plans don't provide any coverage
for laser vision corrective eye surgery, some do. Even if
you don't have insurance that covers vision correction, you
may have a discount medical plan, and these usually
provide some type of discounts on laser vision correction
that you can take advantage of. Although this is not the key
deciding factor for choosing the best laser eye surgeon, you
definitely want to start with a list of the doctors that are
covered by your insurance or discount plan. Once you have
this list in hand, go to the next step.

Location

Next, look for laser eye surgery doctors that are convenient
to you. After your laser surgery, you may need one or more
follow-up visits, and you don't want to be driving long
distances each time. There are a number of services on the
Internet that help you search for laser vision surgeons, but
they may just be promoting certain doctors. If your
insurance company or employer have websites that help
you locate doctors, those are best. They usually let you
enter your location and easily find a doctor near your home
or work.

Experience

Now comes the really important part. Once you've
identified those laser eye surgeons who are covered by your
insurance or discount plan and are conveniently located,
it's critical to make sure the doctors on your list are experts
in their field and know how to use the latest, up-to-date
technology in performing your laser eye surgery. At this
point, it pays to do some homework. Get on the Internet
and do some searching for new developments in laser
vision correction surgery technology. Read about any local
pioneers in related research and use of new techniques. You
may want to consider those doctors for your own laser
surgery if they are close by. Take a look at the doctors who
are on the list you've developed, based on your insurance
coverage and location. Lookup their names on the Internet
to see if they have their own websites. If they do, what do
their websites say about them? Do they seem to use the
latest technologies based on what you're read elsewhere? If
not, you may want to keep looking.

Background Check

Before you schedule your first visit with a laser surgeon of
your choice, there's one more thing you need to do. Make
sure the doctors you've selected to visit don't have any
black marks on their records. Go to the website for your
state medical licensing board and see if the doctor has any
complaints against him. Also, do a general Internet search
of the doctor's name, to see if any malpractice lawsuits or
other red flags pop up. If so, scratch that doctor off of your
list and keep searching. Once you've tested your list in this
way, you're ready for an office visit.

Office Visit

As the last step in your search, pick the best laser eye
surgery doctor on your list based on the factors you've
looked at so far, and make an appointment. When you go
for your appointment, pay close attention to what you see
and hear. As you wait in the waiting room, strike up a
conversation with patients who are there for follow-up
visits. See what they say about their experience with that
doctor and their laser eye surgery. Ask them if they had any
surprises or problems. When you see the laser eye surgeon,
be prepared to ask him or her about their experience and
the technology they use. Ask them about new
developments like laser radar tracking technology or
wavefront technology, and see if they know about it. Most
importantly, ask them about your own personal condition.
If you know you have astigmatism, ask the doctor to go
over the details of how laser eye surgery can correct
astigmatism. If you're myopic, ask how the surgery will
differ for you, compared to other patients who aren't
myopic. Based on your responses from the patients and the
surgeon, you should have a pretty good feel about whether
this surgeon is a good choice or not. If not, schedule a visit
with someone else. Once you find a laser eye surgeon
you're happy with, stop searching and start planning with
your doctor for your own procedure.

With the thousands of doctors who offer laser vision
corrective eye surgery, it can seem like an impossible task
to pick the best for your own laser eye surgery. But just
stick to these simple tips, create your list of doctors, and
begin to narrow it down based on the criteria mentioned
above. This will allow you to identify a laser vision
surgeon you're really happy with, and you'll have a lot
more peace of mind knowing that you're in excellent hands
when you have your personal laser eye surgery procedure.