Less is More but Zero is Best When it Comes to Preventable Injuries

Judy Salerno It’s been about 12 years since the Institute of Medicine (IOM) released its landmark report To Err is Human, shining a light on how commonly medical errors occur in our health care system. The report concluded that as many as 98,000 people die in hospitals each year as a result of such errors. […]

Eliminating Conflicts of Interest in Clinical Guideline Development—Is it Possible?

Judy Salerno A variety of professions offer ripe environments for conflict of interest, and most every field these days is considering conflict of interest policies to mitigate the appearance or actuality of a problem. In the medical profession, there is a critical need for conflict of interest policies, and rigorous standards generally, around the development […]

IOM Hosts Meeting on Potential Human Health Effects of the Gulf Oil Spill

Judy Salerno As oil continues to pour into the Gulf of Mexico, many questions remain unanswered. What are the potential consequences—both physical and psychological—for the short-term and long-term health of residents of affected areas? Is it safe to swim in the ocean? Can we eat seafood from the Gulf? Will drinking water be contaminated? The […]

No Time for Health Like the Holidays

When it comes to sodium, excess is the American way. Convenience is to blame as much as the kitchen table salt shaker: the most common sodium culprits are not created in our own kitchens but come already packaged from the grocery store or served through a drive-thru window. However, high sodium in our diet, with […]

We Need Geriatric Competence

Will there be enough caregivers for our aging population? The long-expected upsurge in the number of older Americans is almost here. The first baby boomers will turn 65 in 2011. By 2030, there will be more than 70 million adults over 65, nearly double the number today. Oftentimes, older age requires more frequent and regular […]