National network cites St. Luke’s for women’s health

St. Luke’s Regional Medical Center has been named a “premiere hospital” by the Spirit of Women Health Network.

The Sioux City hospital is one of about 25 health care facilities nationwide and the only hospital in the tri-state region to obtain the designation, based on an evaluation of national standards that measure clinic excellence in women’s health care and community outreach.

“It is very rewarding to be recognized for programs we believe are vital for women of all ages,” St. Luke’s President and CEO Peter Thoreen said at a recent news conference.

The CEO was flanked at the podium by a number of the female staff members who helped compile the mountain of supporting paperwork included in St. Luke’s winning application. The audience included dozens more employees, who celebrated afterwards with cake and beverages.

According to Spirit of Women, a national network of U.S. hospitals aiming to improving the health of women and their families, St. Luke’s earned its premier status for women-centered care, call-to-action education and access to care in seven strategic areas.

Spirit of Women conducted its evaluation in cooperation with the Office onv Women’s Health and Department of Health and Human Services.

Kristen Cook, director of St. Luke’s Spirit of Women program, launched four years ago, offers a variety of innovative services, including an event that allows women to complete all their screenings and exams in one day. In addition, St. Luke’s has collaborated with Prairie Pediatrics to offer a teen health program for girls at high risk of diabetes and with Girls Inc. on a program focused on self esteem.

Four out of five Siouxland families now chose to have their babies born at St. Luke’s, which in 2008 set a new record for births with 2,102, according to the hospital.


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Feds want public ideas for women's health funds

UCSF is hosting a public meeting with the National Institutes of Health this week, giving Bay Area scientists and health care advocates a rare opportunity to help direct the future of federal funding for women's health research.

San Francisco is one of only four cities in the country hosting such meetings, which are designed to collect opinions from scientists and public health experts, along with regular women who have something to say about research that affects their health.

The Bay Area meeting starts today with a four-hour public comment period and goes through Friday.

"It's a really great honor to be the West Coast site for this," said Nancy Milliken, director of the UCSF National Center of Excellence in Women's Health. "It has attracted people from throughout the region and the rest of the country, and we have such a wonderful, savvy and passionate advocacy community out here. I'm delighted we're going to have their voices in the deliberations."

The NIH created an office devoted to women's health research in the early 1990s, after scientists and health care advocates went to Congress with complaints that women often weren't fairly represented in clinical trials. The prevailing belief at the time was the research that applied to men would also apply to women - which often isn't the case.

The Office of Research on Women's Health aimed to make sure funding from the NIH - the main source of federal money for medical research in the United States - would be directed to studies that helped women, too.

At the same time, NIH policymakers used the newly created office to draw attention to health issues that were particular to women, and not just in reproductive science. Once every decade, the NIH develops a 10-year plan for research based on input from scientists around the country.

This week's meeting in San Francisco will focus on women's health research as it relates to the environment, information technology, HIV/AIDS, global health and stem cell science.

A lot has changed in women's health research and clinical care since the previous 10-year plan was developed, said Linda Giudice, chair of the UCSF Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, and a member of the NIH women's health advisory committee. There's been a fundamental shift in how doctors and patients view hormone replacement therapy, for example, and AIDS has become a major threat to women's health worldwide, Giudice said.

The Bay Area was chosen as a meeting spot in part because of the wide variety of medical research taking place in the region, said NIH officials. In addition, the Bay Area has a thriving health advocacy community made up of women who aren't scientists but work on a grassroots level to promote research.

These women can't necessarily make it to Washington, D.C., to talk directly to the NIH. So the NIH is coming to them.

"What's important is that women have the chance to express their feelings," said Vivian Pinn, director of the Office of Research on Women's Health. "That sets the tone for the rest of us who are scientists and researchers and doctors and clinicians. Everyone learns a lot."

It's too late to sign up to participate in today's public-comment period, but the three-day conference is free to the public and anyone can attend meetings today, Thursday or Friday. There will be question-and-answer sessions with researchers and an opportunity for public comment during scientific discussions Thursday.


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Osteoporosis Management

Osteoporosis Overview

Osteoporosis is a health condition in which the thickness of the bones is reduced and they become more prone to fracture. The bone mineral density (BMD) is reduced significantly which disrupts the bone micro architecture and alters the number of non-collagenous proteins in the bone. Osteoporosis results in fragile, porous, and week bones. The components like protein, collagen, and calcium that make the bones and give them the strength are lessened and this causes osteoporosis. Osteoporosis can cause the bones to break, crack, or collapse even by a small injury. The common areas in which the serious fractures occur are spine, hips, and wrists. Women are more prone Osteoporosis especially when they have reached their menopause stage. The condition is called postmenopausal osteoporosis. Osteoporosis can occur in both men and women.
Common Symptoms of Osteoporosis

There are no particular symptoms of Osteoporosis apart from fractures in different skeleton bones. Sometimes this bone disease is not detected for years and patients are not aware of their condition until the problem is serious or there is a server painful fracture. Osteoporosis can be identified from the areas in which the fractures occur.

• Spine fractures that result in severe back pain and hunched-back can be Osteoporosis

• Minimal trauma fracture occurred in course of normal activity can be a sign of Osteoporosis

• Hip fractures caused due to falling or a trivial accident can be a symptom of Osteoporosis

Prevention and Treatment of Osteoporosis

Prevention is the treatment of osteoporosis as there is nothing that can completely rebuild the bones. Early detection can help to reduce the risk of fractures and taking adequate amount of calcium and vitamin can help to increase bone density and strength. Medications that can help to make the bones strong, such as alendronate (Fosamax), risedronate (Actonel), raloxifene (Evista), ibandronate (Boniva), calcitonin (Calcimar), and zoledronate (Reclast) can be helpful for osteoporosis patients.

Some of the preventive measures that an osteoporosis patient must take are:

• Take a protein and calcium rich balance diet and exercise regularly.

• Curtail alcohol intake and quit cigarette smoking.

• Intake of calcium supplements can help in building strong and healthy bones.

Diagnosis of Osteoporosis

Dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA or DEXA) is the most common process that is used to diagnosis osteoporosis. In addition to this certain blood tests and X-rays are done to check the acuteness of the problem. All tests must be performed by highly experienced doctors, who have complete knowledge of the disease and are experts in the field.


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Choose to be healthy at all times

You should always try and take care of your health at all times, because when you are healthy you are in turn ready to take on the world. When you choose good health over a not so caring attitude you are on the right track and making a good choice with unparallel benefits. Ob-Gyn Colorado is dedicated to caring for their patients with dignity, compassion, and superior knowledge. They help their patients with the right care they deserve.

At Ob-Gyn Colorado, you can get Quality information on obstetrics and gynecology. Services like Family planning services are also given to their patients. Pregnancy can be avoided to a great extent, as the Health care providers use IUDs, a small device that is inserted into the uterus to prevent a fertilized egg from implanting in the uterus, for birth control.

Peace of mind in regard to ones health is a great relief. Pap smears are given so that women can have peace of mind about not being stricken with cancer. Pap smear is routine screening test, which is undertaken, during a pelvic exam. Denver doctors are known for taking proper examination of the same, where they use a process, which involves the surface of the cervix, being scraped with a spatula and the scraped-off cells from the cervix are fixed on a glass slide. Denver consists of highly proficient doctors who are experienced, in their field of expertise.

Ob-gyn Englewood is reputed for world-renowned physicians who have tremendous experience. At Englewood, you will receive enthusiasm for the whole discipline of women's health care. Services, which are quite known at Englewood, include: Ultrasound diagnostics on the premises, Pre-natal care and delivery for normal and high-risk pregnancies, uterine fibroid management and treatment, Pelvic pain management, Infertility treatments and menstrual irregularities.

Becoming a mother is huge step and decision in ones life. If you consult obstetrics gynecology Denver, you assured of proper help. It is known that every single labor and delivery is different and at Obstetrics gynecology Denver, you are assured of a holistic approach.

When an individual notices, sizeable quantity of bone deficiency, it is linked to osteoporosis. Women are more likely to have osteoporosis, as time goes by bone bulk drops creating first a condition known as osteopenia, which is thereafter followed by osteoporosis, where the bones become fragile, porous and prone to fractures. Denver Osteoporosis Englewood will cure your problem in time.

During Perimenopause, women go through a number of changes such as: psychological, spiritual as well as emotional. Perimenopause Denver-hysterectomy Denver is known for their expertise and related treatments wherein a patient will not have to worry.

Thus you can choose to be healthy, while opting right.

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Women’s health fair coming to Meigs High School

Health and Wellness:-

Celebrating a Century of "Women’s Health,” a free all-day educational program on women’s health issues will be held Wednesday at Meigs High School.

The health fair will be held from 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and is open to all students, grades 9 through 12, their mothers and other female relatives, as well as other women of the community.

The primary goal of the program is to help women come to an appreciation of health issues, both past and present, and to learn about responsible health care and prevention geared to lifelong wellness.

“It is critical that women, young and old, be empowered with knowledge which they can apply in their personal lives” said Jeri Thomas, graduate student from Ohio University School of Nursing, who is chairing the event. She said the event will provide women with health information along with some baseline knowledge for behavioral change.

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