Every year, millions of Americans take to the roads to celebrate the nation's independence. On average, individuals and families travel around 50 miles to spend time at parks, lakes, beaches and the homes of friends and family. Unfortunately, this results in an unusually high amount of automobile accidents. Thousands of people get injured during the weekend, and hundreds of injuries result in fatalities. This makes the Fourth of July weekend one of the most dangerous of the year.
Genetic testing could help avoid unnecessary chemo
Some Pennsylvania women with breast cancer may find relief from the rigors of treatment: A recent study shows that many women may not need chemotherapy to prevent a cancer recurrence. According to the study presented to the American Society of Oncology, around 70 percent of women diagnosed with a common type of early-stage breast cancer may not receive additional benefits from receiving chemotherapy as part of their treatment.
Patient ID errors in electronic records create medical mistakes
Since the HITECH Act started requiring health care providers to use electronic health records, challenges have arisen with assigning unique identifiers to patients. Without a standard system to identify patients, the sharing of electronic records among medical offices and hospitals in Pennsylvania does not always succeed. Patients might get matched with the wrong records. This could lead to lost diagnoses, wrong-site surgeries or inaccurate medication orders.
A complex bone break may need surgery to repair
Broken bones are tricky injuries to address. They can range in severity from hairline fractures to compound or open fractures, and depending on where the break occurs, repair could prove difficult. If you suffer a broken bone that does not heal properly, you could find yourself having to contend with lasting damage and possible limitations when it comes to movement and use of the damaged area.
