Protect Yourself Against the Flu

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) there are three things that you can do to protect yourself from getting the flu.
1) Get a Flu Vaccine: You will need to get the seasonal flu vaccine and the H1N1 flu vaccine. The seasonal flu vaccine will not protect you against the H1N1 flu. Some people should not get the flu vaccine - ask your doctor if you should get the seasonal and H1N1 flu vaccines.
2) Take Preventative Action: Cover your nose and mouth when you sneeze and cough. Throw out the tissue after using it. Wash your hands with soap and water or alcohol based hand rub. Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Avoid close contact with sick people. If you do get the flu, stay home for at least 24 hours after your fever is gone.
3) Take a prescription antiviral medication if your doctor prescribes one. If taken within the first 2 days, these drugs may make the illness milder and shorten the time you are sick.

Preventing Medical Mistakes

It is estimated that each year up to 98,000 people lose their lives to preventable medical mistakes. The cost to our nation’s healthcare system is estimated to be $2 billion dollars each year. Despite several attempts to solve this problem, the Consumer’s Union reported that we are no better off today than we were 10 years ago. In the past 10 years a million lives have been lost and billions of dollars have been spent because of medical mistakes.

Fortunately, there are three things that you can do to prevent a medical mistake.

These are:

1) Ask Questions,

2) Know Your Numbers, and

3) Keep a Personal Health System.

Part 1: What You Need to do Before Going to the Hospital

People often ask what they can do to prevent a medical mistake from happening to them or a loved one when they are in the hospital. Part 1 lists several steps to take before going to the hospital.

• Take your updated Personal Health System with you
• Update your list of medications
  
• List all medication and food allergies
• Update your emergency contact information
• Update your health problem list
• Note any special issues that you want your doctor to know
• Know why you are going to the hospital (What procedure are you going to have?)

Name of Procedure:_____________________________________________________

Date of Procedure:______________________________________________________

Doctor:________________________________________________________________

Also, if you are concerned about going to the hospital alone, be sure to ask a friend or family member to go along with you. This person is called your advocate and will be a big help in

2009-2010 Flu Update

The CDC has some information on the new flu of the season. Find all the information a bit confusing? Here is what you need to know:

There are two different types of flu this year--the Seasonal flu and the H1N1 or swine flu. The H1N1 flu is a new virus strain. It is different from the seasonal flu. Most people do not have immunity from the H1N1 flu.

You will need to get two different flu vaccines this year.

1) the seasonal flu vaccine and

2) the H1N1 flu vaccine.

You can get both of these vaccines at the same time.

People at highest risk for H1N1 flu complications and who should be vaccinated are pregnant women, children (6 months to 24 years of age) and people with chronic health conditions.
Additionally, people who live with or care for infants younger than 6 months old should get the H1N1 vaccine.