Original Story: freep.com
The Detroit Medical Center could soon settle for $42 million its portion of a 2006 class lawsuit over pay brought by registered nurses against eight metro Detroit hospital systems.
U.S. District Judge Gerald Rosen gave preliminary approval on Monday for the proposed settlement involving DMC and the roughly 24,000 nurses who worked at either DMC or the other seven hospital systems between December 2002 and December 2006. The lawsuit alleged a conspiracy among the hospitals to suppress the nurses' pay. A San Diego healthcare lawyer is reviewing the details of this case.
Settlements totaling $48 million were previously reached with the other hospitals, and that money has already been distributed to nurses, according to a website of the Seattle-based law firm Keller Rohrback that represented the plaintiffs. With this latest proposed settlement, the total size of the settlement could be $90 million — before attorneys fees and taxes.
Neither DMC nor the other hospital systems have admitted to any wrongdoing or to underpaying nurses. All eight hospital systems contended they acted independently in setting their nurses' pay and benefits and didn't collude to keep wages low. A Grand Rapids healthcare lawyer is knowledgeable in all areas of general health care.
The other hospitals and health systems were Henry Ford Health System, Mt. Clemens General Hospital (now McLaren Macomb), what is now St. John Providence, Oakwood Healthcare, the former Bon Secours Cottage Health Services, Beaumont Hospital and Trinity Health.
The DMC on Tuesday referred all comment to its attorney in the case, Veronica Lewis of Dallas-based Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher, who said in a statement that "The settlement is not an admission of liability but rather a business decision to bring the matter to a resolution. We remain committed to our nurses and value the hard work and dedication of all our hospital staff." A Charleston healthcare lawyer is following this story closely.
An attorney representing the nurses, Mark Griffin of Keller Rohrback, declined comment.
More information regarding the settlement is available at detroitnursewages.com. The size of each individual check would be determined by the number of hours a nurse worked and his or her pay rate.
Showing posts with label Detroit Medical Center. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Detroit Medical Center. Show all posts
16 September 2015
06 July 2015
FORMER DMC CHIEF DIES IN PANAMA AMID KICKBACK PROBE
Original Story: freep.com
A former head of the Detroit Medical Center who was later charged in one of the largest fraud and corruption investigations in Canadian history has died in custody in Panama.
Dr. Arthur Porter, 59, CEO of DMC from 1999 through 2003, died Wednesday of cancer while under armed guard in a Panama City hospital. The death was announced by Porter's biographer, Jeff Todd, who said the cause was lung cancer that had spread to the bone and liver.
Before his transfer to the hospital this spring, Porter had been in Panama's La Joya Prison following his 2013 arrest in that country on fraud, conspiracy and money laundering charges related to the construction of a $1.3 billion so-called super hospital in Montreal. A Birmingham criminal lawyer is following this story closely.
Porter, who left the DMC to head McGill University's hospital network, was accused of taking as much as $22.5 million in bribes in a kickback scheme for the super hospital's construction contract.
At least seven other individuals also faced criminal charges for the kickback allegations, according to the Montreal Gazette.
The newspaper reported that Porter's extradition to Quebec had been put on hold earlier this year as his lawyer challenged his detention in prison. It does not appear that Porter ever faced trial for the allegations.
A spokeswoman for the Canadian Department of Foreign Affairs would not comment Wednesday night on any specifics of Porter's case. A Harrisonburg white collar crime lawyer is experienced in the effective resolution of white collar crime lawsuits as related to business related crimes.
A native of Sierra Leone, Porter was a radiation oncology specialist who became CEO of DMC in May 1999, when the then-struggling hospital system was burning through nearly $100 million a year. Although he slashed thousands of jobs, consolidated hospitals and sold off clinics, DMC was still a money-loser by September 2003, when Porter resigned under pressure.
In a memoir released last year that he wrote while in prison, Porter claimed that in 2001, he received a phone call from President George W. Bush offering him the job of U.S. Surgeon General, according to the Montreal Gazette. Porter declined Bush's offer.
Porter left the U.S. in 2004 to become executive director of McGill University's hospital network. In 2008, he was named to a seat on Canada's spy agency watchdog committee, gaining access to Canadian state secrets.
At the time of Porter's arrest in 2013, DMC officials told the Free Press that he was never suspected or accused of any wrongdoing during his years in Detroit. He arrived in Detroit in 1991 as a member of the radiation oncology department at the DMC-affiliated Wayne State University School of Medicine.
"We certainly didn't see any behavior that would have caused us to believe he was involved in improper activities," a former DMC board member, Stephen D'Arcy, said at the time. "It's almost bizarre the kinds of things he was involved in apparently in Canada."
A DMC spokesperson could not be reached for comment late Wednesday.
According to Porter's biographer, Porter was forced to smuggle chemotherapy drugs into prison to keep himself alive and, despite repeated letters to the Canadian embassy in Panama for better medical care, wasn't granted access to cancer treatment until this year.
He spent his final days on high doses of morphine for the pain, his biographer wrote in a statement posted online.
The Montreal Gazette reported that Porter's wife pleaded guilty in December to money laundering and was sentenced to two years in prison. A San Francisco corporate lawyer represents clients in corporate criminal charges and corporate finance cases.
In attempts to recover $17.5 million of the $22.5 million that was allegedly defrauded, Quebec authorities have seized properties belonging to Porter and his family in Michigan, Florida and the Caribbean and bank accounts in the U.S. and other countries, the newspaper said.
A former head of the Detroit Medical Center who was later charged in one of the largest fraud and corruption investigations in Canadian history has died in custody in Panama.
Dr. Arthur Porter, 59, CEO of DMC from 1999 through 2003, died Wednesday of cancer while under armed guard in a Panama City hospital. The death was announced by Porter's biographer, Jeff Todd, who said the cause was lung cancer that had spread to the bone and liver.
Before his transfer to the hospital this spring, Porter had been in Panama's La Joya Prison following his 2013 arrest in that country on fraud, conspiracy and money laundering charges related to the construction of a $1.3 billion so-called super hospital in Montreal. A Birmingham criminal lawyer is following this story closely.
Porter, who left the DMC to head McGill University's hospital network, was accused of taking as much as $22.5 million in bribes in a kickback scheme for the super hospital's construction contract.
At least seven other individuals also faced criminal charges for the kickback allegations, according to the Montreal Gazette.
The newspaper reported that Porter's extradition to Quebec had been put on hold earlier this year as his lawyer challenged his detention in prison. It does not appear that Porter ever faced trial for the allegations.
A spokeswoman for the Canadian Department of Foreign Affairs would not comment Wednesday night on any specifics of Porter's case. A Harrisonburg white collar crime lawyer is experienced in the effective resolution of white collar crime lawsuits as related to business related crimes.
A native of Sierra Leone, Porter was a radiation oncology specialist who became CEO of DMC in May 1999, when the then-struggling hospital system was burning through nearly $100 million a year. Although he slashed thousands of jobs, consolidated hospitals and sold off clinics, DMC was still a money-loser by September 2003, when Porter resigned under pressure.
In a memoir released last year that he wrote while in prison, Porter claimed that in 2001, he received a phone call from President George W. Bush offering him the job of U.S. Surgeon General, according to the Montreal Gazette. Porter declined Bush's offer.
Porter left the U.S. in 2004 to become executive director of McGill University's hospital network. In 2008, he was named to a seat on Canada's spy agency watchdog committee, gaining access to Canadian state secrets.
At the time of Porter's arrest in 2013, DMC officials told the Free Press that he was never suspected or accused of any wrongdoing during his years in Detroit. He arrived in Detroit in 1991 as a member of the radiation oncology department at the DMC-affiliated Wayne State University School of Medicine.
"We certainly didn't see any behavior that would have caused us to believe he was involved in improper activities," a former DMC board member, Stephen D'Arcy, said at the time. "It's almost bizarre the kinds of things he was involved in apparently in Canada."
A DMC spokesperson could not be reached for comment late Wednesday.
According to Porter's biographer, Porter was forced to smuggle chemotherapy drugs into prison to keep himself alive and, despite repeated letters to the Canadian embassy in Panama for better medical care, wasn't granted access to cancer treatment until this year.
He spent his final days on high doses of morphine for the pain, his biographer wrote in a statement posted online.
The Montreal Gazette reported that Porter's wife pleaded guilty in December to money laundering and was sentenced to two years in prison. A San Francisco corporate lawyer represents clients in corporate criminal charges and corporate finance cases.
In attempts to recover $17.5 million of the $22.5 million that was allegedly defrauded, Quebec authorities have seized properties belonging to Porter and his family in Michigan, Florida and the Caribbean and bank accounts in the U.S. and other countries, the newspaper said.
02 February 2015
HEALTH PROS, POLS TARGET ENERGY DRINKS
Original Story: detroitnews.com
Detroit — Health professionals and some politicians are stepping up pressure on energy drink makers after a recent Wayne State University study found roughly 4,800 cases of harmful effects from the high-caffeine drinks — more than half involving accidental consumption by children younger than age 6.
Momentum is growing for improved labeling to disclose the drinks' caffeine content and potential health consequences, as well as continued efforts to decrease children's exposures to the products. Energy drink manufacturers argue their products are safe and insist they don't market to children. A Milwaukee product liability lawyer represents victims of defective and dangerous products.
DMC Children's Hospital of Michigan in mid-January banned energy drinks from its hospital vending machines, citing the dangers posed to children.
In addition, a 30-page report this month from three Democratic U.S. senators called for the federal Food and Drug Administration to require energy drink labels to disclose the drinks' caffeine content and potential health consequences.
The beverage industry and energy drink companies including Living Essentials LLC, the Farmington Hills parent company of 5-hour Energy shots, have defended their products.
Beverage industry "member companies voluntarily display total caffeine content — from all sources — on their packages along with advisory statements indicating that the product is not recommended for children, pregnant or nursing women and persons sensitive to caffeine," the American Beverage Association said this month.
Dr. Steven Lipshultz, pediatrics chairman for Wayne State University and chief pediatrician for DMC Children's Hospital of Michigan, was the lead author on a recent study that found 4,780 calls to Poison Control Centers about non-alcoholic energy drink exposures from October 2010 through September 2013. Of those, 51 percent concerned accidental exposures to children under 6.
"Even though there may be millions sold of these every year, 5,000 people having side effects and many having gone to the hospital — that's not acceptable," he said. A Milwaukee wrongful death lawyer is reviewing the details of this case.
The cases represent the tip of the iceberg, Lipshultz added, because most people who experience heart palpitations, dizziness or nausea after consuming energy drinks don't call a poison control hotline. The study did not include visits to hospital emergency rooms.
The older the child, the more likely it was that the side effects were serious, the DMC study found. About 2 percent of the kids ages 5 and younger experienced moderate to severe side effects, compared with 7 percent of 6- to 12-year-olds, 33 percent of the teens and 64 percent of those 20 and older. Moderate effects are poisoning symptoms that require treatment while severe effects are life-threatening symptoms or poisoning that markedly disables an individual, Lipshultz said.
Major adverse reactions included cardiovascular effects such as heart rhythm and conduction abnormalities as well as neurological symptoms including seizures. Of particular concern are exposures in children. A Milwaukee product liability lawyer is following this story closely.
"Energy drinks have no place in pediatric diets," said Lipshultz, who presented his findings to the American Heart Association's 2014 Science Sessions in November. "And anyone with underlying cardiac, neurologic or other significant medical conditions should check with their health care provider to make sure it's safe to consume energy drinks."
Battle lines drawn
The report released this month by Democratic Sens. Edward Markey of Massachusetts, Richard Durbin of Illinois and Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut claims the industry is unwilling to stop marketing to adolescents. But the American Beverage Association challenged the contention that energy drinks are unsafe and said manufacturers have acted responsibly to keep their products out of the hands of children.
"Leading energy drink manufacturers voluntarily go far beyond all federal requirements when it comes to labeling and education," the association said in a statement. "(Manufacturers) also have voluntarily pledged not to market these products to children or sell them in K-12 schools."
Lipschultz points to the case of Anais Fournier, 14, of Hagerstown, Maryland, who was born with a heart condition. She saw a cardiologist annually, required no medication and had no restrictions on her diet or physical activity, according to the girl's mother, Wendy Lane.
Anais died of cardiac arrhythmia on Dec. 17, 2011, after consuming two Monster Energy drinks over a 24-hour period.
Unbeknownst to her parents, Anais consumed her first-ever energy drink while at the mall with friends. The next day, she went back to the mall and consumed another energy drink. That night, while watching TV at home, she went into cardiac arrest.
"She was gasping for air like a fish out of water," said Lane. "My husband and I got her on the floor and started CPR, and called 911.
"These things are dangerous, and they should definitely not be in the hands of kids or any minor."
In a statement emailed to The News, a Monster Energy spokesperson said, "While Monster is saddened by Anais Fournier's untimely passing, a lawsuit claiming that a Monster Energy drink caused her death is completely unfounded. Prior to her death, Ms. Fournier suffered from serious hereditary heart conditions, which are notorious for causing cardiac arrest and sudden death."
FDA spokesman Theresa Eisenman said the agency has been looking at energy drinks for several years to determine if they pose a risk to consumers, but the agency "frequently finds that there are other complicating factors, such as existing disease or medications the person may have been taking.
"(The) FDA is continuing to monitor the marketplace and analyze the available information, including adverse event reports, and will take appropriate action if that information can be used to establish that any specific product or ingredient is harming consumers."
More than a dozen lawsuits have been filed against energy drink makers, including product liability and wrongful death litigation and class action lawsuits alleging improper labeling. Some have been settled out of court, but most remain in litigation.
Deaths caused by energy drinks may go unnoticed because doctors and medical examiners are unaccustomed to considering the beverages as possible toxins, Lipschultz said.
Caffeine poisoning can occur at levels higher than 400 milligrams a day in adults. Energy drinks can contain up to 400 milligrams of caffeine per can — compared with 100-150 mg in a typical cup of coffee.
But energy drinks often contain caffeine in combination with untested herbal ingredients and chemicals that are also stimulants. Lipschultz's study found that energy drinks with multiple caffeine sources were tied to a higher rate of side effects, typically involving the nervous, digestive or cardiovascular systems.
"(The ingredients are) not sold individually, they're sold as a combined product, and that's what makes energy drinks so dangerous," Lipschultz said.
He also noted that energy drinks mixed with alcohol can be a lethal combination.
"What happens to a lot of people who become ill from the combination of alcohol and energy drink is you drink more than your body can handle, it becomes toxic, and it can kill you."
Company rebuts 'myths'
Living Essentials sells 5-Hour Energy two-ounce shots, which are much smaller than the 8-ounce to 16-ounce cans sold by Monster and Red Bull, and has 200 milligrams of caffeine.
Living Essentials devotes an entire website page to rebutting "myths" related to safety of their products — including whether an individual can overdose on the product.
"Everybody is different, and therefore, 5-Hour Energy shots might work differently for each individual," the company says on its website, which includes information on the recommended dose and a caution not to take more than two bottles daily.
Melissa Skabich, communications director for 5-Hour Energy, said the shot "is for adults, and our product is safe when used as directed."
"It's clear from the label that 5-Hour Energy is not intended for children," Skabich said.
Ted Kallmyer, a health educator and editor of the website CaffeineInformer.com, said consumers are becoming more informed about the possible dangers of energy drinks. The website includes information on caffeine content in beverages and food, side effects, and a "Death by Caffeine" calculator to figure a lethal dose by body size.
"An ever-increasing amount of our traffic is coming from people who wish to quit caffeine or have quit and are debilitated by the withdrawal symptoms," Kallmyer said.
He said many energy drink companies voluntarily list their ingredients and caffeine content, but not all have jumped on the bandwagon.
"At this time sales restrictions on energy drinks or shots isn't the solution," Kallmyer said. "The issue is complex, but we feel education is always the best remedy as opposed to blanket banning."
Detroit — Health professionals and some politicians are stepping up pressure on energy drink makers after a recent Wayne State University study found roughly 4,800 cases of harmful effects from the high-caffeine drinks — more than half involving accidental consumption by children younger than age 6.
Momentum is growing for improved labeling to disclose the drinks' caffeine content and potential health consequences, as well as continued efforts to decrease children's exposures to the products. Energy drink manufacturers argue their products are safe and insist they don't market to children. A Milwaukee product liability lawyer represents victims of defective and dangerous products.
DMC Children's Hospital of Michigan in mid-January banned energy drinks from its hospital vending machines, citing the dangers posed to children.
In addition, a 30-page report this month from three Democratic U.S. senators called for the federal Food and Drug Administration to require energy drink labels to disclose the drinks' caffeine content and potential health consequences.
The beverage industry and energy drink companies including Living Essentials LLC, the Farmington Hills parent company of 5-hour Energy shots, have defended their products.
Beverage industry "member companies voluntarily display total caffeine content — from all sources — on their packages along with advisory statements indicating that the product is not recommended for children, pregnant or nursing women and persons sensitive to caffeine," the American Beverage Association said this month.
Dr. Steven Lipshultz, pediatrics chairman for Wayne State University and chief pediatrician for DMC Children's Hospital of Michigan, was the lead author on a recent study that found 4,780 calls to Poison Control Centers about non-alcoholic energy drink exposures from October 2010 through September 2013. Of those, 51 percent concerned accidental exposures to children under 6.
"Even though there may be millions sold of these every year, 5,000 people having side effects and many having gone to the hospital — that's not acceptable," he said. A Milwaukee wrongful death lawyer is reviewing the details of this case.
The cases represent the tip of the iceberg, Lipshultz added, because most people who experience heart palpitations, dizziness or nausea after consuming energy drinks don't call a poison control hotline. The study did not include visits to hospital emergency rooms.
The older the child, the more likely it was that the side effects were serious, the DMC study found. About 2 percent of the kids ages 5 and younger experienced moderate to severe side effects, compared with 7 percent of 6- to 12-year-olds, 33 percent of the teens and 64 percent of those 20 and older. Moderate effects are poisoning symptoms that require treatment while severe effects are life-threatening symptoms or poisoning that markedly disables an individual, Lipshultz said.
Major adverse reactions included cardiovascular effects such as heart rhythm and conduction abnormalities as well as neurological symptoms including seizures. Of particular concern are exposures in children. A Milwaukee product liability lawyer is following this story closely.
"Energy drinks have no place in pediatric diets," said Lipshultz, who presented his findings to the American Heart Association's 2014 Science Sessions in November. "And anyone with underlying cardiac, neurologic or other significant medical conditions should check with their health care provider to make sure it's safe to consume energy drinks."
Battle lines drawn
The report released this month by Democratic Sens. Edward Markey of Massachusetts, Richard Durbin of Illinois and Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut claims the industry is unwilling to stop marketing to adolescents. But the American Beverage Association challenged the contention that energy drinks are unsafe and said manufacturers have acted responsibly to keep their products out of the hands of children.
"Leading energy drink manufacturers voluntarily go far beyond all federal requirements when it comes to labeling and education," the association said in a statement. "(Manufacturers) also have voluntarily pledged not to market these products to children or sell them in K-12 schools."
Lipschultz points to the case of Anais Fournier, 14, of Hagerstown, Maryland, who was born with a heart condition. She saw a cardiologist annually, required no medication and had no restrictions on her diet or physical activity, according to the girl's mother, Wendy Lane.
Anais died of cardiac arrhythmia on Dec. 17, 2011, after consuming two Monster Energy drinks over a 24-hour period.
Unbeknownst to her parents, Anais consumed her first-ever energy drink while at the mall with friends. The next day, she went back to the mall and consumed another energy drink. That night, while watching TV at home, she went into cardiac arrest.
"She was gasping for air like a fish out of water," said Lane. "My husband and I got her on the floor and started CPR, and called 911.
"These things are dangerous, and they should definitely not be in the hands of kids or any minor."
In a statement emailed to The News, a Monster Energy spokesperson said, "While Monster is saddened by Anais Fournier's untimely passing, a lawsuit claiming that a Monster Energy drink caused her death is completely unfounded. Prior to her death, Ms. Fournier suffered from serious hereditary heart conditions, which are notorious for causing cardiac arrest and sudden death."
FDA spokesman Theresa Eisenman said the agency has been looking at energy drinks for several years to determine if they pose a risk to consumers, but the agency "frequently finds that there are other complicating factors, such as existing disease or medications the person may have been taking.
"(The) FDA is continuing to monitor the marketplace and analyze the available information, including adverse event reports, and will take appropriate action if that information can be used to establish that any specific product or ingredient is harming consumers."
More than a dozen lawsuits have been filed against energy drink makers, including product liability and wrongful death litigation and class action lawsuits alleging improper labeling. Some have been settled out of court, but most remain in litigation.
Deaths caused by energy drinks may go unnoticed because doctors and medical examiners are unaccustomed to considering the beverages as possible toxins, Lipschultz said.
Caffeine poisoning can occur at levels higher than 400 milligrams a day in adults. Energy drinks can contain up to 400 milligrams of caffeine per can — compared with 100-150 mg in a typical cup of coffee.
But energy drinks often contain caffeine in combination with untested herbal ingredients and chemicals that are also stimulants. Lipschultz's study found that energy drinks with multiple caffeine sources were tied to a higher rate of side effects, typically involving the nervous, digestive or cardiovascular systems.
"(The ingredients are) not sold individually, they're sold as a combined product, and that's what makes energy drinks so dangerous," Lipschultz said.
He also noted that energy drinks mixed with alcohol can be a lethal combination.
"What happens to a lot of people who become ill from the combination of alcohol and energy drink is you drink more than your body can handle, it becomes toxic, and it can kill you."
Company rebuts 'myths'
Living Essentials sells 5-Hour Energy two-ounce shots, which are much smaller than the 8-ounce to 16-ounce cans sold by Monster and Red Bull, and has 200 milligrams of caffeine.
Living Essentials devotes an entire website page to rebutting "myths" related to safety of their products — including whether an individual can overdose on the product.
"Everybody is different, and therefore, 5-Hour Energy shots might work differently for each individual," the company says on its website, which includes information on the recommended dose and a caution not to take more than two bottles daily.
Melissa Skabich, communications director for 5-Hour Energy, said the shot "is for adults, and our product is safe when used as directed."
"It's clear from the label that 5-Hour Energy is not intended for children," Skabich said.
Ted Kallmyer, a health educator and editor of the website CaffeineInformer.com, said consumers are becoming more informed about the possible dangers of energy drinks. The website includes information on caffeine content in beverages and food, side effects, and a "Death by Caffeine" calculator to figure a lethal dose by body size.
"An ever-increasing amount of our traffic is coming from people who wish to quit caffeine or have quit and are debilitated by the withdrawal symptoms," Kallmyer said.
He said many energy drink companies voluntarily list their ingredients and caffeine content, but not all have jumped on the bandwagon.
"At this time sales restrictions on energy drinks or shots isn't the solution," Kallmyer said. "The issue is complex, but we feel education is always the best remedy as opposed to blanket banning."
02 November 2012
Tigers' Pitcher Doug Fister Appears to Avoid Concussion
story first appeared in Detroit Free Press
The line drive Tigers pitcher Doug Fister took to the head in Thursday’s World Series game certainly looked painful. But how badly was he injured?
Dr. Daniel B. Michael, a neurosurgeon and Chief of Neurotrauma at Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak said a hit like that would obviously be painful.
Both Michael and Dr. Sadiq Haque, a sports medicine specialist at the Detroit Medical Center, watched the game on TV Thursday night. They said it didn’t appear that Fister suffered a concussion.
The line drive Tigers pitcher Doug Fister took to the head in Thursday’s World Series game certainly looked painful. But how badly was he injured?
Dr. Daniel B. Michael, a neurosurgeon and Chief of Neurotrauma at Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak said a hit like that would obviously be painful.
Both Michael and Dr. Sadiq Haque, a sports medicine specialist at the Detroit Medical Center, watched the game on TV Thursday night. They said it didn’t appear that Fister suffered a concussion.
Michael said it it was good to see the ball hit him at a glancing blow, and the energy with which it went from his skull was a good sign, because that energy wasn't imparted to Fister's head.
Tigers Manager Jim Leyland, a pitching coach and a trainer immediately went to check on Fister. Michael noted that Fister was asked various questions, including where he was and which inning the game was in. Short term memory problems are among the symptoms of a concussion, an injury to the brain that results in a transient deficit in function.
Fister was able to answer the questions correctly. He went back in the game.
Tigers Manager Jim Leyland, a pitching coach and a trainer immediately went to check on Fister. Michael noted that Fister was asked various questions, including where he was and which inning the game was in. Short term memory problems are among the symptoms of a concussion, an injury to the brain that results in a transient deficit in function.
Fister was able to answer the questions correctly. He went back in the game.
Dr. Sadiq Haque said the impact looked serious, but the trainer would have done the appropriate evaluations to make sure it wasn't a concussion and that Fister could safely return to play.
Michael said if Fister has any memory problems, headaches or other concerning symptoms Friday, he should get checked out again, because sometimes in a moment like that the adrenaline will compensate for a mild concussion. If Doug demonstrated symptoms of a concussion within a few days of the game, he should be taken out of harm's way and watched closely. According to Michael, a head injury can be lethal even within a week or two.
Michael said he is in favor of having additional protective headgear for pitchers. He said even more protection built into the pitcher's cap could help prevent a serious head injury.
Michael said if Fister has any memory problems, headaches or other concerning symptoms Friday, he should get checked out again, because sometimes in a moment like that the adrenaline will compensate for a mild concussion. If Doug demonstrated symptoms of a concussion within a few days of the game, he should be taken out of harm's way and watched closely. According to Michael, a head injury can be lethal even within a week or two.
Michael said he is in favor of having additional protective headgear for pitchers. He said even more protection built into the pitcher's cap could help prevent a serious head injury.
08 June 2012
Learn More About Kidney Stone Removal at DMC.org
Ask anyone who has had kidney stones to describe what it feels like, and they’ll tell you the pain is intense. After three kidney stone recurrences, a Detroit resident knows first hand.
X-rays revealed that his stones had been growing for awhile – one was the size of a silver dollar, and the other, the size of a quarter.
Kidney stones are a collection of calcium in the kidney that can block the passage of urine and cause a lot of pain, and kidney failure.
Diet is a big part of calcium in the urine for may patients. Too much salt in the diet can push calcium into the urine, and so for many patients, reducing salt is important.
But while diet is a factor, some people develop kidney stones as a result of genetic conditions. They’re most commonly seen in people aged 17 – 65, and Caucasians are more likely to get them than African-Americans.
Treatment includes two options. Sometimes, the stones will pass through the urine. Other times, if there are signs of infection, or kidney failure, or if the stones are too big to pass, surgery is necessary.
Ninety percent of the time, surgery is done be inserting surgical instruments through the body’s natural passages – the urethra, through the bladder, and up the ureters into the kidney. The other ten percent of the time, the stones are so large that a passage must be created through the back directly into the kidney.
Traditionally, patients require two procedures to remove the stones, but there is a new procedure that’s only being done at Detroit Medical Center. It simplifies the process, making it easier for the physician and safer for the patient.
The procedures employs a lithocast, which uses an ultrasound wave to break the stone and attached suction then pulls out the pieces. Another benefit of the method is the reduction in radiation exposure – down by 90 percent.
Dr. Wynberg and his team are also concerned with helping patients prevent kidney stones from developing in the first place.
The DMC Kidney Stone Center employs a nutritionist, and the doctors focus on performing 24-hour urine tests, blood tests and medical history analysis. They spend a lot of time with each patient to try and figure out exactly why they are making stones. That allows doctors to tailor recommendations to try and stop the stones from occurring.
This patient felt the benefits of the surgery immediately – the difference was like night and day. He was up and walking a few hours after surgery, and after an overnight hospital stay, and few weeks of taking it easy, he was back to his normal activities.
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24 April 2012
Major Breakthrough in Cerebral Palsy Treatments
Story first appeared in The Detroit News.
In research that is being hailed as a major breakthrough, cerebral palsy symptoms were dramatically reduced at birth in a study by Wayne State University and the Detroit Medical Center.
The study, published Wednesday in the journal Science Translational Medicine, involved the use of rabbits, an anti-inflammatory drug and a nanodevice.
Researchers developed a model of cerebral palsy in rabbits that replicated the disorder's neuroinflammation found in the human brains and subsequent motor deficits. The animals that were treated with the anti-inflammatory drug were able to walk and hop within five days.
The importance of this work is it indicates that there is a window in time immediately after birth where it can be identified, and a nanodevice can reverse the features of cerebral palsy.
Cerebral palsy is a group of movement disorders caused by injury or abnormal development. and has no cure. Symptoms range from mild to severe and can affect intellectual ability. It affects approximately 750,000 babies and adults, and the cost of caring for a person with the disorder is estimated at $1 million over a lifetime. The leading cause is premature birth. However, cerebral palsy in infants can be caused by medical negligence or medical malpractice, according to Birth Injury Lawyers. Meaning that the doctors responsible for the birthing do not deliver the child quickly enough, and the baby suffers asphyxia or hypoxia, which is lack of oxygen to the brain.
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In research that is being hailed as a major breakthrough, cerebral palsy symptoms were dramatically reduced at birth in a study by Wayne State University and the Detroit Medical Center.
The study, published Wednesday in the journal Science Translational Medicine, involved the use of rabbits, an anti-inflammatory drug and a nanodevice.
Researchers developed a model of cerebral palsy in rabbits that replicated the disorder's neuroinflammation found in the human brains and subsequent motor deficits. The animals that were treated with the anti-inflammatory drug were able to walk and hop within five days.
The importance of this work is it indicates that there is a window in time immediately after birth where it can be identified, and a nanodevice can reverse the features of cerebral palsy.
Cerebral palsy is a group of movement disorders caused by injury or abnormal development. and has no cure. Symptoms range from mild to severe and can affect intellectual ability. It affects approximately 750,000 babies and adults, and the cost of caring for a person with the disorder is estimated at $1 million over a lifetime. The leading cause is premature birth. However, cerebral palsy in infants can be caused by medical negligence or medical malpractice, according to Birth Injury Lawyers. Meaning that the doctors responsible for the birthing do not deliver the child quickly enough, and the baby suffers asphyxia or hypoxia, which is lack of oxygen to the brain.
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30 August 2011
DMC Invests In Itself For The Community
Story first appeared in the Detroit News.
With more than half a year in the books with its new for-profit owner, Detroit Medical Center President and CEO Mike Duggan said patients and doctors are returning to the eight-hospital system, spurred by Vanguard Health System Inc.'s planned construction improvements.
Vanguard, which bought the DMC on Dec. 31 and promised to spend $500 million on construction, expansions and renovations and $350 million in routine capital during the next five years, said Thursday its shareholders lost $9.9 million during its fourth quarter.
The loss, compared with earning a $2.8 million profit a year ago, was driven largely by charges related to its June initial public stock offering. But patient service revenue soared 75 percent to $1.28 billion, largely attributable to the acquisition of the DMC.
Keith Pitts, Vanguard's vice chairman, said Detroit's seeing good volume in the marketplace, so they have been very happy with some of the volume trends there, and they will continue to work to improve the operations there over the next few years.
While Duggan isn't talking volume or revenue specifics — and neither are his Vanguard bosses in Nashville, Tenn. — Duggan said Vanguard ownership has boosted employee morale and hospitals have been busy.
Duggan said he has talked to doctors and patients all the time that have chosen to come back to DMC because of the momentum from Vanguard.
The DMC, which last year generated nearly $2.1 billion in revenue, now represents more than a third of revenues for Vanguard, which operates 26 hospitals in five states. With such a large exposure in Detroit, some analysts expect much of Vanguard's stock earnings will be all about Detroit during the next few years.
One anyalst said with over $2 billion in revenue solely in the Detroit market, they believe investors should get used to almost all focus on this one particular market, as the stock will likely live and die by the success of the transaction.
While some have questioned Vanguard's wisdom in buying the DMC, several analysts predict the DMC will continue to increase revenue, improve its margins and help Vanguard's stock price grow over the next several years.
But some, such as Citi research analyst Gary Taylor, have lowered outlooks on Vanguard's stock price from earlier this month in the wake of the stock market slide tied to concerns about the economy, Standard & Poor's downgrade of the U.S. credit rating and government talks of possible cuts to government reimbursement programs hospitals rely on.
The DMC and Vanguard hope to recapture some of the 30 percent-plus of Detroiters with commercial insurance who now head to suburban hospitals for surgeries and other services, analysts said. This insurance typically pays higher reimbursement than government programs.
Vanguard expects that infrastructure investment will improve physician recruitment, volume and payer mix, and new DMC facilities could directly contribute to revenue growth starting in 2013. Better facilities and more physician affiliations are expected to stem the outmigration of surgical volume from the city to the suburbs and to pull in some demand from the suburbs to the city.
A senior health care services analyst said Investing in the facilities will make them … to varying degrees more user-friendly, and if you can keep some of that care closer to where they live, it would be more convenient for the patients and (could generate) more patient revenue for Vanguard.
Gallucci, whose firm within the last year managed securities offerings for Vanguard, said if the DMC is successful on capitalizing on infrastructure investments, margins eventually will improve.
But Vicki Bryan, a senior high yield analyst for Gimme Credit, a research service on corporate bonds, doubts Vanguard's recent entry into Detroit and other markets will help revenue. She expects Vanguard will need to borrow more money to fund a projected cash flow shortfall.
She said the acquired assets are money losers and/or bankrupt operators, and this has resulted in even weaker operating margins and cash flow and massive capital expenditure obligations over the next five years.
Construction already is under way on some DMC building projects, and Duggan said the DMC is getting ready to contract out other projects. Vanguard officials are pleased about Detroit saying it's progressing as they hoped.
With more than half a year in the books with its new for-profit owner, Detroit Medical Center President and CEO Mike Duggan said patients and doctors are returning to the eight-hospital system, spurred by Vanguard Health System Inc.'s planned construction improvements.
Vanguard, which bought the DMC on Dec. 31 and promised to spend $500 million on construction, expansions and renovations and $350 million in routine capital during the next five years, said Thursday its shareholders lost $9.9 million during its fourth quarter.
The loss, compared with earning a $2.8 million profit a year ago, was driven largely by charges related to its June initial public stock offering. But patient service revenue soared 75 percent to $1.28 billion, largely attributable to the acquisition of the DMC.
Keith Pitts, Vanguard's vice chairman, said Detroit's seeing good volume in the marketplace, so they have been very happy with some of the volume trends there, and they will continue to work to improve the operations there over the next few years.
While Duggan isn't talking volume or revenue specifics — and neither are his Vanguard bosses in Nashville, Tenn. — Duggan said Vanguard ownership has boosted employee morale and hospitals have been busy.
Duggan said he has talked to doctors and patients all the time that have chosen to come back to DMC because of the momentum from Vanguard.
The DMC, which last year generated nearly $2.1 billion in revenue, now represents more than a third of revenues for Vanguard, which operates 26 hospitals in five states. With such a large exposure in Detroit, some analysts expect much of Vanguard's stock earnings will be all about Detroit during the next few years.
One anyalst said with over $2 billion in revenue solely in the Detroit market, they believe investors should get used to almost all focus on this one particular market, as the stock will likely live and die by the success of the transaction.
While some have questioned Vanguard's wisdom in buying the DMC, several analysts predict the DMC will continue to increase revenue, improve its margins and help Vanguard's stock price grow over the next several years.
But some, such as Citi research analyst Gary Taylor, have lowered outlooks on Vanguard's stock price from earlier this month in the wake of the stock market slide tied to concerns about the economy, Standard & Poor's downgrade of the U.S. credit rating and government talks of possible cuts to government reimbursement programs hospitals rely on.
The DMC and Vanguard hope to recapture some of the 30 percent-plus of Detroiters with commercial insurance who now head to suburban hospitals for surgeries and other services, analysts said. This insurance typically pays higher reimbursement than government programs.
Vanguard expects that infrastructure investment will improve physician recruitment, volume and payer mix, and new DMC facilities could directly contribute to revenue growth starting in 2013. Better facilities and more physician affiliations are expected to stem the outmigration of surgical volume from the city to the suburbs and to pull in some demand from the suburbs to the city.
A senior health care services analyst said Investing in the facilities will make them … to varying degrees more user-friendly, and if you can keep some of that care closer to where they live, it would be more convenient for the patients and (could generate) more patient revenue for Vanguard.
Gallucci, whose firm within the last year managed securities offerings for Vanguard, said if the DMC is successful on capitalizing on infrastructure investments, margins eventually will improve.
But Vicki Bryan, a senior high yield analyst for Gimme Credit, a research service on corporate bonds, doubts Vanguard's recent entry into Detroit and other markets will help revenue. She expects Vanguard will need to borrow more money to fund a projected cash flow shortfall.
She said the acquired assets are money losers and/or bankrupt operators, and this has resulted in even weaker operating margins and cash flow and massive capital expenditure obligations over the next five years.
Construction already is under way on some DMC building projects, and Duggan said the DMC is getting ready to contract out other projects. Vanguard officials are pleased about Detroit saying it's progressing as they hoped.
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01 April 2010
County Set to Waive Taxes in DMC Sale
The Detroit News
The Wayne County Commission is expected to approve a proposal today to waive taxes at the Detroit Medical Center to allow its sale to a for-profit company from Nashville, Tenn.
The deal cleared a hurdle Wednesday when the commission voted 12-1 to move it to the full board. The proposal creates a 100-acre Renaissance Zone that forgoes most taxes for 12 years and phases them in for another three.
The zone is expected to allow Vanguard Health Systems to compete with nonprofit medical facilities.
"It sends a message to any business that wants to invest in Detroit that you've got a county commission that's pro-business," said Mike Duggan, CEO of the DMC. "It's a good day for Detroit."
The Detroit City Council also has to approve the zone, but no date for that action has been set. The county committed its last zone -- a state-sanctioned development tool -- to the medical center campus, which hasn't generated taxes because the DMC is nonprofit.
Under the deal, Vanguard would pay off the bonds and assume liability for any other DMC liabilities, totaling $417 million. It is also expected to invest $850 million, including $500 million for a new tower for Children's Hospital of Michigan.
"The message this is going to send nationally and internationally is that this multibillion-dollar company firmly believes in investing in Detroit," said Turkia Mullin, assistant Wayne County executive and chief development officer.
"We recognize this is a historic day for Wayne County and a historic investment."
Commissioner Bernard Parker, D-Detroit, objected, saying Detroit should have scrutinized the zone first. Commissioner Laura Cox, R-Livonia, whose husband, Attorney General Mike Cox once worked for Duggan, abstained.
But most commissioners were enthusiastic about the plan.
"Our citizens in Detroit deserve the best," said Commissioner Keith Williams, D-Detroit.
"We're on the right track of preserving health care and preserving the tax base in Detroit."
The deal cleared a hurdle Wednesday when the commission voted 12-1 to move it to the full board. The proposal creates a 100-acre Renaissance Zone that forgoes most taxes for 12 years and phases them in for another three.
The zone is expected to allow Vanguard Health Systems to compete with nonprofit medical facilities.
"It sends a message to any business that wants to invest in Detroit that you've got a county commission that's pro-business," said Mike Duggan, CEO of the DMC. "It's a good day for Detroit."
The Detroit City Council also has to approve the zone, but no date for that action has been set. The county committed its last zone -- a state-sanctioned development tool -- to the medical center campus, which hasn't generated taxes because the DMC is nonprofit.
Under the deal, Vanguard would pay off the bonds and assume liability for any other DMC liabilities, totaling $417 million. It is also expected to invest $850 million, including $500 million for a new tower for Children's Hospital of Michigan.
"The message this is going to send nationally and internationally is that this multibillion-dollar company firmly believes in investing in Detroit," said Turkia Mullin, assistant Wayne County executive and chief development officer.
"We recognize this is a historic day for Wayne County and a historic investment."
Commissioner Bernard Parker, D-Detroit, objected, saying Detroit should have scrutinized the zone first. Commissioner Laura Cox, R-Livonia, whose husband, Attorney General Mike Cox once worked for Duggan, abstained.
But most commissioners were enthusiastic about the plan.
"Our citizens in Detroit deserve the best," said Commissioner Keith Williams, D-Detroit.
"We're on the right track of preserving health care and preserving the tax base in Detroit."
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