Does your service have access to a bariatric unit? Perhaps it’s time to investigate purchasing bariatric equipment or sharing the cost between mutual aid companies in rural areas. The press item below is why:

Millennium Research Group (MRG), the global authority on medical technology market intelligence, has conducted a detailed and thorough analysis of the US bariatric equipment and devices market. The report finds that rising rates of morbid obesity in the US are obliging hospitals to accommodate extremely overweight individuals for bariatric surgery as well as for other procedures and tests. According to the new report entitled US Markets for Bariatric Equipment and Devices 2007, the US bariatric market will generate over $1 billion in annual revenues by 2010.

“Bariatric equipment such as wheelchairs, beds, scales, and longer-length devices are often required when surgery or other procedures are performed on very obese individuals,” said Lexie Code, Senior Analyst at MRG. “For example, when laparoscopic surgery is performed on morbidly obese patients, the distance between skin-level incisions where specialized devices enter the body and the internal organs is much longer. Hospitals [and EMS services] must therefore purchase more expensive, longer-length devices to accommodate such procedures.”

In 2006, obesity levels in the US were notably high: 3.9% of the US population is considered morbidly obese, a much higher rate than in other geographic regions such as Europe. The US obesity rate represents a population of over 11 million people, a volume that will increase by approximately 3.0% per year over the forecast period. As a result, by 2010, nearly 13 million Americans will be morbidly obese. It is increasingly common for severely obese individuals to require treatment for various obesity-related conditions. CDC Obesity Site
We all need to keep this in mind as we prepare our budgets for the next few years. Check back here soon for more from the MedicCast and the next MedicCast podcast.

Jamie

the Podmedic

Welcome to Episode 39

The MedicCast is a proud member of the Blubrry Podcast Network.

Right click to download this episode or click the little arrow to listen here.

A podcast for EMT’s, Paramedics, and other medical providers of all kinds.

Help the MedicCast out! Fill out our Survey!

Visit the MedicCast Store!

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Contact Me!
send me a note!
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Leave up to a 2 minute message with your onboard microphone right through your browser by clicking the link below.

MobaTalk Online Voicemail
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Link of the Week:

Your Studio A Pod and Vid Cast
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News:

Calif Firefighter Deaths

Injured Paramedic Talks

Police/EMT Program

Firefighters Win No EMS Suit

Fire EMS Merger Issues

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Tip of the Week: Ventilatory Management

NREMT Skill Sheet PDF
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Med of the Week — Captopril

Captopril Wiki Page

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Visit the MedicCast Forums

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Thanks for Supporting the MedicCast!

Rate the podcast at iTunes or at EMS Village or Vote at Podcast Alley

Visit the MedicCast Store!

Check out the MedicCast News at the Podcaster News Network for EMS news updates during the week and check back here next week for the next Episode of the MedicCast.

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Feels Good

Take 6

Take 6 Records

• Buy at iTunes Music Store

Download “Come On” (MP3, 192kbps)

Click here to get Songs from the MedicCast

Until next time, Scene safety, BSI!

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.5 License

Here’s a list of burn safety tips for Halloween:

Each Halloween, millions of American children go trick or treating. It’s supposed to be a night of fun but unfortunately some children are injured because they don’t follow simple safety tips. Flammable costumes and other fire hazards can lead to serious burns.

Burn injuries are one of the leading Halloween injuries but also the easiest to prevent. The Burn Recovery Center has published some tips to keep parents and children safe this Halloween.

Decorations/Indoor Events:

• Place all lit pumpkins on a flat stable surface. If possible use a flashlight instead of a candle.
• If the pumpkin will be indoors, keep it away from any flammable material and never leave it unattended.
• Sweep your porch of debris. If an accident occurs, dry leaves and brush can quickly spread a fire.
• Use flashlights instead of candles/flames for any lighting or decoration. With a little creativity you can make your decorations more festive and safer for visitors.
• Keep in mind that paper, dried flowers, and cornstalks are highly flammable and keep them away from any heat source.
• Make sure none of your indoor decorations are blocking exits.
• Check to make sure your smoke alarms are functioning properly. Every year 50% of fire related deaths in the United States involve homes without a working smoke alarm.
• This is also a good time to make sure you and your children have a developed an escape plan in case of a fire related emergency.
• If your children will be at another house or a school sponsored event, make sure both of you know and can easily locate exits.

Costumes:

• Try to purchase costumes and accessories labeled flame resistant or retardant.
• Make sure your child’s costume doesn’t have extended or trailing features. In addition to being a tripping hazard they can ignite easily.
• Look over every part of the costume and make sure that it doesn’t include anything highly flammable. It’s easy for a child to become distracted and a costume can catch fire in a matter of seconds.
• Tell your children to stay away from any open flames and other heat sources. Make sure they know the “stop, drop and roll” procedure. If you need a quick refresher:
Stop and drop to the ground covering your face with your hands and roll on the ground to extinguish any flames.

For More information about burn injuries click here. Check back here at the MedicCast often for more information and the next episode of the podcast.
Jamie

the Podmedic

There was a ton of technology news this week for medical products. So many, in fact, that I chose to focus the entire MedicCast News for this week on cool medical technology products.

Products like:

• Implantable Bone Healing Sensor
• PillCam Colon for GI diagnosis
• The Optimizer for heart failure patients
• The new nanotech health initiative

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I report on this and other EMS news in the most recent episode of the MedicCast News at the Podcaster News Network.

Jamie Davis

the Podmedic

I was interviewed for a segment for the One Minute How To Podcast by George Smith. This is the show with a person teaching a simple skill in one minute. Anything from how to make a really good sandwich to how to take off your bra without removing your shirt first.

My segment was on “How to Call 911.” A subject near and dear to our hearts. Check it out and give me some feedback. Did I miss anything? I did one of George’s first episodes, too.  It was a one minute how to on “How to Control Severe Bleeding.”
I’ll have a new MedicCast News uploaded later this afternoon. Check back then.

Jamie

the Podmedic

Here’s a good, short podcast from the MedicineNet.com website. It talks about the black widow and brown recluse spiders (the only two spiders in North America considered dangerous to humans). The podcast also deals with spider bites in general, even if not from a poisonous variety.

Here’s the link to the audio file from MedicineNet.com.

Here’s the link to the article.

Remember to check back here at MedicCast.com for more updates and for the MedicCast podcasts!

Jamie,

the Podmedic

Welcome to Episode 38

The MedicCast is a proud member of the Blubrry Podcast Network.

Right click to download this episode or click the little arrow to listen here.

A podcast for EMT’s, Paramedics, and other medical providers of all kinds.

Help the MedicCast out! Fill out our Survey!

Visit the MedicCast Store!

—————————-

Contact Me!
send me a note!
—- or —-
Leave up to a 2 minute message with your onboard microphone right through your browser by clicking the link below.

MobaTalk Online Voicemail
———————————

Links of the Week:

Dan’s Mathcast podcast — Promo
EMS House Defrance
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News:

FEMA Debate

Persian Gulf EMS

Rome’s Train Collision and EMS

Rome’s Deathtoll

Gross Negligence Column

Flu Vaccine

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Tip/Trick of the Week — C-Spine — Immobilize or Not?

Spaghetti & Resusci-Annie

NREMT Test-out PDF

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Med of the Week — New Class of Diabetes Meds Approved

Januvia — DPP4 Inhibitor

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Thanks for Supporting the MedicCast!
(Visit, Store, Comment, Tell a Friend)

If you want to get a show update email, send me an EMAIL with “Update” in the subject line.

Check out the MedicCast News at the Podcaster News Network for EMS news updates during the week and check back here next week for the next Episode of the MedicCast.

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Finding the Sun

Crystal City

Diamond D Records

Download “Grey” (MP3, 192kbps)

Until next time, Scene safety, BSI!

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.5 License

I’ve put up links to the MedicCast affiliate store at Amazon.com. You can visit the store here:

store.mediccast.com

You can find almost anything in the world there. Check out the assortment of EMS clothes and t-shirts by searching “EMS” in the Apparel and Accesories category.

Thanks for supporting the MedicCast!

Jamie

the Podmedic

Medicine Net has a great article by a doc about the nature of most common stingray injuries. It refers to treatments, morbidity and mortality rates and more. If you live in a beach resort area in warm waters like Florida and the Gulf Coast of the U.S. then this is a good article for you.

Here’s the link to the Stingray Article.

Check back here for other good links to training and info. I’ll also be posting a new MedicCast podcast this weekend.

Jamie

the Podmedic

Killer Bees! Killer Bees! Just something from a bad 70’s made for TV movie right? Well maybe not, at least in part. EMSresponder.com is reporting that Florida first responders including EMS, fire, and police agencies will be getting some specialized training about the influx of Africanized bees that are starting to show up in the area more and more frequently. The classes include both lecture in the classroom and an outdoor demonstration.

The outdoor demonstration had University of Florida bee expert Dr. William Kern, walking through a swarm of the aggressive bees while his students watched from the safety of screened in tents. He swatted at them to show how they became progressively more aggressive the more he bothered them. In the next few years there are expected to be 300 colonies of these aggressive insects per square mile in the state of Florida. Kern does say that the bees will not attack as long as no one disturbs their hives.

Hey Doc, sometimes that’s easier said than done.

I report on this and other EMS news in the most recent episode of the MedicCast News at the Podcaster News Network.

Jamie Davis

the Podmedic

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