Pulse on Health by Jeff Hansel

Seasonal flu clinics near Rochester, Minnesota

Here is a list of local clinics still offering seasonal influenza shots:

 Olmsted Medical Center is taking a waiting list of current patients, who will be vaccinated when the next batch of seasonal influenza vaccine arrives. 

Mayo Clinic has enough seasonal vaccine for current Mayo patients only.

In Austin, Mower County Public Health recommends calling local pharmacies.  People in the Austin area appear to be getting seasonal vaccinations “without difficulty.”

Olmsted County Public Health has temporarily suspended vaccinations, until more vaccine arrives.

Area options for seasonal influenza shots include:

THURSDAY, OCT. 1

Stewartville Pharmacy, 200 Center Town Plaza N., Stewartville, 9 a.m. to noon, 533-6883.

Byron Marketplace Pharmacy, 863 High Point Drive N.E., Byron, 1 to 3 p.m., 775-7634

Rochester Center Center, 121 N. Broadway, Rochester, 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. (appointments get priority, but walk-ins welcome), 287-1404.

FRIDAY, OCT. 2

GuidePoint Pharmacy in Rochester, 2020 N. Broadway, 2 to 5:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 2, 288-6463 (and daily by appointment).

Zumbrota Pharmacy, 98 W. Fifth St., Zumbrota. 9 a.m. to noon Friday, Oct. 2. 732-7309

Plainview Pharmacy, 245 First St., Plainview, 1 to 3 p.m. 534-3815.

Cub Pharmacy, 1021 15th Ave. S.E., Rochester, 4 to 9 p.m. (and by appointment), 288-3234.

SATURDAY, OCT. 3

Cub Pharmacy, 1021 15th Ave. S.E., Rochester 9 a.m. until 6 p.m. (and by appointment), 288-3234.

WEDNESDAY, OCT. 7

CUB PHARMACY canceled due to availability

Cub Pharmacy, 1021 15th Ave. S.E., Rochester ,  2 to 8 p.m. (and by appointment), 288-3234. 

THURSDAY, OCT. 8

CUB PHARMACY canceled due to availability

Cub Pharmacy, 1021 15th Ave. S.E., Rochester, 2 to 8 p.m. (and by appointment), 288-3234.

FRIDAY, OCT. 9

CUB PHARMACYcanceled due to availability

Cub Pharmacy, 1021 15th Ave. S.E., Rochester, 2 to 8 p.m. (and by appointment), 288-3234.

SATURDAY, OCT. 10

Mower County Senior Center, 400 Third Ave. N.E., Austin, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. 433-2370

CUB PHARMACY canceled due to availability

Cub Pharmacy, 1021 15th Ave. S.E., Rochester, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. (and by appointment), 288-3234.

Please keep in mind that no seasonal influenza has impacted the southeast Minnesota region yet.  And, nationally, almost all flu currently circulating is pandemic H1N1 influenza.  

Pulse on Health

By Jeff Hansel, member Association of Health Care Journalists

Health Reporter for the Post-Bulletin newspaper, 18 1st Ave. S.E. in Rochester, Minnesota 55904

Happy birthday Saint Marys Hospital

[The modern-day main entrance to Saint Marys Hospital, around the corner from the original entrance.  Please Click to enlarge.  Copyright.]

Happy birthday to Saint Marys Hospital, which becomes 120 years old today.  

The hospital first opened on Sept. 30, 1889.  

A presentation will be held at 3:30 p.m. today in the hospital's former main entrance, 1216 Second Street S.W. in Rochester, Minnesota.

Memorabilia will be on display in the newly refurbished lobby, says Mayo Clinic spokesman John Murphy.  Items on display will include the cross from the top of the original hospital.  

Parking should remain open for patient-related needs, so consider walking over instead of driving, if you're able.

Pulse on Health

By Jeff Hansel, member Association of Health Care Journalists

Health Reporter for the Post-Bulletin newspaper, 18 1st Ave. S.E. in Rochester, Minnesota 55904

Walk for Mayo Clinic brain tumor research

The organization called "Brains Together for a Cure" is looking for people interested in walking in a 5K scheduled for October 10 (2009), an organizer said.

Location:  RCTC Field House, 851 30th Ave. S.E. in Rochester, Minnesota

Event:  Third Annual 5K Walk for Brain Tumor Awareness

Registration fee:  $25

Time:  Registration starts at 9 a.m. with the walk starting at 10 a.m.

The money raised goes to Mayo Clinic for brain tumor research and education.

Pulse on Health

By Jeff Hansel, member Association of Health Care Journalists

Health Reporter for the Post-Bulletin newspaper, 18 1st Ave. S.E. in Rochester, Minnesota 55904

NY health workers protest mandatory H1N1 vaccination

Health providers in Albany, New York are planning today to protest mandatory H1N1 pandemic influenza vaccination, multiple sources are reporting.

New York, one of the hardest-hit states during the early development of the pandemic last spring, is the only state to mandate that health providers get the vaccine, writes Newsday.com.

"The regulation, which was approved in August, comes with a stinging addendum: Get vaccinated or get fired," the article says.

Health workers notoriously skip their seasonal influenza vaccinations.  And if health providers, upon whom Americans rely for advice about their health care, don't want to get vaccinated, why should community members want to get the H1N1 vaccination?

Kris Sheedy, a communications specialist at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, Georgia was asked that question by the Wall Street Journal when I went to Atlanta in August to learn about government preparations for H1N1.

Only about 40 percent of health providers typically get vaccinated against seasonal flu.  

"Sheedy says focus groups with nurses and others suggest that they have the same persistent attitudes and concerns as people in the general public (suggesting, for example, that 'I'm exposed to so many things that my immune system is really strong').  Many focus group members expressed concern about the H1N1 vaccine because it's new and being developed quickly," I wrote on Pulse on Health in August.

"It is being made in the same way as seasonal vaccine, in the same facilities," Sheedy said.

[Kris Sheedy.  Please click to enlarge.  Copyright.]

Pulse on Health

By Jeff Hansel, member Association of Health Care Journalists

Health Reporter for the Post-Bulletin newspaper, 18 1st Ave. S.E. in Rochester, Minnesota 55904

First doses of H1N1 vaccine shipped

CNN is reporting that the first doses of vaccine against pandemic H1N1 influenza have been shipped.  

"Further shipments will be ongoing on a regular basis, with a total of 75.3 million doses expected through December, said Donna Cary, spokeswoman for the vaccine maker," says an article carried on CNN.com's main page.

The vaccine maker Sanofi Pasteur, which is one of four FDA-approved H1N1 vaccine suppliers, declined to say where the first shipment went "citing security concerns," the article says.

The good news, if you're hoping to get vaccinated, is that the shipment comes a little earlier than expected.  

It's still unclear when Minnesota will receive doses.  But more than half of the United States is experiencing "widespread" cases of H1N1 currently.  So whoever gets doses first can expect high interest in vaccination.  Keep in mind that health providers (who will be needed to take care of the sick) and people with underlying illnesses like asthma and diabetes (along with pregnant women) are likely to be encouraged to get the first doses.

However, federal officials believe there will be plenty of vaccine available for those who want to get vaccinated. 

Pulse on Health

By Jeff Hansel, member Association of Health Care Journalists

Health Reporter for the Post-Bulletin newspaper, 18 1st Ave. S.E. in Rochester, Minnesota 55904

Seasonal flu vaccine shortages - in their own words

Olmsted Medical Center spokesman Jeremy Salucka this morning said that OMC in Rochester, Minnesota is also short of seasonal flu vaccine.  

"We have temporarily stopped administering seasonal flu vaccinations, and are asking patients interested in the vaccine to add their name/contact info to a list that we'll notify when our seasonal vaccine manufacturer resumes delivery later this autumn," Salucka says in an e-mail response to a Post-Bulletin inquiry.  "We did have enough seasonal vaccine to meet demand at last Wednesday's walk-in clinic, and redistributed the 390 doses not used at that clinic among all locations. We have no additional public walk-in clinics scheduled."

Similarly, Mayo Clinic is focusing solely on its own patients now for the seasonal flu vaccine.

"Mayo Clinic has an adequate supply of seasonal influenza vaccine to handle the patients we anticipated," wrote spokesman Bryan Anderson. "In order to ensure Mayo Clinic patients have seasonal vaccine available, we are only dispensing vaccine to Mayo Clinic patients at this time. Mayo reiterates the need to wash hands frequently and to stay home when sick."

These responses came after Olmsted County Public Health announced it had to suspend vaccinations temporarily.

"Due to an overwhelming response from the public, Olmsted County Public Health is currently out of the seasonal influenza vaccine and scheduled clinics on Monday afternoon (September 28, 2009) and Tuesday, 9/29 have been cancelled.   Another shipment of vaccine is expected in the next 3 weeks.  Additional clinics will be scheduled at that time.  Updated information about the seasonal flu shot clinics is available by calling 328-7500 and will be posted on our website at www.olmstedcounty.com," spokesperson Kari Etrheim wrote.

Of course, seasonal flu is currently almost non-existent nationwide.  Almost all of the confirmed cases of influenza in the United States are part of the H1N1 pandemic.  But health officials say that could change, thus their interest in getting people vaccinated against seasonal flu.  You should note that you'll still have the chance to get vaccinated in October and November against seasonal flu, just like you would during a normal year (the seasonal vaccine was delivered earlier than normal this year).  

And vaccine against H1N1 is expected to arrive locally in mid-October.

Pulse on Health

By Jeff Hansel, member Association of Health Care Journalists

Health Reporter for the Post-Bulletin newspaper, 18 1st Ave. S.E. in Rochester, Minnesota 55904

Seasonal flu vaccine runs short — temporarily

Olmsted County Public Health announced Monday that it's canceling two vaccination clinics for seasonal flu vaccine — because community response has been "overwhelming" to the health officials' urgings that people get seasonal flu vaccinations.

Seasonal flu hasn't yet reached the area.  In fact, almost all cases of flu and flu-like illnesses nationwide are H1N1 pandemic influenza, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.  

The H1N1 vaccine is expected to arrive in Minnesota sometime in mid-October.  A couple of weeks later, another batch of seasonal flu vaccine should arrive, followed by more doses of H1N1.  That must be a nightmare for public-health officials at Olmsted County Public Health because they've somehow got to get across the knowledge about which vaccine is available when.  

Right now:

• Unless you're a patient at Mayo Clinic (where officials say they have enough seasonal vaccine to handle expected Mayo patient volume) or Olmsted Medical Center (where, the last I knew, they had enough vaccine to handle OMC patient volume), seasonal vaccine won't be available for a few weeks.

• H1N1 vaccine should be available in another two weeks or so.l

Until then, Mayo Clinic advises: Wash your hands, wash your hand wash your hands and stay home if sick. 

Pulse on Health

By Jeff Hansel, member Association of Health Care Journalists

Health Reporter for the Post-Bulletin newspaper, 18 1st Ave. S.E. in Rochester, Minnesota 55904

Kaiser foundation comparison of health reform proposals

The Kaiser Family Foundation (please note full corrected title of the foundation) has put together an interactive comparison of health-reform proposals.  You can pick the topics you're most interested in and look at how they're addressed in different proposals.

It's a little difficult to spot the "generate cost comparison" button.  But, once you find it mid-page, it's kind of interesting.  You can also pick whose proposals you want to review.  So if there's a proposal you think has no chance of approval, you can leave that one out.  

For example, on the topic of "cost containment," The foundation writes that:

• President Obama's plan "should reduce high administrative costs, unnecessary tests and services, waste, and other inefficiencies that consume money with no added benefit."

• The Senate Finance Committee's plan (among other things) would "restructure payments to Medicare Advantage plans to base payments on plan bids with bonus payments for quality, performance improvement, care coordination and efficiency."  

• A proposal by former Senate majority leaders Howard Baker, Tom Daschle and Bob Dole called "Crossing Our Lines:  Working Together to Reform the U.S. Health System" will, among other things according to Kaiser, "reform provider payments in federal health programs to pay for high-value care."  It would "pay-for-performance based on measures reflecting overall quality and coordination of care."  And it would "implement medical home payments that hold providers accountable for patient results over time."  

Taken together, one would come to the conclusion that the various proposals suggest Congress is actually working to find the best solution, rather than working to craft the best derogatory commentaries about colleagues.  

Take a crack at this comparison and see who you think has the best ideas so far.

Pulse on Health

By Jeff Hansel, member Association of Health Care Journalists

Health Reporter for the Post-Bulletin newspaper, 18 1st Ave. S.E. in Rochester, Minnesota 55904

Defense Department and suicide

The Department of Defense says suicide prevention "is one of the Defense Department's top priorities."  A 14-member task force will make recommendations for Defense Secretary Robert Gates, a short video piece announces.  

In this November, 2007 report from CBS News (which later won an Emmy for "Outstanding Investigative Journalism"), chief investigative reporter Armen Keteyian details suicide rates among veterans that were twice that of civilians, and among young veterans who served in the war on terror two to four times higher than civilians.  In statistics from 45 states in 2005 reviewed for CBS, there were 6,256 suicides among soldiers (120 per week for that year alone).

So if you or a family member are a veteran, it's important to accept help.  Health experts have told me during the past year that you should seek out other veterans who have served in the combat zones where you were assigned.  Talk to them about what happened.  But don't hesitate to seek out a VA counselor or to use help lines.

Veterans - are you a veteran or family members anywhere in the country thinking suicide?

***Call the National Suicide Lifeline for veterans at 1-800-273-TALK.  You can connect with someone real-time once the recording at the beginning is complete.

***Or, call the Defense Department's Suicide Prevention Outreach Center at 1-866-966-1020.  You can talk live with someone once the initial recording is complete.

If your are a civilian thinking about suicide, or concerned about a family member

• Call the National Suicide Hotline:  1-800-SUICIDE (1-800-784-2433). You can connect with someone real-time once the recording at the beginning is complete.

Pulse on Health

By Jeff Hansel, member Association of Health Care Journalists

Health Reporter for the Post-Bulletin newspaper, 18 1st Ave. S.E. in Rochester, Minnesota 55904

Doubts raised about hand washing and H1N1

Just in time to add confusion to the issue of H1N1 influenza comes this article from Elizabeth Cohen, a medical writer I like.

"According to some experts, you can wash your hands all you want, and it won't do much to stop the spread of influenza, including the H1N1 variety," Cohen writes on CNN.com.

Interestingly, we have an article scheduled for publication Monday about hand washing.  Is it pointless?  Does it prevent H1N1.  We'll let you decide.  But we'll also give you the background of what Cohen writes and what the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says.

You'll note that Cohen writes that "some" experts do not believe hand washing is effective against H1N1.  In other words "some" do.  She points out that if you're in the cloud of someone's cough or sneeze at a movie theater you're more likely to get H1N1 than if you shake a nose-smeared hand and then wipe your own nose.  

Pulse on Health

By Jeff Hansel, member Association of Health Care Journalists

Health Reporter for the Post-Bulletin newspaper, 18 1st Ave. S.E. in Rochester, Minnesota 55904