Tag: medical director

Mayo MedAir Puts Safety First

The Mayo Clinic is well known for their top-notch medical standards and quality. People from all over the world enlist the services of the Mayo Clinic when medical situations arise that need specialized care. Like the Mayo Clinic, Mayo MedAir puts the patient and safety first. Any patient that requires air ambulance transport will be properly monitored, comfortable, and safe during the flight.

Mayo MedAir is a member of the Commission on Accreditation of Medical Transport Services. Although no federal standards exist in the industry, air ambulance companies certified by the Commission on Accreditation of Medical Transport Services are known to meet or exceed minimum standards. Such standards include competency and safety requirements. Standards in education, administration, communication, and maintenance are also considered. Mayo MedAir is the only CAMTS certified air ambulance company in the state of Minnesota, and one of few companies around the globe to make this level of commitment.

Mayo MedAir flights are known for their safety record. Each air ambulance has two pilots on board. The pilots are required to have numerous hours of experienced flight time. Several hours of flight time in high-traffic areas are a requirement for Mayo MedAir pilots. Unlike some other air ambulance companies, Mayo MedAir does not send out a single pilot on a medical mission. The pilots at Mayo MedAir are dedicated to medical missions. They are not pulled away from other positions to man a flight in an emergency.

The medical staff that accompanies the patient are a team of no fewer than two members. Each medical team is highly trained to tackle any condition the patient may have or an emergency that arises during transport. In specialized cases, the Mayo MedAir medical team may consist of more members that can directly deal with the specific medical needs of the patient. This fact is especially important in cases involving the need for NICU services or a respiratory therapist, for instance. Each member of the team works at the Mayo Clinic and is specially trained for critical care.

The medical team has a medical director above them that oversees their work. This position is filled by a Mayo Clinic physician trained in emergency care. The medical director is responsible for the actions of the medical team during the flight and transport, so the quality standards and safety record remains high. The care of the patient becomes top priority.

Safety of the patient is of utmost importance to Mayo MedAir. For this reason, each air ambulance carries standard equipment that allows the patient to receive proper treatment during transit. In addition to specialized medical tools and equipment, the air ambulance has the technology to stay in contact with physicians on the ground during the entire flight. Whether communication is via phone, email, or text message, the medical team and hospital are aware of all circumstances during transit.

It is clear to see that Mayo MedAir is committed to patient safety. This air ambulance service is dedicated to quality service. Every aspect of safety and patient care has been considered.

Consider Safety First When Choosing an Air Ambulance

Times of stress often leave people feeling drained and unable to think clearly. When you or a loved one are suffering from medical conditions, stress levels are high. It is important to think of safety first when deciding on which air ambulance company to use. Here are some suggestions to help you put safety first in the decision.

Don’t let the stress and circumstances cloud your mind. Research the air ambulance service thoroughly before making the decision to use their services. Learn about the company and their history. Find out what certifications the pilot and flight crew must possess. Do the pilot and other crew members meet all FAA requirements and certifications? Is the pilot required to have flight-simulator training? If so, how often.

Some companies will permit only a single pilot to fly the aircraft. Although this is not deemed unsafe, it is a good idea to fly with an air ambulance service that offers two pilots in the cockpit.

Inexperienced pilots may not have the hours and background to safely transport patients on a medical mission. Locate an air ambulance company that uses pilots solely dedicated to medical missions that require numerous hours of flight time.

Ask about the company’s safety record. Although most companies who offer air ambulance services have excellent safety records, you can never be so sure. Find out for yourself. Do your homework to make sure the company follows the strictest guidelines in the industry.

Find out if the air ambulance company is a member of CAMTS. This means that the company is certified by the Commission on Accreditation of Medical Transport Services. Membership varies throughout the industry, but with no federal standards in place, it is a way to be certain that minimum competency and safety standards are being met. To receive certification, the company commits to being evaluated on educational standards, safety, equipment, staffing, maintenance,
Communication, and administration.

When considering an air ambulance transportation service, find out if the company employs a medical director. This person should be a licensed physician trained in all the areas of critical care and emergency treatment. This person should be available for consultation during a transport if questions should arise. Also, to encourage quality control, this individual will review the circumstances of the transport to ensure that all medical protocols were followed correctly.

This person oversees the training of medical staff and is responsible for the actions of the medical team during the transport. A company with such a person on staff has a lot at stake, so quality and standards will be high in such a case.

How many medical professionals accompany the patient during transport? In many situations, an air ambulance service may only send out one medically trained person on each flight. In some instances, this is safe for patients, but if an emergency should occur, it is best to have a minimum of two medically trained personnel on hand to completely handle the emergency situation. The trained staff should have experience in emergency treatment and critical care. In specialized cases, more members should accompany a patient and the number of the team increases. This is true in cases that require a respiratory therapist, for example.

Investigating air ambulance services may seem overwhelming at the time, but knowing that the patient’s needs should come first is important. Safety of the patient is evident in companies that strive for excellence. Check out the air ambulance company and their safety record for an indication of the company’s quality and level of experience before making the final decision.

Arthritis Of The Foot

Arthritis Of The Foot
Dr. Jeffrey A. Oster, Medical Director Of Myfootshop.com.

Arthritis is a term used to describe a number of diseases that cause inflammation of joints and results in the progressive destruction of joints. Arthritis is actually a collection of many different joint diseases that affect the body and the foot in many different ways. In this article, let’s talk a bit about arthritis and how it affects the foot. We normally discuss treatment alternative for conditions, but due to the scope of this topic, we will not discuss treatment of each of the individual forms of arthritis.

Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis is by far and away the most common form of arthritis. Osteoarthritis is known as the wear and tear type of joint disease and will effect most of us at one point in our lives. In our discussion on osteoarthritis, please refer to the nomenclature and anatomy sections below for definitions of the terms that my be unfamiliar to you.
When I think of osteoarthritis (OA), I think of my grandmother’s hands. Those hand have done a lot of work in their time and have a bit of arthritis to show for it. The fingers, crooked and bumpy show many of the changes brought on by osteoarthritis. The bumps on the fingers are called Heberden’s Nodes. Heberden’s Nodes are a very obvious example of how osteoarthritis occurs. If you’ve ever known anyone whose experienced the symptoms of OA, they’ll tell you that a joint will flare for a period of several weeks. It may be mildly painful or even painful to the degree that the joint is unusable. And then suddenly, just as passively as it came, it leaves. Occasional, brief morning stiffness was not unusual for grandma. The pain that had been present in her hands was actually due to a series of small micro-fractures that occurred in the subchondral bone (just beneath the cartilage). It seems that in cases of osteoarthritis, the bone just below the cartilage becomes very fragile. When loads are applied to this fragile bone, it breaks down. The more the joint is used, the more the bone seems to break down.
Over time, as the bone undergoes a series of flare ups, the ability of the bone to support the cartilage becomes unstable. The subchondral bone creates an unstable supporting surface for the cartilage. When the joint tries to complete its’ normal range of motion, the cartilage is irregular and progressively erodes. This moves us into the second phase of OA pain, and that’s when we have joint range of motion that is bone on bone. Cartilage has no nerve endings to sense pain, but bone on the other hand, has plenty. As the joint moves and the bone is eroded, significant pain can be experienced.
This erosive process seen in OA seems to occur at different rates in everyone. In fact, every joint seems to undergo the changes of OA at a different rate. The rate of change does seem to be effected by the history of damage to the joint. In fact the classifications used to describe OA include Primary (idiopathic or no known cause) and Secondary (some known cause for the disease such as trauma). Past injuries seem to accelerate the rate of OA in most joints. We all know someone with that old football injury, right?
The cause of OA is unknown. Many authors have speculated that the cause may be mechanical as described above, but others have described changes such as biologic, biochemical or enzymatic; or even a combination of each of these.
Changes that occur in the foot with OA are numerous. The most common is midfoot pain that is diffuse. The midfoot is a jigsaw puzzle of pieces that are difficult to manage when effected by a systemic disease of this nature. Other finding include atrophy (loss) of the plantar fat pad of the forefoot and heel. The big toe joint is often effected by the changes of OA with bunions and hallux limitus as common complaints.

Rheumatoid Arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a very complex and debilitating disease that affects approximately 1% of the general population. Women are 2-3 times more prone to develop RA. RA is a process where the body’s immune system attacks the cell lining the joint capsule (synovial cells). The end result is thickening and fibrosis of the joint with destruction of the cartilage.
Symptoms of RA include an abrupt onset of inflammation. The swelling associated with RA may be isolated to one joint or effect several. Symmetrical involvement is typical with both hands or both feet being affected. In comparison to OA, morning stiffness seen in RA may last more than 30 minutes.
The finding of RA in the foot often progresses to subluxation of the joints, particularly the metatarsal phalangeal joints. Atrophy of the plantar fat pad is common.

Psoriatic Arthritis

Psoriatic arthritis (PA) is an interesting form of sero-negative arthritis. PA is associated with psoriasis in many cases, but it is not unusual to find the symptoms of PA in a patient with no previous history of psoriasis of the skin or nail.
The symptoms of PA in the foot include focal swelling of the interphalangeal joint (the toes). The toe will appear to have swollen and become painful with a limited history of injury or pain. X-rays often show slow changes that exhibit erosion called a pencil and cup appearance. This finding is common on the metatarsal phalangeal joint.

Reiter’s Syndrome

Reiter’s Syndrome (RS) is an unusual form of arthritis that is usually found in men.. RS is often described as a sexually transmitted disease due to the history of the disease occurring following sexual intercourse which resulted in a chlamydial infection. It is suggested to treat those with RS, and their sexual partners, for C. trachomatis infections.
The symptoms of RS include burning upon urination (urethritis), dry eyes and joint pain. Joint pain in the back and feet are common. These symptoms occur 7-14 days following sexual intercourse and subside over a period of several months to years. Recurrence of pain is not unusual. About the Author
Jeffrey A. Oster, DPM, C.Ped is a board certified foot and ankle surgeon. Dr. Oster is also board certified in pedorthics. Dr. Oster is medical director of Myfootshop.com and is in active practice in Granville, Ohio.