Jun 17 2013

Diane Mastrull: Working To Build An Empire Of Healthy Fast Food

Location of Horsham Township in Montgomery County (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Bryn Davis ate his way to entrepreneurship.

Davis, who lives in Horsham, says he entered college a “lean-as-you-can-imagine” 170 pounds. By his junior year, he was stressing the scales at 240.

A doctor scared him into committing to a healthier lifestyle. Davis took it one step further: He started a business featuring only healthy fast food.

“When I opened up with smoothies and popcorn, people thought I was insane,” said the founder of Bryn & Dane’s, a low-calorie, low-fat, high-fiber fast-food company in Horsham with a freestanding restaurant – and a recently added catering arm – that expects to exceed $2 million in sales this year.

“Now, people say, ‘Holy crap! I t’s probably going to happen.’ “

Jun 3 2013

Pressure Grows To Create Drugs For ‘Superbugs’

Government officials, drug companies and medical experts, faced with outbreaks of antibiotic-resistant “superbugs,” are pushing to speed up the approval of new antibiotics, a move that is raising safety concerns among some critics.

The need for new antibiotics is so urgent, supporters of an overhaul say, that lengthy studies involving hundreds or thousands of patients should be waived in favor of directly testing such drugs in very sick patients. Influential lawmakers have said they are prepared to support legislation that allows for faster testing.

The Health and Human Services Department last month announced an agreement under which it will pay $40 million to a major drug maker, GlaxoSmithKline, to help it develop medications to combat antibiotic resistance and biological agents that terrorists might use. Under the plan, the federal government could give the drug company as much as $200 million over the next five years.

“We are facing a huge crisis worldwide not having an antibiotics pipeline,” said Dr. Janet Woodcock, director of the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research at the Food and Drug Administration. “It is bad now, and the infectious disease docs are frantic. But what is worse is the thought of where we will be five to 10 years from now.”

Jun 2 2013

‘Doc-In-A-Box’ Centers On Rise For Urgent Care

Temple University logo (no text, “T” only) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Only a week after Shannon Cropper first noticed Temple University‘s cherry-and-white “T” on a ReadyCare Center at the Pavilion in Jenkintown, he found himself sitting in an examination room there with his 9-year-old daughter, Kennedy, who had tumbled off her bicycle and twisted her ankle.

“I’m having a hard time walking on it,” Kennedy said as she rested the injured joint on her father’s lap.

Just 45 minutes after entering the ReadyCare’s bright waiting room, Kennedy had had her vital signs taken, been examined by a doctor, and had her swollen ankle X-rayed. Father and daughter were now waiting for a radiologist a few miles down the road at Temple University Hospital to read the film.

“It’s well-organized,” Cropper said of ReadyCare, one of a growing number of urgent-care centers set up by hospitals like Temple. “My first impression is that this is amazing.”

Jun 1 2013

Viral Outbreak On Appalachian Trail Hikes Toward Pennsylvania

Appalachian Trail building in . (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

While the worst viral outbreak to strike hikers in Appalachian Trail history is traveling north from Georgia into Pennsylvania, health officials say there is really no reason for area residents to be concerned.

Bob Proudman, director of conservation operations for the Appalachian Trail Conservancy, said an outbreak of norovirus among trail hikers began somewhere around the Tennessee-North Carolina border about four weeks ago and is moving north with the hikers.

Norovirus has a 12- to 48-hour incubation period, lasts 24 to 60 hours and may cause severe diarrhea, vomiting and dehydration.

“You could say it’s the most serious outbreak in AT history. There was one case of hanatavirus which is very serious, in 1990. It struck an Australian hiker and CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) got involved,” he said. Hantavirus is a contagious disease spread by rodents.

May 30 2013

Pottstown Relay For Life Kicks Off 16th Year Saturday

POTTSTOWN — The annual Relay for Life, a 24 hour walk to help raise money for cancer research, is right around the corner and this year will be packed full of activities that will help honor those who have fought back against cancer.

The huge event will start a 10 a.m. Saturday with the opening ceremonies and end on Sunday at 10 a.m. The day-long event will be heralded in with Celtic pipes and drums along with the Springford Vocal Ensemble.

This year, 129 teams will cheer on the survivors in attendance as they take the first lap around the Pottsgrove High School track to kick off one of the highest grossing relays in the nation.

In its 16th year, the Pottstown relay has been ranked the fifth largest relay out of the 5,100 worldwide, according to Susan Schafer, a representative with the Pottstown Relay for Life. As of Monday night, 1,966 participants have raised $352,590.62 and that number will rise because the last day to stop raising money is Aug. 31.

May 28 2013

United Way Of Greater Philadelphia & Southern New Jersey

2-1-1

2-1-1 is a free, easy-to-remember phone number that connects people with important health and human services in their communities.

Help is available by phone seven days a week from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. by dialing 2-1-1 or 866-964-7922 and 24 hours a day by visiting www.211sepa.org.

Callers can connect to:

Basic Human Needs Resources: food banks, shelters, rent assistance, utility assistance

Physical and Mental Health Resources: crisis intervention services, support groups, counseling

Employment Supports: financial assistance, job training and education programs

Support for Older Adults and Persons with Disabilities: Meals on Wheels, home health care, transportation, homemaker services

Support for Children, Youth and Families: childcare, after school programs, summer camps and recreation programs, mentoring, tutoring, protective services

Regional disaster preparation and response organizations

May 11 2013

Hospital Charges A Mystery To Many

If you need hip replacement surgery, you will face a wide range of charges here, depending on the hospital you choose.

Lancaster Regional Medical Center charged the most for major joint replacement surgery, $60,434, of the four hospitals here, according to a recent federal report on 2011 charges.

Across town, Lancaster General Hospital charged the least, $37,761, about $23,000 less than Regional.

But hang on to your crutches, patients. There’s more.

Though LGH charged the least, Medicare, the federal insurance for the elderly paid it the most of all the hospitals here, $13,400.

Confused yet? Join the club.

May 7 2013

Christie Had Secret Weight-Loss Surgery

English: , U.S. Attorney, Governor-elect of New Jersey (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Gov. Chris Christie of New Jersey, whose long struggle with obesity has been raised as a political liability, secretly underwent weight-loss surgery three months ago, according to a statement from his office on Tuesday.

The surgery, which took place on Feb. 16, involved the placement of a silicone band around his stomach to reduce its size, limiting the amount of food he can take in but not altering his digestive process.

Mr. Christie, a Republican whose weight was an issue in previous campaigns and who is widely thought to be considering a run for president, disclosed the surgery in an interview with The New York Post in which he maintained that it had nothing to do with politics. “It’s so much more important than that,” he said.

“I’ve struggled with this issue for 20 years,” he said. “For me, this is about turning 50 and looking at my children and wanting to be there for them.” His office confirmed the accuracy of the published interview but declined to provide additional details.

Apr 15 2013

Einstein Medical Center Montgomery Expanding

Location of East Norriton Township in Montgomery County (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

EAST NORRITON – It’s been barely six months since the shiny new Einstein Medical Center Montgomery debuted on the site of the old “Woody’s” golf course, and already the hospital is growing.

Expansion to the latest addition of the Einstein Healthcare Network – essentially a conversion of the west wing of the medical center’s fourth floor – came a bit sooner than anticipated, noted Beth Duffy, Chief Operating Officer of Einstein Medical Center Montgomery.

“We really thought it would happen a year or two down the road, but the early success of Einstein Medical Center Montgomery has created the need for additional patient care areas.”

Luckily, expansion opportunities were built in during the original construction, Duffy explained.

Apr 8 2013

Hazleton General Ranks First In State For Health Care Value

Hazleton General Hospital ranks first in the state in a new measure that the federal government uses to assess value in health care.

Through the Affordable Health Care Act, the federal government will increase or decrease a small percentage of Medicare payments to hospitals based on the ratings.

For the past few years, the Hospital and Healthsystem Association of Pennsylvania used federal data and formulas to let hospitals know how they compare under value-based purchasing.

“For Hazleton General Hospital, of 136 hospitals which we have data for, they ranked No. 1,” Martin Ciccocioppo, vice president of research for the hospital association, said. ”Out of the whole country … Hazleton General Hospital, in our analysis, is 23 of 2,843.”

Apr 7 2013

Hazleton Police Chief Warns Business Owners To Get Their Licenses

Downtown Hazleton, PA (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Editor’s note: Kickin’ ass and takin’ names in Hazleton! Booya!

Police Chief Frank DeAndrea is giving a warning out to businesses operating in Hazleton to have their licenses and make sure that they are in conformity to the city’s codes.

The Hazleton Police Department is going to work in unison with the city’s fire, health, code enforcement, and highway departments in a new city-wide initiative called “Operation Clean Street.”

Set to begin in a week or two, the initiative will pull all of the departments’ resources in an effort to beautify the city’s streets and crack down on delinquent businesses.

According to DeAndrea, the operation will begin at the intersection of Diamond Avenue and Wyoming Street in which the fire department will bring a truck in to hose down and wash all debris from the streets and sidewalks.

Apr 6 2013

Study: Poor Health Habits Prevalent In Northeast Pennsylvania

Counties constituting Northeastern Pennsylvania (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

A project aimed at establishing a benchmark of regional residents’ health reinforced something already known — Northeastern Pennsylvania residents, generally speaking, are not very healthy.

The study, conducted by the Scranton-based Northeast Regional Cancer Institute, was done so the effects of the Marcellus Shale industry on the region’s health can be gauged in the future.

“We wanted to create a baseline on the health of the community to use as a benchmark against future studies to see what effects, if any, and to what extent the industry will have had on the region’s health,” said Bob Durkin, president of the Cancer Institute.

Dr. Samuel Lesko, principal investigator for the survey, said a variety of issues related to “fracking” and other processes used to produce natural gas have contributed to community concerns about potential adverse health outcomes.

Mar 21 2013

Berks Slips In Annual Statewide Health Ranking

Map of Pennsylvania highlighting Berks County (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

For the first time in three years, Berks County slipped three spots in the annual health ranking of Pennsylvania’s 67 counties.

But while Berks dropped to 17th best for health outcomes, the overall health outlook for residents remained much the same.

The statistics used to determine the rankings – low birth weights, premature deaths and residents’ reports of being in fair or poor physical or mental health – were nearly identical to last year’s.

“I think overall we have a lot of work to do,” said Mary Hahn, St. Joseph Regional Health Network’s vice president of strategy and business development. ”A lot of it does start beyond the walls of hospitals and doctors offices.”

Mar 11 2013

Geisinger Tops UPMC In Pennsylvania Member Satisfaction, J.D. Power Reports

Geisinger Health Plan was tops in member satisfaction among Pennsylvania health plans with UPMC Health Plan and Central Pennsylvania’s Highmark Blue Shield not far behind, according to a report released today by J.D. Power and Associates.

Geisinger finished with 739 points out of a possible 1,000 to claim highest member satisfaction for the second year in a row.

Feb 25 2013

Mediterranean Diet Can Cut Heart Disease, Study Finds

About 30 percent of heart attacks, strokes and deaths from heart disease can be prevented in people at high risk if they switch to a Mediterranean diet rich in olive oil, nuts, beans, fish, fruits and vegetables, and even drink wine with meals, a large and rigorous new study has found.

The findings, published on The New England Journal of Medicine’s Web site on Monday, were based on the first major clinical trial to measure the diet’s effect on heart risks. The magnitude of the diet’s benefits startled experts. The study ended early, after almost five years, because the results were so clear it was considered unethical to continue.

The diet helped those following it even though they did not lose weight and most of them were already taking statins, or blood pressure or diabetes drugs to lower their heart disease risk.

“Really impressive,” said Rachel Johnson, a professor of nutrition at the University of Vermont and a spokeswoman for the American Heart Association. “And the really important thing — the coolest thing — is that they used very meaningful endpoints. They did not look at risk factors like cholesterol of hypertension or weight. They looked at heart attacks and strokes and death. At the end of the day, that is what really matters.”

Feb 12 2013

Pope’s Resignation Stuns, Surprises

English: Pope Benedict XVI during general audition (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Editor’s note: We aren’t stunned or surprised but we are impressed that Benedict realizes he isn’t up to the task of running a global church with a billion members. Color us impressed.

Shock and surprise rippled though the Berks County Catholic community Monday in the wake of the announcement by Pope Benedict XVI that he will retire Feb. 28 because of age and infirmities.

He was elected to the papacy in 2005 following the death of Pope John Paul II, the Polish pontiff noted for his extensive travel and global outreach.

The 85-year-old Benedict is the first to step down since 1415, when Pope Gregory XII left the papacy amid schism and rancor.

Feb 8 2013

Advanced Robotic Surgery Debuts At Einstein Medical Center Montgomery

Location of East Norriton Township in Montgomery County (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

EAST NORRITON – Men who choose to undergo a robotic prostatectomy for treatment of prostate cancer have a much sunnier outlook than those who have their prostates removed by traditional surgery.

Young Kwak didn’t need to read that result of a study recently published in The Journal of Urology to know he was more than happy with his own robotic experience.

As the first patient at Einstein Medical Center Montgomery in East Norriton whose operation was assisted by the daVinci Surgery Robot, the Limerick resident said his goal was to get it done and move on with his life.

“Then I wouldn’t worry about it,” said Kwak, who underwent surgery on Jan. 18. “I liked the idea of a fast recovery without a big incision. I get really bored just sitting around. When they wheeled me into the operating room everyone was very excited and cheering. I have two colleagues at work with prostate cancer. One thinks he needs to go far away for treatment. I told him he didn’t have to do that. We’ve got the best right here. The new hospital is gorgeous. It looks and feels like a hotel.”

Feb 4 2013

Reading Has Tossed 98 From Health Plan

In a move to save more than $1.3 million, the city so far this year has thrown 98 people off its self-funded health insurance policy, and plans to remove another 77 if arbitrators allow.

Carole B. Snyder, city managing director, said the total of 175 people includes 89 dependents of current city employees, nine nonpolice retirees, and 77 police retirees and/or their spouses, all of whom the city says are not eligible for city-paid insurance.

The Fraternal Order of Police has objected, and the city has agreed to wait on the police retiree purge until an arbitration panel rules. A hearing is slated for March.

Jan 18 2013

Pottstown YWCA Upcoming Events

Kids Yoga!

Chill out and focus on “YOU”! Feel good about you! Get away from all the drama and stress around you!

For ages 8 to 13. (8 week sessions for $25)

Mondays – 5:30–6:30 PM – Starts January 7^th! No Class on January 21th or February 18th

YWCA 315 King Street, Pottstown, PA

Call 610-323-1888 to register

Kids Zumba Dance!

Learn really cool moves and dance away. For ages 8 to 13 (8 week sessions for $25)

Wednesdays – 5:30-6:30 PM – Starts January 9th!

YWCA 315 King Street, Pottstown, PA

Call 610-323-1888 to register

Jan 11 2013

Pennsylania Health Department: Flu ‘Widespread’ In State

STATE COLLEGE — Flu cases are mounting in Pennsylvania, and 22 deaths have been attributed to the illness, state health officials said.

The number of cases could continue to spike because the flu season typically doesn’t peak for at least another couple weeks.

The Pennsylvania Department of Health designated flu as now “widespread” throughout the commonwealth. There have been more than 11,000 laboratory-confirmed flu cases in the state since the flu season began in mid-December, with nearly 4,300 of those reported last week alone.

The Health Department’s flu-tracking website (www.flufreepa.com) said “widespread” is the highest category for tracking the virus. That means there have been outbreaks or increases in flu-like or “laboratory-confirmed influenza in at least half the regions of the state with recent laboratory evidence of influenza in the state.”

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