GBI Special Agent Trebor Randle remembers a particularly tough day that she had early last month. The Labor Day weekend was over, and there were three babies in the morgue requiring autopsies. When an infant dies, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation steps in with a forensic investigation. That includes an autopsy and a medical report,…
Joe Drogan’s polio story began at a very early age. So early, in fact, that he doesn’t even remember the moment. He was 10 months old. “My first recollections of being somehow different from the other kids didn’t begin until a good bit later,” he said. Drogan does remember the twice-a-year visits to a Shriners…
Michael Varga was working in the U.S. Consulate in Toronto in the 1990s when his doctor told him that he was very ill. What she said was particularly ominous because Varga had previously been diagnosed with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. “Your disease is very advanced, and your fatigue is only the tip of…
In a development that was years in the making, mandatory “continuing competency” tracking is beginning this week for Georgia’s more than 9,000 registered nurses. The new system has long been discussed and even now continues to be debated. Before the new law took effect, RN renewal was a matter of filing a timely request every two…
Sara Hewitt Kupelian is not your typical medical-surgical nurse. What makes her stand out is that she is also a licensed acupuncturist. “Learning Chinese medicine and acupuncture takes real dedication and devotion,” says Kupelian, a registered nurse for 23 years. She estimates that she logged about 10,000 hours in class and studied for more than…
From flashlights to tai chi to rewards programs, health care providers are using various strategies to prevent falls by patients. Falling is a dangerous — and very expensive — problem. Its direct medical costs are in the billions nationwide, more than $34 billion, according to recent reports. The total national cost of fall injuries is expected to soar to $59.6…
Georgia has lower rates of heavy drinking and binge drinking than the national average, a recently released study found. The study, published last month in the American Journal of Public Health, found that just 6.9 percent of Georgians are heavy drinkers, versus a national rate of 8.2 percent. Heavy alcohol drinking is defined as exceeding an…
A recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling about teeth-whitening services may have long-term implications for health care professionals and their practices across the country. The dispute involves the right of dental hygienists to perform such services in North Carolina. The Federal Trade Commission brought a major anti-competition case on the matter. The high court did not settle the case, but rejected…
IBM’s Watson computer technology made headlines with a victory over human contestants on the game show “Jeopardy!” in 2011. Now the artificial intelligence computer system is winning over scientists with its other potential applications, including health care. “Physicians cannot possibly read every journal to stay current with the latest advances,” says Ashok Goel, a professor…
Dikembe Mutombo was an eight-time NBA All-Star renowned for his defense and shot-blocking skills — and for his wit and sense of humor. Some people who don’t even follow sports recognize the basketball star from his lighthearted appearances on TV. But few know that the 7-foot-2 Mutombo, who at one time played for the Atlanta…