1) Protein-Rich Breakfasts Prevent Unhealthy Snacking in the Evening, Study Finds (source: ScienceDaily)

“Breakfast might be the most important meal of the day, but up to 60 percent of American young people consistently skip it. Now, Heather Leidy, an assistant professor in the Department of Nutrition and Exercise Physiology, says eating a breakfast rich in protein significantly improves appetite control and reduces unhealthy snacking on high-fat or high-sugar foods in the evening, which could help improve the diets of more than 25 million overweight or obese young adults in the U.S.”

2) How Healthy is Your County? County Health Rankings 2013 (source: RWJF)

“How healthy is your county? Answers are out today in the 2013 County Health Rankings, which examine the health and well-being of people living in nearly every county in the United States and show that how long and well people live depends on multiple factors beyond just their access to medical care. The Rankings allow counties to see what’s making residents sick or healthy and how they compare to other counties in the same state. The County Health Rankings, now in its fourth year, is a joint project of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) and the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute.”

3) The Affordable Care Act: Three Years Post-Enactment (source: Kaiser Family Foundation)

“On March 23, 2010, the Affordable Care Act (ACA) was signed into law. Although the date for full implementation of most provisions of the law is January 1, 2014, the ACA has already led to progress toward expanded coverage of the uninsured; improved access and better care delivery models; broader access to community-based long-term care; and more integrated care and financing for beneficiaries who are dually eligible for Medicare and Medicaid.”

I reviewed Michael Porter’s book back in 2009. I decided to repost the review as the points made in his book still hold true during this years health care debate. Enjoy!

Redefining Health Care Creating Value-Based Competition on Results

Review By: Ali Al-Rajhi, Editor of the Public Health Bugle

Authors: Michael E. Porter , Elizabeth O. Teisberg

Publisher: Harvard Business School Press

In Redefining Health Care, the authorsMichael Porter – an “internationally renowned strategy expert – and Elizabeth Teisberg – an “innovation expert”- present the underlying issues with the U.S. health care system.The authors’ argue that the health care industry focuses more towards reducing costs (e.g., cost-shifting, eliminating services, capitation, accumulate bargaining power) when their focus should be on creating value for patients. This in large is related to the style of competition known as Zero-Sum competition, which is a ‘win-lose’ approach to health care. The authors suggest an industrial move towards Positive-Sum Competition or ‘Value-Based Competition’ founded on one priority – patient value.

The data presented is very detailed and supportive of the authors’ arguments; however, the information, at times, becomes redundant leaving the reader wondering if the authors could make the same point with less examples. The book starts by addressing the scope of the U.S. health care problem, its root causes and where it went wrong. Then it defines the principles of a Value-Based Competition and how such a strategy can be applied to providers, health plans, suppliers, consumers, employers and the implications for the U.S. government.

Implicating a Value-Based Health System is not a farfetched idea; take the Japanese health-care system for example. Based on the requirement that all citizens are required to have health insurance, the Ministry of Health negotiates with physicians to set prices for every procedure, which keeps costs down. Therefore, health care providers (e.g., hospitals, doctors, etc) have no control over what they charge patients. To attract patients and stay in business, providers compete on one factor – the quality of care received. If patients are not satisfied with the doctor’s practice, then they can easily go to another. Interestingly, the providers can face bankruptcy – not the patient like her in the U.S. – if they don’t maintain a certain number of patients.

Overall with the amount of data provided, the book details the issues with the U.S. health care system. It’s apparent that health care reform is a must and should be achieved with the patient’s interest in mind and not that of the industry.

These three articles are significant to me as they are relevant to events that have happened to me in the past week. The first article is due to my recent visit to the dentist…I was curious about the effects of eating late night, as I tend to do. Dentists seem very against it for the reasons mentioned in the article. The second article came about after I read a research paper that found an association with higher levels “food insecurities” in low-SES families whose mother experienced mental health problems – depression being a significant contributor. Therefore, the authors suggested that research is needed to assess whether “interventions that address women’s mental health symptoms can help to reduce the burden of food insecurity and its consequences on families” (Melchior et al., 2009). I agree, as interventions that focus on improving family nutrition emphasis education too much – which is not a bad thing. However, education should derive from understanding root problems or barriers (e.g., mental health barriers). Lastly, the third article expresses a concern that I have when I shop at a health food store or supplement store like GNC. It’s either hit or miss when it comes to getting recommendations from employees…so I just tend to ask a nutritionist or look up information on-line.

Original Post

(source: Medical News Today)

Low levels of vitamin D are associated with lower lung function and greater medication use in children with asthma, according to researchers at National Jewish Health. In a paper published online in the Journal of Allergy & Clinical Immunology, Daniel Searing, MD, and his colleagues also reported that vitamin D enhances the activity of corticosteroids, the most effective controller medication for asthma.