Healthcare Quality Week, sponsored by  the National Association for Healthcare Quality, starts October 17th. HQW recognizes the contributions professionals have made to improve quality of care and raise awareness of quality issues. The focus on healthcare quality and patient safety…

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month  – an annual campaign to raise awareness about the early detection and treatment of breast cancer. It is also a time to encourage women diagnosed with breast cancer and remember those who lost…

Welcome to another edition of Weekend Reading!  October is packed full of important national health awareness campaigns – many of which will be covered in upcoming Weekend Reading series. This month’s national health awareness campaigns include health literacy, breast…

Summer is officially over as the fall season began on September 22nd. In many parts of the country, temperatures will gradually decline, and leaves will fall from trees. Will COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations and deaths follow suit and decline? The COVID-19…

September is recognized as National Suicide Prevention Month; the month that shines a spotlight on a topic not often talked about. While many suggested that the COVID-19 pandemic and quarantine restrictions would lead to an…

Tomorrow marks the 20th anniversary of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on New York and the Pentagon. Most people can remember when they learned of the attacks on New York and the Pentagon and their reactions. So many stories of…

The Labor Day holiday gives many a three-day weekend and time to spend relaxing as summer unofficially ends. The idea of Labor Day emerged in the late 19th century when labor activists pushed for a federal holiday to recognize…

For decades, medical professionals, behavioral economists, psychologists and other thought leaders have looked for the “secret sauce” that will move people towards a healthier life. Are people motivated by a financial incentive to make lifestyle changes, such as quitting smoking,…

Today is Groundhog Day, as in the 1993 movie starring Bill Murray. The movie is about Phil, a weatherman, who is once again sent by his company to Punxsutawney, PA to report on the famous groundhog, Punxsutawney on Groundhog…

Welcome to another edition of Weekend Reading! August is National Immunization Awareness Month (NIAM), an annual observance that highlights the importance of vaccination for people of all ages. It’s a good time to check that children are up to date…

Some days it feels that the changing CDC COVID-19 mask and other guidance is like an Olympic gymnast twisting above the uneven bars or tumbling during floor exercises. Or maybe the CDC is experiencing twisties. If you are not familiar…

The days of declining COVID-19 cases and deaths are unfortunately behind us. COVID-19 cases and deaths are once again increasing week over week as the Delta variant takes a foothold in the U.S. No, it’s not the failure of the…

The unprecedented heat wave that began around June 26 broke numerous all-time temperature records in the Pacific Northwest and western Canada. The heatwave resulted in nearly 200 deaths in Oregon and Washington state. High temperatures, possibly record breaking, are forecasted…

July 4th – a time to celebrate the birth of the U.S. with the  Founder’s adoption of the Declaration of Independence. It’s an opportunity to spend time with family and friends that will be remembered for years to come.…

In the summer of  1987, the American rock band Starship released its second album, No Protection. Starship is not to be confused with Jefferson Starship, although the band did start as a continuation of Jefferson Starship, but changes in direction and…

Thursday was a landmark day for our country. The U.S. Supreme Court Supreme Court ruled 7-2 against Texas and other states seeking to strike down the Affordable Care Act (ACA). The Court found that none of the plaintiffs suffered…

June is men’s health month – a time to remind yourself or the men in your life to get the recommended health screenings and embrace a healthy lifestyle.  A few fast facts: Only 3 out of 5 men get…

June has started off with some positive COVID-19 metrics. U.S. COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations and deaths continue to decline thanks to the number of vaccine shots in arms. Vaccination rates continue to grow, but at a slower rate and…

May is nearly in the books as we head into the three-day Memorial Day weekend. Memorial Day 2021 is sure to be far closer to normal than 2020 – thanks to the highly effective COVID-19 vaccines and millions…

As in Bob Dylan’s song, The Times They Are A Changing, times are changing for the better – and hopefully the positive progress on COVID-19 in the US will continue! The seven-day average of daily new coronavirus infections in the US…

This week the U.S. saw many positive developments in its fight against COVID-19. The Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine  was approved for children ages 12 to 15. For the approximately 17 million children in this age group, vaccination is a significant step towards returning to…