The Care Digest

New Prosthetic and Rehab Center for Kids Opens in Haiti

2011-03-17T12:21:00.013-05:00

According to the article, this
new program and state of the art facility offers prosthetic limbs and rehabilitation to every child injured in the earthquake in January 2010. Read the full story here.

Irish Teen's Incredible Recovery

2011-03-10T16:25:00.003-06:00

At 15 years old, Ryan Cinnamond is not the average soccer player. In fact, he is thrilled to just be walking. Faced with a only 10% chance of survival after a brain aneurysm only 15 months ago, doctors performed life saving surgery resulting in bilateral amputations above the knee. Check his story from utv news in Belfast, Ireland.

Accomplished Amputee Inspires Students

2011-03-07T15:37:00.006-06:00

Sarah Reinerstein, the first female amputee to complete the Ironman Triathlon, talks to young athletes. Read the story here!

I lost my leg – now I'm writing a comedy about it | Life and style | The Guardian

2010-08-04T10:51:00.000-05:00

I lost my leg – now I'm writing a comedy about it | Life and style | The Guardian

New prosthesis can benefit users

2010-08-03T09:09:00.001-05:00

New prosthesis can benefit users
BY PAIGE VARNER pvarner@post-dispatch.com > 314-340-8018 | Posted: Wednesday, July 28, 2010 1:00 am

Pet Prosthetics: Bionic Devices Let Injured Animals Roam Again | Insights for Human Prosthetic Limbs and Orthotic Braces | TechNewsDaily

2010-07-21T09:28:00.001-05:00

Pet Prosthetics: Bionic Devices Let Injured Animals Roam Again | Insights for Human Prosthetic Limbs and Orthotic Braces | TechNewsDaily

The Associated Press: Man who tried self-amputation thought of MacGyver

2010-06-16T09:26:00.000-05:00

The Associated Press: Man who tried self-amputation thought of MacGyver

Patient Testimonial: Dan Luitjohan

2010-05-06T10:46:00.003-05:00

"Dan has worked hard to get me a good fit.

"Dan is a very professional person and also a very caring, concerned individual. I have never seen anyone be so thorough in getting everything just right for me. Dan is indeed a number one, top of the line asset to your company. We need more people in the world like Dan to look after newly handicapped people who are very unaware of all the ups and downs we now incur.

"Thanks a million.

"Thank God for Dan and P & O Care!"

Leg amputation can't keep Florida junior off the mound - MaxPreps News

2010-04-28T09:23:00.002-05:00

Leg amputation can't keep Florida junior off the mound - MaxPreps News

Posted using ShareThis

Ode To The Prosthetic Leg « Forbes.com's The Science Business

2010-04-28T08:55:00.002-05:00

Ode To The Prosthetic Leg « Forbes.com's The Science Business

Posted using ShareThis

BBC News - Bionic hand lifts business award

2010-04-22T09:02:00.002-05:00

BBC News - Bionic hand lifts business award

Posted using ShareThis

Some More Survey Comments

2010-04-15T14:41:00.003-05:00

• Very good. Very comfortable with his patients. He doesn’t get impatient with concerns. (12/11/09)
• Daniel was very helpful and understanding. (2/10/2010)
• I feel very confident that my prosthesis will work well. (2/17/10)
• Very pleasant and easy to work with. (2/18/10)
• Dan, thank you for the consultation on my dad. You are the first person in a while to offer solutions. Maybe we’ll be working with you more soon. (2/25/10)
• Excellent service and correction of prosthesis—perfect workmanship. (3/10/10)
• Dan was courteous and helped me so much. He came to my house to check on me every week. (3/18/10)
• Like being able to have someone to make adjustments if necessary and not know who I will be seeing for this shoe. (4/01/10)
• I thought this service was very good. [Emery] was very very good. (4/13/2010)

Nettie Ward, Shoulder Disarticulation

2010-04-08T13:12:00.001-05:00

The year was 1964, and Nettie Ward was working as a nurse at Homer G. Phillips Hospital in North St. Louis City when a patient suddenly grabbed her and practically ripped her arm off. Pulled badly out of the socket at the shoulder, Nettie’s right arm barely hung on, but the doctor who first treated her did nothing but pop it back in and ace wrap it. Over the next few painful days, Nettie lost sensation in her arm. An X-Ray revealed terrible damage, so doctors decided to put her arm and shoulder in a large, cumbersome cast. As things turned out, Nettie was in and out of casts for 18 months before she finally asked doctors at Barnes Hospital just to take the arm off. By that time, she was right; it was the only thing they could do. So, Nettie underwent shoulder disarticulation surgery and began her new life as an amputee.

Fast forward about forty-five years. Nettie is 77 years old and just as strong and vibrant as she ever was. Her four children have given her 12 grandchildren, whom she loves to talk about. Though right-handed, Nettie has surprised even herself by learning to use her left hand for just about everything. She still works at the Scottrade Center and the America Center in downtown St. Louis. Now, things have come to the point where she needs a new prosthesis on the right side, and so she is checking out a new group of prosthetists—new for her—at P&O Care in Fairview Heights, IL.

Nettie likes working with Jon Wilson, Dan Luitjohan, and Luke Brewer because “They told me things I never knew.” Simply by taking the time to explain everything to her, they have won Nettie’s respect. This is also the first time Nettie has been tested for her ability to use myoelectric sensors so her muscles can operate her prosthetic hand. It takes a few patient hours of testing, but her prosthetists identify several sites she can use. After taking a full-body cast, Jon and Dan and Luke fashion a prosthetic arm for Nettie that fits over her shoulder, comes down her right side, and straps around her body. The myoelectric sensors control the hand opening and closing, and a small cable between her shoulder blades called a “linear transducer” makes the elbow come up and down.

All through the casting, the testing, and then the final fitting, Nettie is a champ. She’s quick to learn how to operate her arm and hand, while her positive attitude radiates around the room. Her next steps take her through the process of practicing everyday tasks; Nettie is excited she’ll now be able to hold a gallon of milk in her new right hand.

The Man With Half a Body - ABC News

2010-04-06T09:03:00.002-05:00

The Man With Half a Body - ABC News

Posted using ShareThis

SSM St. Mary’s Health Center starts $7M overhaul - St. Louis Business Journal:

2010-03-30T15:41:00.001-05:00

SSM St. Mary’s Health Center starts $7M overhaul - St. Louis Business Journal:

Posted using ShareThis

US Paralympic Team Finishes Strong

2010-03-30T09:38:00.003-05:00

US Paralympic Team Finishes Strong

Posted using ShareThis

Sisters of Mercy cutting 514 jobs in restructuring - St. Louis Business Journal:

2010-03-30T09:38:00.001-05:00

Sisters of Mercy cutting 514 jobs in restructuring - St. Louis Business Journal:

Posted using ShareThis

N.J. 14-year-old boy born with one arm, no legs learns to walk with prosthetics | NJ.com

2010-03-23T09:32:00.002-05:00

N.J. 14-year-old boy born with one arm, no legs learns to walk with prosthetics | NJ.com

Posted using ShareThis

MediaGlobal: Low-cost prosthetics provide hope to amputees in developing countries of a return to daily activities

2010-03-17T15:24:00.002-05:00

MediaGlobal: Low-cost prosthetics provide hope to amputees in developing countries of a return to daily activities

Posted using ShareThis

St. Clare To Mark Its First Year With Community Open House

2010-03-17T15:12:00.001-05:00

St. Clare To Mark Its First Year With Community Open House

Posted using ShareThis

www.facebook.com/PandOcare

2010-03-09T09:31:00.004-06:00

We now have a unique user name for our Facebook page, so you can find us easily at http://www.facebook.com/PandOcare. Check us out, become a fan, and connect to other fans of P&O Care.

Tom Metheney, Certified Orthotic Technician

2010-02-24T13:48:00.001-06:00

Tom Metheney began working for P&O Care shortly after the company opened in 2002, and since then he has become our lead orthotic technician. Last year, Tom became an ABC Certified Orthotic Technician, an achievement he found both challenging and deeply gratifying. Known for being an incredibly hard worker, Tom will often come to the lab early in the morning to finish a brace before an orthotist fits it on a patient later in the day.

Tom says his favorite thing about working in orthotics is doing it for P&O Care: “Whether you’re sweeping floors or running the company, everyone’s treated like an equal around here.” The hardest thing about orthotics, he says, is customizing everything for the needs of all the different orthotists he works for. Still, it’s rewarding because “we help people everyday,” Metheney explains. In his free time, Tom enjoys hunting, fishing, and shooting. He is married to Ticia, his wife of 18 years, and together they have two daughters.

New stem cell procedure helps Hastings woman regain use of leg, beat peripheral arterial disease | - MLive.com

2010-02-23T15:42:00.001-06:00

New stem cell procedure helps Hastings woman regain use of leg, beat peripheral arterial disease | - MLive.com

Posted using ShareThis

Amputee Social Network | Less Than Four.org > Josh > Blog > Avatar: Offensive to amputees?

2010-02-10T10:27:00.003-06:00

Amputee Social Network | Less Than Four.org > Josh > Blog > Avatar: Offensive to amputees?

Posted using ShareThis

New amputees worry about life ahead - USATODAY.com

2010-02-09T15:28:00.002-06:00

New amputees worry about life ahead - USATODAY.com

Posted using ShareThis

i-Limb Hand Wearer Makes Special Visit

2010-01-19T14:48:00.004-06:00

John Carpenter of Touch Bionics made a special visit to St. Louis Tuesday, January 5, 2010. He came to see a new below-elbow amputee who was being fit by P&O Care's Clinical Director Jon Wilson. He fit her with an i-Limb Hand, her first time ever with a prosthesis. John Carpenter told her, "I was born without my left hand, so I have no idea what you're going through having lost yours; but I can tell you that you're going to be okay."

You see, John also wears an i-Limb Hand and says it beats the heck out of the myoelectric hands he used to wear. For example, with this hand, he can position it with the palm completely flat, so he can hold a book to read, something he could never do before. John likes to visit new i-Limb Hand wearers so he can encourage them and show them the different grip patterns they can then use to pick up small objects, hold a key, or type on a phone or keyboard (or give someone the finger).

This is the first time P&O Care has fit someone with an i-Limb hand because the cost is so astronomical. Private insurance and Medicare won't pay for it; the only way we got this one paid for was through workers compensation insurance. This is also the first time the smaller or low-profile version of the i-Limb Hand has been fit on anyone in the entire St. Louis Metro area.

i-Limb Hand: Artificial Hand a Life Changer

2010-01-19T10:25:00.001-06:00

We at P&O Care just fit our first i-Limb Hand. Here is a video from Touch Bionics describing how it can change someone's life.

Meningitis survivor fights to make college campuses safer | kvue.com | Health News

2010-01-14T09:26:00.002-06:00

Meningitis survivor fights to make college campuses safer | kvue.com | Health News

Check out this great story and video about a college student who helped get a law passed requiring everyone going into on-campus housing to get a meningitis vaccine.

Posted using ShareThis

Device Helps Adjust Artificial Legs for More Natural Walking Gait

2009-12-30T09:24:00.002-06:00

Device Helps Adjust Artificial Legs for More Natural Walking Gait

Posted using ShareThis

Bionic Fingers Point to Future of Digit Replacement - ABC News

2009-12-16T15:53:00.001-06:00

Bionic Fingers Point to Future of Digit Replacement - ABC News

Posted using ShareThis

A Step Beyond Human - Forbes.com

2009-12-01T09:37:00.002-06:00

A Step Beyond Human - Forbes.com

Posted using ShareThis

Prosthetics Gave Pistorius an Unfair Edge, a New Report Asserts - NYTimes.com

2009-11-24T11:17:00.001-06:00

Prosthetics Gave Pistorius an Unfair Edge, a New Report Asserts - NYTimes.com

Posted using ShareThis

Indonesia teen who amputated his leg recalls earthquake ordeal -- latimes.com

2009-11-12T14:55:00.001-06:00

Indonesia teen who amputated his leg recalls earthquake ordeal -- latimes.com

Posted using ShareThis

Another study weighs in on amputee runners | Los Angeles Times

2009-11-10T15:28:00.003-06:00

Another study weighs in on amputee runners | Los Angeles Times

Posted using ShareThis

Doctors at KU Hospital perform unique surgery on 19-year-old with bone cancer / LJWorld.com

2009-11-04T15:30:00.002-06:00

Doctors at KU Hospital perform unique surgery on 19-year-old with bone cancer / LJWorld.com

Surgeons and other medical professionals gather around the operating table Tuesday at Kansas University Hospital in Kansas City, Kan., during a surgery on a 19-year-old man who had bone cancer. The 10-hour operation involved amputating the man’s left arm, shoulder blade and collarbone. What makes the surgery unique is that it saved six nerves, which will enable greater use of a prosthesis.

Posted using ShareThis

My Elevator Speech

2009-10-08T10:01:00.004-05:00

P&O Care is a prosthetic and orthotic practice in St. Louis. We help people achieve their highest when they are at their lowest. Our mission is to improve people's quality of life by making them feel good in their limb or brace.

Perry athlete dives into challenge over overcoming loss of leg

2009-10-06T09:19:00.002-05:00

Perry athlete dives into challenge over overcoming loss of leg

Posted using ShareThis

101st 1 2 3 CURAHEE

2009-09-03T13:43:00.001-05:00

Soldier wakes up after traumatic injury to the sound of Curahee the 101st Airborne's signature shout.

More Survey Comments

2009-09-01T10:54:00.000-05:00

• John was very professional and made things dear to me. Thanks! (2/14/07)
• Amy and John Lartonoix were very patient and helpful. (1/29/07)
• I couldn’t have been more satisfied with the service. Thank you. (9/31/08)
• I am very satisfied and pleased with Dan and the office staff. Thank you! (3/23/09)
• Always the very best people and best care—thank you! (11/26/08)
• Very professional, always pleasant, always willing to go the extra mile. (2/18/09)
• Have helped whenever I need anything at any time! I make it a point to refer anyone. (8/21/09)
• Outstanding service—Thanks!!
• Dan is a very caring man and worked hard to accommodate me. (2/27/09)
• They always answered questions courteously. (2/11/09)
• So far I have been very impressed with staff, service, and prosthesis, etc. (1/21/09)
• Everyone here is always nice and makes me feel welcome. (1/9/09)
• Dan and Maggie are awesome and a huge help. (6/2/08)
• We couldn’t ask for better service. Thank you. (7/4/08)
• They went out of their way to fit me into the schedule so I did not have to wait longer. (8/28/08)
• Excellent service!! (8/12/08)
• Great service in all regards. I appreciate the professionalism of all personnel at the clinic. Luke did a superb job. (5/28/08)
• Very fast appointment made within 30 min of referral being entered!! (5/23/08)
• I actually messed up appointment and came a day early, and they saw me that day. (5/21/08)
• Jon has always treated me with encouragement, kindness, and professionalism. (3/28/08)
• Very pleased. Appreciated the extreme patience and understanding. (3/25/08)
• I was extremely pleased with my visit to P&O Care. In fact, no one could ask for better. Totally professional, courteous and genuinely helpful. John is a great care provider and a true professional.
• John went out of his way to make sure that my brace was comfortable and helped my need. Thanks. (1/31/2008)
• P&O Care is great! The staff is excellent and went out of their way to accommodate my needs!!! (12/5/2007)
• Your staff was courteous. The receptionist worked me into an open appointment for my first visit the same day as the referral was issued—very helpful and very fast.
• Very helpful. Explained clearly all functions of the braces. (5/4/07)
• Jon has exceeded his responsibility in helping me—He is indeed dedicated to helping his patients as much as possible. (2/18/2007)
• The entire experience, beginning from initial assessment to final fitting, has been pleasant and rewarding. Tremendously appreciate the quality care provided!

Survey Comments

2009-08-27T16:29:00.002-05:00

[Shawn] was very kind and listened to all my questions, and explained in detail to my satisfaction. Never acted as though he had other things to do. (7/25/09)
Very very courteous and made sure everything fit and felt right—Super Guy! (7/24/09)
Manuel Rivera was a very dedicated, caring person. (7/15/09)
Office workers were very friendly and everybody was very helpful. (7/6/09)
[Shawn] gives good service and is very conscious with service—asset to the company. (5/6/09)
Shawn was very supportive, patient, and answered all questions. He is a wonderful person. (4/9/09)
Shawn is a very understanding and caring person—very professional. (4/7/09)
Everyone was very nice and helpful. Thank you. (4/6/09)
Thank God I found someone who cares about what they are doing!!!! (3/20/09)
Everyone here is very nice. I never have any problem. That is why I came back. (3/4/09)
[Shawn] was very polite and courteous and went out of his way to help with old shoes. It worked very well. (2/18/09)
This office is fabulous and very courteous and extremely friendly. Thanks so much. (6/23/09)
Manny was on time and very courteous, and know his business. (1/23/09)
Everyone was wonderful and very polite and helpful. Thanks. (1/23/09)
Very good experience. (12/11/2008)
I was very impressed with John and how quickly the turn around time was on the braces. (11/4/2008)
Greg Doerr and his team always provide great service. (11/24/08)
Your office staff is very friendly and helpful. Shawn was extremely helpful and went beyond normal requirements to be sure the AFO fit properly. His work ethic was the reason I returned to your company for my second AFO. (10/31/08)
Greg is a nice guy, and Larry—thank you. (10/30/08)
Very satisfactory. (10/23/08)
I’m well pleased with Dan and the work he did with me. (7/8/08)
We appreciate Dan’s competence, patience, and compassion! (9/29/2008)
Greg is awesome!! And also the entire team at Fairview Heights P&O! (9/7/08)
You guys are awesome. No problems so far and get to do a little more fishing now. Thanks. (8/17/08)
Office personnel were all polite, friendly, and professional. (8/1/08)
Dennis is wonderful and very accommodating to our needs. [Patient] is very comfortable with Dennis. We think he is the best. (7/26/08)
Gregory M. Doerr CP is the best; he is really wonderful.
Your staff at P&O are fabo. Everyone I met is outstanding. They have made this terrible tragedy bearable. Thank you so very much. (6/2/08)
I am very pleased with the work Mr. Doerr has done for me. (5/30/08)
All of your people are always courteous and professional; a true pleasure to work with them. (5/16/08)
Manny is awesome. He adds a personal component to his work that is rare but vital. (5/15/08)
Greg is awesome!
Everyone treated me great, and I really like P&O Care. (5/9/2008)
In the 36 years I have been an amputee, John Wilson is the best prosthetist I have known. (12/19/07)
You have wonderful people working at this location. Most of the other Medicare facilities could learn from your people. (7/14/08)
Leg feels great! (2/8/08)
My practitioner is a very courteous and great person. Thank you and him very much. (1/28/08)
I’m in a position where I can’t visit the office. So Manny comes to me. Thanks Manny! (1/21/08)
Wonderful people to work with—so happy to get started. (1/2/08)
It was a hard time for me but my practitioner [Manny] made it tolerable for me. (7/18/07)
My wife was treated as if she was family, and I can’t say enough how good she felt. (5/8/07)
Dan is the best. He has been there with me from Day one. He does a great job. (4/5/07)
Manny is great—couldn’t be happier with everything—he helped me to walk again—I’ll never forget that. (4/23/07)

Practitioner Profile: Dustin Brooks, Staff Orthotist

2009-08-24T08:00:00.001-05:00

After Dustin Brooks served a tour of duty in Iraq with the Army in 2003 and 2004, he came back home to study biology at the University of Missouri St. Louis, where he graduated magna cum laude in 2007. Then, he went on to earn a Master of Science in Prosthetics and Orthotics at Georgia Tech in May 2009. While in Georgia, Dustin also worked for the Prosthetic and Orthotic Componentry Clearinghouse, an organization which sends prosthetic parts like feet and knees to places like Cambodia and Sudan. Dustin is currently working on his NCOPE orthotic residency, a one-year program with P&O Care, after which he will take his board exams to become an ABC Certified Orthotist.

Practitioner Profile: Emery Miko, ABC Certified Orthotist

2009-08-21T08:00:00.001-05:00

Emery Miko was born and raised in the Pittsburgh, PA, area. He began doing orthotics at age 12 helping his father who had a one man practice in the aftermath of the Polio Epidemic. He served 8 years in the U.S.A.F., and upon leaving the military he became certified in orthotics in 1965. He then taught a technician training program at Delgado Junior College in 1971 and 1972, before helping to write the curriculum for the associate degree program in 1973. Emery next went into private practice until 1987, when he joined the team at Shriners Hospital St. Louis, becoming the Orthotics and Prosthetics Department Director in 1989 until 2009. “I loved working at Shriners,” Miko says, “because children are such a joy to work with; they do not think they can’t do this or that. I got to watch them grow into young adults, and I felt like I had affected their lives for the better as they had affected mine.” Now, one more move in Emery Miko’s illustrious career brings him to join the P&O Care Team, where we are grateful for his wealth of experience and friendly demeanor.

Practitioner Profile: Daniel Record, ABC Certified Prosthetist

2009-08-20T08:00:00.002-05:00

Daniel Record grew up south of St. Louis near Cape Girardeau, MO. He graduated with academic distinction from Southeast Missouri State in 1994 with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and Interdisciplinary Studies and later completed his Pre Med degree in 1996. Later, Daniel received his Diplomat of Prosthetics from Century College in 2001 and became an ABC Certified Prosthetist in 2003. Prior to joining P&O Care, Daniel was a Regional Director for Physiotherapy Associates in Paducah, Kentucky. He is an expert in the M.A.S. socket design system, the C-Leg, Rheo Knee, and Harmony Vacuum Management Socket system. Daniel’s hobbies include camping, target shooting, and auto restoration. Daniel will be staffing P&O Care's Jefferson County Care Center located in Festus, MO across from Jefferson Memorial Medical Center.

Practitioner Profile: Luke Brewer, Staff Orthotist

2009-08-19T13:51:00.004-05:00

Luke Brewer has been working with P&O Care on and off since he was an intern during his summers in college at Missouri State. “I first became interested in the orthotic and prosthetic profession,” Brewer says, “in high school following a motor vehicle accident in which I suffered a serious spine injury requiring orthotic management.” Luke earned his orthotics degree from Northwestern Medical School in Chicago in March 2008 and got his prosthetics degree in June 2009. Now he's back in St. Louis finishing his orthotic residency, which he completes in September 2009, and then he begins his prosthetics residency in October. Brewer says he most enjoys “interacting with people to develop a greater understanding of their unique needs and working to find solutions that meet their goals and allow them to maintain a higher quality of life.” Besides spending time with family and friends, Luke enjoys sports, golf, running, and being active in the outdoors; and of course, he loves studying prosthetics and orthotics!

Camp for amputees has no limits | ksdk.com | St. Louis, MO

2009-07-28T11:08:00.002-05:00

Camp for amputees has no limits | ksdk.com | St. Louis, MO

Check out this story and video about a local St. Louis camp for amputees that one of our patients attended.

Posted using ShareThis

Crippled elephant walks again thanks to false foot - Telegraph

2009-07-28T10:27:00.002-05:00

Crippled elephant walks again thanks to false foot - Telegraph

Posted using ShareThis

Toddler takes first steps with new prosthetic limbs - Telegraph

2009-07-28T10:19:00.002-05:00

Toddler takes first steps with new prosthetic limbs - Telegraph

Posted using ShareThis

Prosthetic and Orthotic Care on Facebook

2009-07-23T14:57:00.000-05:00

Prosthetic and Orthotic Care on Facebook

Brain Creates Neural Maps for Prosthetics - Future, more advanced implants will be easier to maneuver - Softpedia

2009-07-23T14:45:00.002-05:00

Brain Creates Neural Maps for Prosthetics - Future, more advanced implants will be easier to maneuver - Softpedia

Posted using ShareThis

Soldier injured in Iraq turns to golf as he recuperates | Golf | projo.com | The Providence Journal

2009-07-21T09:51:00.001-05:00

Soldier injured in Iraq turns to golf as he recuperates | Golf | projo.com | The Providence Journal

Posted using ShareThis

Tech Face of Everest : Discovery Tech : Discovery Channel

2009-07-16T15:59:00.002-05:00

Tech Face of Everest : Discovery Tech : Discovery Channel

Mark discusses the need for dramatic breakthroughs in socket design to make amputees more comfortable.

Mark Inglis is winemaker, mountaineer, paralympic medalist, motivator and author, and the only double amputee to have summited Mount Everest.

Posted using ShareThis

Governor Jay Nixon has Signed MO Prosthetic Parity Legislation HB 577

2009-07-14T13:23:00.002-05:00

Governor Jay Nixon has Signed MO Prosthetic Parity Legislation HB 577

The bill was signed Monday, July 13, 2009.

Posted using ShareThis

Icelandic limbs to Chinese quake victims | IceNews - Daily News

2009-07-07T15:42:00.001-05:00

Icelandic limbs to Chinese quake victims | IceNews - Daily News

Posted using ShareThis

Nerve surgery benefits diabetics with neuropathy - STLtoday.com

2009-06-24T15:50:00.001-05:00

Nerve surgery benefits diabetics with neuropathy - STLtoday.com

Posted using ShareThis

Patients Elect for a Better Life

2009-06-16T09:23:00.002-05:00

Patients Elect for a Better Life

A story about elective amputation.

Posted using ShareThis

Technical advances help erase stigma of prosthetics

2009-06-09T09:03:00.002-05:00

Technical advances help erase stigma of prosthetics

"It's a funny thing when you cross the line from being cute to people to almost being a threat," Mullins says, chuckling. "People once viewed the physically disabled as cute, and to be pitied. So yes, the technology has changed attitudes. I think we're at the beginning of the end of that period when people who are missing natural limbs or have some other physical issue are automatically considered disabled. I'm certainly seeing less of that kind of attitude."

Posted using ShareThis

Cholesterol drug cuts amputation risk for diabetics | Health | Reuters

2009-05-26T09:01:00.001-05:00

Cholesterol drug cuts amputation risk for diabetics | Health | Reuters

Posted using ShareThis

The Associated Press: Pistorius returns with 2 victories

2009-05-26T08:49:00.001-05:00

The Associated Press: Pistorius returns with 2 victories

Posted using ShareThis

Prosthetic Parity Passes MO General Assembly!

2009-05-18T09:44:00.000-05:00

Prosthetic parity legislation passed the MO Senate Friday with ten minutes to go till 6:00pm. It passed the house earlier in the day as an amendment to HB 577, an insurance bill. Now all it needs is an almost certain signature by Governor Jay Nixon.

The parity law enjoyed a dramatic last few days. It had been attached to the enormous health care bill SB 306, which passed the House but died in the Senate. Then on Thursday, it was stripped from HB 577 before Rep. Maria Chapelle-Nadal argued for it to be put back in. Without her persistence, this legislation never would have made it. Finally, Missouri Coalition for People with Limb Loss lobbyist Kent Gaines was able to dissuade some opposition in the final moments so the bill could pass.

Prosthetic Parity Bill Update

2009-05-13T10:15:00.001-05:00

Prosthetic Parity Bill Update

Posted using ShareThis

In His Own Words -- A Patient's Testimonial

2009-04-27T09:56:00.005-05:00

"After talking to [my doctor's] office, I was given permission to go to P & O Care where work was done by Gregory M. Doerr. A cast was made of my leg, and I was properly informed of the use and care of my new leg. I was also treated with respect and in a professional manner.

"In a few short weeks I had a leg that fit. In all of the previous legs made for me, I could put my entire hand down into them from the top. With my new leg, I can't get two fingers into it. I thought that my use of a cane was because of the way I was trained or just me not adapting, but as it turns out, it's more because of bad fitting legs. I now walk without a cane and have not fallen one time with this properly fitting leg.

"My thanks to [my doctor] for getting me to P & O Care and to everyone at P & O Care for improving my quality of life. Working with people who care and take pride in their work makes all the difference in the world."

~Mike

Life on Canvas

2009-04-23T08:02:00.000-05:00

Life on Canvas from O & P Business News 4/15/09

Posted using ShareThis

For more information visit http://www.jazzyjackie.com

Will Break for Prosthetics

2009-04-22T11:45:00.002-05:00

Will Break for Prosthetics from O & P Business News 4/15/09

Posted using ShareThis

For more information visit http://www.urbanartistry.org.

The Pentagon's Bionic Arm - CBS News

2009-04-13T09:23:00.002-05:00

The Pentagon's Bionic Arm - CBS News

This new technology, developed by the government for victims of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, will eventually be used by private companies to serve civilian arm amputees.

Posted using ShareThis

Limb-saving trial shows promise - From Charleston's Post and Courier 4/5/2009

2009-04-06T09:23:00.002-05:00

Limb-saving trial shows promise

...Then his [Mr. Fisher's] left foot developed the same telltale black sores. His doctors told him to hold on. Science was going to catch up with him.
In November 2007, Roper Hospital began a randomized trial for a stem-cell therapy to treat critical limb ischemia, a severe obstruction of the arteries. The disease, which chokes extremities of oxygen-rich blood, can be related to smoking, diabetes or hypertension. The treatment takes a patient's own bone marrow stem cells and injects them into the affected limb, where they build new blood vessels.
Normally, stem cells travel from the rich bone core to circulate through the body, going where they are needed to mend broken bones or heal a wound.
Fisher was among the first patients to participate in the trial. A year and five months later, the ulcer and infection on his toes were healed, and circulation in his ankle was 94 percent normal. "That was astounding," said Dr. Jeb Hallett, medical director at the Roper St. Francis Heart and Vascular Center. "The results have been amazing."

Posted using ShareThis

Pacific NW | The UW's Yoky Matsuoka is leading the quest for robotics that take orders from the brain | Seattle Times Newspaper

2009-04-06T09:11:00.002-05:00

Pacific NW | The UW's Yoky Matsuoka is leading the quest for robotics that take orders from the brain | Seattle Times Newspaper

"Ed Lazowska, the Bill & Melinda Gates Chair of Computer Science at the UW, puts it more simply. He says Matsuoka is charting new territory by taking on and blending multiple disciplines such as computer science, biomedical engineering, mechanical engineering and neuroscience...
"Having built several hands since her graduate work at MIT, she came to believe that some critical aspects are often overlooked in the hardware. One of those aspects is the flexible palm, which she says was a byproduct of her team that mimicked bone shapes, joint structure and tendon routing in the anatomically correct hand.

"The findings from this work, she says, can help improve the function of currently available prosthetic hands and ultimately lead to 'seamless integration' with the nervous signals as if the prosthetic hand was part of the person's body."

Posted using ShareThis

The Missouri Prosthetic Parity Bill (HB 616) passed out of the House Health Care Policy Committee unanimously (10-0) yesterday 4/1/09.

2009-04-02T09:21:00.000-05:00

Prosthetic Parity Campaigns Sweep the Nation | March 2009 | The O&P EDGE | oandp.com

2009-04-02T09:15:00.002-05:00

Prosthetic Parity Campaigns Sweep the Nation | March 2009 | The O&P EDGE | oandp.com

Posted using ShareThis

03/30/2009 - St. Clare opens in Fenton while St. Joseph in Kirkwood closes - STLtoday.com

2009-03-30T15:48:00.002-05:00

03/30/2009 - St. Clare opens in Fenton while St. Joseph in Kirkwood closes - STLtoday.com

Posted using ShareThis

3 News > Science-Tech > Story > Finger amputation inspires unique portable USB

2009-03-30T10:09:00.002-05:00

3 News > Science-Tech > Story > Finger amputation inspires unique portable USB

Posted using ShareThis

Amputee not only turns own life around, but is now helping others : Health : Naples Daily News

2009-03-27T11:44:00.002-05:00

Amputee not only turns own life around, but is now helping others : Health : Naples Daily News

Posted using ShareThis

When Humans Get Animal Prosthetics: Amputee Fitted With Mermaid Fin | Discoblog | Discover Magazine

2009-03-13T09:55:00.002-05:00

When Humans Get Animal Prosthetics: Amputee Fitted With Mermaid Fin | Discoblog | Discover Magazine

Posted using ShareThis

Researchers Use Guitar Hero Game to Aid Prosthetic Arm Development

2009-03-05T14:44:00.002-06:00

Researchers Use Guitar Hero Game to Aid Prosthetic Arm Development

Posted using ShareThis

The Associated Press: Supreme Court rejects limits on drug lawsuits

2009-03-05T08:46:00.004-06:00

The Associated Press: Supreme Court rejects limits on drug lawsuits

Court upholds award to woman who lost her arm to a drug.

Posted using ShareThis

P & O Care Prosthesis Helps Young Athlete: An article from the Belleville News-Democrat

2009-03-02T14:19:00.010-06:00

It's no big deal to her: West Junior High student doesn't let birth defect slow her down

BY MAUREEN HOUSTON - News-Democrat

Helena Peoples wears a stars-and-stripes patterned prosthetic brace on her left leg.

No big deal to her.

"Occasionally someone asks, 'What happened to your leg?' I say I was born with only one bone," said the 13-year-old Belleville girl, sitting on a cushy living room couch. "The brace helps me walk straight instead of walking on my ankle bone."

Besides basketball, Helena Peoples likes skating, dancing and shopping. - Maureen Houston/BND

CLICK FOR MORE PHOTOS

Link: More feature stories at bnd.com

The below-the-knee brace also makes it a snap to roller skate and play basketball -- two of her favorite pastimes.

Helena is a 5-foot-6 guard on West Junior High's eighth-grade girls' team. She's No. 22.

"I like twos," she said, her hair braided in neat cornrows then gathered into a ponytail.

Practicing before a Thursday night game, she was a bundle of energy, sometimes working dance steps into her repertoire as she waited to do practice drills. No problem going up for a layup or leaping for a rebound.

On the sideline, she chewed gum, drank blue Gatorade, clapped, cheered for teammates and jumped up when the Westerners scored. The game against Emge was a seesaw battle that Emge pulled out at the end.

Helena played a few minutes of the second quarter, then sat down alongside Coach John Boente, who was also her PE teacher at Abraham Lincoln Grade School.

"Until basketball season in sixth grade, I didn't know she had a brace on her leg," Boente said earlier. "She did PE every week. I didn't know until she was wearing shorts."

No. 22 runs as fast as teammates.

"Even on the basketball team, she has no limitations. And she nevers uses her leg as an excuse to get out of wind sprints.

"She's got personality. She gets along fine. She's just a typical eighth-grade girl."

Helena wasn't on the team last year because she missed a deadline for a physical. Learning plays this year is a challenge.

"You can tell she's played at home or on the playground," said her coach. "Her skills aren't very far behind. Getting in organized basketball is helping her. She plays guard, handles the ball well. ... She's a good player."

Twenty girls tried out for the team. He kept 11.

"My wife, Amie, coached her in sixth grade. Everybody plays. In seventh and eighth grade, you play to win the game. We prepare them for high school. That's my job."

Helena's mom, Heaunitia Peoples, considers it her job to cheer for her daughter.

She and Helena's 84-year-old grandma, Helen Holman, nestle into the crowded stands for all the games. They're among her biggest fans, on and off the court.

"The day she was born, the doctor told me she had no bones in her foot," said Heaunitia, a divorced mother of four who runs a house-cleaning business. "We usually have 26. They said it was possible she would never walk. They suggested a prosthesis."

Heaunitia took her youngest child to Shriners Hospital when Helena was a month old.

"What was really terrifying, I saw some with a club foot walking with a walker or crutches. I thought that was going to happen to her."

Helena was fitted with her first prosthesis at about five months, and began walking before she was a year old.

"Every Friday night, she goes roller skating," her proud mom said. "I really didn't think she would be able to do those things. When she started walking, I was happy about that.

"When she was 3, I got her a bike. She rode just like any kid. No, she never complains."

Every year, Helena gets a new prosthetic at Shriners Hospital or at Prosthetic and Orthotic Care Inc. in Fairview Heights. The Symes-type prosthesis, which costs about $10,000, has a panel on the side with two straps that wrap around her lower leg. Helena puts on a two-ply soft sock that wicks away moisture, then slides her leg in, closes the panel and locks it into place. One bolt holds the whole system together.

Jon Wilson, a prosthetist and orthotist at P&O, saw her for the first time when she was an infant.

"She was tiny. We try to fit as soon as sitting balance is achieved. That means they're going to start crawling. It incorporates it into their self image. It's important they accept it as being part of their body. ... Her mom deserves a lot of credit. She's always gotten her here when there's a problem."

Because the brace fits so well, Helena forgets about it.

"As long as she maintains her weight and keeps exercising," Wilson said, "she shouldn't have any problems."

She's doing good with what she has, her mom said. "Her tissues are still soft in her foot. The bone is strong. It holds her up."

Besides school and sports, Helena already has a job of sorts.

"We have a cleaning business together and she helps me sometimes on Saturdays, and Sundays after church," said Heaunitia. "She's good at making beds, vacuuming and cleaning baseboards."

"I think it's a little waste of my weekends," said Helena, who still finds time to shop with friends, go to dinner or play basketball with her dad, Anthony, and complete school work.

For a science project, she chose birth defects as her topic.

Hers doesn't slow her down.

"That's how God made me," said Helena, spinning a basketball on her finger. "So that's the way I am."

About Helena

Nickname: Lena

Family: Mom Heaunitia, Dad Anthony Peoples; Grandma Helen Holman; one sister and four brothers

Besides basketball: "I like to dance. I like hip-hop music."

Favorite class: Social studies

School activity: Ladies of Distinction, a group that teaches etiquetteFavorite food: "Mashed potatoes and gravy. There's gotta be gravy."

Favorite TV: "That's So Raven" and "Hannah Montana" on the Disney Channel

When she was little: Mom entered her in beauty pageantsWhat she wants to be: A professional dancer

House Hearing on Prosthetic Parity Moved to Wednesday, March 4

2009-02-26T09:10:00.003-06:00

House Hearing on Prosthetic Parity Moved to Wednesday, March 4

Posted using ShareThis

Hearings for Prosthetic Parity in Jeff City March 3

2009-02-26T09:10:00.001-06:00

Hearings for Prosthetic Parity in Jeff City March 3

Posted using ShareThis

Our Prosthetic Parity Bill Assigned to Great Committees

2009-02-16T10:13:00.001-06:00

Our Prosthetic Parity Bill Assigned to Great Committees

Posted using ShareThis

Article from bizjournals: SSM DePaul rehab hospital moves forward

2009-02-13T11:43:00.001-06:00

Hello from bizjournals! (bmclellan@pandocare.com) thought you might like the following article from the St. Louis Business Journal:

SSM DePaul rehab hospital moves forward

Published: February 12, 2009

The Missouri Health Facilities Review Committee has approved the certificate of need for SSM Health Care to build a $23 million rehabilitation hospital on the campus of SSM DePaul Health Center.

To continue reading, go to: http://stlouis.bizjournals.com/stlouis/stories/2009/02/09/daily84.html?surround=etf

Behind the Scenes: The Making of a Custom Prosthetic Leg

2009-02-02T09:40:00.007-06:00

P&O Care, Inc. is unique in that they have three on-site lab facilities that enable them to quickly fabricate prosthetic devices.

Once the patient’s doctor issues a prescription and one of P&O Care’s thoroughly trained practitioners has taken careful measurements, P&O Care can finish a prosthetic leg in little over a week.

Making an Above the Knee (AK) or a Below the Knee (BK) prosthetic leg involves both an art and a science. P&O Care's goal is to make a leg that is the most comfortable and that provides the most optimal performance for their patients.

The Steps in Making a Prosthetic Socket

The first step in making a prosthetic socket involves the P&O Care practitioner making a cast (known as a negative mold) of the patient's residual limb and taking notes and measurements. Plaster bandages are wrapped around the residual limb and allowed to dry.

Then they take the negative cast back to the lab where it is placed in the “sand box” and filled with plaster. Once the plaster has hardened, the negative mold is cut away, leaving an exact replica of the patient's limb (the positive mold).

Next comes the most critical step in making a good fitting, comfortable prosthesis. Referring to his or her comprehensive notes and measurements, the practitioner modifies the positive mold by adding and taking away plaster to address pressure-tolerant and sensitive areas of the patient’s limb.

After the practitioner's modifications are made, plastic or foam is heated and pulled over the mold to create a flexible inner liner. Next, the practitioner selects a suspension system that will hold the leg on and makes some necessary adjustments. At this point, the technician will align the socket with the components that will attach to the knee and foot.

The last step is the lamination of the rigid frame: the inner liner is sealed, covered in plastic and wrapped with layers of carbon fiber, nyglass or nylon. Then it is covered with a second plastic bag and attached to a funnel. A vacuum hose attached to the bottom pulls a quick hardening resin mixture down over the molded fabric. The resin hardens and the plaster mold inside the socket is removed. Now, it’s ready for the rest of the leg.

New Bone Cement to Prevent Dangerous Battle Injury Infections - Medgadget - www.medgadget.com

2009-01-30T12:38:00.001-06:00

New Bone Cement to Prevent Dangerous Battle Injury Infections - Medgadget - www.medgadget.com

Posted using ShareThis

St. Joseph Hospital sets March 30 moving date - St. Louis Business Journal:

2009-01-29T15:50:00.001-06:00

St. Joseph Hospital sets March 30 moving date - St. Louis Business Journal:

Posted using ShareThis

Lifelike electronic hands help meningitis-stricken toddler

2009-01-21T09:49:00.003-06:00

This email has been sent to you by Bill McLellan
This is a great moving story about a little girl who benefits from silicone hands.

http://www.mirror.co.uk/life-style/kids-and-family/2009/01/20/lifelike-electronic-hands-help-meningitis-hit-toddler-exclusive-115875-21054564/

If you would like to receive emails with more stories like this, register for our email newsletter at http://www.mirror.co.uk/register

Hyperbaric oxygen chambers can help treat wounds

2009-01-19T10:39:00.001-06:00

* Please note, the sender's email address has not been verified.

You have received the following link from bmclellan@pandocare.com:

Click the following to access the sent link:

Hyperbaric oxygen chambers can help treat wounds*


Get your EMAIL THIS Browser Button and use it to email content from any Web site. Click here for more information.

*This article can also be accessed if you copy and paste the entire address below into your web browser.
http://www.freep.com/article/20090112/FEATURES08/901120313

Honey Saves New York Man's Leg from Amputation

2009-01-19T10:34:00.001-06:00

Hi,

I just found an interesting entry on http://findingDulcinea.com. Thought you'd like to look at it too.

http://www.findingDulcinea.com/news/health/2009/jan/Honey-Saves-New-York-Man-s-Leg-From-Amputation.html

P & O Care Holiday Party

2009-01-09T08:29:00.000-06:00

Liana

2009-01-07T10:43:00.006-06:00

Liana is a young BK amputee who recently won both first place over-all and first place in the beam competition in two gymnastic competitions at the St. Louis Gym Centre. She jut turnd seven years old and has been an amputee since birth.

Liana works with P&O Care's Greg Doerr. She started performing gymnastics three years ago. During the summer months she swims with her prosthesis. Keep u the hard work, Liana. We're proud of you!

2009-01-05T13:52:00.003-06:00

The marketing guru for the prosthetic and orthotic profession, Elizabeth Mansfield, has recently argued that all healthcare practices need to use YouTube to get out their message. “I am going to repeat that - Consumers are very interested in watching long-form health videos - and you can give them stuff to watch without spending a lot, if any!, money,” she writes. Not long ago, as reported in the digital marketing blog Click Z, Excedrin became one of—if not the—first pharma companies to ask their consumers to make their own videos, inspired by their product, and upload them to YouTube, where anyone could view them. These were not simply “I love this product” videos, mind you; in fact, they weren’t supposed to say anything about Excedrin at all. The contest asked users to video themselves doing anything at an incredible speed, promoting Excedrin’s claim to cure a headache in fifteen minutes. The winner video taped himself hang gliding.

P & O Care has a channel on YouTube with over 63,000 views. The videos include amateur shots of a pediatric bilateral amputee walking at the St. Louis Galleria and ice skating, along with a two-minute, professionally produced, news-style commercial. If you serve patients in the medical field, what kinds of videos could you encourage them to post on YouTube that might reflect positively on your practice, whether or not they say anything about you or not? If you are a patient, what fun activity would you not be able to enjoy were it not for your favorite healthcare practice? Take some pictures or a simple video on your digital camera, and send it in or post it on YouTube yourself.

Even though there is risk involved in not controlling content, there is so much more to be gained from the authenticity of a video filmed and posted by a patient. Still, there are hurdles to overcome. Many patients may lack the camera or camcorder needed to make the video, and unlike Excedrin, any practice that directly serves medicare patients cannot be giving out cash prizes. Often, however, the thrill of being on the internet and supporting a good cause provides plenty of motivation, and practice employees can be recruited to film patients either in the office or, better, in their homes. Remember, while a patient testimonial telling how much they like your practice is good, a personal story is better, and the best thing would be straight video evidence of activity the patient would not be able to enjoy without your intervention.

Digg Story: Silex man took control and lost 260 pounds

2008-12-30T13:00:00.002-06:00

Thought you might want to check this out.

digg user bmclellan would like to share this story with you:
http://digg.com/health/Silex_man_took_control_and_lost_260_pounds?OTC-em-st1
---
"Silex man took control and lost 260 pounds"
Avoiding serious health problems.
+1 people dugg this story

has shared: Neurophilosophy : Rubber hand feels real for amputees

2008-12-19T14:14:00.001-06:00

"This study opens up new possibilities for the development of prosthetic limbs. It suggests that athe rubber hand illusion could be reproduced using an artificial limb equipped with tactile fingertip sensors connected to an array of stimulators on the stump. When an object is touched with the prosthesis, the tactile stimulus would instantaneously be transmitted to the stump, thus tricking the brain into processing that information as coming from the artificial finger. The illusion would make the user feel that they "own" the prosthesis (i.e. that it is a part of their body), and the sensory feedback from it would enable them to better control it."
Neurophilosophy : Rubber hand feels real for amputees http://scienceblogs.com/neurophilosophy/2008/12/rubber_hand_feels_r...

sent this using ShareThis.

Surgeon uses SMS text message instructions to save Congo boy's life

2008-12-12T11:45:00.001-06:00

Would you trust your phone if you needed instructions in the field on how to amputate an infected arm, shoulder blade, and collar bone?

http://www.intomobile.com/2008/12/10/surgeon-uses-sms-text-message-instructions-to-save-congo-boys-life.html

ABC 13 Article

2008-12-09T09:30:00.002-06:00

This ABC 13 (http://www.wset.com) story has been sent to you by bmclellan@pandocare.com:

-------------------------------------------------------
Hunting With Disabilities (posted 11/30/2008 at 07:51 PM)
Disabilities didn't stop some military members from becoming sportsmen this weekend.

-------------------------------------------------------
Message from bmclellan@pandocare.com:
I found this article at ABC 13. I thought it might be interesting for Care Digest readers..

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
this email sent from IP Address 64.19.27.54.
ABC 13 does not approve or monitor these notifications.

Misdiagnosis leads to amputation of woman's hands, feet

2008-11-26T11:12:00.002-06:00

* Please note, the sender's email address has not been verified.

Was it an upper UTI instead of kidney stones? Maybe the hospital physicians were negligent and should have done more to get her the right diagnosis. But the scariest thing is that sometimes infections seem to come out of nowhere and do crazy things that could not have been predicted. I hope the truth comes out clearly, justice is done, and this woman now gets all the care she deserves, including the very best prosthetics.

Click the following to access the sent link:

Misdiagnosis leads to amputation of woman's hands, feet *


Get your EMAIL THIS Browser Button and use it to email content from any Web site. Click here for more information.

*This article can also be accessed if you copy and paste the entire address below into your web browser.
http://www.ksn.com/news/also/35005814.html

Dr. Allison Moriarty

2008-11-20T16:18:00.003-06:00

Hero of the Year Finalist Presented with Key to the City

2008-11-20T09:24:00.002-06:00

David Puckett, a Savannah man who is in the running to become CNN's Hero of the Year, got some recognition right at home today.

He was nominated because of his work in Mexico. For the last nine years, Puckett has traveled there to fit amputees with prosthetics and orthopedic braces.

read more | digg story

Bionic hand recognized as top invention: Scientific American Blog

2008-11-10T11:37:00.002-06:00

Bionic hand recognized as top invention: Scientific American Blog

Posted using ShareThis

Artificial fingers help a Southport guitarist play again

2008-11-10T11:06:00.004-06:00

Isn't it great when prosthetics help someone do what they most loved doing before they lost their limb/digits?

read more | digg story

Meet the Real 'Bionic Woman'

2008-11-03T17:00:00.000-06:00

A woman reports sensations in her missing arm thanks to a high-tech prosthetic.

read more | digg story

NPR.org - Supreme Court Hears Case Involving Drug Labels : NPR

2008-11-03T16:30:00.002-06:00

This inspiring amputee was hurt by the negligence of a pharmaceutical company. Listen to her story and you decide if the supreme court should uphold the state court ruling that gave her $6 million for her arm.

Bill thought you would be interested in this story: Supreme Court Hears Case Involving Drug Labels : NPR--
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=96487166&sc=emaf

*Listen/Watch on NPR.org*
Many stories at NPR.org have audio or video content. When you visit the link
above, look for a "Listen" or "Watch" button.
For technical support, please visit NPR's Audio/Video Help page:
http://www.npr.org/help/media.html

NPR Shop: NPR Custom FR400 Crank Radio
********************************************
Featuring AM/FM/TV, NOAA weather alerts, a cell phone charger, and a flashlight, this limited edition emergency radio is a clever way to give the gift of safety. <http://u.npr.org/accipiter/adclick/CID=000009c067385adb00000000/site=NPR/utype=text/area=utility.emailstory/aamsz=text/position=email_text>

STLtoday - Pinning blame on patients for costs won't lead to

2008-11-03T14:30:00.001-06:00

Doug Ervine, Republican State Rep for the Health Insurance industry here in the great state of MO, thinks that people would take better care of themselves if they had to pay out of pocket more. Mary Jo Feldstein thinks otherwise.

read more | digg story