EBOLA....its here

[shocka khan]

Here's the short version regarding the Dallas Circus, if you want to know now:
"Our public health managers appear to be finally reacting and managing the risks and the 'CDC virus hunters' have dropped a lot of their swagger. Process gaps are being addressed."

It was real obvious when this situation started to unfold that contingency plans and testing had taken a back seat (probably had something to do with 'it will never happen' and 'costs too much'). Risk management has been missing at both the federal and state (I'm saying the state is more at fault - the CDC has little powers unless there is a national emergency).

Also:

Texas is home of some of the most lax, unregulated government in the country. I know that there are libertarians out there who will disagree with me, but Texas' brand of crony capitalism is about as close to libertarianism as it gets. Their regulatory regimes do not work. Libertarianism is a lesser evil than socialism, but in truth, neither one of them work. Libertarians would argue that we should only support 'core' government activities. Many might even debate over responding to national medical emergencies (like this one could become).

There was a bad doctor operating out of a Dallas hospital who killed and maimed a number of individuals. Once the hospital started being investigated, a prominent board member of the hospital made a large contribution to our current AG (who is running for governor) and he filed briefs and assisted in defending the hospital on the federal charges that were brought. You can read more about it here:

http://www.dallasnews.com/news/local-news/20140730-abbotts-intervention-in-baylor-case-followed-big-donations-from-chairman.ece

This is what happens when you don't have regulation. This episode should be a moment of debate for the entire country over the true status of our health infrastructure (managed by states) and their ability to respond to incidents. Since Texas does not like to regulate the medical community or industry in general (remember the fertilizer plant that blew up in West, Texas?) this will continue to happen. If I were Rick Perry, I would be embarrassed. I guess he is, since he's cutting his taxpayer-financed European vacation (does this sould like Obama?).

The hilarious thing, at least to me, right now, is Obama the Paranoid is doing everything he can to yank control of the situation away from the Dallas Presbyterian Hospital by transferring patients to federal facilities.

So which is worse? Obama's paranoia or Texas' Barney Fife mode of regulation? You decide. As for me, I'm going to enjoy a good laugh watching the paranoid president and the Texas goobers duke it out.

[SHOCKvalue]

Here's the short version regarding the Dallas Circus, if you want to know now:
"Our public health managers appear to be finally reacting and managing the risks and the 'CDC virus hunters' have dropped a lot of their swagger. Process gaps are being addressed."

It was real obvious when this situation started to unfold that contingency plans and testing had taken a back seat (probably had something to do with 'it will never happen' and 'costs too much'). Risk management has been missing at both the federal and state (I'm saying the state is more at fault - the CDC has little powers unless there is a national emergency).

Also:

Texas is home of some of the most lax, unregulated government in the country. I know that there are libertarians out there who will disagree with me, but Texas' brand of crony capitalism is about as close to libertarianism as it gets. Their regulatory regimes do not work. Libertarianism is a lesser evil than socialism, but in truth, neither one of them work. Libertarians would argue that we should only support 'core' government activities. Many might even debate over responding to national medical emergencies (like this one could become).

There was a bad doctor operating out of a Dallas hospital who killed and maimed a number of individuals. Once the hospital started being investigated, a prominent board member of the hospital made a large contribution to our current AG (who is running for governor) and he filed briefs and assisted in defending the hospital on the federal charges that were brought. You can read more about it here:

http://www.dallasnews.com/news/local-news/20140730-abbotts-intervention-in-baylor-case-followed-big-donations-from-chairman.ece

This is what happens when you don't have regulation. This episode should be a moment of debate for the entire country over the true status of our health infrastructure (managed by states) and their ability to respond to incidents. Since Texas does not like to regulate the medical community or industry in general (remember the fertilizer plant that blew up in West, Texas?) this will continue to happen. If I were Rick Perry, I would be embarrassed. I guess he is, since he's cutting his taxpayer-financed European vacation (does this sould like Obama?).

The hilarious thing, at least to me, right now, is Obama the Paranoid is doing everything he can to yank control of the situation away from the Dallas Presbyterian Hospital by transferring patients to federal facilities.

So which is worse? Obama's paranoia or Texas' Barney Fife mode of regulation? You decide. As for me, I'm going to enjoy a good laugh watching the paranoid president and the Texas goobers duke it out.

[MoValley John]

I'm sorry, but I've been busy. Here are a few things that went wrong. 1st, how on earth the hospital discharged him with antibiotics when he first presented is mind boggling. Ebola is a virus, not a bacteria. Though sometimes viruses and bacteria have similar symptoms, ebola presents quite clearly as a virus. Antibiotics do nothing to treat any virus. Secondly, when he presented, he stated that he had just come from a country with an ebola outbreak. He should have been admitted and isolated right then. With the passing of a week, the virus was too far along.

Next, the hospital did some fluid replenishment, but inadequate and nowhere near the needed caloric replenishment. No antivirals or anything else. Had he been admitted when he first presented and had he been given the proper fluid and energy replacement then, the outcome would have probably been different.

As for isolation, the hospital failed miserably. The nurses assigned to the patient did glove and gown, but they were not also isolated. They treated others as part of their rounds. Isolation is isolation. The protocol is clear. The staff at Emory and Nebraska Medicine have a protocol for every step of glove and gowning, down to exactly hand and arm movements. Gowning is done in pairs and each staff member watches the other as they dress. There are no deviations. None. The same goes with undressing and decontamination. It is done exactly the same, every time. Contaminated materials are burnt and nothing leaves the isolation area without an exacting protocol for sterilization. I can't go into all of the details, but clean is clean and contaminated is contaminated, the twain shall never meet. The protocol was NOT followed in Dallas. The patient had an isolated room and the nurses gloved and gowned in and out then continued rounds. It is no wonder that they were infected, the guy was spewing **** all over the place and they were isolating him and gowning themselves as if he was isolated because of pneumonia.

There were many more fubars, but this is just the beginning. As for hospital regulations, well, it's a Jcaho accredited hospital. They are plenty regulated. This accreditation is defacto required to treat medicare patients. So, local Texas regulation had nothing to do with any of this. As for regulations, how customs dealt with him at the airport, and how the local health department ****ed up the entire quarantine of his family, well that needs to be addressed.

There is so much more but I think I've gone on too long already.

[MoValley John]

Shaka, I understand your anger over lack of state regulation, but in this, and in any hospital situation, tougher regulation would have done nothing. Accreditation is more stringent and more thorough than any state's regulations. Even California. Hospitals need accreditation. It is not mandated, but it might as well be. It is a big pain in the ass to participate in medicare and receive payments if you are not accredited. And the federal government currently accepts three accrediting agencies accreditation to certify for medicare reimbursement. The Joint Commission (JCHAO) is by far, the biggest. These agencies are given a lot of power and they wield it aggressively. They regulate the **** out of hospitals. The hospital is in deep, deep ****. Less from the government, but more hell to pay from JCHAO than you can imagine. State regulation, or lack there of, had little to do with this.

[shocka khan]

I agree with your assessment, the JCAH inspectors will have a lot of ammo to use and the hospitals shortcomings won't be swept under the rug with the feds in charge.

Doesn't change my mind about the Texas Department of Health, however.

BTW, Rick Perry will have a news conference today. It will be interesting how he will handle the 'blame game'.

[1979Shocker]

Is Ebola Airborne?

http://www.snopes.com/medical/disease/ebolaairborne.asp

[1979Shocker]

Ebola Fear: Maine Teacher Placed On Leave After Traveling To Dallas

http://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/ebola-virus-outbreak/ebola-fear-maine-teacher-placed-leave-after-traveling-dallas-n229846

I guess teachers from other schools in Maine who might have gone to Dallas or just regular residents of Maine who happened to go to Dallas weren't as lucky to get 21 days off with pay.

[1979Shocker]

Ebola is spooking Wall Street

http://money.cnn.com/2014/10/15/investing/ebola-spooks-wall-street-investors-stocks/

The Ebola epidemic is starting to contaminate sentiment on Wall Street, which is already losing sleep over countless crises.

The arrival of Ebola in the U.S. has coincided with a period of extreme turbulence in the stock market, which has tumbled about 8% from record highs.

The deadly virus is clearly not the only factor behind the market slide, but it's a major unknown that is increasingly weighing on market psychology. That was the case again on Wednesday as the Dow plummeted as much as 370 points and health officials revealed a second health-care worker in Dallas tested positive for Ebola.

Ebola fears are most obvious in the airline sector. Shares of American Airlines Group (AAL) and Delta Air Lines (DAL) fell sharply on Wednesday, hurt by the news that the new Ebola patient flew the day before being diagnosed. Both airlines are down nearly 20% over the past month alone.

[MoValley John]

http://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/ebo...dallas-n229846

I guess teachers from other schools in Maine who might have gone to Dallas or just regular residents of Maine who happened to go to Dallas weren't as lucky to get 21 days off with pay.

Oh my... If I were the mayor of Dallas, I'd promote the hell out of this just to boost tourism. "Spend a weekend in Dallas, get a three week paid vacation!"

[SHOCKvalue]

http://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/ebo...dallas-n229846

I guess teachers from other schools in Maine who might have gone to Dallas or just regular residents of Maine who happened to go to Dallas weren't as lucky to get 21 days off with pay.

Wow! Dallas metro has 7 million people, and 3 ebola cases. If the Maine teacher comes down with Ebola, the first thing she should do after getting out of recovery is to go buy a lottery ticket.

[wufan]

My wife and I are headed to Dallas for a Cowboys game this weekend. VACATION!!!!!

[Dave Stalwart]

My wife and I are headed to Dallas for a Cowboys game this weekend. VACATION!!!!!

79d92bd1f9ea9d5e7051f88401077b58.jpg

[MoValley John]

http://m.livewellnebraska.com/ebola/....html?mode=jqm

Sure hope this isn't a HIPAA violation.

[ShauXTyme]

More than likely, Dr. Mark Rupp had patient and Hospital authorization. Your wife, on the other hand....

[kcshocker11]

https://soundcloud.com/zdoggmd/ebola-parody-of-lola-by-the-kinks

A Military Doctor friend of mine sent me this link.