September is National Preparedness Month
September is national preparedness month, which is dedicated to encourage individual preparation for the full range of hazards including natural disasters, cyber attacks, pandemic disease and acts of terrorism. Hurricane Katrina taught us that we have to be independently prepared and not expect government resources to be able to rapidly respond in the initial stages of an emergency. The www.ready.gov [...]
Are Medical Marijuana Cards a Vital Record?
Maybe. I’ve read the Arizona Medical Marijuana Act several times with an eye toward how we’d execute it’s requirements in case it passes. One of the key decisions is figuring our which of our areas is in the best position to get the job done. I think the best place is Vital Records- at least for issuing the cards. Why? Because [...]
AZ Smokes CDC’s Preparedness Report Card
Arizona got a great public health preparedness report card from the CDC this week, getting a solid A by scoring 30/32. The report (Public Health Preparedness: Strengthening the Nation’s Emergency Response State by State) examines each state’s readiness using 32 criteria designed to drive states toward demonstrating results, measuring their program improvements and increasing accountability. Examples of the criteria used [...]
AZ Smokes CDC's Preparedness Report Card
Arizona got a great public health preparedness report card from the CDC this week, getting a solid A by scoring 30/32. The report (Public Health Preparedness: Strengthening the Nation’s Emergency Response State by State) examines each state’s readiness using 32 criteria designed to drive states toward demonstrating results, measuring their program improvements and increasing accountability. Examples of the criteria used [...]
Buggy Infant Formula
Certain “Similac®” powdered baby formulas were recalled this week by the manufacturer (Abbott Labs) because they discovered there were bugs (beetles) in the formula from one of their manufacturing plants. According to the FDA (who regulates foods including formula), the formula that contains beetles doesn’t pose an immediate health risk but babies that drink it could get stomach aches and [...]
ADHS Scores Electronic Medical Records Grant
ADHS just scored a $1.3M grant for “enhancing the interoperability of electronic health records and immunization information systems”. This grant allows us to accelerate work with public and private health care provider offices and Electronic Health Record vendors to develop interfaces for the automated vaccination data to the Arizona State Immunization Information System (ASIIS). These electronic interfaces will minimize data [...]