National Medical Transcription Week

In 1985, then President Ronald Reagan gave a proclamation that the week of May 20 through May 26 would be set aside as National Medical Transcription Week. The following is an excerpt from that proclamation:

"A century ago, physicians knew many of the patients from birth, knew all their ailments, and provided all their medical care. Today, with medical specialization and greater mobility among people, many skilled physicians may treat the average American during a lifetime. Using transcribed medical records, each physician can easily and quickly review a patient's medical history even if the physician has never seen the patient before. Because of the work done by trained medical transcriptionists, patients can be assured that the history of their medical care is portrayed accurately and legibly. Medical transcriptionists have therefore become a vital link between the physician and the patient.

It is appropriate for our Nation to recognize the contributions of medical transcriptionists. We should encourage hospitals, allied health education programs, and community colleges to provide appropriate courses of instruction recognizing the high standards that must be met by medical transcriptionists and the vital function they perform."

May is National Stroke Awareness Month

Stroke, also known more recently as "brain attack," is a very serious issue in America. A stroke is caused by a blood clot that clogs an artery or blood vessel and disrupts the blood flow to part or parts of the brain. It is the third leading cause of death and the No. 1 cause of adult disability, according to the National Stroke Association.

http://www.stroke.org/site/PageServer?pagename=HOME

It is important to become educated about strokes because up to 80% of them are preventable, and if hospital treatment is received within 3 hours of having a stroke, some symptoms may be reversable.
I read a poster in a local hospital recently that coincides with information at:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stroke. The poster was designed to give non-medically trained individuals some basic information that might help to recognize a stroke. Instructions were given in the information to have a suspected stroke victim follow a simple set of tasks that would be difficult for someone having a stroke to follow. Those instructions are:

• Ask the individual to smile.
• Ask the individual to raise both arms and keep them raised.
• Ask the individual to speak a simple sentence (coherently). For example, "It is sunny out today."

There is a great deal of information about strokes on both of these sites, as well as across the internet. Please take the time to read more about this topic. When it comes to strokes, time matters. The more time it takes a person to receive medical care, the less chance of brain restoration or survival there is for that individual.