(NAPSI)-One of the most frustrating experiences people have when they visit the doctor or are hospitalized is being asked to repeat their medical history over and over again every time a new person examines them. It’s a common experience but not life threatening. But what if your name was similar to another patient’s name and your charts got mixed up? What if someone simply couldn’t read your doctor’s notes?

Electronic health records (EHRs) are a promising solution for reducing medical errors and costs and improving patient safety, say health care experts.

For example, a health center called Urban Health Plan (UHP), Inc. provides much-needed health care to the underserved South Bronx neighborhood it has called home for 36 years. The clinic serves more than 37,000 patients who depend on the quality and consistency of care provided at this federally qualified health center.

“The implementation of our EHR system helped transform how we treat patients and track their outcomes,” said Paloma Hernandez, president and CEO of Urban Health Plan, Inc. “EHRs help us work toward improving the health of the communities we serve and will go a long way in aiding the elimination of health care disparities.”

Looking Into the Future

Hernandez explains that the health center has 105 patients with similar surnames. Using state-of-the-art iris recognition technology helps avoid confusion. UHP patients simply look into a lens and the correct health record is pulled up on a screen.

Financial Savings

UHP saved money by:

• Eliminating the search for misplaced paper records that could take up to 75 hours of staff time each month;

• Converting storage space for paper records to a Health and Wellness Center for use by patients and staff;

• Reducing expenses for supplies, staff and storage and related items; and

• Expanding time spent with patients and seeing 35 percent more patients.

UHP’s adoption of electronic health records in its network of clinics earned it the prestigious HIMSS Nicholas E. Davies Award of Excellence, in the community health organization category, for leadership in the implementation of electronic health record systems.

“The HIMSS Davies Award honors health care organizations that are leading the way in and improving patient care with the use of the electronic health record,” said David Collins, HIMSS Director, Healthcare Information Systems.

For more information on the HIMSS Davies Awards of Excellence, go to www.himss.org/davies or call (804) 310-0615.

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(NAPSI)-Figuring out how to pay for your child’s education does not have to be stressful or confusing. Regardless of your family’s financial circumstances, the following tips can help simplify the process.

“The key to paying for college is to take charge of the process: Investigate aid options, contact your prospective colleges’ financial aid offices for more information, and keep track of deadlines,” says Linda Bell, director of financial aid at Lehigh University, in Bethlehem, Pa. “Keep a file for each college during the search and retain the folder for the college you decide to attend until you graduate and repay your loans.”

She offers this advice:

• Start saving now. Whether your child is 6 months or 16 years old, your savings can reduce the amount you may have to borrow later, and some savings plans, like 529 plans and Coverdell Education Savings Accounts, offer tax benefits. Contact your financial adviser for more information.

• Expand your college search. Private colleges and universities value geographic diversity and often have more resources to devote to financial aid. While your local state college or university probably has lower tuition and fees, out-of-state private institutions may offer more generous financial aid packages.

• Complete the FAFSA. Regardless of your income, complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) as soon as possible after January 1. The FAFSA determines your eligibility for federal and state grants, work-study and federal college loans. Some private colleges also require the CSS/PROFILE. Check with the financial aid office.

• Apply for scholarships. You can find information about federal grants and scholarships in the Student Aid Guide on the Department of Education’s web- site (http://studentaid.ed.gov), and at your prospective college’s financial aid office. Check websites like www.fastweb.com for private scholarships, and don’t forget about scholarships that your employer or community organizations may sponsor.

• Be proactive. Keep track of the deadlines and required application materials. If you have any questions, contact the school’s financial aid office. E-mail is the best form of communication because it’s easy to keep track of. Financial aid offices and the Department of Education should be able to help you for free.

For more information, visit www.lehigh.edu/assistance.

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by Richard L. Trumka

(NAPSI)-Every night, 15 million people in this great country go to sleep hoping that tomorrow will be the day they find a job. Hundreds of thousands of employees of our states and cities wake up hoping this won’t be their last day on the job. Five million people wake up trying to save their homes from foreclosure by the big banks. And nearly 17 million children go to bed hungry. This isn’t the America I dreamed of.

It’s time for all Americans to remember that patriotism is about more than fighting abroad. It’s also about fighting for ourselves, our neighbors and our communities here in the United States. It’s time for economic patriotism. How can we be patriotic?

First, I call on every American to make a choice to be patriotic in our everyday lives. That means demanding to know which products are made in America and then choosing them. We can buy products made in countries where workers make a few pennies an hour with few if any protections on the job, or we can support products made here where our neighbors and community members make a living from what they create. It’s time we buy American and buy on Main Street. And when we do that, we’ll invest in our communities and ensure that our jobs are good jobs and our children have a thriving future.

We need policies that allow corporations to be economic patriots without being penalized. Over time, corporations made choices that put short-term profits over humanity, and the world market over American communities, and it hollowed out our great nation.

Currently, our policies favor companies that ship our good jobs overseas to countries where there are few laws in place to protect workers’ safety, their rights and the environment. We must stop rewarding outsourcing and promote manufacturing in the United States instead. Our leaders must also hold China accountable for manipulating its currency, which hurts America’s workers and creates a massive trade imbalance. We must invest in our crumbling roads, schools and bridges, which will create good jobs and create a solid foundation for the next generation. And we must elect leaders who share these goals.

Every one of us has a choice. As patriots, let’s choose the path forward to create good jobs, jobs that can’t be shipped overseas, jobs that can support a family. It’s about time to invest in the country we love.

Trumka is president of the 11.5 million?member AFL-CIO, which represents firefighters, teachers, nurses, electricians, scientists and communications workers.

Photo credit: Andre Martenez

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RALEIGH, N.C. –
An agency that accredits high schools in a North Carolina county is sending a special review team to assess recent changes in the school system.

AdvanceED said in a letter to the Wake County school district that it wants to determine whether the changes are negatively impacting the ability of schools to meet standards. The agency is asking for details about the district’s controversial proposal to move away from a diversity policy toward neighborhood schools.

The review comes in response to a complaint filed earlier this year by the North Carolina chapter of the NAACP. The NAACP has accused the school board of harboring “racist attitudes,” something board members vehemently deny.

Dr. Mark Elgart, the president and CEO of AdvancED, said the organization is in the beginning steps of its probe.

“Our primary concern is are they governing in the best interest of the students and the community and to not only look at the process they followed but the determination regarding student assignment,” Elgart said by phone.

School board majority member John Tedesco tells NBC-17 he believes

Read More:MYNC.COM

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WAKE COUNTY, N.C.
Coastal Federal Credit Union has offered a unique challenge to Habitat for Humanity of Wake County via a 1,000 Fans Campaign. The local credit union will donated a $1,000 grant to Habitat Wake’s affordable housing mission if the organization can reach 1,000 Fans on their Facebook page by the end of the year. Both organizations will promote the campaign using social media tools—status updates, e-mail newsletters, and Facebook messages asking their contacts to spread the word to their Facebook connections.

“We’re trying to share information about the need for affordable housing in every way that we can,” said Habitat Wake’s Executive Director Kevin Campbell. “Facebook gives us access to a unique and diverse audience and helps us talk to people who may not be otherwise involved in the Habitat mission.” 630 people have become “Fans” of the Habitat Wake Facebook page to date. These fans receive updates about affordable housing, home dedications, and Habitat Wake events on their own Facebook pages.

“The real hope,” said Coastal’s Joe Mecca, “is that the mission of Habitat becomes viral online, and that then translates into affordable houses for families and healthy neighborhoods in our community.”
Source:MyNC.com

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NACo Prescription Discount Card: Easy, Valuable and Free (361) (NewsUSA) – When Samantha White’s health insurance premiums became too high, she, like many Americans in these tough times, sacrificed her health coverage. Unfortunately, White, a resident of a rural North Carolina, Scotland County, also fell ill. White’s sister, Nancy Bostick stepped in to help her sister with food, bills and medications. But Bostick’s salary was not enough to cover all of White’s bills, so Bostick started seeking programs that could alleviate costs. “We were lucky enough to get on a lot of charity programs with the hospitals and doctor offices,” says Bostick. “Even with that, we still paid about $1,000 per month for her prescriptions.” Because none of White’s medications was available in generic formulations, the sisters needed to find discounts on expensive, brand-name prescriptions. Bostick, who works for Scotland County, N.C., eventually learned of a free prescription discount card program, the National Association of Counties (NACo) Prescription Discount Card Program. She immediately picked up a card for her sister. “I cannot tell you how much money we saved using the NACo Prescription Discount Card, but it was tremendous savings,” Bostick said. “I firmly support the card and urge anyone who needs it to get the card.” The NACo Prescription Discount Card Program, administered through its partner CVS Caremark, is a free member benefit program for counties who belong to NACo, the only national organization that represents the interests of county governments in the United States. The NACo Prescription Discount Card does not have an application process or attach fees to the card’s use. County residents do not have to meet income or age requirements to use the program. The cards save an average of 22 percent off the full retail cost of prescription medications and can be used any time a prescription is not covered by insurance. A national network of more than 60,000 retail pharmacies honor the card. “My sister had a good job but not one with health insurance benefits,” said Bostick. “All her money went to prescriptions and health premiums. This card is one of the things that I am grateful that came along.” For more information, or to print a card for immediate use, visit www.caremark.com/naco.

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(NAPSI)-Advanced technology is enabling America’s soybean farmers to achieve higher yields to help meet growing global demand for food and energy.

This latest soybean technology–called Genuity® Roundup Ready 2 Yield®–contains a biotechnology trait that delivers higher yield opportunity than the first-generation Roundup Ready® soybean technology, which farmers have planted since the mid-1990s.

With this yield-enhancing biotechnology, farmers are discovering more three-, four- and five- bean pods per plant in their field, which can translate into more bushels per acre. Last season, these soybeans won 73 percent of head-to-head field comparisons with Roundup Ready soybeans in independent farmer trials, and many farmers reported significant increases in yield.

These next-generation soybeans were introduced on about 1.5 million acres in the Midwest during the 2009 season. In 2010, the technology was expanded in the Midwest and also launched in the South with more than 80 different varieties available to enable farmers to select the genetics best suited for their fields. And for 2011, farmers will be able to choose from more than 230 varieties in multiple brands.

To protect this high-end yield opportunity, the soybeans are offered with Acceleron™ seed treatment products, which provide improved early plant growth and vigor. The seed treatment includes a fungicide combination to provide excellent control of important seed-borne and soil-borne diseases and an insecticide to reduce damage caused by early-season insect pests.

Farmers also say they have been impressed with the technology’s performance at mid-season based on the flowering, pod fill and overall plant health they have observed–all early indicators of the opportunity for strong harvest results.

“The increase in yield has been just super-you can’t ask for anything more out of a bean,” said Midwest farmer Clark Howey. “I’ve been so impressed by how this technology has worked on my farm.”

Visit www.genuity.com to learn more.

Always read and follow grain marketing and stewardship requirements and pesticide label directions.

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A NEW APPROACH TO EFFICIENT A New Approach To Efficient Tractor Engines Experts say new tractor engine technologies can keep emissions in check while also delivering outstanding performance and fuel efficiency.

(NAPSI)-There’s good news for farmers concerned that they won’t be able to find a tractor that can meet federal emissions standards and get the job done-all while saving money on diesel fuel. A new line of tractor engines may be able to help them meet all three objectives. According to Dennis Bartz, a corn and soybean farmer from Grafton, Iowa, he had concerns regarding fuel efficiency when investigating the purchase of a new tractor for his north-central Iowa farm. “Buying a tractor that is fuel efficient makes good business sense. It’s like buying a car that offers better gas mileage. It’s going to put more money in your pocket at the end of the year. I was concerned that many of the newer tractors with engines that comply with these emission standards might lose fuel efficiency.” Instead, Bartz is just one of an increasing number of growers who have found that new engine technologies can keep emissions in check while also delivering outstanding performance and fuel efficiency. One example of this trend is the AGCO SISU Power 8.4 L engine with e3 selective catalytic reduction (SCR) clean-air technology, which is found in both Challenger and Massey Ferguson high-horsepower row-crop tractors. SCR is a post-combustion process that doesn’t interfere with the engine’s ability to provide power. More efficient engine function leads to better fuel economy, which can mean lower operating costs. “Right now, I can tell you that for the horsepower my [Challenger] MT645C is putting out, it’s running much cheaper than the previous tractors we’ve owned. When it comes to horsepower and fuel consumption, it’s better-by far,” says Bartz. “AGCO has looked at all of the angles. They have the emissions compliance down cold, and there’s no question about the fuel efficiency. All the way around, it’s an ideal tractor for agriculture.” Test results released by the Nebraska Tractor Test Laboratory support Bartz’s assertion. The Challenger MT600C and Massey Ferguson 8600 Series of 205- to 275-PTO horsepower row-crop tractors delivered from 4 percent to 20 percent better fuel efficiency than competitive tractors in this category. For farmers looking to keep input costs down, this kind of fuel efficiency can be significant to their operation-and to their bottom line. To learn more, visit www.righttractor.com/challenger.

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(NAPSI)-When buying a car, there’s more to consider than the make and model. Price, size, gas mileage–even the way it feels behind the wheel–affect your decision. You should also weigh your options when buying auto insurance. With many brands and features and price ranges out there, it pays to do your homework.

Here are some common questions people ask Progressive when they shop for insurance:

What type of auto insurance can I choose from? There are two types of auto insurance: Liability coverage pays for damage to other vehicles or injuries to other people that you cause. Physical Damage coverage pays for damage to your vehicle. These two coverages are the foundation of your policy.

How much coverage should I buy? The state defines the minimum amount of coverage required, but after that, the amount of coverage you buy is up to you. You choose based on your comfort level, budget and lifestyle.

Some people want as much coverage as possible for all of life’s “what ifs.” Others are satisfied with bare-minimum coverage. If you have a newer vehicle, you may want more coverage to protect your investment. If you can afford higher deductibles (the amount you’ll pay out of pocket in the event of an accident), you can raise them and pay less premium.

How is my rate determined? Rates are based on a combination of pieces of information about you, your driving record and your car. It’s important for you to provide accurate information to your agent or to the insurance company. It helps determine the best options and rates for you.

Can I get a lower rate? Many insurance companies offer discounts that can help lower your rate. For example, Progressive offers discounts for good student drivers, paying your premium electronically and having more than one policy.

Some companies offer rewards for renewing your policies with them. At Progressive, the longer you stay a customer, the more benefits you gain, such as lower deductibles and accident forgiveness. Ask your agent or customer service representative about available discounts and programs.

Where should I shop for insurance? If you prefer to look on your own, begin your search online. If you want to talk to someone about insurance, contact an agent. To find an agent, visit www.progressiveagent.com.

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Patty Duke Family Reunites for Dinner: Medicare on the Menu (285) (NewsUSA) – Patty Duke is back -; and this time she’s brought the entire family. The cast of the Patty Duke Show reunited for dinner and to create a series of public service announcements to promote Social Security’s new online Medicare application. You can view the television spots at www.socialsecurity.gov/medicareonly. Patty Duke and her television family entertained American households on the Patty Duke Show in the 1960s. Now, they want to serve families again -; by telling them just how easy and fast it is to apply online for Medicare -; even if they are not ready to retire. The application takes less than 10 minutes. Even if you decide to wait until after you’re age 65 to apply for retirement benefits, most people should start getting Medicare at age 65. If you’d like to begin your Medicare coverage, you should apply within four months of reaching age 65. It’s important to note that people who already receive Social Security retirement or disability benefits do not need to apply; they will be automatically enrolled in Medicare. Why apply online? Because it’s fast, easy and convenient. You don’t need an appointment, and you can avoid waiting in traffic or in line. You don’t even have to do it all at once. Our secure technology ensures your information will be kept private. If you’re within four months of turning age 65 or older, what are you waiting for? As Patty Duke and her television family will tell you, it takes less than 10 minutes! Just visit www.socialsecurity.gov and select the “Retirement/Medicare” link in the middle of the page. And be sure to catch TV’s most famous identical cousins and the whole family for dinner at www.socialsecurity.gov/medicareonly.

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