The National Journal, popular in policy circles, has been running a series on the public’s distrust of institutions.  On Thursday they posted an article on “Why We Trust Doctors.”  The article reports, “At its core, medicine is a personal business.  Even as health care has become more technological (surgical robots, electronic medical records) and physicians have become more squeezed for time, nearly every medical encounter involves a face-to-face interaction between a doctor and a patient…Pollsters and scholars of medical ethics say that this personal interaction is a key to doctor-patient trust.”

The article also noted, “A doctor is rarely seen as the agent of a big institution or, like a member of Congress, as a well-liked but distant individual.  Your doctor is the person who sits in a room with you and helps to solve your problems…The structure of medicine may also account for some of the lingering trust. The insurance system places an intermediary between care and payment, which makes it harder for patients to see doctors as profiteers”:  http://nationaljournal.com/features/restoration-calls/why-we-trust-doctors-20120419?page=1.

The Wall Street Journal last week ran a special section on innovations in health care.  Among the articles was a discussion of the use of simulators in medical education.  The collection also featured a discussion with Dr. Eric Topol of Scripps on the wireless revolution that is coming “as the digitication of health care meets the smartphone.”
http://online.wsj.com/public/page/innovations-in-healthcare-04162012.html
http://tinyurl.com/d7kteep
http://tinyurl.com/bmr26yl

The Food and Drug Administration has issued a new report stating that its postmarket drug safety program has been strengthened and modernized and has resulted in a substantial improvement in the FDA’s oversight of drugs once they reach the American public.  The report, “Advances in FDA’s Safety Program for Marketed Drugs,” describes new scientific tools and enhanced capabilities that give the same priority to postmarket drug safety monitoring as to premarket drug review.  It was issued by the FDA Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER):  http://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/ucm301165.htm?source=govdelivery.

MLA ’13, will take place on May 3–8, 2013, in Boston, and will incorporate the 11th International Congress on Medical Librarianship (ICML), the 7th International Conference of Animal Health Information Specialists (ICAHIS), and the 6th International Clinical Librarians Conference.  Submission of papers and posters (using the MLA submission system) will begin earlier than usual because of the lead times needed for international participants.  The 2013 contributed papers and posters submission deadline is May 1, 2012.  Final findings and results may be added to the accepted papers and posters up to 1^st February 2013, so you don’t have to have completed research to submit a paper or abstract.  The same system will be used for submissions to all four parts of the incorporated meeting – MLA, ICML, ICAHIS and ICLC.

The 2013 meeting theme is “One World: Information in an Interdependent World,” which emphasizes global interdependencies in all health-related areas.  “One Health” is meant to encompass not only human and animal health, but also public health, environmental health, climate change, food safety and production, and international health policy.

For access to the online submission process, instructions, and a list of section program themes, see www.mlanet.org/am/am2013/.

The MCH Library and the National Maternal and Child Oral Health Resource Center at Georgetown University have developed a new edition of the knowledge path, Oral Health for Infants, Children, Adolescents, and Pregnant Women.  This knowledge path directs readers to a selection of current, high-quality resources that analyze data, describe effective programs, and report on policy and research aimed at improving access to and quality of oral health care.  The knowledge path can be used by health professionals, program administrators, and policymakers to learn more about oral health, for program development, and to locate training resources and information to answer specific questions.  The knowledge path also links to separate resource briefs for families and for schools and to briefs on topics such as the dental home, dental sealants, and oral health for children and adolescents with special health care needs.  View the knowledge path online at http://www.mchoralhealth.org/knwpathoralhealth.html.

MCH Library at Georgetown University

Website: http://mchlibrary.info

This discussion paper reflects the opinions of members of the Institute of Medicine (IOM) Roundtable on Health Literacy and is not an official statement from the IOM.  It was published earlier this year so you may have already seen this.  It could be of potential interest to those who may wish to bring it to the attention of those within their organizations who are promoting the health literacy agenda:  http://www.iom.edu/~/media/Files/Perspectives-Files/2012/Discussion-Papers/BPH_HLit_Attributes.pdf.

We encourage you to always check out our MAR website (http://nnlm.gov/mar/) to see our latest activities.  Here’s what on our front door this week:

What’s Happening with MAR These Days?

• April 12-14: We’re exhibiting at the Pennsylvania School Librarians Association Conference, Hershey Lodge, Hershey, PA

• April 13: We’re teaching the course The Ropes: Planning Instruction for the Adult Learner at the Central NY Library Resources Council (CNYLRC)

• April 17: We’re hosting the Director of the NLM Web Services Technology Operations Center (Web-STOC), Michael Boer, for a visit to MAR

• April 18: We’re hosting the webcast Leveraging Mobile Technologies for Health Sciences Libraries at MAR

• April 18-19: We’re exhibiting at the New York State Public Health Association Conference, Hilton Garden Inn, Troy, NY

• April 19: We’re welcoming the Hospital Libraries SAG: http://nnlm.gov/mar/about/sag.html#hospital to MAR

Make sure to check out the new site from NIH on senior health, NIHSeniorHealth:  http://nihseniorhealth.gov/

Last week, MAR announced that we have set-up our new advisory structure that will consist of a Regional Advisory Committee (RAC) and four Special Advisory Groups (SAGs).  The committees and their members are available on our website:  http://nnlm.gov/mar/about/rac.html and http://nnlm.gov/mar/about/sag.html.

We have now set the dates for our first round of meetings:

• Regional Advisory Committee will meet April 30, 2012.

Special Advisory Groups

• Outreach to Health Professionals and Public Health Workers will meet April 5, 2012.
• Consumer Health will meet April 24, 2012.
• Hospital Libraries will meet April 20, 2012.
• Resource and Academic Libraries will meet April 3, 2012.

Tuesday, April 3, 2012, 5:30 – 7:30 p.m.

UPenn, 3730 Walnut Street
Huntsman Hall, Room F95
[Directions]

RSVP by March 30th:  http://gpcareers-list.eventbrite.com/

Pizza will be served.

Did you know that Philadelphia has the highest proportion of people over 60 out of the ten largest cities in the United States? Given that number, isn’t it surprising that more organizations and businesses are not addressing the needs and talents of our aging population?

From community development, to the arts, housing, city planning, and more, each profession has the opportunity to touch the lives of older people and help our city become a lifelong community.

Join GenPhilly to learn from our members about organizations that incorporate seniors into their programs, policy, and planning. Be a part of a discussion on how you can be mindful of the needs of seniors in you work. If you currently incorporate the aging population into your job, meet a group that can provide a support network for you. Come early to enjoy pizza and learn about potential JOBS, career paths and career options.

NETWORKING, PIZZA, & RESOURCE TABLES

All attendees are encouraged to bring information to share at our resource tables, including promotional materials and employment information. We want to know more about your organization and your community!

KEYNOTE – Donna S. Wang

Master of Social Work, Ph.D. in Social Work, Assistant Professor, Chair of the Social Work Department, School of Social Work, Long Island University, Brooklyn, NY

With strong roots in Philadelphia, Dr. Wang currently resides in the concrete jungle of New York City as an academician and researcher in the field of aging. Based on her experiences in the Philadelphia area, both as a researcher and as a social worker providing direct care for older adults in the community, she will discuss different perspectives on healthy aging, and what we can do to promote well-being and quality of life for the aging population. Ms. Wang will also talk about some of her most innovative research projects, which include evaluating the benefits of interventions such as gardening and yoga for seniors.

PANEL by GENPHILLY MEMBERS:

• Erik S. Johanson, Master in Public Administration, Strategy & Sustainability Planner, SEPTA Finance & Planning
• Katie Young, Master in Gerontology, Program Coordinator, Temple Time Out Respite Program
• Lydia Collins, Master of Library and Information Science, Consumer Health Coordinator, National Network of Libraries of Medicine, Middle Atlantic Region
• Stephanie Randazzo, Master of Social Service and Master of Law and Social Policy, Social Services Director, Broomall Presbyterian Village
• Deaglan Daugherty, Program Manager, Philadelphia FIGHT (KEYSPOTS), formerly with Older Adults Technology Services