News

September 2011

• VACCINE UPDATE:

  1. Gardasil Vaccine is a new vaccine for girls ages 11-12. This is also available for girls and women up to age 26. The vaccine protects against many of the viruses which cause cervical cancer. Insurance is covering administration of this vaccine.

  2. Chicken Pox Vaccine: We now recommend a booster for the chickenpox vaccine. All children who have been vaccinated once should receive a booster at their well child examination.

  3. Tetanus Shots: We recommend the tetanus booster for adults every ten years. Now there is a tetanus vaccine which contains protection against whooping cough. Adults up to age 65 can get this booster once in place of their regular tetanus shot. Over age 65 we give the regular tetanus vaccine.

  4. We recommend the tetanus booster with whooping cough protection for children at their 11-12 physical.

  5. Rotavirus: We are now giving rotavirus vaccine to babies at ages 2, 4 and 6 months of age. This vaccine is given orally. It protects against a virus which causes a severe intestinal infection in young children.

  6. Meningitis vaccine is recommended at the 11-12 year old physical exam and now there is a recommendation to have a one time booster in five years. This is a very important vaccine which protects against a deadly form of meningitis.

Pneumonia vaccine is now recommended for many patients: (See the cdc website , http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vpd-vac/pneumo/default.htm, for more information.)

1. All adults 65 years of age and older.
2. Anyone 2 through 64 years of age who has a long-term health problem such as: heart disease, lung disease, sickle cell disease, diabetes, alcoholism, cirrhosis, leaks of cerebrospinal fluid or cochlear implant.
3. Anyone 2 through 64 years of age who has a disease or condition that lowers the body’s resistance to infection, such as: Hodgkin’s disease; lymphoma or leukemia; kidney failure; multiple myeloma; nephrotic syndrome; HIV infection or AIDS; damaged spleen, or no spleen; organ transplant.
4. Anyone 2 through 64 years of age who is taking a drug or treatment that lowers the body’s resistance to infection, such as: long-term steroids, certain cancer drugs, radiation therapy.
5. Any adult 19 through 64 years of age who is a smoker or has asthma.
6. Residents of nursing homes or long-term care facilities.

• Shingles Vaccine:
  Shingles vaccine is available in Chittenden County. Shingles vaccine is recommended for all people 60 and over. Additional information on the vaccine is available at the CDC website here.

  Fletcher Allen Health Care recently started a Zoster Vaccine Administration Clinic. The Clinic is held most Wednesday afternoons at the new Ambulatory Care Center on its main campus in Burlington. If you receive the vaccine at this clinic, the Zoster Vaccine must be covered by your Medicare Part-D Insurance and you will be responsible for any deductibles and copays that your Medicare Part D requires. You must schedule an appointment. Call 847-2821 for more information.

Laboratory testing and radiology:

If you need to have blood drawn, click here for blood drawing sites and hours:
Fletcher Allen Health Care
Northwestern Medical Center

If you need to have an x-ray done on a walk-in basis at FAHC, call either Fanny Allen (847-1468) or Main Campus/ACC (847-3593) for their hours.

If you need to have an x-ray done at Northwestern Medical Center click here.

Living Wills and Advanced Care Documents

Have you told friends or family what type of care you would or wouldn’t want if you were unable to talk for yourself? Do you have a Living Will or an Advanced Care Directive? Have you chosen someone to be your Medical Power of Attorney to make medical care decisions for you if you were to be unable to make these decisions for yourself? Have you told friends or family whether you would like to donate your organs when you die? Have you discussed your wishes with your health care provider and provided us with a copy of your Advanced Care Directive?

We would like EVERY adult in our practice to have an Advanced Care Document (Living Will).

Vermont has an excellent Advanced Directive Form. You can learn more about Living Wills, look at useful worksheets to help guide your decision making process and find answers to frequently asked questions at the Vermont Ethics Network website here.

A usuable copy of the Vermont Advanced Directive can be printed from the Vermont Ethics Website here. Forms are also available in the Alderbrook Office.

MRSA: What can I do to avoid it?

MRSA is an infection caused by Staphococcal bacteria which are resistant to the most common antibiotics. They most commonly infect skin and cause boils or abscesses. Rarely they can cause much more serious infections. Protect yourself by taking these steps:

• Wash your hands often using plain soap and water for at least 15 seconds each time. You may also want to carry alcohol-based instant hand sanitizers or wipes in your bag for times when you can’t wash your hands.

• If you have a cut or broken skin, keep it clean and covered with a bandage.

• Don’t share razors, towels, uniforms, or other items that come into contact with bare skin.

• Clean shared sports equipment with antiseptic solution before each use or use a barrier (clothing or towel) between your skin and the equipment.

You may not need antibiotics any longer for dental procedures if you have a heart murmer.
There are new guidelines advising patients that antibiotics are NOT needed unless you have an artificial heart valve or have had a heart valve infection in the past. Some patients with congenital heart disease or heart transplants will still need antibiotics. Please check with your health care provider to be sure you do not need antibiotics. The risk of heart infections is very small. These new guidelines are based on information from leading cardiologists in the United States. Research suggests that there is a greater risk of antibiotic resistance and reaction to antibiotics than there is of heart valve infections.