Mental Attitude: Doctor Burnout Leads to Poor Care. Investigators analyzed data concerning nearly 42,500 doctors
from around the world and found that physicians who were overworked or overstressed were 1.9 times more likely to
have a patient safety incident, such as a medication error or a miscommunication about treatment that placed the patient at
risk. Furthermore, these doctors were 2.3 times more likely to act unprofessionally or receive poor satisfaction marks from
their patients. Dr. Cynthia Smith, the vice president for clinical programs with the American College of Physicians,
explains that paperwork is a leading cause of burnout for doctors of all ages, and the advent of electronic health records
has made things worse rather than better. The findings suggest that efforts to reduce paperwork and ease doctors’
administrative burden could help reduce burnout. JAMA Internal Medicine, September 2018
Health Alert: Serious Birth Complications on the Rise in the US. According to the Agency for Healthcare Research
and Quality, the rate of serious birth complications in the United States rose from 101 per 10,000 delivery hospitalizations
to 147 per 10,000 between 2006 and 2015, and the rates of acute kidney failure, shock, mechanical ventilation use, and
sepsis at delivery more than doubled during the same period. Agency director Dr. Gopal Khanna writes, “With these data
in hand, state and federal agencies, patient safety experts, and health systems can evaluate maternal morbidity trends in
greater depth, a vital step before addressing the challenge.” Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, September 2018
Diet: Children without Access to Good Food Face Hypertension Risk. An analysis of national health survey data from
2007 to 2014 showed that more than one-fifth of kids between the age of 8 and 17 lacked access to nutritious foods.
Furthermore, among boys and girls with poor nutrition, over 14% had high blood pressure, compared to only 11.6%
among those with better access to nutritious food. American Heart Association, August 2018
Exercise: Better Student Fitness and Higher Test Scores? Using data collected over the course of four years from
1,138 elementary schools across the state of Georgia, researchers identified a school-wide association between higher
cardiorespiratory fitness and better performance on standardized tests. Journal of School Health, October 2018
Chiropractic: Poor Posture Linked to Headaches? In this case study, a man with a history of constant pain and
headaches following a work injury presented for chiropractic care. A thorough examination revealed that the patient had
exaggerated forward head posture and thoracic hyperkyphosis. Following a thirteen-week treatment plan that involved
exercises, traction, and manipulation, the patient experienced improvements in regards to his posture, pain, and headaches.
This case report adds to a growing body of research linking headaches with dysfunction in the cervical and thoracic spine.
Journal of Physical Therapy Science, August 2018
Wellness/Prevention: Vitamin D and Scarring. Vitamin D deficiency has been linked to a number of negative health
outcomes, and new research shows it may even affect scarring. In the study, researchers examined 50 patients who had
sustained a cut longer than one inch the previous year and found that those with healthy vitamin D levels were less likely
to have developed a raised or hypertrophic scar. Dermatologic Surgery, September 2018
Quote: “The greatest truths are the simplest, and so are the greatest men.” ~ Julius Charles Hare

I found that Dr. Joe Megna is one of the best chiropractors I have found in the Napa region.