In the News
Our View: Add “alarming” to Minnesota’s “horrific” fentanyl crisis
From the editorial: “As the Minnesota Poison Control System pointed out, ‘No one wants a child to be exposed to a life-threatening substance.’” But they are at an alarming rate.
“Since 2022, (we have) been contacted about 66 children under the age of 3, including those just learning to cruise or that put their hands in their mouths, who have presented to Minnesota hospitals due to exposure to opioids,” Dr. Travis Olives, associate medical director for the poison control system, said in a statement Thursday. “All required medical care, and a wide range of symptoms and severity of illness were reported to us. But there are likely many more that were not reported.”
As poor air quality and extreme heat collide, here’s how to stay safe and safe money
“Whether you have pre-existing conditions or not, I think it’s really important to pay attention to how you feel,” said Dr. Nick Simpson.
It’s going to be sizzling hot in Minnesota all week — but probably not record-setting
Still, the heat and humidity can take its toll on anybody exerting themselves outdoors or living in places without air conditioning, said Dr. Tom Wyatt, a physician in the Hennepin County Medical Center Emergency Department. Heat-related illnesses — from dehydration to heatstroke — can strike quickly for people all ages.
“It’s insidious,” Wyatt said. “Stay hydrated. A lot of people won’t drink unless they feel thirsty. By then it is too late.”
Poison Control chat: A conversation on fentanyl, windshield wiper fluid and more
Director of the Minnesota Poison Control System, Samantha Lee and Dr. Jon Cole, Medical Director for the Minnesota Poison Control System join Susie to talk about the uptick in child fentanyl overdoses as well as a general chat on all things poison control.
More Minnesota kids hospitalized due to opioid exposure
The number of children exposed is probably underreported, said Dr. Travis Olives, associate medical director for the Minnesota Poison Control System.
Talking Points: Are Ozempic, Mounjaro and Wegovy the same?
In Talking Points, two Twin Cities doctors told Esme Murphy these drugs can work, but they do have warnings. Dr. Iesha Galloway-Gilliam, medical director of Hennepin Healthcare’s Comprehensive Weight Management Center, says the drugs are not a short-term fix.
New interactive dashboard reports on opioid, substance use cases in Hennepin County
As the opioid and substance use crisis continues to mount, the Minnesota Electronic Health Record Consortium and Hennepin County have revealed their new, real-time substance use disorder dashboard.
Minnesota legislature passes law opening door to creation of safe injection spaces
“It’s been used in other parts of the world to some great effect,” said Hennepin Healthcare Director of Addiction Medicine Dr. Gavin Bart, who has toured facilities in Zurich and Vancouver. “No one should think of these like bars. This is not going to a bar and having recreation and listening to music and entertainment with your friends. This is really much more of a health facility, social service.”
Hennepin Healthcare makes its case for more equity, inclusion training
“If we live in fear of what may happen, then we’re already telling the groups that are constantly dealing with issues that the worry of someone who may be offended is more important than my personal safety, well-being and mental health,” Chief Equity Officer Nneka Sederstrom told a crowd during a presentation of the program in February.
“We’re teaching the providers of tomorrow,” Vice President of Health Equity Talee Vang said. “And because of that, we have this unique position to make a real change, and to make a really, really bold statement.”
Emergency room doctors prepare for busy 4th of July
“Things you might start to notice are just feeling exhausted and feeling like you can’t go on outside — that is a sign of heat exhaustion and definitely a sign that you should get inside,” Hennepin Healthcare emergency physician Dr. Andie Rowland-Fisher said.
Taste of Minnesota wraps up Minneapolis reboot, drawing tens of thousands downtown
Organizers say a few people needed medical attention. Others checked in just to cool off a bit. Dr. Andie Rowland-Fisher, an emergency physician at Hennepin Healthcare, says that’s the right thing to do if you’re feeling faint, or just too hot.
The Patient Revolution aims to expose healthcare flaws and pave the way for improvement
Recent studies report that two-thirds of American physicians report feeling burned out, something only aggravated by the pandemic. Dr. Mark Linzer, an internal medicine physician at Hennepin Healthcare, is a nationally recognized expert who has studied the causes and effects of provider burnout.
Air quality alert issued as wildfire smoke lingers
“We’re getting a lot more triage calls — a lot more messages to call patients back. Sometimes I’m not able to get the call because I’m already on the phone call with another triage patient,” said Erik Lee, RN with Hennepin Healthcare’s pulmonary clinic.
More successful first attempt intubations with video laryngoscopy
“The average clinician caring for critically ill or injured adults in the U.S. probably performs intubation with the frequency and experience represented in this trial,” Matthew E. Prekker, MD, MPH, associate professor of emergency medicine and internal medicine at Hennepin County Medical Center, told Healio.
Many Twin Cities employees suffer from burnout. Here’s how to cope.
Dr. Mark Linzer, an internal medicine physician with Hennepin Healthcare who is the director of its Institute for Professional Worklife, started studying burnout among medical professionals in 1990. More than three decades later, he doesn’t see much improving.
Hennepin EMS paramedics add new tool to save lives as opioid overdoses increase
At Hennepin, the idea was hatched about a year ago during a meeting with addiction specialists, when one specialist mentioned how helpful it would be to see patients within 30 minutes of receiving naloxone. Ryan Mayfield, Nick Simpson, MD, Aaron Robinson, MD and Marty Scheerer interviewed.
Hennepin EMS protocols now include treatment for opioid withdrawal
“One of the biggest changes is offering Suboxone to patients who are experiencing acute naloxone-induced opioid withdrawal,” said Dr. Nicholas Simpson, who is an emergency and Hennepin EMS physician at Hennepin Healthcare.
Nurses, police, prosecutors, attend strangulation prevention training
“Some people don’t realize what’s happening to them,” Hennepin Healthcare forensic nurse examiner Breanna Heisterkamp said, “and how close they are potentially to death.”
Hennepin EMS incorporating video into 911 calls
Dr. Nick Simpson scans a 911 call log from his office at Hennepin County Medical Center in downtown Minneapolis. Poring over the data, he finds what he’s looking for, and punches in a phone number. After two rings, someone picks up.
“Hi, this is Dr. Simpson from Hennepin EMS,” he says. “Did you call 911?”
Paralyzed patient moves legs again after 23 years, MN trial shows promising results
Dr. David Darrow is the principal investigator for Hennepin Healthcare Research Institute’s E-STAND clinical trial.
“Over time what we have found is sure enough in 20 out of 20 patients we see significant effects across the board,” Dr. Darrow explains.
