“Public health departments are the backbone of our public health system,” said PHAB President and CEO Paul Kuehnert, DNP, RN, FAAN. “Ensuring that they have a strong infrastructure and Foundational Capabilities in place is a vital step in strengthening the health of communities across the country.”

ALEXANDRIA, Va. (PRWEB)
November 16, 2022

The Public Health Accreditation Board (PHAB) today announced the names of fifteen public health departments that have achieved accreditation or reaccreditation status, after completion of a systematic review process against national standards. These health departments have demonstrated their commitment to building and maintaining a strong infrastructure to better serve their communities.

“Accreditation establishes Ohio’s state and local health departments among the nation’s leaders in public health planning and action,” said Bruce Vanderhoff, MD, MBA, Director of the Ohio Department of Health. “It is an important demonstration of our commitment to delivering the highest quality of public health service to the people of Ohio.”

Health departments provide essential services, such as such as vaccinations, food inspections, health education, and vital records, and are key leaders in improving the health and well-being of communities. To demonstrate accountability, promote transparency, and adopt cultures that promote continuous performance improvement, many health departments strive to achieve national accreditation.

“Achieving accreditation is a reflection of our commitment to our Washington County community and is the result of years of dedication and extraordinary effort on behalf of our staff, our partners and our volunteers,” said John Jackson, Director of Washington County Health Department, OH. “While becoming an accredited health department was our goal, it is the process of gaining accreditation that will lead to improved health outcomes within our county.”

PHAB, the non-profit organization that administers the national accrediting program, works to improve and protect the health of the public by advancing and transforming the quality and performance of governmental public health departments in the United States and abroad.

“Public health departments are the backbone of our public health system,” said PHAB President and CEO Paul Kuehnert, DNP, RN, FAAN. “Ensuring that they have a strong infrastructure and Foundational Capabilities in place is a vital step in strengthening the health of communities across the country.”

National Initial Accreditation was awarded November 4, 2022 to:

• Ashtabula County Health Department, OH
• City of Middletown Health Department, OH
• Morrow County Health District, OH
• Noble County Health Department, OH
• Washington County Health Department, OH

National Reaccreditation was awarded November 4, 2022 to:

• City of Long Beach Department of Health and Human Services, CA
• Flathead City-County Health Department, MT
• Garrett County Health Department, MD
• Gwinnett, Newton and Rockdale County Health Departments, GA
• Ohio Department of Health, OH
• Sedgwick County Health Department, KS
• St. Croix County DHHS-Public Health, WI
• Stratford Health Department, CT
• Taney County Health Department, MO
• Washington County Department of Public Health and Environment, MN

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“We have seen enormous interest from around the world in our flagship chest x-ray product,” said annalise.ai Chief Medical Officer Dr. Rick Abramson. “Users are intrigued by the depth of diagnostic support we provide and the opportunity to use Annalise Enterprise CXR within new clinical workflows.”

SYDNEY (PRWEB)
November 16, 2022

annalise.ai has been named 2022’s Best New Radiology Vendor by AuntMinnie.com, considered one of the largest and most comprehensive community Web sites for medical imaging professionals worldwide. The Minnies highlight the top global innovators and pioneers in the field of radiology, and AI was an important theme in this year’s awards.

Annalise.ai products are particularly distinctive for how many clinical findings they detect. Annalise Enterprise CXR, the company’s first comprehensive decision-support AI solution, detects up to 124 suspected chest x-ray findings and can also provide a notification of suspected urgent findings to a radiologist’s worklist, thus assisting in the treatment of patients with the most critical conditions first.

“We have seen enormous interest from around the world in our flagship chest x-ray product,” said annalise.ai Chief Medical Officer Dr. Rick Abramson. “Users are intrigued by the depth of diagnostic support we provide and the opportunity to use Annalise Enterprise CXR within new clinical workflows.”

The Annalise Enterprise CXR AI model was trained on one of the world’s largest datasets of chest X-rays hand-labelled by radiologist (over 820.000 images) from Australia, Europe, and the United States. The Lancet Digital Health validation study for the chest x-ray product was the largest study of its kind ever undertaken in terms of the number of AI findings concurrently evaluated.

This year, annalise.ai chest x-ray products received U.S. FDA (United States Food and Drug Administration) clearance for use in triage and notification of a subset of chest x-ray findings.

Most recently, annalise.ai launched Annalise Enterprise CTB, the world’s most comprehensive decision- support AI solution for non-contrast CT brain studies. Enterprise CTB is now clinically available in Australia, New Zealand, and Great Britain.

“Annalise Enterprise CTB assists the radiologist with 130 imaging findings, which means more support for the radiologist and a bigger impact on patient care,” said Dr. Abramson.

annalise.ai will be showcasing its US and rest-of-world Annalise Enterprise solutions at this year’s RSNA (Radiological Society of North America) 2022 conference. Visit us at Booth #4757 in the South Hall, AI Showcase at McCormick Place in Chicago or reserve your demo time here.

About annalise.ai

With accelerating advances in medical imaging technology, radiologists and other healthcare providers are now expected to diagnose patients quickly and accurately. annalise.ai fuses the highest quality imaging data with the very best in computer science to produce comprehensive AI clinical decision support solutions, empowering clinicians to make accurate, faster decisions. Our patient-first approach is proudly clinician-led and comes from a deep understanding of the challenges faced in medical imaging. Our AI solutions provide clinicians with a second set of eyes, allowing them to detect with confidence and drive better health outcomes for all patients.

annalise.ai is a joint venture between Australian healthcare technology company Harrison.ai and one of the world’s largest radiology companies, I–MED Radiology Network, a partnership that extends the capability of imaging analysis AI to deliver comprehensive modality solutions. The company has offices in Australia, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and the U.S.

annalise.ai solutions are intended for health care professionals only. annalise.ai solutions are not intended to provide direct diagnosis. For detailed device information, including indications for use, contraindications, precautions, and warnings, please consult the user guide prior to use. Not all features are available in all regions, check current regulatory status with an annalise.ai employee.

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Roughly 140 dental hygienists from across Central Texas gathered in Austin last week to learn how to identify warning signs of sex trafficking.

I’m a survivor myself, so I can tell you first-hand how important this kind of program is, and how grateful we are for businesses like Austin Oral Surgery, who partner with us.

AUSTIN, Texas (PRWEB)
November 16, 2022

Human trafficking is widely recognized as the fastest growing criminal industry in the world, with more than 40 million victims worldwide, according to the International Labour Organization. To make a difference, Austin Oral Surgery hosts a series of professional training events every year to help dental professionals recognize warning signs that they may uncover while treating patients, as well as what to do with that information to help ensure their patients’ safety. The 2022 event series wrapped up on Nov. 9, 2022 at Austin Oral Surgery’s annual Hygienists Night Out at Maggiano’s Little Italy, where approximately 140 dental hygienists from across Central Texas received vital training on this important issue.

“Several years ago, one of our oral surgery assistants was treating a patient and noticed something odd that could have been a warning sign of sex trafficking. Thankfully, it wasn’t, but it made us realize that we’re in an ideal position to be able to see warning signs in a way that the general public isn’t. There are several warning signs that can be found in the mouth. Dental professionals need training to correctly identify them and seek help without putting their patients or themselves in danger,” explained Renee Dixon, Austin Oral Surgery’s marketing director.

In addition to training, Hygienists Night Out attendees received dinner, swag bags, continuing education credits, and a presentation on the topic “Manage Your Mind, or it Will Manage You,” by motivational speaker and certified life coach Machele Galloway.

“Having a positive mindset is such an important thing. It can be the difference between success and failure in your personal and professional life, and it also goes along with the whole theme of our event,” noted Dixon. “The right mindset can enable hope and inspire change.”

In conjunction with the event, Austin Oral Surgery also raised $1,230 for Unbound Now and $1,400 for the doTERRA Healing Hands Foundation – two nonprofits that are committed to eliminating human trafficking. In addition, 30 attendees expressed in an interest in volunteer work for one of the nonprofits.

According to Unbound Now, human trafficking is “any time a person is forced, tricked, or manipulated into providing labor or sexual service for someone else’s financial gain. Or, anytime a child is involved in a commercial sex act, whether or not there is someone directly forcing them to do so.”

“A lot of people don’t really understand what human trafficking is. Most people think of it as something that’s happening far away and that we can’t do much to change it. But human trafficking is happening right here, right now, and we can make a tremendous difference, through education and empowerment,” said Sara Nellis, Unbound Now director of early intervention. “I’m a survivor myself, so I can tell you first-hand how important this kind of program is, and how grateful we are for businesses like Austin Oral Surgery, who partner with us.”

Nellis adds that while Unbound Now was founded in 2012, the Austin Chapter is relatively new, so one of the most important things people can do to get involved is to spread the word that the chapter is open and ready to help its community. In addition, Nellis says the chapter needs volunteers, more program partners like Austin Oral Surgery, and referrals – both of potential donors and of anyone who could benefit from Unbound Now’s services.

Austin Oral Surgery has been training dental professionals on this important topic since 2016. To date, the practice has helped train more than 2,500 dental professionals throughout Central Texas and has helped raised more than $30,000 for various nonprofits, who are dedicated to the cause.

“Our next training event will be in Q1 2023, and we urge any dental professionals who haven’t trained on this topic yet, to join us,” said Dixon. “This is vital, important information that all dental professionals and the communities they serve can benefit from, so we want to make sure it is available to all. Human trafficking is a tragedy that affects people worldwide, and the best way to eradicate it, is to fight it together.”

About Unbound Now: Founded in 2012, Unbound Now is a 501c3 nonprofit that is dedicated to extinguishing human trafficking and igniting hope. Unbound Now has three main lines of effort: prevention and awareness, professional training and survivor advocacy. Unbound Now has chapters in Austin, Bryan College Station, Houston, North Texas and Waco. The nonprofit also works in Cambodia, Poland, Indonesia and Mongolia. For more information, visit https://www.unboundnow.org/.

About doTERRA: The doTERRA Healing Hands Foundation is a 501c3 nonprofit that is dedicated to anti-human trafficking efforts, fighting to end modern slavery through prevention, rescue and aftercare. The foundation is affiliated with doTERRA International, which aims to promote sustainable change by supporting initiatives that alleviate extreme poverty, improve quality of life and ensure basic human rights. For more information, visit: https://doterrahealinghands.org/.

About Austin Oral Surgery: When Doctors James Fricke and Sam Fason established Austin Oral Surgery more than 50 years ago, they had one goal in mind: to put patients first. Austin Oral Surgery continues that legacy of exceptional care today, treating patients with a wide variety of oral/maxillofacial needs from wisdom teeth removal and corrective jaw surgery to dental implants and more. For more information, visit http://www.austinoralsurgery.com.

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Little Giraffe Foundation

“Funding these valuable programs means that parents and families with children in the NICU can focus on what’s important—the health of their babies,” said co-founder of the Little Giraffe Foundation Mike Santoro.

CHICAGO (PRWEB)
November 16, 2022

Little Giraffe Foundation, a registered 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to funding neonatal research and supporting families and premature babies in the NICU, announced the 14 recipients of the foundation’s 2022 NICU Support Grants. Since 2011, the Little Giraffe Foundation has helped more than 23,000 families through support grants, medical grants, hospital gift bag deliveries and more—ensuring the immediate and future care of NICU patients. This GivingTuesday, the foundation encourages the purchase of books for those who would like to support its efforts, as the current supply for hospital deliveries is running low.

“We are so grateful to those who have supported our foundation since its inception, those who supported us for the first time this year, and everyone in between. Because of the generous support of our donors, these 14 grants were made possible to fund critical NICU programs,” said Amanda Santoro, co-founder and president of the Little Giraffe Foundation. “As we approach this 2022 holiday season, we ask for assistance in purchasing books as part of the care packages we deliver to 17 hospitals in Chicago and Colorado. We’ve heard from hundreds of families how important these materials are during such a difficult time. And we will continue supporting as many families as possible.”

This year’s Little Giraffe Foundation’s NICU Support Grant recipients are as follows:

• 
  Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital, Valhalla, New York — to receive $1,000 for bereavement programs including photos, memory boxes and memorial services for NICU families.
• Carter G. Cares, Gainesville, Florida — to receive $1,000 to make holiday baskets consisting of small gifts and a holiday luncheon for NICU families.
• Cook Children’s Health Foundation, Fort Worth, Texas — to receive $1,000 for luggage items, age-appropriate developmental toys and alarm clocks for current and future NICU families.
• The Nest Postpartum, Champaign, Illinois — to receive $1,000 to provide tangible support to local NICU families through gas gift cards.
• Franciscan Health Foundation, Olympia Fields, Illinois — to receive $1,000 for safe sleep kits that promote safe sleep practices for families with infants in the NICU.
• Abington Health Foundation, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania — to receive $1,000 for breast pumps and car seats to support families being discharged from the NICU.
• Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center, Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania — to receive $1,000 for the purchase of boppy nursing pillows and positioners to be gifted to NICU graduates.
• Norton Children’s Hospital Foundation, Louisville, Kentucky — to receive $1000 to distribute gas gift cards to NICU parents.

Sharp HealthCare Foundation, San Diego, California — to receive $1,000 to distribute ‘Where’s Baby? – A NICU Story’ book for older siblings of babies hospitalized in the NICU.

• Covenant Children’s Hospital, Lubbock, Texas — to receive $1,000 to start a free, on-site food pantry for NICU families.

St. Christopher’s Hospital, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania — to receive $1,000 for Halo SleepSack Swaddles Compact Swings for NICU graduates.

The Tiny Miracles Foundation, Darien, Connecticut — to receive $1,000 to host holiday meals for parents with babies in the NICU.

• Mount Auburn Hospital, Cambridge, Massachusetts — to receive $1,000 to establish a three-pronged reading program incorporating children’s books, voice recorders and musical mobiles that allow NICU families to read to their newborns while present and to expose infants to their voices while they are away from the bedsides.
• Kaiser Permanente Oakland Medical Center, Oakland, California — to receive $1,000 for gas cards to distribute to NICU families in need.

“Funding these valuable programs means that parents and families with children in the NICU can focus on what’s important—the health of their babies. Whether their hospital provides support in the form of food, gas cards or necessary developmental tools for their babies, these grants will help ease the stress of many families this holiday season,” said Mike Santoro, co-founder of the Little Giraffe Foundation. “The entire Little Giraffe Foundation community would like to thank our monetary donors and volunteers that make this funding possible. We wouldn’t be able to support thousands of families in the NICU without you.”

To learn more about the Little Giraffe Foundation and its efforts to aid in NICU patient and family assistance, as well as neonatal medical research, please visit: http://www.littlegiraffefoundation.org/ and follow the organization’s news on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/LittleGiraffeFoundation.

About the Little Giraffe Foundation:

The Little Giraffe Foundation is a national 501(c)(3) non-profit based in Chicago, dedicated to supporting parents and patients of the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Since 2011, the foundation has delivered gift bags to more than 23,000 families during their stay in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs), awarded over 125 support grants to dozens of hospitals across the country, and funded over $280,000 in medical research.

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