Physician’s at Shriners for Children Medical Center

“It takes a whole team of people to make these miracles happen every day, and we are proud to see several physicians receiving accolades from their peers,” said Christopher Dougherty, administrator at Shriners for Children Medical Center.

PASADENA, Calif. (PRWEB)
September 10, 2019

Four Shriners for Children Medical Center physicians have been named Top Doctors by Pasadena Magazine. These physicians have been recognized among the best doctors in the San Gabriel Valley for providing high-quality, compassionate care in their respective pediatric subspecialties:

• Robert H. Cho, M.D. – Chief of Staff, scoliosis, spinal deformity surgery, limb deformity, pediatric orthopaedic trauma
• William Magee, M.D., D.D.S. – Chief of Plastics, director of cleft lip and palate program, facial reconstruction, microtia, burn reconstruction
• Katherine Au, M.D. – Congenital and post-traumatic hand reconstruction, burn reconstruction, breast reconstruction, microsurgery
• Frederic R. Bushnell, M.D. – Anesthesiology

“It takes a whole team of people to make these miracles happen every day, and we are proud to see several physicians receiving accolades from their peers,” said Christopher Dougherty, administrator at Shriners for Children Medical Center.

“The commitment to personalized patient care and family experience is part of our culture and shared by all of our staff,” added Robert H. Cho, M.D. “Our innovative approach to pediatric pain management allows us to treat many conditions with minimal to no opiate use and has become the model that many pediatric centers follow. Our state-of-the-art clinic, physical therapy, and operating rooms allow us to care for children in a world-class environment. We welcome all children with neuromuscular conditions, scoliosis and spine problems, sports injuries, fractures, congenital hand disorders, cleft lip and palate, burns, and urologic disorders.”

Pasadena Magazine surveyed doctors from across the San Gabriel Valley and Los Angeles to identify the most esteemed physicians in their respective fields. Results of the annual peer-to-peer survey are published in the September 2019 print edition and online.

Shriners Hospitals for Children is changing lives every day through innovative pediatric specialty care, world-class research, and outstanding medical education. Shriners for Children Medical Center – Pasadena is a regional pediatric medical center providing care to children with orthopedic conditions, plastics reconstructive surgery, rehabilitation, and orthotics and prosthetic services regardless of the families’ ability to pay. To schedule an appointment, call (626) 389-9300 or visit us online at shcla.org.

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Dr. Alevtina Smirnova

“Solid-state is the future of energy storage,” says Dr. Alevtina Smirnova, an associate professor of chemistry and applied biological sciences and electrical and computer engineering at SD Mines.

RAPID CITY, S.D. (PRWEB)
September 11, 2019

Research scientists at South Dakota School of Mines & Technology will host hundreds of industry representatives, the National Science Foundation (NSF) and fellow academics on Thursday and Friday, Sept. 12-13, in a bid to establish an international center to develop solid-state batteries which will be safer, cheaper, smaller and more efficient than lithium ion batteries.

The center would be a huge economic boost to both SD Mines as well as the state of South Dakota, says Dr. Alevtina Smirnova, an associate professor of chemistry and applied biological sciences and electrical and computer engineering at Mines.

Smirnova and research scientist Dr. Abu Md “Numan” Numan-Al-Mobin are leading the grant proposal to NSF for the establishment of the Center for Green Solid-State Electric Power Generation and Storage(CEPS). Smirnova and Numan are responsible for the coordination of the Sept. 12-13 conference.

“We are excited about the possibility of Mines taking such a major role in new green technology that could really change the world,” Smirnova says. “We hope CEPS will become the center for development of eco-friendly, safe and economically feasible all-solid-state energy storage technology.”

Smirnova says the solid batteries developed in CEPS would be ideal for portable and medical applications, the automotive industry, centralized and decentralized electric grids, military applications and energy security.

Some of the industry leaders attending the conference include Ford (attending remotely), Swiss company LafargeHolcim, Garmin International, Caterpillar Inc., Naval Air Systems Command, Solvay of Belgium, Collins Aerospace, L3Harris Technologies, 3M and Parker-Hannifin Corporation.

The push to find safer, more sustainable batteries is the “holy grail” right now, Smirnova says.

“The reality is, conventional lithium-ion batteries are not safe or reliable.” Conventional batteries contain a liquid, that renders them flammable, dangerous and costly. In 2016, the lithium ion batteries in Samsung’s Galaxy Note 7 computers cost the company $10 billion when many of the batteries exploded.

This week’s conference is the second step in the process to bring CEPS to its fully-funded fruition. Smirnova was awarded a $60,000 NSF planning grant in January to create an Industry/University Cooperative Research Center (IUCRC) on campus. With SD Mines as the lead center, three other universities became “sites” to work on specific pieces of the research needed to make solid-state batteries a reality. Those universities are South Dakota State University in Brookings, University of South Dakota in Vermillion and Northeastern University in Massachusetts. Each university received $15,000 of the planning grant.

Under the NSF grant process, Mines and the three sites must now secure three business partnerships with companies, with each company contributing $50,000. NSF will match the $50,000 for the first three partners up to $600,000 per year. NSF also requires Mines and each site to partner with national labs for research assistance.

The NSF program strives to create cooperative research centers that create long-term partnerships among industry, academia and government.

The $50,000 investment by industry will give them a seat at the CEPS Industry Advisory Board, a vote in the CEPS research and development portfolio, the ability to monitor progress in the development of the technology, involvement in the development and approval of CEPS’ bylaws and the retainment of non-exclusive licenses to develop products. They will also be helping to train students for future employment, supporting the economic development of South Dakota and supporting sustainable electric power grids, Smirnova says.

NSF will evaluate CEPS’ progress during the conference this week. If the requirements are in place and CEPS can show it can attract members from industry, Smirnova will be asked to submit a full grant in December, requesting $600,000 per year for 5 years in grant funding for the project. The funds must be matched 1:1 by industry.

If NSF approves CEPS for full funding, the center and its three sites will have 10 to 15 years to become self-sustaining.

“We welcome these companies to our campus and look forward to sharing this exciting research with them,” Smirnova says. “Solid-state is the future of energy storage.”

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Mary Johnson

“Inflation is lower this year, and we are estimating that the COLA is likely to be around 1.7 percent,” Johnson says. “Nevertheless, we anticipate that Medigap premiums will continue to grow several times faster for a number of reasons,” Johnson adds.

WASHINGTON (PRWEB)
August 26, 2019

According to a new survey by The Senior Citizens League (TSCL), premiums for Medicare supplemental insurance, known as Medigap, grew more than twice as fast as Social Security cost – of – living -adjustments (COLA) in the past year. About 41 percent of survey participants who are covered by a Medigap policy report robust premium increases in the past 12 months of at least 6 percent or more, particularly for individuals who were covered by a policy for more than two years. “The Social Security COLA for 2019 is 2.8 percent, far lower than the rate that Medigap policies appear to be growing,” says Mary Johnson, a Social Security and Medicare policy analyst for The Senior Citizens League.

In addition to rapidly growing Medigap premiums, retirees also must pay for premiums for Medicare Part B and their drug plans. The combination takes a bigger bite out of Social Security benefits and other retirement resources when COLAs fail to keep pace. “The financial drain on benefits is difficult to anticipate, and many retirees don’t have adequate savings to begin with,” Johnson says.    

The disparity between growth in the COLA and Medigap premiums is likely to be worse in 2020. “Inflation is lower this year, and we are estimating that the COLA is likely to be around 1.7 percent,” Johnson says. “Nevertheless, we anticipate that Medigap premiums will continue to grow several times faster for a number of reasons,” Johnson adds.

Two of the most popular Medigap plans, “F” and “C,” will no longer be offered for sale in 2020. “While individuals enrolled in these plans may keep their plans, we are concerned that premiums for these plans could rise significantly without younger and healthier new enrollees to spread the costs in those plans,” Johnson says.

In 2019, there are a total of ten different Medigap plans, “A” through “N.” Congress closed Plans “F” and “C” because they cover the Medicare Part B deductible. The thinking is that deductibles prevent “over utilization” of Medicare benefits. The Part B deductible is $135.50 this year and it rises at the same pace as the Part B premium. According to research by Johnson, Part B premiums have increased about 10 percent per year since 2000, making it one of the fastest growing costs in retirement. “Requiring retirees to pay deductibles, or higher deductibles, has the biggest financial and health impact on middle-income Medicare beneficiaries with modest means,” says Johnson. “Many put off medically necessary care if they can’t afford the deductible, and their health can get worse when they do,” she says.

About one quarter of all Medicare beneficiaries are covered by Medigap polices. Out-of-pocket costs under Medicare are considerable, and most beneficiaries supplement their coverage either by purchasing a Medigap policy or joining a Medicare Advantage plan. Unlike Medicare Advantage, however, Medigap enrollees in most states are not able to switch to another Medigap policy during fall open enrollment, because insurers are not required to cover pre-existing conditions outside of the individual’s initial enrollment period. Seventy-two percent of survey participants support extending guaranteed coverage for pre-existing conditions to Medigap, allowing Medigap enrollees greater freedom to switch to other, less costly, Medigap plans.

The Senior Citizens League supports legislation that protects Medicare benefits and lowers out-of-pocket costs for beneficiaries. To learn how to get involved, visit http://www.SeniorsLeague.org.

With 1.2 million supporters, The Senior Citizens League is one of the nation’s largest nonpartisan seniors’ groups. Its mission is to promote and assist members and supporters, to educate and alert senior citizens about their rights and freedoms as U.S. Citizens, and to protect and defend the benefits senior citizens have earned and paid for. The Senior Citizens League is a proud affiliate of The Retired Enlisted Association. Visit http://www.SeniorsLeague.org for more information.

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