I was lucky, having blacked out on stage [misdiagnosed/undiagnosed heart problems]

Sir Roger Moore commented, "I was lucky: having blacked out on stage, I received excellent and rapid medical attention, and I now have a pacemaker which kicks in whenever my heart rhythm requires a correction. Thousands of sufferers aren't so lucky." Their blackouts ("syncope") may have been diagnosed as epilepsy; indeed, perhaps a third of people diagnosed with epilepsy actually are misdiagnosed. Blackouts can be an early sign of heart irregularities.

STARS (Syncope Trust And Reflex Anoxic Seizures) was founded by Trudie Lobban in 1993 after her daughter Francesca was diagnosed with Reflex Anoxic Syncope with the support of Prof. J Stephenson, Consultant Paediatric Neurologist - Royal Hospital for Sick Children, Glasgow, Scotland.

STARS aims to alleviate the effects of, and provide support and information on, syncope to those in distress as a result of these blackouts, whether suffered by themselves or as a member of the family group.

STARS patrons include Sir Roger Moore, Twiggy and celebrity chef John Burton Race. Sir Roger and John Burton Race have both suffered from syncope and have pacemakers fitted.

Trudie Lobban added, "When patients are empowered with important information they can help their doctor better understand the symptoms and nature of their blackouts. This can help avoid a long list of referrals, misdiagnosis and inappropriate treatment before an accurate diagnosis is secured."

Advice for patients with blackouts: Patients and parents should get and use the STARS checklist.

Read another misdiagnosis story, or read the source article in Medical News Today.

Her Internet research said it could help: Patient education

Susan Arazy has multiple sclerosis. In January, she emailed her physician, Dr. Moore, wanting his opinion on whether early intervention with Avonex would slow her disease's progression. Her Internet research said it could help.

During the appointment, her doctor read information on several web sites, confirming what Susan had found. He deemed it worth asking a specialist, and arranged an appointment with a neuro-opthalmologist.

Susan had educated herself and asked her doctor's opinion. Her doctor had considered it thoughtfully with her and promptly supplemented his own knowledge with the most up-to-date information.

Advice to patients: Educate yourself. And get a physician like Dr. Moore.

Read another MS story, or read another example from the Wall St. Journal source article.

Hospitals are testing patients’ patience on infection rates

I salute CEO Paul Levy’s courage and visionary leadership in posting Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center’s infection rates on his blog. Every patient wants hospitals to compete on quality, not just cost—which hospitals fear, and block.

Critics who cite measurement problems in comparing different hospitals' infection rates are both correct and highly distracting. Legislation filed by Sen. Moore and Rep. Denise Provost and 45 co-sponsors, and backed by even more legislators, would require that all Massachusetts hospitals publicly report their infection rates, on a common yardstick. We’ve run out of patience, as the legislators know.

An executive in a nearby large hospital system contemptuously commented about his competitor's blog post, “What’s a blog?!” We patients know serious errors occur daily, and through blogs like PatientSafetyBlog.com we are getting smarter about where and how to get the best care. Hospital leaders might want to read the stories of medical errors that we’re learning and telling each other.

Read Liz Kowalczyk's column in the Feb. 23 Boston Globe...

Dis-Infecting Hospitals: A Role for Citizens

State Senator Richard T. Moore, the chairman of the Massachusetts legislature’ Health Care Financing Committee, filed legislation yesterday that eventually would require health officials to make public the infection rates for individual hospitals. State health officials said public disclosure probably would be part of any new reporting requirements placed on hospitals. Sen. Moore said public reporting will give hospitals added incentive to improve their infection rates.

Hospitals can indeed greatly cut their infection rates. Last month, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center president Paul Levy posted his hospital's rates for central line-related infections, in part to spur other hospitals to be more transparent about their quality of care. Bacteria on the tubing can flow quickly through the bloodstream and to major organs, making these infections of particular concern. BIDMC staff have cut the central line infection rate in half from its rate of 3 central line infections per 1,000 patient days a year and a half ago.

Advice: Tell your friends in Massachusetts to support this bill.

Read a patient's story, or read more on this from Liz Kowalczyk's article in today's Boston Globe.