HEALTH BRIEFS
Dizziness seminar at The Club

There will be a free seminar on dizziness and balance disorders on Thursday, March 13, from 12 - 1 p.m. in the Rehabilitation Center at The Club in Gulf Breeze.

The seminar will be presented by Belinda Anderson, a physical therapist with Sacred Heart Rehabilitation at The Club, who specializes in balance disorders. The talk will teach attendees how to recognize the signs of a balance disorder and ways to successfully treat the problem through physical therapy.

Registration is required and seating is limited. To register, call 850-416-1620 or 1-877- 416-1620.

For more information, call 850-416-7000 or visit www.sacred-heart.org.

Study shows hospice saves Medicare dollars

Findings of a major new study of hospice care in America show that hospice services save money for Medicare and bring quality care to patients with life-limiting illness and their families. This provides useful evidence to support the many benefits of hospice, reports the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO).

Researchers found that hospice reduced Medicare costs by an average of $2,309 per hospice patient. The new study from Duke University appears in the October 2007 issue of the professional journal "Social Science & Medicine." Additionally, Medicare costs would be reduced for seven out of 10 hospice recipients if hospice has been used for a longer period of time the study found.

For cancer patients, hospice use decreased Medicare costs up until 233 days of care. For non-cancer patients there were cost savings seen up until 154 days of care. While hospice use beyond these periods cost Medicare more than conventional care, the report's authors wrote that "More effort should be put into increasing short stays as opposed to focusing on shortening long ones."

For more information, call 850-433-2155.