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			<title>WOEMA - Official Podcast</title> 
			<link>http://www.WOEMA.org/</link> 
			<description>WOEMA - Official Podcast Channel</description> 
			<language>en-us</language>
			<copyright>WOEMA</copyright> 
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			  <title><![CDATA[Mild Traumatic Brain Injury]]></title> 
			  <link>http://www.woema.org/cme_webinars2.php?podcast=11</link> 
			  <description><![CDATA[According to the CDC, there are about 1.5 million people with a traumatic brain injury (TBI) each year in the US. Approximately 90% of these cases are mild injuries. Almost half were seen only in the clinic, physician office, or not at all. TBI is a leading cause of disability, especially among young adults. This presentation will discuss the following: Scope of the problem, definition, grading severity of TBI, mechanism of injury (pathology), symptoms, treatment, and prognosis.

The condition of persistent post-concussive syndrome (PPCS) will also be reviewed including: Symptoms, treatment, and prognosis.

Participants in this webinar will learn the criteria for the diagnosis of TBI and will gain heightened awareness of the importance of physician/healthcare provider interaction and the outcome of patients with mild TBI including avoiding iatrogenic disability. A case example will be presented to illustrate this and other issues. ]]></description>
			  <author><![CDATA[Lorne K. Direnfeld, MD, FRCP, Neurologist, Diplomate, American Board of Psychiatry & Neurology]]></author> 
			  <pubDate>Thu, 19 Aug 2010 0:00:00 America/Chicago</pubDate>
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			  <title><![CDATA[To Work or Not to Work - The Costs of Absenteeism and Presenteeism]]></title> 
			  <link>http://www.woema.org/cme_webinars2.php?podcast=10</link> 
			  <description><![CDATA[Determining appropriate return to work status  is a complex issue that must be addressed by all physicians, regardless of specialty. Not only must the timing of return to work be addressed, but ancillary issues such as modified duty, part time work, or necessary accommodations need to  be examined. OEM Physicians are often called upon by patients and employers  for their expertise in this arena.
 
The complexity is increased by the number of stakeholders in the return-to-work  process: patient, physician, managers, supervisors, human resources (if the absence from employment  is work related), then adjuster and insurance company.
 
Many studies document the need for improvement in the overall process.
 
An article in January JOEM by Dowd et al reveals that "early reintegration of early reintegration of injured workers back into the workforce could result in substantial reductions of medical expenditures." Another article in the February Journal of Occupational Rehabilitation by Ikezawa et al. reveals significant inconsistencies and variability in Physician return-to-work orders for back pain.
 
We will discuss and suggest practice improvements on this critical topic during the webinar on June 17, 2010.
]]></description>
			  <author><![CDATA[Constantine Gean, MD, MBA, MS, FACOEM, Regional Medical Director, Liberty Mutual Insurance Company]]></author> 
			  <pubDate>Thu, 17 Jun 2010 0:00:00 America/Chicago</pubDate>
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			  <title><![CDATA[Occupational Lead Poisoning: New Guidelines for Clinical Management]]></title> 
			  <link>http://www.woema.org/cme_webinars2.php?podcast=9</link> 
			  <description><![CDATA[(1) The California Dept. of Public Health published a new Guidance Document in 2008 on acceptable blood lead levels, which occupational physicians should be familiar with. It's key changes are: 
(a) Blood lead levels should be kept below 20 mcg/dl
(b) Physicians can use Medical Removal Protections to accomplish this.

(2) Brief overview of lead toxicity and clinical presentation

(3) Epidemiology of lead poisoning in California, using So. California data

(4) Other clinical approaches founded in the OSHA Lead Standard

(5) Predictions for changes to the OSHA Lead Standard]]></description>
			  <author><![CDATA[Paul J. Papanek, Jr., MD, MPH, Occupational Health Service, Los Angeles Medical Center, Kaiser on the Job]]></author> 
			  <pubDate>Thu, 15 Apr 2010 0:00:00 America/Chicago</pubDate>
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			  <title><![CDATA[Overuse of Narcotics in the California Workers' Comp System: A Payer's Perspective and Suggested Interventions]]></title> 
			  <link>http://www.woema.org/cme_webinars2.php?podcast=8</link> 
			  <description><![CDATA[It is well known that a small percentage of WC claims are responsible for a disproportionate percentage of the overall costs in the system.  Surprisingly, most of these high cost cases are not severe injuries.  They are mostly minor strain/sprain diagnoses with disability duration greater than expected - so called "delayed recovery" cases.  

The cause of the unexpected disability and failure to recover is related to various psycho-social issues that involve the patient, his/her employer, treating physician and claims administrator.  Most of these patients develop some form of chronic musculoskeletal pain that is often mismanaged because the treatment fails to address the non-medical context of the injured worker's claim.  Typically, these patients are treated with chronic opiate medications, often in continually escalating does without any sign of functional improvement.  Return to work is delayed and they become more and more isolated from their employer, co-workers and even family and friends.  The results are disastrous both in terms of cost and human suffering.  

A first step in turning these cases around is detoxification from narcotic and other CNS depressant medications, combined with cognitive behavioral therapy and daily exercise, particularly aerobic activity.  But a more effective strategy involves early identification of patients at high risk for delayed recovery and specifically intervening with proven multidisciplinary treatment.]]></description>
			  <author><![CDATA[Gideon Letz, MD, MPH, Medical Director, State Compensation Insurance Fund]]></author> 
			  <pubDate>Thu, 18 Feb 2010 0:00:00 America/Chicago</pubDate>
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			  <title><![CDATA[Cal-OSHA ATD Standard]]></title> 
			  <link>http://www.woema.org/cme_webinars2.php?podcast=7</link> 
			  <description><![CDATA[California recently enacted the first occupational safety and health standard to protect employees against aerosol transmissible diseases. This presentation will include the background of the standard and how it relates to other infection control and occupational safety and health guidelines. The presentation will also discuss requirements relevant to medical practices, and the role of physicians in providing medical services under the standard. ]]></description>
			  <author><![CDATA[Deborah Gold, MPH, CIH, Senior Safety Engineer, Cal/OSHA]]></author> 
			  <pubDate>Thu, 21 Jan 2010 0:00:00 America/Chicago</pubDate>
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			  <title><![CDATA[Pyrethroid Pesticides: Hidden Hazard]]></title> 
			  <link>http://www.woema.org/cme_webinars2.php?podcast=6</link> 
			  <description><![CDATA[Pyrethroid pesticides are widely used for pest control in both occupational and residential settings. Often marketed as safe, the adverse effects of pyrethroid pesticides are under-appreciated.  Occupational and environmental health practitioners are likely to encounter patients exposed to pyrethroids.  This webinar will provide critical information to guide practice. Learning objectives: Report pesticide illness; Describe why occupational illness due to pyrethroids is a concern; Recognize settings where exposure to pyrethroid pesticides may occur: Identify potential health consequences of exposure to pyrethroid pesticides; Manage workers exposed to pyrethroid pesticides.]]></description>
			  <author><![CDATA[Rupali Das, MD, MPH, FACOEM, California Department of Public Health (CDPH)]]></author> 
			  <pubDate>Thu, 10 Dec 2009 0:00:00 America/Chicago</pubDate>
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