OCRegister.com
SUBSCRIBE | IN TODAY'S PAPER | E-REGISTER | CUSTOMER SERVICE | SIGN-IN | HELP | ADVERTISE
Search:
Healthy Living ~ Orange County Healthy Living Information -- Orange County Register

Smoke update: Kaiser calling patients with asthma

November 18th, 2008, 11:48 am · 1 Comment · posted by Courtney Perkes

Kaiser Permanente called more than 21,000 OC patients with asthma and respiratory illness to offer health tips until the smoke clears. Most of the calls were automated and started at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, said Kaiser spokesman Scott Smith. Using electronic medical records, the HMO can quickly access who to call. Patients were advised to use inhalers as prescribed and keep windows closed.

The good news is that air quality is improved today in most of the county, according to the county Health Care Agency. But UC Irvine research shows that respiratory illness associated with the fire results in higher hospitalization rates even after the fires are put out. Check out more on the study by UCI environmental epidemiologist Ralph Delfino here. The best advice is if you can see smoke or smell it, avoid unnecessary outdoor activity.

Related:

Air quality still bad Monday

COMPLETE FIRE COVERAGE

Reader comments: We want this to be a place where people discuss and debate ideas that foster stronger communities. We expect people to differ -- judgment and opinion are subjective -- and we encourage free speech and the exchange of ideas. But you are participating in a community that is intended for all of our users and we prohibit profanity, vulgarity, racial, sexual and homophobic remarks, threats, harassment and personal attacks. Here's the full User Agreement. Thank you for making this a safe place worth preserving and sharing. Share this: The icons below make it easy to share this post with others. First icon e-mails a link.
  • E-mail this story to a friend!
  • Digg
  • Sphinn
  • del.icio.us
  • Facebook
  • Mixx
  • Google

1 Comment

One Comment

  • Conspirama says:

    Health problems persist even after smoke clears - Healthy Living ……

    The good news is that air quality is improved today in most of the county, according to the county Health Care Agency. But UC Irvine research shows that respiratory illness……

ADVERTISEMENT