Tuesday, November 20, 2012 - Evening Edition

>> >>: A COMPANY CALLED RF SURGICAL SYSTEMS WHICH DOES ITS RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT IN
SAN DIEGO MAKE AS PRODUCT DESIGNED TO ELIMINATE THESE KINDS OF MEDICAL ERRORS.
IT'S A SURGICAL SPONGE THAT CONTAIN AS SMALL RADIO FREQUENCY TAG.
CEO KEVIN COUSIN SAYS IT'S A BRAIN CHILD OF A SURGEON AT CORNEL UNIVERSITY.
HE CAME UP WITH THE CONCEPT WHERE AT THE END OF THE SURGERY THERE WAS A MISCOUNT.
THEY SPENT ALMOST AN HOUR TRYING TO RECTIFY THE COUNT THROUGH AN SPONGES AND GAUZE, THEY
COUNTED THEM ALL, HAD TO BRING IN A PORTABLE C ARM AND HE THOUGHT THERE'S GOT TO BE A BETTER
WAY. >> >>: A C ARM IS A PORTABLE X RAY MACHINE.
PATIENTS ARE X RAYED IF THE SPONGE COUNT IS OFF.
COUSIN IS NOT SUPPOSED TO REPLACE THE MANUAL COUNT OF SPONGES.
>> >>: OUR TECHNOLOGY IS THE EXTRA LEVEL OF SAFETY.
THE NURSES DO A GREAT JOB IN COUNTING, THIS IS A WAY TO VALIDATE WHEN THERE IS A MISCOUNT,
WHEN THEY MISCOUNT AS WELL AS WHEN THEIR COUNTS ARE CORRECT.
INTERESTINGLY ENOUGH, MOST TIMES WHEN THERE'S A RETAINED OBJECT, IT'S WHEN THE COUNTS ARE
FALSELY CORRECT. >> >>: INDEED, ONE STUDY REVEALS 62% OF RETAINED
SURGICAL OBJECTS WERE FOUND AFTER THE COUNT WAS MISTAKENLY REPORTED AS CORRECT.
THE RF TAGGING SYSTEM INCLUDES THE MONITORS, WAND, AND SPONGES.
IT COSTS ABOUT $10 PER SURGERY. SOUNDS LIKE A NO BRAINER, RIGHT?ÊLATEST TECHNOLOGY,
LOW COST, AND PREVENTS MED DL ERRORS. NOT ALL HOSPITALS WANT TO USE IT.
>> >>: SAN DIEGO SHARP MEMORIAL HOSPITAL PERFORMS 20,000 SURGERIES EACH YEAR.
BEVERLY SAYS HER HOSPITAL IS FAMILIAR WITH THE RADIO FREQUENCY TAG SPONGES BUT SAYS SHARP
HAS DECIDE TO STAY WITH THE CURRENT SYSTEM. >> >>: THIS IS THE LAP SPONGE USED MOSTLY
IN THE ABDOMINAL AREA OF OUR PATIENTS. THIS IS X RAY DETECTABLE SO IF WE HAVE A SPONGE
THAT'S MISSING WHEN WE COUNT AT THE END OF THE CASE, WE START AT THE THE BEGINNING.
THESE COME IN COUNTS OF FIVE. AND AT THE END OF THE CASE, IF FOR ANY REASON
WE HAVE A SPONGE THAT IS MISSING WE WILL DO AN X RAY.
THAT IS A HUNDRED PERCENT. >> >>: IT'S NOT FOOL PROOF.
JUST ASK JUDGE BAILEY. THE SPONGES HIS HOSPITAL USED WERE SUPPOSEDLY
X RAY DETECTABLE. >> >>: THE COUNT RECORD THEY KEPT SHOWED THAT
ALL THE SPONGES THAT HAD BEEN PLACED IN ME HAD BEEN REMOVED.
ONE OF THE PROBLEMS I HAD IN ADDITION TO EVERYTHING ELSE WAS TWO DIFFERENT RAID AWL JSES LOOKED
AT THE FOLLOW UP X RAYED AND CAT SCANS AND FAILED TO IDENTIFY THE SPONGE.
>> >>: AS A RESULT OF BAILEY'S CASE, GOOD SU MARE TN HOSPITAL SWITCHED TO THE SPONGES.
THE COMPANY SAYS MORE THAN 200 HOSPITALS USE THEIR SPONGES, INCLUDING UC SAN DIEGO, AND
NAVAL MEDICAL CENTER SAN DIEGO IN BALBOA PARK. THE AVERAGE COST TO SETTLE A CASE OF AN OBJECT
LEFT INSIDE A PATIENT IS AROUND 350,000 DOLLARS. NATIONWIDE EACH YEAR, HOSPITALS AND SURGEONS
HAVE TO PAY OUT A A TOTAL OF ONE BILLION DOLLARS IN CLAIMS FOR THESE MISTAKES.
KEVIN COUSIN SAYS DON'T FORGET THE HUMAN TOLL. >> >>: EACH ONE OF THESE STATISTICS HAVE A
PATIENT'S FACE ON THEM, ISSUES, WHERE THEY HAVE TO GO BACK IN AND BE REOPERATED ON, MAYBE
LOSING SECTIONS OF THEIR INTESTINE OR MAYBE LOSING THE ABILITY TO HAVE CHILDREN, HAVING
TO HAVE HYSTERECTOMIES, THERE'S REAL CONSEQUENCES TO RETAINED OBJECT SAID.
SOMETIMES THERE ISN'T, BUT IT HITS THE WHOLE GAMETE.
>> >>: I'M JEFFREY BROWN ON THE NEXT NEWS HOUR, THE LATEST ON AIR STRIKES AND ROCKETS
IN ISRAEL, ONE WEEK INTO THE MIDDLE EAST CONFLICT. THAT'S TUESDAY ON THE PBS NEWS HOUR.
>> >>DWANE: THE ORGANIZATION MOMS UNITED TO END THE WAR ON DRUGS WANTS FAMILIES TO DO
SOMETHING VERY UNUSUAL THIS THANKSGIVING. PEGGY PICO FINDS OUT WHY THEY WANT PICTURES
OF EMPTY CHAIRS. >> >>PEGGY: A LOT OF MOMS TAKE HOLIDAY PICTURES
BUT A NEW PROJECT CALLED MOMS UNITED TO END THE WAR ON DRUGS POSTS PHOTOS AT THE EMPTY
HOLIDAY DINNER TABLE WILL CHANGE AMERICA'S POLICY ON UL EEL DRUGS.
HERE TO TELL US ABOUT THE PROJECT IS GRETCHEN BURNS BERGMAN.
THANKS FOR BEING HERE. >> >>GRETCHEN BERGMAN: THANK YOU FOR BRINGING
FOCUS TO THIS. >> >>PEGGY: SPECIFICALLY, WHAT ARE YOU ASKING
NOT JUST MOMS BUT FAMES TO DO ON THE THANKSGIVING DINNER TABLE?
>> >>GRETCHEN BERGMAN: IT'S ALREADY HAPPENING. WE'RE ASKING PEOPLE TO POST A PICTURE OF A
CHAIR WITH THEIR LOVED ONE WHO HAS BEEN MISSING FROM HOLIDAY TABLES AND EITHER A SIGN THAT
SAYS STIGMA, INCARCERATION, DRUG WAR VIOLENCE, OVERDOSE, TO SHOW THAT THIS IS WHY THEY'VE
BEEN MISSING FROM PAST HOLIDAY TABLES AND TO POST THOSE NOW.
AND THEN THANKS GIVING TO SET A CHAIR AND A SETTING THAT TABLE AND TAKE A PICTURE OF
THAT AND SEND THOSE TO TO US. >> >>PEGGY: WHY?
>> >>GRETCHEN BERGMAN: TO END THE WAR ON DRUGS. MY SON WAS BORN IN 1971, THE SAME YEAR THAT
PRESIDENT NIXON DECLARED WAR ON DRUGS. SINCE THAT TIME, IT'S BEEN REAL DEVASTATING,
NOT JUST TO FAMILIES, BUT TO OUR WHOLE COMMUNITIES. IN TERMS OF LOSS OF LIFE, LOSS OF LIBERTY,
WE'RE STIGMATIZING AND CRIMINALIZING PEOPLE WHO USE DRUGS OR WHO HAVE ADDICTED ILLNESS
LIKE MY SONS DO. >> >>PEGGY: YOUR SONS LEFT A COUPLE OF EMPTY
SEATS AT THE TABLE. >> >>GRETCHEN BERGMAN: MY OLDER SON WHO WAS
BORN IN 1971 WAS ARRESTED ABOUT 20 YEARS AGO FOR POSSESSION OF MARIJUANA WHICH START AD
10 YEAR CYCLING IN AND OUT OF THE PRISON SYSTEM. ALL FOR NON VIOLENT DRUGS, AND HE'S NOT THE
ONLY ONE. WE'VE SEEN THIS TRIPLED MARIJUANA ARRESTS
HAVE TRIPLED SINCE THAT TIME IN THE LAST 20 YEARS.
THERE'S TIMES HE WASN'T THERE BECAUSE HE WAS BEHIND BARS AND I DIDN'T KNOW IF I BELONGED
AT THE FAMILY TABLE OR VISITING HIM. THAT SORT OF TUG AND PULL, BUT ALSO STIGMA.
MY YOUNGER SON HAS BEEN MISSING IN THE PAST BECAUSE THE FAMILY SAID LET HIM HIT HIS BAWL
BOTTOM. MANY YEARS OF TRAVELING THIS ROADÊ
>> >>PEGGY: A STIGMA WITHIN THE FAMILY. >> >>GRETCHEN BERGMAN: INSIDE OF THE FAMILY.
>> >>PEGGY: LET'S TALK ABOUT THE DRUG POLICIES. WHAT IS IT ABOUT THE WAR ON DRUGS OR DRUG
POLICIES YOU THINK IS WRONG AND SHOULD BE CHANGED.
>> >>GRETCHEN BERGMAN: WE'VE BEEN HANDLING THIS AS IF IT'S A CRIMINAL JUSTICE ISSUE,
AS IF IT'S BAD PEOPLE DOING BAD THINGS. INSTEAD WHAT IT REALLY IS ADDICTION'S A CHRONIC
RELAPSING DISORDER AND NEEDS TO BE HANDLED WITH HARM REDUCTION STRATEGIES WITH SCIENCE
BASEDÊ >> >>PEGGY: SUCH AS?
>> >>GRETCHEN BERGMAN: WELL, WHAT EVERYBODY THINKS OF WHEN YOU SAY HARM REDUCTION IS NEEDLE
EXCHANGE, BUT THERE'S ALSO THINGS LIKE METHADONE, NOT USING TOUGH LOVE BUT UNDERSTANDING AND
BEING PASSIONATE AND DRAGGING THEM BACK TO TREATMENT.
UNFORTUNATELY THERE'S NO TREATMENT DOLLARS. WE'RE SPENDING SO MUCH MONEY ON THE CRIMINAL
JUSTICE SYSTEM. IT COSTS 49,000 DOLLARS A YEAR TO INCARCERATE
SOMEBODY YET THERE'S NO TREATMENT IN THE COMMUNITY OR BEHIND BARS.
SO WE'RE WASTING PRECIOUS RESOURCES AND THIS IS A MAJOR PROBLEM.
ADDICTION IS A BIG PROBLEM AND WE'RE LOSINGÊ PEOPLE ARE LOSING THEIR LIVES.
IT'S MORE COM TOON COMMON TO DIE OF AN OVERDOSE DEATH NOW THAN VEHICLE ACCIDENTS IN SOME STATE.
>> >>PEGGY: LET ME ASK YOU THIS. A LOT OF PEOPLE WOULD SAY LISTEN, YOU BREAK
THE LAW AND IT IS THE LAW. YOU BELONG BEHIND BARS, SO WHY DO YOU THINKÊ
WHAT WOULD YOU TELL THOSE PEOPLE WHY YOU KNOW DRUG CRIME SHOULD BE TREATED ANY DIFFERENT
THAN ANY OTHER CRIME. >> >>GRETCHEN BERGMAN: I DON'T BELIEVE THAT
DRUG USE SHOULD BE A CRIME. PARTICULARLY, A LOT OF THESE ARE MARIJUANA
USE AND SO A PERSON LIKE MY SON WASTES 10 YEARS AT WHAT COST TO SOCIETY OF HIS LIFE.
AND OFTENTIMES IT'S NOT JUST LIFE INTERRUPTED, BUT IT'S A LIFE INTERRUPTED FOREVER BECAUSE
THEY GET OUT OF JAIL, THEY HAVEN'T GOT ANY DRUG TREATMENT, SO THEY STILL HAVE THEIR DRUG
PROBLEMS, BUT THEY CAN'T GET HOUSING, THEY CAN'T GET EMPLOYMENT, OFTENTIMES FAMILIES
SHUN THEM AND THEY GO RIGHT BACK. SO WE'RE WASTING SUCH RESOURCES ON PEOPLE
WHO FOR WHAT THEY PUTÊ WE'RE ARRESTING PEOPLE FOR WHAT THEY PUT INTO THEIR BODY AND WE'RE
SEEING SOME PEOPLE PUT AWAY FOR 80 YEARS FOR DRUG CRIMES WHEN CHILD MOLESTERS AND MURDERS
ARE GETTING AWAY WITH LESS. IT'S KIND OF CADDYWOMPUS.
>> >>PEGGY: THIS IS OBVIOUSLY VERY PERSONAL FOR YOU.
WHAT DO YOU WANT TO TELL OTHER FAMILIES ABOUT WHAT THEY SHOULD DO IF THEY HAVE SOMEBODY
MISSING FROM THEIR TABLE THIS THANKS GSK BECAUSE OF DRUGS?
>> >>GRETCHEN BERGMAN: WE'D LIKE YOU TO SPEAK OUT.
THERE'S ONE IN FOUR FAMILIES ARE DEALING WITH ADDICTIVE ILLNESS.
THAT MEANS SO MANY MORE ARE ALSO DEALING WITH THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM.
BECAUSE IT'S SO HIGHLY STIGMATIZED THEIR ARE NOT SPEAKING ABOUT IT.
I THINK MOTHERS TOGETHER, AS MOTHERS HAVE THROUGHOUT HISTORY PROTECTING THEIR FAMILIES,
BEEN ABLE TO CHANGE LAWS AND POLICIES FOR THE SAKE AND HEALTH AND WELL BEING OF THEIR
FAMILIES. SO I'M ASKING THEM TO SEND IN THESE PICTURES.
LET'S GET A WALL OF PICTURES AND LET'S JUST PUSH THOSE OUT AND CREATE AWARENESS SO THAT
WE CAN CHANGE THESE POLICIES. >> >>PEGGY: OKAY.
OUR VIEWERS CAN SEE THESE PICTURES ON OUR WEBSITE KPBS.ORG.
GRETCHEN BURNS BERGMAN, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR TALKING WITH US.
>> >>GRETCHEN BERGMAN: THANK YOU SO MUCH. >> >>DWANE: RECAPPING TONIGHT'S TOP STORIES
A REPORT FOR SAN DIEGO'S INDEPENDENT BUDGET ANALYSTS CONTRADICTS FORECASTS BY MAYOR JERRY
SANDERS. WHILE THE MAYOR HAS BEEN PROJECTING SURPLUSES,
THE IBA IS PREDICTING DEFICITS BECAUSE OF UNCERTAINTIES ABOUT
PENSION REFORM AND REDEVELOPMENT. IT'S ONLY TUESDAY BUT SOME SERIOUS BARGAIN
HUNTERS ARE LINING UP FOR BLACK FRIDAY DEALS. THIS IS THE LONGEST SHOPPING PERIOD SINCE
2007 WITH 32 DAYS BETWEEN THANKS GIVING AND CHRISTMAS.
AND SEA WORLD IS BUYING KNOTT'S SOAK CITY IN CHULA VISTA THE SOUTH BAY
PARK WILL
BE CONVERTED INTO AQUATICA, SAN DIEGO AQUATICA, A WATER PARK IN JUNE. YOU CAN
FIND TONIGHT'S STORIES ON OUR WEBSITE, KPBS.ORG/EVENINGEDITION. THANKS FOR JOINING US.
YOU
HAVE
A
GREAT NIGHT.