November 2005 News

December 1 World AIDS Day Observance Scheduled In Detroit's New Center Area - November 29th

Grand Haven Nurse Loses License - November 22nd

MDCH Recognizes November As Lung Cancer Awareness Month - November 22nd

Wisdom, MDCH Promote Family Health History Day - November 21st

Lowell Physician Loses License - November 16th

Benton Harbor Dentist Loses License - November 10th

Greenville Dentist Loses License - November 10th

Wisdom Speaks At Knight-Wallace Fellows Women's Health Event - November 9th

Granholm Declares November Family Caregiver Month - November 8th

Gobles Nurse Has License Summarily Suspended - November 1st

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December 1 World AIDS Day Observance Scheduled In Detroit's New Center Area The Michigan Department of Community Health (MDCH) will commemorate World AIDS Day on Thursday, December 1, during an awareness event in the New Center area of Detroit. The event will run from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. "Educating the public is our first step in preventing disease," said Janet Olszewski, MDCH Director. "Public Health continues to be the most consistent source of services for our most vulnerable citizens and state and local health departments play a unique and vital role in HIV related prevention, care and treatment." In addition to the New Center event, local health departments and community-based organizations statewide will host a variety of World AIDS Day events, supporting this year’s theme: "Stop AIDS. Keep the Promise". (A statewide list of World AIDS Day events is attached.) Nationally, an estimated one million people are living with HIV, one-quarter of whom are unaware of their infection. Approximately 40,000 new HIV infections occur each year in the United States, about 73 percent among men and 27 percent among women. Statewide, more than 16,200 Michigan residents are living with the disease. Of those infected in the state of Michigan, 58 percent are African-American, 36 percent are white, 4 percent are Hispanic, while another 2 percent are of an unknown race. More than 77 percent of people infected with HIV are males. In the Detroit Metro area alone, more than 7,000 residents are living with HIV/AIDS. The Michigan Department of Community Health, Division of Health, Wellness and Disease Control continues to provide ongoing HIV prevention, education, care services and training to support the state’s HIV/AIDS service providers. "Public health cannot fight the HIV/AIDS epidemic alone," said Dr. Kimberlydawn Wisdom, Michigan Surgeon General. "All sectors of society must recognize their role and take ownership of this issue." For more information on World AIDS Day, please contact the Michigan Department of Community Health, Division of Health, Wellness and Disease Control at 517-241-5900, or the Michigan AIDS Hotline at 800-872-2427. Back to Top

Grand Haven Nurse Loses License The Michigan Department of Community Health (MDCH) has summarily suspended the licensed practical nurse license of Cindy Lou Zack, L.P.N., based on her felony convictions in Muskegon and Ottawa counties. On January 18, 2005, Zack was convicted of one felony count of Controlled Substance – Delivery/Manufacture of Marijuana and one felony count of Controlled Substance – Possession/Analogues. As a result, Zack was placed on probation for 18 months with terms, ordered to serve six months in jail with credit for 92 days, and ordered to pay costs and fees totaling $1,365. On April 18, 2005, Zack was convicted of one felony count of False Report of a Felony. As a result, Zack was placed on probation for 18 months with terms and ordered to pay costs, fees and restitution in the amount of $1,637. On October 31, 2005, MDCH issued an order immediately suspending Zack’s nursing license pursuant to the Public Health Code, which provides for the mandatory summary suspension of a health professional’s license upon the conviction of a felony. An administrative hearing will be scheduled to address the status of Zack’s licensed practical nurse license. For more information on disciplinary actions taken by the health professional licensing boards within MDCH, please go to http://www.michigan.gov/mdch, and click on Health Systems and Licensing. Back to Top

MDCH Recognizes November As Lung Cancer Awareness Month In an effort to bring awareness to the seriousness of lung cancer, the Michigan Department of Community Health (MDCH) is observing November as Lung Cancer Awareness Month. Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer related deaths in Michigan. In fact, the American Cancer Society estimates that in 2005, there will be 6,110 new cases of lung cancer and 5,790 lung cancer related deaths in Michigan. Tobacco use is the number one cause of lung cancer. Ninety percent of lung cancer cases occur in people who smoke, and ninety percent of all smokers start using tobacco before age 18. Non-smokers who breathe second-hand smoke can also develop lung cancer. Non-smoking spouses of smokers have a 30 percent greater risk of developing lung cancer than do spouses of non-smokers. Increasing age, a family history of lung cancer, and exposure to asbestos, radon, or other specific cancer-causing agents in the workplace or environment are also factors that increase an individual’s risk of developing lung cancer. Though most forms of lung cancer do not cause symptoms until they are in advanced stages, the following symptoms should be reported to your physician if you are at risk: · A cough that does not go away · Chest pain, often made worse by deep breathing · Hoarseness · Weight loss and loss of appetite · Blood or rust-colored sputum (phlegm) · Shortness of breath · Recurring infections such as bronchitis and pneumonia · New onset of wheezing The best way to prevent lung cancer is not to smoke and to avoid people who do. The following free smoking cessation resources are available to help people quit for good: Telephone Services · Michigan Department of Community Health’s Tobacco Quit Line: 1-800-480-QUIT · National Cancer Institute: 1-800-4-CANCER Online Services · National Cancer Institute’s Live Help: www.cancer.gov · American Lung Association’s Freedom from Smoking Program: www.lungusa.org · Try-To-Stop Resource: www.trytostop.org · Quit Net – Quit All Together: www.quitnet.com Materials · Tobacco cessation resource materials including the Michigan Smoker’s Quit Kit and the Expectant Mother’s Quit Kit are available through the Health Promotion’s Clearinghouse online at www.hpclearinghouse.org or by calling 1-800-537-5666. · The Michigan Providers Tobacco Tool Kit is available through the Michigan Cancer Consortium’s website at http://www.michigancancer.org/WhatWeDo/tob-providerstoolkit.cfm. Back to Top

Wisdom, MDCH Promote Family Health History Day To encourage family health awareness, Michigan Surgeon General Dr. Kimberlydawn Wisdom and the Michigan Department of Community Health will join the U.S. Surgeon General in a national public health campaign to promote the second annual Family Health History Day on Thanksgiving Day, November 24. “Families traditionally gather at Thanksgiving,” Wisdom said. “This campaign provides a good opportunity over the holidays to talk about diseases and health conditions that run in the family.” Knowing one’s family health history is a vitally important tool toward improving preventative health practices. Sharing this information allows families to work with their health care providers to make important lifestyle changes such as increased activity and low fat eating habits to prevent or delay the onset of such illnesses as heart disease or diabetes in individuals with a known family history of these conditions. Family health history is any information pertaining to general health conditions and diseases in grandparents, parents, siblings, children, and more distant relatives. It reflects all the factors that influence health and are often shared by family members, such as lifestyles, behaviors, ethnicity, traditions, cultures, religions, social supports, and environments as well as genes. “While the family health history holds important clues to a person’s present or future health, it is an underutilized tool among Michigan families,” Wisdom said. Wisdom encourages Michigan residents to make family health a new tradition this holiday season by taking these simple steps: · Chew the fat: There is always plenty of conversation at family gatherings, so be sure to steer the topic toward your family’s health history. · Write it down: Take time to document what you learn during family gatherings. · Spread the word: Don’t keep what you learn to yourself. Share it with other family members, update it regularly and pass it on to your children and grandchildren. · Inform health care provider. Knowing your family health history can help you and your health care provider determine the timing and frequency of necessary screening tests (such as blood pressure or mammograms). For a fun and easy way to create a portrait of your family’s health, visit www.hhs.gov/familyhistory/ to download the “My Family Health Portrait”, a free electronic tool. For more information on family health history, please visit the Michigan Genetics Resource Center at www.MIGeneticsConnection.org. To learn more about adopting a healthier lifestyle during the holidays and all year round, check out www.michiganstepsup.org. Back to Top

Lowell Physician Loses License The Michigan Department of Community Health (MDCH) has summarily suspended the medical license of Steven Edward Hawkins, M.D., formerly known as Steven Edward Olchowski. The MDCH Bureau of Health Professions orders a summary suspension when it believes that the public’s health, safety, and welfare warrant emergency action. On September 9, 2005, Hawkins’ license to practice medicine in the state of North Carolina was revoked. The North Carolina action was based on Hawkins’ performing surgical procedures without informed consent, falsifying medical records, and fraudulently billing for surgeries he had not performed. Hawkins also made misrepresentations on his applications for licensure in the states of Georgia, Texas, Florida, and Kentucky. On September 15, 2005, Hawkins changed his name from Steven Edward Olchowski to Steven Edward Hawkins. On November 2, 2005, MDCH issued an order immediately suspending Hawkins’ medical license. An administrative hearing will be scheduled to address the status of Hawkins’ license. For more information on disciplinary actions taken by the health professional licensing boards within MDCH, please go to http://www.michigan.gov/mdch, and click on Health Systems and Licensing. Back to Top

Benton Harbor Dentist Loses License The Michigan Department of Community Health (MDCH) has summarily suspended the dental license of Shelley Ann Wilson, D.D.S., based on her felony conviction in the Second Judicial Circuit Court of Berrien County. On July 22, 2005,Wilson was convicted of Health Care Fraud-False Claim. Wilson was sentenced to 30 days in jail and placed on probation for period of five years. Additionally, Wilson was ordered to perform 100 hours of community service and pay restitution in the amount of $56, 747. Wilson failed to notify MDCH of her felony conviction as required by the Public Health Code. On November 7, 2005, MDCH issued an order immediately suspending Wilson’s license pursuant to the Public Health Code, which provides for the mandatory summary suspension of a health professional’s license upon the conviction of a felony. An administrative hearing will be scheduled to address the status of Wilson’s dental license. For more information on disciplinary actions taken by the health professional licensing boards within MDCH, please go to http://www.michigan.gov/mdch, and click on Health Systems and Licensing. Back to Top

Greenville Dentist Loses License The Michigan Department of Community Health (MDCH) has summarily suspended the dental license of Harold O. Steele III, D.D.S., based on his criminal convictions in the Eighth Judicial Circuit Court of Montcalm County. On August 11, 2005, Steele pled no contest to two counts of Criminal Sexual Conduct, 4th Degree, sexual contact with a person who was at least 13 years of age and under 16 years of age. As a result, Steele was sentenced to prison for a maximum period of two years. On November 7, 2005, MDCH issued an order immediately suspending Steele’s license pursuant to the Public Health Code, which provides for the mandatory summary suspension of a health professional’s license upon the conviction of a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for a maximum period of two years. An administrative hearing will be scheduled to address the status of Steele’s dental license. For more information on disciplinary actions taken by the health professional licensing boards within MDCH, please go to http://www.michigan.gov/mdch, and click on Health Systems and Licensing. Back to Top

Wisdom Speaks At Knight-Wallace Fellows Women's Health Event Recently, Michigan Surgeon General Kimberlydawn Wisdom joined a distinguished panel of health experts and national media to discuss the effects of media on women’s health. The event, “Women’s Health: The Press and Public Policy” was hosted by the Knight-Wallace Fellows Program at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor on November 7. “I am truly honored to be included among these remarkable women’s health experts and some of our nation’s top journalists here today,” Wisdom said. “The need for attention to women’s health is growing more important everyday.” In her opening remarks, Wisdom talked about her role as the State's first Surgeon General and the nation's first and only state-level surgeon general. She also discussed the State’s efforts to continue to improve overall health women’s priority issues such as unintended pregnancy and obesity/chronic disease. Other speakers included Susan F. Wood, Ph.D, former director of the Office of Women’s Health at the Food and Drug administration; Vivian W. Pinn, M.D., director of the Office of Research on Women’s Health at the National Institutes of Health; and Joanne Silberner, health policy correspondent for National Public Radio. Since her appointment in 2003, Wisdom has focused on issues central to the state of Michigan’s health such as obesity, diabetes, and tobacco use and in 2004, Wisdom released the Healthy Michigan 2010: Surgeon General’s Health Status Report and the Michigan Surgeon General’s Prescription for a Healthier Michigan. In February 2005, she launched Michigan Steps Up, a statewide healthy lifestyles campaign designed to improve the health of Michigan citizens by encouraging everyone to move more, eat better and avoid tobacco use. The Knight-Wallace at Michigan, the hosts of the event, provides outstanding mid-career journalists the opportunity to indulge in a sabbatical year of study and reflection. The program's largest institutional supporter is the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, and its largest individual supporter is Mike Wallace, the legendary correspondent from CBS's “60 Minutes”. For more information about Michigan Surgeon General Kimberlydawn Wisdom or other state of Michigan health programs please visit http://www.michigan.gov/mdch. Back to Top

Granholm Declares November Family Caregiver Month To raise awareness on the complex role of the increasing number of family caregivers in Michigan and the needs and issues faced by them, Governor Jennifer M. Granholm has declared November as Family Caregiver Month in Michigan. “Family Caregivers Month is a time to thank and support the valuable work and contributions of the millions of family caregivers nationwide and throughout Michigan,” Granholm said in her Executive Declaration. According to the 2000 census, Michigan has nearly 1.6 million people over the age of 60, representing 16 percent of the total population. As this population increases, the number of people needing care will also rise. In addition, grandparents also represent a large population of caregivers. The 2000 census also reported 2.4 million of the 5.8 million grandparents living with their grandchildren are the primary caretakers of their grandchildren under the age of 18. Family caregivers provide support daily or occasionally, and assist with services such as bathing, banking, shopping, food preparation and medical care. As a result, caregiving has the potential to impact the health, work, family, personal relationships, and finances of the caregiver. It is estimated that more than 60 percent of today’s adult population either is or expects to be a family caregiver. Caregivers such as spouses and adult children provide the overwhelming majority of homecare services in this country. Approximately one million of Michigan’s citizens provide 1 billion hours of unpaid care annually to ill and disabled adults in the state with an approximate economic value of more than $9 billion per year. “For caregivers, caregiving means re-evaluating finances, re-evaluating job opportunities and making compromises,” said Sharon L. Gire, Director of the Michigan Office of Services to the Aging. “We want to hear from caregivers about their experiences and concerns and we want them to know that the aging network has supports and services available to help.” A public hearing on the issue of caregiving will take place on Friday, November 18 from 1:30 p.m. to 3 p.m. at the Holiday Inn West in Lansing. The public hearing will enable the Michigan Commission on Services to the Aging to communicate directly with citizens and advocates regarding barriers and possible improvements in the delivery of services for caregivers. Written comments should be mailed to: Michigan Office of Services to the Aging, 7109 West Saginaw, First Floor, Lansing, MI 48917 or faxed to (517) 373-4092 before May 20, 2006. For more information, please contact the Office of Services to the Aging at 517-373-8230. Back to Top

Gobles Nurse Has License Summarily Suspended The Michigan Department of Community Health (MDCH) has summarily suspended the registered nurse license and licensed practical nurse license of Gary Earl Leiterman, L.P.N., R.N., based on his felony conviction in the 36th Judicial Circuit Court, VanBuren County, Michigan and his felony conviction in the 22nd Judicial Circuit Court of Washtenaw County, Michigan. On February 27, 2005, Leiterman was convicted of Knowingly Possessing Child Sexually Abusive Material, a felony. As a result, Leiterman was sentenced to 101 days in jail, placed on probation with terms for a period of 36 months, and ordered to pay fines and costs totaling $4,224. On July 22, 2005, Leiterman was convicted of Homicide-Murder in the First Degree, a felony. As a result, Leiterman was sentenced to mandatory life in prison with no chance of parole. On October 6, 2005, MDCH issued an order summarily suspending Leiterman’s licenses pursuant to the Public Health Code, which provides for the mandatory summary suspension of a health professional’s license upon the conviction of a felony or a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for a maximum term of two years or a misdemeanor involving the illegal delivery, possession or use of a controlled substance. An administrative hearing will be scheduled to address the status of Leiterman’s registered nurse license and licensed practical nurse license. For more information on disciplinary actions taken by the health professional licensing boards within MDCH, please go to http://www.michigan.gov/mdch, and click on Health Systems and Licensing. Back to Top