Category: current events

Memorial Day Events 2024 in Iowa City, Iowa

The Memorial Day ceremonies in Iowa City, Iowa this year will be on May 27, 2024. At 8:30 a.m. there will be a ceremony at Park Road Bridge. Then at 9:30 a.m., the second part will be at Oakland Cemetery. At 11:00 a.m. the third part will be at Memory Gardens.

DEA Announces Rescheduling Marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III and Inviting Public Comments

The DEA is asking for public comments on the rescheduling of marijuana from Schedule I to III. There are many comments:

See the Federal Register notice about proposed rulemaking.

Also see the Regulations government website for further information.

Submitted My Two Cents on Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Proposal to Minimize the Importance of the Delirium Diagnosis Code

I found out that the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) is planning to reclassify the diagnosis code for delirium, making it less serious than encephalopathy. Many clinicians are challenging it and organizations of consultation-liaison psychiatrists and the like, including me, don’t understand or agree with the plan.

Even though I’m a retired C-L psychiatrist, I put my two cents in as a comment. I told them what I used to tell others who were either my colleagues or my trainees—that delirium is a medical emergency. I support classifying delirium as a major complication or comorbidity (MCC).

Since CMS asked for supporting documents, I included a pdf of Oldham’s article:

Oldham MA, Flanagan NM, Khan A, Boukrina O, Marcantonio ER. Responding to Ten Common Delirium Misconceptions With Best Evidence: An Educational Review for Clinicians. J Neuropsychiatry Clin Neurosci. 2018 Winter;30(1):51-57. doi: 10.1176/appi.neuropsych.17030065. Epub 2017 Sep 6. PMID: 28876970.

As the authors say, “Delirium always has a physiological cause.”

New Iowa City Public Art Announcement!

There’s a new installment of public art coming soon and the Iowa City Public Art Advisory Committee announcement is just in.

What’s really cool is the new Google map showing where all the public art is located.

The new art showcase is seeking applications from artists for works that will be displayed at 8 community parks for two years now instead of just one (2024-2026). What’s also great is that the artists will get a higher honorarium as well as an opportunity to sell their art.

Yet Another Study Affirming Stair Climbing Is Great Exercise!

There is yet another study showing that climbing stairs is great exercise and could help you live longer. It’s not yet published in a peer-reviewed journal, but it was presented at the recent scientific congress of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) Preventive Cardiology.

Conclusions were that, compared with not climbing stairs, doing so was associated with a 24% reduced risk of dying from any cause. There was a 39% reduced risk from dying of a cardiovascular disease.

One news story about this finding linked to an American Council of Exercise (ACE) article on an international sport called tower running. I’ve never heard of it before.

This could help get you ready for chasing extraterrestrials as shown in the famous fitness documentary Men in Black. Officer Edwards may have had “a real problem with authority” (ironic since he was a New York City cop). But as Agent K pointed out, “So do I. But this kid ran down a cephalopoid on foot, boss. That’s got to be tough enough.”

The point being: if you really know what’s good for you—you’ll take the stairs.

Reminder: NAMIWalks May 4, 2024 in Iowa City

Don’t forget to register for the Johnson and Linn County NAMIWalks on May 4, 2024. See registration and location info below:

Carver College of Medicine Health Sciences Research Day!

Heads up! The Carver College of Medicine Health Sciences Research Day is on April 26, 2024. The event is open to the public. Find your way to the Medical Research Facility (MERF) by google map.