Air Date: 10-7-2011| Episode: 222
This week on IAQ Radio we interview one of the most active MD’s in the Indoor Environmental Quality arena. Jay. M. Portnoy, M.D., FACCI. is a Past President of the American College of Asthma Allergy and Immunology (ACAAI)...
Full Description:
This week on IAQ Radio we interview one of the most active MD’s in the Indoor Environmental Quality arena. Jay. M. Portnoy, M.D., FACCI. is a Past President of the American College of Asthma Allergy and Immunology (ACAAI). He is also professor of pediatrics at the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Medicine, he initiated the ACAAI Conference Online Allergy (COLA) program and chairs the COLA Committee. He chairs the Nominating Committee and co-chairs the Joint Task Force on Practice Parameters and the Joint Task Force to Examine the Future of the Specialty. Dr. Portnoy is helping to lead the movement to ensure the environmental component of illness gets the attention it deserves. He leads one of the largest, and most active teams of IEQ consultants and allied health professionals, performing home and school health assessments, in the world. He is tirelessly working to help bridge the gap between the indoor environmental investigation/remediation industry and health professionals.
Z-Man’s Blog:
Portnoy’s Perspective
Jay M. Portnoy, MD Chief, Section of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology at Children’s Mercy Hospitals and Clinics in Kansas City, MO was today’s guest on IAQ radio. While many physicians simply treat allergy symptoms, Dr. P feels that environmental assessment and intervention are a standard part of medical care akin to an x-ray.
Nuggets from today’s show:
•Due to the relationship between occupant and environment, allergists are interested in IAQ.
•Because allergists spend much of their time treating patients who’s environments contribute to their illness, allergists have an investment in IAQ.
•The poster child for his program was a 15 month old child, who in a 15 month period visited the ER 18 times and was hospitalized 12 times. Dr. P discussed the situation with another patient who coincidently was an IH. Feeling that the child had an environmental problem not a lung problem, he convinced his boss to allow him to hire an IH to inspect the home. Finding major irreparable environmental problems, they used community resources to move the family into a healthier environment, the child is now much healthier.
•Since the incidences of hemosiderosis in children in Cleveland, he has encountered one case of hemosiderosis in a child. Site assessment found Stachybotrys in the dwelling. Dr. P opines that hemosiderosis is a marker for a highly contaminated environment.
•High end homes also have environmental problems associated with health effects: installation problems, HVAC system design, etc.
•Tips for IEP in preparation of environmental assessment reports: Use a standardized format, include date, photos, provide background information, scope of recommended work along with a list of what has and has not been done, room by room evaluation, color coded: Good green, Caution yellow and Problem red, recommendations ranked in order of importance, analytical results demarcated, how was analytical work performed, references upon which the recommendations were based.
•Allergists are ready to work with IEPs.
•Work needs to be done to obtain payment and reimbursement, some work can be coded under miscellaneous codes. Suggests obtaining prior authorization criteria.
•IEPs should not comment on health issues. “above threshold recommended by health authorities.
Dr. Jay Portnoy, is engaged in valuable and important work that is making a difference in his patient‘s health and quality of life.
Today’s music: “I’ve got asthma” By the Toy Dolls
Z-Man signing off
