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Another example of the trivialization of allergic diseases is evidenced in a segment of a movie recently released by New Line Cinema, Monster in Law, in which Jane Fonda’s character mashes nuts into a gravy dish in an effort to rid herself of her nut-allergic future daughter-in-law, played by Jennifer Lopez.

Anne Munoz-Furlong, founder and CEO of the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network (FAAN) issued a press release, indicating that the movie is insensitive to millions of Americans with food allergies and sends a message of carelessness regarding a potentially life-threatening condition. She fears that not only does the movie make light of food allergies, it also sets the stage for "copycat" incidents. Children may think food allergies are just “funny” and imitate Jane Fonda's character by exposing others with food allergies to unsafe allergic situations – just to get a laugh or be vindictive.

Munoz-Furlong says, “Better examples need to be set. I doubt New Line Cinema would permit a scene where a diabetic would be given an overdose of insulin.”

In real life, food allergies are no laughing matter. An estimated 11 million Americans suffer from this condition, and recognizing the symptoms and seeking immediate treatment is critical. Food allergy reactions result in 30,000 emergency department visits annually. Approximately 150-200 Americans die each year from ingestion of foods that, unbeknownst to them, contain the substances to which they are allergic.

Hopefully, our membership will take the lead from these articles to speak up against the trivialization of allergic diseases and to encourage treatment for patients with these conditions by trained specialists. After all, nobody provides better care for our patients with allergic diseases than the allergist!

Myron Zitt, M.D.
President, ACAAI

iHealthRecord offers value for practices, patients from ACAAI
The Interactive Personal Health Record (“iHealthRecord”) is a secure online personal health record service for physicians to provide to their patients. Already thousands of physicians offer the iHealthRecord service and thousands of patients are using this service — and they love it!
As a founding member of Medem, ACAAI is part of the coalition of health care leaders that launched this important new service to physicians and their patients.

The iHealthRecord directly benefits physician practices and patients with the following features:
• A secure and standards-based personal health record, provided by the patient’s own doctor and available via the Internet under the patient’s control
• Patient's ability to grant viewing privileges to their health record to new clinicians or to an emergency department, with an audit trail of who has viewed their record
• Automated patient education messages and reminders that are specific to the individual patient's medications and conditions. These patient education programs have been written with national experts, including medical societies, FDA, AHA and CDC
• Patient safety warnings and product recalls specific to the patient’s medications (“iHealthAlert”)
• Endorsement by physician liability carriers due to improved patient safety and reduced liability
• Privacy policies and data use governed by the iHealth Alliance, a health care not-for-profit
• Patient-Clinician secure e-mail and Online Consultation as an optional, physician-controlled service
• Integration with electronic medical records services
• Links from the provider directories of most major health plans to the practice’s iHealth service

Through ACAAI’s relationship with Medem, you are able to use all of its services with no annual subscription fees! This is a $195-per-year value that is free as part of your College membership. These services include a customizable practice Web site, Secure Messaging and Online Consultation, links to many health plan online provider directories, secure payment, and much more. eRisk Compliance brings your practice in sync with guidelines set by medical malpractice liability carriers and state medical boards. All of Medem's services are HIPAA compliant.

Not taking advantage of this valuable, yet free, member benefit? Register your practice online or, for more information, please contact Medem’s Member Service Department at info@medem.com or 1-877-926-3336.

Hong Kong Allergy Convention to be held Aug. 6-7
The ACAAI is partnering with nine other organizations to present the Hong Kong Allergy Convention, Aug. 6-7, in Hong Kong. Co-supporters are the Hong Kong Institute of Allergy (HKIA), the Guangdong Medical Association, the Guangzhou Society of Respiratory Diseases, the Guangdong Society of Allergy, the Guangdong Society of Otorhinolaryngology, the Guangdong Society of Pediatrics, the Chinese Society of Respiratory Diseases, the Chinese Society of Allergy and the Chinese Sub-Society of Pediatric Pulmonology.

Come and hear what the world experts have to say about novel discoveries and treatments for allergic diseases, while experiencing vintage oriental culture. To register, e-mail Meeting.hk@asia.cmpmedica.com. For a copy of the final program, e-mail Dianne Kubis at diannekubis@acaai.org.

Post, search employment opportunities through Job Source
The ACAAI Job Source is a service for College members to post and search employment opportunities in the field of allergy, asthma and immunology.

The ACAAI Job Source works very much like classified ads in a newspaper, except they are interactive and immediately available:

• Job candidates can access the ACAAI Job Source at no cost to search employment opportunities and to post their resumes for advertised positions.

• Employers can purchase an ad for their available position. They do this by credit card, invoice or purchase order online through the purchase of blocks of "units" that can be flexibly used. One unit equals one job posting for one day.

The power of the ACAAI Job Source is amplified through HEALTHeCAREERS, an integrated network of online job banks operated by other national health professional associations. This enables employers such as hospitals, medical centers and health care companies to enter through any participating association's Web site and list positions that can be accessed by ACAAI members, and College members can access listings in other health fields through the ACAAI Job Source portal.

Allergy Practice Tip: Watch your words
Advice from The Patient-Centered Allergy Practice
Help-wanted ads often inadvertently violate the Civil Rights Act, which prohibits discriminatory hiring practices. Avoid phrases like “recent college grad” or “Mexican.” All qualifications must be job related and correlate to a legitimate business need. For example, request a Spanish-speaking candidate, not a Mexican. Do you really care where they are from or that they speak Spanish? For more advice on staffing in an allergy practice, visit www.PatientCenteredAllergyPractice.com .

These tips are drawn The Patient-Centered Allergy Practice, a CME Series in Practice Management, supported through an educational grant from sanofi-aventis Group and endorsed by the American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology.