Latest news with #Hotz
New York Post
10 hours ago
- Health
- New York Post
Doctor in rural Georgia reveals most unusual, exotic cases
When Dr. Jim Hotz attended medical school at The Ohio State University, an infectious disease specialist showed his class a slide of the bacteria that cause tuberculosis. 'And he said, 'You'll probably not see another case of tuberculosis in your career,' ' Hotz, 75, recalled to The Post. 'I come down to Georgia, and it was everywhere,' he said. 'Last year alone, we treated 21 people with tuberculosis.' Advertisement 5 Dr. Jim Hotz is featured in the new short documentary 'Doc Albany.' Courtesy of Publicis Sapient. Hotz founded Albany Area Primary Health Care while serving southwest Georgia for 47 years. His work is highlighted in Oscar winner Ben Proudfoot's short documentary 'Doc Albany,' which premiered Sunday at the Tribeca Film Festival. 'Dr. Hotz has spent his whole career making sure people in rural communities get the care they need,' 'Doc Albany' executive producer Teresa Barreira said. 'He knows how to work the system and fight for his patients.' Advertisement Hotz is no stranger to the limelight. He inspired the 1991 Michael J. Fox movie 'Doc Hollywood,' about a crackerjack young doctor who ends up in a small Southern town despite his big-city dreams. Hotz initially thought he would work in Athens, home to the University of Georgia, but instead found himself in rural Leesburg, Georgia. He was accompanied by his brother-in-law, who had been his med school roommate. The pair figured they could do anything for a few years before moving on to something bigger. 'What we didn't understand was the incredible challenge of going to a community that [hadn't had] doctors in 30, 40 years,' Hotz said. 'So in a whole county, we were the only doctors.' Advertisement 5 In 47 years working in southwest Georgia, Hotz has treated diseases, farm injuries, pesticide poisonings and snake bites. Breakwater Studios The first woman who came to see him had Stage 4 cervical cancer — 'bleeding as big as your fist.' 'When you don't have a health provider there, you run into some pretty advanced diseases,' he said. Advertisement Besides diseases, he's also treated farm injuries, poisoning from pesticides sprayed in pecan orchards and snake bites. 'Had a couple of guys that were out hunting hogs. There are wild hogs. They use dogs to hunt them. They run after them,' Hotz remembered. 'And these guys were running barefoot through a swamp,' he continued. 'One guy said, 'I think I got stung by a bee.' And I said, 'That's interesting. The bee must have had fangs because it looks more like you got bitten by a water moccasin.'' In one unusual case, Hotz treated a farm laborer who developed cryptococcal meningitis, a serious fungal infection, from exposure to pigeon droppings while working in a hay loft. 5 Hotz has treated lots of hunters who fell out of deer stands (pictured here). ysbrandcosijn – 'So there's kind of those quirky things you get a lot of exposure to,' he said. 'I can't tell you the number of people we've taken care of who fell out of deer stands.' Hunters tend to fall asleep on these elevated platforms while waiting for deer to come within range, Hotz said. But the most common problems he fields are high blood pressure, diabetes and obesity. Advertisement When he started, 3% of his patients were diabetic and 10% were obese. 'Now we're sitting at 70% obese,' Hotz said. 'We manage 8,010 diabetics, 14,000 people with obesity, 16,000 people with hypertension.' 5 Cast, producers and directors of 'Doc Albany' attend the red carpet ahead of the film's world premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival on June 8, 2025. TONI-ANN LANGELLA PHOTOGRAPHY His medical group also treats nearly 1,400 HIV patients. He saw his first AIDS patient in 1983, when there was no local infrastructure to address the disease, so he developed a groundbreaking regional rural HIV program. Advertisement Technology has since significantly transformed the healthcare landscape. For example, Publicis Sapient developed a digital system for placing healthcare professionals in underserved areas. The tool is featured in 'Doc Albany.' 'If we can help more people like Dr. Hotz do their work, we can start closing the gaps in healthcare access across the country,' said Barreira, Publicis Sapient's chief marketing and communications officer. 5 This graphic shows tuberculosis in the lungs. The ancient disease has been making a comeback. Dr_Microbe – Advertisement Limited resources have contributed to the recent spread of tuberculosis, a disease that can be traced back to ancient Egypt. Researchers blame the COVID-19 pandemic for delaying diagnoses and antibiotic treatments, as well as increases in post-pandemic travel and migration from areas with high TB prevalence. Over 10,300 cases of the contagious bacterial lung infection were reported in the US last year, up from about 9,600 in 2023. Kansas saw the biggest jump because of an outbreak in the Kansas City area. Advertisement In NYC, 839 TB cases were logged, a rise from 684 in 2023. 'What we came to realize is that, if it hits New York City, there ain't any reason it can't hit south Georgia,' Hotz said.
Epoch Times
24-05-2025
- General
- Epoch Times
‘People You Should Know' Is a Love Letter to Bottom-Up Solutions
Commentary FREDERICKSBURG, Virginia—Steve Hotz started Black Horse Forge, a nonprofit organization that provides support for veterans, active-duty military personnel and first responders through the ancient art of blacksmithing. The retired sergeant, who served 17 years in the 82nd Airborne Division of the U.S. Army, said he started the endeavor to teach the arts of blacksmithing, toolmaking and bladesmithing first to heal himself and then others who had brought ghosts home from war. Hotz's decision to join the military happened in the heat of an I'll-show-my-boss moment: He was an interior designer, and she was giving him the business for reasons he cannot recall now. He walked across the street to get lunch, saw the Army recruiting office next door, went in and enlisted. Two weeks later, he was in Fort Benning. The military suited him well, Hotz said. It was when he was doing special work with the North Carolina Counterdrug Program on a counterterrorist team that he got hurt. He was left blind in one eye and required surgery on his back to fuse his spine. It also left him trying to cope with the effects of post-traumatic stress disorder. Related Stories 5/2/2025 4/11/2025 Back in civilian life, he found that he was not unlike fellow retired military and first responders who struggled to regain the ideal of purpose. He went to a Wounded Warrior event where there was a blacksmith demonstration. 'When I came back, I made a hook,' he said. 'That is all I made that night. I was so excited about making this hook. My wife's like, 'Whatever you're doing, keep doing it,'' after seeing that thousand-yard stare ease from his face. It was an interaction with a Marine at another Wounded Warrior blacksmithing event not long after that that made him realize he had found not only his purpose but a way to help others struggling with depression and PTSD. 'We were just cutting up really hardcore together, and there was a girl crying in the corner. I was like, 'Oh, maybe that's his girlfriend or something.' I might've said something offensive,' he explained. So Hotz walked over to her and apologized if he had offended her. 'She tells me she was his therapist and that he was in such bad shape, he couldn't go anywhere without her. She said she was crying because the interaction between him and me was the first time he had talked in two years, and there he was talking to me like nothing was wrong,' he said. Within short order, Hotz opened the Black Horse Forge, a nonprofit organization dedicated to teaching the craft to those who serve and come back looking for purpose. He says he has seen firsthand the transformation the craft has given veterans and active-duty service members. All classes are free for veterans, active military personnel and first responders. All funds raised from civilian classes go back into funding free courses. Since opening their doors, tens of thousands of veterans have participated in the free classes, with countless people saying it saved their lives. It is that kind of giving back and making the community better that caught the eye of television host, podcaster and bestselling author Mike Rowe. After the demise of his wildly popular Facebook show, 'Returning the Favor,' Rowe was in search of ordinary people doing extraordinary things for a new series. Rowe explained he had received a call from Facebook telling him there would be no fifth season. It was an announcement that had surprised both him and his many viewers. Feedback for the show had been overwhelmingly positive, and viewership was through the roof. Over 10,000 nominations were sent to Rowe for exceptional Americans in four years. The Baltimore native says he is thankful Facebook gave him the opportunity to do the 22-minute online show, equally grateful for the 100 'bloody do-gooders,' as he jokingly calls them, who were nominated by the people. However, the loss of the show and the community that formed around it wasn't just felt by Rowe. It left a void in viewers who begged—a lot—for it to return. So, after four years, he finally did something about it. Rowe said that because 'Returning the Favor' is owned by Facebook, he's not at liberty to simply reup the series under the same name. 'However, celebrating people who have impact, gratitude, and find solutions to society's biggest problems is not owned by anyone in particular,' he said, adding, 'So we are back.' The new moniker is 'People You Should Know,' and it premiered last Friday on Rowe's YouTube channel. Rowe is candid about not having the financial resources he had under the Facebook umbrella. So in terms of bells and whistles, the new show will be less grandiose. He is doing it on his own dime. But in truth, as an avid viewer of the show, the bells and whistles were nice, but they were never the reason I sat down to watch it. For most viewers and me, it was always about the heart and aspirations of fellow Americans. The first six honorees include Hotz, and all are extraordinary and command attention. The first episode showcases a single mother who not only overcame her addiction but also found a way to keep her family together and her kids out of the foster care system. The production scale is spectacular, the people real and driven to a life that exists outside of self. For Rowe, 'Dirty Jobs' worked for so long because it was one of the few topics that hadn't been completely owned by one side or the other. 'It's the dignity of work. It's the fun of making a buck. We had 2 million people on the 'Returning the Favor' page who were literally watching the show on the edge of their seat every single week. They programmed everything. It was the most engaged group I ever saw,' he said. When it was canceled, Rowe said it took him a while to accept that fact. But viewers let him know he needed to find a way to bring it back. 'I would receive calls constantly asking to please bring it back. Or ask what am I waiting for because the country needs it. So we changed the name, figured out a budget because there is no big sponsor or network or studio behind us, and I called my friend Sarah, who produced the show in the past, and now she's sort of my cohost on camera,' he said. Rowe describes her as Pollyanna meets Mary Poppins: 'She's fun and she's much nicer than me, not nearly as bitter or broken, and she's terrific to work with.' The show is a true love letter to the neighbors you wish you had: regular people with big ideas, whether they are taking on homelessness, the foster care system, PTSD or illiteracy. Rowe said of Hotz that there was something appealing about bending metal and making something useful out of something busted. 'I mean, the metaphor itself is huge, and he's so unassuming. He's a guy who literally saved himself by going in, figuring it out. And when he saw what it did for other people, it became his life's work,' he said. 'That's the show. Great big ideas, really modest individuals trying essentially to prove that they can move the needle. And they do. We've done it with foster care, we've done it with illiteracy, and we've done it with homelessness. So it's a micro-macro kind of approach. It's really a love letter to bottom-up solutions.' Views expressed in this article are opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Google adds retail media data to YouTube ads, beefing up pitch to brands
This story was originally published on Marketing Dive. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily Marketing Dive newsletter. NEW YORK — Google advertising is getting a bigger injection of retail media data, the company announced as part of its presentation at the Interactive Advertising Bureau's NewFronts Monday. A commerce media solution supported by partners including Costco, Intuit, Regal Cinemas and Kinective Media by United Airlines is coming to the platform's Display & Video 360 (DV360) suite. Importantly, brands will be able to use the data for YouTube campaigns, another sign of the growing convergence between a typically lower-funnel channel and more premium digital video tactics. Executives positioned the announcement as a win-win for both retailers operating ad networks and the brands that have funneled massive budgets into retail media, which is forecast by eMarketer to top $85 billion in U.S. ad spending by 2027. For retailers, Google is touting the ability to leverage existing tools, like YouTube's commerce-oriented Shopping Ads and demand generation features, in new ways without having to share valuable data with competitors. On the brand end, the search giant is pitching a superior understanding of consumer shopping behaviors that could lead to more performative and simplified campaigns. 'With these changes, you now have the tools to combine your brand and shopper marketing campaigns into one seamless campaign,' said Andrew Hotz, director of programmatic media at Google, on stage at Pier 57 in Manhattan. Hotz added that Google will start testing the program this summer, though a specific date was not shared. A closer joining of retail media networks with YouTube's ad products comes as the video platform, which is celebrating its 20th year, is an increasingly popular connected TV (CTV) destination. CTV has become a major piece of Google's approach to the upfronts season, an occasion for brokering ad-spending commitments, as it chases dollars typically reserved for TV (YouTube is putting on a separate NewFronts showcase Thursday and will host its Brandcast bonanza spotlighting creators next week). YouTube has risen to become the top streaming platform by watch time, according to Nielsen estimates, bolstered by the addition of prime-time live programming such as NFL Sunday Ticket. For the first time this year, living room screens surpassed mobile as the main way people are tuning into the service in the U.S., executives said.
Yahoo
03-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Metro officials see uptick in drug overdoses, look to expand response
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — Metro officials have looked to expand where it puts overdose response kits following an uptick in reported overdoses. According to data from the April 1 Metro Public Health & Safety Committee, there was a more than 31% decrease in overdose deaths in Nashville. However, that drop in appeared to be short-lived. 📧 Have breaking news come to you: → 'Particularly in the month of March — we saw a significant spike on March 6th — where we saw the average number of incidents almost double in fatal and nonfatal overdoses within the city,' Sgt. Michael Hotz with the Metro Nashville Police Department's Special Investigations Division told the committee. The weekly average for reported overdoses this year is just under nine. That cases where someone died and cases where someone survived. From March 16 through 22, that number peaked at 23. The MNPD estimated the so-called zombie drug xylazine is in about 80% of the fentanyl supply, causing 'dual addiction.' 'You don't just have to treat the fentanyl or opioid addiction; you also have to treat the xylazine addiction as well,' Hotz said. 'It also complicates overdoses. Because xylazine is non-opioid, Narcan doesn't work on it.' At least 280 overdose reversal kits have been distributed. They're called 'One Boxes' and each one has two doses of naloxone as well as information on treatment options in the city and test strips for xylazine and fentanyl. The kit also has technology that walks someone through how to help in an overdose event. ⏩ So far, 83 'One Boxes' have been installed in venues across the city — including Bridgestone Arena and the Nashville Sounds stadium as well as music venues. Local officials are now working to expand to other areas.'We have also been in touch with Metro Schools and they do have Narcan, I believe, in the high schools, but they also stated that they could see the One Boxes added to middle and elementary schools,' Benton McDonough, the director of the Mayor's Office of Nightlife, told the committee on Tuesday. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
05-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Leaders pushing for more access to naloxone to combat opioid epidemic
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — Tennessee has started to see a shift with respect to the opioid epidemic. While the number of overdoses happening within the state remains high, according to the Tennessee Department of Health's overdose dashboard, there has been some relief with respect to total drug overdoses over time. Lawmakers and law enforcement agencies hope one tool can keep the momentum going. 📧 Have breaking news come to you: → 'Mental illness and substance abuse is something near and dear to me,' state representative Jeremy Faison (R-Cosby) said before the Civil Justice Subcommittee. 'I dare say that everybody sitting here today doesn't know somebody who's overdosed.' It's a conversation being held at the state's highest level. Lawmakers have taken a closer look at how overdoses impact Tennesseans, as Michael Hotz with the Metro Nashville Police Department's Overdose Unit reported that the city saw 513 overdose deaths last year. 'Five hundred and thirteen is way too many,' Hotz added. 'That's way too many mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters and that's something we seek to change.' Hotz called it a 30.4% reduction in overdose deaths for Nashville. While the number is a significant drop, Hotz said there's still something missing. 'We know that that's the only thing if someone is fallen over, dying from a fentanyl overdose — the only thing that will help is naloxone,' said George Massengill, who testified in favor of Rep. Faison's bill. Faison pointed to Tennessee's opioid abatement council, which was established after a lawsuit against Purdue Pharma. The lawsuit resulted in Tennessee receiving $1.2 billion over 18 years to combat the crisis. Faison's bill proposes that 25% of those opioid abatement funds be allocated to naloxone, a life-saving medication that reverses opioid overdoses. Faison said currently, only 6-8% of the funds are being used on naloxone. It's an effort that is being echoed on a local level, with the MNPD working to distribute Narcan boxes to more areas throughout the city. 'Having naloxone and Narcan products in the general public is crucial,' Hotz said. ⏩ During a community meeting, Hotz explained that more than 6,000 overdose kits were distributed to different communities last year. He hopes to expand the program. 'Did y'all know that Nashville has the second-highest rate of overdose deaths in the United States? Not enough people know that,' Hotz said. 'I would like to facilitate getting Narcan or naloxone products into your churches.' Faison's bill is expected to pass with bipartisan support. It is set to be up for discussion again Wednesday morning. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
