It's sad but true the traditional doctor, in most cases, does not help people get well.
In the first place most doctors don't spend enough time with you to find out exactly
what ails you.
Then to make matters worse they usually write a prescription for your ailment because that's is all they know what to do. Because most traditional doctors are not educated well enough in medical school about nutrition they only know how to prescribe a drug to cure your illness.
Getting hooked on prescription drugs is not a smart thing to do. In fact it is more destructive than it is beneficial. All drugs, as you should know, have a variety of side effects that can make you more miserable than before you took them.
Why is the world would you want to subject your body to all those adverse conditions? You are also suppressing the ability of your immune system to function properly too.
It's amazing to me to hear of all the stories of people gulping down multiple amounts of prescription drugs everyday. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) report that drug overdoses killed 33,000 in 2005, second only to car accidents in the category of accidental deaths. In 1999 the number was 20,000 and in 1990, 10,000 died. I wonder what the figure is today. I'm sure it must be bigger.
Consider that 46% of Americans take at least one prescription pill daily. Are these drugs really solving all your problems? Big Pharma spends billions to promote their products on TV, the radio, in print advertising and even puts tremendous on doctors to promote their drugs. Do you know that America is only one of two countries in the world that allows prescription drug ads? The only other country is New Zealand.
What is so disturbing for me is that Big Pharma has a huge grip on the U.S. Congress. Just take a good look at what is happening. Recent Presidential cabinets and the FDA have been stacked with pharmaceutical executives.
The members of Congress who are really concerned about the Nations health get defeated every time there is legislature presented to protect all nutritional products.
You want to hear a real sad story? Senator Edward Kennedy is a prime supporter in Congress who would like to have legislation destroy our ability to buy nutritional products. Now what is a real mystery to me is why would he want to do that when he has a cancerous brain tumor that could well be caused by him taking statin drugs for his high cholesterol problem and also high blood pressure medicine for that condition too.
Blood pressure medication typically reduces the flow of nutrition and oxygen to your brain, resulting in acid pH and an environment readily suitable for cancer growth.
Now as for as statins are concerned here's even more shocking news to know. Statins cause cancer for a variety of reasons. A fact that is covered up by the 20 billion dollars a year statin industry with the help of Senators on both sides of the political aisle, like Kennedy, who actively supports the Big Pharma agenda.
In addition to statins causing cancer here is some other things to be concerned about many other drugs. Statins is just one of many drugs that interfere with your normal immune function in multiple ways. Statins even interfere with core survival systems that are "branches" in the normal production of LDL cholesterol (that's the good cholesterol). In addition important anti-cancer nutrients such as vitamin D and coenzyme Q10 are also reduced by stations.
The disadvantages of taking statin drugs are unbelievably destructive. Even brain cells are weakened by statins. The longer a person stays on these drugs the worse the problem becomes.
All this information just presented is only about statin drugs and high blood pressure medication. This is just a drop in the bucket of the many other prescription drugs that are extremely dangerous to swallow.
It would take page after page of data to list all the prescription drugs that are harmful for you to get hooked on. What is really disturbing is that traditional doctors still prescribe these poisons everyday to their patients.
I can't emphasize it enough folks. Get smart about how to take charge of your health before you destroy it completely.
Saturday, August 30, 2008
How to Choose a Name For Your Cash Pay Medical Practice
One of the most important aspects of running a cash pay medical practice is choosing a name for your office. While the traditional medical marketing strategy for physicians is simply to put their name on an exterior sign, and perhaps to use a medical advertising agency to help them reach out to their community, there is a more effective healthcare marketing approach.
* Choose a name that advertises your preference for cash pay patients. You do not want to immediately turn any potential patients off; but on the other hand you want your community to know your payment requirements from the very beginning. Although you may not want to put "cash-pay only" in your actual name, you may want to add some soft reminders to this fact in your healthcare marketing strategy. Perhaps a healthcare consulting firm could give you some hints on how to incorporate your payment requirements into your subtitle. For example, your medical practice name followed by "a limited insurance provider." Most healthcare marketing firms can help you create a name that gently lets potential patients know about your payment requirements.
* Choose a name that stands out from the crowd. Healthcare advertising has long been driven by the name of the physician-and rightly so. But how do you make your practice stand out for potential patients who may just be skimming through the telephone book or other physician marketing publications? The answer is to put something unique in your cash pay medical practice name-or at least in the subtitle. An indication about how easy it is to obtain medical service with your practice is always a good option. Fast in-fast out, limited paperwork. In today's hectic world, the easier you can make visiting your practice, the better. Again, a healthcare marketing firm can help you decide how to incorporate fast service into your practice's name.
* Choose a name that indicates your area of medical expertise. In order to make it as easy as possible for patients to know your specialized area of medicine, your expertise should be clearly stated in your name. All medical marketing, including latino medical practice marketing, is targeted towards a specific patient audience, and this is done to ensure that the patients you serve know exactly what they can expect in your cash pay medical practice. While it is perhaps inappropriate to put your specialty directly in your name, a subtitle that states your field is perfect. You want your healthcare advertising to be as clear as possible and to reach as many potential patients as possible.
* Choose a name that advertises your preference for cash pay patients. You do not want to immediately turn any potential patients off; but on the other hand you want your community to know your payment requirements from the very beginning. Although you may not want to put "cash-pay only" in your actual name, you may want to add some soft reminders to this fact in your healthcare marketing strategy. Perhaps a healthcare consulting firm could give you some hints on how to incorporate your payment requirements into your subtitle. For example, your medical practice name followed by "a limited insurance provider." Most healthcare marketing firms can help you create a name that gently lets potential patients know about your payment requirements.
* Choose a name that stands out from the crowd. Healthcare advertising has long been driven by the name of the physician-and rightly so. But how do you make your practice stand out for potential patients who may just be skimming through the telephone book or other physician marketing publications? The answer is to put something unique in your cash pay medical practice name-or at least in the subtitle. An indication about how easy it is to obtain medical service with your practice is always a good option. Fast in-fast out, limited paperwork. In today's hectic world, the easier you can make visiting your practice, the better. Again, a healthcare marketing firm can help you decide how to incorporate fast service into your practice's name.
* Choose a name that indicates your area of medical expertise. In order to make it as easy as possible for patients to know your specialized area of medicine, your expertise should be clearly stated in your name. All medical marketing, including latino medical practice marketing, is targeted towards a specific patient audience, and this is done to ensure that the patients you serve know exactly what they can expect in your cash pay medical practice. While it is perhaps inappropriate to put your specialty directly in your name, a subtitle that states your field is perfect. You want your healthcare advertising to be as clear as possible and to reach as many potential patients as possible.
The Water Purification Process - An Attempt to Explain Water Purification in Simple Terms
A water purification process may include a number of different steps. To explain water purification in specific localities, it is necessary to contact your treatment facility or visit their website, if they have one. Some plants are very large and some stations only service a few homes. What follows are the steps used by my local facility.
Ion exchange is the first step in the complex water purification process. Ion exchange can accomplish several things. The facility uses it to remove various metal ions. It is sometimes referred to as "softening". In home systems it is used to balance mineral content, pH levels and remove traces of lead that can seep in through the pipes.
When this step in the water purification process is complete, if effective, there will be no heavy metals like lead, iron, mercury or cadmium. All of which can cause health problems.
Step two is Granular Activated Carbon. As, we are attempting to explain water purification, it is important to note that a water purification process may be used in the home or in a facility or both. Carbon blocks are used in both.
At the facility, there is an oversized granular activated carbon bed. In home units and at facilities where they are used carbon removes chlorine, pesticides, herbicides, and other organic contaminants. THM's or trihalomethanes, which are produced during chlorination, will also be removed by carbon.
Sediment filtration is the third step in our local water purification process. It is a simple paper sediment filter which traps larger particles like sand, dirt or grit. They need to be removed early in the process, to prevent clogging later on.
Step four in the water purification process is reverse osmosis. This is a step that has been adapted for home use, but it is only necessary when the source is particularly contaminated. Depending on the size of the pores in the membrane, it can remove a variety of contaminants, but only those that are heavier or larger than the water's molecules.
Step five is called the five micron carbon block filter. It is designed to capture small particles, those that pass through the reverse osmosis membrane.
In the next step of our local water purification process ultra violet lights are used for disinfection. It is easier to explain water purification of this type, because the design is simple. It consists of a chamber with large ultra violet light.
UV disinfection is followed by a one micro sediment filter. Oxygenation is used to further disinfect and purify. Then the resulting product is stored for use by humans.
In our area, chlorine is again added to prevent algae and bacteria growth in the pipes. So, even though our local water purification process is a good one, we still need carbon filtration in our homes to remove chlorine and THMs.
This was a very brief attempt to explain water purification. There are many other stages that can be included and in some areas, all of the ones mentioned here are not used. The best advice is to have a good water purification process for your home, because contamination can happen in an instant.
Ion exchange is the first step in the complex water purification process. Ion exchange can accomplish several things. The facility uses it to remove various metal ions. It is sometimes referred to as "softening". In home systems it is used to balance mineral content, pH levels and remove traces of lead that can seep in through the pipes.
When this step in the water purification process is complete, if effective, there will be no heavy metals like lead, iron, mercury or cadmium. All of which can cause health problems.
Step two is Granular Activated Carbon. As, we are attempting to explain water purification, it is important to note that a water purification process may be used in the home or in a facility or both. Carbon blocks are used in both.
At the facility, there is an oversized granular activated carbon bed. In home units and at facilities where they are used carbon removes chlorine, pesticides, herbicides, and other organic contaminants. THM's or trihalomethanes, which are produced during chlorination, will also be removed by carbon.
Sediment filtration is the third step in our local water purification process. It is a simple paper sediment filter which traps larger particles like sand, dirt or grit. They need to be removed early in the process, to prevent clogging later on.
Step four in the water purification process is reverse osmosis. This is a step that has been adapted for home use, but it is only necessary when the source is particularly contaminated. Depending on the size of the pores in the membrane, it can remove a variety of contaminants, but only those that are heavier or larger than the water's molecules.
Step five is called the five micron carbon block filter. It is designed to capture small particles, those that pass through the reverse osmosis membrane.
In the next step of our local water purification process ultra violet lights are used for disinfection. It is easier to explain water purification of this type, because the design is simple. It consists of a chamber with large ultra violet light.
UV disinfection is followed by a one micro sediment filter. Oxygenation is used to further disinfect and purify. Then the resulting product is stored for use by humans.
In our area, chlorine is again added to prevent algae and bacteria growth in the pipes. So, even though our local water purification process is a good one, we still need carbon filtration in our homes to remove chlorine and THMs.
This was a very brief attempt to explain water purification. There are many other stages that can be included and in some areas, all of the ones mentioned here are not used. The best advice is to have a good water purification process for your home, because contamination can happen in an instant.
Why the Statement 'Trust Me I'm a Doctor' Should Be Taken and Thrown Out Through the Window!
The statement 'Trust me I'm a doctor' should be taken and thrown out through the window. Consider it like this, to get the picture on how the medical / pharmaceutical establishment have caused so much ill health and death over the years. For example, as reported by Gary Null et al, in 1 year the establishment were responsible for nearly 784,000 deaths in the USA through medical intervention. The breakdown off this figure includes adverse drug reactions, medical error, bedsores, infection, malnutrition, outpatients, unnecessary procedures and surgery.
We can see that if the above figure for the total number of iatrogenic deaths (deaths through medical intervention) could be projected over a 10-year period, this would come to just over 7.8 million. -That's more than the number of war casualties in the history of America!
Dr Lucian L. Leape made the earliest known iatrogenic study in 1994, published in the journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA). Through his studies over various hospital over the United States he could have chosen the average fertility rate, which was about 20%, but instead chose to use a lower figure of 4% (was he playing it diplomatically safe when giving this account to his superiors???). If he had chosen the average figure of 20%, that would have totaled to 1,189,576 iatrogenic deaths for a year instead. -This is the equivalent to reading the headline in our imaginary newspaper: 'OVER 10 FULL 747 AIRPLANES CRASH KILLING ALL ITS PASSENGERS'
Psychiatry, indeed, the medical branch of psychology, is no different. This has more than its fair share of fraud, propagated by the usual suspects with their black money and cabalistic cover-ups: Pharmaceutical company people, the FDA, easily corrupted high-ranking politicians, bad science and a paid off press.
Did you know that psychiatrists are 5 times more likely to commit suicide than the average population? Similarly, Alcoholics Anonymous in the United States have reported a high number of psychiatrists in their groups. So much for psychiatrists being the models of mental health...
They use a manual called the DSM (diagnostic and statistical manual) for diagnosing individuals and identifying disorders. The disorders have been questioned as to whether or not they exist, since they are established by a committee of votes, rather than by sound science. The DSM catalog has hugely increased over recent years, beyond what some might say logic. However, it must be remembered that more diagnosed individual's means more drugs prescribed and therefore more money for big pharma.
-This sounds incredible, but when you look at it in detail, for example, it may be easy to see right through the ruse. Especially when the DSM decides by vote to include what could be called questionable disorders like 'Lottery Stress Disorder' and 'Shaking Leg Syndrome' Does it sound like I'm making these things up? Remember the treatments just happen to rake in drugs profits, if you get my drift...
We can see that if the above figure for the total number of iatrogenic deaths (deaths through medical intervention) could be projected over a 10-year period, this would come to just over 7.8 million. -That's more than the number of war casualties in the history of America!
Dr Lucian L. Leape made the earliest known iatrogenic study in 1994, published in the journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA). Through his studies over various hospital over the United States he could have chosen the average fertility rate, which was about 20%, but instead chose to use a lower figure of 4% (was he playing it diplomatically safe when giving this account to his superiors???). If he had chosen the average figure of 20%, that would have totaled to 1,189,576 iatrogenic deaths for a year instead. -This is the equivalent to reading the headline in our imaginary newspaper: 'OVER 10 FULL 747 AIRPLANES CRASH KILLING ALL ITS PASSENGERS'
Psychiatry, indeed, the medical branch of psychology, is no different. This has more than its fair share of fraud, propagated by the usual suspects with their black money and cabalistic cover-ups: Pharmaceutical company people, the FDA, easily corrupted high-ranking politicians, bad science and a paid off press.
Did you know that psychiatrists are 5 times more likely to commit suicide than the average population? Similarly, Alcoholics Anonymous in the United States have reported a high number of psychiatrists in their groups. So much for psychiatrists being the models of mental health...
They use a manual called the DSM (diagnostic and statistical manual) for diagnosing individuals and identifying disorders. The disorders have been questioned as to whether or not they exist, since they are established by a committee of votes, rather than by sound science. The DSM catalog has hugely increased over recent years, beyond what some might say logic. However, it must be remembered that more diagnosed individual's means more drugs prescribed and therefore more money for big pharma.
-This sounds incredible, but when you look at it in detail, for example, it may be easy to see right through the ruse. Especially when the DSM decides by vote to include what could be called questionable disorders like 'Lottery Stress Disorder' and 'Shaking Leg Syndrome' Does it sound like I'm making these things up? Remember the treatments just happen to rake in drugs profits, if you get my drift...
Friday, August 29, 2008
Medical Insurance For Self Employed
For the newly self employed, health insurance is a major consideration. If you do not prepare for those unexpected health disasters, you could be in for a major financial setback or worse. Whether you live in California or Georgia, obtaining the right coverage is critical in the early stages of your self-employment.
When you start your own small business or become a solo professional, you need to think about replacing the function of your former human resources department at your previous employer. It is a real challenge to play so many different roles but it is a reality in the business world that you must accept.
What should you look for in self employed medical insurance? I would advise seeking out a general coverage plan that includes most if not all of your former benefits. You need to think about the deductible you think is affordable for you and your family. You also need to think about how much you want to pay for emergency room services and prescription drugs.
Of course, no one can plan for absolutely everything so you need to plan as well as you can, setting your target for the most economical and comprehensive health insurance plan you can find. There are so many websites out there today that make this process simple and straightforward for you.
What is the best free health insurance for self employed individuals? That is a great question! I am positive that free health insurance does not exist, but I suppose it does not hurt to search online for it. You never know. Probably the best route is to search government or local websites for information about that type of coverage.
With so many other self employed benefits, try not to let the health insurance obstacle slow you down. Yes, searching for an affordable premium, completing paperwork, and talking to customer service operators is going to take time away from your busy schedule, but it needs to be done and as soon as possible.
You might also consider contacting local business startup organizations for help with the process just to be sure you've covered all your bases. Since self employed insurance is very different from state-to-state, this is a good idea. Laws, premiums, and systems may be in stark contrast between Indiana, Rhode Island, Wisconsin, New York, Pennsylvania, etc. You never know what exceptions might exist in each state (or what extra benefits or special programs might be available).
When you start your own small business or become a solo professional, you need to think about replacing the function of your former human resources department at your previous employer. It is a real challenge to play so many different roles but it is a reality in the business world that you must accept.
What should you look for in self employed medical insurance? I would advise seeking out a general coverage plan that includes most if not all of your former benefits. You need to think about the deductible you think is affordable for you and your family. You also need to think about how much you want to pay for emergency room services and prescription drugs.
Of course, no one can plan for absolutely everything so you need to plan as well as you can, setting your target for the most economical and comprehensive health insurance plan you can find. There are so many websites out there today that make this process simple and straightforward for you.
What is the best free health insurance for self employed individuals? That is a great question! I am positive that free health insurance does not exist, but I suppose it does not hurt to search online for it. You never know. Probably the best route is to search government or local websites for information about that type of coverage.
With so many other self employed benefits, try not to let the health insurance obstacle slow you down. Yes, searching for an affordable premium, completing paperwork, and talking to customer service operators is going to take time away from your busy schedule, but it needs to be done and as soon as possible.
You might also consider contacting local business startup organizations for help with the process just to be sure you've covered all your bases. Since self employed insurance is very different from state-to-state, this is a good idea. Laws, premiums, and systems may be in stark contrast between Indiana, Rhode Island, Wisconsin, New York, Pennsylvania, etc. You never know what exceptions might exist in each state (or what extra benefits or special programs might be available).
Busy Hospital Days and Nights
Many of us, after a long days work, simply want to relax and put up our feet. Our days at work can be stressful and full of tiring hours. There is nothing like coming home at the end of a busy day and just doing nothing. The hours we put in at work seem to go on endlessly; for when we come home, it is difficult to not think about work. We come home and think about what needs to get done the next day, or about what we did get done, but need to go back and fix. For a lot of us this solely involves doing, or re-doing in some cases, paperwork or a meeting that we have to attend.
Doctors, however, have an entirely different burden. Imagine, if you will, treating a young ten-year-old girl for cancer or caring for someone's elderly grandfather. Doctors, on a daily basis, deal with the living and dying of their patients. To be a doctor means that you are thinking about your patients for what must feel like twenty-four hours a day. Each doctor walks around in their landau medical scrubs and tries to find the best remedy possible for his patients. Their number one concern is the well-being of each and every individual that they treat.
If a particular medical doctor is a surgeon, they are most likely contemplating their next surgery. They are most likely reading through their patients' medical charts to make sure that everything is looking great before the time for surgery is at hand. An OB-GYN on the other hand, is most likely wearing his cheap medical scrubs and monitoring his patient at hourly intervals to make sure the delivery is progressing normally. There are many things that can weigh heavily on a doctor's mind around the clock.
With another human being's life in their hands, doctors have one of the most stressful jobs around. They are continuously looking out for us; even if it means when they have the day off. Just like the rest of us, they are probably finding themselves looking to the next day they are back at work at what lies ahead of them. Their minds are constantly racing back to the office, just as ours are.
So the next time that you see a doctor without the cherokee workwear scrubs that he normally wears for his day job, just remember that he is probably thinking about the next step he will be taking to treat a patient. Or maybe he will be thinking about a particularly special life that he happened to save that day. Doctor's may carry the burden of saving the lives of complete strangers, but they also have the satisfaction and reward they get from doing their very best to make someone else's life even better and longer.
Doctors, however, have an entirely different burden. Imagine, if you will, treating a young ten-year-old girl for cancer or caring for someone's elderly grandfather. Doctors, on a daily basis, deal with the living and dying of their patients. To be a doctor means that you are thinking about your patients for what must feel like twenty-four hours a day. Each doctor walks around in their landau medical scrubs and tries to find the best remedy possible for his patients. Their number one concern is the well-being of each and every individual that they treat.
If a particular medical doctor is a surgeon, they are most likely contemplating their next surgery. They are most likely reading through their patients' medical charts to make sure that everything is looking great before the time for surgery is at hand. An OB-GYN on the other hand, is most likely wearing his cheap medical scrubs and monitoring his patient at hourly intervals to make sure the delivery is progressing normally. There are many things that can weigh heavily on a doctor's mind around the clock.
With another human being's life in their hands, doctors have one of the most stressful jobs around. They are continuously looking out for us; even if it means when they have the day off. Just like the rest of us, they are probably finding themselves looking to the next day they are back at work at what lies ahead of them. Their minds are constantly racing back to the office, just as ours are.
So the next time that you see a doctor without the cherokee workwear scrubs that he normally wears for his day job, just remember that he is probably thinking about the next step he will be taking to treat a patient. Or maybe he will be thinking about a particularly special life that he happened to save that day. Doctor's may carry the burden of saving the lives of complete strangers, but they also have the satisfaction and reward they get from doing their very best to make someone else's life even better and longer.
Top 10 Reasons Medical Insurance Companies Want YOU As a Customer!
Medical and healthcare insurance companies originally came into being as a way of financing increasingly more expensive healthcare options. However insurance companies be they medical insurance, health insurance, car insurance, home insurance or any other insurance are in the business to make money. They make money by calculating the income they can charge and the costs they will incur by offering the service. If the income is higher than the cost then they are happy to extend coverage and if the income is significantly higher than the cost they spend money marketing to you so as to make sure you buy the service. Truthfully the more profit for them the less you need them.
So what kind of people are medical and healthcare insurance companies looking for? The more of the following items that apply to you the more they want YOU.
1. You know that time tested home remedies such as lemon and honey have been shown to be just as effective at curing a bad cold as everything sold at the local pharmacy
2. You believe in preventive care which isn't covered instead of reactive care which is.
3. You don't watch a lot of TV so you haven't been convinced by the major pharmaceutical companies that the solution to your healthcare problems comes in the form of a pill.
4. You are not a hypochondriac.
5. You are 18-35 and healthy.
6. You exercise regularly.
7. You are not overweight.
8. You don't smoke.
9. You have a "living will" that prohibits invasive procedures, aggressive treatment and resuscitation as you near death.
10. You haven't figured out how profitable a customer you are
If you believe that medicine and healthcare are products to be bought and sold, then the existence of companies such as insurance companies that try to select who buys and sells this product is logical. However if you believe that like education, medicine and healthcare are universal rights to be obtained based on need and not affordability then the mere existence of medical insurance companies is a moral outrage.
To see what a society that believes medicine and healthcare are products to be bought and sold looks like you can travel to pretty much any third world country and look around. Those who buy medical care can afford to, those that cannot afford to buy it don't!
So what kind of people are medical and healthcare insurance companies looking for? The more of the following items that apply to you the more they want YOU.
1. You know that time tested home remedies such as lemon and honey have been shown to be just as effective at curing a bad cold as everything sold at the local pharmacy
2. You believe in preventive care which isn't covered instead of reactive care which is.
3. You don't watch a lot of TV so you haven't been convinced by the major pharmaceutical companies that the solution to your healthcare problems comes in the form of a pill.
4. You are not a hypochondriac.
5. You are 18-35 and healthy.
6. You exercise regularly.
7. You are not overweight.
8. You don't smoke.
9. You have a "living will" that prohibits invasive procedures, aggressive treatment and resuscitation as you near death.
10. You haven't figured out how profitable a customer you are
If you believe that medicine and healthcare are products to be bought and sold, then the existence of companies such as insurance companies that try to select who buys and sells this product is logical. However if you believe that like education, medicine and healthcare are universal rights to be obtained based on need and not affordability then the mere existence of medical insurance companies is a moral outrage.
To see what a society that believes medicine and healthcare are products to be bought and sold looks like you can travel to pretty much any third world country and look around. Those who buy medical care can afford to, those that cannot afford to buy it don't!
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Hematology and Transcription Services
Hematology transcription is one of the rapidly growing essential services in healthcare and refers to a specialized medical transcription service related to a branch of medicine. What is hematology? It is the branch of internal medicine that deals with the study of blood, the organs involved in blood production, and blood disorders. It covers the biochemical and physiological aspects of blood. Hematology involves knowledge of the blood cells and analyzing the various changes that can occur in diseased cells. The word has its origin from two Greek words, namely haima and logos meaning blood and study respectively.
Hematology includes diagnosis and treatment of blood related diseases along with the study. For diagnosis, certain tests are performed with the blood. Some of the common tests are full blood counts, blood films, bone marrow biopsies, and Coombs test. Full blood count is commonly prescribed by doctors as part of the medical examination. This test is done to check whether there is any increase or decrease in the number of blood cells from the normal level.
In hematology, the treatment varies depending upon the type of the disease the patient has. Some diseases need prolonged treatments and take a long time to recover. Some others need only few days to recover. Diet advice and medications are included in the treatments. For patients with anemia, blood transfusion is done as part of the treatment. Chemotherapy, radio therapy, and bone marrow transplantations are included in the treatment methods for leukemia.
The doctors who are specialized in working with patients of hematological problems are called hematologists. These doctors mainly treat patients with blood related diseases, and later dictate the entire incident onto digital recorders which are later sent to professional hematology transcriptionists who specialize in transcription of audio dictations into typed transcripts.
Hematology includes diagnosis and treatment of blood related diseases along with the study. For diagnosis, certain tests are performed with the blood. Some of the common tests are full blood counts, blood films, bone marrow biopsies, and Coombs test. Full blood count is commonly prescribed by doctors as part of the medical examination. This test is done to check whether there is any increase or decrease in the number of blood cells from the normal level.
In hematology, the treatment varies depending upon the type of the disease the patient has. Some diseases need prolonged treatments and take a long time to recover. Some others need only few days to recover. Diet advice and medications are included in the treatments. For patients with anemia, blood transfusion is done as part of the treatment. Chemotherapy, radio therapy, and bone marrow transplantations are included in the treatment methods for leukemia.
The doctors who are specialized in working with patients of hematological problems are called hematologists. These doctors mainly treat patients with blood related diseases, and later dictate the entire incident onto digital recorders which are later sent to professional hematology transcriptionists who specialize in transcription of audio dictations into typed transcripts.
Discount Health Care Plan That Helps
A few months back, my brother and I had been to a hospital for some minor ailment and after consultation we were given a prescription by the doctor for necessary medication. In spite of the nature of the ailment, the bill amount was so huge and someone from a normal middle class would not be able to afford it. I really felt the pinch - my purse being significantly lighter when I left the hospital. A few days later, one of my friends shared a similar experience, with me, which he had during one of his hospital visits. We discussed the skyrocketing medical and consultation charges and agreed that there are no chances of escaping the drug prices in the near future. We discussed of a means of surviving this rise in charges for drugs as well as consultation and started doing some research on health insurance.
This is when we stumbled upon a great testimonial for Ameriplan, which is all about the medical discount plans. The medical discount plans offered by Ameriplan Corporation, the nation's premier Discount Medical Plan Organization are said to reduce the expenses by 80%. These medical discount plans are also said to provide multiple benefits ranging from dental care, prescription, vision care, chiropractic care and medical care.
We at once knew that we have found exactly what we were looking for and wasted no time in grabbing the medical discount plan with both hands! When we signed up, we also came to know that Ameriplan provides business opportunity to anyone interested - either through commissions on signing up other members for discount plans or by becoming IBOs (Independent Business Owner) for the program and setting up a sales group for the program.
If you are one of those for whom your family's health is of primary importance and if mounting medical expenses have been disturbing you, Ameriplan may be the answer to all your concerns. To know more about the medical discount plans one of the useful websites would be
health-dental-discount-plans.com.
This is when we stumbled upon a great testimonial for Ameriplan, which is all about the medical discount plans. The medical discount plans offered by Ameriplan Corporation, the nation's premier Discount Medical Plan Organization are said to reduce the expenses by 80%. These medical discount plans are also said to provide multiple benefits ranging from dental care, prescription, vision care, chiropractic care and medical care.
We at once knew that we have found exactly what we were looking for and wasted no time in grabbing the medical discount plan with both hands! When we signed up, we also came to know that Ameriplan provides business opportunity to anyone interested - either through commissions on signing up other members for discount plans or by becoming IBOs (Independent Business Owner) for the program and setting up a sales group for the program.
If you are one of those for whom your family's health is of primary importance and if mounting medical expenses have been disturbing you, Ameriplan may be the answer to all your concerns. To know more about the medical discount plans one of the useful websites would be
health-dental-discount-plans.com.
Health Care Solutions From Outside the Political Arena
The American health care system is one of the most talked about issues surrounding the upcoming 2008 presidential elections. Both Democratic and Republican candidates have outlined new health care plans that may have a drastic impact on how many voters choose to cast their ballots.
The current economic recession has lead to financial trouble for many American families. With the cost of health care services and pharmaceuticals on the rise, this means some people are not able to afford the health care they need. Thousands of Americans, including children, are currently without any type of health care coverage.
The presidential candidates have each outlined plans for health care reform that should address this issue. Democratic candidates Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama are lobbying for a more universal health care system supported by the government. Republican candidate John McCain supports the privatization of the American Health Care System.
Research estimates 80 percent of healthcare spending is used by the sickest 20 percent of patients. This uneven distribution of funds can be adjusted if patients are given proper care at the start of their treatment to prevent the worsening of their conditions and the need for readmission to care facilities.
Some companies are already helping to alleviate some of the burden of health care costs from Americans, regardless of the election outcome. Health care services provider, McKesson has recently introduced new programs intended to combat unnecessary health spending through prevention and thorough care.
Community Care Advantage helps hospitals and other provider-based organizations provide high-quality care to indigent, chronically ill and newly discharged patients in a timely manner. This offering comprises three solutions that help to address preventable readmissions that cost Medicare $12 billion each year.
Community Health Services, Community Health Technologies and Consumer Convenience Solutions work together to ensure all patients have access to the high-quality care they need following initial treatment. Through these programs McKesson facilitates the monitoring of recently released patients and provides them and their caregivers with access to information about their condition and treatments, improving patient safety. Community Care Advantage empowers both patients and providers to follow treatment plans for proper condition management.
Patients are being effectively cared for and health care costs are being reduced thanks to community care programs. While health care reform may be getting considerable attention to its political relevance, these solutions are already beginning to improve the heath care situation.
The current economic recession has lead to financial trouble for many American families. With the cost of health care services and pharmaceuticals on the rise, this means some people are not able to afford the health care they need. Thousands of Americans, including children, are currently without any type of health care coverage.
The presidential candidates have each outlined plans for health care reform that should address this issue. Democratic candidates Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama are lobbying for a more universal health care system supported by the government. Republican candidate John McCain supports the privatization of the American Health Care System.
Research estimates 80 percent of healthcare spending is used by the sickest 20 percent of patients. This uneven distribution of funds can be adjusted if patients are given proper care at the start of their treatment to prevent the worsening of their conditions and the need for readmission to care facilities.
Some companies are already helping to alleviate some of the burden of health care costs from Americans, regardless of the election outcome. Health care services provider, McKesson has recently introduced new programs intended to combat unnecessary health spending through prevention and thorough care.
Community Care Advantage helps hospitals and other provider-based organizations provide high-quality care to indigent, chronically ill and newly discharged patients in a timely manner. This offering comprises three solutions that help to address preventable readmissions that cost Medicare $12 billion each year.
Community Health Services, Community Health Technologies and Consumer Convenience Solutions work together to ensure all patients have access to the high-quality care they need following initial treatment. Through these programs McKesson facilitates the monitoring of recently released patients and provides them and their caregivers with access to information about their condition and treatments, improving patient safety. Community Care Advantage empowers both patients and providers to follow treatment plans for proper condition management.
Patients are being effectively cared for and health care costs are being reduced thanks to community care programs. While health care reform may be getting considerable attention to its political relevance, these solutions are already beginning to improve the heath care situation.
Monday, August 25, 2008
Quality Family Doctors - Why Are They So Important?
Everyone needs a general practitioner or primary care physician, and most have trouble finding the one that is right for them. I want to blow open the mistakes people make and help you figure out how to get it done. Many patients I speak to "make do" with their primary care doctor, and I think that is the biggest mistake people can make when looking after themselves.
Why is the "right" general practitioner important
Your body will travel through life with you and you will be together right at the end.
It will break down and you will get ill multiple times. How well you keep it maintained is vital. If you have a poorly maintained body, you will either have a shorter life, or a more uncomfortable one. Maintenance is all about having a good relationship with a primary care doctor. It won't make you never get sick, but you will be more likely to recover faster, be more productive and be more able to enjoy your life.
It sounds a bit washy, so here is a real life example.
A friend of mine, who we will call Sarah, got ill with pneumonia. She had a great general practitioner who she saw promptly. Sarah was treated well and continued to get better. She trusted her doctor, and didn't want to let him down, so she went for her follow-up appointment, even though she was feeling much better. The general practitioner used that appointment to review the illness and figured out that the type of pneumonia was a bit odd for someone of Sarah's age and general health. So he did some more tests, which showed up a very early uncommon blood cancer. That was able to be treated before causing any other symptoms (except this unusual infection). So Sarah is not cured, but is still happy and functions well, many years longer than she was expected to.
Having the right doctor means:
* You will be more likely to go to the doctor when you are feeling a bit under the weather.
* Your doctor will be able to pick up on earlier symptoms, and diagnose things faster.
* Faster diagnosis means faster recovery. Faster return to work. All those good things.
* You will be more likely to attend for results and follow-up, which is important to look after your long term health.
* When you visit at other times, your doctor will be able to look at all of your health, not just the bit that hurts the most.
* Your doctor will be better at referring you to specialist care (if appropriate) as they will know you better, and be able to pick when you are particularly sick, and what specialist would best suit your personality.
* You will be more confident in the decisions they make.
* You will be more confident in asking questions, and know more abut what is going on, and therefore be more in control.
* You will become more involved in making your own health decisions.
* You will get better preventative care (of diabetes or hypertension, obesity or heart disease for example) because you will attend over a longer period of time.
* Attending more regularly means a better relationship - you will both get along better. More pleasant way to spend the day.
All of this things will make you a better maintained person. You and your body-mechanic need to have a close relationship, and there needs to be trust for one another. Things won't get missed, and if you are sick, it will be a much less traumatic experience.
Why is the "right" general practitioner important
Your body will travel through life with you and you will be together right at the end.
It will break down and you will get ill multiple times. How well you keep it maintained is vital. If you have a poorly maintained body, you will either have a shorter life, or a more uncomfortable one. Maintenance is all about having a good relationship with a primary care doctor. It won't make you never get sick, but you will be more likely to recover faster, be more productive and be more able to enjoy your life.
It sounds a bit washy, so here is a real life example.
A friend of mine, who we will call Sarah, got ill with pneumonia. She had a great general practitioner who she saw promptly. Sarah was treated well and continued to get better. She trusted her doctor, and didn't want to let him down, so she went for her follow-up appointment, even though she was feeling much better. The general practitioner used that appointment to review the illness and figured out that the type of pneumonia was a bit odd for someone of Sarah's age and general health. So he did some more tests, which showed up a very early uncommon blood cancer. That was able to be treated before causing any other symptoms (except this unusual infection). So Sarah is not cured, but is still happy and functions well, many years longer than she was expected to.
Having the right doctor means:
* You will be more likely to go to the doctor when you are feeling a bit under the weather.
* Your doctor will be able to pick up on earlier symptoms, and diagnose things faster.
* Faster diagnosis means faster recovery. Faster return to work. All those good things.
* You will be more likely to attend for results and follow-up, which is important to look after your long term health.
* When you visit at other times, your doctor will be able to look at all of your health, not just the bit that hurts the most.
* Your doctor will be better at referring you to specialist care (if appropriate) as they will know you better, and be able to pick when you are particularly sick, and what specialist would best suit your personality.
* You will be more confident in the decisions they make.
* You will be more confident in asking questions, and know more abut what is going on, and therefore be more in control.
* You will become more involved in making your own health decisions.
* You will get better preventative care (of diabetes or hypertension, obesity or heart disease for example) because you will attend over a longer period of time.
* Attending more regularly means a better relationship - you will both get along better. More pleasant way to spend the day.
All of this things will make you a better maintained person. You and your body-mechanic need to have a close relationship, and there needs to be trust for one another. Things won't get missed, and if you are sick, it will be a much less traumatic experience.
Replace Your Files With an Electronic Health Diary
Empty your cupboards; full of pages containing all your health information and files where you have stored all your health records. In long future, no more files will be used to store health records. In this computer age it will be shared electronically so no more files no more data no more pages- all in one. Store all your health information in an electronic health diary which is a secure as well as private means of recording all your health record. This will serve as a storehouse where all your health information is shared electronically to support health care decisions by caregivers. An Electronic Health Record (EHR) provides us with a secure and lifetime record of our health history. You can make this record available electronically to authorized health care providers and individual anywhere, anytime, in support of high-quality care. This helped a lot to health caregivers also to provide you the better service in future. This will bring a new era in the history of health service, a patient friendly system will exist.
All government hospitals, pharmacies, health institutions and other healthcare groups will share a private network that will aid in EHR development. A free software should be used to enable the doctors, pharmacies and labs to securely share and exchange data across the Internet world. A centralized electronic authorized registry system will help us to share our health data with health service providers. Another electronic data exchange should exist between different health information systems covering areas such as admission, discharge, transfer information, order entry and results reporting, scheduling and other referrals. You can keep a good track of your health by taking small steps and thereby can minimize your health risks.
This health system must be capable of supporting many different patient and healthcare provider's relationships. A long term relationship will establish in this way. Your family doctor will get a better understanding of your health history. Not only this if you have to visit your nearby or any hospital for undergoing a specific treatment every year or month, then a track your health history will get stored in the electronic patient record that every hospitals are using nowadays. You can also maintain your health records longitudinally that is typically in a form of a paper and this will contain information provided by the doctor or other external health sources such as laboratory, specialists, hospitals etc. An alert or reminder can also be set as for example in hospitals patient alert are created regarding patient's allergies, immunizations, family history, current medications, any specific disease like diabetes etc. So don't waste your time more on keeping records in files and then maintaining those files just change your habits and start regulating all your health record in an electronic health diary.
All government hospitals, pharmacies, health institutions and other healthcare groups will share a private network that will aid in EHR development. A free software should be used to enable the doctors, pharmacies and labs to securely share and exchange data across the Internet world. A centralized electronic authorized registry system will help us to share our health data with health service providers. Another electronic data exchange should exist between different health information systems covering areas such as admission, discharge, transfer information, order entry and results reporting, scheduling and other referrals. You can keep a good track of your health by taking small steps and thereby can minimize your health risks.
This health system must be capable of supporting many different patient and healthcare provider's relationships. A long term relationship will establish in this way. Your family doctor will get a better understanding of your health history. Not only this if you have to visit your nearby or any hospital for undergoing a specific treatment every year or month, then a track your health history will get stored in the electronic patient record that every hospitals are using nowadays. You can also maintain your health records longitudinally that is typically in a form of a paper and this will contain information provided by the doctor or other external health sources such as laboratory, specialists, hospitals etc. An alert or reminder can also be set as for example in hospitals patient alert are created regarding patient's allergies, immunizations, family history, current medications, any specific disease like diabetes etc. So don't waste your time more on keeping records in files and then maintaining those files just change your habits and start regulating all your health record in an electronic health diary.
Drive-Thru Health Care
According to the CDC, almost 44 million Americans do not have health insurance. That''s 44 million people who have to pay out of pocket for their health care. However, basic health care is becoming more affordable because of walk-in clinics.
Wanted: Health Insurance
44 million Americans lack health insurance. Unfortunately, all of those Americans need health insurance. They not only need health insurance to get adequate treatment for illnesses and injuries, but also for disease prevention, screening and early diagnosis.
When people do not have health insurance they worry about what they will do if they get sick. That should be the least of their concerns. There biggest concern should be whether or not they have a disease that could be treated in its earliest stages. They should also be worried about preventing chronic diseases.
As adults, you should see a health care provider at once least every two years. You need to get physicals and have "get well" visits. Your weight, body mass index, body fat percentage, blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar should be checked. Many expensive and debilitating chronic disease can be prevented with those simple tests.
Toilet paper, Deodorant and Health care
Do not let the lack of health insurance prevent you from seeing a health care provider. Walk-in clinics are a great option for basic health care. You can find these clinics in multiple locations. They are in certain Wal-Mart, Target, CVS stores and as stand-alone locations. At Wal-Mart clinics a typical Get Well visit cost less than 65 dollars. You can have your cholesterol, blood sugar and blood pressure checked. You can also have many common health ailments treated. Find a Wal-Mart Clinic near you.
Wal-Mart is not the only place that offers walk-in clinic. Do a Google search or look in your yellow pages for a location near you. Go see a health care provider because prevention is cheaper than treatment.
Wanted: Health Insurance
44 million Americans lack health insurance. Unfortunately, all of those Americans need health insurance. They not only need health insurance to get adequate treatment for illnesses and injuries, but also for disease prevention, screening and early diagnosis.
When people do not have health insurance they worry about what they will do if they get sick. That should be the least of their concerns. There biggest concern should be whether or not they have a disease that could be treated in its earliest stages. They should also be worried about preventing chronic diseases.
As adults, you should see a health care provider at once least every two years. You need to get physicals and have "get well" visits. Your weight, body mass index, body fat percentage, blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar should be checked. Many expensive and debilitating chronic disease can be prevented with those simple tests.
Toilet paper, Deodorant and Health care
Do not let the lack of health insurance prevent you from seeing a health care provider. Walk-in clinics are a great option for basic health care. You can find these clinics in multiple locations. They are in certain Wal-Mart, Target, CVS stores and as stand-alone locations. At Wal-Mart clinics a typical Get Well visit cost less than 65 dollars. You can have your cholesterol, blood sugar and blood pressure checked. You can also have many common health ailments treated. Find a Wal-Mart Clinic near you.
Wal-Mart is not the only place that offers walk-in clinic. Do a Google search or look in your yellow pages for a location near you. Go see a health care provider because prevention is cheaper than treatment.
How to Find an After Hours Doctor
Doctors work around the clock, but it seems the ones that work after hours hide in the shadows a bit. Finding a doctor in public after 6pm needs more than a little luck. And if you manage to catch one, you have often dealt with a long wait and a higher than usual fee. When your medical problem is a roaring emergency, the answer is easy - simply call an ambulance or high-tail to the emergency department (where a little inside information will help shorten your wait). But when your problem is simpler, accessing a doctor seems a lot more complicated.
You can imagine the situation.
It's 7pm and you are just making dinner when you slice your hand with a knife. "Ow! Swear word! Ow!" you exclaim, as you compress the cut with a clean cotton dishtowel (rendered relatively sterile by the iron). The cut is not huge, and you are pretty sure it is not too deep, but it won't stop bleeding and you think you might need stitches. You are faced with the major modern medical dilemma - how do you find a doctor in the evening outside your local emergency department?
This situation can be stressful and it is often combined with other considerations. Maybe you have to look after your kids. Maybe you have an early start in the morning and can't be up after midnight just to get your hand checked. There are a number of ways to make it easier, and less stressful.
Get to know a doctor personally
This is one of the best ways to get to see a doctor when you need them - rely on familial obligation. Be careful with this tactic, though, as it can backfire. If the doctor is a member of your family, you will have to respect them a little bit, as you would if they were a "real" doc. If they are a friend, you really only can do this once or twice before they stop answering your calls. So pick your health emergency with care.
Finally, make sure the doctor you choose to befriend is appropriately qualified. When I was deciding what specialty to choose, my Dad strongly argued against paediatrics, purely because he could see that he would never get his "money's worth." For the record, he favored general practice, surgery or psychiatry.
Get to know Doctor's staff personally
Most doctors are pretty malleable and are particularly at the mercy of their staff. As in all industries, good staff are hard to find, and you want to do favors for them, if you can. If you can marry a medical receptionist, or carpool with a practice nurse, you will have a reasonable chance to manipulate an after hours appointment in an emergency.
For this to work, you really need to have a real emergency or extenuating circumstances to persuade your friend to pull in a favor from their boss. They must also be a treasured member of staff, so make sure your friend is not a nuff-nuff. The doctor will only go out of their way to coddle a member of staff they want to keep on their payroll.
Call your regular doctor
All primary care doctors have an ethical obligation to provide after hours care. Sometimes they have a roster of doctors on call, or they may employ a locum service. Some prefer you to attend the local after hours clinic. The best way to find out what your doctor would want you to do is to phone their main number and listen to the recorded message.
If you are lucky, you will find out that your doctor has extended their hours since you last checked, or may be willing to stay a little bit longer to fit you in.
Visit a 24 hour clinic or "Super Clinic"
Super Clinics are usually open all hours, often with more staff available after hours. The quality of staff varies, although all are qualified to a minimum standard. These clinics are a good solution for any after hours primary care emergencies, like cuts and grazes, sprains, colds and flus, and childhood illnesses. The system varies, but usually you attend and simply wait until it is your turn. Usually the wait will be longer than an appointment with your regular doctor, but shorter than attending a hospital ED.
These are not good places to go if you have a condition that could deteriorate rapidly, like chest pain, or asthma. It is better to have these things assessed by hospital staff.
These are also not good clinics to attend for regular appointments, as you can't usually get repeat appointments with the same doctor.
Call a locum service
Locum services provide primary care doctors that make house calls after hours. This is usually a paid service (as are most after hours services). Again, you will have to wait an unpredictable amount of time, as it depends on what other patients have called in. However, you get to wait in your own home for the doctor to visit you. This is particularly valuable if you feel rotten, or you are minding children who are asleep.
Locum services will communicate with your regular doctor so they know what has occurred. If you are not sure how ill you are, locums are generally a good option. You can cancel the call if you decide you feel better. And if your condition deteriorates, you can call an ambulance.
What to do now
When it is 2am and your partner is having an episode of abdominal pain, it is really hard to figure out what to do, and often they are not helpful (she speaks from experience). It is important to figure out your plan in advance. Search your telephone guide right now and find where your local after hours clinics, and the number of your town locum service. Next time you visit your doctor, ask the staff what to do for after hours care.
Being prepared, and in the know, will help you find the "doctor of the night".
Dr Christine (Cris) Cuthbertson (DrCris)
Cris is a medical doctor in Melbourne, Australia. She has had numerous scientific articles published, and writes regularly for three blogs. She is keen to enable patients to access better healthcare by sharing her inside knowledge of the industry.
You can imagine the situation.
It's 7pm and you are just making dinner when you slice your hand with a knife. "Ow! Swear word! Ow!" you exclaim, as you compress the cut with a clean cotton dishtowel (rendered relatively sterile by the iron). The cut is not huge, and you are pretty sure it is not too deep, but it won't stop bleeding and you think you might need stitches. You are faced with the major modern medical dilemma - how do you find a doctor in the evening outside your local emergency department?
This situation can be stressful and it is often combined with other considerations. Maybe you have to look after your kids. Maybe you have an early start in the morning and can't be up after midnight just to get your hand checked. There are a number of ways to make it easier, and less stressful.
Get to know a doctor personally
This is one of the best ways to get to see a doctor when you need them - rely on familial obligation. Be careful with this tactic, though, as it can backfire. If the doctor is a member of your family, you will have to respect them a little bit, as you would if they were a "real" doc. If they are a friend, you really only can do this once or twice before they stop answering your calls. So pick your health emergency with care.
Finally, make sure the doctor you choose to befriend is appropriately qualified. When I was deciding what specialty to choose, my Dad strongly argued against paediatrics, purely because he could see that he would never get his "money's worth." For the record, he favored general practice, surgery or psychiatry.
Get to know Doctor's staff personally
Most doctors are pretty malleable and are particularly at the mercy of their staff. As in all industries, good staff are hard to find, and you want to do favors for them, if you can. If you can marry a medical receptionist, or carpool with a practice nurse, you will have a reasonable chance to manipulate an after hours appointment in an emergency.
For this to work, you really need to have a real emergency or extenuating circumstances to persuade your friend to pull in a favor from their boss. They must also be a treasured member of staff, so make sure your friend is not a nuff-nuff. The doctor will only go out of their way to coddle a member of staff they want to keep on their payroll.
Call your regular doctor
All primary care doctors have an ethical obligation to provide after hours care. Sometimes they have a roster of doctors on call, or they may employ a locum service. Some prefer you to attend the local after hours clinic. The best way to find out what your doctor would want you to do is to phone their main number and listen to the recorded message.
If you are lucky, you will find out that your doctor has extended their hours since you last checked, or may be willing to stay a little bit longer to fit you in.
Visit a 24 hour clinic or "Super Clinic"
Super Clinics are usually open all hours, often with more staff available after hours. The quality of staff varies, although all are qualified to a minimum standard. These clinics are a good solution for any after hours primary care emergencies, like cuts and grazes, sprains, colds and flus, and childhood illnesses. The system varies, but usually you attend and simply wait until it is your turn. Usually the wait will be longer than an appointment with your regular doctor, but shorter than attending a hospital ED.
These are not good places to go if you have a condition that could deteriorate rapidly, like chest pain, or asthma. It is better to have these things assessed by hospital staff.
These are also not good clinics to attend for regular appointments, as you can't usually get repeat appointments with the same doctor.
Call a locum service
Locum services provide primary care doctors that make house calls after hours. This is usually a paid service (as are most after hours services). Again, you will have to wait an unpredictable amount of time, as it depends on what other patients have called in. However, you get to wait in your own home for the doctor to visit you. This is particularly valuable if you feel rotten, or you are minding children who are asleep.
Locum services will communicate with your regular doctor so they know what has occurred. If you are not sure how ill you are, locums are generally a good option. You can cancel the call if you decide you feel better. And if your condition deteriorates, you can call an ambulance.
What to do now
When it is 2am and your partner is having an episode of abdominal pain, it is really hard to figure out what to do, and often they are not helpful (she speaks from experience). It is important to figure out your plan in advance. Search your telephone guide right now and find where your local after hours clinics, and the number of your town locum service. Next time you visit your doctor, ask the staff what to do for after hours care.
Being prepared, and in the know, will help you find the "doctor of the night".
Dr Christine (Cris) Cuthbertson (DrCris)
Cris is a medical doctor in Melbourne, Australia. She has had numerous scientific articles published, and writes regularly for three blogs. She is keen to enable patients to access better healthcare by sharing her inside knowledge of the industry.
Saturday, August 23, 2008
Affordable Healthcare Plans at a Lower Cost
Providing affordable and accessible healthcare for every citizen of USA will be a challenge in the future, keeping in view the rising costs. The various cost drivers in the healthcare include the expenses of new technologies and treatments, rising costs of drug prescription and skyrocketing hospital charges. As it is evident, there is no control on the driving healthcare costs which are out of common man's reach, some initiatives need to be addressed in an effort to streamline and reduce the soaring costs of healthcare.
As consumers, we bear a larger share of healthcare costs and should demand more quality. Ironically, the percentage of people who are uninsured in America is rising. The fact is that healthcare and insurance premiums in the United States are expensive and to effectively control the costs, long-term solutions are to be planned. One such solution is to provide affordable healthcare to consumers with all amenities within their reach. Most of the insurance companies are looking for their own profits and no initiative has been taken to monitor the rising costs.
As a part of the initiative, to provide affordable healthcare, some insurance companies have started 'discount plans' that provide huge discount on the costs incurred towards the healthcare. One such company that offers discount plans is Ameriplan.
Ameriplan offers a number of affordable plans that allows one to save up to 80% on expenses. As one of the nation's fastest growing healthcare industry, Ameriplan offers healthcare benefits to everyone, at an affordable price with no restrictions. Ameriplan provides services such as dental care, vision care, chiropractic care and prescription drugs, which benefits the people to reduce their costs to a large extent.
Ameriplan also extends its healthcare plans to both elderly and younger Americans by creating an effective framework for controlling medical costs and improving health outcomes to provide quality care to all. Ameriplan also guarantees lower costs and better care for everyone.
As consumers, we bear a larger share of healthcare costs and should demand more quality. Ironically, the percentage of people who are uninsured in America is rising. The fact is that healthcare and insurance premiums in the United States are expensive and to effectively control the costs, long-term solutions are to be planned. One such solution is to provide affordable healthcare to consumers with all amenities within their reach. Most of the insurance companies are looking for their own profits and no initiative has been taken to monitor the rising costs.
As a part of the initiative, to provide affordable healthcare, some insurance companies have started 'discount plans' that provide huge discount on the costs incurred towards the healthcare. One such company that offers discount plans is Ameriplan.
Ameriplan offers a number of affordable plans that allows one to save up to 80% on expenses. As one of the nation's fastest growing healthcare industry, Ameriplan offers healthcare benefits to everyone, at an affordable price with no restrictions. Ameriplan provides services such as dental care, vision care, chiropractic care and prescription drugs, which benefits the people to reduce their costs to a large extent.
Ameriplan also extends its healthcare plans to both elderly and younger Americans by creating an effective framework for controlling medical costs and improving health outcomes to provide quality care to all. Ameriplan also guarantees lower costs and better care for everyone.
Emergency Reports Transcription Services
Medical transcription is a very specialized profession and today we have skilled people who even specialize in emergency room transcription. How is an emergency report transcription prepared? And what are the challenges faced during the process? Quite often the emergency reports are scribbled and illegible. One of the most important skills a good transcription professional should have is to read and understand these scribbled notes by doctors. It is always useful to properly identify the doctor who has attended the patient as every doctor also has his unique styles.
The next process for the emergency room transcriptionist is to read the description written by the doctor and find out as to what ever caused the patient to visit the emergency room. Usually the medical forms in an emergency room are not very extended and have only limited space. Thus the transcription professional has to make detailed notes of the following:
Time /Date
Time of the onset of illness
Symptoms of the illness
Details of the incident
Accident description
Add more details if required
Find out if all other requirement of patient is met
What is the immediate attention required?
How is the medication to be given (oral/ injection etc)
Has the patient to be referred to other specialist?
Details of physical injury etc if anyQuite often the emergency room has to handle the accident victims who come with various bruises, cuts and injuries. All the specific details of the appearance of the wound etc has to be mentioned in the transcript as it can be of great use if the transcript has to be used as a legal document to be produced in a court of law.
The next process for the emergency room transcriptionist is to read the description written by the doctor and find out as to what ever caused the patient to visit the emergency room. Usually the medical forms in an emergency room are not very extended and have only limited space. Thus the transcription professional has to make detailed notes of the following:
Time /Date
Time of the onset of illness
Symptoms of the illness
Details of the incident
Accident description
Add more details if required
Find out if all other requirement of patient is met
What is the immediate attention required?
How is the medication to be given (oral/ injection etc)
Has the patient to be referred to other specialist?
Details of physical injury etc if anyQuite often the emergency room has to handle the accident victims who come with various bruises, cuts and injuries. All the specific details of the appearance of the wound etc has to be mentioned in the transcript as it can be of great use if the transcript has to be used as a legal document to be produced in a court of law.
Emphasis is of Use of New Diagnostics Tools Leads More Specific & Best Possible Cardiac Treatment
Emphasis is of use of new diagnostics tools leads more specific & best possible cardiac treatment .
Cardiologist in India emphasis is on use of new diagnostic tools in conjunction with the physical examination. Hospitals in India has an international reputation in all aspects of diagnosis and treatment; of patients of all age groups with heart problems from fetal life, through infancy and childhood to adolescence and adulthood.
Hospitals in India for cardiology well equipped with Diagnostics tools such as " Cardiac cauterizations " Echocardiography " Electrocardiography Sophisticated nuclear techniques are used to monitor blood flow to the heart. Nuclear studies performed after exercise or chemical stress continue to be an expanding area of diagnosis.
Nuclear Cardiology in India :
The Nuclear Cardiology Laboratory evaluates cardiac blood flow and function through the use of small amounts of radioactive materials. Nuclear cardiology can help identify patients who might benefit from angioplasty or bypass surgery after a heart attack. Images of the heart provided by special cameras detect the presence and function severity of heart disease, especially coronary artery disease. Many nuclear imaging procedures are performed in conjunction with exercise or pharmacological stress testing.
Electrophysiology:
The Electrophysiology Laboratory studies the electrical system of the heart by examining disturbances of heart rhythm under controlled circumstances, using small catheters that are inserted through blood vessels into the heart.
Echocardiography:
The Echocardiography Laboratory offers a variety of noninvasive ultrasound and sonogram techniques to image cardiac structures and function, including blood-flow through cardiac chambers. An echocardiogram can help diagnose heart valve problems and determine their severity. Echo techniques provide information about conditions such as heart muscle contraction, valve motion, blood clots in heart chambers, and scar tissue from heart attacks.
Myocardial contrast echocardiography is a quick and convenient diagnostic tool using microbubbles and ultrasound to measure blood flow to the heart muscle. It can detect coronary artery disease in its earliest stages, as well as assess the presence or healthy tissue in congestive heart failure and evaluate various techniques used in bypass surgery
EECP (Enhanced External Counterpulsation)
EECP is a noninvasive mechanical method to deliver extra blood to the heart. This method can help to reduce or eliminate angina -- chest pains caused by coronary artery disease and has been approved for use in patients with congestive heart failure. EECP uses compressed air to inflate three sets of cuffs that wrapped around the patient's calves, lower thighs and upper thighs while they lie on the treatment table. The cuffs are inflated in a sequence. Treatment sessions are for one hour, five days per week for seven weeks, on average.
Blood Tests:
Blood tests measure different components in your bloodstream to show your healthcare provider how healthy your blood and heart are.
o C-Reactive Protein Test : can help predict cardiovascular risk over and above that of major risk factors. An hs-CRP of more than .20mg/dL predicts high risk for stroke and heart attack. C-reative protein is a substance in the blood that occurs when inflammation occurs. Physicians have found that atherosclerosis (fatty buildup in artery walls) also produces an inflammatory process, so it registers on this test. o Lipid Profile measures your LDL (bad) and HDL (good) cholesterol and triglycerides. o Blood sugar (glucose) detects the presence of diabetes and glucose intolerance (pre-diabetic). Both are significant heart and vascular disease risks. o Complete blood count, thyroid studies, arterial blood gases, and other tests help diagnose other conditions that may be the cause of your symptoms.
Angiography:
Angiography involves inserting a long, thin tube (catheter) through your arm or leg artery to your heart. A dye is then sent through the catheter into your coronary arteries. An angiogram can show the movement of the dye through your heart and blood vessels, showing the exact location and severity of any blockages.
Multi-detector CT calcium scoring:
Also known as calcium screening or a calcium-scoring scan, this test is used to detect calcium deposits found in atherosclerotic plaque in the coronary arteries. The more coronary calcium means more coronary atherosclerosis, or the greater amount of plaque buildup within vessels in the coronary system. In large patient groups, patients with very high calcium scores have more frequent cardiovascular events, including heart attack. However, this test is not absolute in predicting an individual's risk for cardiovascular disease problems.
Cardiac MRI :
Cardiac MRI evaluates the anatomy and function of chest structures, including the heart, lungs, major vessels, and pericardium (the outside lining of the heart). MRI uses large magnets and radio-frequency waves to produce pictures of these structures, such as the heart; no X-ray exposure is involved. This technology gathers information about the heart as it is beating, creating moving images of the heart throughout its pumping cycle. It can be used to measure heart size and function, localize heart damage from a heart attack, and look for areas that are not receiving adequate blood flow.
Vascular:
The Vascular Laboratory tests determine the adequacy of blood flow in arteries and veins throughout the body. Ultrasound and pressure measurements are used to identify blockages and reduced flow, and to assist in the diagnosis of peripheral vascular, abdominal and carotid artery disease (referred to as carotid intimal medial thickness study).
Vascular Reactivity Study (referred to as brachial artery reactivity) :
This test uses a blood pressure cuff to measure your blood vessels' ability to dilate after the blood flow is stopped for five minutes. The diameter of a healthy blood vessel is able to expand 25 percent above baseline, but blood vessels with fatty buildup may not expand at all.
All these diagnostics tools in India are more advanced and make ease to the Cardiologist to gets right diagnosis leads to specific cardiac treatment. with high success rate .
Cardiologist in India emphasis is on use of new diagnostic tools in conjunction with the physical examination. Hospitals in India has an international reputation in all aspects of diagnosis and treatment; of patients of all age groups with heart problems from fetal life, through infancy and childhood to adolescence and adulthood.
Hospitals in India for cardiology well equipped with Diagnostics tools such as " Cardiac cauterizations " Echocardiography " Electrocardiography Sophisticated nuclear techniques are used to monitor blood flow to the heart. Nuclear studies performed after exercise or chemical stress continue to be an expanding area of diagnosis.
Nuclear Cardiology in India :
The Nuclear Cardiology Laboratory evaluates cardiac blood flow and function through the use of small amounts of radioactive materials. Nuclear cardiology can help identify patients who might benefit from angioplasty or bypass surgery after a heart attack. Images of the heart provided by special cameras detect the presence and function severity of heart disease, especially coronary artery disease. Many nuclear imaging procedures are performed in conjunction with exercise or pharmacological stress testing.
Electrophysiology:
The Electrophysiology Laboratory studies the electrical system of the heart by examining disturbances of heart rhythm under controlled circumstances, using small catheters that are inserted through blood vessels into the heart.
Echocardiography:
The Echocardiography Laboratory offers a variety of noninvasive ultrasound and sonogram techniques to image cardiac structures and function, including blood-flow through cardiac chambers. An echocardiogram can help diagnose heart valve problems and determine their severity. Echo techniques provide information about conditions such as heart muscle contraction, valve motion, blood clots in heart chambers, and scar tissue from heart attacks.
Myocardial contrast echocardiography is a quick and convenient diagnostic tool using microbubbles and ultrasound to measure blood flow to the heart muscle. It can detect coronary artery disease in its earliest stages, as well as assess the presence or healthy tissue in congestive heart failure and evaluate various techniques used in bypass surgery
EECP (Enhanced External Counterpulsation)
EECP is a noninvasive mechanical method to deliver extra blood to the heart. This method can help to reduce or eliminate angina -- chest pains caused by coronary artery disease and has been approved for use in patients with congestive heart failure. EECP uses compressed air to inflate three sets of cuffs that wrapped around the patient's calves, lower thighs and upper thighs while they lie on the treatment table. The cuffs are inflated in a sequence. Treatment sessions are for one hour, five days per week for seven weeks, on average.
Blood Tests:
Blood tests measure different components in your bloodstream to show your healthcare provider how healthy your blood and heart are.
o C-Reactive Protein Test : can help predict cardiovascular risk over and above that of major risk factors. An hs-CRP of more than .20mg/dL predicts high risk for stroke and heart attack. C-reative protein is a substance in the blood that occurs when inflammation occurs. Physicians have found that atherosclerosis (fatty buildup in artery walls) also produces an inflammatory process, so it registers on this test. o Lipid Profile measures your LDL (bad) and HDL (good) cholesterol and triglycerides. o Blood sugar (glucose) detects the presence of diabetes and glucose intolerance (pre-diabetic). Both are significant heart and vascular disease risks. o Complete blood count, thyroid studies, arterial blood gases, and other tests help diagnose other conditions that may be the cause of your symptoms.
Angiography:
Angiography involves inserting a long, thin tube (catheter) through your arm or leg artery to your heart. A dye is then sent through the catheter into your coronary arteries. An angiogram can show the movement of the dye through your heart and blood vessels, showing the exact location and severity of any blockages.
Multi-detector CT calcium scoring:
Also known as calcium screening or a calcium-scoring scan, this test is used to detect calcium deposits found in atherosclerotic plaque in the coronary arteries. The more coronary calcium means more coronary atherosclerosis, or the greater amount of plaque buildup within vessels in the coronary system. In large patient groups, patients with very high calcium scores have more frequent cardiovascular events, including heart attack. However, this test is not absolute in predicting an individual's risk for cardiovascular disease problems.
Cardiac MRI :
Cardiac MRI evaluates the anatomy and function of chest structures, including the heart, lungs, major vessels, and pericardium (the outside lining of the heart). MRI uses large magnets and radio-frequency waves to produce pictures of these structures, such as the heart; no X-ray exposure is involved. This technology gathers information about the heart as it is beating, creating moving images of the heart throughout its pumping cycle. It can be used to measure heart size and function, localize heart damage from a heart attack, and look for areas that are not receiving adequate blood flow.
Vascular:
The Vascular Laboratory tests determine the adequacy of blood flow in arteries and veins throughout the body. Ultrasound and pressure measurements are used to identify blockages and reduced flow, and to assist in the diagnosis of peripheral vascular, abdominal and carotid artery disease (referred to as carotid intimal medial thickness study).
Vascular Reactivity Study (referred to as brachial artery reactivity) :
This test uses a blood pressure cuff to measure your blood vessels' ability to dilate after the blood flow is stopped for five minutes. The diameter of a healthy blood vessel is able to expand 25 percent above baseline, but blood vessels with fatty buildup may not expand at all.
All these diagnostics tools in India are more advanced and make ease to the Cardiologist to gets right diagnosis leads to specific cardiac treatment. with high success rate .
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Health Care Costs Destroying America
I was reading an article in Business Week and I got very excited about the future of medicine in the United States. I am a proponent of universal health care and the article gave me hope that our country is heading in that direction.
Medical Cost
The health care problem in America is worsening. A large percentage of our country's GDP is spent on health care and this percentage is increasing annually.
These rising medical costs represent the worsening health of our country. Our poor health is weakening America physically as well as economically.
Health care costs are eroding the profit margins of all American companies. These eroding profit margins are making it difficult for American companies to compete in a global market place.
Fixing The Problem
We can decrease the costs in this country by:
* Encouraging disease prevention and screening
* Encouraging weight loss in the two-thirds of Americans who are overweight
* Eliminating the inefficiencies in hospital care and health information technology
* Providing a universal plan to all Americans funded by tax payer
Universal Health Care
A universal plan would eliminate the problem of the uninsured. There are 43 million Americans without health insurance.
Their lack of health insurance increases the costs for all Americans. The uninsured are less likely to get the prevention education and disease screening they need. This leads to chronic diseases, emergency room visits, and decreased productivity.
A universal plan with wellness incentive programs would spread the costs burden to all Americans and encourage healthier lifestyles.
Medical Cost
The health care problem in America is worsening. A large percentage of our country's GDP is spent on health care and this percentage is increasing annually.
These rising medical costs represent the worsening health of our country. Our poor health is weakening America physically as well as economically.
Health care costs are eroding the profit margins of all American companies. These eroding profit margins are making it difficult for American companies to compete in a global market place.
Fixing The Problem
We can decrease the costs in this country by:
* Encouraging disease prevention and screening
* Encouraging weight loss in the two-thirds of Americans who are overweight
* Eliminating the inefficiencies in hospital care and health information technology
* Providing a universal plan to all Americans funded by tax payer
Universal Health Care
A universal plan would eliminate the problem of the uninsured. There are 43 million Americans without health insurance.
Their lack of health insurance increases the costs for all Americans. The uninsured are less likely to get the prevention education and disease screening they need. This leads to chronic diseases, emergency room visits, and decreased productivity.
A universal plan with wellness incentive programs would spread the costs burden to all Americans and encourage healthier lifestyles.
Nursing Homes Prison 101, Part Four in a Serious Series About Rehab & Care Centers & Nursing Homes
One day, while visiting in a bad rehab and care center, I saw a woman in a wheelchair. She was complaining to someone (Staff) that she was missing clothing. As usual, staff said that she had to wait (because they were busy), and then they would have to go downstairs to see where her clothing was.
The woman waited, in fact, the woman stated that her clothing had been missing for more than one week, so figure that must be enough waiting, correct? Anyway, time passed and passed and the woman again came back to staff and complained about her clothing but bottom line is that no one went downstairs to get her clothing.
I have a theory here that is probably an explanation of why everyone must wait for clothing and why so much clothing is lost in BAD rehab and care centers. It is a vicious cycle. The staff loses the clothing or it is not returned from the laundry area. Since the clothing is lost, the residents are not dressed properly to go to therapy. Once they are not dressed for therapy, the staff refuses to let them attend therapy-even though it is staff's fault that no clothing is there.
Once they say they can 't go to therapy , the staff marks this down and they mark down that the patient is uncooperative. They mark down that the patient refuses therapy. BUT
HOWEVER, they neglect to mention that staff has taken all clothing out of their room and they cannot attend therapy due to lack of clothing.
It is a cycle that harms patients and staff, because as the staff is permitted to do this, they gain bad reputations. Do you live or temporarily reside in a rehabilitation and care center or nursing home that keeps losing your clothes? DO they leave the clothing out of your room so that you cannot get dressed if you wanted to? You need to write to us and we will do our best to find out whom to complain to and how to get your clothing back.
I saw more than four or five people who were missing clothing, and in fact, one resident was wearing my relative's clothing. If you look around, you will see the residents wearing each others' clothing.
The day that I arrived to find a relative in diapers and no clothing, the staff scrambled to find clothing for the relative and the only clothing they found belonged to someone else.
Missing clothing (lots of it, and many patients missing clothing) is a LARGE RED FLAG! What I have noticed is that in the worst nursing homes and rehabilitation and care centers, they can not keep track of clothing (or people). If your place is losing all your clothing it is for one or two reasons and here they are:
1. IF the staff has an agenda to keep residents and patients in their rooms, instead of allowing them out of their rooms for therapy and other events, the staff will "lose" the residents' clothing. For example, in one place, the staff member wanted the patient to remain in diapers instead of using the bathroom, so the staff LOST all the person's pants (conveniently-not the tops but just the pants). What this does is it makes the patient worried about wetting a pair of pants --since their pants are LOST, and it makes them compliant when the staff politely demands that they wear diapers. In some places, some staff members want the patients in diapers even when some do not medically need diapers. The way they get the patients to comply with their diaper demand is by losing the patient's pants. If you see that your relatives' pants are always missing, you need to put it in writing to the attention of an Administrator or your lawyer--either one might work.
2. If clothing is missing (because staff claims that other residents are stealing it), then this is a LARGE RED FLAG, because what is says is , hey, the staff does not know where their residents are all the time. How can residents be missing in other residents' rooms to steal other people's clothing? If staff claims that other residents are stealing the clothing, you should bring it to their attention that if the staff is permitting other residents to STEAL, then what happens when those thieves become violent? In other words, if a resident is left Unattended long enough to steal, then can't that resident become violent while they are missing long enough to steal? So if residents are stealing from other residents, then this nursing home or rehabilitation and care center is NOT a good place for your relatives to live or temporarily reside.
Think those two things over and you will realize those are plain simple facts.
The woman waited, in fact, the woman stated that her clothing had been missing for more than one week, so figure that must be enough waiting, correct? Anyway, time passed and passed and the woman again came back to staff and complained about her clothing but bottom line is that no one went downstairs to get her clothing.
I have a theory here that is probably an explanation of why everyone must wait for clothing and why so much clothing is lost in BAD rehab and care centers. It is a vicious cycle. The staff loses the clothing or it is not returned from the laundry area. Since the clothing is lost, the residents are not dressed properly to go to therapy. Once they are not dressed for therapy, the staff refuses to let them attend therapy-even though it is staff's fault that no clothing is there.
Once they say they can 't go to therapy , the staff marks this down and they mark down that the patient is uncooperative. They mark down that the patient refuses therapy. BUT
HOWEVER, they neglect to mention that staff has taken all clothing out of their room and they cannot attend therapy due to lack of clothing.
It is a cycle that harms patients and staff, because as the staff is permitted to do this, they gain bad reputations. Do you live or temporarily reside in a rehabilitation and care center or nursing home that keeps losing your clothes? DO they leave the clothing out of your room so that you cannot get dressed if you wanted to? You need to write to us and we will do our best to find out whom to complain to and how to get your clothing back.
I saw more than four or five people who were missing clothing, and in fact, one resident was wearing my relative's clothing. If you look around, you will see the residents wearing each others' clothing.
The day that I arrived to find a relative in diapers and no clothing, the staff scrambled to find clothing for the relative and the only clothing they found belonged to someone else.
Missing clothing (lots of it, and many patients missing clothing) is a LARGE RED FLAG! What I have noticed is that in the worst nursing homes and rehabilitation and care centers, they can not keep track of clothing (or people). If your place is losing all your clothing it is for one or two reasons and here they are:
1. IF the staff has an agenda to keep residents and patients in their rooms, instead of allowing them out of their rooms for therapy and other events, the staff will "lose" the residents' clothing. For example, in one place, the staff member wanted the patient to remain in diapers instead of using the bathroom, so the staff LOST all the person's pants (conveniently-not the tops but just the pants). What this does is it makes the patient worried about wetting a pair of pants --since their pants are LOST, and it makes them compliant when the staff politely demands that they wear diapers. In some places, some staff members want the patients in diapers even when some do not medically need diapers. The way they get the patients to comply with their diaper demand is by losing the patient's pants. If you see that your relatives' pants are always missing, you need to put it in writing to the attention of an Administrator or your lawyer--either one might work.
2. If clothing is missing (because staff claims that other residents are stealing it), then this is a LARGE RED FLAG, because what is says is , hey, the staff does not know where their residents are all the time. How can residents be missing in other residents' rooms to steal other people's clothing? If staff claims that other residents are stealing the clothing, you should bring it to their attention that if the staff is permitting other residents to STEAL, then what happens when those thieves become violent? In other words, if a resident is left Unattended long enough to steal, then can't that resident become violent while they are missing long enough to steal? So if residents are stealing from other residents, then this nursing home or rehabilitation and care center is NOT a good place for your relatives to live or temporarily reside.
Think those two things over and you will realize those are plain simple facts.
Horror, Horror, Horror and Then it Gets Worse! Nursing Home Sagas of 2007 and 2008 and Earlier
Use A large Search Engine to Find the Results and Truth:
After reading some of the search engine's news alerts on one or two particular topics, I feel a little ill. I read in horror. I read in disbelief. But only for about three minutes do I remain unbelieving because I think back to when I visited one of the rehabilitation and care centers, one that boasted of a completely closed in solarium, and I remember the horrible things that I saw inside of that one. Just having that short memory was enough to make me a believer as I read through the hundreds and hundreds of news alerts that regarded the topics of nursing homes and rehabilitation and care centers.
What kinds of things do I read that make me feel ill? For example, I read one news alert that clearly stated that one nursing home resident was found with maggots in his eyes and on his body. Meanwhile for days or weeks before, no staff member noticed that he was developing maggots? What does it take to develop maggots to begin with? I am guessing that wetness or dampness and dirt, and bacteria are good starts for a maggot infestation. Perhaps a dirty , wet diaper might have triggered the maggots if the resident was on a filthy bedspread or sheet? Perhaps. Only we can guess at these things. But we can also, besides guessing, remember what we saw in some nursing homes and put two and two together . Then , indeed our guesses might be pretty close to reality , correct?
Maggots in Eyes! Horror and more Horror!
How does a grown man develop maggots in his eyes? Anyone care to answer that? Another resident of another nursing home was found dead after being thrown or jumped from the sixth floor window. Was this person thrown or did they jump? The first news reports claim it was a suicide. But I would like to know how they came to that conclusion. After all, did anyone find a suicide note? No note was mentioned in the news article. Did anyone have a reason why this person would want to kill themselves? No one mentioned any reasons. So how did the news or the police come to the conclusion that this was indeed a suicide. Is that the easiest guess? Or is that the answer that does not require an investigation and some expense of money that must be distributed in order to do an investigation. Wouldn't you think that an investigation is necessary when a resident, who was not even missing, was found dead on the ground outdoors from a nursing home? I am still waiting to hear what the investigation found out --IF there was an investigation.
I read other horror stories too in the news alerts. I read stories that there was one nursing home that was closed down because they found another resident outdoors and they dragged the body indoors so that no one would know the person died outdoors. This person, too, was not even missed by the staff until they found the body.
Rehabilitation and Care Center Resident FOUND near Staten Island Ferry (and She Was Not Even Noticed Missing)!
Are you getting ill hearing these stories? Are you thinking they cannot be true? Are you thinking this must be happening somewhere else, but not in America? Think again. Most of those incidents happened in the USA. In fact, one , this one, where a lady was not even noticed missing, was found at or near the Staten Island Ferry. AFTER that incident, the rehabilitation and care center implemented new rules. AFTER this lady was found, they began issuing passes to the visitors,seemingly so this could be prevented. How about just being more careful? Instead of regulating visitors, how about just making sure that the staff does their job? How is it possible that a resident should be missing so long that they can make it all the way to the Staten Island Ferry? Granted, this nursing home , pardon me, this rehabilitation and care center is not far from the water, but still, the staff did not even notice that she was missing.
How do these horrible things happen and how do they remain covered up? And who are these higher-ups who cover these things up? You would think that this Staten Island incident should have made the front pages of the newspapers but it did not. Thank God this woman was found in time, meaning , was found alive. Shortly after that they transferred her to another facility or hospital.
Horror, horror and more horror and it happens every single day right here in America.
After reading some of the search engine's news alerts on one or two particular topics, I feel a little ill. I read in horror. I read in disbelief. But only for about three minutes do I remain unbelieving because I think back to when I visited one of the rehabilitation and care centers, one that boasted of a completely closed in solarium, and I remember the horrible things that I saw inside of that one. Just having that short memory was enough to make me a believer as I read through the hundreds and hundreds of news alerts that regarded the topics of nursing homes and rehabilitation and care centers.
What kinds of things do I read that make me feel ill? For example, I read one news alert that clearly stated that one nursing home resident was found with maggots in his eyes and on his body. Meanwhile for days or weeks before, no staff member noticed that he was developing maggots? What does it take to develop maggots to begin with? I am guessing that wetness or dampness and dirt, and bacteria are good starts for a maggot infestation. Perhaps a dirty , wet diaper might have triggered the maggots if the resident was on a filthy bedspread or sheet? Perhaps. Only we can guess at these things. But we can also, besides guessing, remember what we saw in some nursing homes and put two and two together . Then , indeed our guesses might be pretty close to reality , correct?
Maggots in Eyes! Horror and more Horror!
How does a grown man develop maggots in his eyes? Anyone care to answer that? Another resident of another nursing home was found dead after being thrown or jumped from the sixth floor window. Was this person thrown or did they jump? The first news reports claim it was a suicide. But I would like to know how they came to that conclusion. After all, did anyone find a suicide note? No note was mentioned in the news article. Did anyone have a reason why this person would want to kill themselves? No one mentioned any reasons. So how did the news or the police come to the conclusion that this was indeed a suicide. Is that the easiest guess? Or is that the answer that does not require an investigation and some expense of money that must be distributed in order to do an investigation. Wouldn't you think that an investigation is necessary when a resident, who was not even missing, was found dead on the ground outdoors from a nursing home? I am still waiting to hear what the investigation found out --IF there was an investigation.
I read other horror stories too in the news alerts. I read stories that there was one nursing home that was closed down because they found another resident outdoors and they dragged the body indoors so that no one would know the person died outdoors. This person, too, was not even missed by the staff until they found the body.
Rehabilitation and Care Center Resident FOUND near Staten Island Ferry (and She Was Not Even Noticed Missing)!
Are you getting ill hearing these stories? Are you thinking they cannot be true? Are you thinking this must be happening somewhere else, but not in America? Think again. Most of those incidents happened in the USA. In fact, one , this one, where a lady was not even noticed missing, was found at or near the Staten Island Ferry. AFTER that incident, the rehabilitation and care center implemented new rules. AFTER this lady was found, they began issuing passes to the visitors,seemingly so this could be prevented. How about just being more careful? Instead of regulating visitors, how about just making sure that the staff does their job? How is it possible that a resident should be missing so long that they can make it all the way to the Staten Island Ferry? Granted, this nursing home , pardon me, this rehabilitation and care center is not far from the water, but still, the staff did not even notice that she was missing.
How do these horrible things happen and how do they remain covered up? And who are these higher-ups who cover these things up? You would think that this Staten Island incident should have made the front pages of the newspapers but it did not. Thank God this woman was found in time, meaning , was found alive. Shortly after that they transferred her to another facility or hospital.
Horror, horror and more horror and it happens every single day right here in America.
Saturday, August 16, 2008
Urine Smells, Unpleasant Odors and Other Unnecessary Conditions at Rehab and Care Centers
If you could peak inside a large city hospital or inside of nursing homes or inside of rehabilitation and care centers , without the permission of any doctors, nurses or administrators, what would you see? What would your experience be like? Would you see a well-run building? Or would you see staff that look as if they are on vacation? What happens in the large city hospitals at night, on the, as they say, the graveyard shift?
YOU Have permission; Here Is How To Get It:
You can visit at the beginning of visiting hours---yes, right IN the visiting hours but at the very first hours, and at the last hours, and you will see more of what is really happening in there. WHen it is in mid-visit hours, by that time, they have cleaned most of it up. But in the early hours, they never expect anyone to visit at those hours, so they mess up sometimes, and slip up and forget to cover-up their negligence and their lack of care.
Peak here and do not tell anyone. You will see some workers who are exhausted because this is their second job, not their first job. You will see workers who are tired because there generally is not enough help and the night workers, even though it is slower at night, are more tired because they are not used to sleeping in the daytime and working at night.
Lack of Supervision:
You will see a lack of supervision, and lack of administrators because most of them are off-duty and the ones that are working have their hands full on these slow nights. You will probably see the hardest workers of all are the cleaning staff. No joke. The cleaning staff will be making everything sparkling so when the lawyers and investigators come around, they can and will report that the building was clean. You will see people standing around, hanging out . AND, yes, of course, you will find a few workers who actually know what they are doing and find others who are actually doing it.
Stinky Urine Smells, Old Stale Urine --Means dirty diapers Hours and Hours Old:
In the past, I have visited many teaching hospitals and or large city hospitals and a few more private hospitals on the weekends, off-hours and holidays--during visiting hourse. One of the worse experiences was when I went with a friend of mine to visit someone on the weekend at the New Vanderbilt Rehabilitation and care center. When we arrived there, we saw that the hallways actually smelled of urine when they did not smell of urine when the bulk of the visitors came to visit. Even though we were there during visiting hours, they were not expecting visitors so early on a weekend. So obviously they had not cleaned up this floor and it really stunk of urine, of , we guess , dirty diapers, and other non-pleasant scents. You could smell this right as you got off the elevator and the scent was stronger as you walked down the corridors. On a different occasion, same place, we saw one man with his pants soaked from urine. It seems that sometimes even though the places are understaffed, they appear to be more understaffed OR the staff is simply not supervised enough to be running properly BEFORE the bulk of visitors get there.
What is the worst that you have seen in rehab centers and nursing homes?
Check out these places on weekends but get up EARLY and arrive just as the visiting hours begin, and you will see what the place is like and what the places smell like BEFORE the visitors arrive. (Maybe if the staff is reading this , they might have the time to begin cleaning the place up). The urine smell was the very least of their very serious other problems. No one knows how the place stays open, but I am guessing that someone is hiding something, wouldn't you agree?
YOU Have permission; Here Is How To Get It:
You can visit at the beginning of visiting hours---yes, right IN the visiting hours but at the very first hours, and at the last hours, and you will see more of what is really happening in there. WHen it is in mid-visit hours, by that time, they have cleaned most of it up. But in the early hours, they never expect anyone to visit at those hours, so they mess up sometimes, and slip up and forget to cover-up their negligence and their lack of care.
Peak here and do not tell anyone. You will see some workers who are exhausted because this is their second job, not their first job. You will see workers who are tired because there generally is not enough help and the night workers, even though it is slower at night, are more tired because they are not used to sleeping in the daytime and working at night.
Lack of Supervision:
You will see a lack of supervision, and lack of administrators because most of them are off-duty and the ones that are working have their hands full on these slow nights. You will probably see the hardest workers of all are the cleaning staff. No joke. The cleaning staff will be making everything sparkling so when the lawyers and investigators come around, they can and will report that the building was clean. You will see people standing around, hanging out . AND, yes, of course, you will find a few workers who actually know what they are doing and find others who are actually doing it.
Stinky Urine Smells, Old Stale Urine --Means dirty diapers Hours and Hours Old:
In the past, I have visited many teaching hospitals and or large city hospitals and a few more private hospitals on the weekends, off-hours and holidays--during visiting hourse. One of the worse experiences was when I went with a friend of mine to visit someone on the weekend at the New Vanderbilt Rehabilitation and care center. When we arrived there, we saw that the hallways actually smelled of urine when they did not smell of urine when the bulk of the visitors came to visit. Even though we were there during visiting hours, they were not expecting visitors so early on a weekend. So obviously they had not cleaned up this floor and it really stunk of urine, of , we guess , dirty diapers, and other non-pleasant scents. You could smell this right as you got off the elevator and the scent was stronger as you walked down the corridors. On a different occasion, same place, we saw one man with his pants soaked from urine. It seems that sometimes even though the places are understaffed, they appear to be more understaffed OR the staff is simply not supervised enough to be running properly BEFORE the bulk of visitors get there.
What is the worst that you have seen in rehab centers and nursing homes?
Check out these places on weekends but get up EARLY and arrive just as the visiting hours begin, and you will see what the place is like and what the places smell like BEFORE the visitors arrive. (Maybe if the staff is reading this , they might have the time to begin cleaning the place up). The urine smell was the very least of their very serious other problems. No one knows how the place stays open, but I am guessing that someone is hiding something, wouldn't you agree?
Current Health Care Issues
There are several health care issues that are in the news and in the minds of many people these days. Perhaps because of the push for universal health care, misuses of the current health care system have come to light. The health care issues that plague Americans need to be addressed with intelligent debate and understanding.
One of the health care issues is the overuse of emergency rooms by the poor. It is not their faults. They are simply responding to a situation in which they have no other recourse. For example, a low-income family may have a child with a cut finger. If they had insurance, the parents would take the child to a doctor's office or an urgent care clinic to get the finger stitched up.
Since they have no such option, they take the much more costly route of going to the emergency room for the same service. This puts a strain on emergency rooms and costs taxpayers much more than if the poor families were given adequate medical coverage in the first place. Health care issues like this one are difficult to fathom when there are so many sources of cheaper medical care.
Other health care issues involve preventative medicine. Insurance companies do not all support the patient's right to preventative medical screening procedures and treatments. This also makes health care more expensive in the long run.
Many health care issues revolve around the older population. There are so many elderly people who are given little or no help with their prescription medications. Insurance companies make drug coverage available - at a price that is so high that most seniors cannot afford it. This does little to resolve these health care issues.
With all the health care issues that are in the public eye, there needs to be a better system of communication on these subjects. People can have an impact on their health care system if they know where to have their ideas on health care issues heard. It is time for the government and other organizations to give them a voice.
Come Clean - Uncover Your Cover-Ups in Health Care Facilities
So what is that exactly? Sometimes you come to these articles and you feel like you are watching a perfume commercial. You just have no clue what it is about. Have you ever seen those mod commercials that are enticing, interesting, wild and fun, but by the time you get to the end of the commercial you have no clue what kind of product they are trying to sell? Well, did you wonder what this article is about also? I am writing about truth, truth in life, truth in general and truth, especially, in nursing homes. I am writing about truth, trusting doctors and other authorities and how our blind trust in them harms us and other customers, patients or residents.
How can the truth harm? Simple! The truth harms when professionals, doctors, and nurses do not tell the truth. What happens when social workers do not tell the truth? And how do they get away wtih this anyway? How does a professional get away with telling fibs that harm a patient's life?
Well, for the most part, when professionals fib, and hide the truth from patients and families they do that because they are trying to cover something up. The doctors, nurses and social workers, perhaps felt they did something wrong, something incorrect or perhaps they did something that might be considered malpractice or even gross negligence. Think about it? What doctor and nurse and social worker will willingly come forward and say that they made a mistake? Have you ever seen any news reports of any professionals admitting that they were at fault? I have not seen any and I am willing to say that you probably have not seen any either.
But I have overheard professionals talking about their mistakes and also talking about how they can cover them up. What have you heard? While I was at Woodhull hospital one day, I overheard --just by walking through the hallway going to visit a patient--that someone had made a mistake with someone's medicine. While I was walking inside a horrible rehabilitation and care center --another year, I had one patient --themselves--tell me that the nurse was going to put the wrong medicine in her, yet, luckily that patient was verbally able to open her mouth and tell the nurse, NO! This happens all the time in bad hospitals and inside bad rehabiltation and care centers and inside horrible nursing homes, yet you do not see this coming out in the news, do you?
I vote for truth. I vote for truth today. If you are a worker inside any of these places, you need to come forward and say the truth when you see a mistake. Yes, that is correct, you need to come forward. If your supervisor does not want to hear the truth then go over their head and go to the owner of the hospital or nursing home. But just keep going and complaining until you reach someone who will take action and rectify those problems.
Are you working inside a bad nursing home or inside a bad rehabilitation and care center? Are you just waiting so that you can reveal all the horrible things that are still happening inside of those places? Perhaps today is the day that you should come clean. Come and tell me by email , what is happening inside those facilities that should never be happening. You can do it. Come share your thoughts, your honesty , your truth and your experience.
Are you afraid to report the mistake because you still work there? Aren't you obligated to report mistakes by law? If you see mistakes made and you neglect to report them don't you realize that someone does see the mistake with you? Yes, that Someone is God. So while you think you are covering up your mistakes or someone else's mistakes, in actuality, there is Someone watching over you. And do you feel even a twinge of guilt when you think of the things that you have covered-up in that nursing home or rehabilitation and care center? You should. Time to come clean is now. If you are the Director of Social work inside of a bad nursing home or inside of a bad rehabilitation and care center, perhaps it is time that you come clean and take the shades off the cover up.
It is because people cover-up their negligence and lack of care--just because of the cover-ups, that these events are allowed to continue to happen in our facilities. Come clean. If you are reading this and you have covered up something that you should not have covered up, you need to be honest now, and tell the truth, finally.
How can the truth harm? Simple! The truth harms when professionals, doctors, and nurses do not tell the truth. What happens when social workers do not tell the truth? And how do they get away wtih this anyway? How does a professional get away with telling fibs that harm a patient's life?
Well, for the most part, when professionals fib, and hide the truth from patients and families they do that because they are trying to cover something up. The doctors, nurses and social workers, perhaps felt they did something wrong, something incorrect or perhaps they did something that might be considered malpractice or even gross negligence. Think about it? What doctor and nurse and social worker will willingly come forward and say that they made a mistake? Have you ever seen any news reports of any professionals admitting that they were at fault? I have not seen any and I am willing to say that you probably have not seen any either.
But I have overheard professionals talking about their mistakes and also talking about how they can cover them up. What have you heard? While I was at Woodhull hospital one day, I overheard --just by walking through the hallway going to visit a patient--that someone had made a mistake with someone's medicine. While I was walking inside a horrible rehabilitation and care center --another year, I had one patient --themselves--tell me that the nurse was going to put the wrong medicine in her, yet, luckily that patient was verbally able to open her mouth and tell the nurse, NO! This happens all the time in bad hospitals and inside bad rehabiltation and care centers and inside horrible nursing homes, yet you do not see this coming out in the news, do you?
I vote for truth. I vote for truth today. If you are a worker inside any of these places, you need to come forward and say the truth when you see a mistake. Yes, that is correct, you need to come forward. If your supervisor does not want to hear the truth then go over their head and go to the owner of the hospital or nursing home. But just keep going and complaining until you reach someone who will take action and rectify those problems.
Are you working inside a bad nursing home or inside a bad rehabilitation and care center? Are you just waiting so that you can reveal all the horrible things that are still happening inside of those places? Perhaps today is the day that you should come clean. Come and tell me by email , what is happening inside those facilities that should never be happening. You can do it. Come share your thoughts, your honesty , your truth and your experience.
Are you afraid to report the mistake because you still work there? Aren't you obligated to report mistakes by law? If you see mistakes made and you neglect to report them don't you realize that someone does see the mistake with you? Yes, that Someone is God. So while you think you are covering up your mistakes or someone else's mistakes, in actuality, there is Someone watching over you. And do you feel even a twinge of guilt when you think of the things that you have covered-up in that nursing home or rehabilitation and care center? You should. Time to come clean is now. If you are the Director of Social work inside of a bad nursing home or inside of a bad rehabilitation and care center, perhaps it is time that you come clean and take the shades off the cover up.
It is because people cover-up their negligence and lack of care--just because of the cover-ups, that these events are allowed to continue to happen in our facilities. Come clean. If you are reading this and you have covered up something that you should not have covered up, you need to be honest now, and tell the truth, finally.
Respect Patients' Privacy! Keep Quiet in the Elevator!
Privacy! Does any hospital or nursing home official or staff member know what true privacy is? Do they know how to fully protect a patient's privacy? There is one large hole in the privacy principle inside of most large medical facilities and inside of many nursing homes or rehabs.
Where is the gap? Right up and down. You heard correctly. The gap is up and down the elevator, inside the elevate and to and from the elevators. Most staff members think that they have privacy in elevators inside of medical buildings but there is nothing further than the truth. How many times have you heard doctors and nurses discussing patient's medical history or current conditions inside a public elevator? Probably many times. Yet , also inside those elevators are guests, visitors, family members and even , sometimes, there are patients inside the elevators.
Once employees begin discussing patients --while those employees are still in the building, those employees are denying the right to privacy to all patients. You cannot discuss medical options, surgery, patients' histories and other related issues inside of elevators and expect any privacy at all. Look around you while in the elevator. Do you see those other people? One of them can be a friend, family member or associate of a patient that you are talking about.
Heed all privacy rules, especially the privacy rules inside of elevators; Do not discuss patients or related topics while you are on the elevator. This is the only way to be a real professional.
Thursday, August 14, 2008
Medical Form Letters - Information to Include
When you compose a business letter, there are certain essential elements that you need to include in order for your letter to be effective. If you are writing a letter to a healthcare company, medical insurance company, or to any Medicare, Medicaid or other health-related company about any medical care, hospitalization, or insurance, there are key elements that you need to include in order for your letter to receive quick, proper attention and action.
Your letter will be effective if you are sure to include these important dates, times, facts or numbers:
1. Patient's name
2. Name of doctor, hospital, insurance or other important information
3. Date of Service (This is important to include-not only date of recent letters but date of service)
4. Your home address and mailing address.
5. Your email address and phone number
6. Account number , transaction number
7. Invoice Number
8. Contact name or number (on your part and their part).
9. Reason for writing.
10. Result that you want to achieve. (For example, you might write, "I want an immediate credit or refund of two hundred dollars).
11. Location of hospital or doctor or LOCATION where the service was done (sometimes lab work will be done at a different location than the doctor's address).
12. Specific reason for test or procedure.
13. Also, add CC --if you are sending copies to anyone else.
It is essential that all of these items (and possibly more) be included in any letter that you are writing to any health care service, company, hospital or medical service, including ambulance services.
Hope this helps you. In future articles, I am going to post links so that you can see some form letters for yourself. This should make things easier for you.
Your letter will be effective if you are sure to include these important dates, times, facts or numbers:
1. Patient's name
2. Name of doctor, hospital, insurance or other important information
3. Date of Service (This is important to include-not only date of recent letters but date of service)
4. Your home address and mailing address.
5. Your email address and phone number
6. Account number , transaction number
7. Invoice Number
8. Contact name or number (on your part and their part).
9. Reason for writing.
10. Result that you want to achieve. (For example, you might write, "I want an immediate credit or refund of two hundred dollars).
11. Location of hospital or doctor or LOCATION where the service was done (sometimes lab work will be done at a different location than the doctor's address).
12. Specific reason for test or procedure.
13. Also, add CC --if you are sending copies to anyone else.
It is essential that all of these items (and possibly more) be included in any letter that you are writing to any health care service, company, hospital or medical service, including ambulance services.
Hope this helps you. In future articles, I am going to post links so that you can see some form letters for yourself. This should make things easier for you.
Recruiting Mammography Technicians For You Staffing Agency
Today, there are more and more experience mammographer's willing to pick up extra shifts that in anytime before. It is easier to find a multi trained mammographer that can be used in other disciplines and primarily benefit your staffing agency.
You are able to charge a higher fee for a mammographer and thereby pay a higher fee for the multi-licensed technologist.
But, how do you find the mammographers?
There are many ways to market your staffing agency to get ahold of mammographers.
But, lets look at a direct example of a need that needs to be filled today.
Lets assume a hospital or clinic calls your staffing agency and asked you if you are able to find a mammographer for next week.
What do you say?
Say yes! You can. Ask to sign a contract, if the contract has not been already signed. Make sure they know much will be charged for covering for the mammographer.
If this facility called you once, they will call you again. Secure the contract by finding a mammographer.
This is what you will do. Begin calling facilities quickly, ask if they know any mammagraphers willing to work next week at your rate.
Please keep in mind, you will have to entice the mammographer, and the only way you will do that is by paying for it.
Listen, you want to secure your contract. Go ahead and loose money on the front end, to make money on the back end. If they called you for a mammogapher and signed a contract, you then can go back and try to cover other shifts.
You are able to charge a higher fee for a mammographer and thereby pay a higher fee for the multi-licensed technologist.
But, how do you find the mammographers?
There are many ways to market your staffing agency to get ahold of mammographers.
But, lets look at a direct example of a need that needs to be filled today.
Lets assume a hospital or clinic calls your staffing agency and asked you if you are able to find a mammographer for next week.
What do you say?
Say yes! You can. Ask to sign a contract, if the contract has not been already signed. Make sure they know much will be charged for covering for the mammographer.
If this facility called you once, they will call you again. Secure the contract by finding a mammographer.
This is what you will do. Begin calling facilities quickly, ask if they know any mammagraphers willing to work next week at your rate.
Please keep in mind, you will have to entice the mammographer, and the only way you will do that is by paying for it.
Listen, you want to secure your contract. Go ahead and loose money on the front end, to make money on the back end. If they called you for a mammogapher and signed a contract, you then can go back and try to cover other shifts.
Nursing Home & Assisted Living Centers - Know What to Expect
Are you currently considering a nursing home stay for either yourself or a loved one? In either case, you would expect to receive the best care, especially for the very expensive prices nowadays, wouldn't you? Unfortunately, locating a facility that provides genuine quality care may be tantamount to finding the proverbial needle in the haystack. Know the truth about nursing home or assisted living facilities before you decide.
I have been involved with health care for more than 15 years as a Combat Medic in the United States Army, a Certified Nurse Assistant, Physical Rehab Aide and Occupational Rehab Aide in California and the suburbs of Illinois. My wife is a Registered Nurse with more than 11 years of experience, and like myself, the majority of the experience is in nursing home or assisted living centers.
1989 was the year I became employed in my first nursing home. One of the many duties of a CNA, or certified nurse assistant, is to help the residents of the nursing home with their morning routine. While assisting a certain resident, I noticed the sliding doors of her closet were broke and one of them wouldn't open without forceful tugging. After getting her clothes together, I opened a drawer for some socks and a few roaches crawled out from the haphazardly bundled clothing. I later discovered most of the rooms in this particular facility were in the same appalling condition.
Mysterious injuries to some of the mentally handicapped residents also created rumors of abuse. Yet, no one seemed to know anything about it. Through the Medicare and Medicaid programs, the federal government is suppose to conduct on-site inspections of nursing homes participating in Medicare and Medicaid and to recommend sanctions against those homes that are violating health and safety rules. Yet, this particular facility, on several occasions, somehow received a Five Star rating after "inspections".
I assumed I made a bad employment choice and the next nursing center would be better. I was wrong. Within three months of employment at a different facility, a couple of senior residents confided that a certain nursing assistant was handling them roughly. Being the young newbie to the status quo, I hesitated to act. I was aware the elderly could be quite fragile, so perhaps the manhandling they described was a misunderstanding. Then I witnessed this same assistant "person" placing a soiled diaper onto the face of a resident several times in a teasing manner. I had seen enough, I brought this to the Director of Nursing (D.O.N).
I was not aware at the time however, that both the nurse of that shift and the D.O.N were both friends of the abusive assistant. Therefore, when a meeting was finally convened on the matter about a month later, you can probably imagine what the outcome was. My heated defense of the residents fell on deaf, dumb and blind, ears. The so-called nurse defended the abuser and the D.O.N merely pointed a finger at this assistant and said, "You were wrong." and absolutely nothing else followed, not even a written reprimand. However, I became known as the "trouble-maker" shortly after the meeting.
Fortunately, there was some poetic justice; the abusive assistant was later fired for getting into a "fist-fight" in an elevator with another assistant. This was a "Holy" facility in the suburbs of Illinois.
A large man with documented psychological problems abused other residents at the last facility in which I was employed. Although there were several staff complaints and he choked a female caregiver at one point, his transfer to a more appropriate facility was continually delayed to maintain the profits of his stay. It therefore seemed unconscionable to hear the, oddly high-strung, administrator of this same facility was rumored to be embezzling holiday funds that were meant for the caregivers.
When I learned a new policy required completely untrained caregivers to pass medication to the residents, I began to update my resume, and when I learned that there wouldn't be a nurse at all for the night shift, I turned in my two weeks notice. It was an obvious attempt to save money by limiting or eliminating professional care. These facilities never mention to visiting family members that when the patient or resident census is low, the nursing assistance is often cut to save money. This practice can lead to neglect, which tends to create new issues, such as bedsores for the bedridden residents.
There was a certain focus prevalent among the many facilities in which both my wife and I were employed and apparently, nothing has changed. They all claimed the well-being of the resident is the primary concern; some even placed impressively framed statements or plaques on the walls with their creeds of care. There was no fine print however, that stated the true primary concern above all else was Money. Making money and saving money. A single resident brings in five to eight thousand dollars a month and in "special care units" such as an Alzheimer's unit, it can be $10,000 a month. Thus, everything, and I do mean EVERYTHING else, is of lesser importance. What makes this statement all the more outrageous is that it may actually sound na"ive to some, in today's corporate controlled world. "Of course it's about money, what else could it be about?"
It should be mentioned the examples given above are extreme and may not necessarily occur in all nursing centers. However, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) on February 5, 2008 named 4,037 nursing homes whose pressure sore and/or physical restraint rates it says have targeted them for "improvement". Thus, anyone who is considering a nursing home or assisted living facility stay, for either a loved one or themselves, should consider and understand the reality of these facilities and the possible measures that can be taken to promote better care.
So, what can you do if you believe extended assisted living or nursing care is needed for you or a loved one? Here are some suggestions and options you might want to consider.
- If distance is not a major concern, you may be able to locate a decent facility via the Senior Housing Net.com site. After choosing a place, if you have the means, research the facility. Find out what you can about it before you visit it. Perhaps you can check for recent complaints, or any history of lawsuits, with the Better Business Bureau online. If this is not an option, arrange a visit and ask the residents about the care, their rooms, the food, etc.
- Notice if you can detect urine when you enter the facility. If there is no one in the immediate area and the odor is very noticeable, we suggest that you turn around and leave. It is a telltale sign of poor sanitation and or possible neglect of bedridden patients.
Most assisted living centers are modeled impressively to give a beautiful "Home-like" appearance and most new residents agree it is much better than the sterile-looking hospital appearance of many nursing homes. However, do keep in mind; it is not necessarily an assurance of superior care. In other words, appearances can be deceiving.
- Ask about the training background of the CNAs (certified nursing assistants) or caregivers, they will be assisting you or handling your loved one the majority of the time. Many assisted living centers do not require their caregivers to be certified assistants, choosing to hire untrained or inexperienced caregivers who are then asked to attend an in-service or two.
- How many caregivers or CNAs are assigned to each unit? How many nurses are there to a unit? Is the ratio to patients or residents adequate for dependable care?
If you must stay at a facility of questionable quality, try to arrange any of the following:
- If possible, have a lawyer present when filling out the admission forms. Some may say it is an unnecessary waste of money, however, nursing facilities abhor any possible legal action against them and a lawyer intimidates much like a wooden cross does when held up to vampires.
- Arrange periodic unannounced visits from family or friends. This serves more than one purpose. First, it provides witnesses to any neglect or problems. Second, it helps keep the staff on their toes regarding your care. Should any incidence of abuse occur, a quick internet search provides a long list of nursing home abuse lawyers.
- If you are a visiting family member and your loved one is in bed most of the time, check for any bedsores on the heels, hips, buttocks, back or elbows. It is your Right to thoroughly question any injuries and be certain they have been properly documented and the doctor has been informed.
- If it is within your budget, you may choose to hire a reliable private sitter to provide one-on-one assistance or care within the facility. Many families prefer this option as it provides not only constant personal attention but companionship as well. Facility staff appreciates it for the relief it can bring during a high census. As an experienced private sitter, I can attest that it is much more preferable to care for one patient than to juggle ten or twelve.
- Another option that may save you money is to hire a private home sitter. Many patients obviously prefer this because it allows them to stay in their home with a caregiver to assist them. A nurse will often be required to make periodic visits as well for any medication that must be administered. There are many agencies to assist you with this.
Although there are many negative stories about nursing facility care, it does not mean you, or a family member, will have the same negative experiences. Believe it or not, there are plenty of satisfied residents, or patients, who do not regret their move into an assisted living or nursing home and who have made new friends.
So, now that you have been given some worst-case scenarios, here's hoping you are prepared for the worst but experience the best.
I have been involved with health care for more than 15 years as a Combat Medic in the United States Army, a Certified Nurse Assistant, Physical Rehab Aide and Occupational Rehab Aide in California and the suburbs of Illinois. My wife is a Registered Nurse with more than 11 years of experience, and like myself, the majority of the experience is in nursing home or assisted living centers.
1989 was the year I became employed in my first nursing home. One of the many duties of a CNA, or certified nurse assistant, is to help the residents of the nursing home with their morning routine. While assisting a certain resident, I noticed the sliding doors of her closet were broke and one of them wouldn't open without forceful tugging. After getting her clothes together, I opened a drawer for some socks and a few roaches crawled out from the haphazardly bundled clothing. I later discovered most of the rooms in this particular facility were in the same appalling condition.
Mysterious injuries to some of the mentally handicapped residents also created rumors of abuse. Yet, no one seemed to know anything about it. Through the Medicare and Medicaid programs, the federal government is suppose to conduct on-site inspections of nursing homes participating in Medicare and Medicaid and to recommend sanctions against those homes that are violating health and safety rules. Yet, this particular facility, on several occasions, somehow received a Five Star rating after "inspections".
I assumed I made a bad employment choice and the next nursing center would be better. I was wrong. Within three months of employment at a different facility, a couple of senior residents confided that a certain nursing assistant was handling them roughly. Being the young newbie to the status quo, I hesitated to act. I was aware the elderly could be quite fragile, so perhaps the manhandling they described was a misunderstanding. Then I witnessed this same assistant "person" placing a soiled diaper onto the face of a resident several times in a teasing manner. I had seen enough, I brought this to the Director of Nursing (D.O.N).
I was not aware at the time however, that both the nurse of that shift and the D.O.N were both friends of the abusive assistant. Therefore, when a meeting was finally convened on the matter about a month later, you can probably imagine what the outcome was. My heated defense of the residents fell on deaf, dumb and blind, ears. The so-called nurse defended the abuser and the D.O.N merely pointed a finger at this assistant and said, "You were wrong." and absolutely nothing else followed, not even a written reprimand. However, I became known as the "trouble-maker" shortly after the meeting.
Fortunately, there was some poetic justice; the abusive assistant was later fired for getting into a "fist-fight" in an elevator with another assistant. This was a "Holy" facility in the suburbs of Illinois.
A large man with documented psychological problems abused other residents at the last facility in which I was employed. Although there were several staff complaints and he choked a female caregiver at one point, his transfer to a more appropriate facility was continually delayed to maintain the profits of his stay. It therefore seemed unconscionable to hear the, oddly high-strung, administrator of this same facility was rumored to be embezzling holiday funds that were meant for the caregivers.
When I learned a new policy required completely untrained caregivers to pass medication to the residents, I began to update my resume, and when I learned that there wouldn't be a nurse at all for the night shift, I turned in my two weeks notice. It was an obvious attempt to save money by limiting or eliminating professional care. These facilities never mention to visiting family members that when the patient or resident census is low, the nursing assistance is often cut to save money. This practice can lead to neglect, which tends to create new issues, such as bedsores for the bedridden residents.
There was a certain focus prevalent among the many facilities in which both my wife and I were employed and apparently, nothing has changed. They all claimed the well-being of the resident is the primary concern; some even placed impressively framed statements or plaques on the walls with their creeds of care. There was no fine print however, that stated the true primary concern above all else was Money. Making money and saving money. A single resident brings in five to eight thousand dollars a month and in "special care units" such as an Alzheimer's unit, it can be $10,000 a month. Thus, everything, and I do mean EVERYTHING else, is of lesser importance. What makes this statement all the more outrageous is that it may actually sound na"ive to some, in today's corporate controlled world. "Of course it's about money, what else could it be about?"
It should be mentioned the examples given above are extreme and may not necessarily occur in all nursing centers. However, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) on February 5, 2008 named 4,037 nursing homes whose pressure sore and/or physical restraint rates it says have targeted them for "improvement". Thus, anyone who is considering a nursing home or assisted living facility stay, for either a loved one or themselves, should consider and understand the reality of these facilities and the possible measures that can be taken to promote better care.
So, what can you do if you believe extended assisted living or nursing care is needed for you or a loved one? Here are some suggestions and options you might want to consider.
- If distance is not a major concern, you may be able to locate a decent facility via the Senior Housing Net.com site. After choosing a place, if you have the means, research the facility. Find out what you can about it before you visit it. Perhaps you can check for recent complaints, or any history of lawsuits, with the Better Business Bureau online. If this is not an option, arrange a visit and ask the residents about the care, their rooms, the food, etc.
- Notice if you can detect urine when you enter the facility. If there is no one in the immediate area and the odor is very noticeable, we suggest that you turn around and leave. It is a telltale sign of poor sanitation and or possible neglect of bedridden patients.
Most assisted living centers are modeled impressively to give a beautiful "Home-like" appearance and most new residents agree it is much better than the sterile-looking hospital appearance of many nursing homes. However, do keep in mind; it is not necessarily an assurance of superior care. In other words, appearances can be deceiving.
- Ask about the training background of the CNAs (certified nursing assistants) or caregivers, they will be assisting you or handling your loved one the majority of the time. Many assisted living centers do not require their caregivers to be certified assistants, choosing to hire untrained or inexperienced caregivers who are then asked to attend an in-service or two.
- How many caregivers or CNAs are assigned to each unit? How many nurses are there to a unit? Is the ratio to patients or residents adequate for dependable care?
If you must stay at a facility of questionable quality, try to arrange any of the following:
- If possible, have a lawyer present when filling out the admission forms. Some may say it is an unnecessary waste of money, however, nursing facilities abhor any possible legal action against them and a lawyer intimidates much like a wooden cross does when held up to vampires.
- Arrange periodic unannounced visits from family or friends. This serves more than one purpose. First, it provides witnesses to any neglect or problems. Second, it helps keep the staff on their toes regarding your care. Should any incidence of abuse occur, a quick internet search provides a long list of nursing home abuse lawyers.
- If you are a visiting family member and your loved one is in bed most of the time, check for any bedsores on the heels, hips, buttocks, back or elbows. It is your Right to thoroughly question any injuries and be certain they have been properly documented and the doctor has been informed.
- If it is within your budget, you may choose to hire a reliable private sitter to provide one-on-one assistance or care within the facility. Many families prefer this option as it provides not only constant personal attention but companionship as well. Facility staff appreciates it for the relief it can bring during a high census. As an experienced private sitter, I can attest that it is much more preferable to care for one patient than to juggle ten or twelve.
- Another option that may save you money is to hire a private home sitter. Many patients obviously prefer this because it allows them to stay in their home with a caregiver to assist them. A nurse will often be required to make periodic visits as well for any medication that must be administered. There are many agencies to assist you with this.
Although there are many negative stories about nursing facility care, it does not mean you, or a family member, will have the same negative experiences. Believe it or not, there are plenty of satisfied residents, or patients, who do not regret their move into an assisted living or nursing home and who have made new friends.
So, now that you have been given some worst-case scenarios, here's hoping you are prepared for the worst but experience the best.
Cardiac Hospitals in India Providing World Class Treatment in India
4 Cardiac Hospitals in India providing world class treatment in India.
These are some of the Cardiac Hospitals in India providing world class treatment in Cardiac treatment:
Cardiology and Cardiac Surgery At Apollo Hospital, Bangalore is the newest addition to the ever-growing network of Apollo Hospitals all over the world. The hospital is equipped with some of the most advanced facilities in the world and some of the most eminent names in several medical specialties and superspecialities.
The doctors at Apollo Hospitals Bangalore have been chosen after an extensive process where their commitment and expertise is assessed in equal measure. Most of them have studied, trained or worked abroad at eminent institutions. The hospital has over 100 consultants available round the clock.
Cardiology is one of the Centres of Excellence at the Apollo Hospital, Delhi
The Centres of Excellence at the Apollo Hospital, Chennai are Cardiology & Cardiothoracic Surgery The hospital has a number of Specialised Clinics that offer advice, treatment and tips to patients and their family.
The Apollo Hospital Chennai are performed 27,000 heart surgeries with a success rate of 99.6%, on par with global standards.
These are some of the Cardiac Hospitals in India providing world class treatment in Cardiac treatment:
Cardiology and Cardiac Surgery At Apollo Hospital, Bangalore is the newest addition to the ever-growing network of Apollo Hospitals all over the world. The hospital is equipped with some of the most advanced facilities in the world and some of the most eminent names in several medical specialties and superspecialities.
The doctors at Apollo Hospitals Bangalore have been chosen after an extensive process where their commitment and expertise is assessed in equal measure. Most of them have studied, trained or worked abroad at eminent institutions. The hospital has over 100 consultants available round the clock.
Cardiology is one of the Centres of Excellence at the Apollo Hospital, Delhi
The Centres of Excellence at the Apollo Hospital, Chennai are Cardiology & Cardiothoracic Surgery The hospital has a number of Specialised Clinics that offer advice, treatment and tips to patients and their family.
The Apollo Hospital Chennai are performed 27,000 heart surgeries with a success rate of 99.6%, on par with global standards.
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
The Basics on the Health Care Facilities Scorecard
Performance management experts agree that scorecard systems are the means to an end. The end is usually in the form of attaining a specific company goal. The means, not being the factors to achieving success, are ways to realizing strategies that lead to obtaining the goal. This can be best explained by identifying the elements involved in implementing the system. And it also involves the identification of the four dimensions covered by such system. Most organizations follow the same metrics. In the health care sector, the case is special. That is why they are urged to adopt a health care facilities scorecard system.
Scorecards do not work without the necessary metrics or key performance indicators. These are specified areas of a health care organization where outputs are evaluated, results are analyzed, and reports are obtained to make crucial decisions. Health care providers are different from most types of business. That is why its indicators are also quite unique. The four KPIs or dimensions used in the scorecard system are customer perspective, social accountability, internal processes, and financial.
Customer perspective is one dimension that involves reviewing people's perception and experience. Normally, it involves the process of obtaining the expectations of a customer before he is admitted and inquiring about the effect of the service offered by the facility. It also requires the knowledge of how customers think of the availability of medical equipment, the quick response of the staff, and the overall cost of the treatment.
On the financial side, the indicators are usually drawn from certain aspects, such as developmental cost of new facilities and medicines, profit from operation, and accounts receivable. By measuring this area, health care managers will be aided in making judgments based on financial performance and progress.
The operational dimension, on the other hand, has something to do with activities related to the everyday activities of the health care provider. Usually, these are: the number of queues, express patient arrivals, volume of surgical incidents, whether outpatient or inpatient, time for new medicines and facilities to develop, and average duration a patient stays in the clinic.
The fourth dimension of the health care scorecard system is social accountability. Since health care providers are service oriented, it is important that the organization's corporate responsibilities must be felt and made visible in the community. Examples of measurable social activities are health education seminars, public heath care programmes, employee development, health awareness initiatives, promotion of proper waste disposal, and charity involvements.
It is not all the time, though, that health care managers should focus on all four dimensions, as it would become a waste of time to spend more on areas that produce unnecessary results. For leaders to practically measure crucial areas, the factors of the scorecard system must be clearly identified. There are actually six and these are: units of analysis, purpose, audience, method, data, and results.
By examining the factors, managers can allocate their time and funds efficiently. In the audience factor, for example, if there is a large number of patients and workers to evaluate, full attention and financial aid must be given. Remember that every second, every dime, and every activity matters. So for health care facilities scorecard to work, one should identify the indicators and consider the factors.
Scorecards do not work without the necessary metrics or key performance indicators. These are specified areas of a health care organization where outputs are evaluated, results are analyzed, and reports are obtained to make crucial decisions. Health care providers are different from most types of business. That is why its indicators are also quite unique. The four KPIs or dimensions used in the scorecard system are customer perspective, social accountability, internal processes, and financial.
Customer perspective is one dimension that involves reviewing people's perception and experience. Normally, it involves the process of obtaining the expectations of a customer before he is admitted and inquiring about the effect of the service offered by the facility. It also requires the knowledge of how customers think of the availability of medical equipment, the quick response of the staff, and the overall cost of the treatment.
On the financial side, the indicators are usually drawn from certain aspects, such as developmental cost of new facilities and medicines, profit from operation, and accounts receivable. By measuring this area, health care managers will be aided in making judgments based on financial performance and progress.
The operational dimension, on the other hand, has something to do with activities related to the everyday activities of the health care provider. Usually, these are: the number of queues, express patient arrivals, volume of surgical incidents, whether outpatient or inpatient, time for new medicines and facilities to develop, and average duration a patient stays in the clinic.
The fourth dimension of the health care scorecard system is social accountability. Since health care providers are service oriented, it is important that the organization's corporate responsibilities must be felt and made visible in the community. Examples of measurable social activities are health education seminars, public heath care programmes, employee development, health awareness initiatives, promotion of proper waste disposal, and charity involvements.
It is not all the time, though, that health care managers should focus on all four dimensions, as it would become a waste of time to spend more on areas that produce unnecessary results. For leaders to practically measure crucial areas, the factors of the scorecard system must be clearly identified. There are actually six and these are: units of analysis, purpose, audience, method, data, and results.
By examining the factors, managers can allocate their time and funds efficiently. In the audience factor, for example, if there is a large number of patients and workers to evaluate, full attention and financial aid must be given. Remember that every second, every dime, and every activity matters. So for health care facilities scorecard to work, one should identify the indicators and consider the factors.
Nursing Home Contracts & Documents - Do Not Sign Under Influence of Staff
Emotional decisions or decisions that you make when you are in pain, or suffering, or decisions, or decisions that you make after you have just had surgery, or decisions that you make when you are heavily medicated, are "iffy" decisions. What do I mean by "iffy". Well, I wonder "if" you were not in pain or suffering or if you had not just been operated on or if you were not heavily medicated, would you have made that same decision in the same way in the same time of your life. Or was your decision making process governed by drugs or by your physical or emotionally-weary conditions?
If you go to any of the 12-step programs, the first thing that they will tell you is to refrain from making any important life decisions for 90 days. Yet, you can come out of open-heart surgery and have medical staff thrust fifty-page documents at you for you to sign and no one sticks up for you and no one tells you to wait or to have your family or your family lawyer present for that very serious document-signing.
Why is this that no one protects patients from signing documents that they clearly do not want to sign, yet there is a protection for those who are enrolled inside of a 12-step program?
The answer is in what the medical facilities, doctors, surgeons and rehab places stand to gain from those signatures Once the nursing homes and the rehab places put their enrollment applications and admissions documents in front of you-the patient, you are probably and usually too tired, too drained, and too emotionally and too physically-weary to argue the point. Say you do not want to sign the documents? The facility has you practically hostage, by telling you that the documents are routine documents and you trust the facility because you think they are there to heal and to help you.
But rather, the truth is, there are some employees in that facility whose main job is to get your money, get your social security checks and get your disability and your homes away from you. Can you believe that ? It is those social workers who are there employed by these rehab places and nursing homes that want to know all of your financial business EVEN if you have come into the place saying and insisting that you have private insurance and EVEN though you say and insist that you are not applying for Medicaid or medicare. They want all of your information as part of a routine application.
Do not believe the words routine because there is nothing further from the truth. What might be routine for the medical place is not routine for you or for your finances. When they say that word routine to you in respect to applications, enrollments admissions or documents when you first come into rehab or into nursing homes, they mean that they are routinely going to try and get all your assets, all your social security, and any and all payments that you have due to you. Of course there are some laws that protect you. But most times, those documents that they ask you to sign are one-sided documents all in favor of the rehab place or of the nursing homes.
Think twice before signing anything at all. Insist that you have friends and family there if there are multitudes of documents to be signed. In fact, even if they want you to sign only one document or one page, insist that your family member or your private personal lawyer be present. Do not, under any circumstance take any lawyer or legal representative that this place provides or calls for you. You need someone independent.
Watch out for all hoe documents. You could be signing away your entire home, all and any assets, funds and bank accounts, and your entire future. The author is not a medical or legal professional and has published this article for entertainment, enjoyment and information only. This article and other articles by the same author are not intended to be any legal or medical advice, so consult your own professionals before taking any serious action that might affect your life, nursing home stay or finances.
ALERT: Do not be fooled by the word routine uttered from staff's mouth. These routine documents could turn out to be legally-binding contracts. You must have help and witnesses before signing any such papers. Any REPUTABLE nursing home or care facility will permit you to wait until family members are there for you. Unscrupulous nursing homes will wait until your family leaves and then ask you to sign the papers. Do not be duped!
If you go to any of the 12-step programs, the first thing that they will tell you is to refrain from making any important life decisions for 90 days. Yet, you can come out of open-heart surgery and have medical staff thrust fifty-page documents at you for you to sign and no one sticks up for you and no one tells you to wait or to have your family or your family lawyer present for that very serious document-signing.
Why is this that no one protects patients from signing documents that they clearly do not want to sign, yet there is a protection for those who are enrolled inside of a 12-step program?
The answer is in what the medical facilities, doctors, surgeons and rehab places stand to gain from those signatures Once the nursing homes and the rehab places put their enrollment applications and admissions documents in front of you-the patient, you are probably and usually too tired, too drained, and too emotionally and too physically-weary to argue the point. Say you do not want to sign the documents? The facility has you practically hostage, by telling you that the documents are routine documents and you trust the facility because you think they are there to heal and to help you.
But rather, the truth is, there are some employees in that facility whose main job is to get your money, get your social security checks and get your disability and your homes away from you. Can you believe that ? It is those social workers who are there employed by these rehab places and nursing homes that want to know all of your financial business EVEN if you have come into the place saying and insisting that you have private insurance and EVEN though you say and insist that you are not applying for Medicaid or medicare. They want all of your information as part of a routine application.
Do not believe the words routine because there is nothing further from the truth. What might be routine for the medical place is not routine for you or for your finances. When they say that word routine to you in respect to applications, enrollments admissions or documents when you first come into rehab or into nursing homes, they mean that they are routinely going to try and get all your assets, all your social security, and any and all payments that you have due to you. Of course there are some laws that protect you. But most times, those documents that they ask you to sign are one-sided documents all in favor of the rehab place or of the nursing homes.
Think twice before signing anything at all. Insist that you have friends and family there if there are multitudes of documents to be signed. In fact, even if they want you to sign only one document or one page, insist that your family member or your private personal lawyer be present. Do not, under any circumstance take any lawyer or legal representative that this place provides or calls for you. You need someone independent.
Watch out for all hoe documents. You could be signing away your entire home, all and any assets, funds and bank accounts, and your entire future. The author is not a medical or legal professional and has published this article for entertainment, enjoyment and information only. This article and other articles by the same author are not intended to be any legal or medical advice, so consult your own professionals before taking any serious action that might affect your life, nursing home stay or finances.
ALERT: Do not be fooled by the word routine uttered from staff's mouth. These routine documents could turn out to be legally-binding contracts. You must have help and witnesses before signing any such papers. Any REPUTABLE nursing home or care facility will permit you to wait until family members are there for you. Unscrupulous nursing homes will wait until your family leaves and then ask you to sign the papers. Do not be duped!
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
What's Love Got to Do With It?
Some of you may remember Tina Turner's hit What's Love Got to Do With It? In the song she sings that "love is a second hand emotion," and "who needs a heart when a heart can be broken." The song is a cynical take on loving and being loved. Many physicians and health care providers have become cynical and disillusioned. Medicine and love are almost never mentioned in the same breath. The practice of medicine is not necessarily viewed as a relationship with love at its center, but a transaction from the patient's viewpoint that is too often one sided. Health care providers are taught to be objective and to exhibit "detached concern." We are taught to protect ourselves from our own emotions as well as those of the patient. We know that love is fraught with pain and unpredictability. We don't want our hearts to be broken. We don't want to be overwhelmed by love and unable to act.
But, what if we stopped protecting our hearts so much? What if we looked at our patients with the same love that we reserve for our children, spouse, or our friends? After all, there really are not different kinds or degrees of love. Love is caring or loving another as you love yourself. Love is relieving the suffering of another. What would practicing medicine be like then? Can we practice with what Jack Coulehan calls "tenderness and steadiness." Can we stop hiding behind the shield of our white coats, and share our humanity with our patients? When we do, when we can sit and converse with our patients as human being to human being, and not expert to patient, then maybe, the practice of medicine will be more fulfilling. Maybe, when love has everything to do with it, when health care providers no longer fear the risk of their hearts being broken, then health care will be what it is meant to be, a loving relationship, for both doctor and patient.
But, what if we stopped protecting our hearts so much? What if we looked at our patients with the same love that we reserve for our children, spouse, or our friends? After all, there really are not different kinds or degrees of love. Love is caring or loving another as you love yourself. Love is relieving the suffering of another. What would practicing medicine be like then? Can we practice with what Jack Coulehan calls "tenderness and steadiness." Can we stop hiding behind the shield of our white coats, and share our humanity with our patients? When we do, when we can sit and converse with our patients as human being to human being, and not expert to patient, then maybe, the practice of medicine will be more fulfilling. Maybe, when love has everything to do with it, when health care providers no longer fear the risk of their hearts being broken, then health care will be what it is meant to be, a loving relationship, for both doctor and patient.
The Kwanza of Physician Health
Kwanza is an African American holiday that begins on December 26th and ends on December 31st. It is based on West African principles of the self in relationship to family and community. Although Kwanzaa is defined in relation to individual and social constructs it can also be viewed as a powerful tool for promoting physician and healthcare worker wellness and community health.
The six principles of Kwanza are directly applicable to physician and health care worker wellbeing and health:
n Umoja-Unity: Family and Community Support for your well being and the practice of medicine.
n Kujichagulia Self-Determination: Define Your Calling, Create and Live It.
n Ujima Collective Work and Responsibility: Advocate for our own and your patient's health together.
n Nia Purpose: Pool physician resources to sustain and develop institutions, practices, groups and health plans for promoting health and wellness of all people.
n Kuumba Creativity: To do as much as you can to innovatively promote wellness in yourself and your community.
n Imani Faith: To maintain and respect your spiritual roots and the interrelatedness of mind, spirit, and body.
Although Kwanza is based on West African Principles, this philosophy is universal. Incorporating these principles will promote wellbeing and ameliorate compassion fatigue in not only physicians, nurses and other health care workers. Remembering and acknowledging the Kwanza Dimensions of Health each and everyday will keep everyone on the path of health, as well as personal and professional joy and success. An individual is only as healthy and successful as his/her family, the community, the nation, and the world.
The six principles of Kwanza are directly applicable to physician and health care worker wellbeing and health:
n Umoja-Unity: Family and Community Support for your well being and the practice of medicine.
n Kujichagulia Self-Determination: Define Your Calling, Create and Live It.
n Ujima Collective Work and Responsibility: Advocate for our own and your patient's health together.
n Nia Purpose: Pool physician resources to sustain and develop institutions, practices, groups and health plans for promoting health and wellness of all people.
n Kuumba Creativity: To do as much as you can to innovatively promote wellness in yourself and your community.
n Imani Faith: To maintain and respect your spiritual roots and the interrelatedness of mind, spirit, and body.
Although Kwanza is based on West African Principles, this philosophy is universal. Incorporating these principles will promote wellbeing and ameliorate compassion fatigue in not only physicians, nurses and other health care workers. Remembering and acknowledging the Kwanza Dimensions of Health each and everyday will keep everyone on the path of health, as well as personal and professional joy and success. An individual is only as healthy and successful as his/her family, the community, the nation, and the world.
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