We know that clinical documentation is very important and should be
implemented by all hospitals. Before one begins the process of
documentation it is important to know what the various kinds of
documentation there is. The following article lists out the different
kinds of documentation that is used.
Clinical
Documentation could start right from the time a patient reports for
clinical examination either for a routine check up or with any specific
ailment. The information contained in the documentation, also called the
health record, would contain the following details.
• Name, sex, date of birth, residential address and emergency contact telephone number
• Blood type
• Dates of last physical check up and dates and results of previously done tests and screenings
• Brief details of major illnesses. Details of surgeries performed with dates
• Allergies, if any
• List of medicines prescribed and duration of their use
• History of family illnesses
• Chronic diseases if any
• History of any trauma or accident or any unusual symptoms affecting a person's health
Clinical
documentation details complete information of the state of health of a
person since birth. It records major and minor illnesses and also growth
landmark. It often gives a clue to the present diseases of a person;
following details included in the history would make this point clear.
• Surgery history - it would contain operative reports and details of any surgery performed.
• Obstetrics history - would give history of past pregnancies and any clinical findings for them.
Medicinal or food allergies -
• Family history - health status of near relations, common diseases in the family
• Social history - patient's behavior during a major illness and occupation
• Habits - addiction if any, physical habits, exercise and diet and also sexual habits
• History of immunization
• Developmental history - this is important for children and
teenagers. Many social stresses, economic factors and diseases affect
growth. Developmental history records such cases.
As part of
clinical documentation, results of individual checkups by a physician or
assistant physician or a nurse are recorded. Clinical documentation, in
case of hospital admission or consultation by a medical specialist,
could be exhaustive. Shorter forms may be necessary to record
observations in a routine visit.
Details in clinical documentation in such cases could contain:
• Present illness history
• Physical examination including body temperature, respiratory rate, blood pressure, heartbeat, muscle power, urine output, etc
• Diagnosis of present illness
• Prescriptions and instructions to other health team members
When
a patient is hospitalized, all test results like blood and urine test
and all special tests are recorded. Radiological examinations,
pathological tests, endoscopy, CT scans, etc are included. All these
form a part of clinical documentation. Documentation plays a very
important role as it contains the entire medical history of a patient.
It provides invaluable insight into a person's condition and helps in
simplifying treatment.
Monday, October 22, 2012
The Importance of Visiting a Travel Vaccination Clinic
Nowadays, more people are able to visit countries in all corners
of the Earth because they have greater spending power and lower
traveling costs. The number of worldwide air travelers has been
increasing every year. From 4.1 billion in 2005, the figure has risen to
about 5.2 billion in 2010 and it's forecasted to reach almost 9.1
billion in 2025. With budget airlines and budget accommodations, people
can afford to go almost everywhere they wish. Perhaps, you are planning a
vacation to a faraway country in South Africa, Asia, Africa or Europe?
Well, the most important thing is to make early preparations and plan
your trip as meticulously as possible. In the haste to get the best air
ticket deal and the best accommodation, sometimes, people neglect the
most important thing, which is health. This is the main reason why it's
best that you visit a travel clinic before you embark on your journey.
Peace of Mind
Whether you are traveling for pleasure or business, it's essential to have good health. When you visit a travel clinic, you will have the peace of mind that you will not be infected by the various diseases found in the foreign country. Many people travel to Peru to experience wonderful attractions like the Machu Picchu, Nazca, Colca Canyon, Inca Trail, Batan Grande, and Huacachina. Imagine traveling all the way to Peru, all ready to enjoy the vacation of your life when without warning, you contract malaria, which may be a deadly disease. To be treated, you will have to be hospitalized, and even after you recover, it's doubtful that you will want to continue the journey because your enthusiasm may be gone. If you are traveling with your family or friends, they will be worried and the entire trip will be a grand disaster. Is it worth it? Malaria is preventable with just a prescription antimalarial drug. In Peru, there's also the risk of yellow fever, rabies, typhoid, hepatitis B, and others. There are various health risks for travelers to each different country so it's best to pay a visit to a travel vaccination clinic to find out more.
Vaccinations
One of the main reasons why people go to travel clinics is to get the necessary vaccinations. In some African and South American countries, travelers are required to get yellow fever vaccination before they are allowed to enter the countries. If you are traveling to these countries, the travel doctor will recommend that you get yellow fever immunization because it's the best way to prevent the disease, which can be life-threatening. Other diseases which can be prevented with vaccines are hepatitis A & B, European tick-borne encephalitis, typhoid, influenza, cholera, polio, Japanese encephalitis, and rabies. Travelers are advised to be up-to-date with their routine shots such as MMR vaccine, DPT vaccine, poliovirus vaccine, and so on. It's best to visit a travel clinic at least 4 to 6 weeks prior to departure to the foreign country.
Professional Advice
Visiting a foreign country is very exciting because there's so much to discover about the country but that's no excuse for being unprepared. Just as you will go to a dental clinic for a dental problem, you should go to a travel vaccination clinic to find out about the health risks associated with a foreign country. The doctors who practice in health clinics are best-equipped to provide professional advice and recommendations in regards to the country you are planning to visit. Other than vaccinations, they can also inform you about the safety of food and water in the foreign country as well as the best hospitals or clinics, the risks of sexually transmitted diseases, medical expenses, medical insurance, and more. It's important to remember that each country is different so the doctor at the travel clinic will make recommendations according to your travel itinerary. For instance, the water supply in many developing countries is not sufficiently clean so you have to bring your own portable water filter or iodine tablets and you may contract a parasitic infection known as schistosomiasis in the fresh water of some countries. What kind of medication should you bring along? A specialist at the travel vaccination clinic will give you all the necessary health information about any country you wish to go.
When you plan to go on a vacation to a foreign country, you are not just investing financially in the air tickets, car rental, hotels, and tickets to visit places of interests but more importantly, you are investing your time and effort to make it a memorable trip.
Peace of Mind
Whether you are traveling for pleasure or business, it's essential to have good health. When you visit a travel clinic, you will have the peace of mind that you will not be infected by the various diseases found in the foreign country. Many people travel to Peru to experience wonderful attractions like the Machu Picchu, Nazca, Colca Canyon, Inca Trail, Batan Grande, and Huacachina. Imagine traveling all the way to Peru, all ready to enjoy the vacation of your life when without warning, you contract malaria, which may be a deadly disease. To be treated, you will have to be hospitalized, and even after you recover, it's doubtful that you will want to continue the journey because your enthusiasm may be gone. If you are traveling with your family or friends, they will be worried and the entire trip will be a grand disaster. Is it worth it? Malaria is preventable with just a prescription antimalarial drug. In Peru, there's also the risk of yellow fever, rabies, typhoid, hepatitis B, and others. There are various health risks for travelers to each different country so it's best to pay a visit to a travel vaccination clinic to find out more.
Vaccinations
One of the main reasons why people go to travel clinics is to get the necessary vaccinations. In some African and South American countries, travelers are required to get yellow fever vaccination before they are allowed to enter the countries. If you are traveling to these countries, the travel doctor will recommend that you get yellow fever immunization because it's the best way to prevent the disease, which can be life-threatening. Other diseases which can be prevented with vaccines are hepatitis A & B, European tick-borne encephalitis, typhoid, influenza, cholera, polio, Japanese encephalitis, and rabies. Travelers are advised to be up-to-date with their routine shots such as MMR vaccine, DPT vaccine, poliovirus vaccine, and so on. It's best to visit a travel clinic at least 4 to 6 weeks prior to departure to the foreign country.
Professional Advice
Visiting a foreign country is very exciting because there's so much to discover about the country but that's no excuse for being unprepared. Just as you will go to a dental clinic for a dental problem, you should go to a travel vaccination clinic to find out about the health risks associated with a foreign country. The doctors who practice in health clinics are best-equipped to provide professional advice and recommendations in regards to the country you are planning to visit. Other than vaccinations, they can also inform you about the safety of food and water in the foreign country as well as the best hospitals or clinics, the risks of sexually transmitted diseases, medical expenses, medical insurance, and more. It's important to remember that each country is different so the doctor at the travel clinic will make recommendations according to your travel itinerary. For instance, the water supply in many developing countries is not sufficiently clean so you have to bring your own portable water filter or iodine tablets and you may contract a parasitic infection known as schistosomiasis in the fresh water of some countries. What kind of medication should you bring along? A specialist at the travel vaccination clinic will give you all the necessary health information about any country you wish to go.
When you plan to go on a vacation to a foreign country, you are not just investing financially in the air tickets, car rental, hotels, and tickets to visit places of interests but more importantly, you are investing your time and effort to make it a memorable trip.
Everything You Need to Know About an STD Clinic
So you think you have an STD and would just want to rush over to
someone knowledgeable to ask for help? Before going to an STD clinic for
your check-up, there are a few things that you should first do and make
sure of. Be sure to have an appointment arranged to a minimum of 24
hours before the check-up for your check-up services to be organized
nicely. If you have had any test or examination results performed
previously, it is wise to bring them with you during the appointment.
Prepare yourself for special situations. Have your health care
practitioner informed if you are pregnant or have any doubts about the
issue before starting with any procedure.
So now that you are in the STD Clinic, just what kind of procedures will be performed during your appointment? Here, you will be accompanied by a clinic staff throughout all the procedures you will be undergoing during the appointment. They will be implementing your laboratory examination. Internal disease tests and examination for your comprehensive health information is collected. Assessment of medical processes and results and the arrangement and conclusion of the check-up report will be prepared.
These sexual health clinics usually give you tests for sexual and urinary health problems such as sexually transmitted diseases like syphilis, gonorrhea, genital warts, Chlamydia, HIV, AIDS, cystitis, and other infections that concern the genitals. STD Clinics can also provide contraceptive service and offers advice and counselling on a range of sexual health issues, and also provide support if you're having an HIV test, or if you have been diagnosed as HIV positive.
Upon arriving for a check-up, you will reach the reception desk. You will then be asked to complete a registration form in order to prepare your case notes. Be sure to have all your previous notes and exam results with you for basis. Upon consultation, inform the practitioner of any medical histories you may have. Answer all the questions with all honesty, because it is your health and life on the line. Expect that some will be very personal, but they are necessary to determine whether you are at risk of any of the STDs.
Worried you might be infected with an STD, but don't know where to get a treatment? The easiest way is to go to your own practitioner. This is because he/she already knows your health history and is the best person to choose the right treatments for you. Sexual health clinics are usually located at your local hospital or as a part of another health center. If you are in doubt and could not ask around, you can go online and search for the nearest STD clinics in your area.
There are a number of reasons for visiting an STD Clinic, these include: 1) If you are experiencing symptoms of a sexually transmitted disease. 2) If your sexual partner/s have recently been diagnosed with an STD or are suffering from symptoms which might be from a sexually transmitted infection. 3) If you feel you have possibly been at risk of getting infected through sexual contact or injecting drug use. 4) People who come in to the clinic for a check-up with their partners at the start of a new sexual relationship.
During an STD Clinic appointment, it is very important to answer truthfully, as the tests you'll undergo will be based on the answers you provide. If you are unsure, be frank about it and explain that you want a clearer explanation about the questions asked. Some of the questions will be: 1) What are you really concerned about? 2) How many people have you had sex with recently and were they male or female (or both)? 3) What type of sex was it? (anal/oral,etc,)? 4) Have you ever been diagnosed with an STD before? 5) Are you taking any form of medication at the moment?
So now that you are in the STD Clinic, just what kind of procedures will be performed during your appointment? Here, you will be accompanied by a clinic staff throughout all the procedures you will be undergoing during the appointment. They will be implementing your laboratory examination. Internal disease tests and examination for your comprehensive health information is collected. Assessment of medical processes and results and the arrangement and conclusion of the check-up report will be prepared.
These sexual health clinics usually give you tests for sexual and urinary health problems such as sexually transmitted diseases like syphilis, gonorrhea, genital warts, Chlamydia, HIV, AIDS, cystitis, and other infections that concern the genitals. STD Clinics can also provide contraceptive service and offers advice and counselling on a range of sexual health issues, and also provide support if you're having an HIV test, or if you have been diagnosed as HIV positive.
Upon arriving for a check-up, you will reach the reception desk. You will then be asked to complete a registration form in order to prepare your case notes. Be sure to have all your previous notes and exam results with you for basis. Upon consultation, inform the practitioner of any medical histories you may have. Answer all the questions with all honesty, because it is your health and life on the line. Expect that some will be very personal, but they are necessary to determine whether you are at risk of any of the STDs.
Worried you might be infected with an STD, but don't know where to get a treatment? The easiest way is to go to your own practitioner. This is because he/she already knows your health history and is the best person to choose the right treatments for you. Sexual health clinics are usually located at your local hospital or as a part of another health center. If you are in doubt and could not ask around, you can go online and search for the nearest STD clinics in your area.
There are a number of reasons for visiting an STD Clinic, these include: 1) If you are experiencing symptoms of a sexually transmitted disease. 2) If your sexual partner/s have recently been diagnosed with an STD or are suffering from symptoms which might be from a sexually transmitted infection. 3) If you feel you have possibly been at risk of getting infected through sexual contact or injecting drug use. 4) People who come in to the clinic for a check-up with their partners at the start of a new sexual relationship.
During an STD Clinic appointment, it is very important to answer truthfully, as the tests you'll undergo will be based on the answers you provide. If you are unsure, be frank about it and explain that you want a clearer explanation about the questions asked. Some of the questions will be: 1) What are you really concerned about? 2) How many people have you had sex with recently and were they male or female (or both)? 3) What type of sex was it? (anal/oral,etc,)? 4) Have you ever been diagnosed with an STD before? 5) Are you taking any form of medication at the moment?
Don't wait call our toll-free number today to speak to one of our caring counselors.
Sunday, October 21, 2012
Affordable Health Care Options For Portland's Uninsured
Being self-employed artists for nearly a decade, my husband and I
know what it means to go without health insurance and health care. We
practice preventative medicine such as exercising, eating healthy foods
and taking vitamins, and we are both relatively healthy. Fortunately for
us and many others like us, when we have had health-related problems,
we are residents of Portland, Oregon. In Portland there exists a wealth
of medical resources for low income families, from dentistry to
chiropractics to alternative medicines. One such resource is The
Coalition of Community Health Clinics, a group of 13 clinics that offer
quality health care to Portland residents who are uninsured,
underinsured and who would otherwise have no access to health care or
necessary treatments. Most of the clinics bill patients on a sliding
scale based on household income and many offer free emergency services
for those who cannot afford to pay for medical care.
Here are just a few of the affordable options available to those who do not currently have health insurance or are underinsured:
The West Burnside Chiropractic Clinic is a teaching clinic of the Western States Chiropractic College, located in downtown Portland. They care for people with both acute and chronic musculoskeletal (back/neck) pain and the services are free or by donation. I discovered WBCC in 2005, while suffering from a herniated disc in my lower back. I was unable to sit for almost 6 months, and received treatment each week of that 6 months without charge. I continued to go for maintenance and flare-ups for the next few years. In 2008 I was back again with debilitating low back pain and, again, I received excellent care. This time, I was back to my old self within 6 weeks.
OHSU Family Medicine at Richmond is also a teaching clinic and is located in SE Portland. This clinic provides general medical services as well as chiropractic and acupuncture. Office visits for qualifying patients cost $25. Compare that to $120, which is what I paid the last time I took my child to a pediatrician for an ear infection!
The Outside In Medical Clinic, also located downtown, focuses mainly on Portland's homeless youth and adults, as well as other low-income patients. They provide social, medical and mental health services, and a variety of disciplines including western, Chinese and naturopathic. They charge a $10 minimum sliding scale fee per visit.
Here are just a few of the affordable options available to those who do not currently have health insurance or are underinsured:
The West Burnside Chiropractic Clinic is a teaching clinic of the Western States Chiropractic College, located in downtown Portland. They care for people with both acute and chronic musculoskeletal (back/neck) pain and the services are free or by donation. I discovered WBCC in 2005, while suffering from a herniated disc in my lower back. I was unable to sit for almost 6 months, and received treatment each week of that 6 months without charge. I continued to go for maintenance and flare-ups for the next few years. In 2008 I was back again with debilitating low back pain and, again, I received excellent care. This time, I was back to my old self within 6 weeks.
OHSU Family Medicine at Richmond is also a teaching clinic and is located in SE Portland. This clinic provides general medical services as well as chiropractic and acupuncture. Office visits for qualifying patients cost $25. Compare that to $120, which is what I paid the last time I took my child to a pediatrician for an ear infection!
The Outside In Medical Clinic, also located downtown, focuses mainly on Portland's homeless youth and adults, as well as other low-income patients. They provide social, medical and mental health services, and a variety of disciplines including western, Chinese and naturopathic. They charge a $10 minimum sliding scale fee per visit.
Walk In Clinic - What You Need To Know
Waiting for hours to get a badly twisted ankle taken care of is
not your idea of proper medical care, is it? In addition to the waiting
time, you would also have to pay a hefty fee for the same. Little wonder
that more and more people are opting for the services of a nearby walk
in clinic when they are hit with urgent but non-life threatening medical
problems.
A walk in clinic is a clinic where it is possible for patients to meet a doctor in a short period of time, sometimes in as little as 10 minutes or half an hour. Not only is the medical care fast and convenient, it is also inexpensive when compared to the highly expensive costs of care in a regular hospital.
To many patients, a walk in clinic is more or less like a first line of defense against a number of medical conditions, ranging from allergies and minor injuries to occupational injuries and chronic illnesses. The same applies to routine check-ups and immunization shots. According to one patient, Jim Pooley, "The walk in clinic is the best place to go to if you want a doctor to examine you to make sure that the condition is or is not serious enough for a second opinion with your regular doctor."
Many people go to walk in clinics for conditions such as allergies, symptoms of flu, ear infection, bronchitis or cough, minor bruises, minor burns, sore throat, sprains, minor fractures and so on.
Walk in clinics are known by many names including urgent health care centers or retail health clinics. They have been around since the late 1970s when doctors became aware of the patient's need for convenient, quick and affordable health care for issues that were non-urgent but pressing nonetheless. However, walk in clinics really took off after 2006 when huge corporations like Walgreens and Wal-Mart opened shop with retail health clinics in their stores. Today, walk in clinics may be found in huge drugstores, malls and megastores, which is an indication of their huge popularity.
There are several reasons for this increase in popularity of walk in health clinics. One of the most important factors is inaccessibility to affordable and timely health care. According to a survey, approximately 42% of people who met a primary care physician could meet with a doctor only after a week. Figures such as these only go to show the pressing need for accessibility and convenience when it comes to primary health care.
When checking out the right walk in health clinic in your area of residence, make sure that you approach a facility that has experienced professionals at the helm.
A walk in clinic is a clinic where it is possible for patients to meet a doctor in a short period of time, sometimes in as little as 10 minutes or half an hour. Not only is the medical care fast and convenient, it is also inexpensive when compared to the highly expensive costs of care in a regular hospital.
To many patients, a walk in clinic is more or less like a first line of defense against a number of medical conditions, ranging from allergies and minor injuries to occupational injuries and chronic illnesses. The same applies to routine check-ups and immunization shots. According to one patient, Jim Pooley, "The walk in clinic is the best place to go to if you want a doctor to examine you to make sure that the condition is or is not serious enough for a second opinion with your regular doctor."
Many people go to walk in clinics for conditions such as allergies, symptoms of flu, ear infection, bronchitis or cough, minor bruises, minor burns, sore throat, sprains, minor fractures and so on.
Walk in clinics are known by many names including urgent health care centers or retail health clinics. They have been around since the late 1970s when doctors became aware of the patient's need for convenient, quick and affordable health care for issues that were non-urgent but pressing nonetheless. However, walk in clinics really took off after 2006 when huge corporations like Walgreens and Wal-Mart opened shop with retail health clinics in their stores. Today, walk in clinics may be found in huge drugstores, malls and megastores, which is an indication of their huge popularity.
There are several reasons for this increase in popularity of walk in health clinics. One of the most important factors is inaccessibility to affordable and timely health care. According to a survey, approximately 42% of people who met a primary care physician could meet with a doctor only after a week. Figures such as these only go to show the pressing need for accessibility and convenience when it comes to primary health care.
When checking out the right walk in health clinic in your area of residence, make sure that you approach a facility that has experienced professionals at the helm.
Health Insurance: 10 Ways To Reduce Health Insurance Quotes!
With today's Health Care Reform in process, people are in fear of
rising Health Insurance Costs. So looking for ways to reduce health
insurance and health care costs is at the top of everyone's list these
days. Who wouldn't want to pay less money for the same health care, or
better? Here are ten ways to reduce health insurance premium costs.
1. Find an HSA plan that's right for you. - These medical savings accounts are money pools you create by depositing 'before tax' income. You can then withdraw funds from the account for medically necessary items. This can include anything from office calls to prescriptions to over-the-counter allergy medicines. This is a 'before taxes' account, which saves you money right up front. These accounts give you a place to keep money, tax free, to pay for your deductible and co-payments, as well as medical and health related supplies.
2. Quit smoking or using nicotine of any kind - Smoking and chewing tobacco drives up insurance costs because there are associated health risks. When you quit your usage of nicotine products, you will not only feel better, but you will see your health insurance costs drop drastically.
3. Lose weight - Obesity is an ever-increasing concern with health insurance companies. Obesity can lead to health problems such as high cholesterol and diabetes, as well as back, hip, and knee problems. Many health insurance companies offer discounts if you are participating in a fitness program on a regular basis.
4. Higher deductible - The obvious way to lower personal health insurance costs is to assume a higher deductible. This will take more of the burden off the insurance company, which will mean they can charge less for your premiums.
5. Higher co-pay - Along with taking a higher deductible, assuming a higher co-payment amount will reduce the premium the insurance company will charge for your benefits. Instead of paying $20 per visit, see if there is a plan for $30 per visit, or more. Look at your past experience with office calls to see if you could save over the life of the policy in premiums charged using a higher co-pay.
6. Keep diabetes in check - Having regular blood work done to check for diabetes is essential to save on insurance costs. Having these routine check-ups can also offer the added benefit of getting proper medical attention if something does happen to surface. Keeping diabetes in check by maintaining a proper diet and fitness program can also help lower your rate. If you can keep your diabetes in check without medication, the insurance company does not have to pay for supplies, which means lower premium costs to you.
7. Improve your credit score - Many insurance companies actually pull your FICO score in order to determine what your premiums will be. Improving your credit scores will show the insurance companies you are a good investment. Higher FICO Scores = Lower Monthly Payments
8. Buy generic - Generic medications cost much less to produce and to distribute, and the savings are passed on to you. Also, some insurance policies no longer cover name brand drugs, so if you want the well-known 'label' you'll pay the extra cost right out of your pocket.
9. Use walk in clinics - Walk in health clinics, or 'retail clinics' are popping up all over. You'll find clinics in malls, drug stores and even in large retail outlets. These clinics offer simple services like vaccines, routine checkups and even blood work, all without an appointment. Check their rates and compare to your primary physicians office. You may be surprised what you can save.
10. Use urgent care clinics - Urgent care clinics are similar to an emergency room, but without much of the specialized equipment. These clinics are more suited to everyday emergencies, like issues requiring x-rays, bandages and stitches, but not for surgeries. Many times, these smaller clinics are much cheaper than going to a full fledged emergency room and have a lower co-payment because they bill as a clinic instead of an emergency care facility
1. Find an HSA plan that's right for you. - These medical savings accounts are money pools you create by depositing 'before tax' income. You can then withdraw funds from the account for medically necessary items. This can include anything from office calls to prescriptions to over-the-counter allergy medicines. This is a 'before taxes' account, which saves you money right up front. These accounts give you a place to keep money, tax free, to pay for your deductible and co-payments, as well as medical and health related supplies.
2. Quit smoking or using nicotine of any kind - Smoking and chewing tobacco drives up insurance costs because there are associated health risks. When you quit your usage of nicotine products, you will not only feel better, but you will see your health insurance costs drop drastically.
3. Lose weight - Obesity is an ever-increasing concern with health insurance companies. Obesity can lead to health problems such as high cholesterol and diabetes, as well as back, hip, and knee problems. Many health insurance companies offer discounts if you are participating in a fitness program on a regular basis.
4. Higher deductible - The obvious way to lower personal health insurance costs is to assume a higher deductible. This will take more of the burden off the insurance company, which will mean they can charge less for your premiums.
5. Higher co-pay - Along with taking a higher deductible, assuming a higher co-payment amount will reduce the premium the insurance company will charge for your benefits. Instead of paying $20 per visit, see if there is a plan for $30 per visit, or more. Look at your past experience with office calls to see if you could save over the life of the policy in premiums charged using a higher co-pay.
6. Keep diabetes in check - Having regular blood work done to check for diabetes is essential to save on insurance costs. Having these routine check-ups can also offer the added benefit of getting proper medical attention if something does happen to surface. Keeping diabetes in check by maintaining a proper diet and fitness program can also help lower your rate. If you can keep your diabetes in check without medication, the insurance company does not have to pay for supplies, which means lower premium costs to you.
7. Improve your credit score - Many insurance companies actually pull your FICO score in order to determine what your premiums will be. Improving your credit scores will show the insurance companies you are a good investment. Higher FICO Scores = Lower Monthly Payments
8. Buy generic - Generic medications cost much less to produce and to distribute, and the savings are passed on to you. Also, some insurance policies no longer cover name brand drugs, so if you want the well-known 'label' you'll pay the extra cost right out of your pocket.
9. Use walk in clinics - Walk in health clinics, or 'retail clinics' are popping up all over. You'll find clinics in malls, drug stores and even in large retail outlets. These clinics offer simple services like vaccines, routine checkups and even blood work, all without an appointment. Check their rates and compare to your primary physicians office. You may be surprised what you can save.
10. Use urgent care clinics - Urgent care clinics are similar to an emergency room, but without much of the specialized equipment. These clinics are more suited to everyday emergencies, like issues requiring x-rays, bandages and stitches, but not for surgeries. Many times, these smaller clinics are much cheaper than going to a full fledged emergency room and have a lower co-payment because they bill as a clinic instead of an emergency care facility
Saturday, October 20, 2012
Why Do I Need a GUM Clinic?
GUM clinic stands for Genito Urinary Medicine Clinic. These are
also sometimes known as Sexual Health Clinics. If you have a sexual
health problem, then you can either go to your GP or attend a sexual
health walk in clinic.
Many people prefer the anonymity of a walk in clinic and may even prefer to attend a walk in clinic in another town.
When should you seek advice?
It is time to contact a clinic or your local GP if you experience the following symptoms
In the UK, the options are to get free testing via the National Health Service (NHS) or to arrange for private testing.
Clinics offer more than just sexual health testing though. They frequently offer services such as post exposure prophylaxis. Post exposure prohylaxis is a treatment that may stop you becoming HIV positive if you have been exposed to the virus.
They may also offer HIV services for clients living with the condition and counselling for those who have suffered sexual assault.
Many people prefer the anonymity of a walk in clinic and may even prefer to attend a walk in clinic in another town.
When should you seek advice?
It is time to contact a clinic or your local GP if you experience the following symptoms
- Itching or swelling around vagina or penis
- Discharge from around vagina or penis
- Frequent urination
- Pain in urination
- Pain during sex
- Lumps or blisters around vagina or penis
- Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) including Chlamydia, Gonorrhoea and Syphilis
- HIV testing
- Cystitis
- Genital Warts
- Genital Herpes
- Hepatitis
In the UK, the options are to get free testing via the National Health Service (NHS) or to arrange for private testing.
Clinics offer more than just sexual health testing though. They frequently offer services such as post exposure prophylaxis. Post exposure prohylaxis is a treatment that may stop you becoming HIV positive if you have been exposed to the virus.
They may also offer HIV services for clients living with the condition and counselling for those who have suffered sexual assault.
What Exactly is a GUM Clinic?
If you'd never encountered the term GUM clinic before, you could
be forgiven for thinking that it was a surgery where you'd go to seek
the services of a dental hygienist. But once you discover that the
letters GUM stand for (Genito-Urinary Medicine), you'll quickly realise
that GUM clinics are in fact sexual health clinics, and thus fulfil a
rather different role!
So what exactly does "genito-urinary medicine" mean? And what happens at a GUM clinic?
As its name suggests, genito-urinary medicine deals with the urinary system and the male and female sex organs. At a GUM clinic, medical professionals will be able to test you for STIs and then prescribe appropriate treatment if you are unfortunate enough to have contracted an infection.
You can also be tested for various UTIs (urinary tract infections), including the bladder infection known as cystitis and the urethra infection known as urethritis. As any cystitis sufferer will testify, this condition can cause extreme discomfort, so it is comforting to know that treatments are available to help alleviate the condition's unpleasant symptoms, which include a painful burning sensation experienced when urinating.
Thrush (or "candida," to give it its proper medical name) and other infections of the genital area can also be diagnosed and treated at a GUM centre. All advice and treatment is administered free of charge, and information is always handled in complete confidence. This means that you can speak with GUM clinic staff frankly and openly, safe in the knowledge that anything you tell them will not be passed on to any third parties.
Sexual health clinics are often, but not always, located at a hospital or in a health centre. The range of sexual health services that these clinics provide is extensive. Services include HIV testing and counselling, contraception and contraception advice, testing and treatment for STIs, emergency contraception as well as contraception advice.
So whatever your query regarding sexual health, you'll find trained experts at your local GUM clinic who can answer all your questions regarding genito-urinary issues. If you do have any concerns, a visit to a GUM clinic could allay your fears or help you to deal with any problem that you may have.
Do bear in mind that some sexually transmitted infections don't exhibit any symptoms, but if your regular partner has been diagnosed with an STI or you have had unprotected sex, it would definitely be worth having a check-up.
Chlamydia, for example, is one STI that often remains symptomless, but one that it really pays to catch early. Once diagnosed, it can be treated quickly and effectively, thereby reducing the risks of long-term damage to the female reproductive system. However, if left untreated, it carries a long-term risk of infertility, which may well cause heartbreak a few years down the line, just when you're ready to settle down and hoping to start a family.
If you want to find STI testing services in your local area, you can check online using your postcode. Alternatively, you could consult the phone book under Sexual Health. If, on the other hand, you're concerned that you might attend a centre where someone could recognise you, you can equally well be tested at a clinic that's further afield, as GUM clinics are located the length and breadth of the UK.
So what exactly does "genito-urinary medicine" mean? And what happens at a GUM clinic?
As its name suggests, genito-urinary medicine deals with the urinary system and the male and female sex organs. At a GUM clinic, medical professionals will be able to test you for STIs and then prescribe appropriate treatment if you are unfortunate enough to have contracted an infection.
You can also be tested for various UTIs (urinary tract infections), including the bladder infection known as cystitis and the urethra infection known as urethritis. As any cystitis sufferer will testify, this condition can cause extreme discomfort, so it is comforting to know that treatments are available to help alleviate the condition's unpleasant symptoms, which include a painful burning sensation experienced when urinating.
Thrush (or "candida," to give it its proper medical name) and other infections of the genital area can also be diagnosed and treated at a GUM centre. All advice and treatment is administered free of charge, and information is always handled in complete confidence. This means that you can speak with GUM clinic staff frankly and openly, safe in the knowledge that anything you tell them will not be passed on to any third parties.
Sexual health clinics are often, but not always, located at a hospital or in a health centre. The range of sexual health services that these clinics provide is extensive. Services include HIV testing and counselling, contraception and contraception advice, testing and treatment for STIs, emergency contraception as well as contraception advice.
So whatever your query regarding sexual health, you'll find trained experts at your local GUM clinic who can answer all your questions regarding genito-urinary issues. If you do have any concerns, a visit to a GUM clinic could allay your fears or help you to deal with any problem that you may have.
Do bear in mind that some sexually transmitted infections don't exhibit any symptoms, but if your regular partner has been diagnosed with an STI or you have had unprotected sex, it would definitely be worth having a check-up.
Chlamydia, for example, is one STI that often remains symptomless, but one that it really pays to catch early. Once diagnosed, it can be treated quickly and effectively, thereby reducing the risks of long-term damage to the female reproductive system. However, if left untreated, it carries a long-term risk of infertility, which may well cause heartbreak a few years down the line, just when you're ready to settle down and hoping to start a family.
If you want to find STI testing services in your local area, you can check online using your postcode. Alternatively, you could consult the phone book under Sexual Health. If, on the other hand, you're concerned that you might attend a centre where someone could recognise you, you can equally well be tested at a clinic that's further afield, as GUM clinics are located the length and breadth of the UK.
Health Institution
The Clinic is a Health Institution where you can keep yourself healthy.
A health clinic is not only for sick people but also for those people who want to stay healthy and fit. The health clinic is one of the best places to get information on how to take of your body and avoid illnesses. Doctors do not just cure diseases, they also help prevent diseases that are why even if you are healthy, and you will still need to see your doctor every now and then.
A lot of people would freak with the though of visiting a health clinic. For some reason, a visit to the health clinic is automatically associated with getting ill and those uncomfortable if not painful test that the good doctor would perform on you to determine what is wrong with you. For people who have some morbid fear of the needle, going to the health clinic and the prospect of getting a shot is so traumatic that they would rather forego the visit and go somewhere else, preferably very far from the health clinic.
Now, you don't really have to run as fast as you can away from the health clinic. Always remember that in order to stay healthy and fit, you need to visit the health clinic every now and then even if you don't feel ill.
It is always favorable to the person to prevent the disease instead of letting the disease contaminate your body before you seek assistance from a health clinic. The good thing about seeing your doctor periodically even if you are not feeling ill is that your doctor could prevent diseases from entering your body. There are instances where you don't really feel unwell but you are already harboring some serious diseases in your system. If you go to the health clinic regularly for routine check-ups, the disease lurking in your body could be discovered and cured before it can do some damage.
Furthermore, catching a disease at the earliest possible time could save your life.
A health clinic is not only for sick people but also for those people who want to stay healthy and fit. The health clinic is one of the best places to get information on how to take of your body and avoid illnesses. Doctors do not just cure diseases, they also help prevent diseases that are why even if you are healthy, and you will still need to see your doctor every now and then.
A lot of people would freak with the though of visiting a health clinic. For some reason, a visit to the health clinic is automatically associated with getting ill and those uncomfortable if not painful test that the good doctor would perform on you to determine what is wrong with you. For people who have some morbid fear of the needle, going to the health clinic and the prospect of getting a shot is so traumatic that they would rather forego the visit and go somewhere else, preferably very far from the health clinic.
Now, you don't really have to run as fast as you can away from the health clinic. Always remember that in order to stay healthy and fit, you need to visit the health clinic every now and then even if you don't feel ill.
It is always favorable to the person to prevent the disease instead of letting the disease contaminate your body before you seek assistance from a health clinic. The good thing about seeing your doctor periodically even if you are not feeling ill is that your doctor could prevent diseases from entering your body. There are instances where you don't really feel unwell but you are already harboring some serious diseases in your system. If you go to the health clinic regularly for routine check-ups, the disease lurking in your body could be discovered and cured before it can do some damage.
Furthermore, catching a disease at the earliest possible time could save your life.
Believing in good balanced diet, taking vitamins and minerals.
Daily exercise, yoga, stretching, breathing exercises, drinking enough
water, meditation, relaxation, positive thinking, and trying to be happy
Friday, October 19, 2012
Mental Health - Is Your Diagnosis Accurate, a Problem Or a Result?
Life can be confusing and complex. Sometimes I have clients begin
therapy with me after they have been given a diagnosis for a mental
illness. They do not always believe or understand the way that this
diagnosis was determined or even think that it is accurate. Their
"depression" or "anxiety" or "ADHD" might not actually be the "problem"
or might become an additional problem to the original one with time.
When people tell me that their "problem" is divorce, or anger or not getting enough sex I usually help them to understand that these things are usually the "result" of other problems. For example, divorce can be the result of not having a good relationship, anger could be the result of not having good coping skills to deal with life and "not getting enough sex" can be the result of poor communications or lack of intimacy.
People who have been diagnosed with anxiety or depression also can be focussing on treatment for what is not the underlying problem. There have been many employees and professionals, for example, who improved their work relationships or business practices and found that their "mental health" symptoms disappeared.
Please don't misunderstand me. A mental illness diagnosis can be a result of not being able to develop strategies to deal with original problems. But, they can also be given in error when a person is actually suffering from overwork, physical illnesses or inability to deal with loss.
I remember very clearly when a school official asked me to talk with a "rebellious" teen who had moved three days previously and refused to communicate or participate in class. His rebellion was revealed to be anger and sadness because his grandfather had died just before the move and the boy's father refused to take him to the funeral.
When people are referred to me for "anger management" I don't introduce a workbook or strategy. I want first of all want to know why the person is angry. The cause might lead the therapy in a totally different direction.
It's true that people can be misdiagnosed but, it is also important to know that when problems are not dealt with in a healthy manner, they can lead to mental illness. The key to good therapy therefore requires excellent assessment as well as appropriate intervention.
When people tell me that their "problem" is divorce, or anger or not getting enough sex I usually help them to understand that these things are usually the "result" of other problems. For example, divorce can be the result of not having a good relationship, anger could be the result of not having good coping skills to deal with life and "not getting enough sex" can be the result of poor communications or lack of intimacy.
People who have been diagnosed with anxiety or depression also can be focussing on treatment for what is not the underlying problem. There have been many employees and professionals, for example, who improved their work relationships or business practices and found that their "mental health" symptoms disappeared.
Please don't misunderstand me. A mental illness diagnosis can be a result of not being able to develop strategies to deal with original problems. But, they can also be given in error when a person is actually suffering from overwork, physical illnesses or inability to deal with loss.
I remember very clearly when a school official asked me to talk with a "rebellious" teen who had moved three days previously and refused to communicate or participate in class. His rebellion was revealed to be anger and sadness because his grandfather had died just before the move and the boy's father refused to take him to the funeral.
When people are referred to me for "anger management" I don't introduce a workbook or strategy. I want first of all want to know why the person is angry. The cause might lead the therapy in a totally different direction.
It's true that people can be misdiagnosed but, it is also important to know that when problems are not dealt with in a healthy manner, they can lead to mental illness. The key to good therapy therefore requires excellent assessment as well as appropriate intervention.
Marketing Your Health Clinic
It seems to be the case that many of the people who are attracted
into the healing professions are not necessarily the most
business-minded of people. This is a generalization, of course, but
after coaching with osteopaths, chiropractors, masseurs, sports
therapists, fitness trainers and many others in similar fields it would
appear to be the case. The idea of selling yourself and letting the
world know who you are and what you do is not appealing to everyone, but
it is nonetheless vital in establishing a great, profitable business.
So what makes a successful healthcare practice? I would argue that foremost it is marketing. There, I've said it. Marketing. Probably one of the most disliked words I hear from colleagues and coaching clients.
What does marketing mean to you? If you are answering: adverts, yellow pages, expensive, waste of money, then you're probably just being misled by the media portrayal of the marketing industry.
Because marketing is so much more than that...
Every time you see a patient you are engaged in marketing
Every time you speak to a friend, or an acquaintance you are marketing
Every time you even speak to a stranger about what it is that you do, you are marketing.
Sure there are the established ways of advertising and promotional activities, but there are so many more ways to market yourself and your healthcare practice.
In her book on client attraction "Get Clients Now", CJ Hayden identifies 6 main ways to market yourself if you are a solo professional. She also lists them in terms of their effectiveness. The list looks like this:
1) direct contact
2) networking/ referral
3) public speaking
4) writing
5) promotional activity (PR)
6) advertising
What this means is that the most effective ways to attract new patients into your practice are direct contact with possible patients and a good networking/ referral scheme for patients to hear about you. In both these cases you establish not just visibility, but also credibility. When it comes to advertising and PR, you have visibility without credibility - you may say you're the best osteopath in Europe but you would say that wouldn't you? This isn't to say that PR and advertising don't work, but rather that they are perhaps not as effective as the other methods.
What does this mean to us as therapists then? Well first and foremost it means that we could adapt a marketing strategy based entirely around networking with local Doctors (for example), which may be highly cost efficient and also extremely effective. You don't have to take out high price ads in local papers. Perhaps rather than just advertising in your paper, you could write articles for it, being a health specialist in an area of interest. Or give talks in your area of expertise to groups of people who fall into your "ideal patient" profile. The more you can expose your potential patients to your services the busier your practice will become.
Always remember that there are a variety of ways to market your healthcare business and many of them won't cost you a single penny.
So what makes a successful healthcare practice? I would argue that foremost it is marketing. There, I've said it. Marketing. Probably one of the most disliked words I hear from colleagues and coaching clients.
What does marketing mean to you? If you are answering: adverts, yellow pages, expensive, waste of money, then you're probably just being misled by the media portrayal of the marketing industry.
Because marketing is so much more than that...
Every time you see a patient you are engaged in marketing
Every time you speak to a friend, or an acquaintance you are marketing
Every time you even speak to a stranger about what it is that you do, you are marketing.
Sure there are the established ways of advertising and promotional activities, but there are so many more ways to market yourself and your healthcare practice.
In her book on client attraction "Get Clients Now", CJ Hayden identifies 6 main ways to market yourself if you are a solo professional. She also lists them in terms of their effectiveness. The list looks like this:
1) direct contact
2) networking/ referral
3) public speaking
4) writing
5) promotional activity (PR)
6) advertising
What this means is that the most effective ways to attract new patients into your practice are direct contact with possible patients and a good networking/ referral scheme for patients to hear about you. In both these cases you establish not just visibility, but also credibility. When it comes to advertising and PR, you have visibility without credibility - you may say you're the best osteopath in Europe but you would say that wouldn't you? This isn't to say that PR and advertising don't work, but rather that they are perhaps not as effective as the other methods.
What does this mean to us as therapists then? Well first and foremost it means that we could adapt a marketing strategy based entirely around networking with local Doctors (for example), which may be highly cost efficient and also extremely effective. You don't have to take out high price ads in local papers. Perhaps rather than just advertising in your paper, you could write articles for it, being a health specialist in an area of interest. Or give talks in your area of expertise to groups of people who fall into your "ideal patient" profile. The more you can expose your potential patients to your services the busier your practice will become.
Always remember that there are a variety of ways to market your healthcare business and many of them won't cost you a single penny.
Andre Duquemin spent hundreds of hours and far too much money
building his own health practice. Now he works with other health
professionals to help them avoid making the same expensive mistakes he
did. Andre believes in building health practices with integrity and is
firmly against any hard-sell marketing methods.
Pregnancy and Mental Health Issues
Pregnancy is often portrayed as being a happy time in films and
the media, but the reality does not always match up to this. Hormone
changes, the overwhelming feelings of such a life changing situation and
the sickness, tiredness and discomfort can all add up to create a lot
of stress and misery. For some pregnant women, estimated to be around 1
in 7, this will go beyond occasional periods of feeling down or stressed
and become a clinical disorder.
Depression is the mood disorder most associated with pregnancy. People with a history of the illness are likely to suffer a relapse during their pregnancy unless receiving the proper medical care and support. It is particularly important to speak to your family doctor as soon as you start trying for a baby if you are already taking anti-depressants as many medications pose a low to moderate risk to the unborn child.
Anxiety disorders are also more common among pregnant women. Fears most commonly relate to the health of the baby or the pain of labour, and worries about whether they will be able to cope with the demands of parenting. Women are also at increased risk of suffering a panic attack or developing a panic disorder during pregnancy, particularly during the first trimester when the HCG levels are increasing so rapidly.
Pregnant women are often afraid to seek medical help if they develop depression or anxiety as they fear, wrongly, that people will judge them as being mentally unfit to be a parent. But it is essential to seek treatment as soon as possible for the sake of both the mother and the child. Hormonal changes after the birth, as well as factors such as the sleep deprivation that comes with a newborn, can tip mild depression or anxiety into a much more serious mental illness. It is also in the baby's interest for the mother to seek treatment as studies have linked anxiety and depression during pregnancy to an increased risk of low birth weight babies, premature labour and the child developing mental health problems in later life.
There are a variety of treatment options available. The first is medication. Your family doctor can prescribe a drug which carries a low risk to the unborn child, but unless the depression or anxiety is severe it is usually best to seek out alternative treatments. Natural remedies should be avoided during pregnancy and breast feeding.
The most effective treatment is counselling or cognitive behaviour therapy. This tackles the root of the problem rather than just relieving the symptoms, and there is no risk of unpleasant side effects or harm to the baby. Your doctor will be able to arrange this for you, although availability and waiting lists will depend on where you live.
Positive life style changes such as eating healthily and taking moderate exercise are beneficial as they have mood boosting properties. Anything that promotes relaxation, such as meditation, pregnancy yoga or even just making time for a favourite hobby are also essential to relieve stress, and help overcome the disorder.
Depression is the mood disorder most associated with pregnancy. People with a history of the illness are likely to suffer a relapse during their pregnancy unless receiving the proper medical care and support. It is particularly important to speak to your family doctor as soon as you start trying for a baby if you are already taking anti-depressants as many medications pose a low to moderate risk to the unborn child.
Anxiety disorders are also more common among pregnant women. Fears most commonly relate to the health of the baby or the pain of labour, and worries about whether they will be able to cope with the demands of parenting. Women are also at increased risk of suffering a panic attack or developing a panic disorder during pregnancy, particularly during the first trimester when the HCG levels are increasing so rapidly.
Pregnant women are often afraid to seek medical help if they develop depression or anxiety as they fear, wrongly, that people will judge them as being mentally unfit to be a parent. But it is essential to seek treatment as soon as possible for the sake of both the mother and the child. Hormonal changes after the birth, as well as factors such as the sleep deprivation that comes with a newborn, can tip mild depression or anxiety into a much more serious mental illness. It is also in the baby's interest for the mother to seek treatment as studies have linked anxiety and depression during pregnancy to an increased risk of low birth weight babies, premature labour and the child developing mental health problems in later life.
There are a variety of treatment options available. The first is medication. Your family doctor can prescribe a drug which carries a low risk to the unborn child, but unless the depression or anxiety is severe it is usually best to seek out alternative treatments. Natural remedies should be avoided during pregnancy and breast feeding.
The most effective treatment is counselling or cognitive behaviour therapy. This tackles the root of the problem rather than just relieving the symptoms, and there is no risk of unpleasant side effects or harm to the baby. Your doctor will be able to arrange this for you, although availability and waiting lists will depend on where you live.
Positive life style changes such as eating healthily and taking moderate exercise are beneficial as they have mood boosting properties. Anything that promotes relaxation, such as meditation, pregnancy yoga or even just making time for a favourite hobby are also essential to relieve stress, and help overcome the disorder.
Thursday, October 18, 2012
The Importance of Visiting a Travel Vaccination Clinic
Nowadays, more people are able to visit countries in all corners
of the Earth because they have greater spending power and lower
traveling costs. The number of worldwide air travelers has been
increasing every year. From 4.1 billion in 2005, the figure has risen to
about 5.2 billion in 2010 and it's forecasted to reach almost 9.1
billion in 2025. With budget airlines and budget accommodations, people
can afford to go almost everywhere they wish. Perhaps, you are planning a
vacation to a faraway country in South Africa, Asia, Africa or Europe?
Well, the most important thing is to make early preparations and plan
your trip as meticulously as possible. In the haste to get the best air
ticket deal and the best accommodation, sometimes, people neglect the
most important thing, which is health. This is the main reason why it's
best that you visit a travel clinic before you embark on your journey.
Peace of Mind
Whether you are traveling for pleasure or business, it's essential to have good health. When you visit a travel clinic, you will have the peace of mind that you will not be infected by the various diseases found in the foreign country. Many people travel to Peru to experience wonderful attractions like the Machu Picchu, Nazca, Colca Canyon, Inca Trail, Batan Grande, and Huacachina. Imagine traveling all the way to Peru, all ready to enjoy the vacation of your life when without warning, you contract malaria, which may be a deadly disease. To be treated, you will have to be hospitalized, and even after you recover, it's doubtful that you will want to continue the journey because your enthusiasm may be gone. If you are traveling with your family or friends, they will be worried and the entire trip will be a grand disaster. Is it worth it? Malaria is preventable with just a prescription antimalarial drug. In Peru, there's also the risk of yellow fever, rabies, typhoid, hepatitis B, and others. There are various health risks for travelers to each different country so it's best to pay a visit to a travel vaccination clinic to find out more.
Vaccinations
One of the main reasons why people go to travel clinics is to get the necessary vaccinations. In some African and South American countries, travelers are required to get yellow fever vaccination before they are allowed to enter the countries. If you are traveling to these countries, the travel doctor will recommend that you get yellow fever immunization because it's the best way to prevent the disease, which can be life-threatening. Other diseases which can be prevented with vaccines are hepatitis A & B, European tick-borne encephalitis, typhoid, influenza, cholera, polio, Japanese encephalitis, and rabies. Travelers are advised to be up-to-date with their routine shots such as MMR vaccine, DPT vaccine, poliovirus vaccine, and so on. It's best to visit a travel clinic at least 4 to 6 weeks prior to departure to the foreign country.
Professional Advice
Visiting a foreign country is very exciting because there's so much to discover about the country but that's no excuse for being unprepared. Just as you will go to a dental clinic for a dental problem, you should go to a travel vaccination clinic to find out about the health risks associated with a foreign country. The doctors who practice in health clinics are best-equipped to provide professional advice and recommendations in regards to the country you are planning to visit. Other than vaccinations, they can also inform you about the safety of food and water in the foreign country as well as the best hospitals or clinics, the risks of sexually transmitted diseases, medical expenses, medical insurance, and more. It's important to remember that each country is different so the doctor at the travel clinic will make recommendations according to your travel itinerary. For instance, the water supply in many developing countries is not sufficiently clean so you have to bring your own portable water filter or iodine tablets and you may contract a parasitic infection known as schistosomiasis in the fresh water of some countries. What kind of medication should you bring along? A specialist at the travel vaccination clinic will give you all the necessary health information about any country you wish to go.
When you plan to go on a vacation to a foreign country, you are not just investing financially in the air tickets, car rental, hotels, and tickets to visit places of interests but more importantly, you are investing your time and effort to make it a memorable trip.
Peace of Mind
Whether you are traveling for pleasure or business, it's essential to have good health. When you visit a travel clinic, you will have the peace of mind that you will not be infected by the various diseases found in the foreign country. Many people travel to Peru to experience wonderful attractions like the Machu Picchu, Nazca, Colca Canyon, Inca Trail, Batan Grande, and Huacachina. Imagine traveling all the way to Peru, all ready to enjoy the vacation of your life when without warning, you contract malaria, which may be a deadly disease. To be treated, you will have to be hospitalized, and even after you recover, it's doubtful that you will want to continue the journey because your enthusiasm may be gone. If you are traveling with your family or friends, they will be worried and the entire trip will be a grand disaster. Is it worth it? Malaria is preventable with just a prescription antimalarial drug. In Peru, there's also the risk of yellow fever, rabies, typhoid, hepatitis B, and others. There are various health risks for travelers to each different country so it's best to pay a visit to a travel vaccination clinic to find out more.
Vaccinations
One of the main reasons why people go to travel clinics is to get the necessary vaccinations. In some African and South American countries, travelers are required to get yellow fever vaccination before they are allowed to enter the countries. If you are traveling to these countries, the travel doctor will recommend that you get yellow fever immunization because it's the best way to prevent the disease, which can be life-threatening. Other diseases which can be prevented with vaccines are hepatitis A & B, European tick-borne encephalitis, typhoid, influenza, cholera, polio, Japanese encephalitis, and rabies. Travelers are advised to be up-to-date with their routine shots such as MMR vaccine, DPT vaccine, poliovirus vaccine, and so on. It's best to visit a travel clinic at least 4 to 6 weeks prior to departure to the foreign country.
Professional Advice
Visiting a foreign country is very exciting because there's so much to discover about the country but that's no excuse for being unprepared. Just as you will go to a dental clinic for a dental problem, you should go to a travel vaccination clinic to find out about the health risks associated with a foreign country. The doctors who practice in health clinics are best-equipped to provide professional advice and recommendations in regards to the country you are planning to visit. Other than vaccinations, they can also inform you about the safety of food and water in the foreign country as well as the best hospitals or clinics, the risks of sexually transmitted diseases, medical expenses, medical insurance, and more. It's important to remember that each country is different so the doctor at the travel clinic will make recommendations according to your travel itinerary. For instance, the water supply in many developing countries is not sufficiently clean so you have to bring your own portable water filter or iodine tablets and you may contract a parasitic infection known as schistosomiasis in the fresh water of some countries. What kind of medication should you bring along? A specialist at the travel vaccination clinic will give you all the necessary health information about any country you wish to go.
When you plan to go on a vacation to a foreign country, you are not just investing financially in the air tickets, car rental, hotels, and tickets to visit places of interests but more importantly, you are investing your time and effort to make it a memorable trip.
Everything You Need to Know About an STD Clinic
So you think you have an STD and would just want to rush over to
someone knowledgeable to ask for help? Before going to an STD clinic for
your check-up, there are a few things that you should first do and make
sure of. Be sure to have an appointment arranged to a minimum of 24
hours before the check-up for your check-up services to be organized
nicely. If you have had any test or examination results performed
previously, it is wise to bring them with you during the appointment.
Prepare yourself for special situations. Have your health care
practitioner informed if you are pregnant or have any doubts about the
issue before starting with any procedure.
So now that you are in the STD Clinic, just what kind of procedures will be performed during your appointment? Here, you will be accompanied by a clinic staff throughout all the procedures you will be undergoing during the appointment. They will be implementing your laboratory examination. Internal disease tests and examination for your comprehensive health information is collected. Assessment of medical processes and results and the arrangement and conclusion of the check-up report will be prepared.
These sexual health clinics usually give you tests for sexual and urinary health problems such as sexually transmitted diseases like syphilis, gonorrhea, genital warts, Chlamydia, HIV, AIDS, cystitis, and other infections that concern the genitals. STD Clinics can also provide contraceptive service and offers advice and counselling on a range of sexual health issues, and also provide support if you're having an HIV test, or if you have been diagnosed as HIV positive.
Upon arriving for a check-up, you will reach the reception desk. You will then be asked to complete a registration form in order to prepare your case notes. Be sure to have all your previous notes and exam results with you for basis. Upon consultation, inform the practitioner of any medical histories you may have. Answer all the questions with all honesty, because it is your health and life on the line. Expect that some will be very personal, but they are necessary to determine whether you are at risk of any of the STDs.
Worried you might be infected with an STD, but don't know where to get a treatment? The easiest way is to go to your own practitioner. This is because he/she already knows your health history and is the best person to choose the right treatments for you. Sexual health clinics are usually located at your local hospital or as a part of another health center. If you are in doubt and could not ask around, you can go online and search for the nearest STD clinics in your area.
There are a number of reasons for visiting an STD Clinic, these include: 1) If you are experiencing symptoms of a sexually transmitted disease. 2) If your sexual partner/s have recently been diagnosed with an STD or are suffering from symptoms which might be from a sexually transmitted infection. 3) If you feel you have possibly been at risk of getting infected through sexual contact or injecting drug use. 4) People who come in to the clinic for a check-up with their partners at the start of a new sexual relationship.
During an STD Clinic appointment, it is very important to answer truthfully, as the tests you'll undergo will be based on the answers you provide. If you are unsure, be frank about it and explain that you want a clearer explanation about the questions asked. Some of the questions will be: 1) What are you really concerned about? 2) How many people have you had sex with recently and were they male or female (or both)? 3) What type of sex was it? (anal/oral,etc,)? 4) Have you ever been diagnosed with an STD before? 5) Are you taking any form of medication at the moment?
So now that you are in the STD Clinic, just what kind of procedures will be performed during your appointment? Here, you will be accompanied by a clinic staff throughout all the procedures you will be undergoing during the appointment. They will be implementing your laboratory examination. Internal disease tests and examination for your comprehensive health information is collected. Assessment of medical processes and results and the arrangement and conclusion of the check-up report will be prepared.
These sexual health clinics usually give you tests for sexual and urinary health problems such as sexually transmitted diseases like syphilis, gonorrhea, genital warts, Chlamydia, HIV, AIDS, cystitis, and other infections that concern the genitals. STD Clinics can also provide contraceptive service and offers advice and counselling on a range of sexual health issues, and also provide support if you're having an HIV test, or if you have been diagnosed as HIV positive.
Upon arriving for a check-up, you will reach the reception desk. You will then be asked to complete a registration form in order to prepare your case notes. Be sure to have all your previous notes and exam results with you for basis. Upon consultation, inform the practitioner of any medical histories you may have. Answer all the questions with all honesty, because it is your health and life on the line. Expect that some will be very personal, but they are necessary to determine whether you are at risk of any of the STDs.
Worried you might be infected with an STD, but don't know where to get a treatment? The easiest way is to go to your own practitioner. This is because he/she already knows your health history and is the best person to choose the right treatments for you. Sexual health clinics are usually located at your local hospital or as a part of another health center. If you are in doubt and could not ask around, you can go online and search for the nearest STD clinics in your area.
There are a number of reasons for visiting an STD Clinic, these include: 1) If you are experiencing symptoms of a sexually transmitted disease. 2) If your sexual partner/s have recently been diagnosed with an STD or are suffering from symptoms which might be from a sexually transmitted infection. 3) If you feel you have possibly been at risk of getting infected through sexual contact or injecting drug use. 4) People who come in to the clinic for a check-up with their partners at the start of a new sexual relationship.
During an STD Clinic appointment, it is very important to answer truthfully, as the tests you'll undergo will be based on the answers you provide. If you are unsure, be frank about it and explain that you want a clearer explanation about the questions asked. Some of the questions will be: 1) What are you really concerned about? 2) How many people have you had sex with recently and were they male or female (or both)? 3) What type of sex was it? (anal/oral,etc,)? 4) Have you ever been diagnosed with an STD before? 5) Are you taking any form of medication at the moment?
Don't wait call our toll-free number today to speak to one of our caring counselors.
Affordable Health Care Options For Portland's Uninsured
eing self-employed artists for nearly a decade, my husband and I know
what it means to go without health insurance and health care. We
practice preventative medicine such as exercising, eating healthy foods
and taking vitamins, and we are both relatively healthy. Fortunately for
us and many others like us, when we have had health-related problems,
we are residents of Portland, Oregon. In Portland there exists a wealth
of medical resources for low income families, from dentistry to
chiropractics to alternative medicines. One such resource is The
Coalition of Community Health Clinics, a group of 13 clinics that offer
quality health care to Portland residents who are uninsured,
underinsured and who would otherwise have no access to health care or
necessary treatments. Most of the clinics bill patients on a sliding
scale based on household income and many offer free emergency services
for those who cannot afford to pay for medical care.
Here are just a few of the affordable options available to those who do not currently have health insurance or are underinsured:
The West Burnside Chiropractic Clinic is a teaching clinic of the Western States Chiropractic College, located in downtown Portland. They care for people with both acute and chronic musculoskeletal (back/neck) pain and the services are free or by donation. I discovered WBCC in 2005, while suffering from a herniated disc in my lower back. I was unable to sit for almost 6 months, and received treatment each week of that 6 months without charge. I continued to go for maintenance and flare-ups for the next few years. In 2008 I was back again with debilitating low back pain and, again, I received excellent care. This time, I was back to my old self within 6 weeks.
OHSU Family Medicine at Richmond is also a teaching clinic and is located in SE Portland. This clinic provides general medical services as well as chiropractic and acupuncture. Office visits for qualifying patients cost $25. Compare that to $120, which is what I paid the last time I took my child to a pediatrician for an ear infection!
The Outside In Medical Clinic, also located downtown, focuses mainly on Portland's homeless youth and adults, as well as other low-income patients. They provide social, medical and mental health services, and a variety of disciplines including western, Chinese and naturopathic. They charge a $10 minimum sliding scale fee per visit.
The goal of The Coalition of Community Health Clinics is to improve access to quality health care for underserved populations in Portland and the surrounding area.
Here are just a few of the affordable options available to those who do not currently have health insurance or are underinsured:
The West Burnside Chiropractic Clinic is a teaching clinic of the Western States Chiropractic College, located in downtown Portland. They care for people with both acute and chronic musculoskeletal (back/neck) pain and the services are free or by donation. I discovered WBCC in 2005, while suffering from a herniated disc in my lower back. I was unable to sit for almost 6 months, and received treatment each week of that 6 months without charge. I continued to go for maintenance and flare-ups for the next few years. In 2008 I was back again with debilitating low back pain and, again, I received excellent care. This time, I was back to my old self within 6 weeks.
OHSU Family Medicine at Richmond is also a teaching clinic and is located in SE Portland. This clinic provides general medical services as well as chiropractic and acupuncture. Office visits for qualifying patients cost $25. Compare that to $120, which is what I paid the last time I took my child to a pediatrician for an ear infection!
The Outside In Medical Clinic, also located downtown, focuses mainly on Portland's homeless youth and adults, as well as other low-income patients. They provide social, medical and mental health services, and a variety of disciplines including western, Chinese and naturopathic. They charge a $10 minimum sliding scale fee per visit.
The goal of The Coalition of Community Health Clinics is to improve access to quality health care for underserved populations in Portland and the surrounding area.
Wednesday, October 17, 2012
Health Insurance For Solo Entrepreneurs
One of the most important benefits employed people enjoy is health
insurance coverage. It is also the single most costly expense for
self-employed entrepreneurs. So what can you do to reduce ever
increasing costs of health care coverage? Here are a few tips.
1. If a medical bill seems excessive, try negotiating
Your doctor or the office manager who handles billing will probably be flexible, provided you make a valid case. When one woman in Texas was charged $900 for surgery and "consultation," she explained that she had visited the hospital just once, for surgery; her bill was promptly cut by $370.
2.. Contact a medical bill "auditor"
Several services have a medical bill "auditing" system that evaluates your medical bills to determine if errors occurred in the billing process. Considering that 97 percent of hospital medical bills contain errors, it's no wonder why out-of-pocket medical expenses are on the rise for consumers. Because the typical hospital bill is extremely complicated, often containing several hundred line-item charges, there is ample opportunity for computer mistakes and accidental human error. Do a Google search for medical bill auditors to find companies offering this service.
3. You may get a tax break on your medical bills
Keep all your medical bills together and add them up at tax time. If they exceed 7.5 percent of your adjusted gross income, you may deduct the excess. Please note that these items also may be included in the total: the cost of eye glasses, contact lenses, physical therapy, x-rays, hearing aids, psychiatric care, insurance and transportation to the hospital or doctor's office (at 30 cents a mile). There are phase-outs in some cases based on adjusted gross income. Check with your professional tax adviser.
4. Deduct 100% of your healthcare costs from your taxes
The IRS allows all self-employed to deduct 100% of health care costs from their taxes by using Section 105 of the Internal Revenue Code. To receive this deduction, you must do the following:
a) Hire your spouse as an employee of your business.
b) Have your spouse receive health insurance in his or her name, and include the family on the policy.
c) Pay your spouse a salary that will cover the costs of the insurance.
d) Talk to your tax professional about planning for Section 105 on your taxes.
We all know your spouse is active in your business. Now, you can equally recognize their contribution he or she makes - and get Uncle Sam to give you a tax break.
5. Help for families with kids -- CHIP
All states have established new programs that help lower income families with children to pay for health insurance for their kids. Financed partly by the federal government, the Children's Health Insurance Programs (CHIP) operate either as an expansion of the state's Medicaid program or a subsidy for basic private health insurance. Eligible families may be able to access coverage for their children at greatly reduced premiums which will vary depending upon family income. Contact your state Department of Health or Insurance for more information.
6. Shop around
Hospital costs vary widely, especially between urban and rural facilities. If your doctor has admitting privileges at more than one hospital, find out if you can be admitted to the one that's less expensive. Keep in mind that hospitals operated by non-profit foundations are usually less expensive than investor-owned, for profit hospitals. To find out how much your local hospitals charge, ask your doctor. Many states have Health Services Cost Review Commissions, which compile such data.
7. Check for free clinics in your community
You and your entire family can save hundreds of dollars by taking advantage of the many free screenings, immunizations, and other health clinics offered by your local community or a town near you. Numerous community hospitals and social services can provide blood pressure checks, shots for your children, free contraceptives and/or advice, and other preventative health care at little to no cost.
8. Get a second opinion out of town
Believe it or not, your chance of undergoing an expensive surgery or preventative procedure may depend solely on where you happen to live. Statistics show that the frequency in which certain medical procedures are performed varies widely from location to location. For example, residents of New Haven, Conn., are twice as likely to undergo a coronary bypass operation as residents of Boston, Mass. What's the reason for this discrepancy? One Dartmouth Medical School expert, John E. Wennberg, M.D., M.H.P., explains that certain operations are simply more fashionable in some parts of the United States than others. So, if you plan to get a second opinion prior to surgery, consider going to a specialist in another city. In addition, try to find out what the surgery rates for your procedure are in different cities. HealthAllies.com also offers this service online. To get the names of second-opinion doctors in your region, call the U.S. government's toll-free second-opinion hotline at 1-800-638-6833.
9. Don't pay double for a second opinion
As you make arrangements for a second opinion, ask your doctor to send copies of your medical records, x-rays, and lab tests to the second-opinion doctor. These tests don't need duplication; your second doctor will have the information he or she needs - and you don't pay double.
10. Emotional stability
Your mental health is equally important as your physical health. Do you have blue days once in awhile, or struggle with gray winters? St. John's Wort, an over-the-counter herbal supplement, has been proven to increase positive moods. Before rushing to your family physician for medication to make you feel better, try supplements with a combination of expressing your feelings with friends and a healthy lifestyle. Mood stabilizers are some of the most costly medications on the market today. However, you should be aware of the signs of stress or even depression. Give yourself a simple screening test:
11. Order your prescription drugs by phone, web or mail
There are many discount prescription drug benefits available for a modest cost. Communicating for Agriculture and the Self-Employed offers a free prescription card through PCS. This program saves its members up to 40 percent at over 55,000 pharmacies nationwide. On average, CA members save $9.39 per prescription order. You can enroll free on SelfEmployedCountry.org.
12. Ask your doctor to prescribe generic drugs
Medicine marketed under its scientific name is usually 50 percent cheaper and just as effective as brand-name versions. In addition, look for generic drugs in the medicine you purchase over the counter. For example, 100 generic aspirin may cost $1.79; the same ingredients packaged under a well-known brand name can cost more than $5 for 100 tablets. Consider, also, just how important the new easy-to-swallow products are to your comfort. The lesser price of some medicines may be comparably easier to swallow when thinking about your budget.
13. Get enrolled in a group plan
For self employed people including those involved in small businesses, individual health insurance can be extremely costly - sometimes as much as 30 percent of your take home pay. By joining associations like National Association for the Self Employed (www.nase.org), you have the opportunity to enroll in a group insurance plan with unique built-in cost controls.
14. Choose a higher deductible
Often for the healthy family, the number of visits to the doctor totals less than $250 a year, a normally low deductible rate. This low deduction rate, however, can end up costing you more in the form of higher premiums. If your family has enjoyed good health for a number of years, you may want to switch to a higher deductible of $500 or $1000. You'll notice greatly reduced premiums.
15. Pay premiums annually
You avoid the service fee and may also receive a discount from your insurance carrier. Check with your insurance agent about how much money you can save if you pay your premium one time during the year.
16. Make sure there's a ceiling for out-of-pocket expenses for catastrophic illnesses
About half of individual policyholders lack this important provision, according to insurance experts, who recommend a major medical policy with a stop-loss clause limiting policyholder payout to $2,000 or $3,000.
17. Get educated about your health
Invest in your health by becoming information-rich. Read publications about health care. Pay special attention to free wellness publications like Inside Mayo Clinic at MayoClinic.org or have on hand a book on medical self-care, like The AAFP Family Health and Medical Guide and The Merck Manual of Diagnosis and Therapy. A wealth of information is also available on the Internet.
18. Take advantage of free health advice
For free information booklets from the U.S. government about nearly every health care topic you can imagine, simply write to the Consumer Information Center in Pueblo, Colorado. The government offers several dozen booklets on topics ranging from nutrition, medical problems, mental health, to drugs, exercise and weight control. To receive a catalog explaining these booklets, write to:
Consumer Information Center
PO Box 100
Pueblo, CO 81009
(you can download booklets from this site)
Once again the U.S. Government comes through by providing a number of toll free health care information phone services. Topics are numerous, including hearing aids, cancer information, Alzheimer's disease, drugs and pregnancy issues. For information on the health topics and phone numbers, call the National Health Information Center at 1-800-336-4797.
19. Brush up on first-aid skills and become CPR certified.
Proper treatment of various accidents may reduce the number of visits to the doctor, and can save lives in an emergency. It's important to always keep an updated medical kit in your home or office.
Here are the basics for your first-aid kit:
Take charge of your health by making simple changes in your lifestyle. By following these seven basic rules of good health, you'll improve your chances of living a long, healthy, active life.
1. If a medical bill seems excessive, try negotiating
Your doctor or the office manager who handles billing will probably be flexible, provided you make a valid case. When one woman in Texas was charged $900 for surgery and "consultation," she explained that she had visited the hospital just once, for surgery; her bill was promptly cut by $370.
2.. Contact a medical bill "auditor"
Several services have a medical bill "auditing" system that evaluates your medical bills to determine if errors occurred in the billing process. Considering that 97 percent of hospital medical bills contain errors, it's no wonder why out-of-pocket medical expenses are on the rise for consumers. Because the typical hospital bill is extremely complicated, often containing several hundred line-item charges, there is ample opportunity for computer mistakes and accidental human error. Do a Google search for medical bill auditors to find companies offering this service.
3. You may get a tax break on your medical bills
Keep all your medical bills together and add them up at tax time. If they exceed 7.5 percent of your adjusted gross income, you may deduct the excess. Please note that these items also may be included in the total: the cost of eye glasses, contact lenses, physical therapy, x-rays, hearing aids, psychiatric care, insurance and transportation to the hospital or doctor's office (at 30 cents a mile). There are phase-outs in some cases based on adjusted gross income. Check with your professional tax adviser.
4. Deduct 100% of your healthcare costs from your taxes
The IRS allows all self-employed to deduct 100% of health care costs from their taxes by using Section 105 of the Internal Revenue Code. To receive this deduction, you must do the following:
a) Hire your spouse as an employee of your business.
b) Have your spouse receive health insurance in his or her name, and include the family on the policy.
c) Pay your spouse a salary that will cover the costs of the insurance.
d) Talk to your tax professional about planning for Section 105 on your taxes.
We all know your spouse is active in your business. Now, you can equally recognize their contribution he or she makes - and get Uncle Sam to give you a tax break.
5. Help for families with kids -- CHIP
All states have established new programs that help lower income families with children to pay for health insurance for their kids. Financed partly by the federal government, the Children's Health Insurance Programs (CHIP) operate either as an expansion of the state's Medicaid program or a subsidy for basic private health insurance. Eligible families may be able to access coverage for their children at greatly reduced premiums which will vary depending upon family income. Contact your state Department of Health or Insurance for more information.
6. Shop around
Hospital costs vary widely, especially between urban and rural facilities. If your doctor has admitting privileges at more than one hospital, find out if you can be admitted to the one that's less expensive. Keep in mind that hospitals operated by non-profit foundations are usually less expensive than investor-owned, for profit hospitals. To find out how much your local hospitals charge, ask your doctor. Many states have Health Services Cost Review Commissions, which compile such data.
7. Check for free clinics in your community
You and your entire family can save hundreds of dollars by taking advantage of the many free screenings, immunizations, and other health clinics offered by your local community or a town near you. Numerous community hospitals and social services can provide blood pressure checks, shots for your children, free contraceptives and/or advice, and other preventative health care at little to no cost.
8. Get a second opinion out of town
Believe it or not, your chance of undergoing an expensive surgery or preventative procedure may depend solely on where you happen to live. Statistics show that the frequency in which certain medical procedures are performed varies widely from location to location. For example, residents of New Haven, Conn., are twice as likely to undergo a coronary bypass operation as residents of Boston, Mass. What's the reason for this discrepancy? One Dartmouth Medical School expert, John E. Wennberg, M.D., M.H.P., explains that certain operations are simply more fashionable in some parts of the United States than others. So, if you plan to get a second opinion prior to surgery, consider going to a specialist in another city. In addition, try to find out what the surgery rates for your procedure are in different cities. HealthAllies.com also offers this service online. To get the names of second-opinion doctors in your region, call the U.S. government's toll-free second-opinion hotline at 1-800-638-6833.
9. Don't pay double for a second opinion
As you make arrangements for a second opinion, ask your doctor to send copies of your medical records, x-rays, and lab tests to the second-opinion doctor. These tests don't need duplication; your second doctor will have the information he or she needs - and you don't pay double.
10. Emotional stability
Your mental health is equally important as your physical health. Do you have blue days once in awhile, or struggle with gray winters? St. John's Wort, an over-the-counter herbal supplement, has been proven to increase positive moods. Before rushing to your family physician for medication to make you feel better, try supplements with a combination of expressing your feelings with friends and a healthy lifestyle. Mood stabilizers are some of the most costly medications on the market today. However, you should be aware of the signs of stress or even depression. Give yourself a simple screening test:
- Do you have feelings of sadness and/or irritability?
- Has there been a loss of interest in pleasure activities you once enjoyed?
- Have there been changes in your weight or appetite?
- Have you noticed changes in your sleeping pattern?
- Are you feeling guilty?
- Do you have the inability to concentrate, remember things or make decisions?
- Are you fatigued or have a loss of energy?
- Do you experience restlessness or decreased activity noticed by others?
- Do you have feelings of hopelessness or worthlessness?
- Do you have thoughts of suicide or death?
11. Order your prescription drugs by phone, web or mail
There are many discount prescription drug benefits available for a modest cost. Communicating for Agriculture and the Self-Employed offers a free prescription card through PCS. This program saves its members up to 40 percent at over 55,000 pharmacies nationwide. On average, CA members save $9.39 per prescription order. You can enroll free on SelfEmployedCountry.org.
12. Ask your doctor to prescribe generic drugs
Medicine marketed under its scientific name is usually 50 percent cheaper and just as effective as brand-name versions. In addition, look for generic drugs in the medicine you purchase over the counter. For example, 100 generic aspirin may cost $1.79; the same ingredients packaged under a well-known brand name can cost more than $5 for 100 tablets. Consider, also, just how important the new easy-to-swallow products are to your comfort. The lesser price of some medicines may be comparably easier to swallow when thinking about your budget.
13. Get enrolled in a group plan
For self employed people including those involved in small businesses, individual health insurance can be extremely costly - sometimes as much as 30 percent of your take home pay. By joining associations like National Association for the Self Employed (www.nase.org), you have the opportunity to enroll in a group insurance plan with unique built-in cost controls.
14. Choose a higher deductible
Often for the healthy family, the number of visits to the doctor totals less than $250 a year, a normally low deductible rate. This low deduction rate, however, can end up costing you more in the form of higher premiums. If your family has enjoyed good health for a number of years, you may want to switch to a higher deductible of $500 or $1000. You'll notice greatly reduced premiums.
15. Pay premiums annually
You avoid the service fee and may also receive a discount from your insurance carrier. Check with your insurance agent about how much money you can save if you pay your premium one time during the year.
16. Make sure there's a ceiling for out-of-pocket expenses for catastrophic illnesses
About half of individual policyholders lack this important provision, according to insurance experts, who recommend a major medical policy with a stop-loss clause limiting policyholder payout to $2,000 or $3,000.
17. Get educated about your health
Invest in your health by becoming information-rich. Read publications about health care. Pay special attention to free wellness publications like Inside Mayo Clinic at MayoClinic.org or have on hand a book on medical self-care, like The AAFP Family Health and Medical Guide and The Merck Manual of Diagnosis and Therapy. A wealth of information is also available on the Internet.
18. Take advantage of free health advice
For free information booklets from the U.S. government about nearly every health care topic you can imagine, simply write to the Consumer Information Center in Pueblo, Colorado. The government offers several dozen booklets on topics ranging from nutrition, medical problems, mental health, to drugs, exercise and weight control. To receive a catalog explaining these booklets, write to:
Consumer Information Center
PO Box 100
Pueblo, CO 81009
(you can download booklets from this site)
Once again the U.S. Government comes through by providing a number of toll free health care information phone services. Topics are numerous, including hearing aids, cancer information, Alzheimer's disease, drugs and pregnancy issues. For information on the health topics and phone numbers, call the National Health Information Center at 1-800-336-4797.
19. Brush up on first-aid skills and become CPR certified.
Proper treatment of various accidents may reduce the number of visits to the doctor, and can save lives in an emergency. It's important to always keep an updated medical kit in your home or office.
Here are the basics for your first-aid kit:
- bandage supplies, including a roll of 3 inch wide gauze, individually packaged 4 inch sterile gauze pads, a roll of 1 inch bandage tape, butterfly bandage tape, and scissors
- elastic bandages
- cotton swabs
- sterile dressings or towels
- pain reliever (acetaminophen or ibuprofen)
- anti-inflammatory medicine (ibuprofen)
- ipecac syrup (for use on advice of medical professional to induce vomiting)
- tweezers
- hydrogen peroxide
- skin creams, including hydrocortisone cream, calamine lotion and antibiotic creams
- an antihistamine (diphenhydramine for allergic reactions)
- flashlight
- eye patch
- arm sling
- tongue depressors (to be used as a finger splint)
- ice pack
- re-hydration fluids (such as Pedialyte or Infalyte)
Take charge of your health by making simple changes in your lifestyle. By following these seven basic rules of good health, you'll improve your chances of living a long, healthy, active life.
- Get eight hours of sleep per night.
- Eat breakfast every morning.
- Cut down on snacks between meals.
- Keep within 10 pounds of your recommended weight range. If you're unsure what your weight range should be check with your doctor.
- Exercise aerobically for at least 30 minutes three times per week.
- Don't smoke.
- Don't drink more than two alcoholic beverages per day.
- Take recommended dosages of vitamins and supplements.
Clinically Depressed
Feeling sad is quite different from being clinically depressed.
You may feel sad because of any reason. But, if that sadness persists
for at least two weeks, you may be dealing with depression. A clinically
depressed person always feels sad and doesn't take interest in much of
anything. It is difficult to get up in the morning and go to work, and
often times a depressed person has no appetite and loses a lot of
weight. A depressed person is always anxious and that leads to feeling
of inadequacy and low self-esteem.
A sense of hopelessness is always prevalent, as is a sense of guilt. Feelings can become so intense that the depressed person may have suicidal thoughts. This happens because a clinically depressed person withdraws from family and friends and prefers isolation. This isolation brings on more negative thoughts with the feeling that ending life is better than living it.
On the positive side, there is help for those who are diagnosed as clinically depressed. A combination of counseling and medication does wonders to lift a depressed person to a level they feel comfortable doing the things that they once enjoyed. The key is to get help if there is any inclination that you or anyone you know is suffering from depression. Depending on the severity of the depression, there are many treatment avenues to explore from self-help books to extensive psychotherapy. Information on depression is available online or you can go to your local health clinic and ask for information or treatment.
A sense of hopelessness is always prevalent, as is a sense of guilt. Feelings can become so intense that the depressed person may have suicidal thoughts. This happens because a clinically depressed person withdraws from family and friends and prefers isolation. This isolation brings on more negative thoughts with the feeling that ending life is better than living it.
On the positive side, there is help for those who are diagnosed as clinically depressed. A combination of counseling and medication does wonders to lift a depressed person to a level they feel comfortable doing the things that they once enjoyed. The key is to get help if there is any inclination that you or anyone you know is suffering from depression. Depending on the severity of the depression, there are many treatment avenues to explore from self-help books to extensive psychotherapy. Information on depression is available online or you can go to your local health clinic and ask for information or treatment.
Sexual Health Test
According to the statistics, the number of sexually transmitted
diseases has increased alarmingly. Therefore, it is important for
everyone who has had sex to get tested. Often, people tend to ignore
these tests because they do not see any explicit reason or symptoms.
This could be a big mistake, as many of these diseases do not display
any external signs until they are a few years old.
It is very simple to get a sexual health test done. You can get it done in any sexual health clinic, community clinic or by some general practitioners. You can search for these places with the help of internet, yellow pages or through friends. These clinics are equipped with the latest technologies that can screen and test for all possible sexual health issues.
A concern that most people have is about the confidentiality of the results of their sexual health test. There is absolutely no reason to be concerned. The test results stay confidential amongst the professional medical staff. No one but you will be disclosed the results of your test.
It is always better to be prepared and know what kind of tests will be conducted. There is usually a urine test, a blood test and a physical inspection involved. You will also be asked a few questions. All this is done in a professional, efficient and cordial manner. The results of the test will take a few hours to few days. If something is detected, you may need to go through further testing and the clinics will provide you will the proper form of treatment.
It is very simple to get a sexual health test done. You can get it done in any sexual health clinic, community clinic or by some general practitioners. You can search for these places with the help of internet, yellow pages or through friends. These clinics are equipped with the latest technologies that can screen and test for all possible sexual health issues.
A concern that most people have is about the confidentiality of the results of their sexual health test. There is absolutely no reason to be concerned. The test results stay confidential amongst the professional medical staff. No one but you will be disclosed the results of your test.
It is always better to be prepared and know what kind of tests will be conducted. There is usually a urine test, a blood test and a physical inspection involved. You will also be asked a few questions. All this is done in a professional, efficient and cordial manner. The results of the test will take a few hours to few days. If something is detected, you may need to go through further testing and the clinics will provide you will the proper form of treatment.
Tuesday, October 16, 2012
A WIN-WIN For Both Sides of the Health Care Debate
Can there be a truly bi-partisan health insurance program? Yes, I
believe there can be if we look at where we are and where we need to
be.
Current facts: There are 5 government plans that have been instituted in the last 4 decades paid for by our tax dollars.
Medicare, currently funded to seniors over 65 accounts for 16% of the federal budget, about $427 billion a year. Because of the baby boom generation, the projection in 2017 will account for $884 B a year. (Resource, Baby Boomers Coming to Age, content.healthaffairs.com.)
53 Million Americans are currently on Medicaid, which costs the government $338 Billion dollars a year. This program is currently funded by tax dollars and only 50-70% of the program is funded by the Federal Government. The reminder is funded by taxes from the state coffers.
The State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) currently insures over 6 Million children.
TRICARE is for those who currently serve or are retired from the military. Today this system is sorely inadequate.
Federal Employers Health Benefits Program (FEHBP) currently covers government workers and retirees and I understand a great system if you are a government employee!
Although these public, government programs were enacted to help those who needed medical coverage, there are several unintended consequences. Unfortunately, the first 4 above have lowered the quality of their product and service. This ranges from inadequate payment causing doctors and hospitals to charge private insurers higher premiums and costs to make up the shortfall in the government Medicare program. According to the Wall Street Journal, June 18, 2007, ½ of doctors have stopped taking Medicaid patients because reimbursements are low and payment delayed. Real costs are passed off to the private sector. Everyone who pays income taxes, both state and federal, pays for these shortages in Medicare, Medicaid and SCHIP. Plus there are many unseen tax costs added on consumer products (cigarettes, snack foods) we all purchase.
The real uninsured number is estimated at 45.7 Million, 15.3 % of the population, according to the 2007 Census bureau report: (Google 2007 Census report for the PDF). 18 M of these 45 M make more than $50,000 a year and out of these, 38M make more than $75,000. It is estimated that most of these are 19-29 year old "invincibles" who have the money but would rather spend it on other things besides health insurance. 10 M or more are not US Citizens. 14M are currently eligible for Medicare, Medicaid or SCHIP but have not enrolled because of personal responsibility, ignorance or laziness. That leaves about 8M who are the chronically uninsured working poor and are left behind and these are the people who need government help through private insurers. (Blue Cross/Blue Shield May 9, 2003 study results).
After 4 decades of larger government medical mandated insurance programs, the government is incapable of providing a level of care that is comparable through the private sector.
How to make this legislation a bi-partisan win-win proposal!
Clearly our current system is bankrupting the country and needs reform. Here are some proposals that our legislators should enact and would guarantee bi-partisan support and get the uninsured insured.
Reform the system by establishing fraud units. According to a CBS study from October 5, 2006, fraud is estimated to consume at least 10% of Medical outlays.
Reform the tax code to give individuals a tax incentive to carry their own health insurance. Continue to give the tax incentives to businesses that provide health insurance to their workers so they can attract new workers.
Give individuals income tax deductions for expenses that are not covered by their plan. Currently, most people can't deduct their out of pocket expenses unless they reach a threshold.
Expand HSA accounts so individuals can buy catastrophic coverage and put their deductibles and out of pocket expenses in a tax-free account. This requires education so people can understand the advantages and responsibilities of providing for their families.
Tort Reform is needed. It is estimated that 1 out of 8 doctors are sued annually. This is like an insurance pool lottery system and "jackpots" cost malpractice insurance companies millions of dollars each year, thus increasing the costs Doctors must charge patients to pay the premiums on these policies.
Establish incentives for 24 hour Retail Health Clinics so people that currently go to emergency rooms for care can use neighborhood clinics. These clinics operate well in most states to reduce costs of insurance. Educating the public and illegal's in emergency rooms would drive down doctor and hospital costs.
Get rid of over 1901 government mandates that have been enacted that have cost insurers and consumers millions of dollars and start over again. For example, funding clinical trials because they find cures for diseases is essential, but delete mandated programs for hair prosthesis, professional counseling, massage therapy, smoking cessation and in-vitro fertilization to name a few. Start over and allow people to purchase additional coverage on their own if they want these coverages.
Give those chronically ill, uninsured folks a voucher for a High Risk Pool. California currently has a program for those people who are uninsurable and have been denied insurance because of health issues. Today this program is inadequately funded but if the insurance companies were required to participate based on their premium volume and the federal and state government gave tax dollars to help fund the program, it was solve the shortfall for the 10 M folks who can't afford insurance.
Increase benefits paid to hospital and medical providers who service Medicare patients instead of reducing them. Medicare payments to providers (hospitals and doctors) are paid at a discounted rate of $70.00 for every $100.00 billed. This shortage has to come from somewhere and it is currently subsidized by private insurance companies and individuals.
Reform Medicaid payment structure so that it coincides with the truly poor-i.e. only fund those people who are at the poverty level (37M instead of 53 M Americans) and increase benefit payments so doctors and hospitals will give care needed to the truly poor.
Summary: There can be bi-partisan support and both sides can win the health care debate. I ask you to go down in history as a Congress that reformed the health care system, not burdened it further with more problems than can be solved in one universal program! This will definitely be a win/win for all sides of this great country.
Current facts: There are 5 government plans that have been instituted in the last 4 decades paid for by our tax dollars.
Medicare, currently funded to seniors over 65 accounts for 16% of the federal budget, about $427 billion a year. Because of the baby boom generation, the projection in 2017 will account for $884 B a year. (Resource, Baby Boomers Coming to Age, content.healthaffairs.com.)
53 Million Americans are currently on Medicaid, which costs the government $338 Billion dollars a year. This program is currently funded by tax dollars and only 50-70% of the program is funded by the Federal Government. The reminder is funded by taxes from the state coffers.
The State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) currently insures over 6 Million children.
TRICARE is for those who currently serve or are retired from the military. Today this system is sorely inadequate.
Federal Employers Health Benefits Program (FEHBP) currently covers government workers and retirees and I understand a great system if you are a government employee!
Although these public, government programs were enacted to help those who needed medical coverage, there are several unintended consequences. Unfortunately, the first 4 above have lowered the quality of their product and service. This ranges from inadequate payment causing doctors and hospitals to charge private insurers higher premiums and costs to make up the shortfall in the government Medicare program. According to the Wall Street Journal, June 18, 2007, ½ of doctors have stopped taking Medicaid patients because reimbursements are low and payment delayed. Real costs are passed off to the private sector. Everyone who pays income taxes, both state and federal, pays for these shortages in Medicare, Medicaid and SCHIP. Plus there are many unseen tax costs added on consumer products (cigarettes, snack foods) we all purchase.
The real uninsured number is estimated at 45.7 Million, 15.3 % of the population, according to the 2007 Census bureau report: (Google 2007 Census report for the PDF). 18 M of these 45 M make more than $50,000 a year and out of these, 38M make more than $75,000. It is estimated that most of these are 19-29 year old "invincibles" who have the money but would rather spend it on other things besides health insurance. 10 M or more are not US Citizens. 14M are currently eligible for Medicare, Medicaid or SCHIP but have not enrolled because of personal responsibility, ignorance or laziness. That leaves about 8M who are the chronically uninsured working poor and are left behind and these are the people who need government help through private insurers. (Blue Cross/Blue Shield May 9, 2003 study results).
After 4 decades of larger government medical mandated insurance programs, the government is incapable of providing a level of care that is comparable through the private sector.
How to make this legislation a bi-partisan win-win proposal!
Clearly our current system is bankrupting the country and needs reform. Here are some proposals that our legislators should enact and would guarantee bi-partisan support and get the uninsured insured.
Reform the system by establishing fraud units. According to a CBS study from October 5, 2006, fraud is estimated to consume at least 10% of Medical outlays.
Reform the tax code to give individuals a tax incentive to carry their own health insurance. Continue to give the tax incentives to businesses that provide health insurance to their workers so they can attract new workers.
Give individuals income tax deductions for expenses that are not covered by their plan. Currently, most people can't deduct their out of pocket expenses unless they reach a threshold.
Expand HSA accounts so individuals can buy catastrophic coverage and put their deductibles and out of pocket expenses in a tax-free account. This requires education so people can understand the advantages and responsibilities of providing for their families.
Tort Reform is needed. It is estimated that 1 out of 8 doctors are sued annually. This is like an insurance pool lottery system and "jackpots" cost malpractice insurance companies millions of dollars each year, thus increasing the costs Doctors must charge patients to pay the premiums on these policies.
Establish incentives for 24 hour Retail Health Clinics so people that currently go to emergency rooms for care can use neighborhood clinics. These clinics operate well in most states to reduce costs of insurance. Educating the public and illegal's in emergency rooms would drive down doctor and hospital costs.
Get rid of over 1901 government mandates that have been enacted that have cost insurers and consumers millions of dollars and start over again. For example, funding clinical trials because they find cures for diseases is essential, but delete mandated programs for hair prosthesis, professional counseling, massage therapy, smoking cessation and in-vitro fertilization to name a few. Start over and allow people to purchase additional coverage on their own if they want these coverages.
Give those chronically ill, uninsured folks a voucher for a High Risk Pool. California currently has a program for those people who are uninsurable and have been denied insurance because of health issues. Today this program is inadequately funded but if the insurance companies were required to participate based on their premium volume and the federal and state government gave tax dollars to help fund the program, it was solve the shortfall for the 10 M folks who can't afford insurance.
Increase benefits paid to hospital and medical providers who service Medicare patients instead of reducing them. Medicare payments to providers (hospitals and doctors) are paid at a discounted rate of $70.00 for every $100.00 billed. This shortage has to come from somewhere and it is currently subsidized by private insurance companies and individuals.
Reform Medicaid payment structure so that it coincides with the truly poor-i.e. only fund those people who are at the poverty level (37M instead of 53 M Americans) and increase benefit payments so doctors and hospitals will give care needed to the truly poor.
Summary: There can be bi-partisan support and both sides can win the health care debate. I ask you to go down in history as a Congress that reformed the health care system, not burdened it further with more problems than can be solved in one universal program! This will definitely be a win/win for all sides of this great country.
Searching for a Mental Health Provider? Understand the Differences in Professional Training
You have digestion problems. Would you go see a cardiologist? No,
I think you would see the physician best trained to diagnose and treat
your ailments. This same reasoning is valid for people seeking
psychotherapy, but perhaps a bit more confusing to the layperson. In the
murky water of mental health counseling, deciding what professional to
see is challenging. I hope my insights from twenty plus years as a
licensed psychologist will make the search for the right therapist
clearer.
Psychologists: Most will have a doctorate (Ph.D.), (Psy.D.), and training in methods, knowledge and theories of psychology. There are many specialties, among them, but not limited to, are clinical, counseling, educational, social, developmental, school, and industrial/organizational. Approximately, 60% are in the areas of clinical and counseling specializations. These two areas of focus are able to diagnose, and treat mental and personality disorders and adjustment problems. Typically three to six years post-graduate study is required and most American Psychological Association approved programs mandate an internship. In order to call oneself a psychologist, passing of written and oral exams by a State Board of Examiners of Psychologists, with a period of supervision by a licensed psychologist, is the law in all fifty states. Some states (Louisiana and New Mexico) afford the opportunity to psychologists to have the designation of "medical psychologists," which allows limited prescription privileges. With additional schooling (a Master Degree in clinical psycho-pharmacology), supervision by a physician, and maintaining strict guidelines, these psychologists can prescribe medication.
Psychiatrists: They are medical doctors (M.D.) who specialize in psychiatry. After completing medical school, they continue for an extra four years of residency training in mental health studies. Additional training is obtained to specialize in such areas of child/adolescent or geriatric. Psychiatrists prescribe medications and monitor medications for other providers who don't have prescription privileges. They are usually found in hospital settings and community mental health clinics, while maintaining a private practice. They treat a broad range of mental health issues, and may combine "talk therapy" with "drug therapy." They often are the primary treatment physician for serious mental health issues such as psychosis and addictions. If you choose to consult with a psychiatrist and want "talk therapy" without medications, ask if counseling is provided, exclusive of medication, or in combination of both modalities.
Social Workers: Most social workers who offer counseling hold a M.S.W. (Masters of Social Work). Training requires two years of post-graduate study and hundreds of hours of "in the field" (internship) supervised training. They have their own licensing board and are found in private practice, schools, hospitals, mental health centers, and chemical dependency facilities. They work closely with psychologists and psychiatrists, performing assessments of family structures, often counseling within the family home. You may find social workers who go by the titles, 'psychiatric social workers" or 'clinical social workers."
Psychoanalysts: Psychoanalysis refers to a specialized treatment obtained through accredited programs. Psychoanalysts can be medical doctors, as well as psychologists or social workers. They have certification in a form of psychotherapy associated to Sigmund Freud and his followers. It is best described as an approach that probes the unconscious mind and its relationship to current feelings, thinking and behaviors. In most instances, part of their training is to undergo their own psychoanalysis. Caution is given of anyone identifying themselves as a psychoanalyst. Psychoanalytic therapy is typically of long duration and expensive. to this extent, managed care insurance companies may not cover this form of treatment. You should check with your insurance provider.
Marriage & Family, Pastoral Counselor and Licensed Professional Counselors (L.P.C.); These titles represent people who have at least a Master Degree and possibly a Doctorate Degree. They must obtain certification and/or license to offer counseling. They treat adjustment disorders in marriage and family issues and persons requiring supportive therapy. Pastoral counselors have specific training in assisting people who desire their counseling in a spiritual framework.
Comments: Whoever you choose for a therapist, they should have certification from a state or national board. Most insurance payment plans will only recognize those with certification. Check to see if the professional provider works with your age group. For example, some therapists may not work with adolescents or the elderly.
Remember, anyone can call themselves a psychotherapist. Always check their credentials.
An expanded version of this article is found in my book, "A Guide for Effective Psychotherapy."
Psychologists: Most will have a doctorate (Ph.D.), (Psy.D.), and training in methods, knowledge and theories of psychology. There are many specialties, among them, but not limited to, are clinical, counseling, educational, social, developmental, school, and industrial/organizational. Approximately, 60% are in the areas of clinical and counseling specializations. These two areas of focus are able to diagnose, and treat mental and personality disorders and adjustment problems. Typically three to six years post-graduate study is required and most American Psychological Association approved programs mandate an internship. In order to call oneself a psychologist, passing of written and oral exams by a State Board of Examiners of Psychologists, with a period of supervision by a licensed psychologist, is the law in all fifty states. Some states (Louisiana and New Mexico) afford the opportunity to psychologists to have the designation of "medical psychologists," which allows limited prescription privileges. With additional schooling (a Master Degree in clinical psycho-pharmacology), supervision by a physician, and maintaining strict guidelines, these psychologists can prescribe medication.
Psychiatrists: They are medical doctors (M.D.) who specialize in psychiatry. After completing medical school, they continue for an extra four years of residency training in mental health studies. Additional training is obtained to specialize in such areas of child/adolescent or geriatric. Psychiatrists prescribe medications and monitor medications for other providers who don't have prescription privileges. They are usually found in hospital settings and community mental health clinics, while maintaining a private practice. They treat a broad range of mental health issues, and may combine "talk therapy" with "drug therapy." They often are the primary treatment physician for serious mental health issues such as psychosis and addictions. If you choose to consult with a psychiatrist and want "talk therapy" without medications, ask if counseling is provided, exclusive of medication, or in combination of both modalities.
Social Workers: Most social workers who offer counseling hold a M.S.W. (Masters of Social Work). Training requires two years of post-graduate study and hundreds of hours of "in the field" (internship) supervised training. They have their own licensing board and are found in private practice, schools, hospitals, mental health centers, and chemical dependency facilities. They work closely with psychologists and psychiatrists, performing assessments of family structures, often counseling within the family home. You may find social workers who go by the titles, 'psychiatric social workers" or 'clinical social workers."
Psychoanalysts: Psychoanalysis refers to a specialized treatment obtained through accredited programs. Psychoanalysts can be medical doctors, as well as psychologists or social workers. They have certification in a form of psychotherapy associated to Sigmund Freud and his followers. It is best described as an approach that probes the unconscious mind and its relationship to current feelings, thinking and behaviors. In most instances, part of their training is to undergo their own psychoanalysis. Caution is given of anyone identifying themselves as a psychoanalyst. Psychoanalytic therapy is typically of long duration and expensive. to this extent, managed care insurance companies may not cover this form of treatment. You should check with your insurance provider.
Marriage & Family, Pastoral Counselor and Licensed Professional Counselors (L.P.C.); These titles represent people who have at least a Master Degree and possibly a Doctorate Degree. They must obtain certification and/or license to offer counseling. They treat adjustment disorders in marriage and family issues and persons requiring supportive therapy. Pastoral counselors have specific training in assisting people who desire their counseling in a spiritual framework.
Comments: Whoever you choose for a therapist, they should have certification from a state or national board. Most insurance payment plans will only recognize those with certification. Check to see if the professional provider works with your age group. For example, some therapists may not work with adolescents or the elderly.
Remember, anyone can call themselves a psychotherapist. Always check their credentials.
An expanded version of this article is found in my book, "A Guide for Effective Psychotherapy."
Tips To Starting Your Own Medical Clinic
In recent years there have been some new regulations put upon the
medical industry by the Surgeon General of the United States so that no
one is discriminated against based upon race or gender. They have also
made certain things a priority, such as making sure that all government
and health agencies are able to properly deal with any outbreaks of
serious and deadly disease. A medical clinic is the best way for the
government to make sure that its priorities are being met. If you are
considering starting your own medical clinic there are some steps that
you need to follow for a successful business for years to come.
The first thing you will need to do is register your business with the IRS and the state so that you can pay your taxes and they can track your business. Most of the time this can be done online. Then you will need to put together a business plan, which should include your running budget, a detailed business description, and information on other area clinics. Keep in mind that often banks will need a business plan before they will give you a loan.
After you have registered your business you will need to obtain a license to operate your business, generate capital to run it, and purchase insurance to protect it. This step also includes finding a building from which to operate your business and having the health inspections performed that are required for any health clinic. You will also need to get any insurance for your employees and malpractice coverage as well as information on how to accept Medicare and Medicaid so that all your special needs patients and senior citizens can be covered.
Next, you will need to hire your staff. When you do this, make sure that they all have the proper licensing and you have the correct amount of doctors, nurses, and office personnel to run your medical clinic efficiently. To find the right people, you should post on college job boards, host job fairs, and put ads in newspapers. Make sure that you state in the post what exactly you are looking for and what the job requirements are so that you only have qualified interest.
Now you need to create a working relationship with the other clinics in your area and nearby hospitals so that you have someplace that you can refer your patients to if they need assistance beyond what you can give them and you should join several national medical organizations such as the American Medical Association and the American Academy of Family Physicians so that you can establish credibility among your patient base.
There is never a guarantee of running the perfect business, but you do have a greater possibility of having a successful medical clinic for years to come if you treat your patients with dignity and respect.
The first thing you will need to do is register your business with the IRS and the state so that you can pay your taxes and they can track your business. Most of the time this can be done online. Then you will need to put together a business plan, which should include your running budget, a detailed business description, and information on other area clinics. Keep in mind that often banks will need a business plan before they will give you a loan.
After you have registered your business you will need to obtain a license to operate your business, generate capital to run it, and purchase insurance to protect it. This step also includes finding a building from which to operate your business and having the health inspections performed that are required for any health clinic. You will also need to get any insurance for your employees and malpractice coverage as well as information on how to accept Medicare and Medicaid so that all your special needs patients and senior citizens can be covered.
Next, you will need to hire your staff. When you do this, make sure that they all have the proper licensing and you have the correct amount of doctors, nurses, and office personnel to run your medical clinic efficiently. To find the right people, you should post on college job boards, host job fairs, and put ads in newspapers. Make sure that you state in the post what exactly you are looking for and what the job requirements are so that you only have qualified interest.
Now you need to create a working relationship with the other clinics in your area and nearby hospitals so that you have someplace that you can refer your patients to if they need assistance beyond what you can give them and you should join several national medical organizations such as the American Medical Association and the American Academy of Family Physicians so that you can establish credibility among your patient base.
There is never a guarantee of running the perfect business, but you do have a greater possibility of having a successful medical clinic for years to come if you treat your patients with dignity and respect.
Monday, October 15, 2012
Foreign Travel Health Tips
With just 36 hours to circle the world by air, a time well below
the incubation period of most diseases can be contracted in many
countries around the world. Year after year, more and more people who
undertake international travel, even in developing countries that were
just beaten goals: reducing the cost of flights were offered to many,
the opportunity to visit distant countries, often for the first time.
The more than 700 million passengers who travel each year on the planet have a significant risk of getting sick and becoming a vehicle of infection to other people when they get back home. Every traveler should be aware that protect your health also means protecting those of others and that to do so we must also respect the culture and environment of the destination of travel.
In recent years, health authorities around the world have understood the importance of protecting human health from possible outbreaks of infection or precarious sanitary situation of the countries visited. On the one hand, the risk can be minimized through appropriate precautions, prevention and vaccination, taken prior to departure. Secondly, the identification and timely treatment of an imported disease are essential for preventing the disease from transmitting to others, to become a serious public health problem.
Before you travel
To reduce the risk of getting sick or having accidents while you are abroad, the ideal is to contact your doctor 4-6 weeks before you leave. Among the general factors to consider are:
1. Pre-existing diseases or disorders
2.Vaccination status (including the possibility of vaccines against diseases endemic in the destination of travel)
3.Allergies to foods or medicines
4.Prescriptions being
5.Any previous trips.
Depending on the destination of the journey, we must then consider all those who may become risk factors:
* Food and water, are often not thoroughly purified in many countries around the world
* Environmental conditions to which the body is not accustomed (altitude, drought, temperature too high)
* Presence of parasites in the environment and in animals with whom you may come into contact (by insects in various invertebrates, until poultry)
* Sexual behaviors that may increase the risk of transmitting infections.
The characteristics of the journey and the destination are important: a roadmap, place and length of stay, conditions of hygiene, and reason for travel (tourism, business, educational, humanitarian mission, etc.), season of the year, possible exposure to risk factors, epidemic in progress.
There are some categories of especially vulnerable people who require more care during the sight: children, elderly, pregnant women and immunocompromised individuals, but also people who are preparing to make a trip "adventure."
Prophylaxis and vaccination
Vaccination can be an effective preventive of many diseases that can be contracted during travel. When you are about to leave, you should first check to be up to date with vaccinations under the national program. In particular, in Italy are compulsory immunization against diphtheria and tetanus (DT), polio (IPV) and hepatitis B (Hb), while those are strongly recommended to protect from measles, mumps and rubella (MPR) and infections with Haemophilus influenzae b (Hib).
Depending on the destination then the journey will be recommended the vaccine or prophylaxis against certain specific diseases. Today, no country requires the certificate of vaccination against smallpox and against cholera. The only certificate that should be required in international travel, up to some travelers, is that against yellow fever. Many countries require an international certificate of vaccination valuable to travelers arriving from infected areas or who have transited through those areas, while some require a certificate to all travelers entering, including those in transit. That requirement goes beyond what is stated in the International Health Regulations, however, vaccination is strongly recommended for travel outside of urban areas in countries including in areas endemic for yellow fever.
As for malaria, for each country situated in endemic areas is recommended chemoprophylaxis specification, according to species and level of drug resistance parasites
Detailed information on the vaccination to visit different areas of the world can be found in many institutional sites, including the Ministry of Health, the WHO or Cdc Americans. Epicenter are also on a number of health topics relevant to those preparing to make a trip:
* Brucellosis
* Chikungunya
* Viral Hepatitis
* Dengue fever
* Lassa fever
* Marburg hemorrhagic fever
* Giardia
* Influence
* AI
* Legionellosis
* Leishmaniasis
* Listeria
* Malaria
* Sexually transmitted diseases
* Meningitis
* Norovirus
* Fever
* Rotavirus
* Salmonella
* Syphilis
* Tetanus
* Tossinfezioni food
* Toxoplasmosis
* Tuberculosis
* Vaccinations
* Smallpox
* Tick
* Zoonoses
The more than 700 million passengers who travel each year on the planet have a significant risk of getting sick and becoming a vehicle of infection to other people when they get back home. Every traveler should be aware that protect your health also means protecting those of others and that to do so we must also respect the culture and environment of the destination of travel.
In recent years, health authorities around the world have understood the importance of protecting human health from possible outbreaks of infection or precarious sanitary situation of the countries visited. On the one hand, the risk can be minimized through appropriate precautions, prevention and vaccination, taken prior to departure. Secondly, the identification and timely treatment of an imported disease are essential for preventing the disease from transmitting to others, to become a serious public health problem.
Before you travel
To reduce the risk of getting sick or having accidents while you are abroad, the ideal is to contact your doctor 4-6 weeks before you leave. Among the general factors to consider are:
1. Pre-existing diseases or disorders
2.Vaccination status (including the possibility of vaccines against diseases endemic in the destination of travel)
3.Allergies to foods or medicines
4.Prescriptions being
5.Any previous trips.
Depending on the destination of the journey, we must then consider all those who may become risk factors:
* Food and water, are often not thoroughly purified in many countries around the world
* Environmental conditions to which the body is not accustomed (altitude, drought, temperature too high)
* Presence of parasites in the environment and in animals with whom you may come into contact (by insects in various invertebrates, until poultry)
* Sexual behaviors that may increase the risk of transmitting infections.
The characteristics of the journey and the destination are important: a roadmap, place and length of stay, conditions of hygiene, and reason for travel (tourism, business, educational, humanitarian mission, etc.), season of the year, possible exposure to risk factors, epidemic in progress.
There are some categories of especially vulnerable people who require more care during the sight: children, elderly, pregnant women and immunocompromised individuals, but also people who are preparing to make a trip "adventure."
Prophylaxis and vaccination
Vaccination can be an effective preventive of many diseases that can be contracted during travel. When you are about to leave, you should first check to be up to date with vaccinations under the national program. In particular, in Italy are compulsory immunization against diphtheria and tetanus (DT), polio (IPV) and hepatitis B (Hb), while those are strongly recommended to protect from measles, mumps and rubella (MPR) and infections with Haemophilus influenzae b (Hib).
Depending on the destination then the journey will be recommended the vaccine or prophylaxis against certain specific diseases. Today, no country requires the certificate of vaccination against smallpox and against cholera. The only certificate that should be required in international travel, up to some travelers, is that against yellow fever. Many countries require an international certificate of vaccination valuable to travelers arriving from infected areas or who have transited through those areas, while some require a certificate to all travelers entering, including those in transit. That requirement goes beyond what is stated in the International Health Regulations, however, vaccination is strongly recommended for travel outside of urban areas in countries including in areas endemic for yellow fever.
As for malaria, for each country situated in endemic areas is recommended chemoprophylaxis specification, according to species and level of drug resistance parasites
Detailed information on the vaccination to visit different areas of the world can be found in many institutional sites, including the Ministry of Health, the WHO or Cdc Americans. Epicenter are also on a number of health topics relevant to those preparing to make a trip:
* Brucellosis
* Chikungunya
* Viral Hepatitis
* Dengue fever
* Lassa fever
* Marburg hemorrhagic fever
* Giardia
* Influence
* AI
* Legionellosis
* Leishmaniasis
* Listeria
* Malaria
* Sexually transmitted diseases
* Meningitis
* Norovirus
* Fever
* Rotavirus
* Salmonella
* Syphilis
* Tetanus
* Tossinfezioni food
* Toxoplasmosis
* Tuberculosis
* Vaccinations
* Smallpox
* Tick
* Zoonoses
What Is Clinical Depression About?
Life, as everyone knows, can be tough sometimes. Tragic events do
occur, such as death of a family member, a breakup with a long-time
partner, failure of a business in which one has invested so much, loss
of one's home, or being diagnosed with an incurable disease. These can
all cause deep sadness and grief, and as a result, the person may be
depressed. He can experience the classic symptoms of depression, which
include being withdrawn, losing interest in daily activities, having
sleep disturbances, losing or gaining a significant amount of weight,
feeling tired most of the time, and having suicidal thoughts. When these
signs persist for a long time, continuing to be a grave threat to the
person's health and even to his life, the condition is termed clinical
depression.
It is normal to feel sad and to grieve when a tragic event happens in one's life. It is also normal, after some time, for the sadness to gradually lessen and go away, and for the person to revert to his usual self. Every now and then, the sadness may return but he is able to deal with it and function normally. Such is the "normal" kind of depression. Clinical depression, on the other hand, is when the person just cannot seem to pull himself together, when his depression continues to be as unremitting and as severe as ever, even after a considerable time has passed since the event that presumably caused it. Given that it does not go away, medical treatment is required to make the person well again.
It is also referred to as "major depression" or "major depressive order" by psychologists. It is characterized by the following symptoms:
• Loss of interest in activities, even in those that the person used to enjoy
• Continuously feeling sad, hopeless or empty
• Too little sleep, or oversleeping
• Noticeable weight loss or gain
• Loss of concentration
• Fatigue (despite oversleeping and overeating)
• Suicidal thoughts or actions
This type of depression is an illness. It is not something that the person can will to disappear, or will just go away in time. It also should not be seen as a weakness in the person or his character. No one is weak just because he gets the flu or bronchitis. In the same manner, no one should be judged weak because he is depressed.
Because it is an illness, depression requires professional treatment, usually involving both therapy and medication. Therapy or psychological counseling helps the person to deal with ongoing situations that may set off the depression or contribute to it, while drugs, particularly antidepressants, relieve the symptoms of depression.
There are rare cases when therapy and drugs do not work, or do not quite achieve the expected results. In such cases, electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) may be resorted to. In this method, electric currents are passed through the brain. It is safely conducted by a physician with adequate training in the procedure. Apart from ECT, there are other, newer and more progressive forms of treatment that are being studied and tried out. They show a good amount of success. With them, clinical depression is now a completely curable disease. It need not plague a person for months or even years. There is surely a treatment for his condition, whether through the traditional methods of therapy and drugs, or through the newer, more progressive approaches.
It is normal to feel sad and to grieve when a tragic event happens in one's life. It is also normal, after some time, for the sadness to gradually lessen and go away, and for the person to revert to his usual self. Every now and then, the sadness may return but he is able to deal with it and function normally. Such is the "normal" kind of depression. Clinical depression, on the other hand, is when the person just cannot seem to pull himself together, when his depression continues to be as unremitting and as severe as ever, even after a considerable time has passed since the event that presumably caused it. Given that it does not go away, medical treatment is required to make the person well again.
It is also referred to as "major depression" or "major depressive order" by psychologists. It is characterized by the following symptoms:
• Loss of interest in activities, even in those that the person used to enjoy
• Continuously feeling sad, hopeless or empty
• Too little sleep, or oversleeping
• Noticeable weight loss or gain
• Loss of concentration
• Fatigue (despite oversleeping and overeating)
• Suicidal thoughts or actions
This type of depression is an illness. It is not something that the person can will to disappear, or will just go away in time. It also should not be seen as a weakness in the person or his character. No one is weak just because he gets the flu or bronchitis. In the same manner, no one should be judged weak because he is depressed.
Because it is an illness, depression requires professional treatment, usually involving both therapy and medication. Therapy or psychological counseling helps the person to deal with ongoing situations that may set off the depression or contribute to it, while drugs, particularly antidepressants, relieve the symptoms of depression.
There are rare cases when therapy and drugs do not work, or do not quite achieve the expected results. In such cases, electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) may be resorted to. In this method, electric currents are passed through the brain. It is safely conducted by a physician with adequate training in the procedure. Apart from ECT, there are other, newer and more progressive forms of treatment that are being studied and tried out. They show a good amount of success. With them, clinical depression is now a completely curable disease. It need not plague a person for months or even years. There is surely a treatment for his condition, whether through the traditional methods of therapy and drugs, or through the newer, more progressive approaches.
When Does Clinical Depression Start?
Depression is the most prevalent of all psychological disorders.
It is estimated that about 17 million Americans suffer from this
condition. But while it is very widespread, the disease is often
undiagnosed and therefore untreated. The reason for this is that people
do not generally know the difference between "normal" sadness and
depression that is an unfortunate part of life sometimes, and "clinical
depression" which is a medical condition that requires treatment.
Feeling sad and being depressed is often a natural reaction to a stressful life situation. When one goes through a difficult breakup, experiences a death in the family, loses one's home or business, or learns that he has cancer, it is normal for him to feel deeply sad and upset. As a result, he may have trouble sleeping or eating, and he may want to be alone and not see people or leave the house. But after a few days or weeks, and perhaps after venting out his sorrows to a friend, he will feel better and slowly go back to his old routine. This is the "normal" kind of depression.
In contrast, clinical depression involves a significant change in mood, thoughts and behavior that persists for two weeks or longer. Instead of abating, the depression lingers and even seems to worsen at times. Clinically depressed people may then continue to feel sad, eat badly and lose weight, and stay inside their home for months. They continue to be bothered and upset, to avoid work, and to not see friends and family. Worse, they can start contemplating suicide and act on it if unchecked.
When this happens, the person must seek professional treatment. Often, he will not be able to initiate this action because of his depression. Friends and family will then have to help him and convince him to see a health professional.
To diagnose this condition, the doctor will conduct a complete physical and psychological evaluation to find out if the person has a depressive illness. He may use a standard questionnaire that identifies the possible presence of major depression. He may also interview the person, starting with questions that have to do with the symptoms of depression. These symptoms are the following:
• Intense feelings of sadness, emptiness and hopelessness
• Sleep and eating disturbances (that may include insomnia, oversleeping, under- and over-eating)
• Fatigue, lack of energy
• Loss of interest in daily activities, and in things that were once enjoyed, including sex, hobbies and sports
• Lack of desire for company or social interactions
• Not caring about one's responsibilities and appearance
• Difficulties concentrating, remembering and deciding
• Crying bouts
• Suicidal thoughts or attempts
The doctor will often ask when the symptoms began, what possibly triggered them, how long they have lasted, how severe were they, and if they have taken place before. If they occurred before, the doctor will ask about any treatment taken and if it was successful. Additionally, he will inquire about the person's alcohol and drug use, and any family history of depression or psychological disorders. He will probe thoroughly using interviews, physical examinations, mental status and laboratory tests.
Once the tests are done, the doctor will evaluate if the person is suffering from a major depression. If it turns out that the person does have the disorder, the doctor will then ascertain what type of depression it is.
The person, his family and friends are often the first to suspect depression, but it is a qualified physician who makes the diagnosis of clinical depression. This diagnosis is the crucial first step to identifying and treating the disorder. It is the beginning of the often lengthy but necessary process that will lead a person back to a normal life.
Feeling sad and being depressed is often a natural reaction to a stressful life situation. When one goes through a difficult breakup, experiences a death in the family, loses one's home or business, or learns that he has cancer, it is normal for him to feel deeply sad and upset. As a result, he may have trouble sleeping or eating, and he may want to be alone and not see people or leave the house. But after a few days or weeks, and perhaps after venting out his sorrows to a friend, he will feel better and slowly go back to his old routine. This is the "normal" kind of depression.
In contrast, clinical depression involves a significant change in mood, thoughts and behavior that persists for two weeks or longer. Instead of abating, the depression lingers and even seems to worsen at times. Clinically depressed people may then continue to feel sad, eat badly and lose weight, and stay inside their home for months. They continue to be bothered and upset, to avoid work, and to not see friends and family. Worse, they can start contemplating suicide and act on it if unchecked.
When this happens, the person must seek professional treatment. Often, he will not be able to initiate this action because of his depression. Friends and family will then have to help him and convince him to see a health professional.
To diagnose this condition, the doctor will conduct a complete physical and psychological evaluation to find out if the person has a depressive illness. He may use a standard questionnaire that identifies the possible presence of major depression. He may also interview the person, starting with questions that have to do with the symptoms of depression. These symptoms are the following:
• Intense feelings of sadness, emptiness and hopelessness
• Sleep and eating disturbances (that may include insomnia, oversleeping, under- and over-eating)
• Fatigue, lack of energy
• Loss of interest in daily activities, and in things that were once enjoyed, including sex, hobbies and sports
• Lack of desire for company or social interactions
• Not caring about one's responsibilities and appearance
• Difficulties concentrating, remembering and deciding
• Crying bouts
• Suicidal thoughts or attempts
The doctor will often ask when the symptoms began, what possibly triggered them, how long they have lasted, how severe were they, and if they have taken place before. If they occurred before, the doctor will ask about any treatment taken and if it was successful. Additionally, he will inquire about the person's alcohol and drug use, and any family history of depression or psychological disorders. He will probe thoroughly using interviews, physical examinations, mental status and laboratory tests.
Once the tests are done, the doctor will evaluate if the person is suffering from a major depression. If it turns out that the person does have the disorder, the doctor will then ascertain what type of depression it is.
The person, his family and friends are often the first to suspect depression, but it is a qualified physician who makes the diagnosis of clinical depression. This diagnosis is the crucial first step to identifying and treating the disorder. It is the beginning of the often lengthy but necessary process that will lead a person back to a normal life.
David Jackson is an internet marketer for a few years. Essential
information and powerful tools that will bring a solution to your Stress
and Anxiety Problems, can be found at [http://stressbusterz.org/]
Copyrights@ How To Get Six Pack. This article may be Freely printed in any form, on the guarantee that the article stay the same without any omittances, deletions, alterations or changes throughout this article. This copyright is to stay with this article.
Copyrights@ How To Get Six Pack. This article may be Freely printed in any form, on the guarantee that the article stay the same without any omittances, deletions, alterations or changes throughout this article. This copyright is to stay with this article.
Sunday, October 14, 2012
How to Find the Right Health Clinic With a Personal Touch For Yourself
When you're looking to find the right health clinic, there are several alternatives to bear in mind before you make a decision.
First of all, what is your situation? What are your goals?
You wouldn't try to find a personal injury rehab health clinic if you're pregnant, would you? Of course not. So the first thing you'll need to do is define your problem. You might want to consider the right type of health care.
These days, everyone is turning to the internet to find answers. There's no doubt that's how you found this page.
So let's begin there. Fire up your favorite search engine, like Google, for example. Then begin to enter the right keywords in the search box. If you're trying to find an assisted living clinic, you might enter something like, "assisted care living facility" and begin to go over the results.
If you're not able to find something in your immediate area, you might try to enter your city & state in the search box as well. For example, "assisted care living facility in Dallas, Texas". Chances are, you'll get several results you can work with.
When it comes to your health - or the health of a loved one, don't make your final decision based on a web page. Instead, you should use the internet as a great guide to finding a list of possibilities. From there, you can start calling the local facilities to begin narrowing things down. I'd suggest that you have a good list of questions to ask the right person.
Finally, you can go and visit the appropriate clinics that you have on your final list.
If you follow these steps, I can almost guarantee that you'll easily & quickly be able to find a great health clinic to meet whatever goals you have!
First of all, what is your situation? What are your goals?
You wouldn't try to find a personal injury rehab health clinic if you're pregnant, would you? Of course not. So the first thing you'll need to do is define your problem. You might want to consider the right type of health care.
These days, everyone is turning to the internet to find answers. There's no doubt that's how you found this page.
So let's begin there. Fire up your favorite search engine, like Google, for example. Then begin to enter the right keywords in the search box. If you're trying to find an assisted living clinic, you might enter something like, "assisted care living facility" and begin to go over the results.
If you're not able to find something in your immediate area, you might try to enter your city & state in the search box as well. For example, "assisted care living facility in Dallas, Texas". Chances are, you'll get several results you can work with.
When it comes to your health - or the health of a loved one, don't make your final decision based on a web page. Instead, you should use the internet as a great guide to finding a list of possibilities. From there, you can start calling the local facilities to begin narrowing things down. I'd suggest that you have a good list of questions to ask the right person.
Finally, you can go and visit the appropriate clinics that you have on your final list.
If you follow these steps, I can almost guarantee that you'll easily & quickly be able to find a great health clinic to meet whatever goals you have!
Finding the right health clinic for yourself or a family member can be challenging.
Adult Health Clinicals
Adult health provides students with training in the general care
of adult patients. Instructors will have lecture about primary care,
pathophysiology, medication, patient education, and all of the body
functions.
During this clinical rotation, you should already be comfortable with communicating with patients. So students can get used to a nurses schedule, usually the clinical rotation days will be 12 hours long from 7am-7pm. The particular school I went to scheduled our clinical days either on the weekend or 1-2 days a week when we did not have lecture.
Hospitals may have you sign a waiver and come to orientation in order to ensure students are aware of the rules and regulations of that particular facility. This orientation includes information on safety, security, HIPPPA regulations, patient privacy, and that particular hospitals charting system. Sometimes students are given hospital badges just like the employees are given.
The day before your clinical day, you are assigned a patient and will have to obtain information before showing up that next day. My particular school had a few different ways for us to get patient information. One semester, we were to get the patient information by driving to the hospital the day before. We were told what floor to go to, then a list would be at the nurse's station or in the break room telling each student what room numbers they are assigned to and that nurses name. Once we had all the room numbers, we were to find the patients chart and get demographic information, age, race, history, diagnosis, lab values and any other information you think your instructor may quiz you on that next morning. This was very time consuming because the charts are not always available. Some facilities don't have electronic charting and hunting the chart down can be tasking. Doctors come and take the charts to review and write orders, nurses and nurse assistants have to write in the chart also.
You should only be assigned about 2-3 patients when you first start clinicals. Until you master time management, you won't be able to handle even one patient. In my case, I had two patients to look information up on. We were only allowed to get the patient information after 6pm. I remind you that this is the day before clinicals and we had to meet our instructor at the hospital at 6:30am the next day. Once you have the patient's diagnosis, medications and lab values, you will have to do some research.
Do know what the diagnosis means and why the patient is in the hospital because of it. Example: If the patient is admitted for hypertension. Know what hypertension means, why does the patient have it, how is it being treated, what you can teach the patient about how to monitor blood pressure and that a low sodium diet would be best to consume in order to keep blood pressure down. Your instructor may ask you how hypertension affects other body systems.
Try to get as much sleep as you can the day before clinicals. Bring cash for lunch or try not to pack a large meal. Students share the break room with hospital staff and there is not much room in the refrigerator for you lunch bag. Put on your best smile because you will not click with every nurse you instructor puts you with, so try to learn as much as you can, be very helpful and ask questions.
During this clinical rotation, you should already be comfortable with communicating with patients. So students can get used to a nurses schedule, usually the clinical rotation days will be 12 hours long from 7am-7pm. The particular school I went to scheduled our clinical days either on the weekend or 1-2 days a week when we did not have lecture.
Hospitals may have you sign a waiver and come to orientation in order to ensure students are aware of the rules and regulations of that particular facility. This orientation includes information on safety, security, HIPPPA regulations, patient privacy, and that particular hospitals charting system. Sometimes students are given hospital badges just like the employees are given.
The day before your clinical day, you are assigned a patient and will have to obtain information before showing up that next day. My particular school had a few different ways for us to get patient information. One semester, we were to get the patient information by driving to the hospital the day before. We were told what floor to go to, then a list would be at the nurse's station or in the break room telling each student what room numbers they are assigned to and that nurses name. Once we had all the room numbers, we were to find the patients chart and get demographic information, age, race, history, diagnosis, lab values and any other information you think your instructor may quiz you on that next morning. This was very time consuming because the charts are not always available. Some facilities don't have electronic charting and hunting the chart down can be tasking. Doctors come and take the charts to review and write orders, nurses and nurse assistants have to write in the chart also.
You should only be assigned about 2-3 patients when you first start clinicals. Until you master time management, you won't be able to handle even one patient. In my case, I had two patients to look information up on. We were only allowed to get the patient information after 6pm. I remind you that this is the day before clinicals and we had to meet our instructor at the hospital at 6:30am the next day. Once you have the patient's diagnosis, medications and lab values, you will have to do some research.
Do know what the diagnosis means and why the patient is in the hospital because of it. Example: If the patient is admitted for hypertension. Know what hypertension means, why does the patient have it, how is it being treated, what you can teach the patient about how to monitor blood pressure and that a low sodium diet would be best to consume in order to keep blood pressure down. Your instructor may ask you how hypertension affects other body systems.
Try to get as much sleep as you can the day before clinicals. Bring cash for lunch or try not to pack a large meal. Students share the break room with hospital staff and there is not much room in the refrigerator for you lunch bag. Put on your best smile because you will not click with every nurse you instructor puts you with, so try to learn as much as you can, be very helpful and ask questions.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)