Walk-In Clinics Provide Needed Medical Care

It's Sunday morning, and your infant has been crying for hours. It could be cramps or an earache. Your pediatrician's office is closed. Before you head to the emergency room, you should know that walk-in clinics are available to handle many family practice health issues.General GuidelinesWalk-in clinics treat minor emergencies that are not life-threatening. On-staff certified physicians provide qualified care to patients who come in. These walk-in clinics exist for convenience, when you can't wait to see your doctor, and don't feel the extended wait times at an emergency room's triage center are worth the trip. If possible, you should assess the seriousness of your condition before visiting a walk-in clinic. You can often call to speak to a nurse on-duty about symptoms or consult medical websites. More information about what kinds of services are available at a particular walk-in clinic is usually available on their website.Walk-in clinics can handle some first aid and non-trauma conditions, and the board-certified medical personnel there will let you know if they cannot treat your condition. You will otherwise be treated quickly and the same day without the need for an appointment.Walk-In Clinics also accept most insurance plans. Insurance companies will often charge far less for a clinic visit than for an emergency room visit. If your insurance plan is not accepted, or you do not have a valid insurance plan, ask about available options for treatment.Treatable SymptomsThere are a variety of conditions that can be handled by walk-in facilities including:


• Cuts and/or bruises
• Infections
• Rashes
• Headaches
• Stomachaches
• Sore throats
• Sinus conditions
• The flu or colds
• Asthma
• Minor sprains or fractures
• Cough
• Diarrhea or vomitingIn addition to treating these ailments, many walk-in clinics can also administer immunizations and conduct physical exams, screenings and lab tests.Finding Your Walk-In ClinicThere has been an increase in walk-in clinic facilities recently. This increase has been generally funded by private investors, which often means the clinic is not affiliated to a local hospital. This can have good and bad results. One good result is you rarely have to wait too long. Another is that walk-in clinics are no longer mostly found in large metropolitan areas. With the rise of walk-in clinics, there is likely to be one near you. A quick search on the Internet or a call to your local information service will provide an ample number of options.Cut the Red Tape and Feel Better FastIt's good to have options. Your doctor may give you more personalized care, and the emergency room may possess the best equipment and staff for emergencies, but when the other inconvenient situations occur that can't wait for your regular doctor or don't require an emergency room visit, there's the option of walk-in clinics. Many clinics even offer online registration to facilitate the treatment process. It's about getting better when you need it, without the paperwork, and fast.

A Case for the Repeal of ObamaCare and the Economic Destruction of Our Economy

Against the widespread wishes of the American people, Democrats passed the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act ("ObamaCare") of PPAC into law in 2010 promising, among other things, to "correct the deficiencies" of medical care. Yet the ironically titled law, in its 2,800 pages of federal intervention into the economy, is failing to "protect" anyone as health insurance becomes even less "affordable."Even worse, ObamaCare is restraining an economic recovery and destroying jobs by burdening entrepreneurs and employers with tax increases and costly regulations. Congress can help end the economic uncertainty by keeping our Pledge to America and repealing this disastrous law. This month was a milestone for PPAC as the health insurance exchanges opened to memorialize the legacy of Obama as his experimental economic policies continue to plague our growth.As the law became a reality on October 1, 2013, over 50% of all Americans do not understand how this new law is structured and even more of them do not understand the economic ramifications. This became evident when I overheard a conversation between two employees in my office this past week. Both of them in the late 20's, the very demographic that proponents of the plan are expecting to enroll in droves, the young and healthy millennials.As the conversation between these two people developed, through the door outside my office, I overheard several conversations about the health care bill. One of these people was anticipating the arrival of a nationwide insurance exchange coming online in a few days to get his "free health care plan" we will call him Keith. The other, we will call him Scott, proceeded to explain to Keith that there was nothing free in ObamaCare. I was astonished at the exchange between these two bright and educated people. This is a classic case of a low-information consumer vs. a highly informed person. Keith, apparently, has not recently had health insurance coverage and was under the impression he was going to get a limitless benefit from the federal government. Scott, to the contrary, explained that this was the biggest political Ponzi-scheme on the planet and that Keith was going to have to pay for his coverage. In reality, Keith was hugely disappointed, no different from the millions who recently discovered that no one is getting free health insurance.What is the reality of this controversial piece of legislation? Could it be that the actuaries that the democratic pollsters hired to run the numbers got it wrong? Let us look at some economic facts about this legislation.First of all, when the health insurance exchanges opened up on 10/1, there was a lot of perplexity, not because the web site had mal-functioned, but because millions were expecting to get this new benefit for free! One can only imagine the bewilderment experienced when these Americans realized that they actually have to pay for this service. What happened? Didn't the democrats promise health reform and didn't they promise health insurance coverage for the 45 plus million Americans without? They sure did, but they failed to fully explain how devastating this was going to be to all Americans by in large. According to the U.S. Census Bureau current population survey, consider the following statistics as part of the discussion as it related to the number of un-insured Americans (the percentages are a comparison to the total population):Total number not covered by insurance 47.9 million - 15.4%Total of these in families 35.8 million - 14.2%Where do the uninsured live?Living in the Northeast 5.9 million - 10.8%Living in the Northwest 7.9 million - 11.9%Living in the South 21.5 million - 18.6%Living in the West 12.4 Million - 17.0%How much money do people without health care make?Income level of less than $25k 14.5 million - 24.9%Income level between $25 - 49.9k 18.8 million - 21.4%Income level between $50 - 74.9k 7.0 million - 15.0%Income level of $75k plus 7.7 million - 7.9%How old are the uninsured?Between the ages of 25-34 11.4 million - 27.4%Between the ages of 35-44 8.4 million - 21.1%Between the ages of 45-54 7.8 million - 18.2%BY association, it would seem that the demographics of uninsured Americans are relatively spread evenly between all social classes and economic populace. In actuality, the overall concept to offer all Americans with high quality health care coverage is a step in the right direction. But a government sponsored bill to force people into a health exchange is not the answer, especially when it is expected to be funded by citizens who don't need it to pay for citizens who do, much like social security.


It is going to present a huge burden on taxpayers in America, so how much is it really going to cost the American taxpayer?Actuaries, who helped designed the plan, are expecting the uninsured Americans between the ages of 25 and 34 to enroll with income levels from $25k trough$50k. Unfortunately, this is not going to happen, first, young Americans are struggling to make ends meet, if they do not have an employer sponsored health plan, they are not going to take money from disposable income regardless of the penalty. Especially when the penalty is insignificant in contrast to the premiums which we will prove later.A family of 4 making $40,000 annually will pay an annual premium of $8,290 with a tax credit of $6,325, this family will pay $1,373 after the tax credit which is 3.9% of gross income but actually 13% of take home pay.A family of 4 making $60,000 annually will pay an annual premium of $8,290 with a tax credit of $3,377, this family will pay $4,913 after the tax credit which is 8.2% of gross income but actually 20% of take home pay.A family of 4 making $80,000 annually will pay an annual premium of $8,290 with a tax credit of $690, this family will pay $7,600 after the tax credit which is 9.5% of gross income but actually 24% of take home pay.This family of four, based on the government figures, is expected to pay health insurance out-of-pocket costs anywhere from 3.9% to 9.5%.
In reality, ObamaCare is expected to cost this family of four anywhere from 13% to 25% of disposable income because of after-tax income. The percent illustrated in column (1), based on the government estimates takes the actual net tax premium and divides it gross income. In reality, it needs to be divided by net income after paying income taxes, social security deductions, Medicare deductions and other payroll taxes.
This family of 4 will have $690.00 per month less income because they will have to pay the premium monthly with the tax credit coming in the following tax year. For example, in 2014, this family will have to fund the policy for 12 months from disposable and the tax credit from column (3) will not be realized until early in 2015. Once again, the government is using Obama accounting to present a really bad program.
Tax Increases - Between the years of 2014 and 2019, there are a multitude of taxes that will be imposed on Americans from an increase in payroll taxes, mandates on business taxes, a decrease in Medicare payments for seniors that will need to be absorbed through other health insurance increases, and a myriad of other taxes imposed on middle to lower income tax payers. Please visit the heritage foundation website to review these taxes in detail.
If the taxpayer opts out of ObamaCare, they will have to pay a penalty equal to 1% of gross income or $95.00 per adult in 2014, increasing to 2.5% of gross income and $695 per adult in 2016. It will be more cost-effective for the family to pay the penalty and not incur the annual out-of-pocket costs.It's Cheaper to pay the tax penalty than to enroll in ObamaCare - Based on this analysis, it is cheaper to pay the tax penalty than it is to subscribe to ObamaCare. Why in the world would a healthy person enroll in a government sponsored health plan knowing it will cost them an extra $600 per month in disposable income? It's not going to happen.So who is going to enroll in ObamaCare? The indigent and the sick! Taxpayers who could not afford any kind of health insurance prior to the passing of the PPAC. This will drive up the cost of coverage in itself, because the young and healthy are not willing to bear the cost burden to fund the indigent and otherwise ailing population segment.Widespread Ignorance - That is correct, widespread ignorance best describes the concept of this policy. The taxpayers enrolling in the program have no idea how much it is going to cost them and the people employed to aid the enrollees have even less knowledge on the details of ObamaCare.At the end of the day, this will cost Americans dearly, especially hurt will be the low information Americans who believed that this administration actually had their best interest in mind. Bigger government and government administered health insures has failed even before it got started. This will cost taxpayers and the economy anywhere $100 billion annual y to as much as $300 billion annually depending upon the number of people who actually enroll in the program. Economically speaking, this is the most fragile time in American history in the last 100 years, regardless of the outcome, whether are not people enroll or don't enroll, they effect on our economic recovery will be devastating.

Finding the Right Donor for Your Liver Transplant

The international healthcare guidelines state that any patient who is suffering from liver cirrhosis and projects a life expectancy that is less than one year can be considered eligible for a liver transplant. The severity of the disease is typically graded from A to C.What is a Liver Transplant?Hepatic or liver transplant involves the replacement of a diseased liver with a healthy one from another individual. Based on the severity and urgency of the case at hand, the patient is either put on the cadaveric donation waiting list; or if the patient is able to find a willing family member with a matched blood group; a transplant may be scheduled based on the results of the donor's evaluation.Most surgeons recommend family members to consider donation in cases where the patient's condition seems to be getting worse.Who are the Cadaveric Donors?Cadaveric donors are essentially people who in their lifetime pledge that their organs from their body may be used after their deaths, to help patients with terminal illnesses. However, the local law states that the decision to donate the organs lies with the next of kin after the death of the pledged donor.Where to Find Liver Donors?If you are under treatment with a reputed liver transplant centre, they are most likely to assist you in making the correct decisions with regards to finding the right donor. Most liver transplant centers also run their own donor program that encourages individuals to pledge their organs for the terminally ill. Consequently, there are a number of government organizations and not for profit organizations who provide assistance in this regards.


Things to Take care of while Identifying a Donor:
Medically speaking it is of extreme importance that the donor and the receiver belong to the same blood group.
Make sure your surgeon has also taken all the necessary measures to evaluate the overall health of the donor.
Ask for a copy of the consent form that is filled up by the donor. Also acquire a written consent from the lawful custodian of the body of the deceased.
As a receiver as well as a donor, it is important for you to know that having a donor card does not bind an individual legally to give away his organs after death. It also represents one's willingness to donate the organs.
In the case of a cadaveric donation, it is mandatory that a panel of four doctors need to declare brain stem death twice within a gap period of 6 hours. This team must include the medical administrator, a neurologist or neurosurgeon, an authorized specialist and the medical officer under whom the patient was being treated.
As a receiver, you should not be compelled to make any payment on account of the liver donation.
With a vast shortage of liver donors, finding the right one can be an extremely daunting process. In such circumstance, it is best to get treated from a reputed liver transplant center that has the resources at hand to help you find the best donor within a requisite time frame.

If You Are Healthy, Do You Really Need Health Insurance?

The Health Insurance Marketplace is coming soon! Are you ready to go shopping? The mandate requiring most individuals to purchase health insurance goes into effect on January 1, 2014 and the Marketplace will be up and running on October 1, 2013. After March 31, 2014 those who haven't purchased health insurance will have to wait until the enrollment period for the following year.The Affordable Care Act (ACA) has already provided benefits such as no more limitations on pre-existing conditions, free services such as vaccinations for children and birth control, and allowing young people to remain on their parents' health insurance plans until the age of 26.But what if you are under 30 and healthy? Do you really need to find health insurance? The law is very clear: If you do not purchase health insurance you will pay a fee: $95 the first year per person but will go up to 2.5% of household income or $695 per person in 2016, whichever is higher.Those implementing the ACA have valid concerns that healthy individuals may decide to skip insurance and just pay the fee. Although it's tempting, there are risks involved and there are ways to minimize the cost of your health insurance so that you benefit.An option for those under 30 is catastrophic insurance, high deductible or "consumer-directed" insurance plans. These have lower monthly premiums and will include 3 well visits per year and free preventive care. Why consider this at all? These plans provide a safety net for an unexpected serious injury or illness. If you don't purchase health insurance you pay the fine as well as any healthcare expenses you incur, which can be steep. A hospital stay due to an accident can run as high as $30,000 and medical costs are a primary cause of bankruptcies. Deductibles may be as high as $6,400 for individuals but Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) can save pre-tax dollars and then be used for deductibles or wellness/informational tests.


With direct access lab testing facilities and HSAs to fill the gap, you can be proactive and do something you may have never done before: Go out and get the tests you want that meet your needs. HSAs can be used for informational tests that you may want to add on to provide baseline data for future reference or track potential or current health issues that you know may cause you problems down the road. If you decide to go with a high deductible or consumer-directed plan, you will have to become a smart healthcare shopper when selecting tests and services, and not necessarily go with your doctor's lab.If you are healthy and over 30, the Marketplace provides 4 options with varying premiums and deductibles. When choosing your health plan look at your overall health. If you don't require many doctors' visits, then a high deductible plan may be right for you, but if you or a family member has any medical challenges, the high deductible plan may cost you more in the long run.

Choosing the Right Medical Tourism Agency

Weeding the good out from the bad and ugly.How do you if a medical travel agency is up to par? Here are some things to look out for and ask about whenever you are searching for a travel agency to help you on your medical journey.Transparent PricingDon't pick an agency that isn't honest about their pricing from the get go. If they don't have prices listed on their website, think twice about if you want to waste your time contacting them.No Price DifferenceA good medical tourist agency will offer their services at no extra cost to having the treatment carried out by the clinic directly. Go ahead, pick up the phone and call the clinic and find out if their prices are the same or at least similar. A serious medical travel company like Medical Travel Czech Republic will negotiate prices with the clinic beforehand so that they can offer you their services at the same cost as going to the clinic directly.Quick Response TimesIf an agency can't respond to you in at least 48 hours, including the weekends, they are probably a waste of your time. A great agency will respond in at least 24 hours. While you are in the country for your treatment, they should be available to assist you 24/7.


Track Record of being Good Patient AmbassadorsMake sure that there are good solid references about the agency. Have other patients felt supported and taken care of by this agency? Do their reviews sound sincere? Don't be afraid to go into interview mode and ask the agency about how they took care of a stressful situation for one of their other clients.Offer something fun as wellWell it is a tourist agency after all, they shouldn't be all business. You may feel up to a bit of sightseeing, so make sure they offer some sort of inclusive tour as well.Of course there are many other factors to choosing a good tourist agency, but these should get you started on the right track. All in all, don't be afraid to politely say no if you don't feel comfortable with what an agency is offering you, leave and find a better one.The right medical travel agency will support you before, during and after your treatment abroad and will provide you with an advocate during your stay in a foreign country.

India - Pharma Growth

Generic genericsCurrently, the market share of generic generics is very low. We see two main hurdles to pure genericisation of the Indian market:1. Lack of generic generics regulations and guidelines for the establishment of bio-equivalence, for example the Abbreviated New Drug Application (ANDA) guidelines that exist in the U.S2. Doctor comfort derived from prescribing medications on the basis of brand name. A good example of a generic generics program in India. This program provides no-name generic drugs at subsidized prices in 24-hour pharmacies that are located all over the country.Maximizing focus on branded generics:Both multinational companies and domestic firms are taking steps towards maximizing potential returns from branded generics. For example, Abbott acquired Piramal Healthcare for its strong sales force and branded generics portfolio (Refer pull out). Domestic firms are also looking to increase their share of the branded generics market, with some of the leading pharmaceutical companies adding to their sales forces by nearly 50% in 2010.Over-the-counter products:The OTC segment has been identified alone of the potential growth drivers for the Indian Pharma industry, as the sale of OTC drugs in India has been increasing over the years. The OTC market was worth about US$1.8 billion in 2009 and it will grow to US$11 billion.'OTC Drugs' means drugs legally allowed to be sold 'Over The Counter' by pharmacists, i.e. without the prescription of a Registered Medical Practitioner.


Although the phrase 'OTC' has no legal recognition in India, all the drugs not included in the list of 'prescription-only drugs' are considered to be non-prescription drugs (or OTC drugs).OTC segment growth drivers:Wider Distribution Channel: Companies can sell their products outside of Pharmacies, for example in post-offices and department stores.Direct Consumer Advertisement: The government allows public advertising of these products, giving drug makers greater freedom to use more creative methods while marketing their products.Magic Remedies (Objectionable Advertisements) act prescribes a negative list of diseases for which medication cannot be publicly advertised.Increase Consumer awareness: There is an increased reliance on self-medication as public awareness of common ailments goes up.Low Price control: Other than acetylsalicylic acid and ephedrine and its salts, very few of the OTC active ingredients fall under the current DPCO price controls.The above factors have meant that there are a large number of Indian companies that manufacture and sell OTC products. Cipla, Ranbaxy and Zydus Cadila are examples of Indian companies that have done well in the OTC segment.The attractiveness of the Indian OTC market has extended to MNCs as well. Novartis, Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson are examples of MNCs that have a strong presence in the Indian OTC segment.

ChemWell 2910 Chemistry Analyzer for Medical Laboratories

Chemistry analyzers are used to analyze blood and body fluid samples for bilirubin, albumin, creatinine, magnesium, uric acid, calcium, inorganic phosphorus or assays of thyroid. Branded products for medical laboratories feature advanced technology and can provide accurate and timely results. Manufactured by Awareness Technology, Inc., ChemWell 2910 is an open and easy to program system that can set up assays, routine jobs, quality control, panels, and even index calculations to suit specific medical laboratory needs. Users can select from a wide selection of monitoring and reporting styles. In order to deliver more accurate and precise results, the device includes precise pipetting of low volume specimens, careful control of temperature, and elimination of carryover.ChemWell 2910 Chemistry Analyzer - FeaturesWith a complete open system, ChemWell 2910 can easily program additional wash volume, increase the number of washes, direct the probe to pick up, and dispense a probe cleaning solution after each specimen. It can make pre-dilutions. This is often not essential as a high precision level is achieved with a 2uL sample. The other important features of the ChemWell 2910 are as follows -Typical throughput - Up to 200 endpoint reactions per hour, up to 170 kinetic reactions per hour
Typical reaction volume - 200µ L or less
Set up assays, routine jobs, quality control, panels, even index calculations to match individual laboratory requirements.
Self-monitoring mechanics and optics
Reaction Volume <250uL
QC tracking
Probe washes inside and out washes
No custom disposables required
No carry-over
Long-life IAD filters
LIS, STAT
Liquid sensing probe tip
Level-sensing wash, rinse, and waste bottles
Handles up to 27 reagents, 96 samples
Edit standard curves
Dimensions - 36.25"(92.1cm) width, 18.75"(47.6cm) height, 21.5"(54.6cm) depth.
Creates automatic service reports
Auto-dilute and retest for over-range samples
Approximate weight - 80 lbs (36 Kg)
8-well wash head
Process EIA at ambient temperature or 37°C
Completely password protected


The chemistry analyzer also comes with an optional reagent cooling accessory (RCA) which protects reagents from ambient heat. The removable racks can be refrigerated and then pre-loaded to make it ready for the next use.Buy From a Reliable laboratory Equipment SupplierThe best option when it comes to purchasing the ChemWell 2910 chemistry analyzer is an online laboratory equipment store. You can view the image of the product and examine its features and specifications in detail. A reliable supplier would offer this analyzer at a price much lower than new. Placing an order and making payment is easy. Reputable dealers will provide excellent post-sales support including repair and maintenance services.

Role Of Homeopathic Medicines in the Modern Health Scenario

With the beginning of the 21st century, there has been a worldwide proliferation in different types of incurable and chronic diseases. The quality of life has deteriorated since the past several years. It is quite essential to restore and cure the afflictions of mankind. Homeopathy is one of the best alternative forms of medicine which has the power to restore the physical and spiritual well-being of mankind.Vast Beneficial Qualities:Homeopathic medicines have vast benefits and it can heal pathological and psychological issues contrary to the cynical beliefs of many people. These drugs are basically extracted from natural sources such as plants and animals. This form of medicine treats the patient and not the disease. It is quite a distinctive form of treatment which involves time and complete cure.These medicines seldom exhibit any sort of side-effects as the drug substance is prescribed in a minimal amount. As a result it can safely be consumed by people of all ages. These drugs facilitate in enhancing the natural resistive powers of the body and help to retrieve the lost stability caused due to infections.Homeopathic medicines are often prescribed to patients suffering from acute pain and incurable diseases such as cancer. It helps to reduce the pain and therefore it is prescribed by doctors.These medicines are known to offer a holistic cure to diseases even though the treatment may be a lengthy process. Medicines are prescribed according to the symptoms and the cure may differ from one person to another. This unique form of medicine is based on the belief that human body has the inner strength to cure diseases. These drugs basically enhance the immunity of the body and thereby help it to cure the diseases on its own. Diseases and symptoms are seldom suppressed and it is treated in a unique manner.


The modern society has a huge impact on the health of mankind. Increased stress levels, inability to focus and increase in anxiety on a mass level are some of the factors responsible for poor health. Apart from these factors, the lack of proper nutritious food, polluted environment and so forth also contribute to chronic diseases and ill-health.Need For An Alternative Form of Medicine:Human kind is in dire need of an alternative form of medicine that can guarantee both physical and mental health. With a large number of negative influences which threaten the existence of mankind, it is quite essential to seek a comprehensive and effective form of medicine which can be obtained through the use of homeopathic medicines. This holistic system of medicine stimulates the natural healing power of the body and thereby helps to cure diseases in a natural way. These medicines work with the natural healing power of the body rather than suppress it.With the increase in the use of these medications, it is widely made available through various online stores at affordable price rates. Nevertheless, it is essential to purchase these drugs only from reputed and trusted online dealers to guarantee its authenticity.

Gastroenterology: Understand The Difference Between Screening And Diagnostic Colonoscopies

The difference between a screening and diagnostic colonoscopy has been much debated for a long time. But its importance will increase with the new health reform law. According to the law private insurers need to provide first dollar coverage within six months for colorectal screenings.A screening colonoscopy is also called preventive colonoscopy and is done when a patient has no symptoms or any personal history of colon cancer or colon polyps. Generally the codes that are used to report it and get pay are the HCPCS code G0121. This was earlier only used by Medicare but now is also used by commercial payers. Another code used is CPT 45378 along with the diagnosis code V76.51.Diagnostic colonoscopy is done if the patient has blood in stool, bleeding from rectum, iron deficiency anemia, change in bowel habits or abdominal pain. Additionally, if one has personal or family history of colon cancer or colon polyps, one needs to undergo diagnostic colonoscopy.Coding becomes complicated if a polyp or lesion is found and removed by snare during the screening colonoscopy. This condition is reported with CPT code 45385 but it is tricky to select a diagnosis code.Screening colonoscopy is fully covered by Medicare and there is no need to pay deductible and co-insurance. But for diagnostic colonoscopy, although the deductible is waived by Medicare, one needs to pay 20% co-insurance.If one has appeared for a screening colonoscopy and has to go in for diagnostic colonoscopy, then payment needs to be done for diagnostic colonoscopy. Even if there are no symptoms found and a polyp is found, it will be termed as diagnostic colonoscopy procedure.


Screening colonoscopy is referred as a preventive service and is covered by insurance policies without a co-payment, co-insurance or deductible being met.One needs to follow some basic guidelines for screening colonoscopy. They are as follows:

It is essential to verify the benefits of the patient and get preauthorization.

It is important to review payments with patient before the procedure to learn about the coverage and making them understand the meaning of screening. Informing the patient that a surgical colonoscopy is a good possibility is essential as nearly 35 percent of screening colonoscopies end up as surgical colonoscopies.

It is advised to use both diagnosis codes. Some payers pay for a screening although a polyp is found. Si it is important to use both diagnosis codes for reporting in the claim.

During the colonoscopy if a lesion is detected, the indication of screening and the finding must be reported and billed.

One can reject bills if codes are not in order. In order to rectify this, one can review the claim and submit it as the insurer wants accordingly.
Symptoms should not be cited for screening because if it is a procedure of screening colonoscopy, its indication cannot be a symptom. One needs to caution the gastroenterologist and amend the notes.

Pilates: An Exercise Phenomenon

Development of Pilates:During World War 1, whilst in a German internment camp, Pilates came up with the theory that the best way to improve one's core strength was by developing: controlled breathing, aligning the spine and coordination and balance techniques. His fellow inmates all participated in his exercises and thus during the 1918 flu pandemic, many survived due to their physical strength.Effects on the body:Research has suggested that Pilates have numerous effects on the body, focusing on toning and strengthening muscles without bulking them up. These benefits include:Increased core strength
Better movement from the spine and joints
Improved posture, coming from better balance, stability and coordination skills
Leaner muscles for better movement
Heightened body awarenessAll these benefits made Pilates hugely popular amongst gymnasts, dancers and present day sports stars; like: Andy Murray, Tiger Woods and Ryan Giggs. Practices that facilitate Pilates will focus on the six principles of Pilates 'Concentration, Control, Centering, Efficiency of movement, Precision and Breathing'. All of which, exercises are created to follow.Concentration:With total commitment and full on focus, participants ensure their maximum work-out. Concentration connects your mind to all body parts, this will enable one to focus on every detail and thus lead to the perfection of each alignment.


Control:This was Joseph Pilates preferred name for his method, deriving from 'Contrology'. Being in total control of your body allows you to develop a strong mind-body connection, whereby your mind dictates movement; uncontrollable movement can lead to injury.Centering:The centre of the body (abdomen, lower and upper back, thighs, hips and gluts), is where all the power is generated. All movement should flow freely from the centre of the body to each individual body part during exercise.Efficiency of Movement:When doing the Pilates exercises, it is extremely important that there are no pauses or breaks between them. Ensuring fluidity of movement will build up strength and stamina in the body, connecting all body parts from the core, ensuring muscles are always working.Precision:Joseph Pilates used to say 'Honour every movement' - by this, he meant that you must focus on doing a few precise but seamless repetitions. By doing so, these repetitions will slowly get integrated into the daily routine, making you grow stronger and preform daily routines more efficiently.Breathing:Steady breathing allows the body to coordinate itself with the mind, providing greater control. Inhaling before a movement and exhaling to execute it provides greater oxygenation of the blood, increasing the circulation around the body and flexibility of muscles. This is seen as cleansing and invigorating to the body and mind.

A Detailed Outlook on Cardiology

A cardiologist is a professional doctor who has received specialist training and skills in diagnosing, treating and preventing disease of the blood vessels and the heart. Therefore, a cardiologist is doctor who treats the heart, veins and arteries. Cardiology is a specialty in the broad category of the internal medicine. You can receive training in other subspecialties such as interventional cardiology, nuclear cardiology, echocardiography and electrophysiology.Duties of cardiologists The cardiologist plays an important role in diagnosing and treating cardiovascular diseases. Furthermore, they promote heart health. They also provide rehabilitation to people who have undergone treatment or surgery for heart ailments. The invasive non-interventional cardiologists help to diagnose patients and perform catheterizations to undertake an examination of clogged arteries. The interventional cardiologists undertake cardiovascular procedures to treat or cure diseases.Education prerequisitesTo become a medical professional you need a lot of study and clinical practice. If you are looking for an opportunity to become a cardiologist, you need to complete a pre-medicine bachelor's degree- the program chosen needs to be loaded with pre-med courses, including anatomy, statistics, chemistry and biology. In addition, you will need to prepare yourself for a college admission test. You also need to form good relationships with mentors to help you receive strong recommendation letters. For you to become a competitive candidate you will need to acquire a bachelor's degree and gain some clinical experience.


Afterwards, you need to consider a Doctor of Medicine (M.D) degree. These general medical degrees introduce the students' to medicine and a career in medicine. Through the classroom instructions and clinical experiences, the students acquire the necessary skills required in assessing, diagnosing and treating illnesses. Furthermore, students focus on the medical ethics, anatomy, psychology and physical sciences.Once the student has completed their M.D education, they get an opportunity to advance to a 2 or 3-year residency. Here, they get an opportunity to work under the supervision of experienced doctors and thus learn through hands on practice. Normally, the interns work with patients to diagnose cardiovascular diseases and prevent illnesses. Students are also advised to consider a fellowship in cardiovascular specialization for their career.License and certificationTo practice medicine you need to be licensed. You need to pass the medical licensing examination, which seeks to test the science and medical knowledge of the professional. It assesses whether the professional can administer unsupervised treatment. Furthermore, certifications are also issued in 3 areas: cardiovascular disease, interventional cardiology and heart failure & transplants.

Get a Move On ICD10 Implementation

International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems has come out with its 10th revision and all hospitals will be required to stop using ICD 9 and start using ICD 10 by later this year or the hospital claims will not be paid. Not all healthcare employees know or understand what ICD 10 is because it is only used by certain staff. For those staff who will be affected, it will be a major change that should not be rushed and plenty of testing and training should happen before October or this will have negative connotations on cash flow and payments to providers and hospitals.For each patient that is seen by a provider, their visit must be assigned a code which will tell payors (like insurance companies or Medicare or Medicaid) what the patient was seen for and will tell them how much to reimburse the provider for those services. It codes for diseases, signs and symptoms, abnormal findings, complaints, social circumstances, and external causes of injury or diseases. ICD 9 diagnosis coding was 3 to 5 digits, while ICD 10 is 3 to 7 digits for diagnosis coding. ICD 9 inpatient hospital coding was 3 or 4 numeric digits while ICD 10 is 7 alphanumeric digits. This a major change which will affect coders, providers and other clinical staff, IT staff, finance staff, payers, clearinghouses, and billing services. Each of these staff members needs specific training and awareness of how ICD 10 will affect their jobs.


Other countries have implemented ICD 10 and have lots of experience with this type of coding. Some countries have their own modified version of ICD 10 while most countries are using it without modification.Currently organizations are putting off the training and implementation to meet the deadline. This is going to be such a huge affect on your providers, you need to start preparing now and getting the training customized for your physicians. The best training will be customized to the specialty of the providers and clinical staff since they don't need to know every code available like a coder or someone in medical records needs to know. The top two concerns of providers in regards to ICD 10 is what changes it will make in their documentation routine (how will they need to change their documentation to meet the new standards) and loss of productivity. If you have worked with providers for any amount of time, you will know if they feel like they dropped in productivity or affected their patients negatively, you will have other issues you will have to deal with in order to maintain satisfaction scores.

The Most Important Analysis Performed by an Industrial CT Scanner

The industrial CT scanner has been leveraged to provide manufacturers and designers with a number of benefits over the past decade. It is primarily used to produce 3D representations of components. These representations can be both internal and external. With such a diverse set of tests an industrial CT scanner can run, it is important that companies understand what analysis is often considered the most important. While every analysis provides a certain level of benefit to a company, the most important tests are those which maximize cost savings and streamline part development and manufacturing.An essential analysis performed by an industrial CT scanner is intelligent fault analysis. Utilizing 3D representations during the analysis allows manufacturers to quickly identify the defects. The faster a company identifies defects, the faster they can fix the problem. Additionally, discovering a lack of defects is equally advantageous in the event a manufacturer finds itself facing a civil lawsuit because it proves the part is not at fault.Another important analysis is visible surface detection. Advanced industrial CT scanners can utilize a visible surface detection algorithm in a variety of different ways. The result is an accurate part topography and internal 3D imaging. This is particularly important for product designers during the final design stages because it prevents them from overlooking easy-to-miss details before the part is manufactured. Eliminating this type of mistake provides a significant cost-savings.


The ability to analysis and compare a part to either another part or CAD design is critical as well. An industrial CT scanner must have the ability to compare both nominal and actual data. This allows manufacturers to visual the actual dimension and potential dimensional changes by comparing 3D CAD data with actual CT data.The final critical analysis performed by an industrial CT scanner is the wall thickness analysis. This function not only analyses the thickness of a specific area of interest quantitatively, but also makes it easy to visualize the wall thickness. It achieves this by using colour combinations, such as blue for thicker and red for thinner, to make visualizing wall thickness easy. This allows the actual measurements to be displayed through annotations while making the entire part wall thickness easy to visualize.Along with being able to perform the most important analysis, a quality industrial CT scanner must also feature reliable hardware and software. The best options typically rely on Volkswagen Internal Testing Standards P201/VW50097. They are internal quality control guidelines which are now implemented by most European parts manufacturers.

Problem of Bladder Control in Women and The Possible Solutions

Urinary bladder control problems are more common than many other diseases, including Alzheimer's disease and even osteoporosis. It is also a known fact that women are twice as likely as men to experience them. During urination, muscles in the bladder contract, forcing urine into the urethra, a tube that carries urine out of the body. At the same time, muscles surrounding the urethra relax and let the urine pass. If the bladder muscles contract or the muscles surrounding the urethra relax without warning, the result is incontinence.Urinary bladder control conditions cause quality of life issues and often embarrassment for those who suffer with it. Even though urinary incontinence is fairly common, many people are reluctant to seek help because of embarrassment. They may also be unaware that effective treatment is available.As a result, people with bladder control problems may be afraid to socialize because they fear venturing too far from a bathroom. Others are forced to limit physical activities. People lose sleep or experience unpleasant, even painful, symptoms.Common complaints of bladder control in women include:
Leakage of urine with exercise, laughter, sneezing, coughing, etc. This is known as stress urinary incontinence.
The need to hurry to the bathroom after feeling the urge to urinate. This is called urgency/urge incontinence.
Chronic urinary tract infections
Urinary retention (the inability to void)
Difficulty voiding
Painful urination
Frequent urination during the daytime (voiding more than seven times per day)
Frequent nighttime urination
The inability to start the stream of urination
Straining in order to urinate
For many women bladder control can be caused by specific foods and beverages. Caffeine and alcohol both act as diuretics, which mean that they increase urine production. This can lead to increased frequency and urgency of urination. Caffeine can also cause bladder spasms.


Also, certain acidic fruits - oranges, grapefruits, lemons and limes - and fruit juices, spicy foods, tomato-based products, carbonated drinks, artificial sweeteners, corn syrup, sugar, chocolate, coffee and tea may irritate your bladder or contribute to leakage of urine. Why these items sometimes cause irritation isn't exactly known, and what causes bladder irritation may vary from person to person.Your treatment will depend on the type of bladder control problem you have. Some treatments are simple. Others are more complicated. Your health care team may suggest one of the following treatments:Pelvic Floor ExercisesYour bladder treatment might be as simple as pelvic floor exercises. Your pelvic floor muscles support your bladder and urethra so if they have become weakened or slack due to childbirth or other reasons, then this may be the cause of your bladder control problems. Pelvic floor exercises are easy to do and can make a really big difference to your bladder control.Bladder trainingBladder training is another non-surgical way to regain bladder control. It's designed to help you increase the amount of urine you can hold in your bladder in between trips to the bathroom, without urgency or leakage of urine.SurgeryEven though surgery is usually a last resort after other treatments have failed, it's not generally considered a major operation. In fact, some women's incontinence surgeries can even be done under a local anesthetic.

Factors to Consider When Choosing a Health Center

A family health facility is an important consideration when choosing your family's medical care. Discovering the right health center requires you to consider the family needs, proximity to your house, genetic conditions, practitioners at the center and type of services provided at the center. When choosing a health facility, you need to consider one that is included in your personal insurance provider's network. Once you find a center that provides the right medical services, then you will have found a valuable resource.· LocationIf you are looking for medical care that caters for yourself and your family, it is advisable to choose a health facility that is located near you. This way you will not have to drive many miles away to see a healthcare provider or to have diagnostic tests. The health facility you choose should be located in a convenient and central location that makes it easy for you to access from home, work and/or school. This will give you an opportunity to receive a quick blood test before going to work. You can also afford to take one of your children for a physical exam after classes.If you have recently moved to a new neighborhood, you can ask your neighbors to recommend a health facility. Find out the layout of the neighborhood to locate an outpatient center that is located conveniently to your home. Consult the directory for insurance provider's network to find a health facility that has adequate staff of covered physicians.


· Insurance coverageWhen choosing a health facility, the health insurance cover is an important consideration. If your family is a member of any managed care plan, you will be restricted to healthcare providers within the insurance provider's network. The insurance networks consist of doctors and health centers that have entered into a contract with your insurance company to offer their services to clients at certain rates. Some care plans offer their clients the option of seeing healthcare providers outside the network but for a higher cost. For primary care, it is advisable to select an in-network doctor.· ServicesThe best healthcare facility provides a variety of services all under one roof and offers a lot of convenience. Some of the medical services provided include general practitioners, pediatricians, obstetricians, dermatologists, dentists, orthopedists, ophthalmologists- among other services. This gives you an opportunity to schedule an appointment with different specialists operating in the same facility. Some centers provide a walk-in clinic to cater for urgent care, pharmacy and diagnostic testing services, such as blood tests and x-rays.

Report Compliant E/M Cardiology Codes 2013 With These Tips

Documenting and coding for E/M services is one of the biggest challenges in cardiology coding. Not only is there the fear of under coding and under documentation that leads to loss of revenue, but also end up in costly audits that are increasing by the day.In cardiology coding, modifier 25 is used to report Evaluation and Management service for one day when the same physician has provided another service.One should not use modifier 25 when:Billing is being done for services that were performed during the postoperative period and it is related to the surgery done previously.
During office visit only E/m service is done.
When a major procedure is done on a particular day.
On the same day, minimal procedure is done and its level can be represented as significant and separately identifiable.
Patient has come for scheduled procedure.When using modifier 25, one should take the following into consideration:Payment will be affected the way modifiers are used to report third-party payers of circumstances.
E/M CPT code must always be linked to the modifier.
Two different diagnosis codes are not required.
Documentation of E/M and procedure is essential.According to NCCI correct coding guidelines, modifier 25 can be used for E/M services with small surgical procedures or ones which are not covered by global surgery rules. Since these include pre, intra and post-procedure work that is inbuilt in the procedure, E/M service cannot be reported for this by the provider. Additionally, Medicare Global Surgery policies does not let a separate E/M service get reported for the work related with the choice to perform a small surgical procedure even if the patient is new or established with the choice to perform the surgery on that particular day or the next.


When a claim is submitted to the provider with modifier 25, one is not only asking the provider for pay but also for the visit and the procedure done. You might also get paid for both. Often such claims are reviewed closely. This led to stop in payment because of incorrect billing and coding, inadequate documentation to support procedures, and not having appropriate reasons to state medical necessity of billed codes on the same day by the physician.So, in conclusion it can be summed up that although coding and billing for E/M related services is tricky and confusing that can lead to errors and loss in pay, one can overcome such situations if there is a proper understanding of cardiology codes 2013 and correct use of E/M codes.For inpatient, outpatient and ambulatory surgery centers hospital outpatient modifier 25 can be used. Also, for critical care and emergency department visits, one can use modifier 25 to report situations.

How to Choose Cancer Hospitals?

The effect of cancer is such that an individual's immune system is compromised and it can interfere with the normal functions of various organs, the nervous system and the immune system. Timely diagnosis and treatment can extend a patient's life, especially if they are young and have the ability to withstand the medical procedures. There are some world renowned medical centers that offer the best acute myclogenous leukemia treatment and treatment for almost all types of cancers. Besides the medical treatment, patients also need emotional support and care and reputed medical centers are able to provide this for the successful treatment of cancer among patients.Importance of Visiting Specialist ClinicsMost people are hesitant to approach when in doubt about certain symptoms they experience and hence choose a typical conventional clinic over a specialty center. Traditional hospitals may not have the right equipments and professionals to make an early diagnosis and hence chances are the cancer might go undetected till a later stage. Therefore, it is wise to be aware of the common symptoms of cancer related diseases and approach a specialist clinic for right diagnosis and lupus treatment. Also specialist clinics are equipped to perform immediate tests and if the results are negative you can relax, if not, then the specialists will immediately perform further tests to identify the right course of treatment.


Important Factors to ConsiderThere are several important factors you must take into account when choosing medical facilities for multiple sclerosis treatment. Consider whether your chosen clinic is certified to provide the cancer treatments. Consider whether the doctors there are specialists in the field. Consider whether doctors are available for consultation anytime or if they are simply available on part time basis. Consider the facilities at the clinic to see whether all medical services are available under one roof or you may have to go elsewhere for tests. Take into account the cost of treatment also.Tips for Choosing Cancer HospitalsUse the following tips when searching for specialty cancer hospitals. Majority of people prefer to consult a hospital located closer home, but this may not work if you want the best cancer or fatty liver treatment. It is worth choosing reputed hospitals even if they are located a little away from your home as they are known to provide the best quality care and treatment. Choose hospitals that have facilities to perform biopsies, blood tests, MRI's, ultra sound and x-rays. Choose hospitals that are well equipped to perform transplants and also find live organ donors to facilitate quick transplant procedures.

Laboratory Filtration Products: Why They Are Necessary for a Perfect Experiment

In the scientific world, one of the foremost rules that make the things work is that of precision and accuracy. In the lab, the scientists have to keep several things in mind before they start of on any experiment. Not only does all the equipment have to be in place, but they must also be of top notch quality to ensure that the end result obtained is satisfactory and most importantly is a correct one.One very important property in the labs is the use of laboratory Filtration equipment. These are very handy equipment which are quintessential and are very important in the lab.What is the need for Lab Filtration Products?As mentioned before, accuracy is of paramount importance in a lab. In many experiments, there is a need for a good filter to sift out impurities and also use the filtered product at the end of the experiment. Thus, this calls for precise filtering equipment. Laboratory filtration products will make sure that the end result is perfect and there is no need to re do the experiment again and again.Thus, the biggest benefit of laboratory Filtration is to have the perfect end result.Where is the filtration product used?From high end labs which conduct extra scientific experiments to even the school lab, the use of the filtration products is unanimous. Obviously the difference is very apparent: In scientific labs, filters of much higher price and capability are used whereas in school or college labs, cheaper versions are used to conduct the various experiments.


Where can you buy the best filtration equipment?Though most chemical store will stock up on the good quality products, you should always make sure that the items are bought from the best stores. Good stores will never give your spurious products, Defective filters can in fact be more hazardous as they can botch up an experiment results completely.If you are looking for a good store, always believe in the word of mouth. Listen to friends, family and acquaintances when choosing the store. What's more, now everything is available on the internet. So, before you make a purchase from a particular store, check the accreditation of the store on their website and also check whether they are authorized dealers. The website might even have testimonies of the previous clients. If possible you can talk to a few of them to gauge more about the kind of services being provided by the comp

How to Save a Medically Underserved Area

A Medically Underserved Area (MUA, also known as a Medically Underserved Population or MUP) is an area where several factors combine to produce a shortage in access to healthcare services and a decreased life expectancy for the local population. When assessing whether a municipality meets the prerequisites for the Medically Underserved Area designation, four main variables are taken into consideration: percentage of the local residents below the poverty line, ratio of general physicians per 1,000 of local residents, infant mortality rate, and the percentage of the local population over the age of 65. These metrics focus on portions of the population that are particularly vulnerable to the effects of decreased access to healthcare services, the theory being that such metrics will allow for a faster response in the event that medical access is compromised.Recent large-scale administrative attempts to address Medically Underserved Areas include the Affordable Care Act (also known as the ACA or Obamacare), which was designed to increase access to healthcare services by mandating that employers with more than 50 employees provide health insurance coverage to full-time staff. Proponents of the Affordable Care Act claim that the attempted regulation of corporate health insurance policies will ultimately extend coverage to tens of millions of American citizens, while opponents claim that the ACA will simply prompt companies to shift their workforce in favor of part-time employees so as to avoid the financial penalty tied to refusing the financing of coverage for full-time staff. The Affordable Care Act's lasting effects on Medically Underserved Areas remain unevaluated as of November 2013.


Past solutions to the MUA problem have included specific training and extended deployments in MUAs for new physicians. This practice has decreased in recent years, however, given that in some cases it led medical professionals to commodify the healthcare services they provide. Present and future solutions for correcting the MUA problem include public health education initiatives, which seek to make healthcare delivery information easily accessible for local residents. New funding sources and new training methods for primary care physicians (PCPs) are being developed. Others have called for the establishment of a universal coverage system in the United States, which would extend health insurance coverage to all citizens regardless of income or age. In other modern nations, a universal coverage system is typically funded by revenue collected by various public taxes. While such a system would address the health insurance concerns of Medically Underserved Areas, transportation and distribution issues would still remain unresolved.

Hospital Negligence and Elderly Care

According to the Chicago Tribune, in 2011, the Illinois Department of Public Health received 560 hospital complaints for inadequate services. Allegations ranged from patient abuse, inadequate infection control to more serious violations such as death. Of those 560 complaints, Illinois officials declined to investigate 85 percent due to a lack of funding. Many of these complaints also failed to reach to a federal level, thus many of these allegations were not further investigated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. So who is ensuring the welfare of hospital patients if hospital staff/administrators and state/federal officials fail to investigate allegations or complaints? When someone is admitted to a hospital, it is expected that they are safe and given quality medical care. It also is expected that nurses, physicians and other staff effectively communicate with one another to ensure adequate care is being provided. Recent events that have occurred with my elderly parents have in part contributed to writing this article. The objective of this article is to increase your awareness of inadequate patient care and encourage you to speak up and not remain silent if something similar were to happen to you.In December 2013, my father required emergency hospitalization to a hospital in the western suburbs of Chicago. The hospital he was transported to was not our first choice. However, paramedics don't transport you to the hospital of your choice. Right from the start, I questioned if the ER nurse was adequately trained on how to communicate professionally to patients. This incident though appeared to be the least concerning of the many incidents that occurred during his hospitalization. The one incident in which I am still trying to understand is how my elderly father who happened to be hospitalized for disorientation, fall in an intensive care unit? Is it not common knowledge that the intensive care unit specializes in treating severe and life threatening illness thus requiring the patient to be closely monitored? Unfortunately the poor care did not stop in ICU. Other serious incidents which occurred were the overuse and misuse of a highly potent benzodiazepine. The reasons for the use of this drug were never documented, nor were we informed that the drug was being administered. Despite our numerous requests to nurses and directors to have the drug removed, the drug continued to be administered. We were informed by one nurse that staff administered the drug because my father was agitated and restless. Restless and agitated? Is this enough to administer a highly potent benzodiazapine to an elderly patient with a history of dementia, pulmonary disease, heart and kidney failure? If restlessness and agitation were sufficient reasons to administer this drug, then the entire world's population would be on it at some point.At one point we were told that he may become dangerous, thus they administered the drug for everyone's safety. The humor with this is that my father is a 5 foot tall, frail, 87 year old man, weighing 120 pounds when wearing his dentures. How dangerous can he be? If there was concern about his safety maybe they should have been proactive and used the bed alarms which commonly are used with dementia patients who wander. Better yet, maybe they should not have administered as many doses of benzodiazepines as they did.


In a healthy individual, the half-life of the drug used (the amount of time it takes for the body to excrete at least half the drug) is 12 to 15 hours. For my father, that number is substantially higher due to end stage renal failure. The number of times in which this drug continued to be administered despite communicating with directors and nurses was quite alarming. Even more alarming is that they used this drug despite it being contraindicated in individuals with a history of pulmonary disease and kidney failure. Could the known side effects of this drug i.e. strong sedation/hypnosis, dizziness, drowsiness have contributed to his fall? Despite speaking to the patient liaison department, 3 different nurses and 3 nursing directors; the drug continued to be administered without consent. It is quite alarming that my fathers records failed to specify our requests nor did anyone bring our concern to the doctor. No matter whose attention our concerns went to, no one seemed to take the matter seriously. I cannot count the number of times I was told someone was looking into the incidents. While we were trying to manage all of the above and get some answers from doctors, we were concurrently dealing with my mother having been transferred to hospice. Well, hospice is what they called it but obtaining the services appeared to require an act of God. We waited three days to transfer my mother to hospice and only were given a room when we went up the chain of command. The time we waited for the room was alarming however, what was disturbing was that we were told by one of the nurse administrators that they did us a favor by placing both of my parents on the same floor. How compassionate of her! What about addressing your staffs failure to communicate with not only the family but also with the physician and other hospital staff?Unfortunately, many people receive below average standards of care while hospitalized. Millions of people worldwide are harmed by poor hospital care each year. Despite one's deep involvement with a family members care, significant negligence and inadequate care continue to occur. I can't imagine what happens to those who don't have advocates or family members involved in their care. Is it worth it to pursue a concern about quality? For many of us, it's not easy to act on a concern about the quality of care we or loved ones receive. The process can be stressful, frustrating and quite honestly emotional exhausting. And in the end, it's possible that others may not agree with the way we see the situation. Is it worth the time and energy to take action on concerns about the quality of hospital care? Only you or your loved one can decide. In making the decision, think about the continued harm that might take place if you do nothing. And think about how the actions you take might lead to better care for future patients.

Things To Know Before Buying Used Ophthalmic Instruments

There are many online dealers and distributors who offer both brand new and used ophthalmic instruments at affordable price rates. Some of these instruments are remanufactured or refurbished and then offered for sale through many of the online stores. Some of the most common instruments include chairs, stands, slit lamps and so forth. Apart from this equipment, advanced and higher end devices are offered for resale at a considerably lower price rate. Such devices are in great demand in the consumer markets as it is affordable.Buying used surgical equipment is quite unwise as these devices need to be impeccably precise and it should exhibit optimum performance. The used equipment seldom exhibits such features. However, it is an ideal way to begin an ophthalmic clinic as most of the devices and instruments are quite expensive. New practitioners prefer to buy used and remanufactured devices and instruments from reputed online and offline dealers as it proves to be affordable. It is quite essential to distinguish between used, remanufactured or refurbished equipment. There are some important things to know before buying used ophthalmic instrument.Some Basic Facts to Know:No Warranty: Majority of the used instruments offered by the private practitioners seldom include any warranties. There may be unseen worn parts in these devices. Buying such devices and instruments may prove to be a risky affair. It is essential to buy used instruments which are expensive and include a proper case or box.Remanufactured Equipment: Another way of buying used equipment is to shop for remanufactured devices and instruments. These used instruments are completely dismantled, repaired and then reassembled according to the specifications of the manufacturers. It then proves to be as good as the new instruments. It is one of the most affordable methods to buy these instruments. Moreover, all these devices also include a limited period of warranty.


Refurbished Equipment: Used equipment also includes refurbished ophthalmic instruments. Most of these devices are less than two years old. These devices are cleaned up thoroughly and the broken pieces are fixed or replaced. These machines are not dismantled and rebuilt again as the remanufactured devices and as a result it may tend to appear a bit worn out and used.Manufacturer Refurbished Equipment: Used instruments can also be bought from authentic dealers and manufacturers as it is possible to obtain a higher warranty period for such devices. It is also possible to buy these instruments at a competitive price rate.It is essential to consider various factors while buying used devices. The quality of the devices, the warranty period and the price of the instruments should be considered before buying it. Today there are various reputed and reliable online stores which showcase a huge spectrum of used instruments at various price rates. Most of these devices are flawless, accurate and efficient. There are stores which offer instruments which are as good as new. With a little online research, it is possible to find some of the best used instruments at reasonable price rates.

Applied Kinesiology Is Health Care for the Individual, Not the Masses

Medical studies have a big problem. They study one substance on a whole population without taking into account the FACT that individuals in that study ARE different. Applied Kinesiology takes your individuality onto account.I went to Web MD and was reading "Coffee vs. Tea for GERD (acid reflux)." They were looking for a relationship between coffee, tea and reflux. Essentially the results were inconclusive. Yet clearly some people get reflux from these substances.The problem with medical studies is that they expect all people to react the same.When evaluating someone using Applied Kinesiology we understand that there are different body types and any type can react differently. A certain type of person may not do well with caffeine or a certain type of coffee or tea.When using Applied Kinesiology I am trying to find which substances are affecting YOU, not which substances are effecting the general population.I don't tell you that your problem is all in your head because MOST people don't react the way you do.The same individuality goes for supplements.If you conducted a test of flax oil to resolve headaches you would see that for most people it would not solve the problem, but for a few it would.The medical industry would say that therefore flax oil is not the "cure" for a headache, so don't bother with it. However, it is too simplistic to say that everyone who gets a headache gets it for the same reason, or caffeine does has the same effect on every person.


If an Applied Kinesiologist sees that flax seed oil helped YOU, then he would think:"Why does flax oil help you?"
"What else is similar to that product?"
"What organs or systems does flax oil help?"An Applied Kinesiologist accounts for YOUR individualityFor many people certain products work if they are taken at certain times or in conjunction with other products or treatments. You could even have two different brands of the same type of product but one works for someone and one works for someone else.Your particular problem may have something to do with your nutrition, your emotions, your alignment and your lifestyle.Medical studies cannot take that kind of INDIVIDUALITY into account. It is trying to do mass studies on large numbers of people to find a drug that works the same on everyone. This often does not help the individual.Applied Kinesiology can account for a person's individuality by reading signs that come directly from your body. In this way we can come up with a more effective, holistic, natural plan for you to regain your health.

340B, Get It While It's Hot

The 340b program emerged in the early nineties under the Bush administration to provide a pharmaceutical purchasing reductions for specific covered entities. In essence, pharmaceutical manufacturers were asked to provide discounted drug pricing to private non-profit or government-owned institutions where high drug costs can be detrimental to the intended public service. More specifically, children's hospitals, cancer centers, HIV clinics and hospitals in an economically indigent region are among the prime beneficiaries of this special pricing.340b pricing is a negotiated process between pharmaceutical companies and the government where sometimes cost reductions can be immense. It is safe to assume that 340b savings can show 30-50% reductions comparative to retail cost. Keeping this in mind, the true economic edge of the program lies on the back end with the billing process. No insurance can differentiate between a 340b drug and a non-340b drug, therefore the price is adjudicated at average acquisition cost (AAC) at all times. This is the intended design of the program: Let the pharmaceutical industry concede profits to permit the entity to bill insurances at AAC and turn a profit.The process is defined under the Public Health Service Act where the Pharmaceutical Pricing Agreement (PPA) was instituted. In exchange for front-end 340b pricing, the prescription formularies for government funded Medicaid and Medicare agreed to reimburse for brand-name medications, such goes the PPA.The limitations to the PPA for entities lies in the concept of "double dipping" and outlines specific requirements for each patient. Primarily, 340b medications may not be used for any patient who is covered under Medicaid thereby stating that any such usage is considered a "duplicate discount". It is the responsibility of the entity to determine patient specific eligibility to maintain good faith status.As of 2010, the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), reported 6,915 covered entities, more than a 200% increase from the previous year. The increase in enrollment has placed a spotlight on the program, more specifically the reimbursement side. Greater profit margins lead to an influx in cash flow via insurance compensation and windfalls in gains through the program for covered entities. The 340B program is catching like wildfire, and due to the increase in poverty and unemployment in the U.S., more hospitals and clinics are becoming eligible.


At the current moment, 340B purchasing accounts for only 2% of annual pharmaceutical sales, (approximately 6.9 million dollars). With the recent increase in covered entities, this value is likely to increase proportionally. Furthermore, with the coming of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) in 2014, the 340b program is likely to evolve. It is anticipated that the ACA will provide coverage to an additional 35 million Americans through the Medicaid program. This increase will bolster eligibility criterion for hospitals by increasing their indigent population. The result; more hospitals and clinics will be eligible for the 340b program, 340b purchasing will increase and conversely, retail purchasing will decrease. This purchasing shift is likely to hit the pockets of the pharmaceutical companies where it will certainly gain attention. For entities, this attention could certainly result in changes in the PPA such as increased regulations, increased auditing or tougher enrollment requirements.The 340b program has undergone little change in its lifetime. Recently, the government prevented covered entities from using a group purchasing order (GPO) account in addition to its 340b account. GPO accounts are designed for the benefit of both pharmaceutical companies and entities where the company provides a wholesale-type discount to the entity under the assumption that the entity will purchase large volumes of their brand. The GPO discount typically does not yield as large of a profit margin as the 340b account and as a result, most systems elected to retain their 340b account.The initial program design provided the entities with an opportunity to balance high cost pharmaceuticals within an indigent atmosphere. However, with an increasing indigent population, the program is becoming mainstream in the financial infrastructure of the entities across the country. This being said, the 340b program is likely to gain greater attention and the sooner an entity can benefit, the better. With the coming of the ACA and the anticipated increase in 340b covered entities, pharmaceutical industries will certainly begin to take notice and a revision of the PPA could be on the horizon. Money talks, and big pharma has a lot of it.

The Various Pros And Cons Of An Electronic Health Record System

An electronic health record (EHR) refers to a system that supports the storage of patient health information in an electronic digital data format in order to provide more efficient and advanced patient health care. It is extremely important to hire the services of a reputed and knowledgeable firm, which has the reputation of using the highest quality tools and advanced technologies in transferring data from document to electronic digital format. Patient health information generally includes patient demographics, health problems, progress reports, medications, medical history, immunizations and laboratory and radiology reports. The term EHR is often used to describe the software system that handles patient records preserved by a hospital or medical practice.In today's world, where almost every business is getting computerized, the medical field is not lagging behind. With digitization, the medical system is witnessing a remarkable progress in the efficiency of the staffs and an improvement in patient satisfactions.Access to Health records from Anywhere: Electronic health records provide access to patient health information from any location, which can prove to be extremely beneficial for health care practitioners, especially if they are away from their office.Provide Doctors Access to your Medical Data: In case you need to discuss your health records with your physician on an emergency basis, you can provide them access to your online medical data from anywhere and anytime. It also enables you to choose the health information you want to share with your physician at that moment.Increases Efficiency: Owing to the fact that there is a great deal of complexities involved in the field of patient care and security, an electronic health record, maintaining detailed patient information helps immensely in making the system much more efficient, quicker and cost-effective. It helps a great deal in improving the standard of care provided by health care centers and practitioners.


Saves Time: An EHR system stores important and detailed information regarding patient admissions, their past medical history and the treatment procedures used for them. This is extremely helpful for staffs to enter and access patient data, thereby saving a great deal of their time. This system also prevents the use of too many unnecessary resources.However, there are certain disadvantages of using an EHR as well. Let us discuss in brief:Privacy: One of the major problems that might arise with electronic health records is privacy related issue. In case the privacy rules are not appropriately followed, the use of EHR software can sometime put an organization at risk. An EHR can involve the chances for identity theft in case unauthorized people get access to confidential patient records.Loss of Data: There is a chance of losing patient data in case of being EHR. Any malfunctioning of the online system can lead to a complete loss of patient information.Getting Adjusted to the New System: Implementing an EHR system would require practice and education for both medical practitioners to adjust to the new way of patient care and staffs to get accustomed to the new way of storing patient data.Expensive: The conversion of patient health records from a paper system to an EHR can be an extremely expensive procedure.Despite all the cons, an electronic health care system can unquestionably make it easier for health care practitioners and staffs to achieve their goals.

Purchase Quality Health Products Online

Purchase Quality health products Online - safe and secure:The internet gives new business owners an extremely cheap way to establish their enterprise and more importantly, gives them a large audience to tap on for their products and services. Everything has become so accessible and shoppers now spend hours on the web when they want to buy something. Transactions are not only carried out with ease and convenience but they are also completed in the safest and securest manner. The most advantageous thing about online shopping is that you can do a thorough research and refer to information before actually making the purchase. For instance, if you are planning to purchase nutritional supplements, you definitely want quality health products as these have a direct effect on your body. You are looking for well-known brands such as Twinlab, Gaspari, EAS or BSN, how they will benefit your body, why should you consume them and which is the best place to purchase them.People opt for online retailers to purchase health products simply because it saves time. They do not have to take a trip to the local drugstore or healthcare center and explore the various supplements available to find the one that is best for them. The e-commerce website allows them to read all information related to the product and only then buy it. It is difficult to find legitimate products that give in the best quality and that is why a lot of people feel that the web is perhaps not a safe platform to buy quality health products. However, with the kind of lives individuals lead today, it is all about being fast and easy and that is why the Internet has become a popular choice for purchasing nutritional supplements and health goods.


There are a few points that you need to keep in mind in order to remain safe from online frauds. The first of these is to check whether the website is registered or not. The legitimacy of the website needs to be checked to ensure that goods available are legit and worth the trust. Health products made using top notch and genuine natural ingredients are hard to find, so when you know that the website is reputable, you indeed get a relief that they will be selling quality health products.These websites also offer information relating to fitness and other ailments. Online shoppers can go through this information and know of more ways that can help improve the beneficial effect of these products. Never trust websites that talk about free prescriptions or free consultations without an actual physical exam. Furthermore, make sure there is complete information on the website - contact details, office address, name of a designated person and email address.Lastly, a smart consumer is one who does not purchase products from websites that promote a new cure or a latest breakthrough in the medicine industry without asking the doctor. Sometimes a quick and easy solution is not recommended, being slow and steady still helps win the race.

How To Plan For Diagnostic Imaging Expansion With Healthcare Programs Being Uncertain

Medical facilities are struggling to determine how to accommodate the uncertainty surrounding our current healthcare dilemma. The Affordable Healthcare Act (AHCA) was established to increase the number of people who would be insured to receive healthcare benefits, by as many as 30 million people, thereby increasing demand for diagnostic imaging services. However, the initial enrollment for these benefits have been somewhat disappointing with less than six million people applying, of which many have yet to obtain confirmed coverage and a substantial number of these people are switching from existing coverages they already had, but were canceled and forced to enroll under the new program. The net gain of new and previously uninsured enrollees - unknown, but we can safely assume these numbers are very low. Therefore, how do we determine if diagnostic imaging demand will increase or reduce? And how should we plan to accommodate this uncertainty?We also must consider the reduction in reimbursements for most diagnostic procedures. The AHCA has established procedure guidelines and acceptable reimbursements schedules. These reimbursement schedules are also being adopted by public and private insurance providers as well. There would be no reason for them to provide coverages that exceed those mandated by government. Now we have to ask ourselves that if we reduce the number and kinds of tests we perform and then find a way to provide them at a lower cost - are we still offering the level of healthcare that is necessary to maintain the best available healthcare in the world? And will this result in an increase or decrease of required resources?Another dilemma appears to be the continued decrease of available physicians. Reductions in Medicare and Medicaid reimbursements for physician services has also decreased. Combine those decreases with reductions that private and public insurance carriers have implemented and a significant number of physicians have opted for early retirement or alternative professions. Does the reduced number of available doctors effect the need to have additional testing available as remaining doctors are overloaded and can not spend sufficient time with patients to determine the most effective diagnosis?


The solutions are complicated and no one really knows where this will end but we can make some good calculated guesses. Firstly, if those who have lost insurance coverage are able to enroll and get coverage, the net loss to that group is minimal. If some that were not insured, now are, a slight gain may be experienced. Therefore, when evaluating the potential gain or loss of patients, we might assume the numbers don't change all that much (even though they were suppose to). Reimbursements are reducing, but if other costs, such as the lower cost of living, stable taxes and reduced equipment costs through enhanced technology - reduced reimbursements may be survivable. Lastly, the increase of Physician Assistances and Professional Nurse Practitioners may accommodate for the reduction of available physicians.The bottom line is, make good business decisions when acquiring systems based upon historical numbers which don't seem to be changing much in spite of what we have changed and how things are now being done.Contact us for additional information.

Addressing the Challenge of Technology Complexity in Healthcare

The healthcare technology space is constantly impacted by regulatory change (e.g., Meaningful Use, HIE, ACO, HIPAA and P4P requirements), evolving healthcare standards (e.g., HL7, ICD-10, XDS/XDSi), and innovations in technology (e.g. HTML5, MVC 4.0, healthcare mobile app development, cloud computing, etc). Healthcare organizations are under constant pressure to improve quality of care while also reducing costs.Given the complex IT systems in hospitals and other provider settings, this is easier said than done.The healthcare IT ecosystem often involves hundreds of speciality areas, thousands of disparate systems, and varying types of healthcare data structures and formats.New application vendors need to invest significant effort and cost in integrating their applications with other applications in a hospital -healthcare application development (EMR, PHR, lab, point-of-care systems), medical imaging (RIS, PACS), financial (RCM, claims, collections, denials) and other departmental applications. They need to worry about how they can connect and share information with HIEs, ACOs and other healthcare organizations, (including clinicians, primary care physicians, labs, acute care facilities, physician practices, hospitals, PCMHs). This means creating multiple standards based connections with a large variety of external systems, such as EHRs, lab systems, PHR systems, drug data, RIS/PACS, RCM, HIE platforms. They would then need to support this entire complex set of applications and connections effectively across thousands of such installations across the healthcare ecosystem.The key to addressing this level of complexity often lies in getting the right technology partner on board! While most technology solution providers claim to have some capabilities in healthcare applications, companies should be careful in their choice of partner. Some key questions that need to be asked are:



What is the technology partner's knowledge of healthcare workflows - does the solution provider have extensive exposure to real deployments and use cases around emerging trends like healthcare mobile app development, cloud computing and big data analytics?
Does the partner have strong healthcare application development expertise across a wide range of clinical, imaging, financial and operational applications, since most solutions would involve dealing with multiple types of applications?
With interoperability and integration (both internal and external) being a critical component, does the partner have a deep understanding of healthcare interoperability standards (HL7, DICOM, XDS, SNOMED, and LOINC)? Also, does the partner have real experience with integration technologies and platforms (e.g., Cloverleaf, Ensemble, Rhapsody, etc.)?
Considering the strong data privacy needs with respect to healthcare information, mandatedby HIPAA, does the partner really understand what it takes to ensure data security and privacy, including protection of Personal Health Information (PHI) across distributed networks?
A key success factor in successful healthcare application development is the creation of long-term partnerships that allow technology partners to invest significant time and effort in understanding the underlying applications, their end users and the unique challenges that any organization faces. Given the complexity, healthcare application development cannot be a short term engagement, and requires strong commitment and a long-term view from all stakeholders involved.

Telehealth Services and the Growth in Physician Opportunities

Telehealth services are growing in popularity due to both the convenience and proveneffectiveness associated with it. There is a now a convergence of events that both patients and the telehealth industry benefit from; a) Information Technology facilitates telehealth services to make them affordable and accessible, b) the Affordable Care Act, also known as "Obama Care", incentivizes telehealth as a cost effective medical service, and c) more than twenty states and Washington D.C. have also enacted legislation that mandates private healthcare insurance coverage of telehealth when the same service is covered at an in-office visit. Ironically, while ensuring healthcare insurance for all Americans, the Affordable Care Act is also bringing millions of new people into a system that has a growing shortage of physicians. This brings new opportunities for physicians in telehealth.It pleases us to see the combination of advancing technology and enabling legislation. Things are quite easy these days and the people have loads of opportunities in nearly every aspect of their lives. The world of the 21st century is a better place to live as technology is brimming with benefits and providing greater access to services.Since we hear that technology is advancing every day, we expect a lot of things from it. From a sleek touch screen phone to iPad, laptop, or desktop computer, each item speaks about the wonders of technology and how human beings are relying on them. Information Technology is a key indicator of the advancement in every single field. The evolution of the internet has created many new prospects for business and has opened new gateways to people for success.Life is far more comfortable than it used to be a few decades ago and technology has greatly influenced every field, including medicine. From hospitals to nursing homes, assisted living facilities, and clinics, the use of computer technologies has strengthened health care for the better.


Gone are those days when health care practitioners were confined to traditional medical approaches. Today, computers are pervasive and are looking to the operational needs of the medical world. The development of Information Technology has given birth to a new branch of medical practice known as telehealth.Telehealth makes use of telecommunication networks for doctor-patient consultations. It facilitates medical practitioners reaching their target patients when distance and transportation become barriers. With the advent of the internet, telehealth companies provide assistance to the patients located at distant places and their doctors offer medical consultations for diagnosing and treating the patients. Now it is not necessary to travel to see a doctor every time, as telehealth companies are there to visit you - just a simple video chat to have a consultation with your physician.As demands grows on the limited number of physicians, there are increasing opportunities for physicians and allied healthcare professionals in the rapidly growing market of telehealth services. Telehealth is bringing new ways for doctors to grow or reestablish their private practices and regain greater control as opposed to the pressures of becoming part of a large organization. Likewise, telehealth service companiesTelehealth service companies are actively providing Psychiatrist Job Opportunities, Internal Medicine Job Opportunities, Neurologist Job Opportunities, Physical Medicine and Rehab Job Opportunities, Wound Care Job Opportunities, Nurse Practitioner Job Opportunities and Psychologist Job Opportunities, and seeking many other specialties such as Pediatrics, Internal Medicine and Family Practice on an ongoing basis.

Bladder Infection-Its Symptoms and Treatment Methods

The infection of the bladder (which is also sometimes referred to as cystitis) is a type of Urinary Tract Infection (UTI). It occurs due to the presence of violent microbes, which penetrate the urinary tract. Cystitis is sometimes known as the E.coli bladder infection because in 90% of cases it is caused by the E.coli bacteria that come from the bowels.Women are disproportionately affected by cystitis because the bacteria moves easily from the anus to the opening of the urethra due to bad hygiene habits (e.g. wiping your bottom from back to front instead of front to back). For many people, the first symptom of cystitis is pressure; the sensation of pressure over the pubic bone. It typically feels like a burning, stinging or tingling during or after urination.A bladder infection has similar symptoms to those of most urinary tract infections, some bladder symptoms include:- More frequent and painful urination (in smaller amounts).- Pain in the lower pelvic area, lower abdomen, lower back or genital area.- Muscle spasms. Some people have little or no pain during a bladder and instead have muscle cramps or spasms in the genital area.- Incontinence. That means that you wet yourself-even just a little.- Burning sensation.- Urgency, this is when you have to pee very soon after getting the urge for fear of having an accident.Some of these bladder symptoms may seem familiar or normal, but they could indicate a potential bladder. If they do seem familiar and you have not seen your doctor for treatment, it is likely that you have had one or more bladder and did nothing about them. This is very bad for you because reoccurring or chronic infections can and do cause permanent, irreversible damage to your urinary tract.


There are a variety of bladder treatments available to people suffering with it.Antibiotics are one of the first choices for treatment. Various types of antibiotics exist that can usually be taken once a day for a short period of time and they cause very little side-effects. Another effective bladder infection treatment is pain killers like acetaminophen or ibuprofen. Severe bladder can cause pain in the pelvic region even when you're not urinating. Antibiotics will help you feel better, but it may take a day or two before the drugs kick in.Using a heating pad or a warm, moist compress applied across your abdominal region can soothe the dull ache that is sometimes a symptom of a UTI. Another natural treatment is to drink more water and cranberry juice. Cranberry has been a natural and alternative treatment for bladder for generations. It has shown some promise as a remedy for UTI in women who get recurring infections.The bottom line is, talk to your doctor about using any of these possible treatments for your bladder. They have the knowledge to guide you toward the solution that will work best for you.

Provider Solutions Practice

Healthcare practice management softwareProvider solutions aid physicians and health care providers make more lucrative practices to generate better returns and advanced efficiency in their practice. The relevant experts in the field have a huge industry familiarity and exposure in practice management, billing of physician, credentialing, audit, and coding teaching services and therefore aid us with greater profitability, better collections, and a more effectual practice.Health care is all about finding, cure, and prevention of illness, disorder, wound, and other physical and mental damages in human beings. Health care is offered by practitioners in medicine, dentistry, chiropractic, nursing, pharmacy, and other care people. It denotes the work done in offering primary care, ancillary care and tertiary care, besides in public health.Access to health care differs across nations, groups, and persons, essentially influenced by societal and economic conditions as well as the health rules in place. Nations and authorities have diverse policies and strategies in relation to the individual and population-founded health care goals within their societies. Health care systems are firms established to meet the health requirements of target populations. Their actual configuration differs from nation to nation.Healthcare finest practices and solutions can improve your profits generation by rationalizing your front and back-end procedures through an exclusive grouping of EMR and Enhanced Revenue Management competences, domain know-how, and a strong service-delivery platform.Healthcare practice management software runs the business aspect of the healthcare segment, from making schedules for patients to billing to making monthly reports, so picking the right system is crucial for any size medical practice. Unlike with electronic health records (EHRs), selecting and overseeing such software isn't typically the physician's domain. In a large practice, it characteristically falls on the workplace manager's or IT boss's shoulders.


Practice management software lets the medical workplace run effortlessly, and the incorrect package can cause chaos with billing, planning, and other vital business procedures. You choose the one that best suits your practice.Physicians practicePhysicians study patients, get medical histories, and order, perform and infer diagnostic tests. They advise patients regarding sickness, injuries, health situations, and defensive healthcare (nutrition/fitness, smoking termination, etc.). They can also do medical investigation, teach, and run medical hubs. Persons with medical edification are in demand in various areas. Physicians function in one or more specialisms.Provider solutions practice aids handling the physicians practice efficiently. This is done using practice management solutions and tools.Physicians practice managementPhysicians practice management is the fundamental of Provider solutions practice. It is dedicated to offering high-quality, price-effective, customer oriented practice management services that improve the collective hard work of the group, its physicians, the hospital, and its health staff. The bendable, performance-focused method is the basis for their constant excellence, performance development, documentation fineness, monetary and educational support, and risk vindication.Provider solutions practice suits diverse pieces of the healthcare mystery together to help customers:• Rise returns and profitability
• Mend compliance
• Stay ahead with ever-altering regulations
• Efficiently grow their practices for profitability
• Find competent proficient staff