Your Family Doctor

Patient Handbook to Medical Care is the best doctor visit you can have anytime!  When you read this book you will feel healthier, wealthier and wiser!

Are you getting the medical care you deserve?  Are you getting the right tests? Patient Handbook to Medical Care: Your Personal Health Guide by J. L. Richardson, M.D. lets you know! This book is written for patients by a medical doctor "to inform and educate patients about medical care".


ABOUT THE BOOK

This Writer's Digest International Self-Published Book Award winner informs patients about
basic medical care. By reading this reference book you will learn:

• how to keep a medical diary
• getting your medical records
• your complete medical history
• what the physical exam should include
• about preventive tests and when to get them
• about tests your doctor orders
• about specialists and other medical providers
• about health care plans and coverage
• how to seek quality health services.

This 112-page easy-to-read. large print paperback handbook will help patients stay in charge of their health maintenance and overall care.  "Patient Handbook to Medical Care: Your Personal Health Guide" is a concise, informative overview of health care basics. It provides patients with a doctor's perspective on professional healthcare, and allows them to become their own best advocates.

It also includes "My Health Notes", blank pages for you to write your own health notes!  This is a great way to keep track of your health concerns, and start your medical diary.This book will tell you how to take care of your most important asset- YOU!


ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Dr. Richardson is a family medicine doctor with over 25 years of experience in the medical field.  Dr. Richardson's undergraduate and medical degrees were received from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and residency training was done at Georgetown University and Providence Hospital in
Washington, D.C.  Dr. Richardson is a member of the American Academy of Family Practice (AAFP), the Florida Academy of Family Practice (FAFP) as well as University of North Carolina Alumni
Association.

Past affiliations include: Managed Care Ombudsman Committee for the Florida Agency for Healthcare
Administration (AHCA); National Association of Managed Care Physicians; Dade County Medical
Association; American Medical Women's Association; Board Member fof McLamore Children's Center of  Children's Home Society of South Florida; Grove Outreach Physician Volunteer; 1999 Special Olympics Physician Volunteer; Cedars Hospital (Miami, Florida) Medical Staff and Utilization Review Committee; and American Board of Quality Assurance and Utilization Review Physicians. Dr. Richardson has experience with independent medical record review and patient advocacy issues.

Bend of the River Books is proud to announce that Patient Handbook to Medical Care is now in 59 libraries throughout the United States. Our goal is to ensure that everyone has free public access to read and learn the importance of health maintenance, prevention, and wellness. This expert's guide to personal health care is the ideal book "to inform and educate patients about medical care".

Best health!

Making the Most of Your Doctor Visit

When you go to your doctor or health care provider, you should be prepared.  This is one way you can be sure that your doctor visit focuses on your most important health issues. The following suggestions will help you get the most out of your doctor vist.

• Be on time.
• Make a list of things you want to talk to your doctor about. Update the list before each visit. This way you will be able to keep track of what has been discussed, and what needs to be discussed. Try to talk about the most important things first especially those that need immediate attention. Each time you go for your visit, you can refer to your list and take up where you left off. Be sure to express your immediate concerns first. We all know how short a doctor visit can be.
• Make a written or typed medical history* to take with you, especially if this is your first visit to a new doctor. Make a copy for you and your doctor. You both will be able to refer to it as needed. This will save valuable time, and give you and your doctor more time to talk instead of flipping through your medical record. It can be difficult trying to "remember" what test or procedure you had 10 years ago.
• Get copies of your medical records from all your doctors. "The medical record is the cornerstone of keeping track of everything pertaining to your health." You will be able to check the accuracy of your records, and bring any errors or absent information to your doctor's attention. Let your doctor know about anything you do not understand, or if there is something you are unable to read due to legibility. It is surprising to see how many doctors are often unable to read their own handwriting.
• Take advantage of the time your doctor takes looking through your medical chart during your visit by taking your own notes especially questions. As much as 1/3 of your visit time can be consumed by this alone.
• Allow each other to talk without interruption. 
• Bring a trustwothy companion.

Click on "Comments" below to add your tips or ask questions.


*medical history form http://www.mypatienthandbook.com/

Violent TV Movie Syndrome: Public Health Crisis in Vivo

Did you know that Violent TV Movie Syndrome (VTMS) is a major cause of many health and social problems? Single and repeated images of young children (or anyone) shot laying dead in pools of blood is horrific and unhealthy.  As a medical professional familiar with death first hand as part of my job, I can only hope and pray someone will be responsible and speak up.  This is child abuse. This is mental abuse. This is public health abuse.  Hollywood makes movies with less violence and bloodshed. Any educated person knows that repeated violence harms people in so many ways. It is so unnecessary to show these images to tell a news story or any other type of story. Images such as these depict what is seen in the coroner's office., and should be kept there.

Suicide, homicide, and post traumatic disorder are just a few medical maladies that occur from watching violence.  Surely you can choose to watch something else; however, the curious child with a TV remote may choose otherwise.  Protect yourself and your children.  This type of programming is hard to grasp and confuse with something else - real life! They become real life.  Doctors and health care providers have much more serious conditions to care for instead of illness and death induced by "Violent TV/Movie Syndrome" which can be prevented. For the doctors who take an oath to "do no harm", let us hope our media will do likewise.  Until then we can only counsel our patients to turn it off.

See this reference for more details http://www.parent.net/article/tv-kids-violence.shtml

Is the Doctor Really "In"?

Dear Patient,

It has indeed been a privilege and wonder to take care of you and your family.  Due to unforeseen circumstances, we must vacation indefinitely so we can find the best solutions for cost effective health care.  Our budgets are lean as well and get leaner as more patients drop out to do self care or go to emergency rooms, public health clinics, or stand in "lotto" lines to get get health care from traveling clinics.

We must campaign for your healthcare and our salary.  Routine sequential cuts for reimbursement by Medicare and Medicaid are taking its toll.  Insurance companies demand more time with less pay as well.  Now that the healthcare bill requiring each and every one of you to have insurance has been repealed.  Self pay is an option, but you must have food and shelter first.  Less money in, more money out.

Due to lack of campaign funds and time for raising necessary monies to do so, we are using and pooling our resources.  We wish to provide you with continuity of care, but we must also find ways to keep a roof over our heads and food on the table.  Many of my fellowess and fellow physicians are supplementing our income as well through other occupations.

Thank you for allowing me to care for you and the family.  We are true believers that great health is true wealth; however, you must have money to keep it.

Best health,
Dr. Feelgood

P. S. Check out Patient Handbook to Medical Care: Your Personal Health Guide via links in the right column.  Get a heads up and start checking yourself and your family.

Nootropic Neurological Nonsense - Limitless?

Are you looking for mind bending treatment that will make you smarter as well as more mentally and physically efficient?  The neurochemical nootropics, the so-called "smart drugs", are finally getting the recognition they deserve. Though medical evidence is inconclusive, these drugs supposedly improve every aspect of mental cognition including memory, concentration, acuity allowing for smarter, quicker human function.  It sounds like a sure bet for anyone with Alzheimer's disease, ADD, and just pure laziness. They are commonly taken to keep one alert, increase energy, improve memory, and to decrease mental decline in aging.

So why is your doctor failing to offer you such a great "pick-me-up" medication?  Considered both a natruceutical dietary herbal supplement and recreational drug may make it difficult for your doctor to prescribe it for you.  But who needs a prescription? Premium prices for bulk amounts are available for the consumer patient to buy on line, and in specialty stores.  For instance $25 will buy you 120 of Piracetam's mega 800 mg capsules, or 60 tablets of BrainAlert with it's 24 "natural" ingredients (far too many for one pill, some toxic). Designer versions of nootropics are available also.  These are usually more recreationally formulated with less exact ingredients.

Side effects and adverse reactions including drug addiction may occur especially if the drug is withdrawn after long term use.  For this reason alone, doctors may be hesitant to prescribe it; however, it is easily available elsewhere.   The off-label recreational use of nootropics can be especially dangerous if addiction occurs.  You may be and feel "superpowered" until the drug wears off and withdrawal sets in if you lack more pills.

Upgrading your body and mind with smart pills can be productive or destructive. Can this nootropic neurological nonsense be "limitless"?

NOTE: For more context and perspective watch the brilliant film Limitless which shows how a writer achieves success and riches using nootropics.

Ovarian Cancer: Early Detection

Ovarian cancer kills many women quickly and silently.  It is one of the cancers that is hard to detect.  The treatment is pure hell and the vague symptoms become unbearably painful.  Ladies, there is something we can do! The pelvic and transvaginal sonogram (also called ultrasound) is a simple test that every woman should have just because you are a woman. Like the mammogram, this medical test is inexpensive and non-invasive (unless vaginal insertion is considered so) as far as no IVs or contrast dye.  Consuming mass amounts of water until you have to urinate (but must hold) is the least discomfort you should experience.

Talk to your doctor about pelvic sonogram screening.  Most gynecologists have them in their office which is excellent standard of care and convenient for the patient.  It can be done and read the same day by your gynecologist, possibly by the time you sit down to talk after the exam.  The pelvic and/or transvaginal sonogram becomes part of your medical record for easy reference as needed thus providing consistency and, if necessary, for future comparison.  These tests are also becoming more readily available for direct consumer purchase without prescription at diagnostic centers and through health fairs.

The CA-125 blood test may be useful; however, it is nonspecific and may be seen with other conditions like endometriosis, pregnancy, fibroid tumors, diverticulitis, and liver cirrhosis.  It has been proven to be a reliable tumor marker once ovarian cancer is diagnosed. CA-125 tests, like the pelvic songram , is not recommended for women at average risk of ovarian cancer.  High risk patients like those with a family history of the disease, mutations in BRCA1 or BRCA2 genes, or suggestive symptoms are encouraged to get tested.

Early detection of ovarian cancer saves lives as well as fertility especially for women of childbearing age.  For these reasons alone sonograms should become part of every woman's prevention schedule on a routine basis like the mammogram.  The patient's quality of life can be saved in a cost effective manner.  The nonspecific symptoms of pelvic pain, low back pain, abdominal pain (bloating, fullness, distension), changes in bowel or bladder habits are surely worth looking into, but can lead your doctor into a quandry with many other diagnostic tests before ovarian cancer is suspected. The time this takes can definitely delay diagnosis. 

Speak up before the silence of ovarian cancer quiets your life.  Though unpreventable there are things you can do to lower your risk.  This includes oral contraceptives, genetic counseling, and removal of ovaries (oophorectomy).  Seek care and advice from experts in these areas via your gynecologist. The National Ovarian Cancer Helpline is very good for locating local resources. http://www.ovarian.org/local_chapters.php

Without a bonafide early detection test for ovarian cancer, we still must do all we can to detect early and prevent the rampage of this deadly disease.  The pelvic and transvaginal ultrasound along with a thorough pelvic exam can reduce the sounds of suffering that ovarian cancer shouts out in silence.

Letter to the President: Code Blue! Get Crash Cart STAT!

Dear Mr. President,

Please be aware that the doctors of this great nation are finding it near impossible to care for our patients, your people.  Our patients are literally dying as the debt crisis looms in limbo for way too long.  We are trying to avoid our patients demise, but with almost 1/2 of our population, especially seniors and kids, on Medicare and Medicaid this is already a major problem.  Further cuts would be detrimental to us and our patients, your constituents. 

Quality of care and proper treatment is near impossible especially with the physician shortage.  Medicare and Medicaid should be increases to help us provide, instead of being cut again and again. Payment delays are unacceptable. This statement from the American Academy of Family Practice (Payment Delays Resulting From Debt Ceiling Impasse Are Possible, AAFP Warns http://ow.ly/1dZzY0 ) details the problems as does the letter sent to you and  in June by AAFP Board Chair Lori Heim, M.D., who said, "If any budget proposal is to restrain the growth in health care spending, it must also support programs that build the family physician and primary care workforce, pay for quality and outcomes of medical care, and ensure that everyone has access to that care."  http://bit.ly/pFjeE7  This is a code blue! Can you imagine not getting paid for your hard work? Or getting sued because you lacked?

The worriation of this debt disease is infecting our people in many obvious ways.  I see those on limited incomes with no less than five chronic conditions struggle to keep food on the table and a roof over their heads as their health expenses become obliviously unaffordable.  We all know what happens then.  Chronic medical care that could have been avoided incurs, and we all pay, especially the patient and doctor.

As we strive for a Healthy People 2020, it is looking bleak.  Though Congress has the purse strings, the buck stops with you.  Eliminate this unnecessary worriation that has gone too far and too long causing more anxiety, suicide, and worsening of overall health for many. 

As family physicians on the forefront of patient care, the burden rests with us to do our best. The most you and Congress can do is resolve the present debt crisis.  If this was was your doctor treating you and your family, such delay would be unacceptable most likely leading to adverse outcomes.  Everyone must do their job as if someone's life depended on it. Much too often it does, especially for patients and doctors.

Thank you, Mr. Obama. 

Best regards,
Dr. Richardson