Women's Health Month Checkup

During Women's Health Month it is important to remember preventative health tests you may need done. Ladies, schedule your routine screenings and appointments to include:

1. mammogram/ MRI for breast cancer
2. PAP smear & HPV test for cervical cancer
3. stool check for blood (fecal occult blood test, FOBT) for colorectal cancer
4. cardiology doctor for cardiovascular prevention (get EKG, ECHO, and thallium stress test if indicated)
5. bone density scan to check for osteoporsis
6. counseling for smoking cessation, alcohol/drug dependence, and domestic violence
7. evaluation for depression and other mental disorders if necessary
8. complete physical exam, and routine blood tests.

Be sure to go over all test results with your healthcare provider.  Any abnormal results should be looked into further especially if you have symptoms.  If you are without symptoms, be sure all abnormalities are followed up routinely.

Get in 5 to 10 minutes of exercise a day at least, sleep enough, and eat healthy! Laugh a lot and love a lot! Best health!

by J. L. Richardson, MD, family practice doctor and author of Patient Handbook to Medical Care: Your Personal Health Guide. (Amazon.com: Patient Handbook to Medical Care: Your Personal Health Guide eBook : Richardson M.D., J. L.: Kindle Store)

Free Kindle Unlimited! Healthy Life Lines: Simple Tips to Improve Your Health

Live healthy. Live simply healthy.  “Healthy Life Lines: Simple Tips to Improve Your Health” is a book that helps you attain good health and keep it stable.   This short book consists of one line health tips that promote wellness and good health.  These tips will encourage you to live a lifestyle of good health.  “Healthy Life Lines: Simple Tips to Improve Your Health” is free on Kindle Unlimited and available in large print paperback book. 

Check it out! https://amzn.to/2WCH7oM 

Healthy life lines include;

·       Be literate in health.

·       Focus on prevention to avoid intervention.

·       Constantly do things to improve your health

·       Embrace healthy routines.

·       Limit and avoid multitasking.

·       Find funny and laugh daily.

·       Keep a health diary.

·       Know your family medical history.

Best health!

Amazon.com: Healthy Life Lines: Simple Tips to Improve Your Health: 9781095483619: Richardson M.D., J. L.: Books

High Blood Pressure Accuracy

If your blood pressure is higher than 120/80 repeatedly, you have high blood pressure also known as hypertension. Three consecutive visits to the doctor's office with high readings can be all it takes to be diagnosed with high blood pressure. It is called the silent killer because there are often no symptoms until a heart attack or stroke occurs. 

Even when your blood pressure is normal at home, it is the readings at your doctor's office that determine the diagnosis and treatment.  Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) is changing the way to accurate diagnosis.  More doctors are becoming aware of this and ordering it to check for twenty-four hours. In addition, checks by patients with blood pressure devices are being recommended.  This allows for checks in everyday life situations versus the few high anxiety visits to the doctor.

ABPM can help with treatment as well.  You can see what makes it go up and avoid these things.  Some medication can make it go too low, and the dosage adjustment or type of medication may need adjustment.  These situations usually occur at home after doctors' office hours.

When blood pressure monitoring is done by your schedule, it may be more accurate. ABPM can be a healthy way to keep it stable for you and your family. Best health!  

MY PATIENT HANDBOOK: Ambulatory Blood Pressure Monitoring

MY PATIENT HANDBOOK: high blood pressure

Healthy Life Line: Make Medical Test Screen Part of Healthy Routine

Today patients have a big advantage with prevention screening.  Mammograms and colonoscopy are recommended routinely for those with high risks as well as those without.  These along with blood tests like the PSA (prostate specific antigen) are important prevention and early detection tools.  Why wait for symptoms occur or for something potentially life threating to happen? It is important to avoid when it can be prevented or detected early.

Many lives have been saved by medical prevention screening.  When diagnosed early, it can lead to a better quality of life.  False positives and incidentalomas may also show up.  These can be further evaluated and followed as deemed necessary with and without surgical intervention.  It is important for patients to educate themselves and ask questions about medical prevention and screening tests.

Be prepared to pay something for some tests even with health insurance.  Your car insurance fails to cover maintenance, but you must maintain the insurance coverage plus pay for maintenance and repairs.  Do likewise for your good health.  Pay extra and reap the extra benefits of good health amd saving money.  After all, true wealth is good health.  Best health!

Doctor Shortage Delays Medical Care

Physician demand in all specialties is greater than the supply.  As the population grows the number of doctors is decreasing.  The 2036 projected shortage in the United States is 86,000 according to the 2023 study by AAMC (Association of American Medical Colleges).

The Covid pandemic worsened the crisis as more doctors left physician life primarily due to money.  During this time Medicare continued to decrease doctors' reimbursement for medical services rendered to elderly and disabled patients.  Basic costs like office rental or purchase, malpractice insurance, employee salaries were the main sources of money outflow.  All of these were increasing as were costs for an aging population most of whom had at least five chronic medical conditions.

As a potential physician shortage may be approaching, it has become more difficult to get timely appointments.  If you have insurance, they must be in network to avoid extra cost beyond your insurance coverage.  This usually means longer wait time primarily due to smaller listing of doctors.  Many physicians also have limited visiting hours unlike days of old when they made themselves more available to patients than two days a week.

In addition, doctors are more specialized and selective in their choices.  One choice is cash only payment instead of insurance, Medicare, or Medicaid.  Another choice is the specialty or subspecialty chosen.  The more specialized are usually more expensive and highest paid. Some have gender and age preferences. Burnout due to overworking has led to limits in the number of new patients for some doctors, or just quitting.

Patients should try to find doctors they feel are best for them and their family.  Even if it means consulting several in the same specialty until you get the right one.  Doctor shopping is becoming more popular as the healthcare landscape keeps rapidly changing.  The Internet makes it easier to do, but the telephone makes it more personable.  Talking to someone can give you more informatiom and add to your research.  Word of mouth is still a good way to find doctors.  Seek out the best doctors and you will find trustworthy personalized precision health care for you.  Best health!