Healthy, Wealthy and Wise

Prevention and wellness.
Transform America to a wellness society.

Wellness and prevention are missing...make them a centerpiece of healthcare reform.

Promote wellness and prevent disease.

Transition from sick care to a true health care system.

Preventing illness and staying well are as important as curing illness.


Wellness and disease prevention are as important to your health as early detection and treatment.  If we incoporate this into our healthy lifestyle agenda, we will stay on the right path to Healthy People 2020, the nation's health promotion and disease prevention program.  Wellness, health maintenance, prevention and early detection will make you healthier, wealthier, and wiser!

by J. L. Richardson, M.D., family medicine doctor and author of Patient Handbook to Medical Care: Your Personal Health Guide, a premiere health guide that helps you and your health care team take the best care of you.

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Patient Handbook Website

Hangover Help

Drinking too much alcohol at one time can make you feel like you have a new disease for which there is no cure. There are things you can do to pre-empt this show.

• Refrain from drinking on a an empty stomach.  This is a sure recipe for hangover hell. 
• Eat during the day instead of fasting for the party. 
• Stay well hydrated with water before and after the party.  Alcohol dehydrates.
• Drink responsibly, i.e. abstain from getting ataxic, speech impaired. Limit: 1-2 drinks/hr.
• Avoid mixing different types of drinks.

If a hangover does occur, try these remedies:

• Acetaminophen and ice pack for headache.
• Avoid alcohol for at least 24 hours.
• Drink lots of water.
• Rest.

Drinking heavily and often are risk factors for hangover frequency, alcohol dependence, and multiple bad health problems (cirrhosis, dementia, delirium tremors, etc.). Drink wisely to reap the health benefits.

by J. L. Richardson, M.D., family medicine doctor and author of the award winning Patient Handbook to Medical Care: Your Personal Health Guide.

Health Books: Must Read Healing, Part 2

Health literacy is the sure way to help you and your health care team make the best medical decisions for you. Making healthy lifestyles permanent is one of the keys to good health. The following books are recommended primarily because they teach you things you can do for yourself that you can incorporate in your lifestyle to make it healthier.

Barney & Baby Bop Go to the Doctor
by Margie Larson

Women's Bodies, Women's Wisdom
by Christiane Northrup M.D.

The Medical Advisor: Complete Guide to Alternative & Complimentary Treament
by TIME Life Books

Dr. Koop's Self Care Advisor
by Everett C. Koop, M.D.

Merck Manual
by Merck

Savvy Patient Toolkit
by Margo Corbett


The Empowered Patient
by Elizabeth Cohen

Patient Handbook to Medical Care: Your Personal Health Guide
by J. L. Richardson, M.D.

Best health!

Flu IQ & Precautions

How much do you know about the flu? Take the Center for Disease Control quiz and see. Remember the basics: wash hands, cover your cough, stay well hydrated, dress warmly, get plenty of rest, and get a flu shot. If you have flu symptoms, stay at home until fever has gone and you feel better. Best health!

Incidentaloma Incidents

When I had my initial body scan 10 years ago unexpected findings were discovered. These incidental incidentalomas had failed to cause any symptoms. An incidentaloma is the medical term for incidental findings that you may have been born with or acquired which are usually benign. Harmless and benign as they may be, further investigation is warranted, This may involve direct testing with a biopsy and possibly surgical excision.

Though most inidentalomas are benign, they may continue to grow inside the body. This may endanger other organs and become life threatening. Routine scans done at one, two, three, six months then annually is an accepted standard of care for following incidentalomas. In addition, periodic blood tests that correlate with it will help show any changes from the incidentaloma.

Of the five abnormal findings on my body scan, one proved life threatening. The ginormous kidney stone stuck in my kidney had caused no symptoms. Had it remained undetected, kidney failure and/or loss of a kidney surely could have occurred. Another incidentolama required biopsy and proved to be benign (was initially found on a cardiac stress test!). The others continue to be unchanged and asymptomatic. Followup with routine scans is the way they have been followed and they remain stable.

If you are concerned about cost and/or whether your health insurance will cover it, you may want to consider self pay. This test was worth each penny of my $750. Plus no prescription or referral is needed unless it is covered by Medicare. My insurance company now covers scans of each area with incidentolomas. Though not a body scan, the results are the same.

Incidental incidentolomas affect all of us. Once found they should be checked. Be sure to see any specialists that may be necessary to decide if biopsy, surgery, or simply following routine scans is enough.

Best health!

Health Books: Must Read Healing, Part 1

Health literacy is the sure way to help you and your health care team make the best medical decisions for you. Making healthy lifestyles permanent is one of the keys to good health. The following books are recommended primarily because they teach you things you can do for yourself that you can incorporate in your lifestyle to make it healthier.

The Healing Power Of Prayer: The Surprising Connection Betweeen Prayer & Your Health
by Chester L. Tolson, Ph.D. and Harold G. Koenig, M.D.

Food as Medicine: How to Use Diet, Vitamins, Juices and Herbs for a Healthier, Happier and Longer Life
by Dharma Singh Khalsa, M.D.

Prescription for Herbal Healing
by Phyllis A. Balch, CNC

Spontaneous Healing
by Andrew Weil, M.D.

The Doctor and the Word
by Reginald Cherry, M.D.

Healing Words: The Power of Prayer & the Practice of Medicine
by Larry Dossey, M.D.

20 Minute Yoga Workouts
by America Yoga Foundation & Alice Christensen (founder)

Home Health Massage
by Wendy Kavanagh

Take Charge of Your Hospital Stay: A Start Smart Guide for Patients & Caregivers
by Karen Keating McCann

Power Healing: The Four Keys To Energizing Your Body, Mind, & Spirit
by Dr. Zhi Gang Sha

Patient Handbook to Medical Care: Your Personal Health Guide
by J. L. Richardson, M.D.

Best health!

What Internet Does For You & Your Health

Prior to any medical diagnosis you or doctor visit, you are able to check things out for yourself. Textbooks in your personal home library and the public library along with information your health care providers may have given you is initial information most patients are exposed to initially. The Internet is now the primary source for health information for patients and health care providers all over the world. This is the only place you can find valid, up-to-date medical information from all over the world. In a few hours you know as much if not more than any new medical school graduate about your health conditions.

A survey done by the CDC (Center for Disease Control) reports that over 50% of Americans look up health information on line in 2009. Women were more likely than men to research health information on the Internet. Direct patient-doctor interactions like email, prescription refills, and appointments were used infrequently (5%). Disease specific information is the most searched health information followed by medication. nutrition and fitness.* Most of the patients discussed their findings with their doctors. Key word search using the search engine, Google, was the primary way information was located. Specific websites were second. Over 98% reported the material was reliable and easy to understand.

Information like this helps you and your medical care team help you get the best care possible. Wellness, prevention, early detection and treatment are a few hours and a few clicks away - free. The Internet is a valuable resource that does the following:

• provide you with information that will keep you healthy and well
• help you find the latest research, clinical trials, treatments, doctors for any illness
• allow you to communicate with your health care providers directly (email, telemedicine)
• find and share research thereby promoting your health literacy i.e learning and teaching for every one involved
• help you find virtual and real communities that provide support for your conditions and diseases as well as social interaction
• search and shop for insurance and other medical aid, supplies, etc.

Use the Internet to help you stay in touch with your health and keep it in your hands. Best health!
by J.L. Richardson, M.D., family medicine physician and author of Patient Handbook to Medical Care: Your Personal Health Guide.


*study from Dept. of Family Medicine, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Journal of American Board of Family Medicine, 2006

Body Scan for Early Detection

No prescription is needed for a body scan.. This is one of the most efficient health assessment tools that appears to be under utilized by the medical profession (fear of finding stuff they are unable to answer?). It is rather affordable, however, results yielded may pave the way for more expensive tests.

Reasons you should have a body scan:
_early detection of disease
_baseline exam for future reference & comparison
_follow chronic disease & abnormal findings like incidentalomas
more on these incidental findings here: http://bit.ly/9ANS09

Physical exams fail to pick up disease at the earliest possible stage. Total body scanning in conjunction with a physical exam and blood tests increase the likelihood that health issues will be detected earlier.

Best health!

by J.L. Richardson, M.D., family medicine physician and author of Patient Handbook to Medical Care: Your Personal Health Guide"

http://www.mypatienthandbook.com/
www.twitter.com/MD4U

Lose Your Wealth for Health...or Die Trying

Lose your wealth, lose your health? Is draining your finances the way to live a healthy life? Medication can cost thousands of dollars especially new non-generics and injectables. Recent news reports a new one at $30,000 for treatment for one person. This was a preliminary guesstimate, mind you. It was unclear how long the treatment would take or how many shots is a cure. Perhaps this is part of the pre-debut gimmick that medicine companies produce time and again. Regardless of this scene, it is up to you and your health care basic instinct to determine how much money your health is really worth.

Is it really worth debt? Should you have to suffer health loss and financial loss? Is $30,000 a year the magic number for health care expenses? Oh wait..."I don't even make $30,000!" That's near the poverty line. Government assistance like Medicaid usually requires more. For instance, to qualify for nursing home placement you must lower your net worth by decreasing your assets to $2000. Does that qualify one for a $30,000 drug?

Great health is true wealth, but how much are you willing to pay? Death and taxes are sure bets, and so is your health.

Quality of Medical Care

Quality medical care can be described as the best medical care. The goal is to keep a person well and healthy and to manage acute and chronic illnesses to help a person maintain optimum health. According to a 1996 national survey, “Americans As Health Care Consumers: The Role of Quality Information,” the major concern in choosing a health plan was quality of care (42% of 2,006 adults). This is more important than low cost, choice of doctors, and range of benefits. Employers provide some information on the quality of health plans. Most people choose health providers and health plans based on recommendations from doctors, family,
and friends.

There are independent organizations such as the National Committee for Quality Assurance(NCQA) and the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) that monitor and provide information about the quality of healthcare. They develop and report their findings based on research. The AHRQ (www.ahrq.gov) is a government agency that supplies research and guidelines for use by health providers and patients to help determine what care is available and which should be preferred. The NCQA (www.ncqa.org) assesses, monitors, and reports on quality of care. It is a private, nonprofit organization whose diversified board of directors includes employers, health plans, and most importantly, patients, the consumers of managed
healthcare. The Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) evaluates hospitals, clinics, nursing homes, home health agencies, and laboratories. For community, home health, and hospice programs there is the Community Health Accreditation Program (CHAP). Outpatient healthcare settings like student health services, diagnostic radiology centers, and ambulatory surgical centers are evaluated by the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care (AAAHC).

In addition, most managed healthcare plans have their own internal quality assurance plans. Once a plan has been reviewed and evaluated by NCQA or other review agencies, the plan is assigned a “grade.” If the plan meets the required standards, it is then given accreditation. This means that the plan met the required guidelines for providing high-quality medical care. The NCQA uses this information to develop a report card on each plan it reviews. The NCQA measures quality using its own Health Plan Employer Data and Information Set (HEDIS) for performance measurement. This data is used for the report card. The report card includes data on the plan’s actual medical services, such as doctor availability, specialist referrals, preventive care, and emergency and hospital coverage. It also reviews charts focusing on the physician’s medical competence and performance. The physician’s licensing, certification, and other credentials are also checked. The physical setting of the office is evaluated to be sure that all quality standards are met.

In evaluating healthcare quality NCQA accreditation and HEDIS provide a comprehensive, standardized, and uniform method that is used for the HMOs it reviews.
About 75% of the nation’s HMOs are accredited by NCQA or are in the process of becoming accredited. The following areas are the primary focus of the health plan review, weighted according to the percentages indicated:
• Access and service (patient satisfaction and
easy, timely access to providers and
treatments), 40%
• Qualified providers (trained, licensed,
credentialed), 20%
• Staying healthy (wellness and prevention),
15%
• Living with illness (proper diagnosis and
treatment of acute and chronic medical
problems), 15%
• Getting better (quality of care), 10%
Meeting the accreditation standards in each
area accounts for 75% of the grade.

The HEDIS (Health Plan Employer Data and Information Set) results make up the remaining 25%. Overall, HEDIS results look primarily at quality in the clinic and patient satisfaction. The results from each plan review are then compared to certain target goals for each category reviewed, and the plan is graded. These grades are compiled and compared to other health plan report cards. The collected information is then reported in a comprehensible format for patient use in selecting a quality health plan.

Information like this is becoming more readily available. It will become, increasingly, one of the ways patients look for and find quality health plans. The Accreditation Status List (ASL) is available to anyone by calling (1-888-275-7585), by writing , or by going to the NCQA website, which provides a list of the accreditation status of participating health plans. Accreditation Summary Reports (ASR) are also available and contain more detailed information than the ASL.
Individual private doctors and group practices that use these managed healthcare plans are usually under contract with the health plan to allow for periodic quality assurance checkups and monitoring.

Health insurance that is not part of a managed healthcare plan and private fee-forservice healthcare are also being included in assessments of quality. Uniformity of quality assessment and reporting among all healthcare providers is a major issue being addressed by the government and other independent agencies that specialize in quality measurement. Soon all providers of all types of health services will have routine quality assessment and reviews, and even more information will be available for the patient to review.

Even with the researched, scientific-quality databases provided by independent organizations, patients usually select a health plan and providers recommended by family or friends rather than one that rates much higher based on a formal quality assessment and review. This trend is also reflected in the choice of doctors. Patients are more concerned about the way a doctor communicates with and cares about them than about whether the doctor has been given a high rating by a quality assurance organization. If the doctor has board certification in her or his specialty, this is also given a higher ranking by patients than quality accreditation from an independent organization.

Many people are beginning to see that quality is important, since one of the goals of managed care is to contain costs, sometimes at the patient’s expense. In order to see that this does not become an issue, quality monitoring, assessment, and reporting are vital to the healthcare system. Making it available to the patient is also important. Information is a powerful tool. It allows patients to learn and to make decisions that are best for them. Looking for quality healthcare in today’s healthcare maze can be a challenging experience. Reading information from the medical provider is a good place to start. Many managed health plans provide patient
manuals and patient representatives that are available to talk with you in person or by phone.

For more detailed information you can contact your state’s insurance commission. Health insurance plans are regulated by state insurance commissions. The AHRQ is a federal government agency under the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). It does research on the quality and costs of healthcare. Some of the specific areas it covers are patient safety, quality improvement, clinical outcomes, assessment of medical practices, preventive and primary care services, and funding for medical research.

AHRQ states, "Health services research examines how people get access to health care, how much health care costs,and what happens to patients as a result of this care". The main goals of health services research are to identify the most effective ways to organize, finance, and deliver high quality care; reduce medical errors; and improve patient safety. The AHRQ has maintained a database of medical care guidelines based on medical research. The research is “translated into practices and policies that have been proven to provide the best care, diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up for specific conditions. The guidelines are available free of
charge at The National Guideline Clearing House (www.guidelines.gov ).

More information on choosing the right health plan for your medical needs can be found in the following patient information brochures available on the Internet or by contacting the agency via phone or mail:
• “Choosing and Using a Health Plan” and “Checkup on Health Insurances” from AHRQ www.AHRQ.gov
• “Choosing Quality: Finding the Health Plan That’s Right for You” from NCQA
• “Which Plan Is Right for Me?” from NCQA www.NCQA.org
• http://www.healthchoices.org/ website by NCQA
• “It’s Your Health—How to Get the Most Out of Your HMO” from Consumer Action,
http://www.consumer-action.org/ a consumer advocacy group

Best health!

Prevention Checkups: Is It Time for You?

Staying healthy and disease-free is what prevention is about. The complete physical is the beginning of prevention. The breast exam checks for cancer, as do the Pap smear and rectal examination. Depending on your age and sex, there are guidelines for when to have certain tests. These guidelines are recommended by health organizations such as the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, American College of Physicians, American Cancer Society, and American Heart Association. These guidelines are by no means laws, but they serve as useful suggestions for you and your doctor to use in your prevention and treatment program.

So how often should you have a complete physical? When is it time for your next tetanus shot? I have reviewed guidelines from the various health organizations mentioned above and compiled a summary of adult preventive care standards. These are also based on my own clinical experiences and on the number of lives saved by doing tests, regardless of whether the time frame of the guidelines was observed.

ADULT PREVENTIVE STANDARDS
AGE:------------18–25----26–40 ----41–60----60+
Physical Exam 1–3 years 1–3 years 1–2 years yearly
Height/Weight 1–3 years 1–3 years 1–2 years biannual
Blood Pressure 1–3 years 1–3 years every year biannual
Eyes and Ears 1–3 years 1–3 years 1–2 years every year
Mouth 1–3 years 1–3 years 1–2 years every year
Breast Exam every year every year every year every year
Pap Smear* 1–2 years every year every year 1–3 years
Prostate Exam if needed if needed every year every year
Scrotal Exam every year every year every year every year
Rectal Exam if needed if needed every year every year
Stool Blood if needed if needed every year every year

COMPLETE BLOOD PANEL
AGE:---------18–25----26–40 ----41–60----60+
Lipid Panel 5 years 5 years every year every year
Liver Panel 5 years 5 years every year every year
Hepatitis 5 years 5 years every year every year
Kidney 5 years 5 years every year every year
Blood Count 5 years 5 years every year every year
Thyroid 5 years 5 years every year every year
Urine 5 years 5 years every year every year
Electrolytes 5 years 5 years every year every year
Glucose 5 years 5 years every year every year
Prostate (PSA) if needed if needed every year every year
HIV — test if any risk factors or exposure —

IMMUNIZATIONS**
AGE:----------------18–25----26–40 ----41–60----60+
Tetanusdiphtheria 10 years 10 years 10 years 10 years
Pneumococcal — as needed for persons at risk — once after 65
Influenza (flu) — as needed for persons at risk — every year
Hepatitis — — — — as needed for persons at risk — — — —
Measles-Mumps-Rubella — — if no antibodies, get 2nd dose — —

TESTS / PROCEDURES
AGE:---------18–25----26–40 ----41–60--------60+
Mammogram if needed 2–3 years every year every year
Chest X-ray baseline if needed if needed if needed
Electrocardiogram — — baseline — — every year every year
Colonoscopy if needed if needed 3–5 years 1–3 years
Body Scan baseline 1–3 years 1–3 years 1–3 years
DENTAL — — — — — — every year — — — — — —
MENTAL — — — — — — as needed — — — — — —

For any abnormalities, repeat screening and follow-up should be done sooner or more frequently depending on the individual person. For example, if your cholesterol is found to be increased when you are 18 years old or younger, you would want to have that checked at least every year instead of every five years. For people with a family history of breast cancer, yearly mammograms may start as early as the twenties.

Persons with a history of chronic illness (diabetes, hypertension, cancer, etc.) should have a yearly physical regardless of age. Frequent routine visits during the year are also in order for those with any chronic illness. In addition to preventive health screening tests, preventive health counseling is also very important. In addition to the doctor’s verbal counseling, ask for patient education references. Reading and knowing as much as you can about staying healthy also helps improve your quality of life and can make you feel better!

*Some sources recommend that after two normal PAP smears, repeat every 1–3 years.

**For further details, refer to the “Recommended Adult Immunization Schedule” published by The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Prevention & Early Detection with Your Personal Health Guide

Prevention and early disease detection are important for your health and wellness. Patient Handbook to Medical Care: Your Personal Health Guide is the perfect book to inform you about the proper tests and exams every patient needs. 

Use this quick link http://bit.ly/dpEGyA with Google Books to read actual book excerpts, and to locate libraries and book stores where the title is available.

Great health is true wealth - YOU are your most important asset.

Patient Handbook to Medical Care is now in the Kindle library. You can find this great health reference book at the Kindle Store http://amzn.to/9wjMXn on Amazon. Also available at many libraries and on line book stores.


www.mypatienthandbook.com/
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What You Would Like to Hear From Your Doctor Parody

It's so good to read the truth at last! Would you like to hear your doctor tell you these things?

Q: I've heard that cardiovascular exercise can prolong life; is this true?
A: Your heart is only good for so many beats, and that's it.. Don't waste them on exercise. Everything wears out eventually. Speeding up your heart will not make you live longer; that's like saying you can extend the life of your car by driving it faster. Want to live longer? Take a nap.

Q: Should I cut down on meat and eat more fruits and vegetables?
A: You must grasp logistical efficiencies. What does a cow eat? Hay and corn. And what are these? Vegetables. So a steak is nothing more than an efficient mechanism of delivering vegetables to your system Need grain? Eat chicken. Beef is also a good source of field grass (green leafy vegetable). And a pork chop can give you 100% of your recommended daily allowance of vegetable products.

Q:Should I reduce my alcohol intake?
A: No, not at all.. Wine is made from fruit.
Brandy is distilled wine, that means they take the water out of the fruity bit so you get even more of the goodness that way. Beer is also made out of grain.
Bottoms up!

Q:How can I calculate my body/fat ratio?
A: Well, if you have a body and you have fat, your ratio is one to one. If you have two bodies your ratio is two to one, etc.

Q:What are some of the advantages of participating in a regular exercise program?
A: Can't think of a single one, sorry. My philosophy is : No Pain..Good!

Q:Aren't fried foods bad for you?
A: YOU'RE NOT LISTENING!!!
.... Foods are fried these days in vegetable oil. In fact, they're permeated in it. How could getting more vegetables be bad for you?

Q: Will sit-ups help prevent me from getting a little soft around the middle?
A: Definitely not! When you exercise a muscle, it gets bigger. You should only be doing sit-ups if you want a bigger stomach.

Q: Is chocolate bad for me?
A: Are you crazy?
HELLO
Cocoa beans! Another vegetable!!! It's the best feel-good food around!

Q: Is swimming good for your figure?
A: If swimming is good for your figure, explain whales to me.

Q: Is getting in-shape important for my lifestyle?
A: Hey! 'Round' is a shape!

Well, I hope this has cleared up any misconceptions you may have had about food and diets. And remember:

'Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways - Chardonnay in one hand - chocolate in the other - body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming 'WOO HOO, What a Ride' AND....

For those of you who watch what you eat , here's the final word on nutrition and health. It's a relief to know the truth after all those conflicting nutritional studies.

1. The Japanese eat very little fat and suffer fewer heart attacks than Americans.
2. The Mexicans eat a lot of fat and suffer fewer heart attacks than Americans.
3. The Chinese drink very little red wine and suffer fewer heart attacks than Americans.
4. The Italians drink a lot of red wine and suffer fewer heart attacks than Americans.
5. The Germans drink a lot of beers and eat lots of sausages and fats and suffer fewer heart attacks than Americans.

CONCLUSION:
Eat and drink what you like. Speaking English is apparently what kills you.

Patient Handbook to Medical Care: Introduction

To ensure that you receive the best and even proper medical care, you must know the basics. This book focuses on things that are important when you go to the doctor, and it will help you to obtain the quality medical care you deserve. If you don’t know what you’re supposed to be getting, you might well not be getting it. I have had many people—family, friends, and patients—tell me that their annual checkup was okay. Then, they describe it. Most of them say their doctor did not ask them the usual questions about their health history and did not do a complete physical examination of their body. They are told that they are okay, yet they commonly receive prescriptions and orders for more tests without knowing why. They may be given an appointment to come back, or they may not.

The goal of this book is to inform and educate patients about medical care. The book is written in an order that corresponds with the basic steps of medical care. The medical records kept by your doctor are the cornerstone of keeping track of everything pertaining to your health. This is one reason why patients should also get copies of their medical records from their doctors. In addition, I suggest that patients keep their own medical records in the form of a diary. Chapter 1 discusses keeping a medical diary and obtaining medical records from your doctors. Chapter 2
outlines what a proper physical exam should include. Preventive medicine guidelines are presented in Chapter 3. Chapter 4 discusses medical tests and what they mean. Chapter 5 describes physician specialists and when they may be necessary. The final chapter discusses types of health insurance and the quality of medical care.

It is very important for patients to learn as much as possible about wellness, disease prevention, and disease management for themselves. In our society we are accustomed to taking a doctor’s word on the state of our medical condition and treatment whether or not we understand it and either without asking any questions or without getting adequate answers to the questions we might pose. Today that might not be a healthy situation. It is necessary to be informed to get the most from your health plan and to get the best medical care from the medical resources available in the healthcare system.

By reading this book, you will find out how to take charge of your most important asset — you. This book is written to inform patients about the facts. It is by no means a substitute for your personal physician’s care and advice or for that of
any of your healthcare providers. Instead, it is a supplement. Use it in good health!

Healthy Recipe: Blueberry Batter Cake

Blueberries are very healthy and have lots of antioxidants. This easy, tasty recipe is a cake pudding that tastes like a pie. Try it, you will like it! Best health!

Use 11 X 8 inch pan for 6 to 8 servings.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
• 3/4 cup sugar or sugar substitute
• 1 cup flour
• 3 tbsp. butter
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 tbsp. cornstarch
• 1 cup boiling water

Butter baking dish. Sprinkle blueberries over bottom. In bowl combine sugar, flour, and butter. Add the milk. Mix until blended. Spread the mixture over the blueberries evenly. Sprinkle cornstarch over top. Pour boiling water over the batter. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 - 60 minutes. Serve warm with whip cream.

Variant---Substitute other fruit like strawberries or rhubarb for blackberries.

Doctors & Specialists

For many people, the most familiar doctor is their personal or primary care physician (PCP). This is the doctor that coordinates all of your medical care routinely and continuously. Usually this doctor is a medical doctor (MD) who is a family practitioner, an internal medicine doctor (internist, for short), or a doctor of osteopathic medicine (DO). There may be times when your doctor or you feel an “expert” opinion is needed in a certain area. Then your doctor will refer you to a specialist. These doctors help the primary care physician with proper diagnosis and treatment.

After completion of undergraduate and medical school in the United States (which usually takes from six to eight years), the physician enters an internship (first professional year) followed by a residency program (two years or more) at an accredited university program in the specialty chosen. The choice of specialty determines how long the doctor is in residency training. Family practitioners and general osteopathic doctors must complete three years of medical training in all areas of medicine. D.O.’s receive additional training in osteopathic manipulative medicine (OMT), which adds a holistic approach. Surgeons have three years of general surgery, including some general medicine. General internists train for three years. If a doctor chooses to specialize further, in a sub-specialty, there may be an additional two years or more of training.

Once training is complete, the doctor may take a test to become certified in the chosen specialty. This is an indication that the doctor has excelled in a particular field and is ready to provide the best, most up-to-date medical care. The doctor must possess a license to practice medicine for the state(s) in which she or he practices. This comes from the state licensing board, which also monitors physician conduct and competence. Doctors who do not follow the law are sanctioned by this board. The mission of the board of medicine is to protect the patient.

Patients are able to contact the state boards to determine if doctors are licensed and if any disciplinary action has been taken against the physician for wrongdoing of any kind. In addition to providing information about physicians, the state boards handle patient complaints about doctors. This can lead to hearings where doctors are “tried” as in court and may lead to discipline and loss of license. The public information collected by state boards can be found on some state health agency websites.

Choosing your PCP and specialists is crucial to your health care. Word of mouth is the best and most common way good doctors are found. The internet is also a great resource.

Best health!

Your Health & Medical History

One of the first things your doctors and healthcare providers want to know is why you made your appointment. Once you answer this question (hopefully before interruption) there will be questions about your general health and wellness, as well as more information about your reason for the visit. For specific concerns you may be asked:

• How long has this been going on?
• What have you done for it?
• Have you had it before?
• Where does it bother you?
• How often does it occur?
• What makes it better or worse?
• Are there any other symptoms?

You will be asked about how the other parts of the body are working, such as your eyes, ears, heart, breathing, and so on. This is called the “review of systems” (ROS). If there are any problems not related to your main problem, now is the time to let the doctor know.
This will be followed by your past medical history (PMH), which includes:

1. Diseases you have (high blood pressure, sugar diabetes, arthritis, cancer, depression,
   etc.), or have had that are better or gone (including childhood diseases such as
   measles, mumps, and inherited disease)
2. Operations and times you were in the hospital (including accidents)
3. Medication, including prescription, over-the counter (don’t forget about vitamins),
   natural (garlic, aloe), and herbal
4. Allergies and reactions to anything and what it did to you (for example: breaking out in a
   rash, swelling, itching, upset stomach, etc.)
5. Smoking, alcohol, drug use (how much,
   how often)
6. Shots (childhood, flu, last tetanus, etc.)
7. Sexual (active, using protection, number of partners, diseases)—in females this will also
   include menstrual period, pregnancy, last mammogram, and Pap test
8. Family history (conditions that run in family
   such as cancer, high blood pressure, etc.)
9. Social history—your job or jobs; family; marital status; living arrangement (house,
   apartment, alone, etc.); transportation (drive self, public transport, walk); ambulation
   (use walker, wheelchair); disability (deaf, blind, amputee, etc.) Religion, ethnic customs, and traditions

If there is anything left out or that you feel the doctor should know, now is the time to speak up. It is sometimes hard to get someone’s full attention, so take advantage of it while you have it. Some doctors’ offices will have you fill out forms asking the above questions or will ask you the questions and fill out the form for you. This is not a substitute for the doctor’s personalinterview and questions.

Writing or typing this information is a sure way to keep all of your PMH. Make a copy for your doctor. While talking you both can refer to this vital source of health information. This is part of your medical record.

Best health!

Use this handy form to get you started http://bit.ly/bEvHk6

How to Get Your Medical Records: Your Life on File

Communicating with your health care team is vital. To be sure nothing is missed, take the time to collect your medical records from all the doctors you see. This includes notes from your primary care doctor and specialists, tests, and surgery reports. You may want to start with your primary care doctor, the doctor who sees you the most.

To obtain your records, you should submit a medical record release form. This form gives your doctors and other health providers permission to release your records to you. This can be done at the doctor’s office, by mail, or by fax. You can get a record release form at doctors’ offices or at other medical facilities such as hospitals and clinics.

The medical record is your life and health on paper. Once you get your records, it is important to review them for accuracy. If any information is inaccurate or any reports are missing, bring it to your doctor’s attention. You might find some
things your doctor did not tell you about or things you simply do not understand. If your doctor is unable to get the missing information, contact the source directly for copies of your reports.

Gather this information into a folder or notebook. Add a cover sheet with your name, address, phone number, email, and date of birth. On this page make a list of your medical conditions, all the medicines you take, your allergies (and any other reactions to medication), operations you’ve had, and a history of diseases that run in your family. You will be able to make copies to take to any doctor you go to. This also prevents the delay that occurs when records are sent from doctor to doctor, which can take from weeks to months to years.

Best health!

by J.L, Richardson, M.D., family medicine doctor and author of Patient Handbook to Medical Care: Your Personal Health Guide.

Patient Handbook to Medical Care provides 112 pages (large print) of health information that will tell you what your doctor should be asking you, telling you, and doing for you - as taught in medical school and used since Hippocrates.

www.mypatienthandbook.com/

www.twitter.com/MD4U

www.blogtalkradio.com/drjfpmd

Eleven Effective Rules of Communication

1. Listen a lot.
2. Be specific.
3. Ask for a reasonable change that will relieve the gripe.
4. Make sure your partner understands what you want and you understand what she or he wants.
5. Deal with only ONE issue at a time.
6. ALWAYS consider compromise.
7. Never assume you know what the other is thinking. Check it out. Don't assume or predict reactions, rejections, or acceptance.
8. Accept what the other feels. Don't tell your partner what he or she should or should not be feeling.
9. Don't name call or label.
10. Sarcasm is dirty fighting - call each other on it.
11. Stay in the present. Grievances should be dealt with at the earliest possible moment. Don't save them up to use as weapons.

Great health relies on effective communication by everyone - patient, family, and health care team. Best health!

Praying for Health - No Insurance Required

Pray for me. This often forgotten yet basic request is often deferred until times of severe health duress. How effective is prayer in helping heal your illnesses or that of someone else? Combining this with other forms of treatment has proven effective in managing illness, especially chronic disease.

Prayer is considered an alternative health treatment; however, faith healing is the only way to many. Man made medical treatments like drugs and surgery combined with modern technology have overshadowed prayer. Prayer, like many other alternative "natural" treatments, is usually left off the intern and resident training in medical school. Research has shown that many patients pray for their health regardless of religious background, and that is does indeed have healing health benefits.

Praying for oneself as well as being prayed for are effective in staying healthy as well as in healing. The beautiful thing is that you can do it anywhere, anytime without paying any money. No health insurance is required.

Best health!

by J.L, Richardson, M.D., family medicine doctor and author of Patient Handbook to Medical Care: Your Personal Health Guide.

This book provides 112 pages (large print) of health information that will tell you what your doctor should be asking you, telling you, and doing for you - as taught in medical school and used since Hippocrates. http://amzn.to/13m51UU

How To Make Your Doctor Appointment

The doctor in charge of your overall care is
called a primary care physician (PCP). Your first
office visit with a new doctor is the most
important one. This is when you get to know
your doctor and supply information about your
medical background. This visit may be for a
specific problem or for a complete checkup (that
is, a complete physical exam—CPE).

For a specific problem, you might only get an
examination of your complaints, symptoms
(what is bothering you), and of other areas that
the doctor knows to check depending on your
symptoms. In this case, you are usually given a
later appointment (typically in two to six weeks)
for the CPE, but ideally you would have the CPE
on your first visit. It is a good idea to make an
appointment with your doctor while you are
well. This will help you and your physician focus
on your total healthcare more clearly and without
distraction.

Schedules usually have 15-, 30-, and 60-
minute time slots. The longer times are usually
for patients who need a CPE. When you call for
your first appointment, let the doctor’s office
know if that is what you want. That way you will
not be put in a 15-minute slot, the time usually
allowed for a routine visit. Doctors’ schedules can
be very frustrating for patients, doctors, and staff.
This can lead to longer waits and shorter visits.
Being on time is important for both patients and
doctors.

Unless an emergency arises, the wait to see the
doctor should be no longer than thirty minutes.
If there is an emergency, waiting patients should
be given the option of continuing to wait,
rescheduling, or going elsewhere for treatment. If
you really have to see the doctor, just be prepared
to wait, and pray that the magazines are up-todate.
You can bring your own items to read, your
laptop, a CD or tape player with earphones, or
you can strike up conversation with other
patients. Listening and talking with others in the
waiting room is a great way to gather and share
information. Also, take the time to observe. Take
a look around the doctor’s office and watch how
things take place.

Some of the many reasons for a doctor’s
“tardiness” include overbooking patients, double
booking (scheduling two patients at the same
time), “pre-booking” (scheduling appointments
before the doctor gets in), and emergencies. If
you belong to a managed healthcare plan like an
HMO (Health Maintenance Organization), the
doctor usually has little, if any, say over the
schedule because success is equated with seeing
as many patients as possible. Also, the doctor
may be an employee. The doctor who works for
someone else cannot be solely blamed because
the staff also works for someone else.

Before managed care most doctors ran their offices and
hired employees themselves. This means that the
doctor was responsible for the whole office and
the way it was managed. If your doctor is an
employee and waiting is an issue, please let the
doctor, office supervisor, and health plan know
what has happened. The doctor will then be in a
position to let the employer know there is a
scheduling problem. This should help improve
wait time and any related problems.

Best health!

by J.L. Richardson, M.D., family medicine doctor and author of Patient Handbook to Medical Care: Your Personal Health Guide.

www.mypatienthandbook.com
www.twitter.com/MD4U
www.blogtalkradio.com/drjfpmd

For Men Only: Checkup Checklist

"If I had known I was going to live this long, I would have taken better care of myself." — Mickey Mantle

Statistics show that men are less likely than women to get routine health checkups and physical exams. Men are more likely to seek medical attention when there is an acute problem, and once that has resolved not until another acute problem. Part of the reason for this is lack of health education. Men are also more prone to the "this can't be happening to me" syndrome. Is ignorance truly bliss? Short term, maybe. Long term, no.

So what is a fella to do? Make a yearly checkup routine. Do it around your birthday or holiday like Father's Day or Christmas as a gift to yourself (your most important asset!). In addition to a complete medical history (be sure to take your notes and questions) and physical exam, there are other things your doctor should do. This includes:

• complete blood panel including a PSA (prostate specific antigen) if over 40 or have a history of prostate cancer in your family - please note that PSA screening is very controversial as to if it should be done and should be discussed at length with your doctor as this test does save lives
• EKG, baseline at first physical then every 2-3 years - yearly if over 50, have risk factors such as smoking, obesity, hypertension, diabetes, increased cholesterol, family history of heart disease
• cardiac screening by a cardiologist if any signs or symptoms of heart disease especially if there is a family history of heart attack, angina
• colon cancer screening with stool guaiac cards - stool samples are placed on these and returned to your doctor who checks for blood (this should be done when a rectal exam is performed, but if for some reason it is not, be sure to get these cards)
• colonoscopy, baseline at 50, sooner if stool positive for occult blood or gross rectal bleeding, weight loss, stomach symptoms

Be sure to include regular visits to the dentist, and optometrist or ophthalmologist (eye doctor).


Best health, guys!


by J.L. Richardson, M.D., family medicine doctor and author of Patient Handbook to Medical Care: Your Personal Health Guide.
http://amzn.to/13m51UU

How Safe Is Your Seafood with Oil Spill?

The big oil spill has caused great concern about the safety of the seafood we eat. Much of the nation's shrimp, oysters, and crabs are from the Gulf coast. Restaurants are still serving Gulf coast seafood and grocers are still selling it. How can you be sure it is safe for consumption?

The smell of oil is a sure sign that seafood should not be eaten. Trainers at federal fishery labs sniff for tainted seafood. The inspection is done after the catch before it is sent to market. NOAA and the FDA do actual chemical testing. The large number of fishermen. fisheries and processors makes it impossible to inspect and test all the seafood. Smelling your food before you cook or eat it is a way to avoid food poisoning.

If you do suspect food poisoning after ingesting seafood, you may have the following symptoms:

• stomach cramps
• nausea and vomiting
• fever and chills
• diarrhea
• bloody stools
• weakness

These symptoms usually occur from 30 minutes to several hours after eating the tainted food. If suspected call your doctor or visit your emergency room as soon as possible. To avoid severe illness take in as much clear liquids as possible to prevent dehydration. It is best to avoid solid foods for 24 hours, and then slowly advance from a soft, bland diet to regular food.

Clear liquids include water, ginger ale, tea. An easy soft diet to remember is BRAT - bananas, rice, applesauce, toast. Avoid dairy products, greasy food, alcohol and raw foods for 48 hours as this may worsen the symptoms. Soft diet may be started after 24 hours without nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea. If symptoms persist or worsen in any way call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room.

by J.L, Richardson, M.D., family medicine doctor and author of Patient Handbook to Medical Care: Your Personal Health Guide.

This book provides 112 pages (large print) of health information that will tell you what your doctor should be asking you, telling you, and doing for you - as taught in medical school and used since Hippocrates

http://www.mypatienthandbook.com/

www.twitter.com/MD4U

www.blogtalkradio.com/drjfpmd

Medicare & You: Will It Be There When You Need It

If you are in your near retirement years, I am sure you are getting ready for Medicare to take over your health care. Will it be there? By 2030 there will be about 100 million persons receiving Medicare. This is twice as many as 2008. This comes at a time when the growing demand for doctors is at a critical point. Their numbers are dwindling, especially those that accept Medicare payments for services.

Medicare is a health program that is publicly funded by the government to care for persons over 65 who have been legal residents for five years.It is a single payor program. Medicare eligibility starts at 65 years of age. If you are a person with disability, end stage kidney disease (i.e. requiring dialysis or kidney transplant), or Lou Gehrig's disease you will get benefits before age 65.

For the past few years Medicare payments to doctors have been cut by as much as 21% in 2010, while Medicare premium payments by patients have risen (along with the cost of health care!)an average of 10% per year. In addition, Medicare taxes are being prepaid through every working persons' paycheck - 2.9% of your wages to be exact (more if you make over $200,000). It would make sense that doctors and health care providers would receive increases instead of sharp cuts (pun intended). Instead doctors are quitting and looking for second careers unrelated to clinical medicine. Hospitals are closing (the small reserves for hospitals may exhausted by 2017). Clinics are downsizing and closing.

Predictions abound that Medicare will be bankrupt by 2020 to 2030, . "The latest report on the solvency of the Social Security and Medicare trust funds reveals that these entitlement programs will likely run out of money sooner than expected." (reference: Brookings Institute, 2009) Medicare alone was 13% of the federal budget (almost $400 billion) in 2009. It is projected to be near the same in 2010 with a higher cost near $500 billion! The amount spent on Medicare is likely to exceed the payroll taxes collected from your hard earned wages. Astounding data! In spite of the fact that doctors must now accept what Medicare pays them versus what they charge (traditional from 1960 to 1980), this program will be in the red.

Health care rationing may become part of the plan to cut costs and be sure all get health care. Those over 60 and those with multiple chronic conditions many of which occur just because you get old like arthritis, high blood pressure, decreased vision with cataracts, decreased hearing will be put in the long line near the end. As we live longer more health care is needed especially if we inherited the family genes for certain things like diabetes, cancer, and heart disease. Add this to the "old age" diseases and you have the equation of a Medicare patient. Of course old age is much kinder to some than others, but it happens to everyone.

Where will you go for health and medical needs when you reach 65? Medicare was supposed to be there. You worked and paid for it. So you must look after it. First and foremost, you must realize that your health is everything. Loss of function of an arm or leg, your speech or vision almost renders you dependent until you "overcome" it, if you do.

Health maintenance and wellness are vital. You must be your best health advocate by taking the time to prevent as much as possible. Routine checkups by you and your healthcare providers are very important. Early detection will prove a lifesaver if some illness is discovered. This will help you get through the Medicare years. You will be able to see your premium payments and hard work pay off, just with less Medicare and more of your money out of your pocket.

Bottom line: cut Medicare benefits or increase payroll taxes? This is truly a "beast and burden" that needs taming.

by J. L. Richardson, M.D.

Dr. Richardson is a family medicine physician, independent medical record reviewer, and author of Patient Handbook to Medical Care: Your Personal Health Guide. This book provides 112 pages (large print) of health information that will tell you what your doctor should be asking you, telling you, and doing for you - as taught in medical school and used since Hippocrates.  

Women's Health Checkup

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.

Get in 5 to 10 minutes of exercise a day at least and eat healthy! Laugh a lot and love a lot!

by J. L. Richardson, MD, family practice doctor and author of Patient Handbook to Medical Care: Your Personal Health Guide.

Health Insurance Update

Health insurance companies are overcharging again! Treatment for medical illness that helps patients is consistently ignored and unapproved. Paying an additional $360 per month to get what you need in addition to your $1000 monthly premium is obtusely extreme. Many drugs used have potential for serious life threatening complications, yet health care providers continue to be pill pushers ignoring reports of better results with alternative treatments. The cost of the medicine may be one-fourth the price in dollars and more deadly, but it is the approved standard of care.

Earnings for the health insurers poured in recently revealing huge profits, earnings, and executive compensation packages. A good chunk of patients' health insurance premiums surely helped this cause as well as that of the lobbyists and uninsured. Health care reform measures that may help patients insurance costs will not kick in for who knows how long - anywhere from one year to four years or more. The patient will be unable to dodge the bullet shooting another increase because it was a fact before health care reform was more than radar blip on the national agenda.

How much longer will patients be ignored and treated so casually by the very people who are supposed to be helping them, healing them, taking them from cradle to grave in a dignified manner?

How much longer will patients be forced to suffer in silence and pain from their diseases while drug companies and health insurance entities continue to prosper in such an adverse environment?

How much longer will patients have to choose between a meal or a pill?

by J.L. Richardson, M.D

Author of Patient Handbook to Medical Care: Your Personal Health Guide
www.mypatienthandbook.com/

Read excerpts on google Books www.bit.ly/aTBrEN

Disability Insurance & You

Have you thought about what you would do financially if you were were unable to work? If you were disabled short term or long term, where would the money come from? Disability insurance is one of the best lifetime investments you can make. Hopefully you will not have to use it, but you may need it.

It is important because anyone can have a devastating health challenge that could wipe them out physically and financially. Medical costs are one of the top reasons people end up in the poor house. Disability insurance payments allow you to have money for health needs as well as for everyday necessities. This is a very sensible thing to do.

Disability insurance is seldom talked about when it comes to insurance you need. Your house is insured. So is your car. So you should be insured, too. Life insurance is good, but pays off after you die.


Disability coverage is available as "own occupation" coverage. This type covers you for being unable to work at the occupation for which you have been explicitly educated, trained, and employed like doctor, lawyer, broadcast media, president, etc.
It is usually more expensive than basic generic coverage like Social Security, and pays more. The going rate is two-thirds of your salary.

If you pay for your own policy instead of allowing your employer to do so, your money is tax free. If you withdraw IRA monies early and provide proof of disability you are exempt from the penalty.


Protect yourself financially from medical disability and potential financial free fall. Disability insurance like health insurance protects your most important asset - YOU.

by J.L. Richardson, MD, family medicine physician and author of Patient Handbook to Medical Care: Your Personal Health Guide.

http://www.mypatienthandbook.com/
www.twitter.com/MD4U
www.blogtalkradio.com/drjfpmd

Home Health Clinic

Monitoring your health at home is easier than you think. You must stay involved and up to date with medical history and needs for every family member.

1) Be sure you have a copy of your medical records from all of your doctors. Check them for accuracy. If legibility is a problem ask your doctor to decipher for you. You should be able to read yor medical record like a book.

2) Become familiar with all of the medical conditions listed. Research the details to be sure you are being checked regularly. Bring any discrepancies to your doctors' and healthcare providers' attention.

3) Keep the medical files and research in a file cabinet for easy reference. Storage with other important documents is optimal.

4) Equip your bathroom or other designated area of your home with medical equipment and supplies. This should include a blood pressure monitor, thermomemter, glucometer, glucometer strips, alcohol, stethoscope, and nebulizer. These items can be used by almost anyone with proper instruction. Keeping these items together with medication and other medical supplies ensures easy central access as well as portability in case of emergency.

5) Important phone numbers should be posted in several places in your home. Be sure to include direct numbers to all healthcare providers and local hospitals.

Take care of your most important asset - YOU! Invest in your health for your home.

by J.L. Richardson,MD, family medicine doctor, patient advocate and author of "Patient Handbook to Medical Care: Your Personal Guide".

Further health tips http://www.twitter.com/MD4U

Health Insurance Costs

Written a year ago, this blog post is still relevant. For more posts on healthcare reform, click on in index to the right.

Health care costs are up at least 5% from last year. Health insurance is up from 6% to 40% or more! This means that health insurance company profits are up. Check the earnings. Their profit is up even with decreased net income and higher medical costs. Almost 100 million people are paying off medical debt while insurers rake in piles of profit.

Hopefully President Obama will allow exemptions from medical debt, and allow capped prices on insurance premiums without regard to pre-existing conditions. Health insurance companies should discontinue lifetime limits on health coverage. At an $100,000 lifetime coverage limit, one or two major surgeries or a chronic disease with complications your coverage could evaporate in a year or two or less.

More consumer protection is needed. Protection with lifelong health membership would be optimal. The national health plan, National Health Insurance Exchange, will likely make this a reality giving all the privilege of being insured as securely as our President and Congress.
With a premium of $1000 month, your payment for one year is $12,000. This should be enough to guarantee lifetime coverage. After all, your insurance premiums are giving insurance companies lifetime profits.

by J. lL. Richardson, MD, family medicine doctor and author of Patient Handbook to Medical Care: Your Personal Health Guide.

http://www.mypatienthandbook.com/
www.twitter.com/MD4U

Medical TV: Where is the Health News Channel?

This was written three years ago, but is still relevant.

Medical information on TV is limited and stagnating. Sixty seconds on the news. Two minutes on the talk show after commercials on prescription medication. Outdated show on this channel, and outdated repeat on that channel in between the new show. Watch some on this channel then click and click to different channels to connect your medical news for today.

Remember the crawler at the bottom of the screen. Oh, you missed that there was a bird flu outbreak in Pakistan today, and that HPV vaccines will be required for teen women and men. These are the ways we learn about some of the most important news we should know. It concerns our health and public safety.

If only we had a dedicated medical TV CNN (instead of just Dr. Sanjay Gupta’s excellent show on early weekend mornings, or his occasional special). You know, like the sports channels by sport, the cartoon channels by age (and now one for the boomers!), the movie channels, government channels, and on and on. Where is the “MTV” of medical channels? Discovery Health has been carrying the TV health media for years. There should be more!

The TV box is probably the most used medium by which folks get their news and information. It is certainly a way to get information to people. The most used information source is one of the least used by the cutting edge medical field. This was noted in my research paper, “Building an American Health System”, in 2002. This is 2007, and it’s pretty much the same, maybe even less.

A medical TV channel (actually several would be optimal) would be great! A daily health news show would be a great start towards 24-7 medical TV. Envision yourself clicking to the heart channel, or to programs with content about specific diseases. You could learn more about that high blood pressure you are trying to control, and how you can monitor it at home. Topics on maintaining good health, and prevention of disease would be a click away. And if you missed a show, it would be shown again and again.

Health and medical coverage on TV is surely lacking in this consumer driven health conscious society. We can watch as much sports, cartoons, movies, news as we want, but we still have to piece together our medical news and supplement it with the written word, or health care providers’ spoken word. And radio.

Great health is true wealth. Medical TV would make us even richer.


by J.L. Richardson, MD, family medicine physician, patient advocate and caregiver, and author of Patient Handbook to Medical Care: Your Personal Health Guide,


http://www.mypatienthandbook.com/

www.twitter.com/MD4U

Doctor Search On Internet

Have you looked your doctors up on the Internet? When you do, you may find incomplete inconsistencies. Many web sites had no listing for several doctors I was looking up. So I looked at some others.

I went to the state medical board pages. I found that some doctors listed on the other web pages were not listed on the state board pages. Another doctor is listed with an active and an inactive license (several are listed like this). This doctor’s medical education and training have been done overseas. Some doctors have no residency training listed. This doctor has been in practice for 45 years, and is licensed in two countries and two other states. The doctor’s address is listed as a PO Box.

The type of information listed was different amongst the states. For instance, one state listed one line of information – license number, status of license, present location, disciplinary action (yes or no, not what), date of issue and expiration. Another state gives this plus the doctor’s education and training information, details of disciplinary legal action, other states/ countries where licensed, and board certification status. There were inactive licenses that were listed as active in another state’s information.

These incomplete inconsistencies are rather consistent. Do you know about your doctor’s background? Is your doctor properly trained and licensed? Which information is correct?

The American Medical Association (AMA) has a page with links to the state boards for licensing. Check your doctor at  http://www.ama-assn.org/ama/pub/category/2645.html. Compare it to the information at “doctor finder” sites. Incomplete inconsistency.

J.L. Richardson, MD is a family medicine doctor and author of "Patient Handbook to Medical Care: Your Personal Health Guide".

http://www.mypatienthandbook.com/
www.twitter.com/MD4U

Heart Screening Checklist

Check your heart list:
___Heart and vascular exam by health care provider
___Blood pressure, pulse, weight, height
___EKG

For further evaluation, especially if symptoms are present, and/ or if there is a strong family history of heart and vascular disease see a cardiologist.

Tests may include:
___Doppler echocardiogram (checks heart valves, size, etc.)
___Stress test - nuclear, doppler or exercise (heart function)
___Heart MRI scan (artery disease)
___Interventional studies like cardiac catherization, angiogram (checks artery blockage, valve function)

Heart health habits:

1. Maintain a healthy weight.
2. Eat healthy small portions.
3. Exercise regularly - every little bit counts! Just do it regularly.
4. Keep blood pressure under control.
5. Keep stress level low.
6. Get adequate sleep.
7. Take an aspirin a day if in a high risk group. Check with your health care provider.
8. Love, laugh, and let go!

Have a happy, healthy heart!

J.L. Richardson, MD, family medicine, is the author of the award winning Patient Handbook to Medical Care: Your Personal Health Guide.

www.mypatienthandbook.com

www.twitter.com/MD4U

www.twitter.com/drjfpmd

Doctor Visit Tips

Going to the doctor can be quite a challenge. These tips will help you make the most of your doctor visit.

One of the first things you want to do is 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.

Start keeping 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.

Request 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.

Stay on top of your health care with these tips. After all, great health is true wealth!

Click on "Comments" below to add your tips and questions.

by J. L. Richardson, MD, family medicine doctor and author of Patient Handbook to Medical Care: Your Personal Health Guide, the perfect tool for helping you make your medical visits the best.

http://www.mypatienthandbook.com/
www.twitter.com/MD4U
www.blogtalkradio.com/drjfpmd



More tools to help you with your doctor visits:

http://www.mypatienthandbook.com/ - *medical history form on website.

Medical record release form - http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/templates/TC010234611033.aspx?CategoryID=CT101433201033

Medical tests A to Z - http://www.medicinenet.com/procedures_and_tests/article.htm

Specialists A to Z - http://www.healthadvantage.org/body.cfm?id=85