Keep Your Practice Organized Through Proper Medical Storage Equipment
No medical practice can run in a state of chaos. How can you treat a patient if the last time you saw their file it was in the clinic kitchen, next to the peanut butter? Aside from the confusion it causes, there are also legalities to consider. Patient privacy is one of the last bastions of trust people can believe in. That trust must be maintained through careful handling of sensitive patient information.
If your practice is large enough to have a central filing room, like in a hospital, open shelves and a locked door are usually sufficient. Though once a doctor checks out a file, that locked door is no longer enough. Offices should be equipped with cabinets that have sliding covers that can be locked when you are not in the room – either out with a patient or gone for the evening.
Comprehensive charts that incorporate codes and colors are ideal for grouping files together. Yellow for oncology, red for “contains x-ray” – these are little ways to make file retrieval more efficient for yourself and your clerical staff. It also helps you note at a glance if an item or bit of information is missing from the chart. X-rays are best kept in special envelopes that prevent bending and creasing, and that can be easily attached within the patient chart.
Wall mounted chart holders by your exam room door allow for your clerical staff to leave the chart handy for you as you move between patients. In addition, once you are done with the file, leave it in the pocket for your assistant to complete and re-file.
Storage of small equipment, such as syringes and scissors, as well as pharmaceuticals, is another consideration for clinics and hospitals. As with patient charts, items like needles and drugs need to be kept under lock and key for safety reasons. Most of the time drugs are locked in the pharmacy in a steel cabinet. Yet in a hospital, nurses may go from room to room dispensing medication. For that moment when his or her back is turned to deal with a patient, the integrity of the remaining medications must be maintained. Multi-purpose carts with a locking option can provide that integrity and peace of mind.
Hospitals may use the color system to differentiate their medicine storage carts from their crash cart or isolation cart, making it easier on orderlies in an emergency. Slotted cassette carts are used for moving multiple x-ray and CT results from the radiology department to nurses’ stations. Stainless steel carts insulated to contain heat or cold are necessary for food delivery in an in-patient environment. Stainless steel surgical carts ensure that a surgeon’s equipment is organized and at hand when needed. And because it is so easy to clean and sterilize, stainless steel maintains the sterility of surgical equipment.
There is so much more than just pens and clipboards necessary for running an efficient medical practice or hospital. These are just a few examples of items that can improve the way you work and provide a simple, safe and efficient environment for all your staff and patients.
Stephen Lamb
http://www.articlesbase.com/self-help-articles/keep-your-practice-organized-through-proper-medical-storage-equipment-670982.html
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Can Baby Boomers Afford Healthcare in the New Year?
As reported on the Today Show in their segment “Today’s Boomer Nation” the Association for the Advancement of Retired Persons (AARP) offered some staggering statistics related to Baby Boomers (those Americans born between 1946 and 1964) and Healthcare. Of the nearly 78 million Baby Boomers living in the United States the AARP offered these very concerning statistics; with regards to Baby Boomers’ ability to afford their Medical Care in 2009, 21% surveyed stated they were “not very or not at all confident” and 23% stated they were “somewhat confident.” When it came to their ability to afford prescription drugs in 2009, 17% surveyed stated they were “not very or not at all confident” and 22% stated they were “somewhat confident.” When asked about having already had to cut back on taking or filling their prescription medication because they could not afford them, those who were surveyed from age 45-64, 17% of the people surveyed responded yes. This survey has both short-term and long-term implications for those who cannot afford their Health Care and Medication. An area however not explored in this segment was those Baby Boomers who are living with chronic health conditions such as, Diabetes, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Crohn’s, Colitis, Neurological Disorders, and Cancer. This is just a small sampling of chronic health conditions that hundreds of thousands of Americans live with everyday.
For those who have a chronic health condition, many will require daily consumable healthcare products in order to live with these lifelong conditions. Such consumable healthcare products might include diabetic testing supplies, insulin, syringes, ostomy supplies and incontinence products. The cost of such supplies varies significantly, from less than a hundred dollars per month to well into the thousands of dollars per month depending upon the severity or if multiple chronic health conditions exist. Certainly for people having to deal with these existing health conditions, a lack of insurance or financial resources to pay for their needed and necessary healthcare products, can create a great deal of distress in their lives. For those now having to pay out-of-pocket for their healthcare products, many may quickly come to the realization that they cannot afford the product brands that they have come to rely upon and trust over the years. Some manufacturers will offer their consumers either free or reduced cost product for a period of time and during financial hardship. Many support groups or national organizations that support those living with a related chronic health condition may be able to offer similar support. Others may need to seek out more cost effective alternatives that will fulfill their healthcare needs.
Over the years as both a Registered Nurse and my time as a Medical Device Sales Representative, I have met and spoken with many people who were trying to make ends meet financially while at the same time dealing with a chronic health condition and paying out-of-pocket for their necessary healthcare products. This is ultimately what has prompted me to start Baby Boomer Medical, Inc. and www.directbuymedical.com to be used as a resource for folks who are paying out-of-pocket for their healthcare products and supplies. By focusing on this one healthcare need I am able to keep prices low as I am not constrained by the guidelines of Medicare or other Insurances. By working with our healthcare product manufacturers we are able to offer multiple affordable healthcare product solutions as well as setting up product sampling for consumer trial before having to buy a product that might not be ideal for our customers’ need. For those who find themselves paying for their healthcare products, I would recommend not only shopping prices, but making certain the company you work with can provide reliable service, reliable delivery, and is willing to take the time to work with you in finding the most clinically effective and affordable healthcare products. Also, contact your product manufacturer, many of which will have clinical staff you can consult with. They can help to insure you are using their products effectively and may be able to offer ways for you to optimize the use of their products. Knowledge is power and asking is free, so seek out resources that are willing to work with you.
Joshua E. Hatfield
http://www.articlesbase.com/wellness-articles/can-baby-boomers-afford-healthcare-in-the-new-year-701373.html
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Diabetes And Related Issues
DIABETES
What is Diabetes?
Diabetes is a very common and well known disease now days. People have started taking it as serious as they take to Cancer, but the most important question to know is “What is Diabetes?”
Diabetes is known as problem of ‘high sugar’. Fasting blood glucose level of around 126mg% or more is called as diabetes.
What is Prediabetes?
When the fasting blood glucose level ranges between 101 and 125 mg%, it is known as Prediabetes. This stage is an important one which gives an opportunity to prevent full blown diabetes to occur.
What are the reasons behind Diabetes?
Much of our food which we eat is converted into glucose. To consume this glucose our body requires insulin. When lacking of insulin occurs, this glucose cannot be utilized properly by the body and diabetes occurs.
Why do symptoms occur in diabetes?
Diabetes symptoms occur because of storage of high blood sugar and less sugar utilization by the body parts.
Diabetes symptoms
Accumulation of high blood sugar causes excess of urination, excess in thirst, vision difficulty, increased infection chances. Inability of body to consume glucose causes excessive hunger, irritability, confusion, weakness, tiredness and weight loss that can be dangerous.
Why is it important to know about diabetes?
Diabetes can cause serious complications which can cause early death. Additionally it can also cause severe economical burden for the patient and the government. One of ten people gets diabetes.
Can diabetes be prevented and cured?
Our body generates insulin, lacking of insulin is the reason behind Diabetes. Diabetes can be prevented by providing some additional insulin to an individual by some external medium. In some cases diabetes can be prevented and in some it can be cured. That is for very small percentage of patients only. We should not be fooled by false claims of cure for diabetes.
What are the major complications of diabetes?
Complications of diabetes can be life threatening and include ketosis, low blood sugar, kidney failure, high blood sugar, heart attack, acidosis, stroke and sepsis. Other complications of diabetes can be debilitating and include foot amputation, blindness, impaired kidney function, impotence and nerve problems.
Can Diabetes complications be prevented?
Yes they can be. All the complications of diabetes can be prevented if the proper treatment and management for diabetes starts on a right time. Even if the proper treatment and management starts late further significant deterioration can be prevented.
Can a diabetic live a normal life?
Yes they can. With the help of advance therapy a diabetic can easily live a normal life as a non-diabetic person can. To live normal life, the patient should have full knowledge of diabetes, its prevention and complications. For the best outcomes diabetic person should also know where they stand in reference to the best available care for this disease in the world. Just consulting with a doctor and taking medicines is not enough for them.
Is urine glucose testing the right and best way to mange diabetes?
No. Daily blood sugar testing is the best way to manage diabetes. Urine shows glucose when it is over 180mg percent in the blood. Much harm can happen when blood sugar lies between 140 and 180 percent on long term basis. Also morning urine gives an average of all night’s urine. Blood sugar testing is therefore the best way to manage diabetes.
What is the most important number in diabetes?
Blood sugar testing gives blood level of sugar for that particular moment when the blood was taken for testing. A1C is another important test which gives an average of blood sugar readings over the past few months. A1C is even more important than a single blood sugar reading as it is to correlated with complications of diabetes in a patient.
Prashant
http://www.articlesbase.com/diseases-and-conditions-articles/diabetes-and-related-issues-756116.html
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Why should I care about feminists whining about breast cancer when feminism causes it?
81-PERCENT INCREASE IN BREAST CANCER SINCE 1971
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2006-09/29/content_5154954.htm
"Having fewer children before the age of 30, early menarche, late menopause and being obese or overweight after menopause are said to be all factors behind the increase."
[ Children before 30 and breast feeding is THE primary means of preventing breast cancer. ]
http://info.cancerresearchuk.org/cancerstats/types/breast/incidence/
The incidence of breast cancer has been increasing for many years in economically developed countries. Over the twenty year period 1984-2003 the incidence rate increased by 51%
[ Coincides with feminism nicely again ]
Breast cancer incidence rates vary considerably, with the highest rates in the developed world and the lowest rates in Africa and Asia.
[ No feminists in Africa and Asia ]
Why should I care if they get breast cancer? Shouldn’t "independent women" accept (not to mention finance) the consequences of their own actions?
Incidentally, some of the people answering don’t realise that feminism is the reason two incomes are now required to support a family, so feminism is still to blame if the reason is "economic".
And you women’s studies people are hysterical, you have very bad tempers. The substance of the posts below appears to be insults.
As usual, nobody can logically disprove that "feminism causes breast cancer", even if it doesn’t cause 100% of the cases it is what is behind the rise in incidents, so quite frankly feminists can fund their own breast cancer treatment programs.
Best question ever though!
I think it’s terrible that anybody thinks it’s OK not to care when somebody dies for whatever reason, no matter their beliefs.
That said, there is a strong correlation between the lifestyle changes with the advent of feminism and some of the maladies that women now suffer. Breast cancer is only one of them. Endometriosis is another…did you know that one adult woman in three now has it, and it was almost unheard of until the 70′s? Food additives and pollution are certainly other causal factors, but psychological effects on health rank way up…don’t kid yourselves.
Anpadh – Anybody who thinks they know it all just because they studied feminism in a strongly feminist environment is a fool.
Edit – Bonzai Betty – What is also true about most Asian countries is that they don’t have feminism over there.
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Anyone have any tips on how to treat a hot spot?
We are going to the vet Tuesday, but if anyone has any tips to try in the mean time, besides leaving it alone, I’d appreciate it. FYI, He is current on Frontline, he eats Wellness, we have tried adding olive oil to his food. He gets these only in the summer time and they are often in the exact same spot on his left wrist. He has bad arthrits in his left wrist as well. He takes Glycoflex III to help with the arthritis. He is a mix, but has a fur like a chow.
Okay, I meant he has chow-like fur, not "a fur like a chow"…sorry 
Hot spots that only occur in the summer could be related to seasonal allergies. Ultimately, recurring hot spots are related to the immune system but if your dog is otherwise healthy, aside from the arthritis, there’s not much to complain about
For hot spots – the miracle cure is Gold Bond Powder! Clean the area, pack the hot spot with Gold Bond and reapply only if you need to. Most hot spots only need one application. The hot spot will crust up and as the new fur grows in it will push the scab off. No need to shave the area, no need for other expensive treatments.
Joint Strong and Level 5000 are some really good supplements for chronic joint diseases. I personally like those better than Glycoflex III.
Categories: Wellness Tips Tags:
What accounts for bad debt expense in a Medical practice?
A doctor is using the insurances 1099′s to figure out his income.
He adds the practice’s operating expenses to offset this income.
However he says he does not get any figures from his billing service in regards to Bad Debt expense.
Is this common? I understand the difference between Billed amount and Allowed amount, most likely is not written off as expense, but how about the portion of the that is the patient’s responsibility?
"he adds up the operating expenses" to deduct them from the income for tax purposes.
Well, the billed amount and the allowed amount don’t really have anything to do with bad debt expense. Generally speaking, if the income was included, and the client never paid, then you can deduct the amount unpaid as bad debt expense. However- if the income was never included (as in a cash-basis business) then it is not allowable for bad debt expense.
And no- I have never hear of a doctor doing his taxes that way. That’s why you hire a good office manager or bookkepper to stay on top of all that!
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