How Well Does Your Doctor Communicate with You?

Posted on May 10, 2013 by

Communication between patients and their doctors makes a big difference in healthcare. It can affect how patients feel about their doctors – whether their doctors seem well informed and caring. Communication can also affect care – whether patients understand health information well enough to follow directions.Patients have long complained that doctors are rude, they’re bad listeners and they don’t explain things clearly. Our updated hospital Ratings show that doctors, nurses, and other clinicians often do a good job of communicating in general with patients, but struggle when it comes to information about drugs and discharge planning.

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Fatigue in Healthcare Professionals

Posted on April 24, 2013 by

Sleep loss and impairments related to fatigue are common among professionals working in healthcare settings. Long continuous duty hours, reduced opportunities for sleep with minimal recuperation time, and shift work all contribute significantly to impairments in physical, cognitive, and emotional functioning. Detrimental effects include those on personal health and well-being, patient health and safety, performance of job-related tasks, and professionalism. Many challenges exist to implementing effective personal and systemwide strategies to manage the impact of sleep loss. Therefore, adopting fatigue management strategies that have been successful in other occupational settings and developing specific interventions that are appropriate for the hospital setting are key in the causes and consequences of sleep loss and fatigue in healthcare.

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HEART ATTACK! Can It Happen to Young People?

Posted on April 12, 2013 by

Do young people have heart attacks? Are women at higher risk? Every year in the United States, more than 1,000 people between the ages of 35 and 44 experience coronary artery disease. Studies show that men have more heart attacks than women, even under age 50. However, women are more apt to die after suffering a heart attack. One of the reasons women may be more likely to die after a heart attack is because symptoms of a heart attack in women may not be as obvious as they are in men. While a man may experience acute heartburn, chest pain or pain radiating down the left arm, a woman’s symptoms can be much milder. A woman may feel fatigue, shortness of breath or lightheadedness and indigestion – symptoms that could easily be attributed to other causes, such as anxiety.

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Pharmaceutical Companies: How Much Do They Control?

Posted on March 26, 2013 by

Every day Americans are subjected to a barrage of advertising by the pharmaceutical industry. Mixed in with the pitches for a particular drug—usually featuring beautiful people enjoying themselves in the great outdoors—is a more general message. Boiled down to its essentials, it is this: “Yes, prescription drugs are expensive, but that shows how valuable they are. Besides, our research and development costs are enormous, and we need to cover them somehow. As ‘research-based’ companies, we turn out a steady stream of innovative medicines that lengthen life, enhance its quality, and avert more expensive medical care. Yes, we have them to thank for medicinal breakthroughs, and scientific research certainly isn’t cheap; however, when the goal of a pharmaceutical company turns from profit to excess profit, everyone suffers.

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Acupuncture Benefits and Side Effects

Posted on March 15, 2013 by

Acupuncture is an ancient Chinese art. Although still unproven, it is incredibly popular and many doctors recommend acupuncture treatment to patients as an alternative to chemical medications. Acupuncture works on the understanding that all living beings have energy, which is known as qi. Qi travels along twelve meridians, or energy lines, that are found within the body. Sometimes, the qi becomes blocked and this leads to problems we know as pain and illnesses, both physical and mental. During an acupuncture sessions, needles are inserted into specific body points, which restores the natural flow of qi.

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Right To Die: Euthanasia & Human Rights

Posted on February 28, 2013 by

This is one of the most debated topics in the world and that is euthanasia. Euthanasia literally means good death but in this context it means mercy killing. The debate is regarding the legalization of euthanasia. This debate is a continuing one as some people are of the view that life is sacred and no one has got the right to end it whereas on the other hand some say that life belongs to oneself and so each person has got the right to decide what he wants to do with it even if it amounts to dying.

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How Often Do You Get Mammograms?

Posted on February 12, 2013 by

Changing recommendations for when women should get mammograms have created conflict and confusion. Not only do recommendations from different sources vary, but some have moved in opposite directions. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force scaled back its recommendation in 2009, saying women at average risk should begin screening at age 50 and repeat the test every two years. The group, the governments’s independent panel of preventative-health experts, said women in their 40′s should discuss the pros and cons of screening,including possible false positives and follow-up tests, with their physicians. Previously the task force had recommended mammograms every one to two years starting at age 40.

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Destress Your Life: Tips For Healthier & Serene Life

Posted on January 30, 2013 by

The gloomy days of January can be the most miserable and stressful of the year, but it doesn’t have to be this way. Imagine living in serenity. It is possible if you make few changes to your life. It can be easy if you let it be. Laughter is the best way to start. Laughter is great for your health. It is good for your heart and your blood pressure. Laughter feels good too. Try to see the fun in your life and spend more time laughing.

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Geriatricians vs Gerontologists: What’s the Difference?

Posted on January 16, 2013 by

I have learned more about the issues facing our seniors dealing with the current healthcare system. I have witnessed chronic, non-acute conditions that plague seniors like spattered falls, non – acute ,carpal tunnel, pneumonia, eye infections, and other incidental events. The on-going frustration of chronic conditions can often be mitigated (if not cured) by conscious, often low-tech management. The total package adds up to one unhappy, frightened aging adult whose days are very long, ever confining and less active, without anything but worse days ahead.

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Interviewing for That Healthcare Position? Be ready when you get the call!

Posted on January 3, 2013 by

Regardless of your experience or credentials, it’s important to prepare for the interview when applying for a job in the healthcare industry. Whether conducted in person or on the phone, the interview provides an ideal opportunity to present your qualifications, show how you can make a contribution, and learn more about the immediate position and the organization itself.

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