Healthcare Costs & Medical Technology
Almost everyone knows that this country has a scandalously large number of people who lack health insurance, now up to 46 million and growing. That number is vivid and evocative. But it has overshadowed another, more serious issue—that of the steady escalation of health care costs. Largely due to the use of medical technology, those costs are now increasing at an annual rate of 7% a year. The Medicare program as a consequence is projected to go bankrupt in nine years, and overall health care cost to go from its present $2.1 trillion annually to $4 trillion in 10 years.
How Well Does Your Doctor Communicate with You?
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.
Pharmaceutical Companies: How Much Do They Control?
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.
Right To Die: Euthanasia & Human Rights
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.
How Often Do You Get Mammograms?
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.
Interviewing for That Healthcare Position? Be ready when you get the call!
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.
Doctors Hiring Older Medical Assistants
Between 1995 and 2007, the number of older workers on full-time work schedules nearly doubled while the number working part-time rose just 19 percent. Our society is being reshaped by a rising demographic tide. Never have so many people lived into the later stages of their lives so healthy and productively, says American Psychological Association at apa.org.
Vaccinations & Healthcare
Flu vaccines should be compulsory for all health-care workers because their patients’ lives are at risk. The time has come for healthcare institutions to demand that all healthcare workers be vaccinated. Our patients’ lives depend on this change. But each season, 20 percent of health workers get the flu.
How Health Care Reform is Making A Difference In Illinois
Medical malpractice in America remains a thorny and contentious issue, made no less so by its virtual exclusion from the Affordable Care Act governing healthcare reform in America. The Affordable Care Act gives hardworking families in Illinois the security they deserve.
Phobias & Anxiety A Medical Assistant Encounters
The medical assistant professional must be aware of the phobias that their patients may have and know how to react should a fearful episode occur on the job. Below are some of the top phobias you may encounter.
Patient anxiety. There are books devoted to it. Web sites. There’s even “White Coat Syndrome,” which causes a patient to have high blood pressure and other symptoms only in the doctor’s office. The fact is when it comes to visiting the doctor, anxiety-induced symptoms can range from mild fear to a full-blown clinical phobia.