How a Chiropractor Can Help During Pregnancy

Patti Larson, a mother and author, wrote an article on "Pregnancy Today" magazine about her own experience of being pregnant and receiving help from professional chiropractic care. "Pregnancy Today" is a nationally recognized magazine that prides itself in being the journal for parents to be.

Patti began by explaining her emotions and her husband's when they found out they were pregnant. She was in her mid-thirties and pregnant for the first time, which prompted lots of questions and concerns like: when would she feel the morning sickness, how long would she be able to work, would she be able to bear the pain during delivery and not cry out like a drama queen? In short, valuable and normal doubts of every first time mom-to-be.

Health Care

She clarified that she had a healthy diet and slept well, but she was far from being an exercise fan, in other words, she had great intentions but couldn't commit to an exercise routine. This is when she wrote about her rescuer, what saved her from suffering unnecessary fatigue, pain, and stress due to her changing body shape and wild hormones: chiropractic care.

Patti explained that she was accustomed to visiting a chiropractor prior to being pregnant, so the logical thing to do was to keep going. Her chiropractor recommended that she schedule weekly appointments, but that she should increase them if she felt the need.

Her doctor, a chiropractor in Santa Monica, talked about why chiropractic care was so good for Patti during the pregnancy. He explained that this type of care deals with the functioning nervous system. When the nervous system is not overly stressed due to environmental aspects, possibly physical, emotional or chemical, the body is able to work in accordance to its particular genetic design. If a birth is stressful, this will, in turn, cause stress in all the parties involved, and it will stay present until the nervous system's stress is relieved. Through chiropractic care, the body is allowed to manage the stress, helping future moms, new ones, and their adorable love bundles, to cope with life much easier.

Chiropractic care can really help during labor, stimulating the body when the due date arrives and passes, and nothing happens, prompting women to start labor in a natural way instead of letting a hospital use drugs to do it. Patti stated that she not only continued with the care during her pregnancy, but also after she gave birth to her daughter Madeline.

To finish, she explained that Madeline received regular adjustments during her second week in this world and she never suffered from colic, ear infections, colds, or any other type of sickness before she turned one, which is the most vulnerable period for babies.

She confessed that many people are shocked when she tells them that her daughter sees a chiropractor, however, they also agree that she is among the most vivacious and active babies they have met. Many people call her lucky, but she knows it is all in the adjustment!

So, follow Patti's advice and confirm it for yourself, talk to a professional Ottawa chiropractor and discover a life without aches.

If you liked this article, tell all your friends about it. They'll thank you for it. If you have a blog or website, you can link to it or even post it to your own site (don't forget to mention totalwellnesssolution.ca as the original source).

How a Chiropractor Can Help During Pregnancy

Our mission is to develop, inspire and nurture the unlimited healing potential within those we serve. - http://www.totalwellnesssolution.ca/ - Ottawa chiropractor

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Anti Aging Skin Care - The Best Ways to Look Younger

If we're being honest, wrinkles are a part of life that we all have to face some time. But who says we have to face them early? In fact, with the right anti aging skin care you can continue to keep the world guessing about your age. So what is the right anti aging skin care program to keep wrinkles and fine lines at a minimal? Glad you asked.

1. Healthy Eating

Health Care

There's an old saying "you are what you eat," and that's certainly true. Eating a healthy diet can keep your skin looking younger, healthier, and without wrinkles. A good diet won't just keep your skin healthy and glowing, it will keep you feeling healthier and energized all over. You should eat plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables, and you should also drink plenty of water. You might want to try one of the diets that so many swear by.

The Dr. Perricone diet will have you preventing and reversing wrinkles, while you shed those extra pounds. The goal of this diet is to reduce the amount of refined sugars, high glycemic carbs, and saturated fats that you eat.

The Low GI diet is another popular diet. Research has shown that if your body has high levels of glucose after you eat you are not just more likely to age prematurely; you are more likely to have damaged arteries, which can lead to a variety of diseases. The Low GI diet will keep you healthier and younger.

The Raw diet is based on eating 75% raw foods which include nuts, beans, grains, sprouts, vegetables, and fruits. A diet that is 75% raw foods will result in younger, healthier looking skin, with a reduction in fine lines and wrinkles.

2. Exercise

Modern life is relatively sedentary, and that leads to many health conditions, obesity, and skin that ages prematurely. Just walking three times a week will keep your whole body healthy. You'll shed any extra pounds, tone up, and improve circulation to the skin to boost skin tone and reduce the look of fine lines and wrinkles. Take the challenge to get off the couch and exercise. You'll look younger and feel younger too.

3. Anti Aging Cream Serums

Healthy eating and exercise are important to keeping your skin younger and healthier, but a quality anti aging cream is certainly nice to have on your side too! You may have to try a few to find the one that works best for you. It's important not to give up, and it's also a good idea to choose a product that has a money back guarantee. That way if it doesn't work you can get your money back and try something else. And a product that's confident enough to offer such a guarantee will have a good track record behind it.

You should not have to wait 30 days or longer to see results. You should see some results instantly and then you can enjoy increasing results over time. An anti aging cream or a wrinkle cream that's rich in moisture will hydrate the skin and reduce the look of fine lines and wrinkles. Another type of cream will reflect light and make those wrinkles vanish. This is a good choice for around the eye area. Other creams contain Retinol A, collagen, idebenol, Matrixyl, Renovage and peptides. Don't be afraid to try a few products.

Now that you know the three keys to antiaging skin care are healthy food, exercise, and anti aging cream products, why wait another day?

Anti Aging Skin Care - The Best Ways to Look Younger

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Healthcare - Health Insurance Providers Review - Mutual of Omaha Insurance Company

Mutual of Omaha Insurance Company is a name brand within healthcare. This review of health insurance providers will highlight the changing directions in healthcare that Mutual of Omaha has taken.

Established in 1909 in Nebraska, Mutual of Omaha Insurance Company has remained one of the larger providers of healthcare. There are three associated subsidiary providers in this carrier group. Since its inception in 1970, United of Omaha has carried the main thrust of the life insurance products sold. Other business comes from Companion Life Insurance Co in New York, along with United World Life Insurance Company, formerly known as United World Insurance Co. While health and life insurance is the primarily focus, the parent company is also involved in banking, real estate development, and the sale of Mutual Funds.

Healthcare

Now Mutual of Omaha has sprouted into a sort of a three-headed creature, with each of these head snipping at the other's business. Formerly there was only one many focus on where to obtain health insurance business. Having over 150 offices, the company had exclusive training facilities at its home office facility. When you think of healthcare, you tend to think of medical insurance. Disability insurance is a form of healthcare, and this is where for many years the company tried to make its mark. Agents were trained to sell disability coverage first, hospitalization and health supplement next, and then life insurance through United of Omaha last.

Their website mentions that when you have a sales career at Mutual of Omaha you have more than just a job. My analysis shows that the retention of healthcare representatives is not much higher now then when I was a unit sales manager with them. However, there are way fewer career sales offices available today. The company is licensed to sell in 50 states, with few restrictions. Their life and annuity sales have remained consistent the last few years. Meanwhile, rapid growth is show in accident and health insurance premiums being collected.

The reason for tremendous growth in this area can be pinpointed opening up the distribution of its healthcare products to independent non-company affiliated brokers. Along with this, they are known for generous commission payouts and one to the top rated Medicare Supplement policies. This has caused a problem for a lot of 100 year old companies, that Mutual of Omaha Insurance Company has handled better than almost all the rest. This is where you have in house affiliated representatives competing with outside brokers for the same product selling with different commission rates.

I am appalled however at Mutual of Omaha Insurance Company to throw its hat in the ring of trying to straightforwardly entice consumers to buy direct from the insurer. This takes business away from its agents, and from the independent brokers. They tell an online prospective client that buying insurance online has never been more affordable or easier. Nevertheless, the insurer is extremely savvy and profit orientated. There are only four policies offered direct. They are whole life, children's life insurance, accidental death, and cancer insurance. The last three are some of the most profitable policies that they sell.

Looking at their asset to liability ratio for paying life and health claims, the current situation looks steady, with only minor variation range. There are companies that may be financially rated slightly higher. In this review, I would rate Mutual of Omaha Insurance Company, even above many of them. The reason is strong company management, along with a smooth melding of captive representative offices and brokerage operations.

They should just quit being a direct internet provider of insurance directly to consumers. Plus there is no reason for them to not put up individual websites for United of Omaha, Companion Life Insurance Company, and World Life Insurance Company. This is a cheap, beneficial way to help policyholders locate these other companies.. Hope someone in Omaha is listening.

Healthcare - Health Insurance Providers Review - Mutual of Omaha Insurance Company

Well published author, Don Yerke likes to concentrate on what you don't know or what no one else dares to print. Tell it like it is.

Watch for his new paperback book debuting on Amazon this summer. It is loaded with great insurance marketing, brokerage, sales, and recruiting information.

Come and get your FREE "Think and Grow Rich" Ebook by Napoleon Hill instantly.

The website address is [http://www.agentsinsurancemarketing.com]

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Home Health Care Insurance

There are various insurance policies that help pay for or totally cover the costs of home health care. Consumers are reminded to be very cautious when shopping, comparing and buying home health care insurance policies because coverage is often limited. Considering the limitations and loopholes that home health care insurance has, they may be more expensive than other insurance policies. Home health care may only be accounted for by comprehensive insurance policies with pay benefits for nursing homes, assisted living communities, and adult day care.

Types of Home Health Care Insurance

Health Care

The different types of home health care insurance depend on each policy's extent of coverage when paying for home health care services. Private insurance usually only pays for part of the home health care costs which include personal and hospice care. Managed care insurance plans may offer some help with home health care costs if the home health care provider is Medicare-certified, these plans also require hefty premiums.

There are also existing home care policies which actually pays for the excess amounts that your original insurance policy does not cover. These supplemental insurance policies cover additional payments on home medical equipment as well. Long-term care insurance cover most medical and nursing services including licensed home health care costs. They may even include personal care as well as services incurred for the upkeep and maintenance of the policyholder's home. Long term care insurance is paid for in monthly installments based on the individual's age and health conditions. Many times, the benefits may only be reaped after a pre-defined waiting period, or when the insurance company decides the financial assistance is actually necessary.

Originally, long term care insurance policies were intended to pay for a lengthy stay in a nursing home, yet because of the public demand and preference for home health care, a lot of long term care insurance policies now cover in-home services which may vary greatly according to plans. Considerations regarding pre-existing health conditions and prior hospitalizations usually limit the coverage of these insurance policies.

Home Health Care Insurance

Home Care provides detailed information on Home Care, Hospice Home Care, Home Day Care, Home Care Products and more. Home Care is affiliated with Home Inspection Business.

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Boomers, Seniors & Ageism - Affects Ageism Has on Healthcare & Caregivers

Age 65 you have a disease!

The assumption is age causes decline when in fact illness is more often the cause. Ageism also causes complacency in healthcare and affects the quality of care. It is also a serious issue that is perpetuated by our healthcare system, institutions and society in general. According to the International Longevity Center report Ageism In America:

Healthcare

1. 60 percent of victims identified from Hurricane Katrina were age 61 or older.

2. Within 24 hours following the 9/11 terrorist attacks, animal advocates were on the scene rescuing pets, yet older and disabled people were abandoned in their apartments for up to seven days before ad hoc medical teams arrived to rescue them.

3. 35% of doctors erroneously consider an increase in blood pressure to be a normal process of aging.

4. Only 10 percent of people aged 65 and over receive appropriate screening tests for bone density, colorectal and prostate cancer, and glaucoma. This despite the fact that the average age of colorectal cancer patients is 70, more than 70 percent of prostate cancer is diagnosed in men over 65, and people over 60 are six times more likely to suffer from glaucoma.

Services and Assistive Aids

Ageism has a serious affect on the lives of seniors and caregivers. Most seniors have chronic (long term) conditions not acute (short term) conditions. Those you may look to for advice, have little or no training on the aging process (like social workers, therapists and doctors). There are services and assistive devices available that can help the caregiver and those they care for. Your biggest obstacle may be ageism and/or a lack of knowledge by those in healthcare. You have others that may just be looking to make a buck. Then you have home healthcare providers that have little if any incentive to focus on prevention and safety. Ask yourself this question:

Why would a home healthcare company tell you about assistive aids or provide other information that could reduce the need for their services?

They won't until they are forced to do so. A perfect example is what Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) did in hospitals with Hospital Acquired Conditions (HAC's) to improve patient safety. Hospitals had little incentive to prevent falls and infections until CMS stopped rewarding them for causing the fall or infection by paying for it. The same thing needs to happen in home healthcare. We need to reward quality outcomes and prevention not a proliferation of needs often based on greed. Many people will not perform a daily task if they are not encouraged to do it for themselves. It's a fine line for ability verses actual inability to perform a task. It is also a fine line between need and greed.

Those in healthcare are not sensitive or aware of the physical or physiological effects of the tools they recommend. Often the recommender does not know the intended use and many times seniors blame themselves for injuries that are not their fault. Injuries are rarely reported which increases injury risks and promotes the proliferation of unsafe ineffective products. This is another part of how ageism affects the health and welfare of our seniors and caregivers. Misleading marketing is prolific in this arena. Many companies want a piece of the healthcare market without following basic consumer labeling let alone regulations that may apply to products. Assistive aids can truly make a difference yet many lack quality or a design to address needs.

Ageism opens all of us up to the affects and consequences of what it creates. It takes a toll on caregivers many of them are boomers raising a family and often dealing with their own health issues. All of which affects lives personally and financially adding to healthcare costs for all. Seniors pay a higher price for the lack of care and concern in their well-being and value. We are finding out where government stands on ageism as they cut valuable services in hard financial times, which creates a higher cost to our society as a whole. Will we learn in time that ageism doesn't pay!

Boomers, Seniors & Ageism - Affects Ageism Has on Healthcare & Caregivers

About Patrece Banks: In 2005 Patrece Banks founded Invisible CareGiver® Innovations, LLC (ICGI) a company focused on innovating quality tools for aging in place. For more information visit [http://www.invisiblecaregiver.com]

Patrece writes and speaks about bed falls, fall prevention, design safety, aging in place, risk management, compliance, ageism, medical devices and assistive technology devices. Patrece works with government, elected officials and organizations to help get information out about topics that are often misunderstood and unaddressed. She is also a consultant. In 2008 Patrece was recognized as one of the most innovative product designers.

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The Importance of Healthcare Marketing

Modern healthcare services have improved a lot more than what they used to be just a few years back. Patients today are well educated and very much aware of every new development in the field of medicine, thanks to advanced technologies and the Internet.

In such a scenario, as a medical practitioner, it is important to market yourself and your practice in such a way that your patients feel positive about you. Only then can you ensure that your current patients will keep visiting and also attract newer ones. This is the reason why healthcare marketing is nowadays essential for all healthcare professionals.

Healthcare

You need to identify the needs of your patients and the community in general to chalk out a marketing plan with a vision about what you want to achieve and what you need to do to accomplish those goals.

Gone are the days when a patient would just go to the nearest doctor. The modern educated patients are willing to go that extra mile if the doctor is proven to be the expert in his field. They search and gather enough information and visit a physician only when they are convinced about his skills. And how do you let them know about your specialty and expertise? You need a proper healthcare marketing plan which uses strategic marketing tactics to achieve that.

Modern patients are not merely patients suffering from ailments who are in search of treatment options, but also consumers looking for good service related to their health and well being. And your practice is not just a practice; it is also a business which you need to market well to earn revenue and make profits.

Make the most of modern technology and use the internet and video conferencing facilities. Offer online consultations to expand your customer base. Build a website which your patients find useful and informative. Keep updating it with information about your latest additions, change in timings or add links to informative websites. Have your site customized to provide online scheduling of appointments, maintenance of patients' records or patients' testimonials.

In the present times, there are many organizations which work on all days of the week and even 24 hours a day. You also need to make sure that your care and service is available to your patients at all times, whenever they need it, without any compromise on quality. Good marketing will ensure that your patients know that your services are available at all times.

A good marketing plan will also assure your patients that it is their well being that you value the most. True, they bring you the much needed revenue, but their health is your priority and you have to make sure that they are informed about it.

Healthcare marketing is not just about money but also your reputation and goodwill which cannot be built overnight. There are a lot of intangible benefits which a patient gets from a physician and these are what will actually help you retain your patients. So you need an effective marketing plan which helps patients know the benefits of being associated with you. You will also be able to nurture your relationship with your patients, both existing and new.

The Importance of Healthcare Marketing

John White is a medical marketing expert who works full time with health care providers to increase their visibility on the web space to get people connected with the Medical Professionals.

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Effects of Junk Food on Health

The phrase "junk food" itself speaks of endangerment to health. Junk foods are deemed to be trash foods as they are high in fat and sugar components regardless of how they are labeled by manufacturers. The apparent effect of junk food on health administers when there is excess in intake. Teenagers comprise the higher bulk of junk food fanatics and they seem to be unhealthy with such a lifestyle of munching in chips, fries, crackers and other snack foods in front of the television. Majority of junk food choices do not deliver beneficial nutritional values, but you could actually integrate a few junk foods in your diet with an assurance that it is of moderate amount.

Regardless of age, the effect of junk food on health settles as bad as it could be especially when you eat too much of some. You will end up easily getting exhausted by being a junk food fanatic. Because it doesn't balance the appropriate levels of energy you ought to consume, you have tendencies of craving for more food when you eat junk foods. Also, you can be less focused with anything you undertake at work and home because what you are acquiring from junk foods are mere fats, not healthy ingredients. Also, you will experience lack of important oxygen that eventually result to poor brain functioning.

Health

In the long run, your heart cannot function as it should because of too much cholesterol absorbed in the body as an effect of junk food on health. If there's too much plaque in the arteries, your heart has to assert more effort in pumping blood which may cause you to be in fatigue. The excess amount of cholesterol in your body can destroy the liver as well, leaving you overweight at the same time. Most of obese kids have acquired their overweight dilemma because of too much junk food intake. Most of those who are junk food eaters are likely to get diabetic at any point in their life because of high presence of sugar in the body. High blood pressure due to great amount of sodium from junk foods can also occur.

As they always say it, whatever is avoided comes so tasty. Ice cream, chocolate, junk foods, fries, burgers, potato chips and shakes are all tempting. You can perhaps be disciplined in indulging in these types of food because they are initially unhealthy to have. Too much of anything sweet or salty is health threatening. Not only will you have a bad effect of junk food on health, you will also largely embrace mood swings, decreased enthusiasm to handle workouts, weight gain and constipation problems if you eat junk foods unstoppably. In lieu of them, you can pick fruits and high-fiber food for good snacks and meals.

Effects of Junk Food on Health

Gary Pearson is an accomplished niche website developer and author.

To learn more about junk food effects visit Healthy Foods Today for current articles and discussions.

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The Elderly Population and Healthcare Needs

The state of Illinois has a large elderly population that is continually growing. This is true about most all the states and therefore Illinois is not alone. The elderly population is not only growing but also living longer and longer with better medical care and treatments for various diseases and conditions. Healthcare for the elderly is varied and ever changing in the State of Illinois and almost everywhere else in this country and even internationally. It is difficult to know what the best type of care is for the elderly. But, one thing seems true, and that is that the elderly are like any other age group with regard to their healthcare; the elderly want choices and variety and options in their healthcare.

Dwight Illinois healthcare treats a number of elderly patients. The patients may come to get treatment for a chronic disease or simply a cough or cold. The elderly patients expect their healthcare providers to take the time necessary to treat them and assess their health status. Elderly patients often complain that their providers seem less than interested in their care and the elderly can often feel cast aside and ignored by a provider who wants to speed things along. Elderly patients like any other patients need ample opportunities to explain their symptoms, express concerns, and ask questions.

Healthcare

When elderly patients enter into the Dwight Illinois Hospital they may have feelings of insecurity and concern about their wellbeing. It is scary to be in the hospital for any patient and the elderly are no different regardless of how many times they may have been admitted into the hospital previously. If they have a positive experience at the hospital, some healthcare providers believe this can have a positive impact on their overall recovery. A positive attitude can be passed onto the patient from the nurses and doctors on staff.

Once the elderly patient goes home from the hospital care may need to continue until they reach full recovery. Home healthcare in Illinois can be a real advantage for a patient who lives alone, or has difficulty leaving their home. Home healthcare usually involves treatment by a nurse or healthcare provider that includes healthcare and therapy. The elderly patients can especially benefit from treatment at home because their home is usually a comfortable place for them. Additionally treatment at home is easier on the elderly because it alleviates the necessity to travel and expose themselves to other ill individuals.

The Elderly Population and Healthcare Needs

If you are an elderly Illinois resident and need to seek treatment for something then you may want to consider Riverside Medical Center. You can visit the Dwight Illinois healthcare for a great healthcare experience. Or if you need a hospital then seek treatment at Dwight Illinois hospital. Once you are done then you can move onto home healthcare in Illinois for the recovery phase.

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Evidence Based Method to Improve Medical Care - Online Patient Education

Current medical profession challenges that hinder patient education:

• time constraints
• insurance carriers
• low reimbursement rates
• medical malpractice risk
• need to market
• growing competition
• time consuming education seminars
• heavy schedules
• increasing demand on staff

and more.

Health Care

These pressures affect patient care and treatment outcomes. Patient Education Systems were developed to overcome these challenges and help health care specialists provide better care for their patients.

Research studies assert the need of convenient and effective web-based educational platforms for patients

Health specialists need methods to provide education to their patients. The best proven solution is a web-based educational platform that produces consistently high levels of learning retention. Listed below are just a few research excerpts that demonstrate the advantages of using this advanced educational approach.

Computer-based patient education has been shown to be very effective in improving knowledge and clinical outcomes.

Lewis, D. Computers in Patient Education, Computers , Informatics, Nursing 21(2):88-96, 2003

50% of research participants reported that using the internet made them feel more satisfied with their treatments.

Leaffer, T, Gonda, B. The Internet: An underutilized tool in patient education. Comput Nurs 1996; 14:235-238

69% of patients admitted to not reading the consent form before signing it.

Lavelle-Jones, C. Factors affecting quality of informed consent. BMJ 1993;306:885-890

50% of U.S. adults or 90 million Americans have difficulty understanding health information.

The Institute of Health's statistics

Four rock solid benefits of online patient education

• Save money and time: requires minimal staff time, allows reallocation of valuable resources, reduces the frequency of marketing seminars, decreases the first office visit length, reduces the number of patient revisits
• Enhance patient satisfaction: serves your patients well, engages your patients into the health process, provides tailored, comprehensive educational courses, better manages your rapidly increasing number of patient records
• Improve risk management: reduces exposure to frivolous litigation, assesses patient comprehension, tracks patient participation, enhances informed consent process
• Expand business reach: captures new patients from a wider geographic area, qualifies your prospective patients, personalizes and deliver your marketing messages, promotes your services online, optimizes the competitiveness of your website

Who can benefit?

Surgical practices of single and multiple surgeons, medical groups, hospitals, insurance carriers, and other entities in the medical field.

Evidence Based Method to Improve Medical Care - Online Patient Education

If you would like to find out more about online patient education systems, please visit www.info-surge.com

Marina Enachi is the Public Relations Director and Writer for Info-Surge, a premier patient education company offering a comprehensive and fully customizable e-learning system to physicians and hospitals. Driven by the need to fulfill a void in clinical practice, Info-Surge improves patients' access to accurate information by harnessing the convenience and broadcast power of the internet.

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Healthcare Information Technology (HIT) Strategic Planning

Early adaptors of the Electronic Health Records (EHR) process are discovering that they have to prepare for a wave of change, which will impact the entire organization, long before they bring in an IT specialist. The Health Information Technology (HIT) component of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) was signed into law on February 17, 2009. A specific goal of Medicare and Medicaid HIT provisions is to provide incentives for the adoption of certified Electronic Health Records (EHR).

Over a five year period health care providers can be reimbursed a total of ,000 if they show meaningful use of Electronic Health Record (EHR) technology. Eventually, by year 2015, there will be penalties for medical professionals that do not adopt EHR.

Healthcare

To maximize HIT payments, providers must begin to submit for incentive payments during the 2011 and 2012 calendar year. This is good news for organizations that have been contemplating an ERH process, as they can benefit from these lessons learned from others that have jumped in and implemented the process through trial and error.

Consistent with any major change management process, it is essential that the leadership be aware of the disruptive effect the EHR process will have throughout the organization.

The strategic planning processes provides a format for developing specific strategies, converting those strategies into a business planning process and establish measurable and attainable organizational goals. It is a process that not only determines where an organization wants and needs to go, but also, how it is going to get there

HIT Strategic Planning:

Health Information Technology (HIT) payments are spread out over a 5 year period. This is the time to seize the opportunity to develop a five-year strategic plan with short and long term goals that coincide with the HIT planning process and the organizations mission.

At the start of the process, creating and communicating a compelling vision is the powerful directional force. The vision sets the strategy for the next 5 to 10 years and positions the future success of the organization, its migration to EHR technology and the resulting improved patient information and care.

An effective planning process needs to include an external assessment and an internal appraisal. The external assessment considers the organizations customer or market segments, along with a competitive and trend analysis. A formalized internal appraisal should objectively review the organizations structure & functions, resources, strengths and limitations. A survey assessment tool from a third-party, not affiliated with the organization, will generate unbiased results

Collaboration: It is essential that the HIT team truly represent the organizations clinical leadership, in addition to administrative and IT leadership teams. Before EHR implementation begins, consider completing a comprehensive work flow analysis to review the current efficiency of the organization prior to IT intervention

It has been early adaptors experience that organizations are never fully prepared for the loss in productivity that accompanies the EHR planning and implementation process. Allow enough time for the EHR team to complete the selection, planning and implementation process (24 to 36 months is recommended).

Communication: A clear and upfront communication of the organizations vision, and how HIT will fit into the mission, needs to be determined by the leadership team before beginning the EHR process.

Update policies and procedures to inform staff, with clear and concise documentation, on how roles, responsibilities and processes may have been changed.

Implement a standardized orientation process to insure consistency.

Cross-fertilization of department staff within orientation, training & development sessions has been a helpful strategy in learning the big picture. Leadership support for an environment of trust and open communication was found to foster honest feedback on the system and the EHR implementation process, which points to the increased buy-in that is necessary for successful HIT initiatives.

It is inevitable that EHR will begin to transfer an organizational culture that may be founded on yesterdays paradigms and ideas. Among the lessons learned by early adapters of electronic healthcare technology is leadership teams who develop a strategy that includes collaboration, communication and cooperation before beginning the process create an environment in which people are prepared and excited about operationalizing the vision.

Aligning resources and establishing guidelines for effectively leading people across the organization, before beginning the EHR selection process, will ultimately lead to a higher level of performance.

Medical professionals can take full advantage of the ARRA HIT timeline and the maximum payment schedule by beginning the EHR development process in 2011 or 2012 and submitting for reimbursement. Now is the time to create a strategy which determines the future direction of the organization and what organizational resources will be needed to determine that success.

Healthcare Information Technology (HIT) Strategic Planning

Kevin Danaher is President of Danaher Development International, LLC, a strategic planning consulting company, focusing on aligning strategy, people and processes around measurable and attainable, customer-centric goals. Danaher has successfully used the strategic development process to reposition health care organizations create brand alignment and shift the organization's focus on profitable, customer relationships. Danaher can be reached at http://www.DanaherDevelopment.com.

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The Purpose of Quality Improvement in Healthcare

The main idea of improvement is that, when a system remains unchanged over time and no enhancements are made, it cannot generate better results than the ones already created. Bringing a change into the system can facilitate the achievement of a new performance level. The inefficient parts of the structure are replaced with new inventions that can prove to be worthy.

In general, on a global scale, the improvement methodologies have started to be implemented in health care, but they were used before in many other industries. The results are now starting to be seen. QI has become an often debated topic in many health care institutions, as many physicians are searching for methods to improve everything that they do.

Healthcare

Over the years, health care costs have increased, causing healthcare professionals to focus their efforts to increasing quality while decreasing costs. There were multiple factors that were responsible for the increase in costs. Among the factors that can be noted, these are the most important: advancements in technology and medicine, the increased importance of treatments and the negligence that people have for prevention, high costs for diseases that intervene in the last years of life and high costs of insurance administration.

In some countries, even if the costs have increased, the actual health care that has been provided has remained at the same level. The resources are in this way badly managed and their allocation is inefficient. However, some facts can prove that the complexity of health services has been increased and the boundaries between specialists, nurses and other medical positions have been removed. There is more independence than before for those who work in the medical field.

The primary goal of a physician is to provide the best services to a patient. In the last years, there have been serious efforts made to motivate physicians to improve the way they treat their patients. By measuring the services offered and by rewarding the doctors who had a high degree of quality, more people can receive better treatment.

In order to obtain high quality, the most important things can be cultivated are teamwork and effective communication. However, physicians and patients are not the only ones who may be interested in quality services. For example, purchasers of health care (employers), in their attempts to reduce waste, would like to have healthy employees as long as they can, in order to decrease costs.

Quality Improvement is not a new concept, but it has not been used in the medical field until recently. The QI implementation results can be seen in many countries, and statistics may show that it is here to stay. Medical professionals, patients, employers, etc. can all take advantage of this implementation.

The Purpose of Quality Improvement in Healthcare

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Health Benefits of Propolis

Propolis is a natural antibiotic that is fast gaining in popularity in the application of home remedies! It's one of those bee products that really cause me to wow at the wonder of nature and marvel at the ability of the highly organised insect - honey bee. Now, let me tell you what exactly propolis is.

Some trees and conifers produce sticky resins as part of their immune system to defend themselves against disease. Honey bees collect these substances that ooze from the buds of these plants. After chewing them and mixing them with their saliva and other substances, propolis is formed. This nutrient-rich substance is of vital importance for the survival of the honey bees in the beehive. It is created to sterilize the hive and protect it against diseases and infection. Not only does it help to inhibit the spread of bacteria, virus, and fungi that would otherwise pose a significant threat in the closely-knit quarters, it also and help fight against climatic changes, such as wind and cold. It is also used as a "putty" to seal cracks and openings in the hive and to strengthen and repair honeycombs, and for this reason is also known as 'bee glue'. Another fact that amazes me is that honey bees also use this sticky substance to embalm or "mummify" the carcasses of larger insects that invade the hive. Such intruders are immediately stung to death but because the defending bees can't transport such heavy corpse away from the hive, they embalm them rather than allowing them to decay. The ancient Eygptians observed this and used propolis as one of the embalming agents for their exquisite mummies!

Health

Propolis contains approximately 50-70% resins, 30% wax, 10% etheric oils and 5% pollen. It is especially rich in amino acids, important for immune system function. It has a high vitamin content (Vitamin A (carotene), Vitamin B1, B2, B3, biotin) and is extremely rich in bioflavonoids (Vitamin P) which are believed to have numerous immune building properties and health benefits. Bioflavonoids are the natural pigments in fruits and vegetables and are found in abundance in oranges. This bee glue contains almost 500 times more bioflavonoids than is found in oranges! It also contains an array of albumin, calcium, magnesium, potassium and phosphorus. Like Royal Jelly and Bee Pollen, it contains a number of unidentified compounds which work together synergistically to create a balanced, nutritive substance.

Propolis can be purchased completely raw and unprocessed, but it in its natural state is a sticky substance and is very difficult to handle. Some beekeepers will package the raw propolis and freeze it in small portions. It can then be added to a coffee grinder in its frozen state and ground for easy consumption. Most producers utilize a process where the active ingredients are 'leached' into water or alcohol, then either packaged in liquid form or dried and capsulated.

Because of its antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects, this precious substance has been used as a healing agent for many centuries. It has the ability to provide protection against infectious invaders, promote healing and regeneration of tissue, and provides a superior source of energy and stamina. It has been used as ointments for healing cuts and wounds and shown to have outstanding value for a wide variety of illnesses. It is also used as a natural alternative to penicillin and other antibiotics. It is said to be particularly safe and effective and inhibits the resistance-building effect that is a negative factor with prescription antibiotics. In the former Eastern Bloc countries, antibiotics have never been widely available, but beekeeping is widely practised. To help prevent many diseases, hospitals and clinics recommended washing, gargling or irrigating the sinuses with propolis rinses, as well as taking propolis internally. This bee product is certainly a good weapon against bacteria when used topically. It can clearly prevent infections, and can also help heal infections that have already begun.

Do you know that now even toothpastes contain natural ingredients related to honey bees. Propolis has become a healthy alternative to synthetic brands of toothpastes as it is especially useful in mouth and gum disorders. Our mouth is one of the most sensitive spots of our body. This is the place where the synesthesia of senses starts and the food we visualize develops its full smell and taste. The mouth is the starting point of the food digestion. A healthy mouth cavity is certainly one of the elements contributing to the appetite and good mood in general. If the mouth develops sore spots, thrush or gum disease, it causes the whole system to disrupt, resulting in pain and tormenting feeling. Published clinical research demonstrates that propolis fights bacteria, prevents tooth decay, enhances oral hygiene, heals bleeding gums, and prevents gums receding. Manufacturers of propolis toothpastes and mouth sprays claim that their products leave teeth clean, gums feeling healthy, taste great without artificial ingredients, and produce no negative side effects. The salesperson at a honey shop which I often frequent explained that propolis toothpaste are very suitable for young children's use as even if it's accidentally swallowed, it's extremely safe. Such products are easily applied, and have increasingly become part of the everyday dental hygiene of people who are especially interested in natural remedies. My latest discovery while shopping for honey products : propolis extract now even comes in the form of sprays and candies. The spray claims that it is effective against flu, cuts, burns, gum and mouth infections, throat discomforsts and intestinal discomfort, while the candy is sold as a good therapeutic substitute to the traditional throat lozenges and an aid to curing flu, colds, throat discomfort, cough and bad breath.

Note of Caution: Propolis is generally non-toxic, though allergic reactions such as skin rashes, swelling, redness, eczema or fever have been reported. As the effects of propolis during pregnancy and breast-feeding have not been sufficiently evaluated, women should not use it during these times unless directed to do so by a physician.

Source: www.benefits-of-honey.com/propolis.html

Health Benefits of Propolis

R. Tan is the owner of the website benefits-of-honey.com which is a rich honey resource community specially built for all the honey lovers and fans in this world. She has packed this website with a wide range of quality contents on honey based on her knowledge and experience with honey, so as to promote its invaluable benefits which she believes could bring many positive spin-offs in everyone's daily life.

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The Importance of Mental Health

What is mental health?

Though no concise definition exists, mental health is basically your attitude and approach to life. Psychological, environmental, genetic, or physiological factors have a profound effect on overall mental development.

Health

What is mental illness?

Mental illness impairs your ability to perform routine tasks, foster healthy relationships, or cope with anger or stress. It may be classified on the basis of extreme mood swings, irrational or destructive thought patterns, and behavioral problems.

How important is mental health?

Your mental health has a huge impact on every aspect of your life.

o Self-image

Good mental health means appreciating your achievements and accepting your shortcomings. A mental illness can cause an inferiority complex, a negative body image, and intense feelings of self-hate, anger, disgust, and uselessness, which could mutate into extreme depression, psycho-social disorders, or eating disorders.

o Education

Students with mental problems socially isolate themselves, and develop anxiety disorders and concentration problems. Good mental health ensures an all-round educational experience that enhances social and intellectual skills that lead to self-confidence and better grades.

o Relationships

Mental health largely contributes to the functioning of human relationships. Mental illness can hamper even basic interactions with family, friends, and colleagues. Most people suffering from mental illness find it difficult to nurture relationships, have problems with commitment or intimacy, and frequently encounter sexual health issues.

o Sleep

An inability to handle stress or anxiety can cause insomnia. Even if you mange to fall asleep, you may wake up a dozen times during the night with thoughts of what went wrong the day before or how bad tomorrow is going to be. You may develop severe sleeping disorders which leave you exhausted and less productive.

o Eating

People with mental disorders are more prone to indulging in comfort eating or emotional binges. Finding comfort in food is something we all do from time to time. But with a mental illness, it becomes difficult to control yourself. Overeating can lead to obesity, which puts you at a risk for heart disease and diabetes, in addition to creating an unhealthy body-image.

o Physical health

Your mental state directly affects your body. For example, stress can lead to hypertension or stomach ulcers. People who are mentally healthy are at a lower risk for many health complications.

So make a conscious effort to improve and maintain your mental health.

The Importance of Mental Health

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