Carrot Juice for Skin Health

Your skin is a reflection of your underlying health. Good nutrition including fresh vegetable juice such as carrots can play a role in creating better-looking skin. Carrot Juice is used for skin health to provide curative and preventative properties for healthy glowing skin. The largest organ in the body, our skin is the first defense against germs and the environment. One of the best ways to slow the aging of skin is to ensure the skin is well hydrated by consuming fresh juice and plenty of water each day.

Carrots are regarded as the 'herbal healer' of skin diseases as they promote the repair of skin tissue. Carrot juice is a valuable source of Vitamin A, which is a major vitamin for skin health. Carrots are rich in antioxidants, including phytochemicals, vitamins and minerals, which protect, nourish and moisturize the skin. Nutrition received from carrots helps to reduce photosensitivity to promote skin renewal and protect the skin from sun damage.

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Carrot juice acts as an anti-inflammatory and revitalizes and tones the skin. Cosmetically, carrots are used to treat dermatitis, eczema, rashes and wrinkles caused by free radicals. Carrot juice is also used to assist in the healing of cuts and abrasions. Complexion problems due mainly to toxic overload in the body and an acidic condition in the blood can be stabilized through consumption of carrot juice. Potassium in the carrots helps to neutralize the excess acid and the vitamin A assists the liver in flushing toxins from the body.

A recent study in the Netherlands found a significant link between skin condition and the level of vitamin A in the blood. Natural vitamin A in the form of Beta Carotene is abundant in fresh carrot juice thereby negating the need for vitamin A supplements.

Vitamin A deficiencies in the body include: premature wrinkling, skin impurities, acne, dry, scaly and rough skin, especially on the arms and legs. Carrot juice applied daily is great for uneven skin tones due to blemishes and pigmentation. Extract juice from carrots and pineapple using a juicer: mix pineapple juice and carrot juice together, apply it on the face and wash off after 15 minutes. Use this daily to achieve clear and even toned skin.

Drink carrot juice in small doses, as the body is unable to assimilate more than 8oz of carrot juice at a time. Large consumptions of carrot juice daily over a period of weeks may result in a yellow tinge to the skin. At best it will give a healthy glow to your tan. The skin discoloration is completely harmless and occurs primarily on the hands and feet. Either your body is unable to process carotene properly or your liver is toxic. Either way for healthy nutrition it is important not to concentrate on only one juice source.

A healthy skin is achieved internally through a nutritious diet incorporating fresh vegetable juice. Carrot juice is effective in maintaining and enhancing a soft, smooth disease free skin. An invigorating and refreshing juice, start drinking carrot juice today and tell me if you see a difference in your skin

Carrot Juice for Skin Health

For more juicing tips and reviews on the Breville juicer, Omega juicer, Citrus juicers and more try visiting juicertips.com where you can quickly and easily find tips, advice and information on juicer reviews

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What Are the Pros and Cons of Health Savings Accounts?

Q: My company recently began offering a Health Savings Account (HSA) available to all the employees. Why are employers throughout New Jersey rolling out these plans? What are the pros and cons of a HSA?
 
The Problem - Healthcare Costs. If you think rising healthcare costs are only the insurance company's problem or your employer's problem, think again. Most employees pay 10%-90% of their healthcare costs, when all costs are included. All it takes is a quick review of your pay stub over the last few years to see that the insurance companies are passing on increasing healthcare costs to employers and employers are passing on these costs to employees. Healthcare costs have risen 8%-10% each year over the last three years and are likely to grow two to three times the rate of inflation for the foreseeable future.   
 
Compounding the Problem - New Jersey Insurance Laws. Almost every state in the U.S. can deny individuals coverage through the underwriting process. New Jersey is one of only five states in the U.S. that provides for "guaranteed issue" - which guarantees health coverage, regardless of health status, age, claims history, or any other risk factor. Although this may be considered a blessing, it is an expensive blessing. Almost by definition, this increases the cost of insurance coverage for everyone in the state to account for those who use the benefits most.
 
The Solution - Health Savings Account. Just a quick background on Health Savings Account (HSA) and how it works. Established as part of the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act of 2003, the HSA is a hybrid between health insurance and a retirement plan. The HSA was established so savings used for qualified medical expenses for yourself, or anyone you claim as a spouse or dependent would be free from taxes. Qualified medical expenses include: medical doctors, dental and optical care, chiropractic care, long-term care, and Medicare Part A or Part B and Medicare HMO insurance premiums. Unqualified medical expenses include: cosmetic surgery, health club dues, nonprescription drugs and medicines and funeral expenses.
 
A contribution to a HSA is only permitted if the health insurance accompanying it has a deductible (your out of pocket expense) of at least ,100 for individual coverage or ,200 for family coverage. The current contribution limit per year is ,850 for individual coverage or ,650 for family coverage. Those 55 and older can contribute an additional 0 in 2007. 
 
Contributions are all pre-tax, a tremendous benefit for those seeking tax breaks. If the savings are used for qualified medical expenses, the entire amount can be withdrawn free of taxes. Yes - that is right, free of taxes. If the savings are used for other purposes, the withdrawal is taxed as income and accessed a 10% penalty (if under the age of 65). At age 65, when Medicare begins, withdrawals are only taxed as income at your then tax rate. All interest, gains and dividends in a HSA are sheltered from taxation - allowing all earnings to compound on a tax-advantaged basis. 
 
Unused balances can be rolled over from year to year. Many employees view the HSA as a retirement plan - providing them a tax-advantaged way to save for retirement above and beyond their 401(k) and their Individual Retirement Account (IRA).
 
A Win for Employees, Employers and Insurers. Because the HSA is based on a high deductible insurance plan the employee takes on a higher level of responsibility and risk for medical expenses than a traditional insurance policy.  Employees who run their family to the doctor office every time someone has the sniffles (because the visit only costs them , while the insurance company pays the remaining under a traditional plan) will think twice when they pay the full out of their own pocket under a HSA. 
 
That said, those out of pocket costs are all with pre-tax dollars that were contributed to the HSA. By utilizing a HSA employers can reduce their premium costs by as much as 50%, passing most or all of those savings directly to the employees. Many employers, particularly in "guarantee issue" states like New Jersey, are implementing a HAS based on these benefits.
 
Action Steps - Implement a Health Savings Account. Implement a HSA for your company or ask your employer to implement one. With health care costs increasing faster than wage increases, employees are bearing more and more of the cost burden. A HSA provides a pre-tax means to contribute towards an account that will grow over time, with the option to use the money for medical expenses on a tax-free basis or for any purpose in retirement on a penalty free basis. Implementing a HSA saves money for all those involved and forces employees to be more responsible with their own savings.
 
While the healthcare problem is not going away soon, the HSA provides one powerful tool to combat the problem. When it comes to important employee benefits, speak with a licensed financial professional before making irreversible decisions that may haunt you for years to come.

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What Are the Pros and Cons of Health Savings Accounts?

Aaron Skloff, Accredited Investment Fiduciary (AIF), Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA), Master of Business Administration (MBA) is CEO of Skloff Financial Group, a Registered Investment Advisory firm based in Berkeley Heights, NJ. He can be contacted at www.skloff.com or 908-464-3060.

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Medical Billing Terms and Medical Coding Terminology

Those in medical billing and coding careers have a terminology of unique terms and abbreviations. Below are some of the more frequently used Medical Billing terms and acronyms. Also included is some medical coding terminology.

Aging - Refers to the unpaid insurance claims or patient balances that are due past 30 days. Most medical billing software's have the ability to generate a separate report for insurance aging and patient aging. These reports typically list balances by 30, 60, 90, and 120 day increments.

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Appeal - When an insurance plan does not pay for treatment, an appeal (either by the provider or patient) is the process of formally objecting this judgment. The insurer may require additional documentation.

Applied to Deductible - Typically seen on the patient statement. This is the amount of the charges, determined by the patients insurance plan, the patient owes the provider. Many plans have a maximum annual deductible that once met is then covered by the insurance provider.

Assignment of Benefits - Insurance payments that are paid to the doctor or hospital for a patients treatment.

Beneficiary  - Person or persons covered by the health insurance plan.

Clearinghouse - This is a service that transmits claims to insurance carriers. Prior to submitting claims the clearinghouse scrubs claims and checks for errors. This minimizes the amount of rejected claims as most errors can be easily corrected. Clearinghouses electronically transmit claim information that is compliant with the strict HIPPA standards (this is one of the medical billing terms we see a lot more of lately).

CMS - Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services. Federal agency which administers Medicare, Medicaid, HIPPA, and other health programs. Formerly known as the HCFA (Health Care Financing Administration). You'll notice that CMS it the source of a lot of medical billing terms.

CMS 1500 - Medical claim form established by CMS to submit paper claims to Medicare and Medicaid. Most commercial insurance carriers also require paper claims be submitted on CMS-1500's. The form is distinguished by it's red ink.

Coding -Medical Billing Coding involves taking the doctors notes from a patient visit and translating them into the proper ICD-9 code for diagnosis and CPT codes for treatment.

Co-Insurance - Percentage or amount defined in the insurance plan for which the patient is responsible. Most plans have a ratio of 90/10 or 80/20, 70/30, etc. For example the insurance carrier pays 80% and the patient pays 20%.

Co-Pay - Amount paid by patient at each visit as defined by the insured plan.

CPT Code - Current Procedural Terminology. This is a 5 digit code assigned for reporting a procedure performed by the physician. The CPT has a corresponding ICD-9 diagnosis code. Established by the American Medical Association. This is one of the medical billing terms we use a lot.

Date of Service (DOS) - Date that health care services were provided.

Day Sheet - Summary of daily patient treatments, charges, and payments received.

Deductible - amount patient must pay before insurance coverage begins. For example, a patient could have a 00 deductible per year before their health insurance will begin paying. This could take several doctor's visits or prescriptions to reach the deductible.

Demographics - Physical characteristics of a patient such as age, sex, address, etc. necessary for filing a claim.

DME - Durable Medical Equipment - Medical supplies such as wheelchairs, oxygen, catheter, glucose monitors, crutches, walkers, etc.

DOB - Abbreviation for Date of Birth

Dx - Abbreviation for diagnosis code (ICD-9-CM).

Electronic Claim - Claim information is sent electronically from the billing software to the clearinghouse or directly to the insurance carrier. The claim file must be in a standard electronic format as defined by the receiver.

E/M - Evaluation and Management section of the CPT codes. These are the CPT codes 99201 thru 99499 most used by physicians to access (or evaluate) a patients treatment needs.

EMR - Electronic Medical Records. Medical records in digital format of a patients hospital or provider treatment.

EOB - Explanation of Benefits. One of the medical billing terms for the statement that comes with the insurance company payment to the provider explaining payment details, covered charges, write offs, and patient responsibilities and deductibles.

ERA - Electronic Remittance Advice. This is an electronic version of an insurance EOB that provides details of insurance claim payments. These are formatted in according to the HIPAA X12N 835 standard.

Fee Schedule - Cost associated with each treatment CPT medical billing codes.

Fraud - When a provider receives payment or a patient obtains services by deliberate, dishonest, or misleading means.

Guarantor - A responsible party and/or insured party who is not a patient.

HCPCS - Health Care Financing Administration Common Procedure Coding System. (pronounced "hick-picks"). This is a three level system of codes. CPT is Level I. A standardized medical coding system used to describe specific items or services provided when delivering health services. May also be referred to as a procedure code in the medical billing glossary.

The three HCPCS levels are:

Level I - American Medical Associations Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) codes.

Level II - The alphanumeric codes which include mostly non-physician items or services such as medical supplies, ambulatory services, prosthesis, etc. These are items and services not covered by CPT (Level I) procedures.

Level III - Local codes used by state Medicaid organizations, Medicare contractors, and private insurers for specific areas or programs.

HIPAA - Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act. Several federal regulations intended to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of health care. HIPAA has introduced a lot of new medical billing terms into our vocabulary lately.

HMO - Health Maintenance Organization. A type of health care plan that places restrictions on treatments.

ICD-9 Code - Also know as ICD-9-CM. International Classification of Diseases classification system used to assign codes to patient diagnosis. This is a 3 to 5 digit number.

ICD 10 Code - 10th revision of the International Classification of Diseases. Uses 3 to 7 digit. Includes additional digits to allow more available codes. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has set an implementation deadline of October, 2013 for ICD-10.

Inpatient - Hospital stay longer than one day (24 hours).

Maximum Out of Pocket - The maximum amount the insured is responsible for paying for eligible health plan expenses. When this maximum limit is reached, the insurance typically then pays 100% of eligible expenses.

Medical Assistant - Performs administrative and clinical duties to support a health care provider such as a physician, physicians assistant, nurse, or nurse practitioner.

Medical Coder - Analyzes patient charts and assigns the correct ICD-9 diagnosis codes (soon to be ICD-10) and corresponding CPT treatment codes and any related CPT modifiers.

Medical Billing Specialist - The person who processes insurance claims and patient payments of services performed by a physician or other health care provider and vital to the financial operation of a practice. Makes sure medical billing codes and insurance information are entered correctly and submitted to insurance payer. Enters insurance payment information and processes patient statements and payments.

Medical Necessity - Medical service or procedure performed for treatment of an illness or injury not considered investigational, cosmetic, or experimental.

Medical Transcription - The conversion of voice recorded or hand written medical information dictated by health care professionals (such as physicians) into text format records. These records can be either electronic or paper.

Medicare - Insurance provided by federal government for people over 65 or people under 65 with certain restrictions. Medicare has 2 parts; Medicare Part A for hospital coverage and Part B for doctors office or outpatient care.

Medicare Donut Hole - The gap or difference between the initial limits of insurance and the catastrophic Medicare Part D coverage limits for prescription drugs.

Medicaid - Insurance coverage for low income patients. Funded by Federal and state government and administered by states.

Modifier - Modifier to a CPT treatment code that provide additional information to insurance payers for procedures or services that have been altered or "modified" in some way. Modifiers are important to explain additional procedures and obtain reimbursement for them.

Network Provider - Health care provider who is contracted with an insurance provider to provide care at a negotiated cost.

NPI Number - National Provider Identifier. A unique 10 digit identification number required by HIPAA and assigned through the National Plan and Provider Enumeration System (NPPES).

Out-of Network (or Non-Participating) - A provider that does not have a contract with the insurance carrier. Patients usually responsible for a greater portion of the charges or may have to pay all the charges for using an out-of network provider.

Out-Of-Pocket Maximum - The maximum amount the patient is responsible to pay under their insurance. Charges above this limit are the insurance companies obligation. These Out-of-pocket maximums can apply to all coverage or to a specific benefit category such as prescriptions.

Outpatient - Typically treatment in a physicians office, clinic, or day surgery facility lasting less than one day.

Patient Responsibility - The amount a patient is responsible for paying that is not covered by the insurance plan.

PCP - Primary Care Physician - Usually the physician who provides initial care and coordinates additional care if necessary.

PPO - Preferred Provider Organization. Insurance plan that allows the patient to select a doctor or hospital within the network. Similar to an HMO.

Practice Management Software - software used for the daily operations of a providers office. Typically includes appointment scheduling and billing functions.

Preauthorization - Requirement of insurance plan for primary care doctor to notify the patient insurance carrier of certain medical procedures (such as outpatient surgery) for those procedures to be considered a covered expense.

Premium - The amount the insured or their employer pays (usually monthly) to the health insurance company for coverage.

Provider - Physician or medical care facility (hospital) that provides health care services.

Referral - When a provider (typically the Primary Care Physician) refers a patient to another provider (usually a specialist).

Self Pay - Payment made at the time of service by the patient.

Secondary Insurance Claim - Insurance claim for coverage paid after primary insurance makes payment. Typically intended to cover gaps in insurance coverage.

SOF - Signature on File.

Superbill - One of the medical billing terms for the form the provider uses to document the treatment and diagnosis for a patient visit. Typically includes several commonly used ICD-9 diagnosis and CPT procedural codes. One of the most frequently used medical billing terms.

Supplemental Insurance - Additional insurance policy that covers claims fro deductibles and coinsurance. Frequently used to cover these expenses not covered by Medicare.

Taxonomy Code - Code for the provider specialty sometimes required to process a claim.

Tertiary Insurance - Insurance paid in addition to primary and secondary insurance. Tertiary insurance covers costs the primary and secondary insurance may not cover.

TIN - Tax Identification Number. Also known as Employer Identification Number (EIN).

TOS - Type of Service. Description of the category of service performed.

UB04 - Claim form for hospitals, clinics, or any provider billing for facility fees similar to CMS 1500. Replaces the UB92 form.

Unbundling - Submitting more than one CPT treatment code when only one is appropriate.

UPIN - Unique Physician Identification Number. 6 digit physician identification number created by CMS. Discontinued in 2007 and replaced by NPI number.

Write-off (W/O) - The difference between what the provider charges for a procedure or treatment and what the insurance plan allows. The patient is not responsible for the write off amount. May also be referred to as "not covered" in some glossary of billing terms.

Medical Billing Terms and Medical Coding Terminology

Gina Wysor has over 10 years experience in the medical billing industry and is the owner of a home based medical billing and coding company.

For a more comprehensive listing of Medical Billing Terms visit http://www.all-things-medical-billing.com/medical-billing-terms.html. Visit http://www.all-things-medical-billing.com/ for more information on medical billing as a or career.

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Medicare & Medicaid Doctor Directory - How to Find Doctors Who Accept Medicare and Medicaid

If you are receiving Medicare and/or Medicaid, it can often be difficult to find a doctor, be it a general practitioner or specialist, who will accept your insurance. Unfortunately the payment schedules set up by the government have resulted in many doctors opting out of the system because they simply cannot afford the substantially lower payments for Medicaid/Medicare services as well as afford to pay for the substantially greater paperwork involved in taking such patients.

Sadly, government has had a tendency to reduce reimbursement payments, not increase them, and do not seem to be interested in covering the actual cost of providing services.

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Not only that, but private insurers are not longer willing to "subsidize" public patients by paying higher rates, so doctors cannot shift the ever-increasing costs to them.

As a result, at a time when more and more doctors are opting out of the system, those doctors who still take Medicare and Medicaid patients generally limit the number they will serve, so finding a doctor who will take your Medicare or Medicaid insurance is not as easy as simply opening the phone book and making a phone call. Indeed, it probably will take some real time and effort on your part.

There is not, and never has been, any requirement that doctors treat patients insured by Medicare or Medicaid. Therefore, people with Medicare or Medicaid are increasingly turning to federally funded clinics, or even to emergency rooms that cannot, by law, turn them away. Sadly, using emergency rooms for non-emergency health care is unbelievably expensive, making the lower reimbursement Medicare/Medicaid rates not financially wise in the long run.

So, how do you find a doctor that will take new Medicare/Medicaid patients?

Well, first of all, do not expect to find a doctor or, should you find one or a clinic taking Medicare/Medicaid patients, do not plan on getting an appointment quickly. Sadly, that will not happen very often. Indeed, if you need quick care, the emergency room is likely to be your only recourse.

To track down Medicare/Medicaid providers, you can contact your local health department or social service agencies to find out more information and there are a number of Medicare and Medicaid doctor directories online. While they cannot guarantee you an appointment, they do have access to information about current providers.

You can also go to the Medicare website at Medicare.gov or call them at 800-633-4227 (TTY 877-486-2048) to find Medicare providers in your area, although there is no guarantee they will be accepting new patients. It is worth a try, though.

Also, managed care is probably a better bet than private practice. HMOs organized by private insurers have a practical interest in having HMO doctors taking government-insured patients, while Prepaid Health Plans (PHPs) are generally run by hospitals or medical schools, and often only accept Medicaid patients.

Medicare & Medicaid Doctor Directory - How to Find Doctors Who Accept Medicare and Medicaid

To learn more about your Medicaid or Medicare health benefits and for many more informative and helpful articles and guides, such as how to choose the right Medicare plan, visit the Medicare Newsline today at http://medicarenewsline.com

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CPAP Nasal Masks - What's the Big Difference?

CPAP nasal masks spell the big difference in treating sleep apnea caused by the closure of airways during sleep. To prevent this from happening, regular air pressure is fed through the air passages. It's time to educate yourself about the device if you have this type of sleep apnea.

The Different Brands of CPAP Nasal Masks

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The various CPAP brands offer different nasal masks. The masks play a pivotal role in sleep apnea treatment. These masks are placed over the nose and to hold it in place, these have chin straps. CPAP clinics in Ontario offer a wide range of masks and they offer rental service for patients who prefer to 'test-drive' their mask before making a purchase.

Ontario CPAP clinics have a line-up of nasal masks from ResMed, Respironics, ComfortLite, Fisher and Paykel, Breeze, and Mirage. They also have lesser known brands to widen your choices to suit your budget too, but these are carefully selected for their efficiency and durability. The CPAP nasal masks Ontario clinics have to offer are latex free, easy-to-assemble and easy-to-clean. These companies have been in the business for years and continue to improve their products.

These are models that are so light on the face the wearer can't feel any discomfort whatever sleeping position they assume and some these masks are designed with minimal or flexible adjustable head straps and parts which makes these easy to put on and remove and must be easy to adjust without much fuss. The easier these can be managed, the more convenience it gives to the user.

The different makes and models of CPAP nasal masks in toronto clinics have to be tried on to help customers find one that has an excellent fit, does not leak, or makes a ruckus when air is expelled. Excellent fit and comfort are top priorities when choosing a mask or else the CPAP treatment is ineffective. It is also more expensive in the long run if you don't like your CPAP mask because these cannot be returned or exchanged.

The feel of a mask on the face can be uncomfortable, unless it is of flexible material. The same is true with CPAP nasal masks. It has never been easy to choose a mask with the right fit and unless you try it on for a night, you cannot know if it indeed it has a comfortable fit. CPAP nasal masks in toronto CPAP clinics have different shapes to conform to different face sizes and shapes, because admittedly, no two face shapes are identical in dimension.

How it Works

CPAP increases the air pressure on the air passages - nose and throat. Patients with this type of sleep apnea go through alarming non-breathing episodes that cause fatigue and drowsiness during daytime. To determine the type of sleep apnea, doctors put patients through a polysomnography or sleep test; during the test doctors can pinpoint sites where air obstruction occurs and recommend a nasal mask if the obstruction is along the nose and throat.

The CPAP mask is attached to the CPAP machine by tubing, which transports a steady supply of pressurized air to the airways. The pressure is prescribed by a doctor not a CPAP machine seller who can only help you make a selection from the range of CPAP nasal masks in toronto health home care stores.

CPAP Nasal Masks - What's the Big Difference?

CPAP Clinic - HealthCare at your home
We serve Toronto Area, Ontario, Canada.
Contact us: 1-877-430-CPAP(2727) or info@CPAPClinic.ca

In search for an excellent fit for your CPAP nasal mask, check out the CPAP nasal masks in toronto clinics. There is a range of CPAP fullface masks in Toronto and CPAP parts in Ontario, Canada. Don't miss the interesting deals; visit CPAPClinic.ca today.

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Check Your Feet! You May Be Standing On Skin Cancer

At the corporation where I provide healthcare (massage) services to the employees, they have wellness weeks several times a year. One of the things they offer is free skin cancer screenings. However, they are not thorough enough to be confident you are in the clear.

A proper body check done by a dermatologist in the privacy of the office should include EVERYWHERE. This includes the scalp, the bottoms of the feet and between the toes and also your private areas.

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What I want to bring to your attention in this article is your feet. More specifically, the bottoms of your feet.

What would normally look like an ordinary mole (smaller than 6mm, even color and shape, flat) on another part of the body like your arm, face, or torso, can be something like melanoma if on the soul of your foot.

I've recently had three clients in the last week have possible melanomas on their feet. One client did have them. In fact, she was the one who brought this to my attention. Here I am, a healthcare professional and in 11 years, this is something I just learned. And believe me, I've seen a lot of feet in those 11 years. Needless to say, I went and checked the bottoms of my feet that day.

Remember, I am not saying that a mole or freckle on the bottom of your foot is cancer, but it's not normal for them to be there (verified by my dermatologist) so if you have any, I would HIGHLY recommend getting it checked out very soon by a dermatologist. Melanomas are the fast growing kind of skin cancer you DON'T want to get as they spread quickly and can be fatal.

Check Your Feet! You May Be Standing On Skin Cancer

Ty P Carter is an internet marketing entrepreneur, musician, artist, inventor and lifelong learner. Embracing a wide variety of interests with a focus on excellence and self-discovery, he shares his passion with others in the pursuit of discovering our true nature about ourselves and living with passion and gratitude. [http://www.TheInnerCircleMasters.com]

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Best Medical Care in Lagos, Nigeria

Lagos is a port city located in South West corner of Nigeria. Because it is located besides the Atlantic Ocean, this city became the economic and financial capital of Nigeria. Not only that, Lagos possess beautiful beaches, lagoons, and creeks, making this city a popular tourist spot in the continent of Africa. With its huge population (it is the second most populous city in Africa) and many visitors, the government of Lagos and many private institutions spend large expenses to make sure that the medical care in this city is of World class standard. The following lists some of the best hospitals in Lagos that have good, professional, and English speaking staff.

Hygeia Nigeria runs Lagoon Hospitals in Apapa and Lagos. Their Lagos location is 11A Idejo Street, Victoria Island. Lagoon Hospitals offer a high level of comprehensive medical service that includes primary care, health assessment, specialist care and preventive health screening facilities. The hospital covers a wide range of medical services like internal medicine, pediatrics, obstetrics and gynecology, ophthalmology, psychiatry, dermatology, orthopedics, neurosurgery, physiotherapy, cardiology, hematology and thoracic surgery. The hospital also runs an AIDS/HIV management program and also arranges evacuation of patients in case required even from foreign locations.

Health Care

The Roding Medical Centre Limited was established in 1999 and provides quality medical services for women and children. The hospital is found at 29B Olabode George Street, Off Ajose Adeogun Street on Victoria Island, Lagos. Some of the services provided are: antenatal care, gynecology, IVF, ultrasound, immunization, pediatrics, Intensive Care Unit and comprehensive health screening. Additionally, they have a Well Baby Clinic, Well Woman Clinic and Well Man Clinic. The surgical theater has equipment for both open and endoscopic procedures.

The Reddington Hospital started as the Cardiac Center, but has since branched out to become a multi-discplinary hospital. It is now a comprehensive and state-of-art tertiary hospital that offers a solution to most healthcare problems. General surgery, orthopedics, trauma care, urology, nephrology, endocrinology, treatment for diabetes mellitus, radiology, ophthalmology, neurology, psychiatry and immunization are some of the services offered. The hospital also operates various clinics such as the Antenatal Clinic, Family Planning Clinic, Fertility Clinic, Dialysis Center and Cardiac Center. It also has Pediatric Intensive Care and Neonatal Intensive Care units. The cardiology department is still acclaimed.. The address and the telephone number are: 12, Idowu Martins Street (next to Mega Plaza), Victoria Island, Lagos 262 1234 (Emergency), 271 5340 - 9 (10 Lines).

Parkland Specialist Hospital offers services and treatment for a variety of medical services and the staff at the hospital is well trained and highly skilled. The hospital offers orthopedic surgery consultation, pediatric consultation, ENT surgery, obstetrics and gynecology, internal medicine, dental referrals, X-ray facilities, laboratory services, ECG facilities and ultrasound. Additionally, the hospital operates a twenty-four hour emergency services unit with a doctor in constant attendance.

Lagos University Teaching Hospital serves as an important center for imparting medical training as well as offering quality care of international standards. It is the largest medical university in Nigeria and concentrates on constant research and updating of medical facilities. The hospital supplies comprehensive, prompt and contemporary medical care to patients. The medical branches for which the hospital specializes are neurosurgery, hemodialysis, oncology, urology, maternal health, opthamology and pediatrics. It also offers education to patients about general hygiene and drug abuse. The contact numbers are 8713961, 8777845.

Best Medical Care in Lagos, Nigeria

Before you travel or move abroad, make sure that you and your family have quality medical insurance. Let Good Neighbor Insurance help you find the right international medical insurance for your situation.

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25 Health Benefits of Cinnamon - A Miraculous Spice

Cinnamon is one of the world's oldest known spices. The tree is native to Sri Lanka where it was found thousands of years ago. It is the best spice available in terms of its nutrition and health. It contains unique healthy and healing property comes from the active components in the essential oils found in its bark. Cinnamon has extremely high anti-oxidant activity due to which it has numerous health benefits. Aside from being used as a medicine by other cultures since ancient times, the health benefits may also come from eating it which can be listed as follows:

1. Lowers Cholesterol:
Studies have shown that just 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon included in a daily diet can lower cholesterol.
Also Cinnamon may significantly lower LDL "bad" cholesterol, and triglycerides (fatty acids in the blood) and total cholesterol.

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2. Reduces blood sugar levels and treating Type 2 Diabetes:
Several studies have shown improved insulin sensitivity and blood glucose control by taking as little as ½ teaspoon of cinnamon per day. Improving insulin resistance can help in weight control as well as decreasing the risk for heart disease.

3. Heart Disease:
Cinnamon strengthens the cardiovascular system thereby shielding the body from heart related disorders. It is believed that the calcium and fiber present in cinnamon provides protection against heart diseases.

Including a little cinnamon in the food helps those suffering from coronary artery disease and high blood pressure.

4. Fights Cancer :
A study released by researchers at the U.S. Department of Agriculture in Maryland showed that cinnamon reduced the proliferation of leukemia and lymphoma cancer cells.

Besides, the combination of calcium and fiber found in Cinnamon can help to remove bile, which prevents damage to colon cells, thus prevents colon cancer.

5. Tooth decay and mouth freshener:
Cinnamon has traditionally been used to treat toothache and fight bad breath. Small pieces of cinnamon can be chewed, or gargled with cinnamon water which serves as a good mouth freshener.

6. Cures Respiratory Problems:
Cinnamon is very useful home remedy for common or severe colds. A person suffering should take one tablespoon of honey with 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon powder daily for 3 days. This process will cure most chronic cough, cold and clear the sinuses.

Cinnamon also found to cure flu, influenza, sore throat and congestion.

7. Brain Tonic:
Cinnamon boosts the activity of the brain and hence acts as a good brain tonic. It helps in removing nervous tension and memory loss.

Also, studies have shown that smelling cinnamon may boost cognitive function, memory, performance of certain tasks and increases one's alertness and concentration.
8. Infections:
Due to its antifungal, antibacterial, antiviral, anti-parasitic and antiseptic properties, it is effective on external as well as internal infections. Cinnamon has been found to be effective in fighting vaginal yeast infections, oral yeast infections, stomach ulcers and head lice.

9. Eases menstruation cycles:
Cinnamon has also been found useful for women's health as it helps in providing relief from menstrual cramping and other feminine discomforts.

10. Birth Control:
Cinnamon also helps in natural birth control. Regular consumption of cinnamon after child birth delays menstruation and thus helps in avoiding conception.

11. Breastfeeding:
It is also believed that cinnamon aids in the secretion of breast milk.

12. Reduces Arthritis Pain:
Cinnamon spice contains anti-inflammatory compounds which can be useful in reducing pain and inflammation associated with arthritis.

A study conducted at Copenhagen University, where patients were given half a teaspoon of cinnamon powder combined with one tablespoon of honey every morning had significant relief in arthritis pain after one week and could walk without pain within one month

13. Digestive Tonic:
Cinnamon should be added to most recipes. Apart from adding flavor to the food, it also aids in digestion. Cinnamon is very effective for indigestion, nausea, vomiting, upset stomach, diarrhea and flatulence. It is very helpful in removing gas from the stomach and intestines. It also removes acidity, diarrhea and morning sickness. It is often referred to as a digestive tonic.

14. Reduces Urinary tract infections:
People who eat cinnamon on a regular basis report a lower incidence of urinary tract infections. Cinnamon is diuretic in nature and helps in secretion and discharge of urine.

15. Anti clotting Actions:
A compound found in Cinnamon called as cinnamaldehyde has been well-researched for its effects on blood platelets. [Platelets are constituents of blood that are meant to clump together under emergency circumstances (like physical injury) as a way to stop bleeding, but under normal circumstances, they can make the blood flow inadequate if they clump together too much]. The cinnamaldehyde in cinnamon helps prevent unwanted clumping of blood platelets.

16. Natural Food Preserver:
When added to food, it prevents bacterial growth and food spoilage, making it a natural food preservative.

17. Headaches and migraine:
Headache due to the exposure to cold wind is readily cured by applying a thin paste of powdered cinnamon mixed in water on the temples & forehead.

18. Pimples and Blackheads:
Cinnamon helps in removing blood impurities. Therefore it is often recommended for pimples.

Also external application of paste of cinnamon powder with a few drops of fresh lemon juice over pimples & black heads would give beneficial result.

19. Thinning of the blood and improves blood circulation:
Cinnamon is a blood thinning agent which also acts to increase circulation. This blood circulation helps significantly in removing pain. Good blood circulation also ensures oxygen supply to the body cells leading to higher metabolic activity. You significantly reduce the chance of getting a heart attack by regularly consuming cinnamon.

20. Toning of tissues:
Considerable anecdotal evidence exists to suggest that cinnamon may have the ability to tone and constrict tissues in the body.

21. Muscle and joint pain relief:
Those who eat cinnamon on a regular basis often report that their muscle and joint pain, as well as stiffness, is reduced or even eliminated.

22. Immune System:
Honey and cinnamon paste is good for boosting the immune system, removing regular fatigue and increasing the longevity of an individual. It is also known to have anti-aging properties.

23. Itching:
Paste of honey and cinnamon is often used to treat insect bites.

24. It is a great source of manganese, fiber, iron, and calcium.

25. Healing: Cinnamon helps in stopping bleeding. Therefore it facilitates the healing process.

Indeed, cinnamon has several health benefits as highlighted above that can be used to improve one's health and boost one's immune system. This is a great reason to keep some cinnamon around. Sprinkle it in your tea or coffee, over oatmeal or a sweet potato and, this will do wonders to your health.

[However, there's a word of warning to be taken that over dosage of cinnamon may be unwise. Also it is not recommended for pregnant women.

Also, people who have been prescribed medication to manage their blood sugar should not reduce or discontinue their dose and take cinnamon instead, especially without consulting your doctor.]

25 Health Benefits of Cinnamon - A Miraculous Spice

Healthy Eating Plans - Healthy Diet (Tips and Guidelines)
http://www.tips2goodhealth.blogspot.com

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Senior Citizen Medical Alert Systems and Fall Detectors

If you are looking for a medical alert system to protect an elderly loved one, be sure to do your homework.  There are a lot of companies out there that offer personal emergency response systems with a number of features and benefits that are very useful and others with serious limitations.  For example medical alert phones may be a practical solution for your elderly loved one if they are comfortable with the technology and you believe that they are not in a great risk of falling in becoming incapacitated. A medical alert phone is more or less a wireless phone that you can program with an auto dial feature.  It allows the user to carry the telephone around and be able to present auto dial button and be connected with friends, relatives or emergency response professionals but it does require them to be able to access the telephone, operate the telephone and communicate with the person that they're calling.

The trouble with these medical alert phones is that in the event of a sudden illness, fainting or slip and fall the elderly user may not be able to find, use or even remember that they have the phone.  On the plus side, these systems are cheaper than medical monitoring systems as there is no monthly monitoring service to pay for.  By getting your senior citizen a reliable mobile phone and preprogramming personal contact numbers into autodial you pretty much accomplish the same effect. We're not knocking these phones we just want to point out that while they give the user access to a telephone service remotely the system is only as strong as its weakest link.

Health Care

When an elderly person falls chances are they are going to be disoriented.  If they are too confused to find and operate a remote medical alert phones they will not be able to use this system to summon help.

A more practical solution is a medical alert system that can be activated using a pushbutton that is worn around the neck as a pendant or on the wrist like a watch. These medical alarm systems will allow your parent to maintain an independent lifestyle because you'll have the peace of mind of knowing that they can get help simply by pushing a button.

A typical medical alert system has a transmitter which is worn by the user and receiver located somewhere in the house.  The range on these devices generally will cover the interior of an average home but they will not provide any protection once you go outside their radio range. Some systems will alert the monitoring station when the signal is lost in the call will be placed to the home to determine if everything is all right.

The basic system operates under the scenario that the elderly person falls and is unable to get up to reach a phone to call for help. By pushing the panic button on the pendant or wristwatch transmitter a coal box is activated in the house which connects the caller to the monitoring station. The monitoring agent speaks with the user to determine how to best help remedy the situation. If the user is coherent and able to give instructions to the monitoring station those instructions will typically be followed. If the caller can't be reached or understood, the monitoring station will then follow a predetermined emergency call protocol which may include calling 911 responders, relatives, friends and next-door neighbors.

The worst-case scenario is that an elderly person falls and becomes unconscious, or they suffer a stroke. In this state they are unable to push a panic button. That's where an auto fall detector can be the difference between life and death.  A senior monitoring system with a fall-alert feature should, in theory, create an alarm at the monitoring station which will prompt an operator to contact the user to see if everything is all right.

Other more elaborate monitoring systems can actually provide richer detail and true fault detection. Sometimes when people fall they don't fold face down and make a loud thump on the ground.  Sometimes they simply slumped down slowly to the floor or chair.  Most fall detection systems are only activated if the device is violently jarred. A more subtle and advanced system will be able to detect the positioning and inactivity as well as changes in body functions to alert the monitoring station.

These more advanced monitoring systems that are able to monitor heart rate, skin temperature and mobility are slightly more expensive but offer much more protection. The downside is that the device that monitors bodily functions must be worn around the chest and some users may find this too invasive.

There are no simple solutions to providing total safety to a senior citizen living at home.  All medical monitoring and emergency response systems for aging people have their pluses and minuses.  A system that may be right for your grandmother may not work for your grandfather. It's important that you study the features and benefits of all the top brands to decide which features you can live with and which ones are not worth paying for.

If you've had personal experience with a monitoring service that you'd like to recommend or suggest that we take a critical look at please get in touch by leaving a comment below.

Lifestation - Senior Monitoring Service

myHalo - Medical Monitoring - True Fall Detection and Medical Monitor

VRI Medical Alert Systems

Freedom Alert - Medical Alert Phone

Wellcore Personal Emergency Response

Philips Lifeline with AutoAlert

Brickhouse Alert Fall Detection Device

Response Link Medical Alert

Life Guardian Medical Alarm System

Connect America Medical Alert

Senior Citizen Medical Alert Systems and Fall Detectors

Find support and discover how you can give your elderly loved one the care they deserve - without burning out or going broke - by visiting ElderKind.com. This site will help make caring for that special senior citizen less stressful. Get fast, free and easy access to elder care resources at ElderKind.com

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2012 Health Care Trends

The face of American healthcare in 2012 is changing. Various reforms have already been implemented and others are pending. Current political debates, opposition movements and pending court cases regarding health-care reform all point to an uncertain 2012. Despite the changes overshadowing the future of the US healthcare market, employers have no choice but to continue managing these costs for their companies. Employers and human resources staff that are well-informed about health insurance trends will be better suited to determine the policies that will be of greatest benefit to their companies.

Projected Health Care Costs

Health Care

According to the Aon Hewitt 2011 Health Care Trend survey, national medical care costs are projected to increase by 10% in 2012. In California, employers may have to shell out an additional 12% for healthcare costs, according to the California Health Care Foundation (CHCF) annual survey of December 2011. Healthcare inflation is increasing at levels of 3 or 4 times the degree of national inflation. The expectation is that these trends will continue, creating concern for employers as well as employees struggling to afford medical coverage.

According to recent studies, rising insurance premiums may drive many employers to discontinue offering health coverage to their employees, opting to pay a penalty instead. In June 20122, the McKinsey Survey contacted 1300 employers on the CEO or CFO level. The survey found that 30% of all employers were likely to drop their health care plans; of those employers with a "high awareness" of the details of health care reform that increased to 50%. Ostensibly, seemingly high fines of 00-3000 would be enough of a deterrent to prevent employers from discontinuing coverage for employees. However, in truth, such penalties represent only about one quarter of the health insurance costs these employers would have to pay.

California Trends with Co-Pays and Deductibles

According to the CHCF, higher co-pays and deductibles are also on the rise; a trend that is likely to continue. Some interesting statistics pertaining to California health insurance programs highlight this trend as employers look for creative way to reduce insurance premiums.

• 76% of California HMO plans and 65% of PPO plans have copays of -
• Less than 1% of all plans offer copays, but over 25% of these plans obligate copays of greater than .
• 25% of California's employer sponsored plans are high deductible plans of 00 or more.

The bottom line is that through elevated deductibles and greater out-of-pocket expenses employers are passing costs on to employees.

Conclusion

Health insurance for small business is looking to undergo significant changes in 2012. If employers are serious about reducing health costs and shielding their companies from drastic changes in the coming year, they should be sure to review and implement creative health insurance plans for their employees.

2012 Health Care Trends

Ari Rosenstein is the Director of Marketing at CPEhr, a human resource outsourcing firm, specializing in labor law compliance and PEO services. It currently services 15,000 employees and hundreds of clients nationwide.

CPEhr was founded in 1982 and assists small employers with the management of their employees and compliance with employment regulations.

Services include: - HR Compliance - Human Resources Administration - Legislative Compliance - Employee Benefits - Risk Management and Workers' Compensation - Payroll and Tax Administration - Management and Employee Training - Recruiting Services

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The New Approach to Healthcare Enterprise Information Management - EHR, EMR, EIM

Introduction -

The lack of a healthcare specific, compliant, cost-effective approach to Enterprise Information Management (aka EIM) is the #1 reason integration, data quality, reporting and performance management initiatives fail in healthcare organizations. How can you build a house without plumbing? Conversely, the organizations that successfully deploy the same initiatives point to full Healthcare centric EIM as the Top reason they were successful (February, 2009 - AHA). The cost of EIM can be staggering - preventing many healthcare organizations from leveraging enterprise information when strategically planning for the entire system. If this is prohibitive for large and medium organizations, how are smaller organizations going to be able to leverage technology that can access vital information inside of their own company if cost prevents consideration?

Healthcare

The Basics -

What is Enterprise Information Management?

Enterprise Information Management means the organization has access to 100% of its data, the data can be exchanged between groups/applications/databases, information is verified and cleansed, and a master data management method is applied. Outliers to EIM are data warehouses, such as an EHR data warehouse, Business Intelligence and Performance Management. Here is a roadmap, in layman terminology, that healthcare organizations follow to determine their EIM requirements.

Fact #1: Every healthcare entity, agency, campus or non-profit knows what software it utilizes for its business operations. The applications may be in silos, not accessible by other groups or departments, sometimes within the team that is responsible for it. If information were needed from groups across the enterprise, it has to be requested, in business terminology, of the host group, who would then go to the source of information (the aforementioned software and/or database), retrieve what is needed and submit it to the requestor - hopefully, in a format the requestor can work with (i.e., excel for further analysis as opposed to a document or PDF).

Fact #2: Because business terminology can be different WITHIN an organization, there will be further "translating" required when incorporating information that is gathered from the different software packages. This can be a nightmare. The gathering of information, converting it into a different format, translating it into common business terminology and then preparing it for consumption is a lengthy, expensive process - which takes us to Fact #3.

Fact #3: Consumers of the gathered information (management, analysts, etc) have to change the type of information required - one-off report requests that are continuously revised so they can change their dimensional view (like rotating the rows of a Rubik's cube to only get one color grouped, then deciding instead of lining up red, they would really like green to be grouped first). In many cases, this will start the gathering process all over again because the original set of information is missing needed data. It also requires the attention of those that understand this information - typically a highly valued Subject Matter Expert from each silo - time-consuming and costly distractions that impact the requestor as well as the information owner's group.

Fact#4: While large organizations can cope with this costly method in order to gather enough information to make effective and strategic business decisions, the amount of time and money is a barrier for smaller or cash strapped institutions, freezing needed data in its silo.

Fact #5: If information were accessible (with security and access controls, preventing unauthorized and inappropriate access), time frames for analysis improve, results are timely, strategic planning is effective and costs in time and money are significantly reduced.

Integration (with cleansing the data, aka Data Quality) should not be a foreign concept to the mid and smaller organizations. Price has been the overriding factor that prevents these tiers from leveraging enterprise information. A "glass ceiling", solely based on being limited from technology because of price tag, bars the consideration of EIM. This is the fault of technology vendors. Business Intelligence, Performance Management and Data Integration providers have unknowingly created class warfare between the Large and SMB healthcare organizations. Data Integration is the biggest culprit in this situation. The cost of integration in the typical BI deployment is usually four times the cost of the BI portion. It is easy for the BI providers to tantalize their prospects with functionality and reasonable cost. But, when integration comes into play, reluctance on price introduces itself into the scenario. No action has become the norm at this point.

What are the Financial Implications for a Healthcare Organization by maintaining the status quo?

Fraud detection is the focal point for CMS in their EHR requirements of healthcare organizations, Let's take a deeper, more meaningful look at the impact of EHR. Integration, a prominent component of Enterprise Information Management in the New Approach, brings data from all silos of the organization, allowing a Data Quality component to verify and cleanse it. The next step would be to either send it back to its originating source in an accurate state and/or put it into a repository where it will be accessible to auditing (think CMS Sanctions Auditors), Business Intelligence solutions, and Electronic Health Records applications. With instantly accessible EHRs, hospitals and their outlying practices can verify patients with payors, retrieve medical histories for diagnosis and treatment decisions, and update/add patient related information. What impact to treatment does a review of a new patient's history have for both patient and practice? Here are some elements to consider:

1. Diagnosis and treatments that are based on previous patient dispositions - reducing recovery time, eliminating Medicare/Medicaid/Payor denials (based on their interpretation as to fault of the practitioner in original treatment or error incurring additional treatment).

2. Instant fraud detection of patients seeking treatment for the same malady across the practices within the organization. Prescription abuse and Medicare fraud saves money not only for the payors, but the healthcare organization as well.

3. The Association of Fraud Examiners states that 9% of a Hospital's revenue each year is actually lost to fraud.

One overlooked but common impact is in the cost of managing patient records. Thousands of file folders in storage with new instances being added each time a new patient enters into the system. Millions of pieces of paper capturing patient information, payer data, charts, billing statements, and various items such as photo copies of patient IDs, are all stored in those folders. The folders are then stored in vast filing cabinets - constantly being accessed by filing clerks, nurses, practitioners and assorted staff. Contents of the files being misplaced or filed incorrectly. Hundreds, if not thousands, of square feet being consumed for storage. The AHA projects that an enterprise leveraging Electronic Health Records will recover no less than 15,000 square feet of usable space. That space can be used for additional services, opening up new channels of revenue. The justification is easy: how much would it cost the hospital to build out 15,000 square feet for a new service? The average cost to build space utilized for Health Services is per square foot, or 5,000 total. An EIM solution through the New Approach would be less than 20% of that. Not only has the EIM solution reduced dollars lost to fraud, lowered the days for payor encounters to be paid, increased cash on hand, but it will also open up new services for the patient community and revenue back to the healthcare organization.

Electronic data is costly in its own way. Bad aka "Dirty" data has enormous impact. Data can be corrupted by error in data entry, systems maintenance, database platform changes or upgrades, feeds or exchanges of data in an incompatible format, changes in front end applications and fraud, such as identity theft. The impact of bad data has a cause and effect relationship that is pervasive in the financial landscape:

1. Bad data can result in payor denials. Mismatched member identification, missing DRG codes, empty fields where data is expected are examples of immediate denials of claims. The delay lowers the amount of Cash on Hand as well as extends the cycle of submitted claim to remittance by at least 30 days.

2. Bad data masks fraud. A reversal of digits in a social security number, a claim filed as one person for the treatment of another family member, medical histories that do not reflect all diagnosis and treatments because the patient could not be identified. Fraud has the greatest impact on cost of delivering healthcare in the United States. Ultimately, the health system has to absorb this cost - reducing profitability and limiting growth.

3. Bad data results in non-compliance. CMS has already begun the architecture and deployment of Sanctions Data Exchanges. These exchanges are a network of data repositories that are used to connect to health healthcare system, retrieve CMS related data, and store it for auditing. The retrieval will only be limited to the patient encounters that show a potential for denial or fraud, so the repository will not be a store of all Medicare and Medicaid patient encounters. But, the exchange has to be able to read the data in its provider data source in order for CMS to apply certain conditions against the information it is reading. What happens when the information is incomplete or wrong? The healthcare system is held accountable for the encounters it cannot read. That means automatic and unrecoverable denials of claims PRIOR to an audit, regardless of claim legitimacy.

The Price Fix by Big Box Healthcare Technology Firms

Are the major healthcare software and technology vendors (Big Box) price gouging? Probably not. They are a victim of their own solution strategies. Through acquired and some organic growth (McKesson, Eclipsys, Cerner, etc), they find their EIM solutions lose their agnostic approach. This is bad...very bad for health systems of all sizes. With very few exceptions, the vast majority of healthcare organizations DO NOT BUY all applications and modules from a single stack player. How could they? Healthcare systems grow similarly - some organic, some through acquisition. When a hospital organization finds over the course of time, an application that is reliable, such as a billing system, there is tremendous reluctance to remove a proven solution that everyone knows how to use. Because the major technology providers in the healthcare space act as a "One Stop Shop", they spend most of their time working on integrating in their own product suite with little to no regard to other applications. Subsequently, they find themselves trapped: they have to position all products/modules to maintain the accessibility and integrity of their data. This is problematic for the hospital that is trying to solve one problem but then must purchase additional solutions to apply to areas that are not broken, just to be able to integrate information. That is like going to the hardware store for a screwdriver and coming back with a 112 piece tool set with a rolling, 4 foot cart built for NASCAR. You will probably never use 90+% of those tools and will no longer be able to park in your own garage because the new tool box takes up too much space!

IT resources - including people - must be utilized. In today's economy, leveraging internal IT staff to administer a solution post-deployment is a given. If those IT resources do not feel comfortable in supporting the integration plan, then status quo will be justified. This is the "anti" approach to providing solutions in the healthcare industry: the sales leaders from Big Box technology firms want their sales people in front of the business side of the organization and to stop selling to IT. While this is a common sense approach, the economy in 2010 mandates that IT has to at least validate their ability to administer new technology solutions. The prospect of long-term professional consulting engagements to follow post installation has been shrinking at the same rate as healthcare organizations profit margins.

Empowering the healthcare organization to utilize its existing IT staff to administer and develop with the new products is not part of the business plan when Big Box players market to the industry. It is the exact opposite - recurring revenue from lengthy, and sometimes permanent, professional services consulting engagements is part of the overall target. The initial price quote for a Big Box solution is scary enough, but the fact remains that it is still not representative of what the ongoing cost to maintain through consulting arrangements. This is a variable cost, which is difficult to predict, and drives finance managers and executives crazy.

Solving the Dilemma - A Better Solution through a New Approach at a Fraction of the Cost

When Healthcare Business Experts combine talents with Technology Architects, EIM Solutions cost drop dramatically. This is the New Approach to Healthcare EIM, providing the way health organizations will be able to provide successful solutions at significantly reduced costs - opening the door for health systems of all sizes.

The EIM Firm (using the New Approach) versus Big Box Healthcare Technology Providers:

Smaller, more agile firms bring many benefits to Healthcare Organizations of any size. The benefits:

1. They are focused on specific verticals - just like the Big Box Health Technology providers. Subject Matter Experts (SME) in the smaller firms typically are industry veterans with years of experience and success in their approach who see their resume as a service offering better utilized when they are able to apply their methods for successful strategy planning as opposed to learning the methods of a Big Box player. Their income is better since their revenue is applied into a smaller operating cost, extending lower pricing for solutions that are MORE EFFECTIVE and offering stronger client/vendor relationships as the SME limits themselves to a certain number of clients.

2. Solutions built on proven approaches and strategies. Again, the firm's SMEs are able to define a methodology that can be re-used or re-configured in each client instance. This saves time and money for the client as delivery is accelerated and the cost of architecting is eliminated.

3. The firms themselves develop solutions and methodologies agnostically. Their understanding of the diversity of systems that exist in the technology of a healthcare organization allows them to not only develop adaptable solutions but also add a Business Process Management Plan (BPM). The BPM will define for the organization EXACTLY how information is received, processed, cleansed, stored, shared and accessed. It also will define an action plan for training IT for administration and support as well as end users at all levels on how they will leverage it going forward. BPM planning in a healthcare organization is a low six figure investment with an outside consulting group. The EIM firms will include it in the cost of the solution. Basically, it is the difference in being told what is wrong and here are the recommendations to fix it versus here is what is wrong and this is how it will be fixed with the new solution.

What is a typical EIM Firm solution?

1. Solution Assessment, noting the current systems, data sources and methods of sharing information as well as business processes, key personnel identification that are gate keepers if information, timeliness of providing information and overall effectiveness in leveraging enterprise information for strategic business planning. See figures 1 for an example of the information process flow visual component of an actual assessment.

2. EIM solution that contains an integration engine that accesses all data sources - reading and writing back to the database or application, providing data quality services and maintaining HIPAA as well as HL7 requirements. See Figure 2 for a diagram.

3. EHR Data Warehouse. A repository to build Electronic Health Records through the integrated data flow.

4. EHR Portal for patient entry (when additional information needs to be added) via a browser.

5. Business Intelligence Dashboards for metrics, AD Hoc analysis and Performance Management Scorecards on organizational goals and objectives.

6. Onsite implementation and integration of the EIM solution.

7. Onsite training during installation for IT and end users. Ongoing training provided via webinars, documentation and technical support staff.

8. Relationships maintained by the Subject Matter Experts for the life of the solution.

9. Stimulus "HITECH" Act pays ,000 per physician for an EHR solution implemented. The SME creates the grant request to be submitted so the healthcare organization receives Stimulus funds to pay for the total EIM solution

Key Element of the Solution

Onsite Delivery and full time support are key. But, the most important element is training. Why? As noted earlier, it is paramount that existing IT investments, namely personnel, be able to not only administer but also conduct development as the need arises. In Healthcare, CMS managed Medicare/Medicaid is already margins that are in the negative. As private payers follow suit, the number of uncollectable encounters will increase, impacting current profitability models and increasing future cost for treatment. By mitigating IT costs, the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) qualifier should actually evolve to a Return on Investment (ROI). ROI is immediate for this solution approach, but it is sustained year over year by leveraging internal IT to support and develop. Now, the Healthcare Organization has eliminated costly professional service consulting engagements and re-investments into new feature licensing. This takes a variable cost every year and makes it a fixed, yet smaller amount - a sensible financial approach to accomplish a proven strategy.

Summary -

Why EIM? Whether it is Omnibus, "Obama"-care or an edit (not overhaul) of the Healthcare industry, Healthcare Organizations know these truths:

1. Electronic Health Records are necessary for the Fraud detection unit of CMS. Each organization must comply with accessibility, HIPAA and format. Fraud reduces overall revenues for a hospital by 9% (ACFE)

2. EHR/EHR have proven to be highly effective in eliminating internal waste, patient fraud, practice fraud and paper overhead. Vast amount of space within the facilities that had been used to store patient records in hard copy can now be utilized to provide additional services and open new revenue streams.

3. Bad or "dirty" data in electronic or hard copy format is costly. According to the AHA (September, 2008), the average cost of a patient record with good or accurate information is 3 annually. The annual cost of a patient record with bad information is ,054 annually. On average, 18% of patient information within a healthcare organization is bad.

4. Strategies developed by healthcare organizations without 100% of the information they own that is also timely and relevant are ineffective. Objectives cannot be defined, successful processes cannot be identified and improvement plans have little to no metrics in which to determine success.

5. Stimulus/HITECH Act pays ,000 per physician when EHR is part of the EIM solution. With the smaller EIM firms, Stimulus pays for the entire solution.

Why a New Approach EIM Firm?

1. Subject Matter Expertise from consultants that have proven methodologies.

2. Agility to adapt to the client need instead of the Big Box approach of the client adapting to their product limitations.

3. A Better Solution at a Fraction of the Cost. Their solutions are based on needs and not features.

4. Relationships with the vendor, resulting in improved services, maximum values from vendor solutions and a focused approach to the client needs and goals.

5. A Return on Investment as opposed to a Total Cost of Ownership. Clients need to see solutions that immediately pay for itself and then recover lost revenue while offering channels to new profit centers.

The New Approach to Healthcare Enterprise Information Management - EHR, EMR, EIM

Scott Schledwitz is a Subject Matter Expert in Healthcare Strategic Planning, Information Integration, Data Quality, and Balanced Scorecard Methodologies. He has developed solution products and practices for compliance measures, reporting and planning utilized by various agencies within the United States on the Federal and State levels. Within healthcare, he has consulted with hospital systems ranging from 1 to 100 campuses, providing them assessments and solutions to improve information efficiencies, extend information across the enterprise, develop organizational strategies that start at the top and cascade to the individual contributor. Through a Balance Scorecard Methodology, he has advised these organizations on how to identify their objectives, successful processes, define projects to overcome deficiencies and view the results in an easy to understand dashboard.

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Home Health Care

Home health care is something that we all need to be aware of. As we age, and more commonly, as our parents age, we find we need to have interest in this industry. Aging is a natural and inevitable process, and there comes a time when our parents are unable to provide the same level of self-care they used to.

This is where it comes into play. It is a way to provide our parents with the care they need, without having to worry about their increasing physical deterioration. Home health providers can provide a range of services to meet the needs of your particular loved one.

Health Care

These providers come into the home and assist with whatever needs to be done. This includes, but is not limited to, medical care when needed. For most people, their first introduction to this is part of the recovery process from a major injury or medical event.

Medical events are part of life for elderly people. Many people start suffering from falls as they age, due to increasing issues with balance and reduced bone strength. Another common medical event for older people is surgery of some sort. There are many different surgeries that the elderly could have, and many of them result in elaborate aftercare requirements.

For many elderly people, it is covered by Medicare. The exact coverage depends on the nature of the medical issue that the person is suffering from and the severity of the medical condition. Consulting your company and discussing your coverage in advance is recommended.

A home health care provider can provide medical care for a loved one that is recovering from illness or injury. They can come to the person's home, and provide the aftercare that the doctor ordered to ensure that the recovery goes smoothly and the patient does not suffer from any issues as a result of their weakened state.

They can also provide care that is not medical in nature. They can assist with grooming and toileting needs, as well as feeding the person and providing assistance with basic acts of daily living. In some cases, they clean and prepare meals for the person to eat when the home health care person is no longer there.

Arranging for home health care is a great way to ensure that your loved one is receiving the care that they need to stay healthy for as long as possible. There are different kinds and different arrangements for them, depending on the needs of the person receiving care. Always make sure you understand what level of care is covered by your insurance or Medicare.

Home Health Care

Jessica is healthcare consultant who specializes in home health care. Visit http://www.brightstarcare.com/oak-brook-brightstar to learn more...

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Walking Through The Golden Arches

Job seekers need not worry. McDonald's has locations all over the world and has employment opportunities for all kinds of people. The American icon is one of the largest fast food chains and is an employer of over 400,000 workers. Before you fill out an application, it would be a good idea to find out what kinds of jobs there are at McDonald's. Some positions are entry-level while others may require a little bit of customer service experience. Pay ranges from minimum wage to a hefty salary, depending on position, location, and experience. The chain is always hiring workers in two capacities:

• Crew member - This kind of employee will provide customer service and cook most of the food. Team members are responsible for food preparation, operation of cash registers, and restaurant cleanup. Any job behind the counter may be assigned to a crew member on a given day. Compensation will be around minimum wage and several benefits free meals and uniforms may be available to crew members.
• Management - Shift leaders, assistant managers, and restaurant managers make up the management team at a typical McDonald's location. Experienced crew members are promoted to shift leader, then to assistant manager, and so on. Each level of management has some interaction with customers and will fill in to do crew member duties when needed. Managers will also perform administrative tasks like hiring, firing, scheduling, and motivating crew members. McDonald's managers may make a considerable salary and receive a generous benefits package including healthcare, a 401(k), and paid time off.

Healthcare

Once you've decided on a position, it's time to apply. When completed, submit the application form to your local restaurant to get your career off and running. At a greater convenience, you can also apply online with the company in a matter of minutes. Whichever method you decide on, good luck in your job search and remember to make a good first impression.

Walking Through The Golden Arches

For even more information and a printable application check out Job-Applications.com to get started today.

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Technology in Healthcare

The use of technology in healthcare has opened the way for improvements in a variety of areas. One proof of the advantages and benefits of technology is that more people are surviving diseases like cancer and heart disease due to the ability to diagnose them earlier than previously capable. With this capability comes the advantage of being able to use a protocol that may be less drastic than one needed as the disease progresses. With a disease like cancer, as it metastasizes, the ability to fight it and eliminate it gets harder and harder. Although, another use of technology in healthcare has brought us new drugs that can target more precisely the particular cancer cells along with being more targeted in other areas. It has also brought us new radiation equipment that can be far more accurate and not have to use the shotgun approach to get to the cancer. The beam can even be bent around key body parts like glands and arteries so as not to damage them when focusing in that area.

One interesting and futuristic advance is the use of robots. You can now have a robotic prostatectomy with an outcome that may be to the advantage of the patient. With the use of a robot in surgery there is a smaller incision or incisions which is less trauma for the patient, there is less blood loss, a greater chance of precise cuts around delicate nerves and tendons which may allow the patient a better chance of not having side effects from the surgery, and usually a shorter stay in the hospital and a shorter recovery time. The precision of the robot is far more accurate than a surgeon using his or her hands alone. One reason is the use of a microscope and lights in the area of the surgery. A doctor has access to this technology in an operating room but this is amazingly close and well lit in a very small area without having to cut the patient open. The accuracy of being able to see within a fraction of a millimeter is a great advantage for the doctor operating the robot.

Healthcare

Another area where robots are used is in robotic heart surgery. Again the accuracy and precision of the tools lead to a greater chance of a quicker recovery time and less trauma to the patient. The finer incisions and the likelihood of less blood loss are one advantage to using a robot in heart surgery. The da Vinci robot used in both heart and cancer surgeries and has the opportunity to be used in a variety of areas where precision and accuracy are paramount.

Technology in Healthcare

The use of technology in medicine has been instrumental in diagnosing diseases much quicker along with preventing diseases. One major milestone is the use of robots and the new robotic prostatectomy [http://www.riversidehealthcare.org/services/cancer-institute/robotic-cancer-surgery.html] for treating prostate cancer. Also, robotic heart surgery [http://www.riversidehealthcare.org/services/heart-center/robotic-heart-surgery.html] has been a major step in helping heart patients heal quicker. Needless to say, the da Vinci robot is taking surgery to a place it has never been before.

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Benefits of Training in Health Care Courses

Do you have the heart to help other people? Do you enjoy taking care of your grandparents more than going out with your friends? If you do, then maybe health training courses are just for you. In this article, you will learn the different ways on how to become a professional health care service provider and how it could benefit you.

Training in health means that you are prepared to face necessary tasks such as waking up early and sleeping late at night. You also have to prepare yourself in long hours of work with your patients only to make sure that they're on a stabilized condition. In order for you to become an eligible health service provider, you must first possess educational qualification and of course experience. You must also be able to pass all written exams that certain governing bodies in health care provide. All health care staff has to undergo classroom training and field testing to gain more knowledge about certain procedures and laws. Another important thing is gaining certification from trusted governing bodies as proof of their eligibility. Although, it's not really required to have certification if you only want to help in taking care of a sick person but having one can put the client at ease. Having a certification lets your client know that they will be taken cared by a professional and that they are in good hands.

Health Care

Training in health also requires having an up to date knowledge about health services. It is advised that one should take classroom training at least once a year to keep them informed of the new laws and management of the facility. These classes keep health training officers about workplace safety, protection, industrial hygiene, waste safety, indoor air quality, and proper waste management. You will also learn about the basics like maintaining the bed of the client, keeping the room clean and other housekeeping procedures. You will also learn about the proper ways on how to keep your client safe at all times and perform correct procedures in case of emergency. You will also be taught how to transfer a patient from one place to another without the risk of injuring them. You will also be able to read vital signs and become aware of the patient's condition as early as possible.

Care training can be very difficult when you think about the sacrifices that you need to make just to graduate, but once you do, you will learn that it's really rewarding. Professional health care providers get up to 200 dollars per day. You may also be employed by some of the best hospitals and earn more money.

Benefits of Training in Health Care Courses

The author writes for http://www.wleducation.com.au/ which provides information regarding health care. Choose the right Training in health for you.

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