Best Acne Medication Information

Unfortunately millions of people suffer from acne and there are loads of products on the market - many of which can be ineffective and expensive. Acne can reduce one's confidence and can be a sign of nutritional deficiencies or even allergies, so it is worthwhile finding the best acne medication for you to handle the problem once and for all.

The best acne medications and treatments tackle the problem by reducing the production of sebum, removing dead skin cells and killing acne-causing bacteria using topical drugs and oral medications. The choice of acne medication and treatment used depends upon how severe the problem is. Below are some of the most common treatments used today.

Treatments for acne generally come under the categories of General, Prescription and Specialized treatments. General treatments are products which can help clear acne on the surface but do not tackle the underlying causes of the acne. These treatments include the various creams and lotions out there on the market. Whilst some of these can be effective, they can be costly and often do not target the true source of the problem. They can be effective for the treatment of mild acne, but again you may wish to look into the area more to handle any underlying physical causes.

Prescription drugs include acne medications such as antibiotics which is usually used for patients who have more serious acne conditions. Antibiotics are used to kill bacteria which causes acne but the body is only meant to be on antibiotics for short periods, so this is not an ideal life-long acne medication.

The oral contraceptive pill is a possible treatment which is sometimes used to treat women for acne. This can take three to four months to be effective though and not all women wish to take the contraceptive pill. It is however an option for treating acne.

Another popular acne medication is called Accutane. However, Accutane has many side effects and can be harmful in some cases. Some doctors and dermatologists that refuse to prescribe Accutane due to the uncertainty of its side effects. Due to this, I would not recommend this medication.

Specialized treatments work by handling the root cause of the acne. They usually approach the problem from a combination of angles. These treatments can include handling acne by addressing nutrition, nutritional deficiencies, allergies, avoidance of certain trigger foods, skin hygiene and lifestyle. These are usually the favourable treatments to go for as they do not involve harmful drugs or harsh chemicals. They also usually have longer lasting results as they are getting to the true cause of the problem.

Whichever treatment you choose for handling acne, the best acne medications will not only free you of acne, but will also prevent your acne from returning. It is worth trying to handle acne with specialised treatments as above first and if you do not experience the results you are looking for, see a dermatologist.

Signs, Symptoms, and Medical Information on Potassium Permanganate Intoxication

It is widespread practice that potassium permanganate is used for several medicinal applications such as foot soak for athlete's foot and a warm bath for eczema. It is also used as a disinfectant, deodorant and astringent alongside being an effective bactericide and fungicide.

Potassium permanganate has strong oxidizing properties which make it ideal for applications in treating certain medical conditions especially those which involve the skin.

This chemical is not identified as a carcinogen or a reproductive toxin but it is classified as highly toxic. In its pure form, it occurs as a deep purplish to blackish crystals or granules. It is highly hazardous in this form and proper dilution with the exact amount of water is very important.

Although reports of potassium permanganate poisoning is quite uncommon, there is still the real possibility that such an incident will happen particularly when people are not aware of the hazards, the signs and symptoms of poisoning as well as first aid measures.

How does potassium permanganate poisoning happen?

There are basically four routes for poisoning: inhalation, skin, eyes and ingestion.

Children are predominantly in danger of poisoning and this happen for two reasons: carelessness of adults and the natural tendency of children to put anything (may it be solid, liquid or in any other form) straight to their mouth. This is compounded by the fact that potassium permanganate in its pure form can be readily mistaken for sweets. When dissolved, it results to a rather attractive pink to purple liquid, something a youngster can't resist and the inevitable happens.

However, poisoning is not limited to the young ones. Adults can also suffer from poisoning especially those who are occupationally exposed to the chemical. In a medical report, one 66-year old man was orally taking a solution of 8% potassium permanganate for four weeks and neurological examinations reveal that there have been disorders in several subsystems of the central nervous system.

What are the signs and symptoms of potassium permanganate poisoning?

This chemical can be a concern especially when not prepared properly for medication purposes - it can do more harm than good. It is typically used for topical antibacterial applications and water purification. The nature and severity of the symptoms depends on the amounts and the means of exposure to the chemical.

Symptoms include a burning sensation and redness of the skin, eye and/or skin irritation, cough, shortness of breath and labored breathing, sore throat, abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhea, and may even cause shock.

Always prepare your potassium permanganate solution as advised by your doctor or per label instructions. It becomes an irritant at concentrations of 1:1,000 or higher and can be fatal when taken in its pure form and at very high concentrations.10 - 20 grams of unadulterated potassium permanganate is a sufficient amount to kill a person.

What are the other important medical information on potassium permanganate?

In the 1930's and during World War II, it was a popular abortifacient or a drug which induces abortion. Women introduce crystal or granules into the vagina and being an irritant, potassium permanganate irritates the uterus and may stimulate it to get rid of the unborn fetus.

However, it is also used as a stomach wash due to its strong oxidative ability and administered to people who suffered from poisoning such as one caused by overdose of opium. Unfortunately, the same chemical used to reduce the effects of poisoning can also be a poison itself. More so when people do not know how to prepare it and are not informed of its high toxicity.

Keep in mind that although potassium permanganate is a very important chemical with many applications not only as a treatment to different conditions, it is also highly toxic and can be poisonous if not lethal. So always practice caution when dealing with potassium permanganate.

How Would You Know If Your Doctor Was Committing Medical Errors?

The fast answer is you wouldn't.

Unless you have some medical training there is no way to tell if what your doctor is telling you, or prescribing for you, is valid or effective, at first glance.

Most patients trust their physician and accept what he says on faith, based on his previous track record or reputation. However, medical conditions often improve despite the treatment; and a doctor's reputation is often based on what patients and not peers think of him.

Most patients appreciate a stern authoritative approach. Since they do not have sufficient medical knowledge to actually assess competence, they assume a physician with such an approach is competent and recommend him to relatives and friends.

Such a physician even if incompetent, can enjoy much success, since patients discuss medical errors much less often than accomplishments by their own doctor. Discussing his errors would be admitting their poor ability to choose a good doctor, i.e. one who is generally perceived as incapable of committing errors.

What can you do to improve your ability to both select a competent physician and detect if he is committing medical errors or delivering inappropriate care?

Ask educated questions derived by checking your diagnosis and its accepted treatments from reliable sources i.e. ahrq.gov, fda.gov, pubmed.gov, and some commercial medical information sites.

Also, discuss your doctor and treatment on a reliable medical error information site forum and see what others who may have had similar experiences or more medical knowledge than friends and relatives think.

However, please do not take information obtained to be actual medical advice, but only issues to discuss with your health care provider or a second medical opinion if necessary.

Online Medical Video - A Better Way For Patient Education

As popularity of internet users grow the process of information retrieval and distribution has also increased. With rise in the internet users the methodology over both retrieval and distribution of information has changed to a great level of sophistication. People are now more interested in portals that allow them faster service, great downloading speed. Similarly this has affected all the sectors including medicinal field for medical information or patient education.

People now surf those websites that offer multiple services. A major change also occurred with information distribution, since many across the world prefer video blogging rather than textual updates. The process of medical information also underwent major transitional process, as people update medical information through online available health video websites.

A great example is YouTube and Google Videos, as many people log in to view latest videos on entertainment, politics and science. The trend is not useless as many psychologists suggest that motion graphics having both audio as well as video help people understand and grasp things pretty fast. A major example is with respect to medicinal videos, thousands of people everyday view health related videos to get latest on current medical research.

Many physicians and healthcare experts are also following this trend, they now update latest medical videos specifically for patient education. This really helps patients as they can learn many medical terms before actually meeting their doctors. The online available medical videos not only help patients but they also help students who are concerned with dissertation submission. This generally helps everyone from patients to students; it helps even medical healthcare professionals updating them with latest research in medicinal world.

With more and more professionals getting involved with online available health videos, lot of research and reviews are conducted over uploaded videos. A greater level of scrutiny is done on those videos, with so many online viewers and reviewers there is a slim chance of any discrepancies over medical videos.

Hurricane GINA - Genetic Information Nondiscrimation Act - Makes Landfall

GINA is here. The name sounds like a hurricane and to some employers it might be.

This "GINA" stands for the Genetic Information Nondiscrimation Act, signed into law May 21, 2008.

As science has gotten more sophisticated and the cost of health care continues to rise, it became clear that employers would start using genetics as a way to screen new hires or let go of current employees. This law prohibits discrimination by employers and health insurers on the basis of genetic information. Many states already have laws on the books, this just broadens the protection against genetic discrimination, The bill authorizes civil actions by employees, individuals, or their representatives for damages or equitable relief against employers who violate this act.

GINA's employment provisions took effect on November 21, 2009, and its group health plan provisions apply to calendar-year plans as of January 1, 2010. New employment posters should be ordered that include GINA.

What do you need to do to avoid getting swept away by GINA?

First, ensure your employee medical records procedures comply with GINA by maintaining all documentation related to an employee's health, medical condition or treatment in a secure location and in a confidential file separate from other personnel records. GINA requires that genetic information about an employee or applicant be maintained in a separate medical file and kept discretely as a confidential medical record.

Doctor's notes for absences that contain a medical diagnosis need to be kept separately from the normal personnel file. It is actually recommended for you to create a standard absence notice that you give to employees to have completed by the doctor. This notice would not include any medical information to minimize the risk.

Take a good hard look at your employee handbook and other policies to make sure that they make it clear that you do not discriminate on the basis of an employee's genetic background.

Make sure your company EEO statement and employment application adds language to include GINA, as GINA will affect not only current employees, but potential applicants as well.

Work closely with your health care, insurance and other benefits providers to make sure that your plans are in compliance. Recently, employers have been conducting health risk assessments on employees or creating different benefits plans based on criteria to incent "healthy" behavior. These plan designs need to be examined closely to see if they violate the law.

Finally, speak with all your supervisors to make sure they understand that all medical information provided by employees must be handled differently. For example, an employee tells you that their mother just died from cancer and it runs in the family. Later, you decided to terminate that employee but somehow it is suggested that the termination was because the company wanted to avoid the costs of medical care should the employee get cancer. This would create big problems.

This new law is one that will result in new litigation very quickly, since employees share a lot of information and often talk about medical issues at work. The key with GINA, as with every hurricane, is to be prepared.

To Your Health! - How To Organize Your Health Information

How many times have you shown up to a doctor's appointment and been handed a stack of multi-colored double sided forms to fill out? You scan the information and realize that you don't necessarily remember when you had your tonsils out as a child or the name of the medicine that caused you to break out in hives five years ago. You soldier on valiantly, filling in the blanks as best you can, hoping that your memory lapses won't come back to haunt you. Having complete and accurate records for everyone in your family is not just a nice thing to have, it's essential. The good news is that getting them in order is a straightforward organizational task.

Alicia on 'Why It Matters'

Medical histories are a critical tool for doctors as they help them identify potential issues, make diagnoses, and define safe treatment plans. Your medical records and family history provide essential information and data points that can give a doctor a better picture of what might be ailing you today or what you may want to keep an eye on in the future. It is an investment in you and your family's long term health that is absolutely worth making.

Sarah on 'The Basics'

The first step towards keeping accurate medical information is to capture the critical particulars for every member in your family. Basic information should include at a minimum the following: Family doctor name and contact numbers, insurance information including copy of insurance card, medications currently being taken on a regular basis as well as dosage, allergies to medications or anything else, blood type, any current or recent medical conditions (e.g. diabetes, asthma) , and pharmacy name and phone number. Type it up and store on your computer so you can print out a copy and take to your doctor appointments or an emergency room visit.

Here are three additional areas to think about when organizing your medical information. These are intended to be a great starting point, but please always check with your own doctor about additional data that would be helpful to have.

#1: Past

Mapping your family's medical history will provide any medical professional with a solid foundation for understanding what you may be at risk for in the future. At your next family gathering, take some time to learn more about your family's health history if you don't already have a clear picture. Make note of any illnesses among your grand parents, aunts, uncles, parents, and siblings. For those relatives who have passed away note what they died from and how old they were. In addition, keep track of your significant illnesses and hospitalizations. The more information you can collect in this area the clearer the picture for doctors down the line.

#2: Present

Keep a running list of things you want to talk to your doctor about on your next visit. They may be as minor as a small heartburn problem or as important as remembering to get your cholesterol checked. If you jot things down when they come to mind, you will be less likely to forget something that could be important to discuss at your next checkup. This is a great thing to do for your kids as well so that when you meet with the pediatrician you can not only discuss big health concerns but you can also remember the little things like toilet training issues and how to stop thumb sucking.

#3: Future

Keep handy a list of screening tests that can help identify problems well in advance and make a note of when you should first have them done. These are obviously different for each person and change as we get older. Examples include cholesterol screening, diabetes test, mammogram, colonoscopy, skin exam, eye exam, hearing test, bone density scan and EKG.

The Medictag Advantage - Your Portable Device for Quick Medical Data Access

The Medictag is basically an emergency usb flash drive device that lets you organize and store your important medical information on ready to fill-up forms. You use this by plugging it directly into your computer's USB port and the system will just automatically launch itself. The Medictag devices aren't only beneficial to you or your loved ones, but it'll also help medical professionals do their job effectively.

The Medictag is plugged into your computer or laptop pretty much the same way as your ordinary USB flash drives. After inserting this into the USB port, the auto-run program will pop-up on your window screen and present to you three options: edit/view emergency information, print medical information, or program cancellation. Basically, the forms let you fill-up your identification information, emergency contacts, doctors, insurance information, and at the upper right hand corner, a yellow box is provided for your life-threatening health conditions. You could also list down your medications, surgical history, allergies, and other pre-existing medical problems.

Whether you're a kid, teenager, elderly, or an adult, you are highly qualified to use the Medictag, especially if you have any serious medical problems that need constant monitoring. These devices are greatly valuable for people with diabetes, mental confusion, autism, heart conditions, hypertension, cerebral palsy, and seizure attacks - just to cite examples. For people who live alone, the job of a medic team would be made easier if they could easily get an instant access to your health history information. This will help them respond quickly and give out the accurate medical attention in response to your illness.

The recommended retail price of MedicTag is $34.95. But since you're going to include the shipping fee into the calculation, you might have to spend a total price of about $40 for it. You don't have to spend for additional fees, such as a monthly or yearly monitoring service fees, because this is not a medical alert system. Medical alert systems usually have a standby central emergency station that monitors the condition of the user 24/7. All you need is to have in order to use your Medictag are a Windows XP or Vista operating system, Microsoft Word, and a 1.0/1.1/2.0 version of USB port. The free drivers that you need to install in your computer are downloadable through MedicTag's official website.

The only downside with this product is that it is quite impossible to use on a Mac-based computer. If you want to use this, you strictly need to have a computer or laptop that operates using Windows. But other than that issue, there are no known complaints about any defective parts or non-functional programs that are made against the MedicTag devices.

If you don't see yourself needing one, you might have loved ones that you think can greatly benefit from this. The Medictag is not only relevant during emergency situations, but it'll also ease your loved one's burden from constantly filling up the same forms every time they visit their doctors.

Top 3 Tools to Decrease Medical Errors in Hospitals

Outside of welcoming new life into the world, entering a hospital can be an extremely dreadful experience. Whether you are visiting a son who broke his arm, awaiting a scheduled surgery, or mourning the loss of a loved one to cancer, the hospital may conjure up feelings of worry, uncertainty, and fear. While hospitals are not intrinsically responsible for the creation of all medical distress, they often times symbolize that which we fear most - the loss of health or life - ours or a loved one. And, while often times the hospital is a place where one can re-gain health or have a life saved,the sad truth is that an alarmingly high percentage of those questions involving a hospital's integrity, and potential for error, are warranted. Error does exist in hospitals and the damage can be extensive when it does occur. Therefore hospitals and medical centers must elevate their expectations for staff and focus on administrative procedures that ensure the care given to patients is not detrimental to their safety and well-being.

Hospitals are complex organizations that require structure and well-defined policies and procedures. Hundreds, if not thousands, of patients and family members attend these facilities daily; ranging from those experiencing extremely dangerous, life-threatening symptoms to those dealing with relatively minor irritations. Nonetheless, the hospital is required to keep a thorough record of each patient, diagnosing and treating their illness, and is responsible for relaying medical information properly to those involved in the patient's care. There are many areas where human errors can and do occur. Lets look at the three most prominent tools available to medical professionals, that when implemented and used properly, can eliminate some of these costly mistakes.

1. Health Information System (HIS):

A primary source of medical errors in the hospital setting is the improper use of and/or confusing Health Information Systems (i.e. computerized patient order & data entry programs). These extremely important systems allow the hospital to keep track of each client, prescription drug recommendations, clinical information, diagnosis(es), etc. The potential for error utilizing such systems are tremendous. Typically those who input data into the computer do not come into contact with the patient. If not identified, errors such as; typos, misinterpretation of terminology, or missed Ques can prove dangerous to the patient's future care and potential survivial. Implementing a powerful HIS and developing a standardized protocol with regards to its use can easily alleviate these errors and corporate hardships.

2. Clinical Decision Support:

An underutilized resource that can greatly reduce medical errors within a hospital setting is a clinical decision support system (CDSS). These programs are designed to assist physicians and other health care professionals by instantaneously reviewing the doctor's course of action and determining if there are any significant issues with regards to drug interactions or diagnostic imperfections. Other approaches include treatment order sets such as Zynx (www.zynx.com). The health care professional inputs information into the system; the program helps reduce the scope of potential error by matching evidence to the proposed treatment path and ruling out irrelevant or erroneous options. It remains the physician's prerogative as to proper course of action.

3. Virtual/Web-based Medical Simulation Technology:

According to a 1995, Studies at Massachusetts General and Brigham and Women's Hospitals,, 44% of all hospital1 related medical errors are due to a knowledge or skill deficit. This crisis calls for the need to find risk-free training methods that educate today's medical professional. Technology, no matter how sophisticated cannot replace a competent, knowledgeable, well trained physician. A knowledge deficit can be addressed through book-learning and lecture but a knowledge and skill deficit is better addressed through simulation. People learn best by doing. Mannequin-based and newer web-based, simulators such as [www.therasim.com] provide a simple and easy to impliment simulation training solution for teaching hospitals and medical schools. When utilized properly, doctors are more confident, more prepared, and better equipped to adequately diagnose and effectively treat their patients. At the end of the day, nothing replaces a knowledgeable and well-trained physician.

While there are many resources available to hospitals and medical professionals today, the three tools showcased here are key components to significantly reducing medical errors - creating an inviting and stress-free environment for patients.

How to Insure Your Medical Records Are Correct and Why You Should Care

Tracking your family's medical records is a primary factor involved with prevention of illness and effective handling of medical emergencies. A record of your family's medical history documents essential medical data such as your weight, height, cholesterol, blood pressure, and allergies to drugs for instance.

It also should include a personal history as well as a family history and contain health conditions and associated treatments, diseases that tend to run in your family as well as details on immunizations and allergies. In an emergency or trip to another state, this information could play a key role in the quality of care you receive.

It should be apparent to you exactly why such a record would certainly be vital if a health situation occurred. Having your medical information when you need it gives you added control over your physical health and could very well be critical in carrying out treatment decisions. Urgent conditions also require the ability to immediately have available information regarding matters such as prescription drugs, a person's blood type, and allergic reaction info.

You may be operating under the mistaken assumption that your health practitioner or medical center is keeping all your essential medical data in the event you need it, but unfortunately this is not always the situation. Less than half the states in the United States have laws ensuring the general public the right to their medical files. In addition countless people who have asked for and received copies of their medical records have discovered inaccuracies, errors, and issues.

Furthermore, medical records maintained by medical related practices are frequently incomplete. There are a number of life situations that could result in your medical records being incomplete. You may possibly move a number of times in your lifetime and switch medical professionals each time. Your assorted health professionals may not always keep one another abreast of your conditions and the associated treatment.

Many times, an effort to patch together a personal medical history turns into a useless exploration through previous bills and health insurance archives. All this info should have been gathered up before a health emergency.

Some of the medical information you may want to keep on your own include emergency numbers for the police and fire departments as well as doctors and poison control centers.

You will also want to keep a record of the diseases or conditions that have occurred in your family along with info such as blood pressure, cholesterol levels, blood types, and immunization records for instance.

You want to keep track of all your preventative screenings and a result of all those screenings as well as hospital and laboratory records. Also it is a good idea to allergies, along with symptoms, and treatments. If you are a woman, you want to make sure that you have access to all gynecological records.

Also include any prescription or over the counter medications you are currently taking.

Write to your medical practice and request a copy of your medical records. You will find that even though your state does not have a law guaranteeing you access, many will respond. You might even offer to pay for the costs of photocopying for instance. If you are refused access, demand that the practice put the denial in writing.

Keeping a good handle on your medical records is a good step towards insuring that you will receive the treatment that you need if the occasion ever arises.

Finding Medical Answers Online

Purpose of this article

This article will discuss some different methods to ask health questions for free, find medical answers, and find support for medical conditions on the internet. The article will also touch on what areas to avoid in your search.

Why the public is reading about health on the internet

As the internet has grown, so has the desire to connect with others and discuss experiences. This provides an opportunity to talk in a public forum about conditions, symptoms, or even a diagnosis in real time across the world. Patients who have a rare disease may be able to connect with others with the same diagnosis, those with medical problems that they might find embarrassing have a means to communicate anonymously, and information that might not be appropriate in medical texts (like one patient's experience with a certain drug) are freely available. Even those who have mobility issues can research their ailment in the comfort of their own home.

The internet is not always the most accurate resource for medical information

When looking for an outlet to ask your health question, consider the following:

· Always start with your doctor. If you have a severe, urgent, or really concerning issue it's critical you make an appointment with your physician first.

· The information given by others on the internet isn't always accurate. You may have information presented to you as fact without any evidence to back it up.

· Be careful not to reveal personally identifying information about yourself or your physician. Avoid using addresses and phone numbers.

Where to ask health questions

There are many websites that offer users the ability to ask health questions for free. Some general rules to help you find the best advice include:

· Avoid sites that request payment in return for information.

· Avoid any website that wants more personal information than you're comfortable giving.

· Be skeptical of websites that promise answers to all of your questions from "real doctors". Although qualified physicians might answer some of the health questions on the internet, it's unlikely that all of the websites that promise this are legit. Take some time to research the source.

· Look for services that allow for interaction between members. This is a great way to find support and create community. Websites like WebMD forums, patientslikeme, and wellharbor.com allow direct interaction with others and provide a way to ask health questions for free.

· Participate! Take a few moments to answer questions instead of just asking.

Finding medical answers online

Consider some alternatives to the norm when you're looking for medical answers online. Many of the top sites contain very general information about a particular condition, and the content may be similar or even identical. Consider some alternative sources for finding answers:

· Google Books can be an excellent resource for finding more detailed and unique content (though some might be dated or limited to snippets).

· Search for symptoms and experiences using quoted text to get more specific information. For example, a search for "Shingles" might bring less descriptive results than "I had shingles".

Conclusion

There are countless resources on the internet, but not all are created equal. Remember that it's critically important that you speak with your doctor first, and not everything you read is true. Also, please consider participating in websites to share your experiences and information - the more information we have available to us, the more we advance our understanding.

HIPPA Disclosure Documents Can Save Your Family in a Medical Emergency

Are you aware of the medical privacy laws?

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) Privacy Rule, the Privacy Rule, a Federal law, gives you rights over your health information and sets rules and limits on who can look at and receive your health information. These laws definitely protect your privacy, but they can as well keep your family from getting medical information on you in the event of an emergency. Even a spouse or eighteen year old child, without proper paperwork in place can leave you in the dark as far as their medical condition.

An example of a situation would be a spouse traveling on business to another city in the state, with a three hour drive from your home. He gets in an auto accident on the way home and is transported unconscious to the nearest hospital and is being attended by the best medical personal.

You are notified by the police that your spouse has been taken to their local hospital. You are very upset and want to know your spouse's condition; you call the hospital to ask what is happening to him. The nurse in the hospital cannot release any medical information to you unless you have a HIPAA disclosure document executed by your spouse allowing you to know his medical information.

Now you are very nervous and you do not know anything about your spouse's condition. You decide to drive to the hospital, a three hour drive, and the entire drive you do not know anything that is going on. Fortunately, when you get to the hospital your spouse is out of surgery and conscience. You spouse can now authorize you with the doctors to allow you to know their medical situation.

HIPAA protection protects everyone over the age 18 (your son or daughter even while in college) from disclosing your medical information. Please consider getting the appropriate paperwork in place before you your family members have a condition that can because you stress during medical emergencies. Get a HIPAA disclosure document executed on each family member at minimum if they want to have you know about their medical condition.

For a more complete protection there are three documents that can be easily executed for each family member that can properly protect your family for most common situations.

1. HIPAA Disclosure Document - Specifies who can be disclosed your medical information.
2. Medical Power of Attorney - Specifies who can make medical decisions on your behalf.
3. Living Will - Specifies your wishes regarding prolonging life medical treatments

The safe way to generate these three documents is work with your family lawyer to have them drawn up properly for your state. Please keep an electronic copy of the executed document in your email to ensure that you can get access to it when you need it or are not prepared to use it.

Avoid undue stress during an emergency, make sure you understand the HIPAA laws and prepare your family to work with the laws by having your documents in place.

The Medical Information Age - Talking To Your Doctor About The Latest Medical Advances

These days we're living in what is being called the "information age." People are booking their own flights from home and downloading music and video from all over the world.

Well, the "information age" applies to the world of medicine too. Cutting-edge medical information, if you know how to search for it, is now only a click away as you sit in front of your computer.

But, medicine is an intimidating arena and the stakes are incredibly high. Plus, the relationship between patient and doctor has traditionally been based on a high degree of trust.

What I'm saying is that I think that it's uncomfortable for most people to aggressively question their doctors. Because of this discomfort, patients may not feel as inclined to do their own research. They fear that they might upset their doctor if they walk into the medical office with research they've done themselves.

But, in my opinion, this unprecedented access to medical information will ultimately lead to revolutionary changes in the way patients and doctors interact.

I learned first-hand a few short years ago that researching an illness on the internet can be a daunting task.

A close family friend was diagnosed with breast cancer and asked me to do some research. Even though I was an emergency physician at a university hospital, I quickly learned that using the internet to get the most current information on published studies, new treatments, and clinical trials was not as easy a task as I had thought.

Ultimately I figured out how to navigate the "medical internet jungle". I found the information I needed and learned a lot along the way.

If you plan to research cutting-edge medical information on the internet, you'll need to find your own smart way.

In the end, after gathering all the information, you'll become an informed patient.

And There Are Lots Of Benefits In Being An Informed Patient

Some of the benefits are obvious. Like making sure that your doctor is aware of all potential cutting-edge treatments and available clinical trials. You need to know that "no stone has been left unturned" in the search for your best treatment option.

Knowing that you're receiving state-of-the-art care should be an enormous comfort to you.

But there are other benefits as well.

An informed and involved patient becomes a partner in his or her health care.

Too often a lack of real understanding leads patients to stop, skip, or otherwise not fully comply with their treatment. But, an informed and involved patient is much more likely to follow through with all the aspects of a treatment regimen.

In the end, it just makes good sense to be as informed as possible.

There's A Critical Second Part Of The Process

This second part involves talking to your doctors about the cutting-edge treatment options you've discovered in your research.

This is the part of the process that I believe frightens patients the most. Let me restate here what I believe will take place in the interactions between doctors and patients.

Just as patients will get more and more used to questioning their doctors in the next few years, doctors will get more and more used to being questioned by their patients.

Patients Can Now Access The Latest Medical Information.
When Their Lives Are At Stake, They're Going To Do The Research.

In the final analysis, doctors want to help their patients. And, as patients become more and more informed, doctors and patients will become accustomed to having educated, thoughtful conversations on the medical literature and what the best treatment options might be.

This doesn't mean however that there will be never be a conflict between what the patient wants and what the doctor is recommending.

For example, there might be a new surgical procedure which is being used in the treatment of certain cancers. There may be recent published studies suggesting that the new procedure might result in fewer side effects or a quicker recovery time while having the same cure rate.

But, it's possible that this procedure is only being done by a few surgeons in your area as it's new and takes some specialized training.

You might discuss this with your doctor who admits that he or she does not perform the new procedure.

At that point, you may have to make a decision about whether or not investigating the new procedure is really worthwhile.

The most common sense approach to this dilemma would be to consult with a physician specializing in the new procedure as well.

Imagine That You're An Investigative Detective

Ask straightforward but tough questions to all your doctors including questions about their results, their experience level, side effects of any proposed treatments, and the published data.

You may want to ask if you may speak to other patients that have already undergone treatment by these doctors. If you are able to do this, ask these patients how they decided on a particular treatment or even a particular doctor. Ask them how they're doing.

Continue investigating until you feel you have all the information you need to make your decision.

Many pieces of information may come up in your research. For example, there might be certain technological advances being used in certain centers which help in the accurate staging and planning of treatment. Maybe the center that you're being treated at doesn't offer these services and your research has led you to believe that there is benefit to them.

Again, you may have to make a decision about where you want to be treated.

Or, your doctor may recommend a treatment regimen to you and not mention that there are clinical trials which may be available. Or, he or she might recommend a certain clinical trial without mentioning that there are other clinical trials taking place at other medical centers.

As you do your own research, you need to be very aware that the cutting-edge treatments may not be offered everywhere.
Frank discussions with your doctors may be unavoidable. But, it's very important for you to remember that you're dealing with a serious illness and the most important thing is that you get the best possible care.

Don't Allow Your Fear Of Creating Conflict With Your Doctor Stop You From Aggressively Pursuing The Best Possible Care.

The conversations you'll have with your doctors will ultimately become quite different. Being aware of all the options allows you, if you choose, to take more responsibility for the decisions that have to be made.

Ultimately, in today's rapidly changing universe, patients are taking on more of the responsibility for making treatment decisions.

Your Emergency Medical ID Information Could Save Your Life Someday

The Dire Medical Emergency Problem

Did you know that millions of personal medical emergencies occur each year in the United States? Those could be vehicle accidents, household accidents, heart attacks, strokes, cuts, broken bones or a myriad of other situations.

Did you know that each year in approximately 2 million of those many millions of emergencies, a patient is seriously harmed or injured due to adverse reactions to treatment by paramedics and other medical professional?

Did you know that in the USA alone, on average, about 11,400 individuals per month actually die because paramedic and doctors did not have the critical personal medical information readily available to guide them in their treatment?

The Ultimate Life-Saver Solution

The real solution to assist medical professional to help save over 130,000 lives each in a medical emergency is for every adult to carry a comprehensive medical information card or medical I.D. Card.

Some people wear a medical I.D. Bracelet. That is fine to disclose one or two major maladies, but it is not nearly comprehensive enough.

Some people carry a digital USB memory device with their medical information, but that requires that paramedics carry a computer with completely compatible software, which is something they cannot universally do. And computerized devices take way too much time to figure out and read at a time when every minute and every second counts in saving a life.

A simple to read, yet comprehensive hard copy written medical I.D. card and form is what paramedics actually prefer in an emergency. They will find it when they quickly look for a person's identification, driver's license and medical information. They will then be able to glance at it within a matter of seconds and discover personal medical information critical to their treatment. A card like this can help save many lives.

In America, over 150 million individuals are now over 50 years of age, and many have allergies, medical problems, health issues, injuries, implants or are taking prescription drugs. Paramedics and doctors need to know about all these in emergency situations when time is of the essence.

Over 300 million American's drive a car. Every driver is at risk of having an accident, and it would behoove them to carry a card with their blood type, medical information, living will and organ donor status.

A concise yet comprehensive medical I.D. card to be carried at all times is the best solution to minimize medical risk in an emergency situation, to reduce the chances for further complications and to help save lives.

What's in Your Medical Records?

What's in your medical records? Do you know? The answer to this simple question can have a significant impact on what insurance companies, like ICBC, are prepared to offer you in the settlement of your accident case or why you might be denied coverage under your long term disability policy or worker's compensation claim. As a result, it's important in an injury or disability claim for you to know what is contained in your medical records and where possible, to exercise some control over what parts of your medical records get disclosed.

If you are injured in a car accident, one of the first things ICBC will ask you to do, along with providing a statement of the accident, is to sign an authorization form that will allow your doctor(s) to disclose your medical history, from both before and after the car accident (relevant or not) to ICBC without the opportunity for you or anyone else to review the records before they are seen by ICBC. This practice is problematic because the information contained in your medical records may be inaccurate, incomplete, or may contain confidential, sensitive or irrelevant information that should not be disclosed to ICBC. Unfortunately, most people sign these authorization forms without reading them or giving any consideration to what they are signing.

Physicians are required to keep detailed and complete records for every patient they see. In accordance with the applicable legislation, case law and direction from the BC College of Physicians and Surgeons, medical records should contain: details of the presenting complaint (why you're there), source of the information, the physician's enquiry including history of the complaint and functional enquiry, physical findings, diagnostic speculations or conclusions, recommended procedures or treatments, prescribed medications, information given to the patient, patient follow-up requirements and correspondence or findings from other physicians or caregivers.

It is because of the physicians' obligations that there may be information contained in your medical records that you are not aware of or have forgotten about and should not be provided to a third party. The kind of information that personal injury clients often don't realize, or have forgotten about that is contained in their medical records includes issues like: erectile dysfunction, gynecological problems, references to multiple partners, diagnoses of sexually transmitted diseases, sexual orientation, alcohol or drug addiction, illegal drug use, criminal background, sexual or physical abuse, embarrassing urinary or bowel problems, abortions, cosmetic surgery (such as breast augmentation), problems at work, family issues, financial stress, psychological illness, and family history, just to name a few. While the issues just referenced may be relevant to your personal injury claim, quite often they're not and therefore do not need to be disclosed to the insurance company.

Determining what information is relevant in medical records can be a difficult task, even for lawyers. However, the test for what is relevant is about to change on July 1, 2010 as the new Rules of Court in British Columbia come into force. At that time, medical records will be considered relevant where they could be used by any party at trial to prove or disprove a material fact, as well as all other documents that you intend to refer to at trial. What is a "material fact" will depend on the circumstances of each case.

If you want to settle your personal injury claim you will not be able to resist providing the insurance company with copies of your medical information, but that does not mean they are entitled to all of your medical records. In order to address some of the issues that can arise, the best approach is to refuse to sign any authorizations allowing the insurer to have complete and direct access to your medical records. Instead, it is preferable to retain a lawyer, have your lawyer request your medical records, the lawyer will then review the records for relevance in relation to your claim, discuss any areas of concern or those that may require further explanation and then provide only the relevant information to the insurance company.

If you do not wish to retain a lawyer, you should at least review your medical records before agreeing to provide a copy to the insurer and you may want to limit the time frame and health care providers for whom you are willing to authorize disclosure. If you have already signed authorizations forms allowing disclosure of your medical records directly to an insurance company, you may want to consider revoking those authorizations, which is commonly done by most, if not all plaintiff lawyers shortly after they have been retained.

Medical Emergency - Critical Information Via SMS

We all dread the day that we may land in a helpless situation. Envisage a medical emergency subscription service that allows members to record and maintain their critical medical information on a secure central database for retrieval, via SMS, on any mobile phone in the event of a medical emergency.

What would the building blocks of such a service be?
- The service would be developed in conjunction with the relevant local government EMS (Emergency Medical Services) department

- The service would be based on modern telecommunications technology and not be reliant upon fashion identification items or costly and unreliable call centres

- The service would eliminate the need for paper based contracts as the agreement would be underwritten by the terms and conditions of the mobile phone contract

- There would be no need for financial assurances as membership fees would be billed directly against the member's existing mobile phone account

- The member would have full control over, and responsibility for, the privacy and ownership of the recorded information

- Retrieval of data would be fast and accurate

- Human error would be largely eliminated

- The attending medic would merely submit a request via SMS in order to retrieve the relevant information

What information would one expect from such a service?
- The attending medic would to be provided with all the relevant information required in order to treat the patient effectively

- Medical scheme details would be provided in order to ensure appropriate hospitalization and treatment

- The name of the member's GP and contact details would be provided should further medical information be required about the patient

- The member's next of kin contact details would be provided if needed - no automated alerts!

- Medical conditions such as high blood pressure or pregnancy would be provided

- Medication relating to medical conditions would be listed

- Allergies such as penicillin or bee stings would be listed

- The existence of a living will would be listed

- The existence of an organ donor undertaking would be listed

What is the reality?
In the absence of such a service, mistakes are made daily due to the lack of accurate information. As a result, patients land up in the wrong ambulance, in the wrong hospital, receive inferior treatment or, at worst, lose their lives.

Insurance companies and medical aid societies pay the price for mistakes made under these circumstances, which ultimately leads to higher medical aid membership fees.

Where is Your Health Information? Not Knowing Could Kill You!

Do you have a family doctor? How long have you been his/her patient? Do even they have a complete and comprehensive picture of your medical history going all the way back to birth? Not many do these days. Family doctors are hard to find and the result is that there isn't really anyone at the helm of your healthcare. There isn't that consistency that existed in the days of housecalls.

Of course, the day of the housecall has long since seen sunset, but if you're not under the care of a G.P. (general practitioner), then who is making sure you get your annual physical? Who is plotting and planning to get those middle age tests looked after? And, who has ALL of your medical records.

These days, we are all in a hurry and in a society of global mobility, our records are being scattered hither and yon! The walk-in clinic you visited last week has a record of your prescription for that nasty chest cough. And the emergency room that you took your son to after that little soccer incident has the x-ray of his sprained ankle. But does anyone, anywhere have a record of everything ... every treatment that has been undertaken ... every medication ...

In all, one million adults and 130,000 children in Ontario alone don't have a family doctor. The OMA says the province needs 1,000 general practitioners now. (Hamilton Spectator Nov. 26, 2007) (This number grows exponentially when you look across North America ... to a whopping 9.8 million!! - US Govt. Committee on Healthcare, Statistics -June, 2007). Government has, over the past few years, introduced a number of programs to provide more medical care especially to rural settings, but is it enough?

There's too much room for error with numbers like this staring healthcare in the face ... medical error that is! And medical errors cost money and lives!! People's lives are permanently changed or even ended unnecessarily every day across North America due to the lack of essential information needed for doctors to make informed decisions about our care. The time for change is NOW!

But who needs to make the change exactly? Governments across North America and worldwide are recognizing the need and making funds available to improve communication capabilities in the medical industry. Medical practitionners have long-since noted a gap in the flow of information between facilities, private practices and healthcare providers of all sorts. All of these groups are thoughtfully and positively working toward change, but I would suggest that it is not their sole responsibility.

In fact, I would argue that responsibility is just as much that of the individual as it is their doctors' and governments'.

So today's order of business ... where is your personal health information right now ... right this minute? Do you have it neatly organized and typed on your computer or does only your doctor or medical practitioner know for sure? Maybe there's a trail of prescriptions dating back to 1985 somewhere in your medicine cabinet?

Here's the rub folks ... you never know when you might need to know about yours or your family's medical infomation! What if you're on vacation thousands of miles from your doctor's office or what if they're just not available at the time? You just never know when your health information will be needed to help you or someone you love in a crisis?

Medical information technology is forefront in the new US administration's mandate and your information is in their sights. Canada is working hard to implement a system for health communication as well. But their systems are still years away. What are you going to do in the meantime?

It's up to you to take control! Do it! You have both the right and the responsibility to make sure that your health information is accurate, complete and current.

Bottom line ... something is always better than nothing. Even if you just take a few minutes to write down life threatening conditions, a little of your medical history and what medications you take regularly, it's better than leaving things to chance. Emergency contact information is also important in any personal health record so that healthcare providers can get in touch with someone who knows and cares about you. Keep your notes in your wallet and give a copy to someone who cares about you.

Your Medical Records - Are They Really Private

The question in the title seems to beg a yes answer. However, truth is, there are two answers with the real one a shocker. At least it was to me.

The “begged” answer is of course yes. It would be yes if you never let anyone have information about your health and medical condition(s). But, in the real world, this is impossible.

The real answer, unfortunately, is NO. And to add insult to injury, it is real in more ways than one as you are about to learn.

As I dug into the research material for this article, my eyes popped out and my jaw dropped open. The number of eyes that could potentially see your complete medical history (read complete record) is staggering.

The line starts at the government and runs the gamut to bill collectors. Yes, you read that right, bill collectors.

Here, with a brief explanation of each, is a list of “eyes” that could see your medical records. I’d bet many of them already have.

1. The most obvious is your doctor, doctor’s nurse and office staff. Most people’s medical records are on kept at the doctor’s office.

2. Hospital – If you have ever been hospitalized, you have a set of records at the hospital.

3. Insurance Companies – If you have ever applied for health, life or disability insurance, those companies have access to your records no matter where kept.

4. The Medical Information Bureau (MIB) – Most people have never heard of this non-profit membership organization. However, it is the largest repository of health records in the free world. Located in Essex, MA, its membership is about 750 U.S. and Canadian Insurance Companies. MIB does not have the same copies as your doctor. Rather they codify you according to certain health conditions. You can get a free copy of your record by visiting their website: http://www.mib.com/html/request_your_record.html In the alternative you can call, 1-866-692-6901 or for the hearing impaired, 1-866-346-3642. By the way, MIB is subject to the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA). This is important to know.

5. Government agencies such as Social Security, Veteran’s Administration, MediCal, Workers Compensation, Medicare, etc.

6. Medical Collection Agencies – Pay attention because these agencies may have in-depth medical information in their data bases. If this one doesn’t set your hair on fire, you don’t have a pulse.

7. Your employer may have asked you to authorize them accessing your medical records. The potential employer has the right to ask for medical information as part of an employment background check. The employer faces certain restrictions but not many if you authorize the access.

8. Believe it or not, your medical records may be subpoenaed for a court case if you are involved in litigation. Those relevant parts of your record may be copied and introduced in court. Unless sealed, court documents are public records. This is one way unscrupulous people discover social security numbers.

9. Health research – Sometimes your medical record is used for health research and when it is, it may be disclosed to health agencies such as the Centers for Disease Control. Most of the time your name is not part of the record but, nonetheless, it is YOUR record.

10. Licensure and accreditation of hospitals or physicians by certain boards or agencies. Again, your identity may or may not be part of the records evaluated. But, one more time, it is YOUR record.

11. Direct marketers may receive your health information if you participate in informal health screenings like cholesterol tests, blood pressure, and other type of “free” medical screenings you may have seen conducted in your local mall.

12. Health related web sites, Usenet news groups and chat rooms may contain your medical information. Granted, you have to share it but once put on the Internet, it has a magical way of propagating throughout the universe.

13. Survey companies not only use the Internet but mail and the phone to conduct medical question surveys. Many of them are very detailed. If you share your information, it is out there for whomever to use.

14. Tenant screening services screen prospective tenants for property managers. Their checks are extremely extensive. Although health records are not on the list, there is no specific law prohibiting a property manager from asking for this information in addition to everything else.

Note: I have set up a special page dealing with health and credit resources at:
http://www.senior2senior.org/healthandcreditresources.html
As I locate to-the-point resources and websites, I will put them on this page.

You do have sort of a guardian angel to help you if you are having problems in regard to your health records. I say sort of because if you become involved in litigation over your medical records, this source cannot represent you in court.

Each state has an Insurance Commissioner. He’s your “big brother” in a good sense. The National Association of Insurance Commissioners has a website, [http://www.naic.org/state_contacts/sid_websites.htm] that talks about the privacy laws in your state. Visit their site.

Unfortunately, this arena is still like the Wild West in terms of legislation and privacy protection and the fact it is getting better is of little comfort to anyone whose privacy has been violated.

If you don’t like the medical scenario as it exists, you just might wish to chat with your government representative, state and federal, and tell him/her to take a close look at reform in this area.

And, because you have read this article, you are better armed than 95% of the American population. You now can begin taking steps to protect your medical privacy.

7 Steps For Employers to Comply With the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act ("Gina")

Is Your Company Prepared? New Discrimination Provisions Become Effective November 21, 2009 and Impact Employer Posting Obligations, Company Policies, Medical Exams, Training and Record-Keeping Practices

Covered Employers Must Post New EEOC Poster and Must Familiarize Themselves and Their Managers with the Provisions (and Implications) of the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2008 ("GINA") Which Becomes Effective November 21, 2009

In late October 2009, the United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission ("EEOC") released its revised poster for use by employers covered by federal civil rights and anti-discrimination laws: "Equal Employment Opportunity is the Law". The new version of this poster reflects the requirements of the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2008 ("GINA"), which takes effect on November 21, 2009, as well as the changes made by the recent amendments to the Americans with Disabilities Act ("ADAAA"), which took effect on January 1, 2009. The revisions to the EEOC poster include information regarding GINA's ban on employment discrimination based on an individual's genetic information as well as updates that broaden the definition of "disability" under the ADAAA.

This EEOC posting change is mandatory for all covered employers and the new poster should replace any older versions presently posted in your workplace. Failure to properly post this new notice exposes employers to penalties, could result in a court extending the applicable statute of limitations for filing discrimination complaints and could potentially impact employer liability. The new law - GINA - takes effect November 21, 2009. As a practical matter, while GINA itself only applies to employers with 15 or more employees, the "Equal Employment Opportunity is the Law" poster covers various federal civil rights and anti-discrimination laws, including the Equal Pay Act of 1963 ("EPA") which applies to employers with one or more employees. Accordingly, all employers should post the "Equal Employment Opportunity is the Law" poster in their workplace. (To obtain copies of this poster for download in English, Spanish, Arabic or Chinese, please go to the EEOC website.)

Fast Facts About GINA

GINA has two very distinct titles to the legislation. Title I of GINA addresses the use of genetic information by health insurers and health insurance plans in connection with issues of eligibility, premium and other pricing determinations, and exclusions from coverage. On the other hand, Title II directly impacts employers by prohibiting covered employers from:

· Requesting, requiring or otherwise acquiring genetic information from applicants, employees and former employees (with limited exceptions);

· Using genetic information in making decisions related to any terms, conditions, or privileges of employment; and

· Retaliating against employees for opposing or complaining about unlawful employment practices and/or filing a claim pursuant to GINA.

In addition, Title II of GINA requires that employers maintain confidentiality with respect to genetic information (with limited exceptions).

GINA defines genetic information to include information about an individual's genetic tests, genetic tests of a family member, and family medical history. In addition, GINA presently also defines genetic information to include information about "the manifestation of disease or disorder in family members of the individual." This significantly expands the scope of medical information that will meet GINA's definition of genetic information. For example, if an employer learns that a particular form of cancer runs in an employee's family, that information may trigger GINA's protections against employment discrimination - even if there is no information disclosed about the actual employee's genetic makeup - because oftentimes cancer is believed to have a genetic basis. Accordingly, as more and more diseases are determined to have a genetic basis, the greater the amount of medical information will meet GINA's definition of genetic information.

Exceptions to GINA's Prohibitions Against Acquiring Employee Genetic Information

Among the exceptions to the prohibition against acquiring an employee's genetic information include when an employer inadvertently receives otherwise prohibited genetic information during casual conversations with employees, overhears conversations between coworkers, or receives unsolicited e-mail that includes genetic information. Another exception applies in the event an employer receives such information either as part of the "interactive process" following a disabled employee's request for reasonable accommodation or in connection with documentation submitted in support of a leave of absence pursuant to the federal Family and Medical Leave Act or other similar state law. Genetic information that is acquired from newspapers, magazines, electronic media and other sources of commercially and publicly available information also is deemed to be an inadvertent disclosure.

However, in any case where an employer inadvertently receives genetic information, employers must keep the information strictly confidential and, if in writing, must still maintain such information - like all medical information - in a confidential medical file which is separate from other personnel information and which is properly secured by restricted access. In addition to the other exceptions, GINA does allow employers to offer health or genetic services, provided that they are part of a voluntary wellness program. Finally, in addition to a few other narrow exceptions, it is also not the intent of GINA to interfere with or apply to uses and disclosures of protected health information ("PHI") governed by regulations under Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). If an employer (e.g., a hospital) is subject to the HIPAA privacy rule, it must continue to follow the HIPAA privacy rule requirements and not the requirements under GINA for genetic information that is also PHI.

New Limitations on Employers' Post-Offer Medical/Physical Examinations

Notwithstanding the limited exceptions noted above, employers must remember that, although current state and federal disability discrimination laws generally permit covered employers to obtain family medical history or conduct genetic tests of job applications once an offer of employment has been made - provided the information sought is job related and is requested for all entering employees in the same job category - such action will be prohibited upon the effective date of GINA. This is because GINA does not contain an exception allowing employers to obtain genetic information in cases where the employer has a legitimate reason to make employment-related decisions based on "protected" information (e.g., genetic information might arguably be relevant to determining whether an individual is able to perform the essential functions of his/her position and, in particular, in a manner which will not endanger the health and safety of either the individual or others.)

While the prohibition against conducting genetic tests on job applicants might seem obvious given the stated purpose of GINA, the rationale for prohibiting inquiries about an individual's family medical history in connection with a medical examination might seem less obvious. However, because genetic information has been broadly defined to include information about "the manifestation of disease or disorder in family members of the individual", asking about an individual's family medical history poses a significant risk that the employer will receive information about a family history of a genetically-based disease.

Conclusion: What Is the "Take Away" for Employers?

If your Company has not already done so, you should immediately do the following not only to ensure compliance with GINA and related obligations but also to minimize risks associated with employee "self-disclosure" and other inadvertent disclosures of genetic information:

1. Posting: Post the new "Equal Employment Opportunity is the Law" in all Company facilities.

2. Employee Handbooks: Review your Company's policies relating both to equal employment opportunity as well as to discrimination, harassment and retaliation. If necessary, revise these policies to state that your Company does not tolerate discrimination on the basis of one's genetic information.

3. Record-Keeping: Review your Company's record-keeping procedures, and make sure that any and all genetic or other medical information is maintained in a confidential medical file which is: a) separate from an employee's other personnel information; and b) properly secured (preferably under lock/key) in such a way to restrict access.

4. Employment-Related Forms: Review the employment forms used by your Company - particularly as it relates to leaves of absence, work and non-work related injuries and illnesses - to ensure they do not request genetic information and to limit the risks of employee "self-disclosure".

5. Medical/Physical Examinations: Ensure that if your Company requires applicants or employees to submit to medical/physical examinations, those examinations not only are job related and requested for all entering employees in the same job category but also refrain from inquiring about one's family medical history or requiring individuals to undergo genetic testing (except for employers engaging in DNA testing for law enforcement purposes).

6. Wellness Programs: Review any wellness programs to ensure they comply with GINA.

7. Training: Provide training to both management and non-management employees not only about GINA's prohibitions and related provisions but also about any changes to Company policies, forms, practices or procedures due to GINA. Management employees in particular should be trained about how to limit the risk of employee "self-disclosure" and to address and respond to inadvertent disclosures of genetic information in order to minimize your Company's legal exposure.

Stefan R. Miller is a California employment law attorney and founder and principal of The Employers Law Group.

• We counsel businesses on all aspects of employment law & human resource (HR) issues
• We focus on compliance, prevention & litigation avoidance
• We work closely with employers to identify areas of risk and implement preventive best practices to minimize legal exposure
• We conduct independent workplace investigations of allegations of harassment, discrimination, retaliation and other alleged workplace misconduct
• We conduct management and employee training workshops on a variety of employment law and HR-related issues

Medical Records and Emergency Information - Keeping Them Up to Date

Who needs to keep their information available and updated?

Actually, all of us should but very few do. However for those at risk, such as seniors, people with chronic illness, serious allergies or medication complications, special needs children and anyone traveling away from home it is something that should not be overlooked. Children should also have the proper medical information on them at all times if they have a medical condition or serious allergy.

"In a medical emergency, you might be unconscious or unable to speak for yourself," said Alfred Sacchetti, MD, of the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP). "That's why it's so important to make sure that medical personnel have access to your medical history, as well as relevant contact information. For example, knowing what medications you are taking could prevent severe drug interactions, and knowing what allergies you have could prevent serious reactions."

Millions of Americans have medical conditions which should be immediately known to Emergency Personnel.
Diabetes (over 13 million), diagnosed heart disease (23 million), alzheimers, transplant surgery, patient's currently on blood thinners such as Coumadin, epilepsy, asthma, severe allergies, cancer patients and medication allergies such as penicillin and other antibiotics are all conditions that should be brought to the attention of emergency personnel. Additionally, many of us are reasonably health but getting older (36 million people age 65 and over) and our list of medications continue to grow with the years. With over 110 million emergency room visits a year, your emergency information may actually be the most important information of your life.

What information should be maintained?
Here are just some of the things recommended by Edward Stettner, MD, Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine, Emory University Atlanta, GA and other healthcare professionals.

Medical history - Chronic medical conditions

Medications - Including over-the-counter

Allergies - Medications and foods

Surgical history - Include the date, hospital and surgeon

Private physician - Include primary care as well as specialists

Emergency contacts - Multiple contacts with alternate numbers

Miscellaneous - Include advance directives, specific dietary needs, or any other important information.

How can you keep your information available and up to date?
Today you have many options that allow you to have your emergency information available. Which one you choose should be based on your personal needs and risk factors. The "Vial of Life" program is a free program designed for seniors and individuals with serious medical conditions. It provides medical information to emergency personnel who respond to and treat home emergencies. The "Vial of Life" contains much of the medical information needed by emergency personnel, such as existing medical conditions, allergies, medication currently being taken, and emergency contact information. Medical history and emergency information forms are also available on-line from the Mayo Clinic and the American Medical Association. The American Academy of Pediatrics and the American College of Emergency Physicians have also created an Emergency Information Form (EIF) for parents of children with special health care needs.

There are also a number of monitoring services available that will maintain your information for you and provide in home alert devices that will dispatch emergency services if the need arises. These are all good solutions for the home but do not provide coverage when you are away from the house.

As a minimum, anyone with an existing medical condition or that has special emergency needs should wear some type of medical ID to alert medics to their situation.

So how do you carry all that information around with you?
Digital technology allows a very large amount of information to be stored on surprisingly small devices. One company, MedicTag LLC, has adapted this technology to produce an emergency information device that fits on a keyring. The device is simple to use and works with your desktop or laptop computer. You can fill out the information form and make changes whenever necessary, always keeping your emergency information up to date. Emergency responders on site with a laptop or at the emergency room can have instant access to your vital information, even if you are unconscious, allowing them to diagnose and properly treat you with as little delay as possible.

Do you need to have your emergency information available?
For most of us the answer is probably yes. If not you, how about a child, parent or other loved one in your family? Considering the possible life saving benefits, it is something that we should seriously consider, for safety and security that affects the whole family.

Antiplatelet Medication Information For Heart Patients

Blood Clotting Process

Blood clotting is essential natural process for healing wounds. Unless blood clotting occurs a person would bleed to death. In that sense blood clotting is a life saving action. Same process poses threat to life when it occurs in blood vessels such as arteries and capillaries. Blood clots in arteries prevent blood flow which may result in strokes, heart attack and heart failure.

Introduction: Plavix falls under Anti-platelet Medicine. A platelet is a part of blood cell that helps clotting of blood from wounds or cuts etc. Plavix helps keeping platelets away from forming clots by sticking together thus results in smooth blood flow. Blood Clots can otherwise result in fatal consequences like strokes and heart attacks. Composition: It contains clopidogrel bisulfate. Each 75mg tablet contains clopidogrel as with hydrogen sulphate. It is Biconvex round Tablet with Pink color. It is an Oral drug.

Overview: Plavix i.e. Clopidogrel Bisulfate helps keeping away unwanted blood clot which can happen in some blood vessel or stroke or heart attack condition. Doctors have been using it to prevent and cure blood clots after strokes and other disorder in blood vessels. It makes possible easy blood flow hence lowers the risk of heart attacks or strokes.

Working Mechanism: Plavix i.e. Clopidogrel is pro drug, it inhibits platelet function and helps to reduce blood clotting in cases where people suffer with long term blood clot issues in various disease like cardiovascular, unstable angina, myocardial infractions. It also helps where angioplasty or by pass is needed. It makes the platelets well lubricated thus discourages any type of clotting. It helps constant and improved blood flow in body especially heart and brain.

Precautions: It is important to note that as Plavix keeps blood from unwanted clotting it may result in external as well as internal bleeding. You may encounter excess bleeding for simple cut or injury. Stomach or intestine bleeding can also happen. It is very important to inform the doctor if you carry any allergy with Clopidogrel Bisulfate. Also keep your doctor informed about following this such as disorder related to blood clotting such as Hemophilia, any previous heart attack, Liver diseases, stomach infection, ulcers or any Kidney related disorder.

Side Effects: Plavix could result in many side effects. Following are list of few symptoms. chest pain, nausea, Bloody stools; nosebleed, or any unstoppable bleeding, coughing with blood or vomit like grounds of coffee, weakness, headache, vision, and speech related problem, change in skin color, abnormal urinating cycle.

There could be some minor side effects like Dizziness, Running Nose, stomach pain, sore throat etc. Get immediate medical if you encounter following serious allergic variations such as difficulty breathing; swelling of body parts.

Dosages: always remember to take Plavix as prescribed by the doctor. It can be taken both without and with food. As recommended by physician Clopidogrel is given as single dose of 75 mg. 300 mg clopidogrel tablet is intended acute coronary syndrome:

Conclusion: It is highly advisable to consult doctors for consuming Aspirin or any anti -Inflammatory or Non-steroidal medicine such as Ibuprofen, Diclofenac, mefenamic etc. before starting Plavix inform doctors if you are taking any of these medicines tamoxifen, torsemide, and warfarin etc.

HIPAA Provides Medical Information Protection by Federal Law Mandate - Your Rights and Remedies

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) provides rights and protections for participants and beneficiaries of group health plans. The Privacy Rule, a federal law, grants health consumers rights over their information and promulgates rules and limitations on who can look at and receive personal health information. The Privacy Rule applies to all forms of individuals' protected health information, whether electronic, written, or oral.

The Security Rule, a Federal law that protects electronic health information, requires HIPAA-covered entities to ensure that electronic protected health information is secure.

Additionally, HIPAA includes protections limiting exclusions for preexisting conditions; prohibits discrimination against employees and dependents based on health status; and allows an opportunity to enroll in a new plan to individuals in certain circumstances. HIPAA may also grant a right to purchase individual coverage if no group health plan coverage is available, and for those who may have exhausted COBRA or other continuation coverage.

The following are some of your rights under HIPAA:

* You have the right to receive a copy of your health records
* You can ask to see and receive a copy of your medical records and other related health information. In most cases, copies must be provided within 30 days of being requested, though there may be a fee associated with the cost of copying and mailing.
* You can ask to have corrections added to your health information
* You can ask that any misinformation in your file be corrected, or you may request to add information to an incomplete file. For example, if you and your hospital agree that your file has the wrong result for a test, the hospital must change it. Even if the hospital believes the test result is correct, you still have the right to note your disagreement in your file. In most cases the file should be changed within 60 days of the request to amend or change.
* You can receive a notice that tells you how your health information is used and shared
* You have the right to know how your health information is being used and shared. Your provider or insurer must give you a notice that tells you exactly how they may use and share your health information. In most cases, you should receive this notice on your first visit to a provider, or in the mail from your health insurer. Additionally, you may request a copy at any time.
* You can decide whether to give your permission before your information can be used or shared

Generally speaking, your health information cannot be given to your employer, used or shared for things like sales calls or advertising, or used or shared for many other purposes unless you grant express permission by signing an authorization form. This authorization form must tell you who will get your information and what the information will be used for.

Who can receive and view your health information?

* To ensure your health information is protected in a way that does not interfere with treatment, your information can be used and shared:
* For treatment and care coordination;
* To compensate doctors and hospitals for your health care and help run their businesses;
* With your family, relatives, friends, or others you identify who are involved with your health care or payment, unless you object;
* To ensure doctors give good care and nursing homes are clean and safe;
* To protect the public's health, such as by reporting when there is a flu outbreak; and
* For mandatory reports to the police, such as reporting gunshot wounds.
* Your health information cannot be used or shared without your written permission unless this law allows it. For example, without your authorization, your provider generally cannot:
* Give your information to your employer;
* Use or share your information for marketing or advertising purposes; or
* Share private notes about your health care.
* You may request that your information not be shared
* You can ask your provider or health insurer not to share your health information with certain people, groups, or companies, such as with other doctors or nurses in a particular hospital or clinic. However, they do not have to agree to do what you ask.
* You have the right to file a complaint
* You may file a complaint with your provider or health insurer if you suspect your information was used or shared in a way that is disallowed under the privacy law, or if you feel you were unable to exercise your rights.

Who must follow this law?

Most doctors, nurses, pharmacies, hospitals, clinics, nursing homes, and other health care providers. Also required to follow this law are health insurance companies, HMOs, most employer group health plans, and certain government programs such as Medicare and Medicaid.

Who is not required to follow this law?

Life insurers;

Workers compensation carriers;

Most schools and school districts;

Many state agencies, for example child protective services;

Most law enforcement agencies; and

Many municipal offices.

When you make an original visit to a doctor's office, hospital, or other health care provider, you should be given a copy of your HIPAA rights, which you will be asked to sign. Make sure you read the entire document, and request a copy for your own files.

Anti Wrinkle Treatment and Medication Information From the Internet

If you know your way around the Internet, you must have come across lots and lots of links from time to time that take you to various websites that have anti-wrinkle treatments and medications, right? While many have tons of very helpful information, others are only commercial in nature. It's important to browse these websites with caution and know the difference between genuine advice and solely sales pitch.

The medications that treat wrinkles and wrinkling all over the world today are too many to count. In the United States alone, you would probably lose yourself in the countless names of them that you find everywhere around you - on television, on the internet, on billboards, in magazines, and even on t-shirts. The industry is one giant that will not be going away anytime soon because people, especially women, do not want to lose their beauty to the wrinkles that aging brings.

That is why the Internet is so rife with them; that is why the stores are so full of them; that is why for as long as you live, you will always come across anti-wrinkle treatments and medications that promise heaven but deliver nothing. There is need to be cautious when going for any anti wrinkle treatment or medication, especially on the Internet. With the ease of setting up a website these days and the ease of actually selling on the Internet, there are many fraudsters out there. So, caution is most certainly imperative, so that you don't end up doing things wrong.

Miracle Cures, Online Medical Information: Credible or Incredible?

Health care shmutz, junk, lies and useless misleading garbage is prevalent on countless online e-zines, article sites and websites. Are you tired of it? If you're like most consumers, especially when facing a significant health problem, you probably are. We are not talking about differences in perspective, differences between Eastern and Western medical approach or alternative vs. mainstream. We are talking about garbage, written by completely unqualified people, some of whom feel they are qualified to write about everything from brain surgery to tax preparation. So, how do you know if something is worth reading? Answer: before being amazed by the subject and content, pay attention to who wrote it!!

On health care issues, especially if you are looking for mainstream medical answers, a degree implies a significant level of credibility. This degree may be a MD (physician), DO(osteopathic physician), RN(nurse), DDS (dentist), MPH(masters degree in public health) or a PhD (doctor of philosophy in a health care area). Transitioning to natural or holistic approaches, degrees such as the DC (doctor of chiropractic) or ND(doctor of naturopathy) are also signs of expertise. Of the two, schools of chiropractic are far more standardized as far as accreditation and a clearly delineated curriculum are concerned. To date there are multiple sources of accreditation for naturopathic schools, ranging from rigorous requirements down to the level of diploma mills. Consumer beware! Check to see what the author's credibility claim is based on. What does their biographical sketch say about them? Check the sketch out for accuracy. It pays to do your homework.

Is a degree the end-all regarding quality of information? In this author's opinion, no. There are certainly medical writers who synthesize well researched information very well into articles which contain an accurate message. In this case, the most believable articles will contain references to other articles written by respected credentialed authorities. However, if you have to choose and don't have time to waste, keep in mind that someone who has studied health-care, beyond college, for at least several years must have learned something. Super-specialized physicians have spent four to five years in college, four years in medical school, up to 7 years in residency, and some complete a fellowship which may be 2-4 years long. At the maximum that means 16 years of training beyond college!

You may not agree with mainstream medicine and may be looking for good alternative or natural healthcare information. At your own risk, that's fine. There are certainly practitioners of Eastern medicine who have a lot of experience under their belt and do not necessarily have a degree. In this situation it is important to look for credibility from other sources. Proof for mainstream medicine this is usually from research results, mainly well designed clinical trials which are published with objective statistical analysis. Unfortunately, for much of alternative medicine, the main source of proof put forth is from testimonials rather than research trials. You've seem them. They are usually articles and websites claiming seemingly miraculous cures for incurable diseases, always with a few people claiming that this or that painless treatment cured their condition while saving them from the ravages of modern medicine.

In this author's opinion, in some cases amazing and miraculous results probably occur. The problem is that most of these miraculous cures are not effective in the overwhelming majority of people. You deserve to know what the chances are that a particular treatment will work for you. However, there are always going to be unscrupulous people who will soak you for your last penny, no matter what, promising a cure for most consumers of their product. How do you know truth from fiction in this natural or alternative area? Unfortunately, beyond verifying credentials and doing your homework regarding the relatively small amount of research data that is available, the best you can do is roll the dice and hope.

iPhone Medical Apps - For Accessing Urgent Medical Information Right on Your Palms

Health is Wealth. Where there is no good health everything else that follows just falls apart which concludes that it is significant for every individual to be well alert and updated about ones good health requirements and find the right source of information to provide optimum facilities to themselves or their loved ones with immediate medical care in case of emergencies. With the rapid growth in communication and information technology we have been bestowed upon with miraculous gadgets that do almost all our important day-to-day chores and facilitate a convenient lifestyle. These gadgets involve a computer, a netbook, a mobile phone and so on. Amongst these varied technological marvels, the one gadget that stays with you 24/7 no matter where you go is your mobile device. It is handy and ready to be used irrespective to where you are located.

iPhone and Android phones are highly advanced smart phones that offers you a sea of features. With these phones you can always access a number of applications that are made readily available in the iPhone application store. Everybody tries to come up with a new innovative idea for the varied applications now available that can be easily ported in to the iPhone and made readily available to the user. There are times when you find yourself or your near and dear ones facing some severe health related symptoms or allergies of some kind. Although hospitalization may not be needed at that point of time due to lower risk situations, you would still want to know what is going on. Especially when you are on the move or simply away from your PC the only source of information then happens to be is your smart phone.

It is essential to have some medical reference handy and when it is readily made available in the form of a medical application for your iPhone or Android Phone, what more can you ask for? A host of medical applications are available for varied smart phones but a survey of most of these mobile users shows that iPhone is the preferred smart phone in the medical enterprise. You are exposed to well organized information on innumerous symptoms and the diseases they are related to plus the kind of medical procedures that are recommended for the same. You also are provided with directories containing important contact information of hospitals, clinics, emergency cares, pharmacies and doctors. You are also facilitated with GPS that gives you directions according to the IP address or zip code provided.

If you are a medical student or a practitioner you can also look up research papers written on the varied diseases that exists, learn about medical procedures and so on. You immediately are guided through web pages that contain detailed information on the diseases with a list of its signs and symptoms, the diagnostic tests required and the subsequent treatment the patient is subjected to in ideal conditions. This information is followed by an elaborate search for the suitable medical providers in your locality and also get cost information. Thus with the information so conveniently available at your discretion a lot of time is saved in the process and time is significant when it comes to medical procedures.