AccuDiagnostics

Posts Tagged ‘health’

Swine Flu

With school back in full swing for our youngsters and college bound young adults, many swine flu cases have been reported among this population. 24 elementary and high schools sent 25,000 students home due to the swine flu outbreaks. This explosive surge of flu cases is an indicator of flu season for the Center of Disease Control (CDC). The CDC can’t predict where more cases of swine flu will accumulate, how long the virus will stick around or when the virus will attack again.

However, the swine flu has been predictable in some ways:

• The majority of the people have been getting over the worst of the virus in 3 to 5 days.

• Cases of the swine flu have spread quickly among children, teens and young adults.

• Where swine flu has attacked it has been in a series of widely separated community hot spots with many getting sick then the virus dies down instead of waving from east to west or north to south.

• Those who get very sick from the swine flu are people with lung conditions, neurologic conditions, heart conditions, immune suppression, pregnancy or children under the age of 5.

• Always keep a look out for severe symptoms even among healthy children (especially under the age of 2) and adults.

There are prescriptions a person can request from their doctor, but this is for those that are at high risk. Tamiflu or Relenza are recommended to be taken within 48 hours of flu symptoms, because they work best if taken early. The CDC are recommending that doctors give at risk patients, pregnant women, very young children and people with suppressed health conditions, a prescription for Tamiflu or Relenza and if they become ill they only have to call their doctor to get the prescription filled.

Since the flu virus changes quickly and often, it is hard for the CDC to keep up-to-date data on the virus. Flu season is predicted to be long and with many people coming down with the virus in the fall, winter and even in the spring. Everyone be prepared and wash your hands often.

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Information is provided for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. AccuDiagnostics does not engage in the practice of medicine. The information provided should not be used to diagnose or treat any medical condition. Readers are urged to consult a licensed physician before starting or stopping any medical treatment. Any action by the reader in response to this information is at their discretion, and AccuDiagnostics can in no way be held liable for such action.

With healthcare costs rising, insurance companies are providing incentives and promoting health risk assessments to control the increased costs. They have created incentives to encourage customers and employees to improve their health through wellness programs, exercise, better nutrition and to stop smoking. Insurance companies believe that if customers and employees take care of their health this will aid in lowering their risk for chronic diseases (i.e., diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, etc.) and save the company money.

An incentive that insurance companies are offering customers is to not increase their rates if they follow through with improving their health and joining wellness programs. Customers have access to a staff of nurses, nutritionist, pharmacists, exercise physiologists and social workers to help customers live a healthier life. One example of how the insurance company assists a customer is by case management. The nurse will call the customer periodically to make sure they are following the doctor’s orders, are getting tested regularly, are eating nutritious meals, exercising and taking their medications correctly. With the nurse contacting the customer, this helps encourage the customer to take care of their well being.

Having healthy employees, this is another way that insurance companies can cut down on expenses. They provide employees with the incentive of $500 if they lose weight and maintain their weight. Some insurance companies assist their employees with their weight lose by having a cafeteria that serves nutritious meals and an exercise facility in the building or buying the employees a gym membership. This incentive is, also, extended to smokers and encourages them to stop smoking. Insurance companies offer tobacco programs to assist employees with their efforts.

Health risk assessments can alert your physician of a change in your well-being. Illnesses caught early can save or add years to a person’s life. With some diseases, they can be avoided through diet and exercise, i.e., diabetes and high blood pressure. The health risk assessment is a quick test that can be done during a yearly check-up and results can tell you if something needs to be addressed. Two examples are diabetes and heart disease, which preventive measures can be taken to keep these diseases at bay or controlled.

Of the 20 plus million Americans with diabetes, one-third of this group have no idea they are diabetic. If this disease is not controlled, long term health problems will transpire, i.e., heart disease, stroke, kidney disease, nerve damage, foot complications and eye problems. It’s important to visit your doctor and have a diabetes risk assessment done, because it will inform you of important risks, recommended actions to help reduce your chances of getting diabetes or if you have diabetes it will help you manage the disease and control your blood sugars. Before having an assessment performed, you should take in your family history of diabetes, your current fasting blood sugar and your current HbA1c (diabetes related blood test).

The number one ailment causing death among Americans is heart disease. When a person’s blood vessels build up with plaque this can lead to heart attacks, stroke and other serious health problems. Heart disease is a silent killer and a person won’t know they have it until the plaque has blocked the blood vessels. Having a heart assessment, this will inform a person of their total cholesterol, LDL, HDL, and Triglycerides. From the heart assessment, if you are at risk changes can be made in a person’s life to live a healthier lifestyle and reduce the chances of getting heart disease.

Check with your insurance plans to see if they offer wellness programs and cover health risk assessments. The wellness programs are free and will aid a person in living a longer life.

A California study of 5,200 employees found that, after attending a presentation, receiving self-help books, and completing questionnaires, all participants reduced their outpatient visits by 7.2%.  Insured residents reduced their visits by 17%, or 2 visits per household per year!

The most cost-effective treatment in medicine is a preventative immunization. Similarly, the most cost-effective way that an employer can reduce sick days and the associated expenses is by providing employees with a health and wellness program at the workplace.

Encouraging prevention and early detection maintains a healthier work environment for the employees and a more profitable business for the owner. Ways to encourage this environment include:

• A wellness fair
• Screening services for conditions such as blood pressure, cholesterol, and BMI
• Educational materials for parents about well-baby care
• Onsite mammograms
• Annual, onsite flu vaccinations
• Onsite immunizations

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Information is provided for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. AccuDiagnostics does not engage in the practice of medicine. The information provided should not be used to diagnose or treat any medical condition. Readers are urged to consult a licensed physician before starting or stopping any medical treatment. Any action by the reader in response to this information is at their discretion, and AccuDiagnostics can in no way be held liable for such action.