Health care costs and insurance rates are increasing at double digit rates, averaging over 10 per cent a year. Forty-five million Americans are uninsured and those with coverage are paying larger deductibles and co-payments. Physician's offices are being squeezed by increasing overhead and malpractice insurance costs. Hospital emergency departments have a high number of nonpaying patients. These pressures are requiring health care providers to practice more efficiently. This is changing the delivery of our health care. The Physician / Hospital...

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Health care costs and insurance rates are increasing at double digit rates, averaging over 10 per cent a year. Forty-five million Americans are uninsured and those with coverage are paying larger deductibles and co-payments. Physician's offices are being squeezed by increasing overhead and malpractice insurance costs. Hospital emergency departments have a high number of nonpaying patients. These pressures are requiring health care providers to practice more efficiently. This is changing the delivery of our health care. The Physician / Hospital...

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Electronic Medical Records are not the solution for personal responsibility. Everyone should take an evening and write on a piece of paper their own preventive health care plan and then follow it. No one cares about your health more than yourself. You are not helping your family or the health care crisis if you are neglecting your health.

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HMC has been using electronic medical records for nine years. We have no plans to link our system to the 'grid', so you can have confidence that your records are truly private.   Hilltop Medical Clinic is not a Medicare provider, but Medicare patients are welcome at our clinic. Medicare patients are required to pay medicare rates at the time of service, but we electronically bill for the visit so you receive a prompt payment from the Medicare trust fund, usually...

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Primary Care is in a crises. Physicians are leaving primary care for hospital based practices and only a small percentage of Physicians from US Medical Schools are starting Primary Care Residency programs. Shortages are predicted, and I believe are already present. It is going to be increasingly difficult to establish with a Primary Care Physician.   This is occurring because Primary Care services have been undervalued by Medicare and Insurance Companies. Our fees, for all practical purposes, are not negotiable....

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At the end of Medical School, I believed that every person was normal or healthy until an illness developed and created symptoms Twenty-five years later I realize that no one is ever perfect. We all have personal health care burdens.   It is your responsibility to identify these burdens and make changes that decrease your risk for an illness that can harm your quality or length of life.   This serise will help you organize your personal health information as...

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Genetics provide significant clues about inherited illnesses, so start by recording your family history. The list should include your Mother and Father, siblings, Grandparents, and your related Aunts and Uncles. For each entry record their relation, name, birth date, sex and significant health care issues or events. You can copy and paste from the following.   Family History (Name), birth date, male, alive / deceased on ____. List conditions Father. Mother. Brother. Sister. Father's side Grandfather. Grandmother. Aunts Uncles Mother's...

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I believe it is time for Physicians to take control and develop more cost effective medical care. This way the final decision remains between the patient and the Physician.   With just a little more effort and efficiency, we could decrease the relentless rising costs of health care. A slight cultural shift is all that is required.   Health care costs increased 4% in 2008. This is a manageable goal. For example, be aggressive with diet, exercise and blood pressure...

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Preventive health care begins when you are born and continues until the end of life. Newborns are screened for metabolic illness (PKU) and hypothyroidism. The elderly are screened for osteoporosis and protected from falls.   (more…)

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Primary Care practices are under severe financial pressure. The costs of being in practice continue to rise, and the reimbursements are limited by contracts with insurance companies, Medicare, and MediCal. Up until this month Medicare was threatening a 10% cut in fees, but substituted a one-half per cent increase for six months. The future is uncertain.   (more…)

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