Technology to Consumer Health Utility

For the last 2 decades, our world has undergone a major transformation as a result of healthcare technology. Today, many professionals have access to several technological services that help them manage relationships with organizations that are part of the healthcare system such as banks, government offices, utilities, pharmaceutical companies and entertainment/advertisement companies.

Until this point, few people have had the opportunity to use healthcare technology to enhance important healthcare relationships such as those with doctors, hospital, pharmacy and other health organizations. These relations are a part of healthcare program and are very important during patient care.For consumers or patients, technology transformation will see the enhance relationship with providers and other patients as well.

Consumer Healthcare Technology Trends

In the past, having insurance to help pay doctors and having doctors’ access has been enough to satisfy consumers healthcare needs. Today, consumers expect more. According to recent studies, here are a few technology trends among today’s care in the United States and around the globe:

     1  Agents Care Clinics

To help satisfy the growing demand of consumers who would like healthcare delivered the same way as food (more convenient and affordable), the number of urgent care clinics continues to grow across the world.

With more than 60 million people in the U.S who lack access to primary care, urgent care clinics have become an immediate option. Today, about 6,400 urgent care centers have been developed. The urgent care industry has been seen as a growing industry with the increase being approximately 6% per year.

According to recent survey, urgent clinic owners include:

•         33% corporations
•         20% joint ventures
•         14% physician groups
•          13% hospitals
•          12.5% single physicians and
•        5% non-physicians

Urgent care has existed for decades, but some health care systems have decided to get it in with a goal of bringing healthcare to remote areas. Urgent care clinics have many benefits compared to hospitals and other health systems as they decrease emergency department overcrowding especially for people with low-acuity conditions and have no other medical options. In the coming days, hospitals may also want to invest in urgent care clinics either alone or in partnership with other organizations and healthcare systems. In a recent survey, it was found that 70% people like visiting urgent care clinics affiliated with a hospital compared to 16% who like going to independent urgent clinics

       

      2  Convenient Clinics

Consumers have turned drastically toconvenient healthcare options whenever they want to see a physician. Due to consumer demand for convenience, many Americans, about 25%, have currently turned to convenient clinics or retail clinics. On the other hand, more than 42% have turned to use urgent care clinics. While many people rely on primary care physicians, younger consumers have increasingly preferred care based on convenience and ease rather than a long-term relationship. 28% percent of people below 35 years of age in the U.S say that they don’t have a primary care doctor.

     

      3  Concierge Medicine

Concierge medicine has changed the way things work in healthcare. With development of consumer application apps, consumers can now compare drug prices in different pharmaceutical industries and save up to 70 percent. What they need to do is search for clinics based on personal or financial needs, find same day appointments, and find online scheduling.

     

      4  EHR System

An EHR system provides a digitalized way to see doctors and nurses. This system is connected to all healthcare providers and can have the following benefits to both providers and consumers:

•     Reduce paperwork- EHR is fed with all patients’ information and that information is made available when the patient arrives.
•        Accurate information to the right hands- EHR in hospitals makes sure all providers can share your information, which enables them to best make decisions and avoid medical mistakes.
•          Protects consumer’s safety- If you see two doctors consecutively, they may coincidentally give you different medications. This may later lead to poor drug interactions. With the EHR system, doctors can access your medical information knowing the previously prescribed medications. This will help you from the risks of medical cost and ineffective medication.

•      Unnecessary tests and procedures-EHR can also save consumer repeat tests ordered by a different doctor.  This can help one avoid tests that posed some risks and as well save money 
•          Direct access to health records- Since every consumer has a federally guaranteed right in the U.S, each patient can identify and correct wrong or missing information in the EHR system. Physicians give consumers direct access to their health data for the purposes of verification and corrections.

     

      5  pharmacist-to-patient Relationship- Membership pharmacy and other healthcare programs have led to increased relationships between consumers and pharmacists. Pharmacists can have a very great impact in ensuring there is continuity of care. Information collected from social media also helps pharmacists and pharmaceutical companies understand consumer preferences. Websites, mobile apps, and social media sites have created a lot of impact in connecting pharmacists to patients.

     6 Wearable tech- Wearable technology has also played a great role in healthcare and is predicted to have more positive impact in years to come. Wearable devices such as smart watches are very important in fitness tracking and diagnostic purposes. More advances are underway.

     7 Personalized care- According to recent research, consumers are in demand of personalized care. This has be the top priority of consumers of all ages. When it comes to healthcare, consumers want to see the right doctor, right hospital, and right treatment facility for a specific condition.

     8  Consumer Education

Many consumers, especially those under 35 years, get lost in the complexity of healthcare system when they try to make perfect healthcare decisions. Education for healthcare consumer is important as studies reveal that more than 35% younger consumers value healthcare information such as available insurance options and their advantages/disadvantages.

      

     9  Self-Insurance

After the introduction of Affordable Care Act, many consumers are able to manage their own health information for the future. This helps them choose the best insurance plans as well as the best and quality care.

How Soon After Sex Can You Take a Pregnancy Test?

A pregnancy test can provide an accurate result up to ten days after intercourse. If the test is done early, its accuracy is reduced. The standard time frame is 10 to 14 days following sexual intercourse. HCG is produced two weeks following conception or ovulation; therefore, a false result may be given if the test is done too early.

In some cases, even 10 to 14 days following intercourse is still too early for testing. This is because your body may take longer for implantation after conception and ovulation. Since sperm can survive in the human body for up to five days, it is possible for a woman to conceive several days after having sex. Thus, if you received a negative result one week later, you should do the test again. This increases your chance of getting an accurate result.
 


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Menstruation and Conception
Human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) is the pregnancy hormone. A woman’s cycle starts the first day of the menstrual period. The menstrual period commonly lasts for 3-7 days. As soon as the period ends, the hormones begin working to prepare the egg for ovulation. Generally, ovulation is on day 14 of the cycle. During this time, the ovaries release ovum. If the ovum is unfertilized, it remains for about 5-8 days in the female genital tract.   

False Negative Test
If a pregnancy test is performed on the first day of your missed menses, it may provide a false negative result. The common cause of this is early testing. Sometimes, even individuals with very high levels of pregnancy hormone can receive a false negative result. If the test result comes back as a false negative, another test can be taken again the following week.

Pregnancy Test Availability
Any local pharmacy, grocery store, or drug store will have testing kits available for purchase. These are less expensive. At certain health care centers, they are available free of charge. You can also get one from your nurse or doctor.

What is Triamterene HCTZ?

Hydrochlorothiazide is a thiazide diuretic (water pill) that helps prevent your body from absorbing too much salt, which can cause fluid retention.Triamterene is a potassium-sparing diuretic that also prevents your body from absorbing too much salt and keeps your potassium levels from getting too low.The combination of hydrochlorothiazide and triamterene is used to treat fluid retention (edema) and high blood pressure (hypertension).Hydrochlorothiazide and triamterene may also be used for purposes not listed in this medication guide.


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You should not use this medication if you are allergic to hydrochlorothiazide or triamterene, or if you have kidney disease, urination problems, high levels of potassium in your blood, or if you are taking other diuretics similar to triamterene. Do not use potassium supplements unless your doctor has told you to.

Do not use potassium supplements, salt substitutes, or low-sodium milk while you are taking hydrochlorothiazide and triamterene, unless your doctor has told you to. Moreover, avoid becoming overheated or dehydrated during exercise and in hot weather. Follow your doctor's instructions about the type and amount of liquids you should drink. In some cases, drinking too much liquid can be as unsafe as not drinking enough.If you are being treated for high blood pressure, keep using this medication even if you feel fine. High blood pressure often has no symptoms.

What is Bell's Palsy?: Causes and Symptoms

Bell's palsy, also called facial palsy or idiopathic facial paralysis (IFP) is the most common cause of sudden, unilateral paralysis of your facial muscles, which makes half of your face appear to droop.
This form of temporary paralysis occurs due to damage or trauma to the facial nerve, also called the 7th cranial nerve.
In this condition, the functions of the facial nerve get disrupted resulting in interrupted messages between the brain and the facial muscles.
This causes facial weakness or paralysis. Usually, Bell's palsy affects one of the paired facial nerves and hence only one side of your face, but in some cases, it may affect both sides.


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Symptoms
Signs and symptoms of Bell's palsy vary in each person and appear all of a sudden. These includes:

• Rapid development of mild weakness to total paralysis affecting only one side of your face - occurring within hours to days
• Drooping of your eyelids and corner of the mouth
• Difficulty in making facial expressions, such as closing your eyes or smiling
• Drooling

In rare cases, Bell's palsy can affect the nerves on both sides of your face.

Causes
Although the exact cause of Bell's palsy is not known, it is often related to exposure to a viral infection.

Viruses that have been linked with Bell's palsy include the viruses that cause the following conditions:

• Cold sores and genital herpes (herpes simplex)
• Chickenpox and shingles (herpes zoster)
• Mononucleosis (Epstein-Barr)
• Cytomegalovirus infections

Health Benefits Of The Raw Food Diet

These days, most food that is being consumed is processed, toxin-contained and artificial. Raw food diet is becoming a trend since the last couple of years. It incorporates food that is uncooked. Raw food is not processed by heat. It includes foods that are not frozen and not heated to temperatures above 115 degrees. Mostly, they are plant-based foods and is primarily composed of fruits and vegetables. They can also include nuts, seeds, legumes and grains. However, eating such a diet requires effort and motivation.

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Raw food diet has a variety of health benefits. It is better to go for organic food since many raw foods are toxin containing. Raw food helps clean the body and provides more physical energy. In processed foods, healthy fats and dietary fibers are not present. They can be obtained from the raw food diet. Through raw foods, our body gets more of nutrients, minerals and vitamins. Majority of them are gluten-free. Also, it helps in weight loss and maintaining healthy weight. It cleanses our body and detoxifies it. It keeps the skin healthy and reduces inflammation.

Other BenefitsRaw food diet reduces acidity. The chances of fermentation in the gut and inflammation are lowered. People with various health concerns such as cancer, high blood pressure, osteoporosis, Parkinson’s disease, gallstones, high cholesterol, heart disease, auto immune reactions, fatigue, joint pain, food allergies, headaches, muscle pain, hormonal imbalance, weight gain, obese people benefit from such foods.

Health Benefits of Magnesium Supplements

Magnesium plays a very important role in the smooth functioning of body processes. It has been observed that a deficiency in magnesium is considered to be one of the leading nutrient deficiencies among adults. In such cases, it is often a good idea to take magnesium supplements along with eating foods that are rich in magnesium.

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• The prefix “hypo-” means “under”
• “magnes” refers to “magnesium”
• The suffix “-emia” would mean “in the blood” 

The body tends to lose stored magnesium during the production of hormones, muscle movements, and heartbeat. Even though there is a small requirement of magnesium in our body, we must get its daily dose through food items or magnesium supplements.

Natural Home Remedies for UTI

A urinary tract infection (UTI) is an infection in the urinary system, which includes the kidneys, bladder, urethra, and ureters. Usually, UTIs happen in the lower urinary tract, which consists of the bladder and urethra.

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Women are more prone to developing urinary tract infections than men due to anatomical reasons. The urethra in females is much shorter and is closer to the anus, thereby making a woman more susceptible to ascending infections. When left untreated, the infection can spread to the kidneys, which can be dangerous.