Finally some strong words about how terrible a Government Run Health Care Plan would be. We need to listen and learn from people like Congressman Mike Rogers.
As we near our official opening date, we have decided to have a ribbon cutting ceremony to kick start our celebration. This event is co-sponsored with the Leawood Chamber of Commerce. Our ribbon cutting will be on Wednesday, Sept 9, 2009 at 4-6 pm. Everyone is welcome to attend. Please just send us a quick note to erica@exclusive-md.com and we will see you all there.
Regardless of how many individuals have health insurance, that frankly does not change ACCESS. We have a supply and demand problem in the number of physicians. Insurance does not equal access or care without more physicians to provide this. Massachusetts is the prime example of universal health care with over 97% insured. That sounds wonderful, but how about their wait times of 36-50 days. That is a pretty hefty waiting period for a physician. Many docs in Massachusetts have had to close their doors due to volume, which inherently increased ER visits by 7 percent. We should all take a step back to learn from this before we make more decisions that will likely hurt us more than you think.
Finally! Our office looks absolutely amazing and is beyond what I even originally imagined. Would like to personally thank our Architects, Clockwork, for the great design. They are a firm that truly pays attention to detail. Keep posted for a full picture gallery on the website.
Ever since my wife and I have traveled to L.A and experienced Pinkberry, we were on a hunt for a similar option right here in Kansas. With the use of google my wife found Mochi-Yo. It turns out that just this April, a similar yogurt establishment opened right here in Leawood. The great thing about this frozen yogurt with fresh fruit toppings is not only the taste but nutritional benefits as well. At only 110 calories, these frozen delights are frankly a better option for our health. So if you have not tried it, I urge you to consider it before reaching for another Haagen Dazs Bar.
This is a commentary article written by a 4th year medical student from John Hopkins giving their opinion on their choice of medical specialty. I can't blame this 4th year student for changing her direction in choice for a medical profession. She states and understands the facts we face in our struggling health care system. With statistics from the AMA showing the average medical student leaving with $130K in debt and reimbursements drastically decreasing, there is no doubt why only two percent currently choose family medicine as a field. The amazing thing about it is that family medicine is the field of medicine many students aspire to be prior to medical school. It is a shame that that passion for family medicine is overshadowed by the bureaucracy of delivering health care. Our goal should be to change how primary care is delivered without the help of insurance companies or the government. There are already many physicians that are starting to think outside the box with new and innovative ideas to bring back the doctor-patient relationship. Hopefully this movement will soon reach the minds of our medical student to revitalize our primary care system. (Hat Tip: KevinMD.com)
As I was irritated this morning because my dog, Wilbur, decided to wake me up this morning at 5 a.m. because he was hungry and wanted to eat, I began to question why exactly my wife and I put up with him sometimes. Although he can be a nuisance, studies have shown pets to be beneficial to our overall health. Owning pets have shown to help depression, blood pressure and even Alzheimer's. So before you consider returning your pet, they may be helping us more than you think.
We all need to be aware and prepared for this year's flu season. With the emergence of the swine flu, the numbers infected this upcoming season is speculated to be much worse. This article answers some basic questions about swine flu that through time and media maybe got lost in translation. Here are the questions: 1. I’m healthy so I don’t need to worry about swine flu.
2. The swine flu vaccine will give me the flu.
3. Vaccines are dangerous. I’ll just bring my child to a swine flu party where she’ll get the virus and build a natural immunity to it.
4. Wearing a mask will protect me from swine flu.
5. Using hand sanitizer isn’t as effective as washing your hands.
6. If H1N1 is a variant of swine flu, I should stop eating pork.
7. I’m canceling my child’s trip to a petting zoo because it has piglets and I’m afraid he’ll catch swine flu.
8. I should stop shaking hands with people.
9. If I get the regular flu shot each year, I don’t need to get the swine flu shot too.
10. I have a sore throat and have been coughing and sneezing, so I have swine flu.
Lately I have been participating in these spinning classes at my local gym. I dread going to them but I feel great when it is all over. My cycling instructor said an interesting fact today about if you can last the first 10 minutes of the class, the rest would be a breeze. I can see the truth behind that but that was not the case for me today. It took roughly 50 minutes to get in the groove and then by that time the cool down began. All I know is that these fitness classes are great for people like myself that find it hard to get the motivation to exercise. If you have not tried a spinning class or any fitness class for that matter, you should give it a try. You are always guaranteed to burn some calories.
What would healthcare be like under a single payer system. How about waiting to be drawn out of a hat to even see if you can be added to a family doctor's patient list. A reported 1.7 Million Canadians state that they cannot get a family physician. Check out how Canadians and British citizens are confronting issues under universal healthcare on this 20/20 special.
The scenario goes like this: 1. Overweight patient seeks advice for weight loss from physician. 2. Physician also struggles with their own weight. 3. How does the patient take the advice?
This topic is one I have seen many doctors tackle in their own way. To my surprise, I have noticed that it all boils down to how the information is delivered. From what I have seen, doctors that can relate to their patients have better success with compliance regardless if they are in the weight loss process or have loss weight in the past. I think the important message is the physician-patient relationship works best as a team. In the end, it is all about support, accountability, and encouragement. (via KevinMD.com)
If you have just 4 minutes of your time, please stop and listen to Dr. Zwelling, current president of Society of Innovative Medical Practice Design, speak on Healthcare Reform. SIMPD is a national organization that I am a member of that focuses on empowering patients to choose how their healthcare is delivered. If you don't want to lose this privilege, pay attention to what the government is trying to accomplish and speak up.
I am a board certified family physician and patients call me Dr. Mike. I help people reach their health goals.
I wanted to reform health care by focusing on patient satisfaction. In 2009, I founded Exclusive MD.
