Recently there has been new data published from the online journal
Health Affairs stating some not so surprising data about the current obesity epidemic we are facing.
The estimated annual medical costs due to obesity nearly doubled to $147 billion in 2008 from $78.5 billion in 1998, as the obesity rate rose 37%....Normal weight individuals incurred an average of 42% less in medical expenditures — about $3,400 for per person per year — compared with obese individuals, who incurred an average of about $4,800 in such expenses
Later in the article, the CDC proposes community based changes as one of the strategies to battle obesity such as modifying vending machines, making healthier options more accessible and affordable, and even increasing taxes for not so healthy options like soda.
I think strategies like these are a decent starting point but the root of the problem I believe lies deeper. We all make choices everyday and the choice of either what to eat and whether to exercise are some of the harder decisions we make. Simple but not easy. This is why I choose to focus a large part of my practice on battling obesity. It may not work for all but I plan to serve as a personal coach to make my patients accountable. Everyone can use a push every once in a while. If it were not for my wife, I would gladly choose to fore go the fruits and vegetables for most meals.
Obesity is expensive
exclusiveMD is excited to be hosting a booth at the First Annual Health & Wellness Day at Matt Ross Community Center right here in Overland Park, Kansas from 11:00am to 6:30pm. I will be having a general Q&A for all ages entitled "Ask a Doc?" Other events include health screenings, guest speakers, kids activities, and nutritional information. So if you are in the area or live nearby I would love to meet you and/or your family. Just stop by and say hi!
8101 Marty Overland Park, KS66204
Health & Wellness Day on July 29th
I am thrilled to hear questions already about how I practice medicine especially in regards to the use of technology. The question was about how I respond to emails and more specifically if there a system to alert me or the office that an email has arrived. First of all, I own an iPhone and I am constantly checking my email. Some people might say that I am addicted to my email/iPhone or any technology for that matter. Emails are directly pushed to my phone as soon as you hit send. In regards to my office, I have chosen to use an electronic medical record called eClinicalWorks. They are a leader in the industry and have also jumped into the world of mobile technology offering an interface with the iPhone. From my phone I can view your medical record and quickly call or email you back in addition to e-prescribing to your local pharmacy. To add security and comply with HIPPA, email within eClinicalWorks functions through a private patient portal only accessible via encrypted password. Once an email is sent it is pushed automatically to my phone and my tablet PC. Keep in mind that the current health system does not incentivize physicians to practice with these forms of technology or communication because there is no reimbursement for it. So if you are wondering why your local docs do not take advantage of these features that may be the reason.
Responding to Emails
Sorry for the delay but the website is back online and functional. Please feel free to visit again at anytime.
Website is back online!
I just wanted to post to let everyone know that the website is currently down due to unexpected heavy traffic. Thanks to everyone who has visited and we hope to be back up very soon.
Website Down
Its really starting to come together!
Work In Progress
Today marks the official launch date of our website, blog, facebook and twitter page. Hopefully the blog will keep you updated on the life of
exclusiveMD. We also want to keep our readers informed on current healthcare issues and how that affects everyone. We are currently still in the construction phase of our beautiful office space at Mission Farms right here in Leawood, KS. Stay tuned for future pics of the space as it is being built.
First Post
Its really starting to come together!
