Top 4 reasons to have a PHR – physician edition

Posted on 10 February 2012 Posted in Individuals & Families, Workplace Wellness, Corporate Benefits

You asked, and we got answers. Why would a person want to have a Personal Health Record? Here’s what one doctor of internal medicine had to say.

1. Easy access. When you get sick or injured, your records are available. Even if they can’t talk, the doctor can access their records. If one of my patients ends up in the ER, I usually don’t go to my office first to get their chart. I ask my patient to tell me what drugs they are taking, what they are allergic to, etc. If the records are stored online, I could have easy access to them on the internet. 
2. Portability. If you change doctors, the records go with you more easily. Doctors are more likely to “nicely” give you records for a PHR while you are their paying patient than when you leave them and move to another physician.
3. No duplication of tests and fewer unnecessary tests. This saves the patient money and time.
4. Better care. Generally speaking, doctors are more careful if they believe the patient has a copy of everything they are doing. Keeps them on their toes, tells them you are paying attention and making more informed decisions.

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PHR is not EMR

Posted on 26 January 2012 Posted in Individuals & Families, Workplace Wellness

A Personal Health Record (PHR) is different because it is controlled by the individual and not limited to information from a particular provider or facility. Some health providers and offices use Electronic Medical Records (EMR) to keep records in digital form rather than traditional paper charts. EMR, also referred to as Electronic Health Records (EHR), is the future of recordkeeping in medical practices and facilities. As part of the Obama administration’s Affordable Care Act, hospitals and physicians are required to adopt EMR by 2014 to bring down the cost of care and be eligible for incentives totaling $19 billion. In addition, “interoperable” EMR will improve the efficiency of the healthcare system and patient care.

PHRs take EMR to another level, enabling consolidation of medical records from different specialists or hospitals, stored in one place, accessible anytime from any location. A true PHR is owned and controlled by the individual, making it portable regardless of healthcare providers, insurance carriers or employers. PHR aptly puts the “personal” in health records, providing an overall, comprehensive picture of health history and information.

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January is Thyroid Awareness Month

Posted on 24 January 2012 Posted in Individuals & Families

Thyroid disease is more common than diabetes or heart disease – as many as 27 million Americans have it, and more than half of them remain undiagnosed.

The thyroid gland is a small, butterfly-shaped gland located in the base of the neck just below the Adam's apple. Although relatively small, the thyroid gland influences the function of many of the body’s most important organs, including the heart, brain, liver, kidneys and skin. Ensuring that the thyroid gland is healthy and functioning properly is important to the body's overall well- being.

According to the American College of Endocrinology (ACE):

• Thyroid disorders are most common amongst women.
• Thyroid disorders tends to run in families.
• Fatigue is a common complaint for under and over active thyroid conditions.
• Thyroid cancer is one of the fastest-growing cancers in America and one of the most curable.

Concerned about your thyroid or want to learn more? Visit the ACE-AACE website here.

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2012-The Year of Snacking Success

Posted on 10 January 2012 Posted in Individuals & Families

Make 2012 the year you will keep your New Year’s resolution to keep your weight in check by making better food choices.

In a perfect world, it would be easy to make the best choices for your diet and nutrition, but we don’t live a perfect world and we are not perfect people. However, you can set yourself up for success by selecting foods that satisfy your hunger, supply your body with energy and provide important nutrients. Making good snack choices can also help you make better mealtime choices and prevent overindulging at mealtime.

Here is the skinny on healthy snack options. Choose snacks that are:

• About 150 calories
• Easily carried on your person or stored in your desk
• Filling and satisfying to your palate

Krista, a registered nutritionist at Canyon Ranch Living on Miami Beach suggests the following snack ideas:

• Apples and almond butter
• Single-serving dairy products- cheese, cottage cheese or Greek yogurt
• A handful of nuts
• Whole grain pretzels or crackers
• Oatmeal
• Dried fruit or nuts
• Dark chocolate

Yes – chocolate is a good-for-you food and snack. Dark chocolate has been found to improve cardiovascular health and boost mood.  There are many single-serving dark chocolate treats for you to healthfully indulge without the guilt. Don’t deny yourself of chocolate, but remember to keep your serving size around one ounce.

Success happens by planning and preparing your snacks in advance to be sure your snacks are nutrient dense and low in fat and calories.  Planning and preparation also reduces the risk of temptation.

Cheers to you for a healthy 2012!

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Navigating the healthcare needs of your parents over 50

Posted on 27 December 2011 Posted in Individuals & Families

Today, 22.4 million households provide care to a family member over fifty, according to the American Association for Retired People (AARP). What does this all mean for you? Well, you may be called upon to be a caregiver for your elder mother, father or both. On average, according to AARP, caregivers spend eighteen hours a week or more taking their parent or parents to their doctor appointments, grocery shopping, helping with financial issues, and being the single source of support.

Even if your parents remain at home, move in with you or relocate to one of the many senior housing options, children of aging parents are often responsible for tracking down and distributing a complete medical history and health records from multiple doctors. Often vital health records are not transitioning from one doctor to another and this can easily result in medication errors, life-threatening drug interactions, unnecessarily repeated tests and sometime misdiagnosis.  A patient's Personal Health Records (PHR) must be as complete as possible and available when and where it is needed. 

Activ Doctors Online Personal Health Record has the ability to help improve your health literacy by having access to your parent’s PHR anywhere- at anytime. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, "When people receive accurate, easy-to-use information about a health issue, they are better able to take action to protect and promote their health and wellness. And, are better able to obtain, process, and understand basic health information and services needed to make appropriate health decisions".  

Activ Online Doctors gives you complete access to your parents’ past and present medical history, prescriptions, vaccinations, allergies, surgery reports, tests and screenings, exams and more. Need a second opinion? As a member you also have access to a network of doctors worldwide to consult with without ever leaving your home.

You'll provide better care for your parents by not trying to do everything yourself.  If you are an adult child managing your parent’s healthcare, you are not alone. There are many resources available to help you to determine what housing option is best, what care giving tasks you may be uncomfortable performing, and most importantly, where to look for help.  For support and more information, visit AARP's resources on elder care.

With Activ Online Doctors you will be better equipped to navigate the healthcare needs of your parent- giving adult children peace of mind.

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