Be more than well. Be well prepared.
Be more than well. Be well prepared.
Posted on 27 March 2012 Posted in Individuals & Families, Workplace Wellness, Corporate Benefits
Activ Doctors Online (ADO) continuously challenges the status quo of traditional healthcare by creating simple-to-use, intelligently designed solutions. “We empower over 130,000 members worldwide to lead healthier lives by taking control of their medical records and providing access to the world's top specialists for second medical opinions in as fast in 48 hours,” says Founder & CEO, Florent Monssoh, who also answers some frequently asked questions…
What is a Personal Health Record (PHR)?
Everyone has some level of a PHR, you just may not realize it. Your important health information such as blood type, immunizations, prescriptions, allergies, conditions and emergency contacts are in various locations—at home, doctor’s office or pharmacy to name a few. But this information, when consolidated into one secure and encrypted platform becomes something much more valuable and powerful – a PHR. As we know it today, a PHR is a web-based set of tools enabling access and coordination of lifetime health information.
What should people look for in a PHR?
The ideal traits to look for are: individual control, portability, privacy, security, 24/7 access, interoperability, and transparency as to who entered data, where transferred from and who has viewed it. A true PHR is owned and controlled by the individual – not your doctors, insurance company or hospital – with your entire health history. Our PHR includes Medical Records Assistance with membership, in which our team collects and uploads records on your behalf (release form required).
Why do I need a PHR? Do I need one if I’m healthy?
Information is power. PHRs are valuable for anyone because they help lower medical costs, reduce risk of errors, prevent unnecessary tests or procedures, create more informed healthcare consumers and assist with caring for loved ones. A PHR also prepares you for travel and emergencies. Bottom line, PHRs save time, money and even lives.
How does the online Second Medical Opinion work?
Here’s where the information in your PHR gets even more powerful. Through our U.S. Medical Director, we assemble a team of specialists from our global network of over 1,400 physicians. An unbiased online medical opinion is returned within 48 hours, in an easy-to-understand report and via phone. This saves travel, waiting and worry – and is more affordable than a traditional second opinion.
What about the technology used for Activ Doctors Online PHR?
Our member’s information is private, secure and encrypted, following military level security protocols (AES). More importantly, we harness that technology to empower you to easily manage your personal healthcare, with HIPAA-compliant solutions.
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.
Posted on 6 February 2012 Posted in Individuals & Families, Workplace Wellness, Corporate Benefits
Enterprise Florida features Activ Doctors Online as telemedicine leader in Trend Watch.
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.
Posted on 17 January 2012 Posted in Individuals & Families, Workplace Wellness
Posted on 4 January 2012 Posted in Individuals & Families, Workplace Wellness
The PricewaterhouseCooper's Health Research Institute has released its annual forecast of top health care trends in 2012, along with consumer data from online surveys of 1,000 U.S. adults. Among the top findings and trends we’re watching in the next year are:
The full report is available at PwC’s website.
Posted on 19 December 2011 Posted in Workplace Wellness, Corporate Benefits
That's the theme of an article in today's Miami Herald in a special section of Business Monday. Activ Doctors Online Founder & CEO, Florent Monssoh is featured on the cover, with more about his vision and how the company is saving time, money and lives now, along with plans for the future. Read the full article online here.
Posted on 6 December 2011 Posted in Individuals & Families, Workplace Wellness
Along with all the excitement of the holiday season often comes, you guessed it – stress. But with some awareness and a bit of thoughtful planning, you can keep your immune system strong in the face of stress. This is the topic of a recent report published by our friends at Wellness Council of America (WELCOA), and we wanted to share the tips from Dr. Brian Luke Seaward, a national stress management expert.
To learn the why behind each of these tips, The Low Stress Diet. Although it’s offered for organizations to share with employees, the insight applies to anyone who wants to be proactive in managing stress through dietary choices. Bon appétit!
Posted on 12 September 2011 Posted in Individuals & Families, Workplace Wellness, Corporate Benefits
Activ Doctors Online's own Bernard Lee talks with NBC-6 anchor Trina Robinson about Personal Health Records. Watch this video clip on our YouTube channel or below.
Posted on 29 July 2011 by Dr. Howard Zahalsky, Medical Director Posted in Individuals & Families, Workplace Wellness
More than 8 percent of the U.S. population – 25.8 million children and adults – have diabetes, according to the American Diabetes Association. The numbers are staggering, and so is the price tag: an estimated $218 billion was spent in healthcare costs in 2007, factoring in undiagnosed diabetes, pre-diabetes and gestational diabetes. Type 2 diabetes, however, can be prevented.
There are two types of diabetes: type 1 and type 2. Type 1 is childhood diabetes, and is generally unavoidable if you are genetically predisposed. On the other hand, type 2, also known as adult-onset diabetes, is often preventable. While it is true that around 50 percent of people with a type 2 diabetic parent will develop type 2 diabetes, there are several steps one can take to be in the “good” 50 percent.
Maintaining a healthy body weight is far and away the most important factor in avoiding type 2 diabetes. This means avoiding high-fat foods, practicing portion control, and especially getting plenty of exercise. If you are an adult with diabetes, these are important habits to instill in your children, since you know they will be at increased risk. Ninety percent of adult-onset diabetics are overweight at the time of diagnosis.
A common mistake is to think that avoiding sugar or carbohydrates is the best way to prevent diabetes. Not true. Certainly, a diet full of candy, soda, and other high-sugar “junk foods” will put on weight and increase the risk of diabetes. However, a diet which includes balanced amount of carbohydrates, proteins, and even some healthy fats is really the best way to go. In fact, even once you are diagnosed with diabetes, losing weight can make it disappear for years or longer.
If you have been told you have diabetes, or are at risk, an online Personal Health Record (PHR) can help individuals be proactive in tracking related information.
Activ Doctors Online’s Health Tracker, which is included free with the online Personal Health Record (PHR), allows users to keep track of blood sugar, and chart how it changes with diet and weight changes in an easy-to-view format. The chart can be printed out or called up on the physician’s computer at appointments. This can be very helpful in positively reinforcing healthy life choices.
For more information about the importance of Personal Health Records (PHR), visit http://www.activdoctorsonline.com/.
Posted on 1 July 2011 by Dr. Howard Zahalsky, Medical Director Posted in Individuals & Families, Workplace Wellness
Hyperlipidemia, also known as high cholesterol, is a significant cause of heart disease, which is still the leading cause of death in the United States. Like most medical problems, it can be treated successfully, but only if you know you have it. So, getting regular screening for high cholesterol is very important. It is wise to begin yearly testing starting at age 40.
Many people are familiar with the number 200 as a “normal” cholesterol level. There is so much more to cholesterol these days. Doctors care more about the subsets of cholesterol than the total number now. There is the LDL (bad cholesterol), the HDL (good cholesterol) and the triglycerides (fats – pretty bad cholesterol). The American College of Cardiology recommendations for controlling cholesterol are mostly based on keeping the LDL levels low.
When should you worry? If you have no family history of heart disease at a young age, good blood pressure, no diabetes, and are less than 50 years old, an LDL of up to 160 is considered acceptable. If you have any of those risks, physicians like to see the LDL less than 130. If you’ve actually had a heart attack, we try to keep your LDL less than 70-100. Triglyceride levels should generally be kept under 300 in most cases as well. A Personal Health Record (PHR) can help individuals be proactive in tracking related information.
So what can you do to lower your cholesterol if it is too high? Diet is very important. Animal products have cholesterol, plants don’t. A diet full of healthy fruits and vegetables can really bring down those numbers. Exercise not only lowers the LDL, but raises your good HDL. Try using an online health tracker to watch your cholesterol numbers as you improve your diet and exercise more. Chances are, you will be pleasantly surprised. Sometimes, especially if you have a family history of high cholesterol, you may need medication. The most popular cholesterol medications are called Statins, and have names such as Simvastatin, Lipitor and Crestor. But, since all medications have side effects, diet and exercise should always be a first step.
Activ Doctors Online’s Health Tracker, which is included free with the online Personal Health Record (PHR), allows users to enter cholesterol and other readings into an easy-to-view format. At the next doctor’s visit, those results can easily be brought up on the physician’s computer.
For more information about the importance of Personal Health Records (PHR), visit www.activdoctorsonline.com.
