magazine medico

The doctor-patient relationship is largely one of faith. As patients, we by-and-large accept the recommendations of our doctors whilst having absolutely no knowledge of the science behind the medicines they’re prescribing or the training behind the surgical procedures that they might be about to perform. Nonetheless, our health, or indeed our life is our greatest asset so it is sometimes prudent to do a little background checking of a doctor before we entrust him or her with such an asset. This article will look at how we can go about obtaining information in respect to medical doctor’s credentials.

If you’re after information regarding your doctor’s credentials you will be able to obtain the information from the doctor’s office, a local hospital, a local medical society, or even the HMO of which the doctor is a member. There are a few State licensing boards that give out information pertaining to any disciplinary actions taken but obtaining this information might be a laborious process. However, information regarding a doctors credential is easily accessible through many online facilities now.

The American Medical Association’s (AMA) Physician Select provides information on the certification status and licensing of more than 700,000 doctors that are currently practicing in the United States. However, the information given does not include any details in respect to disciplinary action that may have been taken against the doctor. You can search for medical doctor credentials only and only by one state at a time. Every state has a website that contains searchable databases but the amount of information issued by the website will vary considerably from state to state. As far as disciplinary action is concerned, some websites will provide brief summaries whilst others will provide in depth documentation. There are some that briefly mention whether or not a disciplinary action has been taken against a particular doctor.

Some state boards will issue information about criminal convictions and malpractice suits but obtaining such information from the appropriate courthouses is more likely to yield precise data. It is essential to make sure that the doctor you are getting your advice from is adequately trained and well qualified. Here are a few ways to check a doctor credential:

* Find out if your doctor has been trained in an established institute or center or hospital.

* Check if he/she is affiliated with any facility.

* Check if he is certified by the American Board of Medical Specialties.

* Find out the number of years of experience he or she has.

There are two databanks in the U. S. Office of the Inspector General. They work together to collect information regarding various doctors and other healthcare providers. However, this information cannot be accessed by the general public and is only available to doctor credentialing organizations and the government.

The NPDB or The National Practitioner Data Bank was created to obstruct the movement of problematic doctors and practitioners. It is compulsory for all licensing boards to report any action that restricts, suspends or revokes a license for reasons that are related to the doctor’s professional conduct or competence. Such boards are required to report the professional approach of a physician that could adversely affect his or her membership. The HIPDB or The Healthcare Integrity and Protection Data Bank were created to combat abuse and fraud in health care delivery and health insurance. The information can only be accessed by state and federal agencies.

Imagine this scenario: A man goes to the doctor because he’s having chest pain. After a brief examination, the doctor proclaims, “You’ve got Chest Pain Syndrome. Just take some aspirin and you’ll feel better. Problem solved!”

What’s your gut reaction to this scenario? Does it make you cringe? Do you think the symptom diagnosis and treatment are acceptable? If you were the patient, would you stop off for aspirin at the 7-11 and call it a day? What if the patient were your spouse, parent, or child?

Obviously, this scenario is unacceptable on many levels:

A symptom is not an illness. Symptoms are clues your body sends to signal an illness or problem. Simply treating a symptom will not make the problem go away.

If you thought the medical diagnosis and treatment plan of our chest pain patient was outlandish, you’d be surprised to learn that this scenario is actually more common than you think – especially for those with undiagnosed, misdiagnosed, or chronic illnesses.

I was reminded of this phenomenon when I stumbled across a blog posting from a lady who was recently diagnosed with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. After receiving the diagnosis of CFS, the poster stated that she would have to “learn to accept” her illness, and expressed relief about “coming to terms” with her medical diagnosis.

I believe that our society has become one of immediate gratification – especially when it comes to fixing ailments. People often forget that an illness doesn’t manifest overnight. We have to learn to be in tune with our body and to read the clues and messages (symptoms) it sends so that we don’t let anything slip by.  

So what would I recommend to the poster? As a Good Health Coach, I would tell her to take the diagnosis and file it away with the rest of her medical information and continue her quest to discover the root cause.  I would also recommend developing a Wellness Plan that’s unique for her health habits and illness. Remember, you don’t have to accept the label of your diagnosis.  You’d be surprised by how much control you really have over your health once you decide to take it.

When I worked in the admissions office of an allied health college, my primary responsibility was enrolling prospective students in the school’s medical assistant, dental assistant, massage therapy, health information management and billing & coding programs.

To the college I was just a salesman with a quota to fill. To me, I was a professional responsible for providing a high school senior, a drop out with a GED or a person “re-careering” with objective information to help them make a decision that could effect their life for quite some time. I wanted to do my part to help that person get the most out of the time and money they were willing to invest in themselves.

A common theme with many of the students I enrolled in the medical billing & coding program was an interest in a health care career without the “blood and guts” (a term I remember using to relax and get a smile from the student); or in other words the close contact with patients that would be experienced by a medical or dental assistant. For them, an administrative position like billing & coding was just what the doctor ordered (pun intended).

In this school, like many others, the medical billing & coding program was combined and came in two flavors: a nine month certificate program and an eighteen month degreed program. The difference? At the conclusion of the nine month program, the student received a certificate (not to be confused with a diploma) documenting their completion of the coursework.

The student was also prepped to take the American Health Information Management Association’s (AHIMA) Certified Coding Specialist (CCS) exam. Upon passing the exam, the student was awarded the CCS credential. At the conclusion of the eighteen month degreed program, the student would have earned an associate’s degree and, like the certificate program, would be prepped to take the CCS exam.

If I used any sales tactics it was to persuade the typical billing & coding student to enroll in the degreed program. By typical I mean a person with a high school diploma/GED and little to no practical work experience. The reason? Not because the school made more money (they did), but because I firmly believed – and still do – in education as the best way for someone to better themselves personally and professionally.

To me the certificate program was a strong second choice and usually selected by those students that, among other things, wanted to get in to the workforce faster or couldn’t afford the degreed program. As I mentioned earlier, upon graduation the student would receive a certificate stating that they completed the coursework and be prepped to take the CCS exam. To me the real value was taking and hopefully earning the CCS credential.

There are several credentials that can be earned by a medical billing and coding professional. Credentialing is a big deal. Why? Having those letters after you name (e.g. Jane Doe, CCS) proves that you have demonstrated the knowledge, skills and ability required to pass an exam issued by a nationally recognized American Medical Association (AMA) sanctioned organization. In the world of medical coding there are two organizations offering credentialing sanctioned by the AMA: AHIMA and the American Academy of Professional Coders (AAPC).

When you check out the AHIMA and AAPC websites – and I really hope that you do – you will notice that their credentialing programs are all about medical coding. You may have visited the websites of some allied health colleges and noticed that their medical billing & coding programs are really a bunch of medical coding classes with a couple of billing courses thrown in for good measure.

I think there are a couple of reasons why most curriculums focuses the bulk of their coursework on coding rather than billing:

:: Students are more “employable” with combined coding and billing skills
:: The health care industry is placing more value on coding skills
:: Medical billing can be learned on the job and requires little to no technical knowledge

I may repeat this in other posts but if you really are thinking about making the financial and personal commitment to a medical billing or a billing & coding program, I can’t stress enough the importance of performing your due diligence so you can make the quality decisions that will put you in the best possible position to be successful.

By due diligence I mean partnering with a parent, mentor or someone else you trust to be honest and objective to help guide you in your decision making process. You also need to be completely honest with yourself, know your strengths and weaknesses and apply that knowledge to your decision making process. For example, if you struggled in high school or have a learning disability you may not be able to pass the coursework and should consider other employment options. On the other hand if you were an outstanding student you might consider pursuing an undergraduate degree in health information management (see AHIMA.org for more information about a health information management program).

You should consult with the AHIMA and AAPC websites to see of there are schools near you on their approved list. I do know the AAPC also offers Internet-based or distance learning courses. If you are considering a program not approved by either organization then be sure to at least check out the school on the Better Business Bureau website and Google to see what previous students have to say.

Finally – and I’m probably get some hate mail – but please be very wary about any company offering medical billing correspondence courses and certificates. You will find out the certificates aren’t worth the paper they’re printed on when it comes time to find a job. Why? There is no AMA sanctioned body that issues medical billing certifications. The certificate is simply documentation showing that you took and passed some billing training program.

I can’t tell you how many times someone sent me a resume just because they had completed a medical billing correspondence course. I would not hire anyone with no prior experience. Why? I don’t want to train a newbie and can’t afford the liability exposure – someone not knowing what they’re doing can run off clients. I stick by this hiring policy after learning the hard way. Bottom line – no prior experience, no job.

Sources:

American Health Information Association (ww.AHIMA.org)

American Association of Professional Coders (ww.AAPC.com)

Medical Malpractice is a legal term associated to lawsuits alleging damage to a patient because of various circumstances like misdiagnosis, mistreatment, or various types of negligence made by medical professionals, including doctors. Readers should note that not all errors in medical diagnosis and treatment are necessarily malpractice, because there are certain risks and margins for error that arise inherently in the practice of medicine.

According to JAMA – Journal of the American Medical AssociationMedical malpractice has become the third leading cause of death in the United States, after deaths from heart disease and cancer. The chief allegation is misdiagnosis, either delayed diagnosis or mismanagement of diagnostic tests. It has been observed in a study that the top five diseases that receive monetary awards for medical malpractice, in terms of value, are breast cancer, lung cancer, colorectal cancer (including colon cancer and rectal cancer), heart attack, and appendicitis.

Some of the most common medical malpractice conditions which occur as a result of negligence of doctors or other medical professionals are Cerebral Palsy, Erbs Palsy, Birth Defect Litigation, Birth Injury, Cancer Misdiagnosis and Nursing Home Abuse.

In order to successfully win a medical malpractice award, there are several obstacles to overcome. The first is that the case must be started before the statute of limitations has run out, and this length of time varies by state (and country) and also varies depending on the type of lawsuit or specific allegations

There are several obstacles to overcome in order to win a medical malpractice award. The first and foremost is that the case must be started before the statute of limitations (time limit that restricts when you can start a lawsuit) has run out. The statute of limitations varies by state (and country) and also differs depending on the type of lawsuit or specific allegations.

Since some of the medical errors are considered “normal” and many surgeries, procedures, and drugs have known risks and side effects, it is necessary to prove medical malpractice, rather than a medical error or other adverse event that may not be considered negligence or malpractice.

Always consult with your attorney or other legal professional for any legal advice related to medical malpractice. The information provided in this article is for general informational purposes, and does not constitute legal advice. There are few web sites SelectCounsel.com which evaluate your medical malpractice case for FREE!

The health and wellness business is growing by leaps and bounds year after year. There has been a huge population explosion world wide combined with some unprecedented medical challenges posed by an increasing pollution, climate change and spread of world wide pandemics and illness challenges of global dimensions. With the privilege of providing health care comes the humongous responsibility of drug companies to act with care and in the best interests of human safety and security of precious lives the world over.

There can be no compromise in terms of drug safety as any slip up or error could lead to death of millions of innocent patients due to negligence and criminal carelessness. Thus, the medical field is highly regulated with superior standards of compliance and reporting in place to minimize drug recalls and after effects.

This has led to the development of medical information software that provides companies with a streamlined and methodical, systems based approach of communication related to drugs safety and compliance measures. Every drug company deals with approving authorities and government departments, R&D specialists as well as internal laboratories, sales and distribution intermediaries, medical professionals and doctors in addition to the end user, who is the patient or the customer. A medical information software system facilitates effective communication and interfaces between these key stakeholders of the drug company.

So, this system helps to handle doctors’ queries, patient complaints, regulatory authority audits and requirements too in an integrated and seamless manner. Some medical information software even come with enhanced tools like staff calendar management, built in quality control, FAQ management, correspondence and document management, and reporting. It goes without saying that such software enables greater integration with regulatory systems.

The application of medical information software has become quite universal with pharmaceutical MNCs as well as single product boutique companies adopting this software with élan.

Copyright (c) 2008 SharpBrains

Dear Mr or Mrs Next US President,

The health and medical blogosphere would like to make sure you and your team take into account the issues outlined below as you and your aids formulate your policies and put together the team that will further define and implement them.

40 different health bloggers have asked these questions that I now pose to you and your team.

Dear Mr or Mrs Next US President,

1. Your main asset is your brain. What have you done lately to maintain your brain? (SharpBrains).

Health Policy

2. Who do you support as US Science Advisor? (A Blog Around the Clock).

3. Not to depress you but…are you aware that healthcare reform is really hard? how will you change all this? (Medinnovationblog).

4. How will you increase price transparency of medical procedures and engage consumer forces? (Val Jones).

5. Sorry to insist, but this is an important point. Why is there so much confusion and misinformation about procedure prices? (Insure Blog).

6. Have you seen the recent figures that show how lack of insurance reduces cancer survival rates? (Highlight Health).

7. The cost of fruits and vegetables is growing higher than inflation rates, and we have a growing obesity problem. What will you do? (The Diet Dish).

8. In the midst of multiple economic pressures, how will you make sure to add “Care” back to Health Care? (Hospital Impact).

Health Sector Professionals

9. How will you address the Nursing Shortage? (Emergiblog).

10. How will you reward, motivate and recognize medical innovators? (Clinical Cases and Images).

11. How will you motivate professionals who put their own health and happiness at risk to take care of others? (In My Humble Opinion).

12. Would you agree that this neurosurgeon deserves his compensation? (Retrospectacle).

13. How can we motivate more doctors to take Emergency Calls? (Everything Health).

14. If you are Obama, you already know this. If you aren’t, how are your healthcare proposals better than his? (Healthline Connects).

15. Have you spent time dealing with the realities of day-to-day hospital issues? (Trauma Queen).

16. Mr(s) President: you are a key participant. Do you know how much we want you to suceed? (Chronic Babe).

Emerging Topics

17. Aging-related research is neglected in comparison to disease-specific research – which doesn’t make much sense. How will you help correct this? (Ouroboros).

18. How will you facilitate cross-sector collaborations to design, evaluate and bring to market new technologies? (Diabetes Mine).

19. Should every physical rehab facility make Nintendo Wii games available to patients? (How to Cope with Pain).

20. Is evidence-based medicine the panacea? (Hope for Pandora).

21. Will you help us help ourselves? (BrainFit4Life).

22. How will you help set the balance between the benefits and the misuse of antibiotics? (A Chronic Dose).

23. Will technology and games help reduce depression rates? (Doc Gurley).

Global Issues

24. What will you do to help the thousands of veterans (estimated at 30% of returning soldiers) coming back from Iraq with PTSD? Will you take this toll into account before you embark into another war? (NY Emergency Medicine).

25. What can we do to reduce cholera rates in Africa and parts of Asia? (Kolahun).

26. Given the risk of global epidemics, what will you do to prevent outbreaks and dissemination of infectious diseases? (Interested Participant).

27. Why has the malaria problem grown so much in Africa, and what can we do to reverse it? (Ipex).

28. Can you help reduce the rate of innocent mistakes in South Africa? (Other Things Amanzi).

Ethical Concerns

29. Should doctors use the placebo effect in the patient’s benefit? (Just a Geeky Girl).

30. A cocaine vaccination is no longer science-fiction. Would you allow, enforce, or prohibit it? (Mind Hacks).

31. What is your position on the lethal injection debate? (Every Day Nurses).

32. If nothing else works, how do we ensure noble and comfortable deaths? (Digital Doorway).

33. If you see him, would you please remind Dr. Phil of HIPAA regulations? (JeffreyMD).

Specific Medical Conditions

34. How will you help parents whose kids have attention deficits navigate through emerging research? (Health Business Blog).

35. We live in an increasingly complex world. What can you do to help improve the mental health of our teenagers? (Teen Health 411).

36. Imagine that, while hiking with some friends, one of them gets injured. Would you know how to provide first aid? (Medicine in the Outdoors).

37. How will you help disseminate best practices, such as this example for Chronic Rhinitis? (Allergy Notes).

38. Do we really know what Schizophrenia is? (Med Journal Watch).

39. Can we do better newborn screening for “Bubble Boy Disease”? (Science Roll).

40. Can eating beans help prevent Diabetes? (Disease Proof).

Dear Mr or Mrs Next US President, good luck with the primaries and the elections.

Yours sincerely,

Alvaro