A bachelor's degree in nursing would be difficult, if not impossible, to pursue at an online university simply because there are so many hands-on courses that are required to become proficient. Programs in health care management, health care reimbursement and health information systems can all be studied online with excellent results. Most of these health care degrees online focus more on the management, procurement or organizational aspects of health care services rather than direct patient contact. They offer the ideal combination of a satisfying health care and business-oriented career.

The Proper Coursework for Getting a Health Care Degree Online

Courses that are typically part of the curriculum for health care degrees online will include some introductory biology courses such as anatomy (which anyone dealing in any aspect of healthcare services must understand) and a wide range of management and business courses that are geared to the health industry. Some courses you should look for if you are considering pursuing your health care degree online include:

Accounting
Physical anatomy
Health care legal issues
Health care management
Financial management and/or Clinical management
Human Resources management
Health care administrative practices

Online Degrees Will be Increasingly Popular

Some people mistakenly think that a health care services degree of any type is somewhat limiting. This couldn't be further from the truth, as every type of health care provider in the United States requires a variety of management personnel, and many other industries outside of healthcare itself hire them as well. One example is a health administration or health services management degree; individuals with this type of degree can be encouraged by these statistics, which illustrate the diversity of opportunities available:

The explosion in the popularity of online degrees is making news these days, with health care degrees online near the top of the list of popular courses. It's important to keep in mind, however, that not every kind of general health care degree is appropriate for online study while others are particularly well suited to this type of program.

30 percent are employed by hospitals or large clinics
16 percent are employed by private facilities, small clinics or doctors' offices
20 percent are staff at home health care, ambulatory and nursing facilities
The remainder work for insurance companies and the government in some capacity

In the next three decades the need for increasing expertise in managing the day-to-day operations and budgeting of health care services will become crucial as the population ages and increases. More and more people who are currently working in some capacity in health care services now will move up to management level positions by pursuing an advanced health care degree online, combining education and experience.

With such a vital need and online colleges and universities
tailoring coursework to meet the need, it seems likely that the best way for anyone who would like to move from a receptionist or medical secretary to a management level position is to keep working and pursue a specialized health care degree online.

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Before you pick the best online health care degree, you need to know what you want with the degree. Health Care industry covers a wide range of fields and each health care degree is designed to serve the need of each field. Alternative medicine, emergency management, psychology and life care planning are different careers in health care industry; there are many other fields in health care, which one is your target career? You need to make clear on your career direction before you decide which online health care to consider.

Once you have made up your mind of your preference health care career, your next step is to select an appropriate online health care degree that can meet your career goal. Although searching your preference online degree program is easy and convenient using internet, but time and efforts are needed to find the best online degree program. Besides the need to beware about the potential diploma mills, you should also aware that the same degree program offered by different accredited online universities may carry difference courses. The best thing to get a further understanding about these degrees is requesting all the detail information from the related online universities. The good thing is information requests are free of charge; hence you should fully utilize the free service to get all information you need about your preference online health care degree and compare them against your career goal.

Health care is a booming industry that continuously needs skills workers and professional workforces to fulfill the job positions. If you are in the health care industry, the high demand in the industry can create a good opportunity for you to move your health care career to a high level, what you need is a good health care degree that can meet your career goal. Pursuing your health care degree online is a good option that allowed you to continue your current job while study online to earn a health care degree for a brighter future. There are many online health care degree programs available, so how you are going to pick the best online health degree program out of the list?

The best online health care degree program should be offered by a reputable accredited online university. You want your degree carry the most value and well know by most employers in the health care industry because you will need it to help you in your health care career movement. In term of accreditation, you can always check your preference online universities with the accreditation database provided by CHEA.org. For reputation, you can check it against any complaints filed about your short listed universities at BBB.org.

The best online health care degree should gives you the necessary hand on practical and other on job training that are needed for you to familiar with the necessary skills to implement your knowledge and apply it to your job. If the selected online health care degree required these lab and practical works, find out from the online university about their medical partners that near your location that will allow you to perform your practical training.

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Typically there are fixed indemnity benefits, specified amounts that are paid for particular procedures. If your policy pays $500 for a tonsillectomy and the actual cost was $1000, you owe the health care provider $500. There are often exclusions, certain services that are not covered by the policy. Common examples include elective surgery, dental care, vision care, and coverage for preexisting illnesses and injuries. Some insurance plans provide options for adding dental and vision care. Other common options include life insurance, which pays a death benefit, and disability insurance, which pays for income lost because of the inability to work as a result of an illness or injury. The more options added to the insurance plan, the more expensive the insurance will be.

The cost of health care in the United States is expensive and is escalating. A majority of Americans cannot afford the cost of medicines, physicians' fees, or hospitalization without some form of general health insurance. Health insurance is a contract between an insurance company and an individual or group for the payment of medical care costs. After the individual or group pays a premium to an insurance company, the insurance company pays for part or all of the medical costs depending on the type of insurance and benefits provided. The type of insurance policy purchased greatly influences where you go for health care, who provides the health care, and what medical procedures can be performed. The three basic health insurance plans include a private, fee-for-service plan; a prepaid group plan; and a government-financed public plan.

Private Fee-For-Service Insurance Plan

Until recently, private, fee-for-service insurance was the principal form of health insurance coverage. In this plan an individual pays a monthly premium, usually through an employer, which ensures health care on a fee-far-service basis. On incurring medical costs, the patient files a claim to have a portion of these costs paid by the insurance company. There is usually a deductible, an amount paid by the patient before being eligible for benefits from the insurance company. For example, if your expenses are $1000, you may have to pay $200 before the insurance company will pay the other $800. Usually the lower the deductible, the higher the premiums will be. After the deductible is met the insurance provider pays a percentage of the remaining balance.

One strategy insurance companies are using to lower insurance premiums and out-of-pocket costs to the consumer is the formation of preferred providers organization (PPO). A PPO is a group of private practitioners who sell their services at reduced rates to insurance companies. When a patient chooses a provider that is in that company's PPO, the insurance company pays a higher percentage of the fee. When a non-PPO provider is used, a much lower portion of the fee is paid.

A major advantage of a fee-for-service plan is that the patient has options in selecting health-care providers. Several disadvantages are that patients may not routinely receive comprehensive, preventive health care; health-care costs to the patient may be high if unexpected illnesses or injuries occur; and it may place heavy demands on time in keeping track of medical records, invoices, and insurance reimbursement forms.

Prepaid Group Insurance

In prepaid group insurance, health care is provided by a group of physicians organized into a health maintenance organization (HMO). HMOs are managed health-care plans that provide a full range of medical services for a prepaid amount of money. For a fixed monthly fee, usually paid through pay roll deductions by an employer, and often a small deductible, enrolls receive care from physicians, specialists, allied health professionals, and educators who are hired or contractually retained by the HMO. HMOs provide an advantage in that they provide comprehensive care including preventive care at a lower cost than private insurance over a long period of coverage. One drawback is that patients are limited in their choice of providers to those who belong to an HMO.

Government Insurance

In a government insurance plan the government at the federal, state, or local level pays for the health-care costs of eligible participants. Two prominent examples of this plan are Medicare and Medicaid. Medicare is financed by social security taxes and is designed to provide health care for individuals 65 years of age and older, the blind, the severely disabled, and those requiring certain treatments such as kidney dialysis. Medicaid is subsidized by federal and state taxes. It provides limited health care, generally for individuals who are eligible for benefits and assistance from two programs: Aid to Families with Dependent Children and Supplementary Security Income.

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The United States pays more for health care per capita than any other industrialized nation -- and even then, Medicare is not a comprehensive, pay-for-everything national health program like those of many nations and United States per capita health care costs continue to escalate rapidly.

Here's what you need to know about health care costs as you plan for retirement.

Americans age sixty-five and over spend four times more on health care on average than do Americans under the age of sixty-five. At the outset of this decade, the average per capita health-care outlay for a person under the age of sixty-file was about $2,800. For people over the age of sixty-five, it was $11,089. And for Americans ages eighty-five and older it was $20,001. Clearly, health care outlays are likely to get substantially larger as you age. You need to plan for them.

U.S. health care expenses have grown mightily. U.S. health care expenses have dramatically escalated each year as new medications, new treatments, diagnostic tools, and health care innovations have come onto the market.

For example, the median nationwide cost for a hospital stay -- excluding physicians charges -- was $11,280 in 1997; by 2004 it was almost double at $20,455. The average total cost for treating a heart attack climbed 40 percent in just seven years. All in, health care costs have escalated fast and the increases are gaining momentum.

Health care costs are likely to continue to grow unabated. Unlike in other countries, no laws meaningfully curb the continual climb of health care and drug costs in the United States. For example, many Americans continue to import drugs from Canada because Canadian prices are significantly lower. This is true even though the new Medicare Features introduced in 2006 offset the cost of pharmaceuticals for U.S. retirees. To curb the cost of medicines, Canada prohibits drug companies from advertising on its television channels. In the United States, on the other hand, the very legislation that created the new Medicare drug benefit (Part D) expressly prohibits the federal government from attempting to negotiate lower prices with drug companies.

Count on it: medical costs are sky-high and likely to keep climbing unless there is a radical overhaul of the system.

More and more corporations are cutting back on health care benefits as medical costs soar. Recent statistics show companies cutting general health care benefits and requiring employees and retirees to pay more for them. As one survey of corporate benefit trends concluded, "[Benefit] reductions have become not just common, but expected, with the only question now being of how much more of a reduction in benefits and or an increase in cost will be directly placed on individuals . . . In the end . . . individuals, either as taxpayers or consumers, will need to pay the bill.

I believe this trend will gain greater momentum over the next decades. It will be part and parcel of the continuing erosion of employment benefits -- like the demise of traditional pensions -- that is taking place throughout the country. Just like pensions, more and more health-care expense is going to become a do-it-yourself responsibility because heath care insurance costs are simply becoming too great for companies to shoulder competitively.

Taken all together, you can count on: (1) higher and higher health care costs, (2) more health-care-benefit cutbacks by U.S. employers, (3) the need to factor large health-care expenses into your funding plans, and (4) the need to buy supplemental health-care insurance to shield your savings from cost attack.

Americans are deeply unhappy with the country's health care programs and costs. And rightly so. As one author observed, "A recent survey showed that only 17 percent of respondents in the United States were content with their health-care system . . . Why the discontent? The superficial reasons are simple enough to describe: the system is hugely expensive, very bureaucratic, and extremely patchy. The expenses first: U.S. health care costs a third more, per person, than that of the closest rival, superrich Switzerland, and twice what many European countries spend. The United States government alone spends more per person than the combination of public and private expenditure in Britain, despite the fact that the British government provides free health care for all residents."

Of course, these views will not come as a surprise to most folks. Recent polls show that -- immediately after the foremost financial concern of having enough money for retirement -- the next great concern of most Americans is health care. More than half of adult Americans are "very worried" or "moderately worried" about being able to pay for serious illness or catastrophic health-care expense.

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For many seniors, just knowing that they will be allowed to recover at home will put them in better spirits, which is more conducive to faster healing. The goal of home health care is to provide the senior with any necessary treatment as the senior heals from an illness or injury in the home setting. Home health care concerns medical treatments and services would otherwise be done in a hospital or other health care setting. Home health care can include services such as nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, counseling, social services and speech therapy.

A doctor will prescribe home health care when the doctor feels that a patient may recover successfully at home. The doctor may order of services of a nurse, homemaker, physical therapist and a personal care worker as part of the home health care plan. Each of these personnel members would perform different tasks as the senior recovers.

Many seniors enjoy living in their own home with the freedom to do as they please. While some health problems may limit a senior's ability to do so, with the right home health care, a senior can enjoy an independent life in the presence of illness or other health conditions. When a senior receives adequate health care, it can keep the senior out of a convalescent or nursing home.

The nurse would administer medications, give the patient dietary tips and would arrange any other treatments or services that are necessary. The homemaker would do the household chores, shopping and preparation of meals. The physical therapist would perform such services that would help the patient get their strength back. The personal care worker would help the patient move around their home, including such tasks as dressing, bathing and walking with the patient. The people who provide home general health care services are usually licensed nurses, homemakers, therapists and personal care workers.

Many products can be purchased for the purpose of home health care. Not all the products are related to the patient's body and instead are used to make the home safer for the patient. Such home health care product and services involves the modification of the outdoor steps, seating, inside walls, bath and shower. A walkway may be built or railings may be placed inside the home. Mobility equipment such as a cane or wheelchair may be required. Any necessary medical equipment may be rented before making a purchase as well.

Home health care services may be performed by a public, private or other organization that is devoted to these services. Home health care workers are checked by most states for criminal backgrounds. Not all states perform a background check. If a state does not perform these checks, it is up to the person hiring the services of a health care worker to make sure that their criminal record is clear.

Home health care is not the same service as home care for seniors. Generally, home care revolves around house cleaning and other chores at the house. Home health care involves medical treatments or those services that are required to help the patient recover.

Home health care allows a senior's life to go on despite any injury or medical condition. A health problem does not automatically mean that a person has to be cooped up in a health care facility or nursing home. Patients that receive home health care are grateful for the opportunity to avoid the hospital or nursing home.

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One thing that employers fail to understand is that no matter how hard they try to avoid the subject of health care issues, it will forever haunt them, no matter what kind of health care system is being implemented. The responsibilities of these health care insurance companies include the liability of paying the medical costs, absenteeism, and any other health related issues that they have to pay due to poor health.

According to one study in the United States, most employers use up millions of dollars paying for the indirect expenditure due to unfortunate health condition rather than spending their dollars in health benefits. The expenses that the employers have to pay when it comes to poor health are significantly higher. Conditions like diabetes, heart conditions, and respiratory troubles are among those medical conditions that can cost an employer a fortune, and getting out of this situation will not solve the problems of these health care providers because it will continue.

Most European countries have discovered that investing in the health of their employers by providing them with wellness programs will significantly increase the productivity of their employers, thus decreasing the amount of money that they have to pay for the cost of poor health. One of the approaches that the employers use is bargaining for the best and maximum amount of discounts that they can get from other health plans providers and third party health proprietors. Often they are constantly searching for companies that can help them to provide better deals for their employers. This action on the part of the employers can cause confusion among their employees.

Due to the increase of health care costs, some employers have passed on their responsibility of paying the cost of the health care to their employees. Many of the steps that these employers take as far as health care issues are concerned has cost them more. So, one vital thing that any employer can do to improve their health care system is to consider the value of the health care services and not just the cost alone. After all, it is the results that both employers and employees are after. The main objective of this approach is to increase the value of the services and not to reduce the costs of the overall health care benefits.

In the United States, there are a lot of employers who see health care benefits as the enemy. This is due to the fact that some health care providers fix their attention on the growing cost of the services that are included in the General health care package, and this has led them to take steps to lower the rates. Most countries have put this subject on the sideline and they expect that the government will take care of the issue. Some of these health care providers hope that the insurance companies of the patients, or the government will take on this responsibility.

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Minnesota Statutes Sec. 145C.05 subdivision 2, clause c allows a principal to authorize a health care agent to make health care decisions for the principal even though the principal retains decision making capacity. Notwithstanding any provision in this general health care directive to the contrary, and whether or not I have or retain decision making capacity for any other purpose, I hereby grant my health care agent, and any person named as successor or alternative health care agent in my health care directive, whether or not then acting as my principal health care agent, the authority to: 1) receive, review, obtain copies, and otherwise have access to and obtain disclosure of my health records and any protected health information held in any form, written or oral, regarding any past, present, or future medical or mental health condition, without limitation, by any of my health care providers as if my health care agent were me and 2) to be recognized as my personal representative under Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, 42 USC 1320d by any health care provider, insurance company or health care clearinghouse that has provided treatment or services to me, or that has paid for or is seeking payment from me for such services, or is maintaining any protected information about me, and 3) to execute or otherwise provide specific authorizations or consents for the use and disclosure of my health records and my protected health information by my health care providers and to third parties for any purpose my health care agent deems advisable. This authorization shall not expire and shall remain in effect as long as my health care directive remains in effect.

A Minnesota Health Care Directive typically does not empower a health care agent to act on behalf of the principle until the principal lacks capacity to make those decisions. That is why it is a good idea to include specific language within the Health Care Directive that addresses this issue. Minnesota Section 145C.08 states that a health care agent acting pursuant to a health care directive has the same authority as the principal to receive, review and obtain copies of the medical records of the principal, and to consent to the disclosure of the medical records of the principal, unless the principal has specified otherwise in the health care directive.

This example should not be used as a substitute for getting solid legal advice from a licensed attorney. Every individual is different and has different needs. Please consult a lawyer in your area to discuss your specific estate planning needs.

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The technological development brought forth by science in this 21st century, has been seen in the domain of the health care sector too. Today, there are many trained professionals who work in this sector. The professional touch has been given to the health care sector which goes a long way in delivering quality care and support to those who seek its help. With the increase of demand among the people of various countries, the health care sector is also undergoing various stages of evolution to cater to the changing needs and demands of the people. As a result, health care today, stands as one of the most significant industries of recent times.

Health care is one of the most promising industries in the health and hospitability sector today. Health care relates to the prevention as well as to the treatment of illness. It also implies the overall mental and physical well being of individuals. A health care system refers to the organized functions which are involved in promoting the overall health of the country. The United Kingdom is the only industrialized country that does not offer health care universally. The National Health Service in the United Kingdom deals only with healthcare in the UK.

Overview of The Rising Health Care Sector

The health care industry is an industry that is considered to be one of the most budding among all other recent upcoming industries. Health care deals with delivering quality service towards improving the general health of the people residing in a country. In recent years, the health care sector has been witnessing an upward surge. In a developed country, the health care industry contributes to 10% of the country's gross national product. The professionally trained people serving the health care system ensure that all processes run smoothly.

The health care industry has witnessed a rapid growth in recent times mainly due to its contribution in maintaining the overall health and hygiene of a country. Today, the governments of different countries invest a huge amount of money in the health care sector to ensure that the sector has the proper support needed to grow. Statistical studies have shown that the profit derived from the health care sector is huge, both from the social, as well as the economic point of view. It is due to these reasons that the health care sector is considered to be one of the most emerging and promising industries today.

In most of the developed countries of the world, the health care sector has undergone a lot of privatization. This ensures that the systems that are developed under it run without any bottlenecks. There are several health care models that have come up in recent times. With the growing popularity of the health care industry, some major public insurance systems have also come forward to ensure the smooth functioning of the systems. There are numerous pay systems that have been developed to guarantee the accurate administration of the health care sector.

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Health care services may include the employment of medical and health professionals to take care and oversee the facilitation of health care services for their patients. Some of these health care services can be done at home, such as performing some form of physical therapy that does not need a special kind of medical equipment. However, the hospital is still the best place to get the best health care services because this gives your doctor the chance to see the physical manifestations of your illness and therefore the chance of you being correctly examined and diagnosed is high.

It is a known fact that the health care services in the United States is one of the best in the world that's why even the Europeans and Canadians come to the US to avail of these. Canadians in particular took advantage of this because of its benefits that includes lesser prices and great numbers of good hospitals that provides high standard medical procedures. Because of this, many Canadians travelled to the US in search for shorter hospital queues and better health care services. Another reason why Canadians seek health care services in the US is because there are certain types of health care services that are not readily available at the Canadian hospitals.

Health care services is not limited to the care of those who are infirmed, even if you are physically well, there is a chance that you might still need the help of general health care services. They also make sure that major problems that has something to do with health and ailments are properly addressed and given appropriate resolutions. Basically they provide top-notch quality of health care services to their patients and that is one thing that they will not put into compromise no matter what. To provide better health care services, health institutions should have high-quality medical equipment and competent health workers.

When someone in your family has unexpectedly acquired certain kind of disease and you are caught unawares, most probably you will be overwhelmed by it due to the lack of knowledge how to take care and handle that particular situation. Life for everyone in your family can be a struggle. Good thing is that there are so many health care services nowadays that offer their health care services for people who need it, thus giving them the chance to live a normal life while also allowing the members of the family who are not sick to continue their lives.

Millions of people with some form of physical limitations are more likely the ones who will avail of health care services. However, getting health care services can cost you a lot of money especially if you are unprepared. Good thing is that Medicare - a social insurance managed by government to grant health insurance coverage for citizens age 65, is there to save them from paying too much on their medical expenses. The kind of health care services that the Medicare provides for people include outpatient treatment, doctors and other hospital services and other pertinent services that has something to do with the patient's needs.

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Experts at the Mayo Clinic offer simple common sense advice to women (and men) in the fight against heart disease: don't smoke, eat a diet low in fat and rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and low-fat dairy products, exercise at least 30 to 60 minutes a week, and maintain a healthy weight.

In addition, they encourage women to see their family doctor each year for a physical which includes blood pressure and cholesterol screenings. Studies indicate that there is a 46% increase in stroke risk for women for each 7.5 mm HG increase in their diastolic blood pressure, so monitoring blood pressure and controlling hypertension are vital.

Women who suffer migraines, are pregnant, have atrial fibrillation and those with the auto-immune disease Lupus also appear to run a greater stroke risk. Diabetes is another women's health care issue with a direct impact on heart health. The American Heart Association notes women with diabetes have a two to six times greater risk of heart disease and heart attack and are at a significantly greater risk of suffering a stroke. All of these risk factors make an annual visit with your doctor one of the best ways women can manage and improve the health of their hearts.

Cancer Concerns: The Second Deadliest Health Care Issue Women Face While breast cancer is often at the top of the list of health care issues for women, several other types of cancers also pose a significant threat to women's health. In this country, one in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer during her lifetime according to current data which means that a little more than 2 million women are currently living with breast cancer in the U.S. But melanoma, a form of skin cancer, actually kills more young women than any other cancer according to statistics provided by the Skin Cancer Foundation. In fact, melanoma is the most common form of cancer in women between the ages of 25 and 29 and its incidence has tripled in women under 40 in the last thirty years.

Ovarian cancer is another women's health care concern. Usually symptomless until it is widespread, this disease is the fourth most frequent cause of death for American women. The American Cancer Society estimates 26,000 new cases of ovarian cancer diagnosed each year. Unfortunately, there are few definitive screening tests that detect this disease, but experts advise a thorough annual gynecological exam and for women to be alert to pelvic pain and pressure, low back discomfort, mild nausea, and an increase in constipation or gas. A serum CA-125 blood test can detect certain forms of ovarian cancer, but the test is not accurate enough to be used as a routine screening tool.

The rate of women suffering from cervical cancer has dropped a great deal over the years, thanks in part to the increase in the number of women who get an annual Pap smear which can indicate the presence of abnormal cells on the cervix. It's a strong argument for making sure you never skip your Pap smear. Women who have had Human Papillomaviruses (HPVs), herpes simplex virus, those with suppressed immune systems, and those who have had multiple sexual partners run a greater risk of cervical cancer. On the prevention front, a recent trial of a vaccine against cervical cancer was 100% effective in the short term at blocking the disease.

Psychological Well-being: A Growing General Health Care Issue for Women In the field of women's health care, psychological problems, which include eating disorders, depression, and anxiety disorders, affect millions of American women. From coping skills to medications to alternative and complementary medical approaches, there is a growing body of knowledge being brought to bear on this important health care issue.

More than 19 million people in the United States, the greatest percentage being women, live with anxiety disorders that disrupt their lives. The different types of disorders within this group include generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and phobias. Treatment options include talk therapy and a wide range of medications that can quell the symptoms of the condition. Many women also combine alternative approaches to treatment such as acupuncture, meditation, and diet modification with traditional forms of treatment.

According to the American Psychological Association, women are almost twice as likely to suffer from major depression as men. In fact, some experts in the field have called depression the most significant mental health risk for women, especially those in their childbearing and rearing years. Studies have found that married women and mothers are especially vulnerable to depression. It's important for a woman who feels she may be suffering from depression to be carefully evaluated by a physician because the source of the depressive symptoms could be birth control pills, hormone replacement therapy, or thyroid disease. Treatment for depression, like most other psychological conditions, includes talk therapy and medications. Some women also find relief in alternative medicine with herbal supplements, meditation, and other complementary techniques.

Though many of the women who struggle with eating disorders are in their teens and twenties, these conditions also affect women at other stages in their lives. Anorexia, bulimia, and binge eating are the most well-known forms of eating disorders. Statistics show that one out of every one hundred girls between the ages of 10 and 20 is anorexic, 4% of college-aged women are bulimic, and 1% of women are binge eaters. The root causes of these diseases include stress at home and at school or work, depression and anxiety, major life changes like a divorce or death, and physical and sexual abuse. Breaking out of the cycle of eating disorders requires a combined approach to this health care issue including psychological treatment, nutrition counseling, and in some cases, hospitalization.

A Holistic Approach to Women's Health Care As women become more proactive about their health, many seek a holistic approach to improving their well-being and fighting disease. But coordinating information among several health care providers, keeping on top of the latest breakthroughs in health, and finding the United States' best doctors is a daunting task for any women.

Some are turning to private professional health care advocates, like those available at PinnacleCare, to help them achieve their goal of a whole-woman centered approach to health care issues. From compiling and electronically storing comprehensive medical records to researching treatment options and providing accelerated access to the United States' top doctors, PinnacleCare's health advocates make a holistic approach to health care possible.

When the topic of women's health care is raised, the first disease that comes to mind is probably breast cancer. But surprisingly, that's not the number one health care issue confronting women today. In fact, heart disease kills more women each year than all forms of cancer combined. By knowing the most significant risks in women's health care and what you can do to combat these health care issues, women of all ages can take a proactive approach to leading healthier lives.

The #1 Women's Health Care Issue: Heart Disease More than 489,000 American women lose their lives each year as a result of heart attacks, strokes, and other cardiovascular diseases. In fact, more women than men die from heart disease each year. Until recently, little research focused on women and heart disease, but the good news is that's no longer the case. From research into the effects of hormone replacement therapy on heart health to studies of how cholesterol-lowering medications work in women, there's an unprecedented increase in the amount of information available to women working to live with and ward off heart disease.

"I passionately believe that what our PinnacleCare Members experience is the way healthcare ought to be delivered," explains John Hutchins, PinnacleCare's Managing Director. "The healthcare system has gotten so complex that most people are at a loss to find their way through it without professional guidance and objective counsel."

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- You forget about additional services – Everything, from prescription drug coverage to mental health care, is an important consideration. You need to consider which of the various additional services that you may need are, in fact, covered when you are comparing health care plans. Other examples of these additional services that may be important to you are drug and alcohol counseling and treatment, home health care, nursing home or extended care, hospices, experimental treatments, alternative and complementary medicine, chiropractic care and physical therapy.

Common mistakes

- You don’t check out your doctor, or any others – Although some healthcare plans require you to use a physician in their own network, other plans are more inviting. If you already have a physician, and are buying your own insurance, check with the doctor to see what plans he is a member of. If you do have to choose a new doctor, you should look into the general health plan doctors’ credentials by contacting the AMA.

- You forget “location, location, location” – The location of your doctor or clinic, and the travel time required, are other factors you should consider when considering health care plans. Find out where the doctor is located and also look into the regular and emergency hours of the facility.

- You don’t consider specialists – If you already need specialist care, or think you may need to in the future, you need to know the health care plan’s procedures on using them. Some plans require you to contact a primary care physician, while others allow you to make specialist appointments directly.

- You don’t consider your own specialist – You should definitely find out if your current specialist is in the health care plan you are considering. If not, perhaps your specialist can refer you to one who is.

- You forget to check the policy on “pre-existing conditions” – Even though this should be a “no-brainer,” people forget to ask about the policies on pre-existing conditions. Coverage for pre-existing conditions varies widely among health plans. Some exclude them entirely, and will not even consider coverage, while others cover them fully. Many health care plans fall somewhere in the middle, offering coverage after a certain amount of time, or for a certain amount of time or expense. Rules promulgated by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act guarantees you coverage for your pre-existing conditions if you join a new group plan offered by your employer after being insured the previous year. Do your research to make sure you know what your policy covers.

Less common oversights

- You don’t ask about physicals and health screenings – Again, it seems an obvious thing to ask, but if you appreciate getting regular physicals and health screenings you should ensure that they are covered. Most “managed care” plans do cover these types of procedures, usually on an annual basis, but there are some plans that do not cover them. If you have children, make sure to ask if “well baby” check-ups, physicals and immunizations are covered.

Bottom line considerations

- You don’t price things out correctly – Once you know what you want in your health care plan you need to compare costs, and you need to do it right, which means covering all the bases. You will need to know exactly what deductibles must be paid first before the health care plan coverage starts paying, and don’t forget to ask if the deductible needs to be met before certain services can be utilized. Find out about “out of network” charges if you anticipate having to go beyond your plan facilities or physicians. Finally, there are co-payment, cap amounts and total-care limits you need to know about. Some plans have lifetime limits, some have lifetime and annual limits, and others have mixed formulas for making this determination. Get all the facts.

- You don’t check the exclusions – If you don’t read the exclusions list, you will not know what is not covered. You need to see if any condition you currently have, or that you expect to contract in the future, is included. This is an important bottom-line consideration since, if you don’t get this settled and dealt with up front, you will likely spend a great deal of money down the line to treat excluded conditions.

It is a difficult thing to look at your health in a dispassionate, dollar-oriented way, but that’s life. As we age, more of our energy goes into thinking and planning against death and disability, but the subject need not be morbid or depressing. Do your best to get a health care plan that covers what your particular needs are, and remind yourself that you are worth the trouble – and the expense.

There are a lot of details to consider when you are choosing a health care plan, whether it’s one offered through your employer or one you buy on your own. No matter what age you are, your health should be a primary concern, although young people often act as if they will live forever and sometimes postpone making health care decisions.

Here is a list of common mistakes that people make all the time when choosing a health care plan. They are in no particular order, and all are important to consider, carefully and completely. If you are not conversant with all the terminology or are finding it difficult to make the decisions, you should ask for help from a neutral third-party such as family member or friend. Don’t ask a health insurance company unless you want to hear a sales pitch!

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Health care can be for an individual or for a large group of people depending on how the systems are organized. Importance of health care cannot be overemphasized. In society, people are worried about the kinds of systems there are, to deal with issues of health. In developed countries, their systems are designed to cater for all people; whether poor or rich. However, the systems are lacking in regard to flaws. In developing countries, people usually take care of health as an individual thing and, if you do not have enough money, you might not get access to quality care. There are so many disparities and, some systems in certain countries are becoming worse; not able to deal with demand of health. Health is not a cheap affair, you have to have a good system if you want it to work for you. Governments have the responsibility to create or formulate policies that will favor people in this regard. Good systems of health can be erected by the top most leadership of a state.

The importance of good health care can be seen in the hopes of a people who are yearning for health. To become rich or to produce something in life, you have to have that ability or strength. If you are sick, you are likely not to develop yourself in any way. Therefore health is wealth and this is the biggest lesson that we can learn today. When you are in good health, you will be a happy person and enthusiastic about the business of life. Sickly people will dread every moment of their pain and, they are not able to have joy and peace. When it comes to preventative health care like the use of vaccinations, we are going ahead of time and making sure that you are safe from future illnesses. When it comes to prevention of pregnancy as part of care for health, we are able to structure our lives an take control. However, measures such as abortions are pretty controversial.

Health care is one of the most important components in your life. Disease or illness can really mean a down turn in your life. The biggest asset we can have in life therefore is health. Health care is normally defined as the management or treatment of any health problem through the services that might be offered by medical, nursing, dental or any other related service. When you talk about the care of health, you are talking of all goods and services that are produced to improve on your health. They may be curative, preventative or even palliative solutions. A system of general health care is one that is organized to give health services to a population or a group of people.

However, those countries that have legalized abortion need to ensure that people who choose to undergo it are safe and protected. Good health care will give rise to a generation that is ready to take on the world. Diseases have a way of making the future look very deem. For example, the spread of the AIDS virus has really dealt a huge blow on this generation. Proper care is beginning to be felt in many corners of the world especially areas where it is rampant like sub Saharan Africa. Therefore, make sure that no matter whether you are and individual or a group, you prioritize on health. Investing in good care for health is investing in life.

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Dumping of questionable services and drugs continues unabated in the absence of stringent regulations. Clear-cut up to date guidelines by health authorities have yet to be issued to safe guard the health interests of this nation. Most of the drugs banned in developed countries are still being dumped in the Indian market. Commerce alone dictates the policies of multinational companies in health sector of developing countries. State and national medical councils, the watch dogs of our national health interests are controlled by elected representatives from among the doctors. Competitive populism for being elected to these high offices takes away the very sting off these regulators. In this 'market forces' driven health sector, apart from other factors, size of the population, economic prosperity and literacy levels dictate the out look of key players.
We hardly come across a person who may be fully satisfied with the health care delivery system run by either the government or the private sector. This is true not only for developing but for all the developed countries as well. Every law abiding, contributing individual has some legitimate expectations from the state. Disenchantment with present dispensation of health care compels people to seek better options across the borders. Even the present flow rate of patients from developed to developing countries has assumed the proportions of Medical tourism.

Very recently two NGO's headed by renowned plastic surgeons of Indian origin were in India, claiming to their credit hundreds of cleft lip and palate surgeries conducted in one week. During my brief interaction when I asked them one basic question that how do you justify single step surgery by a single specialist for a clinical entity that require 3-5 set up surgeries by 10 specialists over a period of 20 years, there was no answer. On record local doctors conduct all these surgeries. These NGO's bring in a battery of trainee resident doctors for hands on training.

Medical tourism is not a one-way traffic. Poor from India are known to visit Rashid Hospital at Lahore for kidney transplants. Medical tourism will definitely bring in world class equipment and services in our corporate hospitals. These corporate tertiary care hospitals can act as excellent referral hospitals. Lack of enough clinical material, as the patients are often referred to in medical parleyences is prompting the doctors from developed world into medical adventurism.

Subjective as well as objective assessments of the health care operations leave people confused with huge piles of data and endless interpretations. At the tail end of govt. health care delivery system is the rural dispensary or the slum revamping center, and the end user an illiterate or semi literate villager or a slum dweller. Dispensary is the humane face, the welfare state can present to its people. In yesteryears the service providers were from among the same social class they used to serve. Doctor can be a friend, philosopher and guide to the locals.

Unfortunately the economic and social disparity between the service providing doctors and the service user population has grown enormously. Ad-hocism in health care delivery should be done away with immediate effect. Doctors and paramedical staff appointed on yearly contract basis are not showing any interest in the national programmes. Established private health care providers also have not shown any meaningful commitment for national programmes. Middle class itself has fragmented. Now it is fashionable to assign economic values to any issue like gender, but for social responsibility and justice. In this era of fast paced growth, the unorganized, silently suffering millions can not be wished away.

Once reading on biodiversity I stumbled upon a very interesting quote, "only the species with economic importance will survive". In our active pursuit for magnetizing economy, we assigned economic values to any thing except for morals. Commercialization of education has produced a new breed of professionals who have scant regard for professional ethics. Privatization is the buzzword with governments, because it takes away government responsibility. Private sector players are eyeing many ‘viable’ health institutions. There are no takers for commercially non-viable rural institutions. Rural health institutions dispense social medicine. Very recently one of the key players from private sector health care quoted the cost of developing one bed in corporate hospital at Rs. 30-60 lacs. These corporate health services are definitely out of each of the common man. These type of hospitals are definitely required for a nation with the present rate of growth but 'bharat' definitely needs different kind of hospitals.

There are very strong social under currents against the exploitive private healthcare, inadequate government sector health care resources and the indifferent approach of welfare state. Health for all is a very lofty but expensive proposition. There are ways and means to reduce the pressure from government institutions. Private-public partnership, health insurance, monitoring and regulation of private sector health care can all make the things bit easy.

Preventive health care education can go a long way in improving the public health. Community participation in health care has produced few but wonderful examples. Complementary community participation can make up for minor but critical deficiencies in the government run health care system. Setting up of health system corporations with World Bank assistance has already improved the working of govt. sector health care institutions considerably. Community participation through NGO's can still improve the system, but most of the meaningful NGO's turn their back on govt. run health care institutions because of their doubts on the integrity of government officers. Government health care institution are increasingly seen not as caring hospitals but like police stations, where medico legal reports are written and postmortems conducted. Most of the government doctors' time is spent in courts appearing as medico legal experts witnesses. Emergency, post mortem, and then the VIP duties in addition hardly leave the doctors free for any meaningful job at government hospitals. There is an urgent need to have separate curative, preventive, legal, administrate and health intelligence wings. Government hospitals attract the poorest of the poor, mostly people from the unorganized sector. Their contribution to national GDP is by no means small. With the present growth rate, upward social mobility is seen in every strata of society. Many segments of this unorganized sector can be organised so that they also enjoy the patronage of welfare state in the form of health insurance policies. Apart from direct benefit to these segments of society, the state will benefit from the 'off loading' of burden from government run health care system and loading it on insurance driven private sector health care institutions. Poorest of the poor will repose faith in welfare state.

Sanjivini, health insurance policy with the Punjab Milkmen Cooperative Societies is already a big success. ECHS (Ex servicemen Contributory Health Scheme) is an other success story. These success stories can be replicated with countless groups like, panwallas, dhabewallas, autorikshaw drivers etc. Simply organize the unorganized sector. There is no dearth of role models from among government doctors also. Their inclusion rather than drift after dissent from the present dispensation of health care will immensely improve the system. Stability of tenure is an excellent incentive government can give to its doctors without costing anything to exchequer. Yet tenure beyond decades should be discouraged as it leads to development of vested interests of the old incumbents and denial of chance to the youngsters. Resource mismatching is a major problem in the govt. run health care system. There are dispensaries where specialists are posted and still many more civil hospitals where non-specialist are posted. These mismatching result in defective and inefficient health care. Nodal Hospitals can be created for round the clock emergency services by cannibalizing defunct and sick institutions where equipment worth crores is lying unused and salary bills are bleeding the exchequer white. Most of the medical officers retire in the same administrate rank. This undue stagnation has forced many a brilliant doctors out of service. By simply seeking options for place of posting, honestly implementing with minimum displacement on merit can also revitalize the govt. doctors' cadres. Private sector health care delivery system is a totally market driven commercial enterprise. So called 'market forces' have least respect for ethical and moral value systems. Multi level marketing chains have evolved in the name of referral systems. End result is exploitation of the unsuspecting common man, who still regards his healer a holy person. This 'incentive' system is strengthening the hold of unqualified, unscrupulous and unregistered medical practitioners on illiterate masses. Not many qualified doctors are unscrupulous. A large section of private health care providers feel genuinely threatened by blackmailers of all sorts. Consumer protection act is a very convenient beating stick in the hands of their tormentors.

Under the constant threat of being blackmailed, the private health care providers are becoming more defensive in attitude. More patients are being referred to tertiary care institutions for this reason only, thereby flooding the referral institutions. People have a common feeling that sickness is an invitation for exploitation at the hands of private health care providers. Even the charitable hospitals are charging as heavily as fully private hospitals. Medical profession is fully responsible and capable of self-correction. Medical councils and associations can jointly evolve a fail-safe mechanism to keep their black sheep under check even without government help, but the buck stops with the government. Welfare state is duty bound not only in providing health care delivery system but also proper health care administration and social justice through its health care delivery mechanism.

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Dealing with severe pain can be a complex issue, but I suggest that you have to treat this sort of pain fairly aggressively as acute severe pain is relatively easier to treat than chronic severe pain. In the early stages of an injury or insult to an area of the body, most of the pathological processes are happening at the site of the injury or insult. Throughout time the brain begins to modulate this pain and so no only do you have the injured area to deal with, but you also have complex neural pathways within the brain to deal with as well. This often means a far more complex management plan and a far more protracted recovery time. Specialists are very skilled at dealing with these issues but they do rely heavily on the stories their patients give them. That means being honest in answering their questions and not being heroic with a grin and bear it grimace! Often the use of a pain scale is helpful with zero being no pain at all and a 10 being the worse pain you have ever experienced.

Another general health issue we commonly down play is influenza. Over the years I have frequently heard people say that they would not have the flu vaccine because either they never get the flu or that they had it last week for a couple of days and then it was all over! Influenza is a serious debilitating disease that will usually last from 10 days to two weeks and often leave you flat on your back exhausted. It’s not a happy 10 days either as patients do not have the energy to read a magazine or even watch a DVD. You will literally feel ancient with every movement being a real challenge and that doesn’t include the aching all over or the fevers and sleepless nights. The influenza virus is also extremely contagious and most people are unaware that if you spread it to someone who is more frail than yourself that you may actually be putting their life at risk.

With the ‘flu the big challenge is to vaccinate as many people in the community as possible, including children, those employed and unemployed, the elderly and the infirm, to reduce the chance of an epidemic occurring. Recent research has also showed that vaccinating pregnant women in the last trimester of their pregnancy will help protect their new born infants born during the ‘flu season.

Funny thing pain, if you’ve never had a severe pain then the suggestion of taking simple analgesia and resting the affected area all seems quite reasonable. I was reminded of this when I read recently of a doctor’s advice to someone who was suffering from sciatica. Having personally experienced sciatica, it’s a condition I would not recommend to anyone who wishes to walk, sit, laugh, sleep, or to just simply pull up your trousers. It’s a bit like a dentist drilling your teeth without an anaesthetic, but it affects your whole leg. In other words the pain is consuming, exhausting and without respite. Clinical studies do show that in the majority of cases the pain will eventually subside and surgery may not be necessary, but in the meantime the patient has to deal with the pain or deal with the medication required to dull the pain. Remember, pain-killers are not selective to the area affected. They affect the whole of the nervous system and elsewhere so there may be significant side-effects from these medications.

Medicine has evolved over the last 40 years, but the change has been fairly slow with doctors by nature being very cautious and conservative people. But we can’t leave the doctors to take all the initiatives. As patients we need to be good listeners in our approach to health care by heeding all the great health messages that keep being given to us about vaccinations, smoking, alcohol, exercise and healthy eating. We also need to be good communicators and tell our doctors how we are feeling with conditions such as pain. If the team treating you doesn’t have the best information then it may be that you will not end up getting the best treatment!

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College health care scheme may vary from college to college due to laws and some other factors. Many students may think medical services are free of charge, but it is not always true. In term of clinic visit or routine checkups they may be free, however students still require to pay for special kinds of lab tests and other specialties such as x-rays, prescriptions, and a wound treatment. Compensation usually covers some types of service stated in the health care offered at college health centre. When you are referred to see an outside doctor, then the coverage will cover only 70% of your total expense and you are at risk to pay high medical cost.

You may have a problem getting treatment at the campus health centre if you have pre-existing condition. Having a pre-existing condition or illness does not mean to prevent you from obtaining health insurance plan, but you may not be eligible to have your treatment on your pre-existing condition. It can be troublesome if your new symptoms develop from a pre-existing one.

Health schemes are different, so be sure you find out everything about your health insurance plans. Be sure that your health plan stretch to summer break when you or your child do not take classes. This is vital for you because you don’t want to find out that your health care does not cover when you need it most. Some college health insurances may not cover during summer break, while others do.

Upon graduation from high school, there is no doubt that you will surely start your tertiary education in college or university. At age twenty, children will not be covered by health insurance of their parents and this can be disastrous if they are merely study and do not do part-time job. Some universities or colleges may have insurance plan offered to students. These insurance may not answer all your needs but you need to be meticulously considered it.

Most of the universities and colleges offer student health insurance plans. These plans should absolutely be at reasonable price, and can give you the school's nearest hospitals. This option is one that you should definitely think of, if your son or daughter is enrolled in a college far away from home.

Be certain that you study your plan thoroughly. Is it an HMO, or can the member utilise any service provider they went? This is critical. You need to know where you can go in case of emergency, and there is nothing worse than discovering that you will have to pay off the bill yourself.

There is no definitive solution to whether you should or should not commit yourself to college health insurance. Be certain that you study your plan thoroughly so that it answer to your need when you need it most. Although there is no free health insurance scheme, surely it will save you a lot of money in time of illness or accident.

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