Healthcare Systems

Review Your Social Security Statement

“Social Security is going to run out in the next twenty years.” “Social Security is the biggest ponzi scheme ever created.” “Social Security is something no one needs to think about since it doesn’t really affect us.”

Chances are, most of you have heard of at least one of these statements in your lifetime. In fact, you probably agree with at least some of those broad statements. Regardless of what any of your views are, one thing is clear, whether you like it or not 6.2% of every paycheck you receive while working will go directly into the OASDI program. Over time, the amount that is taken out of your paychecks add up to thousands of dollars. Especially in a prolonged recession, because so much money is at stake it is imperative that we pay attention to what our money is going into. Like any major investment, everyone should know what they are investing in and what the estimated end result will be. This article will answer what a Social Security Statement is, who can receive it, what the Social Security Administration (SSA) says about it, and specifically, what you should not forget to think about when reviewing your Statement.

Who receives a Statement?

SSA will automatically send you a pamphlet entitled, “Social Security Statement” several months before your birthday each year if you are at least 25 years old. If you have not received your statement and want one, you can request one from SSA and they will mail one out to you.

What is your Social Security Statement? Read more…

Samavedana – A Hope, Help, and Healing Hand

In last few decades, medical science has seen enormous advancement in terms of diagnostic, therapeutic and rehabilitation techniques. But unfortunately it has increased the overall cost of the medical facilities, making it unreachable to a majority of the population. Unlike other services, medical service can neither be substituted nor neglected when the need occurs. In developing countries, where many families find it difficult to get enough food for the day, how can they afford expenses of the medical treatment if their earning member needs an urgent operation or a costly treatment regimen? This question has haunted me for a very long time, since I got admission to the medical school. But recently, I came across an organization called Samavedana that not only provides hope to poor and needy patients, but in other way supports the existence of the entire family, as well.

Internationally acclaimed neurosurgeon Dr Charudatta Apte and his associated have been working hard for last six years to provide not just financial assistance to the poor and needy patients, but at times free medical treatment as well. The group that started with an aim of providing neurological treatment to the poor, has now expanded its activities to cardiology, hematology, pediatrics and ophthalmology, through a team of around 30 doctors and more than 2600 donors. Read more…

Vitamin B and Acai Berry

The acai berry features a seemingly endless amount of benefits. People are used to hearing about the major health benefits of the acai berry. They hear about the antioxidants and the omega fatty acids that come from acai. They often fail to hear about the other health benefits of the acai berry.

Acai is a great source of Vitamin B. Acai features vitamin B1, vitamin B2, and vitamin B3. Vitamin B1 is a great source of energy. It is relied on to help keep your muscles working properly. Vitamin B2 is important for your skin, and for your eyes. Vitamin B3 is incredibly important for creating energy in the body from carbohydrates. It is also important for the digestive system. Like many other vitamins, it is important for healthy skin.

It is important to have about 1.5 mg of B1 vitamin daily. 1.7 mg are needed, per day, for Vitamin B2. Those who are looking for their daily vitamin B3 dose will need to have about 15 mg.

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The Four Key Approaches of Healthcare Lean-Six Sigma

As one begins to understand the theory of constraints and system thinking, an epiphany enlightens. One has to look to improve the system and all interdependent process as whole, by improving systematically a process here and a process there. Improving without a systematic view, just brings little results often shifting the root problem.

Lean-Six Sigma for Healthcare has four interwoven approaches :

1. A strategic deployment approach – Senior Executive’s goals are tied to the strategic plan by category of quality, expense reduction, patient safety, physician satisfication, patient satisfaction. This categorization is extended to six sigma project selection. Additionally a system map illustrating the relationships between all major entities and core processes is developed The C-suite champions the Lean Six Sigma deployment across the hospital, medical center, or health system
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Britain's Medical Tourists

There is now a serious rise in medical tourism which can be broadly defined as the provision of cost-effective private medical care in collaboration with the tourism industry. The attractions of being able to have an operation or nose job, spa visit, holistic healing or yoga combined with a sunshine holiday without having to wait in the National Health Service queue is proving a growth industry.

The World Medical Tourism market is estimated at over £10 billion and it is growing at over 35 per cent a year and now around half a million UK medical tourists go abroad each year – and coming back in better condition. It is a fact that medical costs can be halved in continental Europe and halved again in Thailand.

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Healthcare Reforms and RAC Program

The United States of America envisions the country providing affordable and quality health to Americans. There is a huge challenge to overcome fraud waste and abuse, medical errors and medical necessity determination. The problem of improper payments has to be dealt intelligently to avoid under and over coding.

Every common layman knows that only reforms can bring revolution in healthcare, president Obama has put emphasis on the reforms very much but only spending money on the name of reforms would not actually change the healthcare system it is about the “effectiveness of system” that will bring the change.

One of the core features of the Obama plan is the claim that every family will save about $2,500 per year. The plan accommodates a Health information technology investment aimed at tumbling unneeded expenses that result from preventable errors and infertile paper billing systems. It will also help preventing and organizing of unrelenting circumstances. The preparation is required to raise insurance industry competition and reduce underwriting costs and profits in order to reduce insurance overhead. The health insurance should be universal which will diminish spending on uncompensated care.

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Health Care Reforms and Medical Necessity Determination

The United Sates of America is having the nastiest crisis of recession and down turn. The result is so awful that a record number of Americans received food stamps. The costs of entities have gone up and the joblessness is on its peak as five million US jobs have been lost. The disaster is affecting the nation on the whole. It has a psychological and physical impact on every single American. The significance of health care system can not be denied and there is an urgent need to bring reforms in health care.

There is a lot of talk about healthcare reforms, it is the buzz now a days. President Obama is zealous to bring a change, a revolution in healthcare. The bottom line is to bring reforms with innovation to lower down the cost, improve quality and coverage and protect consumer choice. The ultimate vision is to provide every single American with quality medical services.

It is no doubt that the medical errors are one of the most important factors that increases the cost of healthcare because it can create many other complexities to the existing problems. Medical error is an inaccurate or incomplete diagnosis or treatment of a disease which can harm the patient and it can risk his life. When unsuitable methods are used and the execution is inaccurately, it can take a life away which can be effectively prevented through the use of an EHR system.

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