Health Care Insurance

health care safety and quality

dealing with a diagnosis

Every person is different of course and every person’s disease or condition will affect them differently. Research shows that after getting a diagnosis many people have similar reactions and needs.

This list describes five basic steps to help you cope with your diagnosis, make decisions, and get on with your life.

  1. Step 1: Take the time you need. Do not rush important decisions about your health. In most cases, you will have time to carefully examine your options and decide what is best for you.
  2. Step 2: Get the support you need. Look for support from family and friends, people who are going through the same thing you are, and those who have “been there.” They can help you cope with your situation and make informed decisions.
  3. Step 3: Talk with your doctor. Good communication with your doctor can help you feel more satisfied with the care you receive. Research shows it can even have a positive effect on things such as symptoms and pain. Getting a “second opinion” may help you feel more confident about your care.
  4. Step 4: Seek out information. When learning about your health problem and its treatment, look for information that is based on a careful review of the latest scientific findings published in medical journals.
  5. Step 5: Decide on a treatment plan. Work with your doctor to decide on a treatment plan that best meets your needs.

As you take each step remember this: Research shows that patients who are more involved in their health care tend to get better results and be more satisfied.

Source: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality



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Posted on on September 9th, 2008 in Protect your Family, Protect your Health, Safe Health Care | No Comments »

changes in health insurance coverage

 

A recent US Census department report released in August noted some interesting changes in the health insurance habits of Americans. These include:

  • The percentage of Americans without health insurance was 15.3 percent in 2007 is down from 15.8 percent in 2006 - meaning more of the population is covered by medical insurance.
  • The number of uninsured was 45.7 million, down from 47.0 million - or 1.3 million less Americans without Health Coverage.
  • The number of people with health insurance increased to 253.4 million in 2007 up from 249.8 million in 2006 - thats 3.6 million more Americans with health Insurance.
  • The number of people covered by Private Health Insurance was 202.0 million in 2007 unchanged from 2006.
  • The number of people covered by Government Health Insurance increased to 83.0 million, up from 80.3 million in 2006 - equal to 2.7 million more people.
  • The percentage of people covered by Private Health Insurance was 67.5 percent down 0.2 percent from the pervious year.
  • The percentage of people covered by Employment-based Health Insurance decreased by 0.4 percent to 59.3 in 2007.
  • The number of people covered by Employment-based Health Insurance , 177.4 million, was not statistically different from 2006.

So, it looks as though there are more people with medical or health insurance but the increase is being covered by the government as Private or Employment Health Insurance schemes decreased slightly.



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Posted on on September 3rd, 2008 in Government help, Protect your Health, Quality Health Care | No Comments »

More Questions for Safe Surgery


Recently we’ve looked at some of the questions you should ask a surgeon if they recommend surgery or an operation. We have seen that asking questions of your doctors and medical professionals can really improve the quality and safety of your healthcare.

Here we look a some questions your should ask if your doctor refers you to a specialist that you may not know. Its ok to ask what their qualifications are. You will want to know that your surgeon is experienced and qualified to perform the operation. Many surgeons have taken special training and passed exams given by a national board of surgeons. Ask if your surgeon is “board certified” in surgery. Some surgeons also have the letters F.A.C.S. after their name. This means they are Fellows of the American College of Surgeons and have passed another review by surgeons of their surgical skills.

Also ask how much experience the surgeon has doing your operation? It’s a way to reduce the risks of surgery by choosing a surgeon who has been well trained to do the surgery and has plenty of experience doing it.

You can ask your surgeon about his or her recent record of successes and complications with this surgery. If it is easier for you, you can discuss the surgeon’s qualifications with your primary care doctor.

It’s important to know at which hospital will the operation be done. Most surgeons work at one or two local hospitals. Find out where your surgery will be done and how often the same operation is done there.


Research shows that patients often do better when they have surgery in hospitals with more experience in the operation. Ask your doctor about the success rate at the hospitals you can choose between. The success rate is the number of patients who improve divided by all patients having that operation at a hospital. If your surgeon suggests using a hospital with a lower success rate for your surgery, find out why.


Source: http://www.ahrq.gov/consumer/surgery/surgery.htm





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Posted on on July 14th, 2008 in Protect your Health, Quality Health Care, Safe Health Care | No Comments »

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