medicine

Trump Approves the First Corona Medicine

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Donald Trump, President of the United States of America has announced that the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) has approved hydroxychloroquine as the first medicine for COVID-19.

Hydroxychloroquine is not a novelty. It has been used since 1955 for treating malaria and relieving arthritis, lupus and other diseases. It isn’t expensive either. In some countries highly affected by malaria monthly costs are up to 5 dollars, and around 25 dollars in the USA. It is administered through pills.

Source:techstartups.com

The prognoses are looking good – due to the medicine’s long-term usage it is able to bypass many rigorous procedures, since its unwanted effects on high-risk patients are already known. They include, in a small number of patients, vomiting, headaches, eyesight problems and exhaustion, which don’t sound too bad when in comparison with the dangers of COVID-19.

All that’s left is to determine whether hydroxychloroquine is actually efficient in fighting the coronavirus, and the first results seem promising, but we’re still in the early stages of testing.

Dr. Didier Rault from the French University has published preliminary results from 36 COVID-19 positive patients. 6 patients showed no symptoms, 22 had a respiratory tract infection, and there were 8 cases in which the infection had spread to the patient’s lungs.

At the beginning of March, 20 of these patients were receiving 600 mg of this medicine, and some of them were also being treated with an antibiotic called azithromycin used for curing bacterial lung infections. The rest of the patients, the control group, were administered placebo.

Source:washingtonpost.com

6 days later, 70% of patients which were administered hydroxychloroquine were completely cured. 12,5% of the control group were also cured, and all 6 patients – serious cases – which were receiving azithromycin alongside hydroxychloroquine were cured as well.

These results are very promising, but we shouldn’t celebrate just yet – it’s important to note that this was a preliminary study with a small number of samples. This medicine warrants further research, which is being carried out right now.

How to Find a Good Online Doctor 2020

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Thanks to advanced technology, the things in the medical industry have changed a lot. We are not talking here about the improvement of equipment. Indeed, many ambulances have high-quality gadgets that can help people to defeat different diseases. Yet, here we talk about something else.

Internet technology allowed people to communicate with doctors differently. You do not have to spend hours in the waiting room. Now, you can do everything from the comfort of your room. There are two things that you need to have to visit an online doctor. Those two things are a stable Wi-Fi connection and a good camera. However, we are sure that most of the people already have these two things.

Source: techcircle.in

Indeed, the number of online doctors started to grow. Yet, are all of them equally good?

Your health needs to be your main priority. If you are not feeling well for some reason, then you should know how to find a good online doctor. There are a couple of steps that you need to go through to find the right one.

However, before we start, there is one thing that we need to say. For some things, you will truly need to visit a doctor in-person. Some health issues require medical treatment which you won’t be able to get online, right? Collaborate with online doctors only when you feel that there is no need to spend hours sitting in the waiting room.

Now, let’s start with the steps.

  • Go to Google

Source: globaltelemed.co

Okay, we will start with a basic piece of advice. The best place to look for an online doctor is Google. Type some phrases such as “best online doctors” or “online doctor for me” and see which results you will have.

Still, there is one reason why we mentioned this step. Many people do that, click on the first link, and they immediately contact the doctor. That’s not the point of this sort of research. You need to do an in-depth analysis before you hire someone. Because of that, the next steps are even more important.

  • Explore Telemedicine Jargons

Source: franchiseindia.com

Before you continue the research, it is necessary to understand what you are looking for.Telemedicine or online medicine uses some unique terms and phrases. Some people will not clearly understand the content of online doctors. Because of that, we suggest you find a glossary or do basic Google research on unfamiliar jargon. That will make your research a lot more effective.

  • Research the Doctor

Source: sciencemag.org

As we said, researching a current doctor is crucial. Fortunately, you can now do the entire research with only a couple of clicks. Yet, people are not sure which things they need to research. That’s something you will find out now.

  • Check the Doctor’s Credentials

Source: nyoooz.com

You probably know that each doctor needs to possess a board certification that is managed by the government. We are sad that we need to say this, but many doctors work illegally. Despite that, a lot of them will represent themselves as professionals for an area that is not their expertise. Just because they are doctors, that doesn’t mean they are experts for everything.

Fortunately, these things are easy for research. There is a website under the name cerificationmatters.org where you can check the credentials of each doctor. You need to type the doctor’s name and the address of their practice.

Of course, you can do that directly. When you contact the online doctor, ask him to send you a copy of his credentials on your email.

  • Check the Law of Your State

Source: verywellhealth.co

Many states in the US indeed support online doctors. Yet, not all of them have unlimited possibilities. Some of them do not have the right to give you all types of prescriptions. All these pieces of information you can find in law.

  • Check Their Website

Source: statcarewalkin.co

In the world of modern technology, almost everything is transparent. You can find out many things by just checking the website of the doctor. More precisely, you should focus your research on the reviews of the previous patients. Despite that, you can see the reviews of previous clients on Google as well. If the number of negative reviews is huge, then you should skip the doctor and look for another one. Yet, if the reviews are not visible, then keep in mind that something is wrong.

Still, the positive and negative reviews can sometimes trick people. That’s why the next step is even more important.

  • Find Objective and Independent Sources

Source: statcarewalkin.co

Positive and negative reviews are not the main element that you should follow. There is a good reason why we say this. For instance, you should know that the competition in this field is huge. Because of that, online doctors use different ways to defeat their competitors. Some of them are not quite honest. That’s why they can organize a “negative review attack”. They can send people that have never been patients of a certain online ambulance to write negative reviews. Things can also go in a completely different direction. The online doctor can make fake positive reviews as well.

Anyway, because of these reasons, you should find an independent source to confirm the credibility of certain online doctors. There are some websites such as BetterDoctor or Healthgrades where you can see verified reviews given by professionals.

Despite that, if you know someone that has been a client of a certain online doctor, talk with him. See if that person was satisfied with the services that those doctors offered.

  • Be Careful with Alternative Medicine

Source: capulumcollege.com

We will leave to experts in this field to discuss this topic. Some people claim that alternative medicine is a complete mistake, while others believe that formal medicine is nothing more than a scam.

Still, some supporters of alternative medicine are offering completely wrong approaches. They use some treatments that are not scientifically proven. These people can only hurt your health even more.

Bonus Tip: Our Recommendation

Source: linkedin.com

We are sure that many online doctors will completely satisfy your expectations. This industry improved drastically and many online doctors understand the needs of their potential patients. Yet, there is one that we would want to suggest. Our recommendation is to visit Yourdoctors.Online and check which services they offer. Their doctors are experts in different fields of medicine.

Fluicell introduces extra-precise Biopixlar 3D bioprinter

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Fluicell AB, a Swedish biotech company, founded as a spin-off from the Chalmers University of Technology in Gothenburg, has launched Biopixlar – a biomedical plotter/3D printer… with a gamepad!

Fluicell company was set up in 2012, and since then has been developing and manufacturing devices that can be used in cell biology, biomedicine, a medicine development. Among them is Dynaflow Resolve ion channel screening platforms, as well as microfluidic device BioPen, which enables local delivery of molecules to one or a small number of cells in a laboratory environment. 

Their newest addition is the Biopixlar platform, which is made up of a bioprinter, a software, a gamepad, all situated on an optical table. One of the most impressive features of the device is its high-resolution, which makes it possible to print out even individual cells. Fluicell introduced the device’s unusual gamepad interface for this particular reason since it allows us to operate the printer’s micromanipulator if necessary manually. This new feature makes the controls much more tactile, and the operating experience is now way more enjoyable for the user. It feels as if you’re playing a video game, but it’s much cooler, and you can actually create something new this way. 

“We have been beta-testing the Biopixlar platform for two months now, and we are very pleased with its performance. The platform is running smoothly, and we really like the gamepad, which we think is a very innovative interface to work with. We are currently developing protocols for the printing of different neuronal cell types,” said Mattias Karlsson, CEO of Cellectricon AB, a disease research company. also checkout how 3dEngineering is making new developments in the field of 3D printing

“The capability of this exciting technology to enable precise control of the cellular composition and spatial distribution within a cell culture has the potential to open up completely new avenues for in-vitro modeling of a wide range of central and peripheral nervous system-related diseases.

The device’s microfluidic print-head with an elastomeric nozzle is capable of working with three types of cellular materials simultaneously, allowing to create single-layer or multi-layer structures. The manufacturer states that by changing the print head, users will be able to achieve even better results with many more different cell types. 

The new machine is likely to bring us closer to the next big step in bioprinting since it’s will not just help scientists to be more efficient at testing medicine efficacy, as well as print various tissues for disease research, but also it will allow researchers to avoid testing on animals. Now, this would be a huge leap forward in the ethics department. 

The operating process is monitored by an onboard microscope and a camera that transmits an image in full HD. On top of that, the device is equipped with an onboard multi-color fluorescence imaging setup. If you’re interested in 3D printers and want to buy one, but don’t know how to check out this guide (https://top3dshop.com/blog/3d-printer-buying-guide), it’ll help figure out, which machine will be most useful to you. 

 

What is Health Care Fraud and How to Deal With It

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One of the things you may get yourself into is health care fraud. You may not know it right away, but it’s essential to be keen. Hence, you must know what it is and its form so you won’t be fooled into it. 

What is Health Care Fraud?

As said by the FBI, health care fraud is the act of deceiving private or government healthcare programs. These actions usually defraud health care providers, companies, or individuals. 

Health care fraud occurs when a provider or a consumer purposely presents or persuades someone else to file fraudulent or misleading information utilized in determining the amount of health care benefits payable. It is a white-collar crime that comes in the form of filing of deceptive health care claims to make a profit. 

Commonly, health care frauds may come in the form of:

  1. Fraudulent insurance cards offer
  2. Bogus health insurance marketplace assistance
  3. Stolen health information, medications, supplements, weight loss products, or pill mill practices.

Categories of Health Care Fraud

Image source: pixabay.com

There are two categorizations of health care fraud: the provider health care fraud, and consumer health care fraud

Examples of provider health care fraud include:

  • If the health care provider billed you for unperformed services.
  • If a medical practitioner falsifies a patient’s diagnostic results, or do such acts to prove tests for surgeries or other procedures even if it’s not needed in the medical aspect.
  • If they falsified procedures that they performed to get payment for the services that are not performed.
  • Upcoding – They billed you for a more expensive service than what they performed.
  • Unbundling – They charged you for every stage of a procedure, even if it’s not supposed to be a separate procedure.
  • If the practitioner takes bribes for patient referrals.
  • Rejecting patient co-pays or deductibles and billing the insurance carrier extensively.
  • Charging the patient more than the co-pay amount even if the benefit plan through a managed care contract already settled the bills in prepaid or in full.

Meanwhile, examples of consumer health care fraud include:

  • A person files for claims for unreceived services or medications. 
  • A patient is falsifying or modifying bills or receipts.
  • A person is asking someone’s coverage or insurance card for personal use.

How to Avoid Health Care Fraud

Image source: pixabay.com

Anyone can fall victim to healthcare fraud, but you can take certain precautions:

  • Do not sign unfilled insurance claim forms.
  • Never issue your medical provider a blanket authorization to charge for services rendered. (Blanket authorization is a formal, written consent endorsed to an individual to carry on with activity that doesn’t need additional approval.)
  • Be informed of the expected charges from your medical providers.
  • Get acquainted with your insurer and provider and try to understand the benefits statement.
  • Never engage with door-to-door or telephone salespeople who promise free medical services or equipment.
  • The only people whom you can entrust your insurance/medicare identification are the practitioners who already provided you with medical services.
  • Have a detailed record of all your health care appointments.
  • Be knowledgeable when your doctor ordered medical equipment for you.
  • Do not get yourself fooled by spam email, internet advertisements, links in forums or social media, and questionable websites. Before clicking on any link, be sure to watch out for these red flags. 

Now that you’re aware of what healthcare fraud is, the most important thing to do next is to keep constant vigilance. If you become a victim of healthcare fraud and need help, you can visit www.healthcarefraudgroup.com to learn more about what you can do to protect yourself. 

Let Regular Health Check-Ups Be Your Best Friend

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The times we are living in are stressful, and it seems like it is so hard to find enough space for self-care and family time. And this can all result in various medical conditions. Now, your best bet is to everything in your power to prevent it – and by this, we mean maintaining healthy habits and go for regular health check-ups. A healthy lifestyle is based on three main principles – balanced and nutritious diet including whole grains, vegetables, fruits, eggs, and fish; regular exercise of at least 3 times a week; and an adequate sleep routine of 7-8 hours each night. Apart from this, you should cut or complete quit your drinking and smoking habits, and do your best to stay positive throughout the life journey.

Now, as we all know prevention is the key and our best friend – and that is why health check-ups are so important. If you and visit your doctor at least a few times a year you will be able to know more about your overall health and potential corrections you need to make. And regular health check-ups are also a part of the integrative medicine that is becoming more popular – if you want to later be eligible for an adequate treatment your doctor needs to know about the stuff that is affecting you.

The Advantages Of Regular Health Check-Ups

Img source: gurmeetimaging.com

1. What you are all thinking is that the health check-ups cost and you don’t even have enough to make it through the end of the month. Well, while you will have to pay a bill for that regular doctor visit, it is still going to be a long term investment as that was you are preventing further development of the possible condition, and by that cost of the potentially expensive treatments.

2. A great thing that regular health check-ups allow you is better communication with your doctor. He will perform the screening you want and taking into consideration your age, lifestyle habits, sex history, etc. In fact, regular health check-ups are one of the best ways to get anonymous HIV testing done. As integrative holistic approach is becoming a huge thing, both you and the doctor will benefit from your regular visits.

3. Along with that, most of the regular health check-ups will include blood testing and that could be beneficial in many ways. Apart from STDs testing, you will be able to check your cholesterol and iron levels, blood pressure, anemia risk, as well as the function of organs like kidneys, liver, and

4. One of the most important things about regular health check-ups is the fact that you will be able to identify a psychosomatic disease. As mentioned above, we are living a hectic lifestyle and our body can suffer from all the stress on a daily basis resulting in Alzheimer’s disease, depression, breathing problems, high blood pressure and various types of mental disorders. Thus, by going for a check-up and identifying a possible condition you will be able to consult with the doctor and prevent further development.

Img source: indushealthplusindia.blogspot.com

5. Last but not least, by visiting your doctor on regular basis they will know to consult you on lifestyle changes that you need to make and give you much-needed advice on how to approach certain situations and don’t get affected that much. If you keep the problem for yourself chances of solving it are significantly lower.

Summary

While people may not like regular doctor visits because of additional costs and general animosity towards health check-ups, you should still think of the same as your best friend. No matter how healthy you think you are, we still recommend that you go ahead and check yourself at least few times a year – this way you will keep the disease at bay, and prevent further development of any existing condition!

The Potential Advantages Of Integrative Medicine

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Our society is constantly moving forward yet it seems that some areas have stopped and simply don’t adapt to the modern approaches. Now, if you are living in the US, you probably now what we are talking about. Yes, the healthcare system. And we are not talking about specialists who aren’t educated – no, there are more than enough extremely good individuals who do their job as is and much better than anyone would expect; we are talking about health system as an area that has problems with adapting any methods that are outside of conventional medicine. Saying this, we mostly think about the uprising specialty called integrative medicine.

Now, integrative medicine is becoming more popular and there are a lot of primary care physicians who are starting to use this approach. But how does it differ from conventional medicine and does it really outweigh the traditional treatments and methods? Well, integrative medicine does combine a holistic approach with medical principles there have been there for centuries. The thing is, this kind of approach offers for a much better relationship between the patient and a primary care physician which can in terms lead to better treatment results as well. Still, this specialty has yet to grow and we cannot come with a final verdict on it, but from what we know for now it does have more than a few advantages over conventional medicine. Let’s have a look.

How Can Integrative Medicine Outweigh Conventional Methods

Img source: ramoscenter.com

1. First and foremost, the main difference between integrative and conventional medicine is that the first one focuses more on prevention. Instead of waiting for the disease to occur it uses a more preventive approach educating potential patients on the matter, and how to maintain over health and wellness It also focuses on mind-body medicine and the fact that almost every disease comes from the state of mind.

2. As mentioned above, the integrative medicine goes for a more holistic approach where the primary care physician does inspect all the factors that could have had affected the patient’s current condition. What does this mean? Well, while the conventional medicine only looks at organs and how to make things better, integrative medicine includes factors like environment, social situation, mental well-being and lifestyle habits that could have affected the current condition.

3. Integrative medicine has a goal to create a much better relationship between the patient and primary care physician – a relationship that is based on understanding and collaboration. And that is the reason why it might yield better results – a healthcare system where patient knows that his condition and factors that surround it are properly treated and looked at.

4. The reason that it can be so effective is that it combines allopathic methods, with alternative treatments and certain principles that conventional medicine has been lying on for centuries. As it can be used both to prevent and treat the disease, integrative medicine seems to be just the thing that our healthcare system needs.

Summary

Img source: caramiadayspa.com

As you can see, there are numerous benefits that integrative medicine could allow. It is yet to be developed and practiced so before more years and empirical results we can’t come out with a final verdict – still, we can safely say that it does come with positive and good intentions, and if applied well, it can be revolutionizing for the health system that we know.

Over the past few decades, it has been noticed a significant drop in the quality of our healthcare system. We can often hear about physicians that opt for a wrong treatment, or they are wrong with the diagnosis. Those and the lack of respect that people get from public healthcare centers are the reasons why so many are seeking help from private healthcare centers.