Cinergy Health Doctor Endorses Networking for Better Care

As new technologies enter our lives at an increasingly faster pace, it is worthwhile to step back for a moment and reflect whether this particular innovation is actually improving our lives or not.

Take, as an example, social networking tools such as Twitter, Facebook and YouTube. In and of themselves, they are neither good nor bad. Rather, it is how and for what they are used which defines their value.

The latest use of social networking is as a tool of the health-care profession. Dr. Erika Schwartz, a director and specialist in internal medicine at Cinergy Health has an opinion on this issue.

``If it doesn't serve the patient, using it (the social networking tool) is unacceptable. Sometimes, we all get carried away with the novelty of something.''

Her caution does not mean that she is against the use of social networking tools when they do enhance communication, information distribution and well-being. Dr. Schwartz has her own Facebook page, and she uses her e-mail account to keep in touch with her patients. She has found that many doctor visits can be eliminated when patients can ask their questions and express their concerns through her email account.

``The Internet is a great opportunity to create a better connection between doctors and patients,''

Schwartz says.

``I'm a big fan of social networking. It reaches people. There's a lot of information that can be shared. But it's got to be done with respect to the doctor-patient relationship.''

Cinergy Health Offers Ways to Stop the Spread of Flu at Work

Certainly, in a tight economy, people feel the pressure to come to work, even if they are sick. This can put others at risk, however, and can make it more likely that the flu virus will spread this winter. Cinergy Health offer sound advice to keep flu at bay this winter – even as you continue working in a large office environment.

Getting the flu vaccine can certainly help with prevention. In addition, Cinergy Health  recommend that you get plenty of rest this winter and eat a balanced diet. Proper nutrition helps your immune system to stay strong.

Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough and sneeze, and teach others in your office to do so as well. If you don’t have a tissue available, cough into your sleeve, not into your hand. This will prevent the spread of germs as much as possible. These are a few of the many tips that can help you to stay healthy this winter.

Parent Vaccine Fears Unnecessary, Cinergy Health Says

Certainly, there is a great deal of buzz this year about the H1N1 vaccine. Should you vaccinate your children? Should you have both the H1N1 vaccine and the regular flu vaccine? According to the Chief Medical Director of Cinergy Health, Dr. Margaret Lewin, you should certainly have your children vaccinated for both types of flu.

Dr. Lewin explains that H1N1 is quite dangerous for children, and that it makes sense to protect kids against risks that can be avoided. As this Cinergy Health Director explains, “Are you really going to risk your child’s well-being? This flu vaccine is being tested widely. Why wouldn’t you want your child to have as much immunity as possible?”

Both vaccines can be administered on the same day. Doctors recommend that pregnant women, people of all ages with health issues, the elderly, people who have children under six months of age, health professions and people who are 24 years old and under get the H1N1 vaccine. They should get the seasonal flu vaccine as well as the swine flu vaccine.

Smooth Doctor Visits with Cinergy Health Recommendations

Whether you’re switching doctors or just going to your regular doctor for a visit, it’s always a good idea to plan ahead. Cinergy Health, helps parents to approach their doctor’s visits in a more organized and comprehensive fashion.

When you first start with a new doctor, you need to verbally give the doctor a detailed medical history for the child (or yourself) and physically hand over your file, if you have it, from your previous doctor. It should include allergies, surgeries you’ve had, serious illnesses, family medical history, medications you take, and more.

Bring an organized list with you of all of your questions and issues, and try not to steer from the list. You might even want to give the doctor a copy of the list. If the doctor offers advice or recommendations, make sure to repeat his words so that you are sure you understand what he is saying. If you are given new medications, ask a lot of questions. You need to know what the side effects might be and check that the new medicine doesn’t interfere with anything you are currently taking.

Using these recommendations from Cinergy Health one should have a more productive and successful doctor visit each time you go for a checkup.

Lifestyle Changes Really Can Reduce Health Care Costs

As the nation wrestles with health care reform, doctors and health professionals have pinpointed important ways that individuals can help to reduce the national health care price tag.  By taking better care of yourself, and by eliminating or moderating certain lifestyle choices, we can actually minimize health care expenses.

Here, we explore a few key ways that we can help to reduce the national health care cost.  According to the CDC, excessive alcohol consumption is the third leading lifestyle-related cuase of death in the United States each year.  As the medical director for Cinergy Health, Dr. Margaret Lewin explains, "Nearly a quarter of general hospital admissions in the country are either directly or indirectly related to alcoholism," said Lewin.

Another culprit to our health is salt.  Excessive sodium consumption can lead to many health concerns, including hypertension, high blood pressure and other cardiovascular diseases.  Adults should only consume 2300 mg, or about a teaspoon, of salt each day, according to the Institute of Medicine.  Cinergy Health expert Dr. Lewin explains that "Heart disease and strokes are the first and third leading causes of death in the United States" and that "…the total cost to health care to treat both these diseases is as high as $475 billion a year."

Cinergy Health Encouraging Protection Against Swine Flu This Winter

Winter is about to begin and flu season is upon us. This year there is widening concern that Swine Flu, or H1N1 virus is highly virulent and can cause death more readily than typical flu viruses we have encountered in the past. Nevertheless, it appears that many people are choosing not to vaccinate themselves or their children.
People have become complacent Cinergy Health, a health insurance company that stresses preventive health care.

"Today's families are too young to remember the fatalities and disabilities that can result from influenza."

There are many children whose parents have decided not to vaccinate them for the other viruses of childhood, such as measles or rubella, and no serious repercussions have appeared.

“They are benefiting from 'herd immunity.  If the majority of a school is vaccinated against a particular illness, then the un-immunized will also be protected--unless they travel to a country where a particular disease is more widespread.”

In many cases parents are worried that the vaccines themselves may cause illness, such as the development of Guillain-Barre syndrome. However this notion seems to be misguided, with scientists now stating that any connection that was apparent between the “swine flu” vaccine of the winter of 1976-77 and Guillain-Barre was overblown.

"Statistically, we know that a certain number of people are going to encounter various health problems, with or without receiving a vaccine."

The government is preparing baseline statistics to see what types of illnesses or other reactions would have happened anyway, even without administering the vaccine. Hopefully this will assuage concerns that the vaccines caused any harm.

To alleviate fears and encourage people to get vaccinated against H1N1 the government is watching the situation closely. According to a National Vaccine Program spokesman, who stated on CBS’ “60 Minutes,” out of 10 million swine flu doses that have already been administered, there have been no notable problems.