What is Medicare part A?

Medicare Part A is hospital cover. It helps pay for the medically essential care you get as an in-patient. Part A insurance also assists you to pay for some residence medical and hospital care. You must be properly admitted by doctor's order to a hospital or a skilled nursing center to be regarded an in-patient.

Part A benefits are not valid if you are in the hospital for observation purpose. In this case, Part B insurance may cover the care that you receive. Ensure to ask if you are an in-patient every time you have to go to the hospice.

Let’s find out what is covered under Medicare Part A?

1. A semi-private room
2. Your hospital meals
3. Skilled nursing care
4. Care on special units, such as intensive care
5. Drugs, medical supplies and medical equipment as an inpatient
6. Care to manage symptoms and control pain for the terminally ill (hospice care)
7. Lab tests, X-rays, and radiation treatment as an inpatient
8. Operating room and recovery room services
9. Some blood transfusions in the hospital or a skilled nursing facility
10. Rehabilitation services such as physical therapy received through home health
11. Specialized health care in your home if you cannot leave your home and need only part-time care

What's not covered under Medicare Part A?

Medicare Part A does not cover the cost of:

•    Most doctor services you receive in the hospital, it is covered under Part B.

•    Private services such as a television or telephone in your room

•    Custodial cares for example help with bathing, dressing, or eating

Which doctors or health practitioners can you visit?

You can see any qualified provider in the U.S. who accepts Medicare assignment and who admits new patients. You can get care in any state or region for treatment. Original Medicare Part A insurance offers the same benefits all over the United States.

Coverage limited with Medicare Part A

Medicare Part A helps pay for up to 90 days of hospice or trained care during one benefit time. Starting with day 91, you can begin to use your Lifetime Reserve Days. Lifetime Reserve Days are like a bank account of additional hospital days enclosed by your Medicare insurance. You have 60 additional covered days in your plan that you can use over your entire lifespan.

Part A helps pay for a limitless number of expert home care and hospital care visits. You must meet certain conditions to get these helps.

What is hospital care?

Hospital care helps make the last weeks or months of life as contented as possible.

A hospital team consists of medical professionals, social workers, trained volunteers, and chaplains.

Medicare insurance pays the entire cost of hospital care. This includes the caregivers, drugs to control symptoms and pain, remedial supplies and medical equipment.

As the hospital care begins, Medicare insurance no longer covers the treatments meant to cure. But hospital patients can get back to Medicare’s remedial care services at any time.

How does well woman examination help

Well woman exam is an annual exam or test that is part of your healthcare routine. If it has been more than 12 months, you should immediately contact your healthcare provider to fix an appointment.

What is an annual exam?

It is an annual exam conducted once-a-year, at your primary healthcare provider for a general health checkup, including a breast exam and pap smear. This annual visit does not include discussion of new problems or details review of chronic conditions. They are also known as routine check-up, yearly exam, annual pap and preventive visit.

If you have any other health concerns, then you must schedule a separate appointment, other than this routine physical exam.

Things you should know during well-woman exam?

·         Update about life and work situation

·         Review of your health history

·         Update of family health history (any new serious disease or infection in your family?)

·         General physical exam (including breast exam)

·         Update of current medications (bring the list along)

·         Pelvic exam (pap smear)

·         Evaluation of need for health examination based on age and personal and family history (such as mammograms, STD’s examination, and colon cancer test)

·         Need for medication refills

·         Update on vaccinations

Read on to know the six basic information about well-woman examination;

1. it’s all about preventive health – Going to doctor only when you are sick is so old school. Therefore, prevention is better than cure.

2. Get all your questions answered - Don’t just get the test done, ask questions. Talk about your stress level, your mood, your nutrition, ongoing medications, family health history, sex life, etc. Asking questions and clearing your concerns will help your health care provider know what’s important for you and what’s worrying you the most.

3. Share a good relationship with your healthcare provider – A healthcare provider should meet you in between and show genuine interest in your health – no judgments. This will build trust and increase the likelihood of a satisfactory visit. 

4. it’s not always once – Though, the well-woman exam is often considered as single and annual visit, it does not end here. For Instance, if you have a family history of breast cancer, then your healthcare provider might suggest you to get a mammogram in a certain time and interval, similarly for IUD or implants.

5. Certain services are free of cost - If you have health insurance and your provider is covered under the Affordable Care Act, preventive services should be covered by insurance.

6. Its includes full list of health care services - Your well-women service could include the following depending upon your current health status;

Ø  Birth control counseling

Ø  Alcohol abuse screening

Ø  Blood pressure test

Ø  Cholesterol test

Ø  Depression test

Ø  Nutrition and diet analysis

Ø  HIV test

Ø  Vaccines and immunizations

Ø  STI examination

The well-woman exam is essential as women needs screening for breast and gynecologic cancers and to discuss any preventive and STD’s examination. It is also a good time for pre-pregnancy counseling. Doctors suggest that girls should start getting their well-woman examination sometime between ages 13 and 15 since, that's when most girls start going through puberty.

Top Tips To Choose The Best Healthcare Recruitment Agency

Healthcare Recruitment Agency helps the healthcare professionals to find the next big step in their career. A healthcare recruitment agency works with both employers and candidates – so that they are aware of situations on both the sides. These agencies put up easy ways to help employers find it hard to locate quality staff, and job hunters have easy access to vacancies and applications.

Thus, healthcare recruitment agencies are so important for both employers and employees. It is an excellent way of locating quality professional and offering best of the career opportunity.

A healthcare recruitment agency makes this process is less stressful and quicker. However, choosing the right healthcare recruitment agency is the key factor that establishes your success in finding your dream job in the healthcare industry. Having such a wide range of staffing agencies to choose from, we help you with tips to choose the best staffing agency for your healthcare center.

1.    Be clear – Job role & requirement

Before you start with your search, ensure that you have a well-defined job role designed for the prospective candidate. This serves as a great support document for the recruiter to shortlist the right candidate for you. In also includes other information such as it is a – part-time or full-time job role, need to work on weekends, or if it is for children’s or elderly individuals, etc.

It is appreciable and helpful for the recruitment process if you have a clear and a defined recruitment guideline, since this increase the chances of you finding the right employment.

2. Shortlist healthcare staffing agencies

Once you have a defined job role to search, it’s time to make a short list of healthcare recruitment agencies. Ensure the list made by you is specializes in the services that you are looking for. They need to be able to locate appropriate candidates for the required job role. Understand it is within your right to enquire about the agencies success rate – Ask for testimonials. The geographical location of the recruitment agency should also be considered while you shortlist the staffing agency.

3. Know their satisfied clients

If you are looking for higher success rate know the types of clients the agency has worked with. If you find out big name in their content client list, you can be sure about them.

4. Look for recommendation

Considering word of mouth recommendation is one of the best ways to obtain an accurate impression of the agency. You can ask any of your colleagues working in the healthcare industry if you have experience of the recruitment agencies you are considering. As you know, first – hand whether the agencies you have chosen are likely to help you find the right candidate.

5. Choose the one that best fulfills your requirements.

Remember, no two agencies are the same, if you’re looking for a specific candidate or a certain type of job role; it’s worth investigating for a specific type of recruitment agency.

When to engage a recruitment agency, you are actually asking them to represent you in the market. You expect them to be effective, confident with the information and act ethical on your behalf. As in you will be judged by the company that you choose to work with, therefore ensure that you choose them wisely.

Advantages and disadvantages of Breast reduction surgery

Breast reduction surgery is commonly chosen by women to enhance their general appearance. However, there are men who suffer from excessive chest size and wish for this type of operations. Some choose to shorten their natural breast while others like to have their implants to be removed so that can have small breast again. It is advisable to examine the advantages and the disadvantages before considering a breast reduction surgery.

One must always feel free to approach a doctor to speak to them whether the surgery is suitable for them. Understand, breast reduction surgery is not a weight loss surgery as some people are confused with these two minds. The breast reduction operation can be carried out in several techniques, depending on how much the person wants to reduce.

Advantages of Breast Reduction

·         The breast reduction surgery includes the process of defining the size and shape of the female breasts surgically, in addition to it; it also helps in lifting them.

·         Breast reduction is a safe process. To avoid any complication after surgery, one must seek help from the doctor who are qualified and skilled to exhibit the surgery safely.

·         Always look for a good doctor than a cheap treatment, instead look after your own safety.

·         Women with large and heavy breasts often complain about discomfort and pain. This surgery can resolve back, neck and shoulder pain.

·         It enables the women to wear desirable clothes. They can now comfortably wear tight fitting clothes.

·         After the breast reduction surgery, you can now feel great with the appropriate size of breasts that matches with your other body features.

·         Feels good and boosts your self-confidence

·         They are now free from the embarrassment that they would face before.

·         Having larger breasts can be difficult, particularly with a petite body. With breast reduction, women can enjoy ideally size and well proportioned breasts.

Disadvantages of Breast Reduction

o   A Breast reduction surgery can cause serious health issues like infection and other painful complications.

o   After the surgery, patients are restricted to do activities like bathing for about 3 weeks. One must also avoid doing intense activities causing impact to the breast. 

o   Breast reduction is not a good option if you a breastfeeding mother. As the nipple gets numb, it becomes difficult for mothers to breastfeed.

o   The surgeries cause scars that continue to be present for a long time in the chest region of the women.

o   Ugly Scars are one of the disadvantages of breast reduction as they remain visible for an extended period of time.

o   Patients may feel pain in the chest region or in the armpits or in the abdomen region based on their incision procedure after the breast reduction surgery.

o   The skin of the nipple will die those results in the removal of it.

Causes and symptoms of gynecomastia or male breasts

What is gynecomastia in males?

Gynecomastia is enlarged breast tissue in men. It is an enlargement the male breast gland because of a hormonal imbalance, but the appearance of enlargement may be described as pseudogynecomastia, a symptom causing an excess of fat which is deposited on the chest. It is a common and a temporary condition in boys going through puberty.

It is caused by an imbalance of the hormones estrogen and testosterone. It may affect one or both the breast, sometimes unevenly. Going further even older men may develop Gynecomastia as a result of normal changes in hormone levels, through other causes. However, it isn’t a serious problem and may go away on its own, but it can be tough to cope with such conditions in men. Some may experience pain in their breast and may feel embarrassed.

Let’s read on to find out, why do some men develop breasts?

Both male and female, possess both male hormones (androgens) and female hormones (estrogens). During puberty, the level of these hormones may vary and rise at different levels, resulting in a temporary state of hormonal imbalance. Studies say that the prevalence of gynecomastia in normal adolescents is due to the relatively high concentration of estrogen hormone.

In girls, breast growth is caused due to high levels of estrogen. Usually, when going through puberty, the production of androgens is higher in boys, whereas production of estrogen remains low. In some cases, boy produces enough estrogen during puberty that’s developed breast tissues.

What causes gynecomastia, or male breast enlargement?

Gynecomastia is triggered due to decrease in the amount of the testosterone hormone in comparison to estrogen hormone. This decrease can be a condition that blocks the effect of or reduces testosterone hormone or a condition that increases your estrogen level.

It is observed that, more than half of male infants are born with enlarged breasts due to the effects of their mother’s estrogen. Usually the swollen breast tissue goes away after a couple of weeks after birth. Gynecomastia causing hormonal changes during puberty is relatively common. This usually disappears on its own by 6 months or a year. In some cases, gynecomastia is developed during puberty continuing beyond 2 years and is referred to as persistent pubertal gynecomastia.

Commonly known risk factors causing gynecomastia are; Adolescence, Older age, Use of anabolic steroids or androgens to improve athletic performance. Certain health conditions, including liver and kidney disease, thyroid disease, hormonally active tumors, and Klinefelter's syndrome. Gynecomastia may cause a few physical complications, but many a times it causes psychological or emotional problems caused by appearance.

Always remember that, temporary breast tissue growth in boys is a common part of puberty that will usually go away on its own. And if you have any concern or any questions about gynecomastia, it is advisable to talk to your doctor.

Causes and Symptoms of Gynecomastia or Male Breasts by Health Care on Scribd

Common Cause of Chronic knee pain

Many people think, knee pain can only appear in elder individuals, but it can affect in people of all ages. Many a times, it can be due to arthritis or an injury, what is important is to know what has caused the chronic knee pain.

Chronic knee pain is a long-term pain, swelling, or sensitivity in one of both the knees. Its cause can be determined by the symptoms your experience. Many conditions can cause or contribute to chronic knee pain, and many treatments exist. Experience with chronic pain will vary from person to person.

What are the different causes of chronic knee pain?

Many people experience temporary knee pain as a consequence of accident or injury. Chronic knee pain is different from temporary knee pain. A chronic knee pain rarely goes away without any treatment, and it isn’t always due to one incident. It often occurs due to a number of causes and conditions.

Here are the physical conditions or diseases that may lead to cause knee pain:

·         Osteoarthritis - Pain, inflammation, and joint destruction caused by degeneration and worsening of the joint

·         Torn ligament: Tear in one of the four knee ligaments in the— the most commonly injured ligament is the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL)

·         Bursitis: It causes inflammation by making repeated use of injured knee

·         Chondromalacia patella: It causes damaged to the under kneecap cartilage

·         Tendinitis: pain in the frontage of the knee that is made worse while taking stairs, climbing, or walking up an incline.

·         Baker’s cyst: Development of synovial fluid (fluid that lubricates the joint) behind the knee joints

·         Bone tumors: Osteosarcoma (2^nd most common bone cancer), it is commonly occured in the knee.

·         Rheumatoid arthritis (RA): It is a chronic autoimmune inflammatory disorder that causes painful bump and can ultimately cause joint irregularity and bone erosion

·         Gout: It is arthritis caused due to the development of uric acid

·         Meniscus tear: It is a crack in one or more of the cartilage in the knee

·         Dislocation: Dislocation of the kneecap is often caused due to accidental trauma

Factors that worsens chronic knee pain:

Ø  Injuries to the knee can cause chronic problem over the time if not treated well

Ø  Overuse

Ø  Infection

Ø  Inappropriate or bad posture while carrying any physical activity

Ø  Sprains and strains

Ø  Avoiding warm up or cooling activity before or after workout

Ø  Improperly stretching the muscles

Common Risk factors causing chronic knee pain

o   Age

o   Being overweight or obese is one of the biggest risk factor causing knee problems.

o   Athletic activity or physical exercise

o   Previous injuries or trauma

Common symptoms of chronic knee pain are;

The symptoms of chronic knee pain differ from person to person, and the cause for the knee pain often affects how the pain feels. Some of its common symptoms include;

·         Constant ache

·         Dull burning discomfort

·         Chronic swelling and pain, when touched

·         Sharp, shooting pain when in use

Common Cause of Chronic Knee Pain by Health Care on Scribd

How Urgent Care Clinic can help you and your community?

Urgent care facilities are a growing force in the United States healthcare industry. These Urgent Care clinics are specifically designed to provide urgent care for both life-threatening and non-life-threatening medical conditions. When we wake up in the middle of an intense situation and face uncertainty about where to go, the nearest urgent care clinic is an appropriate solution. 

An urgent care clinic is set up to assist patients with illnesses and injuries that does not appear to be life-threatening, but also can be wait until the next day, or if there is a need for primary care.

At times, the primary care physician is closed, in such situations urgent care centers offer easy access healthcare solutions. When faced with a medical problem that demands immediate care, it is often hard to measure if it is truly an emergency, or if it is an urgent medical issue.
The key advantage for this sort of urgent care clinic is that you are assisted on a walk-in basis. This means there is no appointment required, which is great when you do not plan ahead or if it is a sudden health issue that arises and causes you concern.

Urgent care centers have flexible working hours. They are open days, nights, weekends and most holidays. When you have a busy schedule between juggling work & family, it is convenient to be able to head to the clinic on a lunch hour or after dinnertime.

If it’s the weekend, and your doctor’s office is closed, or if your doctor is fully booked, it’s good to know you do not have to wait a day or two for medical help. When you are at an urgent care clinic, you will notice that typically the wait times and you will have a little more time to spare in the day. However, and urgent care center is not a substitute for emergency care. In general, an emergency condition is one that can permanently damage or endanger the life of an individual.

What is considered an Urgent Medical Condition?

Urgent medical conditions are ones that are not considered emergencies, but it still requires urgent care within 24 hrs. Some of the commonly occurred conditions include:
Accidents and falls 

Ø  Sprains and strains

Ø  Moderate back problems

Ø  Breathlessness

Ø  Bleeding/cuts -- minor stitches required

Ø  Minor fractures

Ø  Vomiting, diarrhea or dehydration

Ø  Fever or flu

Ø  Urinary tract infections

Ø  Eye irritation and redness

Ø  Severe sore throat or cough infection

Ø  Skin rashes and infections

Ø  Diagnostic services, including X-rays and laboratory tests

How Urgent Care Clinic Can Help You and Your Community by Health Care on Scribd

Common types of Radiology Scans & Tests

Radiology is represented as the branch of medical science that deals with radiant energy in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases. This field is further divided into two main areas - diagnostic and interventional Radiology. A physician specializing in Radiology is known as a radiologist.

Radiation is used in nuclear medicine and Radiology. In nuclear medication, radioactive materials known as radioisotopes, or radiopharmaceuticals, are introduced into the body. In Radiology, X-rays enter the body from outside. The rapid development has changed the way the healthcare industry is administered, coupled with the amazing recent progression within imaging, has necessitated a review of the way in which Radiology should be regarded.

There are different types of Radiology services and their application depending upon the cause of illness. Following are the types of Radiology;

Ø  X-Ray or Radiography – X-ray uses a very small dosage of ionizing radiation to produce pictures of the body internal structures. Radiography is one of the oldest and extensively used techniques for non-destructive testing. Radiography is often used to help diagnose fractured bones, look for injury or infection and to locate foreign objects in soft tissue.

Ø  Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) – MRI is a safe and pain-free test that applies a magnetic field and radio waves to create detailed images of the body's organs and structures inside the body. An MRI scan can be used to examine almost any part of the body, including the: brain and spinal cord, bones and joints, breasts, heart and blood vessels, internal organs, such as the liver, womb or prostate gland.

Ø  Computerized Tomography (CT ) – CT is also known as “CAT” scan is a special x-ray equipment to obtain a series of X-ray images taken from different angles and uses computerized processing to create cross-sectional images, or slices, of the bones, blood vessels and soft tissues inside your body. A Computerized Tomography (CT) scan provides more detailed images and information than a plain X-ray. It is mainly used to quickly examine internal injuries caused due to car accidents or other types of trauma.

Ø  Ultrasound – It is used to produce images of soft tissue structures, such as the kidneys, bladder, liver, pancreas, gallbladder, and other organs and parts of the body. Ultrasound can be also used to measure the flow of blood in the arteries in order to detect blockages. Ultrasound testing is highly safe and easy to perform.

Ø  Vascular Studies – it is a test that checks the blood flow in your arteries and veins. These tests are noninvasive as they do not use any needles.  Doppler ultrasound and Color Doppler are are the special types of ultrasound technology.

·               Doppler ultrasound test allows you to see blood flow through arteries and veins. The amount of blood pumped with each heartbeat and how large a vessel opens. A Doppler ultrasound can also find abnormal blood, causing blockages. 

·               Color Doppler is the improved form of Doppler ultrasound, it uses different colors to show the direction of blood flow.

Ø  Echocardiograms – An echocardiogram is a sound wave to produce images of your heart. It allows your doctor to see your heart beating and pumping blood. It is basically used to identify heart disease.

Ø  Bone Densitometry – Bone Densitometry is an X-Ray that quickly measures the bone mineral content and density. It is primarily used to diagnose osteopenia or osteoporosis and to determine fracture risk. The testing procedure measures the bone density of the bones of the spine, lower arm, pelvis, and thigh.

Ø  Mammography – Mammography uses special X-ray images to detect abnormal growths or changes in the breast tissue, which leads to cause breast cancer. It can check for breast cancers, noncancerous or benign tumors, and cysts before they can be felt. Mammograms play an important role in early breast cancer detection and help decrease breast cancer deaths.

Common Types of Radiology Scan and Tests by Health Care on Scribd

What is the need for Bone Density Test?

A bone density test determines if you have osteoporosis - a diseases causing bones to become more fragile and more likely to get fracture or break. Previously, it was difficult to determine such conditions; they could only be discovered after you broke a bone. It is also referred as a bone mass measurement test. 

A bone density test enhances the accuracy of calculating your risk of breaking bones. It requires X-Rays to measure how many grams of calcium and other bone minerals are packed into a segment of bone. It estimates the quantity of bone in your hip, spine and sometimes other bones. Your test result will assist your physician make recommendations to help you protect your bones.

Doctors use bone density testing to:

·         Identify reductions in bone density before you break a bone

·         Verify your risk of broken bones (fractures)

·         Confirm a diagnosis of osteoporosis

·         Look for osteoporosis treatment

Despite of your sex or age, your health care physician may advise a bone density test if you've:

Ø  Lost height – Individuals who have lost at least 1.6 inches (4 cms) in height may have compression fractures in their spines, osteoporosis is the main cause of such conditions.
Fractured a bone – Fragility fractures appears when a bone becomes so fragile that it breaks easily than predicted. A Fragility fractures can sometimes even be caused due to a strong cough or sneeze.

Ø  Medication - Long-term consumption of steroid medications, namely, prednisone, interferes with the bone-rebuilding process — may lead to osteoporosis.

Ø  Received a transplant – Individuals who have received an organ or bone marrow transplant are at higher risk of osteoporosis, mainly due to the anti-rejection drugs interfere with the bone-rebuilding process.

Ø  Low hormone levels - The natural drop in hormones that appears after menopause, women's estrogen may also drop during certain cancer treatments. Some treatments for prostate cancer decrease testosterone levels in men. Low sex hormone levels weaken bone and lead to cause bone density.

What is the normal bone density?

o   Test Score      What your test score means

o   -1 and above   -    Your bone density is considered normal.

o   Between -1 and -2.5   -   Low Bone Density  (Osteopenia)

o   -2.5 and below     -     You have osteoporosis.

Bone density tests are easy, speedy and painless. Nearly no preparation is required. A bone density tests can be done at your local diagnostic center.

How often you must get a bone density test?

People taking an osteoporosis medicine should repeat their bone density test by one – two years. After starting a new osteoporosis medication, many healthcare providers will advise a bone density test every year.

What is the Need for Bone Density Test by Health Care on Scribd