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Pre-Notification: What's Important to Know?
Rethinking Annual Wellness Visits
When we discuss preventative medicine and ways we can take responsibility for our health, annual wellness visits might come to mind as a means to accomplishing both. It seems to be part of the conventional wisdom most of us abide by, at least in theory. We may not make that visit every year, but we know we should. Or should we?
Over the last several years, there has been a shift on this topic, with more and more physicians saying there is a better way to approach wellness.
Staying Sun-Safe This Summer
Up until a few weeks ago, it seemed warm weather would never arrive for the northern part of the United States. Thankfully, it seems spring (and in some places, summer) temperatures have finally arrived and even better, it looks like they are here to stay! However, along with longer, warmer days, comes a need to consider sun safety and the risk of skin cancer.
You may or may not be aware that skin cancer is the most common cancer in the United States. It is also one of the most preventable forms of cancer since the majority of cases are associated with exposure to UV radiation from the sun. May is Skin Cancer Awareness Month, so now is a great time to think ahead about how you will protect yourself and your family from unhealthy sun exposure this summer.
Advance Care Planning on National Healthcare Decisions Day
End-of-life planning isn't a topic most people want to discuss. Even when we approach the time at which those conversations make sense, at least some of our loved ones are likely to find the subject depressing or premature. But death is a natural part of this life, and as many of us know from personal experience, the whole experience can be much less traumatic when expectations and wishes have been made known ahead of time.
There's no time like the present to begin planning and discussing this subject with your family and friends. In fact, Monday, April 16th offers the perfect opportunity, as it is National Healthcare Decisions Day (NHDD), an initiative of The Conversation Project.
Avoiding Risky & Invasive Treatment
Last August, one of our members, Clifford Stoller, MD, wrote a guest post entitled The Truth About Back Surgery. In it, Dr. Stoller suggested that only a minority of back disorders actually require surgery. Taking on what has for a long time been conventional wisdom regarding the management and treatment of chronic back pain, he suggested a conservative approach as opposed to radical surgical intervention.
A few months later, Jon. S., a member from Indiana, reached out to us because his experience with back pain so closely mirrored the statements Dr. Stoller made in his article.
During Flu Season, VideoMedicine Can Help
You can just picture it, can't you? You're up to your elbows in tape and tissue paper, transforming your son into a spaceman for the school costume party, and you don't feel quite...right. Your back aches, you feel like your brain is slowing down, and...is it chilly in here? Two hours later, you have a temperature of 102º F and climbing, everything hurts, and you can't stop coughing. This is no ordinary cold. Most likely, you have influenza (the flu).
Preventing & Treating Youth Sports Injuries
Are you ready for some football? If your kids are athletes, odds are they started practice for their fall sports several weeks ago. If your children have been involved in sports for a while, you are no doubt familiar with the risks of injury inherent in any sport. You have probably heard the warnings about overuse injuries, concussions, and various other issues common to youth athletics. If, however, your child or children are new to sports, you may not be as familiar with the risks.
Back-to-School Illness Meets Its Match
It's August, and parents of school-aged kids know what that means: back to school. It's an exciting season of transition that holds new beginnings, returning to certain routines and the start of others, auditions, tryouts, and...exposure to new germs, courtesy of the rest of your kids' classmates. Goodness knows you don't have time for illness in the midst of everything that needs to be done over the next several months.
If you or your children do find yourself battling an illness during this demanding time of year, we want you to be able to access a doctor with as little hassle (and as little cost) as is possible.
The Truth About Back Surgery
Clifford R. Stoller, MD is Board Certified in Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation and is a member of Liberty HealthShare. Having recently retired from private practice, Dr. Stoller contacted us and offered to volunteer his services in the management of spine disorders. In this guest physician post, Dr. Stoller draws particular attention to the pitfalls of conventional wisdom regarding back pain, a broad symptom that can lead to improper, expensive treatments, up to and including surgery.
Annual Physicals, Fever Phobia, & Antibiotics
Viewpoints from a Naturopathic Physician
Here at Liberty HealthShare, we strive to create an environment in which our members are empowered to make informed decisions about the care they pursue for themselves and their families. For example, Liberty is proud to share in eligible expenses within the realm of certain naturopathic and alternative treatments. Dr. Kendra Pearsall, NMD, is a member of our Physician Advisory Board and she shares her expertise here as part of our physician post series. The following are a few medical questions our members pose with answers from Dr. Pearsall, based in a naturopathic approach to health.