Medical Billing PDA: 21st Century Convenience for Medical PracticesWritten by Joe Miller
Medical Billing PDA One of first things I notice about a medical office, whether it be with my dentist, my family doctor, or my optometrist, is walls full of color-coded files containing medical histories, billing information, and tracking information for prescriptions check ups and various other things. As a patient, it is fun to trace colored tags across files and wonder what they mean. Doctors know exactly what they mean, and they see those color-coded files in a totally different light. That wall of folders is vital and almost overwhelming information to help practice care adequately for its patients. One of challenges of that wall is that it represents limited access to patient records, especially billing record, when away from office. It reminds me of Pinocchio singing “I got no strings,” while still getting tangled up in all of strings around him. Medical Billing PDA is an example of how a practice can act without strings. At anytime while traveling to conferences or leaving office for any other reason, medical billing PDA technology eliminates strings and increases accessibility to what is most important: patients. Patient Tracking Wherever a doctor may be, whether traveling on way to office in morning or on a plane back from vacation or a conference, he or she will always be able to keep track of his or her patients. On way to office, doctor can go into appointment tracking on a pocket PC and retrieve information for day.
| | How One Woman Beat Cancer With FoodWritten by Joey Dweck
Ruth E. Heidrich, Ph.D. Author, A Race for Life, The Race for Life Cookbook www.RuthHeidrich.com www.vegsource.com More than 20 years ago, when I was 47-year-old doctoral student in psychology, I was diagnosed with breast cancer. Of course, I was devastated. At time, I had been running for 15 years, and I was most physically fit person I knew. It was incomprehensible to me that I had cancer. After surgery, further testing determined that cancer had already spread. Nevertheless, instead of recommended radiation and chemotherapy, I put my faith in Dr. John McDougall, a physician who was then researching relationship between a vegan diet (no animal products) and breast cancer. Though I had previously stopped eating red meat, when diagnosed, I was still eating other animal products and my blood tests showed elevated cholesterol levels. So, with assistance of Dr. McDougall, I eliminated all animal products, including fish and dairy. Today, as I approach my 70th cancer-free birthday, I relish my vegan diet and daily run. I am a six-time Ironman Triathlon finisher, holder of more than 900 gold medals from every distance from 100 meter to 5K road races to ultramarathons and triathlons. I have completed more than 60 marathons all over world and I have made three world fitness records in my age group at Cooper Clinic in Dallas, Texas. In 1999, I was named one of “Top Ten Fittest Women in North America.” I also redirected my academic course of study. I was so impressed with what my new diet did for me that I changed from psychology to health education, with majors in nutrition and exercise physiology. I am firmly convinced that a key element in my sustained health is my vegan diet. Moreover, since most plant foods are low in calories (exceptions are nuts, seeds, avocados, olives, and coconuts), I also eat a lot more than most people while keeping a healthy weight. So, I am never hungry. From 1982 until 2000, I ate a vegan diet that included grains and some processed foods. I began most mornings with oatmeal, bananas, and raisins moistened with water or apple juice and a teaspoon of blackstrap molasses. To boost nutritional value, I added greens such as kale, edible hibiscus, seaweed or cabbage. Occasionally, I had pancakes or waffles covered with applesauce or fruit purée (instead of butter or margarine). Lunch consisted of a number of possibilities such as baked or microwaved potatoes with carrot and broccoli sticks, whole wheat pita bread stuffed with sliced mixed vegetables, a whole wheat bagel with an orange and apple, or brown rice mixed with succotash. When eating lunch in a restaurant, I often asked for a bread sandwich -- a whole grain bun or two slices of bread. I then stuffed bread with greens, tomato, bell pepper, and onions. Dinner was often similar to lunch. Or, it included such options as spaghetti made with whole-wheat pasta and sauce prepared with tomato paste, onions, garlic, bell peppers, chopped broccoli, and seasonings, or chili made with kidney beans, tomato sauce, onions, garlic, bell pepper, chili power and lots of brown rice. I made pizza with whole-wheat crust covered with a tomato-based sauce with chopped green onions, round onions, bell peppers, mushrooms, and alfalfa sprouts. Between meals, I never allowed myself to become hungry. I nibbled on fruit, carrots, whole grain breads, air-popped popcorn, and sweet potatoes. To avoid any temptation, I did not keep any high fat foods in my home. For dessert, I ate fruit or air-popped popcorn.
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