Health Briefs TV Examines Reusable Medical Equipment Guidelines

Reusable medical devices called duodenoscopes are the culprits in the recent rash of hospital patients diagnosed with medical experts call the “Superbug”. Health Briefs TV examines what they are and reviews guidelines for their usage.

Duodenoscopes are the flexible tubes fitted with tiny lights and advanced cameras used to diagnose or treat disorders of the gastrointestinal tract. Roughly 500,000 procedures a year in the United States alone take place using this piece of medical equipment.  The scopes are inserted down a patient’s throat so the physician can get perfect view.  When done, the scopes are put in a device which sterilizes them.  This is the health industry standard for ensuring reusable medical equipment is clean and sterile.

There have been several cases from hospitals in the country which reported that the standard way to sterilize equipment is not doing the job. Medical professionals have suggested, and some are using alternative methods of ensuring equipment is safe to reuse. These methods utilize ethylene-oxide sterilization and swabbing the equipment after each use to collect any pathogens left on them. They expensive ways to clean the equipment, but have reduced the number of patients infected with pathogens and bacteria from “almost clean” devices.

The Health Briefs TV show notes that patient health and safety should come before expense. When patients become very ill after reusable medical equipment is employed again, the cost of treating one patient can be quite hefty.  Prevention is always the best way to work and more so in a health care setting.

Health Briefs Explores Ways to Pay a Medical Bill

Medical bills can be very high and very hard to pay.  But there are innovative ways to pay them when money is tight. 

Health Briefs has found some good suggestions to help readers manage hefty bills for medical procedures.

Keep in mind that these kinds of bills are negotiable. While it may not be reasonable to think that almost half the bill can be dickered away, one can get some of the charges removed.

It is reported that almost half of all medical bills have errors. The more extensive the treatment or procedure, the more likely there will be mistakes on the bill. Take time to review each line item. If there is charge for something suspicious, highlight it and call the doctor’s billing manager about it.

Go online and look up the cost of a medical procedure to be sure that an overcharge was not made. If the line item on the bill is more than what is found online, mark down the difference to discuss with the billing manager.

Health Briefs TV suggests reviewing the explanation of benefits from the health insurance company and comparing it to the bill. Call and ask the medical professional’s billing person for an appointment to go over all the charges. Be prepared before going in with the above items in hand. Keep in mind that persistence can pay off. Keep at it respectfully and perhaps the bill will be reduced.

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Health Briefs TV on How to Break the Nicotine Habit One Day at a Time

Some smokers we know have said quitting smoking is the easiest thing they ever have done – because they have done it so many times. Now that the New Year has begun, there may be readers who committed to break the nicotine habit once and for all. Health Briefs TV applauds you and shares some suggestions which might help make the commitment stick.

Whichever way you choose to quit, announce it to everyone you know. Post is on social media.  The more support you have behind you, the more successful you will be.

Replace the bad habit with a good healthier one. If the urge to light up strikes right after dinner, take a pleasant walk outside with a family member, spouse, and even the family dog.

Get rid of everything in the home that reminds you of smoking. This means all ashtrays, lighters and hidden cigarettes. Health Briefs suggests throwing them all in the trash and then throw that bag in the Dumpster. Out of sight out of mind.

If stopping at a favorite gas station or convenience store, just say no when the clerk automatically hands you a pack of your regular brand. The power of saying “no thanks I quit” will make you feel like you can quit for good.

If stress is trigger, if social drinking is a trigger or if there are any other triggers, find a placement for them. Take a 10 minute break from work and go outside and walk. Order a different drink at the bar and sit where no smoking is allowed.

Check out the timeline below to see how not smoking approves overall health:

• After 20 minutes, your heart rate and blood pressure drops.
• After 12 hours, the carbon monoxide level in your blood drops to normal.
• After two weeks to three months: your circulation improves and your lung function increases.
• After 1 to 9 months: coughing and shortness of breath decreases and lung functions improve.
• After on year: chances of heart-related illnesses are cut in half.

Quitting smoking is not easy. Get support from everyone you know. Take it one day at a time. After three months, the habit itself is broken.

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Health Briefs and How to Prevent the Spread of Germs in the Office

Recently, a team of scientists added samples of a virus like the common cold to everyday workplace surfaces such as doorknobs, tables, desks, and bedrails. They learned that within two to four hours, it had been picked up by about 40 percent of the workers in that office and detected on more surfaces. Below are some easy, everyday ways Health Briefs suggests to prevent the spread of germs in the office.

Instruct the cleaning company to use a disinfectant spray or wipe on all doorknobs, stairway rails, elevator buttons, sinks, counters, desks, light switches and other common surfaces.

Remind employees to clean up break room messes using provided disinfectant wipes.

Wash hands after using the bathroom, before eating or touching food and use a hand sanitizer when needed.

Health Briefs TV also reminds readers of some basic hygiene etiquette: cover mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing and stay home if not feeling well.  

Bring a box of tissues and hand sanitizer to use at the desk.

Fist pump a co-worker for a job well done instead of shaking hands since hand shaking spreads germs. Avoid hugging as this brings germs of the mouth closer to a healthier person’s face.

These same reminders should be shared with children of all ages. Let’s stay healthy this year.

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Health Briefs on Medical Identity Theft and Why We Need to Pay Attention

There has been a 91 percent increase in the number of medical identity theft cases in the last year alone. Health Briefs examines the issue and offers prevention tips for consumers in North America.

Health care agencies including the insurance companies lag far behind the credit card, financial and large discount store companies when it comes to protecting a consumer’s personal data. And unlike credit card companies, there is no way for a consumer to know someone stole their medical data and used it to obtain health services.  Medical ID thieves can get health insurance in your name, obtain prescriptions, even check into the hospital to give birth or have surgery. The only way a person will know this happened is if they get a bill from a collector. So how can the average consumer who goes to the doctor, gets tests done in clinics and hospitals and may be admitted to a hospital prevent this from happening?

Health Briefs suggests only writing the last four digits of your Social Security Number on any form.  Don’t share any medical or healthcare information, such as insurance info via telephone or email unless you know without any doubt who is asking. Shred old healthcare forms, old prescription slips, doctor bills, etc and store current ones in a safe place. Know your rights and find out why a website is asking for this info, how it will be kept safe, whether it will be shared, and with whom. Read the Privacy Policy on the website. Look for the lock and key symbol to be sure the website is safe and secure. If in doubt, don’t offer any information. 

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Health Briefs Asks: Can I Eat This?

If reading food labels can be challenging, try to understand the terminology used to warn consumers when a food item is no longer safe to eat. Health Briefs explains the verbiage and what it means.

Can I eat this?

Most people look at or smell food to tell if it has gone bad or not. In fact, we tend to toss food out if it starts to look bad, smells a little off or may be moldy. Americans throw out 133 billion pounds of food per year, according to the 2010 figures from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Economic Research Service. So how can we tell if the food in the fridge is still good or is on the way out? Most would check the expiration date. However, sometimes those are not so easy to figure out. Health Briefs TV explains the wording actually means:

Sell by date is most important for retailers, telling them when they should take a product off the shelves. However, it does not mean that the food is no longer safe to eat.

Expiration date means a product should not be eaten after the date listed; throw it out.

Best if used by date refers to the quality of the product, not its safety. In short, it means that the product will maintain its maximum quality until that date, but it can still be safe to eat for a certain amount of time (depending on the kind of product) after the date has passed.

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Health Briefs TV on the Differences Between ER and Urgent Care

You bang your knee hard while playing soccer. You pass out in the heat. Where would you go if either one of these situations happened to you? Emergency room or urgent care center? Health Briefs explains the differences.

If you bang your knee hard, go to an urgent care center. There are about 10,000 of them nationwide that accept medical insurance and also take the uninsured. Some emergency rooms refuse to pay insurance companies for non-life threatening medical problems. Urgent care centers are good for injuries, vaccinations, minor illnesses and small medical concerns. If you pass out in the heat, it is better to be taken via ambulance to the emergency room. Cost is another good reason to visit an urgent care center versus the ER. You can find out what they charge before leaving the home by visiting their website. To note—they are one fifth less expensive than the emergency room and you are not as likely to be charged for services you did not receive.

Health Briefs outlines when to visit the emergency room:

  Chest pain

·         Difficulty breathing

·         Loss of consciousness

·         Sudden loss of vision

·         Major traumatic injury

When to visit an urgent care center:

Minor burns, cuts, or injuries such as sprains and strains

·         Minor bone fractures

·         Coughs, sore throats, fever, flu, vomiting

·         Ear infections

·        Non-life threatening allergic reactions and mild asthma attacks

Locate the nearest urgent care center online and review their costs. Sometimes, this is the better place to be for life’s less critical medical concerns and injuries.

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