Cancer Research Blog

Alok Prasad asked:


Does EMR increase revenues?

The economy has been in a recessionary trend for more than a year now. Whilst the economic conditions are challenging, the insurance companies are applying a squeeze on physicians to accept lower reimbursements. Funding by way of donations from private contributions is also reducing thereby adversely impacting availability of cash to implement an EMR / EHR system.

Any investment in EMR is justified only if it can help in increasing revenues, decreasing costs or overheads, improving patient care or any combination of the above resulting in maximization of reimbursements, collections and customer goodwill.

How does EMR/EHR increase revenues?



1. Improves charge capture: When traditional paper charts are used, many services performed in a physician’s office are lost and never billed. The billing staff may either completely leave out an E&M Code or may erroneously enter fewer units, all resulting in lower billing and therefore lower reimbursements to a physician. EMR software can increase revenues by facilitating capturing of charges for all services provided by the physician thereby avoiding lost revenues. In a case study (Nick Fabrizio, July 2005, QIO Presentation quote), a family medicine physician while seeing same number of patients increased revenues by $3000 per month due to timely visit documentation and automated charge capture.

2. Maximizes Billing: When using paper charts, to be on the safe side of the law, many physicians down code (use a lower billing code), rather than use an appropriate level of code. Providers who use EMR software can increase revenues by using System recommended E&M billing codes that are based on the service accurately documented within the EMR, without the fear of an audit.  Medical Economics magazine has estimated that physicians, who routinely down-code to avoid audits, lose an average of $40,000 annually.

3. Optimizes reimbursement process: EMR software allows physicians to produce adequate supporting documentation that complies with CMS guidelines and supports the appropriate level of service to be billed. Accurate coding speeds up the reimbursement process and results in fewer rejected claims from insurance companies. Even better, an EMR helps produce clean claims the first time, significantly reducing the number of rejected claims!

4. Increases Physician productivity: When physicians do not use EMR, they have to spend several minutes per encounter, first dictating and then reviewing the transcript before signing the same. With an EMR, progress notes are automatically generated which can be signed electronically from home or work, with no pulling or filing of charts. The time saved can be used to see a few more patients each day. Further, the medical records storage space released as a result of implementing an EMR System can be used to add more consultation rooms. As a result, practices are able to generate more revenue with the same fixed costs in the same amount of time.



5. Increases Services with Health Maintenance Reminders: EMR Systems provide computerized checks and reminders which enable reminders to be sent to all patients who are overdue for recommended services, or who are coming up on their annual check-ups. This helps the physician to deliver enhanced patient care, while at the same time increasing service volume and revenue.

6. Increases sources of income: Electronic Medical Records (EMR) software can allow providers to apply for enhanced sources of revenue from various payers associated with higher quality of care, such as:

(i) DOQ-IT (Doctors’ Office Quality-Information Technology is one of the Physician-focused Quality Initiatives sponsored by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).

(ii) Healthcare Pay-for-Performance (P4P) programs like Medicare Care Management Performance (MCMP), which is a 3-year, pilot P4P program that encourages physicians to follow strict quality-control guidelines for treating chronically ill patients.  During the first year of treatment, physicians receive bonuses for reporting data on quality measures and in the second and third years, participating clinics receive an extra annual performance-based bonus of $10,000 per clinician plus, an additional 25% reward for using a CCHIT Certified EMR.

To participate in a P4P program, a physician will need to track and measure care, and monitor the efficiency of delivering quality care at an optimal cost. One must also document the patients’ experiences using post-exam surveys. Most EMR systems are capable of meeting these requirements while simplifying the process.

How does it decrease administrative costs / overhead?

A typical medical office employs a transcriptionist, billing and clerical staff such as appointment schedulers, medical billers, collectors, file clerks and others. As a Practice grows, EMRs significantly reduce the need for more personnel to provide these functions, while at the same time, reducing existing office staff time that will no longer be needed spending valuable time hunting down records or filing patient charts. EMR-enabled medical offices mean fewer bodies in the office, generating greater efficiencies and accomplishing more.

1. Reduces transcription cost: Many physicians pay hefty fees for transcription of their medical charts. EMRs ‘virtually’ eliminate transcription costs since medical charts are created electronically at the time of the patient’s visit itself.  According to Medical Economics (March 2002), physicians spend between $15,000 and $25,000 over the course of a year for transcription-related services. Implementation of an EMR eliminates the need to use in-house or outsourced transcriptionists.  Integration of voice recognition software with EMR Systems also plays an important role for the people who want to have free formatted notes or for some providers who are not comfortable using mouse and keyboard.

Assuming an average of 25 visits per day and a conservative average of $2 per chart, an EMR brings instant savings of $50 per day per physician. Assuming that a physician works for 240 days in a year, this translates into potential savings of $12,000 per physician. Even if some or all of a practice’s physicians continue to use transcription, there is no doubt that these costs can be reduced significantly.

2. Reduces costs associated with storing paper charts: Once a medical office successfully converts to electronic medical records, all costs associated with purchasing, copying, management, storing or destroying paper charts can be eliminated. Additionally, the space typically used for storing patient charts can be utilized to create additional patient exam rooms, or increased office space, resulting in a more profitable use of resources. It is estimated that the total cost associated with maintaining a paper record average $3 per medical chart.

A case study revealed that a 12-physician practice saved $5,000 a year in storage space after converting to EMR. In another study, a major medical center in Boston seeing 750,000 patients a year, estimated they will save $6 million annually by reducing their dependence on paper records. At this saving rate, a practice seeing 5,000 patients annually could potentially save $40,000. In another case study, EMR implementation resulted in a reduction in office supplies expense by 50% with the elimination of paper charts.

3. Reduces liability and malpractice insurance premiums: Improved documentation, audit trails, and accuracy not only reduce incidents of medical errors, but also improve the chances of physicians receiving discounts from insurers. The cost of malpractice insurance has been showing a constant upward trend. A good EMR system leads to reduction in costs associated with poor documentation that otherwise generally means higher malpractice premiums.

a.    In a 2005 survey by the Medical Liability Monitor, a four-state average of the highest liability rates for OB/GYN was $230,919. With a two to five percent credit from malpractice insurance companies, clinics would save $4,600 to $11,500 per provider, per year, if they implemented an EMR.
b.    In another example, the Midwest Medical Insurance Company (MMIC) is offered a two to five percent credit to physician groups that used an EMR in 2008.

4. Self-service by Patients lowers data entry costs: The Patient Portal module of an EMR allows patients to enter much of their own demographics, even before they arrive to the Physicians office, including health insurance information, medical, family, and social history, and other pertinent data and this can save office staff a lot of data entry time. It can even allow patients to view certain information from their medical electronic file, and schedule appointments.

5. Saves time and increases efficiency: Staff and physician time is often ill spent due to:

i. Waiting: If a pharmacy calls while the chart is being used, or waiting to be filed, the staff receiving the call cannot access the information in a timely manner. EMR Systems allow multi-use access that enables staff to access and update patient records simultaneously – this saves time that would otherwise be spent in waiting for access to patient records.

ii. Time spent in pulling Medical Records: It is estimated that the cost of pulling and handling paper charts averages $5 to $12. In an EMR deployed Practice, Medical Records are accessible 24 x 7 from any web-enabled device or web access point, and this is done, securely.

iii. Data entry for billing purposes: When the EMR System interfaces or integrates with the Practice Management or Billing System, data entry workload reduces significantly while maintaining billing accuracy.

In a recent case study, a Practice reduced labor costs by 10% in the first year after implementing an EMR solution due to more efficient workflow and, the reduction of filing, coding, and data entry staff, while reducing time spent to complete clinical tasks such as Rx refills, referrals, lab, and diagnostic orders.

Revenue Acceleration and Denial Management

EMR implementation can help increase revenues but a physician practice must not forget to look at two other important and often neglected aspects:

1.    How can revenues be accelerated by proactive AR Follow-ups?

2.    How can we manage denials efficiently and expeditiously?

Revenue Acceleration

Experts believe that effective Account Receivables (AR) Follow up and AR Management are the most important areas requiring attention to ensure optimum revenue recovery. The average profit margin of US hospitals is less than 2% of Net Revenue while lost revenue due to denials accounts for an average of 6% to10% of net revenue, nationwide.  In fact, take a look at these powerful facts:

•    14% of all claims submitted to payers are denied and have to be resubmitted, appealed, or written off by Providers.

•    50% of denied claims are never re-filed.

•    90% of denials are preventable.

•    50-70% of denied claims are recoverable.

This can cost a clinic or practice thousands of dollars every year. Aside from the direct impact from the loss of revenue, there’s an additional impact on resources because of the expense associated with reprocessing denied claims. A judicious combination of process, technology and people skills must be effectively used to follow up with the payers to identify, address and rectify the identified problem and accelerate your revenues so that you can get money in your bank – faster.

Denials Processing

Accurate coding speeds up the reimbursement process and results in fewer rejected claims from insurance companies. Sophisticated denial processing solutions can captures claims, payments, and denials and addresses your denial management issues with an effective denial management plan.

Here are some of the tools used to achieve high rates of denial reversals:

•    Continuously update denials database

•    Immediate identification of the root causes of denials, and use the experience and knowledge to address each denial trend

•    Utilize denial data to generate custom reports

•    Better feedback to the coding and billing team

Conclusion

The many benefits enumerated in this article can be experienced by all Physicians, however, the payback period (ROI) will vary from Practice to Practice. In most cases, Practices experience increased cost in Year 1, and then, begin seeing increased revenues and, decreased administrative costs and overhead from the second year onward.  The key ingredient for success lies in the willingness of the Practice to critically examine their existing workflow and make recommended adjustments to optimize workflow efficiency. If these efforts can be supplemented with other revenue acceleration and denial management techniques, the Practice can see significant improvements in each and every revenue cycle Key Performance Indicator (KPI).



Posted by Nikhil Gupta

Lauren Ellerman asked:


The term “medication error” covers a whole manner of sins. What is a medication error? Perhaps it is better to explain by providing examples of medication errors.

Example A – your physician is aware you are allergic to a medication but prescribes it anyway;

Example B – Other medications you are currently taking are contra-indications to a new medication your physician just prescribed, but she doesn’t read the medication package insert and now you are taking medications which may prevent the others from being effective, or worse, their combination may cause injury;

Example C – Medicine A can only be taken by people who can walk or are otherwise mobile, and physician prescribes it for his double amputee patient who cannot get out of bed;
Example D – Pharmacy receives a prescription for medication A but fills your bottle with medication B;

Example E – Pharmacy fills correct prescription but prints wrong dosing directions so you are now taking the medication 9 times a day, rather than 3 times per day ordered by your doctor. An overdose occurs causing injury.

There are almost too many examples of medication errors to list. And many players in the health care field can cause or fail to prevent medication errors, from physicians, to nurses and pharmacists. Medication errors are such a big deal in health care today that the Federal Drug Administration (FDA) has been researching errors these errors while attempting to create and implement programs and rules which would prevent such errors. How is the FDA doing at minimizing these errors and the resulting needless injuries and deaths? Well, it must be a difficult challenge because the FDA admits “Improving patient safety continues to be a challenge.” Final Summary of Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Action Items - Doing What Counts for Patient Safety: Federal Actions to Reduce Medical Errors and Their Impact, February 2001, available at: http://www.fda.gov/cder/drug/mederrors/patientsafety.htm#14.

So what can be done to prevent medication errors?

1. Keep an active record of all medications you are taking. Write it down and provide copies to all physicians.

2. Research any medication allergies. How do you know you are allergic? What is the generic name of the drug to which your are allergic – know it all.

3. Tell your pharmacist about all medications you are taking. He may only have records of medications dispensed at his pharmacy – so give them notice of all medications.

4. Tell your family and provide them with a list of your medications. It is likely that in an emergency you will not be able to speak for yourself.

5. Speak to your physician – ask why she is prescribing each medication? What are the side effects? Have you been on this medication before? Keep a record.

6. Unsure about dosage? Unsure about combination with other medications? CALL YOUR PHYSICIAN… Call, and write down the name of who you spoke with and what they said. KEEP NOTES.

The Federal Government has also produced a list of how to prevent medication errors. See http://www.iom.edu/Object.File/Master/35/945/medication%20errors%20fact%20sheet.pdf. What is recommended? Pretty similar list to ours – sadly, both lists are created for consumers and patients. And it is important to note that it is not your duty to prevent all medication errors. It is the duty of your healthcare provider to do so, but if they fail, your diligence may be the difference between another preventable injury or death from a medication error and a close call.

So please, be organized and diligent about your medications. And if you have had a medication error occur, and have suffered injury as a result, please do not hesitate to contact our firm.



Posted by Nikhil Gupta

James Weider asked:


Offshore Medical Billing has provided numerous medical health care and medical billing services by far. Nowadays Healthcare has become one of the fastest growing industries in the World! This growth leads many hospitals and practitioner to outsource their medical billing and reimbursement requirements to offshore facilities.

Medical billing is the process covering a wide range of activities but the primary goal of any medical billing company is to process super-bills and submitting medical claims to insurance companies in order to receive payments for their clients in a timely manner. We provide accurate medical billing systems with more than years’ of experience; specialized in services rendered with Medicare, Medicaid and Medical Transcription. Our medical coding services are also beneficial to medical health care.

Medical billing is a challenging business that requires great attention to details, quick processing and adherence to norms. Errors such as under pricing, under coding and missed charges create great loss in the medical practice income. Offshore Medical Billing has great expertise in billing for office visits, consultations, professional fees for surgical procedures, technical components, professional and facility fees for hospitals and ambulatory surgical centers, anesthesiology, hospital visits and in-office minor and major procedures.

Medical Coding is a profession that plays a crucial part in the healthcare industry. The medical biller and coder is responsible for reviewing and creating medical records for documentation supporting not only assignment of a specific code to a medical condition, but also the medical necessity of the prescribed treatment.We believe that error-free medical coding is an integral part of professional and genuine practices. The doctors, hospitals, and healthcare organizations are paid faster and better if the medical coding and billing is done correctly. This is an area where we have thorough domain knowledge and can provide comprehensive services. High-value returns are assured to hospitals, physicians, and healthcare organizations if you entrust your medical reimbursement responsibilities to us.
In that Medical Coding is translating medical language into alphanumeric representations. As the name implies, medical coding is the process of assigning a numeric value to medical diagnoses, signs and symptoms of disease, poisoning and adverse effects of drugs, complications of surgery and medical care. These coding systems serve an important function for physician reimbursement and help you to save up to 40% to 60% on your medical billing and coding projects.

So if you have any queries regarding medical billing software, medical coding and transcription, please feel free to contact us at:

http://www.offshoremedicalbilling.com

Email: info@offshoremedicalbilling.com



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Fred Camaros asked:


There are several options available for the detection, diagnosis and treatment of skin cancer. The following are the normal procedures employed to determine whether a patient has skin cancer:

· Skin examination by a qualified individual to check for bumps or spots that may look unusual in terms of color, size, shape, or texture.

· A pathological examination (biopsy) procedure on a portion of the abnormal-looking growth to determine the presence of cancer cells. This can be accomplished in any of 3 methods: shave biopsy wherein a surgical razor is used to shave-off parts of the suspected growth; punch biopsy wherein an instrument called a trephine is used to remove a circle of tissue from the growth and excisional biopsy wherein the entire growth is removed surgically with the use of a scalpel.

Treatment and recovery of skin cancer depends significantly on the conditions or stage of the cancer, there is no sure fire method of treating and managing skin cancer as each case is unique to the individual and is also influenced by factors such as the type of the cancer, location and size of the tumor (whether it has metastasized or not) and the patient’s overall health and physical condition.

In the traditional method of treatment, there are four options available.

Surgery: There are various surgical procedures employed for the treatment of the non-melanoma type of skin cancer.

· For superficial skin cancer Mohs micrographic surgery is the most common procedure wherein the tumor is gradually incised from the affected area of the skin in very thin layers and examined microscopically to verify the presence or absence of cancer cells. The procedure continues until the presence of cancer cells is negative.

· Simple excision is the surgical removal of a tumor including some of the surrounding skin tissues.

· Shaving the surface of the affected skin area with a surgical blade.

· Cutting the tumor from the skin with a sharp tool resembling a small spoon and then treating the edges of the immediate area of the cut with electrical current to stop and control bleeding and destroy remaining cancer cells.

· Another option is cryosurgery whereby the abnormal tissues are destroyed through freezing.

· Using laser to cut affected skin tissue or remove malignant tumor.

· Removal of the top layer of skin using a sander-type tool or skin defoliants to remove affected skin cells.

Radiation: Radiation cancer treatment therapy is the use of x-rays or radiation to destroy cancer cells. These can either be external by using a machine outside of the body or internal by introducing radioactive elements into or near the affected area.

Chemotherapy: Chemotherapy is the use of drugs to control the spread of cancer cells in the body. It can either be applied topically as a cream or lotion, orally or by intravenous and/or intramuscular injection into the patient’s vein or muscle.

Photodynamic Therapy: The use of drugs in combination with laser to destroy cancer cells. The drug is injected into the patient’s vein and remains inactive until it is subjected to laser via fiber optic tubes at which time it becomes active and kills the cancer cells.

There is one thing in common with all of the above mentioned traditional treatment options for skin cancer - they are generally invasive.

Although there is nothing wrong with the methodology, alternative methods of skin cancer treatment, which are now gaining acceptance in the West, espouse a holistic approach in the treatment of skin cancer or an illness. A holistic approach is geared towards the mental, physical and emotion aspects of the patient and not just the physical symptoms of the illness.

They proceed from the premise that an individual gets sick simply because his immune system is weak and can not fight the virus that attacks the system. For treatment to be successful, it is therefore necessary to strengthen a person’s immune system including emotional and physical resources in order to combat threats to the body.

In the traditional model of Western medicine, once skin cancer is diagnosed and determined the only acceptable form of treatment is the clinical model. However, a study of the alternative approaches to prevention and treatment reveal that in consonance with the traditional method both can be very effective in treating advanced skin cancer.

Medical experts are aware that certain minerals and antioxidant vitamins that can be derived from fruits and vegetables help repair damaged body tissues and promote the regeneration of healthy skin.

Now, medical practitioners are advocating the use of alternative methods of skin cancer prevention and treatment through a healthy diet and active lifestyle in order to protect individuals from the harmful effects of sunlight - the number one factor directly related to skin cancer development.

An active and healthy lifestyle and regular exercise is necessary in order to combat skin cancer since even stress cause the weakening of the immune system which then makes individuals more prone to sickness.

With proper exercise such as yoga, tai chi, running and even acupuncture, the body’s immune system can be made stronger even if skin cancer is already at an advanced stage.

Coupled with a healthy and nutritious diet, individuals stand a better chance to fight skin cancer and strengthen the immune system to fight off the malignant cancer cells.

One of the more promising discoveries is the effect of green tea towards skin cancer. Taken orally or applied topically, green tea shows a striking effect on the skin in relation to cancer and carcinogens because it is a natural antioxidant. Green tea antioxidants (medical term green tea polyphenols) show a remarkable ability to prevent and inhibit the growth of various types of skin cancers from basal cell carcinoma to melanoma in tests carried out on animals and human patients.

However, those already suffering from skin cancer should never self medicate. It is good practice to consult with your doctor regarding the use of traditional and alternative form of treatments since there may be an interference effect between the two when taken together. Discussing any alternative treatment options with your cancer doctor ensures faster recovery and future prevention.



Posted by Nikhil Gupta

Alex Rocklane asked:


There are many types of medications for erectile dysfunction in the market today. Finding the right cure should be taken with the necessary precaution so as to alleviate and not aggravate your medical condition.

Below are some medications for erectile dysfunction. Find the best cure for you now!

1. Oral medications

Oral medications require a certain amount of time before it takes effect. A person taking oral medication for erectile dysfunction should take it at least an hour before sexual activity.

Below are drugs known as phosphodiesterase (PDE5) inhibitors. These drugs work mainly by blocking the enzyme PDE5, thus maintaining the level of cyclic guanosine monophosphate (GMP). Intake of these medications, coupled with sexual stimulation, increases the blood flow in the penis, causing erection.

Incidentally, these are also FDA-approved drugs.

PDE5 Inhibitors as Medications for Erectile Dysfunction:

Medication Developer / Distributor Unique Selling Proposition Duration Common Side Effects

Sildenafil (Viagra) Pfizer First oral medication for erectile dysfunction approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration; brand name Viagra is more commonly known than its competitors 4-5 hours Headache, flushing, indigestion, nasal congestion, impaired vision(Applicable for all PDE5 inhibitors.)

Vardenafil (Levitra; Vivanza) Bayer Pharmaceuticals (Levitra); GSK (Vivanza, another brand of vardenafil) Nausea (Unique to this drug only.)

Tadalafil (Cialis) Lilly ICOS, LLC Known as “The Weekend Pill” because it lasts longer than Viagra and Levitra 36 hours Back pain, muscle aches

(Onset 12-24 hours after use and usually lasts up to 48 hours.)

To get a hold on these drugs, doctor’s prescription is necessary.

2. Injected Medications

Unlike oral medications, injected medications for erectile dysfunction take effect automatically.

Ways to administer injected medications for erectile dysfunction:

a. Inject directly into the penis.

Injecting drugs directly into the penis causes the blood vessels to widen, allowing blood increase to flow into the organ, thus providing it with a sufficient amount of blood needed to sustain an erection. Most men achieve stronger erections when using injected medications.

b. Inject into the urethra (Muse system)

Drug is injected about an inch deep into the urethra.

Side effects are inevitable with this type of medication, especially if the instruments used are not sterilized. Most common side effects for injected medications are:

• Scarring

• Redness

• Tenderness and swelling

• Minor bleeding or spotting

• Priapism or persistent and painful erection

• Allergic reactions such as rashes, itching, dizziness, and difficulty in breathing

• *For Urethral Injection:

- Burning sensation in the urethra

Standard drugs used as injected medications for erectile dysfunction are:

• Alprostadil (i.e. Caverject, Edex)

• Phentolamine

• Papaverine

Alpostadil as medication for erectile dysfunction:

• Safe to use even for men with medical conditions such as diabetes

• Safe for men taking nitrate-based medications and prostate cancer treatments

• Unsafe for men with penile implants

• Should be taken at a maximum of 3 times per week (allowing one day rest period between for each injection)

3. Topical Medications

An example for this type of medication is nitroglycerin. This acts as a muscle relaxant which, when rubbed on the penis, can enhance erection.

Another example of a topical medication for erectile dysfunction is the TriMix Gel. A research showed that men who did not get the desired effect from oral medications such as Viagra, Levitra and Cialis, got a better response from this medication.

Precautionary measures to take when using TriMix Gel:

• Use a condom to prevent your partner from having an allergic reaction, especially if pregnant or sensitive to prostaglandin.

• Do not use if you yourself are sensitive to prostaglanding. Consult your doctor before using this type of medication.

• Be sure to wash your hands before applying the medication.

• Clean the tip of your penis before applying medication.

• Do not put more than necessary.



Posted by Nikhil Gupta

John Critz asked:


With prostate cancer estimated to affect as many as 1 in 6 men, any new research developments that may affect treatment are extremely noteworthy. Because the risks of having prostate cancer increase dramatically with age, every generation is in a race against the clock to find the most effective treatment methods, or prevention methods, possible.

Recently a medical study on men with prostate cancer introduced very interesting news that contradicted some previously held beliefs in the medical community. Some physicians have withheld potentially curative treatment in older men because of a concern about side effects of radiation or surgery. Other physicians have used hormone therapy as a means of delaying cancer progression instead of offering potentially curative treatment.

This new study by Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, however, suggests that drug treatment alone does not improve survival rates of men taking it, and might actually be hindering their improvement. The study was published in the Journal of the American Medical Association in July.

The prostate cancer information generated by this article studied about 20,000 men, including Medicare patients, whose prostate cancer had not spread to other areas of the body. The study took 6 years to complete, as information was gathered and the men were studied. All study participants were over the age of 66, which means that the data drawn from the study is particularly relevant to older men, but not necessarily accurate for younger men. Average age of a study participant was 77.

Researchers found that the typical treatment of testosterone-blocking drugs might have more drawbacks than benefits. The testosterone-blockers are meant to keep cancer cells from growing, but also have side effects such as bone loss, impotence, and increased risk for diabetes and heart disease. Ultimately, a treatment plan of the testosterone-blocking drugs alone, in older men, didn’t appear to be effective.

For men considering Georgia prostate cancer surgery, this study does not influence the need for curative surgery or radiation. Often the antihormone drugs can be very effective when they are paired with surgery or radiation. To maximize the effectiveness of a cancer treatment plan for Georgia men, prostate cancer might require surgery or radiation, rather than drug treatment alone.

Researchers theorized that many men felt they were improving their health by taking the drugs without surgery or radiation, because it was a better course of action than doing nothing. Now that their research has shown this to be an ineffective method of treatment by itself, the researchers hope that doctors will avoid the drug treatments except in combination with radiation and/or surgery.

For older men looking for information about Georgia prostate cancer treatment, the study offers an important topic to bring up with their doctors. While surgery and radiation can seem scary, the solution to prostate cancer doesn’t appear to be as easy as popping a pill or receiving an injection, at least for older men. For Georgia men, prostate cancer treatment might require surgery, rather than the simpler approach of a drug treatment.

With the continued research and studies being done, advances in Georgia prostate cancer treatment are continually being made. At this point in time, however, drug treatment alone doesn’t seem to be an effective method in the fight against prostate cancer.



Posted by Nikhil Gupta

Paul Green asked:


Though there have been massive medical advances in fighting cancer, there is still no known cure to help the problem for everyone, in fact cancer will affect 1 in 4 people in the western world as some point in their life.

Some people can get their cancerous cells removed and never had to worry about it again, they are the lucky ones. It isn’t always this simple, though the cases of people surviving cancer seem to be more and more numerous. That is great news for someone who may have just found out that they have the problem, and when you look up cancer information online or anywhere else, you may find hope where there was none ten years ago.

Not All Cancers Are The Same

All types of cancer are different, and they affect the body in unique ways. If you have been diagnosed with liver cancer, make sure you remember that when you carry out your research. Cancer information about the lungs might not help you out much.

Though the disease is the same no matter where it is located, you should definitely narrow your search for cancer information down to your specific type. Some cancer is easy to get rid of and many others offer up a much bigger medical challenge.

You should always get your cancer information first and foremost from your doctor or GP. If you aren’t comfortable with the amount of information they seem to have for you, you may want to consider finding some other sources.

Doctors do their best to stay on top of the latest studies and findings, but it is possible that your doctor may be unaware of up-to-the-minute developments and research, they are very busy people after all.

If you really like your doctor, but they seem to be behind, don’t be afraid to look up cancer information on your own to give to them. I have done this with my doctor on a different subject matter altogether, but he was happy to see what I had come up with. A good doctor should always be open to your findings, even if what you find isn’t good.

Advice For Searching Online

Remember when looking up cancer information online that you can’t trust everything you read. There is a lot of great information out there, and there is a lot of cancer information that is just plain wrong.

Anyone can write up an article and slap it up online, but that doesn’t mean the information included is correct. That is where the web gets tricky and why I recommend you discuss your findings with your doctor before you take it as the truth.

There are great sites out there, don’t get me wrong, just be aware of what source you trust when looking for cancer information on the Internet.



Posted by Nikhil Gupta

Article Manager asked:


Progress in medical science has by a long way enhanced the health care rescue system in USA. One of the greatest performances has been the reductions and control of hospital acquired contagions. In this problem, disposable medical supplies have done a good job. By using disposable medical supplies USA, the risk of obtaining a secondary ailment while receiving cure in a health care facility has dropped radically.

Disposable medical products are the products designed for cheapness and short-term expediency somewhat medium to long-term durability, with most products only planned for single use. Toilet paper, wet wipes, paper towels, handkerchief, facial tissues, condoms and other contraception products are disposable products that are used for one time only. Other disposable medical supplies USA, that save life included enemas, cotton swabs, medical and cleaning gloves, baby as well as adult diapers, toothbrushes and dental floss. Disposable toilet paper products are used to uphold personal sanitation after human defection. Disposable medical gloves are medical safety accessories made of latex and powdered with cornstarch to grease the gloves, making them easier to use.

Safe and good medical instruments are the first choice of every doctor as well as medical products supplier. To cover the protection and happiness of patients, every medical institution and private healthcare organizations need to be eternally supply for proper medical equipments. Disposable, single use medical instruments such as containers or specula, reusable surgical instruments like surgical scissors, blades, tissue forceps, dilators and curettes medical instruments are extensively used in all medical facilities from various medical fields.

Other surgical instruments such as stands, trays and many others are also used in all medical facilities. Due to topical use of these accessories, disposable medical supplies in USA are requested in present. However proper and cost effective medical instruments are scarce resource, and reliable suppliers are very difficult to find. Disposable medical supplies are highly used products. They are manufactured to keep in mind the quality symbol and purity because this is the matter related to everyone’s life. Disposable medical supplies products are available online. For this, you are to search over internet and you will find many online suppliers who are supplying these types of products with affordable prices and a quality symbol. Modern hospitals depend on medical technology to diagnose, treat and prevent from disease. Disposable thermometers are calibrated to do the same thing in the form of dots.



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Wain Roy asked:


Medical tourism is the act of touring different countries or nations around the world to receive medications like dental, neurosurgery or surgical care and various other forms of specialized treatments. Medical tourism or healthcare facilitation is very cost effective and has grown to become very popular with time. Due to much technological advancement and improvement, standards of care and the affordability of international travel have become the primary factors leading to the popularity of medical tourism.

In the past few years, the costs of medical treatment or health care have soared high in industrialized nations and developed countries. And with this rise in health care costs, people from USA, Europe, Canada and Australia are seeking alternatives to reduce their expenses and build financial savings. This has prompted the people of developed countries serve as medical tourists.

Among all the nations where people are going for low cost medical treatments, India has emerged as a significantly favorable destination or a top hot spot. India is, now, one of the leading countries promoting medical tourism. With an increasing number of outside patients flocking to India for low cost medical treatments, India’s medical tourism industry is doing pretty fine.

The focal attraction for the medical tourists is the price factor or medical costs. Medical tourists believe that, in India, the cost of surgery or other treatments is one tenth of what it is in European countries or in developed nations. The concept of medical tourism is new to many people and it is up to them whether or not they will find the desired medical treatment at a minimum cost. Medical technology has improved drastically in Indian hospitals and their standards have increased too, being at par with American and European countries.

Among all the various treatments that are done in India, the commonest are heart surgery, Lasik eye surgery, cosmetic surgery, neurosurgery and dental care. India has some of the best hospitals and treatment centers in the world with the best facilities. Infrastructure, technology advancement, outstanding doctors and medical staffs, world-class hospitals, all these have made India the prime location or the top choice for medical tourists seeking overseas health care.

The highlights of medical tourism in India are as follows:

·India has world-class medical facilities, with excellent staff in all areas of medical care

·Consultation with leading doctors or specialists

·Indian hospitals are equipped with the latest electronic and medical diagnostic equipments

·Low cost medical treatment or health checkups

·Luxurious rooms within affordable ranges

·Accommodation for attendants or accompanying family members are provided

·Ayurveda Therapy and Spa resorts available for relaxing and refreshing

·Exclusive Indian cuisines, Indian movies, Indian music and Indian dance

·Diversified cultural heritage in the different states

·Some top tourist destination spots like Taj Mahal, Red Fort, Qutab Minar etc.

·Holidaying, family reunions, festive occasions and medical checkups—all in one tour to India

Although there are many countries giving world-class medical assistance to the medical tourists who are seeking overseas healthcare or low cost healthcare, India attracts the most. Since it offers a beautiful holiday destination, apart from having a wide variety of low cost medical treatments, good hospitals and medical staffs, it is the foremost choice among people. Medical tourism India or health tourism India is an emerging concept whereby people from all over the world visit India for their medical and relaxation needs.



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James Culp asked:


The most common therapies for prostate cancer are surgical removal of the entire prostate gland, radiation treatment, and hormonal therapy.

All of these are highly effective, however, they can often lead to serious side effects that can downgrade quality of life by making erections difficult to achieve and causing loss of nightly urinary control. Fortunately, there are a few new treatments in the works that show promise.

One is an actual cancer vaccine called Provenge, which has shown an increase in survival times of men with prostate cancer as compared to a placebo in controlled studies.

The company that makes it, Dendreon, has sought FDA approval, and although the FDA has agreed that it appears to be a safe and effective drug, they have taken a long time in approving it, asking for more clinical trials.

The drug aims to teach the body’s immune system how to find and fight cancer cells without hurting normal cells, and so far appears to do just that. If and when Provenge is approved it could be an excellent treatment option for all prostate cancer patients.

Another treatment in the works is a gene therapy called Ad5-TRAIL, which is a deactivated human cold virus (called an adenovirus) that carries the gene treatment to the area of the prostate cancer.

So far Ad5-TRAIL has shown promise, but researchers working on it say it is currently too early to make any conclusive statements about its effectiveness. It is currently in Phase I of clinical trials, and so is a bit far away from being on the market, but gene manipulation is a promising future treatment for all cancers, prostate included.

The third new treatment in the works is a form of cryosurgery colloquially known as “male lumpectomy” but officially called focal cryosurgery. Cryosurgery has been around for awhile, and consists of the surgeon injecting cold argon into the prostate gland destroying the cells. It has always had a better recovery rate than surgeries involving cutting, and less side effects as well.

The new focal version of cryotherapy adds new accuracy with even less chance of such side effects as impotence and urinary incontinence.

The procedure has successfully treated 95% of those with prostate cancer in trials, and 80% walk away with no impotence or incontinence, a blessing for those faced with prostate cancer. The treatment is also outpatient, so patients don’t have to face an extended hospital stay, however, it is generally only aimed at early stage prostate cancer as it consists of destroying only a small tumor confined to the prostate gland.

This treatment is currently only performed at a few places outside of research centers, such as Duke University Medical Center in North Carolina.

While current prostate cancer treatment is effective and many illnesses are caught on time and treated successfully, there is room for improvement due to the serious side effects of erectile dysfunction and bladder control problems that are so common. Fortunately, some of these new therapies show hopeful promise for those with prostate cancer.



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