Speak for Health

If your medical expenses are increasing, you’ll want to know how to lower them and keep them low. Here are 10 easy ways to reduce your health care costs.

1. Maintain a health lifestyle — it sounds basic, but it really works. If you take advantage of available wellness programs, maintain a healthy weight, exercise regularly, stop smoking, and have regular checkups, you can greatly reduce your medical expenses.

2. Take advantage of free health screenings —if your health insurance doesn’t provide adequate health screenings, or if you don’t have any health insurance coverage at all, look into free health screenings. Local clinics and hospitals often provide a variety of screenings, such as blood pressure, cholesterol, and mammograms.

3. Compare your health insurance options — you’ll need to get your own coverage if you don’t have employer-sponsored health insurance. Shop around. Because premiums vary widely, you’ll probably save money if you get quotes from several companies. Evaluate each plan’s coverage and features, taking into account exclusions, limitations, and the freedom to choose health-care providers. Also find out how much you’ll end up paying out of pocket in the form of co-payments, coinsurance, and deductibles, because even relatively small amounts of money can really add up if you make frequent visits to your doctor.

4. Reduce the costs of your prescription drugs — if you take prescription drugs regularly, you know they can eat up a large portion of your budget. To save money, order your prescriptions though the mail by using a traditional or online pharmacy. If you belong to a prescription drug plan through your health insurance plan, you may be able to get a three-month supply of your prescription drug through the mail for the same price you would pay for a one-month supply at your neighborhood pharmacy. You can also ask your pharmacist or doctor to recommend a less-expensive generic drug whenever possible.

5. Always check your medical bills for errors — taking a few minutes to go over the charges can save you money in the long run. Check to make sure that the bill accurately reflects the procedures you have undergone and takes into account any applicable insurance coverage you may have. Some errors, such as wrong computer codes, are common, and you may be billed for health care you never received. Contact the appropriate billing office if you think you’ve found a mistake. If you’ve received an explanation of benefits from your insurance company that you believe is wrong, ask the company to review your claim.

6. Keep track of your medical expenses — at tax time, you may be able to deduct certain medical expenses if you itemize, and your total medical expenses exceed 7.5 percent of your adjusted gross income. Allowable medical expenses include everything from health-care services to medical aids such as eyeglasses and hearing aids. Keep track of these expenses during the year.

7. Consider joining your spouse’s health plan — review both your coverage and your spouse’s coverage to see if it makes sense for either of you to join the other’s plan. Keep in mind that most plans allow you to add a spouse to your plan within a certain time period after you get married. Otherwise, you may have to wait for the plans’ annual open enrollment period.

8. Negotiate a discount with your healthcare provider —you can sometimes negotiate to lower your medical bills. While it may not always work, it doesn’t hurt to ask your doctor, hospital, or pharmacy if they’re willing to come down in price. Before you begin to negotiate, do a little research to find out what other healthcare providers in your area are charging. You can also ask your healthcare provider if they’ll lower their price if you pay in cash up front.

9. Contribute to a flexible spending account — check to see if your employer offers a flexible spending plan that will allow you to put pretax dollars in an account. If so, consider participating. You will be reimbursed for your out-of-pocket medical expenses, such as prescription drugs, dental care, and co-payments. Because flexible spending contributions are taken out of your pay before federal and state taxes are calculated, you get to use pretax dollars to pay your medical bills.

10. Understand your health insurance benefits — your health insurance may cover more than you think. Many insurance companies now provide services that are designed to help you stay safe and healthy. For example, you may receive discounts on vitamins, alternative medicines, health club memberships, or bike helmets. You may also be surprised at the range of coverage your health plan offers. For instance, it may cover dental care for young children, chiropractic care, and acupuncture. Read your plan membership materials to find out what products and services are available through your health plan before you pay for them on your own.

Staying healthy is the best way to reduce your health care costs. Getting a quality health insurance policy and understanding its benefits will also go a long way to keeping your medical bills as low as possible.

Life is full of unexpected situations which can affect our existence. Health is one of them, although it is often overlooked until we find it failing. ‘Health is wealth’ is a proverb, which has lost its significance in the modern times. The fast-paced life of the contemporary world where everyone is trying meet deadlines and work in a jam-packed scheduled, health is often relegated to being one of the least important considerations. It is only when, we suffer from a sudden difficult health situation that we realize that our well-being is more important than we had previously thought? Serious health issues like cancer, stroke and many more can corner you without a prior indication. What do you do then? If you have a Health Insurance you need not worry about anything other than trying to get better. A health insurance can assist you to take care of this precious possession even in times of distress.

You should note that health insurance differs significantly, but in essence it denotes a type of insurance plan that pays a pre-arranged percentage of an insurance possessor’s enclosed medical treatments. Whether or not your require health insurance depends entirely on your circumstances. However, it is always advisable to obtain insurance for health, keeping in mind the uncertainties that encompass modern way of life and also its associated health implications.

Health insurance comes in various forms like dental insurance, vision insurance, student health insurance, business health insurance, international health insurance amongst others. These different forms of health insurance is to cater to your specific requirement. Health insurance usually covers medical expenses such as:

– Hospitalization;

– Doctors visit;

– Prescription drug;

– Annual check up;

– Emergency room visits; etc.

You must have heard a lot about various health insurance companies offering insurance products with lucrative tags of even returning certain % in fixed yearly dividends. But it is up to you which one to go for. If you are thinking of obtaining a health insurance policy, internet can provide you with an easy route. Are you confused about what kind of health insurance to go for? A simple way to strike upon the desired insurance is to chalk out the expectation you may have from it, how well it suits to your situation amid other factors. Most online health insurance companies can give you a chance to compare and evaluate health insurance that befits your pocket. Online application procedure for health insurance can expedite your path to ensure the most significant part of your existence that is your health.

Before you choose a health insurance plan, it is advisable to be thorough with the terms and conditions of the health insurance providers. This approach would not only keep you at pace with procedures of procurement and functioning of insurance but also save you from confusion later on down the line.

You must realize the importance of you and your loved ones’s well-being with health insurance. It can be the single ray of home in a sea of dark health issues.

Do you own a business organization?

If yes, why not ensure the good health of your employees with group health insurance policies? Whatever business you are in, safeguarding you and your employees’ health makes good sense.

Health is wealth. Everyone aspires for a sound health. But no one can predict when or how diseases will strike. Insurance is therefore a good way of preparing for what may come.

Group health insurance policies are those insurance policies where the employer provides for a comprehensive health insurance benefits to his employees and sometimes to his employees family. The cost of the insurance is allotted among the members of this group. The group enjoys a wide range of benefits of Group Health Insurance.

It can help to:

Reduce the number of persons who are absent for sickness

Show to the employees that you genuinely care for them

Increases the productivity level

Reduces liability.

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Running a small business organization depends on team work. But what if, someone from that team falls ill. Won’t your whole organization be in danger? Therefore you should ensure that your employees are safe and sound with good and proper health. It can only be done through purchasing a small business health insurance plan for your employees.

Earlier small business health insurance plan was not so common because of the high rate of premium. But now many affordable insurance companies are available in the market.

Generally it is seen that in group health insurance policies, the premium is divided between the employer and the employees. But if it is a very big company, the employer or the owner provides for the whole premium. Even tax incentives are also provided with group health insurance policies. You can cover yourself in group insurance benefits as well

Group Health insurance is very vital for the efficient functioning of an organization. Everyone will agree that the cost of medical treatment has increased day by day. A simple visit can be a huge liability. Because of this, many a times it is seen that the employees try avoiding going to a doctor. Again his family’s health can also be a deterrent to his efficient functioning at office. With an adequate health insurance policy an employer can evade all these setbacks and ensure a healthy working environment.

Before investing in Group health insurance, an employer should read and re-read the quotes as available in the market. He should not buy any plan hastily. Today almost all insurance companies provide online facilities. Therefore search a little and invest in group health insurance for yourself and your employees.

Any store gathers a community of like minded people. A feed store attracts the agricultural community, and an auto parts store gathers those interested in motor vehicles. People make political and social choices when they shop: they “vote with their dollars,” deciding who and what they will associate with and support.

Healthy eating is a way of life, something that you can do to enhance your body or your lifestyle. If you’ve thought about making your life better, healthy eating is just the place to start. You’ll make life easier for yourself, those around you, and even your family. So why is the health store so important to the community?

A health store first and foremost offers a community another way to make informed consumer choices. It can gather people from many walks of life around the issues of environment, agriculture, health, social justice and economy. It creates community health on many fronts. It recognizes the value of offering a community food with organic certification, high nutritional value, proven health benefits, and lower levels of processing, as well as foods which are necessary for special diets and produced relatively locally, providing environmental and economic stability.

Becoming a health store shopper requires you to become both educated and smart about what healthy eating actually is. Being food smart isn’t about learning to calculate grams or fat, nor is it about studying labels and counting calories.

Shopping at the health food store is all about balanced and moderate eating, consisting of healthy meals at least three times per day. Health Store shoppers buy many different types of foods, not limiting themselves to one specific food type or food group.

Truthfully, the only difference between you and health store experts is time. If you’ll invest a little more time in reading, you’ll be that much nearer to expert status when it comes to health store.

Health stores can support holistic health and healers through education and by helping people make connections. People shopping at health stores make lots of connections. Perhaps most obviously, they connect the environment to farming, farming to food, and food to their own health. The accepted point of view is that ingesting vitamin and mineral supplements, super foods, whole and organically grown foods, and herbs and herbal preparations can positively affect one’s health.

A health store can purchase more locally produced food and other items than a large grocery chain with greater volume needs, it can be more responsive to individual customers’ needs, and it can serve as a focal point for community education and activism on food related issues.

Health stores can support an agriculture whose methods do not deplete soil, water, air, wildlife, or human community resources, as opposed to methods that rely heavily on petroleum products (like gasoline, chemical fertilizers, and pesticides) and/or exploited labor. In a time of political instability in the region where the greatest percentage of the world’s oil reserves lie, and at a time when the U.S. is realizing the implications of its illegal and exploited (farm, amongst others) labor force, health stores can offer valuable markets to farmers who practice more sustainable methods.

A healthy eater is a good problem solver. Healthy eaters have learned to take care of themselves and their eating with sound judgment and making wise decisions. Healthy eaters are always aware of what they eat, and know the effect that it will have on their bodies.

Farmers markets can be supported and promoted by health stores. Many of these stores do not offer produce themselves, but even if they do, it does not need to be considered a conflict of interest. On Farmers Market days, farmers can often sell their “leftovers” to the local groceries and health store. If a farmers market is located within city limits, many businesses will benefit from the influx of customers on what otherwise might be a slow day or time of day. Tourists are also attracted to farmers markets.

The issue of food is closely tied to our environment, health, social justice and economy, and thus, a health store can contribute to community health in many ways.

Now that wasn’t hard at all, was it? And you’ve earned a wealth of knowledge, just from taking some time to study an expert’s word on health store.

Whether your female health questions are on early signs of menopause or how to reduce PMS symptoms, you can find answers online to important female health questions.

Busy women today have to keep up with their career, money issues and family. There is hardly time to prepare meals and care for the children and/or partner before and after work hours. Most women in the western industrialized countries become involved with career and family in their late twenties and early thirties. As responsibilities grow, women will typically experience a great deal of stress and have female health concerns.

Along with increased stress may come excessive caffeine or alcohol consumption, sleepless nights, cigarette smoking, lack of exercise, birth control pills, poor nutrition choices, obesity and exposure to the many environmental toxins found in daily life. These lifestyle choices add to the female health problems instead of helping the body to cope with the many demands placed on it.

It is no wonder that many women have female health concerns and begin experiencing health symptoms that make them wonder what is going on and to look for answers to questions such as the following:

Female Health Questions #1 – How Can I Have More Energy and Feel Better?

Lack of energy may be from overexertion or it may be your body telling you that it needs to rest. Anyone can feel tired occasionally. However, constantly feeling fatigued can be a symptom of disease or bodily imbalance and can occur at any age. It may be the first sign that your body is not working as it should and something should be done.

Female Health Questions #2 – Why Am I Gaining Weight?

Weight gain probably means you have gained unwanted weight around the mid-section even though no changes have been made in eating habits. Daily calories might have even been reduced but still the weight remains. Again the logical question is “Why?”

Female Health Questions #3 – Why Am I Having Hot Flashes/Night Sweats?

About half of all women experience hot flashes and night sweats during the years as changes happen in the monthly menstrual cycle. As menopause approaches, they frequently continue for several years following menopause if not treated. With the major changes in the body’s hormones, the brain thinks your body temperature is changing which causes your nervous system to want to cool your body down. Fluctuating hormone levels are the #1 cause.

Female Health Questions #4 – Why Is My Hair Thinning?

Women experience thinning hair and even hair growth in the wrong places. There are various treatments like changing your hair style or using a shampoo and conditioner that makes your hair fuller. However, instead of purchasing female hair loss products, a woman should first look for the underlying causes that are related to hormone imbalance.

Female Health Questions #5 – Can I Find Online Information on These and Related Health Issues?

Yes! A woman should understand what are normal changes in her reproductive cycle and health and what symptoms indicate underlying hormonal imbalances or damage from poor eating habits, stress and other factors. And the health problems you may be having can definitely be related!

A woman with female health concerns should know which symptoms she has. And how mild or severe are those symptoms? What are you demanding of your body? Are you frequently stressed? Are you taking prescription drugs? What about caffeine and alcohol? What support are you giving your body? What do you eat and are you taking a high-quality women’s nutritional supplement? And what is your age? Your age is important because you need to compare your health with other women your age.

Find out more about your health, the symptoms you may have, what these symptoms mean and your options. There is an online test for hormone health related to symptoms that indicate hormones are out of balance. This health test has been developed by a leading womens health clinic, it is used in their practice every day and is available to women online at no cost.

If you are a woman in your thirties or older and you feel your health is not what it should be, get answers to your female health questions by taking the womens health test online and see what the clinic recommends for your health situation. Understanding what is healthy and normal and what is not is crucial when your energy, your health and well-being are at stake.

Copyright 2007 InfoSearch Publishing

Americans pay more than one and a half trillion dollars for medical care each year and costs related to all manner of health care, such as prescription drugs, continue to skyrocket. While some of reasons behind this booming bill are understandable, Americans caught in a cash crunch might be surprised to find out some of the lesser-known causes of high health care costs.

The words health care might invoke images of doctors, nurses and hospitals, but the reality is that the medical field is a business and a ruthless one at that. Individual practitioners, researchers and participants may have wonderful intentions and a true desire to help people, but the structure of the American health care system ensures profit is the number one issue of importance.

Here are some facts that may help explain the high costs of American health care:

Pharmaceutical research and development companies spend roughly $20 billion each year on R&D, and about the same amount on advertising and self-promotional marketing activities.

There is sure to be a grin on your face once you get to read this article on health insurance. This is because you are sure to realize that all this matter is so obvious, you wonder how come you never got to know about it!

Additionally, drug companies have as many sales people as there are doctors in the United States. One of the responsibilities of this sales force is to convince doctors to attend pharmaceutical company-sponsored seminars where drugs are showcased.

According to some economists, the purchase of new technology is responsible for more than 50 percent of new health care spending over the last three years.

Much of the money Americans pay for health care finds its way into the rising profits on health care-related products and services such as the provision of medical insurance. Even higher costs have been forecasted for the future, especially for prescription drugs.

For many Americans who are unable to afford the health care they need, rising costs represent an ever-increasing barrier to medical services and products. The financial burden is also felt on the larger national scale with about 15 percent of gross domestic product going toward health care costs. That is equal to about one quarter of the annual federal budget.

Comparatively, Canada invests around 10 percent of its GDP on its public health care program. Unlike the United States, Canada’s health care program is universally available to all citizens and permanent residents without cost. Other countries, such as Germany, where there is a public/private delivery system model for health care, manage to serve their populations for even less while still having better longevity than Americans. This proves that the quality of health care does not rise proportionally with the amount of money spent to attain it.

While many Canadians supplement their universal health care with added insurance to cover the cost of medication and perks such as semi-private or private hospital rooms, health care insurance is much more essential in the United States. Unfortunately, costs have been rising dramatically, making health care insurance out of reach for many Americans. Currently, more than forty million Americans do not receive any kind of health care benefit.

Developing a vision on health insurance, we saw the need of providing some enlightenment in health insurance for others to learn more about health insurance.

For employers, providing health care insurance for employees is also becoming more expensive, with increases dramatically outpacing inflation rates. Some years, the difference is four or six fold. Even if premiums were to remain static, offering health care insurance to employees still costs several thousand dollars per worker. For smaller companies, or for those who employ a large number of people, these costs can be prohibitive.

Measures to reduce health care costs are always under consideration, though many are not popular choices. Suggestions that have been put forward by various sources have included:

Increased drug awareness and education. Millions could be saved if health care insurance covered only generic versions of drugs that have been proven just as effective as their more expensive brand name counterparts.

Terminate expensive treatment options will only add a short amount of time to a patient’s life, particularly if it will not be quality time (i.e. patient is in a coma).

Promote preventative care such as smart lifestyle choices, proper nutrition and exercise.

Examine to ways to control drug advertising to consumers. There is speculation that advertising has led to prescriptions of non-necessary drugs.

Limit malpractice liability so doctors and medical professionals do not feel pressured to cover themselves by ordering unnecessary tests to substantiate conditions they already know to be present.

To view our recommended sources for health insurance, or to read more articles about health insurance, visit: http://www.insurance-quote-puppy.com

A health insurance broker is just like any other type of broker; this one just happens to specialize in the field of health insurance. A broker is somewhat like a matchmaker. His responsibility is to match up those seeking health insurance with health insurance companies that most closely match that person or group’s needs.

Quality is better than quantity. It is of no use writing numerous pages of nonsense for the reader. Instead, it is better to write a short, and informative article on specific subjects like health insurance. People tend to enjoy it more.

Health insurance brokers are sought by those individuals who, for various reasons, do not belong to a group insurance policy. These individuals are often the self-employed, or those with pre-existing conditions. However, a health insurance broker will also work with the coordinators of group insurance benefits in much the same way he works with an individual. The broker is given a list of desired benefits, either by an individual or a group coordinator, and the broker shops around to find the best match. The health insurance broker then presents what he feels is the best plan based on the list of needs, and if the person or group benefits coordinator agrees, the broker usually works to get a contract signed by both parties.

Who Does the Health Insurance Broker Work For?

It’s important to understand that a health insurance broker does not work for a health insurance company. Instead, a broker makes it his business to know all about the different health insurance companies in the area including their reputations, their frequency of rate increases, and even such things as the way they treat policy holders who submit a lot of medical claims. But even though the health insurance broker is different from a health insurance company, it often does happen that a broker is given an incentive (usually a financial incentive) to recommend one health insurance company over another.

There has been a gradual introduction to the world of health insurance projected in this article. We had done this so that the actual meaning of the article will sink within you.

Nothing abusive about health insurance have been intentionally added here. Whatever it is that we have added, is all informative and productive to you.

Will it Cost More to Use a Broker?

We have not actually resorted to roundabout means of getting our message on health insurance through to you. All the matter here is genuine and to the point.

Does the cost of health insurance differ if it is secured by a broker? That’s difficult to answer in general terms. A health insurance broker might be able to get an individual included in a group plan that is offered by the state or a trade union or organization and in such a case, an applicant might find the rates are lower and the coverage better than if he had attempted directly applying via a health insurance company. Most health insurance brokers work on commission and only make money when they’ve matched up insurer and insured. That means that one party or the other (and in some cases, both parties) typically is responsible for paying the broker’s fee.

Because the rates and the rules regarding health insurance are continually changing, health insurance brokers are few and far between. Most states do have licensing requirements that brokers must meet before they’re allowed to work as a health insurance broker. And because these requirements are issued at the state level, they differ from state to state. But if you find yourself lost in the tangled web of health insurance red tape, consider working with a health insurance broker. That person might just turn out to be your best ally.

Answers to womens health questions on womens health problems can help a woman better understand her health and how to improve it. Today, a woman must both attend to her career while taking care of family responsibilities. Before and after work, she is likely involved in meal preparation, seeing to the family’s needs along with doing the non-stop stream of household chores. It is easy to understand how women can become nearly exhausted and begin asking womens health questions and looking for answers.

And to make matters worse, there is so much health information available that is at the same time confusing and conflicting. Who to believe? Who is trying to sell me what? Even doctors are often promoting this and that product as the latest greatest solution to various maladies and womens health problems. Perhaps you find yourself asking questions such as these:

Womens Health Questions #1 – Are Bioidentical Hormones Different from Synthetic Drugs?

Yes, bioidentical hormones are very different from the synthetic drugs. The term “bioidentical” means that the hormone is exactly the same as what the body naturally makes. The body will treat a bioidentical hormone as if the body produced it naturally. When used in dosages similar to the body’s normal production, bioidentical hormone replacement therapy can provide health benefits without the side effects associated with non-natural or synthetic drugs. Synthetic hormones are not natural to the body – they are different from natural hormones so they can be patented and marketed by the drug companies.

Womens Health Questions #2 – Are There Really Any Best Vitamins for Women?

Absolutely! We all have what is referred to as dietary gaps, meaning, it is difficult to consume the necessary foods that provide needed nutrients every day. Who regularly eats the recommended 5-9 servings of vegetables and fruits each day? It is difficult for anyone to do and besides, the nutrient values found in foods today are lower than decades ago. Taking a high-quality, broad spectrum, anti-aging daily nutritional supplement formulated specifically for women helps fill in the dietary gaps that we all have.

Womens Health Questions #3 – Why Should I Be Using Natural Cleaning Products?

For sure! Since 1945, more than 80,000 synthetic chemicals have been invented, the majority derived from a petroleum base. When using home cleaning products that you pour out of a container, you receive exposure either through your skin or from the fumes that you breathe. And what is even much worse is when you spray the petroleum-based toxic cleaners into the air, doing so means you will be breathing the airborne chemical particles directly into your lungs which will contribute to various womens health problems! Natural cleaning products are easily available that are priced competitively and reduce exposure to the harsh chemicals found in regular household cleaners and sprays.

Womens Health Questions #4 – Why Do Uterine Fibroids Develop in Women?

Uterine fibroids are known as muscle tumors and in most cases are non-cancerous. They are a very common growth in the female genital tract. Fibroid growths afflict as many as 80% of American women in their 30’s to 50’s. One in four women will have complaints serious enough to seek medical treatment! The true causes of fibroids remain unknown, however, there are several factors that do seem to affect fibroid growths in women.

Womens Health Questions #5 – Where Can I Find Answers to More Questions About Health?

Online! Understand what are normal changes in the reproductive cycle and health and what changes and symptoms indicate hormonal imbalances brought on by poor nutrition, excessive stress and other lifestyle factors. Learn as much as you can about your health, the reasons for the womens health problems you may have and options available to you.

If you feel your health is not what it once was and want answers to your specific womens health questions, begin by understanding what is healthy and normal and what is not. How you feel and perform every day is an issue that is too important to leave unattended any longer.

Copyright 2007 InfoSearch Publishing

Health promotion in the workplace benefits not only the company, but the employee as well. Additionally, there is a distinct trickle-down effect as the benefits are transferred from employee to family members. Health promotion in the workplace creates conditions that support and teach the best possible health for the employee. This gives employees a sense of ownership and they learn to work together to form a coordinated action to improve well being. Areas such as health promotion, heart health, nutrition, fitness, recreation, tobacco and alcohol awareness and workplace safety are all areas where health promotion in the workplace is very effective. Implementing such a program gives employees a feeling of being more than just a number. It brings the humanity of companies back to the corporate forefront.

Wellness programs are generally more focused on prevention which facilitates a proactive approach to healthcare. This, in turn, leads to an overall decrease in health care costs. Disease management, health education and health maintenance are all crucial in creating a solid wellness foundation within an organization. There is strong evidence to support the effectiveness of health promotion in the workplace and concur that these types of interventions make a significant difference within the organizational structure. Companies that implement wellness programs for their employees encourage healthy lifestyles for not only employees, but their families as well.

Mental health programs as a part of health promotion in the workplace have been shown to significantly reduce depression in employees. Additionally, companies employing this strategy also enjoy reduced suicide rates and reduced behavioral problems among employees. Mental health programs and stress management classes have also resulted in less domestic aggression and a more positive environment for employees. On a social level, there are fewer learning problems, a significant reduction in child abuse as well as spousal abuse.

Companies that address health and safety issues of employees regarding their work environment do experience a decrease in on the job injuries and fewer worker’s compensation claims. Occupational health and safety also helps to decrease the number of deaths and disabilities in the workplace. Time loss injuries are also substantially decreased when workers are adequately trained and these types of workplace health and wellness safety programs are implemented.

Wellness programs and general health promotion in the workplace show employees that the organization recognizes that both the employer and the employee share some extent of responsibility for the employee’s health. It shows the employee that their health is of importance to the organization. And it should be important. Healthier employees mean fewer absences and a lower turnover rate.

In short, the benefits of health promotion in the workplace are many. The greatest benefit, however, is in the human aspect of the organization. When the people are taken care of, the company’s bottom line remains intact. With reduced absenteeism and health care costs, organizations should seriously consider wellness programs as a viable, effective method for reducing employee related expenses and strengthening their personnel relations within the company. Health promotion in the workplace can cut costs and yield productivity increases, but it is not a cure-all. Businesses must also consider job design, organizational systems, human resource management practices and workplace culture. All these must be conducive to a productive, healthy workplace.

Businesses interested in learning more about the benefits of health promotion in the workplace will find a plethora of information on the World Wide Web. Resources like Wellness Proposals and Welcoa both offer valuable insight about the benefits of health promotion and wellness programs.

Your personal health information – do you know who has it or where to find it in Dallas, Houston or in the other Texas cities where you have lived? Do you have it? In most cases, a complete record of all of your personal health information can’t be found at any single location or in any consistent format. Each one of your healthcare providers (family practitioner, allergist, OB-GYN, etc.) compiles a separate medical record on you. And often times, these multiple medical records can lead to an incomplete story about your health.

Keeping your own personal health record (PHR) provides doctors with valuable information that can help improve the quality of care you receive. A PHR can minimize or eliminate duplicate tests. It can also help you receive faster, safer treatment and care in an emergency. In short, with a PHR, you can play a more active role in your healthcare.

Starting a Personal Health Record

Your health information is scattered across many different providers and facilities. A Personal Health Record is a collection of this information about your health or the health of someone you are caring for, such as a parent or child that you would actively maintain and update. The information comes from your healthcare providers, and most importantly, from you.

Why Start a PHR?

Your own PHR should provide a different perspective, showing all your health-related information. It can include any information that you think might affect your health, including information that your doctor may not have, such as your exercise routines, dietary habits, or glucose levels if you are diabetic.

In addition, the PHR is a critical tool that enables you to partner with your providers. It can reduce or eliminate duplicate procedures or processes, which can save healthcare dollars, as well as your time and the provider’s time.

What Should be in Your PHR?

When collecting information from your health records, make sure you include:

Personal identification, including names, birth dates, and social security numbers

Emergency contacts

Names, addresses, and phone numbers of your physician, dentist, and other specialists

Health insurance information

Living wills and advance directives

Organ donor authorization

A list and dates of significant illnesses and surgeries

Current medications and dosages

Immunizations and their dates

Allergies

Important events, dates, and hereditary conditions in your family history

A recent physical examination

Opinions of specialists

Important tests results

Eye and dental records

Correspondence between you and your provider(s)

Correspondence between you and your health insurance company

Permission forms for release of information, operations, and other medical procedures

Any information you want to include about your health – such as your exercise regimen, any herbal medications you take and any counseling you may receive.

Step-by-Step Guide to Creating a PHR

Young, healthy people move, often frequently. Therefore you are likely to have health records scattered over all over Texas and beyond. Remember the flu last year in Dallas? And the routine exam three years ago in Houston? Keeping your own personal health record (PHR) provides new and existing doctors with valuable information that can help improve the quality of care you receive.

To start your personal health record, you will need to request a copy of your health records from all your healthcare providers, including your general practitioner, and your eye doctor, dentist, and any other specialists you have seen. Don’t feel that you need to gather all your health information at the same time. One way to handle your record retrieval is to ask for your recent records each time you visit a healthcare provider.

Incorporate the following steps, at your own pace, when creating your own personal health record:

1. Contact your doctors’ offices, the health information management (HIM) or the medical records staff at each facility where you have received treatment. Ask if your records are in an electronic format that you can access, or if you need to request copies. Also, ask your physician or the HIM professional to help you determine which parts of your record you need. Furthermore, find out if your provider has his or her own plan for helping patients to create their PHRs.

2. Ask for an “authorization for the release of information” form. Complete the form and return it to the facility as directed. Most facilities charge for copies. The fee should only include the cost of copying (including supplies and labor), as well as postage if you request the copy to be mailed. It can take up to 60 days to receive your medical records, so ask when you can expect to receive the information you’ve requested.

3. Now that you’ve gathered your information, there are a few different ways you can maintain your PHR. One way is to simply gather your information in a file folder. Not all information may be available to you in an electronic format, so an old-fashioned file folder or three-ring binder may be the easiest and most inclusive format. You can divide the binder into sections by family members. Then, within each family member’s section, divide information by year or illness.

4. There are many great digital PHR tools and services to help you get organized. You can burn data onto a CD. Also, portable devices, like keychain USB drives that plug into most computers, will make your PHR information extremely portable. There are also Internet-based services where you can store and retrieve your health information, including services which may be sponsored by your insurance company. Some services even help collect your data from your doctors and other healthcare providers.

Some of these digital PHR tools may be available free of charge and others are products or services you will need to purchase or pay a subscription fee to use.

5. Bring your PHR to all healthcare provider visits so that you have the information with you. And remember to keep adding and updating it with entries from providers, yourself, or your family member.

6. Because you won’t always have your PHR with you, create and carry a card that has vital information on it -such as medications or allergies – with you at all times.

7. Remember, this private information is yours and your family’s, so protect it and maintain its confidentiality. Let trusted family members know it exists, and where it’s being kept, but beyond that, keep it safe and protected.

Knowledge is power and your Personal Health Record can certainly empower you. The information gathered gives you information you can use when preparing for medical appointments. And it gives you more intimate knowledge of your healthcare, including giving you an active role in your preventive care and care management.

It’s easier to start gathering your medical records while you’re a young, healthy Texan compared to when you’re older and have a more complex medical history. Start with your parents and work your way up to your current healthcare providers.