August ZoomNews
Your monthly dose of HealthCare on Demand
Greetings,
You know the old saying "location, location, location"? Well it is an old saying...
The real deal is "people, people, people". Though ZoomCare works relentlessly on improving our systems and organization to deliver our promise of Health Care on Demand, ultimately it all rests on our people and our culture.
That's why we thought we would ask the people who know us best, those of you who use ZoomCare, to help us out with finding some fantastic new Zoom people.
ZoomCare is laying the groundwork to extend hours at our Bridgeport Village location and to expand into the greater Portland area. We are looking for both Physicians and Associates to join our team. We are looking for board certified family physicians, internists and emergency medicine physicians. The ideal candidates are not only excellent clinicians but have a high sparkle quotient. Combine that with a desire to break through the health care bureaucracy and build the future of healthcare; and it may be love at first sight.
Most of you have met our ZoomCare Associates. We are looking for bright college graduates considering a career in health care and a passion for service. We have found it also helps to have had experience with high-performance retailers such as Nordstrom's. Associates receive intensive training and gain a broad exposure to healthcare's front lines.
By the way, ZoomCare compensation and benefits are among the best.
If you have family or friends who may fit the bill, please let them know about ZoomCare. Feel free to refer them to us personally (see our email addresses below) or they can send an introductory note to talent@zoomcare.com.
Ok, so we've just asked a lot from our community. Can we sneak in one more favor?
Check out Improve Your ZoomCare by clicking here. This is becoming one of our more important ways to get your insights into what's working and what needs improvement. We read everything you tell us and we consider it carefully. Please share your thoughts with us.
We wish you the best of health and a fantastic end-of-summer.
Sincerely,
David Sanders, MD
dsanders@zoomcare.com
&
Albert DiPiero, MD, MPH
adipiero@zoomcare.com
ZoomTip of the Month
Did you know that we can write and fill prescriptions here at ZoomCare?
We call it Zip Scriptz.
Most Rx's are priced in the $10-15 range, and we also have a wide variety of over the counter medications available for your convenience as well.
To learn more about Zip Scriptz and the ZoomStore, you can click here.
We like to think of it as one less stop on the road to recovery. Of course, if you'd like your prescriptions filled at your favorite pharmacy, we're happy to call them in for you before you get there.
We don't like waiting, either.
Dr. Katz's Corner
A Rusty Nail Speaks Out:
The Truth About Tetanus
Many rusty nails have come into ZoomCare lately contaminated with blood from human feet. Yes, we feel obligated on ethical grounds to attend to both the human foot and the poor rusty nail that has to suffer through such an insult — it's part of our effort to serve as a positive force in our community — and an appropriate gesture to the under-served and oft-neglected flat-heads, spikes, pegs, and other sharp rusted objects.
Nails contaminated with human blood and foot calluses are much worse off than the odorous foot that caused the problem. That is, of course, assuming that the human attached to the foot has had the life-saving vaccination to protect against tetanus.
We only have 72 hours to get you vaccinated after you assault a nail. After that, it's not a pretty picture. Think "Joker" from Batman movie — with that irreversible grin — it's called lock-jaw (known as tetany) and it can be a "nail in the coffin" for you. We don't hear much about people dying from it in the States. One reason is because we wear shoes. Second reason is that nails have evolved to side-step, dodge, and duck when needed. Third, of course, is that ZoomCare has been keeping the country's vaccines up to date. Yes, I personally take credit for the decline of tetanus rates in this country.
But let's not just focus on the nail — there are plenty of other things that can have the bacteria on it — the bacteria called Clostridium Tetani. It's in the same family as other "fun" bacteria, like Clostridium Botulinum (of Botulism fame) and Clostridium Difficile (the cause of a lovely type of diarrhea that seems to never stop). This dysfunctional family of maladjusted sociopaths are hard as nails. Tetanus spores, for example, live not just on nails but on any object that has come in contact with the soil. Rust is simply a sign that an object has been exposed to the outside world, whether it be a nail, a brad from my screenplay I threw out the window last fall, or staples from doctor offices that haven't converted to a paperless system like ours.
So it's not just a nail, and it's not just the rust. Having said that, there's something particularly evil about that combination:
1) puncture wounds tend to deposit bacteria deep and the rust can flake off inside, and
2) puncture wounds don't bleed as much as we (that is, ZoomCare doctors) would like.
Yes, a bit of bleeding is awesome when it comes to a wound — it covers the bacteria with infection-fighting cells and protects you.
So get your tetanus shot every ten years, and remember that some really dirty wounds may need a booster if it's been only 5 years since your last tetanus shot. Also consider the new vaccine called Adacel which protects against Tetanus and diptheria like the traditional vaccine, but also the bacteria called pertussis. This causes the sinister Whooping cough, can last weeks or months, and can be life threatening to infants and the elderly. We have this vaccine at ZoomCare, too.
Other wounds, like burns, require tetanus boosters, as well. And don't forget about the wound itself. Tetanus can be prevented, but the shot won't prevent regular old bacteria from causing a skin infection, like our close, personal friends Staph, Strep, pseudomonas and other members of the dirty dozen.
We'll be here for you when your foot goes vigilante and thinks it can single-footedly stomp out tetanus on its own. And we'll be here for you, rusty nail, when some renegade foot comes out of nowhere before you can flee. Just schedule your on-line reservations and we'll be here for your just about every day.
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Holey Mole-y!
(click on the mole to hear a podcast about this subject)
Since it's that time of year when skin is exposed to the elements- we thought a primer on moles was in order. So, without further ado- here's a basic overview about moles.
The medical term for these fleshy favorites is NEVUS. Or, plural it becomes NEVI. (kneevus/kneeveye)
First off, let's define exactly what is a mole and what it's made of.
A mole is a cluster of pigmented cells that often appears as a small brown spot on one's torso, face, arms, or legs. The brownish color comes from special cells that contain the pigment melanin. However, moles- like people- can be very different from each other- showing up in a wide range of colors and places including on your scalp, armpits, between your fingers and toes, and even under your fingernails!
Most folks tip the scales with somewhere between 10 to 40 moles, though this number can change throughout the course of a lifetime. Did you know all the moles on your body are determined in utero? So, before you even emerged from your mom- your moles were waiting patiently to appear.
Since most moles live about 50 years, it's actually possible to outgrow them if you live long enough. However, If you are over 50 and develop a new mole- you should regard it with suspicion- and go to the doctor.
Moles can darken after sun exposure, pregnancy, and occasionally during therapy with certain steroid drugs.
A large majority of moles are considered benign or harmless- but in some cases moles may become cancerous. Melanoma is a form of skin cancer, and is the most common type of cancer found in women ages 25 to 29.
There's a handy little way to assess your mole risk factors- by using the ABCD method. If you notice any of the following qualities in your mole, a skin check would be recommended.
A stands for Asymmetry- meaning one half of your mole doesn't match the other
B stands for Border-
Look for ragged, blurred or irregular borders
C stands for Color-
That is a variation of color within the mole itself, instead of being just one color
and finally,
D stands for diameter: if it's larger then a pencil eraser head, it deserves attention
A yearly complete skin examination is recommended by the American Board of Family Medicine, the American Dermatologic Association, and the American College of Physicians. This is something we are happy to offer at ZoomCare.
ZoomCare's board certified physicians will perform a complete skin examination, and provide you with recommendations, diagnosis and treatment of your skin condition.
We can also refer you to some fabulous dermatologists in the area if you need more specialized treatment.
- Amanda Thibodeau
As part of our commitment to growing deeper roots in the communities we serve, each month, ZoomCare gives a ZoomGrant of $250 to a local area non-profit.
Congratulations to August's winner:
Oregon Tradeswomen Inc
If your organization would like to apply for a ZoomGrant, you can do so on our website. Or, click here.
