September ZoomNews
Your monthly dose of HealthCare on Demand
Greetings,
Last week, Senator Hillary Clinton announced her new health care reform plan. She joins a long list of candidates from both parties who have proposed reform plans of varying specificity. See the New York Times Election 2008 - The Presidential Candidates on Health Care.
We have to admit that none of these plans really capture our imagination or give hope for what health care in America could be and should be. Sure, this is important work and we do not dismiss it. But deep down doesn't it seem that somehow there must be more to it than buying more health insurance? Fundamentally, the candidates' proposals are about buying more insurance. The only disagreements are over whether the buyer should be the government, the employer or the individual.
Henry David Thoreau wrote, "Even voting for the right (thing) is doing nothing for it. It is only expressing to men feebly your desire that it should prevail. A wise man will not leave the right to the mercy of chance , nor wish it to prevail through the power of the majority." In other words, "Just Do It."
Here are a few who are just doing it.
Cincinnati Children's Hospital is applying advanced manufacturing lessons to serious medical conditions. "Cincinnati Children's is a good example of a provider moving voluntarily down the path towards value-based care delivery or value-based competition," said Michael E. Porter, a Harvard Business School professor.
Whatcom County, Washington is bringing a team and community model to chronic conditions. To learn more, go to OregonsFuture.org, click on Archives then scroll down to Vol 6, No. 2 - Summer 2005, page 38. "Whatcom County Experience: A Patient Centered Experience".
And here at ZoomCare , we are inventing Health Care on Demand. We envision a time when consumers of health care face compelling choices for nearly every service. Prices and Performance are transparent to the public. And service is world-class. We believe that by living out this vision, we will create a valued organization for our customers and employees, while catalyzing changes through the health care industry.
The soul of real reform is front-line innovation in service, efficiency and technology which provides you with vastly superior value. By pairing front-line care innovation with select financing reforms we can create a health care world unimaginable today.
Please continue to send us your feedback and thoughts.
Best of health,
David Sanders, MD
dsanders@zoomcare.com
&
Albert DiPiero, MD, MPH
adipiero@zoomcare.com
ZoomTip of the Month
Did you know that you can ask your ZoomCare Physician a question through our handy tool called Zelp?
That's right. Zelp = ZoomCare + Help
Let's say you came to ZC and got a test done, and were wondering if the results were back... Just Zelp it!
Or, you're not sure if we take your insurance - Zelp it!
Still not feeling better after a week? You know what to do (Zelp away!)
Want to send a shout out to Dr. Katz?
That's right, just keep Zelpin'.
We try to answer Zelps as soon as possible, and we promise to get back to you the same day, if not within an hour.
So go ahead - Zelp us,
you know you want to!
Doctor Katz's Corner
Kicking the habit:
how medicine can help you quit smoking
Dr. Katz gets serious for a few minutes:
I don't get paid by pharmacy companies to advertise for them. But there's one medicine that's worth letting people know about. It's a medicine that helps folks quit smoking, called Chantix, and it's better than anything else that has come before it.
Tried Zyban (aka Wellbutrin)? Tried patches, gum, and lozenges? Tried hypnotism? Tried cold turkey? Tried hot turkey? Tried luke-warm peppermints? Don't despair.
Chantix is a relatively new medicine approved by the FDA to help folks quit.
It works in two ways:
- It decreases your desire to smoke,
- It decreases the pleasurable effects of the cigarette, so when you do smoke it's not as enjoyable.
Usually that leaves people saying, "I could have done without that cigarette" instead of the usual "I really needed that." It is safe to continue smoking while taking Chantix — so you can let the medicine do some of the hard work.
Here are some common concerns I hear from patients prior to trying it:
1) "To quit with medicines is a sign of weakness."
Actually I see it as a sign of maturity. There's no great glory in quitting cold turkey without help. To be able to say "I did it by myself" is not noble. I consider the use a medicine like this as one of many tools to help people quit. For most people, quitting tobacco is one of the hardest things they'll ever do in their lives. Like all difficult challenges, it takes practice, and help. Taking on a project of this magnitude without the use of tools is a bit like a carpenter building a house without tools — or, let's give him one tool — like a screwdriver. Not a house I'd want to live in. In the same way, I encourage patients to take advantage of ALL the tools available to become healthy.
2) Is it safe?
On the surface this is quite a legitimate question — after all, with the recent media reports about medicine safety (like Vioxx, etc), who wants to take a medicine that causes heart attacks? However, it's also a question that is rooted in fear about quitting. If the medicine isn't safe, then people have an excuse not to take it — and therefore don't have to face the challenge of quitting. Fortunately, it is very safe. It doesn't interact significantly with any medicines, and there are no significant reasons not to take it. That's not to say there aren't any side effects. The most commonly experienced side effect is nausea, which is usually mild and usually goes away after 2 weeks.
3) I don't have insurance. Is it expensive?
Chantix costs less than a pack of cigarettes per day, and is usally taken for about 3 months. For a person that smokes 1 pack per day, it could save you $20,000 over the next ten years, not including medical bills.
At ZoomCare, we encourage you to be a quitter. And research has shown that those that don't give up will be the most successful. So never quit trying to quit. If you or a person you care about could use Chantix, make an on-line reservation for a visit to discuss it with your friendly ZoomCare Physician.
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Demystifying the TB/PPD Test...
(know your bubbles)
(Click the bubbles to hear a podcast about this topic!)
Here's the skinny on one of our favorite quick, easy and potentially lifesaving tests that we perform at ZoomCare- a TB test. Also known as the tuberculin or PPD test, it is used to determine whether you have been exposed to or carry tuberculosis.
Chances are you've had this test before- many schools, employers and organizations require it.
To refresh your memory- It's the one with the bubble.
Here's how it works- the doctor injects a teeny tiny bit (.1mL) of tuberculin ppd right under your skin, creating a little bubble right there under the surface. In case you were wondering (and I know you were) the injection of the ppd contains non-harmful extracts of tb bacterium in a purified protein derivative, hence the term PPD. Generally, the PPD bubble will be absorbed quickly by the skin.
After your test, we will release you to enjoy your freedom, for 48 to 72 hours- then you'll have to come back to have it read by one of our talented, literate doctors.
Between when you leave ZoomCare with your brand new bubble and return, something magical will happen within your body.
Your specialized immune buddies called T-cells will investigate the PPD bubble and decide how they want to react to it. If you are currently carrying the tuberculin bacterium, or have been exposed to it in the past- these Tcells will respond by releasing chemical messengers called lymphokines. These lymphokines will create what's called an induration around the area where you got the ppd injected. An induration is basically a hard, raised bubble (that's right, I said bubble again).
If you have not had exposure to TB, there will be no induration in the area.
For most folks, there's no induration and they'll be done in a jiffy.
If you do have a positive PPD, your ZoomCare physician will discuss the best way to go about dealing with this information. Some folks, especially those born outside of the US can have a positive PPD due to being immunized with a vaccine for Tuberculosis called BCG. Even so, it is important to follow up on any positive PPD reading, as this disease is considered highly contagious.
If you have a positive TB test, generally your ZCP would order up a chest Xray, and hook you up with an infectious disease specialist who can help you figure out the best course of action.
So, now you know the mystery behind the bubble. Here's one more thing I bet you didn't know- this amazing, life saving test is available at ZoomCare 362 days a year - just walk in or schedule online.
- 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 September's winner:
Westside Christian High School!
If your organization would like to apply for a ZoomGrant, you can do so on our website. Or, click here.
