Do you know who owns your medical records? It’s a question that at first glance seems to be simple, that is until you consider it within the realm of the U.S. medical system. Unlike the more straightforward ownership issues of a car or a home, the question of medical record ownership is much more complex and one that can vary on where you live in the U.S. Depending on the state where you reside, a medical record could be owned by a patient, the hospital, the health care provider, or the hospital and health care provider. Surprisingly, the majority of states have no laws on the ownership of medical records at all. In these cases, the information on the chart has the potential belong to the patient, but the paper or form on which the information is printed remains the property of the health care provider. This is one of many reasons why obtaining medical-related information can be confusing. Who Decides? Questions on how to deal with medical record ownership not only plague the states but is also a highly debated issue among health care providers. Depending on who you ask, you’re bound to find differing opinions about why or why not patients should own their records. From issues of privacy to how the information can be shared, the issue of ownership shows no signs of being solved anytime soon. To find out where your state stands on this issue, check out this interactive map with national comparisons for medical record ownership. The informative graph is a joint project of the George Washington University Hirsh Health Law and Policy...
The battle against brain cancer is often defined by a never-ending cycle of searching for resources to fund escalating medical bills, travel costs for appointments and chemotherapy, housing during treatment, and assistance with prescription drug programs and co-pays. Investigation into assistance often requires a lengthy time commitment, something few caregivers have when caring for a loved one. Even after locating a resource, there will often be an untimely lag between filing the application and ultimately receiving the resource(s). A Need for Information and Financial Resources Progression of the disease brings with it a number of swiftly developing cognitive and behavioral changes in the patient. These in turn create a demand for more information, educational resources, and support systems. Because there is no “normal” battle with brain cancer, patients and their caregivers are often in the midst of an uncomfortable limbo wondering which resource might be needed next and if it will be readily available to cover the need. Even with the growing number of financial resources out there for brain cancer patients, the search for resources has its own prohibitive costs of time and energy. A Continuing Need for Resources 700,000 people in the U.S. live with a primary brain tumor, a tumor that starts in the brain. 69,000 Americans will receive a diagnosis of a primary brain tumor this year. National Brain Tumor Society Turning Life Insurance into Financial Assurance Caring for a loved one fighting brain cancer shouldn’t require an uphill battle of combing through lists of resources and making the necessary inquires to see if your loved one qualifies for assistance. There is an easier way...
For years, doctors have advised individuals to begin colon and rectal cancer screenings at age 50. That recommendation could be changing as a result of the growing incidence of colon and rectal cancer in individuals under the age of 50. Of the 145,000 people diagnosed each year, 25,000 are individuals age 50 or younger, making colon cancer one of the top cancers affecting people age 20 to 49. In those age 50 and under, the symptoms of the cancers, which include constipation, severe abdominal pain, and a change in bowel habits or unexplained anemia are often attributed to stress, irritable bowel syndrome or a possible food allergy. Because of the relatively young age of the individuals, neither the doctor nor the patient is thinking of cancer when it comes to a diagnosis. As a result, related diagnosis delays occur in 15 to 50 percent of young-onset colon cancer cases. When diagnosis does happen, patients are often already into the advanced stages of the disease, making treatment more difficult. Cases of young-onset rectal cancer increased at nearly twice the rate of young-onset colon cancer cases. Introducing the Idea of Screening Earlier Considering this changing landscape, one would think that people would just get screened earlier, but even at the recommended age of 50, it still takes approximately seven years before individuals actually schedule and have their first colonoscopy. Besides the obvious reasons for putting off the procedure, other reasons include fear of the results, no insurance coverage, or they don’t want to make the time for the procedure. Couple those obstacles with the so-called rule of seven. This unofficial rule...
Last summer, it was hard to miss the excitement surrounding the ALS ice bucket challenges. Everyone from your neighbor to rock stars and celebrities were showcasing their bravery and raising money and awareness to fight a devastating disease. Who would’ve thought that something that began as a simple dare among friends would so quickly evolve into one of the most impactful awareness campaigns to date? ALS or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is a swiftly debilitating disease that attacks the nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord. For many years, the disease was primarily known as Lou Gehrig’s disease (named for the famous baseball player who had the disease). As result of Gehrig’s swift and significant decline, the public saw first-hand the cruel and debilitating impact the disease had on his body. A Disease of Continuing Mystery ALS was first discovered in 1869 by Jean-Martin Charcot, a French neurologist. Despite this early discovery, there was little public recognition until Lou Gehrig’s diagnosis in 1939. Despite increased awareness of the disease glimpsed through Gehrig’s decline and the recent ice bucket initiative, diagnosis of the disease remains tricky because of its variable progression on the body. Often signs go unnoticed for some time because the most common symptoms of weakness and atrophy develop at variable rates in different people. Because of the sheer range of ALS symptoms, there’s often no single approach in regard to diagnosis of the disease. HIV, Lyme disease, Polio, Multiple Sclerosis, Lupus and West Nile Virus can all produce similar symptoms. Tests for diagnosis might include electromyography and nerve conduction study. Both tests help detect electrical energy in...
On March 20, integrative doctors, cancer patients and survivors, and those looking to improve overall health gathered in San Diego for the second annual Integrated Health Conference. Created to be a comprehensive platform for the integration of conventional and alternative disease treatment therapies, the event featured speakers such as Leigh Erin Connealy, M.D., an integrative doctor from the Cancer Center for Hope in Irvine, California. The conference attracted a variety of attendees from holistic and integrative doctors and oncologists, cancer patients and their loved ones, and health practitioners and researchers. Throughout the event, attendees had the opportunity to hear the latest science and integrative medicine breakthroughs in the prevention, healing and reversals of degenerative diseases such as cancer. Practitioners of integrative medicine strive to heal the body through the assessment and treatment of the whole person: body, mind and spirit. Subjects shared at the conference included Inflammation and Cancer: The Role of Anti-Inflammatories in Health and Cancer; What your Oncologist will Never Tell you but you Need to Know; Verification and Validation using Heart Rate Variability; Healthier Approaches to Healthcare, and Virotherapy for Cancer Treatment. Other topics during the event-packed, three-day event, included information about boosting the immune system, healthy eating, detoxification, increasing cardiovascular health, enhancing neuro-regeneration, and ways to improve energy and stamina. Those in attendance discovered an integrated approach, offering a number of alternatives to the traditional one-size-fits-all approach of fighting cancer through surgery, chemotherapy and/or radiation. Conference Takeaways In addition to providing information on the latest science and health breakthroughs and traditional and alternative healing resources, the event also offered attendees a large dose of hope,...
