Author Archives: securemedical

There are some critical aspects of health care that are changing in the digital age. The costs of doctor and hospital visits have increased exponentially over the last decade and people, may avoid going to the office for this and a host of other reasons. Doctors and health care staff are also looking for ways to assure that patients are getting the services that they need for their illnesses or concerns. Primary care physicians are joining telemedicine provider services to work towards a community of health care professionals who can maintain people’s health in the appropriate forum and level of care.

There are many reasons why I have really enjoyed using telemedicine services for some of my own health conditions. First, I am disabled and the public transportation services that are available in my community are not reliable or easily accessible for me. If I have unscheduled, non-emergency appointments to request medications for a known and chronic problem it can become a crisis quickly if I am unable to connect with my PCP.

As everyone knows, it is close to impossible to see your primary care physicians for semi-emergency issues. Many of my providers have inept staff that answer the phone and I am often cut off at least once in the interaction. I have migraine headaches, get UTIs and have dermatological issues that can all worsen if unable to treat properly. I have been working with my PCP on these issues and have them pretty well maintained.

Well, I went on vacation. During my vacation I had a terrible skin rash from too much sun exposure and my skin was becoming pus-filled and bubbly. I had seen this before, but I did not have that medication anymore. I really did not have good access to hospital care as I was in a very rural area of Alabama.

With this new telemedicine option, I was able to contact my PCP and get the medication for the issue without having to go to the hospital.

How you make love to your partner and how they respond is usually a sensitive area in any relationship. It can build or destroy the relationship. Lack of sexual arousal has in most cases been a male issue. Recent studies have however revealed that women too can go through this phase. Therefore, a new drug was released a few weeks ago to help ladies who have been experiencing low sexual desire.

This medication is however relatively new, and we do not know so much about it. So, before looking out for telemedicine or getting to the nearest drug store to buy it, try some of the following alternatives:-

• Sleep more. Many are the times that one tends to assume the effects of their sleeping pattern and duration on their sexual drive. The quality of the sleep determines the mood of the person on the following day. It also determines the state of the body. This refers to whether or not one is fatigued or not. Studies state that females who slept longer have a higher chance of engaging in sexual activities with their partners compared to those who sleep less or have a lesser quality sleep.

 

• Try yoga. More people are doing yoga nowadays. This is due to the proved health benefits that come with doing yoga. Doing yoga helps relax the entire body, and it also aids in the blood floor throughout the body. Yoga has been discovered to help in the sexual arousal for the ladies. It increases lubrication in females, therefore, improving the sexual concerns.

 

• Maintain focus. Many women tend to be worried about how they look in front of their partners. This consumes much of their time during sex, such that they do not concentrate on enjoying sex with their partners. Being actively engaged in sex with your partner increases communication and concentration, resulting in better sex. You can tell them what you like or do not like.

 

• Exercise more. Physical exercise boosts sexual arousal in females. Exercising gets the heart racing, and it has been reported to have a relaxing effect, a concept that increases the genital arousal.

Give the above alternatives a try and be amazed by the outcomes, after all, you have nothing to lose.

Telemedicine is the use of technological innovations to provide health care services when the patient and the physician are in different locations. Telemedicine enables individuals to receive virtual health care in a location where there may be a shortage of physicians. An increasing number of physicians are practicing across the states through telemedicine.

The Interstate Medical Licensure Compact that is currently being backed by eight states seeks to improve the use of technologies in the telemedicine market while reducing the problems that emanate from the shortage of physicians. The compact requires that a practicing physician must procure a license for every single state in which they practice medicine.

Although licensing in the telemedicine industry is meant to improve the overall quality of healthcare and guarantee patient safety, some feel like the move to finalize the compact by the FSMB doesn’t do enough to boost telemedicine in a meaningful way. For some, the compact imposes increased costs for physicians as they seek to comply with multiple states licensure requirements thus discouraging them. Further, some physicians are deterred from practicing in those locations where they would contribute significantly.

This will affect patients living in rural areas who will have to travel long distances and persevere through lengthy waits to be seen by a specialist. Therefore, the cost in money, time and resources when a physician is applying for licenses in each state is seen as crippling the industry and failing to boost telemedicine access. To improve quality and access to health care, some feel that a free market with fewer bureaucracies encourages more physicians to get on board.

Despite the claims, however, FSMB argues that the compact aims at reducing the barriers for those physicians seeking a multiple state licensing and will help ensure licensure portability and improve telemedicine. It is said that the compact will help reduce redundant licensing requirements by providing a central place where physicians submit basic information like their education background.

San Francisco-based telemedicine provider Doctor on Demand signed a deal with Computerized Screening Inc (CSI), a medical kiosk marker. The deal, signed recently, provides Doctor on Demand the opportunity to use CSI’s Virtual eClinic for patient care.

Thanks to the latest developments in technology that has increasingly seen the rise of virtual reality physicians. Patients are now able to chat online with professionally trained certified doctors via video conferencing services. However, this method isn’t as new as most of you may assume. It had only been overlooked by patients and doctors alike.

Doctor on Demand, according to CIS president Charles Booth, is the best company capable of understanding the needs of consumers. The telemedicine service provider offers the most sought-after key elements in patient care; video conferencing capabilities, highly experienced physicians in Telehealth, and the true doctor on demand protocol.

Moreover, Doctor on Demand, offer pocket-friendly charges per consultation ($40) to corporate sponsors with no monthly fee per employee. According to the medical Kiosk-maker, CSI’s CEO, this is the best offer ever made.

The telemedicine provider, Doctor on Demand, aims to provide easily available high-quality healthcare to patients. The main mission being to solve the problem of accessibility to healthcare while at the same time, aiming to provide affordable health services. How do they solve these problems? Well, Doctors on Demand connect patients to a team of experienced doctors certified to render medical services to patients through video.

Adam Jackson, Doctor on Demand’s CEO, explains on the healthy partnership with CSI viewing it as the best most beneficial deal that’ll render the best healthcare to patients at a larger percentage.

The deal, signed by the telemedicine service provider and medical kiosk-maker, CSI, will allow Doctor on Demand to not only serve a large number of patients but also deliver better and more accurate medical diagnostic information in real time.

No doubt, Doctor on Demand, will grow drastically and meet consumer needs in a short span of time.

Virtual reality physicians are on the rise, due in part to new technology but also the fact that Obamacare has required many patients to switch from existing doctors. Online chatting using video conferencing services with doctors isn’t new. However, many doctor’s offices and patients held off from using the service because insurance companies just don’t cover it. Now, that’s changing thanks to Teladoc.

What Is Teladoc?

Teladoc is a telemedicine company changing the way patients and doctors interact because it’s worked with employers and major health insurance companies to pay for these remote consultations the same as they would a traditional in-office visit. The company saw revenue double in 2013 and again in 2015 as a result of more companies coming on board for the service. And, Teladoc managed to secure a $50 million Series F fundraising round, providing the company with a total of $100 million in funding to date.

The growth of the company comes directly from the Affordable Care Act, commonly known as Obamacare. The law encourages doctor’s offices and employers to take advantage of telemedicine because it’s less expensive overall, especially compared to a trip to the ER. The law has encouraged companies like Blue Shield of California and health insurer Oscar to get on board.

Now, more than half of all large employer plans provide for health coverage in telemedicine form, which is up 28% from 2014, according to Towers Watson and the National Business Group on Health. Teladoc is the largest provider with eight million patients and 4,000 clients, and, to meet those needs 550 doctors who are on-call for the service.

Doctors can “sign in” to provide services when they can do so, such as when they are not meeting with patients in-office or pulling in hospital shifts. It’s the Uber for doctors. These doctors can help with many ailments including flu symptoms and infections. They can prescribe medication, too. Only about 1 percent of patients end up at the ER and about 6 percent end up having to visit their doctor in person, making the venture incredibly successful and effective.

According to Global Telemedicine Market – Growth, Trends & Forecasts (2015-2020), the global market for telemedicine is expected to surpass $34 by 2020. Certain factors have led to the exponential growth in this market. These factors are the hasty rise in software markets, and an increase in the number of chronic disease incidents. Also, the increased aged population has also contributed to the consistent growth of telemedicine.

North America accounts for 40 percent of the global market size. A majority of healthcare systems are trying to reduce the number of hospital visits. Also, with telemedicine patients are monitored efficiently from a home environment, and they can access services of a medic promptly anytime. These conveniences and benefits have resulted in the growth of the market. The increase in healthcare costs has increased the efficiency of telemedicine.

This kind of medical services delivery is popular and advantageous for patients aged over 60 years. Since many patients in the developing countries are located in remote areas, their monitoring requires telemedicine for efficiency. Therefore, remote monitoring of the patients is another factor that is expected to propel growth to surpass the $34 billion mark by 2020.

Nonetheless, high technology costs, poor implementation, reimbursement concerns and physician support are hampering the growth of this market. This global market can be segmented on the basis of type, technology, applications and geography. The types of telemedicine include clinics, tell hospitals and home. Their applications include teledermatology, teleconsultation, telesurgery, telepathology, teleradiology and many others.

The major participants of the market include Medical International Research, Aerotel Medical Systems, Healthcare Solutions Inc., 3M Health. Telemedicine uses health information technologies to achieve its goals thus it is complementary with health IT. Telemedicine provides remote clinical services, and it is a subset of telehealth. These kinds of services are provided using the Internet, video conferencing, and store-and-forward imaging.

Some of the technologies involved are a bit expensive. However, with the increase in demand for the telemedicine services in developing nations, the global market is consistently expanding. This expansion rate has resulted in analysts predicting that telemedicine market growth will exceed $34 billion in five years.

The legal battle ensuing between U.S and Zadeh currently pending in the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals is bound to have an impact on telemedicine healthcare providers and prescribers located in remote areas. In the case United States v. Zadeh, the contention is on whether the Drugs Enforcement Administration can access medical records in the absence of a warrant to determine if a provider has acted in violation of prescribing laws in the case of controlled substances prescription. The warrant is provided by administrative subpoenas. According to the case submissions the Drugs Enforcement Administration is seeking to access medical records for the patients of Joseph Zadeh a Texan physician.

According to the appeal submitted by Dr.Zadeh, he stressed that the ruling will have a negative impact on the willingness of patients to share their information. He further argues that this will hinder information exchange between the two parties affecting doctor-patient relationship. On the flipside in its submissions, the DEA argues that failure to obtain such records will be detrimental to its cause of fighting drug enforcement crimes. The DEA further argues that not obtaining relevant medical records will put the lives of many patients who rely on telemedicine in significant danger.

In the event of a ruling that favors the DEA, the DEA might use the precedent in greater magnitudes. This will give the DEA mandate to obtain medical records through administrative subpoenas, in as far as the records relate to the investigation. In addition, the provider can be instructed by the DEA to keep the investigation secret but in this particular case Dr Joseph Zadeh is not required to keep the DEA investigation secret.

If the ruling favors Dr.Zadeh, the DEA will not force the release of medical records. To obtain such medical records, the DEA will require prior permissions to act such as a search warrant.
Telemedicine has had its share of problems in the industry, and its prescribers should follow this defining case carefully as it unfolds.

The CNBC reported on Wednesday that PFE’s Viagra, Pfizer will be scraped off the list of Discount retail chain CVS’s drug insurance benefits. Viagra is the famous erectile dysfunction drug. CVC pharmacy pointed out that the drug is one of the 26 drugs that are being eliminated from the standard formulary in 2016.

Christine Cramer, who is the company’s spokesperson, explained to CNBC that excluding the drug from CVC’s drug insurance benefits does not affect its availability in their stores countrywide. She stressed that the move is motivated by the company’s standard formulary directed to payors who have their pharmacy benefits managed by CVC through CVC/Caremark in form of PBM.

The company is planning to start relaying the information about the new changes to physicians and members at the beginning of fall.

Cramer added that CVC pharmacy’s main concern is the suitability of the drugs that are approved in the standard formulary because it allows the company to continue to make high-quality products encompassed in all covered categories of drugs accessible to plan members. She also stated that removal of drugs should not cause any alarm to members since there are equally suitable products on the formulary at an even lower cost.

Bloomberg was the first media to report the matter on Tuesday. The report indicated that CVC’s clients can be covered for Cialis ED drug known as Eli Lilly’s (LLY) from the 1st of January.

CVC’s shares were high on Monday at around 0.8% in midday trade.

During CVC’s quarterly conference call that took place on Tuesday, the company publicized its general strategy that contains 26 extra products that are going to be expunged from the standard formulary in 2016. The company supported the move because it believes that it will promote clinical integrity, reduce pharmacy costs and smoothly integrating members into the formulary.

Pfizer sent a press release to CNBC stating that the company is committed to availing medicines to patients. It also acknowledged that the company has a strong relationship with CVC and its affiliate Pharmacy Benefit Management company, Caremark. Pfizer also ascertained that its medicines are still available through CVC’s formularies. The company also assured its customers that Viagra will still be readily available in the marketplace and patients who are covered by Caremark can still access the drugs.

Many older people struggle with depression due to a variety of reasons, but getting help for depression can be difficult due to limited mobility or access to care. Now, doctors are using telemedicine to provide patients with outstanding medical care from just about anywhere. Geographic location, mobility matters, and stigma concerns are eliminated or reduced by providing elderly patients with the access to medical care in this manner.

Study Shows Telemedicine Is Just As Effective

A study published in The Lancet Psychiatry found that, of the 204 veterans who participated, the use of telemedicine to provide psychotherapy sessions was highly successful. These individuals were all over the age of 58. They met the qualifications for a diagnosis of major depressive disorder. The patients were given interactions with doctors using this Internet-based technology. The study found that this form of treatment was considered just as effective as using in-person treatment.

Improving Access to Care for the Elderly

The use of telemedicine can provide outstanding access to patients who otherwise do not have the necessary ability to get care. In some areas, for example in the area where the study took place, an estimated 40% of individuals live in rural areas. They do not have the means to make long distance trips to receive this type of medical care.

This method still has some barriers to overcome. For example, federal and state level law changes are necessary. Providing individuals who may have mental illnesses with mobile tools can also be hard to achieve initially. Texting, though, can be an ideal tool for communications, if seniors have access and the ability to use it. In some cases, studies have found that the use of smartphones can be very helpful in determining if someone is suffering from depressive-like symptoms.

Ultimately, the use of telemedicine can be groundbreaking in providing patients with otherwise limited mobility to gain access to the care they need. It can also provide new access in an area that is often full of stigma especially in older vets.

Consumers looking for a way to get highly priced medications like Viagra are turning to online markets to get it. The problem is some of these locations promise low prices, fast and free shipping, and even no prescription offers, and they don’t provide the real thing. Even worse, these new products can be highly dangerous and made of unknown materials. Viagra is only one example. Others include beta blockers, medications for infections. Many of the top rated name brand drugs that tend to require prescriptions are available inexpensively online.

Most Are Fake Medications

According to the World Health Organization, about half of the illicit online pharmacies selling these products are not selling high quality medications. In most cases, these counterfeit medications are sold with the same brand names and descriptions as well. The National Association of Boards of Pharmacy in the U.S. released a report that indicates a sampling of 11,000 online-based sellers found that 96 percent of those locations did not meet the organization’s required patient safety standards and practices. They did not meet state or federal laws in the U.S. either. And, the organization went so far as to say that it does not recommend that any consumer purchase medications in this manner.

What Are The Risks?

While selling fake medications may seem harmless from a health standpoint, it is anything but. In fact, this industry, which according to the World Health Organization amounts to some $431 billion a year, could put patient lives on the line. Not only are patients not getting the all important medications they need, but they are also facing the risk of ingesting toxins. Some medications have been found to contain everything from paint to rat poison. These toxic chemicals can not only make health conditions worse, but also put an individual’s life at risk from a single ingestion.

These risks are likely to continue because no universal law system is in place to stop the practice of selling these products online. That leaves consumers at risk and often the only ones to make wise decisions about where they purchase medications.