Medical miscommunication is a very real problem in healthcare today. Miscommunication is essentially the failure to convey relevant medical information to key players in the medical team; resulting in minor errors or even malpractice. Ineffective communication may occur between patient and doctor or between physicians and experts.

In large hospital systems, medical notes are supposed to be transferred internally from department to department. But this often reaches the healthcare professional only after they have seen the patient. The transfer of medical records between two different hospital systems is almost non-existent, unless patients proactively demand it. Even then, there are numerous delays — a potentially dangerous and frustrating situation for the patient. Read more →

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990 was officiated so that people with disabilities may continue to work, play and participate in day-to-day tasks and activities. It states that no employer may discriminate amongst or terminate employees based on a physical or mental impairment when they are capable of performing the job with or without reasonable modifications. Employers are responsible for maintaining the security of his employees’ job functions, and also for workspace modifications if they are within acceptable financial and location criteria. Read more →

Ok, so what is the consensus? Is talking over the cell phone harmful or not really? There have been a lot of suggestions that heavy cell phone use has a strong correlation with brain cancer. However, there is no conclusive evidence to prove this link for sure. But on the other hand do we really need conclusive evidence about this issue? I would think even if there were a small chance that cell phone usage and brain cancer are linked, we need to take the matter seriously. Read more →

Medicine and health care are classified into various categories based on different specifying criteria. One of the classifications is a distinction on the basis of preventative and curative care: primary, secondary and tertiary cares. Primary care occurs when lifestyle modification behaviors are taught and encouraged in order to maintain a state of good health before disease occurs. Secondary care is provided after a disease has occurred, with a view to prevent progression into a disability. Tertiary prevention occurs after a disability has occurred, to improve function through rehabilitation. Read more →

The field of medicine and healing encompasses varied techniques that have a common goal — to alleviate suffering and facilitate healing. The last few years have seen a revival of ancient trends in healing — the traditional Chinese science of acupuncture, the holistic techniques of Ayurveda and Naturopathy. Many of the alternative medicine techniques provide an external stimulus to accelerate healing while tapping into and enhancing the body’s healing potential. One such technique is craniosacral therapy (CST) which may be utilized as an adjunct by chiropractors, physical and occupational therapists, and osteopaths. Read more →

A few years ago, my friend encouraged her father to drink large amounts of water through hot and sultry summer afternoons in India in a bid to sustain hydration in him — with solely good intentions. The next year, he was diagnosed with cardiomyopathy — which meant that his heart muscles were not pumping efficiently; leading to water retention and dilation of the heart. While the water drinking of the previous year did not cause the heart failure, co-existence of both events could have had a devastating effect on his health. Unfortunately, a woman from Sacramento, CA was not as lucky, and died as a result of consuming too much water. She voluntarily consumed about 8 ounces every 15 minutes for a whole day while controlling her bladder. Read more →