Health Care News

What Technologies are Missing from Your Medical Clinic?

Posted on by Dominick Flarey

What Technologies are Missing from Your Medical Clinic?

Technology is expanding every day, and as a result the world is becoming smaller, and everyday life is much more convenient. In the medical industry, technology is also a big part of improvements and is continuing to make changes for doctors and patients alike. Keeping this in mind, how can you make your patients’ experience at your clinic better?

Improved Waiting Time
A lot of patients complain that too much time is spent in the lobby while waiting to see the doctor. So what can a healthcare professional do about this? Perhaps you could have an app developed specifically for your clinic, whereby patients can schedule their visits, while still making room for on-demand patients. This app could help give a real-time status of the doctor’s schedule in terms of time slots set aside for consultation. Talk with an app development company to see how you can use a template to make your own specific app that improves patient’s experiences.

Digitized Prescriptions
This will not only ease your inventory-keeping efforts, but will also ensure legibility in prescription labels given to patients. What’s more, you are in a better position to track the patient’s medication considering their recent history.

Online Marketing Strategies
How do patients know about your clinic? Do they have to see it physically or hear about it from a friend? Perhaps you may consider creating an online presence of sorts. You may not necessarily have a Facebook page, but having a website may go a long way in marketing your clinic and in turn expanding your patient reach. Don’t neglect your online visibility, and make sure your contact information is always up to date.

Video Doctor Visits
Why not go the extra mile and allow your patients to schedule virtual visits online? Whether it is a follow-up, or a small issue that may not require physical attendance, patients may interact with you via online video call. This may particularly be helpful for the elderly and convalescents, or if your patient cannot make it for a physical visit.
In the instance of a multiway video, the virtual visit may additionally be attended by a specialist, a caregiver, a language translator, or a family member to the patient in question.

Up-to-Date Equipment
At the very core of technology in healthcare lies improvements in medical tools. A look at Hudson Robotics technology may help you gauge just how in-the-know you are on current equipment used in modern clinics. Whether it’s robotics for microplate handling or better diagnosis and testing equipment, make sure your clinic has what it takes to be on the cutting-edge.

Technology breaks many barriers in the healthcare sector, and if used right, may help you not only reach out to more patients but also improve your CRM with existing patients. The mobile age has broken down all inhibitions posed by distance, and this is a compelling aspect when channeled into the healthcare system.

 

 

If you would like to learn more about healthcare or are a healthcare professional looking for certification then please review our certification programs for nurses

 

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Trust in Healthcare

Posted on by Dominick Flarey

Why Is the Public Losing Trust in Healthcare Professionals?

In days past, the relationship with a family physician was a close one, with adults often having the same physician that brought them into the world. Today’s health professionals operate under a slew of new rules and regulations, some of which arise from business forces and others that arise from the need to collect data about medical care. These requirements often impact doctors’ ability to maintain good patient contact and have had the result of reducing overall faith in health professionals. A number of factors impact this lack of trust:

Insurance Companies Influence Care

Health insurance companies exert a strong influence over many decisions that physicians make for their patients. They may dictate what types of treatments are covered, availability of medications, and limitations on physical therapy or other options. These restrictions can cause a conflict between what the physician would like for his or her patient to have, and what is actually covered and possible. However, the restrictions can also cause patients to have less confidence in their physicians’ ability to deliver care.

HMO Pricing

Health maintenance organizations have worked aggressively to keep down costs, but they have also provided less money for keeping physician’s practices going. Doctors must see more patients in order to keep their practices financially sound, which often makes patients feel rushed and given less opportunity to voice their concerns. Utilizing electronic media may provide a method for better doctor-patient communications in the future.

Additional Mandates Decrease Patient Time

The need to carefully collect data on patient care and outcomes is causing physicians to have less face-to-face patient time, which is often critical to serving their needs. When patients spend less time talking to the doctor, they feel they are receiving poorer quality of care. Utilizing nurses or physician assistants to collect this information may enable physicians to spend more time with their patients.

Outside Influences

The federal government and many states require companies in the life sciences to record and report any interactions with healthcare organizations and providers. This aggregate spend requirement is intended to track the financial relationships between healthcare manufacturers and doctors. When these relationships work against patient interests, it can lead to a loss of trust.

Media Images of Doctors Result Cause Dissatisfaction

Another problem appears to be created by media, who often portray physicians in a self-serving manner, focused more on generating income than serving their patients. This portrayal has caused patients to doubt their physician’s commitment to their care and has undermined the essential doctor-patient trust that can help to ensure good outcomes.

Conclusion

Although the image of health professionals is suffering in the public, people still generally feel satisfied with their own personal physicians. Learning to communicate effectively with a physician can go a long way toward improved relations and better outcomes for patient care.

About the Author: Marlena Stoddard is a freelance writer who received her BA from University of Georgia.

 

If you would like to learn more about our certifications for healthcare professionals, then please review our programs in Case Management, Legal Nursing and Grief Counseling

 

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Why Constant Improvement is Crucial for Success in the Healthcare Industry

Posted on by Dominick Flarey
Healthcare is an industry that is continuously growing, expanding and learning. To provide the best service, providers need to strive to improve their practice offerings, data and diagnostic information.

Better Informed Patients

More than ever, today’s patients are smarter and more informed than ever. With the advent of the internet and many legitimate medical websites such as sites on nursing informatics, patients can learn significant insight into symptoms they are experiencing as well as different types of healthcare that is offered. They come alone or with family to their doctors with questions in hand and listen attentively.

 

More Choices

The healthcare field now includes urgent care and walk in clinics, where patients can be seen without appointments. This increases competition and takes money away from other practices. In addition, patients with minor illnesses can see a physician’s assistant or nurse practitioner to obtain an antibiotic for a simple easy to diagnose condition. These walk in practices are often open on weekends and nights when many doctors no longer have hours. Unless experiencing a life threatening or serious injury, patients will go to urgent care.

Better Faster Diagnoses

Healthcare practitioners need to have improved ability to diagnose and treat more quickly than before to keep patients coming and leaving with more information than when they came in. Private office could improve by expanding hours. Many internal medical and family practices have their own laboratories and radiology services in their own offices fulfilling the needs of patients. Patients are happier when they can save time by not having to go to another building, filling out more paperwork and waiting all over again for labs or X-rays. Patient’s value time saved.

Less Insurance, More Money

Some patients, disgusted with attempting to obtain public or private insurance, opt to self-pay for some services. These services may include annual checkups or vaccinations. They feel by the time they pay the premiums and battle over reimbursement, it is easier to simply just pay out of pocket for some health care costs. These patients are going to want the most bang for their buck, so well maintained offices and caring staff are a necessity. Pleasant surroundings and modern equipment will keep self-pay and insurance covered patients feeling they are being well served.

 

State of the art diagnostics in office will help achieve turnaround time for labs and radiology reports. Patients want to know test results quickly and have a right for that. Regularly updating practice software, diagnostic equipment and continuing education for employees will keep practices well recommended and busy.

Conclusion

Overall, constant improvement is essential for the healthcare industry because there is always a better and more efficient way that things can be done. It needs to keep developing so that we can save more people and make more of a difference. It will be incredible to see how this industry keeps advancing in the future. There is an incredible amount of potential!

Author Bio-Kara Masterson is a freelance writer from West Jordan, Utah. She graduated from the University of Utah and enjoys writing and spending time with her dog, Max.

 

Please also review our various certifications for nurses.  Ranging from case management to legal nurse consulting, AIHCP offers a wide variety of certifications for nurses and other healthcare professionals.

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Certifications for Nurses and Careers in Nursing

Posted on by Dominick Flarey

Moving Forward: How to Boost and Revitalize Your Nursing Career

The rapid shift of the United States healthcare system over the past decade has resulted in both experienced and new nurses trying to adapt to a slew of new responsibilities in an expanded field. The new role that nurses are expected to fulfill can be difficult when they are already trained and accustomed to one, but just because there are new changes taking over the healthcare system doesn’t mean that your career needs to suffer. There are plenty of ways for you to revitalize your nursing career and get into the mindset necessary to thrive in the evolving times.

Think Outside Hospital Walls

The challenges of the U.S. healthcare system have resulted in a major shift in the way people receive medical care. Hospitals were once a one-stop location for most patients’ needs, especially those without an insurance plan. But now there has been a surge of acute-care facilities and many portions of hospitals are being converted from in-patient care areas to primary and ambulatory care facilities. This change has given rise to the need of a shift in the mindset of American nurses. The methodical, task-oriented approach that has worked so well in hospitals for years is no longer enough to get you by. A nurse now needs to know how to respond in the same fast and efficient way a hospital dictates while operating under a care-centered perspective.

Changing Focus from Sickness to Health

A nurse is used to seeing people at their worst. They help treat illnesses and many have taken care of people in their final moments. But the new paradigm of American nursing has resulted in a different function of hospitals. Instead of directing all of your attention toward maladies, you now need to be able to meet patients and treat them with their ongoing wellness in mind. This may not initially strike you as exciting as trauma care, but it can actually bestow you with a much more optimistic and upbeat approach to work as you focus on nutrition and wellness coaching, care and stress management and so on.

Don’t Be Afraid to Wander

Exploring your career options and wanting to broaden your horizons as a medical professional is completely okay. If you have a particular field that you’re passionate about and don’t see it as a viable choice in your current location, start searching elsewhere. Return to school, study a specialization you always wanted. Consider pursuing an online master of science in nursing degree to further sharpen your skills. Try out ambulatory care or primary care even if you’ve dedicated yourself to working the hospital floors. You won’t adapt or find any happiness in your career unless you’re willing to branch out and shape the new changes sweeping the field to your advantage.

Although there’s much more involved with revitalizing your nursing career, there are distinct keys to success that can guide you no matter what direction you decide to take. First and foremost, don’t be afraid of change. It’s just another word for opportunity. Second, find camaraderie. You aren’t the only nurse struggling, and an open discussion with your fellow nurses may be exactly what you all need to move forward. Lastly, have the courage to do what is best for your nursing career, even if it means leaving familiar territory in search of something more gratifying.

About the Author: Marlena Stoddard is a freelance writer who received her BA from University of Georgia.

 

Please also review our certifications for nurses offered at AIHCP.

How the Most Common Cancer Screenings Have Improved

Posted on by Dominick Flarey

Preventative screenings are the most effective treatments for cancer. Tests done for prevention allow this dangerous disease to be caught and treated while in the early stages and offers the best survival rates for the average patient. Improvements in cancer screening techniques have allowed certain cancers to be spotted earlier, and while it is smaller than previous methods could notice, it offers astronomically better odds for patients everywhere. Let’s examine some of the ways that the most common cancer screenings have improved over recent years.

Better Intervals
Cancer screenings have improved markedly as a result of more research into specific types of cancer. This has helped doctors to create guidelines concerning intervals for screenings to occur, depending upon the age and other factors of an individual. The American Cancer Society states that tests to find rectal cancer should occur every three years, while other guidelines exist for more prominent cancers. This allows slow- and fast-developing cancers to be found, which in turn helps to greatly improve the life of any patient.

New Imaging Methods
New technologies have developed that allow for higher resolution imaging, and cancer consisting of just a few thousand cells can now be detected. Some of these methods are significantly safer and less invasive than previous models. Sonography is one such method that allows cancerous tumors to be identified without the need for potentially harmful radiation. Diagnostic medical sonographic schools now teach students these new technologies as part of the course work. Making new advancements more assimilated into hospitals and clinics everywhere.

Standardized Tests
By working with physicians and organizations to standardize cancer screenings, improvement in detecting cancer has been improved. Breast cancer screenings are an example of this.
With clinical breast examinations, practices like taking biopsies of growths has become common practice. Different scales have been developed to assess the results of biopsies, which in turn make it easier for doctors to consult patients with regards to their treatment options.

Considering Patient Involvement
One of the greatest improvements in cancer screenings revolves around the way physicians are aiming to better understand the desires of their patients. For example, some patients may be opposed to exams like breast exams due to the personal nature of these exams.
By informing patients of alternatives and the benefits of screenings, patients are better able to act quickly. This allows them to make informed decisions that work best for their health.

Conclusion
These four improvements are but a small start to making cancer screenings more effective. As new technologies develop, higher resolution, and safer imaging will become commonplace. When combined with more precise early treatment options, this could allow cancer to go from being one of the leading causes of death to one of the most prevented diseases. Hopefully new technologies will continue to develop, and in time will make cancer and all the involved treatments a thing of the past.

 

“Brooke Chaplan is a freelance writer and blogger. She lives and works out of her home in Los Lunas, New Mexico. She loves the outdoors and spends most her time hiking, biking and gardening. For more information contact Brooke via Twitter @BrookeChaplan.”

 

If your a nurse and would like to earn additional certifications for healthcare professionals, then please review our program

Why Professionalism in Healthcare is Essential to Building Patient Trust

Posted on by Dominick Flarey

Something many patients have in common as they sit waiting for their doctor or healthcare professional to enter the room is that they do not want to be there. Whether anxious because of unexplained symptoms or apprehensive about the information they will need to share, patients are put at ease when the confidence of experience and knowledge is evident in their care provider. Having a professional bedside manner is paramount in getting your patient to relax and share pertinent details necessary to get the full picture of the problems they are there for.

A Calm Demeanor

Even when the concerns are indeed cause for a concern, a calm demeanor assures the patient that they aren’t the first, nor the last, to experience the problems they are facing. A significant part of exuding professionalism is being a reassuring presence. Relating the positive outcomes you have witnessed in your practice will do more for your patient than overall statistics. A relaxed expression as the patient details the concerns they have will help them to open up even more and give you a better chance to make the best decisions about their care.

Being Non-Judgmental

As a healthcare provider you may have seen it all, but your patient hasn’t. Being aware of body language as he or she shares personal details will give you the opportunity to nod your head knowingly or lightly touch their arm to assure them that this information does not shock or disturb you. This is vitally important in matters where certain details are distressing or embarrassing to vocalize. Even the most open-minded patients sometimes have difficulty expressing thoughts when it comes to taboo subjects, so it’s important to maintain a non-judgmental posture when receiving a patient’s most personal information.

Cooperative Staff

It’s important to show patients that the hospital or clinic they receive their treatment at is operated by competent, professional healthcare workers. Everyone from the administrating staff to the cafeteria workers in a hospital or clinic should dress and act respectfully.

Open Up

While the provider and patient relationship must maintain professional boundaries, don’t be afraid to relate to your patient. Share a bit of your life with them so they see you as a real person that takes their concerns seriously and genuinely cares about a positive outcome. Let them know thorough your body language that you are not in a hurry to get to the next patient. Do not minimize concerns they share even if you feel they aren’t a significant part of the problem they are there for. Acknowledge all information with a positive message that you have heard and understood what they are saying. Talk to your patient as if they are an equal partner in their health and not merely a customer who must obey orders. While you can’t be friends with all your patients, you can be friendly.

Be the Expert, But Gently

In a world largely technology driven, it’s common to meet a patient for the first time and have to undo hours of self-diagnosis. While this can be frustrating, take time to commend your patient for being diligent about their health. As quickly as possible, let them know that while the internet is a wonderful place to get information it’s not always the best place to make a health determination based on symptoms alone.

Establishing a healthy and trusting relationship with your patients will make your professional life less stressful and make treating your patients less frustrating as they will be more willing to honestly engage in discussion about why they there to see you. It’s a win/win situation all around.

About the Author: Marlena Stoddard is a freelance writer who received her BA from University of Georgia.

These aspects are critical for all healthcare professionals.  Please review our certifications for nurses and also our Nurse Patient Educator Certification Program

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Take the Stress Out ! Try Expert Nutrition Tips Ever

Posted on by Dominick Flarey

There’s a lot of confusion for what to eat and what not? Even experts have a varying opinions when it comes to perfect nutrition. Everything you eat or drink actually matters. To maintain a healthy life for long time you need to incorporate a healthy eating and life style. It’s not at all easy to do so but you should kick start with smaller changes including healthier food choices in your diet.

To help you build up your healthy diet plan that cuts off carbs without limiting the food you love, we provide you with real world expert advice to live with. Follow these tips that will guide you on how you can focus on adding delicious foods in your diet, advantages of sleep, why you should eat frequently and how embracing Yoga can lead you to a successful weight loss.

 

Tip #1 First and Foremost !! Be Watery : Water is the most essential ingredient of healthy body. It helps you control calories and gives magical effects in your weight loss strategy. Although Water helps you primarily fighting dehydration, it also energizes muscles and makes your skin glow.

 

Tip #2 Go Green, Go Leafy : It’s number one thing which you can eat regularly to improve and maintain health. Definitely indulge the potherbs like Broccoli, Peas, Spinach, Lettuce, Kale, Cabbage, Turnip Greens, Mustard Greens etc. to your daily routine. Plant based foods are truly beneficial because they broom with high fiber, Vitamins, Minerals and are recommended by each and every diet expert. They protect you from severe Heart diseases, Diabetes and even Cancer.

 

Tip #3 Fruits – of The Holy Spirit : “Fruit of the Holy Spirit” – A Biblical term means  Love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.  “Fruits” exactly match these nine attributes to your body nourishment. Fruits like Blueberries, Apples, Cherries, Grapes, Lemon, Banana, Watermelon, Orange, Mangoes and Avocado are rich source of fiber, folate and vitamins. So pick out the most nutritious sweetness and prevent yourself fighting diseases naturally.  Hey – Do not go for fruit juices!! The fact is that you lose fiber from fruits when in juice form. It would merely remain a sugary liquid.

 

Tip #4 Lower down Sugar Intake : Added Sugar gradually leads to numerous diseases such as Obesity, Heart diseases, type II diabetes and Cancer. If taken in small amounts, it’s OK but large amounts can lead you to havoc.

 

Tip #5 You need to take some Fats too : According to researchers, you got to have 10 grams of Carbohydrates for one gram fiber daily. Whole Grains, Nuts, fatty fish like Salmon, Rice, Potatoes(with skin), Eggs etc. are Rich-carbs foods that you should include in your diet.

 

Tip #6 Avoid Junks, Include Real : The biggest reason world is getting fatter and sicker is the modern diet. All the junk foods are hyper-active – prompting our brain to consume more and even addicting some people. Instead, include whole grains and cereals to your dietary plans which are rich in Nutrients, Fiber, Proteins and Vitamins.

 

Tip #7 Walk and Yoga : Walking is the best physical exercise for burning fats. Doing some aerobics is  for physical and mental health. It proves to be very effective reducing stubborn belly fats. Adopt Yoga to your routine. It not only relieves you from mental stress but very effective in keeping your body fit.

 

Tip #8 Remind Yourself Every Morning : A recent study found that people who subscribed to weekly and monthly news letters and reminders for their daily diet plan were motivated towards healthier meals. So a simple way to slim down is to be a tech-savvy, set up alarms on your smart phones and remind yourself every dusk – loosing calories and smack down to look and feel good

 

 

Author Bio: Daniel Clark is a contributing blogger at The Smart Nutrition having vast experience in health and nutrition. He has clinically researched over topics related to Live Science and loves to share it with world.

Please also review our Life Coaching and Holistic Nursing courses for those hoping to guide others in better and healthier life styles.   AIHCP’s healthcare life coaching program and Holistic Nursing Certification are available to qualified professionals.  Please review and see if life coaching or Holistic Nursing are good fits for your academic and professional needs.

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Why Health Care Providers Should Implement Electronic Health Records

Posted on by Dominick Flarey

Why Health Care Providers Should Implement Electronic Health Records

The health care industry is quickly changing as technology influences every aspect of the health care experience for both providers and patients. Electronic health records are quickly becoming a standard feature of modern health care organization. Read on to learn why health care providers should take advantage of electronic health records.

Increased Efficiency, Decreased Costs

Many health care organizations find that electronic health records improve medical management through increasing efficiencies and cost savings. To illustrate, sending electronic lab results and electronic prescriptions, referred to as e-prescribing, saves a lot of time. In addition to this, electronic processes drastically reduce costs through reducing the need for paper and labor-intensive tasks. For instance, electronic health records reduce data entry, transcription, storage and administration costs for maintaining health records.

 

Electronic health records also improve the efficiency of revenue cycles and the accuracy of reimbursement coding, which will result in fewer medical errors and ultimately better patient care and disease management. Other health care organizations find that they experience better medical practice management through the scheduling functions available in these programs. The scheduling systems will directly link appointments with physician notes, insurance codes and managed claims.

Increased Patient Care

Electronic health records directly increase the quality of patient care through providing universal access to standardized and centralized patient information. This means that providers can immediately access accurate information to make an informed decision with real-time data. This is especially important because health care wait times are notoriously long and patients are often forced to wait days or even weeks before a vital decision can be made.

 

Health care administrators will be able to generate customized reports that analyze collective health records. They can extract detailed reports on specific services for diseases or illnesses in order to identify quality improvement opportunities. For example, if a health care administrator notices unusually long wait times for radiology lab results, they may look into the matter and find there is a staffing or technology shortage that can be quickly fixed.

Increased Patient Access

Electronic health records will improve high-quality care because providers can give patients comprehensively accurate information about their medical condition. That is, health care providers can provide detailed follow-up information, self-care instructions and directions for additional resources. Consequently, patients can access their information online, which will empower them to learn more and make better health related decisions.

 

Electronic health record systems can be integrated with online health care portals for patients to access their health care data. They can also engage their health care providers through emailing questions, scheduling appointments and even ordering medications online. Being able to directly communicate with a health care provider through email can actually be more effective than making a phone call, navigating complex phone options and waiting to talk to a customer service rep.

Improved Diagnostics

Electronic health records with EMR data conversion can directly aid in diagnosis because providers will have complete access to all of the patient’s health information. Even better, electronic health record systems have automatic functions that provide valuable health-related information. To illustrate, the software will store a list of the patient’s allergies or medications, which it will automatically compare new prescriptions against. If there are any potential conflicts, the electronic health record program will alert the health care provider.

 

Advanced electronic health record programs which are integrated with health information systems may also automatically alert health care providers when their patients fail to see a scheduled specialist or show up for a follow-up lab test. Thus, these software systems are embedded with quality and safety controls that prevent human errors.

 

In the end, electronic health records mean that health care providers can give the best possible care during the moment of care. They also improve the safety, quality and efficiency of patient care.

 

Please also review our programs for healthcare professionals.

 

5 Technological Innovations Revolutionizing Modern Healthcare

Posted on by Dominick Flarey

5 Technological Innovations Revolutionizing Modern Healthcare

The vast improvement in healthcare that patients have experienced within the past 50 years can be attributed to the development of new technologies. From performing procedures without cutting a patient open to significantly reducing recovery times, these technical marvels have done amazing things. They have even allowed doctors, surgeons and dentists to treat untreatable problems. As technology continues to propel healthcare forward here are five unique applications developing technologies have in the field of healthcare.

Robot-Assisted Surgeries

Robot-assisted surgery aims to make the hands of surgeons steadier, reduce surgery times, and improve the overall outcome for the patient. Robot-assisted surgeries have steady hands while working in ways that human surgeons could only dream of doing. This leads to a surgery time that is about 50 percent shorter than conventional surgeries. The best part of these surgeries is that the patient has minimal risk to complications because the procedure is confined to a smaller area with less exposure to contaminants. This results in a quicker recovery period for patients in some cases.

Efficient Dental Drills

Many people dread the dentist’s office because they fear the discomfort and pain that is commonly associated with these procedures. They fear sitting in a scary dentist’s chair while someone drills at their sensitive teeth for hours on end. The good news is that drills are becoming exceedingly more efficient. Companies like Richards Micro-Tool are giving dentists access to drills made of more durable materials designed to be more efficient. This results in quicker procedures with significantly less pain and better long-term results.

Micro Blood Tests

Drawing blood has been an essential part in diagnosing the health status of a patient, but it seldom one patients enjoy. Given that blood tests tend to test for incredibly specific things, the amount of blood needed for standard tests like the complete blood count (CBC) test is minimal. Smart businesses have begun developing micro blood tests, which use about 0.1 percent of the blood that a conventional CBC uses. The result is less lab work and less blood drawn, which means that the typical blood test becomes more affordable and feasible.

Stem-Cell Procedures

Stem cells are the tabula rasa cells of the body. They can be shaped to fulfill almost any function with the right type of stem cell. One particularly useful area stem cells currently sign is when it comes to reconstruction and plastic surgery. Doctors can use it for everything from breast enlargement to recovering areas where cancer and radiation have destroyed structures in the body. These procedures are made possible by the technology that enables doctors to extract and then introduce these cells into the body of a patient.
Engineered Organ Replacements

The most stunning advancement technology has brought medicine is the ability to grow replacement organs outside of the body. There are three main ways of doing this: by using a scaffold of cells obtained from a cadaver, by printing cells using a 3D printer, or by growing them by utilizing DNA and the right environmental conditions. Some of these replacement organs are already available. Ears, noses and other simpler body parts have been engineered on a common basis. More complex body parts, such as the heart or kidneys, are currently still in the process of being tested inside of laboratories.

As technology continues to advance, so too will medical care. New procedures will develop, untreatable diseases will be treated, and conditions that were once a death sentence may be cured. Miniaturizing technology, clever engineers and persistent doctors will be the driving force in developing new technologies that cure today’s biological problems

 

Rachelle Wilber
Bio: Rachelle Wilber is a freelance writer living in the San Diego, California area. She graduated from San Diego State University with her Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism and Media Studies. She tries to find an interest in all topics and themes, which prompts her writing. When she isn’t on her porch writing in the sun, you can find her shopping, at the beach, or at the gym. Follow her on twitter: @RachelleWilber

 

 

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4 Rare and Often Undiagnosed or Misdiagnosed Mental Illnesses

Posted on by Dominick Flarey

Certifications for Counselors and Four Rare Mental Illnesses

According to the American Psychological Association, people suffering from mental illnesses are often undiagnosed or misdiagnosed upon admittance to an emergency room. Underdiagnoses and misdiagnoses can also occur when an individual visits a primary care physician who is unfamiliar with the specific criteria of lesser-known mental illnesses. Here are four rare mental illnesses that often fall under-the-radar.

Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy

Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy is a mental illness in which a parent of a child (or the child of an elderly parent) exaggerates, causes, or lies about their child’s illness. They may do this by giving them pills that cause diarrhea, withholding food and medication, purposefully causing infections, and faking laboratory results. Unfortunately, the parents’ lies are often so convincing that the attending physician never suspects Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy.

Orthorexia Nervosa

Mental health care professionals who approach psychology from both a natural and social perspective understand how prevalent eating disorders are in Western society. However, when evaluating a patient who’s suffering from the symptoms of a negative calorie eating disorder, even a professional with a psychology bachelor’s or master’s degree may misdiagnose the patient with anorexia or bulimia when they actually fit the criteria for Orthorexia.

 

Orthorexia is a disorder in which someone focuses on eating foods that are “pure” and “healthy” until it turns into an obsession that rules their daily life. Symptoms include anxiety when eating food prepared by someone else, self-loathing, and putting one’s diet ahead of family, social, and work-related commitments. Ironically, this obsession can lead to an unhealthy diet in which the individual stops eating nutrients deemed unhealthy based on poor evidence.

Capgras Syndrome

This delusional disorder occurs when an individual believes that someone they know has been “replaced” by an imposter. In emergency rooms, Capgras syndrome is commonly misdiagnosed as atypical psychosis. However, it is actually strongly tied to neurodegenerative disorders, brain injuries, and schizophrenia.

Diogenes Syndrome

Diogenes syndrome is commonly misdiagnosed as a hoarding disorder. Both illnesses are characterized by an inability to get rid of useless items, including trash and organic waste. Unlike traditional hoarding, however, the symptoms of Diogenes syndrome also include an inability to take care of one’s self, extreme social isolation, and apathy. It’s usually diagnosed in senior citizens who have been unable to recover from a stressful life event.

 

In order to get the clearest diagnosis, it’s important for an individual to disclose their symptoms as accurately as possible. This means describing one’s mood, how the symptoms have changed one’s daily life, and how one pictures their ideal life. When the most details are described, the physician will be better able to pinpoint rare and commonly under-diagnosed illnesses.

 

 

Anica is a professional content and copywriter who graduated from the University of San Francisco. She loves dogs, the ocean, and anything outdoor-related. She was raised in a big family, so she’s used to putting things to a vote.

Please also review our various certifications for Counselors below.

If you would like to learn more about Grief Counseling, Stress Management, Anger Management, Crisis Intervention or Spiritual Counseling then please review our various certifications for Counselors that are offered by AIHCP.