Say What?

The purpose of this website is to help you optimize your health insurance while working with your primary care physician and specialists you need to see, and in no way encourage you to bypass or undermine the value they bring to the table to keep you healthy. But the following article caught our attention, so we are sharing it with you.

The Doctor Is Out; You May Be in Luck

Why is Everything so Difficult and Confusing?"

"Why is everything so difficult and confusing?" Asks Tes Scanlon, a brain tumor survivor whose brain tumor was discovered during a regular eye exam by her ophthalmologist. She claims that "to get the best medical care, I had to take responsibility for it." This is exactly the purpose of the creation of Omsurance.

Here is link to personal health journal that Tes suggests keeping. http://www.yourhealthcarejournal.com/_pages/health_journal.htm

Steps Patients Can Take to Avoid Diagnostic Errors

The following is direct quote from Minimizing Diagnostic Error: 10 Things You Could Do Tomorrow, Lists for physicians,patients,and healthcare organizations http://www.isabelhealthcare.com/pdf/Graber___Minimizing_Diagnostic_Error.pdf

"Steps patients can take to avoid diagnostic errors

1. Be a good historian. Keep records of your symptoms, when they started, and how they have responded (or not) to treatment.
2. Take advantage of cancer screening.
3. Make sure you know your test results and keep accurate records of these results. Don’t assume no news is good news. Follow up if you don’t receive copies or the results of tests and consults.
4. SPEAK UP! Ask:
a. What else could it be?
b. What should I expect?
c. When and how should I follow up if symptoms persist or worsen?
d. What resources can I use to learn more?
e. Is this test worthwhile? Can we wait? (More testing does not always mean better care!)
5. Don’t assume the healthcare system will adequately coordinate your care. Keep your own records, and help coordinate your own care.
6. Provide feedback about diagnostic errors to providers and organizations.
7. Understand that diagnosis always involves some element of uncertainty.
8. Get a second opinion regarding serious diagnoses or unresolved symptoms.
9. Take advantage of help and support: Support groups, patient safety staff, patient advocates."

Diagnostic Trap?

Has your primary care physician or specialist fallen victim to Diagnostic Trap? Check this out http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/07/19/falling-into-the-diagnostic-trap/

Optimize Medical Insurance.

The purpose of this website is to help you use your current health/medical insurance in the most optimal way. Disclaimer: We do not provide medical advice. That's what the doctors, dentists, and nurses in your medical and dental plans are for.

First of all, why Medical and not Health in the name of the website?

The reason is that using "Medical" in the name sufficiently conveys the idea that we are dealing with medical/health insurance. It also allows a play on "Om" that is integral part of meditative chants.