What is Nursing Home Negligence?

I most often get this question when I tell someone I just met that I am a malpractice attorney and file law-suits, on behalf of residents and families, for nursing home negligence.

Well, what exactly is nursing home negligence?

To begin, let us discuss the word "negligence." Webster's dictionary states that "negligence" is a noun and is the "failure to act with the prudence that a reasonable person would exercise under the same circumstances. " Webster also defines negligence as "the trait of neglecting responsibilities and lacking concern."

Webster's first definition is very similar to the one used by Virginia courts. When you claim a doctor or nurse was negligent, you must prove to the jury their actions or the care they provided "fell below the standard of care." More simply put, you have to prove that their actions (or failure to act) were not what a reasonable doctor or nurse in Virginia would have done under the same circumstances.

In other words, if they were being graded you would have to convince the jury that the doctor or nurse received a D or an F, with C being the "standard of care" grade.

How do nursing homes fail to provide the level of care?

This is the sad part of my job - learning about the many ways that loved ones have been neglected in local nursing homes. In the last two years alone, we have received, tried, settled, or heard about cases which involve the following:

  • Elopement - when residents have left the facility alone, unattended, often times wandering away from the nursing home into dangerous situations, like traffic, into parking lots, etc.
  • Pressure Ulcers - when residents have not received proper skin care, nutrition, hydration, and turning resulting in large bed sores or pressure ulcers begin to form. These ulcers/sores most often develop on heels and the sacrum (bottom) of elderly residents and can allow infection to directly enter blood stream;
  • Resident on Resident Abuse - from physical to sexual assaults, we have seen too many cases where residents have caused harm to other residents;
  • Malnutrition - failing to provide proper nutrition and sufficient protein in the resident's diet;
  • Dehydration - failing to provide sufficient water for body and organ systems to work;
  • Medication Errors - too much...too little... wrong medication - any way you can imagine mistakes being made, we have seen them;
  • Falls - Falls can be from a wheelchair, walker, bed, or while walking. Brittle bones make falls very dangerous and the resulting injuries can be life-threatening. Even one fall can cause permanent injury and or death;
  • Bed Rails - it is a little known fact but every year residents get caught in, and strangled by, bed rails;
  • Infection Control - in a 110 bed facility with nurses going from room to room, infection can spread like wild fire!
  • Failure to Diagnose - You rarely have doctors walking around the nursing home so nurses serve as their eyes and ears... overworked nurses mean we see cases where serious medical conditions have been overlooked by staff, and physicians not notified.
  • Staff Abuse - although I have never had a case of outward abuse by a staff person, I know nurses in Virginia have lost licenses for verbally or physically attacking residents.

Conclusion: I don't believe nursing homes purposefully abuse, mistreat or neglect the residents. However, I do think most employees are over worked, underpaid, and without higher staffing levels and qualified care providers, many of our loved ones in Virginia nursing home may fall victim to nursing home neglect.

Seeking a Doctor to Make My Penis Bigger

Science provides almost all solutions to life's daily problems, among them men's physical desire to enhance their sexual organs. Among the ways to increase the size of the penis is to perform natural penile exercise, utilize gadgets like penis pumps, take penis enlarging drugs, and undergo a penile enhancement surgery. In these 4 basic proposals, it is the last procedure that guarantees obvious results, though unfortunately also ensures a high cost.

If you are one of the guys to undergo the surgical procedure, there is no question that you need to choose the right physician to fulfill your ambition. Consider these few tips in hunting that perfect surgeon to resolve your concern regarding how to make your penis bigger.

First and foremost, you must solicit recommendations of people within your network. Gathering information from your family and friends creates a form of guarantee that the doctor they will refer to you is someone who can be trusted.

If you are too shy to reveal your plan to your family and friends, the second option is to investigate through the net and find out which doctors near your location earn a lot of good patient testimonials, and which ones have a history of malpractice.

Seeking out for medical help on how to make your penis bigger should be done with high degree of inquisitiveness. During the interview, you must ask everything you have to know from the doctor. Preparing a list of questions prior to the interview is a perfect way to make sure that you don't forget to inquire on anything. Among the questions to be asked of course is how the procedure will take place, how long and thick will your organ grow after the procedure, what are the risks in undergoing the operation, how many penile enlargement procedures he or she has done in the past, and the cost and terms of payment of the procedure. You will only perhaps undergo one penile surgery in your life, so every step that you take on how to make your penis bigger should be perfect.

Tips to Finding Your Doctor

When it comes to finding a new physician, the task can at first appear like a monumental chore. With so many opinions available to consumers these days, the amount of information can almost act as a deterrent for some patients. However, with a little research and some drive, there are some tools to help you through the process. In this article, we will outline a few tips and resources, including Dr. reviews, medical boards, and your intuition to help in the decision-making.

Step 1 - Ask yourself, "What do I want out of a physician?" The most important aspect in finding a health care professional is being able to trust them completely. Whatever factors combine to make that happen for you, be sure to outline them and jot them down on a piece of paper. Knowing what you want ahead of time is vital to obtaining a result you'll be happy with.

Step 2 - Talk to friends and family members and inform them of your search. Most people are all too happy to share their experiences with others. Ask for recommendations of quality physicians in your area and be sure to outline the specifics of what you are looking for in order to compare them with the physician being discussed.

Step 3 - Head over to your favorite search engine and submit and inquire which includes the type of physician you are looking for, your location, and any other factors you deem necessary. In this way, you will be able to check out Dr. reviews provided by past and current patients, outlining the details of their experiences. You will also be able to check out specifics pertaining to certifications, education information, locations, and more. You may even head on over to the physician's personal website in order to gain a better perspective of what they are all about.

Step 4 - Next, contact your state medical board and ask for a list of board certified doctors in your area. Be sure to be specific in regard to specialty and location. Once you have your list, you will also be able to check up on complaint and malpractice records. View the specifics of each case, and keep in mind that no physician is perfect.

Step 5 - Call up your local area hospital and ask the staff for an additional list of physicians who practice in the area and are affiliated with the facility. This will ensure you find someone who works in an environment you are familiar with, and is close by in case of an emergency.

Step 6 - You final step is a face to face meeting. With all the information gathered, choose the physician that you feel is best suited for your business. Evaluate all available aspects and compare them with the list you outlined in the beginning of your search. Contact them to set up an appointment. In this fashion, you will best be able to obtain a firsthand look at the person you will be entrusting your care to. Once the meeting is through, you will be able to officially make your decision one way or another. You may even decide to check out a couple other physicians on your list for clarity's sake.

Physician Assistant Salary by State Is On The Rise

The average physician assistant salary by state is on the rise. In 2010, the full time physician assistant (PA) pay rose by $3,800 (approximates). Statistics also reveal that their salaries were higher than the salaries of nurse practitioners.

You will be surprised to know that mental health physician assistants topped the salary table in 2010 at $116,758. Elementary or Secondary School assistants were a close second at $115,000, while cardiology assistants came in third at $109,030. The lowest salary was reported from the Diabetes practice at $69,000.

The average salary for male physical assistants ($102,669) was higher than salaries paid to women physician assistants ($91,662). The states that employed the highest number of physician assistants paid the following salaries:

California: $100,000/year

Texas: $104,000/year

New York: $87,750/year

Florida: $90,000/year

Other American states paid salaries of around $90,000 annually. In addition to the salaries, most of them also received health insurance, paid continuing education, professional association dues, retirement plan, malpractice insurance, and paid time off. 21% of those surveyed said they were also given a share of profits while 23% also received tuition reimbursement. This is the general breakup of PA salary by state.

What are the different factors that help determine their salary?

Physician assistant salaries depend on a number of factors, which are:

1. LOCATION: Healthcare centers situated in densely-populated cities pay higher salaries. The closer you get to the city center, the higher your salary will go. That said, there are some heavily-funded, large hospitals that are located away from inner city areas may pay a higher salary than inner-city hospitals. Also, rural centers pay lower than urban centers.

2. SPECIALTY: As you have seen above, a mental health assistant received a salary of $116,000 in 2010, while a diabetes assistant received $69,000. So, physician salaries also depend on the specialty and upon the demand for the specialty. As per current figures and trends, PAs who specialize in mental health, cardiology, anesthesiology, emergency medicine or surgery get the highest salary packages. Note that way back in 2008-2009, dermatology assistants were paid $105,000 per year; in 2010 the salary number is at $91,000 for retail clinics that dole out dermatology services.

3. EXPERIENCE: Experience counts as well. The general increment in salary ranges between 5% and 15% every year. Highly skilled and experienced PAs are highly sought after.

4. WORKPLACE: Hospitals can afford to pay more than a small private practice. One surprising trend is that schools paid higher salaries than hospitals in 2010. This is clear evidence that many people are actively enrolling for physician assistant courses and therefore, assistants who can teach are in demand.

What is the average PA salary by state and by experience?

Well, as we have seen above different states offer different salary packages depending on the demand and supply equation. However, here are the average and approximate annual salary numbers you can expect depending on experience:

0-1 years of experience - $70,000

1-4 years of experience - $80,000

5-9 years of experience - $90,000

10-19 years of experience - $100,000

19+ years of experience - $110,000+

In addition to salary, they are also entitled to health insurance, retirement benefits, paid time off, and more.

Does the PA salary depend on the degrees?

Well, the short answer to that is yes, it does. A PA can enroll for Bachelor's and Master's degree. The PA Bachelor's Degree is a 4-year program that can be earned while he's working on a graduate-level PA certificate. The initial 2 years are devoted to mathematics, sciences and arts, while the 3rd and 4th year involve heavy duty work like clinical course work and clinical rotations.

Students can enroll for a Master's degree after successfully completing their Bachelor's. The Master's degree is a 2-year course. In the 1st year the student works on anatomy, pharmacology, microbiology, pediatrics, emergency and internal medicine, obstetrics, surgery, etc. In the 2nd year, he works on primary care and medical specialties.

Naturally, professionals who complete the Master's course can expect a higher starting pay.

This was about the physician assistant salary by state. If you want more information and in detail, you should visit the local government's employment website. A physician assistant's career is self-satisfying and rewarding. It helps build a healthier and more productive nation and also keep healthcare costs down.

So You Want to Be Your Own Boss? Ten Rules For True Independence!

Are you tired of answering to someone else? You may be thinking it's time to call the shots yourself and be an independent contractor? Just think of what it would be like to own your own business and be in charge. You can finally kick off your shoes, lean back in your chair and decide just when, where and how you want to work Ah...but before you overturn your desk drawer into that box tucked under your desk and make a dash for the free agent express train, you might want to peer into that dark tunnel ahead to be sure you're not headed for a train wreck.

There are serious legal requirements to being an independent contractor, and lack of preparation could quickly turn what may have been a ride of a lifetime into a head on collision. In this article, I will offer ten 'to-do' items to test whether the life of an independent contractor is right for you. If it is, I'll offer advice on how to correctly launch your own business. First a few words to the wise about what being an independent contractor is really all about.

Nobody But YOU!

When 'traditional' workers (that is, the average 9-to-5 employee) think about the terms "independent contractor, freelancer, free agent," they only see one side of the equation. The flexible upside! They don't get to see the real life of an independent contractor for what it really is; a small business owner. What looks so attractive to a full time employee is the flexibility, independence and sense of "being your own boss" that comes along with being an independent contractor. What they don't see are the risks: no steady paycheck, constantly pitching new clients and business, no pay for sick time or vacation, collecting from clients who aren't timely about paying and lastly the lack of benefits. It also takes a certain kind of person to stay on top of all these items, can you self-direct? Can you manage your time and stay on top of billing and client retention? Probably the most significant change in work status that you undergo when changing from employee to an independent contractor is that all the responsibility shifts squarely to you. The steady income you've come to rely on is long gone and unless you are willing to shell out the money to cover the cost for medical coverage, you can forget about those fringe benefits too. But all things considered the hefty fees for your services makes it all worth it, right?

Start Up Costs!

Wait until you see the list of out of pocket expenses required to launch your business, and remember you have to maintain it on an ongoing basis. You will need to make a few purchases beyond the regular home setup you may already have like your own cell phone, fax machine, home office space and a laptop or desktop computer. What supplies and equipment you need is dependent upon what services you plan to offer and what it actually takes to convince the public and the government it's not just a store front. These additional costs must be factored into your pricing because you're the employer and there is no such thing as an expense reimbursement anymore-it's your money that you are spending. You may even need a business name and business license too so don't forget to factor in those costs when planning your new venture. When you stop and think about what it really means to go it alone and launch a business, it can seem a bit overwhelming in the beginning, rapidly moving to downright discouraging, and finally you may, like many, end up chucking your dream as soloist. Transitioning from employee to independent is no simple task. It should only be considered with a clear view about what it really entails.

Look Before You Leap

Let's review the minimum requirements to make the leap to independent contractor. The following is a list of business requirement. As you read them, ask yourself, am I prepared to go it alone as an independent contractor, even if it's into an unknown marketplace? Am I prepared to deal with nosey auditors looking to score big on unpaid payroll tax dollars from my client base?"

The Top Ten "To Dos" To Real Independence!

  1. Get Real with a Business License -- Investigate to see if the city in which you plan to do business requires a business license or tax certificate for the services you are offering to the general public. If so, the fees to obtain a license are fairly nominal and do not require you to jump through a lot of hoops. The responsibility for renewing them will be yours, do not let them lapse. Some clients look to a business license as a clue that you're legitimate it may be what takes you off a potential clients' prospects list in the future.
  2. Toot Your Own Horn with Advertising or Marketing Materials -- This is critical to your start up costs, make an investment in yourself by spending a few bucks and invest in some really great business cards and/or letter head. If you are a non conformist, go for putting up a really cool website, or create flyers geared specifically to your industry. If you are really adventurous and decide you want to spread the word near and far, how about a billboard or even a banner?
  3. Whatever mode you decide to use to advertise your business, be sure it's readily available for view by the general public and not buried so deep that finding you is just way too much trouble. Keep your marketing/advertising tools looking top notch, designing your cards or flyers on your home computer may work for some, but the more professional they are, the more likely you'll recognized as a legitimate business. Please note: although word of mouth may be an acceptable practice in your industry, it is not viewed as a true form of advertisement by an auditing agency or a company trying to add you to a preferred list of businesses!
  4. The Tax Man Cometh Prepare by Acquiring a Tax Identification Number (TIN) -- Your social security number is completely acceptable to use if you operate as a sole proprietor, but the extra effort to get a separate Federal Tax ID number to look like a business goes a long way in an audit of your client base. .
  5. Obtain a DBA ('Doing Business As') - This form of identity is if you do not plan to incorporate and decide to simply use your name to do business.
  6. Do it -- Incorporate -- Although not a requirement, this is another one of those extra steps toward the "investment in your business" and an extra step that clearly shows you intend to operate as a business owner and not an employee. It can also protect your personal assets, should something go wrong with the business.
  7. Separate Your Business Finances - Open a business bank account, with your DBA name, in order to keep business and personal money completely separate. This will help strengthen your position as a business owner. Come tax time, it also makes things a bit easier to prepare your taxes. It's also a great way to track your revenue growth. Besides it's hard to adequately look at your "books" if your grocery bill is interspersed with business expenses!
  8. Protect You & Yours with Insurance -- Depending on your service offerings, business type or industry standard, you will need insurance to protect you and your clients. To determine insurance coverage options, contact your current homeowner's insurance provider to see if they provide business insurance policies or check out industry experts on the web who can offer advice and perhaps better rates.
  9. § General Liability in my opinion is a non-negotiable requirement to convince others you are a business owner. Being the subject of a lawsuit without insurance can be a nail in the coffin for most small business owners. § Professional Liability/Errors & Omissions (E&O) Insurance is not always necessary and quite costly to purchase for the purpose of "just in case" but think of it as Malpractice insurance, If there is the possibility that an error or omission in your work could result in significant financial loss or injury to others, play it smart and make the investment. Consult with your insurance provider to help determine if E&O insurance is advisable or standard in your line of work.
  10. Insist on an Ironclad Contract -- A well written, rock-solid contract or consulting agreement is critical to your continued livelihood and your client's piece of mind. Be sure to clearly outline:
  11. The intent of the parties, both the contractor and the client; The services that are to be delivered with definitive start and end dates of the project; Fees for all services along with milestones and/or deliverables; Equipment to be used for the project, who will provide it and if it will be on a loaner basis, or any rental fees that apply, including any stipulations that may apply such as work stoppage clauses, kill fees, and termination of contract language. The end result must clearly demonstrate to a third party looking at the relationship that the intent of the two parties is one of client and independent contractor. Make it crystal clear this is a business agreement, not an employment agreement.
  12. Brag A Little with Customer Raves - Prepare a list of clients along with any references for projects or services provided. Ideally, these would be a combination of current clients and clients you have worked with in the last six months. Think of it as your professional references list. A recent list of current clients and projects demonstrates your services are available to the general public and you are not financially dependent on a sole source of income as an independent contractor.
  13. Document, Document & Document with a Paper Trail - Paperwork maintenance is another one of those critical pieces to running a business. A paper trail of prospect bids/proposals, business expenses, accountant or attorney fees and any and all other business-related costs will come in handy. Don't toss them after you receive payment for the work or plan on using your checkbook ledger as proof of related expenditures. The last thing you want to do is hand over evidence to an auditor that may help them win their case.

Almost Ready To Go!

So there you have it -- a list that covers some of the basic requirements to prepare you for your life as an independent contractor. But, wait, don't run off just yet! You need to aware of a few potential landmines you may stumble upon along the way to becoming a successful business owner. Don't be surprised if potential clients request copies of your business documents and your track record of credibility. Newspaper and weblog headlines are filled with worker-instigated lawsuits, hefty employer fines and penalties and ginormous plaintiff payouts-leaving a bitter taste in the mouths of many. Would-be clients are no longer willing to take your word for it that you comply as an independent contractor; you must prove you're a business and can defend the claim if need be. Before you receive a ticket to ride at their company, you may be asked to submit "evidence or supporting documents" along with your bid or work proposal. These documents are collected to safeguard the employer in the event of a payroll audit where they must prove you are properly classified as an independent contractor -which excused them from paying employer payroll taxes. Clients are forced to demonstrate their innocence and you've become the target of these audits. Unpaid payroll taxes and worker misclassification cases are rampant across the nation, forcing employers to build a defense in advance. Securing copies of this documentation and keeping them handy in case they are audited is an employer's basic defense against these types of audits. Be respectful, don't push back or kick up a fuss if you are asked for the documentation to prove you own and run your business. It comes with the territory. Make a few copies of all of your business documents and put them in a file for safe keeping in case somewhere along the way you are asked for evidence of your business identity. If asked, you'll be ready! Documents vary from employer to employer and you may be asked for one you simply don't have. Don't panic! Simply ask for an explanation of the additional documents requested; perhaps an alternate document may be substituted in lieu of the original one requested.

Ready, Set, Control!

One final piece of advice to those individuals currently working as an independent contractor or planning to go solo in the future: take complete control of your business. Remember, you left the 9-to-5 in pursuit of independence and the ability to make your own decisions if, when and where you will work. Collect the necessary tools: proper insurance coverage, a business license and a consulting agreement and you're on your way to looking like a business owner. Go further and keep control over your business. If the client is jumping in and taking control, it can spell disaster for you when you or your clients are audited. Owning a business is not a panacea; you actually have to run it like one. Make sure you start your business off right is the first step to independence and a successful business. Luck! Who needs it; you've got your documentation!

Best Plastic Surgeon Nominations

Best Plastic Surgeon Nomination Process

The best plastic surgeons in America are pinpointed through widespread research and utilizing databases of information on significant medical doctor credentials.

Plastic surgeons are supposed to have prescribed expertise and experience in their field. Choosing the best plastic surgeons goes through the following stages:

o random selection from a proprietary system and databases of board certified plastic surgeons
o the reply to a standard question "If one of your loved ones needed medical attention in your field, which of your peers would you choose?" sent out in emails, faxes and the proprietary system
o in the same emails, the physicians log in with a username of their choice by which they submit their nominated peer
o all the information are collected in preparation for the next stage

At the next stage, information on the nominees is reviewed, like the appropriate status of their licenses, malpractice judgments and disciplinary actions.

The information is then cross-referenced with thirteen leased/owned doctor credential information databases to confirm complete nationwide licensure status and pertinent credential information.

Finally, the researchers collect all the pertinent data and review the pool of nominees for verification of their credentials.

America's Best Plastic Surgeons

o Dallas: Dr. John Burns
o Los Angeles: Dr. Renato Calabria
o Chicago: Dr. Susan Jane Taub
o New York City: Dr. Scot Glasberg

Dr. John Burns is a specialist in facial surgery, breast cosmetic surgery and body plastic surgery. His personal website address is drjohnbursn.com

Dr. Renato Calabria is engaged in a number of service ministries, on top of his plastic surgery practice. He assists children with congenital defects and participates in third world missions where he has done a good number of reconstructive surgeries. His website is drcaabria.com/meet.asp.

In Chicago, Dr. Susan Jane Taub specializes in eye cosmetic surgery. As one surgeon energetically involved in the medical and vision community, she serves at many hospitals in Chicago, among them the Children's Memorial Hospital. She can be contacted at her website taubeye.com.

An expert in many reconstructive and cosmetic surgeries, Dr. Scot Glasberg has published many articles on plastic surgery. His website is smartplasticsurgery.com/drglasberg.html.

No Win No Fee - Advice From An Expert

Are you familiar with "no win no fee" claims?" These agreements are between a law firm and client and indicate that the client does not have to pay legal fees if the case is lost. On the other hand, be aware that the lawyer will be entitled to compensation if he or she wins. A law firm will receive what is called a "success fee." Typically, these no win no fee claims involve cases that deal with personal injury. If you are considering pursuing a no win no fee claim, there are some important criteria to consider.

Not all legal cases will qualify for no win no fee plans. Lawyers don't want to work for free, and they will generally only take on cases that they feel have a good chance of winning. While most of these cases are in personal injury realm, the most common payment upon success cases are specifically wrongful death, injuries at work, medical claims like malpractice and accident claims including bike, train, plane, boat or other types of accident. In these cases, your lawyer will try to prove that someone else's negligence resulted in injury and will seek monetary compensation for the damages caused. Very few cases overall qualify for the payment upon success option.

If you think that you have a case that will qualify for a payment upon success claim, you will want to talk with a lawyer to find out for sure. Often attorneys offer a free consultation where this can be determined. As you talk with the lawyer, he or she will analyze your case and see if they think you will win. If the lawyer thinks you have a case, he or she may offer to complete your claim as no win no fee. Make sure you are comfortable with the lawyer you choose, as his or her skills may ultimately determine the outcome of your claim.

When you are pursuing a case where payment is only rendered upon success, you are responsible for gathering all pertinent information. You will need to find evidence and documentation as required. Once you find this evidence, make sure you keep it in a safe place. This evidence may include hospital records, receipts, medicine information, prescriptions, employment records etc. Be careful and make sure you are thorough in your information collection process. Also let your doctor know that you have given your attorney the right to access medical records as needed.

If you are pursuing a no win no fee case, you should be aware of the fact that while you will not need to pay attorney fees if you lose, you may still have to cover various costs including court fees and witness fees. These other costs can definitely add up. Therefore, you should have some funds set aside in case they are necessary. However, in many no win no fee cases you will be properly represented and receive the compensation that you are due.

Know Your Health: Take A VQ Scan

With the environmental factors we are faced with daily and the number of unhealthy habits we follow, there's no assurance that our body is still in its optimal state. So, it is best that we take every precaution necessary and consider having yearly comprehensive physical exams to get some insight into how your body is doing. If you are concerned about your wellbeing, you can take the standard physical tests and add a VQ scan on the list.

Otherwise known as ventilation/perfusion lung scans, the VQ scan is a procedure involving the use of two medical isotopes to examine the flow of air (ventilation) and blood (perfusion) inside the target organ. This can be a diagnostic test for any lung disease and it can be compared with a chest x-ray to get a full picture of the lung's current state. The good thing about this test is that it does not require a person to fast or undergo any ritual preparation before the procedure. The downside is that it is quite uncomfortable. Anyone planning to undergo this procedure must talk to a health professional first to get a complete blow-by-blow account of what they can expect.

To give you a brief insight, a radioactive albumin will be introduced to the body through IV lines for the perfusion test and this will be as painful as a blood extraction. Afterwards, you will be asked to lie on a table and wait out the scanning process. The ventilation part is the one that's a bit more intimidating because you will be asked to stay in a small confined area during the scan. Moreover, you will also be asked to inhale the radioactive material through a mask and it will be worn at all times during the second scan to keep the gaseous radionuclide flowing through the lungs. All in all, it will take an hour to accomplish and results can be retrieved the day after.

You can expect one out of four results from the test (between Normal, Low Probability, Intermediate Probability and High Probability) and they can indicate the problems, possibly occlusions in your pulmonary airways and arteries, which can denote CAD, pneumonia, emphysema, or blood clots.

There is always that question of health risk when exposed to radioactive material. But for the VQ scan, it is very low. There have been no reports of malpractice on the matter. Allergic reactions to the isotopes used are very rare. Moreover, the amount introduced to the body is not enough to cause medical harm. They generally have a short lifespan. With adequate hydration and ventilation, the radioactive dyes can be disposed from the body quickly without any side effects.

It is not advised for pregnant women, though as it might affect the developing fetus. Those lactating are discouraged from breastfeeding for 24 to 72 hours, since it might take a week before the radioactive dyes are completely excreted from the system. It is very important that you consult a doctor first before you take this test so it can be properly supervised.

Wrongful Death - When a Dead Person is Liable

Why such a tragic title above?

I should admit that it is an exaggeration to call the victim of any type of accident, negligence or malpractice "liable". But there are many tragic life events when the diseased person has become a cause of pain and suffering for others. A good understanding of the "liability" terminology is very, sometimes, important in both simple accident cases and tragic ones.

Liability in plain English

Today liability insurance covers virtually everything: be that your home, your work place, subway train you're riding in, or your vehicle. Talking especially about our roads that are so crowded already, there is a real big chance of being involved in automobile accident virtually for everyone in our society. Hopefully in a minor one, but who knows.

When the accident occurs you have a right to file a claim with an insurance company of someone to blame in the accident. If, for example, your car has been hit from behind, a person to blame is obvious - the driver of the hitting vehicle. You are entitled for a full compensation for damages that have been created by a negligent driver from behind. But wait - sometimes this is not that simple.

Imagine that now you are the driver of the hitting vehicle. You've hit another car from behind in spite of being cautious and keeping a distance between both automobiles. The car in front of you has just stopped short, you even have not seen brake lights of that car. You just jammed on your brakes, but it was too late already. Now, police report will notice that indeed the brake lights of another car have been off.

What we have here is a real life example when a person to blame is not 100% liable for what has happened. Because the driver of the car that you've hit hasn't taken care of the brake lights he or she is considered to be a negligent, like you. It might cost from 10% to 25% of the total damages claimed in this case.

Here is a real life example with calculations. Mike was in a car accident. He stopped short because a dog ran in front of his car. A car from behind, that Dean was in, hit Mike's vehicle. Both drivers sustained injuries, had to see a doctor, took days off from work.

Now, police reported that Mike's car had dysfunctional brake lights. That fact was used by Dean's insurance company to point out some negligence from Mike's side. It created situation when both drivers are liable, just not equally, but both.

Mike's medical bill and lost income was about $2000, Dean ended up with about $1000 of claimed damages. If Dean had been 100% at fault, Mike would be entitled to $2000 check from Dean's insurance company. But the fact that Mike did not make sure that his car met a local Vehicle Code requirements, i.e. did not fix his brake lights, made him partially at fault for what had happened. This made Make between 10% to 25% negligent. Dean is now liable for only a part of Mike's damages - between $1500 and $1800.

On the other hand Dean is eligible to collect from Mike an amount equal to Mike's negligence, which is between $100 and $250 from total $1000 of Dean's damages.

Again, why such a tragic title above?

Unfortunately, a negligent person can die in an accident. That makes things very complicated, but still an estate of the deceased is liable for damages created by the dead man. Legal language uses "wrongful death" terminology to broadly cover all cases of death that is caused by fault of another.

Let's modify the example above. Imagine the situation where Mike's injuries caused him to die. Now we have a typical wrongful death case where dead person is still liable. Mike's estate is now eligible to request compensation from Dean. This will eventually lead to wrongful death lawsuit award from Dean's insurance company to Mike's estate And in spite of Dean's guilt, he still has to pay his bills too. Dean's potential damages in this tragic event are now way different. Justice is blind, isn't it?

Indemnity Insurance Ensures That You Are Protected

There are several different types of indemnity insurance. In some cases, it is professional insurance which is purchased by companies or an individual because of his or her profession. In other cases, the term refers to a type of health insurance.

Professional insurance of this type protects businesses and their employees or individuals should someone make a claim against them because of mistakes or negligence. The insurance will also cover the legal costs involved in dealing with the claim.

There are some professions that must have this type of insurance. Examples of these are accountants, architects, brokers of insurance, solicitors and financial advisers. Malpractice insurance, such as is purchased by medical professionals such as physicians, is also a type of indemnity policy.

The idea is that professionals who give advice need to be covered in the event that following this advice ends up causing the client or patient harm. This can happen because the professional makes a mistake or, for example, does not take something into account such as an allergy to a particular medication in the case of a doctor.

Other types of professionals also choose to purchase insurance of this type to protect themselves. For example, consultants or agencies that work in advertising or public relations may be concerned that a client will feel they have gotten bad advice which has harmed their business.

It's important to remember that, if you decide to cancel your insurance policy, that you will probably not be covered for claims even if the event happened while the policy was in effect. In this case, or if you are in the process of changing insurance companies, you may need to get a special type of coverage that will cover you for a short time.

Because this is a special type of insurance policy, not all brokers will be knowledgeable about it. It's important, therefore, to choose one that has specific experience in this area. This will help you to ensure that you have the coverage that you really need.

Health care insurance policies that allow the insured a choice of provider can also be referred to as private indemnity insurance plans. These can either be purchased by the individual or through an employer. These kinds of policies generally have deductibles and may also require co-payments where the insured needs to pay a portion of his or her doctor's bills.

If you feel that you or your business has need of an indemnity insurance policy, it's a good idea to talk to a qualified broker. Even if it is not required, it may be advisable to keep your livelihood protected well.

Low Cost Health Insurance - Here's What You Can Do to Make Health Insurance More Affordable

Have you been looking for a low cost health insurance plan, but haven't had any luck? Well, I hate to be the bearer of bad news but it's likely that you won't find a low cost health insurance plan any time soon or ever again. About the best you can do is get several quotes and keep hoping that a low cost plan will show up that fits within your budget.

One way to make health insurance more affordable is by raising your deductible to the maximum limit. I realize that this means you'll be paying for most of your medical expenses yourself from now on, but aren't you already doing that anyway?

Raising your deductible to the maximum is becoming more and more common these days, especially with families, where the cost of coverage is so high that there's just no other way that they could afford it. Raising your deductible to the maximum will lower your monthly costs substantially, however you'll still need to set money aside for doctor visits.

The idea here is to pay for the smaller expenses yourself, but still be protected in case you need long term care.

Basically what you need to do is create a "sick fund" in the bank. There will need to be enough in there for someone to go to the doctor and get prescriptions or whatever else needs to be done and the money must be replaced as soon as possible each time it's used. You'll want to do everything you can to make sure that everyone in the family gets an annual physical and then have enough on hand to pay for casual doctor visits.

You'll also want to change your lifestyle to where you're eating healthier, getting plenty of exercise and rest, taking vitamins and getting proper nutrients. A healthy lifestyle means less trips to the doctor.

You may be able to save even more money by doing this. This forces many people to actually sit down and plan menus for their family and calculate food costs more than before. Proper planning, comparison shopping and coupon clipping could save you potentially hundreds of dollars or more per year. This could be used to help finance your sick fund.

The truth of the matter is that low cost health insurance is becoming a thing of the past. The cost of medications is rising, the cost of malpractice insurance for physicians is through the roof and many other factors have attributed to this. The best thing that you can do at this point is to tighten your belt a bit and cut corners where you must, but don't leave yourself vulnerable by not buying health insurance protection.

Personal Responsibility and Work

Much attention is currently being given to the spiraling costs of health care delivery. There are many reasons for this. New technology and drugs that extends the quality and length of human lives requires increased funding for research, training and updating facilities. Malpractice insurance has forced doctors to increase fees. Just as in most any other sector all wages have increased over the years. As the medical community has been able to provide more, the public has grown to expect and demand more of the medical profession and... less of themselves! This dependence on others may in fact be one of "the" major causes of the current health care crisis.

This dependence on others and lack of personal responsibility is evident in many aspects of our society. People smoke, drink alcohol in excess, use illegal and prescription drugs in a careless manner, eat in excess and eat the wrong foods, don't exercise, practice unsafe sex and drive recklessly, even when vast amounts of information is provided that these types of personal actions will be injurious to their health! When one of these personal actions causes a problem, the individual then expects and depends on others (the medical profession, government, insurance companies, their employer, community programs etc.) to take care of them and their problem at virtually no cost to the individual.

Many of these same individuals will even blame others for their plight, failing to take any responsibility for their own actions. They in fact take on the irresponsible lifestyle of the "victim" and practice a combination of many and in some cases all of the high risk actions cited above. They then expect someone else to provide a quick and easy solution for fixing their situation at little or no cost to them personally.

The above example can be expanded to include the lack of personal responsibility demonstrated by individuals with regard to their education, employment, and personal finances, relationships with others and their personal values and goals. Individuals drop out of school, fail to get the education and training they need to stay employed, spend their money foolishly, put little effort into building relationships and have a set of weak values and virtually no goals for improving their life. These individuals then turn to "experts" to fix things for them.

Yes there are individuals - do to mental or true physical handicaps - who truly need the compassion and the help of the community and... yes there needs to be provisions to take care of those who are truly in need. But as a society we need to once again regain the art of personal responsibility and self-reliance. We need to grow to expect more of ourselves and... less of others.

So what can you do to be a more responsible individual or to guide and help those whose life you touch? I believe we create ourselves and shape our identity through what we are willing to take responsibility for; and to demonstrate that responsibility, and self-reliance, through our daily actions. I also believe that each person can only do well in all aspects of life if they develop and carry a sense of direction, fullness and meaning to what they do on a daily basis.

Whether your goals concern career, relationships, health, education or financial issues, you need to understand how intimately success and happiness are tied to personal responsibility. You need to understand that personal success and independence begins with the act of consciously choosing to accept personal responsibility as a way of life.

Only you can think your thoughts, make your choices, decide what you'll dwell upon, what you'll read and listen to, who you'll associate with and the life-style you will live; therefore, you are totally responsible for all the consequences of all those actions and behaviors, good or bad. It's unavoidable.

The following checklist can serve as a means of examining where you are or provide you with a tool to discuss with others the importance of personal responsibility in the formation and development of their potential. In an age where we constantly seem to turn to others for answers this list can be unnerving; but the reality is... survival in the 21st Century will require personal responsibility as the "victim umbilical cord" is cut. As individuals and a society we can no longer afford it.

Personal responsibility Checklist

o You are responsible for your attitude.
o You are responsible for determining who you are to become, and how your choices will affect your life.
o You are responsible for the choices you have made.
o You are responsible to choose the direction for your life.
o You are responsible for "all" the choices you make in your life.
o You are responsible for what you choose to think and feel.
o You are responsible for making you feel good or bad about yourself.
o You are responsible for the good and bad consequences of your actions.
o You are responsible to "get over it" and get on with life.
o You are responsible to mature and determine how you will develop self-esteem.
o You are responsible for protecting and nurturing your health and emotional well being.
o You are responsible for building solid and lasting relationships.
o You are responsible for your education and attaining usable life and work skills.
o You are responsible for your career.
o You are responsible for your financial situation.
o You are responsible for giving your life meaning, direction and reason.

Post Script

The issue of personal responsibility has acquired a new urgency in the 21st Century. "Mind work" has replaced muscle work; authoritarian hierarchical structures are giving way to more open, communicative structures; and cognitive skills are of paramount importance. Today's workplace needs men and women who are able and willing to think on there own, to be self-directing and self-managing, to respond to problems proactively, rather than passively waiting for someone else to do something.

We are entering the age of knowledge were your earning power will be determined by your learning power. People and organizations will need to be responsible initiators and innovators of products and services. This requires a can do culture and the fostering of a pioneering spirit. It requires developing the art of personal responsibility regardless of the role you play or the position you occupy both on and off the job.

Hospital Security Cameras - Broken Security Could Make a Person Ill

There are numerous reasons hospital security cameras should be used. Not only can using a security camera in a hospital or other healthcare facility increase security, but it can also be used for cost control. Hospital security cameras can protect hospital employees, including doctors and nurses, and patients from any security breaches that could violate a code of confidentiality. Hospital security cameras can be used to increase productivity, ensuring that everyone is doing their job. Additionally, if monitors are set up at nurses' stations, nurses can see down the hall way while still completing paperwork and medical record work. Hospital security cameras are the key to valuable visual evidence that can help protect against false claims.

To increase security and safety, hospital security cameras can help prevent against criminals and unauthorized visitors from stepping into certain areas of the hospital where they are not permitted. In this day and age, it also helps against kidnapping of newborns. These security cameras also help to watch out for troubled patients that may be irate or in any other condition that may require monitoring.

To improve productivity of staff members, it can be used to show where certain people are at different locations. They are almost a form of communication as if a nurse is needed in a certain room or area of the hospital, they are accounted for that they are actually in that location and no other medical professional is needed in that area. Additionally, it can monitor possible employee disagreements and shed light on incidents that could otherwise get someone into malpractice troubles.

In terms of false claims, some patients or visitors that are on hospital property may say that something happened when in fact it did not. This visual evidence can prove that there was nothing going on that could be grounds for making such claims. This puts their disputes to rest and could save the hospital or health care facility from liability insurance claims.

If for any reason there would be any other security dispute or a claim that a hospital staff member did something they were not supposed to, there is clear visual evidence to protect them from any accused wrongdoings. Additionally, the footage can be kept digitally with limited people being unauthorized users. This keeps from tapes getting into the wrong hands and would break any confidentiality policies.

Additionally, if a wing is usually quiet, such as doctor's office or clinic areas, it can provide security in these areas that are usually closed down to the general public when it is after hours. Since visitors are always wondering the halls at all hours, hospital security cameras can make sure that no one is leaving the premises when they are a patient or entering a hospital for some reason that could be threatening or malicious.

New York Personal Injury Lawyer - A Guide To Hire An Attorney

Life is full of strange events and incidents. There are several things which will come across unexpected. These unfavorable situations could be a result of an accident, personal injury, car accident, or an injury due to negligence, malpractice, or tort.

If you become the victim in such a situation, then it can be a very traumatic for you, both financially and physically. This trauma can affect your health, wealth as well as your family members, and friends. If your personal injury or trauma has happened due to the fault of some individual, authority, or an organization, then you truly deserve full compensation from the person or authority responsible.

A professional plaintiff personal injury lawyer is trained to handle these legal issues which can crop up while making a compensation claims. If you have been injured within New York City, then you should contact only a New York based personal injury lawyer or law firm. An individual, who is injured in New York, can only seek services from a lawyer who has a legal license within New York. If the victim is seriously injured, then the onus of hiring a competent personal injury lawyer lies in the hands of the victim's family and friends. One should do a little research regarding legal background of the personal injury lawyer whom they are planning to hire. You should inquire about the success record of the lawyer to see how successfully he has handled similar cases. Once you gain information regarding previous history of any personal injury lawyer or an injury law firm, then you would be able to decide whether you should hire them or contact another injury attorney.

Once you are sure about the personal injury lawyer whom you want to hire, you have to explain each and every minute details of your injury or an accident. Once your personal injury lawyer has analyzed various aspects in minute details, he would be in a better position to seek and fight for your compensation. You should make sure that you provide all necessary information to your personal injury lawyer which will help him in court while fighting for your cause. You should also contact a medical professional or a doctor to inquire about the extent of injuries which you or someone has suffered, and how long it will take to recover from injuries. This will help the injury lawyer to determine the compensation amount from the offender. You should personally discuss all these issues with your personal injury lawyer.

There are several personal injury lawyers operating within New York region. It is your duty and responsibility to hire best lawyer, and to provide compensation to the victim. There are injury lawyers operating within New York City, who have the expertise to handle complex medical cases, and injury cases. New York personal injury lawyer can help you get justice and compensation money that you or your loved ones truly deserves.

Phlebotomy - From Then to Now

The history of phlebotomy is filled with dark tales of ignorance, passion and misinformation. During many occasions in its administration since recorded history, the patients who underwent this quackery were put in dire peril for their lives.

For some apparent reason unknown to modern man, the people who practiced the healing arts of ancient times, decided it would be a good idea to stick a person with some sharp implement and allow them to bleed for a while, an idea that today, would give someone with phlebotomy training the heebie-jeebies.

Don't laugh, while we know today that this practice can have deadly results, back then, the professionals of that time were deadly serious that this was the only way to heal a patient. Can you imagine what phlebotomy certification meant back in those days?

The fact is, that even before the time of Hippocrates in the fifth century BC, the art of bloodletting was flourishing in medical circles around the world. The ancient Greeks, Egyptians and Romans all considered the blood as a means of ridding the body of bad or evil spirits. The more evil your wound or injury, the more blood was exorcised to bring you back into balance.

For a good period of time the thinking was, that your body was balanced by the four humors which included, blood, phlegm, black bile, and yellow bile. This might have seemed reasonable since when a person becomes ill, some symptoms can exhibit body fluids such as green and yellow mucus or phlegm, as well as expressing black or yellow bile from the mouth, and blood from the sinuses, vagina and rectum.

As a person's body fought off an illness, they experienced a reduction in the amount of bodily fluids being ejected and thus the doctors of the day took that to mean that the four humors were back in balance once again.

Rather than wait for the body to heal itself, and potentially lose a hefty medical fee, the doctors were free to take a short cut and bleed the body back to health. I guess the important thing was to earn your phlebotomist salary.

Here's a bit of information that most people don't know. During the middle ages, the people that were specializing in bloodletting were the surgeons and barbers of the day. In point of fact if you look at the red and white pole advertising a barbers shop today, it was originally meant to advertise bloodletting services, the red stripe for blood and the white stripe for the tourniquet.

Another piece of information that few people are aware of is the fact that this form of malpractice killed a United States president. Our first president, George Washington, was suffering from a throat infection in 1799. The specialists of the day realized that the only way to save him was a quick bloodletting, and immediately withdrew nine pints of blood from his body over a twenty-four hour period.

As modern medicine progressed, little by little medical professionals found it difficult to justify the practice of bloodletting as more and more scientific evidence began to prove a lack of effectiveness in healing.

For a period of time, bloodletting was the go to procedure for just about everything that went wrong with the human body. As such, the opportunity for phlebotomy jobs was phenomenal. It wasn't until around 1900 that it was finally exposed as total quackery and condemned by the medical profession.

Best Los Angeles Personal Injury Lawyers

Personal injury cases include auto accidents, train accidents, swimming accidents and slip and fall accidents. It also includes cases of defamation, medical or other professional malpractice and injuries caused due to defective products. Los Angeles has a number of personal injury lawyers dealing with different types of personal injury lawsuits. Most Los Angeles personal injury lawyers have very good experience and provide the best possible legal representations. There are some "best" personal injury lawyers in Los Angeles providing extraordinary services that the other lawyers fail to offer.

The best Los Angeles personal injury lawyers have experience of more than 20 years and are capable of dealing with all kinds of personal injury cases in the most efficient manner. They provide the best legal advice to their clients as per the requirements of the case. These lawyers represent injured victims of both corporate and private negligence. The best Los Angeles personal injury lawyers give maximum importance to evidence, especially in slip and fall accidents, which are hard to prove in the court. The first thing they advise their clients is, to collect as much evidence as possible. All the best personal injury attorneys in Los Angeles specialize in advocating consumer rights against big insurance companies and defense firms. For this reason, they are successful in reaching settlements and verdicts worth millions of dollars. The best personal injury lawyers charge a higher percentage on the compensation or recovery of their clients as their fees due to their consistency in obtaining high rewards for their clients.

The best Los Angeles personal injury attorneys are capable of creating a dynamic working relationship with their clients and are able to resolve complicated, legal issues by combining personal service with proven abilities and resources. They are very aggressive and wise plaintiff attorneys with a high sense of professionalism.

Massage Therapy Tips and Reminders

A massage session is perhaps one of the greatest stress relievers since ancient times. People have been seeking various massage therapy techniques to relax their tensed muscles after a very stressful day. Because of the boom in the alternative health industry, many people go to spas and clinics for treatments. While this is good for the economy, it may pose threat for the people seeking massage especially if the therapists are not properly trained.

Here are some tips and reminders so that you can get the most out of your massage session.

1. Seek medical approval.

Massage therapy has never been intended to replace professional medical advice, diagnosis, and treatment. For people with delicate medical conditions such as hypertension, risk of heart attack, diabetes, etc., always seek approval of your medical doctor first before availing of any massage treatment. Never disregard professional medical advice prior to subjecting yourself to alternative treatments.

2. Assess massage therapists.

Massage therapy requires people who are affable, good in communicating with others, compassionate, and effective even with minimum supervision.

Massage primary works through touch and its effectiveness is dependent on who gives that touch. Professional massage therapists are required to attend seminars and trainings annually so that they are updated with the latest techniques and researches. Check for certificates and proofs that your therapist is licensed and has undergone professional training. There have been cases of massage malpractice and we surely do not want you to be included in the statistics.

3. Know your goal in getting a massage treatment.

Are you having a massage for relaxation purposes only; or are you seeking massage treatment to get rid of chronic muscle pain? It is important that you know why you are having that treatment before actually getting one. Knowledge of your goal is also important in communicating with your massage therapists regarding the type of service you are expecting.

4. Determine the type of treatment you will have.

This is connected with the previous item. If your aim is for general relaxation purposes, then Swedish massage is for you. Swedish massage is the most popular technique. It is characterized by long strokes following the direction of blood towards the heart. Swedish massage usually lasts for an hour or so.

If your aim is to get rid of chronic muscular aches and pains, you might want to try having a deep tissue massage. Deep tissue massage targets deeply seated traces of tension in the body. It corrects muscle knots which cause muscle pain and it also aids in the release of bodily toxins through the use of deep pressure directed right through the muscle grains. Deep tissue massage usually causes soreness afterwards so be prepared to take a rest the day after your therapy session.

There are a lot of other options. For more information on your options for treatments, consult with a certified massage therapist.

5. Complement regular treatment with a healthy lifestyle.

The benefits of regular therapeutic body treatments will all be in vain if you are not mindful of your own body. Make sure you eat a balanced diet, embark in exercise programs, and live a healthy life.

Type of Business Insurance For Small and Home Business

I have consulted with hundreds of small business owners, including home business owners, and I know that they do not like to spend a lot of time figuring out what sort of coverage they need. These people are very hard working, and of course, they are experts in their field. But insurance is hardly ever an exciting topic for them. And yet, they know that the lack of proper coverage can ruin their company. That's why they wanted a quick and easy way to determine the coverage they would need.

Types of Business Insurance

  • Business Property - This is coverage against loss or damage to the property or contents of a business.
  • Business Liability - This protects a company against claims that their products or services damaged a customer.
  • Professional Liability - Example of this would be malpractice insurance for doctors, or Errors and Omissions for financial professionals.
  • Business Owners Policy - A combination policy which includes more than one time of coverage that is bundled together.
  • Commercial Auto Insurance - Much like a personal auto insurance policy, this covers cars that are used to conduct business.
  • Workers Compensation - A workers comp policy protects the employees in case of on the job injuries. Some companies are required to carry it, and some are not.
  • Group Health - A group medical plan that employees join. While this is more of an employee benefit than a plan to protect the company, it can help attract and retain qualify workers. Not all small businesses will need a group plan, and those that have one, usually expect the employees to contribute some of the premiums.
  • Group LIfe - Like group health, this can be an employee benefit. However, some company life insurance plans, like key man policies, actually do protect the company in case one of the most important employees or owners should pass away, and the company would suffer a financial loss because they have to do without that person's services.

The list above is very brief, and is certainly not a list of all possible types of insurance that small companies may consider. In addition, the descriptions are brief, and are not intended to replace the detailed advice a decision maker would need before actually buying a policy. Many types of specialized plans exist, and in some cases, a plan can be developed for the unique needs of a particular business. For instance, I have heard of movie or television stars getting their smiles or body parts insured.

Personal Injury 101

Do you know your rights? It can be quite dangerous to live in our world today with the advent of economy and technology. It literally is a jungle out there, so it is important that you know where you stand in the unfortunate event of an injury. Personal injury, in legal terms, pertains to injury done to one's body, mind and/or emotions because of another party's or parties' negligence. It is important to note, though, that this does not pertain to damages done to one's property due to negligence, as that is another different topic altogether.

In these cases, you can legally sue for damages or compensation with the help of a more-than-capable lawyer. It is a serious matter that may sometimes result to something as grave as another person's death. There are many other much lighter forms of personal injury. Some of the most common examples of personal injury are traffic accidents, i.e. hit and run, DUI, roadside accidents, etc.; accidents at work due to workplace hazards, a co-employee's negligence, industrial hazards, etc.; tripping accidents; assault; home accidents; holiday accidents; and defective product liabilities.

Some of the more grave types of personal injury which can result to heavy physical damage are in the areas of medical and dental accidents, i.e. medical negligence and malpractices. You need to stand up against these abusive parties and claim your rightful damages and compensation from them. The key here is for you to be able to gather enough proof for your claim in order to aptly resolve your case.

Nowadays, more people are opting to go for a structured settlement in personal injury cases, where a victim simply accepts a certain amount of money to avoid court proceedings. On the other hand, there are also those abusive people who exploit others by claiming personal injury for compensation when there really is none. If you, however, really are a victim of this type of injury because of another's negligence, do not hesitate to sue and claim your right.

Disadvantages of Electronic Health Records System

Electronic health record system is definitely a better way to do store patient's medical health records. It allows for accurate record keeping, increased level of healthcare and a reduction in malpractice insurance premiums. It involves doing away with the pen and paper system of keeping medical records and embracing the digitalizing of all information. Like every new thing, change is not always welcome. A few physicians are stuck in their ways and are not embracing this new system without a fight.

The good news is that you can work around disadvantages to turn them into positive territory or find a replacement. Some of the disadvantages include:-

Privacy Protection
There will always been privacy issues in the healthcare system on who has access to your medical records. With a pen and paper system, with the physical file located at a particular institution there is a limit to who can see your records. Even if there was a security breach and your information is not secured, it is only available to people in that proximity.

But in a situation where your information is sent to a centralized information repository in digital format, all bets are off. This privacy concern is a big issue with many people and will continue to be an issue until it is addressed for good.

Medical records synchronization
Until recently with centralized information repositories, individuals being treated at different facilities could not have their information updated at the same time which could lead to healthcare providers not having updated information when they become available. However, with centralized repositories this problem has been solved, but it has given rise to the above mentioned issue of data security and protection.

High start up cost
There is a high start up cost when transforming a pen and paper system to EHR. Some physicians do not see any immediate benefit to their practice in the short run and drag their feet in implementing EHR.

Legal issues
Taking the healthcare industry to court has in the past few decades been a lucrative venture for attorneys trying to right the wrong done to a patient, whether by omission or commission.

Doctors are already practicing defensive medicine and electronic health record system brings a new potential avenue for litigation and revenue stream for lawyers. With a new system, anything can go wrong, the system could fail or the stored data stolen. Improper uses of collected information are all potential avenues for a law suit.

Gradually, electronic health record system is gaining traction. More and more doctors are embracing it, and depending on the part of the country you are looking at, conversion could be as high as 40%. With government involvement and the amount of resources it is investing, the time will come when digital medical record keeping will be the norm.

How to Get a Doctors Consent for Complementary Therapy and Alternative Medicine

During my work as a lecturer in adult Further and Higher education and also in my private practitioner work in a variety of settings, I have come to realise just how difficult it can be to obtain written consent from a G.P for a therapist to provide a treatment.

Students often struggle to be taken seriously by the medical profession, which seems to remain a difficulty for many practising complementary therapist's years down the line. I am always disappointed to learn just how little attention to detail is given by the awarding bodies to the subjects of ethics and the law in relation to Complementary therapy training leaving students and practitioners vulnerable.

Given that the government is currently striving for statutory legislation and the regulation of Complementary medicine, training providers need to be aware of the ethical considerations and implications of working with client's, especially those who are contra-indicated for treatment or who have potential to be given their medical history.

We all need to be made aware of how to work in a 'collaborative way' with all health care professionals, if we truly believe in working in a 'holistic way' and this must be an integrative part of the training process. Using a 'multi-disciplinary' approach is an essential element of working holistically requiring excellent communication skills by all concerned. Often time's students or even experienced therapists tell me that they send the 'standard' (college format) doctor's letter, but fail to get any kind of response making it either impossible for them to proceed with the treatment affecting morale and livelihood or worse; being placed in a difficult position by the client who may exert pressure on the therapist to carry out the treatment anyway.

As we live in a litigious society those therapists should not be surprised if they find themselves being taken to court. We are all aware of the increase in the litigation trend in respect of trippers and slippers, but there also appears to be a significant increase in litigation in respect of malpractice according to a variety of surveys and reports carried out by leading newspapers and insurance companies.

Outlined below are a few simple tips to help therapists in the process of obtaining consent.

A FEW SIMPLE DO'S

  • It is always advisable to create your own letter, requesting that your client takes the letter in person to obtain signatures. This can be empowering for the client as they are involved in the process. It also engages the doctor with the collaborative process.
  • In situations where this is not possible or practical speak with the doctor concerned over the phone making notes of the conversation and outcome of the discussion.
  • Feed this back to the doctor by providing a written letter confirming the content of the telecommunication. This will then cover you because it is up to the doctor to respond if he disagrees with anything you have written or if anything has been misunderstood in the communication process.
  • Be positive and proactive tell the doctor what you intend to do and keep him up to date with reports of how the treatment is going.
  • Be a reflective practitioner, let the doctor know the outcome of the treatment, which is good ethical practice and enables the doctor to understand the efficacy of the treatment.

A FEW SIMPLE DON'TS

  • Never ask for a doctor's permission because you will not get it. This in many ways would compromise the doctor's position in terms of insurance. Instead seek advice and agreement.
  • Don't be defensive the doctor is acting in the best interests of your client as you are. Try to negotiate a therapeutic intervention that you both agree on.
  • Never assume anything. Remember the three C's

  • check
  • clarify
  • confirm

ALWAYS REMEMBER TO OBTAIN YOUR CLIENTS PERMISSION TO WRITE TO OR COMMUNICATE WITH THE DOCTOR IN THE FIRST PLACE, which takes into consideration the data protection issues involved and ensures you are working within the law.

Finally, often times doctors need educating about Complementary treatments and what a complementary therapists can provide. Take this as being part of your remit; GO ON EDUCATE.

A Guide To Becoming An Orthopedic Physician Assistant

The orthopedic physician assistant salary is very high because as they are a very valuable healthcare professional. They help the healthcare industry reduce costs and help save the doctor's and patients' time. These advantages occur because orthopedic assistants perform the routine tasks of an orthopedic doctor and therefore free up valuable doctor time. They also reduce the patient waiting time. Plus, they cost less than a doctor and that's how they help keep the costs down. Here is a quick guide to the career:

Accreditation and Education

All orthopedic physician assistants must complete a physician assistant program administered by the state. They must pass the Physician Assistant's National Certifying Exam to get a license. Formal programs last between two and four years. Students learn anatomy, physiology, diagnosis, examination, biochemistry, pharmacology, clinical medicine, and clinical rotations. Those who'd like to specialize in orthopedics then have to obtain a Master's degree and relevant clinical experience.

Orthopedic physician assistants (OPA-C) are certified by the National Board for Certification of Orthopedic Physician's Assistants (NBCOPA). Another separate institution, the American Society of Orthopedic Physician's Assistants (ASOPA), looks after the continuing education and professional development programs. Orthopedic assistants must complete 100 hours of continuing education every two years. They also must get recertified after every six years.

What does an orthopedic physician assistant do?

An Orthopedic assistant provides healthcare services under the supervision of the physician. They physically examines patient, administer treatment, order tests and communicate directly with patients and physicians. The following skills are the reasons why their salary is very high and keeps increasing with experience. Here is an exhaustive list of duties:

Orders or administers x-rays, lab tests, ECGs, etc.

Physically examines the patient to understand his condition.

Checks patient's medical history. Communicates effectively with patients. Guides them about treatment options, health maintenance issues, emotional issues, and more.

Interprets test results, makes diagnosis and then decides the treatment. Prescribes medicines after getting approval of physician.

Compiles and records patient's medical data including progress notes and physical examination results.

Administers therapeutic procedures such as immunization, wound suture, infection management, etc.

Visits patients (if working in a hospital) on rounds, updates their progress, orders tests and therapies, and reports back to the physician.

Supervises technicians.

Assists during surgeries or in other complex medical processes.

Orders lab supplies.

What does an orthopedic physician assistant know and what are their skills?

It is important for an orthopedic physician assistant to know medicine and dentistry. They must be thorough in diagnosing and treating injuries, diseases and deformities. They should also possess an excellent knowledge of biology - tissues, cells, their functions, interactions, etc. They also learn psychology as they must understand each patient's difference in ability and personality.

They also must learn how to communicate effectively (speaking and writing) with patients and provide excellent customer service. They also has excellent working knowledge in therapeutics and counseling, and in chemistry. In addition, they are expected to know sociology and anthropology, mathematics, public safety, administrative work, law, computers and physics - but they need not be an expert at these.

An orthopedic assistant is an active and patient listener, an artful speaker, a stickler for detail, and a cool-headed person who uses logic, science rules, mathematics and reasoning before arriving at any conclusion. They have a great memory and also monitor and coordinate with people working in the same department or medical procedure. Obtaining this knowledge and skills takes some doing and that is why an orthopedic physician assistant salary is higher than the salary of other from other specialties.

Physical traits of an orthopedic physician assistant

All orthopedic assistants work in a pressure cooker environment standing on their feet and even exerting their body. They must be mentally and physically tough. It is important for them to be able to match colors or differentiate between them easily. The assistant must possess a strong core because they have to continuously stand or kneel and that requires a strong back and abdominal muscles.

They must possess rock-steady hands that can physically examine or administer treatment without slipping up or shaking. They should be able to keep their arm steady while being in one position for a long time. They will be required to handle and move objects and equipment and will also be involved in their installation and positioning. They also should possess excellent far vision.

Orthopedic physician assistant salary and career path

On an average and depending on the institution, their salary is around $90,000. They may also get a performance-linked bonus of around $20,000 (Source: Indeed.com). This salary is for a 40-hour week and does not include other benefits such as malpractice insurance, paid time off, retirement benefits, etc.

A private practice will pay lesser than an outpatient care center, which in turn will pay lesser than a hospital. Inner city healthcare centers pay higher wages as compared to rural centers. Pay increases with experience and orthopedic physician assistants with 4-5 years of experience can even command a salary of $150,000/year.

This guide covered the role of an orthopedic PA. If you want information in detail and want to know about state laws that govern the practice, please visit your state's employment website.

Mesothelioma Law Services

With the recognition and establishment of the root cause of Mesothelioma, law services have equipped themselves to counter effect its fallout. This cancerous disease may not be detected at its early stages and may serve as a hurdle during court proceedings. The condition does not arise immediately after asbestos exposure and may develop years later, when a person may work elsewhere or may have even retired. Specialist lawyers, who understand the disease, its implications and outcomes, offer mesothelioma law services.

When selecting a service, it is important to find a reputed mesothelioma law service. This is because most of these cases are filed against established companies who may employ tactics to mislead court or mask information. An initial failure can delay the entire procedure but not eliminate the chances of receiving a favorable verdict for plaintiffs. This is because, the law has incorporated provisions that define mesothelioma and a victim can prove this with the help of medical reports and employment terms and conditions with the defaulting company. Mesothelioma law services are designed to help recover compensation related to medical expenses, loss of job, financial crunches and after effects of the disease.

Mesothelioma law service providers are compassionate professionals who can offer information regarding lung cancer, treatment choices and even provide a support system when victims need it most. When providing such law services, lawyers usually take up limited cases simultaneously in order to represent a case as best as they can. Company denials and malpractices in relation to asbestos exposure have resulted in numerous related litigation and claims. Specialized Mesothelioma law firms work to safeguard the interest of plaintiffs. Since different states are guided by specific rules, every American state has specialized Mesothelioma lawyers and law firms. They provide proactive services and are known to file class action lawsuits against companies that do not pay heed to the ill effects of asbestos.

Family Practice Locums Jobs

Newly graduated physicians, especially those who do not have to fulfill any pressing personal responsibilities, may choose to find a locum tenens job in order to test the professional environment. This opportunity is highly beneficial for individuals who are not sure in what type of institute they would like to practice medicine. By experiencing a wide range of professional contexts the physician is able to assess the one that is most appropriate for him.

Generally, locums are required to possess the skills and abilities needed to successfully perform the job of the family practice physician. This may include but not be limited to; performing physicals, interpreting the results blood analyses, performing acute non-invasive procedures, assessing illness and referring patients to the appropriate specialist. Aside for those duties that are directly related to patient contact, the family practice locum must also adapt to the immediate social environment. Since staff members such as medical secretaries, nurses assistants, registered nurses and office administrators are not used to working with the locum, a period of social adaptation must traversed. If there is some degree of conflict between the locum and staff members then social adaptation to the environment could be jeopardized. In most contexts the locum must undergo a training period during which he has the opportunity to develop rapport with coworkers.

When medical students finish their studies they may not seek to immediately pass the board. Most family practice locum jobs offer a convenient alternative because they do not require a state board license, but only state board eligibility. If a physician spends several years working as a locum he may reside in many different states before finally settling for a staff position. If all medical establishments required that the locum possess a state license , they would quickly limit the number of potential applicants.

Although family practice locums do not receive the same salary as staff physicians they do usually earn six figure incomes even for temporary work. For example, a locum may be hired to help a community clinic that has been affected by particular epidemic such as the flu. The assignment may only require the locum to work for a maximum of two weeks. However, the remuneration for the given time period will be adjusted to the expected salary on a year long basis. If the salary is $120,000 per year, a two week assignment may be worth 5,000.

While employed by a qualifying medical institution, the locum will usually receive the same benefits as the staff physician, which may include full health insurance as well as company paid malpractice coverage. If the locum was hired to replace a staff physician on temporary leave it is expected of him to uphold the same schedule and on call availability. In some cases, especially if the physician had full list of patients, the locum may have to undergo a chaotic adaptation period.

Cancer Curing Brain Theory Concept, Part III

As I continue my theory on curing cancer I wish to further CYA my position. I am not a medical doctor, thank god actually, because the malpractice insurance would drive me nuts. Also since I am not in the medical field at all you cannot sue me for this idea, concept of mine. Now then continuing Part III.

Chemo that is directly induced where needed might work, but we have better technology now and could use specific fluid dynamic beams of energy or radiation pointed at the exact source and area or even non-evasive light. Now then here is some additional information: it is now possible to send thoughts by fax through three-dimensional spatial representation of the brain in hologram video. We have hologram faxing available and Brain Surgeons are using this to show damage in the brain. The guy who thought of it had my friend in Malibu working for his company in LA. Now they can transmit this data by fax, three-dimensional faxing, like sending a cad cam design computer, but you can now fax it with special machinery.

Now we maybe able to use this same idea to send a thought. This relates to my theory of cancer curing so follow along. Wow, eventually the devise would be very small the size of a dime or so to send and receive data or thoughts by way of this devise, this is way in the future, but it could be available to the common man in 20 years or so. Now before this technology gets this small and nano-tech achieves these seemingly impossible feats we can use the basic concept to record a thought for my cancer experiment.

Now just think about this for a second. There have been cancer survivors with very positive thought patterns and attitudes and part of the reason they lived and others died may have been just that. We must mirror these thoughts of strength, character and attitude and place these thought patterns in those who do not have them. We can look into the thought patterns of many cancer survivors and take those and average them and mimic them and place them in the patients. Duplicate them with TMS through fMRI scanning and send those impulses to those areas of the brain of the patient.

Strong patients will be best since those thought patterns can converge. All we have to do is isolate the things I have discussed before in my many articles and in my brain research with regards to the 10,000 chemicals of the brain 2000 interacting at any one time and 200 prevalent. Take the ten strongest components of the 200 and experiment with them. What we are looking for in those miraculous cases, why did they survive, what makes them different, why do some die and others live? We look at the brain areas which light up and release the cancer fighting biological components in each strong willed survivor. We find common ground and record it, then hook a machine up to stimulate those parts of the brain in the other cancer fighting folks.

First we try the first experiment by placing thought of one persons brain into that of another, and yes as strange as this sounds I do believe it is totally possible and as the future marches on, very probable. This experiment to prove my hypothesis takes two people from the same mom, preferably brothers or sisters of the same mom and dad and hopefully born within a short time frame (2-3 years). Grew up and were nurtured by the same parents. Similar birth dates. Twins would also be good for this. To prove my experiment first; You separate the twins by 4000 miles but both at the same altitude preferably sea level. Similar longitude with similar magnetic pulls and similar gravity pull of the Earth; this will make sure that the oxygen level in the brain is similar and it will be a non-artificial environment, not a clean room.

Next; You then hook up a brain scanner that records a thought, a complex one, simple one first time. Then record where in the brain the energy is located in sequence during the thought. This is done all the time. It will take a controlled thought and focused thought at first. Next you send the digital thought sequences to the other coast. You could also fax that three-dimensional model to the East Coast or Pacific side or where you are, and hook up the data and the model to the brother or sister. And recreate the exact impulses where they occurred in the last person on the west coast or East Coast. Provided the diets are similar and the intake is similar, oxygen level, basic genetics are similar, you should have it. The same basic thought. Recorded transferred and sent and then duplicated, Thought transfer.

Now that would be a worthy accomplishment in itself but the possibilities for cancer fighting would be amazing indeed. Now obviously you do not reveal the thought to the other person, let them tell you what the thought is or was. A thought is recorded and therefore timeless. Thoughts can travel through time at least we can travel thoughts to the future. Just like knowledge. Or at least this has been theorized by many including Einstein. Now for my experiment once concept of thought transfer is proven: Now after this is done, you take a cancer survivors abilities of focusing in their own your body, mimic the diet and intake of that person with the patient anywhere in the world.

End of Part III

How Bankruptcy Is a Solution to Debt Problems

Bankruptcy is considered to be the last resort or ultimate solution to most debt problems. If you have excessive credit card debt or other bills such as medical debts, utilities, foreclosures, tax debts, domestic relations proceeding, contingency lawsuits, professional malpractice debts, etc., you could wipe all of them out by declaring bankruptcy. However making the decision of filing bankruptcy is not an easy task for most people as it involves a lot of careful financial pre-planning, legal advice and future consequences.

The US Bankruptcy Court advises people to take the following precautions when filing for bankruptcy. The rules surrounding bankruptcy filings are very technical, and a misstep may affect a debtor's rights and thus your eligibility for filing bankruptcy. For instance, a debtor's case for filing bankruptcy may be dismissed for failing to submit a required document such as a credit counselling certificate, revenue and expenses report, SIN card, etc.

i) Bankruptcy is a long term decision and has lots of consequences in the future. It is therefore advised to hire a competent bankruptcy lawyer or attorney who has many years of experience and 100% success rate.

ii) Watch out for companies advertising that they can help you file for bankruptcy for cheaper than a bankruptcy attorney can; most of the times, these companies are not really out to help you but just to scam you off your money. These companies by law, are not permitted to help clients file for bankruptcy, they can only help you fill out the bankruptcy forms. A bankruptcy attorney on the other hand has the knowledge and expertise to give you legal advice, answer all of your questions and assist you through all legal court proceedings as well as set you up for credit counselling services from a qualified credit counsellor.

One of the most powerful features of filing for bankruptcy is that it stops debt collectors from calling you, harassing or threatening you to pay outstanding debts. Once you file for bankruptcy, all debt collection activity must go through the bankruptcy court and creditors cannot take any further action against you. Upon filing for bankruptcy, something called the "automatic stay" will go in to effect. This automatic stay prohibits creditors and collection agencies from contacting you or taking any action against you, except for certain secured debts (discussed below). Let's go over some of the debts that can be discharged through your bankruptcy and for which debt collectors cannot take any action against you.

TIP: You do not need bankruptcy to stop your creditors from calling you or threatening or harassing you. You can instead write a Stop Contacting Me letter to your debt collectors and under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA), your creditors will legally not be allowed to contact you for debt collection calls. Instead of them threatening you on the phone, you could threaten them to refer their phone call to the police if they do not stop calling you.

i) Credit card debt, medical bills or attorney fees

All debt collection activity relating to credit card debts, medical bills or attorney fees must stop once you file for bankruptcy. Creditors may not file a lawsuit against you and even if they do, they will not be able to proceed in court because you have the automatic stay (see above). Creditors may also NOT record liens against your property, forcefully seize your property (which makes their debt collection threats meaningless), or report your debts to a credit bureau. Also, any incorrect information they spread about your bankruptcy filing is a violation of the automatic stay and is illegal in the eyes of the law.

ii) Public Benefits

Bankruptcy protects you from government agencies cutting or terminating your public benefits such as Medicaid, Social Security Income or any welfare benefits you are receiving. The only time they can terminate your public services is if you naturally become ineligible for them.

iii) Criminal Proceedings

Collection of criminal fines, debts or penalties including fines for criminal proceedings cannot be stayed from bankruptcy. If you have criminal proceedings, you will still have to go through them with your bankruptcy filing pending.

iv) Home Foreclosure

Home foreclosure proceedings can be initially stayed when you file for bankruptcy, however a builder or your mortgage bank can ask the judge to lift the stay and proceed with the home foreclosure; thus you should NOT count on bankruptcy to terminate your home foreclosure proceeding. This means homes and mortgages taken out on homes are not subject to bankruptcy protection. Also, the automatic stay does not apply if you filed another bankruptcy within the last two years and the court in that proceeding allowed the lender to proceed with the foreclosure process because of a determination that you filed bankruptcy as a way to improperly transfer your wealth or interests, hinder or defraud creditors or a scheme of multiple bankruptcy filings. In summary, you cannot prevent home foreclosure by filing a series of bankruptcies.

v) Evictions

An automatic bankruptcy stay cannot stop an eviction if the landlord already had a judgment allowing him to evict you from his property before the bankruptcy was filed. Also, the landlord may proceed with eviction proceedings against the tenant if he can prove that the tenants' say in the property poses a danger such as illegal drug use, chemical grow ops, etc.

vi) Utilities

Utility companies providing you with gas, water, electricity, heating oil or telephone service may not discontinue service as a result of you filing for bankruptcy. However, they have the right to shut off your service 20 days after you file for bankruptcy if you do not give them a deposit or other means of assuring future payments of bills.

vii) Income Taxes

An automatic stay stops the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) from issuing a lien on your taxes or seizing your property or income. However, the IRS can still demand the following tax files from you:

* File a tax return
* Conduct a tax audit
* Issue a tax deficiency notice
* Seize your income tax refund to pay a prior year's tax debt.