Cosmetic Surgeon - How to Choose the Right Surgeon For Your Procedure

Choosing a cosmetic surgery procedure may be an easy decision, but picking a cosmetic surgeon can be much more difficult. You'll have to consider skill level, bedside manner, location, and even availability. Here are some of the most important considerations to take into account when choosing the perfect cosmetic surgeon.

1. Check Credentials

A plastic surgeon should always be board-certified, have many years of experience, specialize or have significant experience with the specific procedure you're considering, and have gone to an accredited medical school. It's also wise to check the cosmetic surgeon's past history. Check for malpractice suits by doing an extensive search on the internet. Some states also release certain records to the public. See if these area available where you live.

2. Consult with Several Surgeons

When making a big decision, it is important to explore a variety of options. After narrowing down your initial research to a handful of qualified surgeons, choose three to four for an initial consultation. Many times these consultations are free or the cost will be deducted if you choose to undergo the procedure with that particular surgeon. Meeting with different cosmetic surgeons will help you compare prices, techniques, and bedside manner.

3. Experience

Many surgeons perform multiple procedures, but often times they specialize in a particular technique or with a specific area of the body. This does not mean that you necessarily need to choose the top cosmetic surgeon in his field, but many patients feel more comfortable choosing a surgeon that has a more limited scope of practice.

Some surgeries are more straightforward to perform than others. The average breast augmentation is generally a fairly routine cosmetic surgery while nose jobs tend to be less predictable and more individualized. Generally, the more complex of difficult the surgery, the wiser it is to choose a specialist.

4. Bedside Manner

Although credentials and skill trump the most pleasant of plastic surgeons, bedside manner is still an important factor to take into consideration. You should feel a certain level of comfort and confidence in surgeon and the care you will be receiving.

Does the surgeon answer your questions completely and honestly? Is he available if complications arise? How accessible is his office and staff? Does he take his time and not rush you during the consultation? These are all important questions to ask when making a decision.

5. Location

Unless you're particularly lucky or live in a large city, you might have to make some travel accommodations for your cosmetic surgery. Some people don't mind traveling great distances for specialist or top doctors, while others simply can't afford the expense.

You'll also have to consider spending a few days at a local hotel immediately following the surgery before you're fit enough to travel back home, as well as the possibility of having hiring a nurse to assist you or a trusted friend who can accompany you.

If travel expenses are simply out of your budget, be sure that more local options are just as desirable, or consult with your surgeon's office to see if they can be of assistance in finding you a more affordable deal.

Four Issues of Mental Healthcare Reform That Still Need Improvement

Healthcare reform is becoming a reality and the importance of mental health and behavioral healthcare is receiving due notice. We find evidence of this achievement throughout the healthcare reform law - mental health and substance use services must be provided by all plans that participate in the new exchanges, and these benefits must be offered at parity. Healthcare home and Accountable Care Organization pilots must address substance use and mental health disorders. Additionally, the law includes a number of provisions specific to mental health and substance use, including authorization for new grants to co-locate services as well as new workforce development grants.

Even with all the progress that has been made, many areas of policy and payment need to be improved for the behavioral health sector to fulfill its intended role in a reformed healthcare system. National and community mental health organizations around U.S. are committed to advancing the following issues:

1.) Extension of the temporary Federal Medicaid Assistance Percentage increase

As part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, Congress provided a temporary increase to the Federal Medicaid Assistance Percentage to help cash-strapped states meet their Medicaid obligations. An extension of this important provision is critical, given the combination of state revenue projections and Medicaid growth.

2.) Federal policy and payment equity for behavioral health organizations

In recognition of the healthcare access and use challenges confronting communities that are low income or have high rates of illness and few medical providers, Congress has enacted a number of policy and payment preferences for "safety net" providers, including enhanced reimbursement under Medicaid, federal funding to provide care to uninsured people, loan guarantees, and access to federally subsidized malpractice insurance. Unfortunately, the safety net does not offer equity. To correct this situation, mental health advocates are working with other national organizations to advance the notion of federally qualified behavioral health centers. This effort includes establishing national treatment and reporting standards for organizations that choose to obtain this designation as well as a proposed reimbursement model that more accurately reflects the costs of providing services.

3.) Healthcare information technology funding fix

For healthcare reform to be successful, all medical providers need to share information to better coordinate care, reduce inefficiencies, and improve client outcomes. Behavioral healthcare providers need access to federal funding for the meaningful use of health IT (information technology). One solution is to extend Medicare and Medicaid facility payments to community mental health and addiction organizations as well as private and public psychiatric hospitals.

4.) Medicare parity implementation

In June 2008, Congress enacted payment parity in Medicare's Part B benefit, which provides copayment equity for mental health and addiction services. Although this is an important step, much more needs to be done in Medicare for there to be true parity. First, the types of outpatient mental health interventions paid for by Medicare need to be extended to include, for example, case management, psychiatric rehabilitation, and other intensive community-based interventions. Medicare also must recognize mental health counselors and marriage and family therapists as independent practitioners.

The policy successes of the last few years would not have been possible without the active involvement of advocates of mental healthcare - down to the individual level. Passage of healthcare reform is only the first of many steps necessary to improve the lives of people with addiction disorders and mental illness. National and community mental health organizations must continue to reply on the support and voice of the general public to bring this "unfinished business" to completion.

Choosing the Right Hospital and Doctor

There are several things you need to be concerned about when a family member is in the hospital. You want to make sure they are receiving the best care possible. Some of the more modern designed hospitals have good hospital lighting and the children's department may have cloud light panels which makes the room more cheery. While things like that are important to the hospital they should not be on your list of things to stress about. There are many more important issues you need to be contemplating. Many people tend to worry about mundane things when they are worried or stressed.

There are several ways you can ensure your loved ones get the best care. One thing you can do is have met with a doctor and if he qualifies in your book, have him be your family doctor for whenever someone in your family is injured or not well. That way you know the doctor before hand and you know that he knows what he is doing. If anything this will give you a piece of mind and maybe one less thing to stress about. If someone you love is in critical condition you need to solely be focused on getting them the best possible outcome.

If you do not have a close personal doctor, the hospital has many well qualified doctors on staff to care for you. If it is a teaching hospital, you will more than likely have very good care from both well established specialists and residents in training to provide the best care for you. So even though it may seem like a big deal, it is not that bad. Many hospitals are well known for their advanced technologies and services they provide for patients, for example, cardiovascular care, organ transplants, cancer treatment, or women's health. Some hospitals are well known for their excellent neonatal intensive care unit for premature babies. Another hospital may be recognized for its outstanding trauma care for patients who are in critical condition. There are many famous health institutions that have a landing pad for helicopters for patients who are in dire need of medical attention. It is a good idea for you or a family member check out the qualifications of your physician. You can look on the internet to see what medical school your doctor attended and where they did their residency in addition to any other qualifications they may have. One can also check with the state medical board if any complaints or malpractice suits have been filed. You have to weigh the pros and cons. In the end it is up to you to decide, but it is not a decision that should, in any way, be taken lightly.

A big issue that some people have to face is being in a hospital in a foreign country. This can be an extremely scary situation. There are many issues that someone in the predicament would face. One of the huge problems would be the language barrier. If you cannot communicate with the doctor you will have no idea what is going on and it can but the patient in a very bad situation. It can put the patient in a very bad situation. If you can communicate with the doctor and he or she says that the patient is able to be moved it is probably a very good idea to air lift them to a familiar hospital, or at least one in your home country.

Hiring A Cerebral Palsy Lawyer

Disorders associated with cerebral palsy are not due to any problems with the muscles or nerves. Impaired motor areas in the brain cause these problems. The affected regions of the brain disrupt its ability to control movement and posture. The condition is typically noticeable within the first few years of life. It does not get worse with time, but it does make life difficult for patients and their families.

Parents are often clueless as to the causes of their child's cerebral palsy. In most cerebral palsy diagnoses, the direct causes for the birth injury will never be known. This makes it very difficult to hold a person or institution responsible. Pinpointing the cause will not undo the damage that has already been done. However, if compensation is granted, it will help the affected family deal with the lifelong medical costs associated with the illness.

This is where Cerebral Palsy lawyers come in. Lawyers who specialize in a field like cerebral palsy will be able to evaluate a case and offer practical advice. So, if one is planning to hire a cerebral palsy lawyer, it is essential to find out about the lawyer's background. This can be done by asking for details regarding cases handled and compensations awarded.

If your child has been diagnosed with cerebral palsy, or you are concerned that your child might have cerebral palsy, you would be well advised to approach a cerebral palsy support group. All your questions related to the diagnostic process will get answered here. If not then you will be directed to experts who can answer your questions satisfactorily. If you suspect malpractice then approach a lawyer. An experienced lawyer will be able to guide you on the kinds of tests to be taken. Several tests can be used to determine the severity of cerebral palsy.

Cerebral palsy lawyers usually do not change fees upfront. Once the case is over and compensation has been awarded, then the lawyers are paid a percentage of the compensation.

Hypnotism - Why Learn It?

Clinically or scientifically defined as the act, practice, or theory of inducing hypnosis, hypnotism has been used by trained medical professionals.

Primarily, hypnotism is used to treat people afflicted with psychological and even medical ailments. Hypnotist is the term that is used to describe people who perform hypnosis.

Hypnotism, as a practice is not new. In fact, historical records show that it has been used by some members of particular civilizations since the dawn of history. Due to misuse, however, the otherwise useful practice has been looked down upon in many cultures.

Apart from malpractice of some who perform hypnotism, the practice has also been condemned due to false beliefs and blown-up claims.

In recent times, however, certain organizations and institutions advocate the practice of hypnotism. Some even promotes its use in the medical and scientific field.

Thanks to years of patient research and studies conducted by scientists, the bad rap against hypnotism is continuously being unmasked. The common belief that hypnosis is somehow related to some voodoo practice is slowly becoming an old wives tale.

The belief that a person can be hypnotized without consent has been revealed false in public by some scientific experts. In truth, the consent of an individual is essential in order for hypnotism to work effectively.

The hypnotist and the person that is about to be hypnotized should work in proper cooperation to yield positive results. The internal and external experience of an individual is altered through hypnotism.

Perhaps, one of the most important factors that gave hypnosis its negative reputation is its exploitation. There was a time when some individuals who claim to practice hypnotism perform hypnosis in public.

The subject of this anomalous public display is made to perform a number of things in public without his consent.

The time Hollywood got a hold of this hype, hypnosis became a household name despite its negative connotations. The false presentation of hypnotism in films created a huge impact on its negative reputation. The erroneous belief about hypnotism wrecked the otherwise very useful practice.

In order for a person to learn how to hypnotize, it is important for him or her to learn the basics first. Despite hypnotism's origin from the Greek word hypnos, which literary means sleep, it really has nothing to do with slumber.

Hypnosis is characterized by a dream or trance-like situation similar to sleepwalking. It is an elevated state of awareness in which the subject, in full awareness, can walk, talk, and write.

Contrary to common notion, people who are hypnotized are totally aware of their environment. Making them do things against their will is not possible. One of the most usual methods to hypnotize people is via the use of language.

Through this, language is utilized to guide the person in a way wherein his or her state of awareness is altered.

Effects of hypnotism may vary from person to person. Sensitive people, for instance, may experience a varied degree of awareness. In fact, he or she may become more responsive or sensitive to suggestions.

As proven scientific research shows, the function of a person can be significantly changed through effective methods.

It also goes without saying that the experiences that people may encounter during hypnosis are unique to other experiences. There are people who respond easily to suggestions even when they are not under hypnosis.

Due to this, they may have heightened response when hypnotized. Other effects resulting to hypnotism are paralysis, blushing, muscle tensing, sweating, and many other peculiar reactions.

If you really need to know more about hypnotism, you can conduct extensive research on the subject through the Internet. You may also get in touch with people who perform authentic hypnosis. When used right, hypnotism can do wonders.

Obviously you easily become aware of your ever-growing desire to learn more.

Complete In Depth Analysis of Physical Therapy Education

Physical therapy education is mandatory for anyone who wishes to specialize in the same. An in depth course of the different muscle, bone and other body parts will be learned so as the student in question can exercise competency.

Structure of learning

Physical therapy education involves three major parts:

1. Classroom set up
2. Practicing theoretical bit in a health facility
3. Getting licensed

Basics of the specialty have to be learned in a classroom set up. However, there is the option of taking online classes that can still the same purpose of going to an actual class. It all depends on the availability and preference of the person in question. A lot of information is acquired from a lecture. Different part of the body; both skeletal and muscle parts are learned at lectures.

After the classroom bit, the student is supposed to be able to apply everything learned in the class on a patient situation and these situations are internships. When presented with a situation regarding their specialty, they should be able to diagnose or at least do whatever is required of them.

Licensing is the final procedure and path to landing a spot in the medical world. Different states have different licensure exams and requirements. In order for anyone to be allowed to practice, everything leaned, and then passing the test is a must.

Continuing courses

Continuing courses are mandatory because of efficiency. Course has to be taken after a period of time because it is possible that a few individuals must have forgotten some basics that would cause malpractice. In addition, in order to avoid such the courses have to be taken. Different forms of the continuing courses exist:

1. Online classes
2. Lectures at specified universities or colleges.
3. Medical conferences
4. Medical workshops

It is possible for one to choose whichever refresher course or medium. However, in some cases one will have to choose what is acceptable in a certain state, medical facility or hospital.

Core distinctive courses

Physical therapy education is dependent on the specification of the party taking the course. There are those who want to be technicians in the same practice and the courses taken will differ from those desiring to be aides. With the latter, they have to shadow a recognized and licensed specialist. Others would want to specialize in the sports thus will have to intern at sport oriented clinics. Physical therapy education worth it because once you have it, then getting a job will not be hard. If you decide to be an aide then you will take the courses for a few months. Higher level of education means more money and more school time.

What Is the State of Employment in Relation to Physician Assistant Jobs?

As with all jobs, the state of employment in relation to physician assistant jobs can vary in numbers from year to year. However, there has been a steady increase in the demand for medical personnel across the world due to the rising population. In fact, the prospects in this profession are good.

In 2008 alone, in the US, fifty-six percent of PAs worked out of medical clinics or doctor's offices. Whereas only twenty-four percent found employment in hospitals, with the rest finding work in home care agencies, prisons, schools, old people's homes and publicly run health care type clinics.

With the growing demand on doctors, the need for physician assistants is expected to rise, making the number of jobs available to increase by as much as twenty-seven percent by 2016. In fact, this expected increase in the number of physician assistant jobs makes it the fastest growing occupation in the medical profession. Of course, this is because of varied factors, such as:

  • shortened resident doctor working hours
  • the containment of costs
  • an increased aging population
  • an ever-expanding industry in health care

In relation to malpractice insurance coverage, PAs do not have the coverage that doctors do, though they have amongst the highest in the medical industry. These can range from one hundred thousand to three hundred thousand dollars, though the coverage can be higher and more expensive for those in higher-risk types of specialties.

One of the things to consider if you are looking for physician assistant jobs is that according to major economic magazines, this profession is one of the 5th best in the US today. Not only are the salaries good, but the prospects for jobs over the next ten years are expected to grow even higher than expected. The average salary alone starts at about one hundred thousand dollars per year, and can go as high as two hundred thousand dollars.

What You Should Know About Obesity As A Deadly Disease

Did you know that obesity is now classified as a disease and that physicians are compelled by medical ethics to offer treatment for all diseases? Weight control experts believe that obesity carries medical risks so severe that for a physician to delay offering treatment would be a form of malpractice. What does your doctor say about your weight?

Not only will you reverse a multitude of disease risks if you lose weight, you will acquire a new sense of self-esteem and improved quality of life. Certainly, to be able to find and utilize the opportunity to achieve weight loss and the attendant benefits is your desire.

Obesity and Diseases

Excessive body fat is associated with increased risks of disease. For example, even a modest weight gain during adulthood brings an increased risk of diabetes among women. Excess weight has been named as the cause of up to half of all cases of hypertension, and thus increases the risk of stroke.

Often weight loss alone can normalize the blood pressure of an over weight person; some people who suffer from hypertension can tell you exactly at what weight their blood pressure begins to rise.
Being over weight also triples a person's risk of developing diabetes and all of its associated ills. If hypertension or diabetes runs in your family you urgently need to attend to controlling body over weight.

The unhealthy risks of over weight are so many that it has been declared a disease. Obesity, in addition to diabetes and hypertension predispose other health risks such as high blood lipids, Cardiovascular disease, sleep apnea (abnormal pauses in breathing during slept)

Other serious health conditions associated with Obesity are: Osteoarthritis, abdominal hernias, cancer, varicose veins, gout, gallbladder disease, arthritis, respiratory problems (including pickwickian syndrome, a breathing blockage linked with sudden death) liver malfunction, complications in pregnancy and surgery, flat feet, and even a high accident rate.

Moreover, after the effects of diagnosed disease are taken into account, the risk of death from other causes remains almost twice as high for people with lifelong obesity as for others.

Rate of weight loss

Successful long term weight control requires controlled low loss of body fat without cyclic "on-again off-again" dieting. Losing a pound a week helps maintain muscle while preferentially losing fat tissues.

Commit to exercising for life

Exercising for life helps keep the body engine revved up, so that more calories are burned by muscle and less insulin is required to dispose of elevated blood sugar following meals. Even a daily half-hour of vigorous walking will help maintain weight.

Commit to changing eating habit.

Your diet is the basis of your health. Eating right or wrong makes you either over weight or drives your over weight to obesity levels. Let your nutritionist or doctor guide you, so that you consume only the necessary calories and at the required intervals

BODY MASS INDEX

(BMI) is a standard for body weight based upon the measurements of height and weight. This is one of the most useful relationships; it can be used to asses health risks associated with overweight and it can be used as a therapeutic guide. There is a high degree of correlation between BMI and body fast. BMI is based upon surveys of lean adult between the age of 20 and 29 to calculate the index of fatness.

BMI = Weight(kg)/height(m)2

Take care of your weight before it becomes a source of serious health problems.

Are Rates Out Of Control In The Health Insurance Market

With another election cycle beginning you are starting to hear lots of conversation about health insurance and how each party has its own way to fix this so-called dilemma. However have you ever really looked at the health insurance market to see what drives the prices and what you might be able to do to try and save you and your family some money on your premiums? First let's look at what you as a consumer can do to get your own premiums down.

Start by looking at your policy carefully and see if you have any coverage that is not necessary. For example if you are woman and you are finished having children or do not plan on having any you may want to consider dropping your maternity coverage. This coverage is very expensive and will raise your premiums every year because the older you become the higher risk you become if you get pregnant. So if you don't need the coverage you should talk to your agent or human resource department at work to remove the coverage.

Another option especially if you are healthy and do not currently even meet your deductibles is switching to a health savings account (HSA). These accounts cover you in the event that you become seriously ill or injured. They have higher deductibles but they can often times save you 60% on your monthly premiums. You also take pre tax money and put it into an interest bearing checking account to be used for any medical services. For example you can spend it on eye exams or even dental checkups.

Have you ever wondered why in the world these premiums are so high any way? There are a couple of reasons. One is because those that are giving the services such as doctors and hospitals are charging more because many people that use these services don't pay their bills. So they try to make up their losses somehow and that is done by charging those of us that they know they are going to get paid by more. This reason increases our insurance rates.

Then you have unnecessary litigation. People have become "sue happy" and people sitting on juries have gone temporarily insane when awarding verdicts. This has caused malpractice insurance for doctors to rise and they again pass on these additional costs to those of us that are going to pay the bill. This keeps our premiums unnecessarily high.

Finally, insurance companies are being sued to cover just about every illness and every pre existing condition and this is hurting their bottom line so they keep our rates high so their profit margin stays steady. It is important that we have insurance to cover us when we get sick or injured. It is also necessary to try and get your costs down by making as many changes to your policy that you can reasonable afford to do. Understanding the underlying reasons for high health insurance rates can help us get to a point where everyone can afford coverage.

Physician Recruitment and Retention Strategies

Many medical facilities battle the challenges that come with physician recruitment and retention. Building and maintaining a safe, profitable, and stable office, hospital or any other medical facility depends on more than just the management. Every person involved in your organization needs to be committed to excellence. Because of this, most medical facility owners seriously consider who they hire-but how many seriously consider how they hire? Believe it or not, how a company hires their physicians can play a huge role in its ability to recruit and retain physicians.

Many medical facilities struggle with retaining quality physicians who are committed to helping the facility deliver top-notch services. Some reasons for a physician's voluntary resignation might be that they are unhappy with the practice's culture, unsatisfied with the community, seeking higher compensation or wanting a different work schedule. However significant it may seem, income does not drive a physician's overall practice satisfaction and does not have to be the only determiner of your recruitment and retention success.

Before you begin the interview process, make sure that you have a clear understanding of what each candidate can bring to the job. It's also important to be clear in the job description so that each potential interviewee has a good idea of what his or her future with your company could be.

During the interview process, it's important to invite the highly considered candidates for an onsite interview. Offering to pay for your interviewees' travel and lodging expenses will help your potential physicians establish a positive opinion about your company. Keep in mind that their decisions on accepting your job offer will affect their families-so include their spouses in the process by inviting them to ask questions and visit the facility.

If the interview is successful, spend time negotiating a fair employment agreement. Describe duties and the call schedules, and be willing to explain how the schedule would compare to other physicians in the office. If you specify the minimum number of work hours, be sure to also declare the maximum.

Discuss the compensation package that your new physician will receive. Points of discussion should include base salary as well as other incentives. Often, pay-for-performance programs, bonuses, and things such as relocation expense reimbursements help give your vacant job the appealing advantage that it needs to recruit the most qualified physicians. For even more recruitment incentives you may consider agreeing to pay your physician's malpractice tail insurance upon their job expiration or termination of employment.

Each new physician employment agreement should define whether or not he or she is on the track to becoming a potential shareholder. If that is in the agreement, provide descriptions of when the physician might expect this opportunity and the possible cost of buying in.

Before your physician begins his or her new job, make sure he or she has the proper training on all of your facility's patient care systems. This could range from software training to referring patients to outside specialized physicians, prescription refill policies, or even the steps your office takes in handling medical emergencies.

Once everything is in place, welcome the physician to the staff and connect him or her with the physician chief, nursing supervisor, and administrator. Particularly for the beginning months of the physician's time on the job, make sure he or she is feeling comfortable in his or her performance. You can do this by scheduling formal monthly or quarterly performance reviews.

Sometimes the most difficult step in the recruiting and retention process is finding candidates to interview. This first step can be done in several ways. Some depend on word of mouth and outside medical contacts to recommend a job or a physician, while others use a physician recruitment firm. A physician recruitment or staffing agency can speed up your hiring process, and a reliable one will put you in touch with physicians that are most qualified to fill you vacant positions. Some firms even offer locum tenens staffing services to help fill vacancies while you recruit permanent physicians, cover short-term absences, or build a new programs or service lines. As you improve you recruitment and retention efforts you will realize that your business' success does not solely depend on who you hire, but also how you hire.

Remedy for Menopause

The end of menstruation is celebrated in some cultures and matriarchal women of advanced age are honored and revered for their knowledge and wisdom.

European and American woman customarily reach menopause (on average) at age 51. Some women may reach menopause earlier or later than this.

Perimenopausal, pre menopausal, and early menopausal woman reach menopause earlier than this and in some instances, significantly so. Women diagnosed as early menopausal can display signs of menopause as early as age 25, though this is a rarity.

While there is not remedy for menopause there are remedies for the associative symptoms congruent with menopause. Women of menopausal age are frequently encumbered with a variety of irritating and in some cases, life-altering symptoms. It is these symptoms, not menopause itself that can be treated.

The efficacy, safety and effectiveness of the various types of remedy for menopause treatments vary wildly. The range of effectiveness and safety starts from what one might expect from a placebo all the way to life-threatening, and everything in-between.

The search for a truly safe and effective remedy for menopause symptoms can be an up-hill arduous one, fraught with frustration and real danger.

The most well known and risk laden of all remedy for menopause treatments ever devised to assuage symptoms associated with menopause is known as hormone replacement therapy, or simply HRT. With its introduction in the mid-60s, women everywhere and the worldwide medical community embraced its use. It was then and is now among the most effective at reducing common symptoms associated with menopause, including hot flashes and night sweats. Early clinical research showed a minimum 70% reduction in the frequency and veracity of these symptoms once the remedy for menopause treatment plan was initiated.

HRT was originally formulated using female equine urine. Horses urinate in copious volumes and so, it is easier to distillate, formulate and extract oestorgens using this process.

While originally considered to be a God-send, HRT soon began to be associated with life-threatening health risks within a decade of its introduction. Within this same timeframe however, the incidences of breast cancer, ovarian cancer, and heart disease skyrocketed.

Clinical trials were conducted early on using women of perimenopausal and menopausal age to determine if there were any associations between HRT and the alarming increases in the number of life-threatening health risks.

Following years of clinical research involving hundreds of test patients, HRT was determined to have an unquestioned link to heart disease, arterial diseases, as well as breast and endrometrial cancers.

With the overwhelming evidence at hand, why is it that physicians sworn to uphold the Hippocratic Oath (first, do no harm) continue to promote HRT, nearly a half-century later. This is a question that all women faced with this conundrum should ask their physicians.

HRT is still the most recommended remedy for menopause symptoms due to the fact that scientific research has yet to device a safer or more effective treatment plan. In much the same way that chemotherapy and radiation are still in use to treat cancer, HRT is still in use due to the fact that it is the best bad treatment available.

Unfortunately, money conspires at the root of the problem. All of the major medical affiliations and organizations support the use of HRT. This stamp of approval may lend an air of legitimacy to the use of HRT, but it certainly doesn't make it any safer. Large medical insurance companies co-op the use of HRT by insuring physicians, hospitals and clinics against malpractice claims.

With all of the controversy surrounding the efficacy of HRT, research has focused on bio-identicals. To date, no clear evidence exists that would indicate that bio-identicals are any safer or less problematic than HRT.

From the time that the problems associated with HRT were first identified, the term alternative treatment began to be bandied about. The term alternative treatment is misleading in that it gives one the impression that the new or opposing treatment is safer or more effective than the original. However it should be noted that while brimstone might be construed as an alternative to fire, it in itself is just as deadly.

Overall, modern women (especially of advanced age) need to be acutely aware of remedy for menopause symptoms available to them. They are encourage to not necessary embrace the first options offered by the medical community. Research is the best method of preparedness.

A Few Reasons Health Insurance Costs Are So High

For many, cost is the single greatest barrier to quality health care access. Premiums are simply too high, so there are millions forced to forego coverage altogether so they can afford to pay their other bills. There is general agreement on both sides of the current political discussion that something needs to be done to mitigate the cost of the care Americans receive so that it becomes affordable for everyone who needs it.

These are just a few of the reasons why the costs are too high:

1) Lawsuits - In the current system, malpractice lawsuits are being filed all the time, and when massive settlements are the result, the cost of care is forcibly increased. This affects everyone's insurance premiums and leads to what some have called "defensive medicine"; doctors end up having to defend themselves from suits by ordering superfluous tests and procedures, increasing the cost even more.

2) Unhealthy Living - A large percentage of Americans live sedentary lifestyles and make poor choices when it comes to their diets. In addition, there are millions of people who still smoke and drink too much, in spite of their knowledge of the negative effects it has on their health. These habits result in severe health problems later down the road that raise the cost of care for themselves and others. Personal responsibility is a key factor, and making a difference starts with our daily choices.

3) Errors and Overcharges - When it comes to your medical bills, who's looking out for you? Sadly, millions of people and thousands of organizations fall victim to costly mistakes or overcharges that inflate their bills and empty their wallets. Studies have shown that as many as 9 out of 10 medical bills from hospitals contain errors.

Personal Injury! Why Not Contact a Personal Injury Lawyer?

Every time we hear the word Personal Injury the first thought that clicks our mind is "What does Personal Injury actually mean?" So the answer is any injury that is caused due to the negligence of a third party is called a Personal Injury. Few examples of personal injuries are Wrongful death, Car/Truck accident, Medical/Legal malpractice, etc.

In today's world there are many people who tolerate all kind of Personal Injuries without uttering a word. For those I would like to tell them that there are people who are waiting them to be approached. They have been to law colleges and achieved specialization in this particular field. These helpful people are known as Personal Injury Lawyers or Personal Injury Attorneys. There are ways to contact these experts but the best way is as always internet. You can always ask them almost any and every question related to your injury. They can also help you on deciding whether a case needs to be filed or not.

Once you have contacted a lawyer that is going to represent you the best thing to do next is to sit and discuss whether they will be the best for you as well as your case. You should always make a consultation in your first appointment where he can ask you open as well as close ended questions and so can you. But always be polite while asking as well as answering questions because as you have the right to reject the lawyer so do they have to reject your case. Always allow the lawyer to guide the discussion this will help you go smoother.

Being humans we always think about the benefits in any of our actions. I know there are people who would think that why should I contact a Personal Injury Lawyer. There are basically 4 most important reasons to contact them.
1. They know the laws better than us.
2. The experts know the value of an injury better than the injured.
3. These lawyer never hesitate to go to the court as we do.
4. The best part is they can increase the value of compensation by their method of representing the case.

I tried my best to give you a general information on Personal injury you can always contact the lawyers for more and better information.

What Happens When a Pilot gets a DUI/DWI?

Your worst nightmare as a pilot - a DUI. Will this end your career as a pilot? What if you are the lawyer representing a pilot? Is this a simple DUI case or will it end your law career with a malpractice lawsuit? I know these questions can light up your eyes to why a pilot is different when they get a DUI.

First, pilot or not, you have to follow your state laws. Keep in mind your time frame for appeals or administrative hearings. You could probably get your driver's license back under an occupational license during your suspension. Even if its your first offense, you better be on your toes if you want to keep flying.

Second, pilots fall under another set of rules from the FAA. They are the FARS (Federal Aviation Regulations). Do you have to report to the FAA now or later? Can I just put it on my FAA First Class Medical Certificate? Can I just call the CFI (certified flight instructor) at the local FAA office FSDO (Flight Standards District Office)?

Your most important resource (lawyer or pilot) is Section 61.15 of the FARS. Section (e) states that you must report "not later than 60 days after the motor vehicle action". It lists the things you must submit to the FAA, Civil Action Security Division in Oklahoma City, not your local FSDO. This is very serious as section (f) states "Failure to comply with paragraph (e) of this section is grounds for . . .(2) Suspension or revocation of any certificate, rating, or authorization issued under this part."

In summary, what do you do? If you are convicted of a DUI/DWI, it must be reported on your medical application. You also have to notify the FAA in Oklahoma City within 60 days of the conviction. Do NOT contact the local FSDO, as this is NOT incompliance with the FARS. Do this quick or face a suspension for a non-reporting violation.

Drinking and Driving is bad. Drinking and flying is worse. Both can end careers, lives and marriages. They can even take innocent victims. Also, if you have two separate incidents within a 3-year period, then the FAA can deny an application or revoke/suspend a pilot's license. You can avoid all of this by not drinking and driving.

Maryland Health Insurance - How to Get the Best Rate

Due to increased medical costs, rising malpractice insurance rates, and increased longevity rates, health insurance premiums have doubled in the last few years. But you can still get a cheap rate on Maryland health insurance if you know how.

Government Health Insurance Programs

Maryland offers a number of government sponsored health insurance programs. Depending on your level of eligibility, these programs are either very cheap or cost nothing at all. These programs include:

* Maryland's Medical Assistance Program (Medicaid) for low-income families, children, pregnant women, women with breast or cervical cancer, the elderly, and people who are blind or disabled.

* Maryland's Children's Health Program (MCHP) for uninsured children under the age of 19 whose family's income is less than 200% of the federal poverty level.

* Maryland's Children's Health Program Premium (MCHP) for uninsured children under the age of 19 whose family's income is more than 200% but less than 300% of the federal poverty level.

* Maryland's Primary Adult Care Program (PAC) for low-income individuals, 19 or older, who are not on Medicare and who don't qualify for Medicaid.

*Maryland's Family Planning Program for women who have lost their Medicaid coverage after being covered for a pregnancy under MCHP.

To find out if you're eligible for any of these programs go to the Maryland Department of Health website - dhmh.state.md.us - click on "Health Care Programs," then click on "Medicaid and Health Insurance Programs."

Private Health Insurance Programs

If you're not eligible for any of Maryland's state health insurance programs, you can still get inexpensive health insurance through a private carrier.

With private health insurance you have two basic types of plans - indemnity plans and managed health care plans. Indemnity plans let you choose your own doctors and hospitals, but they are much more expensive than managed health care plans. Managed health care plans assign you to a network of doctors and hospitals you must use for your medical needs, and are the cheapest health care plans.

Inexpensive Health Care Plans

To get the best rate on a health insurance plan you have to compare rates from a number of different insurance companies. Thanks to the Internet and the advent of insurance comparison websites, it only takes a few minutes to get health insurance quotes you can compare in order to get a cheap rate.

Choose to Be Rich

Hi, and welcome to a journey that will bring you a richer, fuller life. I'm Larry Jameson, a fulltime freelancer and author of several books and thousands of articles. This writing is not about developing happiness in your present state (unless you're already independently wealthy). It is not about being rich because you are part of a wonderful family and have a cadre of great friends. It's about being rich because you have money: lots of money.

How many times have you heard the phrase, "At least you've got your health?" While having good health is certainly something for which you can be thankful, it does not allow you to live without financial worries. In fact, you'll probably be in a constant state of worry about losing your good health. Or, more to the point, how will I pay the bills if I lose my good health?

Have I been there? Do I know what I'm talking about? Try this on for size. Several years ago, my wife was scheduled for a routine hysterectomy. Hundreds, if not thousands, of those procedures are performed every day, right? Our society has come to think of hysterectomies about like we do tonsillectomies. It is a minor operation. But something went wrong with my wife's surgery: an inadvertent cut. Don't you love medical terminology? An inadvertent cut is one made by a surgeon that is not considered malpractice because it happens all the time. That's comforting to know, huh?

Because of that inadvertent cut, a second surgery was scheduled about 36 hours later to fix the problem of the first surgery. During those 36 hours my wife was pumped with transfusion after transfusion, the suspected cause of another problem. Another problem, like the first, that went undetected until it reared its ugly head a couple of days later when I received a phone call, "Larry, you better come to the hospital; there's been a Code Blue."

Two years later, our medical bills had soared past a quarter of a million dollars. Three years after that, we made the final payment to the bankruptcy court. Between the Code Blue and the soaring medical bills the company I worked for was purchased by a competitor and I was laid off.

Yes, I have been there. Trust me when I say it is not a destination I recommend to anyone. Think about this, though. I had no choice in those matters. I certainly did not choose for my wife to sustain a life-changing medical problem no more than I chose to be laid off at one of the most inappropriate times of my life, not that there's ever a good time to be laid off.

Life is about choices. You make most of the choices about what goes on in your life. Sometimes, however, someone else makes choices that affect your life. Many of the choices you make today are limited by choices you made in the past. For instance, today you cannot choose to be a brain surgeon if your prior choice was to not attend medical school. Nor can you choose to take month-long vacations if a previous choice was to work at a minimum wage job that barely pays your bills.

Living in a democratic society (or fairly democratic society) allows citizens to make certain choices about how they live. How would your life change with an additional $100 of income per year? What about $100 additional income per month? Can you even think about having an extra $1000 per month and how it would change your life?

Think back to the Bible story of Joshua after Moses had died. Joshua was not too happy with the people who had just crossed the Jordan River and were making their way through the Promised Land. He said, "Choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord."

Joshua actually spoke volumes with those words. Choose to live your life according to how your family has lived theirs. Or, choose to live your life the way people around you are living. Or, make your own choice. I am here to give you a similar challenge. Choose to live the way you have always lived, or choose to live the way the people around you live, or choose to be rich.

Make a choice. It is one of the most personal choices you will ever make. How do you want to live your life? As for me and my house, we choose to be rich.

Tips to Ensure a Safe Aesthetic Plastic Surgery Experience

Anyone would be fortunate to get an aesthetic plastic surgeon who will guarantee you your safety throughout the procedure. Your general safety lies in your hands, though. Here are some tips to ensure that you will have a safe aesthetic plastic surgery experience.

Check Your Doctor's Credentials

It is true that best results do not completely lie in the hands of your doctor. It is undeniable though that he is one of the most important factors that contribute to patient safety. One way to find out if you will be under capable hands during aesthetic plastic surgery is to ask the surgeon himself. During pre consultation, make sure you ask him if he is board certified and is a member of a reputable organization for plastic surgeon. Ask him too about his experience in aesthetic plastic surgery.

Needless to say, you cannot always rely on what your surgeon tells you. To make sure that you really have an expert, log on to internet search engines and search for state medical board or surgeon organization websites contact information. These resources will be able to help you verify a surgeon's educational background, license, board certification, experience and records of malpractice.

Check Facility Accreditation

Aesthetic plastic surgery can actually be conducted in facilities outside of hospital jurisdiction. To ensure your safety though, you should make sure that your surgeon's clinic has been accredited by a reputable accrediting organization. It is a fact that majority of non hospital aesthetic plastic surgery facilities are not accredited. Accreditation however will imply that experts have surveyed the facility and judged it to be safe.

It is also advisable to check beforehand if your surgeon has hospital privileges even if he has his own clinic or facility. Having hospital privileges means that a hospital board or committee has examined and studied your doctor's credentials and have deemed him capable in his field.

Ask About After Surgery Policies

There are some patients who are so eager to ask about the procedure and the doctor's credentials that they end up missing all about after-surgery recovery period. This period involves follow up visits and in some cases surgical revisions. This means that you may have to dish out more cash. Make sure you ask your doctor ahead of time about his after surgery policies and fees or you might end up unable to prepare for the financial requirements of follow up surgery for surgical mishaps.

Check Your Lifestyle

You needn't worry about determining your fitness for aesthetic plastic surgery if you have an expert doctor. A good surgeon will be able to determine that for you. You should know though that you should provide your aesthetic plastic surgery doctor the right information about your habits and lifestyles. Aside from your medical history and emotional fitness, your lifestyle may also contribute to the success of the procedure and recovery.

There are some lifestyle details that may make one unqualified for the procedure such as being overweight or being a smoker. Your surgeon may require you to first maintain healthy habits and to lose a little weight through exercise and diet before conducting a cosmetic surgical procedure.

More NHS Horror Stories

With the dismal dawning of the Age of Obamacare, the multiple horrors of the UK's version of health care presage what lies ahead in our medical and custodial lives.

The United Kingdom's National Health Service, the NHS, has been in place for some 62 years now; its birth and implementation were not merely coincidental with the decline of Great Britain as one of the world's great powers.

It's becoming tedious writing about the NHS and its regularly-occurring tales of malpractice and mispractice, long wait times for critical care, the monumental expense, its disorganization, etc.

However, with the narrow passage last month of Obama's legacy bill and with the possibility of repealing that legacy after the November elections, it's crucial to keep in mind the many flaws of socialized medicine.

I have already detailed in this space some of the numerous instances of misdiagnoses, incorrect and withheld medications, denials of treatment, mismanagement, staff shortages, staff disregard for patients, unsanitary conditions, and, worst of all, the NHS's utter disregard for premature infants born even 3 days before the arbitrary 22 week cut-off point for any care.

The latest NHS examples of what we can expect if and when Obamacare is fully implemented in 2014, four years after we start paying for it, are especially repugnant.

Clara Stokes was a former member of Britain's World War Two WLA, the Women's Land Army, the agricultural equivalent of our Rosie the Riveters, who tended English farms while the boys were off to war and were affectionately called "Land Girls."

This particular Land Girl, honored by Brit PM Gordon Brown for her "loyal and devoted service," was dishonored by the NHS in her final days and hours.

"Helpless and confused after suffering a stroke, the 84-year-old was left dehydrated, hungry and lying in her own faeces in a hospital bed for six hours. Relatives claim overworked nurses had ignored her:" http://bit.ly/bNSQQP

The Luton and Dunstable Hospital was a "flagship" NHS facility.

Carol Savage, age 50, was a mental patient with known suicidal tendencies at the misnamed "secure" Runwell Hospital in Essex, England.

On July 5th, 2004, after escaping from Runwell, Savage threw herself under a train. The NHS hospital had not considered her a flight risk even though she had a history of running away.

Testimony to its incompetence, "staff at Runwell considered Mrs Savage a 'low risk' of absconding-even though she had once been found wandering among traffic on the A130 attempting to kill herself:" http://bit.ly/bc89O7

Her daughter "won a claim under the Human Rights Act that her mother's 'right to life' had been breached by Runwell Hospital... Mr Justice Mackay, awarded Miss Savage £10,000 in 'just satisfaction' against the hospital's managers-South Essex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust."

Yes, America's present health care is flawed yet is still superb as contrasted with Britain's. Last I heard, no sick people were flocking to England to receive the benefits of the NHS.

Newly Diagnosed - Legal Considerations When Newly Diagnosed With an Illness

The legal system is very complicated. We live in a litigious society and no where is that more apparent than in the medical field. Malpractice claims have risen significantly over the past ten years. Doctors have ever increasingly aired on the side of caution and that's why having an advanced directive is so important. There are different types of directives so I recommend consulting an attorney to make sure that all your bases are covered.

In the Beginning
No one wants to believe they are going to die. It's clear that throughout our lives Western culture keeps death as a taboo subject so we're rarely prepared. At the time of your diagnosis, after the shock wears off, is a good time to sit down with the important people in your life to discuss your views, opinions and decisions about medical treatment. We're really focusing on what happens if you aren't competent to make a decision on your own behalf.

You'll hear lawyers, doctors, and hospital social workers discuss Durable Powers of Attorney for Healthcare and Living Wills. Consulting an attorney is important because some states view the Living Will as a guiding document, but not one that is legally binding for decision making. Make sure you have all the bases covered (by consulting and attorney) and that you're wishes are going to followed. It can mean the difference between peace of mind, and immense suffering.

The other document you should have available is a will. This isn't about planning to die; this is about protecting you and your family. Clarity is important in every step when facing a serious illness; leave nothing to chance.

Selecting Your Proxy
Your proxy is the person who if you're unable to speak for yourself will speak for you. You authorize this person to make decisions on your behalf if you aren't capable of making a rational, coherent decision. It's important that you put all your wishes in the document. The decisions include everything from resuscitation, to pain control, and how long if at all will you be kept alive on machines and final arrangements for death and burial.

The crucial point is to have someone who agrees with all your decisions. You want to make sure they are completely in agreement and are willing to carry out your wishes. Don't think it has to be a family member. I've been asked to serve as someone's Durable Power of Attorney because they didn't feel their family members were capable of making the tough decisions about end of life care.

When taking care of your legal arrangements you're taking control of your life. In no way does it mean you're resigning yourself to dying. It does mean that you want to have a say in what happens should something beyond your control take place. This isn't about giving up hope, but empowering yourself to be clear about how you want to live your life, even if you can't make the decision consciously. It also shows the trust you have in others by entrusting them to carry out your wishes.

Hard-Wired to Bounce Back

Researchers are documenting an innate "self-righting tendency" that exists in everyone. How can you use their findings to help yourself and help others be more resilient?

A growing body of research from the fields of psychology, psychiatry, and sociology is documenting the reality of human resiliency: the capacity to spring back, rebound, and adapt in the face of adversity. So convincing is this research that I have concluded the human species is, in fact, "hard-wired to bounce back." It is more likely for us to bounce back from our problems than not. As resiliency pioneer and prolific author, Bonnie Benard states:

Resiliency research validates prior research and theory in human development that has clearly established the biological imperative for growth and development that exists in the human organism -- that is part of our genetic makeup -- and which unfolds naturally in the presence of certain environmental attributes. We are all born with innate resiliency....Resilience is not a genetic trait that only a few "super kids" possess, as some journalistic accounts (and even several researchers!) would have us believe. Rather, it is our inborn capacity for self-righting (Werner and Smith, 1992) and for transformation and change (Lifton, 1993). (2007, p. 3)

This research challenges the myth that has grown out of decades of focusing on "the deficit" model of human behavior and development. The deficit/weakness/pathology model meticulously documents and focuses on everything that is wrong with a child, teen, adult, family or community. A major problem with this approach is that people bounce back from their problems through an expansion of their strengths. So, in order to be most effective in helping students succeed, or helping ourselves or our families overcome problems, we must change the focus to the very real strengths and resiliency that exist in people at the very same time they also have challenges and struggles.

Resiliency research is fueling a major shift in thinking about human development: from obsessing about problems and weaknesses to recognizing "the power of the positive"--identifying and building individual and environmental strengths that help people to overcome difficulties, achieve happiness, and attain life success. While research shows that just like anything else in life (playing a musical instrument, riding a bicycle, learning computer skills) some people are more "easily" resilient, everyone can expand the innate capacity for resiliency within themselves and others.

People bounce back in two ways: they draw upon their own internal resources, and they encounter people, organizations, and activities that provide them with the conditions that help the emergence of their resilience. Psychologists call these internal and external conditions "protective factors" and conclude "these buffers" are more powerful in a person's life than risks or traumas or stress. They fuel the movement towards healthy development.

I have identified four basic characteristics of resiliency building that add the power of "protective factors" to people's lives. I have observed that the most successful educators and counselors, the best parenting, and the companies identified as "the best places to work in America" utilize these approaches. They are also the best "self-help" strategies and can be used to overcome the loss of a loved one or a job, cope with a major illness, or successfully navigate the challenges of raising children.

Some resiliency researchers theorize that these conditions are actually basic human needs across the life span, that from birth to death everyone does better in environments that embody them.

Communicate "The Resiliency Attitude." The first "protective" strategy is communicating the attitude, "You have what it takes to get through this!" in words and deeds. I interviewed a young man a few years ago who had lived a painful life full of loss and abuse. Most of his adolescence was spent in one foster home after another. He told me that what helped him the most in attaining his own resilient outcome were the people along the way that told him, "What is right with you is more powerful than anything that is wrong."

In my trainings, people tell me that this is difficult to do. For example, a child who is skipping class and responding with anger and belligerence to any offer of help, presents a typical paradox: At the very same time a person is weighed down with problems in one area of life, he or she also has strengths somewhere else-times when obstacles have been overcome in the past; talents or skills or passions that can be focused on and developed in the present. The challenge is to both be aware of the problems and to draw upon the strengths of the person to help solve them, as well as to sincerely communicate the belief that the current problems can be successfully overcome.

2. Adopt a "Strengths Perspective." "The keystone of high achievement and happiness is exercising your strengths," rather than focusing on weaknesses, concludes resiliency researcher Seligman (2001), past president of the American Psychological Association. I recently asked a group of teenagers and adults to identify their strengths. Both ages were at a loss-neither group could name strengths, and both were hesitant to share out loud even tentative ideas about what their strengths might be. So I asked the group to identify a challenge or problem they had recently overcome in their lives.

The kids talked about having to move to another school, the death of grandparents, their parents' divorce, struggling with difficult subjects in school, being rejected by a club or social group or sports team. The adults talked about changing jobs, leaving bad relationships, stopping smoking, losing weight, and losses of friends and family, as well.

Next I asked, "List what within yourself or outside yourself helped you overcome these problems and losses." I had the group compare their lists to a list of individual strengths researchers have found are particularly useful in overcoming adversity, individual protective factors that I call "personal resiliency builders." (See list below.) Almost everyone saw that they had used two or three-or more-of these in the recent past, such things as drawing upon positive personal relationships in their lives, their sense of humor, or their spiritual faith. "How can you use these same strengths in successfully dealing with current problems in your lives?" I asked the group.

A school counselor told me recently how she applied this approach. A high school student was referred to the counselor because the girl was failing two subjects, math and science. Normally, the counselor told me, she would immediately confront the student with the problem-in this case two failing grades-after making some brief small talk. Instead, after the small talk, she opened her session with this question: "Sandy, I have learned a little about your life. Tell me, how have you managed to do as well as you have done?" Sandy, the counselor told me, immediately burst into tears. "Never in all my years has anyone acknowledged what it has taken just to get to school," she said. Most of the rest of the session was spent identifying all the strengths and supports Sandy had used to "do as well as she had done." Toward the end of the session, the counselor said, "Let's talk about how you can use all these things to bring your grades up in math and science."

3. Surround Each Person-as well as Families and Organizations-with all elements of "The Resiliency Wheel."

I first developed the model of The Resiliency Wheel in 1996. It is a synthesis of the environmental protective conditions that research indicates everyone can benefit from having in their lives. I realized that these six elements of environmental protection are also extremely useful in assisting families and even organizations bounce back from adversity. In the past decade, The Resiliency Wheel has been adopted as the primary organizational rubric for helping children, youth, adults, and families by numerous local, regional, and state agencies. (You can find the diagram of the Resilency Wheel in my published book "Resiliency In Action").

o Provide Care and Support. Ask yourself or assess for others, "What would be very nurturing right now?" "How can I best show compassion to myself or the person I am trying to help?" Often simply finding or providing a good listening ear is extremely resiliency-building. So is uplifting music, time in nature, or reading an inspiring book. Providing oneself and others with unconditional positive regard, love, and encouragement is the most powerful external resiliency-builder.

o Set High, but Realistic, Expectations for Success. Effectively using this strategy involves identifying and supporting steps in the right direction rather than demanding instant perfection. One middle school I worked with changed its "Honor Roll" program to an "On A Roll" program. In order to be recognized as "On A Roll" students need only raise their grades one letter. Everyone who does this is rewarded as "on a roll." A couple of the teachers in this school confided to me, "We were amazed at how many of our gangsters decided to participate!" Their comment reinforced the resiliency finding that people have within them, as resiliency researchers Werner and Smith (1992) state, "an innate self-righting tendency that moves them towards normal human development." It also shows the power of recognizing and rewarding small steps of progress.

o Provide Opportunities for "Meaningful Contribution" to Others. Paradoxically, one of the best ways to bounce back from personal problems is help someone else with theirs. Traumatized kids, for example, who are offered opportunities to be of genuine help to others who need it are often most helped themselves through this opportunity. A foster parent told me after one of my presentations that giving the boys in his care the opportunity to serve disabled vets at the local community veterans' center did more for the boys than any other strategy he'd tried to help them. Suddenly, these boys were in a new, and very healing, role. They were now resources, rather than problems. This strategy, he said, was life changing.

In the wake of the 9/11 tragedies, a consistent message of psychologists interviewed about how to get through that time was, "Make a positive contribution in some way. Give whatever you have to give."

o Increase Positive Bonds and Connections. People who are positively bonded to other people (through a network of friends and family and/or clubs or organizations) and to enjoyable activities do better in life. This fact has been documented extensively by psychological and medical research. Reaching out to connect with someone, some group, or some activity that is positive is another strategy to successfully cope with adversity. In fact, several arenas of research are documenting that people who have more social connection and participate in enjoyable hobbies/activities lead physically and mentally healthier lives. As Ornish (2005) wrote:

Love and intimacy are at the root of what makes us sick and what makes us well. If a new medication had the same impact, failure to prescribe it would be malpractice. Connections with other people affect not only the quality of our lives but also our survival. Study after study find that people who feel lonely are many times more likely to get cardiovascular disease than those who have a strong sense of connection and community. I'm not aware of any other factor in medicine-not diet, not smoking, not exercise, not genetics, not drugs, not surgery-that has a greater impact on our quality of life....

o Set and Maintain Clear Boundaries. Feeling safe, knowing what to expect, and not being overwhelmed also builds resiliency. This means developing or encouraging in others the ability to say "no" appropriately, to stand up for oneself when necessary, and to provide whatever means are needed to feel a sense of safety. Setting and enforcing clear and consistent "family rules" or school or other organizational policies are part of this process, and are particularly powerful resiliency-builders for children and youth. Anything that increases the feeling of inner security makes it easier to bounce back.

o Develop Needed Life Skills. A new life circumstance, a never-before-experienced problem or crisis, a change in a job or a relationship or a familiar role almost always requires new "life skills." Good communication and listening skills, healthy conflict resolution, how to assert oneself appropriately are some of the life skills needed every day. When encountering new adversity, asking, "What life skills that I have can I use here?" or "What new life skills do I need to learn?" is another useful strategy in successfully meeting the challenge.

When I worked in an adolescent treatment center several years ago, I used to ask drug-abusing young people how they wound up in treatment. The most common response went something like this: "I got to middle school and felt lost. I didn't have any friends. I didn't know how to navigate in this big, strange, impersonal place. So, I did the only thing I saw to do. I went out behind the gym and joined the group there lighting up and drinking. I had an instant group of friends, and my problems kind of went away." In retrospect, the kids admitted this wasn't the best way to handle things, but in the absence of having the relationship and problem-solving skills they needed, it seemed the only option available to them. Kids, and adults, need skills about how to successfully cope with new challenges each stage of our lives brings our way.

Developing life skills, in fact, is one effective strategy that all prevention programs for youth--including substance abuse prevention, pregnancy prevention, suicide prevention, and school drop-out prevention--agree is crucial.

4. Give It Time. A resilient outcome requires patience. A few years ago, I interviewed Leslie, a young woman then 16 years old who had just finished the ninth grade on her fourth try! I asked Leslie how she was able to finally get through ninth grade. Leslie shared with me the two main reasons she had made it: First, her single-parent mom, who refused to give up on her, even during the years she was skipping school, using drugs, and lying. Secondly, the small alternative school her mother had eventually found for her that embodied the four strategies outlined here. "Where would Leslie be if she hadn't had at least one person who stuck with her until she finally got through ninth grade?" I thought. Stories like this one have convinced me not to give up-on myself, on children, on my friends and family going through hard times.

Collectively, these strategies represent the shift from the deficit and weakness approaches to human development prevalent in the past several decades, to what is now being called a "strengths approach." This shift is taking place in education, psychology, other social services, and in the corporate world. Saleeby, editor of The Strengths Perspective in Social Work Practice (2001), emphasizes the importance of this shift. "People are most motivated to change when their strengths are supported," he states.

What has transpired since September 11, 2001, including hurricane Katrina and other national disasters, will perhaps hasten this process. A silver lining to these horrific tragedies is the word "resiliency" is now constantly used in the national media. The collective national attention has at least somewhat refocused to also document the amazing goodness of human nature: the courage, the kindness, the generosity, the tenacity that is every much a part of humanity as its weaknesses. If the resiliency researchers are right these strengths, in the long run, are the most powerful. Identifying, celebrating, reinforcing, and nurturing the growth of these positive human traits is the most important skill we can collectively develop to help ourselves and others be more resilient.

Personal Resiliency Builders
Individual Protective Factors that Facilitate Resiliency

Researchers note that each person develops a cluster of three or four of these he or she uses most often in times of difficulty.

You can help yourself or help others become more resilient by reflecting on these questions:

1. When faced with a crisis or major life difficulty, which of these do you use most often?

2. How can you strengthen your individual "resiliency builders"?

3. Can you use them now in problems you are facing?

4. Is there another one you think would be helpful for you? If so, how can you develop it?

" Relationships -- Sociability/ability to be a friend/ability to form positive relationships

" Service -- Gives of self in service to others and/or a cause

" Life Skills -- Uses life skills, including good decision-making, assertiveness, and impulse

control

" Humor -- Has a good sense of humor " Inner Direction -- Bases choices/decisions on internal evaluation

" Perceptiveness -- Insightful understanding of people and situations

" Independence -- "Adaptive" distancing from unhealthy people and situations/autonomy

" Positive View of Personal Future -- Optimism/expects a positive future

" Flexibility -- Can adjust to change; can bend as necessary to positively cope with

situations

" Love of Learning -- Capacity for and connection to learning

" Self-motivation -- Internal initiative and positive motivation from within

" Competence -- Is "good at something"/personal competence

" Self-Worth -- Feelings of self-worth and self-confidence

" Spirituality -- Personal faith in something greater

" Perseverance -- Keeps on despite difficulty; doesn't give up

" Creativity -- Expresses self through artistic endeavor, or uses creative

imagination,thinking or other processes.

So you'd like to foster resiliency....?

Where should a counselor, teacher, parent, or other caring adult begin in making use of this information? Start wherever there is the greatest need and/or wherever it is possible to start. Often, one action will embody many resiliency-building elements. It is important to recognize there is no way to know just how many protective factors are needed by any one individual to assure a resilient outcome. Most resilient individuals who have been studied did not have protective factors present in all of their environments; some had only a few in just a few places. So, start wherever possible. Developing a Resiliency Chart for a child (and it can also be adapted to use with adults, families, even organizations) is a foundational step in becoming more effective at fostering resiliency.

The Resiliency Chart

For each particular child, draw a t-chart. On the left-hand side of the chart, list all the concerns--internal, in terms of the attitudes and behaviors of this child, and external, in terms of environmental risks and stressors--that you have about the child. Try to limit your list to a handful of the most pressing problems. On the right-hand side of the chart, list every positive you can think of both within this child and within his or her environment. Think in terms of attitudes, behaviors, personality characteristics, talents and potential talents, capabilities, and positive interests. Think also in terms of the child's environment: list every person, place, organization, or structure that provides positive interaction and support for this child. Referring to The Resiliency Wheel and the List of Personal Resiliency Builders (above) can help with this strength-identification process. Don't limit your thinking, however, to these lists. Include anything you think of as a strength or positive support. One key question that helps to fully flush out all possible strengths is this: How does this person do as well as he or she does? (Higgins,1994). In other words, even though he or she has problems, what keeps those problems from being even more serious and numerous?

Child's Name______________________

Problems/Challenges:

_____________________________________________________________________________________

Strengths/Positive Supports:

_____________________________________________________________________________________

After filling out The Resiliency Chart, ask: What on the "Strengths" side of the chart can be used to intervene with current problems/challenges?

Understanding Resiliency: A Glossary

Protective Factors:
People overcome adversity through drawing upon their own internal strengths and through encountering situations in their environments that embody the nine recommendations described here. These internal and environmental characteristics are called "protective factors" by researchers. They hypothesize that people who do better when faced with tragedy or trauma access more protective factors than those who don't do as well.

Lifespan Research:
Most resiliency studies are based on life span, i.e. longitudinal, research that follows a group of individuals for decades. The most famous of these studies in the U.S., conducted by psychologists
Emmy Werner and Ruth Smith, began in 1955. These researchers continue to this day to study all the children born on the island of Kauai that year. The value of this type of research is that it does more than identify risks or problems. It documents exactly how people bounce back their risks and problems.

Strengths-Approach:
Results of resiliency research are fueling a shift in psychology, other helping professions, education, and corporate management. These fields are beginning to focus not just on human weaknesses and problems but on better understanding what helps us bounce back from these problems. The American Psychological Association, under the leadership of the resiliency researcher Martin Seligman, recently established a new branch called Positive Psychology. "What is needed now," Dr. Seligman said in a 1998 speech to the National Press Club, "is the creation of a science of human strengths-how they
grow and how you can maximize or minimize them. The best set of buffers we have against substance abuse, against depression, against violence in our children have to do with human strengths," he continued, "...identifying [them], amplifying [them], nurturing [them], getting [people] to lead their lives around them."

References

Benard, B. (2007). The foundations of the resiliency paradigm. In N. Henderson (Ed.), Resiliency in action: Practical ideas for overcoming risks and building strengths in youth, families, and communities (pp. 3 - 7). Ojai, CA: Resiliency In Action.

Benard, B. (1991). Fostering resiliency in kids: Protective factors in the family, school, and community. Portland, OR: Western Regional Center for Drug-Free Schools and Communities.

Benson, P.L., Galbraith, J., & Espeland, P. (1994). What kids need to succeed: Proven, practical ways to raise good kids. Minneapolis, MN: Free Spirit Publishing.

Buckingham, M., & Clifton, D. (2001). Now, discover your strengths. New York: The Free Press.
Hawkins, J.D., Catalano, R.F., and Miller, J.Y. (1992). Risk and protective factors for alcohol and other drug problems. Psychological Bulletin, 112 (1), 64-105.

Henderson, N. & Milstein, M.M. (2003). Resiliency in schools: Making it happen for students and educators, 2nd edition. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.

Henderson, N. (2003). Hard-wired to bounce back. Prevention Researcher (10), 1, 5 - 7.

Henderson, N. (Ed.). (2007). Resiliency in action: Practical ideas for overcoming risks and building strengths in youth, families, & communities. Ojai, CA: Resiliency In Action, Inc.

Higgins, G. (1994). Resilient adults: Overcoming a cruel past. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Meier, D. (1995). Small schools, big results. The American School Board Journal, July 1995,
37-40.

Noddings, N. (1988). Schools face "crisis in caring." Education Week, December 7, p. 32.

Ornish, D. (2005). Love is the real medicine. Newsweek (On-line), October 5. Available: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9466931/site/newsweek.

Richardson, G.E., Neiger, B.L., Jensen, S., & Kumpfer, K.L. (1990). The resiliency model. Health Education, 21 (6), 33-39.

Seligmann, M. (2001). Book cover commentary. Now, discover your strengths. New York: The Free Press.

Saleebey, D. (2001). The strengths perspective in social work practice, 3rd edition. New York: Addison-Wesley Longman.

Werner, E. and Smith, R. (1992). Overcoming the odds: High risk children from birth to adulthood. NY: Cornell University Press.

Werner, E. (2007). How children become resilient: Observations and cautions. In N. Henderson (Ed.), Resiliency in action: Practical ideas for overcoming risks and building strengths in youth, families, and communities (pp. 15 - 23). Ojai, CA: Resiliency In Action.

Wolin, S. and Wolin, S. (1993). The resilient self: How survivors of troubled families rise above adversity. NY: Villard Books.

Wipe Personal Injury Clean

Everyone is responsible for their own driving and for the upkeep and maintenance of their vehicle. While this might seem to be a bit of a no-brainer, it is quite amazing how many people overlook or totally ignore their windshields.

We have all seen people driving in the winter trying to look through a miniature hole scrapped into the windshield. Are they able to see where they are going? The answer to that is no, they are not, which makes them a sitting duck for the old saying, "There goes an accident on its way to happening."

If you cannot see where you are going, chances are that will cost you big bucks after the accident. You are right, this does not happen to everyone, but the chances of it happening are higher than you would think. Take the time to clean the windshield off and see where you are pointing a deadly weapon weighing at least 4,022 pounds.

We have all been in near misses and thought to ourselves, "Thank goodness nothing bad happened." It only takes one time when you couldn't see properly to bring home the point in a not so happy fashion. If you have been a victim of a car crash where the other driver couldn't see where they were going, then you know how it feels.

It only takes a few minutes of time to keep your windshield clean and may save you hundreds of dollars in costs as a result of a potential accident. It may also safe your life.

Understanding what a personal injury is may help understand what needs to be done to protect yourself and your family. A personal injury happens when a person suffers a personal injury - psychological or physical - and it is usually due to an accident.

The most common personal injury claims are traffic accidents, tripping accidents, mishaps at work, assault claims, accidents at home, and holiday accidents. This area of the law also incorporates medical and dental accidents, often also referred to as medical/dental malpractice.

If the accident happened due to someone else's fault, the injured person may be entitled to compensation from that individual. This whole area of tort law is controversial in the United States, with many calling for reforms in the area of personal injury law.

It is easy to take care of your own safety, but take the time out of your busy day to do that. It may mean the difference between getting home safe and sound or not being able to get there due to an accident.

The Risk Management Process - How to Maintain an Effective Risk Management Program

A risk management program is a complicated but necessary initiative within organizations. However, by following a distinct process, organizations can maximize the effectiveness of their risk management program.

Identifying and Analyzing

To effectively manage risk, management must first identify the risks that pose the threat of a loss.

Risk managers use a variety of methods to collect information to identify such risks, the common of which is incident reporting, which is the reporting of any incident that is NOT consistent with the standard of care. Incident reports help identify training opportunities and weak processes within operations.

Occurrence screenings, also a common used method to identify possible exposures, are often done as apart of quality assurance initiatives.

Patient feedback, such as complaints or results from patient satisfaction surveys, is also used to identify potential loss exposures.

Past data can be very valuable in identifying risk and also addressing it, as it provides lessons learned from past mistakes or near misses. By analyzing past data, risk managers can identify the root cause of an incident that lead to a loss. Past occurrences help managers analyze the potential impact of current risks, and helps managers prioritize potential exposures.

Open communication between management and staff may be considered the most effective form of risk identification, as it can produce valuable information regarding the effectiveness of processes and any potential weaknesses within processes.

Once potential risks are identified, they must be analyzed in order to determine their significance. Risk managers must prioritize risks based on their potential for financial loss. Managers should prioritize addressing potential events that could lead to substantial losses over smaller threats that would be less costly.

Evaluate Possible Risk Management Techniques

Techniques used to manage risk can be broken down into two categories:

- Risk Control: techniques that are aimed at preventing or reducing loss

- Risk Financing: techniques used to pay for losses that occurred

Risk Control Techniques

Avoidance

Avoidance techniques are those used to eliminate the possibility of a loss entirely. If a risk that cannot be reduced exists within a particular activity, avoiding that activity would in effect avoid the risk associated with it.

Loss Prevention

Loss prevention reduces the likelihood of a potentially compensable event from occurring.

Loss prevention practices include reviewing and implementing policies and procedures and educating staff.

Example:

Educating staff about existing regulations regarding the release of a patient's medical records or protected health information is a loss prevention technique as it reduces the possibility of an occurrence.

Loss Reduction

Loss reduction techniques are used to reduce the potential consequences of an event that has occurred.

Diligence is key in exercising reduction strategies, as damages awarded can be much lower for an organization that exemplified diligence in attempting to prevent an occurrence or following up on an occurrence that has happened (investigating the occurrence and determining its root cause).

Another example of a loss reduction technique is if a medical facility were to use fire retardant materials during construction. This would reduce total loss considerably in the event of a fire.

Segregation of Loss Exposures

Segregating loss exposures involves arranging an organization's operations and resources in a way that if a loss occurs, its overall effect on the organization would be minimized.

Separation

A separation technique relates to the saying, "don't keep all of your eggs in one basket", as it involves dispersing activities and resources over multiple locations.

Example:

Facilities and vendors may store their inventory in multiple locations in the event of a fire or any other event that would damage inventory.

Medical practices may also choose to avoid contracts with vendors and purchase through multiple vendors in case a vendor were to run out of stock on an item.

Duplication

Duplication techniques are used to serve as back up in the event of a loss. Many practices keep copies of patient medical records in case of an event that damages the originals.

Duplication techniques are also used in terms of physician coverage.

Example:

It is mandatory that when chemotherapy is being administered to a patient, that a physician or mid-level is on site in case of if a patient experiences a reaction to the drug. If only one provider were available to cover, and something arose causing the provider to have to leave, then the chemotherapy treatment would NOT be able to be given or would be a violation to do so.

Contractual Transfer of Risk Control

Contractual transfer of risk control involves transferring risk from one party to another. An example of this is when a medical office leases property, thereby transferring the risk of loss or damage to the properties owner.

Risk Financing

Risk Retention

Risk retention is a technique that involves planning on how to cover losses if they were to occur.

The simplest risk retention technique is to simply pay for a loss as it occurs. This is not viable for smaller organizations, depending on the amount of the loss.

Organizations may also accrue dollars in a funded reserve which can be used to cover any future loss.

Organizations may also borrow funds to cover losses.

Physicians also carry extensive malpractice insurance policies to help cover any loss that is incurred.

Risk retention should be considered when:

• There are known risks that cannot be reduced or avoided

• A risk does not carry much potential for great loss and the organization can pay for any loss itself

• There are predictable losses

Risk Transfer

Risk transfer involves an organization transferring only the financial liabilities to another party, while still assuming the legal obligations. This is typically done by purchasing outside insurance policies.

Select a Risk Management Technique

Organizations should implement at least one risk control technique and one risk financing technique.

Selecting the most effective technique requires an organization to predict how a selected technique would affect its mission and goals (i.e. it may not be viable for a specialist to avoid risks by avoiding procedures that are necessary for that particular specialty).

The organization must also consider which technique is most cost-effective in respect to it's operations.

Implementation

Implementation requires communication between risk management, department heads, and organizational leaders. All leadership must understand the techniques chosen to be implemented and educate staff of their importance and purpose.

Communication and education ensures that implementation of any technique is smooth, effective, and understood.

Monitor and Improve the Implemented Technique

Once a technique has been implemented, its effectiveness must be closely monitored, evaluated, and improved when needed by management. Risk management techniques can be very complex in nature, and require fine tuning when put to work.

Birth Injury Settlements - How to Make it Successful

Birth injury settlements are simply lawsuits that one can file to claim compensation for a birth injury resulting from negligence or malpractice caused by the attending doctor or other hospital staff. Read on to know more about how a mother filed a successful birth injury settlement.

When Medical Negligence Causes Birth Injury

Emma (names changed to protect identity) felt that her son's cerebral palsy was a result of her doctor's negligence during childbirth. Keegan, her son, was mentally impaired and would require constant care and attention for life. Emma was not sure how she would manage to pay Keegan's medical and therapy bills.

The Solution - Birth Injury Settlements

Emma contacted Paul, a birth injury solicitor, who assessed her case thoroughly. After discussion with medical experts and going through the delivery records, Paul concluded that Keegan's birth injury was caused by lack of oxygen during Emma's labor. The hospital staff had ignored the warning signs and delayed the delivery. Keegan was later born by emergency cesarean section, but with irreversible brain damage.

Knowing that Emma had a strong case, Paul urged her to file a injury settlement against the errant medical authorities. After a week long hearing, the judge passed a favorable judgment that resulted in the award of £6.6 million pounds to Keegan.

The End
Filing a successful birth injury settlement is not easy. It requires the expertise of a professional solicitor with vast experience in birth injury settlements Like in Emma's case, a professional birth injury solicitor can make all the difference between a winning and losing settlement. While the compensation may seem like a windfall, it would help to ensure that Keegan gets the required medical care for the rest of his life.

Why is Dental Work So Expensive?

It seems that everywhere we turn, with anything medical, it is almost incomprehensible when we receive the "bad" news of costs.

Why is dental work so expensive? Let's start by saying that like anything else, your health and its costs are relative. When our car needs a new transmission, without thinking, we know that it must be replaced. When the car needs new tires, we moan about it, but we know that it is imperative to replace them.

The same goes for dental health. Periodontal disease needs to be treated in its early stages in order to better be able to manage it. With neglect, comes more expense and reparation with great intervals of necessary healing time in between each procedure. Think of it as rust on your car. The more you let it go, the worse it becomes and the more destruction that ensues.

Now, back to the original question: Why is dental work so expensive? The equipment we use is not inexpensive - panoramic digital X-ray machines, reclining dental chairs, dental instruments, special lights, computers and dental software, autoclaves and chemclaves for sterilization, gauze, trays and so much more plus the upkeep on the equipment.

Malpractice insurance is a killer. Not to mention, surgical assistants, dental hygienists, medicines, rent and overhead. So although it may seem that dental implants, smile make-overs, dentures or dental bridges are costly, it is all relative to what is necessary to be able to provide these services.

Think about it, when your car needs servicing, you spring into action. When your mouth or body needs that same servicing, it is always pause for thought.