What do Employers Look for when Applying for a Medical Transcriptionist Position?

Transcription developed gradually in the early sixties through different machines like manual and electric typewriters, computers, word processors, magnetic belts, cassettes, plastic disks and digital recordings. In the past, medical reports that were gathered for patients contain handwritten abbreviation notes that were very difficult for common people to understand.

Nowadays, a lot of healthcare providers make use of voice streaming and dictation to make transcription more effective and efficient. However, since the medical spoken language is still too complex to understand, medical transcriptionists are required to convert the spoken medical records into typewritten form.

What is a Medical Transcriptionist?

A medical transcriptionist, also called an MT, is an individual who is in charge of converting or translating a patient's medical records to typewritten layout. Although transcriptions can also be done in handwritten form, a typewritten layout is often preferred because it is clearer and more comprehensible. These transcriptions are usually done for the purpose of charting reports and information. Much of the recordings that a medical transcriptionist works on come from either a Dictaphone machine or recorded tape.

A Medical Transcriptionist should be a practiced typist

Since the market for medical transcriptionists is growing, employers often look for a person who is a practiced typist with outstanding interpretation of what he hears through dictation. A fast typist will be able to lay out the medical records in typewritten form as the recording runs, without having to play back the Dictaphone machine or tape. This makes him more efficient in his job.

An MT should be knowledgeable with medical terms

A medical transcriptionist must have strong knowledge of medical language and terms. Since a medical transcriptionist has to record a lot of medical terms, it is essential that he knows the spelling and pronunciation of such terms. Without a good knowledge of medical terms, it is rather impossible for a person to work effectively as a medical transcriptionist.

Educational qualifications and skills required for an MT position

To be a medical transcriptionist, you must be at least a high school graduate with a diploma that is relevant to the field medical transcription. You will have an advantage if you have at least one to three years of working experience that is in line with the duties and responsibilities of a medical transcriptionist. As a medical transcriptionist, you must be able to comprehend dictation of medical terms and you need to possess short hand skills. You should also be good in verbal communication and spelling, and have excellent memory skills so that you can sort out, count, check and authenticate numbers with accuracy.

Other skills required of an MT

It is essential that you are able to use and operate some of the basic office machines, equipments and computers. A medical transcriptionist needs to possess excellent records maintenance ability and a profound knowledge of medical transcription practices and guidelines. You have to be resourceful enough to be able to use a wide selection of professional reference materials and work under pressure with limited time and minimal supervision.

You must also have the skills to use proper grammar, capitalization rules, and correct punctuations. As you progress in your job as a medical transcriptionist, you will be required to perform quality assurance check to ascertain that the medical reports are correctly done. You will also have to understand and apply important legal concepts like confidentiality.

As a whole, an effective and successful medical transcriptionist has to be able to decide what is essential and vital to medical reports. In other words, a medical transcriptionist has to comprehend the medical terms used in the reports, instead of just being able to identify them. A medical transcriptionist possibly will not be able to determine which parts of a report are important if he has no fundamental knowledge of the terms used by medical experts.

Accurate Medical Coding, Medical Transcription, Medical Claims Services From India

Offshore Medical Billing has provided numerous medical health care and medical billing services by far. Nowadays Healthcare has become one of the fastest growing industries in the World! This growth leads many hospitals and practitioner to outsource their medical billing and reimbursement requirements to offshore facilities.

Medical billing is the process covering a wide range of activities but the primary goal of any medical billing company is to process super-bills and submitting medical claims to insurance companies in order to receive payments for their clients in a timely manner. We provide accurate medical billing systems with more than years' of experience; specialized in services rendered with Medicare, Medicaid and Medical Transcription. Our medical coding services are also beneficial to medical health care.

Medical billing is a challenging business that requires great attention to details, quick processing and adherence to norms. Errors such as under pricing, under coding and missed charges create great loss in the medical practice income. Offshore Medical Billing has great expertise in billing for office visits, consultations, professional fees for surgical procedures, technical components, professional and facility fees for hospitals and ambulatory surgical centers, anesthesiology, hospital visits and in-office minor and major procedures.

Medical Coding is a profession that plays a crucial part in the healthcare industry. The medical biller and coder is responsible for reviewing and creating medical records for documentation supporting not only assignment of a specific code to a medical condition, but also the medical necessity of the prescribed treatment.We believe that error-free medical coding is an integral part of professional and genuine practices. The doctors, hospitals, and healthcare organizations are paid faster and better if the medical coding and billing is done correctly. This is an area where we have thorough domain knowledge and can provide comprehensive services. High-value returns are assured to hospitals, physicians, and healthcare organizations if you entrust your medical reimbursement responsibilities to us.

In that Medical Coding is translating medical language into alphanumeric representations. As the name implies, medical coding is the process of assigning a numeric value to medical diagnoses, signs and symptoms of disease, poisoning and adverse effects of drugs, complications of surgery and medical care. These coding systems serve an important function for physician reimbursement and help you to save up to 40% to 60% on your medical billing and coding projects.

So if you have any queries regarding medical billing software, medical coding and transcription, please feel free to contact us at:
http://www.offshoremedicalbilling.com
Email: info@offshoremedicalbilling.com

Medical Billing Training - How To Find The Best Low Cost Medical Billing Training For You!

If you're seriously considering a work-at-home business or career in medical billing and coding and signing up for a medical billing training program, I'm going to shortcut your research here. I have included some of the best tips to help you find the best low cost program for you.

There are so many different paths you can take. You can sign up online or attend an on-campus college or university. And you can go to work in a health clinic setting or start your own home based medical billing and medical coding business. In any case you'll want to learn using electronic medical billing software.

There are medical billing training and coding online certificate programs that are designed to help students fill positions for medical coding and billing professionals or set business at home. Highly skilled medical billing and coding specialists are in high demand. Recently there has been a rapid rise in medical tests, treatments, and procedures that are increasingly being scrutinized by the many health insurance companies, various regulators, courts, and also consumers.

Patient information must be entered properly using medical billing software into computer databases to fully comply with the new federal legislation that requires the use of well-kept electronic patient records. And health care clinics and other facilities are having a hard time attracting good, qualified workers; this is mostly because they don't have in-house formal training programs and enough resources to give on-the-job training for medical coders.

What is medical billing and medical coding? Medical billing is actually a subspecialty of medical coding. There are programs available that offer just billing training but you want to consider a training program that gives you both billing and coding in one training program because coding is really the first step in the process of electronic medical billing.

Usually a billing and coding training program takes about one or two years to finish. It's good to note there is certification for several levels. This gives coders a chance to show off their skills and get higher salaries. It also includes courses on terminology that are used in insurance billing, besides other important relevant medical terms including terminology for diagnosis and procedures.

You'll find that some of the schools offer online courses and good self-study formats, important if you plan to study part-time or while you are holding down another job.

Some universities offer associate degrees in Health Information Management. Their medical coding and billing courses help prepare students for jobs managing patient information and insurance claims. You will learn electronic medical billing and coding software, medical terminology, and how healthcare clinics and facilities work. These courses can prepare you for taking the Certified Coding exams where required.

For example one college offers a 29 week master certificate program that includes ICD-9 and CPT-4 coding. Students take courses in medical terminology, anatomy and physiology, and medical ethics and law. The courses also include training on complying with the new Healthcare Insurance, Portability and Accountability Act. This college offers classroom training and students can participate in an externship program where they can practice their newly learned billing and coding skills.

There are many online programs as well. Make sure to compare them all carefully before you choose. Read over any contracts fully to fully understand the financial obligations -what it's going to cost, etc. Also what happens if you don't like the program or want to quit. Have someone else read over this contract with you. I can't emphasize this enough that you must know what you're getting into and can handle it financially. You don't want any surprises down the line.

Medical billers are necessary members of any medical office team whether they work on site or work from home. It requires knowledge, flexibility, knowledge and skill every time a patient has received any medical attention because a claim must be coded, billed, and processed.

If you're considering a medical billing career it offers wonderful challenges, rewarding experiences, and excellent pay. It's also good to have clerical and good organizational and people skills. Any high school courses you've had in math, health, biology, typing, bookkeeping, computers and office skills will help.

Besides career seekers, thousands of home-based entrepreneurs are starting businesses in medical billing and coding, and also medical transcription. These tips should help shorten your research. There is much to be learned about on-campus or online medical billing training before you commit. If you need help with financing there is money set aside by the federal government to help with online degree programs and is worth checking out.

Medical Billing Training - How To Find The Best, Avoid Scams And Get Financial Help!

If you're looking for the best information about the best medical billing training I'm going to help you with a few tips in this article.

Medical billing specialists actually handle a wide range of duties including medical office operations, electronic medical billing and coding, taking care of insurance forms, and using and keeping up with the newest medical billing software. Statistics report that there are more than one million of these specialists in the US.

You'll learn the newest electronic medical billing software called medical practice management software, and the newest and improved versions are quite different from the older versions. But there is a variety of medical records software and electronic medical billing software packages that you will use.

As a medical billing specialist it doesn't matter whether you plan to work for a health-related clinic or company or work from home. Medical clinics and physician offices, various insurance companies and your local hospital all need trained staff to take care of all the billing tasks.

The process of medical billing means taking care of the submission of medical claims and then following up on those claims to health insurance companies so you get payment for any medical services that were performed by a health or care provider.

If you take one of the Internet or online medical billing training courses you'll learn the trade secrets and also how to use what you learn to start a medical billing business from the comfort of your home. And learning from your home computer may just be the best way for you to learn how you can start a medical billing career.

One of the first steps is to decide whether you should take your electronic medical billing training online or on a campus.

After completion of your training you can expect to earn between $25,000 and $30,000 annually if you're working on salary. You can find medical billing jobs throughout the US, with wages ranging from $10 to $20 on an hourly basis depending upon your range of experience and your geographical location.

The smaller medical offices usually outsource billing and coding work to work-at-home medical specialists who have an established, reputable medical billing business. To completely understand the payment of a medical billing claim, the health clinic owner must have thorough knowledge of all the insurance plans that companies offer and know the laws and regulations that preside over them,

Because many health insurance claims are rejected because of faulty billing practices, doctors and health care providers only hire trained professional medical specialists for medical billing and coding. They no longer depend on regular office staff to handle it.

So if you're considering becoming a 'medical biller' you need to decide whether you want to go to a local vocational or community college or take an online medical billing training course. Check with your local Better Business Bureau to check out the reputation of any local schools you're considering. You want to make sure they have no outstanding complaints.

When deciding on the best program for you make sure to compare all the offerings and make sure it includes everything you need. Read over any contracts thoroughly so that you know exactly what you're committing to - what it's going to cost, what happens if you can't complete the course, etc. Have a trusted friend, parent, spouse, partner or advisor read the contract also. If you're going to an accredited college or university this will be less of an issue. You want to know that you're signing up with a reputable online or vocational school.

Today starting up a medical billing business from your home is easier than ever. You don't need a college or university degree to become a medical billing specialist. Learn all you can about medical billing before you sign up whether it's a school online or an on-campus school.

Some of the online medical billing training programs have basic introductory classes, intermediate classes, and classes for those who are advanced. Once you finish your training you'll be fully trained and informed and immediately ready and able to either start a work-at-home business or comfortably find a medical billing job. It's not well publicized but the federal government has set aside money for online degree courses and you should check this out so you can save money on your course.

Why a New Trend of Blue Collar Workers are Outsourcing Their Medical Needs

Copyright (c) 2008 Medical-Tourism-Guide.com

Blue collar workers account for an increasing percentage of people outsourcing their medical needs to the medical tourism industry. Uninsured and underinsured laborers are tired of the rising medical costs and the astronomical costs of insurance coverage in developed countries.

Case after case is being shared about blue collar workers seeking alternatives to the out of control healthcare costs at home. A typical scenario is that of a laborer who suddenly finds himself in need of heart surgery or a knee replacement. The choice for many of these workers is to either do without the surgery, empty out the lifetime savings account, use the retirement account or sell their home. Like millions of others in need of a costly medical procedure, they simply cannot afford it.

In some instances, wait time is also a factor. In countries such as Canada, for those with needs that some of us might perceive to be a priority, there is a waiting list up to a year long. Reportedly, it is the bureaucratic red tape that is often the sole hindrance to timely medical care. A person can literally die waiting for approval for a life saving surgical procedure in a developed country, yet the same procedure can be obtained at a medical tourism destination with little effort.

Medical tourism offers hope to blue collar workers and others who are in need of medical procedures but cannot afford them, cannot wait for them, or do not want to use their retirement accounts to pay for the procedure.

In some instances, it is not the worker who is making the decision to have the procedure done overseas. Medical tourism facilities have started heavy marketing campaigns to Western employers, particularly those who employ the blue collar labor force. More and more, it is the employer who suggests (and in some instances, mandates) having the surgery done in another country.

The bottom line is that the worker in need of a heart bypass can obtain one in another country for $10,000 vs. $70,000 in the US. He can get a knee replacement for $6,000 vs. $50,000! It can be scheduled within a couple of weeks in another country, rather than wait a year or more in the US or Canada.

Ten years ago, the concept of medical tourism was new and received bad media coverage in developed countries. It was misunderstood and given bad press. Today, that trend has not only reversed, but medical tourism is being embraced as a viable option for people in need of affordable medical care.

Case studies and statistics verify that medical tourism offers top quality medical care in accredited facilities. A growing number of facilities that offer medical tourism are accredited by the IOS (International Organization of Standardization) and the JCI (Joint Commission International).

Many of the doctors who work in these medical tourism facilities have studied in the developed countries and then have returned to work in their home countries. A person in need of having a medical procedure done can rest assured that he will be cared for by highly qualified staff, with proficient translators standing by!

India has a goal of becoming the choice destination for medical tourists, and they are marketing to the blue collar workers who are need of both medical services and a long overdue vacation. Making the choice to obtain medical services in India means that the average laborer could travel with a companion to a state of the art facility in India, have the procedure done, and recover in a five star resort setting, for about 1/8 of the cost of having the procedure done at home.

If India is not appealing, there are multiple other options. Destinations such as Thailand, Costa Rica, Mexico, Singapore and Panama are also exotic choices for the medical tourist. In many instances, post-surgical recovery can be done in a beach front resort. Once the patient has sufficiently recovered from surgery, there are plenty of shopping and activity options available to the medical tourist.

The concept of going to a third world country to obtain a package of services that supercedes what is available at home is becoming more widely understood and accepted. Just as the economy has become a global economy, so it is with the medical field. It is becoming commonplace practice for a person to travel abroad for all types of medical procedures. We are seeing, in the 21st Century, that we are truly living in a world with no medical borders!

As insurance costs rise at home, and wait time lengthens in the midst of government red tape, blue collar workers are taking advantage of an industry that once belonged to the elite white collar workers. Medical tourism is a viable option for obtaining timely and quality medical services in a vacation paradise, for a fraction of the cost of the same medical procedure in the home country.

Medical Aromatherapy of Biobell

Medical Aromatherapy of BioBell
Even though aromatherapy oil products are popular these days, there are not so many people who know the application and the effect of aromatherapy properly.

For example, just because you use the aromatherapy oils when you feel bad, it does not mean you are getting better on the medical side.

If you want to feel the effect using the aromatherapy oils, it would be better that you use the blended oils with more than tree kinds of essential oils in proper ratio.

BioBell manufactures and sales various medical aromatherapy products.

BioBell is researching and producing aromatherapy products and natural cosmetic products.

BioBell Aromatherapy products show very good effects for the diseases and problems which are difficult to be treated by ordinary methods including modern medicine and any other alternative therapies.

By long term and extensive results of treatments by BioBell Aromatherapy products at over 450 hospitals and clinics in Korea, BioBell Aromatherapy products revealed to be very satisfactory for the refractory diseases.



Here is a case of a patient.

Ji-Soo Kim (53 years old) had the symptoms of frozen shoulder for 13 months.

Symptoms were limitation of motion of the shoulder joint, severe sharp catching pain in the shoulder, and pain without trauma in left elbow joint.

She took the injections and medicines in orthopedics but her symptoms were not getting better.

Just after 10 minutes of application of Releagen (BioBell's medical aromatherapy product), joint movement range of right shoulder was recovered completely and pain of right wrist and left elbow joint was also recovered promptly. After 30 minutes, she could not have any problem with motion and pain.



Characteristics of BioBell Aromatherapy products

1. In case of products for musculoskeletal pain treatment, usually you can feel the big effect after first trial and usually after 10 minutes.

2. There is no other same products which having same effects in the world.

3. The side effects is very rare comparing to medicines and is very trivial when occurred.

4. All the products are made from only from natural plants materials.

Medical Assistant Career – Opening Doors to a Profession in Healthcare Services

Medical Assistants

Medical Assistant Career – Opening doors to a profession in healthcare services.

Medical Assistant careers are gathering demand in the background of a healthcare industry boom worldwide.
A Medical Assistant essentially is a healthcare professional with multiple responsibilities and skill sets required to execute the same. Both administrative and medical tasks that do not need much medical proficiency fall into the ambit of a Medical Assistant.

Medical Assistants are indispensable in any modern day healthcare practice. Engaged under physicians, podiatrists, chiropractors, and other health practitioners. Medical Assistants attend to the complexities involved in delivering medical services.

By accomplishing administrative and other responsibilities, Medical Assistants make it easier for the practitioners to concentrate on attending to and treating patients.

Medical Assistants execute varied administrative, laboratory and clinical tasks in different health care institutions.

Often, Medical Assistants are seen as generalists who are involved with many aspects of the medical profession but do not specialize in them.

A detailed overview of the activities of a Medical Assistant is given here:

Administrative duties:
General administration which includes day-to-day activities and other tasks. These include:
• Communication – both internal and external and office correspondence.
• Patient welfare - maintenance of patient records, insurance forms, scheduling appointments, arranging for hospital admission.
• Billing and bookkeeping.
• Maintain medical and drug supplies.

Clinical duties:
Clinical duties require discreet manual dexterity and visual acuity. A Medical Assistant has to support the medical practitioner with the following:
• Recording vital signs.
• Preparing patients for examination, explaining treatment procedures to patients.
• Assisting the physician during the examination.
• Instructing patients about medications and special diets.
• Preparation and administration of medications.

Laboratory tasks:
Laboratory tasks include:
• Collection and preparation of laboratory specimens.
• Performing basic laboratory tests on the premises.
• Draw blood, prepare patients for X-rays, take electrocardiograms, remove sutures and change dressings.
• Disposal of contaminated supplies and sterilization of medical instruments.

Medical Assistants employed at small medical outfits may undertake both administrative and clinical duties and report directly to the office manager or health practitioner.

Larger medical outfits have Medical Assistants reporting to department administrators and specializing only in a particular area.

Medical Assistant - Essential qualities and skills:

Duties entailed in medical assisting vary with the type of health care facility, size, location and specialisation.

A pleasant disposition is a must as Medical Assistants constantly interact with patients and public. Courteous manners, a well groomed personality and an aptitude for making people feel at ease are essential.

Simple medical and clinical skills and administrative abilities are integral to the profile of a Medical Assistant.

Traditionally, Medical Assistants did not need to be certified as they learnt on the job. This scenario has changed and contemporary medical practices prefer trained and certified Medical Assistant professionals to untrained individuals.

Medical Assistant Training and Certification:
Healthcare industry is increasingly in favour of trained Medical Assistants. The need for technically sound personnel who have the flexibility of handling both clinical and administrative tasks is on the rise. The trend is an offshoot of the need felt by doctors to concentrate on treating patients rather than on other functional details.

Certification is a mark of the individual having been trained and qualified in the profession.

A Medical Assistant certificate stands as a certainity of successful training. Also, securing a Medical Assistant certificate assures higher professional satisfaction and recognition. Compared to uncertified individuals, the formal education and the Medical Assistant certificate help them in advance faster in their profession.

The Medical Assistant certificate can be secured by both experienced and inexperienced individuals. Experienced professionals may not have to take a certification exam. Inexperienced candidates though will have to undergo rigorous training from an accredited vocational training institution.

Medical Assistant certification or registration will put the individual a step ahead from counterparts.

Medical Assistant registration and certification are the same. It's just that different certifying bodies have different terms for referring to a Medical Assistant cerificate.

With many Medical Assistant schools mushrooming in the market, it is important that one acquires education and secures Medical Assistant registration from a reputed and reliable source.

Medical Assistant Education:

Medical Assistant education obtained from a high grade vocational training institution is a sure way to a successful Medical Assistant career.

Schools offering Medical Assistant education abound in the market. Making the right choice of schools makes the difference in education in medical assistance.

St.Augustine's School of Medical Assistants offers accredited and affordable distance Medical Assistant education online.

Medical Assistant education at St.Augustine's is comprehensive and does not leave out any element crucial to training. The 24/7 online training facility provides classes, knowledge resources and virtual laboratory training online.

Distance Medical Assistant education:

St. Augustine's Medical Assistants school offers distance education through online courses. Distance education is favoured by Medical Assistant aspirants who are already working and studying part time. Distance Medical Assistant education gives such candidates the flexibility of scheduling their study time around their working hours.

The Medical Assistant Program at St.Augustine's:

Medical Assistant program at St. Augustine's is an online training course that is available anytime and anywhere. With this program, accomplishing certifications is a matter of just 6-8 weeks from commencement.

The program includes complete online courses along with training on laboratory skills and facilities to perform laboratory tasks.

The advantage with St. Augustine's Medical Assistant program is that, the student can take up the course at his own pace and convenience. Since it is online, the course can be accessed from anywhere in the world.

Whether it is a full time student or a working person wanting to study part time, the online Medical Assistant program is a convenient way to Medical Assistant registration.

The course ware for the Medical Assistant program is developed and regularly updated by experts from diverse disciplines, health care professionals and practitioners making it one of the best available programs for Medical Assistants.

Medical Assistant classes online:

On signing up for the Medical Assistant program, students have the convenience of accessing classes online. According to individual schedules, Medical Assistant students can access these classes at their own convenience.

Medical Assistant classes at St. Augustine's deal with the following subjects:

Medical Terminology, Human Body Planes, Basic Human Anatomy and Physiology, Medical Office Professionalism, Patient Communication, Medical Records, Basic Medical Law, Scheduling Appointments, Medical Billing and Insurance Claims, Infection Control, Surgical Instruments, Emergency Care, Clinical Equipment, Patient History and Physicals, EKG and Lab Testing, Specimen Collection and Lab Safety, Introduction to Patient Medications.

The classes also cover Clinical Laboratory training online. These include:
Virtual Phlebotomy Lab (Collecting a Blood Sample), Virtual Injection Lab, Medication injections, Measuring A Pulse, Introduction to CPR and Basic Ultrasound.

At St. Augustine's School of Medical Assistants, enrolling gives students the advantage of well designed Medical Assistant programs, curricula, online classes, an accredited Medical Assistant certificate within 6-8 weeks!

St. Augustine's educational services:

Educational services offered by St. Augustine's Medical Assistant school aim at providing vocational training for Medical Assistant aspirants.

St. Augustine's educational services are unique in their approach to training, course design, teaching techniques etc. The ultimate goal is to give students the best value for the money they have invested in Medical Assistant registration training.

The distance education program offered under St. Augustine educational services online is a high turnaaround, quality program that is accredited, affordable and convenient.

St. Augustine's online educational services are affordable as they cut down travelling, instructional material and other costs. It can be accessed by students wherever they are, whenever they want and brings the convenience factor into education. Online educational services at St. Augustine's are accredited and hence give best value for money spent on educating oneself.

St. Augustine's educational services online are a passport to a shining career as a Medical Assistant.

Health care careers are fruitful for certified Medical Assistants:

Health care careers are being sought after nowadays as high return professions both on the monetary front and on the satisfaction front. The booming health care industry is demanding technically qualified personnel and the market is ripe for professions like Medical Assistants, Hospital Assistants and others.

Thanks to the boom, health care careers are highly in need of well trained staff. Vocational education in professions like Medical Assistants provides an effective solution for the demand. By training students for the specific job and also focusing on overall life skills, educational services like that offered by St.Augustine's are enhancing employability of individuals.
Health care professionals – upgrade skills for advancing careers:
Employment opportunities in flexible health care careers like that of Medical Assistants are predicted to increase mutifold. Infact Medical Assistant health care careers are expected to grow much faster than the average for all other occupations.

Certified Medical Assistants with experience will definitely be highly sought after as a result. Health care professionals like registered Medical Assistants with experience stand to gain in a big way.

Experienced and trained Medical Assistants may be able to advance faster than other health care professionals. By adding on to their existing skill sets and certifications, they can gain over health care professionals.

Moreover pliable health care professionals like Medical Assistants have open occupational choices and opportunities form a variety of health care setups.

The future certainly seems to be beckoning Medical Assistant careers. All one needs to do is to gear up with an accredited Medical Assistant certificate.

The health care industry wants you – Medical Assistants, sit up and get registered!

Advance your careers with online Medical Assistant distance education programs from St.Augustine.

Copyright : St. Augustine Educational Services
(http://www.medassistant.org/)

You can reproduce this article as long as you leave this copy right statement and links unchanged.

Contact us:
Ravi
medicalassistant@linkenablers.com

Are You Looking For Medical Information?

In modern times, France and England have led the attempt to reintroduce many ancient remedies to the world in the early 1900s, and to help aromatherapy gain greater acceptance in the traditional medical community. Some specialists work with the real estate or medical fields. Are you getting the feel for how to be a medical 'researcher' yet?

The term pharm sales rep is also interchangeable with such terms as pharma rep, pharmaceutical sales representative, drug representative and sometimes medical sales rep. Textbook of Medical Physiology. Harvard studies show that those who reduce stress in their lives can increase their life expectancy and actually will do much better with their medical treatments and recoveries.

Medical insurance of bills, however, silver is still utilized in many medical circumstances. $10,000 per year is barely enough to pay rent on a goat to mow your lawn, much less meet medical expenses, travel, or share something more than a smile with your grandchildren.

Since its inception in 1972, the number of people who were previously short of medical insurance has significantly increased. Once you have completed your education you will be in high demand as many doctors" offices are looking for individuals with skills pertaining to medical billing. This hardship license will allow you to drive to work, get to medical appointments, or attend school.

The information contained in this article is for educational purposes only and is not intended to medically diagnose, treat or cure any disease. I suggested to the young medical student that she consider that many times I've been to the doctor, and he's pulled out a prescription pad and explained, let's give this a try, and see how it works for you, and if it doesn't do the job, we'll try something else. It is like saying since medical people can effectively treat burns, you no longer need to remove your hand from a hot stove.

If you are diagnosed with aspirin sensitivity, desensitization can be done under intense and monitored medical supervision. Depression is a medical illness and you don't have to go through this alone. Some of them make medical poultices with it.

This is a page with examples of bogus ads that help to alert consumers to distinguish unproven medical treatments. The metabolism of amino acids rise to many compounds of biomedical importance: as decarboxylation of certain amino acids produces the corresponding amines like Histamine and Gama-aminobutyric acid (GABA) having biologic functions. If people would be rational, they would spend much of their time tenaciously lobbing their governments to increase spending on medical research.

Moreover, most insurance companies during that time were hesitant in providing medical insurance policies, taking into consideration the very low demand for such type of insurance. Grassi and his fellow researchers reported in the medical journal, Hypertension that eating dark chocolate was associated with a decrease in the bad LDL cholesterol levels as well as an improvement in insulin resistance - effects advantageous to the heart. About half of those filing do so due to medical catastrophe.

Please consult your doctor for your medical concerns. Andrew Weil medical vocabulary for imbalances of the autonomic nervous system practically does not exist in North American medicine. The study showed that when they were meditating for 20 minutes twice a day, they were able to keep their medical condition under control.

Please consult your doctor for your medical concerns. This goes to show why nearly 44 million people in the United States chose not to get medical insurance.

Are You Looking For Medical Advice?

Ask your medical practitioners for more information about the vaccine. According to a report issued by the Harvard Medical School, a new product is being developed that is designed to produce new collagen as needed. A medical professional will be able to guide in the best direction for dietary health.

When performing the task of credentialing in the medical office, there is no time for tracking receipt of contracts by the carrier or for getting information necessary to credential and contract the provider. When people ring me to book a place in any of my Pilates classes, I always ask them about back and leg pain on the phone, any mention of sciatica-type problems and my ears prick up like a hound's and I insist they get medical clearance before I accept them. The information is turned into medical reports, letters, and other documents.

Alternative Medicine basically includes practices like metaphysical, spiritual, religious and non-European medical treatments and other new approaches that are developed for healing various ailments. According to medical research, Asthma is an allergic inflammation of the lungs. But the popularity (along with the affordability) of both continues to rise despite the lack of concrete medical evidence of the benefits of sauna.

Our next step in managing claim information is proper documentation of reimbursements in the medical billing record. The CA1 record is one of the shortest records in medical billing of claims electronically but it still needs to be sent if the patient is a Native American Indian. Please consult your doctor for your medical concerns.

The woman's blood sugar should be tested regularly by the prenatal medical team and at home, especially if she is considered at risk. Weil should be considered the leading medical man of our time. However, while outsourcing medical transcription to offshore companies can save money; many companies are not following this route.

It is widely believed that a Bachelor"s degree at a competitive and/or prestigious university alone gets your foot in the door at most allopathic medical schools. If you happen to have a good explanation for the bankruptcy, such as medical bills, divorce, or some other catastrophic event, a creditor may be willing to overlook it and extend credit. Back pain accompanied by fever, chills, sweats or unintentional weight loss should be evaluated by a medical doctor to rule out the possibility of an infection or tumor before consulting a chiropractor.

Medical terminology can give you a handle on discussing billing issues more confidently, and give you a better understanding of the medical conditions you will code. John Kabat-Zinn and his colleague's research has shown consistent, reliable, and reproducible demonstrations of major and clinically relevant reductions in medical and psychological symptoms across a wide range of medical diagnoses including chronic pain. Please consult your health care provider for advice about a specific medical condition.

This is one of the most damaging assumptions anyone can make and can cost you a potential 'yes' from an outstanding US medical school. Well, here are a few of the symptoms:
a) Getting up at night to urinate
b) Having difficulty urinating
c) Not completely emptying your bladder
d) Having pain during sex
e) Having pain when urinating
Medical test that you can get for enlarged prostate or prostate cancer. Thus, Electronic Medical Record Software is essential for any medical practice to function efficiently.

In order to pay for a medical expense from your HSA, it must be a qualified expense. Not a lot of people, even those in the medical billing field, know what CHAMPUS is.

Malpractice Lawyer: Your Guide to Avoid Any Medical Catastrophe

 

In today's society, many people do not realize that medical malpractice is a growing trend in which everyone should be aware of. Fatalities due to medical malpractice are occurring everyday from misdiagnoses and receiving the wrong treatment. One major reason why people don't realize that medical malpractice is a big problem is because most of the cases are private and not reported, thus not shedding light to this issue. Many people have suffered from medical malpractice but they don't even realize it because the public doesn't know enough about it to even question it. People are convinced that every word uttered from their doctor's mouth is true and they do not question that type of authority. This fact will explain why only 2% of medical malpractice occurrences are filed in a lawsuit. And even worse only half of that 2% actually wins their case. Therefore, it is imperative to hire a malpractice lawyer with the experience necessary to questions those whose actions are questionable.

Doctors, medical professionals, nurses, and medical organizations have medical malpractice insurance that covers their tracks if a patient files a medical malpractice suit against them. This type of insurance is increasing because the number of medical malpractice cases is also on the rise. Previously medical malpractice insurance was based on a flat rate, but now that it is rising the medical industry is up in arms. The fact is that there are not as may medical malpractice providers because they can carry very big risk. Medical costs are increasing and this it is that much harder to make a profit. You would think that in the medical industry people are not just looking to make a buck, however that's exactly what they are trying to do.

What constitutes medical malpractice is when there is a failure of treatment in regards to a patient's illness or injury. This is a failure to act in a reasonable and timely manner that worsens the original injury. If a medical professional does not diagnose a illness, has a delayed reaction, or just plain treats the illness/injury incorrectly, it can be constituted as medical malpractice. When under the knife, and a doctor, surgeon, or nurse misuses any type of drug that causes harm to the patient can be deemed as medical malpractice. Also, giving out the wrong prescription, treatment, or referral can be a type of medical malpractice.

Medical malpractice lawyers that have experience in the medical industry will significantly help the chances of you getting the settlement that you deserve. Since medical malpractice lawsuits are confusing, expensive, and complex you will need to hire a medical malpractice lawyer to help you win your case. What you can do to help your medical malpractice lawyer is to provide them with all the right and necessary medical documentation that backs up your claim. These types of documents include the patients medical history, all hospitals, doctors, & nurses that provided you with treatment.

A medical expert will review the case and will ultimately be the one to decide if the suit is legitimate. Working with a malpractice lawyer will help you make the right and educated decision on whether or not it is worth it for you to move forward. If you have all of the appropriate documentation about you being mistreated, make sure that all of your rights are protected and that you will receive the right compensation for your loss and damages. In a medical malpractice case there will be the costs of the medical records. Either way an experienced and knowledgeable malpractice lawyer will be able to tell you exactly what to expect. Malpractice lawyers will not take on medical malpractice cases lightly so you will know what your chances are. Any cost incurred will be recovered from the loosing parties' insurance company.

 

Online Schools are Now Offering Medical Assistant Programs

 

In many cases medical assistants wishing to advance their education, attending classes at a traditional junior college or vocational school just isn't possible. With family commitments, part time or full time jobs and their location traditional schooling might not be an option. Fortunately, there are now numerous online medical assistant programs, where people can study and receive their certificate online. Often, online education lets you complete the medical assistant course in fewer months than it would take in a classroom, so it appeals to people who are looking to upgrade their education or make a career change in a short amount of time.

 

Medical assistants perform administrative and clinical tasks to keep the offices of physicians, podiatrists, chiropractors, and other health practitioners running smoothly.

The duties of medical assistants vary from office to office, depending on the location and size of the practice and the practitioner's specialty. In small practices, medical assistants usually do many different kinds of tasks, handling both administrative and clinical duties and reporting directly to an office manager, physician, or other health practitioner. Some medical assistants are still trained on the job, but many now complete formal programs at junior colleges, vocational schools, technical school or online medical assistant programs.

Online medical assistant education does take discipline and hard work, and you must be willing to devote time each day to studying. Some people prefer learning in a classroom, so keep in mind that you'll be on your own and responsible for completing a set amount of work each week or month. Online medical assistant schools are definitely convenient, but that doesn't mean it's easier than attending a local traditional junior college or trade school.

With programs such as the online medical assistant program offered by St. Augustine School of Medical Assistants at www.medassistant.org you will have access to teachers and tutors who you can contact online or via phone if you have problems or questions. Also, a lot of online medical assistant programs have a very flexible completion time, so you may be able to finish the course at your own pace. If you are motivated to succeed, and looking for an alternative to traditional classroom learning, online education can be a rewarding way to achieve your educational goals.

 

Often online medical assistant courses are so convenient that you can complete the entire program at your own pace and study all classes online at anytime around the world. Many medical assistant programs also provide online training in introductory laboratory skills and basic clinical tasks for medical assistants. A typical medical assistant program will include classes in: basic medical terminology, human anatomy and physiology, medical office professionalism, patient communication, medical records, scheduling appointments, medical billing and coding, infection control, emergency care, patient history and physicals, EKG, lab testing, specimen collection, patient medications and related medical areas.

 

According to the United States Department of Labor, medical assistants held about 417,000 jobs in 2006. About 62 percent worked in offices of physicians, 12 percent worked in public and private hospitals, including inpatient and outpatient facilities and 11 percent worked in offices of other health practitioners, such as chiropractors, optometrists, and podiatrists. Most of the remainder worked in other health care industries such as outpatient care centers and nursing and residential care facilities.

 

Employment is projected to grow much faster than average, ranking medical assistants among the fastest growing occupations over the 2006-16 decade. Job opportunities should be excellent, particularly for those with formal training or experience. As such online medical assistant programs are often an excellent choice for students interested in a career as a medical assistant.

Disposable Medical Supplies Usa: Drop the Risk of Secondary Ailment

Progress in medical science has by a long way enhanced the health care rescue system in USA. One of the greatest performances has been the reductions and control of hospital acquired contagions. In this problem, disposable medical supplies have done a good job. By using disposable medical supplies USA, the risk of obtaining a secondary ailment while receiving cure in a health care facility has dropped radically.

Disposable medical products are the products designed for cheapness and short-term expediency somewhat medium to long-term durability, with most products only planned for single use. Toilet paper, wet wipes, paper towels, handkerchief, facial tissues, condoms and other contraception products are disposable products that are used for one time only. Other disposable medical supplies USA, that save life included enemas, cotton swabs, medical and cleaning gloves, baby as well as adult diapers, toothbrushes and dental floss. Disposable toilet paper products are used to uphold personal sanitation after human defection. Disposable medical gloves are medical safety accessories made of latex and powdered with cornstarch to grease the gloves, making them easier to use.

Safe and good medical instruments are the first choice of every doctor as well as medical products supplier. To cover the protection and happiness of patients, every medical institution and private healthcare organizations need to be eternally supply for proper medical equipments. Disposable, single use medical instruments such as containers or specula, reusable surgical instruments like surgical scissors, blades, tissue forceps, dilators and curettes medical instruments are extensively used in all medical facilities from various medical fields.

Other surgical instruments such as stands, trays and many others are also used in all medical facilities. Due to topical use of these accessories, disposable medical supplies in USA are requested in present. However proper and cost effective medical instruments are scarce resource, and reliable suppliers are very difficult to find. Disposable medical supplies are highly used products. They are manufactured to keep in mind the quality symbol and purity because this is the matter related to everyone's life. Disposable medical supplies products are available online. For this, you are to search over internet and you will find many online suppliers who are supplying these types of products with affordable prices and a quality symbol. Modern hospitals depend on medical technology to diagnose, treat and prevent from disease. Disposable thermometers are calibrated to do the same thing in the form of dots.

Why a New Trend of Blue Collar Workers are Outsourcing Their Medical Needs

Copyright (c) 2008 Medical-Tourism-Guide.com

Blue collar workers account for an increasing percentage of people outsourcing their medical needs to the medical tourism industry. Uninsured and underinsured laborers are tired of the rising medical costs and the astronomical costs of insurance coverage in developed countries.

Case after case is being shared about blue collar workers seeking alternatives to the out of control healthcare costs at home. A typical scenario is that of a laborer who suddenly finds himself in need of heart surgery or a knee replacement. The choice for many of these workers is to either do without the surgery, empty out the lifetime savings account, use the retirement account or sell their home. Like millions of others in need of a costly medical procedure, they simply cannot afford it.

In some instances, wait time is also a factor. In countries such as Canada, for those with needs that some of us might perceive to be a priority, there is a waiting list up to a year long. Reportedly, it is the bureaucratic red tape that is often the sole hindrance to timely medical care. A person can literally die waiting for approval for a life saving surgical procedure in a developed country, yet the same procedure can be obtained at a medical tourism destination with little effort.

Medical tourism offers hope to blue collar workers and others who are in need of medical procedures but cannot afford them, cannot wait for them, or do not want to use their retirement accounts to pay for the procedure.

In some instances, it is not the worker who is making the decision to have the procedure done overseas. Medical tourism facilities have started heavy marketing campaigns to Western employers, particularly those who employ the blue collar labor force. More and more, it is the employer who suggests (and in some instances, mandates) having the surgery done in another country.

The bottom line is that the worker in need of a heart bypass can obtain one in another country for $10,000 vs. $70,000 in the US. He can get a knee replacement for $6,000 vs. $50,000! It can be scheduled within a couple of weeks in another country, rather than wait a year or more in the US or Canada.

Ten years ago, the concept of medical tourism was new and received bad media coverage in developed countries. It was misunderstood and given bad press. Today, that trend has not only reversed, but medical tourism is being embraced as a viable option for people in need of affordable medical care.

Case studies and statistics verify that medical tourism offers top quality medical care in accredited facilities. A growing number of facilities that offer medical tourism are accredited by the IOS (International Organization of Standardization) and the JCI (Joint Commission International).

Many of the doctors who work in these medical tourism facilities have studied in the developed countries and then have returned to work in their home countries. A person in need of having a medical procedure done can rest assured that he will be cared for by highly qualified staff, with proficient translators standing by!

India has a goal of becoming the choice destination for medical tourists, and they are marketing to the blue collar workers who are need of both medical services and a long overdue vacation. Making the choice to obtain medical services in India means that the average laborer could travel with a companion to a state of the art facility in India, have the procedure done, and recover in a five star resort setting, for about 1/8 of the cost of having the procedure done at home.

If India is not appealing, there are multiple other options. Destinations such as Thailand, Costa Rica, Mexico, Singapore and Panama are also exotic choices for the medical tourist. In many instances, post-surgical recovery can be done in a beach front resort. Once the patient has sufficiently recovered from surgery, there are plenty of shopping and activity options available to the medical tourist.

The concept of going to a third world country to obtain a package of services that supercedes what is available at home is becoming more widely understood and accepted. Just as the economy has become a global economy, so it is with the medical field. It is becoming commonplace practice for a person to travel abroad for all types of medical procedures. We are seeing, in the 21st Century, that we are truly living in a world with no medical borders!

As insurance costs rise at home, and wait time lengthens in the midst of government red tape, blue collar workers are taking advantage of an industry that once belonged to the elite white collar workers. Medical tourism is a viable option for obtaining timely and quality medical services in a vacation paradise, for a fraction of the cost of the same medical procedure in the home country.

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Medical Transcription: How it is Beneficial to Medical Practitioners and Medical Companies

 

Today's world is a world of competition. You will find tough competition in almost all business industries. Nowadays medical transcription industry is growing as fast as anyone. Therefore healthcare professionals want their medical reports to be translated into text format in order to save time and money. Here, Medical transcription process comes into play.

Medical transcription is a process of writing whatever the doctor or medical practitioner says in a text or document format after doctor examines the patient. These pre-recorded medical words from healthcare professionals are translated in the form of a document or any other text format by professional medical transcriptionists. This process can be done at any place according to the medical professional's convenience by using remote transmission technologies. It saves precious time of doctors and helps them in concentrating on their practice.

Medical transcription services provide number of advantages to Medicare companies, such as:

• Faster turnaround time




• Higher accuracy




• Improved workflow

 

Even in hospitals, they have to keep necessary documents of patients or say they have to maintain medical records. Medical transcriptionist transcribes dictations or recordings into a text record. These are then maintained in two ways, either as soft copy or as hard copy. But in today's IT enabled world, soft copies or EMR (Electronic Medical Report) are more used than traditional medical documents as they are easier to maintain.

Medical transcriptionist is responsible for creating these reports. So it is obvious that he must be very well aware of medical terminology. He should be careful that medical records prepared by him should follow medical transcription standards. Some of these standards are AHDI (Association for Healthcare Documentation Integrity), MTIA (Medical Transcription Industry Association) etc.

In medical transcription process, medical transcriptionist also takes care of current medical industry. He constantly updates himself by researching latest medical tools, medical language and equipments. Thus he keeps providing best results to medical professionals and medical companies.

Medications For Erectile Dysfunction - Find the Best Cure Now!

There are many types of medications for erectile dysfunction in the market today. Finding the right cure should be taken with the necessary precaution so as to alleviate and not aggravate your medical condition.

Below are some medications for erectile dysfunction. Find the best cure for you now!

1. Oral medications

Oral medications require a certain amount of time before it takes effect. A person taking oral medication for erectile dysfunction should take it at least an hour before sexual activity.

Below are drugs known as phosphodiesterase (PDE5) inhibitors. These drugs work mainly by blocking the enzyme PDE5, thus maintaining the level of cyclic guanosine monophosphate (GMP). Intake of these medications, coupled with sexual stimulation, increases the blood flow in the penis, causing erection.

Incidentally, these are also FDA-approved drugs.

PDE5 Inhibitors as Medications for Erectile Dysfunction:

Medication Developer / Distributor Unique Selling Proposition Duration Common Side Effects

Sildenafil (Viagra) Pfizer First oral medication for erectile dysfunction approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration; brand name Viagra is more commonly known than its competitors 4-5 hours Headache, flushing, indigestion, nasal congestion, impaired vision(Applicable for all PDE5 inhibitors.)

Vardenafil (Levitra; Vivanza) Bayer Pharmaceuticals (Levitra); GSK (Vivanza, another brand of vardenafil) Nausea (Unique to this drug only.)

Tadalafil (Cialis) Lilly ICOS, LLC Known as "The Weekend Pill" because it lasts longer than Viagra and Levitra 36 hours Back pain, muscle aches
(Onset 12-24 hours after use and usually lasts up to 48 hours.)

To get a hold on these drugs, doctor's prescription is necessary.

2. Injected Medications

Unlike oral medications, injected medications for erectile dysfunction take effect automatically.

Ways to administer injected medications for erectile dysfunction:

a. Inject directly into the penis.

Injecting drugs directly into the penis causes the blood vessels to widen, allowing blood increase to flow into the organ, thus providing it with a sufficient amount of blood needed to sustain an erection. Most men achieve stronger erections when using injected medications.

b. Inject into the urethra (Muse system)

Drug is injected about an inch deep into the urethra.

Side effects are inevitable with this type of medication, especially if the instruments used are not sterilized. Most common side effects for injected medications are:

• Scarring

• Redness

• Tenderness and swelling

• Minor bleeding or spotting

• Priapism or persistent and painful erection

• Allergic reactions such as rashes, itching, dizziness, and difficulty in breathing

• *For Urethral Injection:

- Burning sensation in the urethra

Standard drugs used as injected medications for erectile dysfunction are:

• Alprostadil (i.e. Caverject, Edex)

• Phentolamine

• Papaverine

Alpostadil as medication for erectile dysfunction:

• Safe to use even for men with medical conditions such as diabetes

• Safe for men taking nitrate-based medications and prostate cancer treatments

• Unsafe for men with penile implants

• Should be taken at a maximum of 3 times per week (allowing one day rest period between for each injection)

3. Topical Medications

An example for this type of medication is nitroglycerin. This acts as a muscle relaxant which, when rubbed on the penis, can enhance erection.

Another example of a topical medication for erectile dysfunction is the TriMix Gel. A research showed that men who did not get the desired effect from oral medications such as Viagra, Levitra and Cialis, got a better response from this medication.

Precautionary measures to take when using TriMix Gel:

• Use a condom to prevent your partner from having an allergic reaction, especially if pregnant or sensitive to prostaglandin.

• Do not use if you yourself are sensitive to prostaglanding. Consult your doctor before using this type of medication.

• Be sure to wash your hands before applying the medication.

• Clean the tip of your penis before applying medication.

• Do not put more than necessary.

The Medical Assistant Career

One of the Fastest Growing Professions

There are myriad reasons for you to focus your efforts towards building a career as a medical assistant! Although the medical assistant profession can be very challenging, involving a lot of dedication and responsibility, it also brings many financial and personal satisfactions. Undoubtedly, medical assistants have always been considered to be major components of the healthcare industry, fulfilling a set of vital roles in the medical offices. As a medical assistant, you have the opportunity to offer a very important service to the community, by participating actively in the ongoing process of patients' care and by channeling your efforts towards improving the patients' health.

Unlike other professions in the medical field, the medical assistant profession involves a lot of interaction and communication, both with the monitored patients and with other members of the medical staff. Thus, besides being the main healthcare provider for patients, as a medical assistant you also have the opportunity to offer patients a lot of moral support. Due to its eclectic nature and the pronounced level of interaction with people, the medical assistant profession is considered to be a very demanding profession, requiring a wide range of practical and theoretical skills, good decision making abilities, good communication skills and nevertheless, a lot of talent!

Although a career as a medical assistant can be very challenging, it also brings a lot of satisfaction! Apart from the noble and altruistic nature of the profession which allows practitioners to offer an important service to the community, ensuring the well-being of patients, the medical assistant profession is also very lucrative and financially stable. While an inexperienced medical assistant may at first earn an annual $20,000 salary, fully qualified medical assistants may eventually earn more than $40, 000 a year.

Due to the ongoing development and expansion of the healthcare industry, the request for medical assistants is very acute in present and it is expected to further grow in the coming years, thus rendering the medical assistant career stable and secure on professional level. In addition, well-trained medical assistants have very good prospects for promotion in the medical field, being able to qualify for various administrative occupations or become medical technology professionals.

In order to fulfill your dream of becoming a qualified medical assistant, it is very important not to neglect your professional training. Keep in mind that proper medical assistant training is crucial for becoming certified and acquiring important credentials in a short period of time. At first, medical assistant training focuses on familiarizing you with the basics, later helping you to further expand your knowledge and overall practical skills required.

The best thing to do in order to ensure a secure career in the field is to attend a high quality medical assistant training program at a highly recognized medical assistant school. By attending to a good medical assistant school, you will be able to polish your skills as a medical assistant and become a true professional in your branch. The medical assistant training you will receive in a highly recognized medical assistant school will greatly increase your chances of obtaining your desired certifications and accreditations from the first try, allowing you to build the scaffolds of a promising career in no time!

There are various medical assistant schools out there, each of them offering different advantages and disadvantages. The trick to finding the most appropriate medical assistant school for you is to carefully decide upon the level of professional medical assistant training you wish to achieve and to analyze the resources you benefit from; you should know exactly how much time, money and effort you are willing to invest in your medical assistant training long before you start attending to the courses of a certain medical assistant school. For instance, although they may offer similar credentials, some medical assistant schools have the advantage of allowing students to graduate sooner than others.

In order to find out exactly what to expect from a certain kind of medical assistant training offered by a given medical assistant school, it is very important to do a little research before choosing the most appropriate educational program for you. After you have decided upon a medical assistant training program, you should maintain your motivation levels high and work hard to achieve your pre-established goals. While some training programs may be better than others, and some medical assistant schools may be more popular than others, in the end the success of your medical assistant career is direct proportional with your motivation, dedication and not to mention, talent!

So, if you want to find out more information about medical assistant or about medical assistant training, or even about medical assistant school please follow these links.

In House or Outsourced Medical Billing: Which Model is Right for your Medical Practice?

The decision to change an existing medical billing model should not be taken lightly. After all, it's only cash flow right? Even the best case scenario involving a change to/from an in-house or outsourced medical billing model will involve some degree of short term cash flow disruption and we won't even bring up the worse case scenario.

A health care provider's first step is to determine whether or not his/her current medical billing model is achieving the desired financial result. Although financial analysis is beyond the scope of this discussion, the provider, accountant or other financial professional must be able to compare actual financial data to revenue and operating budgets. Assuming the integrity of the practice's financial data is intact though accurate and timely data entry, the provider's medical billing software should possess the capability of generating actionable management reports.

In the end, basic financial analysis will shed light on the strengths and weaknesses of the provider's medical billing model. Some things to consider when evaluating a medical billing model: the inherent strengths and weaknesses of in house and outsourced medical billing models; the provider's practice management experience & management style; the local labor pool; and medical billing related operating costs.

In House versus Outsourced Medical Billing Models

No medical billing model is without unique advantages and pitfalls. Consider the in house medical billing model. Approximately one third of independent health care practices utilizing an in house medical billing model experience cash flow issues ranging from periodic to persistent. The degree of action required by a provider to resolve his/her cash flow issues may range from a simple adjustment (adding staffing hours) to a complete overhaul (replacing staff or switching to an outsourced medical billing model).

The provider with an under performing in house medical billing model has a clear advantage over the provider with an under performing outsourced (also known as third party) medical billing model: proximity. An in house medical billing model is within walking distance. A provider has the opportunity to observe, assess and address – observe the process, assess the system's strengths and weaknesses and address issues before they become full blown problems.

Consider the provider with an outsourced (also referred to as "third party") medical billing model. The relatively low entry barriers of the third party medical billing industry have led to a proliferation of medical billing services scattered throughout the United States. Chances are the provider's medical billing service is located in another geographic area making first hand observations and assessments impossible.

The role of management reporting in a third party medical billing model is critical. A provider must regularly review charge entry, posting, write offs and account receivable balances to insure his/her cash flow is properly managed. A report as basic as 30, 60, 90 days in receivables will quickly give a provider a good idea of how well their medical billing and account receivable processes are being managed by a third party medical billing service.

A common mistake for many providers with an outsourced medical billing model is to gauge the effectiveness of the process in the very short term, i.e. week to week or month to month. Providers maintain a vague and informal sense of their cash flow position by keeping mental tabs on the checks they received this week versus the prior week or if they deposited as much money this month as last month. Unfortunately by the time a weakened cash flow gets the provider's attention a much larger problem may be looming.

What causes a slow down in cash flow in the outsourced medical billing model? The most commonly cited scenario is lack of follow up on the part of the medical billing service. Why? Like any other business, medical billing companies are concerned first and foremost with their own cash flow.

A medical billing company generates 99.99% of their revenues on the front end of the medical billing process – the data entry process that generates claims. Medical billing companies that devote nearly all of their manpower to data entry will be understaffed on the backend of the medical billing process – the follow up on unpaid claims. Why? Every hour of data entry generates an additional one to two hours of claim follow up. Unfortunately for the provider, a medical billing company that ignores does not devote enough manpower to the diligent follow up of 30, 60, 90 days in receivables can mean the difference between a provider making a profit or suffering a loss during any given time.

Practice Management Experience & Management Style

Providers with practice management experience will be able to effectively manage or recognize and resolve a problem with his/her medical billing process before the cash flow crunch gets out of hand. On the other hand, providers with little to no practice management experience will more likely allow his/her cash flow to reach a critical stage before addressing or even recognizing a problem even exists.

Whether a provider with medical billing issues chooses to retain and fix their current medical billing model or implement an entirely different medical billing model will depend to a great extent on his/her management style – some providers cannot fathom having their medical billing staff out of sight or ear shot while other providers are completely comfortable with turning their medical billing process to a third party medical billing service.

Local Labor Pool

Whether a provider chooses an in house or outsourced medical billing model, a successful medical billing process is still contingent on the people involved in executing the medical billing process. On a side note, choosing office staff for an in house medical billing model is similar to choosing a third party medical billing company. Regardless of the model, a provider will want to interview the potential candidates or an account executive of the third party billing service for experience, motivation, team oriented personalities, highly developed communication skills, responsiveness, reliability, etc.

Providers with an in house medical billing model will have to rely on their human resource and management skills to attract, train and retain qualified candidates from the local labor pool. Providers with practices located in areas lacking qualified candidates or with no desire to get bogged down with human resource or management responsibilities will have no other choice but to choose an outsourced medical billing model.

Medical Billing Related Costs

As a business owner, the provider's primary responsibility is to maximize revenues. A responsible business owner will scrutinize expenditures, analyze returns on investments and minimize costs. In an in house medical billing model, costs associated with the medical billing process range from the Internet access used to transmit claims to the office space occupied by the medical billing staff.

The most effective way to manage medical billing costs is for the provider to think of the sum of those costs as a percentage of the practice's revenues. The provider's accounting software should allow for him/her to classify and track medical billing related costs. Once the medical billing related costs are identified, dividing the sum of the costs by total revenues will convert the medical billing related costs to a percentage of revenues.

The exercise of converting medical billing related expenses to a percentage of revenues accomplishes three things: 1) gets the provider, business manager or accountant in tune with the medical billing related costs of the practice; 2) provides a basis for more in depth analysis of the practice's cost and revenue components; and 3) allows for easy comparison between the cost impact of the in house versus outsourced medical billing models.

The cost of an outsourced medical billing model is fairly straight forward. Since the fees of the vast majority of medical billing outsourcing services appear to be a percentage of a provider's revenues, the annualized cost of the medical billing service's fees will be a fairly close approximation of the provider's medical billing related costs for this model.

In the event a provider is considering an outsourced medical billing model, he/she should keep in mind that this model is not necessarily the silver bullet to ending all medical billing related costs and headaches that medical billing services tend to advertise. True the medical billing company will acquire some of the costs associated with the medical billing process but the provider will still need staff to act as the intermediary between the provider's office and billing service, i.e. someone to transmit data to the billing service.

Costs will further increase for the provider if the billing service charges additional fees for add-on services such as on line access to practice data, practice management software, management reports, handling patient inquiries, etc. The actual cost of the service will increase even more if claims 30, 60, 90 in receivable are not properly worked to facilitate adjudication.

Summary

In summary, the provider must carefully weigh the pros and cons of each medical billing model prior to making a decision. If the provider is not comfortable or experienced analyzing financial data he/she must enlist the services of an accountant or other financial professional. A provider must understand the costs as well as the inherent pros and cons of each medical billing model.

Providers employing an in house medical billing model need to understand the true cost of their process. Determining the true cost not only requires accurate financial data and accounting but an objective evaluation of the components of his/her current process, i.e. technology and staff. Why? Outdated technology, under staffing, turnover, or unqualified staff may contribute to the appearance of a low cost of ownership but those shortcomings will ultimately cause a loss of revenues.

In the event a provider is determined to utilize a third party medical billing service, he/she should invest the time to thoroughly familiarize him/herself with the medical billing outsourcing industry prior to interviewing prospective billing services. The provider must understand the hidden costs associated with the outsourced medical billing model in order to make an informed decision.

Medical Billing Outsourcing Versus In-house

There are many compelling reasons why medical billing outsourcing to a professional medical billing and coding company makes sense. A major problem with in-house medical billing services is the human one. Management, turnover, retraining and growth. Do you have the time and money for all of that? HRM (Human Resource Management) is the most compelling single reason why physicians and other medical service providers outsource their medical billing to a medical billing company that specializes in providing this service.
HRM problems come about from two areas, employee turnover and practice growth.
Reducing Employee Turnover With Medical Billing Outsourcing:
While your practice may be lucky by having people who have stayed with you through the years, the fact remains that they will, eventually, leave. Others are faced with an on-going turnover problem. In either event, once a medical billing specialist leaves, you are forced to fill the vacant spot right away or your cash-flow may be compromised. That often means hiring someone with lesser …or worse yet very little medical billing experience. Inexperienced medical billing specialist make errors ... errors that can cost your practice money or seriously delay your getting paid in a timely manner. Also, who will take the time to train your new medical billing specialist? Will you spend your time doing this? Or will you pay someone else to do it? Is that a good use of your time? Even if you still have other medical billing specialists, their use in training will take away from their time normally spent in helping to get you paid in a timely manner. Medical billing outsourcing avoids these problems all together.

Many medical practices go through high turnover periods, while others find loyal people who dedicate many years to working for the same Physician. The human resource management cycle can be very difficult for a Physician to maintain. Once the medical billing specialist leaves, the Physician is left with no other option and is usually forced to hire another medical billing specialist who has very little experience. Ask yourself this question, when would you be the most worried; when your receptionist quits or when your medical billing specialist leaves? Do you really have the time to find a medical billing specialist who is experienced and reliable and can do the right job with the amount of attention your medical billing deserves? Medical billing outsourcing is a better solution.

Growing a Professional Practice:

As your business grows, your revenues will grow and so will the medical billing and coding workload. However, your employee costs are fixed costs, while your billings and receivables are not fixed. So, when your business has grown to the point where the workload overtaxes the current medical billing personnel, you will need to add another medical billing specialist … maybe more. That is an abrupt increase in fixed costs, because now you are - in effect - overstaffed, as the volume of the workload has not as yet caught up to your newly-expanded billing capacity.

Use medical billing outsourcing to change your medical billing expenses from a fixed cost to a variable cost and improve your ability to manage your business.

When you choose medical billing outsourcing, your costs vary directly with your medical billings. If your medical billings drop, your costs drop. If your medical billings go up, your costs do not rise disproportionately. This simple fact can make your business planning easier.

Less Paperwork and Lower Employee Costs With Medical Billing Outsourcing

If you do your medical billing internally, salary is typically only about 70-75% of your employee costs when you figure in payroll taxes, FICA and insurance. Not to mention that added paperwork cost of administering them. Plus, when your medical billing specialists are sick or on vacation, you're still paying them for not working. When you outsource your billing by taking advantage of our professional medical billing specialists, the overhead and paperwork is ours, not yours.

• Medical Billing Specialist's Employee salary
• Medical Billing Specialist's Employee benefits
o Worker's compensation
o FICA
o Healthcare insurance
o Vacation, sick leave, etc.
o Performance bonus
• Computer hardware purchase & maintenance
• Software purchase & renewal
• Clearinghouse fees
• Postage
• Stationery
• Physical (Office) Space
• Training and re-training
• Recruitment costs
• YOUR time
• YOUR opportunity costs

Reduce Errors and Receive Revenue Faster With Medical Billing Outsourcing:

Medical Insurers are always looking for ways to slow down paying you. It's how they manage their cash flow. Anything that is miscoded can cause your bill to be rejected or its payment delayed significantly. When you outsource your medical billing to our medical billing specialists, you'll not only be getting professional medical billing services, you'll be benefiting from a degree of accuracy that would be difficult to match internally. At Medical Billing, each submission is reviewed by a supervisor to help ensure accuracy. That "extra level of eyes" is a luxury impractical with in-house medical billing.

Our Incentive, Your Control

When you take advantage of medical billing outsourcing, you improve your cash flow and collections and reduce the costs and headaches of employee problems. And we can even offer you a line of credit at Below-Prime through Medical-Finance.com

Call now for a free consultation. Let our Medical Billing Specialists show you how to keep more of the money you make. Outsourcing your medical billing services allows the money you get to grow in direct proportion to the direction your business is going.

Alternative Medicine - Avenue for Medical Tourism

The history of alternative medicine is a rather interesting one, and has its
origins in traditional methods of medicine. Alternative medicine has been
in existence since time immemorial. Being a primeval science, this medicinal
system has been known to man since the early days of his time on Earth. Using
natural ingredients to prevent and cure most illnesses has perhaps been man's greatest foray into medical science. Traditional medical practitioners aimed at prevention of diseases associated with an increase in resistance of the human body. As an expert rightly pointed out, "The study of the history of alternative medicine is fascinating on a variety of levels, not just concerning other and often better ways of preserving and restoring health."

 

Practised for thousands of years, alternative medicine includes systems like
Acupuncture, Ayurveda and traditional Asian medicine. Alternative medicine branches
out from the Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) treatments and
therapies. CAM is often combined with formal, conventional medicine, integrating
both medical practices, in order to give the best results to patients. It can be said that
the earlier methods of medicine were attempted at achieving a balance between bodily
and natural energy. Energies were sought as positive and negative energies, where
positive energies were to bring in happiness and health and negative energies an
incapacitation of resistance to face any ailments. Matters of utmost importance in
deciding therapies or treatments in these earlier medical systems were factors like
one's lifestyle, one's habits of eating and one's occupational pressures.

 

The earliest use of traditional remedies dates back to 2800 BC in China.
Practised all over the world in more than a hundred disciplines, alternative medicine
has aided medical tourism in an unprecedented manner. Using alternative medicine
and following alternative medical practices not only removes any possible additional
affects of the illness but also increases the resilience of the body. It is generally
claimed that natural remedies are not only less inimical to human physiology
but they also help in retaining body pliancy. Systems of natural, traditional
medicines use a combination of ingredients to restore the bodily constituents. In
fact, natural remedies are considered more as food, given their natural constituents.
Since alternative medicine is based on completely natural methods and there is
no usage of any chemicals, there is no danger of any interference with the organic
system. A holistic approach as opposed to looking at a set of symptoms and a
treatment that delves into the root-cause of an illness are some of the distinct and
highly acknowledged features of alternative medicine. It is also opined that
widespread use of modern medicine has deteriorated the immune system in the
human physiology and has resulted in these modern medicines becoming less
effective. It is also often said that alternative medicine is the only way to cure
some incurable diseases.

 

A Brief History of Alternative Medicine

The history of alternative medicine can be traced back to some 5000 years, when the Chinese and Indians discovered traditional and Ayurvedic therapies to heal the body and the mind. The real objective was to identify the deterrents in the body system which caused ailments, and
strengthened the body's immunity. The therapies mainly incorporated self-care, lifestyle
changes and various preventive measures. The normal practices that were followed in the early stages of the history of alternative medicine include the extractions of the bark of willow trees. Many kitchen ingredients were also used for treating patients. The treatments were considered as the blessings of God, as it brought immense relief to the writhing bodies and prayer was considered as one of the strongest weapons in waging war against ailments.
Source: "A Brief History of Alternative Medicine", http://www.med-help.net/med-history-of-alternativemedicine.
html

 

Alternative Medicine and Medical Tourism

Today, alternative medicine holds out immense potential in attracting medical
tourists. For example, India is likely to become a major hub for medical tourism,
with revenues from the industry estimated to grow from US$333 million in 2007
to US$2.2 billion by 2012, says a study by the Confederation of Indian Industry
(CII) and McKinsey.3 The major competitive advantages that India faces are cost
effectiveness and traditional medical systems like Ayurveda and Naturopathy.
The world has witnessed the development of many traditional as well as modern
systems of medicine in the 20th century. Path-breaking discoveries like penicillin,
technological advancements in modern surgery, major research advancement in stem
cell research and genetic structure, and the development of traditional medical systems
like traditional Chinese system of medicine, Acupuncture, Osteopathy, Homeopathy,
Ayurveda, Yoga, Unani and others have all been a part of developments in the
omnipotent territory of global medicine. The major competitive advantages that India
has are cost effectiveness and traditional medical systems like Ayurveda and Naturopathy.
The last few years have seen countries with their own individual expertise attracting
tourists from all over the world and promoting medical tourism like never before.

India

In India, medical tourism in alternative medicine has its ancestry in South India
and some places in North-Eastern India. Internationally famed for its natural remedies and therapies, Kerala's schools of medicine have embraced Siddha,
Naturopathy and Ayurveda in treating their patients. These traditional medical
practices are estimated to attract high-end medical tourists from Europe and
Middle Eastern countries. The vital advantages that a country like India faces
with regard to medical tourism are its traditional therapies like yoga and Ayurveda
combined with tourist attractions in states like Kerala and north-eastern states.
Naturopathy, a therapeutic system based on natural remedies, trusts natural
elements like air, water and sunlight, combined with therapeutic massages and
conditioning and toning of the human body. Naturopathy believes that the human
body has the capacity to heal on its own, provided it is in a healthy environment.
With a holistic approach to well-being, Naturopathy believes that the three
physical entities – the physical body, the supernatural soul and the mind – must
be integrated through natural energies. "A recent survey shows that 76% of global
drugs are consumed by USA and European countries. We believe that freedom
from diseases and drugs can only be achieved by living a natural life style."4
Ayurveda, the most ancient health care system, takes its ingredients from nature.
The use of herbs, materials like gold and mercury and many household ingredients
make this science easily accessible to common man. Ayurveda claims to cure diseases
like diabetes with the aid of nature. The Siddha medical system, which is a part of
Ayurveda, employs herbs, minerals and advanced scientific techniques under ancient
principles of medical science to cure many chronic diseases. It is named as one of
the most complicated and intricate forms of medicine. Siddha considers nature
and man as one essential entity. It claims that physiological characteristics like
human aging can itself be arrested with natural remedies.

Naturopathy has evolved medical tourism in India in more than one ways.
With its systems of medication using all natural ingredients to restore the holistic
disease-fighting nature of the human body, the medicine has created increased
chances of its own survival through tourists from all parts of the world visiting
India to reap its benefits. As Vitthal Kamat of the Kamat Group of Hotels says,
"With Naturopathy and Ayurveda along with the world renowned tourist attractions
and heritage places, the tourism sector can grow in leaps and bounds."5 Naturopathy
in "KayaKalp", a naturopathy centre in Himachal Pradesh, run by the Vivekananda Medical Research Trust in India has served medical tourists in detoxifying, immunizing and rejuvenating through Yoga, Pranayama, Panchkarma, Meditation and Naturopathy. Its therapies are claimed to be drug-less and extremely natural. Naturopathy takes the help of Ayurvedic preparations for healing processes like Panchkarma and improvement of blood circulation.

India's pioneer in alternative therapy – medical tourism, Kerala, has visitors
from all over the world in the months of June, July and August. These months are
looked upon as the best period for cure of bodily ailments through Ayurveda.
High quality medical facilities provided at low prices are the main tourist attraction
in Kerala. Mr. M Narayanan, head of Poovar Island Resort says that there are
tourists from countries like Australia, Europe and Germany. The packages offered
in these Ayurvedic spas include services like Ayurvedic oil massages, powder
massages, vegetarian diets, detoxification programs and a lifestyle change. In fact
it is little known that Ayurveda includes not just massages, but a whole gamut of
services like herbal and natural diet plans, natural healing therapies, and therefore
a full-fledged medical system.

Ayurveda Gram, a unique Ayurvedic Institution in Bangalore offers Ayurveda
in its wellness form to medical tourists. It offers services like Customized Yoga,
Pranayama, Meditation, and a vegetarian diet to boost metabolism. Its sprawling
campus full of medicinal herbs and natural surrounds helps in the processes of
cure for specific ailments like Arthiritis, Spondilytis, Cholesterol, Sinusitis, Peptic
Ulcer and Obesity. Other therapies by Ayurveda Gram include Stress Management
therapies, Panchkarma and rejuvenation therapies.

AYUSH, the department of Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha
and Homeopathy was formed under the Indian Medicine Central Council Act,
1970. One of the most recent awareness activities undertaken by AYUSH was a
health fair organized in parts of Hyderabad, Chennai, Indore and New Delhi.
AYUSH ensured that the major Ayurvedic, Unani and Siddha manufacturers in
India participated in this health fair.

Another famous Ayurvedic centre in India is the C V N Kalari Centre for
Ayurveda. Kalari is one of the approved Ayurvedic centres recognized by the
Kerala Tourism Department.6 Kalari has its customers from many foreign countries. The centre specializes in Marma Chikitsa (the application of pressure on specific
nerve points) and other special practices of healing. Having both therapeutic and
rejuvenative aspects in them, these specialized healing procedures take extensive help
of Ayurveda to treat the ailing.
Some Ayurvedic resorts have formulated Ayurvedic kitchens that help improve
the effectiveness of oil treatments. Diet regimens, detoxification programs and other
processes that give a glowing skin to the customer are very popular. Some of these
Ayurvedic resorts also arrange for cooking classes to help their customers acquire
and maintain the lifestyle that they are introduced to in these spas and resorts.
Ananda, an Ayurvedic Spa in the Himalayas is one of the most famous destination
resorts in India. It offers specialty Ayurvedic packages like Aroma therapy massages,
reflexology programs for rejuvenation, stress release programs, personalized Yoga
sessions, body composition analysis and weight reduction programs through Yoga
and Ayurveda. Ananda claims that its packages and therapies cure many ailments
like headaches, nausea, climatic disorders, facial paralysis, insomnia, asthma, neuralgia
and does general improvement of metabolism.

China

The 3000 year-old method of traditional medicine in China has gained popularity
as the world's most popular medicine, being used by more than a quarter of the
world in treating even chronic diseases like cancer, AIDS, allergies and heart diseases.
Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) uses medicinal herbs, therapeutic exercises
and acupuncture to cure ailments. TCM diagnoses illnesses based on the five elements
theory and the yin-yang theory. The five elements theory base their evaluation on the
five elements – wood, fire, earth, metal and water to establish a connection between
human physiology and pathology and the natural environment.7 The movement of
these five elements constantly rules the functioning of the human body and thus
establishes the interdependence of both.

The yin-yang theory calls for comprehending the bright and dark sides of
the universe, in other words, the opposite properties of the universe.8 The relative
nature of yin and yang represents the interrelationship between substance and function. As traditional chinese medical practitioners say "Only with ample
substance can the human body function in a healthy way; and only when the
functional processes are in good condition, can the essential substances be
appropriately refreshed."

Chinese herbal medicine is more known as Chinese materia medica. This includes
Chinese crude medicine, prepared drugs in pieces, traditional Chinese patented
medicines and simplified Chinese medicinal preparations. Chinese herbology, a major
aspect of TCM addresses the art of combining medicinal herbs.10 It visualizes the
entire human body's balance of energies and spirit to treat a medical condition.
Herbs are combined into different potions of various characteristics for the sake of
different individuals being treated by TCM practitioners. Herbs like Astragalus,
Ginkgo, Ginger, Green Tea, Siberian Ginseng and Garlic are used to treat several
ailments. Around 300 mineral and animal extracts and 400 formulae are used to
cure diseases, in Traditional Chinese Medicine.

Acupuncture, as part of TCM is used to unblock the flow of vital energy through
the human body.11 One of the oldest healing techniques in the world, this traditional
method aims at "restoring health through simulation of specific points on the body."12
Ailments like nausea, addictions and some kinds of pains are claimed to be treated
with the help of acupuncture.

Taking advantage of its abundant human resources, China is luring medical tourists
into its web of alternative medical therapies. Wellness packages in China come at
low costs and without any side-effects, thanks to proliferated Traditional Chinese
Medicine. Several massages and spas have been set up in recent times that provide
mental health and physical well-being to medical tourists with the help of Chinese
medicinal herbs. Wellness apartments are established for the purpose of serving
senior medical tourists. These wellness apartments facilitate these tourists in
practising their own hobbies and also conducting medical activities like Taiji.

Germany

Germany's alternative medical practices have their origins in Homeopathy, a
medical system that was developed by Samuel Hahnemann, a German physician.
Homeopathy considers symptoms as disturbances of vital forces that have
connection with the human body. Homeopathic advocators believe that this
medical system has the ability to cure acute diseases like flu, cold, pains, depression
and fatigue, constipation, irritability other than chronic diseases. It is claimed to
cure allergies and allergic disorders like Eczema and Asthma. Moreover, this
medical system is child friendly, in the sense, that the medication given by
homeopaths is sweet to the tooth and therefore acceptable. Homeopaths are known
for debonair and their hands free treatment of patients. They concentrate more
on the patient's state of mind and attitude towards life. The preparation of different
potions in Homeopathy is done mostly with the help of herbs, minerals and
animal extracts. Also, it is often reasoned that since the dosage that homeopaths
prescribe is in such minute constitutions and because they come in dilutions of
substances like water and alcohol there is no chance of any side-effects.
Germany also stands famous for its herbal remedies. Regulated by Commission
E14 on the purity and pharmaceutical activity, these herbal medicines in Germany
have come a long way in preventing and curing many diseases like cancer, AIDS and
other serious ailments. Most physicians in Germany are required to be educated in
Alternative therapies, so that it serves complimentary to modern medical treatments.
As Mark Blumenthal, chairman of the American Botanical Council points out, "Most
of the clinical research that's conducted on the leading herbal medicines in the United
States comes from Germany."15

With more than 300 spa towns, Germany has become the premier destination
for health and wellness in Europe.16 One of the most famous resorts in Germany
is the Baltic Spa Resort in Warnemunde. Situated on the shore of the Baltic Sea,
it idealizes the sea as a "homeopathic pharmacy" and claims that "it contains all
important trace elements and has a similar composition to human blood"17 Sea water is said to have revitalizing effects in treating bodily ailments like respiratory
illnesses, sleep disorders and obesity. Other than these, mental disorders like
depression, anxiety and agony are claimed to be cured with the help of the sea.
Sea breeze is said to be specifically effective in treating cardio-vascular as well as
dermatological conditions. Major advantages that Germany faces are in terms of
both cost and quality. As Axel Steller, the CEO of the Arab German Health
Foundation points out, "In the US, operations are four to five times more expensive
as they are in Germany".

Japan

Japanese medicine is known as Kanpo or Kampo, a herbal medicine that forms part
of well-researched modern clinical methods and also traditional methods of
medicine. A Japanese variant of the traditional Chinese medicine or the Oriental
medicine, Kanpo adheres to the body's natural instincts and natural mechanism
of healing. For this purpose, medical treatment involves diagnosis of the tongue,
abdomen and pulse. At each stage of the treatment, different formulae that are
necessary to bring the body back to normalcy, are prepared by the physician.
These herbal medicines are regulated by the Japanese Government. Kanpo
medicine is used to cure many acute and chronic ailments like cardio-vascular,
respiratory, digestive, reproductive and dermatological conditions and immune
system corrections and even disorders like bedwetting, high cholesterol and
hepatitis. Though Kanpo therapies take longer than usual to work, this medical
system uses some very natural diagnosis and treatment methods and concepts
like water, blood and air to identify bodily symptoms. Also, it is claimed that
these herbal medicines produce no side-effects because of their natural
compositions. Japanese therapists of Anma visit countries like India and Singapore
to help in promotion of health tourism. Anma, a traditional Japanese massage, is
said to be a complete form of Shiastu19 that treats the body to release blood flow
in a proper manner to rejuvenate the body.

Apart from attracting tourists for its natural herbal medical treatments, Medical
tourism in Japan has become popular thanks to its volcanic areas that have allowed
the formation of some hot mineral water springs called Onsen. Japanese Onsen serve as places where the ailing can get alternative treatments to modern medical
practices. These have medicinal properties that heal wounds, alleviate pains and
replenish energy levels. Senior tourists and people suffering from many kinds of
aches and pains come flocking to these mineral water springs. The healing
properties of these springs are accentuated by the surrounding volcanic soil that
is composed of many minerals and curative elements.

Outlook of Medical Tourism in Alternative Medicine

Alternative medicine is here to stay, claim some traditional medical practitioners.
Given its perceived advantages over the modern medical techniques and the expensive
western medicines, alternative medical therapy is gaining ground in many developing
as well as developed countries. Practices like Ayurveda and Homeopathy claim that
surgery may always be the last option in case of treatment of an ailment. Natural
medicines like herbs and minerals can all be partaken as food and not medicines as
such, since their composition is all natural. Alternative medicine is used in conjunction
with modern medicine to treat many chronic ailments like diabetes and AIDS. This
helps modern medical practitioners to evolve a closer relationship with the patient
and cure him to a greater extent, thus giving him a new perspective to life. It follows
that one should never overlook the disposition of the traditional cures suggested by
our ancestors. These provide a standpoint from where one can comprehend the
profundity of traditional and alternative medicine, and gauge the tremendous potential
of alternative medicine in medical tourism.

Please seek author's permission for reprint. Send a reprint request to kirrti82@gmail.com.

References
1. www.hinduonnet.com
2. "Kerala", www.takekerala.com
3. "Prospects of Medical Tourism in India", www.mpiweb.org
4. "Medical Tourism push for Penang and Langkawi", http://thestar.com.my
5. www.wikipedia.com