Sunday 16 December 2012

Medical terminology - Healthcare / Medical Healthcare Insurace


There are number of Medical terms that are used by doctors, nurses and any other healthcare practitioners when we come across and we don't know what are they . These words have long list and they are very important that you must understand .Medical terminology is the collection of words and phrases used to describe medical procedures and diagnoses. If your medical provider uses a word you don't understand, make sure to get the answers you need. Because these are the services that may your Medical Healthcare insurance may cover or may not cover or may require pre-authorization or have limited benefits . In case you forget ask your medical provider what that word means you all can search on web or refer below as almost all the different word or medical terminology used by Medical Healthcare Practitioners are described below alphabetically. As everyone know in this scientific world everyday there is lot more inventions and discoveries happening medical terminology are also changing and keep on updating . There may be chance that some medical terminology may be missing but pages are kept under track review so that if any changes any updation comes soon they can be updated under the section which they belong to .


                                                Medical Terminology List 
                               

       


Tuesday 27 November 2012

Medical Healthcare and Medical/Health Insurance

Now come big picture in Healthcare industry and this is Health Insurance . Many of us know something about Health Insurance but almost everyone has something that they may not know.

Health insurance is insurance against the risk of incurring medical expenses among individuals. By estimating the overall risk of health care expenses among a targeted group, an insurer can develop a routine finance structure, such as a monthly premium or payroll tax, to ensure that money is available to pay for the health care benefits specified in the insurance agreement.


A Health Insurance policy is:


  1. A contract between an insurance provider (e.g. an insurance company or a government) and an individual or his/her sponsor (e.g. an employer or a community organization). The contract can be renewable (e.g. annually, monthly) or lifelong in the case of private insurance. The type and amount of health care costs that will be covered by the health insurance provider are specified in writing, in a member contract or "Evidence of Coverage" booklet for private insurance, or in a national health policy for public insurance.
  2. Insurance coverage is provided by an employer-sponsored self-funded ERISA(Employee Retirement Income Security Act) plan. The company generally advertises that they have one of the big insurance companies. However, in an ERISA case, that insurance company "doesn't engage in the act of insurance", they just administer it. Therefore ERISA plans are not subject to state laws. ERISA plans are governed by federal law under the jurisdiction of the US Department of Labor. The specific benefits or coverage details are found in the Summary Plan Description. An appeal must go through the insurance company, then to the Employer's Plan Fiduciary. If still required, the Fiduciary’s decision can be brought to the US Department of Labor to review for ERISA compliance, and then file a lawsuit in federal court.

The individual insured person's obligations may take several forms:

Premium: The amount the policy-holder or his sponsor (e.g. an employer) pays to the health plan to purchase health coverage.

Deductible: The amount that the insured must pay out-of-pocket before the health insurer pays its share.

Co-payment: The amount that the insured person must pay out of pocket before the health insurer pays for a particular visit or service.  A co-payment must be paid each time a particular service is obtained.

Coinsurance: Instead of, or in addition to, paying a fixed amount a co-payment, the co-insurance is a percentage of the total cost that insured person may also pay.

Exclusions: Not all services are covered. The insured are generally expected to pay the full cost of non-covered services out of their own pockets.

Coverage limits: Some health insurance policies only pay for health care up to a certain dollar amount. The insured person may be expected to pay any charges in excess of the health plan's maximum payment for a specific service. In addition, some insurance company schemes have annual or lifetime coverage maximums. In these cases, the health plan will stop payment when they reach the benefit maximum, and the policy-holder must pay all remaining costs.

Out-of-pocket maximums: Similar to coverage limits, except that in this case, the insured person's payment obligation ends when they reach the out-of-pocket maximum, and health insurance pays all further covered costs. Out-of-pocket maximums can be limited to a specific benefit category (such as prescription drugs) or can apply to all coverage provided during a specific benefit year.

Capitation: An amount paid by an insurer to a health care provider, for which the provider agrees to treat all members of the insurer.

In-Network Provider:  A health care provider on a list of providers pre-selected by the insurer. The insurer will offer discounted coinsurance or co-payments, or additional benefits, to a plan member to see an in-network provider. Generally, providers in network are providers who have a contract with the insurer to accept rates further discounted from the "usual and customary" charges the insurer pays to out-of-network providers.

Authorization: A certification or authorization that an insurer provides prior to medical service occurring. Obtaining an authorization means that the insurer is obligated to pay for the service, assuming it matches what was authorized. Many smaller, routine services do not require authorization.

Explanation of Benefits: A document that may be sent by an insurer to a patient explaining what was covered for a medical service, and how payment amount and patient responsibility amount were determined.



Friday 19 October 2012

Foot and Public Healthcare - Medical Healthcare


Foot care practitioners

Care and treatment for the foot, ankle, and lower leg may be delivered by podiatrists, pedorthists, foot health practitioners, podiatric medical assistants, podiatric nurse and others.

Podiatry or podiatric medicine is a branch  devoted to the study of, diagnosis, and medical treatment of disorders of the foot, ankle, and lower extremity.  A Doctor of Podiatric Medicine (DPM), is a specialist qualified by their education and training to diagnose and treat conditions affecting the foot, ankle, and structures of the leg. Podiatric physicians have extensive background knowledge in human anatomy, physiology, pathophysiology, sociological and psychological perspectives, general medicine, surgery and pharmacology. Specialist podiatric physicians are podiatrists who are qualified by additional postgraduate training or fellowship training and experience in the specialized field.

Pedorthist is the title of a healthcare professional who specializes in the use of footwear and supportive devices to address conditions which affect the feet and lower limbs. They are trained in the assessment of lower limb anatomy and bio mechanics  and the appropriate use of corrective footwear – including shoes, shoe modifications, foot orthoses and other pedorthic devises. “Certified Pedorthist” is a title used by both the College of Pedorthics of Canada as well as the American Board for Certification in Orthotics, Prosthetics and Pedorthics . However, in many jurisdictions the practice of pedorthists is self-regulated; professional certification is voluntary.


Public Healthcare practitioners

A public health practitioner focuses on improving health among individuals, families and communities through the prevention and treatment of diseases and injuries,  and promotion of healthy behaviors. This category includes community and preventive medicine specialists, public health nurses, dietitians, environmental health officers, paramedics, epidemiologists, health inspectors, and others.


Dietitians are experts in food and nutrition. They advise people on what to eat in order to lead a healthy lifestyle or achieve a specific health-related goal. Dietitians work in various different capacities in the field of healthcare, food service, corporate setting, and educational arenas.

Environmental Health Officers (also known as Public Health Inspectors) are responsible for carrying out measures for protecting public health, including administering and enforcing legislation related to environmental health and providing support to minimize health and safety hazards. They are involved in a variety of activities, for example inspecting food facilities, investigating public health nuisances, and implementing disease control. Environmental health officers are focused on prevention, consultation, investigation, and education of the community regarding health risks and maintaining a safe environment.

Environmental health is a graduate career in most countries. The minimum requirements in most countries include an approved university degree program, field training and professional certification & registration.

For more information about other healthcare providers please read page Healthcare Providers.


Medical Healthcare - Dental Care


Dental care practitioners

A dental care practitioner is a health worker who provides care and treatment to promote and restore oral health. These include dentists and dental surgeons, dental assistants, dental auxiliaries, dental hygienists, dental nurses, dental technicians, dental therapists, and related professional titles.

Dentistry is the branch of medicine that is involved in the study, diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of diseases, disorders and conditions of the oral cavity, the maxillofacial area and the adjacent and associated structures, and their impact on the human body. Dentistry tends to be perceived as being focused primarily on human teeth, though it is not limited strictly to this. Dentistry is widely considered necessary for complete overall health. Doctors who practice dentistry are known as dentists. The dentist's supporting team – which includes dental assistants, dental hygienists, dental technicians, and dental therapists – aids in providing oral health services.

Lets take an example of Maxillofacial.
Oral and maxillofacial surgery is the surgical specialty concerned with the diagnosis and treatment of diseases affecting the mouth, jaws, face and neck.
Consultant specialists working in this area are variously termed oral surgeons, maxillofacial surgeons or oral and maxillofacial surgeons.

So this may come under dental care practitioners and can come under surgical also. This type of treatment are included in most of healthcare insurance policies and plan .

Dentist also encourage prevention of oral disease through proper and regular brushing of teeth and regular checkups. Many studies have proved that gum disease is one of the main factor in increased risk of diabetes , heart disease etc.

About the specialties of dentist different part of world have different opinions. Lets take about world's leading Healthcare Insurance country America (US Healthcare). They recognize nine dental specialties .
Public health dentistry
Endodontics
Oral and Maxillofacial pathology
Oral and Maxillofacial radiology
Oral and maxillofacial surgery
Orthodontics
Pediatric dentistry
Periodontics
Prosthodontics
General dentistry

Wednesday 17 October 2012

Understanding Rehabilitation care in Medical Healthcare


Rehabilitation care practitioners

A rehabilitation care practitioner is a health worker who provides care and treatment which aims to enhance and restore functional ability and quality of life to those with physical impairments or disabilities. These include physiotherapists, prosthetic ,  occupational therapists, recreational therapists, audiologists, speech and language pathologists, respiratory therapists, rehabilitation counselors  physiotherapy technicians, prosthetic technicians, personal care assistants, and others.

A physical disability is any impairment which limits the physical function of one or more limbs or fine or gross motor ability. Other physical disabilities include impairments which limit other facets of daily living, such as respiratory disorders and epilepsy.

Types of physical disabilities

Mobility impairment is a category of disability that includes people with varying types of physical disabilities. This type of disability includes upper limb disability, manual dexterity and disability in co-ordination with different organs of the body. Disability in mobility can either be a congenital or acquired with age problem. This problem could also be the consequence of some disease. People who have a broken skeletal structure also fall into this category of disability.

Visual impairment is another type of physical impairment. There are hundreds of thousands of people that greatly suffer from minor to various serious vision injuries or impairments. These types of injuries can also result into some severe problems or diseases like blindness and ocular trauma, to name a few. Some of the common types of vision impairments include scratched cornea, scratches on the sclera, diabetes-related eye conditions, dry eyes and corneal graft.

Hearing impairment is the category of physical impairment that includes people that are completely or partially deaf. People who are only partly deaf can sometimes make use of hearing-aids to improve their hearing ability.


There are certain rules and regulation in this section under healthcare insurance benefits , which are predefined and are mentioned in their policy notes . Every individual must read these carefully and if in any case they have doubt over any note they may call to their Healthcare insurance providers and let them explain you . Normally there are certain limitations under this section like some dollar amount is payable or in a year up to  some dollar amount is fixed or in a year only one visit or one service is covered . There may be some other limitations or exceptions can be there depending upon policy or plan individual or group had chosen. 

Tuesday 16 October 2012

Understanding Surgical Practitioners -Medical Healthcare Insurance


Surgical Practitioners

A surgical practitioner is that health worker who is specialized in planning and delivery of a patient's preoperative care, including during the anesthetic , surgical and also recovery stages. They many include general and specialist surgeons , anesthesiologist , nurse anesthetists , surgical nurse , clinical officers , anesthetic technicians , surgical technologist and others.

Surgery  is an ancient medical specialty that uses operative manual and instrumental techniques on a patient to investigate and/or treat a pathological condition such as disease or injury, or to help improve bodily function or appearance.
An act of performing surgery may be called a surgical procedure, operation, or simply surgery.  The patient or subject on which the surgery is performed can be a person or an animal. A surgeon is a person who practices surgery. Persons described as surgeons are commonly physicians, but the term is also applied to podiatrists, dentists (known as oral surgeons) and veterinarians. A surgery can last from minutes to hours, but is typically not an ongoing or periodic type of treatment. The term surgery can also refer to the place where surgery is performed, or simply the office of a physician, dentist, or veterinarian.

As a general rule, a procedure is considered surgical when it involves cutting of a patient's tissues or closure of a previously sustained wound. Other procedures that do not necessarily fall under this , such as angioplasty or endoscopy, may be considered surgery if they involve "common" surgical procedure or settings, such as use of a sterile environment, anesthesia, antiseptic conditions, typical surgical instruments, and suturing or stapling. All forms of surgery are considered invasive procedures; so-called "noninvasive surgery" usually refers to an excision that does not penetrate the structure being excised  or to a radiosurgical procedure .

Types of surgery

Surgical procedures are commonly categorized by urgency, type of procedure, body system involved, degree of invasiveness, and special instrumentation.

Based on timing: Elective surgery is done to correct a non-life-threatening condition, and is carried out at the patient's request, subject to the surgeon's and the surgical
facility's availability. Emergency surgery is surgery which must be done promptly to save life, limb, or functional capacity. A semi-elective surgery is one that must be done to avoid permanent disability or death, but can be postponed for a short time.

Based on purpose: Exploratory surgery is performed to aid or confirm a diagnosis. Therapeutic surgery treats a previously diagnosed condition.

By type of procedure: Amputation involves cutting off a body part, usually a limb or digit; castration is also an example. Re plantation involves reattaching a severed body part. Reconstructive surgery involves reconstruction of an injured, mutilated, or deformed part of the body. Cosmetic surgery is done to improve the appearance of an otherwise normal structure. Excision is the cutting out or removal of an organ, tissue, or other body part from the patient. Transplant surgery is the replacement of an organ or body part by insertion of another from different human (or animal) into the patient. Removing an organ or body part from a live human or animal for use in transplant is also a type of surgery.

By body part: When surgery is performed on one organ system or structure, it may be classed by the organ, organ system or tissue involved. Examples include cardiac surgery (performed on the heart), gastrointestinal surgery (performed within the digestive tract and its accessory organs), and orthopedic surgery (performed on bones and/or muscles).

By degree of invasiveness: Minimally invasive surgery involves smaller outer incision  to insert miniaturized instruments within a body cavity or structure, as in laproscopic surgery or angioplasty. By contrast, an open surgical procedure or laparotomy requires a large incision to access the area of interest.

By equipment used: Laser surgery involves use of a laser for cutting tissue instead of a scalpel or similar surgical instruments. Microsurgery involves the use of an operating microscope for the surgeon to see small structures. Robotic surgery makes use of a surgical robot, to control the instrumentation under the direction of the surgeon.

Sunday 14 October 2012

Geriatric care under Medical Healthcare

One of the important section under Medical Healthcare is Geriatric care . Why this is important because in a family elder and disabled persons play important role . These people in a family require lot more care then another person . Medical Healthcare Insurance plans have their benefits. Once plan was taken under any medical healthcare insurance these plans are beneficiary to every family because these persons in family require some kind of treatment or care almost every month . If a person had to visit consultant or hospital every month we can think about burden in our pocket. So if this burden can be reduced in any way then this will bring bright smile in one's face . This can be done by taking Medical Healthcare Insurance plan.


Geriatric care practitioners

A geriatric care practitioner plans and coordinates the care of the elderly and/or disabled to promote their health, improve their quality of life, and maintain their independence for as long as possible. They include geriatricians, Geriatric clinical pharmacists, geriatric nurses, geriatric care managers, geriatric aides, and others who focus on the health and psychological care needs of older adults.

Geriatrics or geriatric medicine is a sub-specialty of internal medicine and family medicine that focuses on health care of elderly people. It aims to promote health by preventing and treating diseases and disabilities in older adults. There is no set age at which patients may be under the care of a geriatrician or geriatric physician, a physician who specializes in the care of elderly people. Rather, this decision is determined by the individual patient's needs, and the availability of a specialist.
Geriatrics, the care of aged people, differs from gerontology, which is the study of the aging process itself.  However, geriatrics is sometimes called medical

Differences between adult and geriatric medicine

Geriatrics differs from standard adult medicine because it focuses on the unique needs of the elderly person. The aged body is different physiologically from the younger adult body, and during old age, the decline of various organ systems becomes manifest. Previous health issues and lifestyle choices produce a different constellation of diseases and symptoms in different people. The appearance of symptoms depends on the remaining healthy reserves in the organs. Smokers, for example, consume their respiratory system reserve early and rapidly.[citation needed]
Geriatricians distinguish between diseases and the effects of normal aging. For example, renal impairment may be a part of aging, but renal failure and urinary incontinence are not. Geriatricians aim to treat any diseases that are present and to decrease the effects of aging on the body.


Sub-specialties and related services

Some diseases commonly seen in elderly are rare in adults, e.g., dementia, delirium, falls. As societies aged, many specialized geriatric- and geriatrics-related services emerged including:

Medical
cardiogeriatrics (focus on cardiac diseases of elderly)
geriatric dentistry (focus on dental disorders of elderly)
geriatric dermatology (focus on skin disorders in elderly)
geriatric diagnostic imaging
geriatric emergency medicine
geriatric nephrology (focus on kidney diseases of elderly)
geriatric neurology (focus on neurologic disorders in elderly)
geriatric oncology (focus on tumors in elderly)
geriatric pharmacotherapy
geriatric physical examination of interest especially to physicians & physician assistants.
geriatric psychiatry or psychogeriatrics (focus on dementia, delirium, depression and other psychiatric disorders)
geriatric public health or preventive geriatrics (focuses on geriatrics public health issues including disease prevention and health promotion in the elderly)
geriatric rehabilitation (focus on physical therapy in elderly)
geriatric rheumatology (focus on joints and soft tissue disorders in elderly)
geriatric sexology (focus on sexuality in aged people)
geriatric subspeciality medical clinics (such as geriatric anticoagulation clinic, geriatric assessment clinic, falls and balance clinic, continence clinic, palliative care clinic, elderly pain clinic, cognition and memory disorders clinic)

Surgical
Orthogeriatrics (close cooperation with orthopedic surgery and a focus on osteoporosis and rehabilitation).
Geriatric Cardiothoracic Surgery
Geriatric urology
Geriatric otolaryngology
Geriatric General Surgery
Geriatric trauma
Geriatric gynecology
Geriatric ophthalmology

Other geriatrics sub-specialties
Geriatric anesthesia (focuses on anesthesia & preoperative care of elderly)
Geriatric intensive-care unit: (a special type of intensive care unit dedicated to critically ill elderly)
Geriatric nursing (focuses on nursing of elderly patients and the aged).
Geriatric nutrition
Geriatric Occupational Therapy (part of Geriatric Rehabilitation)
Geriatric Pain Management
Geriatric Physical Therapy
Geriatric podiatry
Geriatric psychology
Geriatric Mental Health Counselor/Specialist (focuses on treatment more so than assessment)

To know more Medical Healthcare Insurance providers visit page Medical Healthcare Insurance - Healthcare Providers

Sunday 30 September 2012

Explain Maternal care - Medical Healthcare Insurance


Maternal care is the utmost care required when one individual or a person in family is pregnant and need maternal care . Most policies in Healthcare have limited coverage about maternity . But there are policies in Medical Healthcare Insurance who cover Maternity and this way covers Maternal care .

But the definition of maternal care is not limited . Maternal care includes lots of variable sections which are described below . So before taking any Healthcare Insurance plan one most know different aspects of Maternity care and same way Newborn Health also .

Maternal and newborn health practitioners

A maternal and newborn health practitioner is a health worker who deals with the care of women and their children before, during and after pregnancy and childbirth. These include obstetricians, obstetrical nurses, midwives (including nurse midwives), nurse practitioners, and others. One of the main differences across these professions is the training and authority to provide surgical services and other life-saving interventions. In some developing countries, traditional birth attendants, or traditional midwives, are the primary source of pregnancy and childbirth care for many women and families, although they are not certified or licensed.

Obstetrics

Obstetrics (from the Latin obstare, "to stand by") is the medical specialty dealing with the care of all women's reproductive tracts and their children during pregnancy (prenatal period), childbirth and the postnatal period. Many obstetricians are also gynecologists, meaning they perform in both specialties. In the United States, these physicians are commonly referred to as OB/GYNs.

Prenatal care

Prenatal care (also known as antenatal care) refers to the regular medical and nursing care recommended for women during pregnancy. Prenatal care is a type of preventative care with the goal of providing regular check-ups that allow doctors or midwives to treat and prevent  health problems throughout the  pregnancy while promoting healthy lifestyles that benefit both mother and child.During check-ups, women will receive medical information over maternal physiological changes in pregnancy, biological changes, and prenatal nutrition including prenatal vitamins. Recommendations on management and healthy lifestyle changes are also made during regular check-ups. The availability of routine prenatal care has played a part in reducing maternal death rates and miscarriages as well as birth defects, low birth weight, and other preventable health problems.

Prenatal care generally consists of:

monthly visits during the first two trimesters (from week 1–28)
fortnightly from 28 to week 36 of pregnancy
weekly after week 36 (delivery at week 38–40)
Assessment of parental needs and family dynamic

Postnatal care

Postnatal (Latin for after birth, from post, meaning after, and natalis, meaning of birth) is the period beginning immediately after the birth of a child and extending for about six weeks. Another term would be postpartum period, as it refers to the mother (whereas postnatal refers to the infant).
It is the time after birth, a time in which the mother's body, including hormone levels and uterus size, returns to a non-pregnant state. Lochia is post-partum vaginal discharge, containing blood, mucus, and placental tissue.


Monday 24 September 2012

Understanding Mental Health - Medical Healthcare

 What is Mental Health and how this is related to Medical Healthcare or Healthcare Insurance ?

A mental health professional is a healthcare practitioner who offers services for the purpose of improving an individual's mental health or to treat mental illness. This  category includes psychiatrists (D.O. or M.D.), clinical psychologists (Psy.D or Ph.D.), clinical social workers (MSW or MSSW), psychiatric nurses, mental health counselors, professional counselors, pharmacists, as well as many other professionals. These professionals often deal with the same illnesses, disorders, conditions, and issues; however, their scope of practice differs. The most significant difference between mental health professionals are the laws regarding required education and training across the various professions.

Treatment diversity


Mental health professionals exist to improve the mental health of individuals, couples, and families. Because mental health covers a wide range of elements, the scope of practice greatly varies between professionals. Some professionals may enhance relationships while others treat specific mental disorders and illness. Often, as with the case of psychiatrists and psychologists, the scope of practice may overlap.

Most qualified mental health professionals will refer a patient or client to another healthcare professional if the specific type of treatment needed is outside of their scope of practice. Additionally, many mental health professionals may sometimes work together using a variety of treatment options such as concurrent psychiatric medication and psychotherapy. Additionally, specific mental health professionals may be utilized based upon their cultural and religious background or experience. These practitioners are linked under Healthcare insurance and if one has coverage under a plan of Medical Healthcare insurance they need not to worry about where to find these practitioners as they have their website and calling number from where they can get all the information. For mental health Healthcare Insurance had different plans which make plan worthy to people or group to take such plans.


Psychiatrist

Psychiatrists are physicians and one of the few professionals in the mental health industry who specialize and are certified in treating mental illness using the biomedical approach to mental disorders including the use of medications.
Psychiatrists may also go through significant training to conduct psychotherapy and cognitive behavioral therapy; however psychologists and clinical psychologists specialize in the research and clinical application of these techniques. The amount of training a psychiatrist holds in providing these types of therapies varies from program to program and also differs greatly based upon region.

                                            Specialties of psychiatrists

As part of their evaluation of the patient, psychiatrists are one of only a few mental health professionals who may conduct physical examinations, order and interpret laboratory tests and EEGs, and may order brain imaging studies such as CT or CAT, MRI, and PET scanning. A medical professional must evaluate the patient for any medical problems or diseases that may be the cause of the mental illness.
Historically psychiatrists have been the only mental health professional with the power to prescribe medication to treat specific types of mental illness. Currently, Physician Assistants and advanced practice psychiatric nurses may prescribe medications, including psychiatric medications. Clinical psychologists have gained the ability to prescribe psychiatric medications on a limited basis in a few U.S. states after completing additional training and passing an examination.

Collect information about clients through interviews, observations, and tests.
Act as the client’s advocate in order to coordinate required services or to resolve emergency problems in crisis situations.
Develop and implement treatment plans based on clinical experience and knowledge.
Collaborate with other staff members to perform clinical assessments and develop treatment plans.
Evaluate client’s physical or mental condition based on review of client information.

Saturday 22 September 2012

Medical Healthcare Insurance - Healthcare Providers

The term Healthcare provider is very vast and deep . This term does not limit to providers who are under Medical Healthcare Insurance but they are also those providers who did not participate in one Medical Insurance but can participate in another Healthcare Insurance provided by some other company or organization.

They may be Out of network to one insurance company but In network to some other insurance company. These providers are those doctors , dentist , nurses , surgeons etc who provides us some sort of service when we visit them .

Healthcare service is provided by both practitioners and professionals

Health care practitioners include physicians, dentists, pharmacists (including clinical pharmacists), physician assistants, nurses , midwives, dietitians, therapists, psychologists, chiropractors, clinical officers, phlebotomists, physical therapists, respiratory therapists, occupational therapists, audiologists, speech pathologists, optometrists, emergency medical technicians, paramedics, medical laboratory scientists, medical prosthetic technicians, radiographers, social workers, and a wide variety of other human resources trained to provide some type of health care service. They often work in hospitals, health care centres, and other service delivery points, but also in academic training, research, and administration. Some provide care and treatment services for patients in private homes. Many countries have a large number of community health workers who work outside of formal health care institutions. Managers of health care services, health information technicians, and other assistive personnel and support workers are also considered a vital part of health care teams.

There is long chain which are included under Health practitioners and professionals.
Audiologist or Speech Therapist
Chiropractors
Clinical nurse specialists
Clinical officers
Dentists
Dietitians
Emergency medical technicians
Medical assistants
Midwives
Nurse
Anesthologist
Occupational therapists
Optometrists
Pharmacists
Physicians
Podiatrist
Psychologists
......................There is long list of Health care providers.

Health care practitioners/ Healthcare providers  are commonly grouped into four fields

1) Medical
2) Nursing
3) Dentistry
4) Allied Health Professions

These fields includes skill level and skill specialization .Health professionals are highly skilled workers, in professions that usually require extensive knowledge including university-level study leading to the award of a first degree or higher qualification. This category includes physicians, dentists, nurse practitioners, pharmacists, physiotherapists, optometrists, and others. Allied health professionals, also referred to as "health associate professionals" in the International Standard Classification of Occupations, support implementation of health care, treatment and referral plans usually established by medical, nursing, and other health professionals, and usually require formal qualifications to practice their profession. In addition, unlicensed assistive personnel assist with providing health care services as permitted.


Another way to categorize health care practitioners is according to the sub-field in which they practice, such as mental health care, pregnancy and childbirth care, surgical care, rehabilitation care, or public health.

Mental health practitioners

A mental health practitioner is a health worker who offers services for the purpose of improving an individual's mental health or treating mental illness. These include psychiatrists, clinical psychologists, clinical social workers, mental health nurse practitioners, marriage and family therapists, as well as other health professionals and allied health professions. These health care providers often deal with the same illnesses, disorders, conditions, and issues; however their scope of practice often differs. The most significant difference across categories of mental health practitioners is education and training.

Maternal and newborn health practitioners

A maternal and newborn health practitioner is a health worker who deals with the care of women and their children before, during and after pregnancy and childbirth. These include obstetricians, obstetrical nurses, midwives (including nurse midwives), nurse practitioners, and others. One of the main differences across these professions is the training and authority to provide surgical services and other life-saving interventions. In some developing countries, traditional birth attendants, or traditional midwives, are the primary source of pregnancy and childbirth care for many women and families, although they are not certified or licensed.

Geriatric care practitioners

A geriatric care practitioner plans and coordinates the care of the elderly and/or disabled to promote their health, improve their quality of life, and maintain their independence for as long as possible. They include geriatricians, Geriatric clinical pharmacists, geriatric nurses, geriatric care managers, geriatric aides, and others who focus on the health and psychological care needs of older adults.

Surgical practitioners

A surgical practitioner is a health worker who specializes in the planning and delivery of a patient's perioperative care, including during the anaesthetic, surgical and recovery stages. They may include general and specialist surgeons, anesthesiologists, nurse anesthetists, surgical nurses, clinical officers, operating department practitioners, anaesthetic technicians, surgical technologists, and others.

Rehabilitation care practitioners

A rehabilitation care practitioner is a health worker who provides care and treatment which aims to enhance and restore functional ability and quality of life to those with physical impairments or disabilities. These include physiatrists, physiotherapists, orthotists, prosthetists, occupational therapists, recreational therapists, audiologists, speech and language pathologists, respiratory therapists, rehabilitation counsellors, physiotherapy technicians, orthotic technicians, prosthetic technicians, personal care assistants, and others.

Dental care practitioners

A dental care practitioner is a health worker who provides care and treatment to promote and restore oral health. These include dentists and dental surgeons, dental assistants, dental auxiliaries, dental hygienists, dental nurses, dental technicians, dental therapists, and related professional titles.

Foot care practitioners

Care and treatment for the foot, ankle, and lower leg may be delivered by podiatrists, pedorthists, foot health practitioners, podiatric medical assistants, podiatric nurse and others.

Public health practitioners

A public health practitioner focuses on improving health among individuals, families and communities through the prevention and treatment of diseases and injuries, surveillance of cases, and promotion of healthy behaviors. This category includes community and preventive medicine specialists, public health nurses, dietitians, environmental health officers, epidemiologists, health inspectors, and others.

Traditional and complementary medicine practitioners

In many societies, practitioners of traditional medicine or alternative medicine are an important primary health care provider, either as integrated within or remaining outside of the formal health care system. These include practitioners in acupuncture, Ayurveda, herbalism, homeopathy, naturopathy, Siddha medicine, traditional Chinese medicine, traditional Korean medicine, and Unani.


Friday 21 September 2012

Medical Facility - Hospital/Care Center

What is Medical facility ?

A medical facility is, in general, any location at which medicine is practiced regularly. Medical facilities range from small clinics and doctor's offices to urgent care centers and large hospitals with elaborate emergency rooms and trauma centers. The number and quality of medical facilities in a country or region is one common measure of that area's prosperity and quality of life. In many countries, medical facilities are regulated to some extent by law; licensing by a regulatory agency is often required before a facility may open for business. Medical facilities may be owned and operated by for-profit businesses, non-profit organizations, governments, and in some cases by individuals, with proportions varying by country. An individual having Medical Healthcare insurance can visit these facilities if charges are high still they can avail services as Health insurance pays amount on behalf of them and only a small portion of money is to bear by individuals.

Types of Medical Facility.

Hospital:- 

Almost everyone know about what Hospital is . A Hospital is an institution for healthcare typically providing specialized treatment for overnight stays or in medical terms for inpatient. Some hospitals admit patients suffering from a specific disease or infection or are reserved for specific diagnosis or treatment or for specific age group . Now a days hospital are either run by Government or State or health organizations either profit or non profit or health insurance or by charities or by donations. Hospitals nowadays staffed by professional trained doctors , nurses , paramedical clinics . 

Health care centre:-

This is another important type of Medical facility which includes clinics, doctors office, which serve as first point of contact and normally they provide outpatient medical , nursing , dental and other type of care services.

Nursing home :-

Although almost everyone can have some idea about Nursing and if we add home in that you may get rough idea about what is this type of facility . This facility includes residential treatment centres i,e they have accomodation facilities and engage in providing short term or long term medical treatment of a general or specific nature which is not performed by hospital to inpatients with any of a wide variety of medical conditions.

Drug store :-

They are engaged in retailing prescription or non prescription drugs and medicines and other thype of medical and orthopaedic items . Normally these stores are regualted or based ib hospitals or clinics. But they can even you can see running privately and are usually staffed by pharmacist , pharmacy technicians and pharmacy aides. There even you can go and get you first aid in case of any emergency .

Friday 14 September 2012

Medical Healthcare Insurance - Healthcare Provider

Healthcare can form significant part of countries economy . Healthcare is conventionally regarded as an important determinant in promoting the general health awareness of people around the world. Take example of this worldwide eradication of Smallpox in 1980 - declared by the WHO as the first disease in human history to be completely eliminated by deliberate health care interventions.

So in order to deliver modern Healthcare depends on group of trained professionals. This includes professionals in medicine, dentistry , nursing , allied health along with public health practitioners and community health workers who systematically provide personnel and population based preventive , curative and rehabilitative care services.

What is Healthcare providers and what they do?

A health care provider is an individual or an institution that provides preventive, curative, promotional or rehabilitative health care services in a systematic way to individuals, families or communities.

An individual health care provider (also known as a health worker) may be a health care professional within medicine, nursing, or a field of allied health. Health care providers may also be a public/community health professional. Institutions (also known as health facilities) include hospitals, clinics,primary care centres, and other service delivery points. The practice of health professionals and operation of health care institutions is typically regulated by national or state/provincial authorities through appropriate regulatory bodies for purposes of quality assurance. Together, they form part of an overall health care system.

These healthcare providers are linked under Medical Healthcare Insurance . When an individual or family or Group or a company takes Medical Healthcare Insurance they will get list of providers and their contact details and location . By this means Healthcare providers can be easily located and contacted . Which in turn very much helpful to one who is in really need .

Please read page Healthcare Providers for deep information about Health care Providers in Medical Insurance or Health Insurance





Medical Healthcare Insurance

Whenever we listen or read term Healthcare or Medical Healthcare or Medical Healthcare insurance we usually come up with thing some kind of health insurance which is of no use for us . The basic reason behind is that we in a year fall ill or prone to disease once or twice that can be treated only by our nearest physician or chemist shop or by taking some pills that also in cheap . So why to pay in this why to take Medical Healthcare Insurance which is costly and starts payment after some time.

But this wrong perception which we had in our mind . The terms Healthcare in Medical Healthcare Insurance  means:-
The prevention, treatment and management of illness and the preservation of mental and physical well being through the services offered by the medical and allied health professionals.

But still these things can be done if we assign local doctor living nearby to our house. Basic definition of Healthcare will not explain you why to take Medical Healthcare Insurance . The word Care in Medical Healthcare Insurance means a lot in our daily life .

Care is the one that mother do for a child, father do for family, government do for citizens, a good friend do to his/her friend and so on . Still care means a lot like services rendered by members of the health professionals for the benefit of a patient .

Admission care in the nursing interventions defined as facilitating entry of a patient into a healthcare facility.
Adult day care a Medical Healthcare services provided for adults with a disability or illness who need partial care and companionship during the day when family members are working or otherwise unable to stay at home with disabled persons.
Ambulatory care healthcare services that are provider on an outpatient basis.
Cesarean section care in the nursing interventions classification defined as the preparation and support of a patient delivering baby by cesarean section.
Emergency care defined as life saving measures in life threatening situations

Now the idea comes up in our mind why to take Medical Healthcare Insurance . This just like that visiting to dentist , you know you should do it but you avoid it till your last breath . Health insurance is an absolute necessity for every individual - young or old .

A Medical Healthcare Insurance is a way of ensuring you and your family against any financial contingency arising due to an unforeseen medical emergency. The average life span of an individual has increased owing to improved medical facilities and increased awareness about one's well being . However at the same time
healthcare and medical costs have also moved like rocket. Also there has been an increase in incidence of medical problems due to lifestyle like stress and eating habits.

You may also like to read Why you need Medical Healthcare Insurance? Please read