Little Known Ways to Help Your Heart

Engaging in an exercise routine is a proven way to lower your cholesterol. Exercise should be done every day for it to yield good results. However, it can be a bit tough to do this because life can get really busy at times. Some tips will still do a lot to guide you into daily exercise despite suffering from a heavy workload.
a. Starting the Routine                                                
Take caution and take it slow at first, especially if you have not exercised recently. You should remember to avoid getting in a high intensity schedule straight away. Five times each week is the best that you could strive for in your exercise program. If you end up working out too fast too soon, you might end up feeling intense pain and getting burned out. If you are experiencing health problems, it would be best for you to see a specialist who can recommend an appropriate exercise routine that will restore your optimum condition. Always view working out as if it is an important appointment you must keep. Schedule the time wherein you would exercise – pretty much in the way you make time in order to see your physician or dentist. Heighten the value and interest level of your exercise routine by mixing things up activity-wise and movement-wise to keep things from getting boring.
b. Other Important Factors
If you do chores that allow you to move a lot and get your blood flowing, you can consider it as part of your exercise routine. Simple household chores like vacuuming and washing your car also counts as active additions to your exercise routine. Exercise exists in various forms which you should really look out for. You could try, for example, going up the stairs instead of riding an elevator as a form of exercise. You can strengthen your heart and build up on leg muscles by taking the stairs. As you do your daily activities, strive to take longer ways to get to your destinations. It is also best to wear those running shoes and go on foot to do errands instead of taking the car. Engaging in walking routines helps lose weight as well as lower cholesterol. When you are on your way to the store, it helps to park it a little further down to get walking mileage.
c. Having Time 
Some people find it difficult to squeeze in thirty to sixty minutes of continuous exercise in their schedules. To still get results, you could break up your routine in ten to fifteen minute intervals. Plenty of research indicates that such is one effective way of exercising. Regular exercise, while lowering one’s cholesterol and strengthening the heart, can also be a lot of fun. If you add the benefits one gets from having a healthy emotional well-being, weight loss and strengthening, you will notice how great the results of exercising are.
About the Author - Alana Richardson writes for low carb diet cholesterol , her personal hobby blog focused on the preservation of the Italian healthy eating traditions to inform people about the dangers  of unhealthy eating habits.

Choosing the right medical billing software for your office

Running a profitable practice has become increasingly more challenging for many medical offices. With so much to focus on, often practice goals get pushed aside to address daily tasks and concerns. Medical billing software is a great option, yet choosing which will suit your office best can be overwhelming. With so many choices in software and features, it can be hard to know where to start. Here are some tips to finding which medical billing software will be best for your office.

Evaluate your current office systems. What makes each task productive or unproductive, and which takes up more time than necessary? Which tasks are keeping you from reaching your practice goals? Choose medical billing software features that will address the unproductive tasks in your practice.

Make a list of features you need in your medical billing software. This can simplify your search by narrowing your list as you cross out software that will not work for your practice needs. With an edited list, you can decide on which is most user friendly, which can be adjusted to flow with your current office systems, which is priced better, and which has unnecessary extra features.

Choose medical billing software that enhances office efficiency. Medical billing software should free staff time and enhance the way your office is run. Make sure this system will work for your current staff and office systems; the wrong one can lead to many problems and frustration.

File electronically and get paid faster. Make sure the system you choose can handle claims electronically, has direct billing for patients and co-insurance, co-pays and expenses not covered by insurance. Don't waste time filing insurance claims when you can electronically send your insurance claims seamlessly and easily. Your practice can get money faster, without all the stress of filing and refiling claims.

Choose medical billing software that is comprehensive. Does this system handle record maintenance and appointment scheduling, as well as SOAP notes, electronic medical records and of course, billing?

Choosing the right medical billing software for your office is essential to increasing profitability and efficiency. Medical billing software can help simplify unproductive office tasks and again put the focus back on reaching your practice goals. With the right software, your practice can get paid faster, enhance office efficiency, and save both time and money. Remember to take the time to ask questions, list your needs and you'll be able to find the right fit for your practice.

Easy and affordable health tourism

No time lag No wait No queue

G Krish, a British resident who had a heart bypass surgery at Delhi's Hospital, said: "The good hospitals here have world class facilities and doctors but cost one-tenth.

Krish said he admired the fact that "unlike in England there is no wait to get into the hospital and no rush to get out". 

Due to the ease and affordable health tourism many countries intiated links with the hospitals in India for speedy treatments in India for their nationals as one has to wait for a long time in these countries to get cured or to undergo even minor operations. 

Perfect Blend of art and science is COSMETIC SURGERY

Cosmetic Surgery is a practice where your beauty begins with our artistry. Doctors  ability to interpret and implement patient's  specific desires and needs, from minor enhancements to major transformations, brings patients from far off places to India. More as an artists commissioned to sculpt your body. Doctors are  able to finely craft a chosen feature that enhances your inner radiance and natural outer beauty.

Recent statistics from US indicates that there has been an amazing 400 percent increase in total number of cosmetic procedures since 1997. The interest in cosmetic enhancement is greater than ever and so is the need for information on different procedures and treatment available.

Add values  is helping the patient in getting latest information and treatment options. 

Laser Liposuction or Laser Lipolysis

Laser assisted liposuction or laser lipolysis, is one of the fast growing and exciting liposuction developments since tumescent liposuction. Laser liposuction, otherwise known as laser lipolysis, incorporates a small surgical laser to target and melt away fat, before it is suctioned from the body. The use of surgical lasers allows for greater precision and more refined outcomes. Advances using laser technology make it possible to target and melt fat cells, while leaving muscle and nerve tissue unharmed. Laser liposuction creates new efficiencies in fat elimination and reduces pain, swelling and bruising after the laser liposuction procedure. Laser liposuction patients experience a quicker recovery. In addition, there is little chance of scarring. Laser liposuction may be more expensive than traditional or tumescent liposuction. The use of a laser technology system adds to the overall cost of the surgery. However, many people find that the improved results made it worth the extra cost.

475 more hospitals going for NABH accreditation: QCI

Ahmedabad, Apr 29 (PTI) In a bid to provide quality healthcare services about 475 hospitals, including government ones, across the country are gearing up to adopt NABH accreditation, a top medical official said here today.

"Around 85 hospitals have got NABH accreditation so far and about 475 more across the nation are going through various processes to obtain the accreditation," Quality Council of India Secretary General and CEO NABH Giridhar J Gyani told newsmen.

National Accreditation Board for Hospitals and Healthcare Providers (NABH), a constituent board of QCI, promotes best practices in the healthcare sector, through its accreditation programme. It was launched six years ago.

The NABH standards provide a framework for quality assurance and improvement, while focusing on patient safety and quality of care. The standards are in consonance with the framework specified by International Society for Quality in Healthcare Inc (ISQua).

QCI has inked MoUs with various states including Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Jammu and Kashmir, Andhra Pradesh, for accreditation of the government hospitals.

"Gujarat is setting a model for quality healthcare in the country. It is a leading state, where 30 government hospitals are going through various processes for NABH accreditation, which is the highest compared to other states," Gyani said.

"We have inked MoUs with the state governments of Tamil Nadu for 15 hospitals, Kerala (14), Jammu and Kashmir (10), Andhra Pradesh (3), Karnataka (2), Punjab (5) and Delhi (9)," he said.

The accreditation programme by NABH covers all facets of patient safety, including surgical safety, medication management, hospital infection, he said.

10 worst office manners which irritate bosses

Bangalore: Most of the time it is the (poor?) employees who are seen unhappy with their bosses, sometimes bosses start smirking in their nightmares. But being an employee, have you ever thought that some of your irritating manners might also be the source of strife for your boss as well?

The boss-employee story has two sides. While one side tells about the bitter experiences of the employees with their bosses, the other side says that the employees are not the only ones having a beef about their bosses. Bosses too get sick of their employees at times. We at SiliconIndia did a survey to know what the boss's biggest complaints about staff are. Listing the Top 10 peeves below:

Arrive late and leave early:
If you one of those who arrive late at the last second, but leave early or first at the end of the day, you're not certainly in your boss's good book. It'll only show your disinterest in your job which your boss doesn't like.

Abuse of sick leave:
You are sick and taking leave, that's fine. You are not sick, but you are taking leave telling that you are sick - a really annoying thing that your boss simply hates. As per recent studies, one out of three employees who calls in sick really isn't. About 32 percent of U.S. employees called in sick when they really weren't in 2009, as per CareerBuilder's annual absenteeism survey of 4,700 workers.

Intolerable cell phone behavior:
You are in a meeting and your cell phone rings again and again. It can be the major contributor to your boss's dislike towards you. Adding to it, receiving multiple phone calls at work is never appropriate. Bosses also hate employees peeping on their cell phones while at work.

Not communicating things properly:
Proper communication between the bosses and employees is the key to success for every organization. Employees should have good communicating skills otherwise chances are there for the boss to get irritated. If you are not able to complete your task within the deadline, rather than ignoring your bosses reminder mails communicate the reason why you are not able to meet the deadline.

Lousy table manners:
Bosses obviously develop a dislike to those employees who display poor table manners during a luncheon meeting with a client. Always be very careful while you are in a meeting as a lousy table can cause embarrassment in front of your clients.

Over eagerness:
Bosses don't like those employees who are overeager. Very often people think that by showing over eagerness they can attract their boss's attention and can impress them with their new ideas. But on the contrary it is likely to generate disliking in their boss's mind towards them.

Unreliable:
Employees who say one thing, but end up doing the other and those who cannot complete the assigned task and give excuses are certainly not in their boss's good book. Very often they create headaches for bosses.

Argumentative to the boss:
If you think you should argue for your right with your boss, think twice. This could be a good incentive for disliking you. Even arguing with your co-workers can also create trouble for you. Being argumentative is a big no-no.

Clumsy appearance:
Always maintain a good hygiene while coming to office. Dress up yourself properly. Bosses don't like those employees who don't maintain proper hygiene.

Talk about personal problems:
Bosses tend to hate employees talking endlessly about their person problems to them or even to the co-workers. Stop doing that or it will create disliking in your boss's mind towards you.

Office etiquettes

1. Rrring Rrrrrrrring:- It's very distracting to have to constantly reply other people's phones if they haven't diverted them or activated their voicemail. It's just as irritating to listen to 20 seconds of "Crazy Frog" as the ringtone on someones mobile.

2. Respect colleagues having dine at their desk:- You're sitting there mutely eating a sandwich and perhaps reading a book or a newspaper, when someone decides to come up and ask work-related questions. Treat others on their lunch break as youd like to be treated on yours.

3. Monitor your communication volume:- People always lean to converse louder than compulsory when on a mobile, so make sure you pipe down or go into the corridor. Talking to a friend from the telephone on your desk? No-one else wants to hear your conversation about how you discarded your boyfriend or what you're planning to wear when out tonight. Particularly your boss.

4. Be aware of others needing the printer:- "Printer manners" is a idiom used widely in South Australia. It refers to giving special treatment to workers printing only one page at a time, ahead of those using half an hour and half a forest to print out big documents.

5. Be aware about smells:- Limit strong perfume, excessive body odour, and very perfumed flowers -- all of which can offend others. Hot take-away food and instant soups can also be very unlikable, especially if you're twenty floors up and relying on air-conditioning rather than being able to open the windows.

6. Be neat in the kitchen:- Keep in mind when your mum would say, "Do you think this is a hotel?" Similarly, at work, no-one wants to have to clear up after your mess. Don't leave food on the counter or unclean dishes in the sink for extensive periods of time. And make sure the fridge now and again to confirm the cheese you bought last month has not sprouted a green disguise.

7. Keep your music to yourself:- Roger Tullgren, in Sweden, managed to convince three psychologists that his force to listen to music at work should be classified as a disability. He's now been given a dispensation to play music "really loudly" at his new job as a part-time dishwasher in a restaurant. However, not everyone at your office will be eager to hear your latest discovery, so remain the volume non-existent by wearing headphones.

8. Stay home with the sniffles:- You may feel you should be highly praised for bravely soldiering into work when sick, but no-one else will. A Kimberly-Clark report found 94 per cent of workers admitting they still turn up for work when experiencing cold. Eighty-five per cent of these think about the risk of passing on their illness to colleagues but go in anyway. If you absolutely must appear, be considerate and use tissues and clean your hands normally to reduce the expand of germs.

9. Ask before borrowing:- Like Gareth in "The Office", some people are violently defensive of their office supplies. How many times have you been on a scavenger hunt to track down borrowed pens, staplers and scissors?

10. Be on time:- According to a report by the BBC, two-out-of-three people regularly turn up late for meetings. What message does it give to people if you're always late, cancel at short notice or chat with others while a meeting is going on? Showing respect and tact in the workplace will help you build creative relationships.

How will one choose right hospital?

There are a number of hospitals in India that offer a multitude of medical services. In a medical emergency, the nearest hospital is chosen. However, when there is time to choose a hospital, how should one choose?

More important than the infrastructure, it is essential to know if the hospital has a documented process for its healthcare activities. Patient care not only involves the core clinical care, but also other support activities like requisition of tests, medicines, nurse doctor coordination, infection control practices, training, and so on. These need to run seamlessly in the background to provide the best experience to the patient and the relatives.

A quality-conscious hospital should define all such activities internally, document the same, and impart necessary training to the staff. These documented activities include detailed job responsibilities, work instructions, checklists and quality indicators for the staff to follow.

So how will the patient know about these processes? He is not expected to inquire with the hospital whether they have these processes laid down. And how many processes could he check even if allowed to?

Accreditation is the key

Organisations like the Quality Council of India [QCI] and its National Accreditation Board for Hospitals and Healthcare providers [NABH] have designed an exhaustive healthcare standard for hospitals and healthcare providers. This standard consists of stringent 500 plus objective elements for the hospital to achieve in order to get the NABH accreditation.

To comply with these standard elements, the hospital will need to have a process-driven approach in all aspects of hospital activities – from registration, admission, pre-surgery, peri-surgery and post-surgery protocols, discharge from the hospital to follow-up with the hospital after discharge.

NABH accreditation criteria

To give an idea what NABH standard comprises of, some of the 500-plus objective elements are listed here. The requirements have been grouped for easy understanding.

Information to patients

1. The patients and/or family members are explained about the proposed care.
2. The patients and/or family members are explained about the expected results.
3. The patients and/or family members are explained about the possible complications.
4. The patients and/or family members are explained about the expected costs.

Rights of the patient and family

1. Respect for personal dignity and privacy during examination, procedures and treatment.
2. Right to refusal of treatment.
3. Informed consent before anaesthesia, blood and blood product transfusions and any invasive or high-risk procedures.
4. Information on how to voice a complaint.
5. Access to his / her clinical records.

Quality in investigations

1. Adequately qualified and trained personnel perform and/or supervise the lab investigations.
2. Policies and procedures guide collection, identification, handling, safe transportation and disposal of lab specimens.
3. Laboratory and imaging results are available within a defined time frame.
4. Critical results are intimated immediately to the concerned personnel.
5. The lab and imaging quality programme addresses verification and validation of test methods.
6. The lab and imaging quality programme includes periodic calibration and maintenance of all equipments.
7. The lab and imaging programme includes the documentation of corrective and preventive actions.

Surgical services

1. Surgical patients have a pre-operative assessment and a provisional diagnosis, documented prior to surgery.
2. Documented policies and procedures exist to prevent adverse events like wrong site, wrong patient and wrong surgery.
3. The operating surgeon documents the post-operative plan of care.
4. There is a documented policy and procedure for the administration of anaesthesia.
5. All patients for anaesthesia have a pre-anaesthesia assessment by a qualified individual.
6. During anaesthesia, monitoring includes regular and periodic recording of heart rate, cardiac rhythm, respiratory rate, blood pressure, oxygen saturation, airway security and level of anaesthesia.

Medication

1. Documented policies and procedures exist for prescription of medications.
2. The organisation defines a list of high-risk medication.
3. High-risk medication orders are verified prior to dispensing.

Infection control

1. The hospital has an infection control team.
2. The hospital has designated and qualified infection control nurse[s] for this activity.
3. Hand-washing facilities in all patient care areas are accessible to health care providers.
4. Compliance regarding proper washing of hands is monitored regularly.
5. Isolation/ barrier nursing facilities are available.
6. Adequate gloves, masks, soaps, and disinfectants are available and used correctly.

Facility and infrastructure maintenance

1. The organisation’s environment and facilities operate to ensure safety of patients, staff and visitors
2. There is a documented operational and maintenance [preventive and breakdown] plan.
3. Up-to-date drawings are maintained which detail the site layout, floor plans and fire escape routes.
4. The provision of space shall be in accordance with the available literature on good practices [Indian or International Standards] and directives from government agencies.
5. There are designated individuals responsible for the maintenance of all the facilities.
6. Maintenance staff is contactable round the clock for emergency repairs.
7. Response times are monitored from reporting to inspection and implementation of corrective actions.

Other

1. Defined procedures for situation of bed shortages are followed.
2. Ambulance[s] is appropriately equipped.
3. Ambulance[s] is manned by trained personnel.
4. There is a checklist of all equipment and emergency medications in the ambulance.

How NABH accreditation helps patients

In an NABH accredited hospital, there is a strong focus on the following:

• Patient rights and benefits
• Patient safety
• Control and prevention of infections
• Practicing good patient-care protocols e.g. special care for vulnerable groups, critically ill patients
• Better and controlled clinical outcome.

NABH now is a member of the International Society for Quality in Health Care [ISQua] and thus NABH standard is at the threshold of being recognised globally.

So, if a hospital is NABH accredited, the patient can rest assured that the hospital follows stringent standards as laid down by the accreditation body for providing best in patient care comparable to any international hospital of repute.

Benefits of NABH

Benefits for Patients
Patients are the biggest beneficiary among all the stakeholders. Accreditation results in high quality of care and patient safety. The patients are serviced by credential medical staff. Rights of patients are respected and protected. Patient’s satisfaction is regularly evaluated.

Benefits for Hospitals
Accreditation to a hospital stimulates continuous improvement. It enables Hospital in demonstrating commitment to quality care. It raises community Confidence in the services provided by the hospital. It also provides opportunity to healthcare unit to benchmark with the best.

Benefits for Hospital Staff
The staff in an accredited hospital is satisfied lot as it provides for continuous learning, good working environment, leadership and above all ownership of clinical processes. It improves overall professional development of Clinicians and Para Medical Staff and provides leadership for quality improvement with medicine and nursing.

Benefits to paying and regulatory bodies
Finally, accreditation provides an objective system of empanelment by insurance and other third parties. Accreditation provides access to reliable and certified information on facilities, infrastructure and level of care.