Health care PR

For the health care industry, good, strategic PR has long been a necessity – and today, it’s more interesting than ever to be involved in the process.

Misconceptions abound about the state and substance of health care in America. Health reform is changing the way the medical field does business. The needs of the aging boomer population will test the strength of public and private health care systems. For those reasons and others, establishing a constructive back-and-forth with key publics these days is especially challenging for hospitals, doctors, pharmaceutical companies and others whose life work is helping people heal.

At the same time, anecdotal evidence suggests that health care PR is a field that’s growing in numbers and in depth.

The challenges of the past few years have trained a generation of health care PR practitioners. Many have had to learn to deal quickly and decisively with rumors, both the flash-in-the-pan type and the ones that persist. Others have learned how to communicate uncomfortable truths about the nature of the medical profession. A good number of health care PR practitioners have certainly learned about all the ways the political process influences medicine, knowledge that may prove to be useful for issues that come up in the future.

The public relations profession includes many highly-qualified firms and individuals passionate about helping health care organizations find their voice. Some people are highly motivated by the work because they feel they are helping organizations that save lives; others choose the specialty because they are fascinated by the science and technology involved in healing the human body; yet others appreciate the job security inherent in certain health-related fields. Whatever is motivating its practitioners, it’s safe to say that health care PR is a growing and exciting field that’s attracting top talent. That’s good news for health care organizations – because, while communicating is getting trickier, more and more PR professionals are excited to take on the challenge.

And the situation is expected to get better. By some estimates, the number of available health care PR jobs is expected to expand by about 30 percent in the near future. Students in undergraduate and graduate communication programs are being encouraged to specialize in health care PR because of all the opportunities that field provides – and because the skills developed through working at, say, a pharmaceutical company can be very useful to other employers as well.

 

Will Unions Support Health Insurance Plan Concessions?

Labor unions have been well known for their support of progressive causes. Many of them make regular donations to Democratic politicians. The largest labor organizations, such as the AFL-CIO and SEIU, were central to the election of Barack Obama. Heads of these organizations have been throwing their support behind reform of America’s health insurance plan system. However, recent developments in the healthcare deform debate have stirred doubts in union organizers.

Unions intend to represent their members’ interests, although their actual impact and methods are controversial. The largest industry unions have political clout due to their size and financial coffers; a portion of dues goes towards political causes considered appropriate. Over the past several decades, membership in labor unions has shrunk: under 10% of the working population is a union member, while heavily unionized industries (e.g. auto makers) have disproportionately suffered in the recession. Their smaller rosters still have power, however. While labor unions are technically nonpartisan, they generally back Democrats because of their economic proposals, which they feel are more likely to benefit workers. Many employees suffer without a health insurance plan when unemployed, especially as companies have been forced to cut back healthcare coverage for retirees.

Therefore, it is logical that unions jumped up to support healthcare reform. They have spent millions of dollars to pressure congresspersons to support the bill. The bill already contained an unfavorable provisions for many union members; the Senate would tax the “Cadillac” health insurance plan enjoyed by many union members. Also called “gold-plated plans”, they typically entail relatively high premiums (much of which are covered by the employer) coupled with low deductibles and the highest quality care. Such comprehensive health care coverage was usually negotiated by union representatives with employers, often in lieu of pay raises. Health insurance benefits are currently not taxed, so including them as part of a compensation package benefits all parties. Some feel that these plans encourage employees to use more medical care and run up expenses, since they do not see most of the actual costs. The proposed tax would take effect for policies worth over ,000 in annual premiums for an individual, or over ,000 a year for a family–most likely serving to discourage some employers from offering such a health insurance plan. In a nation where millions of people are without any health insurance plan at all, some portions of these plans may appear overly generous.

Why would unions be willing to give up such an important benefit? Union presidents, such as the AFL-CIO’s Richard Trumka, strongly believe in the public option. The establishment of a government-run health insurance plan would have greater, far-reaching impact beyond the two or three percent of Americans with a health insurance plan that will fall under the tax. Their motives include genuine concern regarding the increase in Americans without insurance and the detrimental impact it has on their general health, but such a plan would also benefit them. Union workers are more likely to have health insurance, which puts them at a competitive advantage with non-union firms that may or may not offer it.

A public option would put all companies on an even playing field; supporters believe that doing so will allow U.S. businesses to compete with foreign business that are typically unburdened with that expense, but opponents consider it a self-interested power grab. Public sector employees have been shown to be more likely join a union; many of the strongest unions in the U.S. are for teachers and other public employees. Canada, a country with bona-fide single-payer health care (more all-encompassing than the public option health insurance plan), has 61% of its healthcare industry workers unionized, while only 11% of those working in one of the U.S.’s largest industries are in a union. The SEIU, which represents health care workers, would especially stand to benefit.

Unions prefer the House of Representatives’ proposal (which includes a public option), and are already unhappy with Senate Democrats for eliminating the public option, largely at the behest of independent Joe Lieberman. Still, they continued their support until another betrayal. Discontent is running high among labor unions, as well as other liberal-leaning groups, for what they see as Majority Leader Harry Reid’s latest affront. In exchange for dumping the public option, a group of senators from all wings of the Democratic party brainstormed another method of providing a quality health insurance plan to more Americans. Their compromise would have allowed individuals aged 55 to 64–who are often laid off, then unable to find a health insurance plan that will cover them in the private market–to buy into Medicare until they are old enough to fully qualify for that government program. That alternative is also proposed by Lieberman, whose vote is essential to gaining the 60 needed to avoid a filibuster and pass healthcare reform. Some labor organizations of tired of having their pressures ignored. It seems absurd that a legislator who campaigned for the President’s Republican opponent last year may hold the fate of one of the Democrats’ domestic priorities, but he is nonetheless a member of the Democratic caucus. A Capitol Hill press conference meant to inspire senators to push healthcare reform through was supposed to include the Health Care Chair of the SEIU, but Dennis Rivera was conflicted and bowed out. Major labor organizations are dealing with these conflicting views with emergency meetings in order to decide how to proceed. There is an increasing momentum among progressives to kill the health insurance plan bill altogether. That means that organized labor’s months of effort and millions of dollars may have been wasted.

However, it is a possibility that they consider the bill so flawed that if the bill does not improve in committee when both chambers of Congress reconcile their versions, it will be preferable to pass nothing at all. Combined with detractors from the right, who are against most healthcare reform altogether, there is a decent chance that the bill will be scuttled. That will be a devastating blow to prominent Democrats like Reid and President Obama.

(Image: AFL-CIO under CC 2.0)

Health Care Cuts Draw Criticism

A proposal by Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer to cut 300,000 people from the health care plan for the poor will likely “increase the misery index,” a Prescott doctor said.

Dr. Joseph Goldberger, chief medical officer for the Yavapai Regional Medical Center and a rheumatologist with a private practice, said about 15 to 20 percent of the patients he sees at his rheumatology consulting practice are insured by the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System, the Arizona equivalent of Medicaid. Already, AHCCCS fees to doctors have been frozen, he said.

“The untold story is patients with or without insurance continue to get the care,” Goldberger said. “They get the most expensive care of all: ER care. Everybody else ends up paying for that through higher premiums. It has a significant impact.”Many of his arthritis patients need “very expensive” medications and “without insurance, they can’t afford them at all. The bigger problem is the access to medications.”

While that may not be life threatening in all situations, it certainly increases pain levels for arthritis patients.

In some situations, such as with a lupus patient who has kidney disease and can’t get access to chemotherapy, it could be life threatening, he said.

While Goldberger understands that the state is having budget problems and that education and health care are candidates for cost cuts, there are consequences, such as the loss of federal matching funds.

Health providers face a total cut of .7 million in state and federal money, according to the Arizona Hospital and Healthcare Association. The association protested the plan to transfer AHCCCS’s remaining graduate medical education money and nearly all private disproportionate hospital dollars to other uses. Arizona’s hospitals have seen 8 million in state funding cuts since 2008, trade group officials said.

Reduction in payments for training doctors – the graduate medical education money – is particularly egregious, said John Rivers, the hospital association president and CEO.

The state and federal government traditionally reimburse hospitals that train doctors who typically go through a residency in a specific area of medicine after they complete their medical training and internships, Rivers said. However, if the state doesn’t put up the money for that training, then the federal government won’t contribute its share, Rivers said.

“If we’re not training doctors, I don’t see how that is good for the people of Arizona,” Rivers said. “One of the important by-products of training doctors here is this is where they end up practicing. If they get training somewhere else, they stay there. It’s a horrible outcome for the people of Arizona.”

Already the state has only 219 doctors for every 100,000 people, while the national average is 293 physicians for every 100,000.

It’s also shortsighted economically to cut into hospital budgets as hospitals create jobs, he said. And the cuts will shrink the state’s economy by .8 million in federal Medicaid matching dollars that will now go to other states.

Hospitals in Arizona employ 73,300 people and contribute .5 billion to its gross economic product, according to an Arizona State University study.

While the Yavapai Regional Medical Center is not a teaching hospital and is not affected by the graduate medical aspect of the budget cuts, said Brian Hoefle, the chief financial officer, the lack of disproportionate care money from the state would result in a loss of several hundred thousand dollars.

“Gov. Jan Brewer is talking about eliminating some of those programs,” said Hoefle. “It would be up to the Legislature to decide on cuts to AHCCCS. Just because the state isn’t covering certain populations anymore doesn’t mean they won’t get sick and end up in our ER. If there’s no payment for them, it shifts the costs to the paying customers.”

The state will lose from the federal government for every dollar it cuts from AHCCCS, according to Hoefle.

“That’s very frustrating,” he said.

About 15 percent of patients who use YRMC are AHCCCS clients.

Meanwhile, the hospital has already seen large increases in bad debts and charity care over the past two years, Hoefle said. Charity care – wherein patients provide their financial information and are deemed unable to pay – has doubled from 2008 through 2009. While bad debtors – those who are unable or unwilling to pay but are not working with the hospital – have increased by 18 percent over the last two years.

“If the AHCCCS program is not going to pay hospitals, it’s going to fall back on hospitals to pay,” Hoefle said. People are “going to come to the hospital and we’re going to eat it. It ultimately affects commercial insurance. We raise our rates to insurance companies and those people who can pay will ultimately pay for the state’s lack of coverage. They’re talking about the hidden tax. Whoever is paying their hospital bills is paying for those who are not paying their hospital bills. Otherwise the hospital goes out of business.”

Web Based Health Care Insurance System

Health Care Insurance System

For years the health care insurance company’s agents were able to initiate critical day-to-day tasks only by contacting company representatives at the insurer’s major office. With sales volume on a steady rise, this duplication of effort was becoming increasingly inefficient and burdensome for everyone involved.

The company’s employees and agents were straining to process lots of policy documents each day. Integrating and streamlining policy application and document processes would ease administrative headaches for agents and greatly strengthen relationships with their customers.

Healthcare Management Administration

Radix offers healthcare insurance system for health care insurance services companies. We offer online health insurance policy management system for health care services management like preparing, printing, mailing, storing and retrieving policy documents. Our online health care administration management can reduce your time and cost of manual system and you can sell online health insurance policy from our online health insurance policy sales and management system.

Health Care Services Management – Web Based Insurance Solution

Consistent, integrated web based quoting engine : Web based quoting engines is a full-function browser-based transaction application that allows you to establish a unified, service-oriented process to quote and issue insurance policies. Designed to maximize flexibility and ease integration, web based quoting engine is the robust marketing tool, equipped with dynamic, easy user interface.

For each policy, the insurance details are dynamically created in to PDF documents, they automatically attach to the policy with descriptions and dates. Thus, the management, underwriting, claims, and authorized external users achieve over 75% time, effort saving. The system also replaces the old-school method of having to go to find a paper based file again. The following are some of the key features provided by the system.

>>>Web-enabled data entry

>>>Ability to view detailed breakdown of premium summary

>>>Automatic reflection of pre-defined characteristics from the Product Developer and Configuration such as coverage’s, rates, and forms etc…

>>>Ability to edit and save multiple quote iterations

>>>Easy transition from quick quote and/or full quote to issued policy

>>>Document Imaging

In-Force Automation

In-Force Automation streamlines the business processes associated with managing policies. By in-force the term applies to automation achieved by the solution. For e.g. in force automation will complete pending policy registration whose payment is complete, the human factor (h-factor) involvement is thus greatly reduced.

In-Force Automation encompasses all the business functionality associated with in force transaction processing, the following processes are completely automated by In-Force:

>>Cancellation/reinstatement

>>Policy correction

>>Endorsements

>>Renewals and non-renewals

>>Detailed policy transaction history including “point-in-time” detail

>>Diary, notes and renewal information windows.

>>Export data in CSV format

Claims Processing :

Claims processing accurately tracks and reports Losses claim by customers. Claims module was designed to handle simultaneous claims by sharing data between the policy and claims modules. When a new claim is created within the claims module, the system automatically verifies coverage, coverage limits, deductibles, and aggregates based upon the date of loss. The Claims module allows for complete tracking, review, and reporting of Reserves, Payments, Expenses, Salvage, Subrogation, Losses by Peril and Sub-Peril, Adjuster Diary notes, as well as Statutory reporting, Named Catastrophe tracking, and integrated claim letters that automatically incorporate and merge claim and policy information into the letter. >>Renewals. >>Reports.

Radix Health Care Insurance System Benefits : The following benefits were derived from the Policy Management System developed by Radixweb:

>>>>>The client handled his core business with the Radix-developed internet based Policy Management System and the robust architecture enabled the client to enhance productivity and cut costs.

>>>>>Manageability of the system was improved because Radixweb consolidated various systems into a single homogenous entity. This lowered maintenance costs and ensured lesser downtime.

>>>>>All the data residing on contrasting systems were combined and put into a single database. Access was also enhanced and all users could get complete access to any data required, any time. Consolidation of data also led to higher customer service levels and reduction in customer query response times.

>>>>>The application catered to the needs of the users all over the France, and this standardized the administration process.

>>>>>Many of the tasks that were earlier being handled manually were automated, presenting significant efficiency benefits to the client’s operations.

>>>>>The automated flow of data between the databases belonging to the two separate modules was transparent and seamless, and this also contributed to lower cost.

Questions? If you want to make your Health care insurance business online than please visit our site http://rndinfo.com/health-care-insurance-system.html to get more details and also see the system that we have developed for health care insurance company in France.

Will Public Libraries Become The Brain Gyms of the Future?

Copyright (c) 2009 SharpBrains

As you may have noticed, public libraries offer much more than books these days. Yes, you can find CDs and DVDs, but also an array of lifelong learning classes, civic engagement opportunities, gaming sessions, and health promotion initiatives. Libraries are actively promoting cognitive health in a variety of ways.

A few months ago I spoke to librarians at The New York Public Library (NYPL), about “The Emerging Brain Fitness Field: Research and Implications.” I provided an introduction to how the brain works, discussed the growing research supporting how lifestyle factors contribute to lifelong cognitive health, and offered a way to navigate through this emerging and confusing field. This was part of NYPL’s first Health & Wellness Month for library staff, which in turn was an important enabler of major health events for older adults.

This experience highlights two new trends: 1) public libraries are focusing more on health & wellness promotion in order to engage older adults, 2) cognitive health or brain fitness is becoming a significant component of that promotion.

US Public Census data explains why libraries need to cater to an older audience. In 20 years, the number of Americans over the age of 55 is expected to grow from under 60 million to close to 100 million. This is due to expanded longevity and to the baby boomer generation moving up the population pyramid.

Brain health provides a unique opportunity for libraries to engage active boomers and seniors. Rohit Burman, manager of culture and public broadcasting at MetLife Foundation, explains, “Last year we identified a growing interest by boomers and seniors on brain health issues and thought that public libraries, as community and learning hubs, could play a major role. So, we decided to launch, in collaboration with the Dana Alliance for Brain Initiatives and Libraries for the Future, a new iteration of the Fit for Life program, focused squarely on promoting brain fitness.”

The Fit for Life program supports 17 library systems from January 2009 to January 2010 that launch new initiatives to promote brain health via the following research-based lifestyle factors: diet, physical exercise, intellectual challenge, mental stimulation through new experiences, and socialization.

There are other new programs libraries are using to promote brain health. For example, the Lifelong Access Libraries Initiative, funded by the Atlantic Philanthropies, is in practice an all-inclusive way for older adults to improve their brain fitness through civic engagement.

Gaming, thanks to the Nintendo Wii, is quickly emerging as a major opportunity to foster intergenerational activities. At least 18 of the 89 NYPL locations ordered Wii gaming equipment and software programs in 2008, for both in-library use and to be checked out. The American Library Association celebrated the first “National Gaming @ Your Library Day” on November 15, 2008, encompassing both board and videogames.

Brigid Cahalan, NYPL Older Adults Services Specialist, explains that Wii gaming has become one of the most popular activities to engage older adults in the libraries that offer it regularly, complementing the more serious computer classes that had long been the major attraction. She highlights, “If we want to become the hubs of learning and community activity, we need to offer new types of social activities.”

In short, libraries are already innovating to engage older adults with lifelong learning, civic engagement, gaming, health & wellness promotion. Cognitive health may well be the common driver for all those activities.

This new reality raises some interesting questions for librarians, aging, and lifelong learning professionals to consider: May public libraries be transformed in the future into the health centers for the mind and brain?

Marzena Ermler, Coordinator of Professional Development at NYPL, explains the emphasis on brain health this way, “If only we could help people understand that libraries are healthy places for them to go. Learning through life is very important to maintain our brains in top shape as we get older.”

Pauline Rothstein, Ph.D., Co-editor of ALA book Longevity and Libraries: Unexpected Voices to be published in late 2009, recommends libraries to “think of brain fitness as the new concept that can help integrate disperse activities, identify additional needed resources, and explain our value to society. It makes sense to start with specific programming, and then use a new framework to evaluate a variety of library services. Public libraries need to redefine themselves away from old thinking and material objects (buildings, books, DVDs…) and focus on services: how do we educate, how do we help navigate the growing avalanche of information ‘specifically around how to keep our brains in shape?”

That evolution will require libraries to proactively listen to community expectations, and to partner with local organizations, such as seniors centers, to meet new requirements. If reshaped as Health Clubs of the Brain and the Mind, libraries would provide a critical service to an aging population and become centers of information and destinations for brain fitness programs.

Importance of women health from economic perspective

                                                                                   

 

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The health of the people is an index of the prosperity and well being of a country. It is of paramount importance as a national assert and basis to sustain as well as to stimulate optimum levels of efficiency.

            Now-a-days it is widely recognized that human capital place a dominant role in the context of economic development and health is an important component of human capital. The issue of health is of greater importance both from the point of view of individuals and the nation. It is through enhancement of health status, that a country like India can accelerate the pace of economic development and minimize wastage of human resources in terms of mortality and morbidity. In fact, health status exercises profound influence on human resource development and effective utilization of human resources. There is, broadly a correspondence between the level of economic development attained by a country and the health of its population. Improvement in the health of human resources leads to increase the productivity and also helps them to enjoy output of these efforts fully.

Health is a common theme in most cultures. Health continues to be a neglected entity despite lip services. At the individual levels, it cannot be said that health occupies an important place. It is usually subjected to other needs defined as more important, e.g.., wealth, power, prestige, knowledge, security. Health is often taken for granted, and its value is not fully understood until it is lost.

For the majority of the world’s people, health status is determined primarily by their level of social economic development. The precipitate GNP is the most widely accepted measures of general economic performance. There can be no doubt that in many developing countries, it is the economic progress that has been the major factor in reducing morbidity, increasing life expectancy and improving the quality of life. The economic status determines the purchasing power, standard of disease and behaviour in the community. It is also an important factor in seeking health care.

The very state of being employed in productive work promotes health, because the unemployed usually show a higher incidence of ill health and death for many, loss of work may mean loss of income and status. It can cause psychological and social damage.

Health is related to the country’s political system. Decisions concerning resource allocation, man power polity, choice of technology and  the degree to which health services are made available  and assessable to different segments of society are examples of the manner in which the political system can shape community health services.  The percentage of GNP spent on health is qualitative indicator of health status of people.

            If poor health patterns are to be changed, then changes must be made in the entire socio-political systems in any given community. Social, economic and political are required to eliminate health hazards in people’s working and living environment. To be effective, the health services must reach the social periphery, equitably distributed, assessable at a cost the country and community can offered and socially acceptable.

Health is essential to socio-economic development has gained increasing recognition. Health services are no longer considered nearly as a complex of solely medical measures but a ‘sub-system’ of an overall socio-economic system. Human health and well being are the ultimate goal of development.

Health is the essential pre-requesting for every human beings “If wealth is lost nothing is lost, if health is lost everything is lost”. There is no explanation regarding the statement. It goes without saying the health determines economic status of people problem of health is the problem of economic development.

            It was felt that health cannot be seen in isolation from the political, social, and economic forces operating in the country. The well being of the individual even the health of individuals is subjected to a process of production for profits. A person’s health is seen only in the context of the extraction of labour for profit. Health services are therefore, to be seen as a part and parcel of the total emancipation of human beings.

Generally women and children in rural areas have not much worried about their health. The fate of women, young children and girls are inextricably linked together in a complex interacting cycle. This becomes poignantly evident in the case of the poor, who is India constitute slightly more than a third of the population.

Women’s health has always been viewed in terms of Maternal and Child Health services (MCH). The women’s movement and the health movement in India have brought to the realization that the ill health of women hinges on a wide concept arising from existing political, economic and social norms in which women are second class citizens.

The lack of Primary Survival needs like clear drinking water, nutritious and adequately available food; healthy and safe housing particularly affects women causing them a number of health problems physical and psychological. There is a great disparity between women’s calorific expenditure and calorific-in-take. This manifests itself as illness, especially anaemia.

Generally women are prone to a number of health problems due to the nature of their work, and they too lack adequate facilities. The female child in India is Non-person or a Non-being. For the declining sex rate in India, demographers have excluded the possibility of enumeration deficiencies and the main reason for this unusual sex rates in the loss of female life at an early age.

Growing up is one of the biggest concern of children and their parents. The condition of the child is truly the greatest present day problem and this realization is of great importance. It is humanity’s duty to give the child the best it has to offer. Priority for children is based on the fact that the child is a defenceless being dependent on the world about it.

Everybody was once a child and we are all surrounded by families with children. Parents and other members of the family living together are the basic influence on children and the first source of meeting their needs. A child’s need for love, for feeling safe and wanted as well as his physical needs for food, shelter are satisfied by the family.

Typically, children in developed countries enjoy good health. They have not had time yet to suffer from the wear-out diseases. They have lots of energy and their tissues adapt quickly to changing circumstances and heal promptly when injured. But in the less developed countries of the world mortality among children runs high.

Children constitute over 35% of the world’s population. For generations to come they will be the most important product of any society, and this well being is one of the largest problems of the world today.

The consequences of poverty for children are in themselves servers. Poverty lays a particularly heavy burden on women because of their dual notes in the economy. Because of this, their health position has been continuously declining outside the home, these women are relegated to working in any field, where labour is hard, hours are long and wages are low. Though they become weak, they have to survive. For this, they must be in a position to have good health.

After the introduction of the Primary Health Centres in rural areas, people are forced to take this preventive and curative care. Primary Health Centres are more helpful to maternal and child care services. They have been giving immunization as the time requires. They would help the rural people to upkeep the health of their children. Problem of women health and the problem of child care have relieved from ill health after the introduction of Primary Health Centres. Since the problem affecting the mother and children are multi-factorial in origin, this study tries to understand the need of MCH services provided by PHC.

The ministry of Health and Family welfare evolved a national Health policy lays stress on the preventive, promotive public health and rehabilitation aspects of health care and points to the need of establishing comprehensive primary health care services to reach the population in the remotest areas of the country the need to view health and human development as a vital component of overall, integrated socio-economic development, decentralised system of health care delivery with maximum community and individual self-reliance and participation.

In the context of the size of the population, the socio-economic development and the existing health status of the people, the health policy in India has the following notable elements.

A greatest awareness of health problems and means to solve these in and by the communities;
Supply of safe drinking water and basic sanitation using technologies that the people can afford,
Reduction of existing imbalance in the health services by concentrating on the rural health infrastructure.
Establishment of a dynamic health management information system to support health planning and health programme implementation.
Provision of legislative support to health protection and promotion.
Concentrated actions to combat wide spread malnutrition;
Research into alternative methods of health care delivery and low-cost health technologies; and
Greater coordination of different system of medicine.

The health policy is supported by components of wider socio-economic policies addressed to the reduction of regional disparities fuller employment elementary education, integrated rural development, population control welfare of women and children etc.

The health strategies include restructuring the health infrastructure, developing health manpower, research and development.