Quality, dependable Medical Equipment is an important component of every medical practice. It can’t be overstated that while the practice of medicine is an art, Medical Equipment is the science behind the implementation of that art.

Increasingly, patients are becoming more sophisticated in their understanding of the medical supplies and Medical Equipment that is being used to treat them. This means that a health care provider needs to know and understand not only how their equipment operates, but also have confidence that the Medical Equipment they use is of the highest quality.

Your Medical Equipment needs to be reliable and of a high quality.

The tools of your profession, whether it’s a stethoscope or a nebulizer, can now all be ordered online over the internet, generally at substantial savings. This means an easier approach to Medical Equipment management.

Both the professional and home health consumer are now ordering many of their Medical Equipment and medical supplies right from their computer. Prices are low and the quality is excellent. If you work in the health care field you’ll need medical supplies to help you with your work. Quality products that you know you can depend on will give you greater confidence during stressful situations.

Many people today realize the importance of keeping their blood pressure under control. Blood pressure monitors are now available for home use.

It’s a piece of medical equipment that can provide both you and your health care provider with an accurate measure of how your blood pressure is responding to diet, exercise and medication.

Many medical supplies outlets offer blood pressure monitors that are simple and easy to use.

For some people the thought of going to their Dr.’s office for a blood pressure reading is enough to send their pressure through the roof. That’s one of the advantages of having your own blood pressure cuff right in their own home. They can use the blood pressure cuff at their own convenience and get a more accurate reading.

High blood pressure can be caused by many different factors such as weight, diet and heredity. If you have an elevated pressure then having your own blood pressure monitors available can be very important.

Durable medical equipment and Medicare

With costs of the most common durable medical equipment reaching upwards of $1,200, the need for payment by Medicare is substantial. This increased cost of medical equipment forces elderly persons to look to Medicare and the rules governing what is covered are often confusing and time consuming. Find a durable medical equipment supplier and rely on their expertise, experience and guidance.

Durable medical equipment is a health care device that helps the elderly and/or disabled person do daily activities easier, and includes such items as wheelchairs, walkers, oxygen tanks, and hospital beds. Even items such as mobility aids, medication dispensers, convalescent care products, rehabilitation equipment and more. Also, Federal housing agencies want to make a difference to the lives of elderly and disabled persons by providing financial assistance to homeowners and landlords to carry out home adaptations.

Medicare covers certain types of durable medical equipment under certain circumstances.

Under Medicare Part B, the supplementary medical insurance program, rental or purchase of durable medical equipment is covered. However, certain restrictions are set out which elderly persons need do be aware of when considering purchasing durable medical equipment through a medical provider.

These restrictions can cost the elderly person thousands of dollars if they are unaware of the restrictions governing coverage of durable medical equipment by Medicare.

Aiding the elderly person in pre-purchase determinations of what durable medical equipment Medicare will cover can result in substantial savings. For example, the most common denials include oxygen and hospital beds, and coverage is not available to residents in skilled nursing homes.

Consumers, attorneys, and providers of durable medical equipment should be aware of these restrictions as they can result in different purchasing plans for the elderly consumer.

A simple, but crucial medical billing change has recently occurred. Beginning on October 1, 2005, the Medicare durable medical equipment regional carrier (DMERC) will no longer accept the diagnosis code 585.0. Instead of using ICD-9 585.0, medical billing should be done with the ICD-9 code 585.6 for home dialysis charges.

The code 585.0 means chronic renal failure. This code has now been discontinued and the DMERC will no longer be lenient on the code. The more descriptive code, 585.6 (end stage renal disease) much more accurately describes the diagnosis for home dialysis. It is important that your medical billing staff note this change. Failure to do so will result in unpaid future claims.

Situations like this depict the necessity to hire an outside medical billing firm. Many mistakes can be avoided by hiring one of these companies. Medical billing companies employ highly skilled individuals who are trained, certified, and updated on current medical billing/coding practices. By hiring these companies you are relieving your practice from the responsibility of training and updating your own medical billing personnel on changes.

Another advantage to using a medical billing firm is the time they free up for your personnel to work one-on-one with patients. The less time your staff spends on medical billing, the more time you can focus on customer service. This is an added bonus because the essence of medical care is centered around trust. In order for your patients to trust you, you must build up a rapport.

The change to the home dialysis medical billing code may be simple, however, there are many other medical billing changes that are not so simple. It is very important to keep up with all medical billing changes to ensure proper reimbursement for the future of your practice.

Though breast pumps are used quite commonly, it is suggested to consult a doctor regarding a prescription for a breast pump rental or purchase. Though most insurance companies will reimburse either partially or fully for rental costs or for the purchase of a retail hospital grade breast pump, it depends upon the coverage provided by the insurance company for medical equipment.

There are a few important things to consider while using a rented hospital grade pump. First, other patients and employees have used the pump, since it belongs to a hospital. Hence, it is a multiple user medical device. The mothers must use a personal kit that has to be connected to the pump for the collection of the milk. These kits contain one or two breast flanges, container, tubing and connector. Using a personal kit offers protection as it prevents cross-contamination. Another way to prevent contamination is to prevent the breast milk and its moisture from flowing back through the tubing into the pump itself.

All the firms that manufacture, repackage, re-label, and/or import medical devices are regulated by the Food and Drug Administration’s Center for Devices and Radiological Health (CDRH). All these medical devices are classified into Class I, II and III. Since breast pumps are considered Class II devices, they have to follow the quality control system that is the requirement of all Class II devices. They have to undergo a quality control check for any malfunctions, injury, or likely death that might occur by the product’s usage.

To avoid cross-contamination, all the pumps must carry a label on top indicating that a personal kit ought to be used by the mothers with that particular type of breast pump. As also, a descriptive literature providing all the requisite information regarding cross-contamination must be provided along with the medical device.

The disruption of power for substantial lengths of time can occur at any time due to hurricanes, earthquakes, fires, snowfall and other natural calamities. Having emergency backup power in such situations is not only essential for hospitals and commercial establishments but also in homes to run critical appliances like lights, refrigerators, heaters and medical equipment.

There are basically two types of generators that can be used in an emergency: portable and permanent standby generators. The main difference between the two is their output power and price.

In times of emergencies, portable generators provide the most economical way of supplying back up power. Appliances are directly plugged into the generator using the recommended extension cord or alternatively are connected to the home wiring system using a transfer switch. The generators come with an electric start or a pull start and loaded with many other features including the GFCI receptacles.

Portable and permanent generators come in varying sizes and types. There are some generators that supply 120 volts while others come with a 120 to 240 volts supply. Determining the right size and type of generator is important. This depends on the individual house owner’s need for power in emergencies. A portable generator can provide power to run some basic electrical appliances like lighting, furnaces, televisions, refrigerators and water well pumps. Normally, for most homeowners a portable generator of the capacity of 5000 to 6000 watts may be sufficient. Portable generators may cost $600 or more depending upon the quality and type of generator.

Gasoline powered generators are the most familiar among portable generators. There are models that are powered by diesel, while some models available have multi fuel capabilities that run on gasoline, propane or natural gas. Gasoline powered generators are the least expensive but have a relatively shorter life span and require frequent maintenance.

Diesel generators are expensive. They are fuel-efficient, require less maintenance and have a longer life. However, diesel generators are hard to start in the cold season. Using propane or natural gas powered generator is the best alternative if the fuels are readily available. These generators are expensive but require less maintenance and burn cleaner.

A permanently installed generator can power up critical systems in homes automatically within 10 to 20 seconds of loss of power — even in the absence of the house owner, Permanent generators are connected to the home wiring system through the transfer switch. The transfer switch automatically starts the generator in case there is disruption of power. As soon as normal electricity is restored, the transfer switch automatically shuts down the generator. Most of these generators run on natural gas or LP. The same gas used for home appliances can be utilized to fuel the generator. The size of the generator will depend upon the number of systems the house owner wants to power up during emergency. A generator in the range of 8000 to 17,000 watts will be sufficient for a homeowner seeking to install permanent generators. Permanent generators cost $5000 to $10000. Whatever the type of generator, every generator should provide 60 hertz power for proper performance of any electronic equipment.

Used medical equipment has become a growing trend as the demand for quality medical equipment increases and the costs of purchasing medical equipment at full price becomes more difficult to do.

Keep in mind that our economics are changing all the time and not all companies have a budget to spend as they please these used medical equipment for doctors, hospitals, non profit organizations and more need a way to provide up to date technology without the high costs of purchasing new medical equipment.

The problem with used medical equipment is finding a reliable source that offers not only used medical equipment but takes the time to test and restore the used medical equipment to insure full functionality. Before you purchase from any company make sure they offer some kind of guarantee package and maintenance package.

It is also important to find a company that can work with your budget. In most cases the facilities that require the used medical equipment have a low budget to work with so finding a company that can offer financing or even leasing used medical equipment can be very helpful.

There are a few companies that offer the best used medical equipment to fit all your needs. Proving customer satisfaction on every item they sell you can be sure that when you purchase your used medical equipment from them it will be working properly and can even lease or buy outright these equipments. You can also opt in for a service agreement and receive maintenance on your used medical equipment.

These companies can also repair your used medical equipment and bring them back to full working order. Offer them to trade in or sell your used medical equipment and rest assured they will fully repair and re-sell the equipment to make sure it continues to get use from others who are in need of great working medical equipment.

Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, publisher of the renowned Stedman’s medical references, introduces the fifth edition of Stedman’s Medical Dictionary for the Health Professions and Nursing, Illustrated. The Fifth Edition of this popular medical dictionary is thoroughly updated with more than 51,000 entries, featuring the medical terminology used in more than 30 of today’s fastest growing health profession areas.Reflecting the increasing impact of nursing within the medical profession, the Fifth Edition now includes comprehensive entries suited for the nursing field including RN, LPN, home health aide, and certified nursing assistant programs. Also featured is expanded medical terminology used in professional areas such dental assisting, phlebotomy technician, massage therapy, medical assisting, bioterrorism, and many other specialties.

“Our goal is to provide deeper representation of the terminology used and encountered in the health professions and more comprehensive entries suitable to the nursing field,” notes Julie Stegman, Publisher of Stedman’s. “An international team of 40 specialty consultants from health and nursing professions contributed to the development of the Fifth Edition.” She adds, “It now stands as the preferred medical dictionary for health profession students and professionals.”

FEATURES OF THE FIFTH EDITION

Some of the features of the Fifth Edition include:

–nearly 4,000 new terms

–precision-cut thumb tabs for quick A-to-Z reference

–more British alternative spellings

–three times the number of images than the previous edition, including 900 enriched colored photographs and new detailed images by Anatomical Chart Company

–65 value-added Appendices comprising 11 sections, including Assessment and Care, Drug Information, and Nursing Classifications

–and much more

The Fifth Edition also includes a bonus CD-ROM that contains all the features of the print edition plus audio pronunciations for nearly all of the entries to help users master any term. The CD-ROM, compatible with both WIN and MAC platforms, also features an expanded art program including new PRIMAL anatomy animations and images. Additional functions include Browse on Index/Wordwheel, Search on Definition, Search on Appendices, User Dictionary, Bookmarking, images linked to appropriate entries, and cross-referencing to other Stedman’s resources such as Stedman’s Abbreviations, Acronyms & Symbols.

Is economics really a “dismal science” (the sobriquet used by John Maynard Keynes and others during the great depression but first thought to be used by Lord Carlyle) with limited relevance to patient care? I thought it was until I studied it and was embarrassed by my previous disdain.

Certainly economics, like epidemiology, is a partial lens that does not always reveal important information. For example, supply and demand curves do not always capture the full costs of human activity, such as the social and emotional costs of undergoing one treatment compared with another. Economic findings need to be viewed critically, taking into account limitations of construing everything in terms of supply and demand, just as epidemiological findings should be viewed critically for reducing the world to exposures and outcomes.

But if such limitations are recognised economics provides a powerful framework for understanding medicine in the wider world, and one’s place within it. Economics makes issues such as drug pricing, staff shortages, ageing, patient choice, and the expansion of pan-European legislation relevant to practice in new ways. Why are drugs in Britain sometimes a hundredth the price of those in the United States, while UK CD Roms are more expensive? To what extent are doctors likely to be replaced by nurses? How will European human rights legislation affect the cost of medical insurance in Britain? Is it better to give people with multiple sclerosis interferon alfa or extra nursing care? Why will the post-baby boom generation be poorer than their parents, and how will the health system cope with more elderly people?

Yet, few health professionals are trained in economics, while relatively few economists focus on health (which may explain why many health economic analyses are too poorly conducted to provide reliable results). Earl-Slater’s dictionary should help both groups. It covers most terms likely to be encountered in health economic research, including many from epidemiology as well as policy jargon from the “new NHS.” The book is well presented, with diagrams and short examples illustrating concepts such as measures of risk. Associated terms are thoughtfully cross referenced throughout.

Dictionary of Medical Eponyms B. G. Firkin and J. A. Whitworth. London: Parthenon Publishing Group. 1996. ISBN 1-845070-477-5. 443 pp. 35.00.

The use of eponyms to identify disease syndromes has long been a tradition in medicine. This is usually based on the name of the first person to diagnose the condition as a new disease entity, but may be based on the name of the first patient or the geographical location where the disease was first described. This book deals more particularly with the clinicians and medical scientists whose names have become synonymous with diseases or the presentation of specific pathological changes associated with disease. The authors have endeavoured to list eponyms used in the practice of clinical medicine in Australia, and hope that they address those in most common use in the English-speaking world. As such, it must essentially be perceived as a specialised history of medicine.

The text deals mainly with clinical disease, but there are many entries which would be of particular interest to biomedical scientists (e.g. Bence Jones protein, Cabot rings, Coombs’ test, Howell-Jolly bodies, Giemsa stain, Lancefield’s group and Gram’s stain). The historical vignettes vary in depth and content from entry to entry. This is a pity as some do not give details of the scientific association of the clinician or medical scientist with the disease syndrome, but concentrate instead on aspects of their personal life or hobbies. However, there is much of interest in this book. For example, we learn that Gram carried out his initial work on red cells, and was one of the first to associate macrocytes with pernicious anaemia. Cabot was a medical scientist of wide interests, whose book Clinical Examination of the Blood went through five editions. However, he had a life-long interest in ethics and philosophy, and came from one of the most prestigious families in Boston. A celebrated limerick of the time indicated that the Cabots were so elevated that they `only talked to God’.