By Barbara Ficarra, RN, BSN, MPA Are you thinking about the classic Hollywood example? The classic example of a Hollywood heart attack is a person clutching their chest, gasping for a breath and falling to the ground. After all, Hollywood is hot for drama, and when it comes to portraying a person having a heart attack, the exaggerated Hollywood version is far more riveting than a person sitting quietly wondering if their very slight arm…
Read More...How to be an Empowered Health Consumer
By Barbara Ficarra, RN, BSN, MPA Empowered health consumers know how to take charge of their health and are proactive in their care. Whether they’re surfing the web for health information, visiting their doctor or health care professional, or a patient in the hospital; empowered health consumers know how to question and communicate. This blog is a continuation of the “He Said, She Said” post where I promised to give you tips about how to…
Read More...How to Engage Your E-Patients Like a Rock Star
By Barbara Ficarra, RN, BSN, MPA Part 1 in a series on the e-patient, participatory medicine and health 2.0 There’s no question that today’s patients are savvy. Today’s patients are e-patients. Surrounded by technology, researching health information on the Internet has never been easier. Patients are engaging in communities and social networking sites and the exchange of information between patients has proven invaluable to some, thanks to the Health 2.0 movement. When patients visit their…
Read More...What Does Shingles Have To Do With Your Doctor?
It’s Time to Talk Prevention A Guest Blog by Kevin Soden, MD I ran into an old friend this past week and, as all of us over 60 do, we began talking about our health and the various ailments afflicting us as we age. He shared with me that he was currently dealing with a bad case of the “shingles” (known as Herpes Zoster in medical circles) at age 65 and how terribly painful they…
Read More...How to Avoid Chaos in the Hospital and Get the Care You Need
A Registered Nurse’s Tips to Stay Safe in a Hospital By Barbara Ficarra, RN, BSN, MPA A hospital can be extremely frightening and overwhelming. Hospitals generally are loud, cold, and sterile mazes of chaos. Unfortunately medical errors happen and it’s estimated that nearly 100,000 people die of medical errors each year. According to the CDC, “In American hospitals alone, healthcare-associated infections account for an estimated 1.7 million infections and 99,000 associated deaths each year.” As…
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