Questions Every Woman Should Ask Her Doctor

The single most important question every woman needs to ask her doctor is “What do I need to do to be healthy,” says Robin H. Miller, MD, a board certified internist, integrative medicine specialist and co-author of  “The Smart Woman’s Guide to Midlife and Beyond”. When it comes to women’s health the three major areas that are top priority include: heart health, breast health and bone health.  It’s important to talk with your doctor or…

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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…

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Medical Errors: Nurse’s Tips Can Help Prevent Medical Errors

By Barbara Ficarra, RN, BSN, MPA This post isn’t being written to frighten you or to cause you to mistrust hospitals. It’s to make you aware that medical errors do occur, but there are steps that you can take to help prevent medical errors from happening. First, some vital information According to a recent investigation by the Hearst Corporation, a staggering 200,000 Americans will die each year from preventable medical errors and hospital infections.  This…

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Dr. Alan Greene at Health 2.0 Talks With Barbara Ficarra About Social Media and Participatory Medicine

I continue my interviews at Health 2.0 with Dr. Alan Greene and here you can watch the second part of the interview. I talk with Dr. Greene about social media and participatory medicine.  Dr. Greene discusses physician attitudes towards increased patient engagement in health. [The next Health 2.0 conferences are Oct. 6-7, 2009 in San Francisco and April 6-7, 2010 in Paris]. Please Watch – Part 2 of 2

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Real Simple Magazine Taps Experts for Emergency Care Advice

Preparing for Life’s Mishaps by Barbara Ficarra, RN, BSN, MPA Having this card in your wallet could save your life in an ER When Real Simple Magazine reporter contacted me for a story on emergency rooms, I was delighted to help out.  I think it’s important for readers to have the perspective from a nurse on the front line of the ER as well as ER doctors. The March edition of Real Simple is on…

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