5 Ways You can Reduce Your Breast Cancer Risk
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Some of the ways to prevent Breast Cancer includes regular checkups, breast self-exams and mammograms . Doing these on time can help you detect breast cancer early on, when it is most treatable. But what about prevention? Short of radical surgery, are there steps you can take to reduce the risk?
Certain immutable factors like genetics, a family’s medical baggage and just being born female determine much of the risk of breast cancer. And, as with all cancers, that risk increases with age: a 30-year-old woman’s chances of developing breast cancer over a 10-year period are less than half of 1 percent, or 1 in 234, while a 60-year-old has a 3.5 percent risk, or 1 in 28.
However ,there are a few things you can do to prevent Breast Cancer . Choices that have an effect include how much alcohol a woman drinks , the amount of physical activity she gets (the more the better) and whether she takes hormones (the less the better). Doctors also urge women to keep their weight down, as obesity increases the risk of developing breast cancer during the postmenopausal years.
Know your family’s medical history.Keep in mind that breast cancer genes come from both sides of the family, not just your mother’s.Among relatives, “the special red flags” are premenopausal breast cancer, bilateral breast cancer (cancer that appears in both breasts) and ovarian cancer, said Dr. Larry Norton, deputy physician in chief of breast cancer programs at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. But even if no one in the family had breast cancer, that is no guarantee that you are safe, said Dr. Runowicz; in fact, only 10 percent of breast cancer patients have a family history.
Some of the ways to Reduce Your Breast Cancer Risk Includes
Read the full Article on how to Reduce "Breast Cancer Risk" here
article source:Nytimes Health
Some of the ways to Reduce Your Breast Cancer Risk Includes
- Cut down on alcohol, or avoid it altogether. When it comes to breast cancer, studies have been pretty consistent: there is no safe amount of alcohol
- Obesity after menopause increases the risk of breast cancer, so try to keep your weight down. But exercise is beneficial regardless of weight, and even a small amount of physical activity may be helpful.
- Avoid combined hormone therapy. The recommendation for all hormone therapy is to take the lowest dose for the shortest period necessary. A Women’s Health Initiative study found a slightly higher risk for breast cancer among women who took estrogen with progestin after menopause, and a drop in breast cancer diagnoses since then has been attributed to the fact that many women quit using hormones.
Read the full Article on how to Reduce "Breast Cancer Risk" here
article source:Nytimes Health
US patients Share their Experiances at Wockhardt Hospitals,Bangalore
According to a research conducted by Deloitte India ranks second in Medical Tourism throughout the world. Ironically, India spends only 1.2 per cent of its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) on health issues, but the country prides itself in treating Americans and Europeans . The study says that Indian hospitals treated 4.5 lakh foreign patients in 2007.
Thailand tops the list with a record number of 12 lakh. The study says that Indian hospitals treat patients not only from its neighboring states and the countries of West Asia, but also treat a large number of patients from the United States and other European countries. The inflow of patients to India from the European countries has been gradually rising.
The Delloite study forecasts that the number of people turning to "medical tourism" -- will increase from 750,000 to 6 million by 2010, an eightfold increase from the present numbers.
If the actual increase is even half that, the fact is that it will be insurers and employers driving this change, not individuals
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of South Carolina has already started down the medical tourism road, and employers in other parts of the country are showing growing curiosity, if not interest.
Last year,South Carolina based Companion Global Healthcare Inc had recognized and added Wockhardt Hospitals in Bangalore and Mumbai to its overseas hospital network.All Bluecross Blueshield of South Carolina and Bluechoice Healthplan of South Carolina members will have access to Wockhardt Hospitals through this association with Companion Global Healthcare.
For partnership Inquiries with Wockhardt Hospitals please email us at enquiries@wockhardthospitals.net
For partnership Inquiries with Wockhardt Hospitals please email us at enquiries@wockhardthospitals.net
World's First Awake Cardiac Bypass and Valve Surgery in India
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
The Wockhardt Hospital Heart Care is the pioneer of the world's First Awake Bypass surgery .Dr Vivek Jawali,Chief Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgeon had performed this surgery first in 2005 and had set a benchmark by successfully performing an Awake Minimally Invasive Heart Valve Repair Surgery (AMIHVRS) on a 49-year-old woman .This surgery was conducted without using general anesthesia or ventilator support, while the patient was on a heart lung machine.
While the patient had multifaceted medical complications, including an aortic valve disorder. Her lung condition did not permit the use of a ventilator and she was at high risk for general anesthesia.
Though the patient had been advised aortic valve replacement surgery,The cardiac care team at Wockhardt had devised a surgical procedure to repair, rather than replace the aortic valve through a minimal incision, while using the technique of high thoracic epidural analgesia.
Read more about this Pioneering Awake Bypass Heart Surgery here
Vishal Bali on His "Budget Wishlist"for the Indian Healthcare Sector
Monday, June 29, 2009
The Annual 2009 Indian budget promises to pave way for some big ticket economic reforms. While the Industry is expecting the finance minister to give a pep pill to the Indian Economy by accelerating Government Spending in Infrastructure ,the Indian Healthcare Industry needs some urgent reforms to take care of its large population and their healthcare needs.
Here is Vishal Bali,CEO Wockhardt Hospitals who lists out his "Budget Wishlist" to improve the "Wellness Index of India"
Here is Vishal Bali,CEO Wockhardt Hospitals who lists out his "Budget Wishlist" to improve the "Wellness Index of India"
- India has 16% of the world’s population ,18% of the world’s mortality, 20% of the worlds morbidity and healthcare expenditure in the country is a miniscule 1% of Global expenditure.As one of the fastest growing economy’s in the world we cannot afford to rank 171 out of 175 amongst countries surveyed by WHO in terms of percentage of GDP spent in public sector on healthcare.
- In the same survey India ranks 17th in terms of private sector spending on health which now contributes 4.3% of the GDP spent on healthcare in the country.Amongst the BRIC countries India ranks the lowest with a 5.2% of GDP spent on healthcare while Brazil spends 7.6%,Russia 6.1% and China 5.4%.
- It is therefore time that India drives its economy on the fundamentals of growth in the healthcare sector and Budget 2009 should provide the necessary impetus for this growth.
- Give Infrastructure or National Priority sector status to the sector to support and improve the overall investment in the sector both at the urban and rural level.
- Govt spending on healthcare must increase to 2% of GDP from the current 0.9% to provide higher outlay for healthcare infrastructure expansion and provision.Public and Private healthcare combined spending should target 7% of GDP
- Reallocation of resources of Govt spending on healthcare, higher outlay towards health insurance coverage schemes to widen affordability and accessibility.
- A National Disease Surveillance Authority to be set up under the Ministry Of Health to consistently map,monitor and survey the prevalence of disease segments amongst the population in the country.
- Provide immediate impetus to grow the health insurance sector.Table and pass the Insurance reform bill to increase FDI in health insurance cos; to 49%. Move towards compulsory health insurance coverage.
- Introduce Healthcare Investment Zones to provide Medical Technology cos; and consumable manufacturers subsidized real estate and 10 year tax holiday to help local growth of this industry.
- Introduce a Wellness Tax Incentive for employers towards implementation of preventive and wellness initiatives for employees and their families.
- Reform Medical Education system to enable higher private sector participation.
Happy Doctors Day Greetings from Wockhardt Hospitals
Singapore Healthcare Travel Congress 2009: Towards Globalisation of Healthcare
Friday, June 26, 2009
Around 30 Heathcare professionals and international healthcare leaders are due to speak in Singapore at the Healthcare Travel Congress 2009 , organised by Informa Life Sciences from 29 to 30 June 2009. These leading medical and healthcare experts will share their vision and insights on medical tourism, with topics varying from cross-border marketing, patient care and safety, medical insurance, strategic partnerships,telemedecine initiatives and quality accreditation.
Ruben Toral, President, International Medical Travel Association, will open the Healthcare Travel Congress 2009 at Fairmont Hotel, Singapore. The congress theme, The Globalisation of Healthcare, underscores the need to address areas crucial to the expansion and sustainability of the booming medical tourism businesses in Asia.
Speakers at the Singapore Healthcare Travel Congress 2009 includes:
- Brent Phillips, International Administrator, Mayo Clinic, USA
- Josef Woodman, Author, Patients without Borders, USA
- Prof. Tan Ser Kiat, Group CEO, Singhealth, Singapore
- Vishal Bali, CEO, Wockhardt Hospitals Group, India
- Anil Maini, President-Corporate Strategy, Apollo Hospitals Group, India
- Dr. Claudia Mika, President, Telemedicine for the Mobile Society (TEMOS), Germany
- Dr. Tyrone Goh, Executive Director, National Healthcare Group, Singapore
- Dr. Jason Yap, Director (Marketing), Raffles Hospital of the Raffles
- Medical Group, Singapore
- Ruben Toral, President, International Medical Travel Association (IMTA)
- Kenneth Mays, Director of Marketing, Bumrungrad International, Thailand
- Ori Karev, CEO, United Health International, USA
Some of the healthcare topics to be covered includes
- US Payer Insight: What Payers want from International Providers
- Promoting Physicians To Attract Local and Global Patients
- Riding On The New Online Marketing Platform
- Leveraging On Telemedicine Technologies To Enhance Post Operative Care
- Dealing with Malpractice and Liabilities: Protection Strategies for the
- Providers
- Developing and Managing International Patient Centres (IPCs)
- Effective International Preferred Provider Organization (IPPO)
Technorati Tag
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Foot Care For Diabetic Patients
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Proper foot care for diabetic patients is very important. Poor foot care with diabetes can lead to serious health problems, including Foot ulceration, sepsis, and amputation are known and feared by almost every person who has diabetes diagnosed. Yet these are potentially the most preventable of all diabetic complications by the simplest techniques of education and care.
A person with diabetes, is more vulnerable to foot problems Every 30 seconds a leg is lost to diabetes somewhere in the worldbecause diabetes can damage your nerves and reduce blood flow to your feet. The American Diabetes Association estimates that one in five people with diabetes who seek hospital care do so for foot problems. By taking proper care of your feet, most serious health problems associated with diabetes can be prevented.
However some people have very low risk while some have very high risk. Grading the risk helps the individuals and the health professionals to take appropriate measures without being too relaxed or too strict. This is not only good for the individuals, it also helps to direct valuable health care resources to people who need it. Patients at low risk only need general advice. Patients at high risk need detailed, specific and practical footcare instruction.
The overall risk of an individual developing a diabetic foot ulcer is determined by a combination of factors. In general, the risk is higher if:
- Neuropathy is more severe (because more sensation is lost)
- Peripheral vascular disease is more severe (because there is less circulation to bring enough oxygen to repair tissue damage)
- There are coexisting abnormalities of the shape of the foot which make the local effects of neuropathy or vascular disease more severe (because it increases local pressure and callus)
- The person is unable to practise reasonable self care to maintain general condition of the feet and to prevent trauma (because there are more chances of damaging the feet)
- The diabetic control is very poor (because of susceptibility to infection and poor wound healing)
- There is a past history of foot ulceration due to diabetes (because the above factors often persist)
Here are some diabetes foot care tips to follow.
- Wash and Dry Your Feet Daily
- Use mild soaps.
- Use warm water
- Pat your skin dry; do not rub. Thoroughly dry your feet.
- After washing, use lotion on your feet to prevent cracking. Do not put lotion between your toes.
Examine Your Feet Each Day
- Check the tops and bottoms of your feet. Have someone else look at your feet if you cannot see them.
- Check for dry, cracked skin.
- Look for blisters, cuts, scratches, or other sores.
- Check for redness, increased warmth, or tenderness when touching any area of your feet.
- Check for ingrown toenails, corns, and calluses.
- If you get a blister or sore from your shoes, do not "pop" it. Apply a bandage and wear a different pair of shoes.
Take Care of Your Toenails
- Cut toenails after bathing, when they are soft.
- Cut toenails straight across and smooth with a nail file.
- Avoid cutting into the corners of toes.
- You may want a podiatrist (foot doctor) to cut your toenails.
Be Careful When Exercising
- Walk and exercise in comfortable shoes.
- Do not exercise when you have open sores on your feet.
- Protect Your Feet With Shoes and Socks
- Never go barefoot. Always protect your feet by wearing shoes or hard-soled slippers or footwear.
- Avoid shoes with high heels and pointed toes.
- Avoid shoes that expose your toes or heels (such as open-toed shoes or sandals). These types of shoes increase your risk for injury and potential infections.
- Try on new footwear with the type of socks you usually wear.
- Do not wear new shoes for more than an hour at a time.
- Look and feel inside your shoes before putting them on to make sure there are no foreign objects or rough areas.
- Avoid tight socks.
- Wear natural-fiber socks (cotton, wool, or a cotton-wool blend).
- Wear special shoes if your health care provider recommends them.
- Wear shoes/boots that will protect your feet from various weather conditions (cold, moisture, etc.).
- Make sure your shoes fit properly. If you have neuropathy (nerve damage), you may not notice that your shoes are too tight. Perform the "footwear test" described below.
To schedule an health check or a diabetic check ,please email to enquiries@wockhardthospitals.net
courtesy:
Diabetic Foot Diseases
Webmd.com
courtesy:
Diabetic Foot Diseases
Webmd.com
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