Increasing regulatory pressures on the hospital system are bound to increase the cost of providing healthcare to patients. Traditional care models linked to manual techniques for the observation of patients with chronic diseases. This process is not only expensive, but also inefficient with errors.
In outpatient settings, the enormous escalation in the incidence of long-term chronic conditions is placing an ever-increasing burden on overstretched resources. Today’s patient care models are ill-equipped to deal with the realities of tomorrow’s health demands.
In times of recession, many file for bankruptcy. Medical bankruptcies are now dominating them. In a study published by the American Journal of Medicine in June 2009, it was shown that health-related problems left patients with the highest medical expenses due to chronic diseases such as stroke. For about 92% of medically bankrupt patients, high medical bills were the main contributors to their bankruptcy.
Traditional Approaches to Health Care Management
This involves waiting for the disease to develop and then going to the health care provider for solutions. These solutions can be expensive with the use of a wide range of diagnostic investigations. If the disease is already advanced, then the cost of treating these can be exorbitant.
Some of the frightening statistics that come from various studies published in scientific journals show that health-related expenses from stroke can be as high as $23. 380 per individual. The total cost of stroke in the United States is estimated at $43 billion per year. The direct costs of medical care and therapy are estimated at $28 billion per year. Indirect costs from lost productivity and other factors are estimated at $15 million per year. These stroke facts are not meant to scare or shock you. But they are real and you need to be aware of them if you want to keep yourself and your family safe from the deadly killer.
The best solutions to manage your health.
There is an old adage that Apple a day keeps the doctor away. This is much more relevant in today’s age. With the recession looming around the world and business spending for employers slashed, in the corporate world 0.25% of companies drop coverage if an employee has a disabling illness.
Prevention is the key to better health
To best manage these scenarios, it is very important that health care management begins at home. Adopt a healthy lifestyle, quitting smoking and excessive caffeine consumption. Maintain a healthy diet with regular consumption of foods rich in green leafy vegetables and reduce junk food.
Follow regular exercise programs like walking, rolling, and jogging. Visit health professionals annually if you are over 40 years of age for a regular health check. In addition to the above, by using simple techniques such as
1. Digital scales to control your weight regularly and measure the Body Mass Index.
2. Portable ECG/EKG devices to monitor heart rate and any changes in abnormal heart rhythms, such as atrial fibrillation.
3. Portable handheld heart rate monitors to monitor your heart rate while jogging, walking or doing any sports related activities.
4. Body Fat Analyzer to check your body fat and analyze your height and weight.
By following these simple techniques, it is possible to avoid high long-term medical expenses for disease management and also related medical bankruptcies in the future.