Winter months tend to bring on more illness for your children, but in fact just being at school or daycare can significantly impact on your child’s overall health risk, especially when they are first starting out. This is because children do not know how to practice health hygiene (many adults do not either) and many children are sent to school sick because of childcare issues.
Pain (otalgia) is a symptom that makes patients rush to doctors to seek medical help. Primary ear pain due to infections of the outer or middle ear is common and readily diagnosed upon examination by your doctor. But, as noted above, not all ear pain originates within the ear. Referred ear pain poses more of a challenge to properly diagnose and treat since the source of pain is “hidden” at a distance from the ear.
Some patients were referred for surgery, but about 27% of patients were triaged out of the ENT (Ear, Nose & Throat) clinic and did not need specialty follow up. In 85% of the examinations, travel was avoided resulting in travel cost savings in airfare of $496,420.
Approximately 35 million Americans suffer from chronic sinusitis annually, 10% have loss of hearing in the United States (1) and a significant number of ER (Emergency room) visits and doctor office visits are due to problems involving the ear, nose and throat or related structures in the head and neck.
A 53 year old woman was examined by a Cardiologist and diagnosed as having atrial fibrillation (irregular heart rhythm). The episodes increased in frequency and duration causing shortness of breath, fatigue, and at times lightheadedness and dizziness. She eventually had a small (the size of a finger nail) cardiac loop recorder implanted just under the skin into the left side her chest. When she experiences an episode, she presses a button, and places the Medtronic device against the left side of her chest. A cardiogram is recorded and transmitted to her Cardiologist for evaluation.
Palpitations, and elevated heart rate are symptoms that nearly everyone experiences at some point in their life. Most often, “skipped beats” or the perceived irregularity in cardiac rhythm is benign and may be the result of stress, poor sleep patterns or even increased consumption of dietary stimulatants (e.g. Caffeinated beverages, alcohol even in modest amounts). With increased age however, this may also represent a potentially very serious rhythm disorder known as atrial fibrillation.
Telemedicine appears to be particularly well suited for the management of diabetes. Given the growth of diabetes in the population and an increasing shortage of Endocrinologists, patients with diabetes often face long delays in medical care. Travel distances may be hundreds of miles and wait times for appointments can be several months duration. For those with more advanced illness or age, these obstacles may be insurmountable. Even in urban areas with more specialists, traditional doctor visits require a significant time commitment and time off work.