Did you know that a man is 35% more likely to be diagnosed with prostate cancer than a woman is to be diagnosed with breast cancer?   And while most of us know that October goes pink for breast cancer awareness, did you know that November grows mustaches for men’s health?

That’s right – November is now Movember (with “mo” being slang for mustache, of course).  
Here’s a quick synopsis from  the Movember Foundation:

The Movember Foundation challenges men to start Movember 1st (November 1st) clean shaven, then grow and groom their moustache for 30 days to raise awareness and funds to find a cure for prostate and testicular cancers.

I absolutely love this campaign!  What better way to get guys talking about their health than by pitting them in a friendly competition, doing something as “manly” as growing a ‘stache?! 

I first heard about Movember via Twitter a few weeks ago, and it has quickly blown up in the socialsphere:  A Facebook search for “movember” this morning yielded 77 Pages and about 4,200 Groups.  As this blog is posted, the MovemberUSA Facebook Page alone has 3,958 fans and counting, a gain of more than 350 members since Friday afternoon.  Men participating in Movember, or “Mo Bros” as they are called, are posting photos of their facial follicles on their “Mo Spaces,” and “Mo Sistas” are getting in on the act by recruiting more Mo Bros and helping raise funds, which will benefit the Prostate Cancer Foundation and the Lance Armstrong Foundation Livestrong.

Over the years, Susan G. Komen’s Race of the Cure, Pink October and many other events seeking to bring awareness to breast cancer have empowered the female population;  I hope Movember will do the same for our brothers, fathers, sons, boyfriends, and husbands, and succeed in its mission to “change the face of men’s health.”

Last week, I called my doctor’s office to reschedule a check-up and was placed on hold for 9 minutes before speaking to the appointment desk.  NINE MINUTES.  While waiting for assistance, I contemplated hanging up and trying again, but my stubbornness outweighed my annoyance.  (Apparently, I’m more patient than most:  According to a study by one physician practice, 65% of patients placed on hold would hang up within two minutes.  Furthermore, 90% would hang up after four minutes.)

Listening to 540-some-odd seconds of soft rock hits from the ‘80s further solidified my opinion that all medical offices should at least be able to manage nonmedical issues via the Web in some form or fashion.  While my doctor’s office has used electronic medical records for years, it is behind the times when it comes to patient communication.  More and more, doctors are using Facebook and email to interact with patients.  Personally, I try to keep my Facebook friend roster strictly social:  No parents, bosses (sorry, Carol!) or clients allowed – and now, no medical professionals either.  But while I won’t be ‘friending’ my doctor on Facebook any time soon, I would love to be able to communicate online with the practice about administrative issues such as billing and appointments.  I’m convinced that online access would lead to greater office efficiency and an improved patient experience. 

So the next time I’m in the market for a new doctor, you can bet I’ll be adding “Web-friendly” to my list of criteria.

This week’s article in Modern Healthcare talks about the emerging phenomenon of medical tourism (also known as medical travel and medical outsourcing).  As with most articles, the conversation focused on the huge cost savings for folks who choose to travel abroad for medical treatment.

For example, a recent McKinsey report found that an aortic valve replacement that costs $100,000 at a U.S. hospital would run about $12,000 at an equally qualified and credentialed hospital in Asia. Wow!  But how do you know if you can trust these hospitals from a quality of care perspective?  

I’m a big fan of choosing hospitals that can demonstrate their quality of care. So, in addition to making sure that the hospital is accredited by the Joint Commission International (JCI) and International Standards Organization (ISO), look for the hospital that openly and transparently reports its clinical outcomes. 

For example, take a look at National University Hospital.  It’s a good start, though not comparative and somewhat complicated for the uninformed reader.  Do your research by comparing those outcomes to your American counterparts.  And if the clinical indicators are not posted on the Web site – ask!

“A new survey suggests that CEOs are rethinking the importance of improving the patient experience and other studies show that consumerism in healthcare—long talked about—might really be coming after all.” To that, I say, it’s about time!

A week ago, knowing full well that I was two years over due for my annual mammogram (shame on me), I made the “smash-o-gram” appointment. To my surprise, my appointment was 2 days later. Not a week.  Not a month.  Not 6 months.  Only 2 days. Wow!  For the past 10 years, I’ve been a fan of Imaging for Women, a privately operated practice independently owned by Mark J. Malley, MD,  DABR, a board-certified radiologist. The imaging center offers phenomenal service. 

Here’s what I mean by that:

From door to door, my appointment took 28 minutes. I received my results at minute 25 (versus waiting a week for a postcard to arrive in the mail). Now consider this: Let’s say Dr. Malley has a concern about the images. You are ushered back into the mammography suite for another look. If anomalies still appear, your next stop is the ultrasound room just down the hall. And yes, you guessed it – results of the ultrasound are immediately reported.  No sleepless nights waiting for results.  In fact, BEFORE you ever leave Imaging for Women, Dr. Malley will personally counsel you about your choice of specialist  and facilitate the referral should you need a consult for breast surgery. 

Now, that’s a great patient experience – isn’t that the way healthcare should be?

 Imagine if you will… happier and healthier employees, fewer sick days, improved productivity, better bottom-line. Sound like a fairy tale? It could actually be your in company’s future. Many companies that have adopted employee health and wellness programs are reaping these rewards as we speak. I came across an article recently that described how companies are handling rising health care costs and what they are doing to encourage employees to make healthier decisions.

The idea of employee health and wellness programs is not new but now it’s becoming more widespread.  And as part of President Obama’s health reform plan, I think we will be hearing more and more about it. So go ahead and participate in your company’s program. And if your company doesn’t have one, suggest one.

Did you see the new Gallup Poll about medical travel?  More Americans see medical travel as a viable option – if the QUALITY OF CARE IS THE SAME as it is here in the states.  The poll of 5,050 adults involved a split-sample experiment. One random half-sample was asked the “direct” question on whether they would consider treatment abroad. The second half was asked whether they would consider treatment abroad assuming “the quality was the same and the costs significantly cheaper.” Given that assurance, the percentage saying they would consider medical treatment outside U.S. borders increased by 12% on average. The poll has a 2% margin of error. Read more

May is finally here!  No more cold and snowy weather. It’s time for fun in the sun with outdoor barbeques, weekends at the lake, gardening and a host of other outdoor activities.  But before you step outside, is your skin protected?  According to the American Cancer Society, skin cancer is by far the most commonly diagnosed cancer here in the U.S.  But there are some guidelines you can follow to help reduce your risk.

So remember to take a few minutes each day to protect your skin and if you’ve never had a screening, get one on the calendar.  I’ve got mine scheduled…do you?

Want to BE a successful blogger?  Then check out some Basic “Be”s of Blogging to find out what it takes to make it in the blogosphere.

1. Be current.
   Don’t let your blog get stale!  Make the commitment to update your blog regularly with topics that are timely.  Set a schedule to post 2-3 times a week and you’ll reward your readers with fresh content that encourages return visits.
2. Be authentic.
   When writing blogs, it’s okay to be informal, and it’s okay to not be perfect.  Getting caught up in editing and word-smithing can inhibit creativity and prevent you from following Blogging Basic #1.   So let your personality shine through and don’t fall victim to paralysis by analysis!  And just in case you were wondering, ghostwriting is a big no-no.
3. Be interactive.
   Remember, blogging is a form of social media.  So, ask questions in your blog to encourage discussion.  Reply to comments (respectfully, of course!) to keep readers involved.  Include links to Web sites that inspired your post to direct your readers to additional information.
4. Be valuable.
   Whether it’s giving helpful hints, releasing breaking news or simply providing food for thought, make sure your blog is of value to readers.  Use your blog to educate, inform and even entertain to get your blog bookmarked.

Check out some more quick tips on blogging here and let me know what you think should be a BE of blogging!

I’ve been watching with great curiosity the rise in popularity of medical travel. Since 2005, more than half a million Americans have traveled overseas seeking healthcare that is cheaper and allegedly of the same quality. Traveling to Singapore, India, Brazil or any number of exotic destination countries for major surgery that it is 50 to 80 percent cheaper may sound enticing. Especially when a procedure such as a triple bypass could cost $130,000 in the States, but only $10,000 in, let’s say, India.

But what about the quality of care? How do you know that you’ll receive equal or better quality outcomes than you would from a double board certified cardiothoracic surgeon right here in North America? There’s ample data on the cost of care posted on international care web sites, but please tell me you wouldn’t simply make your choice of hospital and surgeon on the price tag! Finding the quality provider requires A LOT of work to ferret through regulatory (Joint Commission International), third-party (International Organization for Standardization) and internal assessments. Finding quality indicators (mortality and infection rates, etc.) is like finding a needle in a haystack.

Despite increased competition that US providers will face (more on this in another blog), I hope medical travel gets its act together. I’m eager to see international providers market their quality with as much transparency as they do their price. In the meantime, caveat emptor – buyer beware.

Read more…

A few years ago, I worked on an ad campaign that educated women about heart disease. During this process, I met some great women with incredible survival stories. It was an eye-opening experience for me and it inspired me to become an advocate. Now, I tell everyone and anyone who will listen about heart disease in women because it’s very important to become proactive in your heart health rather than reactive.

The statistics of heart disease are staggering! Nearly twice as many women die from heart disease and stroke than from all forms of cancer combined, including breast cancer. Why? Because most women ignore the signs or don’t know what signs to look for. The symptoms of heart disease are very different for women than they are for men. Many women don’t have the crushing chest pain like you see in the movies. Instead, women may have nausea, back pain or even heartburn.

To learn more, visit www.hearthealth4women.org and pass it on!