The RegisterPatient Blog

3 Tips For Using Your Health Tracking Device Effectively

Tyler — Fri, 11 May 2012 17:11:09 +0000

The rise of the Nike+ Fuel Band, JawboneUp, and countless other number of health-tracking devices have been introduced to the market recently, and have greatly changed the ways that people access their health information. I’ve attached some tips for making the best of all of this data:

1. You are in charge of your own progress- Get yourself excited about using your fitness device. A lot of the experience of wearing one of these devices is the psychological effect that it has on you to exercise and keep track of your health. Make sure that you are making your goals a part of your daily routine. If there’s a time when you’re just sitting around and not doing anything, move around and get some progress on your daily goal.

2. Understand the psychological impact- Critics of these devices have been quick to claim that “it’s all in the head” of those who are using the device. Instead of using this as a criticism, it should be taken as a positive. Understand the reason why you are wearing your device, and the personal reasons behind it. If you are wearing your device to become more active around the house, then there is no reason for you to be sitting on the couch staring at your fuel band when you can be walking around and fighting your goal.

3. Make use of the data- While I can not vouch to 100% accuracy for these devices, unless you want to be a constant skeptic of a product that you’ve already purchased I believe that you should take the data as what it is. Make sure that you are making all of the necessary efforts to be getting the largest picture possible in terms of your health data. What this means is that you should be looking at all aspect of your health tracking apps. This includes exercise and diet tracking app data in addition to the data from your device. If you are able to get the full picture, then you will be able to fully grasp your health condition.

About the author:

Tyler Soliday is the digital media strategist at RegisterPatient, and covers innovation in healthcare for the RegisterPatient Blog.

He can be reached at tyler@registerpatient.com, and @registerpatient.

What’s the cost of getting the Flu?

Katy — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 19:52:07 +0000

FrugalDad.com released this infographic to inform us of easy ways to prevent the high costs that result from getting the flu. Are you taking preventative care?

The Health 2.0 Show.

Katy — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 08:14:42 +0000

Want to see how Health 2.0 is impacting the health care community?

Health 2.0 hosts a monthly episode to update its audience on how its relationships and communities have brought change and inspiration.

To tune into the webinar, register at the Health 2.0 Show’s registration page. The next show will take place Tuesday, May 1, at 1 p.m. EST, 10 a.m. PDT.

Health 2.0 Code-a-thon.

Katy — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 18:07:38 +0000

Amateur and professional developers, ready your Objective-C and Binary. Health 2.0 and sponsors including Roanoke Blacksburg Technology Council and Intel are hosting the Hokie Health Code-a-thon this Friday and Saturday to make the health industry more efficient and less costly through the innovative creations of development teams.

The top project will win $2,500, and the next five runner-ups will receive $500 each.

More than 75 health care enthused physicians, engineers, entrepreneurs, students and scientists are expected to participate, while tech-savvy speakers will lead discussions and present issues in the field of technology.

Each team will develop applications, tools and ideas that, in the past, have had a lasting impact in health IT and can be the basis for future development projects regarding health care and technological innovation.

For more information, contact Austin Cohen at austin@health2con.com.

Explore the Health Benefits of Golf

James — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 14:00:19 +0000

Happy Golfer’s Day! While some consider golf the “lazy man’s sport,” teeing up can actually be very good exercise. Shoot par with these surprising health benefits of hitting the green.

One of the primary health benefits of golf is its cardiovascular impact. By foregoing a golf cart, golfers may walk up to 5 miles over varied topography. The low-impact cardiovascular activity of walking promotes weight loss and a healthier heart. Also, since it does not strain the knees and feet, many doctors advise it over jogging.

Swinging clubs and putting are also physical workouts. Repetition can help tone the muscles in the arms, back and shoulders while it may also improve flexibility and range of motion. Golf may also improve hand-eye coordination and balance. Between the combined physical benefits of golf, research estimates it can burn over 400 calories.

Apart from physical benefits, golf also has a mental impact on players. Enjoying a beautiful day outdoors on the green boosts endorphins and reduces stress. Golf is also one of the top social sports, allowing players to spend time with friends and other players and engage in conversation.

It’s a great day for Vitamin C!

Katy — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 05:02:01 +0000

Total recommended daily allowance: 75 mg

Awesomeness level: high

Rumors tend to float about this essential nutrient.

Drink lots of orange juice if you want to consume it.

It will heal your annoying cold.

Taking supplements will do the trick!

But will they?

Whether vitamin supplements provide the needed nutrients for the body to properly function is debated. Vitamin C, however, is easily incorporated into the diet by consuming more fruits and vegetables. Humans don’t naturally produce it, and its water solubility keeps it from being stored in the body. Therefore it must be consumed regularly. But what’s the big deal?

Vitamin C:

Helps your body absorb iron
Counteracts lead poisoning
Aids in producing collagen, which translates into healthier teeth, gums, blood vessels and bones
Is essential for proper growth and development
Is needed for healing wounds
Prevents physical damage from toxic substances and pollutants, such as cigarette smoke

People who smoke cigarettes should actually consume 35 mg more vitamin C than the average person because smoking depletes the nutrient, causing the body to work less efficiently, according to MyFoodDiary.com.

As for the source of the nutrient, while oranges contain an ample supply of vitamin C, a variety of fruits can help you reach your recommended daily dose. A few for consideration are grapefruit, guava and kiwi. Smoothie-rific fun is a tasty way to incorporate this tuned tissue builder and beneficial nutrient into your body.

For example, take the strawberry sensation. I like it with peanut butter and granola added for heartiness that will keep you full for hours.

Blend:

One half cup strawberries, frozen. (49 mg vitamin C)
One quarter cup blueberries, frozen (3.6 mg vitamin C)
One medium banana (10.3 mg vitamin C)
Three quarters cup orange juice (61-93 mg vitamin C)
One quarter cup plain yogurt (skim milk) (0.55 mg vitamin C)

Total vitamin C: 124.45 mg to 156.45 mg

Taking more vitamin C than the daily recommended intake doesn’t necessarily fight cold symptoms, but it doesn’t hurt, either! Until 2,000 mg, at least. At that point, you’re at a higher risk of kidney stones and diarrhea, but vitamin C’s water solubility causes it to consistently leave the body through the urinary system, so reaching such a level is unlikely.

Social Media & Medical Practices: A Case Study- Statler-Krumholtz Orthodontics

Tyler — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 14:44:34 +0000

Statler-Krumholtz is an orthodontic practice located in Boca Raton, Florida. The practice does an outstanding job on incorporating social media into their healthcare marketing campaign. As of April 3, 2012 the practice has 2,218 likes, a large amount of content on their site, and an abundance of recommendations from current and former patients. Statler-Krumholtz Orthodontics is doing an incredible job at using social media, and is one of the best examples of a quality practice Facebook page that I could find.

Using Photo Albums To Increase Engagement With Patients: Statler-Krumholtz Orthodontics does a great job at using photography to increase social engagement. As an orthodontic practice, they have an ability to “show off” their work via photography. By uploading pictures of their patients after they are completed with their orthodontic treatment, they are not only engaging with the patient in celebration of completed treatment. They are also advertising the incredible work that they do.

Posting Patient Progress via Photography: Statler-Krumholtz engages with current patients by posting pictures of them during treatment. This presents the feeling of an intimate relationship with patients for prospective clients, and increases the doctor-patient relationship with the pictured patients.

Promotional Facebook Landing Page: Their Facebook landing page offers high-quality marketing content about their practice and the types of orthodontic technology that they are using that allows them to stand out from the rest. This content is one of the first things that a potential client would read when looking for the practice on Facebook.

Incorporating YouTube videos: The practice has done an excellent job at taking video and posting it to their Facebook page. They have videos of patients embedded into their landing page. They have taken a good amount of quality video in the office, and uploaded that content to YouTube. On the side slider of their practice page, they have a link to their YouTube channel which provides an abundance of practice content. On the Facebook page itself, they use the best quality

Landing Pages & YouTube: Statler-Krumholtz Orthodontics has multiple pages that give viewers more information about the practice. They have a welcome landing page that does a great job at explaining what sets them apart from the rest of the competition.

4 Advantages To Adopting A Digital Office Management Platform

Tyler — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 14:19:40 +0000

Now is the time when medical practice management is turning digital, and a lot of practices are having to make the decision to adopt or wait for something better.

Make your practice digital- Offering your patients online patient registration gives them the notion that your practice is tech-savvy. Although your office management system has nothing to do with the care you provide for your patients, the first impression is everything. When patients have an efficient registration experience thanks to technology, more often than not they will associate your practice with providing good care.
Catering to Generation Y- There’s a new generation of those sending themselves to the doctor. It seems as though a good amount of practices have forgotten about Generation Y when it comes to planning their office technology. These patients want an in and out experience, and are not necessarily concerned with which doctor sees them or having an intimate relationship with their healthcare provider. Generation Y just wants to see a medical professional, get their diagnosis and medications, and move on with their day. By incorporating online patient registration into your practice, you are allowing these patients to easily access your medical practice and increasing the likelihood that they will choose your practice as their healthcare provider.
Efficient Practice Management- By moving your medical practice to a digital platform, organization and patient management is an easy task. Adopting an office management system gives you the opportunity to access all patient information through one digital portal. This means that the days of searching through file cabinets, and writing out patient appointment reminder cards are over. The part of your practice that is responsible for business can be easy, and you can focus your attention on providing quality patient-care.
Make It Easy On The Employees- There is a good chance that the office management staff in your medical practice is particularly tech-savvy. By switching over to a digital platform, you can take their outside strengths and apply them to your business and most importantly their work. Allowing patients to register for their doctor’s appointments online is a simple task that can save office management a lot of time in terms of dealing with new patients. When thinking about switching over to a digital platform, consider the office staff and how easy a digital system could potentially make their job.

Happy National PB&J Day!

James — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 19:57:42 +0000

No need to stick to a traditional PB&J to celebrate everyone’s favorite childhood sandwich today. Try these three easy combinations and enhancements to experience PB&J in a new, fun way!

PB&J Ice Cream Sandwiches

Ingredients:

1 pint(s) regular or low-fat vanilla ice cream
1/2 cup(s) peanut butter (creamy or crunchy — you choose)
9 full-size graham crackers
1/4 cup(s) your favorite jam or jelly

Directions:

Spoon the ice cream into the mixing bowl. Soften it by leaving the ice cream out on the counter for 10 minutes.
Mix the peanut butter into the ice cream with the rubber spatula.
Line the baking dish with waxed paper and spread the peanut butter- ice cream mixture on the waxed paper. Cover the mixture with another sheet of waxed paper, and then put the mixture in the freezer for 20 to 45 minutes, or until solid.
Turn the frozen mixture out onto the cutting board, and peel off the waxed paper. Use the chef’s knife to cut the mixture into nine squares the same size as the graham crackers you’re using.
With the table knife, spread the jam or jelly on a graham cracker, add a square of peanut butter-ice cream mixture, and top with another graham cracker. Put each finished sandwich in the freezer immediately, so it doesn’t melt before you’ve made them all. You can also wrap each PB&J Ice Cream Sandwich in plastic wrap and store them in a freezer bag in the freezer.

PB&J Pancakes

Ingredients

Shake and Pour Pancake Batter
Creamy Peanut Butter
Jelly

Directions

After adding water and shaking your pancake batter, add one good-size dollop of peanut butter to the mix.
Using the directions on the Shake and Pour bottle, make your pancakes like you normally would.
You should see peanut butter lumps in your pancakes while cooking them!
Stack pancakes and add a large dollop of jelly instead of syrup.

PB&J Banana Burritos

Ingredients

2 Medium/Soft Taco Flour Tortillas
4 tablespoons Creamy Peanut Butter
2 tablespoons Jam, Jelly, or Preserves
2 bananas, peeled

Directions

Place tortillas on a paper towel and microwave for 10 seconds.
Spread 2 tablespoons peanut butter on each tortilla.
Add 1 tablespoon jelly to each tortilla.
Place the banana near the edge of the tortilla and fold up the ends of the tortilla.
Roll-up and enjoy!

How to attract patients & keep them (healthy) with social media.

Katy — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 16:13:39 +0000

RegisterPatient Guest Post by Katie Matlack

An interesting article over at Software Advice, a free online resource, discusses ways doctors can use social media for a variety of purposes. You’ve probably heard about the September 2011 survey from QuantiaMD and the Care Continuum Alliance, which reported that over half of all doctors use social media because of its benefits for marketing and business development purposes. Beyond this marketing utility, however, other research has shown that getting information from a doctor after an in-person consultation can make patients more likely to take medicine properly and follow their physician’s instructions.

If you’re ready to get social–social networking, that is–here’s the important part. To save time in the long run, you should prioritize knowing your audience and its habits first before you ever log in to Facebook or LinkedIn. This involves knowing whether or not they even use social media, first of all. You should then figure out what they would like to learn from you. An easy way to find this out might be to leave a quick paper survey in the waiting room for patients to fill out. Once you know that your patients are on social networks and know what kind of information they’d like, you should identify what kind of content will appeal to them.

Think about your audience. For example, if you’re a pediatrician, preteen patients will probably appreciate links to YouTube videos where Justin Bieber talks on the importance of an active lifestyle. But if you’re a physician serving largely college-aged patients, sharing the Bieber video would paint you as out-of-touch.

The next step is to create a schedule and publish regularly. Start out with a Facebook business page that links to your practice website. Then make the move to LinkedIn, and create a strong profile that accurately reflects your experience before you reach out to your current and former colleagues. After you’re publishing one to two times each week and feel comfortable at this rate, you can round out your social media presence with a Twitter account. If you approach social media with the intention of creating a two-sided conversation, and you know what kind of information your patients like to hear, you’ll be in good shape.

Katie Matlack is the Medical Market Analyst for Software Advice, a company that helps people purchase electronic health record software. You can view the entire post this article is based on on the Software Advice Blog.