Browse Category

Medicine

Patients recovering with sports exercises

The Process of Recovering From a Spinal Cord Injury

A spinal cord injury (SCI) is damage to the spinal cord that can cause loss of muscle function, sensation, or both. SCI can be caused by a number of things, including car accidents, falls, sports injuries, and violence. The extent of the injury depends on the location and severity of the damage. Some people with SCI regain some or all of their function, while others experience permanent paralysis. Recovering from a spinal cord injury can be difficult. Depending on the extent of the injury, you may face a long healing journey. Fortunately, there are resources available that can provide significant help. If you’re not in need of advice, read on to learn about the process of recovering from a spinal cord injury.

What is the process of recovering from a spinal cord injury?

img

Inpatient rehabilitation is often needed after a spinal cord injury. This is a time when the individual can focus on their rehabilitation and work with a team of specialists who can help them improve their function. The rehab team may include physiatrists, physical therapists, occupational therapists, speech therapists, and nutritionists. Inpatient rehabilitation can last from a few weeks to a few months, depending on the person’s needs. It is a critical time for the individual to focus on their recovery and work towards returning to their everyday life.

When you are ready to move home, you should know that a spinal cord injury can result in a wide range of physical changes that may affect your ability to live independently. Many people with a spinal cord injury will require home modifications for accessibility in order to maintain their quality of life. In particular, your bathroom may need some remodeling. Fortunately, remodeling companies like this bathroom remodel Fort Worth can assist you with all your needs. Grab bars, shower benches, and non-slip mats are all smart investments for anyone who has accessibility needs.

Additionally, a spinal cord injury can affect your general mobility. You may need to use a wheelchair or other mobility device to get around. If you are unable to walk, you will need to make arrangements for home care or for moving into a long-term care facility. You may even need to find a new job that is more suited to your abilities. There are a lot of lifestyle changes that go along with a major injury, but they can vary depending on your individual situation.

How can you protect the health of your back?

img

When it comes to the health of your back, exercise is key. By regularly engaging in physical activity, you can protect your back from injury and keep it strong and flexible. There are many different exercises that can improve the health of your back, and many of them can be done right at home. One of the best exercises for protecting your back is stretching. Stretching keeps your muscles limber and flexible, which can help reduce the risk of injury. There are several stretches that can improve the health of your back, and many of them can be done right at home.

Sleep is essential for overall health and wellbeing, and is especially important for back health. When you don’t get enough sleep, your body is unable to properly heal and regenerate tissues. This can lead to increased inflammation and a weakened immune system. Lack of sleep can also increase your risk of developing chronic back pain. To ensure you’re getting the most out of your sleep, make sure your sleeping environment is dark, quiet, and comfortable. Use a good quality mattress and pillow, and limit television, computer, and phone use before bed.

There is no one-size-fits-all approach to recovering from a spinal cord injury, so it is crucial to work with your doctor and physical therapist to come up with a plan that meets your specific needs. The recovery process often starts with some type of outpatient or inpatient rehab. When you are able to live on your own, you may need home modifications or assistive devices, which can take time to adjust to. Your lifestyle choices will also play a significant role in your overall quality of life. If you follow this advice, you’ll be well on your way to healing.

allergies-sickness-illness-pills-drugs-napkins-1-scaled

The Role of Nurses in Hospitals

As the backbone of the hospital staff, nurses play a vital role in patient care. From providing emotional support to carrying out physician orders, nurses are the unsung heroes of the hospital. Keep reading to learn more about the role of nurses, whether they work in a hospital in Carthage, NY, or anywhere else.

Nurses play an important role in patient education.

img

Nursing services play an important role in patient education, providing information on treatments and medications. Nurses also provide instruction on how to properly use medical devices and equipment. In addition, nurses teach patients about their rights and responsibilities as patients. Nurses also help to ensure that patients understand the discharge instructions from their doctors. By providing this important information, nurses help to ensure that patients are able to make informed decisions about their health care and treatment.

Nurses are advocates for their patients.

img

Patient advocates are one of the most significant roles nurses have in their careers. Nurses are often the ones who have the most contact with patients and their families, making them the perfect people to advocate for their patients.

There are many ways nurses can advocate for their patients. They can ensure that patients’ voices are heard by speaking up for them when they need it, they can ensure that patients have all the information they need to make informed decisions about their care, and they can help patients navigate the health care system.

Nurses are also in a unique position to identify early signs of patient deterioration and advocate for patients and their families when they need it most.

Patient advocacy is an important role that nurses can play in their careers. It’s a way to make a difference in the lives of their patients and their families.

Nurses are responsible for providing direct patient care.

img

Nurses are critical members of the hospital team, and their contributions are invaluable. They provide direct patient care, collaborating with doctors and other health professionals to ensure that patients receive the best possible care.

Some nurses provide hands-on care, such as providing wound care, bathing and grooming patients, and helping them to eat and drink. Others provide more indirect care, such as monitoring medications, providing emotional support, and teaching patients and their families about their care. Nurses work as part of a team with doctors, therapists, and other caregivers to ensure that patients receive the best possible care.

The direct patient care that nurses provide is essential to the health and well-being of patients. By providing individualized care and support, nurses help patients to recover from illness or injury and to manage their conditions.

Nurses play a crucial role in care coordination.

img

A nurse’s role in care coordination is essential, especially for patients who are admitted to the hospital from another care setting. By collaborating with other members of the care team, nurses can help to ensure that patients receive the timely and appropriate care they need. This can help to reduce the risk of adverse events and improve the quality of care for patients.

In addition to collaborating with other members of the care team, nurses can also play a role in care coordination by helping improve communication between the care team and the patient and family.

Nurses are essential members of the care team and play a vital role in care coordination. By collaborating with other members of the care team and improving communication between the care team and the patient and family, nurses can help to ensure that patients receive the timely and appropriate care they need.

Nurses work directly with hospital administration.

img

Nurses are essential members of hospital administration, responsible for managing budgets and resources and ensuring that hospitals run smoothly. Nurses work hand-in-hand with doctors, administrators, and other hospital staff to provide the best possible care for patients. They also play a vital role in hospital planning and policymaking, helping to make decisions that affect the entire hospital. Nurses are essential to the success of any hospital, and their skills and knowledge are invaluable.

Nurses are vital to hospitals.

The role of nurses in hospitals is very important. Nurses play a vital role in the overall care of patients. They provide direct care to patients, as well as coordinate care for patients. Nurses also play a role in educating patients and their families about their care. Nurses are an important part of the hospital team and play a critical role in the care of patients.

Is There a Link Between Panic Attacks and Heart Health?

Panic attacks can be terrifying, especially if you’re not familiar with their symptoms. Suddenly, you’re dealing with chest pain, lightheadedness, a racing heart, chills, or even a choking feeling or breathing difficulties. With such manifestations, it’s no wonder that panic attacks are all too often mistaken for heart attacks. However, there are crucial differences between these two distressing incidents and a far more intricate relationship between them.

Panic-Inducing Misconceptions

img

First and foremost, it’s essential to allay common misconceptions surrounding panic attacks and heart health. Most notably, a panic attack is not a heart attack, though the symptoms of each condition may overlap. Just as importantly, though, it’s critical to acknowledge that incidences of a panic attack leading to a heart attack or other cardiovascular crisis are exceptionally rare. While both can be prompted by emotional stress, a person is far more likely to respond with a panic attack than a heart attack to such an event.

If you suspect a cardiovascular issue may be affecting your health, consult an expert like Dr. B at Beverly Hills Internal Medicine, who can help identify any existing ailments and prevent future crises with proper coping skills and preventive measures well in advance. However, it’s likely not worth worrying about your panic attacks or panic disorder causing a cardiovascular crisis—it’s much more likely to make you feel even more panicked unnecessarily.

A Complex Connection

img

While a panic attack is unlikely to cause a heart attack, there is an intricate relationship between heart health and anxiety or panic. As Harvard Health explains, moderate amounts of stress and anxiety are there for a reason, funneling your body’s nervous impulses into action and progress. In more extreme cases, though, such as an anxiety or panic disorder, your persistent stress can impact your heart health over time.

The converse of this relationship is also true—heart problems can aggravate or worsen panic or anxiety disorders. If you’ve recently suffered a heart attack or been diagnosed with a cardiovascular issue, you may find that existing anxiety is heightened, or you’re suddenly facing panic attacks and related symptoms. Naturally, cardiovascular concerns are a stressful matter, so it makes sense that this impact, however discouraging, occurs. In these cases, you may want to consult both your cardiologist and a mental health professional to alleviate the worst of your symptoms and develop valuable coping skills.

Working Through Your Fears

img

If you’re worried that panic attacks or another anxiety disorder could negatively impact your heart health, there are ways you can work to cope with panic and its symptoms. For example, many people find that existing speech impediments, like a slur, lisp, or stutter, worsen during or in the time surrounding a panic attack. This can cause your existing stress to worsen, particularly if you have to use these communication skills, like in a social setting. Learning to manage this particular symptom can help decrease your anxiety at the moment and, by extension, minimize the effect that it has on your heart.

The learning process behind these social skills doesn’t need to be cumbersome, either. A mental health professional can offer a variety of therapy games for children and adults alike that provide a great way to work through these concerns in a fun way. Then, when a panic attack does come along, you’ll have one less thing to worry about and another therapeutic tool in your arsenal.

While a panic attack can be scary, especially if it manifests with chest pain, it’s incredibly rare to find a panic attack or even long-term panic disorder that leads to a heart attack. Nevertheless, there is a complicated relationship between these two areas of health. To best understand this connection and how it applies to your unique circumstances, talk to your doctor, therapist, and health care team to uncover the ways panic attacks and cardiovascular concerns apply to you.

The Tools and Training Required for Successful Healthcare Practices

Patients receive professional healthcare services at healthcare practices. Types of healthcare practices include doctor’s offices, counselor’s offices, physical therapy centers, and facilities where people receive care from other medical professionals, such as audiologists, occupational therapists, speech-language pathologists.

Healthcare practices may feature one or two medical providers who treat patients or several medical professionals who offer various healthcare services. Establishing a successful healthcare practice involves tools and training. Continue reading to learn about the education requirements and the types of tools needed to run a healthcare center of any size effectively.

Healthcare professionals need extensive training.

img

Healthcare professionals include physicians, nurse practitioners (NPs), registered nurses (RNs), physical therapists, occupational therapists, speech-language pathologists, mental health professionals, and audiologists. These professionals require extensive postsecondary training and must meet the licensing requirements to work as licensed medical professionals.

Most RNs have a bachelor’s of science in nursing (BSN) degree that requires four years of postsecondary study. They’re required to pass the National Council Licensure Examination for RNs (NCLEX-RN) and meet their state’s licensing requirements to work as a licensed RN. Speech-language pathologists must have a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree in their field, typically requiring six years of postsecondary studies. NPs and occupational therapists also need a master’s degree, while audiologists, physical therapists, and medical doctors must earn a doctoral degree.

Mental health professionals have varying academic requirements. Some substance abuse counselors can enter the field with a high school diploma if they fulfill the certification requirements. Still, most mental health, behavior disorder, and substance abuse counselors have a bachelor’s degree in a relevant discipline, such as psychology or social work. Psychologists need a master’s or doctoral degree, while psychiatrists must have a doctoral degree.

Healthcare practice staff also benefit from project management training. Project management professionals (PMPs) have the knowledge needed to manage large projects. Completing project management training online enables PMPs to manage staff, stakeholders, and budgets. Online courses in project management include 35 contact hours of training covering risk management, quality management, time management, and human resources management. Once the course is complete, students can use practice exams to prepare to write the PMP certification exam. PMPs have the credentials to ensure your healthcare practice employs the best practices, manages resources efficiently, and carries projects through to completion.

Healthcare practices benefit from managing their environment.

img

A healthcare practice’s environment enables them to meet client needs effectively. For example, patients receiving physical therapy may need to use walkers, canes, or wheelchairs. Healthcare facilities should have ramps and wide doorways with electronic door openers to make it easy for them to access the facilities.

Healthcare practices should also consider how their design affects a person’s mood and mental health. Psychologists, counselors, and psychiatrists may use different types of psychotherapy, such as cognitive-behavioral therapy, humanistic therapy, or holistic therapy, to treat patients struggling with several mental health issues, such as anxiety disorders, depression, bipolar disorder, or eating disorders. A patient with an anxiety disorder may find it hard to navigate a cluttered, messy space because clutter can trigger an anxiety attack. Effective mental health practices are neat and use soothing colors, such as soft blues and greens. Adding plants and pictures of nature offers mental health and physical health benefits. Looking at plants or pictures of nature soothes people and can lower their blood pressure.

Health professionals may offer in-person therapy and teletherapy. They may also offer group therapy. Managing an online environment is just as crucial as managing a healthcare practice’s physical environment because the setting may increase or decrease a patient’s anxiety. Healthcare practices offering online cognitive behavioral group therapy for people with social anxiety teach patients about their condition during weekly sessions and help patients learn how to manage their social anxiety. Your group therapy program must offer all patients a safe space to address their needs, which is why you must complete individual screening before initiating group sessions. Patients won’t focus on the strategies you’re presenting if you’re filming from a cluttered space with strong colors that trigger their anxiety. Part of creating a safe space for all patients means ensuring you avoid triggers that could jeopardize their ability to participate in group therapy.

Technology transforms healthcare services.

New technology makes it possible to change the way you provide healthcare services. For example, you can Google “home ultrasound” to learn about wireless ultrasound devices. With wireless ultrasounds, you can perform an ultrasound from any location with internet access. Bringing an ultrasound device to patients instead of moving patients to different examination rooms that must be cleaned after use will save you time and money. Wireless ultrasound devices work with smartphones and tablets. These devices upload ultrasound images to your devices, enabling you to transfer files to other medical professionals instantly.

Automated kiosks enable patients to check in when they arrive at your practice. Patients can make pay copays at payment kiosks. Inventory software tracks your resources and alerts you when you need to order more supplies. Technology increases efficiency and improves customer service, ensuring your patients receive optimal healthcare at your practice.

Successful healthcare practices employ qualified professionals with the training and certifications required to provide professional care. Healthcare practices also thrive when they use environmental features to create a suitable environment for patients. Your practice will also be more efficient with new technology that enables you to provide exceptional patient care while saving time and money.

Benefits of Air Cleaners and Purifiers

Your HVAC system does so much more than just heat and cools your home. It also removes irritating particulates that can worsen allergens and potentially spread mold spores. However, there are times when you need more than just a traditional AC system. This is where air purifiers and air cleaners come in. Here are a few benefits of adding these features to your home to protect your health and your family.

Air cleaners catch outdoor pollutants.

Any time you walk into your home, you bring the outside with you. In the spring, you can carry pollen on your clothes, causing those with allergies to wheeze and sneeze. In areas with high pollution, smog and other airborne particulates can follow you inside, worsening your indoor air quality.

Air cleaners work by filtering your air and eliminating air pollutants. When you install an air filter in your HVAC system you can clean the air that gets pushed throughout the whole house. You can enjoy a cleaner living space that doesn’t upset your outdoor allergies.

An air cleaner is particularly helpful if you have kids or pets, who are notorious for bringing in unwanted dirt and dust from the outside. If you are searching for a specific device, learn about the REME HALO benefits and how this system can improve the air in your entire home.

Air purifiers remove germs and microbes from the air.

Along with cleaners, air purifiers work to remove viruses surface bacteria from the air. An air duct purifier can keep your whole home safe through flu season and during the rest of the year. While you can’t stay away from germs whenever you leave the house, you can make sure that your indoor air is safe.

An air purifier is particularly important if you have a respiratory illness or another immunocompromising disease. As a homeowner, you want peace of mind that your living space is safe and free of viruses and potential threats to your health. Look into an FDA-approved purification system that specifically targets VOCs and contaminants that could affect your health.

Cleaner air prevents mold growth.

Mold is caused by excess moisture and high humidity levels in your home. It can form in your bathroom and kitchen but can also send spores across your house through the air. If you have a mold problem, you might pick up on unwanted odors before you ever see the growth. Your family members might sneeze uncontrollably because of the poor indoor air quality.

Even if you keep a clean house, you are still at risk of developing a mold problem. This isn’t a cleanliness issue, it’s moisture and air quality issue. Work with an HVAC firm to improve the filtration and humidity controls in your home. This can prevent mold growth, leading to a safe experience and cleaner air.

Remove gases that find their way in.

Even if you live in an area with clear skies and fresh outdoor air, you may come into contact with unwanted gases and dangerous molecules. These gases travel through Earth’s atmosphere and can turn fresh air into a toxic mess.

In 2020, the smoke from the California wildfires traveled north, creating the dirtiest air in the world in normally clean cities like Portland and Seattle. This created a health crisis for people living with respiratory issues.

Look into a duct air purifier that can keep your air clean from atmospheric gases and other potential breathing hazards. The steps you take to remove dust particles and smog today could save you in the future.

You can take steps to reduce the number of sneeze germs and dander in your home. Contact an HVAC professional today and ask about REME HALO purifiers. They can recommend a selection of portable units that you can install in your air ducts to keep your family safe.

Starting a Health and Wellness Business

Launching a business is a great way to establish your career. If you’re interested in health and wellness, you can explore many opportunities within this field.

Once you have a comprehensive understanding of the health and wellness industry, you’ll be able to determine the best way to launch a successful health and wellness company. Once you identify suppliers, prepare a business plan, develop a marketing strategy, and secure crucial resources, you’ll be ready to launch your business.

Research

img

Learn about your chosen business field. Health and wellness companies focus on mental, physical, or spiritual well-being. If you’re interested in physical health you could prepare exercise plans for clients or sell dietary supplements. You may be interested in building relationships with long-term clients, or you may opt to focus on wellness tourism and want to launch a spa or health resort. Understanding the industry can help you determine which opportunities appeal to you.

You may also identify a great way to enter the industry and fulfill a demand the industry isn’t currently meeting. Exploiting service gaps is one of the best ways to distinguish your business from competitors and increase your company’s chances of success. You could also develop a custom formulation for a new product.

Identify Suppliers

img

Identify the resources you’ll need to launch and operate your business. If you plan to sell nutritional supplements, you’ll need to research nutrition supplement manufacturing companies. Google “nutritional supplement manufacturers” to locate supplement manufacturers who will enable you to develop your formulation for the supplements you’ll sell. Choose a manufacturer using state-of-the-art equipment to produce supplements in the forms you want to sell, such as capsules, gummies, powders, and softgels. Once you’ve selected a manufacturer, determine how much it will cost to manufacture the products you plan to sell.

You will also need electronics and office supplies to handle essential paperwork. Locate a company that sells presentation folders suitable for your needs. Pocket folders can be embossed or foil stamped and may come with slots where you can insert a business card. You could present new clients with a folder containing documents outlining your goods and services. You may also need folders to organize important documents. The company supplying your folders could also supply other essential printed materials, including business cards, promotional pens, and envelopes.

If you work with people with disabilities you may want to educate them about new technology and resources available. Secure appropriate documents in a custom presentation folder. Perhaps a patient with hearing loss or a broken arm is interested in using a driverless car. You could gather facts about self-driving cars and present them with an information package, including reports on driverless cars from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, driverless car crash statistics, U.S. laws that apply to driverless cars, and fuel efficiency reports.

Some people may appreciate the peace of mind that comes from using an autonomous vehicle, and custom presentation folders are a great option if you’re looking for the best way to impress new clients with a professional information package.

Business Plan

img

Develop a business plan. An ideal business plan should indicate your company’s mission and focus. Your business plan should also identify your chosen business structure, your company’s products or services, how your business will distinguish itself from competitors, your operating budget, revenue projections, and a marketing strategy. A comprehensive business plan will also identify potential challenges in the industry and strategies for addressing those challenges.

Your budget should include the cost of incorporating your business, if applicable, as well as the cost of essential resources. You may feel it’s crucial to develop mobile app clients can use, or pay a monthly fee for cybersecurity. Your revenue projections should determine how much you anticipate earning by providing services or selling goods.

Your business plan should also include a marketing strategy. Customize your marketing strategy to appeal to your optimal consumers. For example, a lot of teenagers are active online, so you may focus on social media marketing. Your strategy could involve developing TikTok videos featuring your goods and services or hiring social media influencers to boost your company’s profile.

You could also invest in cloud picture storage. A suitable cloud storage device will provide you with the storage capacity you need for photo storage. You can upload and download photos from your mobile device, computer, or external hard drive. Use these images on your company website or social media channels. Whether you hire photography professionals to capture images for you or purchase images from Flickr, a cloud storage device is an excellent way to store pictures safely or download images you can add to your social media timeline. You can also use cloud storage for photo backup to retain pictures you may want to use again.

No matter who your target audience is, an online presence is crucial for all businesses. With an effective search engine optimization (SEO) marketing strategy, your website will appear on the first page of search engine results pages (SERPs) for relevant keyword searches. Effective SEO marketing strategies include generating backlinks to your site from your social media channels and other credible websites and ensuring your website features appropriate keywords.

Secure Resources

img

Use your business plan to secure financing from lenders or investors. Once you’ve secured the capital you need, you can purchase the resources you need to operate your business. Whether you plan to modify a room in your home and run your business from there or rent a storefront location, you’ll need funds to secure stock, hire employees, and purchase essential items, such as computers.

Launching a health and wellness business begins with research. Once you understand the industry and decide which aspect of health and wellness you want to focus on, prepare an effective business plan and marketing strategy. An effective business plan can help you secure the finances you need to obtain crucial resources and begin serving customers.

3 Resources for Managing Menopause

That first hot flash or night sweat is enough to make any woman sit back and wonder what’s ahead. If you’ve recently entered menopause, you probably have a lot of questions. The great news is that there are many tools you can use to make sense of things like sleep disturbance, hot flashes, loss of libido, vaginal dryness, sleep disorders, and more. From mobile phone apps to support groups, therapy, blogs, and books, the information’s out there for menopausal women looking for answers. If you or someone you love is entering menopause, read on for three resources to help manage it.

1. MenoLabs App

img

Any postmenopausal woman will tell you that menopause isn’t easy. From changes in estrogen and other hormone levels that cause mood swings and night sweats to nausea and sleep disorders, some even report feeling a total loss of control. For some, managing menopause symptoms means prescription medicine. For others, it means becoming a Google scholar about everything hormone-related.

Whether your side effects are extreme or minor, MedLabs has an app that allows women to track everything from hot flashes to menopause insomnia while comparing themselves to other women with similar menopause symptoms. A great way to normalize what you’re going through and to help you feel connected, this app works for perimenopausal women, too. If you’ve started the hormone changes that are causing sleep problems or make you wonder if you need hormone replacement therapy, this app is a great place to look for answers.

2. Therapy and Support Groups

img

If you need something more personal and face to face, another answer could be seeing a therapist. While a mental health therapist can’t offer hormone therapy, they can certainly listen to your problems and provide a safe place to vent your frustration. Maybe your depressive symptoms have you asking Google things like “is court reporting school difficult?”, when you would have leaped at the challenge of learning a new skill like court reporting in the past. Maybe you’re legitimately concerned you’ve developed a mood disorder because of sleep issues and a change in appetite. Seeing a licensed and trained professional might be enough to give you peace of mind.

While you should always see your primary physician for medical symptoms like iron deficiencies or changes in blood pressure, a mental health provider can help you work through things like emotions relating to aging and empty-nesting.

Perhaps even better than a therapist is a group of other women going through menopause, too. These women would understand exactly what you were experiencing and be able to provide their own testimonials of how they’re managing symptoms. A place to meet new friends and go through menopause together, it might be worth asking your doctor or therapist if they know of any support groups for mature women.

3. Books and Educational Blogs

img

If you’re a person who naturally researches everything from CBD oil for anemia to chronic pain symptoms, you probably already know to do a Google search for books on menopause. Go further than that with your research. Look for blogs, vlogs, and pages or groups on various social media platforms. Challenge yourself to find informational material on things like menopausal hormone therapy, but also funny things. Laughing at this temporary state with other women is a great way to pull through.

In the end, remind yourself that menopause is only a temporary condition. While it may feel like you’ve been juggling hot flashes for a long time or that none of the treatment options are right for you, the reality is that menopause has an important role in your life as a natural phase of development. As you head into your golden years, do what you can to live in the moment. Those hot flashes prove that you’ve survived a life well lived and will again. Good luck to you on your quest for the right menopause resources!

Are You Setting the Right Goals for Your Healthcare Company?

When it comes to running a healthcare company, there’s a wide range of tasks to occupy your time. Especially if your healthcare business is mid-sized or larger, things can get a bit more complicated thanks to the fact that you have to manage a larger number of employees and clients. As such, it’s easier than ever to get overwhelmed with the day-to-day business operations necessitated by running your own healthcare business. That being said, running a healthcare company can be an incredibly rewarding experience since you’re helping others lead healthier lives and improve their quality of life and wellness with appropriate treatments and medical care.

One thing that you might not have thought about if you’ve been spending more time focusing on managing your daily business operations is finding a way to think more strategically about the future. Goal setting is an important part of any company, and the healthcare industry is no different. In fact, due to the agility that you need to operate and respond to patients’ healthcare needs in a timely manner, it’s even more critical to have an appropriate approach to long-term planning. This ensures that you don’t look up after several months in the trenches to realize that bigger goals you’ve had on your mind have passed you by. Whether you run a cancer center in Toms River, NJ, or are offering affordable nursing home care to senior citizens, there are plenty of ways that you can use goals to supercharge your business. Read on to learn more about goal setting strategies and how to audit your healthcare business to ensure that you’re using goals in the most effective manner possible.

Do you have an existing methodology or framework for setting goals?

img

While you might think that you’re getting the right goals for your healthcare business, it’s just as important to think about whether or not you’re using sustainable practices and goal setting methodologies to actually achieve those goals. A framework like OKRs can be an excellent way to align your work tasks and departments with the goals and priorities that matter most to you. OKR stands for objectives and key results, and while it’s likely that you’ve learned about the OKR framework if you have an MBA, you don’t need to be a graduate student or complete any college coursework in order to get the gist of how OKRs work.

At their heart, OKRs ask you to define an objective that’s important for your business to achieve and pair it with the key results that shape what success looks like should you reach that goal. For example, in a hospital, you may have the objective to lower the average length of a stay in your emergency room by 20 percent. From there, you’d need to decide what sorts of key results would help you achieve that overall OKR objective. Some behaviors that could contribute to reducing the length of stay might be ensuring that specialists see a patient as soon as they’re admitted or adding another surgery slot for same-day surgeries. Once you’ve figured out all of the key results that would help you achieve that specific goal, you can share the OKRs with other teams and help them work towards achieving the desired result. If this all sounds a bit confusing to you, it may be worth attending an OKR training program and receiving a certificate that proves that you have the experiences and organizational leadership skills necessary to use this new way of setting and tracking goals.

Are you investing in your business by performing appropriate maintenance tasks and updates?

img

While thinking about your internal operations is important to finding long term success, it’s just as important to find ways to keep your healthcare business running smoothly and functioning as designed. It doesn’t take a masters in sustainability to recognize that proper maintenance of your building and its systems is crucial if you’re in the private sector or running clinical trials for a new prescription. Through the lens of sustainability, it’s important that you invest some money and energy into keeping your place of business safe and secure. This may even involve tracking warranties on different equipment you use and getting annual inspections to ensure that your roof, HVAC, and other key components of your business are in proper working order.

Another area to pay attention to when it comes to effectively managing the maintenance tasks associated with your business is properly taking care of your outdoor space. Installing commercial retractable awnings, for example, may-be a great idea if, because of COVID-19 and social distancing measures, you have more people waiting outside before they can enter your building. The right installers can get you an awning that’s functional and stylish in no time at all. Best of all, awnings are appropriate for all sorts of climates since they can protect customers or clients from rain, snow, sleet, and even shade them from the sun. You may even want to talk to your retractable awning company about getting your business’s name or logo printed on your awning.

Have you defined what success looks like five or ten years from now?

img

Strategic planning involves a lot of details, and it’s important that you pay attention to long-term goals as well as short-term priorities. Obviously, it’s crucial that your short-term goals align with your long-term strategic planning if you want to create a sustainable future for your business, which is why it’s critical that you spend some time thinking about where you want your healthcare company to be five or ten years from now. Once you’ve set a clear goal, you can start working backward in order to figure out what steps need to be taken in order to achieve those sorts of outcomes. Especially if you’re interested in topics like social innovation or renewable energy, taking the time to look at your business ecology and what practices and policies will need to change in order to help you reach your future goals can be a valuable exercise in strategic planning.

Small Lifestyle Changes To Help Manage Health Problems

Whether you’re facing a chronic medical condition or are simply sick of getting colds on a regular basis, it’s easy to feel like there’s nothing you can do to take control of your health. You can take your prescription or follow your doctor’s other medical advice, but you’re still likely to face further symptoms or more issues over time. Beyond the immediate medical attention you might receive, there are some ways you can improve your health and better manage whatever ails you. Small lifestyle changes, especially when used in a combination of multiple positive habits and professional medical advice, can help you better avoid health issues and recognize and treat any problems that do arise.

Understand your health.

img

When you’re looking to manage your health problems and improve your overall wellness, it’s important to know the starting point you’re working with. For informational purposes, go beyond your existing healthcare knowledge and seek out diagnostic tools, symptom checkers, and other resources to better understand your body.

The best symptom checker will give you insights into possible causes for your health issues, common symptoms of your existing diagnoses, and possible conditions that may be undiagnosed for now. With this knowledge, you can anticipate issues that might arise and work to treat symptoms you’re already facing. A symptom checker or similar tool can make the process easy, so incorporating this sort of research as regularly as needed will be a simple addition to your life. By staying on top of your health, you can treat or avoid complications for a better, healthier state of being.

Know what you’re putting in your body.

img

It’s important to put some thought into what it is you’re putting into your body. Take some time to consider your diet and any nutritional needs that might not be met. Think about upgrading your water products to avoid chemicals like chlorine from entering your body through your drinking water. Consider any allergies you might have, and take efforts to avoid any mild reactions you face, not to mention the potential of a more serious medical emergency. Give your body fewer toxins and other negative substances to filter out, and give it more of a chance to focus on the healthy food, drinks, and medications you’re consuming.

Stay active.

img

Hand-in-hand with a healthy diet, the importance of exercise in managing your health should come as no surprise.

According to the Mayo Clinic, regular physical activity can help combat health problems like high blood pressure, anxiety, depression, diabetes, stroke, and more. As an added benefit, it can improve your mood and boost your energy levels, giving you more motivation and endurance to make other efforts towards improving your health and bettering your healthy lifestyle efforts. Talk to your doctor to see how much exercise and what kinds of workouts are recommended for patients with your health conditions and medical symptoms.

Take time to unwind.

img

You already know that it’s important to get a correct diagnosis for your health problems, but have you considered whether your physical ailments could be caused, or at least exacerbated, by mental stress? Anxiety and other forms of stress can lead to physical symptoms like headache, nausea, and muscular or abdominal pain. By making time to relax and rest both your body and your mind, you can easily relieve some of the most common symptoms of stress and avoid more serious issues, like burnout, down the road. Schedule that spa day, spend some time in the hot tub, or give yourself permission to take a nap when you get home from work‚Äîand tell anyone that questions you that you’re doing it for your health.

When you’re dealing with health issues, whether they’re diagnosed conditions or new symptoms, it’s important to work with a medical professional to create a treatment plan. Creating a healthier you don’t need to end with taking medication or undergoing tests. By putting some lifestyle changes in place, you can take control of your health once more and even minimize the medical issues you face over time. From spending time with online symptom checkers to better understand your ailments to take time to clear your mind, your first steps toward better health can be easy ones.

Common Triggers for Depression in 2020

There is no question that 2020 has been a tumultuous year. Even with no personal issues to contend with, nearly everyone you’ve encountered over the past twelve months has been dealing with distress, be it on a global or local level. From medical fears to stock market drops, the year has brought one challenge after another. For many people, this constant state of anxiety and uncertainty has led to another medical concern: symptoms of depression.

Medical Concerns

img

With the COVID-19 pandemic continuing to make headlines, it’s no surprise that medical concerns are a top trigger for depression symptoms in 2020. On a global scale, people are worried about contracting the virus, having their loved ones test positive, or how they’ll seek care for other issues amidst the crisis. But the fear of diagnosis isn’t the only cause for concern when it comes to health in the past year. Medical costs, particularly in America, are extensive. From affording your copay to awaiting your total at the pharmacy checkout, healthcare costs are a stressor that can literally be a matter of life or death.

While it can’t remedy more systemic issues associated with healthcare costs, RX discount coupons can help you get the lowest price on medicine and dread your trip to the pharmacy a little less. Before you visit your pharmacist, spend some time browsing the available coupons for whatever medicine has been prescribed to you. You’ll find that plenty of local pharmacies and chains like Walmart and Walgreens will accept a coupon or discount card for popular medications, making sure you’ll pay less than the retail price whenever you head to the pharmacy.

Financial Stress

img

Pharmacy and medical costs haven’t been the only financial stressor to hit many people through 2020. In the United States alone, a crashing stock market, surging unemployment rate, and lacking government intervention have come together to form a recession that could distress anyone. Whether you watched as your net worth and portfolio sank or you struggled to afford essentials as grocery store shelves were wiped clean and medical costs rose, this year has been enough of a financial roller coaster to arouse symptoms of depression in anyone.

If you’re hoping to regain some financial security in the new year, an alternative investing platform like Yieldstreet can help. After your initial minimum investment, you’ll find high yields and ease of use go hand-in-hand with this investment opportunity, even if you’re new to the stock market. Whether you’re starting with one of the asset classes in the Yieldstreet Prism Fund or diving in with single asset offerings, you’ll find that Yieldstreet complaints are few and far between—and your annual return might help ease some of the depression symptoms caused by financial concerns.

Political Strife

img

In the U.S. and abroad, politics have been at the forefront of 2020’s news cycle. From the divisive presidential election in the United States to global leaders’ handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, protests against inequality and police violence, and the ever-lurking climate change crisis, people around the world have watched headlines and debated popular issues over the dinner table.

While citizens can’t single-handedly revolutionize international relations and eliminate the stress of political uncertainty, they can take steps to make a difference, however small they might seem. Participating in demonstrations to support causes you believe in, donating to or volunteering with organizations making change, signing petitions, and sharing information to raise awareness are all steps you can take to feel a bit more in-control amongst a convulsive political climate.

Changes in Routine

img

For those who thrive on routine, 2020 has been a direct line to depression symptoms and other distress. Daily commutes became a relic of the past for many workers while trips to the gym and weekly brunch dates or girls’ nights out faded into memories. People working from home found that the ritual of getting up and getting ready for the day fell to the wayside while those facing joblessness were faced with a loss of their former routine almost entirely. Even something as simple as going to a doctor’s appointment was a changed process.

While you can’t simply return to your former routines in most cases, you can work to create new ones. Give yourself a pseudo-commute by taking a walk around the block before signing into work. Sign up for a virtual class or schedule a non-negotiable home workout for yourself in place of your daily trip to the gym. Enjoy a warm cup of coffee in your favorite cozy spot after work each day. By regaining a sense of routine, however minor, you’ll decrease the sense of uncertainty that triggers many symptoms of depression.

Isolation

img

Even if you’ve been isolating with a group of people, it’s hard been hard not to get a bit lonely throughout 2020. Holidays and events have passed without the pomp and circumstance you’ve been accustomed to. When you do see friends or loved ones, it’s from six feet apart and behind a mask, or through a screen. If you’ve been quarantined alone, you’re left with even less of a sense of connection.

While it doesn’t replicate face-to-face interactions perfectly, virtual gatherings can make a difference in your feelings of isolation or loneliness. Set up Zoom drinks with your friends or register for an online event—with so many people isolated, there’s no shortage of interesting experiences to attend, from poetry readings to trivia nights.

Grief

img

For those who’ve lost loved ones to COVID-19 or due to other causes, 2020 has been a uniquely grief-laden year. Losing a friend or family member over the past year has been accentuated by isolation—funeral attendance is limited or virtual and many don’t get the chance to say goodbye. But death isn’t the only cause of grief that’s littered 2020. People are grieving on an international level: thinking of those who’ve been lost, the events that would have been, and the idea of their future that, for many, has been snatched away by furloughs or illness.

Whether you’re one of the many people dealing with depression from grief or other 2020 triggers, take the time you need to grieve your losses. As much as possible, try to preserve grieving rituals and seek out support from family members, friends, or support groups. If you’re dealing with especially negative feelings, consider talking to a therapist or psychiatrist to work through your feelings.

Whichever of 2020’s challenges triggered your mental health concerns, there is one piece of good news: seeking help from therapists for depression or other conditions has never been easier. Amidst the chaos, this year has also seen a rise in teletherapy and other forms of virtual medicine, making cognitive behavioral therapy and other treatments more accessible—and affordable—than ever before. If you’ve faced loss, loneliness, or other hardships in the past year, finding a good therapist is the first step to feeling better in the new year.

Whatever sorts of grief, medical or financial concerns, or other stressors 2020 has brought you, it might bring you some comfort to know that you aren’t the only one dealing with depression symptoms or more general despair. Perhaps the most reassuring aspect, though, is this: like every calendar year that’s come before, 2020 will come to an end.