Health News: Increasing Medical Imaging Use Will Race Health Cost And Risk

By Health News For Today.

Today's Health News.- New study and research report conducted by the University of California and San Francisco research members showed that consumers are getting more medical imaging tests than before, which is creating a double problems for everyone that can help the down economy problems become even bigger, specially to consumers that are having problems making money to stay a float of a financial brake down, also puts higher health risk concerns because of the radiation exposure.

First, the increase of medical imaging tools use already race the cost consumers used to pay per test, this is not a very good health recession savings strategy, specially with health care prices going to the roof, mandatory health care laws, consumer products, gas, and increase of unemployment.

Second, this over use of medical imaging like computed tomography, mammography, and magnetic resonance imaging or MRI, which are design to help Doctors to have a detail view of the inside of your body, elevates your exposure to radiation, which can increase cancer or other type of diseases in the American community. And this is something nobody ones.


Here is what Rebecca Smith-Bindman, which is an associate professor at the University or California-San Francisco, have to say:

"The average annual imaging cost per patient also nearly doubled, from $229 to $443, the team found.

Tests like CT and MRI, which offer stunning three-dimensional images of tissue and bone, are often used for such routine problems as respiratory infections, she said.

"The new technologies are fantastic," she said, "but they should be used judiciously.''

CT and MRI have joined the long list of tests given during a diagnostic work-up, according to her team's study of a decade-long record of almost 400,000 patients in a large Washington state health plan, published in Monday's issue of the journal Health Affairs. The results can be extrapolated to the rest of the nation, according to the team.

Medical imaging is the most costly type of health care technology and is one of health care's fastest-growing sectors, rising at three times the rate of other medical services, according to the consulting firm Booz Allen Hamilton. Imaging is a powerful driving force behind the nation's soaring health care costs, second only to prescription drugs."

Also we need to add:

"Smith-Bindman's study, which looked at data from patients enrolled in the health maintenance plan called Group Health Cooperative, found that 13.5 percent of the study group had undergone a CT, MRI or both in 1997; by 2006 it was 21 percent. Study results showed the per-patient number of CT scans doubled over the 10 years, and the number of MRI scans tripled.

Imaging with conventional X-rays remained relatively stable — rather than declining, as expected. The results provide evidence that newer and more expensive technologies are being used as additions to the older tests, rather than acting as substitutes."

But, no everything is bad news, because we all need to remember that without this new technology Doctors wouldn't be able to find problems like cardiovascular disease, brain tumors, etc., so, we need this medical imaging tools, but it need to be use carefully.

Here is what supporters have to say:

"But what seems expensive and excessive may actually offer huge benefits, cautioned Stanford School of Medicine radiology Professor Geoffrey D. Rubin.

"If imaging resulted in a more expedient or accurate diagnosis leading to earlier or more appropriate treatment — then overall health care costs, time away from productive lives and jobs, and general quality of life could have substantially improved,'' Rubin said.

Using the study's logic, he said, the added cost of routinely installing air bags in cars would seem excessive "if we did not also know that air bags actually save lives.''

Imaging supporters say the radiation risk is small compared with a snapshot of deadly infection, troubling plaque on a heart vessel or blood clot in the lungs.

Imaging can actually cut costs and save lives, said Arl Van Moore of Charlotte, N.C., president of the American College of Radiology. Thirty years ago, a diagnosis of pancreatic cancer used to require open surgery; now a CT scan can find a mass. Mammograms have helped reduce breast cancer deaths, he said.

To reduce overuse, the American College of Radiology has created criteria to guide doctors so that "the right exam is done for the right reason,'' Van Moore said. "

Source: Mercury News.


Personally I don't like nothing that have radiation to touch or come close to my body, but the truth is that if I really need it then I have to be open minded about this.

What you think?


Here is a video that can give you an example of things that can go wrong, it great info right after the 10 second company details:


I hope you enjoy the video.

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Health Study: Cardiovascular Disease Prevention Is Unclear

By Health News For Today.

Today's Health News.- Just like must things lately in the health market, looks like previews reports about cardiovascular disease prevention weren't completely right, which puts this disease in the list of unclear cures. New health study reveals that taking vitamin E and C supplements that suppose to help prevent the disease may not have the effects that previews studies said it would.

This time the study will be publish by the America Heart Association's Scientific Session on November 12, 2008.

The good news is that vitamin E and C supplements can still help prevent cardiovascular events in people but it doesn't have the maximum effect that was previously announced by the first health research report, for anyone to have better results you need to take larger amounts of the supplements, off course under Doctor supervision.

The bad news is that health in recession times can be a little difficult for many consumers and as we all know vitamins aren't cheap. Is hard enough to make money to paid for health insurance that sometimes don't leave you enough money for vitamins or medicine.

Here is what Andrew Shao, Ph.D., the vice-president of scientific and regulatory affairs of the Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN):

"Me and my team question the researchers for undertaking this important prevention trial which sought to confirm positive results demonstrated by earlier observational trials on these antioxidant vitamins. Although the results did not demonstrate an overall benefit, the results also do not discount the earlier epidemiological data showing that people with high intakes of vitamins E and C can lower the risk of cardiovascular disease. Nutrition research is extremely complex, and doesn't always provide clear cut answers. This study raises an interesting set of scientific challenges as to why the benefits found in observational studies have not been confirmed in this kind of trial.
From a consumer's point of view, it can be frustrating to have more questions than answers, but for scientists, this can be intriguing. The truth is, we don't have conclusive scientific evidence in the form of randomized, controlled trials that demonstrate exactly how to prevent cardiovascular disease. We do know there are some well-known practical approaches -- like not smoking, maintaining a healthy weight, consuming a diet with a variety of foods, regular exercise, seeing your physician, and responsible use of vitamin supplements. Consumers should not take vitamins expecting that vitamins alone will prevent cardiovascular disease, but they should continue to take vitamins for the general health benefits they provide."

Source: MarketWatch.


Hopefully they did better this time around to come out with reliable information about how people can really prevent the disease and if taking vitamin E and C is the best way to do it.

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Health News: Keeping Fit At Home In Recession Time

By Health News For Today.

Health News.- The Crisis In Our Economy Is Bringing Health and Fitness Clubs Revenue's Down, But People Still Want To Be Healthy. Keeping Fit At Home In Recession Time Is Not Difficult, You Just Need Some Creativity!

Looks like the economy is hitting every single industry out there even those that that though they were recession proof like the health and fitness, Internet marketing, and even local news sites. This situation is affecting members of health clubs, fitness programs, and gyms, because now people want to save money by first cutting a lot of their regular live routines like going to the gym, or being part of a club or program that is design to help them be healthy. Money matters even for those that have the money to spend hundred of dollars in monthly subscriptions to keep their bodies feeling and looking younger.

Recession is scaring people from their monthly gym expenses, that's the story of a family that use to spend over $800 per month in health club subscription and personal fitness training, which is absolutely a crazy amount of money for most of us, and this family know it, that's why they decide to cut down their fitness budget and apply cheap ways to keeping fit at home, yes right from home...

This is something that is being follow by many people all over the nation, many high end health clubs and fitness centers are loosing members every month since the recession started, and even low cost program are getting request for financial help from members, small centers like the YMCA are reporting increase of financial request since the people realize that the country was in a recession.

Know how to get fit at home can help low and medium income families increase there spendable budget by cutting their body treatment expenses and creating a personalize program for their own use at home.

Here what the health news said:

"“We’ve kept the same level of fitness and cut the fitness bill,” said Jennifer Bull.

The Bulls are not alone — more economy-plagued fitness buffs are seeking ways to downsize their budgets without up-sizing their bodies. Average health/fitness club memberships run about $35-$40 a month, but with high gas and food costs, job losses and economic uncertainty, many people are contemplating less-expensive alternatives.

At Concourse Athletic Club in Sandy Springs, membership terminations are increasing and more members are opting to downgrade their memberships from family (starting at $170 a month) to individual plans (starting at $95 a month). Membership fees fluctuate based on the full-time or weekday/daytime hours of use. Other members are exercising a leave of absence (at $30 a month) option which allows them to suspend their membership and return without paying another $250 initiation fee.

“We have always worked with terminations, but now we’re working with them more,” said general manager Suzanne Cypert, who estimates the club “saves” about 10 percent of members considering termination through conversion packages and leaves of absence. “We always remind people that this is the best thing for stress,” she said.

Even the YMCA of Greater Atlanta, which offers family health and wellness memberships for about $53 a month, reported a 20 percent increase in the number of members requesting financial assistance since July.

“More people have come in saying it’s tough,” said Kristen Obaranec, spokesperson with the YMCA, which subsidizes costs for members unable to pay the full fee. “I haven’t seen it like this in my 12 years,” she said."

Full story: AJC.com.


Keeping Fit At Home Is Cheap.

Who said exercise have to be expensive? There are many things you and your family can do to keep fit without spending any money at all. Here are a few tips you can use today:

• Walk to close places like the store.
• Jog around to place that are at least 2 block from home.
• Sweep the floor everyday.
• Ride a bike a few blocks from your house.

The American Council For Fitness And Nutrition recommends the next house chores to burn calories:

- Mowing the lawn (half an hour) = 150 calories burned.

- Gardening (30 to 45 minutes) = 150 calories burned.

- Raking leaves (half an hour) = 150 calories burned.

- Vacuuming (half an hour) = 100 calories burned.

- Washing windows (15 minutes) = 50 calories burned.

- Sweeping (15 minutes) = 50 calories burned.

Did you know that putting some time into house chores can help burn fat and calories, plus boost your energy level and body metabolism.

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