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Chapter FourteenChapter Fourteen

Becoming an Informed Becoming an Informed Health Care ConsumerHealth Care Consumer

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Sources of Health Sources of Health InformationInformation• Family and friendsFamily and friends• Advertisements and commercialsAdvertisements and commercials• Labels and directionsLabels and directions• Folklore Folklore • TestimonialsTestimonials• Mass mediaMass media• Health practitionersHealth practitioners• Online computer servicesOnline computer services

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Sources of Health Sources of Health Information Information (cont.)(cont.)• Health reference publicationsHealth reference publications• Reference librariesReference libraries• Consumer advocacy groupsConsumer advocacy groups• Voluntary health agenciesVoluntary health agencies• Government agenciesGovernment agencies• Qualified health educatorsQualified health educators

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Why People Consult Why People Consult Health Care ProvidersHealth Care Providers• Diagnosis of a health problemDiagnosis of a health problem• Treatment of a health problemTreatment of a health problem• Screening for potential problemsScreening for potential problems• Consultation about a health concernConsultation about a health concern• Prevention of disease processesPrevention of disease processes

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Physicians and Their Physicians and Their TrainingTraining

• Primary care physiciansPrimary care physicians• Health care providers who see Health care providers who see

patients on a routine basispatients on a routine basis• Often focus on preventive careOften focus on preventive care

• PhysiciansPhysicians• Doctor of Medicine (MD)Doctor of Medicine (MD)• Doctor of Osteopathy (DO)Doctor of Osteopathy (DO)

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Patient-Provider Patient-Provider CommunicationCommunication

• Take part in health care decisionsTake part in health care decisions• Be prepared to ask questionsBe prepared to ask questions• Inform providers about all drugs Inform providers about all drugs

and supplements you are takingand supplements you are taking• Get the results of every test, and Get the results of every test, and

understand what they meanunderstand what they mean• Make sure you agree on specific Make sure you agree on specific

surgery and treatment planssurgery and treatment plans

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Complementary, Alternative, Complementary, Alternative, and Integrative Care and Integrative Care PractitionersPractitioners• ChiropracticChiropractic

• Manual manipulation of the vertebral Manual manipulation of the vertebral column to relieve misalignments and column to relieve misalignments and cure illnesscure illness

• Third-largest health profession in the Third-largest health profession in the U.S.U.S.

• Medical training largely mirrors that of Medical training largely mirrors that of primary care physicians primary care physicians

• May work within conventional medical May work within conventional medical groups on postural conditionsgroups on postural conditions

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Complementary, Alternative, Complementary, Alternative, and Integrative Care and Integrative Care Practitioners Practitioners (cont.)(cont.)

• Acupuncture Acupuncture • Insertion of fine needles into Insertion of fine needles into

the body to alter electroenergy the body to alter electroenergy fields fields

• Balance forces within the body Balance forces within the body to strengthen qito strengthen qi

• Manipulative Practices Manipulative Practices • Massage, reflexology, rolfing, Massage, reflexology, rolfing,

etc.etc.

• Homeopathy Homeopathy • Use of minute doses of herbs, Use of minute doses of herbs,

minerals, or other substances minerals, or other substances to stimulate healingto stimulate healing

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Complementary, Alternative, Complementary, Alternative, and Integrative Care and Integrative Care Practitioners Practitioners (cont.)(cont.)• Naturopathy Naturopathy

• Emphasis on the use of natural agents to Emphasis on the use of natural agents to correct underlying imbalancescorrect underlying imbalances

• Herbalism Herbalism • Use of herbal preparations for treatmentUse of herbal preparations for treatment

• Therapeutic touchTherapeutic touch• Biofield therapyBiofield therapy

• Ayurveda Ayurveda • Traditional Indian medicineTraditional Indian medicine• Treatment directed toward the elimination Treatment directed toward the elimination

of impuritiesof impurities

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National Center for National Center for Complementary and Alternative Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM)Medicine (NCCAM)

• Provides framework for well-Provides framework for well-controlled research into controlled research into effectiveness of alternative effectiveness of alternative approaches to medicineapproaches to medicine

• Information available onlineInformation available onlinehttp://nccam.nih.gov

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Restricted-Practice Health Restricted-Practice Health Care ProvidersCare Providers• Nurse professionals (APN, RN, LPN)Nurse professionals (APN, RN, LPN)

• Registered nurse (RN)Registered nurse (RN)• Advanced practice nurse (APN)Advanced practice nurse (APN)• Licensed practical nurse (LPN)Licensed practical nurse (LPN)

• Allied Health Care ProfessionalsAllied Health Care Professionals• Respiratory therapistsRespiratory therapists• Physical therapistsPhysical therapists• Dental hygenistsDental hygenists

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Self-Care/Self-Care/Home CareHome Care

• A trend toward individuals taking A trend toward individuals taking increased responsibility for increased responsibility for prevention/management of certain health prevention/management of certain health conditionsconditions

• Benefits are:Benefits are:• Reduced costsReduced costs• Effective care for particular conditionsEffective care for particular conditions• Frees up time for medical specialists to spend Frees up time for medical specialists to spend

with other patientswith other patients• Increased interest in health-related activitiesIncreased interest in health-related activities

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Health Care FacilitiesHealth Care Facilities

• Types of hospitalsTypes of hospitals• PrivatePrivate• PublicPublic• VoluntaryVoluntary

• Other facilities Other facilities include:include:• Nursing homesNursing homes• Rehabilitation Rehabilitation

centerscenters• Private Private

clinics/centersclinics/centers

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Health Care Costs and Health Care Costs and ReimbursementsReimbursements• Health insuranceHealth insurance

• Group versus individual plansGroup versus individual plans• High-deductible health plans with health High-deductible health plans with health

savings accountssavings accounts

• Medicare Medicare • Medigap and Advantage Medicare ProgramsMedigap and Advantage Medicare Programs

• MedicaidMedicaid• Health maintenance organizations Health maintenance organizations

(HMO)(HMO)• Extended or long-term care insuranceExtended or long-term care insurance• Access to health careAccess to health care

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Health-Related Health-Related ProductsProducts• Prescription drugsPrescription drugs• Research and development of new Research and development of new

drugsdrugs• Long processLong process

• Generic drugsGeneric drugs• Over-the-counter drugs Over-the-counter drugs

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New Drug Development and New Drug Development and ApprovalApproval

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Prescription vs. Over-the-Prescription vs. Over-the-Counter Drugs (OTC)Counter Drugs (OTC)• Prescription drugs must be ordered Prescription drugs must be ordered

for patients by a licensed for patients by a licensed practitioner practitioner

• Active ingredient is typically a Active ingredient is typically a higher concentration than OTChigher concentration than OTC

• Price is much higher than OTCPrice is much higher than OTC• Both are sold as brand name and Both are sold as brand name and

genericgeneric• Both are regulated by the FDABoth are regulated by the FDA

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Over-the-Counter Drug LabelOver-the-Counter Drug Label

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Health Care Consumer Health Care Consumer FraudFraud• Earning money by marketing Earning money by marketing

• Inaccurate health information Inaccurate health information • Unreliable health care Unreliable health care • Ineffective health products Ineffective health products

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Becoming a Skilled Health Becoming a Skilled Health Care ConsumerCare Consumer1.1. Prepare yourself for consumerismPrepare yourself for consumerism2.2. Comparison shopComparison shop3.3. Insist on formal contracts and Insist on formal contracts and

dated receiptsdated receipts4.4. Obtain written instructions and Obtain written instructions and

warrantieswarranties5.5. Put complaints in writingPut complaints in writing6.6. Press for resolution of your Press for resolution of your

complaintscomplaints

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Chapter Fourteen: Chapter Fourteen: Becoming an Informed Health-Care Becoming an Informed Health-Care ConsumerConsumer