by Shelly Bray, MD | Mar 15, 2018 | Health Resources
Medical errors are one of the nation’s leading causes of death and injury. A recent report by the Institute of Medicine estimates that as many as 44,000 to 98,000 people die in U.S. hospitals each year as the result of medical errors. Government agencies, purchasers...
by Shelly Bray, MD | Mar 15, 2018 | Health Resources
After your doctor’s appointment, your doctor’s office submits a bill (also called a claim) to your insurance company. A claim lists the services your doctor provided to you. The insurance company uses the information in the claim to pay the doctor for those services....
by Shelly Bray, MD | Mar 12, 2018 | Health Resources
According to the CDC, “one in five Americans report visiting the emergency room at least once in the past year.” But are all of those visits necessary – and if not, how do you tell when an emergency is truly an emergency that requires after-hours treatment or if it...
by Shelly Bray, MD | Mar 12, 2018 | Health Resources
1. Positive Self-TalkSelf-talk is one way to deal with stress. We all talk to ourselves; sometimes we talk out loud but usually we keep self-talk in our heads. Self-talk can be positive (“I can do this” or “Things will work out”) or negative...
by Shelly Bray, MD | Mar 12, 2018 | Health Resources
Constipation means that you have a hard time passing stools (bowel movements). People pass stools from 3 times a day to once every 3 days. What is normal for you may be different. Constipation may occur with pain in the rectum and cramping. The pain may get worse when...
by Shelly Bray, MD | Mar 12, 2018 | Health Resources
Skin cancer happens when normal cells in the skin change into abnormal cells. The three most common types of skin cancer are basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma and melanoma. The first two are slow growing and can usually be easily treated. But if not...
by Shelly Bray, MD | Mar 12, 2018 | Health Resources
Your health insurance policy is an agreement between you and your insurance company. The policy lists a package of medical benefits such as tests, drugs and treatment services. The insurance company agrees to cover the cost of certain benefits listed in your policy....
by Shelly Bray, MD | Mar 12, 2018 | Health Resources
Getting a prescription filled is usually easy. But because of the high cost of prescription medicines, most insurance companies and employers are trying to control drug costs. Some of the things they are doing make getting a prescription more complicated for you and...
by Shelly Bray, MD | Mar 12, 2018 | Health Resources
Medicine can be a very expensive part of your health care treatment. If your doctor has prescribed medicine and you can’t afford to pay for it, you may be able to get the medicine for free or for a reduced cost. There are several kinds of assistance programs that may...
by Shelly Bray, MD | Mar 12, 2018 | Health Resources
It is important to protect yourself from the sun’s ultraviolet rays. Ultraviolet light contributes to skin cancer and skin aging. Ultraviolet-B (UVB) causes sunburns. Ultraviolet-A (UVA) causes wrinkled skin and has been linked to melanoma. Sunscreen Pick a...
