DISCLAIMER: All blog entries are copyrighted.  They are for information only.  I have no financial conflict with any products mentioned.  I want to share universal Self Health Care Tips with you and your loved ones.  I only share the information when I feel it will worth your time, attention, and not easily googleable.  Therefore, the blog may not have new posts often.  The topic keywords are typed in bold, larger font, and arranged alphabetically except for the last blog, titled: How to maximize what your health insurance can do for you?^c. Use Control F to easily find the keywords you are looking for.

Updated 01292023 of https://www.medicare.gov/care-compare/ under the alphabetical list of “WEBSITES”.

https://www.togetherwethrivecovid19.com/, blog contains lots of resources too. One of them is:

https://www.togetherwethrivecovid19.com/blog/pima-county-health-department-home-vaccine-program

Good luck, continue protecting yourself, your loved ones, and people/pets around you.  You can do it.

Be your own advocate! 

Philosophy of SameDayFamilyMedicine.com by Li Schmidt, MD

How to make life simple?  Only deal with what one must do to sleep well, pee well, poop well, and eat well.   “Well” means “Good enough”. Make the most direct/fewest steps and follow to live a simple and balanced life.   Use one’s heart, brain, common logic, and be content with what one has.  If one is bothered enough by a concern, and is thinking about seeing a medical professional, one needs to jot down notes about the concern.  If one wonders: should I jot this down?  The answer is: yes, JOT THIS DOWN.  May jot down on a calendar.  If one does not write or prefers not to write, use cell phone, camera, or/and video recording to help self-advocating and clinicians to a better diagnosis process. 

What is the concern?  Has the concern interfered enough to disrupt one’s basic daily function of sleep, pee, poop, and/or eating?  Did the same concern happen before?  What helped the concern before? 

When did the concern start?  Where is the concern?  What are the symptoms?  What makes the concern better?  What makes the concern worse?  What is one’s own diagnosis?  What are one’s worries/fears?  Most correct diagnoses are based on adequate history provided by the patients.

I promote the change of the traditional PCP acronym of “Primary Care Provider” to “Primary Care Professional”.  Primary care provider is oneself.  Primary Care Professional specializes in Family Medicine (who helps people from birth to earth, some provides OB care too), Pediatrics (who helps people from birth to 21 years old), and Internal Medicine (who helps people 18 years and plus).  Primary Care Professional works with a patient to improve self-primary-care skills. 

Nature (genetics), nurture (upbringing), and culture (the societies one lived and lives in) shape who we are!

Yesterday is history, tomorrow is mystery, and today is a present – adapted from a video called: Joy of Stress, in 1995. 

Thank you for visiting.

#ABDUCTION:  Posted 8-4-12: How to break an ABDUCTION: Yell “Fire” instead of “help”, “rape” etc to catch other people’s attention.  When one hears “Fire”, that person wants to look and make sure him or herself will not be in danger.  Google “Just Yell Fire” to watch the free movie (about 47 minutes long) for girls 11-19 years old, though the website did require viewers to be 13 and above, and it asked for an email address before being able to watch the movie.  I think the website indirectly recommends 11-12 years olds to watch the movie with an adult.  The movie summarized if one feels the danger of being abducted: yell fire, straight arms up and face the abductor, slap ear, jab eyes, hit groin, and run.

#ADVOCATE:  Posted 4-18-12: Free patient ADVOCATE service by a good organization for chronic diseases and financial difficulty even with medical insurance.  Please call 1-800-532-5274 and/or check it out at www.patientadvocate.org. 

#ANTIBIOTICS: Posted 7-17-12: How and why to buy meat with no ANTIBIOTICS used to increase human survival when they are sick.  Half way of  http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/2012/06/antibiotics-are-widely-used-by-u-s-meat-industry/index.htm “labeling to look for” helps us how to tell.

#ANTIBIOTICS DECREASE:  Posted on 3-26-12: ANTIBIOTICS DECREASE Birth Control Pills Efficacy, may decrease other chemical birth control methods, such as NuvaRing, Norplant.  At this point, Depo Provera injection is considered the only one that does not interact with antibiotics as much.  However, it is recommended to use non expired condoms as a backup method while on antibiotics and 7 days after.

#ARSENIC:  Reposted on 09-27-13: ARSENIC, can cause cancer, especially bladder, skin cancer.  I read an article of “arsenic in your food” from Consumer Report of Nov. 2012 page 22-27.  It says Brown Rice has more arsenic than white rice.  One needs to wash brown rice before cooking, use 6:1 water: brown rice ratio instead of 2:1, and remove the water after the brown rice is cooked to minimize arsenic amount.   I recommend oats, corn, and sweet potatoes for carbohydrate sources.  Costco Oatmeal is soft and tastier than the usual tough oat. Anything containing brown rice syrup contains arsenic too.  Avoid rice milk for now.  Nature Valley announced that future products will not contain brown rice syrup.  The article also mentioned that children under 5 years old, shall not drink rice drink or juice of apple and grape due to relatively high inorganic arsenic level.  After 5 years old, if one loves that kind of drink, please limit it to no more than 1 cup (8 oz) a day.

#Baby/Newborn basic home medical care tips— not well known yet, please share, updated 06-09-21:

–Ophthalmologists recommend no nightlight in a newborn’s room until 18 months old. Night Light exposure before 18 months old may increase nearsighted vision. Parents get a red-light flashlight when checking on their newborns/babies.

–Soft microfiber washcloth from the baby aisle of a store:  one for eyes; one for wiping gums after formula feeding; one damped with lukewarm water, for gently removing nasal discharges, which is more effective, comfortable, and sanitary than suction bulbs.

–Diaper ointment with zinc oxide 40%/above to be more effective for diaper rash. Hundred percent petroleum appointment, like Vaseline, for dry skin. Do not need Aquaphor ointment at this stage. Also, it is good to minimize ingredients.

–Infrared temperature thermometer, Simple otoscope (I saw one in a CVS store), have infant liquid Tylenol available at birth, and liquid ibuprofen for babies six months/older.

— Anybody, if any fingertip pad pinkness does not return within 3 seconds (count 1 Mississippi, 2 Mississippi, 3 Mississippi) upon thumb tapping, the person is dehydrated. For babies, have Pedialyte available.  For people who can eat regular food, consider watermelon, honeydew, cantaloupe, because they are water rich fruits.  Consider having a minimum of four cloth diapers for the situation when it is crucial to count how many times a newborn/baby urinates in a day to monitor their hydration status.

BLADDER: Posted 5-5-12: Little use of medications for Overactive or incontinence BLADDER : http://news.consumerreports.org/health/2012/04/overactive-bladder-drugs-do-little-to-ease-incontinence.html.

BIRTH control pills containing “drospirenone” may increase blood clot risk more than other kinds of birth control pills.  Posted 4-12-12: This is from the FDA (Food & Drug Administration) medical alert available on 4-10-12.  Please read the ingredients of your medication package.  So far, I know that Yaz, Yazmin, Ocella, and Angeliq contain “drospirenone”.  All estrogen based birth control pills are contraindicated in people who smoke, family history, or personal history of blood clots.  Birth control methods are mutual decisions between the sexual partners.  The best method to avoid sexually transmitted diseases (STDs, same as sexually transmitted infections STIs) is:  1) No sex if yourself or partner has undiagnosed skin lesions, especially on private areas and/or the back of the throat.  2)  If no undiagnosed skin lesions, use non-expired condoms appropriately.  There are instructions with condom packages.  The best birth control, with no worry of catching or transmitting STDs, is without hormone(s), such as male vasectomy (if no more children are desired for the rest of that person’s lifetime), female tubal ligation (if no more children are desired for the rest of that person’s lifetime), or condoms.  However, condoms can cause irritations due to various spermicides and/or lubricants.  Most condoms are made of latex.  There are non-latex condoms.  Trials will help one find a good match.  Keeping a non-expired condom in a wallet for people who do not have a monogamous relationship helps to prevent unwanted consequences.

Posted on Feb. 27, 2014: BOOKS recommended: I only read the books life changing and friendly.

“When Doctors Don’t Listen” how to avoid misdiagnoses and unnecessary tests by Leana Wen M.D. and Joshua Kosowsky, M.D. 2012. ISBN 978-0-312-59491-6.

Posted on Feb. 22, 2012. BPA & Receipts: see http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/11353/1197566-114.stm if you do not know the subject.  I tend not to accept receipts to save paper too.  If I must for possible return goods, I try not to use fingertips and pick up with minimum force.

Posted on Oct. 9, 2012.  Bad news about COFFEE.  There has been news about how wonderful coffee is to our health.  Recently, there was research that showed that coffee intake increased the probability of glaucoma because of caffeine.  Glaucoma is the #1 cause for blindness.  The caffeine in the coffee can also increase blood pressure and heart rate.

Updated on 09-12-18.  How to Minimize Catching COLD/flu/bacteria:  As a family physician with American health care industry of profit mode where Urgent care facilities or hospitals are advertised by bulletin boards, patients are encouraged to see health professionals with a cold or flu, however, I do not get every cold/bacteria my patient brings in besides wearing gloves when touching open skin or private areas.  Here is how I practice myself and what I recommend to the others.

–Get adequate sleep.  Sleep deprivation is likely a common cause of decreased immune system.  This sets up a stage for a cold/flu/bacteria to flourish in one’s body.  Being stressed, worrisome, or pessimistic further weakens one’s immune system and may elongate the recovery time.  If one must be with an infected person, try to be about at least one arm length away from the infected person if able to.  If any person, infected or not, does not hug their own cough/sneeze with both arms or at least with one inner elbow, please coach, help, and demand them to do so to decrease the spread of the viruses via airborne.  People can be contagious before they have symptoms or after they feel/look fine.

–Everyone needs to wash their fingertips thoroughly via singing/humming “happy birthday to me” twice in a row, frequently, before meals, after bathroom (soap if after bowel movement), and after blowing nose, touched nostrils, or any surface unclean to you. Do not use fingertips to touch nose tips or rub eyes.  Alleviate any facial itchiness by reversing puckering lips, so the area between one’s nose tip and upper lip is stretched or pulling down lower eyelid(s).  If one must touch nose tip/rub eyes, please use a clean tissue paper between their fingertips and nose tip/eyes.  Use elbow, palm, knuckle(s), hip, or foot to touch objects, push buttons, or open doors.  If not able to, please use a clean paper between your fingertips and the objects you must touch. Keep your skin moist with non-fragrant cream/lotion etc to decrease itchiness.

Posted 4-23-12: COMMON Sense Care– Link between fast food and depression per the reputable source:

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/03/120330081352.htm

Posted on 3-26-12: Check DRUG-drug, drug/supplement interactions with the internet, and/or with your local pharmacist.

Posted on 3-9-12: How to minimize or detect skin or body infections from CACTUS SPINES: If one got spine(s) into his/her skin, be sure to have all the spines removed as soon as possible and watch out for skin infection (red, pain, swollen, even pussy).  If you feel sick, back pain, or not yourself even without a fever in a few days, make sure to check for blood or meningeal infections from spines in your skin.   Be vigilant!

Updated 06-11-21: Homework to FIND the dream health care provider before the first visit: If one is looking for preventative care recommendations like cholesterol screening, weight control, quit smoking, pap smear etc.; check https://www.uspreventiveservicestaskforce.org/apps/ for more detail.  When one does not yet know the diagnosis, or has a concern, a Primary Care Provider (PCP, Dr. Schmidt champions PCP=Primary Care Professional, Primary Care Provider shall be patient themselves.), who specializes in Family Medicine (who help people from birth to earth, some provide OB care too), Pediatrics (who help people from birth to 21 years old), and Internal Medicine (who help people 18 years and above) is the best choice.  Nurse practitioners are often good at listening to patients and thorough because they were nurses first.  Seeing a gynecologist (Gyn) for a routine well women exam is considered an overuse of Gyn talent.  Gyn should be reserved for dealing with abnormal gyn issues that PCP cannot help, mainly surgical management.  However, one may love to continue her well woman care with her Ob/Gyn because of positive experience during pregnancy and delivery.  If one does not have medical insurance, the charges from Gyn may be higher.  Local community health centers, like El Rio, is the best place for anyone who lives within Pima county, without medical insurance, and desires a discount price.  Ultimately, it is one’s personal choice.  Besides word of mouth, one can also check reputable www.azmd.gov (for Arizona only, other states please click: http://www.fsmb.org/state-medical-boards/contacts).  It is for M.D.s & Physician Assistants.  Go to the links on the left column of the website homepage for other professionals, including D.O. (Doctor of Osteopathics).  Nurse Practitioners are regulated by the nursing board.  The website lists when the provider graduated from residency, which indirectly tells the experience level and if there is any disciplinary action.  https://elicense.az.gov/ARDC_LicenseSearch lists Arizona Board of: Occupational Theray, Physical therapy, Psychologist, Dispensing Optician, Optometry, Podiatry, Acupuncture, Nursing Care Institute Administrators and Assisted Living Facility Managers, Funeral Directors and Embalmers, Barbers, Financial Institutions.

Be aware of other internet information.  Many of them are not up to date.  www.RateMDs.com (lower case is fine) is free and seems not limited to M.D.s, but it posts comments while checking the validity.  Isolated negative or positive comments are not as indicative.  Check the provider out in person.  One has an absolute right to find another matching provider for whatever reason it may be or mere gut feeling.

Updated on 09-12-18: Durable (means the validity of the forms end when the signed person deceases or revokes the power of attorneys. Here “attorney” does not mean a lawyer, it just means a designated person by the person who signed the forms as the “principal”. It is better understood as “representative”, “agent”, I like to say as “the spoke person”) MEDICAL Power of Attorney for physical health, mental health (separate form) and Living Will for anybody 18 years old and above:  This website https://www.azag.gov/seniors/life-care-planning  is for Arizona resident only.  https://superiorcourt.maricopa.gov is a general good website with a “search” function, which includes financial power of attorney.  Please check with your state official website of attorney general and superior court if you are not an Arizona resident.

Posted on Feb. 22, 2012: Can one get a few more days of daily prescription MEDICATIONS while waiting for renewal of a prescription? Yes, usually if one has been getting the medication from the same pharmacy. Besides following up with his/her doctor (or NP nurse practitioner or PA physician assistant) as planned, it is a good idea to check with his/her routine pharmacy about medication refill.  Many times, the refill is done automatically.  Even if it is not done yet and one runs out of the daily medication, pharmacists will likely authorize a couple days of emergency supply.

Posted on March 5, 2013: Being outdoors also decreases NEARsightedness (myopia) according to Science News Feb. 9, 2013, issue page 22-25.  I also heard in 2000 that no night light in a baby’s bedroom before the baby turns 18-month-old helps to decrease near sight.  Adults use red light flashlights to check on their babies when needed.

Posted 7-3-12: PAP related issues:  First, check https://www.uspreventiveservicestaskforce.org/apps/ for preventive care services recommended.      I also recommend that Pap with office offers liquid base because per http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/detection/Pap-HPV-testing:  “In the United States, automated liquid-based Pap cytology testing has largely replaced conventional Pap tests. One advantage of liquid-based testing is that the same cell sample can also be tested for the presence of high-risk types of HPV, a process known as “Pap and HPV cotesting.” In addition, liquid-based cytology appears to reduce the likelihood of an unsatisfactory specimen. However, conventional and liquid-based Pap tests appear to have a similar ability to detect cellular abnormalities.”

Posted on 3-26-12: Higher Risk of STDs (Sexual Transmitted Diseases) in Postmenopausal women: likely due to no worry of getting pregnant, more vaginal dryness, and lack of use condoms.  I hope people do check their partner’s private area skins and throats for rash and/or blisters.  If they are present, non expired condoms will not prevent STDs either.

Posted on Feb. 22, 2012: Under what situation, can one keep the same SPECIALIST for a while after losing the access?   If one has chronic, or disabling, or is 2nd/3rd trimester pregnant and wants to continue with the same specialist, contact his/her insurance to see if one can continue the service for 90 days or until delivery.

Posted 6-5-12: Regarding SPRAY Products, it is nice to know that it is a good idea to hold breath briefly so the particles will less likely go to lungs when using spraying sunscreen or any other spraying products.

Posted 11-14-16:  How to decrease STRESS:

Decrease internet tracking:  https://duckduckgo.com/ does not track your search, sometimes, if youtube, may not play unless exposed, but helps.

Posted 6-4-12: Common Sense: not all SUPPLEMENTS are good or safe. FDA alerted Rumofan Plus marketed as a pain pill and made in Mexico is dangerous.  See

https://www.nutraingredients-usa.com/Article/2012/06/12/FDA-All-natural-dietary-supplement-Reumofan-Plus-contains-drugs for detail.

Updated 5-2-16:  Excellent information source about VITAMINS & Supplements was from Consumer Reports.   I generally do not support any supplements without checking blood tests, without working up why one is deficient.  I support true natural remedies: clean air, clean water (faucet is fine if it agrees with your taste buds), get some sunshine, get Mg, Calcium, etc., from green leafy vegetables which have better absorption too.  Best supplements are directly from whole grain food, fresh green vegetables (broccoli,kale), fruits, fish, poultry, and appropriate sunshine.  Again, common logic is the key.  If the claims sounded too good to be true, then they are likely not true.  It is important to pay attention to our own body by connecting with what we have been eating or not eating to self-adjust before popping a vitamin pill.  It is also good to eat different kinds of vegetables and fruits to get a more complete vitamins and minerals supply, especially raw ones, except carrots/peppers. They are better absorbed once cooked.  Vitamins & Supplements are also a profit driven business.  With more and more things not made in the USA, the danger of no active ingredients and/or presence of toxic chemicals has increased.  Many have wasted lots of money in buying Vitamins & Supplements.    It is prudent for patients to check with their doctors, and/or pharmacists before starting supplements to see if the supplements are beneficial in their specific cases.  My clinical experience has shown cranberry capsules help to prevent recurrent urinary tract infections.  UTI needs to be confirmed by urine cultures because there are people who have UTIs symptoms, but urine culture is negative.  Turned out that they have Interstitial cystitis, from citrus, alcohol, dye etc.  It is kind of an irritation instead of infection.

However, cranberry capsules have strong interaction with Coumadin.  So, it is important to let your doctor know your desire for taking or not taking supplements, changing diet, adding, or removing medications.  This will help doctors decide if more medical monitoring for Coumadin or other issues is required.  Lactobacillus Acidophilus helps to prevent yeast infections and/or antibiotic related diarrhea.  Glucosamine and Chondroitin combined tablets help to decrease pain from mild osteoarthritis (wear and tear arthritis).  Try to buy from valid sources, such as USP (United States Pharmacopeia) verified,  http://www.quality-supplements.org/verified-products/verified-products-listings .  So far, to me, Kirkland (Costco products) and Puritan’s Pride seem to provide good quality.

Updated 01292023: WEBSITES recommended (listed alphabetically after www or http): Besides the websites cited in each blog post, here is the list of worth your time websites, usually no need to capitalize unless specifically noted:

For Teens:  www.go ask alice.columbia.edu; www.youngwomenshealth.org; www.familyDoctor.org (has Spanish too), www.kidsHealth.org (has Spanish and Audio features too)

https://www.awisemove.org/, amazing doctor degree in physical therapy, Dr. Heidi Fisher.  One session with Heidi, may surpass all the sessions you had with others before.

https://www.commonsensemedia.org how to help navigate media/screen time.

http://www.consumerreports.org/doctors-hospitals/consumer-reports-names-hospitals-with-high-c-diff-infection-rates/?video_id=4381543898001, how to decrease infection rate if you are in a hospital.  The video did not mention how often providers clean their stethoscope and place a glove over the stethoscope also if patients are in isolation rooms.

Decrease internet tracking:  https://duckduckgo.com/ does not track your search, sometimes, if youtube, may not play unless exposed, but helps.

Dr. Schmidt discovered a remarkable Alexander Technique instructor in Tucson, AZ, Ellen Melamed (917-319-6311, http://ellensalexandertec.wix.com/tucson-az). Alexander Technique is not only good for musicians, but also for regular body poise and pain prevention and management.

www.familyDoctor.org (has Spanish too)

http://www.fda.gov/Safety/MedWatch/default.htm (There are other safety issues too, informative. So, the decision of taking medications is not a light one.)

www.kidsHealth.org (has Spanish and Audio features too)

https://www.medicare.gov/care-compare/

http://strongfamiliesaz.com/, a network of free home visiting programs that helps families raise healthy children ready to succeed in school and in life. Our programs focus on pregnant women and families with children born to age 5. Likely, a similar program exists in other areas, seeming not affiliated with anything but a kind heart.  I do not have personal or have heard any experience of this.  I would love to hear feedback.  Thanks.

( will on why not hyperlinked, sorry)  https://www.healthywomen.org

Posted 5-8-12: New Side Effects & Contraindication of WEIGHT Loss Medication per PDR (Physician Desk Reference) 5-7-2012:  XENICAL (orlistat) “is now contraindicated for use during pregnancy. There is also new safety information regarding lower gastrointestinal bleeding and clarifying information regarding renal function and interactions with cyclosporine.” Eat less, move more is still the fundamental principle of weight loss.  I heard from another physician website about 1 cookie=45 minutes or 5 miles of walking.  Exercise makes us feel good.   Eat less is a far more effective and efficient way to lose weight.  My service helps people develop how to eat less without medication(s).   

Posted 4-23-12: Common logic Again, more X-RAYS can cause certain things you do not want.  Even, dental x-rays. Here is the link from reputable source: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3396782/

Posted on Feb. 17, 2012.  I am not able to take health insurance when my clinic opens because I want to use my heart, brain, and time to help patients, rather than dealing with the bureaucratic mess of insurance.  I work for my patients, not insurances, drug companies, hospitals, pharmacies etc.  However, it is important to help people who have insurance to know:

How to maximize what your health insurance can do for you?^c

Updated 1-5-16: The best of the medical world is not to use insurance at all.  The best health insurance is to take care of yourself, so you do not need to use insurance.  Health insurance is a misnomer.  It is a health care payment system.  It is not like other types of insurance plans where a specific premium warrants a known and predicted out of pocket expense.  It also does not encourage real free competition to provide high quality care.   It forces providers and patients to go through all kinds of hoops and loops which are designed to help increase the bottom line for the health insurance companies: profit.  Network providers must see more patients than they should at discounted payment rates to keep their offices open.  Patients are forced to want to see network providers to save their out-of-pocket cost.  The vicious cycle perpetuates.

If you bought health insurance, it is important to know how to maximize what it can do for you.

Read your insurance brochure as soon as you receive it to familiarize yourself before a need arises.  Pay attention to deductibles and copays.  Yes, it can be dreadful reading, but read it cover to cover.  Read about the relationship between your insurance and Medicare (if you are on Medicare).  Some insurance does not require you to buy Part D of Medicare.  Use “Table of Contents” and “Index” to navigate.  “Preventing Medical Mistakes” is an important section to read and practice.

Certain prevention/screening services are investments for future good health.  Some insurance offers prevention services without additional charges.  Time is money.  You want to be in control of all aspects of your health care, including spending.  Unnecessary screenings cost more time and can cause unnecessary anxiety due to false positive results.  Please check https://www.uspreventiveservicestaskforce.org/apps/  to find the details, for example, when to stop screening.  Also, may check http://www.choosingwisely.org.  For children, well child visits and vaccines are covered up to 22 years old.

Have an advanced directive (living will & Medical power of attorney, if you want to prevent wasting unnecessary care, cost, and agony in prolonging poor quality.

Buy medications at Fry’s, or Costco if you have a high deductible or your copay is a % instead of a fixed number of dollars.  Mail order through your insurance for long term medications (90 days or more).

Be aware of special services your insurance offers: such as if a nurse information line is included. Some plans even include a “call a doc line”, tobacco cessation products coverage, discount gym costs, educational classes/programs for nutrition.

Some medical insurance, especially if it is high deductible, automatically includes dental and vision plans.

Many insurance companies allow network pharmacies to give vaccines for no additional charge.

Always carry your insurance card(s) and related cards with you, (for example, Lab Card), especially when traveling.  Some insurance plans cover out-of-country medical charges.

Try to use services of providers participating in the insurance network to save out of pocket cost. That includes lab and radiology facilities, anesthesiology and referred specialists.  Ask your provider lab if there is an additional charge for a blood draw in the office.  Double check to see if the provider still takes your insurance at the time of making and having an appointment, as they may change but not reflected on websites of insurance’s or even the provider’s.

When one is in a network hospital, unless the providers are hospital staff radiologists, anesthesiologists, emergency room, or pathologists, one still shall try to get other providers in network, such as the admitting doctor and, specialists for infectious disease, heart, lung, kidneys, surgery, gastroenterology (for tummy & liver), endocrine etc.

Be aware of your maximum benefit for the year for various services such as allergy testing or physical therapy.  It is always good to ask the provider about medications and tests: What is this for?  What happens if I do not do it?  How will knowing the answer help me and my care?  These questions force providers to think carefully in your situation instead of acting reflexively.  It is OK to say No to a doctor. It is OK to change a doctor if you do not have a good gut feeling.   You have the freedom in choosing what the best care is for you.

When you get a bill from your service provider, make sure the service was given.  If you feel the price is too high, negotiate with the service provider.

Visits to a primary care provider (primary care professional=PCP, per Dr. Schmidt’s terminology) are a small portion of overall medical expenses.  Having a trusted and high-quality primary care provider will save you in the long run.  There are many primary care professionals who want to be free from insurance restraints, therefore, do not accept any health insurance.  This allows the providers to concentrate their time and expertise to coach patients to improve their health.  Generally use network covered services for everything else, such as hospitals, image studies, labs, pharmacies etc.

Thank you for visiting the blog.   Take care, Dr. Schmidt copyrighted