Medical Care For Acne – 3 Reasons To See A Doctor

For both adolescents and adults, acne can be an aggravating problem. There are many variations of acne and differing degrees of severity. The physical, emotional and psychological effects can be devastating, affecting an individual ‘s confidence, self-image and self-esteem for many years. Although several of the milder types of acne respond well to over-the-counter treatment products, more severe forms require medical attention. Acne care is vitally important regardless of the type, but it is just as vital to know when a case of acne requires a dermatologist to treat it.

Three Reasons To Consult A Physician

The decision to see a physician or dermatologist about your acne should take into account several things:

1. Is your acne causing you emotional difficulties?
2. How severe your outbreaks are.
3. If your skin seems to be scarring when the lesions heal.

There are several more reasons why it may be wise to seek professional help with your acne but these three comprise most of them. Severe acne may leave permanent scars; seeking medical help early on may help to reduce the effects of scarring. The best way to prevent scarring is, of course, to prevent acne from occurring in the first place. The right skin care regimen and possible dietary changes, are needed to control acne breakouts.

Recent studies have shown that food sensitivities may contribute to the formation of acne, such as allergies to wheat, dairy and certain fruits. One such study has shown that women consuming three or more glasses of milk per day were 22% more likely to have acne breakouts than women consuming only one glass of milk per day. This may be due to the hormones present in fresh dairy products, but some dermatologists are recommending that their patients with cystic acne avoid mild products and use alternative sources of calcium intake. The type of acne and skin type plays an important role in how acne is best treated.

If you have cystic acne, also known as nodulocystic acne, it must be treated by a physician. Do not try to treat it yourself because it can cause very painful lesions and scarring of the face, neck, back and shoulders. Cystic acne resembles small bumps or tumors, blackheads may not be present with it, sometimes the lesions fill with a combination of blood and pus, cystic pimples may involve more than one pore, and they are very deep within the skin layers. This type of acne should be treated by a dermatologist as quickly as possible, in addition, some dietary changes may be needed to decrease the outbreaks of this type of acne.

Emotional distress, such as severe anxiety, depression or social reclusiveness, are also good reasons to seek professional assistance. Severe acne sufferers feel helpless to control the situation particulary for adultsdue to the notion that acne should clear up once a person becomes an adult. Acne scarring has long term effects, often affecting a person’s choice of occupation, social interactions and dress. A medical professional can help to restore a person’s self confidence as well as helping clear up the acne.

For men, sever acne can shaving difficult. Shaving irritates pimples and lesions, may irritate existing scars and lead to further outbreaks of acne. A good razor, shaving creams and other products help to reduce the irritation and inflammation of acne, but a medical professional can also prescribe creams and medications to eliminate it.

It may be a good idea to visit a dermatologist at the outset of acne, even if you aren’t sure that it is a severe form of acne. Medical advice can help in the choice of skin care products, provide assistance regarding acne care and daily routines even if prescription medications aren’t required. In severe cases of acne, a physician is indispensable to help reduce the effects, treat the cause and prevent future outbreaks.

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Is Insomnia and Medications Wreaking Havoc With Your Life?

Did you know chronic use of sleep medication can create a physical and/or psychological dependence on medication? It can also impair your ability to function the following day by causing drowsiness or muddled thinking.

Sleep medications can be helpful to those who have short-term sleep disruptions caused by jet lag, shift-work, or emotional difficulties such as divorce or loss of a loved one. To limit risks, it’s important to take them only when they are truly needed and to use them only for a brief period of time.

Studies have shown that certain heart and blood pressure medications, and other such needed substances have the ability to disrupt our sleeping patterns, causing us to toss and turn throughout the night. Obviously, it would not be in our best interest to cut these out of our lives, but we need sleep to be healthy all the same. You should not have to choose between life-saving drugs, and sleeping the night through.

If you notice that you are having trouble sleeping for an extended period of time, it might be a good idea to consult your doctor. Sometimes prescriptions can be altered or substituted with sanctioned medical advice.

Any time our bodies undergo a major change, including stopping or starting a new prescription, there will tend to be drawbacks. Sleepless nights are almost always listed as a potential side effect of some of the more potent medications out there, because of the strength of the chemicals within them. If the body feels like it is totally ‘on’ and processing the drugs in your system, it will be harder for you to feel completely at rest.

While you cannot change the effects of prescribed medicines, you can avoid other substances that will surely leave you feeling groggy or have you stay up all night. Many over-the-counter pills, alcohol or illegal narcotics will impact the body in a negative way, more often than not.

If you have to take medication, what are some tips for still getting a good night’s rest?

* Incorporate bedtime rituals. Listening to soft music, sipping a cup of herbal tea. This cues your body that it’s time to slow down and begin to prepare for sleep.

* Go to bed when you are sleepy. Stay up until a reasonable bedtime even if you feel sleepy earlier. Go to bed only when you are feeling really tired and sleepy. If you can’t sleep, get up and only go back to bed when you’re really sleepy again.

* Nicotine. Avoid nicotine, especially near bedtime and on night awakenings.

* Relax before going to bed. A warm bath, reading, listening to soft music, or meditation can help you unwind from the day and get ready for sleep.

* Body Heat and Sleep. Heating the body can have a very different effect from a warm room during sleep. Some studies suggest that soaking in hot water (such as a hot tub or bath) before retiring to bed can ease the transition into a deeper sleep.

* Do not look at the clock. Avoiding looking at the clock; this promotes anxiety and obsession about time.

It is important to note that you should never try to self-medicate, especially if you want to lead a healthy lifestyle. Seven to nine hours of sleep is considered part of a healthy life plan, so anything that interferes with this is certainly something to cut out altogether. The longer it takes these substances to get out of your system, the more trouble you will have being comfortable enough to sleep through the entire night.

Just remember, there are ways to overcome insomnia even when your current medications are keeping you up for much of the night. Do not worry, because the right solution is out there for you.

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Acne Medication Potential Side Effects

Patients with mild or occasional acne may be able to treat themselves without the use of prescription medication. Such remedies may include an alteration in diet and exercise habits, regular cleansing to remove residue and buildup on the skin, choosing the right cosmetics and eliminating stress. But for some individuals, this simply isn’t enough. For those who suffer from moderate to severe acne, a stronger medication may be needed in order for that individual to find relief from their condition.

There are several different types of medication that are commonly used to treat acne, each of which may contain the potential for certain side effects. As is the case with most over-the-counter acne medication, prescription medicines are usually available as gels, creams, lotions or solutions. In determining which is the best choice for the patient, a physician will study the skin type, severity of acne and the patient’s likelihood of having a negative reaction to any medication. Once a prescription is written, the physician will explain how often to use the medicine and how to properly apply it to the skin.

As mentioned previously, it is not uncommon for individuals to have a reaction to strong acne medication. For some it is only temporary, but others may require a change in their prescription. The most widely seen reaction is that of the skin’s condition actually worsening. Many physicians agree that most medications will cause the skin to worsen before it actually improves, which may take 6-8 weeks of using a medication. However, additional side effects may include extreme redness, burning, stinging, peeling, soreness, scaling or a discoloration of the skin. If individuals notice these side effects becoming increasingly worse or if they do not go away after a specified period of use, which should be indicated by a physician, the medication may need to be changed.

Individuals who take oral medications for the treatment of acne may face an entirely different set of potential side effects, including an upset stomach, dizziness and skin discoloration. Certain types of medication can be dangerous to women who are pregnant or children under a certain age, so individuals should report any possible conditions to their physician prior to accepting a prescription.

As with any medication, there are often risks and benefits of it’s use. The best way to learn of these is to speak with a physician, ask about any potential side effects and completely disclose your current medical condition and any medications that you are currently taking. In some instances, medications may negatively react with one another and this can be very dangerous to the patient. Acne medicine is no different and the patient should have a complete understanding of how it operates before using it.

The information in this article is intended for informational purposes only. It should not be considered as, or used in place of, medical advice or professional recommendations for the cause, diagnosis or treatment of acne. If necessary, individuals should consult a medical doctor or dermatologist for information regarding the use of acne medication or other effective treatment methods.

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What Are Excellent International Medical Standards?

Looking for medical treatment away from your home country can be physically and emotionally draining for you and your beloved ones. International Medical Standards are specifically developed keeping this in mind.

The International Medical Service made available by the International Medical Standards is particularly aimed at satisfying your every need, medical or otherwise. You can expect the comfort of your home because we will with you every step of the way.

The International Medical Service allows you to communicate with a single point of contact – a one-stop service completely dedicated to meet your health care needs. Your comfort and needs are the main objectives and for that the complete health care management concept has been developed and this will ensure you that your customized health care requirements are given a solution as fast as possible.

The team of experienced Guest Relation Assistants gives all the necessary information of services required for you and your family members, to make sure that you go through a calm and peaceful experience, from pre-arrival to follow-up care.

International Medical Standards focus their attention mainly on foreigners. It provides foreigners an extremely efficient team of multi-lingual interpreters who are always ready to help overseas visitors and expatriates cope up with the limitations of language and culture while accessing the services of the hospital. It also possesses its own International Clinics, where nurses and doctors serve patients from across the world.

The services of International Medical Standards also include assistance in International health insurance, liaison service for embassies, international institutions and organizations and assistance on affordable fares at local hotels. It also caters for special diets like popular western dishes.

You will receive all the necessary backup needed for international and local evacuation from our own Medical Evacuation Team. You can also depend on us for all kinds of repatriation services, spearheaded by our team of international qualified Aviation Specialists and also for free consultation and medical advice via the Internet.

International Medical Services personal coordinators are indebted in making each patient’s stay as cozy and convenient as possible. You will get all the assistance needed for your queries for information about services, programs and physicians. With all the help we provide finding the right physician suited to the patient’s specific needs will not be a problem at all.

We will also provide all the support you need to fix your appointments to match your needs as much as possible, which also consists of consultations and follow up care including Executive Physicals. If you aspire to communicate with physicians or your family and friends at home, then also we will provide you all the assistance you require.

You should not burden your head by estimating the medical cost or thinking about the billing arrangements put in place. All types of transportation and accommodation arrangements will also be provided by our service personnel.

International Medical Standards has established excellent in-patient accommodation and provides an entire range of accommodation facilities to satisfy the needs and budgets of all patients, from standard rooms to royal suites. Every private room is designed with the peace and safety of the patient in mind.

Experience all the peace and comfort while receiving medical attention with excellent International Medical Standards. Treating abroad will never be the same again.

Choosing the Right Type of Skin Care Medication For You

Choosing the right type of skin care medication for you is critical in ensuring long lasting beautiful skin for yourself. Our skin is the first line of defense for our body against any external agents. If your skin is smooth and unblemished, you will feel beautiful and naturally feel good about yourself. However, if you have badly blemished skin, you will tend to feel self conscious and uncomfortable about yourself. Thus, using the right skin care medication is key to achieving flawless skin today.

There are a plethora of skin care medications available in the market today. However, you need to exercise caution when using these medications as many are placebo type creams that promise beautiful skin but in fact give nothing. So how does one know what are good skin care medications and what are not?

There are so many skin care medications these days that it has become difficult to remember the different types of brand names and products. One of the ways to identify which skin care medications are good for you is by looking through the contents on the ingredients list attached on the package. Doing so will let you know which ingredients are used and whether or not you are allergic to any of them.

Functional keratin is one of the most important ingredients of skin care medication. Keratin is a type of insoluble protein that is found in most animals, and forms part of the epidermis, hair, skin and nails. It is obtained mainly through sheep wool and can be used to grow collagen and elastin. Keratin generally halts the skin’s aging process and therefore is a popular choice for many. Thus, if you are looking for a cream to rejuvenate your skin, then look for ingredients like Functional Keratin in products for that effect.

Another important ingredient to look for when searching for a good skin care medication is Phytessence Wakame. Wakame is a kelp that is widely used in Japan. It is known for its beauty and youth enhancing qualities. Wakame has high quantities of calcium, iron and other minerals that are essential in making the skin firm and moist. Wakame also has a substantial quantity of vitamin B complexes that helps to fight aging and other skin related problems.

The third most important constituent to look out for is Coenzyme Q10. This enzyme is present in every cell and is responsible for keeping the cells energized. However, external factors like UV rays can cause depletion of this enzyme and hence, it is important to get this enzyme from other skin care medications.

There are also many creams available which fights a host of skin problems such as Retina creams, which are have extracts of vitamin A.

These creams are effective in removing dead skin cells. Retin A and isotrenenin are creams that can help one manage pimples and unblock pores effectively. Isotrenoin is also used as an oral skin care medication which helps one control over active oil glands. However, there are many potential side effects to this drug, such as liver damage and birth defects. So you have to ensure that you seek professional medical advice before consuming them, and do take more caution when using them on a long term basis.

Skin care medications should only be bought from a doctor and certified pharmacy. Be sure to check the expiry date and the date of manufacture of the medication before using them. Also, try to switch to natural skin care medications if possible when dealing with simpler problems. Thus, choosing the right type of skin care medication for you is necessary if you wish to get good skin today.

Medical Condition Travel Insurance-finally Gets a True Answer

Some of us think that, it is not more than wastage of money and your time. But how many of us have read the policy wording? This particular article contains highly important knowledge if you ignored that means you are going to purchase high cost travel insurance. And some of us can’t afford a high cost health insurance travel . And we also want to save our money and get cheap holiday insurance.

Ensure especially that you have met all the conditions of a travel insurance policy, if you are in pre-existing medical condition. Now some of you thinking what is that. though you can not define a proper definition for it .because it depends on the travel insurance provider company but, in essence, it’s a medical condition which you have at the time of booking travel insurance or one for which you have, in the past few month or few years sought medical advice, been in hospital, had investigatory tests or taken medication.

In exception cases, some people think they don’t have a pre-existing medical condition. However, after further questioning, it can be realize that they are on medication for blood pressure, asthma or high cholesterol. These conditions are mostly stable – because of the medication – still means they are a chronic, pre-existing conditions.

It is highly recommended to ensuring any pre-existing medical condition is declared to an insurance company is that it can be assessed and, hopefully, covered by the terms of the policy. This means that should you require medical treatment when you’re away that is linked (directly or indirectly) to a condition, then the associated costs will be covered by the insurance policy. After accepted a cover and if you do not declare conditions for cover and have confirm it then any claim might be rejected.

A man who did not declare any condition for his travel insurance cover and while traveling he became seriously ill and due to his medical conditions which he had declared at the time of booking, he went home with a very large medical bill. And even medical condition travel insurance couldn’t help him. So now you have valid reason why you should go for medical condition travel insurance.

It is compulsory that if you have any medical condition at all, declare it to a travel insurance company. Let them make the decision – don’t risk making an assessment yourself either any other person- it could cost you an awful lot of money! We are sure that after done that nobody can say that it is wastage of your money and you will be proud on your decision.

 

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Advice on Back Acne

About a quarter of people who suffer from acne will experience it on their back. Acne of the back affects adults and teenagers and might be pimples, blackheads or a similar type of acne to what the sufferer has on their face. Important advice on back acne includes to immediately stop wearing tight-fitting clothes, especially those made of artificial fabric such as spandex which does not allow the skin to breathe and letting yourself sweat a lot. If you have to sweat because of the climate or your job, try to shower often to rinse it away. Carrying a backpack can exacerbate the problem because it restricts air getting to your skin and causes friction. Try a handheld bag instead to see if it makes any difference to the acne. The tight clothes and backpacks are not responsible for the acne itself but rather make it worse. We all have to wear clothes and sit down so the important thing is to find the right treatment for the problem.

Acne on the body rather than the face is often thicker and can be made worse by friction from clothing. The back has thousands of sebaceous glands which produce oil and it is made of quite tough skin. Back acne frequently begins in puberty when those sebaceous glands start functioning.

For relatively mild back acne, you could try washing the back with an antibacterial cleanser such as Cetaphil. Do not use regular soap because it dries out the natural oils from your skin. Let your back dry naturally rather than rubbing it with a towel. A topical 10% benzoyl peroxide gel or cream may be applied. You can get benzoyl peroxide products over the counter. Benzoyl peroxide does bleach clothing so wearing white is advised. Some experts recommend using an alpha hydroxyl treatment such as Alpha Hydrox Enhanced Lotion along with the benzoyl peroxide cream or gel. Alpha hydroxyl can irritate the back, especially the part behind the armpit, although the back is tougher than the face and can stand up to certain medications which the face cannot. If your acne is severe or you have cysts, you should see a dermatologist or doctor.

Exfoliation is one way to prevent acne on the back. It is best to use a sugar scrub, which is milder than a salt scrub, once a week in the shower. Avoid scrubs containing almond or crushed kernels because they can be abrasive and tear the skin, making the acne worse.

Whereas changing your diet or taking supplements might improve facial acne, it does not seem to make a lot of difference on back acne although you could try it. Acupuncture and nutritional supplements might or might not help. Everybody suffers from acne in a different way and responds differently to treatments. What helps one person might do nothing for another.

It is a good idea to seek medical advice on back acne if it is severe or if you have tried over the counter products without any success.

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What is Medical Negligence?

Medical negligence is a specialist area of law through which patients can obtain compensation for injury and loss suffered as a result of a medical accident. To be successful the patient must prove that the standard of medical/dental or therapeutic care they received was unacceptable by the accepted standards of the profession.

Medical negligence is much more than a doctor making a mistake. To prove that the doctor was medically negligent, your solicitor must also show that in making that mistake the doctor or dentist provided a standard of care that was unacceptable by the standards of the profession. Negligence can include an act or a failure to carry out an act (an omission). This might include, for example, a doctor performing surgery incompetently or failing to refer a patient for specialist advice where this is indicated.

Your solicitor will also need to prove a link between the alleged act of negligence and the damage or injury suffered. This link is called causation and is often the most difficult part of evidence in a medical negligence claim.. For example, if a General Practitioner failed to refer a patient to hospital who was suffering from bowel pain and eventually the patient is seen at hospital and is diagnosed a suffering from cancer. Your specialist medical negligence solicitor would have to prove that any negligent delay in the referral to the specialist caused a deterioration of the cancer or that had the referral been made initially a full recovery might have taken place. Your solicitor will need to obtain expert medical advice to assist with these questions.

The legal tests of negligence and causation are difficult to establish and it is important that you seek early and urgent legal advice only from a specialist solicitor.

You should ensure that your solicitor has a Legal Services Commission franchise in medical negligence. Only firms with this franchise can offer public funding (Legal Aid) to pursue medical negligence claims. The firms are assessed for expertise and internal management standards before being awarded a franchise and their performance is measured against quality standards in an annual audit.

Specialist solicitors are usually members of the AVMA (Action for Victims of Medical Accidents) panel or the Law Society Medical Negligence panel. These bodies ensure that any solicitor on their panel has experience and expertise in dealing with a range of medical negligence claims from outset to trial, if this proves necessary.

AVMA or the Legal Services Commission can give you details of specialist solicitors in your area.

For further information regarding Medical Negligence please visit our website.

Medical Referral – Useful Information

Medical referral addresses the patients to medical specialists, when special treatment is needed. Special organizations, such as Imer (International Medical Evaluation and Referral) connect between the patient and the specialist abroad. Medical referral service includes coordinating treatment in other countries, arranging the patients’ travel to another country and many other aspects coordinated by health service provider.

The medical referral system arranges meetings between the patient and a medical specialist in order to help diagnose the problem, to offer medical advice or second opinion about the problem, which means getting another view on the problem, and in order to arrange medical investigation when it is needed. Specialist or consultant will help diagnose the particular problem a patient may have, and offer advice on its management. Some referral services provide database of specialists for specific problems, to whom the patients can refer.

Doctoral referral and appointment is conducted, when a patient or the physician wish to get medical second opinion; a letter from the physician is needed. A patient under a managed care health insurance plan is authorized by his primary care physician to a see a specialist for the diagnosis or treatment of a specific condition. Medical referral service helps the patient to find the best physician to cure the problem; getting second opinion is especially important when the course of treatment provided by the patients’ physician doesn’t solve the problem. In such case medical referral is at hand; the advice of a specialist, provided in time, may save the patients’ life.

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Securing the Medical Office with Taceo

OVERVIEW

Operating a medical practice is assiduous work requiring great
attention to detail on a variety of fronts. Patient privacy has
always Been an important concept in the medical profession. New
laws are taking this notion a step further, making it mandatory
for medical facilities to protect individually identifiable
health information. Government regulations such as the Health
Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and others
stipulate the how your digital records containing sensitive
patient information should be kept secure, but caring for your
patient’s privacy is just good business.

One of the most time and labor consuming tasks in maintaining an
electronic medical record is importing non-digital patient
information such as radiology reports, hospital dictation and
consultation/referral letters is an extremely time and labor
consuming task in maintaining an electronic medical record. This
is unfortunate because most of this information is already in
digital format at the sender’s location but printed to paper for
transit. Transmitting digital information securely, however, can
be problematic at best. Simply emailing a document to an
intended recipient would potentially violate a patient’s privacy
since the mail could be intercepted in transit or read by
unauthorized persons on the destination email server before it
is downloaded. Also, it would be impossible to tell whether or
not the document was tampered with or was sent by someone
electronically pretending to be someone else. For example, to
promote office efficiency, medical offices that want to allow
physicians to provide electronic mail as a means to transmit
information are forced to have an “email disclaimer” that can
not guarantee the privacy of information contained in an email.
The information may be confidential and subject to protection
under the law, but the fact remains that no real protection is
provided as a preventative for security breach of your
information.

Whether you are a healthcare provider, payer or pharmaceutical
company you have electronic information that must be protected.
Essential Taceo virtually eliminates the costs associated with
safeguarding Protected Health Information (PHI). With Taceo you
are now free to email medical advice to your patients, send
prescription requests to the smallest of pharmacies and safely
deliver patient records to referral doctors.

HEALTH INSURANCE PORTABILITY AND ACCOUNTABILITY ACT (HIPAA)

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)
of 1996 was designed to create a new national standard for
protecting the privacy of patient’s health information. HIPAA
also focused on improving the efficiency and effectiveness of
the Healthcare system, by encouraging the development and
adoption of Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) between healthcare
providers, payers and pharmaceutical organizations. HIPAA also
stipulates the strict requirement for organizations to establish
safeguards to protect the integrity and confidentiality of an
individual’s Protected Health Information (PHI). HIPAA applies
to individual healthcare providers, health plans, and healthcare
insurance providers. The law also pertains to organizations that
deal with the electronic PHI of customers, employers and
patients. Civil and criminal penalties can result from
noncompliance and security violations.

PENALTIES FOR HIPAA VIOLATIONS

HIPAA calls for civil and criminal penalties for security and
privacy breaches. General failure to comply is 0 per penalty;
violations of an identical requirement may not exceed ,000
per year. For example: it would be considered a violation to
email claim or file with identifiable patient information that
is not encrypted. Even though one requirement may not exceed
,000, HIPAA has more than 15 named security standards, which
if repeatedly violated could quickly grow to more than 5,000.
More severe criminal penalties also apply to more flagrant HIPAA
violations. Wrongful disclosure of PHI can result in a ,000
penalty and up to one year in prison. Offense with intent to
sell of misuse patients protected health information is
punishable with a maximum 0,000 fine and/or 10 years
Imprisonment.

TACEO: HELPING TO NAVIGATE THE HIPAA MINEFIELD – COMMON HIPAA
SCENARIOS AND TACEO

Medical office wishes to refer and identifiable PHI to another
healthcare provider.

A primary care physician examines an individual and determines
that he would like to send the patient to another provider for
further diagnosis or treatment. The physician then asks his/her
assistant to assemble and email the patient’s history and
physical (H&P), imaging reports, labs, progress notes, etc. to
the off-site healthcare provider for review. Unfortunately, the
physician and his assistant are in now violation of HIPAA
regulations.

Unprotected email is like sending a post-card through
cyber-space. While transiting it is routed through multiple
servers, an email containing patient PHI can be easily read by
people other than the designated recipient (the off-site
provider). Furthermore, the patient’s records, because of an
accidental keystroke, could be unintentionally misdirected to an
unknown party, thereby increasing the severity of the security
breach. The physician’s assistant could have used Taceo to
protect the email and attachments. With the quick click of a
button the worker could have prohibited the patient records from
being printed, forwarded and edited. The outgoing documents
would be encrypted and un-accessible to anyone besides the
intended recipient healthcare provider. (Even if the receiving
healthcare provider is not fully set-up to work with electronic
patient healthcare information, they can still securely view
patient records without violating patient confidentiality.)

On-line Pharmaceutical Provider

A pharmaceutical provider fills prescriptions via on-line
ordering, but cannot meet HIPAA secure transmission requirements
for emailing regarding prescriptions and medications, order
confirmation, and other information to their patients. The
organization could resort to analog methods such as calling each
individual customer or sending information to the customers via
standard post, however these methods are very inefficient and
cost prohibitive. To meet HIPAA regulations the on-line
prescription provider must shoulder the burden of hiring and
training a number of new employees at great cost. What is the
on-line pharmacy to do?

With Taceo, the pharmaceutical provider can securely send
prescription information, order confirmations and more to their
clientele. The confidentiality and integrity of emails
containing protected health information (PHI) is enforced and
maintained even after delivery. Nearly any customer with a PC1
can easily download the free version of Taceo, enabling them
receive and reply protected email.

Taceo’s usage permissions interface provides the company with an
effective way to assign flexible rights management controls
based on the profile of the client. Emails Containing
prescription information can be set to expire when no longer
valid.

Healthcare giver wishes to provide individual patients medical
advice via email

To provide added value, a healthcare provider wishes to
establish an easy and affordable way to give their patients
medical advice over the web. The provider must have the ability
to send and receive protected medical advice from work or home
and cannot afford the installation, maintenance and expensive
licensing fees associated with available server-based solutions.
Furthermore, the caregiver’s patients are largely non-technical
and will not bother with cumbersome key exchange, s/mime and
other requirements commonly associated with widely available
encryption technologies.

Additionally, encryption software does not protect content after
it has been delivered. Once opened, the patient’s identifiable
medical information is totally exposed; email can be
accidentally forwarded, laptops and PCs can be lost or sold with
PHI remaining on the hard-drive, patient info could be leaked
via virus, spy-ware or Trojan worm. Unauthorized individuals
gain access and doctor-patient confidentiality is breached. The
caregiver must be able to ensure that received documents remain
encrypted and can be deleted from the patient’s computer after a
given time. How can the healthcare provider utilize the power of
email to give medical advice while keeping sensitive patient
data secure?

Taceo helps healthcare professionals meet HIPAA requirements for
the secure storage, transmission and delivery of identifiable
patient information. Taceo makes the sending and receiving of
secured email and documents quick and easy. From the desktop or
MS Outlook®, providers can encrypt and apply usage permissions
to control and prevent actions as forwarding, cut/copy/paste,
printing and disabling the Print Screen key. Email and documents
can also be set to “expire” and will become unreadable at a
given time and date.

Taceo is by no means a comprehensiven overall HIPAA security
solution, however if used properly can help your business to
inexpensively meet most of the critical rules.

TACEO FEATURES AND BENEFITS

• Protect EPHI from theft, misdirection and unauthorized
distribution. • Allows primary care providers and specialists to
instantly and securely share patient records with little cost. •
Enables patients to easily access and securely reply to
protected emails containing medical advice, prescription
information and more from their home or work computers. • Gives
off-site providers an easy method to access and reply to secure
email sent across disparate computing environments • Affordable
security beyond the office firewall. Taceo can ensure the proper
use and protection of EPHI no matter where it travels or where
it is stored. • Helps ensure authenticity of EPHI with digital
signatures. • Improve productivity by using the web to instantly
& securely share sensitive data. • Taceo offers an affordable
way to securely store sensitive information on site. • Prevent
unauthorized access to your documents. • Prevent unauthorized
distribution (no forwarding) • Prevent document editing (no cut,
copy, paste) • Set expiration time/date on email & documents. •
Ensures confidentiality and privacy. • Securely and permanently
delete files to Department of Defense standards (DOD 5220.22-M).
• Patients can download Taceo for free. • Meet regulatory
compliance requirements for privacy – HIPAA, PIPEDA, 21 CFR Part
11, Sarbanes-Oxley

REDUCING YOUR VULNERABILIIES

No security software in the world is 100% unbreakable, even the
most advanced digital encryption techniques can be broken or
circumvented by some person or organization with enough
motivation, time and money. Taceo does not totally negate the
risk of information leakage, for example a malicious individual
could take a digital photo of the screen or re-type the content
into another document and distribute it. However, Taceo
considerably reduces the risk that sensitive data can be
disseminated to unauthorized individuals or groups. Taceo
Safeguards remain with the data no matter where it travels or
where it is stored. Even if a CD or USB thumb-drive containing
protected data is stolen, the information contained therein will
remain encrypted and cannot be opened by unauthorized recipients.

THE ANALOGUE TO DIGITAL MIGRATION

Although it is often difficult to make the initial switch to
using digital patient records, the cost savings can be profound,
especially when amortized over a number of years. Benefits
include better accuracy in health records, less time spent
transcribing patient notes, filling prescriptions and receiving
quicker payment from insurance companies. For the most part many
healthcare practitioners have been slow to adopt digital medical
records, as of April 2005 only 16.4% of doctors in the United
States had made the switch. Reasons most often cited for the
slow adoption has been the costs in time and money. Fear of
complicated regulations also slow the transition; once records
are in the digital realm HIPAA standards must be strictly
adhered.

Although the task appears daunting, individual and smaller
medical practices can cost-effectively make the digital
transition with largely low cost, off-the-shelf components.

Taceo, from Essential Security Software should be an integral
part of any digital migration plan. Taceo can help your office
secure the storage and transmission of PHI. Because Taceo can be
used on almost any PC, it can be used to “bridge the gap” with
offices of other healthcare providers that have not yet made the
switch to digital records. Whether digital or analog, all
organizations that deal with patient medical information are
subject to HIPAA ordinances.

SUMMARY

Any healthcare provider or organization that works with patient
healthcare data is at risk for losing control of this
information. Unprotected electronic files containing sensitive
data can easily be accessed, altered, stolen and re-distributed
to unauthorized parties. Electronic protected health information
(EPHI) is subject to stringent HIPAA regulations; penalties for
violation of HIPAA rules can result in stiff fines and jail
time. Loss of EPHI can place healthcare organizations at great
financial and legal risk.

Taceo, from Essential Security Software can help small to
mid-size healthcare providers mitigate these risks. Taceo can
also help organizations meet HIPAA requirements for the secure
transmission, access and integrity of EPHI. Taceo is effective,
affordable and easy-to-use software that enables healthcare
providers to securely store, transmit and receive sensitive
data. Taceo can encrypt and help control access to almost any
file. Protected email and documents are safeguarded against
unauthorized forwarding, editing, coping, and printing or screen
capture. Taceo opens up a new realm of possibilities never
available before with such ease and affordability. Healthcare
providers can securely email medical information to their
patients. Pharmacies can use Taceo to send prescription order
information to doctors and customers alike.

Caregivers can quickly and securely collaborate with off-site
specialists thereby ensuring patients receive good treatment and
much more.

System Requirements • Microsoft Windows 2000/XP/2003 or newer •
Microsoft .Net framework installed (if you don’t have this Taceo
will install it for you) • Internet access. • 15 MB of available
hard-drive space

Visit www.essentialsecurity.com

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