In the shift to value care, VBP guidelines reward positive quality metrics with bonuses and levy fines and assessments on institutions that are unable to demonstrate quality of care. Often however, it’s not the the care itself that’s at fault, but the reporting. Here’s an approach to capturing those crucial metrics.
Managed Healthcare Executive – Health Management
Tag Archives: Improve
Improve Care Coordination in Cancer Care: 2 Key Focus Areas
When caring for cancer patients, improving care coordination in these two areas is key—and it can help reduce healthcare costs.
Managed Healthcare Executive – Health Management
Insights to improve your psoriasis care plan
Three Ways Healthcare Organizations Can Improve Care Management
Here are three strategies to navigate toward next-generation care management and increase member engagement in the process
Managed Healthcare Executive – Health Management
Probiotics may improve pediatric AD symptoms
Top ways payers, providers use tech to improve care
Changing Your Habits To Improve Eczema Problems
You can feel at times in dealing with eczema that you are not sure what makes the irritation worse or better. Some people take months or even years to identify their trigger factors, and when they do, they find they have less frequent redness and patches. Eczema sufferers need to take care of their skin all the time. Constant watchfulness and attention is important.
When it comes to skin care, you need to make sure that both your skin and your body are well taken care of. Don’t discount the effect that clothing has on your skin. Wearing cotton is the least irritating. Some people cannot tolerate wool or scratchy materials. Also covering the skin to prevent scratching it can be helpful. For instance, wearing pants instead of shorts can be a way you’ll be less tempted to scratch eczema on the thighs. Again, this is important to minimize the chances of open wounds, scars, and other possible skin infections. Nylon stockings can trap moisture. Some people cannot tolerate fabrics aside from cotton.
Secondly, identify and protect your body from unnatural elements or products. Be vigilant on your perfume, makeup or even the laundry detergent you are using. One of them might be the trigger factor of your eczema. Start your own trial and error approach by keeping a log. This way, you will be able to identify things you need to do or avoid. Be careful about any new products brought into the house with fragrances or potential allergens.
Do not forget to moisturize your skin. This is probably the most important thing that has to be done on a daily basis. Dry skin causes eczema to break out. Moisturizing the skin seems too easy, many eczema suffers still overlook it. The best time to moisturize is immediately after taking a shower or bath. This is a simple but effective solution and your skin will thank you for doing that. Use something that is designed for skin that is sensitive that does not have drying agents in it.
We already know that having a healthy diet is the helpful for skin care. Unfortunately, the idea of changing a person’s diet may not be the best solution for everyone. If you want to cure eczema and certain foods cause the outbreak, there’s nothing left to do but to accept that you can no longer indulge in them anymore. Some people cannot eat dairy or nuts. Eating these foods results in skin patches that itch. It takes discipline, but there are many substitutes now on to help satisfy certain food cravings that are tasty.
If you are unsure what particular foods that are safe or not, you may have to seek assistance from a registered dietitian or see an allergist. You may be given a series of patch tests to help determine the substances your body cannot tolerate. Some people cannot be around pet hair without the skin reacting negatively. A close study of yourself and daily habits helps to eliminate factors that worsen the skin.
Learn more about Eczema Home Remedies and Skin Rashes
Five strategies to improve care for members with advanced disease
Here are five key strategies to improve care and outcomes for members with advanced illness.
Managed Healthcare Executive – Health Management
5 Hacks to Improve your Workouts
Several individual and group exercise formats are offered by fitness centers, such as those that are choreographed to music like dance and aerobics classes. Many offer boot camp, fall prevention, sculpting, kickboxing, indoor cycling, yoga, Pilates and core conditioning. Group exercises expose you to a fun and social environment. Your workout is effectively and safely designed.
One of the most common reasons why people do not complete any exercise program is boredom. Lack of motivation is another factor. Here are some hacks that will help you improve your fitness workout.
1. Be part of a group
There are some workout programs that are done in groups although some of the exercises are performed individually, such as in Pilates and yoga. What is more important is not to be in a collective group but a group where you are part of, such as team sports. You will have greater motivation to exercise because your efforts count in the team’s success. Group fitness classes on the other hand, provide you great support from the instructor and participants. The classes also become social events as you meet people, form friendships, have fun while struggling through routines.
2. Mental and physical pacing
Not everyone is ready for a HIIT program. To get your body and brain going throughout the day as well as to stay healthy, you only need a moderate workout. For improving your cardiovascular health according to the American Heart Association, you need about 30 minutes of moderate exercise five times a week. If you are able to perform more vigorous activities, you only need to do it for 25 minutes three times a week. If you continue to do this you’ll be able to improve your endurance.
3. Think of the long-term benefits
Morning workouts are great for relieving stress and getting the energy boost to keep you going for the rest of the day. Beyond exercising, it is better for improving your workout if you are able to visualize the long term benefits of what you are doing. This is a technique that many athletes, such as Michael Phelps employ to improve performance and increase motivation. Such a study was published in an issue of the Psychology of Sport and Exercise.
4. Improve your workout form
Working out is not just about doing the recommended exercises. You have to pay attention to the form in order to realize the results and prevent injuries. For example, when doing squats, your toes should point forward, and knees aligned to your toes to properly target the hamstrings and quads. Moving the feet slightly outward will target the outer and inner thighs.
Maintain better back alignment when doing shoulder press, bicep curls and lateral presses by squeezing your abs and your glutes.
A lower bench when doing step-up targets the quad while increasing the height of the bench will help target the hamstrings as well. Positioning your hands wider during push-ups will target the upper back muscles slightly and your outer chest muscles. Placing your hands closer together almost in a triangle position will result in higher engagement of your triceps.
5. Use free weights
Jordan D. Metzl, M.D., a doctor of sports medicine and author of the “The Exercise Cure” recommends that you use free weights. Machines only move in one plane, whereas you train your body for every day movements with free weights that provide you better balance. Free weights allow you to move the way your body moves and they are easier to use.
It is your choice if you want to improve your workout, as there are many options available. Group fitness training classes offer the most benefits for many individuals and many individuals also reap great benefits when working alone. You should keep in mind to get proper sleep, drink lots of water, improve your nutrition and even change your workout music if one of your goals it to improve your workout performance.
Content supplied by Nate Roberts
3 tops tips to improve your quality of life with a long-term health condition
It is estimated over a quarter of the population in England (15.4 million people) has a long-term condition such as diabetes, coronary heart disease or chronic lung disease and an increasing proportion of these people have multiple conditions.
Although there is a wealth of information available to patients with long-term health conditions, the advice can seem overwhelming and healthcare providers don’t always have time for patients to answer all those niggling questions that can make a difference to your life.
Wendy Norton, Head of Health Coaching at My Clinical Coach guides people with long-term health conditions on how to live a healthy and more fulfilling life. Here she provides 3 top tips:
Stop Smoking
Although smoking rates have declined over past decades, smoking is still the biggest cause of preventable illness and premature deaths in the country, accounting for almost 80,000 deaths in England a year.
For people with long-term health conditions such as diabetes and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) smoking exacerbates symptoms and significantly decreases quality of life. If you have COPD and are still smoking, then the single most important way in which you can help yourself feel better is to stop! In fact, research suggests that if you can stop smoking for 28-days, you are five times more likely to be able to quit for good.
Take Control of Your Condition
Be an informed patient and learn as much as you can about your condition. The more you know about your health, the more you will feel able to control the condition rather than letting it control you. A patient who has regular support that understands what they’re going through and has the right tools to help, is proven to be more successful than a patient doing it on their own.
I have found that many patients we coach want to be more involved in their care, as it gives them a greater sense of control and improves their quality of life. Patients often highlight how self-management of their condition not only improves their physical health but also their mental wellbeing. So, take control of your health and choose what is right for you!
Follow a Healthy Diet
Knowing the foods that can be a problem for you is crucial. For those with COPD, certain foods increase the risk of bloating and gas which can make it more difficult to breathe. Apples, stone fruits (peaches and nectarines) and melons may be healthy but can cause bloating, so it is vital to know how your body works when planning your diet.
Never skip breakfast as this can lead to over-eating later in the day which can ruin your food plan and cause your blood sugar levels to rise, which can be harmful to people with diabetes. I would recommend aiming for three servings per day of fibre fruits, vegetables, beans and whole grains.