NEWS — MAY 2005
CONSUMER HEALTH SCREENING
Direct-to-Consumer Lab Testing Services
Consumers can gain more control of their health care by ordering their own annual screening tests from several companies. Requests can be submitted online or by phone. Upon receipt of an order form, consumers are tested at a local laboratory. Physicians may recommend direct-order tests to help self-pay patients monitor cholesterol, C-reactive protein, and lipids. Other patients may be encouraged to undergo tests that assess the effectiveness of their medication regimens. Results are provided to patients via the Internet, facsimile, or mail, with the recommendation to forward copies to their primary care physicians. One example of a company that provides direct-to-consumer testing services is HealthCheck USA (www.healthcheckusa.com).
Essentials 25 Plan Covers Cancer & Cholesterol Screenings
To make health coverage more affordable for uninsured Americans, LifeWise Health Plan of Washington (Mount Lake Terrace WA) has been offering a new batch of high-deductible plans since April 2004. Some are coupled with Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) to provide tax advantages. The new plans seem to be meeting the needs of uninsured Americans and others who are looking for more affordable coverage.
LifeWise has seen significant increases in new members — 12,458 during the first quarter of 2005. The Essentials 25 option offers coverage for three office visits a year, in addition to cancer and cholesterol screening.
Patient-Centric Care In General Practices
As described in an article posted on RedNova in late April 2005, patient-centered medicine may offer ways to improve outcomes. The general concept focuses on a holistic approach that considers how diseases impact patients' lives. In addition to treatment that is dignified and supportive, patient-centered medicine emphasizes communication. In recent years, patients expect accountability from clinicians, which is based, in part, on improved access to health care information.
The general trend is leading away from a paternalistic doctor-patient relationship to a partnership in which patients participate in the decision-making process and actively contribute to meeting their own health care needs. The setting and situation are two important components, as well as an individual patient's willingness to be informed. Some physicians encourage patients to practice self-care and self-medication. One clinical study conducted in 2001 indicated that instructing women patients to screen, diagnose, and treat their recurrent urinary tract infections (UTIs) resulted in more than half of the participants being able to effectively manage their UTIs over an eight-month period.
WellnessExpress Clinic Offers On-Demand Medical Services
In mid-April 2005, Wellness Express Clinic (Davis CA) opened a medical office that provides affordable on-demand health care for common or routine ailments, injuries, and screenings. Staffed with Nurse Practitioners and Physician Assistants who work with physician supervision, the medical office is located within a Longs Drugs store. Services include exams, diagnosis, and treatment, which can include prescriptions. Individuals who require emergency care are referred to other medical service providers. This Wellness Express Clinic is the first to operate in California, The goal is to extend rather than replace traditional office visits and primary care services and also potentially divert some non-urgent or semi-urgent visits away from emergency rooms. Introductory prices were offered during the first week of operation for cholesterol screening.
