GeekSugar

Geeksugar Chats with Modern Day Doc Jay Parkinson

GeekSugar — Fri, 12 Oct 2007 11:05:00 PDT

Have you ever imagined having a doctor that you could call, email, IM, text or have video chats with at any time of day? Well for patients of Dr. Jay Parkinson, this is not only a possibility, but a virtual reality. Last week I had the pleasure of chatting with charismatic Parkinson, who operates his high-tech practice out of Williamsburg, NY. Unlike traditional doctor's visits that include expensive fees and long wait times for treatment, Parkinson offers "e-visits," in which he uses communication technology to manage his patients. Whether it be in the form of emails or video chats, Parkinson's new-age approach to health care is not only convenient for his patients, but very affordable as well.

Mixing the old with the new, Parkinson makes house call visits (picture cute doc at your door), offers unlimited consultation on IM or email and is available Monday to Friday from 8am to 5pm and 24/7 for emergencies. With a user-friendly website that he designed himself, new and existing patients are able to access a Google calendar that is integrated directly on the site to view Parkinson's schedule. And if you want to make an appointment, you can instantly log-in and schedule yourself an appointment in one of Parkinson's open time slots - just like that.

Working from his MacBook and an iPhone, Parkinson can access his calendar, phone numbers, email, and electronic medical records on-site using Life Record. By utilizing the latest technologies Parkinson is able to renew prescriptions on the fly and receive updates about his patients' symptoms and conditions via email. When I asked Parkinson about online security, he said that all medical records are encrypted, password protected and stored on a remote server. He said he prefers to use Adium and iChat as his IM chat applications since they are both very secure.

Considering 72 percent of geeksugar readers said they tend to use the internet instead of their doctor to diagnose medical conditions and consumers can now take cell phone pictures of their meals for nutritional consultations, it's no doubt that people are wanting "modern medicine" to catch-up with the conveniences of "modern technology"-something Dr. Parkinson has already established with his approach.

To learn more about Parkinson, you can visit his blog here and check out his artistic talents on his Flickr page - yes he's not only a doctor but a photographer as well, talk about being the real deal!

Source

Why Everyone (Even 20-Somethings) Should Make a Will

Business Insider — Tue, 22 May 2012 00:15:44 PDT

Getting a will is not just for those who are on the cusp of retiring. People of all ages should consider writing one, says Business Insider. Here's why.

Despite the well-known fact that everyone alive today will kick the bucket at one point or another, nearly 60 percent of Americans admitted in a 2011 poll conducted by online legal service Rocket Lawyer that they didn't have a will.

In fact, one-third said they'd rather do their taxes, get a root canal, or give up sex for a month than lay out their dying wishes in black and white.

All right, let's not get out of hand now.

Making a will these days is easier than ever, and if you've been putting it off simply because it seems daunting, then you could be making a big mistake.

"You do it for your family's [future]," says Rocket Lawyer founder Charley Moore. "[A will] enables you to start thinking about issues like whether you have the right insurance coverage, life insurance, and ways of replacing your lost income."

Whether you're 22 years old and just ran your umpteenth marathon or you're ready to retire, laying out an estate plan should definitely be near the top of your to-do list.

It's one of the three most important documents every adult should have.

Here are the other two, according to Moore:

A living will: Also called an advanced healthcare directive, a living will is where you lay out all the nuts and bolts of your end-of-life care. If you wind up in a coma or unresponsive in the hospital, then a living will can help your family decide how to handle your medical treatment.

Durable power of attorney: Choose an attorney you trust to administer your estate after your death, says Moore. He or she will be objective (unlike family members), and their entire job is to follow your wishes.

Read on for more.

Happy National Pet Day! 13 Ways to Save Bucks on Fido

Emily Co — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 13:47:58 PDT

The cost of raising a dog is extremely high. In fact, if you look at rates to fly with your dog on airplanes, it's sometimes almost equivalent to what we humans are paying for a plane ticket. And it all adds up - you end up spending a never-ending amount of cash on toys, crates, flea medication, checkups, and the list goes on. However, many think the high costs of raising a dog are totally worth it. To reduce the costs of what you think is a necessary expense, here are some tips on saving money on your new dog:

Adopt a Doggie: If you're not too picky about the breeds, getting your dog from a shelter is cheaper than spending over a thousand for a purebred puppy from a breeder. Further, many of the pets have already been vaccinated and spayed or neutered, which will definitely save you money in vet bills.
Pick a Responsible Breeder: If you have your heart set on a pooch from a breeder, make sure you do your homework lest you end up with a sick dog from a puppy mill. Do research online to see what qualities a responsible breeder has, and go take a look at the dog and inspect the environment it's being raised in. Ask for references from sources like the breeder's vet, ask to see the dog's parents (if they are around) and quiz her on how she raises her dogs. Here are more questions to ask a prospective breeder.
Costco For Pets or Buy Online: Check to see if there is a warehouse superstore for pet supplies in your area. For example, Pet Club in the Bay Area gives great discounts if you buy in bulk - great for buying items in bulk such as urine pads, cleaning solvent, and poop bags. Another option is to see if you can find better deals online - Four Paws wee wee pads are available on Amazon at a 55 percent discount, so be sure to look around online for great bargains.
Neuter or Spay at the ASPCA: Spaying or neutering your dog can be extremely pricey. Check out your local ASPCA for cheaper prices on the surgery. To compare prices, I called a local vet that quoted me a hefty $800 for a small breed puppy, while the ASPCA in San Francisco quoted me $225. However, after asking around, my friend told me about an even better deal at another ASPCA, located a little further away in Oakland, CA, which charged $100 to spay/neuter. Be sure to check out the prices of the different clinics, even if they are under the same organization. The local Humane Society clinics were even cheaper so you might want to check out their prices as well. Lesson to learn: always shop around for pet health services.
Housebreak Your Dog: If you train your dog to "go" outside of your house, you don't have to waste money buying expensive pee pads and you'll be using less cleaning solvent for the messes that accidentally spill from the pad to the floor.

For more tips to saving on Fido, read after the jump.

9 Secrets to Shrinking Your Medical Bills

Emily Co — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 03:05:29 PDT

Medical bills can be very expensive - the US spends $3 trillion annually on healthcare expenses - but I recently learned from the book 101 Ways to Save Money on Health Care that there are many tricks to shaving off costs. The book is full of advice, and here are some of author Doc Cindy's recommended tips:

Have your doctor choose a medicine from your insurance formulary and bring a copy with you to every visit. Savings: $5 to $50 on a prescription co-pay.
Comparison shop between pharmacies - jeans cost more at one store than another, and so do medications. Savings: $5 to $30.
Get a flu vaccine at your local health department. Savings: $10 to $30.
Take advantage of health fair screening tests for cholesterol testing. Savings: $100.

For more tips, read on.