Heartburn or GERD can Kill

Heartburn is a common annoyance. The busy lifestyle, quick meals, fatty or spicy foods all contribute to the occasional need of a chewable pain reliever. The acceptance of heartburn as an inconvenient, but natural, part of the daily grind can blind you to the warning that a severe heartburn symptom can bring.

Heartburn as a Disorder

Heartburn can be a symptom as well as a disorder. Simple heartburn or GERD can be controlled and dealt with. However, heartburn can signal the presence of a much more serious problem. If it’s heartburn, you will have a burning sensation in the chest usually after eating. There may be a spread of the burning to the throat, sometimes accompanied by a bad taste, difficulty in swallowing, belching, coughing, hoarseness and/or wheezing.

It can become worse by lying down or bending over or by eating. Relief can come from an antacid. While the more severe heartburn symptoms may be mistaken for a heart attack, simple heartburn is usually not made worse by exercise. If there is any concern that the pain may signal a heart attack, get help quickly.

Friday, July 17, 2009

Using Credentialing Software to Stay Up-to-date on Standards

By Hansel McDonough

The whole physician credentialing verification can really become complicated. It's not simply keeping track of certificates and licenses, but also involves knowledge of a physician's performance. Also, OPPE standards say that all of it has to be reviewed regularly.

Credentialing software is by far the superior way to meet all those goals. By having all the information in just one place, credentialing is simpler because it aids the hospital in knowing when to collect information, and what to collect.

All information about a doctor is entered into the software, and copies of his licenses and certificates are scanned in. As a result, a hospital can see at a glance what duties a doctor is capable of performing. Up to three months before his licenses expire, the system lets the hospital know.

But credentialing software keeps track of more than just credentials. It makes it simple to write a report about a doctor. In addition, the system lets the hospital know when this information needs to be reviewed.

When something happens that knocks the doctor out of compliance with expectations, he receives a flag on his case. This occurs so that fellow physicians or hospital employees can know his case standing on the system. Additionally, the hospital may see if they can help in any way.

Credentialing software has the ability to take the forms that are already contained within the system and enter information automatically into them about any physician you would like. If for some reason the form you need is not already in the system, it will aid you in creating it and saving it within the system.

When a meeting needs to be scheduled at anytime, the program can facilitate it. All that needs to happen is the credentialing committee members sign in, look at the information, and vote. This makes things much easier and saves on paper.

You can also keep track of earned CME credits with the software. Not only does credentialing software allow to you view how many have been earned, but how many are needed by the doctor or anybody else around the hospital. When a hospital takes advantage of this software, they will be current on all credentialing, privileging and also OPPE standards.

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