The healthcare business is a money machine. The media is constantly reporting big breakthroughs in healthcare, with the main focus being on the producer's expected increase in revenues and sharp rises in share price. What these breakthroughs mean to the general public almost appears to be an afterthought.

It's unfortunate that healthcare companies seem to have lost sight of their initial purpose: helping sick people to get better and healthy people to stay that way. But that doesn't mean that the benefits to individuals don't exist. There are many new technologies in process that could mean more personalized care in treatments for cancer, heart disease, asthma and many others.

One such technology, the ability to transport cancer treatment drugs directly to a tumor, has been undergoing research in universities for years. If this method of treatment can be completely worked out, it could mean the end of the toxic and painful current cancer treatments for many people.

Targeted cancer therapy would mean attaching the drug to tiny nano-particles which have been specifically programmed to find and adhere to a malignant tumor in the body. The drug would only affect the cells of the tumor and not the human body. That means that the toxins in the drug could kill off the tumor without harming the person undergoing treatment. Amazing!

One of the most important aspects of successful treatment for almost any disease is, of course, early detection. The research in DNA, protein analysis and nanotechnology has brought us the very real possibility of very early detection.

Research into this technology has brought scientists closer to analyzing even tiny quantities of specialized proteins, called biomarkers, which could point out the existence of certain diseases in blood samples or even single cells. There is much more testing to be done before these tests can be made available to the public but the gap between 'someday' and 'today' is getting smaller. Regardless of profits to any chemical company, this is an awe-inspiring idea and it's within our grasp.

But what can we do in the 'now'? Even when this technology becomes available, it doesn't mean we should stop taking care of ourselves. Most of the diseases that concern the American public, such as obesity, diabetes, heart disease and cancer can be greatly attributed to poor lifestyles.

A nutritious diet, a good exercise regimen, plenty of sleep and a good outlook on life are the keys to a healthy lifestyle. A body that functions as it should and is generally free of pain is the best way to ensure that all of these things work together to give you the best possible health.

Your chiropractor is a good place to start to achieve these goals. Chiropractic care can help your body in attaining - and maintaining - optimal performance. In addition to gentle spinal adjustments and diagnosis of structural problems, your chiropractor can also help you to design a balanced diet that will provide you with a good chance at a healthy, happy lifestyle.



Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Clint_Dickason

The field of medicine and way medicine is practiced has changed significantly in the recent years. Previously the only option available to patients was to see their primary care doctor and then get referrals. Then the patient would go to another doctor, a specialist, and then from that point be referred to either other doctors or treatment providers and then back to their primary care doctor. This way of medical practice can be stressful for the patient who ends up doing a significant amount of coordination between the various medical providers they are getting treated by. The new way of medical care and practice is coordinated and centralized. Medical providers of general practice and specialties are now combined in one location and with one provider.

This type of healthcare treatment is commonly referred to as community healthcare. Momence Illinois healthcare is an example of a community healthcare provider. Patients being treated at a community healthcare center can expect to have treatment by one doctor that is related to and in conjunction with other medical providers. If the patient needs to go to a specialist then the patient will find it easy to get their care coordinated between all the doctors at a community healthcare center.

This type of care at Peotone healthcare is convenient for patients. Treatment at a community healthcare center also means that the patients records are all contained in the same location and accessible by all the different treatment provides the patients sees so long as they are all a part of the community healthcare system. This can be better for the patient who doesn't have to repeat their medical history time and time again with every doctor they see.

Community healthcare centers like Peotone Illinois healthcare also are typically coordinated with a hospital. This means that the patients have access to all the doctors and specialist at the hospital and the community healthcare center. The patient can easily walk into the hospital and feel comfortable knowing these doctors practice similarly to the community healthcare doctors. It is always stressful to go to the hospital but stress can be reduced when you know the doctors at the hospital already have your prior records and can easily get a hold of your other medical doctors.




Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Alice_Lane

Electronic health records are the cornerstone of President Obama's new health care reform plan. The Democratic House and Senate have exercised their power to push through a plan that will establish a functioning electronic health records system in just five years. It will cost billions of dollars to set up but is projected to save billions of dollars in future health care costs. Most people see these savings in large medical institutions and the massive health care machine. We shouldn't forget the smaller organizations throughout the country.

Dwight, Illinois is one of the smaller towns in the United States. With a population of less than 5,000 people, some might consider Dwight the perfect place to raise a family. In fact, the statistics point to that fact. The median income and house price represent a healthy middle-class population. The median age of the residents is just below 40. This is a small town that has a range of health care needs.

Dwight Illinois Hospital is there for them. It has the facilities necessary to treat the population. It is also a facility that could benefit from electronic health records. Smaller health care organizations can't afford to make mistakes and provide inefficient care. They don't maintain the same gargantuan budgets that their counterparts in Chicago, New York or other major cities do. Each error avoided pays off ten-fold at the smaller health care facility.

Major leaders such as President Obama will probably never visit Dwight Hospital. However, everyone will appreciate the benefits achieved through the use of electronic health records. There are other similar towns across the country that will experience bursts in efficiency from this change. Other institutions such as the Watseka Illinois Hospital can minimize errors and streamline care amongst its own 5,000 residents.

Electronic health records provide a seamless communication system between small health care facilities and other institutions across the country. If a small town resident has to visit a larger city, in this case Chicago, for a specialized test. He is no longer saddled with the responsibility of making sure records and information make it to and from the appropriate providers. The computer system already handles the management of data that used to be handled on paper.

In addition to the efficiency, the establishment of an electronic health records system will protect all of our records from accidental destruction. It's a fact that smaller towns are less likely to have safe, secure and offsite backup of their sensitive medical records. One catastrophic event - a fire, a bad storm - could destroy the valuable records of the community. However, with electronic health records, the data is backed up and secured at a variety of locations.

Regardless of the size of the town, electronic health records allow doctors and health care professionals to speak to each other at the same level. The small, single provider institution can exchange data with the large "super hospitals" in the big city. The interested parties can work together on the task of better health rather than wasting time on paperwork.



Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Alice_Lane