By far, one of the most frequent problems I encounter in the office, and via telephone calls, is diarrhea.  Despite normal bowel movements alternating anywhere between loose and firm, people often become concerned when they have multiple loose stools.  There are several definitions of diarrhea but one of the simplest is

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SHINGLES: Rash of Ages

Presented by Dr. Ivan Castro, Internal Medicine

1850 Greenwich Ave * Winter Park, FL * 32789

www.privatehealthmd.com Ph (407)628-1081

I receive numerous and frequent questions regarding the shingles vaccine and the disease. I have also seen several dramatic cases.

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You’re heading to the community center for an evening game of basketball. Your energy is waning, but on the court you’ll be surrounded by your energetic hoop buddies. You’ll also be surrounded by germs. From bacteria to viruses to fungal infections, gyms, locker rooms and health clubs are breeding grounds for all manner of bugs. “Germs and bacteria are found everywhere, including gyms,” says Jack Foley, ATC, director of sportsmedicine at Lehigh University. “The last thing you want when exercising is to get ill from your gym or exercise facility.” The nature of athletics exposes your skin to a wide range of infectious agents…read more

Extreme Heat: A Prevention Guide to Promote Your Personal Health and Safety

Heat-related deaths and illness are preventable yet annually many people succumb to extreme heat. Historically, from 1979-2003, excessive heat exposure caused 8,015 deaths in the United States. During this period, more people in this country died from extreme heat than from hurricanes, lightning, tornadoes, floods, and earthquakes combined. In 2001, 300 deaths were caused by excessive heat exposure.

People suffer heat-related illness when their bodies are unable to compensate and properly cool themselves. The body normally cools itself by sweating. But under some conditions READ MORE...

Administrative professionals play a significant role in today’s workforce. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 2006, secretaries and administrative assistants held about 4.2 million jobs, ranking among the largest occupations in the U.S. economy. They are employed in a variety of fields, including education, health care, government, retail, manufacturing, construction, and more.

Make health a priority and take steps to live a safer and healthier life during this special week and all year long. Click here for more.

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Seniors are twice as likely to sustain injuries or death in their home. June is home safety month for seniors and a good time to make sure a home where a senior resides is as free from risks as possible. Falls at home may cause serious injuries to the elderly. While every fall or potential hazard cannot be prevented, there are some precautions that can be taken to make sure seniors at home are as safe as possible. Click here to read more…

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) today announced new steps to reduce premiums and make it easier for Americans to enroll in the Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan. Premiums for the Federally-administered Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan (PCIP) will drop as much as 40 percent in 18 States, and eligibility standards will be eased in 23 States and the District of Columbia to ensure more Americans with pre-existing conditions have access to affordable health insurance. The Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan was created under the Affordable Care Act and serves as a bridge to 2014 when insurers will no longer be allowed to deny coverage to people with any pre-existing condition, like cancer, diabetes, and asthma.

For more information on the State of Florida plan, including eligibility, plan benefits and rates, as well as information on how to apply, visit the PCIP site. The PCIP Call Center is open from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. Eastern Time. Call toll-free 1-866-717-5826 (TTY 1-866-561-1604).

As the primary care workforce continues to be strained , new research shows that areas with higher levels of primary care have fewer deaths and preventable hospitalizations, according to a study in The Journal of  the American Medical Association.

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As many of you know, PHMD has experienced multiple problems with our Patient Portal over the past year. Our software vendor has been unresponsive to getting the issued resolved and as a result we have started a Blog to capture you’re frustrations with this feature. Please visit our Blog to share your experiences. We are hopeful that our vendor, eClinicalWorks, will be responsive if they hear from our clients. To post your comments to our Blog, click here.

Fast Facts
• The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is advising consumers, restaurant operators, commercial shippers and processors of shellfish not to eat, serve, purchase, sell or ship oysters from Area 1642 in Apalachicola Bay, Fla. because the oysters may be contaminated with toxigenic Vibrio cholerae serogroup O75.

• Nine persons have been reported with illness. For eight, the illness was confirmed as caused by toxigenic Vibrio cholerae O75; laboratory confirmation is pending in the other person. No one was hospitalized or died.

• All ill persons reported consumption of raw or lightly steamed oysters.

• Traceback indicates that oysters harvested from Area 1642 in Apalachicola Bay, Fla., between March 21 and April 6, 2011, are associated with illness.

• Those who have recently purchased oysters should check with the place of purchase and ask if they were harvested from the affected growing area.

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