Medical Information And Health Insurance

Sejam Satu Wanita Meninggal karena Kanker Serviks

2009-11-02T10:29:00.000-08:00

YOGYAKARTA--Setiap jam satu wanita Indonesia meninggal dunia akibat kanker leher rahim (serviks), sedangkan di Asia Pasifik setiap empat menit, dan di dunia setiap dua menit."Prevalensi kanker serviks di Indonesia mencapai 90-100 kasus per 100 ribu penduduk, di mana ditemukan 200.000 kasus baru setiap tahunnya," kata pakar penyakit kandungan dari Universitas Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta (UMY) Dr Hasto Wardoyo SpOG di Yogyakarta, Senin.

Menurut dia, pada seminar Kanker Serviks dan Pencegahannya, kanker serviks menjadi penyakit kanker terbanyak di negeri ini, dan hampir 70 persen telah mencapai stadium lanjut karena umumnya pasien sudah menderita lebih dari stadium IIB."Wanita Indonesia yang berisiko menderita kanker serviks pada usia 15-61 tahun mencapai 58 juta orang, sedangkan pada usia 10-14 tahun sekitar 10 juta wanita mengalami kasus yang sama," katanya.

Ia mengatakan, perjalanan kanker leher rahim dari pertama kali terinfeksi hingga menjadi kanker memerlukan waktu sekitar 10-15 tahun, sehingga penderita kanker serviks sebagian besar berusia lebih dari 40 tahun."Kanker serviks dapat dialami siapa saja yang pernah berhubungan seksual dengan orang yang terinfeksi Human Papilloma Virus (HPV). Infeksi HPV tidak menunjukkan gejala sehingga tidak disadari kehadirannya, dan dapat bertahan lama meskipun tidak melakukan hubungan seksual lagi," katanya.

Menurut dia, faktor risiko kanker serviks terjadi jika para penderita sering berganti pasangan seksual, melakukan hubungan seksual pada usia kurang dari 20 tahun, kebiasaan merokok, kondisi saat menurunnya sistem kekebalan tubuh, dan adanya riwayat dari ibu maupun saudara perempuan yang terkena kanker serviks sebelumnya."Banyaknya kejadian yang menimpa wanita Indonesia dalam kasus kanker serviks itu dibandingkan dengan para wanita di negara maju, karena kurangnya kesadaran para wanita untuk mencegah berkembangnya penyakit itu," katanya.

Padahal, kanker serviks merupakan salah satu jenis kanker yang paling dapat dicegah dan disembuhkan dari semua jenis kanker, asalkan penyakit tersebut diketahui pada stadium dini, sehingga deteksi dini merupakan hal yang sangat penting.Meskipun pada stadium dini penyakit itu tidak tampak dan tidak dirasakan gejalanya, pada stadium lanjut penderita kanker serviks dapat melihat gejala seperti terjadinya perdarahan setelah melakukan hubungan seksual, munculnya keputihan, perdarahan setelah menopause, keluar cairan kekuningan berbau yang bercampur dengan darah.
"Keberhasilan pengobatan kanker leher rahim besar jika diketahui pada stadium dini," katanya.

Ia mengatakan deteksi dini untuk mencegah kanker serviks dapat dilakukan dengan cara pemberian vaksin secara berkala setiap tiga tahap pemberian, yakni pada bulan ke-0, pertama atau kedua, dan enam. Selain itu, skrining juga menjadi alternatif bagi deteksi dini penyakit tersebut. "Vaksinasi dengan skrining melalui pap-smear bersama-sama dapat mengurangi kejadian kanker serviks secara efektif," katanya. ant/kpo

By Republika Newsroom
Selasa, 03 November 2009 pukul 00:37:00

Indonesia Insurance Information

2008-06-08T15:05:00.000-07:00

Indonesia is a vast archipelago that contains the fourth most populous country in the world and the largest range of biodiversity on the planet. Rife with natural resources, investment opportunity, and fascinating culture, Indonesia's 17,508 islands have been attracting expatriates since its economy began to boom in the early 1980s. Located in Southeast Asia and bordering Malaysia, Papua New Guinea and East Timor, Indonesia is advantageously situated for travel and trade. With both a fascinating contemporary culture and a history that extends back 500,000 years to the time of “Java Man,” Indonesia is one of the most exciting places to visit today.

Some of the oldest Homo erectus fossils were unearthed in Indonesia and named the “Java Man”. The more recent peoples of Indonesia originated from an Austronesian race that likely migrated to the islands of Indonesia from Taiwan Around two millennia ago, Indonesia began to partake in the circuitous trade routes of Southeast Asia. First doing business with China and then with Indian and Middle Eastern merchants, Indonesia embraced outside cultural influences and therefore developed a fascinating culture that enlisted new ideas from all over the world.

Indonesia experienced a “golden age” between the 10th and the 13th centuries. Under a Buddhist and then Hindu leader, Indonesian culture and economy thrived. With Islamist roots that date back to the 13 th century, Indonesia is now the largest Muslim-majority country in the world. While the government emphasizes Indonesian national unity, the multitude of diverse native ethnic groups still maintain their traditions and languages.

European influence in Indonesia dates back to the 17th century, when Portuguese captain Francisco Serrao arrived in the “Spice Islands” seeking cloves and pepper. After the departure of the Portuguese, the Dutch were able to establish a very strong influence in the area, first as a territory of the Dutch East India Company and then as a Dutch colony. Dutch powers remained in Indonesia until World War II, at which point Japan occupied the islands from 1942-1945. After the Japanese surrendered, Sukarno, who had been the primary leader of the Indonesian nationalist movement, installed himself as president and declared independence from the Dutch. The Dutch did not officially cede rule until the end of 1949, after which Indonesia entered into the United Nations as an independent country.

Indonesia's history as an independent entity has been somewhat unstable. Sukarno suffered opposition from a number of political parties, barely surviving a failed coup in 1965. Finally, his main opponent, Suharto, pushed out the president in 1968 and asserted his rule. Since the establishment of Suharto's presidency and his “New Order” national rehabilitation plan, Indonesia has seen an almost uninterrupted period of growth and development.

A main component of Suharto's “New Order” plan has been to encourage international investment in Indonesian industry. Even though it is a Muslim-majority country, Indonesian cities are open and welcoming to Westerners. However, while many parts of Indonesia are accessible, keep in mind that there are still many ways in which Indonesia needs to develop.

In 2006, 17% of Indonesia's population was below the poverty line, and almost 50% lived on less than US$2 per day. The country's public services must vastly develop in order to live up to foreigners' expectations of care. If you are planning to relocate to Indonesia, it is important that you get international insurance coverage so you will be covered in the case of emergency. To receive care from an international medical facility can get expensive, but this is the safest option because some Indonesian hospitals are unable to provide up-to-par medical treatment. Having the security of global insurance will help you adjust to your life in Indonesia, giving you the freedom to explore everything there is to discover.

Moving to Southeast Asia may be daunting, and, for some international families, finding reliable healthcare facilities is the first concern. An international medical insurance plan from Pacific Prime will allow you to have Western-style healthcare that you can afford. The hospitals available for expatriates in Indonesia will provide you with just the type of treatment that you need.

We can give expatriates in Indonesia health insurance plans that will provide total cover in Southeast Asia and the entire globe. Most of our plans have a range of benefits that can be tailored to fit your international requirements. With options such as dental, maternity, out-patient services, and emergency evacuation, you know that you will receive high-quality care all over the world.

For more information about Indonesia international medical insurance that we can provide, or to receive a free quote, please contact one of our expert advisers today.

Health Care Troubles for the Insured?

2008-06-08T15:03:00.001-07:00

According to a recent New York Times article, America has an estimated 48 million uninsured citizens and this number may soon increase due to the economic downturn being felt across the country right now. Not only is this downturn pushing people out of being insured, but it is also dramatically affecting the insured population.

An increasing reality for many of the 158 million citizens that are insured through their employers is that medical costs are becoming unaffordable. Rising prices for food and gasoline are making many Americans think twice about their spending on health care. From another perspective, rising insurance premiums, narrower coverage, and bigger deductible and co-pay requirements are pushing health care prices through the roof. It follows that many insured Americans are not financially prepared for the costs of emergency room visits and necessary surgeries. They are choosing to pay for food and gasoline over necessary doctor visits.

According to consulting and accounting firm Deloitte, nearly one fifth of the average household’s spending goes to health care. Since 2001, health care premiums for families have risen to $3,300 from $1,800 while incomes have not increased enough to cover this change. Another survey by Deloitte points out that less than 10% of American feel they are financially prepared for their future health care needs.

Employers are also feeling the effects of a soft economy. Expenses for health care are skyrocketing and as a result, many employers are passing on these increased costs to their employees. Many have begun pushing for consumer-driven plans where lower premiums come in the form of higher annual deductibles. According to the New York Times article, nearly 6 million Americans are now enrolled in such plans.

With Presidential Elections coming later this year, it should be very interesting to see what remedies each candidate puts for and how the nation responds.

USA healthcare system under serious pressure

2008-06-08T15:01:00.000-07:00

Its no secret that the American healthcare system has some serious issues, from massive underinsurance to high treatment costs, the general outlook is pretty grim, which is why the issue has been a key point in the presidential election race. However, despite the rosy promises from the 3 main candidates the problems are about to get a whole lot worse. The issue is this, 78 million baby boomers (individuals who were born between 1946 and 1964) across the USA are about to reach retirement age and are entering a geriatric healthcare system that is simply not prepared for the patient load that it is about to receive.

As individuals age their propensity for developing a serious illness or chronic condition rise enormously, it is a simple truth that older people need more medical care than younger individuals. With this being common knowledge one would assume that the healthcare system would have adequately prepared for this eventuality, yet the reverse is true; doctors, medical facilities, and most importantly the domestic insurance industry, do not have access to the services required by geriatric patients.

An example of this upcoming fiasco can clearly be seen in California, where state legislature estimates that there is only one specialist geriatric doctor for every 4000 patients over the age of 65. In a situation like that there are going to be some serious problems, mainly pertaining to availability of treatment and quality of care especially when taking into account that a majority of these geriatric ‘specialists’ have received only rudimentary training and that doctors who have been trained in geriatric care are quickly moving to different specialties in search of better pay.

Add to this, already grim scenario, the shortfall in social security, the limited coverage offered by Medicare, and future budget cuts (expected to begin in July of this year), and essentially you are left with a healthcare system that is leaving a large proportion of Americans without the coverage, or treatment, that they deserve, but it doesn’t end there. As the healthcare system struggles to address the problem with the baby boomers other parts of the population will have services denied to them.

So what are the options? How can the system possibly cope with a patient load of this magnitude that will require constant care and attention without suffering? A good start would probably be to totally re-examine the system as it exists today. With millions of individuals either underinsured or with no insurance coverage whatsoever, the highest costs associated with medical treatment in the world, doctors with insufficient training, a high patient to doctor ratio, and a patient load that will increase every year, especially with regards to care intensive conditions (approximately 18% of the baby boomer population, or 14 million people, are expected to develop Alzheimer’s in their lifetime), it is difficult to see what can be done to resolve the matter of a system that is unable to cope with the burdens required of it.

One of the proposed solutions in to create a universal healthcare system that would be heavily subsidized by the government, however with the myriad of problems that currently exist in the system (namely healthcare in the USA being incredibly over burdened already) a universal healthcare service would be incredibly hard to implement. Add to this the wide ranging medical budget cuts, and it becomes evident that there is simply no room to create a national healthcare service providing low-cost, available care, despite the fact that this is tremendously appealing to the American public.

One, potentially, workable idea would be to subsidize the primary physicians as on of the major factors contributing to this situation arising is the extremely poor pay that frontline medical staff receive (half of the medical professionals providing care for the elderly receive less than US$ 9.56 an hour). If this is not workable, then perhaps low cost training could be used as an incentive to bring more qualified professionals to the field, as the training and qualification structure exists right now many doctors and nurses have to undergo extensive testing and, in some states, more than 150 hours on the job practice in order to be considered ‘geriatric qualified’; that’s a lot to ask for such poor reimbursement.

However, when looking at the reasons for this crisis and how it developed, a large amount of the blame seems to lay with Medicare, Medicaid, and the rest of the low-cost, ‘budget’, government backed insurers. By not providing quality coverage, creating absurdly low limits, and placing long lists of exclusions on many policies, these organizations don’t seem to have the interests of their policyholders, or the American public, at heart. Many elderly patients require care from a team, rather than just one medical professional, yet this extremely valuable service is not an included benefit under a Medicare plan, depriving these older policyholders the treatment that they need.

There is no easy or quick fix for the present medical nightmare that is about to hit the USA, all the proposed solutions, and even the possible solutions, will require a large amount of money and a complete shift in the way that Americans obtain their healthcare. All that can be done now is to wait for the major problems to start and address them as they happen, that or purchase an insurance policy from a company not linked to the US government.

Healthcare Crisis in Rural China

2008-06-08T14:58:00.000-07:00

In recent years,

China

has been facing a health care crisis in its rural regions. During

China

’s great Cultural Revolution and the several decades following it, rural health care was in prime form. Nine out of ten country people had access to subsidized health clinics run by government sponsored doctors. From 1952 to 1982, the infant mortality rate fell from 200 per 1,000 live births to only 34. Average life expectancy increased nearly doubled from 35 years of age to 68 years of age.

However, after an age of great development in health care, progress in rural China seems to be reversing. China’s nationwide push towards capitalist ideals has been a large cause of this. While China’s cities are developing at incredible speeds, rural China is being left in the dust. But ignoring these rural areas may end up hurting China as a whole if not dealt with soon.

Today, 79% of rural residents have little or no health insurance. With new capitalistic ideals, China’s hospitals have been told that they now need to finance a larger portion of their expenses themselves (previously, hospitals were heavily subsidized by the government). To cope with this, hospitals are increasing fees for their patients. It follows that out-of-pocket spending for country residents on health care is sky-high.

It is no doubt that China’s economy has been booming. A look at almost any economic measure shows significant progress. For the past 20 years, average annual GDP growth has been a stunning 9.7%. According to the World Bank, China has lifted 400 million people out of poverty in the past two decades.

The trends in economic prosperity and health insurance coverage are on a crash course and it looks as if China’s health care problems could overpower China’s economic growth. Many rural residents who fall ill choose not to seek necessary medical attention. This choice is dangerous and often lethal. Oftentimes, many residents who do chose to seek medical care do so at the expense of living above the poverty line. In other words, the out-of-pocket expenses the rural residents pay, when ill, put them back below poverty. There have been numerous reports of rural citizens using education, food, and living expenses towards medical bills.

Furthermore, the traditional Chinese way of borrowing money from friends and family to pay for expensive medical conditions could become difficult. The working population, alike much of the developed world, is ageing fast and according to some predictions, China will have only two working people per person over 60 years old in 2040 – in other words, there will be fewer working people to borrow from. Currently there are 6.4 people for every person over 60 years old. According to a report by the Centre for Strategic and International Studies, China may be the first country to grow old before it becomes rich.

These obstacles have nation-wide, and even global, health implications too. Many epidemics such as SARS, Bird Flu, and HIV are not easily contained in rural China directly because these areas lack proper health care. In a worst case scenario, it is imaginable that these diseases could become more widespread internationally as a result of poor containment in rural China.

The most effective way to curb this dilemma is to offer affordable health insurance in rural

China

. Increases in national economic prosperity and development can only take

China

so far. Full development into a mature and well-developed country requires a comfortable lifestyle for all of its citizens, or at least accessibility to it. The inability for so many residents to pay for their own health care and well being does not make for a comfortable lifestyle. Thus providing adequate healthcare to all of its citizens is one area

China

will need to master before it can be labeled well-developed.

Hong Kong Healthcare Reform; a worldwide issue

2008-06-08T14:55:00.000-07:00

Hong Kong, a city internationally renowned for its high standard of living, quality social services, and its attraction as a global tourism destination, is facing a crisis when it comes to the provision of local healthcare services. This issue is this; Hong Kong is one of the most expensive places to seek medical treatment in the world, in fact according to many insurance companies Hong Kong is tied with

Israel

for second place in terms of most expensive healthcare costs, just behind the

USA

. Offering high quality public healthcare services that are heavily subsidized by the government has allowed this reputation to continue in recent years, yet the Government of the SAR is starting to feel the pressure on the budget with billions of dollars being spent on healthcare every year, with the actual figure of healthcare expenditure set to rise by 2011 to HK$ 48 billion (US$ 6.15 billion).

This is a serious issue for Hong Kong, and contributing to an already grim situation is the fact that the number of elderly persons in the city is expected to double by 2028, couple this with the elderly’s increased need for healthcare and general medical inflation around the world and it becomes fairly obvious that this is a situation that needs addressing. In fact, when examined closer it seems that the problems that Hong Kong is experiencing are running along the same lines as those associated with the American healthcare system, namely that large amounts of money are being spent for little or no return while the overall cost of medical services and treatment continues to rise at the fastest rate ever.

The solutions being proposed in the most recent public consultation on healthcare in Hong Kong are extremely varied. Ranging from purely out-of-pocket payment to personal healthcare reserve, the 6 options all have their pros and con’s and a number of these choices sound like some of the ones being thrown around by American political parties in the primary elections. Below is a brief outline of the various options being suggested in Hong Kong:

Out of Pocket Payments

This option, as the name suggests, is fairly straight forward. An out-of-pocket healthcare scheme would force all but the poorest Hong Kong residents to pay for their treatment out-of-pocket. However, under this option the government would continue to subsidize public healthcare services and slightly raise the prices associated with all treatments. So while members of the public would see medical costs rise, the overall cost of medical treatments would still remain relatively low.

Social health insurance

A social, or national, health insurance scheme would force members of the work force to contribute a pre-determined percentage of their monthly salary towards the public healthcare system. This is an initiative that is already in place in a number of other countries and one that has experienced a large amount of success around the world. However the major complaint the Hong Kong population has with this proposal is that it would be in addition to a number of taxes already in effect. Currently middle class citizens in Hong Kong have to pay a 15% income tax and a 5% mandatory provident fund tax (forced retirement fund). The introduction of a social health insurance scheme would see an additional monthly tax of 5%, bringing the annual middleclass tax rate up to 25%, an extremely large amount for a place with a worldwide reputation for relatively low taxes.

The major benefit with this proposal however, would be with regards to the fact that medical costs will continue to remain low, and people will not have to delve into their personal finances in order to receive quality treatment.

Medical Savings Account

This option would work along the lines of a disaster relief fund. A specific portion of the Hong Kong population (namely the lower and middle classes) would be required to contribute money into a specially created fund in order to meet any future medical costs. People with these accounts will have the option to invest the money that they save, much along the lines of the Mandatory Provident Fund scheme, and all monies accrued in the fund can be used to pay insurance premiums, so in actuality this type of proposal is extremely flexible and comprehensive. However it does not address the issue that many employees in Hong Kong receive health insurance coverage through their job, so an enforced extra account would hurt their monthly salaries, much in the same way as the social health insurance idea.

A medical savings account could potentially be an extremely effective solution. However individuals should be able to ‘opt out’ if they so choose. In order to do so they should have to prove that they have coverage through some other means, or in the case of many expatriates living in the city, that they will not remain in Hong Kong for long enough for this scheme to be of any practical use. Outside of this the medical savings account proposal would still create a higher ‘tax’ if you will as individuals must contribute.

Voluntary Private Health Insurance

Hong Kong has an extremely vibrant insurance industry, and this proposal would involve creating incentives for individuals to obtain private health insurance rather than depend on the government funded public healthcare services. Giving individuals a dollar-for-dollar tax break on all health insurance premiums would help to ensure that Hong Kong residents obtain more protection without actually hurting their own finances to the extent of the other reform ideas.

A voluntary insurance scheme, with incentives (such as tax breaks etc.), would ease the pressure on the government in terms of funding, ensure that a large portion of the Hong Kong population is able to receive coverage under their own health insurance, and create a safety net for an aging population. The other direction that could be taken with this idea is to force employers to provide their employees with some form of medical coverage, so in the event of a catastrophic situation the burden of provision would be taken off an already strained healthcare system

Mandatory Private Health Insurance

This proposal would force every Hong Kong resident to obtain health insurance, much like the previous ‘voluntary’ idea, but on a ‘must do’ scale. While the suggestion of health insurance is good, it is the mandatory part that potentially creates the issue. If this scheme were enforced then there would most likely be the creation of ‘preferred’ health insurance providers, much in the same way that there are only a certain number of MPF funds. This would stagnate the thriving Hong Kong insurance industry in addition to creating insurance policies that only cover the most basic necessities.

One of the questions asked with the ‘mandatory’ health insurance scheme is with regards to regulation and what will be done to ensure that adequate coverage is provided. Not every individual will be able to afford the better quality plans, and this could potentially lead to a whole host of individuals who are ‘under insured’, a problem that the USA is experiencing at the moment, and this is something that will contribute to even more issues with the Hong Kong healthcare service.

Personal Healthcare Reserve

The personal healthcare reserve proposal is a mixture of the Medical Savings Account idea and the mandatory health insurance initiative. This proposal would require a specific portion of the Hong Kong population to deposit savings into a personal account which would then cover the costs of private health insurance before and after retirement. These accounts would be linked to investment options with a view to building up capital for a person’s retirement and thereby creating a ‘retirement healthcare fund’. In this sense the Personal healthcare reserve idea is extremely similar to the MPF scheme as the goal is to force individuals to set aside healthcare funds for their retirement.

So there you have it, the 6 ideas currently being floated in regards to reforming the Hong Kong healthcare system. Essentially these changes are only targeting the middle and upper classes of society as the government has promised that it will retain its commitment to low-income and underprivileged elements of Hong Kong society. However the proposals as they stand at the moment will potentially have a massive impact across all of Hong Kong.

It is not only Hong Kong that is experiencing these types of issues, the costs associated with medical treatment around the world have been getting more expensive, and medical inflation is at an all time high. Nations that run a national healthcare system, and nations that operate on open market ideals alike are facing trouble, and although Hong Kong may not have the answer, it is starting to look at the problem before it becomes even more of an issue.

Health Care Troubles for the Insured?

2008-06-08T14:53:00.000-07:00

With Presidential Elections coming later this year, it should be very interesting to see what remedies each candidate puts for and how the nation responds.

Hong Kong Department of Health Primary Health Care Services

2008-06-08T14:49:00.000-07:00

Family Health

The Family Health Service of the Department of Health provides a comprehensive range of health promotion and disease prevention services for children from birth to five years and women aged 64 or below. The service operates through 50 Maternal and Child Health Centres (MCHCs) and three Woman Health Centres (WHCs). Anticipatory guidance on child-care and parenting are provided for parents and care-givers to bring up healthy and well-adjusted children. Immunisation, health assessment and developmental surveillance services are offered to children at MCHCs. Antenatal, postnatal and family planning services are provided for women of child-bearing age. About 44 per cent of expectant mothers and 94 per cent of newborns attended MCHCs in 2003. The Woman Health Service is available in the three WHCs and 10 MCHCs, providing health education, counselling and appropriate screening service to women aged 64 or below.

The government-subvented Family Planning Association of Hong Kong runs eight clinics, three youth health care centres, a mobile clinic, a mobile library, a reference library and seven women's clubs. The services encompass fertility regulation, women's health check-up, pre-marital and pre-pregnancy preparation, menopause service, subfertility service, youth counselling and men's health check-up. A Cervical Disease Clinic was opened in 2003. The association also offers family life education and sexuality education, and organises outreaching activities and publicity campaigns to advocate and promote responsible parenthood, and sexual and reproductive health among individuals, families and the community.

Student Health

The Student Health Service of the Department of Health places emphasis on health promotion, disease prevention and continuity of care. Its 12 student health service centres and three special assessment centres provide health assessment, health education and individual health counselling to all primary and secondary school students. The Adolescent Health Programme was introduced in the 2002-03 school year to promote psychosocial health in secondary schools. School health inspectors visit schools regularly regarding environmental hygiene and sanitation. School health officers and nurses advise on the control of communicable diseases and organise immunisation campaigns.

Elderly Health

The Department of Health provides Elderly Health Services through 18 elderly health centres and 18 visiting health teams to enhance primary health care for the elderly, improve their self-care ability, encourage healthy living and strengthen family support so as to minimise illness and disability. Elderly health centres provide an integrated health service including health assessment, physical check-up, counselling, curative treatment, and health education to people aged 65 and above. Visiting health teams reach into the community and residential care settings to conduct health promotion activities for the elderly and to provide training to carers to enhance their health knowledge and skills in caring for the elderly.

Clinics

The Department of Health operates 20 methadone clinics, 19 tuberculosis and chest clinics, 10 social hygiene clinics, five dermatology clinics, three clinical genetic clinics, seven child assessment centres and other clinic services. About 10 million visits to clinics were recorded in 2003. During the year, 59 general out-patient clinics operated by the department were transferred to the Hospital Authority to enhance integration of primary and specialist care.

Apart from public service facilities, members of the community may seek medical treatment from the private sector, which includes medical practitioners working in private practices and 178 clinics registered under the Medical Clinics Ordinance.

Dental Health

Preventive services are delivered through the School Dental Care Service of the Department of Health which provides annual dental examination and basic dental care to about 436 000 children annually. A 24-hour interactive voice response system at the telephone hotline provides voice and fax information on the service and on oral health. The Department of Health monitors the level of fluoridation in the communal water supply in order to reduce dental decay among the population.

Specialist oral health care services are provided to hospital patients and those with special oral health needs. In addition, there are 11 designated dental clinics which provide emergency dental service to the public.

Globalsurance has extensive knowledge of international medical insurance for expats living all over the world including Hong Kong. We are here to help you choose the most suitable Hong kong International Health Insurance plan that is best suited to your needs.

Globalsurance is an independent medical and international health insurance advisor. We offer free quotations and advice to clients throughout the World. If you are planning to travel or live abroad, we can offer you advice to match your international health insurance needs.

International Health Insurance Advice

2008-06-08T14:38:00.000-07:00

Globalsurance is an independent International medical insurance and international health insurance advisor. We offer free quotations and advice to clients all around the World. As the World's largest Global Health Insurance brokers we have expert knowledge on the full range of medical plans available and can select and advise you on the best plan. We are experts on Global Health Insurance and expatriate health insurance plans and can find the right plan for you.

Globalsurance focuses on delivering the right protection and professional customer service and claim support, we represent the clients' interest not the insurer.
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Feasting on the Four Food Groups - A Mesothelioma Patient's Guide to Nutrition

2008-05-29T13:30:00.003-07:00

At some point during our childhood we have all been told to eat our vegetables. Forcing down tasteless green beans and Brussels sprouts were supposed to make us taller and stronger. Well, so it is for mesothelioma patients. Diet is often an overlooked subject for cancer patients, but eating the right nutritional foods for strength and energy is just as important as taking the proper medication.

Mesothelioma patients undergoing treatment must follow a special cancer diet devised by their nutritionists. Cancer diets involve eating the correct amounts of protein and calories as well as drinking the right amount of water to keep the ailing body replenished and energized. The body needs plenty of nourishment when it is going through chemotherapy or even when the patient is taking certain medications.

Doctors and nutritionists may also recommend a special cancer diet because many mesothelioma patients tend to lose their appetites due to worry over their condition. Also, those who are undergoing treatment may choose not to eat because of the unpleasant side effects they may experience. Chemotherapy, for example, and even some particular medications may cause an imbalance of nutrients that must be corrected in order to keep the body as strong as possible and to keep the patient from losing an excessive amount of weight. Other side effects of mesothelioma treatment include nausea, vomiting, dry mouth, a change in the sense of smell or taste, and/or constipation.

Below are some of the important nutrients patients are encouraged to include in their mesothelioma diet:

Protein is important for any cancer patient because it helps repair tissue damaged by surgery, chemotherapy, or radiation. Protein also helps maintain a strong and healthy immune system, lowering a mesothelioma patient’s risk of infection after aggressive cancer treatments. The National Cancer Institute recommends increasing protein in a cancer diet with cheese, milk, ice cream, yoghurt, eggs, nuts, peanut butter, meats and fish.

Fats are an essential part of the cancer diet because they supply the body with the necessary energy it needs while undergoing treatment. The amount of fats (meaning the number of calories) a cancer diet should consist of is dependent on a mesothelioma patient’s age and body size. The National Cancer Institute recommends increasing caloric intake with such foods as butter, milk, cheese, honey, sugar, granola and dried fruits.

Water is another essential element of the cancer diet. Without a substantial amount of water, the body will dehydrate. It is important that anyone undergoing cancer treatment receive enough water to keep their bodies hydrated and replenished.

The details of every patient’s mesothelioma diet will vary. Some patients will need to incorporate more fat into their diets, while others may need more protein. It is important that patients devise a cancer diet under the guidance of their doctor and nutritionist to ensure that they receive the proper amount of nutrients to improve their quality of life.

Privacy Policy

2008-05-11T13:49:00.000-07:00

Privacy Policy for http://medical-in.blogspot.com

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At http://medical-in.blogspot.com, the privacy of our visitors is of extreme importance to us. This privacy policy document outlines the types of personal information is received and collected by http://medical-in.blogspot.com and how it is used.

Log Files
Like many other Web sites, http://medical-in.blogspot.com makes use of log files. The information inside the log files includes internet protocol ( IP ) addresses, type of browser, Internet Service Provider ( ISP ), date/time stamp, referring/exit pages, and number of clicks to analyze trends, administer the site, track user’s movement around the site, and gather demographic information. IP addresses, and other such information are not linked to any information that is personally identifiable.

Cookies and Web Beacons
http://medical-in.blogspot.com does use cookies to store information about visitors preferences, record user-specific information on which pages the user access or visit, customize Web page content based on visitors browser type or other information that the visitor sends via their browser.

Some of our advertising partners may use cookies and web beacons on our site. Our advertising partners include Google Adsense, Commission Junction, Widget Bucks, Adbrite, Clickbank, Azoogle, Chitika, Linkshare, Amazon, Kontera.

These third-party ad servers or ad networks use technology to the advertisements and links that appear on http://medical-in.blogspot.com send directly to your browsers. They automatically receive your IP address when this occurs. Other technologies ( such as cookies, JavaScript, or Web Beacons ) may also be used by the third-party ad networks to measure the effectiveness of their advertisements and / or to personalize the advertising content that you see.

http://medical-in.blogspot.com has no access to or control over these cookies that are used by third-party advertisers.

You should consult the respective privacy policies of these third-party ad servers for more detailed information on their practices as well as for instructions about how to opt-out of certain practices. http://medical-in.blogspot.com's privacy policy does not apply to, and we cannot control the activities of, such other advertisers or web sites.

If you wish to disable cookies, you may do so through your individual browser options. More detailed information about cookie management with specific web browsers can be found at the browsers' respective websites.