Becoming an Informed Consumer

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Chapter Fourteen Chapter Fourteen

Becoming an Informed Becoming an Informed Health Care ConsumerHealth Care Consumer


Sources of Health Sources of Health InformationInformation• Family and friendsFamily and friends• Advertisements and Advertisements and commercialscommercials

• Labels and directionsLabels and directions• Folklore Folklore • TestimonialsTestimonials• Mass mediaMass media• Health practitionersHealth practitioners• Online computer servicesOnline computer services


Sources of Health Sources of Health Information Information (cont.)(cont.)• Health reference Health reference publicationspublications

• Reference librariesReference libraries• Consumer advocacy groupsConsumer advocacy groups• Voluntary health agenciesVoluntary health agencies• Government agenciesGovernment agencies• Qualified health educatorsQualified health educators


Why People Consult Why People Consult Health Care ProvidersHealth Care Providers• Diagnosis of a health problemDiagnosis of a health problem• Treatment of a health problemTreatment of a health problem• Screening for potential problemsScreening for potential problems• Consultation about a health concernConsultation about a health concern• Prevention of disease processesPrevention of disease processes


Physicians and Their Physicians and Their TrainingTraining

• Primary care physiciansPrimary care physicians•Health care providers who see Health care providers who see patients on a routine basispatients on a routine basis

•Often focus on preventive careOften focus on preventive care• PhysiciansPhysicians•Doctor of Medicine (MD)Doctor of Medicine (MD)•Doctor of Osteopathy (DO)Doctor of Osteopathy (DO)


Complementary, Alternative, Complementary, Alternative, and Integrative Care and Integrative Care PractitionersPractitioners• ChiropracticChiropractic

• Manual manipulation of the vertebral Manual manipulation of the vertebral column to relieve misalignments and column to relieve misalignments and cure illnesscure illness

• Third-largest health profession in Third-largest health profession in the U.S.the U.S.

• Medical training largely mirrors Medical training largely mirrors that of primary care physicians that of primary care physicians

• May work within conventional medical May work within conventional medical groups on postural conditionsgroups on postural conditions


Complementary, Alternative, Complementary, Alternative, and Integrative Care and Integrative Care Practitioners Practitioners (cont.)(cont.)

• Acupuncture Acupuncture • Insertion of fine needles Insertion of fine needles into the body to alter into the body to alter electroenergy fields electroenergy fields

• Balance forces within the Balance forces within the body to strengthen qibody to strengthen qi

• Manipulative Practices Manipulative Practices • Massage, reflexology, Massage, reflexology, rolfing, etc.rolfing, etc.

• Homeopathy Homeopathy • Use of minute doses of Use of minute doses of herbs, minerals, or other herbs, minerals, or other substances to stimulate substances to stimulate healinghealing


Complementary, Alternative, Complementary, Alternative, and Integrative Care and Integrative Care Practitioners Practitioners (cont.)(cont.)• Naturopathy Naturopathy

• Emphasis on the use of natural agents Emphasis on the use of natural agents to correct underlying imbalancesto correct underlying imbalances

• Herbalism Herbalism • Use of herbal preparations for Use of herbal preparations for treatmenttreatment

• Therapeutic touchTherapeutic touch• Biofield therapyBiofield therapy

• Ayurveda Ayurveda • Traditional Indian medicineTraditional Indian medicine• Treatment directed toward the Treatment directed toward the elimination of impuritieselimination of impurities


National Center for National Center for Complementary and Alternative Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM)Medicine (NCCAM)

• Provides framework for well-Provides framework for well-controlled research into controlled research into effectiveness of alternative effectiveness of alternative approaches to medicineapproaches to medicine

• Information available onlineInformation available online• http://http://nccam.nih.govnccam.nih.gov


Restricted-Practice Restricted-Practice Health Care ProvidersHealth Care Providers• Dentists (DDS)Dentists (DDS)• Psychologists (PhD/EdD)Psychologists (PhD/EdD)• Podiatrists (DPM)Podiatrists (DPM)• Optometrists (OD)Optometrists (OD)• Opticians Opticians

• Technicians under the scope of Technicians under the scope of optometrists/ophthalmologistsoptometrists/ophthalmologists

• Nurse professionals (APN, RN, Nurse professionals (APN, RN, LPN)LPN)

• Allied health care professionalsAllied health care professionals


Self-Care/Self-Care/Home CareHome Care

• A trend toward individuals taking A trend toward individuals taking increased responsibility for increased responsibility for prevention/management of certain health prevention/management of certain health conditionsconditions

• Benefits are:Benefits are:• Reduced costsReduced costs• Effective care for particular conditionsEffective care for particular conditions• Frees up time for medical specialists to Frees up time for medical specialists to spend with other patientsspend with other patients

• Increased interest in health-related Increased interest in health-related activitiesactivities


Health Care FacilitiesHealth Care Facilities

• Types of Types of hospitalshospitals• PrivatePrivate• PublicPublic• VoluntaryVoluntary

• Other Other facilities facilities include:include:• Nursing homesNursing homes• Rehabilitation Rehabilitation centerscenters

• Private Private clinics/centersclinics/centers


Health Care Costs and Health Care Costs and ReimbursementsReimbursements• Health insuranceHealth insurance

• Group versus individual plansGroup versus individual plans• High-deductible health plans with health High-deductible health plans with health savings accountssavings accounts

• Medicare and Medicaid Medicare and Medicaid • Health maintenance organizations Health maintenance organizations (HMO)(HMO)

• Extended or long-term care insuranceExtended or long-term care insurance• Access to health careAccess to health care

• 46+ million uninsured Americans46+ million uninsured Americans


Health-Related Health-Related ProductsProducts• Prescription drugsPrescription drugs• Research and development of Research and development of new drugsnew drugs• Long processLong process

• Generic drugsGeneric drugs• Over-the-counter drugs Over-the-counter drugs


New Drug Development and New Drug Development and ApprovalApproval


Prescription vs. Over-Prescription vs. Over-the-Counter Drugs (OTC)the-Counter Drugs (OTC)• Prescription drugs must be Prescription drugs must be ordered for patients by a ordered for patients by a licensed practitioner licensed practitioner

• Active ingredient is typically Active ingredient is typically a higher concentration than OTCa higher concentration than OTC

• Price is much higher than OTCPrice is much higher than OTC• Both are sold as brand name and Both are sold as brand name and genericgeneric

• Both are regulated by the FDABoth are regulated by the FDA


Over-the-Counter Drug LabelOver-the-Counter Drug Label


Health Care Consumer Health Care Consumer FraudFraud• Earning money by marketing Earning money by marketing

• Inaccurate health information Inaccurate health information • Unreliable health care Unreliable health care • Ineffective health products Ineffective health products


Chapter Fourteen: Chapter Fourteen: Becoming an Informed Health-Care Becoming an Informed Health-Care ConsumerConsumer

Becoming an Informed Consumer

Health & Medicine