My Epiphany as a Doctor: Navigating Today’s Healthcare for My Own Family–Part 2

When the Doctor’s Family Needs Medical Care

My husband Craig had been complaining about his right shoulder hurting the summer of 2017.  To be the spouse of a doctor can be challenging because getting my attention medically can be tough at home.

We had tried conservative care with ice and ibuprofen for months.  We tried cold laser therapy. We even tried steroid injections with minimal relief.  He had significantly modified his activities due to the pain. 

The final straw:  he could no longer play catch with his daughters.

We got an MRI of his shoulder scheduled.  Our cash pricing through our Midwest Direct Primary Care Alliance was $240.00 cash at a local free-standing imaging clinic.

The MRI revealed no full thickness tear of the rotator cuff but there was a partial tear with joint effusion and chronic tendinosis and tendinopathy.

I consulted an orthopedic specialist online through Rubicon MD who recommended surgical evaluation over continued conservative care.

An online referral was started with the Surgery Center of Oklahoma.

In January 2018 Craig was set-up for a surgical consult late Thursday afternoon with anticipated surgery the following Friday morning in Oklahoma City.  We braved the typical January weather from KC to OKC.

After reviewing Craig’s case, the anesthesiologists/owners of the Surgery Center of Oklahoma hand-picked Dr. Couppens as the surgeon.  This former US Olympic team doctor met with Craig and modified the surgical plans with him given the magnitude of adhesive capsulitis(aka frozen shoulder) that had developed.
The next morning we arrived bright and early for surgery.  While Craig was being attended to I got to enjoy the company of Dr. Keith Smith and Dr. Steven Lantier the masterminds behind the Surgery Center of Oklahoma and the pioneers in the movement for price transparency.

The surgery was deemed a success and we drove home later that day.  The road to recovery included lots of rehabilitation over the next several months and we are now happy to report Craig is once again playing catch with his daughters.

 

Ann Riggs, DO

Patient-Driven Affordable Healthcare

 

 

My Epiphany as a Doctor: Navigating Today’s Healthcare for My Own Family–Part 1

Giving up Traditional Health Insurance

I had blogged about them and had seriously considered them–cost sharing plans.

I resisted giving up my traditional health insurance because of the beauty of the triple tax savings with the Health Savings Account(HSA) that I married to my high deductible plan.  I saw such value in that piece that I lost out on the bigger picture–saving money without sacrificing care.

What changed?

I paid for my daughter’s surgery out of pocket in 2016 when the cost for the negotiated insurance pricing was higher than actually just paying cash.

I saved almost $1200 by paying cash.  Click to see the details in my previous blog.

AND

My traditional high deductible healthcare insurance plan I carried in 2016 was increasing from $820.00 per month to $2100.00 per month. 

The plan was not only going up by $1280.00 per month but it offered less coverage and had a higher deductible. 

The decision to move to the cost sharing plan was easy at this point.  We chose to go with Liberty HealthShare

Our cost became $450.00 per month for our family of four and our out-of-pocket portion or unshared amount(deductible) became $1500.00 annually.

Ann Riggs, DO

Patient-Driven Affordable Healthcare

 

Setting the Stage for my Next Blog Series…

My Epiphany as a Doctor: Navigating Today’s Healthcare for My Own Family…coming soon!

 

 

 

Ann Riggs, DO

Patient-Driven Affordable Healthcare

Cold? Flu? What to Do??

Cold? Flu?

What to Do??

This is the time of year that patients come in with many questions about the cold and flu. Should I get the flu shot? What happens if I get the flu? What do I do for the common cold? Though there are many things you can do to avoid catching these nasty viruses this winter, there is one remedy in particular that everyone should know about. Black elderberry has a long history of use in colds, and several studies in humans have shown that black elderberries not only reduce the severity, but also the duration of influenza. As a matter of fact, when the H1N1 flu was going around, the National Institute of Health screened a wide range of natural products to see if they had antiviral activity, and black elderberry ranked very high. Black elderberry has both antiviral and antibacterial properties, having effectiveness against influenza A, influenza B, and several gram positive and negative bacteria. Elderberry can be safe and effective for many of the common respiratory complaints people have during the cold and flu season. It’s safe for children, and safe for adults as well, making elderberry an essential member of your medicine chest this winter. I personally get my elderberry from www.mindfullymadeforyou.com to support local small business!

 

Beckie Moore, APRN

Integrative Medicine Fellow

Patient-Driven Affordable Healthcare

Poison Ivy Prevention–Are you ready to ditch the itch?

Leaves of three, let them be!! Hairy vine, no friend of mine!! Raggy rope, don’t be a dope!! Berries white, run in fright!! Growing up in the midwest, most of us are well informed of this itchy summer issue. We know to avoid the plant, wear protective clothing, and wash the oil off as soon as exposed.

As a young child I was never allergic and spent most of my summers exploring the woods, marveling at the wonders of nature. When I developed a rhus (poison ivy, poison oak, poison sumac) allergy as a young adult, it seriously impacted my enjoyment of the summer!!

Five years ago I heard of a pharmacy in Warsaw, Missouri offering a poison ivy prevention treatment. My husband and I had recently purchased a farm with extensive poison ivy actively growing. I had spent the last 3 summers requiring multiple steroid injections for poison ivy so both of us decided to give this a try.

And it WORKED!! Each year it works even better. Some people get complete immunity. I have never been that lucky but have significant less skin eruption with direct contact of the plant and no spread. I have not required steroid treatment for 4 years now and might get one small blister in the area of direct skin contact with the plant.

This is a homeopathic treatment and does not impact medications or supplements. Poison Ivy Oral Solution is designed to work as a preventative to help protect against getting poison ivy. The cost for members is $40 and the cost for non-members is $60 at Direct Medical Care.  This solution is held in the mouth for 30 seconds and then swallowed. Poison Ivy Solution is best taken between meals. Mint flavored foods or mouthwashes must be avoided 30 minutes to one hour before and after administration. The first dose of the medication should be administered in a physician’s office, the other’s may be taken at home. Patients taking the Poison Ivy Solution during the plant’s active growth phase (late spring and summer) should keep away from the plant until all three vials have been taken.

First dose monitoring in the doctor’s office is related to the active ingredient in the solution. It contains a dilution of the resin of the plant Rhus Toxicdendron. I have not seen a case of allergy to the solution, but it is theoretically possible.

The treatment success I have experienced is part of the reason I pursued integrative medicine. It opened my eyes to the possibilities of alternative treatments. I typically order my own solution in March and will be putting an order in soon.

Are you ready to ditch the itch?

Beckie Moore, Integrative Family Nurse Practitioner

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

More Frazzled Than Dazzled?

Whether you are traveling or hosting the holidays, this time of year brings with it an abundance of stress. Finding the perfect gifts and dealing with difficult family members can, for some, overshadow the reason for the season. Oh, and everyday life keeps on ticking as well.

What can we do to slow down, relax, remain healthy and enjoy??

Try this simple breathing exercise. It’s called the 4-7-8 breath and can actually alter our nervous system. It is calming and relaxing, it is free and it is easy!

First, exhale completely, blow all that stress and frustration OUT.

Second, inhale through your nose to the mental count of 4.

Third, hold your breath for a mental count of 7.

Next, exhale through your mouth to a mental count of 8.

Lastly, repeat this sequence for a total of 4 breath cycles.

I recommend starting and ending your day with this breathing exercise and adding it in any time you feel stressed throughout your day.

This is quick, anyone can do it and it has research proven health/relaxation benefits.

This simple breathing technique can help us erase some of the stress in our busy lives.

The power of the breath! Is it really that easy? Try it and find out. Prepare to be Dazzled!!

—Beckie Moore, Integrative Family Nurse Practitioner

Patient-Driven Affordable Healthcare

Cold Laser Therapy

Cold laser therapy is a novel, non-invasive approach to treating inflammation and promoting healing.

It is FDA approved and has been utilized in America for over 16 years.

Contrary to its name it is not cold at all–it is a pulsatile, low-level laser that will not burn.

 

Cold laser therapy has also been referred to as:

• low-power laser
• low-light therapy
• soft laser
• biostimulation laser
• therapeutic laser
• laser acupuncture

We introduced cold laser therapy in our office over 6 months ago.  We have been impressed with its results for back pain, shoulder pain, elbow pain, heel pain AKA plantar fasciitis, and much more.

The cold laser is thought to work by decreasing inflammation and thus pain by decreasing the following:

• prostaglandin E2
• prostaglandin-endoperoxide synthase 2
• interleukin 1-beta
• tumor necrosis factor-alpha
• neutrophil granulocytes
• oxidative stress
• edema
• bleeding

The greatest advantage is that there are NO serious side effects.  It is a great option to try to avoid medications and surgery.

While insurance is variable on recognizing cold laser therapy as a reimbursable treatment, we are pleased to announce we have had patients receive reimbursement for this service at Direct Medical Care.

 

In as little as 2-4 treatments per week, we have seen 80-90% improvement in symptoms.

 

If no improvement by the 4th treatment alternate treatments can be utilized. Combining therapies can maximize healing and return to health.

Ann Riggs, DO

Patient-Driven Affordable Healthcare