Have you moved offices or changed practices within the last few years?  Added on new physicians?  Google your practice and see how many sites have the wrong information on you.  Patients and referring offices need to be able to find you quickly.  It takes months and even years for online services to pick up new office locations.  We strongly recommend manually updating the following sites that are most used for locating physicians:             

• www.Healthgrades.com                                            
• www.Vitals.com
• www.UComparehealth.com
• www.Vimo.com
• www.Healthline.com
• www.Healthcare.com
• www.Wellness.com
• www.Bing.com 
• www.WebMD.com
• www.Yellowpages.com

While you are at it, you can also add logos, web links, photos, and practice information to many of these sites.  It’s an easy way to showcase the practice.  But, if the thought of all that boggles you down, just update the most vital information like phone number and address. 

In addition, set up a Google alert for each doctor and the practice.  These will alert you to any other sites that may have their information listed, as well as any internet posts containing their names or the practice name.

 In addition to the normal things that would help maintain referrals, like good patient care and customer service, a few additional hints are offered. 

Get a printed physician directory for the main hospitals that you are on staff at, preferably with pictures.  If there isn’t a published one, print it from the hospital website.   This is a good resource for being able to put a face with a name. It will allow the doctor to be able to personally thank those physicians for the referrals or update them on a patient when she runs into them in the doctor’s lounge or on the floor.  It can also help avoid the embarrassing situation when the other physician knows you, but you don’t know who they are. 

When a referring physician calls your office, call them back right away.  Same goes for their staff.  Try to work their patients in as quickly as possible and offer them the back line number to call.  Also, it’s nice for them to have a point-of-contact in your office that they can reach out to if there is ever an issue or a need, such as an emergent patient, or even a patient with a billing issue.  And, if you are comfortable doing so, give them your cell phone number.

One of the biggest complaints we hear from primary care physicians is that they make a referral and then don’t know what happens to their patient. It is important to follow-up with the primary care doctors by getting reports back to them quickly and for something urgent, making a phone call. A primary care doctor deserves to know right away if their patient is admitted or is given a major diagnosis. It is unfair for them to find out from the patient, and is embarrassing for them.  

Additionally, if a specialist needs to refer the patient to another physician, it’s recommended to call the primary care doctor to the let them know and ask if they have any preferences. This is also something that can be covered in a quick face-to-face visit in the hallway or lounge, as some want to be involved in referrals and others don’t.

These are small acts, but certainly keep the primary care doctors from feeling like they are left in the dark. It shows them that their patients and their referrals are valued.

Tags: Increase Referral Volume, Marketing

How many dozens of forms does your practice have?  Were they developed over the years by different people?  Are they photocopied?  Do they have the practice logo on them?

Prescription pads, fax cover sheets, and forms from the practice need to be consistent and have the right look.  Be careful that they follow the same style as other marketing pieces, even though they can certainly be in black & white and on more economical paper. Imagine a patient visiting the website, having a great experience with the doctor, but then the imaging form has words crossed out, has been copied multiple times, and the practice name is listed incorrectly.  Overlooking small details such as this can devalue the overall brand.

So, how does a practice get started?  I suggest starting with a Form party.  During a down-time like the physician’s half day off or even a weekend, cater in food and have all the staff collaborate to determine which forms need to be addressed. Any forms that are seen outside the internal staff need to be included.  Electronic copies are king, but hard copies work too.  Once all the forms are gathered, this is the time to see if any can be consolidated or need to be edited.  Get all of this done before having them designed.  And, think through if it would be beneficial to have them in another language as well.

It’s definitely worth hiring a professional to oversee the design of the forms.  They’ll need a high resolution logo for the practice and copies of all the existing forms.  If there are existing marketing pieces, samples of those will help inspire the design.  Have them a draft a few to review. Once approved, then they can dive into all the forms.  Be sure the practice owns all the original files.  This way, if edits ever need to be made, the files will be available.

It’s remarkable how nice all the “paperwork” in the office will look after this project.  I find with my clients that they don’t really see the value in streamlining the forms, but trust me that it’s a good choice.  Then, they are always impressed after they see them. 

Here are a few examples:

• Tuscan Cardiovascular Center - Cardiology practice that had over 30 different forms, script pads, fax cover, patient sign-in, etc. Revamped forms in conjunction with branding the practice.
• Surgical Group of North Texas - Surgical practice that needed forms in both English and Spanish, as well as script pads, fax cover sheet, etc.  Also have two other practices within the practice that was able to use the same forms after swapping out logos and practice names.

Oh, and after all the forms look amazing, be sure to put them on the website so patients can fill them out ahead of time.  It’s a patient satisfier and is just expected these days.  Best of luck cleaning up your forms.  Email me if you need help finding a designer, translation company, or anything else.

Tags: Forms, Marketing

Have you ever called the main line at your office to see how it is answered? Are you placed on hold? Is your staff friendly? Can you understand what they say?

The voice on the other end of the phone is often a patient’s first interaction with your office. They start forming an opinion of the physician based on this experience. So, let’s make it a great one!  Use this list of “Dos” and “Don’ts” to improve the impression of your office.

DO:
-Answer the phone with the practice name, the person’s name, and “how may I help you?” Ex: “Dr. Baker’s office, this is Suzy.  How may I help you?”
-Speak slowly and clearly.
-Smile while on the phone. It sounds silly, but it works.  Put a mirror in front of staff answering phone so they can be sure they are smiling.
-Consider developing a phone script to help staff answer common questions.  The script could also include key words that alert staff that a call may be urgent.
-Develop a voicemail script and have each staff member create their own voicemail recording.  Return messages by the end of the day.
-Limit the amount of time callers are put on hold.  If they must be put on hold, add value to that time by educating them about your practice. See tips here.
-Call the office occasionally to ensure that staff is consistently answering appropriately.
-Encourage staff and compliment them for being friendly on the phone.

DON’T:
-Answer the phone with just the doctor’s name/clinic name.
-Greet the caller so quickly that they can’t understand what was said.
-Ever, ever answer the phone with “hold please.”  If a caller absolutely must be put on hold before finding out what they need, at least use the aforementioned greeting with “will you please hold?” in the place of “how may I help you?”
-Transfer a caller to voicemail without letting them know that the person they are calling for is unavailable. Ask if someone else could help them.
-Use an automated system if it can be avoided.  A friendly human being is always appreciated much more than a phone tree.

Answering the phone should be common sense. Be friendly. Speak clearly. Treat callers like their time and call are important.

Tags: Customer Service, Marketing

As I was rummaging through my “to do” box, I found some notes from an ACHE North Texas Education event that I attended back in March. The title of the event was Reinventing Customer Service in Healthcare. Here are a few ideas:

-When a nurse/MA walks into a room, introduce themselves with a real introduction. “Hi my name is X. I’ve been here X years (or have X years experience in X). I have a special interest in X.

-Have a boot camp for service-challenged employees. If that doesn’t help their service skills, help them find another job.

-For doctor’s offices, use service recovery to discover patterns such as cancelled clinic appointments and clinic running more than 30 minutes late.  Then, get to the bottom of the issue.

-For hospitals, know what patients want.  Follow luxury hotels/car dealers.  Keep up with patient wants such as bottled water vs. glass of water, wheel chair, extra blankets, and nurse preferences. 

-Also for hospitals, use status screens in the OR waiting room.  Blind patient names by using a screen name or code.  This way, families know what is going on and don’t have to continually ask. 

We all know service matters.  And, we also know that most healthcare entities stink at it.  Pick one service strategy and implement it this quarter, this month, or even today.  And then, pick another.

This, among other reasons is why every company needs graphic standards.  And, the rational for requesting a printed sample.  I’m not an artist or a printer, but I’ve sure learned from my mistakes.  Here’s a few things I wished I had known 10 years ago.

Graphic standards define how your logo, name, and brand may be used.  They define color combinations, placement, and essentially protect your identity from being diluted.  One of the many components of graphic standards is color.  They’ll almost always list the PMS numbers and sometimes the CMYK and RGB combinations.  This takes the guesswork out of colorization for vendors because these are standard combinations.  They know how to do PMS 208 rather than just trying to match a sample (although I think providing a sample is always a good idea). 

Now, once you have the PMS number, is it going to be perfect?  Maybe.  Maybe not.  But it’s a great starting place.  It does get more complicated. Depends if it’s coated/uncoated, how much the paper absorbs, etc.  This is where I believe  a sample becomes important – both a sample of what you are trying to match and a printed sample of the end product.  Having a sample printed may cost you, but if it’s important that the project be perfect, it’s worth the expense.  This is easier with a collateral piece than say a mug.  Get a printed sample when you can…you won’t regret it.  And, if you can’t, provide them a sample of what you are trying to match and cross your fingers.

One other pearl of wisdom, find good artists, printers, vendors that you trust and they’ll help walk you through the process.  If they don’t want to take the time to help you find that perfect color or figure out why your maroon logo is turning out pink, move on.  Someone else will!

Tags: Brand Integrity, Graphic Standards

Lake Pointe Medical Center is currently looking for Internal Medicine physicians to join their team. The selected physician can chose from several different practice options. One practice would be joining 1 other internal medicine physician that does both inpatient and outpatient medicine. Another opportunity would be for an internal medicine physician that would like to be a Hospitalist. Income guarantee and relocation.

They are located in Rowlett, Texas just 25 miles northeast of downtown Dallas. Primary draw area population is 400,000. Lake Ray Hubbard is the place to be with water skiing, sailing, and fishing – and there are waterfront homes available. Many new shops, restaurants and condominiums are being built in this area including The Harbor, a new $56 million shopping complex on the east shore of the lake. Other amenities include a championship golf course, water park, and the award-winning Rockwall ISD.

Lake Pointe Medical Center is located on the shores of Lake Ray Hubbard with a beautiful view of the lake from the 2nd and 3rd floors of our hospital. Texas. They are licensed for 112 beds and have made a $50 million investment in the physical plant, equipment purchases and improvements in the past 5 years. They have been recognized in the top 100 hospitals in the United States 3 times. They are owned and managed by Tenet, a National Healthcare Management Firm.

The hospital provides a wide spectrum of medical services, including an emergency department with Fast Track Services, a 14-bed intensive care unit, women’s services, a level II neonatal nursery, diagnostic imaging, eight operating rooms and telemetry. With a medical staff of over 400 physicians, Lake Pointe Medical Center provides a number of specialty services.

The ideal candidate needs to be board certified or board eligible in Internal Medicine and hold a Texas license. Candidates absolutely must have impeccable communication skills.

Tags: Dallas, Hospitalist, IM, internal medicine, Internist, job, texas

As the owner of a small business, I cringe at the thought of how this bill might affect my company.  I recieved the following summary from my insurance broker this week and frankly, it makes me feel a little better.  So, I’m going to pass on this little bit of reassurance courtesy of BenefitMall.

As your benefits advisor, I would like to take this opportunity to provide you a summary of the key components of the health care reform legislation and how it may impact you and your business. I expect that given the number of years that it will take to fully rollout these reforms, there will continue to be changes to many elements of the legislation. However, for the first time in over a year, we have a much clearer view of the changes that will potentially take place.

This bill will:

• Mandate that everyone must have insurance.
• Result in more than 30 million additional people becoming insured.
• Provide for subsidized coverage for people that can’t afford it and increase the number of people that will qualify for Medicaid.
• Make cuts to Medicare Advantage Plans and change their payment formula.
• Increase taxes and fees to many individual Americans and Corporations.
• Make many changes to the way Insurance Companies do business from not allowing them to use pre-existing conditions to limiting their rates based on medical loss ratios.

Many of these elements do not phase in for many years.  Those that are most immediate and are expected to occur in 2010 are:

• Tax credits for certain small businesses.
• Elimination of pre-existing conditions and an increase in dependant coverage to age 26.
• Creation of a temporary reinsurance program to provide coverage for retirees over 55 who are not eligible for Medicare.
• The further creation of a temporary national high risk insurance pool.
• The prohibition of lifetime limits on benefit payments.
• Closing the so called “doughnut hole” by providing immediate tax credits for Medicare patients who face a gap in prescription drug coverage.

The real impact in the health insurance system won’t occur until the year 2014.  During the interim, there will be the phase-in of additional new taxes that will provide added government revenue to pay for these changes.  The four most significant changes occurring in 2014 are:

• Insurers will be required to take all applicants.
• Insurance will be mandated for all Americans.
• Tax credits to help pay premiums will start flowing to middle-class working families.  The most aid – including help with copayments and deductibles – will be made available for those individuals and families on the lower end of the income scale.
• Insurance exchanges will be created to help administer subsidies for those individuals that require them.

When fully implemented, I believe that the majority of working-age Americans and their families will continue to have employer-sponsored coverage as they do today. In addition, through mandates and other subsidies, the number of people insured can grow by more than 30 million. 

Please be assured that I will work to help you navigate through the various changes of this legislation to ensure that you and your employees are always offered the most choice and greatest value of benefits available in the marketplace. This will be a long road and I pledge to be with you every step of the way.   

Well, I feel a little better now.  Hope you do too!

Tags: BenefitMall, Health Insurance, Healthcare Reform

Boring music?  Nothing?  Consider adding value to the time your patients spend on hold. 

Select music that is fun and appeals to your patient base.  Think about the kind of music your patients might listen to and be careful not to alienate others.  My personal preference is Classic Rock.  Several generations listen to it and it’s hard to find someone that dislikes it.  And, it’s a bit cleaner than much of today’s music.  Adult Contemporary and Jazz are also pretty safe options.

More important than music is using the time to share useful messages about the practice with your patients. You have a captive audience, so spend some time thinking about what your script should say.  What are those qualities about your practice that people often don’t know? 

Announce new services, physicians, or processes in the office.  Reference your website and let patients know what kind of information they can find there.  Congratulate physicians and staff on recent awards or certifications.  Let patients know where your office locations are.  Talk about what your practice does to ensure quality care.  Share with patients about volunteer work that staff or physicians do.  If your hold music is set up to be changed seasonally, include advice that is relevant to the season, such as flu shots and allergy information.

Be sure to include a mixuture of “selling” practice services with offering information that the patient wants to hear.  And, when promoting services, make it all about the patient – why they need it or how they benefit from it. 

Now, how do you make all this happen?  If you know someone with a great phone voice, have recording equipment, and know how to integrate that into the phone system, go for it!  Otherwise, find a company that specializes in hold music.  There are lots out there.  They’ll set up the music and do the voice-overs for you.  And, it’s relativley inexpensive.  It’s a great investment for a practice.  Email me if you need suggestions on companies or the script.

We never want our patients to be on hold.  But, inevitably, it happens.  So, at least let that time be valuable!

Tags: Hold Music, Marketing

This book builds the case for why we need to be trustworthy organizations, how we get to that point, and then how we get the word out that we are trustworthy. Up until that point, I found the book quite interesting.

If you don’t have a marketing background or any formal marketing training, go out and buy the book right now. It’s by far the best healthcare marketing book I’ve ever read. However, if you are an experienced healthcare marketer, you can stop reading after the first two parts. The remainder of the book is Healthcare Marketing 101 plus some.

So, in a nutshell, great read for non-marketing healthcare professionals.

1. Keep it simple and classy.  We’re not selling t-shirts or candy bars.  We’re selling a professional service.  Limit the number of call-outs and don’t put “Call Now” or overuse the 800 number.  Particularly for specialists, what would your referring physicians think about you if they looked at the site?  Minimize flash…especially if the user is forced to watch it before moving on.  And, don’t include music.  People often surf the web while at work and don’t like to get busted.  It can also be a distraction.
2. Use the FAQ section to alleviate calls.  Let your staff create the frequently asked questions from their common questions that they get from patients and families.  People are used to going to websites for answers these days, and if can even cut out two phone calls a day, it’s been worth the staff’s time.
3. Include directions.  And, not just the ones from Mapquest.  Tell patients where the office is in detail, particularly if in an MOB.  For example: Our office is located in Professional Building II on the 2^nd floor to the left of the elevators.  Also, tell them where to park.  For example: The closest parking to our office is in the West Parking Garage attached to the hospital.  Include a campus map.
4. Provide forms.  Let patients fill their forms out in the comfort of their own home, rather than arriving 20 minutes early to do it.  They are likely to fill them out in more detail this way and perceive it as a convenience.  It shows that the practice values their time.
5. Tell a story.  This is your chance to tell patients everything you wished you had time to tell them, but never do.  Talk about the doctors and the staff.  Why are they unique?  What are the philosophies in the practice?  After visiting the site, potential patients should have  a feel for the culture of the practice.

Tags: Improving, physician website

IRVING, TEXAS, February 3, 2010 – The Medical & Surgical Clinic of Irving (M&SCI) today announced that it has been recognized by The Medical Group Management Association (MGMA) as a superior practice for its operational performance compared with similar medical group practices nationwide.

MGMA recognized M&SCI for its achievement in productivity, capacity and staffing, and named M&SCI a “better performer” – a coveted recognition among medical practices – in its report titled Performance and Practices of Successful Medical Groups. The report, a benchmarking standard among medical groups, was produced by surveying strategic measures, management behaviors, processes and procedures from thousands of medical groups.

This marks the sixth consecutive year that M&SCI has been recognized as a better performer. That achievement is the result of a continuous focus on growing and maintaining a superior medical staff, as well as strategic use of technology to control costs without sacrificing quality or patient care. “The physicians and employees of M&SCI consider it a privilege to serve the health care needs of Irving and the surrounding communities,” says Jeffry Duke, CPA and Executive Director of M&SCI. “Our ongoing commitment to quality, operational efficiency and patient satisfaction is reinforced by this recognition from MGMA. We are gratified to be included among such a successful assembly of our peers.”

M&SCI, a fixture in the Irving community since 1953, consists of both primary care and specialty physicians who are committed to providing the highest quality medical care in the area. The practice emphasizes prevention, access and cost effectiveness. M&SCI provides a variety of medical specialties and technologies under one roof, so patients benefit from the convenience and coordination of treatment plans. These efficiencies will be expanded this year with the implementation of the Allscripts Enterprise electronic health records, reinforcing M&SCI’s commitment to operational excellence.

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About Medical & Surgical Clinic of Irving
M&SCI is one of the largest physician-owned multi-specialty group practices in the metroplex, serving patients from Irving and surrounding communities since 1953. With its focus on high quality, disease prevention, technology advancements and the continuum of medical care, M&SCI is well positioned to meet the challenges of healthcare in the decades to come. For more information, call 972-253-4200 or visit www.mscitx.com.

About MGMA
MGMA is the premier association for professional administrators and leaders of medical group practices. Their 22,500 members lead organizations nationwide in which 275,000 physicians provide more than 40 percent of the health care services delivered in the United States. For more information, go to http://www.mgma.com.

Tags: irving, Medical & Surgical Clinic of Irving, MGMA, primary care

By Dr. J. Douglas Overbeck

Is your heart healthy? You’ve not experienced shortness of breath. Nor have you felt any back, abdominal or chest pains. You feel good after low to moderate exercise. You have all the outward signs of a healthy heart.
But don’t let appearances fool you. Plaque could be building up in areas like the carotid arterial wall, and you won’t even know it; that is, unless you undergo ultrasound testing of the major arteries.

Carotid ultrasound imaging is a non-invasive procedure that exposes your major arteries, including the two carotid arteries that supply oxygen-rich blood to the brain, to high-frequency sound waves to produce pictures of the inside of your blood vessels. Because ultrasound images are captured in real-time, they can show the structure and movement of the vessels, as well as blood flowing through them. Through this test, doctors can measure the thickness of the arterial wall, measure the velocity of blood flow and look for flow disturbances. The extent of narrowing or stenosis is measured using a standardized grading system.

With the ability to conduct ultrasound testing on major arteries, we are better able to detect heart disease before it becomes symptomatic, so ultrasound imaging is a great tool for being proactive about your health.

Wait a minute. You had an EKG during your routine physical two months ago, and your results were normal. You should be a-okay. No need for further tests. Right? Maybe not.

An EKG, or electrocardiogram is nothing more than a reflection of surface electrical activity emitted by the heart. If the activity level changes, then it could indicate that something is wrong. The problem with relying on an EKG is that plaque build-up in the arteries has no effect on this test. Your heart may appear normal on an EKG, whereas a carotid ultrasound test could show opposite results.

Then why bother with an EKG to begin with? This is typically the very first cardiac test given. Think of it as the first line of defense. If you go to the ER with chest pain, then an EKG could show changes in electrical activity that indicate a heart attack.       

In order to be proactive instead of reactive, it’s worth taking that extra step at your next exam to schedule a carotid ultrasound in order to review blood flow, narrowing of the vessels or other potential complications. While there is not miracle cure, there are effective treatments to stabilize and regress plaque buildup.

Treatments include simple medications such as aspirin and cholesterol-lowering statins that protect against stroke. Patients with far advanced blockages often require surgery or stent procedures. The goal is to catch plaque in the earliest stages so that effective treatment can be implemented before complications or costly surgical procedures are needed.

Tuscan Cardiovascular Center offers carotid ultrasound imaging as well as provides personal, one-on-one guidance for a heart healthy lifestyle. To learn more, go to tuscancardio.com or call (972) 253-2505.            

 
Dr. J. Douglas Overbeck is an Irving-based cardiologist with more than 20 years experience in providing cardiac care to patients in North Texas.  He is the founder of the Tuscan Cardiovascular Center in Las Colinas and also primary cardiologist for the Medical & Surgical Clinic of Irving. To learn more about how you can reach your health and wellness goals, please call us at (972) 253-2505 or visit tuscancardio.com.

Tags: Cardiology, Carotid Ultrasound, irving

by J. Douglas Overbeck, MD, FACC
Tuscan Cardiovascuarl Center

While spring welcomes the opportunity to put on shorts and enjoy the great outdoors, many Americans cringe at the thought of showing their exposed legs. Why? Varicose veins – the purple-ish, often raised ridges that criss-cross up and down an effected leg or other part of the body. Varicose veins are a very common, and often unsightly and painful problem. Approximately 25 percent of women and 15 of men in the United States suffer from this condition.  Women are especially prone to suffer from varicose veins because of pregnancy, and heredity has been shown to be a contributory factor. 

How do varicose veins develop? To counteract the forces of gravity, veins have valves that prevent blood from flowing backwards as it is pumped back toward the heart.  Over time, these valves can weaken, allowing the blood to pool inside the vein.  This can cause the vein to distend, resulting in the “rope-like” appearance commonly associated with varicose veins. This condition can lead to a range of serious circulatory problems, including blood clots, leg ulcers and poor circulation. Many individuals exhibit symptoms of venous insufficiency to include swelling, throbbing, cramping and restless legs.

Until now, the only effective treatment for large varicose veins was vein stripping, a painful and invasive surgical procedure with a lengthy recovery period. Now patients have the option of a new non-surgical approach known as endovenous laser therapy.

Lasers have proven to be a popular strategy for many medical conditions because of the inherent precision, reliability and safety.  A very thin laser fiber is inserted into the vein with local anesthetic and directed to the desired treatment location. When the laser is activated, thermal energy is delivered, causing the vein to close. The laser fiber is gradually withdrawn until the entire diseased vessel is treated. The whole procedure lasts less than one hour. After treatment, patients can walk immediately and return to normal activities.  Visit tuscancardio.com  to see videos of the procedure being performed.

A growing numbers of patients are choosing to have their varicose veins treated with the non-surgical laser for many reasons, including:

• Patients can be treated directly in the doctor’s office, not a hospital
• Patients return home immediately after the treatment
• Endovenous laser therapy is quick and long-lasting
• The treatment is cost-effective because there is no need for a hospital visit

According to medical research, endovenous laser therapy is well tolerated by patients, produces good cosmetic results and relief of symptoms. There is a 95 percent success rate reported on numerous studies.

Getting started with endovenous laser therapy is easy. Simply contact your doctor or Tuscan Vascular Center for an appointment to see if you are a candidate for this type of laser treatment.  Summer is only a few months away. Don’t let the pain and embarrassment of varicose veins hold you back.

__________________________________________________________________________________________

Dr. J. Douglas Overbeck is an Irving-based cardiologist with more than 20 years experience in providing cardiac care to patients in North Texas.  He is the founder of the Tuscan Cardiovascular Center in Las Colinas and also primary cardiologist for the Medical & Surgical Clinic of Irving. To learn more about how you can reach your health and wellness goals, please call us at (972) 253-2505 or visit tuscancardio.com.

Tags: endovascular laser therapy, varicose vein

by  J. Douglas Overbeck, MD, FACC 

The holidays are behind us. By now, you are probably relieved to finally be putting away the decorations that just a few weeks earlier were nostalgic, but somehow have now just turned gaudy. And, yes, the remorse now sets in as you remember the one-too-many cups of egg nog that you drank and the extra appetizers and desserts that you noshed on this holiday season.

Yes, as remorse sets in, so does the temptation to set goals – big goals! We’re ready to burn those calories and lose those extra pounds.  We make promises to keep those goals, declaring that this year is THE year. But why does it take a drink like egg nog, laden with a whopping 340 calories per cup, to get us fired up to get healthy? It seems like the shock value is what it takes to make change these days.

Take the Cleveland Clinic, for example. They created a shock factor by recently announcing that they would no longer hire smokers.

It seems our government is considering the shock factor as well.  Right now there are grumblings in Washington about the implementation of a “fat tax” to help offset the price tag of the impending health reform bill. This would involve adding an excise tax to unhealthy foods such as many processed foods, sodas and even cheeseburgers. While it might sound offensive to some, the shock of it does make one stop and listen to the facts, such as:

• Two-thirds of Americans are afflicted by obesity, accounting for $147 billion a year in medical bills, according to a study funded by the CDC Foundation.
• Forty percent of American adults will be obese by 2015*. The same study estimates that a 10 percent excise or sales tax on fattening foods could raise $522 billion over the next 10 years.
• Obesity-related issues account for more than $200 billion in health care spending annually.
• Center for Children’s Health Innovation reports that by the time kids enter kindergarten, over 26 percent are already overweight or obese.

The fact is, as a country, we are fat and we need to change our ways. So how can you do your part to take responsibility for your health? Reminding yourself to be responsible for your own health is the first, most important step. Here are some other tips to help you stick to your health goals in 2010.

• Be aware of what you eat, when you’re eating it.
• Leave a little on your plate.
• Exercise a little each day. Just 30 minutes of walking can make a big difference.
• Read labels and avoid too much processed foods.
• Chart your progress.

While we all face our goals enthusiastically in the beginning, temptation is seasonal. There’s decadent chocolate on Valentine’s Day, calorie-laden beer around St. Patrick’s Day, delicious ham and jelly beans for Easter and don’t forget the indulgent backyard barbecues that come with Fourth of July and Labor Day. For every occasion, there’s another excuse for indulgence. Stick to year-long habits even during times of temptation. If you remember to take responsibility for your health every day, you can steer clear of unnecessary calories and stay on the track to wellness. Let’s push back from the table and buy a pedometer.  Let’s start this year with the only healthcare reform that we really want: our actual health!! 

 __________________________________________________________________________________________

*The Urban Institute and the University of Virginia

Dr. J. Douglas Overbeck is an Irving-based cardiologist with more than 20 years experience in providing cardiac care to patients in North Texas.  He is the founder of the Tuscan Cardiovascular Center in Las Colinas and also primary cardiologist for the Medical & Surgical Clinic of Irving. To learn more about how you can reach your health and wellness goals, please call us at (972) 253-2505 or visit tuscancardio.com.