Topic: Disease Management

heart health
Aug 25 2020

The proactive steps women should take for heart health

Disease Management  •  By Miles Varn, MD

Many women don’t think of heart health as a top concern, but recent data show why they should. Not only are heart attacks the leading cause of death for women in the U.S. annually, causing more deaths than all types of cancer combined, data from the American Heart Association show that the incidence of cardiovascular... Read More

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preventive care
Aug 18 2020

Preventive care: Should you skip checkups during the COVID-19 pandemic?

Preventive Care  •  By Miles Varn, MD

Depending on where you live and whether cases of COVID-19 are rising, stable, or falling, you may get a reminder from your doctor and dentist that you’re due for a preventive care appointment or a recommended cancer screening. Even in areas of the country where the number of new COVID-19 cases are staying about the... Read More

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work during the pandemic
Jul 21 2020

Returning to work safely during the pandemic

Health Risk Management  •  By Miles Varn, MD

If you’ve been working remotely or have been furloughed during the pandemic and your employer is now reopening your workplace, you may have concerns about whether it’s safe to return to work during the pandemic. If you’re in a group that’s at a higher risk of severe illness from COVID-19, including people over 65 and... Read More

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medications
Oct 8 2019

Are you taking more medications than you need?

Health Risk Management  •  By Miles Varn, MD

If you have heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure or cholesterol, or other chronic diseases, you may be taking several prescription medications each day to treat your condition. And the older you get, the more likely it becomes that you’re taking more than one medication. In fact, approximately a third of Americans and Canadians between... Read More

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new doctor
Jul 23 2019

What to consider when you’re looking for a new doctor

Family Caregiving  •  By Miles Varn, MD

There are many reasons you may need to find a new doctor. Your doctor may be retiring. Your health insurance may have changed and you’ve got a new provider network. You moved. Or you may not feel you and your doctor are a good fit. So where should you start and what questions should you... Read More

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stem cell
May 21 2019

What to consider before undergoing stem cell treatment

Personalized Healthcare  •  By Miles Varn, MD

It can be difficult to tease out the evidence-based science in the claims of successful adult stem cell-based treatments for health problems from joint pain to Parkinson’s disease, macular degeneration, and spinal cord injury. Even a number of well-respected medical centers now offer patients regenerative medicine treatments that use the patient’s own fat or bone... Read More

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genetic testing
Jun 26 2018

Should genetic testing be part of your health risk management plan?

Health Risk Management  •  By Miles Varn

If one of your relatives has Huntington’s disease or breast cancer, should you consider undergoing genetic testing to find out if you’re at risk for the same disease? There are now genetic tests for more than 2,000 diseases, some rare like the movement disorder early-onset dystonia and hereditary hemochromatosis, a condition that causes the body... Read More

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Could you have undiagnosed diabetes?
Apr 17 2018

Could You Have Undiagnosed Diabetes?

Health Risk Management  •  By Susan Walker

Many of the symptoms of diabetes can be subtle. Maybe you’re thirstier or more hungry than usual. Perhaps you’ve noticed patches of darker skin in your armpits, elbows, knees, groin, or on your neck. Or you can’t figure out why you’re more tired than usual. All these symptoms can be caused by type 2 diabetes.... Read More

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when is it time to look for a new doctor
Dec 5 2017

How Do You Know it’s Time to Look for a New Doctor?

Health Risk Management  •  By Miles Varn

There are many different reasons people decide it’s time to switch to a new doctor, whether it’s your primary care doctor, a specialist, or your child’s pediatrician. And while you might feel hesitant to end your relationship, especially if you’ve been seeing the doctor for a long time, sometimes switching to a new doctor is... Read More

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How to advocate for a loved one in the hospital
Oct 10 2017

How to be an effective advocate for a loved one in the hospital

Health Risk Management  •  By Miles Varn

Being in the hospital can be stressful and confusing. It can be difficult to get the information you need from your doctors and healthcare team, ensure all members of the team are communicating to lower the risk of medical errors and inappropriate testing and care, and make medical decisions when you’re ill or injured and... Read More

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