Want 24/7 Access to Health Care?

Ever wake up in the middle of the night and feel the need to talk to a doctor?  How about that busy day at work that you can’t afford to miss, while you suffer from the early spring cold?  Imagine if you could just make a phone call and you could have a licensed doctor consult with you and, if necessary, even prescribe the appropriate medication and call it in to the most convenient pharmacy of your choice.  Well, that dream has become a reality.

Telehealth is becoming more popular as a supplement to major medical insurance products. In fact, it has been determined that over 70% of all emergency room, urgent care and doctor office visits can be safely and effectively handled over the phone.  While it’s technically not insurance, it provides a solution to the most common issue surrounding health care; “I just need to talk to a doctor and get on with my life.”   Offered at an affordable rate (As low as $15/month for single coverage) and providing 24/7 access, thousands of customers have reported being very satisfied with the process.  In fact, many companies have incorporated telehealth as a solution to reducing the costs associated with doctor visit co-pays and affiliated expenses resulting from a loss of productivity.  Here’s how it works at one of the more successful telehealth providers:

1.     Call to request a consultation.

2.     Provide medical history (Your medical history can be catalogued for future use)

3.     A call is scheduled with an appropriate doctor.

4.     Doctor receives on line patient history and calls the member.

5.     If prescription is necessary, sent via Escript to member’s choice of pharmacy.

6.     Doctor updates EMR with consultation notes.

7.     Member receives a follow-up survey.

All of the doctors are licensed in the US and credentialed, accredited and subject to state regulations.  The service is available in all 50 states, 24 hours a day and 7 days a week. From a statistical point of view, 97% of members at our selected company would use the service again; 93% of patients with issues were able to have them resolved by the service; 95% of patients would recommend the service. 

An included wellness component allows you to consult with a health care professional regularly, on your schedule, to assist you in leading a healthier lifestyle.  And, as you may have heard, if you’re living a healthier lifestyle, it’s likely that your cost of health care is going to be lower. From a personalized wellness point of view, 74% experienced relieved stress levels; 61% experienced improved sleeping and 50% reported losing weight.  Comparatively speaking, The national satisfaction rate for a doctor visit is just 68%. 

Today’s health care environment is certainly confusing and complex.  Telehealth is an effective way to enhance your major medical plan and your quality of life, at a fraction of the cost.

About Hipskind Seyfarth Risk Solutions 

Hipskind Seyfarth Risk Solutions offers a wide-range of insurance products for individuals and businesses of all sizes. Representing reputable and competent carriers, HS Risk Solutions facilitates effective and customized insurance solutions on behalf of their clients. Hipskind Seyfarth Risk Solutions LLC, located in Chicago, provides expertise in the area of health and ancillary benefits and property and casualty insurance for businesses and individuals. For more information, visit HS Risk Solutions website at www.hsrisksolutions.com or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/HSRiskSolutions.

Listen to Your Mother’s Advice

You likely understand the importance of safe driving and the corresponding fundamentals.  They’ve been reinforced through ads, special service announcements, and specific education throughout your driving career.  You don’t even have to be a driver to be aware of safe driving fundamentals.  But, outside of the toddler zone, one rarely gets any advice on being a safe pedestrian.  Remember when your mother told you, hounded you, to look both ways before crossing the street?  Well perhaps that advice is worth hanging onto for life.

During the years 2003 through 2012, approximately 47,025 pedestrians died while walking on our streets. That’s more than 16 times the number of Americans who died in natural disasters during the same time period. [1] Concurrently, 676,000 people were injured as a result from being struck by a vehicle.[2]  In fact, during 2012, people on foot represented nearly 15% of all traffic fatalities.

The Pedestrian Danger Index (PDI) measures the rate of pedestrian deaths relative to the number of people who walk to work in the region.  The index was first developed in the 1990s by the Surface Transportation Policy Partnership and used more recently by Transportation for America. [3]

The national average PDI is 52.2.  That equates to approximately 1.56 deaths per 100,000 people.  Following are the 10 most dangerous areas for pedestrians based on PDI:

            Metro Area                                                                PDI

10.       Charlotte-Gastonia-Concord, NC-SC                     111.74
9.         Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale,  AZ                                118.64
8.         Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Marietta, GA                     119.35
7.         Houston-Sugarland-Baytown, TX                          119.64
6.         Birmingham-Hoover, AL                                          125.60
5.         Memphis, TN-MS-AR                                               131.26
4.         Miami-Ft. Lauderdale-Pompano Beach, FL          145.33
3.         Jacksonville, FL                                                          182.71
2.         Tampa-St.Pete-Clearwater, FL                                190.13
1.         Orlando, Kissimmee, FL                                           244.28

Noting that Orlando has an index that is 4 times higher than the national average indicates that our pedestrian thoroughfares can be better engineered to coexist with our roadways, especially in areas of growth and where aging populations flourish.  However, based upon the lack of public funds for infrastructure improvements and other services, it’s probably best to pay closer attention to what your mother told you many years ago…”Look Both Ways!”  It very well could save your life.

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[1] According to data available from the National Weather Service and the U.S. Geological Survey. See

www.nws.noaa.gov/om/hazstats/resources/weather_fatalities.pdf and

earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/states/us_deaths.php

[2] National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. General Estimates System. Available at www.nhtsa.gov.

[3] Smart Growth America Dangerous By Design 2014.