Dr. Elaina George Speaks with Dr. Felicia Dawson: What You Need to Know about Fibroids
December 1, 2009
What you need to know about fibroids – Dr. Elaina George breaks it all down with Dr. Felicia Dawson in this episode of Medicine on Call. Listen by clicking here!
The Healthcare Reform Bill: Truth and Consequences
November 12, 2009
By
The health care reform bill (HR 3962) that just passed the House of Representatives is bad on so many levels it is difficult explain. As it stands, it will destroy both the doctor patient relationship and change the practice of medicine as we know it.
We have one of the finest health care systems in the world. It has been built on a foundation of choice. Doctors were free to choose the care that they deemed necessary to treat their patients, and patients were free to seek the medical care of their choice. Initially, the foundation was shaken by the rise of the managed care system with capitation. However, over the past 10 years, capitated plans which limit access to specialists have given way to the rise in power of insurance companies. They have used their anti-trust exemption to craft a system that has used monopoly to increase profits on the backs of both doctors and patients.
Unfortunately, the House does not address necessary changes that would lead to meaningful reform, such as breaking the monopoly strangle hold that insurance companies enjoy, reigning in the enormous profits of the pharmaceutical industry, tort reform, or crafting a healthcare system based on wellness and prevention and not the management of disease. Instead HR 3962 creates a layer of government bureaucracy that inserts itself between the doctor and the patient by creating a national health commissioner and task forces that will evaluate and decide everything from what medications a physician is allowed to prescribe to a patient, to what surgery will be approved, to what outcomes will be expected for a particular medical condition.
Taken to its logical extent, this bill will create a world where the good of the many by definition MUST outweigh the needs of the few because to spend large sums of money on a limited number of patients will increase costs without the guarantee of a good outcome. It only makes sense as long as you are not the senior citizen that needs a hip replacement, the premature infant with multiple medical problems, or the person with a chronic disease that statistics show has a limited time left on this earth. The House bill sets up a health care system with a finite number of resources (e.g., doctors, hospitals, expensive medical equipment). Because of these limitations, the system must be used to help those who the government determines to be the most productive people. A principle has been advocated by a senior White House health adviser called “the complete lives system “. This system will prioritize healthcare for those who are younger on the theory that they have not yet lived a complete life by using tools such as lottery and prognosis to determine who receives care.
This system would lead to a harsh reality; but how else can we possibly cover more people with limited resources at a lower cost without raising the deficit as this bill promises? Medicare and Social Security are two government run programs that suggest that the answer to this question is… you can’t.
Dr Elaina George is Board certified Otolaryngologist who started Peachtree ENT Center with a mission to practice state of the art medicine that is available to everyone. She graduated from Princeton University with a degree in Biology. She received her Masters degree in Medical Microbiology at Long Island University, and received her medical degree from Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York. Dr George completed her residency at Manhattan, Eye Ear & Throat Hospital. Her training included general surgery at Lenox Hill Hospital, pediatric ENT at The NY-Presbyterian Hospital, and head and neck oncology at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. She has published in several scientific journals and presented her research at national meetings. For media queries or speaking requests, please call 888-315-1591
Congress to vote soon on the Healthcare Bill: Is it a good idea?
November 6, 2009
This show is an interview between Dr. Elaina George and Dr Emelita Breyer. Dr. Breyer is from the Breyer Foundation, an independent organization dedicated to finding solutions to health care reform that does not add to the deficit, or raise money on the backs of the people through taxation.
She has a thorough understanding of the sanctity of the doctor patient relationship. And has real solutions that will protect the things that make the US healthcare system the best in the world.
In this episode of Medicine on Call, Dr. Elaina George speaks with Dr Maiysha Clairborne of Mind, Body, Spirit, Wellness. we spoke about natural approaches to prevent and treat swine flu. Overall natural remedies to reduce stress and promote overall wellness.
Visit Your Black World for more black news!
Americans Struggle with the High Cost of Health Insurance
October 11, 2009
"The high cost of each premium and the high deductible a person or family must pay per year is my biggest complaint against health insurers."
"For example, I pay around $300 a month for my wife and me for basic coverage, and pay a deductible of $750 each every year, not to mention a co-pay of $15 to $20 at the window."
"My yearly income is around $32,000 a year. Very little is left for goodies. Meanwhile, a doctor takes in $80 to $120 a visit that lasts 15 to 20 minutes. Imagine how much he makes a day, a week, a month, a year. Plenty of goodies here."
Why I Won’t Be Taking the Swine Flu Vaccine
October 9, 2009
I have had several patients ask me whether or not they should get the swine flu (H1N1) vaccine. My response has been the same. I will not be getting the vaccine because I don’t think it is safe.
I am an MD who was trained to practice medicine the old fashioned way. My education was based on understanding and treating disease. As a surgeon, I was taught that in some cases surgical correction is the most efficient and expedient way to fix a problem or cure a disease. In short, I have a healthy respect for the standard medical care that is practiced in this country.
However, over the past 10 years since I have been in practice, I have seen a disturbing trend that has become increasingly more common. Although we have the most advanced medical system in the world, the best trained physicians, and access to new and ever evolving medications, we as a nation and particularly the minority population are getting sicker at a younger age, and our quality of life is suffering. There are more people suffering from depression, anxiety, and learning disabilities than at any time in our history. Unfortunately, we have learned to manage diseases by taking a pill everyday instead of doing what it takes to prevent the illness in the first place. It is past time to look to good nutrition and prevention as a means of preventing and curing chronic diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, obesity and some cancers which have risen to epidemic levels.
When I made the personal decision to ask questions about the Swine flu vaccine, the answers that I discovered contradicted the mantra that has been championed by the media, government officials, and the vaccine manufacturers. What we are being told simply does not make any sense. The most important question that I have learned to ask (from the politics of healthcare to every other facet of our society that affects us as individuals) is – who stands to gain?
I will not be getting the swine flu vaccine because:
- The vaccine makers have been given immunity from being sued for any bad outcome
After the deaths and injuries associated with the Swine flu vaccination campaign in 1976, the vaccine manufacturers lost billions of dollars in civil suits. That cannot happen this time around. Congress has since passed two bills that shield vaccine makers from civil suits. The first in 1986 protects vaccine makers from civil suits filed by people who have been injured by a vaccine due to ‘unavoidable side effects’. In 2006 another iteration of the shield law (The Epidemic Preparedness Act) was passed as part of the Patriot Act and extends the shield to include protection if the drug maker has ‘no willful knowledge’ that a vaccine may cause injury. In short, a maker of the Swine flu vaccine simply has to say they didn’t know the vaccine was going to cause harm then they cannot be sued. This won’t be hard to do since they have not fully tested the vaccine.
- There are many ingredients in vaccines called adjuvants that are put in to stimulate the immune response
Medicine on Call: Are You Ready for the Swine Flu?
October 6, 2009
In this episode of “Medicine on Call,” Dr. Elaina George engages in a lively medical conversation about the Swine flu. Click here to listen!
Visit Your Black World for the latest in Black News!
Questions You Should Ask Before You Get The Swine Flu Vaccine
October 5, 2009
With the H1N1 swine flu virus vaccine becoming available this month, there is a big push to vaccinate as many people as possible. However, whether
or not you decide to take the vaccine, there are important questions you should ask your doctor or other health practitioner to make sure it is the right choice for you and your family.
1. Does the Vaccine contain additives such as mercury or squaline?
Additives called adjuvants like mercury (thiamerisol) are added to inhibit bacterial contamination. However, some studies have
implicated mercury as a cause of autism and squaline as a cause of neurological damage respectively.
2. How can I avoid getting a vaccine that contains mercury?
Ask to receive your vaccine from a single dose vial. Unlike the multiple dose vials which contain thiamerisol, the single dose
vials do not contain that additive.
Prescription drugs: The New Legal Drug Addiction
October 4, 2009
by Dr. Elaina George, MD
According to a recent CNN report 7% of college students admit to using Adderall without a prescription. It is an amphetamine-like stimulant used to treat attention deficit disorders (ADD) and attention deficit with hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). This drug, come to known as ‘vitamin A’, is taken by students to improve their grades. It is believed to help them study more efficiently by increasing the ability to stay awake and concentrate longer. It is more potent than caffeine or the old standbys No-Doze and Mountain Dew.
When prescribed by a physician for an individual with ADD or ADHD, Adderall is an effective and safe drug. Unfortunately, like many other prescription drugs such as Xanax, Valium, and Oxycontin, which have become easy to get on the Internet and on the black market, its ubiquitous use has taken away the fear factor. There is little regard for the potential side effects such as heart problems, stroke, tremors, and addiction.
In fact both prescription drugs and over the counter drugs have been reduced to quick fixes that are used to ‘make a problem go away’. There is a pervasive feeling that if it is a prescription drug or if it is sold over the counter, then it must be safe. This has been encouraged by the aggressive direct to patient marketing by the pharmaceutical industry.
There are pills to help you lose weight, look younger, sleep better, or perform longer sexually. Drugs like Adderall have been added to the growing list of ‘lifestyle drugs’. The marketing of prescription drugs have pervaded our society and have become a foundation of an increasing tide of entitlement. There is a feeling now that it is OK to cheat to get what you want or that working hard for something is for suckers. Unfortunately, this is the message that our children get from a very early age.
Over the past decade the diagnosis of ADD has exploded along with prescriptions for medications like Adderall. At the beginning it was teachers telling parents that their child needed to be on Adderall. Now it is parents asking for the medication because they want their child to have every advantage so they can get into the college of his or her choice. It is no wonder that these children are now entering college with the mindset that prescription drugs are just another tool necessary to succeed like a pencil or a computer.
Tragic cases like Michael Jackson, Anna Nicole and Heath Ledger are the most recent examples of the dangers associated with treating prescription drugs as harmless. Unfortunately, they are the examples that get the most attention, but they represent only a small fraction of a growing tide of a prescription addicted nation. There has to be a shift back to the basics. Physicians must do their part to offer alternatives to the use of prescription medication as a first line of treatment; and people must make the choice to give up the mindset that everything will be fixed with a pill.
Dr Elaina George is Board certified Otolaryngologist who started Peachtree ENT Center with a mission to practice state of the art medicine that is available to everyone. She graduated from Princeton University with a degree in Biology. She received her Masters degree in Medical Microbiology at Long Island University, and received her medical degree from Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York. Dr George completed her residency at Manhattan, Eye Ear & Throat Hospital. Her training included general surgery at Lenox Hill Hospital, pediatric ENT at The NY-Presbyterian Hospital, and head and neck oncology at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. She has published in several scientific journals and presented her research at national meetings.
For media or speaking requests, please call (901) 413-0203 or email information@yourblackpublicity.com
5 Things You can Do to Stay Healthy
September 27, 2009
by Dr Elaina George, MD
Instead of waiting for the outcome of the healthcare debate to decide your fate, use some simple common sense strategies to take back the power to control your own health.
- Start exercising
An increase in activity of as little as 20 minutes 3 times a week can make a difference in your risk of heart disease,
diabetes and obesity. You don’t have to get fancy with a gym membership. Try taking the stairs at work instead of the
elevator, or park further from the entrance when you go to the market or mall.
2. Eat Smaller portions
You may not want to give up your junk food or fried food, but try to limit your portions. Instead of buying a six pack
of soda, buy a two liter bottle. You can better control the portions along with your intake of calories.
3. Drink more water
The average person should be drinking 1 ounce per kilogram of his/her weight in water per day. (1 lb = 2.2kg).
Studies have shown that people eat more when they are dehydrated because the signals in the body can confuse
hunger with thirst. If you are hungry, try drinking an 8-12 oz glass of water before you decide to eat that snack.
4. Avoid salt
The average American diet consists too much salt. Salt is found in everything from canned foods to frozen foods. Not
only does salt make your body retain water, it also dulls your sense of taste when it comes to sugar. As a challenge,
decrease the amount of salt you eat for about 1 week, then drink a non-diet soft drink. Not only will you lose about 3-
5 lbs of water weight, but you will see that the soda is incredibly sweet. In addition, try to use sea salt.
5. Avoid high fructose corn syrup
Studies have shown that most products in this country are made with high fructose corn syrup that is contaminated
with mercury (a known neurotoxin). Instead try to choose foods made with cane sugar. When you drink soft drinks
that are made with sugar you will be less likely to crave salt and be able to stop with one soda because there is no
‘sugar high’ that leads to the craving that makes you want to have more.
Dr Elaina George is Board certified Otolaryngologist who started Peachtree ENT Center with a mission to practice state of the art medicine that is available to everyone. She graduated from Princeton University with a degree in Biology. She received her Masters degree in Medical Microbiology at Long Island University, and received her medical degree from Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York. Dr George completed her residency at Manhattan, Eye Ear & Throat Hospital. Her training included general surgery at Lenox Hill Hospital, pediatric ENT at The NY-Presbyterian Hospital, and head and neck oncology at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. She has published in several scientific journals and presented her research at national meetings.
To contact Dr. George for speaking engagements or media appearances, please call (901) 413-0203
First Swine Flu Vaccines Set to Arrive Oct 5
September 26, 2009
U.S. health officials say the first swine flu vaccine should be in some doctors’ offices as early as Oct. 5. Officials with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Friday the U.S. vaccine shipments will go directly to doctors, clinics and other providers designated by each state.
States are expected to begin ordering their share of the nation’s H1N1 flu vaccine on Wednesday, said Paul Jarris, executive director of the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials. That day, the CDC brings its secure ordering site online.
Distribution will start with 6 million to 7 million doses of the nasal spray vaccine, Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said Thursday. Forty million doses of injectable vaccine are due to arrive soon after, with another 10 million to 20 million doses due weekly.
Dr. Elaina George: Running out of doctors
September 23, 2009
Dr. Elaina George, Your Black World Medical Correspondent
Reports estimate that 50-60% of doctors will be sued during the course of their career. However, only 10-20% of those cases actually go to trial. Of those that go to trial, doctors are found innocent of malpractice 80% of the time. This demonstrates the fact that although the perception exists that there may be a lot of bad doctors practicing bad medicine this is actually not the case.
Unfortunately, this perception has led to an explosion in the costs of practicing medicine. Over the last 5-10 years medical malpractice premiums have gone through the roof from primary care to neurosurgery. In Florida, for example, malpractice premiums for OB-GYNs have risen to as high as 250,000 per year. This staggering statistic highlights the unintended consequence of limiting access to medical care for women who live in those states. Florida is not alone, it is happening all over the country. Physicians have either moved out of state, retired early, or they have restricted the type of medicine they practice because they cannot afford the cost of doing business.
The 6 Things You Need To Know Before You Take The Swine Flu Vaccine
September 18, 2009
by Dr. Elaina George, Your Black World
Although the Swine flu virus has been identified in over 70 countries, it has not been as deadly as expected
- The world wide number of swine flu cases currently is 209,500 with 2,185 deaths
The common flu is more deadly
- In the US there have been 40,000 cases identified with 1,876 deaths. This is quite low when you compare the death rate to the typical flu virus which kills over 30,000 people per year.
Most cases of Swine flu have been mild
- Most people have had mild self-limited symptoms that resolve without any medical intervention.
News: Dr. Elaina George Speaks on a Couple’s Plight
September 17, 2009
from Your Black World
In response to a recent story about a couple that is divorcing so they can afford to pay their medical bills, Dr. Elaina George had this to say:
"Stories like this highlight the fact that the insurance companies have made money on the misery of Americans. For an insurance company to only pay 10% of the bill is outrageous. Unfortunately, this story is not unique. The insurance industry has been very successful at gaming the system. The various companies along with their subsidiaries have cornered healthcare delivery. They are involved with everything from the codes your physician uses to document your visit, to the electronic transfer of information for billing from the doctor’s office to the insurance company, to what medications your doctor will be allowed to prescribe for you, to what medical care you will be allowed to receive.
One of the most important insurance reforms that needs to take place is to remove their exemption from Anti-trust laws. That is one of the most important things that could be done to level the playing field."
Obama Gets Asked Hard Questions by Michael Baisden and Dr. Elaina George
September 16, 2009
from AOL Black Voices
Although many Americans have seen and heard the insane debate over healthcare, almost no one understands what’s going on. This is doubly true for the African American community, who is affected greatly by this debate and its outcomes. Most black bloggers aren’t talking about it and black doctors are too busy to inform the community.
Michael Baisden got with Dr. Elaina George, a prominent black physician in the Atlanta area, to break down the public option, healthcare and all related issues in the interview below.During the interview, Dr. George and Baisden answer some important questions:
What’s Wrong with Healthcare? Medicine on Call
September 16, 2009
In this episode of Medicine on Call, Dr. Elaina George interviews Jason Rosenbaum from The Seminal, a healthcare publication. What is wrong with healthcare? What is the state of healthcare reform? What are the goals for healthcare?
And the Winner Is….The Medical Insurance Industry
September 10, 2009
by Dr. Elaina George, YourBlackWorld.com
The suspense is over. For weeks we have been holding our collective breath to see if there would be real insurance reform. Now we know. President Obama’s speech this evening incorporated a lot of different ideas, but what was most striking was his statement that the public option was just one of the avenues that could be travelled to achieve an expansion of insurance coverage. Besides the demotion of the public option as an important tool to reign in the all powerful insurance companies, I noticed that there was no mention of universal health care. Wasn’t that the point of this whole exercise?
To be fair there are some good things. Under the President’s proposal there will be:
§ Coverage for pre-existing conditions
§ A cap on out-of-pocket expenses
§ People can no longer be dropped from insurance companies when they get sick
§ No further cap on what insurance companies will pay out
It is a good start, but it doesn’t go far enough.
Avoiding the Swine Flu This Winter
September 8, 2009
by Dr Elaina George, Your Black World
The government has predicted that there will be a large proportion of the US population that will be infected with the H1N1 virus also known as the swine flu virus. However, according to the CDC each year over 200,000 people are hospitalized and 36,000 people die each year from seasonal flu complications.
Flu-like symptoms include:
■ fever (usually high)
■ headache
■ extreme tiredness
■ dry cough
■ runny or stuffy nose
■ muscle aches
■ sore throat
■ vomiting
■ sometimes diarrhea
These are the things you need to know to stay healthy in order to avoid both swine flu and common strains that cause flu
1. Stay Home
If you have a fever and/or are feeling ill you should stay home or keep your child home to avoid spreading the virus to others.
2. Get plenty of rest
When you fail to get enough sleep your immune system is less able to fight off viral and bacterial infections. If you have a fever or are feeling fatigue, take a break from the gym
3. Take your vitamins
Taking 1000-2000mg of vitamin C, Vitamin D and taking minerals like zinc have been shown to be antiviral and are a natural way to fight off viral infections.
4. Avoid Stress
Stress decreases the effectiveness of your immune system. Remember there is a mind and body connection.
5. Avoid processed sugar
Sugar increases acid in your body and can decrease the effectiveness of the immune response
6. Take a probiotic
A probiotic is good bacteria and yeast that live in GI tract where over 70-80% of our immune cells live. When we have enough probiotics they actually protect us from getting infections because they can act as a barrier to physically block disease causing bacteria and virus from getting into our system
Dr. George: Medicine on Call – 8/30/09
August 30, 2009
Dr. Elaina George, America’s favorite doctor, breaks down the healthcare information you need. You can’t miss this episode.
Dr. George statement on the Michael Jackson Death
August 25, 2009
For Immediate Release
Please Contact S Prewitt for Interviews at (901) 413-0203 or email information@yourblackpublicity.com.
Prominent Black Physician Says Michael Jackson’s Doctor’s Actions were Inexcusable
Dr. Elaina George, an Otolaryngologist out of Atlanta, says that the doctor alleged to have killed Michael Jackson was not only unethical, but incredibly irresponsible in his choice of medications. Dr. Conrad Murray is subject to investigation after Jackson’s death was ruled a homicide in initial autopsy reports. But while many believe that Jackson’s death was an accidental occurrence, Dr. George states that the combination of drugs given to Jackson was almost likely to kill him.
“There was no way that harm would not have come to Mr. Jackson,” says Dr. George, who advocates for doctors on a regular basis. “It was beyond negligent to give him a mixture of three different kinds of sedatives, a muscle relaxant, an antidepressant in addition to Propofol, a general anesthetic that is only used in an operating room setting (because it can stop someone’s breathing). Each of these drugs by themselves can be lethal, but together it is a recipe that will almost definitely kill someone.”
Your Black Health: How to Deal with Insurance Companies
August 23, 2009
Dr. Elaina George, Your Medical Correspondent – YourBlackWorld.com
For Americans, receiving heath care is like going to a casino, but here the typical rules don’t apply. In the healthcare casino, the medical insurance industry, Big Pharmaceutical Companies and hospitals make the rules to insure that the house wins every time. Over the years they have increased your stakes by increasing premiums, drug costs and hospital costs, while raking in windfall profits. The medical insurance industry has grown larger and more powerful by systematically fleecing patients and doctors. To hide the fact that they are playing with people’s health; they have been masters of distraction. The ever changing rules for patients and doctors have made it impossible to learn what you need to know. Moreover, it has placed doctors, who are the face of medicine, in a position where the patient has begun to question their motives. This has eroded the doctor patient relationship and has damaged the foundation of excellent medical care.
Over the next several weeks, we will examine how the game has been rigged so that you can finally understand the rules. Each week we will expose what you need to know to take back your power and put the odds back in your favor so you can win! This week we will examine the medical insurance industry.
Basic facts about the medical insurance industry:
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