Health care has become a bustling business. Often physicians’ offices book their patient appointments ten minutes apart. As a result, an office visit with your health care practitioner may consist of a 10-second skim-reading of your medical chart, a short patient interview to obtain subjective information, a quick physical exam and a couple of minutes of prescription writing.
In order to improve the quality of health care you and your family members receive, it is essential that you responsibly manage it yourself. Knowledge is power, so it’s important to be informed. With more and more health information available on the Internet, patients can easily gain valuable knowledge that will assist them with the management of their health care.
I believe it is especially important to research medications that have been prescribed by your physician. This is because drug interactions and contraindications are often not explained to you during a visit with your health care practitioner. Don’t forget to include over-the-counter medications and herbal supplements in your research.
When researching health issues online, it is important to exercise caution regarding the websites you visit. Websites containing articles not written by medical professionals should be avoided. A reputable website written using easy-to-understand language is http://www.webmd.com. The U.S. National Library of Medicine’s website, http://medlineplus.gov, also has plenty of good health care information and is free to use. To research prescription medications, try http://www.drugs.com. Another good source of health care information is the Mayo Clinic’s website, http://www.mayoclinic.com.
Finally, while the use of the Internet to assist in the management of your health care can be helpful, it should never be substituted for health care given by a licensed health care practitioner. Likewise, it should not be used to self-diagnose. Instead, print up any information found online you feel may be pertinent to your health issues and bring it with you to your next health care appointment. Doctors are human, and they sometimes miss things. Having this type of information will assist them in assessing your condition and will improve the quality of the health care you receive.
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We're back in the dining room for this week's tablescape. I started with an ivory tablecloth with textured squares. It's not too fussy, which is perfect for supper. Next, I layered burgundy red hemstitch placemats with gold lattice chargers and our everyday stoneware. The gold chargers really bring out the shiny gold in the plaid napkins. The napkin rings are actually braided ponytail holders I found at the Christmas Tree Shop for $1.00 a package. 
I kept the centerpiece simple by adding fresh mums to a container, along with some faux grape leaves. The votive holders, napkins and placemats came from the Christmas Tree Shop and were featured in a recent Thrifty Treasures post.
