Top qualities to look for while choosing a primary care physician

A primary care physician or PCP is a health care professional who takes care of the people with some common medical problems. Usually, a PCP works as a doctor but he may also be appointed as a physician assistant or a nurse practitioner. As the primary care physician is responsible for taking complete care of the individual’s health, so it becomes very important to select one with whom you will work well.

Choosing a primary care physician in Mt Sinai or any other place where you reside is not an easy task. As it the matter of your health, so make sure you choose the best physician keeping all aspects in mind. 

 

However, if you are looking for a primary care physician, here are some of the essential traits the physician you choose must possess-

• Non judgmental-It is very important for you to feel comfortable while taking to your doctor so that you can talk about your illness or health issue in detail without any hesitation. Therefore, the doctor needs to non-judgmental so that the patient can clearly explain his health history even about topics like alcoholism, drug addiction or cigarette smoking. Revealing all your health related information to the doctor in detail is very important so that the doctor is able to provide you with proper diagnosis, medications, as well as treatment plan.
• Active listener- Besides being non-judgmental, the physician you choose should be able to listen to your problems carefully and understand them. For example, the doctor prescribed you a particular medicine three times a day and for some specific reason it does not fit your lifestyle or does not suit you. So in this case the doctor should listen to your problem and should prescribe you with some alternative option that works well with you.
• Coordinator of your care- Your primary care physician should manage with your medical care history. This means he should calmly coordinate with any doctor that is involved in your health plan and make sure that your are regular with each specialist.

However, choosing a good physician completely depends on your own efforts and ways. You can consult newspapers or you can ask for references from family or friends. Whatever way you follow, just make sure to choose the best among all.

Medical Associates
5499 Nesconset Hwy
Mt Sinai, NY 11766
Phone: (631) 928-2600, (631) 928-9355

What is the expertise of a primary care physician?

Physicians are health care specialists who diagnose and treat health issues of a person whether infant, teenager, or adult. They apply their knowledge and clinical expertise for the treatment of patient.

Following is the list of tests in which primary care physician Mt Sinai is expert in performing-

Allergy testing-Millions of people are prone to allergy. These are of different type like food allergy, allergic asthma, dust allergy, seasonal allergies, penicillin allergy, dermatitis, skin rashes, hay fever, and venom allergy. To discover the reason behind any of these allergies, physician conducts allergy test. Before conductingany test, they first ask present illness, lifestyle, eating habits etc. Later, diagnosis of the allergy is done via skin test or blood test.

Full body checkup- This is a comprehensive checkup of the body. It includes checkup of the cardiovascular system, respiratory system, lungs, ear, abdominal, eyes, skin, nervous system etc. In addition to this, regular checkups are also conducted that include blood pressure, heart rate, weight, temperature, and respiration rate. To determine count of blood cells, glucose level, and cholesterol level, blood test is conducted.

Arterial Doppler- It is an ultrasound to determine calcium or fat level in the body. Increased levels of calcium or fat can cause health issues like blocked arteries, defects in heart valve, arteriosclerosis and swelling in arteries.

Carotid Doppler- Plaque in carotid arteries restricts blood flowing to the brain. This can cause serious health issues like high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol, and heart disease. Carotid Doppler test helps in determining narrowness of the carotid arteries.

Echocardiogram- This ultrasound is performed to diagnose heart diseases like valve disease, pericardial disease, congenital heart disease, and myocardial disease.Based on the result of this test the doctor prescribes medication.

Holter test- This test is performed to determine whether proper oxygen is received by the heart or not. Physicians attach a small device on the patient’s body for 24 hour.

Mild Cognitive Impairment- With age, memory problem occurs. This includes forgetting things, not able to make decisions, language problem, understanding problem, lack of judgment skills etc. There is no specific test or treatment to cure this problem. Based on the provided information (age, lifestyle, family history, present medical condition, and eating habit) physicians make a treatment plan that helps in reducing other risk factors like diabetes, depression, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and sleep apnea.

Medical Associates
5499 Nesconset Hwy
Mt Sinai, NY 11766
Phone: (631) 928-2600, (631) 928-9355

What medical care you can expect from primary care physician?

With increase in number of diseases and need to provide medical care to patients, quality medical services are expected from health care centers. This is where physicians and other staff members play a vital role.

Services provided in health care center by primary care physician in NYC or elsewhere include-

Allergy testing- Patients with symptoms like itching, redness, bumps and swelling on the skin require going for allergy testing. During the test, health professionals notice things that cause allergic reactions.

Annual physical test- A comprehensive body checkup includes diagnosis of physical, mental, and emotional wellness. Wide range of tests are covered in it that include checkup of vital signs such as blood pressure, heart rate, weight, temperature and respiration rate, check-up of the respiratory system and cardiovascular system, nervous system and more.

Arterial Doppler- Health issues with blood circulation can be detected with arterial Doppler ultrasound. It includes defects like blocked arteries, defects in heart valve, narrowness, swelling, or injury in arteries and arteriosclerosis.

Carotid Doppler- This test is helpful in detecting problem in carotid arteries. Early detecting helps improve blood flow in the brain.

Holter test- To measure heart rate and rhythm a small device is used called Holter monitor. With this functioning of heart and issues related to it such as heart does not receiving enough oxygen, delay electrical impulses can be determined.

Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) - With age, loss of memory problems are ought to occur. Serious issues can lead to Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) and developing of Alzheimer’s disease.

Urodynamics- Urinary system problems like urinary frequency, urgency, and incontinence can be detected from Urodynamics test. Result of test allows physician to come up to a decision and make required changes in diet or medicines.

Vaso Scan- Coronary disease is detected by Vaso scan. Any biological age of arteries, peripheral blood circulation and stress levels can be determined through it.

VENG Test- Functioning of inner ear is determined through it. Electronystagmography (VENG) test is performed for discovering problems related to ear.

Echocardiogram- This test provides a scan of heart that helps in assessing the structure and functioning of heart.

Preventive care- Body is prone to infections and diseases. Patients require staying healthy must go for medical tests and screening. Wide array of tests are included in it that includes cholesterol screening, anemia screening, cancer screening, osteoporosis screening, depression screening and more.

 Contact us :

Medical Associates
5499 Nesconset Hwy
Mt Sinai, NY 11766
Phone: (631) 928-2600, (631) 928-9355 

257-10 Union Turnpike
Glen Oaks, NY 11004
Phone: (516) 742-3500, (718) 347-3500

All you need to know about Mild Cognitive Impairment Treatment

Mild cognitive impairment or known to be dementia is a condition in which brain looses to function due to cause of certain diseases. Some of them are non-reversible and one cannot stop the disease from spreading.

Some of the mild cognitive impairment treatment  NYC includes Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, Huntington's disease, multiple sclerosis, and certain infections such as Lyme and HIV disease. 

 

Other types of mild cognitive impairment other than the above ones may reverse if discovered earlier. The arise of reversible one comes from brain tumors, blood sugar level change, lower B12 levels, medication use and many other.

The chance of Dementia is usually more in older individuals or rarely in people below 60 yrs. The main symptoms include problems like language and memory issues, observation issues, emotional or behavioral issues and decrease in taking judgment and thinking.

Its occurrence is seen when one suffers from memory loss or poor memory. Initially, the person will see certain changes like forgetting recent happenings or conversations. Other than this, the person will fail to do many tasks at a time and will find problem in solving certain issues.

In the later stage when the person’s case worsens, he /she will not only start to forget recent happening but will also tend to forget his/her own life history. In addition, you will fail to understand words spoken by them, as they will use incorrect words. Other signs include failing to read as well as write showing self-destructive behaviors.

In worse cases, it is even observed that people stop understanding the language, identify members of the family or perform basic daily chores that they use to perform earlier during the day like eating, getting ready, and bathing.

However, if you or anyone in your known suffers from such ailments then it is advisable to take them to a physician and consult them before it is too late. The doctor will perform series of tests in order to determine what the cause of cognitive impairment is and will try to find out if there is any cure to it or if it can be reversed.

If in case the dementia can be reversed then sooner the doctor would advise the person to seek medical treatment so that they are able to repeal the damage.

There are assortments of treatments available for this disease but it all depends upon its cause.

Top five ways to find a good primary care physician

Finding a good and an experienced primary care physicianin Mount Sinai is often a difficult task for a normal individual. However, most of the people rely on newspapers or advertisements, looking for the best primary care doctor.

As a primary care physician is responsible for performing number of tests and screenings which includes screenings for diseases such as diabetes, obesity, depression, heart disease, phlebotomy, blood pressure and many more. Therefore, it is very important to look for a highly qualified and experienced primary care physician in your area.

However, the top ways to find the best primary care physician are as follows-

1. References from family and friends- One of the best ways to find the best physician in your area is to ask for references from family and friends who are currently seeking services from a primary physician. They will give you better idea about the type of doctor and about the service, the particular physician provides.
2. Referral from local hospitals and doctors- You can even ask for recommendations from the local hospitals of your area or from the doctors that you visit regularly. The local hospitals and doctors often have good connections with the primary healthcare centers so they will give you better idea and help you with choosing the most suitable healthcare physician.
3. Consult your insurance company- you can consult your insurance companies as they are the one who are very well aware of all the physician with good or bad reputation in the healthcare industry. The insurance companies are aware of all the physicians that have some kind of complaints filed against them, so they will give you every detail about the physician that you will not know otherwise.
4. Contact the state medical board-The state medical board can help you and guide you regarding the few good primary care physicians in your area. You can even ask them to check the credentials of the particular physician that you are planning to consider.
5. References from some local nurses-you can contact some local nurses of the clinics to get information about the best physician in your area. Because of their profession in the healthcare industry, they will give you the best guidance about the physician keeping in mind all the necessary credentials, qualification and reputation of the physician.

Mild Cognitive Impairment risk factors you should be aware of

Everyone has one or the other forgetful moments. However, if you are frequently forgetting everything, you might be suffering from mild cognitive impairment (MCI).

Yes, medical cognitive impairment is a condition that is related with memory, judgment, language, and thinking problems. A person may have difficulty in decision-making, trouble in remembering common things, problem with language, and other basic skills. Moreover, doctors say that the individuals who are suffering from MCI have an increase risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease. 

 

However, the primary cause of mild cognitive impairment is still not found but the most common risk factors and causes are-

• Increased age
• Diabetes
• High blood pressure
• Depression
• High cholesterol

All the above-mentioned risk factors can lead to mild cognitive impairment. However, there is no specific treatment for MCI but here are few tips that you can use to reduce your risk for mild cognitive impairment.

• If you have any problems associated with blood pressure, it is necessary for you to address them properly with the help of your physician. Low or high blood pressure can increase the risk of MCI considerably. You may also require specific blood pressure medications to keep your BP under control.
• You should adapt a healthy life style and make sure that you remain active whether it is physically or socially. Develop a routine of daily exercise to reduce your risks for such health problems. Walking is best exercise that should be done regularly.
• Healthy and balanced diet can be helpful, which is why you need to ensure that you have fresh vegetables and fruits in your daily diet. Your brain can restore cells with the help of a balanced diet.
• One should try to limit the stress by practicing different relaxation techniques such as meditation. Moreover, avoiding different stressful situation can also help in lowering the risk of developing MCI.

However, if you are searching for a place for mild cognitive impairment treatment in NYC, you should look for a facility that has renowned and experienced physicians. You can seek references from people in your surroundings or can go on the web to find the most authentic healthcare facility for your treatment.

Why preventive healthcare is important for your health?

The preventive healthcare deals with managing and preventing patients from all those factors that lead to disease or infection. In other words, maintaining the overall health and well-being of an individual is the main motive behind preventive healthcare.

The preventive healthcare mainly consists of various types of tests and screenings such as screening of different medical conditions for e.g.- anemia, cancer, depression, obesity, HIV screening, screening for different STD’s and also provides diet counseling. These medical screenings needs to be performed frequently for maintain a good health. 

 

As stated before, preventive healthcare is important for maintaining the overall health of an individual but other than this, there are number of other reason that highlight the importance of preventive healthcare.

• The preventive healthcare services include vaccination for different diseases. Some of the common vaccinations include- Hepatitis A and B, Tetanus, Influenza, measles and many more. These tests are performed to detect the different health issues in patients. Different vaccinations are necessary to prevent individuals from various infections or viruses.
• Various types of tests are also performed to detect any kind of health problem among the patients. Doctors prescribe various tests if they feel something wrong with the patients. Usually tests are performed to detect diseases like anemia, HIV, osteoporosis, depression, and many more.
• Preventive healthcare also include diet counseling from a professional physician. Specifically for all those who are suffering from obesity, a highly educated professional is appointed to provide the required counseling and control the diet. Doctors provide strict instructions regarding the diet and make sure that the patient is following it regularly. This will further help an individual in maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
• In addition to all of the above, a preventive healthcare is necessary to manage the existing diseases. It includes screening of obesity cholesterol and many more. The doctors perform several tests to monitor the patient’s health and take measures accordingly.

All the medical test and screening are different for each patient depending on their age, medical history and for which particular disease the test need to be performed. The only thing you need to do is, find a reputed preventive healthcare Mt. Sinai or any other nearby place. Moreover, it is always recommended to visit a healthcare center regularly even if you are healthy.

Did you know why Regular Glaucoma Screening is vital for you?

Glaucoma is a leading cause of blindness that affects millions of people on a regular basis. The main problem with it is that it causes slow vision loss without you knowing it until it’s too late. It is the reason why it also called the silent stealer of sight. It’s a disease that cause elevated pressure in the eye that can damage the optic nerve that can cause vision loss. It’s a serious health problem that requires immediate attention. It can affect anyone, which is why physicians recommend regular Glaucoma screening NYC in adults.

However, few risks factors that increase your risks of developing this disease are-

• Age over 40
• Family history of glaucoma
• Thinner corneas
• Higher eye pressure
• Being of African American 
  
   

Other risk factors for this problem can include oral contraceptive pills, sleep apnea, and few other medical conditions such as hypertension and diabetes. As mentioned above that it doesn’t really show any symptoms, but some of its most common symptoms can include-

• Headaches
• Severe eye pain
• Blurred vision
• Reddening of the eye

Your eyesight is the most valuable asset of yours, as you depend on it for virtually everything whether it’s working, playing, or just hanging around the house. Therefore, you must act smartly and ensure regular screening. It helps your physician to detect the problem in its earliest form and prevent further damage. Even though there is no known cure for glaucoma, but its progress can certainly be halted with early detection. Hence, if you never considered it seriously in the past, time has come for you to give it a serious thought.

Your physician will ask you about its symptoms and few other questions before screening you for this health condition. Depending on your present condition and outcomes of the test, your doctor may recommend certain medications, laser treatment or surgery to manage it appropriately.

Therefore, there are no reasons for you to delay regular screening, which is why you must book an appointment with your physician immediately. Get on the web and look for primary care physicians in your area to ensure safety of your eyesight. A little research on the web can definitely get you the names of reliable physicians in the city.

What all tests are secured under yearly physical examination of patient?

In today's opportunity, where life-undermining maladies are getting common, the need to go for physical examinations has get to be should. These checkups guarantee tolerant's soundness.

Accordingly, be it a child, adolescents or old matured individuals, all oblige going for physical examination in any event once in a year.

Taking after are few tests secured amid checkup of patients-

Checkup key signs- During a consistent visit to specialist, patient requires to get pulse, heart rate, weight, temperature, and breath rate checked. Essential tests help focus patients body is working appropriately or not.

Annual physical blood test- To focus blood gathering of patient or to recognize any ailment in body, frequently patient are said to give blood tests. Testing of these aides in making exact judgment about the illness from which the patient may be enduring.

Cardiovascular framework checkup- Patients confronting heart issues like expanded pulse, low heartbeat rate, hypertension or more oblige going for cardiovascular framework checkup. In this, patients cardiovascular wellbeing is assessed and wellbeing issues like slender of heart valve or blockage can be distinguished.

Respiratory framework checkup- This test is done to inspect persistent's lungs. Tolerant's confronting indications like shortness of breath, hack, wheeze and so on oblige going for this test as there may be danger of midsection diseases, asthma and constant obstructive pneumonic infection (COPD).

Immunization status- Vaccinations are important for each age bunch. Right from the little age up till one is developed, individuals presuppose getting themselves inoculated. This aides in keep body safe from maladies. Indeed, even explorers oblige taking travel immunizations so as to keep themselves from infections pervasive in different nations.

Restorative checkup of whole body frameworks  Medical examination for all body frameworks like sensory system, respiratory framework is must, keeping in mind the end goal to guarantee there is no wellbeing issue.

Assessment of patients and their families' restorative history- Before beginning with the medicinal strategy, it is fundamental for wellbeing master to assess therapeutic history of patient and their crew. Consequently, before any tests does, restorative history of patients is should be check.

Experiencing therapeutic examination aides guarantee patient is solid, also, helps in recognizing ailment, if patient is enduring any agony. Consequently, before it is past the point of no return, patient can get treatment for their affliction.

Notwithstanding aforementioned tests, numerous specialists frequently examine eating regimen plan, way of life, and propensities like liquor & smoking with patient that aides in enhancing their general wellbeing.

Why you require Preventive restorative consideration?

http://www.medicalassociatesnewyork.com/

Different sorts of tests are performed to identify any sort of wellbeing issues in patients. Doctors perform these screenings to identify any sort of therapeutic condition that may develop in advancing times. Generally, various tests are performed in preventive consideration to distinguish ailments like paleness, disease, stomach aortic aneurysm, despondency, HIV, STD, osteoporosis and that's just the beginning.

Why primary care is considered an inclusive healthcare service?

Primary care is the inclusive medical service, which includes disease prevention, proper health care, medical counseling etc. In this service, doctors check for new diseases or conditions as well as provide medical help for the existing diseases.

Since it provides comprehensive protection from potential and existing diseases, it is considered and inclusive healthcare facility. You can choose an experienced and professional primary care physician Mt.Sinai or in your city to get essential health facilities. However, following are the medical procedures that are included in primary care –

Screenings – Different types of screenings are performed in this service. It includes screening for elevated blood pressure, high cholesterol and more. These screenings ensure that blood pressure or cholesterol etc., stays in control. It prevents further health complications.

Phlebotomy – Blood samples are also collected through phlebotomy or on site blood draw. These samples are collected to detect any type of health issue in patient.

Hearing Tests – Hearing test are also counted in this service. These tests are performed to make sure that patient’s hearing is accurate.

Electrocardiogram – EKG is also included in primary care. This test is performed to check electrical activity of patient’s heart. This test is done for various reasons such as to check heart’s functionality or to detect any damage to heart's muscle etc.

Evaluations – Various types of evaluations are also executed in this service. It includes oxygen uptake, which evaluates metabolism and obesity in body.

Vaccination – Travel and routine vaccination is also performed in this service. Physicians ensure that patient has all the necessary vaccine shots required in routine or traveling to other countries.

Various other medical exams are also performed in primary care. Medical help for several diseases, respiratory infections etc., is included too. Physicians also provide necessary counsel to patients regarding diseases, backaches, headaches and more.

Diagnosis and treatment for existing syndromes or disorders is also included in the primary care. In this facility, physicians provide help and counsel for various medical conditions such as asthma, arthritis, diabetes, osteoarthritis, Lyme disease, urinary leakage, depression & anxiety, hypertension and more. They also look after patients suffering from different heart conditions such as coronary artery disease. Physicians help patients in gaining control over their conditions to avoid further health complications. This is why it is considered an inclusive service.

It is necessary for everyone to regularly visit their physician for primary care. Not only it helps in identifying medical conditions in their early phase, but it also helps in controlling existing disorders. Doctors provide comprehensive counsel to patients regarding improving health and controlling risk factors for health conditions.

Blood tests in Primary Care – Methods to detect Medical Issues!

There are numerous ways to detect existing or future health issues. Blood tests are one of these many methods to detect health issues in patients. In primary care, physicians perform phlebotomy procedure on patients to collect blood samples. After samples are collected, they are sent to the medical laboratory  tests.

Usually, these tests are performed for following reasons –

• To detect the cause of patient’s sickness – The most common reason to perform these medical exams is to detect the cause of patient’s sickness. Whenever an individual comes to the primary care physician regarding a health issue, doctor takes blood samples for further lab examinations. But, taking samples depends on the patient’s symptoms.
• Physicians take samples through phlebotomy if they suspect that an individual has a certain type of disease. With further lab exams, it is determined if the patient has that disease or not.
• For blood related aspects – These medical exams are also performed to get accurate information on the body fluid related aspects. It includes hemoglobin quantity, counts of red, white cells & platelets, fibrinogen level in body. These tests are also performed to determine an individual’s blood group or type. It also helps in detecting different types of disorders such as leukemia and anemia.
• To detect any future health problems – Doctors also take samples to detect any type of health issue that might emerge in future. For example, levels of cholesterol and homocysteine are also evaluated through these medical exams. High levels of cholesterol or homocysteine can lead to severe medical conditions such as cardiovascular diseases.
• It is necessary to detect risk factors and symptoms on time to prevent serious complications such as heart attack or stroke. This is why various types of blood tests are performed by primary care physicians.
• For existing disease – These medical examinations are not limited to future disease or counting red & white cells. These tests are also included in the care of existing disease. Doctors advice to get regular blood exams to patients who are suffering from conditions like diabetes or cardiovascular diseases.

In diabetic people, it is necessary to get Hemoglobin A1C regularly to get accurate sugar control. These medical exams help in determining the high cholesterol, hemoglobin quantity etc., in body. It helps physicians in keeping an eye on an individual’s condition.

Doctors also take preventive measures in the case of elevated levels of cholesterol. But to take preventive measures, it is necessary to find out the increasing risk factors. Blood tests help in detecting these issues and saving people’s lives.