- Email: [email protected]
COUNSELING CAN AID IN PROPER MEDICATION USE
HEALTH MEDIA WATCH Of 51 subjects who had detectable MS between the ages of two and five years, 13 were selected at random as a control group and also were re-examined. Among the 30 test subjects, researchers found that 22 had acquired MS, but that their MS counts were lower than those of the control group subjects. Researchers also found that the mean number of missing and filled surfaces, or mfs, in the test subjects’ primary dentition was 1.12 ± 2.81 standard deviation, or SD. The mean number of missing or filled surfaces, or MFS, in the test subjects’ permanent dentition was 0.44 ± 0.88 SD. These values were lower than the mfs and MFS values found in the control group: 3.10 ± 3.43 SD and 1.20 ± 1.91 SD, respectively Researchers also found no differences in the mean numbers of lactobacilli between the test and control subjects. (J Dent Res 1998;77:1851-5) COUNSELING CAN AID IN PROPER MEDICATION USE
Providing just a few minutes of counseling may be all that is needed to help patients better understand how to correctly use new drugs prescribed to them, says a report in the July 1 issue of American Journal of Health-System Pharmacy. Ohio State University researchers conducted a study in which they found that about 25 percent of patients left the hospital without being able to describe correctly what to expect from their medications, what to avoid while taking the medications and what lifestyle changes they needed to make to accommodate the
medications. Researchers also found that patients 55 years of age or older were less likely to know why they were prescribed the medication than were younger patients, and patients given three or more prescription drugs at a time had a tougher time recalling the basics of their medication regimen than did patients receiving only one medication. Based on these findings, researchers compiled a list of information that doctors and pharmacists should take a few minutes to provide to their patients before the patients start a new drug regimen: dwhat the drug is; dhow to take the drug; dwhat the drug is for; dwhat to expect from the drug, such as side effects; dwhat to avoid, such as sunlight and certain foods; dwhat necessary lifestyle changes, such as diet, need to be made. (Am J Health Syst Pharm 1998;55:1389-93) FINANCIAL FREEDOM CAN BE YOURS
Are you worried about being able to live comfortably on your takehome pay, pay for your children’s college education or retire from dentistry when the time is right? Dr. Ronald J. Stellabotte, who also is a financial consultant, provides a game plan for achieving financial freedom in the September/October issue of Pennsylvania Dental Journal. “Financial freedom is working because you want to, not because you have to,” says Dr. Stellabotte. To help others achieve this goal, he presents four tips for dentists to follow to ensure that their financial futures are secure. First, create a three- to six-
month emergency fund to fall back on if financial problems occur. This fund should be a liquid and marketable security that is stable in relation to the stock market. Building up this fund may take two to three years. While doing this, you need to live within your means. And, if you have a credit card, it is important to pay off the balance each month, as credit card interest can be 14 to 18 percent a year. The next step is to start saving for retirement as early in your career as possible. As your taxable income increases, so should your monthly retirement savings. In conjunction with advice from your tax advisor, examine the various retirement plans to see which would be best for you. After you have your emergency fund and retirement plans in place, start a business capitalization fund by placing 2.5 percent of your annual gross income into an account similar to your emergency fund account. This fund will allow you to finance your own equipment in the future or can be used as collateral to negotiate a lower interest rate when borrowing money for new equipment. Again, be sure to consult with your tax advisor. The last step is to create an education fund. One way to finance this fund is the Educational IRA, which—starting in 1999—gives you an annual $500 tax credit per child. Your financial consultant can help you decide what is the best way to use this IRA in conjunction with other money to save for your children’s college education. (Penn Dent J 1998;65[5]18-9) Compiled by Amy E. Lund, editorial coordinator.
JADA, Vol. 129, December 1998 Copyright ©1998-2001 American Dental Association. All rights reserved.
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Providing just a few minutes of counseling may be all that is needed to help patients better understand how to correctly use new drugs prescribed to them, says a report in the July 1 issue of American Journal of Health-System Pharmacy. Ohio State University researchers conducted a study in which they found that about 25 percent of patients left the hospital without being able to describe correctly what to expect from their medications, what to avoid while taking the medications and what lifestyle changes they needed to make to accommodate the
medications. Researchers also found that patients 55 years of age or older were less likely to know why they were prescribed the medication than were younger patients, and patients given three or more prescription drugs at a time had a tougher time recalling the basics of their medication regimen than did patients receiving only one medication. Based on these findings, researchers compiled a list of information that doctors and pharmacists should take a few minutes to provide to their patients before the patients start a new drug regimen: dwhat the drug is; dhow to take the drug; dwhat the drug is for; dwhat to expect from the drug, such as side effects; dwhat to avoid, such as sunlight and certain foods; dwhat necessary lifestyle changes, such as diet, need to be made. (Am J Health Syst Pharm 1998;55:1389-93) FINANCIAL FREEDOM CAN BE YOURS
Are you worried about being able to live comfortably on your takehome pay, pay for your children’s college education or retire from dentistry when the time is right? Dr. Ronald J. Stellabotte, who also is a financial consultant, provides a game plan for achieving financial freedom in the September/October issue of Pennsylvania Dental Journal. “Financial freedom is working because you want to, not because you have to,” says Dr. Stellabotte. To help others achieve this goal, he presents four tips for dentists to follow to ensure that their financial futures are secure. First, create a three- to six-
month emergency fund to fall back on if financial problems occur. This fund should be a liquid and marketable security that is stable in relation to the stock market. Building up this fund may take two to three years. While doing this, you need to live within your means. And, if you have a credit card, it is important to pay off the balance each month, as credit card interest can be 14 to 18 percent a year. The next step is to start saving for retirement as early in your career as possible. As your taxable income increases, so should your monthly retirement savings. In conjunction with advice from your tax advisor, examine the various retirement plans to see which would be best for you. After you have your emergency fund and retirement plans in place, start a business capitalization fund by placing 2.5 percent of your annual gross income into an account similar to your emergency fund account. This fund will allow you to finance your own equipment in the future or can be used as collateral to negotiate a lower interest rate when borrowing money for new equipment. Again, be sure to consult with your tax advisor. The last step is to create an education fund. One way to finance this fund is the Educational IRA, which—starting in 1999—gives you an annual $500 tax credit per child. Your financial consultant can help you decide what is the best way to use this IRA in conjunction with other money to save for your children’s college education. (Penn Dent J 1998;65[5]18-9) Compiled by Amy E. Lund, editorial coordinator.
JADA, Vol. 129, December 1998 Copyright ©1998-2001 American Dental Association. All rights reserved.
1677