Healthway’s Corporate Clinic Services (CCS) announced recently that it has partnered with two leading Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Consultants to better understand Healthway’s role in developing wellness programs for its clients and design health and wellness packages unique to industries with a view to enhance workforce productivity.
OSH is a cross-disciplinary specialty that seeks to protect the safety, health, and welfare of the workforce. Its objective is to protect every worker against the dangers of injury, sickness, or death through safe and healthful working conditions. This conserves valuable manpower resources and prevents loss or damage to lives and properties, consistent with Department of Labor and Employment’s (DOLE) development goals and Bureau of Working Conditions’ (BWC) commitment to the total development of every worker as a complete human being.
Occupational Health / Medicine Consultant Dr. Marilou D. Renales, MSc, FPCOM is a diplomate and fellow of the Philippine College of Occupational Medicine (PCOM) and an accredited DOLE – BWC OSH Consultant. Dr. Anthony R. Busque is an occupational medicine practitioner experienced in policymaking and program development in OSH and quality improvement, as well as in the clinical management of work-related illnesses.
Ms. Emily M. Terso, Healthway CCS/MEDI-access Business and Operations Manager, says it is imperative to establish good occupational safety and health standards. “Moral, economic, and legal reasons all come into play,” says Terso. “An employee should not have to risk injury or death at work, nor should others associated with the work environment. Also, government realizes that poor occupational safety and health performance results in expense to the State, for example, through social security payments to the incapacitated, costs for medical treatment, and the loss of the worker’s ‘employability’.”
Terso adds that legally, occupational safety and health requirements may be reinforced in civil or criminal law. “It is accepted that without the extra ‘encouragement’ of potential regulatory action or litigation, many organizations would not act upon their implied moral obligations.”
For more information, call 7514957 or 7502027. You may also check out websites, www.healthway.com.ph, www.healthwayatwork.com and www.medi-access.com.
Positive thinking helps with stress management and can even improve your health. Overcome negative self-talk by recognizing it and practicing with some examples provided.
Understanding positive thinking and self-talk
Self-talk is the endless stream of thoughts that run through your head every day. These automatic thoughts can be positive or negative. Some of your self-talk comes from logic and reason. Other self-talk may arise from misconceptions that you create because of lack of information.
If the thoughts that run through your head are mostly negative, your outlook on life is more likely pessimistic. If your thoughts are mostly positive, you’re likely an optimist — someone who practices positive thinking.
The health benefits of positive thinking
Researchers continue to explore the effects of positive thinking and optimism on health. Health benefits that positive thinking may provide include:
- Increased life span
- Lower rates of depression
- Lower levels of distress
- Greater resistance to the common cold
- Better psychological and physical well-being
- Reduced risk of death from cardiovascular disease
- Better coping skills during hardships and times of stress
It’s unclear why people who engage in positive thinking experience these health benefits. One theory is that having a positive outlook enables you to cope better with stressful situations, which reduces the harmful health effects of stress on your body. It’s also thought that positive and optimistic people live healthier lifestyles — they get more physical activity, follow a healthier diet, and have reduced rates of smoking and alcohol consumption.
Identifying negative thinking
Some common forms of negative self-talk include:
- Filtering. You magnify the negative aspects of a situation and filter out all of the positive ones. For example, say you had a great day at work. You completed your tasks ahead of time and were complimented for doing a speedy and thorough job. But you forgot one minor step. That evening, you focus only on your oversight and forget about the compliments you received.
- Personalizing. When something bad occurs, you automatically blame yourself. For example, you hear that an evening out with friends is canceled, and you assume that the change in plans is because no one wanted to be around you.
- Catastrophizing. You automatically anticipate the worst. You refuse to go out with friends for fear that you’ll make a fool of yourself. Or one change in your daily routine leads you to think the entire day will be a disaster.
- Polarizing. You see things only as either good or bad, black or white. There is no middle ground. You feel that you have to be perfect or that you’re a total failure.
Focusing on positive thinking
Because your self-talk is mainly negative doesn’t mean you’re doomed to an unhappy or unhealthy life. You can learn to turn negative thinking into positive thinking. The process is simple, but it takes time and practice — you’re creating a new habit, after all. Here are some ways to think and behave in a more positive way:
- Check yourself. Periodically during the day, stop and evaluate what you’re thinking. If you find that your thoughts are mainly negative, try to find a way to put a positive spin on them.
- Be open to humor. Give yourself permission to smile or laugh, especially during difficult times. Seek humor in everyday happenings. When you can laugh at life, you feel less stressed.
- Follow a healthy lifestyle. Exercise at least three times a week to positively affect mood and reduce stress. Follow a healthy diet to fuel your mind and body. And learn to manage stress.
- Surround yourself with positive people. Make sure those in your life are positive, supportive people you can depend on to give helpful advice and feedback. Negative people, those who believe they have no power over their lives, may increase your stress level and may make you doubt your ability to manage stress in healthy ways.
- Practice positive self-talk. Start by following one simple rule: Don’t say anything to yourself that you wouldn’t say to anyone else. Be gentle and encouraging with yourself. If a negative thought enters your mind, evaluate it rationally and respond with affirmations of what is good about yourself.
Examples of typical negative self-talk and how you might apply a positive twist include:
|
Negative self-talk |
Positive spin |
| I’ve never done it before. | It’s an opportunity to learn something new. |
| It’s too complicated. | I’ll tackle it from a different angle. |
| I don’t have the resources. | Necessity is the mother of invention. |
| I’m too lazy to get this done. | I wasn’t able to fit it into my schedule but can re-examine some priorities. |
| There’s no way it will work. | I can try to make it work. |
| It’s too radical a change. | Let’s take a chance. |
| No one bothers to communicate with me. | I’ll see if I can open the channels of communication. |
| I’m not going to get any better at this. | I’ll give it another try. |
Practicing positive thinking every day
If you tend to have a negative outlook, don’t expect to become an optimist overnight. But with practice, eventually your self-talk will contain less self-criticism and more self-acceptance. You may also become less critical of the world around you. Plus, when you share your positive mood and positive experience, both you and those around you enjoy an emotional boost.
Practicing positive self-talk will improve your outlook. When your state of mind is generally optimistic, you’re able to handle everyday stress in a more constructive way. That ability may contribute to the widely observed health benefits of positive thinking.
Source: www. mayoclinic.com
|
What is leptospirosis? Leptospirosis is a bacterial disease that affects humans and animals. It is caused by bacteria of the genus Leptospira. In humans it causes a wide range of symptoms, and some infected persons may have no symptoms at all. Symptoms of leptospirosis include high fever, severe headache, chills, muscle aches, and vomiting, and may include jaundice (yellow skin and eyes), red eyes, abdominal pain, diarrhea, or a rash. If the disease is not treated, the patient could develop kidney damage, meningitis (inflammation of the membrane around the brain and spinal cord), liver failure, and respiratory distress. In rare cases death occurs. Many of these symptoms can be mistaken for other diseases. Leptospirosis is confirmed by laboratory testing of a blood or urine sample. How do people get leptospirosis? Outbreaks of leptospirosis are usually caused by exposure to water contaminated with the urine of infected animals. Many different kinds of animals carry the bacterium; they may become sick but sometimes have no symptoms. Leptospira organisms have been found in cattle, pigs, horses, dogs, rodents, and wild animals. Humans become infected through contact with water, food, or soil containing urine from these infected animals. This may happen by swallowing contaminated food or water or through skin contact, especially with mucosal surfaces, such as the eyes or nose, or with broken skin. The disease is not known to be spread from person to person. How long is it between the time of exposure and when people become sick? The time between a person’s exposure to a contaminated source and becoming sick is 2 days to 4 weeks. Illness usually begins abruptly with fever and other symptoms. Leptospirosis may occur in two phases; after the first phase, with fever, chills, headache, muscle aches, vomiting, or diarrhea, the patient may recover for a time but become ill again. If a second phase occurs, it is more severe; the person may have kidney or liver failure or meningitis. This phase is also called Weil’s disease. The illness lasts from a few days to 3 weeks or longer. Without treatment, recovery may take several months. Where is leptospirosis found? Leptospirosis occurs worldwide but is most common in temperate or tropical climates. It is an occupational hazard for many people who work outdoors or with animals, for example, farmers, sewer workers, veterinarians, fish workers, dairy farmers, or military personnel. It is a recreational hazard for campers or those who participate in outdoor sports in contaminated areas and has been associated with swimming, wading, and whitewater rafting in contaminated lakes and rivers. The incidence is also increasing among urban children. How is leptospirosis treated? Leptospirosis is treated with antibiotics, such as doxycycline or penicillin, which should be given early in the course of the disease. Intravenous antibiotics may be required for persons with more severe symptoms. Persons with symptoms suggestive of leptospirosis should contact a Can leptospirosis be prevented? The risk of acquiring leptospirosis can be greatly reduced by not swimming or wading in water that might be contaminated with animal urine.
|
Date: October 12, 2005
Content source: National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases: Division of Bacterial Diseases
Bahia Shipping Services, Inc., a maritime manning agency that supplies competent Filipino seafarers for shipboard employment, now holds the distinction of being one the first manning agency to provide quality healthcare services to almost 2000 seafarers’ dependents. Bahia, in partnership with Healthway Medical, the country’s biggest mall-based network of clinics, recently signed a partnership to provide the former with better healthcare through their MEDI-access program.
MEDI-access is the only flexible plan that can administer healthcare programs. It’s a one-of-a-kind TPA that allows employers to better manage the healthcare program of their employees by only paying for what is consumed by means of a system called HR Portal. HR Portal is a web-based system that enables HR heads to monitor their membership and utilizations. The card also allows access to consultation, laboratory and other hospitalization needs with over 200 accredited clinics and hospitals and over 3,600 network of physicians and dentists nationwide.
MEDI-access also provides wellness programs that promote preventive health care. Lectures and seminars concerning health and wellness matters as well as fun activities are part of the program.
“MEDI-access will provide healthcare services to a maximum of 2 dependents, who are in good health, per employee. The partnership with MEDI-access is meant to give our employees a better quality of life and to foster loyalty.” said Cynthia Mendoza, Bahia’s President.
Bahia Shipping Services, Inc., started operations in December 1987 at Intramuros, Manila. Today, Bahia has a pool of thousands of seafarers onboard our Principals, Fred Olsen Cruise Lines, Fred Olsen Marine Services and VShips Management. Their services include timely remittance, programs for protection and indemnity, crew and mail system and communications system.
Healthway Medical, the largest network of mall-based clinics in the country presents MEDI-access to corporate customers. The program works as a Third Party Administration (TPA) that offers administrative expertise access to a network of healthcare providers nationwide. When a corporate entity decides to be self insured with regards to its employees’ health benefits, MEDI-access comes in to create a customized, flexible, and cost effective employee health benefit plans.
MEDI-access in not a premium based health insurance plan like HMOs. The program revolves around the company-defined employee health plan and budget. the company pays only for the actual utilization. This may translate into additional savings especially in a well managed program administered by MEDI-access.
Conceptualized in late 2006 and implemented mid of 2007; the program has rapidly gained clients and is continuously building its network of healthcare providers. Today, MEDI-access has gained more than 200 accredited hospitals and clinics nationwide; mostly tertiary hospitals located in key cities in the country. The program is also proud of its growing network of over 1500 physicians and dentists. Healthway clinics, as part of MEDI-access’ network of providers is also commonly utilized by its corporate clients with its waived administration fee and additional discounts advantages.
“We at Healthway are always looking for ways to improve healthcare delivery to our corporate customers. By making it more efficient, corporate customers can better manage their employees’ healthcare funds and ensure better utilization.” said Carmie De Leon, Healthway’s Vice-President for sales and marketing.
Lighting the path to good health not only in the South, but across the nation was a partnership sealed by South Star Drug (SSD), one of the top 1,000 corporations in the Philippines and Healthway’s MEDI-Access, the fastest growing TPA (Third Party Administrative) in the country.
Sharing the same vision of quality healthcare; Healthway Medical, will be providing health services management to South Star’s enrolled members thru its MEDI-Access program.
South Star employees can now utilize MEDI-Access’ network of accredited hospitals and clinic nationwide for their healthcare needs.
Photo shows (L-R): Joana Luanzon – South Star’s HR Manager, Dahlia T. Dy – South Star President, Carmie Deleon – Healthway’s VP for Sales and Marketing, Noreen Arellano – Healthway’s Sales Manager.
Ensuring good health for their employees, Summit Technology Philippines, an information technology company primarily providing medical transcription service for the United States market, recently sealed a partnership with MEDI-Access for their health care plan.
Summit Technology’s Senior Administration Officer, Ms. Charina Peralta said they believe that MEDI-Acces will be able to provide them an idea of their companies’ actual utilization; thus, they will be able to determine health issues their employees should watch out for.
As part of the partnership, MEDI-Acces will also provide regular wellness program focused on preventive health care. Means and information to achieve this will also be encouraged amongst the employee of Summit.
Photo shows (L-R): Charina Peralta –Summit ‘s Senior Admin Officer, Katelyne Ann Brooks- Summit’s Finance Manager, Carmie De Leon –Healthway’s VP for Sales and Marketing, Noreen Arellano – Healthway’s Sales Manager, Carlos Sta. Ana – Healthway’s Sales Officer.
Healthway’s “Aint Overweight in 2008!” activity is a weight management program for employees of the Corporate Clinics and clients of MEDI-Access. Participants are screened for Body Mass Index (BMI) at the start of the program and later on at the end of 2008. The employee with the greatest improvement wins.
BMI screening for Scan Asia was held last March 4, 2008 at Pasong Tamo, Makati City.
(Photo shows L-R Scan
Dr. Miko Zozobrado, a physician trained in Occupational Medicine, emphasizes points during his lecture entitled “Ain’t Overweight – Obesity and Fitness” before the Infocom employees held last November 12, 2007 at Infocom Pasong Tamo.
This is part of a series of lectures and Booth activities pertaining to the Wellness Program initiated by MEDI-access for corporate clients.
Last November 8, 2007 FPD Asia Property Services, Inc signed agreement with HMC, Inc for the enrollment of its employees to MEDI-access program.
FPD Asia Property Services, Inc is the pioneer in property management services industry and is currently the leader with over 1.5 million square meters of gross floor area in its managed portfolio. The company has been a loyal client of Healthway Medical for years and been depending on it for its employee’s outpatient benefits. This year they have signed contract with Healthway for the MEDI-access program to manage their inpatient benefit as well.
(Sitting L-R: Ms. Alma Adriano – New Business Officer, Healthway; Ms. Noreen Arellano – Sales Manager, Healthway; Ms. Elizabeth G. Rabuy – Director and General Manager, FPD Asia, Ms Jaqueline Tañada-Tierra, Operations Manager for MEDI-access)
(Standing L-R: Ms. Jessica Petalver – HR Manager; Ms. Sarah Delgado – Building Manager (former HR Manager); Mr. Cris Bautista – Customer Care Officer)