Monthly Archives: December 2012

The Holidays Are Over, And Your Sick

 

 

 

 

Staying healthy and flu-free during the holidays can be the most difficult part about travel, family and food. Getting to your Phoenix doctor before the holidays roll around is a wonderful option, as is getting that flu shot before flu season hits hard at this time of year. But even after all that you do to try to avoid getting sick, somehow every year either you or someone in the family comes down with a sniffly nose, watery eyes and cough. It seems inevitable at times, but it can be prevented. Follow these easy tips to truly staying healthy during the holidays:

 
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Get Over That Fear Of Going To The Doctor

 

 

 

 

For many people, the thought of going to visit their Phoenix doctor incites feelings of fear and sheer panic. These feelings may be intense enough to prevent some people from keeping up with annual visits, which can be a fatal mistake. Annual visits ensure that optimal health is being maintained and if there is a disease process underway, the time to catch it is when you visit the doctor. However, getting over the fear of doctor’s visit can be challenging, so consider a few tips:

 

    • Talk to your doctor about the problem: Iatrophobia is a real condition and is characterized by anxiety and panic associated with going to the doctor. Talk to your Phoenix doctor about it and ask him for advice on how to get through it when you have to schedule appointments. He may be able to not only give you some pointer, but if the condition is severe enough, prescribe something that will help you to relax a bit when you need to come into the office.

 

    • Ask as many questions as possible:  The more informed you are about your health and your appointments in general, the less you may feel you have to fear from going to the doctor.

 

    • Utilize a relaxation technique: From deep breathing to listening to soothing music from your phone or portable music device, there are a number of things you can do to help yourself relax ahead of your appointment. The less wound up you are before you see your Phoenix doctor, the more likely it is that you will be able to get through your appointment. Trying to relax naturally can give your Phoenix doctor a better chance at assessing your general health, as well.

 

  • Ask a close family member or friend to accompany you: Sometimes, the way to conquer the fear of seeing your Phoenix doctor is to ask someone to go with you to the appointment. It’s always a bit less scary tackling a seemingly insurmountable task with someone by your side than it is when you try to do it alone.

 

The more you can try to make yourself feel as ease, the more likely it is that you won’t give up on going to your Phoenix doctor and you will keep important appointments. Regular visits are important to your health and ensure that you are not overlooking an issue that could potentially become more dangerous and/or complicated given time.

 

The Professionals at Family Practice Specialists

While a fear of the doctor is quite common, there is absolutely nothing to fear when visiting the professionals at Family Practice Specialists. With compassion, experience and professionalism, our physicians are the best doctors in Phoenix! Ask all the questions you’d like, we have the answers. Afraid that you’ll be referred all over town for x-rays and labs? We do it all right here, at our Phoenix offices. Give us a call at 602.955.8700 or visit our offices located at 4350 E. Camelback Rd., Ste F100, Phoenix, AZ 85018.

How To Know When Your Phoenix Doctor Is A Winner

 

 

 

 

There is plenty of information available on what to do when you need to find a new Phoenix doctor. From properly interviewing a new medical professional to take charge of your health to what to do if feel that you aren’t getting the attention you deserve, it’s easy to know when your doctor isn’t a keeper. But it also helps to recognize the signs of a doctor you should definitely keep around. Consider these tips to know when your medical professional is “the one” for you:

 

• You aren’t rushed through appointments: When your Phoenix doctor takes the time listen to your medical concerns and encourages you to ask questions and probe deeper, then this is a practice worth being a part of. This ensures that your health remains a priority for your doctor. Your doctor’s office gets extra points for not making you wait too long to be seen if you have an appointment.

 

• Good follow-up: If your doctor’s office follows up on appointments, then that’s a good sign that you are a priority patient. This is key because it lessens the chances that things will fall through the cracks when it comes to your care.

 

• Advances in technology: When you are receiving care through a Phoenix doctor, it is important to work with one that utilizes advanced technology in the medical field. An office that is too traditional in terms of care and is unwilling to innovate may end up making you miss key developments that could be essential to treating a disease or condition.

 

• Quality customer service: Your Phoenix doctor should employ a staff that treats you with courtesy and respect. If your doctor’s office doesn’t have good customer service, it could be enough to make you leave your doctor to find an office with a quality staff. After all, the staff represents a great deal of the contact you have with your doctor.

 

These are things to think about if they are existing components of your doctor’s office. If you’ve landed with a Phoenix doctor that has your best interests at heart when it comes to your health, then you don’t have look elsewhere. However, if you do find yourself searching for a new doctor for whatever reason, the things that made your previous doctor amazing should be attributes to look for in a new office and medical professional.

 

 About Family Practice Specialists

When it comes to your health, there is no better place to turn in the East Valley! If you’re in Arcadia, Phoenix, or surrounding areas, our family practice specialists will not only provide the best services, we have everything from x-rays and labs right here on site! Give us a call at 602.955.8700 or visit our offices located at 4350 E. Camelback Rd., Ste F100, Phoenix, AZ 85018.

Stay Healthy Before, During and After A Doctor’s Visit

 

 

 

 

So, you are due for a visit to your family practice Phoenix, AZ doctor and you know you may be stuck in the waiting room for a bit longer than usual. After all, this is the busy season for doctor’s offices everywhere and the flu has taken hold in a big way, which means sicker patients in the waiting rooms than usual. So, how do you ensure that you don’t leave the doctors office in Phoenix, AZ sicker than you were – or were not – when you came to it? Consider a few tips:

 

    • Ask to be separated from the acutely sick patients, perhaps in a different waiting room: Your family practice doctor Phoenix, AZ doctor might be willing to let you sit in a holding area different from ill patients in order to ensure that you don’t get sick as well. If this area is not already designated, you might request this of the staff.

 

    • Wear a mask: No, not the Halloween variety, but rather a surgical-type mask that can prevent germs from getting in your mouth and nose and moving on to infect the rest of your body.

 

    • Wash your hands often while you are in the office: Since you and the sicker patients are touching the same door knobs, waiting room pens and anything else that is a common area component, you can easily pick up flu germs – or other bacteria – from touching in shared spaces. Avoid this by washing your hands often during your visit in an attempt to stay as healthy as possible.

 

  • Bring along some sanitizer: Sick patients in your doctors office in Phoenix, AZ means they are touching door knobs and other components in the office, so in addition to washing your hands, it pays to sanitize them with an antibacterial sanitizer as well. There are a number of products on the market even geared towards killing flu germs and other viruses.

The quicker you can get your visit over with, the less likely it is that you will get the germs lingering around the office. You might also ask for your visit to be scheduled in the morning, before some of the sickest patients come in the door. If you are seriously worried, then you might be better off waiting until after the holidays when things start to calm down a bit to ensure that you don’t end up with anything before the celebration.

 

Get Doctor Visits Out Of The Way Ahead of Holidays

 

 

 

 
The holidays can be a busy time of the year and trying to get an appointment at your doctor’s office in Phoenix, AZ can seem downright impossible. And yet, because of the prevalence of so much illness around this time, particularly as people start to spend more time indoors, it is more important than ever to schedule that visit to see your family practice Phoenix, AZ doctor.

 

Holiday Doctor Visits

With the onset of the season and so many rounds of parties and get-togethers, you want to ensure that you are in optimal health in every way. A regularly scheduled visit can not only ensure that you are being a proactive patient, but also that you don’t fall ill over holidays and find yourself unable to make an appointment. This is the time of the year when many doctors offices in Phoenix, AZ have more limited hours and don’t stay open on certain days, so if you fall ill, you may not be able to see your regular doctor. This is where some persistence can pay off, as if you insist on an appointment, you can head sickness off before it gets out of control.
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