Blue Cross Insurance Comes Up With PHRs Model

Good quality health care is simply a means of having the right information in the right hands and at the right time. You might be an individual or a family person, every body require synchronized sort of health care information, which might be distinct among a number of physicians, hospitals, pharmacies, and even among few other health care providers. But in fact we are many years away from this system that are in fact fully interoperable.

Consumers would now have better-quality access to the health care information they may require sometime to optimize their health needs and thanks to a new personal health record (PHR) model being monitored by Blue cross health insurance plans.

America's Health Insurance Plans (AHIP) and the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association (BCBSA) is now working in combine way to know the core health care information that comprises in PHRs, and have developed and pilot tested standards that as well allow consumers to move PHR data when they require to change their coverage. This makes sure that PHRs would certainly be moveable from one health insurer to another health insurer, as customers may request. Members of the two teams cover approximately 200 million people.

The diligence model PHR by Blue cross insurance is actually a private one, secure web-based tool that is preserved by an insurer that further comprise of a consumer's claims and governmental information. PHRs permit individual patients and their selected caregivers to appear and manage health care information and play a superior role in their own health care.

Consequently of health insurance also claims filed on behalf of policy holder, insurers have main information necessary to offer PHRs, and are in an elite position to build them for customers in the close to term. PHRs are dissimilar from the electronic health records that offers usually use to store and run full detailed clinical information. An estimation of 75 million people has PHRs all through health insurers, with millions more planning for the service during 2007.

Physicians tend to hearten insurers to aggress on a consistent set of core PHR data. Health insurers would take on innovating in the PHRs they get bigger, but the aim is to slot in core data elements into any PHR. These elements consist of patient histories, medications, immunizations, allergies, risks, plans of care, and as well few other information, which physicians know as the key data. The health insurance groups of people have set certain aim of incorporating the core data elements and put into practice the standards for portability from a previous insurer to a new insurer by 2008.

Sam Rosy is an expert in analyzing the insurance types especially in California and has produced lot of articles regarding the insurance types and its application. For further details Health insurance California and quotes view the site http://www.goodhealthquotes.com.To Contact Sam Rosy its samrosy@gmail.com

Treatment Of Inflammation And Chronic Systemic Inflammation

Inflammation is one of the body's essential defense mechanisms and plays a vital role in protecting us against microbial attack, external and internally-produced toxins, as well as damaged and diseased cells and tissues.

Unfortunately, the inflammatory process is inherently destructive and both acute and chronic inflammation may cause damage to healthy tissues.

Typically, the longer the inflammatory process lasts, the more damage it does to the tissues involved. In the case of a local infection, inflammatory damage often manifests itself as scar tissue and if a wound becomes infected or fails to heal quickly, it will leave more scar tissue than it would have had it healed normally.

Similar but less visible processes are at work in a more sinister process called chronic systemic inflammation that can cause widespread damage to a range of different tissue types and which ultimately leads to specific disease entities.

Chronic systemic inflammation is a low-grade, pervasive form of inflammation that has been implicated as a major causative factor for several serious chronic diseases.

Although chronic systemic inflammation and local, acute inflammation share the same biochemical processes, the former is not restricted to a specific tissue or organ, but instead involves the endothelial lining of blood vessels and several other tissue types.

As a result the disruptive effects of chronic systemic inflammation are far reaching, causing damage to the cardiovascular, nervous, endocrine and other systems. This damage may, in turn, precipitate or exacerbate a wide variety of other pathological processes.

Chronic systemic inflammation is, for example, closely implicated in the development of insulin resistance ? and thereby metabolic syndrome and diabetes.

Damage to the arterial lining and the subsequent development of heart disease has also been linked to chronic systemic inflammation which has also been implicated in some forms of depression and even sleep disorders.

Causes of Chronic Systemic Inflammation

? Obesity: Several substances involved in the inflammatory response are produced in adipose tissue. Central, abdominal fat is involved in the production of excessive amounts of pro-inflammatory cytokines and other markers of inflammation.

? Infections: Chronic infections like kidney or bladder infections, gall bladder infection, chronic tonsillitis, diverticular disease; chronic viral diseases like hepatitis, HIV, cytomegalovirus and infectious mononucleosis or any other chronic infection such as Lyme disease or brucellosis.

? Periodontal Disease: Periodontal infection is believed to be one of the major causes of chronic systemic inflammation. Dental plaque is often responsible for initiating periodontal disease by releasing bacterial and protein toxins, and organic acids that contribute to a low-grade chronic systemic inflammation in tissues far from the mouth. The treatment of periodontal disease can actually reverse some of the damage done to the endothelial lining of the arteries.

? Environmental Toxins, Drugs and Tobacco: Most foreign substances can trigger an inflammatory response. This is probably one of the reasons that smoking tobacco is associated with an increased risk for heart disease and stroke. Inflammation in response to tobacco toxins is known to cause damage to the arterial endothelium, thereby aggravating the development of atherosclerosis.

? Autoimmune Diseases: Autoimmune diseases are pathological conditions where the immune system reacts inappropriately to normal tissues. These conditions, which include rheumatoid arthritis and lupus, vary widely in their intensity and usually precipitate serious inflammatory-mediated tissue damage.

Spices and Chronic Systemic Inflammation

The first step in dealing with chronic systemic inflammation is to find and treat the cause of the inflammation. This may require improving dental hygiene, stopping smoking or losing weight. Such interventions can be dramatically augmented by the consumption of spices, several of which have powerful anti-inflammatory effects.

Among the most potent of these are bay leaf, garlic, ginger oregano, rosemary, thyme and turmeric. Other spices, in particular black pepper and garlic, counteract chronic systemic inflammation by modulating the immune system thereby limiting the excessive production of pro-inflammatory cytokines.

Furthermore, as many of the causes of chronic systemic inflammation are associated with oxidative stress, the antioxidants found in most spices help control this condition too. In short, spices have all the attributes required to minimize the impact on our health of the insidious, destructive and potentially lethal effects of this destructive inflammatory process.

Dr Keith Scott is a medical doctor with a special interest in nutrition and complementary therapies. He has written several books including "Medicinal Seasonings, The Healing Power of Spices" and "Natural Home Pharmacy". Find out more how spices can help to prevent and treat many inflammatory conditions and why they are the "missing links" in nutrition at: http://www.medspice.com

Restaurant Employee Tip Tracking Easier Through A Point Of Sale System

Restaurant Employee Tip Handling

The History Of Restaurant Employee Tip Handling

No one knows when tipping began. But we do know that in the 1980's the IRS levied new regulations on restaurant owners to track the tips received by the employees of the restaurant.

The magic number of 8% became the benchmark for servers and waiters to declare as their tipped earned. Not because it was accurate. Rather, because it was the minimum amount allowed by the IRS.

The trick is this. Tipped employees in restaurants are generally not paid minimum wage. The amount varies from state to state but it runs between $2.15 to $3.15 per hour. The IRS assumes that the tips received will make up the difference between this low hourly amount and the true minimum wage that is currently $5.15 per hour. If this is not the case, then it is up to the restaurant owner to make up the difference between what the tipped employee earned + declared tips and minimum wage. This makes accurate tip declaration, tracking and reporting a vital aspect of running a restaurant.

The Need For Restaurant Employee Tip Handling

You need a employee time clock system that recognizes tipped employees, tracks their individual sales, any charge tips collected and requires them to declare cash tips at the end of their shift.

You also need a employee time clock system that can handle tip sharing, tip pooling and tip out to bus help, bartenders and other servers.

You need a employee time clock system that will track the hours worked and tips collected and recognize problems with employees not declaring enough tips to meet the minimum wage requirements.

The Solution Of Restaurant Employee Tip Handling

Some point of sale software products have tip tracking built into their time in attendance module. Once you set an employee as a tipped employee the system will require tip declaration prior to clock out.

Servers and waiters who ring sales will have their total sales tracked. Tips collected through credit card sales are tracked and shown on the server closeout report. Prior to clock out the server/waiter will be shown their total sales, the charge tips collected and then asked to declare their cash tips.

Some point of sale products do allow for programming flexibility with this feature:

* You may change the minimum declaration from the default of 8%.
* You may change the requirement to declare tips at clock out.
* You may opt to have the system print a chit with their tips shown.
* You may opt to not show charge tips on the declaration screen.

The Benefit Of Restaurant Employee Tip Handling To You

How do you measure the amount of relief a person can have knowing that your point of sale system is enforcing tip regulations levied by the IRS? Not to mention the mass amount of time savings in tracking declared tips, charge tips and hour worked for every tipped employee.

This is one headache you don't want to have to deal with. If you have tipped employees you need a good point of sale system with tip tracking and time and attendance.Jerry D. Wilson is Director of Internet Sales for DirecTouch Restaurant Point of Sale. With over 25 years of hospitality point of sale experience, he has written several articles explaining the benefits of touch screen and retail point of sale software. Please visit http://www.directouchpos.com or http://www.directretailpos.com for more information.

A Look at DVD Shrink Wrap Systems

Shrink wrap machines use plastics to protect items from moisture and dirt during storage or transport. The plastic film is wrapped around the item and then the film is heated. It shrinks and conforms to the shape of the item, forming a barrier between the product and outside hazards.

Shrink wrap systems may be small and manually operated for the home business, or large-scale automated machines used by shipping companies. Automatic machines can process more items and hour than their smaller counterparts.

DVDs can be easily shrink wrapped for a professional look that protects the DVD from the environment.  Machines designed to shrink wrap DVDs work more efficiently than generic hand-held shrink wrapping systems. Some machines shrink wrap only DVDs; others can shrink wrap both DVDs and CDs. Machines specifically designed for DVDs are typically cheaper than dual systems, and can be purchased for under $5,000.

To shrink wrap a DVD with a shrink wrap machine, place a precut plastic cover on the machine's platform, and then place the DVD on top of the plastic. Close the machine's cover to heat seal the DVD. The sealing temperature is electronically controlled by the machine. These semi-automatic machines can shrink wrap about 200 DVDs an hour. Automated machines work twice as fast, shrink wrapping about 400 DVDs an hour.

More expensive, fully automatic machines can shrink wrap about 55 CDs or DVDs a minute, or about 3000 an hour. These machines cost about $16,000, but can also handle films other than plastic. Paper or cardboard could also be used, for example. Automated high throughput machines are portable and can sit on tables, taking up less space than floor-bound machines, but the table-top machines can shrink wrap DVDs and a comparable rate.

Several online stores sell all kinds of DVD shrink wrap systems at wholesale prices. These Web sites sell both the machines and the films need to shrink wrap DVDs.  There you will find everything you need to package DVDS with a professional look.

Safes provides detailed information about various types of wall, diversion, gun, and fireproof home safes, and more. For more information go to Safes and/or visit our affiliate site at Original Content Web.

Leading financial products specialists meet all their HR needs with ASR's flexible HR & Payroll software solution

KBC Financial Products (KBCFP) is a market leading specialist in equity, credit and fund-linked derivatives with a strategic focus on technology. KBCFP distinguishes itself with its unique specialist approach to these markets, by an absolute focus on serving its customers' interests, and the clever application of technology and financial expertise to further its clients' investment and financing strategies.

KBCFP serves the world's institutional and hedge fund investment community with KBC group controlling assets of over EUR 315 billion. With over 570 employees and offices in London, New York, Tokyo, and Hong Kong KBCFP team is supported by the 4 strong HR team in the heart of the financial district of London, 4 in New York, 1 in Hong Kong and 2 in Tokyo.

HR Manager, Caroline Andrew was the prime mover behind the introduction of an innovative HR solution "For a company where 20% of staff are IT Professionals it was important for KBCFP to identify a supplier that could meet our high expectations and provide us with a solution that was rich in functionality, extremely flexible, had comprehensive reporting and was able to meet our international requirements too. Furthermore, KBCFP needed a system that could evolve with the business."

As with a lot of city financial institutions, security is an area of paramount importance to KBCFP's business, particularly, with their extensive compensation and benefits packages KBCFP provide to its employees. Likewise, data integrity is a must for KBCFP.

Caroline explained: "Our research of the HR software marketplace indicated to us that there are an awful lot of suppliers out there, however after a series of demonstrations it became clear there were really only a few suppliers that would be able to help us meet the challenges that we faced as a business."

Caroline adds: "It became even clearer, after speaking with suppliers customers, that only one supplier could actually deliver what they said they could do and that was ASR."

Caroline continues: "ASR's customer gave them a glowing reference. As well as offering us an innovative HR solution, in the end, their customer reference made it an easy decision for us and we are still, to this day extremely pleased with the decision we made. In fact we have now been using ASR's HR software system for several years now and if I could sum up what ASR has provided us with and it is quite simple really - value for money. HR Professional wasn't expensive and considering what you get for your money it would be difficult to find another vendor who could provide the consistent quality of service that we find with ASR."

KBCFP purchased ASR's HR Professional offering which included modules in Personnel and Recruitment. KBCFP have since gone on to purchase ASR's e-HR self-service module too.

ASR's HR software has it's own in-built reporting tool, which is extremely easy to use, and has the ability to produce powerful analyses. Caroline's assistant, Sharon Harvey confirmed: "Using a global HR software solution in my last job for a world renowned financial institution I found report writing difficult and cumbersome. ASR's report writing tool has really been developed with the end user in mind without compromising on functionality. The ease which you can extract business data out of system is great - it really is just two clicks and you are done!"

Contact ASR:
Caroline Andrew
Telephone: 01582 714 800
email: onlinepr@asr.co.uk

Michael is a keen writer living in Edinburgh. Michael's Website: Belfast Airport Taxis