Tips From A Dr. Mom To Keep Your y (NAPSA)—For many families, mom is the first line of defense when it comes to keeping everyone healthy and happy. When momis also a doctor, that role can take on special significance. For example, Monique Yohanan, M.D., is a mom and a practicing physician who works for a company that develops clinical information and decision support tools for health care professionals. Said Yohanan, “I was a physi- cian first and a mom second, but being a momis by far the most important and challenging job I’ve ever had.” To help other moms get the most out of visits to the doctor, she offers these tips: It’s important to have your kids’ medical information handy. Keep the list of vaccinations and allergies, plus important phone numberssuch as the contact information for your pediatrician and pediatric dentist, as well as insur- ance information, written out so that you can provide them to health care providers, schools and others. Preparing a list of questions ahead of time can help to focus the discussion when visiting the pediatrician. No one will know your child as well as you do, and if you have concerns that you feel aren’t being addressed, go back until you are reassured. Remember, a mom is her child’s best advocate, so don’t be afraid to ask your physician to double-check for drug interactions or accurate pediatric dosing. Many doctors now have a smartphone device—an iPhone or Preparing a list of questions ahead of time can help focus the discussion when visiting the doctor. BlackBerry—with applications such as Epocrates to quickly confirm patient information, help them reduce medical errors, improve patient care and increase productivity. This eliminates the need to rely on memory. Not every doctor will be a good fit for your family and your child. It’s okay to interview doctors andtry different practices out until you feel comfortable. Whenit comes to fighting the flu—both seasonal and HIN1— wash your hands, wash your hands and wash your hands. While the HIN1 vaccine has been difficult to obtain,if it’s available, getting vaccinated can be a goodidea. If you or your children do get sick, keeping well hydrated is important, especially if you have a fever. To learn more about how doctors are using mobile applications for smartphones to support their patients’ safety, visit www.epocrates.com.
