HEALTH

'Feel good' mentality can be dangerous

By Robert Stoneback
The Danville News

DANVILLE -Northeastcrners' "feel good" mentality towards health is causing them to disregard the instructions of their doctors, according to a recent study The studvsaid that about 80 percent of Americans residing in the Northeast do not foflow treatment plans, a number

whichDrStevenStcinhublsaid
can also be applied nationwide, "l think that's pretty universal." said Steinhubl, a Geisinger cardiologist and director of the hospital's cardiovascular wellness program. The study comes from Tele Vox. a company which provides automated voice, email, text and web options for mcdical patients. While Steinhubl warned to "be careful of overinterpreting" the study, he said the data gathered by Tele Vox raises important questions regarding medical treatment among patients. Stemhubl has had cases where he has proscribed mcdicine such as aspirin or cholesterol-lowenng medication to cardiac patients, and a year later the patients are no loneer taking the drug. This happens with about 50 percent of Geisinger patients said Steinhubl. f, , v Thars just the medicine. TIts so much worse on behavioral changes," such as smoking, said Steinhubl. Only about 10 percent of pa-

About 40 seconds of that time will be spent discussing mcdication. That 1S not enou 8 h time to reinforce to the patient the importance of their medicine or treatment, said Steinhubl. These are changes that a i one doctor may not be able tQ implement> but a healthcare system CQU d EEgn gl an d have shown g ee HEALTH Page A 2 Tests m that sending regular text messomeb ody living in New sages to smokers helped in eny or k"h c sai d ' couraging them to stop, Stein' Generally speaking, the rehubl said. Over the course of a gion where a person lives has year> a gro up of smokers were less to do with their health than sent five texts a day for three their socio-economic status, months, then a text a day for said Steinhubl. another three months, which Another statistic from the "doubled the success rate" among those who quit, Tele Vox study reported that about 43 percent of NortheastToday's healthcare system is erners feel they would better not conducive to sitting down with a patient and talking to follow prescribed plans if they them about the importance of received encouragement from their treatment, said Steinhubl. their doctors. "The way we practice medicine Thirty-five percent said regnow is similar to almost 10 ular reminders from healthyears ago," in that it is built email, care professionals, via aroun d diagnosis and treatvoicemail or text message s, ment u but not as much for prewould aid them in maintaining vention. This whole area is the health habits> taki mcdi . ._ , , . future of healthcare,

only five percent of patients advised to lose weight continue to after a year Whl eS emhubl ad ts that . its a ittle bit broad to say that all northeasterners have the j ame h ttV < personal conduct and health can change rom P lace to P lace "Some. bod y hvin in central Pennsyl8. to be different vania is going

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me nts c U1 v Steinhubl agrees that more face-to-face time is necessary between doctors and P atients "We do horribly" as a mcdical J dhe in th t

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who have diseases like heart c and diab es and sur ing they stay on their treatment

Ge^nger has been proactive following up with patients

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lan> said steinhubl.

Email questions or comments to rstoneback thedanvillenews.com.

tients advised to quit smoking follow through with it, while

. According to a recent cardlolo Sy s tvd y' the av a 8 e amount off time spent talking and a carbet ween a diologist is about 10 minutes.

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