February 7th, 2012
Do you have skin care questions? Check out Dr. Strachan’s Q & A on Madame Noire!
http://madamenoire.com/134687/skincare-qa-acne-dark-spots-and-under-eye-circles/
February 6th, 2012
"Top Doctors" 2012
Aglow Dermatology is proud to announce that Dr. Dina Strachan has been included in the list of “Top Doctors” in the New York City area in the Jan/Feb 2012 issue of The Network Journal!
January 5th, 2012
Happy New Year!
The New Year brings cold weather which dries and skin and nails. Check out Dr. Strachan’s tip on page 38 of the January issue of Health magazine as well as tips from other dermatologists in Baze Mpinja’s article “Soften Up All Over” starting on page 36.
December 21st, 2011
Hot off the press…or the internet: Check out a letter to the editor I authored in response to a research paper on hair and scalp disorders in African American women and girls. It’s in the January 2012 issue of the Journal of the America Academy of Dermatology and I am honored: http://download.journals.elsevierhealth.com/pdfs/journals/0190-9622/PIIS0190962211010115.pdf
December 13th, 2011
Many people with acne are afraid of moisturizer. They shouldn’t be. There is a belief out there that if one allows one’s skin to dry out that will help acne lesions to resolve. Further, some oil-based moisturizers may clog pores resulting in acne flares. Studies suggests, however, that having dry skin, in fact, makes acne worse.
Put simply, when the skin is functioning properly, the oils (lipids) seal water in resulting in adequately hydrated skin. Transepidermal water loss (TEWL) is a measure of how well water is being held in the skin. When TEWL increases it reflects a defective skin barrier and skin that is much more likely to become dry. Elevated transepidermal water loss is associated with increased inflammation, and in the case of acne, increased comedone (backhead and whitehead) formation. Moisturizers provide hydration and seal it in which should reduce the risk of some types of acne flares.
So, as the saying goes, when it comes to treating and preventing acne, “dry is a lie.” People with acne should use high quality, non-comedogenic moisturizers as part of their routine to achieve and maintain beautiful, glowing, acne-free skin.
December 1st, 2011
As a gift to our current patients only we are hosting a special event to help you look great and save money for the holidays. On Wednesday December 14 from 10 am to 2 pm all chemical peels will be 50% off (regularly $175-$400 now $87.50- $200) and save $100 on the first 20 units of Botox (regularly $400 now $300). All appointments must be prepaid by Friday December 9th at 12 noon to ensure that we have adequate supplies. Appointments are limited.
November 30th, 2011
Despite the balmy weather here in NYC on this last day of November, it is still important to remind ourselves that colder weather is on its way and with it a greater risk of dry, itchy skin.
In order to understand how to keep your skin from drying out during the winter, it’s important to understand how it happens. Basically, a lipid, or oil, layer on our skin helps keep the water in our skin from evaporating. Dry cold air outside, dry warm air inside, and hot showers or baths with strong, stripping soaps disrupt this balance resulting in dry skin. Dry skin is the most common cause of itchy skin. It can also result in the flaring of underlying conditions such as eczema or psoriasis. We may want to remove all the oil when we wash dishes, to get that sqweak, but this is not the case with our skin.
How does one keep one’s skin hydrated during the winter? It’s simple. Here are the tips:
1. avoid bathing or showering more than once a day and keep bath time to below 10 minutes (prevents stripping of all the oil). If you must wash up more than once, such as after working out in the gym, focus on just rinsing off– unless you are truly dirty.
2. Hot water may feel great on a cold day, however, it strips oil from the skin. So, cool it down or make sure you moisturize well afterwards.
3. Don’t lather up your whole body with soap daily (it strips away the oil)- focus the soap on the armpits, groin, and buttocks
4. Use a rich moisturizer within 10 minutes of coming out of the shower to seal the water in freshly hydrated skin. Remember creams and ointments may be better than lotions in the winter if the skin is very dry.
5. Use a humidifier or place a pan of water on the radiator.
November 12th, 2011
After many years of practice, I am finding that money makes people “Yelp,” while the real issue is health insurance fraud.
Money-related matters seem to be the biggest irritant for health care consumers these days. Are you surprised? Times are hard. Notwithstanding, manifestations of the irritation seem to be finding their way, more and more, to review sites. Not uncommonly, patients who initially expressed satisfaction with their care and experience, become dissatisfied because they received a bill for a service that they did not understand was their responsibility to pay for.
Health and money are very emotional topics. As a result, the topic of payment for health services can be a touchy subject. Many times it is a patient’s issues and confusion around money matters that drives a patient who initially expresses satisfaction with the results to later communicate dissatisfaction after they receive a bill. This, at times, sets the person off on a destructive course of action, such as posting negative reviews on the increasingly popular doctor review websites which may support and promote unhelpful triangular communication. At the risk of being perceived as having “sour grapes” about some bad Yelp reviews (such as the one copied below) I think it is more important for me to share what I do know as a medical professional in order to empower patients. Review sites may not be your best resource for getting you questions answered.
In these challenging economic times, even patients with insurance, ironically, are being confronted with notably higher out-of-pocket costs. Although the amount of money paid to physicians is declining or staying the same, patients with health insurance may find that they owe more and more money towards a deductible, coinsurance, or copayments (copay). Stuck in the middle, the doctors now have the additional obligation, and expense, of being bill collectors which can have a negative impact on the doctor-patient relationship. And we wonder why there is a trend of doctors choosing not to participate in health insurance plans.
Many people do not know that insurance is a legally-binding contract between three parties: the insurance company, the doctor, AND the patient. All parties have obligations. Doctors who participate in insurance plans agree to provide services at an agreed upon discounted rate. Insurance companies agree to pay for covered services in a timely fashion. Patients are also legally obligated to follow the terms of their contracts such as getting referrals, seeing in-network doctors, and meeting the part of the financial obligation called “patient responsibility.”
When a doctor participates in an insurance plan, regardless of what the amount he or she bills, he or she is only entitled to receive the agreed upon amount of money—usually a discounted amount. Why would the doctor give discounts to the insurance company? The benefit is to have access to patients who participate in the insurance plan. The downside is that payment is discounted and not made at the time of service (sometimes weeks to months later) and billing insurance companies and patients adds to health care costs.
So, who pays what? This is determined by how an insurance policy is structured. Below is an example of how it may work:
Let us assume the amount of payment the doctor is entitled to receive under the terms of the contract to which the doctor has subscribed is $100:
Some plans are structured such that there may even be a combination of deductible, copayment, and coinsurance.
When a doctor bills an insurance company but fails to collect, or at least attempted to collect, the monies owed by the patient, he or she is committing insurance fraud which can result in fines and penalties including imprisonment. Further, patients who fail to pay their deductibles, coinsurance, or copayments are also in violation of their insurance agreement and could potentially lose their health coverage. It’s simply the law. Unfortunately, uninformed patients attempt to use forums such as Yelp to intimidate doctors into committing health insurance fraud.
Armed with the above information when you read the below review, copied from Yelp, do you think that this anonymous reviewer knew what his/her obligations were according to the terms of his/her insurance contract? (hint: “I was charged…”).
She was also physically rough in handling my skin and let out an exasperated sigh when I expressed my discomfort.
She did not take the time to explain what she was doing to me and when I was charged by my insurance for the “procedures”, I went back to her staff for clarification. They were rude, raised their voice at me and would NOT listen to what I was trying to say. They were entirely unsympathetic to the fact that I was not informed about these procedures before they were performed.
Under no circumstance would I recommend this office. They are rude and have no appreciation for customer service. Needless to say, I will NOT be back.
Comment from Dina S. of Aglow Dermatology 11/11/2011This is a great opportunity to educate patients about the “patient responsibility” aspect of health insurance. Health insurance in a contract not just between the doctor and the insurance company but also between the patient and the insurance company and the doctor and the patient. Nowadays, even patients with health insurance are finding that they are bearing more of the costs for health care as they are chosing high deductible health plans or plans with higher copay or coinsurance. Many patients do not educate themselves about their financial responsibilites and get angry when they are properly billed by the doctor’s office for deductible, coinsurance, etc. The doctor has a LEGAL obligation to collect these payments from patients if they are going to participate in insurance plans. Patients are also legally obligated to honor their financial responsibilities in order to not be in violation of the insurance contract. Unfortuantely, some patients who are not informed get angry and use forums such as Yelp! to vent and take a destructive course of action when in fact they simply don’t understand their own contracts. We suggest that patient empower themselves and read their contracts and call their insurance companies if they have any questions._
Having to take time to understand one’s health insurance benefits can sometimes be annoying. Your health insurance provider, however, can best help you understand your specific contract. A doctor is responsible to understand his or her obligations and patients are responsible to understand theirs. When everyone understands their part, I think patients will be happier and healthier.
October 22nd, 2011
Are you a new mother or do you know a new mother? Check out The MommyMD Guide to Your Baby’s First Year. It is a wonderful collection of tips from mothers who are also doctors. Instead of advice from just one author, it provides tips from 70 doctors/mothers. Although my daughter is beyond her first year now, I am having fun reading it and finding quotes from my friends and colleagues. I found one of my quotes on page 6. Learn more at www.mommymdguides.com
October 12th, 2011
with Brenda Blackmon at Circle of Sisters 2011
Visit Dr. Strachan's Vivacare page to learn more about the conditions she treats and the services she offers, from Acne to Zyrtec.
© 2011 Dina Strachan, MD and MedNet Technologies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
MedNet-Sites™ - Powered by MedNet Technologies, Inc.
Staff Login
