Getting ready for the holidays!

Join Hahn and Nelson Family Medicine for our open house on December 15. Take a few moments to relax, have a friendly chat and some light refreshments with us. We'd like to take this opportunity to express our appreciation of our patients.

Oxbow EMR named a Coolest Product of 2010 by Health Management Technology

Hahn and Nelson Family Medicine is a proud user of the innovative Oxbow Electronic Medical Record  (EMR) software. Our mission of "A new way to practice old-fashioned care" is made possible at least partly by this cutting-edge software that allows your doctor to do everything from get your telephoned messages, to sending your prescriptions directly from your electronic chart to the pharmacy. Your doctor and nurse also get automatic reminders when you're due for an appointment, or when you should be scheduled for a test such as a mammogram. When you come to our office for an appointment and see your doctor peering at the computer, they are not checking out their Facebook! They're reviewing the easy-to-read screen to see if perhaps you need any refills, and updating your medical record with new information. Gone is the roomful of easily misplaced paper charts with stuck-on Post it notes reminding your doctor to return your call. 

I suppose a disclaimer is in order here. Years ago, Dr. Hahn and his friend Dr. Shawn Moyer realized that soon most medical offices would need an EMR in order to carry out sophisticated reporting, as well as the every day medical record management that every doctor needs. As they reviewed the available EMRs, they realized most were poorly written, hard to learn, and had inadequate reporting capabilities. So what did they do? They decided to build a better mousetrap. And now the rest of the world is taking notice. In this month's online edition of Health Management Technology, Oxbow was selected as one of 2010's Coolest Products. So now you can rest assured that not only are your doctors the coolest in town, but they are using one of the year's coolest products to keep you healthy! Oxbow's motto is "Patients, not paperwork" and we like that too. We will continue to explore ways, using technology as well as low-tech solutions, to bring you the best in healthcare. 

Royally healthy!

If you've been following our blog, you might be disappointed that we haven't been updating it as much as we usually do. We've been focusing on the Health Olympics since it started in October. Please check out our Health Olympics blog for healthy tips, and news on local fitness events. In the meantime, check out pictures of our award-winning float from the Hancock Halloween Parade!

We'll be updating the blog with news of our new Patient Portal that will allow you to book your own appointments. Stay tuned!

Front Desk Reflections

So Lindy has been on vacation all week and I'm doing my best to fill in for her. This is a daunting task. It seems as though every third or fourth phone call I answer has one question. "Is this Lindy?" And then the disappointed momentary silence when I answer, "No, it's Bibi. Lindy is on vacation." Similarly, then,  other phone callers ask "Is this Robin?" And I have to answer "No, it's Bibi. Robin is with a patient."
I offer my help, but very often, it's often Robin or Lindy who hold the answer. When some people walk into our office, they may only perceive two women answering our very busy phones, and doing things on the computers in front of them. What they will learn as they visit us, or call us, is that these two care very deeply about our patients. They also have very specialized knowledge about how to wend their way through the byzantine labyrinth of insurance referrals, what to tell a mom who is worried about the proper dosage of ibuprofen for their child, and how to say just the right thing to a woman newly diagnosed with cancer. This is amazing to me, as I sit trying to figure out how to book an appointment while 2 other calls are holding, and a patient is standing in front of me at the check-in desk. I smile at the phone, and ask the patient in front of me if he would mind being placed on hold... I realize it takes a very special kind of person to manage this job day in and day out.

Most of the time I'm in the back office, saying bad words about Carefirst and trying to get a patient's claim paid for. Having the chance to see our patients out front, greeting them by name and getting to know them, is a real treat, despite the stress. I love seeing the kids come in and look at the photographs taken by local artists and recognize a scene from the C&O Canal, or read one of the books I've left in the waiting room. My heart melts when a daughter brings in her ailing elderly mother, and I see how they care for each other. I realize we have our own little community right here in this office and I am so happy to be a part of it.

Before I forget, here's a link to a nice story that mentions the Walk Across Maryland and our upcoming Baby Talk! Thanks, Anne Weatherholt.

Health Olympics sign-ups going strong!

2010 Health Olympics sign-ups are under way, and continue for another 2 weeks, through Friday, October 8. At the time of this writing, close to 90 participants have registered, and picked up their free tee shirts. Sign-up locations for the 2010 Health Olympics include, in Hancock, the offices of Hahn and Nelson Family Medicine; and in Morgan County, Rankins Fitness Center.


Participation in the 2010 Health Olympics is easy. Participants make a simple plan that includes: one food to avoid; one unhealthy eating habit to avoid; and a daily exercise goal. They are then asked to maintain a daily calendar to track and record when they achieve their daily goals. Participants are weighed at the beginning and end of the program.

Free tee shirts will be available for the first 200 participants who register for the 2010 Health Olympics. This year's shirts are kelly green, and are provided by Washington County Hospital.

Exercising daily is a key component of the Health Olympics approach to weight control and healthy living. Many Health Olympics participants get their exercise by walking or using home exercise equipment. Rankins Fitness has also become a popular spot for Health Olympians. Not only is Rankins a sign-up location for the 2010 Health Olympics, but Rankins has regularly promoted the Health Olympics by providing discounted memberships to Health Olympics participants, as well as free memberships to the top Health Olympics weight losers each year.

For more information regarding the 2010 Health Olympics, please contact Hahn and Nelson Family Medicine at 301-678-7007, or email through the hahnandnelson.com website.
 
And keep watching our blog for exercise ideas, inspiration for healthy meals, and ongoing information about the Health Olympics.

Thanks to our the walkers!

 Thank you everyone who walked on Saturday! The Walk was a huge success. People often ask "What's the cause?" since so many walks and runs are to benefit organizations (and that *is* wonderful!). We are just as proud to say, "The cause is YOU." It's to remind ourselves that our area is rich in fitness resources. Not only do we have the C+O Canal and the Rail Trail right here in Hancock, and beautiful hiking trails available within a short drive, we have talented fitness instructors such as Rene Kesecker teaching Zumba, Angela Petry teaching her Bellysima, and Boomtown Hoops offering workshops in hula-hooping. As the Health Olympics begins, we'll be reminding you to get off the couch and partake of any/all of this, and letting you know of other exercise opportunities available in our area. Please let us know of any of your favorites so we can share with all.
Thanks to John Harper for these beautiful images! There are more pictures on our Facebook page. I cannot get the captioning to work well here, so here goes, clockwise from top right: Dr. Matt Hahn gets the walkers round up for the start of the Walk; and they're off!; the walkers enjoy some hoops; Angela Petry in her Bellysima splendor; and finally, the end brought about in style by Brice Williams, Walker Williams, Aiden McDaniel, and Mike Cligerman
What a day!














Childrens cold medicine... really?

Did you know that there are new FDA guidelines for kids' cold medicines? Bottom line: Never give cold medicine to children under 4. And, this little nugget:

"The good news about colds? Children get over colds and coughs as quickly without cold medicines as with them."

Read more and decide for yourself. Spend money on medicine that probably does nothing, or maybe just a spoonful of honey!? Remember to consult your medical professional if you have any questions!