Health care

Archive for July, 2010

Patient charts, prescription pads, Jenga-esque stacks of folders, and metal clipboards are very last century. We are now in the era of stem-cell research, gene-splicing, and CAT scans. Handwritten notes and record-keeping feels retro and is eco-expensive. Annual health care in the United States costs approximately $2 trillion, or more than $6,600 per man, woman and child in the country, according to Time and CNN. Not only does streamlining the health care industry feel technologically obvious, but it could save an estimated $300 billion a year, according to the national coordinator for health information technology under the last administration.

The overarching consensus with electronic health records is that we must go paperless, linking hospitals, doctors’ offices and clinics through an interactive digital grid that allows medical histories, test results and all other data to be digitally transmitted anywhere and helps to eliminate medical errors, labor costs and the general clutter caused by paperwork. There are more benefits to electronic health records than less clutter, faster file finding, and more time for patients. Predictive models that tap into electronic health records could help doctors diagnose domestic abuse “10-30 months earlier by highlighting subtle patterns that are easy to miss,” according to a study from Children’s Hospital Boston.

In the study, researchers at Children’s Hospital analyzed six years of insurance claims for emergency-room visits and hospitalizations of more than half a million patients over the age of 18. All the patients had visits recorded over a minimum time period of four years, and only 1-3 percent had an abuse diagnosis on record.

“Using data from two-thirds of the patients, a computer model was trained to differentiate those who ultimately received a diagnosis of abuse from those who didn’t, based solely on their history of visits. The variables associated with abuse (such as a higher number of annual visits, mental health diagnoses, and visits for injury) were used to create a predictive model, which was tested on the remaining third of the patients,” according to the statement from the hospital. The study was published online September 29 in the British Medical Journal, and funded by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and National Library of Medicine.

Domestic abuse accounts for half of all murders of women every year, and is the most common cause of non-fatal injuries to women, according to a statement by the hospital. Most patients who seek treatment for injuries in these situations typically encounter a doctor for an average of 10 minutes, which is not enough time to carefully review and interpret information from multiple visits over the years. Electronic health records provide an additional safety net that could help minimize the chances that a high-risk patient slips through the cracks.

The e-MDs electronic medical records system is 2006, 2007 and 2008 CCHIT Certified and designed by physicians aiming to improve care, reduce errors and simplify business so that time spent with patients is time billed and coded properly. Its features work with staff to make the transition to an electronic medical records system as smooth as possible. With e-MDs, medical practices can visit, code, and bill with a single application. If your facility is looking to implement an electronic medical records system, look no further than e-MDs for a robust, cost-effective EHR system.

Ethan Luke. Electronic Health Records – secure your electronic health records with e-MDs.

In an effort to digitize the health care industry, the government recently revealed $1.2 billion in federal grants for health care providers to transition to electronic health records systems, according to The Washington Post. This is the first wave of funding under a health care reform plan that is aimed at cutting costs and improving overall care in the future. This new reform plan has encouraged health care providers, physicians, and technology companies who will provide support for such a transition.

The new push for implementing electronic health records systems is a crucial step in overhauling the nation’s increasingly expensive health care system. An additional $36 billion in landmark stimulus legislation will be allocated to generate adoption of the equipment by doctors and hospitals as well as the networks that will link them together. Half of the grant will help establish 70 technology-extension centers that will assist the hospitals and other health care providers in implementing the electronic health records systems. Doctors, hospitals and other health care providers will also receive reimbursements for the equipment they purchase before 2015. According to the Obama Administration, the universal adoption of electronic health technology could save more than $77 billion a year.

The goal of universally digitizing doctors’ offices will hinge on how well small-office physician practices transition to digital records. Accordingly to NYTimes.com, three-fourths of the nation’s physicians practice medicine in offices with 10 or fewer doctors. The challenge is lessened by technology companies’ push to bring electronic health records into small practices. These small practices can benefit financially because of reduced paperwork and automated billing provided by electronic health records. They can also receive up to $44,000 per doctor in reimbursements for demonstrating “meaningful use” of a “certified” electronic health records system. The incentive payments are intended to reimburse doctors for much of the initial investment in electronic health records.

Simplifying and improving the health care system is one of the most critical and dynamic situations the nation faces in the immediate future. Too many facilities have been resistant to change and their patients are suffering the consequences. It is time to update your facility’s medical records system to meet the needs of society and its technologies.

The e-MDs electronic medical records system is 2006, 2007 and 2008 CCHIT Certified and designed by physicians aiming to improve care, reduce errors and simplify business so that time spent with patients is time billed and coded properly. Its features work with staff to make the transition to an electronic medical records system as smooth as possible. With e-MDs, medical practices can visit, code and bill with a single application. If your facility is looking to implement an electronic medical records system, look no further than e-MDs for a robust, cost-effective EHR system.

For more information about a reliable electronic health record system, contact e-MDs, a leader in electronic medical record software provision. e-MDs offers a host of affordable solutions for physicians and facilities looking to modernize or enhance their services with the latest EHR/EMR technology. e-MDs is committed to providing affordable and integrated EHR and Practice Management Software solutions, including clinical, financial and document management modules designed to automate medical practice processes and chart management – delivering the clinical tools needed to succeed in today’s healthcare environment.

Ethan Luke. Electronic Health Records – secure your electronic health records with e-MDs.

Electronic medical records may dramatically improve the diagnosis, management and care of patients, according to a Kaiser Permanente study from the September 2007 issue of the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. This study reports that electronic medical records improve the quality of health care overall and may result in quicker diagnosis and response time to critical needs.

Electronic medical records can also enable the study of data from an entire population in ways not previously possible: allowing conditions to be analyzed to determine what treatments work and what do not, finding patterns of care that are more effective, and defining the cost-effectiveness of various techniques and approaches for optimal care. By being able to track larger amounts of data than ever before, medical teams can track vital medical data without the need for costly and cumbersome voluntary studies. Lives might be saved by following and analyzing diagnosis and treatment across a large group of patients and new solutions could be discovered through new found research data. These are the positive influences that electronic medical records may supply on the research side, but every day solutions are also provided.

The safety alerts, built into many electronic medical record systems, may draw attention to life-threatening situations. Imagine a patient seen by two separate doctors. These doctors each prescribe separate medication that could harmfully interact, medication that is somehow not noted or brought to the second doctor’s attention. This could have a potentially fatal consequence. With a electronic medical record systems, doctors are alerted instantly to any potentially dangerous medical interactions or conditions of a patient. According to a “Safety in Prescribing” study in Archives of Internal Medicine, safety alerts that appear in electronic medical records reduce potentially dangerous interactions of co-prescriptions.

“This study shows that safety alerts in electronic medical records are a powerful tool to help clinicians make decisions about what drugs they should prescribe for their patients,” says Adrianne Feldstein, MD, MS, lead author of the study and an investigator at Kaiser Permanente’s Center for Health Research. “We compared the effects of two interventions in outpatient clinical settings – safety alerts in electronic medical records versus safety alerts plus clinician education courses. We found that adding clinician education to electronic medical records safety alerts did not reduce the rates of co-prescribing medications that interact any more than electronic medical records safety alerts alone. The reason is unclear, but it may be that the ‘just in time’ information provided by safety alerts is more useful to clinicians than education courses.”

Electronic medical records may help save lives, especially when they are properly implemented and understood. For more information about a reliable electronic medical record system, contact e-MDs, a leader in electronic medical record software provision. e-MDs offers a host of affordable solutions for physicians and facilities looking to modernize or enhance their services with the latest EMR technology. e-MDs is committed to providing operational solutions and delivering the clinical tools needed to succeed in today’s medical field.

Brigette Botkin. Electronic Medical Records – e-MDs powerful software can help manage your electronic medical records

Providing for and maintaining the health, and healthcare, of its citizens is a challenge for nations worldwide. In the U.S., assigning the responsibility of providing for healthcare between patients, employers and government entities has led to sometimes heated debate. Ultimately, providing citizens with the health care and support they need is the goal.

One organization in the U.S. that seems to have found a system that works well for its members is the Department of Veteran Affairs. The Department of Veterans Affairs has worked to improve its health care quality even under the increasing numbers of veterans entering its system from wars in the Middle East. The Veterans Health Administration employs the largest integrated health care system comprised of 153 medical centers, numerous community based outpatient clinics and community living centers. Together, these health care facilities provide inclusive care to more than 5.5 million veterans every year.

Even in the face of turbulent economic times, The Department of Veterans Affairs has re-strengthened its efforts to provide quality care. The VA tracks performance measures, expands the use of health information technology, manages chronic diseases, coordinates care by different providers and uses evidence-based medical practice. Their VistA health information system includes electronic medical records, computerized physician order entry, medical imaging, lab test results, pharmaceutical management and medical staffing management.

Along with its current inclusive care, The Department of Veteran Affairs is looking for ways to improve the health care and practice of its branches. Researchers have used clinical data in the VistA system to study the effects of quality improvement strategies, like electronic medical record systems. In one study, VA medical centers used VistA’s electronic medical record system components to track how physicians abide by clinical practice guidelines. The efforts to better care and health management by The Department of Veteran Affairs prove that quality care can be attained through better practices and system use.

The Veteran Affairs’ experience and study findings show that when management concentrates on key quality indicators it can improve the performance of those measures, like reducing duplicate lab tests and making sure patients have the recommended vaccinations. If more health care facilities in the nation followed better guidelines, costs could be reduced, leaving a cheaper solution for health provision. Currently, health care in the U.S. is a privilege, not a right. But with the correct monitoring and management system like that of The Department of Veteran Affairs, more affordable and reliable health care could be provided.

Electronic health records, like that of The Veterans Affairs, can help save lives and ensure the improved quality of health care in the future. For more information about a reliable electronic medical record system, contact e-MDs, a leader in electronic medical record software provision. e-MDs offers a host of affordable solutions for physicians and facilities looking to modernize and enhance their services with the latest EMR technology. e-MDs is committed to providing operational solutions and delivering the clinical tools needed to succeed in today’s medical field.

Brigette Botkin. Electronic Health Records – secure your electronic health records with e-MDs.

For most medical facilities, the change from paper to electronic medical records can be perceived as difficult and frustrating. Staff members who are resistant to change may struggle to adapt their management skills to the new records system and may sometimes make the mistake of using paper as a crutch during the transition. However, once adjusted, an electronic medical records system helps staff work more efficiently, swiftly and make less mistakes. To help bridge the gap for the staff, an electronic medical records system can be supplemented with services that assist staff with their practices while assuring a quick, proficient and mistake-free transition.

During the transition, multitudes of information will need to be transferred from hard to digital copy. This may take up staff capacity and might deter many medical employees from thoroughly researching the digital files because they rushed to perform their extra transitional duties. DataFiling technologies can significantly reduce the confusion and mistakes made during the gradual transition. DataFile Technologies can be your healthcare technology partner that offers strategic solutions to free up your staff, free up your time and free up your space. Their services offer a superior medical record fulfillment process, a proven EMR implementation scanning service and a host of document management solutions.

Once your transition is complete, you can continue to use digital documentation solutions for your healthcare facility to ensure efficiency. Document Imaging Technologies deliver comprehensive document scanning and business processing outsourcing capabilities that integrate existing information systems to provide cost-effective solutions. It will help your organization make better decisions by converting, managing and organizing documents that drive your facility. With this extra capacity, your facility can build and sustain a competitive advantage by managing content throughout the organization, while automating and streamlining business processes.

Simplifying and improving the healthcare system is one of the most critical and dynamic situations we face in the immediate future. Too many facilities have been resistant to change and their patients are suffering the consequences. It is time to update your facility’s medical records system to meet the needs of society and its technologies. Help your facility bridge the gap between paper and electronic medical records with e-MDs.

The e-MDs electronic medical records system was designed by physicians to improve care, reduce errors, and simplify business so that time spent with patients is time spent properly. Its features work with staff to make the transition to an electronic medical records system as smooth as possible. If your facility is looking to add an electronic medical records system, look no further than e-MDs for a proper EMR system.

Ethan Luke.Electronic Medical Records – e-MDs powerful software can help manage your electronic medical records

Electronic Health Record (EHR) systems have been recognized by the U.S. Government as a core component to national healthcare reform. Beginning in 2011, physicians and hospitals will begin receiving government incentives if they are “meaningful EHR users.” Though the definition of “meaningful users” is still under debate, the reason behind the definition is clear. It will help define ways to ensure the accuracy of data within EHR systems.

According to the HIMSS Electronic Health Record Association, the federal government is expected to announce the criteria of “meaningful use” sometime mid-July. However, a study released in The American Journal of Medicine shows that even without a technical definition for “meaningful use,” EHRs have the power to positively affect the savings and over-all practice of a medical facility.

The study showed transcription costs were reduced on average by 28 percent, with savings ranging from 20 to 100 percent based on the experience of each participating facility with other types of record systems. The net benefit of using a full EHR system was on average $86,400 per provider over five years, with the most favorable outcome $202,200 per provider. Even “light EHR system users” saw savings, on average, of $18,200 per provider. Study participants reported 33 percent savings on drug expenditures, 17 percent decrease in radiology needs, and 15 percent decrease in billing errors. Their expert panel estimated using EHRs could decrease billing errors by 78 percent. These savings can quickly add up when seen on a national level.

In the United States, over 15 percent of our Gross Domestic Product is spent on healthcare annually. More than $250 billion is spent for healthcare communication, and administrative services. According to Arthur Little’s study, $100 billion of the $250 billion is directly caused by inefficient communications, with 25 to 40 percent due to excessive paperwork and administrative overhead. One study concluded that, “because of their quality and cost benefits, (EHRs) should be used in primary care, and incentives to accelerate their adoption should be considered at a national level.”

While the adoption is currently being considered at a national level, studies are still exploring all the potential effects of EHR systems. One study focused on the inefficiency of paper-centric communications and record-keeping. The study reported that paper records cut efficiency, create unnecessary costs, and eat into facility time. The study found that for every hour spent on care, an average 40 minutes is spent on paper work. EHR systems drastically cut the time spent working on record keeping, leaving open free time for patient care and interaction.

Cost reduction and time efficiency is important to every medical facility. With an EHR system, a facility can cut overhead and increase efficiency. If your medical facility is looking to integrate an EHR into practice, look to a provider committed to meeting all emerging national standards, privacy requirements, specifications, and certification criteria.

The EHR system provided by e-MDs follows the ever emerging specifications of national EHR requirements. Their solution system was designed by physicians to improve care, reduce errors, simplify business, and is the standard for affordable and integrated EHR systems. For cost, time, and efficiency benefits, look to an EHR system from e-MDs.

Brigette Botkin. EHR – e-MDs powerful software can help manage your EHR

Many medical information record systems were initially designed as financial systems with patient information added later, many times as an afterthought. Because these systems were not originally created for patient information, they are inefficient and problematic, providing perfect examples of badly-integrated, non-patient oriented, easily misplaced information systems.

Traditional paper record systems are bulky and take up precious space. Filing, retrieval, and refiling paper records is a labor intensive method of managing patient information. Problems can quickly arise because records cannot be accessed by separate departments at the same time. If a record is checked out for one department, another department must wait, wasting vital time.

Not having immediate access to key information in emergency situations can have serious and dangerous impacts. Paper records cannot be effectively searched or used to track, analyze, or record information, and cannot be efficiently copied or recorded off-site. Studies have repeatedly shown that paper medical records are cumbersome, costly, and can be easily misplaced.

An accessible, centralized, and secure patient information network is key to an efficient and reliable medical facility. By incorporating a system that can consolidate information across all facility operations, from admission to treatment to labs and billing, you increase the flow of information and reduce costs by creating better communication between medical personnel, insurance agencies, and patients. A record system that can accomplish all of this and more is an Electronic Medical Records (EMR) system.

With an integrated EMR system, you can share, manage, collect, and protect medical information more proficiently than with a paper records system. EMR systems allow data to be directly and immediately entered into the network. This saves time, reduces transcription costs, and creates a higher document quality.

EMR systems are proven to reduce the occurrence of conflicting or incorrect drug prescriptions. According to a 2001 study by Arthur Little, the average revenue lost by inaccurate coding can range from 3 to 15 percent of a practice’s total revenue.

Physicians’ orders and the corresponding results can also be issued, saved and maintained more efficiently in a comprehensive EMR system. EMR systems give physicians the ability to sort and analyze large amounts of medical data to find patterns and help determine the best possible treatment. They can share patient information anywhere the network is in place, in real time. This means quicker medical response time and easier analysis and sharing of patient information. EMR systems offer more complete records that help clinicians, physicians, and staff avoid mistakes and may reduce the cost of malpractice insurance.

Consolidating and integrating your patient information is the key to quality patient care. EMR systems allow more timely treatment decisions, create tools to better manage records, and provide an overall improved patient experience. With a modern EMR information system, you can ensure better quality care, contain and manage operating costs, and mitigate risks.

If you’re looking for a reliable provider of an EMR system that can reduce risks, increase revenue, cut costs, and improve patient care, then visit e-MDs.com. Their practicing physicians and staff understand the time constraints of a busy practice. They have developed systems from entry-level applications, to complete comprehensive EMR software helping to solve every medical facility issue. They have effectively developed and deployed technology that saves time, decreases paper use, generates higher practice revenue, cuts costs, and improves patient care. If your facility is looking to join the digital age of medical record management, try e-MDs and learn what a comprehensive EMR system can do for you and your patients.

Brigette Botkin. EMR – e-MDs powerful software can help manage your EMRs.

The concept of “going green” is spreading across the globe, from residential communities to downtown commercial space. Now, medical facilities are beginning to catch on. If your clinic is behind on the green scene, there is a simple system that will help you be eco-friendly while saving time, money, and creating a safer work environment. An Electronic Medical Record (EMR) management system will allow your facility to make green changes, without straining your staff.

According to the California Integrated Waste Management Board, hospitals throughout the nation generate 5 million tons of solid waste each year, with a large amount of that being paper waste. If facilities reduced their need for paper, they could see a significant reduction in the amount and cost of waste removal. In 2003, The University of Rochester Medical Center reported that it sorted more than one million pounds of paper waste from its disposal alone. How much would it cost your facility to dispose of 1 million pounds of waste?

Imagine if the disposal cost of 1 million pounds of paper went instead to a new hospital wing, new equipment, or a larger staff? How many improvements could your facility make by reducing your paper use? EMRs can help any facility reduce paper use, and exhibit a noticeable decrease in costs, and mistakes caused by paper records. With an EMR system, health-care organizations will also be protecting the environment by reducing the need for hardcopy, paper records. An EMR system alleviates costs while simultaneously decreasing what and how much goes into the waste system.

EMRs are not only providing facilities with a green alternative, but are also revolutionizing the way patients and physicians interact, and improving the overall safety of everyone. EMRs provide instant access to patient records at crucial moments, and could mean the difference between life and death. In these situations, EMRs give physicians complete, accurate, and instant access to all of the patient’s medical history. The time saved using an EMR system allows more quality patient-physician interaction.

Today’s providers are looking for ways to increase their bottom line by cutting operational expenses. Although the initial investment in EMR technologies may seem costly, experts say the long-term savings can be substantial. The investment in an EMR system will result in overall savings for facilities, insurance companies, and patients.

By switching to an EMR system, a medical facility will significantly reduce the amount of paper that must be purchased, stored, and disposed. Lower-paper use savings are seen in lower paper purchase costs for record storage and disposal. Instead of taking up unnecessary space that could be put to better use, facilities can increase useable, non-storage areas by using an EMR system and storing records electronically. This can free-up hundreds or thousands of square-feet of space.

e-MDs sets the market standard for affordable and integrated EMR solutions. The systems at e-MDs are designed by physicians to reduce errors, improve the quality of care and simplify business so more quality time can be spent with patients. e-MDs Solution Series is a EMR and practice management system that will streamline workflow efficiency, improve the adherence to treatment standards, provide detailed financial analysis, and enhance patient education and interaction. Join the green movement and save your facility costly time and money by adopting an EMR system.

Brigette Botkin. EMR – e-MDs powerful software can help manage your EMRs.

Having a sparkling set of teeth can definitely be of advantage to all of us. Healthy white teeth make us look more attractive, healthier, and younger. Most people in the public eye know this, which is why they invest heavily in teeth whitening.
Most people are not aware that teeth are never naturally completely white. They are usually a light yellow that tend to darken with age. This is because the surface enamel cracks and erodes, which exposes the dentine. The dentine is more porous and absorbs more food colours and pigmentation. The stains can then grip onto the plaque, causing a build-up of tartar.
The internet is packed with ‘advice’ about how to have whiter teeth. Much of this advice is to be avoided, or at least given careful consideration, as many of them can cause damage to the teeth in the long term. Here’s a quick run through some of the most common pieces of ‘advice’…
One of the most common forms of advice is to rinse the mouth with hydrogen peroxide every day. Please do not do this. Whilst you may see some positive results, Hydrogen peroxide has been found to cause tissue hyperplasias, which are precancerous tissue changes, if used for more than 5 days.
Lemon juice is a natural bleach and whitener, and a very good general purpose stain-remover. However it should never be used on teeth as the high Vitamin C content will strip the teeth of calcium and damage it faster than anything else. In fact avoid using any acids, even it is from relatively harmless ingredients such as strawberry’s or other fruit. You do not know what quantity of acid you are applying, so it is difficult to calculate a safe level of usage. If you must use these methods, then rinse the mouth thoroughly with water, then brush with a fluoride toothpaste about 20 minutes later, when the enamel has hardened.
Brushing with salt and baking soda is also commonly recommended. You may indeed see some whitening results, but the prolonged ‘scrubbing’ of your teeth will eventually wear down the enamel, causing far greater problems than simple staining. If you do decide to go down this route, then limit its use to about once every two weeks.
There are some effective and far safer methods to get those white teeth you dream of. Here’s a run down of some top tips…
Avoid or reduce your consumption of coffee, tea, cola, red wine, tobacco – anything that stains.
If possible, try to brush your teeth after every meal. – Ideally with an electric toothbrush. These can remove 98.2 percent of plaque, which holds stains.
Mouth washes with antibacterial action and plaque dissolvers also help in the prevention of stains. Remember to be careful of brushing too hard as it will strip off the surface enamel, exposing the darker dentine, which is also more vulnerable to staining.
If brushing your teeth after every meal is impractical, which it is sure to be at times, then try chewing gum.
Chewing gum has two beneficial actions helps to clean the teeth in a by removing the debris, and it also stimulates the production of saliva. (Drinking plenty of water also helps improve the function of the salivary glands.)
This is important as saliva has the ability to neutralise acid and remineralise the enamel, strengthening the teeth. Less damage to our enamel means fewer discolourations. Gum that contains Sorbitol has a therapeutic anti-bacterial action which helps kill decay-causing bacteria. However even gum with sugar is beneficial as the sugar quickly dissolves making it effectively into a sugar-free gum after a few minutes.
Rinse your mouth thoroughly with water after every meal if brushing or chewing gum is not an option. This is especially important if you do consume drinks that stain. The water will wash away and dilute the damage. If you can’t get to a bathroom sink, swill some water around your mouth and swallow.
Try to eat more crunchy fruits and vegetables such as apples carrots, celery, radishes, and peppers. Your teeth will benefit from the gentle rubbing actions that helps to keep the teeth clean without causing them any damage.
Teeth grinding can add to micro-cracking in the teeth and can cause the biting edges to darken. This is usually caused by stress, so listening to relaxation sessions can actually help keep your teeth white!
You can also use ‘tooth bleaching’ to whiten the enamel of your teeth. Dentists and tooth whitening kits use a form of hydrogen peroxide. However this is far safer than simply rinsing your mouth out with it yourself. The hydrogen peroxide in the whitening kits is buffered and there are devices in the kits, such as trays and strips, which minimise tissue exposure to the peroxide.
.
If you have really serious stains, then your dentist might suggest you apply a veneer. A Veneer is usually made of porcelain that is attached to the surface of your natural tooth with a type of durable cement. Veneers are custom-made to the desired shape and
colour of your tooth. The application is painless and the veneer itself should last around 7-10 years.
Bonding is also a process of applying a cover over a discoloured tooth surface. Here a dentist applies a tooth-coloured plastic resin to the tooth that is then bonded and sculpted to the proper shape.
There is also the process of lazer bleaching. A dentist uses a laser along side a whitening gel. The gel is applied to the teeth and a laser light is used to activate the crystals to absorb the energy from the light and penetrate the teeth enamel to increase the lightening effect on the teeth. This is one of the most expensive remedies, but is usually the quickest.
There are many ways to help you get a brighter whiter smile. Use your head and make sure you are not actually doing more harm than good. Look after your teeth in the traditional sense, with regular brushing and avoiding sweet, acidic foods, and staining foods. If you have more serious stains, then visit a dentist, or buy products from a reputable dealer. Be very careful when using the common household remedies, such as hydrogen peroxide, acids, baking soda and salt. They could cause you more harm than good in the long term.

In the wrong hands, teeth whitening products and tips can cause more harm than good. Don’t let that happen to you. Click here for more free teeth whitening tips

Here is a script for a deeply calming relaxation exercise that borrows some techniques from both yoga and hypnotherapy. Simply read this script in a very slow and calming way to a friend. They can be seated or led down, whichever they prefer. They may wish for you to subdue the lighting in order to enhance the ambiance. Let them decide what conditions best suit them. Once you have finished, swap roles and let them read this to you. By the end of it, you will both be more relaxed than you have felt in a long time!

…Now that you have got yourself comfortably relaxed…I would like you to now concentrate on your breathing…focus on your breathing…

…As you focus on your breathing…I would like you to look at a spot or point on the wall …Any spot will do…it could even be an object…or a subtle blemish…Just focus your gaze on this spot and concentrate on this spot as much as you can…

(Pause for about a minute)

…I would like you to do this following breathing exercise to help you relax even deeper and deeper…I would like you to alternate breathing with your left and right nostrils…

…I would like you to following this pattern…

…Breathe in through your left nostril…and breathe out through your right nostril…

…Breathe in through your right nostril…breath out through your left nostril…

…Breathe in through your left nostril…and breathe out through your right nostril…

…Breathe in through your right nostril…and breath out through your left nostril…

…Repeat this cycle for a few moments…whilst continuing to focus on that point on the wall…

…And you will quickly find that your eyes are becoming more and more…heavy and tired as you relax deeper and deeper…So deeply relaxed…more relaxed than you have felt in a long time…

…Sometimes people experience slight distortions in their vision…seeing strange colours and shapes…If you experience this, then that is fine…Just continue to breathe alternating your nostrils…all the while gazing at that spot on the wall…

…And your eyes may now begin to feel very tired…heavy and tired…like at times when you try and stay awake…but struggle…The more you try…the more your eyes are wanting to close… Becoming heavier and heavier…More heavy and tired…as you deeply relax…

…Now allow your eyes to comfortably close…

…You may feel a pleasant wave of relaxation flow through your body and mind as you relax deeper and deeper with your eyes closed…

…And I would like you to know that it does not matter if your mind becomes so deeply relaxed that my voice drifts away…Your unconscious mind will still absorb all the suggestions that I give you…and my voice will travel with you wherever your mind wanders…

…I would like you to simply observe the colourful oily blackness of your mind…as you drift down to the centre of your being…your subconscious mind rising…as your consciousness descends…

…And you can observe your subconscious and conscious minds rising and falling…like the waves in the ocean…by watching the oily colourful blackness move and swirl…as you become even deeper relaxed into the centre of your being…Colourful random swirls…drifiting and flowing…so smoothly…

…And I would like you to know that you can enjoy this state of mind for as long as you wish…observing the swirling colours of you mind…

(Allow them a few minutes to enjoy this blissful relaxing state.)

Jon Rhodes is a clinical hypnotherapist and author from the UK. Please click here for information on is book that is packed with many tried and tested hypnosis scripts. Please click here for details of his powerful therapeutic hypnosis mp3s.