Everything You Need To Know About Medical Management

When it comes to keeping healthy, many people focus on lifestyle factors such as eating well and exercising regularly. However, we’re not always so diligent when it comes to medical appointments and we often have trouble finding the time to attend clinics or forget to book screenings. In fact, research found that one in four women are not attending their smear test, rising to one in three among 25-29 years olds.

One of the reasons for this can be managing a balance between working and caring for their family. Women are more likely to put other’s health and wellbeing before their own, they’re often known as ‘sandwich carers’, looking after their children and their parents. One study shows women are twice as likely to reduce their working hours or even give up work completely to care for someone, compared to men.

Manuella Moore, Patient Liaison Manager at London Medical Concierge, shares her thoughts on getting up to speed with your ‘med-min’:

1. Schedule in your screenings

Remembering to book appointments for screenings and check-ups can get confusing, especially with variable age categories and eligibility for different screenings. If you can’t remember when you last went for a cervical screening, breast screening, eye test or dentist check-up, there are services out there that can help. You can always call your GP surgery and check you’re up to date or alternatively some Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) offer a text reminder service for cervical cancer screening.

2. International first-class service

Research shows that 22% of people from the UK, go on holiday abroad without getting travel insurance. It can be worrying when a member of your family falls ill or injures themselves on holiday, especially if this happens in a country where you don’t speak the language. It can also be difficult finding out where the nearest GP is or locating a specialist but making sure you’re covered and knowing where to go for help and support can really take the pressure off in what can be a distressing situation.

3. Extra support for mums

If you’re a new mum, the baby’s health becomes the priority – but you mustn’t forget to look after your own wellbeing. New mums can struggle to look after themselves when caring for their newborn with numerous medical appointments and sleepless nights leaving them feeling overwhelmed. In the first year a mother can expect their baby to have development reviews to see if their child is progressing at the expected rate, vaccinations against some diseases such as Rotavirus and MMR, and physical examinations to ensure there is nothing wrong with the baby’s heart, hips and eyes. It is important to keep up to date with your baby’s check-ups to ensure they’re healthy and meeting all the stages of development at all the expected ages. If you’re concerned about your own physical health or emotional wellbeing, don’t forget to book yourself an appointment with your GP.

4. Plan your patient pathway

If you require treatment for a serious or long-term condition, it can be both emotionally draining and time-consuming searching around for the best specialist or treatment. Some doctors can provide advice over the phone or video call patients for general health queries if they’re unable to attend face-to-face appointments. Working with a medical concierge service such as LMC can help to ease the pressure, connecting you with leading specialists quickly.

5. Understanding mental health

It is estimated that every week, one in six adults experiences a common mental health problem, such as anxiety or depression. The stigmas associated with mental health mean that people often don’t feel as if they can talk about it. Finding a doctor or specialist you trust to discuss your condition with is extremely important. It can help you get the care you need to get you back to feeling like you’re in control. Getting same or next day appointments, regardless of whether it’s over the weekend or in the evening, can be vital to speed up recovery.