F RE E!
+
MEDICAL EXAMINER recipe feature PAGE 7
TAKE HOME T HI S C O P WITH Y Y OU !
TM
HEALTH • MEDICINE • WELLNESS • HEALTH • MEDICINE • WELLNESS • HEALTH • MEDICINE • WELLNESS • HEALTH • MEDICINE • WELLNESS • HEALTH • MEDICINE • WELLNESS • HEALTH • MEDICINE • WELLNESS • HEALTH • MEDICINE • WELLNESS • HEALTH • MEDICINE • WELLNESS • HEALTH • MEDICINE • WELLNESS
AIKEN-AUGUSTA’S MOST SALUBRIOUS NEWSPAPER • FOUNDED IN 2006
JUNE 5, 2015
WORLD OF MEDICINE
BORED YET? SUMMER VACATION: WEEK 2
O
f course you are. It’s a time-honored tradition dating back decades. And it’s why you should check the Summer Vacation 101 article at the Medical Examiner blog for a zillion ideas (ok, ok, maybe only half a zillion) on ways to do stuff, get stuff done, have fun, and avoid summertime boredom. Mom, dad, kids, you need this info! Go to AugustaRx.com and click on the blog link, or go directly to AugustaRx.com/news
There are medical students in Augusta from all over the world. They have a unique perspective borne of their observations here and abroad. In this new series they’ll share some of those observations.
A
by Tiffany Thompson
s a medical student, I have had the privilege of doing my training in St. Kitts, the United States, and Canada. I am interested in psychiatry and have paid close attention to the psychiatric services available to patients in all of my locations. My first experiences as a student began in the Caribbean country of St. Kitts and Nevis. Even though the sister islands had a population of around 55,000 at the time that I was there, there was only one psychiatrist for the entire country. There were many patients that needed attention. This was a difficult situation, but the lone psychiatrist made herself readily available to her patients when emergencies arose. The psychiatric unit on the island was in a building separate from the rest of the hospital and was set up as an enclosed veranda-like building. One of the major downsides was the lack of psychiatric medication availability. A lot of the basic “older” medications were there, at least a few in each class, but any of the newer medications that are being used today to help a variety of patients in North America were not available on the island. In the US, I found there to be adequate psychiatric services available for the most part. There are a number of psychiatrists available and all the newest medications are also available, making treatment options more numerous and the ability to try different medications and combinations is readily there. The one downside revolves around the burden of insurance. For patients with no or only limited insurance, the care was not quite as available. And the cost of psychiatric care, therapy, and medications can all put quite a burden on someone lacking in insurance coverage. Of course, the insurance situation is rapidly changing, and even with the Affordable Care Act can be different from state to state. However, it still remains a challenge for many patients seeking care. The psychiatric hospitals in the US are, from what I have seen, top quality with a focus on acute care and getting the patients ready to leave with a solid after-care plan in place. Psychiatrists were able to see patients in the hospital every two to three days, making medication adjustments in a timely fashion. Psychiatrists are usually available with an emergency call number in the community if needed. Please see WORLD page 15
Summer’s here!
Our mission is to help you look your best.
It’s time for cool scrubs.
Signature Series Scrubs (706) 364.1163 • WWW.SCRUBSOFEVANS.COM • 4158 WASHINGTON RD • ACROSS FROM CLUB CAR • M-F: 10-6:30; SAT: 10-4