Doctors Express Santa Clarita Delivers Smiles to Live Again Recovery Home

Doctors Express Santa Clarita offered a helping hand to the residents of the Live Again Recovery home in Lake Hughes. Live Again is a non-profit organization that provides six to nine months of residential recovery services for rehabilitation purposes to men that would otherwise be out in the streets or possibly jail.  This past Christmas, the Doctors Express staff pulled together warm clothing in the form of gifts and delivered them to the residents. “This year we got all of our staff at Doctors Express involved in our project.  And we knew that many of these men were celebrating the holidays without the presence of family, so they really enjoyed the special visit from us,” said Lupe Hafner, VP of Marketing for Doctors Express Santa Clarita. “We brought enough warm clothing for 10 men, wrapped in Christmas wrapping, and celebrated a nice night of singing and eating cookies and coffee. It was very heartwarming to see the men smile and laugh,” said Hafner.

Live Again Recovery Homes is a social model program based on the 12-Step format of Alcoholics Anonymous.  They provide six and nine month residential recovery services, outpatient services, alcohol/drug free living as well as having a community resource center. All of their facilities are Licensed and/or Certified by the State of California to provide alcohol and/or drug recovery services.  The residential facilities operate 7 days a week, 24 hours a day and are fully staffed at all times.

 

Planning a Trip this Winter? What you need to know to stay healthy

Its that time of year. The excitement of the holidays is over, and now there are three more months ‘til spring…It is cold! Like many Americans, the winter months seem like the perfect chance to break for a warmer climate.  But there are several health risks you should prepare for, especially if traveling internationally.

At Doctors Express, we enjoy helping travelers prepare for their big vacation by making sure they get all of their recommended vaccinations in time. It’s a good idea to set up an appointment with your healthcare provider 4-6 weeks prior to your departure date. The recommended immunizations will vary for each person depending on several factors. Consider the following questions before you speak with your doctor:

• How long is your trip?
• Will you be traveling with children?
• What country do you plan to visit?
• Will you be traveling to rural communities or staying in the city?
• Do you have a suppressed immune system due to illnesses like diabetes or HIV?
• Are you pregnant or breastfeeding?

Be aware that if you’re traveling to Sub-Saharan Africa or Tropical South America, International Health Regulations require a yellow fever immunization and you may be asked to present a yellow fever certificate when traveling. Malaria may also be a concern in some countries. Click here for specific yellow fever and malaria risks by country.

For all other health concerns, click here for more information from the Center for Disease Control (CDC), up-to-date news on International Health and tips on staying healthy during International travel.

 

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Sinusitis: Is it serious, and when should you see a doctor?

Sinusitis, or what some doctors call a “sinus infection” is characterized by a swelling of the tissue that lines the sinuses. We have seen so many cases of sinusitis this year, that we thought it warranted a little attention. What is it? Is it serious? And…when should you see a doctor for treatment?

Well, you may not know right away that you have a sinus infection. You may be suffering from a severe stuffy nose and you might think that you have a simple common cold. However, if you are showing any of the following symptoms, you could have sinusitis and should see your doctor right away.

• Yellow or Green discharge
• Facial Pain
• Teeth Pain
• Fever
• Cough/Congestion
• Loss of smell & taste
• Extreme nasal stuffiness

There are various degrees of the sinusitis condition from acute to chronic. If you suffer from the condition multiple times during the year, you may be experiencing chronic sinusitis. In severe cases, minor surgery may be recommended to help open the nasal passages to help prevent further blockage of the sinuses. Individuals who suffer from allergies may be at higher risk for coming down with sinusitis, too.

However, most people who suffer from a sinus infection experience stuffiness and facial pain for 10-14 days at least one time during the year. A visit to your doctor is certainly in order and may result in an antibiotic regimen for 7-14 days. Lots of fluids, rest and at-home remedies such as a humidifier can help relieve you of symptoms temporarily, also.

Its that time of year! Hand washing, lots of rest and plenty of fluids is your best chance of staying healthy in the New Year.

Dr Feldsher Joins the Doctors Express Team

Dr. Zhanna Feldsher made her very first steps toward becoming a doctor when she read a famous Russian book, “Doctor Aybolit”, written about a fictitious doctor named Aybolit. Years later she was accepted to Tashkent Pediatric Medical Institute and not long after graduation; she moved to the United States with her family and continued to work on her medical career. From 2004 to 2008 she was in the Pediatric Residency Program of Columbia University in New York. There, she received extensive training in fields such as General Pediatrics, Adolescent Medicine, Emergency Medicine, and Family Practice; all of which further developed her skills as a Physician and gave her the experience she needed to benefit her future patients for generations. She has worked as both an inpatient and outpatient physician in different medical facilities and constantly strives to succeed and grow in her career. In her free time she enjoys cooking, traveling, and painting.

Five Halloween Safety Tips for Your Family

Jack-o-lantern (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Having a child get hurt or have a serious injury on Halloween would forever ruin that special day.  Using a few safety tips and some common sense, you, your children and your guests will have a more enjoyable holiday!   Avoid accidents such as burns, falls and pedestrian injuries by reviewing the following tips before you go out on Halloween this year…

1) Pumpkin Safety! Decorating the house and the yard usually includes pumpkins and pumpkin carving.  Don’t let small children use sharp knives while carving pumpkins, let the kids clean out the pumpkin and draw the face with a pen.  Remember to use caution with candles, battery powered candles are preferred to real flames.  If you use candles, place the pumpkins away from where trick-or-treaters will be walking or standing.

2) Prepare Your Child’s Costume Carefully! Only purchase costumes made of flame retardant material.  Try to work reflector strips into your child’s costume, a flashlight or light stick to make them more visible at night. Make sure they fit properly to avoid any accidents like tripping over a long dress or cape or dangling pieces of fabric. Make sure that it is comfortable since it will probably be worn for several hours. Try to avoid high heel shoes.  A scraped knee or bloody nose can really ruin the fun.  If they are carrying a prop such as a scythe or sword, make sure they are made out of a flexible plastic that will bend if fallen on. Most of the props available today are made of flexible plastic.

3) Careful of New Makeup! Be sure to pre-test any makeup you plan to use by applying a small amount on the arm of the child who will be wearing it for about thirty minutes a couple of days in advance. If a rash, redness, swelling, or any other signs of irritation develop where the makeup was applied, it could be a sign of a possible allergy or adverse reaction.

4) Street Safety! Make sure your children are careful when crossing streets. Always walk on paths or sidewalks if available. On average, twice as many child pedestrians are killed while walking on Halloween compared to any other day of the year. If you have older kids or young teens who are going out with friends, make sure that parents know where they are going and with whom. Be sure that one of your the teens has a cell phone in case of an emergency. Children under 12 should always go out trick or treating accompanied by a responsible adult. Remind children to stay in familiar neighborhoods and only approach houses that are well lit.  Instruct your child to never go into the home of a stranger or get into their car.

5) Check Your Candy! Although tampering is rare, tell your children not to eat any treats until they bring them home to be examined by an adult.  Look at the wrapping carefully and toss out anything that looks suspect. This way you can check for any problem candy and get the pick of the best stuff!

Keeping children safe on Halloween will create happy memories that will last a lifetime!

Happy Halloween!

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FREE RX Relief Card

Doctors Express Santa Clarita would like to offer your family a FREE Rx Card! Limited quantities are available, so come see us soon

for all of your non-emergency medical needs! The Rx Card includes participation by over 50,000 U.S. pharmacies to provide savings of 50-75% off retail price of drugs you have been prescribed by our doctors. Save on both brand name and generic drugs.  There are no age, income or other exclusions. The Rx Card can be used with or without prescription insurance, have your pharmacist compare cost of prescription using RXrelief vs. your insurance plan.

Tips To Keep Healthy This Cold & Flu Season

The fall brings so many things we enjoy like cooler weather, football season and holiday festivities. But the change in season, also brings in the cold and flu virus, too. So how can you be sure to enjoy this time of year and stay healthy? And how do you know if you might be at risk?

The cold and flu viruses may look similar, but there are distinct differences. Although with both you might see a stuffy nose, sneezing, sore throat and cough, the flu is usually combined with a fever (100-102 degrees lasting 3-4 days), headache, general body aches and extreme fatigue. It is important to recognize these symptoms to be sure you’re getting the appropriate treatment.

Complications from a cold could lead to sinus congestion or an earache and can be incredibly uncomfortable. While complications from the flu include bronchitis and pneumonia and can be life threatening, particularly in seniors and infants. It’s extremely important to be sure you’re doing everything you can do this year to avoid getting the cold or flu and spreading it to others around you.

Here are some tips to be sure you’re keeping yourself and your family healthy:

1)     Get a Flu Shot. Be sure you receive your annual flu shot or Flu Mist to protect from the most recent strain of the flu virus. Flu Mist is a new form of flu protection requiring you to just breathe in the vaccine, making prevention easy and painless for patients.

2)     Wash Your Hands. Frequent hand washing is the best way to prevent the spread of viruses during the cold & flu season. Be sure you’re washing your hands several times a day before and after meals and any time you come in contact with high-traffic areas like public door handles, restrooms, subways and escalators. Keeping a small bottle of hand sanitizer in easy-to-reach places such as your purse, backpack or your car is also a great way to help stay clean.

3)     Stay Home When You Can. In the hustle and bustle of the holidays, there are many errands to run, gifts to buy and people to see, but when possible, try to stay closer to home to avoid crowded, public areas that may be the perfect environment for germs to spread more quickly.

Treatment for the common cold might include over-the-counter medicines to help temporarily relieve symptoms, but only time will help a cold go away. Clear liquids and plenty of rest could help speed along the recovery process. The flu virus can be treated with antiviral drugs such as Tamiflu or Relenza if offered within 24-48 hours of the onset of symptoms. So it is extremely important to see your doctor right away if you think you might have come down with the flu.

We find that some patients are afraid that getting a flu shot will be too expensive, but it is important to note that many insurance plans cover the flu vaccine. Patients with Medicare Part B will receive the vaccine for FREE and those who are not covered, will only be charged a $25 fee at our office. So click here to contact our staff to schedule your flu vaccination today!

Doctors Express Now Open in Canyon Country

Doctors Express is now open and serving the Canyon Country area

July 11, 2012 — Doctors Express, the first, national urgent care franchise is now open in Canyon Country.  Santa Clarita physician Dr. Paolo Hernandez joined the group as the Medical Director and is partnering with former business executives Curtis and Lupe Hafner to open and operate the new urgent care facility, combining clinical excellence with business savvy and a singular focus on patient service.

Recently, the team opened their doors to a VIP reception welcoming business owners and community leaders. Over one hundred people attended to show their support of the new franchise.  “It was very exciting to see such a strong presence of so many of our community leaders and their representatives showing their support of the new facility, said Lupe Hafner, Vice President of Public Relations for the new franchise.  Two days later, the team continued their opening celebration by inviting community residents to visit the new location offering tours, information about service of Doctors Express, kids’ activities, food, games and prizes. “We were very pleased to get to know the residents in our community and we’re looking forward to serving them,” said Hafner.

The Doctors Express walk-in medical center differs from other medical clinics by offering a broad range of treatment and services on the spot. With an average wait time of 15-20 minutes, along with on-site X-Ray and laboratory, Doctors Express makes treatment much quicker than most other urgent cares. In addition to common ailments, the center also provides occupational health services, such as pre-employment physicals, employer drug testing, employer workers compensation assessment and treatment as well as regular sports physicals. The national franchise benefits the local Doctors Express by sharing best practices across all centers and leveraging its size to keep prices lower for local consumers.

Doctors Express Santa Clarita is now open from 8am-8pm Monday-Friday and 8am-5pm Saturdays and Sundays. For more information about medical services and location, visit www.doctorsexpresssantaclarita.com.

About Doctors Express:
 Doctors Express was founded in Baltimore in 2006 by Dr. Scott Burger, an emergency room physician, seeking a more efficient, affordable and personable system of care for urgent care patients. Doctors Express walk-in medical centers are sweeping across the country as America’s first nationally branded urgent care centers.

It is estimated that over 20% of patients treated in the emergency room could be seen at an urgent care center with significantly shorter wait times, comparable treatment at much less cost.  Unlike other urgent care centers, at Doctors Express a patient will always be seen by a Board Certified Physician.  Doctors Express provides state-of-the-art treatment for acute illness, trauma and sports injuries (including minor surgical procedures) and has on-site laboratory, digital X-Ray and prescription services. Visit www.DoctorsExpress.com.

Top 5 Healthy Summer Snacks

English: Ants on a log (cream cheese variation) – snack. Most people use peanut butter. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Is the summer throwing you off your healthy routine? With travel schedules and kids at home, you might find yourself snacking on frozen yogurt, Italian ice, hot dogs and guacamole. It is easy to relax on “vacation” and throw healthy habits out the window. Kids are especially prone to overeating during the summer. Simply feeling bored is their best excuse to open the refrigerator. But for kids and adults, eating healthy snacks between meals is the key to maintaining high energy throughout the day. And they also may keep you from packing on the pounds.

Here are our five top healthy summer snacks you should be sure to have handy by the pool, at the park, at the office or just hanging out at home.

1)   Almonds– almonds and most other nuts are great to have on hand. They are high in protein and high in triglycerides for a healthy heart. The best part: they are portable! Just grab a small bag on your way to work or keep some in your purse for a snack on-the-go.

2)   Banana Ice-Take a couple of very ripe bananas, break them into 1-inch pieces and pop them in the freezer. When frozen pull them out, blend them with a little bit of juice or water, pour into a glass and enjoy! Top with fresh berries and nuts, if desired. This is a great snack for the whole family on a hot day.

(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

3)   Ants on a log– Kids love this one! Take celery sticks and cut them to 3-inch pieces. Spread peanut butter on the celery and top the peanut butter with a few raisins. A classic favorite.

4)   Seasonal fruits & vegetables– You can’t go wrong with watermelon, peaches, tomatoes, strawberries and blueberries for a mid-day snack in the summer months. Packed with vitamins and antioxidants, they are juicy, refreshing and delicious!

5)   Frozen grapes– Another kid-favorite, frozen grapes are cool and refreshing on a hot day, but they’re also sweet to satisfy a sweet tooth. After bringing a bag home from the store, just pop several in a freezer bag to have on hand during the day. Now when kids say they’re “bored” this summer, and open the freezer, they’ll have a healthy alternative to ice cream and popsicles.

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Best Sunscreen Buys This Summer

Key Biscayne Beach (Photo credit: miamism)

Are you paying attention to what you’re putting on your skin this summer? You should. Sunscreen is a must-have to protect your body’s largest organ…your skin. But how can you be sure that you’re getting the most bang for your buck?

This recent article from WebMD surveyed eighteen sunscreen brands and narrowed down their list to these top 7 to look for during your next trip to the drugstore. Make a note of these and share them with a friend.

For more health tips visit www.doctorsexpresssantaclarita.com.

Happy summer and stay safe in the sun!

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