Early Birds Might Get Better Medical Care

PLUS: Prep Your Home And Family For Coronavirus

Shots Maria Fabrizio for NPR Book Earlier Appointments For Better Care Though many of us find late-in-the-day medical appointments more convenient, preventive care seems more likely to get short shrift then, researchers find. NPR contributor Dr. Mara Gordon, who practices family medicine herself, says she can relate to the study results. “The end of my day in clinic is often more chaotic than the beginning,” Gordon says. “I'm frequently running late, and my patients are eager to get home. When a patient comes in at 5:00 p.m. to deal with a cough, the last thing she wants is to stay until 5:30 talking about mammograms.” Read on to learn more about an experiment aimed at easing the “decision fatigue” many patients and their doctors experience late in the day. BONUS: How To Pick A Surgeon   Newsletter continues after sponsor message Max Posner/NPR How To Stay Ahead Of The New Coronavirus Federal health officials surprised many Americans this week when they said community outbreaks of COVID-19 in the U.S. are likely not a matter of if, but when. How do you prepare for an epidemic of an illness you’ve never faced? No need to panic, say public health specialists – personal preparations are a lot like what you might do ahead of a big snowstorm or other natural disaster. Don’t hoard – we’re all in this together! -- but gradually accumulate the supplies you might need for a couple of weeks of being homebound, in case you or somebody in your family gets sick or you just need to steer clear of crowds. NPR’s Allison Aubrey talked with virus experts who helped her put together helpful guidance, and an easy prep list.  Best news: Common sense tips for avoiding the flu or a bad cold (starting with frequent handwashing with soap and water) will help protect you and yours from coronavirus, too. Read on to learn more about what to do and have on hand to stay healthy. BONUS: A Fun ‘Zine To Calm Little Kids’ Fears   Kristina Barker for Kaiser Health News A Child's Drug Costs 8X Adult Version. Why? When an 8-year-old girl from Portland, Ore., grew 7 inches in two years and then started showing signs of puberty, her parents grew concerned enough to seek a doctor’s advice. The symptoms arose from a rare syndrome called precocious puberty, a pediatric endocrinologist told the couple. The easy and best solution to avoid medical complications, the doctor said, would be a treatment known as a hormone blocker, released from a tiny, implanted tube. “Implanted beneath the skin in her arm, it releases a little bit of a drug each day that increases the body's production of some hormones while it decreases others,” explains NPR reporter Sydney Lupkin. “The result is the child's progression toward adulthood slows.” So far so good – but as Lupkin relates in this month’s “bill of the month” story from NPR, the little girl’s parents were in for a shock when they learned what the medicine would cost. There were two very similar options -- both implants made by the same company, containing the same drug. One is approved for treating kids with growth issues; the second, with a very slightly lower dosage, is FDA-approved for treating prostate cancer in adults. The difference in price was nearly $30,000. The cheaper version, officially approved for adults, would work fine in this case, the doctors told the parents. But the child’s insurance company at first refused to pay for the less expensive implant. Read on to learn how such price discrepancies arise, and how you can get the best price in a similar situation. BONUS: How Hormones Influence Mental Health   More of this week's health stories from NPR How Your Brain Teases Out Words From Music A Universal Flu Vaccine To Fight All Strains? How To Give Advice: Less Fixing, More Listening   We hope you enjoyed these stories. Find more of NPR's health journalism on Shots and follow us on Twitter at @NPRHealth. Your Shots editor, Deborah Franklin   What do you think of today's email? We'd love to hear your thoughts, questions and feedback: shots@npr.org Enjoying this newsletter? Forward to a friend! They can sign up here. Looking for more great content? Check out all of our newsletter offerings — including Goats & Soda, Daily News, Best of NPR and more! You received this message because you're subscribed to Health emails. This email was sent by National Public Radio, Inc., 1111 North Capitol Street NE, Washington, DC 20002 Unsubscribe  |  Privacy Policy