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THE BEAN:
Kidney Empowerment

Out With the Old and In With the New: Decluttering and Organizing for the New Year

1/25/2024

 
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“A clean space creates a clean mind.” ~Anonymous
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     The new year brings fresh starts and hopes for healthy habits. One way to set yourself up for success when creating these healthy habits (and sticking to them) is by creating an environment that is conducive to health, growth, and clarity. A good way to start this is through decluttering and organizing your space. 
A clean and clear space that brings you joy can help in reducing stress. By organizing your home, you may also find it easier to maintain proper medication regimens and healthy habits. Additionally, ticking items off of your yearly to-do list can bring a sense of pride and accomplishment, thus uplifting spirits and contributing to a healthier mindset. These can contribute to a more relaxed state and reduced blood pressure. Listed below are some tips and tricks to help you create a clean, organized environment to set yourself up for success in the new year. 

Tips and tricks:
  1. Donate Items: 
    1. Turn your hangers around at the start of the year. This idea helps to clear out your closet by showing you what clothes you  don’t wear. At the end of the year (or your personal time frame), any clothes still hanging backward should be donated. 
    2. Ask yourself “Does this bring me joy?” Don’t think too long or ponder too hard. This should be an instant reaction. If it does, keep it. If it doesn’t, donate it.
  2. Clean in Increments:
    1. Looking at your whole list can be daunting. Take 15-30 minutes per day to tackle one section at a time. 
    2. Do an end of day tidy. Clean off your table and counters, pack your breakfast/lunch for the next day, and set out any medications or monitors needed for the morning. Take some time before bed to set yourself up for success in the morning.
  3. Take out the Trash and Recycling:
    1. Go through your fridge and pantry and clear out any spoiled or expired food.
    2. Properly dispose of any expired medications.
    3. Throw away any and all trash and break down boxes for recycling that may be sitting around. 
  4. Find a planner or organization system that works for you. 
    1. Whether it be a paper planner, whiteboard calendar, phone calendar/reminders, or a digital planner/journal, find a way to organize your thoughts, to-do lists, and goals. Writing it down can help make it final and create accountability. 

Places to Donate/Sell Items after Decluttering:
Salvation Army
Goodwill
Hospice Stores
Habitat for Humanity (HabiJax)
Hubbard House
Consignment shops

Resources to Help You Get Started:
  1. Find or create a planner that suits your personal needs:
    1. Amy Knapp's The Very Busy Planner
    2. Day Designer 
    3. SoTypicalMe    
    4. Erin Condren
  2. Read about it:
    1. A Year to Clear by Stephanie Bennett Vogt
    2. Declutter and Organize Your Home in 15 Minutes a Day by Madelyn Baker
    3. Life Changing Magic of Tidying By Marie Konde
    4. Popular Cleaning and Organizing Books on GoodReads

While this may seem like a daunting task and too overwhelming to tackle; take a step back and break it down. Start small and work your way through piece by piece. Change doesn’t happen overnight. Give yourself grace as you learn what works best for you. 

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Kidney Korner: Proteinuria

1/18/2024

 
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Protein is a common topic when it comes to kidneys. Tracking protein intake can become more important as you progress through Chronic Kidney Disease and enter End Stage Renal Disease. 

What is protein and proteinuria?
Protein is a macronutrient, or a food nutrient group that we need in larger amounts. Protein is found throughout the body and powers many of the chemical reactions that we need to survive. Proteinuria is simply the presence of protein in the urine.

High Protein Foods
Animal-based: Poultry, fish, beef, pork, eggs, dairy products
Plant-based: beans, lentils, broccoli, chickpeas, nuts/seeds, spinach, soy products/tofu, etc.

How Dr. Munjal Helps:
Dr. Munjal can order a urinalysis and protein urine studies to determine how much protein is spilling through. From there, he can begin to determine the root cause of the problem and decline in kidney function. Recommendations and changes can be made and progress will be reviewed after repeat testing. 

Munjal’s Musings
Think of your kidneys as a coffee filter. It has two jobs: let the coffee through and keep the grounds in. Similarly, kidneys want to get rid of waste, but keep the good things in. We check protein levels in the urine.  Protein particles are large and should not be spilling through the filter. High protein levels in the urine are indicative of kidney damage.


If you have concerns regarding protein or recent urine studies, please do not hesitate to reach out to your care team for guidance. As always, stay safe and healthy. For additional information on the kidneys and their filtration function, please refer back to our previous post, Kidney Korner: Filtering Blood here. 

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All About Insurance

1/11/2024

 
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The new year marks the start of new insurance and benefits. Understanding you insurance policy is vital to receiving timely care at a reasonable cost. Let's talk all things insurance so you can be empowered this year. 

What is insurance?
Health insurance is a contract that agrees to pay a portion of health and medical expenses in exchange for a premium. This generally covers the cost of routine care, emergency services, specialty care, and the treatment of chronic illness. 

What kind of insurance are there?
There are a wide variety of insurance policies available in today’s market. Two of the most common are Preferred Provider Organizations (PPO) and Health Maintenance Organizations (HMO). 
  • PPO: allow patients to be seen by providers inside and outside of their network
  • HMO: tend to restrict patients to a limited network of providers
    • HMOs also often require additional steps prior to a patient having an appointment with a provider. These can include referral authorizations and/or prior authorizations for procedures and/or medications. Without proper documentation and information, care can be unnecessarily delayed by weeks. 

Why do we ask?
By asking about insurance, we are able to ensure that our patients are getting efficient and effective care. For example, the following may be affected by inaccurate insurance information:
  • Referral authorizations
  • Prior authorizations for procedures and medications
  • Virtual visits
  • Copay due at the time of service

How can you be proactive in your care?
  • Call your providers as soon as you have a change in insurance. These updates include, but are not limited to:
    • The policy type
    • Policy, member, or group numbers
    • Copays and coinsurances
    • Insured and/or responsible parties
  • Call your providers and/or insurance company to ensure network status before initiating a change
  • Request referral from your established Primary Care Physician (PCP) and prior authorizations before appointments

While insurance can be a tricky subject, we hope this helps. If you have any further questions about your coverage, call your policy directly for more information. Don't forget to let your doctor's offices know if you have had any changes in any of your policy details!

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Demographics: What are They and Why are They Important?

1/4/2024

 
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Your demographic information is a vital part of your care. It is protected by HIPAA and therefore cannot be shared or altered without patient consent. 

What is considered demographic information?
  • Name
  • Date of Birth (DoB)
  • Address
  • Phone Number(s)
  • Email address(es)
  • Insurance information
  • Race
  • Ethnicity
  • Gender

Why is it important?
Demographic information is vital for medical billing, insurance, communications, and patient identification. Out-of-date demographic information can lead to:
  • Missed appointments due to failed reminder calls
  • Insurances being unable to pay for appointments
  • Missed statements and letters from our office that may contain sensitive information
  • Missed information or inability to leave voicemails regarding medical questions or updates from your physician

How you can update your information:
  • In-office with our annual chart review or new patient paperwork
  • Download the paperwork from our website to mail in or bring at your next appointment (https://www.jaxnephrology.com/patient-forms.html) 
  • Through the patient portal (view only on the Healow App) (https://mycw28.eclinicalweb.com/portal2741/jsp/100mp/login_otp.jsp)
  • Call our office at (904) 260-9898
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We try to update this information on an annual basis. You can review our previous post on HIPAA (https://www.jaxnephrology.com/blog/be-hipaa-and-know-your-rights) to learn how we protect your information. If you have questions, concerns, or any changes in the new year, please do not hesitate to call our office. ​

    About The Bean 

    The Bean is a blog on a mission to share valuable information in the world of Nephrology.  We believe in empowering through education and The Bean is a great place to find resources and information on topics related to high blood pressure, kidney disease, dialysis, and topics that enhance the kidney minded lifestyle.    Enjoy and be sure to subscribe!

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13241 Bartram Park Blvd., Suite 1001
Jacksonville, FL  32258
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Tel: (904) 260-9898
​Fax: (904) 260-9891
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Empowering Through Education.

  • Home
  • Your Team
  • How We Help
    • Kidney Diseases
    • Hypertension
    • Nutrition
    • Remote Patient Monitoring
    • Transplant Managment
    • Community Connections
  • Dialysis
  • Resources
    • Patient Info
    • Education Topics
  • Online Access
    • Connect Health Tracker
    • Healow App
    • Patient Portal
  • Contact Us
  • The Bean