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THE BEAN:
Kidney Empowerment

Chief of Staff

9/29/2022

 
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Dr. Munjal has been honored to have been appointed Chief of Staff of Baptist Medical Center South for the 2022-2023 administrative year. His peers selected him to be the liaison between the medical staff and the hospital administration. Since his term began, he has been involved in the transition to a new electronic health records (EHR) system, which was a large undertaking for the facility and company. He has also been involved in the facility becoming a magnet certified facility. Magnet certification is recognition of the excellence of the nursing staff at the facility and is considered the highest honor for nurses. 

​As chief of staff, he is responsible for a wide range of activities and communications. These include, but are not limited to, serving as a chairman of the Medical Board, overseeing the functioning of the clinical staff, reviewing records and reports to ensure quality patient care, ensuring and enforcing policies and procedures, and being an advocate for and promoting physicians’ involvement in performance improvement, among other responsibilities.


Becoming chief of staff has proven his dedication to his patients and his peers. He has gone above and beyond to ensure quality care for all patients. To be appointed by his peers affirms and represents their confidence in Dr. Munjal’s abilities and decision making skills. Our patients can rest assured knowing that their doctor is dedicated to their care and the care of other patients and staff alike. 


Congratulations, Dr. Munjal! We are all so proud of you!

Kidney Korner: Urine Production

9/22/2022

 
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In our previous Kidney Korner segment, we learned how the kidneys filter the blood, briefly touching on urine production. This post will expand on the role that the kidneys play in the production of urine as a waste product.

What is urine?: Urine is a result of the filtering process in the kidneys. Urine is a watery, yellow-ish liquid that is one of the primary methods of waste removal for the body. 

What’s in urine?: Urine is made up of water, urea, creatinine, salts, ammonia and pigments from blood breakdown.

Where urine is produced?: Nephrons contain glomerulus connected to tubules. The blood enters the nephron, gets filtered through the glomerulus, and waste products get separated from the blood and the products that will be returned to the body. The renal tubules will carry the urine to the ureters that will deposit it in the urinary bladder until it’s time for urination. For more information on nephrons and glomerulus, see our last Kidney Korner post on the blood filtering process here.


​How Dr. Munjal Helps:
Fluid intake and urine output are key components in determining kidney function. If the kidneys stop producing urine, that is a major indicator that the kidneys are no longer functioning as they should be. Dr. Munjal can order urine studies to determine how much urine your body creates in a 24 hour period and the levels of the key components that make up urine. 
  • Ph Level: the acidity level of the urine can indicate a kidney disorder
  • Concentration: the concentration level can indicate hydration or fluid levels
  • Protein: large amounts of protein and/or casts (tube-shaped protein) in the urine can indicate kidney damage
  • Blood: blood in the urine can indicate kidney stones, cancer, or other disorders
  • Bacteria: different types of bacteria can indicate infection
  • Crystals: chemicals that form crystals can indicate kidney stones

Munjal’s Musings:
“Urine naturally has a yellow-ish color and an odor due to the chemicals within it. For example, when you are out doing yard work, your kidneys stop producing as much urine so the body can maintain a balance, hence the urine becomes darker and has a stronger odor as it is more concentrated. When you come back inside and drink more fluids, your urine becomes lighter and often smells less. This happens because your body has excess fluid and can dilute your urine. The urine chemical concentration is dependent on fluids and naturally changes color and odor to adjust.”

Resources:
Mayo Clinic- Urinalysis

If you have any questions or concerns about your urine production or kidney function, call our office to schedule a consultation with Dr. Munjal.

This website is for informational and educational purposes ONLY. While we strive for accurate, general medical information, this does not replace professional medical advice. Do not rely solely on this information. Please consult with your provider for more information regarding your specific needs. If you are experiencing a medical emergency, please call 9-1-1.

Don't Forget to Remember: How to Set Reminders to Stay on Track

9/19/2022

 
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Reminders can help us stay on track and on-time for appointments, taking medications, blood pressure, and other tasks that we may easily forget about. Some medications and other health trackers may need to be taken or used around the same time each day for consistency and accuracy.

iPhone:
  • Alarms can be labeled and set on a recurring basis.
  • The Reminder app can be used to keep notifications on based on location, time, and urgency of the reminder
  • The Calendar can be used to set appointments and tasks. Within these appointments and tasks, there can be reminders and alerts set as well.
  • The Focus feature can be scheduled and used to help limit distractions and wind down before completing a particular task.

Android:
  • Alarms can be labeled and set on a recurring basis.
  • The Calendar can be used to set appointments and tasks. Within these appointments and tasks, there can be reminders and alerts set as well.
  • A Do Not Disturb Schedule to help limit distractions and wind down before completing a particular task.
  • The Reminder app can be used to keep notifications on based on location, time, alert style, and urgency of the reminder

Alexa and Home Assistant Devices:
Your home assistant can be set to remind you about your alarms and appointments. Address your Alexa or Google Assistant by name and ask it to set a reminder. It will walk you through the steps and ask various questions to assist.

Reminder Apps:
There are various smartphone apps that can be downloaded to help with reminders as well if the above options don’t seem to work best for your individual needs. A simple search for ‘Reminder Apps’ can be completed on the Apple App store or Google Play store.

We hope these tips and tricks help! If you have suggestions or recommendations for setting reminders and staying on track, please feel free to share with our office. 

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Managing Medications: Medication Storage

9/12/2022

 
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Having a back-up supply of medications is especially important during hurricane season and with the ongoing pandemic. We recommend that you keep at least two weeks worth of medications on-hand in case there are any issues with access to certain prescriptions, delays at the pharmacy, or physician office closures. We recommend that refills are requested two weeks before the last dose is to be taken. 
Tips and Tricks:
  • Request refills in advance.
  • Be mindful of how medications need to be stored (refrigerated, in a dark place, separate from other medications, etc.).
  • Be sure to include the full medication name, dosage, frequency, and expiration date when noting a medication if it is separate from its original container.
  • There are various containers marked by day, time, and/or color-coded to store and track daily medications. These range from pill bags to small boxes to  daily/weekly/monthly containers. Examples of these containers can be found at your local pharmacy, Amazon, and other retailers. 
  • Regularly check medications expiration dates and dispose of them properly when needed. Most pharmacies will have a medication disposal bin. If you are storing a back-up supply, rotate medications out to avoid medication waste due to expiration dates. 

Safe medication storage practices are also very important. Keeping medications out of reach from children and animals can be life-saving. Ensure that medications are in locations that children and pets cannot reach or are locked away. 
Find medication safety information from the CDC here.
Review our related post on disaster preparedness on The Bean: Kidney Empowerment here. 

As always, stay safe!

​This website is for informational and educational purposes ONLY. While we strive for accurate, general medical information, this does not replace professional medical advice. Do not rely solely on this information. Please consult with your provider for more information regarding your specific needs. If you are experiencing a medical emergency, please call 9-1-1.

Book of The Month: The Coffee Bean

9/1/2022

 
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The Bean will be featuring a Book of The Month (BoTM) as we continue to deepen our passion for education and empowerment. We want to inspire, spark curiosity, and encourage honesty through personal growth within our team and patients. 

Our first BoTM is The Coffee Bean by Jon Gordon and Damon West. 

How it applies to our patients:
Many nephrology patients face a number of changes that can affect the way they live their lives. This can include medication changes, lifestyle changes, or need for continuous treatment, like dialysis. This can create an immense amount of stress for the patients that can affect their mental and physical health. The Coffee Bean can give our patients the perspective that they, too, are a coffee bean that has the power within them to transform their environment and conditions. A positive mindset can make all the difference in the patient’s care.

How it has helped our office: This book has helped our office cultivate an environment that encourages our patients and staff to not let our circumstances change who they are. We want to create a place for learning, honesty, and respect, empowering everyone who walks through the door to encourage and facilitate positive change.
Our favorite quotes:
  • “No matter how hard things get, or how hopeless things look, don’t give up. Realize that we don’t create our world from the outside in. We transform it from the inside out.”
  • “Life is often like a pot of very hot water. It can be a harsh, stressful, and difficult place. You will find yourself in environments and facing conditions that test who you truly are, and can change, weaken, or harden you if you let them.”

Check back monthly to find out what book our office read to continue to empower and inspire our team and patients!

    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 305
Jacksonville, FL  32258
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Tel: (904) 260-9898
​Fax: (904) 260-9891
Interested in joining our team?  Jacksonville Nephrology is dedicated to compassionate patient care through teaching and giving our team the tools needed to go above and beyond.  Learn more about current openings.  Learn More​
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Empowering Through Education.

  • Home
  • Your Team
  • How We Help
    • Dialysis
    • Hyperkalemia
    • Hypertension
    • Hyponatremia
    • Kidney Disease
    • Nutrition
    • Proteinuria
    • Remote Patient Monitoring
    • Transplant Managment
  • Dialysis
  • Resources
    • Patient Forms
    • Book List
  • Online Access
    • Connect Health Tracker
    • Healow App
    • Patient Portal
  • Contact Us
  • The Bean