Motivating patients to stop smoking and lose weight before surgery

The committee that plans and oversees medical care for the county of Hertfordshire, England announced recently that unless obese patients lose a specified amount of weight and smokers quit smoking for at least eight weeks, they will not be allowed to undergo elective surgery. Patients with a body mass index (BMI) greater than 40 must lose 15 percent of their weight within nine months, and patients with a BMI over 30 must lose at least 10 percent. Free counseling for weight loss and smoking cessation is available to all. Variations of these rules have been in effect in about one-third of England for quite a while. In some areas, similar rules have been waived if patients fail to meet their targets after a certain period of time. The Hertfordshire rules are unprecedented because they are in place indefinitely. Continue reading ... Your patients are rating you online: How to respond. Manage your online reputation: A social media guide. Find out how.
Source: Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog - Category: General Medicine Authors: Tags: Physician Surgery Source Type: blogs