20 Tips to Prevent Cold and Flu

There is no known cure for a cold or the flu, so prevention is the name of the game from November through April (cold and flu season). Cold and flu viruses are often passed along from person to person and surface to surface in the workplace, at home and at school. According to the CDC, people are most contagious during the first 2-3 days of contracting a cold; and almost immediately and for about 5 days thereafter–even before symptoms develop-- after contracting the flu.

A proactive approach to warding off colds and flu can make your whole life healthier. You can’t cure them, but they are not inevitable.

1. First and foremost, the best way to avoid flu is to get a flu shot or FluMist.
Anyone who wants to reduce the likelihood of becoming ill with the flu or spreading flu to others should get a seasonal flu shot.

Other preventive techniques for cold and flu include:

2. Wash Your Hands
Most cold and flu viruses are spread by direct contact. Someone who has the flu sneezes onto their hand, and then touches the telephone, a desktop, or a kitchen glass. The germs can live for hours or even weeks on a surface, only to be picked up by the next person who touches the same object. So wash your hands often, for at least 15-20 seconds, with soap. If no sink is available, sanitize with an alcohol-gel hand sanitizer.

3. Clean shared items
Any surface that multiple people come into contact with is a potential source of flu or cold viruses. Wipe down phones, keyboards, handles and doorknobs with alcohol wipes or other sanitizer- type wipes.

4. Don't Cover Your Sneezes and Coughs With Your Hands
Germs and viruses cling to your bare hands, so covering coughs and sneezes with your hands results in passing along your germs to others. When you feel a sneeze or cough coming, use a tissue, then throw it away immediately. If you don’t have a tissue cough or sneeze into your elbow rather than your hand

5. Don't Touch Your Face
Cold and flu viruses enter your body through the eyes, nose, or mouth. Touching their faces is the major way people catch colds.

6. Drink Plenty of Fluids
Water flushes your system, washing out the poisons as it rehydrates you. If you reuse your water bottle, be sure to wash it out daily. Do not share bottles, cups or straws with anyone.

7. Take a Sauna
Researchers aren't clear about the exact role saunas play in prevention, but one 1989 German study found that people who steamed twice a week got half as many colds as those who didn't. One theory: When you take a sauna you inhale air hotter than 80 degrees, a temperature too hot for cold and flu viruses to survive.

8. Get Fresh Air
Fresh air is important, especially in cold weather when indoor heating dries you out and makes your body more vulnerable to cold and flu viruses. Also, during cold weather more people stay indoors, which means more germs are circulating in crowded, dry rooms.

9. Do Aerobic Exercise Regularly
Aerobic exercise speeds up the heart to pump larger quantities of blood, makes you breathe faster to help transfer oxygen from your lungs to your blood, and makes you sweat once your body heats up. These exercises help increase the body's natural virus-killing cells.

10. Eat Foods Containing Phytochemicals
"Phyto" means plants, and the natural chemicals in plants give the vitamins in food a supercharged boost. So eat dark green, red, and yellow vegetables and fruits.

11. Eat healthy foods such as whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables.

12. Eat Yogurt
Some studies have shown that eating a daily cup of low-fat yogurt can reduce your susceptibility to colds by 25 percent. Researchers think the beneficial bacteria in yogurt may stimulate production of immune system substances that fight disease.

13. Don't Smoke
Statistics show that heavy smokers get more severe colds and more frequent ones. Even being around smoke profoundly zaps the immune system. Smoke dries out your nasal passages and paralyzes cilia, the delicate hairs that line the mucous membranes in your nose and lungs that sweep cold and flu viruses out of the nasal passages. Experts contend that one cigarette can paralyze cilia for as long as 30 to 40 minutes.

14. Cut Alcohol Consumption
Heavy alcohol use destroys the liver, the body's primary filtering system, which means that germs of all kinds won't leave your body as fast. The result is, heavier drinkers are more prone to initial infections as well as secondary complications. Alcohol also dehydrates the body -- it actually takes more fluids from your system than it puts in.

15. Relax
There's evidence that when you relax, your interleukins -- leaders in the immune system response against cold and flu viruses -- increase in the bloodstream.

16. Avoid close contact with anyone who has a cold or flu
Although you can’t always tell when someone has a cold or the flu, if it seems obvious, avoid him or her. If a co-worker is ill, take steps to clean any shared surfaces, such as the coffee maker or door handles.

17. Avoid contact with known allergens
Allergies affecting the nose or throat may increase the chances of getting a cold or flu.

18. Let fresh air into your home at least once a week even if it is extremely cold outside.
Studies have shown that the air inside your home is 2 to 5 times worse than the air outside. Allowing fresh air in will help to get stale, unhealthy air out and fresh air in!

19. Avoid kissing on the lips of you feel yourself getting sick.
This includes your children as well as significant others!

20. STAY HOME IF YOU ARE SICK!

If you are sick, stay home till your contagious period passes. And with WhiteGlove House Call Health membership, you can stay home, even if you need medical care.

As a WhiteGlove member, you pay a single, fixed affordable visit fee. Our nurse practitioner will come you your home (or office) from 8 am to 8 pm, 365 days a year. This visit includes medical care, generic Rx meds, and our well-kit with chicken soup, crackers, Gatorade, ginger ale, Tylenol, Jell-O, Kleenex, cough drops, and more. In addition, you don’t have to spend money on gas, parking, tolls, Rx meds, etc.

Remember to get your flu shot or FluMist and use these helpful tips to stay healthy. But if you do get ill, call WhiteGlove House Call Health at 1-877-329-8081.

WhiteGlove Is Bringing Change AND Innovation To Healthcare

Isn't it frustrating that:
· Your records and lab results are stuffed into paper folders in a filing cabinet at all of the providers you go to?
· Your doctor is hard to see or isn't available when you need him or her?
· You are asked to fill out the same medical history paperwork over and over again?
· You are unknown to a medical care provider in another part of town when your doctor is not available?
We think it is, so we've done something about it for our members! WhiteGlove delivers a high-quality healthcare experience while lowering your out-of-pocket costs. Most regular doctors’ offices do not have the technology in place to keep up with medical records electronically. Therefore they have you fill out the same paperwork at every visit in order to make sure it is up-to-date. But WhiteGlove has made a significant investment in technology that makes them different than most medical care providers. Every WhiteGlove member has their own healthcare portal that is accessible from the web, iPhone, and iPad. So not only is your current medical history available to the WhiteGlove healthcare providers, your medical history, lab results, visit history, Rx medications, allergies, and all of your expenses are all available to you 365 days a year.

Other benefits of using WhiteGlove for your primary care include:
· Access to affordable medical care 365 days a year – Any day of the year, if you need medical care, you can call WhiteGlove and they are available to see you in your home or work from 8am to 8pm. They’ve made medical care convenient and affordable. No hassles, no running around, no high costs.
· Access to your own healthcare portal, 24/7, via the web, iPhone and iPad
· Referrals – Like any other medical care provider, WhiteGlove is able to refer you to a specialist when needed.

With WhiteGlove, we provide systematic, consumer-centric, coordination of medical care where we function as a single source for your primary care needs.
Want to find out more about how WhiteGlove is bringing change and innovation to healthcare? Visit the WhiteGlove House Call Health website at www.whiteglove.com or give them a call at 877-329-8081.

Back To School Time Or As I Like To Call It “You Need It When?!?!”

Back to school. Every year these three simple words cause me to utter four complicated words – “you need it WHEN?!?!” No matter how I try to stay on top of things, I always seem to end up needing a sports physical, a health check or a vaccine (or proof that they already exist) for someone in my family. And I always need it “by Friday”. In the past that has left me scrambling through file folders of documents, trying to fit in a doctor’s appointment, or sitting at the “first-come first-served” clinic.

But not this year. Now we are members of WhiteGlove House Call Health. What does that mean to me? It doesn’t mean I still won’t have a “you need it when?!?!” moment, but it does mean that now I can take care of it at my convenience—no driving, no sitting in a waiting room with sick people, no panic that I won’t find the right form and get it turned in on time!

With WhiteGlove, I can get the necessary sports physical, health check or vaccines, when and where I want. WhiteGlove will come to home or office 7 days a week, 365 days a year, from 8 am til 8 pm. The nurse practitioner can perform the physical and provide vaccines on the spot, in one visit.

How WhiteGlove Works
Once you are a member of WhiteGlove:
· You can request routine care, like a physical or vaccine (via phone, internet or iPad).
· The nurse practitioner will come to you at work or home, 365 days a year, 8am to 8pm, and perform the needed service. For health checks and physicals, the nurse can come within hours of your call. Vaccines do take a little longer because they have to be ordered, but once the vaccine arrives (usually within a few days) the nurse practitioner will still come to your home, at your convenience, to administer it.
· And thereafter, you have secure online access to your information including your medical history, lab results, visit history, shot record and more.

Thank you WhiteGlove. This year back to school is going to be so easy…well, at least, easier!

Flu Season Approaches

Back to school means many things to many people, but one thing it means to everyone is that flu season is starting soon! So along with all the other details that must be attended to at this time of year, add getting your annual flu shot to the list!

For those of you (or your children) who cringe at the idea of a shot, there is an alternative. FluMist is an annual nasal spray vaccine for that offers the same protection from the flu as the traditional shot.

FluMist vs. Flu Shots
In addition to the benefit of not getting a shot, several studies have shown that FluMist may actually provide better protection against the flu than a flu shot. One study from the Journal of Pediatrics concluded, "Live attenuated influenza vaccine was a safe and more effective alternative to inactivated vaccine."

WhiteGlove House Call Health now has a supply of FluMist available to help you get a jump on the approaching flu season. Since school is starting soon - if you act now this could be one less thing to worry about! This seasons' flu vaccine includes H1N1 so you get everything in one dose.

There is a charge for the FluMist, call us (877-329-8081) and we can tell you how much based on your specific membership type.

FluMist Isn’t For Everyone

You should not get FluMist if you are:
· Under 2 years of age
· Or Over 50 years of age.

You should also not get FluMist if you have:
· Asthma or other chronic heart or lung diseases, or kidney failure, diabetes, or illnesses that weaken the immune system
· Chronic underlying medical conditions that may predispose you to severe flu infections
· Are allergic to eggs or to a previous dose of the vaccine
· Or are pregnant.

To read more about who should and should not receive FluMist, refer to the CDC website.

Want the shot, not the spray? Our supply of flu shots will arrive late this month or early next month if you would prefer the shot. We'll let you know when we get them in. As always, WhiteGlove House Call Health will come to your home or office to administer your FluMist or flu shot, 365 days a year, from 8 am to 8 pm.


Note: While most people will just require one dose of FluMist each year, children 2 to 8 years old need two doses at least 4 weeks apart the first year that they get FluMist.

Healthcare Reform – Good News, Bad News

As the new national health care plan goes into effect, companies and insurers are seeking ways to keep plans affordable. One idea that is being tried in limited markets is offering plans with reduced premiums, but have a narrower selection of doctors and hospitals than the traditional plans. Sort of a throw back to the managed care days of the 1990’s.

These plans will no doubt appeal to smaller businesses that already offer insurance to their employees, but who are being confronted with rapidly increasing premiums. As this type of plan catches on, though, larger companies will certainly gravitate toward them as well. What this will mean for employees is that they will keep their premiums down, but will have very few choices in-network of who they see and where they can go. And to go out-of-network will cost individuals dearly.

How does WhiteGlove House Call Health fit into this equation? Adding WhiteGlove to a company’s benefits plan lowers overall health care spending, which in turn can translate into helping to control rising premiums. WhiteGlove caps costs for routine care, improves employee productivity, reduces absenteeism and helps with the potential morale problems caused by ever tightening health plan restrictions.

How? WhiteGlove is a membership-based routine healthcare provider. A company or health plan pays a membership fee per employee and dependents, and then that employee can use WhiteGlove as often as desired for any routine healthcare needs, at a capped fee of $35 per visit. The visit fee includes medical care that comes to the employee’s home or office, generic prescription medications, a care package of foods, beverages, and over-the-counter remedies.

Healthcare reform is a work in progress. But there are growing pains that are going to be associated with its implementation. WhiteGlove can help to ease that pain.

Healthcare Uncertainty

Has your company been forced to move to a high deductible health plan (HDHP) in order to continue to offer, or begin to offer, healthcare to your employees? You are not alone! In 2011, for the first time a majority of U.S. workers are expected to have health insurance deductibles of $400 or more.

Many employers have told us that this causes uncertainty with:
· How much employees will spend on healthcare because now they will pay 100% of their healthcare costs until they reach their deductible. That could man $100s of every doctor visit.
· Employee reaction to the HDHP and how it will impact morale, because they no longer have a co-pay for doctor visits – many will see this as taking a cut in pay.
· The impact to the business – many fear losing key employees because of their ability to offer competitive benefits.

In a May 2010 study of employers, when asked how important specific health care reform goals were to their organization, respondents labeled the following as essential or high priority:
· Containing health care costs (96 percent of respondents).
· Encouraging healthy lifestyles (88 percent).
· Improving the quality of care (75 percent).

What role does WhiteGlove play in these uncertain times? By adding the WhiteGlove service to your company’s healthcare offering, you can be certain that your employees and dependents will spend much less on their healthcare and love the care we bring to them.

WhiteGlove lowers overall spending, caps costs for routine care, improves employee productivity, reduces absenteeism and helps with the potential morale problems caused by having to change your health plan.

WhiteGlove’s Corporate Membership Program is designed to help companies (and their employees) take control of their healthcare costs.
· For fully insured companies: we are able to lower the cost of healthcare for your employees and dependents, increase employee productivity, and improve employee morale.
· For self-funded companies: we are able to lower the cost of healthcare for both the company and your employees/dependents, increase employee productivity, and improve employee morale.

We are certain that WhiteGlove can help your company through these uncertain times! Want to learn more? Visit our website at www.whiteglove.com.

WhiteGlove Offers More Services Than You Might Think

When one of my friends has a health issue, I often suggest that they call WhiteGlove. The responses I get usually range from “I thought they were just for coughs and colds” to “Do they do that?” My answer is usually “yes!”

Most WhiteGlove members know that they can call for help for a cold or flu and be seen in their home or office by a nurse practitioner within hours of that call. But the scope-of-care offered by WhiteGlove goes way beyond that. It is so broad that I often even have to check the list myself before making the suggestion!

WhiteGlove can see you for dehydration, high blood pressure, back pain, pink eye, migraines, allergies, bronchitis and much more. They can also do screenings including diabetes, hypertension and ischemic heart disease. The list is long, and often surprising. It is also better organized than mine! And that’s just their care for when you aren’t feeling well. WhiteGlove offers well-care services, too. Things like camp and sports physicals, flu shots, vaccinations and all sorts of screenings.

My best suggestion to my friends and family is to always check with WhiteGlove first. You can go onto their website and see a list of services, or you can just call and ask.

And as always with WhiteGlove, you will be seen within hours of your call, at your convenience by a nurse practitioner. In most cases, the nurse practitioner can provide you with any medications you might need. If they don’t have it with them, they’ll make sure they get it to you.

So the next time you’re not feeling well, and think that you might should go see a doctor, take a look at the website at www.whiteglove.com or give them a call at 877-329-8081. You might be pleasantly surprised and save yourself a trip to the doctor.

WhiteGlove House Call Health – A First Hand Account Of The Experience

The Decision
I was sick. It started with a sore throat, and then moved on to chest congestion and had ended up with an unending cough. I was making a trip to Dallas in a few days and kept thinking, “Tomorrow I’ll feel better. It’s just allergies.” Finally, the day before I needed to leave for my trip, I threw in the towel and admitted to myself that I wasn’t getting any better. I knew there was pertussis at my daughter’s school, and so that was a nagging thought in the back of my mind. My other main thought was that I was leaving town tomorrow and I needed to get work done today! I didn’t really have time to do the whole “beg-to-get-in-to-see-a-doctor, wait-in-the-office, run-get-my-prescription-filled” thing.

Because we have Aetna for our insurance, and because we live in a WhiteGlove House Call Health service area, I knew we were automatically members. So I logged onto www.whiteglove.com to schedule a visit. Since I work out of the house, I didn’t have to bother with the decision of whether I should stay home or meet them at work. But it is nice to know WhiteGlove will go to either place.

At 8:30 a.m. I requested an appointment through the online system. At 8:45 a.m. I got a call from Stacy in WhiteGlove’s membership support and set a visit for 11 a.m. Perfect. That gave me time to straighten my house and brush my teeth. (One advantage of having them come to your office is that you don’t feel compelled to clean up for them.) I also managed to get in some work.

After the call, I also got a follow-up email to confirm my visit time. The neurotic, sleep-deprived part of me really appreciated that attention to detail.

The Visit
My nurse practitioner, Melinda, showed up promptly at 11 a.m. She very professionally and pleasantly introduced herself and asked for my ID. We set up on my kitchen table. Melinda went over my medical history, including the medications I take. (You can’t ever escape that step!) The nice thing about being at home and doing that medications information is that I could just grab my bottles and show them to her! I didn’t have to search my memory for names and amounts.

Melinda asked about my symptoms and worked through all the details of my illness. She then performed a physical exam—blood pressure, ears, nose throat, lungs, and temperature. When she was done, she gave me a thorough explanation of my diagnosis, (not pertussis!) answering questions and reviewing treatment options.

Melinda prescribed some medication, and then excused herself to go out to her car. She returned in a few minutes with the medication in hand! She then also gave me a “get well kit”. It was a wonderful assortment of cough drops, Tylenol and Kleenex, all very needed and welcome. Plus some feel better food items like soup, crackers, ginger ale and jello. I felt like my mom had dropped by to take care of me!

She gave me some written end-of-visit instructions. She explained that my co-pay would be put onto my credit card that I had input when I registered with WhiteGlove and so there was no payment and no additional paperwork required at that time. Then, as efficiently as she arrived, Melinda left. I was sad to see her go (keep in mind that I work at home alone all day), but really excited that I didn’t have to drive to the store to fill my prescription! It was 11:40 a.m.

The Follow-up
The next day, I went to Dallas. I missed my follow-up phone call from WhiteGlove, but my husband assured them I was well enough to travel. An even more comforting thought was the knowledge that if I did not feel better, I could call WhiteGlove in Dallas and they would come to my hotel. When you are a member of WhiteGlove, you are a member in all their service areas, not just your home.

Will I call WhiteGlove House Call Health again? In a heartbeat! Do I recommend it to all my friends? Every day!


Tips:

DO fill out your registration on a day when you feel good and have some free time. You’ll be glad you did when you wake up sick and can simply log on or call and request a visit!

DO have some ID ready when the nurse practitioner arrives. They ask for ID to make sure you are who you say you are. That seems pretty reasonable!

DON’T feel like you have to clean the house for the nurse practitioner. They won’t judge you, you’re sick!

DON’T think you have to have Aetna, Humana or UnitedHealthcare to use WhiteGlove House Call Health. Anyone can become a member.

The Impact of Healthcare Reform

What will the new healthcare reform mean to your company? It means that you have to provide health insurance for all your employees, and that you have to pay a substantial portion of the premium; it means you are going to be spending more rather than less on benefits.

The effect of this is that many companies are planning to move to consumer-driven or high deductible health insurance plans to lower their overall premiums. But many have said that they will then additionally provide WhiteGlove to their employees and dependents for routine medical care.

How Will This Work?
WhiteGlove House Call Health is a membership-based routine healthcare provider. A company pays an annual fee per employee and dependents, and then that employee can use WhiteGlove as often as desired for any routine healthcare problems at a capped fee of $35 per visit. The visit fee includes medical care that comes to the employee’s home or office, generic prescription medications, a care package of foods, beverages, and over-the-counter remedies, and follow up care.

This approach lowers overall spending, caps costs for routine care, improves employee productivity, reduces absenteeism and helps with the potential morale problems caused by having to change your health plan.

WhiteGlove can help you understand how to lower your healthcare costs while improving employee morale! Visit our website to learn more.

The WhiteGlove Difference

You may ask yourself what makes WhiteGlove House Call Health different from other routine healthcare services and providers. The short answer is - “EVERYTHING!”

· WhiteGlove comes to you – WhiteGlove clinicians travel to our members’ homes or places of work all over Texas.
· WhiteGlove offers routine medical care at your convenience - WhiteGlove members receive medical care, generic prescription medications, foods, beverages and over the counter remedies in the comfort of their home or office, 365 days a year, 8 am to 8 pm.
· WhiteGlove caps the cost of a visit to one pre-set fee - We cap our members’ out-of-pocket expenses. Your medical visit, most generic Rx medications, and all the incidentals are included in one fixed visit fee (labs, brand Rx medications, and vaccines are run through your health plan, if needed).
· WhiteGlove is not health insurance - WhiteGlove is a membership-based routine medical care provider where members pay a single, fixed visit fee. You do not need health insurance to use the WhiteGlove service or become a member.
· WhiteGlove is available to everyone – there are three ways to become a member.

1. Individual and Family Membership: Any individual or family can pay a monthly fee for membership.
2. Insurance Paid Membership: Anyone with Aetna or Humana health insurance in all service areas or UnitedHealthcare in Austin and San Antonio has their membership fee covered.
3. Corporate Membership: Anyone who works for a company that sponsors the WhiteGlove membership for its employees/dependents.

Visit the WhiteGlove website to start enjoying the “WhiteGlove Difference” today. www.whiteglove.com

The WhiteGlove Experience

Are you tired of trying to get a doctor appointment when you really need one?

WhiteGlove House Call Health provides a refreshing healthcare experience on your terms.

WhiteGlove clinicians travel to our members’ homes or places of work all over Texas. WhiteGlove members receive medical care, generic prescription medications, foods, beverages and over the counter medicines in the comfort of their home or office, 365 days a year, 8 am to 8 pm.

With WhiteGlove all hassles are removed. No trying to get a doctor appointment, no waiting in a crowded waiting room being exposed to everyone’s germs, no having to travel to the pharmacy and grocery store.

Everything comes to you.

WhiteGlove is like a doctor, pharmacy and grocery store on wheels.

To find out more, go to www.whiteglove.com, or call at 512.329.9223.

Or see the one-minute video: The WhiteGlove Experience.

Healthy Employees Mean Healthy Business

Keeping employees healthy results in boosting productivity and reducing the rate of missed work for any company. As a result, worker health is a rising priority in the business world.

The majority of adults spend more waking hours at work than anywhere else, making it increasingly practical for them to have access to routine healthcare in the workplace. Having a healthy staff also benefits employers, improving the financial stability and overall performance of a firm.

But how can a company afford such a luxury? With WhiteGlove House Call Health. WhiteGlove’s service is available to all employees, and their dependents, of participating companies, 365 days a year, 8am to 8pm. No matter when they call, how many times they call, where they are, or what routine medical need they have, employees and dependents pay a flat $35 a visit that includes medical care, generic Rx medications, foods, beverages, and over-the-counter remedies. The variable cost of routine care goes away and the total cost is far less because employees and dependents do not spend money on gas, parking, tolls, groceries, over-the-counters, Rx meds, and childcare.

There are two ways that companies can tap into this service – through their insurance or through a corporate membership.

· Insurance Paid Membership: Companies with Aetna or Humana health insurance in all service areas or UnitedHealthcare in Austin and San Antonio have included in their program membership for all covered employees. The employee simply has to logon to the WhiteGlove website and register. They only have to pay their applicable co-pay, co-insurance, or deductible depending on their plan
· Corporate Membership: Individual corporations can contract with WhiteGlove House Call Health to provide the service. The company will pay their employees’ membership fee, and the employee is responsible for the visit fee.

To find out more, contact WhiteGlove House Call Health at www.whiteglove.com or 877-329-8081.

Changing the Face of Healthcare One House Call at a Time

Who says you have to go to the doctor? Why not just have them come to you.
What follows is a partial transcript of a radio interview of Robert Fabbio, CEO of WhiteGlove House Call Health by Russ Capper, co-host of TheBusinessMakers, which aired on Saturday, March 6, 2010, on KPRC 950 am radio in Houston.

Russ Capper, host of “TheBusinessMakers” radio show: Let's start by you telling us about WhiteGlove House Call Health.

Bob Fabbio, CEO of WhiteGlove House Call Health: Well, what WhiteGlove does is it brings affordable, high quality, routine care to your home or work, 365 days a year, from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., and our healthcare experience is all-inclusive. It's the medical care, the prescription meds, the foods, the beverages, and the over-the-counter remedies.

Russ: My goodness. That sounds almost too good to be true.

Bob: That's the biggest piece of feedback we get.

Russ: You said, "Affordable." It seems to me that professionals coming to my house and helping me with all that has to be fairly expensive.

Bob: It's actually one of the novelties of our business and why we're getting so much attention nationally. The entire healthcare system in America is essentially run on what's called, "a fee-for-service, reimbursement model." Meaning, every service we request, there's a charge for it. Either your insurance plan or you as a consumer pay for that, or both. With WhiteGlove, you join as a member and that ranges from $300 to $400 a year, and then every visit we go on, it's $35, all-inclusive. That includes your medical care, your prescription meds, your foods, your beverages, and your over-the-counter remedies. So we don't make our money on visits or services, we make our money on our memberships.

Russ: Okay. Can anybody become a member?

Bob: Anybody can join WhiteGlove. We have consumers everyday coming to our website and joining or calling to use the service. And of course, we also provide our service directly to employers and that is where our largest growth is coming from today.

Russ: Okay, meaning companies sign up with WhiteGlove as part of their healthcare benefit program.

Bob: Yes, we work with CFOs and CEOs of organizations, and talk to them about the business value that WhiteGlove brings to their business in increasing productivity and lowering their healthcare costs, and then of course, the other positive side effect is it's a great new benefit for the employees and dependants that are associated with that company. We've signed up over 200 companies in the last three quarters.

Russ: What might be the largest number of employees in one of these companies?

Bob: It ranges everywhere from four employees all the way up to tens of thousands of employees.

To hear or read the full transcript of this interview, go to http://www.thebusinessmakers.com/episodes/shows/2010/march-2010/episode-248/robert-fabbio.html.
To learn more about WhiteGlove House Call Health, go to http://housecallhealth.com/.

What Did Your Last Visit To The Doctor Cost?

What is the true cost of routine medical care? When any of us visit the doctor, we tend to think of the cost of that visit in concrete terms – how much money did I pay the receptionist? If we are lucky, it was the cost of a co-pay. If we don’t have insurance, it was a lot more.

But we almost never stop to consider all the other factors involved in going to the doctor for a routine medical visit that also cost us money. There are the costs of getting there - gas, parking, tolls, maybe a babysitter, time off work. And the cost of treatment – prescriptions, lab tests, special food and beverages that make us feel better, and even over-the-counter remedies that doctors often advise taking in addition to prescriptions.

As a WhiteGlove member, we cap your out-of-pocket expenses. Your medical visit, most generic Rx medications, and all the incidentals are included in our visit fee – no matter when you call us, where in our service areas you are, and what routine medical need you have (labs and brand Rx medications are run through your health plan, if needed). We also carry a full assortment of over-the-counter medications, if needed. And we come to you, so you don’t spend money on gas, parking, and tolls. You can stay home with the kids, so there are no babysitter fees, or you can stay at work, so you don’t need to take time off. And, to top it off, we’ll even leave you with a bag of “get well” food and beverages, so you don’t have to make a special trip to the grocery store

The cost for this routine healthcare visit? $35 or your applicable co-pay, co-insurance, or deductible if Aetna or Humana insured. WhiteGlove House Call Health is proud to offer its members unlimited visits across ALL of our service areas for a single, flat visit fee each time we come to see you. You do not need health insurance to use the WhiteGlove service or become a member. We come to you 365 days a year, 8 am – 8 pm. Interested? Visit our website at www.whiteglove.com to find out more.

You May Already Be A Member of WhiteGlove

If you have Aetna or Humana and live in our Austin, Houston, Dallas/Ft. Worth or San Antonio service areas, or if you have UnitedHealthcare and live in our Austin and San Antonio service areas, you are already a member of WhiteGlove House Call Health. Your insurance company is paying for your membership; all you have to do to activate it is go the WhiteGlove website and sign up.

When you are a WhiteGlove member, we bring routine medical care to you at your work or home, 365 days a year, 8am to 8pm. Your visit includes medical care, generic Rx medications, foods, beverages, and over-the-counter remedies that all come to you within hours of your call. And your only financial obligation is the all-inclusive visit fee that is your applicable co-pay (specialist co-pay for Aetna and Humana, PCP co-pay for UnitedHealthcare).

You may already be a member! What are you waiting for?

WhiteGlove provides service in the following Texas markets:

Aetna, Humana, UnitedHealthcare
Austin-Area Counties
· Hays
· Travis
· Williamson

San Antonio-Area Counties
· Bexar
· Comal
· Guadalupe (Zip codes: 78108, 78124, 78154)


Aetna, Humana
Dallas-Area Counties
· Collin
· Dallas
· Rockwall

Fort Worth-Area Counties
· Denton
· Tarrant

Houston-Area Counties
· Harris

Schools Using WhiteGlove Service For Routine Medical Care

In an exciting and innovative move, some school districts in San Antonio are opting for a new type of routine health care for employees. This service, provided through WhiteGlove House Call Health, brings the doctor’s office to the school district employees, at their homes or at their school.

Employees are visited on-site by a nurse practitioner who examines and treats them. The nurse practitioner also brings generic prescription medications, foods, beverages, and over-the-counter medications, which are furnished to the patient. Employees simply pay their applicable co-pay (for most that is about $35), and that fee covers everything provided, including prescription medications.

No longer do teachers suffering from routine illnesses have to miss a day’s instruction in order to see a primary care physician. The care comes to them, saving them time away from the job and the school money for substitute teachers.

The school district’s insurer covers the WhiteGlove membership fee, and the employees pay the visit fee. The three insurers partnering with WhiteGlove to provide this service are: Humana, Aetna and United Healthcare. This service is available to participating school district employees 365 days a year between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. — at work or at home.

Houston Members Are Weighing In On The WhiteGlove Experience

WhiteGlove House Call Health is a membership-based routine medical care provider where you pay a single, fixed visit fee. Membership gives you access to routine medical care that comes to you at home or work, 365 days a year, 8am to 8pm, within hours of your call.

Unlike other healthcare choices, WhiteGlove brings the medical care, generic Rx medications, foods, beverages, and over-the-counter remedies to its members at home, work or even a hotel room.

Members have access to the WhiteGlove service in all of our service areas: Austin, Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston, and San Antonio. Most recently, WhiteGlove has expanded into Houston. As more and more Houston members are trying this service, they are discovering what their fellow members in other service areas have already learned – WhiteGlove is “great” and “unbelievable”!

Read what some real WhiteGlove users living in Houston have said about their experience:

“Why hasn't this existed before”

“Great service!…House call in about 2 hrs, prescriptions filled on the spot”

“House Calls! - They come to you (home or office)”

But don’t take our word for it, read these and more reviews from Houston users on CitySearch.

To learn more about WhiteGlove House Call Health, go to www.whiteglove.com.

WhiteGlove Service – How To Access It

WhiteGlove House Call Health is a membership-based routine medical care provider where you pay a single, fixed visit fee. To use WhiteGlove’s service, you have to be a member. A membership gives you access to routine medical care that comes to you at home or work, 365 days a year, 8am to 8pm, within hours of your call.

There are three ways to become a WhiteGlove member:

· Individual and Family Membership: Any individual or family can pay a monthly fee for membership. Each membership is $35 per month. If you are signing up your family, we cap your monthly membership fee at $88 per month. The membership term is 12 months. Our members pay $35 for each visit.
· Insurance Paid Membership: Anyone with Aetna or Humana health insurance in all service areas or UnitedHealthcare in Austin and San Antonio has their membership fee covered. They simply have to logon to the WhiteGlove website and register. They only have to pay their applicable co-pay, co-insurance, or deductible depending on their plan
· Corporate Membership: Anyone who works for a company that sponsors the WhiteGlove membership for its employees/dependents is covered. They only have to pay $35 for each visit.

Once you become a member of our service you can use us an unlimited number of times across ALL of our service areas during your membership term and pay only a single, flat visit fee each time we come to see you. You do not need health insurance to use the WhiteGlove service or become a member.

Want to learn more? Visit our website at www.whiteglove.com.

WhiteGlove Members: It's easy to get started using the WhiteGlove service!

If you have access to the WhiteGlove House Call Health service, but are unsure how to use it or when, here are a few easy steps to get you started:

· Schedule a routine care visit via phone or web.

· We come to you at work or home, 365 days a year, 8am to 8pm, within hours of your call.

· During our visit we diagnose and treat you AND, for no extra charge we provide you with most of the generic Rx medications that we prescribe on the visit. We also bring you a Well-Kit with foods, beverages, and over-the-counter remedies.

· We follow up with you to make sure you are mending.

· You have secure online access to your information including your medical history, lab results, visit history, and more.

At WhiteGlove, we are committed to changing the way you are treated!

Not sure if you are already a member? Not sure how to become a member? We’ll gladly answer all your questions! 1-877-329-8081

When is the best time imaginable to use WhiteGlove House Call Health? Super Bowl Sunday!

Read about one Houston member’s WhiteGlove experience on CitySearch. This member was able to call WhiteGlove on Super Bowl Sunday and receive routine medical care in their home! They never missed a play!

Unlike other healthcare choices, we bring the medical care, generic Rx medications, foods, beverages, and over-the-counter remedies to you, 365 days a year, 8am to 8pm. And, it is all included in the visit fee you pay.

Once you become a member of our service you can use us an unlimited number of times across ALL of our service areas during your membership term and only pay a single, flat visit fee each time we come to see you.

At WhiteGlove, we mean what we say. We will bring routine healthcare to you, 365 days a year, 8 am to 8 pm. Even on Super Bowl Sunday. Find out more at http://www.whiteglove.com

WhiteGlove eliminates surprise medical bills and caps costs for routine medical care.

As a WhiteGlove member, we cap your out-of-pocket expenses. Your medical visit, most generic Rx medications, and all the incidentals are included in our visit fee – no matter when you call us, where in our service areas you are, and what routine medical need you have (labs and brand Rx medications are run through your health plan, if needed). And we come to you, so you don’t spend money on gas, parking, tolls, and childcare.

In the past, if you had a routine medical problem after normal office hours, or on the weekend, you had three choices, wait for an appointment with your primary care physician, go to an urgent care center or go to the emergency room. Now, you have a fourth; let a WhiteGlove medical professional come to you, 365 days a year, from 8 am to 8 pm. No more surprise medical bills from urgent care center and emergency room visits for routine care.

At WhiteGlove, we are committed to lowering your healthcare costs while improving your healthcare experience.

WhiteGlove Members Covered In All Service Areas

What do you do if you are out-of-town and get sick? As a member of WhiteGlove House Call Health, you can use our service an unlimited number of times across ALL of our service areas.

Unlike other healthcare choices, WhiteGlove brings the medical care, generic Rx medications, foods, beverages, and over-the-counter remedies to its members at home, work or even a hotel room, 365 days a year, 8am to 8pm.

Members have access to the WhiteGlove service in all of our service areas: Austin, Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston, and San Antonio.

Anyone can become a WhiteGlove member but those with Aetna, Humana, and UnitedHealthcare have their memberships covered and just pay a co-pay, co-insurance, or deductible depending on their plan. We are an in-network provider for Aetna and Humana in all of our service areas and UnitedHealthcare in Austin and San Antonio.

New service areas

WhiteGlove recently added service in the Texas cities of Cibolo, Marion, Northcliff, Santa Clara, Schertz, and Selma. The specific areas of Guadalupe County now supported include the following zip codes: 78108, 78124, and 78154.

The True Cost of A Routine Healthcare Visit

Most people, when asked, do not know the cost of a routine doctor visit. Some say it is the cost of their co-pay, $20 or $25. In a survey by Harris Interactive, many replied that the cost for the visit was around $95. In reality, the actual cost for a doctor’s visit is $200. *

Rx medications, gas, parking, tolls, foods, beverages, over-the-counter remedies, and childcare all factor into the final cost. Often, consumers never know what that one simple visit cost because they can’t put all the expenses together. According to the survey, more than half of those who responded did not know the cost of treatment until it was received (68 percent), and 11 percent revealed they never found out the cost.

WhiteGlove House Call Health has addressed this issue by offering routine medical care to its members that has transparent pricing, visit times that are reserved, and medical professionals that come to you at home or work, 365 days a year from 8am to 8pm. The cost for this routine healthcare visit? $35 or your applicable co-pay, co-insurance, or deductible if Aetna or Humana insured. Take control of your routine healthcare costs with WhiteGlove House Call Health!

*The Washington Post

Texas UnitedHealthcare Members Benefit From The WhiteGlove Experience

For routine medical care, WhiteGlove House Call Health offers another quality option for UnitedHealthcare members when they are unable to visit their primary care physician.

WhiteGlove’s licensed nurse practitioners and physicians provide the kind of care you normally go to your family doctor for, things like flu, colds, infections, skin rashes, nausea, vomiting, etc. And, WhiteGlove comes to your home or office between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m., 365 days a year.

Additionally, members receive most of the generic medications prescribed during the visit and a well-kit of foods, beverages and over-the-counter remedies—all for only the cost of a member’s PCP co-pay.co-insurance, or deductible.

WhiteGlove’s services are available to UnitedHealthcare’s members in Austin and San Antonio.

How UnitedHealthcare members can utilize this benefit

UnitedHealthcare members need simply log on to WhiteGlove’s website or call a toll free number to schedule visits.

First time users:

1. Go to www.whiteglove.com
2. Click on “member login”.
3. Create your login username and password.
4. Fill out the insurance and health forms.


After that, scheduling appointments is easy. Logon to your account or simply call.

To schedule an appointment online:

1. Go to www.whiteglove.com
2. Click on “member login”.
3. Log in with your already created username and password.
4. Click on “schedule visit”.
5. Follow the prompts.

Or call our toll free line at 1 (877) 329-8081.

Tips:

Go ahead and register now. That way, when you need an appointment, you’re in the system!

If you are not sure that your illness is treatable by a WhiteGlove House Call, call our toll free number to find out.

Texas Humana Members Benefit From The WhiteGlove Experience

For routine medical care, WhiteGlove House Call Health offers another quality option for Humana members when they are unable to visit their primary care physician.

WhiteGlove’s licensed nurse practitioners and physicians provide the kind of care you normally go to your family doctor for, things like flu, colds, infections, skin rashes, nausea, vomiting, etc. And, WhiteGlove comes to your home or office between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m., 365 days a year.

Additionally, members receive most of the generic medications prescribed during the visit and a well-kit of foods, beverages and over-the-counter remedies—all for only the cost of a member’s specialist co-pay or deductible.

WhiteGlove’s services are available to Humana’s members in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex, San Antonio, Austin, and Houston.

How Humana members can utilize this benefit

Humana members need simply to log on to WhiteGlove’s website or call a toll free number to schedule visits.

First time users:

1. Go to www.whiteglove.com
2. Click on “member login”.
3. Create your login username and password.
4. Fill out the insurance and health forms.


After that, scheduling appointments is easy. Logon to your account or simply call.

To schedule an appointment online:

1. Go to www.whiteglove.com
2. Click on “member login”.
3. Log in with your already created username and password.
4. Click on “schedule visit”.
5. Follow the prompts.

Or call our toll free line at 1 (877) 329-8081.

Tips:

Go ahead and register now. That way, when you need an appointment, you’re in the system!

If you are not sure that your illness is treatable by a WhiteGlove House Call, call our toll free number to find out.

Texas Aetna Members Benefit From The WhiteGlove Experience

For routine medical care, WhiteGlove House Call Health offers another quality option for Aetna members when they are unable to visit their primary care physician.

WhiteGlove’s licensed nurse practitioners and physicians provide the kind of care you normally go to your family doctor for, things like flu, colds, infections, skin rashes, nausea, vomiting, etc. And, WhiteGlove comes to your home or office between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m., 365 days a year.

Additionally, members receive most of the generic medications prescribed during the visit and a well-kit of foods, beverages and over-the-counter remedies—all for only the cost of a member’s specialist co-pay, co-insurance or deductible.

WhiteGlove’s services are available to Aetna’s members in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex, San Antonio, Austin, and Houston.

How Aetna members can utilize this benefit

Aetna members need simply log on to WhiteGlove’s website or call a toll free number to schedule visits.

First time users:

1. Go to www.whiteglove.com
2. Click on “member login”.
3. Create your login username and password.
4. Fill out the insurance and health forms.


After that, scheduling appointments is easy. Logon to your account or simply call.

To schedule an appointment online:

1. Go to www.whiteglove.com
2. Click on “member login”.
3. Log in with your already created username and password.
4. Click on “schedule visit”.
5. Follow the prompts.

Or call our toll free line at 1 (877) 329-8081.

Tips:

Go ahead and register now. That way, when you need an appointment, you’re in the system!

If you are not sure that your illness is treatable by a WhiteGlove House Call, call our toll free number to find out.

House Calls Are For Everyone

WhiteGlove House Call Health has brought back the good old fashioned house call and re-invented every aspect of it. Not only will they come to you at home or work 365 days a year from 8am to 8pm but they include medical care, generic Rx medications, even foods, beverages and over-the-counter remedies. WhiteGlove is like a doctor, pharmacy, and grocery store on wheels.

One of the things that makes the WhiteGlove service truly unique is that it is available to members in all of their service areas. WhiteGlove service areas include: Austin, Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston, and San Antonio. So, if you live in Dallas and travel to Houston and end up needing routine care, you can call WhiteGlove and in just a few hours receive the exact same care experience that you would if you were at home.

WhiteGlove’s healthcare professionals will come to you at a time scheduled by you, to a location specified by you. A healthcare professional will diagnose and treat you, provide you with generic prescription medications if needed, and even leave you with foods, beverages, and over-the-counter remedies! The cost for the visit? An all-inclusive $35 or your applicable co-pay, co-insurance, or deductible if Aetna, Humana, or UnitedHealthcare insured.

There are multiple ways to become a WhiteGlove member:

· Any individual or family can pay a monthly fee for membership
· Anyone with Aetna or Humana health insurance in all service areas or UnitedHealthcare in Austin and San Antonio has their membership covered and just pays their applicable co-pay, co-insurance, or deductible depending on their plan
· Anyone who works for a company that sponsors the WhiteGlove membership

Once a member, you have unlimited access to the WhiteGlove service during your membership term for just your applicable visit fee.

For more information, visit the WhiteGlove website.

How To Tell The Difference Between Cold, Flu And Allergies

A cold, the flu and allergies have many overlapping symptoms, and so it can often be hard to tell which you have. To decide which you have, go through the complete list of traditional symptoms, and compare them to the chart below.



In general:

1. Colds are above the shoulder - Cold symptoms are milder and usually above the shoulders; runny nose, sore throat and stuffy nose are the most common symptoms. Aches and pains and a cough can also be present.

2. The flu is all over - The flu is more severe and includes a fever, body aches, headaches, fatigue and, sometimes a cough. Less common but still possible with the flu are sneezing, sore throat and stuffy nose.

3. Allergies are in the nose - Allergies are in the nose with nasal congestion, post-nasal drip, and clear nasal drainage. Fatigue is another common symptom. Often there will be severe itching in the nose, eyes and throat. All of these symptoms with come and go with the allergy counts and of course and person’s individual allergies.

The good news is that all of these illnesses can be diagnosed and treated by a medical professional, and if you live in our service areas, in the comfort of your own home. Call WhiteGlove House Call Health to schedule an appointment in your home or office. We’ll come to you, and bring prescription or over the counter medications to make you feel better. We’ll even bring chicken soup!