The Ohio State Board of Pharmacy is proposing changes to the ways in which prescriptions for controlled substances are written, hoping to impose ICD-1O codes. ICD-10 codes are based upon the International Classification of Diseases, published by the World Health Organization, which uses unique alphanumeric codes to identify diseases and other health problems. These records are used by healthcare professionals for storage assistance, and retrieval of diagnostic information; ICD records are also used in the compilation and publication of national mortality / morbidity statistics.

For those pharmacists who use e-prescribing, software updates would likely be implemented; for those who use paper prescriptions, ICD-10 codes would require additional fields. For pharmacists who do not currently include ICD-10 codes in their prescribing software or electronic medical records, they would be required to locate the accurate ICD-10 code prior to filling prescriptions. These changes would likely add to the administrative burdens of pharmacists, as they would be compelled to obtain information from prescribers or prescribers’ agents prior to prescription dispensations. Further concerns focus on privacy, whether e-prescribing systems will be able to accommodate these changes, and–perhaps most importantly–concerns that these requirements would take away significant time from patient care.

A4M valued member Shaily Shah, DO, FAARM, ABAARM shares insight from her professional experience in this Physician of the Month feature.

Dr. Shaily Shah is an integrative medicine physician committed to the health and longevity of her patients. Prior to discovering A4M, she practiced internal medicine in a large multi-specialty group. She realized there were additional ways to help her patients beyond traditional medicine, and at the encouragement of a colleague, she entered into the fellowship program through A4M. After becoming board-certified, she opened her own practice, where she incorporates both traditional and anti-aging techniques in the management of her patients.

Q: Before joining A4M, what was your medical background?

I was in my first year of practice as an internal medicine physician in St. Louis, MO. Prior to that I was in internal medicine residency at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York, NY.

Q: What anti-aging techniques have you incorporated into your practice? How did you so?

As an internist it was quite simple to incorporate anti-aging techniques in my practice. I was already treating a wide variety of diseases, and I found anti-aging techniques blended in seamlessly. They allowed me to offer an alternative form of treatment, as well as a complementary form of treatment to traditional practices. I currently utilize BHRT, vitamin/nutrient optimization, gut healing, detoxification, weight management and, of course, functional management of chronic disease (hypertension, diabetes, major depression, etc.).

Q: What are the benefits of practicing anti-aging medicine–both as a professional, and for your practice?

I get to spend more time with my patients. This time is critical in establishing the patient-physician relationship and in formulating their treatment plan. I also get to utilize advance medical technologies.

Q: What are the changes you see in your patients?

My patients are healthier and happier than the ones I saw in my traditional medicine practice. They are able to cut back or eliminate their medications, and they have a better quality of life.

Q: Why would you recommend Anti-Aging Medicine to your peers?

Anti-aging medicine is the future of medicine. It provides a benefit to patients’ overall health that they are not currently getting from traditional medicine. It focuses on the root cause of disease as opposed to masking it with multiple medications.

Q: Where do you see the future of Anti-Aging medicine 20 years from now?

Anti-aging medicine will be more widespread. I believe it will be taught in medical schools, and incorporated in various specialties. It will have a wider range of acceptance because this type of medicine truly works.

A4M valued member Nancy Vance, MD, FAARFM, ABAARM shares insight from her professional experience in this Physician of the Month feature.

Dr. Vance entered into medicine as a nontraditional student at the age of 34 from a non-medical background. Her career shift to the medical field was spurred by a desire to learn and to then apply that knowledge in a meaningful way. Several years into her medical education, Dr. Vance began to realize that traditional medicine was not what she had anticipated it to be. Although she was enthusiastically engaged in the scientific method applied to medicine, she found the application of that method to disease-based medicine lacking. For 15 years, Dr. Vance practiced emergency medicine where she believes traditional medicine is at its best, but was well aware of the limitations during that time. As a favor for a friend, she began her own research into bioidentical hormone therapy, and that path eventually led her to A4M. During the coursework to gain board certification and an advanced fellowship from A4M, Dr. Vance was very pleased to return to a base of physiology, biology, chemistry, and genetics, and to not only understand the causes of disease but also how to prevent them.

Q: Before joining A4M, what was your medical background?

I held a contract with an independent hospital to provide 24-hour emergency physician coverage for 10 of my 15 years as an emergency physician.

Q: What anti-aging techniques have you incorporated into your practice? How did you so?

IV therapy, hyperbaric oxygen therapy and HRT are a few of the techniques implemented at Insight to Health & Wellness.

Q: What are the benefits of practicing anti-aging medicine–as a professional, and for your practice?

Since learning the new model of medicine through A4M, I have realized wonderful benefits:

• A one-on-one relationship with my patients allows me to study each patient and offer personalized medical advice based on research.
• Since I operate with an independence from insurance regulations, I can actually treat the causes of disease rather than mask the symptoms with medications.

My patients finally feel in control of their health care; are able to receive education from a reliable source; and are enjoying an overall improved quality of life in their later years.

Q: What are the changes you see in your patients?

The major changes for patients when my methods are implemented are the need for less medication and improved quality of life.

Q: Why would you recommend Anti-Aging Medicine to your peers?

The opportunity to be trained by innovators, regain autonomy, be surrounded by people motivated to take care of patients and be on the cutting edge of medicine not only places anti-aging medicine at the forefront of medicine but also at the forefront of the medical business model.

Q: Where do you see the future of Anti-Aging medicine 20 years from now?

The inevitable fundamental shift away from disease based to preventive medicine spurred by the search for knowledge by more sophisticated and aware patients will make anti-aging medicine commonplace in the future.