AHEAD OF THE CURVE—-MEDIGUIDE INTERNATIONAL LEADS THE CHARGE FOR PRIVACY PROTECTION BY ACHIEVING EARLY GDPR COMPLIANCE

Once again MediGuide has set the bar high by becoming fully GDPR compliant well prior to the May 25, 2018 effective date. MediGuide recognizes the absolute vital importance of safeguarding its Member’s protected information. We are vigilant in doing so and it continues to be one of our top priorities.

Each day our valued Members trust MediGuide not only with their personal identifying information (PII) but also their protected health information (PHI). We pay attention to and accept that trust very seriously.  We understand that when our Members turn to us for help they are in a vulnerable place, looking to us to help guide them to the right answers for a new diagnosis or chronic medical condition. MediGuide recognizes that often our Member has suddenly been confronted with the knowledge that they have been diagnosed with a life-threatening condition. We are aware of and sensitive to the emotional and psychological impacts upon our Member. As a consequence, we want the Member to focus on healing. MediGuide understands that it has a duty to protect its Member from also worrying about the protection of their private data.

For many years, MediGuide has appropriated the proper resources to be in compliance with both the United States’ Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and Privacy Shield regulations. As of February 2018, MediGuide is proud to announce that we are also fully complaint with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) laws within the European Union (EU).  GDPR takes effect on May 25, 2018 and will replace the 1995 Data Protection Directive.  The changes within the GDPR were proposed by the European Commission and will strengthen and unify data protection for individuals within the EU, including the export of data outside of the EU.  If you have an interest in a deeper understanding of this topic, please see our website for more detailed information at www.mediguide.com, and click on Privacy Policy. MediGuide now has a full-time privacy officer, and as an organization MediGuide will continue to proactively implement technical, physical, and administrative safeguards to remain in the forefront of privacy protection methodologies as well as maintain its compliance with international laws and regulations moving forward with GDPR, HIPAA, and Privacy Shield, and those protections instituted by the various other countries of the world.

MediGuide turns 20!

It’s hard to believe but 2018 marks MediGuide’s 20th year in operation.  We could not be prouder of the past 20 years spent servicing people all over the world.  Helping our members find strength in a time of uncertainty is what the power of a medical second opinion is all about, and we are dedicated to it. We will be sending out a commemorative newsletter in the coming months to share with you some stories of people we have touched and our most exciting milestones over the past 20 years.  Stay tuned…

When the world is going digital, MediGuide will be leading the way. Dear Business Partner, I am proud to present to you MySpecialistMD by MediGuide, MediGuide’s newest service via MySpecialistMD.  With more than 70% of the global healthcare providers now utilizing telemedicine to connect with and treat its patients, MediGuide recognized it was time to expand its service offerings.  MySpecialistMD is a multi-specialty telemedicine service who bring world renowned, US board certified physicians to its members via their phone, laptop, iPad or any devise that is connected to the internet. Just like our Medical Second Opinion (MSO) programs, this new service is exclusively open to our valued members.  For less than $1.00 US a month, our members can gain access to this invaluable service offering which also includes our remote MSO service. Members will pay a small access fee, usually via the insurance premiums, and a consultation fee based on type of consultation provided. The consultation fee can either be an out of pocket expense for the member, or it can be an insured item depending on the underlaying insurance program. MySpecialistMD by MediGuide provides an unprecedented, all-inclusive medical support experience for members, unlike any other second opinion, and we are thrilled to be leading the industry with this unique service combination for our members.  What makes this partnership most exciting are the tremendous combined benefits MediGuide and MySpecialistMD can now offer their customer base including:  FOR INSURANCE COMPANIES MySpecialistMD REDUCES HEALTHCARE COSTS BY: Ensuring members have the correct diagnosis and treatment plan Avoiding unnecessary hospitalizations and readmissions Preventing unnecessary and expensive Emergency Room visits FOR MEMBERS: MySpecialistMD enables quick and easy access to a network of US board certified specialists at a minimal cost and in most languages, any time of day The telemedicine platform MySpecialistMD has created is incredibly user friendly for any user regardless of comfort level with technology – only a few simple clicks between the member and a virtual meeting with a trusted physician Convenience.  With MySpecialistMD, meeting with a physician no longer means taking time off work or traveling to an office for an appointment.  Now our members can access medical information specific to their needs within the privacy of their own home or office Should the member want to obtain a remote Medical Second Opinion after their telemedicine consult, all medical records will be available in a digitalized fashion FOR EMPLOYER GROUPS MySpecialistMD REDUCES HEALTHCARE COSTS BY: Keeping employees healthy, reducing sick time and leave of absence Driving healthcare costs down by ensuring correct diagnoses and treatment plans MySpecialistMD has created a virtual hospital capable of extending the reach of primary and specialty care and shattering the barriers of traditional medicine, by utilizing a cloud based system to provide patients with immediate, cost effective access to expert medical care. A simple and user-friendly process allows the user to have a MD visit from anywhere in the world via a variety of desktop and handheld devices. MD specialists can assess, diagnose, prescribe, and network with local providers via the online visit, with no travel time or hospital systems to navigate.  Utilizing the highest level of telemedicine technology allows MySpecialistMD to integrate with clients’ current medical platforms to optimize collaboration with care providers and insure optimal medical care. MediGuide International currently services millions of member lives in 40+ countries across the globe with its MSO services.  This allows members access to the best medical information available for their specific condition.  The MediGuide experience is like no other MSO in its space, since its process allows for a holistic review of medical information by a team of physicians versus a single ‘expert’ physician review. In addition to MySpecialistMD, MediGuide International has also launched its LifeLink Insurance program, supported globally by SwissRe. Recently, MediGuide launched a new service for members seeking medical treatment abroad without insurance: Navigator. Insurance companies dealing with MediGuide will be able to either insure the new program or offer it on an access basis to its insured. MediGuide is delighted to share this exciting new partnership with you.  For further information or to schedule a meeting to discuss access to this benefit please contact any of our regional offices or Kara Connor at kconnor@mediguide.com. Click here to view the MySpecialistMD by MediGuide brochure.  Best Regards, Paul Vermeulen Chief Executive Officer MediGuide International

Dearest friends,

As summer winds down around our Greenville, Delaware office we wanted to take a moment and share with you some recent happenings at MediGuide International.

MediGuide International Inaugural Symposium

Early in June, MediGuide hosted its very first Global Symposium appropriately titled ‘New Horizons’. The symposium was hosted in National Harbor, which sits right outside downtown Washington DC, USA. Our guests flew in from all over the globe to attend sessions with our speakers from several of our world leading medical center partners including: Boston Children’s Hospital, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Dana Farber Cancer Institute, all of which are teaching hospitals of Harvard Medical School, and Philadelphia International Medicine.  We also had riveting presentations from our industry partners MySpecialstMD and New Frontier Group. Our keynote speaker was the 47th Vice President of the United States, Joseph R. Biden. Vice President Biden spoke passionately and powerfully regarding his affiliation with Cancer Moonshot and its mission to cure cancer. Outside of the educational sessions our guests also had plenty of opportunity for networking or time to relax at MediGuide hosted dinners, receptions, and site seeing opportunities around downtown Washington DC. The feedback we received was excellent – a great time had by all. We are very much looking forward to organizing our next Symposium in a different area of the world and with a whole new lineup of remarkable presenters.

Vice President Biden addresses the attendees at our New Horizons Symposium in June 2017.

MediGuide leadership team 2017 **missing Board member Richard Gillespie  

New Office Space

As an organization, we have been blessed with continued growth year after year. It was decided this year that based on that growth we would relocate our corporate headquarters to a larger space.   In July 2017 MediGuide International, LLC (USA) moved from 162 Stone Block Row, Greenville, DE 19807 to a nearby office space at 4001 Kennett Pike, Suite 218, Greenville, DE 19807 USA.  We are happily settled in our new space which provides us the additional space we need for now as well as room for growth in the future.

MediGuide Headquarters Greenville, DE USA

Welcome Aboard

In July, MediGuide welcomed a new member to our finance team, Lise Scott.  Lise has nearly 10 years’ experience working in finance departments of medical organizations. From local medical administration to medical assistance, evacuation management and third-party administration. Lise served 6 years at Interhealth Technologies overseeing the operations team and managing the finance process, and 1 year at MSO International as a Service Excellence Manager. Prior to joining MediGuide in July, Lise worked as a practice accountant at a registered auditing firm. Lise is based in South Africa and is responsible for client account maintenance in Africa, Europe and Latin America, as well as contracts and administration.  MediGuide is very excited to have Lise as part of our global team.

Member Testimonial
At MediGuide our mission is dedicated to ensuring that our members have access to the best medical information in the world.  We are relentless in this pursuit and failure is not an option.  Each newsletter we like to share a little glimpse into how that success is measured.  This quarter we are sharing an email from a member who wrote to us after their case was completed:

Dear Kristyn,
Words cannot express the gratitude I have for all your help these past few weeks.  You and the team at MediGuide gave me comfort in a very scary time.  I have shared my MSO with my doctor and now we both feel that I am getting the best care possible for my condition.  That feeling, the feeling of security in my treatment is truly priceless.

Thank you!

MediGuide Newsletter – May 2017 MediGuide’s goal is to bring our Members answers and peace of mind. It’s that simple.  Ensuring our members have the right answers when they are faced with medical uncertainty is our job.  It’s a responsibility we take very seriously, and we are relentless in our pursuit.  Peace of mind for our members does not always mean a radical change in a diagnosis or treatment plan. Sometimes it’s the reassurance that they are in fact on the right track. The following story is an example of the power of reassurance and the life changing impact we are making in our Member’s lives every day. Last month one of our valued members presented to us with a recent history of heart palpitations, along with chest pain.  This member is a young and very active man with a past medical history only significant for high cholesterol.  The member first noted the palpitations and chest pain with exertion. As an avid tennis player, these new symptoms were not only interfering with his lifestyle but also very concerning to him. Unfortunately, his symptoms continued, and even progressed, and the member started to worry something may be wrong.  Fearing he may have had a heart attack, our member sought the attention of his local healthcare provider, where he underwent a series of comprehensive testing. The result was a diagnosis of an 80% blockage of the left anterior descending coronary artery.   The member was very upset and worried that this diagnosis would likely require risky and invasive interventions and was possibly life threatening. His local treating team offered him 3 options including; watchful wait, a nuclear stress test to more closely evaluate the blocked artery, or a cardiac catheterization with stent placement. Our member felt overwhelmed with not only his new diagnosis but also the treatment options presented to him.  When our member called, we reviewed all his medical information over the phone. Once we received a signed consent form, we collected all the member’s medical records. Our clinical team sent the information to Johns Hopkins Hospital. The cardiac specialists at Johns Hopkins reviewed the medical records and had the following to report back to the member: they agreed with the treating team’s diagnosis as well as the treatment recommendations.  They wrote that there was really no wrong choice for the member, but they suggested he start with the least invasive treatment and go from there. The member was overjoyed that his treating team had it right. A short time later, our member wrote us the following email: Thank you very much to the doctors at Johns Hopkins Hospital and MediGuide team in the US and Singapore for assisting me to review my medical reports as well as providing me an invaluable second medical opinion about my heart condition. To my relief, my heart condition is not that worrying based on the review and recommended treatments or follow-up. I will share the review and recommendations provided with my cardiologist in my next scheduled visit in 3 months’ time. My heartfelt thank you to all of you. Best regards, Member Y   MediGuide to host Inaugural Symposium in June 2017. We are thrilled to announce that we are hosting our first symposium in June, at the AC Hotel – National Harbor in Maryland, USA, fittingly named New Horizons.  We are anticipating a wonderful week of presentations and celebrations.  MediGuide is honored that the host keynote address will be given by the 47th Vice President of the United States, Joseph R. Biden Jr.  We can’t wait!

MediGuide, MySpecialistMD Announce New Partnership

MediGuide International, a medical second opinion (MSO) organization with nearly 20 years of experience in domestic and international service, recently announced a partnership with MySpecialistMD (MSMD), a first-class provider of specialty and sub-specialty telemedicine care worldwide.

“Together, MediGuide and MSMD now provide their member base the opportunity to access real time medical support for acute and chronic conditions via a virtual MD visit, in addition to an in-depth and interdisciplinary MSO”, says MediGuide’s CEO Paul Vermeulen.

“Globally, patients can now access cutting edge medical information anytime, anywhere and with ease, changing the way the world gains access to healthcare information.  Moreover, the highest level of clinical care will continue to be delivered, via a much more efficient, cost effective and personal vehicle”, per John S. Martin, Executive Director of MySpecialistMD.

What makes this partnership most exciting are the tremendous additional benefits MediGuide and MSMD can now offer their new and existing customer and membership base including:

FOR MEMBERS:

• Enables easy access to a network of board certified specialists at a minimal cost and in a timely fashion.

FOR INSURANCE COMPANIES:

• Reduce healthcare costs by avoiding unnecessary hospitalizations and readmissions
• Reduce healthcare costs by ensuring members have the correct diagnosis and treatment plan
• Prevent unnecessary and expensive ER visits

MediGuide International currently services millions of member lives in 40+ countries across the globe with its MSO services.  This allows members access to the best medical information available for their specific condition.  The MediGuide experience is like no other MSO in its space, since its process allows for a holistic review of medical information by a team of physicians versus a single ‘expert’ physician review. In addition, MediGuide International has launched its LifeLink Insurance program, supported globally by SwissRe. Recently, MediGuide launched a new service for members seeking medical treatment abroad without insurance: Navigator. Insurance companies dealing with MediGuide will be able to either insure the new program or offer it on an access basis to its insured.

MySpecialistMD was founded in 2015 as a multi-specialty telemedicine practice with a mission of changing the way medical care is delivered across the world by providing outstanding specialty and sub-specialty telemedicine care worldwide.  With a network of the world’s best primary care, specialty care, and subspecialty care physicians, and utilizing a world-class technology platform, MSMD delivers expert telemedicine services in almost any field of medicine, clinical care or diagnostics.   MSMD works with a diverse client base and provides clinical services in a variety of settings.  MSMD’s primary goal centers around providing access to specialty care in settings where it would otherwise be unavailable, improving management of both common and rare diseases, and optimizing outcomes while providing cost effective solutions for patients with chronic diseases.

MSMD has created a virtual hospital capable of extending the reach of primary and specialty care and shattering the barriers of traditional medicine, by utilizing a cloud based system to provide patients with immediate, cost effective access to expert medical care. A simple and user-friendly process allows the user to have a MD visit from anywhere in the world via a variety of desktop and handheld devices. MD specialists can assess, diagnose, prescribe, and network with local providers via the online visit, with no travel time or hospital systems to navigate. MSMD leverages the most advanced telemedicine technology to integrate with clients’ medical platforms, optimizing collaboration among care providers and ensuring optimal medical outcomes.

MediGuide and MySpecialistMD are very excited about the journey ahead in 2017 and beyond.

Contact: Kara Connor, MediGuide International
kconnor@mediguide.com – +1(302) 425-5900

At MediGuide, the Member experience is our highest priority. We very often receive feedback from our Members who write to us or call us to tell us how invaluable the MediGuide Second Opinion experience was for them.  We would like to share 3 examples this month, their experiences are highlighted below:

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The first case is of an 8-year-old boy from India who was diagnosed with a very rare infection in his brain.  This condition sadly can lead to epilepsy.  Being such a rare condition the parents of course wanted to be sure that their child was getting the right care for the most optimal long term prognosis.  Per usual the only responsibility of the parents during the MediGuide process was to make the initial call and sign a consent form, we do the rest.  This Member’s assigned case coordinator collected various relevant medical records and brain imaging on behalf of the Member.  This information was then shared with a team of specialists at Massachusetts General Hospital for Children, a hospital that was selected by the child’s parents.  Once the team of Experts reviewed the information and wrote up their summary of recommendations, MediGuide shared it with the family.  The team at Massachusetts General Hospital for Children did make a few recommendations for the child’s long-term treatment but overall agreed with the current treatment course outlined by the child’s local team. The parents were incredibly grateful for the information and experience.  A short time later the child’s parents wrote to us, the email is below.

Email from the Father:
I would like to thank MediGuide for the valuable role it has played in our son’s treatment. The process of working with our case coordinator and MediGuide was very smooth and seamless.  You invested a lot of time and effort in getting to know our son’s medical history and our concerns. We were amazed by the way you led us through the process, coordinated with us so closely and helped us choose the right hospital/department. We received the opinion in a very timely manner. The opinion was very thorough and insightful. We got the comfort that the doctors selected by MediGuide have taken a fresh and an independent view on our son’s medical condition and made useful observations. By and large, they corroborated the prognosis made here which has given us a lot of comfort. They also made a few additional observations which we have shared with our doctors here.  Overall, we had an excellent experience with MediGuide and we will definitely reach out to you again! Thanks once again for all your concern, effort and help. We look forward to keeping in touch!

 

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The second case is of a parent from China who was not only very pleased with the simple process and access to quality medical information, but with our MediGuide Casebook.  In 2016 MediGuide introduced the Casebook to our process as a final product upon completion of a MSO.  The Casebook includes biographies of the team of physicians and world leading medical center from which your medical second opinion came, copies of any reference articles that were listed within the medical second opinion, and copies of the medical second opinion in English and the Member’s native language.  Each Casebook is printed and bound in a personalized book for you.  The Casebook also includes all copies of any medical records collected on your behalf, uploaded onto a password protected USB flash drive.  Now you can take your medical records with you in the event that you need to travel.  More records can be added as well so you have your entire medical history in one place.  The entire final product in truly invaluable. Please see a recent email from one of our Members from China below.  He was so impressed he even included a picture of his Casebook.

Email from Father:
Our Case Coordinator helped to collect medical history and translated it. She not only answered my questions and solved my puzzles but also recommended me hospitals. I finally chose Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC. They called several times to ask about the details of my case. With the help of translator, I have no pressure nor problem in communication at all. At last, I received an over-100 page My MediGuide Case Book in color print. It is far beyond my expectation. Strongly recommend!”

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They are the three words no one ever wants to hear, yet each year over 12 million people worldwide will be told: “you have cancer.”  Life is never the same from that moment on.  You are afraid, worried, you have many questions and are overwhelmed by the information provided to you: Why is this happening?  What do I do next?  What treatment option is best?

At MediGuide it is our absolute privilege to work with Members who have been diagnosed with cancer and it is our mission to ensure that they have peace of mind in their treatment.  Our comprehensive medical second opinion process is designed to do just that — provide our Members the knowledge that their treatment decisions are the right ones.

When a Member calls MediGuide after a cancer diagnosis, our local teams are ready to take action.  We work relentlessly to collect all of the Member’s medical information including medical records, surgical records, pathology slides, radiology reports and imaging.  We send the information to a team of experts at a World Leading Medical Center of the Member’s choosing for a detailed analysis.  We call our Members throughout the process to check-in and answer any questions they may have.  Our process allows for a holistic review of the Member’s condition yielding an accurate diagnosis and treatment pathway.  This type of exhaustive analysis either provides our Members a change in diagnosis and/or treatment course or the confirmation that they are already on the right track.  Either way, they walk away from the medical second opinion process with confidence that the decisions they are making regarding their treatment moving forward are correct.  That type of assurance in a time of tremendous uncertainty is invaluable.

MediGuide would like to highlight a recent case from India:

Mr. P is a 60‐year‐old man who was recently diagnosed with colon cancer. This diagnosis was frightening and Mr. P quickly became overwhelmed by fear and lack of understanding of what to do next.  Treatment options provided by his local physician seemed limited; a combination of different chemotherapies and then potential surgery in the future if his cancer responded to treatment and decreased in size.  Knowing time was of the essence, Mr. P. took his physician’s advice and started the recommended chemotherapy regimen.  Worried that there were other treatment options he had not been offered, Mr. P. called MediGuide for a medical second opinion.  Immediately following Mr. P’s call to us, our local partners began working on Mr. P’s case, collecting all available medical information.  A MediGuide RN case manager called and spoke with Mr. P frequently while the case was being processed, answering questions and providing a calm and knowledgeable voice of comfort.  Within 10 days of receiving his medical information, MediGuide was able to provide Mr. P a medical second opinion from a world leading oncology center in the US.  The team of experts at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston confirmed Mr. P’s diagnosis and treatment plan to date.  The medical second opinion report written for Mr. P. validated his local physician’s recommendations for care and reported that following this particular combination of chemotherapy agents many people have shown decreased tumor size and greatly improved their long-term prognosis.  Mr. P was very grateful for the information and peace of mind.  He was now able to focus is energy on treatment with no uncertainty.  An absolutely invaluable service.

A short time later, Mr. P wrote us the email below:

I am really grateful to MediGuide for guiding me with the second opinion process. The expertise of your company provided me the best support in validating the treatment I am going thru in India. Your staff were always ready to answer my questions and solve the doubts about treatment for me and it surely helped me a lot. I would like to recommend MediGuide as an extremely supportive organization who helps in RIGHT treatment for your loved ones. MediGuide you are gift to mankind and your empathy towards my family was extremely encouraging. I would want to stay in touch with you irrespective of treatment related opinion. You are a noble and extremely kind organization. Please continue with good work. 
 Cheers!!!

MediGuide’s Latest Addition

Based on our consistent growth in the Asian market, MediGuide is delighted to announce that Sunster Tang, a citizen of the PRC based in Shanghai, will become our Asia Regional Director starting on July 1^st, 2016. Sunster holds an MBA degree from the prominent Fudan University – her program was a Fudan-MIT, IMBA. She is fluent in English, Cantonese and Mandarin, her mother tongue. Her region will consist of the Asian countries at large, with the exception of India and Pakistan as well as the Middle East (including Turkey). Our growth in Asia, China and India in particular, has been spectacular lately, now it is up to us to deserve these new customers by giving them the best service we can. MediGuide also wants to deepen the relationships with existing customers. Our presence locally will allow us to focus and expand in a way that is impossible to do out of the US or Europe. At MediGuide we continue to build the strongest team in the market.

At MediGuide, it is our mission to bring our Members answers and peace of mind. Furthermore we provide value and cost savings to our clients.  Getting our Members answers to their questions in times of medical uncertainty is a responsibility we take very seriously, we are relentless in our pursuit.  This edition we would like to share one of our many success stories and the life changing impact we are making in our Member’s lives every day.

Another example why MediGuide is Closest to the Cure. 

Recently we had the absolute pleasure of working with a Member named Julie who had been bravely battling several chronic conditions for over a 10 year period including a bleeding disorder, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, gout, and chronic kidney disease of unknown origin. She had been prescribed a combination of medications by her treating team to help manage her conditions that she was taking during this period of time.  Overall Julie was feeling well.

In 2013, after many years of treating her chronic kidney disease with diet, exercise, and oral medication, Julie required acute hemodialysis (an invasive medical intervention to treat kidney failure, the process removes waste and restores proper balance of electrolytes in the blood) after it was noted in routine bloodwork by her treating team that her kidney function was very poor.  This period of hemodialysis was only temporary and after a few weeks she was able to discontinue treatment and start taking her oral agents again.

In April of 2015, during routine check-up and despite feeling no symptoms at all, it was noted that Julie’s kidney function had worsened again. At this time she was started on a round of oral steroids to try and improve her kidney function. In May of 2015 during a follow-up visit her kidney function was noted to have worsened again. She was admitted to the hospital in June and a renal biopsy and bone marrow biopsy were performed which resulted in a diagnosis of acute interstitial nephritis, condition that causes swelling within the kidneys which can cause them to stop functioning.  Julie was treated inpatient with hemodialysis for 2 weeks and was then discharged home on oral steroids again.  After this second round of hemodialysis Julie decided to call MediGuide for help.

In July of 2015, Julie reached out to MediGuide and requested a medical second opinion (MSO).  Julie worked with a MediGuide local partner who reviewed her entire medical history including the timeline of events, her history of present illness, current medical concerns, symptoms, medications, recent tests, and interventions. With Julie’s consent MediGuide then collected all the necessary medical records, pathology slides, and imaging studies.  MediGuide also  collated all of the medical information before sending it to the World Leading Medical Center (WLMC) Julie chose for her case review, in Julie’s case it was the Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston At the Brigham and Women’s, it was reviewed by a team of experts including; a renal specialist, a pathologist, and a radiologist.  During the comprehensive review by the team, specifically the pathology reanalysis, it was determined that the Julie was suffering from a drug induced rhabdomyolysis, a condition that can cause kidney failure secondary to drug toxicity.  In this case it was the combination of medications taken for gout and cholesterol.

This was a change in Julie’s original diagnosis from her treating team as well as a change in treatment plan.  

The Experts from Brigham and Women’s also suggested that Julie discontinue taking any steroids as not only were they not helping, they were actually contraindicated with this condition.  Next steps suggested by the Expert team at Brigham and Women’s were stop taking the toxic drug combination Julie had been taking for years and that be followed closely with blood work and surveillance.  Julie shared the information with her treating team and a new plan was made for her care. Julie’s treating team was incredibly grateful for the new information and immediately discontinued the steroids and cholesterol medications.

Today Julie is feeling well.  Her kidney function is stable. She remains off steroids and had not required any further hemodialysis.

This case is a shining example the power of a comprehensive medical reivew and collaboration.  Prior to Julie’s first call to MediGuide for a MSO she was being treated with medications that were causing her kidneys to fail.  In addition the steroids prescribed to help her kidney function were inefffecive and also potentially toxic.  Medication like steriods are not only very costly but over time can be very toxic on the body causing long terms side effects or complications such as  glaucoma, weight gain, high blood pressure, difficulty fighting infections, osteoporosis, and increased blood sugars.  Not to mention the costly setbacks with hemodialysis.

When we reached out to Julie during our routine six week follow-up review, we received the following repsonse from her.  Julie believes that taking part in the MediGuide medical second opinion program saved her life, please see her email below:

MediGuide,

It’s good to hear from you! I gave the Second Opinion to my general practitioner and my renal doctor, I believe in August.  They both felt that made COMPLETE sense and I was taken off the Crestor and Prednisone immediately.  Since then, I have been monitored every three weeks with bloodwork, and frequent office visits to keep on top of it, in case it continued to nose dive as it had before.  As of January of this year, my numbers have remained level and stay fairly consistent.  At my last office visit, I was told I didn’t have to have bloodwork for four months!  The Second Opinion, I believe, saved my life.  It wasn’t in time to change the damage already done, but I believe that it has extended the time I do have…which certainly would be shorter without MediGuide’s wonderful, top-notch physicians and the diligent work your company did to give those doctors a thorough picture of my case.

If you need any more “testimonial”, I will praise it from the roof (and I’m afraid of heights)!!!!

Best Regards,
Julie