Doctor

This summer I ran into a pregnant mom at the library. She said she saw my post last year and switch to Dr. Ramos at Obstetrical & Gynecological Associates, next to The Woman’s Hospital of Texas, in the Medical Center.

She said she was not sure she’d see the same level of care as a new patient… but guess what? She was equally as pleased.

Just like me…

• She sees Dr. Ramos every single visit (not another doctor or an assistant).
• She gets quick ultrasounds every single visit (in the office, not in another lab).
• She has the direct phone and email access to the doctor. (And gets answers to all her questions!)
• Her appointments are on time.

And when her baby turns one years old, I bet she will get a Happy Birthday phone call as well.

Read the original post HERE… and if you want my recommendation for a doctor, learn about Dr. Ramos HERE.

My daughter told me she needed glasses for two full years before I got her to the optometrist.

She had passed all the tests at school and at the pediatrician’s office, so I figured she just wanted glasses like her good friend. She is a very fashionable little girl, so I figured she was trying to get another accessory for her Caboodle.

It was not until last Spring when I went for my own eye exam that I brought along Brooke. Here the doctor examined her eyes and kindly told me she had been squinting so much, for so long, that he had trouble even figuring out her correct prescription. What he did know was that she needed glasses and that she had probably been struggling to see at school and on the ball field.

At our sponsor, Visionworks, the office has a sign that says one in four children has an undiagnosed vision problem. Apparently this was true for my family… and the simple eye chart had not been enough to catch it.

It took me another six months to realize that I should also make an appointment with the optometrist for my boys. Which was silly, because even if they were not complaining, I knew from my childhood that it is hard to know you do not see as clearly as everyone else… until it is corrected.

Here, one boy passed easily and one boy is being monitored. And both boys were encouraged to wear sunglasses in the bright Texas sun.

In 2017, Visionworks is teaming up with Little League® to become the official eyewear and eye care retailer of Little League Baseball and Softball. Together, the organizations are raising awareness about the importance of annual eye exams and protective eyewear for school-aged children, especially those children who play sports.

Additionally with the Little League World Series going on August 17-27, Visionworks wants to remind baseball families all across the country to get their little athlete’s eyes checked.

So, as you visit the doctor and dentist and get ready for the new school year, be sure to also make an appointment for your kids to have their eyes examined.  I can tell you that the simple eye charts may not be enough to diagnose a problem!

Why does it seem like kids always get sick after hours or on weekends, when the pediatrician’s office is closed?

A fever, an earache, a swollen ankle. Life happens after hours, too.

And if you’re a parent, you know the dilemma: Do I ride it out, hoping my child’s condition will improve, or pack up and head to the nearest urgent care facility, hoping to be seen? Now Houston-area parents have another option…

Call the Free After-Hours Pediatric Nurse Line!

Our sponsor, Children’s Memorial Hermann, in association with Q.care, is offering after-hours telephone access to a pediatric Q.care nurse practitioner who can answer questions about sick children and provide triage services over the phone. The service is free for children ages 0 to 18 years of age. It’s available after hours and on weekends.

Download the App Today

Simply download the Q.care app to your Apple or Android phone and click, “Request a Call.” Within minutes, you’ll get a call from an experienced pediatric Q.care nurse practitioner who can help you determine what to do. The on-demand service is offered on weekday evenings, from 6-10 p.m., and on weekends, from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Memorial Hermann, in association with Dallas-based Q.care, is the first major health system in the United States to offer this revolutionary digital tool aimed at connecting parents of sick children with skilled nurse practitioners when pediatrician offices are typically closed.

Coming Soon: After-Hours House Calls Across Greater Houston

The nurse triage service was first launched last fall by Children’s Memorial Hermann in The Woodlands, along with an urgent care house call service. If the nurse determines a child should be seen by a provider, a nurse practitioner will arrange an immediate consultation at your home through the Q.care mobile app.

During the house call, the nurse practitioner can assess, diagnose, treat and, if needed, prescribe medication. The service is affordable to consumers and covered by most major insurance providers, including Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas, UnitedHealth, Aetna, Cigna and the Memorial Hermann Health Plan.

To make your child’s healthcare as seamless as possible, your Q.care nurse practitioner will provide all the details about the home visit to your child’s regular pediatrician, to keep him or her in the loop.

While the nurse triage service is now available for families across the Greater Houston area, the house call service is currently available only in The Woodlands and surrounding communities. Children’s Memorial Hermann has plans to expand pediatric house calls to more locations later this year.

Parent Approved

Response to the new services has been overwhelmingly positive. Q.care’s Facebook site has nearly 8,000 likes and hundreds of five-star reviews.

To learn more, visit childrens.memorialhermann.org/house-calls.

“I just can’t get to the dermatologist.”

I’ve had several rounds of surgery on skin I damaged as a teenager… and I still find myself saying this.

It’s a silly thing to say because I need regular check ups, because I really prefer to not have the same acne as a middle schooler and because our sponsor, Mosaic Dermatology, makes going to the dermatologist a very easy thing to do.

There are two locations with easy highway access, there are same day appointments, there are Saturday appointments and I can see female (or male) doctors.  They will even see you for acne emergencies before big events, poison ivy, and other urgent skin rashes that itch, bleed or spread.  Plus, kids over 5 years old can also get care at the same location.

Getting into the dermatologist is easy with Mosaic… and there is really no good excuse for not going!

Learn more on MCDermatology.com or by calling 281-941-5556.  AND you can go HERE for hundreds of 5 Star Reviews from verified patients!

Tanglewood Location: 5757 Woodway Drive, Suite# 185, Houston TX 77057, 281-941-5556

Upper Kirby Location: 2211 Norfolk, Suite 405, Houston TX 77098, (713) 522-7411

She was right, I was wrong.

For two years my daughter had been telling me she needed glasses and I kept telling her that she was trying to trick me.

Her good friend has glasses and since Brooke had passed the exams at school, and at the pediatrician’s office, I told her she was being silly.  Plus, she’s a little fashionista, and wanting another accessory for her Caboodle was a pretty typical request from her.

Well, this 7-year-old would soon show me how wrong I was with the “I told you so” dance.

It was time for my annual eye exam, so I finally brought along Brooke.  Here the doctor examined her eyes and kindly told me she had been squinting so much, for so long, that he had trouble even figuring out her correct prescription.  What he did know was that she needed glasses and that she had probably been struggling to see at school.

Ahhhh, heck.  She was right and I was wrong wrong wrong. Cue the dancing.

So now we have some beautiful new glasses and a girl that can see in the classroom.

At Visionworks, our sponsor, the office has a sign says one in four children has an undiagnosed vision problem.  My biggest boy pointed to this and then pointed to his sister.  One of my four kids had an diagnosed vision problem.

Sorry Brooke.

I do have health insurance and could have taken her in, for a full eye exam, months (or years) before I did.  But what about other kids? What if they cannot cover the cost of an eye exam or glasses?

Visionworks and Davis Vision have already donated more than 8,300 vouchers to children in need since the 2016-2017 school year started, and now they want YOU to nominate a child, school or organization in need. This year alone, they will donate 15,00 vouchers and glasses through the Let’s Go See program!

If you know of a child that needs an eye exam… or if your child has been struggling in school (or is like Brooke and has been asking and asking and asking for glasses), go get your eye exam or nominate the child today!

I really don’t know what is happening next week.  I mean, I do have my calendar of activities, but I never really know who will get sick, when a babysitter will cancel or what surprise will pop up.

As much as I like to have control of my calendar, I find it really hard to plan too far in advance.

When it comes to doctor’s appointments, I really need an office that can get me in the same day or next day.  This is what I love about our sponsor, Mosaic Dermatology.

I know from experience that regular dermatology check ups should not be put off, and Mosaic allows me to fit appointments into my unpredictable schedule.

Mosaic has several Houston locations for preventative screenings, acne treatments, surgical treatments… and to get you ready for the Houston summer, underarm sweat and odor treatment with options like Miradry.

We all know that this beautiful weather will soon be replaced with Houston’s summer.  Mosaic can help us remove aluminum-based antiperspirants from our routine for good… and right now, the consultations are absolutely free.

So if you want to be ready for summer, to get your acne under control or get your skin examined, contact Dr. Rashid of Mosaic Clinic Dermatology.

Mosaic has urgent same day appointments, next day appointments, and Saturday hours for those that cannot miss work or school. Go HERE for hundreds of 5 Star Reviews from verified patients!

 

Mosaic Clinic Dermatology has offices in Upper Kirby and Tanglewood.  Dr. Rashid treats adults AND kids over the age of 4 years old.  Learn more on MCDermatology.com or by calling 281-941-5556.

 

Tanglewood Location: 5757 Woodway Drive, Suite# 185, Houston TX 77057, 281-941-5556

Upper Kirby Location: 2211 Norfolk, Suite 405, Houston TX 77098, (713) 522-7411

I’ve asked before and I’ll ask again, how is it that a mom of 4 little kids can have wrinkles like a grandmother and acne like a teenager? Do I moisturize or do I raid my tween-age niece’s drawer for Clearasil and Sea Breeze?

And why is it necessary to not only battle clogged pores, whiteheads and blackheads… but also comedones?  I did not know the name of these… but if you have acne, you’ll recognize these as the small, skin-colored bumps usually found on the forehead and chin.

According to Dr. Rashid, from our sponsor Mosaic Dermatology Clinic, stubborn acne, at all ages, is very common. The solution is not Clearasil or Sea Breeze. It’s not even those cool looking pore strips that only unclog part of the pore. Another approach you can try to really get aggressive with acne is a treatment with Benzoyl Peroxide.

It is a strong and effective treatment that bacteria cannot develop resistance to, therefore it holds a major advantage over antibiotic medications. Benzoyl peroxide is an organic compound in the peroxide family and is used for the treatment of acne and has antibacterial effects.

To learn more, check out this FREE Benzoyl Peroxide guide from Mosaic.  You can also get FREE shipping on Mosaic Cleansing Cream to use as a wash for the face and other affected areas. This can also be used as a cream in small amounts on bothersome spots.  The price is $20, which is really reasonable for acne care.

Dr. Rashid of Mosaic Clinic Dermatology has urgent walk-in appointments AND has Saturday hours for those that cannot miss work or school. More than this, he is thorough, caring and gives patients enough time to answer all their questions.

See for yourself… HERE are hundreds of 5 Star Reviews from verified patients!

Check out the Mosaic Clinic Dermatology offices in Upper Kirby and Tanglewood.  Dr. Rashid treats adults AND kids over the age of 4 years old.  Learn more on MCDermatology.com or by calling 281-941-5556.

 

Tanglewood Location: 5757 Woodway Drive, Suite# 185, Houston TX 77057, 281-941-5556

Upper Kirby Location: 2211 Norfolk, Suite 405, Houston TX 77098, (713) 522-7411

In the last 2 years, I’ve gone from working in hi-tech and having amazing health insurance (and not truly appreciating how good it was) to having paid off a high deductible, twice, in 2016.  Yes, twice.  We changed insurance at approximately the same time we were driving to the hospital to have baby #4.

So now I keep hearing ads on the radio about making doctor appointments before the new year, before the deductible resets, and I am listening.  With my deductible paid (twice) and my max-out-of-pocket met (twice), I’ve been visiting doctors like crazy.

If you have also met your deductible and want to visit the doctor for not so much money… go in December and not in January!  And if you know you need to go to the dermatologist, you should meet our sponsor, Dr. Rashid of Mosaic Clinic Dermatology.

Dr. Rashid of Mosaic Clinic Dermatology has urgent walk-in appointments AND has Saturday hours for those that cannot miss work or school. More than this, he is thorough, caring and gives patients enough time to answer all their questions.

See for yourself… HERE are hundreds of 5 Star Reviews from verified patients!

Mosaic Clinic Dermatology has offices in the Heights, Montrose and Tanglewood and Dr. Rashid treats adults AND kids over the age of 4 years old. Learn more on MCDermatology.com or by calling 281-941-5556.

Given the nature of the job, where you schedule appointments on a calendar but deliver babies on demand, I am really not sure how an obstetrician keeps his patients from waiting.

Somehow, my doctor and new sponsor at OGA, Dr. Ramos, has never once, in 8 years, kept me waiting in the waiting room.  In fact, as soon as I hit the seat, a nurse opens the door, smiles and and waves me over.

This happens regardless of how full or how empty the waiting room is.  It can be just me, or lots of women waiting at the clinic… and Dr. Ramos is always on time.

Recently I checked in and found a packed waiting area.  It was so full that every single doctor must have been delivering babies and behind schedule.  But as soon as I found a seat, the door opened and my name was called… and the woman next to me gasped and grumbled about how unfair it was (and I did my best not to smile).

Now I know that being on-time does not mean a lot unless you have a GREAT DOCTOR.  But, let me remind you about how I switched to Dr. Ramos for baby #2, how he sees me at every single visit, how he does a quick ultrasound each time, he hands out his direct phone number and email address… and calls on the baby’s first birthday.

And I’m not the only one who has good things to say.  Check out THESE stories from Houston moms!

Just last week I was about to head to my appointment and I got a phone call.  The nurse told me the doctor was still in surgery, she knew a delay would push me into the school-pick-up zone and to wait.  She remembered I had school pick up and was thoughtful enough to call!

So, if you are looking for a great doctor that respects your time, learn more about Dr. Ramos at OBGYN Medical Center Associates by going HERE or calling 713-512-7844.