Insurance, in law and economics, is a form of risk management primarily used to hedge against the risk of a contingent loss. Insurance is defined as the equitable transfer of the risk of a loss, from one entity to another, in exchange for a premium, and can be thought of as a guaranteed small loss to prevent a large, possibly devastating loss. An insurer is a company selling the insurance; an insured is the person or entity buying the insurance. The insurance rate is a factor used to determine the amount to be charged for a certain amount of insurance coverage, called the premium. Risk management, the practice of appraising and controlling risk, has evolved as a discrete field of study and practice.

Self Help

Self help groups can complement and extend the effects of professional treatment. The most prominent self help groups are Alcoholics Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous and Cocaine Anonymous. These help groups operate on the 12-step model. Most drug addiction treatment programs encourage patients to participate in self help group therapy during and after formal treatment. These groups can be particularly helpful during recovery, offering an added layer of community and social support to help people achieve and maintain abstinence and other healthy lifestyle behaviors over the course of a lifetime.

Podiatry

Podiatry is a branch of medicine devoted to the study, diagnosis and treatment of disorders of the foot, ankle and lower leg. In the United States, two groups of physicians mainly provide medical and surgical care of the foot and ankle: podiatrists and orthopedists. Podiatrists are certified in Foot and Ankle Surgery or certified in Foot Surgery and certified in Reconstructive Rear foot/Ankle Surgery by the American Board of Podiatric Surgery and are specifically trained to diagnose and perform complex surgical treatments of the foot and ankle. They are an integral part of the health care team, and combined with all other podiatric physicians, currently treat the majority of foot-related medical issues in the U.S. Orthopedists are the second largest providers of foot-related medical care. Each board-certified Podiatric Foot and Ankle Surgeon has a professional doctoral degree, which requires the completion of four years of Podiatric Medical School. The Podiatric Medical School curriculum covers basic and clinical sciences, including, but not limited to: general anatomy, pathology, biochemistry, pharmacology, general medicine, surgery, pediatrics, behavioral sciences, and ethics. Unlike MD and DO medical schools, the Podiatric Medical School curriculum also provides intensive foot and ankle “specialty” specific education beginning in the first year. They have completed a post-graduate Podiatric Medicine and Surgery Residency. While current Podiatric Residency models range from two to three years, the majority of graduates complete three years of podiatric surgical training and some continue on to do fellowships. This training follows a four-year undergraduate college degree. The first year of podiatric medical school is somewhat similar to training that physicians receive, but with a limited scope on foot, ankle, and lower extremity problems. As a second entry degree, for admission an applicant must first complete a minimum of 90 semester hours at the university level and/or complete a bachelor's degree. A residency follows the four-year podiatric medical school, which is hands-on post-doctoral training. There are two standard residencies named Podiatric Medicine and Surgery. These represent the two- or three-year residency training. Podiatric residents rotate through all main areas of medicine such as emergency, pediatric, internal medicine, and general surgery and of course podiatry — both clinic and surgical. During these rotations, attending podiatrists train the resident physicians in medicine and surgery. Podiatric Foot and Ankle Surgeons certified have successfully completed an intense board certification process comparable to that undertaken by individual MD and DO specialties. Certification involves written, oral, and computer-based patient simulation questions, in addition to submission of surgical case logs. Prerequisites for board qualification in Foot and Reconstructive Rear foot /Ankle Surgery require successful completion of a three-year podiatric surgical program and passing a written examination. Board certification in Foot Surgery is a prerequisite for board certification in Reconstructive Rear foot / Ankle Surgery. A candidate must pass both the written, oral, and computer-based patient simulation questions in Foot Surgery as well as the written, oral, and computer-based patient simulation questions in Reconstructive Rear foot /Ankle Surgery. Certification requires submission of 65 cases for certification in Foot Surgery and an additional 30 cases for certification in Reconstructive Rear foot/Ankle Surgery, for 95 cases. Certification requires four years of post-degree clinical experience before taking the certification examination. Additionally, must re-certify every 10 years to maintain their board-certified status, although some members who were certified prior to 1991 undergo a "self-test" examination, essentially circumventing taking the written exam all others must take in order to become re-certified. In the United States, the previous titles used for the Doctor of Podiatric Medicine degree were Doctor of Surgical Chiropody (DSC) and Doctor of Podiatry. Podiatry in the U.S. currently encompasses a broader spectrum of practice than it used to. Podiatrists can now perform medical and surgical procedures in all 50 states, though the specific scope of practice varies slightly in each state. History The professional care of feet was in existence in ancient Egypt as evidenced by bas-relief carvings at the entrance to Ankmahor's tomb dating from about 2400 BC with the depiction of work on hands and feet. Hippocrates recognized the need to reduce hard skin, described as corns and calluses. He invented skin scrapers for this purpose and these were the original scalpels. Aulus Cornelius Celsus, a Roman scientist and philosopher, was probably responsible for giving corns their name. Later Paul of Aegina (AD 615-690) defined a corn as "a white circular body like the head of a nail, forming in all parts of the body, but more especially on the soles of the feet and the toes.” Until the turn of the 20th century, chiropodists—now known as podiatrists—were separate from organized medicine. They were independently licensed physicians who treated the feet, ankles, and related leg structures.

Executive Physical

Executive Physical offers busy executives an efficient, cost-effective way to manage their health and reduce medical absences. Thousands of executives from companies throughout the world participate in the Executive Health Programs. For corporate executives who understand the benefits of watching their health, many of the nation's top medical institutions offer "executive health care programs" tailored to their time-pressed needs. The comprehensive physical exams and lengthy physician consultations are conducted with an efficiency and attentiveness worthy of their high-powered clientele. IPA includes a comprehensive medical history review and physical exam by an internal medicine specialist and referrals to sub-specialists, as necessary. It includes a full range of preventive screening tests, a cardiovascular (heart) fitness evaluation. Tailoring the evaluation to the personal health needs and is strictly confidential. You may need to stay for more days if the initial health review identifies issues requiring follow-up. The program blends IPA well-known diagnostic expertise with the latest in preventive medicine. Many a previously undiscovered condition following an executive health exam has been successfully treated. IPA executive health doctors have extensive experience in evaluating health risk factors in healthy people and in people experiencing symptoms of illness or injury. They have access to all of the resources of the Mayo Clinic and can coordinate the care, if you have multiple health concerns.