Having access to a currently and consistently updated doctors directory allows patients and potential patients to find the specific care they need regardless of their ailments. The potential ailments are as diverse as the doctors that treat them. Facilities that offer urgent care or access to doctors without a prior appointment are becoming more and more popular as it becomes harder to get in to see a primary physician without an appointment scheduled a month out.
Baby boomers are becoming a much higher priority for doctors as they age and have increasing medical conditions. According to a recent study, six out of every ten baby boomers is being treated for a chronic illness. These chronic illnesses range from diabetes to heart problems to back and joint pain.
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Further, one in 10 baby boomers reports that their physical activity is limited to only a few days a month due to their chronic problems and current lifestyle. A lack of adequate exercise can compound already growing health problems, as well as lead to new health problems. It is essential for all adults, but especially older adults to remain physically activity. The less muscles and joints are used and exercised, the stiffer the joints get and the weaker the muscles get.
A doctors directory helps baby boomers find a doctor directly that can help them with their ongoing problems, opposed to waiting months to see their primary physician, only to be referred to the doctor they actually need and then wait months for that appointment. By the time a baby boomer actually sees the doctor, the initial problem may be worse, and it may have already led to other problems.
Another recent study exposed the prevalence of degenerative disc disease (DDD) among people. DDD causes consistent and progressive back pain. It generally starts in the lower back and works its way up through the spine as the disc deteriorate and place increased pressure on the next disc up. The pain from DDD can be debilitating, and many doctors believe surgery is the only option. However, one study suggested there was no significant difference in outcomes between patients that had surgery and patients that pursued non-surgical options such as physical therapy.
A doctors directory can make it easier for patients with DDD to seek out a second opinion if they are not comfortable with the suggested course of treatment. It allows patients to have a higher level of control over their medical care. One study states that as much as 70% of people report that lower back pain negatively impacts their daily lives.
Four out of ten people report trying exercise as a way to relieve lower back pain. While this is not a bad approach, they need to be under the care of doctors they trust and who will help through the process of finding relief from their pain.