Medical Billing And Coding Profession
Medical billers and coders are in high demand among the allied health occupations. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), health information technicians are one of the 10 fastest-growing allied health occupations. It is a challenging, interesting career where you are compensated according to your level of skills and how effectively you use them.
Medical billers and coders know this and feel good about the support they provide to physicians, clinics, hospitals, and patients. They know they play an important role in the business office where they are employed. Their work consists of submitting the proper documentation to a number of insurance companies and federal agencies for reimbursement in order for their employer to financially succeed and avoid fraud charges. Their specialized training and expertise lets them find work any place, any time. Numerous opportunities for trained individuals exist in medical offices, clinics, hospitals, insurance companies, and in form of freelance home-based businesses. Advancement opportunities are unlimited!
The U.S. Department of Labor states that continued employment growth for medical coders and billers is spurred by the increased medical needs of an aging population and the number of health practitioners. The Occupational Outlook Handbook reports that earnings vary widely and pay levels are governed chiefly by experience and qualifications.
Healthcare Careers Offer Job Security, Personal Satisfaction, Challenges, and Rewarding Experiences
Many interested in a career in the healthcare field decide to specialize in the medical billing and coding profession. Medical billers and coders are no longer restricted to only the doctor’s or dentist’s office but are now working in hospitals, pharmacies, nursing homes, mental healthcare facilities, rehabilitation centers, insurance companies, health maintenance organizations (HMOs), consulting firms, and health data organizations, or even from home.
These highly skilled professionals are earning impressive wages everywhere they are. Typical duties of medical billers and coders include:
Explaining insurance benefits to patients and clients
Office bookkeeping and other administrative duties
Accurately completing claim forms
Explaining insurance benefits to patients
Handling day to day medical billing procedures
Adhering to each insurance carrier’s policies and procedures
Prompt billing of insurance companies
Documenting all activities using correct medical terminology
Scheduling appointments
Other job opportunities for medical billers and coders include:
Billing Specialist
Patient Account Representative
Electronic Claims Processor
Billing Coordinator
Coding Specialist
Claims Analyst
Reimbursement Specialist
Claims Assistant Professional
Medical Collector
Claims Processor
Claims Reviewer
What is Medical Billing?
Medical billing is better described as medical practice management and a doctor’s key to getting paid. Although most doctor’s offices request that payment be made at the time a medical service is provided in order to minimize billing, every medical office has a need to maintain patient financial accounts and for collecting money.
In a small family practice or suburban clinic this task may be simple and assigned to the medical assistant or nurse but in bigger practices and clinics this is the medical biller’s job!
Medical billers and coders usually work forty regular office hours from Monday through Friday on a desk in the billing office or billing department of the professional healthcare office. They must know the different methods of billing patients, understand various collection methods, ethical and legal implications, have a good working knowledge of medical terminology, anatomy, medical billing and claims form completion, and coding. They also must understand database management, spreadsheets, electronic mail, and possess state-of-the-art word processing and accounting skills, be proficient in bookkeeping, and be able to type at a speed of at least 45 words-per-minute.
The work area of medical billers and coders usually is in a separate area away from the patients and public eye. However, even though they are not involved in the actual process of doctors and healthcare professionals providing medical care they need to possess excellent customer service skills when it comes to making contact with clients, insurance companies, and often patients. Medical billers must know how to explain charges, deal with criticism, give and receive feedback, be assertive, and communicate effectively without becoming confused as the person is asking questions. Patients can quickly become frustrated when trying to deal with healthcare providers and bills over the phone.
While an increasing amount of patient care is being funded through HMO related insurance, where the patient makes a small copayment at the time of service and the doctor bills the managed care company for the balance, a number of patients still need to make arrangements to pay for their medical services over a period of time. Part of the medical biller and coder’s job is to contact some of these patients from time to time regarding a past due bill. Incoming calls from patients who have questions regarding a bill are also directed to the medical biller’s office. The way s/he communicates over the phone can make or break business relationships.
Other specialties closely related to the medical billing and coding profession are:
Medical Coders/Coding Specialists
Patient Account Representatives
Electronic Claims Processors
Billing Coordinators
Reimbursement Specialists
Claims Assistant Professionals
Medical Claims Analysts
Medical Claims Processors
Medical Claims Reviewers
Medical Collectors
What is Medical Coding?
Every healthcare provider that delivers a service receives money for these services by filing a claim with the patient’s health insurance provider or managed care organization. This is also referred to as an encounter. An encounter is defined as “a face-to-face contact between a healthcare professional and an eligible beneficiary.”
Codes exist for all types of encounters, services, tests, treatments, and procedures provided in a medical office, clinic, or hospital. Even patient complaints such as headache, upset stomach, etc. have codes which consist of a set of numbers and combinations of sets of numbers. The combination of these codes tells the payer (health insurance companies or government entities) what was wrong with the patient and what services were performed. This makes it easier to handle these claims and to identify the provider on a predetermined basis. In addition, the services rendered (CPT) codes have to match the diagnosis (ICD) codes to justify medical necessity.
To do this correctly for each third party payer choices have to be made from a combination of 3 coding systems totaling over 10000 codes, and which change annually. In addition, a completely new coding system, ICD-10, is proposed for reimbursement purposes in the near future.
Tools of the Trade
CPT books provide all the procedural terminology and ICD-9-CM code books have the most up-to-date information on medical diagnosis coding. The medical coder must stay current on any new ICD-9 code changes that would impact code accuracy and claims submission. HCPCS books contain the complete lists of HCPCS Level II codes with descriptions. They will guide the medical coder through current modifiers, code changes, additions and deletions. HIPAA books help to develop an effective HIPAA compliance plan and DRG books are needed for Medicare’s classification of inpatient hospital services based on principal diagnosis, secondary diagnosis, surgical procedures, age, sex, and presence of complications.
Training
Training of the medical billers and coders can range from two to four years of college, a technical school diploma, certificates from correspondence courses, to simple home study programs. Upon completion of such training many coders may seek professional certification.
Though not necessary, it is recommended and national associations are available for the certification processes.
Vocational Training
Professional medical billers and coders are in very high demand. Billing for services in healthcare is more complicated than in other industries. Government and private payers vary in payment for the same services and healthcare providers and organizations provide services to beneficiaries of several insurance companies at any one time.
Therefore, to reach proficiency in this business, basic training, clinical supervision and continued professional development is essential!
Typical Course Requirements are:
Medical Office Procedures
Medical Keyboarding
Medical Terminology
Health Structure and Function
Health Care Records Management
Medical Insurance
Survey of Pathology
CPT-4 HCPCS II, III
Healthcare Laws and Ethics
Basic Coding ICD-9-CM
Basic Pharmacology
Medical Transcription
Externship
National Exam
General Education Requirements
Professional Advancement Opportunities
A recent American Hospital Association survey showed that about 18% of billing and coding positions remain unfilled due to a lack of qualified candidates. Most companies and practices are looking for schooling and experience mostly because of the legal ramifications of incorrect billing practices.
However, medical billers and coders are also able to work independently out of their homes where they established a home based billing office. There are plenty of electronic billing programs available that can be set up through home office computers. Also, there is the possibility to become an independent insurance specialist or consultant who helps patients understand their insurance bills and what they should be paying.
Opportunities also exist as patient account managers, physician office supervisors and management, various types of personnel managers in the healthcare industry, health claims examiners, and medial billing and coding instructors. The more education the individual has, the more employment options are available and advancement opportunities become virtually unlimited!
Professional Certification
As in so many healthcare professions certification in the medical billing and coding field is not required but highly recommended. The days of the single family practice medical assistant or nurse typing out an invoice after office hours are history. Even the smallest offices and clinics have changed to computer billing because it offers greater coding accuracy, saves time, and can be used by administrators and auditors to ensure that visits are being coded to the appropriate levels which increases revenues.
Understandably, these offices and companies are looking for individuals who are certified in their field to ensure the employer that the individual whom they hire is competent and proficient.
There are numerous well known and well respected organizations sponsoring these types of examinations. Intersted candidates should research each one and find the one that most suits your needs: American Association of Medical Billers (AAMB) offers Certified Medical Biller (CMB) and Certified Medical Billing Specialist (CMBS) examinations. The National Association of Claims Assistant Professionals (NACAP) offer Certified Claims Assistance Professional (CCAP) and Certified Electronic Claims Professional (CECP). The examinations for Certified Procedural Coder (CPC), Certified Coding Specialist (CPS), Accredited Record Technician (ART), and Registered Record Administrator (RRA), are administered through the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA). The National Healthcareer Assosciation (NHA) is offering their Medical Billing and Coding (CBCS) credential.
If your objective is to work for a medical office, group practice, healthcare provision network, or hospital as the medical billing and coding specialist keep in mind that most private practices, organizations and hospitals throughout the country not only prefer but often require national certification as a competency standard.
To learn more about this very rewarding career visit the Medical Billing and Coding Net web site at http://www.medicalbillingandcoding.net
© 2003 Danni R. of the Medical Billing & Coding Net. Reprint permission available by request.
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How a Glass Table Top Can Extend the Life of Your Furniture
Many of us invest in quality pieces of furniture for our homes and offices that are intended to last a lifetime. The reality for most is that general wear and tear and scratches and dents are virtually unavoidable. But are they really?
A glass table top is a tried and tested way to protect wood furniture. It adds a tough, durable layer that doesn’t overshadow the wood. Instead of furniture looking tired and shabby five years down the track, a glass table top keeps furniture looking just as fresh as the day you bought it.
A Glass Table Top From The 21st Century
There have been many advances in glass table tops and glass shelving manufacturing over the past few years. No longer does the glass look like a thick obtrusive piece of material. Glass tops and glass shelving these days are thin, clear, and streamlined. The design direction dictates that a glass is virtually invisible and serves to enhance the wood not disguise it.
With this new technology meaning that glass tops blend in with your furniture, you could expand the uses of the table top to sideboards, dressing tables, desks, coffee tables and another other wood furniture in need of protecting.
Protection From Harsher materials
The main purpose of a glass top is protection. Because wood is an organic material, it is naturally pliable and quite soft in comparison to harsher manmade materials. This means that everyday items such as bowls, plates, staplers, and paperclips, can all leave wood furniture dented and scratched.
The benefit of protecting wood furniture from scratches and dents is that you don’t need to pay for expensive re-surfacing every few years. Short of covering your wood table in a diamond table top, a glass top is itself quite scratch resistant. This will mean that it will be many years before you need to replace the glass.
Child-Friendly Tables
Kids are a great part of everyone’s life, but they do have a knack at testing their creative genius on the things that we don’t want them to. No matter how many sheets of paper you put on the play table, it seems that crayons and markers look much better on the table itself! An easy and inexpensive way to fix this is to install a glass top on the play table. Being glass, markers, paint and crayons come right off. For stubborn marks, harsher chemicals can be used on glass than on wood.
Bring Out The Best Of Your Wood
An added benefit to putting glass tops on your furniture is that it actually enhances the look of the wood finish. Just like a glossy computer screen can make colors more vivid, a glass table top makes your wood grain appear richer and glossier. This can have a positive impact on the perceived value of your furniture as it can make lower quality wood grains appear more luxurious.
Whichever way that you look at it, a glass table top is a great investment for longer lasting furniture.
What Does an Employment Background Check Consist Of?
Employment Background Check (BGC) is becoming very common nowadays. Not only employers, but employees too are conducting background checks before joining a company. An employer may conduct an employment background check at any time; it can be pre-employment, periodic employment check, promotional check.
Increasing Demand
There are multiple reasons for the rapid rise in employment background checks and employers no longer rely on blind instinct.. Negligence in hiring is a reason; if an employee hurts anyone in the company it becomes the employer’s liability, this has become the reason for them to be cautious. One negligence can make the company suffer from bad reputation, lose wealth and business.
Data theft is one of the biggest concerns of any company, one the company hires an individual, and he can access critical information with which that individual can easily harm a company’s reputation. In addition, increasing terrorist attacks, incidents like 9/11 in the US and more recently in Mumbai have resulted in strict security policies and Identity verifications.
Client Requirement
Most clients outsourcing their business to venders have agreement for background verification check of every employee who will work for the project. However, if there is nothing to hide, then a background check should not be matter of concern. However, some may not be comfortable with the fact that outsiders should be investigating into their personal affairs.
Aspects Probed
An employment background check can have a multiple verification requirements, starting from verifying social security number to complete details of a potential employee. Initial check consists of current & previous address, previous employment, educational certification, criminal records, drug addiction, driving records, character references, credit records, medical records, sex offender lists, etc. It is even heard that off late employers are searching social networking sites like Orkut, facebook for individual profiles.
However, there are some codes of law for background verification checks, though this only applies to background checks done by outsiders commonly called “consumer reporting agency” by the Federal Fair Credit Reporting Act. This law is not applicable if the background checks are done in-house.
Consumer Report
A “consumer report” or background check report cannot contain bankruptcy report more than ten years, civil suits & judgments, arrests after seven years, paid tax liens after seven years, disputed or accounts which were placed for collection after seven years, any other negative details cannot be reported after seven years, though there are no limits for reporting criminal records. An employer can ask for any details about a potential employee, there are no restrictions on it.
Importance
A recent survey has confirmed that more than 60 per cent of job seekers present false data to make their profile look impressive and mostly it’s about their educational background. Hiding criminal or civil cases are also another instance. Showing or not showing some falls or any previous employment. It has been noticed that many consultancies create vague companies to show experience.
To avoid this kind of misinterpreted data background check is very essential for every employer. Through appropriate information provided by proper background checks, employers immensely reduce legal and employee problems – making a more careful, proper applicant screening process.
Neck Pain After Extended Computer Use
You sit down at your computer, ready to put in a full day’s work and make some serious headway on your projects. You know you’ll easily be spending 8 to 10 hours sitting in front of the computer.
You’ve set up your computer workstation as effectively as you can figure. Your keyboard is appropriately placed in front of you and your monitor is directly in front of you at eye level. So why will your neck start to hurt? Why will your effectiveness be destroyed by the nagging, aggravating neck pain that seems to show up more and more frequently?
If you are regularly spending a lot of time in front of a computer, you have to realize that your body is going to begin to change and adapt to take on this frequent activity. Your front neck muscles are slowly growing shorter and tighter, while the muscles in the back of your neck are growing longer and weaker.
The back muscles are also growing full of spasm and knots while they are forced to hold up your ten pound head for hours at a time. You would think they would grow stronger from having to hold your head up all the time, but it just never seems to work that way. As they get longer, they are growing weaker, and the job of holding up your head becomes increasingly difficult.
The best options are to do exercises and activities that will counteract the extended computer usage. The rule of thumb is to spend time stretching the front of your neck and strengthening the muscles in the back. This same rule applies to anyone looking to improve posture.
To stretch the front of the neck, turn your head slightly to one side, about forty-five degrees. If you turn your head to the right, you are stretching the left and vice versa. Place your right hand on left side of your chest and pull down gently as you tilt your head back. Stop immediately if you feel sharp pain or any dizziness.
To strengthen the back of the neck, the easiest route would be with a neck exercise machine. Some health clubs have them, but they are more of a specialized device. You can also fold up a towel and place it against a wall. Put the back of your head against the towel and push into it. Hold for a few seconds and release. This is an isometric contraction.
If you are unable to complete some of these movements, or you find that you can’t painlessly move your head backwards, it may be time to visit a chiropractor. The chiropractor will perform a spinal adjustment and restore the normal movement of your spine.
Your neck shouldn’t hurt just because your sitting in front of your computer. You’ve got to work and pain can be a nuisance, but it doesn’t have to be there with a little effort.
Vending Machine Business Start Up Costs
One of the great things about starting a vending machine business is that it is possible to do it with minimal startup costs. If you do have access to considerable funding though you could also choose to purchase existing routes or jump straight into your own more professional set up. Depending on how you want to kick off your venture into vending, getting started could set you back anywhere between a few thousand dollars and several hundred thousand dollars.
A vending machine business can be started on a really low budget so it is best to start off slowly and take on less risk. You can then invest more heavily once you start earning some profit and decide that vending is definitely a business that you want to be in.
When it comes to determining the amount of capital that is required to start a vending business you need to take more into account than just the costs that you will face up to the point where you start doing business. You also need to consider the operating expenses that you will have over the first six months while your profits are still low.
If you start out full time then you may also need to set aside funds to cover your living costs for a period of six to twelve months until your business becomes profitable.
Let’s take a closer look at some of the vending machine business startup costs that entrepreneurs in this industry typically face.
Vending Machines
The amount of startup funding needed will vary greatly depending on the kind of machines that you want to start off with.
One trick to starting off on a shoestring budget is to start with candy vending machines which can usually be bought very cheaply on online auction sites for around US$150 or less each. These machines are cheap, simple to operate and candy and gum balls offer a great profit margin for little effort. Buy them in lots of one, two or three at a time and slowly grow your business as you find suitable locations.
If you do want to start out with larger, electronic vending machine equipment that vends snacks and hot or cold beverages then you are looking at much larger startup costs. New machines for vending food or beverages range in price from around $2000 up to $6000 per unit. As an inexperienced operator you would be crazy to buy new machinery and would be much better off leasing some machines for a period while you test out a variety of locations. Buying quality second hand machines is also one way to lower your initial outlay.
Other startup costs associated with vending machines include, security locks, tools for a maintenance kit and extension cords.
Don’t forget to allow for machine parts and repairs if you are reliant on hiring a technician when the need arises.
Rent for Business Premises
Most operators start a home based vending business and therefore don’t have the overhead costs associated with leasing commercial premises. If you have a spare room for an office and some space in the garage for storing machines you should be fine. Otherwise you can look at renting storage space.
Office and Administration
Depending on what equipment you already have and the scope of your plans you will have to spend a certain amount on kitting out your home office. You will likely require a desk, filing cabinets, a PC, printer, Internet connection, phone connection, stationery and possibly other office equipment as well.
Vehicle Expenses
To service your route effectively you will need a suitable vehicle. Depending on the kind of machines that you operate you may not be able to get away with using your own car and you may have to consider leasing a vehicle. You may require a larger van or light truck for transporting machines and stock and you might even require a vehicle with a refrigeration compartment.
Professional Fees, Licenses and Permits
You will be applying for licenses and permits in order to set up a legal operation that is in compliance with local regulations. You may also require the services of an accountant, an attorney or other professionals during the process of setting up your vending business.
Stock
Don’t forget that most of the time the machines that you are likely to purchase are empty and you will therefore need to buy stock for them. This can represent a considerable startup cost at first as you will certainly be looking to buy your inventory in bulk in order to save money.
Marketing and Branding
In order to get started making money with vending machines you will need to secure your first few locations. The initial marketing of your vending business may require some spending on advertising. At a minimum you will want to get a logo designed and have a set of business cards made up. Your initial marketing efforts will most likely involve making phone calls and pounding the pavement and the major cost here will only be your time.
Other Startup Costs and Operating Expenses
You will also have to figure in other startup costs and operating expenses such as market research, insurance coverage, cell phone costs and possibly commissions.
Don’t forget to make an allowance for unforeseen expenses and price changes. Your forecasts may be inaccurate and prices often rise over time or end up being higher than you first anticipated.
How to Use a Laptop to Control a PC Tower
I wanted to get rid of the my bulky monitor and replace it with a LCD monitor. But like most of us, it was just not in the budget. I did have a laptop and it was connected to my home network. I had to set up a home network to share my internet connection with my son.
So I thought, it would it be great if I could use the laptop to run my tower. That is when I discovered what the Remote Desktop Connection can be used for. This program is included in the Windows XP Professional version. To start with, the Host Computer (the pc tower with XP Pro) should be running and connected to a router or hub.
To set up Remote Desktop Connection
(RDC) on the host:
Start > Control Panel > System Select the Remote Tab.
Check the box to Allow users to connect remotely to this computer. Note the Full computer name, this will be needed for the laptop to find the host computer.
You will also need to set up an user account with password for the remote connection to work. This may be already set up for you, if you have to enter a password to login to your desktop computer. Then the Client (the laptop with XP Pro) should be running and connected to a router or hub. If your laptop is not XP Pro, you will have to download the client portion of Remote Desktop. This program allows other versions of Windows to remotely connect to a computer running Windows XP Professional with Remote Desktop enabled. On the laptop, start the RDC client program, enter the host computer name in the drop box marked computer. Then enter your username and password, the one you use to login to the host computer normally.
Press the connect button and watch what happens next. Your laptop will act like it is connected directly to your pc tower. You will see the entire desktop screen, just as if you were looking at the monitor connected to the computer. This is great for older laptops with a small hard drive and slow processor. The host computer does all the hard work and can even store the files created during the remote connection. Have fun and enjoy this practical laptop trick!!
Calculating Interest Rates with Microsoft Excel
The Rate function calculates the interest rate implicit in a set of loan or investment terms
given the number of periods (months, quarters, years or whatever), the payment per period, the present value, the future value, and, optionally, the type-of-annuity switch, and also optionally, an interest-rate guess.
If you set the type-of-annuity switch to 1, Excel assumes payments occur at the beginning
of the period, following the annuity due convention. If you set the annuity switch to 0 or
you omit the argument, Excel assumes payments occur at the end of the period following
the ordinary annuity convention.
The function uses the following syntax:
RATE (nper, pmt, pv, fv, type, guess)
As one example, suppose you want to calculate the implicit interest rate on a car lease for a $20,000 car that requires five years of $250-a-month payments (occurring as an annuity due) and also a
$15,000 balloon payment. To do this, assuming you want to start with a guess of 10%, you
can use the following formula:
=RATE(5*12,-250,20000,-15000,1)
The function returns the value .95%, which is a monthly interest rate of just less than 1%.
If you annualize this monthly rate by multiplying it by 12, you get an equivalent annual
interest rate of 11.41%.
As another example, suppose you want to calculate the implicit interest rate on a $300,000 real estate mortgage that requires thirty years of $2000-a-month payments (occurring as an ordinary annuity) but (thankfully) no balloon payment. To do this, assuming you want to start with a guess of 10%, you can use the following formula:
=RATE(30*12,-2000,300000)
The function returns the value .59%, which is a monthly interest rate of slightly more than half a percent.
If you annualize this monthly rate by multiplying it by 12, you get an equivalent annual
interest rate of 7.0203%.
A final point: Excel solves the RATE function iteratively starting with the guess argument you provide.
(If you don’t provide this optional argument, Excel uses 10%.) If Excel can’t solve the RATE argument within 20 attempts, it returns the #NUM! error. You can try a different guess argument, which may help because you’re telling Excel to begin its search from a different (hopefully closer) starting point.
How To Keep Birds Off Of Your Patio Furniture
Believe it or not, there are many different solutions for how to keep birds off of your patio furniture. Perhaps you have already tried to put up a scarecrow on your patio, but you know what? A scarecrow is much more likely to scare your guests than to scare any birds away. So, how do you keep birds off of your patio furniture?
Well, these days, there are many innovative ways to keep birds off of your patio furniture… ways that are a bit more high tech and much more effective than the classic scarecrow. One such solution is a magnet. A magnet that can keep birds off of your patio furniture?! Now, the idea may sound a bit odd, but it really works.
You can buy a powerful magnet whose main purpose is to keep birds away from your patio (in a safe and humane manner). How does such a tool work? Well, it disrupts the birds’ means of sensing direction, and they will therefore stay away from the 15-20 foot radius that such a magnet might cover. Birds cannot adjust to the effect of such a magnet. Of course, if you are going to use one of these devices to keep birds off of your patio furniture, be sure to keep your computer, pacemakers, or other magnetically coded devices away from it.
Another tool for keep birds away from your patio is a bird repellant. There are simple non-toxic bird repellants out there that you can apply to surfaces that you do not want birds to land on. Such a bird repellant is stick and birds do not like the “feel” of it. Of course, seeing as how it is sticky, you will not want to apply it to your patio furniture, but you may want to consider applying to branches that hang over your patio or a gutter that surrounds your patio. If a bird cannot land around your patio, it is much less likely to poop on your patio!
There are also more modern takes on the scare crow to keep birds off of your patio furniture. Birds really are afraid and nervous around things that remind them of a predator bird, and also sometimes bright colors and bold designs. Pick up some of these items at your local gardening store.
There are also many other ideas on how to keep birds off of your patio furniture that pertain to specific species. So, if these aforementioned hints do not help you with your bird problem, then there is still hope.
All in One Computers: Advantages and Disadvantages
All-in-one computers are just like desktop computers only they are more compact. Instead of having three components: the monitor, CPU and the input devices, a mini computer only has two or one because the CPU is already inside the monitor’s case, or within the keyboard.
These kinds of computing devices are easy to move around and take up less space than conventional computers. They are generally more portable than conventional desktop PCs and most of them even have a special carrying case included in the package or are built into the unit itself. Wiring and physical installation is also easier because you only have to connect the keyboard to the unit and plug it into a power source.
The biggest advantage that all-in-one computers have over conventional PCs is the size. They can fit in areas that don’t really have much space. If you want to save up on desk space in your office, getting a compact computer will work better because it frees up the space where the system unit should have been.
Contrary to popular belief, individuals who use smaller computers are able to upgrade the memory and storage capacity of their unit, minimizing the need for external storage hardware.
More advanced users who need more computing power can easily use additional tools like external CD/DVD drives. They can also install different kinds of software to get more out of their mini PC. However, for a consumer who only needs basic stuff like word processing, filing, storage and Internet connectivity, a mini computer is an ideal option.
The Best Kyphosis Exercise
Kyphosis, which refers to the “rounding” of the back, occurs mostly in the mid-thoracic area of the spine, but can be found in the neck as well. Thoracic kyphosis can be caused by a number of factors, but here are a few.
1. Slouching: The most common issue, “slumping” shoulders and poor postural alignment while sitting at your computer, or just having all around bad posture.
2. Poorly designed exercise program: Too many crunches, which serve to depress the sternum, can cause excessive thoracic kyphosis. This causes reflexive weakness of the muscles that extend the spine.
3. Internal organ stress: Chronic respiratory issues, such as asthma, can be a cause for thoracic kyphosis, which usually comes with forward head posture.
The best kyphosis exercise is one that corrects both the weakness in the muscles that extend the spine, as well as corrects forward head posture. The exercise I refer to is called the prone extension.
Here is how to do it:
1. Lay face down on the floor, with your arms at your sides, palms face down.
2. Put your feet together.
3. Squeeze your butt muscles together.
4. Lift your chest up as high as you can comfortably go.
5. Lift up your arms, while simultaneously EXTERNALLY rotating them (the direction that feels MORE difficult to do is the correct one!), and squeeze your shoulder blades both together, and downward toward the middle of your back.
6. Look straight in front of you (which means you will be looking straight to the ground) so that your head is in alignment with the rest of your body.
The best way to start doing this kyphosis exercise is to hold the position for 10 seconds, then rest for 10 seconds. Repeat up to 10 times.