Harvard Vanguard Medical Associates announced today that all 16 of its internal medicine practices have received the highest possible national accreditation as a Level 3 Patient-Centered Medical Home from The National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA).  NCQA’s Physician Practice Connections® Patient-Centered Medical Home™ program (PPC-PCMH) program recognizes physician practices that prioritize the strengthening of the physician-patient relationship, coordinate primary care for patients across multiple settings, and engage in a team approach to improving patient care.

This is my favorite time of the year.  The days are getting longer, the sun is stronger, and winter is definitely over!  It’s the perfect time of year to work on healthy habits like exercising more and eating better.  If you’ve been to the grocery store lately, you might have noticed that the produce department is brimming with fresh tomatoes, strawberries, black berries, and even corn on the cob.  It’s definitely spring in New England,

The Hematology/Oncology department at Harvard Vanguard is again celebrating National Cancer Survivors Day at our Kenmore practice.  Please join us on Monday, June 4, 2012 from 2:30 to 4:30pm in the Atrium lobby at Kenmore to celebrate everyone who has had cancer, has cancer now, or has been touched by cancer in a loved one. There will be opportunities to learn more about how to get and stay healthy and how to cope with having cancer as a part of one’s life.

At the May 15th SMART KIDS SMA, the SMArt Kids came together to learn about healthy grocery shopping. Here are some great, simple rules to follow as you and your family head out to the supermarket:

• Be Prepared (have a list and plan recipes for the week)
• Don’t go hungry (you’ll avoid being tempted by free samples, freshly baked muffins or treats in the check out aisle)
• Look at labels (remember,

Ah, Spring!  With the arrival of warmer temperatures, gardeners across the country are back outside and nurturing their gardens once again. Most of us think of gardening as a relaxing and enjoyable activity – and of course, it usually is – but sometimes, gardening can be hazardous without proper precaution, as repetitive stress injuries, tendonitis and Carpal Tunnel Syndrome can develop from this pastime.  Additionally, simple scrapes, blisters, and bites can turn into serious problems if not treated appropriately.

Pregnancy can be an exciting time, and the birth of a baby is often thrilling and joyful.  This time in your life can also be stressful, involving many life changes.  Hormonal changes and planning and caring for a new baby can take a toll on a mother’s well-being. It is quite common for a new mother’s mood to be low after the birth of a baby, but if it develops into symptoms of depression,

National Nurses Week is a time to celebrate and thank all of our nursing colleagues for their dedication. We recognize the significant contributions nurses make in keeping our patients healthy.

Nurses play a critical role in improving patient outcomes, coordinating care and decreasing costs. The Affordable Care Act and the Institute of Medicine’s “Future of Nursing” Report have placed nurses in the center of health care transformation, strengthening prevention and wellness efforts which are reflected in our work at Harvard Vanguard.

Many of us spend hours in front of a computer screen every day, and that can take a toll on your vision.  Generally speaking, viewing objects farther away from us is easier on our eyes; conversely, the muscles in our eyes must work harder to view things at close range.  Staring at a computer screen for long periods of time, therefore, can cause you to strain the muscles in your eyes and may result in headaches,

In 1966, a revolutionary book was published entitled Feminine Forever. This book defined menopause as a deficiency disease that fed into the then-current stereotypes of older women as past their prime, unattractive, slightly crazy, and asexual. But there was good news! There was a cure: estrogen for the rest of your life! The book jacket promised: “Now almost every woman, regardless of age, can safely live a full sex life for her entire life.” During medical school in the 1970s,

Because asthma varies over time (sometimes symptoms are absent, sometimes symptoms are minimal, and at other times, asthma symptoms are bad), asthma action plans are very important.  When a child has an asthma action plan, he or his parents and care givers are able to increase or decrease his treatment based on his symptoms with the guidance of that plan.  Studies indicate that when children with asthma have an asthma action plan, they and their parents are better able to manage the ups and downs of their asthma.