At Heyday Health, we know how important it is for you to be able to easily access your care team when you need them. That’s why we’ve made our telehealth visits even easier. When it comes time for your appointment, all you have to do is click a link sent to you by text and/or email. No more Zoom and no need to log into your patient portal - it’s as simple as a single click.

1 hour before your scheduled video visit, 

ou will receive a text message and/or email, depending on your preferences, with a link to your appointment.

make sure you are using a device that has a video camera and microphone (sometimes your smartphone works best!).

Click on the link and you will be taken directly to your Heyday visit.

 You may see a notification pop-up asking you for permission to use your camera and microphone. Make sure to select “allow” so that we can see and hear you.



Once you’re in the visit, you’ll see both yourself and your provider on video.


If you cannot hear your provider, make sure your volume on your device is turned on and is all the way up. If your provider cannot hear you, check to see if you need to “unmute” by clicking the button on the bottom left.



If you’re having any other issues with the visit, please try refreshing the page or clicking the link again. You can also give us a call and we can always help to make sure everything is working smoothly!

Care is Only a Click Away with Easier Video Visits  

Heyday Health is expanding to Stark, Summit counties in Ohio and was honored to be featured in a recent issue of the Canton Repository. You can read the full article 

Heyday Health Featured in Canton Repository

Many times my patients will have elevated blood pressures when I check it, but swear that when they check it themselves it’s entirely normal. This could be because our blood pressure cuffs are different, but more likely it’s because of a very common condition called “white coat hypertension.” This is the situation where, completely outside of the patient’s control, their blood pressure will rise in the presence of a healthcare professional.

White coat hypertension isn’t dangerous by itself, since it usually represents only a temporary increase in blood pressure. Think about it like going to the gym – if you were to check anyone’s blood pressure after they’ve been on a treadmill, their blood pressure will be high. But when they rest, it comes back down. This is perfectly normal and white coat hypertension is no different.

So, what should you do if you suspect white coat hypertension? First, speak to your clinical team. At Heyday Health, we work with patients to check their blood pressure at home, ideally in the morning in a calm and well-rested state. While white coat hypertension isn’t worrisome by itself, many patients go on to develop regular hypertension, so it’s important to get regular check-ups and maintain a healthy diet and lifestyle.

That’s the why of Heyday Health. To know each of our patients deeply, to give them a team they trust, and to always put care first.

White Coat Hypertension

How many medications do you take? If you’re like most older adults, you’re on more than one prescription medication, a situation we call polypharmacy. 

While taking a number of medications can be necessary and important for certain conditions, patients and their families should also be aware of the potential risks, especially as we age.

Why are older adults unique when it comes to medications? For a number of reasons, older adults respond differently to medications. This can sometimes result in drug interactions, side effects, and potentially significant consequences. Older adults may also be seeing multiple doctors and specialists, who might not know what the others are prescribing. Without a coordinated care team and communication between clinicians, patients may accidentally be put on medications that should not be taken together. 

So what should you do to reduce the risks of too many medications? First, make sure you work with your care team to keep an updated medication list with you for any medical appointments. That way, you can always show other doctors what you are already taking. Second, make sure to review your medications with your doctor to confirm that everything you’re prescribed is necessary for your health and is able to be taken together. You should also always make sure to tell your care team if you think you are having any side effects. Finally, make sure you’re taking your medications consistently and correctly. You can use medical reminder apps on your phone, daily pillbox organizers, or even ask family and friends to help keep you on track. 

Our core mission at Heyday is to provide patients with the best possible primary care. That includes ensuring that they are on the appropriate medications for their health, and monitoring them closely for potential side effects. 

We work with our patients to develop a medication plan that works for them, and we’re always available to answer any questions.

Medication Management

If you’ve had a prescription for certain blood pressure medications or medications to reduce cholesterol, you may have seen the warning to not take these drugs with grapefruit. 

Why is grapefruit to be avoided so specifically and what should you do about it?

Grapefruit and some of its fruity cousins like Seville oranges and pomelos contain a compound called 

 which can block the activity of a certain enzyme, CYP3A4. This enzyme helps to break down certain medications in the body, affecting the amount that ends up in your bloodstream. If you eat a lot of grapefruit or its juice the enzyme doesn’t do its job, which means that blood levels of these medications can rise, sometimes to a dangerous level.

How much is too much? Interestingly, even small amounts for grapefruit can result in significant changes in drug levels in the blood. 

For example, one glass of grapefruit juice can reduce the function of the important enzyme by 47 percent! In addition, the effect of the grapefruit can linger in the body for a while, with 1/3 of the compound still detectable24 hours after consuming grapefruit.

So, what if you’re a grapefruit aficionado? Do you have to give it up completely? If you’re taking one of these medications, it’s probably best to not roll the dice and just switch to orange juice. Really can’t live without your grapefruit? Talk to your Heyday team about alternative medications. 

At Heyday Health, we’re committed to finding the care plan that works for you - including what you like to have for breakfast.

What's the Deal With Grapefruit?

When the pandemic went from a scary disease happening across the world to something in our own backyard, medicine was forced to respond nearly overnight. 

I moved primary care practice from one that saw 99% of its patients in the clinic to one that saw 99% of its patients virtually within the span of about 2 weeks. That meant upending everything – and not just schedules.

We had to set up virtual appointments, change the way we prescribed medications from 30 days to 90 days, and very importantly, make tough decisions about what we thought was truly necessary for our patients. Was that hip replacement 6 months in the making worth the risk? For each patient, we were forced to make tough choices.

During those first few months, I was worried that without face-to-face primary care, our patients would suffer clinically. They would miss their medications, fall off their care plans, and end up going to the hospital more.

I couldn’t have been more wrong. Not only did they not end up in the hospital, but many of them also did better.

 With extended prescriptions, they were more likely to not miss refills. With telephone and video access to their team, their access improved. And surprisingly, with hospitals stopping elective surgeries, some people ended up getting better on their own. One patient, who had been on chronic pain medications from back pain ended up tapering herself off her opiates and was able to increase her activity dramatically. What’s more – the patients and their families were happier and more engaged with their care.

This experience propelled me to found Heyday Health. I know now that COVID has fundamentally changed how we will practice medicine in the future. Our virtual and in-home primary care for older adults is at the forefront of that change. 

While this past year has been filled with challenges and loss, it has also shown us the benefits and the necessity of truly meeting patients where they are.

COVID Changed Everything

When people ask me why I helped create Heyday Health, I’m reminded of one of the most heart-breaking patients I ever took care of.

 I was working in a hospital and she had been admitted with concerns for chest pain. After a heart attack was ruled out, we were trying to figure out what exactly was going on.

I met her leaning over the edge of her hospital bed. She was impossibly thin and looked older than her 71 years, but she was upbeat and shared her story freely. It wasn’t until I examined her that I understood why her scans were so unusual and why she was hurting so badly. Behind her right breast was a grapefruit sized tumor that was beginning to push into her lungs.

I asked her when she noticed this. Two years ago, she replied. But why didn’t she say anything? And this is what tore me apart, she said, “Who would I tell? I haven’t seen a doctor in 25 years because we couldn’t afford it, and well, no one ever asked me to see one, anyway.” And there it was. An entirely preventable cancer that could have likely been detected early and, if not, at least treated before it became incurable.

I still can’t help but think that it didn’t have to go this way. That if she had providers who cared to ask, who offered her a mammogram, who took the time, that she wouldn’t have had to suffer in the same way. What she needed, what we all need, is someone who cares.

From Heartbreak to Heyday

WFMJ covered Heyday Health's partnership with the Youngstown Business Incubator and the support of Representative Tim Ryan. To read more, click 

Insights

Care is Only a Click Away with Easier Video Visits

Heyday Health Featured in Canton Repository

White Coat Hypertension

Medication Management

What's the Deal With Grapefruit?

COVID Changed Everything

From Heartbreak to Heyday

Heyday Health Partners with Youngstown Incubator

How does
Heyday Health work?

Insights

Care is Only a Click Away with Easier Video Visits

Heyday Health Featured in Canton Repository

White Coat Hypertension

Medication Management

What's the Deal With Grapefruit?

COVID Changed Everything

From Heartbreak to Heyday

Heyday Health Partners with Youngstown Incubator

How doesHeyday Health work?

How does
Heyday Health work?