The rabies virus affects the nervous system of mammals, including humans, and is transmitted by infected animals, including dogs, cats, bats, and raccoons. Rabies is a viral disease that affects the nervous system. If left untreated, it can cause fever, headache, anxiety, confusion, hallucinations, paralysis, and death. The World Health Organization estimates that 59,000 people die every year from rabies in Asia and Africa.
For a fixed monthly fee, patients have unlimited access to their primary care physician with direct primary care (DPC). With DPC, there are no insurance companies, co-pays, deductibles, or other administrative hassles. DPC providers can provide more personalized care, coordinate with specialists and hospitals, and spend more time with their patients.
It is important to seek medical attention as soon as possible if you have been exposed to rabies. Rabies can be treated with a series of injections called post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP), which consists of four doses of the rabies vaccine and one dose of the rabies immune globulin. Rabies can be prevented from spreading if PEP is given before symptoms appear.
PEP, however, can be challenging, particularly in rural areas or developing countries with rabies outbreaks. You may face long waiting times, high costs, or lack of access to the injections. You may also have to deal with insurance claims, paperwork, and bureaucracy.
It is here that DPC can help. With DPC, you can communicate with your primary care provider anytime, anywhere, using telephone, text, email, or video chat. In addition to assessing your risk of exposure to rabies, your DPC provider can prescribe and administer PEP, as well as monitor your condition. You will also get discounts on lab tests, medications, and vaccines. There are no co-pays or deductibles, just a flat monthly fee for unlimited care.
DPC can offer many benefits for rabies patients, such as:
You can get PEP as soon as possible after exposure without visiting an emergency room or urgent care. You can also get follow-up care from your DPC provider throughout your recovery.
PEP can be customized to your specific needs based on your medical history, allergies, and preferences by your DPC provider. In addition to mental health, nutrition, and chronic conditions, your DPC provider can address any other health issues you may have.
DPC providers can teach you how to avoid potentially infected animals, how to recognize rabies signs and symptoms, and how to protect your family and pets from the disease. You can also get preventative vaccines and boosters from your DPC provider.
DPC can offer you a personalized and comprehensive approach to rabies management. Here are some examples of how DPC can help you:
A DPC provider can provide you with pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), which consists of three doses of rabies vaccine given before exposure, if you are traveling to a country where rabies is prevalent. If you are exposed to rabies, PrEP can reduce your need for PEP and make it more effective.
Whether or not you need PEP is determined by your DPC provider if you are bitten by an animal that may have rabies. If possible, your DPC provider can contact the local health authorities and animal control to report the incident and arrange for the animal to be tested.
A DPC provider can administer PEP injections to you at your home or office, or at a convenient location of your choosing. Additionally, your DPC provider can monitor your response to the treatment, and manage any complications you may experience. If necessary, your DPC provider can coordinate with other health care professionals, such as infectious disease specialists, neurologists, or psychiatrists.
You and your family can cope with the terminal stage of rabies with palliative care and comfort measures from your DPC provider if you develop symptoms of rabies. You can also contact your DPC provider for assistance with end-of-life decisions, such as hospice care, organ donation, and funeral planning.
If you are at risk, exposed, or infected with rabies, DPC can offer you a better way to deal with it. As well as providing you with convenient, timely, personalized, preventive, and educational care, DPC eliminates the need for insurance and other intermediaries, saving you time, money, and hassle.
As Louis Pasteur, the pioneer of rabies vaccine, said,
“The greatest enemy of progress is not ignorance, but the illusion of knowledge.”
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