Press Release

Local Physician Thinking Globally

Terra Linda, C.A. April — Dr. Joseph Habis, M.D. gives new meaning to the phrase "Think globally, act locally." With extensive training in travel medicine and personal travel experience, he is preparing local residents for international travel with personalized, pre-trip consultations that focus on the individual's needs and his or her destination. After all, nothing is worse than being sick while traveling.

When Dr. Habis does a travel consultation he first establishes a "risk profile" based on several variables including: your destinations and the duration of your stays, the season in which you are traveling, the type of travel you are doing (such as recreational, business, missionary work), your personal health situation, and your previous travel experience and travel immunization history. Based on this risk profile he will provide you with the information you need about the required and recommended vaccinations, immunizations, prescription medications. In addition, he will inform you on any cultural or safety issues about your destination and give you recommendations on other ways to avoid getting sick while traveling.

Americans are traveling abroad at unprecedented rates. In August 2005 the U.S. Department of Commerce reported record highs for U.S. outbound travel. As U.S. travelers begin to travel to more exotic and remote locations they are exposed to an entirely new and rapidly evolving set of health conditions. According to the International Society of Travel Medicine studies suggest that only eight percent of international travelers seek pre-travel health advice.

Travel health includes everything from advice on ways to prevent Traveler's Diarrhea to choosing the right medication to prevent Malaria. "Travel Medicine is a fairly new field. It emerged in the late 1980s as a result of more and more Americans traveling abroad. Today, many prefer to travel where no other tourists can be found, and there are some risks involved. If the traveler is off the beaten track with no medical access, they need to be educated about the risks involved" explains Dr. Habis.

New and emerging diseases, changing disease epidemiology and a lack of immunity make U.S. travelers particularly prone to getting sick while traveling. The problem is that as travel medicine becomes more complex, many primary health physicians are no longer able to provide current and accurate information that travelers will need. That's where a travel medicine specialist like Dr. Habis comes in.

With his well traveled background, Ecuador-born Habis has stories to share. After completing his residency he took a year long trip around the world, beginning in the South Pacific and stopping in coastal Africa, Egypt, Europe, and South America. On these travels he observed other travelers who were ill-prepared or taking the wrong medications and it became clear to him that there is an acute need for a physician that these travelers could trust to make their trips healthy and safe.

Vacationers aren't the only ones who have sought the expertise of Dr. Habis. He sees a variety of people with different needs, from immigrants going to visit their families, to students studying abroad or going away to college, to most recently, those going to the areas affected by Hurricane Katrina and Rita to help with relief efforts.

Corporations with international business, branches, or factories also benefit from group consultations. Companies are realizing that with so much invested in overseas trips it makes good business sense to make sure that their employees will be healthy and productive while they are away.

Dr. Habis currently practices in Terra Linda at 4000 Civic Center Drive, Suite #200. For a travel consultation appointment or for more information, you can call his office at 415.492.3333 or visit his website www.primamedgroup.com.

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