Paging Dr. Just Fine
17 Aug
While we’re on the subject of doctors.
Do you know the question I get asked the most (by far) as founder of Mindful Living NJ?
“Do you know a holistic-minded…?”
MD. Dermatologist. Dentist. OB. Pediatrician.
Unfortunately, the answers are few. And the ones I can recommend are not covered by insurance, which is always the follow up to question #1, or have closed their doors to new patients.
I have plenty of recommendations for qualified and compassionate chiropractors, naturopaths, acupuncturists, herbalists, energy healers, bodyworkers, midwives, psychotherapists even,…all people who offer incredible healing services and much relief in the areas of chronic emotional and physical pain. Of course, these practitioners also help their clients in preventing the colds, viruses, and chronic illnesses that usually bring them to the conventional doctor’s office in the first place. So, commiting to the added, out-of-pocket expense of seeing out-of-network, non-conventional holistic-minded practitioners will surely save you money and time in the long run.
But, that’s not the topic at hand today.
The topic is: “Why aren’t doctors heeding the call?”
Why isn’t there enough supply for our demand?
Why aren’t more MDs looking into follow up education in the area of integrative medicine? Or even self-teaching, as I know a bunch of MDs are, as more and more of their patients are asking about alternative and complementary therapies?
I’ve heard from physicians who have taken this route that it’s not an easy one to navigate. Those who began accepting insurance no longer can because insurance companies don’t appreciate the amount of time they are spending with each individual patient.
To be fair, I don’t know the ins and outs of a physician’s office or business management.
But I do know that people want a product and a service that is mostly unavailable. And, what I’d like to do is extend both an invitation and a less than gentle WAKE UP CALL to doctors.
There is an untapped market for a mainstream audience who just wants a little more attention. They just want to be listened to and honored. They just want you know to a little more about alternative therapies or, at the very least, admit that you don’t know about them and suggest they see someone who does.
They want someone who doesn’t subscribe to prescribe. Someone who makes the time for a lengthy new patient intake and subsequently pays attention to family history. Someone who knows that sometimes science has been proven wrong and anecdotal evidence has been proven right.
Someone who will take a leap of faith. Someone who sees me as a whole person. Not a manilla folder filled with papers and scribbles.
I invite you to be that doctor.
Oh so true. Many things must change in Medicine. So much money, time and illness can be saved and avoided with complete care and attention.
Medical Insurance promotes incomplete medicine. Thanks for bringing this up.
I would be collaborating and referring many people to Docs who treat people first and instead of script first.
There is so much more available in healing that works easily and simply than most would imagine.
I am working with more doctors each month training them in holistic methods.
Things are moving slowly-but they ARE moving. People count when they are going to outside integrative medicine. We are the change one person at a time.