Does a Broader View of Medicine Require Socialism?

A recent article by Daniel Federman M.D. from Harvard Medical School?reveals why so few physicians can begin to move past the old model of disease management into the clean fresh air of health and wellness.? Dr. Federman makes several very good points in his article "A Broader View of Medicine."? My favorite is that there is an expectation for a flawed system to provide nearly flawless care.? He acknowledges that there is a fundamental problem with the principles of medicine?as it?is practiced.? Unfortunately his premise is that our system in the United States is focused too much on the individual, not too little.? His prescription for improving health and the delivery system is to diminish the attention on the individual and transfer wealth to provide universal coverage for all people, not just United States citizens.? This is clearly a broader view of medicine because it presumes to spread a limited resource over an infinitely expanding consumer base.? Instead of acknowledging the absolute biological necessity of individualized nutrition, activity and supplementation Dr. Federman seeks to spread the misery of disease care into every facet of human existence.? I'm all for hygienic control and judicious use of medical treatments to halt the spread of epidemics but I am diametrically opposed to worldwide welfare medicine in the name of promoting health.? I am also a bit disgusted by the droning about morality and its misapplication by the purveyors of individual freedom.?

A broader view of medicine ideally would include:

1. Sanitary sewer for all the earth's people

2. Fresh wholesome water for all

3. Adequate high-quality food to meet caloric needs

4. Supplementation to restore regional deficiency conditions (selenium or iodine to replace soil nutrients that are missing in certain areas of China or the American West)

5. Medical care for those who chose to spend their personal resources to acquire it, whether through risk-sharing pools or traditional insurance

6. Charity care through an unfettered, state-neutral religious and privately funded, liability exempted "Good Samaritan" system.

7. Tax credits for all charity care given through private physician offices throughout the U.S.A. as an example for the world to follow.

Instead of building huge bureaucracies that MUST by their very nature excel in administration I would recommend compassionate and inspirational examples of high-integrity health and wellness projects, programs and teaching.? The medicalization and institutionalization of all things relating to health would be the final death knell for excellence in the healing arts.? Just today the British Health Service released its most recent study revealing the lack of compassion, quality and health outcomes in their national system.?

The most excellent systems must be built around the individual.? To apply the same health strategies to me that you would apply to a 14-year-old schoolgirl is beyond foolish.? Though it would be politically correct and non-discriminatory it would also be exceedingly wasteful of time and money.? That doesn't even take into account the obvious reality that a man in his 40's who participates in "whole-life" fitness and nutrition enhances productive output and years of paternal capability in child-rearing and family support.? The 14 year-old girl would require very?little health care if she is not overly medicalized and given antibiotics for every sniffle and?immunization for every non-lethal disease that can be imagined.? A?regular program?of dietary counseling to avoid "anti-nutrients" and some encouragement to exercise and she'd be ready to go!? Imagine the results if the private sector could be charged to produce lean kids "at a profit!"? It would happen if you could get the socialized medicine folks out of the picture.? Regulatory nightmares would absolutely crush the effort if ANY governmental bodies got involved.

The program for me would be different because I might have family history to deal with and some other issues that would actually require some professional medical care.? The foundation of community-based fitness and nutrition programs would already be in place and the things that wouldn't be addressed through these systems would be much more responsive in a healthy individual.? When the responsibility for health is placed on the physician (or, God forbid, the public) a grand opportunity is lost.? Instead of receiving the instruction and benefits of health enhancement each person would be entitled to their government ration of substandard treatment (also known as non-care).? Since?resources would be?consumed to treat the results of destructive behaviors like smoking, promiscuity and drunkenness it would leave precious little for wellness.? I say let the smokers and other risk-takers shoulder the burden for their choices.? I, for one, am willing to accept the possibility that my aggressive driving may result in a ticket.? The outcome of health behaviors shouldn't be likewise exempted from reality!

"A Broader View of Medicine" is supported with opinions and data from esteemed scientists who are known for their big-government concepts and programs.? All of their ideas aren't bad.? I just have a problem funding their largesse through the taxation of people who fight to reduce their own medical costs with excellent diet and activity.? The medical community has spent an inordinate amount of time being indoctrinated in the liberal concept that any health decisions should take the least common denominator of health into account.? Since I offer my patients?a shot at maximized health status it is terribly discouraging to see so much effort focused on sick care.? Maximum disincentives are being offered for optimum health while the impact of poor health choices is being mitigated by efforts to fund the payment for their consequences through someone else's work.? The payments will probably come from the same guy who is working so hard to stay fit just to pay for someone else's illness.? I think public policy should encourage the best behaviors and penalize the worst.? For those who have genetic problems or disease that is unresponsive to good health practice (no problem that I have ever heard of....), there should be affordable insurance and charity services to meet their needs.

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