A Change of Heart

While I continue to educate and (hopefully) inspire, I have decided as well to vent.  Working with traditional medicine, on your health team, has inherent frustrations.  Anytime you suggest that the prevailing "way" could use some assistance, re-direction, or a whole new philosophy...there is resistance.  Resistance from patients as well as doctors.  Resistance from insurance companies, adjustors, and claims analysts. 

There are reports in the media and public opinion that things aren't ok.  We spend too much, the results are less than satisfactory, including the deaths that mount as direct consequences of medical care. 

But when offered a less expensive, safer, and often times more effective approach...the resistence to change emerges.  And, I GET IT...an individuals nervous system prefers stability, even when dysfunctional and causing uncomfortable symptoms.  Collectively the resistance to change is even stronger. 

So, I will complain.  I will complain in an effort to poke holes in the resistance.  I will attempt to complain non-violently, compassionately, and scientifically.  This is a monumental task...to provide inspiration through complaining...but that is what I will attempt to do. 

Some complaints, off the top of my head:

• Last year I got a happy face for my visit per condition statistic, while I got a sad face for my services per visit.  Yes, we get preschool "grades" for our statistical performance as a doctor (from BCBS).  Yet, the only number that should count, didn't count!  That number...can you guess...is how much it cost to resolve a condition.  I "costed" the insurance company less per patient, on average, but I recieved a warning...no, a threat...that I could be kicked off the insurance program if my services per visit didn't decrease. 
• Medicare will not pay for a diagnostic lab I order, because I am not a MD.  They will pay about 38 dollars for my service, regardless of the service provided.  If I spend an hour: $38     If I spend 2 minutes: $38  So what is medicare encouraging me to do??
• Blue Cross / Blue Shield will not pay for a diagnostic lab I order.  Again, because I am not a MD.
• When I call to verify insurance benefits, there is not an option for Chiropractic Benefits...only medicine, pharmaceutical, and dentistry.  We have to hope someone will eventually pick up.  This is Sami's least favorite activity in our office.
• I have to "prove myself" with better and faster results (with patients and insurance companies), at lower pay rates in treatment of the same conditions as medicine.  Women...minorities...can you relate here?!?
• Medical Physicians often disregard the diagnostics that I do...for instance, If I run a panel to diagnose infectious disease, and we decide to treat what we find with meds, which I can't prescribe, many times the patients MD won't look at the lab or prescribe based on the lab. 

Whew...that felt good.  Can you see the silliness in the "way things are??"