The Top Five Autoimmune Treatment Mistakes!

1.       Relationships

The 4^th HUGE mistake in treating YOUR condition is your relationship to your doctor. 

In every other service industry, we call customers “clients.”  In medicine, we call you patients.  You’re still customers…you are still the client. 

Here’s the mistake.  As a patient, you lose the quality assurance. 

When you go to the auto mechanic, you expect a diagnosis…they tell you why the problem is occurring.  They offer a “treatment plan.”  If you accept the treatment plan, it better darn well solve the problem…or they better darn well have a good explanation. 

I witnessed this first hand recently.  I was at the “shop” getting my car serviced.  I overheard the manager of this shop on the phone with an irate customer.  The customer’s problem was not solved!  He was livid.  It was apparent the person on the other line was upset, perhaps yelling at the manager of the shop. 

What was interesting to me was that the manager wanted to make it right.  He offered to solve the problem at no cost.  He agreed to make it right. 

Now, consider that relationship with your doctor…

If your “motor” isn’t running right, and you accept the treatment plan, AND it doesn’t make you feel well or achieve health…what is your recourse??  Do you insist on satisfaction?  Do you demand your money back? 

Nope…not as a patient!  That’s a right reserved for a client or customer. 

DON’T BE A PATIENT.  Be a customer! 

Demand satisfaction! 

Imagine if your mechanic said that your car problem was incurable…he said the only thing you could do was drive the car a maximum of 30 miles per hour.  Now, I know what you are saying…time for a new car…but we don’t have that opportunity with our bodies, so what if you COULDN’T get a new car.  Would you just putt-putt around at 30 miles per hour?  I doubt it…you would find THE MECHANIC who CAN fix it. 

Again, let’s not forget that health care is a SERVICE industry.  Sure, it is a totally messed up service industry…a third party, called insurance, with CEOs in million dollar homes…paid for with your dollars…dollars earned by restricting what you can buy with your money.  Yes, they get million dollar homes by cutting doctor fees and denying coverage for YOU...the one putting the MONEY into their pockets. 

Ok, it’s totally messed up…but it is the system we have…and you are still the customer…ACT LIKE ONE!!  And if you aren’t getting what you want…VOTE with your $$$$!! Choose another health coverage…like medical savings plans, that give you much more CHOICE where and how you spend your health care dollar.  PLUS…when you get healthy…this money comes back to you…it is an investment.  Insurance is a total LOSS by comparison.  That is what a customer in a service industry would do. 

I am prepared to accept customers.  Seriously!  I promise you won’t get burned with poor quality mechanics. 

I am writing this on the heels of a real experience with a customer who didn’t want to be a patient. 

I proposed my treatment plan.  She didn’t accept it, but she didn’t decline.  She simply said, paraphrased here, that she didn’t want to be patient…void of rights, expectations or satisfaction!!

So, of course, I told her she is unrealistic, and I wouldn’t stand for this type of attitude.  She can go to another doctor.  I have plenty of work to do without her badgering me with her desire for satisfaction.  Who does she think she is? 

NO!  Actually, I told her this story of my mechanic, and I assured her that if she gave 100% in her recovery…if she did what I asked (it’s not as easy as taking a magic pill)…if she followed my recommendations…and she didn’t get what she wanted…

I told her to TELL ME…I told her I would make it right.  I even went as far as saying I would return the money she spent on my care…IF she didn’t get what she wanted. 

Now, this is a touchy subject…I CAN’T guarantee results.  For legal reasons AND because it depends on you.  YOU have to do what I prescribe. 

So, I am not laying out a guarantee here, but I am saying that I will hold to the same standard as my mechanic.  If my treatment fails…your motor doesn’t start…and you put in the right grade gas and oil…come to me…I WILL NOT make it right…and if that means a refund on a failed treatment…I will make it right. 

If I don’t add more value to your life than the money you spend on your care…I don’t want your money. 

I know that is unheard of, so when you get up off the floor…it’s time to VOTE by hiring a new doctor…one who accepts customers. 

Yours in Health,

Dr. Todd Stone