We have reached the six-month anniversary of the Foundation “blog”. I’m not a big fan of the word blog. I’d rather say, place on social media where ideas are exchanged and people can dialogue on matters of importance in their life. That must be why someone invented the word “blog.”
Why you should NOT read this blog.
The Foundation is a public charity, not a medical company or physician’s office. We don’t do medical research. We don’t practice medicine. If you’re looking for the cure to what you’ve got, you won’t find that here.
The Role of Physicians In Society.
Since the earliest civilizations, “healers” have been honored and revered. Rarely were they the recognized leader of the community, but they were the person that leadership turned to when they needed wise counsel. As America expanded West in the mid 1800’s, doctors were a key component of what defined “civilization”. Sometimes the only person in town with higher education, physicians often put down deep roots in their community. Mayors and Sheriffs would come and go, but the Doctor was the pillar of the community. Think “Doc” from Gunsmoke or even “Bones” from Star Trek. They brought humanity to a violent and turbulent frontier.
The Principles of Osteopathic Medicine
“The Osteopath should find health. To find health should be the object of the doctor. Anyone can find disease.” – AT Still, DO; Founder of Osteopathic Medicine
When you visit your doctor, insurance companies reimburse them for the things they do to find and treat your disease. It’s how the system works. It’s why the system is broken.
Osteopathic physicians, or “DOs” are taught in medical school that “the person is a unit of body, mind and spirit.” The practice of medicine is more than the science of disease. It is the relationship between two people. Good physicians, DO & MD, use the principles of osteopathic medicine to help each patient find health and wellness.
As Zig Ziglar said many times, “people don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care – about them.”
So, Why Should You Read This Blog?
If you have ever lied, or thought about lying to your doctor, this blog was made just for you.
As patients, we wrongly assume our doctor takes it personally if we occasionally forget our meds, don’t cut back on sugars, or try some weird treatment we read about on Facebook. But something the osteopathic approach to medicine teaches new doctors is patients are people, not perfect. Bones didn’t travel the galaxy in search of the perfect patient, he went in support of people who needed help finding health and wellness, both inside and outside the exam room.
Our blog is a celebration of the patient / physician relationship and what all of us can learn from those dialogues and interactions. When the focus is finding wellness, not disease, everyone has something to learn and contribute.