4 minute read
How About Giving Your Health a Fresh Start?
Recently, I had the opportunity to interview patients for a special project. The conversation uncovered some very interesting insights about what thoughts stream through patients’ minds and perceptions of ‘health practitioners’
So what do you think? Are you willing to open your mind to a new perspective on healthcare and your personal wellbeing? After all, health is wealth. I have a few questions for you before we get started and I’d like to make a little guess that many of your health practitioners have not asked you these before.
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What expectations do you have of your health practitioners? Have you clearly communicated your expectations? Do you take full responsibility for your health or do you fully abdicate responsibility?
Ok, I’ve got you thinking. Great! Let’s consider the definition of ‘health practitioner’. I have found that when we better understand what words exactly mean we’re better able to evaluate how it relates to our specific situation.
HEALTH
• The World Health Organization states (1), “Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.”
• Paracelsus (2) – one of my favorites in medicine, “He believed that health arose from the harmony between the microcosm (man) and the macrocosm (Nature). Man and the universe were essentially one in nature, and there was a profound relationship between every part of nature and its corresponding part in man. In order to truly understand the causes of disease, a doctor must first be a philosopher.”
PRACTITIONER
• “Person actively engaged in an art, discipline, or profession, especially medicine.”
So lets be really clear. The term practitioner includes the following: medical doctor, naturopathic doctor, nurse practitioner, dentist and medical specialists. Have you ever noticed that the term ‘practitioner’ gets applied to the following groups of people even though they do not practice medicine? Dietician, holistic nutritionist, health practitioner, wellness practitioner or any other ‘practitioner’ that I have not mentioned. I know, I’m treading on thin ice at this point, however, I think it’s extremely important to emphasize terminology because it speaks to levels of training, education and expertise. Furthermore, it speaks to the level of expectation that can be requested in regards to better understanding your health. Bear with me as I’m developing a point. Now circling back to the beginning and re-introducing the concept of ‘health practitioner’. Have you ever thought about the types of professionals that you’d like to have on your healthcare team and how you’d like them to work together? Notice, I used the term ‘professional’ to distinguish between those practicing medicine and those in roles that support health. Let me be very clear. I have nothing against other wellness advocates (as a general term) and I deeply feel we all have a role, however, I’m developing a point. Why am I asking these questions? It’s because in the conversation with Suzie Smith (name is protected), I discovered that part of the reason patients shop around for different professionals in regards to their health is because their needs, their health care goals and desired results are not being met nor achieved.
1. My supplements are not working so the program is not working • Perhaps you were not following the instruction • Perhaps the dose needed to be changed but you didn’t follow-up with the doctor • Perhaps the doctor’s schedule got busy, they didn’t have systems in place and they didn’t follow-up with you 2. I don’t understand why practitioner A is telling me to add a supplement and practitioner B is telling me to stop it • This is very confusing. Not only for the patient but for the practitioner because use of supplements often is based upon familiarity and experience. 3. I don’t understand what is going on with my body and I just need someone, not Dr. Google, to actually take the time to explain it to me. 4. I need more support but I don’t know how to ask my doctor for what I need.
I could share many more thoughts yet I believe you’re beginning to understand the context and situation. When it comes to a health practitioner i.e. a professional in medicine who is working to support your physical, mental, emotional and spiritual well-being, there are many factors to consider in an individual’s health history due to the multitude of variables that precede the chief concerns. As a practitioner, it is not always easy to identify the level of support each person needs and honestly, I certainly don’t want to guess. What expectations do you have of health practitioners that you’re working with? Do you expect medical doctors, naturopathic doctors and nurse practitioners to work together? If so, have you communicated that to each of them? I believe the take away from this experience is to consider creating a fresh start with your existing health professionals. Are they able to meet your expectations and do they fit with your values? At the end of the day your health is literally everything because without it, not much else is possible.
Dr. Candice Staniek
