I know what medicine I need, so why prescriptions?

A close family member with a bad head cold returned from the supermarket with an elixir, a night time cold remedy, and sinus/sinus pressure pills. None said "Tylenol" on the package (she prefers Motrin over Tylenol), yet all had a full adult dose of acetaminophen. She had intended on taking all three before sleep- plus the Motrin.

The alka seltzer in my medicine cabinet has no active ingredients.

A friend of mine who says his body can't handle caffeine also says Excedrin is about the only thing that works for his occassional headaches.

We're about all smart enough to self medicate, but that isn't what it being marketed and sold over-the-counter. We aren't educated about medications, but we know alot about Brand names.

Sin and illness

I admit I sound a little to knowing in this writ, but realize, I had no audience for it-dras.

Much physical illness is mitigated, created, and exacerbated by spiritual illness. Not even the agnostic is free from remorse and mental anguish that comes from conflicts in ones personal relationship with his/her God, or ideals within a personal belief system. Often these become "demons" that can commonly produce very real physical symptoms, and even chronic mental and physical conditions.

Often, it's easy for an individual to recognize a spiritual component or etiology to illness if one exists. Then, it's easy to go to traditional medical practitioners for help in taking the symptoms away. It's also easy to accept simple remedies in alt-med, or from evangelic ministers. It's much more difficult to go to God, or to the innermost self, to sort things out and discover a "path to repentance" that might include social embarrassment, admission of guilt to those offended, giving up an addiction, or even jail time. Sometimes, it's a "path to truth" that needs to be found in order to come to a full understanding and acceptance of oneself - after all, some things are just the way they are and cannot be changed, and not all remorse or mental anguish is a result of sin.

The worst kind of person is the one that endeavors to sell absolution, especially when they are the ones to affix the scarlet letter. But there is a place for trusted spiritual counselors in the return to health, along with psychiatric counselors and medical practitioners and their remedies. Hospital chaplains, for instance, usually know their business, and conduct themselves in the highest professional regard. I would hesitate to call their work healthfraud.

Example of a common "Dear Doctor" scam

Dear Health Care Provider,

May we take a few moments of your time to explain a really great diagnostic tool that you can begin using immediately on your patients.

It is infrared dermagraphic imaging and it can be done in your clinic for less than $500 one time investment and using a standard PC. Paraspinal skin temperatures are measured with a digital infrared thermometer and the results are entered into the computer. The software then takes over and produces a spectacular color screen print or hard copy.

This is easy to use, a great education tool for your patients, and has great reimbursement. Get as much as $450 per scan!

More questions? Visit our web site at Cand see what it is all about. Still more questions? Call 815-425-4198 and we will be happy to discuss this really great system and how it can help your practice. This just might be the edge you need during this tough times.

Thanks for your time and we look forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely,
The MDI team.

My Response:

I would like to know how this differs from thermography as specifically defined and excluded by Medicare:

"Thermography is the measurement of self-emanating infrared radiation that reveals temperature variations at the surface of the body. The thermographic device senses body temperature and demonstrates areas of differing heat emission by producing brightly colored patterns." etc.

The scans will likely get reimbursed, that is until an audit comes around and determines exactly what service is being billed.

Parker Jensen case

Sorry, the link is no longer is available. As I recall it was just as I label it concerning the publicized Parker Jensen case. I sent this to the Herald editor, but never recieved reply and don't even know if it was consequently published by them. I did find out the author of the editorial I'm slamming teaches Journalism at a local higher education institution. What do I know?

I spent an hour formulating a response to points made in this editorial. I chucked them in favor of the following:

http://www.harktheherald.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=2878

Excusing the serious and implicative nature of the Jensen issue. This editorial in the Herald is tiresome. It is poorly written as argumentative and doesn't make any clear point. It has all the aspects of trash media in that is uses the obligatory "shocking statistics," "hints of conspiracy," "institutions that take our money are conniving and evil," and "lawmakers should do something!!!" The Herald should be embarrassed in it's publication of this.